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Psychological Reactions (psychological + reaction)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	60%
Psychology	20%

Selected Abstracts

Psychological Reactions to Adaptive Testing

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SELECTION AND ASSESSMENT, Issue 1 2000
Scott Tonidanel
The purpose of the study was to examine how specific aspects of adaptive testing influence test-takers pre-test reactions. Specifically, three different psychological reactions were examined in the study: perceived fairness of the test, attitude toward the test, and expectations about the test. Fifty-three undergraduates were presented with descriptions of hypothetical selection tests that were manipulated to reflect characteristics of adaptive tests that differ from traditional paper-and-pencil tests. The results indicate that certain features of adaptive tests, such as the inability to skip questions, may adversely impact test-takers' reactions. Implications for test designers are discussed. [source]

Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals' Psychological Reactions to Amendments Denying Access to Civil Marriage

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 3 2010
Sharon Scales Rostosky
Political campaigns to deny same-sex couples the right to civil marriage have been demonstrated to increase minority stress and psychological distress in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals (S. S. Rostosky, E. D. B. Riggle, S. G. Horne, & A. D. Miller, 2009). To further explicate the psychological reactions of LGB individuals to marriage amendment campaigns, a content analysis was conducted of open-ended responses from 300 participants in a national online survey that was conducted immediately following the November 2006 election. LGB individuals indicated that they felt indignant about discrimination; distressed by the negative rhetoric surrounding the campaigns; fearful and anxious about protecting their relationships and families; blaming of institutionalized religion, ignorance, conservative politicians, and the ineffective political strategies used by LGBT organizers; hopeless and resigned; and, finally, hopeful, optimistic, and determined to keep fighting for justice and equal rights. These 7 themes are illustrated and discussed in light of their implications for conceptualizing and intervening to address discrimination and its negative psychological effects. [source]

Depression in Parkinson's disease , a review

ACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 1 2006
A. Lieberman
Major depression is present, at any given time, in 20,40% of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, several times the prevalence in the general population. In addition, depression may precede the diagnosis of PD. These observations and reports of depression during deep brain stimulation of regions contiguous to the substantia nigra, as well as reports of dopamine agonist improving depression, suggest depression, rather than being mainly a psychological reaction to a debilitating disease, is part of PD. It is postulated that mesolimbic and mesocortical dopaminergic pathways that mediate affect, behavior, and cognition, contribute to depression in PD. [source]

Psychological Reactions to Adaptive Testing

Emotional and informational support for families during their child's illness

INTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 3 2006
A. Sarajärvi rn
Purpose:, To describe and compare the support provided by nursing staff to families during their child's illness from the viewpoint of families and nurses. Method:, A survey method was used. Data were collected by questionnaires planned for families and staff separately. The study population consisted of families who visited paediatric outpatient clinics, families with hospitalized children (n = 344) and the paediatric nursing staff (n = 60). Findings:, Almost half of the families had received adequate emotional and informational support from the nursing staff for their physical and psychological reactions. One-fifth of the families reported that they had not been supported at all during the child's hospitalization. According to families and nurses, the support was provided in the forms of discussion, listening and giving time. Implications for practice:, Families' and nurses' suggestions for development of support were related to the time resources of the staff, to the flow of information, to more client-centred attitudes, to being appreciated and listened to and to home care guidance. However, the pervasiveness of this problem in the international literature suggests that deeper consideration of possible underlying reasons for this phenomenon is called for. [source]

Infertile couples' experience of family stress while women are hospitalized for Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome during infertility treatment

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 4 2008
Shiu-Neng Chang MS
Aims and objectives., The aim of this study was to explore the essential structure of family stress among hospitalized women receiving infertility treatment with Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome. Background., When hospitalization is necessary for infertile women with Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, they face health-illness transition stress and their families are traumatized by the pressure of hospitalization. Most literature on infertility treatment has dealt with the infertile women's physio-psychological reactions, the impact on the couples' relationships and the influence of social support on infertile couples. Design., A descriptive phenomenological design consistent with Husserl's philosophy. Methods., Ten married couples from a Taipei medical centre participated in the study. All the couples were receiving infertility treatment because the female partners were suffering from moderate or severe Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome and this required hospitalized. An open in-depth interview technique encouraged parents to reflect on their experience, which raised their feelings to a conscious level. Data were analysed using Colaizzi's approach. Results., This study explored infertile women's experiences from the couples' perspectives and the results identify the overall stresses that the family face. Five themes emerged from the study, namely, the stress of ,carrying on the ancestral line', the psychological reactions of the couple, a disordering of family life, reorganization of family life and external family support. Conclusions., The results demonstrate that the experience of family stress involves impacts that range across the domains of individual, marital, family and social interactions and there is a need to cope with these when the wife is hospitalized for moderate to severe Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome. Relevance to clinical practice., The findings indicated that nurses should provide infertile couples with family-centred perspectives that are related to Chinese cultural family values. Nurses should supply information on infertility treatment and assist couples to cope with their personal and family stress. [source]

Stress and coping among families of patients with traumatic brain injury: a review of the literature

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 8 2005
Sofie Verhaeghe MSc
Aims and objectives., This literature review aims to structure the available information on the psychological reactions of family members confronted with traumatic brain injury. The stress,coping theory and the systems theory provide the theoretical framework for this review. Method., Literature review. Results., The level of stress experienced by the family members of patients who have traumatic brain injury is such that professional intervention is appropriate, even after 10,15 years. Not the severity of the injury but the nature of the injuries determines the level of stress. Partners experience more stress than parents. Children have specific difficulties. Young families with little social support, financial, psychiatric and/or medical problems are the most vulnerable. Coping with traumatic brain injury can be described in phases. The better family members can cope with the situation, the better the patient's recovery. There are functional and non-functional coping mechanisms and coping is influenced by such factors as gender, social and professional support and the possibility to have reciprocal communication or an affective relation with the patient. Relevance to clinical practice., Support from professionals reduces the stress being experienced and encourages people to cope effectively. Conflicts with professional carers should be avoided. Every attempt should be made to develop models of long-term support and care that alleviate sources of burden on relatives. Further research is necessary to develop such models. [source]

A predictive model for psychological reactions to crime in Italy: an analysis of fear of crime and concern about crime as a social problem

JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2005
Piero Amerio
Abstract In this study a model for predicting fear of crime (FC) and concern about crime as a social problem (CC) in Italy has been built, using three sets of independent variables concerning: (a) the sociodemographic and criminal victimization domain; (b) the psychosocial domain; and (c) the mass media. A secondary analysis on data gathered by the Observatory of the North-West (N,=,3262, a mail panel that is representative of the Italian population over 18) has been performed. Results showed that FC and CC are related yet distinct constructs: FC is less widespread than CC, and has different predictors. FC predictors are sociodemographic, psychosocial and, above all, victimization variables; whereas mass media and psychosocial variables predict CC. Results were compared with the literature on the topic. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Risk Factors of Sexual Harassment by Peers: A Longitudinal Investigation of African American and European American Adolescents

JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 2 2007
Sara E. Goldstein
The present research explores risk factors for, and longitudinal associations of, sexual harassment by peers during adolescence. Eight-hundred and seventy-two African American and European American adolescents (65.4% African American, 51.1% females) were assessed during the summer after the eighth grade (mean age=14.2 years) and then again in the 11th grade (mean age=17.1 years). At the first assessment, adolescents were asked about their experiences with sexual harassment, their psychological reactions to sexual harassment, and also about their peer relationships, perceived pubertal timing, problem behavior, and mental health. At the second assessment, adolescents reported on their problem behavior and mental health. In general, youth who associated with peers who were involved in problem behavior were at risk for victimization. Among females, those who perceived themselves to be experiencing early pubertal development were also at risk. Additionally, for some adolescents, sexual harassment predicted later adjustment difficulties. [source]

Palliative forequarter amputation for metastatic carcinoma to the shoulder girdle region: Indications, preoperative evaluation, surgical technique, and results

JOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2001
James C. Wittig MD
Abstract Background and Objectives Uncontrolled metastatic carcinoma of the shoulder girdle is a difficult oncologic problem. This study reviews our experience with palliative forequarter amputation with emphasis on patient selection criteria, preoperative radiologic assessment, surgical technique, epineural postoperative analgesia, and clinical outcome. Methods Eight patients who underwent palliative forequarter amputation for metastatic carcinoma between 1980 and 1999 were analyzed retrospectively. Diagnoses included breast carcinoma (n,=,3), squamous cell carcinoma (n,=,2), hypernephroma (n,=,2), and carcinoma of unknown origin (n,=,1). All patients presented with severe, intractable pain and a useless extremity. Venography demonstrated obliteration of the axillary vein in each of the patients in whom this procedure was performed. Exploration of the brachial plexus confirmed tumor encasement and unresectability in all patients. Epineural catheters for bupivacaine infusion were placed for postoperative pain control. Results All patients experienced dramatic pain relief and improved mobility and overall function. Life-threatening hemorrhage and sepsis were alleviated. There were no instances of phantom limb pain or adverse psychological reactions, and no complications related to epineural analgesia. Conclusions Palliative forequarter amputation is relatively safe and reliable and provides effective pain relief for selected patients with unresectable metastatic carcinoma to the axilla and bony shoulder girdle in whom radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy has not been effective. The triad of pain, motor loss, and an obliterated axillary vein is indicative of brachial plexus infiltration and unresectability. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001; 77:105,113. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Heart rate of motor vehicle accident survivors in the emergency department, peritraumatic psychological reactions, ASD, and PTSD severity: A 6-month prospective study

JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 5 2006
Eric Kuhn
This small-scale study investigates the relationships between the heart rate of motor vehicle accident survivors presenting in the emergency department (ED) and acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. It also examines the relationships between the survivor's heart rate in the ED and peritraumatic dissociation and peritraumatic distress reported 2 weeks posttrauma. Fifty motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivors were assessed 2 weeks, 1 (N = 42), 3 (N = 37), and 6 months (N = 37) post-MVA. The heart rate in the ED predicted self-reported ASD symptom severity and clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity at 6 months but not at 1 or 3 months. Survivors' heart rate in the ED was significantly correlated with peritraumatic dissociation but not peritraumatic distress. These findings support the role of elevated ED heart rate as a predictor of both ASD and chronic PTSD symptom severity and may help to clarify the discrepant findings of previous research. [source]

Best Practices for Serving Traumatized Children and Families

JUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT JOURNAL, Issue 4 2008
Robyn S. Igelman
ABSTRACT This paper highlights the traumatic impact of child abuse and neglect upon children and adolescents who are commonly seen in court systems. In addition to describing prevalence rates of trauma exposure and psychological reactions among traumatized children, it addresses the need for judges and court personnel to work with children and families in a manner that is sensitive to their traumatic experiences and emphasizes the need for these children to receive the very best evidence-based care available in order to help them more effectively cope and recover from trauma exposure. Cultural issues and model adaptations are covered in relation to the use of evidence-based practices with children from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Specific recommendations are given to help judges and court personnel become better informed about the use of evidence-based practices for treating child trauma, enabling them to respond more sensitively and appropriately in these cases. [source]

Renal transplantation in children: Psychological and donation-related aspects from the parental perspective

PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2000
Helena M. E. Kärrfelt
Abstract: Parent(s) accompanying their 18 children to the annual medical follow-up after renal transplantation were interviewed by a child psychiatric social worker. Thirteen of the children had received their grafts from one of their parents, two from other relatives, and three from cadaveric donors. The aims of this interview were to study the decision-making process regarding donation, and the consequences, reflections, and psychological reactions from the parental perspective. Although most parents reported improved psychosocial functioning of the family, many parents also reported significant psychological distress, in many cases complicated by unemployment related to the care of the child. Most parent donors reported that the relationship with their child had improved. For most parents, the decision about the donation seemed to have been a matter of course. However, the process may have induced suffering in those parents who had felt obliged to donate. Thus, questions regarding donation must be approached in a professional and non-judgmental manner when parents are informed about the preconditions of transplantation. The present results indicate a need of psychosocial support for all families during the transplantation process. Therefore, a psychologist and a social worker have been included in the pediatric nephrology team at our unit. The donors also require further information concerning the operative details as well as in regard to the post-operative pain. [source]

Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals' Psychological Reactions to Amendments Denying Access to Civil Marriage

Considerations in using tumor markers: what the psycho-oncologist needs to know

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 5 2001
Debra L. Fertig
Tumor markers are measures of biological features of a cancer. By revealing important biological aspects of the tumor, tumor markers can be useful in staging patients, predicting cancer outcomes, and guiding treatments. The psychological consequences of using tumor markers are virtually unknown. In this review article, we draw on clinical studies involving the psychological impact of risk information, screening, prognostic information and surveillance of cancer. Such studies may be helpful in considering possible psychological reactions to tumor marker information in clinical practice. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]