			Home About us Contact

Psychosocial Adjustment (psychosocial + adjustment)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	78%
Psychology	6%

Distribution within Medical Sciences

Pediatrics	11%
Transplantation	7%

Selected Abstracts

THE DIVIDED WORLD OF THE CHILD: DIVORCE AND LONG-TERM PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT

FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Issue 3 2010
Gordon E. Finley
This study evaluated the extent to which divorce creates the "divided world of the child," as well as consequences of this "divided world" for long-term adjustment. An ethnically diverse sample of 1,375 young-adult university students completed retrospective measures of parental nurturance and involvement, and current measures of psychosocial adjustment and troubled ruminations about parents. Results indicated that reports of maternal and paternal nurturance and involvement were closely related in intact families but uncorrelated in divorced families. Across family forms, the total amount of nurturance or involvement received was positively associated with self-esteem, purpose in life, life satisfaction, friendship quality and satisfaction, and academic performance; and negatively related to distress, romantic relationship problems, and troubled ruminations about parents. Mother-father differences in nurturance and involvement showed a largely opposite set of relationships. Implications for family court practices are discussed. [source]

PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF TWO BOYS WITH GYNECOMASTIA

JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 5-6 2004
Eric A Storch Dr
No abstract is available for this article. [source]

Psychosocial Adjustment of People with Epilepsy in Hong Kong

EPILEPSIA, Issue 9 2001
Vanessa W. Y. Lau
Summary: ,Purpose: In light of the issues associated with the psychosocial adjustment of people with epilepsy that have been widely reported, this study examined these issues within a Chinese cultural context. Methods: Fifty patients with epilepsy completed The Washington Psychosocial Inventory, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, and a questionnaire that assessed their psychosocial difficulties and coping styles. Multiple regression procedure was used to examine the strength of various medical and social factors in predicting the psychosocial adjustment problems of these participants. Results: Social factors, such as self-perception and coping strategies, were more powerful predictors of psychosocial adjustment in people with epilepsy than the medical factors associated with epilepsy. Conclusions: These findings showed that psychosocial maladjustment is a significant issue for people with epilepsy in Hong Kong. The emerging importance of social factors as predictors of psychosocial adjustment in epilepsy, as compared with medical factors, highlights the need for developing tailored counseling therapy and social support groups for people with epilepsy. [source]

Psychosocial Adjustment Over a Two,Year Period in Children Referred for Learning Problems: Risk, Resilience, and Adaptation

LEARNING DISABILITIES RESEARCH & PRACTICE, Issue 1 2003
Lisa G. Sorensen
Children with learning difficulties have an increased prevalence of psychosocial adjustment problems. We hypothesized that within the context of a risk and resilience model contextual variables influence adjustment, over and above any effects of academic performance. The Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) was used to evaluate the relationship between psychosocial adjustment, changes in academic skills, and contextual factors longitudinally over a two,year period in 100 children (ages 7 to 11) referred for learning problems. Although there was little improvement in academic skills, contextual factors contributed to observed psychosocial outcome. Different factors were salient for parents, teachers, and children. Context,derived vulnerability and protective factors can be important determinants of adjustment in children with learning problems, even though the academic difficulties can remain chronic. [source]

Beyond Preadoptive Risk: The Impact of Adoptive Family Environment on Adopted Youth's Psychosocial Adjustment

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 3 2010
Juye Ji
Adopted children often are exposed to preadoptive stressors,such as prenatal substance exposure, child maltreatment, and out-of-home placements,that increase their risks for psychosocial maladjustment. Psychosocial adjustment of adopted children emerges as the product of pre- and postadoptive factors. This study builds on previous research, which fails to simultaneously assess the influences of pre- and postadoptive factors, by examining the impact of adoptive family sense of coherence on adoptee's psychosocial adjustment beyond the effects of preadoptive risks. Using a sample of adoptive families (n = 385) taking part in the California Long Range Adoption Study, structural equation modeling analyses were performed. Results indicate a significant impact of family sense of coherence on adoptees' psychosocial adjustment and a considerably less significant role of preadoptive risks. The findings suggest the importance of assessing adoptive family's ability to respond to stress and of helping families to build and maintain their capacity to cope with stress despite the sometimes fractious pressures of adoption. [source]

Quality of life in 244 recipients of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2000
S. Chiodi
The number of long-term survivors after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has been increasing over the past years, and quality of life (QOL) has become an important end-point. We studied 244 patients undergoing an allogeneic BMT to identify factors and events influencing psychosocial outcome. Patients enrolled received the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) questionnaire assessing psychological and social adjustment to chronic illness or its sequelae. Eighty-two per cent of patients had a haematological disease. The median age was 28 years at BMT, and the median follow-up was 61 months. The median overall PAIS score for all patients was 56 (range 22,76): 25% (n = 61) of patients were considered to have a good QOL (, 25 percentile score); 44% (n = 108) of patients had an intermediate QOL (26,75 percentile score) and 31% (n = 75) had a poor QOL (> 75 percentile score). Factors associated with a poor QOL in multivariate analysis were: patients' age at BMT (> 25 years, P < 0·01); presence of long-term sequelae (P < 0·01); chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (P < 0·05); and a short interval from BMT (< 5 years; P < 0·05). The QOL improved with time: 12% of patients reported a good QOL within 5 years compared with 38% after this time point and, conversely, 38% reported a poor QOL within 5 years compared with 24% after this time point (P < 0·0001). Older patients had significantly poorer QOL compared with younger patients (, 25 years; P = 0·01). Females had significantly poorer scores when compared with males in the sexual (P < 0·0001) and psychological domains (P = 0·001). The data suggest that (i) one-third of patients undergoing allogeneic BMT report a poor QOL; (ii) factors associated with poor QOL are older age, presence of long-term sequelae, chronic GVHD and short follow-up; (iii) QOL is superior in long-term survivors; and (iv) BMT affects different aspects of life in males and females. A longitudinal study is ongoing to prove the effect of time on quality of life. [source]

Quality of life among patients with Stage II and III breast carcinoma randomized to receive high-dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow support or intermediate-dose chemotherapy,,

CANCER, Issue 8 2005
Leukemia Group B 906, Results from Cancer
Abstract BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to compare the quality of life (QOL) after treatment among patients who had breast carcinoma with multiple positive lymph nodes. The patients were randomized to receive either high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support (HDC) or intermediate-dose chemotherapy (IDC) in the adjuvant setting. METHODS Two hundred forty-six patients with AJCC Stage IIA, IIB, or IIIA breast carcinoma who had , 10 positive lymph nodes and who were participants in Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 9082 were enrolled in this companion study, CALGB 9066. Patients were randomized to receive either high-dose cyclophosphamide, carmustine, and cisplatin (CPA/cDDP/BCNU) and autologous bone marrow transplantation (the HDC arm) or intermediate-dose CPA/cDDP/BCNU as consolidation to adjuvant chemotherapy (the IDC arm). QOL was assessed at baseline and at 3 months, 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months using the Functional Living Index-Cancer (FLIC), the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS)-Self Report, and the McCorkle Symptom Distress Scale (SDS). RESULTS At the 3-month assessment, patients in the HDC arm demonstrated significant worsening of QOL compared with the IDC arm in terms of their physical well being (FLIC, P = 0.023), social functioning (FLIC, P = 0.026; PAIS, P < 0.0001), symptom distress (SDS, P = 0.0002), and total QOL scores (FLIC, P = 0.042). At 12 months, the differences in QOL scores between the HDC arm and the IDC arm had resolved. CONCLUSIONS Patients who received more intensive adjuvant therapy experienced transient declines in QOL. By 12 months after therapy, QOL was comparable between the 2 arms, regardless of therapy intensity, and many QOL areas were improved from baseline. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society. [source]

Psychosocial adjustment to cancer treatment and other chronic illnesses

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 2 2000
JA Ellis
No abstract is available for this article. [source]

Psychosocial adjustment in head and neck cancer: The impact of disfigurement, gender and social support

HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 2 2003
FRCPC, Mark R. Katz MD
Abstract Background. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychosocial impact of disfigurement, gender, and social support after surgical treatment of head and neck cancer. Method. Eighty-two ambulatory head and neck cancer patients, 6 months or more after treatment and free of active disease were assessed. Ratings of disfigurement were obtained using a valid and reliable 9-point scale developed for the study. Standardized measures of social support, depressive symptoms, well-being, and life happiness were used. Results. The sample as a whole displayed high levels of life happiness, low levels of depression, and positive feelings of well-being. Women demonstrated higher levels of depression and lower life happiness; subjects with greater disfigurement were more depressed. Social support seemed to buffer the impact of greater levels of disfigurement on well-being for women but not for men. Conclusion. These results suggest that women with head and neck cancer who experience low social support and face disfiguring treatment are at greatest risk for psychosocial dysfunction. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 25: 103,112, 2003 [source]

Beyond Preadoptive Risk: The Impact of Adoptive Family Environment on Adopted Youth's Psychosocial Adjustment

Psychosocial adjustment of siblings of children with cancer: a systematic review

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 8 2010
Melissa A. Alderfer
Abstract Objectives: To promote a broader understanding of the psychosocial impact of childhood cancer on siblings, a systematic review was undertaken. Directions for future research are proposed and clinical strategies are suggested for addressing the needs of these children. Methods: Searches of Medline, PsycINFO and CINAHL revealed 65 relevant qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods' papers published between 1997 and 2008. These papers were rated for scientific merit and findings were extracted for summary. Results: Siblings of children with cancer do not experience elevated mean rates of psychiatric disorders, but a significant subset experiences post-traumatic stress symptoms, negative emotional reactions (e.g. shock, fear, worry, sadness, helplessness, anger, and guilt), and poor quality of life in emotional, family, and social domains. In general, distress is greater closer to time of diagnosis. School difficulties are also evident within 2 years of diagnosis. Qualitative studies reveal family-level themes such as loss of attention and status as well as positive outcomes including increased sibling maturity and empathy. Conclusions: Research regarding siblings of children with cancer continues to be methodologically limited. The conclusions of qualitative and quantitative studies differ considerably. We propose a research agenda to propel this field forward including greater attention to alterations in normative development (as opposed to psychiatric conditions), development of more appropriate quantitative measures, examination of potential moderators of adaptation, and use of prospective longitudinal designs. Siblings of children with cancer are a psychosocially at-risk group and should be provided with appropriate supportive services. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Psychosocial adjustment of female partners of men with prostate cancer: a review of the literature

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 11 2006
Jeremy Couper
Abstract Advances in prostate cancer treatments since the 1990s have led to a growing proportion of patients living with the effects of the cancer. Various challenges face the man and his partner from the point of learning of the diagnosis: deciding among numerous diverse treatment options, dealing with side-effects of treatment and possibly facing the terminal phase of the illness. This invariably has an impact on the patient's family and, in view of the older age group of men usually affected, the experience of a partner is particularly relevant. A thorough review of the research literature reporting directly from partners of prostate cancer patients has not been undertaken previously. For this review, five databases were searched for the decade 1994,2005, during which most of the work in this field has been done. Very few evaluations of psychosocial interventions involving the partner were found, but there was a preponderance of qualitative studies involving small numbers of participants and quantitative surveys with little consistency in the measures used. The literature suggests that partners report more distress than patients, yet believe that patients are the more distressed, and the focus of concern of patients on their sexual function is not shared to an equal degree by their partners. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Psychosocial adjustment in children of mothers with breast cancer

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 5 2001
Lizbeth A. Hoke
Thirty-five children of 28 mothers diagnosed with breast cancer during the previous year were compared to 34 children of 24 mothers with recent benign breast biopsies. Mothers and children, ages 8,16, completed questionnaires about mood, behavior problems and social functioning to assess whether children of mothers with breast cancer were at increased risk for adjustment problems. Significant differences were not found between children in the breast cancer group and the comparison group on any of the measures, even though mothers with breast cancer reported more psychological distress than mothers with benign biopsies. In addition, children in both groups were functioning better than normative samples on some adjustment measures. Variables measuring the mother's illness and treatment were not significantly related to children's adjustment in the breast cancer group. Findings suggested that some adolescents whose mothers had breast cancer did better in social and academic activities when their mothers were more distressed, while adolescents whose mothers had benign biopsies did less well when their mothers were distressed. The study's small sample size limits conclusions that can be drawn; however, clinical and research implications are discussed, given other reports that some children of parents with cancer may experience adjustment problems. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Comparison of four groups of substance-abusing in-patients with different psychiatric comorbidity

ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 1 2001
J. Hättenschwiler
Objective: ,Comparisons of different groups of dual patients are rare, yet potential differences could have therapeutic implications. In this study, four groups of psychiatric in-patients with substance use disorder were compared to each other: patients with no psychiatric comorbidity, patients with comorbid schizophrenia and patients with affective and personality disorder. Method: ,Apart from sociodemographic, therapy-related variables and a detailed survey of their substance use, all subjects were assessed with BPRS and SCL-90-R. Results: ,No differences were found in the patients' demography, psychosocial adjustment and substance consumption career. Significant differences were found in regard to some therapy variables reflecting adherence to treatment and global outcome and to the level of psychopathology. Conclusion: ,Both substance use and comorbid psychiatric disorder have a variable impact on distinct areas of patients' general condition and functioning. The group with comorbid affective disorder appeared to be the most difficult to treat and the therapeutic approach to this disorder deserves reconsideration. [source]

Psychosocial Adjustment of People with Epilepsy in Hong Kong

THE DIVIDED WORLD OF THE CHILD: DIVORCE AND LONG-TERM PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT

USING CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH TO MAKE APPROPRIATE CUSTODY AND ACCESS DECISIONS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Issue 3 2000
Joan B. Kelly
Decisions regarding custody and access are most often made without reference to the research on child development, although this literature can be useful in conceptualizing children's needs after separation and divorce. Research on attachment processes, separation from attachment figures, and the roles of mothers and fathers in promoting psychosocial adjustment are reviewed in this article. It concludes with a discussion of the implications for young children's parenting schedules. [source]

Maxillary obturators: The relationship between patient satisfaction and speech outcome

HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 11 2003
Jana M. Rieger PhD
Abstract Background. Patient satisfaction with a maxillary obturator has been studied in relation to extent of surgical defect, sociodemographic characteristics, scores on mental health inventories, and psychosocial adjustment to illness scales. However, review of the literature reveals limited study of the relationship between patient satisfaction with an obturator and clinical speech outcome measures. The purpose of this study is to relate patient satisfaction scores obtained by questionnaire with those obtained by means of clinical speech measurements. Methods. Acoustical, aeromechanical, and perceptual measurements of speech were collected for 20 patients after receiving a definitive obturator. Patient satisfaction with their obturator was later measured with the Obturator Functioning Scale (OFS). Results. Results reveal that poorer aeromechanical speech results were associated with patient-reported avoidance of social events, whereas lower speech intelligibility outcomes were related to overall poorer perception of speech function on the OFS. Several background patient characteristics were significantly related to several responses on the OFS and to the aeromechanical assessment outcomes. Conclusions. Results from instrumental assessments of speech seem to be informative regarding not only speech outcome but also a patient's satisfaction with the obturator. Consideration of background patient characteristics is important when interpreting both clinically obtained and patient-perceived outcomes. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head and Neck 25: 000,000, 2003 [source]

Korean mothers' psychosocial adjustment to their children's cancer

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 5 2003
Hae-Ra Han PhD RN
Background., During the course of adjustment to their child's illness and medical treatment, parents of children with cancer may experience numerous challenges and difficulties. Although parental adjustment has been a research topic for many years, little research has been conducted among families in different cultures and countries. Aim., To identify factors that influence maternal psychosocial adjustment to childhood cancer using a new cultural group: Korean. Methods., A sample of 200 Korean mothers of children with cancer was included in the study. Guided by the double ABCX model of family adjustment and adaptation, a series of variables (i.e. maternal stress, coping, social support and selected illness-related and demographic questions) were examined for their relationships with maternal psychosocial adjustment to childhood cancer. Results., Using a hierarchical multiple regression, we found perceived level of stress, coping, social support, and time since diagnosis to be significant correlates of maternal psychosocial adjustment. Stress accounted for most (50%) of the total variance explained (56%) in maternal adjustment. Conclusion., The results suggest that the stress-coping framework may be appropriate in explaining maternal responses to childhood cancer across cultures. [source]

Effective Management of ICD Patient Psychosocial Issues and Patient Critical Events

JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 11 2009
SAMUEL F. SEARS Ph.D.
The clinical management of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) patients involves successful medical and psychosocial care to reduce mortality and morbidity. Desirable quality of life (QoL) and psychosocial outcomes for ICD patients are achievable for a majority of ICD patients. Patient critical events, such as ICD shocks or ICD recalls, may occur that can dramatically alter the course of patient adjustment if not properly managed. Continuing care strategies that attend to patient critical events as they emerge may improve the psychosocial adjustment and improve the return to optimal daily functioning for ICD patients. This paper reviews QoL and psychosocial outcomes for ICD patients, patient critical events, and clinical implications for patient care. Patient critical events discussed in this paper include perioperative education, ICD shock events, device recalls, and end of life. The clinical management strategies for each of these patient critical events are suggested including patient education, psychosocial information provision, activity prescriptions, recall planning, and shock planning. [source]

The Sleep and Settle Questionnaire for parents of infants: Psychometric properties

JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 5 2001
S Matthey
Objective: To determine the psychometric properties of a parent-report questionnaire (Sleep and Settle Questionnaire (SSQ)) assessing: (i) the infant's sleep and settling behaviour, and (ii) the parent's level of concern with such behaviours. Methodology: Test-retest reliability was determined by administering the SSQ to 20 mothers on two occasions, 7,14 days apart. Validity was determined by comparing SSQ responses between mothers with 6-week-old infants who, on a semistructured questionnaire, reported no sleep or settling difficulties (n = 56,60) with those who reported they were experiencing difficulties (n = 133). Further comparison was made with a sample of mothers (n = 34,36) attending a community class on sleep and settling difficulties with infants. Sensitivity to change was determined by comparing mothers' SSQ responses at 6-weeks and 6-months postpartum. Results: The SSQ was found to have low test,retest reliability on items referring to the infants' sleep and settling behaviour, but moderate reliability for the extent that such behaviour bothered the parent. Comparison across the different samples showed good discriminant and concurrent validity. Conclusions: Parental reports on the SSQ indicates that over a short period (1,2 weeks) the infants' sleep and settling behaviour can change considerably, but that the extent to which such behaviour bothers the parent is more stable. Good validity demonstrates the SSQ is sensitive to differing infant behaviour. It is recommended as both a clinical and research instrument, and could be used to complement assessments focusing on the parent's psychosocial adjustment in the early postpartum period. [source]

Psychosocial Adjustment Over a Two,Year Period in Children Referred for Learning Problems: Risk, Resilience, and Adaptation

School re-entry of the pediatric heart transplant recipient

PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 8 2006
Constance M. Weil
Abstract:, Pediatric cardiac transplant has become increasingly frequent in the last decade and survival rates have improved remarkably. Outcome research on this population suggests that the majority of children have the capacity for healthy adaptation although 25,40% have been shown to have some type of psychiatric difficulties. As school plays a major role in these children's lives, early intervention and close liaison with schools is indicated to reduce psychological morbidity, enhance adaptation within the school environment and enhance overall adjustment. This paper proposes a model for a school re-entry program for this population. The school re-entry program is aimed at children who are undergoing cardiac transplant and will be entering or re-entering the school system. They may range in academic age from preschool to college level and have been attending private or public schools with placements in regular education programs, regular education programs with resource support, special education programs, and alternative school programs. Others may not have been attending school because of the severity of their medical condition and have been receiving in-home tutoring. Each child is offered school re-entry assistance by a multi-disciplinary team composed of members from the Cardiology Transplant Service. The re-entry program includes cognitive and psychosocial assessment, liaison with the child's school pre- and post-transplant, academic planning and provision of academic, emotional, and behavioral support before, during, and immediately after transplant, a school re-entry visit, and an ongoing school consultation. The goal is to address issues necessary for a successful school re-entry including appropriate academic placement and support, psychosocial adjustment, education of school personnel and ongoing health needs of the student. The next step is to formally evaluate the efficacy of this program in successful school re-entry. [source]

Beyond Preadoptive Risk: The Impact of Adoptive Family Environment on Adopted Youth's Psychosocial Adjustment

Differences between peer victimization in cyber and physical settings and associated psychosocial adjustment in early adolescence

PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS, Issue 10 2009
Allison G. Dempsey
The increasing use of cyberspace as a social networking forum creates a new medium for youth to become victims of peer aggression. This study used factor analysis techniques to confirm whether survey questions about frequency of cyber victimization formed a distinct latent construct from questions about relational and overt victimization information in a large (N = 1,665) sample of middle school students. A secondary goal was to relate experiences of cyber victimization to symptoms of depression and social anxiety. Results indicate that cyber victimization is separate latent factor from overt and relational victimization. Experiences of cyber victimization were weakly associated with symptoms of social anxiety, but not depression. These results signify that cyber victimization deserves future empirical and clinical attention. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Relational victimization: The association between recalled adolescent social experiences and emotional adjustment in early adulthood

PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS, Issue 4 2008
Allison G. Dempsey
Although the relationship between relational victimization and psychosocial adjustment in adolescence has been established, it is unknown whether it extends into early adulthood. The current retrospective study investigated the relationship between recall of adolescent relational victimization and symptoms of depression, social anxiety, and loneliness in 205 undergraduate students. The effects of gender and perceived social support on these relationships were assessed, as were the psychometric qualities of the Relational Victimization Questionnaire (RVQ). Recalled adolescent relational victimization was related to increased symptoms of depression and social anxiety; neither gender nor perceived social support affected the strength of these relationships. Results indicated that the RVQ has adequate internal consistency and a single factor structure. Implications for psychologists working with adolescents are highlighted. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

A randomized, controlled study of Internet peer-to-peer interactions among women newly diagnosed with breast cancer

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
Mark S. Salzer
Abstract Objective: Peer-to-peer interactions are associated with enhanced psychosocial adjustment among women with breast cancer. Millions of women with cancer and others with various health conditions use the Internet to establish peer relationships, usually without professional moderation. This paper reports findings from the first randomized, controlled study of the benefits of these types of Internet-based peer interactions. Methods: This pilot study involved seventy-eight women who were recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Participants were randomly assigned to either an Internet peer support condition or Internet-based educational control condition. Data were gathered at baseline and 4- and 12-months. Primary outcomes of interest were psychological distress and quality of life. Results: Contrary to hypotheses, participants in the Internet peer support condition tended to do worse over time on primary outcome measures. There were no differences between groups on secondary outcomes of perceived social support, self-efficacy, or hope. Paradoxically, many women in the Internet peer support condition actively participated and reported high levels of satisfaction, suggesting some self-perceived benefits. Conclusions: These results suggest that Internet based peer-to-peer interactions may not necessarily be universally beneficial despite the positive experiences reported by many participants. Further research is needed to understand the magnitude of this effect with a larger sample. Moreover, these results raise questions about the need to understand the comparative effectiveness of Internet-based communications by group structure (i.e., unstructured/structured; unmoderated/moderated) and the effect of content (i.e., expression of fear/anxiety, insightful disclosures, etc.) on outcomes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

The breast cancer experience of rural women: a literature review

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 10 2007
B. Ann Bettencourt
Abstract This report is a review of studies that focus on rural breast cancer survivorship. It includes a total of 14 studies using large databases and 27 other studies using qualitative and quantitative methods. In our review of this literature, we identified four broad themes, including access to treatment and treatment type, medical providers and health information, psychosocial adjustment and coping, and social support and psychological support services. We review the findings of the rural breast cancer survivorship studies within each of these broad themes. A few of the findings of the review include that rural and urban women receive different primary treatments for breast cancer, that rural women may have greater difficulty negotiating their traditional gender roles during and after treatment, that rural women desire greater health-related information about their breast cancer, and that rural women have less access to mental health therapy. The review discusses the implications of these findings as well as the weakness in the literature. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Psychosocial outcomes at 15 years of children with a preschool history of speech-language impairment

THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 8 2006
Margaret J. Snowling
Background:, Evidence suggests there is a heightened risk of psychiatric disorder in children with speech-language impairments. However, not all forms of language impairment are strongly associated with psychosocial difficulty, and some psychiatric disorders (e.g., attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)) are more prevalent than others in language-impaired populations. The present study assessed the psychosocial adjustment in adolescence of young people with history of speech-language impairment, and investigated specific relationships between language deficits and psychiatric disorders. Methods:, Seventy-one young people (aged 15,16 years) with a preschool history of speech-language impairment were assessed using a psychiatric interview (K-SADS) supplemented by questionnaires probing social encounters and parental reports of behaviour and attention. Their psycho-social adjustment was compared with that of a cross-sectional control group of age-matched controls. Results:, Overall the rate of psychiatric disorder was low in the clinical sample and children whose language delay had resolved by 5.5 years had a good outcome. For those whose language difficulties persisted through the school years, there was a raised incidence of attention and social difficulties. These difficulties were partially independent and associated with different language profiles. The group with attention problems showed a profile of specific expressive language difficulties; the group with social difficulties had receptive and expressive language difficulties; and the group with both attention and social difficulties was of low IQ with global language difficulties. Conclusions:, Amongst children with speech-language delays at 5.5 years, those with more severe and persistent language difficulties and low nonverbal IQ are at higher risk of psychiatric morbidity in adolescence. [source]

Current Lifestyle of Young Adults After Liver Transplantation During Childhood

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 7 2010
J. P. Dommergues
The authors studied the psychosocial adjustment of pediatric liver transplant (LT) recipients reaching adulthood. The study comprised phone interviews of 116 volunteers aged 17,33 years. Results were compared to those for healthy peers and 65 patients who were eligible for inclusion but did not participate. Participants' median age at LT was 6 years and the median period since LT was 15 years. Of the 116 participants, 76% considered their quality of life as good or very good. Seventy-five patients (65%) were attending schools, 27 of whom were 2 years or more below the age-appropriate level. Of the remaining 41 patients, 26 had a job and 15 were unemployed. Poor compliance with medications was reported by 52 patients (45%). Alcohol consumption was lower than in the reference population (p < 0.001). Anxiety, loneliness and negative thoughts were expressed by 53, 84 and 47% of the participants, respectively. Thirteen patients (11%) were being cared for by psychologists or psychiatrists. The 65 nonparticipants had greater psychological problems than the participants, and a lower educational level. In conclusion, after LT in early life, most patients displayed psychological vulnerability during early adulthood. The educational level of patients was lower than that of theirs peers. [source]