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Psychological Adjustment (psychological + adjustment)
Kinds of Psychological Adjustment Selected AbstractsPsychological Adjustment in Young Korean American Adolescents and Parental WarmthJOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC NURSING, Issue 4 2008Eunjung Kim PhD PROBLEM:,The relation between parental warmth and psychological adjustment is not known for young Korean American adolescents. METHODS:,One hundred and three Korean American adolescents' perceived parental warmth and psychological adjustment were assessed using, respectively, the Parental Acceptance,Rejection Questionnaire and the Child Personality Assessment Questionnaire. FINDINGS:,Low perceived maternal and paternal warmth were positively related to adolescents' overall poor psychological adjustment and almost all of its attributes. When maternal and paternal warmth were entered simultaneously into the regression equation, only low maternal warmth was related to adolescents' poor psychological adjustment. CONCLUSION:,Perceived parental warmth is important in predicting young adolescents' psychological adjustment as suggested in the parental acceptance,rejection theory. [source] Exposure to Violence, Coping Resources, and Psychological Adjustment of South African ChildrenAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2001Oscar A. Barbarin Ph.D. The effects of exposure to direct and vicarious political, family, and community violence on the adjustment of 625 six-year-old black South African children was examined. Ambient community violence was most consistently related to children's psychosocial outcomes. Resources in the form of individual child resilience, maternal coping, and positive family relationships were found to mitigate the adverse impact in all the assessed domains of children's functioning. [source] Short Report: Psychological adjustment of well siblings of children with Type 1 diabetesDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 9 2010F. Sleeman Diabet. Med. 27, 1084,1087 (2010) Abstract Aims, Studies of siblings of children with Type 1 diabetes (Type 1 DM) have shown either increased levels of maladjustment or, alternatively, increased levels of pro-social behaviour according to whether the sibling or parent was interviewed. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological adjustment of Type 1 DM siblings using both parent and sibling report and to assess the concordance between child and parent reports. Methods, Ninety-nine siblings aged 11,17 years and parents of children with Type 1 DM treated at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne were recruited sequentially. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess well siblings' emotional and behavioural functioning using data collected within a semi-structured interview. SDQ data between the sibling cohort and normative data sample were compared using independent-samples t -tests. Sibling reports and parent reports were compared using a series of paired-sample t -tests and correlation analyses. Results, Type 1 DM siblings did not report greater emotional or behavioural maladjustment or more pro-social behaviour than norms. Parents rated siblings' pro-social behaviour as being comparable with that of youth from the general community; however, parents rated healthy siblings as having lower levels of maladjustment; specifically, significantly fewer conduct problems, hyperactive behaviour and peer-related problems (all P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between parent ratings and sibling ratings on peer-related problems or pro-social behaviour. Conclusions, Type 1 DM siblings did not report increased behavioural or emotional dysfunction relative to children in the general population and, according to their parents, were even better adjusted than their peers. [source] Psychological adjustment among male partners in response to women's breast/ovarian cancer risk: a theoretical review of the literaturePSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Kerry A. Sherman Abstract Objective: For women at high risk of developing hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer the process of undergoing genetic testing is anxiety provoking and stressful, entailing difficult and complex decisions. Partners of high-risk women are frequently perceived by the women as a source of support during this challenging time. Utilising Self Regulatory Theory, this paper provides a theoretically guided overview of existing data to delineate how partners respond emotionally and behaviourally to the woman's high-risk status. Methods: An extensive literature search was undertaken. Online searches of MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases were conducted, reference lists of all publications identified were examined; and the databases were searched for authors identified in these publications. Results: The systematic search yielded 10 published studies on at-risk women and their male partners; one study did not investigate male partner distress as an outcome variable. Heterogeneity of methodology in this literature precluded quantitative meta-analyses of study outcomes. Review of the evidence suggests that the genetic testing process may be distressing for some partners, particularly for partners of women identified as mutation carriers. Associations were identified between partner distress and partner beliefs about the woman's perceived breast cancer risk; partner feelings of social separation and lack of couple communication; and partner perceptions of being alienated from the testing process. Lack of partner support was found to be associated with increased distress of the tested woman at the time of testing and following results disclosure. Data are lacking on the role of partner beliefs about breast cancer, partner perceived consequences of genetic testing, and personality factors such as information processing style, on partner distress. Conclusions: The high level of behavioural and psychological interdependence that exists between a tested woman and her partner means that future research seeking to understand the coping and adjustment processes of partners needs to adopt a dyadic, transactional approach that is grounded in psychological theory. Specific suggestions for future research in this context are delineated. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Short Report: Psychological adjustment of well siblings of children with Type 1 diabetesDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 9 2010F. Sleeman Diabet. Med. 27, 1084,1087 (2010) Abstract Aims, Studies of siblings of children with Type 1 diabetes (Type 1 DM) have shown either increased levels of maladjustment or, alternatively, increased levels of pro-social behaviour according to whether the sibling or parent was interviewed. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological adjustment of Type 1 DM siblings using both parent and sibling report and to assess the concordance between child and parent reports. Methods, Ninety-nine siblings aged 11,17 years and parents of children with Type 1 DM treated at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne were recruited sequentially. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess well siblings' emotional and behavioural functioning using data collected within a semi-structured interview. SDQ data between the sibling cohort and normative data sample were compared using independent-samples t -tests. Sibling reports and parent reports were compared using a series of paired-sample t -tests and correlation analyses. Results, Type 1 DM siblings did not report greater emotional or behavioural maladjustment or more pro-social behaviour than norms. Parents rated siblings' pro-social behaviour as being comparable with that of youth from the general community; however, parents rated healthy siblings as having lower levels of maladjustment; specifically, significantly fewer conduct problems, hyperactive behaviour and peer-related problems (all P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between parent ratings and sibling ratings on peer-related problems or pro-social behaviour. Conclusions, Type 1 DM siblings did not report increased behavioural or emotional dysfunction relative to children in the general population and, according to their parents, were even better adjusted than their peers. [source] Perceptions of Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Self-Concepts among Ukrainian University StudentsETHOS, Issue 3 2005DAVID E. COURNOYER This report describes perceptions of parental acceptance-rejection, parental control and self-concepts in a sample of 108 university students in the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine. The students responded to Russian translations of two questionnaires: the Parental Acceptance-Rejection/Control Questionnaire (PARQ/Control) and the Personality Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ). The Ukrainian respondents generally regarded their parents as loving, warm and low in hostility, aggression, neglect and indifference. The participants also revealed moderately positive self-concepts. The now familiar pancultural correlation between perceptions of acceptance-rejection and psychological adjustment was also observed. The more accepting the participants perceived their mothers and fathers to be, the more likely the students were to hold positive self-concepts. [source] Attachment styles, personality, and Dutch emigrants' intercultural adjustmentEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 5 2004Winny Bakker The present study examines the relationship of adult attachment styles with personality and psychological and sociocultural adjustment. A sample of 847 first-generation Dutch emigrants filled out measures for attachment styles, the Big Five, and indicators of psychological and sociocultural adjustment. Positive relationships were found between Secure attachment on the one hand and psychological and sociocultural adjustment on the other. Ambivalent attachment was strongly negatively associated with psychological adjustment. Dismissive attachment was mildly negatively related to sociocultural adjustment. Significant relations were found between attachment styles and the Big Five dimensions, particularly Extraversion and Emotional Stability. The attachment scales were able to explain variance in sociocultural adjustment beyond that explained by the Big Five dimensions. Intercultural adjustment is discussed from a transactional view of personality. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Preliminary evidence supporting a framework of psychological adjustment to inflammatory bowel disease,INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 10 2010Jennifer L. Kiebles PhD Abstract Background: Adjustment to chronic disease is a multidimensional construct described as successful adaptation to disease-specific demands, preservation of psychological well-being, functional status, and quality of life. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be particularly challenging due to the unpredictable, relapsing and remitting course of the disease. Methods: All participants were patients being treated in an outpatient gastroenterology clinic at a university medical center. Participants completed a survey of questionnaires assessing illness perceptions, stress, emotional functioning, disease acceptance, coping, disease impact, and disease-specific and health-related quality of life. Adjustment was measured as a composite of perceived disability, psychological functioning, and disease-specific and health-related quality of life. Results: Participants were 38 adults with a diagnosis of either Crohn's disease (45%) or ulcerative colitis (55%). We observed that our defined adjustment variables were strongly correlated with disease characteristics (r = 0.33,0.80, all P < 0.05), an emotional representation of illness (r = 0.44,0.58, P < 0.01), disease acceptance (r = 0.34,0.74, P < 0.05), coping (r = 0.33,0.60, P < 0.05), and frequency of gastroenterologist visits (r = 0.39,0.70, P < 0.05). Better adjustment was associated with greater bowel and systemic health, increased activities engagement and symptom tolerance, less pain, less perceived stress, and fewer gastroenterologist visits. All adjustment variables were highly correlated (r = 0.40,0.84, P < 0.05) and demonstrated a cohesive composite. Conclusions: The framework presented and results of this study underscore the importance of considering complementary pathways of disease management including cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors beyond the traditional medical and psychological (depression and anxiety) components. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2010) [source] Psychosocial Functioning of Carcinoid Cancer Patients: Test of a Stress and Coping Mediated Model,JOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOBEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2004Elizabeth Soliday This study examined a mediated-effects stress and coping model among cancer patients with carcinoid tumors to identify specific pathways with a view toward determining (a) which coping strategies predict more positive adjustment, (b) which strategies predict less positive adjustment, and (c) whether coping would mediate the effect of optimism on psychosocial outcomes. Coping strategies partially mediated the effects of optimism on the psychological adjustment in cancer patients with carcinoid tumors. Specifically, self-blame and active coping significantly predicted outcomes of distress. Thirty-seven percent of the respondents met criteria for elevated depressive symptoms warranting intervention. Generalizability of the mediated-effects stress and coping model and findings unique to the carcinoid population are discussed. [source] Intrinsic Need Satisfaction: A Motivational Basis of Performance and Weil-Being in Two Work Settings,JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 10 2004Paul P. Baard Studies in 2 work organizations tested a self-determination theory based model in which employees' autonomous causality orientation and their perceptions of their managers' autonomy support independently predicted satisfaction of the employees' intrinsic needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness, which in turn predicted their performance evaluations and psychological adjustment. Path analysis indicated that the self-determination theory model fit the data very well and that alternative models did not provide any advantage. [source] Psychological Adjustment in Young Korean American Adolescents and Parental WarmthJOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC NURSING, Issue 4 2008Eunjung Kim PhD PROBLEM:,The relation between parental warmth and psychological adjustment is not known for young Korean American adolescents. METHODS:,One hundred and three Korean American adolescents' perceived parental warmth and psychological adjustment were assessed using, respectively, the Parental Acceptance,Rejection Questionnaire and the Child Personality Assessment Questionnaire. FINDINGS:,Low perceived maternal and paternal warmth were positively related to adolescents' overall poor psychological adjustment and almost all of its attributes. When maternal and paternal warmth were entered simultaneously into the regression equation, only low maternal warmth was related to adolescents' poor psychological adjustment. CONCLUSION:,Perceived parental warmth is important in predicting young adolescents' psychological adjustment as suggested in the parental acceptance,rejection theory. [source] A theory of meaning of caregiving for parents of mentally ill children in Taiwan, a qualitative studyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 1-2 2010Wen-Jiuan Yen Aims and objectives., The aim of this study is to generate a theory of meaning of care-giving for parents of mentally ill children in Taiwan. Background., Studies indicate that the meaning of care-giving plays an important role in the psychological adjustment of care-givers to care-giving. With a positive meaning of care-giving, care-givers can accept their roles and adapt to them more readily. Design., The research employs the qualitative method of grounded theory, the inquiry is based on symbolic interactionism. Methods., Twenty parental care-givers of children with schizophrenia were recruited at a private hospital in central Taiwan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. A comparative method was used to analyse the text and field notes. Results., Responsibility (zeren) emerges as the core category or concept. Responsibility expresses broadly the behavioural principles that are culturally prescribed and centred on familial ethics and values. Related concepts and principles that influence caregiver actions and affections include a return of karma, challenges from local gods and fate. By maintaining their culturally prescribed interpretations of care-giving, parents hope to give care indefinitely without complaints. Conclusions., The findings clearly suggest that the meaning of care-giving is determined through a process of internal debate that is shaped by culturally specific concepts. The paper attempts to explain some of these culturally specific determinants and explanations of care-giving behaviour. Relevance to clinical practice., The theory contributes knowledge about the meaning of care-giving for parents of mentally ill children in Taiwan. It should be useful reference for mental health professionals, who provide counselling services to ethnically Taiwanese care-givers. [source] A health protection model for Hispanic adults with Type 2 diabetesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 7b 2007Christine L Latham RN Aims., The Hispanic Health Protection Model (HHPM) was designed to assist practitioners' systematic assessment of Hispanic people to establish baselines and evaluate the success of early diabetes treatment. This article provides the research basis of the HHPM and related assessment tools. Background., The treatment of diabetes incorporates lifestyle change, and this adjustment is particularly important to follow with vulnerable groups. One such group is the Hispanic population, since the impact of diabetes is greatest on economically disadvantaged segments of this population, who suffer disproportionately higher Type 2 diabetes prevalence and higher levels of morbidity and mortality as compared with other populations. Traditional Hispanic health beliefs are often in conflict with Western medicine, so the adjustments to the lifestyle demands of this disease need to be evaluated. Methods., To understand this discrepancy fully in patient outcomes, a culturally sensitive assessment framework was developed based on health protection theories and research with Hispanic people with diabetes and, based on this framework, assessment tools were translated for use during interviews with low literacy, Spanish-speaking patients. Conclusions., The HHPM translated measures of premorbid lifestyle, health beliefs, support, self-efficacy, quality of life, knowledge of diabetes, and physiological parameters can be used during consecutive clinic visits during the first six months of therapy to map the success of patients' understanding of and psychological adjustment to diabetes. Relevance to clinical practice., The HHPM is a culturally-relevant, systematic, and holistic approach to assessing adjustment of Hispanic people to a new diagnosis of diabetes, including their psychological, cognitive, and physiological outcomes. Using this type of systematic approach will allow practitioners to target barriers to therapy, such as a lack of self-efficacy or incomplete knowledge of the disease and its treatment in a strategic manner to improve patient success in managing the complex lifestyle changes of diabetes mellitus. [source] Children's and young people's experiences of chronic renal disease: a review of the literature, methodological commentary and an alternative proposalJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 6 2006Philip Darbyshire MN Aim., The aims of this paper were to review and critique existing research literature on children's and young people's experiences of chronic renal disease and to propose alternative approaches that may be more fruitful in addressing existing research shortcomings. Background., Chronic renal disease, which results in approximately 1·6,4 new cases per year per million population in the 0,15 years age group, is a serious illness that causes severe and irreversible reduction in kidney function. Despite modern medical advances, its significance and implications for the lives of the children and young people concerned are profound. Method., Salient literature for this review was obtained using the major health and social science electronic databases such as Medline, CINAHL, Psyclit and Sociofile. Manual searching of relevant books, journals and ,grey literature', combined with the genealogy approach, extended and strengthened the search. Conclusions., Research in this area focuses mainly on two areas, namely psychological adjustment and adaptation to end-stage renal disease. This research is grounded within a framework of empirical psychology that values objectivity, measurement and quantification. This predominantly psychometric approach is critiqued for simplifying the complex experience of end-stage renal disease and for pathologizing children and young people with this disease. We identify a significant gap in the research literature, namely the lack of research that takes into account these children's and young peoples'own perspectives of their experiences. Relevance to clinical practice., Chronic renal disease has a significant impact on children's and young people's lives. Understanding the experiences of these children is important for the provision of effective healthcare. Conducting child-centred qualitative research in this area would allow us to explore vital questions of meaning, perception and understanding. If health and social care organizations claim to provide ,consumer-focused' services, it behoves us to develop first a clearer understanding of the lives and experiences of children and families who seek our help and to use this knowledge and understanding to plan and provide more grounded and responsive services. [source] Testing Central Postulates of Parental Acceptance-Rejection Theory (PARTheory): A Meta-Analysis of Cross-Cultural StudiesJOURNAL OF FAMILY THEORY & REVIEW, Issue 1 2010Ronald P. Rohner This meta-analysis addresses the following questions drawing from parental acceptance-rejection theory (PARTheory): (a) Is perceived rejection by an intimate partner in adulthood associated with the same form of psychological maladjustment that perceived parental rejection is known to be in childhood? (b) Are adults' remembrances of parental acceptance in childhood associated with their current psychological adjustment? (c) Do statistical relations vary by culture or gender? The meta-analysis was based on 17 studies involving 3,568 adults in 10 nations. Results showed that perceived partner acceptance in adulthood and remembered paternal and maternal acceptance in childhood tend to correlate highly with the current psychological adjustment of both men and women across all studies. [source] Psychological Differences Between HIV-Positive Mothers Who Disclose to All, Some, or None of Their Biological ChildrenJOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 2 2009Robin Ostrom Delaney This study explored the psychological differences between HIV-positive women who disclosed their serostatus to all, some, or none of their biological children. Data from this project come from a larger, longitudinal investigation of the disclosure process of HIV-infected women. Data were obtained regarding the disclosure processes and the psychological adjustment of women with children (n = 90) based on measures of depression, anxiety, and stress. Results suggest that women who disclose to all, some, or none of their children are not significantly different with regard to emotional well-being. Implications for marriage and family therapists are provided. [source] How Does the Gender of Parents Matter?JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 1 2010Timothy J. Biblarz Claims that children need both a mother and father presume that women and men parent differently in ways crucial to development but generally rely on studies that conflate gender with other family structure variables. We analyze findings from studies with designs that mitigate these problems by comparing 2-parent families with same or different sex coparents and single-mother with single-father families. Strengths typically associated with married mother-father families appear to the same extent in families with 2 mothers and potentially in those with 2 fathers. Average differences favor women over men, but parenting skills are not dichotomous or exclusive. The gender of parents correlates in novel ways with parent-child relationships but has minor significance for children's psychological adjustment and social success. [source] Breastfeeding duration and postpartum psychological adjustment: Role of maternal attachment stylesJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 6 2008pek Akman Aim: Depressive and anxiety symptoms are common in new mothers. The aim of this study is to explore the link between postpartum psychological adjustment and feeding preferences of the mothers. Methods: Sixty mothers and newborns were enrolled in this prospective, longitudinal study. Maternal depressive symptoms were screened by the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), and maternal anxiety level was assessed by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory at 1 month postpartum. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support was used for the assessment of maternal social support. The Adult Attachment Scale was used to determine the attachment style of the mother. Infants were examined and evaluated at 1 and 4 months of life. Results: All mothers started breastfeeding their infants postpartum; 91% and 68.1% continued exclusive breastfeeding at 1 and 4 months, respectively. The first-month median EPDS score of mothers who breastfeed at the fourth month was statistically significantly lower than those who were not breastfeeding (6 and 12, respectively) (P = 0001). The first-month median EPDS score of mothers with secure attachment was lower than the median score of mothers with insecure attachment (5 and 9, respectively) (P < 0001). Exclusive breastfeeding rate was not statistically different among mothers with secure and insecure attachment styles. The median state and trait anxiety scores and social support scores of mothers were not different between groups according to breastfeeding status. Conclusions: This study has shown an association between higher EPDS scores and breastfeeding cessation by 4 months after delivery. [source] Peripubertal Girls' Romantic and Platonic Involvement With Boys: Associations With Body Image and Depression SymptomsJOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 1 2004Laura Compian This study explored the relationship of both romantic and platonic involvement with boys, as well as pubertal status, to body image and depression symptoms among an ethnically diverse sample of sixth-grade girls. Participants were 157 early adolescent girls (ages 10,13) who completed self-report measures designed to assess girls' level of involvement with boys, pubertal status, and psychological adjustment. Girls' degree of romantic involvement was positively associated with higher depression scores. More advanced pubertal status was associated with both lower body image satisfaction and higher depression scores. A significant interaction between platonic involvement and pubertal status emerged. Girls who were less sexually mature but who also reported more platonic involvement with boys reported greater body image satisfaction. These findings suggest that the type of involvement with boys (romantic vs. platonic) and a girl's pubertal status influence psychological adjustment. [source] Coping with Family Conflict and Economic Strain: The Adolescent PerspectiveJOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 2 2002Martha E. Wadsworth This study tested two models of family economic problems and adolescent psychological adjustment. Using adolescents' survey data and information regarding school lunch program enrollment, the associations among family SES, perceived economic strain, family conflict, and coping responses were examined in a sample of 364 adolescents from rural New England. Two theoretical models were tested using structural equation modeling , one tested coping as a mediator of the stress , psychopathology relation and the other tested coping as a moderator. Results revealed that family economic hardship was related to aggression and anxiety/depression primarily through two proximal stressors: perceived economic strain and conflict among family members. Family conflict partially mediated the relation between economic strain and adolescent adjustment, and coping further mediated the relation between family conflict and adjustment. These analyses identified two types of coping that were associated with fewer anxiety/depression and aggression problems in the face of these stressors , primary and secondary control coping. Although primary and secondary control coping were associated with fewer adjustment problems, youth who were experiencing higher amounts of stress tended to use less of these potentially helpful coping strategies and used more of the potentially detrimental disengagement coping. The models did not differ according to the age or gender of the adolescents, nor whether they lived with two parents or fewer. No support was found for coping as a moderator of stress. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research involving coping with economic stressors are reviewed. [source] Racing to Theory or Retheorizing Race?JOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES, Issue 1 2009Understanding the Struggle to Build a Multiracial Identity Theory Empirical research on the growing multiracial population in the United States has focused largely on the documentation of racial identification, analysis of psychological adjustment, and understanding the broader political consequences of mixed-race identification. Efforts toward theory construction on multiracial identity development, however, have been largely disconnected from empirical data, mired in disciplinary debates, and bound by historically specific assumptions about race and racial group membership. This study provides a critical overview of multiracial identity development theories, examines the links between theory and research, explores the challenges to multiracial identity theory construction, and proposes considerations for future directions in theorizing racial identity development among the mixed-race population. [source] Long-Term Outcomes of a Telephone Intervention After an ICDPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 11 2005CYNTHIA M. DOUGHERTY Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term benefits of participating in a structured, 8-week educational telephone intervention delivered by expert cardiovascular nurses post-ICD. The intervention was aimed to (1) increase physical functioning, (2) increase psychological adjustment, (3) improve self-efficacy in managing the challenges of ICD recovery, and (4) lower levels of health care utilization over usual care in the first 12 months post-ICD. This article reports on the 6- and 12-month outcomes of the nursing intervention trial. Methods and Results: A two-group (N = 168) randomized control group design was used to evaluate intervention efficacy with persons receiving an ICD for the secondary prevention of sudden cardiac arrest. Measures were obtained at baseline, 6 and 12 months post hospitalization. Outcomes included (1) physical functioning (Patient Concerns Assessment [PCA], Short Form Health Survey [SF-12], ICD shocks), (2) psychological adjustment (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI], Centers for Epidemiologic Studies,Depression [CES-D], fear of dying), (3) self-efficacy (Sudden Cardiac Arrest,Self-Efficacy [SCA-SE], Sudden Cardiac Arrest,Behavior [SCA-B], Sudden Cardiac Arrest,Knowledge [SCA-K]), and (4) health care utilization (emergency room [ER] visits, outpatient visits, hospitalizations). Using repeated measures ANOVA, the 6- and 12-month benefits of the intervention over usual care were in reductions in physical concerns (P = 0.006), anxiety (P = 0.04), and fear of dying (P = 0.01), with enhanced self-confidence (P = 0.04) and knowledge (P = 0.001) to manage ICD recovery. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups on total outpatient visits, hospitalizations, or ER visits over 12 months. Conclusion: A structured 8-week post-hospital telephone nursing intervention after an ICD had sustained 12-month improvements on patient concerns, anxiety, fear of dying, self-efficacy, and knowledge. Results may not apply to individuals with congestive heart failure who receive an ICD for primary prevention of sudden cardiac arrest. [source] Teachers' perceptions of the emotional and behavioral functioning of children raised by grandparentsPSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS, Issue 5 2006Oliver W. Edwards Increasing numbers of grandparents are becoming full-time surrogate parents to their grandchildren. Grandparents who raise their grandchildren reportedly endure high levels of stress, and grandchildren purportedly experience childhood trauma that can lead to poor psychological adjustment. While anecdotal reports have suggested that grandchildren experience significant behavioral problems, there is a dearth of data to empirically support this view. This research was an initial endeavor to ascertain whether teachers perceive children raised by grandparents as exhibiting serious emotional and behavioral problems. Fifty-four African American children raised by their grandparents and a comparison group of 54 African American children living with their parents were studied to determine the grandchildren's functioning. Teachers perceived the children raised by their grandparents as experiencing significantly more emotional and behavioral problems than their similar schoolmates. Children in these families appear in need of school-based intervention services. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 565,572, 2006. [source] An evidence-based review of yoga as a complementary intervention for patients with cancerPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Kelly B. Smith Abstract Objective: To conduct an evidence-based review of yoga as an intervention for patients with cancer. Specifically, this paper reviewed the impact of yoga on psychological adjustment among cancer patients. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted between May 2007 and April 2008. Data from each identified study were extracted by two independent raters; studies were included if they assessed psychological functioning and focused on yoga as a main intervention. Using a quality rating scale (range,=,9,45), the raters assessed the methodological quality of the studies, and CONSORT guidelines were used to assess randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Effect sizes were calculated when possible. In addition, each study was narratively reviewed with attention to outcome variables, the type of yoga intervention employed, and methodological strengths and limitations. Results: Ten studies were included, including six RCTs. Across studies, the majority of participants were women, and breast cancer was the most common diagnosis. Methodological quality ranged greatly across studies (range,=,15.5,42), with the average rating (M,=,33.55) indicating adequate quality. Studies also varied in terms of cancer populations and yoga interventions sampled. Conclusions: This study provided a systematic evaluation of the yoga and cancer literature. Although some positive results were noted, variability across studies and methodological drawbacks limit the extent to which yoga can be deemed effective for managing cancer-related symptoms. However, further research in this area is certainly warranted. Future research should examine what components of yoga are most beneficial, and what types of patients receive the greatest benefit from yoga interventions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Objective and subjective stressors and the psychological adjustment of melanoma survivorsPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Y. Hamama-Raz Abstract This study of 300 melanoma survivors examines the relative contributions of objective illness-related factors (stage of illness at diagnosis, time since diagnosis, and change in physical condition) and of subjective factors (cognitive appraisal) to their psychological adjustment. The findings show that lower appraisal of their situation as a threat, higher appraisal of it as a challenge, and higher appraisal of their subjective ability to cope with it all increased their well-being, while lower threat appraisal and higher appraisal of subjective ability to cope also reduced their distress. These findings, which are consistent with Lazarus and Folkman's stress coping theory, suggest that subjective factors may be more important than objective medical factors in predicting patients' adjustment. With this, more advanced stage at diagnosis contributed to reducing distress, while being married contributed both to higher well-being and reduced distress. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Changes in emotion regulation and psychological adjustment following use of a group psychosocial support program for women recently diagnosed with breast cancerPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 3 2007Linda D. Cameron Abstract This study assesses the efficacy of a group intervention in altering emotion regulation processes and promoting adjustment in women with breast cancer. Using a design with 10 alternating phases of availability of the intervention versus standard care, we assessed women participating in one of three conditions: a 12-week group intervention (N = 54); a decliner group who refused the intervention (N = 56), and a standard care group who were not offered the intervention (N = 44). The intervention included training in relaxation, guided imagery, meditation, emotional expression, and exercises promoting control beliefs and benefit-finding. Emotion regulation processes and adjustment were assessed at baseline (following diagnosis), 4 months (corresponding with the end of the intervention), 6 months, and 12 months. At 4 months, intervention participants (compared to decliners and standard care participants) reported greater increases in use of relaxation-oriented techniques, perceived control, emotional well-being, and coping efficacy, and, greater decreases in perceived risk of recurrence, cancer worry, and anxiety. Intervention participants also reported relatively greater decreases in emotional suppression from baseline to 12 months, suggesting that the intervention had a delayed impact on these tendencies. The findings suggest an emotion regulation intervention can beneficially influence emotional experiences and regulation over the first year following diagnosis. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The first year after breast cancer diagnosis: hope and coping strategies as predictors of adjustmentPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Annette L. Stanton Given the marked individual variability in psychological adjustment in response to breast cancer, it is important to specify factors contributing to adaptive survivorship. This longitudinal study of 70 women with Stage I or II breast cancer tested the ability of situation-specific coping strategies and a more stable attribute, hope, to predict adjustment prospectively from the point shortly following diagnosis through the first year. Consonant with previous studies, coping through active acceptance at diagnosis predicted more positive adjustment across time, and avoidance-oriented coping predicted greater fear of cancer recurrence, over and above participant age and initial status on dependent variables. The hypothesis that coping through turning to religion would be more effective for less hopeful women was supported, and mixed support emerged for the hypothesis that approach-oriented coping strategies would yield greater adaptational benefits for women high in hope. Findings suggest that risk and protective factors for adjustment across the first year of survivorship can be identified even prior to definitive surgery for breast cancer, particularly when both dispositional characteristics such as hope and situation-specific coping strategies are considered. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Test of a conceptual model of uncertainty in children and adolescents with cancer,RESEARCH IN NURSING & HEALTH, Issue 3 2010Janet L. Stewart Abstract Despite recognition as a significant stressor in childhood cancer, illness-related uncertainty from the perspective of children remains under-studied. We tested a conceptual model of uncertainty, derived from Mishel's uncertainty in illness theory, in 68 school-aged children and adolescents with cancer. As hypothesized, uncertainty was significantly related to psychological distress, but only one hypothesized antecedent (parental uncertainty) significantly predicted children's uncertainty. An alternative model incorporating antecedent developmental factors (age and illness-specific expertise) explained 21% of the variance in child uncertainty; controlling for stage of treatment, uncertainty was higher in children with shorter time since diagnosis, older age, lower cancer knowledge, and higher parental uncertainty. These findings provide the foundation for further studies to understand children's management of uncertainty and its contribution to psychological adjustment to illness. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 33:179,191, 2010 [source] Depression burden, psychological adjustment, and quality of life in women with breast cancer: Patterns over timeRESEARCH IN NURSING & HEALTH, Issue 1 2004Terry A. Badger Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine how level of depression burden influences women's psychological adjustment and quality of life over time and how depression burden interacted with a community-based oncology support program to influence psychological adjustment and life quality. Participants were 169 women who completed a side effects checklist at three data collection points. Women were divided into two groups based on their depression burden scores: 123 women reporting no burden, and 46 women reporting high depression burden. For psychological adjustment, there were significant interaction effects for intervention by time and for intervention by depression burden by time and significant main effects for depression burden. For life quality, there was a significant interaction effect for intervention by time and a significant main effect for depression burden. The findings document the negative impact of depression burden on psychological adjustment and life quality. Oncology support interventions can be effective in reducing this negative impact. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 27:19,28, 2004 [source] Social contextual links to emotion regulation in an adolescent psychiatric inpatient population: do gender and symptomatology matter?THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 11 2009Molly Adrian Background:, The regulation of emotion is essential for adaptive functioning. However, delineating the pathways of emotion regulation (ER) processes that lead to psychological adaptation remains under-studied, with mixed evidence for the specificity vs. generality of ER deficits in relation to specific forms of psychopathology. To examine this issue, this study investigated links among ER, social-contextual factors (family, peer), and psychological adjustment (internalizing, externalizing). Method:, Participants were 140 adolescents (71% female, 83.3% Caucasian, M age = 16.03 years) who were consecutive psychiatric admissions over a one-year period. Adolescents completed measures on family environment and peer relationship experiences. Both adolescents and parents reported on adolescents' characteristic patterns of ER and psychopathology. Results:, Discriminant analyses revealed that two functions, ER skills and impulsivity/lability, differentiated among adolescents who were elevated in internalizing symptoms only, in externalizing symptoms only, in both domains, or in neither domain. Regarding social contextual variables, family cohesion was associated with adaptive ER behaviors for girls along the internalizing dimension and all adolescents reporting externalizing behaviors. Relational victimization predicted difficulties with ER in both symptom domains for all adolescents. Within the internalizing domain, friendship support was related to adaptive ER. Conclusion:, Facets of ER do differentiate between global indices of internalizing and externalizing behaviors and suggest that both general and specific factors contribute to adolescents' unique learning history with emotions and characteristic patterns for managing emotions. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||