Psychological Effects (psychological + effects)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Psychological effects of prevention: do participants of a type 2 diabetes prevention program experience increased mental distress?

DIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 1 2009
Katrin E. Giel
Abstract Objective To evaluate the mental health outcome of a lifestyle intervention for the prevention of type 2 diabetes and to exclude possible harmful psychological effects. Background There is little empirical data on potential harmful effects of prevention programs. However, information, education, diagnostic procedures, phenotyping and risk assessment may cause or intensify psychological distress such as anxiety, depression or somatization in vulnerable individuals. Methods The Tuebingen Lifestyle Intervention Program (TULIP) for the prevention of type 2 diabetes has assessed mental health outcome in the participants after 9 months of program participation using the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). The 24-months lifestyle intervention TULIP comprises regular exercise and changes in nutrition and assesses both, a broad range of somatic parameters as well as psychometric variables. For an interim analysis of psychological outcome, complete data sets of the SCL-90-R assessed at baseline and after 9 months of intervention were available for 195 participants (125 females, 70 males; age: 46.1 ± 10.6 years). Data on somatization, anxiety, depression and overall psychological distress were compared to baseline levels. Results SCL-90-R scores of the TULIP-participants did not significantly differ from the German healthy reference population. Compared to baseline, a significant decrease in SCL-90-R scores was found for anxiety, depression and overall psychological distress at re-assessment after 9 months. Conclusion The interim analysis on mental health outcome of a type 2 diabetes prevention program comprising extensive phenotyping and risk assessment rules out adverse psychological effects, suggesting rather beneficial changes concerning symptoms of anxiety, depression and overall psychological distress. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Psychological effects of the November 1999 earthquake in Turkey: an epidemiological study

ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2003

Objective: This study assessed the traumatic stress symptoms and related factors in two towns affected by two earthquakes, which killed 20 000 people in 1999 in Turkey. Method: A total of 430 people in selected households were seen 18 months after the earthquake. They were given a self-report questionnaire assessing post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and depressive symptoms, demographics and trauma exposure. Results: The rates of PTSD and depression were higher in the site closer to the epicenter. The traumatic stress symptom checklist scores were predicted by fear during earthquake, loss of friends and neighbours, female gender, lower education and living in rented accomodation. Depression was predicted by study site, death of relatives and past psychiatric illness. Conclusion: These results show that severe earthquakes can cause long-lasting morbidity. Our previous findings that showed a differential prediction for depressive and traumatic stress symptoms after earthquakes are also supported. [source]


Psychological effects of aromatherapy on chronic hemodialysis patients

PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, Issue 4 2000
Takahiro Itai MD
Abstract Effects of aromatherapy (odorless condition, lavender, and hiba oil) on mood and anxiety were investigated in 14 female patients who were being treated with chronic hemodialysis. A control period consisting of natural hospital smells was established before each test session, and then aromatic test conditions were systematically evaluated for odorless conditions as well as aromatic conditions containing lavender and hiba oil aromas. The effects of aromatherapy were measured using the Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD) and the Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAMA). Hiba oil aroma significantly decreased the mean scores of HAMD and HAMA, and lavender aroma significantly decreased the mean scores of HAMA. The mean scores of HAMD and HAMA in an odorless condition were not significantly different from those of the control conditions. These results indicate that in chronic hemodialysis patients hiba oil is an effective, non-invasive means for the treatment of depression and anxiety, and that lavender alleviates anxiety. [source]


Behavioral and cardiovascular effects of 7.5% CO2 in human volunteers

DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 1 2005
Jayne E. Bailey M.Sc.
Abstract The study of carbon dioxide (CO2) inhalation in psychiatry has a long and varied history, with recent interest in using inhaled CO2 as an experimental tool to explore the neurobiology and treatment of panic disorder. As a consequence, many studies have examined the panic-like response to the gas either using the single or double breath 35% CO2 inhalation or 5,7% CO2 inhaled for 15,20 min, or rebreathing 5% CO2 for a shorter time. However, this lower dose regime produces little physiological or psychological effects in normal volunteers. For this reason we have studied the effects of a higher concentration of CO2, 7.5%, given over 20 min. Twenty healthy volunteers were recruited to a double blind, placebo-controlled study where air and 7.5% CO2 were inhaled for 20 min. Cardiovascular measures and subjective ratings were obtained. When compared to air, inhaling 7.5% CO2 for 20 min increases systolic blood pressure and heart rate, indicating increased autonomic arousal. It also increases ratings of anxiety and fear and other subjective symptoms associated with an anxiety state. The inhalation of 7.5% CO2 for 20 min is safe for use in healthy volunteers and produces robust subjective and objective effects. It seems promising as an anxiety provocation test that could be beneficial in the study of the effects of anxiety on sustained performance, the discovery of novel anxiolytic agents, and the study of brain circuits and mechanisms of anxiety. Depression and Anxiety 00:000,000, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Psychological effects of prevention: do participants of a type 2 diabetes prevention program experience increased mental distress?

DIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 1 2009
Katrin E. Giel
Abstract Objective To evaluate the mental health outcome of a lifestyle intervention for the prevention of type 2 diabetes and to exclude possible harmful psychological effects. Background There is little empirical data on potential harmful effects of prevention programs. However, information, education, diagnostic procedures, phenotyping and risk assessment may cause or intensify psychological distress such as anxiety, depression or somatization in vulnerable individuals. Methods The Tuebingen Lifestyle Intervention Program (TULIP) for the prevention of type 2 diabetes has assessed mental health outcome in the participants after 9 months of program participation using the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). The 24-months lifestyle intervention TULIP comprises regular exercise and changes in nutrition and assesses both, a broad range of somatic parameters as well as psychometric variables. For an interim analysis of psychological outcome, complete data sets of the SCL-90-R assessed at baseline and after 9 months of intervention were available for 195 participants (125 females, 70 males; age: 46.1 ± 10.6 years). Data on somatization, anxiety, depression and overall psychological distress were compared to baseline levels. Results SCL-90-R scores of the TULIP-participants did not significantly differ from the German healthy reference population. Compared to baseline, a significant decrease in SCL-90-R scores was found for anxiety, depression and overall psychological distress at re-assessment after 9 months. Conclusion The interim analysis on mental health outcome of a type 2 diabetes prevention program comprising extensive phenotyping and risk assessment rules out adverse psychological effects, suggesting rather beneficial changes concerning symptoms of anxiety, depression and overall psychological distress. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Does disulfiram have a role in alcoholism treatment today? not to forget about disulfiram's psychological effects

ADDICTION, Issue 1 2004
HANNELORE EHRENREICH
No abstract is available for this article. [source]


Caloric restriction for longevity: I. Paradigm, protocols and physiological findings in animal research

EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 5 2004
Kelly M. Vitousek
Abstract The initial article in this series reviews basic findings in the field of caloric restriction for longevity (CRL). To eating disorder specialists, the data are disconcerting. The chronic dieting and subnormal weight we endeavour to prevent and treat in humans appear highly beneficial when imposed on animals. In the laboratory, organisms from nematodes to monkeys thrive when forced to undereat, as long as they receive sufficient micronutrients. The most remarkable results are obtained through the most extreme measures: mice, for example, do best if limited to a third of expected caloric intake, beginning soon after weaning and continuing throughout adulthood. Deprivation can be achieved through an ,anorexic' protocol of steady underconsumption or a ,bulimic' pattern in which periods of fasting alternate with bouts of binge eating. The benefits of such regimens include delayed senescence, postponement and/or attenuation of age-related disease and dramatic increases in average and maximum lifespan. Although some biological functions are impaired (including growth, reproduction and perhaps resistance to certain stressors), the cost/benefit ratio clearly favours CRL when calculated on the basis of physical outcomes in late age. Advocacy of comparable regimens for people, however, is ill-considered. Enthusiasm for CRL can be sustained only by detaching deprivation from the context of daily life, ignoring psychological effects, and dismissing data on human semi-starvation and eating disorders. The experiences of participants in Biosphere 2 and individuals with anorexia nervosa suggest that the price of CRL is unacceptably high when a wider range of outcome variables is examined. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source]


ALS patients request more information about cognitive symptoms

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 5 2008
P. Wicks
Background and purpose:, Once thought to impact only voluntary motor function, ALS/Motor neuron disease (MND) is now seen as a multi-system disorder in which a minority of patients experience mild cognitive dysfunction or frontotemporal dementia. Despite clinical guidelines advocating supplying complete information to patients, educational materials on ALS often state that the mind is unaffected. We sought to establish how much patients and caregivers understand about ALS, what they have been told to expect by their physician, and if they would have appreciated more complete information. Methods:, A two-part survey was administered online. An ,ALS quiz' gauged participants' knowledge of physical and psychological aspects of ALS. A second questionnaire assessed which symptoms patients had discussed with their clinician and explored patients' desire to receive information on psychological effects. Results:, A total of 247 ALS patients and 87 caregivers participated. Participants knew less about psychological symptoms than physical ones (72% correct responses versus 82%; paired t(333) = ,5.04, P < 0.001). Patients commonly reported being told by their doctor about physical symptoms such as problems walking (85%) or stiffness/cramps (74%) but not psychological issues like emotional lability (46%) or cognitive change (11%). The majority of patients (62%) and carers (71%) indicated a desire to be informed that cognitive change or dementia might occur. Conclusion:, ALS is a multi-system disorder. However, despite a desire for more information from patients and their carers, healthcare professionals continue to primarily address only the physical consequences of the disease. [source]


Corruption in Africa , Part 1

HISTORY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 5 2009
John Mukum Mbaku
As Africans struggled against colonial exploitation, there was near universal agreement among the freedom fighters and other nationalists that one of the most important determinants of poverty in the colonies was the control of the instruments of economic and political governance by foreign interlopers, all of whose objectives were in conflict with those of the Africans. Colonial institutional arrangements were primarily instruments for the exploitation of Africans and their resources. Europeans came to Africa to maximize metropolitan objectives and hence, established within each colony, institutional arrangements that enhanced their ability to exploit Africans and their resources for the benefit of the metropolitan economies. With their comparative advantage in the employment of military and police force, the Europeans were able to impose on the African colonies laws and institutions that enhanced their objectives but significantly impoverished Africans. Hence, independence was considered critical not only to the elimination of the psychological effects of foreign occupation but also to the empowerment of Africans and the enhancement of their ability to take full control of their governance systems. First, independence was expected to expel the European interlopers from the continent and allow the in-coming African leaders to rid their societies of the exploitative, despotic and non-democratic institutions that had been brought to the colonies by the Europeans. In the post-independence period, Africans were expected to have full control of their own destiny, allocate their own resources, and generally take responsibility for the design and implementation of policies affecting their own welfare. Second, the new leaders were then expected to engage all relevant stakeholder groups in each country in democratic constitution making to develop and adopt locally focused, participatory, inclusive and politically and economically relevant institutional arrangements. Finally, Africa's post-independence leaders were expected to use public policy as an instrument for the effective eradication of mass poverty and deprivation. [source]


Which neuroreceptors mediate the subjective effects of MDMA in humans?

HUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue 8 2001
A summary of mechanistic studies
Abstract In preclinical studies, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ,Ecstasy') has been shown to release serotonin (5-HT), dopamine and norepinephrine. However, the role of these neurotransmitters and their corresponding receptor sites in mediating the subjective effects of MDMA has not yet been studied in humans. Therefore, we investigated the effects of three different neuroreceptor pretreatments on the subjective, cardiovascular and adverse effects of MDMA (1.5 mg/kg orally) in 44 healthy human volunteers. Pretreatments were: the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram (40 mg intravenously) in 16 subjects, the 5-HT2 antagonist ketanserin (50 mg orally) in 14 subjects, and the D2 antagonist haloperidol (1.4 mg intravenously) in 14 subjects. Each of these studies used a double-blind placebo-controlled within-subject design and all subjects were examined under placebo, pretreatment, MDMA and pretreatment plus MDMA conditions. Citalopram markedly reduced most of the subjective effects of MDMA, including positive mood, increased extraversion and self-confidence. Cardiovascular and adverse effects of MDMA were also attenuated by citalopram. Haloperidol selectively reduced MDMA-induced positive mood but had no effect on other subjective effects of MDMA or the cardiovascular or adverse responses to MDMA. Ketanserin selectively reduced MDMA-induced perceptual changes and emotional excitation. These results indicate that the overall psychological effects of MDMA largely depend on carrier-mediated 5-HT release, while the more stimulant-like euphoric mood effects of MDMA appear to relate, at least in part, to dopamine D2 receptor stimulation. The mild hallucinogen-like perceptual effects of MDMA appear to be due to serotonergic 5-HT2 receptor stimulation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


In difficult times: influences of attitudes and expectations on training and redeployment opportunities in a hospital contraction programme

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2002
Jeff Hyman
This article explores reasons behind the low take,up of training and redeployment opportunities in a three,year downsizing programme in a National Health Service (NHS) mental health hospital. It examines these from an interpretive paradigm, identifying social,psychological effects on barriers and motivation to training and redeployment. In reporting factors that inhibit the movement of staff from the hospital the findings indicate that the direction of even a well,planned and positively intentioned programme can be confounded by the responses of employees faced with an uncertain future. When drawing up restructuring programmes involving retraining and redeployment, managers need to take into account the anticipated profound reactions of those affected. [source]


Lived Experiences of Mothers Caring for Children With Thalassemia Major in Thailand

JOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN PEDIATRIC NURSING, Issue 1 2007
Suksiri Prasomsuk
ISSUES AND PURPOSE.,Thalassemic patients must be given continuous treatment throughout their lives due to the physical and psychological effects of their disorder; their families also are impacted. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of 15 mothers of children with thalassemia major by conducting semistructured interviews; the data were analyzed utilizing content analysis. CONCLUSION.,Six themes were identified: lack of knowledge about thalassemia, psychosocial problems, concerns for the future, social support systems, financial difficulty, and the effectiveness of healthcare services. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.,These findings suggest that a holistic, culturally sensitive nursing approach should be considered when caring for children with thalassemia. [source]


Review on the effects of exposure to spilled oils on human health

JOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
Francisco Aguilera
Abstract Harmful effects of oil spills on diverse flora and fauna species have been extensively studied. Nevertheless, only a few studies have been compiled in the literature dealing with the repercussions of oil exposure on human health; most of them have focused on acute effects and psychological symptoms. The objective of this work was to gather all these studies and to analyze the possible consequences of this kind of complex exposure in the different aspects of human health. Studies found on this topic were related to the disasters of the Exxon Valdez, Braer, Sea Empress, Nakhodka, Erika, Prestige and Tasman Spirit oil tankers. The majority of them were cross-sectional; many did not include control groups. Acute effects were evaluated taking into account vegetative-nervous symptoms, skin and mucous irritations, and also psychological effects. Genotoxic damage and endocrine alterations were assessed only in individuals exposed to oil from Prestige. The results of the reviewed articles clearly support the need for biomonitoring human populations exposed to spilled oils, especially those individuals involved in the cleanup, in order to evaluate not only the possible immediate consequences for their health but also the medium- and long-term effects, and the effectiveness of the protective devices used. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Efficacy of progressive muscle relaxation training in reducing anxiety in patients with acute schizophrenia

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 15 2009
Wen-Chun Chen
Aim and objectives., The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of progressive muscle relaxation training on anxiety in patients with acute schizophrenia. Background., Many empirical studies have found progressive muscle relaxation training beneficial in reducing the psychological effects of anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation training is also effective in reducing the distress symptoms associated with the symptomatology of schizophrenia. Design., An experimental randomised controlled trial using repeated measures. Method., The study was designed to examine the effects of progressive muscle relaxation training on patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Study participants were acute psychiatric inpatients in Taiwan. Eighteen patients were block randomised and then assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group received progressive muscle relaxation training and the control group received a placebo intervention. Results from the Beck anxiety inventory were compared between groups as a pretest before intervention, on day 11 of intervention and one week post-test after the intervention was completed. Changes in finger temperature were measured throughout the experiment. Results., The degree of anxiety improvement was significantly higher in the progressive muscle relaxation training group than in the control group after progressive muscle relaxation training intervention (p < 0·0001) and at follow-up (p = 0·0446; the mean BAI score fell from 16·4 pretest to ,5·8 post-test. After adjusting for the change in patient finger temperature, the mean change in temperature was significantly different between the two patient groups. The average body temperature increased significantly after applying the progressive muscle relaxation training to patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion., This study demonstrated that progressive muscle relaxation training can effectively alleviate anxiety in patients with schizophrenia. Relevance to clinical practice., Progressive muscle relaxation training is potentially an effective nursing intervention in the reduction of anxiety in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, depending on the quality of their mental status at the time of intervention. Progressive muscle relaxation training is a useful intervention as it is proven to reduce anxiety levels across a spectrum of psychiatric disorders. [source]


Progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, and ABC relaxation theory

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 12 2001
Mia Matsumoto
This study compared the psychological effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) and breathing exercises. Forty-two students were divided randomly into two groups and taught PMR or breathing exercises. Both groups practiced for five weeks and were given the Smith Relaxation States Inventory before and after each session. As hypothesized, PMR practitioners displayed greater increments in relaxation states (R-States) Physical Relaxation and Disengagement, while breathing practitioners displayed higher levels of R-State Strength and Awareness. Slight differences emerged at Weeks 1 and 2; major differences emerged at Weeks 4 and 5. A delayed and potentially reinforcing aftereffect emerged for PMR only after five weeks of training,increased levels of Mental Quiet and Joy. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 57: 1551,1557, 2001. [source]


Co-Bedding Versus Single-Bedding Premature Multiple-Gestation Infants in Incubators

JOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC & NEONATAL NURSING, Issue 3 2003
CNAA associate professor, Jacqueline Fowler Byers PhD
Objective: To compare the physiological stability and behavioral effects of co-bedding with those of single-bedding premature multiple-gestation infants in incubators as well as the psychological effects on their parents. Design: Prospective, randomized, repeated measure. Participants: Convenience sample of 16 infants and 8 parents in the co-bedded group, and 21 infants and 11 parents in the control group. Interventions: Infants in the study group were co-bedded in incubators. Main Outcome Measures: Baseline and posttesting for parental state anxiety, maternal attachment, and parental satisfaction measures; infant sleep-wake synchronicity; physiological measures; and stress cue measures during baseline and activity. Main Results: Repeated measures 5 (time) × 2 (group) analysis of variance found significant differences in infant daily weight, feeding amount, and high-activity heart rate. There was no difference in parental state anxiety, maternal attachment, and parental satisfaction scores by group, except for higher baseline parental satisfaction scores in the co-bedded group. Conclusions: This research demonstrated the safety of co-bedding multiple-gestation infants in incubators but did not find any significant clinical improvement in infant or parental outcomes with co-bedding. Neonatal intensive-care unit providers should educate staff and parents about the potential benefits of co-bedding and consider developing policies and procedures for co-bedding in both incubators and cribs. Co-bedding of multiple-gestation infants may be provided as an adjunctive developmental care strategy if parents desire this intervention. [source]


Psychological well-being in rheumatoid arthritis: a review of the literature

MUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 2 2010
Lynda Gettings BSc (Hons)
Abstract The psychological well-being of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an important issue, and the advent of measurement tools has led to a better understanding of the mental aspects associated with this chronic illness. Patients with RA are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and low self-esteem, with high levels of associated mortality and suicide. The loss of the ability to carry out daily functions owing to RA is also associated with the onset of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the psychological effects of RA can extend to the partners, families and carers of sufferers. Conventional treatment has focused on treating the symptoms of RA and containment of disease progression, but may not necessarily address the psychological issues associated with the condition. Furthermore, patient perception of RA and of the support offered to them can cause further unnecessary psychological distress. Access to psychological support for RA patients has been shown to be inconsistent and haphazard. It is now being recognized that what is needed is a multidisciplinary team approach to treat psychological distress in RA alongside conventional treatment, involving alternative therapies tailored to the psychological needs of the patient. The benefits of treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy, meditation and exercise are clear and these treatments should be actively encouraged, thereby enabling patients with RA to better manage the psychological burden associated with this chronic condition. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Chronic disaster syndrome: Displacement, disaster capitalism, and the eviction of the poor from New Orleans

AMERICAN ETHNOLOGIST, Issue 4 2009
VINCANNE ADAMS
ABSTRACT Many New Orleans residents who were displaced in 2005 by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent levee failures and floods are still displaced. Living with long-term stress related to loss of family, community, jobs, and social security as well as the continuous struggle for a decent life in unsettled life circumstances, they manifest what we are calling "chronic disaster syndrome." The term refers not only to the physiological and psychological effects generated at the individual level by ongoing social disruption but also to the nexus of socioeconomic and political conditions that produce this situation as a long-term and intractable problem. Chronic disaster syndrome emerges from the convergence of three phenomena that create displacement: long-term effects of personal trauma (including near loss of life and loss of family members, homes, jobs, community, financial security, and well-being); the social arrangements that enable the smooth functioning of what Naomi Klein calls "disaster capitalism," in which "disaster" is prolonged as a way of life; and the permanent displacement of the most vulnerable populations from the social landscape as a perceived remedy that actually exacerbates the syndrome. [source]


School physical activity interventions: do not forget about obesity bias

OBESITY REVIEWS, Issue 1 2008
P. B. Rukavina
Summary Obesity bias is the tendency to negatively judge an overweight or obese individual based on assumed and/or false character traits, such as being physically unattractive, incompetent, lazy and lacking self-discipline. Obesity biases, such as teasing or weight criticism during physical activity (PA), can be psychologically or emotionally damaging for overweight children and adolescents. Ultimately, the effects students experience over time may create a psychological barrier and students can become resistant to schools' health and PA interventions that promote lifestyle changes. Fortunately, the psychological effects of obesity bias are mediated by social buffers and coping mechanisms. Several PA-related researchers have proposed strategic intervention components, but no studies have been completed in PA settings. The purpose of this review was to discuss the nature and different types of obesity bias in PA settings. Major theoretical frameworks of the aetiology and change mechanisms of obesity biases from the psychological literature were reviewed and direct applications for strategic component interventions were made for PA settings. Because of the pervasiveness and entrenchment of obesity bias, it is obvious that multiple theoretical frameworks need to be considered and even combined to create safe and caring school PA environments for students. [source]


A Study of Perceptions of Facial Hemangiomas in Professionals Involved in Child Abuse Surveillance

PEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
Aina V. H. Greig M.A., F.R.C.S.
They can mimic the appearance of bruises and parents report false accusations of child abuse by strangers. We investigated perceptions of facial hemangiomas in two professional groups involved in child abuse surveillance. Thirty health visitors and 30 primary school teachers were sent a clinical case questionnaire about a child with an involuting facial hemangioma with a color photograph of the lesion. Nineteen health visitors (63%) and 18 primary school teachers (60%) responded. Seventy-four percent of the health visitors and 11% of the teachers correctly diagnosed a hemangioma. Fifty percent of the teachers were unable to decide on a diagnosis. However, only one health visitor (5%) and one teacher (5%) thought that the lesion was a nonaccidental injury and would involve a child protection advisor. About one-third of health visitors and one-third of teachers expressed concerns that the child could suffer psychologically from teasing by peers at school and about one-third of health visitors were also concerned about the psychological effects of the lesion on the child's parents. Health visitors and teachers were most unlikely to mistake the facial hemangioma in this study for a nonaccidental injury. [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]


Posttraumatic growth in cancer patients and partners,effects of role, gender and the dyad on couples' posttraumatic growth experience

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
Diana Zwahlen
Abstract Background/Aim: Little is known about factors influencing positive effects in couples facing a cancer diagnosis. Methods: A heterogeneous sample of 224 couples from a multi-site study (four oncology units) completed questionnaire surveys including the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) as a measure of positive psychological effects. Results: The data demonstrated that all three investigated factors,gender, role (patient vs partner) and the dyad (belonging to any of the 224 couples),significantly contributed to variation in PTGI total scores and subscales. Variability between couples (factor dyad) appeared stronger than variability between patient and partner participants (factor role) and between male and female participants (factor gender). Role and gender analysis showed that patients demonstrated higher levels of posttraumatic growth than partners; and female participants scored higher on PTGI than males. Male patient,female partner pairs show greater association in their experience of posttraumatic growth than female patient,male partner pairs. Correlations also suggested that, regardless of the gender and role composition, patients and partners may experience parallel growth. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that positive psychological experiences may be shared by partners affected by cancer in similar ways as have been shown for negative psychological effects. Intra-couple similarities or processes may have a more important function in experiencing benefits than factors like gender or being the patient or the partner. These results underline the importance of a family approach to understanding negative and positive psychological effects of cancer. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Typology and psychological effects of adolescents' interpersonal relationships in Taiwan

ASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2009
Yuh-Huey Jou
The present research explored Taiwanese adolescent students' interpersonal relationships and examined whether teachers' evaluations of these students' health and academic performances varied with the students' interpersonal relationship patterns. Data (n = 2310) were based on a panel study conducted by the Taiwan Youth Project in 2001 (eighth grade) and 2002 (ninth grade). Latent class models and hierarchical linear models were used to analyse the data. Adolescent students' interpersonal relationships were categorized as Multiple Contacts, Parents- and Peers-Close, Peers-Close, and Few Contacts. The research results showed that not only adolescents' self-reports of self-esteem and depressed mood but also teachers' evaluations of adolescents' health and academic performances varied with adolescents' interpersonal relationship patterns. An influence of teachers' character and work environment on their evaluations of students was found. Teachers who had more years of teaching and higher job satisfaction rated their students as having better health, and teachers who felt greater respect from their students reported that their students had better academic performance. The connection between adolescents' psychological well-being and the roles of parents, peers and teachers is also discussed. [source]


Chronic prostatitis during puberty

BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2006
Yuan Li
OBJECTIVE To investigate the features of chronic prostatitis (CP) during puberty and the effects of biofeedback on young males with this disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 40 patients were divided into two groups; group 1 included 25 pubertal patients with CP (mean age 16.5 years, sd 1.1) and group 2 was a control group including 15 patients (mean age 16.2 years, sd 1.2) with a normal lower urinary tract. National Institute of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) scores (three parts) were assessed individually in both groups. Expressed prostatic secretions and urine samples after prostate massage from group 1 were cultured to determine whether patients were infected with bacteria, and group 1 was categorized into various NIH types. Each patients in the two groups underwent urodynamics and group 1 were treated with biofeedback. RESULTS In group 1, there were one, three and 21 patients with type II, IIIA and IIIB prostatitis. The incidence of staccato voiding and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia (DSD), and the maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), maximum detrusor pressure (Pdetmax) and maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) between the groups were significantly different (P < 0.05). The total NIH-CPSI scores and all the subdomains between the groups before biofeedback were significantly different (P < 0.001). In group 1 the difference in NIH-CPSI scores and Qmax before and after biofeedback was significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The main type of CP during puberty is IIIB; the dominating symptom is a voiding disorder. The impact on life and psychological effects are substantial. Pubertal boys with CP have pelvic floor dysfunction and several abnormal urodynamic values, i.e. staccato voiding, DSD, decreasing Qmax, and increasing Pdetmax and MUCP. The effect of biofeedback strategies for treating pubertal CP is satisfactory. [source]


Some implications of attachment theory for understanding psychological functioning in old age: an illustration from the long-term psychological effects of World War Two

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY (AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THEORY & PRACTICE), Issue 3 2003
Gerard McCarthy
This paper aims to outline some of the implications of attachment theory for understanding the way in which older adults deal with the salient developmental tasks of later life. The paper aims to illustrate this theme by exploring the way in which negative childhood attachment-related experiences brought about by the Second World War may have adversely affected the way in which some of the current generation of older adults function in old age. The paper begins with a brief introduction to attachment theory and research and then moves on to consider some of the ways in which the Second World War may have affected the attachment-related experiences of the United Kingdom population. Finally, some of the clinical implications of attachment theory are briefly discussed, and the implications for assessing and treating older adults are considered. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Exploring the psychological effects of deceased organ donation on the families of the organ donors , a response

CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 5 2008
Shaila J. Merchant
No abstract is available for this article. [source]