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Behavioral Domain (behavioral + domain)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Frontal-lobe mediated behavioral dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2010
M. Witgert
Background:, Cognitive impairment secondary to frontal lobe atrophy exists in 40,60% of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) cases. We aimed to determine the prevalence of frontal-lobe mediated behavioral impairment in (ALS) and to ascertain its relationship to cognitive impairment. Methods:, Two-hundred and twenty five patients diagnosed with sporadic ALS were evaluated for behavioral dysfunction using the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe), a validated measure used to examine frontal-lobe mediated behaviors, specifically apathy, executive dysfunction and disinhibition; a total behavior score is also provided. Additionally, a subset of patients also underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Results:, Changes in the total FrSBe scores were observed in 24.4% of the patients and 39.6% of the patients had impairment in at least one behavioral domain with symptoms of Apathy being the most common (31.1%). Cognitively impaired ALS patients had worse total (P = 0.05) and apathy scores (P < 0.01); however, behavioral dysfunction was also present in 16% of the cognitively intact patients. Half of the behaviorally intact patients exhibited cognitive impairment. Significant correlations were observed for performance on certain neuropsychological tests (Animal fluency, Block Design, Logical Memory I and Verbal Series Attention Test) and severity of behavioral dysfunction on certain FrSBe sub scores. Conclusions:, Frontal-lobe mediated behavioral dysfunction appears to be common in ALS. Cognitively impaired ALS patients had greater behavioral dysfunction. Recognition of behavioral and cognitive dysfunction may assist health-care providers and care-givers recognize changes in decision-making capacity and treatment compliance of patients with ALS. [source]

Nursing Research and HIV Infection: State-of-the-Science

JOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 3 2000
Barbara A. Goldrick
Purpose: To provide an update of the nursing research literature on HIV infection and to develop an HIV/AIDS database using arcs© computer software. Methods: Nursing research literature from 1986 through 1997 on human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) was reviewed. With an emphasis on client-focused research, 246 studies were entered into the arcs© HIV/AIDS database. Findings: Analysis of over 1,000 citations in the HIV/AIDS nursing research literature over the past decade indicated that 22% (n = 219) of the nursing studies were client- or patient-focused; 29% (n = 292) were risk-group focused; and 49% (n = 492) were provider-focused. Of the 246 studies entered into the arcs© HIV/AIDS database, 88 (35.7%) were classified in the psychologic domain, 65 (26.4%) in the physiologic domain, 24 (9.7%) in the behavioral domain, and 25 (10%) in the social domain. In addition, 17 (6.9%) of the studies were classified in the quality of life domain, and 27 (10.9%) in the stage of HIV disease domain. The majority (53%) of the 246 studies (n = 131) were correlational, 86 (35%) were descriptive, and 29 (12%) had experimental or quasi-experimental designs. Conclusions: Although nursing studies have described some of the problems that affect HIV-infected people, further research is needed, particularly related to clinical interventions. [source]

The use of brief interventions adapted from motivational interviewing across behavioral domains: a systematic review

ADDICTION, Issue 12 2001
Chris Dunn
Aims. To examine the effectiveness of brief behavioral interventions adapting the principles and techniques of Motivational Interviewing (MI) to four behavioral domains: substance abuse, smoking, HIV risk and diet/exercise. Design. We conducted a systematic review of 29 randomized trials of MI interventions. Data on methodological quality were extracted and tabulated. Between-group behavior change effect sizes and confidence intervals were calculated for each study. Findings. Due to varying intervention time lengths, targeted problem behaviors, settings and interventionists' backgrounds and skill levels, outcomes were not combined meta-analytically. Sixty per cent of the 29 studies yielded at least one significant behavior change effect size. No significant association between length of follow-up time and magnitude of effect sizes was found across studies. There was substantial evidence that MI is an effective substance abuse intervention method when used by clinicians who are non-specialists in substance abuse treatment, particularly when enhancing entry to and engagement in more intensive substance abuse treatment treatment-as-usual. Data were inadequate to judge the effect of MI in the other domains. Client attribute-treatment interactions were understudied and the sparse and inconsistent findings revealed little about the mechanism by which MI works or for whom it works best. Conclusion. To determine more effectively how well MI works in domains other than substance abuse and for whom it works best in all domains, researchers should study MI with risk behaviors other than substance abuse, while examining both interactions and the theoretical components of MI. [source]