摘要:

Controversy surrounds the contention that certain psychological factors correlate highly with cancer and coronary heart disease (CHD). This study provides further empirical evidence on this issue. Special consideration is given to Grossarth‐Maticek's theory of personality types, according to which Type 1 personalities are more susceptible to cancer and Type 2 personalities to CHD. A total of 1858 participants of both sexes between the ages of 39 and 68 responded to a battery of personality scales including our own R(evised)‐Scales. Designed to measure the Grossarth‐Maticek's personality types, these R‐Scales proved to be internally highly consistent, but R‐Scales 1 and 2 were intercorrelated at the level of their reliability. Factor analyses indicated that Grossarth‐Maticek's predictors of illness do not measure any unique constructs, i.e. constructs not also tapped by other personality scales included in the test battery. Participants suffering from cancer or from CHD differed in personality from healthy participants, but not in the direction predicted. These results suggest that the claimed discriminant validity of the Grossarth‐Maticek illness predictors is high

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1111/j.2044-8287.1996.tb00502.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

In people with chronic pain, disability is only partially explained by pain levels and emotional distress has been postulated to moderate the relationship between pain and disability in these and in other individuals. This paper reports an experimental investigation of this hypothesis with patients attending a clinical psychology department with chronic pain problems. Sections of the normal clinical interview which increased anxiety (asking about upsetting events) or reduced anxiety (asking about good events) were identified and standardized to give a naturally occurring mood induction technique. Twenty‐five patients were randomly allocated to receive the anxiety increasing section of the interview as part of the experimental procedure and 25 to receive the anxiety reducing section. Both groups received the other section later in the interview. Patients were assessed before and after the experimental procedure and results demonstrated that the mood induction procedures had produced the expected effects on mood and the resulting predicted effects on disability. Experimental mood enhancement was associated with reduced levels of disability assessed by a lifting task, while mood depression resulted in greater disability. These findings strengthen the results from correlational studies and suggest methods of minimizing disability, at least in the short ter

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1111/j.2044-8287.1996.tb00503.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

A self‐report questionnaire was constructed to assess the coping style of tinnitus sufferers (N= 116) attending a specialist out‐patient tinnitus clinic. The questionnaire assessed the frequency with which sufferers reported using each of 40 coping strategies. The sufferers' responses to this questionnaire were factor analysed, revealing three tinnitus coping styles. These were labelled: ‘maladaptive coping’, ‘effective coping’ and ‘passive coping’. The relationship between these coping styles, tinnitus severity and adjustment was examined. Coping style was found to be strongly associated with both tinnitus severity and adjustment and some tentative clinical implications are drawn fro

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1111/j.2044-8287.1996.tb00504.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The effect of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on cognitive function drug users is subject to the effects of drug use and depression. The current study tested the effect of these potential confounders in 244 HIV‐positive drug users (147 asymptomatic, 97 symptomatic) and 42 confirmed HIV‐negative drug users. No difference was found between HIV‐positive and HIV‐negative groups for measures of drug use, negative mood, or verbal IQ. Symptomatic HIV‐positive patients were significantly more impaired on measures of non‐verbal performance intelligence and memory than HIV‐negative or HIV‐positive asymptomatic patients. Structural modelling of the data suggested associations between falling CD4 count and impaired non‐verbal performance; low mood, greater benzodiazepine use and poorer memory; and higher opiate use and slight impairment on non‐verbal performance. Drug use and low mood did not act upon low CD4 count to affect non‐verbal cognitive performance. Our results suggest cognitive impairment in HIV‐positive drug users attributable to HIV illness can be detected, and that concurrent drug use and mood are not major confounders, provided such factors are r

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1111/j.2044-8287.1996.tb00505.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Despite pre‐operative deconditioning and lowered aerobic capacity for cardiac transplant patients, significant exercise benefits have been documented following hospital‐based rehabilitation. Patient‐led groups have also developed exercise‐based events, e.g. the Cardiac Transplant Games. These may have significant psychosocial, as well as physical benefits, but are also potential sources of stress. This study examined patients from a National Transplant Centre, intending to participate in the international Cardiac Transplant Games. Twenty patients (15 male/5 female) were assessed to determine medical suitability and prescribe training schedules. Psychological assessment was completed seven to 12 weeks before (T1), the week before (T2), and a week after the Games (T3). This included physical symptoms, body image, anxiety, mood and health‐related quality of life (QoL). One patient was advised not to participate, five withdrew (three for health reasons), leaving 14 participants (13 male/1 female), mean age 46.4 (range 31–67) years. Results (for 12 of 14 participants) indicated significant effects for body image and physical symptoms; both improved from T1–T2; this benefit was retained at T3. There was no change in anxiety, mood or health‐related QoL over time. Thus participation in a sporting event by well‐selected transplant patients was associated with no negative psychological effects but with decreased physical symptomatology and an en

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1111/j.2044-8287.1996.tb00506.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Depression in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a common yet poorly understood phenomenon. This research adopted a biopsychosocial model in which pain and family support were hypothesized to predict depressive symptoms directly, and indirectly, through perceived helplessness. A total of 44 confirmed SLE patients recruited through the community completed a set of questionnaires in a cross‐sectional, correlation design. The results confirmed our model's applicability, demonstrating that high pain and high helplessness independently contributed to depression; however, the contribution of family support was not significant. While mixed support was found for a pain‐learned helplessness link, helplessness mediated the effects of patients' socio‐economic status on depression such that patients of lower socio‐economic status reported greater helplessness in the face of their illness. In summary, the data indicate that pain and helplessness are important concomitants of SLE‐related depression. Longitudinal research is recommended to clarify the relationships among these variables over time in clinica

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1111/j.2044-8287.1996.tb00507.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Objectives. This study aimed to explore the relationships between health behaviours which participants reported using as coping strategies, and other, more documented, coping strategies.Design. The relationships were examined using exploratory factor analysis of questionnaire data.Methods. Items reflecting the use of health behaviours as ways of coping with stressful situations were developed. Behaviours included relaxation, eating and weight control, preventive medicine, exercise and fitness, safety, sleep, use of caffeine, alcohol use, smoking and general self‐care. These 30 items were intermingled with Carver, Scheier&Weintraub's (1989) COPE items. The whole was administered with COPE instructions to 256 adults. Principal‐axis factoring with oblique rotation was employed.Results. Factor analysis of the health behaviour items along with 13 COPE scales eventuated in a six‐factor solution, explaining 47.8 per cent of the variance. Three factors reflected problem‐focused coping, emotion‐focused coping and avoidance, and three quite distinct factors reflected exercise, eating and self‐care. Women compared with men tended more towards emotion‐focused coping and eating. Older individuals compared with younger tended more towards problem‐focused coping and self‐care, and less towards eating.Conclusions. Because the health behaviours formed quite distinct factors, it is suggested that health behaviours may serve coping functions other than the previously well documented functions of problem‐focused, emotion‐focused or avoidance. It is speculated that exercise and self‐care may function in a preventive fashion as resources for coping. Other possible interpretations of th

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1111/j.2044-8287.1996.tb00508.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

A recent article by Burkeret al. reported a high prevalence of depression in patients (N= 114) both before (47 per cent) and after (61 per cent) cardiac surgery. Prevalence in the present study (N= 133), on the other hand, was low: between 7.5 and 16.5 per cent pre‐operatively and 4.5 and 14.3 per cent post‐opcratively, depending on the assessment instrument used. We recommend using a combination of self‐report inventories and expert clinical judgment to determine the prevalence of depression in cardiac surgery pat

ISSN:1359-107X    

DOI:10.1111/j.2044-8287.1996.tb00509.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY