Workplace assault: An emerging job stressor.

Examined the psychological effects of physical assault at the workplace and the effects of more traditional psychological job stressors (high demands, low control, low social support) among approximately 5,000 public service employees (mean age 39 yrs). Ss who were assaulted were more likely to report depression, anxiety, and low job satisfaction than their nonassaulted coworkers. Evidence for a moderating effect of work-related social support on the relationship between assault and depression is noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Premenstrual and menstrual mood changes in adolescent women.

Studied the presence and magnitude of menstrual-cycle-related mood changes using standardized measures of depression and anxiety. 158 females aged 15–16 yrs completed the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire and reported the actual date of onset of their next 2 menstrual periods. These Ss and their male classmates were later given the Depression Adjective Check List, Forms A and D, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory twice, 2 wks apart, in an unrelated classroom setting. This study assessed the magnitude of anxiety and depression experienced by the 29 Ss who were tested within 4 days preceding the onset of menstruation and the 23 Ss who were tested during the first 4 days of menstruation. Premenstrual and menstrual test scores were compared with those obtained during the intermenstrual phase of the cycle. No significant differences in mood attributable to cycle phase were found. A control group of males also showed no significant difference in mood. Adolescent women appear to be different from women over 30 who have been reported to show significantly increased state anxiety and depression during the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dieting and depression: A methodological study.

Examined the effects of 3 variables on reports of psychological functioning in 28 obese women (mean age 42.1 yrs) who lost an average of 19.2 kg in 6 mo. Analysis of the 1st variable, frequency of assessment, showed that although Ss experienced improvements in mood from pre- to posttreatment, more than 50% showed worsening in mood during 1 or more wks. Analysis of the 2nd variable, time of assessment, revealed that retrospective reports of depression and anxiety were greater than were concurrent reports. Analysis of the 3rd variable, method of assessment, showed that Ss reported several symptoms in response to an open-ended interview that were not measured by objective tests. Data indicate that the method of mood assessment determines the answer to the question of whether dieting is associated with adverse psychological consequences. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social interest as a moderator of life stress.

Tested 3 hypotheses: (1) Social interest (SI) is of value in ameliorating or eliminating many of the unnecessary problems that occur in human relationships; (2) SI moderates the effect of later life stresses on psychological symptoms; and (3) the negative relation between SI and anxiety, depression, and hostility will be stronger in people who recently have experienced greater stress than in those who have encountered little stress. 74 undergraduates were administered the Social Interest Scale (SIS) and the Social Interest Index (SII), and then the Social Readjustment Rating Scale and the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List 1 yr later. It was found that scores on the SII and the SIS were negatively related to the number of stressful experiences encountered during the following year. Stress was correlated with anxiety, depression, and hostility more strongly among low- than among high-SI Ss, and SI was more negatively correlated with these symptoms among high-stress Ss compared with moderate- or low-stress groups. The SII and the SIS showed somewhat different patterns of results, and possible reasons for these differences are discussed. (49 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hostility, job attitudes, and workplace deviance: Test of a multilevel model.

The authors tested a model, inspired by affective events theory (H. M. Weiss & R. Cropanzano, 1996), that examines the dynamic nature of emotions at work, work attitudes, and workplace deviance. Sixty-four employees completed daily surveys over 3 weeks, reporting their mood, job satisfaction, perceived interpersonal treatment, and deviance. Supervisors and significant others also evaluated employees' workplace deviance and trait hostility, respectively. Over half of the total variance in workplace deviance was within-individual, and this intraindividual variance was predicted by momentary hostility, interpersonal justice, and job satisfaction. Moreover, trait hostility moderated the interpersonal justice-state hostility relation such that perceived injustice was more strongly related to state hostility for individuals high in trait hostility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of chronic theophylline treatment on the methacholine dose-response curve in allergic asthmatic subjects

Dyspnea can have a debilitating effect on psychosocial and physical functioning in patients with chronic obstructive airways disease. Previous research has suggested that treatment of concomitant mood or anxiety symptoms can improve dyspnea and exercise intolerance among patients with respiratory disease. The authors report here on a case series of 7 patients with obstructive airways disease who reported improvements in dyspnea after sertraline 25-100 mg/day was added to their medication regimens. Four of the seven patients did not appear to meet syndromal criteria for a mood or anxiety disorder. Subjective improvements in dyspnea may have been related to relief of mood or anxiety symptoms or to direct effects on central respiratory systems. Controlled studies are needed to clarify the potential antidyspneic effects of sertraline.     

Coping effectiveness training during acute rehabilitation of spinal cord injury/dysfunction: A randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: To compare coping effectiveness training (CET) with supportive group therapy (SGT) for anxiety, depression, and adjustment to injury in an acute spinal cord injury/dysfunction (SCI/D) rehabilitation population. CET was shown to result in decreased anxiety and depression symptoms when compared to historical no-treatment control groups (Kennedy, Duff, Evans, & Beedie, 2003; King & Kennedy, 1999). The present study sought to extend those findings with a comparison of CET to an alternative active therapy condition, SGT. Research Method: Participants (N = 40) entering a hospital-based program were assigned to treatment condition using block randomization. Questionnaire mood measures were completed at program admission, program discharge, and 3-month postdischarge follow-up. Adjustment to disability was assessed at follow-up only. Analyses of variance tested for group differences in anxiety, depression, and adjustment to injury. Results: Both groups reported reductions in mood symptoms with no differences between treatment conditions. However, similar reductions were obtained after fewer sessions of CET. Symptoms of depression increased in both groups following hospital discharge. Conclusions: Clinical and research implications, including innovative interventions during the period after discharge, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of induced mood on diagnostic interviewing: Evidence for a mood and memory effect.

Examined the extent to which experimentally induced mood influenced the report of lifetime symptoms of major depression and dysthymia as assessed by a computerized version of the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule. 83 female undergraduates received a "happy" or "sad" mood induction. Ss in the sad condition reported significantly more lifetime symptoms of major depression and dysthymia than did Ss in the happy condition. Although more Ss in the sad condition received diagnoses of major depression, dysthymic disorder, or depression not otherwise specified than did Ss in the happy condition, this difference was not significant. In addition, no difference was found in the report of lifetime symptoms of a manic episode, providing evidence for the specificity of the mood induction. Implications of these results for structured diagnostic interviews and suggestions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Confrontations with aggression and mental health problems in police officers: The role of organizational stressors, life-events and previous mental health problems.

The extent to which the frequency of facing aggression incidents is associated with mental health problems among police officers when organizational stressors, life-events, and previous mental health problems are taken into account is unclear. To elucidate this data from a longitudinal study of police officers was analyzed (N = 473). Mental health problems (MHPs) are here defined as severe anxiety, depression, hostility, burnout symptoms, and/or sleeping problems according the SCL-90–R and MBI. All MHPs were assessed at baseline and 27 months later. Logistic regression showed that serious threat was statistically significant associated with MHPs at follow-up among officers without MHPs at baseline, but not among those with MHPs at baseline. However, stepwise logistic regression showed that serious threat and/or physical aggression were not independently associated with MHPs at follow-up. Organizational stressors, that is, problems with colleagues were independent predictors in all analyses. Among the total study sample, previous MHPs were the strongest independent predictors. These findings suggest superiors should attend to the mental health, organizational stressors and life-events of their officers regularly and not only following critical incidents at work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment experiences of adults with unipolar depression: The influence of patient and life context factors.

Examined between- and within-programs variations in the amount and type of treatment obtained by 412 patients (aged 18+ yrs) who entered treatment for unipolar depression in 1 of 6 programs. Ss were assessed on the Health and Daily Living Form, the Family Environment Scale, and the Work Environment Scale. Each program had a distinctive orientation toward treatment as shown by considerable between-programs variability in Ss' treatment experiences. These between-programs differences remained significant after controlling for severity of depressive symptoms and the sociodemographic characteristics of Ss treated in each program. Within programs, there was only limited evidence for a patient–treatment matching process in which Ss with more severe depression received more intensive treatment. However, there was also little evidence of clinician bias against providing treatment to less "desirable" Ss, such as those who were older or of lower social status. Ss who experienced more recent life stressors were treated less intensively, perhaps because of a tendency to attribute their depression to situational rather than dispositional factors. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment and training of role-taking and referential communication skills in institutionalized emotionally disturbed children.

Evaluated 125 institutionalized emotionally disturbed 8-15-yr-old children in terms of their role-taking and referential communication skills. On the basis of this screening process, the 48 Ss who performed most poorly on these measures were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 experimental training programs intended to remediate deficits in either role-taking or referential communication skills. As a group these institutionalized Ss were significantly delayed in the acquisition of both role taking and referential communication when compared with samples of their normal age-mates. Pre- and postintervention comparisons indicated that Ss of both experimental groups improved significantly in their role-taking ability. Ss of the communication training program also demonstrated significant improvement in referential communication skills. A 12-mo follow-up showed a trend for improvements in both test measures to be associated with improvements in social adjustment as rated by institutional staff. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping skills training: An evaluation of a psychoeducational program in a community mental health setting.

40 21–60 yr old clients of a community mental health center were randomly assigned to either a coping-skills training program based explicitly on a psychoeducational model or a group-counseling control condition. Ss in the psychoeducational program were provided with 30 hrs of instruction and training in progressive relaxation, anxiety management, social skills, and self-reinforcement procedures. Group-counseling control Ss received an equal amount of attention devoted to analyzing personal problems with anxiety and interpersonal relations but with no direct skills training. Significant differences between the 2 groups on measures of general anxiety, fear, and assertiveness emerged immediately after treatment and at a 3-mo follow-up. Further analyses revealed that Ss were similar in terms of major demographic characteristics to clients who did not volunteer for training, that a greater percentage of program Ss than control Ss scored in the range of a sample of "normal" Ss on 2 of the 4 dependent measures, and that fewer program Ss were hospitalized within 1 yr after participation than were control Ss. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of obesity by behavior therapy and very low calorie diet: A pilot investigation.

Treated 17 obese females (mean age 37.5 yrs) who averaged 87% overweight for 6 mo on a program of diet and behavior modification designed for weight loss maintenance. Ss, who were paid to participate, received a balanced diet of 1,000–2,200 kilocalories/day for Month 1, a low calorie protein liquid (400–500 kilocalories/day) for Month 2, low calorie protein (fish, fowl) for Month 3, and a balanced diet for Months 4–6. Results show that Ss lost an average 20.5 kg during treatment and showed significant reductions in anxiety and depression even while consuming the low calorie diet. At 1-yr follow-up, Ss had regained an average of 2.1 kg. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Organizational and individual factors affecting mental health and job satisfaction: A multilevel analysis of job control and personality.

This study evaluated variation at the individual and work unit levels in the relations of job control, hostility, and trait anxiety to mental health and job satisfaction. Questionnaire data from a sample of 2,900 employees working at 152 hospital wards were analyzed by means of multilevel regression analyses. Results showed that mental health (General Health Questionnaire-12), varying mainly at the individual level, was explained mostly by hostility and trait anxiety. Job satisfaction varied significantly at the individual and the ward level. Job control accounted for most of this multilevel variation. Thus, this study demonstrated the significance of individual characteristics and organizational effects in explaining the mental health and job satisfaction of employees. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physical fitness and psychological benefits of strength training in community dwelling older adults

Previous studies concerning psychological benefits of exercise among the elderly has focused predominantly on the effects of aerobic exercise. In the present study, psychological and behavioral adaptations in response to 12-weeks of strength training were examined in medically healthy but sedentary 42 older adults (mean age = 68 years). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of high and low intensity resistance training intensity on a) muscular fitness, b) psychological affect, and c) neurocognitive functioning. Subjects were randomly assigned to high intensity/low volume (EXH: 2 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions for 75 to 85% of 1 RM), low intensity/high volume (EXL: 2 sets of 14 to 16 repetitions for 55 to 65% of 1 RM), or no exercise control programs. Prior to and following the 12-week program, subjects underwent comprehensive physiological and psychological evaluations. Physiological assessment included measurements of blood pressure, heart rate, arm and leg muscle strength, body composition, and oxygen consumption (VO2max). Psychological measures included evaluations of mood, anxiety, and physical self-efficacy as well as cognitive functioning. The results of this study indicated that both high and low intensity strength programs were associated with marked improvements in physiological fitness and psychological functioning. Specifically, subjects in the strength training programs increased overall muscle strength by 38.6% and reduced percent body fat by 3.0%. Favorable psychological changes in the strength-trained subjects included improvements in positive and negative mood, trait anxiety, and perceived confidence for physical capability. The treatment effects of neurocognitive functioning were not significant. In summary, this study demonstrated that participation in 12-weeks of high or low intensity strength training can improve overall physical fitness, mood, and physical self-efficacy in older adults while cognitive functioning remains constant.     

A comparison of cognitive-behavioral therapy and relaxation training for the treatment of depression in adolescents.

30 moderately depressed high school students were randomly assigned to either cognitive-behavioral treatment, relaxation training, or a wait-list control condition. Treatment Ss met in small groups for 10 50-min sessions over 5 wks in a high school setting. Outcome measures included a modified Beck Depression Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The cognitive-behavioral and relaxation training groups were superior to the wait-list control group in the reduction of depressive symptoms at both posttest and 5-wk follow-up assessments. There was no significant difference between active treatments in their effectiveness for reducing depression. Ss in the cognitive-behavioral and relaxation training conditions went from moderate levels of depression at pretest to nondepressed levels at posttest, and they maintained these levels at follow-up. Improvements in anxiety and academic self-concept were also demonstrated by the active treatments. Findings demonstrate that these short-term group-administered therapies are effective in significantly decreasing depression in adolescents. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

For suicidal young adults with comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders, probem-solving treatment may be better than treatment as usual.

Practicing psychologists face many complexities and challenges in caring for suicidal patients who have comorbid mood and anxiety disorders. Not only must suicidal crises be addressed, but co-occurring depressive and anxiety symptoms compete for attention as well and are associated with relatively poor clinical prognosis in usual treatments. The current study compared problem-solving treatment to treatment as usual among depression–anxiety comorbid versus noncomorbid clinically suicidal young adults. Suicidal patients with mood and anxiety disorders were randomized to the 2 treatments and followed over time. Comorbid suicidal patients, in particular, experienced notable symptom improvements from the problem-solving treatment. Features of the problem-solving treatment are described for use in clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental evaluation of rehabilitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Short-term effects on exercise endurance and health status.

Assigned 119 adults (mean age 62.6 yrs) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to an 8-wk comprehensive rehabilitation program (CRP) or to an 8-wk education control program (ECP). The CRP included education, physical and respiratory therapy instruction, psychosocial support, and supervised exercise training. The ECP included biweekly classroom instruction and discussions on respiratory therapy, medical aspects of lung disease, clinical pharmacology, and diet, but no exercise training. Ss received physiological and psychosocial evaluation before and after intervention. Six months after enrollment, Ss in the CRP showed significant increases in exercise endurance, whereas Ss in the ECP showed nonsignificant increases. Ss in the CRP also showed related improvements in self-efficacy for walking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anxiety as a predictor of behavioral therapy outcome for cancer chemotherapy patients.

Studied whether baseline anxiety levels are predictive of outcome on treatments designed to reduce the negative affect and conditioned nausea associated with cancer chemotherapy. 72 18–79 yr old patients classified as having low, moderate, or high anxiety received progressive muscle relaxation training, electromyograph (EMGH) biofeedback, and/or skin temperature biofeedback. Physiological, multiple affect adjective checklist, and postchemotherapy ratings were obtained during baseline, training, and follow-up sessions. Compared with moderate- and high-anxiety Ss, low-anxiety Ss reported less anxiety and depression before behavioral training but nonetheless exhibited significantly greater reductions in anxiety, depression, and diastolic blood pressure as a result of training. Baseline anxiety levels were not related to reduced nausea. Overall, these data suggest that cancer patients who have higher baseline levels of anxiety and who are perhaps most in need of an effective behavioral treatment may be the least likely to benefit from behavioral treatments aimed at reducing the distress associated with chemotherapy. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of amount of helplessness training and internal–external locus of control on mood and performance.

Based on C. B. Wortman and J. W. Brehm's (1975) integration of reactance theory with M. E. Seligman's (1972, 1975) model of learned helplessness, the present study examined the effects of amount of helplessness training and internal–external locus of control on subsequent task performance and on self-ratings of mood. 90 undergraduates were divided into internal and external groups on the basis of their scores on Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale and were then given either high, low, or no helplessness training on a series of concept-formation problems. After completing the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List, all Ss worked on an anagram task presented as a 2nd experiment by a 2nd experimenter. Internals exhibited greater performance decrements and reported greater depression under high helplessness than did externals. In the low helplessness conditions, internals tended to perform better than control Ss, while externals tended to perform worse than control Ss; low helplessness Ss also reported the highest levels of hostility. The results are discussed within the context of Wortman and Brehm's integration of reactance and learned helplessness theories. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)