Health condition, impairment, activity limitations: Relationships with emotions and control cognitions in people with disabling conditions.

Objectives: To gain a better understanding of the influence of the health condition on emotions and control cognitions by using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. The relations between health condition, impairment, activity limitations, and emotions or control cognitions were investigated in people with 1 of 2 different disabling conditions, chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy (CIAP) or stroke. Method: Two existing databases were used: cross-sectional data from 56 participants with CIAP; longitudinal data of 100 participants with stroke. Participants were assessed on measures of the health condition, impairment, activity limitations, emotions, and control cognitions. Results: In participants with CIAP, impairment explained variance in concurrent control cognitions (9%-25%), activity limitation in concurrent depression (8%), and control cognitions (26%-36%). In stepwise regression activity, limitation was more powerful in explaining variance in emotions and control cognitions than impairment. In people with stroke, only activity limitations explained variance in emotions (4%-9%) and control cognitions (4%-7%). Conclusions: These results suggest that targeting activity limitations in rehabilitation efforts is likely to relate to control cognitions, which in themselves have been shown to benefit recovery of physical consequences in chronic illness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correlates of life satisfaction in those with disabling conditions.

Examined the life satisfaction (LS) of individuals with disabling conditions, focusing on the relationship among LS and physical and functional limitations, economic circumstances, and social factors. Data were analyzed from telephone interviews with 675 working-age individuals (aged 16–64 yrs) participating in the International Center for the Disabled (ICD) Survey of Disabled Americans (ICD, 1986). LS related to age of respondent, age at onset of disabling condition, type of condition, severity of condition, employment status, income, and marital status. LS was also dependent on individuals considering themselves disabled or their being identified as disabled by others. Comparison of Ss' data with data from 1,064 nondisabled individuals (Louis Harris and Associates, Inc., 1985) is provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between attachment cognitions and psychological adjustment in late adolescent women

This longitudinal study of 137 female high school seniors investigated the relationship of attachment cognitions, current psychological functioning, and psychological functioning 12 months later. Attachment cognitions, assessed with the Revised Adult Attachment Scale and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, were significantly associated with current symptomatology. The Revised Adult Attachment Scale, in interaction with initial symptomatology, predicted depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, and personality disorders 12 months later. The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment parent subscales predicted eating disorder and personality disorder symptomatology, whereas the peer subscales predicted substance abuse, eating disorder, and personality disorder symptomatology.     

具有扰动的Chen氏混沌系统干扰抑制

研究了Chen氏混沌系统的特点.当混沌系统存在不确定因素干扰时,提出了控制混沌的新方法:使混沌系统大范围渐近稳定和进行干扰抑制.然后采用非线性系统无源性化设计混沌系统的反馈镇定控制律,利用L2性能准则进行干扰抑制.最后计算机仿真证明该方法的有效性.     

Absence of neuropathic pelvic pain and favorable psychological profile in the surgical selection of patients with disabling interstitial cystitis

PURPOSE: We evaluated the results among patients with disabling interstitial cystitis treated by cystectomy, urethrectomy and creation of a continent colonic urinary reservoir (the Florida pouch). The value of psychological evaluation and pain localization techniques, as well as the use of a team approach in the evaluation of these patients were assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 20 women and 2 men who underwent surgery for disabling interstitial cystitis ranged from 31 to 75 years old (mean age 48). The duration of symptoms ranged from 2 to 14 years (mean 7). All patients had undergone multiple prior therapies, including vesical hydrodistension, instillations, laser treatments, and use of tranquilizers and a variety of pain medications. Patients underwent a clinical, cystoscopic (with bladder biopsies) and urodynamic evaluation as well as examination by a gynecologist with expertise in vaginal ultrasonography. The last 5 patients underwent psychological evaluation and pain localization techniques. RESULTS: Among the clinical parameters, the presence of a small capacity bladder with the patient under anesthesia (less than 400 cc) was associated with the best surgical results. Among 11 patients evaluated only clinically success was achieved in 64%, while all 5 (100%) who also underwent pain localization techniques and psychological evaluation had a successful outcome postoperatively. The overall surgical success rate in the 22 patients was 73%. Two patients undergoing psychological evaluation and pain localization techniques were not considered to be surgical candidates. Among 7 surgical failures 4 patients underwent postoperative psychological evaluation and pain localization techniques, and they would not have been considered candidates for surgery with the new parameters. CONCLUSIONS: A team approach is essential in the evaluation of these patients. Following the initial selection of patients who had a small bladder capacity while under anesthesia, psychological evaluation and pain localizing techniques may assist surgeons in selecting those who would benefit from a radical operation.     

Role of physical attractiveness in peer attribution of psychological disturbance.

Examined the physical attractiveness stereotype as it pertains to the attribution of psychological disturbance among peers. 144 male and female college students heard interview tapes constructed to reflect low and high levels of maladjustment. The female interviewees remained either physically anonymous or were "identified" photographically as attractive or unattractive. Consistent with the stereotype, attractive interviewees were judged as less disturbed with better prognosis than unattractive interviewees. As predicted, greater disturbance with poorer prognosis was attributed to well-adjusted interviewees if they were unattractive than if they were physically anonymous, and identification of the maladjusted interviewee as attractive produced more favorable attributions. Remedial suggestions also differed as a function of the interviewee's maladjustment level and physical attractiveness, and these attractiveness effects persisted when perceived disturbance and prognosis were statistically controlled. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Catastrophic cognitions in panic disorder with and without agoraphobia

The cognitive models of panic disorder with (PDA) or without (PD) agoraphobia are now widely recognised. These models propose that patients misinterpret external or internal cues in a catastrophic manner and as a result of these catastrophic cognitions the symptoms are maintained. There is now a large body of empirical evidence for this proposal and the aim of this paper is to systematically review the literature to evaluate whether the empirical evidence supports the contribution of catastrophic cognitions to PD and PDA. Empirical studies using different methodologies, such as interview, questionnaire, self-monitoring, and in vivo techniques are reviewed. The results indicate there is substantial empirical evidence in support of the central role of catastrophic cognition in cognitive models. Different methodologies provided convergent support for the importance of catastrophic cognitions in the maintenance of panic disorder and agoraphobia. Limitations in the interpretation of the existing research are highlighted and future research directions are proposed.     

Irrational schematic beliefs and psychological distress in caregivers of people with traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To investigate the relation between irrational schematic beliefs and psychological distress in caregivers of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: Cross-sectional mail survey. Participants: One hundred sixteen caregivers of persons with TBI living in the Australian states of Victoria and Queensland who were members of community support groups and brain injury associations. Measures: The Irrational Beliefs Inventory, Brief Symptom Inventory, income satisfaction, degree of personality and behavior change in the TBI individual, and injury severity. Results: Hierarchical regression analyses showed that after controlling for the effects of characteristics of the caregiving situation and the individual with TBI, greater adherence to irrational beliefs was related to higher levels of global psychological distress. Specifically, irrational beliefs related to Worrying were associated with all areas of psychological distress. Conclusion: Results support the cognitive theory proposal that irrational beliefs play an important role in the adaptation to TBI caregiving. Findings suggest the inclusion of cognitive therapy strategies in interventions for caregivers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mobility of people with retinitis pigmentosa as a function of vision and psychological variables

We investigated the mobility performance of subjects with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) as a function of clinical measures of residual vision and psychological variables. We found a highly significant correlation between clinical measures of residual vision and mobility. Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity and residual visual field together explained 64% of the variance in mobility performance in an indoor shopping mall. We suggest a simple new clinical method of scoring the visual field for predicting mobility performance, the RP Concentric Field Rating. The RP Concentric Field Rating alone explained 60% of the variance in mobility performance. In spite of expectations derived from reading the recent literature, we did not find a significant correlation between psychological variables and mobility performance in a group of subjects with RP.     

The association between threat appraisals and psychological adjustment in partners of people with spinal cord injuries.

Objective: To explore the psychological factors associated with adjustment in partners of people with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Participants and Design: Forty partners of people with SCIs. The study had a cross-sectional design. Main Outcome Measures: Beck Depression Inventory, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y-1, Social Provisions Scale, COPE, and an appraisal scale. Results: Approximately one third of partners reported levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms above the clinical cut-off points indicating elevated levels of emotional distress. Factors hypothesized to account for levels of emotional distress on the basis of the cognitive-appraisal model of stress and coping were found to be explanative. In particular, high threat appraisal, higher use of avoidance (emotion-focused) coping, and lack of approach (problem-focused) coping were found to predict higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Partners of people with SCIs are at risk of emotional distress. Factors that might help identify at-risk partners are identified and psychological interventions that might help partners are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Critical conditions in infancy: A psychological perspective.

The theme is elaborated that the human infant is a psychobiological creature in whom brain–behavior relations are of paramount importance. The cerebral cortex matures at a rapid rate prenatally and immediately after birth, during which time the sensory channels are functional. The infant is capable of experiencing environmental stimulation and of learning. Experience in fact potentiates neural growth and neurobehavioral maturation. Brain–behavior relations travel a 2-way street. Adverse perinatal experiences may jeopardize later development through damaging brain and other nervous system tissues, but also through compromising the efficacy of experience. Crib death and other first-year crises may result from aberrations of behavioral development. Moreover, the conspiracies of congenital and experiential defects and hazards that eventuate in infants' learning disabilities have not been sufficiently explored as the precursors of later debilities. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A girl with transient psychological disturbance caused by orally administered acyclovir--differentiation between acyclovir neurotoxicity and herpes simplex encephalitis

To describe a simple technique for identifying the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) with a nerve stimulator to prevent damage to the nerve during thyroid surgery. A retrospective review of 70 thyroidectomies performed from October 1989 to January 1995 by one surgeon using electrophysiologic nerve stimulation to identify the RLN was conducted. The technique is described. Outpatient flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy was performed preoperatively and postoperatively in all patients. From 70 thyroidectomies, 80 RLNs were identified to be at risk for injury. Five patients had transient unilateral vocal cord paresis postoperatively. No RLN transection or permanent vocal cord paralysis occurred. This is the first large series of patients undergoing the use of electrophysiologic nerve stimulation for identifying the RLN during thyroid surgery. We found the technique to be useful and safe for identifying the RLN. We present this technique as a less costly and time-consuming alternative to intraoperative RLN monitoring.     

Correlations of male college students' verbal response mode use in psychotherapy with measures of psychological disturbance and psychotherapy outcome.

Compared verbal response mode use by 31 male college student clients in 3 sessions of time-limited psychotherapy (selected from an average of 17.2 sessions) with measures of clients' psychological distress, disturbance, and change, which were gathered at intake, termination, and 1-yr follow-up as part of the Vanderbilt Psychotherapy Project. Results show that (a) clients who were more distressed tended to use a higher percentage of Disclosures (revealing subjective information) and a lower percentage of Edifications (conveying objective information), perhaps reflecting greater preoccupation with inner troubles; and (b) clients who improved more were those who participated more, as measured by their estimated total number of utterances, a product of talking more in each session and remaining in therapy for more sessions; but (c) there was no relationship between clients' percentage of Disclosures and their improvement in psychotherapy, as hypothesized, even though percentage of Disclosures was correlated with process ratings of intrapsychic exploration. (58 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Understanding health outcomes: Physical secondary conditions in people with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To examine the association of predisposing characteristics and enabling characteristics with physical secondary conditions through health practices and health care use in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: Cross-sectional survey mailed to adults in portions of the northeastern and northwestern United States. Participants: Two hundred seventy adults with SCI recruited through durable medical equipment supply companies. Main Outcome Measures: Self-reported health practices, health care use, and physical secondary conditions. Results: In the Andersen behavioral model, F increment tests supported findings that predisposing characteristics accounted for 12% of variance in secondary conditions, enabling characteristics accounted for 16%, and health practices and health care use accounted for another 13%. Path analysis revealed that health care use mediated self-efficacy and interpersonal support. Conclusions: Predisposing characteristics including self-efficacy, enabling characteristics, and health care use are associated with physical secondary conditions in complex ways. More research is needed on measures of health practices and their relation to secondary conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral and emotional problems of students with learning disabilities, serious emotional disturbance, or both conditions

This study investigates the behavioral and emotional problems of children with learning disabilities (LD), serious emotional disturbance (SED), and LD/SED, using the Teacher Report Form (TRF) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The sample consisted of 217 students with LD, 72 with SED, and 68 with SED/LD, ages 6 to 18 (mean age = 11.5). The students with SED were rated more impaired than the students with LD on all TRF scales except Attention Problems, and on three of the eight CBCL syndrome scales. The children with LD differed from those with SED mainly in terms of severity of problems, not with respect to type of problem. It is concluded that students with co-morbid LD and SED are underidentified and underserved in special education systems.     

Unemployment and psychological distress in young people: The moderating role of employment commitment.

Conducted a 3-yr longitudinal study of 2 cohorts, containing 647 and 780 Ss, of 16-yr-old English school leavers. Data on the General Health Questionnaire and an index of employment commitment showed that psychological distress was higher for the unemployed than for the employed and that changes in employment status led to changes in distress scores. This relationship was moderated by Ss' commitment to paid employment such that the effect of movement between work and unemployment was greatest for those whose employment commitment was high. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A structural analysis of secondary conditions experienced by people with physical disabilities.

Examined how secondary conditions experienced by people with a physical disability might group together and how these clusters might be related to various primary impairments. It was predicted that primary impairments would predict specific clusters of secondary conditions and that certain secondary conditions (e.g., depression) would be endorsed independently of primary impairments. A survey measuring 40 secondary conditions was completed by 594 adults (mean age 55.4 yrs) who experienced a mobility impairment. Results indicate that certain secondary conditions (e.g., depression) are evident across a wide variety of impairments. Results are discussed with respect to their implications for the treatment and prevention of secondary conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pathologic personality formation of the inhibited type in children and adolescents with disabling urologic diseases

The study deals with an observation of 70 children and adolescents (boys) from 12-16 years who displayed pathological personality formation of an asthenical, anxious-dubious and pseudoschizoid type. The clinical traits of neurotical characterological disturbances depended upon the age of the onset of the urological disease, rate of its development, the attitude of the patients to his somatical disorder, rearing and the factor of deprivation. In order to prevent the appearance of deformed personality in such cases of wide and long-term use of group and individual psychotherapy is recommended.