Psychosocial factors affecting the employment of former vocational rehabilitation clients.

Analyzed questionnaires completed by 211 former vocational rehabilitation (VR) clients (aged 15–61 yrs) 2 yrs after case closure for a clarification of the psychosocial factors that affect vocational adjustment. Questionnaires assessed employment status and problems, sources of income/financial status, health, and job satisfaction (for employed Ss only). WAIS Full Scale IQs were available for 195 Ss, and 120 Ss had completed the 16PF—Form E. Results show that the primary criteria of vocational adjustment (employment, job satisfaction, and persistence in looking for work) were associated with better self-appraised physical and mental health, greater perceived family support in seeking employment, more optimism about employment prospects, and attribution of the problem source to the environment. These variables suggest useful points for intervention by VR practitioners. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical decision making in rehabilitation: Consideration of Latino cultural factors.

The current Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct of the American Psychological Association (APA, 2002a) places increased emphasis on respect for different cultures. For example, culture has been added as an important factor in respecting the rights and dignity of those with whom psychologists work (Principle E). APA has also released guidelines meant to influence psychologists' sensitivity and behavior toward multicultural issues in various aspects of professional work (APA, 2002b). The purpose of this article is to discuss cultural issues in the context of rehabilitation practice. The authors focus on Latinos, the fastest growing minority group in the United States. The case example of Cesar Garza is used as a vehicle for discussing how to integrate consideration of cultural factors into rehabilitation practice, consistent with sound ethical decision making. The case illustrates missed opportunities, for which the authors offer concrete solutions that reflect appropriate ethical conduct. The authors also hope to demonstrate that integration of cultural issues is consistent with overall rehabilitation psychology practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial and socioeconomic factors associated with glycated hemoglobin in nondiabetic middle-aged men and women.

The authors tested associations between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c; an index of glucose homeostasis and an indicator of cardiovascular disease risk in nondiabetic populations) and socioeconomic status (defined by grade of employment) and psychosocial factors in 234 British civil servants. HbA1c concentration was inversely related to grade of employment. Higher HbA1c was associated with greater waist-hip ratio, lower control at work, lower internal locus of control, lower active coping, and lower social support. Control at work, internal and chance locus of control, and active coping were also related to socioeconomic status. The association of social support but not other psychosocial factors with HbA1c, was independent of socioeconomic status. HbA1c may complement measures of the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in studies of psychosocial factors in cardiovascular disease risk. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial factors associated with the initiation of cocaine use among marijuana users.

A short-term prospective design was used to investigate factors associated with the initiation of cocaine use during a 1-year period among a population sample of 942 marijuana users. In addition to demographic items, variables pertaining to various psychosocial characteristics including psychiatric symptoms, personality attributes, social support, and peer pressure were examined. Using cocaine nonusers as a comparison group, male gender, risk-taking tendencies, and socializing with friends on streets or in cars were identified as significant predictors of initiation. Implications for primary prevention programs include redirecting early sensation-seeking tendencies in children and adolescents toward more positive behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial factors in sunbathing and sunscreen use.

Interviewed 120 sunbathing and nonsunbathing beachgoers about their health practices, knowledge about skin cancer, moods, and social rewards obtained through sunbathing. Ss also completed personality questionnaires. Data were considered using a theoretical perspective combining aspects of health belief, social influence, social learning, and risk-taking models. Results indicate that sunbathing was related to having a positive attitude toward risk taking, having little knowledge about skin cancer, reporting a relaxed mood, having friends who sunbathe, and engaging in activities related to maintaining a positive physical appearance. Sunscreen use was related to sex, having knowledge about skin cancer, knowing people who have had cancer, and reporting high levels of anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Traditional and emerging forms of dental practice. Cost, accessibility, and quality factors

The traditional and predominant manner of delivering dental care is through a fee-for-service, private practice system. A number of alternative dental care delivery systems have emerged and are being tested, and others are just emerging. These systems include department store practices, hospital dental services, health maintenance organizations, the independent practice of dental hygiene, and denturism. Although it is too soon to draw final conclusions about the efficacy and effectiveness of these systems, we examine them for their potential to compete with and change the way dental care is currently delivered. Using the parameters of cost, accessibility, and quality, we compare these systems to traditional dental practice. Some of these emerging forms clearly have the potential to complete favorably with traditional practice. Other seem less likely to alter the existing system substantially. The system which can best control costs, increase accessibility, and enhance quality will gain the competitive edge.     

Psychological factors, rehabilitation adherence, and rehabilitation outcome after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Objective: To examine prospectively the relationships among psychological factors, rehabilitation adherence, and short-term rehabilitation outcome after knee surgery. Study Design and Participants: Individuals with acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears (N?=?95) completed measures of self-motivation, social support, athletic identity, and psychological distress before reconstructive surgery. After surgery, 93 participants reported on their completion of home rehabilitation exercises and cryotherapy, and their rehabilitation practitioners indicated the patients' attendance at, and adherence during, rehabilitation sessions. Rehabilitation outcome measures were taken from 69 participants approximately 6 months postsurgery. Main Outcome Measures: Knee laxity, functional ability, and subjective symptoms were the primary outcomes assessed. Results: Self-motivation was significant predictor of home exercise completion; athletic identity and psychological distress were significant predictors of knee laxity; and attendance at rehabilitation sessions and home cryotherapy completion were significant predictors of functional ability. Rehabilitation adherence did not mediate the relationship between psychological factors and rehabilitation outcome. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Suppression, accessibility of death-related thoughts, and cultural worldview defense: Exploring the psychodynamics of terror management.

Previous research has shown that after a mortality salience (MS) treatment, death thought accessibility and worldview defense are initially low and then increase after a delay, suggesting that a person's initial response to conscious thoughts of mortality is to actively suppress death thoughts. If so, then high cognitive load, by disrupting suppression efforts, should lead to immediate increases in death thought accessibility and cultural worldview defense. Studies 1 and 2 supported this reasoning. Specifically, Study 1 replicated the delayed increase in death accessibility after MS among low cognitive load participants but showed a reversed pattern among participants under high cognitive load. Study 2 showed that, unlike low cognitive load participants, high cognitive load participants exhibited immediate increases in pro-American bias after MS. Study 3 demonstrated that worldview defense in response to MS reduces the delayed increase in death accessibility. Implications of these findings for understanding both terror management processes and psychological defense in general are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial rehabilitation of cranial trauma and stroke patients

This paper presents the results of a longitudinal psychosocial study of 22 cranial trauma patients and 14 stroke patients from the time preceding injury (using retrospective data), through a 4-5 month intensive rehabilitation programme, to a follow-up 1 year after completion of the programme. Although the two groups of patients differed on several demographic and medical characteristics, essentially similar patterns for psychosocial decline following injury and improvement following rehabilitation could be observed. For both groups, the proportion in marital or cohabitational relationships returned to pre-injury levels, and for both groups the proportion requiring assistance in their living situation declined following rehabilitation, as did use of the health services. Virtually all patients in both groups had been in employment or undergoing education at the time of the injury, and although this percentage declined in practice to a small minority of both groups post-injury, there was a significant increase in the proportions working or in education following the rehabilitation programme. Similarly, the pattern of leisure-time activities in both groups declined post-injury and was restored following rehabilitation. Since both groups entered the programme at over 2.5 years post-injury, these generally encouraging results seem less likely to reflect spontaneous recovery than a beneficial effect of the programme itself.     

Psychosocial factors in peptic ulcer and inflammatory bowel disease.

Over the past decade, while gastroenterologists' interest in mind-body interactions in organic disorders dwindled, stronger evidence has linked psychosocial factors with the incidence and recurrence of peptic ulcer and with the course of inflammatory bowel disease. Psychological-behavioral approaches to treatment continue to be disappointing. Psychosocial factors may affect ulcer by increasing duodenal acid load, altering local circulation or motility, intensifying Helicobacter pylori infection, stimulating corticosteroid secretion, and affecting health risk behaviors; possible mechanisms for inflammatory bowel disease include immune deregulation, gut permeability changes, and poor medication adherence. Both belong to the growing category of diseases thought to have an infectious component: for peptic ulcer the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, for inflammatory bowel disease an exaggerated immune response to gut bacteria. Peptic ulcer and inflammatory bowel disease, which present unique interactions among psychological, immunologic, endocrine, infectious, and behavioral factors, are splendid paradigms of the biopsychosocial model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors associated with participation, attrition, and outcome in a smoking cessation program at the workplace.

Of 66 24–58 yr old smokers in 2 worksites, 67% participated in a smoking cessation program. 55% completed the program. Of those, 29% had quit smoking by posttest, and 17% were abstinent at the 6-mo follow-up. Different variables predicted participation, attrition, and outcome. Significant predictors of smokers who participated were length of cessation in previous abstinence attempts, number of years they smoked, and belief regarding personal vulnerability in contracting a smoking-related disease. Levels of pretest carbon monoxide and attitudes regarding adoption of smoking restrictions in the worksite predicted attrition. Posttest cessation was related to nicotine levels of cigarette brand smoked at pretest and pretest beliefs regarding postcessation weight gain. Abstinence at the 6-mo follow-up was predicted by number of co-workers who smoked and pretest concerns related to postcessation weight gain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Disability and rehabilitation research: Opportunities for participation, collaboration, and extramural funding for psychologists.

The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) funds research and related activities that promote new knowledge that helps individuals with disabilities to perform regular activities in the community and increases the capacity of society to provide full opportunities and supports for individuals with disabilities. NIDRR achieves this goal by promoting interdisciplinary research and related activities. Psychologists play a key role in many of these activities and assist with improving understanding of disability and rehabilitation by participating in peer review of research proposals or by reviewing NIDRR's proposed research priorities. Psychologists also contribute by taking advantage of training and the many other opportunities for support outlined in this article. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Variables associated with participation and outcome in a worksite smoking control program.

This prospective study investigated variables potentially related to participation and success in a worksite smoking modification program. Variables assessed included demographic factors (gender, age, years smoked), smoking habit and pattern variables (nicotine dependence, number of cigarettes per day) and measures of stress and social support. Older subjects who were heavier smokers were more likely to participate in the program. However, strength of habit and age were inversely associated with success at quitting smoking (at posttreatment) and with smoking reduction among nonabstinent subjects (at the 6-month follow-up). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial factors as mediators of acupuncture therapy.

Investigated a number a psychosocial variables that have been suggested as possible mediating factors in acupuncture therapy. 42 patients (mean age 46.7 yrs) with bursitis and/or tendonitis of the shoulder served as Ss. All were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups: acupuncture-positive milieu, acupuncture-negative milieu, placebo acupuncture-positive milieu, and placebo acupuncture-negative milieu. Pretreatment and posttreatment subjective pain reports and shoulder motion studies, as well as pretreatment assessments of hypnotic susceptibility and suggestibility, were determined for each S. Results indicate that (a) acupuncture and placebo acupuncture were equally effective in producing highly significant reductions in subjective pain reports; (c) Ss treated in the positive milieu reported more improvement than those in the negative milieu; and (d) hypnotic susceptibility, suggestibility, belief in the treatment, and the satisfaction of expectations showed no relationship to treatment outcome. It is concluded that acupuncture therapy provides a powerful placebo. Treatment milieu variables warrant future study in the attempt to understand the acupuncture phenomena. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sociological and cultural aspects in postacute neuropsychological rehabilitation

Various forms of postacute brain injury rehabilitation programs exist. Comprehensive day treatment programs are the most holistic, being neuropsychological in orientation. The importance of developing a trusting relationship and the use of inventive techniques in the individualization of treatment within a holistic rehabilitation program will be described via a case presentation, stressing the sociocultural aspects of the individual as central to treatment.     

Ecological and cultural factors in spatial perceptual development.

Proposed a model in which spatial perceptual development was considered as a function of (a) ecology, and (b) mediating variables (cultural, social, nutritional, and genetic) which are functionally adapted to ecology. Ss from 8 subsistence-level samples (e.g., sierra leone and scotland) were given a visual discrimination test and 3 tests of spatial skills: (a) kohs' block-design test, (b) a 6-item form of the embedded figures test, and (d) raven's progressive matrices. Results support the proposed model. Some interactions among the variables, and age and sex differences in the data are discussed. (french summary) (29 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developmental-interest factors associated with homosexuality.

Compared 42 male homosexual undergraduates with heterosexual controls on 19 life experience factors. The factors were developed from a biographical questionnaire and, in turn, were used to develop subgroups homogeneous with respect to previous experience. The homosexuals differed on 8 of the 19 dimensions. The pattern was one indicating interest in solitary activities and lack of interest in organized activities. The homosexuals were not monolithic, but they were restricted to 3 of the 23 subgroups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)