Psychology & Health最新文献

Objective: Vulvovaginal pain is a prevalent condition that can be accompanied by psychological and social difficulties. This review summarised studies of vulvovaginal pain as related to women's psychological and social adjustment.

Method and measures: A systematic search identified 35 studies of vulvovaginal pain as related to women's psychological and social adjustment.

Results: Most identified studies investigated anxiety, depression, sexual dissatisfaction, pain catastrophising or sexual abuse as correlates of pain. Experiencing or having more intense pain was associated with increased anxiety (or fear) and depressive symptoms (or distress), decreased sexual satisfaction (or more sexual distress) and experience of sexual or other abuse. Additionally, pain was universally associated with more pain catastrophising when studied. A few studies were located on other topics: pain avoidance behaviours, relationship satisfaction, partner communication, and multiple other psychological and social adjustment indicators (e.g. pain coping self-efficacy). There was mixed evidence that vulvovaginal pain was associated with poorer outcomes across all these other topics.

Conclusions: Vulvovaginal pain tends to be associated with poorer emotional and social adjustment. Research is needed to differentiate covariates (or comorbidities) from precursors or outcomes of pain, and to identify positive resources and adaptive coping strategies to assist to guide recommendations for women's healthcare.

Objective: Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) is a congenital condition characterized by the underdevelopment or complete absence of the uterus and the upper part of the vagina. Diagnosis is commonly made during adolescence, a sensitive period for psychophysical development, following the absence of menstruation. Having MRKH syndrome can have a profound and multifaceted psychosocial impact that characterizes these women's subjective experiences, although it continues to be qualitatively understudied. This article explores the lived experience of women with MRKH spontaneously recounted on an online support forum. The aim was to gain insight into the features of the syndrome experience to understand deeply the emotional and social impact of the condition and the individual needs expressed online.

Methods: Using a naturalistic observation stance, data was collected from an online support forum for MRKH women and systematically analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Four main interconnected themes are identified: the impact of being diagnosed with MRKH, the difficult interaction with the medical environment, challenging social relationships, and the unmet needs of MRKH women.

Conclusion: A multidisciplinary and person-centered approach that provides effective and sensitive management of the condition and its psychosocial implications, is essential. Recommendations for future research and practical clinical implications for healthcare professionals are proposed.

Background: Previous studies indicated a link between good sleep, optimal movement, and a healthy diet, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. This diary study aimed to investigate the effects of sleep behaviour on movement and dietary behaviours as well as the mediating role of affect.

Method: One hundred and twenty college students completed twice daily assessments of health behaviours and affect for 28 days. Multilevel structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationships between sleep, health behaviours, and the mediating role of affect.

Results: At the between-person level, sufficient sleep was associated with less overeating. At the within-person level, sleep duration predicted less sedentary behaviour, while sufficient sleep predicted higher water intake and more sedentary behaviour. Negative affect mediated the relationship between sleep quality/duration and exercise measures (events, duration), while positive affect mediated the relationships between sleep quality/duration and overeating, exercise measures, and sedentary behaviour. Positive affect mediated the relationships between sufficient sleep, exercise measures, and sedentary behaviour.

Conclusion: Sleep can indirectly influence other health behaviours by decreasing negative affect or increasing positive affect. These findings emphasise the significance of sleep in promoting a healthy lifestyle and the role of affect, especially positive affect, in this process.

Objective: Which kind of self-regulatory strategies contribute to life satisfaction in adolescence?

Materials and methods: In the present research, we tested two competing hypotheses arguing that either a strategy of vigilant monitoring of opportunities for working towards goal achievement or a calm perseverance strategy steadily working towards goals in a slower pace would promote life satisfaction in a large and diverse sample of adolescents. We also tested whether the employment of these strategies would hinge on perceptions of goal importance and goal attainability.

Results: Employing a longitudinal design, we found support that calm perseverance was the sole significant predictor of life satisfaction regardless of goal perceptions. Vigilant monitoring only contributed indirectly to life satisfaction through its positive effects on calm perseverance. Using a calm perseverance strategy was supported by perceiving one's goals as attainable.

Discussion and conclusion: These findings bear important implications for self-regulation theory that has highlighted goal progress as a prerequisite for well-being.

Objective: Linguistic and cultural mediators in healthcare settings play a crucial role in facilitating communication between healthcare professionals and patients, especially in emotionally intense situations such as delivering serious diagnoses. Evidence suggests that mediators are exposed to significant emotional challenges, including the risk of burnout and psychological distress. This study aims to explore the emotional experiences of linguistic-cultural mediators in healthcare and identifies professional and organisational challenges based on their testimonials.

Methods and measures: This study qualitatively explores the experiences of 21 female mediators working in Italian hospitals. Participants completed an anonymous online questionnaire with prompts about their emotional experiences. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's inductive thematic analysis.

Results: Four main themes were developed: (1) "Managing boundaries between personal and professional areas", revealing the balance mediators must maintain; (2) "What remains inside", highlighting struggles in processing patients' suffering without support; (3) "Growing with and thanks to the profession", describing mediators' personal and professional growth despite challenges; (4) "Organizational and professional recognition issues", indicating the lack of formal recognition and clear role guidelines, leading to undervaluation.

Conclusion: Findings highlight the need for emotional support and clearer professional frameworks to reduce mediators' psychological distress and enhance their effectiveness in healthcare.

Objective: Informal caregivers of survivors with acquired brain injury (ABI) often experience subjective burden and anxiety due to illness uncertainty, impacting their caregiving preparedness. Currently, research on the relationship between illness uncertainty and caregiver preparedness is limited. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring the relationships between illness uncertainty, subjective burden, anxiety, and caregiver preparedness, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the psychological mechanisms that impact caregiving preparedness.

Methods and measures: A systematic search of 9 databases identified 40 studies involving 7,396 informal caregivers of ABI survivors. Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modelling (MASEM) was employed to analyse the data, examining the direct and indirect effects of illness uncertainty on caregiver preparedness via subjective burden and anxiety.

Results: Illness uncertainty negatively affected caregiver preparedness (β = -0.340). Subjective burden and anxiety partially mediated this relationship (β = -0.075 and β = -0.053, respectively). Subjective burden and anxiety exhibited a multiple mediation effect (β = -0.128).

Conclusion: Illness uncertainty negatively affects caregiver preparedness among informal caregivers of ABI survivors. Subjective burden and anxiety partially mediate this relationship, with both variables exerting a multiple mediation effect. It provides a theoretical foundation for developing more effective support systems for caregivers of ABI survivors.

Objectives: To evaluate levels of uptake and retention in community-based dietary interventions for low socioeconomic status (SES) populations, to identify barriers and facilitators of uptake and retention, and to compare the characteristics of interventions with optimal and suboptimal uptake and retention.

Method and measures: Databases were searched for relevant records published before March 2024. N = 114 papers met the inclusion criteria. Data were narratively synthesised, and intervention content was coded for behaviour change techniques (BCT).

Results: Uptake and retention were suboptimal at an average of 80 and 71%, respectively. Interventions with higher uptake and/or retention were shorter in duration, more likely to be group-based and more likely to include the BCT 'providing information about health consequences'. A thematic analysis of barriers and facilitators identified that logistical challenges, socioeconomic factors, and low motivation hindered uptake and retention, while social support, practical assistance, and the provision of tailored interventions facilitated it.

Conclusions: These results highlight the need to improve participant engagement and retention strategies in dietary interventions targeting low SES individuals by, for example, implementing different behaviour change techniques, altering the duration, setting or delivery of interventions and tailoring interventions to align them with the unique needs of this population group.

Objectives: This study explores strategies to reduce blame for false results and build trust in population-based cervical screening. False results cause patient frustration, blame, and distrust. To address these issues, we developed a decision aid comprising three components: (1) a journey map that visually explains the screening process, (2) a video featuring a medical scientist discussing uncertainty inherent in screening and her role in testing samples, and (3) a diagram illustrating the testing pathway.

Methods and measures: Eight hundred women in Ireland were randomly assigned to one of four groups in an additive design: (1) control group viewing standard informational materials; (2) control + journey map; (3) control + journey map + video; (4) control + journey map + video + diagram. Exposure to each component was coded as yes/no, and their effects on blame and trust were assessed.

Results: The video reduced blame towards laboratories by improving perceptions of medical scientists' warmth and competence and by increasing perceived uncontrollability of false results. Conversely, the journey map and diagram unexpectedly increased blame and anger, suggesting that transparency alone may not suffice to build trust.

Conclusions: The study underscores the importance of considering social cognitive factors in public health communication strategies.

Objective: To explore how those with a physical illness in childhood are managing in relationships across childhood to young adulthood.

Methods: On transition to primary school parents were asked about their child's physical health (n = 1895). Childhood health problems were classified using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) framework. Relational health was assessed using parent and self-reported measures.

Results: A total of 1347 parents reported their child had any physical illness between 5-8 years of age, with 143 reporting their child had been so ill they thought they might die. Having a childhood illness was associated with lower Self-control and Cooperation in both late childhood (|β| = -0.15 and -0.1, respectively) and adolescence (|β| = -0.14 and -0.12, respectively). For those reporting a health-related life-threatening experience, there was some evidence of higher disengagement across all age groups (|β|_range = 0.20-0.24), and more pronounced problems with peers (|β|_range = 0.31-0.41) and social skills (|β|_range = 0.27-0.35) in late childhood.

Conclusions: Children were generally faring well, however, there was elevated risk of a range of compromised relational difficulties for those with 'life-threatening' medical experiences. Risks mostly extended to late childhood; however, disengagement from parents extended into adolescence and young adulthood.

Objective: To explore the experiences of people living with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), and views of health care professionals (HCPs), on physical activity engagement and maintenance during and after a structured physiotherapy led residential rehabilitation programme.

Methods and measures: Nineteen individuals with axSpA who attended a two-week residential rehabilitation programme, and nine HCPs were recruited. Patient focus groups and HCP interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was conducted. Where appropriate, self-determination theory was used in the interpretation and discussion of inductively constructed themes.

Results: Four key themes were identified: Interactions within the social environment (Immersion, Group dynamic, Interactions with health care professionals, Interactions with family and others); Adjusting to PA (Enjoyment & interest, Balance & body awareness, Routine & habit, Feedback); Transformative experience (Education as a foundation, Perception of PA, Ownership, Visible difference); and Psychological challenges (Frustration, Guilt, Fear, Normalisation).

Conclusion: Rehabilitation programmes for people with axSpA should be holistic. Framing PA in terms of enjoyment, instead of purely for health, may support PA maintenance. For HCPs, creating a more socially supportive environment, involving important others, and focusing on techniques to support autonomous motivation can help those with axSpA maintain PA after a rehabilitation programme.