Psychology Health & Medicine最新文献

This study examined the associations among cardiovascular comorbidities, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and physical activity in persons with multiple sclerosis. Participants with multiple sclerosis (N = 217) completed demographic, cardiovascular comorbidity, depression, and anxiety self-report measures, and wore an accelerometer for 7 days. We examined the bivariate, non-parametric correlations among the variables and conducted parametric, independent samples t-tests when examining the differences in variables based on cardiovascular comorbidity status. Bivariate correlation analysis indicated that there were statistically significant associations between anxiety scores, but not depression scores, and cardiovascular comorbidities. Physical activity, especially moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), was correlated with cardiovascular comorbidities. There were small significant differences based on hyperlipidemia status in anxiety scores (p = 0.015, d = -0.42), MVPA (p < 0.001, d = 0.44), and steps/day (p < 0.001, d = 0.50), and based on hypertension status in anxiety scores (p = 0.010, d = -0.35), depression scores (p = 0.046, d = -0.26), MVPA (p = 0.003, d = 0.41), and steps/day (p < 0.001, d = 0.53). The findings indicate that there are significant associations among cardiovascular comorbidities, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and physical activity in persons with multiple sclerosis. Physical activity, specifically MVPA, may be a target for managing those outcomes in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Premenstrual syndrome is characterized by physical and psychological symptoms that negatively affect daily functioning. This study investigated the effect of a psychoeducation program based on cognitive-behavioral psychodrama techniques on premenstrual syndrome symptoms. This study utilized a 2 × 2 pretest-posttest, experimental-control group research design. The sample consisted of 32 participants randomized into experimental (n = 16) and control (n = 16) groups. The experimental group participated in a seven-session psychoeducation program based on cognitive-behavioral psychodrama techniques. Data were collected using a personal information questionnaire and the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS). The experimental group demonstrated a significantly lower median posttest PMSS total and 'depressive affect', 'fatigue', 'irritability', 'depressive thoughts', 'changes in appetite' and 'changes in sleeping habits' subscale scores than the pretest score (p < .05). Moreover, the experimental group had a significantly lower median posttest 'anxiety' score than the control group (p = .021). A psychoeducational program based on cognitive-behavioral and psychodrama techniques can be used as an effective therapeutic intervention to relieve or managing premenstrual symptoms.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality in the U.S. accounting for 1 in 4 deaths each year. Environmental factors, such as neighborhood safety, may increase the risk of CVD. Therefore, the current study assessed perceived neighborhood safety and its association with CVD risk factors (i.e. dyslipidemia, hypertension, type II diabetes) among 663 adults (mean age: 49.97 years, 61.24% female, 78.28% White). Participants completed self-report measures as part of a larger study of environmental influences on cardiac health. Results indicated that individuals reporting low perceived neighborhood safety had greater odds of having at least one CVD risk factor (OR = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.46, 5.22) compared to those with high perceived safety. There was a significant interaction between gender and the presence of at least one CVD risk factor in relation to perceived neighborhood safety. Low perceived neighborhood safety was associated with greater odds of having at least one CVD risk factor among males (OR = 5.48, 95% C.I: 1.82, 16.52) but not females. These findings suggest that low perceived safety is associated with CVD risk factors, especially among males. Future work should seek to better understand the interaction by gender in the relationship between perceived safety and CVD risk factors.

Vaccine hesitancy, a complex behavioral phenomenon, poses a significant global health threat and has gained renewed attention amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper scrutinized peer-reviewed literature on vaccine hesitancy published from 2015 to 2022, with a specific focus on behavioral perspectives, utilizing a Theories-Constructs-Variables-Contexts-Methods (TCVCM) framework. The study highlighted prominent theoretical approaches, abstract concepts, research variables, global contexts and academic techniques employed across a selected sample of 138 studies. The result is a consolidated overview of research and schematization of the factors influencing vaccine hesitancy and vaccination behaviors. These include individual-level, contextual, vaccine-specific, organizational, and public-policy-related dynamics. The findings corroborated the complexity of vaccine hesitancy and emphasized the difficulties of pursuing vaccine advocacy. The analysis also identified several directions for future research, and the need to conduct more contextual studies in low- and middle-income nations to bring out the cross-cultural nuances of vaccine hesitancy.

In Parkinson's disease (PD), a large number of individuals are confronted with pain. This issue has been receiving increasing attention in literature in recent years, as the complexity of pain in this disease makes its evaluation and treatment challenging. However, psychological variables related to the pain experience have received limited attention, especially when it comes to the exploration of beliefs regarding pain which, to our knowledge, remains unexplored in PD. Pain beliefs are defined as a subset of a patient's belief system which represents a personal understanding of the pain experience. Four dimensions of pain beliefs have been isolated in literature: mystery, pain permanence, pain constancy and self-blame. Thus, the goal of this study was first to describe pain beliefs in individuals with PD and second, to explore the relationships between pain beliefs and clinical and psychological variables. One hundred and sixty-nine international individuals with PD completed an online survey with socio-demographic and medical data. Participants completed self-report instruments to assess their pain (King's Parkinson's Disease Pain Questionnaire, McGill Pain Questionnaire and Brief Pain Inventory), psychological distress (Beck Depression Inventory, short-form and Parkinson Anxiety Scale), pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale) and pain beliefs catastrophizing (Pain Beliefs and Perception Inventory). The study's findings revealed that most participants' beliefs are marked by the dimension of permanence, suggesting that individuals with PD perceive the pain experience as chronic and enduring. Meanwhile, pain is minimally perceived as constant, mysterious, or a source of guilt. Our finding concerning the permanence dimension deserves specific attention: even though this belief is prevalent in our population, it is not, or only weakly, associated with an impact on mood or pain catastrophizing. These results bring forth several hypotheses for understanding, highlighting the role of acceptance, and offer new perspectives toward improving clinical practices in terms of assessing and managing pain in PD.

Acute and chronic pain are the most frequent complications of sickle cell disease (SCD), often severely reducing quality of life and requiring management with long-term pharmacological interventions. A biopsychosocial approach conceptualizing pain in SCD as the result of complex biological, psychological, and social factors could facilitate targeted behavioral interventions. Mindfulness is one procedure for management of pain in individuals with chronic pain/illness. The goal of the current project was to design and implement a bedside mindfulness intervention to help patients with SCD enhance self-efficacy of pain management and reduce distress. As part of a quality improvement project in SCD clinics in a large health system, we developed a bedside mindfulness intervention to be provided during infusion sessions for patients presenting for acute vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE). The approach to development and implementation involved engagement of professionals working directly with patients. Concept planning meetings with these professionals along with qualitative patient and provider feedback informed feasibility, design, and intervention application. During a quantitative phase, patients completed validated surveys items on acceptability. Interview data (N = 11) supported patient interest in mindfulness skills and highlighted a need for tailored, person-centered interventions and non-pharmacological treatment strategies. On quantitative items, participants (N = 14) liked the intervention and agreed mindfulness skills would help manage disease-related distress. Following the interventions, participants reported increased mindfulness (p = .005). While preliminary, these results provide support for the continued development of evidence-based, mindfulness-oriented services to help individuals with SCD manage pain and other psychological difficulties.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare women who are not experiencing infertility, women who have experienced infertility in the past, and women who are currently experiencing infertility on illness representations of infertility. Participants were 668 women recruited via social media discussion forums and divided into three groups: not experiencing infertility (n = 299), experienced infertility in the past (n = 229), and currently experiencing infertility (n = 140). Their illness representations (cognitive and emotional) of infertility were measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Comparisons between the three groups showed that women who had not experienced infertility perceived fewer symptoms to be associated with infertility than the other two groups did and attributed infertility more to biological and psychological causes. Women who were currently experiencing infertility reported less negative emotions than the other two groups and attributed their infertility more to contraception, the medical profession, and their weight. Finally, women who experienced infertility in the past perceived more consequences of infertility, considered it to be more long-lasting and attributed it more to substances and environmental causes than the two other groups. Results revealed several differences between the illness representations of infertility in women. These findings highlight the need for information campaigns about infertility, with messages that are more closely tailored to the target population.

Previous studies showed that loneliness and psychological distress are related. However, the potential mechanisms involved in this relationship are unknown. This study examined the mediating effect of mobile phone addiction and the moderating effect of core self-evaluation on the relationship between mobile phone addiction and psychological distress. A total of 826 college students were recruited. A cross-sectional study design and an online questionnaire survey were employed to measure loneliness, mobile phone addiction, core self-evaluation, and psychological distress in college students, and used the PROCESS macro program to conduct moderated mediation analysis. Loneliness was significantly and positively associated with psychological distress, mobile phone addiction partially mediated the relation between Loneliness and college students' psychological distress and this indirect path was moderated by core self-evaluations. Specifically, the effect of mobile phone addiction on psychological distress was stronger for college students with lower core self-evaluations than for those with higher core self-evaluations. The results are helpful to comprehend the producing mechanism of psychological distress and provide a theoretical basis for the intervention of psychological distress.

Bipolar disorder is thought to determine the insights and coping attitudes that affect a patient's compliance with treatment, which can positively affect the prognosis of the disease. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between insight and coping attitudes in bipolar disorder patients. This descriptive study was carried out with 127 volunteer patients who were diagnosed with bipolar disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and who were in a euthymic state. The Personal Information Form, Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS) and Scale of Coping Attitudes (COPE) were used as data collection tools. We found positive correlations between the total COPE score, the total BCIS score and the self-reflectivity subscale score of the BCIS. A positive and significant correlation was also determined between the BCIS subscales and total scores and coping attitudes toward adaptation with the COPE subscales (p < 0.05). A positive and significant relationship was found between the insight scores and total coping scores of the patients and their coping attitudes toward adaptation. We found that when patients' levels of insight increased, their coping attitudes toward adaptation were used more frequently. This study revealed that individuals with high self-reflectivity can cope more effectively with the situations they face.

Research into immigrant wellbeing and health has yielded evidence for both potential risks and the capacity for resilience of individuals moving to the United States. Limited research, though, has considered how immigrants may differ in their perceived commitment to a life direction and goals, known as sense of purpose. Moreover, research is needed on whether immigrants may be more likely to derive that purpose through social activism for change. The current study employed a nationwide sample of U. S. adults (N = 1973; 5.3% immigrants), who reported on their sense of purpose, activist purpose, self-rated health, and life satisfaction. Results indicated that immigrants did not significantly differ from native-born U. S. adults on levels for any of the primary variables. Sense of purpose was more strongly associated with life satisfaction for native-born than immigrant participants, although other associations were similar in magnitude across groups. Future research should further explore background predictors of sense of purpose among immigrant samples, as well as whether immigrants and native-born adults differ on alternative forms of purpose.