THE EXPERIENCE OF AN ONLINE GROUP OF SELF-INJURERS: PSYCHOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES AND A POSSIBLE INTERVENTION

Gli esseri umani vengono definiti come membri di un gruppo quando assumono i significati che il gruppo stesso crea ed utilizza per concepire sè stesso, i suoi membri e l'universo in generale. Abbiamo studiato i significati che definiscono un essere umano nella versione dell'"autolesionista utente di un gruppo online". In primo luogo, tramite un'analisi tematica di post condivisi nel forum del gruppo siamo venuti a conoscenza delle teorie sul comportamento, la sofferenza ad esso associata ed altre tematiche che definiscono "l'autolesionista". I risultati ottenuti hanno dimostrato che i significati che descrivevano il dolore associato all'autolesionismo erano più rilevanti rispetto a quelli legati all'atto. In seguito tramite IPA di interviste individuali abbiamo compreso che la qualità dello spazio del forum e della relazione tra le dimensioni online e offline determinavano influenze reciproche tra la partecipazione al forum, gli effetti sul sè e sul comportamento e il tipo di utilizzo del forum. Infine abbiamo condotto quattro incontri online con un gruppo di utenti del forum e lavorando sui significati, abbiamo stimolato la loro capacità di diventare consapevoli del loro stato mentale in relazione al comportamento autolesionista.Human beings are defined as members of a group when they assume the meanings that such group creates and uses to conceive itself, its members and the world in general. We studied meanings that shape a human being in the version of a “self-injurer member of an online group”. Firstly, through a thematic analysis of posts shared in the forum of the group we became acquainted with theories about the behavior, its associated sufferance and other issues that define “a self-injurer”. We found that the most important meanings related to the sufferance rather than to the practice of self-injurious gestures. Secondly, through IPA of individual interviews we understood that the quality of the space of the forum and the relationship between online and offline dimensions determined influences between the self-injurer's identity and her experience in the forum in terms of participation, effects on self and behavior, and type of use of the forum. Finally, we conducted four online meetings with a group of users of the forum and always focusing on meanings, we stimulated their capacity to be aware about their mental states in relation to self-injury

The Impact of Screening, Medical Treatment and Invasive Interventions on Patients' Medical Decision-Making Styles: A Cross-Sectional Study with Inferences to the United States Population

Background: Although positive bene ts are associated with shared decision making, no previous studies have evaluated the impact of condition on how shared decision making is implemented. Objective: To compare decision-making preferences across three conditions associated with screening, medical treatment, and invasive interventions: Screening tests for colorectal cancer, initiation of prescription medication for hypertension, and surgical treatment for hip or knee osteoarthritis. Methods: We made use of the publicly available National Survey of Medical Decisions (the DECISIONS study) data and our sample comprised of all subjects who completed the following three speci c modules of the decisions study: Colorectal cancerscreening tests, high blood-pressure medication, and knee or hip replacement surgery. Our primary outcomes of interest were (1) Who made the nal decision? (2) Extent of patients’ involvement in the decision, and (3) How con dent they were about their decision. Results: When comparing baseline characteristics across the three conditions, the group undergoing screening was youngest with a mean age of 58.7 years compared to the medication group (61.27 years), while the group undergoing surgery was oldest (63.14 years). Females constituted over half of all three groups (greater than 50%). In the invasive interventions, decisions were made mainly by the patients, unlike the other groups where shared decision making was predominant. Most patients in all three groups preferred high levels of participation in decision making. Patients undergoing surgery were signi cantly more likely to have greater con dence in their decisions, followed by patients with medication for hypertension. Conclusion: Shared decision making is less predominant among invasive interventions. Further research should describe the reasons for the limited use of shared decisions among conditions with invasive interventions, along with its consequences for healthcare quality

The relationship between personality and neurocognition among the american elderly: An epidemiologic study

Background: Although different personality traits have often been associated with different levels of mental activity and cognitive functioning, no previous studies have evaluated the association in a sample that mirrors a nationally-representative sample of elderly individuals. Objective: To evaluate the association between personality traits and neurocognitive functioning among individuals 51 years and older using the Cognition and Aging in the USA (CogUSA) database. Methods: We analyzed the association between personality traits and neurocognitive scores derived from Waves I and II of the study. Neurocognitive functions were modeled as an outcome variable using the Big Five Personality Traits as predictors. Results: All personality traits were associated with higher education except Conscientiousness. Older age was associated with higher levels of the Agreeableness and Openness traits. Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Openness were positively associated with increased neurocognitive function and self-rated present memory. Extraversion and Openness also had a positive association with long-term retrieval. Agreeableness was negatively associated with several neurocognitive functions, while Neuroticism was negatively associated with memory and cognitive effort. Conclusion: Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Openness personality traits are associated with good cognitive health. Individuals scoring high in Neuroticism and Agreeableness might benefit from tailored cognitive interventions to prevent age-related cognitive decline

Does Brain Sweat Pay Off?: The Association between the Need for Cognition and Cognitive Function among the American Elderly

Background: The global incidence of impaired cognition increases with the overall aging of the population. Regarding prophylactic measures, it is unclear whether engaging in cognitively-stimulating activities can decrease the risk of cognitive impairment. Objective: To determine the association between Need for Cognition and cognitive ability within a representative mirroring sample of the elderly population in the United States. Methods: We evaluated the association between Need for Cognition (measured through cognitive effort and enjoyment scores) as a predictor and neurocognitive scores (number series, concept formation, calculations, word attack, picture vocabulary, auditory working memory and similarities) as outcomes using the CogUSA dataset. Results: A total of 1,174 participants of at least 64 years of age were part of this analysis. Participants attending college (49.4%) presented higher cognitive effort and enjoyment scores. The ndings demonstrate a two-factor structure, the rst related to neurocognitive tests and the second related to need for cognition, with good factor loadings. Conclusion: Need for Cognition and neurocognitive ability is strongly correlated and could perhaps be constructed as a single factor. Future research should focus on assessing the relationship between the Need for Cognition and cognitive function in the context of a multitude of other factors, thus determining the contribution of individual factors under different circumstances