Repression: Finding Our Way in the Maze of Concepts

Repression is associated in the literature with terms such as non-expression, emotional control, rationality, anti-emotionality, defensiveness and restraint. Whether these terms are synonymous with repression, indicate a variation, or are essentially different from repression is uncertain. To clarify this obscured view on repression, this paper indicates the similarities and differences between these concepts. Repression is the general term that is used to describe the tendency to inhibit the experience and the expression of negative feelings or unpleasant cognitions in order to prevent one’s positive self-image from being threatened (‘repressive coping style’). The terms self-deception versus other-deception, and socially related versus personally related repression refer to what is considered to be different aspects of repression. Defensiveness is a broader concept that includes both anxious defensiveness and repression; the essential difference is whether negative emotions are reported or not. Concepts that are sometimes associated with repression, but which are conceptually different, are also discussed in this paper: The act of suppression, ‘repressed memories,’ habitual suppression, concealment, type C coping pattern, type D personality, denial, alexithymia and blunting. Consequences for research: (1) When summarizing findings reported in the literature, it is essential to determine which concepts the findings represent. This is rarely made explicit, and failure to do so may lead to drawing the wrong conclusions (2) It is advisable to use scales based on different aspects of repression (3) Whether empirical findings substantiate the similarities and differences between concepts described in this paper will need to be shown

Does Spirituality or Religion Positively Affect Mental Health? Meta-analysis of Longitudinal Studies

The objective of this meta-analysis was to determine the longitudinal positive effect of religion or spirituality (R/S) on mental health. We summarized 48 longitudinal studies (59 independent samples) using a random effects model. Mental health was operationalized as a continuous and a dichotomous distress measure, life satisfaction, well-being, and quality of life. R/S included participation in public and private religious activities, support from church members, importance of religion, intrinsic religiousness, positive religious coping, meaningfulness, and composite measures. The meta-analysis yielded a significant, but small overall effect size of r = .08 (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.10). Of eight R/S predictors that were distinguished, only participation in public religious activities and importance of religion were significantly related to mental health (r = .08 and r = .09, respectively; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.11 and 0.05 to 0.12, respectively). In conclusion, there is evidence for a positive effect of R/S on mental health, but this effect is small

Ordinary Language Users\u27 Assessments of Misuse of Argument Schemes

In a series of experimental studies we tried to answer the question whether and to what extent the different types of fallacies that theoretically speaking are a violation of the argument scheme rule, are seen as unreasonable by ordinary language users. Of each of the three main types of argument schemes (i.e. symptomatic argumentation, causal argumentation and comparison argumentation) one or more misuses were investigated. In this paper the experimental results pertaining to the argumentum ad consequentiam, the argumentum ad populum, the slippery slope and the fallacy of the false analogy are discussed

The Role of the Spiritual Meaning System in Coping with Cancer

Spirituality can support the adjustment process of people with cancer, by forming a meaning system that supports understanding of the cause and implications of the experience and that provides coping strategies. The different ways in which spiritual meaning systems might fulfill these roles were examined among 20 people who were treated for cancer with curative intent. Narrative interviews were held on average 16 months after cancer diagnosis. The interviews were analyzed in a two-stage process, based on a holistic content approach. The first stage led to the identification of various roles and outcomes of the meaning system. The second stage involved a comparison of these roles and outcomes between previously defined types of meaning systems. The roles identified were discrepancy, legitimation and continuation. Legitimation was associated with the outcome of integration, whereas continuation was associated with an outcome of a positive outlook toward the future. Several differences were found between types of meaning systems, regarding the extent to which and ways in which these roles and outcomes occurred. This study underscores recommendations that healthcare professionals should be aware of the different ways in which the patient’s previous beliefs and experiences influence their current adaptation to serious life events

A critical analysis of scales to measure the attitude of nurses toward spiritual care and the frequency of spiritual nursing care activities

Quantitative studies have assessed nurses' attitudes toward and frequency of spiritual care [SC] and which factors are of influence on this attitude and frequency. However, we had doubts about the construct validity of the scales used in these studies. Our objective was to evaluate scales measuring nursing SC. Articles about the development and psychometric evaluation of SC scales have been identified, using, Web of Science, and CINAHL, and evaluated with respect to the psychometric properties and item content of the scales. Item content was evaluated by each of the five authors with respect to the following questions: Does the item (1) reflect a general opinion about SC instead of a personal willingness to offer SC; (2) reflect general psychosocial care instead of specific SC; (3) focus solely on religious care; (4) contain the words 'spiritual' (care/needs/health/strengths, etc.); and (5) contain multiple propositions, or have an unclear meaning? We found eight scales. Psychometric analysis of these scales was often meager and the items of all but one scale suffered from two or more of the five problems described above. This leads us to conclude that many quantitative results in this area are based on findings with questionable scales. Suggestions for improvements are provided

Predictors of returning to work after receiving specialized psycho-oncological care

Objectives: This study aimed to identify predictors of returning to work in a group of cancer patients that sought and received help from mental health care institutes specialized in psycho-oncological therapy. Moreover we identified which psychosocial factors were seen as important for returning to work by these patients and therapists working at these institutes. Method: This naturalistic study focused on cancer patients who applied for help at specialized psycho-oncology institutions in the Netherlands. Data were collected before the start of psychological care (T1), and three (T2) and nine (T3) months thereafter. Predictors of return to work were identified based on the opinion of therapists and patients from psycho-oncology institutions in the Netherlands. Predictor scores at T1 were used to predict return to work at T3. Discrimination between patients with and without return to work at T3 was investigated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and expressed as the area under the ROC curve (AUC). Results: At T1, 174 participants (79%) were off work due to sickness and 119 (68%) had returned to work at T3. Therapists and patients identified psychological symptoms, quality of life, comorbidity, helplessness, acceptation, mastery, stressful life-events, well-being, and domestic and social functioning as being important for predicting return to work. Domestic functioning was the strongest predictor of return to work at T3. The prediction model including all identified predictor variables did not discriminate between patients with and without return to work at T3, with AUC = 0.652 (95% CI 0.553–0.751). Conclusions: These results suggest that, although psychological symptoms are important at face validity for return to work after cancer, in patients that received help for psychological symptoms, they do not predict return to work

Co-morbidity of depression, anxiety and fatigue in cancer patients receiving psychological care

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine (1) subgroups of cancer patients with distinct co-morbidity patterns of depression, anxiety and fatigue; (2) how individuals transitioned between these patterns; and (3) whether socio-demographic, clinical and psychological care characteristics distinguished patients' transitions.MethodThis naturalistic, longitudinal study focused on 241 cancer patients receiving psycho-oncological care in the Netherlands. Data were collected before initiation of psychological care (T1), 3months (T2), and 9months thereafter (T3). Latent transition analysis was performed examining research questions.ResultsThree distinct co-morbidity patterns were identified: class 1 (mood disturbances and fatigue'), class 2 (mood disturbances') and class 3 (few symptoms of mood disturbances and fatigue'). Half of those in class 1 remained in this group from T1 to T3, a quarter transitioned to class 2 and another quarter to class 3. Baseline physical symptoms distinguished these transitions: those with more physical symptoms tended to remain stable. Half of patients in class 2 remained stable from T1 to T3, 46% moved into class 3 and 8% into class 1. Baseline physical symptoms and years after cancer diagnosis significantly distinguished these transitions: the 8% moving to class 1 had more physical symptoms and were longer after cancer diagnosis. Most patients in class 3 remained stable from T1 to T3, and predictors of transitions could not be examined.ConclusionsThree distinct co-morbidity patterns of depression, anxiety and fatigue were identified and exhibited different symptom courses longitudinally. Those with poor physical health tended to report elevated mood disturbances and fatigue during psychological care. Copyright (c) 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.</p