PERSONAL SPACE OF WAR VETERANS WITH PTSD – SOME CHARACTERISTICS AND COMPARISON WITH HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the size of personal space among war veterans with PTSD, compared to healthy individuals, and to examine its associations with some sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Subjects and Methods: Participants were 83 male war veterans with chronic PTSD and 85 healthy male employees of the medical institutions. Preferred interpersonal distances were assessed by using a stop-distance technique, where male and female research assistants approached the participants from four directions (front, behind, left, right). The patients filled out The Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (M-PTSD). Results: War veterans with PTSD preferred significantly larger interpersonal distances compared to healthy participants. Larger personal space size was preferred by those who had children, and the largest preferred distances were observed for the approaches from behind. Both samples preferred larger distances when approached by a male person. Conclusion: The findings of this study contribute to increased understanding of the personal space in patients with PTSD, and may be implemented into prevention of aggressive behavior during psychiatric treatment, and into development of more effective therapeutic strategies

Socioemotional predictors of motivation for abstinence in alcohol addicts

Motivacija za apstinencijom značajan je faktor u predviđanju uključenosti osoba ovisnih o alkoholu u tretman, njihovog zadržavanja na liječenju i ishoda tretmana te je dugo vremena bio zapostavljen. S obzirom na to da ovaj kompleksan proces još uvijek nije dovoljno istražen, u kliničkoj se praksi pojavila potreba za njegovim boljim razumijevanjem što bi moglo pomoći u terapijskom radu s ovisnicima. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je identificirati socioemocionalne prediktore motivacije za apstinencijom kod osoba ovisnih o alkoholu koji su na liječenju minimalno 12 dana kako bi se zahvatio stvaran stupanj motivacije. U istraživanju su sudjelovale 72 osobe liječene na Odjelu za alkoholizam Psihijatrijske bolnice Sveti Ivan koje su dobrovoljno pristupile istraživanju. Motivacija za apstinencijom se ispitivala SOCRATES upitnikom, koji sa subskalama ambivalencije, rekognicije i poduzimanja koraka predstavlja kriterij. Kao potencijalni prediktori ispitane su demografske varijable, emocionalna regulacija i kontrola, suočavanje usmjerene na traženje instrumentalne i emocionalne podrške, zadovoljstvo životom, pozitivne i negativne emocije te prosperitet. Regresijska analiza pokazala je kako emocionalna regulacija i kontrola te suočavanje usmjereno na traženje instrumentalne i emocionalne podrške značajno objašnjuju 15,8% ambivalencije, 29,4% rekognicije i 30,6% poduzimanja koraka, dok su zadovoljstvo životom te pozitivne i negativne emocije značajno objasnile 11,3% poduzimanja koraka, a prosperitet 13,7% poduzimanja koraka. Od demografskih varijabli, spol, dob i stupanj obrazovanja objašnjavaju jedino 15,6% rekognicije. Unatoč dobivenim rezultatima, ukupni postotci objašnjene varijance su relativno niski stoga bi istraživanje trebalo ponoviti na većem uzorku kako bi se omogućila generalizacija rezultata. Kliničke implikacije ovog istraživanja su značajne te uvelike doprinose unaprjeđenju bolničkih programa liječenja ovisnika o alkoholu.Motivation for abstinence is one of the most significant predictors of the patient’s treatment engagement and completion, as well as the treatment outcome. Since this complex process has not been sufficiently studied, in clinical practice the need for a better understanding and perception of it has arisen, namely due to its significant contribution to hospital care programs. The aim of this study was to identify the socio-emotional predictors of motivation for abstinence in patients undergoing treatment for a minimum of 12 days. The study involved 72 volontary participants from Department of Alcohol Program in one psychiatric hospital. Motivation for abstinence was studied using the SOCRATES questionnaire which, along with the subscales of ambivalence, recognition and taking steps, represents a criterion. Demographic variables, emotional regulation and control, instrumental and emotional support seeking, life satisfaction, positive and negative emotions and flourishing were examined as potential predictors. Regression analysis showed that emotional regulation and control and instrumental and emotional support seeking significantly explain 15.8% of ambivalence, 29.4% of recognition and 30.6% of taking steps; life satisfaction, positive and negative emotions significantly explained 11.3% of taking steps, while flourishing accounted for 13.7% of taking steps. As for the demographic variables, only sex, age and education level accounted for 15.6% of recognition. In spite of the result obtained, the overall percentage of the explained variance is relatively low. Clinical implications of this study are significant and their greatest contribution is maximizing hospital care programs pertaining to rehabilitation of alcoholics

The EPI profile of veterans with chronic PTSD

Cilj je ovog rada bio utvrditi karakterističan profil na PIE upitniku kod kroničnog PTSP-a izazvanog ratnom traumom, te utvrditi razlike na dimenzijama upitnika kod veterana s različitim intenzitetom PTSP-a. U ispitivanju su korišteni instrumenti (PIE i M-PTSD) primijenjeni u okviru dijagnostičkih obrada 132 veterana s dijagnozom kroničnog PTSP-a liječenih u Psihijatrijskoj bolnici “Sveti Ivan”, Zagreb u vremenskom periodu od 2000. do 2005. godine. Na PIE upitniku se dobiva profil prema kojem je rezultat na većini dimenzija ekstremno visok ili ekstremno nizak. Visoki rezultati su dobiveni na dimenzijama agresivnosti, nepovjerljivosti i depresivnosti. Izrazito niski rezultati su dobiveni na dimenzijama povjerljivosti, društvenosti, kontroliranosti i pristranosti, dok se samo na dimenzijama nekontroliranosti i bojažljivosti dobivaju rezultati koji tendiraju prosječnim vrijednostima, ali su još uvijek u kategoriji niskih rezultata. U pogledu razlika na dimenzijama PIE upitnika kod skupina veterana s višim i nižim intenzitetom PTSP-a, utvrđene su razlike između dvije skupine veterana na više dimenzija upitnika. Razlike su dobivene na dimenzijama povjerljivosti, nepovjerljivosti, agresivnosti, društvenosti i pristranosti. Prema dobivenim rezultatima veterani s višim intenzitetom PTSP-a biraju socijalno nepoželjnije odgovore, te se opisuju nepovjerljivijima, agresivnijima i manje društvenima.The aim of this research was to establish both the characteristic profile in EPI - questionnaire in chronic PTSD caused by war trauma and differences in questionnaire dimensions in veterans with different levels of PTSD. The following instruments were used – EPI and M-PTSD on 132 war veterans diagnosed with PTSD and treated in the Psychiatric Hospital “Sveti Ivan”, Zagreb, Croatia from 2000 until 2005. By using the EPI questionnaire we obtained profiles with extreme results (both high and low) in most of the dimensions. High results are shown in destruction, rejection and reintegration and low results in incorporation, reproduction, exploration and bias. Only in dimensions of orientation and protection the results were almost average although still in the low category. Considering the differences in veterans with various levels of PTSD, they are found in several dimensions like incorporation, rejection, destruction, reproduction and bias. According to our observation, veterans with higher levels of PTSD choose socially unacceptable answers and they describe themselves as untrustworthy, aggressive and less sociabl

Smisao života i osobine ličnosti u odraslih alkoholičara

The study explores the concept of meaning in life among adult alcoholics and individuals from the general population, as well as its relationship with personality traits based on the Big Five model. Clinical and non-clinical samples have been compared to the construct of meaning in life. After examining the relationship between meaning in life and personality traits, we analyzed the contribution of personality traits in explaining the meaning in life for both groups. The clinical sample consisted of 76 treated alcoholics from the alcoholism ward of a psychiatric hospital in Zagreb, while the non-clinical sample consisted of 77 participants. The following questionnaires were applied: Purpose in Life Test, IPIP – 100, and a questionnaire on general data created exclusively for the purpose of this research. The results have shown significant differences in experience regarding meaning in life between the clinical and non-clinical sample, as individuals from the general population consider their life to be more meaningful. Furthermore, meaning in life had a significant positive relationship to extraversion, agreeableness, openness and conscientiousness and significant negative to neuroticism, in both groups. Extraversion and conscientiousness in the explanation of meaning in life were significant predictors in the general population, while extraversion and neuroticism were significant predictors among adult alcoholics, with neuroticism as a negative predictor. The results of this study, apart from new scientific findings, could contribute to the development of practical interventions and improvements in the treatment of persons with alcohol addiction.U radu je istraživan konstrukt smisla života ovisnika o alkoholu i osoba iz opće populacije, te njegova povezanost s osobinama ličnosti iz petofaktorskog modela. Uspoređeni su klinički i neklinički uzorak na konstruktu smisla života. Nakon ispitivanja povezanosti smisla života i osobina ličnosti iz petofaktorskog modela, ispitan je i doprinos osobina ličnosti u objašnjenju smisla života za obje skupine. Klinički uzorak činilo je 76 liječenih alkoholičara s odjela za alkoholizam jedne psihijatrijske bolnice u Zagrebu, dok se neklinički uzorak sastojao od 77 osoba iz opće populacije. Primijenjeni su upitnici Skala smisla života, Upitnik ličnosti IPIP - 100 i upitnik o općim podatcima konstruiran za potrebe ovog istraživanja. Rezultati su pokazali značajne razlike u doživljaju smisla života između kliničkog i nekliničkog uzorka, to jest osobe iz opće populacije svoj život doživljavaju smislenijim. Smisao života značajno je pozitivno povezan s ekstraverzijom, ugodnosti, otvorenosti i savjesnosti, a značajno negativno s neuroticizmom, i to kod obje skupine. Kao značajni prediktori u objašnjenju smisla života pokazali su se ekstraverzija i savjesnost kod osoba iz opće populacije, te ekstraverzija i neuroticizam kod ovisnika o alkoholu, s time da je neuroticizam imao negativni predznak. Rezultati ovog istraživanja, osim novih znanstvenih saznanja, mogli bi doprinjeti razvoju praktičnih intervencija i poboljšanju tretmana alkoholičara

Quality of life after FESS combined with diode laser in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis

Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) is one of the most severe forms of chronic rhinosinusitis. The Sino-Nasal-Outcome Test 22 (SNOT-22) is most commonly used to assess the quality of life of these patients. One of the new treatment options for patients with CSRwNP is endoscopic diode laser polypectomy (DLPE) in local anesthesia. This study aims to compare the quality of life of patients with CSRwNP who underwent FESS and those who underwent DLPE before and after surgery. Patients and Methods: The study included a total of 59 patients with CRSwNP who had undergone FESS or DLPE under local anesthesia. The quality of life before and after surgery was examined using SNOT-22. Results: A total of 59 patients were included in the study, with a greater predominance of men than women (37:22). Endoscopic DLPE was performed in 25 (42.4%) of patients. The overall SNOT-22 score was a significantly lower one and three months postoperatively in both groups of patients (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in the overall SNOT-22 score three months postoperatively between patients who had undergone FESS and those who had undergone DLPE. Conclusions: Endoscopic DLPE shows the same success in improving the quality of life as FESS and can be performed under local anesthesia, which it is ideal for people with multiple comorbidities

Legal certainty regarding a decision of the Sports Arbitration Council of the Croatian Olympic Committee

U ovom tekstu autori se bave jednom odlukom Vijeća sportske arbitraže HOO-a koju smatraju neprihvatljivom i formalno i sadržajno. U odnosu na formu smatraju kako je potpuno neprihvatljivo da tako važna odluka (radi se o administrativnom sprečavanju realizacije ulaska u viši rang natjecanja ostvaren na igralištu) bude donesena na manje od dvije stranice. Sadržajno, izostavljena je primjena pravila tumačenja, odnosno postupljeno je kao da ciljno tumačenje (apsolutno prihvaćeno i favorizirano u Europskoj uniji) uopće ne postoji ili (ako postoji) nije bitno.In this text, the authors analize one decision of the Sports Arbitration Council of the HOO, that they consider inadmissible both formally and substantively. They consider the form to be completely unacceptable for such an important decision (which is to administratively prevent the accomplishment of entry into the higher ranking of competitions made on the playing field) to be made to the extent of (substantively) less than two pages. In substance, the application of the rules of interpretation was omitted, that is, it was acted as if the target interpretation (as absolutely accepted and favored in the EU) didn’t matter exist at all or (if it did) it didn’t matter

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF PSYCHOTIC PATIENTS AS POSSIBLE MOTIVATING FACTORS FOR PARTICIPATING IN GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY

Background: This study aimed to examine the relationship between some personality characteristics of patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders and the quality of their engagement in psychodynamic group psychotherapy. Given that previous research has shown that self-stigma is significantly negatively associated with the engagement of patients, the measure of self-stigma was used as a correlate of patients’ motivation to participate in group psychotherapy. Subjects and methods: A total of 48 outpatients (52.1% women; mean age 35.30 years) attending group psychodynamic psychotherapy completed The Inventory of Personality Organization, The Pathological Narcissism Inventory, The Measure of Parental Style, The Relationship Questionnaire, and The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale. Results: The findings showed that patients with higher levels of self-stigma have unhealthy attachments styles, perceived their mothers´ parental style as indifferent and achieved greater scores on narcissistic vulnerability scale. They are also are prone to primitive psychological defences, have poorly integrated identity, and achieved lower scores on reality testing dimension. Conclusion: Taking into account the limitations of this study, these findings may contribute to improved understanding of the quality of participation and engagement of psychotic patients in group psychotherapy, and may help to develop more effective therapeutic approaches

Quality of life after FESS combined with diode laser in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis

Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) is one of the most severe forms of chronic rhinosinusitis. The Sino-Nasal-Outcome Test 22 (SNOT-22) is most commonly used to assess the quality of life of these patients. One of the new treatment options for patients with CSRwNP is endoscopic diode laser polypectomy (DLPE) in local anesthesia. This study aims to compare the quality of life of patients with CSRwNP who underwent FESS and those who underwent DLPE before and after surgery. Patients and Methods: The study included a total of 59 patients with CRSwNP who had undergone FESS or DLPE under local anesthesia. The quality of life before and after surgery was examined using SNOT-22. Results: A total of 59 patients were included in the study, with a greater predominance of men than women (37:22). Endoscopic DLPE was performed in 25 (42.4%) of patients. The overall SNOT-22 score was a significantly lower one and three months postoperatively in both groups of patients (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in the overall SNOT-22 score three months postoperatively between patients who had undergone FESS and those who had undergone DLPE. Conclusions: Endoscopic DLPE shows the same success in improving the quality of life as FESS and can be performed under local anesthesia, which it is ideal for people with multiple comorbidities

The Role of Social Support and Insight into the Self–Stigmatization of Persons Suffering from Schizophrenia

Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati prediktivni doprinos socijalne podrške i uvida samostigmatizaciji te njezinim dimenzijama kod osoba oboljelih od shizofrenije. Hijerarhijske regresijske analize pokazale su statistički značajan doprinos uvida i socijalne podrške samostigmatizaciji te nekim njezinim dimenzijama kod osoba oboljelih od shizofrenije. Niža socijalna podrška i viši uvid predviđaju višu samostigmatizaciju, višu otuđenost, više prihvaćanje stereotipa te više socijalno povlačenje. Niža socijalna podrška predviđa više iskustvo diskriminacije.Schizophrenia is associated with various beliefs that are most often associated with negative labeling, called stigma. Some of the wrong beliefs are that schizophrenia is incurable and dangerous and that patients are aggressive, incapable of life, decision making and work. Many patients with schizophrenia accept the stigmatizing attitudes of the society as personally relevant, leading to the process of self–stigmatization, which prevents them from getting in touch with people, encouraging feelings of shame, helplessness and guilt and prevents their progress. Studies confirm that patients with good social support have better prognosis for the disease and that those with lower social support show higher self–stigmatization. Studies have shown that insight can also be related to the level of self–stigmatization. Higher insight is associated with higher self–stigmatization, higher alienation, higher stereotype endorsement, higher discrimination experience and higher social withdrawal. In the available literature they have not studied together social support, insight and self– stigmatization on a sample of patients with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive contribution of the social support and insight for self–stigmatization and its dimensions of patients with schizophrenia. This cross–sectional study was conducted on 74 patients with schizophrenia. The participants completed the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, Scales of Perceived Social Support, A self–report Insight Scale for psychosis and General Data Questionnaire, by the paper–pencil technique. Hierarchical regression analyses have shown that social support and insight have a statistically significant contribution to self–stigmatization and some of its dimensions in patients with schizophrenia. Lower social support and higher insight predict higher self–stigmatization, higher alienation, higher stereotype endorsement and higher social withdrawal. Lower social support predicts higher discrimination experience

Personality Traits and Coping with Stress as Predictors of Psychosomatic Symptoms in Students

Cilj rada bio je ispitati mogućnost predikcije učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma putem doprinosa dimenzija velepetorog modela ličnosti (engl. Big-Five model) i stilova suočavanja sa stresom uz kontrolu doprinosa varijabli spola i dobi. Istraživanjem je obuhvaćeno 356 studenata različitih studija Hrvatskog katoličkog sveučilišta. Korištena je skala Upitnika psihosomatskih simptoma za djecu i adolescente (PSS), Upitnik suočavanja sa stresnim situacijama Endlera i Parkera te hrvatska verzija International Personality Item Pool (IPIP 50). Analiza učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma pokazala je najčešću pojavnost manjka energije, glavobolje i boli u leđima. Najčešći u različitim skupinama simptoma bili su: »knedla« u grlu, doživljaj ubrzanog lupanja srca, prehlada, mišićna napetost, nadutost, akne ili bubuljice te manjak energije ili umor. Rezultati hijerarhijske regresijske analize pokazali su da niža razina emocionalne stabilnosti, viša razina intelekta i viša razina suočavanja usmjerenog na emocije predviđaju veću učestalost psihosomatskih simptoma. Također, dobiven je značajan prediktivni doprinos kontrolirane varijable spola, pri čemu ženski spol predviđa veću učestalost psihosomatskih simptoma. Dobiveni rezultati mogu pomoći u izradi edukativnih programa o suodnosu tjelesnog i mentalnog zdravlja te u savjetodavnom radu s osobama s izraženim psihosomatskim simptomima.The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of predicting the occurrence of psychosomatic symptoms through the contribution of personality dimensions of the Big-Five factor structure and coping with stress, with gender and age as controlled variables. The research included 356 students from various studies at the Croatian Catholic University. The scale of the Psychosomatic Symptoms Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents – PSS, the Endler and Parker Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations and the Croatian version of the International Personality Item Pool - IPIP 50 were used. The frequency of psychosomatic symptoms showed the most common occurrence of lack of energy, headaches and back pain. The most common symptoms in different groups of symptoms were »lumps« in the throat, the experience of rapid heartbeat, colds, muscle tension, bloated stomach, acne or pimples, and lack of energy or fatigue. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis showed that lower level of Emotional Stability, higher level of Intellect and higher level of Emotional-oriented coping were significant predictors for the higher incidence of psychosomatic symptoms, as well as a significant predictive contribution of controlled gender variable. The obtained results can be helpful in the development of educational programs on the relationship between physical and mental health and in counselling work with people with express psychosomatic symptoms