In search of personality and temperament predictors of chronic fatigue: a prospective study. Personality and Individual Differences

Abstract This prospective study examined the relationships between temperament and personality, on the one hand, and chronic fatigue, on the other hand. The temperament variables were the Five-Factor-Model dimensions Emotional stability and Extraversion as well as Pavlovian temperament traits. The personality variables were the Five-Factor-Model dimensions Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Autonomy, plus hardiness and Type A behavior pattern. It was expected that these person characteristics were negatively linked to fatigue except for (1) Type A and (2) Conscientiousness and Autonomy, which were scrutinized in an exploratory way. Respondents (N=351), working at least 20 h per week, completed two surveys. The first survey contained the temperament and personality questionnaires and the fatigue scale, while the second one, 2 years later, included the fatigue scale. Results indicated that high scores on the Five-FactorModel dimensions Emotional Stability and Extraversion, the Pavlovian temperament variable Strength of Inhibition, and the hardiness component Commitment predicted lower fatigue scores. However, when in the analysis fatigue measured 2 years earlier was controlled for, only Extraversion and Strength of Inhibition appeared to be good predictors. Even so, these two predictors did not explain a large proportion of the variance. When men and women were examined separately, personality and temperament predicted almost nihil. In conclusion, when fatigue measured earlier is controlled for, the direct role of temperament and personality decreases enormously. # 2002 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Chronic fatigue is a common phenomenon which can have a far-reaching influence on a person's life. Mental and physical exertion caused by, for instance, work or sport activities, induce acute fatigue. This form of fatigue is characterized by task specificity and short-term reversibility 0191-8869/03/$ -see front matter

Discriminating Dietary Responses by Combining Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Data in Nutrition Intervention Studies

Scope: Combining different “omics” data types in a single, integrated analysis may better characterize the effects of diet on human health. Methods and results: The performance of two data integration tools, similarity network fusion tool (SNFtool) and Data Integration Analysis for Biomarker discovery using Latent variable approaches for “Omics” (DIABLO; MixOmics), in discriminating responses to diet and metabolic phenotypes is investigated by combining transcriptomics and metabolomics datasets from three human intervention studies: a postprandial crossover study testing dairy foods (n = 7; study 1), a postprandial challenge study comparing obese and non-obese subjects (n = 13; study 2); and an 8-week parallel intervention study that assessed three diets with variable lipid content on fasting parameters (n = 39; study 3). In study 1, combining datasets using SNF or DIABLO significantly improve sample classification. For studies 2 and 3, the value of SNF integration depends on the dietary groups being compared, while DIABLO discriminates samples well but does not perform better than transcriptomic data alone. Conclusion: The integration of associated “omics” datasets can help clarify the subtle signals observed in nutritional interventions. The performance of each integration tool is differently influenced by study design, size of the datasets, and sample size.</p

Swedish parents' experiences of their role in treatment for children with congenital limb reduction deficiency : Decision‐making and treatment support

Background: Parents of children with congenital limb reduction deficiency have an essential role in making treatment decisions during their child's first years of life. Treatment options usually concern surgical and/or prosthetic treatment. To tailor treatment options to fit different family values and priorities, the family‐centred approach indicates the importance of understanding the parental role in partnership with health care professionals. The aim of this study was to describe parents' experiences of their role in decision‐making and treatment for children with congenital limb reduction deficiency. Methods: A descriptive design with a qualitative approach was used. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 17 parents (12 mothers and 5 fathers) of children with upper and/or lower limb deficiency (mean age 5.9 years). The interview data were analysed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. Results: Two major themes emerged from the data. The first theme, being a decision maker for someone else, was described as an ambivalent parental role, including collaboration within the family and with health care professionals. The second theme, becoming and being a treatment supporter in the child's everyday life, was made up of four categories: being a supporter of the child in everyday activities, mentoring the child to handle encounters with others, becoming a coordinator of information and being an ‘extended arm’ of the health care provision for the child. Conclusions: This study enhances our understanding of the parental role in decision‐making and treatment for children with congenital limb reduction deficiency. The results may contribute to the continued development of the family‐centred service approach by providing guidelines for treatment programmes, with the goal of improving decision support and broadening the support for parents during treatment for these children.Funding Agencies:Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden  Research Committee, Region Örebro County, Sweden  Norrbacka-Eugenia Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden </p