A meditation on boredom: Re-appraising its value through introspective phenomenology

Boredom is almost universally regarded as a dysphoric mental state, characterised by features such as disengagement and low arousal. However, in certain quarters (e.g., Zen Buddhism), boredom is seen as potentially having great value and even importance. The current study sought to explore boredom through a case study involving introspective phenomenology. The author created conditions in which he would experience boredom for an hour, and recorded his experience in real-time using a variant of the Experiencing Sampling Method. The data were analysed using an adaptation of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The results indicated that the state of boredom contained three main sources of value: (a) altered perception of time; (b) awakened curiosity about the environment; and (c) exploration of self. Consequently, the paper offers a re-appraisal of boredom, suggesting that rather than necessarily being a negative state, if engaged with, boredom has the potential to be a positive and rewarding experience

Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence bei psychosomatischen Patienten - ein Beitrag zur Konstruktvalidität

Objective: The objective of the present study is to contribute towards the validation of the SOC (Sense of Coherence) construct on the basis of data from psychosomatic patients. Method: The study included a total of 1403 patients treated as out-patients or in consultations in the Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine at the Charité University of Medicine, Berlin, between July 2002 and October 2005. Correlations were tested between the sense of coherence (SOC-L9), sociodemographic variables and the following psychometric instruments: Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), Brief COPE, Questionnaire on Self-Efficacy, Optimism and Pessimism (SWOP-K9) and Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-20). Results: Associations were found between sense of coherence and age, but not with gender. In addition, high sense of coherence was correlated with high self-efficacy, optimism, subjective physical well-being and favourable coping strategies as well as with low perceived stress. Conclusion: The results contribute to the validation of the SOC construct. Future investigations should include longitudinal studies of the precise association between sense of coherence and other psychological variables.Zielsetzung: Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist es, anhand der Daten von psychosomatischen Patienten einen Beitrag zur Konstruktvalidität des SOC (Sense of Coherence) zu leisten. Methode: In die Untersuchung wurden insgesamt n=1403 Patienten einbezogen, die in der Medizinischen Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Psychosomatik der Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin in der Zeit vom Juli 2002 bis Oktober 2005 poliklinisch oder konsiliarisch behandelt wurden. Es wurden Zusammenhänge zwischen dem Kohärenzempfinden (SOC-L9) und soziodemographischen Variablen sowie Korrelationen mit folgenden psychometrischen Instrumenten überprüft: Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), Brief-COPE, Fragebogen zu Selbstwirksamkeit, Optimismus und Pessimismus (SWOP-K9) und Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-20). Ergebnisse: Es zeigten sich Zusammenhänge zwischen dem Kohärenzempfinden und Alter, nicht aber mit dem Geschlecht. Außerdem ist ein hohes Kohärenzempfinden mit höherer Selbstwirksamkeit, mehr Optimismus, günstigeren Copingstrategien, stärkerem subjektiven physischen Wohlbefinden und weniger subjektiv wahrgenommener Stressbelastung assoziiert.Fazit: Die Ergebnisse leisten einen Beitrag zur Konstruktvalidität. In weiteren Studien sollten längsschnittlich die genauen Wirkungszusammenhänge von Kohärenzempfinden mit anderen psychologischen Variablen untersucht werden

Psychological and sociodemographic predictors of premature discontinuation of a 1-year multimodal outpatient weight-reduction program: an attrition analysis

Anne Ahnis1, Andrea Riedl1, Andrea Figura1, Elisabeth Steinhagen-Thiessen2, Max E Liebl3, Burghard F Klapp11Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Medical Department, Division of Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, 2Internal Medicine with Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Specialty network of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Division of Lipid Metabolism, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, 3Medical Department, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department for Physical Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, GermanyObjective: Attrition rates of up to 77% have been reported in conservative weight-reduction programs for the treatment of obesity. In view of the cost of such programs to the health system, there is a need to identify the variables that predict premature discontinuation of treatment. Previous studies have focused mainly on somatic and sociodemographic parameters. The prospective influence of psychological factors has not been systematically investigated to date.Methods: A total of 164 patients (138 of whom were women) with a mean age of 45 years and a mean body mass index of 39.57 participated in a 1-year outpatient weight-reduction program at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin University Hospital. The program included movement therapy, dietary advice, psychoeducational and behavioral interventions, relaxation procedures, and consultations with a specialist in internal medicine and a psychologist. Patients also underwent regular laboratory and psychological testing. The results were evaluated using a t-test, χ2-test, and logistic regression analysis.Results: Seventy-one of the 164 patients (61 women, mean age = 43 years, mean body mass index = 39.53) withdrew before the end of the program (attrition rate = 43.3%). While there were no differences between the somatic and metabolic characteristics of those who withdrew and those who remained, the sociodemographic and psychological factors had some relevance. In particular, “expectation of self-efficacy” (Fragebogen zu Selbstwirksamkeit, Optimismus und Pessimismus [SWOP]), “not working,” “tiredness” (Berliner Stimmungsfragebogen [BSF]), “pessimism” (SWOP) and “positive reframing” (Brief-COPE) were found to play a role in whether participants subsequently dropped out of the treatment. “Support coping” (Brief-COPE) and “older age” prior to the start of treatment were identified as variables that promoted treatment adherence.Conclusion: The results are discussed in light of previous findings and with regard to whether the modules of the weight-reduction program should be adapted.Keywords: obesity, weight-reduction program, attrition rate, dropouts, treatment adherenc

Towards a "free radical theory of graying": Melanocyte apoptosis in the aging human hair follicle is an indicator of oxidative stress induced tissue damage

Oxidative stress is generated by a multitude of environmental and endogenous challenges such as radiation, inflammation, or psychoemotional stress. It also speeds the aging process. Graying is a prominent but little understood feature of aging. Intriguingly, the continuous melanin synthesis in the growing (anagen) hair follicle generates high oxidative stress. We therefore hypothesize that hair bulb melanocytes are especially susceptible to free radical-induced aging. To test this hypothesis, we subjected human scalp skin anagen hair follicles from graying individuals to macroscopic and immunohistomorphometric analysis and organ culture. We found evidence of melanocyte apoptosis and increased oxidative stress in the pigmentary unit of graying hair follicles. The "common" deletion, a marker mitochondrial DNA-deletion for accumulating oxidative stress damage, occurred most prominently in graying hair follicles. Cultured unpigmented hair follicles grew better than pigmented follicles of the same donors. Finally, cultured pigmented hair follicles exposed to exogenous oxidative stress (hydroquinone) showed increased melanocyte apoptosis in the hair bulb. We conclude that oxidative stress is high in hair follicle melanocytes and leads to their selective premature aging and apoptosis. The graying hair follicle, therefore, offers a unique model system to study oxidative stress and aging and to test antiaging therapeutics in their ability to slow down or even stop this process. \ua9 FASEB