Do Positive Psychological Characteristics Modify the Associations of Physical Performance With Functional Decline and Institutionalization? Findings From the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam

Objectives. To investigate whether 3 positive psychological characteristics, related to sense of control, modify the associations of physical performance levels with subsequent functional decline and institutionalization.Method. One thousand five hundred and thirty-two men and women participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam and not living in an institution in 2005-2006 were included. Mastery, self-efficacy, investment in independence, and objective physical performance scores were ascertained in 2005-2006. Functional decline and institutionalization were assessed after 3 years of follow-up.Results. The association between lower physical performance levels and increased odds of functional decline was modified by investment in independence, with a weaker association found among people with higher investment in independence scores than in people with lower scores even after adjustment for covariates. The association between lower physical performance levels and higher odds of institutionalization was marginally weaker among those people with above median levels of mastery (test of interaction p = .08). In men, an association between general self-efficacy and functional decline was found and maintained after adjustments.Conclusions. Positive psychological characteristics, related to sense of control, play a role in the transition between stages in the disablement process. Specific psychological characteristics may be associated with different stages of the disablement process and may in turn be affected by disablement

Validation of the Parental Facilitation of Mastery Scale – II

Objective: To develop a more reliable and comprehensive version of the Parental Facilitation of Mastery Scale (PFMS). Method: In Study 1, 387 undergraduates completed an expanded PFMS (PFMS-II) and measures of parenting, perceived control, responses to early life challenges, and psychopathology. In Study 2, 182 trauma-exposed community participants completed the PFMSII and measures of perceived control, psychopathology, and well-being. Results: In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis of the PFMS-II revealed two factors. These factors replicated in Study 2; one item was removed to achieve measurement invariance across race. The final PFMS-II consisted of a ten-item overprotection scale and a seven-item challenge scale. In both samples, this measure demonstrated good convergent and discriminant validity and was more reliable than the original PFMS. Parental challenge was a unique predictor of perceived control in both samples. Conclusions: The PFMS-II is a valid measure of important parenting behaviors not fully captured in other measures

Variables related to the informal caregivers' burden of dependent senior citizens in Spain

The study aims at analyzing the psychosocial variables associated with the informal caregivers" burden of dependent older people. A sample of 296 dependent people and their informal caregivers (n= 153) was randomly selected among users and non-users of the Spanish public In-Home Help Service (HHS) in an autonomous Spanish region (Comunidad Valenciana). Diverse variables in reference to the care context and the caregiver as well as the care recipient show major associations with the burden: those associated to disease and the social situation of the dependent person, the greater frequency and intensity of care, and the low frequency in which the caregiver receives help from others. The obtained data makes possible to establish guidelines based on the psychological and educational interventions which relieve the informal caregivers" burden of dependent senior citizens, which must be combined with respite services, in order to promote the permanence of this population group in the community environment

Incidence of social phobia and identification of its risk indicators: A model for prevention.

Objective: This study seeks to examine the incidence of social phobia in the general population and to establish a number of risk indicators. Method: Data were derived from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS) which is a population based prospective study (n = 7076). A sample of adults aged 18–64 years (n = 5618) were re-interviewed 1 year later using Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Results: The 12-month incidence of DSM-III-R social phobia was 1.0%. Low education, low mastery, low self-esteem, emotional neglect in childhood and ongoing difficulties were found to be risk indicators. After including other mental disorders as risk indicators in the model, the incidence was found to be more common among those with low mastery, major depression, subthreshold social phobia, emotional neglect, negative life events, and low education. Conclusion: The incidence of social phobia can be predicted relatively well with psychosocial variables and comorbidity

The contribution of caregiver psychosocial factors to distress associated with behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Objective: The objective of the study is to examine caregiver factors as predictors of BPSD-related distress and their potential mechanisms. Method: Informal caregivers of people with dementia (n = 157) recruited from 28 community mental health teams in six NHS Trusts across England completed questionnaires regarding psychosocial factors (relationship quality, competence, guilt, health-related quality of life in the caregiver and person with dementia, reactivity to behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia [BPSD] and burden) and frequency of BPSD. Analyses of BPSD-related distress include hierarchical multiple regression, mediation, moderation and path analysis. Results: Caregiver psychosocial factors explained 56% of the variance in BPSD-related distress. After controlling for these factors, frequency of BPSD was not a significant predictor of BPSD-related distress. Caregiver reactivity to BPSD, burden, competence and relationship quality directly influenced BPSD-related distress. Guilt influenced distress indirectly via competence, burden and reactivity to BPSD. The final model accounted for 41% of the variance in BPSD-related distress and achieved a good fit to the data (χ 2 = 23.920, df = 19, p = 0.199). Conclusions: Caregiver psychosocial factors including sense of competence, guilt, burden and reactivity to BPSD contribute to BPSD-related distress. Tailored interventions for managing behaviour problems in family settings could focus on these factors associated with BPSD-related distress to minimise distress in families. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Factors determining social participation in the first year after kidney transplantation: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: This study describes changes in social participation in the first year after kidney transplantation and examines the influence of clinical factors, health status, transplantation-related symptoms, and psychological characteristics on change in social participation. METHODS: A prospective study was performed on a cohort of primary kidney transplant recipients, transplanted between March 2002 and March 2003. Data on participation in obligatory activities (i.e., employment, education, household tasks) and leisure activities (i.e., volunteer work, assisting others, sports, clubs/associations, recreation, socializing, going out) were collected by in-home interviews (n=61) at 3 months (T1) and 1 year posttransplantation (T2). Analysis of covariance was performed. RESULTS: Data showed an increase in participation in obligatory activities and diversity of leisure participation between T1 and T2, although pre-end-stage renal disease level was not regained and differed from the general population. On T1, the majority of employed recipients were on sick leave, but returned to work on T2. Employment rate remained stable. An increase in obligatory participation was predicted by clinical factors (i.e., peritoneal dialysis, initial hospitalization), whereas change in leisure participation was related to serum albumin and cognitive capacity. No effects were found for type of donation, comorbidity, and renal function. CONCLUSIONS: We found that mainly clinical factors were associated with an increase in participation in society. Although health-status related factors and the psychological attribute self-efficacy may be related to recovery of social participation, their effect was outweighed by the strength of clinical predictors in multivariate analysis

Does a short-term intervention promote mental and general health among young adults? – An evaluation of counselling

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since 1988, self-reported mental health problems in Sweden have increased more among young people than in any other age group. Young adults aged 18 – 29 with minor mental health problems were welcomed to four (at most) counselling sessions led by psychotherapists. The present study aimed to evaluate the method's appropriateness and usefulness.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study population was recruited consecutively during six months (N = 74) and consisted of 59 women and 15 men. Fifty-one, 46 women and five men, met the criterion for a <it>personal semi-structured interview </it>three months post intervention. Self-assessed health data were collected on three occasions using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Pearlin's Personal Mastery Scale and two items from the Swedish Living Conditions Surveys. Thirteen women and six men were not statistically assessed due to incomplete data, but were <it>interviewed by telephone</it>. Four men refused to be interviewed and became <it>dropouts</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The largest group of the study population had long been troubled by their problem(s): 43 percent for over three years and 28 percent for over one year. Among those <it>personally interviewed</it>, 76 percent reported psychological distress (> 3 GHQ points) before the counselling. After the counselling, GHQ-12 distress decreased by 50 percent while mastery and perceived health status increased significantly. A majority experienced an improved life situation, found out something new about themselves and could make use of the sessions afterwards. Personal participant session contentment was about 70 percent and all counsellees would recommend the intervention to a friend. Those <it>interviewed by telephone </it>were not statistically assessed due to incomplete health data. Their personal contentment was just under 50 percent, though all except one would recommend the counselling to a friend. Their expectations of the intervention were more result-orientated compared to the more process-directed personally-interviewed group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This evaluation shows a clear improvement in self-rated mental and general health, mastery and control in the group completing the study agreement. The intervention seems to be effective for young adults with minor mental health problems, but due to the skewed gender-distribution it is unclear if the method is appropriate for men. After the proposed internal quality improvements, this short-term counselling could enhance mental and general health among young people.</p

Lay support for pregnant women with social risk: a randomised controlled trial

We sought evidence of effectiveness of lay support to improve maternal and child outcomes in disadvantaged families. Antenatal attendances were high in the standard care control and did not increase further with addition of the POW intervention (10.1 vs 10.1 (mean difference; MD) −0.00, 95% CI (95% CI −0.37 to 0.37)). In the powered subgroup of women with 2 or more social risk factors, mean EPDS (MD −0.79 (95% CI −1.56 to −0.02) was significantly better, although for all women recruited, no significant differences were seen (MD −0.59 (95% CI −1.24 to 0.06). Mother-to-infant bonding was significantly better in the intervention group for all women (MD −0.30 (95% CI −0.61 to −0.00) p=0.05), and there were no differences in other secondary outcomes. This trial demonstrates differences in depressive symptomatology with addition of the POW service in the powered subgroup of women with 2 or more social risk factors. Addition to existing evidence indicates benefit from lay interventions in preventing postnatal depression. This finding is important for women and their families given the known effect of maternal depression on longer term childhood outcomes