Matrix metalloproteinase 9 and cellular fibronectin plasma concentrations are predictors of the composite endpoint of length of stay and death in the intensive care unit after severe traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND: The relationship between severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and blood levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) or cellular fibronectin (c-Fn) has never been reported. In this study, we aimed to assess whether plasma concentrations of MMP-9 and c-Fn could have predictive values for the composite endpoint of intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) of survivors and mortality after severe TBI. Secondary outcomes were the state of consciousness measured with the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of survivors at 14 days and Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) at 3 months. METHODS: Forty-nine patients with abbreviated injury scores of the head region ≥ 4 were included. Blood was sampled at 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after injury. MMP-9 and c-Fn concentrations were measured by ELISA. The values of MMP-9 and c-Fn, and, for comparison, the value of the GCS on the field of the accident (fGCS), as predictors of the composite outcome of ICU LOS and death were assessed by logistic regression. RESULTS: There was a linear relationship between maximal MMP-9 concentration, measured during the 6-12-hour period, and maximal c-Fn concentration, measured during the 24-48-hour period. The risk of staying longer than 9 days in the ICU or of dying was increased in patients with a maximal early MMP-9 concentration ≥ 21.6 ng/ml (OR = 5.0; 95% CI: 1.3 to 18.6; p = 0.02) or with a maximal late c-Fn concentration ≥ 7.7 μg/ml (OR = 5.4; 95% CI: 1.4 to 20.8; p = 0.01). A similar risk association was observed with fGCS ≤8 (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.2-15.8; p = 0.02). No relationship was observed between MMP-9, c-Fn concentrations or fGCS and the GCS at 14 days of survivors and GOSE at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma MMP-9 and c-Fn concentrations in the first 48 hours after injury are predictive for the composite endpoint of ICU LOS and death after severe TBI but not for consciousness at 14 days and outcome at 3 months

Vers une approche dimensionnelle, multifactorielle et intégrative de la procrastination

La procrastination est un phénomène très répandu et largement étudié, qui reste cependant encore mal compris. C'est dans ce contexte que s'inscrit ce travail de thèse dont l'objectif était de contribuer à une meilleure compréhension de la procrastination, en l'explorant dans une perspective dimensionnelle, multifactorielle et intégrative. Plus précisément, nous avons validé une mesure de procrastination générale en français, puis nous avons examiné l'influence de différents processus psychologiques (cognitifs, émotionnels, motivationnels et identitaires) et de leurs combinaisons sur la procrastination. Nous avons également adopté une approche qualitative, consistant à analyser les expériences personnelles de procrastination rapportées par plusieurs participants dans divers domaines de la vie quotidienne, afin de rendre compte des manifestations hétérogènes de la procrastination, de son caractère multi-déterminé et de sa grande variabilité interindividuelle

Cognitive, emotional, and motivational factors related to procrastination: A cluster analytic approach

Procrastination is a widespread phenomenon that has been associated with a host of cognitive, emotional, and motivational factors but about which a clear and integrated picture is still lacking. The aim of this study was to use primary established psychological procrastination-related factors in the literature to examine whether reliable subgroups of procrastinators can be identified through cluster analysis. To this end, 180 French-speaking students were asked to complete a measure of procrastination and four questionnaires assessing impulsivity, cognitive emotion regulation, self-esteem, and global motivation. Four clusters were identified: two with the lowest scores of procrastination (‘‘High regulated'' and ‘‘Regulated/low motivated''), one with higher scores of procrastination (‘‘Emotional''), and another with even higher scores (‘‘Unregulated''). The findings provide insights into the dynamic relationships between key procrastination-related factors and the mechanisms linked to the self-regulation difficulties that characterize trait procrastination. cop. 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Validation of a French version of the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS)

Procrastination is a widespread phenomenon that affects everyone's day-to-day life and interferes with the clinical treatment of several psychopathological states. To assess this construct, Steel (2010) developed the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS), a short scale intended to capture the general notion of dysfunctional delay. The aim of the current study was to present a French version of this questionnaire. To this end, the 12 items of the PPS were translated into French and data were collected from an online survey in a sample of 245 French-speaking individuals from the general population. The results revealed that one item had problematic face validity; it was therefore removed. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses performed on the resulting 11-item version of the French PPS indicated that the scale was composed of two factors (“voluntary delay” and “observed delay”) depending on a common, higher-order construct (“general procrastination”). Good internal consistency and test–retest reliability were found. External validity was supported by specific relationships with measures of personality traits, impulsivity, and subjective well-being. The French PPS therefore presents satisfactory psychometric properties and may be considered a reliable and valid instrument for research, teaching and clinical practice. cop. 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Are all facets of impulsivity related to self-reported compulsive buying behavior?

Compulsive buying is defined as uncontrolled and excessive purchases leading to personal and family distress. While compulsive buying is generally considered to be an impulse control disorder, very few studies have explored its relationships with the multidimensional construct of impulsivity. Consequently, the aim of the present study is to investigate the role of the various components of impulsivity in compulsive buying. To this end, 150 volunteer participants from the community were screened using a questionnaire assessing compulsive buying, and the French version of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. This scale identifies four distinct components associated with impulsive behaviors: urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking. The results showed that (1) compulsive buying is positively correlated with three facets of impulsivity (urgency, lack of perseverance and lack of premeditation), and (2) multiple linear regression analysis revealed urgency to be the only significant predictor of compulsive buying tendencies when gender, age, educational level and depression were controlled for. Those findings are discussed in light of the psychological processes underlying the various components of impulsivity in relation to the occurrence of compulsive buying behaviors. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Factor structure of a French version of the eating disorder examination-questionnaire among women with and without binge eating disorder symptoms

The Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is a self-report questionnaire that is widely used to investigate the core features of eating disorders. The EDE-Q is derived from the Eating Disorder Examination, a semi-structured interview considered as the ‘‘gold standard’’ in the assessment of eating disorders. To verify the factor structure of both instruments, originally composed of four subscales, factor analyses have been conducted with various samples. Heterogeneous results were found. Because no study had investigated the factor structure of the EDE-Q in individuals with binge eating disorder, the goal of our study was to fill this gap. We started with a review of the studies on the EDE and EDE-Q factor structure to decide which models to compare. Among 21 studies that were identified, three models had been replicated several times. We compared these three models—a 22-item, 3-factor model, a brief 7-item, 3-factor model and a brief 8-item, 1-factor model—in two samples of participants, one with threshold and subthreshold criteria for binge eating disorder (N = 116) and one without eating disorders (N = 161). Confirmatory factor analysis revealeda good fit for the brief 7-item, 3-factor model for both populations, whereas other solutions were not acceptable. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of the three factors were acceptable to good, ranging between 0.714 and 0.953. The group with binge eating disorder symptoms had significantly higher scores for each factor. This brief 7-item instrument might be useful for screening or short interventions

Procrastination as a self-regulation failure: The role of inhibition, negative affect, and gender

Procrastination is a widespread phenomenon described as the quintessence of self-regulatory failure. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of inhibition capacities (prepotent response inhibition and resistance to proactive interference), negative affect, and gender in this self-regulatory failure. One hundred thirteen partici- pants completed two tasks assessing prepotent response inhibition and resistance to proactive interference, as well as questionnaires measuring procrastination and trait negative affect. Three profiles of inhibitors were iden- tified through cluster analysis: the first had good capacities in both prepotent response inhibition and resistance to proactive interference, the second had good capacities in resisting proactive interference but lower capacities in inhibiting prepotent response, and the third had good capacities in inhibiting prepotent response but lower capacities in resisting proactive interference. Procrastination was higher in this last cluster, but only under par- ticular conditions (relatively higher level of negative affect) and in some participants (women). These results shed new light on the role of inhibition-related functions, negative affect, and gender in procrastination

Association between impulsivity, emotional/behavioural hyperactivation and functional outcome one year after severe traumatic brain injury

To examine impulsivity changes after a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to explore the relationships between impulsivity dimensions (urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking), emotional/behavioural hyperactivation and 12-month outcome.Methods: Measures of emotional/behavioural hyperactivation and functional outcome were administered to 60 patients with severe TBI 12 months after the trauma. A scale designed to assess impulsivity changes after TBI was completed by the patients significant others at the same time.Results: Scores on urgency and lack of perseverance were higher after the trauma, whereas the score on sensation seeking was lower and the score on lack of premeditation remained stable. Urgency was the only dimension of impulsivity related to both emotional/behavioural hyperactivation and functional outcome. The relationship between urgency and functional outcome was mediated by emotional/behavioural hyperactivation, suggesting that a high level of urgency results in emotional/behavioural hyperactivation, which in turn impacts functional outcome. Lack of perseverance was significantly associated with functional outcome, indicating that the higher the lack of perseverance, the lower the functional outcome.Conclusion: The results contribute to a better understanding of the 12-month outcome in patients with severe TBI. They also open interesting perspectives on management strategies for implementing targeted psychological interventions to decrease impulsive manifestations. © 2015 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

La Perspective Temporelle Equilibrée: Validation d’un questionnaire et relation avec la régulation émotionnelle.

La Perspective Temporelle Equilibrée fait référence à une disposition individuelle caractérisée par le fait de se projeter mentalement dans le futur et dans le passé de manière positive et fréquente. L’objectif de notre étude était de valider la version française d’une échelle, initialement conçue en anglais, évaluant cette orientation temporelle : la “Balanced Time Perspective Scale” (Webster, 2011). Une étude en ligne a permis de recueillir les données de 622 participants francophones issus de la population générale. Les résultats indiquent que la version française réplique la structure en deux facteurs du questionnaire original et plaident en faveur d’une bonne validité de construit. De surcroît, les résultats montrent qu’une tendance importante à se projeter mentalement dans le futur et dans le passé de manière positive et fréquente est associée à la réévaluation cognitive, une stratégie de régulation émotionnelle. En somme, ce questionnaire permet d’évaluer la perspective temporelle, qui est ici envisagée en tant qu’importante ressource pour le self, et ce, en étroite relation avec les capacités de régulation émotionnelle