Family relationships in Greek insulin-dependent diabetics

This exploratory pilot study was designed to investigate the relationship between Greek Insulin Dependent Diabetics and their family members. A secondary purpose was to explore the availability of sources for diabetes related education and to assess whether diabetics and their family members had seen a psychologist for counselling. Twenty patients with Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) (Group A) and their parents (Group B), were randomly selected from a group of families attending the Athens Diabetic Centre of Social Security. Children and parents were given a specially prepared questionnaire, which addressed the impact of IDDM on their relationships and daily activities. There was also an interview with each of them separately. The results indicate that sources of education for diabetics are limited in Greece and that the majority of diabetics and their families have never seen a psychologist with a view to assessment and support. It is concluded that the diabetics in this study were generally content in their relationships with their parents although overprotectiveness by parents is a problem sometimes experienced by the children. After the initial shock of the diagnosis of diabetes, the majority of the families gradually returned to their premorbid state and relationship patterns.     

Counselling patients with AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma

Kaposi's Sarcoma is a disfiguring and feared symptom of HIV disease. Structured interviews of patients, family members and health care providers were conducted in three settings: USA (11), UK (8) and sub-Saharan Africa (20). These sought to identify: (a) contextual and cultural differences; (b) the main fears of patients and others; (c) practical ways of addressing these and coping with stigma, and (d) methods for ‘inoculating’ non-KS patients against psychological distress before there is any evidence of clinical signs or symptoms. It was found that context and culture mediated social responses to KS and disfigurement. Patients in Africa seemed to be less affected than Western patients by appearance and stigma. Issues relating to secrecy were common to both groups. Compliance with treatment was good as long as it was efficacious. When no further treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma was possible, there is greater emphasis on counselling. Patients (particularly in the West) appreciated treatment of lesions on the hands and face, and advice about cosmetic applications, even if lesions on other parts of the body could not be treated. Perceptions about being able to find a new partner were reduced among Western patients with KS. Patients with KS or an associated fear may benefit from counselling in which ideas relating to stigma, secrecy, treatment, cosmetic applications, the effects on family and fears of disfigurement are discussed.     

A Reflective Account of a Research Ethics Course for an Interdisciplinary Cohort of Graduate Students

Science and Engineering Ethics - The graduate course in research ethics in the Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering at the National University of Singapore consists of a...     

The impact of disclosure of HIV on the index patient's self-defined family

For most people facing a serious illness, the family is regarded as the primary source of support. Research suggests that patterns of support may differ for people infected with HIV. Access to support normally requires disclosure of one's health problem to others. This study examined the impact of disclosure of HIV on the index patient's self-defined family. Most participants were gay men attending a London HIV clinic. Both they and the care-givers whom they identified to the researchers were interviewed. The results of this qualitative study highlight the fact that many gay men with HIV do not regard their biological family as their primary social support system. Friends and partners were commonly cited as primary care-givers. Most of those interviewed who provided support to the infected individual clearly remembered the disclosure event. They also had a number of emotional reactions, over time, to disclosure. We argue that adjustment to illness among care-givers is a complex two-way, reciprocal process whereby the infected individual and care-giver take subtle cues from one another in terms of how they appear to one another to cope. Some emotionally painful feelings may be experienced but not openly expressed. Therapists who work with families affected by illness should first learn from the patient who he or she defines as 'family'. They should also enquire about the impact of disclosure of illness on all care-givers as well as subsequent reactions and unexpressed feelings associated with this.     

The mental health of pilots: An overview

The impact and long-term psychological consequences of the 11th September 2001 terrorist attacks in the USA involving commercial aircraft are likely to be far-reaching. Pilots were directly affected by these events though it is too early to comprehend the specific psychological and occupational repercussions. While psychologists have written much on the selection of commercial and military aircrew, surprisingly little has been published on the mental health of pilots. They are a unique occupational group in terms of their selection, training, lifestyle, frequent competency and medical checks, as well as the nature and changing demands placed on them. Their 'office' is normally a cramped flight deck on board an aircraft at altitudes of thousands of feet. While some aspects of their job and lifestyle appear attractive to some, their working conditions are, at worst, inhospitable and unpleasant. This paper provides an overview of current research on the mental health of pilots, gathered from a number of different fields and specialities within commercial and military aviation. The review covers their lifestyle, psychological requirements for medical certification, psychological problems amongst air crew, personality factors, disruption to personal relationships, reactions to incidents and accidents, alcohol and drug misuse, suicide by aircraft and environmental challenges. Flight crew should have easy access to psychological support; however, many pilots are distrusting of mental health professionals. Further research is needed to improve an understanding of mental health issues among pilots, especially in order to better understand the psychological impact of the terrorist attacks upon them.     

Early Adversity and the Prospective Prediction of Depressive and Anxiety Disorders in Adolescents

The current study was a prospective exploration of the specificity of early childhood adversities as predictors of anxiety and depressive disorders in adolescents. Participants were 816 adolescents (414~males, 402 females) with diagnostic information collected at age 15; information on early adversities had been collected from the mothers during pregnancy, at birth, age 6 months, and age 5~years for a related study. Adolescents with pure anxiety disorders were compared with adolescents with pure depressive disorders (major depressive disorder, dysthymia), and these groups were compared to never-ill controls. Analyses controlled for gender and maternal depression and anxiety disorders. Results indicated that adolescents with anxiety disorders were more likely than depressed youth to have been exposed to various early stressors, such as maternal prenatal stress, multiple maternal partner changes, and more total adversities, whereas few early childhood variables predicted depressive disorders. Even when current family stressors at age 15 were controlled, early adversity variables again significantly predicted anxiety disorders. Results suggest that anxiety disorders may be more strongly related to early stress exposure, while depressive disorders may be related to more proximal stressors or to early stressors not assessed in the current study.     

Moralizing the COVID-19 Pandemic: Self-Interest Predicts Moral Condemnation of Other's Compliance,Distancing, and Vaccination

The emergence of the novel coronavirus has put societies under tremendous pressure to instigate massive and rapid behavior change. Throughout history, an effective strategy to facilitate novel behaviors has been to morally condemn those who do not behave in an appropriate way. Accordingly, here, we investigate if complying with the advice of health authorities—for example, to physically distance or vaccinate—has emerged as a moralized issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Study 1, we rely on data (N = 94K) from quota-sampled rolling cross-sectional online surveys from eight countries (Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and the United States). We find that large majorities find it justified to condemn those who do not keep a distance to others in public and around half of respondents blame ordinary citizens for the severity of the pandemic. Furthermore, we identify the most important predictors of condemnation to be behavior change and personal concern, while institutional trust and social distrust also play large but less consistent roles. Study 2 offers a registered replication of our findings on a representative sample of Britons (N = 1.5K). It shows that both moralization and condemnation of both vaccination and general compliance are best predicted by self-interested considerations.     

Counselling children and adults about AIDS/HIV: The ripple effect on haemophilia care settings

Haemophilia and HIV/AIDS are life-long, life-threatening conditions for which there is treatment but no cure. Both affect not only the patient but all members of the family. This paper focusses on how the counselling of those with AIDS/HIV has been affected by dilemmas such as treatment, infectious aspects, blood donation, sex, the media and having children. The impact of haemophilia and AIDS on the family and the ripple effect on health care staff is addressed.     

Complementarity in relationships of couples affected by HIV

Psychological interventions with patients with HIV infection may affect the stability of the patient's relationship with others. Two clinical cases are described to illustrate this. Both the impact of AIDS on patients and their relationships, and the impact of psychological interventions on the index patient and others, should always be considered when HIV-infected patients are referred to psychiatrists and other mental health care workers.