Insomnia symptoms are associated with elevated C-reactive protein in young adults

Abstract

Objective: Insomnia is associated with elevated inflammation; however, studies have not investigated if this relationship is confounded with depression and neuroticism, which are associated with insomnia and inflammation. The current study examined the association of insomnia symptoms with C-reactive protein (CRP) and with interleukin-6 (IL-6), independently and after controlling for depressive symptoms and neuroticism. Design: Fifty-two young adults (mean age?=?25.2?±?3.9 years, 52% female) completed a baseline survey to assess psychological characteristics, followed by a plasma blood draw. Main outcome measures: Plasma CRP and IL-6. Results: When examined alone, insomnia symptoms were significantly associated with elevated CRP (β?=?0.52; R²?=?0.27), as was neuroticism (β?=?0.41, R²?=?0.17), but not depressive symptoms (β?=?0.21, R²?=?0.05). The association between insomnia symptoms and CRP remained significant when depressive symptoms and neuroticism were entered into the model simultaneously; this model did not explain more variance than the model with insomnia symptoms alone. No variables were associated with IL-6. Conclusions: Results suggest that insomnia symptoms are independently associated with elevated CRP in young adults, even after controlling for presumed overlapping psychological constructs. Findings highlight the potential importance of treating insomnia to reduce systemic inflammation.     

Couples’ Negative Interaction Behaviors and Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental health problem predisposing to dysfunctional interaction behaviors and negative couple outcomes. This study aimed to assess, through direct observation, the quality of relationships of couples in which women were diagnosed with BPD. The sample consisted of 28 couples in which the woman had BPD, and 82 community couples. Couples’ interactions were coded using three scales—withdrawal/ avoidance, dominance, and criticism/attack/conflict—from the Global Couple Interaction Coding System. Couples in which the women had BPD evidenced significantly more negative behaviors, particularly dominance behaviors, than community couples. Moreover, in BPD couples, women adopted Criticism/Attack/Conflict behaviors more frequently than men.     

Unemployment and mental health in a favorable labor market

Labour market variables may moderate the link between unemployment and mental health, as has been found in numerous research papers. The aim of this study was to test, in the context of a very favorable labor market, (1) the detrimental effect of unemployment on mental health and (2) the predictive validity of mental health on further employment status. The population of the study comprised 384 newly registered unemployed persons. Mental health was assessed through four variables: self-esteem, psychological distress, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. The results did not confirm previous studies. Using analyses of variance for repeated measures and linear regression, a negative change of mental health was not found after 6 and 12 months' unemployment, and the four measurements of mental health at registration did not predict employment status 6 and 12 months later. Results are discussed in terms of moderating variables that capture Luxembourg labor market specificities. This research was supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund in the framework of the VIVRE Program; grant no. FNR/02/05/07. We would like to thank Mary Devine for the linguistic revision of the text.     

The beneficial and detrimental effects of major depression on intuitive decision-making

Intuitions play a central role in everyday life decision-making but little is known regarding this capacity during depression. Thus, in Study 1, N?=?39 depressed in-patients completed two well-established tasks, assessing intuitions of visual and semantic coherence. In the semantic coherence task, patients judged whether presented words triads were coherent (e.g. SALT DEEP FOAM, related to SEA) or not (e.g. DREAM BALL BOOK, no denominator). In the visual coherence task, patients judged whether blurred pictures depicted real-life objects (coherent) or not (incoherent). Results showed that higher depressive symptomatology was associated with impaired intuitions of semantic coherence but with enhanced intuitions of visual coherence. In Study 2, visual coherence intuitions of depressed patients (n?=?27) were compared to healthy control participants (n?=?30). Depressed patients outperformed the healthy control subjects in the visual coherence task. This pattern of findings shows both detrimental and beneficial decisional consequences of depression.     

Exploring the Capacity of NEO PI‐R Facets to Predict Job Performance in Two French‐Canadian Samples

The capacity of personality facets to predict contextual performance (i.e., interpersonal facilitation and job dedication), task performance, and global performance was explored by means of two predictive validity field studies. In a preliminary way, Study 1 demonstrated that four personality facets – Self‐Consciousness, Excitement Seeking, Trust, and Competence – were related to at least one job performance dimension in a well‐structured occupation sample. Study 2 revealed that eight personality facets were linked to specific job performance dimensions in a professional occupation sample. Results indicate that a combination of facets is useful for predicting job performance.     

Reviews: Books, Art

FINDING SPACE: WINNICOTT, GOD, AND PSYCHIC REALITY. By Ann Belford Ulanov. 232 pp. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. $24.95. ON RELIGION. By John D. Caputo. New York: Routledge Press, 2001. $12.95. ORDINARY MIND: EXPLORING THE COMMON GROUND OF ZEN AND PSYCHOTHERAPY. By Barry Magid. 190 pp. Boston: Wisdom Pub, 2001. $22.95. SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND PSYCHOANALYSIS: SEXUAL SCIENCE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE. By Richard C. Friedman and Jennifer I. Downey. 352 pp. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002. $35.00. EROTIC INNOCENCE: THE CULTURE OF CHILD MOLESTING. By James R. Kincaid. 352 pp. Durham: Duke University Press, 1998. $24.95. PRACTICING PRESENCE: THE SPIRITUALITY OF CARING IN EVERYDAY LIFE. By Kerry Walters. 122 pp. Franklin, WI: Sheed & Ward, Inc., 2001. $14.95. TERRIFYING TRANSFERENCES: AFTERSHOCKS OF CHILDHOOD TRAUMA. By Lawrence E. Hedges. 497 pp. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, Inc., 2000. $65.00. THE ORIFICE AS SACRIFICIAL SITE: CULTURE, ORGANIZATION, AND THE BODY. By James Aho. 153 pp. New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 2002. $45.95. The Paintings of Joan Mitchell     

Reviews: Books, Art

LOCATING THE ROMANTIC SUBJECT: NOVALIS WITH WINNICOTT. By Gail M. Newman. 258 pp. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. 1997. $39.95. MENTORING: THE MINISTRY OF SPIRITUAL KINSHIP. By Edward C. Sellner. 198 pp. Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publications, 2002. $12.95. CREATING SCHOOLS THAT HEAL: REAL LIFE SOLUTIONS. By Lesley Koplow. 232 pp. New York: Teachers College Press, 2002. $19.95. MORAL MEMORANDA FROM JOHN HOWARD YODER: CONVERSATIONS ON LAW, ETHICS, AND THE CHURCH BETWEEN A MENNONITE THEOLOGIAN AND A HOOSIER LAWYER. By Thomas L. Shaffer. 121 pp. Eugene, OR: WIPF and Stock Publishers, 2002. $16.00. TALK IS NOT ENOUGH: HOW PSYCHOTHERAPY REALLY WORKS. By Willard Gaylin, M.D. 323 pp. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2000. $24.95. MICHAL ROVNER: THE SPACE BETWEEN