Social support, locus of control, and depressive symptoms in hemodialysis patients

This study aimed to reveal how social support and psychological well-being association might differ with locus of control orientation for chronically ill patients receiving a restrictive and unpleasant medical treatment (i.e., hemodialysis). Data were collected from 104 hemodialysis patients. After controlling for the variance accounted for by gender and duration of dialysis, for patients with internal locus of control, lack of "perceived social support" was found to be associated with depressive symptoms. On the other hand, for patients with external locus of control, the same analysis revealed that lack of "satisfaction from the received social support" was associated with depressive symptoms. Thus, for hemodialysis patients the variables associated with depressive symptoms varied with their locus of control orientations. Furthermore, the present study underlined the importance of considering different aspects of social support while studying with chronically ill patients.     

WISC-R subtest but no overall VIQ-PIQ difference in Dutch children with PDD-NOS

VIQ-PIQ differences have been studied in children with autism and Asperger syndrome but have not been studied in a separate group of children with PDD-NO, although, PDD-NOS has a much higher prevalence rate than autism and deficits in communication and social interaction are severe. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) was administered to 100 children, aged 6-12 years, with PDD-NOS (n = 76), autism (n = 13), and Asperger syndrome (n = 11). PDD-NOS was diagnosed using explicit research criteria. No overall differences between VIQ and PIQ were found in PDD-NOS and autism. Peaks in the subtest scores on Information, Similarities, Picture Arrangement, and Mazes, and troughs in the subtest scores on Comprehension, Digit Span, and Coding were demonstrated in children with PDD-NOS. Their score on the Freedom from Distractibility factor was lower than the scores on the Verbal Comprehension factor and the Perceptual Organization factor. Children with PDD-NOS seemed to have a similar VIQ-PIQ profile as children with autism, and on the subtest level children with PDD-NOS showed some similarities to children with Asperger syndrome or autism. It was not possible to distinguish PDD-NOS from autism or Asperger syndrome by using IQ scores.     

Sequential modulations of correspondence effects across spatial dimensions and tasks

In two experiments, we explored sequential modulations of correspondence effects in a prime-target paradigm. In Experiment 1, the participants responded to the direction of target arrows that were preceded by prime arrows with a corresponding or noncorresponding direction. This produced a prime-target correspondence effect that was reduced when the preceding trial contained a noncorresponding prime-target event. This sequential modulation of the correspondence effect was observed even when neither stimuli nor responses were repeated from one trial to the next, ruling out explanations of sequential modulations in terms of stimulus or response repetitions. Experiment 2 combined the prime-target correspondence effect with a Simon-type correspondence effect. Both effects were reduced following noncorrespondence of the same type and, to a lesser extent, following noncorrespondence of the other type. Altogether, these results suggest that part of the sequential modulation of correspondence effects reflects an adaptation to a preceding response conflict independently of the peripheral stimulus events that produced this conflict.     

Neuroprotection and stroke rehabilitation: modulation and enhancement of recovery

Recent advances in research are modifying our view of recovery after nervous system damage. New findings are changing previously held concepts and providing promising avenues for treatment of patients after stroke. This review discusses mechanisms of neuronal injury after brain ischemia and the attempts to study neuroprotection options based on such mechanisms. It also considers measures available at present to improve outcome after stroke and presents new areas of research, particularly stimulation techniques, neurogenesis and trophic factors to enhance recovery. In order to improve outcomes, medications that may be detrimental to recovery should be avoided, while symptomatic therapy of problems such as depression, pain syndromes and spasticity may contribute to better results. Continued surveillance and early treatment of complications associated with acute stroke, along with supportive care remain the mainstay of treatment for stroke patients in the recovery phase. Present research on limiting brain damage and improving recovery and plasticity enhance the prospects for better clinical treatments to improve recovery after stroke.     

Separating optimism and pessimism: a robust psychometric analysis of the revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R)

The internal structure of the revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R, German version; M. F. Scheier, C. S. Carver, & M. W. Bridges, 1994) was analyzed in a sample of 46,133 participants who ranged in age from 18 years to 103 years. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that dispositional optimism, as measured by the LOT-R, is bidimensional, consisting of an Optimism and a Pessimism factor. Consistent with previous results, there were small to moderate negative correlations between Optimism and Pessimism, but the strength of the association continuously decreased with age. The relative independence of the 2 dimensions occurred in both genders and across different age groups of patients with different medical disorders.