Right hemisphere sensitivity to arousal and depression.

Several lines of evidence show impaired right hemisphere function in depression. Lateralized simple reaction time tasks show impaired left visual field responses both in normals experiencing a depressed mood and in patients with mild unipolar depression. One interpretation for these findings is that depression impairs right hemisphere function by interfering with right hemisphere arousal and vigilance mechanisms. In order to test this hypothesis, subjects receiving either depression or relaxation mood suggestions performed an uncued reaction time task that has been shown to be sensitive to right posterior brain damage. Level of alertness was varied by contrasting uncued blocks with blocks in which targets were preceded by a warning tone. The results showed the predicted slowing of left visual field responses in the depressed mood, but only in women. The effect was significant only for the uncued blocks. The left visual field impairment was significantly larger during depression than in the relaxation state, but a smaller left visual field slowing was present in women in the relaxed state as well. These results may be consistent with the notion that depression interferes with right hemisphere function in part by influencing right hemisphere arousal mechanisms.     

Psychosocial mediators of antiretroviral nonadherence in HIV-positive adults with substance use and mental health problems.

This study used data from 1,889 HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral (ARV) medications who participated in the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study to investigate whether nonadherence to ARV medications among patients with mental health and substance use problems could be explained by difficulty getting and negative attitudes toward ARV medications, poor fit of the regimen with lifestyle, lack of instruction and cues for remembering the regimen from a health care provider, and poor support from others for taking ARV medications. Difficulty getting ARV medications and poor fit with lifestyle were significant mediators of nonadherence for patients with a probable psychiatric disorder. Difficulty getting medication was a mediator for heavy drinkers, and poor fit with lifestyle was a mediator for drug users who drank heavily. Further research is needed to identify and address the barriers to adherence in these populations.     

Childhood Psychosocial Predictors of Adulthood Smoking,Alcohol Consumption,and Physical Activity1

This study prospectively addresses whether aspects of the childhood home environment (SES and parental divorce) and personality are predictive of smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity in middle adulthood. Subjects were 972 males and females who participated in the Terman Life-Cycle Study. Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that childhood unconscientiousness, cheerfulness, and parental divorce predicted adult smoking. Childhood unconscientiousness and sociability predicted adult alcohol consumption. Physical activity was predicted by a higher energy/activity level in childhood. Results suggest that the previously found associations between childhood characteristics and health-related behaviors over shorter periods are not simply reflective of early experimentation with such behaviors, but may be indicative of long-term lifestyle patterns.     

Perpetration of sibling aggression and sibling relationship quality in emerging adulthood

This study examined how emerging adults' perpetration of aggression toward a sibling closest in age was longitudinally associated with their sibling relationship quality. Emerging adults (N = 143; M_age = 19.62; 70% female) completed surveys online or by mail at two time points, 4 years apart. Of emerging adults, 25% perpetrated aggression against their closest‐in‐age sibling. Perpetration of sibling aggression was predictive 4 years later of less sibling warmth, involvement, and emotional help. None of the interactions with gender and sibling gender was significant. This study's findings demonstrate the importance of examining the consequences of perpetration of aggressive behavior toward a sibling for sibling relationship quality in emerging adulthood.