Affektverarbeitung und Beziehungsgestaltung bei somatoformen Störungen

Somatoform disorders are usually associated with disturbances in affective processing and consequently with relational disorders. The effect of psychotherapy on the emotional regulation and the relational behaviour in the course of treatment of a patient with somatoform autonomous dysfunction and dysthymia has been examined. Pre-post comparisons of inpatient treatment have been performed by means of standardized questionnaire data; the course of therapy has been evaluated by the analysis of the dependence of the leading symptom of hypogastric pain on mood parameters with the help of multivariate time-series analyses. One effect of psychotherapy was the initiation of an intrapsychic discourse, which led to an improved ability of affect regulation as well as to a better functioning in relationships. This was accompanied by a reduction of somatization. The interrelations between somatization, affect- and relationship-regulation are discussed.     

Studienbezogene Belastungen, Lebensqualität und Beziehungserleben bei Medizinstudenten

In a cross-sectional study of medical students we examined educational strains, health feeling, and relationship patterns. Work stress was measured using the questionnaire by Jurkat et al., health-related quality of life was measured using the Short Form- (SF-)36 Health Survey, and relationship patterns to the partner as well as to a friend were mapped using“Beziehungsmusterfragebogen“ (BeMus). Study stress was assessed as being high by 60% of the students. Consequently, 39% had not enough time for their partners und 29% had no time for own interests. The mental health averaged significantly below the norm. A high workload and discontent correlated with aggressiveness, especially in the partnership, whereas loving care towards the partner or friend correlated with a high level of satisfaction and a lower strain level. Therefore, an improvement of psychosocial competence in medical students as well as a practice-oriented preparation for the profession is needed.     

Rorschach Comprehensive System data for a sample of 409 adult nonpatients from Brazil

This is a normative study with 409 adult nonpatients living in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Rorschach was administered by a team of nine psychologists; eight had had further training in the Rorschach method by the Brazilian Rorschach Society and one intensively was prepared by the project coordinator. Of the study participants, 200 lived in the state capital (Sao Paulo) and the other 209 were in other large and small cities in the state, including a coastal city and one in the mountains. Previous psychological or psychiatric treatments were criteria for exclusion. Each protocol was coded independently by two examiners, and then agreement of the two codings was checked. Differences between the two codings were discussed in a meeting of the whole team, which was supervised by the project coordinator to guarantee codification quality control. Upon completion of the codings, an analysis of examiner differences was undertaken, the results of which are in the text. Interrater reliability statistics among examiners were calculated, including percentage of agreement and kappa. Reliability statistics among examiners at the response level are presented as are Comprehensive System (CS; 1999, 2003) findings.     

How attribution influences aggression: Answers to an old question by using an implicit measure of anger

The present study investigated how aggressive reactions to frustration are influenced by attributional processes. In particular, we examined how the information that another person did not intend a frustration affects anger and aggression. Previous research was inconclusive if attribution to unintentionality decreases anger and aggressive impulses or if it increases the control of aggressive impulses resulting in a selective decrease of aggressive reactions that are controllable. To test these assumptions, two thirds of participants were frustrated by negative evaluations that were paired with aversive sounds from an ostensible team partner. The remaining participants received positive evaluations that were paired with pleasant sounds. Then, half of the frustrated participants obtained a message suggesting that their partner had confused the response scale and had actually meant to deliver an opposite evaluation. This apologizing information was effective in decreasing subsequent aggressive behavior but not in reducing anger as assessed by an implicit measure. This finding is in line with the notion that attribution to unintentionality leads to control of aggressive impulses. We conclude that such attributions influence aggressive behavior mainly via reflective pathways, while impulsive processes remain largely unaffected.     

When head is tempered by heart: Heart rate variability modulates perception of other-blame reducing anger

This study examined the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV), as an index of individual differences in emotion regulation, and perception of other-blame, as a mechanism of anger induction. The physiological responses were recorded while subjects read a story from a computer screen. The story narrated a negative event in self-referred way -dismissal from a job as the result of a colleague’s action- under conditions of intentionality versus non-intentionality. Cognitive and emotional variables were assessed by questionnaire immediately after the physiological test. The resulting structural model supports the conclusion that HRV exerts its regulatory influence directly on perception of other-blame rather than on emotion. In situations of intentionality, individuals with higher HRV make less extreme evaluation of the offender’s blame, versus those with lower HRV, thus leading to a reduction in anger reaction. These results suggest that HRV is a direct index of cognitive rather than emotional regulation.     

The role of emotion in bridging the intention–behaviour gap: The case of sports participation

ProblemPsychological models of sports participation frequently draw on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in order to predict health-behaviour-related intentions. While these models commonly show high predictive power with respect to intention, they often fall short in the prediction of behaviour (the ‘intention–behaviour gap’). The present study contends that integrating emotional processes into TPB can substantially improve the model's predictive power over and above traditional cognitive predictors.MethodIn a longitudinal study structural equation modelling was employed to test a traditional model (based on TPB) and an extended model including emotion associated with the intention to exercise as a mediator variable. A community sample (N = 237) completed a questionnaire measuring the components of a traditional TPB model. Prior to each of 16 expected exercise sessions (over 8 weeks) intention to exercise and emotion associated with the intention were measured.ResultsResults confirmed a substantial increase of 17% in explained variance of exercise frequency and 20% in exercise duration for the extended model. Emotional appraisal of the intention to exercise thus appears to mediate the traditional intention–behaviour relationship, suggesting that emotionally based interventions aimed at increasing sports participation may be helpful.ConclusionIt is concluded that emotion variables should be added to traditional TPB models in order to predict health behaviour more fully.     

Factorial invariance of the theory of planned behavior applied to physical activity across gender,age, and ethnic groups

Objectives:The present study assessed the generalizability of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) applied to physical activity and to examine if the TPB operates equivalently across gender, age, and ethnic sub-groups.Design/Methods:Measurement equivalence was evaluated for gender (male/female), age (19–34/35–54/55+) and ethnicity (Japanese/Hawaiian or part Hawaiian/Filipino/White) in a random sample (n = 3533) using Multisample Structural Equation Modeling.Results:Measurement equivalence was found for all variables and for their intercorrelations. Of the 100 possible TPB variable relationships between groups, only 6 were significant. The differences were found in explained variances of physical activity.Conclusions:The findings indicate that TPB measures apply over a range of population sub-groups, and should be considered comprehensively when designing interventions.     

Surfing for sex: Studying involuntary celibacy using the internet

The Internet offers possibilities for sexuality research that could not have been imagined even a decade ago. Although Internet users are not representative of the general population, they are easily accessible, and the openness with which they discuss sensitive topics has created a tremendous and largely untapped pool of respondents for sex research. Moreover, the web provides access to populations that are largely hidden and difficult to reach using traditional methods. In this article, we explore such issues as sampling, research design, data collection and management, and the ethics of web-based research. In doing so, we review past research, investigate the advantages and disadvantages of using the Internet in sexuality studies, draw examples from our web-based study of involuntary celibacy, and recommend guidelines for future web based inquiries.     

Using statistical risk information to assess oral contraceptive safety

The effect of variations in the presentation of oral contraceptive risk information on perceived safety was investigated. Four tests of the hypothesis that consumers focus on the absolute value of the numbers presented when assessing risk probabilities were performed with the following results: (1) when base rates are given, risks are perceived as less likely than when base rates are not given; (2) risks seem smaller when the information provided focuses on the number that will not die than when the number of expected deaths is presented; (3) contrary to our expectation, respondents do not focus on foreground numbers when risk was represented in an ‘X out of Y occurrences’ format; (4) respondents judged a risk of ‘4.15 times greater’ as less likely than when the information was presented as ‘415% greater risk’. We concluded that consumers convert statistical risk information into judgements about the magnitude of the number presented (small or large number) and utilize this more meaningful information when making risk judgements.