Young men's coping with androgenetic alopecia: acceptance counts when hair gets thinner

The present study examined how young men cope with balding (androgenetic alopecia). The sample consisted of 160 university students (18–30 years) with varying degrees of hair loss (stages II–VII on the Norwood–Hamilton Scale). Three ways of coping were distinguished: compensation, avoidance, and acceptance. Psychological distress due to hair loss depended neither on the age of participants nor on the stage of balding. Since compensation and avoidance were associated with high levels of distress, their functional value might be questioned. Acceptance, however, was negatively related to distress – even, or rather, especially when stage of hair loss was advanced. Furthermore, acceptance had a direct negative effect on medical consultation about hair loss. By contrast, compensation and avoidance had a positive distress-mediated effect on medical consultation. Taken together, this study underlines the adaptive role of acceptance when confronted with irreversible changes such as androgenetic alopecia.     

高校大学生人际敏感与社交焦虑相关因素分析

目的:分析比较大学生人际困扰、社交焦虑和心理症状的现状与影响,为大学生心理健康教育提供见解。方法:采用自制大学生压力源情况调查表,症状自评量表,社交回避及苦恼量表对大一、大二、大三共1291名大学生进行了测查。结果:人际关系困扰各年级总检出率为27.2%;大二和大三人际敏感因子均分高于大一,女生得分高于男生,并有显著差异;社交苦恼因子和总均分高于常模,存在差异显著性(P<0.05),总体社交回避及苦恼与抑郁、强迫、焦虑等心理症状有显著正相关,并有统计学意义。结论:人际困扰、人际敏感症状存在年级、性别差异,和典型表现形式;社交回避及苦恼可导致不同类型心理症状。     

Psychological wellbeing of Turkish university students with physical impairments: an evaluation within the stress-vulnerability paradigm

Generally, universities in developing countries offer little in the way of provisions and support (material, emotional, etc.) for disabled students. Therefore, disabled students experience considerable burdens and barriers in their educational life. This study investigated the psychological wellbeing of disabled Turkish university students by examining influences on stress-related growth and psychological distress. Disability is defined within the framework of a social model. According to this view, impairment refers to the functional limitation(s) that affect(s) a person's body, whereas disability refers to the loss or limitation of opportunities owing to social, physical or psychological obstacles. Seventy disabled university students with physical impairments were administered a questionnaire package, including a sociodemographic information sheet, Ways of Coping Questionnaire, Stress-Related Growth Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Social Support, Life Events Inventory, and Brief Symptom Inventory. Snowball sampling was used and voluntary participation was essential. The results showed that disability burden, daily hassles, and helplessness coping were significant predictors of psychological symptoms. For stress-related growth the only variable that appeared significant was problem-solving coping. The results pointed out that there may be different pathways to distress and growth. In order to decrease psychological distress and enhance growth in disabled university students, disability awareness programs, changes in the barriers in the academic and physical environments of the university campuses, and coping skills training to increase problem-focused coping and to combat helplessness may prove to be effective. Reducing daily hassles for the disabled students is likely to contribute to their wellbeing by decreasing their burdens. Also, a more disability-friendly environment is likely to be empowering for disabled university students.     

不同机械通气模式下吸痰对ARDS患者肺通气及顺应性的影响

为探讨不同机械通气模式下吸痰对ARDS患者肺通气及顺应性的影响。选择20例ARDS机械通气患者,随机分为A/C组与SIMV组;分别给予开放式吸痰,记录吸痰前后肺通气指标及呼吸系统顺应性指标的变化。结果吸痰后各时间点呼吸频率均显著增加(P0.01);潮气量、分钟通气量在0s显著降低,吸痰后15s、1min显著增加(P0.01);两通气模式比较SIMV组呼吸频率、分钟通气量增加显著(P0.01)。吸痰前后动静态顺应性、动态P-V曲线斜率差异不显著(P0.05),通气模式之间亦无统计学差异。提示开放式吸痰引起呼吸频率显著增加,潮气量及分钟通气量先是下降然后显著增加;SIMV模式呼吸频率、通气量增加较为显著。不同通气模式下吸痰对呼吸系统顺应性影响不显著。     

Coping self-efficacy mediates the effects of negative cognitions on posttraumatic distress

Although cognitive distortions have predicted posttraumatic distress after various types of traumatic events, the mechanisms through which cognitive distortions influence posttraumatic distress remain unclear. We hypothesized that coping self-efficacy, the belief in one's own ability to manage posttraumatic recovery demands, would operate as a mediator between negative cognitions (about self, about the world, and self-blame beliefs) and posttraumatic distress. In the cross-sectional Study 1, data collected among 66 adult female victims of child sexual abuse indicated that coping self-efficacy mediated the effects of negative cognitions about self and about the world on posttraumatic distress. The same pattern of results was found in a longitudinal Study 2, conducted among 70 survivors of motor vehicle accidents. Coping self-efficacy measured at 1 month after the trauma mediated the effects of 7-day negative cognitions about self and about the world on 3-month posttraumatic distress. In both studies self-blame was not related to posttraumatic distress and the effect of self-blame on posttraumatic distress was not mediated by coping self-efficacy. The results provide insight into a mechanism through which negative cognitions may affect posttraumatic distress and highlight the potential importance of interventions aimed at enhancing coping self-efficacy beliefs.     

Is it the sound or your relationship to it? The role of acceptance in predicting tinnitus impact

Tinnitus is an experience of sound in the absence of an appropriate external source. A symptom that can accompany most central or peripheral dysfunctions of the auditory system, tinnitus can lead to significant distress, depression, anxiety, and decreases in life quality. This paper investigated the construct of psychological acceptance in a population of tinnitus patients. First, a cross-sectional study (N = 77) was conducted in which a tinnitus specific acceptance questionnaire was developed. Results showed that a Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire (TAQ) generated good internal consistency. A factor solution was derived with two factors: activity engagement and tinnitus supression. Second, a longitudinal study (N = 47) investigated the mediating role of acceptance on the relationship between tinnitus distress at baseline and tinnitus distress, anxiety, life quality, and depression at a 7-month follow-up. The results showed full mediation of activity engagement for depression and life quality at follow-up, partial mediation for tinnitus distress, and no mediation for anxiety. The role of acceptance in the negative impact of tinnitus distress merits further investigation.     

A Spiritual Screening Tool for Older Adults

Objective The purpose of this non-experimental study was to investigate the reliability and validity of a self-administered screening tool for spiritual distress in older adults. The tool was unique in that items were consistent with a conceptual definition of spirituality presented in the professional literature and supported by theories of behavioral development for older adults. Methods Questionnaires were distributed to residents of a continuing care retirement community participating in a class on spirituality. Results The split-half reliability coefficient was found to be 0.776. Construct validity was established and a cutoff value for spiritual distress was determined. Discussion Tests for reliability and validity demonstrated confidence in use of the tool to screen for spiritual distress in older adults.     

Symptoms of Psychological Distress Among Mothers and their Adult Offspring: A Longitudinal Examination

We examined the association between maternal psychological distress during offspring’s early development and offspring’s later distress in adulthood, as well as the influence of maternal characteristics at offspring’s birth and offspring’s characteristics in adulthood on distress. Data were obtained from the British Cohort Study, a longitudinal study of children born in a one-week period in 1970. Children were followed up multiple times from birth through to age 30. Results indicate that greater symptoms of maternal psychological distress during offspring’s early childhood are associated with greater symptoms of distress in adult offspring. A large component of this association is indirect, occurring through mother’s distress in later childhood and offspring’s problem behavior during adolescence. Findings that the association between maternal and offspring’s distress is more indirect than direct support arguments that early maternal distress has long-term consequences for offspring.     

Graduate employment status and health: a longitudinal analysis of the transition from student

The prevalence of unemployment and underemployment was explored longitudinally in 248 recent graduates (73 males and 175 females) over an 18–24 month transition from final year student to 9–12 months post-graduation. Over this period changes in levels of psychological distress, health behaviours, social support, optimism and achievement motivation were measured. Results show that both unemployment and underemployment have deleterious effects on psychological and physical health, social support, optimism and achievement motivation.

呼吸危重症临床决策中的若干问题

在临床实践中,呼吸危重症的诊断和治疗存在着一些不同的观点。就其中某些热点问题,如慢性阻塞性肺疾病合并哮喘的诊断和机械通气的指征、肺栓塞的诊断、急性呼吸窘迫综合征的治疗、呼吸重症监护病房的建设和呼吸危重症的伦理学问题进行阐述,以期提高对呼吸危重症的认识。