The relation between goal adjustment,goal disturbance,and mental well-being among persons with multiple sclerosis

Objective: This study investigated the role of goal adjustment, i.e. disengaging from blocked goals and reengaging into alternative goals, in mental well-being and goal disturbance in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Design: A cross-sectional design was used with self-report data from questionnaires and Personal Project Analysis (PPA).

Main outcome measures: Dependent variables were mental well-being, indicated by depression/anxiety (HADS; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and mental functioning (SF-36; Short Form Health Survey), and goal disturbance, indicated by goal manageability and goal interference (PPA). Independent variables were patient-reported physical impairment (SF-36) and goal disengagement and reengagement (GAS; Goal Adjustment Scale).

Results: Higher goal reengagement was associated with better mental well-being, but unrelated to goal disturbance. Goal disengagement only showed a negative association with anxiety. High disengagement was associated with lower goal interference but only for those also scoring high on reengagement. Goal adjustment did not buffer the effects of physical impairment on mental well-being and goal disturbance. Contrary to expectations, higher goal reengagement increased the association between physical impairment and goal interference.

Conclusion: Although goal reengagement is associated with better mental well-being in persons with MS, it might also strengthen the perceived effect of physical impairment on goal interference.     

Effects of Analytical and Experiential Self-focus on Rumination After a Stress Induction in Patients with Social Anxiety Disorder: A Pilot Study

According to cognitive models, negative post-event processing rumination is a key maintaining factor in social anxiety disorder (SAD). Analogue research has supported the differentiation of self-focus into different modes of self-focused attention with distinct effects on rumination in depression and social anxiety. The purpose of this study was to replicate these effects with a sample of clients with SAD (N = 12) using (a) an experimental, cross-over design and (b) an evaluation situation (impromptu speech) prior to manipulation. Processing an identical list of symptoms, half of a sample was asked to successively adopt an analytic (abstract, evaluative) and an experiential (concrete, process-focused) self-focus; the other half employed the modes in the reversed order. Effects were assessed with a thought-listing (TL) procedure. As predicted, the two modes of self-focused attention affected cognitions differently; participants in the experiential condition showed a tendency for a decreased proportion of negative thoughts, whereas those in the analytical condition reported a decreased proportion of neutral thoughts. No difference was shown on positive cognitions. Furthermore, the participants' self-evaluation following the speech predicted their degree of subsequent negative thinking. After self-focus inductions, however, this effect was only seen in those participants who started by receiving the analytical self-focus induction. The results support previous findings that the analytical and the experiential self-focus modes affect cognitions differently, and that experiential processing may have beneficial effects on rumination in SAD. However, results need to be replicated in a larger sample.     

Non-binary and binary transgender youth: Comparison of mental health,self-harm,suicidality, substance use and victimization experiences

ABSTRACT

?Background: Little research has compared the mental health and victimization experiences of non-binary youth depending on their sex assigned at birth (SAAB), or compared these two groups with binary transgender youth.

Aims: To compare mental health, self-harm and suicidality, substance use and victimization experiences between non-binary and binary transgender young adults, both male assigned at birth (MAAB) and female assigned at birth (FAAB).

Methods: Online survey data from 677 participants from the “Youth Chances” community study of 16 to 25 year olds in the United Kingdom was analyzed, comparing across binary participants (transgender females (n = 105) and transgender males (n = 210)) and non-binary participants (MAAB (n = 93) and FAAB (n = 269)).

Results: Female SAAB participants (binary and non-binary) were more likely to report a current mental health condition and history of self-harm than male SAAB participants (binary and non-binary). Similarly, female SAAB participants (binary and non-binary) were more likely to report childhood sexual abuse than male SAAB participants (binary and non-binary); the reverse pattern was found for lifetime physical assault relating to being LGBTQ. Non-binary MAAB participants were less likely than the other groups to report past suicide attempts and previous help-seeking for depression/anxiety. Binary participants reported lower life satisfaction than non-binary participants. For all four groups, mental health problems, self-harm, suicidality, alcohol use and victimization experiences were generally higher than that of youth in general population studies.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of considering both non-binary versus binary gender identity and SAAB in relation to mental health problems, self-harm, suicidality and substance use in transgender youth. The roles of sexual abuse, other abuse and discrimination in contributing to increased rates of mental illness and self-harm in non-binary and binary transgender individuals, particularly those who were assigned female at birth, relative to those assigned male, require investigation.     

Graduate Training and Feminism:

No abstract available for this article.