Theological Strategies,Constructing Meaning,and Coping with Breast Cancer: A Qualitative Study

Examines ways in which the experience of breast cancer has impacted the theology and the ability to create meaning for 10 female breast cancer patients. Discusses three theological strategies emerging from participant interviews: 1) God causes cancer for a purpose, 2) God does not cause cancer, but there can still be meaning in illness, and 3) cancer is just part of life and has no inherent meaning, though meaning can be constructed through the experience.     

Measurement of Depressive Symptoms in Women With Breast Cancer and Women With Clinical Depression: A Differential Item Functioning Analysis

Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were conducted on samples of 267 women with breast cancer and 294 women with clinical depression. Patterns of items in which there was significant and nonsignificant DIF were identified using statistical tests and measures of DIF effect size. At the most general level, 15 of 21 BDI-II items were associated with nontrivial DIF suggesting that the item responses of these samples do not reflect the same underlying construct. Factor analyses of the BDI-II using a psychometrically defensible method for item level factor analysis supported the conclusions from the DIF analyses. These findings suggest that researchers and practitioners should apply caution when interpreting self-report depression symptoms in breast cancer patients.     

Religious Coping, Psychological Distress and Disability Among Patients with End-Stage Pulmonary Disease

A growing body of literature suggests that individuals who face life-threatening situations turn to religion to help them cope. Religion has been cited as the most frequently used resource to cope with stressful events (K. I. Pargament, 1997). The present study was the first to investigate the religious coping methods of patients with lung disease who are awaiting transplant and to identify which coping methods are associated with distress and disability. The study was an exploratory, cross-sectional analysis of 90 patients with end-stage pulmonary disease who were being evaluated for transplant. Results indicated that religiosity was highly prevalent. Patients employed a combination of religious coping efforts, but mostly used coping methods considered positive. Patients with late-onset pulmonary diseases used religious coping strategies more frequently than patients with cystic fibrosis. Hierarchical regression analyses identified a subset of religious coping strategies that predicted 27%, 14%, and 34% of the unique variance in depression, overall disability, and psychosocial disability, respectively.     

免疫性疾病治疗新途径：诱导细胞程序性死亡

免疫性疾病是一大类难治性的免疫紊乱而造成的疾病,尤其是自身免疫性疾病的一直困扰着免疫学家。传统的免疫治疗是根据不同疾病的需要增强免疫,调节免疫和抑制的方式进行,以辩证的观点分析免疫的增殖与程序性死亡这一对矛盾,认为：免疫性疾病的本质是免疫细胞增殖与程序性恨的失衡,因而通过诱导免疫细胞程序性死亡将成为免疫治疗的新途径。     

The Prophylactic Mastectomy Dilemma: A Support Group for Women at High Genetic Risk for Breast Cancer

The goal of this pilot study was to test the usefulness of a six session psychoeducational support group for women at high genetic risk for breast cancer who were considering prophylactic mastectomy. The themes of the group sessions included overestimation of and anxiety about risk; desire for hard data; the emotional impact of watching a mother die of breast cancer; concerns about spouse reactions; self- and body image; the decision-making process; and confusion over whom to trust in decision making. Both the participants and the multidisciplinary leaders concluded that as a supplement to individual counseling, a support group is a beneficial and cost-effective treatment modality. Recommendations for the optimal format for such a group are described.     

Intrusive memories and depression in cancer patients

Matched samples of depressed and nondepressed cancer patients were interviewed about past life events, particularly experiences of death and illness. They identified and described any spontaneous intrusive visual memories they had experienced in the past week corresponding to these events. About one quarter reported such memories and, as predicted, the majority of intrusive memories concerned illness, injury and death. The mean levels of intrusion and avoidance were equivalent to patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. Consistent with prediction, depressed patients reported significantly more intrusive memories than controls, and described the memories as typically beginning with or being exacerbated by the onset of depression. Greater numbers of intrusive memories were associated with more maladaptive coping, and greater avoidance with deficits in autobiographical memory functioning.     

人是怎样与世界统一的——一个关于细胞信息跨膜传递特异性的假说

本文在讨论有限和无限的对立统一规律在抗原和抗体产生机制中的体现的基础上,提出关于细胞信息跨膜传递特异性机制的假说：第一信使可能由有限的基本单位构成,其信息的特异性可能通过有限的信息中介的组合来得以体现,效应部位也可能因具有特定的信息中介结合位点的组合而产生特异的细胞效应。本文最后为这一假说的证实提出展望。     

Predictors of Psychosocial and Cognitive Adaptation in Children with Sickle Cell Syndromes

Examined the role of socioecological factors (family functioning and socioeconomic variables) in predicting behavioral and cognitive adaptation in children with sickle cell syndromes (SCD). Participants included 74 African American children and adolescents with SCD and their primary caretakers. Outcomes included internalizing and externalizing behavior symptoms, as rated by caretakers, as well as intellectual abilities and academic achievement, as assessed by individually administered standardized instruments. Family functioning consisted of both caretaker adjustment and family environment (i.e., family adaptability and cohesion). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that caretaker psychological adjustment predicted externalizing behaviors, while family environment (i.e., adaptability and cohesion) predicted neither behavioral nor cognitive functioning. Socioeconomic variables alone predicted intellectual abilities and academic achievement and also contributed to the prediction of child behavioral adaptation. Results are discussed in terms of relevant sociocultural issues and implications for family-level prevention and intervention.     

Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetic Counseling in an Academic Medical Center: Consultands' Satisfaction, Knowledge, and Behavior in the First Year

In 1995, we formally established a multifaceted cancer genetics program of clinical services, research, and education at a general academic medical center. In the first year, 58 families, mostly physician referred, received cancer risk assessment and genetic counseling for a family and/or medical history of cancer. The primary reasons for seeking consultation were to determine their risk or their offspring's risk for developing certain cancers and to inquire about the availability of DNA testing for predisposition to breast, ovarian, or colon cancers. To assess the level of satisfaction with program services, 51 consultands (22% with a personal history of cancer) were interviewed independently by telephone 3–12 months after the session. One goal of the survey was to improve program service. Ninety percent of respondents reported that the consultation was worth their time and money. Forty-two percent stated that their anxiety related to their cancer risk had decreased following counseling and 56% indicated no change. Recall of exact numerical risk was poor and one-third could not remember hearing any risk estimate. More respondents would recommend the service to friends (90%) than to family members (75%). Overall, the service was positively received by the majority of patients.     

Is the conflict model of decision making applicable to the decision to be screened for cervical cancer? A field study

The present study examined aspects of the conflict model of decision making (Janis and Mann, 1977) in the context of attending for a screening test for cervical cancer. In addition, the ability of decision coping styles as measured by Mann's (1982) Decision Making Questionnaire II (DMQ II) to predict screening status was examined. Three hundred and two women answered a questionnaire operationalizing the constructs in the conflict model about their beliefs and knowledge of cervical cancer and the Pap smear test. Four screening categories were identified: never screened, not screened in the last two years (overdue), screened in last two years and initiated the test, and screened in last two years and recruited to have the test. Differences in the decision processes of these groups were examined. Women who were overdue for their Pap test showed greater decisional conflict and were more likely to adopt a defensive avoidance coping pattern than those who had been screened in the last two years. Regression analyses exploring predictors of decisional stress and defensive avoidance for each group, except the never screen, showed that the model's suggested pathways were evidenced among the Overdue Group. Results failed to find any association between coping styles as measured by the DMQ II and screening status. Implications of these findings are discussed.