Wahrnehmungen der Blinden in geschlossenen Räumen ohne unmittelbaren Körperkontakt

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Evaluation of a DVD-based self-help program in highly socially anxious individuals--pilot study

High social anxiety is a risk factor for the incidence of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Early diagnosis and intervention may prevent more severe psychiatric courses. Self-help programs may be a convenient, accessible, and effective intervention. This study examined the efficacy of a newly developed self-help program for SAD in individuals with subthreshold social anxiety. A total of 24 highly socially anxious individuals were randomly assigned to a DVD-based self-help program or to a wait-list control group. The self-help program is based on the cognitive model according to Clark and Wells (1995; adapted to German by Stangier, Clark, & Ehlers, 2006) and comprises eight sessions. ANOVAs based on an intention-to-treat model were used for data analyses. The self-help program was well accepted; just one person withdrew during the intervention. There were significant Time × Group interactions on all primary outcome measures. For the intervention group moderate to high within-groups effect sizes up to Cohen's d = 1.05 were obtained. Between-groups effect sizes ranged from 0.24 to 0.65 in favor of the active intervention. The newly developed DVD-based self-help program seems to be a promising intervention for highly socially anxious individuals as it reduces social anxiety symptoms.     

Gemeinsame Entwicklung,unterschiedliche Inzidenz

Background

In order to understand the increasing numbers of detentions of forensic inpatients according to § 63 StGB (German Penal Code), the development of the sentences for forensic treatment is of great importance. The overall development over a longer time period, such as a breakdown by individual federal states may reflect changes in diagnostic and legal actions.

Method

According to the information supplied by the research data center of Germany (Forschungsdatenzentrum der Länder), the total number of detentions for forensic treatment from 1995 to 2009 for an average population number of 68.6 million inhabitants and the development of different characteristics (e.g. sociodemographic, crime-related) were identified during the investigation period. A total of12,063 records each with 9 attributes were evaluated.

Results

The number of detentions for forensic treatment increased by approximately half (47?%) during the study period. The patients who were not criminally responsible and the proportion of moderately severe offences (e.g. assault, arson and other violent crimes) increased over the investigation period. In contrast, the proportion of completed homicides and sexual crimes decreased as well as the number of previous and concurrent convictions. These developments showed similar tendencies in the individual federal states.     

Human evaluative conditioning: Order of stimulus presentation

In an experiment designed to demonstrate evaluative conditioning, subjects were shown 48 pictures of sculptures that they rated on a scale with 21 categories (?10 to +10). Then, the two most liked pictures (L) were paired with pictures from the categories ?1, 0, or +1 (N). In contrast to prior experiments, subjects were given either forward conditioning (N-L) or backward conditioning (L-N) trials but not both. Four other neutral stimuli were paired with each other (N-N) and acted as control stimulus pairs. After conditioning, the stimuli were rated a second time. There was a statistically significant difference in evaluative ratings showing a change of the evaluative tone of the previously neutral stimuli in a positive direction only after forward conditioning. This finding is inconsistent with results of prior experiments and challenges the assumption of Martin and Levey (1987) that evaluative conditioning is different from human classical conditioning.     

A Salutogenic Analysis of the Well-Being Paradox in Older Age

Following Antonovsky’s salutogenic perspective, we investigate to what extent the sense of coherence and psychological resources mediate the physical health-mental health relationship, assuming that these resilience factors mutually influence each other. In our questionnaire study, 387 older persons at the mean age of 73.8 years volunteered. We assessed physical health appraisals, sense of coherence components (comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness), psychological resources (self-efficacy and self-esteem) and mental health (subjective well-being, depressive mood, and psychological health). We used structural equation modeling with latent variables and a bootstrapping method to test hypothesized mediation chains. We found (a) a significant direct effect of physical health on mental health, (b) two significant specific indirect effects of physical health on mental health, substantiating that the sense of coherence was a stronger mediator than psychological resources, and (c) two significant 3-path mediated effects. Physical health is profoundly associated with mental health. However, resilience factors such as the sense of coherence and psychological resources enable older people to maintain mental health when confronted with chronic physical health problems.     

Sense of Coherence,Time Perspective and Positive Aging

Recent gerontological research has identified the sense of coherence as a crucial resilience factor which develops over time and evolves from experiences across the life-span. Time perspective is the process by which life experiences are assigned to temporal categories which give coherence to these experiences. In the present study, we tested the salutogenic hypothesis that time perspective reflects a psychological resource that shapes the sense of coherence, and that both are important predictors of positive aging as indicated by subjective well-being and psychological health. We examined 210 individuals (60.5% women) at the mean age of 70.4 years using the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, a questionnaire measuring five time perspective dimensions and a balanced time perspective. We found that (a) two time perspectives—a lack of concentration on the negative past and a high future orientation—predicted the sense of coherence, and that (b) the sense of coherence was a mediator of the time perspective dimensions–positive aging relationship. An exploratory path analytical model fitted our data well. Furthermore, (c) a balanced time perspective was associated with both the sense of coherence and positive aging, disclosing partial mediation of the sense of coherence. With regards to our analytical model, the sense of coherence and—to a lesser degree—time perspective dimensions and a balanced temporal perspective are important correlates of positive aging. In line with recent salutogenic research, our findings suggest that the sense of coherence represents a higher-order concept which pools psychological resource influences on positive aging.     

The Contribution of Resistance Resources and Sense of Coherence to Life Satisfaction in Older Age

We investigate how the sense of coherence and resistance resources explain two aspects of life satisfaction, general life satisfaction and satisfaction with health in older age. For the first time, we tested the mediating role of the sense of coherence. In our questionnaire study, 387 older persons at the mean age of 73.8 years volunteered. In addition to the sense of coherence and life satisfaction measures, we assessed selected resistance resources representing relevant socio-demographic, functional health, social network, everyday competence, and psychological factors. We found that (a) resistance resources and the sense of coherence significantly predicted life satisfaction, (b) the sense of coherence was a mediator of the relationship between resistance resources and life satisfaction, and (c) the predicted effects did not differ for general life satisfaction and satisfaction with health. The sense of coherence as well as resources such as physical health, everyday competence, social support, and self-esteem are important antecedents of life satisfaction. Moreover, the sense of coherence represents a superordinate concept as it pools resistance influences on life satisfaction.