Factorial validity of the center for epidemiologic studies-depression (CES-D) scale in military peacekeepers

Despite widespread use of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D], there are no investigations that examine its factor structure in a military sample. Separate confirmatory factor analyses were performed on responses to the CES-D obtained from 102 female and 102 male Canadian military peacekeepers in order to compare the fit of a four-factor intercorrelated (lower-order) model to a four-factor hierarchical (higher-order) model. The intercorrelated and hierarchical models fit the data well for both women and men, with hierarchical models fitting the data slightly better for women than men. These findings suggest that, for military women and men, the CES-D can be used to measure a set of distinct but interrelated depressive symptoms as well as a global construct of depression. Implications and future directions are discussed.     

Exposure to traumatic events and experiences: aetiological relationships with personality function

Empirical research has shown that the odds of experiencing traumatic events are influenced by genetic factors and the heritability of trauma exposure varies with the type of trauma. Traumatic events per se are unlikely to be heritable; more likely to be inherited are factors such as personality that influence the person's risk for entering into, or creating, potentially hazardous situations. With data from 406 twin pairs (222 monozygotic and 184 dizygotic twin pairs) from the urban general population, the present study used multiple regression analysis to identify personality variables associated with exposure to trauma, and estimated the degree to which these relationships were mediated by genetic factors. The experience of violent assaultive traumatic events was predicted by antisocial personality traits, specifically juvenile antisocial behavior, self-harming behavior, Psychoticism (e.g. adult antisocial behavior and substance misuse), and being open to new ideas and experiences. Genetic factors were found to partially mediate these relationships as indexed by the genetic correlation coefficient. The values of the genetic correlations were statistically significant and ranged from 0.14 to 0.36, accounting for 5-11% of the observed correlation between personality and trauma exposure. These findings suggest that heritable personality characteristics explain part of the variance in the likelihood of exposure to some classes of traumatic events.     

PTSD and the experience of pain: research and clinical implications of shared vulnerability and mutual maintenance models.

It is common for individuals with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to present with co-occurring pain problems, and vice versa. However, the relation between these conditions often goes unrecognized in clinical settings. In this paper, we describe potential relations between PTSD and chronic pain and their implications for assessment and treatment. To accomplish this, we discuss phenomenological similarities of these conditions, the prevalence of chronic pain in patients with PTSD, and the prevalence of PTSD in patients with chronic pain. We also present several possible explanations for the co-occurrence of these disorders, based primarily on the notions of shared vulnerability and mutual maintenance. The paper concludes with an overview of future research directions, as well as practical recommendations for assessing and treating patients who present with co-occurring PTSD or chronic pain symptoms.     

Perceptions of Single vs. Partnered Adult Gravidas in the Midtrimester

Perceptions of the pregnancy experience, pregnancy intendedness, and partner status were compared in a sample of 30 women in the midtrimester. Half of the sample defined themselves as single and half as partnered. Interview data showed a full range in pregnancy intendedness and partner status, and shared areas of concern among the sample as a whole and areas of concern specific to single women. Single women's concerns clustered into four categories: decision-making, disclosure, social support, and legal issues.     

Intra‐arterial embolization of lumbar artery pseudoaneurysm following percutaneous nephrolithotomy

The management of a patient with haematuria following percutaneous nephrolithotomy is described. The patient underwent renal angiography to assess the cause of bleeding. A pseudoaneurysm arising from first left lumbar artery was incidentally discovered, which was then successfully embolized using an indigenously fabricated metallic coil and gel foam particles in the same sitting.