Development of a measure of collective efficacy within personal networks: A complement to self-efficacy in self-management support?

ObjectiveTo develop and evaluate the Collective Efficacy of Networks (CENS) questionnaire to measure perceived collective efficacy within personal social networks.MethodsA mixed methods approach was used, guided by theory and with extensive input from adults with long-term conditions who completed the initial questionnaire (n = 78) with test-retest assessed at 2 weeks (n = 68). A second sample (n = 85) completed a postal questionnaire including CENS, theoretically linked constructs (self-efficacy, social support) and health outcomes (loneliness, mental and physical health).ResultsPrincipal components analysis demonstrated a two-factor structure with 12-items selected to represent Network responsiveness (8 items, Cronbach’s alpha = 0.896) and Access to collective efficacy (4 items, Cronbach’s alpha = .773). Good test-retest reliability was established for both subscales (r_icc = .793–.853). Network responsiveness was associated with self-efficacy (r = 342, p = . < 001) and social support (r = .407, p < .001) and predicted reduced loneliness. Access to collective efficacy significantly predicted better mental health; the predictive validity of the subscales improved when combined with self-efficacy.ConclusionThe CENS is an acceptable and psychometrically robust measure of collective efficacy in personal social networks.Practice implicationsMeasuring collective efficacy with self-efficacy will provide useful information for researchers and policymakers interested in capacity for self-management and social determinants of behaviour change.     

Differential expression of salivary S100A7 in oral submucous fibrosis

Aim

To investigate the expression of salivary S100A7 levels among patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) and healthy controls.

Personality and oral health

We investigated age-26 personality characteristics and age-32 oral health in a prospective study of a complete birth cohort born in Dunedin, New Zealand. Personality was measured using the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ). Oral health was measured using the short-form Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), a global measure, and dental examinations. Personality profiles were constructed for 916 individuals (50.8% men) using standardized MPQ scores, and multivariate analyses examined their association with oral health. Those reporting 1+ OHIP-14 impacts had higher Negative Emotionality scores (and lower Constraint and Positive Emotionality MPQ superfactor scores) than those who did not. After controlling for gender, clinical status, and the other two MPQ superfactors, those scoring higher on Negative Emotionality had a greater risk of reporting 1+ OHIP-14 impacts, as well as 3+ OHIP-14 impacts and worse-than-average oral health. They also had a greater risk of having lost at least one tooth from caries and of having 3+ decayed surfaces. Personality characteristics appear to shape self-reports of oral health. Personality is also a risk factor for clinical disease status, at least with respect to dental caries and its sequelae. Because the attitudes and values tapped into by personality tests can be altered by brief cognitive interventions, those might be useful in preventive dentistry.     

社会支持对肝移植患者生存质量的影响

目的研究社会支持与肝移植患者生活质量的关系，探讨提高这一特殊人群生存质量的有效途径。方法采用描述、相关性研究方法，对90例肝移植患者进行生活质量和社会支持两方面问卷调查，以分析其相关性。结果生存质量中的社会领域、总体生存质量与社会支持总分呈正相关；总体生存质量与主观支持呈正相关，生理领域与客观支持呈正相关；社会领域与总体生存质量与对支持的利用度呈正相关。结论社会支持与肝移植患者生存质量密切相关，护士应重视社会支持系统对提高肝移植患者生活质量的作用，并有效利用。     

Post-Event Processing in Social Anxiety Disorder: Idiosyncratic Priming in the Course of CBT

Post-event processing (PEP) is the cognitive rumination that follows social events for patients with social anxiety. The PEP period was examined in relation to two anxiety provoking tasks in cognitive behavioural group therapy for social anxiety disorder: (1) Attending the first group therapy session (n = 75), and (2) An individually tailored in-session exposure task (n = 50). An assessment of PEP was conducted the week following each task as an indication of the extent of rumination over that event during the subsequent week. Significant PEP occurred after both events, and greater baseline social anxiety predicted greater levels of PEP related to both tasks. Anxiety ratings, as conceptualized by SUDS, were positively correlated with the severity of subsequent PEP related to the exposure task. There was also support for the stability of PEP across the two tasks and for the specificity of the content of PEP as rumination related to social failure, rather than rumination related to depressive symptoms. This study provides additional empirical support for the role of PEP in the cognitive model of social anxiety disorder.     

冠心病患者的社会支持状况及影响因素分析

目的探讨冠心病患者的社会支持状况及影响因素。方法采用社会支持评定量表（SSRS）和社会人口学资料对234例冠心病患者进行调查。结果冠心病患者社会支持高于正常人;不同年龄、文化程度、婚姻状况和治病费用来源的冠心病患者社会支持状况有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。年龄〉60岁、文化程度低、离异或丧偶和自费的冠心病患者是社会支持的弱势群体。结论临床护理人员应认真评估冠心病患者的社会支持系统,加强冠心病患者的社会支持和利用度,重点放在年老、文化程度低、离异或丧偶和自费的患者身上,帮助患者适应疾病过程,提高其生存质量。     

Developmental pathways of social avoidance across adolescence: The role of social anxiety and negative cognition

It is argued that the adolescent onset of social anxiety disorder (SAD) may be partly attributable to an increase in avoidance of social situations across this period. The current cohort-sequential study investigated developmental pathways of social avoidance in adolescence and examined the explanatory role of social anxiety and negative cognitive processes. A community sample of youth (9–21 years, N = 331) participated in a four-wave study. Trajectory analyses revealed two pathways: an increased avoidance pathway and a low avoidance pathway. The pathways were hardly distinguishable at age 9 and they steadily diverged across adolescence. Logistic regression analyses showed that social anxiety and post-event rumination were significantly related to the increased avoidance pathway; anticipatory processing and self-focused attention were not. The findings suggest that adolescence is a key developmental period for the progression of social avoidance among youth who show relatively high levels of social anxiety and post-event rumination.     

General in-situation safety behaviors are uniquely associated with post-event processing

Background and objectives

Research suggests that state anxiety and in-situation safety behaviors are associated with post-event processing (PEP) in social anxiety. Past research has obtained mixed results on whether one or both factors contribute to PEP. The current investigation evaluated state anxiety and in-situation safety behaviors (including subtypes of in-situation safety behaviors) simultaneously to determine their relative contributions to PEP.

Methods

A prospective study assessed social anxiety, state anxiety, in-situation safety behaviors, PEP, and depression in the context of a speech stressor.

Results

Consistent with theory, in-situation safety behaviors were uniquely associated with greater PEP. State anxiety was not uniquely associated with PEP. Furthermore, restricting and active subtypes of in-situation safety behaviors showed specificity to PEP.

Limitations

Limitations of the present study include the use of a nonclinical analog sample and retrospective reporting of PEP.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the importance of research on in-situation safety behaviors as a potential contributor to PEP.     

Neonatal experience interacts with adult social stress to alter acute and chronic Theiler’s virus infection

Previous research has shown that neonatal handling has prolonged protective effects associated with stress resilience and aging, yet little is known about its effect on stress-induced modulation of infectious disease. We have previously demonstrated that social disruption stress exacerbates the acute and chronic phases of the disease when applied prior to Theiler’s virus infection (PRE-SDR) whereas it attenuates disease severity when applied concurrently with infection (CON-SDR). Here, we asked whether neonatal handling would protect adult mice from the detrimental effects of PRE-SDR and attenuate the protective effects of CON-SDR on Theiler’s virus infection. As expected, handling alone decreased IL-6 and corticosterone levels, protected the non-stressed adult mice from motor impairment throughout infection and reduced antibodies to myelin components (PLP, MBP) during the autoimmune phase of disease. In contrast, neonatal handling X PRE/CON-SDR elevated IL-6 and reduced corticosterone as well as increased motor impairment during the acute phase of the infection. Neonatal handling X PRE/CON-SDR continued to exacerbate motor impairment during the chronic phase, whereas only neonatal handling X PRE-SDR increased in antibodies to PLP, MOG, MBP and TMEV. Together, these results imply that while handling reduced the severity of later Theiler’s virus infection in non-stressed mice, brief handling may not be protective when paired with later social stress.