Giving up driving in Alzheimer's disease—an integrative therapeutic approach

For patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), a recommendation to stop operating a motor vehicle can be a serious event complicated by a loss of self-esteem and personal dignity. Patients are often reluctant to give up an activity so essential, both practically and symbolically, to independent living. We describe here a patient with moderately progressed AD who lacked insight of his need to cease driving. Through an integrative treatment approach, combining behavioral and psychodynamic modalities, we helped him to formulate effective ways of coping with his loss of access to independent transportation. We favor a psychotherapeutic strategy that combines behavioral and managerial measures with dynamic patient interaction, thereby developing the patient's insight of the need to give up driving while fostering his sense of autonomy.     

An investigation into the effects of structured music workshops with adults with mental handicap

This study investigated the effects of structured group workshops for a population with special needs. Twenty subjects, each with a mild or moderate mental handicap, attended a series of 10 weekly 1-hour music workshops on the structured group playing of a Javanese Gamelan. Twenty subjects formed a non-intervention control group. The experimental hypothesis was that participation in the experimental group would produce significant improvements in musical ability as measured by the Rossi test of musical ability, devised and validated for use in this study. Significant gains in communication skills as measured by the Communication Assessment Profile for Adults with a Mental Handicap (CASP) and self-esteem levels measured by the Khalid semantic differential technique were also postulated. It was also suggested that these gains would be significantly correlated. Results show significant gains in musical ability (instrumental rhythm production: t = 5.67, d.f. = 29, p < 0.01 and simple rhythm production: t = 8.42, d.f. = 29, p < 0.01) and communication skills (t = 4.69, d.f. = 29, p < 0.01). Moreover these results are significantly correlated (r = 0.59, p < 0.05, r = 0.75, p < 0.05, r = 0.56, p < 0.05). A ceiling effect was obtained in the measurement of self-esteem. It is suggested that these gains derive from certain aspects of the musical communicative environment at the workshops. Suggestions for future research involve examining the possible influences on these developments.     

Adopted Children: Core Issues and Unique Challenges

TOPIC: Psychological impact of adoption and resulting core issues for adopted children. PURPOSE: To raise awareness of the psychological impact of adoption. SOURCES: Published literature and personal observations. CONCLUSIONS: Adoption raises unique issues and challenges for the child and adoptive parents. Resolving the issues of adoption is a lifelong process. Through an awareness of the issues inherent in adoption, nurses and parents can use strategies that will enhance children's self-esteem and decrease their emotional vulnerability. Search terms: Adoption, intervention, loss, self-esteem, strategies     

强迫症的自尊和自我和谐研究

目的:对门诊强迫症患者的自尊和自我和谐状况进行研究.方法:对52例符合CCMD-3诊断标准的门诊强迫症患者进行一般资料,MAUDSLEY强迫问卷(MOCI),耶鲁布郎强迫量表(Y-BOCS),社会功能缺陷筛选量表(SDSS),主观幸福感阶梯量表(Subjective well-being,SWB),自尊量表(Self-esteem),自我和谐量表(Self consistency and congruence scale,SCCS)评定,并与正常人作对照.结果:(1)强迫症患者的不和谐性(51.40±9.02)、自尊水平(23.67±4.81)高于对照组(35.64±6.91,18.12±5.88)(t=10.008及5.728,P<0.01).(2)主观幸福感与自尊,不和谐性与自尊相关(r=0.580,0.387,P<0.01).结论:强迫症患者的自我和谐性差、自尊水平高可能是疾病的病理基础.     

Sexual self views of women with disabilities: The relationship among age-of-onset,nature of disability and sexual self-esteem

The sexual self-esteen of 43 women with mobility impairments was examined on the basis of age-of-onset and nature (fluctuating versus stable health conditions) of disability. Based on past literature, it was hypothesized that women with earlier age-of-onset disabilities would report lower positive levels of sexual self-esteem compared to women with later age-of-onset disabilities. Subjects were acquired through two computer on-line services, two large urban universities, and nationally based disability-related organizations. A hierarchical multiple regression indicated that as age-of-onset of disability increased (i.e. the disability occurred later in life), positive sexual self-esteem decreased significantly. Future research should acquire participants from residential institutions other than rehabilitation facilities and those who remain at home. The necessity of creating psychological scales and tools applicable to this population is discussed.     

Predictors of Maternal Responsiveness

PURPOSE: To explore maternal responsiveness in the first 2 to 4 months after delivery and to evaluate potential predictors of maternal responsiveness, including infant feeding, maternal characteristics, and demographic factors such as age, socioeconomic status, and educational level. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess the variables of maternal responsiveness, feeding patterns, and maternal characteristics in a convenience sample of 177 mothers in the first 2 to 4 months after delivery. The 60-item self-report instrument included scales to measure maternal responsiveness, self-esteem, and satisfaction with life as well as infant feeding questions and sociodemographic items. An online data-collection strategy was used, resulting in participants from 41 U.S. states. FINDINGS: Multiple regression analysis showed that satisfaction with life, self-esteem, and number of children, but not breastfeeding, explained a significant portion of the variance in self-reported maternal responsiveness scores. In this analysis, sociodemographic variables such as age, education, income, and work status showed little or no relationship to maternal responsiveness scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides additional information about patterns of maternal behavior in the transition to motherhood and some of the variables that influence that transition. Satisfaction with life was a new predictor of maternal responsiveness. However, with only 15% of the variance explained by the predictors in this study, a large portion of the variance in maternal responsiveness remains unexplained. Further research in this area is needed.     

自我概念和个体自尊、集体自尊对大学生主观幸福感的影响

目的:探讨大学生自我概念、个体自尊、集体自尊和主观幸福感的关系。方法:采用幸福感指数量表、自我概念量表、个体自尊量表、集体自尊量表对233名大学生进行测查。结果:①大学生的来源影响着主观幸福感,来自于城市的大学生比来自于农村的大学生体验到较高的生活满意度(P<0.01)。②自我概念、个体自尊、集体自尊和主观幸福感相关显著(P<0.01)。③自我概念、个体自尊、集体自尊对主观幸福感预测作用显著(P<0.001)。结论:自我概念、个体自尊、集体自尊是大学生主观幸福感的重要预测因素。     

Psychosocial factors regulating natural-killer cell activity in recurrent spontaneous abortions

PROBLEM: The preconceptional natural-killer cell (NK) activity predicts subsequent miscarriage among women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Psycho-neuro-immuno-endocrine network has recently been proposed as a mechanism for abortions. We therefore examined which psychosocial factors influenced the NK activity among women with RSA. METHOD OF STUDY: We measured the preconceptional NK activity of 61 women with a history two consecutive unexplained first-trimester miscarriages and no live births. We also administered semi-structured interviews and a battery of self-report questionnaires to assess their social support, personality, self-esteem and psychiatric symptoms. RESULTS: The preconceptional NK activity was negatively correlated with the women's neuroticism personality trait (r= -0.32, P = 0.01) and current depressive symptoms (r = -0.26, P= 0.05), and positively correlated with their self-esteem (r = 0.34, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to several substances such as transforming-growth-factor beta and granulocyte-macrophase colony-stimulating factor, we found that low neuroticism, low depression scale score and high self-esteem contributed to high NK activity among women with RSA.     

父母教养方式对3～9岁儿童自尊的影响

目的:考察父母教养方式对3～9岁儿童自尊的影响。方法:采用3～9岁儿童自尊教师评定问卷和父母教养方式问卷对700名儿童进行调查。结果:(1)民主性教养方式与自尊总分呈显著正相关(r=0.687,P=0.000)。(2)父母在不一致性、溺爱性教养方式上的评分与儿童自尊总体(F=7.544,P=0.001;F=3.650,P=0.026)以及重要感(F=6.578,P=0.001;F=3.781,P=0.023)、外表感(F=4.418,P=0.012)、自我胜任感(F=6.132,P=0.002;F=4.989,P=0.007)维度存在显著差异。结论:民主性教养方式有助于儿童形成高自尊;相反,对儿童越溺爱、教育方式越不一致,则容易使儿童形成低自尊。     

PSYCHOSOCIAL PROFILE OF PREGNANT ADOLESCENTS IN A LARGE AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL AREA

A psychosocial profile was developed of 122 pregnant adolescents attending a public hospital antenatal clinic in a large regional Australian area. Participants completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Support Behaviours Inventory and were interviewed to obtain psychosocial and demographic information. Results revealed that those who were most likely to have either or a combination of poor self-esteem, lack of social support, be unemployed or smoke, were more likely to be living alone or with friends, not have a partner or have a partner for a shorter period, have a partner who was older, have previous children, have not planned their pregnancy and have less education. The degree of social support was significantly associated with self-esteem. Over half of the sample smoked, and over half were unemployed. These results underscore the importance of addressing psychosocial factors in the implementation of care for the pregnant adolescent.