Biomedical subjects

A J Vingerhoets

Publications and source records attributed to A J Vingerhoets.

39 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Coping and extreme response tendency in duodenal ulcer patients.

In this study we examined problem- and emotion-focused coping in samples of 30 duodenal ulcer (DU) patients and 30 matched healthy controls. Coping processes were assessed for two stressful situations, viz, an interpersonal conflict and a difficult task or job. The results indicated that DU patients and controls did not differ in terms of preferred coping strategies: irrespective of type of stressor, no differences were found between the two samples, neither in terms of a more general inclination toward problem- or emotion-focused coping, nor in terms of separate, more fine-grained coping mechanisms. Furthermore, rating extremity was studied in both samples. It was found that DU patients have a tendency to endorse extreme positive responses ("Very characteristic of me") more often than controls. The latter finding is discussed in terms of competing explanations: (a) higher polarizing tendencies of DU patients vs. (b) higher meaningfulness of the questionnaire items for DU patients. Specific directions for future research are described.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The Amsterdam Alexithymia Scale: its psychometric values and correlations with other personality traits.

BACKGROUND: This article describes the construction and validation of the Amsterdam Alexithymia Scale (AAS) and explores some of the nomological net of alexithymia. METHODS: Four correlational studies are presented. The internal structure of the AAS is explored by factor analyses on items. Correlations of the AAS with sex and (Guilford) intellectual abilities are established. Mean scores of three different professional groups are compared. Correlations between the AAS and several clinical and personality scales are determined. Students served as subjects in all studies (347<n<559). RESULTS: The 20-item AAS has a stable 5-factor structure, covering 5 defining features of alexithymia: difficulties in, respectively, experiencing emotions, fantasizing, analyzing emotions, differentiating between emotions and verbalizing emotions. The AAS showed to be reliable. The AAS scores were independent of verbal and nonverbal IQ. As expected, the AAS scores turned out to be significantly lower in a group of dramatic art students and significantly higher in a group of math and artificial intelligence students, when compared to psychology students. The AAS scores correlated negatively with extroversion, positively with social inadequacy and not with neuroticism. Finally, correlations between the AAS and the Adjective Check List scores indicated that alexithymia is associated with, respectively, a neglect of own needs and impulses, a reduced capability to understand social situations and a tendency to stick to rules rigidly, to flee into social isolation, to be submissive, to avoid commitment and to experiences of lack of personal meaning in life. CONCLUSION: The AAS is the first instrument measuring the 5 defining features of alexithymia reliably and validly.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mood changes in homesick persons during a holiday trip. A multiple case study.

BACKGROUND: Homesickness is generally studied with respect to rather uncommon long-lasting situations such as a (forced) move, while short stays away from home, like holidays, are much more common homesickness situations. Furthermore, little is known about the development and course of homesickness feelings. Therefore, the present multiple case study was designed in order to obtain a better insight into the onset and course of homesickness and patterns of mood changes, as well as saliva cortisol levels during a short stay away from home. METHODS: Several times before, during and after their holiday, 10 adult homesick-prone females completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Homesickness Decision Tree (HDT) and a Subjective Homesickness Rating. In addition, saliva samples were obtained. Data were analyzed individually. Furthermore, days with and without homesickness were compared across individuals using t tests. RESULTS: Using the HDT, the following typology, based upon four different reaction patterns, emerged: (1) no homesickness, (2) anticipation homesickness, (3) holiday homesickness, and (4) a combination of anticipation and holiday homesickness. POMS scores demonstrated significantly worsened mood when experiencing homesickness. Cortisol levels, however, failed to differ between days with and without homesickness. CONCLUSIONS: Homesickness is characterized by negative mood which is not necessarily reflected in significantly changed salivary cortisol levels. Feelings of homesickness are not only experienced during absence from home, but may occur also in anticipation to a leave. Future studies need to focus upon the prevalence, causes and consequences of the different types of homesickness.

Adult↗