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Bernhard Strauss

Publications and source records attributed to Bernhard Strauss.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

[Sexual development in the light of socio-cultural changes].

This article briefly summarizes central components of theories of sexual development and outlines that these components depend largely on socio-cultural factors. A cultural change of human sexuality is reflected by several phenomena such as the public debate about sexual violence and its consequences, a diminuation of gender differences and a turn away from monosexuality, tremendous changes within the world of partner relationships and a mediatization of sexuality. This mediatization is paralleled by a public sexualization as well as a de-sexualization of the private sphere together with an increase of a loss of sexual desire reflecting well-known problems of human sexuality. Finally, it has to be stated that sexuality has experienced a demystification as a consequence of socio-cultural changes following the sexual liberalization.

Cultural Characteristics↗
PubMed2006

A default mechanism of spindle orientation based on cell shape is sufficient to generate cell fate diversity in polarised Xenopus blastomeres.

The process of oriented divisions of polarised cells is a recurrent mechanism of cell fate diversification in development. It is commonly assumed that a specialised mechanism of spindle alignment into the axis of polarity is a prerequisite for such systems to generate cell fate diversity. Oriented divisions also take place in the frog blastula, where orientation of the spindle into the apicobasal axis of polarised blastomeres generates inner and outer cells with different fates. Here, we show that, in this system, the spindle orients according to the shape of the cells, a mechanism often thought to be a default. We show that in the embryo, fatedifferentiative, perpendicular divisions correlate with a perpendicular long axis and a small apical surface, but the long axis rather then the size of the apical domain defines the division orientation. Mitotic spindles in rounded, yet polarised, isolated Xenopus blastula cells orient randomly, but align into an experimentally introduced long axis when cells are deformed early in the cell cycle. Unlike other systems of oriented divisions, the spindle aligns at prophase, rotation behaviour is rare and restricted to small angle adjustments. Disruption of astral microtubules leads to misalignment of the spindle. These results show that a mechanism of spindle orientation that depends on cell shape rather than cortical polarity can nevertheless generate cell fate diversity from a population of polarised cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[The Resilience Scale (RS): a statistical comparison of the short and long version based on a patient population].

The use of short and reliable questionnaires in psychological and medical studies is increasingly demanded due to economic, but also ethical reasons. The expectation of low dropout rates within longitudinal studies is an important issue with respect to the validity and quality of clinical studies. In this article, differences of the Resilience Scale (RS) in a short (11 items) and a long version (25 items) are described related to 212 patients treated in a radiooncological unit before receiving radiotherapy. It can be demonstrated that the long and the short version of the Resilience Scale did not appear to differ clinically relevant (differences of means = - 0.080, median = - 0.042, effect size = 0.11). Effect sizes and correlations of the resilience of the patients and other illness- and treatment-related variables such as the need for psychosocial support and fatigue did not change depending on the use of the short or long version of the questionnaire. Therefore, it can be concluded that the short version of the Resilience Scale turns out to be a useful and valid instrument that can be recommended for its use in psychological and medical research.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2006

Anxiety and depression in primary care patients: predictors of symptom severity and developmental correlates.

OBJECTIVE: A study in a German general practice used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in 242 consecutive patients. The study had two additional goals: (1) to identify indicators of symptom severity and (2) to validate the HADS by relating it to measures of developmental psychopathology. METHODS: In addition to the HADS, clinical/sociodemographic data were collected. Patients filled up additional questionnaires measuring attachment characteristics, recalled parental rearing behavior, resilience, adverse childhood experiences, and physical complaints. RESULTS: Using HADS cutoff scores of > or =11 in total, we found that 21.1% of the patients showed clinically relevant anxiety levels; the rate for depression was 12.0%, that for anxiety or depression was 26.1%, and that for anxiety and depression combined was 7%. With the exception of psychiatric disorders, the HADS did not differentiate between subgroups with different somatic diseases. HADS scores were shown to be predicted by the patients' sex, family status, number of consultations, and subjective physical complaints. Patients with higher HADS scores also indicated lower resilience, more insecure attachment, and negative recalled parental rearing behavior. Resilience, attachment security, and specific parental behavior (control/warmth) independently predicted anxiety, depression, and physical complaints. CONCLUSION: This study provides further support for the usefulness of the HADS as a measure for routine screening for anxiety and depression and its relationship with constructs from developmental psychopathology. We recommend the use of the HADS in combination with potential indicators of symptom severity (fatigue, cardiovascular symptoms, high number of consultations) to identify patients needing psychosocial support.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Coping and psychological well being in families of elderly cancer patients.

This article reviews research directions on elderly cancer patients and the consequences of their disease for their partners and families. In a systematic review of the research literature, five research directions were identified: first, the relationship between the family and the etiology of the disease; second, the importance of the family as a source of social support; third, family caregivers as second order patients and the moderating role of psychological factors; fourth, cancer as a challenge for the family and fifth, ways of providing social and psychological support for the families of patients including examples for intervention programs. It is shown that the assumption of a "psychogenic" etiology may inhibit adaptive processes. Depending on its quality, social support can trigger adaptive coping in the patients. Elderly patients seem to be ambivalent in their attitudes towards social support because they may feel hindered with respect to their autonomy. Distress among family members is sometimes very similar to the distress experienced by patients. Several studies have shown that distress is differentially influenced by disease-related, personal and interpersonal factors as well as social resources. Interpersonal factors seem to have a specific impact on the adaptive capacities of patients and their family members. Open communication, a "healthy" family cohesion and adaptive competence seem to positively influence patients' coping. Support programs which actively include family members seem to be effective in reducing the distress of patients and their relatives. Some conclusions will be drawn including a discussion of future research directions.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

[Weight concerns and dieting among 8 to 12-year-old children].

According to a recent study it could be shown that more than one third of female high school students and more than 20 % of male students in the age of 14 to 18 years indicated an impaired eating behaviour, expressed as a medium or high risk to develop eating disorders based upon the standardized Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) . The current study tested the prevalence of weight concerns and dieting as an indicator of problematic eating behaviour among younger children. 230 Thuringian female and male students in the 3 (rd) and 4 (th) year (between 8 and 12-years-old) as well as their parents were investigated using standardized and modified instruments. Weight and height were measured directly to determine the Body Mass Index (BMI) that was put into relation to some factors of potential influence such as parents, peers, media and eating behaviours. It could be shown that 42 % of the boys and 53 % of the girls preferred a thin ideal body image; 32 % of the children revealing normal weight expressed the wish to be thinner. 18 % of the boys and 19 % of the girls tried to lose weight at the time of the investigation. Dieting was influenced by the perceived (not actual) dieting behaviour of the parents. The BMI significantly predicted weight concerns: In total, 85 % of the overweight children but also 17 % of the children with normal weight were convinced to be overweight. The girls' eating behaviour was mostly influenced by the peers, the boys' behaviour by criticism of the parents. Generally, a significant influence of the media could be demonstrated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Between self-determination and role abdication: opinions about euthanasia -- results of a study of Thuringians palliative tumour patients].

This study reports the degree to which terminally ill tumour patients wish to be involved in medical decisions about their care and death. In addition, the study aimed to examine euthanasia from the patient's perspective. 272 tumour patients with a life expectancy of less that 1 year took part in a face to face survey. The survey examined attitudes, beliefs and desires with respect to euthanasia, where one would like to die and who should be present as well as attitudes to advance directives. The majority of tumour patients (75 %) wanted to die at home and in the presence of family members (90 %). A multidimensional scaling analysis generated two clusters which were interpreted as self-other determination and integration-non-integration as a patient within the health system. The central theme for the tumour patients is to protect their autonomy in the decision making process at the end of their lives. Desires expressed by these tumour patients did not reflect public discussions about active, passive or indirect assisted suicide. The results demonstrate that doctors should communicate especially sensitively with tumour patients and their relatives.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Resilience as a protective personality characteristic in the elderly].

In a sample of elderly from the general population aged 60 years and older (N = 599, 53.6 % female; mean age 69.6 years) resilience was assessed as a protective personality factor for physical well-being by means of the resilience scale (RS; Wagnild and Young, 1993). The elderly reported lower subjective body complaints, when the amount of resilience was higher. The results of a regression analysis showed that resilience was a significant predictive variable for physical well-being besides age and sex. The amount of resilience was lower in women as in men. An age-related effect could not be found.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

[Psychological motives behind the wish to have children among High School and University students under consideration of female test persons with eating disorders].

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate psychological motives behind the wish to have children among female and male students, with special consideration of females with eating disorders. METHODS: 736 participants (437 women and 299 men) were examined using the "Leipziger Fragebogen zu Kinderwunschmotiven und Einstellungen zum Kinderwunsch" (a questionnaire concerning the motives and attitudes for the wish to have a child). Disturbed eating behaviour was classified with the Eating Attitudes Test. RESULTS: 15.4 % of the students showed a low, 39 % a medium and 45.6 % a high wish to have children. The subscales "Desire for emotional stabilization" as well as "Social stereotypes" had the highest and "Fear of material impairment" and "Personal restriction" the lowest correlation with the wish for a child. Women with anorectic eating disorders displayed a significantly lower desire for children than students with normal eating patterns or women with a bulimic tendency. CONCLUSIONS: The psychological motives examined here contributed highly to the explanation of variance concerning the wish to have children. The results for women with eating disorders indicate that primary ambivalences concerning the wish to have children may be involved in the pre-clinical stadium of eating disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

[Funded research in psychosomatic medicine, medical psychology, and psychotherapy].

This paper, summarizing the activities of the research task force of the German College of Psychosomatic Medicine (DKPM), reviews how research in psychosomatic medicine, medical psychology and psychotherapy has been funded by different institutions. The review reveals that psychosocial research has received considerable grants especially by the German Research Council and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research but also from other funding institutions. Besides an overview of potential sources for funding in the psychosocial disciplines, recommendations are formulated that might be helpful for raising research funds in the future.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed2004

[Disturbed eating behaviour among high school and university students].

To develop suitable preventive programs for eating disorders, it is important to examine the prevalence and severity of disturbed eating behaviour in the corresponding risk population as well as to investigate the conditions that might explain their origin and further progression. Based upon this background 736 female and male high school and university students from Eastern and Western parts of Germany were examined. Height and weight were measured objectively. In accordance with the study of Buddeberg-Fischer three groups were defined depending on the total score in the Eating Attitudes Test. 28.5 % of the women and 12.6 % of the men revealed impaired eating behaviour with female high school students being specifically affected (35.3 %). With an increasing impairment, women more often used methods to regulate their weight like diets, restrained eating, or drugs. Participants with disordered eating behaviour were also more likely to show higher scores on the subscales of the Eating Disorders Inventory and a distorted body perception. The feeling of being overweight showed a correlation with the severity of the disturbed eating. With increasing eating problems the correspondence between the real existing BMI and the subjective estimation of the weight decreased significantly. The results of this study clearly demonstrate the high prevalence of disturbed eating behaviour and concerns about weight among female adolescents and young adults. Female high school students should be a special target group for the application of preventive programs. The reported use of drugs in order to lose weight should be discussed more explicitly.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Group interventions for patients with cancer and HIV disease: Part I: Effects on psychosocial and functional outcomes at different phases of illness.

Group interventions for individuals facing cancer or HIV disease have drawn considerable attention among researchers and clinicians over the past 20 years. There is growing evidence that group services may be helpful, but which interventions are most effective for participants at which phases in the trajectory of disease has been less clear. Moreover, professionals working in different intervention settings (e.g., primary prevention vs. clinical care) and different disease sites (cancer vs. HIV disease) often have little awareness of relevant advances in other fields. Efforts to integrate findings in the literature may accelerate research and advance the standard of clinical care. The current article, the first in a series of four special reports, critically evaluates the efficacy of group interventions led by professional or trained facilitators for individuals confronted by cancer or HIV, across the spectrum of illness from elevated risk through advanced disease. We examine psychosocial and functional outcomes for different interventions directed toward different patient subgroups, trace common themes, highlight limitations, and offer recommendations for further research.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗