Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Guido Pieters

Publications and source records attributed to Guido Pieters.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Is overgeneral autobiographical memory an isolated memory phenomenon in major depression?

The present study explored the relation between overgeneral autobiographical memory (AM) and other aspects of memory functioning in depression. A total of 26 patients with major depressive disorder completed a set of memory tasks measuring AM specificity (AMT; Williams & Broadbent, 1986), working memory, semantic memory, verbal learning, delayed verbal recall, recognition memory, and source memory. Reduced specificity of AM was related to poor working memory (central executive functioning) and poor source memory. The former finding conforms to the idea that the voluntary retrieval of specific autobiographical memories (AMs) involves central executive processes (e.g., Conway & Pleydell-Pearce, 2000). The latter finding replicates and extends recent findings suggesting that overgeneral AM is part of a broader memory deficit in retrieving the specific details of the context in which information was acquired (Ramponi, Barnard, & Nimmo-Smith, 2004). Furthermore, in line with Ramponi et al. (2004), rumination was found to be related to both overgeneral AM and poor source memory.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Personality prototypes in eating disorders based on the Big Five model.

A three factor model of personality pathology was investigated in a clinical sample of 335 female eating disordered patients. Cluster analysis of the Big Five NEO-FFI scales (Costa & McCrae, 1992) yielded three distinct personality profiles, which were consistent with previous studies: (1) a resilient/high functioning cluster with no clinical elevations on the NEO-FFI scales; (2) an undercontrolled/emotionally dysregulated cluster with elevated scores on the Neuroticism scale and low scores on Conscientiousness and Agreeableness; (3) an overcontrolled/constricted cluster showing high scores on Neuroticism and Conscientiousness and low scores on Openness to Experience. Comparing the three personality prototypes with respect to Axis I and Axis II disorders,resilients reported systematically less clinical and personality problems than both undercontrollers and overcontrollers. Compared to the latter, undercontrollers showed more impulsive personality features and behaviors. Finally, cluster membership was not clearly associated with eating disorder subtypes, suggesting that there is considerable variance in personality features and/or pathology within the various eating disorder categories.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Reduced specificity of autobiographical memory: a mediator between rumination and ineffective social problem-solving in major depression?

BACKGROUND: Depressed individuals display a deficit in effectively solving social problem situations (e.g., []). Recent research suggests that rumination may interfere with such effective problem-solving (e.g., []). However, little is known, as yet, about the mechanisms that are underlying this relation between rumination and poor problem-solving. The present study investigated the role of reduced specificity of autobiographical memories as a mediator of this relationship. METHODS: 24 depressed patients (15 women) completed the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT), the Means-Ends Problem-Solving Task (MEPS), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) and the Rumination on Sadness Scale (RSS). RESULTS: Consistent with previous studies, rumination, ineffective problem-solving and reduced memory specificity were significantly associated. Regression analyses further extended these findings by showing that reduced memory specificity mediated the association between rumination and problem-solving effectiveness. LIMITATIONS: The correlational nature of this study limits to some extent the conclusions that can be drawn on the directionality of the observed relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Results offer support for the idea that lack of autobiographical memory specificity mediates the known relationship between rumination and poor problem-solving.

Autobiographies as Topic↗
PubMed2005

Fast psychomotor functioning in anorexia nervosa: effect of weight restoration.

In a previous study young seriously underweight anorexia nervosa (AN) patients in the early phase of treatment were found to react faster in psychomotor tasks. To further understand this finding we studied the impact of weight restoration on the performance of AN patients in drawing and copying tasks. A group of 17 female AN patients, aged 14 to 25, was compared with 17 healthy controls, matched for sex, age and educational level. Patients were tested when severely underweight and after weight restoration. Control subjects were also tested twice. Using computerized recording and analysis of writing and drawing behavior, reaction times and drawing times were derived, while cognitive and motor demands were manipulated. Overall, AN patients showed shorter reaction times in copying tasks and shorter drawing time in the drawing task than normal controls, and this pattern persisted after weight restoration. No significant group (AN vs. controls) by session (test vs. retest) effect emerged. The finding of a consistent pattern of shorter reaction and drawing times in AN patients before and after weight restoration is compatible with a personality characteristic of perfectionism and overachievement in AN patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Comparison of changes in physical self-concept, global self-esteem, depression and anxiety following two different psychomotor therapy programs in nonpsychotic psychiatric inpatients.

BACKGROUND: The first objective of this study was to compare the changes in physical self-concept, global self-esteem, depression and anxiety after participation in one of two 16-week psychomotor therapy programs for nonpsychotic psychiatric inpatients. The second objective was to study the relationship between changes in these variables. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-nine inpatients were randomly assigned to either a personalized psychomotor fitness program, consisting of aerobic exercise and weight training, or a general program of psychomotor therapy, consisting of different forms of physical exercises and relaxation training. Physical self-concept was evaluated using the Dutch version of the Physical Self-Perception Profile at baseline, after 8 weeks, and after completion of the 16-week interventions. At the same time points, additional variables of global self-esteem, depression and anxiety were assessed by means of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively. RESULTS: After 16 weeks, both groups showed significant improvements in all outcome measures (p values ranged from 0.01 to < 0.0001), with no between-group differences. In both groups, the improvement in physical self-concept was correlated with increased global self-esteem and decreased depression and anxiety levels (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that both psychomotor therapy programs are equally effective in enhancing physical self-concept. The relationship between improvements in physical self-concept and enhancements in global self-esteem, depression and anxiety supports the potential role of the physical self-concept in the recovery process of depressed and anxious psychiatric inpatients.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Differentiation of cognitive and motor aspects in a digit symbol substitution test in Anorexia nervosa patients, before and after weight restoration.

BACKGROUND: In a previous study, using computerized analysis of fine motor behaviour, seriously underweight anorexia nervosa patients in the early phase of treatment were found to have shorter reaction times, but not movement times, in experimental drawing and copying tasks. These differences persisted with weight restoration. SAMPLING AND METHODS: Using computerized analysis of writing and drawing behaviour during the performance of a Digit Symbol Substitution Test, 15 anorexia nervosa patients were compared with 15 normal controls, matched for age, sex and educational level. Patients were retested after weight restoration, as were controls after a similar interval. RESULTS: Patients turned out to be superior in the cognitive, but not in the motor aspects of the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. These differences persisted after weight restoration. A practice effect, due to repeated testing, was found in both groups, which turned out to be cognitive in nature. CONCLUSIONS: The findings show that this new technique can add to the interpretation of classic neuropsychological tests. The results are compatible with previous findings of intact or even superior functioning in anorexia nervosa patients on neuropsychological tasks requiring considerable cognitive effort.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Body composition in bulimia nervosa patients compared to healthy females.

OBJECTIVE: In contrast to anorexia nervosa there is a lack of research on body composition in bulimia nervosa patients. The aim of the study was to examine the body composition in underweight, normal-weight and overweight bulimia nervosa patients in comparison with healthy sedentary females, to assess the changes in body composition and subcutaneous fat after five months treatment, and to analyze the relation between body composition variables. DESIGN: The body composition of 138 female bulimia nervosa patients and 188 healthy sedentary females was studied using underwater weighing and skinfold measurements. RESULTS: A good agreement was found between the results obtained by underwater weighing and skinfold measurements. Normal-weight bulimics and control subjects did not differ significantly in body composition. In comparison with healthy controls, underweight and overweight bulimics showed a lower or higher percentage body fat, respectively. In underweight bulimics the fat mass increased after five months of treatment, whereas it decreased in normal-weight and overweight patients in comparison with control subjects. In bulimics more significant relations between body composition variables were found than in the controls. CONCLUSION: Body composition of bulimia nervosa patients may show great differences related to their (varying) body weight. Future research should take the patients' body weight into account.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2004

Sleep variables in anorexia nervosa: evolution with weight restoration.

OBJECTIVE: Studies on sleep patterns in anorexia nervosa (AN) have yielded inconsistent results. Therefore, we have studied the evolution of subjective and objective sleep characteristics in AN patients before and after weight restoration. METHOD: Thirty-four severely underweight AN inpatients of the restrictive subtype had a polysomnographic sleep registration at the time of admission and after weight restoration. Subjective sleep quality was also measured with self-report instruments. RESULTS: Objective sleep variables did not change with weight restoration, whereas subjective quality of sleep did improve. Percentage of underweight at admission and amount of slow wave sleep were predictors of the length of time required for weight restoration. DISCUSSION: The finding that weight restoration does not affect polysomnographic sleep variables in AN patients seems to contradict previous studies.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Trauma and autobiographical memory specificity in depressed inpatients.

Research on autobiographical memory has shown that clinical depression is associated with a difficulty in retrieving specific autobiographical memories in response to cue words. This study examined the relation between lack of autobiographical memory specificity and self-reported trauma in a group of depressed adults (N = 23). In addition to the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT; Williams & Broadbent, 1986) participants completed a number of questionnaires assessing the presence of traumatic experiences in the past, level of depression and neuroticism. The number of specific responses was not related to depression severity, but was significantly associated with the presence and severity of reported physical abuse. Participants who had been victim of physical abuse were less specific than participants who had not been confronted with such physical adversities. The results are discussed in the context of a functional hypothesis about the developmental relations between memory specificity, trauma and depression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Hyperactivity in anorexia nervosa: a case study using experience sampling methodology.

Hyperactivity is frequently observed in eating disorders, and several biopsychological mechanisms have been proposed to explain its pathogenetic role. In view of the lack of a reliable method to study hyperactive behavior, we did an experiment with experience sampling methodology (ESM). During 1 week, an anorexia nervosa (AN) patient was asked at nine random times a day to report her momentary tendency to be physically active, her emotions and several other variables including calorie expenditure, drive for thinness, attractiveness, obsessions, compulsions, and attitudes towards hyperactivity. Results indicate that the patient's tendency to be hyperactive was (a) positively related to her weight preoccupation and her negative emotions, and (b) negatively related to her positive emotions and the absence of depression. In this patient, obsessions and compulsions were not related to hyperactivity. The usefulness of ESM for studying the role of hyperactivity in AN is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Frequency and impact of patient suicide on psychiatric trainees.

The objective of the present study was to conduct a systematic inquiry into the frequency and impact of patients' suicide on psychiatric trainees, and the availability and usefulness of training courses. Data were collected from 114 psychiatric trainees of the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, representing a 70% response rate. A self-report questionnaire developed in the UK was adapted to the Flemish situation. A Dutch version of the Impact of Event Scale (IES) inquiring about post-traumatic stress symptoms was also used. The frequency of suicide experience was considerably higher in the present study than in similar studies in the USA and the UK. Thirty percent of first year trainees had been confronted with patient suicide. Personal and professional impact of patient suicide, as well as post-traumatic stress scores were considerably lower in Flemish psychiatric trainees. They considered informal support to be of more value than formal support to come to terms with the event. Finally, postgraduate training in post-suicide management was found to be largely insufficient. The results of the present study show that psychiatric trainees in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium are at a high risk of experiencing patient suicide, whereas the impact of this experience appears to be relatively low. Only a small minority of trainees has received adequate training on procedures to follow after patient suicide.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Reality monitoring and metacognitive beliefs related to cognitive confidence in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The present study investigated general reality monitoring ability, and selective reality monitoring ability for anxiety relevant actions in a group of individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and a group of non-anxious controls. In addition, reality monitoring confidence was assessed, as well as specific meta-cognitive beliefs related to cognitive confidence (by means of the Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire (MCQ)). No differences were found between both groups in actual reality monitoring ability. Unlike previous studies, the reality monitoring task included actions that were related to the individual concerns of the OCD patients and were ideographically selected. Nevertheless, no differential reality monitoring effect was observed for the anxiety relevant stimuli. Data from the MCQ, however, revealed that OCD patients had less overall confidence in their memory for actions and their reality monitoring ability. Analysis of the confidence ratings of the reality monitoring task showed that this reduced confidence was restricted to the neutral actions. No differences were observed for patients that reported low or high frequencies of checking behaviour. The whole of these data do not support memory deficit models of OCD, but are in line with recent emphasis on the importance of memory confidence and other meta-cognitive beliefs in OCD.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fast psychomotor functioning in underweight anorexia nervosa patients.

To explore whether underweight anorexia nervosa patients show psychomotor differences relative to normal controls, 32 female hospitalised patients, aged between 14 and 25 years, were compared with 32 healthy, normal weight controls, matched for sex, age and educational level. Using computerised analysis of writing and drawing behaviour, reaction times and movement times and their different components were analysed, while cognitive and motor demands were manipulated in five drawing and copying tasks. Anorexia nervosa patients were, compared to normal weight controls, significantly faster in a drawing task and showed shorter reaction times in copying tasks. Movement times did not differ significantly between the two groups. In the most complex copying task, a significant group x complexity interaction for reaction time (patients shorter) and reinspection time (patients longer) was found. Patients also made more errors than controls. The finding of a consistent pattern of shorter reaction times in underweight anorexia nervosa patients seems to run contrary to previous findings of disturbed cognitive functioning (i.e. impaired attention) in these patients. The differences seem to be related to cognitive factors more than to motor (executive) components.

Adolescent↗