Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K H Wiedl

Publications and source records attributed to K H Wiedl.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

[Which schizophrenic patients improve under work therapy, which ones don't?].

This investigation is part of a multicenter study, where only small effects and no superiority compared to creative ergotherapy was found for four weeks of inpatient work therapy. The criteria were three scales of the Osnabrück-Working Capabilities Profile (O-AFP) assessing basic learning ability, social communication ability and adaptation at the work place. The goal of this investigation is to identify subgroups of patients within the work therapy group, which differ in their course of ability level during the intervention. Three subgroups were identified for each scale. Subgroups with improvements comprise 24 % (learning ability) and 15 % (social communication) of the sample. Adaptation level decreases in a group of 9 % of the patients. The remaining clusters show constancy of abilities at different levels. Comparison of the clusters with neurocognitive, symptom and motivational variables shows that for learning ability mainly neurocognitive variables yield salient differences, whereas for social communication abilities, symptoms and motivation, together with a specific aspect of memory, seem to be characteristic. Only positive symptoms are related to adaptation. Also, there are hints for variables that specifically characterize patients with improvement of ability level. The discussion deals with issues of assessment and prognosis in rehabilitation, contributions to the neurocognitive theory of schizophrenia and to the development of person-centered interventions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2004

[The Osnabruck Work Capabilities Profile (O-AFP) for persons with psychiatric illness: concept, development, and testing in schizophrenic patients].

The goal of this paper is presentation of an inventory for the assessment of basic capabilities underlying work and occupational behaviour of psychiatric patients in the course of their treatment and rehabilitation. The "Osnabruck Work Capabilities Profile" (O-AFP) is an instrument filled in by staff, which consists of three scales comprising ten items each, measuring "Learning Ability", "Social Communication Ability" and "Adaptation". In the study presented, these scales were confirmed by factor analyses of data from 194 schizophrenic patients. Test analyses yielded good item and scale characteristics. The only exception to this are elevated item difficulty scores of the third scale (adaptation). This was attributed to specific effects of selecting the sample of patients. Furthermore, low or insignificant correlations with the patients' symptom scores indicate the discriminant validity of the scales. It is concluded that the O-AFP is well suited for application with different forms of occupational therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[The importance of proficiency in the German language in development and treatment of psychiatric diseases].

The study investigates the relations between proficiency in German language and manifestation and course of psychiatric diseases in migrants from Eastern Europe. Analyses were conducted for all migrants, who were treated in the local psychiatric state hospital between 1990 and 1996. Results showed that migrants with low language proficiency fall sick earlier, are admitted to the hospital faster and are kept in hospital treatment longer than those with good German language proficiency.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Attentional characteristics of schizophrenia patients differing in learning proficiency on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), a test of concept formation, was given to 49 schizophrenia inpatients in three blocks of 64 cards each with the second block comprising special instructions and trial-by-trial feedback. With the help of a psychometric algorithm based on linear regression analysis, the patients were classified according to their response to these specific interventions. Results yielded 15 high scorers, 23 learners, and 11 nonlearners. This a priori classification was confirmed by cluster analysis. Next, these groups were further analyzed with the Degraded Stimulus Continuous Performance Test (DS-CPT), a test of target discrimination, and the Test of Attentional Style (TAS), which assesses habitual, subjectively experienced attentional problems. A significant difference between high scorers and nonlearners was found for discriminative sensitivity (d'), with the learners achieving intermediate scores. Results for only the DS-CPT response criterion (beta) and a TAS subscale (Distractibility) tended to be significant. Discriminant analysis also revealed that d' is the most powerful variable for discriminating among the subgroups. The article also addresses baseline versus dynamic assessment, specific rehabilitation needs in subgroups of schizophrenia patients different in learner status, and the neurocognitive characteristics of the subgroups.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Coping-oriented therapy in schizophrenia].

After a discussion of general problems concerning the development of new and innovative methods of psychotherapy, an approach based on the transactional perspective of coping and aiming at therapeutic interventions on schizophrenic persons' coping with their disease and related problems is presented. The development of this approach makes use of specific empirical data provided by coping research, a theoretical analysis of basic assumptions of the transactional approach including related theoretical elaborations and differentiations, and of empirical knowledge concerning specific impairments of schizophrenic persons, which may have an impact on their participation in this kind of therapy. Also, implications of the approach for the selection of specific methods of intervention and for the organization of the whole setting are discussed. After illustrating the approach by describing a program for groups of patients, which so far has clinically proved to be useful, some ideas concerning the strategy of evaluation are presented. These refer to the process of therapeutic intervention and to aspects of general and differential effectivity.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Coping with symptoms related to schizophrenia.

This article describes a method developed to assess coping with schizophrenia by inpatients and outpatients. The approach is based on a transactional theory of coping. Symptoms related to the disease, subjective appraisals given by the 40 patients, and coping behavior are assessed using a list of disease-related strains, rating scales, and a semi-structured interview. Results of this study indicate that the patients' appraisals of the effects of their efforts to cope may not be realistic, leading to a low degree of satisfaction. Coping, described as "problem-centered" versus "nonproblem-centered" and as behavioral, cognitive, or emotional, seemed to be related to the patients' clinical status. Nonproblem-centered strategies predominated in the highly strained groups, along with a tendency to more emotional and less cognitive coping.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

[Coping with illness as conforming to technological rules: an analysis of coping behavior of schizophrenic patients].

Coping can be conceptualized in terms of conformity with certain rules describing the relation between appraisals (here: control-ability and variability of stressors) and coping behaviour (here: problem-oriented, non-problem-oriented). The goal of the study is to examine the relevance of this approach for the analysis of schizophrenic patients' coping with their disease. This was done with the help of a reanalysis of data from a previous study. Subjects were 40 patients, which could be grouped in three clusters: high symptom strain, low symptom strain, specific strain (prodromal). Results showed that patients with low strain had a higher level of rule-conformity. Also, subjects with high rule conformity had a higher level of well-being, better prognosis and a higher level of professional education.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

[Coping with schizophrenia (I): theoretical perspectives and empirical findings].

Theoretical positions from schizophrenia research, dealing with the issue of coping, are presented and discussed in terms of the processes described and the relationship, which is seen between symptoms and mechanisms of coping. Also, empirical work is reported, where coping of schizophrenic patients in relation to their disorder was analyzed. Dependent on their respective theoretical perspective, these studies investigate coping with clinical symptoms, with basic disorders or with the requirements of the particular situation of living. Discussing the results, their utility for clinical practice is analyzed. Research questions concerning the conceptual formulation of coping with a psychotic disease, the assessment methodology and the issue of external criteria for validation are elaborated.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

[Coping with schizophrenic disease (II): further research approaches].

Results from studies, dealing with the way, schizophrenic persons cope with their disease, are briefly presented. Research problems are elaborated, which concern the issue of a more comprehensive and differentiated conceptualization of coping and of the respective disease, the development of descriptive categories which at the same time are logically consistent and clinically relevant, and finally the construction of adequate assessment procedures. Contributions from Life-Event-Research and from coping research, especially in the field of somatic diseases, are analyzed for helpful approaches and their transferability to people suffering from psychosis. Finally, perspectives of future research are outlined.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1978

Use of testing-the-limits procedures in the assessment of intellectual capabilities in children with learning difficulties.

Various testing-the-limits procedures were employed in administering the Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices test to 108 subjects with learning difficulties (age range 8.4 to 12.9 years). Both the picture and the puzzle forms of the test were employed in a repeated-measures format. Results revealed significant improvement in performance due to testing condition, test version, and repeated testing. Testing conditions involving verbalization and feedback were most salient. Performance on the second testing was higher than on the first testing. Localization of these effects was made to subgroupings of items on the test. The results were discussed in theoretical and practical terms.

Child↗