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Biomedical subjects

K Oppenheimer

Publications and source records attributed to K Oppenheimer.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Family transitions and developmental processes in panic-disordered patients.

Although there is increasing evidence for a familial role in panic disorder, little research exists on the family interaction patterns and relational stressors that may contribute to this disorder. Using DSM-III-R criteria, 52 families were classified into Panic Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Nonclinical Control groups. A semi-structured interview and self-report measures were then used to examine family processes. MANOVA results were highly significant, suggesting that, compared to depressed and nonclinical control families, panic-disordered families had unresolved life-cycle issues, were enmeshed, used triangulation, and failed to resolve conflicts. These findings suggest that dysfunctional family processes may be involved in the expression and maintenance of panic disorder.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

Duty to warn: when should confidentiality be breached?

Family physicians may be confronted with the dilemma of when to breach a patient's confidentiality to warn an intended victim of specific threats of harm. The courts have consistently ruled that persons who have a therapeutic relationship with patients have a duty to protect society from specified and foreseeable danger, yet at the same time to act judiciously in guarding against unnecessarily violating a patient's confidentiality. The dilemma imposed by this dual obligation is illustrated by a case report. Guidelines for assessing dangerousness and determining a course of action are offered so physicians can respond to their patient's threats of violence.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Effect of history of psychological counseling on selection of applicants for residencies.

The stress of medical education and its consequences are widely recognized and acknowledged. However, many students may be reluctant to seek help for stress-related problems because they are concerned over the ramifications such a decision may have on their career opportunities. The purpose of the present study was to determine the extent to which an applicant's history of having received psychological counseling for stress-related problems influenced residency program directors' perceptions of such applicants seeking admission to residency programs. Five hundred twenty-three residency directors in six medical specialties (pediatrics, internal medicine, family medicine, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery) rated a hypothetical residency applicant. The student's gender and history of psychological counseling were manipulated, but their basic qualifications remained constant. The directors rated the likelihood that they would invite the student for an interview and accept the applicant for the residency. Analysis of variance showed that the directors in pediatrics, family medicine, and psychiatry viewed the hypothetical applicant more favorably overall than directors in internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery. The program directors rated female applicants more favorably than their male counterparts and had a strong bias against inviting for an interview or accepting into their programs students who had a history of psychological counseling. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Counseling↗
PubMed1987

The impact of daily stressors on women's adjustment to marital separation.

The relationship between stressful life events and the onset of various forms of illness has been well documented. One aspect of the relationship that has been overlooked, however, is that a major stressful life event frequently creates lifestyle changes that may increase susceptibility to illness. The purpose of the present study was to examine the hypothesis that daily stressors mediate the relationship between the stressful life event of marital separation and psychological distress. Seventy-nine women separated or divorced for less than three years completed measures of daily stressors and psychological distress on two occasions approximately ten weeks apart. The results confirmed the hypothesis that frequency of daily stressors is a better predictor of psychological distress than time since the life event of marital separation. The results also indicated that frequency of daily stressors maintains distress over time. These findings suggest that physicians should focus attention on evaluating the frequency and impact of ordinary stressors in daily life following a major life event.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Determinants of adjustment for children of divorcing parents.

Family physicians frequently see children and parents when they are adjusting to marital separation. This study examined how well child adjustment at school could be determined from an assessment of interspousal relations, maternal functioning, and child perception variables. Teachers evaluated adaptive functioning, social withdrawal, and aggressive behavior at school for a carefully selected sample of 22 boys and 24 girls (ages 7-12) whose parents had been separated for two to 18 months. Regression analyses indicated that boys' overall school adjustment was associated with better maternal parenting skills, lower child fear of abandonment, less blaming of father for the separation, and positive parental verbal attributions toward the other parent. Girls with better overall school adjustment reported less blaming of their mothers and a higher rate of positive attributions by mother about father. These findings suggest concepts family physicians can use in working with families to minimize the effect of divorce on children.

Aggression↗