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Biomedical subjects

M Hautzinger

Publications and source records attributed to M Hautzinger.

40 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Neuropsychological status of alcohol-dependent patients: increased performance through goal-setting instructions.

AIMS: The effects of goal-setting instructions on neuropsychological performance of alcohol-dependent patients and control subjects were assessed. METHODS: 57 alcohol-dependent patients and 59 carefully age- and education-matched healthy control subjects underwent standard neuropsychological investigation. In addition, the goal-setting paradigm was used to systematically manipulate motivation. Participants were requested to calculate simple mathematical problems repeatedly within phases of a 2-min duration receiving normal or goal setting-instructions (to increase performance in the next phase by 20%). RESULTS: The patients demonstrated deficits in standard neuropsychological tests. Patients under goal-setting instructions demonstrated significantly higher improvement (correct responses: P = 0.016) relative to patients with standard instructions. Control subjects with goal-setting instructions demonstrated tendencies for higher improvement relative to control subjects with normal instructions. However, the differences were not significant. Interaction of group (patients vs. control subjects) and instructions (goal setting vs. normal) remained insignificant (P = 0.489) indicating that the increase through goal setting for the patients was not significantly higher than that for the control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Despite of neuropsychological deficits in reasoning and psychomotor functioning, alcohol-dependent patients early in recovery are responsive to goal setting and able to increase neuropsychological performance. Therefore, goal-setting strategies might possibly be used in cognitive rehabilitation and therapy of alcohol-dependent patients. As there was no significant interaction in increase between patients and control subjects, our results do not support the hypothesis that the neuropsychological deficits are affected by or even caused by motivational limitations of the alcohol-dependent patients.

Adult↗

[Cognitive behavior therapy with depressed elderly patients: initial experiences and results].

Our understanding of depression in old age focuses on a) restrictions and changes in living conditions, in social and somatic functions, in social contacts; b) real or perceived lack of control over those changes; c) rigid, absolute, negative expectations and assumptions; d) deficits in alternative behavior. A group program for treatment of depressed older patients based on those elements is described and first results of pilot studies are presented. These findings are quite promising and congruent with the few available Anglo-American studies. Despite the results, we are still far from being able to give empirically supported advice on how to efficiently treat depressed older patients. Further controlled investigation is necessary, including larger samples, multiple assessments, and well-designed pharmacological and psychological control conditions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

[A questionnaire for the detection of psychiatric and somatic complaints in the elderly].

A questionnaire of psychic and somatic complaints for the elderly is presented. This questionnaire assesses with 8 factors the following symptoms cluster: depression, anxiety, cognitive disturbances, somatic complaints, social problems, sleep problems, psychotic experiences, and sexual disturbances. These subscales are reliable and valid measures. This measure is helpful in particular in epidemiological research and also in clinical day-to-day practice.

Aged↗