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PubMed2001

Neurotransmitters, temperament and social functioning.

Dimensional models can be usefully employed to describe both normal and disordered personality. Studies in molecular genetics, receptor binding, peripheral monoamines and pharmacological challenges have investigated the neurochemical basis of personality. Substantial evidence now exists to support a psychobiological model but the specificity of Cloninger's theory has not always been confirmed. Clinical studies have shown both temperament and character dimensions to improve with pharmacological treatment especially in treatment responders. Some personality changes are found to be independent of clinical effects and even to occur in normal subjects. Models of personality can help in predicting treatment outcome but individual dimensions may not be useful. It is hypothesised that social adaptation is related to the character dimensions and different sources of evidence link these to serotonergic actions. However, recent clinical studies have shown a specific effect of noradrenaline on self-perception and social motivation. Drugs with specific actions on different neurotransmitters may exert a distinctive pattern of effects on personality and social behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Head and neck cancer: a threat to life and social functioning.

This paper deals with the crisis of cancer and the communication loss faced by the laryngectomized patient. It considers the particular issues for the patient and his family and how the use of crisis intervention can reinforce the coping patterns of the patient and his family.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1997

The enhancement of social functioning as a therapeutic principle in the management of depression.

It has long been considered that depression is a biochemical disorder resulting from dysfunction of monoamine systems in the brain and that antidepressants act upon these systems as 'magic bullets' to correct the lesion. An alternative hypothesis is that antidepressants act upon intact monoamine systems to produce functional changes that are not necessarily a reversal of the initial cause. If this is the case, one would expect that currently available classes of antidepressants would have overlapping spectra of therapeutic effects and that, while all may be effective in the majority of patients, some will be more useful according to individual needs. To date, the assessment of recovery from depression, using scales such as the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, has been physician centred. Such assessments leave open the possibility that patients may not have recovered in terms of their social adaptation and that, accordingly, the patients themselves and their relatives may not perceive them as having recovered. Findings of differences between antidepressants on the Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale highlight the importance of patient perception of treatment efficacy. These differences may indicate differences in efficacy not detected by conventional instruments, differences in tolerability, differences in the speed of onset of antidepressant activity, or differences in the behavioural profile produced by different classes of antidepressants.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed2005

Why do fear and anger look the way they do? Form and social function in facial expressions.

The origins of the appearances of anger and fear facial expressions are not well understood. The authors tested the hypothesis that such origins might lie in the expressions' resemblance to, respectively, mature and babyish faces in three studies. In Study 1, faces expressing anger and fear were judged to physically resemble mature and babyish faces. Study 2 indicated that characteristics associated specifically with babyishness are attributed to persons showing fear, whereas characteristics associated with maturity are attributed to persons showing anger. In Study 3, composite faces were used to minimize the possibility that the attributions were based on associations to the anger and fear emotions alone rather than to the physical resemblance of the expressions to static facial appearance cues. These results suggest that fear and anger expressions may serve socially adaptive purposes for those who show them, similar to the social adaptations associated with a babyish or mature facial appearance.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2004

Patterns of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and social function in schizophrenia.

Research has alternately found that obsessive and compulsive (OC) symptoms in schizophrenia are associated with graver and lesser levels of negative symptoms. One possible explanation is that there are two distinct groups of persons with OC symptoms: those with cognitive deficits and high levels of negative symptoms and those who generally function well and have low levels of negative symptoms. To examine this question, we performed a cluster analysis on 66 persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders on the basis of their level of obsessive-compulsive phenomena and global psychosocial function. Four groups were found: high OC/good function (n=9), non-OC/poor function (n=25), non-OC/moderate function (n=20), and high OC/poor function (n=12). A MANCOVA controlling for age found significant group differences on assessments of negative symptoms, executive function and attention among groups. As predicted, the high OC/poor function group had significantly poorer attention than any other group and poorer executive function than either non-OC group. The high OC/good function had lower levels of negative symptoms than either non-OC group. Implications for research and rehabilitation are discussed.

Cluster Analysis↗
PubMed1987

Quality of life assessment in obesity: physical, psychological, and social function.

This article examines the value of including patients' well being in the clinical assessment of obesity. It also deals with health status measures and the current state of so-called quality-of-life research. The few and limited studies of quality of life in obesity are reviewed and preliminary results of our own work are presented.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Social functioning of patients with alcohol dependence treated with disulfiram at the substance abuse treatment center].

The effect of disulfiram ("Anticol") treatment lasting from 7 to 12 months of 57 alcohol dependent out-patients was evaluated. The satisfactory results (i.e. patients remained abstinent and took the medication regularly) were observed in 30 patients. Those patients did not differ from others in regard to age, length of alcohol abuse, the severity of dependence, the genetic encumbrance , the features of alexithymia , and the membership of AA-clubs. The percentage of patients with positive treatment results was significantly higher among subjects with high self-motivation to treatment, among married subjects, and among those professionally active. The findings are similar to the recent American results where about a half of alcoholics showed positive effects of disulfiram treatment, especially those with high motivation to the treatment and with the stabile social position.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Correlates of generalized tonic-clonic seizures with intellectual, neuropsychological, emotional, and social function in patients with epilepsy.

Relationships between generalized tonic-clonic seizures and indicators of psychological functioning were evaluated in 94 adults with epilepsy who had exceptionally clear seizure histories. Patients were divided according to lifetime numbers of attacks and the presence or absence of a history of major motor status epilepticus. History of status epilepticus or history of more than 100 individual convulsions was associated with decreased functioning in all areas. Abilities were poorest for the group with a history of status, whereas emotional and psychosocial adjustment were worst in persons having large numbers of single convulsions. Possible reasons for the decreased test scores other than seizures were explored in great detail, but none could account for the differences in performance across the groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

The Case Record Rating Scale: a method for rating symptom and social function data from case records.

Case records provide a vast resource of information for clinical research, yet their value has been limited by several methodological problems. One of these has been the absence of standardized approaches for making diagnoses and other clinical judgments from case record data. This report describes the Case Record Rating Scale, an instrument designed to provide a standardized method for abstracting case record information. The reliability of the scale is demonstrated, and the advantages and problems encountered using case record data for research are described.

Humans↗
PubMed1975

Myelodysplasia. Problems of long-term survival and social function.

Problems of ninety-eight patients with myelodysplasia, ages 13 to 72, were reviewed. They were grouped as follows: Those having thoracic and high lumbar level (L(2) upward arrow) lesions and confined to wheel chairs, those with intermediate paralysis (L(3-5) nerve roots) as walking with aids and those with less paralysis (S(1) downward arrow) as fully ambulatory. Fifty-two percent of the L(2) upward arrow and only 15 percent of of the less severely paralyzed patients were retarded below an IQ level 70 (P<0.01). Thirty-six patients (62 percent) were fully and 26 partially, but appropriately, self-sufficient. Thirty-six patients were found in some form of dependent care. Two of the 71 more paralyzed patients (L(3-5) and L(2) upward arrow) and five of the 28 S(1) downward arrow patients were "naturally continent" but reported stress incontinence of urine. Thirteen of 23 female and five of 28 male patients between ages 16 and 72 years reported sexual activity and accounted for 17 normal offspring. All 23 retarded patients were in some form of custodial care. Dependency among the normal intellect patients could be attributed to neglect of physically deforming complications and emotional disorders, primarily low self-esteem centering around social and sexual identity problems associated with excrement soiling.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Social functioning of patients with schizophrenia who are employed and unemployed].

A group of 130 patients having been treated with schizophrenia for at least 5 years was examined. The patients were trying to get a job after at least one year leave. All subjects were examined twice: at the time of looking for a job and two years later. Adaptability level and the course of employment during the period of two years were assessed. It was found out that 40% of patients continued work after two years but majority of those were working in firm for disabled people. Professional work positively influenced the patients' self-dependence. It was proposed to motivate all patients treated with schizophrenia to start professional work.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Temporal course of symptoms and social functioning in relapsing schizophrenics: a 6-year follow-up.

As a part of the Copenhagen High Risk project, a 6 year follow-up of relapses after first hospitalisation of 67 schizophrenic women was performed. Four dimensions of psychopathology were examined: positive symptoms, negative symptoms, formal thought disorder and depressive symptoms. Each symptom group was its own best predictor over time. Only depressive symptoms diminished significantly at a relapse 6 years after first hospitalisation. Broadly defined subtyping of schizophrenia into paranoid and non-paranoid, retained stability over a 6 year period. It is concluded that there is a stability of psychopathology across onset episodes and relapses.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Influence of a cardiac rehabilitation program on the cardiovascular, psychological, and social functioning of cardiac patients.

Twenty-eight male cardiac patients who had either experienced myocardial infarction or undergone coronary bypass surgery were assigned to a treatment condition and participated in a 3-month, exercise-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, whereas 20 other cardiac patients were assigned to a routine-care condition and did not participate in the rehabilitation program. Cardiovascular, psychological, and psychosocial functioning were assessed before treatment or routine care was begun, after 3 months of treatment or routine care, and 4 months later. Results indicated that patients in the treatment condition evidenced reliably more efficient cardiovascular functioning (resting heart rate, resting diastolic blood pressure, treadmill exercise performance, exercise heart rate, exercise systolic blood pressure), better understanding of heart disease, better understanding of and reported compliance with treatment recommendations, more positive self-perceptions (health, body concept, self-concept, progress toward goals), and better psychosocial functioning (e.g., decreased employment-related stress, more active use and enjoyment of leisure time, more physical and sexual activity). Chronic patients benefited as much from the treatment as did acute patients, and the beneficial effects for all treated patients were evident not only just after rehabilitation, but also 4 months later. This investigation appears to be the first such test of effects of this type of treatment, and the results have wide generalizability and applicability.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Behavioral assessment of peer interaction and social functioning in institutional and structured settings.

Observed 18 children in a short-term psychiatric facility over a 5-month period using a peer interaction coding system. The direct behavioral observation method was adapted and revised from existing scales to increase reliability and efficiency for use by institutional staff. Response codes included Adaptive Peer Interaction, Maladaptive Peer Interaction, Solitary Independent Play, and Response to Staff. Reliability was assessed on 35% of the total coded intervals, which yielded an overall reliability coefficient of 94.3%. In addition, reliability coefficients were calculated for each individual component behavior, an extremely important but often ignored statistic, and all yielded reliabilities greater than 90%. Normative rates for children on the psychiatric unit also are presented, and discussion is provided concerning the application of this coding system in clinics, schools, and institutional settings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey questionnaire: which normative data should be used? Comparisons between the norms provided by the Omnibus Survey in Britain, the Health Survey for England and the Oxford Healthy Life Survey.

BACKGROUND: Population norms for the attributes included in measurement scales are required to provide a standard with which scores from other study populations can be compared. This study aimed to obtain population norms for the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey Questionnaire, derived from a random sample of the population in Britain who were interviewed at home, and to make comparisons with other commonly used norms. METHODS: The method was a face-to-face interview survey of a random sample of 2056 adults living at home in Britain (response rate 78 per cent). Comparisons of the SF-36 scores derived from this sample were made with the Health Survey for England and the Oxford Healthy Life Survey. RESULTS: Controlling for age and sex, many of mean scores on the SF-36 dimensions differed between the three datasets. The British interview sample had better total means for Physical Functioning, Social Functioning, Mental Health, Energy/Vitality, and General Health Perceptions. The Health (interview) Survey for England had the lowest (worst) total mean scores for Physical Functioning, Social Functioning, Role Limitations (physical), Bodily Pain, and Health Perceptions. The postal sample in central England had the lowest (worst) total mean scores for Role Limitations (emotional), Mental Health and Energy/Vitality. CONCLUSION: Responses obtained from interview methods may suffer more from social desirability bias (resulting in inflated SF-36 scores) than postal surveys. Differences in SF-36 means between surveys are also likely to reflect question order and contextual effects of the questionnaires. This indicates the importance of providing mode-specific population norms for the various methods of questionnaire administration.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Brief scales for measurement of functional social support and psychological resources in French-speaking adults.

OBJECTIVES: Psychological resources and social support are important determinants of health, but brief and validated scales measuring these dimensions in French are lacking. METHODS: Instruments measuring self-esteem and mastery, and affective and confident social support were administered by mail to 1257 university students. Factor analysis, internal consistency statistics, and correlations with related variables were used to derive abbreviated scales and confirm their validity. RESULTS: Factor analysis and item reduction yielded four brief scales: mastery (4 items), self-esteem (4 items), affective social support (2 items), and problem-solving social support (4 items). All four scales had few missing items and adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.70). All scores were associated with self-reported general health, and with visits to mental health specialists. Scores of self-esteem and mastery were also associated with physician visits (inversely), and confidence in finishing studies and finding a job. Scores of affective and confident social support correlated with the intensity of social activities and the number of people the respondent could count on. CONCLUSIONS: The abbreviated scales retained adequate psychometric properties and may be usefully applied in health research among similar French-speaking populations.

Adolescent↗