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1.
J Clin Psychol ; 78(6): 1074-1092, 2022 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34993963

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore a novel model for war-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology including emotion regulation processes, namely experiential avoidance (EA) and uncompassionate self-responding (USR), mediating the impact of childhood threat memories, combat exposure distress, combat and noncombat threats, and peritraumatic depersonalization/derealization (PDD) on PTSD symptomatology. METHOD: A sample of 650 male Portuguese Overseas War veterans filled self-report instruments. RESULTS: The model explained 59% of the variance of PTSD symptomatology. Both EA and USR mediated the effects of noncombat threats and PDD on PTSD. Additionally, EA mediated combat exposure distress and USR mediated childhood threat memories. Combat exposure distress, combat and noncombat threats, and PDD showed direct effects on PTSD symptomatology. CONCLUSION: The findings help to better understand the relationship between predictive factors of war-related PTSD in clinical and research settings, providing novel insights on the effects of combat exposure distress, and the different effects of combat and noncombat-related threats on PTSD.


Subject(s)
Combat Disorders , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic , Veterans , Combat Disorders/psychology , Depersonalization , Humans , Male , Self Report , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/therapy , Veterans/psychology
2.
Nord J Psychiatry ; 75(1): 38-48, 2021 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32646266

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Only a small number of consistent processes predict which depressed patients will achieve remission with antidepressant medication. One set of processes is that of social ranking strategies/variables that are related to life events and severe difficulties. Particularly, defeat and entrapment predict poorer response to antidepressants. However, results are inconsistent. AIM: The current study aimed to evaluate evolutionary strategies, childhood maltreatment, neglect and life events and difficulties (LEDs) as predictors of remission in depressed patients undergoing pharmacological treatment in a psychiatric outpatient sample. METHODS: A cohort of 139 depressed outpatients undergoing pharmacological treatment was followed prospectively in a naturalistic study for 6 weeks. Two major evaluations were considered at baseline and 6 weeks. We allocated patients to a pharmacological treatment algorithm for depression - the Texas Medication Algorithm Project. Variables evaluated at baseline and tested as predictors of remission included demographic and clinical data, severity of depression, social ranking, evolution informed variables, LEDs and childhood maltreatment. RESULTS: Of the 139 patients, only 24.5% were remitted at week 6. In univariate analyses, non-remitted patients scored significantly higher in all psychopathology and vulnerability scales except for submissive behaviour and internal entrapment. For the logistic regression, a higher load of LEDs of the entrapment and humiliation dimension in the year before the index episode (OR = 6.62), and higher levels external entrapment in the Entrapment Scale (OR = 1.10) predicted non-remission. These variables accounted for 28.7% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: Multivariate analysis revealed that external entrapment was the only predictor of non-remission.


Subject(s)
Depressive Disorder, Major , Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use , Child , Cohort Studies , Depressive Disorder, Major/drug therapy , Humans , Logistic Models , Outpatients , Treatment Outcome
3.
Psychother Res ; 31(4): 493-506, 2021 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32838700

ABSTRACT

Objective: Recent studies on immersion (first-person perspective) and distancing (third-person perspective) in psychotherapy have shown the potential of both perspectives in the treatment of depression. High levels of change were associated with transitions between immersion and distancing, suggesting that a dynamic pattern between them may result in a more adaptive view of reality. This study aimed to assess if higher flexibility between these perspectives, during clients reflection on negative experiences in the intermediate phase, is associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms at the end of treatment. Method: We analyzed the flexibility through frequency and magnitude of transitions between immersion and distancing, in representative sessions of the intermediate phase of therapy in 17 cases with depression. Results: The results showed that the higher frequency and lower magnitude in the intermediate phase predicted lower levels of depressive symptoms at the end of treatment. Conclusion: Immersion and distancing seem to work as dynamic processes, and greater flexibility between them in intermediate phase of therapy, characterized by frequent and fast transitions between the two perspectives, may be an adaptive pattern due to its effect on post treatment depressive symptoms.


Subject(s)
Depression , Immersion , Depression/therapy , Humans , Psychotherapy
4.
J Clin Psychol ; 76(7): 1267-1282, 2020 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31975500

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This psychometric study explores the Portuguese version of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL-5). It aims to clarify the best-fitting latent structure among competing PTSD models (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-fifth edition [DSM-5], Dysphoria, Dysphoric Arousal, Anhedonia, Externalizing Behavior, And Hybrid models) and its implications for PTSD measurement. METHOD: Psychometric analyses were conducted in a sample from the general population of firefighters (N = 446), except the temporal stability, which was tested in a subsample of 100 participants. RESULTS: The models presented significant differences in a global fit. The Hybrid model presented the best-fitting structure, but the DSM-5 model showed more favorable reliability and convergent validity in Confirmatory Factor Analyses. The DSM-5 model also proved to be internally consistency, temporally stable, and presented convergent validity. CONCLUSION: The Portuguese version of PCL-5 is reliable and valid. The findings suggest the appropriateness of the DSM-5 model to assess PTSD symptomatology, encouraging its use in clinical, and research settings.


Subject(s)
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Models, Statistical , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales/standards , Psychometrics/standards , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Portugal , Reproducibility of Results , Young Adult
5.
Eat Weight Disord ; 25(1): 247-256, 2020 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30168033

ABSTRACT

The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) is one of the most widely used instruments to study different eating behaviors. It measures three types of eating behaviors namely: cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating. The present study aims to evaluate the factor structure and reliability of the Portuguese version of the TFEQ-R21, using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The sample includes 468 participants from the general population, with ages ranging from 18 to 60 years. Results from the CFA confirmed the TFEQ-R21 three-factor structure and the model revealed an acceptable fit to the data (χ2(186) = 443.211, p < 0.001; χ2/df = 2.329; CFI = 0.933; TLI = 0.925; RMSEA = 0.054; SMRS = 0.053). Multi-group analysis results support strong measurement invariance across genders. Furthermore, all three dimensions presented adequate psychometric properties. Overall, results support that the Portuguese version of the TFEQ-R21 is a useful, reliable and robust instrument to assess relevant eating behaviors.Level of evidence V, descriptive studies.


Subject(s)
Cognition , Emotions , Feeding Behavior , Hyperphagia , Adolescent , Adult , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Portugal , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
6.
Clin Psychol Psychother ; 26(4): 409-417, 2019 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30812065

ABSTRACT

The Mindfulness-Based Program for Infertility (MBPI) was developed for people facing infertility and proved effective in cultivating mindfulness skills, improving infertility self-efficacy, and decreasing depression, shame, entrapment, and defeat feelings. Fifty-five women attended the MBPI sessions and completed self-report measures of depression, anxiety, mindfulness, and experiential avoidance at post-MBPI (T1), 6-month follow-up (T2), and 7-year follow-up (T3). There were significant direct time effects regarding experiential avoidance (F = 3.81; p < 0.033; ηp 2  = 0.08), the mindfulness facets describing (F = 3.54; p = 0.037; ηp 2  = 0.13), acting with awareness (F = 6.87; p = 0.002; ηp 2  = 0.22), nonjudging of inner experience (F = 10.66; p < 0.001; ηp 2  = 0.31), and depressive symptoms (F = 4.85; p = 0.020; ηp 2  = 0.10). There was an increase in the describing facet from T1 to T3 (p = 0.036). The act with awareness facet increased from T1 to T2 (p = 0.010) and from T1 to T3 (p = 0.007), as well as the nonjudging of inner experience facet (T1 to T2 [p = 0.030] and T1 to T3 [p = 0.002]). Experiential avoidance decreased from T1 to T3 (p = 0.022) and depressive symptoms from T1 to T2 (p = 0.019). Post-MBPI scores were maintained at T2 and T3 concerning anxiety symptoms and the observing and no-reactivity mindfulness facets. There were long-term effects of MBPI on mindfulness and experiential avoidance. Moreover, therapeutic gains were maintained regarding depression and anxiety symptoms, independently of the reproductive outcome.


Subject(s)
Anxiety/therapy , Depression/therapy , Infertility/psychology , Mindfulness/methods , Program Evaluation/methods , Adult , Anxiety/complications , Anxiety/psychology , Depression/complications , Depression/psychology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Infertility/complications , Male , Surveys and Questionnaires
7.
Clin Psychol Psychother ; 26(6): 743-750, 2019 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31614035

ABSTRACT

Considering that self-criticism is an important process in the development and maintenance of depression, and taking into account the stigma associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the present study aimed to analyse whether self-criticism exacerbates the relationships of depression symptoms with IBD symptomatology and chronic illness-related shame. The sample included 53 ambulatory IBD patients (66% females) with ages from 18 to 65. Moderation analyses were conducted using structural equation modelling. Self-criticism exacerbated the associations of depression with IBD symptoms (b = 0.01; standard error [SE] = 0.00; Z = 3.73; P < .001) and illness shame (b = 0.02; SE = 0.01; Z = 2.40; P = .016). For the same level of IBD symptomatology or chronic illness-related shame, those individuals who present more feelings of inadequacy towards the self, experience more symptoms of depression. This exacerbation effect is stronger when IBD symptomatology and chronic illness-related shame are more intense. A high self-critical IBD patient may view the illness and/or symptomatology as a flaw or error that should be self-corrected. Physicians and other health professionals should be attentive to these pathological mechanisms and should attempt to alleviate them. It may be beneficial to refer high self-critical patients to psychological care.


Subject(s)
Attitude to Health , Depressive Disorder/complications , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/complications , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/psychology , Self-Assessment , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Ambulatory Care , Chronic Disease , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Portugal , Shame , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
8.
Clin Psychol Psychother ; 26(5): 616-625, 2019 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31240784

ABSTRACT

This study aims to (a) explore individual differences in women with chronic pain (CP) in regard to pain intensity, functional impairment, cognitive fusion, and depressive symptoms and (b) longitudinally test whether cognitive fusion is a significant predictor of depression symptoms, while controlling for pain intensity and functional impairment, over a 12-month period. This study follows a longitudinal design and was conducted in a sample of 86 women with CP who responded to an online battery of questionnaires in three equally spaced assessment moments. In order to explore the growth trajectory of variables of interest, latent growth curve models were examined. Also, correlation analyses were conducted between demographic and illness-related variables and depressive symptoms, as well as between all variables in all assessment moments. Cognitive fusion and functional impairment (but not pain intensity) were significantly associated with baseline levels of depressive symptoms. Cognitive fusion significantly predicted the growth trajectory of depressive symptoms, whereas pain intensity and functional impairment did not. No demographic (age, marital status, education, socio-economic) nor illness-related variables (number of CP diagnoses, duration of CP, taking medication) were associated with depressive symptoms at any point. These results suggest that the trajectory of depressive symptoms in women with CP is not predicted by the intensity of pain nor pain-related functional impairment, but rather by the tendency to get entangled with internal experiences (e.g., thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations), which may or may not be related to pain-specific contents. Clinical implications are discussed.


Subject(s)
Chronic Pain/complications , Chronic Pain/psychology , Cognition , Depressive Disorder/complications , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Middle Aged , Severity of Illness Index , Surveys and Questionnaires
9.
Psychother Res ; 29(6): 737-751, 2019 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29251176

ABSTRACT

Objective: The potential benefit or harm of immersion (egocentric perspective) and distancing (observer perspective) on negative experiences are unclear and have not been empirically investigated in therapy. This is a first exploratory study aimed to analyze and compare the perspectives adopted on reflection (immersion and distancing) of negative experiences across therapy and the relationship between them and depressive symptoms in contrasting therapeutic outcomes of emotion-focused therapy (EFT). Method: Three good-outcomes cases and three poor-outcomes cases of EFT, diagnosed with mild to moderate depression at the beginning of therapy, were randomly selected. Immersion and distancing on negative experiences were analyzed using the measure of immersed and distanced speech. The depressive symptoms were assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Results: Significant differences across sessions were only found in the good-outcome cases which showed a significant decrease of immersion and an increase of distancing, and this evolution pattern was found related to the reduction of symptoms. Moreover, at the beginning of therapy, distancing was higher in the poor-outcome cases rather than in the good-outcome cases. Conclusion: The progressive and significant evolution from higher immersion at the initial phase to higher distancing in the final phase may be helpful in EFT for depression.


Subject(s)
Depression/therapy , Emotion-Focused Therapy , Adult , Emotion-Focused Therapy/methods , Emotions , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Treatment Outcome , Young Adult
10.
Arch Sex Behav ; 47(6): 1721-1732, 2018 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29536260

ABSTRACT

The Sexual Inhibition and Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES) were developed to assess individual propensities for sexual excitation and sexual inhibition in men and women. The objective of the present study was to validate the Portuguese version of the SIS/SES and to investigate the degree to which SIS/SES scores predict different dimensions of Portuguese men's and women's sexual functioning. Gender differences were also examined. A community sample of 370 Portuguese men and 373 women completed self-report measures of sexual function (IIEF, Rosen et al., 1997; FSFI, Rosen et al., 2000) and of the propensity for sexual inhibition and sexual excitation (SIS/SES, Janssen et al., 2002a). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution further supported by confirmatory factor analysis. The three factors identified resemble the original ones, and reliability analyses indicated they have both satisfactory internal consistency and stability over time. Age and Sexual Inhibition Due to the Threat of Performance Failure (SIS1) were both significant negative predictors of men's sexual desire, erectile function, and orgasm. Sexual Excitation (SES) was a positive predictor of sexual desire in both men and women and of men's erectile function and of women's lubrication and orgasm. Age was also a significant and negative predictor of women's sexual desire. Significant gender differences were found for all three SIS/SES scales with men having significantly higher excitation and lower inhibition scores as compared to women. The Portuguese version of the SIS/SES was shown to be suitable for use within the Portuguese population in both clinical and basic research. Our findings provide further cross-cultural validation of the Dual Control Model of Sexual Response and underscore the importance of the role of excitatory and inhibitory processes in women's and men's sexual functioning and response.


Subject(s)
Inhibition, Psychological , Sexual Behavior/psychology , Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires/standards , Adult , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Orgasm , Penile Erection/physiology , Portugal , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , Self Report , Sex Factors
11.
Women Health ; 58(1): 38-50, 2018 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27926353

ABSTRACT

The current study aimed to test whether the associations of body mass index, body image discrepancy, and social comparison based on physical appearance with women's psychological quality of life (QoL) would be explained by the mechanisms of body image-related experiential avoidance and patterns of uncommitted living. The sample was collected from October 2014 to March 2015 and included 737 female college students (aged between 18 and 25 years) who completed validated self-report measures. Results demonstrated that the final path model explained 43% of psychological QoL and revealed an excellent fit. Body image-related experiential avoidance had a meditational role in the association between body image discrepancy and psychological QoL. Further, the link between social comparison based on physical appearance and psychological QoL was partially mediated by body image-related experiential avoidance and uncommitted living. These findings indicate that the key mechanisms of the relationship between body image and young women's QoL were those related to maladaptive emotion regulation. It thus seems that interventions aiming to promote mental health in this population should promote acceptance of internal experiences related to physical appearance (e.g., sensations, thoughts, or emotions) and the engagement in behaviors committed to life values.


Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Body Image/psychology , Personal Satisfaction , Quality of Life/psychology , Students/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Emotions , Female , Humans , Portugal , Universities , Young Adult
12.
J Psychosoc Oncol ; 36(4): 520-528, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29533162

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have highlighted the importance of being able to receive compassion and affiliative signals from others. The main aim of the present study was to explore whether social support and fear of receiving compassion from others are predictors of depression symptoms in a sample of breast cancer patients. METHODS: The sample included 86 female patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. Participants were recruited at a Radiotherapy Service in central Portugal and completed validated self-report instruments. Multiple regression analysis were conducted to examine the predictive effects of clinical (cancer stage, comorbidities) and demographic variables (age, education), social support, and fear of receiving compassion from others on depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Fear of receiving compassion from others was the only significant predictor of the model, with a positive effect on depression symptomatology (ß = 0.44; p < 0.001). These results suggest that the amount of supportive social contacts and networks may not be as important as cancer patients' ability to receive compassion from others. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to focus on fear of receiving compassion from others in cancer patients and seems to be a significant contribution for the study of the social factors that may be associated with depression in breast cancer. Psychological screening interviews in breast cancer, besides assessing patients' level of depression and social support, ought to also evaluate the ability to receive empathy and emotional help and support from other people.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/psychology , Depression/psychology , Empathy , Fear , Aged , Breast Neoplasms/therapy , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Social Support
13.
Law Hum Behav ; 42(1): 57-70, 2018 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29072472

ABSTRACT

This article describes a secondary data analysis collected from inmates who participated in an independent randomized controlled trial, testing the efficacy of the Growing Pro-Social (GPS) Program. The current study aimed to test the program's ability to increase, on one hand, cognitive reappraisal (adaptive emotion regulation strategy) and, on the other hand, decrease expressive suppression (maladaptive emotion regulation strategy) over time. It was also assessed if the GPS was capable of reducing disciplinary infractions committed by inmates over time. Participants were randomized to the GPS treatment (n = 121) or the control group (n = 133). The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire was completed at baseline, at mid-treatment, at post-treatment and at 12-months' follow-up. Disciplinary infractions were collected from prison records during the 12 months before the beginning of the program, during the GPS's 12-month length and during the 12 months after treatment completion. Treatment effects were analyzed with latent growth curve models. Concerning cognitive reappraisal, while treatment participants showed a significant increase, controls presented a decrease over time. For expressive suppression, the treatment group presented a significant decrease, and the control group showed no change over time. Treatment participants also presented a significant decrease in the number of disciplinary infractions and in the number of days in punishment, while controls showed no change or an increase over time. This study showed the GPS's ability to promote emotion and behavior regulation, which contributes not only to inmate's interpersonal adjustment, but also to a more efficient management of the prison system. (PsycINFO Database Record


Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Cognition , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods , Emotions , Prisoners/psychology , Adult , Humans , Male , Program Evaluation
14.
J Clin Psychol ; 74(12): 2094-2106, 2018 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30101973

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE(S): The aim of this study was to test a theory driven model in which pain acceptance (both pain willingness [PW] and activity engagement [AE]) mediates the relationships of mindfulness and selfcompassion with depressive symptoms, while controlling for pain intensity. METHODS: A path analysis was conducted using AMOS software to test a meditational model in a sample of women with chronic musculoskeletal pain (N = 231). RESULTS: Participants with higher levels of mindful awareness and selfcompassion presented lower levels of pain intensity and depressive symptoms, and higher levels of AE. PW did not significantly correlate with any variable in study. The mediation analysis showed that AE mediated the relationship between selfcompassion and depressive symptoms, independently from pain intensity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings seem to corroborate the hypothesis that selfcompassion is rooted in a motivational system, as it seems to correlate with less depressive symptoms through increasing the engagement with valued actions despite experiencing pain.


Subject(s)
Chronic Pain/psychology , Depression/psychology , Empathy , Mindfulness , Musculoskeletal Pain/psychology , Self Concept , Adult , Female , Humans , Middle Aged
15.
J Clin Psychol Med Settings ; 25(4): 356-366, 2018 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29460106

ABSTRACT

Although research recognizes the advantages of creating specific content measures, no specific measure of chronic illness-related cognitive fusion had been developed to date. The current study presents the development and validation of the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-Chronic Illness (CFQ-CI) in a sample of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and the analysis of the role of this construct in the psychological health of those patients. Results indicated that the 7-item CFQ-CI was a unidimensional measure of cognitive fusion in patients with chronic illnesses, and that scores had adequate/good internal consistency and construct, convergent, and discriminant validity. This study also showed that chronic illness-related cognitive fusion as assessed by the CFQ-CI acted as a mediator in the association between both IBD-related symptoms and shame with quality of life. The development of the CFQ-CI may thus contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms influencing functional outcomes in chronic illness.


Subject(s)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy/methods , Cognition , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/psychology , Quality of Life/psychology , Shame , Adult , Aged , Attitude to Health , Chronic Disease/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Portugal , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
16.
Clin Psychol Psychother ; 25(1): e42-e50, 2018 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28960667

ABSTRACT

Committed action, a process of acceptance and commitment therapy's psychological flexibility model, is considered an understudied construct that currently can only be measured by one instrument, the Committed Action Questionnaire (CAQ-8). This study aims at analysing the psychometric properties of the CAQ-8 in healthy individuals and breast cancer patients. This study also aims to explore the specific meditational role of committed action in the well-established relationship between experiential avoidance and depression symptoms. The healthy sample comprised 294 adults from the general population, and the breast cancer samples comprised 82 participants. Both groups completed the validated self-report measures. CAQ-8's robustness was examined through validity analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, and multigroup analysis. The meditational model was conducted using structural equation modelling. The CAQ-8 presented good internal consistency and construct, convergent, concurrent, and divergent validity in both samples. Further, the CAQ-8 showed incremental validity over a measure of engaged living. Findings also demonstrated measurement invariance between healthy individuals and breast cancer patients. Regarding the conducted meditational model that was also invariant between the two analysed groups, it was demonstrated that part of the effect that experiential avoidance holds on depressive symptomatology is explained by committed action. This study suggests that the CAQ-8 is adequate for use in healthy and cancer populations. Moreover, it provides novel, empirical support regarding the links between committed action, experiential avoidance, and depressed mood, being also the first investigation to particularly study committed action in a cancer population. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/complications , Breast Neoplasms/psychology , Depressive Disorder/complications , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires/standards , Acceptance and Commitment Therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Portugal , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , Young Adult
17.
Clin Psychol Psychother ; 25(6): 886-893, 2018 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30209863

ABSTRACT

Breast cancer is linked to psychological distress and mood disorders that are in turn associated with higher psychological dysfunction and decreased breast cancer survival. It is considered that psychological health in breast cancer is considerably affected by body image impairment, which in turn seems to be highly associated with shame. However, the impact of these variables on mental health may not be direct. The current study aimed to explore a comprehensive model regarding the role of chronic illness-related cognitive fusion in the relationship of body image dissatisfaction and chronic illness-related shame with depression symptoms. The sample was composed of 75 women with nonmetastatic breast cancer, recruited in a Radiotherapy Service in central Portugal. The conducted path model presented an excellent fit and accounted for 59% of the variance of depressive symptomatology. Further, it demonstrated that body image dissatisfaction's impact on depressed mood is significantly explained by the mechanisms of chronic illness-related shame and chronic illness-related cognitive fusion. It was also revealed that chronic illness-related cognitive fusion additionally mediated the impact of chronic illness-related shame on depression. These findings are suggestive of the importance of body image and chronic illness shame in the determination of breast cancer patients' depression symptoms and also the central role of chronic illness-related cognitive fusion in these relationships. Therefore, the implementation of acceptance and defusion-based psychotherapeutic interventions to improve mental health in cancer patients seems to be of great importance.


Subject(s)
Body Image/psychology , Breast Neoplasms/complications , Breast Neoplasms/psychology , Cognition , Depressive Disorder/etiology , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Shame , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Chronic Disease , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Personal Satisfaction
18.
Clin Psychol Psychother ; 25(5): 650-661, 2018 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29744971

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Social experiences have a significant impact on cognitive functioning and appraisals of social interactions. Specifically, recalls of antipathy from parents, submissiveness, and bullying during childhood can have a significant influence on paranoid ideation later in life. METHOD: Multiple hierarchical regression analysis was performed on a sample of 91 patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in remission and active phase, their first-degree relatives (n = 32) and unaffected controls (n = 64). OBJECTIVES: Exploring the impact of distal (events from childhood) and proximal factors (current cognitive, emotional, and behavioural aspects of social functioning) in the frequency, degree of conviction, and distress resulting from paranoid ideation in the participants from 4 samples. RESULTS: Proximal and distal factors (shame, submissive behaviour, negative social comparison, antipathy from father) predicted several aspects of paranoid ideation. Those variables had a differential impact in affected patients and healthy controls. DISCUSSION: Finding suggests different variables being involved in paranoid ideation, and the specificities of patients with paranoid schizophrenia should be considered in the development of more effective psychotherapeutic interventions.


Subject(s)
Bullying/psychology , Paranoid Disorders/psychology , Parent-Child Relations , Shame , Social Perception , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Surveys and Questionnaires
19.
Clin Psychol Psychother ; 25(3): 408-414, 2018 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29377472

ABSTRACT

This study explores the impact of illness-related shame on the quality of social relationships and psychological health in chronic patients. We aimed to examine the roles of fear of receiving compassion from others and experiential avoidance as potential mediators of this relationship. Although some studies have demonstrated the negative impact of chronic illness-related shame on psychological functioning, the mechanisms that may underlie this link remain understudied. The sample was comprised by 115 college students, which had been diagnosed with at least 1 chronic illness. Participants completed self-report measures on an online platform. This study's design was cross-sectional. A path analysis was conducted using structural equation modelling. Results showed that the impact of illness-related shame on both psychological health (R2  = .45) and the quality of social relationships (R2  = .33) was fully accounted by fear of compassion from others and experiential avoidance. This model revealed an excellent fit. Fear of receiving compassion from others was the main mediator of the illness-related shame link with the quality of social relationships (ß = -.22). The main mediator of the association between shame-related chronic illness and psychological health was experiential avoidance (ß = -.21).This study shed light on possible psychological mechanisms linking feelings of shame associated with having a chronic condition and impaired social relationships and mental health. On one hand, resisting feelings of compassion and care from others and, on the other hand, avoiding difficult internal experiences and situations that might trigger them seem to underlie the impact of shame on psychological and social functioning in chronic patients.


Subject(s)
Attitude to Health , Chronic Disease/psychology , Interpersonal Relations , Models, Psychological , Shame , Students/psychology , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Empathy , Fear/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Self Report , Social Behavior , Young Adult
20.
Eat Weight Disord ; 23(6): 785-796, 2018 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30019257

ABSTRACT

Weight stigma plays a damaging role in the life of the individuals with overweight and obesity who may internalise the widespread stigmatisation messages. Weight self-stigma is defined as personal experiences of shame, negative self-evaluations as well as perceived discrimination. It has been found to be related to experiential avoidance patterns and poorer outcomes. The current study aims to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ) and explore its psychometric properties. Furthermore, the mediator role of weight-related experiential avoidance on the relationship between weight self-stigma and unhealthy eating behaviour was analysed. Concerning the CFA, the sample comprised 331 women with overweight and obesity seeking nutritional treatment. A second independent sample of 58 overweight and obese women was used to assess WSSQ's temporal validity and internal responsiveness. Results supported the WSSQ two-factor structure and good psychometric properties and responsiveness to change. Also, evidence was found for the mediator role of weight-related experiential avoidance on the relationship between BMI, weight self-stigma and unhealthy eating patterns in women with overweight and obesity. Overall, the current study showed that WSSQ is a reliable measure and highlights the important role of weight self-stigma and weight-related experiential avoidance in women with overweight and obesity. Level of evidence: Level V, descriptive studies.


Subject(s)
Body Weight/physiology , Feeding Behavior/psychology , Overweight/psychology , Self Concept , Shame , Social Stigma , Adult , Body Mass Index , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Psychometrics , Surveys and Questionnaires
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