Nurse-Led Positive Psychology Intervention Is Feasible in Patients With Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Negative psychological states have been linked with poor cardiovascular outcomes, including heart failure (HF). Positive psychological states have been associated with superior outcomes, with little focus on interventions designed to increase positive psychological states in patients with HF. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test the acceptability and feasibility of a nurse-led positive psychology intervention. METHODS: A convenience sample of patients with HF was enrolled at a single academic medical center. The participants were coached in the Best Possible Self intervention by a trained nurse. Participants were then contacted by telephone to determine continued practice and satisfaction with the intervention. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients were approached to enroll 60 patients with a yield rate of 69%. The intervention was feasible and acceptable as 80% continued the intervention until study completion. CONCLUSION: Patients with HF are willing to participate and accept a nurse-led positive psychology intervention.

The reciprocal predictive relationship between high-risk personality and drinking: An 8-wave longitudinal study in early adolescents.

In youth, maladaptive personality traits such as urgency (the tendency to act rashly when highly emotional) predict early onset alcohol consumption. In adults, maladaptive behaviors, including substance use, predict negative personality change. This article reports on a test of hypothesized maladaptive, reciprocal prediction between youth drinking and the trait of urgency. In a sample of 1,906 youth assessed every 6 months from the spring of 5th grade through the spring of 8th grade, and again in the spring of 9th grade, the authors found such reciprocal prediction. Over each 6 month and then 12 month time lag, urgency predicted increased subsequent drinking. In addition, over 6 of the 7 time lags, drinking behavior predicted subsequent increases in urgency. During early adolescence, maladaptive personality and dysfunctional behavior each led to increases in the other. The results of this process include cyclically increasing risk for youth drinking and may include increasing risk for the multiple maladaptive behaviors predicted by the trait of urgency. (PsycINFO Database Record