Patients with obesity show reduced memory for others' body shape.

Social comparison theory assumes that individuals regularly compare themselves to others and that the comparisons are relevant for their self-esteem. For individuals with obesity, these social comparisons will yield a negative outcome with respect to body shape in the majority of social contacts. It is proposed that, when confronted with other persons, individuals with obesity avoid social comparisons on the dimension of body shape. Using a multinomial account of social categorization, 19 female psychotherapy patients with morbid obesity were compared to 19 non-obese female psychotherapy patients. As predicted, results reveal reduced memory for body shape categories in patients with obesity, indicating a reduced processing of body shape information.

Temperament and character personality profiles and personality disorders in chronic pain patients.

In his psychobiological model of personality, Cloninger developed a novel approach concerning the relationships between psychopathological syndromes and personality. We investigated 207 chronic pain patients (CPPs) and compared them to 105 pain-free control subjects. Participants were assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the Structured-Clinical-Interview-II, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory. The CPPs scored higher on the depression and state anxiety scales and 41% fulfilled the criteria of having at least one personality disorder (PD). We used a covariance analysis to control for depression and state anxiety and found that the CPPs scored higher on the Harm Avoidance Temperament Dimension and lower on the Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness Character Dimensions. In CPPs, the symptom counts of all PD subtypes were significantly related to low Self-Directedness and, to a lesser degree, low Cooperativeness. The PD symptoms in Cluster A were related to low Reward Dependence, those in Cluster B were related to high Novelty Seeking and the PD symptoms in Cluster C were related to high Harm Avoidance. In multiple hierarchical regression analyses, controlling for age, gender, depression and state anxiety, TCI scales predicted on average 23% in PD symptom counts. The Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness personality traits appeared to be significant predictors in determining the presence or absence of a PD by correctly classifying 75.8% of CPPs. The TCI provides further insight into the mechanisms underlying the development of chronic pain. This useful diagnostic instrument helps to economically and validly facilitate the identification of core PD features.

Cross-cultural comparison of explanatory models of illness in schizophrenic patients in Jordan and Germany.

This study investigated illness concepts of schizophrenic patients in an Arab-Islamic and a western European cultural background. 24 Jordanian and 23 German inpatients were interviewed using an illness concept scale and a causal belief questionnaire. Jordanian patients tend to believe more in esoteric factors underlying their illness, and they perceive the illness to be more threatening. There were no differences regarding biological explanations of illness and trust in medication; however, Jordanian patients reported more trust in the treating physician. Nearly all patients mentioned psychosocial stress as an important factor underlying their illness. Concerning treatment, only Jordanian patients believed religion to be an important factor and mentioned distance from the family as beneficial. The study highlights that culturally specific factors influence illness concepts of schizophrenic patients from an Arab-Islamic and a western European cultural background. Knowledge of these illness concepts is important to establish a helpful relationship between physician and patient.

Parental coping with sudden infant death after donor insemination: case report.

We report the case of an artificial donor insemination couple experiencing sudden infant death of their 8-month-old child. Six months after the incident, the couple were investigated by means of an extensive interview, a repertory grid investigation and the Family Assessment Measure, as well as at 6 years after the incident by an extensive interview. The results show the importance of the diagnosis of male infertility and the preceding fertility treatment for coping with the death of their child. Six months after the incident, acute feelings associated with bereavement are mixed with feelings of anger and shame, apparently due to the experience of infertility. However, secrecy and shame associated with male infertility and donor insemination make it impossible for the couple to communicate their feelings to each other or to friends and relatives; furthermore, they decline psychological counselling. Repertory grid investigation and the Family Assessment Measure point to significant problems within the partnership. Six years after the incident, the couple's relationship is destabilized and both partners plan to divorce. We suggest a possible link between donor insemination secrecy and difficulties with coping. We discuss implications for couple counselling and emphasize the necessity for an improved legal framework for donor insemination in Germany.

High-caloric supplements in anorexia treatment.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares weight gain and therapy duration in two groups of patients with anorexia nervosa, the first receiving a normal diet aimed at promoting weight gain, the second receiving high-caloric supplements in addition to this normal diet. The study includes patients from two clinics with comparable psychotherapeutic treatment settings except for the substitution. METHODS: Eighty-four patients were examined. Of these, 29 patients with substitution were compared with 29 patients without substitution. In addition, 13 patients without substitution from the first clinic were compared with 13 patients without substitution from the second clinic to exclude potential differences between the two institutions independent of the substitution. RESULTS: Substitution leads to more rapid weight gain, to greater weight on discharge, and to shorter therapy duration. Differences could be observed between patients severely or less severely underweight on admission and between patients with restrictive or bulimic anorexia. CONCLUSION: Within the framework of inpatient psychosomatic treatment involving a psychotherapeutic treatment setting, substitution facilitates weight gain.

[The importance of the physician after successful artificial insemination by donor]. / Helfer, Partner oder Rivale - Zur Einschätzung des Arztes nach erfolgreicher donogener (heterologer) Insemination.

A treatment by artificial insemination by donor because of male infertility represents a drastic experience for the affected couples. Imaginations concerning the importance of the anonymous donor or the physician were already picked out as a central theme in the past. In some studies, for example, these imaginations were thought to have an adverse effect on the satisfaction in the partnership as well as for the development of the child. Aim of the examination on hand was the current meaning of the treating physician six years after treatment and his position in the self-system of the couples concerned. 15 successful couples could be examined by Repertory Grid method. The results of this study showed, that the physician had no prominent meaningfulness for the couples six years after the therapy. In the analysis of the self-system of the couples, gender specific differences could be seen. In the self-system of the treated women, the physician had a position close to their self and their ideal-self. This position was influenced by the self-esteem of the women. A higher self-esteem was associated with a greater closeness to the physician as well as to their partner. The analysis of the self-esteem of the affected men showed a completely different pattern. The greater the self-esteem of the male patients, the greater the devaluation of the physician, which showed in a greater distance to their ideal-self. The gender specific perceptions of the inseminating physician can be interpreted as specific adaptations to different coping requirements.