Europe’s Journal of Psychology (PsychOpen)
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Changes in Disease Perception, Coping Strategies and Diagnoses in the Case of First and Fourth Generations of Turkish Migrants in Germany
No full textThis study examines to what extent subjective illness concepts and symptoms of Turkish patients in Germany have changed over 40 years. Two groups of patients of Turkish origin from psychosomatic clinics in Germany took part in the study, the first group made up of 690 patients from the "first generation" of migrants and the second group comprising 350 patients from the "fourth generation". The study was conducted using standardised interviews (The sociodemographic questionnaire, IPQ, COPE, BDI, SCL-90-R). Differences were found in essential aspects of subjective illness perception and illness coping strategies as well as in the diagnosis of psychological illness. The fourth generation of Turkish patients that were born and have grown up in Germany showed more problem-oriented behaviour regarding their coping strategies and less use of dysfunctional strategies for treatment than patients of the first generation. The findings of the present study are important for treating Turkish patients and patients of Turkish origin suffering from psychological disorders since they indicate that their disease perception, coping strategies and diagnoses undergo changes in the course of generations. Hitherto these differences were not taken into account in treatment; in the future we should be moving towards customised treatment in order to achieve better therapeutic effects
The Effects of Eye-Closure and “Ear-Closure” on Recall of Visual and Auditory Aspects of a Criminal Event
No full textPrevious research has shown that closing the eyes can facilitate recall of semantic and episodic information. Here, two experiments are presented which investigate the theoretical underpinnings of the eye-closure effect and its auditory equivalent, the “ear-closure” effect. In Experiment 1, participants viewed a violent videotaped event and were subsequently interviewed about the event with eyes open or eyes closed. Eye-closure was found to have modality-general benefits on coarse-grain correct responses, but modality-specific effects on fine-grain correct recall and incorrect recall (increasing the former and decreasing the latter). In Experiment 2, participants viewed the same event and were subsequently interviewed about it, either in quiet conditions or while hearing irrelevant speech. Contrary to expectations, irrelevant speech did not significantly impair recall performance. This null finding might be explained by the absence of social interaction during the interview in Experiment 2. In conclusion, eye-closure seems to involve both general and modality-specific processes. The practical implications of the findings are discussed
Emotional Status, Perceived Control of Pain, and Pain Coping Strategies in Episodic and Chronic Cluster Headache
No full textCluster headache (CH) is a chronic syndrome characterized by excruciatingly painful attacks occurring with circadian and circannual periodicity. The objectives of the present study were, in CH patients, to determine by principal component analysis the factor structure of two instruments commonly used in clinics to evaluate pain locus of control (Cancer Locus of Control Scale–CLCS) and coping strategies (Coping Strategies Questionnaire–CSQ), to examine the relationship between internal pain controllability and emotional distress, and to compare psychosocial distress and coping strategies between two subsets of patients with episodic or chronic CH. Results indicate, for CLCS, a 3-factor structure (internal controllability, medical controllability, religious controllability) noticeably different in CH patients from the structure reported in patients with other painful pathologies and, for CSQ, a 5-factor structure of CSQ which did not markedly diverge from the classical structure. Perceived internal controllability of pain was strongly correlated with study measures of depression (HAD depression/anhedonia subscale, Beck Depression Inventory). Comparison between subsets of patients with episodic or chronic CH of emotional status, pain locus of control, perceived social support and coping strategies did not reveal significant differences apart for the Reinterpreting pain sensations strategy which was more often used by episodic CH patients. Observed tendencies for increased anxiety and perceived social support in patients with episodic CH, and for increased depression and more frequent use of the Ignoring pain sensations strategy in patients with chronic CH, warrant confirmation in larger groups of patients
Do Humorous People Take Poorer Care of Their Health? Associations Between Humor Styles and Substance Use
No full textA sense of humor is widely viewed as beneficial for physical health. However, some limited research suggests that humor may actually be related to increased smoking and alcohol consumption because humorous individuals may take a less serious attitude toward substance use. The purpose of the present study was to explore this hypothesis in greater detail in a sample of 215 undergraduate students. Individual differences in humor were measured using the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ), and playfulness (i.e., low seriousness) was assessed using the trait version of the State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory (STCI-T). Participants also completed a questionnaire about their substance use (smoking, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine). As predicted, affiliative humor, aggressive humor, and playfulness were significant predictors of greater substance use. Mediation analyses confirmed that the link between both affiliative and aggressive humor and substance use was mediated by seriousness, indicating that this association is due, at least in part, to high-humor individuals taking a less serious, more playful outlook on life. Overall, these results support the view that a sense of humor may be related to less healthy habits, at least in the domain of substance use
Psychology’s Recovery of its Proper Projects and Methods
No full textThe contrast between a psychological and a biological study of a superficially similar phenomenon can be illustrated with the ‘cough’. The word is used generically for an explosive expulsion of air that clears the pulmonary passages. But this common meaning is set into two radically different conceptual and empirical frameworks. Imagine you are at a concert – Yo Yo Ma is approaching one the most delicate passages in the Elgar Cello concerto and you become aware of a mounting discomfort in the chest and a well nigh irresistible pressure to cough – eventually you cannot control it any more. This is the 'cough' in a biological framework of mechanisms and concepts. Consider this case – you are at the open door of colleague’s study and you see that she is earnestly advising an undergraduate. Rather than barge in you cough discretely to attract her attention. In the first case you, the person, have lost control of a biological mechanism, while in the second case you, the person, used a biological mechanism for a psychologically intelligible purpose. In the first case the cough has no meaning. In the second case its meaning is or ought to be clear. Note too, that different cultures may have different uses for the cough, just as different cultures have different uses for the smile
Conference Announcements
No full textAnnouncement of: 27th Annual Conference of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology 3rd International Conference on Education & Educational Psychology 35th Annual International Conference on the Psychology of the Self 5th Annual European Public Health Conference 2012 11th Congress of World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation 54th International Conference on Alcohol and Addictio
Treatment of Dyslexia in a Regular Orthography: Efficacy and Efficiency (Cost-Effectiveness) Comparison Between Home vs Clinic-Based Treatments
No full textThe outcomes of three treatments for dyslexia, one clinic-based and two home-based, were compared using a quasi-experimental design for their efficacy and efficiency in improving accuracy and fluency in reading in a large sample of Italian students. The efficacy comparison was based on gain scores in fluency and accuracy of reading texts, and lists of words and nonwords. The efficiency (cost-effectiveness) comparison was based on the ratio of gain scores to the number of hours of treatment. Efficacy and efficiency measures yielded very different results. The efficacy comparison showed a clear superiority of the clinic-based treatment over home-based treatments. The efficiency comparison, on the other hand, showed the superiority of a home-based treatment. The importance of considering both efficacy and cost-effectiveness in any comparison of treatment outcomes is discussed within the framework of the dissemination of evidence-based treatments
Music to Our Ears: Interview with Victoria Williamson
No full textVictoria Williamson is a lecture and co-director on the Msc in Music, Mind and Brain at Goldsmiths, University of London. Following completing her PhD with Professors Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch at University of York looking at the role of music in the working memory model, Victoria was awarded an ESRC Fellowship and moved to Goldmiths. Victoria’s current research includes the fascinating earworm project, whilst previous research has included looking at congenital amusia, and music and driving. In this interview Victoria discusses past and present research, main directions in current research and an insight into Victoria’s sources of inspiration in her career
Measuring Patients’ Attachment Avoidance in Psychotherapy: Development of the Attachment Avoidance in Therapy Scale (AATS)
No full textA new scale measuring patient-therapist attachment avoidance was developed. Attachment Avoidance in Therapy Scale is a new measure based on the Bartholomew model of adult attachment (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991) and the Experience in Close Relationships Scale (Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998) to measure patients’ attachment avoidance towards therapists. With 112 patient-therapist dyads participating in the study, validation of a preliminary scale – measuring both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance in therapy – took place using therapists’ evaluations of patients’ relational behavior and patients’ self-reports about their attitude toward psychotherapy. Analysis of the data revealed six underlying scales. Results showed all six scales to be reliable. Validation of scales measuring attachment anxiety failed. The importance of Attachment Avoidance in Therapy Scale and its subscales is discussed