Antonovsky's Sense Research Articles

Enhancing Oral Health via the Sense of Coherence Approach Among Adult Patients at University Dental Hospital.

The purpose of the study was to assess the sense of coherence and its relationship with oral health and other study variables among adult patients at university dental hospital. This cross-sectional study included adult patients visiting the Dental Hospital of the College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam. Sense of coherence was determined by Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence scale (SOC-13), which consists of 13 items on a 7-point Likert. DMFT index, plaque index, gingival index, and simplified oral hygiene index were used to evaluate the oral health of study participants. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed, and 0.05 level of significance was used in the study. The study included the data of 558 participants with a mean age of 32.19±10.11 years. The mean score of SOC was 52.77±13.11, which was significantly higher in high-income participants (P <0.001), participants without a medical condition (P=0.021), non-smokers (P <0.001), and those who visited the dentist in less than one year (P=0.028). Bivariate analysis showed statistically significant negative correlations between SOC and DMFT index (P=0.002), SOC and plaque index (P <0.001), SOC and gingival index (P=0.002), and SOC and simplified oral hygiene index (P=0.001). Multivariable analysis also showed that SOC was significantly correlated with DMFT index (P=0.001), plaque index (P <0.001), gingival index (P <0.001), and oral hygiene index (P=0.004) after controlling for age, gender, education, and monthly income. This study found that high-income and healthy participants, non-smokers, and those who visited the dental office during the last one year demonstrated significantly higher SOC. In addition, there was a statistically significant correlation between SOC and oral health. These study findings highlight the importance of raising awareness about SOC to improve oral health outcomes in adult patients.

The Effect of Happiness Educational Program of Fordyce on the Sense of Coherence and Psychological Well-being of Adolescents with a Parent with Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Having a parent with cancer is one of the risk factors for adolescents, which makes them face many psychological problems. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of Happiness Educational Program of Fordyce on the sense of coherence and psychological well-being of adolescents who have a parent with cancer. In this randomized clinical trial study, 92 adolescents whose diagnosed parents have referred to the oncology ward of Shahid Rajaei Hospital in Yasuj, from June to September 2021, were selected through the convenience sampling method; however, they were randomly assigned to one of the two groups of the intervention or control. The number of sessions in the intervention group was 6, each consisting of 60 minutes and performed one day a week for 6 weeks. In addition to the demographic information form, the Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Questionnaire-13 and the Ryff's scale of Psychological Well-being-18 were used before and immediately after the intervention. Data were analyzed through SPSS software, version 21, using statistical tests of Chi-square, t-test, Fisher's exact, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon. After the intervention, statistically significant differences were observed in the median scores of the sense of coherence (P<0.001) and psychological well-being (P<0.001) between the two groups of intervention and control. Although the Happiness Educational Program of Fordyce could improve the sense of coherence and psychological well-being of adolescents who have a parent with cancer, more investigations are recommended to be conducted.Trial Registration Number: IRCT20210331050795N1.

Avoidance of Inhaled Pollutants and Irritants in Asthma from a Salutogenic Perspective.

Much is known about the role of aeroallergens in asthma, but little is described about the damage caused by inhaled pollutants and irritants to the respiratory epithelium. In this context, the most frequent pollutants and irritants inhaled in the home environment were identified, describing the possible repercussions that may occur in the respiratory tract of the pediatric population with asthma and highlighting the role of the caregiver in environmental control through a salutogenic perspective. Searches were carried out in the MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Lilacs and Scopus databases for articles considered relevant for the theoretical foundation of this integrative review, in which interactions between exposure to pollutants and inhaled irritants and lung involvement. Articles published in the last 10 years that used the following descriptors were considered: air pollution; tobacco; particulate matter; disinfectants; hydrocarbons, fluorinated; odorants; chloramines; pesticide; asthma; and beyond Antonovsky's sense of coherence. Exposure to smoke and some substances found in cleaning products, such as benzalkonium chloride, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and monoethanolamine, offer potential risks for sensitization and exacerbation of asthma. The vast majority of the seven main inhaled products investigated provoke irritative inflammatory reactions and oxidative imbalance in the respiratory epithelium. In turn, the caregiver's role is essential in health promotion and the clinical control of paediatric asthma. From a salutogenic point of view, pollutants and irritants inhaled at home should be carefully investigated in the clinical history so that strategies to remove or reduce exposures can be used by caregivers of children and adolescents with asthma.

Factors associated with nursing students' sense of coherence: A cross-sectional study

Background and objective: The Salutogenic Theory has a central element called Sense of Coherence, which measures the ability to cope of individuals in everyday situations. The objective of this study is to verify the factors associated with the nursing students’ Sense of Coherence.Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study, carried out with 199 students from an undergraduate nursing course at a public university in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, in June 2019. A form with sociodemographic and health characteristics, and Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Questionnaire were applied. The median of the scale score was used to rate the Sense of Coherence in higher and lower.Results: The variables age up to 21 years (p = .013), not having a job (p = .032), absence of a spouse (p = .018), concern for the future (p = .006), lack of physical activity (0.023), use of psychotropic drugs (p = .002), insomnia (0.004), severe anxiety (p = .001), and moderate and severe depression (p = .000) were associated with a lower Sense of Coherence.Conclusions: The sociodemographic and academic variables presented influence the nursing students’ Sense of Coherence, which emphasizes the need for actions aimed at the more susceptible students’ mental health.

Similarities between Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence and Adherence to Health-Related Recommendations

Purpose: Adherence to health-related recommendations and Antonovsky's "sense of coherence" (SOC) have both been shown to be salutary. The objective of the study is to identify correlates of adherence to COVID -19 vaccinations and compare these correlates with those reported for SOC.&#x0D; Methodology: Patient population: all acutely admitted adults in the medical departments of a 400-bed Israeli hospital after exclusion of those with COVID -19. Data sources: Electronic hospital database with updated vaccination data for COVID -19 from the Ministry of Health. Dependent variable: vaccination status. Independent variables: Demographics, laboratory test results, and the Norton Scale (physical and mental status, activity, mobility, and incontinence).&#x0D; Findings: Younger age, female gender, decreased hemoglobin and albumin, and frailty of patients were associated with no vaccination.&#x0D; Recommendations: Correlates of adherence to COVID-19 vaccination are similar to those of SOC. Adherence to health recommendations may be a marker for SOC. &#x0D;

The predictive role of coping styles and sense of coherence in the post-traumatic growth of mothers with disabled children: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundCoping and accepting stressful events can lead to positive psychological changes, growth, and excellence. In this regard, the present study was conducted to determine the relationship between coping styles and sense of coherence with post-traumatic growth in mothers with disabled children in Bushehr (a southern city in Iran).MethodsThe present cross-sectional study was performed on 260 mothers with children with disabilities who were filed in the rehabilitation centers covered by the Welfare Department of Bushehr in 2018. Demographic information form, Tedeschi and Calhoun post-traumatic growth questionnaire, Antonovsky sense of coherence, and Billings and Moos coping styles were employed to collect data. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression analysis at a significance level of less than 0.05.ResultsThe mean age and standard deviation were 35.83 ± 7.41 for the mothers, and 7.20 ± 4.05 for the children. The mean and standard deviation of post-traumatic growth was 64.88 ± 14.90, sense of coherence was 116.36 ± 22.65 and coping styles was 30.59 ± 6.39. The results of linear regression show that only the two dimensions of meaningfulness (p = 0.013 and β = 0.170) and manageability from the sense of coherence (p = 0.001 and β = 0.432) can predict post-traumatic growth in mothers with disabled children in Bushehr. Also, from the coping style dimensions, only the emotion-focused variable (p = 0.001 and β = 0.353) is a predictor of post-traumatic growth.ConclusionConsidering the role of sense of coherence and coping style in predicting post-traumatic growth, to implement rehabilitation programs and support the families of these children, it is essential to plan for the development of social and psychological support for mothers with disabled children.

Influence of occupation on the subjective health of forced migrant doctors-a qualitative study

Abstract Background With the refugee movement in 2015, also forced migrated female and male medical professionals have arrived in Germany. The effect of occupation on the subjective health status of these physicians working in the German health care system was investigated on the basis of Antonovsky's sense of coherence (SOC) and the occupational science models of Siegrist and Karasek&amp;Theorell. Methods Using a semi-structured interview guide, nine forced migrated physicians were interviewed before and nine forced migrated physicians were interviewed during their professional medical activity. Both interview groups had an Arabic cultural background. The transcribed interviews were analyzed according to Kuckartz's content structuring qualitative content analysis using the MAXQDA 2020 software tool. Results The SOC of migrated physicians is favorably influenced by meaningful occupational activity and the newly gained manageability of life. Positive influences are seen in professional appreciation and collegial support at all hierarchical levels. Negative effects are perceived in experiences of discrimination, insecurity and experienced injustice in the recognition of foreign qualifications. Physical stress results from occupational overload, unfamiliar work and time pressure. Conclusions The salutogenic effect of the work, the recognition in the profession and the collegial support are essential contributions to the promotion of especially mental health among forced migrated doctors. This speaks in favor of rapid and stringent integration into professional life. However, organizational barriers inherent in the German health care system should not be disregarded, which is why both legal and structural improvements should be made to the existing integration procedure before and during professional activity. Key messages

Using daily objects as material primes of valorisation and control in psychiatric facilities

Abstract As part of the built environment objects and interior design features can affect thoughts, emotions and behaviour in various ways. Referring to the concept of material and conceptual priming (Kay et al., 2004; Berger &amp; Fitzsimons, 2008), these objects can provoke associations and by that subconsciously activate mental concepts which influence emotional states, judgements and subsequent behaviours. In many healthcare facilities, the formal-aesthetic design of the built environment visually conveys the concept of institutionalisation through clinical and sterile styles, impersonal and standardised configurations and a lack of individualisation. This applies in particular to the setting of psychiatric facilities in which from a clinical point of view sterile and impersonal aesthetics are not required and might even be detrimental to the therapeutic processes. However, there is reason to believe that the use of everyday objects can support therapeutic processes and thus be seen as an element of psychosocially supportive design (Ulrich, 1997) in two ways. Firstly, everyday objects derived from domestic contexts refer to aesthetics that are contrary to the concept of institutionalisation. Instead by communicating features of comfort and subtle luxury they might activate the mental concept of valorisation which can be seen as an important resource in therapeutic settings that strengthens commitment and trusts. Secondly, offering choice of a variety of everyday objects in psychiatric settings enables patients to exert control in a context that otherwise is characterised by total loss of control. This increased sense of control is an important part of Antonovsky's sense of coherence (1979) and a valuable asset for recovery and empowerment of psychiatric patients.

Burnout and Sense of Coherence in Dentistry Students of Karachi

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess burnout and sense of coherence levels in dentistry students of Karachi. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study involving 361 students from four renowned dental colleges in Karachi was carried out. The students were distributed a questionnaire derived from the Mayo Clinic Well-being Index (WBI) and a modified 13-item Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC scale). They were stratified on the basis of gender, age, professional year, institution, relationship status, history of chronic medical condition and history of chronic psychiatric condition. Scores for the WBI and SOC scale were calculated. For the WBI, a score of &gt;4 was a sign that an individual was at risk of developing burnout or other severe outcomes. A high or low total score on the SOC scale demonstrated whether the individual was able to cope with his environment or not. MS Excel and SPSS version 23 were used for data compilation and statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Chi-square test of independence was applied to gauge any association between the strata and outcome variables. After determination of statistical difference, Mann Whitney-U Test and Kruskal Wallis Test were applied to compare the means where a significant association was found. A p-value of 0.05 or less was considered significant. RESULTS: The mean WBI score was found to be 4.07. Around 64% respondents were at-risk of burnout (score &gt; 4). A greater percentage of females was at risk (66%) as compared to males (50%). Third professional students were found to be the most affected (77% with WBI score &gt; 4 and 9% in the low coherence category). The mean SOC score was found to be 36.39 (moderate levels of coherence). Overall, around 4-9% of each professional year students exhibited a low sense of coherence. Age, relationship status, institution and a history of chronic medical and/or psychiatric condition were not found to have a significant association with the outcome variables (p&gt;0.05). CONCLUSION: A significant number of dentistry students are at risk of burn-out and suffer from a low sense of coherence. The risk factors need to be evaluated and solutions need to be found to create a healthy and conducive environment for the growth and learning of the students. More research needs to be focused on gathering data related to the well-being of dentistry students. KEYWORDS: Burnout, sense of coherence, well-being index, dentistry.

Healthcare professionals' sense of coherence of parental involvement in neonatal intensive care units: A framework synthesis.

Family-centered care is recognized as the gold standard in pediatric healthcare practice. However, despite the acknowledgment of its benefits and importance, inconsistent and questionable implementation persists in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) without a consolidated understanding of healthcare professionals' experiences. Therefore, this review aims to explore and consolidate healthcare professionals' perspectives on parental participation in the NICU. A systematic review of qualitative studies was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Seven electronic databases were searched from their respective dates of inception until December 30, 2020. Twenty-eight studies were included in this review. The analysis was conducted via a framework synthesis approach using Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence theory. Three over-arching themes, guided by Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence theory emerged: (1) "Comprehensibility of parental involvement in family-centered care," (2) "Manageability of parental involvement in care and decision-making," and (3) "Meaningfulness of parental involvement in shared decision-making in neonatal care," with nine corresponding subthemes. Healthcare professionals had mixed views of parental involvement, recognizing the benefits attributed to infants and parents, but were greatly hindered by organizational, environmental, and personal obstacles that weakened their sense of coherence in coping with the situation, making them feel unconfident and unprepared to involve parents in care. To cope, more integrated and formalized support was required. Organizational, environmental, and policy changes, as well as psychological support, were strategies identified to enhance healthcare professionals' sense of coherence, and consequently, their ability to cope.

UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative: Providing, receiving and leading infant feeding care in a hospital maternity setting-A critical ethnography.

Although breastfeeding is known to improve health, economic and environmental outcomes, breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates are low in the United Kingdom. The global WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) aims to reverse declining rates of breastfeeding by shifting the culture of infant feeding care provision throughout hospital maternity settings. In the United Kingdom, the global BFHI has been adapted by UNICEF UK reflecting a paradigm shift towards the experiences of women and families using maternity services. This research used a critical ethnographic approach to explore the influence of the national UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) standards on the culture of one typical maternity service in England, over a period of 8 weeks, across four phases of data collection between 2011 and 2017. Twenty‐one staff and 26 service users were recruited and engaged in moderate‐level participant observation and/or guided interviews and conversations. Basic, organising and a final global theme emerged through thematic network analysis, describing the influence of the BFI on providing, receiving and leading infant feeding care in a hospital maternity setting. Using Antonovsky's sense of coherence construct, the findings discussed in this paper highlight how the BFI offers ‘informational’ (comprehensible), ‘practical’ (manageable) and ‘emotional’ (meaningful) support for both staff and service users, strengthened by effective, local leadership and a team approach. This is juxtaposed against the tensions and demands of the busy hospital maternity setting. It is recommended that ongoing infant feeding policy, practice and leadership balance relational and rational approaches for positive infant feeding care and experiences to flourish.

The Effect of E-Learning on Self-Efficacy and Sense of Coherence of Cancer Caregivers: Application of the Bandura and Antonovsky Social Cognitive Theory.

Aim: Cancer is one of the most important chronic diseases which affects caregivers. Therefore, in this study, we decided to increase the self-efficacy and sense of coherence of caregivers by using virtual learning via mobile to increase the power of managing in such situations. Methods: This study is a clinical trial performed on 60 caregivers of cancer patients. Questionnaires of demographic information, Bandura self-efficacy, and Antonovsky's sense of coherence were completed for both intervention and control groups. Then, for the intervention group, a virtual educational intervention was performed daily for 1 month using the mobile phones, and for the control group, no intervention was performed. Results: The mean score of self-efficacy in the intervention group was (18.09±93.21) before and (135.12±11.14) after the intervention, which was statistically significant (P=0.001). While in the control group, this means was (84.71±18.55) before and (84.75±17.13) after the study, but this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.2). Also, the mean score of sense of coherence in the intervention group was (73.25±7.28) before and (89.11±7.11) after the intervention, which was statistically significant (P=0.001). While in the control group, this means was (76.42±7.45) before and (76.89±7.27) after the study, but this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.31). Conclusion: Educational interventions, even virtually, can lead to improved self-efficacy and a sense of coherence in caregivers of cancer patients and can be used as one of the low-cost and effective methods in managing and controlling the disease.

The association between Antonovsky's sense of coherence and job stress among dental hygienists in Korea.

High stress levels experienced by medical professionals are a well-established phenomenon in current literature. However, there are few studies focusing on stress experienced in the field of oral health or on the sense of coherence (SOC) that helps to actively respond to job stress. The purpose of this study was to analyse if there is an association between SOC and job stress among dental hygienists in Korea. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 441 dental hygienists in the Seoul Gyeonggi province, Korea. The independent variable was SOC which had three dimensions: comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. The dependent variable was job stress, which was evaluated using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale Short Form. Confounding factors were age, marital status, educational background, type of hospital, and work experience. The chi-square test and t test measures were used for bivariate analysis. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to confirm the association between SOC and job stress. The collected data were statistically analysed using SPSS version 22.0. The SOC score showed a significant difference in relation to the job stress score. The SOC score was high when the job stress was low (P<.001). Overall SOC scores showed an inverse correlation with job stress. This study reports that a higher SOC is associated with lower job stress in Korean dental hygienists. Since a higher SOC in dental hygienists indicated that they could cope with job stress more positively, it is important to increase their SOC.

A twelve-week, four-arm, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 prospective clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an anthroposophic multimodal treatment on chronic pain in outpatients with postpolio syndrome.

IntroductionChronic pain and fatigue are the main symptoms of postpoliomyelitis syndrome (PPS). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an anthroposophic multimodal treatment for chronic pain in PPS outpatients.MethodsA twelve‐week, four‐arm, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, phase 2 prospective clinical trial was designed to compare four groups (n = 48): groups A and B received daily active experimental transdermal gel (ETG) or placebo gel (PTG), respectively; groups C and D received weekly external therapies, art therapies, and neurofunctional reorganization, plus either daily ETG or PTG, respectively. The pain symptoms were evaluated through a visual analogue scale (VAS), the McGill questionnaire, and thermography. Quality of life and resilience were evaluated by the WHOQOL‐BREF and Antonovsky sense of coherence questionnaires applied at baseline and after the interventions.ResultsNo related adverse events occurred, and 10% of the patients reports dysphagia improvement. In the groups C and D, pain reduction was statistically significant in both the placebo group (p = .02, d = 1.315) and in the ETG (p = .005, d = 2.035). However, following the week‐to‐week evolution of pain with the concomitant use of the ETG, this significant pain reduction occurred earlier from the 4th week and continued to decrease (p = .016, d = 1.369). In the group that received the complete multimodal treatment, the greatest significant benefit in increasing quality of life occurred in the physical domain and elevation in resilience with an emphasis on meaning and comprehension domains.ConclusionsThe anthroposophic multimodal treatment group presented both safety and efficacy as an analgesic in the groups that received the nonpharmacological therapies, much earlier when associated with the ETG. The multimodal approach corresponded to the pattern of better efficacy for both pain reduction and improvement in quality of life and resilience.

The mediational effect of coherence on the relationship between mental load and job burnout among oncology nurses.

The purpose of this study was to determine the mediational effect of coherence on the relationship between mental load and job burnout among oncology nurses. Working stress and strain cause high mental load and can lead to job burnout among oncology nurses. Sense of coherence protects against the negative consequences of occupational mental load and may prevent professional burnout. The study was carried out with 165 oncology nurses from chemotherapy departments. The data were collected from April to September 2013 using the Antonovsky Sense of Coherence Scale, Meister questionnaire, and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Manageability mediated the relations between Mental Load and both Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization. Meaningfulness exerted significant mediational effect on the relationship between Mental Load and Depersonalization. Manageability and Meaningfulness attenuate the unfavourable effect of Monotony and Unspecific load on motional Exhaustion and Depersonalization. Sense of coherence, especially Manageability and Meaningfulness, seems to be an important resource for oncology nurses, buffering the negative impact of mental load on well-being of nurses. Strengthening the sense of coherence can be helpful in preventing or dealing with professional burnout.

Psychosocial Predictors of Postpartum Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Women With a Traumatic Childbirth Experience.

Objective: To analyze the predictive value of antepartum vulnerability factors, such as social support, coping, history of psychiatric disease, and fear of childbirth, and intrapartum events on the development of symptoms of postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PP-PTSD) in women with a traumatic childbirth experience.Materials and methods: Women with at least one self-reported traumatic childbirth experience in or after 2005 were invited to participate through various social media platforms in March 2016. They completed a 35-item questionnaire including validated screening instruments for PTSD (PTSD Symptom Checklist, PCL-5), social support (Oslo social support scale, OSS-3), and coping (Antonovsky's sense of coherence scale, SoC).Results: Of the 1,599 women who completed the questionnaire, 17.4% met the diagnostic criteria for current PTSD according to the DSM-5, and another 26.0% recognized the symptoms from a previous period, related to giving birth. Twenty-six percent of the participating women had received one or more psychiatric diagnoses at some point in their life, and five percent of all women had been diagnosed with PTSD prior to their traumatic childbirth experience. Women with poor (OR = 15.320, CI = 8.001–29.336), or moderate (OR = 3.208, CI = 1.625–6.333) coping skills were more likely to report PP-PTSD symptoms than women with good coping skills. Low social support was significantly predictive for current PP-PTSD symptoms compared to high social support (OR = 5.557, CI = 2.967–7.785). A predictive model which could differentiate between women fulfilling vs. not fulfilling the symptom criteria for PTSD had a sensitivity of 80.8% and specificity of 62.6% with an accuracy of 66.5%.Conclusions: Low social support, poor coping, experiencing “threatened death” and experiencing “actual or threatened injury to the baby” were the four significant factors in the predictive model for women with a traumatic childbirth experience to be at risk of developing PP-PTSD. Further research should investigate the effects of interventions aimed at the prevention of PP-PTSD by strengthening coping skills and increasing social support, especially in women at increased risk of unfavorable obstetrical outcomes.

Sense of Coherence vs. Mental Load in Nurses Working at a Chemotherapy Ward.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the sense of coherence and the level of mental load among nurses working at a chemotherapy ward. The study, conducted in 2013, included 164 nurses working at inpatient chemotherapy wards in Krakow, Poznan, Kielce, and Gliwice (Poland). The mean age of the study participants was 43.07±7.99 years. The study was based on a diagnostic survey with Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-29) and Meister questionnaire. The levels of Mental Load, Monotony and Unspecific Load, correlated inversely with the levels of Coherence, Manageability, Meaningfulness, and Comprehensibility. Longer work experience was associated with lower levels of Coherence, Manageability and Comprehensibility and higher levels of Mental Load, Overload and Monotony. Age of nurses correlated inversely with the Manageability level. Heavy mental and physical workload turned out to be the main factor causing dissatisfaction of the study participants. Longer work experience and lower levels of Coherence are associated with higher risk for mental overload.

Association between sense of coherence and oral health-related quality of life among toddlers.

To assess the relationship between sense of coherence (SOC) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among children aged one to three years. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 276 mother-child pairs randomly selected from the city of Diamantina, Brazil. Information was obtained on socio-demographic factors. The short version of Antonovsky's sense of coherence scale (SOC 13) and the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) were administered. The children were examined for dental caries. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics, the calculation of Spearman's correlation coefficients and adjusted Poisson regression models. SOC was significantly associated with the child's OHRQoL in the multivariate analysis. Children of mothers with high SOC (PR 0.96; 95%CI 0.93,0.98; p=0.045) had a lower prevalence of a negative impact on OHRQoL. Children with severe dental caries had a greater prevalence of a negative impact on OHRQoL (PR 2.53; 95%CI 1.77,3.62; p⟨0.001). Maternal SOC could be a psychosocial determinant of the OHRQoL of children aged one to three years. Severe dental caries was associated with poorer quality of life.

SENTIDO DE COHERENCIA E INTELIGENCIA EMOCIONAL: EFECTO EN LA ANSIEDAD SOCIAL DE ESTUDIANTES UNIVERSITARIOS

Abstract.SENSE OF COHERENCE AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: EFFECT ON SOCIAL ANXIETY OF COLLEGE STUDENTSThe aim of the study was to describe a sample of college students two key variables in health behaviors of individuals, such as the Antonovsky Sense of Coherence (SOC) (1971), and Perceived Emotional Intelligence (IEP) Mayer and Salovey (1990). In the sample of students possible cases of social phobia (FS) that may exist and trends to anxiety and social avoidance are analyzed. With these data, it aims to investigate the possible relationship between the SOC and the Social Phobia, and between it and the IEP. Outcomes among patients with Social Phobia and cases that did not, obtaining significant differences in mean SOC IEP and, these being lower in cases of FS were compared.Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Sense of Coherence, Social Anxiety.Resumen.El objetivo del estudio ha sido describir en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios dos variables fundamentales en las conductas de salud de las personas, como son, el Sentido de Coherencia de Antonovsky (SOC) (1971), y la Inteligencia Emocional Percibida (IEP) de Mayer y Salovey (1990). En la muestra de estudiantes se analizan los posibles casos de Fobia Social (FS) que puedan existir y las tendencias a la ansiedad y evitación social. Con estos datos, se pretende indagar en la relación que pueda existir entre el SOC y la Fobia Social, y entre ésta y la IEP. Se compararon los resultados entre los casos con Fobia Social y los casos que no la tenían, obteniendo diferencias significativas en las medias de IEP y SOC, siendo éstas inferiores en los casos de FS.Palabras Clave: Inteligencia Emocional, Sentido de Coherencia, Ansiedad Social.

Sense of Coherence in Religious Christian Orthodox Women in Greece.

Investigation of correlation between the way of life of women-secular and devoted (belonging to a Christian Orthodox fraternity)-and their stress management skills. Sample population consisted of 200 women, 100 belonging to an Orthodox Christian fraternity and 100 secular women, 18 years of age and older from the wider Thessaloniki area (North Greece). Antonovsky's Scale Sense of Coherence (SOC) was used for stress management skills evaluation. The mean SOC score was 138 (95 % CI 133.9-142.1) for secular and 149.9 (95 % CI 144.9-154.9) for devoted women. The presence of a strong sense of coherence for those women belonging to the fraternity (p = 0.004) and older age (p = 0.019) correlate with higher SOC scores. Religiousness appears to enhance stress management skills in women although additional evidence needs in support of the findings of this research.