Predictors Of Psychological Outcomes Research Articles

Psychosocial aspects of adolescent cancer survival.

The purpose of this research was to examine the psychosocial status of adolescent cancer survivors and compare them with healthy peers. It has been suggested in previous research that the majority of survivors display equivalent levels of psychosocial functioning post-treatment as compared with healthy controls. However, despite successful treatment, survivors may have to adjust to living with a chronic illness and its associated late effects interspersed across the lifespan (e.g. infertility, cognitive deficits, heart complications). Whilst young people appear to have similar levels of psychosocial functioning, avoidance strategies such as denial may result in previous research findings being confounded and in underestimating the true psychosocial status of survivors. It is important to understand the psychosocial status of survivors in order to optimise their quality of life. Coping mechanisms, anxiety levels and self-concepts of 32 adolescent cancer survivors, predominantly Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) were compared with 34 healthy adolescents (age range 12-17 years), via a mailout. Survivors' self-reports suggest no overt psychological dysfunctioning. Whilst the two groups shared similar coping strategies, survivors were found to be less anxious than peers, with a tendency to employ avoidance strategies to deal with problems faced in adolescence. Age, gender and specific illness variables, such as age at diagnosis and time since treatment, were strong predictors of psychological outcome. Results can be interpreted as suggesting that whilst cancer survivors have a similar psychosocial profile to healthy peers, they are more likely to utilise avoidance strategies to manage problems.

Prediction of quality of life after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a review and evaluation of multiple, recent studies.

To review studies predicting psychosocial outcome after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Seventeen prospective studies, appearing in the MEDLINE and PsycLIT data bases between 1986 and 1996, were reviewed regarding objectives, methodological issues, results, and clinical relevance. All studies reported that psychological factors bad predictive value. In particular, preoperative anxiety and depression predicted postoperative psychological maladjustment; social support, preoperative feelings of control, denial, and optimism contributed to psychological adjustment. Many specific psychological outcomes seem to be best predicted by preoperative assessment of functions in that specific area, especially in the case of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, personality factors including denial, optimism, control, and the need for support appear to be predictors of psychological outcome. Appropriate identification of predictive factors might improve the development of individually tailored interventions for patients at risk of postoperative psychological problems.

The Chemical and Biological Warfare Environment: Psychological Responses and Social Supports in a High‐Stress Environment

In order to better understand psychological responses to high‐stress environments and the contributions of social supports to mediating the effects of this stress, we conducted a preliminary investigation of a health care delivery team in a simulated chemical and biological warfare (CBW) environment. Our data suggest that state anxiety prior to the exercise, perceived social support from family and friends, and active training stand out as predictors of psychological outcome, even after trait and pre‐exercise psychological variables are considered. Interventions directed at state anxiety and active training may offer mechanisms to decrease the psychological distress of the high‐stress environment. Future research should examine variables which are amenable to intervention to determine if they are causally related to health outcome in high‐stress environments.