Psychological Symptomology Research Articles

Monitoring mindfulness practice quality: An important consideration in mindfulness practice

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an experientially based group intervention empirically supported to reduce psychological symptomology. Although MBSR has shown to be an effective intervention, little is known about which facets of the intervention are important in producing positive outcomes. This study tested several aspects of mindfulness practice (total practice duration, practice frequency and practice quality) with the primary focus being on validating (i.e., predictive and convergent validity) a new measure of mindfulness practice quality (PQ-M). The PQ-M fit a two-factor solution via a Maximum Likelihood Exploratory Factor Analysis (n=99). Using longitudinal multilevel modeling on a smaller subsample (n=19), preliminary support was found for changes in practice quality over the course of the MBSR intervention. Further, change in practice quality was associated with improvements in psychological symptoms. While this study was exploratory, these findings suggest that practice quality is a relevant factor to promote positive outcomes and may guide mindfulness instructors in providing highly tailored interventions.

Religiosity, Meaning in Life, and Clinical Symptomology: A Comparison of African-American and European-American College Students

This study examined whether religiosity is subsumed under the broader construct of meaning in life as a predictor of psychological symptomology in college students from two ethnic groups. Data from 299 undergraduates indicated that among European-American students, religiosity predicted little variance in psychological symptomology and was subsumed by general meaning in life. Conversely, for African-American students, perceived meaning in life predicted little variance in symptomology and was subsumed by religiosity. The findings demonstrate that the link between religiosity and mental health among college students differs as a function of ethnic group membership and illustrate the perils of neglecting ethnicity when examining predictors of mental health variables.

Psychometric evaluation of the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children (TSCC) among children affected by HIV/AIDS in China

The current study, utilizing the baseline data from a longitudinal assessment of psychosocial needs of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS or living with HIV-infected parents in China, was designed to assess the psychometric properties of the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children (TSCC) among children affected by HIV/AIDS in China. The psychometric properties assessed in this study include internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, and construct validity. The sample in the current study include 296 double orphans, 459 single orphans, and 466 children living with HIV-infected parents in central China where many residents had been infected with HIV through unhygienic blood collection. The results demonstrate adequate reliability and validity of the TSCC among study population. Children who experienced more traumatic events scored significantly higher on all TSCC clinical scales and subscales than those children who experienced less such events. The Chinese version of the TSCC should provide mental health researchers and practitioners with a reliable and valid assessment instrument in studying posttraumatic distress and related psychological symptomology among children affected by HIV/AIDS in China.

P.6.020 Effects of N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester on bromocriptine-induced locomotor sensitization in mice

Many people believe that parental alcoholism has adverse consequences on children—some research fails to support this hypothesis. Familial dysfunction is often regarded as having a more important impact on adults, perhaps because of a failure to recognize that adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) may have adopted more than one coping strategy. The present study investigated within-group differences in psychological symptomology as measured by the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI). ACOAs, were compared by roles (Hero, Mascot, Lost Child, and Scapegoat) to non-ACOAs as measured by familial dysfunction and roles. MANOVA indicated significant main effects of dysfunction, role, ACOA, and an interaction of role and ACOA. Failures to recognize the impact of parental alcoholism may be caused by multiple adaptation strategies.

The interaction of parental alcoholism, adaptation role, and familial dysfunction

Many people believe that parental alcoholism has adverse consequences on children—some research fails to support this hypothesis. Familial dysfunction is often regarded as having a more important impact on adults, perhaps because of a failure to recognize that adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) may have adopted more than one coping strategy. The present study investigated within-group differences in psychological symptomology as measured by the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI). ACOAs, were compared by roles (Hero, Mascot, Lost Child, and Scapegoat) to non-ACOAs as measured by familial dysfunction and roles. MANOVA indicated significant main effects of dysfunction, role, ACOA, and an interaction of role and ACOA. Failures to recognize the impact of parental alcoholism may be caused by multiple adaptation strategies.

Fear of pain in orofacial pain patients

In the present study, we examined whether fear of pain, dental fear, general indices of psychological distress, and self-reported stress levels differed between 40 orofacial pain patients and 40 gender and age matched control general dental patients. We also explored how fear of pain, as measured by the Fear of Pain Questionnaire-III (J Behav Med 21 (1998) 389), relates to established measures of psychological problems in our sample of patients. Finally, we examined whether fear of pain uniquely and significantly predicts dental fear and psychological distress relative to other theoretically-relevant psychological factors. Our results indicate that fear of severe pain and anxiety-related distress, broadly defined, are particularly elevated in orofacial pain patients relative to matched controls. Additionally, fear of pain shares a significant relation with dental fear but not other general psychological symptomology, and uniquely and significantly predicts dental fear relative to other theoretically-relevant variables. Taken together, these data, in conjunction with other recent studies, suggest greater attention be placed on understanding the fear of pain in orofacial pain patients and its relation to dental fear and anxiety.

Modeling the Effects of Expressed Emotion, Psychiatric Symptomology, and Marital Quality Levels on Male and Female Verbal Aggression

Previous research has linked expressed emotion (EE) levels and psychiatric symptomology, whereas other empirical efforts have examined the relationship between EE and marital relationship variables. Still other research has linked psychological conditions with acts of aggression, and the impact of marital issues within this domain of inquiry also has been explored. The study presented here examined the combined effects of EE, marital quality, and psychiatric symptomology on displays of verbal aggression by both relationship partners. Both husbands' and wives' reports of marital quality were predictive of both husbands' and wives' verbal aggression levels; here, reports of lower marital quality were associated with higher levels of verbal aggression. Additionally, husbands' and wives' reports of psychological symptomology in self and partner were important paths to marital quality, as were husbands' and wives' reports of EE levels. Further, some evidence was generated that supports the mediating role of marital quality with regard to EE and psychological symptomology. However, the overall fit indices of the models tested in this empirical effort were modest. Limitations that concern the instruments utilized in the present study are discussed in this regard.

Endogenous Opioid Activity Is Associated with Obsessive-Compulsive Symptomology in Individuals with a Family History of Alcoholism

Endogenous opioid activity has been associated with the regulation of mood and inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We assessed differences in psychological symptomology and naloxone sensitivity in non-alcoholic males and females with a family history of alcoholism (FHP) and without a family history of alcoholism (FHN). This was followed by assessment of the association between naloxone sensitivity and psychological symptomology. Psychological symptomology was measured using the Revised Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R) during enrollment. Adrenocorticotropin was measured following intravenous administration of naloxone/placebo. FHP males reported more obsessive-compulsive symptomology as well as increased sensitivity to naloxone relative to other groups. A positive association was observed between degree of obsessive-compulsive symptomology and naloxone sensitivity, and the association was strongest among FHP males. These findings suggest that the increased risk of alcoholism in FHP subjects (especially males) may be associated with altered opioid activity, which is expressed through an elevated level of obsessive compulsive symptomology.

Applicability of the Goodness-of-Fit Hypothesis to Coping with Daily Hassles

This study examined the applicability of Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) goodness-of-fit hypothesis to the relationship between college students' daily hassles and psychological symptomology. Specifically, the model predicts that, given a daily hassle which one may change, it is more functional to alter the source of the daily hassle than it is to let the stressor go unchecked and simply try to manage the negative emotions produced by the event. Conversely, given a stressor one cannot alter, it is more functional to regulate the emotions produced by the event than to engage in repeated futile attempts to change an uncontrollable stressor. It was predicted that subjects who tended to violate these principles across multiple daily hassles would be characterized by the highest psychological symptomology. Although the 69 college students' frequency of daily hassles was positively associated with psychological symptomatology and students tended to match the method of coping with the appraised controllability of their daily hassles, no support for the goodness-of-fit hypothesis was found.

Group Parent Training in the Eastern Health Board: Programme Description and Evaluation

A sample of 94 mothers, who attended a parent training programme designed to teach parents the skills necessary to deal with their children’s conduct disorders, completed the Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) on 3 occasions: (a) prior to the commencement of the course, (b) immediately upon its completion, and (c) one year later. On completion of the course mothers reported their children as having fewer and less intense behaviour problems than before its commencement, and these benefits were maintained over the one-year follow-up period. In addition, a significant reduction in the GHQ scores of the mothers between the initial and end-of-course assessments indicated that their psychological symptomology improved as a result of the course, and this improvement was also maintained over the follow-up period.

Accurate diagnosis of personality disorders: Some critical factors

Issues pertaining to the accurate diagnosis of personality disorders are discussed from a scientist-practitioner perspective. An attempt is made to distinguish state (Axis I) from trait (Axis II) disorders, and personality (“normal”) from personality disorders (“abnormal”). The reliability and validity of personality disorder diagnoses are explored, and the four criteria for all personality disorder diagnoses are clarified: These criteria are: 1) presence of psychological symptomology, 2) stability over time, 3) consistency across situations, and 4) under-responsiveness to currently available treatments. Also, a distinction is made between categorical and dimensional diagnostic criteria, similar to the distinction between personality type and trait approaches. Recommendations are provided for improving the clinical and empirical work in this area, and implications for treatment are discussed.