Psychosocial Concepts Research Articles

Feelings from the heart: Developing HRV decrease-trigger algorithms via multilevel hyperplane simulation to detect psychosocially meaningful episodes in everyday life.

Heart rate variability (HRV) has been associated with diverse psychosocial concepts, like stress, anxiety, depression, rumination, social support, and positive affect, among others. Although recent ecological momentary assessment research devoted the analysis of cardiac‐psychosocial interactions in daily life, traditional time sampling designs are compromised by a random pairing of cardiac and psychosocial variables across several time points. In this study, we present an approach based on the concept of additional heart rate and additional HRV reductions, which aims to control for metabolic‐related changes in cardiac activity. This approach allows derivation of algorithm settings, which can later be used to automatically trigger the assessment of psychosocial states by online‐analysis of transient HRV changes. We used an already published data set in order to identify potential triggers offline indexing meaningful HRV decrements as related to low quality social interactions. First, two algorithm settings for a non‐metabolic HRV decrease trigger (i.e., the number of HRV decreases in a specified time window) were systematically manipulated and quantified by binary triggers (HRV decrease detected vs. not). Second, triggers were then entered in multilevel models predicting (lower levels of) social support. Effect estimates and bootstrap power simulations were visualized on hyperplanes to determine the most robust algorithm settings. A setting associated with 13 HRV decreases out of 29 min seems to be particularly sensitive to low quality of social interactions. Further algorithm refinements and validation studies are encouraged.

Correlates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Austria: trust and the government.

BackgroundWith the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic surging and new mutations evolving, trust in vaccines is essential.MethodsWe explored correlates of vaccine hesitancy, considering political believes and psychosocial concepts, conducting a non-probability quota-sampled online survey with 1007 Austrians.ResultsWe identified several important correlates of vaccine hesitancy, ranging from demographics to complex factors such as voting behavior or trust in the government. Among those with hesitancy towards a COVID-19 vaccine, having voted for opposition parties (opp) or not voted (novote) were (95% Confidence Intervall (CI)opp, 1.44–2.95) to 2.25-times (95%CInovote, 1.53–3.30) that of having voted for governing parties. Only 46.2% trusted the Austrian government to provide safe vaccines, and 80.7% requested independent scientific evaluations regarding vaccine safety to increase willingness to vaccine.ConclusionsContrary to expected, psychosocial dimensions were only weakly correlated with vaccine hesitancy. However, the strong correlation between distrust in the vaccine and distrust in authorities suggests a common cause of disengagement from public discourse.

Factors associated with self-efficacy in patients with hypertension: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

BackgroundSelf-efficacy is a widely applied psychosocial concept that is commonly used in association with management of chronic diseases, including hypertension. The aim of this study was to assess self-efficacy of hypertension management and patient-physician communication, as well as the factors associated with self-efficacy and patient-physician communication among patients with hypertension in Palestine.MethodsWe conducted face-to-face, questionnaire-based interviews using validated instruments to assess self-efficacy in managing hypertension (Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale (SES6C)) and patient-physician communication (Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interaction Questionnaire (PEPPI)) in patients with hypertension at the three main primary healthcare centers in Nablus district in northern West Bank, Palestine. We also performed a multiple linear regression analysis to determine the variables independently associated with PEPPI and SES6C scores.ResultsWe enrolled 377 participants with hypertension in this study. The average age (measured in years) was 56.8 with a standard deviation of 11.6. The mean PEPPI and SES6C scores were 20.0 (SD 4.4) and 41.1 (SD 10.6), respectively. In a multiple linear regression model, subjects who were city dwellers (B=3.597, p=0.004), and subjects with high education levels (B=4.010, p=0.001) achieved higher PEPPI scores, whereas subjects in the normal weight category (B=5.566, p<0.001) and those with higher PEPPI scores (B=0.706, p<0.001) achieved higher SES6C scores.ConclusionsWe found that impairment in self-efficacy was linked to overweight and obesity, as well as lower patient-physician communication. Moreover, our results showed that lower patient-physician communication was independently associated with low education level as well as non-city residency types. We recommend making the appropriate changes by both the policy-makers and the health care providers to improve the health facilities and its services, especially outside the cities. We also suggest holding specific counseling and training session on the management and control of hypertension.

SELF EFFICACY DAN PERILAKU SEHAT DALAM MODIFIKASI GAYA HIDUP PENDERITA HIPERTENSI

Hypertension is one of chronic diseases and the main concern because of its high morbidity and mortality. Confidence in care and lifestyle changes called cell efficacy is needed. Self-efficacy, a widely used psychosocial concept, is associated with the ability to manage chronic disease. The purposes of this study were to analiyze the correlation between self-efficacy with lifestyle on hypertension patients. The data obtained were analyzed by correlational analytic with a cross-sectional approach. The sample of this study was recruited with total sampling as much as 30 people. The data were analyzed by Spearman correlation with significance α&lt;0.05. The study showed that self-efficacy of patients with hypertension was majorly high(73,3%), and lifestyle was a majorly healthy lifestyle (83,3%). There was a significant correlation between self-efficacy with lifestyle on hypertension patients (r=0.893; p&lt;0.05). Nurses can increase self-efficacy of hypertension patients by providing support and motivation to improve a healthy lifestyle to prevent further complications

Social isolation and loneliness in old age: Exploring their role in mental and physical health.

The current review has the ultimate scope to accurately define social isolation and loneliness while highlighting the serious repercussions on health and behavior. Daily hundreds of people across the globe report suffering from social isolation and loneliness; an over whelming feeling of emptiness, unworthiness and personal failure. Human beings are social species that have the need to nurture reliable and secure social settings to survive. Simultaneously, trustworthy social relationships are critical for mental and physical wellbeing whereas impaired social interactions can lead to social isolation and loneliness. In an attempt to tease out and elucidate salient problems and issues, we seek to critically compose studies, views and issues from a variety of perspectives by providing opposing standpoints and conversational voices instead of intensifying traditional narratives and dominant discourses. Few aspects of social isolation and loneliness are untouched by scientific attention. The role of these concepts in old age is no exception and arguably has a tremendous impact in multiple aspects of life. Social isolation and loneliness are two distinctive concepts that have been identified as risk factors for wellbeing, health and everyday functioning in profound ways. Therefore, we aimed to examine the associations with various psychiatric disorders for instance anxiety, depression, psychotic disorder and Alzheimer's disease as well as with a variety of physical disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol and autoimmune diseases. Given the alarming records from healthcare which depict an almost two-fold rise in healthcare attendance, we attempt to assemble the proposed interventions through an in-depth review of the current literature available and provide the incentive for constructive and collective thought. To our theoretical understanding, in order to better comprehend these psychosocial concepts and deliver timely and more effective personalized interventions to those in need, it is of paramount importance to thoroughly examine the identified causal links. However, further research is required for the reduction or the deletion of the undesired effects.

Deprived Innocence: Youth Delinquency and the Restorative Factor of R.A. 9344

The lowering of criminal liability of minors is a big issue that the Philippine society faces in the modern world. The upper and the lower house of Congress have their version of amending Republic Act 9344 known as the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act of 2006, primarily on Sect. 6 regarding the age of criminal liability of minors. The amendment envisages reducing the age of criminal liability from 15 to 9 years old because of the empirical observation and deduction that those involved in crimes are adults and even teenagers and children alike. The solution, therefore, of Congress is to brand children and youth in conflict with the law (CYCL) as criminals so that proper judicial measures and process could be implemented and so that the involvement of children and youth in crimes could be lessened if not prevented. One out of the many reasons in amending the law is that children and youth in conflict with the law, in the existing juvenile justice welfare act, could escape the penal system of judicial measures. This, in effect, could be used by syndicates in promoting their aberrant intentions and acts. In other words, children and teenagers could be used in criminal endeavors. Nevertheless, one might ask, will the plan of Congress help provide a solution to the problem? Alternatively, the plan is just to cover the real problem by blaming CYCL. Will it safeguard the interest of those criminally involved children and youth or the interest of those adults to take advantage of these poor’s innocence? Using the phenomenological lenses, this study attempts to understand the problem behind this pressing issue of our time by unfolding the richness of the term youth concerning Erik Erikson and Carl Rogers’ psychosocial concepts. Likewise, to lay down the reasons behind the creation of the Republic Act 9344 and the steps it has to address the problem on society to vis-a-vis the children and the youth. Finding a solution to the problem involving CYCL is not an individual exertion on the part of the government; it is an endeavor of every sector in the Philippines. Therefore, this study tries to look at the position and call of the Church in this phenomenon in Philippine history. In the end, may this study be a wakeup for thinkers, patriots, dreamers, positivists, social, and political scientists for further discussions and debates with a vision of helping the young who is the very future of the dearest Pearl of the Orient.

Psychosocial determinants of adherence with oral anticancer treatment: ‘we don’t need no education’

Introduction Given the potentially fatal consequences of inadequate adherence with oral anticancer treatment in persons with cancer, understanding the determinants of adherence is vital. This paper aims at identifying psychosocial determinants of adherence to oral anticancer treatment. Methods We reviewed the literature on psychosocial determinants of adherence with oral anticancer treatment, based on published literature in English, from 2015 to present. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane library, Emcare, and PsychINFO, with ‘cancer’, ‘medication adherence’, ‘psychology’, and ‘oral anticancer treatment’ as search terms. The obtained 608 papers were screened by two independent reviewers. Results In the 25 studies identified, illness perceptions, medication beliefs, health beliefs, and depression were found to be the major psychosocial determinants of adherence to oral anticancer treatment; sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were found to be of no major importance. The quality of the identified studies as assessed by two independent reviewers was found to be acceptable overall. The majority of papers were from North America and focused on patients with breast cancer; sample size varied from 13 to 1371; adherence was assessed with questionnaires derived from various theoretical models, pill counts and electronic pharmacy records; illness perceptions reflecting adaptive coping, and medication beliefs reflecting high necessity and low concerns were found to be associated with adherence. Conclusion Psychosocial concepts are major determinants of adherence with oral anticancer treatment. ‘Beliefs about medicines’ and ‘illness perceptions’ in particular determine adherence with this treatment. Studies aiming at impacting adherence would benefit from interventions with a solid basis in behavioral theory in order to help health care providers explore and address illness perceptions and medication beliefs. Pre-consultation screening of adherence behavior may be a helpful supportive approach to improve adherence. Blaming the victim (‘patients should be educated about the importance of adherence’) is better replaced by encouraging health professionals to identify and address maladaptive psychosocial determinants of adherence.

798-P: New Insights into Diabetes Burnout

Significance: Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) frequently report experiencing diabetes burnout, a feeling of exhaustion, and frustration that may lead to ignoring self-care behaviors. Though the construct was identified in the early 1980s as a primary barrier to optimal diabetes care, scientific understanding of the concept is lacking. Prior literature has conflated diabetes burnout with the other psychosocial concepts of diabetes distress and depression. In an attempt to address the gap, our qualitative findings highlighted that diabetes burnout includes: (1) feelings of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion, (2) detachment from illness identity, support systems, and self-care, and (3) a sense of powerlessness to re-take the ownership of self-care. Aim: To examine the relationship between the three hypothesized dimensions of diabetes burnout and to determine if the data would be able to identify a relationship between diabetes burnout, distress, depression, and short-term outcomes. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on a sample of 111 adults with T1D who completed an online survey developed by existing valid and reliable measures. Results: All dimensions of diabetes burnout were significantly correlated between .60 and .85 (p&amp;lt;.001). We found that diabetes burnout was significantly associated with both depression (es=0.67; p&amp;lt;.001) and diabetes distress (es=0.83; p&amp;lt;.001). Although overall burnout score explained more of the variation in key diabetes outcomes such as last reported HbA1C or missed appointments than diabetes distress or depression, and those relationships persist and strengthen even after controlling for these other related constructs. Conclusion: A single cross-sectional study is insufficient for any strong claims; however, this study challenges current knowledge on diabetes care by suggesting diabetes burnout as a distinct but interrelated concept with distress or depressions. These findings need to be replicated, ideally with larger and more diverse samples and with longitudinal studies. Disclosure S. Abdoli: None. D.M. Hessler: Consultant; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. K. Miller-Bains: None. A.C. Vora: Speaker’s Bureau; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Dexcom, Inc., Novo Nordisk Inc. B. Smither: None. E.M. Burr: None. H.L. Stuckey: None. Funding Oak Ridge Associated Universities

The Generativity Mindsets of Chief Executive Officers: A New Perspective on Succession Outcomes

We apply the psychosocial concept of generativity, or one’s outlook toward the next generation, to the context of chief executive officer (CEO) succession. Integrating prior research on generativit...

Refugee and forced migrants are not welcome in Europe’s diminished welfare states

The recent arrivals of refugees from the Middle East fleeing war and persecution, and forced migrants escaping poverty, mostly from Asia and Africa, have fundamentally challenged European states’ commitment to solidarity with these vulnerable populations seeking protection. Researchers have identified a range of social and individual factors that may facilitate or impede societies’ willingness to receive refugees and migrants. However, less attention has been devoted to how their reception may be linked with diminished provision of public services for citizens and declining welfare states in many countries in Europe. This article considers how the ascendance of the neoliberal ideology and its’ key shifts in public policy contributed to a growing sense of insecurity and precarity in industrialized countries over recent decades and has affected people’s willingness to assist and accept them. It brings together insights from a variety of disciplines to better understand social policy developments and its relation to refugee and forced migration. It concludes that a feminist psychosocial conception of relationality provides a basis for rethinking our approaches to these important issues by politicizing the ethical obligation to protect the lives of unknown others.

Identifying Patients with Significant Problems Related to Social Determinants of Health with Natural Language Processing.

Social and behavioral factors influence health but are infrequently recorded in electronic health records (EHRs). Here, we demonstrate that psychosocial vital signs can be extracted from EHR data. We processed structured and unstructured EHR data using expert-driven queries and Natural Language Processing (NLP), validating results through structured annotation. We found that although these vital signs are present in EHRs, with 681 structured entries identified for psychosocial concepts, NLP identified a nearly 90-fold increase in patients.

Perceptions of collective narratives and identity strategies as indicators of intergroup relations

PurposeThis study aims to explore intergroup relations between two Jewish religious groups in Israel, namely, ultra-Orthodox and national-religious communities, by using an integrated model that combines two psychosocial concepts: perceptions of collective narratives and identity strategies.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a representative sample of 402 ultra-Orthodox and 388 national-religious Jews living in Israel, of age 18 and over. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were conducted to examine group differences in perceiving in-group and out-group collective narratives and in patterns of identity strategies. Further, partial correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the relative contribution of perceptions of collective narratives and patterns of identity strategies.FindingsWillingness to compete with and to separate from the out-group was related to the tendency to reject its collective narrative while endorsing the in-group one. In the same vein, the opposite pattern was found in the relations between willingness to integrate and unite with the out-group and the perceptions of collective narratives. The results also indicate group differences: the ultra-Orthodox exhibited stronger tendencies to preserve their in-group collective narratives and to reject the out-group, as well as stronger endorsement of identity strategies of competition and separation compared to national-religious.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that it might be useful to encourage dialogue between both groups to clarify each side’s narratives and rationale underlying the endorsement of specific identity strategies. Such an open dialogue could help each group understand the other group’s needs and might also reduce their sense of threat as well as anxiety about losing their religious and social uniqueness. One possible opportunity for such dialogue is workplaces in which members of each group can gradually uncover stereotypes, enhancing reconciliation and willingness to accept the “other’s” collective narrative and choose to adhere more to the similar than dissimilar characteristics.Originality/valueThis is the first study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to examine collective narratives and identity strategies as powerful indicators of intergroup relations between two minority groups of the same religion. Within such a unique context, the power struggle exists and the separation and competition strategies are apparent, but the main conflictual issue is related to similarities and discrepancies of religious ideologies, values, norms and worldviews that shape one’s daily life and his/her encounter with the similar but different “other”.

A Generativity Perspective on the Dynamics of CEO Succession

We apply the psychosocial concept of generativity, or one’s outlook toward the next generation, to the context of CEO succession. Integrating prior research on generativity and CEO succession, we i...

Predicting future performance in medical students. A longitudinal study examining the effects of resilience on low and higher performing students

Introduction: Medical students have high rates of distress and burnout, exacerbated by a high academic workload. Resilience is stated to mitigate such stress, and even allow positive adaptations in the face of such challenges. Despite this, no research has examined the relationship of resilience on the academic performance of medical students.Methods: The goal of our study was to investigate the association between resilience on academic performance. We surveyed all year 2, 3, and 4 medical students (n = 160), and combined this with data on past and future course performance. We conducted an analysis of the internal consistency and validity of the RS-14, suggesting two factors: which we represent as self-assuredness and drive. We then analyzed future course performance using multiple regression.Results: Models utilizing the combined RS-14 score suggested past-performance as the only significant predictor of future course performance. Considering self-assuredness and drive as separate predictors demonstrated self-assuredness to be a predictor of improved performance in lower-than-average students, whilst drive was a predictor of improvement in higher-than-average students.Conclusions: We suggest that the conceptualization of resilience needs greater nuance, and consideration in tandem with broader psychosocial concepts, as it may exert different effects for different students.

Descriptions of diabetes burnout from individuals with Type 1 diabetes: an analysis of YouTube videos.

The purpose of the study was to analyse self-descriptions of diabetes burnout in individuals with Type 1 diabetes via YouTube videos. In this qualitative descriptive study, a systematic approach was used to search YouTube videos with a title, description or content specifically about diabetes burnout dated between 2007 and 2017. Irrelevant or duplicated videos were excluded using eligibility criteria. All videos meeting inclusion criteria (n = 32) from individuals with Type 1 diabetes were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a qualitative content analysis approach. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse video characteristics. The four major themes associated with diabetes burnout were: (i) feeling mentally drained and physically tired of dealing with self-care; (ii) experiencing a detachment from self, diabetes care and support system; (iii) being powerless and paralysed to 'climb out' of diabetes burnout; and (iv) contributing potential factors to diabetes burnout. Self-descriptions of diabetes burnout suggest that it is a combination of emotions and behaviours on a spectrum from exhaustion to detachment accompanied by an overwhelming sense of powerlessness. More studies are needed to further clarify diabetes burnout and its distinction from, or overlap with, other related psychosocial concepts in diabetes care.

Dying to live: Youth violence and the munpain

This article engages with accounts of the everyday experiences of young adults living in London who have been involved with road life (street culture) and how their narratives might help us to better understand issues of youth violence in the UK. Through an exploration of their experiences, this article argues that deeply embedded structural contradictions are leaving a generation of marginalised young people dying to live as they become locked in an existential struggle against a sense of malaise permeating many of their everyday experiences. These experiences of social suffering are conceptualised through ‘the munpain’. The munpain is a psychosocial concept which articulates the impact of structurally routed violence, inherent in late-modern neoliberal states, within the everyday lives of marginalised young adults living in a contemporary urban context. This article draws on interview data from two young men, Stephen and T, who have both been victims of knife crime and have spent much of their lives involved with youth groups self-identifying as gangs. In this article, I demonstrate some of the often unspoken struggles that saturate their lives. These experiences induce agentic responses as people seek to alleviate their suffering, at times affecting them in ways that lead to acts of violence. Moreover, I also elaborate on the inductive methodological approach employed to denote how ‘the munpain’ was developed while working alongside marginalised young adults.

Lifelong Learning in Seniors in the Perspective of the Neuro- and Psychosocial Concept

Labor et Educatio » 7 (2019) » Lifelong Learning in Seniors in the Perspective of the Neuro- and Psychosocial Concept A A A

Health-related Quality of Life in Cutaneous Lymphomas: Past, Present and Future.

Previous studies have reported that primary cutaneous lymphomas profoundly influence patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, assessment of this psycho-social concept is not common in routine patient care unless required within clinical trials. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of HRQoL measures and outcomes in cutaneous lym-phomas in order to inform clinicians. Advanced-stage cutaneous lymphomas were found to be associated with worse HRQoL than early-stage disease. Specifically, progression of the disease, age, sex, psychosocial issues, educational level and therapy were related to the extent of impairment of HRQoL. Treatment response was linked to improved HRQoL, but notably ameliorated HRQoL scores were also reported despite objective disease response. However, the variety of instruments applied to measure HRQoL in cutaneous lymphomas makes it difficult to compare data directly. In conclusion, speciality-specific HRQoL instruments were superior to generic ones, which probably failed to recognize small, but relevant, changes, demonstrating the need for a disease-specific tool.

Self Efficacy dan Gaya Hidup Pasien Hipertensi

Hypertension is one of the major cardiovascular diseases worldwide. Self-efficacy, a widely used psychosocial concept, is associated with the ability to manage chronic disease. The purposes of this study were to identify the correlation between self-efficacy with lifestyle on hypertension patients. The data obtained were analyzed by correlational analytic with a cross-sectional approach. The sample of this study was recruited with total sampling as much as 130 people. Data were collected with a questionnaire toward the hypertension patients who came to Mutiara Homecare Medan. The data were analyzed by Spearman correlation with significance α<0.05. The study showed that self-efficacy of patients with hypertension was majorly high(96,9%), and lifestyle was a majorly healthy lifestyle (96,2%). There was a significant correlation between self-efficacy with lifestyle on hypertension patients (r=0.8.91; p<0.05). Nurses can increase self-efficacy of hypertension patients by providing support and motivation to improve a healthy lifestyle to prevent further complications.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT FULFILMENT AND WELL-BEING

Background There is considerable literature on well-being at work, the well-being process and short measures of psychosocial concepts. Psychological Contract Fulfilment (PCF) and other employee attitudes and behaviours have also been widely studied. Aims and objectives The aim of the present study was to examine associations of short measures of PCF and well-being outcomes while statistically adjusting for other established predictors (job characteristics, coping styles and personality). Methods The survey included established measures of well-being and the newly developed PCF short items. The questions were presented in an online survey, delivered using Qualtrics software and given to 166 workers from the USA, who were recruited using Mechanical Turk. Results Factor analyses identified the following measures: negative job characteristics; positive work characteristics; positive and negative coping; positive personality; PFC; work behaviours and job attitudes; work-life balance; and positive and negative well-being. While the PFC variables were significantly associated with well-being outcomes in univariate analyses, these effects were no longer significant when established predictors were included in the analyses. Conclusion Effects attributed to PFC may reflect other organisational and individual variables. The new short items can be used in future studies of the well-being of workers. This will lead to an increase in our knowledge and the development of new models that can be of theoretical and practical significance.