Social Adjustment Difficulties Research Articles

Depressive mood in students with mild intellectual disability: students' reports and teachers' evaluations.

The present study examined 310 students with mild intellectual disability (ID) who attended special schools and self-contained classes in mainstream schools with regard to their reports of depressive mood, and loneliness and social skills, and teachers' perception of the students' academic, social and behavioural competencies. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that: students in special schools reported higher levels of depression and felt lonelier than mainstream school students; girls exhibited a greater sense of depressive mood than boys; teachers assessed boys as having higher academic competencies than girls; and boys were considered more easily distracted and less independent. However, teachers considered girls to have more adequate social adjustment, and be more task-oriented and more independent. For both groups, depressive mood can be predicted by distractibility and loneliness; by gender and lower academic competencies for special school students; or mainly by difficulties in social adjustment in the case of mainstream school students.

Cancer Patients and their Spouses: Gender and its Effect on Psychological and Social Adjustment

The aim of this research was to examine the effects of gender on the social adjustment and psychological distress experienced by cancer patients and their spouses. A total of 87 patients and spouses participated in the study, with the patients undergoing active medical treatment (chemotherapy, radiation or both) and three months post-diagnosis. Three questionnaires were used to collect data: a personal information one; the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), in which stress was examined; and the PAIS-SR, in which psychosocial adjustment to physical illness was examined. Both cancer patients and their spouses reported the same level of psychological distress and difficulties in social adjustment in most areas studied. Patients reported more difficulties in relationships with extended family and in sexual relations than their spouses did. In the area of social environment, spouses reported higher levels of difficulties than patients. Both men and women reported difficulties with social adjustment in most areas studied. Women reported more difficulties with social environment. As for psychological stress, generally men as patients and as spouses reported higher levels of anxiety. As patients, men reported higher levels of paranoia.

Employment and Unemployment among the Negev Bedouin

This article deals with employment, and the problem of unemployment, among the Bedouin of the Negev. Today, the Negev Bedouin can be divided into two main groups, according to the manner of their settlement: Those who reside in seven towns, planned by the authorities: Rahat, Tel al-Saba' (Tel-Sheva), Kuseifa, 'Ar'ara, Shqeb al-Salam (Segev Shalom), Hura and Laqiya; and those who reside in dispersed, unauthorised settlements and live outside the seven towns, in concentrations of varying size. There is also a very. small group of semi-nomads. The Bedouin population in the Negev is today (1999) estimated at approximately 110,000. Close to 60 per cent of them live in the seven towns, the remaining 40 per cent of the Bedouin live in tribal settlements, in clusters of huts, wooden, metal, or baked mud huts, in tents made of goat hair, jute bags, or plastic sheets, or in houses built of concrete blocks or stones. The Bedouin living outside the seven towns continue to raise livestock, in flocks ranging in size from a few heads to over 200. The Ministry of Agriculture estimates that the Bedouin in the Negev have some 200,000 head of sheep and 5,000 of goats. The Bedouin estimate, which is very likely closer to the mark, is that there are 230,000 sheep and 20,000 goats. Employment The Bedouin engage in a wide range of occupations. It is possible to find in a single household an agricultural worker, a construction worker, a clerk and a shepherd. The centre of economic gravity has shifted from raising livestock to salaried employment, in the cities and towns. Opportunities have opened up for the Bedouin, including some that are considerably more worthwhile than even large-scale animal husbandry. Some of the economic problems of the Bedouin derive from the process of urbanisation, as well as the increase in the size of their consumption basket, and their attraction to the higher standards prevalent in the cities than in the periphery, and a dearth of employment opportunities in the tribal areas. In the towns, though, the Bedouin have been exposed to such social phenomena as difficulties in social and economic adjustment, and in maintaining internal cohesion. They have also experienced hitherto unknown symptoms of poverty. Furthermore, the Bedouin have been hard hit by unemployment, and drug trafficking and drug abuse have already penetrated both the towns and dispersed settlements. Some of the towns have become distressed areas, focal points of frustration and bitterness, the causes of which can be ascribed to government policies. The dilemmas the Bedouin confront every day reflect the transition they are undergoing from a traditional to a modern, sedentary society. The picture is further complicated by the fact that the Bedouin population is not uniform, and therefore does not respond to the change it is undergoing in a uniform manner. A partial list of occupations in which young Bedouin engage would include work in road construction and in quarries, as mechanics and mechanics' assistants, construction labourers and building contractors, citrus pickers, watchmen on construction and drilling sites, tractor drivers, drivers of trucks, buses and minibuses, clerks, teachers, policemen and army trackers, insurance agents, and agricultural labourers. In addition, some Bedouin engage in raising sheep, either as a primary or secondary source of livelihood. Among those who live in the towns, the limits on the mobility of women, largely determined by cultural constraints, are enforced by husbands, mothers-in-law, and parents, and not by the women themselves. Such limits vary from group to group within Bedouin society. Some contend that the transition to towns has undermined the status, and the self-image, of Bedouin women in the Middle East; much of their traditional role no longer exists and many women feel useless. The transition to towns, and the concomitant change in the patterns of employment, has resulted in women being more dependent on their husbands. …

Social Adjustment of Adolescents at Risk for Schizophrenia: The Jerusalem Infant Development Study

To better understand whether poor social adjustment, a core characteristic of schizophrenic illness, may also be an indicator of vulnerability in young people who are at genetic risk for schizophrenia, but who do not have schizophrenia. Between 1992 and 1996, 27 Israeli adolescents with a schizophrenic parent, 29 adolescents with no mentally ill parent, and 30 adolescents with a parent having a nonschizophrenic mental disorder were assessed on multiple domains of social adjustment measured using the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents and the Youth Self-Report. Young people with a schizophrenic parent showed poor peer engagement, particularly heterosexual engagement, and social problems characterized by immaturity and unpopularity with peers. These social adjustment difficulties in youths at risk for schizophrenia could not be attributed solely to the presence of early-onset mental disorders, although problems were greater in those with disorders in the schizophrenia spectrum. Young people whose parents had other disorders showed different patterns of social maladjustment characterized by difficult, conflictual relationships with peers and family. Adolescents at risk for schizophrenia have social deficits that extend beyond early-onset psychopathology and that may reflect vulnerability to schizophrenic disorder.

Social adjustment over 10 years following diagnosis with bulimia nervosa.

The authors sought to describe social adjustment among women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa more than a decade earlier. A cohort of women who were diagnosed with bulimia nervosa between 1981 and 1987 were located and invited to participate in follow-up assessments. Although the current sample demonstrated considerable improvement in disordered eating behaviors and social adjustment, measures of social adjustment suggested continued impairment in interpersonal relationships and only a modest association with eating disorder outcome. Continued difficulties in social adjustment may reflect an underlying vulnerability from which disordered eating developed. Treatments for bulimia nervosa may benefit from including interpersonal skills training.

Social adjustment and self-esteem in remitted patients with unipolar and bipolar affective disorder: A case-control study

To evaluate social adjustment and self-esteem in patients with unipolar (UP) and bipolar (BP) affective disorder and to examine demographic and clinical correlates of these variables, outpatients with UP and BP disorder in remission for at least 12 months were consecutively recruited and individually matched to control subjects with no personal or family history of psychiatric illness (UP-control matched pairs, n = 23; BP-control matched pairs, n = 27). Subjects completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale (SES) and the self-report version of the Social Adjustment Scale (SAS). UP patients reported significantly worse overall social adjustment than their matched controls ( P= .009), specifically in the area of social and leisure activities ( P = .0003) and poorer self-esteem ( P = .02). When separated by gender, only the female UP group manifested significant findings on the SAS. BP patients reported poorer self-esteem than their controls ( P = .04), but were not significantly different on the SAS. Although the patients were not clinically depressed, a worse social adjustment was significantly associated with a higher score on the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) in both groups. In the UP group, this association was absent when the analysis was limited to patients receiving antidepressant pharmacotherapy. The findings indicate that (1) UP patients, particularly women, experience substantial difficulties in social adjustment, primarily in social and leisure activities, even during stable clinical remission, and (2) in both UP and BP patients, adjustment problems are related to depressive symptoms even though these are minimal in severity.

The Spanish Version of the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE)-Preschool Edition: Translation and Field Testing

This article describes the Spanish translation process and field testing of the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE)-Preschool Edition. This teacher-completed standardized instrument, available in French and English, assesses patterns of social competence, affective expression, and adjustment difficulties in children between the ages of2 years, 6 months and 6 years, 6 months. An initial study of225 children compared results of evaluations of the same children with the Spanish and English versions of the instrument. The results yielded psychometric data showing that the Spanish version has satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability and detects comparable gender differences in adaptation similar to the French and English versions. A generalization study of 414 children recruited in Spain and the United States confirmed the robustness of the instrument and demonstrated that its factor structure corresponds closely to that of the other versions.

Psychiatric Disorder in Young Adults in Jamaica

Much research into psychiatric disorder in Jamaica has investigated psychotic illness but studies of neurotic disorders are lacking. This study investigated psychiatric disorder in a group of mainly urban, lower social class, young adults who had been regular clinic attenders as a physically healthy control group in a cohort study of sickle cell disease. The study was cross-sectional in design. Subjects, 44 male and 45 female, were aged 18 to 20 years at the time of the study. The Psychiatric Assessment Schedule was used to determine psychiatric disorder at Index of Definition level 5. All subjects approached participated. Rates of psychiatric disorder were 6 (14%) in the male group and 16 (36%) in the female group. There were no psychotic disorders. In the group as a whole, psychiatric disorder was associated with female gender, unemployment, difficulties with social adjustment and number of episodes of physical illness in the 6 months prior to interview. Variables associated with psychiatric distress amongst males included not having a steady relationship, unemployment, criminal activity and difficulties with social adjustment. Variables associated with psychiatric distress amongst females included lack of domestic amenities, not having a mother at home, lack of education, unemployment and social adjustment difficulties. Rates of psychiatric disorder were higher than expected, especially for women. Larger studies are indicated to investigate the prevalence of neurotic disorders amongst young people in Jamaica, compared to similar groups in other countries.

Psychiatric complications of homozygous sickle cell disease among young adults in the Jamaican Cohort Study.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorder in young adults with homzygous sickle cell (SS) disease and in controls with normal haemoglobin, and to examine factors associated with psychiatric disorder. The study design was cross-sectional. Subjects were aged 18-20 years: 63 with SS disease and 89 controls. The Psychiatric Assessment Schedule was used to determine psychiatric disorder at index of Definition level 5. Psychiatric disorder was identified in 18 (29%) SS disease patients and in 22 (25%) controls. In SS patients, psychiatric disorder was not related to illness severity but was associated with leaving school early, difficulties in social adjustment, impaired cognitive function and having previous psychiatric difficulties. Male SS patients with psychiatric disorder all had low body mass index (BMI < 17.60). In controls, psychiatric disorder was associated with female gender, unemployment and difficulties in social adjustment. The prevalence of psychiatric disorder was similar in patients and controls, although associated factors tended to be different. The association with low BMI in SS men merits further study.

Psychosocial impacts of infertility on Greek couples.

Psychosocial impacts of infertility were investigated in couples undergoing different treatment procedures in our clinic. Couples were interviewed in a semi-structured way by a psychologist or a psychiatrist and responded to three specially structured questionnaires: the Life Events Scale, the Marlowe-Crowne/Taylor Scale and the Side Effect Checklist. The data were analysed in terms of demographic characteristics as well as treatment procedure. The psychosocial, psychosexual and emotional outcomes of their infertility problem and Greek traditional culture laws are discussed. Stress has been identified in both sexes, depression mostly in women, while men showed a tendency towards repressed anxiety and thus a greater risk of psychosomatic illness, a finding supported by their response to the Side Effect Checklist. Women showed a high defensive anxiety and also reported numerous psychosomatic symptoms. These couples seem to have special needs and fears, both general and treatment specific. Very few of our couples would be considered as severely emotionally disturbed. Women seem to have more difficulties in social adjustment. Sexual dysfunction was reported by almost half of our subjects, although this was associated with a degree of deterioration in their marriage. Guilt feelings, particularly connected with previous abortions, seem to be torturing most women. Finally, both partners seem to have psychological problems irrespective of the one in whom the aetiological problem was found. Moreover, traditional rules seem to impose a special burden on people coming from rural areas. Our results strongly support the belief that infertile couples undergoing different treatments need psychological counselling and supportive psychotherapy.

Symtoms and Social Adjustment of Schizophrenic Patients as Evaluated by Their Family Members: A Cross‐Cultural Psychiatric Study between Offshore Islands and an Urban City

We conducted a comparative study of symptoms and social adjustment of schizophrenic patients on offshore islands and one urban region in Japan. In the evaluation of symptoms and social behavior by family members, no differences were observed between the two regions. Looking at social adjustment in the two regions, no differences were observed by family members either in the performance level or in the expectation level of socially expected activities. However, on the offshore islands, the expectation level of socially expected activities by family members was significantly higher than the level of self-accomplishment set by schizophrenic patients themselves. As for leisure activities, both family members and patients on the islands evaluated the level of performance to be significantly higher than in the urban region, and the level of satisfaction of the patients themselves was also higher on the islands. Considering both these findings and Japanese traditional views of work and leisure, it is believed that on the islands patients are required to engage in more productive activities and less leisure activities than in the urban region. Further it seems that patients on the islands compared to patients in the urban region may have greater difficulty in social adjustment.

Immigration and migration in America: social impact and social response.

The author discusses various social problems resulting from migration to and within the United States, including poverty, acculturation, education, housing, employment, social adjustment, and family difficulties. The potential impact of migrants on the U.S. society and economy is assessed, and government policy responses to their problems are considered. (SUMMARY IN FRE AND SPA)

The sexual victimization of male children: A review of previous research

The evidence available at this time indicates that male children are more likely to be abused by nonfamily rather than family members. Residing in a neglectful home or a mother-headed household and having previous homosexual contact tend to heighten risk for sexual abuse by nonfamily members. Familial sexual abuse appears related to residence in a home where other siblings are being abused, where the father was a victim of sexual abuse as a child, and where parents suffer myriad personal and social adjustment difficulties. Effects of male child sexual abuse appear to be serious and long lasting. The scant writings available at this time imply that the sexually abused male child experiences a range of adjustment and self-esteem problems as an adult and may be at heightened risk to become a child sexual abuser.

Preamble Guideline

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness is a primary and disabling symptom of a number of sleep-wake disorders. Studies that have investigated the prevalence ofthis symptom in the general population find that between 0.5 to 5.0% of the persons surveyed complain of EDS. Among patients seen in sleep-wake disorder clinics in the United States, the majority (51%) present with daytime somnolence. EDS has a great impact and a disruptive effect on patients' lives. They report car accidents, occupational accidents, the loss of employment and disability, difficulties in social adjustment and in children, learning disabilities, all in association with their EDS. In addition, failure of attention, memory lapses and an intolerance to CNS depressant drugs including alcohol are also associated with the experience of daytime somnolence. For the clinician a test to objectively evaluate the severity of this symptom and to evaluate the adequacy of treatment is critical to the practice of sleep disorders medicine.

Rehabilitation of drug-dependent persons: Where are we going wrong?

In most countries today the drug problem is still a highly emotional and, as a result, politically charged issue. Hence, feelings are often polarised and this enormously complex problem is seen in broad terms of black and white. As a result, national priorities are often directed towards repression, prevention and treatment, while rehabilitation is often neglected or poorly developed. By the term ‘rehabilitation’ is meant the range of social, vocational and other assistance provided after the process of detoxification. Experience during the past decade has proven beyond doubt that these strategies alone will not suffice to control substance abuse and yet, such incomplete approaches widely persist. One most unfortunate result: drug-dependent youth are either dealt with through repressive measures as prisoners or they are medically treated as patients, whereas they are essentially people with severe social adjustment difficulties in need of psychological and social assistance. In either event, they are forced into a marginal social situation with little control over their own destiny. In the process, they are labelled and categorised, which makes their social integration even more difficult if not, for some, impossible. Seen within the context of the social and cultural fabric, substance abuse is clearly a symptom of society’s greater malaise and ills. The current national and international situation with its political turmoil, economic instability, and rapidly changing values tends to weaken and even destroy some of the base upon which today’s society is built. To the extent that society is itself quite ill, the substance abuse phenomenon is seen as but one of a host of disturbing symptoms which result. In society’s approach to dealing with drug dependence, there is little consensus about what should constitute an appropriate response. For example :

Effects of sex and birth order on infant social behavior

As part of a methodological study on attachment at one year, the social behavior of 40 infants was assessed in several situations by means of time-sampled observations, ratings, and interviews. The sample was evenly divided between males and females and, within each sex, between first- and later-borns. Girls were found to be more sociable than boys both in the home and in a controlled laboratory setting. Firstborns were more involved with their mothers than later-borns. This involvement seemed to have a negative quality, as evidenced by the greater distress manifested by firstborns and the fact that the interaction between mothers and firstborns was marked by more conflict. These results are discussed in relation to the literature on sex differences in sociability and findings that firstborn children are more likely to have difficulty in social adjustment.

Psychophysiologic aspects of backache.

A study of 65 patients revealed that the backache syndrome most often appeared in situations evolving from difficulties in personal and social adjustment. In addition to emotional factors, a variety of illnesses and injuries also may precipitate backache, or psychiatric and orthopedic disease may combine to produce the clinical picture. The authors suggest that management should include psychotherapy, physical therapy and measures to reduce pain, induce muscular relaxation. and improve blood flow.