Social Dysfunction Symptoms Research Articles

Job Satisfaction, Mental Symptoms, and Well-Being in Adult Workers: A Gender Analysis

Although studies have found that job satisfaction has an impact on workers’ physical and mental health, research has generally not focused on the psychological well-being of adult workers and a gender differential analysis has not been conducted. The aim of the current research is to determine the importance of job satisfaction for mental symptoms and well-being among adult working women and men. We also examine gender differences in job satisfaction. A non-probability sample of 1977 Spanish workers (51.6% men and 48.4% women) aged between 36 and 65 years was used in this cross-sectional study. Six questionnaires and self-report scales were used to assess the participants. For both men and women, higher job satisfaction was associated with lower depressive, somatic, anxiety, and social dysfunction symptoms; higher life satisfaction; and greater psychological well-being. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that after controlling for the effects of self-esteem and social support, higher job satisfaction predicted greater life satisfaction, fewer mental symptoms, and greater psychological well-being, although the effect of job satisfaction on psychological well-being was somewhat stronger for men than for women. We conclude that job satisfaction is important for the mental health, psychological well-being, and life satisfaction of adult working women and men.

ПРОФЕСІЙНЕ ВИГОРАННЯ МЕДИЧНИХ ПРАЦІВНИКІВ: ОЗНАКИ, ПРИЧИНИ, ПРОФІЛАКТИКА І ЛІКУВАННЯ

Introduction. The article provides a review and analysis of scientifi c works on the issue of professional burnout in healthcare workers. The two important indicators of the health organization’s effi ciency are the prevention of professional burnout in healthcare workers and the quality of provided medical care. This review aims to analyze the available scientifi c information and summarize the data on preventive measures to prevent professional burnout in healthcare workers. Methods. The full-text articles published in the databases E-Library, CrossRef, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were analyzed to systematize the data on measures aimed at preventing professional burnout in healthcare workers. Moreover, a couple of earlier publications of historical interest were analyzed as well. Results. The core symptoms and factors that trigger professional burnout in healthcare workers were analyzed, including doctors, dealing with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and military physicians. Both its causes and consequences were determined. Professional burnout can be described as a combination of psychosomatic and somatic disorders, as well as symptoms of social dysfunction. Preventive measures against professional burnout have to cover a wide range of causes and include various treatment tools. Meanwhile, determining the exact causes of professional burnout in healthcare workers should become the top priority direction. Conclusion. Methodologically sound studies of professional burnout in healthcare workers should be fi nanced. If the issue of professional burnout prevention is not resolved at the state level, it will jeopardize the sustainability of the entire healthcare system’s functioning.

Psychological withdrawal and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study

Objective The first objective was to track temporal changes in participants’ mental health during the 2020 lockdown in Spain. Second, we tested whether age moderated the association between the use of psychological withdrawal and mental health over time. Design: Participants (N = 396, 74% women) completed three waves of a web-based survey during the lockdown. Age mean was 40.11 (sd = 12.66). Main outcome Measures Participants answered a set of sociodemographic data, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and the Measures of Affect Regulation Scale (MARS). Results Disruptions and withdrawal were associated with more mental health symptoms (between 39% and 41% mental distress). Growth models showed that social dysfunction increased over time while dysphoric symptoms decreased. The use of withdrawal aggravated social dysfunction symptoms. Young people who use more withdrawal experienced more social dysfunction and dysphoria over time than those who used less withdrawal strategies. Conclusion The differential trends in social dysfunction versus dysphoria symptoms suggest an adaptation process after the initial stress of the lockdown. Older age was correlated with less mental health problems and reflects age related improvements in emotional regulation.

Study-life integration and young adult students mental health

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate if study–life integration practice has an influence on young adult students’ mental health. Study–life integration in this paper is viewed from the occurrence of conflict and enrichment between two domains – study life and personal life. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative approach with cross-sectional design. A total of 399 young adults from a university in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, were recruited as respondents. The result was analysed using SPSS hierarchical regression method. Findings This paper offers empirical evidence on study–life integration influences on young adults’ mental health. The findings from this paper suggested that higher anxiety and social dysfunction symptoms were linked to frequent conflict caused by interference from study to personal lives. The main sources for these conflicts were high academic stress and excessive academic-related behaviour. The findings also suggested that greater academic achievement, although improving young adults’ personal life, was associated with greater symptoms of social dysfunction. On a positive note, the feeling of positive emotion experienced from study life associated with less social dysfunction. Originality/value Providing better access to social and community facilities within the institution is essential to help the young adults to effectively bridge the gap between study life and personal life. Opportunity to pursue personal life in the institution can promote a healthier relationship between the study and personal domains among young adults. A healthy relationship between these two domains can nurture positive emotion, which is a key to improving young adults’ mental health.

Satisfaction With Cochlear Implants in Postlingually Deaf Adults and Its Nonaudiological Predictors

A postlingually deaf patient who receives a cochlear implant (CI) acquires multiple benefits, not just audiological but also nonaudiological: improvement in quality of life, psychological well-being, and social interaction. The aim of the study was to ascertain the relationship between the CI satisfaction experienced by adult, postlingually deaf individuals and their level of psychological distress, stress coping strategies, and global self-esteem. We also considered sociodemographic variables (such as sex, age, education, marital/partner status, and employment/study status), variables related to their deafness, and their length of experience with a CI. The study had a cross-sectional design in which participants were asked to fill in a mailed personal inquiry form seeking sociodemographic data and one question related to CI satisfaction, and the following questionnaires: General Health Questionnaire-28, the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. This study included 98 patients with postlingual deafness between 19 and 85 years old who had unilateral CIs. For some analyses, the patients were also divided into two groups: younger (≤60 years) and older (>60 years). Two other subgroups were those with shorter CI experience (1 to 2 years) and those with longer CI experience (5 to 6 years). As an objective reference, speech perception scores in quiet and in noise were also used. The majority of postlingually deaf subjects rated their CI satisfaction as high or very high, and this was at similar levels in younger and older subjects, as well as in those who had used CIs for either a short or a long time. CI satisfaction was not related to speech perception scores, duration of deafness, length of CI use, or other sociodemographic factors. Positive self-esteem, having less severe symptoms of depression, and the use of humor or self-distraction were conducive to CI satisfaction. Using a coping strategy of denial had a negative association with CI satisfaction. Coping strategies and symptoms of mental distress varied between younger and older subjects. For younger subjects, higher CI satisfaction was associated with lower severity of depressive symptoms, whereas for the elderly, higher CI satisfaction was associated with less severe social dysfunction symptoms. Over the years of using a CI, the same strategy may have a different psychological function in providing satisfaction: for example, venting, which in the group with a short CI experience is negatively correlated to satisfaction, is positively correlated to satisfaction for those with longer CI experience. The results show that psychological factors—self-esteem, distress, and coping strategies—are important for CI satisfaction in postlingually deaf CI users. The results point to advantages in widening the availability of various tailored forms of psychological intervention for patients with postlingual deafness after receiving a CI.

A comparison of neural correlates underlying social cognition in Klinefelter syndrome and autism

Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is a genetic syndrome characterized by the presence of an extra X chromosome that appears to increase the risk of psychopathology, such as autism symptoms. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to determine underlying mechanisms related to this risk, with the aim of gaining insight into neural mechanisms behind social-cognitive dysfunction in KS and autism, and understanding similarities and differences in social information processing deficits. Fourteen boys with KS, seventeen boys with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and nineteen non-clinical male controls aged 10-18 years were scanned while matching and labeling facial expressions (i.e. face processing and affect labeling, respectively). No group differences in neural activation were found during face processing. However, during affect labeling, the ASD group showed increased activation in the amygdala compared with controls, while the KS group showed increased activation in frontal areas compared with both controls and the ASD group. No group differences in task performance were found. Although behavioral symptoms of social dysfunction appear similar both in boys with KS and ASD, this is the first study to demonstrate different underlying etiologies. These results may aid in identifying different pathways to autism symptoms, which may help understanding variability within the ASD spectrum.

A study of mental health status of men who have sex with men in Ahmedabad city.

Background:Men who have sex with men (MSM), a unique group of people, feel, and believe they will face hardships in society once their identity is disclosed, but this does not deter them from dressing and behaving like the opposite sex in public life or fighting for their rights.Objectives:To study the mental health status of MSM and their determinants.Materials and Methods:Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 MSM in the drop in centers of non-governmental organization working for MSM in Ahmedabad city through purposive sampling.Results:Prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was 52.9%. The mean score obtained in anxiety/insomnia subscale (5.4 ± 4.2) and severe depression (5.4 ± 4.6) was higher than other two subscale somatic symptoms (4.0 ± 3.2) and social dysfunction symptoms (4.6 ± 3.8). Among General Health Questionnaire 28 questions, “more MSM had a more than usual feeling” that they are “getting difficulty in staying asleep once you are off”, “lost much sleep over worry”, “been getting edgy and bad tempered”, “felt constantly under strain”, “been feeling nervous and strung-up all time.” Prevalence of psychiatric morbidity is more in never married MSM and also in less educated MSM. MSM with sexually transmitted infection (STI) symptoms suffer from psychiatric illness more than MSM who didn’t have STI symptoms.Conclusion:Various determinants like partner characteristic, presence of STI symptoms, marital status, and living arrangement affect the mental health of MSM.

Impact of primary biliary cirrhosis on perceived quality of life: The UK-PBC national study

Abstract Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has a complex clinical phenotype, with debate about the extent and specificity of frequently described systemic symptoms such as fatigue. The aim of this study was to use a national patient cohort of 2,353 patients recruited from all clinical centers in the UK to explore the impact of disease on perceived life quality. Clinical data regarding diagnosis, therapy, and biochemical status were collected and have been reported previously. Detailed symptom phenotyping using recognized and validated symptom assessment tools including the PBC-40 was also undertaken and is reported here. Perception of poor quality of life and impaired health status was common in PBC patients (35% and 46%, respectively) and more common than in an age-matched and sex-matched community control group (6% and 15%, P < 0.0001 for both). Fatigue and symptoms of social dysfunction were associated with impaired perceived quality of life using multivariate analysis. Fatigue was the symptom with the greatest impact. Depression was a significant factor, but appeared to be a manifestation of complex symptom burden rather than a primary event. Fatigue had its greatest impact on perceived quality of life when accompanied by symptoms of social dysfunction, suggesting that maintenance of social networks is critical for minimizing the impact of fatigue. Conclusion: The symptom burden in PBC, which is unrelated to disease severity or ursodeoxycholic acid response, is significant and complex and results in significant quality of life deficit. The complexity of symptom burden, and its lack of relation to disease severity and treatment response, suggest that specific approaches to symptom management are warranted that address both symptom biology and social impact. (Hepatology 2013;58:-)

Psychological Aspects of Bereavement in Adults: Preliminary Development of the Bereavement Experiences Index

This study's aim was to produce a measure of the cognitive and affective impact of bereavement and to investigate the psychometric properties and potential utility of the measure. Using a mixed correlational and comparative design, the bereavement experiences of widows who had time to anticipate their partner's death were compared with those who had no such time. In the first stage of this two-stage study, seven widows completed semi-structured interviews regarding bereavement-related cognitions and affect. A set of bereavement-related statements was derived and formed the Bereavement Experiences Index (BEI). In the second stage, the BEI and a measure of psychological disturbance were administered to 20 additional widows. Unexpected bereavement led to greater psychological impact than expected loss although longer periods of expectation were positively correlated with higher levels of grief-related social dysfunction symptoms. This preliminary version of the BEI showed potential as a measure of grief responses with predictable links to psychological distress. The findings suggested a relationship between the time available to prepare for a loss and the development of psychological disturbance.

To trust or not to trust: the dynamics of social interaction in psychosis

Psychotic illness is a disorder of social interaction unique to humans. However, up to now research has failed to pin down the exact determinants of the complex and interactive processes associated with the development of trust and reciprocity in psychosis. Utilizing a novel multi-round version of an interactive trust game experiment, we show that patients with psychosis and healthy relatives with a heightened risk for the illness exhibit lower baseline levels of trust compared with healthy controls. This effect partly overlapped with a reduced general intelligence. Furthermore, patients were unable to modify their trusting behaviour neither in response to information about the general trustworthiness of their interaction partner, nor in response to their partners' specific direct behavioural feedback. Relatives, in contrast, modified their trusting behaviour towards similar levels as healthy subjects in response to both. The results show that behavioural flexibility in response to socially relevant information is a critical determinant of success in the instantiation and maintenance of social relationships. A lack thereof may drive social dysfunction and the progression from subclinical symptoms to a full-blown psychosis. This offers a testable mechanistic hypothesis for progression from prodrome to psychotic illness, and may provide a therapeutic avenue to grapple the psychotic symptoms of social dysfunction.

P-1473 - Investigation the role of emotional intelligent in mental health of university students

Introduction The present research investigated the relationship of emotional intelligence and mental health in university students. Method The sample comprised of 73 female students of psychology from Payame - Noor University that were randomly selected and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Schuttes Self- Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSREIT) were administered on them. SSREIT measures three fields: Appraisal of emotion, regulation of emotion and utilization of emotion; and GHQ measures four fields: physical symptoms, insomnia and anxiety symptoms, social dysfunction symptoms, depression symptoms. Data were analyzed with Pearson correlation formula. Results Findings revealed significant negative correlation between components of emotional intelligence and components of mental health. It means that increasing of emotional intelligence decreases mental illness. Conclusion Findings of the present research can have important psychological implications in the area of student counseling, adolescent and youth counseling, and personality development. Helping students and youth can improve their emotional competencies and help in improving their quality of life.

The impact of game outcome on the well‐being of athletes

The present study examined the impact of game outcome on the well‐being of athletes. Participants from hockey and soccer teams completed mood and general health questionnaires indicating how they had been feeling over the past few days on three separate occasions. These were four to six days after a win; four to six days after a loss; and over 10 days since the last competition (control period). Differences in well‐being were observed following wins, losses, and during the control period. Specifically, athletes reported lower depression and anger after a win compared to a loss, while lower levels of vigour were observed after a loss compared to after a win and the control period. Lower somatic symptoms were reported after a win compared to after a loss and the control period. Lower anxiety and social dysfunction symptoms were reported after a win compared to after a loss. Future research should explore the mechanisms which might account for these findings

Autism spectrum disorder in the second year: stability and change in syndrome expression

Increasing numbers of young children referred for a differential diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) necessitates better understanding of the early syndrome expression and the utility of the existing state-of-the art diagnostic methods in this population. Out of 31 infants under the age of 2 years referred for a differential diagnosis, 19 were diagnosed with autism, and 9 with pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) when reassessed at 3 years. We examined 1) the symptoms of ASD in the second year and changes in the syndrome expression by the age of three; 2) relationship between expert-assigned clinical diagnosis and diagnostic classification based on Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic (ADOS-G) and Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) in the second year; 3) the relationship between direct observation and parental report of ASD symptoms. Symptoms of autism and PDD-NOS in the second year were pronounced and stability of the clinical diagnosis was high. The agreement between clinician-assigned autism but not PDD-NOS diagnosis and the ADOS-G was high. However, sensitivity of the ADI-R diagnostic classification of autism was poor. Comparison of concurrent parental report and direct observation revealed discrepancies in severity ratings of key dyadic social behaviors. Changes in communication reflected acquisition of language accompanied by the emergence of unusual language characteristics. Symptoms of social dysfunction were relatively stable over time, and so was the severity of stereotyped behaviors. The study provides support for stability of clinical diagnosis and syndrome expression in the second year and highlights advantages and limitations of the ADI-R and ADOS-G for diagnosing and documenting symptoms of ASD in infants.

Stress and Health in Spanish Women1

This study examines the relationship between stress and health in a sample of 1,566 women aged between 18 and 65 years. Multiple regression analyses were conducted using the scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐28) scales as the dependent variables, and 21 personal and social variables as predictors. The women with more severe depression, anxiety, and somatic and social dysfunction symptoms were those who had a more emotional coping style and greater work role dissatisfaction. Moreover, depression, anxiety, and social dysfunction symptoms were predicted by low self‐esteem, while depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms were predicted by chronic stress. The women with more symptoms of anxiety and depression were those who have experienced more life events and have low perceived social support. Women with Type‐A behavior patterns were found to suffer more anxiety and somatic symptoms. Women who exercise more hours per week had fewer somatic symptoms, and those with a more rational coping style suffered less social dysfunction.

Mental health and nutritional status among the adult Serbian minority in Kosovo.

Since the beginning of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization intervention in Kosovo in June 1999, few objective data have been available on relevant health indicators for the Serbian ethnic minority in Kosovo. To determine the prevalence of undernutrition among Serbian adults aged 60 years or older and psychiatric morbidity among the adult Serbian population in Kosovo. A systematic random sample survey of 212 households was conducted between September 27 and October 2, 1999, in Pristina, the capital city, and in 10 towns in the rural municipality of Gnjilane in Kosovo. Of the 212 households surveyed, 204 adults aged 15 years or older completed the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and anthropometric measurements were taken for 98 adults aged 60 years or older and for a comparison group of 51 adults aged 18 to 59 years. Body mass index of less than 18.5 kg/m(2) in older adults; nonspecific psychiatric morbidity among adults; and self-reported use of health care services, access to food rations, and primary sources of prewar and postwar income. Undernutrition was found in 11.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.7%-19.2%) of Serbian adults aged 60 years or older compared with 2.0% (95% CI, 0.1%-11.8%) of Serbian adults aged 18 to 59 years. The mean (SE) total score for the GHQ-28 was 13.0 (0.52). In a comparison of the GHQ-28 scores of the Serbian adults with the Kosovar Albanian adults (data from a recent survey), the mean (SE) score adjusted for age and sex was 12.8 (0.52) vs 11.1 (0.58); P =.03, respectively. The GHQ-28 scores were also higher for the Serbians in the subcategories of social dysfunction (2.8 [0.17] vs 2.2 [0.13]; P =.008) and severe depression (1.9 [0.15] vs 0.9 [0. 09]; P<.001), respectively. Serbian women and persons living alone or in small family units were more prone to psychiatric morbidity. Of the 141 respondents reporting the need for health care services, 83 (57.6%) reported not obtaining such services; 204 of 212 (96.2%) households were on a food distribution list. The majority of prewar income came from government jobs compared with farming and humanitarian aid for postwar income. The undernutrition of older Serbian adults in Kosovo should be monitored. The high prevalence of symptoms of social dysfunction and severe depression suggest the need for implementation of mental health programs in the Serbian community. JAMA. 2000;284:578-584

Marital relationships and somatic and psychological symptoms in pregnancy.

The relevance of marital relationships to somatic and psychological symptoms in late pregnancy was examined. Fifty-four primiparae at the 7th month of pregnancy completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and the Ryle Marital Patterns Test (RMPT), which was also completed by their husbands. Multiple regression analyses identified the husbands' ratings of nurturance behaviour as the best predictors of somatic and social dysfunction symptoms in late pregnancy. Higher perception of care by the husband was associated with a higher number of symptoms in wives. A high level of exchanged affection reported by wives is associated with lower levels of symptoms of anxiety and insomnia. The implication of these findings is discussed.

SCHIZOTYPAL ESTIMATORS IN ADOLESCENCE: THE CONCURRENT VALIDITY OF THE RISC

The validation of questionnaires intended to identify the position of a subject along a normal/schizotypal/schizophrenic continuum has always been problematic. Schizophrenic patients are not good at completing questionnaire, and validation has to depend on the identification of “at risk“ groups. Watt Grubb &amp; Elenmeyer-Kimling (1982) found that the adolescent offspring of schizophrenics show the negative schizophrenic symptomology of interpersonal disharmony and emotional instability. The study reported here, using a sample of 174 adolescents of both sexes, considers the validity of the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC), a psychometric questionnaire for the positive cognitive symptoms of the schizotypal personality. It is shown that the negative schizophrenic symptoms of social dysfunction and emotional instability as measured by the Minnesota Counselling Inventory are positively and significantly correlated with positive schizotypal symptomology as measured by the RISC.

The British “Pacification” of Burma: Order Without Meaning

One of the most frequently made remarks concerning British colonialism, both in print and in informal settings, has been the British role in bringing “law and order” to the colonies. Although serious scholarship has successfully questioned this assertion for some areas of the world, particularly India, for Burma, very little has been done. The reasons for proposing that Britain brought law, and especially order to Burma seem to stem from at least two factors. First, the study of Burmese law in the West is at best in its infancy, despite recent efforts by Burmese historians. Second, and more importantly, historians by and large have tended to ignore Burmese criteria for defining order, and have therefore misinterpreted as simple lawlessness what were on many important occasions traditional forms of expressing dissent and symptoms of social dysfunction, as well as cultural and psychological ambivalence of identity, especially amongst certain new classes created by colonialism itself. Thus what often appeared on the surface as order after so-called “pacification” and in general throughout the colonial period is an incomplete picture, for it was almost certainly as well, if not more so, the political, military, and psychological inability of the Burmese to present a united front against a technologically superior power. But because the entire colonial period cannot be dealt with here—although I suspect it would only further support the major thesis of this essay—and because the British concept of “pacification” (and as a result the literature on the subject) had established the intellectual framework and parameters for evaluating the subsequent colonial and post-independence periods, I feel it is adequate to have centered my arguments around the so-called period of “pacification” only. I intend to approach this topic by first describing briefly what we might call indigenous methods of pacification, contrast it to the general pacification policies and methods pursued by the British, observe the significance of the differences, and then conclude by showing how the coup of 1962 could be interpreted more as a resurrection than a true revolution.