Coping Training Research Articles

Pain coping skills training for African Americans with osteoarthritis study: baseline participant characteristics and comparison to prior studies

BackgroundThe Pain Coping Skills Training for African Americans with OsteoaRTthritis (STAART) trial is examining the effectiveness of a culturally enhanced pain coping skills training (CST) program for African Americans with osteoarthritis (OA). This disparities-focused trial aimed to reach a population with greater symptom severity and risk factors for poor pain-related outcomes than previous studies. This paper compares characteristics of STAART participants with prior studies of CST or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-informed training in pain coping strategies for OA.MethodsA literature search identified 10 prior trials of pain CST or CBT-informed pain coping training among individuals with OA. We descriptively compared characteristics of STAART participants with other studies, in 3 domains of the National Institutes of Minority Health and Health Disparities’ Research Framework: Sociocultural Environment (e.g., age, education, marital status), Biological Vulnerability and Mechanisms (e.g, pain and function, body mass index), and Health Behaviors and Coping (e.g., pain catastrophizing). Means and standard deviations (SDs) or proportions were calculated for STAART participants and extracted from published manuscripts for comparator studies.ResultsThe mean age of STAART participants, 59 years (SD = 10.3), was lower than 9 of 10 comparator studies; the proportion of individuals with some education beyond high school, 75%, was comparable to comparator studies (61–86%); and the proportion of individuals who are married or living with a partner, 42%, was lower than comparator studies (62–66%). Comparator studies had less than about 1/3 African American participants. Mean scores on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain and function scales were higher (worse) for STAART participants than for other studies, and mean body mass index of STAART participants, 35.2 kg/m2 (SD = 8.2), was higher than all other studies (30–34 kg/m2). STAART participants’ mean score on the Pain Catastrophizing scale, 19.8 (SD = 12.3), was higher (worse) than other studies reporting this measure (7–17).ConclusionsCompared with prior studies with predominantly white samples, STAART participants have worse pain and function and more risk factors for negative pain-related outcomes across several domains. Given STAART participants’ high mean pain catastrophizing scores, this sample may particularly benefit from the CST intervention approach.Trial registrationNCT02560922

Family psychoeducation for people living with schizophrenia and their families

SUMMARYMost people with schizophrenia have frequent contact with their families. Therefore, the family should be involved in their relative's treatment and care wherever possible, so that they can contribute to that person's recovery and the family's own needs for information, support and treatment can be addressed. Family psychoeducation refers to a group of structured psychotherapeutic interventions that involve the person with schizophrenia and their family as partners in care. Trained practitioners adopt a collaborative approach to information sharing and provide training in coping, communication and problem-solving skills. This article describes the common principles and techniques of family psychoeducation (FPE), along with the substantial evidence for its benefits for families, especially reduced relapse rates for the person with schizophrenia. Despite recommendations in clinical practice guidelines, FPE is not widely available throughout the world. The current challenge is to address this through systemic approaches to practice change and tiered approaches to family service delivery.LEARNING OBJECTIVES•Appreciate the needs of families and recognise how these may be addressed by family psychoeducation•Understand the evidence for family psychoeducation•Delineate the key elements of family psychoeducation and consider how it may be applied in practiceDECLARATION OF INTERESTNone.

La esclerosis lateral amiotrófica (ELA): ¿cómo afrontan las y los profesionales sociosanitarios su trabajo con las personas afectadas?

La esclerosis lateral amiotrófica (ELA) es una enfermedad neurodegenerativa en la que fallan las neuronas llamadas “motoneuronas”, lo que provoca una paralización progresiva de los músculos, que afecta a la movilidad e impide la adecuada deglución, habla y respiración, entre otros síntomas. Además, no tiene cura; solo se pueden paliar sus consecuencias para intentar mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas con que padecen la enfermedad, desde distintos ámbitos sociosanitarios. El presente artículo aborda la percepción de las estrategias de afrontamiento de las y los profesionales que atienden a las personas afectadas, su formación para dicho fin y su satisfacción profesional. Así, a partir de veintidós entrevistas semiestructuradas realizadas a profesionales sociosanitarios de la provincia de Valencia (España), se ha realizado un análisis de contenido cualitativo de la información obtenida. El estudio ha identificado distintas estrategias de afrontamiento que utilizan los profesionales (aceptación, humor y separación, entre otras) y cómo estas varían según la función que los profesionales desempeñan en el tratamiento de la enfermedad. Asimismo, se ha evidenciado que los entrevistados tienen importantes carencias en formación para el afrontamiento, la comunicación con los enfermos y el proceso de duelo.

Teaching Stress Management in Physical Education: A Quasi-Experimental Study with Vocational Students

ABSTRACTThe aim was to develop, implement, and evaluate a physical education-based coping training program for vocational students. Two vocational schools participated in the quasi-experimental pilot study (EPHECT I). One school received the intervention (intervention group: n = 434), while the other school maintained regular physical education classes (control group: n = 430). Repeated measures ANCOVAs were used to examine the effects on coping and perceived stress. Additionally, effects were compared among students who reported low versus elevated life satisfaction. Finally, the implementation rate was considered as a moderating factor. Overall, no significant time by group effects were found between the intervention group and the control group. However, a reduction in maladaptive coping occurred among students of the intervention group who reported low life satisfaction. The implementation rate did not moderate the findings. Despite a relatively low implementation rate, the intervention program reduced maladaptive coping strategies in adolescents with low life satisfaction. Program monitoring needs to be increased in future research.

Effect of stress management training on depression, stress and coping strategies in pregnant women: a randomised controlled trial

Introduction: Pregnancy is a period of important biological and psychosocial changes and a period that carries high risk of experiencing anxiety and stress. It is important to reduce the depression and stress that is experienced in this period or to reduce the severity of the stress and to increase the stress coping power of the pregnant women. The research was conducted to examine the effect of stress management training on pregnant women’s depression, stress and methods for coping with stress.Methods: Randomised controlled study of 202 pregnant women (experimental group: 103; control group: 99). The experimental group received stress management training and standard care; the control group received standard care. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and ways of coping inventory (WCI).Results: Both groups showed a decrease in average BDI score during the study; the decrease was greater in the experimental group (p < 0.05). In the two assessments carried out after training the experimental group had lower average PSS scores than the control group (p < 0.05). At the second and third assessments the experimental group had higher scores than the control group on the self-confident approach and search for social support approach WCI subscales (ps < 0.05).Discussion: The average BDI and PSS scores of pregnant women in the experimental group decreased after training in coping with stress. Their scores on the self-confident approach, optimistic approach and search for social support WCI subscales increased. Stress management training is an effective method of encouraging pregnant women to take a positive approach to coping with stress.

Assessment of mental stress effects on prefrontal cortical activities using canonical correlation analysis: an fNIRS-EEG study.

This paper presents an investigation about the effects of mental stress on prefrontal cortex (PFC) subregions using simultaneous measurement of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and Electroencephalography (EEG) signals. The aim is to explore canonical correlation analysis (CCA) technique to study the relationship among the bi-modality signals in mental stress assessment, and how we could fuse the signals for better accuracy in stress detection. Twenty-five male healthy subjects participated in the study while performing mental arithmetic task under control and stress (under time pressure with negative feedback) conditions. The fusion of brain signals acquired by fNIRS-EEG was performed at feature-level using CCA by maximizing the inter-subject covariance across modalities. The CCA result discovered the associations across the modalities and estimated the components responsible for these associations. The experiment results showed that mental stress experienced by this cohort of subjects is subregion specific and localized to the right ventrolateral PFC subregion. These suggest the right ventrolateral PFC as a suitable candidate region to extract biomarkers as performance indicators of neurofeedback training in stress coping.

The influence of gate start position on physical performance and anxiety perception in expert BMX athletes

ABSTRACTThe critical importance of the start phase in bicycle motocross (BMX) racing is increasingly acknowledged. Past experiments underlined that the internal lane of the starting gate provides a strong positional advantage. However, how lane position affects start performance and cognitive and somatic state anxiety remains unexplored. We examined the start performance and anxiety responses of youth national-level BMX riders in both experimental and ecological contexts. We used contextualization motor imagery routines to evaluate start performance and state anxiety from the internal and external lanes. Cycle ergometer measures revealed a better start performance from the external lane, but we did not record any lane effect on actual gate start times. Both somatic and cognitive anxiety scores were higher before racing from the internal compared to the external lane. Finally, state anxiety (i.e., somatic anxiety, worry and concentration disruptions) negatively predicted the start performance. Present findings provide original insights on psychological factors involved in BMX start performance, and might contribute to fruitful coping interventions and training programmes in sports overlapping the framework of “handicap races” taking the specific form of positional advantages/disadvantages at the start (e.g., ski/snowboard cross, athletics, swimming, motorsports, etc.).

어린이집 피난안전 향상에 관한 연구

맞벌이 부부가 계속 늘어나고 조기교육의 열풍 흐름에 따라 이제는 어린이집도 안전한 보육환경 개선과 보다 효율적이며 질적으로 우수한 서비스를 운영하고자 급속히 변화하고 있다. 건축물 내에서 화재나 재난 발생 시 가장 중요한 것은 재실자의 안전한 피난(evacuation)으로, 이를 위한 '안전한 피난로'의 확보는 최악의 위기상황에서 발생할 수 있는 여러 재난피해를 줄이는데 중요한 선결조건이다. 또한 이러한 재해약자의 피난을 성공적으로 수행하기 위해서는 환경적 요인뿐만 아니라, 피난자를 조력하는 보육교사의 안전의식 및 역할 등이 영유아들의 피난안전을 좌우하는 중요한 요소이며, 이에 따른 올바른 피난시설에 대한 지속적이고 반복적인 교육 훈련도 이루어 져야 한다. 본 연구에서는 어린이집 피난 관련 시설에 대한 보육교사 설문지법 등을 통하여 기존 설치되는 피난설비의 효율성을 검증하고 활용방안을 제시하고자 한다. As more and more the number of a couple working together for living has increased and an interest in early education has risen, daycare centers have made an effort to provide effective and good service beyond 'nursery care'. The most important thing in building in the event of disasters is safe evacuation of occupants. Having 'safe evacuation route' is required to reduce damage caused by disasters, It is necessary to give continuous and repeated training for right evacuation to infant and children so that they can evacuation successfully. This study examined problems that need improvement so that evacuation instrument installed in daycare centers can be used better by analyzing a survey of evacuation related facilities on daycare centers. This study found that laws and regulations on safety should be improved, evacuation facilities prepared against should be maintained regularly by relevant authorities, training for coping with disasters should be provied and evacuation instruments which are suitable for children.

Evaluating postdeployment training for coping with intrusive cognition: A comparison of training approaches.

Although intrusive cognition (IC) is remarkably common in soldiers postdeployment and successful coping with ICs may predict better long-term psychological health, few elements of current programmatic postdeployment trainings have directly addressed adaptive strategies for managing intrusive deployment-related cognitions. The current study explored the efficacy of a brief acceptance-based skills training for coping with ICs relative to a change-based skills training, a psychoeducation-only training, or training as usual. Participants were 1,524 (1,372 men) active-duty U.S. Army soldiers between 3 and 12 months' postdeployment. Soldiers who received acceptance-based training demonstrated larger reductions in distress and impairment related to ICs about deployment at 1 month follow-up and larger reductions in symptoms of PTSD and general psychopathology relative to other training conditions. In contrast, participants in the change-oriented skills training showed relatively fewer benefits than did those in the acceptance-based training. In addition, soldiers who received the psychoeducation-only training showed no benefits relative to training as usual. Results suggest that brief trainings focused on postdeployment ICs may have benefits for soldiers up to 1 month later and may be a useful addition to a broader postdeployment transition program. Findings also indicate that an acceptance-based training approach may be more beneficial than a change-oriented approach for helping soldiers manage ICs and that psychoeducation alone may be insufficient for helping soldiers manage these cognitions. (PsycINFO Database Record

O ESTRESSE NO MMA: AS ESTRATÉGIAS DE ENFRENTAMENTO PODEM MELHORAR O DESEMPENHO DOS LUTADORES?

RESUMO Introdução: Um dos maiores fenômenos esportivos na atualidade, o Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), realizado no Brasil em 2013, movimentou entre R$ 15 e R$ 50 milhões, destacando-se na mídia internacional. Apesar dessa superprodução dos eventos, os estudos com atletas de MMA (Mixed Martial Arts ) ainda são escassos, sobretudo no que se refere aos aspectos psicológicos. Objetivo: Analisar estratégias de coping, níveis de estresse e características de treinamento de atletas paranaenses de MMA. Métodos: Foram estudados 50 atletas de MMA do sexo masculino, com idade de 25,0 ± 4,8 anos. Como instrumentos foram utilizados uma ficha de identificação, o Inventário Atlético de Estratégias de Coping e o Questionário de Estresse e Recuperação para Atletas (RESTQ-76 Sport). Na análise dos dados, utilizou-se estatística descritiva, teste de Shapiro-Wilk, teste "U" de Mann-Whitnney; teste de Kruskal-Wallis e coeficiente de correlação de Spearman; a significância adotada foi p &lt; 0,05. Resultados: Os atletas com principal fonte de renda no MMA apresentaram maior "estresse geral" (p = 0,023) e "estresse social" (p = 0,043) . Conclusão: Conclui-se que quando o esporte é a principal fonte de renda dos atletas, o estresse dos lutadores é elevado. Quanto maior o volume de treino, mais o atleta busca estabelecer objetivos e maior é sua a capacidade de confrontar as adversidades. Além disso, a variedade de estratégias de coping utilizadas pelos lutadores melhora seu estado de recuperação (capacidades físicas e psicológicas) durante as competições.

Effects of a physical education-based coping training on adolescents’ coping skills, stress perceptions and quality of sleep

ABSTRACTBackground: Although most adolescents successfully manage the transition between childhood and adulthood, the speed and magnitude of these changes may exceed the coping abilities of a significant number of young people. For vocational students, additional responsibilities arise during the vocational school transition and the need to balance academic and job-related requirements. An expanding body of literature suggests that adolescence is a vulnerable period for the development of psychiatric diseases and as such, the need to develop an adequate coping repertoire is receiving increasing attention globally. The growing awareness of long-term consequences of stress has led governments to instill school-based resilience promotion programs. For instance, the new physical education (PE) curriculum of vocational (vocational education and training (VET)) students in Switzerland addresses stress management, because stress-related diseases at the workplace have become commonplace among young professionals.Purpose: Our aim was to develop, implement and evaluate a PE-based coping training (EPHECT) for VET students. Therefore, we adapted components of extant field-tested coping training programs and tailored them to the unique needs of VET students. To facilitate the standardization of the program, each teacher received a teaching manual. Moreover, drawing upon experiential learning theory, we introduced the contents of the coping training in PE class through practical, movement-based exercises in PE. Students also received a workbook for use at home.Participants and research design: In this cluster randomized controlled trial, eight classes from a Swiss vocational school participated (N = 131, Mage = 16.22 ± 1.12, 35% females). Two trained PE teachers implemented the program with students in the intervention group (IG = 67) for three months, while students in the other four classes maintained regular PE (CG = 64) to comprise the control group. To evaluate the coping training, all participants completed several self-report psychological questionnaires (assessing stress, coping and sleep) at baseline and follow-up. IG students completed further questions with regard to intervention fidelity at follow-up.Data analysis: To evaluate possible effects of the coping training on stress, coping and sleep, a 2 × 2 repeated-measures analysis of variance design was executed with time (pre vs. post) and group (IG vs. CG) as within- and between-subject factors.Findings: Over time, IG students significantly increased their adaptive coping compared to CG students, while stress and sleep remained relatively stable for both. Regularly completing one’s homework reinforced this effect because it was significantly associated with students’ reflection and compliance.Conclusion: A complete and accurate implementation of a PE-based coping training can make a positive contribution to the development of adaptive coping skills among adolescents attending vocational schools. This PE-based program allows students to experience their responses to stress directly and offers opportunities to experiment with different coping strategies. Adaptive coping skills are vital for successful stress management and the prevention of stress-related disorders across the work domain and in everyday life.

Stress Sources and Manifestations in a Nationwide Sample of Pre-Primary, Primary, and Secondary Educators in Greece.

Teachers experience high levels of stress as a result of their professional duties, and research has shown a growing interest in this phenomenon during the recent years. Aim of this study was to explore the associations of stress sources and manifestations with individual and job-related characteristics in educators of all levels. In a cross-sectional design, following an informative e-campaign on the study aims through the official and the main teachers' portals in Greece, respondents completed online the teachers stress inventory (TSI) and the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale. Nine hundred seventy-four male and 2473 female pre-primary, primary, and secondary educators with a mean age of 41.2 years responded. Women and younger teachers reported significantly higher levels of stress, mainly due to lack of time and other work-related stressors, and also more emotional and gastronomic manifestations. Increased age and working experience were associated with lower levels of several stress sources. Teachers of administrative positions had increased time management stressors, but less professional distress, professional investment, and discipline and motivation stressors. Additionally, working and residing far from family increased teachers' stress levels associated with control, motivation, and investment. Teachers of pre-primary education had reduced professional investment and motivation stress factors, while vocational lyceum teachers of secondary education reported less work-related stressors and manifestations and more discipline and motivation-related ones. Having students supported or in need of support from special educators and students with difficulties in speaking or comprehension was associated with most of the teachers' stress sources and manifestations (i.e., TSI subscales). Finally, colleagues' and mainly supervisors' support seemed to provide a strong and consistent protection against both stress sources and manifestations. Stress factors and manifestations vary among educators by gender, seniority, and teaching level. Training in coping and communication skills starting in teachers' undergraduate studies might have a major impact on their stress alleviation.

Stress Management in Physical Education Class: An Experiential Approach To Improve Coping Skills and Reduce Stress Perceptions in Adolescents

In most physical education (PE) syllabuses, promoting life skills constitutes an important educational objective. The aim of this study was to implement a coping training program (EPHECT) within regular PE and to evaluate its effects on coping and stress among vocational students. Eight classes from a vocational school were selected for study; four were allocated to the intervention group (IG) and four to the control group (CG). The study examined intervention effects between pre- and postintervention, and postintervention and 6-months follow-up. Compared with the CG, the IG showed improved coping skills from pre- to postintervention. From postintervention to follow-up, stress decreased for the IG. A path analysis suggests an indirect effect on stress perception at follow-up via improved adaptive coping skills. The findings support EPHECT as a positive contribution to the development of adaptive coping skills. The project further shows how physical educators can translate psychological theory into practice.

Burden and depression in primary caregivers of persons with visual impairment.

Context:Caregivers who assist persons with visual impairment often neglect their needs, resulting in burden and depression. Rehabilitation efforts, directed to the disabled, seldom target the caregiver.Aim:To assess burden and depression in persons caring for blind individuals.Settings and Design:This was a cross-sectional study carried out in the outpatient department of a tertiary-level teaching hospital in New Delhi.Materials and Methods:Institutional Ethical Board approval was obtained and written informed consent too was obtained from the participants involved in this study. Persons with best-corrected vision <20/200 in the better eye, and their primary caregivers, were recruited. We recorded demography, other illness/disability, household income, relationship with disabled person, and caregiver burden (Caregiver Burden Scale) and depression (Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale).Statistical Analysis:Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 20 (Released 2011. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.); range, average, and standard deviation were determined for age, burden, and depression. The association between burden and depression was determined using Pearson's correlation; the relationship between degree of disability and caregiver burden and depression was determined using unpaired t-test; using multiple linear regression, factors were found to be statistically significant; significance was taken at P < 0.05.Results:Twenty-seven (53.0%) men and 24 (47.0%) women had visual impairment. Most caregivers (n = 40; 81.6%) were first-degree relatives or a spouse; 32 (65%) had schooling <5 years; and 29 (59%) were unemployed. Depression ranged from 21 to 52 (average 43.2 ± 5.71); it correlated with degree of disability (P = 0.012), household income (r = −0.320; P = 0.025), and burden (r = 0.616; P < 0.001). Burden ranged from 30 to 73 (average 54.5 ± 6.73) and correlated with degree of disability (P = 0.006). On multiple linear regression, burden predicted depression (r = 0.557; P < 0.001).Conclusions:Caregivers merit community support, financial benefit, interventions to diagnose and treat depression, and training in coping. Centers that provide disability certification could offer counseling.

The impact of emotional and psychological factors on public service interpreters: Preliminary studies

The impact of psychological and emotional factors on public service interpreters is widely accepted by those working in the field, yet studies on the matter remain sparse. Drawing on research conducted in the early 21st century, this paper presents various preliminary studies (Master theses) by students of the European Masters in Intercultural Communication, Public Service Interpreting and Translation at the Universidad de Alcalá de Henares (Madrid, Spain). The main objective of the current review is to determine whether conclusions from previous research are reproducible in new contexts (in particular, the context explored is Spain in the second decade of the 21st century). The subject matter of the studies includes challenges facing non-professional interpreters in different settings; the influence of emotional and psychological factors on conference interpreters, public service interpreters and public service interpreting (PSI) students; interpreting in mental health; and burnout syndrome in PSI. Data for the research has been drawn from interviews and questionnaires. A review of past research on PSI illustrates that interpreters in public services perform their task in challenging settings that are fraught with delicate content, that they are exposed to significant psychological and emotional stress, are expected to perform numerous occupational tasks, and finally, that they are subjected to ever-changing physical, psychological and environmental conditions. The subsequent review of more recent research lends further credibility to past findings and furthermore highlights the need for training in coping with the situations and tensions that have been demonstrated to affect the PSI interpreter’s work.

Pharmacy residents’ preparedness for the emotional challenges of patient care

Results of a survey to determine levels of pharmacy resident exposure to and preparedness for emotionally unsettling clinical scenarios are presented. A pretested electronic survey was distributed to 1501 U.S. pharmacy residency program directors (RPDs), who were asked to complete the survey and forward it to residents in their programs. Both respondent groups provided perspectives on pharmacy residents' frequency of exposure to and preparedness for nine scenarios that could potentially be emotionally unsettling to pharmacy residents (e.g., a patient's death, participation in a response to a cardiorespiratory arrest). RPDs and residents were queried regarding training methods used by their programs to prepare trainees to cope with emotionally unsettling events. A total of 940 responses were received. Overall, resident-reported ex posure to the nine scenarios listed in the survey was infrequent. Majorities of both RPDs and residents (85.2% and 67.1%, respectively) indicated that residents could be better prepared for the emotional challenges of patient care. The most common method of training was a one-on-one discussion between a preceptor and a resident on an as-needed basis. No training was reported by 30% and 40% of RPDs and residents, respectively. The majority of RPD and resident respondents indicated that residents could be better prepared for the emotional challenges of patient care. The most commonly reported method of training for coping with emotional challenges was a one-on-one discussion between a preceptor and a resident on an as-needed basis.

Work locus of control and burnout in Polish physiotherapists: The mediating effect of coping styles.

The aim of this study was to explain the relationship between work locus of control and burnout in Polish physiotherapists through the mediation of coping styles. In particular, we hypothesized that external work locus of control may have a positive direct relationship with burnout symptoms via positive relationship with emotion-focused and avoidant coping styles, and a negative relationship with problem-focused style. We tested the mediational hypothesis using structural equation modeling of self-report data from 155 Polish physiotherapists. The relationship between external work locus of control and physiotherapists' burnout was shown to be mediated by a positive relationship with emotion-focused coping and an inverse relationship with problem-focused coping. The variables included in the model explained about 15% of the variance of emotional exhaustion, 14% of depersonalization, and 14% of personal accomplishment. Physiotherapists perceiving the situation as difficult to control, feel more burned out when they use more emotion-focused strategies, and less problem-focused strategies. This indicates the importance of including both, problem-focused coping training and increasing the perception of the situation controllability in preventing physiotherapists' burnout programs.

Simulation-based training and assessment of non-technical skills in the Norwegian Helicopter Emergency Medical Services: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundHuman error and deficient non-technical skills (NTSs) among providers of ALS in helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) is a threat to patient and operational safety. Skills can be improved through...

A systematic review: non-pharmacological interventions in treating pain in patients with advanced cancer.

To assess and synthesize the evidence of the effects and safety of non-pharmacological interventions in treating pain in patients with advanced cancer. Pain is a common symptom experienced by patients with advanced cancer; the treatment of such pain is often suboptimal. To manage it, non-pharmacological interventions are recommended after pharmacological treatments have been re-evaluated and modified. However, there remains a lack of knowledge about the effects and safety of such interventions. A systematic review was conducted based on the procedure of the Centre of Reviews and Dissemination. Research papers published between 2000-2013 were identified from the following databases: CINAHL, MEDIC, MEDLINE (Ovid) and PsycINFO. The references in the selected studies were searched manually. The studies selected were reviewed for quality, using Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Review Group risk of bias assessment criteria. There was limited evidence that some of the non-pharmacological interventions were promising with respect to reducing cancer pain. Relatively, few adverse events were reported as a result of using such interventions. It was not possible to draw conclusions about the effects and safety of the non-pharmacological interventions in reducing cancer pain. Some interventions showed promising short-term effects, but there is a need for more rigorous trials. Qualitative studies are required to collect information about patients' perceptions. There are several research gaps: we found no studies about music, spiritual care, hypnosis, active coping training, cold or ultrasonic stimulation.

Predictors of intimate partner violence in a sample of multiethnic urban young adults.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate risk and protective factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in a high-risk sample of predominantly minority young adults from low-income urban communities. Participants were 1,130 individuals (57.9% women) ages 21 to 26 who participated in a telephone interview assessing IPV victimization, violence-related behaviors, and sexual behaviors. Results indicated that about 20.9% of participants reported experiencing one or more IPV incidents in their lifetime. Based on previous research, we examined lifetime violence, lifetime number of sexual partners, number of children, education, and religious service attendance as predictors of IPV. Results from a multivariate logistic regression showed that lifetime violence-related behaviors, number of lifetime sexual partners, and number of children were significant risk factors for IPV. The link between children and IPV risk: (a) was moderated by education for women and men and (b) was stronger for women (vs. men). These findings suggest that training for coping with stress and anger, endorsement of safe sex practices, and greater support for education may be effective strategies for preventing and reducing IPV among high-risk populations.