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Psychology & Health Aug 2019Oesophageal cancer is an increasingly prevalent disease with a demanding post-curative treatment recovery period and sustained longer-term effects. Although...
Oesophageal cancer is an increasingly prevalent disease with a demanding post-curative treatment recovery period and sustained longer-term effects. Although post-curative treatment is a key transitionary period, the process of psychological adjustment for the individual is under-researched which limits the evidence base to inform supportive care. The aim of this study was to understand the process of adjustment for oesophageal cancer patients post-curative treatment, in particular the beliefs participants hold regarding their condition and how these are appraised against their experience. Serial interviews were undertaken with six oesophageal cancer patients who have recently completed curative treatment, at baseline and at 6-month follow-up using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings demonstrate an effortful process of adjustment, including recognising and accepting a changed self, fostering control beliefs over the course of the illness and physical sequelae, searching for meaning, developing illness coherence and moving away from self-blame. This study is the first to utilise a longitudinal qualitative design in oesophageal cancer, and provides an understanding of post-treatment adjustment over time for this clinical population through which to inform clinical practice and service development.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Emotional Adjustment; Esophageal Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 30939933
DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2019.1579910 -
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology Dec 2023While the relationships between self-control, hope, and psychological adjustment have been examined in cross-sectional studies, the fact that these variables have not...
While the relationships between self-control, hope, and psychological adjustment have been examined in cross-sectional studies, the fact that these variables have not been considered together in any longitudinal research creates a gap in the literature. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the longitudinal relationships between self-control, hope, and psychological adjustment. Specifically, a cross-lagged panel study in two waves was conducted to examine whether hope mediated the association between self-control and psychological adjustment using a Turkish college sample (N = 349). The results revealed that hope had a significant mediation effect in the longitudinal association between self-control and psychological adjustment. In this direction, self-control indirectly predicts psychological adjustment through hope. This longitudinal study reveals that having self-control may have a positive influence on a person's level of hope and that hope may be a significant predictor of individual psychological adjustment.
Topics: Humans; Emotional Adjustment; Longitudinal Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Adaptation, Psychological; Self-Control; Hope
PubMed: 37243344
DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12927 -
The Cleft Palate-craniofacial Journal :... Apr 2022Research has identified adults born with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) to be at risk of poorer psychological outcomes compared to the general population. This study...
OBJECTIVES
Research has identified adults born with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) to be at risk of poorer psychological outcomes compared to the general population. This study investigated factors that may contribute to positive and negative adjustment in adults born with CL/P.
DESIGN
A survey was designed and distributed by the Cleft Lip and Palate Association in collaboration with the Centre for Appearance Research CAR at the University of the West of England (UWE). There were 207 eligible responses (95% completed online) received between July and October 2018. Dependent variables included the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults, Harter's Self Perception Profile for Adults (Global Self-Worth, Social Competence, and Intimacy subscales), the Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale, and the Revised Adult Attachment Scale. Independent variables were the Revised Life Orientation Test, biodemographic data, and self-reported single-item questions.
RESULTS
Factors associated with positive adjustment included reports of a happy childhood, talking about CL/P with family, close friendships, comfort in public spaces, satisfaction with appearance, and a positive life orientation. Psychological distress was associated with a desire for further surgery to improve appearance and/or function.
CONCLUSIONS
Several factors were identified that may influence psychological adjustment in adults with CL/P. Throughout childhood, family-centered practice to support family cohesion and an open dialogue about CL/P is indicated, as is support for young people to develop social confidence. For adults returning to the cleft service, treatment options for appearance and/or functional concerns should be explored, with access to psychological support when indicated. Interventions to increase optimism, resilience, and self-acceptance may also be warranted throughout the life span.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Cleft Lip; Cleft Palate; Emotional Adjustment; Humans; United Kingdom
PubMed: 34235990
DOI: 10.1177/10556656211028494 -
Acta Clinica Croatica Sep 2018- The purpose of the present study was to examine the association among the risk of eating disorder (ED), psychological adjustment, empathy, attachment style and...
- The purpose of the present study was to examine the association among the risk of eating disorder (ED), psychological adjustment, empathy, attachment style and thin-ideal internalization among adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN), as compared to a healthy control (HC) group. The Questionnaire of General Data, the Eating Disorders Inventory-3 (EDI-3), the Questionnaire of Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance-3 (SATAQ-3), the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) and the Basic Empathy Scale (BES) were administered to 35 female adolescents with AN and 35 HC adolescents. Eating disorder risk was found to be highest in AN females with higher levels of general psychological maladjustment (GPMC), followed by HC females with higher thin-ideal internalization. In the AN group, attachment style and thin-ideal internalization in combination with GPMC were not indicated as significant predictors of eating disorder risk. Study data provide support to conceptualizations of EDs that emphasize the role of general psychological maladjustment in the development of EDs.
Topics: Adolescent; Anorexia Nervosa; Body Image; Croatia; Emotional Adjustment; Empathy; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Female; Humans; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 31168171
DOI: 10.20471/acc.2018.57.03.01 -
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology Apr 2019In accordance with the Self-determination Theory (SDT), six dimensions of parenting (autonomy support vs. psychological control, structure vs. chaos, warmth vs....
In accordance with the Self-determination Theory (SDT), six dimensions of parenting (autonomy support vs. psychological control, structure vs. chaos, warmth vs. rejection) could be defined in their relation to adolescents' adjustment. However, the mechanisms of these relations need to be further deepened. In accordance with SDT, the aims of this study were: (1) to examine the relationships between the six dimensions of parenting and the three psychological basic needs; (2) to examine the mediation role of basic psychological needs in the relation between parental practices, and positive and negative outcomes in a sample of Italian adolescents. In a sample of 342 adolescents, results suggest that supportive parenting practice (autonomy support, structure, and warmth) promotes need fulfillment and adjustment, while thwarting parenting practice (psychological control, chaos, and rejection) reduces need fulfillment and adjustment. Furthermore, the three psychological basic needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) mediate the relations between parenting and adolescents' adjustment. These findings highlight the role of parenting in adolescents' adjustment and in line with SDT provide evidence of the dynamic between parenting, psychological needs and adjustment.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Emotional Adjustment; Female; Humans; Male; Parent-Child Relations; Parenting
PubMed: 30556135
DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12507 -
AIDS and Behavior Feb 2022The effect of chronic HIV-infection on psychological adjustment, including the impact of HIV-related stigma in perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) youth across Africa is...
The effect of chronic HIV-infection on psychological adjustment, including the impact of HIV-related stigma in perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) youth across Africa is largely unknown. This study examined psychological adjustment and HIV-related stigma using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and a 10-item stigma questionnaire in a cohort of PHIV+ youth in Cape Town, South Africa. The relationships between SDQ scores, elevated viral load, and suboptimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence were also explored. Among 473 PHIV+ youth (aged 9-14 years, on ART > 6 months at enrollment), higher perceived HIV-related stigma was associated with higher scores across all adolescent and caregiver-reported SDQ difficulty subscales. Higher socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with lower scores on adolescent self- and caregiver-reported hyperactivity subscales. Higher adolescent-reported prosocial scores were associated with lower odds of self-reported suboptimal ART adherence, and higher caregiver-reported conduct scores were associated with higher odds of elevated viral load. No associations were observed between perceived HIV-related stigma and treatment outcomes. These findings highlight the potentially detrimental impact of perceived stigma on psychological adjustment in PHIV+ youth. The use of psychosocial metrics and interventions aimed at reducing illness related stigma in PHIV+ youth is also considered.
Topics: Adolescent; Emotional Adjustment; HIV Infections; Humans; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Social Stigma; South Africa
PubMed: 34318399
DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03398-3 -
Child Abuse & Neglect Aug 2022Children and youth residential care institutions were forced to introduce adaptations to their regular functioning in order to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic...
BACKGROUND
Children and youth residential care institutions were forced to introduce adaptations to their regular functioning in order to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic challenges.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the lockdown on the adolescents' psychological adjustment and whether adolescents' perceived cohesion mitigated the increase of adolescents' psychological adjustment problems.
PARTICIPANTS
Participants were 243 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, living in 21 different residential care institutions.
RESULTS
The results suggested a moderating role of cohesion on the stability of adolescents' emotional distress across time. Lower levels of cohesion were related with higher emotional distress stability across time. On the contrary, as cohesion increased, the association between adolescents' emotional distress at T0 and T1 decreased.
DISCUSSION
Results are discussed considering the mechanisms raised by the institutions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and minimize the negative effects on the psychological adjustment of adolescents living in residential care.
Topics: Adolescent; COVID-19; Child; Communicable Disease Control; Emotional Adjustment; Humans; Pandemics; Psychological Distress
PubMed: 34756741
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105370 -
Development and Psychopathology Dec 2023In spring 2020, U.S. schools universally transitioned to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic's onset, thus creating a natural experiment for examining...
In spring 2020, U.S. schools universally transitioned to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic's onset, thus creating a natural experiment for examining adolescents' risk and resilience during an ongoing school crisis response. This longitudinal study used a daily-diary approach to investigate the role of social support in the link between remote learning and psychological well-being across 64 days among a national sample of adolescents ( = 744; 42% Black, 36% White, 22% Other ethnicity/race; 41% boys; 72% eligible for free/reduced-priced lunch; =14.60, =1.71, age-range = 12-17 years). On days when youth attended remote learning, they reported lower daily positive affect, more daily stress, and higher parent social support. There were no significant differences in the effect of remote learning on affect or stress by race or economic status. On days when youth experienced more parent support, they reported lower daily stress and negative affect and higher daily positive affect. On days when youth experienced more peer support, they reported higher daily positive affect. Overall, the study highlights the impact of pandemic-onset remote learning on adolescents' psychological well-being and emphasizes the need for future research on school crisis contingency planning to address these challenges.
Topics: Male; Humans; Adolescent; Child; Female; Emotional Adjustment; Pandemics; Longitudinal Studies; Social Support; Parents
PubMed: 37655613
DOI: 10.1017/S0954579423001049 -
Nutrients Oct 2021This study aims to identify the relationships between eating habits and psychological adjustment and health perception, and to analyze potential mediating role of...
This study aims to identify the relationships between eating habits and psychological adjustment and health perception, and to analyze potential mediating role of healthy and unhealthy foods in the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and the psychological constructs and health perception. The sample was selected through stratified random cluster sampling and was composed of 788 university students. The participants responded to a MedDiet adherence screener and food consumption inventory to assess the eating habits, instruments measuring self-esteem, life satisfaction, curiosity and sense of coherence to assess the psychological adjustment, and single item measuring perceived health. The results revealed 41.9% of the participants had a high consumption of vegetables and 85.1% a low consumption of energy drinks, while 29.9% showed a high adherence to the MedDiet which was positively associated to each psychological variable and healthy foods and negatively with unhealthy foods. In conclusion, a higher adherence to the MedDiet, and the consumption of fruits and vegetables is related to higher psychological adjustment and health perception. However, the relationships between MedDiet and the psychological variables and health perception were fully or partially explained because of the consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Diagnostic Self Evaluation; Diet, Healthy; Diet, Mediterranean; Emotional Adjustment; Feeding Behavior; Female; Humans; Male; Perception; Principal Component Analysis; Students; Universities; Young Adult
PubMed: 34836022
DOI: 10.3390/nu13113769 -
Journal of Personality Jun 2022How narrative identity and well-being are intertwined as emerging adults process their lived experiences remains a critical theoretical and empirical question. We...
OBJECTIVES
How narrative identity and well-being are intertwined as emerging adults process their lived experiences remains a critical theoretical and empirical question. We studied narrative identity among US emerging adults in a multiphase study. We aimed to test (1) if and how narrative identity themes (i.e., coherence, agency, growth) change rapidly across repeated narrations; (2) are related to reports of psychological adjustment (i.e., well-being, recent stress) over time; and (3) whether the valence of the autobiographical event nuanced the ways narrative identity and adjustment co-evolve.
METHODS
In a mini-longitudinal study conducted over three months, 300 adults aged 18-to-29-years (M age = 24.39 years; 60% women) provided autobiographical narratives about high-point and low-point (LP) life events at five time points, as well as repeated reports on well-being and recent stress.
RESULTS
Overall, coherence showed (1) the most consistency across time and valence than other narrative themes and (2) the most consistent associations with adjustment. In multilevel models, LP coherence and LP growth coincided with higher levels of adjustment.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings reinforce the ways narrative identity reflects dynamic processes of understanding the events of one's life, and the ways individual differences in framing and reasoning about life are important for psychological adjustment.
Topics: Adult; Emotional Adjustment; Female; Humans; Individuality; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Narration
PubMed: 34411304
DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12668