Diabetes mellitus affects 20.8 million Americans in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Acute and chronic disease-related complications can have a devastating effect on the life of individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Reduction in acute and chronic complications can be best achieved by individuals’ adhering to appropriate lifestyle changes and maintaining tight glycemic control through a process of self-regulation. Self-regulation treatment decisions and lifestyle behavioral changes can be influenced by physiological and psychosocial factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between illness representations, emotional distress, coping strategies, and coping efficacy as predictors of outcomes (self-care behavior and A1c levels) in individuals with type 2 diabetes. A descriptive, correlational design was used to examine the relationship between illness representations, emotional distress, coping strategies, and coping efficacy as predictors of outcomes for self-care behavior and metabolic control in individuals with Type 2 diabetes as it relates to diabetes management. A convenience sample of 119 men (46.2%) and women (53.8%) between the ages of 22 and 93 years of age living in two urban cities located in a southeastern state with documented type 2 diabetes were recruited. Participants were recruited from four endocrinology offices, one internal medicine office, two medical clinics, and three diabetes education centers. The majority of the participants were caucasian (74.8%). Inclusion criteria were that participants a) had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for at least 1 year or more, (b) were able to read and write in English, (c) were 18 years of age or older, and (d) had an A1c level drawn within the past 30 days. Questionnaire booklets were mailed to participants. Participants’ A1c levels were obtained from their medical records. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics including frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, bivariate correlations, multiple linear regressions, and hierarchical multiple linear regressions. Participants perceived their diabetes to be a chronic, moderately cyclical condition with negative consequences and with moderate amounts of symptomatology that greatly influenced their emotional status. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis revealed that coping efficacy uniquely accounted for 9% of the variance in self-care behavior. Perceptions of higher coping efficacy were associated with higher beliefs of personal control and treatment control, a greater understanding of diabetes, engagement in higher levels of self-care behavior, and lower A1c levels. In addition, hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis revealed illness representations, particularly timeline cyclical, accounted for 12% of the variance in A1c levels. Perceptions of a more cyclical disease course were predicted of higher A1c levels. Interestingly, a perception of diabetes being a less chronic illness was associated with higher self-care behavior. This study affirms the importance of how illness representations and coping efficacy influence self-care behavior and A1c levels. The findings from this study have important implications for nursing practice in the areas of assessment, diabetes management, coping skills training, behavior modification, motivational interviewing, and diabetes education. Further research is needed to expand the knowledge base and develop targeted interventions related to illness representations, especially timeline cyclical, and coping efficacy in the diabetes population.

Retrospective studies of college students who recall experiencing bullying during childhood and/or adolescence have found that being the target of bullying may place one at greater risk for depression (Roth, Coles, & Heimburg, 2002; Storch et al., 2001), anxiety disorders (McCabe, et al., 2003; Roth et al.) and interpersonal relationships (Schafer et al., 2004) in comparison to peers who do not recall a history of bullying during childhood or adolescence. However, researchers have found that not all targets of bullying develop such problems in adulthood (Schafer et al., 2004; Dempsey & Storch, 2008). Little attention has been devoted to understanding resiliency among adults who experienced bullying during childhood and/or adolescence (Davidson & Demaray, 2007). The purpose of this dissertation was to 1). Explore gender and racial/ethnic differences in recall of perceived seriousness of past bullying experiences 2). Replicate past findings regarding the association between past experiences with bullying and depression, anxiety, and loneliness in college students 3). Explore whether coping resources accounted for differences in symptoms of distress. A total of 211 college students completed the Retrospective Bullying Questionnaire (Schaefer, et al, 2004); The Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1982); UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell, 1996) and the Coping Resources Inventory for Stress-Short form (CRIS-SF; Matheny, Curlette, Aycock, & Curlette, 1993). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to investigate gender and racial/ethnic differences in perceived seriousness of bullying. Hierarchical linear regression was used to test whether coping resources moderated the relationship between psychosocial distress in adults and past experiences with bullying. Females in this study reported that they perceived their experiences with relational bullying during middle/high school to be more serious than males. There were no significant differences between males and females in perceived seriousness of physical bullying during elementary or middle/high school, verbal bullying during elementary or middle/high school or relational bullying during elementary school. Males and females did not differ significantly in the duration of bullying experiences. White students reported that they perceived their experiences with relational and verbal bullying during middle/high school in middle/high school to be more serious. There were no significant differences between the racial/ethnic groups in perceived seriousness of physical, verbal, or relational bullying during elementary school. There also were no significant differences among the racial/ethnic groups duration of bullying. Implications for future research and clinical practice are addressed. Perceived seriousness of bullying and duration of bullying during childhood and adolescence was found to predict depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Coping resources were not found to be significant moderators of distress.

Background: In scientific literature there are various treatment programs for people with alcohol dependence described, however, are psychosocial factors that promote recovery process described to a limited extent. Purpose: To describe the psychosocial factors that promotes recovery from alcohol dependence. Method: Literature study of ten scientific articles, published between 1999-2011 with both qualitative and quantitative design. Results: According to the literature, the recovery process can be considered to begin when a person with alcohol dependence reached his personal rock bottom. The longer the recovery progresses, the greater are the overall level of performance. Social support is described as an important factor to prevent relapse and reduce the need for professional help. Self-belief and support of self-help groups are described as important to maintaining sobriety. Social support and influence from family members was related to increased ability to analyze and assess their situation during the recovery. Therapeutic alliance and mutual goals are also important factors. Once treatment has been successfully described as a combination of self-motivation and willingness to initiate a radical change in behaviour. Conclusion: Psychosocial factors in the form of supportive relationships appear to promote recovery from alcohol dependence. Other conclusions drawn from this study is limited in scope and compiled by the studies of different design. Further studies need to be implemented in order to draw general conclusions, which can in turn be in support of clinical work.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in measures of creativity and psychosocial development in college Honors and Non-Honors students and also to determine interaction effects of demographic and academic background data. Additionally, another purpose was to establish any relationship between measures of creativity and psychosocial development. Of the 284 college students participating, 120 were honors students and 164 were non-honors students. Participants were administered the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) Verbal Form B, Activities 4 and 5 and the Student Development Task and Lifestyle Assessment (SDTLA). The TTCT included scales of fluency, flexibility, originality, and average standard creativity score. The SDTLA includes the measurement of three developmental tasks, ten subtasks, and two scales. The participants were volunteers and were tested in four regularly scheduled classes during the 2006 spring and summer semesters. Two-tailed independent t-tests performed on the dependent variables of the TTCT indicated that the Non-Honors student’s scores were statistically significantly higher on fluency, originality, and the average standard creativity measures. On the average standard score, which is considered the best overall gauge of creative power, neither Non-Honors nor Honors student groups TTCT scores were considered higher than weak (0-16%) (Torrance, 1990). The results of the two-tailed independent t-tests performed on the dependent variables of the SDTLA resulted in the statistically significant higher development outcome scores in the Honors students. The mean SDTLA scores of both the Honors and Non-Honors scores were not outside of norm group average scores. The MANOVA data produced moderately statistically significant interaction effects between classification level and fluency. However, the post hoc tests did not confirm the difference in classification and fluency. Additional MANOVA data indicated a significant interaction effect between ethnicity and Lifestyle Planning (LP), and post hoc analysis confirmed the interaction with significant differences in Caucasian and “Other” students. Classification level significantly interacted with eight of the fourteen development outcomes, nevertheless the post hoc tests showed inconsistent differences between classification groups within the developmental outcomes. Correlations between the TTCT and SDTLA did not yield statistically significant relationships between the creativity and psychosocial development variables.

The analyses in this dissertation were designed to 1) extend the knowledge of characteristics associated with and predictive of energy intake plausibility (under or overreported energy intake), and 2) extend previous research in a sub-sample of this study population of baseline short-term weight loss predictors to evaluate within the full sample whether baseline psychosocial, behavioral and dietary predictors of weight loss varied by energy intake plausibility. Subjects were 155 overweight or obese perimenopausal women participating in a 4mo lifestyle weight loss program. Based on self-reported intake from 3-d dietary records, women were categorized as energy underreporters (n=71), accurate energy reporters (n=27), or energy overreporters (n=57), using the cut-off values for energy plausibility defined by Goldberg. All subjects completed a comprehensive behavioral and psychosocial battery assessing diet and weight history, life status, weight loss readiness, psychology, eating behavior, physical activity, and self-image. Results from logistic regression models showed that y of education, weight loss aspirations, exercise perceived competence, social support to exercise, and measures of body image were the best predictors of energy underreporting. Dietary carbohydrate and fat intake, health related quality of life, and profile of mood states (anger) were the best predictors of energy overreporting. Baseline predictors of successful weight loss did vary by energy plausibility group, with unique predictors for energy underreporters including fewer previous dieting attempts and exercise perceived obstacles, and energy overreporters including higher TEE, more negative mood status and higher perceived hunger. Overall, more successful weight loss was also associated with higher baseline fruit and vegetable intake. Validation of these findings will help lead to establish factors to account or adjust for bias from energy misreporting, reduce health or disease risk underestimation and improve understanding of nutrition, health and disease relationships. Further, identification of successful weight loss predictors unique to energy under- and overreporters will enhance weight loss profiling and tailoring of interventions to optimize success.

No description available.

Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

No description available.

No description available.