The World Health Organization (1969) has declared that heart disease is the largest plague that ever faced humanity. Myocardial Infarction (MD, in addition to causing more deaths than all other diseases of the heart combined, is responsible for changes, and in many cases deterioration, in the quality of life of survivors. Intervention programs tend to focus on preventing re-occurrence of MI. At the same time there is an urgent need for sophisticated rehabilitation programs that aim to improve quality of life after MI. It is speculated here that identification of the personality factors that relate to the different adjustment patterms of different subgroups of post-MI patients will assist in the design of an efficient rehabilitation program. Accordingly, the present study focuses on the inquiry of the psychological mechanisms that mediate between the Type A behavior pattern (TABP) and adjustment style. An integrated crisis and developmental theory based on psychoanalytical, attachment and social learning theories is proposed. The Thesis put forward is that TABP is not a homogeneous pattern and that interpersonal dependency is an underlying personality factor that subdivides Type A patients to subgroups with different developmental and adjustment patterns. It is claimed here that dependent Type A patients have a dependent-independent developmental psychodynamic conflict, and that for them, TABP is an adopted defense mechanism. They are expected to have more adjustment difficulties to the specific characteristics of the post-MI crisis than inde pendent Type A patients for whom TABP is a socially learned developmental process in an urban Western environment. Type B patients, who also lack the psychodynamic conflict, are expected to adjust as a group better than dependent Type A patients. Seventy-nine white urban South African males aged 30-60 years, after clinical MI, were tested. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods of assessment was used in order to test the relationships between personality factors and adjustment, which was defined by multi-dimensional criteria (32 indices of adjustment) that related to various aspects of life in the post-MI period. The results confirmed the heterogeneity of TABP, dependent Type A patients adjusted less well than independent Type A patients to 16 out of 32 indices of adjustment. As expected for the same 16 indices, the behavior of Type B patients was better adjusted than dependent Type A patients. The outcomes of the adjustment of post-MI patients to all 32 indices is discussed. On the basis of the study's results and the crisis and developmental theory set out here, a differential rehabilitation program is proposed that relates to the different needs of the subgroups of post-MI patients. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1986.

The aim of this master´s thesis is to find out whether dry skin type influences the consumer´s satisfaction with his appearance and whether possible dissatisfaction can arouse purchase behaviour in meaning of purchasing and consuming miosturizing skin care products. Based on findings, thesis proposes next target to compose corresponding orientation of marketing communication for selected segment. Thesis follows a concept of concentrated marketing, which starts with market segmentation of consumers with dry skin type in analytical tool Data Analyzer and continues with selection of one particular segment to get a focuse on. After target segment is selected, questionnaire survey is used to enhance its profile. The thesis is finished up with draft of marketing orientation for selected segment. This marketing orientation captures the results of relation between dry skin type and body image revealed from data analysis MML-TGI and questionnaire investigation.

Širdies ir kraujagyslių ligos, tame tarpe ir išeminės širdies ligos, laikomos pagrindine naujojo amžiaus sveikatos problema - tai ligos, kurių daugėja vykstant progresui ir kylant pragyvenimo lygiui. Darbe buvo nagrinėti vieni iš svarbiausių psichologinių IŠL rizikos veiksnių: nerimastingumas, pablogėjusi nuotaika ir tipo A elgsena, taip pat IŠL sergančiųjų sveikatai palankus elgesys, išskirtinį dėmesį skiriant IŠL sergančiųjų nerimastingumui ir pablogėjusiai nuotaikai bei jų kitimams stacionarinio gydymo metu. Šio Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti išemine širdies liga sergančiųjų nerimastingumo ir pablogėjusios nuotaikos kitimus gydantis stacionare. Tyrime dalyvavo 178 28 – 74 metų (53,52 ± 9,03) respondentai. Iš jų 107 29 – 74 metų (53,91 ± 9,14) asmenys, sergantys IŠL ir 71 28 – 73 metų (52,94 ± 8,89) nesergantys IŠL (lyginamoji grupė). Pablogėjusiai nuotaikai ir nerimastingumui nustatyti naudota A.S. Zigmondo ir R.P.Snaitho ligoninės nerimo ir depresijos skalė (HAD – angl. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Elgsenos aktyvumui (A tipui) nustatyti naudotas sutrumpintas D. Dženkinso klausimyno (Jenkins Activity Survey – JAS) variantas, kurį sudarė trylika klausimų bei Framinghamo 10 klausimų skalė tipo A elgsenai nustatyti. Besigydančių stacionare IŠL sergančių pacientų nerimastingumas ir pablogėjusi nuotaika sumažėja stacionarinio gydymo pabaigoje. Tačiau nerimastingumas sumažėjo vyrų, sergančių IŠL, grupėje, o pablogėjusi nuotaika sumažėjo moterų, sergančių IŠL, grupėje... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Heart and blood vessels diseases including ischemic heart diseases are considered a major issue of health care in the modern age as these are the diseases which are growing in numbers in the times of progress and increasing level of subsistence. The thesis explores some major psychological ischemic heart disease risk factors: anxiety, worsening mood and type A behaviour as well as health-favouring behaviour of ischemic heart disease patients, essentially concentrating upon ischemic heart disease patients’ anxiety and worsening mood and its alterations in the process of hospital treatment. The aim of this analysis is to explore alterations of ischemic heart disease patients’ anxiety and worsening mood at the time of hospital treatment. The analysis covered 178 individuals aged 28 to 74 (53.52±9.03) including 107 ischemic heart disease patients aged 29 to 74 (53.91±9.14) and 71 members of the control group aged 28 to 73 (52.94±8.89) who are not ischemic heart disease patients. In order to assess worsening mood and anxiety, A.S. Zigmond and R.P. Snaith’s Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was employed. The assessment of the activeness of behaviour was performed by the brief variant of Jenkins Activity Survey containing thirteen questions and 10 questions scale by Framingham for the identification of type A behaviour. Anxiety and worsening mood of ischemic heart disease patients treated in hospital improve in the final stages of hospital treatment. However, anxiety decreased... [to full text]

Text in English / Regular exercise has significant physical and psychological health benefits yet, paradoxically, may also have harmful effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical and psychological health risks of distance running, a popular participation sport in South Africa. Structural equation modelling was employed to examine the personality and motivational antecedents of running addiction and its influence, in turn, on self-reported overuse injuries and upper respiratory tract infections in 220 athletic club members. The predictors and physical health effects of customary training load were also assessed. It was found that perfectionistic concerns, Type A behaviour pattern, and task goal orientation had a direct, positive impact on running addiction, which predicted higher running injury scores. In contrast, training workload (Volume × Intensity) was inversely related to injury risk. Neither running addiction nor any training load variables influenced infectious illness susceptibility. The findings of this study indicate that maladaptive perfectionism, Type A behaviour, and achievement goal orientation may be risk factors for running addiction, which may, in turn, contribute to increased injury incidence in South African distance runners. Conversely, heavier training loads may be protective against injury occurrences in this population. The results of this research may help to enhance current understanding of the possible health hazards of distance running. This knowledge may have practical implications for the health and well-being of runners of diverse levels of ability and experience. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)