The overall aims of this thesis were to investigate psychological and behavioral effects of receiving cancer genetic counseling for breast, ovarian and colorectal cancer and/or with a family history of these cancer types and to determine whether counselees’ informational needs were met. Study I was performed 3-7 years post-counseling. Participants (n=214) reported a relatively high level of anxiety but a low level of depression compared to cancer patients in general. However, there was no indication that the distress experienced was due to the counseling. Moderate changes in life and family relations, high level of adherence to recommended controls and satisfaction was reported. Study II was a randomized control trial (RCT) intervention study which involved 147 counselees. An increase in the level of knowledge and correct estimation of personal risk was reported in both the intervention and control groups, although this increase declined at later follow-up. Enhanced information led to significantly greater satisfaction with the given information, and the way of informing relatives. Most counselees had shared information with their at-risk relatives. Study III focused on sharing information with at-risk relatives among participants in study II and their relatives (n=81). Counselees were interviewed and answered a questionnaire, whilst their relatives only answered the questionnaire. Counselees reported positive/neutral feelings about communicating genetic information and mostly interpreted their relatives’ reactions as positive/ neutral. Also, approximately 50% of relatives reported positive/neutral reactions and were generally satisfied with the received information. Study IV was conducted in Sweden and Norway based on 235 counselees. Counselees expected counselors to be skillful and thoughtful, take them seriously and provide risk estimations and medical information. Most important issues to counselees were satisfactorily addressed by the counselors. Analyzing importance rankings resulted in five categories of needs: a need for facts, caring communication and medical information, need for understanding and support in sharing genetic information, practical care and medical/practical information. In conclusion, no adverse psychological or behavioral effect on counselees was observed. Apparently, genetic counseling is managed properly and counselors successfully address counselees’ needs. Providing extended information does not seem necessary, however, tailoring information to individual counselees needs may create a more effective counseling.

Despite a well-documented gender pattern of adolescent mental health, public health research investigating possible influencing factors from a gender-theoretical approach is scarce. This study aimed to explore what factors and circumstances are related to adolescent mental health and to apply a gender analysis to the findings in order to improve the understanding of the relationships between life circumstances and the gendered patterning of mental health among young people.   The study population was 16-19-year-old Swedish students and data was collected by means of focus groups (N=29) and self-administered questionnaires (N=1,663, 78.3% response rate) in school settings. Mental health problems were defined in a broad sense including the adolescents’ own understandings, perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The mental health problems of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm were twice as common among girls as boys. The findings suggest that adolescent mental health is associated with the life circumstances of social relationships, demands and responsibility taking and experiences of violence and harassment.  Supportive relationships with friends, family and teachers were found to be of importance to positive mental health, whereas poor social relationships, loneliness and lack of influence were associated with mental health problems.  Perceived demands and responsibility taking regarding school work, relationships, future plans, appearance and financial issues were strongly related to mental health problems, particularly among girls regardless of social class. The results indicate that physical violence, sexual assault, bullying and sexual harassment are severe risk factors for mental health problems in young people. Boys and girls experienced different types of violence, and the victim-perpetrator relationships of physical violence differed. These diverging experiences appeared to influence the associations with mental health problems in boys and girls.   A gender analysis provides the tools to gain knowledge about the ways that boys’ and girls’ lives are shaped by gender relations and constructions at different levels in society and how these life circumstances represent risk- or protective factors for mental health. For example, unequal power structures and the ways girls are expected to ‘do’ femininity likely influence their life circumstances in ways that place them at greater risk of mental health problems. Hegemonic constructions of masculinity and advantaged positions likely contribute to life circumstances that are positive for mental health but are also implying risk factors for poor mental health among boys, e.g., violence. It is also important to recognise how the intertwined cultural and structural aspects of gender and social class influence the lives and mental health of boys and girls. In conclusion, gendered and class-related mechanisms at the different levels in society influence the distribution of risk factors unevenly among boys and girls, which could be a possible explanation for the gender differences in reports of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The likelihood of gender and socioeconomic differences in mental health problems should be taken into account in prevention and health promotion strategies at all levels in society. A greater awareness about gender relations and the gendered social circumstances under which young people live is required. The school environment is an important arena with respect to prevention and health promotion. There is also a need for a joint action against violence and harassment at all levels in society. Implications do not only concern young people; social policy and legislation should focus on reducing gender and class inequalities in general. / Sammanfattning Svensk titel: Livsvillkor och ungdomars psykiska hälsa: uppfattningar, associationer och en genusanalys.   Trots ett väldokumenterat genusmönster i ungdomars psykiska hälsa finns det en kunskapslucka i den folkhälsovetenskapliga forskningen avseende genusteoretiska analyser av sambanden mellan ungas livsvillkor och psykisk hälsa. Föreliggande studie syftade till att undersöka vilka faktorer och omständigheter som är relaterade till psykiska problem, samt att analysera fynden ur ett genusperspektiv för att fördjupa förståelsen av relationerna mellan ungas livsvillkor och genusmönster i psykiska hälsa.   Studiepopulationen var gymnasielever i åldern 16-19 år. Studien genomfördes i skolmiljö och data insamlades genom fokusgrupper (N=29) och en enkätstudie (N=1,663, 78.3% svarsfrekvens). En bred definition av psykisk ohälsa tillämpades vilken representerades av ungdomarnas egen förståelse, samt de psykiska problemen upplevd stress, psykiska besvär samt självskadebeteende.   Resultaten visade att stress, psykiska besvär och självskadebeteende var dubbelt så vanligt bland flickor som bland pojkar. Psykiska problem var relaterade till livsvillkoren sociala relationer, krav och ansvarstagande samt utsatthet för våld och trakasserier. Stödjande relationer med vänner, familj och lärare var av stor betydelse för psykisk hälsa medan dåliga relationer, ensamhet och brist på inflytande var relaterat till psykiska problem. Psykiska problem var starkt kopplade till erfarenheter av höga krav och ansvarstagande avseende skolarbete, relationer, framtidsplaner, utseende och ekonomi, i synnerhet bland flickor oavsett socioekonomisk bakgrund. Resultaten indikerar att olika former av våld och trakasserier är allvarliga riskfaktorer för psykiska problem och att flickors och pojkars skiljda erfarenheter av olika former av våld samt relationen till förövaren, kan vara relaterade till skillnader i psykiska problem.   Genusanalysen av resultaten föreslår att flickors livsvillkor påverkas av ojämlika maktstrukturer och konstruktioner av femininitet och att dessa livsvillkor bidrar till en ökad risk för psykisk ohälsa bland flickor. Livsvillkor kopplade till manlig överordning och hegemoniska konstruktioner av maskulinitet influerar sannolikt pojkars psykiska hälsa positivt. Dessa villkor kan dock också innebära risk faktorer för psykiska problem, t.ex. i fråga om våld. Studien uppmärksammar även hur kulturella och strukturella aspekter av både genus och social klass kan påverka livsvillkor och psykisk hälsa för pojkar och flickor. Studiens slutsats är att genusifierade och klassrelaterade mekanismer på olika nivåer i samhället bidrar till en skev fördelning av riskfaktorer för psykiska problem vilket kan vara en möjlig förklaring till skillnaderna mellan pojkar och flickor i fråga om upplevd stress, psykiska besvär och självskadebeteende.   Genus- och socioekonomiska skillnader i psykiska problem bör tas i beaktande i preventivt och hälsofrämjande arbete på alla nivåer i samhället. Detsamma gäller för en ökad medvetenhet om hur ungas livsvillkor är relaterade till psykisk hälsa och hur dessa villkor är genus- och klassrelaterade. Studien uppmärksammar skolan som en viktig arena för preventivt och hälsofrämjande arbete samt att gemensamma insatser krävs på olika arenor för att motverka våld och trakasserier. Implikationer av studien omfattar även generella samhällspolitiska insatser för minskad ojämlikhet. Nyckelord: Stress; psykiska besvär; självskadebeteende; gymnasieelever; maskulinitet; femininitet; sociala determinanter; sociala relationer; krav; ansvarstagande; våld och trakasserier; skola. / Forskarutbildningsämne: Hälsovetenskap.

The main purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of perceived social support, psychological distress, prior help-seeking experience, and gender on attitudes toward seeking psychological help of university students. In addition to the main purpose / gender, faculty, living arrangement, and year of study differences in attitudes toward seeking psychological help and students&rsquo / knowledge about the psychological counseling services of the METU Health and Guidance Center were investigated. The sample consisted of 417 (223 female, 194 male) undergraduate students of Middle East Technical University. The data was gathered using the scale of Attitudes Toward Seeking Psychological Help-Shortened (ASPH-S), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and a demographic information form. It was found that nearly half of the participants (47%) had knowledge about the psychological counseling services of the METU Health and Guidance Center. Friends were the most frequently stated sources of help (59%) in times of need for personal problems. Females had more positive attitudes toward seeking psychological help than males. Students of the Faculty of the Arts and Sciences, and students of the Faculty of the Education were found to have more favorable attitudes than of the Faculty of Engineering students. Finally, hierarchical regression analysis showed that perceived social support, prior help-seeking experience, and gender significantly predicted attitudes toward seeking psychological help. However, psychological distress was not associated with help-seeking attitudes.

The major goal of this study is to test the direction and strength of the relations of low-income single mothers’ depressive symptoms to their employment and income experiences over a time period following major welfare policy changes in the U.S. (2001 to 2003). The Panel Study of Income Dynamics provided data on 623 low-income, single mothers. The economic characteristics studied were: employment status, hours of work, wages, earnings, a job’s provision of personal control, family income, and welfare receipt. The mental health measure was the K-6 Non-Specific Psychological Distress Scale. The study adds to our understanding of the temporal relations between employment experiences and mental health by testing the social causation, social selection, and interactionist (bidirectional) perspectives. Specifically, this study tested the different perspectives with a wide range of economic indicators, tested mechanisms that may link mental and economic well-being, and combined multiple employment factors to see if patterns emerged that related uniquely to psychological distress. The findings supported social selection as earlier psychological distress predicted future employment, hours, wages, earnings, household income, and welfare receipt. The tested mediator of days of lost work affected by psychological distress indicated an indirect effect of poor mental health predicting diminished job productivity that, in turn, predicted reduced employment, hours, wages, and earnings. Results were similar for subgroups of mothers based on the age of their youngest child or prior welfare history. The single significant finding was that a longer span of welfare receipt predicted worse mental health as compared to mothers who reported a shorter period of welfare receipt. Latent class analysis identified three patterns of employment and welfare receipt across time: a) exchanged earnings for welfare, b) high employment and earnings growth with reduced welfare, and c) moderate employment growth. The groups that exchanged earnings for welfare (about 10% of the sample) evidenced increased psychological distress compared to mothers with high or moderate employment growth. Support for the social selection hypothesis suggests that policies and interventions that help low-income mothers improve their psychological well-being could also enhance their economic well-being. Implications for future research could explore the effects of such policies. / text

Plusieurs études telles que le NESARC ont démontré la comorbidité chez les joueurs pathologiques dans la population générale et dans des échantillons cliniques. Le jeu pathologique se présente souvent avec des troubles comorbides tels que les toxicomanies, les troubles de l’humeur, les troubles anxieux et les troubles de la personnalité. Cette étude a été réalisée auprès de 40 joueurs pathologiques admis en traitement au Centre Dollard-Cormier, Institut universitaire sur les dépendances à Montréal. Les objectifs étaient d’évaluer : la consommation d’alcool et de drogues, la présence d’une détresse psychologique caractérisée par des symptômes et des syndromes cliniques ainsi que par des troubles de la personnalité et la prévalence du trouble de l’ÉSPT dans l’échantillon. L’ICJE a été utilisé pour évaluer la gravité du jeu. Les autres troubles ont été mesurés à travers l’IGT, l’AUDIT, le MCMI-III, le QÉT et l’ÉMST. Les résultats montrent que 65 % des participants présentent une consommation problématique d’alcool (25 % actuellement, 40 % dans le passé), 27,5 % une consommation problématique de drogues; 52,5 %, un diagnostic probable d’au moins un syndrome clinique (surtout anxiété et dépression), 55 %, un diagnostic probable d’au moins un trouble de la personnalité; 30 %, des symptômes du trouble d’ÉSPT et 17,5 %, un diagnostic probable du trouble. Alors, la comorbidité est présente chez les joueurs pathologiques de l’échantillon. Il est essentiel de l’identifier pour mieux répondre aux besoins particuliers de l’individu et l’aider avec les symptômes qui aggravent le problème de jeu et augmentent le risque de récidive. / Several studies such as the NESARC have demonstrated the comorbidity in pathological gamblers in the general population and in clinical samples. Pathological gambling often occurs with other comorbid disorders, such as addictions, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. This study was conducted among 40 pathological gamblers admitted in treatment at Centre Dollard-Cormier, Institut universitaire sur les dépendances, in Montreal. The objectives were to assess the use of alcohol and drugs, the presence of psychological distress characterized by clinical symptoms and syndromes as well as by personality disorders, and the prevalence of PTSD in the gamblers of the sample. The CPGI was used to assess the severity of gambling. The other disorders were measured through the ASI, the AUDIT, the MCMI-III, the QÉT and the ÉMST. The results show that 65% of participants had a problem with alcohol (25% currently, 40% in the past), 27.5% presented a problematic drug use, 52.5% had a potential diagnosis of at least one clinical syndrome (mainly anxiety and depression), 55% had a potential diagnosis of at least one personality disorder, 30% presented symptoms of PTSD and 17.5% had a potential diagnosis of PTSD. In conclusion, comorbidity exists in the pathological gamblers of the sample. It is essential to identify it in order to better address the needs of the individual and to help him with the symptoms that worsen the gambling problem and increase the risk of recurrence.

Le concept multidimensionnel de l’engagement organisationnel s’avère prépondérant dans les organisations de par son impact positif sur la santé mentale des travailleurs. D’ailleurs, plusieurs chercheurs montrent clairement l’existence d’un lien significatif entre l’engagement organisationnel et la santé mentale au travail. Toutefois, on remarque que les recherches à ce jour, se contredisent pour ce qui est du sens de la relation entre l’engagement organisationnel et les problèmes de santé mentale, dont la détresse psychologique. L’objectif principal de ce mémoire consiste à vérifier (a) le sens de la relation entre le construit multidimensionnel de l’engagement organisationnel et la détresse psychologique chez les travailleurs et les travailleuses, ainsi que (b) l’effet modérateur du genre sur la relation entre l’engagement organisationnel et la détresse psychologique. Les résultats ont été obtenus à partir d’une population d’étude composée de deux-cent-soixante-et-un répondants provenant d’une Société d’Assurance Canadienne. Les analyses factorielles ont démontré que l’engagement organisationnel est composé de quatre facteurs (affective, normative, continue et résignée). Les résultats obtenus révèlent donc quatre formes d’engagement organisationnel. Les analyses de régressions multiples stipulent que la composante affective et continue de l’engagement organisationnel s’avère significativement reliée de façon négative à la détresse psychologique. Autrement dit, les employés engagés de façon affective et continue au travail, risquent moins de souffrir de détresse psychologique. Par ailleurs, la composante résignée se montre significativement reliée, mais de façon positive à la détresse psychologique. Donc, un travailleur engagé de façon résignée au travail, augmente ses probabilités de souffrir de détresse psychologique. Cependant, l’engagement normatif n’est pas significativement associé à la détresse psychologique. Enfin, le genre exerce un effet modérateur sur seulement une composante de l’engagement organisationnel, soit l’affective. Les retombées de ces résultats sont discutées. / The multi-dimensional concept of organizational commitment is a key criterion of the quality of mental health in the work life. Moreover, many researchers clearly showed that organizational commitment is associated with mental health. However, many studies, up to today, contradict themselves to determine the direction of the relationship between organizational commitment and mental health problems, including psychological distress. The aim of the study is to determine (a) the direction of the relationship between the multidimensional construct of organizational commitment and psychological distress among men and women workers, and (b) whether the gender status acts as a moderator of the relationship between organizational commitment and psychological distress. The results were obtained from a population of two hundred and sixty-one workers from a Canadian insurance company. The study found that organizational commitment is a four component construct (affective, normative, continuance, resigned). The multiple regression analysis revealed that affective and continuance commitment influence negatively psychological distress. More specifically, an employee displaying a strong affective or continuance commitment, is less likely to experience psychological distress at work. Moreover, the results of our study suggest that “resigned” commitment influences positively psychological distress. Therefore, workers showing signs of resignation at work, are more likely to experience psychological distress. However, results indicate that normative commitment is not associated with psychological distress. Finally, the gender status only acts as a moderator of the relationship between affective commitment and psychological distress. The implications of these results are discussed.

L’objectif de ce mémoire est d’étudier les liens entre le climat psychologique des unités organisationnelles et la détresse psychologique. Il s’agit plus précisément de déterminer si le climat psychologique des unités organisationnelles peut être considéré comme un facteur professionnel pouvant favoriser le développement de la détresse psychologique. Nous avons recueilli des données primaires en transmettant un questionnaire spécifique auprès de 362 employés de cinq départements différents d’une société d’assurance du Canada. Deux échelles de mesures de détresse psychologique ont été utilisées aux fins de notre étude : l’échelle de Kessler (1998) utilisée dans l’Enquête Nationale sur la santé des populations du Canada de 1999 et celle d’Ilfeld adaptée par Préville (1994) utilisée dans l’Enquête de Santé Québec de 1998. L’analyse des résultats a partiellement démontré que les dimensions du concept de climat psychologique (la qualité des relations avec les collègues, la qualité des relations avec le superviseur et la qualité de l’environnement immédiat de travail) influencent le degré de détresse psychologique au sein des unités organisationnelles. De plus, les trois composantes du climat psychologique ne prédisent pas de façon similaire les résultats des deux échelles de détresse utilisées. / The main objective of this paper is to examine the association between the psychological climate and the occurrence of psychological distress within organizational work units. More precisely, we want to determine if the psychological climate is an occupational factor than can lead to psychological distress. A specific questionnaire was submitted to 362 employees from five different departments at a Canadian insurance company. Two different scales were used to measure the level of psychological distress: the Kessler scale (1998) used in the National Population Health Survey in 1999 and the Ilfeld scale, the latter modified by Préville (1994) used in the Québec Health Survey in 1998. Results of our analysis partly showed that the inherent dimensions of the psychological climate concept (quality of relationships with colleagues, quality of relationships with supervisor and quality of work environment) influence the level of psychological distress within organizational work units. Moreover, the three components of the psychological climate did not predict the results obtained by the two psychological distress scales.

L’objectif de ce mémoire est d’examiner les nombreuses associations qui existent entre les conditions de l’organisation du travail, les traits de personnalité et la détresse psychologique au travail. La question de recherche principale était : est-ce que les cinq grands traits de personnalité (Big Five personality traits) ont un effet modérateur sur la relation entre les conditions de l’organisation du travail et la détresse psychologique. De nombreuses autres questions ont aussi été considérées. Pour répondre aux vingt-et-une hypothèses proposées dans cette recherche, nous avons utilisé des données secondaires d’une étude transversale de 395 employés d’un service de police municipal. À la suite d’analyses multivariées, nous avons pu observer quatre associations significatives. Concernant les conditions de l’organisation du travail, nous avons trouvé que les demandes psychologiques en milieu de travail augment la détresse psychologique, tandis que le support d’un superviseur la diminue. En ce qui concerne, les traits de personnalité, nous avons trouvé qu’être névrotique (neuroticism) augmente la détresse psychologique. Finalement, nous avons trouvé un effet modérateur du trait de personnalité, être consciencieux (conscientiousness), sur la relation entre les demandes psychologiques et la détresse psychologique. Bref, nos résultats nous indiquent que les cinq grands traits de personnalité (Big Five personality traits) ont une influence mitigée sur la santé mentale en milieu de travail. / The current thesis sought to observe the multiple relationships that exist between work organization conditions, personality characteristics and psychological distress in the workplace. The main question of interest was whether the Big Five personality traits have a moderating effect on the relationship between work organization and psychological distress, but numerous other questions of interest were also considered. In order to address the twenty-one hypotheses proposed in this study, secondary data was used from a cross-sectional survey of 395 workers from a municipal police service. Multivariate analyses showed four significant relationships between the three variables of interest. With regards to the work organization conditions, it was found that psychological demands in the workplace increase psychological distress, whereas, support from a supervisor decreases psychological distress. With regards to personality, neuroticism was found to increase psychological distress. Finally, a moderating relationship was found for the conscientiousness trait on the relationship between psychological demands and psychological distress. Globally, the results indicate that the Big Five personality traits have a mitigated impact on mental health problems in the workplace.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal