Previous research suggests that sex differences in cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) are a function of differences in cognitive appraisal of stressors as masculine-relevant or feminine-relevant tasks. Two studies were conducted to examine the role of the appraised gender relevance of stressors as a mediator of sex differences in CVR. In the first study the CVR of male and female college students (<u>N</u> = 95) to the cold-pressor test (CPT) was compared under masculine-relevant and gender-neutral stressor instructions during an anticipation phase, a stressor phase, and a recovery phase. Men were expected to show greater CVR than women to the masculine-relevant CPT, but not to the gender-neutral CPT. Results supported this prediction for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) reactivity, but not diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity. In the second study the CVR of male and female college students (<u>N</u> = 121) to the CPT was compared under masculine-relevant and female-relevant stressor instructions during an anticipation phase, a stressor phase, and a recovery phase. Men were predicted to show greater CVR than women to the masculine-relevant CPT while women were expected to show greater CVR to the feminine-relevant CPT. Results supported these predictions for SBP, but not HR reactivity. The results for DBP were mixed. Men did not show greater DBP reactivity than women to the masculinerelevant CPT, but women showed greater DBP reactivity than men to the feminine-relevant CPT. The potential influence of sex differences in cognitive appraisal of situations on CVR and coronary heart disease is discussed. / Ph. D.

M.A. / Irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) is one of the common conditions referred to gastroentorologists, but one of the least understood. Part of the reason for this is the real lack of consensus of opinion regarding the nature of the complaint. The problem is confounded by the absence of objective disease makers, as well as the variation in symptom presentation. The term (IBS) describes a cluster of symptoms which include chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits (diarrhoea, constipation, or alternating diarrhoea and constipation) in the absence of a known structural cause for the symptom (Toner, Garfinkel, Jeejeebhoy, Scher, Shulhan & Di Gasbarro, 1990). The symptoms of IBS mimic those of many other gastrointestinal diseases and the challenge to medical doctors is to establish a confident diagnosis based on the symptomatology of the individual, without the need to carry out multiple investigations to eliminate organic disease of the bowel. The pathogenesis of a condition remains a mystery. Most doctors would not consider IBS to a 'proper" disease at all, but view it as a physiological alteration in intestinal function brought about by psychological disturbance (Read, 1985).

Research in Logotherapy substantiates the influence of meaning on psychological health and Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) corroborates the effects of psychological health on physical health. This dissertation explores the relationship between meaning and physical health hypothesising that purpose affects physical health. Methodology Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), ANOVAs and stepwise regression were used to explore three possible models. Results EFA revealed four factors, purpose, fear, vitality and aggression. Significant correlations were found between purpose, vitality (0.42) and work application (0.53). Despite the significant relationship between purpose and vitality, the lack of Chi-square is significant, suggesting that additional variables should be introduced into the model. Conclusion People reporting high levels of purpose together with low levels of fear and aggression, can be characterised by high vitality and an absence of medical conditions. Future research should focus on evaluating meaning centred interventions on immunity and vitality. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

BAKGRUND: Stress och psykosomatiska besvär är ett av de allvarligaste folkhälsoproblemen i Sverige. Psykisk ohälsa omfattar cirka 20% av sjukdomsbördan i Sverige. Även ungdomar uppvisar ökad grad av stress och psykosomatiska besvär. SYFTE: Syftet med studien var att undersöka förekomsten av självupplevd stress och psykosomatiska besvär hos gymnasieelever på en svensk gymnasieskola. MATERIAL OCH METOD: En enkät delades ut på skolan. 970 elever besvarade enkäten (75%). Enkäten innehöll 16 frågor rörande självupplevd stress och psykosomatiska besvär. Bakgrundsvariabler var kön, årskurs och program. RESULTAT: Majoriteten av eleverna känner sig ofta glada, att de klarar det de vill och har en positiv framtidstro, men en hög andel av eleverna upplever ofta stress, framför allt skolstress. Psykosomatiska besvär i form av sömnsvårigheter, oro, irritation, och nedstämdhet är vanliga. Det finns en tydlig könsskillnad i resultaten. Flickorna har en högre grad av stress och psykosomatiska besvär och en lägre grad av glädje, bemästring och framtidstro. De flesta eleverna hade en vuxen att prata med och i nio fall av tio var det en förälder. De som inte hade någon sådan vuxen uppvisade dubbelt så hög andel psykosomatiska besvär. SLUTSATSER OCH REKOMMENDATIONER: Studien visade att det finns ett samband mellan stress och psykosomatiska besvär. Det är viktigt att skolan, både lokalt och nationellt, vidtar åtgärder för att minska skolstressen. Samhället bör öka sitt stöd till familjer, så att fler ungdomar kan ha en öppen och förtroendefull relation till sina föräldrar. Det krävs vidare forskning om flickornas höga andel av stress och psykosomatiska besvär, så att trenden med ökade ohälsotal för kvinnor kan brytas. / BACKGROUND: Stress and psychosomatic symptoms is one of the major public health problems in Sweden. Psychological disease accounts for 20% of the burden of disease in Sweden. Also young people show an increasing degree of stress and psychosomatic symptoms. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence of self-rated stress and psychosomatic symptoms among secondary school students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed. 970 students filled it out (75%). The questionnaire had 16 questions on self-rated stress and psychosomatic symptoms. The background variables were sex, grade and program. RESULTS: The majority of the students often felt happy, a sense of mastering and had a positive view of their future, but a high proportion of the students felt stress, the level of school related stress was very high. Psychosomatic symptoms such as problems with sleep, feeling anxious, irritable and low was common. There was a clear gender difference. The girls had a higher degree of stress and psychosomatic symptoms and lower degree of happiness, sense of mastering and positive view of their future. A majority of the students had an adult to talk to, which in 90% of the cases was a parent. Those students who didn’t have such an adult had twice as high degree of psychosomatic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The study showed an association between stress and psychosomatic symptoms. It is important that the school, both on local and national level, take measures to decrease the level of school related stress. The society should increase its support to families, so more young people can have an open and trusting relationship to their parents. Further research is needed about the high level of stress and psychosomatic symptoms among girls, so the increasing burden of disease among women can be reversed. / <p>ISBN 91-7997-133-4</p>

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Although research has linked the central nervous system with changes in immunoresponsivity, research on the possible role of the central nervous system in altering reticuloendothelial activity is lacking. This study investigated the possible relationship between hypothalamic structures and changes in responsivity of the reticuloendothelial system. Eight male albino rats received bilateral electrode implants in the ventromedial area of the hypothalamus and, following brain stimulation, reticuloendothelial activity was assessed 3, 6, 12, 24, and 96 hours after stimulation. Brain stimulation decreased phagocytic activity of the reticuloendothelial system. These findings may increase our understanding of a possible neural mechanism underlying relationships between stress and resistance to disease states.

Cette recherche analyse une pratique, née de maladies qui n’ont pas trouvé de réponse dans le domaine biomédical. Elle constate que le manque de sens ou un sens très péjoratif à la maladie induit un désordre intérieur qui est assimilé au « chaos ». Ce néant de nos origines a été à l’origine des mythes cosmogoniques et des religions antiques qui constituent la première mise en ordre du monde dans toutes les civilisations humaines. La mort, le plus grand désordre du parcours humain, et tout ce qui lui est assimilé comme situation, ramènent en chaque individu ce chaos et l’angoisse de néantification qui lui est indissociable, à travers la perturbation de ses liens. C’est ce qui s’exprime dans les manifestations psychosomatiques et les maladies « surnaturelles ». La remise en ordre proposée dans cette pratique s’appuie sur l’humain, être de lien et de symbole, qu’il faut rétablir à la fois sur le plan individuel et collectif. Elle s’inspire de la culture malgache et de son rapport aux ancêtres. Cette thèse veut contribuer à combler la rupture entre la culture scientifique et celle des humanités par la naissance d’une discipline frontière : l’anthropomédecine. / This research analyses a practice, born from diseases that didn’t find any answers in the biomedical field. It notices that the lack of sense or a very pejorative sense attributed to the disease results in an inner disorder which is likened to « chaos ». This void of our origins has been the roots of cosmogonic myths and ancient religions which constitute the first tidying of the world in all human civilizations. Death, the biggest disorder of human history, and any situation likened to it, bring back inside each individual this chaos and the anguish of self nihilation that is indivisible from it, through the disruption of its bonds. This is what is expressed in the psychosomatic demonstrations and the « supernatural » diseases. The tidying proposed in this practice leans on the human being, individual of bond and symbolism, which needs to be re-established individually and collectively speaking. It draws its inspiration from Malagasy culture and from its connection with the ancestors. This thesis aims to contribute to fill the breach between the scientific culture and the humanities’ one by giving birth to a boundary discipline: anthropomedicine.

The main aim of this dissertation is to discuss the way women negotiate the cultural meaning of hair loss, alopecia, as a result of undergoing chemotherapy, and to understand, accordingly, how cancer's cultural effects regarding women can be deeply different from those of men. Very few studies have been done about the cultural impact and resonance of alopecia. It is often regarded as "secondary" to other effects of chemotherapy. Because, in many cultures, head hair for women expresses or manifests attractiveness and power, to be bald is to be deprived of the ability to fit into society, whether in the public or private sphere. The study examines the representation of such women in the media, audience/subject responses to these representations, and interrogates women's identities and representations in terms of Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze. Women who have experienced chemotherapy-induced alopec ia were interviewed in this regard. Other contributive feminist, cultural and/or media studies works, such as those by Suzanna Walters, Susan Bordo, Naomi Wolf, Donna Haraway, Stuart Hall, Kimberle Crenshaw, and Judith Butler, help facilitate the analysis. From these perspectives, a historical analysis takes into consideration the symbolic dimension of hair, especially women's head hair, within Western cultural history, particularly in France and a multicultural America. In addition, a textual analysis looks at women, cancer, and hair loss as represented in popular culture characters and personalities. The study insists on the necessity for women to resist to the culture industries and deconstruct the male gaze, as well as the female gaze, which can both contribute to, and perpetuate women's objectification. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:38:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Perisson Dantas do Nascimento.pdf: 1613318 bytes, checksum: dc98bc4ee2d10b844964f573706401e4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-05-11 / This work aims to verify that the contributions of verbal and bodily therapeutic interventions of Bioenergetic Analysis in the treatment of patients with primary and secondary complaints of organic pain. This intention is consistent with international efforts in researching the therapeutic efficacy of body psychotherapy. We start from the hypothesis that the diagnosis and intervention in the body with neo-Reichian techniques can serve as catalysts in the process of patient care traditionally regarded as psychosomatic. We focused on a qualitative method to clinical research, in which eight patients with various somatic complaints were submitted to twelve sessions of psychotherapy in bioenergetics and evaluated by instruments measuring psychological stress and general health conditions before and after intervention therapy. Data are presented through a characterization of the social profile of the patients, as well as through case studies, linking with the results obtained in the tests. Some issues raised by patients confirm the working hypotheses discussed in the literature, such as development history of trauma and family violence, abandonment experiences, coldness and detachment from the mother figure and a bond ambivalent love / heartbreak with the father figure; difficulties to experience pleasure in life and sexuality; emerging symptom associated with a particular crisis of life, due to a chronic disease process. Tests have shown mixed results, which are discussed in accordance with the circumstances in each case as indicative apparent adverse findings show that obtained in the process of intervention can increase the psychic stress, resulting in a crisis condition required for significant changes. Despite this, patients report improvements in relation to the disease and how to regulate their emotions, emphasizing the importance of bioenergetic exercises in the care and procedures. We conclude with the belief that a specific listening to body in the therapeutic process serves as a communication channel that facilitates empathy in the integrated health and the need to broaden the scope of this research, with additional experimental procedures / Esse trabalho busca verificar quais as contribuições terapêuticas das intervenções verbais e corporais da Análise Bioenergética no tratamento de pacientes com queixas primárias e secundárias de sofrimento orgânico, coadunando com os esforços internacionais em pesquisar a eficácia da psicoterapia corporal. Partimos da hipótese que o diagnóstico e intervenção corporais na vertente neorreichiana podem servir como catalisadores no processo de cuidado de pacientes tradicionalmente considerados como psicossomáticos. Privilegiou-se um método qualitativo clínico de pesquisa, no qual oito pacientes, com queixas somáticas variadas, foram submetidas a doze sessões de psicoterapia bioenergética, sendo avaliadas por instrumentos psicológicos de medição do estresse e de condições de saúde geral, antes e depois da intervenção. Os dados são apresentados através de uma caracterização do perfil social das pacientes, bem como através de estudos de caso, articulando com os resultados obtidos nos testes. Alguns temas levantados pelas pacientes confirmam hipóteses de trabalho discutidas na literatura, tais como: histórico de traumas de desenvolvimento e violência intrafamiliar; experiências de abandono, frieza e distanciamento da figura materna e um vínculo ambivalente de amor/mágoa com a figura paterna; dificuldades de experimentar prazer na vida e na sexualidade; o sintoma surgindo associado a uma crise específica de vida, decorrente de um processo de adoecimento crônico. Os testes demonstraram resultados variados, que são discutidos de acordo com o contexto de cada caso, pois aparentes indicativos desfavoráveis revelam que as descobertas obtidas no processo de intervenção podem aumentar a tensão psíquica, resultando num estado de crise necessária para mudanças importantes. Apesar disso, as pacientes relatam melhoras na relação com a doença e na forma de regular suas emoções, enfatizando a importância dos exercícios e procedimentos nos atendimentos. Concluímos o trabalho com a convicção de que a escuta diferenciada do corpo no processo terapêutico serve como canal de comunicação que facilita a empatia no cuidado integrado em saúde, bem como a necessidade de ampliar o escopo dessa pesquisa, com procedimentos experimentais complementares

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:38:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Solange Lopes de Souza.pdf: 1466736 bytes, checksum: 797e05a9eb1db203bfa59e1d4154d4e7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-12-07 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This study examined the process of coping with conjugal infertility during diagnostic investigation offered to 30 couples. Instruments addressed to investigation of life events, such as SF-36 General Life Quality Instrument, instrument about coping strategies, questionnaire about the couples clinical history, questionnaire about diagnostic medical evaluation and a rule for semi structured interview concerning the process of coping with infertility, have been used. The interviews have been recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by using SPAD T program. Afterwards, the meanings attached by the couples to the experience they were living in the search for having a biological child, so as personal meanings and senses of motherhood, fatherhood and the importance of a child in their lives, have been verified. As showed by the analyses of the instrument about coping strategies, there was low use of the eight factors under investigation; the more frequently used among them were: the ones which require self control, search for social support, problem solving, and positive revaluation. No differences have been verified between men and women. Analyses of SF-36 General Life Quality Instrument showed that couples life quality lay between good and excellent conditions. Significance level of functional aptitude, vital force, social issues, mental health, and pain has been observed in the female group; the male group showed significance levels of general health state, physical limitation, functional aptitude, pain, vital force, and mental health. Analyses about occurrence of life events showed low reports or absence of significant changes in the couples life, such absence being an indicator to risk factor and a sign of alert to possibilities of distress development. An important factor has been identified at the moment of the semi structured interview concerning identification of available forms and resources of coping. Analyze of the speech produced by the couples showed that they presented a lack of syntony in the quality of their relationship, what produced interferences on mutual support during the search for a solution to problems to be faced, specifically when it concerned infertility. Suggestions of programmed sexual intercourse showed themselves as a factor that interferes on stability of personal relationship. It brings difficulties to the couple. To think about the meanings of a child has become a shocking exercise. This fact is probably associated to the function that is still attributed to a biological child as someone who would legitimate affective relationships, the possibility of which being questioned when a child is adopted. Semi structured interview has showed itself as an essential instrument to investigate and fathom coping factors. This resource promoted a different hearing of anxiety, making possible a better reflection to the couples about coping with their difficulties when facing investigation and treatment of infertility / Este estudo examinou o processo de enfrentamento da infertilidade conjugal durante investigação diagnóstica junto a 30 casais. Trabalhou-se com instrumentos voltados à investigação de eventos vitais: Instrumento Genérico de Qualidade de Vida SF-36, instrumento sobre estratégias de enfrentamento, questionário sobre história clínica do casal, questionário sobre avaliação médica diagnóstica e roteiro de entrevista semidirigida para investigar o processo de enfrentamento da infertilidade pelo casal. As entrevistas foram gravadas, transcritas e analisadas utilizando-se o programa SPAD T. Posteriormente, verificaram-se os significados atribuídos pelos casais à experiência pela qual estavam passando diante da busca de um filho biológico, assim como as significações e sentidos pessoais de maternidade, paternidade e importância do filho em suas vidas. As análises do instrumento sobre estratégias de enfrentamento mostraram que houve pouca utilização dos oito fatores investigados, sendo que os mais utilizados pelos casais foram: aqueles que exigem autocontrole, busca de suporte social, resolução de problema e reavaliação positiva. Não houve diferenças entre homens e mulheres. As análises do Instrumento Genérico de Qualidade de Vida SF-36 identificaram que a qualidade de vida dos casais situou-se entre condição boa e excelente. Observou-se nível de significância no grupo feminino em capacidade funcional, vitalidade, aspectos sociais, saúde mental e dor; o grupo masculino mostrou níveis de significância para estado geral de saúde, limitação física, capacidade funcional, dor, vitalidade e saúde mental. As análises sobre ocorrência de eventos vitais mostraram baixos índices ou ausência de mudanças significativas na vida dos casais, sendo a ausência indicadora de fator de risco e sinal de alerta para possibilidade de desenvolvimento de estresse. Importante fator foi identificado ao se trabalhar com entrevista semidirigida voltada à identificação de formas e recursos de enfretamento disponíveis. A análise do discurso produzido pelos casais mostrou que estes apresentaram descompasso na qualidade do relacionamento, surgindo interferências quanto ao apoio mútuo na busca de solução dos problemas a serem enfrentados, especificamente, em relação à infertilidade. As propostas de relações sexuais programadas mostraram ser fator que interfere na estabilidade do relacionamento pessoal ocasionando dificuldades para marido e esposa. Pensar sobre o significado de um filho mostrou ser um exercício impactante. Este fato pode estar associado à função ainda atribuída a um filho biológico, como aquele que irá legitimar as relações afetivas, cuja possibilidade é posta em dúvida quando se adota uma criança. A entrevista semidirigida constituiu instrumento indispensável para investigação e aprofundamento dos fatores de enfrentamento. Esse recurso promoveu uma escuta diferenciada da ansiedade, permitindo maior reflexão aos casais sobre o enfrentamento das suas dificuldades diante do processo de investigação e tratamento da infertilidade