La détresse psychologique est plus fréquente et sévère chez les patients atteints de maladies coronariennes (MC) que chez les individus sains. Nous en savons peu sur l’évolution dans le temps de ces différences et si ces différences s'étendent aux personnes atteintes de maladies non cardiovasculaires (CV). Objectifs: Examiner la présence, la sévérité et l'évolution de la détresse psychologique chez les hommes et les femmes atteintes de MC et celles du même âge souffrant de maladies non CV. Méthodes: 1294 personnes (61% d'hommes; moyenne = 60,4 ± 7,0 ans) atteintes de MC ou de maladies non CV ont été questionnées sur leur support social, leur degré d'hostilité, de stress, d'anxiété et de dépression au départ de l’étude (T1) ainsi que 4,8 ± 0,8 ans plus tard (T2). Des analyses à mesures répétées mixtes (sexe*statut MC*temps), de Chi carré et de McNemar ont été effectuées. Résultats: Les femmes atteintes de MC ont rapporté davantage de symptômes dépressifs que les autres participants aux deux évaluations (p’s<0,01), et davantage de symptômes d’anxiété et de stress que les autres participants au T1 (p’s <0,05). Au T2, le stress perçu demeurait significativement plus élevé chez les femmes atteintes de MC que chez les hommes (p’s<0,01), bien que les différences d’anxiété n’étaient plus significatives. Les hommes ont rapporté plus d'hostilité que les femmes (p=0,001). Les femmes souffrant de MC se situaient davantage dans la plage clinique de dépression (p<0,001), d'anxiété (p=0,001) et de stress (p=0,030) au T1, et de dépression (p=0,009) et de stress (p=0,002) au T2. Conclusion: L'intensité, la prévalence, et l’évolution de la détresse des patients diffère en fonction de la mesure examinée, de leur sexe et/ou de leur statut CV. Alors que la détresse psychologique était prédominante chez ces patients atteints de diverses maladies, les femmes atteintes de MC étaient particulièrement et chroniquement vulnérables. / Psychological distress is more prevalent and severe among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to healthy individuals. Little is known regarding its time course, and whether these differences extend to individuals with non-cardiovascular (CV) illnesses. Objective: This study examined the presence, severity, and time course of psychological distress in men and women with CAD and those of similarly aged individuals suffering from non-CV conditions. Methods: 1294 individuals (61% men; meanage = 60.4 ± 7.0 years) with stable CAD or non-CV illnesses reported on social support, hostility, stress, anxiety and depression at baseline as well as 4.8 ± 0.8 years later. Analyses involved mixed (Sex*CAD status*Time) repeated measures analyses (controlling for relevant covariates), as well as Chisquare and McNemar analyses. Results: Women with CAD reported more symptoms of depression compared to other participants at both evaluations (p’s<0.01), and reported more symptoms of anxiety and stress compared to others at T1 (p’s <0.05). At T2, perceived stress remained significantly greater among women with CAD compared to men (p’s<0.01), though differences in anxiety were no longer significant. Men reported more hostility than women (p=0.001). CAD women fell within the clinical range for depression (p<0.001), anxiety (p=0.001), and stress (p=0.030) more frequently compared to others at T1, and for depression (p=0.009) and stress (p=0.002) at T2. Conclusions: The evolution of patient distress differed as a function of the measure examined, their sex, and/or CV status. While psychological distress was prevalent among these patients with diverse health conditions, women with CAD were particularly and chronically vulnerable.

Stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa är ett stort problem i dagens samhälle som orsakar stora samhällskostnader och ett stort lidande hos de drabbade. Forskning tyder på att självkritik kan vara en sårbarhetsfaktor för utvecklandet av stressproblematik. För att kunna bidra med kunskap till hur psykologiska interventioner kan utformas kan det vara av värde att undersöka individers upplevelser av självkritik och stress närmare. Syftet med studien var följaktligen att öka kunskapen om självkritik hos individer med stressymtom, vilket undersöktes genom följande frågeställning: Hur upplever vuxna personer med stressymtom självkritik? Fem semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes och analyserades kvalitativt utifrån en generisk analysmetod. Analysen resulterade i fem huvudkategorier, som speglar olika aspekter av upplevelsen av självkritik: Höga inre krav, Negativ bedömning av sig själv, Rädsla för omgivningens reaktioner, Överträdande av egna gränser och Försämrat psykiskt mående. Sammantaget framkom flera olika aspekter av självkritiska tankar och beteenden hos studiedeltagarna, vilket indikerar att självkritik kan vara en viktig faktor att ta hänsyn till vid utvecklandet av interventioner för patienter med stressproblematik. / Stress-related mental illness is a major problem in today's society that causes great social costs and great suffering for those affected. Research indicates that self-criticism can be a vulnerability factor for the development of stress problems. In order to contribute knowledge to how psychological interventions can be designed, it may be of value to examine individuals' experiences of self-criticism and stress more closely. The aim of the study was therefore to increase the knowledge of self-criticism in individuals with stress symptoms, which was investigated through the following question: How do adults with stress symptoms experience self-criticism? Five semi-structured interviews were conducted and qualitatively analyzed based on a generic analysis method. The analysis resulted in five main categories, which reflect different aspects of the experience of self-criticism: High internal demands, Negative assessment of oneself, Fear of the reactions of others, Violation of own boundaries and Deteriorated psychological well-being. To conclude, several different aspects of self-critical thoughts and behaviors emerged among the study participants, which indicates that self-criticism can be an important factor to take into account when developing interventions for patients with stress problems.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged mechanical ventilation for acute medical conditions increases the risk of chronic critical illness (CCI). Close family members are confronted with the life-threatening condition of the CCI patients and are prone to develop posttraumatic stress disorder affecting their health-related quality of life (HRQL). Main aim of the present study was to investigate patient- and family-related risk factors for posttraumatic stress and decreased HRQL in family members of CCI patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional design nested within a prospective longitudinal cohort study, posttraumatic stress symptoms and quality of life were assessed in family members of CCI patients (n = 83, aged between 18 and 72 years) up to 6 months after transfer from ICU at acute care hospital to post-acute rehabilitation. Patients admitted a large rehabilitation hospital for ventilator weaning. The Posttraumatic Stress Scale-10 and the Euro-Quality of life-5D-3L were applied in both patients and their family members via telephone interview. RESULTS: A significant proportion of CCI patients and their family members (14.5 and 15.7 %, respectively) showed clinically relevant scores of posttraumatic stress. Both CCI patients and family members reported poorer HRQL than a normative sample. Factors independently associated with posttraumatic stress in family members were the time following ICU discharge (β = .256, 95 % confidence interval .053-.470) and the patients\' diagnosis of PTSD (β = .264, 95 % confidence interval .045-.453). Perceived satisfaction with the relationship turned out to be a protective factor for posttraumatic stress in family members of CCI patients (β = -.231, 95 % confidence interval -.423 to -.015). Regarding HRQL in family members, patients\' acute posttraumatic stress at ICU (β = -.290, 95 % confidence interval -.360 to -.088) and their own posttraumatic stress 3 to 6 months post-transfer (β = -.622, 95 % confidence interval -.640 to -.358) turned out to be significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Posttraumatic stress and HRQL should be routinely assessed in family members of CCI patients at regular intervals starting early at ICU. Preventive family-centered interventions are needed to improve posttraumatic stress and HRQL in both patients and their family members.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged mechanical ventilation for acute medical conditions increases the risk of chronic critical illness (CCI). Close family members are confronted with the life-threatening condition of the CCI patients and are prone to develop posttraumatic stress disorder affecting their health-related quality of life (HRQL). Main aim of the present study was to investigate patient- and family-related risk factors for posttraumatic stress and decreased HRQL in family members of CCI patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional design nested within a prospective longitudinal cohort study, posttraumatic stress symptoms and quality of life were assessed in family members of CCI patients (n = 83, aged between 18 and 72 years) up to 6 months after transfer from ICU at acute care hospital to post-acute rehabilitation. Patients admitted a large rehabilitation hospital for ventilator weaning. The Posttraumatic Stress Scale-10 and the Euro-Quality of life-5D-3L were applied in both patients and their family members via telephone interview. RESULTS: A significant proportion of CCI patients and their family members (14.5 and 15.7 %, respectively) showed clinically relevant scores of posttraumatic stress. Both CCI patients and family members reported poorer HRQL than a normative sample. Factors independently associated with posttraumatic stress in family members were the time following ICU discharge (β = .256, 95 % confidence interval .053-.470) and the patients\' diagnosis of PTSD (β = .264, 95 % confidence interval .045-.453). Perceived satisfaction with the relationship turned out to be a protective factor for posttraumatic stress in family members of CCI patients (β = -.231, 95 % confidence interval -.423 to -.015). Regarding HRQL in family members, patients\' acute posttraumatic stress at ICU (β = -.290, 95 % confidence interval -.360 to -.088) and their own posttraumatic stress 3 to 6 months post-transfer (β = -.622, 95 % confidence interval -.640 to -.358) turned out to be significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Posttraumatic stress and HRQL should be routinely assessed in family members of CCI patients at regular intervals starting early at ICU. Preventive family-centered interventions are needed to improve posttraumatic stress and HRQL in both patients and their family members.

This diploma work consists of theorethical and practical part. The theorethical part contains general characteristics of difficult life situations as stress, frustration and conflict. There are also mentioned techniques and factors for coping difficult life situations. The practical part contains a research, which deals perception difficult life situations by adolescents. The research was carried out by two questionnaires. At the end of the practical part there is a summary and an evaluation of results.