Coping strategies after involuntary pregnancy loss

Abstract: Involuntary pregnancy loss results in a psychological conflict .Study of factors that influence women and assist them to adapt and face this stressful conflict have been undertaken. Within this paradigm, coping strategies have emerged as major compensatory factors that serve to maintain health or to pinpoint early break

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the different coping strategies used by mothers who had recently pregnancy loss. This study comprised 100 mothers who sustained recent involuntary pregnancy loss as the study group; and 100 mothers who gave birth to a full term baby as a control group. The tool of the study was Arabic version of Modified Jalowiec Coping Scale questionnaire A structured interview schedule was used to elicit the information needed for the study. The results of the study revealed that participants in the study group demonstrated more affective coping than those in the control group [81.9+/-35.2, 71.2% vs. 74.2+/-28.0, 64.5%, respectively, p<0.01]. The most significant patterns were withdrawal [52.2+/-10, 72% vs. 22.3+/-9.6, 63.7%, respectively, p=0.038], fantasy [13.8+/-5.2, 69% vs. 12.7+/-4.7, 63.5%, p=0.01] and fate [22.7+/-8.6, 75.7% vs. 20.3+/-7.7, 67.7%, respectively, p=0.039]. Younger participants demonstrated higher affective-oriented coping than older ones, while older participants showed significantly higher problem-oriented coping [29.5+/-10.4 vs. 25.0+/-8.5, respectively, p=0.025]. As regards timing of pregnancy loss, participants who sustained early pregnancy loss demonstrated higher affective-oriented coping than those who had late pregnancy loss. On the other hand, those who had late pregnancy loss showed significantly higher problem oriented coping [030.0+/-9.9 vs. 24.6+/-8.1, respectively, p=0.003]

Conclusions: Affective-oriented coping strategy intensifies among mothers who sustain pregnancy loss. The most common patterns of affective strategy are withdrawal, fantasy and fate. Problem-oriented coping does not change among mothers with involuntary pregnant loss

Recommendations: Improve the coping mechanisms of mothers who sustained pregnancy loss by providing counseling, support, information, critical analysis, and alternative problem-solving strategies

Effect of individualized stress management counselling versus self expression on the psychological status of student nurses

The educational process for nursing students is conducted in a highly stressful environment. Stress management can be crucial, as it is consider a coping strategy So, this study was conducted to compare the effect of stress management counselling and self expression on psychological status of student nurses. This study used pretest, posttest, and follow up test, design. Stress management and self-expression was implemented in twelve sessions, Each session included one hour. The sample comprised all nursing students referred to counselling clinic in two academic years. Data were analyzed using Mam-Whitney test and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks. The results of the study showed both individualized stress management counselling and self-expression improve psychological status of student nurses, but multidimensional individualized stress management counselling was more effective. Also the results validate the short and long -term effectiveness of stress- management strategies taught in a crises intervention model. The skills and techniques used were effective increase self esteem decrease anxiety and depression

Body image and psycholoical reactions of femininty assault women

The aim of this study was to investigate body image of women who underwent mastectomy and hysterectomy and assess their psychological reactions as a result of the operation. The results revealed that women with general surgery had higher body image scores than those with mastectomy or hysterectomy. Women undergoing mastectomy had significant lower body image score than women with hysterectomy or women with general surgery for the age group 36-45 and 46-55. Married women undergoing mastectomy had significant lower body image score than women with hysterectomy and general surgery. Among psychological reactions, 80% of women after mastectomy felt operations trauma; this percentage decreased to 40% among women with hysterectomy. Grief was experienced by more than half of women with mastectomy, but only 14% of women after hysterectomy felt grief. Among other feelings, sorrow and anxiety were very pronounced

Sleeping patterns of institutionalized elderly person

Institutions often impose strict living regimens on their patients in order to efficiently operate the facility. If the elderly person natural schedule does not coincide with the institutional norms, he may experience disturbance of his natural sleep cycle. The objectives of this study were to survey what elderly persons themselves had to say about their sleeping patterns and to identify the factors which affect elderly sleeping patterns entering the institution. Data were collected from Mohamed Ragab Geriatric Home and Main Alexandria University Hospital. Elderly persons over 60 years of age admitted to the above mentioned institutions for at least one month, constituted the sample of this study. [N=100]. An interview schedule was developed by researchers after through review of literature to assess sleeping patterns of elderly persons and identify factors that affect sleeping pattern. The findings showed that the majority of the sample after admission to the institution, had increase in the time taken to fall asleep, frequent wakening after sleep onset, early wakening at the end of sleep period and they took naps during the day. Furthermore, it is also apparent that physiological, environmental and psychological factors increase an elderly person's susceptibility to sleep disturbances. On the basis of this study, it is recommended that the nurse teach older persons that, changes can be anticipated in sleep pattern as age advances, and that she should help to create a sleep-inducing environment in the institution