Psychosocial problems in epilepsy patients in sub-urban Hyderabad

Background: Epilepsy is a common disorder with co-morbidities. It affects physical, emotional, psychological, social, financial and cognitive functioning of the patients. Identification and management of psychosocial problems are important in holistic treatment of epilepsy. There is paucity of literature in psychosocial functioning in epilepsy. Aim: To find out the occurrence of psychosocial problems in patients with epilepsy. Materials and methods: One hundred consecutive patients attending the OPD of Internal Medicine were evaluated with a questionnaire subserving seven domains of psychosocial functioning with inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: The occurrence of depression, emotional instability, inter personal relationship and vocational difficulties were higher in patients with epilepsy. Conclusion: Psychosocial co-morbidities are higher in patients with epilepsy and are likely to be missed unless carefully evaluated.

Eficacia académica percibida, crianza, uso de internet y comportamiento en la adolescencia / Achievement perceived, parenting, internet use and adolescent behavior

Resumen El uso intensivo de internet puede contribuir a desarrollar disfunciones psicosociales graves en la adolescencia. El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar las relaciones de la percepción de eficacia académica con el uso de internet para ocio, los estilos de crianza y los problemas exteriorizados e interiorizados en la adolescencia (agresividad proactiva, reactiva, física y verbal, afiliación a pares rebeldes e inestabilidad emocional). Han participado 762 adolescentes de 12 a 17 años (M = 13.69; DT = 1.40; varones 52.8%). Utilizan internet en tiempo de ocio entre cero y 98 horas semanales, de ahí que la población se haya distribuido en cuartiles. Las variables se han obtenido a través de pruebas estandarizadas. Los análisis estadísticos se basan en metodología descriptiva y predictiva. Los resultados han permitido obtener tres conclusiones. Primera, el número de horas de internet para fines recreativos se relaciona con una peor eficacia académica percibida. Segunda, los adolescentes que usan Internet intensamente perciben más permisividad de los padres y menos apoyo y comunicación por parte de los padres. Estos adolescentes presentan más riesgo de conectarse con pares rebeldes y tienen índices más altos de inestabilidad emocional y agresividad (reactiva, proactiva, física y verbal). Tercera, la paternidad más punitiva, la agresividad y la afiliación a pares rebeldes aumentan el uso intensivo de Internet. Esta investigación corrobora la necesidad de una formación adecuada, dirigida a fomentar el apoyo y la comunicación paterno-filial para educar el uso racional y responsable de internet de ambos, padres y adolescentes.

Abstract The intensive use of the Internet can contribute to the development of serious psychosocial dysfunctions in adolescents. The purpose of this research is to analyze the relationships between achievement perceived with the leisure use of the internet, parenting, and externalized and internalized problems during adolescence (aggressiveness reactive, proactive, physical and verbal, affiliation with deviant peers and emotional instability). The sample is made of 762 adolescents from 12 to 17 years old (M = 13.69, SD = 1.40), with 52.8% of males and 47.2% of females. The use of internet in leisure time is between 0-98 hours per week. Hence the population has been distributed in quartiles. The variables have been obtained through standardized tests. Statistical analyzes are descriptive and predictive methodology. The analyses carried out have allowed us to obtain three conclusions. First, the number of hours of internet for recreational purposes is related to worse achievement perceived of the adolescent. Second, it has been found that adolescents who use Internet intensively greater perceived permissiveness of the parents and a lower support and communication with them. These adolescents present an increased risk of joining deviant peers and have higher rates of emotional instability and aggressiveness (reactive, proactive, and physical and verbal). Third, more punitive parenting, aggressiveness and affiliation with deviant peers boost the intensive use of the internet. This empirical research corroborates the need for adequate training aimed at fostering parental-child support and communication to educate the rational and responsible use of the Internet by both parents and adolescents.

Factors Related to Emotional Instability in Spouses of Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Chemotherapy

Objective: To clarify factors related to emotional instability in spouses of cancer patients receiving palliative chemotherapy. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with spouses of cancer patients receiving palliative chemotherapy, and the obtained data were qualitatively and inductively analyzed. Results: Through analysis, 9 related factors were identified: “realizing the severity of the situation when receiving an explanation of the pathological condition”, “an unclear prognosis”, “fear of losing any treatments”, “being pressed for treatment-related decision-making”, “increased daily burdens by the care”, “collapse the visions of the family future”, “communication with medical professionals”,“candid dialogues with the patient”, and “relationships with others”. Conclusion: It may be important for nurses to help families of cancer patients realistically manage their situation without excessive confusion, even when they experience emotional instability, and spend meaningful time with patients as an outcome of treatment, with an understanding of these related factors on such emotional instability.

Escala de instabilidade emocional para a segurança pública / Scale to measure emotional instability for public safety / Escala de inestabilidad emocional para la seguridad pública

O presente trabalho expõe a construção e apresentação de evidências de validade de um instrumento de medida de instabilidade emocional para uso na área da segurança pública. Para tal, foram realizados dois estudos com amostras de profissionais de segurança pública do estado do Rio de Janeiro. O primeiro estudo apresentou evidências de validade baseadas no conteúdo. No segundo, a análise da estrutura interna apontou a existência de um fator e de quatro facetas denominados, respectivamente, instabilidade emocional, depressão, ansiedade, controle emocional e irritabilidade. A análise da consistência, por meio do alfa de Cronbach, evidenciou bons índices de precisão. A avaliação de convergência, realizada com o teste EFN, possibilitou observar correlações fortes entre os fatores gerais de ambas as escalas. Tais dados apontam evidências de validade para a nova medida e abrem caminho para novas pesquisas que tenham como foco a interface da psicologia com a segurança pública...

This work presents the construction and conveyance of validity evidence of an emotional instability measurement instrument to be used in the public safety sector. For this purpose, two studies were performed with subjected public safety professionals of the State of Rio de Janeiro. The first study presented valid evidence based on content. In the second study, the analysis of the internal structure appointed the existence of one factor and four facets, respectively named emotional instability, depression, anxiety, emotional control and irritability. The consistency analysis, using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, has shown evidence of good accuracy rates. The convergence evaluation, performed with the EFN (Factorial Neuroticism Scale), has allowed observation of strong correlations between the general factors of both scales. Such information provides valid evidence for the new scale, and opens new research paths which focus on psychological interface with public safety...

Esta investigación expone la construcción y la presentación de evidencias de validez de un instrumento de medida de inestabilidad emocional para utilización en el área de la seguridad pública. Para ello fueron realizados dos estudios con muestras de profesionales de seguridad pública de Río de Janeiro-Brasil. El primer estudio presentó evidencias de validez basadas en el contenido. En el segundo, el análisis de la estructura interna apuntó la existencia de un factor y de cuatro facetas denominadas respectivamente inestabilidad emocional, depresión, ansiedad, control emocional e irritabilidad. El análisis de la consistencia, por medio del alfa de Cronbach, evidenció buenos índices de precisión. La evaluación de convergencia, realizada con la prueba EFN, permitió observar fuertes correlaciones entre los factores generales de ambas escalas. Estos datos muestran evidencias de validez para la nueva medida y abren el camino hacia nuevas investigaciones que tengan como tema la interfaz de la psicología con la seguridad pública...

Characteristics of the Attachment in Patients with Somatoform Disorder / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship betseen attachment style and somatization in patients with somatoform disorder. METHODS: Data was collected by self-report questionnaires. 134 normal subjects and 30 patients with somatoform disorder were enrolled in this study. All subjects completed a psychometric assessment that consisted the Revised Adults Attachment Scale (RAAS), Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), Sungshin Self-concept Inventory (SSCI), and SCL-90-R. RESULTS: 1) Somatoform patients showed more anxious attachment style than normal control. 2) Anxious attachments were combined with mistrust of their parents, emotional instability, and interpersonal mistrust which may play a significant portion of variance in somatization. CONCLUSION: We found that patients with somatoform disorder had more anxious attachment style than normal subjects. Insecure attachment patterns may significantly explain the phenomenon of somatization.