ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study explored the relationship of illness perception with different aspects of cardiac anxiety, general anxiety and depression in a sample of male and female overweight and obese patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). STUDY DESIGN: The clinical sample included 165 adults (113 males) aged from 32 to 89 years. The patients were admitted to the Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation for a major cardiovascular event, acute myocardial infarction or myocardial revascularization. MEASUREMENTS: Psychological measurement included questionnaires of illness perception, cardiac anxiety, general anxiety and depression. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Illness perception and cardiac anxiety in patients with CVD were associated with anxiety and depression. Regression analysis showed that illness perception accounts for a significant proportion of the variance in both anxiety and depression for males, but not for females. Gender-specific interrelations between perceptions of CVD and indices of mental health have an implication for interventions to maximize the effect of therapy with these patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, Descriptive study.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/psychology , Attitude to Health , Cardiovascular Diseases/psychology , Depression/psychology , Obesity/psychology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Aortic Valve Stenosis/complications , Aortic Valve Stenosis/psychology , Attention , Body Mass Index , Cardiovascular Diseases/complications , Chronic Disease , Croatia , Female , Heart Failure/complications , Heart Failure/psychology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Myocardial Infarction/complications , Myocardial Infarction/psychology , Myocardial Ischemia/complications , Myocardial Ischemia/psychology , Obesity/complications , Overweight/complications , Overweight/psychology , Perception , Sense of Coherence , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
This study examines the interrelations of three different aspects of the subjective age: felt, desired and expected, as well as their relations with the chronological age (CA), health, and psychological well-being variables. Four hundred and twenty-three community-dwelling Croatian adults, aged 60-95 years, participated in the study. All three subjective age measures significantly correlated with the CA. Self-rated health were better predictors of the subjective age compared to the psychological variables. Among psychological variables, successful aging was the only significant predictor of the felt and expected age, while optimism showed to be the only significant predictor of the desired age. Results indicate the importance of some sociodemographic, psychological, and health variables for understanding older persons' subjective age identity and their desires and expectations regarding length of life. Besides the CA, it is very useful to include subjective age measures in research with elderly people.
Subject(s)
Aging/psychology , Quality of Life/psychology , Self Concept , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Croatia , Emotions , Female , Geriatric Assessment , Health Status , Humans , Independent Living , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The present study investigates the association between depression, anxiety and binge eating at baseline with weight-change after an approximately 1-year period in a clinical sample of obese adult males with cardiovascular disease. METHODS: At the time of the first measurement, the sample consisted of 69 overweight and obese men (age range between 36 and 74); 34 patients attended a follow-up measurement 6-17 months after the first measurement, and completed selected psychological instruments. RESULTS: After the follow-up period, only 28.7% patients' lost weight, 29.9% patients' had the same weight, and finally 41.4% patients' gained weight. When comparing the first and the second assessments, the level of anxiety and depression is relatively stable. Men, who, at the time of the second assessment, gained weight, and were binge eating at baseline, were more depressed and anxious in comparison with the other two groups of patients. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to focus primarily on binge eating symptoms as a part of weight reduction treatment as well as to treat anxiety and depression in CVD patients. Binge eating is an eating disorder per se, and therefore it is important to treat it before the person starts weight reduction procedures as part of the risk prevention treatment for CVD patients.
Subject(s)
Binge-Eating Disorder/psychology , Cardiovascular Diseases/psychology , Obesity/psychology , Adult , Aged , Anxiety/psychology , Depression/psychology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Regression Analysis , Surveys and Questionnaires , Weight LossABSTRACT
Self-reported and measured weight and height of 234 Croatian girls in Grades 5, 8, and 11 were used to explore the validity of these measures for calculating Body Mass Index. For both weight and height, the correlations between self-reported and measured values were over .93. Overweight girls underreported their weight and overreported their height.
Subject(s)
Body Height , Body Weight , Psychology, Adolescent , Self Disclosure , Adolescent , Adult , Body Mass Index , Child , Croatia , Deception , Female , Humans , Overweight , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
320 Croatian female students (M=20.4 yr.) were recruited to examine the validity and reliability of figural scales using different numbers of stimuli (3, 5, 7, and 9) and different serial presentation (serial and nonserial order). A two-way analysis of variance (4 numbers x 2 orders of stimuli) was performed on ratings of current self-size and ideal size as dependent variables. Analysis indicated a significant main effect of number of stimuli. This, together with post hoc tests indicated that ratings were significantly different for a scale of three figures from scales of more figures, which in turn did not differ among themselves. Main effects of order of stimuli, as well as the interaction, were not significant. The results support the hypothesis that the optimal number of figures on a scale is seven plus (or minus) two.
Subject(s)
Body Image , Body Size , Personality Assessment , Adolescent , Adult , Body Mass Index , Female , Humans , Personal Satisfaction , Personality Inventory/statistics & numerical data , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , Size Perception , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
This study examined the differences in current and ideal body size among 108 Japanese and 129 Croatian preschool children (M=4.9 yr.). Boys and girls in both samples showed similarities by selecting the figure representing their current body size. Significant sex differences were found in selection of an ideal figure in the Japanese sample but not in the Croatian group. Japanese girls showed greater preference for a thinner figure than boys. In selection of an ideal body size significant cultural differences were found only for boys: Japanese boys preferred thinner figures. Results relating to body discrepancy (Current minus Ideal figures) indicated that there were fewer satisfied Japanese girls than Croatian girls whereas for the boys, a significantly larger number of Japanese than Croatian boys wished to be heavier.
Subject(s)
Body Image , Culture , Somatoform Disorders/ethnology , Body Constitution , Child, Preschool , Croatia , Female , Humans , Japan , Male , Somatoform Disorders/diagnosis , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
288 Croatian school children, ages 7 to 10 years rated their current and ideal body sizes on Collins' figures and chose the favorite figure for their same- and opposite-sex friends. Girls aged 10 preferred their female friends' figure to be more similar to their own, while boys preferred a friend's to be larger. These findings support cultural ideal of thinness for girls and strength for boys.
