The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on daily cortisol secretion.

Abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation (APMR) is a much used stress-management technique. Its efficacy relevant to placebo control is already established in the literature and the primary aim of the present study was to ascertain whether its proven impact on psychological stress measures is matched by a decrease in prevailing levels of the stress-associated hormone cortisol, using accurate and robust measurement based on multiple sampling of full diurnal cortisol secretion profiles. First-year university students can face significant stress in adjustment to academic demands and immersion in a novel social network and provided a convenient study population. One hundred and one first-year students completed APMR with prevailing stress levels assessed a week before and after intervention. Both cortisol and self-report measures were significantly reduced post-intervention by 8% and 10%, respectively. The efficacy of the intervention was independent of, and not modulated by neuroticism, gender, age and smoking status. We also demonstrated that cortisol reduction was unlikely to have been a consequence of adaptation to any initial cortisol elevation prompted by the challenge of the demanding saliva collection protocol. We conclude that the efficacy of APMR in this population extends to reduction in biologically expressed stress levels as well as levels based solely on self-report.

Neuroticism and cortisol: pinning down an expected effect.

BACKGROUND: There are strong theoretical arguments that those high on Neuroticism (N) should normally exhibit higher prevailing levels of the stress-linked hormone cortisol (C), but findings are inconsistent, probably reflecting methodological weaknesses especially in taking account of C's diurnal cycle. METHODS: High and low N students [Total N=118; mean age=20.99years] were recruited and their salivary cortisol measured, ensuring that saliva samples were numerically adequate to assess C's diurnal cycle over two days with objective verification of sample timing. RESULTS: Cortisol secretion was approximately 20% higher in High N than low N participants in the period of 12h after awakening (p<.008), but no differences in secretion were evident during the first 0.75 of this period, when typically the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) rapidly takes cortisol to its daily peak. N effects were thus confined to the 0.75h-12h period (p<.007). Males had approximately 25% higher cortisol secretion levels than females, also confined to the 0.75h-12h period (p<.003). No significant differences between N groups were evident for dynamic measures of cortisol change, viz. the magnitude of CAR rise and subsequent diurnal fall. All effects were controlled for cohort date of study entry, age, smoking status, study day and time of awakening. DISCUSSION: With careful control, it appears that an important theoretically predicted effect exists, and is replicated in different student intake cohorts recruited in different years. Most importantly, findings support several lines of evidence that the period of massive rise in the brief 0-0.75h CAR period should be seen as quite separate from the rest of the diurnal cycle, underpinned by different control mechanisms, and with potentially different correlates.

Identification of degrees of anxiety in children with three- and five-face facial scales / Identificación de grados de ansiedad en niños con escalas faciales de tres y cinco caras

Background: Facial scales are used in the assessment of emotional states. The scales present different numbers of faces to measure the varying levels f intensity of children’s emotional responses. This paper seeks to analyze the whether the subjects are able to match the appropriate descriptors of a degree of anxiety with the corresponding facial image. Method: A sample of 463 children aged 6 to 12 years was taken from the Autonomous Communities of Murcia and the Balearics. Results: Significant differences were obtained among the six-year-olds, M = 2.58 (SD = 0. 85), in the three face scale and M = 2.98 (SD = 1.52) in the five-face scale. From 7 years on, there were no significant differences in the number of correct responses between the two scales. In general, girls scored higher than boys on both the three-face scale (M = 2.89, SD = 0.50 vs. M = 2.75, SD = 0.70) and the five face scale (M = 4.08, SD = 1.41 vs. M = 3.76, SD = 1.56). Conclusion: The three-face scale is more appropriate for the correct matching of descriptors to different degrees of anxiety for children aged 6 to 12 years, whereas the five-face scale is more suited to children over 6 years (AU)

Antecedentes: las escalas faciales son utilizadas para la evaluación de los estados emocionales. Estas escalas presentan un número diferente de caras para medir diferentes niveles de intensidad de la respuesta emocional infantil. El propósito del presente estudio es conocer si los participantes son capaces de hacer coincidir los descriptores vinculados al grado de ansiedad con su correspondiente imagen facial. Método: se reclutó una muestra de 463 niños y niñas de 6 a 12 años de edad procedentes de las comunidades de Murcia e Islas Baleares. Resultados: se obtuvieron diferencias significativas en los participantes de seis años con M= 2.58 (DT= .85) en la escala de tres caras y M= 2.98 (DT= 1.52) en la escala de cinco caras. A partir de los siete años no hay diferencias significativas en los aciertos si utilizan la escala de tres o la de cinco caras.En general, las niñas tienen un mayor acierto que los niños en la escala de tres caras (M= 2.89, DT= .50 y M= 2.75, DT= .70) y en la de cinco (M= 4.08, DT= 1.41 y M= .76, DT= 1.56). Conclusiones: la escala de tres caras es más apropiada para discriminar correctamente descriptores vinculados a diferentes grados de ansiedad por niños de 6 a 12 años, mientras que la escala de cinco caras para niños mayores de seis años (AU)

Identification of degrees of anxiety in children with three- and five-face facial scales.

BACKGROUND: Facial scales are used in the assessment of emotional states. The scales present different numbers of faces to measure the varying levels of intensity of children's emotional responses. This paper seeks to analyze the whether the subjects are able to match the appropriate descriptors of a degree of anxiety with the corresponding facial image. METHOD: A sample of 463 children aged 6 to 12 years was taken from the Autonomous Communities of Murcia and the Balearics. RESULTS: Significant differences were obtained among the six-year-olds, M = 2.58 ( SD = 0. 85), in the three-face scale and M = 2.98 ( SD = 1.52) in the five-face scale. From 7 years on, there were no significant differences in the number of correct responses between the two scales. In general, girls scored higher than boys on both the three-face scale ( M = 2.89, SD = 0.50 vs. M = 2.75, SD = 0.70) and the five-face scale ( M = 4.08, SD = 1.41 vs. M = 3.76, SD = 1.56). CONCLUSION: The three-face scale is more appropriate for the correct matching of descriptors to different degrees of anxiety for children aged 6 to 12 years, whereas the five-face scale is more suited to children over 6 years.

[The effect of "hospital clowns" on distress and maladaptive behaviours of children who are undergoing minor surgery]. / El efecto de los <> en el malestar psicológico y las conductas desadaptativas de niños y niñas sometidos a cirugía menor.

The presence of clowns in health care settings is a program used in many countries to reduce distress in children who are undergoing surgery. The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of the presence of clowns on children's distress and maladaptive behaviours while in hospital for minor surgery. The sample consisted of 61 pediatric patients (aged 3-12 years) undergoing general anesthesia for minor surgery. Participants were assigned to two groups: experimental and control group. The child's distress was assessed using FAS (Facial Affective Scale). Postoperative maladaptive behaviors were evaluated one week after surgery, using the PHBQ (Post-Hospital Behavior Questionnaire). Our results suggest that clowns are not able to reduce the child's level of distress. However, postoperative maladaptive behaviours in the experimental group decreased, but the decrease was not statistically significant. Further research is needed to determine the effects of clowns in hospitals, taking into account age, sex, parents' presence, and diverse hospital settings.

El efecto de los «payasos de hospital» en el malestar psicológico y las conductas desadaptativas de niños y niñas sometidos a cirugía menor / The effect of «hospital clowns» on distress and maladaptive behaviours of children who are undergoing minor surgery

La intervención de los payasos en el ámbito hospitalario es un programa para disminuir el malestar psicológico que conlleva la hospitalización infantil que se ha ido implantando en España y en otros países. El objetivo del estudio es evaluar el efecto de la intervención de los payasos de hospital sobre el malestar psicológico y las conductas desadaptativas de los niños y niñas que van a ser operados. La muestra la componen 61 niños y niñas de 3 a 12 años, sometidos a intervenciones programadas de cirugía menor, y que fueron asignados al grupo experimental y control. El malestar psicológico del niño/a se evaluó utilizando la escala FAS (Facial Affective Scale). Los comportamientos desadaptativos producidos después de la cirugía se registraron utilizando el PHBQ (Post Hospital Behavior Questionnaire). Nuestros resultados indican que los payasos de hospital no fueron eficaces para reducir el nivel de malestar psicológico. Las conductas desadaptativas de los niños y niñas en el grupo experimental disminuyeron después de la operación, aunque no alcanzaron la significación. Es necesario realizar más estudios que determinen los efectos de los payasos de hospital, teniendo en cuenta la edad, el sexo, la presencia de los padres y los diferentes contextos de hospitalización (AU)

The presence of clowns in health care settings is a program used in many countries to reduce distress in children who are undergoing surgery. The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of the presence of clowns on children’s distress and maladaptive behaviours while in hospital for minor surgery. The sample consisted of 61 pediatric patients (aged 3-12 years) undergoing general anesthesia for minor surgery. Participants were assigned to two groups: experimental and control group. The child’s distress was assessed using FAS (Facial Affective Scale). Postoperative maladaptive behaviors were evaluated one week after surgery, using the PHBQ (Post-Hospital Behavior Questionnaire). Our results suggest that clowns are not able to reduce the child’s level of distress. However, postoperative maladaptive behaviours in the experimental group decreased, but the decrease was not statistically significant. Further research is needed to determine the effects of clowns in hospitals, taking into account age, sex, parents’ presence, and diverse hospital settings (AU)