PTSD symptoms and partner abuse: low income women at risk.

Aspects of partner abuse (types, severity, chronicity, treatment of injury, fear, etc.) were addressed with low income community women, half of whom scored above the cutoff on the Crime Related PTSD scale. Using this cutoff 47% of women who sustained moderate violence were high in CR-PTSD symptoms. If their partner also raped them, the rate (63%) was similar to women who sustained severe violence (65%) or severe violence and rape (71%). No ethnic differences were found for rates or severity of CR-PTSD symptoms. A MANCOVA by ethnicity (African Americans, Euro-Americans, Mexican Americans) and CR-PTSD symptoms (low vs. high) identified ethnic differences only on total sexual aggression and recent threats of violence. The high symptom group reported more abuse on all measures. Results from the CR-PTSD and the general lack of ethnic differences support the notion that SES contributes more to women's vulnerability to abuse and stress symptoms than does ethnicity.

Effects of men's subtle and overt psychological abuse on low-income women.

A social influence approach to the psychological abuse of women (Marshall, 1994; 1996) was expanded and tested. Distinctions are made between obvious acts (e.g., verbal aggression, controlling behaviors), overt acts which are easily recognized and described, and subtle acts which are least likely to be recognized as psychologically abusive. Men's violence and sexual aggression, and overt (dominating acts, indifference, monitoring, discrediting) and subtle (undermining, discounting, isolating) psychological abuse were examined as they related to women's psychological and emotional state and perceptions of their relationship. Results of regression equations with 834 low-income women in long-term heterosexual relationships are reported. In general, subtle psychological abuse had stronger and more consistent associations with women's state and relationship perceptions than did their partners' overt psychological abuse, violence, or sexual aggression. The importance of extending research beyond obvious acts was underscored by findings showing that subtle psychological abuse accounted for a small but significant proportion of the variance in outcome variables even after the effects of violence and sexual aggression (Step 1) and overt psychological abuse (Step 2) were controlled in eight of the nine regression equations. In contrast, when subtle and overt psychological abuse were entered first (in Steps 1 and 2, respectively), violence and sexual aggression (Step 3) made significant contributions in only two of the nine equations.

Substance user MMPI-2 profiles: predicting failure in completing treatment.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 protocols were examined in an attempt to develop a model able to identify chemically-dependent patients likely not to complete treatment. MMPI-2 profiles of 173 patients (142 male) were analyzed using profile code types and a multiple analysis of variance. A chi-square showed that patients classified as neurotic were more likely to fail treatment. A MANOVA indicated that elevated T-scores on Scales 7 and 8 (p < .05) were related to noncompletion. Comparing these results with similar studies indicates that attempting to construct a predictive model based on a single objective measure may not be sufficient to determine outcome.

Distress and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in abused women.

Emotional distress and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were examined among women in psychologically abusive relationships. Women (N = 93) were divided into three groups (none, moderate, severe) according to scores on the violence subscale of the Severity of Violence Against Women Scales (Marshall, 1992). All groups reported serious emotional distress on the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (Derogatis, 1983) dimensions (e.g. more so than 93% of the nonclinical norm for global distress). Psychoticism was the highest subscale for all groups. Most women (56%) suffered PTSD according to a subscale of the SCL90 (Saunders, Arata, & Kilpatrick, 1990). Difficulties with perception, memory, and motor functions (cognitive failure) more consistently predicted intrusive thoughts. PTSD scores, and attempted suicide than did women's attention to their inner thoughts and feelings (private self-consciousness), which was important for the sample and the subgroup that had sustained severe violence. Limitations and contributions are discussed as are different uses for conservative and inclusive measures of PTSD.

Premarital violence: the impact of family of origin violence, stress, and reciprocity.

Four hundred and fifty-four premarital undergraduates reported their stress and observation and experience of violence in their families of origin. They also reported the violence they have expressed and received in adult love relationships. Among females 53% to 71% of the variance in their expression and receipt of violence was accounted for by their own receipt and expression of violence (respectively) and by their having been abused as a child. This suggests that what they do is closely related to what is done to them. In contrast, among males less than 1% to 10% of the variance in their expression and receipt of violence was accounted for by the same variables. Neither negative stress ratings or the observation of violence were important explanatory variables. Surprisingly, positive stress contributed to males expressing violence.

Chemical radiculitis. A clinical, physiological and immunological study.

Chemical radiculitis is an inflammatory condition of the nerve root due to the rupture of the annulus fibrosus and dissemination of disk fluid along the nerve root sheath. The inflammatory component of disk fluid is glycoprotein. The inflammation is a reaction to repeated injuries of the spinal column, as for example, in occupational lifting of heavy loads. Rupture of the annulus fibrosus and liberation of disk fluid into the tissues also evokes circulating antibody response and auto immune reaction. A high titer to glycoprotein at 3 weeks after an acute attack of back pain is evidence of the presence of a significant disk lesion. In selected cases immediate relief from pain occurs after administration of cortisone or a suitable cortisone-derivative. Prolonged rest may be contraindicated because of the risk of formation of radicular adhesions.

The treatment of back pain by spinal mobilization.

The treatment of the painful back is in a state of chaos. Perhaps with some thought and general cooperation from all interested bodies it may be possible to get some clarification of our ideas. A properly conducted trial of treatment is essential, with the final results as the only true guide to the efficiency of therapy.

The lumbar disc.

Some cases of low back pain and sciatica can be due to chemical radiculitis caused by irritant glycoprotein from the nucleus pulposus in contact with the nerve root. The beneficial effects of active and maintenanc f mobilization of the nerve root.