ABSTRACT
One hundred and one participants received In Control: A Home Video Freedom from Smoking Program. Of 53 completing self-treatment, 31 were verified by CO testing as abstinent one month after completion. Twenty-one per cent of the sample (40 per cent of those completing treatment) had not smoked in the past three months prior to 12 month follow-up and 16 per cent of the total sample (30 per cent of those completing treatment) had not smoked at all in the past 11 months.
Subject(s)
Smoking Prevention , Videotape Recording , Adult , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , United States , Voluntary Health AgenciesABSTRACT
As part of a large survey of addictive behavior in high school students, 43% of a sample of 278 (26% of the males, 57% of the females) scored above the cutoff point set by Overeaters Anonymous on their scale for assessing compulsive overeating. While this at-risk group did not report poorer general adjustment, health, or school achievement than did the students not at risk, they did significantly more often perceive their life quality and relationship with the person closest to them as less positive. The at-risk subsample indicated the defensive effectiveness of overeating in their significantly more frequent report of dissociative experiences while eating, and less severe ratings of insecurity, worrying, and daydreaming. One of the most salient findings was the at-risk students' more frequent report of addictive problems in their parents (overeating, alcohol and drug use, and gambling).
Subject(s)
Compulsive Behavior/psychology , Feeding Behavior , Adolescent , Age Factors , Female , Humans , Male , Parents/psychology , Quality of Life , Risk Factors , Self Concept , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
As part of a large survey of addictive behavior in high school students, a group of 43 girls and 34 boys was identified who denied any use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. These apparently invulnerable adolescents were compared to the rest of the "user" sample on the remaining items of the questionnaire. The invulnerable students reported generally better physical and mental health and academic achievement. They also indicated a significantly lower rate of similar problems in their parents.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior , Alcohol Drinking , Illicit Drugs , Smoking , Achievement , Adolescent , Female , Health , Humans , Male , Mental Health , Parents/psychologyABSTRACT
The Expressed Emotion Index (EE) has been used with a high degree of success in predicting relapse of psychiatric patients in Great Britain. The present study examined the usefulness of EE as a predictor of weight loss maintenance in women in the United States. In a sample of 28, with a relapse rate of 50 per cent, EE correctly predicted maintenance for 78.5 per cent of the cases. A more economical, paper-and-pencil test of marital relationship (Relationship Style Inventory) correlated significantly with EE (r = 0.64) but did not successfully predict weight maintenance (r = 0.29).
Subject(s)
Emotions , Family , Obesity/psychology , Adult , Body Weight , Defense Mechanisms , Female , Humans , Male , Marriage , Middle Aged , Obesity/therapyABSTRACT
A sample of 47 formerly overweight persons was tracked by mailed questionnaire for one year. They had been 32.7 percent mean overweight; 60 percent lost weight independently and 40 percent with para-professional groups. Ninety-four percent remained below the criterion of 15 percent overweight; 58 percent succeeding in limiting regain to less than 20 percent of the amount lost. Total score on eight questionnaire items correctly predicted 95 percent of the relapses and 79 percent of those maintaining (83 percent overall correct). Statistical estimates indicated that these percentages were reliable. Two of the eight items with special relevance for intervention showed the maintainers more likely to exercise several times per week and less likely to eat for emotional reasons.
Subject(s)
Body Weight , Goals , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Self-Help GroupsABSTRACT
Endogenous opiates have been implicated in pain and stress experiences. In order to directly assess the relationship between endorphin activity and acute behavioral distress, beta-endorphin immunoreactivity (beta-EPI) was measured by radioimmunoassay in cerebrospinal fluid of 75 children with acute leukemia undergoing routine lumbar puncture. These data were related to four measures of behavioral distress collected during the procedure. For children 4 years of age and above, beta-EPI correlated inversely with age (r = -.31,p less than or equal to .05). All behavioral measures also inversely correlated with age (r = -.26 to -.67,p less than or equal to .05 to .001). Females had a significantly lower mean beta-EPI than males (p less than or equal to .01), and exhibited greater behavioral distress. beta-EPI and behavioral measures interacted with the use of specific antileukemia agents. L-Asparaginase was associated with lower beta-EPI (p less than or equal to .05), while prednisone was associated with lower behavioral distress on three of the four measures (p less than or equal to .05 to .01). After controlling for age, sex, and chemotherapy, beta-EPI and nurse ratings of anxiety were positively correlated (partial correlation coefficient = .31, p less than or equal to .05). Correlations between beta-EPI and other behavioral measures demonstrated positive trends. Results of this study are interpreted as support for the reactive nature of beta-EPI in cerebrospinal fluid to acute distress, and may help explain documented sex differences in distress behavior. Potential clinical implications and directions for further research are discussed.
