Using health and safety monitoring routines to enhance sustainable employability.

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, the field of health and employment has mainly focused on preventing unhealthy work practices. Nowadays, there is increasing interest in also promoting a positive work environment. It is relevant to investigate how organizations can integrate both approaches into their work practices. We posit this could promote the sustainable employability of employees. OBJECTIVE: We explored whether a tool that monitors health and safety risks can also be used to create a positive work environment. METHODS: Almost 600 employees completed the Dutch version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). We used regression analyses to investigate the associations between dimensions of work and employees' outcome (stress and sustainable employability). We also validated the Dutch version of this questionnaire by adding Sustainable employability and Vigor. RESULTS: A theory-based selection of dimensions explained 32%of the variance in Sustainable employability, whereas a set of established predictors explained 16%in Stress. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated a good fit of the COPSOQ to the hypothesized model. Reliabilities of the dimensions were satisfactory to good. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that organizations can use COPSOQ both as a tool to monitor risk, as well as a means of promoting positive work practices.

Application of a worry reduction intervention in a medically unexplained symptoms-analogue student-sample.

OBJECTIVE: Worry is an important perpetuating factor of Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS). Former research has shown that a worry postponement instruction is effective in reducing Subjective Health Complaints (SHC) in non-clinical samples. This study aimed to (1) replicate these findings in a MUS-analogue student-sample and (2) assess alexithymia as a moderator. DESIGN: The current study had an experimental design with two waves of data collection: pre- and post-intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A MUS-analogue student-sample consisting of 114 undergraduate students with high self-reported health worry and a minimum of two doctor visits in the previous year with no current diagnosis for a (chronic or acute) disease were instructed to register their worry frequency and duration eight times per day via an experience sampling-application on their smartphones. The intervention group additionally postponed their worries to a 30-minute period in the evening. SHC were assessed pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: The intervention did not have an effect on worry or SHC. Alexithymia did not moderate this effect (p's > .05). CONCLUSION: Our study did not find evidence for the effectiveness of the worry reduction intervention on SHC in a MUS-analogue student-sample. This finding contributes to several previous studies that have found mixed evidence for the effectiveness of the worry reduction intervention on SHC and suggests that the worry intervention may not be effective in all cases.

Vantage perspective in analogue trauma memories: an experimental study.

Vantage perspective during recall is thought to affect the emotionality and accessibility of distressing memories. This study aimed to test the effects of vantage perspective during recall on memory associated distress and intrusion development. An adapted version of the trauma film paradigm was used in an experimental design with three conditions. Participants were asked to listen to eyewitness reports of car accidents (e.g. Trauma Analogue Induction) and imagine the scenes vividly using mental imagery. Afterwards, they were asked to recall the most distressing scene from field perspective, observer perspective, or to recall a neutral image from observer perspective (control condition) (e.g. Trauma Analogue Recall). Recall from field perspective resulted in higher negative mood, state-anxiety, and a higher number of short-term intrusions compared to the observer perspective condition and control condition. Negative mood and state-anxiety were mediators in the relationship between vantage perspective and intrusions. In comparison to observer perspective, field perspective increased the amount of short-term intrusions as a result of higher levels of negative mood and state-anxiety after memory retrieval. Future research on the interaction between vantage perspective at recall and negative mood and anxiety effects is warranted.

Examining temporal alterations in Social Anxiety Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The relation between autobiographical memory, future goals, and current self-views.

The self is a multi-faceted and temporally dynamic construct reflecting representations and beliefs about identity in the past, present, and future. Clinical studies have shown that individuals with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) exhibit alterations in self-related processing but these studies have focused primarily on memory. Few studies in PTSD and SAD have examined self-related processing for the present and future, and no studies have directly compared these processes across these two disorders. Individuals diagnosed with PTSD (n=21), SAD (n=21), and healthy controls (n=21) completed cognitive tasks related to the past, present, and future. Disorder congruent temporal alterations were found across both disorders. Further, regression analyses revealed that trauma-related memories were significantly predicted by future goals related to the trauma, whereas social anxiety-related recall was predicted by current socially anxious self-views. Thus, although self-related processing may be common in PTSD and SAD, those aspects of the self most strongly associated with disorder-congruent recall differ by disorder. Self-alterations may be modifiable and developing a better understanding of past, present, and future self-processing might aid in the development of interventions that target these process.

Vantage perspective during encoding: The effects on phenomenological memory characteristics.

The vantage perspective from which a memory is retrieved influences the memory's emotional impact, intrusiveness, and phenomenological characteristics. This study tested whether similar effects are observed when participants were instructed to imagine the events from a specific perspective. Fifty student participants listened to a verbal report of car-accidents and visualized the scenery from either a field or observer perspective. There were no between-condition differences in emotionality of memories and the number of intrusions, but imagery experienced from a relative observer perspective was rated as less self-relevant. In contrast to earlier studies on memory retrieval, vantage perspective influenced phenomenological memory characteristics of the memory representation such as sensory details, and ratings of vividness and distancing of the memory. However, vantage perspective is most likely not a stable phenomenological characteristic itself. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Type D personality is associated with health behaviors and perceived social support in individuals with coronary heart disease.

This study investigated the role of Type D personality in health behaviors and perceived social support in individuals with coronary heart disease. Different from other related studies, this study assessed a broader range of health behaviors in an eastern population while controlling for anxiety and depression. In all, 386 Indonesian individuals with coronary heart disease completed the measures assessing Type D, perceived social support, depression, anxiety, and health behaviors. Compared with non-Type D, Type D individuals reported more unhealthy behaviors, less healthy behaviors, and perceived less social support. For those identified as Type D, tailored interventions might be considered.

Spirituality and Negative Emotions in Individuals With Coronary Heart Disease.

Many individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) experience disease-related anxiety, depressive symptoms, and anger. Spirituality may be helpful to cope with these negative emotions. Research findings on the role of spirituality in dealing with negative emotions are inconsistent. In this study, we examined the associations between 7 dimensions of spirituality (ie, meaningfulness, trust, acceptance, caring for others, connectedness with nature, transcendent experiences, and spiritual activities) and negative emotions among individuals with CHD in Indonesia, controlling for perceived social support as well as demographic and clinical characteristics. In total, 293 individuals with CHD were recruited from the 3 largest hospitals in Bandung, Indonesia. They completed the Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Trait Anxiety Scale of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Multidimensional Anger Inventory, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that a higher overall level of spirituality was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms, less anxiety, and less anger. Specifically, a higher level of trust was significantly associated with both less depressive symptoms and less anxiety. Higher levels of caring for others and spiritual activities were associated with less anxiety, and a higher level of connectedness with nature was associated with less anger. These findings underscore the importance of specific dimensions of spirituality as a potentially independent buffer against negative emotions in individuals with CHD.

Attentional bias and anxiety in individuals with coronary heart disease.

This study examined whether in an emotional Stroop task, individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) would show greater attention towards the threatening words related to their disease than healthy persons, and if such an attentional bias is associated with anxiety. An emotional Stroop task with threatening words related to CHD as well as positive, negative and neutral words was administered to 35 individuals with CHD and 35 healthy controls. Additionally, the original Stroop task, the Beck anxiety inventory and the state-trait anxiety inventory were administered. The results indicated an attentional bias towards threatening words related to CHD in the individuals with CHD. They experienced higher interference than healthy participants from threatening words related to CHD but not from positive or negative words. Moreover, the level of interference was associated with their level of anxiety, and a vicious circle may exist in this association. In addition, results indicated a possible deficit of executive functioning among individuals with CHD. Attentional bias, as well as its association with anxiety, and an indication of deficit in executive functioning among individuals with CHD might be the risk factors for these individuals' quality of life and for further development of their disease.

Analogue trauma results in enhanced encoding of threat information at the expense of neutral information.

This study investigated whether trauma-related stimuli are preferentially processed at the expense of ongoing processing of neutral stimuli. Participants in the experimental group viewed negative pictures (Trauma) as an analogue trauma induction. Participants in the control group viewed visually similar neutral pictures (Neutral Match). In a Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) task participants identified two target pictures. The first target (T1) was a neutral picture, whereas the second target (T2) was a familiar negative or neutral picture or a new neutral or negative picture. In line with hypotheses, only participants in the experimental group showed preferential processing of Trauma pictures. In the experimental group, negative T2 impaired the identification of (neutral) T1 if the T2 immediately followed the T1 in the RSVP stream. The results are consistent with a processing priority of trauma-related information, apparently at the expense of the ongoing processing of neutral information.

Motion effects on intrusion development.

Analogue studies on intrusion development have found that visuospatial tasks performed during the encoding of aversive information reduce subsequent intrusion development. However, these studies cannot rule out a physical explanation in terms of simple movement. In the current study we addressed this issue. Healthy participants viewed an aversive film while performing a visuospatial movement task, a configurational movement task, or no task. Intrusive images from the film were reported in a diary during the week following film viewing. In line with an information-processing account of posttraumatic stress disorder, intrusion frequency was significantly reduced by the visuospatial movement task but not the configurational movement task compared to no task. This finding supports the role of visuospatial processing specifically in intrusion development.

"I see what you're saying": intrusive images from listening to a traumatic verbal report.

We tested the hypothesis that intrusive visual images could develop from listening to a traumatic verbal report. Eighty-six participants listened to a traumatic verbal report under one of three conditions: while shaping plasticine (visuospatial condition), while performing articulatory suppression (verbal condition), or with no extra task (control condition). Results showed that intrusive visual images developed from listening to the traumatic report. In line with the idea that central executive processes guide encoding of information, intrusion frequency was reduced in both the visuospatial and the verbal condition compared to the no task control condition. Overall, this pattern is similar to intrusive images from a traumatic film as found in earlier studies. This study provides a valuable addition to models of posttraumatic stress disorder and autobiographical memory. Additionally, the results have potential implications for therapists working with traumatized individuals.

Count out your intrusions: effects of verbal encoding on intrusive memories.

Peri-traumatic information processing is thought to affect the development of intrusive trauma memories. This study aimed to replicate and improve the study by Holmes, Brewin, and Hennessy (2004, Exp. 3) on the role of peri-traumatic verbal processing in analogue traumatic intrusion development. Participants viewed an aversive film under one of three conditions: counting backwards in 3s ("verbal interference"), verbalising emotions and thoughts ("verbal enhancement"), or without an extra task. A dual-process account of PTSD would predict that verbal interference would increase intrusion frequency compared to no task, whereas verbal enhancement would lead to a decrease. In contrast, mainstream memory theory predicts a decrease in intrusion frequency from any concurrent task that diverts attention away from the trauma film. The main finding was that the verbal interference task led to a decrease in intrusive memories of the film compared to the other two conditions. This finding does not support a dual-process account of PTSD, but is in line with general theories of memory and attention.

Tell me more: Can a memory test reduce analogue traumatic intrusions?

Information processing theories of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) state that intrusive images emerge due to a lack of integration of perceptual trauma representations in autobiographical memory. To test this hypothesis experimentally, participants were shown an aversive film to elicit intrusive images. After viewing, they received a recognition test for just one part of the film. The test contained neutrally formulated items to rehearse information from the film. Participants reported intrusive images for the film in an intrusion diary during one week after viewing. In line with expectations, the number of intrusive images decreased only for the part of the film for which the recognition test was given. Furthermore, deliberate cued-recall memory after one week was selectively enhanced for the film part that was in the recognition test a week before. The findings provide new evidence supporting information processing models of PTSD and have potential implications for early interventions after trauma.

Relationships between self-reported potentially traumatizing events, psychoform and somatoform dissociation, and absorption, in two non-clinical populations.

OBJECTIVE: Some authors have suggested that the personality characteristic 'fantasy proneness' may mediate the correlation between reported potentially traumatizing events and dissociative symptoms. Other authors question the reported magnitude of this correlation in non-clinical samples, because these are usually derived from student samples and may therefore suffer from a restriction of range. The primary aim of this study is to assess the relationship between a self-report measure of traumatization and psychoform dissociation as well as somatoform dissociation in a non-clinical population, while accounting for the influence of fantasy proneness. METHOD: Two random non-clinical samples, that is, a student and an adult non-student sample, completed a range of relevant self-report questionnaires. Absorption was used as an index of fantasy proneness. RESULTS: The range of reported potentially traumatizing events was restricted in students, compared to non-students. In both samples a significant correlation was found between reported potentially traumatizing events and dissociation. After partialling out absorption, the relationship between reported potential traumatization and psychoform dissociation diminished substantially in both samples. The magnitude of the correlation with somatoform dissociation decreased to a lesser degree, so that it remained significant in both samples. CONCLUSIONS: The correlation between somatoform dissociation and reported traumatization, after partialling out absorption, gives a reliable estimate of the magnitude of the relationships between potentially traumatizing events and dissociation. Findings regarding traumatization and dissociation in students should be generalized to the general population cautiously.

A Rasch analysis of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C.

The psychometric structure of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C) was tested in a Rasch analysis using data from 279 subjects. The Rasch model is the model of choice because it justifies the use of the sum of the item scores as a measure for the underlying construct. Rasch analysis revealed that use of a single sum score (number of suggestions passed) to express hypnotic ability is not sufficiently justified. However, the omission of the mosquito-hallucination and anosmia items (Items 3 and 9) rendered this short 10-item form of the SHSS:C sufficiently compatible with requirements of one-dimensionality, local stochastic independence,and equi-discriminability. Hence, the 10-item form justifies use of a sum score.

Partner participation in cognitive-behavioral self-management group treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if participation of the spouse of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in cognitive-behavioral oriented self-management training aimed at improving disease related cognitions and coping with pain has additional benefits for the patients. METHODS: A total of 59 couples were randomly assigned to 2 conditions. In the experimental condition the couples participated in a group program aimed at restructuring disease related cognitions and decreasing passive coping. In the control condition, only the patient participated. Disease status, self-reported physical and psychological functioning, coping, disease related cognitions, and marriage characteristics were assessed prior to the intervention and 2 weeks and 6 months postintervention. A general linear model with repeated measures was used to test for differences between conditions. RESULTS: In both conditions, similar positive changes in disease activity, cognitions, coping, and physical and psychological functioning were observed. Patients reported a decrease in potential support. There were no differences between conditions. However, at the followup assessment patients in the experimental condition reported more improvement of disease related communication with their spouse. CONCLUSION: No evidence was found for additional beneficial effects of spouse participation in the cognitive-behavioral oriented self-management group treatment.

The paradoxical effects of suppressing anxious thoughts during imminent threat.

In line with the ironic processing theory of Wegner (Psychol. Rev. 101 (1994) 34), it is often argued that the suppression of anxiety-related thoughts results in a paradoxical increase of anxiety and thought intrusions, both after and during the thought suppression. In a sample of undergraduate students (14 men, 18 women), we investigated the effects of suppressing anxious thoughts about an imminent painful electrocutaneous stimulus. During thought suppression, self-reported anxiety and frequency of anxious thoughts did not increase, and duration of anxious thoughts decreased. After thought suppression, participants experienced an increase in self-reported anxiety and the frequency of anxious thoughts. There was no effect upon thought duration. The results support the idea that suppression of anxiety-related thoughts may result in a paradoxical increase in anxiety, and may cause and/or maintain anxiety problems.

Childhood abuse in patients with conversion disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the fact that the assumption of a relationship between conversion disorder and childhood traumatization has a long history, there is little empirical evidence to support this premise. The present study examined this relation and investigated whether hypnotic susceptibility mediates the relation between trauma and conversion symptoms, as suggested by Janet's autohypnosis theory of conversion disorder. METHOD: A total of 54 patients with conversion disorder and 50 matched comparison patients with an affective disorder were administered the Structured Trauma Interview as well as measures of cognitive (Dissociative Experiences Scale) and somatoform (20-item Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire) dissociative experiences. RESULTS: Patients with conversion disorder reported a higher incidence of physical/sexual abuse, a larger number of different types of physical abuse, sexual abuse of longer duration, and incestuous experiences more often than comparison patients. In addition, within the group of patients with conversion disorder, parental dysfunction by the mother-not the father-was associated with higher scores on the Dissociative Experiences Scale and the Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire. Physical abuse was associated with a larger number of conversion symptoms (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders). Hypnotic susceptibility proved to partially mediate the relation between physical abuse and conversion symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The present results provide evidence of a relationship between childhood traumatization and conversion disorder.

The emotional Stroop: a comparison of panic disorder patients, obsessive-compulsive patients, and normal controls, in two experiments.

An emotional Stroop task with four word types (panic threat, obsessive-compulsive threat, general threat, and neutral) and two presentation conditions (supraliminal, subliminal) was used in two experiments. The first experiment involved 21 panic disorder (PD) patients and 20 normal controls; the second experiment 20 PD patients and 20 obsessive-compulsive patients. PD patients, obsessive-compulsive patients, and normal controls did not differ in Stroop interferences. In addition, there were no significant correlations between reduction of PD symptoms and differences between pre- and post-treatment Stroop response latencies.

Hypnotic susceptibility in patients with conversion disorder.

Conversion disorder has been associated with hypnotic susceptibility for over a century and is currently still believed to be a form of autohypnosis. There is, however, little empirical evidence for the relation between hypnotic susceptibility and conversion symptoms. The authors compared 50 patients with conversion disorder with 50 matched control patients with an affective disorder on measures of hypnotic susceptibility, cognitive dissociation, and somatoform dissociation. Conversion patients were significantly more responsive to hypnotic suggestions than control patients. In addition, conversion patients showed a significant correlation between hypnotic susceptibility and the number of conversion complaints. These results provide the first evidence of a relationship between hypnotic susceptibility and the presence and number of conversion symptoms.