Adherence to therapy among liver transplant patients as related to depression, anxiety, acceptance of the disease, and social support.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the patients' adherence to therapeutic regimens after liver transplantation, taking into account the levels of depression and anxiety, acceptance of the disease, and social support. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study group included N = 112 patients selected from 669 patients after liver transplantation. The Delphi method was used to develop a tool to assess the level of adherence to treatment regimens. The sources of data for this study were recommendations and the work of an expert panel. The next method used in the study was a diagnostic survey based on the following standardized research instruments: Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB), Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). RESULTS: The study group showed a medium level of adherence to therapeutic recommendations (6.8 ± 1.85). We observed a statistically significant positive correlation between acceptance of the disease and adherence to therapeutic recommendations (r = -0.20, t = -2.040, p = 0.044). Among the factors analyzed, six predictors were identified that significantly affect the level of adherence to therapeutic recommendations in a group of liver transplant patients. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Patients who accept their disease are a group of people who significantly worse adhere to therapeutic recommendations. 2. The main positive predictors of treatment adherence in the group of transplant patients are the search for various sources of information and declarative adherence to treatment recommendations. Negative predictors include the duration of the disease, side effects of the applied treatment, and comorbidities. 3. The patients who were informed that results depend on regular medication intake significantly more often followed therapeutic recommendations.

The relationship between women's personality traits and addiction to social networking sites on the example of Facebook.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to generally assess the degree of women's dependence on social networking sites on the example of Facebook, taking into account personality traits according to the five-factor model of personality, the so-called Big Five. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 556 women. This survey-based study was carried out using the questionnaire technique. The following research tools were used to analyze behavioral addictions in adult women: the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS), the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO FFI) and the author's questionnaire. RESULTS: Among the surveyed women, 69.6% were average Facebook users, of whom 16.4% had scores indicating possible Facebook addiction, and 14.0% had scores indicating addiction. The higher the neuroticism, the more serious the Facebook addiction. A weak negative correlation was obtained for the agreeableness subscale. A weak negative correlation was also obtained for the subscale of conscientiousness. There was no statistically significant correlation between the log10 score obtained on the BFAS and the score on the NEO-FFI subscales of extraversion and openness to experience. CONCLUSIONS: The personality types of the studied women indicated relationships in terms of behavioral addictions. Women characterized by neuroticism showed stronger addiction to Facebook. Women characterized by high conscientiousness were at lower risk of behavioral addictions, while agreeableness as a personality trait significantly protected the surveyed women against Facebook addiction.

Seeking relationships between Internet addiction and depressiveness, daytime sleepiness, as well as perceived social support in young adults.

OBJECTIVE: An assessment of the scale of Internet addiction among young adults and seeking relationships between Internet addiction and chosen sociodemographic variables, perceived social support, prevalence of depressiveness, and excessive daytime sleepiness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was carried out using a diagnostic poll method with author's own questionnaire as well as standardized diagnostic tools: The Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), as well as The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). RESULTS: The study was conducted on 567 individuals. Pathological Internet use was identified in 1.41% of the surveyed. Perceived social support was significantly lower in the group of respondents who pathologically used Internet in comparison with ones who used Internet in the proper way. Severity of depressiveness symptoms and daytime sleepiness was significantly higher in respondents who were addicted to Internet in comparison with not addicted individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The scale of pathological Internet use among surveyed was low. Problematic Internet use refers to women and men to the same degree, as well as to single people and individuals in relationships. Persons who work and do not study as well as residents of large and medium cities more frequently use Internet in a more pathological way than individuals who study and live-in small cities and in the countryside. Internet addiction creates a significant relationship with the prevalence of more severe symptoms of depressiveness and excessive daytime sleepiness, whereas pathological pattern of Internet use more often concerns individuals whose perception of social support is low.

A comparison of psychosocial functioning as well as the quality of life between young adult patients after orthognathic surgeries and healthy youth.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare psychosocial functioning as well as the quality of life of young adults after orthognathic procedures and healthy individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 124 respondents aged between 16 and 25 years, 65 of whom had undergone orthognathic surgeries, and 59 healthy individuals. The study was carried out using a diagnostic poll method with both standardized tools and the author's own questionnaires: Authors own questionnaire, 'How do you cope?' Questionnaire, Emotional Intelligence INTE Questionnaire, The List of Personal Values (LOPV), The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and The Short Form Health Survey (SF-36 v2). RESULTS: Patients after orthognathic procedures more frequently actively dealt with problems and sought social support rather than concentrating on emotions in terms of dispositional ways of coping with difficult situations. A statistically significant difference was established in the concentration on emotions subscale (CoE) for which lower average value was observed in the study group. Study and control groups differed in terms of the ability to recognise, understand, and control their own and other's emotions. CONCLUSIONS: Respondents from both groups similarly perceived personal values pointing to love and friendship, health, intelligence as well as happiness as the most important ones. Both patients after orthognathic procedures and healthy ones assessed their life satisfaction on an average level. A link between the choice of the strategy of coping with difficult situations and the fact of having undergone an orthognathic procedure exists. Patients after surgical procedures, in comparison with healthy individuals, less frequently opted for the concentration on emotions (CoE) strategy.

Analysis of the relationship between personality traits and Internet addiction.

OBJECTIVE: The issue of 'new media' addictions has been described in literature for many years. For almost a decade now researchers have been emphasizing that addiction does not have to be caused only by various substances but also by contact with digital technologies. Behavioral addictions are a growing problem in the society. Digital technologies are used by people of different ages, and their number is increasing every year. Precise reasons for the development of addictions remain unknown. In the case of behavioral addictions, especially Internet addiction, the significance of personality traits and behaviors predisposing an individual to addiction, such as depressiveness, anxiety, hostile attitude, aggression, impulsiveness, psychotic behaviors, shyness and self-esteem disorders, are emphasized. The aim of this study was a general assessment of the level of Internet addiction with regard to personality traits according to the Big Five model by Costa and McCrae. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study involved 556 women, whose average age was 34 years and who met the inclusion criteria: female sex, age of 18 years or above, place of residence in West Pomeranian Voivodship, an informed consent for participation in the study, and completion of the questionnaire forms set. The study was conducted using a diagnostic poll method with a questionnaire technique. To carry out the analysis both author's own and standardized tools were used: the author's questionnaire covering sociodemographic data, the NEO-Five Factor Inventory which assesses the levels of personality traits, and the Internet Addiction Test used to measure behaviors and characteristics related to compulsive use of the Internet. RESULTS: Most (70.9%) of the studied women were average users of the Internet, 25% of respondents were at risk of addiction, and the least numerous group of women (4.1%) was addicted to the Internet. Conscientiousness negatively correlated with Internet addiction. Openness to experience was conducive to Internet addiction. A positive link between neuroticism and Internet addictions was established. No significant relationships between Internet addiction and extraversion as well as agreeableness were demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: The type of personality of the studied women implicated relationships to Internet addiction. Neuroticism might be a personality trait that particularly predisposes to an increased risk of Internet addiction. Openness to experience was conducive to Internet addiction. Conscientiousness negatively correlated with Internet addiction.

The relationship between loneliness, depression, internet and social media addiction among young Polish women.

OBJECTIVE: When speaking of behavioral addictions (especially to the Internet and social media), it is emphasized that it is not the environment that is the main contributor to addiction, but rather certain behaviors and personality traits. The aim of this study was to assess the level of Internet and social media addiction on the example of Facebook with regard to psychological and social factors. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This survey-based study involved a group of women representing the female population in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland (N = 556). Research instruments were a self-developed questionnaire concerning sociodemographic data, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Internet Addiction Test, and the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale. RESULTS: Age, depressive symptoms, loneliness were the variable contributing to Internet and Facebook addiction among the studied. Available studies confirm the results of their own research. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms and dependence on the Internet and Facebook were more common among single women. In the employed women, we only observed higher levels of Internet and Facebook addiction. The level of dependence on the Internet and Facebook was higher among younger women. Loneliness correlated with Internet and Facebook addiction, and more severe depressive symptoms entailed higher levels of Internet and Facebook addiction.