Association of Self-Reported Coping Strategies With Speech Recognition Outcomes in Adult Cochlear Implant Users.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the degree to which individual coping strategies may influence speech perception after cochlear implantation. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Adult, postlingually deaf cochlear implant recipients. INTERVENTIONS: The Coping Orientation to Problems Experience inventory, a validated, multidimensional self-reported coping scale, was administered preoperatively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Speech perception was measured using consonant-nucleus-consonant (CNC) phoneme and word scores, AzBio sentence accuracy in quiet and noise, and Hearing in Noise Test sentences in quiet preoperatively and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Quality of life was measured with the Hearing Implant Sound Quality Index and the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were included in this study. Mean age at surgery was 70.7 ± 11.4 years. Acceptance was associated with a decreased AzBio in noise score in the 6 months after CI (regression coefficient b = -0.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.07 to -0.03; p < 0.01). Denial was associated with a decreased AzBio in quiet score (b = -0.05; 95% CI, -0.09 to -0.01; p < 0.05), whereas humor was associated with an increased AzBio in quiet score (b = 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.04; p < 0.05). Humor was also associated with an increased Hearing in Noise Test score (b = 0.05; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.07; p < 0.05). Denial was associated with decreased CNC word (b = -0.04; 95% CI, -0.06 to -0.02; p < 0.01) and phoneme (b = -0.04; 95% CI, -0.07 to -0.02; p < 0.01) scores, whereas substance use was associated with increased CNC word (b = 0.03; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.05, p < 0.01) and phoneme (b = 0.04; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.06; p < 0.01) scores. Scores on self-reported quality of life measures were not significantly correlated with coping strategies. CONCLUSION: A variety of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies are used by postlingually deaf adult cochlear implant users. Denial and acceptance may be more predictive of poor speech performance, whereas humor and substance use may be more predictive of improved speech performance.

Comparing standard medical care for nonepileptic seizures in Chile and the United States.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare the diagnostic and treatment practices for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) in the United States (US) to Chile. METHODS: A survey on the diagnostic and treatment practices for PNES was administered to practicing clinicians in Chile. Results from 96 Chilean respondents were compared to results from 307 US clinicians. Type I error (alpha) was set to 0.005 for multiple comparisons. DIAGNOSIS: The diagnosis of PNES is made by inpatient video-EEG/LTM in 89% of the US respondents compared to 25% of the Chilean respondents (p<0.0001). The diagnosis of PNES is made by history and exam alone at twice the rate in Chile (38%) than in the US (16%; p<0.0001). TREATMENT: A higher proportion of the Chilean respondents (65%) endorsed psychopharmacotherapy as potentially beneficial compared to the US respondents (31%; p<0.0001). DISCUSSION: This cross-cultural multi-site survey reveals some differences in PNES evaluation and management between neurologists and other clinicians in the US and in Chile. Access to video EEG may improve PNES diagnosis and treatment.

Psychopathology and resilience following traumatic injury: a latent growth mixture model analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate trajectories of PTSD and depression following traumatic injury using latent class growth curve modeling. METHOD: A longitudinal study of 330 injured trauma survivors was conducted and participants were assessed during hospitalization, and at 1, 3, and 6 months follow-up. Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) was assessed during hospitalization using the Acute Stress Disorder Interview (ASD-I), PTSD was measured at all follow-up with the Post-Traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS) and depression was measured at hospitalization with the (BSI) and at follow-up with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESDS). Covariates were explored, including coping self-efficacy, anger, education level, and mechanism of injury. RESULTS: Four latent classes were identified for PTSD and Depression symptoms: chronic distress, delayed distress, recovered, and resilience. When compared to the resilient group, individuals with chronic distress were more likely to have been assaulted, had higher levels of anger, and had less coping self-efficacy. The delayed distress group had lower education levels, higher levels of coping self-efficacy, and higher levels of anger. Individuals in the recovered group had fewer years of education, and higher levels of anger. CONCLUSION: The majority of the injured trauma sample demonstrated resiliency, with those exhibiting distress doing so as a delayed, chronic, or recovered trajectory. Coping self efficacy, education, assaultive trauma type, and anger were important covariates of depression and PTSD trajectories. These results are similar to studies of individuals who experienced a major health threat and with survivors from the World Trade Center attacks in the U.S.

What is "treatment as usual" for nonepileptic seizures?

OBJECTIVE: A recent NINDS/NIMH/AES-sponsored international NES Treatment Workshop identified a lack of knowledge in the field regarding standard of care in the management of patients with psychological nonepileptic seizures (NES). METHODS: We administered a survey to AES clinicians to determine actual postdiagnostic instructions given to patients and referral practices, or NES treatment as usual. RESULTS: The majority of respondents were epileptologists, followed by neurologists, neuropsychologists, and nurses, evenly dispersed across the United States. Almost all respondents reported discussing the diagnosis of NES with the patients. Sixty-nine percent of neurologists continued to follow the patient after NES diagnosis. Treatment referrals were most commonly made to psychiatrists and psychologists. Antiepileptic drugs were tapered by 83% of the respondents, and 47% prescribed psychotropic medications if comorbid diagnoses were made. CONCLUSION: This is the first known national survey that summarizes national practices and the range of care, or treatment as usual, offered to patients with NES.

Maladaptive eating patterns after weight-loss surgery.

Weight-loss surgery has been shown to contribute to the improved health and well-being of the clinically severe obese, and for many has been seen as their "last resort." Although the majority of patients who choose this option as a means to achieve a healthier weight are successful, for some patients it is not beneficial. Bariatric surgery is not a panacea, and its immediate and long-term success depends on the patient's ability to incorporate lifestyle and behavioral changes. Patients who are not successful in achieving and maintaining their anticipated weight loss struggle to comply with diet, exercise, and vitamin regimens. Not only do these patients exhibit diminished weight loss, they have put themselves at risk for vitamin and mineral deficiencies and protein malnutrition. Their problematic response to weight-loss surgery may or may not be due to a worsening of presurgical depression, binge eating, emotion-triggered eating, body image, or eating behaviors associated with specific situations such as social events. This paper describes clinical responses we have observed in our bariatric practice. Several case studies are presented to highlight problems we have encountered when following bariatric surgery patients in the early postoperative period, as well as in a long-term setting. Recommendations are made for screening and follow-up of at-risk patients.

Return to work outcomes after work-related hand trauma: the role of causal attributions.

PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship between workers' judgments of responsibility for their accidents (causal attributions) and work-site avoidance after work-related injuries. METHODS: Ninety-two hand-injured workers referred for psychologic treatment of posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms were assessed for their beliefs about the cause(s) of their accidents. Causal attributions were obtained before and after psychologic intervention. RESULTS: Workers who blamed coworkers or equipment for their injuries were more likely to resist returning to former work activities than workers who judged themselves responsible for their accidents. In addition those with relatively minor injuries were as much at risk for work-site avoidance as those with more severe injuries. Age, gender, and length of employment with current employer were unrelated to avoidance. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the importance of causal attributions as potential predictors of work-site avoidance after traumatic work-related hand injuries, and support the risk for psychologic symptom development after less-severe injuries.

Psychological impact of traumatic injuries: what the surgeon can do.

In their treatment of accident and assault victims, plastic surgeons have unique opportunities to identify and refer patients with posttraumatic stress symptoms. This article describes brief assessments that surgeons or their clinic staff can use to evaluate traumatically injured adults and children for trauma-related psychological symptoms. An immediate postinjury evaluation (within 10 days of the trauma) consists of 11 questions to determine the presence of the following risk factors for posttrauma maladjustment: panic during or immediately after the trauma, reexperiencing symptoms, avoidance, sleep disturbance, injury from an assault, previous trauma and psychiatric history, and blaming someone else for the injury. The seven follow-up interview questions assess reexperiencing symptoms, avoidance, trauma-related phobias, depression, irritability, and increased substance use, all of which, if present, suggest psychological impairment. Questions recommended for the evaluation of younger children assess changes in play and recreational activity, sleep disturbance, night terror, aggression, irritability, avoidance, emergence of new fears, and loss of recently acquired developmental skills. The assessments require less than 2 minutes and are easily integrated into the hospital or clinic examinations of these patients.

Psychological Treatment of Nonepileptic Events.

Nonepileptic events (NEEs) occur with and without true seizure disorders and vary greatly in clinical presentation. They are often associated with significant psychopathology. This paper proposes six categories of NEE patients based on psychosocial history, NEE etiology, and mechanisms of and response to psychotherapy. A series of 26 adult NEE patients were grouped according to six symptom patterns: (a) acute anxiety/panic, (b) impaired affect regulation and interpersonal skills, (c) somatization/conversion, (d) depression, (e) posttraumatic stress disorder, and (f) reinforced behavior pattern. Classification was made on the basis of the specific psychotherapeutic interventions found most effective with each patient group.