Adolescent Drug Use, Relational Variables and Personality Factors.

OBJECTIVE: An ongoing issue in the study of adolescent drug use is the impact of family and the peer group on the problem of adolescent substance use. The present study has examined relative effects of these contexts as well as personality variables on drug use outcomes. METHOD: A test battery measuring various psychological variables was administered to a representative sample of 1652 secondary school students (grades 9 and 11), 876 male (mean age=17,61, SD=0.99) and 789 female (mean age=16.73, SD=1.31). Data about relationship to parents and association with deviant peers were collected, personality dimensions such as Neuroticism and Sensation Seeking were measured. Regressional and discriminant analyses were conducted, then a decision tree model was created. RESULTS: Sensation seeking arose as the most significant predictor of substance use. Fatheradolescent relationship had the highest predictive value primarily in male sensation seekers. Peer effects were stronger in comparison to parental influences. In adolescent boys, contact with deviant friends and sensation seeking constituted two independent pathways to drug use. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the necessity to give consideration to sensationseeking in prevention initiatives during adolescence, as well as the need for education of parents about parenting techniques recommended during adolescence.

Gratitude, Religiousness and Well-Being.

BACKGROUND: Previous researches have identified the positive effects of gratitude on happiness and well-being. It has been found that spirituality can enhance gratitude and well-being. Our study aimed to examine the link between gratitude and subjective well-being among religious and non-religious people. Furthermore we tested if a 4-week long gratitude diary has a positive effect on subjective well-being. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In our online, qualitative investigation the sample consisted of 54 males and 169 females (mean age=39.13, SD=15.90). 54.1% of respondents regarded themselves as "religious with a given religion", 24.8% as "religious on my own way" and 21.2% as "non-religious". The experimental group (leading a gratitude diary for 4 weeks) with 103 individuals and a control group with 120 individuals with no differences in age, gender and religiousness. We compared the questionnaires' results (filled out both before and after the intervention) of the experimental group (n=103) with the results of the control group (n=120) similarly filled out on two different occasions. We applied Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test and Subjective Well-being Scale. RESULTS: Our results showed that religious people showed elevated level of gratitude (F(2, 219)=23.66, p<0.001) but same well-being (F(2, 219)=1.97, p=0.142) compared to non-religious groups. In the experiment group the gratitude and the subjective well-being both increased (p<0.01), and there was no significant changes in control group. 2x2 ANOVA showed significant interaction effect (Subjective well-being: (F(1, 221)=13.32, p<0.001); Gratitude: F(1, 221)=12.43, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Religiousness is linked to higher gratitude and an increase in gratitude can result in an increase in subjective well-being. The importance of gratitude diary both among religious and non-religious people will be discussed.

Cancer as a Source of Posttraumatic Growth: A Brief Review.

The diagnosis and treatment of cancer represents an experience that is potentially psychologically traumatizing for patients. However, cancer can contribute to the experience of positive psychological changes, namely posttraumatic growth. We conducted a review of empirical studies (n=44) on posttraumatic growth in cancer patients. We focused on the relations of posttraumatic growth to socio-demographic, medical, and psychological adjustment correlates. Results from forty-four reviewed articles indicated that age, gender, and ethnicity were consistently associated with posttraumatic growth in cancer. Regarding illness-related factors, the majority of relationships were positive and were found between subjective severity of cancer, chemotherapy, and experienced growth. The review revealed inconsistent relationships between indicators of psychological adjustment (emotional distress, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and quality of life) and perceived positive changes in the case of the cancer patients. Longitudinal studies might resolve this inconsistency by showing that posttraumatic growth has benefits for later psychological adjustment, as other studies have already documented.

Morningness-eveningness, relationship quality, and quality of life among couples living together.

Morningness-eveningness (chronotype) indicates the preferred time of intellectual and physical activity. This cross-sectional study had two main aims. The first aim was to explore associations among chronotype, quality of life, and relationship quality. The second aim of this study was to examine whether the similarities or discrepancies in chronotype between male and female members of the couples were linked to relationship quality. Both members of 143 couples (mean age = 39.44; SD = 10.11y) living together for at least 6 months completed measures of chronotype, marital stress, relationship satisfaction, dyadic coping, satisfaction with life, health-related quality of life, and quality of sleep. Variable-oriented (correlational) and person-oriented (cluster-analytic) analyses were conducted. Variable-oriented analyses showed that morningness was linked to better mental health, and fewer insomnia problems, but less frequent (self-perceived) stress communication for both genders. The discrepancy between the couple's chronotype scores was positively related to the women's sexual and general life satisfaction and more frequent (self-perceived) supportive dyadic coping by the partner. Moreover, ANOVA results showed that Evening-type (E-type) women had the highest mean score on sexual life satisfaction. According to cluster-analytic investigation, couples consisting of two morning-type members had the least frequent stress communication. On the other hand, these couples had better sleeping quality with less insomnia symptoms than couples with two E-type members. In summary, the present findings demonstrate that morningness holds both advantages and disadvantages for both general aspects of life and also the quality of relationships.

Positive consequences of cancer: exploring relationships among posttraumatic growth, adult attachment, and quality of life.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Cancer can be a life-threatening illness; however, it can also be a source of positive life changes, the posttraumatic growth (PTG) that comes from struggling with this serious illness. This cross-sectional study examines the sociodemographic and cancer-related predictors of PTG following a diagnosis of cancer. In addition, the relationships among adult attachment, health-related quality of life, and PTG are investigated. Measuring adult attachment is important because it can greatly influence the response to a highly distressing event, like facing cancer. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Immediately before undergoing radiotherapy, 152 patients with breast or prostate cancer (mean = 59.1 years old, SD = 10.7) who had received a positive diagnosis within an average of 3.5 months prior to treatment were tested for measures of PTG, adult attachment, and health-related quality of life. Patients also completed a questionnaire regarding medical and sociodemographic characteristics. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to reveal the significant predictors of PTG total score and PTG subscale scores. RESULTS: Younger age was a significant predictor of the PTG total score and New Possibilities subscale score. Subjective severity of cancer was positively associated with the PTG total score and scores on the Appreciation of Life and New Possibilities subscales. Regarding health-related quality of life, analyses indicated that greater social/family well-being significantly predicted greater PTG total score and higher scores on the New Possibilities, Spiritual Change, Appreciation of Life, and Relating to Others subscales. Finally, dismissive attachment style predicted fewer scores on the Personal Strength and Relating to Others subscales. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that in addition to quality of life and adult attachment, sociodemographic and cancer-related variables may significantly contribute to positive growth.

[Cancer as psychological trauma and its effects on positive illusions]. / A daganatos betegség okozta trauma és annak pozitiv illuziókra gyakorolt hatása.

Cancer as a psychological trauma can result in development of psychopathological disorders (e.g. depression), and also positive changes experienced in numerous domains of life (e.g. greater appreciation of life). Cognitivists tried to explain the potential traumatic impact of the adversities with the phenomenon that most of the people's world concepts are full of positive illusions and they mostly lack the idea that tragedies can occur also with them. However, this naive worldview can be altered by a trauma in a negative way. Moreover, according to the theory of cognitive adaptation certain positive illusions (perception of personal control, self-enhancement, unrealistic optimism, search for meaning) become even more activated by traumatic life events helping the adjustment to the adversity. More recently, researches have succeeded in proving the role of positive illusions in maintaining mental and physical health. The aim of the present study is to review the potential psychological consequences of cancer as a trauma and to display the schema-changes of trauma victims through the phenomenon of positive illusions.