Effect of Personality Traits and Emotion Regulation Strategies on Risky Behaviors in Adolescents.

The current study investigated the effects of personality traits and emotion regulation strategies on high-risk behaviors among adolescents (N = 1,572). This study used a cross-sectional and correlational research design. Multiple linear regression was used for analysis. A 1-unit increase in extraversion and neuroticism led to a 0.391- and 0.365-unit increase in high-risk behaviors, respectively. However, a 1-unit increase in agreeableness and conscientiousness led to a 0.307- and 0.365-unit decrease in high-risk behaviors, respectively (p < 0.05). A 1-unit increase in external and internal dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies led to a 1.34- and 0.548-unit increase in high-risk behaviors, respectively. However, a 1-unit increase in internal functional emotion regulation strategies led to a 0.641-unit decrease in high-risk behaviors (p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that age, school type, sex, grade level, father's educational level, father's child-rearing style, and school performance were associated with more high-risk behaviors (p < 0.05). There were correlations between some personality traits, emotion regulation strategies, sociodemographic characteristics, and high-risk behaviors. Early intervention programs targeting dysfunctional personality traits and emotion regulation skills in adolescence may prevent the development of risky behaviors in adulthood. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(2), 23-36.].

The relationship between basic psychological needs and emotional and behavioral problems in middle school students.

BACKGROUND: Basic psychological needs are universal sources of mental growth and development. PURPOSE: This study investigated the relationship between basic psychological needs and emotional and behavioral problems in middle school students. METHODOLOGY: This study adopted a cross-sectional and correlational research design. The sample consisted of 1099 students from three middle schools with different socioeconomic backgrounds. Data were collected using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS). The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: A one-unit increase in autonomy, competence, and relatedness led to a 0.312, 0.263, and 0.312 decrease in emotional and behavioral problems, respectively (p < 0.05). The regression analysis showed that gender (female), academic performance (poor), mother's parenting style (authoritarian), and father's parenting style (permissive) were the risk factors affecting participants' emotional and behavioral problems (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that some basic psychological needs and sociodemographic characteristics make middle school students more likely to develop emotional and behavioral problems. Authorities should develop interventions on basic psychological needs to promote emotional and behavioral development. Researchers should assess the effectiveness of those interventions.

Pupil cycle time: as indicator of visual pathway dysfunction in multiple sclerosis.

To evaluate the value of pupil cycle time (PCT) as an indicator of optic nerve dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 42 patients with MS and 35 control subjects were included to the study. Patients with MS with a history of ON were accepted as group 1, without a history of ON as group 2 and healthy control subjects as group 3. Groups were compared with Chi-square and one-way ANOVA tests. Correlations of PCT results with age, best corrected visual acuity, duration of MS, visual field (VF) test, visual evoked potential (VEP) latans, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and ganglion cell layer-inner plexiform layer (GCL-IPL) thicknesses were analyzed. Mean PCT was 1286.4 ± 357.8 ms in group 1, 1021.3 ± 102.3 ms in group 2, and 872.5 ± 69.4 ms in group 3 (p < 0.001). Moderate-to-significant correlations were found between PCT measurements and duration of MS, VF test, VEP latans, RNFL, and GCL-IPL thicknesses. PCT might be an alternative method to evaluate the optic nerve function in patients with MS.

Review on the Eyedrop Self-Instillation Techniques and Factors Affecting These Techniques in Glaucoma Patients.

Objective. This study aims to evaluate eyedrop self-installation techniques and factors affecting these techniques in glaucoma patients. Methods. Researchers directly observed eyedrop instillation procedures of 66 glaucoma patients. Contact with periocular tissues and instillation onto ocular surface or conjunctival fornices were considered. Correlations of instillation patterns with patient characteristics including age, gender, intraocular pressure, cup-to-disc ratio, visual field loss, and total intake of glaucoma medication and handgrip strength score were searched. Results. The average handgrip strength in the instillation without periocular contact group was 66.4 ± 19.7 kg, while the average handgrip strength score was 55.9 ± 20.9 kg in the instillation with contact group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.039). No statistically significant correlation was found between handgrip strength and the mean number of glaucoma medications, c/d, intraocular pressure (p > 0.05). Also there was no significant relation between mean handgrip strength score and the severity of the visual field defect (p = 0.191). Conclusion. Patients especially with severe glaucomatous damage should be adequately instructed about the proper techniques for self-instillation of eyedrops and motivated to use a proper technique. Also, it is possible to suggest that patients with a higher handgrip strength, indicating the well-being of general health, may be doing better in properly instilling glaucoma eyedrops.

Diurnal Alterations of Refraction, Anterior Segment Biometrics, and Intraocular Pressure in Long-Time Dehydration due to Religious Fasting.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of dehydration due to fasting on diurnal changes of intraocular pressure, anterior segment biometrics, and refraction. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The intraocular pressures, anterior segment biometrics (axial length: AL; Central corneal thickness: CCT; Lens thickness: LT; Anterior chamber depth: ACD), and refractive measurements of 30 eyes of 15 fasting healthy male volunteers were recorded at 8:00 in the morning and 17:00 in the evening in the Ramadan of 2013 and two months later. The results were compared and the statistical analyses were performed using the Rstudio software version 0.98.501. The variables were investigated using visual (histograms, probability plots) and analytical methods (Kolmogorov-Smirnov/Shapiro-Wilk test) to determine whether or not they were normally distributed. RESULTS: The refractive values remained stable in the fasting as well as in the control period (p = 0.384). The axial length measured slightly shorter in the fasting period (p = 0.001). The corneal thickness presented a diurnal variation, in which the cornea measured thinner in the evening. The difference between the fasting and control period was not statistically significant (p = 0.359). The major differences were observed in the anterior chamber depth and IOP. The ACD was shallower in the evening during the fasting period, where it was deeper in the control period. The diurnal IOP difference was greater in the fasting period than the control period. Both were statistically significant (p = 0.001). The LT remained unchanged in both periods. CONCLUSIONS: The major difference was shown in the anterior chamber shallowing in the evening hours and IOP. Our study contributes the hypothesis that the posterior segment of the eye is more responsible for the axial length alterations and normovolemia has a more dominant influence on diurnal IOP changes.

The Effect of Age, Gender, Refractive Status and Axial Length on the Measurements of Hertel Exophthalmometry.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the normal distribution of exophthalmometric values in Turkish adult population and the effect of age, gender, refractive status and axial length on globe position. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-two males and 114 healthy females with age ranging from 18 to 87 years were included in the study. The study population was recruited from patients presenting to our institution for routine refractive examination. Hertel exophthalmometer was used to measure the degree of ocular protrusion. Effect of age, refractive error, interpupillary distance, and axial length on globe position was detected with linear regression analyses. RESULTS: The mean Hertel exophthalmometric size was 15.7+2.6 mm (range; 11 to 21 mm). The mean value for males was 16.1±2.6 mm (range; 11 to 21 mm), and for females 15.5±2.6 mm (range; 11 to 20 mm). The mean distance between the lateral rims of the orbit was 102 + 5.1 mm (range; 88 to 111mm). The mean exophthalmometric values were not statistically different in males and females. Age and mean spherical equivalents were negatively correlated with exophthalmometric measurements. Axial length was positively correlated with exophthalmometric measurements. CONCLUSION: The exophthalmometric measurement of the eye is affected by the age, spherical equivalent and the axial length. Standard normative values of the Hertel exophthalmometric measurements should be reevaluated with larger samples.

Alobar holoprosencephaly, proboscis and cyclopia in a chromosomally normal fetus: Prenatal diagnosis and fetal outcome.

Holoprosencephaly is a brain malformation that develops as a result of a defect in development of prosencephalon during early gestation. Holoprosencephaly can be diagnosed with prenatal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. We report herein a case with cyclopia and holoprosencephaly detected by prenatal ultrasonography.

Optical coherence tomography of bilateral nanophthalmos with macular folds and high hyperopia.

Importance. There is a conflict about the content of the macular folds in nanophthalmic eyes in the literature. Our study clearly demonstrated that papillomacular folds seen in nanophthalmos or posterior microphthalmos were only composed of neurosensory retina without involvement of retinal pigment epithelium and choroid. Observations. This is a report of two consecutive nanophthalmic patients with macular folds at Maltepe University School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, from January to June 2012. Anterior segment dimensions were near normal. The axial lengths of the eyes were short with markedly shortened posterior segment. A macular fold extending from the center of the fovea towards the optic nerve head was present in all eyes. Optic coherence tomography clearly demonstrated that folds were only composed of neurosensory retina. Binocular visual acuities and refractive errors of the cases were 0.3, 0.2 and +16.00, +15.75 diopters, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance. Our study proposes a surgical option to treat these folds like serous retinal detachments by showing the true content of the folds, although there is not any surgical operation accepted for this condition yet. Further studies dealing with the surgical interventions of these folds should be performed to support this option.