The Different Faces of (High) Sensitivity, Toward a More Comprehensive Measurement Instrument. Development and Validation of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire (SPSQ).

The main purpose of the study was the development of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire (SPSQ), designed to measure Sensory Processing Sensitivity, defined as a person's sensitivity to subtle stimuli, the depth with which these stimuli are processed, and its impact on emotional reactivity. The item pool generated for the development of the SPSQ consisted of 60 items. After exploratory factor analysis, 43 items remained, divided into six specific factors: (1) Sensory Sensitivity to Subtle Internal and External Stimuli, (2) Emotional and Physiological Reactivity, (3) Sensory Discomfort, (4) Sensory Comfort, (5) Social-Affective Sensitivity, and (6) Esthetic Sensitivity. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a higher-order bi-factor model consisting of two higher-order factors (a positive and negative dimension), a general sensitivity factor and six specific factors had the best fit. Strong positive associations were found between Emotional and Physiological Reactivity, the negative higher-order dimension, and Neuroticism; the same holds for the association between Esthetic Sensitivity, the positive higher-order dimension, and Openness. Emotional and Physiological Reactivity and the negative higher-order dimension showed clear associations with clinical outcomes. The relationships between the SPSQ and similar scales - the Highly Sensitive Person Scale and part of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire - were in the expected direction.

The impact of transvenous cardioverter-defibrillator implantation on quality of life, depression and optimism in dialysis patients: report on the secondary outcome of QOL in the randomized controlled ICD2 trial.

RATIONALE: The impact of prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation on the psychological well-being of patients on dialysis is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify the effect of primary ICD implantation on quality of life (QoL), mood and dispositional optimism in patients undergoing dialysis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a prespecified subanalysis of the randomized controlled ICD2 trial. In total, 177 patients on chronic dialysis, with an age of 55-81 years, and a left ventricular ejection fraction of ≥ 35%, were included in the per-protocol analysis. Eighty patients received an ICD for primary prevention, and 91 patients received standard care. The Short Form-36 (SF-36), Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15), Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) questionnaires were administered prior to ICD implantation (T0), and at 1-year follow-up (T1) to assess QoL, depression and optimism, respectively. The patients were predominantly male (76.0%), with a median age of 67 years. Hemodialysis was the predominant mode of dialysis (70.2%). The GDS-15 score difference (T1 - T0) was 0.5 (2.1) in the ICD group compared with 0.3 (2.2) in the control group (mean difference - 0.3; 95% CI - 1.1 to 0.6; P = 0.58). The LOT-R score difference was - 0.2 (4.1) in the ICD group compared with - 1.5 (4.0) in the control group (mean difference - 1.1 (0.8); 95% CI - 2.6 to 0.4; P = 0.17). The mean difference scores of all subscales of the SF-36 were not significantly different between randomization groups. CONCLUSIONS: In our population of patients on dialysis, ICD implantation did not affect QoL, mood or dispositional optimism significantly during 1-year follow-up. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Unique identifier: ISRCTN20479861. http://www.controlled-trials.com .

Self-compassion in somatoform disorder.

'Third wave' cognitive-behavioral therapies have given a boost to the study of resilience factors, such as self-compassion. To get an indication of the potential clinical relevance of self-compassion for somatoform disorder, this study examined whether self-compassion in patients with somatoform disorder is lower than in the general population, and whether self-compassion is associated with number of symptoms and health-related quality of life. Two-hundred-and-thirty-six participants with somatoform disorder and 236 subjects from the general population, matched on sex and age, filled out questionnaires regarding self-compassion (SCS), number of symptoms (PSC) and health-related quality of life (EQ-5D). The difference in self-compassion between the patient group (Mean 3.53, SD .96) and the general population (Mean 4.16, SD .98) was significant with a medium effect size (d = -.65). Multiple regression analyses showed that having a somatoform disorder and low self-compassion were independently associated with number of symptoms and reduced health-related quality of life. The lower level of self-compassion in somatoform disorder and its association with more physical symptoms and lower health-related quality of life, indicate that self-compassion is a potential clinically relevant factor that may influence therapy outcome and that can be a therapeutic target in patients with somatoform disorder.

Evaluation of a self-regulation based psycho-educational pilot intervention targeting children and adolescents with epilepsy in Greece.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe the development and initial evaluation of a minimal structured psycho-educational intervention for children and adolescents with epilepsy. The intervention aimed at increasing the understanding and personal control (self-management) of epilepsy, and at reducing psychological distress, sleep problems and somatic complaints. METHOD: Twelve patients participated in our intervention and another 12, matched on age and gender, served as the control group. Data were obtained at baseline (prior to the intervention) and 3 months later in the context of an interview based on several validated questionnaires. The intervention was limited to one 4-h session using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques, relaxation techniques, video and storytelling. Effects of the intervention on primary and secondary outcomes were examined using 2 (baseline, T1 vs. post-treatment, T2)×2 (intervention vs. control) mixed model repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for epilepsy severity. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that over the three months of the study, significant main effects (group x time) were observed on coherence (F(1,21)=6.12; p=0.02) with important changes in favour of the intervention group. Significant main effects were also observed on psychological distress levels (F(1,21)=10.08; p=0.005) and sleep problems (F(1,21)=11.40; p=0.003). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that a brief self-regulation-based intervention may have beneficial effects for children and adolescents suffering from epilepsy by inciting improvements in coherence, psychological distress and sleep problems.

The impact of occupational hazards and traumatic events among Belgian emergency physicians.

BACKGROUND: Emergency Physicians (EPs) are regularly confronted with work related traumatic events and hectic work conditions. Several studies mention a high incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychosomatic complaints in EP. The main objective of this study is to examine the contribution of demographics, traumatic events, life events, the occurrence of occupational hazards and social support to post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), psychological distress, fatigue, somatic complaints and job satisfaction in Emergency Physicians. METHODS: For this study questionnaires were distributed to Belgian Emergency Physicians, These include, as determinants socio-demographic characteristics, traumatic events, life events, the occurrence of physical hazards, occurrences of violence, occurrence of situations that increase the risk of burnout and social support by supervisors and colleagues (LQWQ-Med), and as outcomes PTSS (IES), psychological distress (BSI), somatic complaints (PHQ 15), perceived fatigue (CIS20 R) and job satisfaction (LQWQ-MD). The response rate was 52.3 %. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the association between the determinants and each of the outcomes. RESULTS: Emergency Physicians are particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic and chronic stress consequences due to repetitive exposure to work related traumatic incidents such as serious injuries or death of a child/adolescent. One out of three Emergency Physicians met sub-clinical levels of anxiety and 14.5 % met a clinical level of PTSD, short for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Levels of fatigue were high but not directly related to traumatic events and occupational hazards. Social support from colleagues was found to have a beneficial effect on these complaints. Job satisfaction seems to have a protective factor. All of these not only affect the Emergency Physicians themselves, but can also have an adverse impact on patient care. DISCUSSION: EPs are, according to our and other studies, confronted on a regular basis with significant, potentially traumatizing work related events. There is a higher perception of traumatic events in older Eps. We find out that 36 % of the EPs find dealing with sudden death of a young person and traumatic accident/disease involving a young person the most traumatic experience during their work activity. Three quarter of these EPs have children of their own. The results of the study show that frequency of exposure to traumatic (work) events contributes next to occurrence of situations that increase the risk of burnout to the explanation of variance in posttraumatic stress and psychological distress. The novelty of this study is that it explores the effect of specific determinants of PTSS, psychological distress, fatigue, somatic complaints and job satisfaction in Emergency Physicians. Especially occurrence of situations that increase the risk of burnout seems to have a major impact on all outcomes including job satisfaction, while occurrence of violence contributes especially to psychological distress and perceived fatigue. Lack of social support is a well-known predictor of occupational stress in emergency care workers. In contrast however, good social support of colleagues at work, as we found in our study, can facilitate the recovery process after confrontation with traumatic events and occupational hazards. CONCLUSION: Emergency Physicians are particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic stress and chronic stress consequences due to repetitive exposure to work related traumatic events. Training in dealing with violence and situations that can increase the risk of burnout can reduce detrimental consequences in emergency physicians. In addition, it is suggested that emergency units are screened systematically on determinants of burnout, in view of interventions. Finally, creating a supportive work environment and training the medical staff in supportive skills with backup by experts may also reduce adverse consequences of confrontation with traumatic work events.

Differences in Physical and Psychosocial Characteristics Between CFS and Fatigued Non-CFS Patients, a Case-Control Study.

PURPOSE: The main research question is: "Do CFS patients differ from fatigued non-CFS patients with respect to physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional determinants?" In addition, group differences in relevant outcomes were explored. METHOD: Patients who met the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) criteria for CFS were categorized as CFS; these patients were mainly recruited via a large Dutch patient organization. Primary care patients who were fatigued for at least 1 month and up to 2 years but did not meet the CDC criteria were classified as fatigued non-CFS patients. Both groups were matched by age and gender (N = 192 for each group). RESULTS: CFS patients attributed their fatigue more frequently to external causes, reported a worse physical functioning, more medical visits, and a lower employment rate. The results of a multiple logistic regression analysis showed that patients who believe that their fatigue is associated with more severe consequences, that their fatigue will last longer and is responsible for more additional symptoms are more likely to be classified as CFS, while patients who are more physically active and have higher levels of "all or nothing behavior" are less likely to be classified as having CFS. CONCLUSION: A longitudinal study should explore the predictive value of the above factors for the transition from medically unexplained fatigue to CFS in order to develop targeted interventions for primary care patients with short-term fatigue complaints.

Determinants of methotrexate adherence in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, weekly intake of methotrexate (MTX) is the basic drug treatment. This observational study aims to investigate how many RA patients are adherent in terms of MTX intake and to identify determinants of non-adherence. Intake of MTX (orally or via injection) was recorded in 129 RA patients with an electronic monitoring system (MEMS(®)) during 16 weeks. In addition, two adherence questionnaires, the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-5) and the Compliance-Questionnaire-Rheumatology (CQR) as well as a visual analogue scale (VAS) measuring MTX adherence, were administered to these patients. As possible determinants of adherence, data on demographics, disease and treatment characteristics, depression, illness cognitions, motivation, and social support were collected. Of all participants, 58 % were fully adherent and 75 % skipped at most one dose during 16 weeks. A better mental health status and suffering from comorbidities had a positive effect on adherence, while living alone had a negative effect. These three predictors explained 30 % of the variance in MTX adherence. Of the three self-report medication adherence measures, the VAS correlated the highest with the results of the electronic monitoring system (r = 0.552, p = 0.01). A relatively high adherence rate was observed in RA patients treated with MTX. The determinants identified by this study could be used to screen patients at risk for non-adherence. A simple VAS scale seems to be an acceptable way for a preliminary screening of MTX adherence.

The contribution of illness perceptions to fatigue and sleep problems in youngsters with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: The present study aims to explore the extent to which gender, epilepsy severity and illness perceptions predict fatigue and sleep problems in youngsters with epilepsy. METHOD: Structured interviews were conducted in 100 young patients (Mage = 13,9, SD = 2.21; 41% girls) and data were analyzed by means of multiple hierarchical regression analyses. RESULTS: Most patients (91%) were well controlled by anti-epileptics; 3% had infrequent seizures and 6% were pharmacoresistant. At a multivariate level it appeared that youngsters with epilepsy who believe that they have less personal control over their illness and who feel that the illness has a high emotional impact on their lives reported higher levels of fatigue. In addition, more sleep problems were reported by youngsters who think they have less personal control over the disease, who believe that treatment controls epilepsy and report that the disease has a high emotional impact on their lives. CONCLUSION: Given the importance of illness perceptions, it is suggested that they are targets for future interventions that aim to reduce fatigue and sleep problems in youngsters with epilepsy.

Explaining Physical Activity Maintenance After a Theory-Based Intervention Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Process Evaluation of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Regular physical activity (PA) benefits patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly when maintained over time. Research in this area has largely focused on factors associated with initiating PA, while factors contributing to PA maintenance, particularly after lifestyle interventions, have received less attention. This study examined whether higher levels of autonomous motivation, self-efficacy for PA, and greater use of self-regulation skills mediated PA initiation and maintenance 6 months after a theory-based motivational interviewing and self-regulation coaching intervention. METHODS: Seventy-eight individuals with RA were randomized to receive either a patient-education session (control group), or the patient-education session plus 1 motivational interview and 2 self-regulation coaching sessions (treatment group). Mediation analyses examined the effects of this intervention on PA initiation and maintenance through the intermediate variables autonomous motivation, self-efficacy for PA, and use of self-regulation skills. Analyses were controlled for age, sex, and previous levels of PA. RESULTS: The treatment group reported significantly higher autonomous motivation and greater use of self-regulation skills than controls at posttreatment. Increases in PA from baseline to posttreatment were not mediated by any intermediate variables. However, maintenance of PA from posttreatment to followup (6 months later) was mediated by greater autonomous motivation and use of self-regulation skills. CONCLUSION: Greater autonomous motivation and use of self-regulation skills predict maintenance of PA following a motivational interviewing and self-regulation coaching intervention. In promoting PA among patients with RA, supporting patient autonomy and teaching self-regulation skills, which focus attention on achieving PA goals, may improve long-term maintenance of PA.

Illness perceptions determine psychological distress and quality of life in youngsters with epilepsy.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the extent to which gender, epilepsy severity, and self-regulation concepts (illness perceptions, autonomous treatment regulation, perceived autonomy support by parents) predict psychological distress and quality of life (QoL) in young patients with epilepsy. Structured interviews were conducted in 100 patients (Mage=13.9, SD=2.21, 41% girls), and data were analyzed by means of multiple hierarchical regression analyses. Seizures of most patients (91%) were well controlled by antiepileptics, 3% of the patients had infrequent seizures, and seizures in 6% were pharmacoresistant. At a multivariate level, it appeared that youngsters with epilepsy who expect that their disease will last for a long time, who believe that they have less personal control over their illness, and who expect the illness to have a high emotional impact reported higher levels of distress. In addition, a better QoL was reported by youngsters who believed that treatment did not control their illness and who thought that their epilepsy would not affect them emotionally. Findings indicate the importance of illness perceptions, and it is suggested that they should be targeted in future interventions in youngsters with epilepsy.

Association of goal orientation with work engagement and burnout in emergency nurses.

OBJECTIVES: Goal orientation is a mindset towards the achievement of work-related goals, and it has been found to be related to occupational well-being. This study explored to what extent the 4-dimensional model of goal orientation adds additional variance to the explanation of burnout and work engagement in emergency nurses, after controlling for demographics, job characteristics and organizational variables. METHODS: Self-report questionnaires including the Leiden Quality of Work Questionnaire for Nurses, Goal Orientation Questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale were completed by 170 out of 274 emergency nurses from 13 secondary Belgian hospitals (response rate 62%). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Goal orientation explained 14 and 13% of the variance in burnout and work engagement respectively. Job control was predictive of both outcomes. Job demands was a predictor of burnout, and social support predicted work engagement. Reward was related to work engagement. The mastery-approach goal orientation was strongly related to an increase in work engagement and to a decrease in burnout. The performance-avoidance goal orientation was strongly related to a decrease in work engagement and to an increase in burnout. The performance-approach and mastery-avoidance goal orientations were not predictive for the two outcome variables. CONCLUSIONS: Goal orientation explains additional variance in burnout and work engagement over and above work characteristics and organizational variables. A mastery-approach goal orientation appears to be beneficial while a performance-avoidance goal orientation is not. Hospital management should therefore invest in personal involvement and growth of ER-nurses and in a rewarding organizational culture.

Illness perceptions mediate the relationship between bowel symptom severity and health-related quality of life in IBS patients.

PURPOSE: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder with a large negative impact on HRQOL. The present study examines whether severity of bowel symptoms is directly related to HRQOL, and/or indirectly, mediated by the patients' illness perceptions. METHODS: Patients were recruited from an IBS support group (N = 123), and data were collected online. HRQOL was measured with the Quality of Life Measure for Persons with IBS and illness perceptions with the brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Mediation models were tested using the bootstrapping procedure developed by Hayes. RESULTS: Irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity is directly related to total HRQOL and its subscales; after entering the mediator variables (i.e. the patients' illness perceptions) into the model, this direct association remained only significant for total HRQOL. The relationship between bowel symptom severity and total HRQOL was partially mediated by illness perceptions, and its relationship with each of the HRQOL subscales was fully mediated by the patients' illness perceptions. Perceived consequences were a mediator of the relationship between bowel symptom severity, total HRQOL as well as its subscales, with the exception of Sexuality. CONCLUSIONS: Bowel symptom severity not only has a direct relationship with HRQOL, but also an indirect relationship via the patients' cognitive and emotional representations of their illness. In order to better understand this relationship, future research should not only include illness perceptions but also assess cognitive and behavioural coping responses. Clinicians wanting to improve patients' HRQOL should not only focus on the patients' symptoms, but also on their illness beliefs and coping responses.

Identifying effective techniques within psychological treatments for irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Psychological interventions can alleviate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and psychological distress commonly reported among IBS sufferers. However, the theoretical underpinnings and intervention techniques used by such interventions vary considerably. This study aimed to identify which theoretical approaches and techniques lead to greater improvements in IBS symptoms and psychological well-being within psychological interventions for IBS. METHODS: Outcome data were extracted from 48 randomized controlled trials testing psychological treatments for IBS. Theoretical intervention targets and intervention techniques of each study were identified. Cumulative effect sizes were calculated for pain, bowel dysfunction, composite symptom scores, psychological distress, and health-related quality of life. Comparative analyses contrasted the effect sizes of studies which included each intervention technique to those which did not. RESULTS: Cumulatively, interventions significantly improved all outcomes, with effect sizes (Hedges' g) ranging from 0.32 to 0.64. Interventions which stated a theoretical intervention target, prompted self-monitoring of symptoms and cognitions, provided tailored feedback linking symptoms and cognitions, utilized problem solving or assertiveness training and provided general support had greater effects upon symptom and well-being outcomes than interventions which did not (all P<.05). Across all studies, improvements in psychological distress were associated with improvements in composite symptom scores (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies a set of techniques associated with improvements in IBS symptoms and psychological well-being in existing interventions, and provides initial evidence for the link between improvements in psychological distress and IBS composite symptom scores. These findings can aid the development and refinement of psychological treatments for IBS.

Determinants and prevalence of burnout in emergency nurses: a systematic review of 25 years of research.

BACKGROUND: Burnout is an important problem in health care professionals and is associated with a decrease in occupational well-being and an increase in absenteeism, turnover and illness. Nurses are found to be vulnerable to burnout, but emergency nurses are even more so, since emergency nursing is characterized by unpredictability, overcrowding and continuous confrontation with a broad range of diseases, injuries and traumatic events. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review aims (1) to explore the prevalence of burnout in emergency nurses and (2) to identify specific (individual and work related) determinants of burnout in this population. METHOD: A systematic review of empirical quantitative studies on burnout in emergency nurses, published in English between 1989 and 2014. DATA SOURCES: The databases NCBI PubMed, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, Informa HealthCare, Picarta, Cinahl and Scielo were searched. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included in this review. On average 26% of the emergency nurses suffered from burnout. Individual factors such as demographic variables, personality characteristics and coping strategies were predictive of burnout. Work related factors such as exposure to traumatic events, job characteristics and organizational variables were also found to be determinants of burnout in this population. CONCLUSIONS: Burnout rates in emergency nurses are high. Job demands, job control, social support and exposure to traumatic events are determinants of burnout, as well as several organizational variables. As a consequence specific action targets for hospital management are formulated to prevent turnover and burnout in emergency nurses.

Causes and consequences of occupational stress in emergency nurses, a longitudinal study.

AIM: This longitudinal study examines the influence of changes over time in work and organisational characteristics on job satisfaction, work engagement, emotional exhaustion, turnover intention and psychosomatic distress in emergency room nurses. BACKGROUND: Organisational and job characteristics of nurses are important predictors of stress-health outcomes. Emergency room nurses are particularly exposed to stressful work-related events and unpredictable work conditions. METHOD: The study was carried out in 15 emergency departments of Belgian general hospitals in 2008 (T1) and 18 months later (T2) (n = 170). RESULTS: Turnover rates between T1 and T2 were high. Important changes over time were found in predictors and outcomes. Changes in job demand, control and social support predicted job satisfaction, work engagement and emotional exhaustion. In addition, changes in reward, social harassment and work agreements predicted work engagement, emotional exhaustion and intention to leave, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Work-related interventions are important to improve occupational health in emergency room nurses and should focus on lowering job demands, increasing job control, improving social support and a well-balanced reward system. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nursing managers should be aware of the causes and consequences of occupational stress in emergency room nurses in order to enable preventive interventions.

Targeting motivation and self-regulation to increase physical activity among patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomised controlled trial.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of targeting both the motivation and action phases of behaviour change in a 5-week intervention to increase physical activity (PA) among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) not meeting current PA recommendations. In a randomised controlled trial, a control group­which received a group-based patient education session led by a physical therapist­was compared to a treatment group which received the education session plus a motivational interview from a physical therapist and two self-regulation coaching sessions from a rheumatology nurse. Outcomes included leisure-time PA, days per week with at least 30 min of moderate-intensity PA, self-efficacy and autonomous motivation (cognitions which predict PA initiation and maintenance), disease activity, functional status, depressive symptoms and fatigue. Effects were assessed using mixed models repeated measures. Of the 78 patients randomised, 76 and 67 completed the post-treatment and follow-up assessments, respectively. Significant treatment effects were found for leisure-time PA (p = 0.022), active days/week (p = 0.016), self-efficacy (p = 0.008) and autonomous motivation (p = 0.001). At post-treatment and 6-months follow-up, significantly more treated patients than controls met current PA recommendations. No significant effects were found for disease activity, functional status, depressive symptoms or fatigue. Combining motivation- and action-focused intervention approaches improved PA-related cognitions and led to improved uptake and maintenance of leisure-time PA. However, further research is necessary to identify ways of helping patients with RA transition to­and maintain­more intensive forms of PA which are more likely to improve disease activity and functional status.

What do patients consider to be the most important outcomes for effectiveness studies on migraine treatment? Results of a Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: The outcome measures most frequently used in studies on the effectiveness of migraine treatment are whether the patient is free of pain, nausea, and free of photophobia/phonophobia within two hours. However, no patient-centred outcome measures are available. Therefore, we performed an online Delphi procedure to compile a list of outcome measures deemed most important to migraine patients. METHODS: From a large database of migraine patients, we randomly selected 150 males and 150 females patients. We asked the open-ended question: 'If a new medicine was developed for migraine attacks, what would you wish the effect of this medication to be?' In the second and third rounds, we presented the answers of the first round and asked the patients to rate the importance of each item. RESULTS: The initial response rate was 56% (n = 169). In the subsequent rounds the response rates were 90% (n = 152), and 97% (n = 147), respectively. Patients wanted their attack medication to treat the headache within 30 min, to prevent the attack from getting worse, to ensure they could function properly within 1 h, and prevent the recurrence of symptoms during the same day. CONCLUSIONS: The currently used outcome measures in migraine research do not sufficiently reflect the wishes of patients. Patients want the medication to work faster, to take away pain at an earlier stage, to make them able to function properly quickly, and to prevent recurrence. These aspects should be considered in future evaluation of new attack medication for migraine.

A self-regulation lifestyle program for post-cardiac rehabilitation patients has long-term effects on exercise adherence.

As maintenance of lifestyle change and risk factor modification following completion of cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to be notoriously difficult, we developed a brief self-regulation lifestyle program for post-cardiac rehabilitation patients. Randomized-controlled trial. Following completion of cardiac rehabilitation 210 patients were randomized to receive either a lifestyle maintenance program (n = 112) or standard care (n = 98). The program was based on self-regulation principles and consisted of a motivational interview, 7 group sessions and home assignments. Risk factors and health behaviors were assessed at baseline (end of cardiac rehabilitation), and 6 and 15 months thereafter. ANCOVAs showed a significant effect of the lifestyle program on exercise behavior at 15-month follow-up. Mediation analysis demonstrated that the treatment effect on exercise behavior could be explained by self-regulation skills. Chi squared tests showed that patients in the intervention group had significantly fewer uncontrolled risk factors as compared to the control group. Finally, the lifestyle intervention program was associated with a 12 % reduction in self-reported cardiac hospital admission rates. This trial indicates that a relatively brief, theory-based lifestyle program is capable of inciting and maintaining improvements in exercise adherence. It is suggested that patients may need ongoing attention and guidance, for example in the form of (internet-based) booster sessions, as long-term consolidation of changes is arduous.

Changes in illness perceptions and quality of life during participation in cardiac rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: The beliefs patients hold about their disease and corresponding treatment have been shown to predict recovery in cardiac patients. PURPOSE: However, it is not known to what extent these beliefs change during participation in cardiac rehabilitation and whether this is related to psychological indicators of outcome. METHOD: Illness perceptions and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) were measured upon entry to (T0) and completion of (T1) a 3-month outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program in 158 cardiac patients. RESULTS: Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that all illness perceptions other than timeline and personal control changed significantly over the course of cardiac rehabilitation. Overall, cardiac rehabilitation patients came to view their illness as more benign. Further analysis revealed that perceiving fewer emotional consequences of the illness, gaining a better understanding, and attributing fewer symptoms to the illness at the end of cardiac rehabilitation, was related to better HRQOL. CONCLUSION: Illness perceptions change during cardiac rehabilitation and these changes are associated with enhanced quality of life. Clinical trials have shown illness beliefs in cardiac patients to be modifiable during hospital admission; our results suggest that cardiac rehabilitation may provide a second window of opportunity during which illness perceptions can be actively monitored and modified if maladaptive.

Beyond resolutions? A randomized controlled trial of a self-regulation lifestyle programme for post-cardiac rehabilitation patients.

BACKGROUND: As lifestyle adherence and risk factor management following completion of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) have been shown to be problematic, we developed a brief self-regulation lifestyle programme for post-CR patients. DESIGN: Randomized-controlled trial. METHODS: Following completion of CR 210 patients were randomized to receive either a lifestyle maintenance programme (n = 112) or standard care (n = 98). The programme was based on self-regulation principles and consisted of a motivational interview, seven group sessions, and home assignments. Risk factors and health behaviours were assessed at baseline (end of CR) and 6 months thereafter. RESULTS: ANCOVAs showed a significant effect of the lifestyle programme after 6 months on blood pressure, waist circumference, and exercise behaviour. CONCLUSION: This trial indicates that a relatively brief intervention based on self-regulation theory is capable of instigating and maintaining beneficial changes in lifestyle and risk factors after CR.