Post-traumatic Growth: Longitudinal Study on Battered Women in Close Relationships after Both They and Their Partners Undergo Therapy.

Violence in intimate relationships is a major problem worldwide. Many women, despite having experienced violence from a partner, decide to remain in a relationship with the perpetrator. A special premise for such a decision is that the abusive partner undertakes therapy that serves to build security in the family. An important indicator of dealing with violence is post-traumatic growth (PTG), a concept introduced by Calhoun and Tedeschi (1998) to describe positive changes as a result of traumatic experiences. The purpose of the research was to assess PTG changes in the course of relationships in which the woman had experienced violence from her partner, but both her partner and she had undertaken therapy and changed their behavior (N = 48). The conducted research used a demographic survey and two questionnaires: The Polish version of the Impact Event Scale-Revised (IES-R, Weiss, Marmara prepared by Juczynski and Oginska-Bulik [2009]) examining three dimensions of trauma (intrusion, hyperarousal, and avoidance) and the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (Tedeschi & Calhoun [2004]; Polish version prepared by Oginska-Bulik & Juczynski [2010]). The studies showed that over a period of one and half years, significant changes in PTG had taken place. Reportedly, changes in self-perception and changes in relating to others have decreased, while appreciation of life increased but spiritual life remained the same. The research also allowed us to distinguish several groups of corelates in changes in individual PTG categories. The studies also indicate that building a close relationship with the person who caused the harm can limit the victim's PTG.

Acceptance of the disease and sexual functions of patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Sexual activity is an important element of quality of life for many individuals suffering from heart failure. AIMS: The study investigated the influence of disease acceptance on sexual function in a population of male patients with chronic heart failure. METHODS: The study included 80 patients with chronic heart failure (mean age 63.3±9.2 years) who filled in the Mell-Krat Scale questionnaire to evaluate sexual needs and reactions. We also used the International Index of Erection Function (IIEF-5) inventory and the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). RESULTS: The study showed that the acceptance of the illness was positively associated with all of the Mell-Krat components such as sexual need, F = (3.27), frequency of intercourse, F = (2.46), position and technique, F = (1.88). Also, according to the IIEF-5 questionnaire, 84.42% of respondents had erectile dysfunction. Taken together these indicated that psychological adjustments such as acceptance of disease increase quality of all aspects of sexual functions in heart failure patients, including their erectile functions. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that psychological adjustments to feelings of loss associated with the onset of heart failure disease is the important determinant of quality of sexual life among male adults. Our research implicates that effects of AIS on sexual functioning give reasonable information to tailor sexual counselling for males suffering from heart failure.