Training coping skills and coping with stress self-efficacy for successful daily functioning and improved clinical status in patients with psychosis: A randomized controlled pilot study.

Due to the symptom diversity and pervasive function impairments (e.g. in perception, cognition, language, affect, behavior, daily and social functioning and sense of self), recurrent relapses, elevated disability, high rates of (co)morbidity, heightened premature mortality and high burden of care of psychotic disorders, psychosocial interventions are part of patients' standard care. There is growing evidence on the relevance of self-efficacy for well-being and functioning among these patients, but specific coping with stress self-efficacy has rarely been investigated. This study explored the outcomes of an intervention for the improvement of coping resources based on training in coping skills and coping with stress self-efficacy. Fourteen adult volunteers with schizophrenia (n = 12) or schizoaffective disorder (n = 2) were matched in clinical and sociodemographic characteristics and randomly assigned to the study groups. The intervention group received the training-with 15 twice per week sessions (8 weeks)-along with their pharmacological therapy; the control group received their prescribed drug therapy. Participants completed self-reports on coping with stress self-efficacy, perceived successful daily functioning based on coping skills and clinical status (Expanded Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale). Trained patients showed a significant increase in coping with stress self-efficacy and reported greater successful functioning status, and significant improvements in their clinical status were also observed. All these enhancements remained at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. The intervention condition interacted with coping with stress self-efficacy and perceived coping functioning in explaining improvements in clinical status: in the treatment group, greater coping with stress self-efficacy translated into enhanced daily functioning, and this improvement predicted better clinical status. These findings stress the relevance of promoting coping resources in psychotic disorders and provide preliminary evidence for the potential benefits of coping with stress self-efficacy.

Multidimensional psychosocial profiles in the elderly and happiness: a cluster-based identification.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence supports that subjective well-being (SWB) diminishes in the old age and that this decline is strongly determined by elders' psychosocial resources. This study explored person-centred, multidimensional, empirically-derived profiles of psychosocial functioning in the elderly and related each trajectory to differing configurations of SWB. METHOD: A community-based, convenience sample of Spanish institutionalised and non-institutionalised elders voluntarily participated in this cross-sectional study. RESULTS: A cluster analysis produced three within-person psychosocial profiles characterised by distinct patterns of functioning: highly successful elders demonstrated to be healthy, highly confident in their own resources and very active in daily life; moderately successful elders demonstrated average functioning across domains, although they expected decreases in the future; and highly impaired elders were ill and stressed, at a high risk for future health problems and depression, and tried to compensate for their status mainly through social support. Each of these profiles was related differently to SWB configurations: highly successful elders demonstrated significantly higher happiness, positive affect, affect balance and life satisfaction; moderately successful elders showed average levels of SWB but decreased positive affect; and highly impaired elders demonstrated dramatically lower SWB. Furthermore, such trajectories were associated with the elders' living condition. The happiest elders were more likely to be home-dwelling elders; however, there were fewer unhappy elders among those who were institutionalised. CONCLUSION: A person-centred approach to assessing psychosocial and SWB configurations provides a rich picture of individual differences in the ageing processes and can help in designing interventions aimed at enhancing happiness in old age.

Psychosocial interventions in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women: a systematic review of randomised and non-randomised trials and non-controlled studies.

Women's care during perimenopause and postmenopause is taking new paths to help women cope with both somatic manifestations and changes related to psychological and social factors. An updated, systematic review was conducted on non-pharmacological psychosocial interventions with regard to peri- and postmenopause. Several databases complemented with reference lists and reviews were used to perform a literature search of any relevant article. Studies were selected if they included psychoeducational programmes, health education and promotion and cognitive-behavioural techniques applied to peri- or postmenopausal women, independently of study design, main outcomes and intervention comparators. A total of 33 reports and 3 relevant reviews published between 1987 and 2013 were included. Psychosocial options are promising intervention options for self-management and self-care, as they provide multiple benefits with no side effects. Moreover, these options are recommended for women in clinical, subclinical and asymptomatic groups, as they offer women the agency and skills necessary to manage and relieve menopausal symptoms, as well as provide information and alternatives to prevent menopausal symptoms and to have a more positive experience during these life stages. These options do more than reduce distress and complaints, as they allow women in any condition to enjoy enhanced health, well-being and quality of life. Moreover, these options are accompanied by important cost reductions in pharmaceutical investment and healthcare. Nevertheless, several issues remain controversial or have scarcely been investigated, and additional high-quality research should address these issues properly in the future. Despite these limitations and the weaknesses of the review, the findings of this review are interesting and positive. Thus, we encourage women-focused institutions and policies (e.g., healthcare centres, public organisations and women's associations) to offer psychosocial interventions to peri- and postmenopausal women within a comprehensive healthcare paradigm.

Relación entre los motivos para la práctica físico-deportiva y las experiencias de flujo en jóvenes: diferencias en función del sexo / Relationship between Motives for Exercise and Sports Practice and Flow Experiences in Youth: Gender Differences

El presente trabajo estudia la relación entre práctica físico-deportiva, motivos para realizarla y flujo experimentado en dicha práctica en una muestra de 101 jóvenes españoles. Los participantes respondieron autoinformes de actividad físico-deportiva, motivos para realizar esa actividad (Capdevila, 2003) y experiencias de flow en la misma (Jackson & Eklund, 2002). Los resultados indicaron que los hombres realizan más ejercicio y deporte que las mujeres, manifiestan una mayor motivación intrínseca y experimentan un mayor nivel de flujo en la actividad físico-deportiva. El flujo experimentado y los motivos intrínsecos se mostraron como factores predictores de la práctica físico-deportiva, mientras que los motivos extrínsecos no predijeron dicha práctica. Los resultados anteriores sugieren que fomentar motivos de diversión y experiencias subjetivas positivas como el flujo ayudarán a incrementar la adherencia a la práctica físico-deportiva en jóvenes.

In this study we explored the relationship between exercise - sports practice, motives for practice and flow experienced during such activities in a sample of Spanish young adults. 101 participants responded self-reports on exercise-sports practice, motives (Capdevila, 2003) and states of flow (Jackson & Eklund, 2002). The results indicated that, compared to women, physical practice was higher among men, who also showed a higher intrinsic motivation and experienced flow at a higher degree. Flow and intrinsic motives predicted physical practice, whilst extrinsic motives could not predict it. These results point out that promoting enjoyment-related motives and positive subjective experiences such as flow might help in enhancing adherence to exercise and sports among young people.

Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Autoeficacia para el Afrontamiento del Estrés (EAEAE) / Psychometric properties of the Escala de Autoeficacia para el Afrontamiento del Estrés (EAEAE)

Se presenta en este trabajo el constructo de «autoeficacia específica para el afrontamiento del estrés» así como un instrumento para su evaluación, la Escala de Autoeficacia para el Afrontamiento del Estrés (EAEAE), y los resultados sobre sus propiedades psicométricas. Participaron en este estudio 812 adultos de 18 a 64 años (M= 26.46; dt= 9.93; 62.6% mujeres y 37.4% hombres) procedentes de diferentes contextos. Los participantes contestaron la EAEAE junto con otras medidas de constructos teóricamente relacionados con esta autoeficacia específica. Tanto la escala completa como sus dos subescalas de Expectativas de Eficacia y Expectativas de Resultado muestran una adecuada fiabilidad, así como una apropiada validez de constructo factorial, que señala la bidimensionalidad del instrumento, y validez convergente con el resto de medidas. Las características de brevedad y facilidad de administración de la escala y la constatación de sus adecuadas propiedades psicométricas indican que la EAEAE es un instrumento apropiado para la evaluación e investigación sobre la autoeficacia específica para el afrontamiento del estrés en contextos de investigación y clínicos (AU)

This paper presents the theoretical construct of «coping with stress specific self-efficacy» and an instrument for its assessment, the Escala de Autoeficacia para el Afrontamiento del Estrés (EAEAE; in English, Coping with Stress Self-Efficacy Scale), as well as the results obtained concerning its psychometric properties from an adult population. 812 individuals, aged 18 to 64 years old (M= 26.46, SD= 9.93, 62.6% females and 37.4% males), recruited from various contexts, participated in this study. Participants completed the EAEAE along with other measures of constructs theoretically related to this specific self-efficacy. The EAEAE shows appropriate reliability in its complete form as well as in its two subscales of Efficacy Expectations and Outcome Expectations, and adequate factorial construct validity (which reveals the bi-dimensionality of the instrument), and convergent validity with the remaining measures. The characteristics of brevity and ease of application of the scale, in addition to its adequate psychometric properties, indicate that the EAEAE is an appropriate tool to assess and investigate coping with stress self-efficacy in research as well as clinical settings (AU)

[Psychometric properties of the Escala de Autoeficacia para el Afrontamiento del Estrés (EAEAE)]. / Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Autoeficacia para el Afrontamiento del Estrés (EAEAE).

This paper presents the theoretical construct of <> and an instrument for its assessment, the Escala de Autoeficacia para el Afrontamiento del Estrés (EAEAE; in English, Coping with Stress Self-Efficacy Scale), as well as the results obtained concerning its psychometric properties from an adult population. 812 individuals, aged 18 to 64 years old ( M = 26.46, SD = 9.93, 62.6% females and 37.4% males), recruited from various contexts, participated in this study. Participants completed the EAEAE along with other measures of constructs theoretically related to this specific self-efficacy. The EAEAE shows appropriate reliability in its complete form as well as in its two subscales of Efficacy Expectations and Outcome Expectations, and adequate factorial construct validity (which reveals the bi-dimensionality of the instrument), and convergent validity with the remaining measures. The characteristics of brevity and ease of application of the scale, in addition to its adequate psychometric properties, indicate that the EAEAE is an appropriate tool to assess and investigate coping with stress self-efficacy in research as well as clinical settings.

The effects of daily stress and stressful life events on the clinical symptomatology of patients with lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to verify whether stress worsens the clinical symptomatology perceived by patients with lupus erythematosus. Toward this end, we considered two types of stressors-daily stress and high-intensity stressful life events. METHODS: In 46 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 12 patients with chronic lupus discoid, we studied the stress they experienced daily for 6 months and their disease symptoms. During this period, we also analyzed the levels of C3 and C4 complements and anti-DNAn antibodies. The systemic lupus erythematosus activity (assessed by the Systemic Lupus Activity Measures) and cumulative organ damage (assessed by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index) were also analyzed. RESULTS: We did not find that high-intensity stressful life events produced a worsening of the symptomatology of the disease. However, using a time-series analysis (Box-Jenkins), we found that a high percentage of lupus patients (74.1%) perceived a worsening in their clinical symptomatology due to the effects of daily stress. Of this 74.1%, 53.4% worsened the same day they suffered the perceived daily stress, and the remaining 20.7% experienced an increase in symptoms both the same day and the following day. Subsequent Mann-Whitney analyses showed that the patients who worsened for 2 days because of the effects of stress had greater lupus activity, as evaluated by their levels of C3, C4, and anti-DNAn. CONCLUSION: Daily stress, and not stressful life events, worsened the clinical symptomatology perceived by lupus erythematosus patients. This increase extended at times to 2 days, and was associated with greater lupic activity.