Predicting intention to participate in self-management behaviors in patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A cross-national study.

RATIONALE: Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic condition that predisposes patients to substantially increased risk of early-onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. FH risks can be minimized through regular participation in three self-management. BEHAVIORS: physical activity, healthy eating, and taking cholesterol lowering medication. OBJECTIVE: The present study tested the effectiveness of an integrated social cognition model in predicting intention to participate in the self-management behaviors in FH patients from seven countries. METHOD: Consecutive patients in FH clinics from Australia, Hong Kong, Brazil, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, and UK (total N = 726) completed measures of social cognitive beliefs about illness from the common sense model of self-regulation, beliefs about behaviors from the theory of planned behavior, and past behavior for the three self-management behaviors. RESULTS: Structural equation models indicated that beliefs about behaviors from the theory of planned behavior, namely, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, were consistent predictors of intention across samples and behaviors. By comparison, effects of beliefs about illness from the common sense model were smaller and trivial in size. Beliefs partially mediated past behavior effects on intention, although indirect effects of past behavior on intention were larger for physical activity relative to taking medication and healthy eating. Model constructs did not fully account for past behavior effects on intentions. Variability in the strength of the beliefs about behaviors was observed across samples and behaviors. CONCLUSION: Current findings outline the importance of beliefs about behaviors as predictors of FH self-management behaviors. Variability in the relative contribution of the beliefs across samples and behaviors highlights the imperative of identifying sample- and behavior-specific correlates of FH self-management behaviors.

Health related quality of life in individuals at high risk for familial hypercholesterolemia undergoing genetic cascade screening in Brazil.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder associated with high risk of early major cardiovascular events (MACE) that can impact the health related quality of life (HRQoL), however, this association is unclear. This study evaluated HRQoL in index cases (IC) and first-degree relatives (FDR) of individuals at high risk of FH undergoing genetic cascade screening. METHODS: Data collection was performed before awareness of molecular diagnosis results. Individuals were divided into four groups according to the molecular diagnosis: IC with (IC+) and without (IC-) identified mutations (n = 93 and n = 175, respectively), and affected (FDR+, n = 231) and non-affected (FDR-, n = 159) FDR of IC+. HRQoL measurements, mental (MCS) and physical component (PCS) scores were carried out with SF-12 questionnaire. Associations were tested by generalized linear models. RESULTS: The mean age was 49 ±â€¯15 years, 42.2% were men, MACE had occurred in 30.7%. Overall, both PCS and MCS did not differ between FH and non-FH individuals, however, IC trended to have lower PCS independent of FH presence (p=0.003). Lower PCS were associated with female sex (p=0.018), lower education (p<0.001), professional inactivity (p=0.028), previous MACE occurrence (p<0.001), hypertension (p=0.016), depression (p<0.001) and obesity (p<0.001). Lower MCS were associated with female sex (p=0.009), previous MACE occurrence (p=0.034), depression (p<0.001) and smoking (p=0.009). Neither the presence of FH causing mutations nor pharmacological lipid lowering treatment was associated with HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: HRQoL is not reduced in both IC and FDR FH individuals in comparison with their non-affected counterparts. Previous MACE and co-morbidities are associated with reduced HRQoL.

Does emotion and its daily fluctuation correlate with depression? A cross-cultural analysis among six developing countries.

Utilizing a World Health Organization (WHO) multi-national dataset, the present study examined the relationships between emotion, affective variability (i.e., the fluctuation of emotional status), and depression across six developing countries, including China (N=15,050); Ghana (N=5,573); India (N=12,198); Mexico (N=5,448); South Africa (N=4,227); and Russia (N=4,947). Using moderated logistic regression and hierarchical multiple regression, the effects of emotion, affective variability, culture, and their interactions on depression and depressive symptoms were examined when statistically controlling for a number of external factors (i.e., age, gender, marital status, education level, income, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet). The results revealed that negative emotion was a statistically significant predictor of depressive symptoms, but the strength of association was smaller in countries with a lower incidence of depression (i.e., China and Ghana). The association between negative affective variability and the risk of depression was higher in India and lower in Ghana. Findings suggested that culture not only was associated with the incidence of depression, but it could also moderate the effects of emotion and affective variability on depression or the experience of depressive symptoms.

Psychological predictors of self-presentation concerns in sport / Preditores psicológicos referentes à auto-apresentação no esporte / Predictores psicológicos en relación con la auto-presentación en el deporte

This study examined predictors of self-presentation concerns in sport. Two hundred and twenty eight competitive athletes (171 men and 117 women) completed measures of self-presentation concerns, social physique anxiety (SPA), self-handicapping (SH), athletic identity (AI), and perfectionism. SPA and SH were consistent predictors across all but one self-presentation dimension in females. Gender differences were evident in the predictors of different dimensions of self-presentation concern. Parental criticism (a perfectionism dimension) was found to be a predictor in males, whereas concern over making mistakes (a perfectionism dimension) and athletic identity were found to be predictors of females' self-presentation concerns. Apart from AI, all relationships were positive. Addressing SPA and SH may help athletes to deal with their competitive self-presentation concerns.(AU)

Este estudo examina os preditores psicológicos da auto-apresentação no esporte. Duzentos e vinte e oito atletas competidores (171 homens e 117 mulheres) completaram questionários referentes à auto-apresentação, ansiedade sócio-física (ASF), auto-incapacidade (AI), identidade atlética (IA), e perfeccionismo. ASF e AI são preditores consistentes para todos sujeitos, mas uma dimensão de auto-apresentação marcante entre o gênero feminino. Diferenças de gênero são evidentes ao se considerar diferenças dimensionais entre os preditores de auto-apresentação. Criticismo parental (uma dimensão do perfeccionismo) foi registrado como um preditor para o gênero masculino, enquanto que sobrepujar erros (uma dimensão do perfeccionismo) e identidade atlética foram registrados como preditores significativos de auto-apresentação entre o gênero feminino. A parte da IA, todas as outras relações foram positivas. Se direcionadas ASF e AI podem ajudar atletas a melhor lidar com sua auto-apresentação competitiva no esporte.(AU)

Este estudio analiza los predictores psicológico de auto-presentación en el deporte. Doscientos veinte y ocho competidores atletas (171 hombres y 117 mujeres) completaron cuestionarios acerca de la libre presentación, la ansiedad social y físico (ASF), la auto invalidez (LI), la identidad de Atletismo (IA), y perfeccionismo. ASF y AI son consistentes predictores para todos los temas, sino una dimensión de la auto-presentación marcada entre las mujeres. De las diferencias de género son evidentes al considerar las diferencias entre lãs dimensiones predictores de auto-presentación. Criticismo parental (una dimensión de lo perfeccionismo) se registró como predictor para el Género Masculino, mientras que los pujar sobre errores (una dimension del perfeccionismo) y identidad atlética como preditores se registraron importantes de la auto-presentación entre el género femenino. La parte de la IA, todas las demás relaciones son positivas. Si dirigida ASF y la IA pueden ayudar a los atletas a hacer frente mejor a su auto-presentación en el deporte competitivo.(AU)