'Talk to me' patient communication in a long-term care facility.

1. Staff are important facilitators for communication among elderly patients, who often are alone and bored for long periods. 2. Staff serve as an essential link between the patients and the outside world, and serve as a conduit for initiating contact between residents. 3. Environment--including the selection of roommates, the proximity of residents, and the volume of radios and televisions--may greatly alter residents' ability to communicate.

The aging semantic differential: a confirmatory factor analysis.

The Aging Semantic Differential (ASD), which is used to measure attitudes and quantify bias and negative stereotypes toward older people, is a 32-item scale published more than 20 years ago (Rosencranz & McNevin, 1969). Several factor analytic studies failed to replicate the original three-factor structure. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) using 100 third-year medical students compared six-factor models derived from the gerontological literature. A modified version of Holtzman, Beck, and Kerber's (1979) four-factor model proved to be the "best" comparative fit based upon a consensus of fit indices.

Masseter muscle hyperactivity and myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome: a relationship under stress.

Myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPD) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a psychophysiological disorder that develops because of hyperactive muscles of mastication. Ten women meeting criteria for MPD and 12 symptom-free women participated in the study. The rationale for this study was to observe cardiovascular and masseter muscle changes during four contiguous experimental periods: baseline/adaptation, reaction time, recovery, and relaxation. MPD patients showed less masseter muscle activity and higher heart rates at baseline than controls. Controls had significantly higher masseter EMG activity during reaction time. Both groups showed significant elevation in masseter muscle activity and heart rate over the 14-min reaction period. MPD patients' recovery from stress was equivalent to controls' for both heart rate and masseter muscle activity. MPD patients exhibited significantly slower reaction times than controls. The results suggest that masseter muscle hyperactivity may not account for the development and maintenance of MPD.

Self-control skillfulness and caregiver burden among help-seeking elders.

Self-control skills are coping responses that help to organize one's own behavior and to manage cognitive and emotional responses that disrupt ongoing, adaptive behavior. The concept of self-control is applied to the chronically stressful caregiving experience. The present study examined the relationship between caregivers' role-specific burden and their self-control skillfulness. Forty-four caregivers of cognitively impaired spouses were assessed. Demographic characteristics, psychiatric symptomatology, role-specific burden, functional impairment of their spouse, and dispositional self-control skillfulness were measured. Highly skillful caregivers reported lower burden, fewer memory and behavior problems for their care recipient, and fewer psychiatric symptoms than less skilled caregivers. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that self-control skillfulness was associated with caregiver burden net the effects of covariates including age, education, memory and behavior problems of the care recipient, and caregivers' psychological distress. Results suggest that self-control skills may play an important role in caregiving and may help to explain why some caregivers adapt better than others to their role.

Improving medical students' attitudes toward and skills with the elderly.

This study examined the effect of an experimental program in gerontology and geriatrics on the knowledge, attitudes, and interview skill behaviors of third-year medical students. Experimental group members (n = 45; controls n = 51) participated in four 90-minute group sessions that emphasized psychological, sociodemographic, and physiological aspects of aging and interpersonal communication skills. Program participants developed more positive attitudes and demonstrated more socially skilled behavior during an interview with an older adult.

The relationship of serum and salivary cortisol in a sample of healthy elderly.

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of salivary cortisol as an index of adrenocortical activity in older adults. Serum and salivary cortisol samples were collected in a sample of 36 healthy older adults (mean age = 66.64). The relationship of serum and salivary cortisol levels was assessed using correlation and regression analyses. In addition, the stability of serum and salivary levels over repeated samplings was assessed. The findings indicate that salivary measures of cortisol covary with serum levels, and both measures remain stable over repeated samplings. The utility of salivary cortisol as a marker of physiological reactivity is discussed. Future research is recommended to explore the emotional correlates of physiological reactivity in older adults.

Development of a computerized reference retrieval system: a behavior therapy training tool.

The vastness of the behavior therapy literature base often poses problems for beginning therapists who need greater familiarity with assessment and intervention literature. Hence a computerized reference retrieval system was developed for trainees to access behavior therapy references efficiently. The system contains over 1600 references from 158 problem categories and is economically competitive with commercial systems. Similar systems can be established using currently available microcomputer technology. The present system is primarily used by doctoral and masters students to assist in case conceptualizations and decision making during practicum courses.