Self-perception in elite collegiate female gymnasts, cross-country runners, and track-and-field athletes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare self-perception between a group of competitive, elite female collegiate athletes (participating in gymnastics, cross country, and track and field) and a group of female political science students (nonathletic control subjects). We hypothesized that the athletic group would rate athletics as more important than would the nonathletic group, that the perception of athletic competence would correlate positively with self-worth for athletes only, and that the perception of athletic competence would have a stronger influence on self-worth in the athletic group. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The Self-perception Profile for College Students was completed by 32 athletes and 13 nonathletes. This profile measures 12 subscales plus Global Self-worth independently and generates scores that reflect the subject's perceived importance of and competence in each of the subscale areas. RESULTS: The athletes rated athletics as more important than did nonathletes, although this trend was nonsignificant when adjusted for age. As age increased, the importance of athletics decreased for both groups. There was a direct relationship between perceived athletic competence and self-worth for the athletes but not for the nonathletes. Variables that accounted for the Global Self-worth score in athletes were perceptions of Competence subscales for Appearance, Social Acceptance, Friendship, and Job. Variables that accounted for the Global Self-worth scores in the nonathletes were perceptions of Competence subscales for Romance, Morality, Humor, and Appearance. The athletic group had significantly lower Global Self-worth scores than the nonathletic group. CONCLUSIONS: The female athletes in this study derived a large component of their self-worth from their perceived athletic competence. Clinicians should bear in mind the relative importance of athletics to young female athletes and the relationship of perceived athletic ability to self-worth when treating these individuals.

Posttraumatic stress disorder in burn populations: a critical review of the literature.

This review of the literature examines studies concerning posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in burn populations. Retrospective, cross-sectional, and prospective research and case studies are critiqued. Although the data are equivocal, several trends are clearly emerging. Though severity of burn and degree of disfigurement did not consistently predict PTSD, subjective variables were better predictors. There was a clear trend for patients who had no symptoms of PTSD while hospitalized to have PTSD develop after discharge. Finally, prevalence rates of PTSD vary greatly based on time of screening. Methodological problems with studies were related to sampling and follow-up; suggestions for future research are provided.

The impact of cigarette smoking on headache activity in headache patients.

The present study was designed to explore the relationship between cigarette smoking and headache activity in a sample of patients presenting for treatment. Subjects completed various self-report measures and monitored headache activity four times per day over a 4-week period. Analyses revealed that smokers experienced greater weekly peak headache intensity, and reported higher levels of depression and general physical symptoms. Among smokers, nicotine content of the preferred brand was associated with mean headache index and weekly headache-free days, as well as depression and anxiety scores. Daily smoking rate and pack-year history were related to level of general physical symptoms only. Thus, both smoking status and the nicotine content of the preferred cigarette appear to adversely impact headache activity. Further, smokers who are more anxious or depressed may increase their headache activity via their preference for higher nicotine-content cigarettes. These results are discussed in the context of possible mechanisms underlying these effects, and implications for the clinical management of headache suffers who smoke.

Stress and blood glucose in type II diabetes mellitus.

Six adults with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus participated in a laboratory procedure to determine the effects of an acute stressor, mental arithmetic, on blood glucose, cardiovascular, and subjective indices of stress. They then completed 12 days home monitoring of stressful events, subjective stress, and blood glucose. Diet and activity were controlled to evaluate the direct effects of stress on blood glucose in the natural environment. Laboratory results showed significant increases in blood glucose, cardiovascular (HR and SBP), and subjective stress ratings during the mental arithmetic task when compared to a resting condition. Home monitoring data were consistent with the laboratory findings; blood glucose range tended to be greater on high vs low stress days, especially when the difference between high and low stress was greatest. These findings suggest that the laboratory stress induction procedure was externally valid and that in the natural environment, stress has a hyperglycemic effect on blood glucose.