A Psychometric Study of a Trait and State Assessment of Sexual Pleasure - The Amsterdam Sexual Pleasure Inventory.

We studied the Amsterdam Sexual Pleasure Inventory's (1.0) psychometric properties. The ASPI, a revised self-report battery designed to measure domains of state and trait sexual pleasure in diverse gender, sex, and relationship populations, is based on a recently proposed conceptual framework of sexual pleasure. We collected quantitative (n = 1371) and qualitative data (n = 637) using a cross-sectional multi-method design targeting the general (German-speaking) population. After pre-processing, we conducted analyses on a sample of n = 706 participants. The theory-based 5-factor exploratory structural equation model and the principal component analyses of the two general exploratory index-scales showed good and acceptable structural validity evidence respectively. Measurement invariance was confirmed separately for male and female participants and for those with sexually functional-scoring and dysfunctional-scoring levels. Coefficient omega indicated that all scales, except those of one facet, showed acceptable to very good internal consistency. The ASPI's convergent and discriminant associations with sexological and psychological constructs demonstrated good overall construct validity. Participants understood the items as intended and felt that the ASPI covered relevant facets of sexual pleasure. The ASPI might help understand how individuals differ in experiencing sexual pleasure and how different contexts enable some people to experience pleasure while disadvantaging others.

Who cares, who bears, who benefits? Female spouses vicariously carry the burden after cancer diagnosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Among couples coping with cancer diagnosis, the effects of gender, role (patient vs. spouse) and patient relationship status (single vs. partnered) on quality of life (QoL) have been investigated with inconsistent results. The present study examined the impact of gender, role and relationship status on male and female patients, their spouses and non-partnered patients. METHOD: A representative sample of 218 patients with a new primary cancer diagnosis (any type and stage) and their spouses (n = 137), were assessed within 8 weeks of diagnosis. Measures assessed multiple QoL dimensions including health-related and dyadic QoL as well as symptoms of distress: (anxiety, depression, intrusion, avoidance and hyperarousal). RESULTS: Multivariate analyses of covariance revealed lower QoL for women versus men, and for spouses versus patients on a number of measures (health-related QoL, satisfaction with dyadic coping, anxiety and intrusions). CONCLUSIONS: Female spouses of cancer patients are at high risk of deteriorated QoL immediately after diagnosis, and require special attention to their psychosocial care needs.

[Distress among cancer patients and their partners in the first year after diagnosis]. / Psychische Belastungen bei Krebspatienten und ihren Partnern im ersten Jahr nach Diagnosestellung.

RATIONALE: Diagnosis of a malignant disease can cause serious psychological problems in patients as well as their intimate partners. AIM: This study investigated anxiety, depression, posttraumatic symptoms and feelings of guilt in patients and their partners segregated by sex. METHOD: In a clinical representative sample 248 cancer patients and 154 of their partners were assessed using standard questionnaires shortly after diagnosis and again six and twelve months thereafter. RESULTS: Cancer patients' female partners most frequently indicated psychopathology that required treatment (29% anxiety, 33% depression, 17% posttraumatic symptoms). CONCLUSION: Cancer patients' female partners are at high risk of developing psychopathology. Hence they routinely should be included in patient exploration and, if need be, referred to psychooncological treatment.

Sequential consequences of therapists' interventions.

Using sequential analysis, the authors examined how therapists' actions related to the verbal disclosure and defensive patterns that followed therapists' interventions within a single therapy hour for 20 patients. At the same time, a new measure, the Psychodynamic Intervention Rating Scale (PIRS), was tested for reliability and construct validity. Results indicated that therapists fit their styles of intervention to patients' levels of distress and functioning. Within the session, patient's emotional elaboration was followed by therapist's defense interpretation, followed by more patient emotional elaboration. Patient elaboration of significance was followed by more transference interpretation, followed by more patient elaboration of significance. Noninterpretive interventions were followed by patient's disclosure of facts, not emotion. Both interpretive intervention process sequences and therapist's use of support predicted posttreatment symptom reduction. The PIRS was shown to have satisfactory reliability and construct validity.