Resilience and coping

فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا

So truly where there is hardship there is also ease

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ خُذُواْ حِذۡرَكُمۡ فَٱنفِرُواْ ثُبَاتٍ أَوِ ٱنفِرُواْ جَمِيعࣰ ا

You who believe, be on your guard. March [to battle] in small groups or as one body

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ - وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ - الَّذِي أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ - وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ - فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا - إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا - فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانصَبْ - وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَارْغَب (1. Have We not opened your breast for you?)(2. And removed from you your burden.)(3. Which weighed down your back?)(4. And have We not raised high your fame?)(5. Verily, along with every hardship is relief,)(6. Verily, along with every hardship is relief.)(7. So when you have finished, devote yourself to Allah's worship.)(8. And to your Lord turn intentions and hopes.) The Meaning of opening the Breast Allah says, أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ (Have We not opened your breast for you?) meaning, 'have We not opened your chest for you.' This means, 'We ill

Indeed, with difficulty and constraint, comes ease and options.

O you who believe take your precautions against your enemy that is be wary of him and be vigilant against him; then move forward prepare to fight him in companies in separate groups one raiding party followed by the next; or move forward all together in one assembly.

O you who believe! Take your precautions, and either go forth (on an expedition) in parties, or go forth all together (71)There is certainly among you he who would linger behind. If a misfortune befalls you, he says, "Indeed Allah has favored me in that I was not present among them. (72)But if a bounty comes to you from Allah, he would surely say ـ as if there had never been ties of affection between you and him, "Oh! I wish I had been with them; then I would have achieved a great success. (73)So fight those who trade the life of this world with the Hereafter, in the cause of Allah, and whoever fights in the cause of Allah, and is killed or gets victory, We shall bestow on him a great reward (74) The Necessity of Taking Necessary Precautions Against the Enemy Allah commands His faithful servants to take precautions against their enemies, by being prepared with the necessary weapons and

حَدَّثَنَا هَدَّابُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيِّ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ، فُضَيْلُ بْنُ حُسَيْنٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا التَّيْمِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ قُمْتُ عَلَى بَابِ الْجَنَّةِ فَإِذَا عَامَّةُ مَنْ دَخَلَهَا الْمَسَاكِينُ وَإِذَا أَصْحَابُ الْجَدِّ مَحْبُوسُونَ إِلاَّ أَصْحَابَ النَّارِ فَقَدْ أُمِرَ بِهِمْ إِلَى النَّارِ وَقُمْتُ عَلَى بَابِ النَّارِ فَإِذَا عَامَّةُ مَنْ دَخَلَهَا النِّسَاءُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Usama b. Zaid reported that Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) said:I stood at the door of Paradise and I found that the overwhelming majority of those who entered therein was that of poor persons and the wealthy persons were detained to get into that. The denizens of Hell were commanded to get into Hell, and I stood upon the door of Fire and the majority amongst them who entered there was that of women

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، سَمِعَ أَبَا رَجَاءٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ ‏.‏

This hadith is narrated likewise through another chain of transmitters

حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَلْحَلَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلاَ وَصَبٍ وَلاَ هَمٍّ وَلاَ حُزْنٍ وَلاَ أَذًى وَلاَ غَمٍّ حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا، إِلاَّ كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ خَطَايَاهُ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that

حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُلَيْحٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، مِنْ بَنِي عَامِرِ بْنِ لُؤَىٍّ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ كَمَثَلِ الْخَامَةِ مِنَ الزَّرْعِ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَتَتْهَا الرِّيحُ كَفَأَتْهَا، فَإِذَا اعْتَدَلَتْ تَكَفَّأُ بِالْبَلاَءِ، وَالْفَاجِرُ كَالأَرْزَةِ صَمَّاءَ مُعْتَدِلَةً حَتَّى يَقْصِمَهَا اللَّهُ إِذَا شَاءَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The example of a believer is that of a fresh tender plant; from whatever direction the wind comes, it bends it, but when the wind becomes quiet, it becomes straight again. Similarly, a believer is afflicted with calamities (but he remains patient till Allah removes his difficulties.) And an impious wicked person is like a pine tree which keeps hard and straight till Allah cuts (breaks) it down when He wishes." (See Hadith No. 558, Vol)

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ بِلاَلٍ - عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّ بِالسُّوقِ دَاخِلاً مِنْ بَعْضِ الْعَالِيَةِ وَالنَّاسُ كَنَفَتَهُ فَمَرَّ بِجَدْىٍ أَسَكَّ مَيِّتٍ فَتَنَاوَلَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَيُّكُمْ يُحِبُّ أَنَّ هَذَا لَهُ بِدِرْهَمٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالُوا مَا نُحِبُّ أَنَّهُ لَنَا بِشَىْءٍ وَمَا نَصْنَعُ بِهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَتُحِبُّونَ أَنَّهُ لَكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا وَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَانَ حَيًّا كَانَ عَيْبًا فِيهِ لأَنَّهُ أَسَكُّ فَكَيْفَ وَهُوَ مَيِّتٌ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ فَوَاللَّهِ لَلدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذَا عَلَيْكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) happened to walk through the bazar coming from the side of 'Aliya and the people were on both his sides. There he found a dead lamb with very short ears. He took hold of his ear and said:Who amongst you would like to have this for a dirham? They said: We do not like to have it even for less than that as it is of no use to us. He said: Do you wish to have it (free of any cost)? They said: By Allah, even if it were alive (we would not have liked to possess that), for there is defect in it as its ear is very short; now it is dead also. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: By Allah, this world is more insignificant in the eye of Allah than it (this dead lamb) is in your eye

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِيُّ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَرْعَرَةَ السَّامِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، - يَعْنِيَانِ الثَّقَفِيَّ - عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ بِمِثْلِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّ فِي حَدِيثِ الثَّقَفِيِّ فَلَوْ كَانَ حَيًّا كَانَ هَذَا السَّكَكُ بِهِ عَيْبًا ‏.‏

Jabir reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) narrating a hadith like this with a slight variation of wording

ثم خاصية العقل واللب : التمييز بين مراتب المحبوبات والمكروهات بقوة العلم والتمييز وإيثار أعلى المحبوبين على أدناهما واحتمال أدنى المكروهين للتخلص من أعلاهما بقوة الصبر والثبات واليقين

وأمر المصاب بأنفع الأمور له وهو الصبر والاحتساب فإن ذلك يخفف مصيبته ويوفر أجره والجزع والتسخط والتشكى يزيد في المصيبة ويذهب الأجر

فالصبر مع نفسك و المصابرة بينك وبين عدوك و المرابطة الثبات وإعداد العدة وكما أن الرباط لزوم الثغر لئلا يهجم منه العدو فكذلك الرباط أيضا لزوم ثغر القلب لئلا يهجم عليه الشيطان فيملكه أو يخربه أو يشعثه

ويهيج أفراحهم قابلوه بالسكون والثبات والاستقرار حتى كأنه لم يهجم عليهم وقال كعب بن زهير في مدح المهاجرين :

الثالث اللزوم والثبات ومنه حب البعير وأحب إذا برك ولم يقم قال الشاعر

الركن الرابع: نفس الاحتساب، وله درجات وآداب.

Psychological resilience among palliative patients with advanced cancer: A systematic review of definitions and associated factors.: Objective: The palliative journey can be emotionally stressful for both patients with advanced cancer and their families. Psychological resilience is crucial in aiding with patients' adaptation and post-traumatic growth. The aim of this systematic review was to critically examine the definitions of psychological resilience and its associated factors in palliative patients with advanced cancer. Methods: Four databases were systematically searched from inception to August 2020. Both qualitative an

Resilience and related factors in colorectal cancer patients: A systematic review.: Purpose: To explore resilience and its related factors in adult colorectal cancer patients. Methods: Three databases (CINAHL, Scopus and PubMed) were searched for literature published from January 2009 to February 2021 using the terms colorectal and resilience or resilient or resiliency. The review was registered with PROSPERO and followed the PRISMA statement guidelines. Results: The studies (n = 11) showed that most colorectal cancer patients exhibit moderate levels of resilience. Resilience w

Post-traumatic growth in people living with a serious medical condition and its relations to physical and mental health: a systematic review.: Purpose: The diagnosis of a life-threatening illness can be an extremely stressful, traumatic experience. However, many survivors report also various positive changes, referred in empirical literature as post-traumatic growth (PTG). Empirical studies that documented stress disorders and PTG in patients and survivors of life-threatening diseases are reviewed in three areas: Predictors of PTG, relationships between PTG and indicators of mental health and the impact of PTG on the process of convale

A systematic review of resilience in the physically ill.: Background: Resilience is the capacity of individuals to maintain, or regain, their mental health in the face of significant adversity, including physical illness. Objective: We conducted a systematic review of resilience and related concepts in the physically ill to determine factors associated with predicting or promoting resilience. Methods: An electronic search of PsychInfo, Medline, and CINAHL databases between 1950 and May 2009 was performed using the terms resilience, and various types of

Resilience in Caregivers: A Systematic Review.: Background: Resilience is a multidimensional construct that explains why people facing the consequences of adversity and stress can have a positive outcome, emphasizing adjustment to experiences that are perceived as threatening. Objective: The aim of this study is to review the construct of resilience and associated variables in caregivers of patients with chronic, advanced illness and at the end of life. Methods: The review included studies published between January 2009 and January 2019, usin

Feasibility and acceptability of a resilience training program for intensive care unit nurses.: Background: The critical nursing shortage is particularly apparent in specialty areas such as intensive care units (ICUs). Some nurses develop resilient coping strategies and adapt to stressful work experiences, mitigating the development of common maladaptive psychological symptoms. Objectives: To determine if a multimodal resilience training program for ICU nurses was feasible to perform and acceptable to the study participants. Methods: In a randomized and controlled 12-week intervention stud

Binge eating tendencies and anger coping: investigating the confound of trait neuroticism in a non-clinical sample.

Objective: Binge eating has been found to be associated with anger suppression. However, the anger suppression measure used in previous research is highly saturated with trait neuroticism. Furthermore, the dichotomised view of anger coping as either 'in' or 'out' has been questioned. The present study investigated the influence of trait neuroticism on the relationship between binge eating and anger suppression. In addition, a broader measure of anger coping was utilised. Method: One hundred forty non-clinical women completed measures of binge eating, anger coping and trait neuroticism. Results: Anger suppression, rumination and a lack of assertion (i.e. anger inexpressiveness) were significantly correlated with binge eating tendencies. However, hierarchical regression analyses showed that the anger inexpressiveness measures were not predictive of binge eating tendencies over and above tr…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Parenting very low birth weight children at school age: maternal stress and coping.

Objective: To compare severity and determinants of stress and coping in mothers of 8-year-old very low birth weight (VLBW) and term children varying in medical and developmental risk. Study design: Three groups of mothers/infants were prospectively compared in a longitudinal study from birth to 8 years (110 high-risk VLBW, 80 low-risk VLBW, and 112 term). Maternal psychological distress, coping, parenting/marital stress, child health, and family impact were measured in the children at age 8 years. Results: Mothers of VLBW children differed from term mothers, reporting less consensus with partners, more concern for their children's health, less parent-child conflict, and fewer years of education attained. Mothers of high-risk VLBW children experienced the greatest family and personal strains and used less denial and disengagement coping. The groups exhibited no differences in the sense of…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Ethnic identity and acculturation in Hispanic early adolescents: mediated relationships to academic grades, prosocial behaviors, and externalizing symptoms.

This study examined acculturative stress and self-esteem as mediators of the association of ethnic identity and acculturation with psychosocial outcomes. The study sample consisted of 347 Hispanic adolescents in a "new" immigrant-receiving community in the Midwest. The authors expected acculturation to influence psychosocial adjustment through acculturative stress and ethnic identity to influence psychosocial adjustment through self-esteem. Results indicated that relationships of ethnic identity to academic grades and to externalizing symptoms were mediated by self-esteem and that both U.S. and Hispanic acculturation orientations were directly associated with prosocial behavior. The relationships of U.S. cultural orientation to academic grades and to behavior problems were mediated through acculturative stress and self-esteem. Implications of these findings for the study of Hispanics in …

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Rheumatoid arthritis patients' experiences of wearing therapeutic footwear - a qualitative investigation.

Background: Specialist 'therapeutic' footwear is recommended for patients with diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as a beneficial intervention for reducing foot pain, improving foot health, and increasing general mobility. However, many patients choose not to wear this footwear. Recommendations from previous studies have been implemented but have had little impact in improving this situation. The aim of this study was to explore RA patients' experiences of this footwear to ascertain the factors which influence their choice to wear it or not. Method: Ten females and three males with RA and experience of wearing specialist footwear were recruited from four National Health Service orthotic services. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in the participants own homes. A hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of the transcripts was carried out to identify themes. Results: The ana…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Breast cancer survivors: information and support after treatment.

Women living with and beyond breast cancer have special health care needs. Persistent physical and psychological symptoms such as fatigue, pain, sleep disturbances, and fear of recurrence as well as quality-of-life outcomes have been described in women during and after breast cancer. Much less information exists on the experience of women completing treatment. This study describes the information and support needs of women following breast cancer treatment. A semistructured interview guide designed by the research team was used to gather data. Major findings indicate that women continue to experience a variety of physical and psychological symptoms and have concrete information and support needs following therapy, including the need for information on persistent treatment effects, emotional distress, and lifestyle changes. Findings illustrate that there is need to provide comprehensive i…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Shattered dreams: parental experiences of adolescent substance abuse.

Drug or substance abuse by adolescents continues to have a major impact on the health and well-being of young people and poses a serious management problem for health workers. While the majority of the problems surrounding adolescent substance abuse rest on the parents, little is actually known about their experiences. This study aimed to describe and construct an interpretation of the lived experiences of parenting an adolescent who abuses illicit substances. A qualitative approach, underpinned by the tenets of phenomenology, was used to conduct in-depth interviews with 18 parents. Thematic analysis revealed eight themes: confronting the lies, deceit, and suspicion; struggling to set limits; dealing with the consequences; living with the blame and the shame; trying to keep the child safe; grieving the child that was; living with the guilt; and choosing self-preservation. The results ind…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Adjusting to life after treatment: distress and quality of life following treatment for breast cancer.

Clinical and anecdotal findings suggest that the completion of cancer treatment may be marked by heightened distress and disrupted adjustment. The present study examined psychological adjustment during the 3 months following treatment among 89 women with stages 0-III breast cancer. Participants completed measures of depression, cancer-related anxiety, cancer concerns, and quality of life at three time points: during treatment, 3 weeks following the end of treatment, and 3 months post-treatment. Post-treatment scores were suggestive of good psychological adjustment among the majority of women. Moreover, distress did not increase following treatment; longitudinal analyses showed no significant changes in depression or recurrence worry, while intrusive thoughts decreased, and quality of life improved. Younger age predicted greater distress across measures. A history of depression or anxiety…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Mutuality and preparedness moderate the effects of caregiving demand on cancer family caregiver outcomes.

Background: Family caregiving researchers have explored the moderating or stress-buffering effects of variables such as coping and social support. However, the quality of the family caregiver-patient relationship and preparedness for caregiving have received little attention as potential moderators. Objective: To explore whether relationship quality and preparedness moderate the effects of caregiving demand on caregiver outcomes during cancer treatment. Methods: Eighty-seven family caregivers of patients receiving treatment for cancer completed the Demand and Difficulty subscales of the Caregiving Burden Scale, Mutuality and Preparedness Scales of the Family Care Inventory, and the short form of the Profile of Mood States. Using hierarchical multiple regression analyses, caregiving difficulty and total mood disturbance were regressed on two- and three-way interaction terms for demand, mu…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Worry and rumination: differential associations with anxious and depressive symptoms and coping behavior.

Worry and rumination are closely allied cognitive processes that impact on the experience of anxious and depressive symptoms. Using a prospective design, this study examined overlapping and distinct features of worry and rumination in relation to symptoms and coping behavior in a nonclinical sample of Singaporean college students. Worry and rumination were highly correlated, but they retained distinct components that predicted anxious and depressive symptoms differentially within and across time. Specifically, worry was uniquely associated with anxious and depressive symptoms whereas rumination was uniquely related to depression. In comparison to rumination, worry emerged as the dominant cognitive vulnerability factor that predicted increments in symptoms over time. With regards to coping behavior, low perceived coping effectiveness partially mediated the relation between worry and incre…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

The relationship between rumination, avoidance and depression in a non-clinical sample.

Recent commentaries have proposed conceptualizations of rumination in terms of both cognitive and behavioral avoidance. This study examined the relationship between rumination, avoidance and depression using a newly developed self-report measure of avoidance in depression, the Cognitive-Behavioral Avoidance Scale (CBAS) [Ottenbreit, N.D., & Dobson, K.S. (2004). Avoidance and depression: The construction of the cognitive-behavioral avoidance scale. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 293-313]. A non-clinical sample (N=104) of undergraduate students completed self-report measures of depression, anxiety, rumination and avoidance. Rumination, avoidance and depression were all significantly correlated. Rumination and behavioral avoidance remained intercorrelated when anxiety was controlled, confirming an association that is independent of anxiety. By contrast, the relationship between cogniti…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Engaging with a new reality: experiences of overseas minority ethnic nurses in the NHS.

Aim and objective: The purpose of this study was to explore, describe and develop a greater understanding of the experiences of overseas black and minority ethnic nurses in the National Health Service (NHS) in the south of England. Background: For the past five decades, the NHS has been recruiting overseas black and minority ethnic nurses from several former British colonies to alleviate the manpower shortages. More recently there has been a shortage of nurses in the labour force and as a result the NHS has once again recruited overseas nurses. Despite this recruitment drive there are limited studies outlining how overseas black and minority nurses have fared in the NHS. Methods: This qualitative phenomenological study used four purposeful focus groups and all participants involved were interviewed at a place convenient for them. These all non-white participants originated from Asia, Afr…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Guilt and shame: experiences of parents of self-harming adolescents.

This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study that used a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology to develop insights into the experience of parents of young people who engage in self-harming behaviour. Six mothers (and one father who accompanied his wife) participated in the study. Findings reveal that mothers experienced guilt and shame, and that these feelings shaped their reactions and responses. These mothers described experiencing emotional dilemmas, such as the degree to which they could be responsible, uncertainty about how to understand self harm, and the best course of action to take with their child. They also encountered difficulties in combating the negative emotional effects for themselves and other family members. Findings provide insights that can help nurses and family health workers to understand and assist parents with greater effectiveness; by maintaining a …

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

A cognitive intervention to enhance institutionalized older adults' social support networks and decrease loneliness.

Nearly all older adults experience social losses, which can disrupt their social support networks and impair their quality of life. Events such as retirement, an inability to drive, death of a spouse and/or close life-long friends, or moving to an elder care facility may negatively affect the quality of older adults' social support networks. Low levels of perceived social support are associated with increased depression, impaired immune functioning and reduced life expectancy. Moreover, social interactions can be cognitively stimulating and may help older adults preserve their cognitive abilities. In the present study, institutionalized older adults were exposed to either a cognitive enhancement programme designed to enhance social networks or a control group. Measures of perceived social support and loneliness were administered before and after a 3-month, group-based intervention. There…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Links between parental psychological violence, other family disturbances, and children's adjustment.

In a sample of 143 parent-child dyads from two-parent and separated families, this investigation documented the links between parental psychological violence and separation or divorce, severity of parental conflict, triangulation of the child in this conflict, and polarized parent-child alliances. The unique and combined contributions of all these variables to children's behavior problems were also assessed. Participants were parents, mostly mothers, and their 10-12-year-old child. They were recruited through schools, community organizations, and newspapers. Questionnaires were administered at home. Findings suggest that separated families undergo more relational disturbances than two-parent families (more severe conflicts, more triangulation, stronger parent-child alliances), but the amount of parental psychological violence was similar in both groups. Psychological violence was associa…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Distress tolerance in the eating disorders.

Objective: It is commonly noted that patients with eating disorders have difficulties in regulating emotional states. This construct is similar to the concept of distress tolerance, which has been identified as a problem in patients with impulsive disorders. However, the elements that make up distress tolerance are not clearly delineated, making it difficult to target treatment in relevant cases. This study aimed to develop a measure of distress tolerance, and to validate it clinically with the eating disorders. Method: The sample consisted of 72 women with DSM-IV eating disorder diagnoses, and 62 women with no history of eating disorders. Each completed a newly developed measure of distress tolerance (the Distress Tolerance Scale; DTS) and the Eating Disorders Inventory. Results: The DTS was made up of three scales, each with acceptable psychometric properties. Two of those scales diffe…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Difficulties in emotion regulation and impulse control during cocaine abstinence.

Rationale: Prior research has shown that cocaine dependence is associated with dysfunction of brain systems involved in emotions and motivational states. Objectives: To examine whether difficulties in emotion regulation are associated with early cocaine abstinence using the recently validated Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Method: Recently abstinent treatment-seeking cocaine patients (n=60) completed the DERS during their first week of inpatient treatment and at discharge (3-4 weeks later), and scores were compared with community controls (n=50). Results: Compared with controls, cocaine-dependent individuals reported difficulties relating to understanding emotions, managing emotions and impulse control in the first week of abstinence. With continued abstinence, cocaine-dependent individuals showed continued difficulties only in impulse control. Conclusion: Cocaine-depen…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Adaptation and adjustment in children of transsexual parents.

It is a relatively uncommon event that children find themselves in a situation with a parent who undergoes a transition from one sex to another. Unlike situations of divorce or a parent with a medical or major psychiatric disorder, it is unlikely that the children will know of other children who encounter similar situations. There is very little literature that describes the adjustment of these children and the nature of their relationships with their parents and peers. Such information would be beneficial for clinicians assisting children and families in this situation. To better delineate the adjustment of these children, we interviewed 27 parents of 55 children. The interview took place on average 6 years after the gender transition. The measures obtained included the parent and child relationships at present and also at the time of the transition. We also inquired about academic func…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Effects of prayer and religious expression within computer support groups on women with breast cancer.

Research indicates that two common ways breast cancer patients or women with breast cancer cope with their diagnosis and subsequent treatments are participating in computer support groups and turning to religion. This study is the first we are aware of to examine how prayer and religious expression within computer support groups can contribute to improved psychosocial outcomes for this population. Surveys were administered before group access and then 4 months later. Message transcripts were analyzed using a word counting program that noted the percentage of words related to religious expression. Finally, messages were qualitatively reviewed to better understand results generated from the word counting program. As hypothesized, writing a higher percentage of religion words was associated with lower levels of negative emotions and higher levels of health self-efficacy and functional well-…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

The relative contribution of posttraumatic and acculturative stress to subjective mental health among Bosnian refugees.

The relationship between posttraumatic stress reactions, cultural adaptation, and mental health symptoms is still poorly understood. This empirical study examined the relative contribution of both posttraumatic reactions and acculturation rates to subjective mental health in 2 groups of Bosnian refugees, a clinical group (N = 34) and a nonclinical community group (N = 44). As hypothesized, posttraumatic reactions were highly predictive of mental health state in both groups. In addition, two specific acculturation aspects, cultural affiliation and the obtaining of instrumental skills, were significantly related to mental health symptoms. The implications of these findings for mental health professionals working with refugees and other traumatized populations are considered.

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

An example of psychological adjustment in chronic illness: Hirschsprung's disease.

The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes after definitive surgical correction for children with Hirschsprung's disease (HD) and the psychosocial impact of HD on the child and family. The total sample comprised 72 children with HD along with their families. The development of a condition-specific questionnaire measured the functional and psychosocial outcomes for children with HD with parental perception of their child's condition. Psychiatric measures were also examined to assess psychiatric morbidity. The greatest functional problem after definitive surgery for HD was faecal soiling (76%). The principle findings of the study were that (1) HD did not have a significant impact on the child's rate of psychiatric morbidity and levels of hopefulness in comparison to the normal population, (2) surgical and psychosocial functioning improved with increasing age and, (3) families re…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Mothers' experiences of having their newborn child in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Background: From birth the child has an ability to respond to the environment, which influences the interaction between mother and child. If this attachment is interrupted, the child's emotional development is negatively influenced. When the child needs care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) it is difficult to establish contacts between mother and child. Separation from the child is found to be the most difficult aspect for mothers when their newborn child is hospitalized in a NICU. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe mothers' experiences when their full-term newborn child was cared for in a NICU during the postpartum maternity care period. Method: A phenomenological hermeneutic interview study was performed. Ten mothers were interviewed once, 6 months to 6 years after the experience. Results: The essence of the experience is understood as an alternation between two opposit…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Stress and well-being among parents of children with rare diseases: a prospective intervention study.

Aim: This paper reports a study to assess stress, well-being and supportive resources experienced by mothers and fathers of children with rare disabilities, and how these variables were affected by an intensive family competence intervention. Background: Despite diagnosis-specific studies, little overall knowledge exists about life-consequences for families of children with rare disorders. Method: We used a prospective design with baseline data and two follow-ups (at 6 and 12 months) after an intervention. The intervention aimed at empowering parents in managing their child's disability. Parents from all parts of Sweden visiting a national centre for families of children with rare disabilities were consecutively selected (n = 136 mothers, 108 fathers). Instruments of parental stress, social support, self-rated health, optimism and life satisfaction and perceived physical or psychological…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Long-term psychosocial effects of parental divorce: a follow-up study from adolescence to adulthood.

Objective: The purpose of this 16-year follow-up study was to investigate whether 32-year-old adults who had experienced parental divorce before 16 years of age (n = 317) differed in psychosocial well-being or life trajectories from those from non-divorced two-parent families (n = 1069). Method: The data were obtained from a follow-up survey of a Finnish urban age cohort from the age of 16 till 32 years (n = 1471). The long-term impact of parental divorce on a variety of outcomes in adulthood, including psychological well-being, life situation, health behaviour, social networks and support, negative life events and interpersonal problems, was assessed. Results: Females from divorced compared to non-divorced families reported more psychological problems (higher scores in the Beck Depression Inventory, General Health Questionnaire and Psychosomatic Symptoms Score) and more problems in thei…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Psychological adjustment of cancer caregivers with multiple roles.

Guided by the role strain and the role enhancement theories, this study examined the effect of caregivers' multiple roles, such as being employed and taking care of minors in their household, on their psychological adjustment. Of the caregivers who completed the American Cancer Society's Quality of Life Survey for Caregivers, 457 caregivers who were middle-aged (18-64) and provided complete data for the study variables were included in the analyses. The indicators of the outcome variables, namely, the levels of the caregivers' psychological adjustment, were cancer caregiving stress, management of meaning out of providing care, and negative and positive affect. Multivariate general linear modeling analyses revealed that employed caregivers who were also taking care of children reported higher levels of caregiving stress and negative affect. In contrast, employed caregivers who were not ta…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)

Stigma as ego depletion: how being the target of prejudice affects self-control.

This research examined whether stigma diminishes people's ability to control their behaviors. Because coping with stigma requires self-regulation, and self-regulation is a limited-capacity resource, we predicted that individuals belonging to stigmatized groups are less able to regulate their own behavior when they become conscious of their stigmatizing status or enter threatening environments. Study 1 uncovered a correlation between stigma sensitivity and self-regulation; the more Black college students were sensitive to prejudice, the less self-control they reported having. By experimentally activating stigma, Studies 2 and 3 provided causal evidence for stigma's ego-depleting qualities: When their stigma was activated, stigmatized participants (Black students and females) showed impaired self-control in two very different domains (attentional and physical self-regulation). These result…

matched on Adaptation, Psychological (mesh)