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

Emotion regulation and psychopathology: the role of gender.

This review addresses three questions regarding the relationships among gender, emotion regulation, and psychopathology: (a) are there gender differences in emotion regulation strategies, (b) are emotion regulation strategies similarly related to psychopathology in men and women, and (c) do gender differences in emotion regulation strategies account for gender differences in psychopathology? Women report using most emotion regulation strategies more than men do, and emotion regulation strategies are similarly related to psychopathology in women and men. More rumination in women compared to men partially accounts for greater depression and anxiety in women compared to men, while a greater tendency to use alcohol to cope partially accounts for more alcohol misuse in men compared to women. The literature on emotion regulation is likely missing vital information on how men regulate their emo…

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Empirical Studies of Self-Stigma Reduction Strategies: A Critical Review of the Literature.

Objective: The purpose of this article was to comprehensively review published literature about strategies to reduce self-stigma among people with mental illness. Recommendations and implications for research also are discussed. Methods: The electronic databases of Ovid, PubMed, and PsycINFO were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between January 2000 and August 2011 by using the key words “self-stigma,” “internalized stigma,” “perceived stigma,” and “stigma intervention.” The search was further narrowed to studies that described a detailed intervention and that used self-stigma as a primary or secondary outcome, tested the intervention among individuals with a psychiatric illness, and analyzed data quantitatively with acceptable statistical tools. Results: Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria, and eight reported significant improvement in self-stigma outcomes. Participant…

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On the self-stigma of mental illness: stages, disclosure, and strategies for change.

People with mental illness have long experienced prejudice and discrimination. Researchers have been able to study this phenomenon as stigma and have begun to examine ways of reducing this stigma. Public stigma is the most prominent form observed and studied, as it represents the prejudice and discrimination directed at a group by the larger population. Self-stigma occurs when people internalize these public attitudes and suffer numerous negative consequences as a result. In our article, we more fully define the concept of self-stigma and describe the negative consequences of self-stigma for people with mental illness. We also examine the advantages and disadvantages of disclosure in reducing the impact of stigma. In addition, we argue that a key to challenging self-stigma is to promote personal empowerment. Lastly, we discuss individual- and societal-level methods for reducing self-stig…

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The third rail of family systems: sibling relationships, mental and behavioral health, and preventive intervention in childhood and adolescence.

Sibling relationships are an important context for development, but are often ignored in research and preventive interventions with youth and families. In childhood and adolescence, siblings spend considerable time together, and siblings' characteristics and sibling dynamics substantially influence developmental trajectories and outcomes. This paper reviews research on sibling relationships in childhood and adolescence, focusing on sibling dynamics as part of the family system and sibling influences on adjustment problems, including internalizing and externalizing behaviors and substance use. We present a theoretical model that describes three key pathways of sibling influence: one that extends through siblings' experiences with peers and school, and two that operate largely through family relationships. We then describe the few existing preventive interventions that target sibling relat…

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The intolerance of uncertainty construct in the context of anxiety disorders: theoretical and practical perspectives.

Modern anxiety disorder models implicitly include intolerance of uncertainty (IU) as a critical component for the development and maintenance of these pervasive social and economic concerns. IU represents, at its core, fear of the unknown - a long-recognized, deep-seated fear identified in normative and pathological samples. Indeed, the intrinsic nature of IU can be argued as evolutionarily supported, a notion buttressed by initial biophysiological evidence from uncertainty-related research. Originally thought to be specific to generalized anxiety disorder, recent research has clearly demonstrated that IU is a broad transdiagnostic dispositional risk factor for the development and maintenance of clinically significant anxiety. The available evidence suggests that theorists, researchers and clinicians may benefit from explicitly incorporating IU into models, research designs, case concept…

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Identifying and addressing stresses in international medical graduates.

Objectives: International medical graduates (IMGs), by definition, move from the country in which they received their training to another country in which to train and/or settle down. This process of migration and subsequent adjustment can lead to a number of issues that affect personal functioning and response to the new country. Method: The authors carried out a literature review to ascertain which factors may cause stress and which factors may contribute to successful adjustment by the IMGs. Results: The reasons for migration by IMGs can be political, educational, or economic. Each reason brings with it a series of difficulties, both for the individual and the society to which they move, as well as the society they leave behind. It is inevitable that acculturation and settling down will raise specific issues in the functioning of the IMGs. Conclusions: In this article, the authors hig…

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Complicated grief after perinatal loss.

The loss of an infant through stillbirth, miscarriage, or neonatal death is recognized as a traumatic life event. Predictors of development of complicated grief after prenatal loss include lack of social support, pre-existing relationship difficulties, or absence of surviving children, as well as ambivalent attitudes or heightened perception of the reality of the pregnancy. Risk of complicated grief was found to be especially high after termination of a pregnancy due to fetal abnormality. Studies have revealed that men and women show different patterns of grief, potentially exacerbating decline in a relationship. Although it is clear that prenatal loss has a large psychological impact, it is concluded that there is a substantial lack of randomized controlled studies in this field of research.

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Breaking the loop: oxytocin as a potential treatment for drug addiction.

Drug use typically occurs within a social context, and social factors play an important role in the initiation, maintenance and recovery from addictions. There is now accumulating evidence of an interaction between the neural substrates of affiliative behavior and those of drug reward, with a role for brain oxytocin systems in modulating acute and long-term drug effects. Early research in this field indicated that exogenous oxytocin administration can prevent development of tolerance to ethanol and opiates, the induction of stereotyped, hyperactive behavior by stimulants, and the withdrawal symptoms associated with sudden abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Additionally, stimulation of endogenous oxytocin systems is a key neurochemical substrate underlying the prosocial and empathogenic effects of party drugs such as MDMA (Ecstasy) and GHB (Fantasy). Brain oxytocin systems exhibit profoun…

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Balance of brain oxytocin and vasopressin: implications for anxiety, depression, and social behaviors.

Oxytocin and vasopressin are regulators of anxiety, stress-coping, and sociality. They are released within hypothalamic and limbic areas from dendrites, axons, and perikarya independently of, or coordinated with, secretion from neurohypophysial terminals. Central oxytocin exerts anxiolytic and antidepressive effects, whereas vasopressin tends to show anxiogenic and depressive actions. Evidence from pharmacological and genetic association studies confirms their involvement in individual variation of emotional traits extending to psychopathology. Based on their opposing effects on emotional behaviors, we propose that a balanced activity of both brain neuropeptide systems is important for appropriate emotional behaviors. Shifting the balance between the neuropeptide systems towards oxytocin, by positive social stimuli and/or psychopharmacotherapy, may help to improve emotional behaviors and…

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Review of outcome research on marital and family therapy in treatment for alcoholism.

This review of controlled studies of marital and family therapy (MFT) in alcoholism treatment updates the earlier review by O'Farrell and Fals-Stewart (2003). We conclude that, when the alcoholic is unwilling to seek help, MFT is effective in helping the family cope better and motivating alcoholics to enter treatment. Specifically, both Al-Anon facilitation and referral and spouse coping skills training (based on new findings) help family members cope better, and CRAFT promotes treatment entry and was successfully transported to a community clinic in a new study. Once the alcoholic enters treatment, MFT, particularly behavioral couples therapy (BCT), is clearly more effective than individual treatment at increasing abstinence and improving relationship functioning. New BCT studies showed efficacy with women alcoholics and with gay and lesbian alcoholics, and BCT was successfully transpor…

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Understanding migraine through the lens of maladaptive stress responses: a model disease of allostatic load.

The brain and body respond to potential and actual stressful events by activating hormonal and neural mediators and modifying behaviors to adapt. Such responses help maintain physiological stability ("allostasis"). When behavioral or physiological stressors are frequent and/or severe, allostatic responses can become dysregulated and maladaptive ("allostatic load"). Allostatic load may alter brain networks both functionally and structurally. As a result, the brain's responses to continued/subsequent stressors are abnormal, and behavior and systemic physiology are altered in ways that can, in a vicious cycle, lead to further allostatic load. Migraine patients are continually exposed to such stressors, resulting in changes to central and peripheral physiology and function. Here we review how changes in brain states that occur as a result of repeated migraines may be explained by a maladapti…

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A critical examination of the construct of perfectionism and its relationship to mental health in Asian and African Americans using a cross-cultural framework.

Although the bulk of the research literature on the construct of perfectionism and its relationship to mental health in the last 20 years has focused predominantly on Caucasian American samples, researchers are paying increasing attention to understanding perfectionism's dimensions across ethnicities. Given this momentum, the purpose of this paper is to use a cross-cultural framework to review published studies assessing perfectionism in members of an ethnic minority group living in the United States. Research to date has focused exclusively on Asian and African American samples and we organize our review by separating this literature into those studies that use level and structure-oriented cross-cultural approaches. Structure-oriented approaches empirically explore the phenomenology and/or correlates of perfectionism within each ethnic group whereas level-oriented approaches examine the…

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Psychological pathways linking social support to health outcomes: a visit with the "ghosts" of research past, present, and future.

Contemporary models postulate the importance of psychological mechanisms linking perceived and received social support to physical health outcomes. In this review, we examine studies that directly tested the potential psychological mechanisms responsible for links between social support and health-relevant physiological processes (1980s-2010). Inconsistent with existing theoretical models, no evidence was found that psychological mechanisms such as depression, perceived stress, and other affective processes are directly responsible for links between support and health. We discuss the importance of considering statistical/design issues, emerging conceptual perspectives, and limitations of our existing models for future research aimed at elucidating the psychological mechanisms responsible for links between social support and physical health outcomes.

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Modeling social influences on human health.

Social interactions have long-term physiological, psychological, and behavioral consequences. Social isolation is a well-recognized but little understood risk factor and prognostic marker of disease; it can have profoundly detrimental effects on both mental and physical well-being, particularly during states of compromised health. In contrast, the health benefits associated with social support (both reduced risk and improved recovery) are evident in a variety of illnesses and injury states; however, the mechanisms by which social interactions influence disease pathogenesis remain largely unidentified. The substantial health impact of the psychosocial environment can occur independently of traditional disease risk factors and is not accounted for solely by peer-encouraged development of health behaviors. Instead, social interactions are capable of altering shared pathophysiological mechan…

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The Adaptive Calibration Model of stress responsivity.

This paper presents the Adaptive Calibration Model (ACM), an evolutionary-developmental theory of individual differences in the functioning of the stress response system. The stress response system has three main biological functions: (1) to coordinate the organism's allostatic response to physical and psychosocial challenges; (2) to encode and filter information about the organism's social and physical environment, mediating the organism's openness to environmental inputs; and (3) to regulate the organism's physiology and behavior in a broad range of fitness-relevant areas including defensive behaviors, competitive risk-taking, learning, attachment, affiliation and reproductive functioning. The information encoded by the system during development feeds back on the long-term calibration of the system itself, resulting in adaptive patterns of responsivity and individual differences in beh…

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Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions.

Mindfulness-based meditation interventions have become increasingly popular in contemporary psychology. Other closely related meditation practices include loving-kindness meditation (LKM) and compassion meditation (CM), exercises oriented toward enhancing unconditional, positive emotional states of kindness and compassion. This article provides a review of the background, the techniques, and the empirical contemporary literature of LKM and CM. The literature suggests that LKM and CM are associated with an increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect. Preliminary findings from neuroendocrine studies indicate that CM may reduce stress-induced subjective distress and immune response. Neuroimaging studies suggest that LKM and CM may enhance activation of brain areas that are involved in emotional processing and empathy. Finally, preliminary intervention studies support appli…

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Stress- and allostasis-induced brain plasticity.

The brain is the key organ of stress processes. It determines what individuals will experience as stressful, it orchestrates how individuals will cope with stressful experiences, and it changes both functionally and structurally as a result of stressful experiences. Within the brain, a distributed, dynamic, and plastic neural circuitry coordinates, monitors, and calibrates behavioral and physiological stress response systems to meet the demands imposed by particular stressors. These allodynamic processes can be adaptive in the short term (allostasis) and maladaptive in the long term (allostatic load). Critically, these processes involve bidirectional signaling between the brain and body. Consequently, allostasis and allostatic load can jointly affect vulnerability to brain-dependent and stress-related mental and physical health conditions. This review focuses on the role of brain plastic…

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Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health.

Over the past 30 years investigators have called repeatedly for research on the mechanisms through which social relationships and social support improve physical and psychological well-being, both directly and as stress buffers. I describe seven possible mechanisms: social influence/social comparison, social control, role-based purpose and meaning (mattering), self-esteem, sense of control, belonging and companionship, and perceived support availability. Stress-buffering processes also involve these mechanisms. I argue that there are two broad types of support, emotional sustenance and active coping assistance, and two broad categories of supporters, significant others and experientially similar others, who specialize in supplying different types of support to distressed individuals. Emotionally sustaining behaviors and instrumental aid from significant others and empathy, active coping …

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Risk assessment as an evolved threat detection and analysis process.

Risk assessment is a pattern of activities involved in detection and analysis of threat stimuli and the situations in which the threat is encountered. It is a core process in the choice of specific defenses, such as flight, freezing, defensive threat and defensive attack, that counter the threat and minimize the danger it poses. This highly adaptive process takes into account important characteristics, such as type and location (including distance from the subject) of the threat, as well as those (e.g. presence of an escape route or hiding place) of the situation, combining them to predict which specific defense is optimal with that particular combination of threat and situation. Risk assessment is particularly associated with ambiguity either of the threat stimulus or of the outcome of available defensive behaviors. It is also crucial in determining that threat is no longer present, per…

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Evaluation of intrapsychic factors, coping styles, and spirituality of patients affected by tumors.

Background: In this study, we consider spirituality in terms of interpersonal, transpersonal, and intrapsychic processes. The goal of this study is to establish whether a spiritual perspective is correlated with more effective coping skills and intrapsychic processes. Methodology: Patients: Lung (n = 88, n. (age 62.8±10.1)) and large bowel cancer (n = 56; age (age 60.1±11.4)) (all stages). Tests: SASB Questionnaire by L.S. Benjamin-intrapsychic processes; Scale of Coping Styles by A. Jalowiech; Brief Measure of Spirituality (BMMS); Spiritual Well Being Index by T. Daaleman and B. Bruce. Results: There is a significant correlation among inner spirituality (IS) (Cronbach's α = 0.692), spiritual coping (SC) (Cronbach's α = 0.935) (described total variability-BMMS) and Spiritual Well Being (SWB) (Cronbach's α = 0.759). (Significant correlation among the three scales, Cronbach's α = 0.676.)Th…

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Do psychological variables affect early surgical recovery?

Background: Numerous studies have examined the effect of psychological variables on surgical recovery, but no definite conclusion has been reached yet. We sought to examine whether psychological factors influence early surgical recovery. Methods: We performed a systematic search in PubMed, Scopus and PsycINFO databases to identify studies examining the association of preoperative psychological variables or interventions with objectively measured, early surgical outcomes. Results: We identified 16 eligible studies, 15 of which reported a significant association between at least one psychological variable or intervention and an early postoperative outcome. However, most studies also reported psychological factors not influencing surgical recovery and there was significant heterogeneity across the studies. Overall, trait and state anxiety, state anger, active coping, subclinical depression,…

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Explicit and implicit emotion regulation: a dual-process framework.

It is widely acknowledged that emotions can be regulated in an astonishing variety of ways. Most research to date has focused on explicit (effortful) forms of emotion regulation. However, there is growing research interest in implicit (automatic) forms of emotion regulation. To organise emerging findings, we present a dual-process framework that integrates explicit and implicit forms of emotion regulation, and argue that both forms of regulation are necessary for well-being. In the first section of this review, we provide a broad overview of the construct of emotion regulation, with an emphasis on explicit and implicit processes. In the second section, we focus on explicit emotion regulation, considering both neural mechanisms that are associated with these processes and their experiential and physiological consequences. In the third section, we turn to several forms of implicit emotion …

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Mental health: a focus on stress, coping, and mental illness as it relates to treatment retention, adherence, and other health outcomes.

Mental health problems are prevalent among HIV-infected individuals, with some estimates that 50% likely meet criteria for one or more psychiatric disorders. The mental health of HIV-infected individuals is important not only for quality-of-life concerns, but also in regard to HAART adherence and biological disease progression. The current review focuses on research published between 2009 and April of 2011, exploring mental health, coping, and stress in relation to HIV care behaviors including HAART adherence, quality of life, treatment retention, health care utilization, and disease progression amongst HIV-infected individuals. Specifically, we reviewed the most prevalent and interfering concerns among HIV-infected individuals-depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, interpersonal violence, stigma and shame, and body image concerns. Despite advances over the last 2 years documenting …

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Stability and change in rural youths' educational outcomes through the middle and high school years.

There is a dearth of literature that examines rural youths' school transition and adaptation over the middle and high school years. Given rural education challenges, this study examines rural youths' developmental trajectories of self-reported grades and affective and behavioral educational outcomes (i.e., school belonging, value of education, school misbehavior, and extracurricular activity participation). The cohort-sequential study consisted of 3,312 African American and White youth (50% female) who were surveyed over three and a half years, including the transition to high school. The results reveal significant changes in the outcomes from sixth to twelfth grade. For example, on average, school misbehavior increased over time while perceived school belonging decreased over time. Gender and race differences emerged; African American youth reported placing higher importance on educatio…

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Parental adjustment to the completion of their child's cancer treatment.

Childhood cancer treatment completion is a significant milestone. However, coming off treatment may be a time of psychological vulnerability for parents. This review assesses published research (1979-2009) on the psychosocial impact of treatment completion on parents. Fifteen articles met all inclusion criteria and demonstrated that while they celebrate treatment completion, parents (particularly mothers) can experience significant distress, including fear of recurrence, fatigue, and loneliness. Distress appears to ease with time, possibly as the perceived risk of relapse declines. Continued psychosocial support specifically targeting parents' risk perceptions, physical and emotional fatigue, social isolation, and parenting concerns post-treatment is warranted.

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