Wellbeing and quality of life

۞لَّقَدۡ رَضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ إِذۡ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحۡتَ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَأَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَأَثَٰبَهُمۡ فَتۡحࣰ ا قَرِيبࣰ ا

God was pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you [Prophet] under the tree: He knew what was in their hearts and so He sent tranquillity down to them and rewarded them with a speedy triumph

هُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ فِي قُلُوبِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ لِيَزۡدَادُوٓاْ إِيمَٰنࣰ ا مَّعَ إِيمَٰنِهِمۡۗ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمࣰ ا

It was He who made His tranquillity descend into the hearts of the believers, to add faith to their faith––the forces of the heavens and earth belong to God; He is all knowing and all wise––

وَقَالَ لَهُمۡ نَبِيُّهُمۡ إِنَّ ءَايَةَ مُلۡكِهِۦٓ أَن يَأۡتِيَكُمُ ٱلتَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةࣱ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَبَقِيَّةࣱ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ءَالُ مُوسَىٰ وَءَالُ هَٰرُونَ تَحۡمِلُهُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةࣰ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ

Their prophet said to them, ‘The sign of his authority will be that the Ark [of the Covenant] will come to you. In it there will be [the gift of] tranquillity from your Lord and relics of the followers of Moses and Aaron, carried by the angels. There is a sign in this for you if you believe.’

وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجࣰ ا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَكُم مَّوَدَّةࣰ وَرَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتࣲ لِّقَوۡمࣲ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Another of His signs is that He created spouses from among yourselves for you to live with in tranquillity: He ordained love and kindness between you. There truly are signs in this for those who reflect

إِذۡ جَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡحَمِيَّةَ حَمِيَّةَ ٱلۡجَٰهِلِيَّةِ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَأَلۡزَمَهُمۡ كَلِمَةَ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ وَكَانُوٓاْ أَحَقَّ بِهَا وَأَهۡلَهَاۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمࣰ ا

While the disbelievers had fury in their hearts- the fury of ignorance- God sent His tranquillity down on to His Messenger and the believers and made binding on them [their] promise to obey God, for that was more appropriate and fitting for them. God has full knowledge of all things

وَإِذۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِيثَٰقَكُمۡ وَرَفَعۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُواْ مَآ ءَاتَيۡنَٰكُم بِقُوَّةࣲ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

Remember when We took your pledge, and made the mountain tower high above you, and said, ‘Hold fast to what We have given you and bear its contents in mind, so that you may be conscious of God.’

Verily God was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you at al-Hudaybiyya under the tree this was an acacia — they these believers numbered 1300 or more; he took an oath of allegiance from them that they would fight against Quraysh and not attempt to flee from death. And He God knew what was in their hearts of sincerity and loyalty so He sent down the spirit of Peace upon them and rewarded them with a near victory which was the conquest of Khaybar following their departure from al-Hudaybiyya

He it is Who sent down the spirit of Peace Divine reassurance into the hearts of the believers that they might add faith to their faith by way of their embracing of the legal stipulations of religion for every time He revealed one of these they would believe in it — including the command to struggle. And to God belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth and so if He wanted to bring victory to His religion by means of others He would have done so. And God is ever Knower of His creatures Wise in His actions in other words He is ever possessed of such attributes;

Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave the pledge to you under the tree, He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down As-Sakinah upon them, and He rewarded them with a near victory (18)And abundant spoils that they will capture. And Allah is Ever All-Mighty, All-Wise (19) Good News to the Participants of the Ridwan Pledge of Allah's Pleasure and earning Spoils of War Allah declares that He is pleased with the believers who gave the pledge to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ under the tree. We mentioned the number of these believers as being one thousand and four hundred and that the tree was a Samurah tree, located in the area of Hudaybiyyah. Al-Bukhari narrated from Tariq that 'Abdur-Rahman said, "I went on Hajj and passed by people praying and asked, 'What is this Masjid?' They said, 'This is the tree where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took the pledge of Ar-Ridwan.' S

He it is Who sent down As-Sakinah into the hearts of the believers, that they may grow more in faith along with their faith. And to Allah belong the armies of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise (4)That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow to abide therein forever, and He may expiate from them their sins; and that is with Allah supreme success (5)And that He may punish the hypocrites men and women, and also the idolators men and women, who think evil thoughts about Allah, for them is a disgraceful torment. And the anger of Allah is upon them, and He has cursed them and prepared Hell for them and worst indeed is that destination (6)And to Allah belong the armies of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise (7) Allah sent down the Sakinah into the Hearts of the Believers Allah the

And their prophet said to them after they had demanded a sign of his kingship ‘The sign of his kingship is that there will come to you the Ark a chest containing the images of the prophets which God sent down to Adam and which was handed down to them sc. the Israelites until the Amalekites seized it from them in battle. They used to commence fighting invoking it before their enemy and marching behind it as well as experience peacefulness in its presence as God says therein is a Spirit of Peace reassurance for your hearts from your Lord and a remnant of what the folk of Moses and the folk of Aaron left behind which were Moses’s pair of sandals and his staff Aaron’s turban a measure qafīz of the manna that used to come down on them and the pieces of the broken tablets the angels bearing it tahmiluhu l-malā’ikatu the circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of the verb ya’tiyakum ‘

And their Prophet said to them: "Verily! The sign of His kingdom is that there shall come to you At-Tabut, wherein is Sakinah (peace and reassurance) from your Lord and a remnant of that which Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) left behind, carried by the angels. Verily, in this is a sign for you if you are indeed believers (248) Their Prophet then proclaimed, "The sign of the blessings of Talut's kingship over you is that Allah will give you back the Tabut (wooden box) that has been taken from you." Allah said: فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ (wherein is Sakinah from your Lord) meaning, peace (or grace) and reassurance. 'Abdur-Razzaq stated that Qatadah said: فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ (wherein is Sakinah) means grace. In addition, Ar-Rabi' said that Sakinah means mercy. This is also the meaning given by Ibn 'Abbas, as Al-'Awfi narrated. Allah then said: وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسَىٰ و

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ لَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَاسْتُخْلِفَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَعْدَهُ كَفَرَ مَنْ كَفَرَ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ كَيْفَ تُقَاتِلُ النَّاسَ وَقَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ قَالَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ عَصَمَ مِنِّي مَالَهُ وَنَفْسَهُ إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهِ وَحِسَابُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَاللَّهِ لأُقَاتِلَنَّ مَنْ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَ الزَّكَاةِ وَالصَّلاَةِ فَإِنَّ الزَّكَاةَ حَقُّ الْمَالِ وَاللَّهِ لَوْ مَنَعُونِي عِقَالاً كَانُوا يُؤَدُّونَهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَقَاتَلْتُهُمْ عَلَى مَنْعِهِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا هُوَ إِلاَّ أَنْ رَأَيْتُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ شَرَحَ صَدْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ لِلْقِتَالِ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَهَكَذَا رَوَى شُعَيْبُ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏.‏ وَرَوَى عِمْرَانُ الْقَطَّانُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَهُوَ حَدِيثٌ خَطَأٌ وَقَدْ خُولِفَ عِمْرَانُ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ ‏.‏

Narrated Abu Hurairah:said: "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died and Abu Bakr became the Khalifah after him, whoever disbelieved from the Arabs disbelieved, so Umar bin Al-Khattab said to Abu Bakr: 'How will you fight the people while the Messenger of Allah has said: 'I have been ordered to fight the people until they say La Ilaha Illallah, and if they say that, then their blood and wealth will be protected from me, except what it makes obligatory upon them, and their reckoning is with Allah?' So Abu Bakr said: 'By Allah I will fight whoever differentiates between Salat and Zakat. For indeed, Zakat is the right due upon wealth. And by Allah! If they withhold even (camel) tethers which they used to give to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) I will fight them for withholding it.' So Umar bin Al-Khattab said: 'By Allah! I saw that Allah had opened Abu Bakr's chest to fighting, so I knew that it was correct

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الطَّالْقَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، أَخْبَرَنَا حُمَيْدٌ الطَّوِيلُ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَشْهَدُوا أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَأَنْ يَسْتَقْبِلُوا قِبْلَتَنَا وَيَأْكُلُوا ذَبِيحَتَنَا وَأَنْ يُصَلُّوا صَلاَتَنَا فَإِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْنَا دِمَاؤُهُمْ وَأَمْوَالُهُمْ إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهَا لَهُمْ مَا لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَعَلَيْهِمْ مَا عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ وَأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ ‏.‏ وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ نَحْوَ هَذَا ‏.‏

Narrated Anas bin Malik:that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "I have been ordered to fight the people until they bear witness to La Ilaha Illallah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and they face our Qiblah, eat our slaughtered (meat), and perform our Salat. And if they do that, then their blood and wealth will be unlawful to us, except with its due right. For them shall be whatever is for the Muslims, and they shall be obliged with that which the Muslims are obliged

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي السَّفَرِ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ، وَالْمُهَاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ مَا نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَقَالَ أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ عَنْ عَامِرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ وَقَالَ عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى عَنْ دَاوُدَ عَنْ عَامِرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands. And a Muhajir (emigrant) is the one who gives up (abandons) all what Allah has forbidden

حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا حَنْظَلَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ بُنِيَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ، وَالْحَجِّ، وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Islam is based on (the following) five (principles): 1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). 2. To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly. 3. To pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory charity) . 4. To perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca) 5. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَحْمَدُ بْنُ شُعَيْبٍ - مِنْ لَفْظِهِ - قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُئِلَ أَىُّ الأَعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ الإِيمَانُ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that:The Messenger of Allah [SAW] was asked: "Which deed is best?" "He said: Faith in Allah [SWT] and His messenger [SAW]

أَخْبَرَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ الأَزْدِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حُبْشِيٍّ الْخَثْعَمِيِّ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُئِلَ أَىُّ الأَعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِيمَانٌ لاَ شَكَّ فِيهِ وَجِهَادٌ لاَ غُلُولَ فِيهِ وَحَجَّةٌ مَبْرُورَةٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Hubshi Al-Khath'ami that:The Prophet [SAW] was asked: "Which deed is best?" He said: "Faith in which there is no doubt, Jihad in which there is no Ghulul, and Hajjatun Mabrur

قال صاحب المنازل : هو من أول مقامات الطمأنينة يعني بمقامات الطمأنينة كالسكينة واليقين والثقة بالله ونحوها فالإخبات : مقدمتها ومبدؤها قال : وهو ورود المأمن من الرجوع والتردد

هذا وفي الصفح والعفو والحلم : من الحلاوة والطمأنينة والسكينة وشرف النفس وعزها ورفعتها عن تشفيها بالانتقام : ما ليس شيء منه في المقابلة والانتقام

بالعيان وبينها وبين السكينة فرقان : أحدهما : أن السكينة صوله تورث خمود الهيبة أحيانا و الطمأنينة سكون أمن في استراحة أنس والثاني : أن السكينة تكون نعتا وتكون حينا بعد حين و الطمأنينة لا تفارق صاحبها الطمأنينة موجب السكينة وأثر من آثارها وكأنها نهاية السكينة

يقول : تغلب عصمته شهوته وتقهرها وتستوفي جميع أجزائها فإذا استوفت العصمة جميع أجزاء الشهوة : فذلك دليل على إخباته ودخوله في مقام الطمأنينة ونزوله أول منازلها وخلاصه في هذا المنزل من تردد الخواطر بين الإقبال والإدبار والرجوع والعزم إلى الاستقامة والعزم الجازم والجد في السير وذلك علامة السكينة

قد تقدم أن الطمأنينة بذكر الله بكلامه وكتابه ولا ريب أن الذي ذكره في هذه الدرجة : هو من جملة الطمأنينة بذكره وهي أهم من ذلك فذكر طمأنينة الخائف إلى الرجاء فإن الخائف إذا طال عليه الخوف واشتد به وأراد الله عز وجل أن يريحه ويحمل عنه : أنزل عليه السكينة فاستراح قلبه إلى الرجاء واطمأن به وسكن لهيب خوفه وأما طمأنينة الضجر إلى الحكم

ونكتة المسألة : إيمانه بأن قضاء الرب تعالى خير له كما قال النبي والذي نفسي بيده لا يقضي الله للمؤمن قضاء إلا كان خيرا له إن أصابته سراء شكر فكان خيرا له وإن أصابته ضراء صبر فكان خيرا له وليس ذلك إلا للمؤمن الحادي عشر : أن يعلم أن تمام عبوديته في جريان ما يكرهه من الأحكام عليه ولو لم يجر عليه منها إلا ما يحب لكان أبعد شيء عن عبودية ربه فلا تتم له عبوديته من الصبر والتوكل والرضى والتضرع والافتقار والذل والخضوع وغيرها إلا بجريان القدر له بما يكرهه وليس الشأن في الرضى بالقضاء الملائم للطبيعة إنما الشأن في القضاء المؤلم المنافر للطبع الثاني عشر : أن يعلم أن رضاه عن ربه سبحانه وتعالى في جميع الحالات يثمر رضى ربه عنه فإذا رضي عنه بالقليل من الرزق : رضي ربه عنه بالقليل من العمل وإذا رضي عنه في جميع الحالات واستوت عنده وجده أسرع شيء إلى رضاه إذا ترضاه وتملقه الثالث عشر : أن يعلم أن أعظم راحته وسروره ونعيمه : فى الرضى عن ربه تعالى وتقدس في جميع الحالات فإن الرضى باب الله الأعظم ومستراح العارفين وج

A program of positive intervention in the elderly: memories, gratitude and forgiveness.: Objective: The main goal of this study has been to increase the quality of life in people of over 60 years through a positive psychology intervention. Method: We employed a program which consists of training based on autobiographical memory, forgiveness and gratitude. The sample consisted of 46 participants aged 60-93 years. State and trait anxiety, depression, general memory, specific memories, life satisfaction and subjective happiness were measured. Results: The results revealed that particip

Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mental Health in Adults: A Systematic Review.: The role of a properly balanced diet in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders has been suggested, while vegetables and fruits have a high content of nutrients that may be of importance in the case of depressive disorders. The aim of the study was to conduct a systematic review of the observational studies analyzing association between fruit and vegetable intake and mental health in adults. The search adhered to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Met

Influence of Positive Aspects of Dementia Caregiving on Caregivers' Well-Being: A Systematic Review.: Background and objectives: There is a growing evidence base that informal caregivers can identify positive aspects of providing care and that this may have a beneficial influence on their well-being. The aim of this systematic review was to explore how positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) affects the well-being of caregivers of people with dementia. Research design and methods: We searched electronic databases for quantitative studies exploring the association between PAC and caregiver well-bein

Factors influencing the quality of life of pregnant women: a systematic review.: Background: Pregnancy is a period of transition with important physical and emotional changes. Even in uncomplicated pregnancies, these changes can affect the quality of life (QOL) of pregnant women, affecting both maternal and infant health. The objectives of this study were to describe the quality of life during uncomplicated pregnancy and to assess its associated socio-demographic, physical and psychological factors in developed countries. Methods: A systematic review was performed according

Does tai chi improve psychological well-being and quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease and/or cardiovascular risk factors? A systematic review.: Background: Psychological risk factors have been recognised as potential, modifiable risk factors in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Tai Chi, a mind-body exercise, has the potential to improve psychological well-being and quality of life. We aim to assess the effects and safety of Tai Chi on psychological well-being and quality of life in people with CVD and/or cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: We searched for randomised controlled trials evaluating Tai Chi f

Effects of Internet-based psycho-educational interventions on mental health and quality of life among cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.: Purpose: To systematically review evidence regarding the benefits of Internet-based psycho-educational interventions among cancer patients. Methods: We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis and qualitative evidence synthesis. Systematic searches for published studies in English or Chinese identified eligible randomized and clinical controlled trials. The following databases were searched: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials

Depression in patients with chronic venous ulceration.

As leg ulcer research has generally focused on aspects of treatment, the psychosocial impact of leg ulceration remains understudied. This article reports the findings of a study exploring the prevalence of anxiety and depression in 190 patients with chronic venous ulceration across 9 Trusts in the northwest of England. The hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) was used to screen patients for the presence of anxiety and depression using a cut-off point of 9 for level of "caseness". A total of 52 (27%) people scored as depressed while 50 (26%) scored as anxious. The two symptoms which appeared to be associated with anxiety and depression were pain and odour, while there was no association found between living alone, mobility and exudate. These findings suggest that the focus of care needs to be redirected for many patients for whom cure is not an option, but who are left to live wit…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Obesity and risk of low self-esteem: a statewide survey of Australian children.

Objective: There is variation in the psychological distress associated with child obesity. Low self-esteem, when observed, provides very little information about the nature of the distress and no indication of the proportion of obese children affected. This study used a domain approach to self-competence to evaluate self-esteem in a representative sample of Australian children. Participants and methods: A total of 2813 children (mean age: 11.3 years) took part in the study. They were recruited from 55 schools and were all in the last 2 years of primary school. Participants completed the Self-perception Profile for Children, a measure of body shape perception, and their height and weight were measured. Results: Obese children had significantly lower perceived athletic competence, physical appearance, and global self-worth than their normal weight peers. Obese girls scored lower in these d…

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Positive psychotherapy.

Positive psychotherapy (PPT) contrasts with standard interventions for depression by increasing positive emotion, engagement, and meaning rather than directly targeting depressive symptoms. The authors have tested the effects of these interventions in a variety of settings. In informal student and clinical settings, people not uncommonly reported them to be "life-changing." Delivered on the Web, positive psychology exercises relieved depressive symptoms for at least 6 months compared with placebo interventions, the effects of which lasted less than a week. In severe depression, the effects of these Web exercises were particularly striking. This address reports two preliminary studies: In the first, PPT delivered to groups significantly decreased levels of mild-to-moderate depression through 1-year follow-up. In the second, PPT delivered to individuals produced higher remission rates than…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Which factors determine the sexual function 1 year after childbirth?

Objective: To evaluate which factors determine sexual activity and satisfaction with the sexual relationship 1 year after the first delivery. Design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study. Setting: Ten midwifery practices. Population: Three hundred and seventy-seven nulliparous women were included. Methods: The Maudsley Marital Questionnaire is a standardised and validated questionnaire with 15 items relating to marital and sexual adjustment, with a nine-point (0-8) scale appended to each question. Scores on the sexual scale (MMQ-S) range from 0 to 40. Higher scores are indicative of greater dissatisfaction. Sexual intercourse was dichotomised into having sexual intercourse or not having sexual intercourse. Several obstetric and maternal factors were analysed. Main outcome measurements: Sexual intercourse at 1 year postpartum and dissatisfaction with the sexual relationship as assessed b…

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Dignity in the terminally ill: revisited.

Background: Several studies have been conducted examining the notion of dignity and how it is understood and experienced by people as they approach death. Objective: The purpose of this study was to use a quantitative approach to validate the Dignity Model, originally based on qualitative data. Design: Themes and subthemes from the Dignity Model were used to devise 22 items; patients were asked the extent to which they believed these specific issues were or could be related to their sense of dignity. Results: Of 211 patients receiving palliative care, "not being treated with respect or understanding" (87.1%) and "feeling a burden to others" (87.1%) were the issues most identified as having an influence on their sense of dignity. All but 1 of the 22 items were endorsed by more that half of the patients; 16 items were endorsed by more than 70% of the patients. Demographic variables such as…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Relationships among sexual satisfaction, marital quality, and marital instability at midlife.

Sexual satisfaction, marital quality, and marital instability have been studied over the life course of couples in many previous studies, but less in relation to each other. On the basis of the longitudinal data from 283 married couples, the authors used autoregressive models in this study to examine the causal sequences among these 3 constructs for husbands and wives separately. Results of cross-lagged models, for both husbands and wives, provided support for the causal sequences that proceed from sexual satisfaction to marital quality, from sexual satisfaction to marital instability, and from marital quality to marital instability. Initially higher levels of sexual satisfaction resulted in an increase in marital quality, which in turn led to a decrease in marital instability over time. Effects of sexual satisfaction on marital instability appear to have been mediated through marital qu…

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Body dissatisfaction in women with eating disorders: relationship to early separation anxiety and insecure attachment.

Objective: It has been suggested that an insecure style of attachment may be one of the factors implicated in the etiology of body dissatisfaction, which, in turn, is a risk factor for eating disorders. The present study analyzed the association among early separation anxiety, insecure attachment, and body dissatisfaction in a clinical sample of 96 women with anorexia nervosa (n = 31) or bulimia nervosa (n = 65). Methods: Body dissatisfaction was measured using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), early separation anxiety was measured using the Separation Anxiety Symptom Inventory (SASI), and adult attachment style was measured using the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ). Results: In both anorectic and bulimic women, BSQ scores were strongly correlated with SASI and ASQ scores. In a hierarchical regression model controlling for the confounding effects of body mass index and depressive …

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Cancer-related relationship communication in couples coping with early stage breast cancer.

This longitudinal study examined the association between three types of communication strategies couples may use to handle stressors they experience during and after breast cancer treatment and psychological distress and relationship satisfaction of women with early stage breast cancer and their partners. Mutual constructive communication, mutual avoidance, and demand-withdraw communication strategies as well as psychological distress and marital satisfaction were rated by 147 patients and 127 partners during cancer treatment and 9 months later. Mutual constructive communication was associated with less distress and more relationship satisfaction for both patient and partner. Demand-withdraw communication was associated with higher distress and lower relationship satisfaction for both patient and partner. Mutual avoidance was associated with more distress for patient and partner but was …

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Correlations among measures of executive function and positive psychological attributes in college students.

Executive functions are cognitive abilities that allow for more goal-oriented and autonomous behavior. The authors examined the relationship between self-rated executive functions and 3 positive personality attributes (satisfaction with life, gratitude, and forgiveness) in a nonclinical community sample. The authors used self-report scales (Executive Function Index, Heartland Forgiveness Scale "other" subscale, Satisfaction With Life Scale, and the Gratitude Questionnaire) to examine how executive functions related to the positive psychology attributes. After controlling for age, sex, and formal education, positive relationships emerged among gratitude, satisfaction, and executive function scales of motivational drive, empathy, and strategic planning. However, an inverse relationship emerged between impulse control and forgiveness, perhaps relating to cautiousness and suggesting finer di…

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Leaving the land: an exploratory study of retirement for a small group of Australian men.

Introduction: Retirement from paid work is a major life change for men and women. It has been suggested that, for men, self-identity is more strongly associated with paid work than is generally the case for women. If this is so, then the retirement transition for men, in which not only the behaviours of a lifetime but also the sense of self must be substantially recast, is of particular interest for the challenges it can present to their wellbeing. Research into male retirement has concentrated on the experiences of urban dwellers. Little is known of the retirement experiences of rural men and particularly of those who, after a life of farming and of close affiliation with the land, have moved from their farms in retirement. Thus, this qualitative study aimed to explore the retirement experiences of a small group of rural men who, in retirement, have left the land. Methods: Using a pheno…

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Spirituality and religion in patients with HIV/AIDS.

Background: Spirituality and religion are often central issues for patients dealing with chronic illness. The purpose of this study is to characterize spirituality/religion in a large and diverse sample of patients with HIV/AIDS by using several measures of spirituality/religion, to examine associations between spirituality/religion and a number of demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables, and to assess changes in levels of spirituality over 12 to 18 months. Methods: We interviewed 450 patients from 4 clinical sites. Spirituality/religion was assessed by using 8 measures: the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spirituality-Expanded scale (meaning/peace, faith, and overall spirituality); the Duke Religion Index (organized and nonorganized religious activities, and intrinsic religiosity); and the Brief RCOPE scale (positive and negative religious coping). Covariates …

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

The relationship between pain, neuropsychological performance, and physical function in community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain.

Objective: Chronic pain and cognitive impairment are prevalent and disabling in older adults (OA), but their interrelationship has not been rigorously tested. We did so in OA with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Design: A total of 323 OA (160 pain-free, 163 CLBP; mean age 73.5 years, 45% female) had neuropsychological (NP) testing with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, Trail Making Test, and the Grooved Pegboard Test. Pain intensity was measured with the McGill Pain Questionnaire Short Form. Physical performance (gait speed, functional reach, chair rise, trunk rotation, and static/dynamic lifting), psychosocial disruption (Geriatric Depression Scale, the Short Form-36 Mental Health and Role Limitations-Emotional Composite scale), and self-reported disability (Functional Status Index, the Short From-36 Physical Functioning/Role-Physical Composite scale)…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Stages of recovery instrument: development of a measure of recovery from serious mental illness.

Objective: In order to realize the vision of recovery-orientated mental health services, there is a need for a model and a method of measuring recovery as the concept is described by mental health consumers. A preliminary five-stage model based on consumer accounts was developed in an earlier study by the authors. This next stage of the research program describes the development and initial testing of a stage measure which, when validated, can be used in testing that model. Method: Existing measures of recovery were reviewed to assess their concordance with the model, and a new measure, the Stages of Recovery Instrument (STORI) was subsequently developed. A postal survey was conducted of 94 volunteers from the NISAD Schizophrenia Research Register. Participants completed the STORI and measures of mental health, psychological wellbeing, hope, resilience and recovery. Results: The STORI co…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Perceived social support and mortality in older people.

Objectives: This study examines the effect of perceived social support on all-cause mortality at a 10-year follow-up as well as the plausible mediating factors in this association. Methods: We measured perceived social support in 206 Finnish men and women aged 80 years old by using the Social Provision Scale, which consists of six dimensions: attachment, social integration, opportunity for nurturance, reassurance of worth, reliable alliance, and guidance. Results: By using a theoretical framework that divided perceived social support into assistance-related and non-assistance-related support, we found that the risk of death was almost 2.5 times higher in women in the lowest tertile of non-assistance-related social support (comprising infrequent experiences of reassurance of worth, emotional closeness, sense of belonging and opportunity for nurturance) than in women in the highest tertile…

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Perceived conflict in the couple and chronic illness management: preliminary analyses from the Quebec Health Survey.

Background: The quality of the relationship with the spouse/partner appears crucial among patients with multiple chronic conditions where illness management is complex and multifaceted. This study draws on data from the Quebec Health Survey (QHS) to examine, among patients with one or more chronic conditions, the relation between marital status, the perceived conflict with the spouse/partner, and what the patients do to manage their illness as well as how they perceive their health. Methods: Data from the QHS 1998 were used. The sample included 7547 coupled adults who had one or more chronic health problems lasting more than 6 months. Independent variables included marital status, perceived conflict with the spouse/partner, and the number of chronic conditions. Illness management was defined broadly as a measure of the patient's efforts at self-care and an illness status indicator, inclu…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Couple similarity and marital satisfaction: are similar spouses happier?

This study examined the role of couple similarity in spouses' marital satisfaction and affect. The associations between spousal similarity and relationship measures were examined in a sample of 248 married couples. As hypothesized, greater similarity between partners was associated with higher levels of marital satisfaction and lower levels of negative affect. In particular, similarity on the gendered personality and values domains was more strongly associated with relationship measures, whereas similarity on the attitudes and religiosity domains showed weaker and inconsistent patterns of associations. Finally, profile-based similarity tended to be a stronger and more consistent correlate of relationship measures than difference score-based similarity. The implications of these findings for processes underlying intimate relationships are discussed.

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Social contacts and their relationship to loneliness among aged people - a population-based study.

Background: Emotional loneliness and social isolation are major problems in old age. These concepts are interrelated and often used interchangeably, but few studies have investigated them simultaneously thus trying to clarify their relationship. Objectives: To describe the prevalence of loneliness among aged Finns and to study the relationship of loneliness with the frequency of social contacts, with older people's expectations and satisfaction of their human relationships. Especially, we wanted to clarify whether emotional loneliness is a separate concept from social isolation. Methods: The data were collected with a postal questionnaire. Background information, feelings of loneliness, number of friends, frequency of contacts with children, grandchildren and friends, the expectations of frequency of contacts as well as satisfaction of the contacts were inquired. The questionnaire was se…

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Facilitating advance care planning for patients with end-stage renal disease: the patient perspective.

Comprehensive care of patients with ESRD requires expertise in advance care planning (ACP), including attention to ethical, psychosocial, and spiritual issues related to starting, continuing, withholding, and stopping dialysis. However, there are no standards of care regarding when to initiate or how to facilitate ACP. The purpose of this study was to determine the perspectives of patients with ESRD of the salient elements of ACP discussions. An ethnographic, qualitative, in-depth interview study was conducted of outpatients of a university-affiliated nephrology program. Twenty-four patients with ESRD were purposively selected from the renal insufficiency, hemodialysis, and peritoneal dialysis clinics. Establishing patient "buy-in" by identifying perceived benefits of ACP along with acknowledging patients' sense of personal empowerment were critical both for the effective framing of faci…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Chronic pain couples: perceived marital interactions and pain behaviours.

Patient adjustment to chronic pain is well known to be influenced by the spouse and his or her response to patient expressions of pain. However, these responses do not occur in a vacuum, and the aim of the present study was to investigate patient-spouse interactions in chronic pain in detail. Ninety-five patient-spouse dyads completed questionnaires relating to mood, marital satisfaction and communication, and 80 couples also took part in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Results showed that spouses of chronic pain patients reported engaging in a far wider repertoire of responses to pain behaviours than has been recognised to date. New response categories of 'hostile-solicitous' and 'observe only' were identified. Patients generally interpreted solicitous responses less favourably than spouse responses which encouraged task persist…

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Integrating spirituality into a group psychological therapy program for cancer patients.

Purpose: Although the importance of spiritual issues to people with cancer is by now widely acknowledged, there has been almost no research on the value of interventions specifically designed to enhance the spiritual experience of these patients. The present report describes an exploratory study on the effects of a brief psychoeducational course emphasizing spiritual aspects of coping and healing. Methods: Ninety-seven patients with various types and stages of cancer took part in the 8-session course as the third stage in a progressive, stepwise program of support and psychological education. Standard psychometric tests were administered at entry, 8 weeks, and 6 months. Written home assignments, returned by participants, provided an insight into their experience. Results: Significant improvements in scores were found immediately following the intervention; by 6 months, however, these imp…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Functional impairment in the remission phase of bipolar disorder.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate functional impairment in a group of patients with bipolar disorder in remission and to determine the extent of relationships between overall functioning and current depressive, manic and panic spectrum symptoms. Method: A subset of the patient population at the Pittsburgh site of the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program in Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) study was evaluated in this study. The subsample comprises 103 male and female subjects with bipolar I disorder (n = 70), bipolar II disorder (n = 24), schizoaffective disorder - bipolar type (n = 4), or bipolar disorder NOS (n = 5). Subjects were evaluated in a period of remission (at least 4 weeks with no more than two depressive or manic symptoms). Subjects were assessed for overall functional status using the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) and for current bipolar and panic…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Family caregivers' subjective experiences of satisfaction in dementia care: aspects of burden, subjective health and sense of coherence.

Family caregivers experience both positive and negative reactions in caregiving situations. There has been considerably less published about the positive aspects, however. The general aim of this study was to explore a previously developed instrument to study rewards gained by caregivers and to determine the factors associated with satisfaction in family members caring for patients with dementia living at home. The study group consisted of 153 such family members. Standardized interview schedules exploring different background characteristics, and instruments for assessment of the degree of dementia in the patients and the caregivers' total burden and degree of satisfaction were used. Factorial analysis of the Caregiver's Assessment of Satisfactions Index was performed and it became more specific for conditions of dementia when it was reduced. Stressors as measured by the Caregiver Burde…

matched on Personal Satisfaction (mesh)

Adult cancer survivors: how are they faring?

This study identified the psychosocial problems that 752 patients from 3 states who had been diagnosed with 1 of the 10 most commonly occurring cancers indicated concerned them the most. Approximately 1 year after being diagnosed with cancer, 68.1% of patients were concerned with their illness returning, and more than half were concerned with developing a disease recurrence (59.8%) or had fears regarding the future (57.7%). In addition to these psychological problems focused on fear, approximately two-thirds (67.1%) of patients were concerned about a physical health problem, fatigue, and loss of strength. Two other physical health problems that concerned more than two-fifths of patients were sleep difficulties (47.9%) and sexual dysfunction (41.2%). More problems were reported by younger survivors (ages 18-54 yrs), women, nonwhites, those who were not married, and those with a household …

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

The psychosocial impact of developmental dental defects in people with hereditary amelogenesis imperfecta.

Background: Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is a hereditary dental condition with poor esthetics and dental sensitivity that frequently requires extensive dental treatment. The authors hypothesized that AI is associated with a negative psychosocial outcome. Methods: Family members with and without AI completed a questionnaire including demographic and dental history questions, as well as a number of psychometric scales. The authors investigated the effects of AI status (with versus without), sex and age on each of the psychosocial outcomes using a generalized linear model. Results: Subjects with AI (n = 30) had higher levels of social avoidance and distress, as well as higher levels of dysfunction, discomfort and disability attributable to their oral condition compared with subjects without AI (n = 29). The relationship of AI status to fear of negative evaluation, mastery and self-esteem wa…

matched on Quality of Life (mesh)

Letter to the Editor: Do smartphone bans improve adolescent mental health? Limitations of cross-sectional evidence.

The growing concern about the impact of smartphone use on adolescent mental health has led to increasing policy interest in school-based smartphone bans. A recent cross-sectional study by Sullivan and colleagues, examining digital safeguarding incidents in schools with and without smartphone restriction policies, contributes to this debate. However, caution is needed when interpreting these findings as evidence of mental health benefits. Cross-sectional designs inherently limit causal inference, as schools adopting smartphone restrictions may differ systematically in institutional resources, monitoring practices, and student populations. Higher reported safeguarding incidents in schools with restrictions may therefore reflect greater detection sensitivity rather than increased underlying harm. Furthermore, digital safeguarding incidents are not direct indicators of psychological well-bei…

matched on Mental Health (keyword), well-being (text)