The investigation of factors underlying deficits in self-awareness and self-regulation

Primary objective: To examine a theoretical model which suggests that a contribution of both psychological and neuropsychological factors underlie deficits in self-awareness and self-regulation. Research design: Multivariate design including correlations and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Methods: Sixty-one subjects with acquired brain injury (ABI) were administered standardized measures of self-awareness and self-regulation. Psychological factors included measures of coping-related denial, personality-related denial and personality change. Neuropsychological factors included an estimate of IQ and two measures of executive functioning that assess capacity for volition and purposive behaviour. Main outcomes and results: The findings indicated that the relative contribution of neuropsychological factors to an outcome of deficits in self-awareness and self-regulation had a more direct effect than psychological factors. In general, measures of executive functioning had a direct relationship, while measures of coping-related and personality-related denial had an indirect relationship with measures of self-awareness and self-regulation. Conclusion: The findings highlighted the importance of measuring both neuropsychological and psychological factors and demonstrated that the relative contribution of these variables varies according to different levels of self-awareness and self-regulation.

Brief opportunistic intervention: The role of psychologists in initiating self-change amongst problem drinkers

Excessive consumption of alcohol is a serious public health problem. While intensive treatments are suitable for those who are physically dependent on alcohol, they are not cost-effective options for the vast majority of problem drinkers who are not dependent. There is good evidence that brief interventions are effective in reducing overall alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems, and health-care utilisation among nondependent problem drinkers. Psychologists are in an ideal position to opportunistically detect people who drink excessively and to offer them brief advice to reduce their drinking. In this paper we outline the process involved in providing brief opportunistic screening and intervention for problem drinkers. We also discuss methods that psychologists can employ if a client is not ready to reduce drinking, or is ambivalent about change. Depending on the client's level of motivation to change, psychologists can engage in either an education-clarification approach, a commitment-enhancement approach, or a skills-training approach. Routine engagement in opportunistic intervention is an important public-health approach to reducing alcohol-related harm in the community.

The validity and heritability of self-report osteoarthritis in an Australian older twin sample

In order to investigate the genetic and environmental antecedents of osteoarthritis (CA), self-report measures of joint pain, stiffness and swelling were obtained from a population-based sample of 1242 twin pairs over 50 years of age. In order to provide validation for these self-report measures, a subsample of 118 twin pairs were examined according to the American College of Rheumatology clinical and radiographic criteria for the classification of osteoarthritis. A variety of statistical methods were employed to identify the model derived from self-report variables which would provide optimal prediction of these standardised assessments, and structural equation modelling was used to determine the relative influences of genetic and environmental influences on the development of osteoarthritis. Significant genetic effects were found to contribute to osteoarthritis of the hands, hips and knees in women, with heritability estimates ranging from 30-46% depending on the site. In addition, the additive genetic effects contributing to osteoarthritis in various parts of the body were confirmed to be the same. Statistically significant familial aggregation of osteoarthritis in men was also observed, but it was not possible to determine whether this was due to genetic or shared environmental effects.

Self-awareness of Prospective Memory Failure in Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury

The frequency of prospective memory failure in individuals with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) was investigated by comparison with a non-brain-injured control group. Self-awareness of prospective memory function was also assessed by comparing self-ratings with ratings by significant others. Study participants included 33 individuals with severe TBI and 29 non-brain-injured persons. Each participant nominated a close friend or relative who completed the informant's version of the questionnaire. Participants and their significant others both rated the participants' frequency of prospective memory lapses using the Comprehensive Assessment of Prospective Memory (CAPM). An independent groups design was adopted to compare the TBI and control groups. No significant difference was found between the TBI and control participants' self-ratings of frequency of prospective memory failure, but ratings by significant others were significantly different. The TBI group demonstrated less self-awareness (i.e. underestimated the frequency of prospective memory failure compared to significant others) than the control group.

PFG-NMR measurements of the self-diffusion coefficients of water in equilibrium poly(HEMA-co-THFMA) hydrogels

The self-diffusion coefficients for water in a series of copolymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, HEMA, and tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate, THFMA, swollen with water to their equilibrium states have been studied at 310 K using PFG-NMR. The self-diffusion coefficients calculated from the Stejskal-Tanner equation, D-obs, for all of the hydrated polymers were found to be dependent on the NMR storage time, as a result of spin exchange between the proton reservoirs of the water and the polymers, reaching an equilibrium plateau value at long storage times. The true values of the diffusion coefficients were calculated from the values of D-obs, in the plateau regions by applying a correction for the fraction of water protons present, obtained from the equilibrium water contents of the gels. The true self-diffusion coefficient for water in polyHEMA obtained at 310 K by this method was 5.5 x 10(-10) m(2) s(-1). For the copolymers containing 20% HEMA or more a single value of the self-diffusion coefficient was found, which was somewhat larger than the corresponding values obtained for the macroscopic diffusion coefficient from sorption measurements. For polyTHFMA and copolymers containing less than 20% HEMA, the PFG-NMR stimulated echo attenuation decay curves and the log-attenuation plots were characteristic of the presence of two diffusing water species. The self-diffusion coefficients of water in the equilibrium-hydrated copolymers were found to be dependent on the copolymer composition, decreasing with increasing THFMA content.

Development of a fully quantitative approach to the interpretation of stress echocardiography using radial and longitudinal myocardial velocities

Background: Tissue Doppler may be used to quantify regional left ventricular function but is limited by segmental variation of longitudinal velocity from base to apex and free to septal walls. We sought to overcome this by developing a composite of longitudinal and radial velocities. Methods and Results. We examined 82 unselected patients undergoing a standard dobutamine echocardiogram. Longitudinal velocity was obtained in the basal and mid segments of each wall using tissue Doppler in the apical views. Radial velocities were derived in the same segments using an automated border detection system and centerline method with regional chords grouped according to segment location and temporally averaged. In 25 patients at low probability of coronary disease, the pattern of regional variation in longitudinal velocity (higher in the septum) was the opposite of radial velocity (higher in the free wall) and the combination was homogenous. In 57 patients undergoing angiography, velocity in abnormal segments was less than normal segments using longitudinal (6.0 +/- 3.6 vs 9.0 +/- 2.2 cm/s, P = .01) and radial velocity (6.0 +/- 4.0 vs 8.0 +/- 3.9 cm/s, P = .02). However, the composite velocity permitted better separation of abnormal and normal segments (13.3 +/- 5.6 vs 17.5 +/- 4.2 cm/s, P = .001). There was no significant difference between the accuracy of this quantitative approach and expert visual wall motion analysis (81% vs 84%, P = .56). Conclusion: Regional variation of uni-dimensional myocardial velocities necessitates site-specific normal ranges, probably because of different fiber directions. Combined analysis of longitudinal and radial velocities allows the derivation of a composite velocity, which is homogenous in all segments and may allow better separation of normal and abnormal myocardium.

The effectiveness of parent management training to increase self-efficacy in parents of children with Asperger syndrome

This study was a trial of an intervention programme aimed to improve parental self-efficacy in the management of problem behaviours associated with Asperger syndrome. The intervention was compared across two formats, a I day workshop and six individual sessions, and also with a non-intervention control group. The results indicated that, compared with the control group, parents in both intervention groups reported fewer problem behaviours and increased self-efficacy following the interventions, at both 4 weeks and 3 months follow-up. The results also showed a difference in self-efficacy between mothers and fathers, with mothers reporting a significantly greater increase in self-efficacy following intervention than fathers. There was no significant difference between the workshop format and the individual sessions.

The differential role of alcohol expectancies, drinking refusal self-efficacy and coping resources in predicting alcohol consumption in community and clinical samples

This study explored the relationship between coping, alcohol expectancies and drinking refusal self-efficacy in predicting drinking behaviour in both community and clinical samples. These variables were found to have differential effects in their association with frequency and volume of alcohol consumption across the two samples. Generally, drinking refusal self-efficacy was a more salient factor in relation to frequency and volume of community drinking, while coping and expectancies were more strongly associated with frequency of drinking sessions by problem drinkers. The interaction between expectancies and drinking refusal self-efficacy was related to volume of consumption in both groups, while coping and expectancies interacted in their association with frequency in the clinical group. The findings are discussed with regard to the different patterns of cognitive variables governing the decision to drink and the amount consumed in each drinking session, which may differentiate community and problem drinkers.