Mindfulness Classes Transform the Experiences of Postpartum Women

The postpartum period can be challenging for many women as they adjust to physical and social changes. Breastfeeding may be more difficult than expected. Additionally, many women may feel that their postpartum body fails to meet an idealized image, leading to body dissatisfaction. Mindfulness-based interventions have been developed for stress reduction in a variety of health contexts, including pregnancy. The purpose of this study is to explore whether participants in a mindfulness based childbirth and parenting class (MBCP) during pregnancy found mindfulness skills beneficial to their breastfeeding experiences and postpartum body image. Women who participated in a ten week MBCP course during pregnancy were interviewed within the first year postpartum to discuss their experiences. The semi-structured interview guide included questions on how participants may have used mindfulness to approach a variety of positive and negative experiences. Findings have implications for future research on the postpartum experience and intervention design.

The Cotard syndrome. Report of two patients: with a review of the extended spectrum of 'délire des négations'

The Cotard syndrome is characterized by the delusion where an individual insists that he has died or part of his body has decayed. Although described classically in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, physical disorders including migraine, tumour and trauma have also been associated with the syndrome. Two new cases are described here, the one associated with arteriovenous malformations and the other with probable multiple sclerosis. The delusion has been embarrassing to each patient. Study of such cases may have wider implications for the understanding of the psychotic interpretation of body image, for example that occurring in anorexia nervosa.

Disrupted cortical proprioceptive representation evokes symptoms of peculiarity, foreignness and swelling, but not pain

Objectives. It has been proposed that disruption of the internal proprioceptive representation, via incongruent sensory input, may underpin pathological pain states, but experimental evidence relies on conflicting visual input, which is not clinically relevant. We aimed to determine the symptomatic effect of incongruent proprioceptive input, imparted by vibration of the wrist tendons, which evokes the illusion of perpetual wrist flexion and disrupts cortical proprioceptive representation. Methods. Twenty-nine healthy and naive volunteers reported symptoms during five conditions: control, active and passive wrist flexion, extensor carpi radialis tendon vibration to evoke illusion of perpetual wrist flexion, and ulnar styloid (sham) vibration. No advice was given about possible illusions. Results. Twenty-one subjects reported the illusion of perpetual wrist flexion during tendon vibration. There was no effect of condition or of whether or not subjects reported an illusion on discomfort/pain (P > 0.28). Peculiarity, swelling and foreignness were greater during tendon vibration than during the other conditions, and greater during tendon vibration in those who reported an illusion of wrist flexion than in those who did not (P < 0.05 for all). Symptoms were reported by at least two subjects in each condition and four subjects reported systemic symptoms (e.g. nausea). Conclusions. In healthy volunteers, incongruent proprioceptive input does not cause discomfort or pain but does evoke feelings of peculiarity, swelling and foreignness in the limb.

ASPECTOS PSICOLÓGICOS DE PACIENTES COM HIV/AIDS E LIPODISTROFIA ATENDIDOS NO HOSPITAL HELIÓPOLIS

A epidemia da Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida (aids) é, atualmente, um fenômeno de grande magnitude e extensão na saúde mundial. A síndrome de lipodistrofia é uma alteração que afeta a autoimagem corporal e a sexualidade, aumentando o estigma da doença e ocasionando dificuldades na adesão ao tratamento e nas relações sociais. OBJETIVOS: a) descrever aspectos da psicodinâmica de pacientes HIV/aids acometidos e não acometidos pela lipodistrofia, dando enfoque aos mecanismos de defesa utilizados ; b) investigar a percepção de imagem corporal em pacientes HIV/aids acometidos e não acometidos pela síndrome de lipodistrofia; c) identificar semelhanças e diferenças de percepção de imagem corporal em pacientes HIV/aids acometidos pela lipodistrofia com aqueles não acometidos. MÉTODO: Foram selecionados oito pacientes por critério de conveniência do ambulatório da Clínica de Infectologia do Hospital Heliópolis. Foram utilizados um Roteiro de Entrevista e o Desenho da Figura Humana DFH teste projetivo gráfico de personalidade; a análise dos dados foram submetidos à análise qualitativa conforme indicação do instrumental, auxiliados pela leitura do conteúdo clinico-diagnóstico psicológico. RESULTADOS: Nos dois grupos os dados apontaram para características em comum quanto à psicodinâmica interna e à percepção de imagem corporal. Recursos defensivos primitivos foram os mais utilizados caracterizando a presença de disfunção da imagem corporal e um controle egóico rígido, embora frágil. Percebeu-se o quanto é angustiante, para estas pacientes, lidar não somente com a autoimagem como também com a sexualidade. CONCLUSÕES: Os programas de acompanhamento ao HIV/aids devem considerar o quanto essas pacientes necessitam de ser acompanhadas em psicoterapia. A promoção de saúde deve levar em conta não somente a melhora da qualidade de vida, mas também buscar compreender como estas mulheres se relacionam e de que forma exercem a sua sexualidade.

Renegotiating sexual intimacy in the context of altered embodiment:the experiences of women with breast cancer and their male partners following mastectomy and reconstruction

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer diagnosis and treatments can have a profound impact upon women's well-being, body image, and sexual functioning, but less is known about the relational context of their coping and the impact upon their intimate partners. Our study focuses upon couples' experiences of breast cancer surgery, and its impact on body image and sexual intimacy. METHOD: Utilizing a dyadic design, we conducted 8 semistructured individual interviews, with 4 long-term heterosexual couples, after the women had undergone mastectomy with reconstruction. Interviews explored both partners' experiences of diagnosis, decision-making, and experiences of body image and sexual intimacy. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was adopted; this is a qualitative research approach characterized by in-depth analysis of the personal meaning of experiences. RESULTS: Findings illustrate the positive acceptance that partners may express toward their wives' postsurgical bodies. They illuminate ways in which gendered coping styles and normative sexual scripts may shape couples' negotiations of intimacy around "altered embodiment." Reciprocal communication styles were important for couples' coping. The management of expectations regarding breast reconstruction may also be helpful. CONCLUSIONS: The insights from the dyadic, multiple perspective design suggest that psychologists must situate the meaning of supportive relationships and other protective factors in the context of complex life events and histories, in order to understand and support people's developing responses to distress. (PsycINFO Database Record

Menopause, rurlity, and obesity in rural African American women

In the US, one in every eight deaths is due to an obesity-related chronic health condition (ORCHC). More than half of African American women (AAW) 20 years old or older are obese or morbidly obese, as are 63% of menopausal AAW. Many have ORCHC that increase their morbidity and mortality and increase health care costs. In 2013, 42.6 percent of AAs living in South Carolina (SC) were obese. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify the cognitive, behavioral, biological, and demographic factors that influence health outcomes (BMI, and ORCHC) of AAW living in rural SC. A sample of 200 AAW (50 in each of the 4 groups of rurality by menopausal status), 18-64 years, completed the: Menopausal Rating Scale (symptoms); Body Image Assessment for Obesity (self-perception of body); Mental Health Inventory; Block Food Frequency Questionnaire; Eating Behaviors and Chronic Conditions, Traditional Food Habits, and Food Preparation Technique questionnaires — and measures for Body Mass Index. Most rural, and premenopausal AAW were single and not living with a partner. Premenopausal women had significantly higher educational levels. Sixty percent of AAW had between 1 and 5 ORCHC. Most AAW used salt based seasonings, ate deep fried foods 1 to 3 times a week, and ate outside the home 1 to 3 times a month. Few AAW knew the correct daily serving for grains and dairy, and most consumed less than the recommended daily serving of fruits, vegetables and dairy. Morbidly obese AAW used more traditional food preparation techniques than obese and normal-weight AAW. Rural, and menopausal AAW had significantly higher morbid obesity levels, consumed larger portions of meats and vegetables, and reported more body image dissatisfaction than very rural AAW, and premenopausal AAW, respectively. Controlling for socioeconomic factors the relationships between perceptions of body images, psychological distress, and psychological wellbeing remained significant for numbers of ORCHC^

Diet Self-efficacy and Physical Self-concept of College Students at Risk for Eating Disorders

Background: Both eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction affect a high proportion of college students. Self-esteem and self-efficacy may be protective factors for eating disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate diet self-efficacy, the confidence to maintain or lose weight, and its association with physical selfconcept using data from an online survey of health literacy, body image, and eating disorders. Study Population and Methods: This cross-sectional study collected online survey data from college students within the United States. The inclusion criteria allowed for 1612 college students, ages 17-35 years (597 males, 1015 females) belonging to the following racial/ethnic categories: Black (187); White, non-Hispanic (244), Hispanic (1035), and other (146). Specifically, the study aimed to examine (a) whether and to what degree diet self-efficacy and physical self-concept were associated with risk of eating disorders; (b) the interaction of gender by ethnicity on diet self-efficacy, physical self-concept and risk of eating disorders; and, (c) the relationship of diet self-efficacy with physical self-description and body mass index (BMI) in college students. Results:Low diet self-efficacy was associated with a lower score on physical self-concept (B = −0.52 [−0.90, −0.15], P = 0.007). Males had a higher physical self-concept as compared to females (B = 14.0 [8.2, 19.8], P Conclusion: College students in this study who had a poor body image were less confident with diet control. Poorer body image and low diet selfefficacy were associated with higher BMI. These findings suggest lifestyle management interventions may be of value to improve physical self-concept and lower risk of eating disorders for college students.

Correlação entre imagem corporal e autoestima em pessoas com ostomias intestinais

Ostomized is every individual that, because of a traumatic or clinical condition, it required a surgery resulting in the externalization of a hollow organ through the skin, and such temporary or permanent condition. This study has the general objective to investigate the relationship between body image and self-esteem in these individuals; as well as to verify their levels of satisfaction with their body image regarding the aspect of appearance and to evaluate the degree of self-esteem related to that condition. This is a correlational research, cross-sectional, which was accomplished in an institution in support of these users of Rio Grande do Norte state, with location in Natal. There were used three sampling instruments: a structured general questionnaire covering socio-demographic and clinical data; the Satisfaction Scale with Appearance (SSA) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSS). The information obtained was analyzed with the aid of an electronic spreadsheet software. The project is according with the resolution 466/12 of the National Health Council, It was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of UFRN, under number CAAE 19159713.5.0000.5537 in August 2013. The sample consisted of 93 participants with an average age of 50.4 years (SD = 15.4). In general they had low satisfaction with their body image (M = 66.9), as regards the appearance, although maintained high levels of self-esteem (M = 34.8). Therefore, It was found a positive correlation, moderate (ρ = 0.426) and statistically significant was found (p <0.001) from the application of the Spearman correlation test. Therefore, dissatisfaction with body image is an important issue to be observed by professionals who attend ostomizeds. however, it seems, other aspects are also influencing the level of self-esteem of these individuals, who were not able to be determined in this study.

Avaliação da imagem corporal de mulheres submetidas à cirurgia oncológica mamária

Breast cancer is the second type of cancer that affects more women of reproductive age in Brazil. Surgical treatments include: conserving surgery or mastectomy. Aimed to evaluate body image of women undergoing breast cancer surgery, based on the scale Body Image After Breast Cancer Questionnaire. It is a descriptive, exploratory, transversal, with a quantitative approach. Data were collected in Norte-riograndense League Against Cancer, between the months from March to May 2015, after consideration of the Research Ethics Committee of that institution CAEE 35155714.1.0000.5293. The study population consisted of women undergoing breast onco-surgery. To calculate the sample considered the finite population, totaling 120 subjects, collected four guys the most. Data were analyzed by the software Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0. The domain scores of the scale were evaluated using descriptive and inferential statistics. The surgical group mastectomy without reconstruction showed greater impairment of body image in the field "vulnerability", "Care for the body" and "transparency" in relation to other surgical types, and suggests susceptibility to cancer, body appearance and worry that disturb other. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed greater dissatisfaction with body image in the fields "body Stigma" and "transparency" to the radical neoplastic surgery over other surgical types. Dissatisfaction with body image and physical appearance was detected in this study in all six image fields present in scale, with emphasis on the "body Stigma" and "Transparency". This means that the body image disorder is formulated based on the perception of others about themselves and not by perception "self", which justifies the concern with appearance, with body and hide the consequences stemmed cancer. It is expected that the data obtained from the evaluation of body image presented in this study contribute to enable the assistance to oncocirurgiada woman breast integral, essential for the practice of Nursing.

Avaliação da imagem corporal de mulheres submetidas à cirurgia oncológica mamária

Breast cancer is the second type of cancer that affects more women of reproductive age in Brazil. Surgical treatments include: conserving surgery or mastectomy. Aimed to evaluate body image of women undergoing breast cancer surgery, based on the scale Body Image After Breast Cancer Questionnaire. It is a descriptive, exploratory, transversal, with a quantitative approach. Data were collected in Norte-riograndense League Against Cancer, between the months from March to May 2015, after consideration of the Research Ethics Committee of that institution CAEE 35155714.1.0000.5293. The study population consisted of women undergoing breast onco-surgery. To calculate the sample considered the finite population, totaling 120 subjects, collected four guys the most. Data were analyzed by the software Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0. The domain scores of the scale were evaluated using descriptive and inferential statistics. The surgical group mastectomy without reconstruction showed greater impairment of body image in the field "vulnerability", "Care for the body" and "transparency" in relation to other surgical types, and suggests susceptibility to cancer, body appearance and worry that disturb other. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed greater dissatisfaction with body image in the fields "body Stigma" and "transparency" to the radical neoplastic surgery over other surgical types. Dissatisfaction with body image and physical appearance was detected in this study in all six image fields present in scale, with emphasis on the "body Stigma" and "Transparency". This means that the body image disorder is formulated based on the perception of others about themselves and not by perception "self", which justifies the concern with appearance, with body and hide the consequences stemmed cancer. It is expected that the data obtained from the evaluation of body image presented in this study contribute to enable the assistance to oncocirurgiada woman breast integral, essential for the practice of Nursing.

Menopause, Rurality, And Obesity in Rural African American Women

In the US, one in every eight deaths is due to an obesity-related chronic health condition (ORCHC). More than half of African American women (AAW) 20 years old or older are obese or morbidly obese, as are 63% of menopausal AAW. Many have ORCHC that increase their morbidity and mortality and increase health care costs. In 2013, 42.6 percent of AAs living in South Carolina (SC) were obese. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify the cognitive, behavioral, biological, and demographic factors that influence health outcomes (BMI, and ORCHC) of AAW living in rural SC. A sample of 200 AAW (50 in each of the 4 groups of rurality by menopausal status), 18-64 years, completed the: Menopausal Rating Scale (symptoms); Body Image Assessment for Obesity (self-perception of body); Mental Health Inventory; Block Food Frequency Questionnaire; Eating Behaviors and Chronic Conditions, Traditional Food Habits, and Food Preparation Technique questionnaires – and measures for Body Mass Index. Most rural, and premenopausal AAW were single and not living with a partner. Premenopausal women had significantly higher educational levels. Sixty percent of AAW had between 1 and 5 ORCHC. Most AAW used salt based seasonings, ate deep fried foods 1 to 3 times a week, and ate outside the home 1 to 3 times a month. Few AAW knew the correct daily serving for grains and dairy, and most consumed less than the recommended daily serving of fruits, vegetables and dairy. Morbidly obese AAW used more traditional food preparation techniques than obese and normal-weight AAW. Rural, and menopausal AAW had significantly higher morbid obesity levels, consumed larger portions of meats and vegetables, and reported more body image dissatisfaction than very rural AAW, and premenopausal AAW, respectively. Controlling for socioeconomic factors the relationships between perceptions of body images, psychological distress, and psychological wellbeing remained significant for numbers of ORCHC

Psychometric properties of the Drive for Muscularity Scale in Malay men

The Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) is a widely used measure in studies of men’s body image, but few studies have examined its psychometric properties outside English-speaking samples. Here, we assessed the factor structure of a Malay translation of the DMS. A community sample of 159 Malay men from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, completed the DMS, along with measures of self-esteem, body appreciation, and muscle discrepancy. Exploratory factor analysis led to the extraction of two factors, differentiating attitudes from behaviours, which mirrors the parent scale. Both factors also loaded on to a higher-order drive for muscularity factor. The subscales of the Malay DMS had adequate internal consistencies and good convergent validity, insofar as significant relationships were reported with self-esteem, body appreciation,muscle discrepancy, and body mass index. These results indicate that the Malay DMS has acceptable psychometric properties and can be used to assess body image concerns in Malay men.

Validação Transcultural das Escalas ZKPQ-50-CC (Personalidade), BAS (Imagem Corporal) e AS (Ambivalência na Decisão de Ter Relações Sexuais) para Adolescentes

Introdução: A adolescência é um período onde se operam muitas mudanças tanto físicas como psíquicas. É comum o surgimento de algumas perturbações que devem ser convenientemente avaliadas pelo Psicólogo. É assim, muito importante o rigor na avaliação em Psicologia sendo essencial a utilização de instrumentos que sejam válidos e fiáveis. Metodologia: O principal objetivo deste estudo foi traduzir e validar, para a população portuguesa, três instrumentos de avaliação de adolescentes: O Zuckerman Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire Cross-cultural 50 items version (ZKPQ-50-CC) (Aluja, Rossier, García, Angleitner, Kuhlman, & Zuckerman, 2006), para avaliação da personalidade; a Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) (Avalos, Tylka & Wood-Barcalow, 2005), para avaliação da apreciação corporal positiva e; a Ambivalence Scale (AS) (Pinquart, 2009) para avaliação da ambivalência na decisão de ter relações sexuais. Este estudo metodológico incidiu sobre 877 a adolescentes das escolas secundárias em Leiria e Porto de Mós sendo maioritariamente (64,08%) do sexo feminino e com média de 16,70 anos (DP = 1,21) de idade. Na validação seguiu-se a mesma metodologia dos autores das escalas originais a quem foi solicitada autorização, assim como às direções das instituições onde recolhemos os dados. Solicitou-se igualmente consentimento aos pais e aos adolescentes. Resultados: A Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) e a Ambivalence Scale (AS) constituídas por 7 itens, permitem obter uma pontuação global e apenas um fator. Por seu lado, a determinação das caraterísticas psicométricas do ZKPQ-50-CC permite manter as 5 escalas da estrutura do original. Conclusão: Os três instrumentos apresentam valores de consistência interna e validade que permitem que sejam considerados rigorosos e fiáveis podendo ser utilizados futuramente em avaliação e investigação. / Introduction: Adolescence is a period of a lot of changes both physical and psychic. It´s common the emergence of some disorders that should be properly evaluated by the Psychologist. It is thus very important the rigor of Psychological Evaluation and it´s essential to use instruments that are valid and reliable. Metodology: The main objective of this study was to translate and validate, for the Portuguese population, three assessment instruments in adolescence: The Zuckerman Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire Cross-cultural 50 items version (ZKPQ-50-CC) (Aluja, Rossier, García, Angleitner, Kuhlman , & Zuckerman, 2006) for personality assessment, the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) (Avalos, Tylka, & Wood Barcalow, 2005), to evaluate the positive body assessment; and the Ambivalence Scale (AS) (Pinquart, 2009) for assessment of ambivalence in the decision about having sexual intercourse. This methodological study focused on 877 adolescents from high schools in Leiria and Porto de Mós, mostly females (64,08%), mean age of 16,70 years old (SD = 1,21). The validation followed the same methodology the authors of the scale, to whom consent was requested, as well as to directors of the institutions where we collect data. We also asked for consent to parents and adolescents. Results: The Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) and the Ambivalence Scale (AS), both with seven items, allow to obtain an overall score and only one factor. For its part, the determination of the psychometric features of QPZK-50-CC allows to maintain the five scales of the original structure. Conclusion: The three instruments show internal consistency and validity that allow them to be considered accurate and reliable and used in future evaluation and research.

Kroppsideal via Instagram

Syfte Dagens teknik har medfört en explosion av nätbaserade sociala medier där bilder av träning och kroppar är ett tydligt fenomen. Syftet med detta arbete har varit att undersöka hur kroppsideal skapas och framställs på internet och framförallt sociala medier. Till hjälp användes frågeställningarna: Hur gestaltar manliga fitness-profiler sig själv och sina kroppar på den nätbaserade tjänsten Instagram? Finns det kopplingar mellan dessa profilers kroppsgestaltningar och specifika kroppsideologier? (Rosenmann & Kaplan, 2014) Metod Arbetet utfördes med netnografisk metod i grunden, en metod specifikt fokuserad på kvalitativ forskning av internet. Tre manliga fitnessprofiler samt fem av varje profils bilder valdes utifrån popularitet på Instagram för att granskas och analyseras i relation till kroppsideal. Resultat Bilderna hade gemensamma egenskaper då dessa, ofta i gymmiljö, visade avklädda, extremt muskulösa kroppar med fokus på framsidan av överkroppen. Skilda egenskaper förekom, dock inte i någon signifikant bemärkelse. Kroppsideologin metrosexuella-och konsumentmaskuliniteten (Rosenmann & Kaplan, 2014) präglade profilerna. Slutsatser Dessa fitnessprofilers framställning av sina kroppar stämde väl överens med dagens rådande muskulära kroppsideal som innefattar en slimmad, muskulös, väldefinierad kropp. Tydliga kopplingar kunde också göras till Rosenmann’s och Kaplan’s (2014) kroppsideologi; metrosexuella-och konsumentmaskuliniteten.