Personality disorders and adult attachment dimensions in a mixed psychiatric sample: A multivariate study

The associations between personality disorders and adult attachment dimensions were assessed in a sample of 487 consecutively admitted psychiatric subjects. Canonical correlation analysis showed that two sets of moderately correlated canonical variates explained the correlations between personality disorders and adult attachment patterns. The first and second attachment variates closely resembled the avoidance and anxiety attachment dimensions, respectively. The first personality disorder variate was mainly characterized by avoidant, depressive, paranoid, and schizotypal personality disorders, whereas dependent, histrionic, and borderline personality disorders loaded on the second canonical variate. However, these linear combinations of personality disorders were different from those obtained from principal component analysis. The results extend previous studies linking personality disorders and attachment patterns and suggest the importance of focusing on specific constellations of symptoms associated with dimensions of insecurity.

A genetic two-factor model of the covariation among a subset of Multidimensional Aptitude Battery and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised subtests

The phenotypic and genetic factor structure of performance on five Multidimensional Aptitude Battery (MAB) subtests and one Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) subtest was explored in 390 adolescent twin pairs (184 monozygotic [MZ]; 206 dizygotic (DZ)). The temporal stability of these measures was derived from a subsample of 49 twin pairs, with test-retest correlations ranging from .67 to .85. A phenotypic factor model, in which performance and verbal factors were correlated, provided a good fit to the data. Genetic modeling was based on the phenotypic factor structure, but also took into account the additive genetic (A), common environmental (C), and unique environmental (E) parameters derived from a fully saturated ACE model. The best fitting model was characterized by a genetic correlated two-factor structure with specific effects, a general common environmental factor, and overlapping unique environmental effects. Results are compared to multivariate genetic models reported in children and adults, with the most notable difference being the growing importance of common genes influencing diverse abilities in adolescence. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teamwork in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Evaluation of a multiprofessional workshop

This paper outlines a multiprofessional education workshop piloted and subsequently conducted with a cohort of 81 graduate entry students of occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology and audiology. The rationale for, and format of, the workshop is outlined, followed by comparisons between students' knowledge about teamwork prior to and after the four-hour workshop. The workshop was based on a real case scenario of a child with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Students completed pre- and post-workshop questionnaires about their knowledge of DCD, teamwork and the roles of various professionals and parents; and a post-workshop questionnaire about their views regarding the utility of the workshop, its strengths, and learning outcomes. The evaluation indicated that the workshop was overwhelmingly successful from the students' perspective in: (1) enhancing their understanding about DCD and its multifaceted impact on school age children; (2) developing a deeper appreciation of the importance of teamwork itself; (3) refining their understanding of their own profession's role and (4) developing an appreciation of the role of other professions and parents in working with children with complex needs, and their families. Limitations of this study and directions for future research are discussed.

Early alterations in serum creatine kinase and total cholesterol following high intensity eccentric muscle actions

Aim. The purpose of this experiment was to assess the levels of muscle soreness, serum total cholesterol (TC) and creatine kinase (CK) in the first 48 hours following fatiguing eccentric exercise performed with the triceps brachii. Methods. Eleven untrained male college students performed a total of 50 eccentric elbow extensions in 8 sets (6x7 and 2x4) with a load equal to 85% of their maximal concentric elbow extension strength. Isometric elbow extension strength, muscle soreness and circumference, and serum CK and TC concentrations were measured before, immediately after, and 2, 24 and 48 hours after the exercise. Results. Statistically reliable changes in isometric strength, serum CK and TC, muscle soreness and upper arm circumference occurred within the first 48 hours following eccentric exercise. Serum TC concentrations exhibited a very rapid (within 2 hours) reduction from pre-exercise values after eccentric exercise to a relatively stable concentration of approximately 85% of baseline. Conclusion. These results suggest that serum TC concentration may follow the time-course of reductions in force generating capacity more closely than other biochemical markers of muscle damage.

Sport psychology and indigenous performing artists

A group of students from the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts participated in a mental skills training program that focused on goal setting, self-confidence development, and team building. There were 13 two-hour sessions held over a 20-week period. The participants, cultural issues, and the basic structure of the program are described. The author's observations regarding competition, displays of affection, collective values, and the importance of family and nature are provided. The participants qualitatively evaluated the program. Conclusions related to group process, program structure, and diversity are presented. These conclusions should be of value in terms of shaping future group mental skills training programs.

A simple and unified approach to human voluntary movements

In his provocative article, F. Mechsner (2004) advances the thesis that human voluntary movements are subject to psychological or perceptual -cognitive control and are thus organized without regard to efferent patterns (p. 355). Rather than considering in detail the experiments that he proffered by way of support, the present author discusses the degree to which that supposition has appeal on the grounds of simplicity and is defined in terms that are compatible with a unified science.

Effector dynamics of rhythmic wrist activity and its implications for (modeling) bimanual coordination

To examine the role of the effector dynamics of the wrist in the production of rhythmic motor activity, we estimated the phase shifts between the EMG and the task-related output for a rhythmic isometric torque production task and an oscillatory movement, and found a substantial difference (45-52degrees) between the two. For both tasks, the relation between EMG and task-related output (torque or displacement) was adequately reproduced with a physiologically motivated musculoskeletal model. The model simulations demonstrated the importance of the contribution of passive structures to the overall dynamics and provided an account for the observed phase shifts in the dynamic task. Additional simulations of the musculoskeletal model with added load suggested that particular changes in the phase relation between EMG and movement may follow largely from the intrinsic muscle dynamics, rather than being the result of adaptations in the neural control of joint stiffness. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to (models of) interlimb coordination in rhythmic tasks. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlates of depressive symptoms in a representative sample of young Australian women

This paper presents a descriptive analysis of the prevalence of depressive symptoms among a national cohort of young Australian women, and the characteristics of those who experience them. It explores the associations between demographic and health-related variables and depressive symptoms in a representative sample of 9333 Australian women aged 22-27 years, from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Approximately 30% of these young women indicated that they were experiencing depressive symptoms, as indicated by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). After adjusting for age and rurality of residence, depressive symptoms were related to the following demographic variables: low income, low educational qualifications, a history of unemployment, not being in a relationship, and living arrangements other than living with a partner. Those health-related variables that were significantly associated with depressive symptoms included frequent visits to doctors and medical specialists, and a higher number of physical symptoms experienced and diagnoses made. More illicit drug use, higher use of cigarettes and alcohol, and lower exercise status were also significantly associated with depressive symptoms. This analysis supports the view that depression is one aspect of a multifactorial cluster of negative conditions across several domains of functioning, including physical ill-health, risky behaviours, and marginal social status. The complex interactions between these conditions, of which depression is only one, underscore the difficulties that arise in the treatment of depression and support the value of preventive interventions as an important public health strategy.

Optimism health-related hardiness and well-being among older Australian women

This article examines whether optimism and health-related hardiness contribute to health and well-being among older women. Positive psychological characteristics, including optimism and health-related hardiness, are correlated with good self-rated health, but these variables are all affected by socioeconomic status, social support, physical illness and access to services. Using data from 9501 Australian women aged 73 to 78, we show that optimism and health-related hardiness explain a significant proportion of variance in all subscales of the SF-36, and in stress, even after these confounders are taken into account. The data, although cross-sectional, suggest that positive personal characteristics may contribute to well-being.

Violence against young Australian women and association with reproductive events: a cross-sectional analysis of a national population sample

Objective: This study aimed to investigate associations between violence and younger women's reproductive events using Survey 1 (1996) data of the Younger cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health (ALSWH). Methods: Multinomial regression, using composite variables for both violence and reproductive events, adjusting for socioeconomic variables and weighted for rural and remote areas. Results: 23.8% of 14,784 women aged 18 to 23 years reported violence; 12.6% reported non-partner violence in the previous year; and 11.2% reported ever having had a violent relationship with a partner. Of the latter group, 43% (4.8% overall) also reported violence in the past year. Compared with women reporting no violence, women reporting partner but not recent violence (OR 2.55, 95% Cl 2.10-3.09) or partner and recent violence (OR 3.96, 95% Cl 3.18-4.93) were significantly more likely to have had one or more pregnancies. Conversely, having had a pregnancy (2,561) was associated with an 80% increase in prevalence of any violence and a 230% increase in partner violence. Among women who had a pregnancy, having had a miscarriage or termination was associated with violence. Partner and recent violence is strongly associated with having had a miscarriage, whether alone (OR = 2.85, 95% Cl 1.74-4.66), with a termination (OR = 4.60, 2.26-9.35), or with birth, miscarriage and a termination (OR 4.12, 1.89-9.00). Conclusions and implications: Violence among young women of childbearing age is a factor for which doctors should be vigilant, well-trained and supported to identify and manage effectively.