Bjørn Helge Johnsen - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Bjørn Helge Johnsen

We conducted a randomised controlled trial pilot study (N ¼ 30) with two treatment groups: (1) Ma... more We conducted a randomised controlled trial pilot study (N ¼ 30) with two treatment
groups: (1) Manualised cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) (n ¼ 15) and (2)
escitalopram combined with CBT (n ¼ 15). Treatment was administered individually
and the CBT included weekly sessions for eight consecutive weeks. The treatment with
escitalopram lasted for a minimum of 16 weeks (20 mg/day), with an optional
continuation for a 6-month follow-up period. Repeated measures ANOVA with
modified intent-to-treat analyses were conducted. Results showed significant time
effects on all measures for both treatment conditions, although no significant group or
time £ group effects. The results indicated that both treatments were effective in the
short term (effect sizes (ES) ranging from 0.45 to 0.91 for the CBT group and 0.27 to
0.72 for the escitalopram þ CBT group), and that adding CBT to escitalopram had no
additional statistically significant effect (between-group ES of 0.11 and 0.29 for
primary outcome measures at 16-weeks post-treatment).

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2015

A large number of studies have shown that hardiness and cohesion are associated with mental healt... more A large number of studies have shown that hardiness and cohesion are associated with mental health in a military context. However, most of them are presented without controlling for baseline mental health symptoms, which is their most significant source of error. The present study investigates the combined effect of hardiness and cohesion in a prospective design, controlling for baseline levels of symptoms among Norwegian personnel serving in a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo. Multivariate regression analyses were performed in which self-reported mental health complaints were regressed on our explanatory variables. Our findings suggest that both cohesion and hardiness contributed to increased stress resiliency, as measured by a lower level of reported mental health complaints. Our baseline measure of mental health accounted for a larger proportion of the variance than our other predictors. A significant interaction between cohesion and hardiness suggested a combined effect, over and above the individual contributions of the predictors. For individuals who scored high on hardiness, cohesion levels did not influence levels of mental health complaints. Individuals who scored low on hardiness, on the other hand, reported lower levels of mental health complaints when cohesion levels were high.

Perceptual and motor skills, 2005

The current study examined the relationship between dispositional optimism and situation awarenes... more The current study examined the relationship between dispositional optimism and situation awareness. A sample of 77 Royal Norwegian Naval Academy and 57 Royal Norwegian Army Academy cadets were administered the Life Orientation Test prior to participating in a field-training exercise involving a series of challenging missions. Following an infantry mission component of the exercise, situation awareness was measured using the Mission Awareness Rating Scale (MARS), a self-assessment tool. The analysis indicated that dispositional optimism correlated negatively with situation awareness under these conditions. The role of intrapersonal variables in mediating situation awareness and decision-making in stressful situations is discussed.

Substance Use & Misuse, 2006

A total of 1351 high school students (52.3% males, 47.7% females) with mean age 17.5 years (SD = ... more A total of 1351 high school students (52.3% males, 47.7% females) with mean age 17.5 years (SD = 2.2) from randomized school classes in Hordaland County, Norway, participated in an Internet survey conducted in 2004 about the lifetime use of anabolic steroids and personal acquaintance with at least one user of anabolic steroids. In addition to questions about anabolic steroids the participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. They also answered questions about demography, smoking, and narcotic use. The lifetime prevalence for use of anabolic steroids was 3.6% for males and 0.6% for females. In all, 27.9% of the respondents reported having at least one acquaintance that used or had used anabolic steroids. Use of anabolic steroids and having acquaintances using such drugs were strongly related to use of other drugs such as alcohol, nicotine, and narcotics. Implications for prevention are discussed and the study's limitations are noted.

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2002

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2000

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2002

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2009

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2002

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2005

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 2009

Psychology, Health & Medicine, 2013

Psychological hardiness characterizes people who remain healthy under psychosocial stress. The pr... more Psychological hardiness characterizes people who remain healthy under psychosocial stress. The present exploratory study investigates possible links between hardiness and several immune and neuroendocrine markers: IL-6, IL-12, IL-4, IL-10, & neuropeptide-Y. A total of 21 Norwegian navy cadets were studied in the context of a highly stressful military field exercise. Blood samples were collected midway, and again late in the exercise when stress levels were highest. Psychological hardiness (including commitment, control, and challenge) was measured two days before the exercise. While all subjects scored high in hardiness, some were high only in commitment and control, but relatively low in challenge. These "unbalanced" hardiness subjects were also more stress reactive, showing suppressed proinflammatory cytokines (IL-12), increased anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10), and lower neuropeptide-Y levels as compared to the hardiness-balanced group. This study thus shows that being high in hardiness with a balanced profile is linked to more moderate and healthy immune and neuroendocrine responses to stress.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 1994

... From a cognitive perspective, alcohol-related stimuli are selectively processed (Baker, Morse... more ... From a cognitive perspective, alcohol-related stimuli are selectively processed (Baker, Morse, & Sherman, 1987 ... Helge Johnsen and Kenneth Hugdahl, Depart-ment of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Jon Christian Laberg, Department ...

Personality and Individual Differences, 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between different personality variables... more The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between different personality variables and
pathological gambling (PG). The NEO-FFI and measures of impulsivity and sensation-seeking were
administered to a sample of pathological gamblers (n = 90) and to a contrast group of non-pathological
gamblers (n = 66) matched on sex and age. Gender, age, education level and the personality variables
were entered into crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses with PG-status as the dependent variable.
The results showed that educational level and all personality variables were significant predictors
of PG in the crude analyses, however only four of the 12 significant predictor variables (Neuroticism,
Openness, Impulsivity, and need for Stimulus Intensity) remained significant in the adjusted analysis.
All predictor variables accounted for 71% of the variance in PG-status. Clinical implications of the findings
are discussed.

Military Psychology, 2006

... Bjørn Helge Johnsen and Jarle Eid Department of Psychosocial Science University of Bergen, No... more ... Bjørn Helge Johnsen and Jarle Eid Department of Psychosocial Science University of Bergen, Norway and the Royal Norwegian Navy Per Ketil Riisem and Rune Andersen Department of Education The Norwegian Police University College Oslo, Norway ...

Military Psychology, 2005

ABSTRACT The primary objective of this study was to explore the relevance of 4 proposed predictor... more ABSTRACT The primary objective of this study was to explore the relevance of 4 proposed predictors of self-efficacy (Jerusalem & Schwarzer, 1986; Leganger, Kraft, & Roysamb, 2000) in a Norwegian Infantry Battalion preparing for a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (N = 482). A hierarchical regression model was computed, and the 4 proposed predictor variables were entered in the following ranked order: (a) personal experience, (b) military skills and abilities, (c) risk perception, and (d) coping style. The individual's evaluation of military skills and abilities proved to be the dominant predictor of self-efficacy (R2 = 36%). In addition, experience from previous missions in international operations (R2 = 3%) and task-focused coping style (R2 = 5%) came out as significant predictors. The fact that personal experience from previous military missions abroad, life-threatening incidents, and military service in general had little or no predictive power could question the general assumption of a linear relationship between personal experience and readiness. In a military unit, facing the unpredictability of military peacekeeping and peace-enforcing operations, beliefs in military skills and abilities seem to be the dominant factor when evaluating self-efficacy. These findings suggest the importance of realism in training and preparations aimed at specific scenarios and situations expected in the mission area to ensure realistic coping expectations.

Military Psychology, 2004

This study explored the relationship between leadership style and operational readiness in a samp... more This study explored the relationship between leadership style and operational readiness in a sample of senior Norwegian military officers (N= 43), who participated in a 1-week joint staff exercise. Leadership style was measured by the Multifactor Leadership ...

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 2008

We conducted a randomised controlled trial pilot study (N ¼ 30) with two treatment groups: (1) Ma... more We conducted a randomised controlled trial pilot study (N ¼ 30) with two treatment
groups: (1) Manualised cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) (n ¼ 15) and (2)
escitalopram combined with CBT (n ¼ 15). Treatment was administered individually
and the CBT included weekly sessions for eight consecutive weeks. The treatment with
escitalopram lasted for a minimum of 16 weeks (20 mg/day), with an optional
continuation for a 6-month follow-up period. Repeated measures ANOVA with
modified intent-to-treat analyses were conducted. Results showed significant time
effects on all measures for both treatment conditions, although no significant group or
time £ group effects. The results indicated that both treatments were effective in the
short term (effect sizes (ES) ranging from 0.45 to 0.91 for the CBT group and 0.27 to
0.72 for the escitalopram þ CBT group), and that adding CBT to escitalopram had no
additional statistically significant effect (between-group ES of 0.11 and 0.29 for
primary outcome measures at 16-weeks post-treatment).

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2015

A large number of studies have shown that hardiness and cohesion are associated with mental healt... more A large number of studies have shown that hardiness and cohesion are associated with mental health in a military context. However, most of them are presented without controlling for baseline mental health symptoms, which is their most significant source of error. The present study investigates the combined effect of hardiness and cohesion in a prospective design, controlling for baseline levels of symptoms among Norwegian personnel serving in a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo. Multivariate regression analyses were performed in which self-reported mental health complaints were regressed on our explanatory variables. Our findings suggest that both cohesion and hardiness contributed to increased stress resiliency, as measured by a lower level of reported mental health complaints. Our baseline measure of mental health accounted for a larger proportion of the variance than our other predictors. A significant interaction between cohesion and hardiness suggested a combined effect, over and above the individual contributions of the predictors. For individuals who scored high on hardiness, cohesion levels did not influence levels of mental health complaints. Individuals who scored low on hardiness, on the other hand, reported lower levels of mental health complaints when cohesion levels were high.

Perceptual and motor skills, 2005

The current study examined the relationship between dispositional optimism and situation awarenes... more The current study examined the relationship between dispositional optimism and situation awareness. A sample of 77 Royal Norwegian Naval Academy and 57 Royal Norwegian Army Academy cadets were administered the Life Orientation Test prior to participating in a field-training exercise involving a series of challenging missions. Following an infantry mission component of the exercise, situation awareness was measured using the Mission Awareness Rating Scale (MARS), a self-assessment tool. The analysis indicated that dispositional optimism correlated negatively with situation awareness under these conditions. The role of intrapersonal variables in mediating situation awareness and decision-making in stressful situations is discussed.

Substance Use & Misuse, 2006

A total of 1351 high school students (52.3% males, 47.7% females) with mean age 17.5 years (SD = ... more A total of 1351 high school students (52.3% males, 47.7% females) with mean age 17.5 years (SD = 2.2) from randomized school classes in Hordaland County, Norway, participated in an Internet survey conducted in 2004 about the lifetime use of anabolic steroids and personal acquaintance with at least one user of anabolic steroids. In addition to questions about anabolic steroids the participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. They also answered questions about demography, smoking, and narcotic use. The lifetime prevalence for use of anabolic steroids was 3.6% for males and 0.6% for females. In all, 27.9% of the respondents reported having at least one acquaintance that used or had used anabolic steroids. Use of anabolic steroids and having acquaintances using such drugs were strongly related to use of other drugs such as alcohol, nicotine, and narcotics. Implications for prevention are discussed and the study's limitations are noted.

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2002

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2000

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2002

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2009

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2002

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2005

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 2009

Psychology, Health & Medicine, 2013

Psychological hardiness characterizes people who remain healthy under psychosocial stress. The pr... more Psychological hardiness characterizes people who remain healthy under psychosocial stress. The present exploratory study investigates possible links between hardiness and several immune and neuroendocrine markers: IL-6, IL-12, IL-4, IL-10, & neuropeptide-Y. A total of 21 Norwegian navy cadets were studied in the context of a highly stressful military field exercise. Blood samples were collected midway, and again late in the exercise when stress levels were highest. Psychological hardiness (including commitment, control, and challenge) was measured two days before the exercise. While all subjects scored high in hardiness, some were high only in commitment and control, but relatively low in challenge. These "unbalanced" hardiness subjects were also more stress reactive, showing suppressed proinflammatory cytokines (IL-12), increased anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10), and lower neuropeptide-Y levels as compared to the hardiness-balanced group. This study thus shows that being high in hardiness with a balanced profile is linked to more moderate and healthy immune and neuroendocrine responses to stress.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 1994

... From a cognitive perspective, alcohol-related stimuli are selectively processed (Baker, Morse... more ... From a cognitive perspective, alcohol-related stimuli are selectively processed (Baker, Morse, & Sherman, 1987 ... Helge Johnsen and Kenneth Hugdahl, Depart-ment of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Jon Christian Laberg, Department ...

Personality and Individual Differences, 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between different personality variables... more The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between different personality variables and
pathological gambling (PG). The NEO-FFI and measures of impulsivity and sensation-seeking were
administered to a sample of pathological gamblers (n = 90) and to a contrast group of non-pathological
gamblers (n = 66) matched on sex and age. Gender, age, education level and the personality variables
were entered into crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses with PG-status as the dependent variable.
The results showed that educational level and all personality variables were significant predictors
of PG in the crude analyses, however only four of the 12 significant predictor variables (Neuroticism,
Openness, Impulsivity, and need for Stimulus Intensity) remained significant in the adjusted analysis.
All predictor variables accounted for 71% of the variance in PG-status. Clinical implications of the findings
are discussed.

Military Psychology, 2006

... Bjørn Helge Johnsen and Jarle Eid Department of Psychosocial Science University of Bergen, No... more ... Bjørn Helge Johnsen and Jarle Eid Department of Psychosocial Science University of Bergen, Norway and the Royal Norwegian Navy Per Ketil Riisem and Rune Andersen Department of Education The Norwegian Police University College Oslo, Norway ...

Military Psychology, 2005

ABSTRACT The primary objective of this study was to explore the relevance of 4 proposed predictor... more ABSTRACT The primary objective of this study was to explore the relevance of 4 proposed predictors of self-efficacy (Jerusalem & Schwarzer, 1986; Leganger, Kraft, & Roysamb, 2000) in a Norwegian Infantry Battalion preparing for a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (N = 482). A hierarchical regression model was computed, and the 4 proposed predictor variables were entered in the following ranked order: (a) personal experience, (b) military skills and abilities, (c) risk perception, and (d) coping style. The individual's evaluation of military skills and abilities proved to be the dominant predictor of self-efficacy (R2 = 36%). In addition, experience from previous missions in international operations (R2 = 3%) and task-focused coping style (R2 = 5%) came out as significant predictors. The fact that personal experience from previous military missions abroad, life-threatening incidents, and military service in general had little or no predictive power could question the general assumption of a linear relationship between personal experience and readiness. In a military unit, facing the unpredictability of military peacekeeping and peace-enforcing operations, beliefs in military skills and abilities seem to be the dominant factor when evaluating self-efficacy. These findings suggest the importance of realism in training and preparations aimed at specific scenarios and situations expected in the mission area to ensure realistic coping expectations.

Military Psychology, 2004

This study explored the relationship between leadership style and operational readiness in a samp... more This study explored the relationship between leadership style and operational readiness in a sample of senior Norwegian military officers (N= 43), who participated in a 1-week joint staff exercise. Leadership style was measured by the Multifactor Leadership ...

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 2008