Sven Ingmar Andersson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Sven Ingmar Andersson

Research paper thumbnail of Future directions in Health Psychology Practice in Europe and other countries represented in the EHPS: Moving Forward Together

The European health psychologist, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Influence of Personality Traits, Goals, Academic Efficacy, and Stressload on Final Grades in Swedish High School Students

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Fibromyalgia and Burnout: Same or Different Types of Health Problems?

Research paper thumbnail of Dialysis-linked complaints and burdens of illness on patient and spouse as predictors of survival in end-stage renal disease patients with home hemodialysis: a 10-year follow-up study

Stress and Health, 2004

Participants were 40 persons from a group of 44 end-stage renal disease patients in southern Swed... more Participants were 40 persons from a group of 44 end-stage renal disease patients in southern Sweden who in 1985 received home hemodialysis under the auspices of a hospital renal unit, together with their spouses (n = 35). At a 10-year follow-up, 15 of the patients had died and 25 had survived. Univariate log rank tests of the influence of physical and demographic factors, the patient's dialysis-linked complaints and the burdens of the illness indicated the most important predictors of 10-year survival to be the patient's age, severity of the illness, the patient's dialysislinked complaints (notably that of itching), and the burdens of the patient's disease on the spouse (particularly burdens of a sexual character).

Research paper thumbnail of Diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infections in primary health care by the nurse versus the physician: Efficacy and patient attitudes

Psychology & Health, 1989

... SVEN INGMAR ANDERSSONt and BIRGITTA HOVELIUS Department of Community Health Sciences, Lund Un... more ... SVEN INGMAR ANDERSSONt and BIRGITTA HOVELIUS Department of Community Health Sciences, Lund University, S-240 10 Dalby, Sweden ... health care process itself (Bessman 1974; Flynn 1974; Janis and Rodin 1979; Steckel and Swain 1977; Sullivan and Armignacco ...

Research paper thumbnail of Health Psychology Practice in Europe and other countries represented in EHPS: A first step to Moving Forward Together

The European health psychologist, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Eye Tracking Performance and Attention in Psychotic Patients

Documenta Ophthalmologica Proceedings Series, 1983

The pendular eye tracking performance of a group of psychotic patients (9 schizophrenics, 8 cyclo... more The pendular eye tracking performance of a group of psychotic patients (9 schizophrenics, 8 cycloid psychotics and 2 manic-depressive psychotics), tested on two different occasions a week apart, was studied, using electrooculography. An electronic pendulum involving a light of constant speed was employed, there being two different tasks, a less attention demanding task (red light only) and a more attention demanding task (pressing a button when the light turned to green at short, irregular intervals). Signal/noise ratio, 2nd to 6th harmonics, deviation area and microtremor rate were calculated, as were measures of the effect on these of the attention demands of the task and of the time spent at the task. Schizophrenics were found to differ from the other two psychotic groups in their overall tracking performance, cross validating in part results of an earlier study. Differences here were obtained on the initial test only. This was seen to reflect phasic change or improvement in the cycloid psychotics. There was an overall tendency, as already shown in the earlier investigation, for performance to be better under more attention demanding conditions, certain measures with high reliability. Microtremor appeared rather sensitive to particular aspects of the tracking task.

Research paper thumbnail of Use of “Fuzzy” Statements in Medical Decision Contexts

Health Systems Research, 1984

In studying views and attitudes concerning various matters the methods employed often aim at radi... more In studying views and attitudes concerning various matters the methods employed often aim at radically limiting the range of possible answers, at keeping the language of questions or statements simple and clear and at avoiding items that are complex or may be interpreted in more than one way. In the present study, which considers two investigations regarding attitudes toward questions of importance in health care decisions, the aim was largely the opposite of that just described. Instead questionnaires of a “fuzzy” type were employed, the statements these involved being such that they could readily be judged as neither completely true nor completely false but as lying somewhere in between. It was felt that the complexity of views and attitudes in the situations of interest here could more readily be conceived in such terms. The questionnaires used presented subjects with statements of a fuzzy type which they were to judge the degree of truth of on a 100-division scale (half-unit markings being scored as well) on which the extreme value of 0 implied the statement to not be appropriate at all and the extreme value of 100 (on this so-called truth-value scale) implied it to be fully appropriate.

Research paper thumbnail of Standing balance in healthy subjects. Evaluation of a quantitative test battery on a force platform

Scandinavian journal of rehabilitation medicine, 1989

A quantitative battery of tests for standing balance is needed in the assessment of functional im... more A quantitative battery of tests for standing balance is needed in the assessment of functional impairments. The aims of the present study were to obtain stabilometric reference values for healthy females and males, 20-64 years of age, on a stable computerized force platform (AMTI) and to relate the balance data thus obtained to some traditional functional balance tests. Altogether, 152 subjects performed a series of tests. The test battery on the force platform comprised tests of standing with feet close together or on one leg while looking straight ahead or while blindfolded. Traditional functional balance tests were checked and various background data were collected through a questionnaire. Results of a separate test-retest reliability study of the test battery given on the force platform appeared promising, especially for the tests with eyes open. In the main study, results obtained on the force platform correlated significantly (p less than 0.001) with results of most of the fun...

Research paper thumbnail of Situational patterns in coping with primary Sjo¨gren's syndrome

Psychology, Health and Medicine, 2001

ABSTRACT The complexities involved in primary Sjögren's syndrome (primary SS) were examin... more ABSTRACT The complexities involved in primary Sjögren's syndrome (primary SS) were examined by designing and testing an instrument for evaluating the occurrence and severity of various biopsychosocial stressors as perceived by primary SS patients (63 women, six men) and at examining the situational patterns involved in appraising and coping with stressful episodes. The results indicated symptoms of fatigue, eye discomfort, dryness of the mouth and sleep disturbances to be particularly stressful. Women were found to be more likely than men - and patients with less education more likely than those with higher education - to report a stressor as occurring and experiencing it as stressful. The situational approach was seen to yield more specific information on the actual appraisal and coping processes used by the patients for exercising control in the specific encounters experienced as highly stressful, particularly with respect to educational resources and the place of men and women in society.

Research paper thumbnail of Dyspepsia in general practice: Psychological findings in relation to Helicobacter pylori serum antibodies

Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1994

Questionnaire data based on traditional concepts for measuring hypochondriasis and depression wer... more Questionnaire data based on traditional concepts for measuring hypochondriasis and depression were related to serological data on Helicobacter pylori antibodies in 110 of 130 consecutive patients, aged 18-65 yr, consulting for dyspeptic symptoms in general practice. Of the patients thirty-seven (33.6%) and seventy-three (66.4%) were classified as H. pylori positives and H. pylori negatives, respectively, the H. pylori positive patients being significantly older than H. pylori negative patients. Factor analyses of the questionnaire data indicated the heterogeneity of each of the traditional concepts for measuring hypochondriasis and depression but succeeded in differentiating orthogonally between two hypochondriasis factors and three depression factors. Hierarchical regression analyses of factor scores, controlling for the influence of age and sex, indicated higher H. pylori antibody activity to be associated with less hypochondriacal signs of anxiety and uneasiness. It is hypothesized, that in dyspepsia without signs of H. pylori infection, somatization may account to a substantial extent for the illness.

Research paper thumbnail of Muscle function of the lower extremities in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthrosis A descriptive study of patients in a primary health care district

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 1989

Thirty-six patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 30 patients with cox-or gonarthrosis (OA), an... more Thirty-six patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 30 patients with cox-or gonarthrosis (OA), and a control group of 40 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) were studied with the aim of analyzing and comparing patient experienced muscular problems of muscle-strength, endurance and balance/coordination with muscle function as assessed by standardized tests. The results indicated that patient-experienced problems of muscle function of the lower extremities were frequent in both the RA and the OA groups (about 80%) compared to the DM group (10%). Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) on experienced and tested muscle strength, endurance and balance/coordination, revealed a significant R&CJA difference (p < 0.05). Separate analyses of variance (ANOVAs) indicated OA patients to show decreased tested endurance compared with the RA group. There was no significant RA-OA difference as to pain. Results provide evidence for considering muscle function of the lower extremities in therapeutic programs for RA and OA within primary health care.

Research paper thumbnail of Drug prescription attitudes and behaviour of general practitioners

European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1995

A producer-independent, problem-oriented, group-education programme with 2-day meetings on drug t... more A producer-independent, problem-oriented, group-education programme with 2-day meetings on drug treatment in primary health care (PHC) was developed and evaluated. Initially, it was tested on a selected group of general practitioners (district physicians), using a non-exposed group as control. A comprehensive questionnaire was used to test changes in attitudes. There was a significant change in attitudes concerning both general opinions on drugs and drug use, on information about drug treatment, and on use of drugs in selected therapeutic areas. Also, the district physicians became more critical towards information from pharmaceutical companies. Prescribing patterns tended to change in accordance with the attitude changes. Subsequently, the programme was offered to all district physicians (about 550) in the southern Swedish health care region for a 10-year period, with 20-25 district physicians per 2-day meeting. The impact of the programme on the prescribing of a selected group of drugs (antibiotics) was assessed by voluntary registration of prescription by the participants, by regional prescription analyses and by analyses of drug sales data. There were significant, consistent, and sustained changes in the prescribing of antibiotics. The study supports the view that, if drug prescribing in general practice is to be improved, producer-independent, problem-oriented, face-to-face, small-group education on drug treatment is worthwhile.

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic and static physical training in patients with rheumatoid arthritis : application of a self-appraisal and coping model

Disability & Rehabilitation, 1996

A self-appraisal and coping model was examined using a longitudinal data set involving 56 classic... more A self-appraisal and coping model was examined using a longitudinal data set involving 56 classical or definite rheumatic arthritis patients randomly assigned to either dynamic (n = 28) or static (n = 28) physiotherapeutic training. The model considers both adaptational consequences and antecedents of training (muscular endurance, pain, self-appraisal, and coping through avoidance or painful problem-solving). Measures were obtained prior to and after a 6-week training period (partly supervised and partly self-training) at a health-care centre, and after an additional 3 months of self-training only. Path analysis supported the mediating role of self-appraisal and of avoidance in influencing muscular endurance in dynamic training patients. Regression analyses likewise supported these conclusions, suggesting some patients in dynamic training to be caught in a vicious circle of avoidance and low self-appraisal. Theoretical issues are discussed, and suggestions made for developing more effective interventions in rheumatic patients.

Research paper thumbnail of Appraisal, coping, and role of motivational factors and gender invocational rehabilitation

Research paper thumbnail of Dialog hösten 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Health psychologists cooperating – challenges and opportunities

The European health psychologist, 2017

For health psychologists, cooperation with other professions is an important part of interdiscipl... more For health psychologists, cooperation with other professions is an important part of interdisciplinary work. Such efforts are not without challenge, due at least in part to different scienti c approaches characterizing various disciplines involved in the health domain. On the other hand, interdisciplinary cooperation is rich in opportunities for all parties, not least the patients and clients who may have much to gain from such efforts. To elucidate the topic with respect to Health Psychology in the countries represented in the EHPS, questions speci cally concerned with cooperation with other professions were included in the questionnaire administered to the EHPS National Delegates (NDs) (see Plass et al., this issue). In this contribution, the cooperation of Health Psychologists with other elds of psychology and with other professions are discussed on the basis of the results the questionnaire study. The article also considers examples from Sweden and Switzerland.

Research paper thumbnail of Eye Tracking Performance and Attention in Alcohol Abusers and Psychotic Patients

Theoretical and Applied Aspects of Eye Movement Research, Selected/Edited Proceedings of The Second European Conference on Eye Movements, 1984

Pendular eye tracking performance of a group (n=20) of alcohol abusers was studied by means of el... more Pendular eye tracking performance of a group (n=20) of alcohol abusers was studied by means of electrooculography, retests being made on 15 of the patients within a three-month period. An electronic pendulum involving a “moving” light of constant speed was employed, there being two different tasks, a less attention demanding task (following a red light only) and a more attention demanding one (besides following the light, having to press a button when the light turned green, at short, irregular intervals). The results were compared with those of psychiatric patients (n = 19) and normals (n=4) whom the author studied earlier. Although it was not possible to distinguish psychotic patients from alcohol abusers on the basis of overall measures of noise/signal ratio and deviation area, microtremor was found to be categorically higher in psychotic patients than in alcohol abusers. Since no differences were observed between psychotic patients and alcohol abusers in patterns of response as cognitive strain increased or over time during a testing session, these aspects of the tracking tasks did not seem to account for the very large differences found in microtremor, leaving the possibility open that disturbance of a central nature was found in the psychotic patients. During eye tracking, macro squarewave jerks were significantly more frequent in alcohol abusers than in psychiatric patients. It is suggested that in alcohol abusers this phenomenon represents a defect in a saccadic pulse generator, triggered by an unwanted supranuclear command signal.

Research paper thumbnail of Äldres hälsa och livskvalitet, anpassning till sjukdom, funktionsnedsättning och handikapp: Hälsopsykologiska reflektioner

Research paper thumbnail of Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements and Attention in Schizophrenia and Cycloid Psychoses

Eye Movements and Psychological Functions, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Future directions in Health Psychology Practice in Europe and other countries represented in the EHPS: Moving Forward Together

The European health psychologist, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Influence of Personality Traits, Goals, Academic Efficacy, and Stressload on Final Grades in Swedish High School Students

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Fibromyalgia and Burnout: Same or Different Types of Health Problems?

Research paper thumbnail of Dialysis-linked complaints and burdens of illness on patient and spouse as predictors of survival in end-stage renal disease patients with home hemodialysis: a 10-year follow-up study

Stress and Health, 2004

Participants were 40 persons from a group of 44 end-stage renal disease patients in southern Swed... more Participants were 40 persons from a group of 44 end-stage renal disease patients in southern Sweden who in 1985 received home hemodialysis under the auspices of a hospital renal unit, together with their spouses (n = 35). At a 10-year follow-up, 15 of the patients had died and 25 had survived. Univariate log rank tests of the influence of physical and demographic factors, the patient's dialysis-linked complaints and the burdens of the illness indicated the most important predictors of 10-year survival to be the patient's age, severity of the illness, the patient's dialysislinked complaints (notably that of itching), and the burdens of the patient's disease on the spouse (particularly burdens of a sexual character).

Research paper thumbnail of Diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infections in primary health care by the nurse versus the physician: Efficacy and patient attitudes

Psychology & Health, 1989

... SVEN INGMAR ANDERSSONt and BIRGITTA HOVELIUS Department of Community Health Sciences, Lund Un... more ... SVEN INGMAR ANDERSSONt and BIRGITTA HOVELIUS Department of Community Health Sciences, Lund University, S-240 10 Dalby, Sweden ... health care process itself (Bessman 1974; Flynn 1974; Janis and Rodin 1979; Steckel and Swain 1977; Sullivan and Armignacco ...

Research paper thumbnail of Health Psychology Practice in Europe and other countries represented in EHPS: A first step to Moving Forward Together

The European health psychologist, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Eye Tracking Performance and Attention in Psychotic Patients

Documenta Ophthalmologica Proceedings Series, 1983

The pendular eye tracking performance of a group of psychotic patients (9 schizophrenics, 8 cyclo... more The pendular eye tracking performance of a group of psychotic patients (9 schizophrenics, 8 cycloid psychotics and 2 manic-depressive psychotics), tested on two different occasions a week apart, was studied, using electrooculography. An electronic pendulum involving a light of constant speed was employed, there being two different tasks, a less attention demanding task (red light only) and a more attention demanding task (pressing a button when the light turned to green at short, irregular intervals). Signal/noise ratio, 2nd to 6th harmonics, deviation area and microtremor rate were calculated, as were measures of the effect on these of the attention demands of the task and of the time spent at the task. Schizophrenics were found to differ from the other two psychotic groups in their overall tracking performance, cross validating in part results of an earlier study. Differences here were obtained on the initial test only. This was seen to reflect phasic change or improvement in the cycloid psychotics. There was an overall tendency, as already shown in the earlier investigation, for performance to be better under more attention demanding conditions, certain measures with high reliability. Microtremor appeared rather sensitive to particular aspects of the tracking task.

Research paper thumbnail of Use of “Fuzzy” Statements in Medical Decision Contexts

Health Systems Research, 1984

In studying views and attitudes concerning various matters the methods employed often aim at radi... more In studying views and attitudes concerning various matters the methods employed often aim at radically limiting the range of possible answers, at keeping the language of questions or statements simple and clear and at avoiding items that are complex or may be interpreted in more than one way. In the present study, which considers two investigations regarding attitudes toward questions of importance in health care decisions, the aim was largely the opposite of that just described. Instead questionnaires of a “fuzzy” type were employed, the statements these involved being such that they could readily be judged as neither completely true nor completely false but as lying somewhere in between. It was felt that the complexity of views and attitudes in the situations of interest here could more readily be conceived in such terms. The questionnaires used presented subjects with statements of a fuzzy type which they were to judge the degree of truth of on a 100-division scale (half-unit markings being scored as well) on which the extreme value of 0 implied the statement to not be appropriate at all and the extreme value of 100 (on this so-called truth-value scale) implied it to be fully appropriate.

Research paper thumbnail of Standing balance in healthy subjects. Evaluation of a quantitative test battery on a force platform

Scandinavian journal of rehabilitation medicine, 1989

A quantitative battery of tests for standing balance is needed in the assessment of functional im... more A quantitative battery of tests for standing balance is needed in the assessment of functional impairments. The aims of the present study were to obtain stabilometric reference values for healthy females and males, 20-64 years of age, on a stable computerized force platform (AMTI) and to relate the balance data thus obtained to some traditional functional balance tests. Altogether, 152 subjects performed a series of tests. The test battery on the force platform comprised tests of standing with feet close together or on one leg while looking straight ahead or while blindfolded. Traditional functional balance tests were checked and various background data were collected through a questionnaire. Results of a separate test-retest reliability study of the test battery given on the force platform appeared promising, especially for the tests with eyes open. In the main study, results obtained on the force platform correlated significantly (p less than 0.001) with results of most of the fun...

Research paper thumbnail of Situational patterns in coping with primary Sjo¨gren's syndrome

Psychology, Health and Medicine, 2001

ABSTRACT The complexities involved in primary Sjögren&#39;s syndrome (primary SS) were examin... more ABSTRACT The complexities involved in primary Sjögren&#39;s syndrome (primary SS) were examined by designing and testing an instrument for evaluating the occurrence and severity of various biopsychosocial stressors as perceived by primary SS patients (63 women, six men) and at examining the situational patterns involved in appraising and coping with stressful episodes. The results indicated symptoms of fatigue, eye discomfort, dryness of the mouth and sleep disturbances to be particularly stressful. Women were found to be more likely than men - and patients with less education more likely than those with higher education - to report a stressor as occurring and experiencing it as stressful. The situational approach was seen to yield more specific information on the actual appraisal and coping processes used by the patients for exercising control in the specific encounters experienced as highly stressful, particularly with respect to educational resources and the place of men and women in society.

Research paper thumbnail of Dyspepsia in general practice: Psychological findings in relation to Helicobacter pylori serum antibodies

Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1994

Questionnaire data based on traditional concepts for measuring hypochondriasis and depression wer... more Questionnaire data based on traditional concepts for measuring hypochondriasis and depression were related to serological data on Helicobacter pylori antibodies in 110 of 130 consecutive patients, aged 18-65 yr, consulting for dyspeptic symptoms in general practice. Of the patients thirty-seven (33.6%) and seventy-three (66.4%) were classified as H. pylori positives and H. pylori negatives, respectively, the H. pylori positive patients being significantly older than H. pylori negative patients. Factor analyses of the questionnaire data indicated the heterogeneity of each of the traditional concepts for measuring hypochondriasis and depression but succeeded in differentiating orthogonally between two hypochondriasis factors and three depression factors. Hierarchical regression analyses of factor scores, controlling for the influence of age and sex, indicated higher H. pylori antibody activity to be associated with less hypochondriacal signs of anxiety and uneasiness. It is hypothesized, that in dyspepsia without signs of H. pylori infection, somatization may account to a substantial extent for the illness.

Research paper thumbnail of Muscle function of the lower extremities in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthrosis A descriptive study of patients in a primary health care district

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 1989

Thirty-six patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 30 patients with cox-or gonarthrosis (OA), an... more Thirty-six patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 30 patients with cox-or gonarthrosis (OA), and a control group of 40 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) were studied with the aim of analyzing and comparing patient experienced muscular problems of muscle-strength, endurance and balance/coordination with muscle function as assessed by standardized tests. The results indicated that patient-experienced problems of muscle function of the lower extremities were frequent in both the RA and the OA groups (about 80%) compared to the DM group (10%). Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) on experienced and tested muscle strength, endurance and balance/coordination, revealed a significant R&CJA difference (p < 0.05). Separate analyses of variance (ANOVAs) indicated OA patients to show decreased tested endurance compared with the RA group. There was no significant RA-OA difference as to pain. Results provide evidence for considering muscle function of the lower extremities in therapeutic programs for RA and OA within primary health care.

Research paper thumbnail of Drug prescription attitudes and behaviour of general practitioners

European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1995

A producer-independent, problem-oriented, group-education programme with 2-day meetings on drug t... more A producer-independent, problem-oriented, group-education programme with 2-day meetings on drug treatment in primary health care (PHC) was developed and evaluated. Initially, it was tested on a selected group of general practitioners (district physicians), using a non-exposed group as control. A comprehensive questionnaire was used to test changes in attitudes. There was a significant change in attitudes concerning both general opinions on drugs and drug use, on information about drug treatment, and on use of drugs in selected therapeutic areas. Also, the district physicians became more critical towards information from pharmaceutical companies. Prescribing patterns tended to change in accordance with the attitude changes. Subsequently, the programme was offered to all district physicians (about 550) in the southern Swedish health care region for a 10-year period, with 20-25 district physicians per 2-day meeting. The impact of the programme on the prescribing of a selected group of drugs (antibiotics) was assessed by voluntary registration of prescription by the participants, by regional prescription analyses and by analyses of drug sales data. There were significant, consistent, and sustained changes in the prescribing of antibiotics. The study supports the view that, if drug prescribing in general practice is to be improved, producer-independent, problem-oriented, face-to-face, small-group education on drug treatment is worthwhile.

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic and static physical training in patients with rheumatoid arthritis : application of a self-appraisal and coping model

Disability & Rehabilitation, 1996

A self-appraisal and coping model was examined using a longitudinal data set involving 56 classic... more A self-appraisal and coping model was examined using a longitudinal data set involving 56 classical or definite rheumatic arthritis patients randomly assigned to either dynamic (n = 28) or static (n = 28) physiotherapeutic training. The model considers both adaptational consequences and antecedents of training (muscular endurance, pain, self-appraisal, and coping through avoidance or painful problem-solving). Measures were obtained prior to and after a 6-week training period (partly supervised and partly self-training) at a health-care centre, and after an additional 3 months of self-training only. Path analysis supported the mediating role of self-appraisal and of avoidance in influencing muscular endurance in dynamic training patients. Regression analyses likewise supported these conclusions, suggesting some patients in dynamic training to be caught in a vicious circle of avoidance and low self-appraisal. Theoretical issues are discussed, and suggestions made for developing more effective interventions in rheumatic patients.

Research paper thumbnail of Appraisal, coping, and role of motivational factors and gender invocational rehabilitation

Research paper thumbnail of Dialog hösten 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Health psychologists cooperating – challenges and opportunities

The European health psychologist, 2017

For health psychologists, cooperation with other professions is an important part of interdiscipl... more For health psychologists, cooperation with other professions is an important part of interdisciplinary work. Such efforts are not without challenge, due at least in part to different scienti c approaches characterizing various disciplines involved in the health domain. On the other hand, interdisciplinary cooperation is rich in opportunities for all parties, not least the patients and clients who may have much to gain from such efforts. To elucidate the topic with respect to Health Psychology in the countries represented in the EHPS, questions speci cally concerned with cooperation with other professions were included in the questionnaire administered to the EHPS National Delegates (NDs) (see Plass et al., this issue). In this contribution, the cooperation of Health Psychologists with other elds of psychology and with other professions are discussed on the basis of the results the questionnaire study. The article also considers examples from Sweden and Switzerland.

Research paper thumbnail of Eye Tracking Performance and Attention in Alcohol Abusers and Psychotic Patients

Theoretical and Applied Aspects of Eye Movement Research, Selected/Edited Proceedings of The Second European Conference on Eye Movements, 1984

Pendular eye tracking performance of a group (n=20) of alcohol abusers was studied by means of el... more Pendular eye tracking performance of a group (n=20) of alcohol abusers was studied by means of electrooculography, retests being made on 15 of the patients within a three-month period. An electronic pendulum involving a “moving” light of constant speed was employed, there being two different tasks, a less attention demanding task (following a red light only) and a more attention demanding one (besides following the light, having to press a button when the light turned green, at short, irregular intervals). The results were compared with those of psychiatric patients (n = 19) and normals (n=4) whom the author studied earlier. Although it was not possible to distinguish psychotic patients from alcohol abusers on the basis of overall measures of noise/signal ratio and deviation area, microtremor was found to be categorically higher in psychotic patients than in alcohol abusers. Since no differences were observed between psychotic patients and alcohol abusers in patterns of response as cognitive strain increased or over time during a testing session, these aspects of the tracking tasks did not seem to account for the very large differences found in microtremor, leaving the possibility open that disturbance of a central nature was found in the psychotic patients. During eye tracking, macro squarewave jerks were significantly more frequent in alcohol abusers than in psychiatric patients. It is suggested that in alcohol abusers this phenomenon represents a defect in a saccadic pulse generator, triggered by an unwanted supranuclear command signal.

Research paper thumbnail of Äldres hälsa och livskvalitet, anpassning till sjukdom, funktionsnedsättning och handikapp: Hälsopsykologiska reflektioner

Research paper thumbnail of Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements and Attention in Schizophrenia and Cycloid Psychoses

Eye Movements and Psychological Functions, 2021