Protective Factor Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Background Bullying has public health importance. It has been reported that both the victims and perpetrators of bullying are more likely to have suicidal ideation and other suicidal behaviours. Moreover, bullying can be a precursor for school violence and can contribute to poor academic performance. The purpose of the study was to raise awareness on the subject in China. We, therefore conducted an analysis of secondary data to determine the prevalence and correlates of having been bullied among in-school adolescents. Methods The data was taken from the Beijing Global School-Based Health Survey conducted in 2003. A weighted analysis to reduce bias due to differing patterns of non-response was conducted using statistical software (SPSS version 14.0). We conducted a backward logistic regression analysis to determine independent predictors for being bullied. Results Out of a total of 2,348 in-school adolescents who participated in the survey, 20% (23% males, and 17% females) reported h...

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- Psychology, Public Health, Medicine, Academic Performance

This study uses data from the National Child Development Study (NCDS) to track behaviourally disturbed children at 7 through to adolescence in order to assess the extent to which clusters of protective factors can offset the negative effects of clusters of risk factors. Behavioural measures at ages 7, 11 and 16 from NCDS were used to identify children with 'extemalising' behaviour problems. Children whose scores fell into the top 20% of Rutter 'A' scores at 7 but not at age 11 and 16 were deemed to have 'recovered'. Controlling for gender, social class, family structure, parental mental health, domestic tension at age 7 and a cluster of protective factors in childhood (high reading skills at 11, father's interest in child's education at 16, good relations with parents at 16, good school attendance at 16), a cluster of risk factors present as the child grew up (clumsiness, social services involvement, family involvement with police/probation, family mobility at 7) was significantly associated with lack of recovery from behavioural problems. Although individual protective factors were significantly associated with recovery in the bivariate analysis, their power was not strong enough in the multivariate model to overcome the strength of the risk factors.

- by Eirini Flouri
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- Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health, Social Class

Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas (FAPEAL).

- by janine barbosa
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- Archivos, Body Mass Index, Protective Factor

To describe empirically the risky sexual behavior of an at-risk sample of adolescent girls, to assess psychosocial correlates of risky behavior, and to examine the utility of applying a risk and protective model to predicting teens' risky sexual behavior. Participants included 158 African American girls, ages 12 to 19, who were receiving medical care in an adolescent primary care clinic. Teens completed measures of depression, conduct problems, substance use, peer norms, social support, HIV knowledge, sexual self-efficacy, and sexual behavior. Teens in this sample reported high rates of risky sexual behaviors, including early sexual debuts and frequent unprotected sexual encounters with multiple partners. African American girls who reported high rates of substance use and who reported that their peers engaged in risky behaviors also reported engaging in high rates of risky sexual behaviors. Little support was obtained for protective factors (HIV knowledge, social support, sexual...

- by Jennifer Gess
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- Psychology, Primary Care, Mental Health, Pediatric Psychology

La lombalgie commune constitue un problème de santé publique par sa fréquence et ses conséquences en milieu de travail. Les objectifs de notre étude sont la détermination de la prévalence de la lombalgie commune chez le personnel hospitalier, l'analyse des conséquences médicoprofessionnelles et la recherche de facteurs associés à la lombalgie commune. Méthodes.-Nous avons réalisé une enquête portant sur 350 employés de l'hôpital universitaire Fattouma-Bourguiba de Monastir. Ces employés ont répondu à un questionnaire pré-établi comportant 51 items. Résultats.-La prévalence cumulée de la lombalgie était de 57,1 % des cas, la prévalence annuelle était de 50,1 % des cas, la prévalence de la lombalgie chronique était de 12,8 % des cas. Les soins médicaux étaient nécessaires dans 61,9 % des cas. Les explorations radiologiques étaient effectuées dans 45 % des cas. L'arrêt de travail était observé dans 26,1 % des cas et un changement de poste de travail était nécessaire pour deux agents. Les facteurs associés à la lombalgie étaient l'âge (p < 0,01), le sexe féminin (p = 0,024), le BMI élevé (p = 0,01), le fait d'être marié ou divorcé (p < 0,01), le tabagisme (p = 0,016), les antécédents de lombalgie (p < 0,0001), l'activité extra-professionnelle (p < 0,01), la migraine (p < 0,001), l'ancienneté dans l'établissement (p = 0,007) ainsi que le port de charges lourdes (p = 0,008). Le sport constitue plutôt un facteur protecteur de la lombalgie (p = 0,019). Conclusion.-La prévalence de la lombalgie chez les personnels hospitaliers ainsi que ses répercussions socioprofessionnelles sont importantes. Plusieurs facteurs sont associés à cette lombalgie incitant à entreprendre des mesures préventives de cette affection.

- by Mongi Touzi
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- Epidemiology, Health Care, Public Health, Low back pain

The aim of the current study was to investigate from a cross-cultural perspective the hypothesis whether religiosity assessed in two dimensions (religious denomination and subjective religiosity) is a protective factor against attempted... more

- by Neury Botega
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- Cultural Studies, Psychology, Spirituality, Brazil

The Structured Assessment of PROtective Factors for violence risk (SAPROF) has recently been developed as a strengths-based addition to the assessment of risk for future violent behavior (de Vogel, de Ruiter, Bouman, & de Vries Robbé, 2009). Following the Structured Professional Judgment (SPJ) model, the positive and predominantly dynamic factors in the SAPROF were designed to counterbalance the assessment of risk as measured by risk assessment instruments, such as the HCR-20. The present retrospective study provides a first validation of the SAPROF in a Dutch sample of 126 forensic psychiatric patients. Analyses showed good interrater reliability, good predictive validity for non-recidivism of violence after clinical treatment for both the SAPROF total score and the SAPROF Final Protection Judgment and good predictive validity for violent recidivism for a combined HCR-20 -SAPROF total score. The predictive validity of the combined HCR-20 -SAPROF measure significantly outperformed the predictive validity of the HCR-20 in this study. Repeated assessments of the same patients over time demonstrated a significant improvement of SAPROF scores during treatment. Overall, the results provide evidence for the relationship between the presence of protective factors and non-recidivism of violence and for the additional value of protective factors in the assessment of risk for future violence. Moreover, the sensitivity of SAPROF scores to change provides support for the usefulness of the instrument in planning and evaluating treatment interventions.

- by Vivienne de Vogel
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- Psychology, Forensic Mental Health, Risk assessment, Predictive Validity

We review the risk and protective factors for child physical abuse (CPA). An etiological model based on moderate to strongly supported risk factors would begin with distal perpetrator variables of being abused as a child/teen and receiving less family social support as a child. Next might come current family variables such as parents' youth, father's drinking, and family's living in a community that is impoverished and/or has a lower percentage of two parent families. More proximal variables that increase the probability of parents, especially mothers, employing severe or abusive physical tactics could include mothers' dysphoria (e.g., unhappiness, emotional distress, anxiety, loneliness and isolation, depression, somatic complaints, interpersonal problems, feelings of incompetence as a parent, a tendency toward becoming upset and angry), and stress (more stressful life events, including parenting and other family stresses) and coping (most likely a protective factor, including problem solving and social support). Finally, risk factors that are proximal to abuse could include mothers' high reactivity (impulsivity, high negative affect and autonomic nervous system arousal), high-risk parenting (harsh discipline strategies, verbal aggression, yelling), and negative attributions, and children's behavior problems (e.g., socialized aggression, attention deficits, and internalizing and externalizing problems).

- by Danielle Black
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- Criminology, Psychology, Social Interaction, Victimology

Little data exist on dating violence experienced by immigrant Hispanic adolescents. The present study examined the relationships between immigration status, language spoken at home, and dating violence experienced by Hispanic adolescent girls in New Mexico. Data from the 2007 New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Surveys were analyzed. Adjusted logistic regression analyses were conducted among the full sample of Hispanic females (N = 3,412) and among strata based on immigration status. Immigrant Hispanic girls were as likely as non-immigrant Hispanic girls to have experienced dating violence in the prior year (P = 0.93). Among immigrant Hispanic girls, those who were Non-English-dominant were one-fourth as likely to have experienced dating violence as those immigrant girls who were English-dominant (aOR 0.27 [95% CI 0.08-0.87]). Among US-born Hispanic girls, those who were Non-English-dominant were less likely to have experienced dating violence; however, this value did not reach statistical significance (aOR 0.65 [95% CI 0.33-1.27]). Past sexual experience was a significant risk factor for dating violence for US-born Hispanic girls (aOR 4.99 [95% CI 3.18-7.83]) but not for immigrant Hispanic girls (aOR 1.66 [95% CI 0.63-4.43]). Immigrant status was not found to be protective against dating violence for New Mexico Hispanic girls. However, those immigrant girls who were less acculturated in terms of language used at home were found to have only a quarter of the risk of dating violence as those more acculturated. The use of heritage language by immigrant Hispanic girls may be a protective factor against dating violence. Further studies are indicated to confirm this finding.

- by Anna Nelson
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- Violence, Health Disparities, Adolescent Health, Risk assessment

Police officers are exposed to critical events as part of their duty which can affect their well-being. The present study examines the relationships between risk and protective factors and health outcome following critical incident exposure among police officers. Person-oriented analyses were applied to questionnaire data from a sample of 509 Italian municipal police officers. Two groups with different patterns of risk and protective factors were found by cluster analysis. One group (resilient officers) had higher levels of protective factors such as self-esteem and social support and lower levels of risk factors such as peritraumatic distress and perceived threat in comparison to the other group (non resilient police officers). The resilient group reported fewer traumatic stress reactions than the non resilient group in spite of a similar degree of exposure to critical incidents and better health than expected in spite of severe abuse. The two groups differed according to sleeping pills use but not for alcohol and smoking habits. Risk and protective factors could offer an explanation of resilience as an outcome.

- by Gabriele Prati
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- Criminology, Psychology, Social Support, Cluster Analysis

Objective: Bipolar Disorder is associated with a higher frequency of attempted suicide than most other psychiatric disorders. The reasons are unknown. This study compared bipolar subjects with a history of a suicide attempt to those without such a history, assessing suicidal behavior qualitatively and quantitatively, and examining possible demographic, psychopathologic and familial risk factors. Methods: Patients (ages 18 to 75) with a DSM III-R Bipolar Disorder (n 5 44) diagnosis determined by a structured interview for Axis I disorders were enrolled. Acute psychopathology, hopelessness, protective factors, and traits of aggression and impulsivity were measured. The number, method and degree of medical damage was assessed for suicide attempts, life-time. Results: Bipolar suicide attempters had more life-time episodes of major depression, and twice as many were in a current depressive or mixed episode, compared to bipolar nonattempters. Attempters reported more suicidal ideation immediately prior to admission, and fewer reasons for living even when the most recent suicide attempt preceded the index hospitalization by more than six months. Attempters had more lifetime aggression and were more likely to be male. However, attempters did not differ from nonattempters on lifetime impulsivity. Limitations: The generalizability of the results is limited because this is a study of inpatients with a history of suicide attempts. Patients with Bipolar I and NOS Disorders were pooled and a larger sample is needed to look at differences. We could not assess psychopathology immediately prior to the suicide attempt because, only half of the suicide attempters had made attempts in the six months prior to admission. Patients with current comorbid substance abuse were excluded. No suicide completers were studied. Conclusions: Bipolar subjects with a history of suicide attempt experience more episodes of depression, and react to them by having severe suicidal ideation. Their diathesis for acting on feelings of anger or suicidal ideation is suggested by a higher level of lifetime aggression and a pattern of repeated suicide attempts.

- by Gretchen Haas
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- Bipolar Disorder, Affective Disorders, Substance Abuse, Aggression

Although sunlight is known to cause melanoma, there has been considerable controversy as to the importance of short (UVB) and long (UVA) ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths in causing melanoma, leading to uncertainty in how best to prevent this cancer. This uncertainty has been compounded by the difficulties in assaying the UVA protection abilities of sunscreens, as compared to widely accepted measures of UVB screening by the sun protection factor (SPF). This review discusses the controversies surrounding UVA causation of melanoma in both human and animal models and the use of sunscreens to prevent melanoma. In addition, it details the development of an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technique, initially used to determine the wavelength dependence (or action spectrum) of intramelanocyte radical generation to resolve these controversies in the Xiphophorus model. It is shown how this EPR technique allows a sunscreen protection factor to be determined, that is weighted to the melanocyte, and how this also allows study of the wavelength-dependent screening ability of sunscreens.

- by Graham Timmins
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- Ultraviolet, Melanoma, Animal Model, Skin

American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) adolescents use tobacco at earlier ages and in larger quantities compared to non-AIAN peers. Regular tobacco use was examined against live protective factors (peer networks supportive of not using... more

- by Mary Larimer and +1
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- Psychology, Life Style, Tobacco, Adolescent

Background Rates of overweight and obesity have increased dramatically during the past 2 decades. Children obtain a large fraction of their food energy while at school. Objective To estimate the relationship between participation in school meal programs and children's body mass index (BMI) and their likelihood of being overweight or obese, testing the hypothesis that school meal participation influences students' weight status, as measured by their BMI and indicators of overweight and obesity. Design A cross-sectional design in which a regression model was used to estimate the association between participation in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program and children's BMI and risk of overweight or obesity, controlling for a wide range of student and school characteristics. Subjects/setting Participants included a nationally representative sample from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study of 2,228 students in grades 1 through 12 for whom height and weight measurements were obtained. These students, along with their parents, each completed a survey. Statistical analyses performed Multivariate regression models were used to examine the relationship between usual school meal participation and BMI and indicators of whether students were overweight or obese. These models controlled for students' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, levels of physical activity, usual eating habits, screen time, and school characteristics. Results No evidence was found of any relationship between usual school lunch participation and any of four different measures of weight status based on students' BMI. School breakfast participation was associated with significantly lower BMI, particularly among non-Hispanic, white students. Conclusions There was no evidence that either the school breakfast or lunch program is contributing to rising rates of childhood obesity. In fact, School Breakfast Program participation may be a protective factor, by encouraging students to consume breakfast more regularly.

- by Philip Gleason
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- Obesity, Diet, Adolescent, Multivariate Analysis

Prévalence et facteurs associés à la lombalgie commune chez le personnel hospitalier Prevalence and factors associated to low back pain among hospital staff e Reçu le 24 décembre 2003 ; accepté le 1 juin 2004 Disponible sur internet le 28... more

- by Ismail Bejia
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- Epidemiology, Health Care, Public Health, Low back pain

With a large and diverse sample of children from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, the role of infant-mother attachment security as a protective factor against the development of children's anxious and aggressive behaviors at first grade was examined. When child's sex, family income, maternal sensitivity, and prior levels of anxiety and aggression were controlled for, attachment security at 15 months of age was found to moderate the effects of negative life events families experienced, thereby protecting children from experiencing symptoms of anxiety, but not aggression, at 4.5 years of age. Children classified as insecurely attached at 15 months of age who experienced many stressful life events exhibited more anxiety symptoms in first grade than children classified as securely attached who similarly experienced many negative life events. These findings are interpreted within attachment theory, which predicts that early attachment security has a unique role in children's anxiety experiences later in childhood.

- by Marsha Weinraub
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- Psychology, Cognitive Science, Developmental Psychopathology, Child Development
- by Wendy Auslander
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- Religion, Psychology, Resilience, Child Welfare
- by Adelaide Hebert
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- United States, Clinical Sciences, Insect repellents, Combination drug therapy

Article original Facteurs de risque des expositions prothétiques après cure de prolapsus génital par voie vaginale Risk factors for prosthesis exposure in treatment of genital prolapse via the vaginal approach Reçu le 15 avril 2005 ;... more

- by M. Cosson
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- Treatment Outcome, Medical History, Polypropylene, Risk factors
- by Janie Houle
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- Mental Health, Depression, Gender Roles, Medicine

Background. Although much research has focused on mechanisms of traumatization and factors related to post-trauma psychological functioning in survivors of trauma, there have been few studies of survivors of torture despite the widespread practice of torture in the world. The aim of this study was to examine the role of `psychological preparedness' for trauma in post-traumatic stress responses in survivors of torture.
Method. Thirty-four torture survivors who had no history of political activity, commitment to a political cause or group, or expectations of arrest and torture were compared with 55 tortured political activists, using structured interviews and measures of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Results. Compared with tortured political activists, tortured non-activists were subject to relatively less severe torture but showed higher levels of psychopathology. Less psychological preparedness related to greater perceived distress during torture and more severe psychological problems, explaining 4% of the variance in general psychopathology and 9% of the variance in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.
Conclusions. The study findings lend support to the role of prior immunization to traumatic stress and to unpredictability and uncontrollability of stressors in the effects of traumatization. Further research aimed at identifying the behavioural and cognitive components of psychological preparedness that play a role in traumatization may provide useful insights into effective treatment strategies for survivors of torture.

- by Salih M Paker
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- Psychology, Anxiety Disorders, Politics, Stress

Phosphine (PH 3 ), generated from aluminium, magnesium and zinc phosphide, is a widely used pesticide. PH 3 induces oxidative stress in insects, mammalian cells, animals, and humans. The involvement of glutathione (GSH) in PH 3 -induced oxidative toxicity is controversial. GSH levels in various tested tissues were reduced in aluminium phosphide-poisoned rats and humans, while the levels remained unchanged in insects and mammalian cells. This study examines the effectiveness of endogenous GSH as a protective agent against PH 3 -induced oxidative damage in rats. The association of PH 3 -induced nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity with free radical production was also tested. Male Wistar rats, administered intraperitoneally (I.P.) with PH 3 at 4 mg/kg, were evaluated 30 min after treatment for PH 3 toxicity to organs. PH 3 significantly decreased GSH, GSH peroxidase and catalase, while significantly increased lipid peroxidation (as malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenals), DNA oxidation (as 8-hydroxydeoxyguaonsoine) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in kidney and heart. These changes were significantly alleviated by melatonin (10 mg/kg I.P., 30 min before PH 3 ), with the exception of SOD activity in heart tissue. The study also found that buthionine sulfoximine (1 g/kg I.P., 24 h before PH 3 ) significantly enhanced the effect of PH 3 on GSH loss and lipid peroxidation elevation in lung. These findings indicate that (1) endogenous GSH plays a crucial role as a protective factor in modulating PH 3 -induced oxidative damage, and (2) PH 3 could injure kidney and heart (as noted earlier with brain, liver and lung) via oxidative stress and the antioxidant melatonin effectively prevents the damage.

- by Jih-heng Li
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- Toxicology, Kinetics, Oxidative Stress, Free Radical
- by Virginia Mackintosh
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- Psychology, Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down Syndrome

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at risk for adverse outcomes such as substance abuse and criminality, particularly if they develop conduct problems. Little is known about early predictors of the developmental course of conduct problems among children with ADHD, however. Parental psychopathology and parenting were assessed in 108 children who first met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) criteria for ADHD at 4 -7 years old. When demographic variables and baseline ADHD and conduct problems were controlled, maternal depression predicted conduct problems 2-8 years following the initial assessment, whereas positive parenting during the structured parent-child interaction task predicted fewer future conduct problems. These findings suggest that maternal depression is a risk factor, whereas early positive parenting is a protective factor, for the developmental course of conduct problems among children with ADHD.

- by Heidi Kipp
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- Psychology, Cognitive Science, Developmental Psychology, Education

Adolescence is a period of development particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol use, with recent studies underscoring alcohol's effects on adolescent brain development. Despite the alarming rates and consequences of adolescent alcohol use, gifted adolescents are often overlooked as being at risk for early alcohol use. Although gifted adolescents may possess protective factors that likely inhibit the use of alcohol, some gifted youth may be vulnerable to initiating alcohol use during adolescence as experimenting with alcohol may be one way gifted youth choose to compensate for the social price (whether real or perceived) of their academic talents. To address the dearth of research on alcohol use among gifted adolescents the current study (a) examined the extent to which gifted adolescents use alcohol relative to their nongifted peers and (b) examined the adjustment profile of gifted adolescents who had tried alcohol relative to nongifted adolescents who tried alcohol as well as gifted and nongifted abstainers. More than 300 students in seventh grade (42.5% gifted) participated in the present study. Results indicated gifted students have, in fact, tried alcohol at rates that do not differ from nongifted students. Although trying alcohol was generally associated with negative adjustment, giftedness served as a moderating factor such that gifted students who had tried alcohol were less at risk than their nongifted peers. However, evidence also suggests that gifted adolescents who tried alcohol may be a part of a peer context that promotes substance use, which may place these youth at risk for adjustment difficulties in the future.

- by Christina Grimes
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- Cognitive development, Brain development, Substance Abuse, Substance Use

This study relied on archival data from repatriation examinations and debriefings of 241 U.S. Naval aviators, Army soldiers, and Marines who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam era. In addition to descriptive information, we examined relations between personal and military demographics (e.g., marital status, age, length of military service) and captivity stressors (e.g., duration, weight loss, torture) with mental health outcomes (posttraumatic stress symptomatology [PTSS], general distress, and interpersonal negativity). We also evaluated whether rank, specifically officer versus enlisted status, moderated associations between stressors and mental health. Bivariate analyses identified age, officer/enlisted status, length of service, and education as salient correlates of mental health. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that officer status served as a protective factor in the associations between physical torture and PTSS, psychological torture and PTSS, and psychological torture and interpersonal negativity. We discuss these results in terms of how maturity, commitment, and preparedness can be protective under conditions of severe and prolonged hardship.

- by DANNY DANNY KING KING
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- Mental Health, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Vietnam, Weight Loss

Despite the public health burden of adolescent substance use, delinquency, and other problem behavior, few comprehensive models of disseminating evidencebased prevention programs to communities have demonstrated positive youth outcomes at a population level, capacity to maintain program fidelity, and sustainability. We examined whether the Communities That Care (CTC; Hawkins and Catalano 1992) model had a positive impact on risk/protective factors and academic and behavioral outcomes among adolescents in a quasi-experimental effectiveness study. We conducted a longitudinal study of CTC in Pennsylvania utilizing biannual surveillance data collected through anonymous in-school student surveys. We utilized multilevel models to examine CTC impact on change in risk/protective factors, grades, delinquency, and substance use over time. Youth in CTC communities demonstrated less growth in delinquency, but not substance use, than youth in non-CTC communities. Levels of risk factors increased more slowly, and protective factors and academic performance decreased more slowly, among CTC community grade-cohorts that were exposed to evidencebased, universal prevention programs than comparison grade cohorts. Community coalitions can affect adolescent risk and protective behaviors at a population level when evidence-based programs are utilized. CTC represents an effective model for disseminating such programs.

- by Mark T Greenberg
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- Program Evaluation, Social Problems, Juvenile Delinquency, Public Health

The reasons for a greater prevalence of psychological distress among women than men remain unknown. We sought to test two hypotheses that gender operates either as (1) a moderator or (2) a mediator between psychosocial risk factors and experienced distress. A cross-sectional community survey of 1,062 adult Russian-born Jewish immigrants to Israel was conducted. The Demographic Psychosocial Inventory (DPSI) and the Talbieh Brief Distress Inventory (TBDI) were used to measure the parameters of interest. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to test the moderation versus mediational hypotheses of gender in the stress-distress relationship. The aggregate levels of psychological distress and depression, anxiety, and obsessive symptoms were significantly higher for women than for men. Five sources of dis-tress were more likely to be reported by women: family problems, inappropriate climatic conditions, anxiety about the future, poor health status, and uncertainty in the present life situation. Men scored higher on three stress-protective factors: the number of reasons for immigration, commitment to the host country, and job adequacy. Results of multiple regression and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) supported the mediation hypothesis that gender differences in psychological distress stem from women's greater exposure to specific psychosocial stressors. Our findings demonstrate the validity of gender as an important mediating mechanism underlying the differential perception of risk factors for the development of psychological distress.

- by Michael Ritsner
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- Gender Difference, Risk factors, Multiple Regression, Health Status
- by J. Peyron
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- Clinical Sciences, Protective Factor

OBJETIVO: Estudiar el proceso de evolucion en sus primeras etapas tras la perdida y determinar cuales son los factores de riesgo y proteccion previos a la muerte que permiten predecir el surgimiento de posibles complicaciones en los familiares/cuidadores de pacientes oncologicos. METODO: Se evaluaron 236 dolientes cuyos familiares eran pacientes oncologicos atendidos en servicios de cuidados paliativos de Valencia y Madrid y se realizo un seguimiento en 2 momentos temporales: 2 y 6 meses tras la muerte, evaluandose la presencia/ ausencia de complicaciones en el proceso de duelo mediante dos criterios diagnosticos (DSM e ICG). RESULTADOS: Se encontro una gran estabilidad de las puntuaciones en los indicadores de duelo entre 2 y 6 meses post mortem. Respecto a los indicadores de riesgo pre-mortem se han encontrado como discriminativos entre los dolientes con/sin complicaciones: dependencia afectiva, expresiones de rabia y culpa, vulnerabilidad psiquica previa (antecedentes psicopatolo...

- by Patricia Yi
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- Philosophy, Palliative Care, End of life, Psicooncologia

To expand and accelerate research on mood disorders, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) developed a project to formulate a strategic research plan for mood disorder research. One of the areas selected for review concerns the development and natural history of these disorders. The NIMH convened a multidisciplinary Workgroup of scientists to review the field and the NIMH portfolio and to generate specific recommendations. To encourage a balanced and creative set of proposals, experts were included within and outside this area of research, as well as public stakeholders. The Workgroup identified the need for expanded knowledge of mood disorders in children and adolescents, noting important gaps in understanding the onset, course, and recurrence of early-onset unipolar and bipolar disorder. Recommendations included the need for a multidisciplinary research initiative on the pathogenesis of unipolar depression encompassing genetic and environmental risk and protective factors. Specifically, we encourage the NIMH to convene a panel of experts and advocates to review the findings concerning children at high risk for unipolar depression. Joint analyses of existing data sets should examine specific risk factors to refine models of pathogenesis in preparation for the next era of multidisciplinary research. Other priority areas include the need to assess the long-term impact of successful treatment of juvenile depression and known precursors of depression, in particular, childhood anxiety disorders. Expanded knowledge of pediatric-onset bipolar disorder was identi-fied as a particularly pressing issue because of the severity of the disorder, the controversies surrounding its diagnosis and treatment, and the possibility that widespread use of psychotropic medications in vulnerable children may precipitate the condition. The Workgroup recommends that the NIMH establish a collaborative multisite multidisciplinary Network of Research Programs on Pediatric-Onset Bipolar Disorder to achieve a better understanding of its causes, course, treatment, and prevention. The NIMH should develop a capacity-building plan to ensure the availability of trained investigators in the child and adolescent field. Mood disorders are among the most prevalent, recurrent, and disabling of all illnesses. They are often disorders of early onset. Although the NIMH has made important strides in mood disorders research, more data, beginning with at-risk infants, children, and adolescents, are needed concerning the etiology and developmental course of these disorders. A diverse program of multidisciplinary research is recommended to reduce the burden on children and families affected with these conditions. Biol Psychiatry 2002;52:529 -542

- by Joan Kaufman
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- Genetics, Bipolar Disorder, Evidence Based Medicine, Natural History

To review research examining the influence of ''connectedness'' on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH). Connectedness, or bonding, refers to the emotional attachment and commitment a child makes to social relationships in the family, peer group, school, community, or culture. A systematic review of behavioral research was conducted. Inclusion criteria included examination of the association between a connectedness sub-construct and an ASRH outcome, use of multivariate analyses, sample size of 100, and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Results were coded as protective, risk, or no association, and as longitudinal, or cross sectional. Findings from at least two longitudinal studies for a given outcome with consistent associations were considered sufficient evidence for a protective or risk association. Eight connectedness sub-constructs were reviewed: family connectedness (90 studies), parent-adolescent general communication (16 studies), parent-adolescent sexuality communication (58 studies), parental monitoring (61 studies), peer connectedness (nine studies), partner connectedness (12 studies), school connectedness (18 studies), and community connectedness (four studies). There was sufficient evidence to support a protective association with ASRH outcomes for family connectedness, general and sexuality-specific parentadolescent communication, parental monitoring, partner connectedness, and school connectedness. Sufficient evidence of a risk association was identified for the parent overcontrol sub-construct of parental monitoring. Connectedness can be a protective factor for ASRH outcomes, and efforts to strengthen young people's pro-social relationships are a promising target for approaches to promote ASRH. Further study regarding specific sub-constructs as well as their combined influence is needed. Published by Elsevier Inc.

- by Kari Gloppen and +1
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- Education, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Adolescent Health, Adolescent

The current set of meta-analyses elucidates the long-term psychiatric, psychosocial, and physical consequences of the Holocaust for survivors. In 71 samples with 12,746 participants Holocaust survivors were compared with their counterparts (with no Holocaust background) on physical health, psychological wellbeing, posttraumatic stress symptoms, psychopathological symptomatology, cognitive functioning, and stressrelated physiology. Holocaust survivors were less well adjusted, as apparent from studies on nonselected samples (trimmed combined effect size d ϭ 0.22, 95% CI [0.13, 0.31], N ϭ 9,803) and from studies on selected samples (d ϭ 0.45, 95% CI [0.32, 0.59], N ϭ 2,943). In particular, they showed substantially more posttraumatic stress symptoms (nonselect studies: d ϭ 0.72, 95% CI [0.46, 0.98], N ϭ 1,763). They did not lag, however, much behind their comparisons in several other domains of functioning (i.e., physical health, stress-related physical measures, and cognitive functioning) and showed remarkable resilience. The coexistence of stress-related symptoms and good adaptation in some other areas of functioning may be explained by the unique characteristics of the symptoms of Holocaust survivors, who combine resilience with the use of defensive mechanisms. In most domains of functioning no differences were found between Israeli samples and samples from other countries. The exception was psychological well-being: For this domain it was found that living in Israel rather than elsewhere can serve as a protective factor. A biopsychological stress-diathesis model is used to interpret the findings, and future directions for research and social policy are discussed.

- by M. Bakermanskranenburg
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- Marketing, Cognitive Science, Homicide, Cognition

Spring Valley, Washington, DC, was built over a World War I chemical weapons development site. Testing activities caused wide dispersal of arsenic in soil and waste disposal resulted in localized subsurface contamination. Spring Valley presents an interesting case study, a contaminated physical environment, but a strongly healthprotective social environment. To address a possible ''healthy community'' bias we selected a nearby comparison community with similar health-protective characteristics. Our study included a community health assessment, a spatial analysis of disease clustering and a chemical hazard assessment. Community health in Spring Valley is good. Rates of major causes of mortality and incidence of selected cancers are 20-70% lower than the nation's. Rates of hypertension and related kidney disease mortality and certain potentially arsenic-related cancers are slightly elevated in Spring Valley over a comparison community. Registry-confirmed cancers are not more likely to cluster in higher contamination areas, odds ratio (95% Confidence Interval) = 0.60 (0.30, 1.11). Chemicals detected in disposal pits are associated with cancer, kidney, neurological and blood effects. In context of a healthy community, the elevated rates of certain mortality and cancer outcomes warrant continued monitoring. Follow-up on kidney, neurological and blood diseases was recommended. Urban environments are complex with close proximity of residents to a wide variety of commercial and government activities, past and present. Each community will have a mix of health-damaging and health protective factors. Our assessment combined descriptive and analytical epidemiology and environmental risk analyses and represents a flexible tool kit adaptable to unique community conditions.

- by Thomas Burke and +1
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- Spatial Analysis, Soil, Chemical Weapons, Arsenic

Background: During the summer of 1999, Chicago's second deadliest heat wave of the decade resulted in at least 80 deaths. The high mortality, exceeded only by a 1995 heat wave, provided the opportunity to investigate the risks associated... more

- by Reinhard Kaiser
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- Education, Housing, Chicago, Social behavior

Paris 13 University, EA 3413, Cochin and Avicenne hospitals APHP, Paris

- by Marie Moro and +1
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- Psychology, Mental Health, Narrative, Public Health

Poor parenting has long been considered a risk factor for psychopathology[ Perceived levels of parental care and protection\ as measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument "PBI#\ have demonstrated a nonspeci_c association with psychopathology[ We translated the PBI into French and tested its structural validity in adults recruited from the general population[ The French version of the PBI has comparable psychometric properties to the original version[ Similar to recent _ndings\ our results support a three!factor rather than the two!factor structure of care and overprotection posited by Parker\ with the further partitioning of the protection factor into a positive "{encouragement of behavioural freedom|# and negative pole "{denial of psychological autonomy|#[ Þ 0888 Elsevier Science Ltd[ All rights reserved

- by François Ferrero
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- Psychology, Cognitive Science, Psychometrics, French

The mutual best friendships of shy/withdrawn and control children were examined for prevalence, stability, best friend's characteristics, and friendship quality. Using peer nominations of shy/socially withdrawn and aggressive behaviors, two groups of children were identified from a normative sample of fifth-grade children: shy/withdrawn (n = 169) and control (nonaggressive/nonwithdrawn; n = 163). Friendship nominations, teacher reports, and friendship quality data were gathered. Results revealed that shy/withdrawn children were as likely as control children to have mutual stable best friendships. Withdrawn children's friends were more withdrawn and victimized than were the control children's best friends; further, similarities in social withdrawal and peer victimization were revealed for withdrawn children and their friends. Withdrawn children and their friends reported lower friendship quality than did control children. Results highlight the importance of both quantitative and qualitative measures of friendship when considering relationships as risk and/or protective factors.

- by Kenneth H Rubin and +2
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- Psychology, Aggressive Behavior, Child Behavior, Relationship Quality

to build resilience through increasing coping skills, improving interpersonal relationships, and helping coalesce positive identity and self-esteem. Innovative procedures, including the participation of consumer/survivor/recovering women and mothers, in the planning, implementation, and administrative applications of this intervention and study are also highlighted. It is recommended that programs begin to implement family-focused integrated treatment approaches that can potentially increase protective factors for children affected by parental mental illness, substance abuse, and violence.

- by Elke Rechberger
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- Social Work, Domestic Violence, Mental Health, Behavioral Medicine

This study examined whether characteristics of a positive school climate were associated with lower student risk behavior in a sample of 3,687 high school students who completed the School Climate Bullying Survey and questions about risk behavior from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBS). Confirmatory factor analyses established fit for 20 items with three hypothesized school climate scales measuring (1) prevalence of bullying and teasing; (2) aggressive attitudes; and (3) student willingness to seek help. Structural equation modeling established the relationship of these measures with student reports of risk behavior. Multi-group analyses identified differential effects across gender and race. A positive school climate could be an important protective factor in preventing student risk behavior.

- by Timothy Konold and +1
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- Bullying, Social Support, Risk Taking, Adolescent

To improve the quality and stability of couple and father-child relationships in fragile families, researchers are beginning to consider how to tailor existing couple-relationship and fatherinvolvement interventions, which are now targeted on married couples, to the specific needs of unwed couples in fragile families. The goal, explain Philip Cowan, Carolyn Pape Cowan, and Virginia Knox, is to provide a more supportive developmental context for mothers, fathers, and, especially, the children in fragile families.

- by Carolyn Cowan
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- Education, Social Work, Child Welfare, Forecasting
- by Peter Rosenbaum
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- Psychology, Coping Strategies, Pediatric Psychology, Social Support

A cross-sectional study is reported in which loneliness and emotional problems are explored in adolescent victims of direct or relational bullying, together with the potentially moderating influence of friendship quality. Adolescents (N ¼ 401, mean age 13.5) completed the School Relationships Questionnaire, to identify bullying and victimisation roles, the Friendship Activity Questionnaire (FAQ), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess emotional problems, and the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire (LSDQ). Relational victims, but not direct victims reported significantly elevated feelings of loneliness and emotional problems compared to non-victims. Direct victims reported a significantly higher quality of friendship, compared to non-victims. Poor quality of friendship was also associated with high levels of loneliness, and vice versa for direct victims, but not for relational victims. This indicates that the higher quality of friendship found in direct victims is associated with the reduced levels of loneliness found in this group. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study, it is not possible to ascertain whether this association truly reflects the role of friendship quality as a moderator, and hence protective factor against adverse influences of victimisation. The different mechanisms underlying direct and relational victimisation are important for future research and intervention programmes. Ó

- by John Done
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- Psychology, Social Interaction, Adolescent, Child

The aim of this integrative review was to identify the protective factors that contribute to family resiliency. Families are comprised of individuals who interact across levels in a socio-ecological system. Family resiliency does not develop through evasion of risk, but through successful application of protective factors to engage in adverse situations and emerge from them stronger. In an effort to move away from pathological labelling, this review provides a foundation for strength-based family interventions. Thirteen peerreviewed databases were searched for articles and information regarding family resiliency. Careful review yielded 24 protective factors that foster resiliency across three distinct but interactive levels: individual, family and community. The protective factors identified in this review of the literature offer an excellent starting point for development of clinical interventions to support family resiliency.

- by Karen Benzies
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- Social Work, Peer Review, Family Intervention, Protective Factor

Fear of injections may interfere with receipt of vaccines. The frequency, associations, and precipitators of fear-provoking factors of 400 travelers visiting a travel health clinic were evaluated. The median age of this group was 25, 7% were medical staff members, and 2.8% were regular injectors (insulin). Eighty-five (21.7%; 95% confidence interval, 17.3-25.6%) of the travelers indicated that they were afraid of injections, and in 8.2%, the fear was unreasonably intense. Multivariate analysis revealed that watching other people being vaccinated, fear of pain, needle size, and a history of fainting were highly and independently associated with injection phobia. The sensitivity, specificity, and discrimination accuracy of this model were 79.5%, 78.0%, and 78.3%, respectively. Injection phobia and a bad past vaccination experience were significantly associated with fainting. Perceived empathy, on the other hand, was a significant protective factor. Fear of injections was common in thi...

- by Yael Nir
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- Psychology, Fear, Adolescent, Israel

The predictive value of a comprehensive model with personality characteristics, stressor related cognitions, coping and social support was tested in a sample of 187 nonpregnant women. The emotional response to the unsuccessful treatment was predicted out of vulnerability factors assessed before the start of the treatment. The results indicated the importance of neuroticism as a vulnerability factor in emotional response to a severe stressor. They also underlined the importance of helplessness and marital dissatisfaction as additional risk factors, and acceptance and perceived social support as additional protective factors, in the development of anxiety and depression after a failed fertility treatment. From clinical point of view, these results suggest fertility-related cognitions and social support should receive attention when counselling women undergoing IVF or ICSI treatment.

- by Floris Kraaimaat and +1
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- Depression, Social Support, Behavioral Medicine, Anxiety

Stress and burnout for health care professionals have received increasing attention in the literature. Significant administrative, societal and political changes have impacted on the role of workers and the responsibilities they are expected to assume. Most writers suggest that social work is a highly stressful occupation, with stress deriving in particular from role conflict between client advocacy and meeting agency needs. This article reviewed the social work literature with two questions in mind: Are social workers subject to greater stress than other health professionals? What factors contribute to stress and burnout among social workers? We found that most of the literature was either anecdotal or compared social worker stress with general population norms rather than with stress levels of workers in comparable professions. Such empirical research as is available suggests that social workers may experience higher levels of stress and resulting burnout than comparable occupatio...

- by Chris Lloyd
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- Social Change, Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health
- by Rebekah M Doley and +1
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- Psychology, Cognitive Science, Law, Risk assessment

This study examined results of a comprehensive, multifaceted longitudinal school-based prevention program called Raising Healthy Children (RHC). RHC focuses on enhancing protective factors with the goal of promoting positive youth development, reducing identified risk factors, and preventing adolescent problem behaviors. Participants included 938 elementary students from first or second grade who were enrolled in 10 area schools in the Pacific Northwest and randomly divided into two groups, those receiving RHC and peer controls. Analyses were conducted 18 months after implementation and focused on academic and behavioral improvements within the school environment. Results using hierarchical linear modeling showed that RHC students, compared to their peers who did not receive the intervention, had significantly higher academic performance (t ratio = 2.27, p < .001) and a stronger commitment to school (t ratio = 2.16, p < .03) according to their teachers. Similarly, compared to control peers, RHC students showed a significant decrease in antisocial behaviors (t ratio = -2.43, p < .02) and increased social competency (t ratio = 2.96, p < .01).

- by Tracy Harachi
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- Psychology, School Psychology, Youth development, Social Development