Behavioral reactivity to acute stress among Black and White women with type 2 diabetes: The roles of income and racial discrimination
This study investigated relationships of income and self-reported racial discrimination to diabetes health behaviors following an acute stressor. A total of 77 diabetic women (51% Black, 49% White) completed a laboratory public speaking stressor. That evening, participants reported same-day eating, alcohol consumption, and medication adherence; physical activity was measured with actigraphy, and the next morning participants reported sleep quality. Measures were repeated on a counterbalanced control day. There was no mean level difference in health behaviors between stressor and control days. On stressor day, lower income ...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Bermudez-Millan, A., Schumann, K. P., Feinn, R., Tennen, H., Wagner, J. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Cognitive dissonance and attitudes toward unpleasant medical screenings
Two studies suggest that cognitive dissonance can lead people to adopt negative attitudes toward beneficial—yet unpleasant—medical screenings. People who thought that they were candidates for an unpleasant medical screening reported less favorable attitudes toward the screening than people who thought that they were ineligible (Study 1). The unpleasantness of a medical screening affected candidates’ attitudes toward the screening to a greater extent than non-candidate’s attitudes (Study 2). Limitations, including ambiguity regarding the extent to which participants’ attitudes were affected spe...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Ent, M. R., Gerend, M. A. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
The Learning About My Pain study protocol: Reducing disparities with literacy-adapted psychosocial treatments for chronic pain, a comparative behavioral trial
This report presents the protocol for the Learning About My Pain study, one of the first comparative-effectiveness trials funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Adhering to published standards for clinical trials (e.g. Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Intervention Trials), it provides an overview of the trial (n = 294), comparing cognitive-behavioral and education pain interventions to usual care, and a detailed description of how its methodology reduces the risks from bias. (Source: Journal of Health Psychology)
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Eyer, J. C., Thorn, B. E. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Can risk and illness perceptions predict breast cancer worry in healthy women?
This study provides novel evidence that both illness and risk perceptions are predictors of breast cancer worry in younger women from the community. (Source: Journal of Health Psychology)
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Gibbons, A., Groarke, A. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
The perceived causal structures of smoking: Smoker and non-smoker comparisons
This study used a form of network analysis to gain insight into the causal attributions for smoking of both smoking and non-smoking college students. The analyses resulted in highly endorsed, complex network diagrams that conveyed the perceived causal structures of smoking. Differences in smoker and non-smoker networks emerged with smokers attributing less negative consequences to smoking behaviors. Implications for intervention are discussed. (Source: Journal of Health Psychology)
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Lydon, D. M., Howard, M. C., Wilson, S. J., Geier, C. F. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
The reliability of psychological instruments in community samples: A cautionary note
We examined whether the assumption of generalizability is warranted. We administered three commonly used psychological measures—the Behavioral Activation/Behavioral Inhibition Scale, the Regulatory Focus Questionnaire, and the Need for Cognition Scale—to a community sample (N = 332) with limited education. For the three instruments, five of seven scales/subscales had unsatisfactory reliabilities. Internal consistency was lowest among participants with less education. The results suggest that instruments normed on educated samples may not generalize to uneducated samples. (Source: Journal of Health Psychology)
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Shepperd, J. A., Emanuel, A. S., Dodd, V. J., Logan, H. L. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
The role of narcissism in health-risk and health-protective behaviors
This study examined the role of narcissism in health-risk and health-protective behaviors in a sample of 365 undergraduate students. Regression analyses were used to test the influence of narcissism on health behaviors. Narcissism was positively predictive of alcohol use, marijuana use, and risky driving behaviors, and it was associated with an increased likelihood of consistently having a healthy eating pattern. Narcissism was also positively predictive of physical activity. Results are discussed with reference to the potential short-term and long-term health implications and the need for future research on the factors in...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Hill, E. M. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
From headache to tumour: An examination of health anxiety, health-related Internet use and 'query escalation
The current study aimed to explore the phenomenon of disease-related ‘query escalation’ in high/low health anxious Internet users (N = 40). During a 15-minute health-related Internet search, participants rated their anxiety and the perceived seriousness of information on each page. Post-search interviews determined the reasons for, and effects of, escalating queries to consider serious diseases. Both groups were found to be significantly more anxious after escalating queries. The high group was significantly more likely to escalate queries. Evaluating personal relevance of material was the main reason for escal...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Singh, K., Brown, R. J. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Confronting as autonomy promotion: Speaking up against discrimination and psychological well-being in racial minorities
Few studies have considered confrontation in the context of coping with discriminatory experiences. These studies test for the first time whether confronting racial discrimination is associated with greater psychological well-being and physical health through the promotion of autonomy. In two separate samples of racial minorities who had experienced racial discrimination, confrontation was associated with greater psychological well-being, and this relationship was mediated by autonomy promotion. These findings did not extend to physical health symptoms. These studies provide preliminary evidence that confrontation may aid ...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Sanchez, D. T., Himmelstein, M. S., Young, D. M., Albuja, A. F., Garcia, J. A. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Predictors of suicidality in bariatric surgery candidates
This study involved a retrospective chart review of individuals seeking psychological clearance for bariatric surgery. In total, 32 participants (15.8%) were classified as reporting suicidality. These participants endorsed greater depressive symptomatology and hopelessness, and hopelessness and mood disorder diagnosis each uniquely predicted whether or not a patient was classified as reporting suicidality. The findings within suggest that increased attention to the relationship among these variables may improve methods for identification of high-risk patients. Implications for clinical practiced are discussed. (Source: Jou...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Adamowicz, J. L., Salwen, J. K., Hymowitz, G. F., Vivian, D. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Health behavior predictors of medication adherence among low health literacy people living with HIV/AIDS
This study aims to ascertain the relationship between medication adherence and other health behaviors. Adults living with HIV (N = 422) completed intake measures and 3 months of unannounced pill counts. Endorsement of diet and exercise behaviors at intake predicted higher medication adherence, over and above other known predictors of medication adherence such as HIV symptoms, depression, social support, and stress. These results support integrating strategies for medication management into a constellation of routine health practices. (Source: Journal of Health Psychology)
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Pellowski, J. A., Kalichman, S. C. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Mindful Facebooking: The moderating role of mindfulness on the relationship between social media use intensity at work and burnout
Research on the role of social media use in the workplace has gained more interest, yet little is known about personal characteristics that might influence the outcomes that employees experience when they use social media during work. This research aims to investigate the impact of the intensity of social media use at work on three aspects of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. Results from partial least squares regression found that mindfulness significantly mediated the relationship between the intensity of social media use at work on emotional exhaustion and lack of per...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Charoensukmongkol, P. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Mediation by illness perceptions of the association between the doctor-patient relationship and diabetes-related distress
The quality of the doctor–patient relationship has been shown to impact upon a number of health outcomes in diabetes, including psychological well-being. This cross-sectional study investigated illness perceptions as mediators of the association between the doctor–patient relationship and diabetes-related distress. Individuals with diabetes completed questionnaires which measured the perceptions of their relationship with their doctor, diabetes-related distress and illness perceptions. The association between doctor–patient relationship and diabetes-related distress was fully mediated by Personal Control,...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Bridges, H. A., Smith, M. A. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Associations of health behaviors with human papillomavirus vaccine uptake, completion, and intentions among female undergraduate students
This study explored associations between health behaviors and human papillomavirus vaccine receipt/intentions among female undergraduates. Participants (N = 286) completed a survey assessing human papillomavirus vaccine uptake (receiving 1–3 shots vs no shots), completion (receiving 3 shots vs 1–2 shots), and intentions as well as various health behaviors. Human papillomavirus vaccine uptake and completion were associated with receipt of other preventive medical care; completion was associated with having a regular healthcare provider. Among unvaccinated students (n = 115), increased human papillomavirus vaccin...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Winger, J. G., Christy, S. M., Mosher, C. E. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
Bodybuilders accounts of synthol use: The construction of lay expertise online
Synthol is an injectable oil used by bodybuilders to make muscles appear bigger. Widely available on the Internet, it is reported to carry a wide range of health risks and side effects such as localised skin problems, nerve damage and oil-filled cysts, as well as muscle damage and the development of scar tissue. Given the tension between health risk and quick muscle enlargement, how lay users explain and justify their synthol intake becomes an important question. Drawing on discourse analysis, we focus on how lay expertise is worked up by users in the absence of available specialist knowledge by invoking medical and pharma...
Source: Journal of Health Psychology - August 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Hall, M., Grogan, S., Gough, B. Tags: Articles Source Type: research
