Beata Pawłowska

Prevalence of self-injury, suicidal ideation, plans and attempts in adolescents aged 13 to 19 years of age

Abstract Introduction. Increased suicide rates, both among adults and adolescents, have been seen in Poland over recent years. Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of self-injury, suicide ideation, plans and attempts in adolescents aged 13 to 19 years. Material and methods. The study encompassed the total number of 6883 individuals aged 13 to 19 years, 69% of them being girls and 31% - boys. All respondents lived in Lubelskie Province. The research was conducted using a questionnaire designed by the authors. Results. In the group composed of 6883 adolescents living in Lublin Province, suicide ideation was reported by 47.65% of the respondents, suicide plans by 32.35%, suicide attempts were carried out by 10% of adolescents and self-injury by 24.91% of the respondents aged 13 to 19 years. Conclusions. The greatest prevalence of suicide ideation, plans and attempts, as well as self-injuries, were recorded in the group of adolescents aged 17. The adolescents living in the urban areas are more likely to inflict self-injury than those living in rural areas. Furthermore, adolescents with suicidal tendencies, e.g. attempting suicide and self-injury, are more prone to alcohol and substance abuse. It needs emphasizing that many adolescents with suicidal tendencies, compared against those who did not carry them out, have past experience of psychological, physical and sexual violence in the family, have been raised by a single parent or in families, where one of the parents abused alcohol.

Coping strategies in individuals at risk and not at risk of mobile phone addiction

Abstract The aim of the present study was to provide an answer to the question of whether, and what, differences in stress coping strategies could be found between university students at risk and those not at risk of mobile phone addiction. The study included 408 students aged 19 to 28 years. The following instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Mobile Phone Addiction Assessment Questionnaire (in Polish, Kwestionariusz do Badania Uzależnienia od Telefonu Komórkowego, KBUTK) by Pawłowska and Potembska, and the Coping with Stress Questionnaire (SVF) by Janke, Erdmann, and Boucsein, translated into Polish by Januszewska. The results of the study showed that individuals at risk of mobile phone addiction were more likely to cope with stress by seeking substitute gratification, reacting with resignation, passivity, dejection and hopelessness, blaming themselves, pitying themselves and looking for support. They also tended to ruminate over their suffering, withdraw from social interactions, react with aggression and/or take to drinking.

Personality traits of drivers serving a custodial sentence for drink driving

OBJECTIVES The aim of the work was the analysis of personality traits of men serving a custodial sentence for driving under the influence of alcohol. METHODS The study included 44 males serving a custodial sentence for drink driving, 45 males serving a custodial sentence for assault and robbery as well as 32 men with no criminal record, who had never driven a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The following research methods were used during the study: the Socio-demographic Questionnaire designed by the authors, the KRS, the Cattells IPAT, the NI, the ACL and the Life style Questionnaire. RESULTS The obtained results indicate significant statistical differences between the men serving the custodial sentence for drink driving as regards stress coping, anxiety level, intensified need to look for new experiences as well as anti-social personality traits. CONCLUSIONS The men serving a custodial sentence for drink driving show intensified traits of antisocial personality, higher level of anxiety, intensified impulsiveness irritability, distrust, aggression, egocentrism, eccentricity, intensified need for recognition, breaking social standards, experiencing various stimuli, new impressions, greater adaptation difficulties, less self-discipline, lower self-esteem as well as more frequently used destructive, escapist and emotional stress coping strategies as compared to the people with no criminal record, who never drove while under the influence of alcohol. As regards the intensity of personality disorders, stress coping strategies and self-image no significant differences were found between the men serving a custodial sentence for drink driving and those imprisoned for assault and robbery.

Changes to psychosocial functioning as demonstrated by the patients diagnosed with schizophrenia covered by the psychiatric rehabilitation system.

AIM The objective of the research was to compare the self-image characteristics, stress coping strategies and the intensification of anxiety in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia before and after the rehabilitation programme. METHODS The examined group was made up of 32 patients exclusively with the medical diagnosis of schizophrenia, according to the ICD-10 criteria. The mean age of the patients was 35 years, the average time of illness was 12 years. The patients were examined twice (at the admission to the psychiatric rehabilitation department and at the discharge from the department) with the following psychological tests: the Adjective Check List, the Stress Coping Questionnaire and the Self-Analysis Form by Cattell. The socio-demographic data of the patients were determined on the basis of the Socio-demographic Questionnaire designed by the authors. RESULTS Statistically significant differences were found as regards the characteristics of self-image, stress coping strategies and the intensity of anxiety in patients before and after psychiatric rehabilitation programme. CONCLUSIONS 1. Following the rehabilitation programme the examined group of patients have a lower level of fear and anxiety, a more positive self-image, higher self-esteem, they better cope with stress and tasks and are more willing to establish interpersonal relationships as compared to the situation prior to the rehabilitation programme. 2. Following the rehabilitation programme the examined patients, while in a stressful situation, less frequently isolate themselves, concentrate on suffering experienced by them and react with the sense of helplessness and hopelessness.

Alcohol consumption and the risk of Internet addiction in teenagers aged 13-17 years living in the urban and rural areas

Abstract The aim of this paper was to determine differences and similarities between city dwelling teenagers aged 13–17 years who consumed/did not consume alcohol and their rural counterparts in regard to the severity of Internet addiction symptoms. Participants and methods: The examined group consisted of 1,191 people (890 girls and 301 boys) aged 13–17 years. The following instruments were used in the study: a sociodemographic questionnaire designed by the present authors, the Internet Addiction Questionnaire designed by Potembska, and the Internet Addiction Questionnaire (KBUI) designed by Pawłowska and Potembska. Results: The results show that adolescents who consume alcohol, both those living in urban and rural areas, are characterized by statistically significantly more severe Internet addiction symptoms measured by KBUI as compared to their non-drinking peers. Conclusions: Adolescents who consume alcohol, both urban and rural residents, are characterised by statistically significantly more severe symptoms of Internet addiction compared to their peers who do not consume alcohol. Adolescents who live in a city and who consume alcohol are significantly more likely to use Internet pornography than their non-drinking peers. Adolescents who live in urban areas are significantly more likely to use Internet pornography, play violent computer games and search for acceptance and understanding only in online interactions as compared to adolescents who do not consume alcohol. Underage city-dwellers who consume alcohol are significantly more likely to use electronic mail, instant messaging and web pages compared to their rural peers.

Prevalence of self-injury performed by adolescents aged 16 - 19 years

OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of self-injury among adolescents aged 16-19 years and to indicate demographic variable, selected environmental variables and risky behaviours coexisting with performing self-injuries by the respondents. METHODS The research encompassed 5,685 individuals, aged 16-19 years. During the research the Questionnaire designed by the authors was used. RESULTS Significant statistical differences were found between the number of adolescents performing self-injury and those who do not perform it, who use psychoactive agents, make suicide attempts, get drunk, run away from home, report conflicts with their parents, experience parental violence and peer violence and report alcohol addictions by family members. CONCLUSIONS 1. Self-injury is performed by 14% of adolescents aged 16-19 years, significantly more girls than boys. 2. Significantly more adolescents who perform self-injury, as compared to those who do not do it, use psychoactive substances, get drunk, report planning suicide, neglect school and more often consume alcohol. 3. Significantly more adolescents who perform self-injury, as compared to those who do not perform it, raised in a single parent family inform about alcohol addiction of a family member, conflicts with parents and the experienced psychological and physical violence experienced from their parents and peers. Significantly more girls who perform self-injury, as compared to those who do not perform it, experienced sexual abuse. 4. Performing self-injury by adolescents coexists with factors motivating to this type of behaviours: sense of helplessness, rejection, loneliness, sense of guilt, anger, impulsiveness, desire for revenge, school problems, conflicts with parents and peers.

Personality traits in people addicted to alcohol raised by parents with alcohol dependence

Abstract Introduction. Alcohol dependence syndrome constitutes a serious social problem not only due to personal and health consequences suffered by addicted individuals but also by their family members and, in particular, by children. Aim. The aim of the study was to make a comparison of self-image, narcissism, methods of coping with stress and aggression in people addicted to alcohol who were raised by parents addicted and not addicted to alcohol. Material and methods. 118 individuals addicted to alcohol were examined. There were 53 patients raised by non-addicted parents and 55 by parents addicted to alcohol. The average age of the group was 41.20 (SD=10.85) and the average period of alcohol addiction was 9.03 (SD=6.26) years. We used the following research tools: the Sociodemographic Survey of own construction, Adjective Check List ACL by Gough and Heilbrun, the Questionnaire of Narcissism by Denke, Hilgenstock and Müller, the Coping with Stress Questionnaire by Janke, Erdmann and Boucsein and the Aggression Questionnaire by Buss-Perry. Results. We found presence of statistically significant differences in respect of traits of self-image, narcissism, methods of coping with stress and severity of aggression in people addicted to alcohol who were raised by parents addicted and not addicted to alcohol. Conclusions. 1. Alcohol addicted women who were raised by parents with alcohol dependence are characterised by more negative self-image, greater need for getting support, dependence, fear of negative assessment by other people, passive ways of coping with stress and aggression not directly expressed - in comparison to the women raised by not addicted parents. 2. Men raised by alcohol addicted parents are characterised by greater narcissism and more often expressed physical aggression in comparison to men raised by not addicted parents.

The psychometric properties of the Disease Perception Questionnaire

Abstract This article describes the psychometric properties of the Disease Perception Questionnaire (Kwestionariusz Obrazu Choroby, KOCh, in Polish). An original version of KOCh consisting of 99 items was used to survey a group of 161 subjects aged 25 to 85 years. On the basis of factor analysis, four factors (scales) were identified which pointed to the subjects’ different perceptions of their disease: (1) Disease as a Threat, (2) Disease as a Weakness, (3) Disease as a Task, and (4) Disease as a Benefit. Items with the lowest factor loadings and the lowest factor specificity indexes were rejected. The factors identified explained 38% of the total variance. The final version of the KOCh questionnaire consisted of 57 items. The coefficients of reliability for the individual factors were Cronbach’s alpha = 0.94 for Disease as a Threat, Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86 for Disease as a Weakness, Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84 for Disease as a Task, and Cronbach’s alpha = 0.85 for Disease as a Benefit

Use of psychoactive substances, body image and characteristics of personality traits in bodybuilders

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of psychoactive substances use as well as the characteristics of body image, self-image, narcissism and stress coping strategies in the group of male professional bodybuilders. Material and method. The study comprised a group 30 male bodybuilders practising bodybuilding professionally for over 7 years and 30 men who did not practise any sport. The following research methods were used in the study: Socio-demographic Questionnaire and Eating Disorders and Self-image Survey Questionnaire in Men designed by Pawłowska and Staniewicz, Coping with Stress Questionnaire by Janke, Erdmann, Boucsein, Narcissism Questionnaire by Deneke, Hilgenstock, Müller, Adjective Check List by Gough and Heilbrun in the authorised translation by Płużek. Results. As compared to the control group, bodybuilders significantly more often use psychoactive agents and have a more negative body image and self-image and show intensified narcissism. Conclusions: In comparison to the control group: Significantly more bodybuilders use psychoactive agents: marijuana, amphetamine and ephedrine. Bodybuilders are characterised by a significantly more negative body image related to the impression of having excessive fat tissue and not sufficient muscle tissue and intensified pursuing to obtain social acceptance. Bodybuilders are characterised by a significantly more intensified need for dominance, aggression, competitiveness, breaking social rules, being rebellious, impulsive and confrontational. Bodybuilders are characterised by significantly more intensified narcissistic traits. Bodybuilders, while in a stressful situation, express compensatory conviction of having better than other people skills to cope with difficulties.