Rute Brites

Anxiety and depressive symptoms during pregnancy, perceived control and posttraumatic stress symptoms after childbirth: A longitudinal mediation analysis:

This longitudinal study evaluated the mediating role of sense of control during labour in the association between anxiety and depression levels during pregnancy and postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Participants were 57 women. Anxiety and depression were assessed during pregnancy; sense of control and childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms were collected 6–8 weeks after childbirth. Higher levels of anxiety and depression were associated with more postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms through lack of perceived control. For depression, this happened only for primiparous. Interventions targeting mechanisms enhancing perceptions/feelings of control should be offered to these women to prevent/minimize childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

Mothers and Fathers self esteem and parenting styles: importance for family primary health prevention

Background: Theorised pathways in an ‘extended’ common-sense model of illness representations (CSM) in those affected by Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) were examined. Analysis contrasted between those using complementary medicines (CAM-users) and those not using CAM (non-users). Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey. Participants (n=653) were recruited from an IBS self-help network and other online illness discussion forums and assessed on the IPQ-R, the BMQ-General, the Brief-COPE and IBS-QOL. Findings: CAM-users reported poorer quality of life compared to non-users. Stronger perceptions of illness consequences and emotional representations were strongly correlated with reduced quality of life and poorer emotional outcomes in both groups. Self-blame and behavioural disengagement partially mediated the pathway from perception to outcome. Discussion: Findings suggest consistency with CSM theory. The detected influence of representations on quality of life (via coping strategies) suggests health psychologists could address components of illness perceptions to improve quality of life in those affected by IBS.Background: Psychological preparation has been demonstrated to improve post-operative outcomes including pain and health care resource use. This systematic review (registered with the Cochrane Anaesthesia Review Group) will investigate which methods of preparation are effective and for which outcomes. Economic data will be reviewed where available. Methods: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of adults undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia are included. Papers are identified using electronic searches, reference lists and contact with authors of studies to identify unpublished research. Expected results: In a meta-analysis including 38 RCTs, Johnston and Vogele (1993) found psychological preparation to be effective in improving various postoperative outcomes. It is expected that this up-dated review will provide further evidence about which techniques are effective because more studies are now available. Current stage of work: Papers are being screened for inclusion. Discussion: Identifying effective pre-surgical interventions may result in improved patient outcomes and healthcare resource use.[Extract] Background: Qualities of resilience have been strongly identified within farming populations. This resilience is being challenged, with high suicide rates raising concerns about the mental health of the farming population. This research explored those factors which impacted the resilience of farming families of Australia. Methods: Interviews were conducted (N=53 participants) and analysed using Grounded Theory and Content Analysis. Based on qualitative findings, a subsequent sample (N=278) of farming families from across Australia completed the survey. Measures of stressors, work-life balance, coping, buffering characteristics and well-being were distributed. Findings: Outcomes suggested themes of commitment and identification with farming helped build resilience. Path analysis indicated that buffering characteristics mediated and moderated the impact of stressors and role interference on indicators of well-being, χ² (18)=23.98, p=0.156. Discussion: Recommendations were made for raising awareness to the farming community of the risk factors for poor health and suggestions for increasing the resilience of groups at-risk of poor well-being.Resiliance and Health - 26th Conference of the European Health Psychology Society, Prague, Czech Republic, 21st - 25th August 2012Using two behavioral risk tasks (Balloon Analogue Risk Task BART; Lejuez et al. 2002 and Columbia Card Task, CCT; Figner et al. 2009) that mimic important features of real-world risk taking behaviors, we investigated the effects of different types of negative affect on risk taking. Methods: Participants (N¼50) were first administered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; Zigmond et al. 1983). One month later, they completed the BART and the cold CCT, in counterbalanced order. State mood was assessed before participants played the CCT and BART. Findings: Higher levels of anxiety were associated with less risk taking in both tasks; depression was unrelated to risk taking. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that these findings were robust to mood effects. Discussion: Findings from the current study indicated that healthy subjects’ risk taking tendencies vary between anxiety and depression. Implications for prevention of health risks are discussed. 194 EHPS 2012 abstracts Downloaded byBackground: Physical exercise contributes to healthy ageing, and strength training has beenshown to improve independence in older people.Method: Six hundred older people wererandomly selected from ...Background: Conceptual clarification of salutogenesis (Antonovsky 1987) and resilience – what is common and different? Methods: A systematic research synthesis 1992–2010 based on about 1300 papers ...Resiliance and Health - 26th Conference of the European Health Psychology Society, Prague, Czech Republic, 21st - 25th August 2012This conference abstract looks provides an analysis of the behaviour change techniques used in Scottish Government supported behaviour change interventionsBackground: The aim of this research was to examine variables that influence attention to health information in order to develop a predictive model. Methods: Community participants(N=330) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions presenting information about coronary heart disease (CHD) or road accidents. Information was either risk or neutral in valency. Attention to information was measured using a surprise recall task. Other variables measured included perceived risk, optimism, control and coping strategies. Findings: Overall, participants in the CHD condition remembered significantly more risk information than participants in the road condition. Participants in the road condition endorsed significantly lower beliefs in personal control perceptions while also endorsing greater beliefs in other’s control over their own road outcomes. Discussion: While perceived control is usually emphasised as integral in adopting protective behaviours these findings suggest that they are also central in communicating health information.