Health Psychology Commons^™

Factors Influencing Youth Self-Perceptions Of Overweight And Obesity, Caitlin Helen Sommers

Dissertations and Theses

This study sought to examine whether participation in physical activity affects the ability to correctly classify body size, based on body mass index classifications. Secondarily, this study determined whether adolescents who incorrectly classified their body size overestimated or underestimated their size. Self-report data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were analyzed. Logistic regression was performed to examine relationships between self-perception of body size and physical activity, television viewing time, computer/video game use, physical education class time, and extracurricular sports activities. Significance was set to p<0.05. Physical activity was the only statistically significant independent variable (p=0.058, OR = 1.060). Although physical activity was shown to be statistically significant, it did not appear to meaningfully increase the ability of youth to correctly classify body size. Secondary analysis showed that adolescents who incorrectly classified their body size were more likely to underestimate their body size. Females more frequently underestimated their body size (females=673; males=384).

Work Stress Reactivity And Health Outcomes: A Study Of Nurses, Laurie Marie Jacobs

Dissertations and Theses

Negative events encountered in daily life influence individual well-being. Individuals vary in their reactivity to these events, the extent to which they are behaviorally, physiologically, and psychologically influenced by them (Almeida, 2005; Neupert, Almeida, & Charles, 2007). Reactivity to events in the form of changes in health behavior could represent either an attempt at coping (Cooper, Frone, Russell, & Mudar, 1995) or a stressor-related failure of self-control (Muraven & Baumeister, 2000). Such changes in behavior could have later effects on health.

Although a great deal of attention has been paid to both the immediate and long-term effects of stressors on …

Increased Risk And Related Factors Of Depression Among Patients With Copd: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Tzung-Yi Tsai, Hanoch Livneh, Ming-Chi Lu, Pang-Yau Tsai, Pei-Chun Chen, Fung-Chang Sung

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Depression is a common and mostly undertreated problem in patients with chronic diseases. However, population-based studies on the association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and subsequent depression are limited in Asian populations. This study evaluated the incidence and risk factors of depression for patients with COPD in Taiwan.

Methods

Using the claims data from the National Health Insurance of Taiwan, we identified 38,010 COPD patients newly diagnosed in 2000–2004 and 38,010 subjects without COPD frequency, matched by sex, age and index date. The incidence rate and hazard ratio for depression were estimated by the end of 2008.

Results …

The Concept Of Time In Rehabilitation And Psychosocial Adaptation To Chronic Illness And Disability: Parts I And Ii, Hanoch Livneh

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Human fascination with the concept of time can be traced to antiquity. Time has been viewed as fundamental to all human experience, and efforts to understand its nature, structure, and relationship to the human experience have generated a burgeoning body of literature, over the past two millennia, among philosophers, astronomers, physicists, and more recently psychologists. Yet, the field of rehabilitation counseling has been rather silent on the role of time and especially its place in understanding psychosocial adaptation to chronic illnesses and disabilities. In the first part of this article, the author seeks to (a) provide a brief review of …

Narrative Versus Nonnarrative: The Role Of Identification, Transportation And Emotion In Reducing Health Disparities, Sheila T. Murphy, Lauren B. Frank, Joyee S. Chatterjee, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

This research empirically tests whether using a fictional narrative produces a greater impact on health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intention than presenting the identical information in a more traditional, nonfiction, non-narrative format. European American, Mexican American, and African American women (N = 758) were surveyed before and after viewing either a narrative or non-narrative cervical cancer-related film. The narrative was more effective in increasing cervical cancer-related knowledge and attitudes. Moreover, in response to the narrative featuring Latinas, Mexican Americans were most transported, identified most with the characters, and experienced the strongest emotions. Regressions revealed that transportation, identification with specific characters, …

The Fast Food And Obesity Link: An Investigation Of Consumption Patterns And Severity Of Obesity In Pre-Bariatric Surgery Patients, Ginny Garcia-Alexander, Thankam S. Sunil, Pedro Hinojosa

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We examined selected behavioral factors associated with severity of obesity among pre-operative bariatric surgery patients in the San Antonio area; focusing specifically on the effects of fast food consumption. We used ordered logistic regression to model the effects of behavioral and attitudinal variables on obesity outcomes. Our results indicated that among the behavioral factors, fast food consumption exerted the largest influence on higher levels of obesity. After controlling for several social and demographic characteristics, the effects of fast food consumption remained significant in the model. In fact, for each increase in fast food consumption there was a 26% increase in …

Psychosocial Adaptation To Spinal Cord Injury: The Role Of Coping Strategies, Hanoch Livneh

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reviews the literature on the role played by coping efforts in fostering psychosocial adaptation to spinal cord injury. Following an introductory discussion of coping in general, and coping with chronic illnesses and disabilities more specifically, the review focuses on the research literature (1980?1999) regarding coping with spinal cord injuries. The paper continues with a summary of findings based on over 30 empirical studies focusing on coping with this disability. Among the prominent findings are the following: (1) More successful psychosocial adaptation is generally associated with higher levels of ego strength and internal locus of control and (2) better adaptation is …

The Tripartite Model Of Rehabilitation Intervention: Basics, Goals And Rehabilitation Strategies, Hanoch Livneh

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper discusses the tripartite model of rehabilitation as embedded within the broader model of therapeutic interventions. Rehabilitation, or tertiary intervention, can be viewed as addressing specific goals as they relate to diverse functional limitations. The three phases, or components, of rehabilitation intervention discussed include: (a) disability minimization in an effort to reduce its impact upon life activities; (b) skill development, as an attempt to compensate for limitations imposed by permanent losses; and (c) environmental manipulation to promote physical and social-attitudinal accessibility. The paper concludes with discussion of the model's applicability to the field of rehabilitation counseling.

Attitudes Of Control And Weight Management, Carolyn Lee Edwards Wright

Dissertations and Theses

Applications of locus of control theory to weight loss programs have yielded inconsistent results. This study attempts to clarify "control" by looking at two different factors. Maximum control is the degree of perceived control inherent in the event itself, and personal control is the degree to which the event is perceived controllable by the individual. These two factors were also examined in two types of situations to determine whether individuals have one global outlook on control, or if they make a distinction between control in some situations as opposed to control in other situations. Seventy-four female subjects completed a 16 …

The Self-Help Movement: Evolution Of A Dystonia Chapter, Hanoch Livneh, Betsy M. Cohen

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reviews the history of the Dystonia Foundation and the self-help movement. Dystonia is a rare neurological disorder characterized by repeated and uninterrupted movements that can affect 1 muscle, a group of muscles, or the entire body musculature. The New England Dystonia Chapter is discussed to illustrate the goals of the self-help movement, which include providing peer counseling and support services; establishing educational programs concerning dystonia for the medical and lay communities; serving as an advocating and liaison body for members regarding the availability of medical, legal, and social services; and participating in a network of services with other dystonia chapters …

Disability And Monstrosity: Further Comments, Hanoch Livneh

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The author discusses possible explanations for stereotypical and negative reactions toward physically disabled persons in literature and society. Cited are examples of physical deformity, animalism, and monstrosity. The reminder of mortality and fallibility produced by disability is considered.

Effects Of Cognition Training On Locus Of Control (Lc), Weight Reduction, And Problem Solving Ability, Lisa Buckmaster

Dissertations and Theses

Weight control is an area of research which continues to generate attention in an endeavor to find the most effective and long lasting weight loss methods. In the realm of the behavioral modification of weight control, emphasis has been given to the impact of external stimuli on eating behavior. Less well researched are internal stimuli, that is, cognitive events, feelings, and thoughts which influence eating habits. The literature on obesity has yet to empirically differentiate the effects of the cognitive and external factors on weight control. A cognitive restructuring approach to weight reduction was hypothesized to be the more effective …

Mastectomies And Their Effect On Sexual Behavior, Irene Marian Ellicott

Dissertations and Theses

Sixteen women who had had hysterectomies and eighteen women who had had mastectomies were mailed the Oregon Sex Inventory to see if any significant differences in sexual behavior occurred before or after surgery.

The mastectomy group showed a greater degree of change in their sexual behavior than the hysterectomy group. The mastectomy group reported a decrease in the importance of the breast during the sexual act after surgery and a decrease in their desire for intercourse after surgery. The hysterectomy group reported lowered sexual satisfaction after surgery.

The changes reported in this study although relatively small are statistically significant. The …

Quality Of Life Assessment Of Chronic Hemodialysis Patients At The Artificial Kidney Unit Of Good Samaritan Hospital And Medical Center, Karen Jones Whittle, Michael Tripp, Bruce De Young

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate certain factors that affect the quality of life experienced by the chronic hemodialysis patient population served by the Artificial Kidney Unit at Good Samaritan Hospital and Medical Center, Portland, Oregon. The intent of the study was to discover if there was a significant difference in quality of life between patients who dialyzed at home and patients at the Artificial Kidney Unit (center patients).

For the purposes of this study, House, Livingston and Swinburn’s definition of quality of life was used. Their definition states that quality of life is a function of the …

The Effect Of Natural Childbirth Classes On Anxiety In Pregnant Women, Kitty M. Wilkinson

Dissertations and Theses

A study was conducted to investigate the claim made by proponents of the natural childbirth method that attendance in the program results in a decrease of the anxiety commonly associated with pregnancy and delivery. Seventy-two pregnant women filled out the A-State and A-Trait forms of the STAI twice in their obstetricians' offices at points which approximated 6.5 and 8.5 months along in their pregnancies. Subjects who elected not to attend natural childbirth classes evidenced significantly higher state and trait scores as compared to those scores of subjects who did attend classes. Implications for dealing with these differences are discussed in …

"Mental Health Seminar", Dick Bose, Nancy Adams, Babe Wilson

Special Collections: Oregon Public Speakers

No abstract provided.

Social Workers In The Community Mental Health Field A Delphi Forecast Of Training Priorities, William Boyce Thomas, Mark L. Clay

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis describes an exploratory research project initiated to facilitate curriculum planning for and evaluation of a social work training program in the field of community mental health. The literature concerning community mental health, the historical relationship of social work to this field, and current issues in social work manpower and education was reviewed as part of the thesis project. On the basis of the review, a study was undertaken to determine appropriate priorities for training Master ' s level social worker’s specializing in this field of practice. The researcher's decided that these priorities would be determined in terms of …

Degree Of Depression In Women Preceding Abortion At The University Of Oregon Medical School, William M. Nathe, Ike R. Lacefield

Dissertations and Theses

This evaluation was undertaken because of an interest by the authors in the abortion program at the Medical School. Interest in the emotional status of patients receiving abortions was aroused while working in a field placement at the Medical School through the Portland State University School of Social Work.

With the consent and assistance of the Obstetrics-Gynecology Department and the Director of Social Services, this study was initiated with the hope that it would be a step toward providing an over-all and continuing assessment of information about the women receiving abortions. The researchers' particular area of interest concerned the characteristics …

An Interactional Approach To Weight Reduction, Carole T. Gygi

Dissertations and Theses

A treatment program was designed to enable subjects to lose weight through the use of self-confrontation as described in Saslow (1969), and the use of the General Relationship Improvement of the Human Development Institute (HDI), Berlin and Wyckoff (1964).

Self-confrontation is a programmed rehearsal of a specific problem by one person alone, for a five-minute period. The rehearsal, or self-confrontation is to be as vivid as possible, intellectually, emotionally, visually and physically.

The General Relationship Improvement Program is a 10-week text, worked in pairs, which is aimed at better intrapsychic and interpersonal communication and understanding.

Four matched groups were used …