Health Psychology Commons^™

Addiction Panel Discussion: Finding Support, Karen Yost, Matthew Q. Christiansen M.D., M.P.H., Lyn M. O'Connell Ph.D., Dan Curry, Amy Saunders, Michelle Perdue, Sabrina Thomas

Matthew Christiansen

“Addiction Panel Discussion: Finding Support,” is the third of five in the, “Don’t Call Me Crazy: MU Mental Health Initiative,” panel discussion series, which was held on January 24, 2019. This initiative is comprised of three major components: “Resiliency through Education;” which includes: panel discussions with mental health professionals and a research guide, “Resiliency through Art;” an art exhibition that featured works form MU students, faculty and staff, and community members, and “Resiliency through Community;” an extensive collection of campus, local, state, and national mental health resources. Libraries hold a unique position as places to hold civil conversations on challenging …

Addiction Panel Discussion: Finding Support, Karen Yost, Matthew Q. Christiansen M.D., M.P.H., Lyn M. O'Connell Ph.D., Dan Curry, Amy Saunders, Michelle Perdue, Sabrina Thomas

Sabrina Thomas

“Addiction Panel Discussion: Finding Support,” is the third of five in the, “Don’t Call Me Crazy: MU Mental Health Initiative,” panel discussion series, which was held on January 24, 2019. This initiative is comprised of three major components: “Resiliency through Education;” which includes: panel discussions with mental health professionals and a research guide, “Resiliency through Art;” an art exhibition that featured works form MU students, faculty and staff, and community members, and “Resiliency through Community;” an extensive collection of campus, local, state, and national mental health resources. Libraries hold a unique position as places to hold civil conversations on challenging …

Disordered Eating Panel Discussion: Finding Help, Kelli Williams Ph.D., R.D., L.D., Candace Layne Ed.D., Alps, Lpc, Ncc, James R. Bailes M.D., Kristina M. Bryant-Melvin M.D., Licia Rei, Brittany Chapman, Tiffany Bowes, Sabrina Thomas

Sabrina Thomas

“Disordered Eating Panel Discussion: Finding Help,” is the fourth of five in the, “Don’t Call Me Crazy: MU Mental Health Initiative,” panel discussion series, which was held on February 21, 2019. This initiative is comprised of three major components: “Resiliency through Education;” which includes: panel discussions with mental health professionals and a research guide, “Resiliency through Art;” an art exhibition that featured works form MU students, faculty and staff, and community members, and “Resiliency through Community;” an extensive collection of campus, local, state, and national mental health resources. Libraries hold a unique position as places to hold civil conversations on …

The Life Of An Unknown Assassin: Leon Czolgosz And The Death Of William Mckinley, Cary Federman

Cary Federman

The purpose of this essay is to examine the discourses that surrounded the life of Leon Czolgosz, the assassin of President William McKinley. The gaps in Czolgosz’s life, his peculiar silences, his poor health and the ambiguity and thinness of his confession, rather than taken as instances of mental and physical distress, have, instead, been understood as signs of a revolutionary anarchistic assassin. Czolgosz is an expression of a cultural tradition in somatic form. I argue that the discursive construction of criminality, already present in the late nineteenth century within the medical and human sciences, is what shaped Czolgosz’s life …

Religious/Spiritual Coping In Older African American Women, Danice B. Greer, Willie M. Abel

Danice Greer

The purpose of this study was to identify religious/spiritual coping behaviors of African American women with hypertension (HTN) and explore how religious/spiritual coping influences adherence to high blood pressure (HBP) therapy in older African American women. A mixed-method research design guided this study. Twenty African American women with primary HTN were enrolled in this study using a mixed methods concurrent triangulation design. Data collection included physiologic, descriptive, and sociodemographic data. Adherence was measured using the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy scale (Kim, Hill, Bone, & Levine, 2000), and religious/spiritual coping was evaluated with the Brief Religious/Spiritual Coping scale. …

Lateralized Difference In Tympanic Membrane Temperature: Emotion And Hemispheric Activity, Ruth E. Propper, Tad T. Brunyé

Ruth Propper

We review literature examining relationships between tympanic membrane temperature (TMT), affective/motivational orientation, and hemispheric activity. Lateralized differences in TMT might enable real-time monitoring of hemispheric activity in real-world conditions, and could serve as a corroborating marker of mental illnesses associated with specific affective dysregulation. We support the proposal that TMT holds potential for broadly indexing lateralized brain physiology during tasks demanding the processing and representation of emotional and/or motivational states, and for predicting trait-related affective/motivational orientations. The precise nature of the relationship between TMT and brain physiology, however, remains elusive. Indeed the limited extant research has sampled different participant populations …

Findings Of An Effect Of Gender, But Not Handedness, On Self-Reported Motion Sickness Propensity, Ruth E. Propper, Frederick Bonato, Leanna Ward, Kenneth Sumner

Ruth Propper

Discrepant input from vestibular and visual systems may be involved in motion sickness; individual differences in the organization of these systems may, therefore, give rise to individual differences in propensity to motion sickness. Non-right-handedness has been associated with altered cortical lateralization of vestibular function, such that non-right-handedness is associated with left hemisphere, and right-handedness with right hemisphere, lateralized, vestibular system. Interestingly, magnocellular visual processing, responsible for motion detection and ostensibly involved in motion sickness, has been shown to be decreased in non-right-handers. It is not known if the anomalous organization of the vestibular or magnocellular systems in non-right-handers might alter …

A Combined Fmri And Dti Examination Of Functional Language Lateralization And Arcuate Fasciculus Structure: Effects Of Degree Versus Direction Of Hand Preference Author Links Open Overlay Panel, Ruth E. Propper, Lauren J. O'Donnell, Stephen Whalen, Yanmei Tie, Isaiah Norton, Ralph O. Suarez, Lilla Zollei, Alireza Radmanesh, Alexandra Golby

Ruth Propper

The present study examined the relationship between hand preference degree and direction, functional language lateralization in Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, and structural measures of the arcuate fasciculus. Results revealed an effect of degree of hand preference on arcuate fasciculus structure, such that consistently-handed individuals, regardless of the direction of hand preference, demonstrated the most asymmetric arcuate fasciculus, with larger left versus right arcuate, as measured by DTI. Functional language lateralization in Wernicke’s area, measured via fMRI, was related to arcuate fasciculus volume in consistent-left-handers only, and only in people who were not right hemisphere lateralized for language; given the …

Superior Episodic Memory Is Associated With Interhemispheric Processing, Ruth E. Propper, Stephen D. Christman

Ruth Propper

The dependence of episodic memories on interhemispheric processing was tested. In Experiment 1, positive familial sinistrality (FS+; e.g., the presence of left-handed relatives) was associated with superior episodic memory and inferior implicit memory in comparison with negative familial sinistrality (i.e., FS-). This reflected a greater degree of interhemispheric interaction in FS+ participants, which was hypothesized as facilitating episodic memory. In Experiment 2, the authors directly manipulated inter- versus intrahemispheric processing using tests of episodic (recognition) and semantic (lexical decision) memory in which letter strings were presented twice within trial blocks. Semantic memory was superior when the 2nd presentation went to …

Why Girls? The Importance Of Developing Gender-Specific Health Promotion Programs For Adolescent Girls, Amanda Birnbaum, Tracy R. Nichols

Amanda Birnbaum

Adolescence is a time when many girls begin to develop unhealthy behaviors that can affect myriad short- and long-term health outcomes across their lifespan.2There is evidence that smoking, physical activity, and diet are habituated during adolescence, and some physiologic processes of adolescence, such as peak bone mass development, have direct effects on future health.3-4 Establishing healthy practices, beliefs and knowledge among adolescent girls will decrease morbidity and mortality among adult women and potentially affect the health of men and children through women’s role as healthcare agents. This paper provides a brief review of lifestyle health behaviors among women and girls …

Self-Management Strategies Mediate Self-Efficacy And Physical Activity, Amanda Birnbaum, Rod K. Dishman, Robert W. Motl, James F. Sallis, Andrea L. Dunn, Greg J. Welk, Ariane L. Yung, Carolyn C. Voorhees, Jared B. Jobe

Amanda Birnbaum

Self-efficacy theory proposes that girls who have confidence in their capability to be physically active will perceive fewer barriers to physical activity or be less influenced by them, be more likely to pursue perceived benefits of being physically active, and be more likely to enjoy physical activity. Self-efficacy is theorized also to influence physical activity through self-management strategies (e.g., thoughts, goals, plans, and acts) that support physical activity, but this idea has not been empirically tested.

Yoga And The Ability To Counteract Negative Effects Of Stress And Trauma, Allison R. Steinwand, Staci L. Born

Staci Born

Many individuals today struggle with the effects of chronic stress, whether due to social and environmental factors or as a result of trauma embedded in their psychophysiology. Research has demonstrated that once an individual endures a traumatic event, there are undesirable changes that occur in the brain and body It is of the utmost importance that mental health counselors consider the relationship between the body and mind. The purpose of this paper is to describe the negative impact traumatic experiences and chronic stress has on the brain and body. Furthermore, the ways in which yoga practice can mitigate trauma symptoms …

Psychological Factors Related To Resilience And Vulnerability Among Youth With Hiv In An Integrated Care Setting., Tiffany Chenneville, Kemesha Gabbidon, Courtney Lynn, Carina Rodriguez

Tiffany Chenneville

Approximately 22% of HIV diagnoses in 2015 occurred among youth aged 13–24. Much is known about the risk factors and psychopathology present in youth living with HIV (YLWH), however, relatively little is known about resiliency in this population. The current study sought to assess factors related to resilience and vulnerability among YLWH as well as the impact of psychosocial factors on these constructs using existing clinical data from an integrated care clinic serving YLWH in the southeastern United States. Data included findings from mental health screeners administered as part of the standard protocol of care for youth aged 13–24 including …

Organizational Culture Change In A Texas Hospital, Alberto Coustasse-Hencke M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H.

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

Coustasse-Hencke, Alberto, MD, MBA, MPH, Organizational Culture Change in a Texas Hospital. Doctor of Public Health (Health Behavior), June 2004, 329 pp., 11 tables, 8 illustrations, bibliography, 198 titles. The purpose of this research was to analyze a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) approach in a Texas hospital with a main focus in Patient Satisfaction (PS), and to measure organizational change and its impact on PS. This dissertation also applied a "Shared Vision" of the organization as the central process in bringing forth the knowledge shared by members of the community hospital who were both subjects and research participants. The development of …

Putting The Patient Back In Patient Care: Health Decision-Making From The Patient’S Perspective, Bill R. Garris, Amy J. Weber

Bill R. Garris

This research explored health decision-making processes among people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Our analysis suggested that diagnosis with type 2 was followed by a period of intense emotional and cognitive disequilibrium. Subsequently, the informants were observed to proceed to health decision-making which was affected by three separate and interrelated factors: knowledge, self-efficacy, and purpose. Knowledge included cognitive or factual components and emotional elements. Knowledge influenced the degree of upset or disequilibrium the patient experienced, and affected a second category, agency: the informants’ confidence in their ability to enact lifestyle changes. The third factor, purpose, summarized the personal and …

Massachusetts Medicaid Members That Smoked In 2008: Characteristics Associated With Smoking Status In 2014, Alexis D. Henry, John Gettens, Judith A. Savageau, Doris Cullen, Anna Landau

Judith A. Savageau

The smoking rate among non-elderly Medicaid enrollees is more than double the rate for those privately insured; smoking-related conditions account for 15% of Medicaid expenditures. Under state health reform, Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth) made tobacco cessation treatment available beginning in 2006. We used surveys conducted in 2008 and 2014 to examine changes in smoking abstinence rates among MassHealth members identified as smokers and to identify factors associated with being a former smoker. Members previously identified as smokers were surveyed by mail or phone; 2008 and 2014 samples included 3,116 and 2,971 members, respectively. Surveys collected demographic and health information, asked members …

Psychological And Neural Mechanisms Of Trait Mindfulness In Reducing Depression Vulnerability, Natalie A. Paul, Steven J. Stanton, Jeffrey M. Greeson, Moria J. Smoski, Lihong Wang

Jeffrey M. Greeson

Mindfulness-based interventions are effective for reducing depressive symptoms. However, the psychological and neural mechanisms are unclear. This study examined which facets of trait mindfulness offer protection against negative bias and rumination, which are key risk factors for depression. Nineteen male volunteers completed a 2-day functional magnetic resonance imaging study. One day utilized a stress-induction task and the other day utilized a mindful breathing task. An emotional inhibition task was used to measure neural and behavioral changes related to state negative bias, defined by poorer performance in inhibiting negative relative to neutral stimuli. Associations among trait mindfulness [measured by the Five …

Pilates, Mindfulness And Somatic Education, Karen Caldwell, Marianne Adams, Rebecca Quinn, Mandy Harrison, Jeffrey M. Greeson

Jeffrey M. Greeson

The Pilates Method is a form of somatic education with the potential to cultivate mindfulness – a mental quality associated with overall well-being. However, controlled studies are needed to determine whether changes in mindfulness are specific to the Pilates Method or also result from other forms of exercise. This quasi-experimental study compared Pilates Method mat classes and recreational exercise classes on measures of mindfulness and well-being at the beginning, middle and end of a 15 week semester. Total mindfulness scores increased overall for the Pilates Method group but not for the exercise control group, and these increases were directly related …

Loss Of Sustained Activity In The Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex In Response To Repeated Stress In Individuals With Early-Life Emotional Abuse: Implications For Depression Vulnerability, Lihong Wang, Natalie Paul, Steven J. Stanton, Jeffrey M. Greeson, Moria J. Smoski

Jeffrey M. Greeson

Repeated psychosocial stress in early-life has significant impact on both behavior and neural function which, together, increase vulnerability to depression. However, neural mechanisms related to repeated stress remain unclear. We hypothesize that early-life stress may result in a reduced capacity for cognitive control in response to a repeated stressor, particularly in individuals who developed maladaptive emotional processing strategies, namely trait rumination. Individuals who encountered early-life stress but have adaptive emotional processing, namely trait mindfulness, may demonstrate an opposite pattern. Using a mental arithmetic task to induce mild stress and a mindful breathing task to induce a mindful state, we tested …

Dispositional Mindfulness Uncouples Physiological And Emotional Reactivity To A Laboratory Stressor And Emotional Reactivity To Executive Functioning Lapses In Daily Life, Greg Feldman, Jayne Lavalle, Kelsea Gildawie, Jeffrey M. Greeson

Jeffrey M. Greeson

Both dispositional mindfulness and mindfulness training may help to uncouple the degree to which distress is experienced in response to aversive internal experience and external events. Because emotional reactivity is a transdiagnostic process implicated in numerous psychological disorders, dispositional mindfulness and mindfulness training could exert mental health benefits, in part, by buffering emotional reactivity. The present studies examine whether dispositional mindfulness moderates two understudied processes in stress reactivity research: the degree of concordance between subjective and physiological reactivity to a laboratory stressor (Study 1); and the degree of dysphoric mood reactivity to lapses in executive functioning in daily life (Study …

Mindfulness Research Update: 2008., Jeffrey M Greeson

Jeffrey M. Greeson

OBJECTIVE: To briefly review the effects of mindfulness on the mind, the brain, the body, and behavior. METHODS: Selective review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar databases (2003-2008) using the terms "mindfulness", "meditation", "mental health", "physical health", "quality of life", and "stress reduction." A total of 52 exemplars of empirical and theoretical work were selected for review. RESULTS: Both basic and clinical research indicate that cultivating a more mindful way of being is associated with less emotional distress, more positive states of mind, and better quality of life. In addition, mindfulness practice can influence the brain, the autonomic nervous system, …

Stress-Induced Changes In The Expression Of Monocytic Β2-Integrins: The Impact Of Arousal Of Negative Affect And Adrenergic Responses To The Anger Recall Interview, Jeffrey M. Greeson, James G. Lewis, Karen Achanzar, Eugene Zimmerman, Kenneth H. Young, Edward C. Suarez

Jeffrey M. Greeson

Adhesion of circulating monocytes to the vascular endothelium is one of the earliest steps in the development of atherosclerosis. This leukocyte-to-endothelium interaction is mediated in part by β2-integrins, a group of cell adhesion molecules that bind to endothelial ligands. Given the significance of this interaction to atherogenesis, we examined the effects of stress, operationalized as the arousal of negative affect (NA) and cardiovascular and catecholamine responses to the Anger Recall Interview (ARI), on the expression of LFA-1 (CD11a), Mac-1 (CD11b) and p150/95 (CD11c) on circulating monocytes (CD14+). Subjects were 173 healthy, nonsmoking men and women (60% men, 40% minorities, aged …

Modifiable Disease Risk, Readiness To Change, And Psychosocial Functioning Improve With Integrative Medicine Immersion Model, Ruth Q. Wolever, Daniel M. Webber, Justin P. Meunier, Jeffrey M. Greeson, Evangeline R. Lausier, Tracy W. Gaudet

Jeffrey M. Greeson

Background—Stroke, diabetes, and coronary heart disease (CHD) remain leading causes of death in the United States and are largely attributable to lifestyle behaviors. Integrative medicine can provide a supportive partnership that focuses on improving health by identifying and implementing lifestyle changes based upon personal values and goals.

Objective—This prospective observational study was designed to assess the effectiveness of an integrative medicine intervention on modifiable disease risk, patient activation, and psychosocial risk factors for stroke, diabetes, and CHD.

Design—Sixty-three adults participated in a 3-day comprehensive, multimodal health immersion program at Duke Integrative Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina. Participants …

Integrative Medicine Research At An Academic Medical Center: Patient Characteristics And Health-Related Quality-Of-Life Outcomes., Jeffrey M Greeson, Steven Rosenzweig, Steven C Halbert, Ira S Cantor, Matthew T Keener, George C Brainard

Jeffrey M. Greeson

OBJECTIVE: To characterize patients seeking care at a university-based integrative medicine practice, and to assess short-term changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with integrative medical treatment. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. SETTING: This study was conducted at a large U.S. academic medical center affiliated with the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred and sixty-three (763) new patients with diverse medical conditions participated in the study. Mean age was 49 years (standard deviation = 16, range = 14-93). Two thirds of patients were women and three quarters were white. The most common International Classification of …

Development And Preliminary Evaluation Of A Telephone-Based Mindfulness Training Intervention For Survivors Of Critical Illness, Christopher E. Cox, Laura S. Porter, Pamela J. Buck, Mary Hoffa, Derek Jones, Brenda Walton, Catherine L. Hough, Jeffrey M. Greeson

Jeffrey M. Greeson

Rationale: Persistent symptoms of psychological distress represent an unmet need among intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. Objectives: We aimed to develop and pilot test a simple telephone-based mindfulness training intervention to address this population’s unique needs. Methods: Open trial involving survivors of medical and surgical critical illness and their informal caregivers, using a pretest–posttest design. Measurements and Main Results: We developed a six-session, telephone-delivered, ICU survivor–specific mindfulness intervention based on past focus groups, the medical literature, and the precedent of the most effective components of existing mindfulness programs. A total of 11 survivors of mechanical ventilation were enrolled, together with …

Meditation-State Functional Connectivity (Msfc): Strengthening Of The Dorsal Attention Network And Beyond, Brett Froeliger, Eric L. Garland, Rachel V. Kozink, Leslie A. Modlin, Nan-Kuei Chen, F. Joseph Mcclernon, Jeffrey M. Greeson, Paul Sobin

Jeffrey M. Greeson

Meditation practice alters intrinsic resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in the default mode network (DMN). However, little is known regarding the effects of meditation on other resting-state networks. The aim of current study was to investigate the effects of meditation experience and meditation-state functional connectivity (msFC) on multiple resting-state networks (RSNs). Meditation practitioners (MPs) performed two 5-minute scans, one during rest, one while meditating. A meditation naïve control group (CG) underwent one resting-state scan. Exploratory regression analyses of the relations between years of meditation practice and rsFC and msFC were conducted. During resting-state, MP as compared to CG exhibited greater rsFC …

Hair Cortisol As A Biomarker Of Stress In Mindfulness Training For Smokers., Simon B Goldberg, Alison R Manley, Stevens S Smith, Jeffrey M Greeson, Evan Russell, Stan Van Uum, Gideon Koren, James M Davis

Jeffrey M. Greeson

OBJECTIVES: Stress is a well-known predictor of smoking relapse, and cortisol is a primary biomarker of stress. The current pilot study examined changes in levels of cortisol in hair within the context of two time-intensity matched behavioral smoking cessation treatments: mindfulness training for smokers and a cognitive-behavioral comparison group. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen participants were recruited from a larger randomized controlled trial of smoking cessation. OUTCOME MEASURES: Hair samples (3 cm) were obtained 1 month after quit attempt, allowing for a retrospective analysis of hair cortisol at preintervention and post-quit attempt time periods. Self-reported negative affect was also assessed before and after …

Decreased Symptoms Of Depression After Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Potential Moderating Effects Of Religiosity, Spirituality, Trait Mindfulness, Sex, And Age, Jeffrey M. Greeson, Moria J. Smoski, Edward C. Suarez, Jeffrey G. Brantley, Andrew G. Ekblad, Thomas R. Lynch, Ruth Quillian Wolever

Jeffrey M. Greeson

Objective: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a secular meditation training program that reduces depressive symptoms. Little is known, however, about the degree to which a participant's spiritual and religious background, or other demographic characteristics associated with risk for depression, may affect the effectiveness of MBSR. Therefore, this study tested whether individual differences in religiosity, spirituality, motivation for spiritual growth, trait mindfulness, sex, and age affect MBSR effectiveness.

Methods: As part of an open trial, multiple regression was used to analyze variation in depressive symptom outcomes among 322 adults who enrolled in an 8-week, community-based MBSR program.

Results: As hypothesized, depressive …

A Narrative Review Of Yoga And Mindfulness As Complementary Therapies For Addiction., Surbhi Khanna, Jeffrey M Greeson

Jeffrey M. Greeson

This paper reviews the philosophical origins, current scientific evidence, and clinical promise of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction. Historically, there are eight elements of yoga that, together, comprise ethical principles and practices for living a meaningful, purposeful, moral and self-disciplined life. Traditional yoga practices, including postures and meditation, direct attention toward one's health, while acknowledging the spiritual aspects of one's nature. Mindfulness derives from ancient Buddhist philosophy, and mindfulness meditation practices, such as gentle Hatha yoga and mindful breathing, are increasingly integrated into secular health care settings. Current theoretical models suggest that the skills, insights, and self-awareness …

Changes In Mindfulness, Well-Being, And Sleep Quality In College Students Through Taijiquan Courses: A Cohort Control Study, Karen Caldwell, Lisa Emery, Mandy Harrison, Jeffrey M. Greeson

Jeffrey M. Greeson

Objectives: This study sought to determine whether participants in taijiquan classes would report increases in mindfulness greater than that of a comparison group, and whether changes in mindfulness were associated with improvements in mood, perceived stress, self-regulatory self-efficacy, and sleep quality. Design: The study design was quasi-experimental with repeated measures. Settings/location: The study was set in a midsized public university. Subjects: Students aged 18–48 years old enrolled in 15-week courses of either taijiquan (n = 76) or special recreation (control group, n = 132). Intervention: Chen-style taijiquan classes were offered 2 times per week for 50 minutes each time. Outcome …