The impact of bystanding to workplace bullying on symptoms of depression among women and men in industry in Sweden: an empirical and theoretical longitudinal study.

Background: Prospective studies on bystanding to workplace bullying and the health outcomes are scarce.

Aim: To investigate the work environmental risk factors of depressive symptoms among bystanders to bullying in both women and men in four large industrial organizations in Sweden.

Method: The number of respondents at four large industrial enterprises with more than one year at the workplace at T1: n = 2,563 (Women: n = 342; Men: n = 2,227).

Morphometric and psychometric comparisons between non-substance-abusing patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and normal controls.

Background: Hippocampal decrease in size in response to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is still a subject of controversy. The aims of this study were to: (1) confirm previous hippocampus findings in PTSD patients compared to controls, using ethnically similar study groups where alcohol and drug abuse were non-existent; (2) test influence of disease duration as well as depression scores on possible morphological changes; (3) test whether the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) data confirm the group differences seen in the region of interest (ROI) analysis, and (4) test the associations between the cognitive test scores and the morphological changes.

Methods: VBM and ROI-based analysis were applied in 23 patients and 17 healthy controls.

Impaired memory and general intelligence related to severity and duration of patients' disease in Type A posttraumatic stress disorder.

Studies of short-term memory and general intelligence associated with duration and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on observed Type A scores are rare. The authors' aim was to assess Type A behavior and identify subgroups of patients who performed most poorly on memory and intelligence tests and Type A scores related to the severity and duration of their disease. They administered nonverbal memory and intelligence tests to 30 men with PTSD and 20 men without PTSD who responded.

Employee effects of an educational program for managers at an insurance company.

Background: Possible health effects for employees of efforts to improve the psychosocial competence of managers have not been studied scientifically in the past.

Objective: To explore how efforts to improve management will change the work environment and health of the employees.

Methods: Managers of the experimental department in a large insurance corporation underwent 2-hour biweekly training sessions for 1 year-altogether, 60 hours.

Electrocortical signs of arousal in response to darkness and the assessment of Type A behavior in professional drivers with and without cardiovascular disease.

Background And Aims: In night driving, the fatal accident rate is about four times that in daytime. There is a lack of published studies of the effect of darkness on electrocortical responses in professional drivers (PD).

Aim: Assessing relations between electroencephalographic (EEG) reactions to enforced darkness reminiscent of night driving, and untoward behavioral response patterns, notably Type A behavior.

What prevents professional drivers from following physicians' cardiologic advice?

Background: There is a scarcity of published studies of the effects of cardiac counselling among professional drivers (PD). Aims of the study were: (1) to examine explanatory variables for two classical 'driver' risk factors - body mass index (BMI), and smoking - and to analyse the interrelations among smoking cessation, losing weight and work-related life changes; (2) to assess the effectiveness of risk factor counselling after 6 months, and (3) to gain insight into possible discrepancies between PD perception of needed changes and compliance with the physician's advice.

Methods: There were 4 groups of male PD: 13 with ischemic heart disease, 12 hypertensives, 10 borderline hypertensives and 34 normotensives.

Occupational profile and cardiac risk: possible mechanisms and implications for professional drivers.

There has been at least forty empirical investigations concerning cardiovascular disease (CVD) among professional drivers (PDs). Standard cardiac risk factor status does not consistently distinguish PDs from other lower risk groups. PDs showed more than twice the overall exposure to stressful work factors compared to referents.

Psychophysiologic sensitization to headlight glare among professional drivers with and without cardiovascular disease.

Previous studies have shown that young, healthy professional drivers show heightened central nervous system arousal and cardiovascular hyperreactivity to simulated headlight glare. Electroencephalographic and cardiovascular response and recovery to simulated headlight glare (the glare pressor test) were examined in 4 groups of male professional drivers (age 25-52 years)--12 with ischemic heart disease (IHD), 12 with hypertension (HTN), 10 with borderline hypertension (BHTN), and 34 who were healthy--and in 23 non-professional driver controls--with the aim of assessing sensitization to this night driving stressor in relation to degree of cardiovascular disease severity. After glare exposure the IHD drivers showed the most pronounced alpha blockade, a rise in diastolic blood pressure (DBP; p < .

Cardiovascular dysfunction related to threat, avoidance, and vigilant work: application of event-related potential and critique.

An integrative approach is suggested to track symbolically simulated work environment stressors, as an act to burden higher cortical function in the exposed groups. ERP would be made together with measurement of end organ stress responses as well as measurements of perceived conditions. Field studies would be the necessary complement.

Electrocortical responses to ecologically relevant visual stimuli among professional drivers with and without cardiovascular disease.

Electrocortical responses were assessed using two simulated aspects of visual signals encountered in traffic: the Glare Pressor Test (GPT) and Event-Related Potential Avoidance Task (ERPAT) among four groups of male professional drivers: 12 with ischemic heart disease (IHD), 12 hypertensives, 10 borderline hypertensives, 34 who were apparently healthy and 23 nonprofessional driver healthy control subjects. The blood pressure (BP) responses immediately after the ERPAT were also measured. There was a significant between groups effect for the amplitude of the target N2 component in the ERPAT (p = 0.