Validation of the Benefits of Being a Caregiver Scale (BBCS) - further development of an independent characteristic of informal caregiving.

Background: Although larger amounts of scientific attention have been directed toward the concept of positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) in recent years, a globally uniform definition and a suitable, scientifically valid questionnaire for all informal caregivers have yet to be developed. On the basis of the questionnaires that already exist for measuring PAC, the authors aimed to (a) concretize the concept and (b) develop a new scale by focusing only on items that show that family caregivers experience a benefit for themselves and that the benefit they experience is the result of their caregiving activities.

Methods: The Benefits of Being a Caregiver Scale (BBCS) was validated on data from 961 informal caregivers.

[Topics on Which Relatives of Persons with Dementia Seek Counseling Over Telephone or Email: Current Results of a Nationwide Counseling Service of the German Alzheimer Society].

Background: Since 15 years, the Alzheimer 's Telephone of the German Alzheimer Society (Deutsche Alzheimer Gesellschaft e.V.; DAlzG), a nationwide psychosocial counseling service, has been offering support for people with dementia (PwD) and their families.

Racial/ethnic identity and subjective physical and mental health of Latino Americans: an asset within?

Social Identity Theory indicates that ethnic identity could benefit minority members in a society because of its promotion of a sense of belonging, or of its buffering of the damage of discrimination. Despite growing investigation about Latinos' overall health, few studies have simultaneously examined the influence of multiple cultural strength factors, especially racial/ethnic identity, social support, and religious attendance, on these outcomes. Using the National Latino and Asian American Study, we examine the potential predictive value of these cultural strength factors on Latinos' Self-Rated Mental and Physical Health (SRMH and SRPH).

[Modification of self-injury and self-mutilation behavior--analysis of a single case intervention study of a boy in a school for mentally retarded].

The present study analysed the self-injurious, destructive behaviour of a mentally retarded boy, ten years of age which was generally noticed through his resistance to demands and because of his self-destructive behaviour and aggressions against others. This behaviour appeared in critical situations (following instructions; not getting something). It is maintained by positive (getting attention) and negative reinforcement (let off demands).