: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Fatigue and Altered Cognition Scale (FACs) among adult COVID-19 survivors and its unique ability to assess symptomology not accounted for by measures of depression and anxiety. : COVID-19 survivors completed an online survey that included the FACs, a measure of brain fog and central fatigue with 20 items rated on a digital-analog scale. Useable data from 559 participants were analyzed to test the two-factor structure of the FACs, test for measurement invariance by sex and device was used to complete the survey (hand-held, computer), and item correlations with symptoms of depression and anxiety were examined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Following traumatic brain injury (TBI) some patients develop lingering comorbid symptoms of fatigue and cognitive impairment. The mild cognitive impairment self-reported by patients is often not detected with neurocognitive tests making it difficult to determine how common and severe these symptoms are in individuals with a history of TBI. This study was conducted to determine the relative prevalence of fatigue and cognitive impairment in individuals with a history of TBI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Parallel process modeling (PPM) can be used to analyze co-occurring relationships between health and psychological variables over time. A demonstration is provided using data obtained from the British Household Panel Survey (years 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008), examining predictors of ongoing changes in their distress and life satisfaction of a subsample from the survey.
Research Method: In the 2005 survey, data were available from 7,970 participants based on the following demographic variables: gender, age, ever registered as disabled, and ever experienced any strokes (before or at 2005).
Debilitating symptoms of fatigue and accompanying "brain fog" are observed among patients with various chronic health conditions. Unfortunately, an efficient and psychometrically sound instrument to assess these co-occurring symptoms is unavailable. Here, we report the development and initial psychometric properties of the Fatigue and Altered Cognition Scale (the FACs), a measure of self-reported central fatigue and brain fog.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: We examined positive behavioral resources and characteristics that might distinguish resilient personality prototypes among persons with chronic spinal cord injury/disorder (SCID). Positive psychology variables with clear linkages to existing psychological interventions were examined as potential mediators of the resilience-well-being relationship. Research Method and Design: A cross-sectional, self-report study was conducted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To test the beneficial associations of a resilient personality prototype among emerging adults with chronic health conditions (CHC) over an 8-year period.
Design: Longitudinal, prospective observation study.
Methods: Data obtained from emerging adults in the Add Health project with a CHC and completed study measures at two time points (286 men, 459 women) were examined.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
June 2022
Most studies of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health care workers (HCWs) have been descriptive, few have tested models to predict hesitancy, and none have examined the possible relationship between HCWs' distress and vaccine hesitancy. This study examined predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, including HCWs' distress after taking into account HCW sex, doctoral-level status, race, age, and exposure to COVID-19. Further, it examined specific reasons HCWs endorsed for their hesitancy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic has a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of health care workers (HCWs). The extent to which HCWs may differ in their experience of depression and anxiety is unclear, and longitudinal studies are lacking. The present study examined theorized differences in distress between resilient and non-resilient HCWs over time, as reported in a national online survey.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has altered life globally like no other event in modern history, and psychological service changes to meet the resultant impacts on families have not been assessed in the empirical literature. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether family systems therapists increased their teletherapy use during the pandemic relative to prepandemic usage, and whether projected postpandemic rates would remain at the same level; further, environmental and demographic predictors of these changes were examined. In May 2020, a sample of 626 family systems therapists (58.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: While spinal cord injury (SCI) caregiving can be a rewarding experience, caregivers often experience reduced mental and physical health.
Objective: This article describes the methodology of a study examining the efficacy of a newly developed telehealth Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for caregivers of individuals with acute SCI.
Methods: A mixed-methods, randomized controlled trial is comparing TAP outcomes to that of a standard-of-care control.
Objective: We examined predictors of clinically significant levels of psychological distress among individuals with upper limb loss (ULL).
Design: A multisite, cross-sectional study completed at six prosthetic rehabilitation centres throughout the United States.
Methods: Oral administration of a brief assessment battery to 307 participants with ULL including demographic variables, injury information, screening instruments for PTSD and depression, pain interference, and activity restriction measures.
Telehealth can overcome access and availability barriers that often impede receiving needed mental health services. This case report describes an interdisciplinary approach to treatment for an individual with chronic physical health conditions and comorbid mental health concerns, which resulted in high utilization (and associated costs) of preventable emergency services. The report describes clinical case progression on anxiety symptoms and emergency service utilization while concurrently highlighting telehealth-specific practice implications, especially as they pertain to training settings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResilience following traumatic events has been studied using numerous methodologies. One approach involves quantifying lower-than-expected levels of a negative outcome following trauma exposure. Resilience research has examined personality and coping-related factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been difficult to disentangle, in part due to the commonality of incidents that can cause both conditions, as well as high rates of comorbidity between the two conditions. Inconsistent findings may be related to different study characteristics and types of mild TBI (mTBI) sustained (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExamining the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder symptom clusters (re-experiencing, avoidance, hyperarousal, emotional numbing) on three substance use measures among individuals with upper limb amputation due to traumatic injury - an understudied population with high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder. Multi-site, cross-sectional design. Participants (=236) were recruited from seven prosthetic rehabilitation centres across the USA and completed measures of PTSD, alcohol use, prescription medication overuse, and illicit drug use.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Delayed bleeding is the most common significant complication after piecemeal endoscopic mucosal resection (p-EMR) of large nonpedunculated colorectal polyps (NPCPs). Risk factors for delayed bleeding are incompletely defined. We aimed to determine risk factors for delayed bleeding following p-EMR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose/objective: The present study examines associations between levels of limb loss (partial hand vs. higher levels of limb loss) and eight clinically relevant measures of functional impairment, psychological well-being, and substance use. Research Method/Design: A cross-sectional, multisite study conducted at seven prosthetic rehabilitation centers across the United States.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Aims: Distal attachments placed on the colonoscope tip may positively affect performance by assisting insertion and polyp detection. The original Endocuff (ARC Medical Design, Leeds, United Kingdom) appears to improve adenoma detection rate (ADR), but no data assess the performance of the second-generation Endocuff Vision.
Methods: A pilot service evaluation study (April 2013 to September 2014) was conducted on patients with positive fecal occult blood tests within the National Bowel Cancer Programme during 3 consecutive periods: precuff/no device used, during-cuff/device used, and postcuff/no device used.
Objective: Depressive symptoms are a common problem among family caregivers of stroke survivors. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between care recipient's impairment and caregiver depression, and determine the possible mediating effects of caregiver negative problem-orientation, mastery, and leisure time satisfaction. The evaluated model was derived from Pearlin's stress process model of caregiver adjustment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF