Psychological distress related to patterns of family functioning among Japanese childhood cancer survivors and their parents.

Objective: Family functioning appears to be a predictor of psychological distress among childhood cancer survivors and their family members; however, relatively little is known about patterns in those families that are psychologically at-risk. The purpose of this study was to identify distinct clusters of families that include childhood cancer survivors, and to evaluate differences between the clusters with respect to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS).

Methods: Childhood cancer survivors and their parents (247 individuals: 88 adolescent cancer survivors, 87 mothers, and 72 fathers) completed self-report questionnaires.

Neural correlates of alexithymia in response to emotional stimuli: a study of anorexia nervosa patients.

Individuals with alexithymia are typically unable to identify, understand, or describe their own emotions. Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) have been shown to have high levels of alexithymia, and the latter trait may play an important role over the course of AN. However, relatively little is known about the underlying neurobiological relationships between alexithymia and AN.

Factors related to anxiety and depression in women with breast cancer and their husbands: role of alexithymia and family functioning.

Goals Of Work: The purpose of this study was to explore alexithymia, family functioning, and other factors that might affect anxiety and depression levels in women with breast cancer and in their husbands.

Patients And Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 46 postsurgical ambulatory women with breast cancer and their husbands. Documented informed consent for the study was obtained from each subject.

Factors related to posttraumatic stress in adolescent survivors of childhood cancer and their parents.

Goals Of Work: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to severe posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in adolescent survivors of childhood cancer and their parents.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-nine families (88 adolescent survivors of childhood cancer, 87 mothers, 72 fathers) completed a self-report questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using the following risk factors for severe PTSS: trait anxiety, family functioning, demographic and medical variables.

Family functioning and psychological distress among Japanese breast cancer patients and families.

Goals Of Work: The purpose of this study was to develop a typology of family functioning in the families of breast cancer patients.

Patients And Methods: Seventy-four families (189 individuals: 74 patients, 54 spouses, 46 offspring, and 15 other relatives) completed self-report questionnaires. Perception of family functioning was assessed using the family relationship index (FRI) and its three dimensions (cohesiveness, expressiveness, and conflict) and was classified into groups by a cluster analytic approach.

Reduced activation of posterior cingulate cortex during imagery in subjects with high degrees of alexithymia: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Background: Although the brain areas involved in imagery have been reported, the neural bases of individual differences in imagery remain to be elucidated. People with high degrees of alexithymia (HDA) are known to have constricted imaginal capacities. The purpose of this study was to investigate neural correlates of imagery disturbance in subjects with HDA.

Gender differences in brain activity generated by unpleasant word stimuli concerning body image: an fMRI study.

Background: We have previously reported that the temporomesial area, including the amygdala, is activated in women when processing unpleasant words concerning body image.

Aims: To detect gender differences in brain activation during processing of these words.

Method: Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to investigate 13 men and 13 women during an emotional decision task consisting of unpleasant words concerning body image and neutral words.

Community discharge of patients with schizophrenia: a Japanese experience.

In Japan, admission to a psychiatric facility for people with schizophrenia is usually for life. We developed a rehabilitation program aimed at discharging these patients into the Tokyo community. This paper describes the results for the 224 patients.

Factors related to patient's mental adjustment to breast cancer: patient characteristics and family functioning.

Previous studies have suggested that patients who adopted a coping response characterized as helplessness or hopelessness reported higher levels of psychological distress than patients who adopted a response characterized as fighting spirit. There are also studies suggesting a relationship between family functioning and psychological well-being of cancer patients and their family members. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between breast cancer patients' coping response to the diagnosis of cancer and family functioning.