TY - JOUR A1 - Braun, Alexandra A1 - Evdokimov, Dimitar A1 - Frank, Johanna A1 - Pauli, Paul A1 - Wabel, Thomas A1 - Üçeyler, Nurcan A1 - Sommer, Claudia T1 - Relevance of Religiosity for Coping Strategies and Disability in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome JF - Journal of Religion and Health N2 - Coping strategies are essential for the outcome of chronic pain. This study evaluated religiosity in a cohort of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), its effect on pain and other symptoms, on coping and FMS-related disability. A total of 102 FMS patients were recruited who filled in questionnaires, a subgroup of 42 patients participated in a face-to-face interview, and data were evaluated by correlation and regression analyses. Few patients were traditionally religious, but the majority believed in a higher existence and described their spirituality as "transcendence conviction". The coping strategy "praying-hoping" and the ASP dimension "religious orientation" (r = 0.5, P < 0.05) showed a significant relationship independent of the grade of religiosity (P < 0.05). A high grade of belief in a higher existence was negatively associated with the choice of ignoring as coping strategy (r = - 0.4, P < 0.05). Mood and affect-related variables had the highest impact on disability (b = 0.5, P < 0.05). In this cohort, the grade of religiosity played a role in the choice of coping strategies, but had no effects on health and mood outcome. KW - Fibromyalgia syndrome KW - religiosity KW - coping KW - disability Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-269135 SN - 1573-6571 VL - 61 IS - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weiß, Martin A1 - Rodrigues, Johannes A1 - Hewig, Johannes T1 - Big Five personality factors in relation to coping with contact restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic: a small sample study JF - Social Sciences N2 - To slow down the spread of the SARS-Cov-2 virus, countries worldwide severely restricted public and social life. In addition to the physical threat posed by the viral disease (COVID-19), the pandemic also has implications for psychological well-being. Using a small sample (N = 51), we examined how Big Five personality traits relate to coping with contact restrictions during three consecutive weeks in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. We showed that extraversion was associated with suffering from severe contact restrictions and with benefiting from their relaxation. Individuals with high neuroticism did not show a change in their relatively poor coping with the restrictions over time, whereas conscientious individuals seemed to experience no discomfort and even positive feelings during the period of contact restrictions. Our results support the assumption that neuroticism is a vulnerability factor in relation to psychological wellbeing but also show an influence of contact restrictions on extraverted individuals. KW - Big Five KW - coping KW - COVID-19 KW - positive affect KW - negative affect Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-290556 SN - 2076-0760 VL - 11 IS - 10 ER - TY - THES A1 - Ghafoor, Hina T1 - Coping with Psychosocial Stress: Examining the Roles of Emotional Intelligence and Coping Strategies in Germany and Pakistan T1 - Coping mit Psychosozialem Stress: Eine Untersuchung zur Rolle Emotionaler Intelligenz und Bewältigungsstrategien in Deutschland und Pakistan N2 - Maladaptive coping mechanisms influence health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of individuals facing acute and chronic stress. Trait emotional intelligence (EI) may provide a protective shield against the debilitating effects of maladaptive coping thus contributing to maintained HRQoL. Low trait EI, on the other hand, may predispose individuals to apply maladaptive coping, consequently resulting in lower HRQoL. The current research is comprised of two studies. Study 1 was designed to investigate the protective effects of trait EI and its utility for efficient coping in dealing with the stress caused by chronic heart failure (CHF) in a cross-cultural setting (Pakistan vs Germany). N = 200 CHF patients were recruited at cardiology institutes of Multan, Pakistan and Würzburg as well as Brandenburg, Germany. Path analysis confirmed the expected relation between low trait EI and low HRQoL and revealed that this association was mediated by maladaptive metacognitions and negative coping strategies in Pakistani but not German CHF patients. Interestingly, also the specific coping strategies were culture-specific. The Pakistani sample considered religious coping to be highly important, whereas the German sample was focused on adopting a healthy lifestyle such as doing exercise. These findings are in line with cultural characteristics suggesting that German CHF patients have an internal locus of control as compared to an external locus of control in Pakistani CHF patients. Finally, the findings from study 1 corroborate the culture-independent validity of the metacognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder. In addition to low trait EI, high interoception accuracy (IA) may predispose individuals to interpret cardiac symptoms as threatening, thus leading to anxiety. To examine this proposition, Study 2 compared individuals with high vs low IA in dealing with a psychosocial stressor (public speaking) in an experimental lab study. In addition, a novel physiological intervention named transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (t-VNS) and cognitive reappraisal (CR) were applied during and after the anticipation of the speech in order to facilitate coping with stress. N= 99 healthy volunteers participated in the study. Results showed interesting descriptive results that only reached trend level. They suggested a tendency of high IA individuals to perceive the situation as more threatening as indicated by increased heart rate and reduced heart rate variability in the high-frequency spectrum as well as high subjective anxiety during anticipation of and actual performance of the speech. This suggests a potential vulnerability of high IA individuals for developing anxiety disorders, specifically social anxiety disorder, in case negative self-focused attention and negative evaluation is applied to the (more prominently perceived) increased cardiac responding during anticipation of and the actual presentation of the public speech. The study did not reveal any significant protective effects of t-VNS and CR. In summary, the current research suggested that low trait EI and high IA predicted worse psychological adjustment to chronic and acute distress. Low trait EI facilitated maladaptive metacognitive processes resulting in the use of negative coping strategies in Study 1; however, increased IA regarding cardioceptions predicted high physiological arousal in study 2. Finally, the German vs. the Pakistani culture greatly affected the preference for specific coping strategies. These findings have implications for caregivers to provide culture-specific treatments on the one hand. On the other hand, they highlight high IA as a possible vulnerability to be targeted for the prevention of (social) anxiety. N2 - Maladaptive Copingmechanismen beeinflussen die auf die Gesundheit bezogene Lebensqualität (HRQoL) von Individuen, die akutem oder chronischem Stress ausgesetzt sind. Emotionale Intelligenz (EI) im Sinne eines Persönlichkeitsmerkmals (Trait) könnte gegen schwächende Einflüsse maladaptiven Copings schützen und so zur Aufrechterhaltung einer hohen HRQoL beitragen. Andererseits könnte niedrige EI Personen dazu prädisponieren, dass sie maladaptives Coping anwenden, was wiederum eine niedrige HRQoL zur Folge hätte. Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit umfasst zwei Studien. Studie 1 ist konzipiert, um schützende Einflüsse von Trait EI und deren Nutzen für wirkungsvolles Coping im Umgang mit Stress zu untersuchen, welcher durch chronische Herzinsuffizienz (CHF) verursacht wurde. Für diese kulturvergleichende Stude (Pakistan vs. Deutschland) wurden 200 Patienten mit CHF an kardiologischen Kliniken in Multan (Pakistan), sowie in Würzburg und Brandenburg (Deutschland) rekrutiert. Eine Pfadanalyse bestätigte den erwarteten Zusammenhang zwischen niedriger Trait EI und niedriger HRQoL. Bei Patienten aus Pakistan, nicht aber bei deutschen CHF Patienten, wurde diese Assoziation durch maladaptive Metakognitionen und schlechte Coping Strategien mediiert. Interessanterweise waren auch die spezifischen Coping Strategien stark kulturspezifisch. Die pakistanischen Probanden bewerteten religiöses Coping als sehr wichtig, wohingegen die deutschen Teilnehmer darauf bedacht waren, einen gesunden Lebensstil zu entwickeln, wie z.B. Sport zu treiben. Diese Befunde entsprechen kulturellen Charakteristika: Während deutsche CHF Patienten eher einen internen „Locus of Control“ haben (d.h. Patienten such die Ursache für Probleme eher bei sich selbst), ist für die pakistanische Kluter ein externer „Locus of Control“ typisch (d.h. Patienten schreiben eher den Umständen die Verantwortung für Probleme zu). Die Ergebnisse von Studie 1 untermauern auperdem kulturunabhängig die Validität des metakognitiven Models der generalisierten Angststörung. Neben zu niedriger Trait EI könnte eine hohe Genauigkeit der Wahrnehmung von Körpersignalen, d.h. Interozzeption (IA), Personen dafür prädisponieren, kardiale Symptome als bedrohlich zu interpretieren, was wiederum zu Angstzuständen führen kann. Um diese Hypothese zu prüfen, wurde in Studie 2 der Umgang von Personen mit hoher vs. niedriger IA mit einer psychosozialen Stresssituation (öffentliches Sprechen) in einem Laborexeriment verglichen. Zusätzlich wurde eine innovative, physiologische Intervention, die transkutane Vagus Nerv Stimulation (t-VNS), sowie kognitives Reappraisal (CR) während der Antizipation und der Durchführung der öffentlichen Rede durchgeführt, um den Umgang mit Stress zu verbessern. N=99 Freiwillige nahmen an der Studie teil. Einige Ergebnisse waren erreichten Trend Nivea, waren deskriptiv aber sehr interessant und wiesen konsistent in eine Richtung, die im Einklang mit einschlägigen Theorien steht. Demnach tendierten Personen mit hoher IA dazu, die Situation als bedrohlicher wahrzunehmen. Dies schlug sich in einem erhöhten Puls, reduzierter Herzfrequenzvariabilität im Hochfrequenzspektrum sowie hoher subjektive Angst während Erwartung und tatsächlichen Darbietung der Rede nieder. Dies deutet auf eine mögliche Vulnerabilität von Personen mit hoher IA hin, Angststörungen zu entwickeln, besonders eine soziale Angststörung. Falls Personen mit hoher IA und dementsprechend einer stärkeren Wahrnehmung der stärker auftretenden physiologischen Symptome während der Antizipation von sozialem Stress diese aufgrund von selbstfokussierter Aufmerksamkeit hypervigilant beobachten und negativ bewerten, könnte dies zu Vermeidung führen, die durch operante Verstärkung in soziale Angst münden könnte. Die Studie fand keine signifikanten protektiven Effekte von t-VNS und CR. Zusammenfassend legen die vorliegenden Studien nahe, dass niedrige Trait EI und hohe IA eine schlechte psychologische Anpassung an chronischen und akuten Stress voraussagen. Low Trait EI begünstigte maladaptive metakognitive Prozesse, die sich in Studie 1 in dem Gebrauch ungünstiger Coping Strategien zeigten. Weiterhin prädizierte in Studie 2 eine erhöhte IA in Bezug auf die Wahrnehmung der eigenen Herztätigkeit eine hohe physiologische Erregung. Schließlich beeinflusste die deutsche bzw. pakistanische Kultur stark die Wahl der spezifischen Bewältigungsstrategien. Diese Befunde unterstreichen die Notwendigkeit kulturspezifischer Anapssungen von Psychotherapie und Prävention. Weiterhin betonen sie die Rolle hoher IA als mögliche Vulnerabilität für (soziale) Ängstlichkeit, so dass hohe IA als Indikator für präventive Maßnahmen genutzt werden könnte um ein eventuelles Aufkeimen (soziale) Ängstlichkeit zu verhindern. KW - Psychosocial stress KW - Psychosozialer Stress KW - coping KW - trait emotional intelligence KW - cross-cultural differences KW - interoception KW - emotionale intelligenz KW - interkulturelle Unterschiede KW - stress reactivity KW - Deutschland KW - Pakistan KW - Stress KW - Bewältigung Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-193519 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lulé, Dorothée A1 - Kübler, Andrea A1 - Ludolph, Albert C. T1 - Ethical principles in patient-centered medical care to support quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis JF - Frontiers in Neurology N2 - It is one of the primary goals of medical care to secure good quality of life (QoL) while prolonging survival. This is a major challenge in severe medical conditions with a prognosis such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Further, the definition of QoL and the question whether survival in this severe condition is compatible with a good QoL is a matter of subjective and culture-specific debate. Some people without neurodegenerative conditions believe that physical decline is incompatible with satisfactory QoL. Current data provide extensive evidence that psychosocial adaptation in ALS is possible, indicated by a satisfactory QoL. Thus, there is no fatalistic link of loss of QoL when physical health declines. There are intrinsic and extrinsic factors that have been shown to successfully facilitate and secure QoL in ALS which will be reviewed in the following article following the four ethical principles (1) Beneficence, (2) Non-maleficence, (3) Autonomy and (4) Justice, which are regarded as key elements of patient centered medical care according to Beauchamp and Childress. This is a JPND-funded work to summarize findings of the project NEEDSinALS (www.NEEDSinALS.com) which highlights subjective perspectives and preferences in medical decision making in ALS. KW - ethics KW - quality of life (QoL) KW - care KW - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) KW - well-being KW - depression KW - coping KW - psychosocial adaptation Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-196239 SN - 1664-2295 VL - 10 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kübler, Andrea A1 - Hautzinger, Martin A1 - Ludolph, Albert A1 - Dickhaus, Thorsten A1 - Real, Ruben G. L. T1 - Well-being in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a pilot experience sampling study N2 - Objective: The aim of this longitudinal study was to identify predictors of instantaneous well-being in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Based on flow theory well-being was expected to be highest when perceived demands and perceived control were in balance, and that thinking about the past would be a risk factor for rumination which would in turn reduce well-being. Methods: Using the experience sampling method, data on current activities, associated aspects of perceived demands, control, and well-being were collected from 10 patients with ALS three times a day for two weeks. Results: Results show that perceived control was uniformly and positively associated with well-being, but that demands were only positively associated with well-being when they were perceived as controllable. Mediation analysis confirmed thinking about the past, but not thinking about the future, to be a risk factor for rumination and reduced well-being. Discussion: Findings extend our knowledge of factors contributing to well-being in ALS as not only perceived control but also perceived demands can contribute to well-being. They further show that a focus on present experiences might contribute to increased well-being. KW - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis KW - ALS KW - coping KW - well-being KW - experience sampling KW - ESM KW - reminiscence KW - rumination Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-113057 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Matuz, Tamara A1 - Birbaumer, Niels A1 - Hautzinger, Martin A1 - Kübler, Andrea T1 - Psychosocial adjustment to ALS: a longitudinal study JF - Frontiers in Psychology N2 - For the current study the Lazarian stress-coping theory and the appendant model of psychosocial adjustment to chronic illness and disabilities (Pakenham, 1999) has shaped the foundation for identifying determinants of adjustment to ALS. We aimed to investigate the evolution of psychosocial adjustment to ALS and to determine its long-term predictors. A longitudinal study design with four measurement time points was therefore, used to assess patients' quality of life, depression, and stress-coping model related aspects, such as illness characteristics, social support, cognitive appraisals, and coping strategies during a period of 2 years. Regression analyses revealed that 55% of the variance of severity of depressive symptoms and 47% of the variance in quality of life at T2 was accounted for by all the T1 predictor variables taken together. On the level of individual contributions, protective buffering, and appraisal of own coping potential accounted for a significant percentage in the variance in severity of depressive symptoms, whereas problem management coping strategies explained variance in quality of life scores. Illness characteristics at T2 did not explain any variance of both adjustment outcomes. Overall, the pattern of the longitudinal results indicated stable depressive symptoms and quality of life indices reflecting a successful adjustment to the disease across four measurement time points during a period of about two years. Empirical evidence is provided for the predictive value of social support, cognitive appraisals, and coping strategies, but not illness parameters such as severity and duration for adaptation to ALS. The current study contributes to a better conceptualization of adjustment, allowing us to provide evidence-based support beyond medical and physical intervention for people with ALS. KW - ALS KW - coping KW - depression KW - quality of life KW - longitudinal assessment Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-190208 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 6 IS - 1197 ER -