Health Psychology

Matthews, Karen A.

doi: 10.1037/h0090351pmid: N/A

Leventhal, Howard

doi: 10.1037/h0090350pmid: 1396487

Resistance ishigh to findings negating commonsense beliefs. If McCaul, Monson, and Maki’s (1992)four studies are taken seriously, we will address new questions about thecomponents of analgesic interventions—specifically, whetherdistraction works only when combined with a competing affect, an analgesiccognition, or both. Addressing these questions should increase our understandingof the mechanisms involved in pain processing and may increase our ability tointervene and modify chronic as well as acute pain. Laboratory studies offer anefficient route to such understanding, although the question of generalizationwill always lurk in the background.

McCaul, Kevin D.; Monson, Nancy; Maki, Ruth H.

doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.11.4.210pmid: N/A

College students in fourexperiments placed their hands in ice water (the cold-pressor task) and reported theirdistress. They simultaneously engaged in different reaction-time (RT) tasks that varied in theamount of attention required for successful performance. In each experiment, which differed innumerous procedural details, RT, error-rate, and self-report measures all demonstrated that thedistraction tasks differed in the degree of attention required. Greater distraction, however,failed to reduce physiological, self-report, or behavioral responses to the cold-pressor task.These data call into question the hypothesis that attention mediates the process wherebydistraction tasks reduce pain-produced distress.Key words: distraction,attention, laboratory pain

Folkman, Susan; Chesney, Margaret A.; Pollack, Lance; Phillips, Connie

doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.11.4.218pmid: N/A

We examinedthe relation between stress, coping, and a high-risk sexual behavior(unprotected anal intercourse) in 398 nonmonogamous gay and bisexual men fromthe AIDS Behavioral Research Project in San Francisco. Unprotected analintercourse during the previous month, the amount of stress experienced duringthe previous month in each of 10 domains, six types of coping (self-controllingcoping, escape-avoidance, distancing, planful problem-solving, seeking socialsupport, and positive reappraisal), and spiritual beliefs and spiritualactivities were assessed through self-report. There was no relation betweenstress and unprotected anal intercourse. However, there was a relation betweencoping and unprotected anal intercourse. Subjects who reported unprotected analintercourse used sex more of the time to help cope with stressful situationsthan did subjects who did not report unprotected anal intercourse. Unprotectedanal intercourse was negatively associated with seeking social support andspiritual activities and positively associated with self-controlling coping,which involves keeping one’s feelings to oneself, and positivereappraisal. The findings suggest that social aspects of coping may be a key tounderstanding differences between those who engage in high-risk sexual behaviorand those who do not.Key words:coping, stress, AIDS, risk behavior

Zakowski, Sandra G.; McAllister, Cathy G.; Deal, Marlene; Baum, Andrew

doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.11.4.223pmid: N/A

We examinedthe effects of acute psychological stress on lymphocyte proliferation andcirculating levels of interleukin-1 and −2. Healthy men were exposedto two viewings of a gruesome surgery film and were asked to recall details ofthe film twice during a 30-min period. These subjects were compared to anonstress control group. Lymphocyte proliferation to the mitogen concanavalin A(Con A; 5 μg/ml) was decreased during and after exposure to thestressor when compared to the control group. This decrease was more pronouncedin subjects exhibiting greater blood pressure reactivity while viewing the filmthan in subjects showing smaller blood pressure responses. None of the otherimmunological measures was significantly affected by the stressor. Cortisol wasnot correlated with lymphocyte responsiveness. Possible explanations for theseresults and implications for further research are discussed.Key words:stress, reactivity, lymphocyte proliferation, interleukin

Dolan, Carol A.; Sherwood, Andrew; Light, Kathleen C.

doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.11.4.233pmid: N/A

Coping styleis an important feature in the understanding of the relation between real-lifestress and associated blood pressure (BP) responses. In this study, 10 high- and10 low-“self-focused-coping” (SFC) male college studentswere tested with ambulatory BP monitoring on two typical schooldays, one ofwhich included an examination. It was found that the high-SFC subjects, definedas those who tend to keep to themselves and/or blame themselves in stressfulsituations, showed higher BP responses than the low-SFC subjects, but only onthe exam day. Further, the high-SFC subjects showed higher BP during the exambut also had BP elevations that were sustained during other activitiesthroughout the same day, including evening rest. These results are discussed interms of the relation between psychological and physiological responding.Key words:coping strategies, real-life stress, ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring,hypertension

Manne, Sharon L.; Bakeman, Roger; Jacobsen, Paul B.; Gorfinkle, Kenneth; Bernstein, Donna; Redd, William H.

doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.11.4.241pmid: N/A

Adult–childinteractions during stressful medical procedures were investigated in 43 pediatric patientsvideotaped during a venipuncture procedure in the course of cancer treatment. Relations amongsix adult behavior categories (explain, distract, command to engage in coping behavior, givecontrol to the child, praise, and criticize/threat/bargain) and three child behavior categories(momentary distress, cry/scream, and cope) were examined using correlational and sequentialanalysis. Results indicated that adult distraction resulted in increased child coping andreduced momentary distress and crying. Adult explanations, although a likely response to childdistress and crying, did not result in a reduction of these behaviors. Attempts to give thechild control reduced child crying. Implications for clinical interventions during painfulmedical procedures are discussed.Key words: pediatric pain,pediatric cancer, acute pain, invasive medical procedures, sequential analysis, adult-childinteraction

Morrow, Gary R.; Asbury, Robert; Hammon, Sharon; Dobkin, Patricia; Caruso, Libby; Pandya, Kishan; Rosenthal, Susan

doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.11.4.250pmid: N/A

Adequatecontrol of side effects during medical treatment of cancer increases patientcompliance and quality of life. Antiemetic drugs are not an effective treatmentfor the one in three cancer patients on chemotherapy who experience anticipatorynausea and vomiting (ANV); the behavioral treatment of systematicdesensitization has been found effective for ANV when delivered by clinicalpsychologists. This study examined the effectiveness of systematicdesensitization when delivered by medical personnel versus clinicalpsychologists. Seventy-two consecutive cancer patients with ANV were randomlyassigned to no-treatment control or to systematic desensitization from 5behaviorally trained clinical psychologists, 6 clinical oncologists, or 10oncology nurses. The treatment was found effective in reducing anticipatorynausea, anticipatory vomiting, posttreatment nausea, and posttreatment vomitingcompared to control patients, with no significant differences in effectivenessfound between clinical psychologists and oncology staff. Although medicalpersonnel should not engage patients in psychotherapy or other interventionsthat cannot be completed successfully, they can treat patients effectively withsystematic desensitization and should be encouraged to learn and use this andother behavioral intervention techniques to benefit total patient care.Key words:nausea, cancer, behavioral treatment, side effects, chemotherapy

Marcus, Bess H.; Rakowski, William; Rossi, Joseph S.

doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.11.4.257pmid: N/A

Motivational and cognitive processes of behavior change with respect to the area of exercise adoption were investigated. A total of 778 men and women, recruited from four worksites, answered a 40-item questionnaire consisting of statements based on constructs from the transtheoretical model of behavior change. Principal-components analysis identified two factors—one a 6-item component representing avoidance of exercise (Cons), the other a 10-item component representing positive perceptions of exercise (Pros). Analysis of variance showed that the Pros, Cons, and a Decisional Balance measure (Pros minus Cons) were significantly associated with stage of exercise adoption. Results are consistent with applications of the model to smoking cessation and other areas of behavior change. Distinctions between exercise adoption and behaviors such as smoking cessation, weight loss, and alcoholism are discussed.Key words: exercise, decisional balance, health behavior, transtheoretical model, behavioral adoption

Rotton, James

doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.11.4.262pmid: N/A

Four sets ofbiographical data were analyzed in order to test the hypothesis that the abilityto generate humor is associated with longevity. Although steps were taken toensure that tests had high levels of statistical power, analyses provided verylittle support for the idea that individuals with a well-developed sense ofhumor live longer than serious writers and other entertainers. In addition, asubsidiary analysis revealed that those in the business of entertaining othersdied at an earlier age than those in other lines of endeavor. These findingssuggest that researchers should turn their attention from trait humor to theeffects of humorous material.Key words:humor, laughter, longevity, eminence