Reliability and validity of the coping strategy inventory-short form applied to hemodialysis patients in 13 countries: Results from the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS)

User Manual for Coping Strategies Inventory Short Form (CSI-SF)-The Jackson Heart Study

Researchers have asserted that patients who generally rely on powerful external sources to control their disorders can benefit from examining their coping mechanisms, which can potentially lead to a better understanding of the initiation and progression of some chronic diseases. By trusting their own internal powers and virtues, it is possible for some people to discover and navigate available strategies to balance and enhance their psycho-spiritual well-being and possibly their treatment and recovery. This review serves as a user manual for investigators who choose to use the CSI-SF to conduct their research on coping behaviors. The CSI-SF, which measures four coping strategies based on 16 items, was first assessed using the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) cohort in 2007. The reliability and construct validity of the CSI-SF was also later assessed among hemodialysis patients across 13 countries. In this study, the CSI-SF was assessed to be a reliable and valid instrument for measuring coping strategies. The CSI-SF serves the purpose of developing an inner voice that can assist with understanding how people cope with everyday life. The information gathered from the administration of the CSI-SF can inform investigators about environmental cues and triggers that can also impact individual health.

Selection of social comparison standards in cardiac patients with and without experienced defibrillator shock

Patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) often report psychological distress. Literature suggests that patients with physical disease often compare their well-being and coping to fellow patients. However, we lack knowledge on social comparison among patients with ICD. In this study, we examined psychological distress and social comparison selection in patients with (ICD+) and without experienced ICD shocks (ICD-). We theorized that relative to ICD- patients, those with ICD+ display higher levels of psychological distress and thereby compare more frequently with fellow patients with more severe disease, but better disease coping and try to identify more strongly with these standards to improve their own coping. We recruited 92 patients with (ICD+, n = 38) and without an experienced ICD shock (ICD-, n = 54), who selected one of four comparison standards varying in disease severity and coping capacity. Relative to ICD-, ICD+ patients reported higher levels of device-related distress, but there were no significant differences in anxiety, depression, or quality of life. ICD+ patients selected more often comparison standards with poor coping and, irrespective of standard choice, displayed more negative mood following comparison. Our results show that ICD+ patients tend to perform unfavorable comparisons to fellow patients, which might explain higher psychological distress and worse coping. These findings warrant further research into social comparison as a relevant coping mechanism in ICD patients.

Psychosocial quality-of-life correlates in functional gastrointestinal disorders

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are complex illnesses characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms, with no underlying organic pathology. They are common, chronic, recurrent, and disabling disorders that significantly impair quality of life (QoL). The aim of the present cross-sectional analytical study was to assess QoL and its correlates in adult patients with FGIDs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional, observational, hospital-based study was conducted at the gastroenterology outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. The ROME IV diagnostic criteria were used to identify the FGIDs. Anxiety, depression, coping strategies, social support, and QoL were assessed by the hospital anxiety and depression scale, the coping strategies inventory, the multidimensional scale of perceived social support, and the functional digestive disorders quality-of-life questionnaire, respectively.

RESULTS

Of the 52 consecutive patients diagnosed with FGIDs, functional dyspepsia (51.92%) and irritable bowel syndrome (40.38%) were the most common. There were no significant associations between sociodemographic variables (age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status, educational level, employment, occupation, dietary pattern) and QoL scores (all p values >0.05). Duration and social support were not significantly associated with QoL (all p values >0.05). In contrast, psychological variables, such as disengagement coping (r=-0.344, p=0.012), depression (r=-0.600, p=0.000), and anxiety (r=-0.590, p=0.000), were significantly correlated with QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite advances in neurogastroenterology, patients continue to be disabled by FGIDs. Psychological factors, especially depression, significantly contribute to poor QoL in those patients and should be addressed in a holistic, multidisciplinary way. The biopsychosocial framework, as it applies to FGIDs, should lead to the inclusion of psychosocial assessments in the clinical management and research of those disorders.

Longitudinal Effects of Screen Time on Depressive Symptoms among Swedish Adolescents: The Moderating and Mediating Role of Coping Engagement Behavior

Studies suggest that hourly digital screen time increases adolescents' depressive symptoms and emotional regulation difficulties. However, causal mechanisms behind such associations remain unclear. We hypothesized that problem-focused and/or emotion-focused engagement coping moderates and possibly mediates this association over time. Questionnaire data were collected in three waves from a representative sample of Swedish adolescents (0, 3 and 12 months; n = 4793; 51% boys; 99% aged 13-15). Generalized Estimating Equations estimated the main effects and moderation effects, and structural regression estimated the mediation pathways. The results showed that problem-focused coping had a main effect on future depression (b = 0.030; p < 0.001) and moderated the effect of screen time (b = 0.009; p < 0.01). The effect size of this moderation was maximum 3.4 BDI-II scores. The mediation results corroborated the finding that future depression was only indirectly correlated with baseline screen time, conditional upon intermittent problem-coping interference (C'-path: Std. beta = 0.001; p = 0.018). The data did not support direct effects, emotion-focused coping effects, or reversed causality. We conclude that hourly screen time can increase depressive symptoms in adolescent populations through interferences with problem-focused coping and other emotional regulation behaviors. Preventive programs could target coping interferences to improve public health. We discuss psychological models of why screen time may interfere with coping, including displacement effects and echo chamber phenomena.

The Stress of Leprosy as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Coping Resources, Coping Strategies, and Psychological Well-Being in Persons Affected by Leprosy. The Structural Equation Models Through a Correlation Study

Intoduction

Psychological strength plays an important role in reducing stress due to leprosy because leprosy can cause physical, psychological, and social problems. For that reason, this study aims to investigate the relationship between coping sources, coping strategies, and psychological well-being through leprosy stress.

Methods

This research instrument uses a stress perception scale, coping sources, coping strategies, and psychological well-being scale to collect data from 125 participants consisting of women (33.60%) and men 66.40%. The test analysis in this study uses SmartPLS through structural equation modeling to prove the correlation.

Results

The results of the SEM test indicate that there is a negative relationship between coping resources and leprosy stress, with a coefficient value of (−0.380), p-value of (0.000) <0.05, and a positive relationship is obtained with psychological well-being with the coefficient value of (0.427), p-value of (0.000) <0.05. Meanwhile, the SEM test shows a negative relationship between coping strategies and stress of leprosy, with the coefficient of (−0.566), p-value of (0.000) <0.05, and a positive relationship is obtained with psychological well-being (0.355), p-value of (0.000) < 0.05. Furthermore, on psychological well-being, stress shows a negative relationship, with the coefficient of (−0.212), p-value of (0.002).

Discussion

Exploration of important coping sources is done to weaken the power of leprosy as a stressor and the use of effective coping strategies is needed to solve physical, psychological, and social problems for “People Affected by Leprosy”, and simultaneously these two attributes are used to achieve prosperity. psychological. better.

Utility of a Single Itch-Related Question and the Skindex-10 Questionnaire for Assessing Pruritus and Predicting Health-Related Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients

Rationale & Objective

Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus has been linked with poorer mental and physical health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in patients receiving hemodialysis. We used the Skindex-10 questionnaire and a single itch-related question to evaluate their prediction of HR-QOL.

Study Design

Prospective, international cohort.

Setting & Participants

We analyzed data from 4,940 patients receiving hemodialysis from 17 countries enrolled in phase 5 (2013) of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study.

Predictors

The responses to the 10 questions of Skindex-10 (0-6 scale) pertaining to itchiness in the past week were summed to create a summary score (range, 0-60). Concurrently, a single question from the Kidney Disease Quality of Life 36-item survey asked “during the past 4 weeks, to what extent were you bothered by itchy skin?” with 5 responses, ranging from “not at all” to “extremely" bothered.

Outcomes

Physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores of HR-QOL.

Analytical Approach

We used separate linear regression models to evaluate the predictive power, based on R² values, for 3 models: 1 for each predictor and 1 with both predictors.

Results

The correlation between the single itch-related question and the Skindex-10 score was 0.72. A 10-point higher Skindex-10 score was associated with a 1.2-point lower PCS score (95% CI, −1.4 to −0.9) and a 1.5-point lower MCS score (95% CI, −1.7 to −1.3) . The R² value for PCS was 0.065 when the single question was used and only 0.033 when Skindex-10 was used as the predictor; the R² value for MCS was 0.056 for the single question versus 0.052 for Skindex-10.

Limitations

Measurement bias and translation issues in the questionnaires.

Conclusions

The single question about the extent to which the patients were bothered by itchy skin was highly correlated with the Skindex-10 score and at least as predictive of key HR-QOL measures. In daily clinical practice, using 1 simple question about the extent to which patients are bothered by itchy skin can be a feasible and efficient method for the routine assessment of pruritus.

Coping among adolescents with long-term health conditions: a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

Adolescents with long-term health conditions may be at risk of developing psychological comorbidities and adopting ineffective coping mechanisms if they are not adequately supported at home or school.

AIM

To understand the strategies adolescents use when dealing with challenging health situations, and gain an in-depth understanding of the characteristics of their preferred care environment if they have unexpected health crises.

DESIGN

The study used a concurrent mixed-methods design, with data gathered between January and May 2019. Descriptive and non-parametric tests were used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data.

RESULTS

'Problem-focused disengagement' was the most-often used coping strategy. The second and third most common strategies were 'problem-focused engagement' and 'emotion-focused engagement'. Finally, girls tended to adopt more negative coping strategies than boys. The analysis revealed that most adolescents preferred home over school as the care environment because these caring agents were close and available, knew how to care for them and had the resources to provide or access care, and listened and understood them.

CONCLUSION

Adolescents adopted disengagement and negative coping strategies early in their attempts to cope with stressful events before adopting more positive strategies. This is alarming, especially as school health services are not sufficiently supportive of adolescents at times of stress and illness. Adolescents often perceive school providers as unavailable and lacking knowledge about their health needs.

Stress and coping strategies for parenting children with hearing impairment and autism

Objectives:

To determine the level of stress experienced and coping strategies used by parents of hearing impaired and autistic children.

Methods:

Using non-probability convenience sampling this cross sectional study recruited n =200 parents of hearing impaired (HI) and 100 parents of autistic children, of either gender, aged 20 to 60 years. Samples were recruited from Special Education Institutes of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, over a period of six months, from October 2018 to March 2019 and conducted at Isra Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences, Islamabad. Basic demographical sheet, Parental Stress Scale and Coping Strategies Inventory were used for data collection. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 21.

Results:

In parents of hearing impaired the mean parental stress score was 47.44±12.85 and commonest coping strategy was problem focused engagement (26.03) followed by problem focused dis-engagement (24.25). In the autistic group the mean parental stress score was 48.92+11.22 with problem focused engagement being the most frequently used strategy (27.4) followed by emotion focused strategy.

Conclusion:

Different level of stress experienced by parents of autistic and hearing impaired children which is statistically significant and they employed different coping strategies.

The BeHealthyR Study: a randomized trial of a multicomponent intervention to reduce stress, smoking and improve financial health of low-income residents in Rotterdam

BACKGROUND

Compared to higher socioeconomic status (SES) groups, those in lower SES groups are financially strained, experience higher rates of smoking-related morbidity, are in poorer health and have reduced life expectancy. This is especially true for the city of Rotterdam, where a large inequality in health is observed between low and high SES groups. The BeHealthyR study (Dutch: Grip en Gezondheid) is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) which will evaluate the impact of a theory-based multicomponent behavior intervention aiming to reduce stress, smoking, and improve financial health by means of a group-based stress management program combining cognitive and behavioral techniques, and nudges in low-SES residents living in Rotterdam.

METHODS

The BeHealthyR study is a three-arm RCT. Between February 2018 and July 2019, low-SES participants who perceive stress, smoke, are financially strained and reside in Rotterdam (one of the four largest cities in The Netherlands) are recruited. Subsequently, participants are randomly assigned to either a stress management condition (SM), stress management with a buddy condition (SM-B) or a control condition (CC). Participants in the SM and SM-B conditions will attend four weekly group sessions (1.5 h/session) and a follow-up session eight weeks later. The SM condition includes psychoeducation and exercises, and cognitive and behavioral intervention techniques. Demographic data and objective measures will be collected at baseline (T0), four weeks post-baseline (T1), and twelve weeks post-baseline (T2). Primary outcome measures are to reduce stress, smoking and improve financial health. We hypothesize that low-SES participants in the intervention conditions, compared with those in the control condition, will experience less stress, smoke less and have improved financial health.

DISCUSSION

This study is a group-based intervention which aims to investigate the effects of a theory-based behavioral change intervention employing several components on reducing stress, smoking, and improving financial health in low-SES residents living in Rotterdam. If effective, the findings from the present study will serve to inform future directions of research and clinical practice with regard to behavioral change interventions for low-SES groups.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT03553979 ). Registered on January 1 2018.

Coping with kidney disease - qualitative findings from the Empowering Patients on Choices for Renal Replacement Therapy (EPOCH-RRT) study

Background

The highly burdensome effects of kidney failure and its management impose many life-altering changes on patients. Better understanding of successful coping strategies will inform patients and help health care providers support patients’ needs as they navigate these changes together.

Methods

A qualitative, cross-sectional study involving semi-structured telephone interviews including open- and closed-ended questions, with 179 U.S. patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), either not yet on dialysis ([CKD-ND], n = 65), or on dialysis (hemodialysis [HD], n = 76; or peritoneal dialysis [PD], n = 38) recruited through social media and in-person contacts from June to December 2013. Themes identified through content analysis of interview transcripts were classified based on the Coping Strategies Index (CSI) and compared across groups by demographics, treatment modality, and health status.

Results

Overall, more engagement than disengagement strategies were observed. “Take care of myself and follow doctors’ orders,” “accept it,” and “rely on family and friends” were the common coping themes. Participants often used multiple coping strategies. Various factors such as treatment modality, time since diagnosis, presence of other chronic comorbidities, and self-perceived limitations contributed to types of coping strategies used by CKD patients.

Conclusions

The simultaneous use of coping strategies that span different categories within each of the CSI subscales by CKD patients reflects the complex and reactive response to the variable demands of the disease and its treatment options on their lives. Learning from the lived experience of others could empower patients to more frequently use positive coping strategies depending on their personal context as well as the stage of the disease and associated stressors. Moreover, this understanding can improve the support provided by health care systems and providers to patients to better deal with the many challenges they face in living with kidney disease.