Police officers, as a group, experience many occupational demands with physiological and psychological effects that could be harmful to their health. A primary objective of this study was to analyze specific behavioral and physiological risk factors that could lead to hypertension and accelerated coronary artery disease. Three hundred thirty-one male Akron City police officers participated in the study. A group of volunteer males (n = 48) who worked in city clerical jobs were used as controls. Questionnaires were administered in order to measure such behavioral variables as recent life change, life assets, and temperament pattern. Blood chemistry and physiological variables were also measured. The police officers had higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP), norepinephrine (NE) levels, and recent life change unit (LCU) scores than the control group. Increased hostility and depression scores were associated with higher DBP and recent LCU scores and lower life asset unit (LAU) scores. Individuals with...

The effect of recent life events stress, life assets, and temperament pattern on cardiovascular risk factors for Akron City police officers.

The purpose of this investigation is to determine if select psychological variables are associated with abusive behavior of convicted male batterers. The sample included a treatment group of 75 court-referred abusers who were individually administered the Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis (T-JTA) instrument. Explored were: (1) the relationships among personality variables and sociological and demographic characteristics, (2) possible behavioral disorders in our study group of spouse abusers, (3) whether major bipolar personality variables could distinguish our study group from the general population. Results revealed the Taylor-Johnson behavioral disorder types were not useful in identifying distinctions among our spouse abusers. However, a two-factor rotation (Internal/Emotional Balance and Social Interaction) produced results which should be of interest to programs treating batterers as well as provide a suggestive lead for future research. Battering men were found to have a restless proclivity for interaction that will be competitive and conflict-oriented in style. Their impulsiveness further suggests that their interactions will be negative in terms of evocation.

Personality traits of convicted male batterers

A preliminary assessment of assistive device (AD) utilization by adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and spinal cord injuries (SCI) was conducted during the winter, 1986. A qualitative research approach was selected over a quantitative one so that pre-selected themes would not be imposed upon the data but, rather, would emerge from the data obtained. Five males with SCI and five females with CP, all subjects having a four-quadrant involvement, were interviewed about their AD use and quality-of-life. The findings indicate that female AD users with CP emphasize the capability to do things for the first time in their lives because of their ADs. They speak in terms of gains. In contrast, male AD non-users with SCI interpret ADs as poor replacements for their own functioning and see them as reminders of loss. AD users of both disabilities see their quality-of-life as being within their control whereas non-users believe otherwise. It was concluded that increased functional capabilities gained through AD utilization and the attainment of a “normalized” quality-of-life may present users with generalized “high functioning” expectations and frustrations for which their prior socialization did not prepare them. This, coupled with little peer contact, was discussed as contributing to participants' feelings of nervousness, depression, emotional inhibition and a sense of identity confusion.

Assistive Device Utilization And Quality-of-Life in Adults With Spinal Cord Injuries or Cerebral Palsy

Background Many people have asthma, and for some their symptoms may be triggered by psychological factors. In addition compliance with medical therapy may have a psychological dimension. Therefore, psychological interventions aim to reduce the burden of symptoms and improve management of the disease. Objectives To assess the effectiveness of psychological interventions for adults with asthma. Search strategy The Cochrane Airways Group specialised register and PsycINFO were searched with pre-defined terms until September 2003. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials published in any language assessing the effects of a psychological intervention compared with a form of control in adult participants were included in the review. Data collection and analysis Two reviewers assessed the relevance of abstracts identified by electronic searching and retrieved agreed studies for further scrutiny. The studies that met the inclusion criteria were assembled and data extracted. Main results Twelve studies were included in the review, however study quality was poor and sample sizes were frequently small. No meta-analysis could be performed due to the diversity of interventions and the outcomes assessed. Findings between studies were conflicting. This may have been due to the different types of interventions used and the deficiencies in trial design. Reviewer's conclusions This review was unable to draw firm conclusions for the role of psychological interventions in asthma due to the absence of an adequate evidence base. Large, well-conducted and reported randomised trials are required in this area, in order to determine the effects of these techniques in the treatment of asthma in adults.

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Psychotherapeutic interventions for adults with asthma.

/pdf/satisfaction-and-contributing-factors-in-satisfying-long-qqfifej8k2.pdf

Robert M. Taylor

Papers

Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis