Long Island University

About: Long Island University is a education organization based out in Brookville, New York, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2647 authors who have published 4924 publications receiving 108757 citations.

The Posttraumatic Growth Model: An Expansion to the Family System

Abstract: This article focuses on expanding Calhoun and Tedeschi's model of posttraumatic growth (PTG) to the family system level. PTG has been conceptualized as an outcome on multiple levels, including individuals, families, and communities. However, in the original model the family is mostly viewed as the context for individual growth, whereas in this article the family is the unit that grows. The proposed conceptualization is consistent with the paradigmatic shift from a deficit-based perspective to a strength-based perspective of family functioning in general and in the aftermath of trauma in particular. The first part of the article briefly introduces the PTG model. The second part identifies and illustrates the family system parallels of the six components of the model: pretrauma characteristics, a traumatic/ highly stressful event, challenges, rumination, social context, and posttraumatic growth. The third part addresses future directions.

Depression in older adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: prevalence and associated factors.

Abstract: Rationale Although depression is common in older adults with schizophrenia, it has not been well studied. The authors examine those factors that are related to depression in a multiracial urban sample of older persons with schizophrenia. Methods The schizophrenia group consisted of 198 persons aged 55 or older who lived in the community and developed schizophrenia before age 45. Persons with substantial cognitive impairment were excluded from the study. A community comparison group (N = 113) was recruited using randomly selected census tract data. The authors adapted George's Social Antecedent Model of Depression, which consists of six categories comprising 16 independent variables, and used a dichotomous dependent variable based on a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale cutoff score of ≥16. Results The schizophrenia group had significantly more persons with clinical depression than the community comparison group (32% versus 11%, respectively; χ 2 = 28.23, df = 1, p=0.001). Bivariate analysis revealed that eight of the 16 variables were significantly related to clinical depression in the schizophrenia group. In logistic regression, six variables retained significance: physical illness (odds ratio [OR] = 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–2.18), quality of life (OR = 0.84, 95% CI, 0.76–0.93), presence of positive symptoms (OR = 1.12, 95% CI, 1.02–1.21), proportion of confidants (OR = 0.03, 95% CI, 0.01–0.39), copes by using medications (OR = 2.12, 95% CI, 1.08–4.13), and copes with conflicts by keeping calm (OR = 1.34, 95% CI, 1.03–1.74). Conclusion Consistent with earlier studies of schizophrenia in older persons, the authors found physical health, positive symptoms, and several nonclinical variables to be associated with depression. Potential points for intervention include strengthening social supports, improving physical well-being, more aggressive treatment of positive symptoms, and increasing the recognition and treatment of depression.

type A behavior pattern and emotion expression in younger and older adults

Abstract: Eighty younger (less than 50 years, M = 28 years) and 80 older (more than 50 years, M = 69 years) Type A and Type B Ss were evaluated for Type A behavior pattern using the Structured Interview (SI) and given personality tests for anxiety, depression, anger, aggression, hostility, and anger-in-anger-out. Ss also underwent an emotion induction procedure. Videotapes of the emotion induction procedure (N = 160) and the SI (N = 80) were coded for facial expression of emotion. Type As did not differ from Bs on anxiety or depression but did on anger and aggression. Type As showed anger inhibition and anger bound to shame, as predicted by emotion socialization theory. The greatest number of differential effects were observed between age groups. Older individuals, in general, were more emotionally expressive than younger Ss across a range of emotions. Women appeared more conflicted about anger expression than men, and Type A women more so than Type A men.