The Role of Optimal Dyadic Mental Health in Couples Living With Lung Cancer: Interdependence, Congruence, or Balance?

The study examined the association between changes in dyadic symptom appraisal with changes in physical and mental health of 109 family care dyads living with lung cancer over 12 months. Multilevel modeling was used to analyze both aggregate and time-varying associations of dyadic symptom appraisal with dyadic health. Patients had significantly worse physical health compared with their care partner; care partners had significantly worse mental health compared with patients. In general, greater incongruent symptom appraisals were significantly associated with worse physical health for both patients and care partners. Importantly, increases in magnitude of incongruence regarding the patient’s pain interference were significantly associated with declines in patient physical health over time. Direction of the incongruence was associated with mental health. Findings highlight the need for both a longitudinal and dyadic perspective of symptom appraisal to move toward theoretically driven interventions that will optimize the health of both patients and their care partners.

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Health Status Stability of Patients in a Medical Rehabilitation Program: What Are the Roles of Time, Physical Fitness Level, and Self-efficacy?

International Journal of Behavioral Medicine ◽

10.1007/s12529-021-10046-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Qianqian Ju ◽

Yiqun Gan ◽

Robin Rinn ◽

Yanping Duan ◽

Sonia Lippke

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Physical Health ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Initial Level ◽

Medical Rehabilitation ◽

Rehabilitation Center ◽

Rehabilitation Treatment ◽

Mental And Physical Health ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background Individuals’ physical and mental health, as well as their chances of returning to work after their ability to work is damaged, can be addressed by medical rehabilitation. Aim This study investigated the developmental trends of mental and physical health among patients in medical rehabilitation and the roles of self-efficacy and physical fitness in the development of mental and physical health. Design A longitudinal design that included four time-point measurements across 15 months. Setting A medical rehabilitation center in Germany. Population Participants included 201 patients who were recruited from a medical rehabilitation center. Methods To objectively measure physical fitness (lung functioning), oxygen reabsorption at anaerobic threshold (VO2AT) was used, along with several self-report scales. Results We found a nonlinear change in mental health among medical rehabilitation patients. The results underscored the importance of medical rehabilitation for patients’ mental health over time. In addition, patients’ physical health was stable over time. The initial level of physical fitness (VO2AT) positively predicted their mental health and kept the trend more stable. Self-efficacy appeared to have a positive relationship with mental health after rehabilitation treatment. Conclusions This study revealed a nonlinear change in mental health among medical rehabilitation patients. Self-efficacy was positively related to mental health, and the initial level of physical fitness positively predicted the level of mental health after rehabilitation treatment. Clinical Rehabilitation More attention could be given to physical capacity and self-efficacy for improving and maintaining rehabilitants’ mental health.

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The role of communication and coping in emerging adults’ serial arguments with parents

Journal of Argumentation in Context ◽

10.1075/jaic.4.1.02gaz ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 21-41 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Catherine M. Gaze ◽

Rachel M. Reznik ◽

Courtney Waite Miller ◽

Michael E. Roloff

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Health ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Single Episode ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

And Coping ◽

Over Time

When individuals cannot resolve a disagreement in a single episode, the argument is likely to reoccur over time resulting in a serial argument. Prior research on serial arguing has shown that engaging in hostile communication during episodes and taking a resigned stance after episodes is detrimental to one’s physical health. This study investigates the mechanisms by which hostile communication and taking a resigned stance lead to negative outcomes in a sample of emerging adults. Mutual hostility is related to physical and mental health symptoms and this relationship is mediated by the degree to which the participants feel hyperaroused. Taking a resigned stance toward a serial argument with one’s parent is related to health symptoms and this relationship is mediated by the participants’ rumination after argumentative episodes.

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First Year University Students Self-Reported Health Outcomes Over an Academic Semester

Journal of Behavior Therapy And Mental Health ◽

10.14302/issn.2474-9273.jbtm-18-2348 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 21-29

Author(s):

P.K Doyle-Baker ◽

K.M. Verge ◽

L. McClelland ◽

T. Fung

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

University Students ◽

Physical Health ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Work Load ◽

Future Research ◽

First Year ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

College And University ◽

Mental And Physical Health

The transition to university can be a stressful time in a student’s life. Recent evidence demonstrates declining mental and physical health in college and university students compared to the general public. A prospective cohort study investigating mental and physical wellness over the course of a semester in a sample of first-year undergraduate students (N=74; 65%F) from nine faculties was completed at a large university in Canada. Sixty-eight (92%) students with a mean (SD, ±) age 18.2 ± 1.1 yrs., weight 67.9 ± 15.5 kg, height, 168.5 ± 11.6 cm and waist circumference 81.3 ± 9.8 cm completed the SF-36V2 quality of life questionnaire at the beginning and end of the semester in Fall 2014. A decrease in vitality (p=0.003), social functioning (p=0.004), emotional state (p=0.014), and mental health (p=0.019) outcomes as measured by the SF-36v2 occurred during the semester. In addition, aggregate mental health significantly declined from the beginning to the end of the semester (p <0.001), while physical health did not change (p=0.242). The importance of promoting and increasing awareness of campus wide mental health strategies should be considered a priority for first year undergrad students. Particularly, because students in their first year may take longer than one semester to adjust to the increased work load and although difficult to speculate it is possible that both mental and physical health would decline over the next (second) semester. Future research should aim for longer study duration.

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First Year University Students Self-Reported Health Outcomes Over an Academic Semester

Journal of Behavior Therapy And Mental Health ◽

10.14302/10.14302/issn.2474-9273.jbtm-18-2348 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 21-29

Author(s):

P.K. Doyle-Baker ◽

K.M. Verge ◽

L. McClelland ◽

T. Fung

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

University Students ◽

Physical Health ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Work Load ◽

Future Research ◽

First Year ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

College And University ◽

Mental And Physical Health

The transition to university can be a stressful time in a student’s life. Recent evidence demonstrates declining mental and physical health in college and university students compared to the general public. A prospective cohort study investigating mental and physical wellness over the course of a semester in a sample of first-year undergraduate students (N=74; 65%F) from nine faculties was completed at a large university in Canada. Sixty-eight (92%) students with a mean (SD, ±) age 18.2 ± 1.1 yrs., weight 67.9 ± 15.5 kg, height, 168.5 ± 11.6 cm and waist circumference 81.3 ± 9.8 cm completed the SF-36V2 quality of life questionnaire at the beginning and end of the semester in Fall 2014. A decrease in vitality (p=0.003), social functioning (p=0.004), emotional state (p=0.014), and mental health (p=0.019) outcomes as measured by the SF-36v2 occurred during the semester. In addition, aggregate mental health significantly declined from the beginning to the end of the semester (p <0.001), while physical health did not change (p=0.242). The importance of promoting and increasing awareness of campus wide mental health strategies should be considered a priority for first year undergrad students. Particularly, because students in their first year may take longer than one semester to adjust to the increased work load and although difficult to speculate it is possible that both mental and physical health would decline over the next (second) semester. Future research should aim for longer study duration.

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An Overview and Proposed Research Framework for Studying Co-Occurring Mental- and Physical-Health Dysfunction

Perspectives on Psychological Science ◽

10.1177/1745691619827010 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 633-645 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sarah L. Hagerty ◽

Jarrod M. Ellingson ◽

Timothy B. Helmuth ◽

L. Cinnamon Bidwell ◽

Kent E. Hutchison ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Health ◽

Health Condition ◽

Biological Processes ◽

Mental Health Condition ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Research Framework ◽

Irritable Bowel ◽

Mental And Physical Health

Mental- and physical-health conditions co-occur at a rate much higher than chance. Of patients who have a mental-health condition, more than half also have a physical disease, and these cases are associated with increased human suffering and societal cost. Comorbidity research to date has focused on co-occurring mental- and physical-health disorders separately, and relatively little research has examined the co-occurrence of mental- and physical-health dysfunction. In addition, even less is known about why mental- and physical-health dysfunction co-occurs or how to treat these cases. Thus, the aims of this article are to highlight the need for research at the intersection of physical- and mental-health dysfunction and to provide guidance on how to research cases of comorbidity. Toward these ends, we begin by presenting a selective overview of the possible role of biological processes in the co-occurrence of physical- and mental-health dysfunction using specific illustrative examples. Specifically, we outline how biological processes within the immune system and gastrointestinal system could underlie depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and their co-occurrence. We then advance and discuss a proposed research framework, including methodological and analytic guidance, that researchers could use when studying the phenomenon of co-occurring physical- and mental-health dysfunction.

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The Role of Animal Ownership for People with Severe Mental Illness during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Method Study Investigating Links with Health and Loneliness

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182211908 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (22) ◽

pp. 11908

Author(s):

Emily Shoesmith ◽

Panagiotis Spanakis ◽

Emily Peckham ◽

Paul Heron ◽

Gordon Johnston ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Physical Health ◽

Severe Mental Illness ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Companion Animals ◽

Human Animal ◽

The Uk ◽

Mental And Physical Health

Research has reported the benefits of companion animals for people with severe mental illness (SMI). However, this evidence base is fragmented and unclear. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to explore the role of companion animals in the context of social distancing and isolation measures for people with SMI. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the links between mental and physical health and animal ownership in people with SMI and to explore animal owners’ perceptions related to human–animal interactions during the pandemic restrictions. A survey was conducted with a previously assembled cohort of individuals with SMI in the UK. The survey included previously validated and new bespoke items measuring demographics, and outcomes related to mental and physical health, and human–animal interactions. The survey also included a question inviting free-text responses, allowing participants to describe any experiences of their human–animal relationships during the pandemic. Of 315 participants who consented to participate, 249 (79%) completed the survey. Of these, 115 (46.2%) had at least one companion animal. Regression analyses indicated that animal ownership was not significantly associated with well-being and loneliness. However, animal ownership was associated with a self-reported decline in mental health (b = 0.640, 95% CI [0.102–1.231], p = 0.025), but no self-reported change in physical health. Thematic analysis identified two main themes relating to the positive and negative impact of animal ownership during pandemic restrictions. Animal ownership appeared to be linked to self-reported mental health decline in people with SMI during the second wave of the pandemic in the UK. However, the thematic analysis also highlighted the perceived benefit of animal ownership during this time. Further targeted investigation of the role of human–animal relationships and the perceived human–animal bond for human health is warranted.

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Mental and Physical Health in Couple Relationships: Is It Better to Live Together?

European Sociological Review ◽

10.1093/esr/jcz047 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 303-316

Author(s):

Ingmar Rapp ◽

Johannes Stauder

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Health ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Causal Effects ◽

Selection Effects ◽

Couple Relationships ◽

Younger Adults ◽

The Relationship ◽

Mental And Physical Health ◽

Over Time

Abstract This study focuses on two main questions. First, do non-cohabiting relationships have an effect on mental and physical health? And second, do non-cohabiting relationships affect health in a similar way as cohabitation and marriage? To differentiate between the selection effects of healthier individuals into a couple relationship and the causal effects of couple relationships on health, we test hypotheses about the accumulation of health effects over time. We apply fixed-effects estimation techniques to data from the German Socio-economic Panel. For women, mental health improves after establishing a non-cohabiting relationship and remains similar after starting cohabitation and after getting married. For men, only marriage improves mental health status. The impacts of couple relationships on physical health primarily depend on the duration of the relationship and slowly accumulate over time. In addition, effects are stronger for younger adults.

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