The Schizophrenic as Soothsayer

1976 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 635-642
Author(s):  
Arthur L. Sterne ◽  
Paul J. Martin ◽  
Joseph E. Moore ◽  
Ruth M. McNairy

It is generally believed that patients' prognostic expectancies are linked to the outcome of treatment. It is also generally believed that the nature of the expectancy-outcome relationship is causative: patients' expectancies are viewed as causing or facilirating patients' responses to treatment. The study reported here tested both notions. The expectancies of hospitalized schizophrenic patients were tested by multiple regression for association with objective measures of the patients' pre- and post-treatment adjustment. Expectancy measures were closely correlated with patients' pre-treatment adjustment at hospital admission, were moderately correlated with patients' post-treatment adjustment at discharge, and were almost completely independent of post-treatment adjustment at 9-mo. follow-up. It is speculated that patients may base their prognostic expectancies partly on their pre-treatment adjustment, that patients' expectancies are associated with short-term measures of outcome, and that patients' expectancies predict but do not primarily cause or facilitate a therapeutic response to treatment for hospitalized schizophrenic patients. Finally, limitations of the findings and their generalizability are discussed.

1985 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey L. Thorpe ◽  
Eric G. Freedman ◽  
Joel D. Lazar

The effectiveness of brief treatment via assertiveness training and exposure in vivo was evaluated in a crossover study of eight agoraphobics. Exposure treatment brought short-term benefit as assessed by phobia questionnaires and a depression inventory, but assertiveness training did not. Conversely, assertiveness training produced short-term improvements as measured by an assertiveness inventory, while exposure treatment did not. Both treatments were relevant to the problems of our client sample, but they had specific effects on measures closely related to each treatment's target, consistent with the results of a similar recent study by Emmelkamp et al. (1983). At six-month follow-up assessment, phobia questionnaire scores were unchanged from post-treatment assessment, but assertion scores had reverted to pre-treatment levels. In addition, five untreated agoraphobics completed phobia questionnaires on two occasions, six months apart. In a quasi-experiment, their scores on the two occasions were compared with treated clients' pre- and post-treatment scores. Treated clients showed significantly greater improvement, demonstrating the sensitivity of the questionnaires to treatment effects.


1990 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. V. Payne ◽  
W. K. Halford

Six patients meeting DSM III criteria for schizophrenia, residual phase who lived in community hostels underwent social skills training. The training programme utilized was “Stacking the Deck” developed by Foxx et al. which involves a structured board game incorporating modelling, behaviour and feedback. A multiple baseline across subject design was used to assess acquisition of targeted social behaviours in the training settings. Generalization of skills to a community setting was assessed by a structured interaction in the patients' homes at pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow-up. All subjects improved their social skills in the training setting, the improvement showed partial but weak generalization to the community setting, with some gains maintained to a three-month follow-up. Pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow-up measures of general social skills and psychiatric status indicated improvements for some of the subjects. The results suggest this approach has promise for achieving clinically significant change with chronic schizophrenic patients, but that strategies to enhance generalization of training effects are needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshimi Sugiura ◽  
Fumiki Okamoto ◽  
Tomoya Murakami ◽  
Shohei Morikawa ◽  
Takahiro Hiraoka ◽  
...  

AbstractTo evaluate the effects of intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IVR) on metamorphopsia in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), and to assess the relationship between metamorphopsia and inner retinal microstructure and other factors. Thirty-three treatment-naïve eyes of 33 patients with macular edema caused by BRVO with at least 12 months of follow-up were included. The degree of metamorphopsia was quantified using the M-CHARTS. Retinal microstructure was assessed with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Disorganization of the retinal inner layers (DRIL) at the first month after resolution of the macular edema (early DRIL) and at 12 months after treatment (after DRIL) was studied. Central retinal thickness (CRT), and status of the external limiting membrane as well as ellipsoid zone were also evaluated. IVR treatment significantly improved best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and CRT, but the mean metamorphopsia score did not improve even after 12 months. Post-treatment metamorphopsia scores showed a significant correlation with pre-treatment metamorphopsia scores (P < 0.005), the extent of early DRIL (P < 0.05) and after DRIL (P < 0.05), and the number of injections (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the post-treatment mean metamorphopsia score was significantly correlated with the pre-treatment mean metamorphopsia score (P < 0.05). IVR treatment significantly improved BCVA and CRT, but not metamorphopsia. Post-treatment metamorphopsia scores were significantly associated with pre-treatment metamorphopsia scores, the extent of DRIL, and the number of injections. Prognostic factor of metamorphopsia was the degree of pre-treatment metamorphopsia.


Author(s):  
Gamze Akkus ◽  
Barış Karagun ◽  
Hilal Nur Yaldız ◽  
Mehtap Evran ◽  
Murat Sert ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectivesProlactinoma is the most common cause of pituitary tumours. Current medical guidelines recommend dopamine agonists (cabergoline or bromocriptine) as the initial therapy for prolactinoma. However, surgical removal can also be considered in selected cases, such as patients with macroadenomas with local complications (bleeding or optic chiasm pressure) or those not responding to medical treatment.MethodsThe present retrospective study included patients with prolactinomas (n=43; female, 24; male, 19) who were primarily managed with medical (n=32) or surgical (n=11) treatment.ResultsMacroadenoma (n=29.67%) was commonly detected in both genders (female, 54%; male, 84%). Moreover, the mean pre-treatment prolactin levels were similar in both genders (female, 683.3 ± 1347 ng/mL; male, 685.4 ± 805 ng/mL; p=0.226). Surgically treated patients had a greater reduction in tumour size (27.7 ± 17.9 mm pre-treatment vs. 8.72 ± 14.2 mm post-treatment) than non-surgically treated ones (12.5 ± 7.5 mm pre-treatment vs. 4.1 ± 4.2 mm post-treatment; p=0.00). However, the decrease in prolactin levels was similar between the two patient groups (p=0.108). During the follow-up period (10.6 ± 7.0 years), the average cabergoline dose of the patients was 1.42 ± 1.47 mcg/week.ConclusionsAlthough a surgical approach was considered for selected cases of prolactinoma, the average dose used for medical treatment was highly inadequate for the patients in the present study.


Author(s):  
Henriët van Middendorp ◽  
Anneleen Berende ◽  
Fidel J. Vos ◽  
Hadewych H. M. ter Hofstede ◽  
Bart Jan Kullberg ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction/Objective Expectancies about symptom improvement or deterioration are reliable predictors of symptom progression and treatment outcomes (symptom resolution or symptomatic improvement) in many (non-)pharmacological studies and treatments. This study examined predictors of symptom improvement after antimicrobial therapy for persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease, hypothesizing particularly pre-treatment expectancies regarding symptom improvement to be predictive. Methods A predictive study was performed on pre-treatment and post-treatment individual characteristics, including expectancies, and physical and mental health–related quality of life (HRQoL) from the PLEASE-trial comparing randomized 12-weeks of doxycycline, clarithromycin-hydroxychloroquine, or placebo following 2 weeks of intravenous ceftriaxone. At end-of-treatment (14 weeks after trial start) and follow-up (52 weeks), complete data of 231 and 170 (of initial 280) patients with persistent symptoms temporally related to a history of erythema migrans or otherwise confirmed symptomatic Lyme disease, or accompanied by B. burgdorferi IgG or IgM antibodies, were examined through hierarchical regression analyses. Results In addition to pre-treatment HRQoL, pre-treatment expectancies regarding symptom improvement were consistently associated with stronger physical and mental HRQoL improvements at both end-of-treatment and follow-up (95% CI range: .09;.54, p < .01 to .27;.92, p < .001). Post-treatment expectancies regarding having received antibiotics vs. placebo was associated with more HRQoL improvement at end-of-treatment, but not at follow-up (95% CI-range 1.00;4.75, p = .003 to −7.34; −2.22, p < .001). Conclusions The present study shows that, next to pre-treatment functioning, patients’ pre-treatment and post-treatment expectancies regarding improvement of persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease relate to a more beneficial symptom course. Expectancies of patients may be relevant to explain and potentially improve patient outcomes (e.g., by optimized communication about treatment success). Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01207739 (Registration date: 23–09-2010) Key Points• As there is currently no sufficient symptom resolution or symptomatic improvement for many patients with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease, it is relevant to know which factors determine symptom progression and predict heterogeneity in treatment response.• Next to pre-treatment functioning, expectancies regarding symptom improvement and having received antimicrobial study medication are associated with a more beneficial symptom course after both shorter-term and longer-term antimicrobial treatment.• Expectancies are relevant to consider in treatment studies and may be useful in clinical settings to improve symptom course and treatment outcome (e.g., by optimized communication about treatment success).


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (30) ◽  
pp. 271
Author(s):  
Dzidzinyo Kossi ◽  
Djagnikpo Akouete ◽  
Ayena Koffi Didier ◽  
Vonor Kokou ◽  
Maneh, Nidain ◽  
...  

Aim: To check the short-term tonometric results of SLT in the treatment of primary glaucoma at the open angle and in charge of ocular hypertonias in Togolese people. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out in an ophthalmology center. The first 130 eyes of 72 patients benefited from the SLT laser procedure. The tonometric controls work object focus on follow-up at 1, 3, and 6 months post laser treatment. Results: 130 eyes of 72 patients were collected. The average age of the patients was 49.74 years (± 17.45) and the ages vary between 10 and 85 years. The average IOP of the laser before the laser (J0) was (24.99 ± 8.41) mm Hg. The mean IOP at the post-laser control at 1 month was (18.79 ± 3.73) mm Hg. The average IOP for the post-laser control at 3 months was (18.44 ± 3.81) mm Hg. The mean IOP at the post-laser control at 6 months was (18.13 ± 3.63) mm Hg. The percentage reduction in intraocular pressure compared to IOP was pretreated from 20.2% to 1 month; 22.1% at 3 months; and 23.3% at 6 months. In 1 month, 49.2% of the eyes we treated showed a reduction in IOP of less than 20% compared to IOP pretreatment. After 3 months and 6 months, it was 55.4% higher. Also, 52.3% have a PIO reduction percentage which is greater than or equal to 20% compared to pre-treatment IOP. Discussion: Selective laser trabeculoplasty, most especially, is interesting in ocular hypertonies. Treatment of over 180 ° allows one patient out of two to have a pressure reduction that is greater than or equal to 20%. Conclusion: The SLT presents a significant advantage for our glaucomatous patients.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Adva Segal ◽  
Daniel S. Pine ◽  
Yair Bar-Haim

Abstract Background Previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggest that attention control therapy (ACT), targeting aberrant fluctuations of attention toward and away from threats in patients with PTSD, may be effective in reducing symptoms. The current RCT examined whether the use of personalized-trauma stimuli enhances ACT efficacy in patients with PTSD. Additional moderators of treatment outcome were tested on an exploratory basis. Methods Sixty patients with PTSD were randomly assigned to either personalized ACT, non-personalized ACT, or a control condition. Changes in symptoms were examined across pre-treatment, post-treatment, and a 3-month follow-up. Attentional interference was examined pre- and post-treatment. Baseline clinical and cognitive indices as well as the time elapsed since the trauma were tested as potential moderators of treatment outcome. Results A significant reduction in clinical symptoms was noted for all three conditions with no between-group differences. Attention bias variability decreased following ACT treatment. Personalized ACT was more effective relative to the control condition when less time had elapsed since the trauma. Baseline clinical and cognitive indices did not moderate treatment outcome. Conclusions In this RCT of patients with PTSD, ACT was no more effective in reducing PTSD symptoms than a control condition. The data also suggest a potential benefit of personalized ACT for patients who experienced their trauma more recently.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S37-S37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faisal S Ali ◽  
Hamzah Abu-Sbeih ◽  
Rashmi Samdani ◽  
Yinghong Wang

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Lima ◽  
Hanna McCabe-Bennett ◽  
Martin M. Antony

Background: The present study examined the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy for treating individuals with storm fears by comparing a one-session VR exposure treatment with a one-session progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and psychoeducation session. Aims: It was predicted that there would be a reduction in storm-related fear post-treatment for individuals in both conditions, but that this reduction would be greater for those in the VR exposure condition. It was predicted that improvements would be maintained at 30-day follow-up only for those in the VR exposure condition. Method: Thirty-six participants each received one of the two treatment conditions. Those in the PMR treatment group received approximately 30 minutes of PMR and approximately 15 minutes of psychoeducation regarding storms. Those in the VR treatment group received approximately 1 hour of VR exposure. Additionally, participants were asked to complete a pre-treatment and post-treatment 5-minute behavioural approach test to assess changes in storm fears. They were also asked to complete a measure assessing storm phobia. Results: There was a significant interaction between treatment group and self-reported fear at post-treatment, such that fear decreased for both groups, although the reduction was stronger in the VR group. Results also showed that reductions in storm fear were maintained at 30-day follow-up for both groups. Conclusions: Although this study used a small non-clinical sample, these results offer preliminary support for the use of VR exposure therapy in the treatment of storm-related fear.


1976 ◽  
Vol 129 (5) ◽  
pp. 486-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Smeraldi ◽  
L. Bellodi ◽  
E. Sacchetti ◽  
C. L. Cazzullo

SummaryA group of 33 schizophrenic patients were typed for HLA-SD antigens and their qualitative clinical responses to chlorpromazine therapy determined. A highly significant positive correlation was found between response to chlorpromazine and HLA-A1 positive, while HLA-A2 positive subjects showed a significant negative correlation to chlorpromazine treatment.In a second group of 17 patients the clinical responses to chlorpromazine were evaluated quantitatively, by WPRS, in HLA-A1 positive and HLA-A1 negative patients. There were no pre-treatment differences in the scores. After treatment the scores of positive patients were significantly lower, indicating that they responded to a greater degree.Since the frequency of HLA-A1 in hebephrenic patients is higher than that in other schizophrenics this may explain our earlier finding that hebephrenics, as a group, respond better to chlorpromazine than do other schizophrenics.


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