Comparison of the Cardiovascular Effects of Extreme Psychological and Physical Stress Tests in Male Soccer Players

Background: The purpose of our study was to compare the physiological effects of extreme physical and psychological stress tests in male soccer players, since these two types of stress apply to athletes with high performance requirements. Methods: A total of 63 healthy male soccer players participated in this study, all of whom underwent both of the tests. A physical stress test was carried out in an exercise physiology laboratory, where subjects completed an incremental treadmill running test to full exhaustion, and a psychological test was performed in a military tactical room, where subjects met a street offence situation. Heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure (BP) were recorded directly before, immediately after, and 30 min after the stress tests. Results: The majority of HRV indices changed significantly in both stress protocols. Inverse, significant changes (positive for the physical test, negative for the psychological test, p < 0.001) were found when comparing the alterations of HRV indices between the tests. Significant differences were found in the changes in systolic (p = 0.003) and diastolic (p < 0.001) BP between the test protocols, and also between the baseline and post-test measurements (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Both HRV and BP are sensitive physiological parameters to measure the impact of extreme physical and/or psychological stress

Instrumentos utilizados na avaliação psicológica no tratamento da obesidade: revisão integrativa

Os instrumentos utilizados na avaliação psicológica no tratamento clínico ou cirúrgico da obesidade tem grande relevância no resultado e processo da avaliação. Identificar personalidade, ansiedade, depressão e compulsão alimentar é fundamental, pois são fatores que podem afetar diretamente na manutenção do peso e adesão ao tratamento. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar a literatura científica sobre instrumentos utilizados na avaliação psicológica da pessoa obesa. Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa realizada nas bases de dados: BVS, Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), da National Library, com os seguintes descritores controlados: "psychometrics”, "psychological test", “Psychological Assessment”, "psychologist", "obesity", "overweight" e o descritor não controlado "psychological assessment” e os operadores booleanos “OR” e “AND”. Ao final das buscas, 14 publicações atenderam aos critérios de análise e foram selecionadas para o estudo. Diante dos estudos selecionados, encontramos 52 ferramentas utilizadas na avaliação, dentre eles, os mais utilizados nos programas de perda de peso foram respectivamente o Beck Depression Inventory – BDI (Inventário de Depressão de Beck); o Binge Eating Scale - BES (Escala de Compulsão Alimentar Periódica - TCAP); e a Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão – HADS. Essa pesquisa nos dá evidências importantes para elaboração instrumentos específicos do tratamento da obesidade no Brasil.

Exploring Emotion Recognition Patterns Among Iranian People Using CANTAB as an Approved Neuro-Psychological Assessment

Background: Emotion Recognition is the main component of social cognition and has various patterns in different cultures and nationalities. The present study aimed to investigate emotion recognition patterns among Iranians using the Cambridge Neuro-Psychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) as a valid neuropsychological test. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 117 males and females (Mage = 32.1, SD = 6.4) were initially assessed by computerised intelligence and progressive matrices of RAVEN-2. Furthermore, the excitement recognition subtest taken from the Cambridge Neuro-Psychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) was performed. The correct response of participants to each of the six basic emotions as well as the recognition time was used for analysis. Results: The maximum correct responses rate was 75.83% related to happy emotion. The correct responses for sadness, surprise, disgust, anger and fear were 70%, 68.48%, 47.84%, 42.54% and 38.26%, respectively. Moreover, the shortest recognition time was related to disgust with 322ms, while sadness with mean response time 1800ms and fear response time with 1529ms indicated the longest recognition time. In addition, participants recognised happiness with mean response time in 1264ms better than other emotions; however, post-hoc t-test analyses showed that only the correct responses for sadness and surprised emotions did not differ significantly, (t (112) = -.59, p = .55, d = .05). These results suggested that different emotions have various correct responses. However, sadness and surprised did not differ. Conclusions: The findings of this study could be beneficial for evaluating cognitive elements, as well as cognitive abilities and inabilities among the Iranian population. Moreover, the findings could be used for investigating social cognition in this population.

Interpretation strategy for the MMPI-2 protocol – a case study of a patient with bipolar disorder during remission of hypomanic symptoms

The paper presents an exemplary strategy for interpreting MMPI-2 data. Due to the multitude of diagnostic tools, the complex nature of the questionnaire and the time-consuming analysis of the data obtained, all examples of interpretation may be helpful for a psychologist. Polish reports supporting the broad interpretation of the MMPI-2 are sparse. The presented case study illustrates an interpretative path replicable in any clinical psychological practice. The article is based on the official guidelines of the Psychological Test Laboratory of the Polish Psychological Association. They were developed by Marek Matkowski and Tomasz Kucharski, specialists dealing with the discussed tool, and represent individual diagnostic recommendations created under the supervision of experienced clinicians and a one-time consultation with MSc Andrzej Janiak. Respecting the original copyrights belonging to the Psychological Test Laboratory of the Polish Psychological Association in Poland, I recommend purchasing only official and authorised materials in the above-mentioned Laboratory and familiarising with its official position on the diagnostic path in MMPI-2.

KESIAPAN SEKOLAH DI TINJAU DARI USIA DAN KECERDASAN DI SD MUHAMMADIYAH KABUPATEN ROKAN HULU RIAU

School readiness is essential for children because children ready to enter elementary school will benefit and progress further than those not prepared to enter elementary school. Kustimah (2008) stated that the factors that influence children's readiness to enter elementary school include age and level of intelligence. Age factors can affect thinking and work. A person's mindset and grasping power are also influenced by age. The older a person gets, the more his grasping ability and attitude will develop and, of course, affect the knowledge he gains. This study is a quantitative study that aims to determine the effect between age and intelligence of early childhood on their readiness to enter elementary school by using psychological test tools Nijmeegse Schoolbekwaamheids Test (NST) and Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM). Studies conducted this research at Muhammadiyah Elementary School, Rokan Hulu Regency, Riau Province. From 85 respondents, using the ordinal regression model, the results were 0.998, 0.998, 0.278, and 0.887; this shows that age and intelligence have no significant effect on children's readiness to enter school.