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Objective: Positive mood on the day of vaccination has been associated with subsequent antibody responses to the influenza vaccine in older adults. The primary aim of this trial was to examine whether a brief intervention was able to enhance positive mood at the time of vaccination in a clinical context. Secondary aims included exploratory analyses of the effects of the intervention on nonspecific and influenza-specific immunity. Method: One hundred three older adults (65–85 years) participated in a 2-arm, parallel, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Participants viewed either a 15-min video package designed to induce positive mood or a matched neutral control video, immediately prior to receiving a standard dose quadrivalent influenza vaccination. State affect and secretory immunoglobulin A levels were assessed immediately prior to, and following, the interventions. Antigen-specific immunoglobulin G responses to the vaccination were assessed at 4 and 16 weeks postvaccination. Results: The positive mood intervention resulted in significant improvements in state positive affect, compared with the neutral control. Secretory immunoglobulin A levels significantly increased across both groups. Antigen-specific immunoglobulin G responses to influenza vaccination were not statistically significantly different between groups, although point estimates of effect size favored participants who viewed the positive mood intervention for most strains at both 4 and 16 weeks postvaccination. Conclusions: A 15-min intervention can improve positive mood in older adults prior to vaccination. Future trials should examine whether enhancing mood at the time of vaccination could enhance the effectiveness of influenza vaccination on patients and benefit health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affiliate stigma negatively predicts social support, and positively predicts psychological distress, in caregivers of children with ASD. Whether the affiliate stigma-distress relationship occurs indirectly via social support however has not been explored. A correlational design was used. A sample of n = 124 caregivers of children with ASD completed an online survey assessing affiliate stigma, perceived support from family, friends and significant others, and perceived stress. The relationship between greater affiliate stigma and increased perceived stress occurred indirectly via lower perceived support from family, but not from friends or significant others. These findings underscore the importance of increasing caregivers' perceived family support. Whether interventions that alleviate affiliate stigma are beneficial for reducing perceived stress, and whether this effect is mediated by increased perceived availability of support, might be the subject of future research. • Affiliate stigma positively predicted perceived stress. • Perceived stress was negatively related to support from family, friends, and significant others. • Affiliate stigma predicted perceived stress indirectly via family support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Psychological distress in caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been shown to vary according to characteristics of the care recipient, especially their behaviour problems. Trait emotional intelligence (TEI), which has been linked with subjective reports of distress in familial caregivers, has also been shown to predict behaviour problems in the care recipient. This study is, we believe, first to examine whether TEI might moderate the effect of child behaviour problems (CBP) on caregivers’ psychological functioning. Method A sample of 118 parents of children with clinically verified ASD was asked to complete an online survey assessing: (a) TEI, (b) CBP and (c) perceived stress scores (PSS). The SPSS PROCESS macro (model 1) with bootstrapping was used to determine whether CBP, though its interaction with TEI, might predict caregivers’ PSS. Results Data yielded a direct relationship between CBP and TEI, and caregivers’ PSS; however, no interaction effect was observed. These data reflect the fact that caregivers of children with more behaviour problems are at greater risk for psychological distress, as are caregivers with lower TEI. The relationship between CBP and PSS, however, was not differentially affected by caregivers’ TEI. Conclusions These findings, which implicate lower TEI and greater CBP as risk factors for psychological maladjustment in caregivers of children with ASD, might inform the design and delivery of tailored stress management interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coping and child behaviour problems (CBP) predict psychological distress in caregivers of children with autism. Whether CBP mediate the relationship between coping and caregivers’ psychological functioning has yet to be determined. This was the aim of the current study. A sample of 56 caregivers of children with autism completed an electronic survey assessing perceived stress, disengaged and problem focused coping, and CBP. Disengaged and problem focused coping predicted both CBP and perceived stress, albeit in different directions. CBP was also predictive of perceived stress. Data revealed an indirect effect of both disengaged and problem focused coping on perceived stress through CBP. In conclusion, caregivers who use more disengaged coping might be less effective at managing the problematic behaviours of the child with autism, thus resulting in poorer psychological functioning. Conversely, caregivers who use more problem focused strategies might, due to fewer CBP, be relatively protected against the psychological sequelae associated with the caregiving experience. Whether interventions that enhance problem focused coping have adaptive effects for caregivers’ psychological functioning, and whether these effects are mediated by fewer CBP might be the focus of subsequent research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The stress hormone cortisol is the end product of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, and the cortisol awakening response (CAR) refers to the rapid rise in cortisol levels observed immediately following awakening. During the CAR period, cortisol levels typically increase by 38%–75%, peaking approximately 30 min after awakening. Evidence suggests the function of the CAR may be related to arousal, energy boost and/or anticipation, although its precise function is still unknown. The CAR has been investigated in a range of clinical populations including the assessment of daytime dysfunction in insomnia; however little research, if any, has specifically examined its relation to sleep architecture, or night-time difficulties associated with insomnia. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the CAR, a description of the factors which can affect it, and to outline the CAR in relation to the ‘3P’ model of insomnia. This review concludes with a description of a standard protocol for measurement of the CAR, which can be adapted and applied within sleep medicine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]