Search

Aim: This paper reports associations among socio‐demographic variables, stressor experience, self‐efficacy and life satisfaction among Norwegian adolescents aged 15–21 years and the potential moderating role of self‐efficacy on the association between stressor experience and life satisfaction. Methods: The cross‐sectional school‐based survey study involved 1816 upper‐secondary school students from Mid‐Norway. Data were analysed with independent samples t test, Pearson's product moment correlation and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: Bivariate results showed that boys scored higher than girls on life satisfaction and self‐efficacy, whereas girls scored higher than boys on all stressor domains. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that life satisfaction declined weakly with age, whereas stronger family economy and having parents who work full‐time associated with higher life satisfaction. Stress with teacher interaction, peer pressure, home life, school attendance, school–leisure conflict and school performance were all negatively associated with life satisfaction, whereas self‐efficacy associated positively and strongly with life satisfaction. Self‐efficacy moderated the association between both interpersonal and school‐related stressors and life satisfaction. Conclusion: The results provide support for the unique role of stressor experience and self‐efficacy in association with adolescents' life satisfaction as well as self‐efficacy as a stress moderator in relation to life satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a survey to investigate parents' satisfaction with neonatal wards in a population of parents of children with a gestation age of ≥24 weeks to 3 months after full-term birth. Method We explored the literature and conducted three focus groups: two with expert health personnel and one with parents. We tested the survey in a parent population ( N = 105) and report the different stages in the validation process along with the full survey, the Neonatal Satisfaction Survey - 13 categories ( NSS-13). Results We found 13 subcategories in the Neonatal Satisfaction Survey. The subcategories measure parents' satisfaction with neonatal units based on staff, admission, nurses, anxiety, siblings (parents' perceptions of caring for the siblings of the newborn), information, timeout, doctors, facilities, nutrition, preparation for discharge, trust and visitors. Each subcategory showed acceptable internal consistency. The full version of the Neonatal Satisfaction Survey presents 69 items, and each subcategory contains two to eleven items. Conclusion The Neonatal Satisfaction Survey seems suitable to measure parents' satisfaction with neonatal units and can be used in full, but it can also measure subcategories. Parents' satisfaction with neonatal units can be used to improve the quality in such wards. We consider this study as the first in a series to validate the NSS-13. The full survey with subcategories is presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to study: (1) the prevalence of flight anxiety among Norwegian airline passengers; (2) situations that may be of concern during flights and situations not related to flying; (3) whether passengers feel more afraid after the terror act of September 11, 2001; and (4) whether passengers were more afraid in 2002 than in 1986.A questionnaire was distributed during domestic flights in Norway in 1986 and 2002. To asses flight anxiety, a six point scale was used, from 0 = not afraid at all, to 5 = always very afraid, and sometimes avoid flying because of that. A 10-cm visual analogue scale ( VAS) was used to measure the degree of anxiety. There were 50.8% who were not afraid at all. There were 12 women (5.2%) and one man (0.4%) with flight phobia. However, 22 (4.5%) had cancelled flights because of anxiety during the last two years. Situations that caused most concern during flights were turbulence and fear of terrorism and highjacking. After September 11, 48% were not more afraid, 38% a little more, 10% moderately, 3% rather much and 2% very much. The passengers, however, were not more afraid of flying in 2002 than in 1986. About 3% of Norwegian airline passengers have a flight phobia. Women are significantly more concerned than men. The impact of the terror act September 11, 2001 was rather moderate. The level of flight anxiety among Norwegian airline passengers was not significantly different in 2002 and 1986. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the prevalence of multiple symptoms and the relationships between future expectations and multiple symptoms in a cross-sectional study of 100 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A questionnaire was used to examine the patients' symptoms of breathlessness, anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, fatigue, and pain, and their outlook for the future. All patients reported breathlessness, 64% anxiety, 69% depression, 28% sleeplessness, 72% fatigue, and 45% pain. Those with anxiety reported significant depression ( P < 0.001), and those with fatigue reported significant depression ( P = 0.004). Patients who reported pain also reported significant sleeplessness ( P = 0.022). A negative outlook for the future was reported by 42% of patients who also reported significantly more anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, fatigue, and pain ( P ≤ 0.049). Multiple symptoms are common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and patients with a pessimistic view of the future reported more symptoms. Those with multiple symptoms and a negative outlook toward the future may benefit from interventions to help them achieve a more positive outlook for the future, which may relieve symptom burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to investigate whether psychosocial functioning in adulthood (e.g., friends support, cohabitation, community connectedness and work satisfaction) could be predicted by mental health, subjective well-being, social relations and behavior problems in adolescence, and whether gender was a moderator in these associations. Data were obtained from a major population-based Norwegian study, the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study ( HUNT), in which 517 men and 819 women completed an extensive self-report questionnaires at baseline (mean age 14.4 years) and at follow-up (mean age 26.9 years). Community connectedness as well as work satisfaction were predicted by subjective well-being. Cohabitation was predicted by male gender and frequency of meeting friends in adolescence, and friends support was predicted by frequency of meeting friends. Gender had a minor effect as a moderator. Frequency of meeting friends and subjective well-being seemed to be the strongest adolescent predictors of psychosocial functioning in young adulthood. These findings may have implications both for prevention and intervention in adolescence, as well as for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moksnes, U. K. & Espnes, G. A. (2012). Self-esteem and emotional health in adolescents - gender and age as a potential moderators. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 483-489. The present paper investigates possible gender and age differences on emotional states (depression and anxiety) and self-esteem as well as the association between self-esteem and emotional states. The cross-sectional sectional sample consists of 1,209 adolescents 13-18 years from public elementary and secondary schools in mid-Norway. The results showed that girls reported higher scores on state anxiety and state depression, whereas boys consistently scored higher on self-esteem in all age groups. Self-esteem was strongly and inversely associated with both state depression and state anxiety. An interaction effect of gender by self-esteem was found on state depression, where the association was stronger for girls than for boys. The associations found give support for the positive role of self-esteem in relation to adolescents' emotional health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This paper aims to study long-term bone mineral development in former patients with an onset of anorexia nervosa during childhood and adolescence. Methods Bone mineral density (BMD) in lumbar spine and total hip was measured in 39 female participants (mean age = 23.1 years, SD 3.5) an average of 8.1 (±3.3) years after treatment start. Results At follow-up, seven participants (17.9%) still suffered from an eating disorder. Mean BMD in the former patients was within the normal range in the hip but significantly reduced in the spine. Fourteen (36%) of the participants had osteopenia, and three (8%) had osteoporosis in the spine and/or hip. Amenorrhea for more than two years was associated with reduced BMD in the spine, whereas low weight at follow-up was associated with low BMD in both the spine and the hip. Conclusion A large minority of these former patients had low bone mass in young adulthood. In accordance with other studies, our findings support the importance of weight restoration for future bone health in young patients with anorexia nervosa. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a major problem for mental health. Empirical studies and clinical observations have shown that the symptoms of depression occur across four main domains-emotional, cognitive, somatic and interpersonal. However, commonly used depression assessment scales fail to address the evaluation of interpersonal symptoms, as summarized in this paper. Therefore, a new depression assessment scale, which aimed to evaluate all four domains of depressive symptomatology, was developed. In an initial analysis, a pilot 85-item questionnaire containing possible depressive symptoms was distributed for evaluation to experts from different mental health professions, from which 52 items were subsequently selected for the new multidimensional depression assessment scale. One hundred community participants completed the questionnaire along with the Beck Depression Inventory-II. The results indicated that the new depression scale had good psychometric properties. It was found to be reliable and valid for the assessment of depression severity and symptomatology, though it is emphasized that these data are only preliminary and based on a relatively healthy sample. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although some attempts are being made to increase children's participation in Norwegian child protection cases, much needs to be done in order to comply with the participation principle in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This paper reports on a study of factors that are likely to predict if social workers will attempt to give children an effective voice in decision making processes. 53 child protection case managers and 33 social work students participated in a questionnaire survey in which they were asked to agree or disagree with 20 statements about child participation. Statistical factor analysis was used in order to identify underlying factors in the dataset. The results suggest three main reasons for children not being allowed to participate: communication difficulties (communication factor); because child participation was not deemed necessary (participation advocacy factor); or that participation was considered inappropriate because it might be harmful (protectionism factor). This research suggests that, if we are to improve participation within the child protection system, formal regulations and guidelines need to be accompanied by a greater attention to development of social work skills in working with children through participatory processes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]