Search

Cervical dystonia (CD) is a movement disorder which causes sustained muscle contractions in the neck leading to abnormal postures and repetitive movements. As it is a highly visible condition, people with CD can experience stigma, which may lead to unhelpful coping strategies and increased psychological distress. This study investigated whether adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies mediate the relationship between stigma and psychological outcomes in people with CD. A total of 114 adults with CD completed measures of stigma, coping, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress), and psychological wellbeing at one time point. Participants' levels of distress were high, compared to the general population. Correlational analyses showed increased stigma and maladaptive coping (e.g. substance use, behavioural disengagement) were both significantly related to increased distress, lower wellbeing and lower HRQOL, whereas higher adaptive coping (e.g. acceptance, humour) was only related to higher wellbeing. In a parallel mediation model, maladaptive coping strategies mediated the relationship between stigma and distress, HRQOL and wellbeing, but adaptive coping strategies did not. These findings suggest that maladaptive coping may play an important role in explaining the relationship between stigma and some aspects of distress and wellbeing in CD. Interventions which focus on reducing different aspects of maladaptive coping may be helpful to improve wellbeing as well as reducing stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveMethodsResultsConclusionThis systematic review and meta-ethnography aimed to examine how children, adults and families cope with Tourette’s syndrome (TS).A systematic search of four databases was completed in October 2022. Sixteen papers met the inclusion criteria and were synthesised using Noblit and Hare’s (1988) meta-ethnographic approach.Three themes were constructed: redefining the self and social identity, controlling the visible presentation of Tourette’s syndrome, and challenging the narrative.Findings indicate that coping involves the need to integrate TS with identity, to exert control over tics and to challenge the misrepresentations of TS in wider society. A supportive environment provided by parents and friends enables individuals to feel proud that they can control their tics, and this allows for the positive integration of TS into identity. Raising awareness at a societal level through educational campaigns is important when aiming to improve coping with a stigmatised condition. Further research is recommended, for example, to understand how common co-occurring conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, impact coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) is a form of positive psychological change that occurs for some individuals following traumatic experiences. High levels of PTG have been reported among survivors of acquired brain injury (ABI). Yet it remains unclear why some survivors of ABI develop PTG and others do not. The present study investigated early and late factors that are associated with long-term PTG in people with moderate to severe ABIs. Participants (n = 32, Mage = 50.59, SD = 12.28) completed self-report outcome measures at two time-points seven years apart (one-year and eight-years post-ABI). Outcome measures assessed emotional distress, coping, quality of life and ongoing symptoms of brain injury, as well as PTG at the later timepoint. Multiple regression analyses indicated that one-year post-ABI, fewer symptoms of depression, more symptoms of anxiety, and use of adaptive coping strategies accounted for a significant amount of variance in later PTG. At eight years post-ABI, fewer symptoms of depression, fewer ongoing symptoms of brain injury, better psychological quality of life and use of adaptive coping strategies explained a substantial amount of variance in PTG. For individuals with ABIs, PTG may be promoted by implementing long-term neuropsychological support which aims to facilitate use of adaptive coping strategies, supports psychological wellbeing and allows individuals to find meaning post-ABI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive difficulties are reported in up to 60% of people with MS (pwMS). There is often a discrepancy between self‐reported cognitive difficulties and performance on cognitive assessments. Some of this discrepancy can be explained by depression and fatigue. Pre‐MS cognitive abilities may be another important variable in explaining differences between self‐reported and assessed cognitive abilities. PwMS with high estimated premorbid cognitive functioning (ePCF) may notice cognitive difficulties in daily life whilst performing within the average range on cognitive assessments. We hypothesised that, taking into account depression and fatigue, ePCF would predict (1) differences between self‐reported and assessed cognitive abilities and (2) performance on cognitive assessments. We explored whether ePCF predicted (3) self‐reported cognitive difficulties. Eighty‐seven pwMS completed the Test of Premorbid Functioning (TOPF), the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS), self‐report measures of cognitive difficulty (MS Neuropsychological Questionnaire; MSNQ), fatigue (MS Fatigue Impact Scale; MFIS) and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS). Results revealed that, taking into account covariates, ePCF predicted (1) differences between self‐reported and assessed cognitive abilities, p <.001 (model explained 29.35% of variance), and (2) performance on cognitive assessments, p <.001 (model explained 46.00% of variance), but not (3) self‐reported cognitive difficulties, p =.545 (model explained 35.10% of variance). These results provide new and unique insights into predictors of the frequently observed discrepancy between self‐reported and assessed cognitive abilities for pwMS. These findings have important implications for clinical practice, including the importance of exploring premorbid factors in self‐reported experience of cognitive difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence points to a spectrum of non-motor symptoms, including cognitive difficulties that have a greater impact on functional outcomes and quality of life than motor symptoms in cervical dystonia (CD). Some cognitive impairments have been reported; however, findings are inconsistent, and described across mixed groups of dystonia. The current review aimed to examine the evidence for cognitive impairments in CD. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO and Web of Science databases were searched. Studies were included if they met the following criteria (i) cross-sectional or longitudinal studies of adults with CD, (ii) where the results of standardised measures of cognitive or neuropsychological function in any form were assessed and reported, (iii) results compared to a control group or normative data, and (iv) were published in English. Results are presented in a narrative synthesis. Twenty studies were included. Subtle difficulties with general intellectual functioning, processing speed, verbal memory, visual memory, visuospatial function, executive function, and social cognition were identified while language, and attention and working memory appear to be relatively spared. Several methodological limitations were identified that should be considered when interpreting the evidence to describe a specific profile of cognitive impairment in CD. Clinical and research implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Impairments in speech and social cognition have been reported in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), although their relationships with neuropsychological outcomes and their clinical utility in MS are unclear. Objectives: To evaluate word finding, prosody and social cognition in pwMS relative to healthy controls (HC). Methods: We recruited people with relapsing MS (RMS, n = 21), progressive MS (PMS, n = 24) and HC (n = 25) from an outpatient MS clinic. Participants completed a battery of word‐finding, social cognitive, neuropsychological and clinical assessments and performed a speech task for prosodic analysis. Results: Of 45 pwMS, mean (SD) age was 49.4 (9.4) years, and median (range) Expanded Disability Severity Scale score was 3.5 (1.0–6.5). Compared with HC, pwMS were older and had slower information processing speed (measured with the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, SDMT) and higher depression scores. Most speech and social cognitive measures were associated with information processing speed but not with depression. Unlike speech, social cognition consistently correlated with intelligence and memory. Visual naming test mean response time (VNT‐MRT) demonstrated worse outcomes in MS versus HC (p =.034, Nagelkerke's R2 = 65.0%), and in PMS versus RMS (p =.009, Nagelkerke's R2 = 50.2%). Rapid automatised object naming demonstrated worse outcomes in MS versus HC (p =.014, Nagelkerke's R2 = 49.1%). These word‐finding measures showed larger effect sizes than that of the SDMT (MS vs. HC, p =.010, Nagelkerke's R2 = 40.6%; PMS vs. RMS, p =.023, Nagelkerke's R2 = 43.5%). Prosody and social cognition did not differ between MS and HC. Conclusions: Word finding, prosody and social cognition in MS are associated with information processing speed and largely independent of mood. Impairment in visual object meaning perception is potentially a unique MS disease‐related deficit that could be further explored and cautiously considered as an adjunct disability metric for MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the predictive ability of the Common-Sense Model to explain psychological outcomes in cervical dystonia, a movement disorder that affects the muscles of the head and neck. Illness Perceptions Questionnaire-Revised, brief COPE, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Cervical Dystonia Impact Profile and the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory were completed by 118 people with cervical dystonia. Correlations and hierarchical multiple regression models were conducted. Illness perceptions and coping strategies explained 59% of variance in anxiety, 61% of variance in depression and health-related quality of life and 19% of variance in post-traumatic growth. Illness perceptions and coping strategies are significant factors to consider in terms of psychological adjustment and outcomes in cervical dystonia. Psychological interventions targeting illness perceptions and coping strategies may be beneficial in improving psychological outcomes for people with cervical dystonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the experience of living with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) in individuals who report higher or lower posttraumatic growth (PTG). A multi-method design was employed. Participant scores on the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) were used to identify groups for qualitative comparative analysis. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen individuals with ABI. Data were analysed thematically. Four themes emerged. The first two themes: "In my mind I was fine" surviving in aftermath of acquiring a brain injury and The everyday as "derailing" capture the transition process from an initial rehabilitation state characterised by neuropsychological and avoidance coping, towards active rebuilding for PTG. Internal building blocks for PTG and Growing in the social world: "you need to have that social connection" elaborate on the internal (e.g., acceptance, integration of the pre and post-injury self) and external (e.g., social relationships) factors seen to facilitate or obstruct PTG. Under certain conditions, individuals living with ABI may construe positive growth from their experiences. Practitioners can support PTG development by providing individual and family-based supports aimed at increasing acceptance, the integration of self, and social connection throughout all stages of ABI rehabilitation. Internal factors such as having a flexible and positive mindset and external factors such as one's social environment can affect how individuals living with an ABI construe positive growth. Individuals with ABI and their families require access to individualised longitudinal support for neuropsychological and social challenges that can result in increased distress and obstruct the development of PTG. Efforts to facilitate acceptance and support the integration of the pre and post-injury self through recognition of continuity of self and processing of new schematic beliefs can benefit PTG development. Rehabilitation providers should support individuals with ABI to develop or maintain a positive social identity within new or existing social groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]