Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Some thoughts on:


Health Psychology, Volume 39, Issue 7 (Jul 2020)

Below are some thoughts that came to me as a read through this current journal.  I tend to first reflect on how the results of research relate to basic psychological principles and secondarily what it means to my main interest and treatment work.  

Low back pain, mental health symptoms, and quality of life among injured service members.
Pages 549-557. Watrous, Jessica R.; McCabe, Cameron T.; Jones, Gretchen; Farrokhi, Shawn; Mazzone, Brittney; Clouser, Mary C.; Galarneau, Michael R. 
https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000850

The outcomes of this study are consistent with John Sarno’s work and theories on tension myositis syndrome (TMS); pain driven by unconscious emotional issues, specifically anger.  While Sarno’s thoughts are controversial for some, his work does contribute to the psychology of pain and pain management strategies that are important for some SUD clients.

Parental behavior and child distress and pain during pediatric medical procedures: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Pages 558-572. Sobol-Kwapińska, Małgorzata; Sobol, Marek; Woźnica-Niesobska, Ewa. 
https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000864

This article highlights the effect that parental distress and response have on child experience of pain.  While not directly related, it suggests the high level of sensitivity to parental response in children to include adolescents and the potential benefits of paying attention to parental responses and behaviors and seeking adolescent perspectives on those behaviors.  Parents would likely benefit from reframing in terms of CRAFT guidance. 

Pain resilience and catastrophizing combine to predict functional restoration program outcomes.
Pages 573-579. France, Christopher R.; Ysidron, Dominic W.; Slepian, P. Maxwell; French, Douglas J.; Evans, R. Thomas. 
https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000877

In line with psychological contributions to the experience of pain, this article reinforces the role that a history of resilience has to managing pain.  In broader psychological findings, resilience is in part a learned response and so a series of relapses and retreatments in the face of adversity could be considered learned behavior.  In these cases, education on the process as well as training in resilience skills may positively impact outcome. 

Anxiety prevalence in lymphoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Pages 580-588. Vargas-Román, Keyla; Díaz-Rodríguez, C. Lourdes; Cañadas-De la Fuente, Guillermo A.; Gómez-Urquiza, José Luis; Ariza, Tania; De la Fuente-Solana, E. Inmaculada. 
https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000869

Like recovery from serious medical problems like cancers, anxieties can be high in early recovery as a result of the unresolved psychosocial damage that was done.  Focus on helping those in early recovery to manage through these difficulties is important as impulsive reactions to related incidents and reminders can trigger relapse. 

Spirituality and depressive symptoms in a multiethnic sample of cancer survivors.
Pages 589-599. Bamishigbin Jr., Olajide N.; Stein, Kevin D.; Leach, Corinne R.; Stanton, Annette L. 
https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000878

The role that spirituality can play in one’s mental health is not a new concept in the SUD field.  While this is the case, this article emphasizes the role that integrating trauma (cancer) into one’s life story in a meaningful way allows one to move forward.  I think this need to integrate, not avoid, ignore or seek to block, is sometimes lost in the treatment of trauma to include the trauma brought on by SUD.  

Reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and indoor tanning: A meta-analysis.
Pages 600-616. Sheeran, Paschal; Goldstein, Adam O.; Abraham, Charles; Eaker, Kelsey; Wright, Charles E.; Villegas, Megan E.; Jones, Katelyn; Avishai, Aya; Miles, Eleanor; Gates, Kathleen M.; Noar, Seth M. 
https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000863

Just a reminder that harm reduction is not a new phenomenon in medicine in general and it’s about time that we caught on to the important role that it plays in the treatment and recovery from SUDs. 

Effects of parental HIV on telomere length among children in rural China.
Pages 617-621. Li, Xiaoming; Jiang, Yanping; Qiao, Shan; Gu, Huang; Zhao, Junfeng. 
https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000872

This raises the perennial biology/psychology question and the important role that family history plays in later, to include adult outcomes.  Is this shortened telomere length the direct result of biology, or the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) of being orphaned?      

Measuring engagement in HIV care: Measurement invariance in three racial/ethnic patient groups.
Pages 622-631. Sauceda, John A.; Lisha, Nadra E.; Dilworth, Samantha E.; Johnson, Mallory O.; Christopoulos, Katerina A.; Wood, Troy; Koester, Kimberly A.; Mathews, W. Christopher; Moore, Richard D.; Napravnik, Sonia; Mayer, Kenneth H.; Crane, Heidi M.; Fredericksen, Rob J.; Mugavero, Michael J.; Neilands, Torsten B. 
https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000865

Just emphasizes the important role of engagement, the working alliance, etc. play in treatment outcomes.  Everything hinges upon it.  


No comments: