Body, Mind & Spirit Articles and Latest News

Baby Massage Ameliorates Neonatal Jaundice in Full-Term Newborn Infants.

Tohoku J Exp Med. 2011;223(2):97-102

Authors: Chen J, Sadakata M, Ishida M, Sekizuka N, Sayama M

Neonatal jaundice is a common physiological problem affecting over half of all full term and most preterm infants. Thus, newborn infants must be monitored for signs of hyperbilirubinemia to prevent acute bilirubin encephalopathy or kernicterus. Evidence exists supporting the benefits of baby massage as a form of mild hand to skin contact, to increase neonatal physical and mental development. In the present study, the effects of gentle baby massage on neonatal jaundice in full term newborn infants were evaluated by a controlled clinical trial. The inclusion criteria of newborn neonates were as follows: (1) gestational age of 37 ~ 41 weeks, (2) birth weight of 2,800 ~ 3,600 g, (3) Apgar score at birth of 8 ~ 10, and (4) being a healthy neonate without neonatal asphyxia and hemolytic condition. Breastfed newborns without phototherapy were included: 20 in the massage group and 22 in the control group. We found the mean stool frequency of the massaged infants on day 1 and day 2 (4.6 and 4.3) was significantly higher than that of the control group (3.3 and 2.6) (p < 0.05). The transcutaneous bilirubin levels on the second to fifth day and serum total bilirubin levels on fourth day were significantly decreased in the massage group, compared to the control group. In conclusion, baby massage at an early stage after birth could reduce neonatal bilirubin levels. We suggest baby massage is beneficial for ameliorating neonatal jaundice.

PMID: 21263210 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

[Read more →]

Reducing suicides through an alliance against depression?

Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2010 Sep-Oct;32(5):514-8

Authors: Hübner-Liebermann B, Neuner T, Hegerl U, Hajak G, Spiessl H

Since 2003, the Regensburg Alliance Against Depression, the regional partner of the German Alliance Against Depression, has been conducting a four-level intervention program to improve early detection and treatment of patients with depression, which was successfully piloted in the framework of the German Research Network on Depression and Suicidality.

PMID: 20851273 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Read more →]

Use of animal-assisted therapy with psychiatric patients.

J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2010 Nov;48(11):44-8

Authors: Rossetti J, King C

The use of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) as an adjunct treatment approach in psychiatric settings has received much attention in the literature. This article explores the use of AAT with psychiatric patients. The authors performed a literature review and found that AAT can have a significant effect on the improvement of psychiatric patients’ socialization and provides a variety of psychological benefits. Nurses can benefit from learning about the potential benefits of AAT for psychiatric patients.

PMID: 20873700 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Read more →]

Posttraumatic stress symptoms among National Guard soldiers deployed to Iraq: associations with parenting behaviors and couple adjustment.

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Oct;78(5):599-610

Authors: Gewirtz AH, Polusny MA, DeGarmo DS, Khaylis A, Erbes CR

In this article, we report findings from a 1-year longitudinal study examining the impact of change in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following combat deployment on National Guard soldiers’ perceived parenting and couple adjustment 1 year following return from Iraq.

PMID: 20873896 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Read more →]

Longitudinal analyses of family functioning in veterans and their partners across treatment.

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Oct;78(5):611-22

Authors: Evans L, Cowlishaw S, Forbes D, Parslow R, Lewis V

This study evaluated the relations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and poor family functioning in veterans and their partners.

PMID: 20873897 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Read more →]

Coping and parenting: Mediators of 12-month outcomes of a family group cognitive-behavioral preventive intervention with families of depressed parents.

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Oct;78(5):623-34

Authors: Compas BE, Champion JE, Forehand R, Cole DA, Reeslund KL, Fear J, Hardcastle EJ, Keller G, Rakow A, Garai E, Merchant MJ, Roberts L

In a randomized clinical trial with 111 families of parents with a history of major depressive disorder (86% mothers, 14% fathers; 86% Caucasian, 5% African-American, 3% Hispanic, 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4% mixed ethnicity), changes in adolescents’ (mean age = 11 years; 42% female, 58% male) coping and parents’ parenting skills were examined as mediators of the effects of a family group cognitive-behavioral preventive intervention on adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

PMID: 20873898 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Read more →]

The alliance in couple therapy: Partner influence, early change, and alliance patterns in a naturalistic sample.

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Oct;78(5):635-45

Authors: Anker MG, Owen J, Duncan BL, Sparks JA

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the alliance and outcome in couple therapy and examine whether the alliance predicted outcomes over and above early change. The authors also investigated partner influence and gender and sought to identify couple alliance patterns that predicted couple outcomes.

PMID: 20873899 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Read more →]

Does pretreatment severity moderate the efficacy of psychological treatment of adult outpatient depression? A meta-analysis.

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Oct;78(5):668-80

Authors: Driessen E, Cuijpers P, Hollon SD, Dekker JJ

It is widely believed that psychological treatment has little effect on more severely depressed patients. This study assessed whether pretreatment severity moderates psychological treatment outcome relative to controls by means of meta-analyses.

PMID: 20873902 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Read more →]

Respiratory and cognitive mediators of treatment change in panic disorder: evidence for intervention specificity.

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Oct;78(5):691-704

Authors: Meuret AE, Rosenfield D, Seidel A, Bhaskara L, Hofmann SG

There are numerous theories of panic disorder, each proposing a unique pathway of change leading to treatment success. However, little is known about whether improvements in proposed mediators are indeed associated with treatment outcomes and whether these mediators are specific to particular treatment modalities. Our purpose in this study was to analyze pathways of change in theoretically distinct interventions using longitudinal, moderated mediation analyses.

PMID: 20873904 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Read more →]

A randomized clinical trial of acceptance and commitment therapy versus progressive relaxation training for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Oct;78(5):705-16

Authors: Twohig MP, Hayes SC, Plumb JC, Pruitt LD, Collins AB, Hazlett-Stevens H, Woidneck MR

Effective treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) exist, but additional treatment options are needed. The effectiveness of 8 sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for adult OCD was compared with progressive relaxation training (PRT).

PMID: 20873905 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Read more →]