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ABSTRACT: The delineated mental and somatic symptoms in the context of burnout have to be seen as serious health complaints. Exhaustion is one of the symptoms in this context. The present study focuses the prevalence of exhaustion symptoms (assessed with a screeninger for mental wellbeing) in the German general population and the correlation with anxiety and depression as well as further symptoms that co-occur. For this purpose, data of 2 433 persons from a population-based representative sample were analysed. After setting a cut-off point the results reveal that 6% of the population show serious mental impairments, which can be interpreted as a exhaustion prevalence rate. Moreover, the results imply clear relationships of exhaustion and other symptoms as well as mental and somatic impairments and the intake of pharmaceuticals.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 03/2013; 63(3-4):109-14. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Unemployment is associated with mental and physical complaints. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of frequency and duration of unemployment experiences in a representative sample of the German general population. In total, 2426 persons were interviewed about their employment biography and they answered the following questionnaires: Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), Questionnaire of life satisfaction (FLZ) and Zerssen-Complaints-List (B-LR). Unemployed persons reported significantly more anxiety, depression, health complaints and reduced life. The operationalisation of unemployment about the frequency or the duration did not matter. Severe worries about one's job have a similar impact as the experience of unemployment. Especially persons with a longer duration or frequent experiences of unemployment are at risk for higher burden, whereas a single or short time experience of unemployment can rather be compensated.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 03/2013; 63(3-4):129-37. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Because of its ethical and social implications, preimplantation sex selection is frequently the subject of debates.
In 2006, we surveyed specialists in reproductive medicine in Germany using an anonymous questionnaire, including sociodemographic data and questions regarding ethical problems occurring in the practice of reproductive medicine. Most questions focused on preimplantation sex selection, including 10 case vignettes, since these enabled us to describe the most difficult and ethically controversial situations. This is the first survey among specialists in reproductive medicine regarding this topic in Germany.
114 specialists in reproductive medicine participated, 72 males (63%) and 42 females (37%), average age was 48 years (age range 29-67 years). The majority of respondents (79%) favoured a regulation that limits the use of preimplantation sex selection only for medical reasons, such as X-linked diseases (including 18%: summoning an ethics commission for every case). A minority of 18% approved of the use of sex selection for non-medical reasons (4% generally and further 14% for family balancing). 90% had received obvious requests from patients. The highest approval (46%) got the counselling guideline against a preimplantation sex selection and advising a normal pregnancy, if preimplantation sex selection would be allowed in Germany. The majority (67%) was opposed the personal use of preimplantation sex selection for non-medical reasons, but would think about it in medical cases. In opposite to woman, 14% of the men were in favour of personal use for non-medical reasons (p = 0,043). 25% of specialists in reproductive medicine feared that an allowance of preimplantation sex selection would cause a shift in the sex ratio.
The majority of German specialists in reproductive medicine opposes preimplantation sex selection for non-medical reasons while recommending preimplantation sex selection for medical reasons, e.g. X-linked diseases like haemophilia.
PLoS ONE 01/2013; 8(2):e56390. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 12/2012; 62(12):443-4. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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Psychiatrische Praxis 10/2012; 39(7):349-50. · 1.64 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The importance of attachment-related self evaluation (German version of the Adult Attachment Scale, AAS) for psychic and physical well-being in elderly aged 60 years or older (N=555; 53% female) was examined. Widowed elderly described themselves as being less able to rely on others, and their need for feeling close to other people was lower than in married elderly. The trust in others and the extent of being afraid of losing an intimate partner predicted age related lower well being. Depressive symptoms in widowed elderly were partly explained by low trust in others. Self-evaluation of attachment reflects psychic resources for well-being in the elderly.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 07/2012; 62(7):284-7. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Aim of the present investigation was the assessment of magnitude and distribution of subjective menopausal complaints in the German population. Study participants included 1 350 women aged 14-92 years, completing the menopause rating scale (MRS II). A total of 22% of the women exhibited considerable/severe menopausal complaints. Symptoms as sleep problems, joint and muscular discomfort, heart discomfort and physical and mental exhaustion increased drastically with advancing age. Hot flushes/sweating were the only symptoms specifically assigned to the menopausal period. Significant predictors for the intensity of menopausal complaints were: region of living, age, level of psychic burden, somatic complaints, depression, stress and fatigue. It is concluded that menopausal symptoms referred to in the literature must be questioned to be phase specific. Further research on aetiological factors is needed.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 05/2012; 62(7):266-75. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: HintergrundDer Zusammenhang von sozialer Ungleichheit und Gesundheit wird sowohl in der wissenschaftlichen als auch in der gesundheitspolitischen
Diskussion zunehmend thematisiert. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die Berücksichtigung und die Erfassung von Merkmalen
des sozioökonomischen Status (SES) in neueren deutschsprachigen Arbeiten im sozialpsychiatrischen, psychosomatischen und medizinpsychologischen
Kontext.
Material und MethodenAlle empirischen Arbeiten der Zeitschriften Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Medizinische Psychologie sowie Psychiatrische Praxis der Jahre 2005 und 2006 wurden hinsichtlich der Verwendung von Merkmalen des SES gesichtet und ausgewertet.
ErgebnisseVon insgesamt 113 empirischen Arbeiten enthielten 70 (62%) Angaben zum SES. Die überwiegende Mehrheit der Studien erfasste
Merkmale der Schul- und beruflichen Ausbildung, häufig in Kombination und/oder in wenigen Kategorien. Die Hälfte der Studien
erfasste Merkmale des Erwerbs- oder beruflichen Status, häufig ebenfalls eher geringfügig differenziert. Das Haushaltsnettoeinkommen
erfragten 11% der Studien. Drei Studien bildeten einen Index „soziale Schicht“ mit den Kategorien Unter-, Mittel- und Oberschicht.
SchlussfolgerungEine Verbesserung der Erfassung von Merkmalen des SES ist sowohl in qualitativer als auch in quantitativer Hinsicht möglich.
Eine stärkere Orientierung an „demographischen Standards“ erhöht die Vergleichbarkeit von Untersuchungsstichproben.
BackgroundThe interrelationship between social inequality and health problems is well known. This paper evaluates how current empirical
studies in the context of social psychiatry, psychosomatics and medical sociology respond to this issue in terms of taking
characteristics of socio-economic status (SES) into account.
Material and methodsAll empirical studies published in the German journals Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Medizinische Psychologie and Psychiatrische Praxis in 2005 and 2006 were evaluated regarding the use of characteristics of SES.
ResultsOf the 113 studies examined, 70 (62%) covered characteristics of the SES. The majority included characteristics of both formal
and professional education, but often in only few categories. Some studies used a combination of formal and professional education.
Half of the studies included categories of occupational status or gainful employment, also often in few categories and 11%
of studies included net family income. Three studies formed an index of social class using the categories lower class, middle
class and upper class.
ConclusionDetermination of characteristics of SES can be improved both quantitatively and qualitatively. Comparability of population
studies can be improved by an increased orientation on demographic standards.
Psychotherapeut 04/2012; 52(6):426-435. · 0.36 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Due to developmental factors, adolescence and young adulthood can be considered as very sensitive periods in the lifespan. The development of the self-image is regarded as one of the most challenging events in this period. In a sample of N=328 adolescents and young adults, we examined how far discrepancies between the ideal and self-perceived body image may lead to chronic stress and reduced well-being. Our sample was divided into subgroups based on discrepancies between ideal and self-perceived body image. Significant correlations were found between body image, stress-perception, and well-being. People who reject their bodies more than they would in the ideal case reported higher stress-perception. The same trend was found for people with higher demands on their body’s vitality than their ideal suggested. This group also reported a stronger rejection of their body’s physical appearance. This has an impact on therapeutic intervention, especially for men with body-related psychological disorders.
Kindheit und Entwicklung 01/2012; 21(4):227-237. · 6.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Research on psychosocial influences such as relationship characteristics has received increased attention in the clinical as well as social-psychological field. Several studies demonstrated that the quality of relationships, in particular with respect to the perceived support within intimate relationships, profoundly affects individuals' mental and physical health. There is, however, a limited choice of valid and internationally known assessments of relationship quality in Germany. We report the validation of the German version of the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI). First, we evaluated its factor structure in a representative German sample of 1.494 participants by means of confirmatory factor analysis. Our findings support the previously proposed three-factor structure. Second, importance and satisfaction with different relationship domains (family/children and relationship/sexuality) were linked with the QRI scales, demonstrating high construct validity. Finally, we report sex and age differences regarding the perceived relationship support, conflict and depth in our German sample. In conclusion, the QRI is a reliable and valid measurement to assess social support in romantic relationships in the German population.
PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(5):e37380. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This study examined whether a short-term psychosomatic intervention during pregnancy had effects on characteristics of labour and delivery as well as on the long-term course of anxiety, depression and physical complaints in pregnant in-patient women.
All gynaecological and obstetric inpatients of a university hospital, who had either exhibited complications during their pregnancy or were considered high-risk pregnancies, were examined. Symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS) and physical symptoms (GBB) were assessed by standardised questionnaires. Women with elevated scores on either the HADS or the GBB were randomly assigned to either a treatment group, which had received a psychosomatic intervention or an untreated control group. Of the n = 238 women who were assessed during their stay in our hospital, n = 135 were included in the follow-up 1-year later.
More than one-third of the participants (38.7%) had elevated scores of anxiety, depression and/or physical symptoms. The psychosomatic intervention had a significant effect on anxiety scores (p = 0.006), but not on depression scores, physical complaints and characteristics of labour and delivery.
Findings suggest that a short-term psychosomatic intervention can have a positive long-term effect on anxiety symptoms. Future studies are needed to show whether the reduction of anxiety symptoms in turn can lead to a reduction of postnatal complications and lower rates of disturbed mother-child interactions.
Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology 09/2010; 31(3):188-98. · 1.39 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The influence of day nursery in early childhood on later mental and social development has been controversially discussed for a long time. Opponents of day nurseries express the considerable concern that serious negative mental consequences in later life result from early separation from the mother. A sample of n=383 respondents (54.2% women, aged 34.2 years on average) from the twenty-first wave of the Saxony Longitudinal Study (2007) was analyzed regarding the impact of day nursery in early childhood on different psychological indicators measured later. By applying standardized instruments several aspects were examined such as anxiety, depression, the occurrence of common somatic symptoms, attachment, confidence towards the future, experiences of menace, and common values towards political aspects. The findings show various gender differences, e. g. women report a worse mental health. Yet, only one of the examined indicators can be explained by day nursery in early childhood: respondents who had not been in day nursery felt more threatened by potential stressful life-events, e. g. unemployment. Furthermore the analysis of variance indicates some interaction effects between gender and day nursery in early childhood. Data doesn't support the critic that day nursery in early childhood negatively influences mental health at a later age. A particular positive impact of day nursery in early childhood on the examined aspects cannot be assumed, either. Facing the ongoing political debate on the expansion of day nursery facilities, further research is needed focusing more in detail on qualitative aspects of day nursery.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 09/2009; 60(2):73-7. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This report encompasses a representative survey of the German feminine population. The aim of this survey is to assess subjective gynaecological complaints. These were registered by the newly constructed "Giessen Subjective Complaints List - for women". This questionnaire measures specific gynaecological complaints of several body areas (excretion, pelvic pain, breast, vulva, menses). Participants included n = 1 093 women between the age of 14 and 77 years. The highest complaint rates of the study participants were observed in the area of menstrual symptoms. Overall, 31 % (n = 206) of the surveyed women indicated that they suffered somewhat, extensively, or highly from menstrual complaints (e. g. painful menstruation or menorrhagia). These menstrual symptoms were significantly higher in younger women (14-45 yr.). Symptoms of other complaint areas (excretion, e. g. urinary incontinence; breast, e. g. sensitivity) were slightly less dominant than menstrual symptoms with 17 % (n = 186) and 13 % (n = 128) respectively. It was shown that subjective gynaecological complaints show a typical age-dependent developmental course. They represent the major psychosocial topic of the current phase of life for each woman. This study is a contribution to the epidemiology of subjective gynaecological complaints in the German feminine population.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 10/2008; 59(9-10):345-53. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To determine opinions and attitudes of the German general population toward the treatment methods of reproductive medicine: egg donation, surrogate mothering, and reproductive cloning.
Representative survey.
German general population: face-to-face interviews at home with 2,110 persons, aged 18-50 years.
Patients were not included.
No interventions took place.
Approval and disapproval of treatment methods of reproductive medicine and preimplantation genetic diagnosis were assessed by questionnaires regarding medical, age, reasons, or general.
Overall, the diverse treatment methods of reproductive medicine found comparable rates of approval and disapproval. Legalization of egg donation was approved by a slight majority (50.8%), particularly for medical reasons (35.9%). Surrogate mothering found lower overall rates of approval (43.7%), 28.5% supported an admission for medical reasons. Reproductive cloning was rejected by the vast majority (82.9%). Attitudes to reproductive medicine were affected by age and the individual reproductive experiences.
New techniques in reproductive medicine and their development provide hope and health promises for affected couples but also entail long-term risks and ethical issues. Balancing the individual's right to a reproductive autonomy and choice and ethical standards will constitute a future challenge for society. Results demonstrate considerable uncertainty and information deficits in the community.
Fertility and sterility 09/2008; 92(1):124-30. · 3.97 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Nur wenige Themenbereiche wurden in den letzten Jahren so kontrovers diskutiert wie die im deutsch-deutschen Vereinigungsprozess
abgelaufenen gesellschaftlichen und soziodemographischen Entwicklungen. Der Geburtenrückgang in den neuen Bundesländern war
dabei eines der Hauptthemen. Annäherung der beiden Bevölkerungsteile, Übernahme von Wertigkeiten und unterschiedlich verlaufene
Sozialisationsprozesse sind nur einige der Stichworte, mit welchen versucht wurde, den Vereinigungsprozess auf unterschiedlichen
Ebenen zu beschreiben. Grundsätzlich ist das Thema Kinderwunsch und Familiengründung durch den extremen Geburtenrückgang,
welcher im Zeitraum zwischen 1990’1995 in den neuen Bundesländern stattfand, erneut in das Interesse der Forschung gerückt.
Unter bevölkerungswissenschaftlichem Aspekt nimmt die Bundesrepublik bezogen auf die sinkenden Geburtenzahlen im internationalen
Vergleich inzwischen eine vordere Position ein (vgl. Brähler, Huinink, Stöbel-Richter & Glander, 2001; Grünheid, 2006).
08/2008: pages 171-192;
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ABSTRACT: To present data on sexual desire and sexual activity from a representative survey of men and women covering the total age range of the adult German population, as previous studies have usually been based on samples selected for gender (either men or women) and age (ageing populations).
A representative sample of 2341 men and women aged 18-93 years were surveyed to determine frequency and intensity of sexual desire and sexual activity, and their social, individual and interpersonal characteristics.
Sexual desire declined with advancing age; overall, men reported more frequent and stronger sexual desire than women. However, there were important interactions between gender and age indicating an earlier decline among women. For both men and women, sexual activity in older participants was mostly an issue of the presence of a partnership. There were additional social and personality determinants of a lack of sexual desire and sexual inactivity: in men, sexual desire was compromised by social factors (unemployment, low income), while in women these were previous sexual traumas (childhood sexual abuse, rape).
Community surveys elucidate the trajectory of sexual desire and activity across the lifespan. Further research on the determinants and risk factors for a lack of sexual desire and sexual inactivity is recommendable taking gender and age composition of the samples into account.
BJU International 02/2008; 101(1):76-82. · 2.84 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In the current discussion on optimizing psychotherapeutic approaches, two important developments have to be considered: a tendency towards integrative and a tendency towards disorder specific approaches. For the years 2005 and 2006, an analysis of three German journals (covering the fields of psychosomatics, psychiatry and clinical psychology) was conducted on the question whether these two developments can be identified in current empirical and conceptual publications. Contrary to the expectations, there are only very few papers dealing with integrative approaches. As expected, there is a major emphasis on psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural approaches; other approaches are only marginally considered. A disorder specific approach can be identified not only for cognitive behavioural, but also for psychodynamic papers.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 01/2008; 57(12):452-61. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Statistical methods take a prominent place among psychologists' educational programs. Being known as difficult to understand and heavy to learn, students fear of these contents. Those, who do not aspire after a research carrier at the university, will forget the drilled contents fast. Furthermore, because it does not apply for the work with patients and other target groups at a first glance, the methodological education as a whole was often questioned. For many psychological practitioners the statistical education makes only sense by enforcing respect against other professions, namely physicians. For the own business, statistics is rarely taken seriously as a professional tool. The reason seems to be clear: Statistics treats numbers, while psychotherapy treats subjects. So, does statistics ends in itself? With this article, we try to answer the question, if and how statistical methods were represented within the psychotherapeutical and psychological research. Therefore, we analyzed 46 Originals of a complete volume of the journal Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics, Psychological Medicine (PPmP). RESULT: Within the volume, 28 different analyse methods were applied, from which 89 per cent were directly based upon statistics. To be able to write and critically read Originals as a backbone of research, presumes a high degree of statistical education. To ignore statistics means to ignore research and at least to reveal the own professional work to arbitrariness.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 01/2008; 57(12):469-74. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In the field of research concerning working women the common focus is based on organisational difficulties of combining work and family commitment. This study explores motivational correlations between the features of women's work and their desire for children. The latter was surveyed using the "Leipzig questionnaire on motives for having a child" (LKM). In this study 199 working women from East and West Germany participated. From July to October 2005 data was collected by questionnaire and passed by pyramid scheme. Occupational features were covered by educational level and job characteristics. For the latter the "Questionnaire on perceived job characteristics" (PT) was applied. The educational level is not related to the intensity of women's desire for children. Yet, women deal differently with their needs and expectations regarding motherhood depending on their educational level. The observed interactions between job characteristics and motives for having children and the intensity of women's desire for children respectively underline the motivational interconnectedness of these two life contexts. The motivation for having children is sensitive to features of socialisation, such as the level of education, and of daily situations, such as job characteristics. Thus it seems necessary to take more extensively into account people's biography and life conditions in order to understand the complex process of starting and having a family.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 11/2007; 58(7):271-9. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The results of a reanalysis of the Bielefeld Partnership Expectations Questionnaire (BFPE) are reported. The BFPE is a tool for the operationalisation of attachment patterns of adults. In two respects it differs from other attachment questionnaires: First, attachment patterns are operationalised qualitatively as configurations of scale scores. Second, five attachment patterns were empirically found by cluster-analysis. The sample used for the reanalysis (n = 1506) is representative for the German population at the age of 18 to 50 years. Factor analysis of the items confirmed the three scales of the BFPE: "Fear of Rejection", "Readiness for Self Disclosure" and "Conscious Need for Care", which yield good psychometric properties. Cluster analysis ("Ward" and "k-means") also confirmed the five attachment patterns. Three of them ("avoiding withdrawing", "ambivalent-clinging", and "ambivalent-withdrawing") resemble the "insecure" patterns found by Bartholomew & Horowitz . Two result from a partition of the pattern, otherwise identified as "secure", one representing a primary strategy ("secure") the other ("partially secure") representing a special form of the secondary deactivating strategy following Main . The reason of such a division is theoretically discussed, and its usefulness supported by empirical findings.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 10/2007; 58(7):284-94. · 1.02 Impact Factor
