Relationship between genetic anomalies of different levels and deviations in dermatoglyphic traits. Part 2: Dermatoglyphic peculiarities of females with Turner''s syndrome

After reviewing the literature on health effects of intimate violence, we report secondary analyses of responses of 439 black women who participated in the Commonwealth Fund's national survey on women's health. Lower income women were more likely to experience partner violence but not childhood abuse; and income group was related to self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and perceived health status. Childhood physical and sexual abuse and partner violence were intercorrelated; both abuse history and partner violence were related to greater risk for depressive symptoms, lower life satisfaction, and lower perceived health care quality. Partner violence was also related to lower self-esteem and perceived health status. Sexually abused women had more difficulties in interpersonal relationships, including lower perceived health care quality even with self-esteem and depressive symptoms controlled. Implications for prevention, training, and future research as well as methodological issues in research on violence against black women are discussed.     

Long-term impact of parental divorce on intimate relationship quality in adulthood and the mediating role of psychosocial resources.

The purpose of this 16-year prospective follow-up study was to investigate the association between parental divorce in childhood and intimate relationship quality in adulthood. The mediating role of psychosocial resources (parent-child relationships at 16 years, self-esteem and social support at 32 years) in this association was also studied. All 16 year olds of one Finnish city completed questionnaires at school and were followed up by postal questionnaires at 32 years of age (n = 1,471). Results showed that women and men from divorced families were more often divorced or separated at the age of 32 years than those from nondivorced families. However, parental divorce was associated with poorer intimate relationship quality only among women. Women from divorced families also had poorer relationships with their father and mother in adolescence, and they had lower self-esteem and satisfaction with social support in adulthood than women from intact families. No such associations were found among men. The impact of parental divorce on intimate relationship quality among women was partially mediated by mother-daughter relationship, self-esteem, and satisfaction with social support. The mediating role of mother-daughter relationship was not direct, however, but was mediated via self-esteem and satisfaction with social support. Our findings indicate that parental divorce affects daughters more than sons. In the context of parental divorce, the mother-daughter relationship in adolescence is important for the development of later psychosocial resources and, via them, for intimate relationship quality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depressive symptoms and mechanisms of relational turbulence as predictors of relationship satisfaction among returning service members.

In contrast to romanticized portrayals of reunion after deployment, U.S. military personnel may contend with the harsh reality of both depressive symptoms and upheaval in their romantic relationships during the postdeployment transition. This study employed the relational turbulence model to evaluate mechanisms linking depressive symptoms with relationship satisfaction. Cross-sectional, self-report data were collected from 220 service members living in 27 states who had returned home from deployment within the past six months. As hypothesized, the negative association between depressive symptoms and relationship satisfaction was mediated by relational uncertainty and interference from partners. These findings advance scholarship on depressive symptoms and relational turbulence, and they also suggest guidelines for helping service members with depressive symptoms maintain satisfying romantic relationships upon reentry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Weight-related attitudes and behaviors of black women

Weight-related attitudes and practices of women who attended health department clinics or who worked for a health and human services agency were assessed by means of an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Black women who were 25 to 64 years old and were not pregnant or had not given birth within the past year were included in this analysis (n = 500). The overweight women perceived themselves as being overweight. They were less likely to be satisfied with their weight and more likely to have dieted and to be currently dieting than nonoverweight women. Awareness of obesity-related health risks was high, but the perceived psychosocial consequences of being overweight were somewhat limited. Approximately 40% of moderately and severely overweight women considered their figures to be attractive or very attractive, which indicates a relatively positive body image. The overweight women were less likely to exercise, less likely to skip meals, and more likely to eat between meals than the nonoverweight women. Among the subset who had ever attempted to lose weight (n = 368), the overweight women were significantly more likely to have regained all or more of the weight lost during their most recent attempt. The findings of this exploratory survey suggest that although overweight black women are weight conscious, the absence of strong negative social pressure combined with a relatively positive body image may limit the extent to which weight loss efforts are sustained. Findings about eating and exercise patterns suggest some specific factors that may interfere with the effectiveness of weight control among black women.     

The body image of the postoperative female-to-male transsexual.

Examined the body image and self-esteem of 22 postsurgical female-to-male transsexuals (aged 24–50 yrs) who had undergone various stages of sex-reassignment surgery. A trend was found toward increased body satisfaction (Body Cathexis Scale) with increased surgical treatment (i.e., mastectomy, hysterectomy, phalloplasty). There were no significant differences between transsexual Ss and 22 nontranssexual male controls on a measure of self-esteem. In general, Ss were satisfied with their bodies, and level of surgical treatment seemed to be related to positive body image. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A 10-year longitudinal study of body weight, dieting, and eating disorder symptoms.

This article describes a 10-year longitudinal study of eating attitudes and behaviors. A sample of 509 women and 206 men completed a detailed survey in 1982 while they were in college. The authors contacted participants 10 years later and administered a 2nd questionnaire to assess stability and change in eating behaviors that occurred during the transition to early adulthood. Women in the study had substantial declines in disordered eating behavior as well as increased body satisfaction. However, body dissatisfaction and desires to lose weight remained at relatively high levels. Men, who rarely dieted or had eating problems in college, were prone to weight gain following college, and many of them reported increased dieting or disordered eating. The authors conclude that disordered eating generally tends to decline during the transition to early adulthood. However, body dissatisfaction remains a problem for a substantial segment of the adult population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depressive symptoms and close relationships during the transition to adulthood: Perspectives from dysphoric women, their best friends, and their romantic partners.

Late adolescent women's depressive symptoms and interpersonal functioning were assessed using reports from participants, their best friends, and their romantic partners. As predicted, the associations between relationship dysfunction and dysphoria were stronger in romantic relationships than in friendships. Unlike friends, romantic partners perceived dysphoric women as having poorer social skills. Romantic partners also reported providing less emotional support to dysphoric women, whereas friends reported providing more. Finally, romantic partners of dysphoric women had more Cluster A (odd-eccentric) personality disorder symptoms; these symptoms mediated the relation between women's depression and partners' nonsupportiveness. The findings suggest that dysphoric women may find themselves in emotionally nonsupportive romantic relationships because they have paired (through assortative pairing or mutual influence) with symptomatic partners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of fashion magazines on the body image satisfaction of college women: an exploratory analysis

This study examined the impact of exposure to fashion magazines on women's body image satisfaction. Participants were 39 undergraduate women, randomly assigned to two experimental conditions: half viewed fashion magazines prior to completing a body image satisfaction survey, and the remaining half, news magazines. Mean height and weight did not differ for the two groups. As hypothesized, women who viewed fashion magazines preferred to weigh less, were less satisfied with their bodies, were more frustrated about their weight, were more preoccupied with the desire to be thin, and were more afraid of getting fat than were their peers who viewed news magazines.     

Postplacement relationships between birth mothers and their romantic partners.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the understudied population of birth mothers who placed their infants for adoption 12–20 years ago was explored in the context of their romantic relationships. In a semistructured interview, 104 birth mothers answered detailed questions about their romantic relationships and adoption-related experiences. All birth mothers had disclosed the adoption placement to their romantic partners, and most had done so early because they wanted to be truthful about their past. On average, the birth mothers were satisfied with their romantic relationships and almost half did not believe that the adoption had affected it. Regarding contact in the adoption, a majority of the birth mothers' romantic partners (63.5%) were not directly involved in contact with the adoptive family or adopted youth. Implications about how adoption is perceived and processed within intimate relationships are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intimates as agents of social support: Sources of consolation or despair?

Proposed that people's intimates may insulate them against self-discrepant feedback. 17 male and 18 female undergraduates who possessed low or high self-esteem (targets), as determined by their scores on a social behavior inventory (SBI) pretest, reported to the laboratory accompanied by persons with whom they were involved in intimate relationships (intimates). Intimates completed a series of questions concerning their perceptions of the target, including a measure of congruency. Some intimates perceived targets in a manner that was congruent with targets' self-conceptions; others perceived targets in a manner that was incongruent with targets' self-conceptions. Targets then completed a bogus Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and received bogus feedback that was discrepant with their self-esteem. Targets then interacted with either their intimate or a stranger, and again completed the SBI. Findings reveal that, as expected, targets changed their self-ratings in the direction of the discrepant feedback when they interacted with either an incongruent intimate or a stranger but not when they interacted with a congruent intimate. Congruent intimates were just as effective in insulating low self-esteem targets against positive feedback as they were in insulating high self-esteem individuals against negative feedback. The more targets discussed the feedback, the less self-rating change they experienced. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual orientation and gender as factors in socioculturally acquired vulnerability to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders.

Investigated the hypothesis that gay men and heterosexual women are dissatisfied with their bodies and vulnerable to eating disorders because of a shared emphasis on physical attractiveness (PA) and thinness that is based on a desire to attract and please men. Although men place priority on PA in evaluating potential partners, women place greater emphasis on other factors, such as personality, status, power, and income. Therefore, lesbians and heterosexual men are less concerned with their own PA and, consequently, less dissatisfied with their bodies and less vulnerable to eating disorders. Several instruments measuring body satisfaction, the importance of PA, and symptoms of eating disorders were administered to 250 college students. The sample included 53 lesbians, 59 gay men, 62 heterosexual women, and 63 heterosexual men. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance were used to examine the differences among the scores of lesbians, gay men, heterosexual women, and heterosexual men on these various constructs. Results generally confirmed the research hypothesis. The implications and ramifications these findings have for the understanding of both the psychology of lesbians and gay men and the prevention and treatment of eating disorders are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Risk factors for binge eating onset in adolescent girls: A 2-year prospective investigation.

Because little is known about the predictors of binge eating (a risk factor for obesity), a set of putative risk factors for binge eating was investigated in a longitudinal study of adolescent girls. Results verified that binge eating predicted obesity onset. Elevated dieting, pressure to be thin, modeling of eating disturbances, appearance overvaluation, body dissatisfaction, depressive symptoms, emotional eating, body mass, and low self-esteem and social support predicted binge eating onset with 92% accuracy, Classification tree analysis revealed an interaction between appearance overvaluation, body mass, dieting, and depressive symptoms, suggesting qualitatively different pathways to binge eating and identifying subgroups at extreme risk for this outcome. Results support the assertion that these psychosocial and biological factors increase risk for binge eating. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An intersectional approach for understanding perceived discrimination and psychological well-being among African American and Caribbean Black youth.

The present study examined whether combinations of ethnicity, gender, and age moderated the association between perceived discrimination and psychological well-being indicators (depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and life satisfaction) in a nationally representative sample of Black youth. The data were from the National Survey of American Life, which includes 810 African American and 360 Caribbean Black adolescents. The results indicated main effects such that perceived discrimination was linked to increased depressive symptoms and decreased self-esteem and life satisfaction. Additionally, there were significant interactions for ethnicity, gender, and race. Specifically, older Caribbean Black female adolescents exhibited higher depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction in the context of high levels of perceived discrimination compared with older African American male adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal predictors of dieting practices among married couples.

The relations between couples' marital quality and dieting behavior were examined. One-hundred eighty-seven married couples' dieting behaviors, marital quality, body mass index, weight concerns, depression, and self-esteem were assessed. Results indicate that the relation between healthy dieting behaviors and marital quality is similar for both husbands and wives. However, among wives, marital discord predicted unhealthy dieting behaviors, even after wives' body mass index, weight concerns, self-esteem, and depression were controlled for. Furthermore, wives' self-esteem interacted with marital quality when predicting unhealthy dieting. These findings suggest gender differences in the relations between marital quality and dieting behaviors and are consistent with previous research suggesting that men and women have differential response patterns to marital disharmony, with women tending to internalize negative affect experienced in their marriage. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A controlled study of food behavior and emotional manifestation in a population of obese female adolescents

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major Public Health problem in developed countries. It is frequently associated with psychological difficulties that may interfere with treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 22 obese female adolescents, aged 13 to 19 years, and 24 age-matched female controls, were compared with regard to emotional pathology (anxiety, depression), eating behaviors, self-esteem, body image and parental history of depression. The evaluation was both categorical (DSM III-R criteria) and dimensional for depression and anxiety. It also included a self-esteem scale and questionnaires. RESULTS: The obese adolescents had more depressive symptoms, more prevalent anxiety disorders, more frequent histories of parental depression, eating behaviors characterized by over-eating and/or restricted intake, lower self-esteem and dissatisfaction with their body image, leading to avoidance behaviors in some of them. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological manifestations, although they are still insufficiently documented, especially in adolescents, may aggravate obesity and interfere with treatment.     

Hard times and hurtful partners: How financial strain affects depression and relationship satisfaction of unemployed persons and their spouses.

The process linking unemployment and economic hardship to depression and marital or relationship satisfaction in couples was examined. Using structural equation modeling, the authors tested models in which financial strain and partners' symptoms of depression influence the behavioral exchange of the couples in terms of social support and social undermining and, in turn, the effects of support and undermining on relationship satisfaction and depressive symptoms. The analyses were based on longitudinal data from 815 recently unemployed job seekers and their spouses or partners. The results demonstrated that financial strain had significant effects on depressive symptoms of both partners, which in turn led the partner to withdraw social support and increase social undermining. Reduced supportive and increased undermining behaviors had additional adverse effects on satisfaction with the relationship and on depressive symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Increasing body satisfaction of body concerned women through evaluative conditioning using social stimuli.

Objective: Many women show weight and body concerns that leave them vulnerable to body dissatisfaction, lowered self-esteem, psychological distress, and eating disorders. This study tested whether body satisfaction could be increased by means of evaluative conditioning. Design: In the experimental condition (n = 26), women with low and high body concern completed a conditioning procedure in which pictures of their bodies were selectively linked to positive social stimuli (pictures of smiling faces). Pictures of control bodies were linked to neutral or negative social stimuli (neutral and frowning faces). In a control condition (n = 28), low and high body concerned women underwent a procedure in which pictures of their own body and of control bodies were randomly followed by positive, neutral, and negative social stimuli. Main Outcome Measures: Changes in body satisfaction and self-esteem before and after the conditioning task. Results: Women with high body concern demonstrated an increase in body satisfaction and global self-esteem when pictorial representations of their own bodies were associated with positive stimuli that signaled social acceptance. Conclusion: A simple conditioning procedure increased body satisfaction in healthy, normal weight women who were concerned about their shape and weight. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Graduate student couples: Dyadic satisfaction in relation to type of partnership and demographic characteristics.

71 married and cohabiting graduate student couples (aged 21–61 yrs) responded individually to questionnaires that queried Ss on demographic characteristics, dyadic satisfaction (DS), and dyadic trust (DT). There were 26 symmetrical couples in which both partners were students and 45 asymmetrical couples in which only 1 partner was a student. No significant results were found for married couples with respect to symmetry on overall relationship satisfaction. Married partners, however, did show significantly greater DT compared with cohabiting couples. The finding that higher income men enjoy greater DS than lower income men suggests that financial security is an important factor for men to experience happiness in their intimate relationships. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological profiles of purging bulimics, repeat dieters, and controls.

In Study 1, 29 female undergraduates who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) criteria for bulimia were compared with 2 nonbulimic groups drawn from the same S pool. One group consisted of 27 Ss who reported feeling dissatisfied with their weight and engaged in repeated dieting attempts but not bulimic behavior. The 2nd comparison group consisted of 27 Ss who reported feeling satisfied with their weight and not dieting within the last year. Measures included the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), Personal Attributes Questionnaire, and Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. All Ss scored in the normal range, but bulimics scored significantly higher than the 2 comparison groups on a number of clinical scales. Also, the bulimics and repeat dieters reported lower self-esteem than did the nondieting group. The major discriminating variables—psychopathic deviance, mania, and physical self-esteem—separated all 3 groups and accounted for 78% of the explained variance. Study 2 was conducted with 27 current bulimic women, 12 former bulimics, 29 nondieters, and 31 repeat dieters. Results confirm the importance of physical self-esteem and psychopathic deviance in differentiating between groups. This study also revealed that bulimics engaged in sexual activities and in the adolescent acting-out behaviors of drug and alcohol use more frequently, and at an earlier age, than did the 2 comparison groups. Implications for therapeutic interventions are discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)