Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine
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Self-report data are ubiquitous in behavioral and medical research. Retrospective assessment strategies are prone to recall bias and distortion. ⋯ This article discusses seven aspects of momentary research that are often overlooked or minimized in the presentation of momentary research reports, yet that are critical to the success of the research: (a) the rationale for the momentary sampling design, (b) the details of momentary sampling procedures, (c) the data acquisition interface, (d) rates of compliance with the sampling plan, (e) the procedures used to train and monitor participants, (f) data management procedures, and (g) the data analytic approach. Attention to these areas in both the design and reporting of momentary research studies will not only improve momentary research protocols but also allow for the successful replication of research findings by other investigators.
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Several recent prospective analyses involving community-based populations have demonstrated a protective effect on survival for frequent attendance at religious services. How such involvement increases survival are unclear. To test the hypothesis that religious attendance might serve to improve and maintain good health behaviors, mental health, and social relationships, changes and consistencies in these variables were studied between 1965 and 1994 for 2,676 Alameda County Study participants, from 17 to 65 years of age in 1965, who survived to 1994. ⋯ Weekly attendance was also associated with improving and maintaining good mental health, increased social relationships, and marital stability. Results were stronger for women in improving poor health behaviors and mental health, consistent with known gender differences in associations between religious attendance and survival. Further understanding the mechanisms involved could aid health promotion and intervention efforts.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Vulnerability to stress among women in chronic pain from fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis.
In two investigations, we studied vulnerability to the negative effects of stress among women in chronic pain from 2 types of musculoskeletal illnesses, fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and osteoarthritis (OA). In Study 1, there were 101 female participants 50 to 78 years old: 50 had FMS, 29 had OA knee pain and were scheduled for knee surgery, and 22 had OA but were not planning surgery. Cross-sectional analyses showed that the three groups were comparable on demographic variables, personality attributes, negative affect, active coping, and perceived social support. ⋯ These findings suggest that among women with chronic pain, those with FMS may be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of social stress. They have fewer positive affective resources, use less effective pain-coping strategies, and have more constrained social networks than their counterparts with OA, particularly those who experience similar levels ofpain. They also seem to experience more prolonged stress-related increases in pain under certain circumstances, all of which may contribute to a lowering of positive affect and increased stress reactivity over time.
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Comparative Study
Agreement between participant-rated and compendium-coded intensity of daily activities in a triethnic sample of women ages 40 years and older.
Participant-rated and compendium-coded intensity of daily physical activities were compared in 148 African American, 144 Native American, 51 non-Hispanic White women ages 40 to 91 years who completed 4 days of activity records. For compendium-coded intensity, reported activities were classified as light (< 3 metabolic equivalents [METS]), moderate (3-6 METS), or vigorous (> 6 METS) using the Compendium of Physical Activities (1), whereas these categories were self-assigned for participant-rated intensity. Minutes per day (min/d) spent in activities at each intensity level were computed. ⋯ Kilocalories per day estimates based on compendium codings were more highly associated with pedometer counts than those based on participant ratings (p < .05). Studypatterns were generally seen across all sample subgroups. Discrepancies between participant and compendium estimates are likely to be most meaningful in studies estimating energy expenditure as it relates to health outcomes and in studies estimating vigorous activities.
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Studies of the influence of social support on successful smoking cessation have been based on the smoker's perceptions only. In this pilot study of 58 couples, pregnant women who had smoked in the 30 days before pregnancy and their partners reported the positive and negative support for cessation they had received (women) or provided (partners). Mean levels of the women's and partners' perceptions of support were compared, and correlations of the two reports were analyzed while controlling for the effect of the couple's smoking status. ⋯ These relationships remained signif cant after controllingfor partners' and women's smoking status. Generally, partners reported giving more positive and less negative support than women perceived. Results suggest the need for further examination of couples' perceptions of support and the impact on smoking cessation during pregnancy.