Supervisors info:
Χαρίλαος Κουτής, Καθηγητής, Δημόσια Υγεία, ΤΕΙ Αθήνας
Μαρία Πολυκανδριώτη, Επίκουρος Καθηγήτρια, Νοσηλευτική, ΤΕΙ Αθήνας
Αθηνά Στεφανάτου, Επιστημονικός Συνεργάτης, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Introduction: Psychological parameters are involved in the development and clinical course of coronary artery disease. In that context, several interventional techniques have been applied and tested through controlled trials as for their effectiveness. Coronary artery disease has a negative impact on patients’ selfesteem and self-efficacy. Self-affirmation is a written disclosure of previous attainments and is considered as beneficial for self-esteem and self-efficacy, as well as for a variety of other parameters. Yet, there is no evidence available from patients with coronary artery disease.
Aim: To investigate the effect of self-affirmation on patients with coronary artery disease.
Material and Methods: Our material consisted of 100 participants. This study was selected in parallel with the intervention group (n = 50 subjects) and the use of a control group (n = 50 subjects). The control group is used in non-pharmaceutical studies probably even more than in clinical clinical trials because of the hypothesis of influencing the values of dependent variables due to changes in the mental state that may occur as a result of the knowledge of inclusion in an intervention group. Two groups completed a form of socio-demographic, anthropometric and medical variables, average sleep times over the past 15 days, health self-referral, Healthy Lifestyle and Personal Control Questionnaire, Subjective Happiness Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Generalized Self- Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The measurements were given at study entry and after two months.
Results: The results of the test show that after the intervention program the participants' behavior regarding healthy dietary choices (t = -4,219, p-value <5%), the daily routine of the person (t = -4,072, p-value <5%) and its social and mental balance follow the normal distribution (t = -5,383, p-value <5%). The results of the test show that depression (t = 3,056, p-value = 0,003 <5%) and anxiety (t = 5,190, p-value <5%) are significantly reduced, but there is no significant statistical difference in subjective happiness before Intervention (t = -0.648, p-value = 0.519) and after intervention (t = -0.890, p-value = 0.377). There is no statistically significant difference in pre-intervention self-esteem (t = -1,212, p-value = 0,229) and postintervention (t = -0,430, p-value = 0,669) = -0.528, p-value = 0.599) and after intervention (t = -0.885, pvalue = 0.380). Conclusions: The results showed that there were no significant differences between the intervention groups and control and this probability was due to the "hawthorn effect". On the other hand, pre- and postintervention measurements seem to vary in health behavior, anxiety and depression.
Keywords:
Coronary disease,Self affirmation,Psychological intervention,Depression,Anxiety
