William B Malarkey1, Prabu David2, Jean-Philippe Gouin3, Michael C Edwards4, Maryanna Klatt5, Alex J Zautra6. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Research Center, The Ohio State University, 2115G Dodd Hall, 480 Medical Center Dr, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA. william.malarkey@osumc.edu. 2. Department of Communication, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. 3. Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada. 4. Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. 5. Department of Family Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. 6. Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Patients with symptoms but without an identified disease are a challenge to primary care providers. A 22-item measure is introduced and evaluated to offer medical care providers with an instrument to assess and discuss possible deficiencies in resilience resources that may contribute to symptoms without identifiable pathology. This instrument highlights psychosocial and lifestyle resources that serve as buffers to life's stressors rather than focusing on stress and its related symptoms. METHODS: The measure included items from five resilience domains-relational engagement, emotional sensibility, meaningful action, awareness of self and others, and physical health behaviors (REMAP). Its structure and function were evaluated using two different samples. RESULTS: Results suggest that scores from the REMAP have reasonable psychometric properties. Higher REMAP scores were predictive of fewer health symptoms in a sample representative of the US population. In a second sample, REMAP was positively associated with perceived resilience, ego strength and mindfulness attention and negatively related to perceived stress, depression, sleep disturbances, and loneliness, providing evidence of convergent and divergent validity. Furthermore, the REMAP scale was sensitive to change following a life style intervention. CONCLUSION: This suggests that REMAP can be a useful tool in practice settings for counseling patients with unexplained symptoms. With insight into the biopsychosocial aspect of their symptoms, patients may become more receptive to cognitive behavioral options to improve their resilience resources and lifestyle choices.
PURPOSE:Patients with symptoms but without an identified disease are a challenge to primary care providers. A 22-item measure is introduced and evaluated to offer medical care providers with an instrument to assess and discuss possible deficiencies in resilience resources that may contribute to symptoms without identifiable pathology. This instrument highlights psychosocial and lifestyle resources that serve as buffers to life's stressors rather than focusing on stress and its related symptoms. METHODS: The measure included items from five resilience domains-relational engagement, emotional sensibility, meaningful action, awareness of self and others, and physical health behaviors (REMAP). Its structure and function were evaluated using two different samples. RESULTS: Results suggest that scores from the REMAP have reasonable psychometric properties. Higher REMAP scores were predictive of fewer health symptoms in a sample representative of the US population. In a second sample, REMAP was positively associated with perceived resilience, ego strength and mindfulness attention and negatively related to perceived stress, depression, sleep disturbances, and loneliness, providing evidence of convergent and divergent validity. Furthermore, the REMAP scale was sensitive to change following a life style intervention. CONCLUSION: This suggests that REMAP can be a useful tool in practice settings for counseling patients with unexplained symptoms. With insight into the biopsychosocial aspect of their symptoms, patients may become more receptive to cognitive behavioral options to improve their resilience resources and lifestyle choices.
Authors: Eli Puterman; Elissa S Epel; Jue Lin; Elizabeth H Blackburn; James J Gross; Mary A Whooley; Beth E Cohen Journal: Brain Behav Immun Date: 2013-05-30 Impact factor: 7.217
Authors: Olöf Birna Kristjansdottir; Una Stenberg; Jelena Mirkovic; Tonje Krogseth; Tone Marte Ljoså; Kurt C Stange; Cornelia M Ruland Journal: Health Expect Date: 2018-02-25 Impact factor: 3.377