STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the frequency of postdural puncture headache (PDPH) in obstetric patients when using the 24-gauge or the larger 22-gauge Sprotte needle. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study. SETTING: Four hospitals. PATIENTS: 375 ASA physical status I and II cesarean section and postpartum tubal ligation patients. INTERVENTIONS: Obstetric patients were randomly assigned to receive spinal anesthesia via a midline dural puncture using the 24-gauge or the 22-gauge Sprotte needle. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The rate of PDPH was determined by a postoperative visit by the anesthesiologist as well as questioning patients by telephone 1 week or more after discharge. In the 24-gauge Sprotte needle group (n = 186), 2 mild and 1 moderate PDPHs were reported, for an overall rate of 1.61%. In the 22-gauge Sprotte needle group (n = 189), 2 mild and 1 moderate PDPHs were reported, for an overall rate of 1.59%. All headaches except 1 resolved within 72 hours with conservative treatment. One patient from the 22-gauge Sprotte needle group required an epidural blood patch. There were no failed blocks in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the 22-gauge Sprotte needle, when compared with the smaller 24-gauge Sprotte needle, can be used in obstetric patients without increasing the frequency of PDPH.

Recreational scuba diving is associated with a significant number of fatalities and decompression illnesses each year, and there is evidence that permanent neuropsychological injury can occur in divers. There is also evidence that the principal cause of decompression illness and fatalities in divers is rapid ascent, and it appears that the primary stimulus for rapid ascent is panic. The primary purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the extent to which an objective measure of trait anxiety could be effective in predicting panic behavior in students undergoing scuba training. Trait anxiety was assessed at the outset of scuba instruction in 42 students, and the instructor recorded instances of panic behavior during the 4-month course. It was predicted that individuals scoring 39 or greater on the trait anxiety sub-scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory would be more likely to experience panic behavior than individuals with scores below this cut-off. Predictions and actual recordings of panic behavior were performed independently using a blinded paradigm. Eleven of the students exhibited panic behavior on two or more occasions during the instruction, and 35 of 42 (83 %) predictions were accurate (p < 0.001). It is concluded that an objective measure of trait anxiety can be employed a priori for prediction of panic behavior in beginning scuba students.

The current research assesses relationships among coping skills, trait sport confidence, and trait anxiety. Two samples (n=47 and n=77) of international competitors from surf life saving (M=23.7 yr.) and touch rugby (M=26.2 yr.) completed the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory, Trait Sport Confidence Inventory, and Sport Anxiety Scale. Analysis yielded significant correlations amongst trait anxiety, sport confidence, and coping. Specifically confidence scores were positively associated with coping with adversity scores and anxiety scores were negatively associated. These findings support the inclusion of the personality characteristics of confidence and anxiety within the coping model presented by Hardy, Jones, and Gould, Researchers should be aware that confidence and anxiety may influence the coping processes of athletes.

In light of recent research examining the distress buffering properties of religion in intercollegiate athletes' lives, the present study investigated associations among religious faith and depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and loneliness. Using self-report questionnaires, religious faith was not correlated with depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and loneliness in 57 intercollegiate athletes.

Much of the existing literature examining the role of disgust is limited to specific phobia. Recent research has begun to examine the role of disgust in contamination fear, a subtype of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Through the use of behavioral avoidance tasks (BATs), the current study was designed to examine the role of disgust in people with contamination fears, with attention to distinguishing high and low trait anxiety. From a large screening of undergraduate students, three groups were formed based on their level of contamination fear and level of trait anxiety: contamination fearful ( n = 12 ), high-trait anxiety ( n = 11 ), and low trait anxiety ( n = 15 ). Subjects were asked to engage in six different BATs corresponding to six domains of disgust (food, animals, body products, body envelope violations, death, and sympathetic magic). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences between the contamination fearful group and the high trait anxiety group on the animal and sympathetic magic BATs. Significant differences on the food, animal, body envelope violations, and death BATs were also found between the contamination fearful group and the low-trait anxious group. The findings modestly support the importance of disgust in contamination fears. Implications for the study of disgust in contamination fear are provided.

OBJECTIVE In our study, we explored the associations among anxiety, the dimensions of Cloninger's theoretically based and empirically validated psychobiological model of personality (Temperament and Character Inventory, TCI) and fatigue in order to clarify the personality risk factors for fatigue. METHODS Fifth-year students (n=89) and freshmen (n=162) at Saga Medical School and psychiatric outpatients of Saga Medical School Hospital (n=101) were investigated with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, Japanese version), the TCI (Japanese version), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) and the self-rating Fatigue Symptom Checklist (FSC), which describe fatigue along three subscales (general, physical and psychological fatigue). Correlation and ANOVA analyses were performed in this study. RESULTS The analysis identified a significant relation (P<.0005) between trait anxiety and fatigue. The TCI dimension of harm avoidance (HA) is positively correlated with both trait anxiety and fatigue (general fatigue, psychological fatigue and physical fatigue). The character dimension of self-directedness is negatively correlated with both trait anxiety and fatigue. CONCLUSIONS There is an inherent relationship among trait anxiety, the temperament dimension of harm avoidance, character dimension of self-directedness and fatigue. The TCI dimensions, harm avoidance and self-directedness, might be considered as predictors for fatigue-related disorders.

Using self-report questionnaires, ratings of intrinsic religiosity were negatively correlated with those on aggressive attitudes and verbal aggression of 105 intercollegiate athletes.

The purpose of the study was to establish a profile of coaching efficacy with Hong Kong community coaches who differ in knowledge and hours spent in coaching. Coaching efficacy can be described in four dimensions, namely, Motivation, Strategy, Technique, and Character Building. It was hypothesized that coaches who had spent more time coaching and were more knowledgeable about the sport and coaching would score higher on those four dimensions of a Coaching Efficacy Scale. The scale was administered to 252 coaches working with beginning and district-level athletes in a variety of sports. Analysis suggested that their self-reported efficacy on Strategy was least strong. This means that the coaches were not confident in analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of opposing teams, making decisions on the type of game strategy to employ, and maximizing athletes' strength in competitions. Coaches with less coaching experience were also less confident about motivating athletes. This information on coaching efficacy may be useful in deciding content for a program of education for coaching.

The present study was a preliminary examination of the correlations among organizational, nonorganizational, and intrinsic religiosity and social support as measured by the Duke Religion Index and the Nonsupport scale of the Personality Assessment Inventory for 105 intercollegiate athletes (51 women). Scores among these measures were not correlated (-.05 to -.14).

For 105 intercollegiate athletes intrinsic religiosity and social anxiety as measured by self-repot questionnaires were not associated.