Kiecolt-Glaser, Stephens, Lipetz, Speicher and Glaser (1994) studied DNA repair assays from 28 nonmedicated and nonpsychotic, newly hospitalized psychiatric inpatients to compare the speed of repair with psychological distress. Speed of DNA repair relates to cell growth, cell division, gene expression and cell death. DNA repair is most often studied in relation to cancer but it could also relate to the physiology of healing. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, was used to measure distress.
DNA repair was measured at 0, 1, and 5 hours after blood samples were irradiated. A low distress group showed significantly better DNA repair than the high distress group . Speed of DNA repair relates to cell growth, cell division, gene expression and cell death. DNA repair is most often studied in relation to cancer but it could also relate to the physiology of healing. Optimism is a characteristic of particular interest since Cousins (1997) reported his own survival from cancer through positive thinking.
It has been only very recently that scientific studies have been conducted relating optimism and health. The study most relevant to healing involves a comparison of optimism and recovery from coronary artery bypass surgery (Scheier, et al. , 1996). Fifty-four subjects with no major psychiatric difficulties and under 58 years of age were contacted one day preceding their surgery when they were given the Life Orientation Test (LOT) (a scale measuring optimism), and asked about their anticipated emotions and their typical coping strategies.
Six to eight days after returning to the ward from intensive care the second contact was made. At that time they were tested with a social support scale. They were asked to report their mood and coping style, as well as satisfaction with care and specific expectations. A final contact occurred six months post-operatively to determine their quality of life. Additional ratings of physical recovery were obtained from the cardiac rehabilitation team, and medical charts were used to determine the extent of disease prior to surgery.
The specific scales were not specified and reliability and validity were not reported. Optimists were judged to show a significantly faster rate of recovery than were pessimists (p<. 02). This was judged by the cardiac rehabilitation team, six to eight days post-operatively. Optimists were significantly less likely to develop new Q-waves on their EKGs (an indicator of myocardial infarction) and significantly less likely to have SGOT released at a level indicative of myocardial infarction.
The p values were not reported in either of these measures. There was a positive correlation (r = . 57) between optimists (as measured by a high LOT score) and quality of life (as measured by a high PQLS score) six months post-operatively. It is difficult to evaluate these results because of the sketchy information given, but these preliminary results appear important to the development of a fuller understanding of healing. Results. Optimists were judged to show a significantly faster rate of recovery than were pessimists (p< . 02).
This was judged by the cardiac rehabilitation team, six to eight days post-operatively. Optimists were significantly less likely to develop new Q-waves on their EKGs (an indictor of myocardial infarction) and significantly less likely to have SGOT released at a level indicative of myocardial infarction. The p values were not reported in either of these measures. There was a positive correlation (r= . 57) between optimists (as measured by a high LOT score) and quality of life (as measured by a high PQLS SCORE) six months-post operatively.
Levy (1998) conducted a study in which 34-first-recurrent breast cancer patients who had noprevious chemotherapy were administered the Symptom Checklist – 90 (self-report psychiatric rating scale), the Affect Balance Scale (a mood measure), the Global Adjustment to Illness Scale (psychological adjustment for cancer), and the Karnofsky Scale (physical ability status. The subjects were stratified into living longer and shorter, with 2 years as the division point. Long survivors had significantly more positive affect at baseline (t = 2. 3, p < . 03), and significantly more joy (t = 3. 0, p< . 009) than the shorter survivors.
With the analysis of the result, an association was demonstrated between overall positive mood and living longer (? 2 = 12. 6, p< . 002) a general negative baseline mood (? 2 = 11, p< . 004) and hostility (? 2 = 11. 3. , p< . 004) were associated with shorter survival. As there is increasing evidence that the nervous system can affect considerable control over the immune system, results of this sort may be relevant to healing. Reliability and validity of these scales were not discussed. Degrees of freedom were not reported with these results.