Three studies explored the causal attributions of common somatic symptoms. The first two studies established the reliability and validity of a measure of attributional style, the Symptom Interpretation Questionnaire (SIQ). Three dimensions of causal attribution were confirmed: psychological, somatic and normalizing. The third study examined the antecedents and consequences of attributional style in a sample of family medicine patients. Medical and psychiatric history differentially influenced attributional style. Past history and attributional style independently influenced clinical presentations over the subsequent 6 months. Symptom attributional style may contribute to the somatization and psychologization of distress in primary care.

It has repeatedly been demonstrated that patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) show an absence of the primacy effect when asked to recall a list of items. The results of the present study show that the absence of the primacy effect in DAT patients is related to list length but probably in a way that is qualitatively not specific since it follows the same pattern as in normal ageing. It is also demonstrated that DAT patients differ in learning style. It is suggested that this indicates a reduced capacity to maintain controlled processing.

In the summer following graduation a sample of 125 female college graduates (mean age = 28) completed Cohen & Wills' ISEL (1985) which includes scales measuring four social support functions: belonging (social companionship), appraisal (availability of confidants), tangible (instrumental), and self-esteem support. In the summer and fall subject status on two outcome scales was ascertained: the Psychophysiologic Symptom Scale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Reliability of the difference scores suggested that the ISEL scales do not measure entirely different constructs and the ISEL Self-esteem Scale is operationally redundant with the Rosenberg Self-esteem scale and the CES-D. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that the ISEL scales were related to symptoms. By contrast, standard longitudinal and prospective MLR analyses indicated that only the Belonging Scale was significantly related to future symptoms. The issues of confounding support with symptoms and the dimensionality of the subscales were discussed. The study suggests that specific functions of support take on greater importance during major life transitions and that any one supportive behaviour often serves multiple functions.

Using standardized interviews 374 subjects randomly selected among people living in two villages in a mining district in Sardinia (Italy), were studied. Of these, 57 subjects (15·2%) were identified as ‘cases’. Ten per cent of the sample was affected by a depressive syndrome and 4% by an anxiety disorder. Females were significantly more at risk for anxiety disorders, while a trend towards a major risk for depression emerged among middle-aged and elderly people. Of the sample 9·8% were taking benzodiazepines, with a significant over representation of females. Depressed subjects took benzodiazepines more frequently than anxious subjects, while the use of antidepressants was negligible.