Stress management in men with solvent-induced chronic toxic encephalopathy

Stress management was studied in male patients with solvent-induced chronic toxic encephalopathy (TE) of types 2A (TE 2A, n = 31) and 2B (TE 2B, n = 2 6). The patients were compared with a healthy reference group (n = 57). Sel f-reported symptoms (90-item Symptoms Checklist [SCL-90]), sense of coheren ce, coping strategies, and level of mastery were measured. As expected, bot h TE groups reported highly deviating symptoms on most SCL-90 scales. The T E 2B patients, who had objectified cognitive dysfunction, reported more use of passive, less situationally adequate coping strategies; a weaker sense of coherence; and a lower degree of mastery. In contrast, the TE 2A cases s howed only minor deviations from the reference group in these respects. The results suggest that having a strong sense of coherence, a sense of master y, and flexible resources for stress management could be dependent on intac t brain functions.