Although it is suggested that psychological factors may play a role in OTC drug misuse, the main factors that might be associated with one's manner of drug intake are unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the illness perceptions and beliefs about taking OTC medicines and to investigate the differences between users and misusers of OTC medicines. Method: The subjects were 108 undergraduate students (age mean=20.27, S.D.=1.67). They retrospectively completed selfreport measures addressing (a) illness perceptions, (b) beliefs about taking OTC medicines, (c) how to take OTC medicines, (d) common cold symptoms, and (e) frequency of intake. Result: The analysis of covariance indicated that misuse of OTC medicines was related to an individual's perceptions that concern consequences of illness Breakups are usually distressing and generate different consequences (emotional, cognitive, behavioral and physiological) that can be associated to poor social relationships, physical/mental disorders and may eventually lead to suicide. The dissolution of a relationship implies a transitional crisis and is considered a relational loss that generates a grieving process. After breaking up with someone, the person must achieve mourning tasks, redefine the relationship, rebuild self-esteem and readjust to adaptive social patterns. A workshop was designed for vulnerable people, who had been detected with the Detection Questionnaire of Feelings, Emotions and Consequences of Loss (de la Serna, 2009), as a psychotherapeutic approach towards the mourning-task following the dissolution of a relationship. This study consisted of a preexperimental pretest-postest design with 7 participants, all female students aged between 18 and 26 in a public University in Mexico City. The workshop consisted of 10 weekly sessions in which theoretical information and cognitive-behavioral strategies (cognitive restructuring, training in social skills and problem solving) were taught in order to help participants understand their loss, work their grief and increase their self esteem and assertiveness in order to establish healthier social relationships. Three instruments were used for pre-post evaluation of the workshop and statistically significant differences (p≤.10) were obtained indicating its effectiveness. Mourning tasks were achieved with significant results in both sections of the detection questionnaire: feelings/emotions (t=2.012; p=.091) and consequences (t=4.621; p=.004). Significant differences (t=−3.746; p=.010) were also found in the Self Esteem Scale (Reidl, 2005) indicating an increase in participants' self esteem. Finally, assertive behavior also showed significant differences in the Assertion Inventory (Gambrill & Richey, 1975) with a decrease in the degree of discomfort (t=5.024; p=.002) and an increase in the probability responding assertively (t=3.533; p=.012). Background: Managing stress on a population basis is one of the promising approaches to enhancing health and reducing health care costs. This study are aims twofold. First, it is to translate and modify a transtheoretical model (TTM)-based stress management program developed originally for the US population for use in a different cultural context, Japan. Second, it is to report on 6-month outcomes of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of this TTM-based stress management program from Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc., West Kingston, RI, using the internet. Methods: We translated and modified Pro-Change TTM-based stress management intervention program into Japanese and adapted it for use in a Japanese cultural setting. Stage-based expert systems were applied to reduce stress and enhance effective stress management behavior which is defined as setting aside approximately 20 min each day for a healthy activity such as talking with others, physical activity, or regular relaxation to manage stress. 456 university students were randomly allocated to either using the TTM self-help stage-based workbook for stress management followed by three individualized minimum reports at 0, 3 and 6 month) (i.e., workbook + feedback group) or the workbook followed by the same 3 individualized reports plus detailed prescriptions for processes of change (i.e., workbook + prescription group). Results: Results indicate that the stage-matched self-help learning for effective stress management behaviours followed by stagebased expert systems had significant effects on stress alleviation and progression of stage for stress management behaviours in both groups, irrespective of with and without individualized and tailored prescription for processes of change feedback reports. Conclusions: Stage-matched TTM expert systems for self-help stress management behaviour workbook can reduce stress for students irrespective of with and without individualized and tailored prescription for processes of change feedback reports. This study confirmed the long-term positive effects of this modified TTM-based stress management program in a different cultural context. Non-adherence to medication prescription is a serious problem in many chronic illnesses that require long-lasting treatment. There is considerable research showing that multiple factors such as patient's characteristics (e.g., age), medication related aspects (e.g., side effects) as well as environmental factors (e.g., availability) do affect adherence. In addition, the self-regulatory theory underlines the importance of subjective perceptions and beliefs guiding individual coping behaviour. The symposium addresses the interaction of illness perceptions and of treatment related beliefs with adherence to treatment from various perspectives. First, Nestoriuc et al. (1) (3) suggest that medication beliefs are associated with the intake of antihypertensive eye drops in patients with glaucoma, whereas illness perceptions do not additionally explain the degree of adherence. As both, the efficacy of a medication and patient adherence to the therapeutic regiment, influence the effectiveness of a treatment, it appears necessary to improve adherence in many illnesses, e. g. by psychological interventions. Petrie et al. (4) suggest a brief and economic intervention -a tailored text message programme -to change patients' illness perceptions with the aim to improve treatment adherence. Their controlled trial show promising results in asthma patients. Based on the presentations the symposium will offer a discussion about present evidence and perspectives regarding the role of patients' beliefs and perceptions on adherence. Background: While effective preventative medication is readily available in asthma, adherence is a major problem due to patients' beliefs about their illness and medication. Many non-adherent patients are reluctant to take their preventer inhaler when they are not experiencing symptoms and have concerns about their inhalers. Aim: We investigated whether a text message programme targeted at changing patients' illness perceptions would improve adherence in asthma patients. Methods: 212 patients aged between 16 and 45 on asthma medication were recruited from medication package inserts and health web groups. Participants were randomized to receive individually tailored text messages based on their belief profile over 18 weeks or no text messages. The type and number of text messages designed to promote beliefs associated with higher adherence. Adherence rates were assessed by phone calls to participants at 6, 12 and 18 weeks. Results: Overall adherence levels at baseline were low at 46% with only 12% taking over 80% of their prescribed doses. The data showed the targeted text group significantly improved adherence over the follow-up period compared to the control group with a relative average increase in adherence of 17%. The percentage taking over 80% of prescribed inhaler doses over the follow-up period increased by 20% in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusions: A targeted text message programme increases adherence to asthma preventer inhaler and may be useful for other illnesses where adherence is a major issue. Background: Non-adherence to immunosuppressant medications can contribute to medical complications in transplant patients. A recent pilot study showed that non-adherence is associated with liver transplant patients' beliefs that that the transplant has severe consequences and is distressing, as well as concerns about the harmful effects of medication. Aim: This study aimed to investigate associations between illness perceptions, medication beliefs, and adherence in liver transplant patients, extending previous work to a larger sample. Method: 193 liver transplant patients completed a postal questionnaire. Adherence was assessed using self reports (Immunosuppressant Therapy Adherence Instrument) and blood assays. Perceptions were assessed using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Beliefs about Medication Questionnaire. Results: 50% of the sample self-reported some form of nonadherence. Lower self-reported adherence was associated with lower education, lower beliefs about medication necessity, higher beliefs that medication was harmful, and had adverse effects, lower beliefs that immunosuppressants could prevent rejection, poorer understanding of the transplant, and higher distress about the condition. A higher percentage of drug test levels below the therapeutic range was associated with less time since transplant, and lower beliefs that medication could prevent rejection. Conclusion: This research provides further evidence that illness perceptions and medication beliefs are associated with non- Non-Adherence with intraocular pressure lowering eye drops is an important risk factor for going blind in glaucoma patients. Previous research evidenced a relationship between adherence to treatment and patients' illness and treatment related beliefs in a range of chronic illnesses. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between illness perceptions according to the "common sense model of self-regulation", medication beliefs, and adherence in subjects with glaucoma. Methods: 145 glaucoma patients with a mean age of 64 (SD= 12.7) completed a standardised questionnaire containing the revised Illness Perception Questionnaire [IPQ-R] , the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire [BMQ] , the Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale [ARMS] and a visual analogue scale on adherence [VAS-AD] . Clinical characteristics (e. g., ophthalmologic examination results) were recorded. Results: Unlike the expectation illness perceptions and disease severity indices did not correlate with adherence. Lower selfreported adherence was associated with the intensity of side effects and the medication related beliefs "General Harm", "General Benefit", "Specific Necessity", "Specific Concerns" [ARMS/ VAS-AD; p's<.05]. Multivariate analysis showed that the beliefs about medicines provide a useful model (R2=.14; F=3.9; p<.01) to predict eye drop taking behaviour with the two specific belief dimensions having the strongest predictive power (β=−.21/.21). Conclusions: This study suggests that beliefs about medicines seem to be useful predictors of adherence in glaucoma patients. By contrast the illness perceptions do not seem to affect adherence. The reasons for this result may lie in special characteristics of glaucoma and/ or the assessment methods used. The relevance of patients' beliefs will be discussed in the context of further factors impairing adherence in glaucoma patients. Individual treatment perceptions are relevant for the self-regulation of health and illness behavior. In people with chronic illnesses, beliefs about medicines have been shown to influence patients' treatment decisions, adherence and side effect reporting. However, to interpret these results epidemiologic data about medication beliefs is essential. In this study, a German translation of the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) was psychometrically evaluated. A representative sample of the German population (N= 2512) was screened for medication use, adherence, generic side effects, and beliefs about medicines. Reference scores for beliefs about medicines from the general population were calculated and compared for different drug classes. Moreover, to investigate criterion validity their influence on adherence was determined. A principal component analyses with oblique factors confirmed the original 6 factor structure of the BMQ. Further psychometric analyses revealed moderate to high internal consistencies and good construct validity. In a stepwise linear multiple regression, adherence was significantly predicted by participants' age, sex, current medication, side effects, and beliefs about medicines (adjusted r 2 =.25, p<.001). Specifically, beliefs about medicines explained an additional significant proportion of 20% of variance, after controlling for relevant demographic characteristics, medication intake and side effects. The German version of the BMQ is a reliable and valid self rating instrument for the assessment of peoples' perceptions of medication. Adherence in the general population is determined by sociodemographic characteristics, current medication intake, experienced side effects, and to a unique and substantial proportion by medication beliefs. Several behavioral intervention studies for coronary artery disease (CAD) have been published during the last decade in Belgium, Canada, Sweden and the United States. Many of the studies focused upon reducing CAD risk in patients already showing CAD manifestations. Hans-Christian Deter will examine the rationale and targets of the new German SPIRR-CAD trial, which is a combined psychodynamic and cognitive behavior group therapy intervention aimed at decreasing depressive symptoms, Type D behavior and CAD risk profile and events in CAD patients. Manfred Beutel will describe the diagnostic and therapeutic processes involved as well as the psychological quality management program used to insure a high quality of comparable intervention fidelity at the 10 centers collecting data in this SPIRR-CAD trial. Kristina Orth-Gomér will discuss the reduced mortality produced by psychosocial intervention in the Stockholm Women Intervention Trial for Coronary Heart Disease (SWITCHD) and how tailoring the intervention to the gender related needs of women may have contributed to the outcome. Neil Schneiderman will then describe biological and behavioral factors that appear to have been involved in those randomized controlled trials that have successfully used psychosocial interventions to reduce the recurrence of major adverse coronary events (MACE). University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; 2 U Clinic Cologne, Cologne, Germany; 3 U Medicine Mainz, Mainz, Germany; 4 U Clinic Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; 5 Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; 6 Dresden U, Dresden, Germany; 7 Kerckhoff Reha Center, Bad Nauheim, Germany; 8 U Clinic Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; 9 TU München, München, Germany; 10 U Clinic Dresden, Dresden, Germany; 11 Clinic Nord Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Germany and 12 U Clinic Göttingen and the SPIRR-CAD-study group, Göttingen, Germany.