bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variability in Daily Events and Mood of Family Caregivers to Cognitively Impaired Elders
Authors: Malonebeach Eileen E. , Zarit Steven H. , Farbman Dena
Published: May 2005

This study explores the relationship of daily mood and daily events in a caregiving context. Family caregivers to demented elders ( N = 43) kept fourteen-day diaries of: 1) caregiving activities, 2) disruptive patient behaviors, and 3) daily mood. Independent raters and cluster analysis support the hypothesis of three mood patterns. Differences among the three clusters in the relationship of mood and daily caregiving events were explored. The findings indicate that some caregivers are highly distressed by caregiving demands, some report moderate levels of distress, and others show no relationship between mood and daily events. The varied patterns support an individual differences approach to understanding caregiving and in the design of interventions.
Moral Judgment in Middle and Late Adulthood: The Effects of Age-Appropriate Moral Dilemmas and Spontaneous Role Taking
Authors: Chap Janet Blum
Published: May 2005

This was a cross-sectional study of the effects of age, sex, and moral dilemma content on adult moral reasoning. Hypothetical dilemmas were presented to sixty men and women, thirty of whom were elderly and thirty in early middle age. With education controlled there were no age or sex differences in moral maturity. Dilemma content had a significant effect on moral judgment, with a tendency for each age group to use a higher level of judgment when the situation described was age-appropriate, i.e., relevant to that group's stage of life. There was a significant age difference on a measure of spontaneous role taking: old persons made more definitive moral judgments than the younger adults, who attempted to reconcile the various points of view represented in a dilemma.
A Review of Life Span Research with the Twenty Questions Task: A Study of Problem-Solving Ability
Authors: Denney Nancy Wadsworth
Published: May 2005

Research with the Twenty Questions Task which was aimed at investigating problem solving across the life span was reviewed. This research indicates that the use of an efficient problem-solving strategy increases during childhood and then decreases again during the later adult years. Investigations of the determinants of performance on the Twenty Questions Task indicate that both age and education are significantly related to performance. Training research further indicates that both young children and elderly adults are able to learn to use a more efficient strategy; modeling appears to be a very effective training technique. Attempts to facilitate the performance of elderly adults by means other than direct training have met with less success. No improvement in performance was obtained either in a study in which an attempt was made to increase elderly adults' motivation, in a study in which elderly adults were given additional practice with the Twenty Questions Task, or in a study in which an attempt was made to facilitate elderly adults' confidence in their ability to perform cognitive tasks. However, performance was facilitated when the demands of the task were made either so easy that the possibility of the use of an efficient strategy was obvious or so difficult that the necessity of using an efficient strategy in order to solve the problem was obvious. The results of all of the studies were discussed as fitting a model of life span cognitive development recently proposed by Denney.
Drug Use and the School Counselor: Study of Cases in a Canadian City
Authors: Rootman Irving
Published: May 2005

This paper presents the results of a study of drug-related cases seen by school counselors in four types of schools during a four month period. The overall counselor-contact rate was 3.1 per 1000 students, with the highest rates in Separate Schools (Roman Catholic). Most referrals were self-made, with junior high school referrals more likely than senior high to come from “professional” sources. More than one drug was involved in the majority of cases seen, cannabis being most frequently mentioned. Differences in drugs involved by type of school were found. Although there were differences between school types in treatment approaches, those most often used were individual rather than group-oriented. Questions raised by the findings are discussed.
The Effects of Drug Education Programs on Attitude Change
Authors: Brown Edward H. , Klein Andrew L.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of drug education programs as a means of changing attitudes. Four major United States cities served as the experimental group. A completely randomized 2 × 4 factorial design was used to test the hypothesis. No significance was found at the .05 level indicating that presently drug education programs are not significantly effective in changing attitudes toward drug abuse. This was true for all four cities studied despite the light variations in their programs (cities x programs interaction, F = .02, 3, 8 df). Due to a lack of available data it was impossible to have a control group. It was concluded that future research is needed to determine if drug education programs are an effective means of changing attitudes.
The Effects of an Aerobic Exercise Program on Psychological Variables in Older Adults
Authors: Perri Samuel , Templer Donald I.
Published: May 2005

In a study assessing the psychological effects of exercise in the elderly, a fourteen week aerobic program produced a significant increase in self-concept and a significantly greater perceived internal locus of control. Improvement in memory was not found.
Teaching Adolescents about Alcohol and Driving: A Two Year Follow-up
Authors: Wodarski John S.
Published: May 2005

Previously reported data have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT) alcohol education program. This article reports on the two year follow-up effects of the TGT program as compared to the traditional instruction and no instruction control groups. Two year follow-up data indicate that the TGT students maintained previous positive changes while the traditional and no instruction groups showed little or no change. Issues in the maintenance of knowledge are briefly elaborated.
Preparation for Caregiving: A Study of Multigeneration Families
Authors: Sörensen S. , Zarit S. H.
Published: May 2005

The impact of providing care to the frail elderly on individual caregivers and their families has been discussed at length, but few researchers have investigated (he events and circumstances preceding the onset of caregiving. In addition, although there is evidence that several family members are usually involved in planning and decision making about caregiving, the majority of studies in this area include only one generation. Based on a larger theoretical framework of preparation for caregiving [1, 2], the extent to which family members anticipate and plan for future caregiving is investigated. In addition, the extent to which they are satisfied with these preparations is studied. Interviews were conducted with mothers, daughters, and granddaughters in thirty-three multigeneration families. While substantial numbers of both mothers and daughters anticipated the need for care for the oldest generation, few made concrete plans about how to organize future care provision. Planners were more satisfied with the amount of discussion and planning in their family than non-planners. Implications for future research and practice applications are discussed.
Attitudes toward Retirement in an Israeli Cohort
Authors: Antonovsky Aaron , Sagy Shifra , Adler Israel , Visel Rimona
Published: May 2005

The three-fold purpose of this study was 1) to clarify the concept of “attitudes toward retirement” and its multidimensional structure; 2) to test hypotheses about the relationship between attitudes and gender and SES; and 3) to analyze the relationship between attitudes and the Sense of Coherence concept in terms of the functional consequences of different attitudes. A sample of 805 (432 men and 373 women) Israeli “on-time” people on the verge of retirement were interviewed. Results point to the importance of distinguishing between perceptions of gains and losses in the retirement developmental transition; identification of blue-collar workers, with ambivalent attitudes, as a high-risk group; and the importance of a strong Sense of Coherence in adopting attitudes presumably functional in coping with the developmental transition.
Teacher Training in Alcohol Education: Goals, Approaches and Content
Authors: Finn Peter , O'Gorman Patricia A.
Published: May 2005

Training instructors in how to teach about alcohol is essential if they are to be effective in assisting youngsters to avoid alcohol abuse. This paper describes four goals of teacher training in alcohol education: 1) developing attitudes and values which are conducive to effective alcohol education; 2) promoting the ability of instructors to teach about alcohol objectively; 3) providing information about alcohol use, nonuse, and abuse; and 4) promoting teachers' ability to implement effective instructional approaches with students. This paper describes teacher training methods which can be effective in achieving these goals and emphasizes that teachers need to be taught as they are being taught to teach. After a brief consideration of how to evaluate teacher training efforts, the paper concludes with an illustration of a model training design.
Electronic Mail as a Forum for Argumentative Interaction in Higher Education Studies
Authors: Marttunen Miika
Published: May 2005

This article reports a study in which thirty-one undergraduate students practiced academic argumentation by electronic mail (e-mail). In the two “tutorled” e-mail study groups the discussion topics were selected by the tutor, while in the two self-directed “student-led” groups selection was by the students. The quantity and quality of student-student interaction, and the factors associated with this were investigated. The results indicated that 42 percent of the students' messages (n = 441) were interactive in nature, indicating at least one reference to fellow students' messages. When difficult contents were addressed, interaction in the tutor-led groups was more common than in the student-led groups. The student-student interaction was mainly non-argumentative: 62 percent of the students' references (n = 259) expressed something other than the taking a position, 24 percent agreement, 10 percent grounded disagreement, and 4 percent non-grounded disagreement. The students in the student-led groups grounded their disagreement more often, while the students in the tutor-led groups more often expressed agreement. The study supports the superiority of the student-led mode of e-mail studying over the tutor-led mode when promoting argumentative dialogue.
Drug Use and Drug Users: Attitudes and Behaviors of a Group of Western Australian Rotarians
Authors: Bunbury Jennifer , Cowling Jane
Published: May 2005

A group of 169 Western Australian Rotarians was surveyed to examine their attitudes concerning the treatment of users of different kinds of drugs, their own use of alcohol, cigarettes and analgesics, and their perceptions of their own drug taking habits. The survey findings revealed that while most Rotarians had realistic perceptions of the extent of their own drug use, there were discrepancies in their attitudes regarding the treatment they suggested for various drug users. Overall, illicit drug users were viewed less favorably than users of the legal drugs.
Mental Models of Recursion
Authors: Dicheva Darina , Close John
Published: May 2005

This article presents the results of a two-year study of children's difficulties in learning the concept of recursion in Logo. A number of incorrect mental models of recursion identified in the study are described. These are classified into main groups: mental models associated with the interpretation of recursive procedures and those associated with the construction of recursive procedures. Misconceptions underlying the erroneous mental models are presented. Possible reasons for adopting these misconceptions are put forward.
Completing the Health System through Personal Care Benefits
Authors: Morris Robert
Published: May 2005

Discussion about policy and programming for the elderly and disabled is frequently built around the cycle of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation which leads to an incomplete system of health care for this population. Lack of adequate provision for the special maintenance required for the disabled elderly produces undesirable consequences in the prevailing medical system. A system of personal care benefits and personal care services is proposed as a means for completing the health system for more effective functioning. Approaches for structure and for stable, assured funding for such personal care support services are proposed which draw upon the principles of capitation prepayment. A change in the expenditure pattern of present appropriations is suggested as an alternative to additional expenditures.
Older Adults and Financial Bequests
Authors: Goetting Marsha A. , Martin Peter , Johnson Christine
Published: May 2005

Using data from Aging and Health Dynamics (AHEAD), this research investigated a model predicting an older adult's assessment regarding the chances (from 0 to 100) of leaving a financial bequest. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed three significant predictors of a high assessment (i.e., older age, high sense of control, and high socioeconomic status) and three predictors of a low assessment (i.e., race, physical health problems, and assessment of the chances of medical expenses depleting savings). Whites had higher financial bequests assessments than non-Whites. Physical health problems and the depleting savings assessment exerted negative effects on the financial bequest assessment. Marital status and negative psychological functioning exerted indirect effects through sense of control and through the depleting savings assessment.
The Federal Ergonomic Standard in Brazil: Its Social Historic Process
Authors: Barreira Thais Helena De Carvalho , Dunn Mary Lee
Published: May 2005

Brazil has a Federal Ergonomic Standard [1] enacted in 1990 that attracts the attention of practitioners in occupational health and safety fields because it is viewed symbolically as a political gain and because of its technical advances. The 1990 ergonomic standard modified a former one that was issued within a set of 28 occupational health and safety regulations established in 1978 [2]. This article focuses on the social and historical steps in a persistent workers' struggle for a healthier work environment in the late 1980s that resulted in this federal standard as a “command-and-control” regulation pioneering a wide tripartite process of policy-making in Brazil.
Preferred Retirement Timing and Retirement Satisfaction in Women
Authors: Szinovacz Maximiliane
Published: May 2005

Previous research on retirement relied heavily on samples of male retirees; it also emphasized objective predictors of retirement adjustment, such as occupational position, income, or age. Some recent studies, however, indicate that retirement signifies a major life event for women. Furthermore, as the literature on role transitions suggests, it is a combination of objective and subjective retirement circumstances that impinge on adaptation to this life event. This study explores retirement conditions affecting women's preferred retirement timing and retirement satisfaction. It is based on the assumption that sex differences in the retirement experience render retirement adjustment processes different for men and women, and it aims at identifying retirement conditions that are of primary importance to women.
Nutritional Patterns of Centenarians
Authors: Johnson Mary Ann , Brown Maureen A. , Poon Leonard W. , Martin Peter , Clayton Gloria M.
Published: May 2005

This study compares the dietary patterns of centenarians ( n = 24) with elderly adults in their sixties ( n = 54) and eighties ( n = 47). Compared to the younger cohorts, centenarians consumed breakfast more regularly, avoided weight loss diets and large fluctuations in body weight, consumed slightly more vegetables, and relied on their doctor and family more than on the news media for nutrition information. On the other hand, centenarians were less likely to consume diets low in fat and to comply with nutritional guidelines designed to reduce the risk of chronic disease. Elderly black men consumed diets higher in sweets and fat compared to black women and white men and women. Nearly three times as many blacks expressed the desire to eat more nutritiously. High nutrition risks, particularly in blacks, were associated with lower physical and mental health and impaired activities of daily living.
The Private Sector: Taking a Role in the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse for Young People
Authors: Adams Tom , West Barbara
Published: May 2005

For many years the main support of the private sector for drug abuse prevention programs came through money resources channeled through general agencies of community assistance, such as the United Way. In the 1970s, the approach began to change and diversify as the negative social impact of drugs became more visible and far-reaching. Throughout all strata of society and within the workplace itself, more lives than ever before were affected by the abuse of drugs. A national problem was identified, highlighted by deaths due to overdose of celebrities, respected community members, and/or their children. The abuse of dangerous drugs, no longer confined to the nation's slums and minority communities, proliferated with the more tolerant social attitudes of the 1960s and 1970s. It soon became evident that not to take a stand would only make the problem worse, and that prevention would be far less costly in both human suffering and financial funding than trying to treat problems after the fact. On a different front, studies of manpower productivity revealed that the abuse of chemicals by employees was costly, and not to acknowledge and do something about it even costlier. In response, some companies designed and implemented Employee Assistance Programs, while others insisted on broader insurance coverage to support the in- and out-patient treatment of chemically dependent employees and their families. Still others looked for ways they could become involved in preventing the problem in the first place. Employee health or fitness centers were one result of this growing interest. Active support of projects designed to prevent drug use among young people was another.
Chelsea Bank: Scans and Workplace Knowledge
Authors: Mikulecky Larry , Lloyd Paul , Conner Jennifer M.
Published: May 2005

This study examines the extent to which student groups working with the Chelsea Bank computer simulation were able to use school-to-work transition skills. Chelsea Bank is a workplace simulation for schools in which groups of students at a computer play the role of a bank teller or customer service representative, dealing with customers who appear on their screen. Data consists of videos of students working on the simulation scenarios. Results show that students using this simulation demonstrated substantial involvement with workplace skills as defined by SCANS (U.S. Department of Labor's Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills). Students were also considerably more actively engaged with learning than students in studies of traditional classrooms.
The Motivation and Political Alienation of Older Americans
Authors: Cox Harold
Published: May 2005

Utilizing a sample of older Americans this paper focused on the relationship between their personal motivation (whether internally or externally oriented) and their feeling of political incapability, political discontentment and anomie. The individual was defined as internally oriented to the degree that he felt there was a direct causal chain between his actions and given social outcomes, and externally oriented to the degree that he thought that luck, chance or fate determined these outcomes. Following Olsen's example, political incapability was defined as a feeling that the social system is preventing one from reaching desired goals, political discontentment was defined in terms of the political world not being worth one's participation, and anomie was defined as estrangement from one's social world [1]. External orientation was found to be significantly related to feelings of political incapability, political discontentment, and anomie among older Americans. The data tended to indicate that early personal orientation toward problem solving led to generalized expectations which provide long range motivational and behavioral patterns for individuals which follow them throughout life.
Correlates among Computer-Using Teacher Educators' Beliefs, Teaching and Learning Preferences, and Demographics
Authors: Robin Bernard R. , Harris Judith B.
Published: May 2005

Are teacher educators' teaching styles, learning mode preferences, world views, and demographics related? One hundred seventy-seven technology-using teaching educators working primarily at teacher preparation institutions in North America responded to a ninety-six-item survey to provide initial answers to this question. Several statistically significant correlations with teaching styles were detected. Overall, the technology-using teacher educators in our sample who preferred learner-centered teaching approaches had higher levels of formal schooling, were more often female than male, preferred to learn by concrete experience, and were more social constructionist in their world views. Their learner-centered teaching beliefs were evidenced specifically in preferences for highly participative educational activities and importance ascribed to including and encouraging personal development as part of teacher education.
A Successor Model for Community Support of Low-Income Minority Group Aged
Authors: Barg Sylvia K. , Hirsch Carl
Published: May 2005

Experience in research and community outreach work with low-income urban aged led to the development of a multifocal program approach. The program approach includes case referral and advocacy work with the target population as well as the organization of neighborhood-based groups of elderly residents. The two approaches are intended to achieve both treatment of extant social symptoms of age discrimination and social and political power by the aged to eliminate discrimination on the basis of age. The two approaches provide mutual reinforcement for the success of each, and are based on tenets of social interaction theory as well as an analysis of the social and political powerlessness of the aged in the Model Cities Neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Experience in the Model Cities Senior Wheels East has led to considerations involving cross-generational ties between worker and client to achieve senior power, the role of indigenous community workers in social welfare agencies working with the aged as well as the successful application of the approach to the black, Puerto Rican, and foreign-born white aged residing in the area.

Although perfection in program operation is not claimed, the validity and appropriateness of the approach is raised for consideration following the National Conference of the National Caucus on Black Aged and the White House Conference on Aging.
Public Service Radio: Development and Evaluation of a Campaign
Authors: Goodstadt Michael S. , Kronitz Reena
Published: May 2005

An eight week public service radio campaign dealing with drugs and alcohol was distributed throughout Ontario, Canada. Evaluation indicated acceptance and exposure by the majority of (118) radio stations. Average exposure was 13 airings per week, with no apparent bias in favor of non-prime time periods. Interviews with staff from 17 stations identified factors influencing decisions concerning public service spots, and led to guidelines for their production and distribution.
Social Network Assessment: A Critical Component in Case Management for Functionally Impaired Older Persons
Authors: Kaufman Allan V.
Published: May 2005

Case managers who develop long-term care service plans for functionally impaired elderly persons must integrate the supportive efforts of the client's social network into the overall service approach. The ultimate goal is to develop a plan whereby the formal service providers supplement rather than supplant the care and assistance available from the older person's network. This article presents a framework that identifies those variables associated with the relationship dynamics that exist between older persons and their social network members. The framework can be used by case managers to help them assess the characteristics and functioning of their clients' social network relations and develop service strategies that maximize the helping efforts of those networks.
The Impact of a Voluntary Educational Program — Tip it Lightly, Alcohol Awareness Week—On the Drinking Attitudes and Behaviors of College Students
Authors: Chen W. William , Dosch Margaret , Cychosz Charles M.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a voluntary educational program — Tip It Lightly, Alcohol Awareness Week — on the drinking attitudes and behaviors of college students. One thousand subjects were randomly selected from a medium-size mid-Western university for the study during the 1979–80 school year. Surveys were mailed to subjects with return envelopes provided. Return rate was 55 per cent for pre-program survey and 45 per cent for the post-program survey. Of those returning the post-program survey, 25 per cent of the students indicated they participated in the voluntary educational program. Chi-square statistics were used to further analyze the percentage differences for the following comparisons: 1) pre-program total population vs. post-program total population, and 2) pre-program total population and post-program participating population. The results of this study revealed that for those subjects who participated in the program, there was a significant improvement in their drinking attitudes and behaviors.
A Community and its School's Efforts to Understand and Deal with Drug Abuse
Authors: Plesent Emanuel
Published: May 2005

The article details the step-by-step evolvement of a community and school district's efforts to deal with problems of drug abuse. The efforts included establishment of a community organization and facility, use of youth group leaders, education of teachers, parents, and students and liaison with various community health agencies. A major effort was made to get youth involvement in all stages of development of the programs.
Institutional Staff Training and Management: A Review of the Literature and a Model for Geriatric, Long-Term-Care Facilities
Authors: Burgio Louis D. , Burgio Kathryn L.
Published: May 2005

In geriatric, long-term-care facilities, nursing assistants (NA) fulfill a primarily custodial function, and the manner in which they interact with patients can reinforce dependent behavior. If the goal of long-term-care is to progress from the custodial model to a therapeutic model of rehabilitation, the role of the NA must be redesigned. Effective training and management systems will be needed to teach new skills and to assure performance of these skills during daily work activities. This article reviews current methods of institutional staff training and management and proposes a model fox geriatric, long-term-care facilities. Organizational resistance is discussed, and suggestions are made for enhancing cooperation.
The Concept of Happiness: A Multidimensional Scaling Investigation
Authors: Thomas Jo Ann , Stock William A.
Published: May 2005

This study investigated the concept of happiness using multidimensional scaling analyses. Two samples were studied. The first contained 100 adult males and females, aged nineteen to ninety ( M = 39.5). The second contained 126 female adults, aged twenty-six to eighty-nine ( M = 61.3), all Catholic nuns. Respondents provided word associates to the words happiness and unhappiness during separate one-minute intervals. Subsequently, the twelve most frequent associates and the word happiness were used in a written paired comparison task of dissimilarities between all possible pairs. In both samples, a two-dimensional space was judged to optimally fit the data. The first dimension was interpreted as a bipolar affective dimension. The second dimension was one-fifth and one-third as salient as the first dimension in the respective samples, and was interpreted as representing personal independence. Two-dimensional spaces of young, middle-aged, and old subsamples of sample one were, in large part, similar to the total space. Three age trends were noted.
Changes for Bicêtre and its Elderly Residents: The Paradox of Progress
Authors: Mishara Brian L.
Published: May 2005

Recent changes at Bicêtre, the historic French institution, exemplify an old paradox in the care of the elderly: improvements which benefit part of a society can mean more misfortunes for others. The effect of relocation of its elderly residents to make way for renovations poses important questions of priorities in societal values.
The Effect of Widowhood on the Health Status of Older Persons
Authors: Ferraro Kenneth F.
Published: May 2005

Interest in the relationship between stress and the onset of illness has stimulated research on the impact of various life events on health status. This article is an analysis of the health consequences of widowhood—the life event considered to require the most readjustment. Considering both objective and subjective measures of health, a structural equation model is developed and tested with panel data of a sample of elders. The findings indicate that widowhood results in an immediate decrease in perceived health but that the long-term consequences are minimal. Also, certain categories of elders shown to be health optimistic are able to maintain their optimism after widowhood. The results are interpreted as reflecting relativity in medical perceptions and favor a transitional model for explaining the normalization of disability.
HIV/AIDS in Asian and Pacific Islander Communities in the United States: A Follow-up Review and Analysis with Recommendations for Researchers and Practitioners
Authors: Yep Gust A. , Merrigan Gerianne M. , Martin Jon B. , Lovaas Karen E. , Cetron Amy B.
Published: May 2005

A steady increase in the spread of HIV in Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities in the United States has been reported in the new millennium. This article provides an update on Yep's earlier synthesis of research on HIV/AIDS in API communities in the United States [1], and offers recommendations for further theoretical work and community interventions. First, the AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM) is introduced and described. Second, using ARRM as an organizing framework, behavioral research on API HIV/AIDS published since 1992–93 is reviewed and synthesized. Third, the ARRM is examined for its appropriateness for API communities. Finally, recommendations are offered for researchers and practitioners doing HIV education and prevention work in U.S. API communities in the coming decade.

AIDS in any community of color involves a thorough discourse on AIDSphobia, racism, homophobia, sex(uality), sexism, classism, and other social diseases that compose the total realities of the pandemic…. The AIDS crisis in Asian America is riddled with complexities [2, pp. 201–202].

The development of Asian American responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic has been a struggle for visibility and particularity within an epidemic in which Asians and Pacific Islanders were first invisible and then seen as monocultural by dominant institutions [3, p. 63].
The Assessment of Parent-Led Prevention Programs: A National Descriptive Study
Authors: Klitzner Michael , Bamberger Elizabeth , Gruenewald Paul J.
Published: May 2005

This article reports on the first, large-scale, systematic, descriptive study of parent-led prevention programs. The study explored the history of parent groups, their structure and activities, the roles of participants in the groups and the perceptions of parents, youth, and community leaders of the groups. Robust small sample analysis techniques were used to evaluate the process data collected in this study. The results indicate that parent-led prevention is an active, although relatively small-scale grass-roots movement. Broad support for the movement exists within the communities where groups arise, and the presence of parent-led programs leads to greater support for community agencies. This support is a major mechanism by which parent groups alter the community climate, allowing agencies to implement policies that might otherwise be considered too controversial to be accepted.
Utilizing a Health Behavior Model to Design Drug Education/Prevention Programs
Authors: Iverson Donald C.
Published: May 2005

The underlying philosophical and practical problems encountered when designing drug education/prevention programs are reviewed. The necessity for utilizing a health behavior model as the basis for any prevention program is discussed and the Health Belief Model is proposed as the model of choice. The Health Belief Model is described and its most relevant components are outlined. The drug education material and teaching methodology which complement the model are reviewed as well as specific suggestions regarding selection of the most appropriate material for inclusion in the program.
Dade County's Pride Program
Authors: Samuels Don
Published: May 2005

The PRIDE Program is an integral part of the Comprehensive Health Education of the Dade County Schools. It affords students the opportunity to develop skills in what has become known as the “affective domain.”

The PRIDE Program encompasses youngsters in grades K-12 and is designed to prevent problems rather than deal with them after the fact. The PRIDE Program involves 250,000 youngsters, teachers, parents and numerous social agencies in a comprehensive approach to problem-solving, decision making and personal growth.
Distributive Learning in Introductory Chemical Engineering: University Students' Learning, Motivation, and Attitudes Using a CD-ROM
Authors: Greene Barbara A. , Dillon Connie , Crynes Billy
Published: May 2005

This article reports a study in which student performance and approaches to study ina CD-ROM version of a chemical engineering course were examined. The study consists of three phases. The purpose of phase 1 was to evaluate of the efficacy of CD-ROM for this content and student population. Therefore, we compared the performance of students who participated in a traditional classroom offering with those who participated in the CD-ROM version. The results supported the soundness of the CD-ROM based instruction. In phase 2, we interviewed students who were successful and less successful in the course to examine any differences in the strategies they used for learning the content. Differences consistent with a surface versus deep approach to studying were found. Prior to the third phase, the CD-ROM and approaches to learning instrument were modified and then a new group of students was examined to determine the factors that contribute to success in the CD-ROM version. Results showed that deep cognitive engagement and motivation, defined in terms of goals and self-efficacy, were significant predictors of success uses two indices of course performance. The results suggest that although technology provides opportunities for learners to learn in increasingly independent environments, educators need to prepare students to learn independently using newer electronic technologies.
Life Satisfaction among the Very Old: A Survey on a Cognitively Intact Sample Aged 90 Years or Above
Authors: Hillerås Pernilla K. , Jorm Anthony F. , Herlitz Agneta , Winblad Bengt
Published: May 2005

The purpose of the study was to measure life satisfaction and the factors believed to influence it. The study involved 105 very old people, ninety years and above, who were not cognitively impaired, living in the inner part of Stockholm, Sweden. In order to assess life satisfaction, the Life Satisfaction Index-B (LSI-B) and Life Satisfaction Index-Z (LSI-Z) were used. Information about life events, activities, personality and social contacts were collected in order to determine their relative influence on life satisfaction. Factors associated with life satisfaction were also investigated in a content analysis to find out what the elderly themselves believe gives them life satisfaction. Results showed that health and an emotionally stable personality were, independently of other factors, the most important factors for life satisfaction among the very old.
Training Older People in Empathy: Effects on Empathy, Attitudes, and Self-Exploration
Authors: Isquick Michael F.
Published: May 2005

This study examined the effect of empathy training on empathy, self-exploration, and key attitudes in older people. The twenty-eight older people who took part were randomly assigned to one of three groups: empathy training, discussion, or control. For eight weeks the training group practiced empathy as a helping skill. During this time, one control group discussed the problems of older people; the other control group met only to take the tests. Unlike the control groups, the training group improved significantly on three measures of empathy. The training group also showed significant gains in self-exploration. These gains in skills brought no change in attitudes. The findings show that older people can change a portion of their interpersonal style and learn new ways of helping.
The Youthful Drug Abuser and Drug Abuse Education — Closing the Credibility Gap
Authors: Nail Cdr Richard L. , Gunderson E. K. Eric
Published: May 2005

Increasing evidence supports the contention that most drug abuse educational efforts are ineffective. Whether at an individual school or at the federal level, marked disappointment prevails concerning the accomplishments of the great majority of such programs. The goal of this report is to briefly summarize the “state of the art” regarding drug abuse education, in its broadest context, with frequent reference to authoritative figures in the field of drug abuse education. Personal decision-making is discussed and certain advantages and hazards presented concerning reliance on youthful attempts to reach independent conclusions regarding drug use. The significance of the mass media in disseminating drug abuse information is pointed out. The five major classes of users and potential users of drugs are presented and seven primary objectives for future drug abuse program development outlined. Authoritative evidence appears to make a case for an unemotional, honest, and informative presentative of drug abuse topics, thus allowing rational youth to deal more effectively with drug abuse issues at an individual level.
Comparison of Maximum Likelihood, Generalized Least Squares, Ordinary Least Squares, and Asymptotically Distribution Free Parameter Estimates in Drug Abuse Latent Variable Causal Models
Authors: Huba G. J. , Harlow L. L.
Published: May 2005

Latent variable causal modeling techniques are sometimes criticized when applied to drug abuse data because the commonly-employed maximum likelihood parameter estimation method requires that the data be normally distributed for the statistical tests to be accurate. In this article, four estimators for the parameters in two large latent variable causal models are compared in real drug abuse datasets. One estimator does not require that the data be multivariate normal and does, in fact, correct for data non-normality. Specifically, maximum likelihood and generalized least squares estimators for normally-distributed variables are compared with Browne's asymptotically distribution free techniques for continuous non-normally distributed data. Additionally, ordinary (unweighted) least squares estimates are used. Descriptions of the techniques are given and actual results in two “real” datasets are provided. It is concluded that the distribution free technique provides results which are generally comparable to those obtained with maximum likelihood estimation for datasets which depart in typical ways from the ideal of the multivariate normal distribution.
A Concept of Preventive Medicine
Authors: Luongo Ernest B.
Published: May 2005

Preventive Medicine as it relates to a positive “quality of life” must be given top priority. With soaring medical costs of health care, allied health professions must place much more concern on innovative and creative ways to reduce or eliminate situations that may endanger an individual's health. If individuals, through self control, can begin to master their own destiny then the concept of Preventive Medicine may begin to be internalized by humankind.
The Effect of Freshmen Cohort Groups on Academic Performance and Retention
Authors: Potts Glenn , Schultz Brian , Foust Jacque
Published: May 2005

The goals of increasing student retention and the development of effective learning structures have led the faculty of the College of Business and Economics to experiment with freshman learning communities. In the fall of 1998, a total of 92 business and accounting freshmen were placed in cohorts of approximately 10 students. The students in each cohort took the same English, math, and economics courses. Comparisons among the business cohorts and with a psychology cohort, a non-major cohort, and a control group suggest that this structure does not increase academic performance or retention.
Reminiscence Intervention in Nursing Homes: What and Who Changes?
Authors: Berghorn Forrest J. , Schafer Donna E.
Published: May 2005

The results of experimental studies of reminiscing are not as uniformly optimistic about its therapeutic value as is the theoretical literature. Moreover, anecdotal evidence regarding the impact of reminiscence interventions is more positive than the statistical evidence. This study suggests reasons for these previous findings, and examines data from a discussion group intervention in thirty nursing homes, in which 185 residents completed pre- and posttests. It analyzes the characteristics of participants in relation to modifications in selected attitudes and behaviors over the intervention period. Analysis of variance and discriminant analysis revealed no significant relationships between attitudinal or behavioral modifications and demographic or other characteristics, with one exception. Value-choices made by participants were related to such modifications. The findings are interpreted in terms of the “mental adaptability” of participants and the compensatory nature of reminiscence in an institutional setting.
Cultural Differences in Caregiving Motivations for Demented Parents: Korean Caregivers versus American Caregivers
Authors: Lee Yoon-Ro , Sung Kyu-Taik
Published: May 2005

The study examined differences in motivations for parent care of Korean caregivers and Caucasian American caregivers of elderly parents with dementia. A number of American caregivers, mostly daughters of the demented parents, had affectionate relationships with their parents, but they expressed a relatively low degree of filial responsibility. In contrast, among Korean caregivers, the care of demented parents was predominantly the responsibility of daughters-in-law who were less likely to have affectionate relationships with the parents-in-law. However, Korean caregivers expressed a significantly higher level of filial responsibility than the American caregivers. Some cultural differences between the two ethnic groups associated with parent care were discussed.
Myth and Reality: The Older Person's Relationship to His Past
Authors: Revere Virginia , Tobin Sheldon S.
Published: May 2005

To study relationships to the past, reminiscence data were gathered from thirty-five persons, sixty-five to 103 years old, and twenty-five middle-aged persons, forty-four to fifty-five years old. It was hypothesized that the elderly would not only be more involved in their past but also mythicize their past as reflected in ratings of dramatization, consistency and certainty. Contrasts between the two samples revealed significantly greater involvement and dramatization but no differences in consistency, certainty or reconciliation. The mythicizing of significant figures, evidenced in reminiscence among the elderly, can be interpreted as an adaptational response that is different from making sense out of one's life. Later in life the past becomes unique, and in the myth becoming the reality, one's life becomes justified.
Discourse Performance in Older Adults
Authors: North Alvin J. , Ulatowska Hanna K. , Macaluso-Haynes Sara , Bell Hanna
Published: May 2005

Thirty-three elderly women, whose mean age was 76.2 years, and eighteen middle-aged women, whose mean age was 45.6 years, were assessed on a number of linguistic discourse tasks. The women were well educated, and most of them were or had been engaged in the teaching profession. Each woman was given 1) narrative discourse tasks involving recall of stories, summarizing stories, giving the morals of the stories, 2) procedural discourse tasks, 3) interview to assess cognitive functioning and communicative abilities, and 4) the following cognitive tests: Block Design, Symbol-Digit, Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices, and Word Fluency. The findings were that the older group generally performed more poorly than did the middle-aged group on most of the discourse tasks and cognitive tests. Within the older group, measures of quality of discourse were generally negatively related to age and positively related to scores on cognitive tests.
Student Interests and Attitude Change toward Drug Educators as a Function of Sex and Role Interaction
Authors: Cotten-Huston Annie L.
Published: May 2005

The current study focused on recorded tapes and sex-role interaction of twelve sessions on drug abuse. Subjects were 247 seventh-grade males (117) and females (130). Communicators (six, including three males and three females) made two presentations each in two classes (twelve) with roles rotated according to ex-addict/learned specialist. Attitudes toward drug educators were related before and after exposure.

Results are categorized according to: 1) number of content of questions asked by students according to the role of the communicator and 2) positive attitude change toward drug educators according to role and sex of communicator and sex of student. Results are discussed in terms of 1) student interests and question count relative to the role and sex of the communicator and 2) communicator effectiveness for attitude change as a function of sex and role on evaluative and potency dimensions of the semantic differential scale.
A Comparison of Three Drug Information Presentations
Authors: Hewitt David , Nutter Richard W.
Published: May 2005

The effects of presenting (a) general drug and drug usage information by lecture or mixed mode format and (b) information on the types of programs and facilities available through the Alberta Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Commission, on the knowledge and attitudes of 347 technical college students were compared. The results indicated that the presentations had no significant differential effect on the participants' general knowledge of drugs and drug usage nor on their attitudes toward certain aspects of drug usage. However, those individuals who received information about programs and facilities demonstrated significantly ( p < .01) greater knowledge in that area than did individuals who did not receive this information. The results were discussed in terms of research on training and attitudes and recommendations were made for future drug information programs.