bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intergenerational Communication: Evaluations and Analyses of Talk Exchanged between Older Adults and Younger Adults
Authors: Ryan Ellen Bouchard
Published: May 2005

This special journal issue focuses on potential barriers and facilitators of successful intergenerational encounters. Communication Accommodation Theory has provided a useful and broad-based conceptual framework for understanding the nature of both appropriate and inappropriate modifications made in intergenerational communication. The first three articles concern the nature, eliciting conditions, and interpretations of patronizing speech. The last three articles shift from the manner of communication to an examination of the content of communication between young and older adults through discourse analysis.
Enhancing the Collective Efficacy of a Soccer Team through Motivational General-Mastery Imagery
Authors: Munroe-Chandler Krista J. , Hall Craig R.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to implement a motivational general-mastery imagery intervention in order to increase a soccer team's collective efficacy. The participants were 14 female members of a competitive traveling soccer club ( M = 11.47 years, SD = .74). All athletes were placed into one of three groups based on playing position: forwards, midfielders, or defense/goal keeper. A staggered multiple baseline design across groups was employed to evaluate the imagery intervention. Collective efficacy data for training and competition were collected once a week for 13 weeks. The imagery intervention began at weeks 4, 7, and 10 for the forwards, midfielders and defense/goal keeper, respectively. Results from visual inspection as well as Binomial tests revealed athletes' collective efficacy increased with the implementation of the motivational general-mastery imagery intervention for both training and competition for two of the three groups. In order to investigate the athlete's individualized imagery use, an imagery assessment questionnaire was administered. The results showed that the athletes used imagery on almost a daily basis. As well, the athletes had a very positive reaction to the imagery training.
A Practical Approach to Drug Education
Authors: Chunko John A.
Published: May 2005

It is the province of all educators to effectively deal with the tribulations of drug abuse on the highest level possible. This level may simply be termed the “preventive resolution.” A cogent drug education program, factorally suited to age-education, developmental and cultural variables and longitudinally implemented throughout a community educational system, is the preventive resolution.
Taking the Byte Out of Internet Anxiety: Instructional Techniques That Reduce Computer/Internet Anxiety in the Classroom
Authors: Presno Caroline
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine the instructional techniques and behaviors that either reduced or exacerbated anxiety in an Internet class for novice adult students. Through qualitative methods such as observation, interviews, and document analysis, it was found that in this particular case there were four main areas of anxiety in the class: Internet terminology anxiety, Net search anxiety, Internet time delay anxiety, and general fear of Internet failure. Additionally, in each of these areas, low self-efficacy played a major role. Nine beneficial and two negative instructional techniques and behaviors relating to the four areas of anxiety were identified.
Religiousness as a Predictor of Alcohol Use in High School Students
Authors: Park Hae-Seong , Bauer Scott , Oescher Jeffrey
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between religiousness and alcohol use of adolescents. A sample of high school seniors was drawn based on the second follow-up National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). Multiple regression was employed using a hierarchical strategy to determine the impact of religiousness on alcohol use when accounting for other factors that have been shown to affect alcohol use. The results provide support for examining religiousness variables as predictors of alcohol use patterns for adolescents. Also, inconsistent patterns between Asian-American, Hispanic, African-American, and Caucasian students were detected. Implications of the study and suggestions for future research are offered.
Learning Communities and Special Efforts in the Retention of University Students: What Works, What Doesn't, and is the Return Worth the Investment?
Authors: Johnson Judith L.
Published: May 2005

Retention has been a topic of concern and study for decades in American universities. Over the past five to ten years it has become an area in which more efforts have been focused. At a comprehensive four-year higher education institution in the northeastern United States, several special programs have been developed, implemented, and evaluated over a two-year period. The four programs are all unique in their configuration but alike in their underlying goal—to increase retention. Results of this evaluative research study revealed that the two learning communities were more effective in retaining students than the two non-learning community programs.
Assessing Alcohol and Drug Problems among Adolescents: Current Practices
Authors: Owen Patricia L. , Nyberg Leslie R.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this research project was to survey current methods and problems in the assessment of alcohol and drug problems among adolescents. Professionals from seventy facilities in nineteen states and Washington, D.C. were interviewed. Basic findings reveal that: 1) many facilities used locally developed or informal means of assessment, or questionnaires originally designed for adult populations; 2) all facilities assessed areas of the adolescent's life beside alcohol/drug use, but the number of areas explored and methods used to assess them varied greatly; 3) the majority of facilities contacted expressed an interest in being involved in research about adolescent assessment.
Retooling Information Systems for Aging
Authors: Rue Vincent M.
Published: May 2005

In an era characterized by rapid rates of change, information escalation, and vast communication networks, little concern has been evidenced on behalf of our aging population and how these forces affect them. This paper stresses the importance of adult developmental learning via continuous informational opportunities to counter the stigma of “social obsolescence” of the aging. In this respect, a tentative theoretical framework is presented. A brief examination is made of the contributions of telephone, radio, and television to the aging process, and how greater imaginative design and coordinated operation of these information systems can better assist older adults.
Individual Differences in Cognitive Functioning in the Elderly — Phenomena and Interpretation
Authors: North Alvin J. , Ulatowska Hanna K.
Published: May 2005

Residents (N = 27) of a Jewish home for the aged were given a battery of twenty-five tests of cognitive abilities. Participants included people carrying a diagnosis of organic brain syndrome. Subsets of tests were designed to measure immediate sequential memory, ability to handle categories, and ability to execute motor patterns. There were marked individual differences among participants. Poorer performance was associated with carrying a diagnosis of organic brain syndrome and with a number of other background variables. There was empirical evidence that immediate sequential memory and ability to handle categories can be discriminatively measured. A wide variety of qualitative behavioral phenomena was described. The findings were interpreted in terms of an information-processing model.
Social Support and Depression among Elderly Chinese People in Hong Kong
Authors: Chi Iris , Chou Kee-Lee
Published: May 2005

This study examines the association between social support and depressive symptomatology in a representative community sample of 1106 Chinese people in Hong Kong aged sixty years or older. Significant bivariate relationships were found between depression and all dimensions of social support including social network size, network composition, social contact frequency, satisfaction of social support, instrumental/emotional support, and helping others. Using multiple regression models, the authors found that at least one measure of these six dimensions of social support was associated with depressive symptomatology, even after controlling for socio-demographic, and functional disability. We found that social support from family is important for elderly Chinese people in Hong Kong, and satisfaction with support is a more important predictor of depression levels than other objective measures of network relationships. Lastly, it was found that material aid and instrumental support is more important in preventing depression for elderly individuals in Hong Kong than emotional support.
Social Integration, Leisure Activity, and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults: Activity Theory Revisited
Authors: Steinkamp Marjorie W. , Kelly John R.
Published: May 2005

The relative contributions of objective integration, subjective integration, and total leisure activity to the life satisfaction of older adults are examined. A random sample of 400 persons ages forty through eighty-nine residing in a demographically typical midwestern city were interviewed by phone. Results show that Objective Integration does not contribute incrementally to Life Satisfaction except among males under age sixty-five. Subjective Integration, on the other hand, contributes significantly to Life Satisfaction of males and females under and over age sixty-five. Even when demographic variables, Objective Integration, and Subjective Integration are taken into account statistically, Total Leisure Activity contributes significantly to Life Satisfaction in all groups examined.
Personal Value of Alcohol Use as a Predictor of Intention to Decrease Post-College Alcohol Use
Authors: Slater Michael D.
Published: May 2005

This study examines the utility of a new measure of personal value of alcohol use in predicting intentions to reduce post-college alcohol use. This measure is intended to distinguish college students who drink due to situational norms versus intrinsic commitment to alcohol use. As expected, alcohol consumption quantity/frequency and frequency of consuming five or more drinks per occasion were unrelated to intention to reduce alcohol use after college. When these alcohol consumption measures were controlled using partial correlation, the personal value of alcohol measure was significantly and negatively related to intention to reduce alcohol use. Conversely, when personal value of alcohol use was controlled in partial correlations, the relationship between alcohol consumption variables and intention to reduce alcohol use after college became positive, though only at marginally significant levels. Implications are discussed.
Elderly Community Residents' Evaluative Criteria and Preferences for Formal and Informal In-Home Services
Authors: Wielink Gina , Huijsman Robbert
Published: May 2005

This article focuses on the evaluative criteria of elderly community residents regarding their preferences in cases of long-term care decision-making. An overall picture of the evaluative criteria which the elderly use to evaluate various alternatives for long-term care are assessed. Furthermore, we determined which of these evaluative criteria may be considered as the most important by the elderly. A good relationship with informal carers appears almost pre-conditional to a preference for informal support. The desire not to burden acquaintances, as well as a positive previous experience with this type of care, are the most important reasons stated for choosing formal or private services. Insights into criteria that are used to evaluate different care arrangements clarify and refine our perspective on future developments.
Effects of a Stage-Based Alcohol Preventive Intervention for Inner-City Youth
Authors: Werch Chudley E. , Carlson Joan M. , Owen Deborah M. , Diclemente Carlo C. , Carbonari Joseph P.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine first year outcomes of an alcohol preventive intervention within inner-city middle schools. Subjects consisted of 650 sixth grade students from one neighborhood inner-city school ( n = 262) and one bused school ( n = 388). At posttest, chi-square analyses showed that significantly fewer neighborhood intervention students initiated alcohol use, used alcohol during the past seven-day and thirty-day periods, drank heavily during the past thirty days, and drank over any period of time, compared to control students ( p's, < .05). Significant group × prior alcohol consequences interaction effects were found for bused students, showing those with past alcohol consequences who received the intervention had less intentions to use alcohol and less frequent use of alcohol ( p's < .05). These results suggest that a brief, stage-based preventive intervention may result in significant reductions in alcohol initiation and consumption among some inner-city youth.
Low Self-Concept as a Cause of Drug Abuse
Authors: Samuels Donald J. , Samuels Muriel
Published: May 2005

A study was done to determine if low self-concept is a common denominator as a causative factor of drug abuse among adolescents. An open-ended and forced choice sentence completion was the instrument used to question 37 adolescent members of a drug rehabilitation program. The results showed that 75.5% of the subjects considered low self-concept to be one cause of their turning to drugs and 91.9% felt that boredom and curiosity was another. 67.5% put the blame on peer pressure while 64.8% said they were pleasure seeking. It was concluded that boredom, curiosity and low self-concept were significant causes of drug abuse in many adolescents. The implications were for preventive programs aimed at keeping adolescents busy and interested in alternative activities and at enhancing self-concept and building self-esteem.
Stressful Events and Depressive Symptoms among Old Women and Men: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Chou Kee-Lee , Chi Iris
Published: May 2005

Depression is quite common among the elderly members of Hong Kong Chinese society. This study examined the impact of a series of common stressful life events (SLEs) on changes in depressive symptoms among the older people. The respondents were 260 people aged seventy years or older from a longitudinal study of a representative community sample of the elderly population in Hong Kong. Using multiple regression models, the authors found that, of eight SLEs examined, only widowhood was associated with depressive symptoms three years later, even after controlling sociodemographic, physical health status, and social support variables were applied. In addition, the SLE influenced the depression differently for men and women, as we found that the death of a spouse was associated with increased in depressive symptoms among elder women, and the moving out of children was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms among old men. Finally, we also found a close relationship between number of SLEs and depression.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse among the Elderly: Is Being Alone the Key?
Authors: Brown B. Bradford , Chiang Chi-Pang
Published: May 2005

Despite the rising incidence of drug and alcohol abuse among the elderly, information concerning the social and psychological factors fostering such abuse is scanty and potentially biased toward the limited number of older abusers who obtain professional help. Using a brief interview with carefully selected samples, the present study compares characteristics of social background and social support among 21 older clients (age 55 and over) of drug treatment facilities, 30 older abusers not in treatment, and 155 elderly nonabusers. Analyses suggest that age and gender affect the likelihood of receiving treatment for substance abuse more than the likelihood of being an abuser. Controlling for age and gender effects, substance abuse appeared more prevalent among single and divorced elderly and among respondents who lived alone; presence or absence of living companions was more influential than relationships with nearby social supports. Implications for health and social service programs as well as for further research are discussed.
A Didactic-Experiential Model for an Inservice Workshop on Drug Abuse Education
Authors: Giddan Norman S. , Rollin Stephen A.
Published: May 2005

This one-day workshop on drug education program development combined didactic features with innovative group techniques to generate a practical list of needs, resources and possible programs for use in public schools. Participants discovered that by using specialized inservice training and auxiliary paraprofessional personnel, many of the needs of their schools in the area of drug education might be met without relying on the assistance of outside “expert” consultants. The workshop leaders used psychodrama as a vehicle for cognitive exploration of possible resources and obstacles to proposed drug education programs. The closing activity was the establishing of contracts with individuals or teams from the same schools to implement the program ideas generated in the workshop.
Successful Aging: An Elaboration of Social and Psychological Factors
Authors: Leonard Wilbert M.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of the present research is to assess and elaborate the empirical relationships between a life satisfaction index (LSI) developed and validated by the author and a selected number (23) of social/demographic/psychological factors, using a multistage probability sample of noninstitutionalized adults sixty years of age and older living in the continental U.S. in 1973. The data analysis indicated that marital status, occupational prestige, years of formal education, race, annual income, and a variety of specific satisfaction with life measures (p < .01) were related to successful aging. These associations were elaborated by systematically introducing test factors, i.e., control variables. This statistical-methodological technique produced instances of replication, suppression, explanation, interpretation, and specification, all of which are reported in the body of the text.
Aging, Meaning, and Well-Being: Musings of a Cultural Historian
Authors: Cole Thomas R.
Published: May 2005

The social integration and well-being of old people depends in part on a culturally viable ideal of old age. Growing out of widely shared images and social values, an ideal old age legitimates norms and roles appropriate to the last stage of life. This article discusses the “late Calvinist” and “civilized” models of old age that flourished in Protestant, middle-class America between 1800 and 1920. It argues that the growing cultural dominance of science and the accelerating pace of capitalist productivity undercut the essential vision underlying these models: the view of life as a spiritual journey. The result has been a serious weakening of social meaning in aging and old age.
Health Systems in Eastern Europe—The Impact of Reform
Authors: Afford Carl
Published: May 2005

The article reviews the socio-economic security of health sector workers across Eastern Europe and suggests that decision-makers and their advisers should reconsider reforms which presuppose job cuts and labor-saving technologies in countries with little alternative employment, few unemployment benefits and scant investment capital. It points out that a narrow focus on doctors, as change agents, will exclude many of the care providers who actually determine how patients experience health services. It argues that involving all occupational groups in change, extending social dialogue and enhancing stewardship have a better chance of ensuring acceptance of the reform agenda and so the delivery of quality care.
Meaninglessness in the Second Half of Life: The Development of a Construct
Authors: van Selm Martine , Dittmann-Kohli Freya
Published: May 2005

A new construct of meaninglessness in the second half of life was presented. We found that four theoretically based components of the construct of meaninglessness were expressed in the self- and life-descriptions of 95 percent of 153 Dutch independently living aged adults (age between 58 to 90 years old). The self- and life-descriptions were assessed by a content analysis of participants' answers on a sentence completion questionnaire for personal meaning (SELE). With respect to the content of the components of meaninglessness, we found that a lack of goals and an impoverishment of meaning was responsible for most motivational meaninglessness. On the affective level, meaninglessness is far more characterized by dejection-related emotions, than by agitation-related emotions. Alienation from one's self, others, or society appeared to be characteristic for most of the cognitive component of meaninglessness. The self-evaluative component was mainly characterized by low self-esteem. A tentative explanation was presented for the differences in proportion of each of the components, pointing to the cumulative character of the construct itself. Meaninglessness correlates positively with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) ( r = .37, p < .01) and negatively with the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire (SOCQ) ( r = −.31, p < .01), which contributes to the cross-validation of the construct.
Age and Drug Use by Rural and Urban Adolescents
Authors: McIntosh Wm. Alex , Fitch Starla D. , Staggs Frank M. , Nyberg Kenneth L. , Wilson J. Branton
Published: May 2005

This is a survey undertaken to assess the importance of age in determining the use of both conventional (licit) and deviant (illicit) drugs among junior and high school students in the Brazos Valley, Texas, in 1976. In addition the age-drug use relationships were examined in terms of the age, sex, and residence of the respondents. The results show that the use of conventional drugs (e.g., tobacco and alcohol) increases with age, but no such relationship obtains for deviant drugs. Curvilinear relationships are evidenced in the deviant drug-age relationships. Patterns of drug use appear to be characteristic by specific sex, racial, and residential subgroups. Black females, especially those from rural areas use deviant drugs such as hallucinogens, heroin, cocaine, and solvents at rates which equal or exceed the rates of other subgroups, but are 30 per cent less likely to use beer than urban white females.
Self-Disclosure and Marital Satisfaction in Mid-Life and Late-Life Remarriages
Authors: Bograd Ruth , Spilka Bernard
Published: May 2005

Self-disclosure and marital satisfaction were studied among 125 males and females who were in their first remarriage. Essentially equal numbers had remarried in mid-life (ages 30–45) and late-life (ages 60–75). The multidimensional Wheeless self-disclosure scales and Locke-Wallace measure of marital satisfaction were employed. Mid-life versus late-life differences were evident for the amount, and depth of disclosure, but not for intentionality, valence or honesty of disclosure. No gender differences were manifested in self-disclosure. Marital satisfaction was greatest for late-life remarriages, and this was due to the high level of male satisfaction in this age group.
Hypnosis and Retrieval of Events Stored during Alcohol-Induced Amnesia
Authors: Woititz Janet Geringer
Published: May 2005

Two case studies demonstrate the amnesia for events experienced during alcoholic blackout is state dependent and that blackout material is stored. The problem is retrieving, not recording the events. These case studies show that the forgotten information can be retrieved by the use of hypnosis. Without the use of chemicals, a state similar to alcohol-induced blackout was achieved. Both subjects were regressed to before the blackout and brought forward. The material prior to, during, and beyond the blackout period flowed without interruption. After coming out of hypnosis, the subjects recalled what they had said while hypnotized. They did not recall the blackout experience itself. They were, however, satisfied with the explanation and could then proceed to validate.
The Modernization of Old Age in France: Approaches through History
Authors: Stearns Peter N.
Published: May 2005

Increasing work on the history of old age allows attention to some key conceptual issues, relevant also for gerontological perspective. Change over time must be characterized in terms of periodization, and possibly in terms of direction and causation as well. Historians are increasingly aware of the exaggerations in the conventional view of the advantages of old age in preindustrial Western society, given strong economic and cultural liabilities. Industrialization brought change, and probably some deterioration, but not a massive overturning, for the elderly were sheltered from some key economic shifts, while a traditional cultural pessimism about old age actually became more serviceable. Only when the attitudes of old people and about old age began to modernize, during the first half of the twentieth century in France and the United States, was a decisively new historical period staked out, with changes in residential/household patterns and the development of retirement policy combining additionally toward this chronological break. Comparative differences in the modern history of old age in France and the United States also highlight the importance of cultural factors in the basic position of the elderly. Although the directions of economic and demographic change were similar in the two countries, prior cultural differences continued to have an impact, revealed for example in medical practices toward the elderly. Tentatively, then, the causal importance of attitudes about old age can be posited.
Use of Gestalt Therapy within a Drug Treatment Program
Authors: Sideroff Stephen I.
Published: May 2005

Traditional therapeutic approaches have not demonstrated great success with drug addicts. This article presents a Gestalt Therapeutic approach that has shown promise within a drug treatment program. The major issues discussed include: the acquisition of self-support, taking responsibility, dealing with anxiety, contact, and the expression of pent-up feelings. Also discussed is the manner in which these issues are approached. Focusing on what is happening in the present intensifies the feelings and process experienced, thus creating a more meaningful encounter. The role of the therapist-patient relationship is also presented. This paper attempts to combine the actual therapeutic procedures used with drug addicts, with the theoretical constructs on which they are based.
Age Norms and Career Motivation
Authors: Greller Martin M.
Published: May 2005

Questionnaires from 626 college graduates assessed beliefs about the age appropriateness of six concerns (career advancement, new relationships, health, mentoring others, developing new skills, and security) throughout the working years (20 to 69). Beliefs consistent with age norms were found, and they were relatively stable across age of respondent. These beliefs were associated with career motivation such that people who believed mentoring and new skill development were appropriate concerns for older people had greater career motivation. However, these beliefs were not associated with any greater differences in career motivation for the older workers to whom those beliefs would seemingly apply. The results were discussed in terms of the meaning of age norms and the research paradigm used to studying them.
Relationships between Intelligence and Concept Identification in Adulthood as a Function of Stage of Learning
Authors: Hayslip Bert
Published: May 2005

Three groups ( n = 54) of participants aged 17–26, 39–51 and 59–76 were asked to solve two types of concept problems to investigate the intellectual correlates of concept identification as a function of stage of learning in adulthood. Predictions derived from the Gf-Gc theory of Horn and Cattell were partially supported in each age group. Differential ability-performance relations as a function of stage of learning were considerably less potent in the elderly versus the young and middle aged. Comparisons both within and between age groups suggested that a dynamic picture of interactions among organismic and task-related variables is preferable, reflecting structural changes in such relationships with practice and cohort membership.
Age and Social Composition Factors as Explanations for Cleavages in Socio-Political Values
Authors: Tedin Kent L.
Published: May 2005

While age group differences on social and political values have been frequently documented in survey data, it is often claimed that these differences are due to social composition factors rather than to age itself. In this analysis we test for the effects of age vs. social composition in explaining variation in four attitudinal dependent variables. Using a sample especially drawn to study generational differences, and employing a multivariate statistical model, it was found that age differences were only modestly reduced by social composition variables. It is concluded that nonartifactual age group differences do exist on the dependent variables.
Reminiscence, Life Review, and Ego Integrity in Nursing Home Residents
Authors: Taft Lois B. , Nehrke Milton F.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between dimensions of reminiscence and ego integrity in elderly nursing-home residents. Although frequency of reminiscence was not significantly correlated with ego integrity, using reminiscence for the purpose of life review was positively correlated with high ego-integrity scores in this sample of elderly individuals. This significant, positive relationship supports Butler's life-review theory and provides a link between the life review type of reminiscence and the resolution of Erikson's eighth and final developmental stage—a yardstick of successful aging.
How Self-Perceived Knowledge, Actual Knowledge and Interest in Drugs are Related
Authors: Galli Nicholas
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship among student perception of knowledge, their levels of interest, and actual knowledge about drugs. Two-hundred and fifty-three college students responded to a knowledge and interest inventory as well as a knowledge test. Level of significance was set at .05 for both analysis of variance and correlation coefficients. No significant relationship was found to exist between perception of knowledge and actual level of knowledge. A significant relationship existed between interest and perception of knowledge. It is evident from these findings that instructors must be wary of setting classroom objectives based solely upon student expressed knowledge as it is not always accurately reflected.
Patterns of Student Drug Use
Authors: Galli Nicholas
Published: May 2005

A description of the socio-demographic characteristics associated with student drug use is discussed. Of particular interest is the fact that this study explored the extent and nature of drug use among elementary school students as well as students in the junior and senior high school. Findings indicate that while drug usage began to increase in the seventh grade, substantial increases occurred after this grade level. For all substances, drug use peaked in the ninth or tenth grade with dramatic decreases occurring in the twelfth grade. The implications of these and other findings are discussed.
Electromyography of Rapid Forearm Flexion and Extension and Aging
Authors: Rich Nancy C.
Published: May 2005

This investigation examined several parameters of agonist- and antagonist-muscle activity and movement time in young and old males during rapid, forearm flexion and extension tasks. Maximal isometric strength of the forearm flexors and extensors and limb-volume measurements were also procured. The subject sample included sixteen males in each of the following groups: 1) thirty to forty year olds, 2) fifty to sixty year olds, and 3) sixty-one to seventy year olds. The averaged, electromyographic patterns (AEMG) of the biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscles were recorded during unloaded and loaded trials of forearm flexion and extension to a predetermined target. Sixteen temporal and ten quantitative parameters were examined. Significant differences between age groups were observed for only the quantitative-parameter accuracy. The conclusions were that an individual's agonist- and antagonist-muscle-activity parameters are maintained into the seventh decade. Flexion and extension strengths decrease progressively with age. Analysis of the limb-volume measures revealed that the oldest group had the greatest amount of fat in each of the segments evaluated.
Age and Excuses for Forgetting: Self-Handicapping versus Damage-Control Strategies
Authors: Erber Joan T. , Prager Irene G.
Published: May 2005

Either before or after being interviewed for a volunteer position, a young or old protagonist (i.e., target) gave an excuse for forgetting. Study participants (i.e., perceivers) had a higher opinion of the target's memory, were more confident in the target's capability of performing memory-related tasks, and attributed the target's memory failures more to bad luck when the excuse was given after (damage-control strategy) rather than before (self-handicapping strategy) the interview. Moreover, the excuse given before the interview had no significant effect on perceivers' judgments when compared with data from an earlier study in which the target gave no excuse for forgetting. The present findings suggest that a damage-control strategy can ameliorate negative capability impressions.
Decision-Making and Young People
Authors: Rickett Mary , Sheppard Margaret A.
Published: May 2005

Teaching students the skills of making decisions is an integral part of many drug education programs. A series of studies is reported here that looked at the attitudes towards making decisions by several groups of students. Because different age groups perceive making decisions differently we need to take maturational levels into consideration when designing decision-making processes for students.
The Benefits of Nearby Nature for Elderly Apartment Residents
Authors: Talbot Janet Frey , Kaplan Rachel
Published: May 2005

Few studies have examined the potential value of nearby nature for elderly adults. In the current study, elderly residents of two apartment complexes were interviewed about the availability of and the importance of different nearby natural settings. They were also asked how involved they were with various “nature compensations”—indoor activities, such as growing houseplants or watching nature programs on television, which might substitute for more strenuous outdoor activities. The results indicate that elderly adults consider access to nature near their homes to be very important. Nature compensations were frequently pursued but did not affect satisfactions. Satisfaction levels were significantly higher among residents whose apartments overlooked natural settings, and among those who lived closer to certain kinds of outdoor settings.
The Effects of Required and Optional Computer-Based Note Taking on Achievement and Instructional Completion Time
Authors: Armel Donald , Shrock Sharon A.
Published: May 2005

This study investigated the effects on achievement and on instructional completion time of mandatory and optional note taking during a Computer-Based Instruction (CBI) lesson. Eighty-one undergraduate subjects participated. The required note-taking group had to enter notes on every screen of the HyperCard lesson before the instruction would advance. Subjects could see their notes during the instruction and were allowed to review their notes briefly before taking the post-test. An analysis of variance revealed that the required note-taking group scored significantly higher on the post-test and took significantly longer to complete the instruction than did the optional or control groups. Furthermore, the optional note-taking group scored significantly higher on the post-test and took significantly longer to complete the instruction than did the control group.
The Effects of Depression, Health Status, and Stressful Life-Events on Self-Reported Memory Problems among Aged Blacks
Authors: Bazargan Mohsen , Barbre Ann R.
Published: May 2005

A sample of 1,250 Black elderly individuals was examined to assess the prevalence and correlates of self-reported memory problems. More than 48.3 percent of the sample reported poor memory and forgetfulness as either a very (17.9%) or somewhat (30.4%) serious problem. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to detect the significant predictors of self-reported memory problems. According to our data, those Black elderly individuals who have hearing problems, who report a higher number of stressful life-events, who experience a higher level of depression, and who suffer from poorer health are more likely to complain of memory problems.
Personality Trait Correlates of Attitudes toward Older People
Authors: Katz Renee S.
Published: May 2005

The objective of this study is to determine whether personalty is related to attitudes toward older people. To address this question, a sample of 228 students and gerontology practitioners completed the Aging Opinion Survey, the Cattell 16 Personality Factors Test, and a demographic questionnaire. When the influence of age, sex, education, and social desirability are controlled, a constellation of personality traits remains significantly related to attitudes toward older people. Specific trait-attitude correlations are described, and traits related to positive attitudes toward older people are shown to fit within three personality groupings: low anxiety traits, sensitive-intuition traits, and intellectual ability. These traits combined with demographic variables account for up to 30 percent of the variance in attitudes toward older people. The results of this study indicate that personality traits are clearly related to attitudes toward older people.
Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation of a Channel One Program
Authors: Stein Joyce A. , Swisher John D. , Hu Teh-Wei , Donnell Nancy Mc
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this evaluation was to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an alternatives program entitled Channel One. The evaluation design included the collection of process and outcome data. Results of the process evaluation indicated that the program was operating consistently with the philosophy and procedures of Channel One. The outcome data indicated significant improvement in democratic patterns and alternative participation, but also indicated increased use of some substances and in frequency of drunkenness. The cost data indicates that the participant costs ranged from $180 to $214. The slight positive findings in the democratic patterns and participation in alternatives were offset by the significant increases in substance usage. Therefore, this program was not cost-effective in terms of the final intended outcome.
The Relation of Locus of Control and Social Support to Life-Cycle Related Needs of Widows
Authors: Lowenstein Ariela , Rosen Aaron
Published: May 2005

This study is a part of a larger research project on the coping of widows. The study reported here investigated the effects of widowhood-related needs along the life-cycle and variables hypothesized to be related to it, using a multivariate hierarchical regression model. The participants were 246 widows who were sampled by stratified-random sampling, according to age groups, from the population of social insurance recipient Israeli urban widows. The findings indicate that personal resource variables—age and locus of control orientation—were directly related to the four need constellations studied. Two of the three social support variables studied—size of the network and likelihood of seeking help from network members—were related to the needs only when interacting with the personal variables. The findings support previous research regarding the role of locus of control as a support mobilizer, and point to the importance of including personal as well as environmental resources, such as social support, in the study of bereavement and coping.
The Significance of Stepgrandparents
Authors: Trygstad Debra W. , Sanders Gregory F.
Published: May 2005

Research on reconstituted families has ignored the stepgrandchild-stepgrandparent relationship. This relationship was examined through an exploratory study of the quantity of interaction, satisfaction with this interaction, stepgrandchildren's perception of the stepgrandparent role, the appropriate behaviors stepgrandchildren expect of stepgrandparents, and relationship strengths. The results indicated that 1) stepgrandchildren maintain contact with their stepgrandparent beyond high school; 2) currently, the majority of the respondents wanted more contact with their stepgrandparents; 3) almost half of the stepgrandchildren rated the relationship with their stepgrandparent as important; 4) they perceived the relationship as both a personal and a social role; 5) they expected few behaviors from their stepgrandparent; and 6) the relationship strengths were rated neither high nor low. Some factors which were important to the stepgrandchild-stepgrandparent relationship included: satisfaction with the parent's remarriage, the importance of the relationship with the stepparent, and the respondent's age when he/she became a stepchild.
Motivation in Later Life: Theory and Assessment
Authors: Vallerand Robert J. , O'Connor Brian P. , Hamel Marc
Published: May 2005

A framework that has been found useful in research on young adults, Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory [1, 2], is suggested as a promising direction for research on motivation in later life. The theory proposes the existence of four types of motivation (intrinsic, self-determined extrinsic, nonself-determined extrinsic, and amotivation) which are assumed to have varying consequences for adaptation and well-being. A previously published French measure of motivational styles which is known to be reliable and valid was translated into English and was tested on seventy-seven nursing home residents (aged 60 to 98 years). It was found that the four motivational styles can be reliably measured; that the intercorrelations between the motivational styles are consistent with theoretical predictions; and that the four types of motivation are related to other important aspects of the lives of elderly people in a theoretically meaningful manner. Suggestions are made for further research using self-determination theory and the present scales.
Selective Exposure to Information about the Harmful Effects of Marijuana and Tranquilizers
Authors: Smart Reginald G. , Krakowski Mark
Published: May 2005

Selective exposure to information about marijuana and tranquilizers by their respective users was tested. Variables included commitment to exposure, frequency of use, and degree of certainty about the effects of the drugs. Lists of magazine articles including titles on harmful and benign nature of marijuana and tranquilizers were distributed to 344 university students and 234 students and adults respectively.

Subjects selected a ranking preference of given topics thinking they would be reading their prime chosen articles. A short questionnaire concerning the frequency of use, attitudes on harmfulness, dependency, and discouragement of the drug in question followed the rankings. Results of a two-factor analysis of variance (type of title and use or nonuse of marijuana or tranquilizers) for the rankings of the drug titles showed no evidence for selective exposure among marijuana or tranquilizer users.
The Development of Attitudinal Measures toward Alcohol Education in the School and in the Home
Authors: Finn Peter
Published: May 2005

Most alcohol education programs suffer from lack of thorough evaluation. In particular, programs concerned with attitudes and behavior regarding alcohol education itself are rarely assessed, one reason being the lack of user-validated evaluation instruments especially designed for this purpose. As part of a project with the Massachusetts Parent-Teacher-Student Association, a series of alcohol education seminars for parents was conducted in order to develop, pre-test, and test an Alcohol Education Attitudes Questionnaire which can be used in a variety of contexts for evaluating the attitudes of parents, teachers, students, and others toward alcohol education in the school and in the home. A copy of the Questionnaire is provided.
Rabbit Hunting and Bone Bead Production at a Late Prehistoric Camp in the Wyoming Basin
Authors: Lubinski Patrick M.
Published: May 2005

Rabbit bones are common in sites of the Rocky Mountain Wyoming Basin, occurring in 85% of 111 reported faunal assemblages. They also dominate identified bones at more sites than any other taxon. Nonetheless, sites with large rabbit assemblages are rare. The Raptor site stands out in the region for its large number of rabbit bones as well as fragments of bone bead production waste. Excavations at this single component site dating about 1300-1200 RCYBP yielded 12,727 faunal specimens, principally rabbit or rabbit-sized bone fragments, including a minimum of 65 individual cottontail rabbits. The worked bone assemblage includes 108 rabbit and rabbit-sized specimens of bead production waste, primarily articular ends of tibiae, humeri, and metapodials exhibiting a transverse cut made by the “groove and snap” technique. The objective of the production appears to have been tubular beads 10-45 mm long. Similar bone bead production waste has rarely been found at other sites in the Intermountain West.
The Gerontological Imagination: Social Influences on the Development of Gerontology, 1945-Present
Authors: Estes Carroll L. , Binney Elizabeth A. , Culbertson Richard A.
Published: May 2005

This article presents a framework for the analysis of the development of gerontology since 1945. Three distinct historical periods and several forces that have shaped the field are examined. These forces reside in the political, economic, sociocultural, technological, and knowledge realms of society. An analysis of the continuities and discontinuities over time provides a contrast between the historical periods identified. Despite the ideology of a continuous linear disciplinary progression, we find that discontinuities have been increasingly significant in shaping the experience of aging. Yet the field of gerontology lags in reflecting many of these changes. This incongruity calls the field to reassess its paradigmatic foundations and the empirical and theoretical work conducted within them. The implications for the disciplines and practice of gerontology are explored through a review of C. Wright Mills' contribution to a revival of the “gerontological imagination.”
The Calculation of Electric Field Gradients byab initioMethods, and Their Relationship to Experimental Nuclear Quadrupole Coupling Constants
Authors: Palmer Michael H.
Published: May 2005

The electric field gradient, a 1‐electron operator, is discussed in relation to electronic structure calculations. For atoms which have spin$> 1/2$, this property leads to the spectroscopically important effect of nuclear quadrupole coupling. These second rank tensor elements are present in diverse spectral determinations, and yield important information concerning the electron distribution in the molecule under study. The nature of the phenomenon is discussed in relation to both atomic and molecular structure, and the results of many studies in vapour, liquid and solid state investigations are given.