bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variations in Subject Pool as a Function of Earlier or Later Participation
Authors: Bernard Larry
Published: August 2011

Data were obtained from 113 participants in a university subject pool during a 16-wk. semester. Without knowing the purpose of the study, participants self-selected to participate earlier (Weeks 3 and 4: n = 63) or later (Weeks 15 or 16) n = 50). Variations in scores on the NEO Personality Inventory–Revised, the Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale, the General Expectancy of Success Scale, the Shipley Institute of Living Scale, self-reported SATs and GPAs, and a measure of academic self-efficacy as a function of earlier or later participation were examined. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that early participants differed significantly from later participants but not in predicted ways. Earlier participants scored higher on NEO PI–R Neuroticism; specifically men ( n = 15) and women ( n = 48) scored higher on Hostility, and women scored higher on Depression and Self-consciousness. An additional significant difference occurred for self-reported SAT Verbal scores for men, which were significantly higher for later participants. These temporal variations may represent confounds in research using university subject pools.
Perceptions of Social Support in Doctoral Programs among Minority Students
Authors: Williams Keith B.
Published: August 2011

This study examined the perceptions of social support reported by 70 African-American, 44 Hispanic, 20 Native-American, and 69 Asian-American doctoral students ( N = 203) concerning their experiences in graduate school. The Doctoral Student Survey was used to measure the levels and types of social support provided. One-way analysis of variance of mean scores indicated that a majority of doctoral students perceived the academic environment on campus and faculty advisers to be strong sources of social support, while perceiving the social environment on campus as unsupportive of their progress. The African-American and Native-American doctoral students perceived the social environment on campus to be less supportive than did the Hispanic and Asian-American doctoral students, and Native-American doctoral students perceived their departments to be less supportive than did the African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American doctoral students.
Influences of Cultural Origin and Sex on Work Values
Authors: Akhtar Syed
Published: August 2011

This study examined the influences of cultural origin and sex on intrinsic, instrumental, and systemic work values using an individual level analysis. Data on importance of work outcomes were obtained from a stratified sample of 111 Hong Kong Chinese, British, and American managerial employees of a multinational media company. Analysis of variance showed that compared to Hong Kong Chinese, British and American managerial employees scored significantly higher on intrinsic work values and lower on instrumental work values. Cultural origin did not significantly influence systemic work values. Sex differences in the three work values were also not significant. Implications for managerial practice are discussed.
Performance of Black and White South African Children on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised and the Kaufman Assessment Battery
Authors: Skuy Mervyn , Taylor Mandy , O'Carroll Shelley , Fridjhon Peter , Rosenthal Lesley
Published: August 2011

The validity of traditional intelligence tests for cultural groups that differ from those for whom the tests were normed has come under scrutiny. This is particularly the case for the previously disadvantaged black majority in South Africa. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K–ABC) is reportedly a relatively nondiscriminatory test of intellectual functioning. This study compared the performance of 21 black and 35 white third-grade South African children on the K–ABC and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale–Revised (WISC–R) at two schools for children with learning problems. While the WISC–R Verbal and Full Scale IQ of black children were significantly lower than that of whites, there was no significant difference between these groups on the K–ABC. Teachers' ratings for white and black pupils were acceptably concordant with students' performance on the K–ABC but not on the WISC–R. Support is provided for the usefulness of the K–ABC as a relatively nondiscriminatory alternative to the WISC–R for South African children.
Compulsive Buying and Risky Behavior among Adolescents
Authors: Roberts James A. , Tanner John F.
Published: August 2011

Using a scale designed to measure compulsive buying of adolescents, a survey was conducted to assess the relationships of compulsive buying with several risky behaviors among 111 adolescents between the ages of 12 to 19 years. The correlations suggest that self-report measures of cigarette smoking, alcohol use, drug use, and likelihood of engaging in premarital sex were all significantly associated ( rs = .30 to .32) with compulsive buying among teenagers. Implications of the results are discussed, and directions for research are offered.
Longitudinal Characteristics of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression Scale
Authors: Poresky Robert H. , Clark Karen , Daniels Ann Michelle
Published: August 2011

The internal structure of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale was examined within the context of a three-year longitudinal study of 80 low-income parents of young children. The baseline, first-year, and second-year follow-up home interviews included the scale. Principal components factor analyses with varimax rotation yielded six factors for the baseline data, and five factors for the follow-up data with different items loading on different factors each year suggesting some instability of the factors. Cronbach alpha estimates of the internal consistency of the original factors showed satisfactory values for Depressed Affect, Positive Affect, and possibly Somatic, but not for Interpersonal. However, alpha for the total score was very strong. Positive Affect and the total score also showed stability over the three administrations. These results question the use of the original factor scores for the CES–Depression as subscales but support the use of the total score as a measure of depression.
Father—Child Separation, Retrospective and Current Views of Attachment Relationship with Father, and Self-Esteem in Late Adolescence
Authors: McCormick Cynthia B. , Kennedy Janice H.
Published: August 2011

Relationships between paternal separation in childhood and adult measures of self-esteem, paternal acceptance and independence-encouragement were investigated with 236 nonparent college students as subjects. Current relationship with father was measured by a modified version of Epstein's Mother-Father-Peer Scale. Self-esteem was measured by Coopersmith's Self-esteem Inventory. Individuals who experienced separation for all reasons from their fathers during childhood recounted less acceptance by their fathers in late adolescence but not less independence–encouragement. Individuals whose parents had divorced (whether or not they had experienced a significant separation) reported lower acceptance by their fathers in both childhood and in late adolescence, and they attained lower scores on self-esteem.
A Structural Model for Predicting Mathematics Achievement: Its Relation with Anxiety and Self-Concept in Mathematics
Authors: Abu-Hilal Maher M.
Published: August 2011

This study proposed and tested a model of mathematics achievement and its relations to antecedent and subsequent factors using structural equations modeling. A sample of elementary school students in Al-Ain school district ( n = 394) completed an Arabic version of the Self-description Questionnaire as well as a questionnaire measuring their perception of the importance of mathematics, anxiety about it, and the amount of effort they exerted in studying. Mathematics grades were obtained from the official school records. Importance and effort were positively related to achievement which in turn had a positive path coefficient to self-concept and a negative path to anxiety. The hypothesized model explained 40%, 64%, and 73% of the variance in achievement, self-concept, and anxiety, respectively. The results can be interpreted as indicating that achievement is an important outcome and antecedent construct within the proposed model.
On the Presentation and Interpretation of International Homicide Data
Authors: Winston Andrew S. , Peters Michael
Published: August 2011

Whitney in 1995 argued that White groups around the world have relatively low homicide rates compared to Black groups. He used the presumed similarity of homicide rates of White groups to argue for the importance of genetic factors and the unimportance of sociocultural factors in explaining group differences. We show that for Europeans, Whitney added two categories from United Nations data: homicide and death from a variety of other causes. For the U.S. White group, Whitney presented only homicide rates, thus making it appear as if Europeans have homicide rates comparable to those in the USA, when European rates are in fact considerably lower. The importance of careful scholarship in this area is emphasized.
Communal Orientation May Not Buffer Burnout
Authors: Truchot Didier , Keirsebilck Ludivine , Meyer Stephanie
Published: August 2011

Communal orientation (a desire to give and receive benefits in response to the needs of and out of concern for others) has had a buffer effect on burnout, in particular when the helping relationship is perceived by the helper as inequitable. This result, however, comes from research involving a specific professional group, medical personnel, that is, a group with a medical helping model wherein recipients are neither held responsible for their problem nor for the solution. We hypothesized that among professional helpers with a compensatory model wherein recipients are not held responsible for their problem but for the solution, and who perceive the relationship as inequitable, not only will a communal orientation not have effect on burnout, but it will reduce personal accomplishment. We present some results supporting this hypothesis.
Experiences and Expectations in Evaluating Preparation for an Examination
Authors: Schweizer Karl
Published: August 2011

The predictability of the evaluation of preparing for an oral examination by means of self-concept and self-esteem as well as optimism and self-efficacy was investigated in a sample of 49 university students. Self-concept was measured by Frankfurter Selbstkonzeptskalen, self-esteem by the 16PF-O scale, personal optimism, social optimism, and self-efficacy by Fragebogen für Personalen Optimismus und Sozialen Optimismus—Erweitert, and the evaluation of the preparation by a self-report sheet. Data were collected 5 wk. before the examination. The self-report sheet was given again one week before the examination. Significant correlations of self-report scores with self-concept scores as well as 16PF-O scores representing past experiences were found for the first assessment. The correlations with personal optimism scores and self-efficacy scores representing expectations were also significant for the second assessment.
Mail Surveys among College Students: Do Initial Responders Score Differently from Nonresponders on the 16PF?
Authors: Johnson John Sikes , Mowrer Robert R.
Published: August 2011

A single experiment is reported which investigated possible personality differences between college students who responded to a mail survey and those who did not. 208 college students completed the 16PF as part of a class assignment. Then each student was mailed a survey dealing with either a national or local issue (environmental, media, or sports). Multivariate analysis of the 16 subscales of the 16PF yielded a significant interaction between sex and response type. Subsequent protected univariate analyses identified significant sex x response type interactions on scales Q2 (Self-reliance), F (Liveliness), and O (Apprehension). Mean differences on the Self-reliance and Apprehension were sex differences rather than personality differences between responders and nonresponders. The only mean difference for response type was on Liveliness and applied only to men; responders scored lower than nonresponders. Multivariate analysis of the global scales of the 16PF yielded a significant interaction between sex and response type. Protected univariate analyses indicated a significant interaction between sex and response type on the Extraversion scale and a sex difference; female nonresponders scored higher than male nonresponders. No other comparisons were significant.
Students' Anxiety in a Senior Thesis Course
Authors: Wood Mary R. , Palm Linda J.
Published: August 2011

The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered on Weeks 8, 12, and 15 of a semester to 16 students enrolled in a senior thesis course. State anxiety scores were elevated when oral presentations began and declined following the presentations. Trait anxiety scores remained constant across test administrations. The influence of situational variables on students' anxiety was discussed.
Psychology of the Scientist: LXXXI. Professional School and Traditional Program Graduates: Comparison on Measures of Achievement in Clinical Psychology
Authors: Templer Donald I. , Tomeo Marie E. , Pointkowski Stephen R. , Mitroff David , Niederhauser Ronda N. , Siscoe Karen
Published: August 2011

Clinical psychologists who graduated from traditional programs and those who graduated from professional schools were compared on both scientifically and professionally oriented criteria of achievement and recognition. Upon controlling for year of graduation from a doctoral program, the professional school graduates were less likely to be APA fellows, less likely to be on the editorial board of specified research oriented journals in clinical psychology, less likely to have diplomate status in the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), less likely to have been president of state psychological associations, and less likely to have been APPIC internship directors.
Gambling Attitudes among Black South African University Students
Authors: Peltzer Karl , Thole Johannes M.
Published: August 2011

Political change in South Africa since 1994 has led to a marked increase in opportunities to gamble. The purpose of the study was, therefore, to investigate attitudes towards gambling in African University students with the Gambling Attitude Scales by sex, course of study, and personality traits such as conservatism and risk-taking. The sample included 136 University of the North students, 80 first-year psychology and 56 second-year African law students. The students were 69 men and 65 women in the age range of 18 to 32 years ( M of 21.8 yr., SD = 3.9). Analysis showed that men held more positive attitudes than women did towards gambling. Positive attitudes toward gambling were related to individual differences in risk-taking, liberalism, and course of study.
Outcome Ratings for Psychotherapy by Graduate Students and Professional Therapists
Authors: Strudler Arielle M. , Schaefer Charles
Published: August 2011

This report describes outcome for 404 psychotherapy cases seen over 10 years and rated by either Ph.D. students or professional therapists. There was no M difference in professional therapists' and students' ratings of patients' improvement.
Partial Phonological Marking Facilitates the Acquisition of Noun Subclasses: A Replication
Authors: Aurilio Margaret Kochman , Jenkins James J. , Silliman Elaine R.
Published: August 2011

This is a partial replication of Brooks, Braine, Catalano, Brody, and Sudhalter (1993). 32 participants learned a miniature linguistic system (MLS). Vocabulary of the MLS consisted of an actor subject, two sets of 19 object nouns, and two sets of three suffixes. In the experimental language, 60% of the nouns were phonologically marked with a common ending for each class; in the control, these endings were distributed across the classes. Participants were trained using pictures. Sentences about the pictures combined the actor's name with an object and an appropriate suffix that described the actor-object relation. A subset of possible sentences and objects was reserved for later testing. During generalization tests, participants had to produce sentences for pictures they had not seen during training. The experimental group was markedly superior to the control. The replication supports the earlier finding that learning of seemingly arbitrary linguistic classes can be facilitated by partial phonological cues.
Asymmetric Effects on Recognition of Animate Objects by Children
Authors: Ando Michiyo , Hakoda Yuji
Published: August 2011

The present study examined the effects of type of change in a picture (addition or deletion), and the effects of presentation time on children's recognition of animate objects (butterflies and cats). Five- or 6-yr.-old children viewed original pictures in a learning phase for 6 or 10 sec., and then they viewed in a test phase originals and altered pictures in which features were added to or deleted from original pictures. They were required to answer whether test stimuli had been seen before. Analysis showed that, although children discovered added features more frequently than deleted features in pictures of butterflies, they discovered deleted features more frequently than added features in pictures of cats (asymmetric recognition). Asymmetric recognition was not influenced by stimulus presentation time. Although asymmetric recognition was observed in children and adults for pictures of butterflies and cats, the feature for which alterations affected recognition was different. These results indicated that children process information about animate objects differently from that about inanimate objects and specifically by kind (domain-specific). The features to which children pay attention may change with development (age)
Retrospective Self-Reports of Changes in Homosexual Orientation: A Consumer Survey of Conversion Therapy Clients
Authors: Nicolosi Joseph , Byrd A. Dean , Potts Richard W.
Published: August 2011

We present the results of a survey of 882 dissatisfied homosexual people whom we queried about their beliefs regarding conversion therapy and the possibility of change in sexual orientation. There were 70 closed-ended questions on the survey and 5 open-ended ones. Of the 882 participants, 726 of them reported that they had received conversion therapy from a professional therapist or a pastoral counselor. Of the participants 779 or 89.7% viewed themselves as “more homosexual than heterosexual,” “almost exclusively homosexual,” or “exclusively homosexual” in their orientation before receiving conversion therapy or making self-help efforts to change. After receiving therapy or engaging in self-help, 305 (35.1%) of the participants continued to view their orientation in this manner. As a group, the participants reported large and statistically significant reductions in the frequency of their homosexual thoughts and fantasies that they attributed to conversion therapy or self-help. They also reported large improvements in their psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual well-being. These responses cannot, for several reasons, be generalized beyond the present sample, but the attitudes and ideas are useful in developing testable hypotheses for further research.
Predictors of Support to Legalize a State Lottery in Alabama Counties
Authors: Joubert Charles E.
Published: August 2011

In Alabama support for a lottery to fund education was correlated with indices of low income.
Stability of Tringo's Hierarchy of Preference toward Disability Groups: 30 Years Later
Authors: Thomas Adrian
Published: August 2011

The hierarchy of preference toward disability groups was measured for 171 subjects on 16 disabilities. Results indicated that the hierarchy of preference reported by Tringo (1970) exists today despite many efforts by society to remove such stereotypes. Further, the rank-order of the hierarchy appears to be quite stable in that only individuals with cancer show an appreciable change in relative position.
Confidence Interval Formulas for Split-Half Reliability Coefficients
Authors: Charter Richard A.
Published: August 2011

Confidence interval formulas for the Spearman-Brown and the two-part coefficient alpha are presented.
Gender Differences in Self-Image Described by Malhotra's Self-Concept Scale
Authors: Goldsmith Ronald E. , Flynn Leisa R.
Published: August 2011

A survey was made of 69 men and 51 women undergraduate students who described their self-image using the 15 adjective pairs of Malhotra's (1981) Self-concept Scale. Tests of mean differences showed that the men described themselves as more rugged, dominating, unorganized, rational, formal, and colorless; and the women described themselves as more delicate, submissive, organized, emotional, informal, and colorful. These results are consistent with several descriptions of male/female differences in the literature, thereby demonstrating that Malhotra's scale may be a simple and convenient way to measure these specific aspects of self-image.
Characteristics of Families of Soldiers Who Return Prematurely from Overseas Deployments: An Assessment from Operation Restore Hope (Somalia)
Authors: Schumm Walter R. , Bell D. Bruce , Knott Benjamin
Published: August 2011

Nearly 500 wives, married to enlisted soldiers who deployed to Somalia for Operation Restore Hope, participated in a postdeployment study in the summer of 1993 About 10% of their husbands had returned early from Somalia for family reasons. Analysis of their wives' reports suggests that early returns were associated most often with childbirth or problematic pregnancies rather than other factors such as inexperience with deployments, negative attitudes towards the military, a lack of support services, or lower coping abilities. However, in hindsight, our results probably reflect compliance with military policy at that time for that deployment, under which pregnancy-related concerns were one of the most legitimate reasons for permitting an early return. The results support sociological theories that highlight the importance of macrosocial factors in influencing the lives of individual families somewhat independently of the microsocial environment of the families.
Glucose Levels are Not Associated with Common Features-Derived Prototype Memory Abstractions
Authors: Baldwin Naomi , Ament Patrick A. , Ryan Joseph J.
Published: August 2011

Elevated glucose levels are associated with increased recall on declarative memory tasks. No previous studies have examined such a relationship using a common features-derived prototype memory abstraction task. 20 participants volunteered, 10 each in an experimental group who were given 40 g of glucose to drink and a control group given an artificially sweetened beverage after fasting. Analysis indicated that common features-derived prototype memory abstractions seem resistant to glucose fluctuations.
Preschoolers' Knowledge about Strategies in Coping with Other's Disgust Evoked by Immoral Actions
Authors: Kojima Yoshiko , Matsuda Fumiko
Published: August 2011

40 preschoolers in Exp. 1 and 22 in Exp. 2 (mean ages were both 5:11) were shown short stories presented as colored videotaped pictures with explanatory narrations. In each story a recipient felt disgusted by an agent's action. In Exp. 1 the agent's action was immoral. The participants were asked to tell how the agent would behave, supposing they were the agent themselves. About 80% of their answers were prosocial. In Exp. 2, two kinds of story were shown. In one, the agent hurt the recipient intentionally; in the other, by accident. Almost all answers in both kinds of story were prosocial. Furthermore, over a third of the participants told the reasons for their answers, considering the recipient's emotion, even when the agent's action was intentional and immoral. These findings show that the preschoolers had suitable knowledge about the agent's strategies in coping with the recipient's disgust.
Written Expression, Hooper, and Blind Rating
Authors: Muenz Tracy A. , Cole Jason C. , Balderson Anne
Published: August 2011

Much research has supported the assertion of Hooper, et al.'s 1994 claims that specific stimuli perform better than others in eliciting well-developed written responses; however, previous research was conducted with raters who were aware of the hypotheses. The present study of 29 middle school children validated previous support for Hooper, et al.'s assertions by implementing blind rating and, once again, finding that significant differences between Hooper-like and non-Hooper-like prompts existed for structural items but not for items of mechanics.
Demographic Factors as Predictors of Coping Strategies among Police Officers
Authors: Patterson George T.
Published: August 2011

This study examined the effects of demographic factors on coping responses among police officers. A sample of 233 police officers completed the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988). The regression analysis showed that the higher the reported educational attainment, the more police officers reported coping which was emotion-focused and seeking social support. The rank of the officer was directly related to reported emotion-focused coping. These results are discussed relative to research on the relations of demographic factors and coping responses among police officers.
Validity of the Learning Process Questionnaire with Students of Lower Academic Attainment
Authors: Zhang Li-Fang , Bernardo Allan B. I.
Published: August 2011

The Learning Process Questionnaire was administered to 692 secondary school students (308 boys, 380 girls, and 4 unspecified) in the Philippines. The ages of the participants ranged from 14 to 22 years, with an average of 15 yr. An exploratory factor-analysis procedure was conducted for the entire sample, for the lower achievers ( n = 333), and for higher achievers ( n = 359). The factor structure of the Learning Process Questionnaire was uninterpretable with data obtained from students of lower academic achievement.
Phase Analysis of Burnout and other Psychological Phenomena
Authors: Turnipseed David L.
Published: August 2011

Phase analysis appears to have the potential to increase knowledge and improve ameliorative solutions for burnout. This article explored potential uses of the phase models of burnout and social and practical implications of the phases. The use of phase analysis to increase understanding of other psychological phenomena such as anxiety, citizenship behavior, and hardiness is introduced.
Personality, Job Level, Job Stressors, and Their Interaction as Predictors of Coping Behavior
Authors: Mayes Bronston T. , Johnson Thomas W. , Sadri Golnaz
Published: August 2011

Hypotheses concerning the relationships among job stressors, job level, personality, and coping responses were investigated in a sample of 305 electrical contracting employees. Coping behaviors were measured with questionnaire items based on interviews conducted with a sample of the subjects. Neuroticism (N) and Extraversion (E) were the personality variables most strongly related to coping behavior. Overall, more coping variance was explained by personality than by job stressors; however, when the effects of job level and job stressors were combined, they explained more variance in complaining/quitting and seeking social support than did the personality variables. Both work situation and personality seem to be important variables in the choice of coping behaviors. There was no evidence of interactions among personality, stressors, and job level in explaining coping behavior.
Use of Three Depression Scales for Evaluation of Pretreatment Severity and of Improvement after Treatment
Authors: Rivera Carmen Senra , Pérez Carolina RancañO , Cao Elizabeth Sánchez , Sixto Salomé Barba
Published: August 2011

We investigated the Castilian Spanish versions of three scales (the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Carroll Rating Scale for Depression, and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) as to their suitability for classifying major depression patients in four levels of severity prior to treatment with tricyclic antidepressants, and also as to their suitability for classifying these patients in four improvement levels when administered posttreatment. Although the scales behaved quite similarly, each was most efficient at the task for which it had been designed, i.e., severity rating for the Hamilton and Carroll scales, improvement rating for the Montgomery-Asberg scale.
Self-Reported Automaticity and Irrationality in Spider Phobia
Authors: Mayer Birgit , Merckelbach Harald , Muris Peter
Published: August 2011

Spider phobic women ( n = 39) and nonfearful controls ( n = 41) completed a 20-item questionnaire measuring the extent to which they experience their fear reactions to spiders as automatic and irrational. For the phobic sample, therapy outcome data were also collected. Results suggest that spider phobics tend to view their attitude to spiders as irrational and in this respect, they do not differ from control subjects. Furthermore, compared to control subjects, phobics more often perceive their responses to spiders as automatic, i.e., not under intentional control. Contrary to expectation, no robust correlation was found between automaticity and irrationality. Interestingly, automaticity was not related to treatment outcome, while irrationality to some extent predicted therapy outcome (i.e., the more phobics experienced their fear as irrational, the more they profited from exposure treatment).
Should There Be a Duty to Report Crime?
Authors: Veneziano Louis , Veneziano Carol
Published: August 2011

A number of studies have examined why people do or do not respond when they observe criminal activities. Traditionally, the legal system has not punished the failure to report a crime. This study sought to ascertain whether a sample of college students and public citizens thought there should be legal punishments for the failure to report crimes. Respondents ( N = 301) were presented a list of illegal acts and asked to select from a list (no punishment, fine, or prison sentences) what type of punishment should be enforced for failure to report that crime. Analysis indicated that the sample thought there should be punishments for most of the crimes, with a fine as the modal response. For more serious crimes, more serious punishments were selected, and there were some sex differences. It appeared that public support for such laws might be strong.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Outcome Based Performance Measures
Authors: Kern Jeffrey M. , Firth Colleen S.
Published: August 2011

The Outcome Based Performance Measures are widely used to evaluate and accredit organizations providing services to persons with disabilities. This study evaluated the interrater reliability, levels of difficulty for items, and factor groupings of this measure with 4–8 Nevadans with mental retardation. Results supported the measure's reliability and most of the items' levels of difficulty. Factor analysis yielded seven factors with item loadings that varied moderately from prior reports, tending to coincide with the original measure's logically-based groupings. Revisions to the measure are suggested.
The Kuwait University Anxiety Scale: Psychometric Properties
Authors: Abdel-Khalek Ahmed M.
Published: August 2011

This study was undertaken to construct the Kuwait University Anxiety Scale in two comparable Arabic and English versions. The intent was to provide a research tool as well as a measure of predisposition to develop anxiety in general among adults and adolescents. The scale is comprised by 20 brief statements answered on a 4-point intensity scale, anchored by 1: Rarely and 4: Always. Factor analysis yielded three high-loaded factors of Cognitive/Affective, Behavioral/Subjective, and Somatic Anxiety, with moderate interfactor correlations. Item-remainder correlations ranged from .27 to .74. Reliabilities ranged from .88 to .92 (alpha) and between .70 and .93 (test-retest), denoting good internal consistency and stability. Criterion-related validity of the scale ranged between .70 and .88 (5 criteria), while the loadings of the scale on a general factor of anxiety were .93 and .95 in two factor analyses, demonstrating the scale's criterion-related and factorial validity. Discriminant validity of the scale was demonstrated. The scale correlated .65 with scores on the Beck Depression scale. Male adolescents attained a higher mean score than male undergraduates. Females have significantly higher mean scores than their male counterparts. Kuwaiti norms ( N = 4,660) were reported. An English version of the scale is available.
A Technique for Assessing Adherence to Relaxation Training Instructions
Authors: Murdoch Janice W.
Published: August 2011

One of the difficulties in researching adherence to relaxation training is accurate self-monitoring. Here, a small form that fits into the case of the relaxation cassette tape is described that provides a convenient means of documenting practice, including whether the person practiced, if the practice was beneficial, and several specifics about the particular practice. A five-week trial with 36 undergraduate students indicated that it is a useful method for assessing adherence to relaxation training.
Sex Differences in Indicators of Well-Being in Adolescents
Authors: Light Harriett
Published: August 2011

The 1999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, administered to 964 females and 852 males in randomly selected high schools in a midwestern state, indicated significantly greater negative indicators of mental and physical well-being for adolescent girls than adolescent boys. Results of the 1997 survey finding that significantly more adolescent girls reported engaging in several high risk sexual and drug behaviors such as having their first drink of alcohol at an earlier age, driving a vehicle in the past 30 days when they had been drinking, smoking at an earlier age, smoking more cigarettes per day, and using over-the-counter drugs to get high more often, were supported and enlarged.
Atypicality of Norms for the Strong Interest Inventory
Authors: Brophy Alfred L.
Published: August 2011

The Strong Interest Inventory uses large up-to-date norming groups for many scales, but the groups have exceptionally high education. Scores based on the atypical norms should be interpreted cautiously. The effect of the groups on construction of the occupational and nonoccupational scales is discussed.
Soldiers at Risk for Individual Readiness or Morale Problems during a Six-Month Peacekeeping Deployment to the Sinai
Authors: Schumm Walter R. , Bell D. Bruce
Published: August 2011

Longitudinal data were examined to predict soldiers' morale, satisfaction with Army life, and the effects of family issues on performance of duties during an overseas deployment (Sinai peacekeeping force during the spring of 1995). Few variables were significant predictors of the outcome measures; however, rank, leaders' support for families, prior satisfaction with Army life and with information released about the deployment appeared to predict better outcomes during the deployment. Rank and leaders' support for families appeared to be more important for married soldiers while satisfaction with predeployment information seemed to be more important for single soldiers. Those who were worried about the effects of the deployment on their families also tended to report interference with their duty performance because of family concerns, but that effect was offset by perceived leaders' concern for families. In conclusion, it appears to the authors that the pre-existing factors studied had much less to do with deployment outcomes than did leadership success before and during the deployment. That's good news for Army leaders about their power to have a positive effect on soldiers' morale during overseas deployments but may be bad news for anyone hoping to find a “magic bullet” for pre-identification of soldiers most likely to retain high morale, regardless of their leadership's competence during an overseas deployment.
Manic-Depressive Tendencies and Jungian Dimensions of Personality in College Students
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

In a sample of 39 students, manic tendencies were associated with sensing and judging scores, while depressive tendencies were not associated with the measures of personality.
Improving Return Rates for Health-Care Outcome
Authors: Jones Rick , Zhou Miranda , Yates William R.
Published: August 2011

The objective was to test two methods of reducing loss of data in follow-up by abbreviating the questionnaire and offering a token monetary incentive. Primary data were collected between September 14, 1998 and July 23, 1999 from an adult psychiatric population, representing about 50% of all patients, all of whom agreed to participate in a quality-assurance monitoring program. Briefer components of the SF-36 Health Status Survey were expected to yield higher return rates than would the SF-36 plus a form assessing amount of treatment received. Small monetary incentives were expected to result in higher return rates also. Patients were randomly assigned to the groups ( n = 73 each). Abbreviation of the questionnaire and use of a monetary incentive each reduced attrition by 10%. A diminishing returns effect for both methods was observed. Further study of a possible interaction between the questionnaire's length and monetary incentive is recommended.
Perceptions of Multiple Risk Factors for Heart Attacks
Authors: French David P. , Marteau Theresa M. , Senior Victoria , Weinman John
Published: August 2011

There is increasing evidence that in some diseases such as coronary heart disease, risk factors may interact synergistically, resulting in greater likelihood of disease than would be produced by the sum of the risk factors. These two studies aimed to examine the extent to which 210 undergraduate students and 28 heart attack patients perceive risk factors to combine synergistically. Respondents read one of four vignettes, describing information about risk factors (with high and low smoking and family history), and estimated a man's likelihood of a heart attack in a hypothetical case. In both studies an interaction was found with either a family history or smoking eliciting ratings of high likelihood of heart attack, providing no evidence of synergistic models. This finding may reflect respondents' beliefs or the insensitivity of this paper-and-pencil method in detecting synergistic effects.
Suicidality in Primary Health Care and National Suicide Rates
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

The incidence of suicidal symptoms for primary health care patients did not predict national suicide rates in a sample of 10 nations.
Islam and Suicide
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

Suicide and homicide rates of a sample of 72 nations were associated with a cluster of social variables related to economic development but not with a cluster related to the proportion of Islamic adherents.
Relation of Depression and Anxiety to Personal and Academic Problems among Iranian College Students
Authors: Makaremi Azar
Published: August 2011

This study investigated the role of anxiety and depression in students' adjustment to family and campus life. The Cognition Checklist and a problem questionnaire were given to 1,452 college students (998 men, 454 women). Analysis showed that off-campus students were significantly less depressed and anxious. These college students were worried about jobs and marriage. Feelings of anxiousness and worry were reported; sex differences on depression scores were not significant.
Prevalence of Domestic Violence Reported by a Sample of South African Undergraduates
Authors: Mwamwenda Tuntufye S.
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine reports of wife battery by 81 male and 138 female Xhosa-speaking undergraduates in Transkei, South Africa among neighbours and relatives. Only 32 of 219 subjects admitted having witnessed such behaviour by their parents; 43 indicated that they approved wife battery; and 94 did not consider it a matter to be brought to the attention of police. For 136 it was not a sufficient reason for seeking divorce.
Hospital Restructuring and Downsizing in Canada: Are Less Experienced Nurses at Risk?
Authors: Burke Ronald J. , Greenglass Esther R.
Published: August 2011

The health care sector has undergone significant change during the past decade as hospitals struggle to provide the same service with fewer resources. This study examined perceptions of hospital restructuring and downsizing and their effects on nursing staff as a function of years in nursing. Data were obtained from 1,362 staff nurses by questionnaire. Nursing staff having less tenure generally described and responded to hospital restructuring and downsizing in more negative terms. Nursing staff having less tenure were in better health, reflecting their younger age. Some implications for hospital administration and the nursing profession are raised. Entrants to hospital-based nursing staff positions are the life blood of the profession. Their reactions to hospital restructuring and downsizing may influence their commitment to nursing as well as hospital functioning. The profession may have difficulty attracting young women and men into nursing programs. As longer tenured nursing staff retire, a potential shortage of nurses may result.
Correlations for Serotonin Levels and Measures of Mood in a Nonclinical Sample
Authors: Peirson A. R. , Heuchert J. W.
Published: August 2011

The Beck Depression Inventory is frequently used to detect depression and its severity because depression is a prevalent mood disorder and is commonly treated by prescription of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac. The importance of serotonin (5-HT) in the treatment of major depression is evident but the nature of this involvement is unclear. In this study, the characteristics of platelets are employed as a peripheral model of the neuron to estimate central serotonergic activity, which is a consequence of numerous factors including 5-HT2 receptor sensitivity. The greater the sensitivity of the platelet serotonin receptors, the lower the concentration of serotonin required to mobilise a particular amount of calcium from internal stores through serotonin stimulation. Hence, Platelet 5-HT2 receptor sensitivity is inferred from the concentration of serotonin that is required to produce half maximal intracellular calcium mobilisation (EC50). In the present study, the correlation of –.422 between scores on the Beck Depression Inventory and EC50 in a sample of 49 university students was significant, implying that mood is significantly related to 5-HT2 receptor sensitivity, such that increases in depressed mood are accompanied by increases in 5-HT2 receptor sensitivity.
Test-Retest Reliability of the Self-Rating Inventory for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Hovens J. E. , van der Ploeg H. M. , Bramsen I. , Reuling I. E. W.
Published: August 2011

The Self-rating Inventory for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a 22-item self-report questionnaire to give a diagnosis for PTSD based on DSM–IV criteria. Originally, the questionnaire was standardized with trauma survivors and psychiatric patients. Here test-retest reliabilities with 90 medial students are reported for 15 (.79) and 19 days (.97). As expected, the stability was slightly less for 34 days (.60)
Equality in Suicide and Dates of Women's Suffrage
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

The ratio of female/male suicide rates in 50 nations in 1990 was not associated with the year of women's suffrage.
Quantifying the Qualitative: An Empirical Poetic Approach
Authors: Scott Derek
Published: August 2011

Two studies are described which take a psychometric approach to a qualitative phenomenon. A computational analysis of poetry was conducted. Using a lexicon programme, patterns emerged generally supporting the idea of a poet's ever-changing thematic preoccupations. Using a multimedia educational software package, presenting the poetical phrase accompanied by visual stimuli had a substantial effect on the appreciation of the poet's meaning. These novel methodological approaches might stimulate further work in this area.
Coping Skills in Japanese Women with Eating Disorders
Authors: Nakahara Rika , Yoshiuchi Kazuhiro , Yamanaka Gaku , Sasaki Tadashi , Suematsu Hiroyuki , Kuboki Tomifusa
Published: August 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate coping skills in the different types of eating disorders in Japan. Groups of patients with eating disorders diagnosed with DSM-IV and 22 controls were studied. Coping skills were assessed with the Stress Coping Inventory. The mean Problem-focused coping score tended to be lower in the bulimia nervosa purging-type group ( n = 20) than in the control group. The former group and the bulimia nervosa nonpurging-type group ( n = 6) used significantly less planful problem solving and less positive reappraisal coping than the control group, while the anorexia nervosa restricting-type group of 11 tended to use less positive reappraisal, and the anorexia nervosa binge-eating/purging-type ( n = 11) tended to use less planful problem solving and less positive reappraisal than the control group. As some uses of coping skills by patients with eating disorders were lower than those of the control group, developing coping skills may be useful in treatment for eating disorders in Japan.
Job Satisfaction in Teachers
Authors: Yezzi Jade A. , Lester David
Published: August 2011

In a sample of 30 teachers, job satisfaction was predicted by age and the need for achievement.
Self-Evaluation of Unintended Biases and Prejudices
Authors: Paniagua Freddy A. , O'Boyle Michael , Tan Victor L. , Lew Angela S.
Published: August 2011

A scale for measuring self-assessment of factors, which might lead to unintended biases and prejudices, was tested with 39 professionals working with adolescents on probation. The scale has 10 items (e.g., “Would feel comfortable providing clinical services to [e.g., African Americans].” Each item was rated on a 3-point scale so as summated scores increase across items the probability of unintended biases and prejudices against five culturally diverse groups (African American, American Indian, Asian, Hispanic, and White) would also increase. The coefficient alpha was .87. Participants' mean unintended bias and prejudices across items were always lower toward clients from their own racial or ethnic group. For example Hispanic and White participants tended to be more prompt to display these attitudes against African Americans, relative to African-American participants. White participants, however, reported lower scores leading to unintended biases in the case of White clients, relative to African-American and Hispanic participants. Overall, participants' mean unintended bias and prejudices against American Indian and Asian clients tended to be higher with these groups, relative to clients from the African-American, Hispanic, and White communities. Results are discussed in terms of further development of the scale in the design of cross-cultural training in various working environments with culturally diverse clients.
Transition from Novelty to Familiarity Preference Depending on Recognition Performance by 4-Yr.-Olds
Authors: Uehara Izumi
Published: August 2011

Preference seems to depend exclusively on individual tastes; however, preferential behavior may be determined by memory, as past studies have shown that preferences for objects depended on whether objects had been previously experienced. Infants and young children prefer novel stimuli, while adults prefer familiar stimuli. To investigate the relationship between memory and preference directly, a preference task and a recognition task were administered to the same subjects. The subjects were 4-yr.-olds because Uehara observed a change in preference for novelty and familiarity in 4-yr.-olds, depending on their recognition performance. The results were similar to those of Uehara. The children who had lower scores in the recognition task preferred the novel stimuli in the preference task, and the children who had higher scores preferred the familiar. Developmental changes within children, from low scores on recognition coupled with novelty preference to high scores on recognition coupled with familiarity preference, were observed.