bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneity of Birthweight Outcomes among Latinas in Boston
Authors: Cruz Alba N.
Published: May 2005

This study examines the increase in poor birth outcomes, particularly low birthweight (LBW) and very low birthweight (VLBW) among Latinas in Boston for 1992–1994 and 1996. The research questions were: 1) What are the factors influencing Latino birth outcomes particularly LBW and VLBW?; and 2) Do these factors occur differently among Latino women from different ethnic backgrounds? Birth certificate data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for Latinos in Boston from 1987–1995 were used to examine these questions. The sociodemographic, health access, maternal/biological, substance abuse, and infant risk factors contributing to poor birthweight outcomes among Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, Mexicans, Central Americans, South Americans, and other Latino ethnic groups were examined through bivariate and multivariate analyses. Statistically significant differences were observed among the groups. The findings reveal variation in the number and types of variables affecting birthweight among various Latino ethnic groups and inform health and social policies regarding Latino women's reproductive and perinatal health.
Optimal Sequential Rules for Computer-Based Instruction
Authors: Vos Hans J.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this article is to formulate sequential rules for adapting the appropriate amount of instruction to learning needs in the context of computer-based instruction. The framework for the approach is derived from Bayesian decision theory. Both a threshold and linear utility structure are considered. The binomial distribution as well as Kelley's regression line from classical test theory are adopted as the psychometric model involved. Optimal sequential rules will be derived both for the situation that collateral information but no prior knowledge about student's true level of functioning is available and for the situation that a beta distribution representing student's prior knowledge is assumed. An empirical example of sequential instructional decision making for concept-learning in medicine concludes the article.
Dynamics of Drug Use
Authors: Rollins Joan H. , Holden Raymond H.
Published: May 2005

This paper analyzes data from interviews with 167 drug users in the community, including age, sex, birth order, education, family constellation, age of first drug use and circumstances of first drug use. Initial drug use was usually a social experience, with considerable influence from peers. Usually initial drug use began with marijuana or alcohol. The majority of subjects had tried to stop using drugs, but most of them had been unsuccessful at the time of the interview.
Assertiveness Training in a Preventive Drug Education Program
Authors: Dupont Paul J. , Jason Leonard A.
Published: May 2005

The efficacy of two preventive drug education programs was studied in inner-city elementary schools. Seventh graders were either provided a traditional or an assertiveness drug prevention program. While children in both groups showed significant gains in knowledge, only those in the assertiveness group demonstrated significant changes in drug attitudes. In contrast to these findings, no significant knowledge or attitude changes were observed in youngsters who were not provided either program. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Graduate Education Faculty and Student Perceptions of the Ethical Climate and its Importance in the Retention of Students
Authors: Schulte Laura E.
Published: May 2005

Graduate student and faculty perceptions of the ethical climate and its importance in the retention of students were investigated at a midwestern metropolitan university. The subjects included 159 graduate students and 52 faculty members from five major areas within the College of Education. The subjects' perceptions of the ethical climate were measured by the Ethical Climate Index (ECI). There were differences between student and faculty perceptions of the ethical climate for four of the five academic areas. Results of the study indicated that a positive ethical climate is perceived by faculty and students to be important in the retention of students within graduate academic programs. Administrators and faculty members should consider the ethical climate as an important factor in retaining graduate students within academic programs.
Stabilization of Drug use Patterns on the American Campus
Authors: Beit-Hallahmi Benjamin
Published: May 2005

Patterns of drug use among students in higher education change and reach stabilization as a result of societal reactions, institutional adjustment mechanisms, and the students' own experiences and experimentation in drug use. The thesis of this article is that patterns of drug use on large U.S. campuses have been institutionalized to such an extent that they are no longer a disruptive element in education and adjustment. Looking at the stages of the institutionalization process may help us in understanding the correct scope of drug abuse, as opposed to drug use, and in recognizing parallel processes in other populations.
The Safety of Older Pedestrians at Signal-Controlled Crossings
Authors: Harrell W. Andrew
Published: May 2005

The extent to which pedestrians checked for oncoming traffic before crossing signal-controlled intersections on busy city streets was observed. Contrary to the portrayal of older pedestrians as being less aware of the traffic environment, pedestrians over the age of fifty were the most cautious, especially under dangerous traffic conditions. Older pedestrians were least likely to use other pedestrians as “guides” to safety and, instead, checked for oncoming traffic themselves before crossing. There was an overall tendency for pedestrians to check for oncoming traffic, the fewer the number of other pedestrians crossing the intersection. “Diffusion of responsibility” and “safety in numbers” explanations were offered to account for this. Wide intersections elicited more traffic checking than narrow intersections only if traffic conditions were hazardous.
Chronic Imperceptible Pain as a Cause of Addiction
Authors: Sullivan Arthur P. , Guglielmo Robert
Published: May 2005

It is argued that acute, chronic pain, whether arising from environmental or psychological contexts, is a necessary condition of addiction; conditioning and neurochemical changes are assigned a catalyzing role. Imperceptible pain which the patient can neither appreciate nor articulate because of gradual onset and lack of contrast is discussed, and it is argued that this pain, although imperceptible can be acute, and sufficient to fuel addiction. Inadequate self esteem is thought to be a common source of imperceptible pain, and therefore a cause of addiction.
Industry as a Setting for Drug Abuse Education: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Payne William D. , Monti Janice M. , Winer Michael B.
Published: May 2005

In the past much research on drug abuse education has focused on the school system (parents, teachers, students). This paper suggests that adult populations are also in need of drug education. Drug programs in industry are in a developing stage. The Training Center conducted three nine hour drug education workshops for selected staff of a large industrial concern of the Northwest. The workshop experience and the data generated during the workshop suggest the usefulness of such non-school drug education programs.
Correction of Normative Misperceptions: An Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program
Authors: Steffian George
Published: May 2005

Normative misperception refers to the tendency of college students to misperceive campus drinking norms to be more liberal than they actually are. Initial investigations have demonstrated the effectiveness of normative education on reduction of alcohol use in primary and secondary education settings. This study examined the utility of a group program designed to challenge seventy-one male college students' misperceptions of college drinking norms. Participants were enrolled into either a normative education group or a control group representing traditional alcohol education efforts. Participants in the normative education groups demonstrated more accurate perceptions of campus drinking norms and a significant reduction in consequences of alcohol use while those in the control group did not. Changes in normative perceptions were among the strongest contributors to a function discriminating between those who decreased their drinking and those who did not. Results suggest that normative education may be an effective approach to modifying drinking behaviors.
The Assessment of Social Skills Deficits in the Elderly
Authors: Furnham Adrian , Pendleton David
Published: May 2005

This paper tested the hypothesis that a sample of elderly people compared to a matched sample of younger people reports an increase in difficulty and social anxiety in dealing with a wide range of everyday social situations. The literature on assertiveness and social skills training with the elderly was first reviewed. Then an assertiveness and social difficulty scale was administered to a group of eighty participants divided by age and sex. It was found that older people experienced less discomfort in situations requiring assertiveness, yet were less likely to respond assertively. Older people reported higher incidence of social anxiety across forty everyday situations. In general females reported more difficulty than males, though there were no interaction effects. The results are discussed in terms of the assessment and training of social skills in the elderly.
Anaphor Comprehension in Younger and Older Adults
Authors: Zelinski Elizabeth M. , Miura Shari A.
Published: May 2005

This research was aimed at evaluating adult age differences in language comprehension, which has been hypothesized to decline in normal older adults. Three experiments were conducted to investigate the comprehension rate of pairs of related sentences. In Experiment 1, the related material consisted of either terms repeated from the first sentence or terms associatively related to the antecedent. In Experiment 2, the generality of the antecedent term in the sentence pairs varied, as did its typicality. In both experiments, young-old (age 55–69) and old-old (age 70–87) adults read the target sentences in the pairs more slowly than did young adults (age 20–36); age, however, did not interact with the condition. Experiment 3 repeated the conditions of Experiment 2, but, since only one sentence at a time was visible during a trial, the participants had to remember the first sentence while reading the target sentence. Young participants (aged 20–35) showed the same treatment effects as in Experiment 2, but the old (aged 55–86) showed deficits in online comprehension. The results of the three experiments suggest that the speed of comprehension processes required to match related terms in sentence pairs are not impaired with age as long as they do not have to be remembered.
How Often Do Adults Recall Their Dreams?
Authors: Herman Steve , Shows W. Derek
Published: May 2005

The question of age changes in frequency of dream recall was addressed in a questionnaire survey of 295 college-educated men and women aged seventeen to seventy. Dream recall was found to be maximal for men and women alike during the college years, with a subsequent decline to a much lower level in the forties and beyond. The drop in recall frequency is paralleled by a declining interest in, and valuation of, dreaming among middle-aged and older adults.
The Value of Children to Young and Elderly Parents
Authors: Hoffman Lois Wladis , McManus Karen Ann , Brackbill Yvonne
Published: May 2005

A sample of elderly parents in the state of Florida was contrasted with a national sample of parents in their childbearing years with respect to the satisfactions and dissatisfactions of having children. For both groups, children were most commonly seen as satisfying the needs for love and companionship and fun and stimulation. The Older group was more likely than the younger to report that children fill economic-utility needs. The older group was also more likely to indicate that there were no disadvantages to having children, and they were less likely to specifically mention disadvantages such as restrictions on freedom or financial costs. This study found that elderly parents are actually more likely to be giving financial help to their children than receiving it, and that contact with children was frequent despite geographical barriers.
Predictors of Grandmother Participation in a Multigenerational Study
Authors: Poehlmann Julie
Published: May 2005

Results of a growing body of literature regarding multigenerational relationships indicate that grandparents directly and indirectly influence their grandchildren's development. However, multiple generations have been difficult to assemble for research purposes, with refusal rates ranging from 40 percent to over 80 percent. Despite difficulties in obtaining information from more than one generation of family members, data examining potential biases in the selection of participants have rarely been reported. The present study explored predictors of grandmother participation in a multigenerational study with 84 mothers, 84 infants, and 52 maternal grandmothers. Results indicated that grandmothers were less likely to participate in the study when grandchildren experienced preterm birth and when mothers reported less family of origin support. However, grandmothers who participated in the study reported high levels of intergenerational involvement and contact with daughters and grandchildren.
Alcohol and Drug Use of Faculty in an Urban University Setting
Authors: Leung Paul
Published: May 2005

A random sample of academic faculty in a large urban university was sent a survey form regarding their drug use patterns. Results indicate that drug use does not appear to differ compared with the general population but with slightly more use of alcohol and marijuana.
Locus of Control Perceptions among Conjugally Bereaved Older Adults: A Pilot Study
Authors: McKibbin Christine L. , Guarnaccia Charles A. , Hayslip Bert , Murdock Melissa E.
Published: May 2005

While Locus of Control is typically operationalized as a single dispositional trait that generalizes across settings, it has also been conceptualized as two weakly related factors; Domain-Specific State Locus of Control and a generalized Trait Locus of Control. Malleability of these two factors was tested for recently widowed older adults in self-help support groups ( n = 17) and a waiting-list control condition ( n = 6). Domain-Specific State Locus of Control—Desire for Control subscale increased over the course of the three-week six-session intervention for support group participants. These group participants also showed decreased psychological distress from pre to post intervention. The change in Domain-Specific State Locus of Control—Desire for Control did not relate to this reduction in distress. As expected, Trait Locus of Control remained stable with greater Trait Internality related to less psychological symptomatology.
Self-Concepts of Low-Income Older Women: Not Old or Poor, but Fortunate and Blessed
Authors: Barusch Amanda Smith
Published: May 2005

This article examines the extent to which low-income older women define themselves in stigmatizing terms, then explores the strategies they use to preserve a positive sense of self. Instead of considering themselves “old” or “poor,” the sixty-two women interviewed defined themselves as “fortunate” and/or “blessed.” The ability to see oneself as fortunate may be a significant component of successful aging.
The Hallucinogenic (LSD) Experience
Authors: Gregory Robert J.
Published: May 2005

The hallucinogenic or psychedelic experience is affecting many young people. Psychological and social changes resulting from the use of LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide are appearing in numbers of young drug experimenters.

Understanding the experience and reflecting on the nature of the changes may contribute to more optimal handling of this complex phenomenon.
The Reminiscence Functions Scale: A Replication
Authors: Webster Jeffrey Dean
Published: May 2005

This article reports the findings of a replication and validation study of the factor structure of the recently developed Reminiscence Functions Scale (RFS) [1]. Three hundred and ninety-nine adult subjects ranging in age from seventeen to forty-five years ( M age = 22.7, SD = 5.7) completed the RFS. A principal components analysis indicated the viability of an eight-factor scale which strongly parallels the earlier scale construction. Factors were labeled: Boredom Reduction, Death Preparation, Identity, Problem-Solving, Conversation, Intimacy Maintenance, Bitterness Revival, and Teach/Inform. Internal consistency scores ranged from .74 to .86 and closely duplicated original scores. Age differences on Death Preparation and Teach/Inform were replicated. Potential uses of the RFS are documented.
Analysis of the Effect of Networking on Computer-Assisted Collaborative Writing in a Fifth Grade Classroom
Authors: Allen Gayle , Thompson Ann
Published: May 2005

Our study examined the effects of a computer-mediated networked learning environment on the writing of fifth grade students who used word processing to write four texts collaboratively during an eight week period. A telecommunication network was utilized to allow the students in the experimental group to send their work via e-mail to an audience of readers who read and responded to their writing. Findings suggest that when students knew they would be sending their writing to an outside reader and when they received a prompt response, there was a positive effect on the quality of writing. Results also suggest females used the computer technology when the environment was cooperative and they had equal access to the equipment. There is also indication that writing to communicate to an authentic audience outside the classroom may have contributed to the males in the experimental group scoring significantly higher on the writing assignments than the males in the control.
Responses to Moral Dilemmas Involving Self versus Others
Authors: Rybash John M. , Hoyer William J. , Roodin Paul A.
Published: May 2005

Forty older adults were administered the standard version (i.e. Other-orientation) of Rest et al.'s Defining Issues Test (DIT) and a modified version (i.e., Self-orientation) of the same instrument on two separate occasions. Contrary to the results of previous studies with children and young adults, the self/other manipulation in the present study failed to influence significantly older adults' moral judgments. The role of cognitive/perspective-taking and personal/affective factors in the moral reasoning abilities of the elderly, as well as those of children and young adults, are discussed.
Locus of Control, Perceived Constraint, and Morale among Institutionalized Aged
Authors: Fawcett Gayle , Stonner David , Zepelin Harold
Published: May 2005

Examination of the relationship between locus of control and life satisfaction was prompted by a report that external locus of control (belief in the controlling influence of others) promotes good morale for the institutionalized elderly. Contrary to this report, life satisfaction of fifty-six institutionalized elderly women was associated with internality (belief in personal influence). Life satisfaction was also inversely related to perception of institutional constraint (r = −.61), which was its most powerful determinant.
Planfulness and Problem Solving in Older Adults
Authors: Adams Cynthia Carlton , Rebok George W.
Published: May 2005

The applicability of problem solving concepts such as planfulness and depth of search to older adult cognitive behavior was considered. Eighteen males (sixty to eighty-nine years) and eighteen females (sixty to eighty-two years) solved isomorphic inquiry problems involving elimination of number and letter alternatives from a twenty-four item stimulus array. Half of the participants were given planning instructions designed to deepen their search through existing knowledge, while half received no instructions. Analyses of the total number of questions to solution and the percentage reduction in number of alternatives produced by each question revealed no reliable gender-related differences. Planning instructions, however, reduced the number of questions prior to solution and increased the informational value of most inquiries. The results were interpreted in terms of a metacognitive strategy deficiency in later life. Theoretical issues related to the construction and validation of information-processing models that depend on “real-world” knowledge were discussed.
Individual and Contextual Determinants of Inequalities in Health: The Italian Case
Authors: Costa Giuseppe , Marinacci Chiara , Caiazzo Antonio , Spadea Teresa
Published: May 2005

The geographic distribution of health status across Italian regions shows a North-South gradient, with better conditions in the North for both males and females. Using data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey, the authors first analyze the geographic variation in subjective health and presence of chronic conditions, with specific attention to the effects of individual and area-based socioeconomic conditions and their heterogeneity across regions. The results suggest the North-South gradient in health is mainly affected, at least for subjective health, by the different composition of macro-areas with respect to individual education, and is slightly influenced by contextual circumstances. Moreover, being less educated results in poorer health in some regions (mainly South and Isles) than in others (mainly Northeast). The authors next analyze the circumstances affecting the presence of more disadvantaged people in the South, to highlight features of the Southern context that might exacerbate social inequalities in health and features of Northern areas that might allay them. Indicators of inequalities, welfare, labor, and power resources were analyzed. The results confirm the disadvantage of the South in terms of social, economic, and cultural features, mainly revealing the compositional effects found in the first part of the study. However, the contextual predictive value of income inequalities, quality of care, and social cohesion can have a supplementary effect on health outcomes of disadvantaged persons.
Effects of Teacher Preparation and Student Age on an Alcohol and Drug Education Curriculum
Authors: Newman Ian M. , Mohr Patricia , Badger Barbara , Gillespie Timothy S.
Published: May 2005

An alcohol/drug education curriculum was tested in twenty-five Nebraska junior high schools involving 1,800 students in grades seven to nine. Using teacher training and student age as independent variables, gains in knowledge and decision-making ability were assessed. There was an interaction between age level and training, with older students taught by fully trained teachers making significantly greater gains in knowledge and decision-making ability than students who were exposed to the curriculum via untrained teachers and those not exposed to the curriculum at all. Teacher training was shown to be a critical variable in curriculum innovation, especially for older students.
On a Recognition Task in Which Some Distractors Were Half-Familiar
Authors: Hutchinson T. P.
Published: May 2005

Models are suggested for the task of recognizing word-pairs, where the distractors may be pairs of new words, or may be a new word paired with a previously-seen word. These models are relevant to an experiment recently reported by Isingrini et al., and suggest rather different conclusions to theirs—namely, that the elderly differ from the young in both learning and response selection.
Effect of Magnesium Pemoline and Methylphenidate on Memory Improvement and Mood in Normal Aging Subjects
Authors: Gilbert Jeanne G. , Donnelly Kevin J. , Zimmer Louis E. , Kubis Joseph F.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of magnesium pemoline (Cylert) and methylphenidate (Ritalin) on the memory and mood of normal aging persons. Seventy-eight subjects, aged 60 and over, were randomly assigned in double blind fashion to one of the two drug conditions or to a placebo. Subjects were administered the WAIS vocabulary subtest, the Guild Memory Test, and a mood scale at the beginning of the study and the mood scale and alternate forms of the memory test in the middle and at the end of the experiment. Laboratory examinations were conducted at the beginning and end of the six week period and physical examinations were given weekly. Results showed no differential drug effects between the three groups on any of the six memory functions measured or between sub-groups of differing intellectual levels. There were, however, tentative indications that Cylert increased depression and worrisomeness and that Ritalin reduced fatigue. No physical side effects or significant changes in laboratory examinations were found on all but two subjects. These two individuals, apparently hypersensitive to Cylert, showed hepatic toxicity, but the resultant elevations on some tests quickly subsided when the drug was withdrawn.
Assessments of Social Support Exchanges: Cognitions of the Old-Old
Authors: Ingersoll-Dayton Berit , Talbott Maria M.
Published: May 2005

In this study of the old-old, perceptions of thirty-one individuals regarding exchanges in their social relationships are explored. Two questions are addressed: 1) What cognitive mechanisms are used to assess equity in social exchanges? 2) What is the relationship between these mechanisms and other psychological phenomena? Using a qualitative methodology, six cognitive mechanisms are identified. Their use appears to be associated with both beneficial and detrimental subjective reactions. Findings from this study suggest that cognitive mechanisms are an important focus of inquiry because they may mediate the relationship between social exchanges and well-being.
The Contribution of Hope to the Quality of Life among Aging African Americans: 1980–1992
Authors: Adams Virgil H. , Jackson James S.
Published: May 2005

This study examined age differences between 1979–80 and 1992 in the quality of life of African Americans using panel data from the National Survey of Black Americans. Of particular interest was the role of the hope dimension of personal efficacy in accounting for variance in general well-being, beyond that contributed by social demographic and economic indicators. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that hope and family satisfaction in 1980 consistently accounted for significant amounts of variance in general life satisfaction in the 1992 fourth wave of data among all three cohorts. For older respondents, increased frequency of contact with friends and family help were the most important contributors to high satisfaction. Across waves in all age cohorts family satisfaction and contact with friends were most important in contributing to life satisfaction. Implications for further research on well-being among African Americans were discussed.
Who Volunteers for Adult Development Research?: Research Findings and Practical Steps to Reach Low Volunteering Groups
Authors: Todd Michael , Davis Keith E. , Cafferty Thomas P.
Published: May 2005

The present study is an attempt to determine volunteering bias in racial, gender, and age groups in an adult development study. Samples were drawn from three different types of organizations in the Columbia, South Carolina SMSA. Volunteering rates were calculated as a function of the number eligible to participate in three age groups: 1) young adult (aged 20–25); 2) middle adult (aged 40–45); and 3) old (aged 60–80). The middle group volunteered at a higher rate than the other two age groups, but this effect was restricted to the white sample. Women volunteered more readily than men, but not among the elderly. Whites volunteered more readily than blacks. In order to overcome these volunteering biases, special recruitment procedures were employed in order to obtain a sample which adequately represents the populations in question.
Role Expectations and Role Realities of Older Italian Mothers and Their Daughters
Authors: Johnson Elizabeth S.
Published: May 2005

Role expectations and role realities were examined in a sample of ninety pairs of Italian-American, singled, older women and their daughters. The quality of the relationships between the mothers and daughters was defined by the participants as quite high. The results showed high consensus for the expectations and realities of the role responsibilities of parents and children. A greater number of specific resources were expected and received of daughters. Mothers showed more role confusion regarding what they felt children should expect and what they themselves could provide. There was some indication that daughters may desire less advice and more emotional support from their mothers.
Teacher Characteristics and Competencies Related to Substance Abuse Prevention
Authors: Jones Randall M. , Kline Kathleen , Habkirk Sue A. , Sales Amos
Published: May 2005

Teacher characteristics and competencies perceived as beneficial for preventing substance use among students were identified through a literature search, review of existing prevention curricula, and consultation with state and local experts. These qualities were integrated into a questionnaire and administered to acknowledge professionals in the substance use and abuse arena who were affiliated with universities, public schools, and prevention/intervention agencies. A factor analysis yielded six constructs which were then scaled, examined for psychometric appropriateness, and subsequently employed to quantify perceptions of importance. Teacher-Student Relations emerged as the most important aspect of teacher comportment, followed by knowledge associated with Human Behavior, Substances, User Recognition and Referral, Prevention Curricula, and Legal Issues. These findings are encouraging in that the characteristics and skills perceived as important to prevention can be developed in both pre- and in-service teacher training.
Demographic Variables and Recreational Substance Use among College Students
Authors: Carlson B. Robert , Davis Jaime L.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between demographic variables and recreational substance use within the college population. Eight hundred thirty-two college-aged students were given the Wellness Activity Profile, a questionnaire that includes sections yielding demographic and recreational substance usage data. Discriminant analyses of the data indicated that persons using recreational substances differed significantly from non-users. Marijuana users differed from non-users on parental income, high school grade point average, gender, and political orientation, while no demographic differences were found between cocaine users and non-users. Composite substance users differed from non-users on political orientation, parental income, and gender.
Mentoring-Reminiscence: A Conceptual and Empirical Analysis
Authors: McGowan Thomas G.
Published: May 2005

The quality of reminiscence research is often undermined by a lack of conceptual clarity regarding the particular type of reminiscence experience under study. The conceptual meaning of reminiscence is structured in part by the context in which it is experienced. Accounting for contextual factors is thus, an important step toward achieving conceptual validity. In the case of interpersonal reminiscence the role occupied by the reminiscing subject is an important contextual factor which should be accounted for. Interviews were conducted with elders ( N = 12) who had participated in a three-month, college-based life histories project involving mentoring-reminiscence—reminiscing while occupying the role of mentor. Ten elders reported that participation had been a positive and enjoyable experience, and four of these reported significant improvements in self-image. These outcomes are attributed to the fact that mentoring-reminiscence situates elders in a role involving status, an intergenerational relationship, and purposeful and productive activity.
A Case Against Decriminalization of Pot
Authors: Steffenhagen R. A. , McCann H. Gilman , Merriam George
Published: May 2005

Drug use may be either prescribed or proscribed depending on the drug and/or the nature of procurement. Marijuana and other drugs of those not in power are proscribed. Although males smoke and sell marijuana somewhat more than females there was no strong association between any of the background variables and drug use variables, supporting the position that drug use has become a positive value within the student culture. The data showed that involvement in the selling of marijuana and other drugs is related to the illegal aspects of procurement and distribution of marijuana, a network which can only be broken by legalization.

An investigation of patterns of drug use among undergraduates at a New England university shows that marijuana use has become a normal part of student life even among men and women, athletes, and good students. Furthermore, frequent use of marijuana is strongly associated with selling of marijuana, use of other illicit drugs and selling of those drugs, consistent with the hypothesis that the need to go through illegal channels to obtain marijuana leads to a progressive involvement with the drug subculture.
Drug Education—A Problem in Moral Philosophy
Authors: Bethell B. J. , Bellward G. D.
Published: May 2005

During the development or assessment of drug education programs, many individuals insist on the avoidance of “moralizing.” The meaning of this term is not as obvious as it appears initially when philosophically analyzed. Although “preaching” will not contribute to a healthy educational situation, an awareness of moral principles, rules and values is a necessary criterion to rational thought processes. This becomes especially evident when one analyzes society's values concerning “hard” vs. “soft” drugs. This paper attempts to clarify these philosophical issues in a manner which can be put into practice in many types of drug education programs.
I Think of Ronald Reagan: Future Selves in the Present
Authors: Roberts Pamela
Published: May 2005

A nonlinear perspective on time (where the future exists in and affects the present) has been described by several theorists but there is little research on the extent, quality or origins of the personal future perspective. The present study examined the existence and origin of the future in the present by asking adults aged nineteen to eighty-three to: 1) project themselves into the oldest age imaginable, 2) describe their hopes and fears for that age, and 3) name role models for those hopes and fears. Data analysis revealed that length of future perspective, number of hopes and number of role models for the distant future declined with age. In addition, types of fears for the future varied with age, with older adults stressing dependency issues while younger adults reported concerns about personality and mental health. Despite age differences, most participants could name role models for both their hopes and fears for aging, but specific models were identified more often for hopes than for fears. Personalized hopes and fears for the distant future as motivators for the present are discussed.
Feedback Facilitated Relaxation Training as Primary Prevention of Drug Abuse in Early Adolescence
Authors: Volpe Richard
Published: May 2005

Previous research indicates that the interrelated aspects of low self esteem and debilitating anxiety play a significant part in drug abuse. As a means of primary prevention this paper suggests the use of relaxation training to develop self esteem and reduce drug abuse. The aims of this paper are to provide an overview of relaxation training and electromyography and focus this approach on the needs of early adolescents as they may relate to the provision of a constructive alternative to drug abuse.
Perceived Control and Adaptation in Elder Caregivers: Development of an Explanatory Model
Authors: Wallhagen Margaret I.
Published: May 2005

Perceived control has been implicated in the adaptation and well-being of older adults and may be especially relevant to elder caregivers. However, few studies have investigated perceived control within the individual's unique personal, social, and environmental context. This study tested a model representing the hypothesis that perceived control, defined as the perception that salient or valued aspects of one's life are manageable, mediates the objective and subjective aspects of caregiving and caregiver adaptation. Sixty elderly caregivers ranging in age from sixty to eighty-four (M = 69.4) were interviewed. Perceived control had a direct relationship with life satisfaction and depression, and an indirect relationship with subjective symptoms of stress. Wishful thinking coping behavior had a negative relationship with all adaptation variables. Findings are discussed in relation to further refinement and development of a theoretical approach to caregiver research and intervention studies in light of the obtained path model.
Cognitive Abilities: Use of Family Data as a Control to Assess Sex and Age Differences in Two Ethnic Groups
Authors: Wilson J. R. , De Fries J. C. , Mc Clearn G. E. , Vandenberg S. G. , Johnson R. C. , Rashad M. N.
Published: May 2005

Four cognitive factors were extracted from test data obtained on 997 families (3,268 individuals) in Hawaii. Factor loading profiles for the two largest ethnic groups (Caucasians and Japanese) are nearly identical, as are profiles for three different age groups. Age curves are presented for factor scores and for four specific cognitive tests. The younger respondents on the age curves are biological offspring of older respondents represented on the same curves, facilitating an unusual control for between-family variance. When the data were stratified by ethnicity, differential rates of cognitive development were indicated.
Attitude Instrument Analysis: An Examination of Factor Consistency across Two Samples
Authors: Hickey Tom , Bragg Stephen M. , Rakowski William , Hultsch David F.
Published: May 2005

The factor analytic model of the practitioner-oriented Opinions About People (OAP) was tested with a population of gerontological practitioners (N = 558). A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to ascertain the degree-of-fit between these data and the published OAP factor model. After results supported the hypothesis that the two samples differed, a second factor analysis was designed to yield estimates of communalities by a least squares multiple regression technique. This analysis eliminated nine items not warranting inclusion in the instrument, redistributed the factors, and brought out a completely new factor. Finally, to test the hypothesis that attitudes toward aging and the aged are uncorrected, a third analysis was performed in which the six scales of the oblique solution were refactored. The resulting higher order dimensions tended to support this hypothesis.
Pavlov's Position on Old Age within the Framework of the Theory of the Higher Nervous Activity
Authors: Windholz George
Published: May 2005

In the 1920s, as I. P. Pavlov was growing old, he began to show interest in the general process of aging. In order to study senescence, Pavlov and his disciples experimented in the laboratory on old dogs by the method of salivary conditioning and also observed aged psychotic patients in the psychiatric clinic. Pavlov never formulated a theory of aging per se, but incorporated his findings on aging into his theory of higher nervous activity, which dealt with the function of the brain in higher organisms' adaptation to the environment. Some of the major findings showed that salivary conditioning and stimulus differentiation were difficult to establish in old dogs. Conditioned reflexes established earlier in dogs' lives, however, persisted into old age. Pavlov explained these findings in terms of hypothesized neural processes in the brain; with age, neural processes deteriorate and their reactivity to the environment wanes. In light of more recent research, Pavlov's views on senescence, with the exception of the relation of conditioning to aging, are mainly of historical interest.
Characteristics of High and Low Self-Esteem in the Elderly
Authors: Hunter Kathleen I. , Linn Margaret W. , Harris Rachel
Published: May 2005

Self-esteem is fundamental to the elderly's experience of life. To examine what background and personality characteristics were associated with low and high self-esteem in the elderly, 250 men and women age sixty-five and older were studied. Elderly with either high or low self-esteem did not differ with respect to age, income, education, or living-arrangement. However, the low self-esteem group had poorer self-reported health, more pain, and higher disability. The low self-esteem group had significantly higher scores on depression, anxiety, somatization, and a more external locus of control orientation both with and without health variables controlled. These data suggest that intervention may be a viable aid in promoting better feelings toward the self for persons over age sixty-five.
Fifth Generation Computing: Introducing Micro-Prolog into the Classroom
Authors: Ennals Richard , Briggs Jonathan
Published: May 2005

The international computer industry is embarked on the construction of anew “Fifth Generation” of computers that are intended to be more accessible to the human user. The Japanese Fifth Generation project is based on the use of “Logic Programming.” In this article the authors describe their use of “Logic Programming” in school classrooms since 1980 and give an account of different styles of introduction for wide-ranging educational applications, using readily available personal computers. Emphasis is placed on clear description and explanation of knowledge areas rather than on the behavior of the computer. This provides an introduction to the use of logic and the declarative style of programming in the context of the traditional school curriculum.
Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse, and Alcoholism: A Multivariate Problem?
Authors: Baeza Jesus
Published: May 2005

This paper briefly addresses some of the factors related to problems concerning the definition of alcoholism. The effectiveness of treatment models and the apparent multivariate nature of alcoholism are discussed. It is suggested that the multivariate and interdependent nature of these problems merits consideration of research to ascertain the possible utility of a multivariate definition and treatment model.
Adolescent Cocaine Use: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention
Authors: Brower Kirk J. , Anglin M. Douglas
Published: May 2005

Epidemiological studies of adolescent cocaine use are critically reviewed, risk factors for use are identified, and implications for prevention are discussed. Cocaine use among adolescents is increasing due, in part, to lower prices and the availability of “crack,” a potent smokable form of freebase cocaine. Although most use ends after mild to moderate experimentation, some users develop severe adverse consequences in a short period of time. Risk factors for initial cocaine use have been identified as male gender, use of marijuana, lack of social connections to family and school, peer influences, and psychopathology. However, further studies are needed to identify risk factors for developing more extensive or problematic cocaine use or abuse, including possible underlying biological factors. Prevention efforts should be targeted at preadolescents who show high risk characteristics. Parents, educators, and health care providers should all be involved in prevention programs, to provide a consistent message in the home, the school, and the popular media. Effective techniques that address the identified risk factors are required to maximize the success of prevention efforts.
Embodiment and Emplacement: Identities, Representation and Landscape in Sun City Retirement Communities
Authors: Laws Glenda
Published: May 2005

This article focuses on the embodiment, emplacement and representation of aged identities and suggests that more attention be paid to the spatiality of age relations. Identities are both externally imposed and self nominated. Using the example of retirees I explored the ways in which particular places are involved in the creation of identities. Sun City retirement communities are shown to 1) have a material form that serves the retiree identity, 2) be represented in particular ways that contribute to that identity and 3) simultaneously act as a representation. The article asks whether or not these communities are indicative of a shift to postmodernism, characterized by increased emphasis on surveillance, security, simulations, consumerism, and fragmentation of identities, in both life courses and landscapes.
Implications of Non-Response of Older Women to a Short form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
Authors: Powers Jennifer R. , Young Anne F. , Russell Anne , Pachana Nancy A.
Published: May 2005

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is frequently used in epidemiological surveys to screen for depression, especially among older adults. This article addresses the problem of non-completion of a short form of the CES-D (CESD-10) in a mailed survey of 73- to 78-year-old women enrolled in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Completers of the CESD-10 had more education, found it easier to manage on available income and reported better physical and mental health. The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores for non-completers were intermediate between those for women classified as depressed and not depressed using the CESD-10. Indicators of depression had an inverted U-shaped relationship with the number of missing CESD-10 items and were most frequent for women with two to seven items missing. Future research should pay particular attention to the level of missing data in depression scales and report its potential impact on estimates of depression.
Social Psychology and Gerontology: A Discussion
Authors: Rosow Irving
Published: May 2005

The four papers of this symposium on social psychology and gerontology are critically discussed: Babchuk on primary relation, Shaver on attribution theory, Marris on conservation and innovation, and Lieberman on adaptation.
An Interpretative Review of Smokeless Tobacco Research in the United States: Part II
Authors: Glover Elbert D. , Schroeder Kathleen L. , Henningfield Jack E. , Severson Herbert H. , Christen Arden G.
Published: May 2005

This is the second part of a two-part series reviewing the published literature of smokeless tobacco in the United States. The article explores smokeless tobacco as a pharmacologically addicting substance, educational interventions designed to prevent use or help users quit, and outlines areas of future research.
Worksite Tobacco Control Policies and Labor-Management Cooperation and Conflict in New York State
Authors: Siqueira C. Eduardo , Barbeau Elizabeth , Youngstrom Richard , Levenstein Charles , Sorensen Glorian
Published: May 2005

This article summarizes the origins and implementation of labor-management negotiated tobacco control policies in public workplaces in New York state during the 1980s and 1990s. It is an in-depth case study that illustrates the confrontation and cooperation among three main social actors involved in the design and implementation of workplace smoking policies: public-sector labor unions, public health professionals, and state managers. The policy debates, legal, and political issues that emerge from this history suggest hopeful avenues for improving the dialogue and cooperation on the design and implementation of workplace smoking policies between and among public health professionals, managers, and labor union leaders in the United States. Understanding how these parties can reach agreement and work together may help tobacco control advocates and labor leaders join forces to enact future tobacco control policies.