bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fear of Crime among Elderly Jews in Boston and London
Authors: Ginsberg Yona
Published: May 2005

This article deals with the impact of fear of crime on the daily behavior of elderly Jews in two racially mixed, deteriorating neighborhoods, one in Boston and the other in London. Although people in both places expressed their fears in a similar language, their behavior was different: the Boston elderly retreated behind locked doors, while the London elderly continued their daily routine almost uninterrupted. Three factors are discussed: crime rate in each neighborhood, the different ecological pattern of both cities, and the impact of racial change. Above all, it seems, the different effect of fear of crime on behavior can be explained by the way the elderly regarded themselves vis-a-vis the community. The London Jews still felt themselves to be a part of their community while the Boston Jews felt alienated from it.
The Reliability and Validity of the Hebrew Version of the Bath County Computer Attitude Scale
Authors: Katz Yaacov J. , Evans Thomas , Francis Leslie J.
Published: May 2005

The Bath County Computer Attitude Scale was originally developed in the United States. Subsequently it has been employed successfully in South Africa, India, and the United Kingdom. The present study reports on the development of the Hebrew language translation of this instrument among a sample of 339 undergraduate students in Israel. The data support the reliability and validity of this Hebrew version of the Bath County Computer Attitude Scale.
A Comparison of Thematic Apperceptions of Sibling Affiliation, Conflict, and Separation at Two Periods of Adulthood
Authors: Bedford Victoria H.
Published: May 2005

The quality and stability of sibling relationships during adulthood were assessed by comparing TAT themes of sibling affiliation, conflict, and separation at the period of active child-rearing (CR) and the empty nest (EN). Thirty men and thirty women, divided equally between the two life stages, were randomly selected from a pool of individuals who had a same-sex, closely-spaced sibling. The Sibling Thematic Apperception Test (S-TAT) was developed to elicit underlying feelings about the relationship, because traditional methods of assessment have failed to tap its negative qualities. Contrary to previous findings, results showed no differences in affiliation or conflict theme frequencies between the CR and EN periods. Separation themes, however, were more frequent during the CR than the EN period, suggesting that concerns over separation from siblings reflect a developmental process which might be related to bonding with the family of procreation. Although there were no sex differences within life periods, women's stories about sisters across life period had more conflict themes than did men's stories about brothers.
Age Differences in Dreams. I: Men's Dreams and Thematic Apperceptive Fantasy
Authors: Zepelin Harold
Published: May 2005

Is there a covert, middle-age shift towards passivity and lowered ego energy? Age differences were investigated in dreams recalled from REM sleep by fifty-eight well-educated men age twenty-seven to sixty-four, and also in their TAT stories and dreams recalled from sleep at home. There was no confirmation of previous findings, although there was evidence of a slight age-related decline of aggression in dreams. These results raise the possibility that previous findings reflect cohort differences rather than age changes. Dreams and TAT stories failed to correlate sufficiently to warrant any assumption that they are interchangeable or that they tap covert processes.
Social Identity in Later Life: A Situational Approach to Understanding Old Age Stigma
Authors: Luken Paul C.
Published: May 2005

Social identity it a product of emergent definitional processes occurring in socially defined situations. This article presents a situational approach to understanding an aspect of social identity in later life—the social stigma of old age. Social stigma is conceptualized as an attribute which is perceived to be discrediting, incongruent with expectations, and non-pivotal in regard to the cluster of attributes associated with a specific social category. A typology of situations, based on their potential for producing the stigmatization of old age, is presented. Additionally, stigmatization in these situations is influenced by the following: commitment and legitimation, generational contacts, performance norms, and gender. Implications of a situational approach to the investigation of old age are discussed.
Imageview: A High-Level Authoring Tool for Repurposing Multimedia Content
Authors: Bergeron Bryan P. , Rouse Ronald G.
Published: May 2005

The teaching of medicine lends itself to the use of a rich mixture of sounds, text, graphics, images, and animated sequences to illustrate concepts. Often, these multimedia teaching materials ar available only in limited contexts, such as during a specific lecture or within a particular software program. As a result, students have little opportunity to review non-textual information, and courseware authors must obtain their own images and other content that may in turn be encapsulated within a software program. In response to these and other limitations of traditional content management, we have developed an infrastructure and tools supportive of making image-based content available both for student review and for courseware authors to use as a repurposeable resource.
Drug Cognitive Structures and Strategies: With Special Reference to Drug Education Programs
Authors: Fiddle Seymour
Published: May 2005

In this paper I argue that we need much more research than is now presently available about the cognitive structures guiding drug takers, that is to say, about the maps which help them decide what are drugs to be used for their effects, about which drugs to use together or separately, and what are the factors influencing those effects. In the absence of this type of knowledge, I believe, we run the risk of bypassing basic first premises and projecting our own preconceptions upon the drug takers in drug education programs and in drug research samples. After a series of concrete demonstrations of what I take to be problematical research resulting from neglecting cognitive structure, I list some further assumptions of drug education programs and conclude with some suggested hypothetical cognitive strategies.
Decision-Making in Old Age: Cautiousness and Rigidity
Authors: Calhoun Richard E. , Hutchison Sam L.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of the present study was to test the findings of Botwinick's work on cautiousness and decision-making in old age [1, 2], along with an examination of two factors not previously studied: rigidity and certainty of decision outcome. Sixty-four elderly participants of both sexes participated in filling out the Choice Dilemmas Questionnaire (CDQ) after having been classified as high or low on Schaie's Test of Behavioral Rigidity [3]. In general, Botwinick's conclusions were supported: 1. when given the opportunity to avoid making decisions on the CDQ, the elderly did so, even under conditions of no risk at all concerning the outcome of the decision; 2. elderly individuals appeared to become more conservative and cautious in their decisions when the outcome was directed at the lives of young individuals than when older individual's lifestyles were of concern. This latter phenomenon, however, was not seen when the elderly participant was required to make a decision and could not elect to abstain. In addition, rigidity was found to be related to risky decisions made by the elderly individual.
Communication Attitudes and Aging
Authors: Watson Jennifer Barber , Williams Sarah E.
Published: May 2005

This investigation compared the reported communication attitudes of 102 adults in six age groups. Participants completed the Inventory of Communication Attitudes which examines perceptions of self and others in a number of speaking situations. Discriminant analysis procedures were utilized to examine age group differences. Results indicated significant differences across age groups for perceptions of self and perceptions of others. The two age groups most frequently differentiated from the other groups were those persons in their twenties and those in their sixties.
Husbands' and Wives' Perceptions of Marital Fairness across the Family Life Cycle
Authors: Peterson Candida C.
Published: May 2005

Marital fairness, or the subjective balance between two spouses' gains and losses, was evaluated by a cross-sectional sample of 134 married Australian men and women representing five phases in the family life cycle: preparental, childbearing, the full house, launching, and the empty nest. Husbands' perceptions of their own marital equity described a U-shaped curve across these phases, with significantly more men feeling equitably treated both initially and after children's departure than during any of the three phases with children in the home. Wives' perceptions, by contrast, showed little variation with life cycle phase. Overall, a slight majority (52 percent) of husbands and wives perceived their marriages as equitable. Both sexes were inclined to agree, however, that whenever deviations from strict marital equity arose during family life, these were most likely to overbenefit husbands and to underbenefit wives. Results are discussed in relation to 1) equity theory, 2) marital satisfaction research, and 3) Bernard's model of the intrinsic sexual inequality of marriage as an institution [1].
Birth Order and Polydrug Abuse among Heroin Addicts
Authors: Lerner Steven E. , Linder Ronald L.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine the significance of possible relationships between birth order and polydrug use patterns of heroin addicts prior to undergoing treatment. Overrepresentation of only child heroin addicts was evident among the population studied.
Prognosis for Heroin Addicts in Three Rehabilitative Programs
Authors: McKee Michael R. , Lehigh John , Miller Richard
Published: May 2005

Results of drug treatment programs may depend not so much on the inherent validity of the program itself, as on its fitness to the background of the individual addict. Certain personal background variables of heroin addicts undergoing treatment in three programs are examined and compared to determine if any significant differences exist among them. Such variables as language ability, age, education, ethnic and religious background, marital status, and parental discipline appear to be significant. These variables are discussed in relation to the prognosis of an individual in one or another of the programs.
The Effect of Locus of Control and Perceptions of School Environment on Outcome in Three School Drug Abuse Prevention Programs
Authors: Olton Andre L.
Published: May 2005

Student locus of control and perceptions of school environment were investigated for their effect on outcome in three Alternatives-based school drug abuse prevention programs. Multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance were conducted on experimental and control students separately. For experimental students, locus of control was significant in the multivariate analysis: Internal students scored lower on the drug-related measures and higher on self-esteem. Certain interactions between locus of control and school environment perceptions also significantly affected some outcome variables. Analyses for controls yielded no significant confounding results.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a School Drug and Alcohol Prevention Curriculum: A New Look at “Here's Looking at You, Two”
Authors: Green Justin J. , Kelley John M.
Published: May 2005

The article reports on the results of an evaluation of a school drug and alcohol prevention curriculum marketed under the title, “Here's Looking at You, Two.” Previous evaluations, unreported in the literature and having unresolved methodological problems, have found that while the program appears effective at transmitting information regarding drug and alcohol abuse, it has not been effective at changing the underlying attitudes and behaviors that, in part, explain substance abuse. Employing a more rigorous methodology, our examination of a relatively large sample across five school districts provides support for previous findings. Over the short-term of one year, the program was particularly effective at transmitting substance information to primary and middle school students. The program, however, produced very little of the expected effect on the underlying attitudes that are critical to changing substance abuse behaviors.
Integrity Promoting Care of Demented Patients: Patterns of Interaction during Morning Care
Authors: Kihlgren Mona , Hallgren Anita , Norberg Astrid , Karlsson Ingvar
Published: May 2005

Video-recorded morning care sessions ( n = 49) of demented nursing home patients ( n = 5), were analyzed before, as well as after, training of the staff in integrity promoting care. A phenomenological-hermeneutic analysis was performed based on the Erikson theory of “eight stages of man” and musical notations were used for the analysis of courses of events. The analysis revealed five main patterns of interaction; positive, negative, intermediate, negative/intermediate turned into positive by the patient, and negative/intermediate turned into positive by the caregiver. Before the training, negative and intermediate patterns dominated (58%), while positive patterns dominated (84%) after the training. The positive patterns of interaction were characterized by the caregiver communicating with the patient as a competent partner, showing humanity, respect and support. The activity was carried out in intimacy. This led to the patient displaying more and more ability.
Cognitive Tools for Assessment and Learning in a High Information Flow Environment
Authors: Lajoie Susanne P. , Azevedo Roger , Fleiszer David M.
Published: May 2005

A simulation-based intelligent tutoring system (ITS) was designed for nurses working in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU). A cognitive task analysis approach was used to identify the cognitive components of clinical decision making of “expert” surgical nurses. Quantitative analyses revealed that expert nurses reached the same decisions. However, a qualitative analysis of the verbal protocols revealed great variability in how the nurses arrived at their clinical decisions. Differences were observed in: hypothesis generation, planning of medical interventions, actions performed, results of evidence gathering, interpretation of the results, heuristics, and the overall solution paths. The results of these analyses were used to design a prototype ITS. The tutoring environment (SICUN) is described in terms of the cognitive tools it provides, and the assessment opportunities it presents. Implications for the evaluation of this system are discussed.
Effects of External Learning Aids on Learning with Ill-Structured Hypertext
Authors: Astleitner Hermann
Published: May 2005

From a practical point of view the research presented in this article investigates learning in ill-structured hypertext without (efficient) internal learning aids (such as maps, guided tours, or intelligent information retrieval support), because this kind of learning system is more spread in everyday instruction with new information technologies (e.g., WWW) than educationally well equipped learning systems. Based on the concepts of “minimalist instruction” and “browsing” three experiments (with high school and college students) concerning learning with ill-structured hypertext are depicted. In each of the experiments one different kind of external learning aid (memo pads, learning time, and teaching objectives) was manipulated and examined on its effect on intentional and incidental knowledge acquisition. Also corresponding traits (action control, achievement motivation, extraversion, and motivation for variation) and process variables (e.g., frequency and diversity of chosen nodes) were considered as covariables. Statistical procedures were focused on CTTI (Complex Trait-Treatment-Interactions)-analysis with MAN(C)OVA. Results showed that the less students were action-oriented the more they profited in intentional learning from using memo pads. The usage of memo pads also decreased incidental learning, especially when many nodes were chosen. Results further indicated that intentional learning was high and incidental learning was low when learning time was at a medium level. The salience of teaching objectives influenced both types of learning in interaction with the measured motivational personality traits. Findings were briefly discussed on the basis of an integrated theoretical aptitude-treatment interaction approach to knowledge acquisition using cognitive effort as main construct.
Strengths and Needs of Black Grandparents
Authors: Strom Robert , Collinsworth Pat , Strom Shirley , Griswold Dianne
Published: May 2005

This study was conducted to identify ethnic differences in grandparent performance and effectiveness so that an educational program called Becoming A Better Grandparent could be adapted to maximize its relevance for Black families. MANOVA procedures were used to compare perceptions of 204 Anglo grandparents and 204 Black grandparents as well as 175 Anglo and 295 Black grandchildren. Black grandparents perceived themselves more favorably than did Anglos on every subscale of the Grandparent Strengths and Needs Inventory. Black grandchildren assigned grandparents significantly more favorable ratings for teaching and overall success, whereas Anglo grandchildren assigned their grandparents higher scores for coping with difficulty, managing frustration, and meeting information needs. Analyses of grandparent responses revealed significant main effects for age of grandparent, age of grandchild, time spent together, and geographical proximity. Grandchildren responses yielded significant main effects for age of grandchild and time spent together. Findings showed interaction effects for ethnicity by age of grandparent, ethnicity by age of grandchild, and ethnicity by distance. Implications for modifying the program to fit Black grandparents were identified.
Drug Education: Some Impressions from Experiences in Illinois
Authors: Swanson Jon Colby
Published: May 2005

The concept of training workshop dominates the approach of the State of Illinois to drug education, although programs of many modalities are currently operating within that state. The factual content of drug education and its associated vocabularies can tempt an educator to label himself an “expert” on drugs. Facts, while indispensable to effective drug education, are 1) scarce, and 2) only part of the education associated with drugs. Drug abuse is often symptomatic of other problems. Young and old may tend to make more of the “issue” of drugs than a pseudoscientific controversy. Simplistic models of drug use and abuse cannot explain all drug taking behavior, nor can they fully contain implications for changing adverse drug taking behavior. Insofar as education is a science, it is an applied science. We should move rapidly beyond creating “awareness” of the drug problem and begin to equip people with community action skills.
How Do the Schools View Substance Education and Prevention?
Authors: Vissing Yvonne M.
Published: May 2005

The use of substance (drug and alcohol) abuse prevention and education is commonly found in the school. In the Western Michigan area, few assessments have been conducted on the schools to determine the actual role of substance abuse prevention and education. In order to determine what substance services are currently being provided, and to see what services appear desirable for implementation in the schools, this assessment was conducted on schools in a two county, metropolitan area. The results of this needs assessment indicate that substance programs have a definite role in the school system, and that the expansion of quality programs in conjunction with local substance agencies is desirable.
Correlates of Perceived Social Support and Equality of Interpersonal Relationships at Mid-Life
Authors: Von Dras Dean D. , Williams Redford B. , Kaplan Berton H. , Siegler Ilene C.
Published: May 2005

An investigation into the correlates of perceived social support and the equality of interpersonal relationships at mid-life was conducted using a sample of 3954 adults from the University of North Carolina Alumni Heart Study (UNCAHS). Participants ranged in age from forty to fifty years. Results suggested that while the number of family roles and social activities are the same for men and women, women perceive a greater availability of social support and report they give more than they take in relationships with family. There was no association found between the perceived availability of social support and global indices of equality of interpersonal relationships; suggesting an independence between these two psychological aspects of social support. Further, multiple regression correlational analyses indicated gender, level of social activity, and self-esteem as significant predictors of perceived social support; with self-esteem being the best single predictor. Relatedly, gender and number of children were found to be significant predictors of the perceived equality of relationships with family. These findings suggest differences in mid-life men and women's psychological perception of the availability of social support, and the give and take of relationships with family.
Competency Goals in Training Chemical Dependency Counselors
Authors: Armstrong Dennis A. , Boen James R. , Whalen James P.
Published: May 2005

A report of the results and initial conclusions to be drawn from a survey of twenty-six “experts” in the field of chemical dependency designed to assist in the development of an agreed upon list of competencies and skills required for chemical dependency counselors. The respondents prioritized key knowledge and skill areas and identified the setting in which each competency could best be acquired. The results are intended to be used in the design and implementation of chemical dependency counselor training programs.
An Exploratory Study of Patterns of Social Interaction, Organization, and Facility Design in Three Nursing Homes
Authors: Snyder Lorraine Hiatt
Published: May 2005

Three Medicare-certified nursing homes are studied to determine factors of the organization, physical and social environment, and of the individuals that promote or deter social interaction. Social interaction is examined according to three phases: the tendency to congregate, the ability to impersonally interact with others, and the capacity to converse. Since conversation has been linked by others to rehabilitation, its promotion is stressed. Suggestions are made for creating a more functional social setting for the elderly, researching the behavioral basis for nursing home design, and for developing more meaningful building codes. This exploratory study serves as an example of how systematic environmental analysis may provide the direction necessary for implementing an extended care facility's goals.
Cognitive Styles and Feedback in Computer-Assisted Instruction
Authors: Whyte Michael M. , Karolick Dolores M. , Nielsen Milton C. , Elder Gregory D. , Hawley W. Thomas
Published: May 2005

Feedback during student practice is considered a fundamental component of well-designed computer-assisted instruction (CAI). This project focuses on the appropriate applications of feedback in a CAI lesson which teaches knowledge bases and concepts. The student's learning style/characteristics are a factor in the process. The project follows a 4 × 2 design which includes a pretest, intervention, posttest, and delayed posttest model. The factors of the design are feedback (KCR, KCRI, KOR, KORI) and learner characteristics (field dependent, field independent). The learners, freshmen cadets at the USAF Academy, were assigned to treatment groups via stratified random sampling. Stratification was based on pretest scores of prior knowledge and learner characteristics. The results of the primary intervention, level of feedback, were statistically significant, favoring increasing levels of information feedback. This article also provides instructors, instructional designers and authors of computer-assisted instruction useful methodologies for implementing the results in instructional products.
A Comparative Factor Analysis of Attitudes toward Societal Relations of the Elderly
Authors: Skoglund John
Published: May 2005

The major objectives of this study were to explore the factorial dimensionality of forty-two additudinal items designed to measure attitudes concerning old people, and to compare these factor structures in two groups. Respondents were divided into a younger group (370 participants aged 30–65) and an older group (337 participants aged 70 and 75). Factor analyses were run independently for each group, providing obliquely rotated factors. Six pairs of factors were judged to be congruent and sufficiently reliable: Work, Welfare, Social Work, Dwelling, Gatherings, and Administratorship. One postulated factor emerged in the older group alone and was named Housekeeping, the conceptual counterpart of which split into two conjugate factors in the younger group. Second-order factor analyses yielded two comparable sets of three second-order factors: Social Activities and Self-Care Ability, whereas the third factor connected high welfare with age-segregated dwelling (and low welfare with age-integration).
Prevalence and Patterns of Smokeless Tobacco Use in a Southeastern University
Authors: Glover Elbert D. , Edmundson Elizabeth W. , Alston Paul P. , Holbert Don , Schroeder Kathleen L.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine prevalence and patterns of use for tobacco products, especially, the use of smokeless tobacco among students at a university in the Southeastern United States. Six-hundred and thirty-two students, representing both sexes, participated in the survey, which elicited information regarding current and former use of tobacco products. Smokeless tobacco use was considerably more prevalent among male students than among female students; the reverse was true for cigarette smoking. Overall, the prevalence of tobacco use in this study indicates a need to begin health education programs regarding the adverse health effects of smokeless tobacco use with males and to revise smoking education programs to place more emphasis on female usage.
Awareness of Death and Self-Engagement in Later Life: The Engagement Continuum
Authors: Chellam Grace
Published: May 2005

This paper discusses three ideas: 1) The Engagement continuum—the range of activity patterns which succeed and supplement social disengagement in later life. 2) The relation between Awareness of Death and Self-Engagement, as the initial cause and final outcome of disengagement. 3) The practical implications in terms of effecting psycho-social transitions conducive to maximum self fulfillment in later life. The thoughts garnered in this paper are based on theoretical perspectives and empirical observations made in two cities in Canada and U.S.A., related to the theme.
Drinking Problems of Native American and White Youth
Authors: Forslund Morris A.
Published: May 2005

The consequences of alcohol consumption by teenagers in general and Indian youth in particular have long been of concern in the United States. Nevertheless, there have been few empirical studies of problems experienced by adolescents subsequent to drinking, and none which have provided comparative data on drinking related problems of white and Native American youth. The findings presented here are based on a self-report study of high school students in the Wind River Reservation area of Wyoming. With regard to feeling high, getting drunk, being sick, passing out, suffering a brief loss of memory, being stopped by the police, having an automobile accident and getting into trouble with parents, Indian youth of both sexes tend to experience more serious consequences of drinking than do white youth from the same area.
Some Conditions under Which Integrated Computer-Based Training Software Can Facilitate Learning
Authors: Cerpa Narciso , Chandler Paul , Sweller John
Published: May 2005

When students are required to learn a new computer application program, frequently they need to split their attention between material in a manual and material on the screen because neither is self-contained. Previous work has indicated that split-attention can interfere with learning because the need to mentally integrate material imposes an extraneous cognitive load. Alternatively, even if the screen-based material is self-contained, the material of a redundant manual, if processed by learners, can also impose an extraneous cognitive load. Under these circumstances, learning may be facilitated by the use of self-contained, screen-based material alone. In Experiment 1, the first author developed a windows spreadsheet, computer-based training package with an integrated format, to test these hypotheses. The split-attention effect was investigated by comparing the performance of a group of students using the integrated computer-based training software with that of a group using a conventional manual plus the computer software to be learned. The redundancy effect was investigated by comparing a group using the computer-based training software with a group using the same computer-based training software plus a hard-copy of this training software. Results from Experiment 1 supported the above cognitive load hypotheses. Specifically, in areas of high information complexity, the integrated computer-based training software group clearly outperformed both the conventional manual plus computer software group, and the computer-based training software plus hard-copy group, thus demonstrating both split-attention and redundancy effects. Experiment 2 partially replicated this result, as well as providing support for a cognitive load explanation of results by measuring mental load. In the light of these findings and previous research, it is suggested that cognitive load is a major factor in all aspects of instructional design. Computer training software that reduces extraneous cognitive load by adopting integrated computer-based training formats can considerably facilitate learning.
Subjective Well-Being Measures: Reliability and Validity among Spanish Elders
Authors: Stock William A. , Okun Morris A. , Benito Juan A Gómez
Published: May 2005

The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale, Life Satisfaction Index, and Affect Balance Scale were translated into Castilian Spanish and Catalan. Responses to these scales were obtained by interviews with 151 elderly persons living in Spain. Reliability estimates for the Life Satisfaction Index and the Affect Balance subscales were comparable to those for English-speaking samples, while reliability estimates for the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale were somewhat lower. Validity estimates among these scales were consistent with previous research and previously reported factor structures were found to fit the present data reasonably well, although factor loadings were lower than those previously reported. English and translated versions of the scales are provided in Appendix A.
The Impact of High School Substance Use on Choice of Young Adult Living Environment and Career Direction
Authors: Newcomb Michael D. , Bentler P. M.
Published: May 2005

The transition from adolescence to young adulthood is fraught with many important life decisions, including the choice of career direction and living arrangements. This study uses longitudinal data from 640 subjects to examine the impact of adolescent drug use on choice of life pursuit and living arrangements four years later as young adults. Use of nonprescription medication had no predictive power to understand young adult living situation or life pursuit, whereas adolescent cigarette use, alcohol use, cannabis use, and hard drug use all significantly influenced these young adult life situations. Results indicate that low levels of drug use are associated with parent and dormitory living arrangements and military and university career pursuits. On the other hand, high levels of adolescent drug use are predictive of marital or cohabitation living arrangements and none or full-time employment. These findings are interpreted to suggest that adolescent drug use is associated with precocious acquisition of adult roles (marriage, full-time jobs), perhaps to the ultimate detriment of the individual, since adequate adult maturity may not have occurred by this point in life.
Examining Constructs in Reading Comprehension Using Two Presentation Modes: Paper vs. Computer
Authors: Rice Gary E.
Published: May 2005

This study examined the processes of reading comprehension using paper presentation compared to computer presentation. Computers are increasingly being used more as a mode for instruction in schools, however, no study was identified that provides explanations regarding underlying reading comprehension processes or constructs. To examine constructs of reading comprehension, a text recall measure was employed. Additionally, to examine reading comprehension in an interactive mode a highlighting task was used. In the memory recall measure, a significant main effect was found for rhetorical type (collection over causal) but not for mode of presentation or for idea units. Findings were consistent with Meyer's results [1–3]. In using an on-line measure of highlighting, a significant main effect was found for mode of presentation (paper over computer). It would be expected under Meyer's constructs that there would be a difference by rhetorical type; however, no differences were found. The conclusion of this study is that reading comprehension constructs appear to be the same between computer presentation and paper presentation of text. However, when readers interact with text via computer (highlighting task) there appear to be different comprehension constructs evoked.
Religiosity and Adaptation in the Oldest-Old
Authors: Courtenay Bradley C. , Poon Leonard W. , Martin Peter , Clayton Gloria M. , Johnson Mary Ann
Published: May 2005

Previous research has yielded mixed results with respect to the relationship between religiosity and adaptation in older adults. Most studies show that religiosity is stable over the life span, but that religiosity may or may not be related to such factors as physical and mental health, life satisfaction, and coping. This study adds to earlier investigations by including centenarians among the sample. The preliminary results of this research project support earlier findings that religiosity does not change significantly as one ages, although there is a trend in the results that suggests otherwise. The results also indicate a significant relationship between religiosity and physical health but no significant relationship between religiosity and mental health and life satisfaction. Religiosity and coping are strongly related, and there is the suggestion that religious coping mechanisms might be more important in the oldest-old.
Representation of National Identity in Successful Historical Novels
Authors: László János , Vincze Orsolya , Somogyvári Ildikó Kõváriné
Published: May 2005

Study of aesthetic success is one of the core topics in empirical aesthetics (Martindale, 1990; Petrov, 1992; Simonton, 1986). Instead of going into complexities of what makes aesthetic objects permanently or temporarily successful, this study outlines a hypothesis which, in accord with Vygotsky (1971), claims that aesthetic success partly depends on the object's capacity of fulfilling social needs. More specifically, it is assumed that successful historical novels represent an almost ritual history of a national group in a subtle way, thereby providing generations of their readers with historical continuity and a sense of positive identity. By analyzing the two most successful Hungarian historical novels, the study identifies social psychological patterns of narrative composition, which seem to be more or less general at least for Western civilization. Results also reflect some idealized features of the Hungarian national identity.
Perceptions of Older Adults: Differences by Age and Sex among Children in a Costa Rican Community
Authors: Mitchell Jim , Mathews Holly F.
Published: May 2005

Responses from 120 Afro-Caribbean children living in a rural Costa Rican community are used to identify two subdimensions of an index designed to measure children's perceptions of older adults. Sketches of an adult male and female at three ages are used to infer differences in subdimensions in children's perceptions by age and sex. It was found that older females are perceived by the children as more authoritative and older adult males as more affective. Ethnographic techniques are used together with the survey results to elaborate upon the findings and discuss their implications for a general modernization thesis of intergenerational relationships.
A Short-Term Evaluation of Project Dare (Drug Abuse Resistance Education): Preliminary Indications of Effectiveness
Authors: DeJong William
Published: May 2005

This short-term evaluation was designed to assess the impact of Project DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), a joint project of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District, on the knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behavior of seventh-grade children who received the full-semester DARE curriculum during sixth grade. Compared to a control group, students who had DARE training reported significantly lower use of alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs since graduating from sixth grade. These findings were especially strong for boys. In response to questions for which students were to imagine friends pressuring them to use alcohol or drugs, DARE students refused the imagined offers more frequently and more often used refusal strategies that removed them from the immediate temptation.
The Problem of Current Toxic Chemicals Management
Authors: Tickner Joel , Geiser Ken
Published: May 2005

In this article, we explore the limitations of current chemicals management policies worldwide and the evolution of new European, International and U.S. policies to address the problem of toxic chemicals control. It is becoming increasingly apparent that current chemicals management policies in Europe and the United States are inadequate. There is a general lack of toxicity and exposure information on chemicals in commerce and the vast majority of chemicals were considered safe until proven guilty in legislation. Governments must then prove each chemical is dangerous through a slow and resource-intensive risk assessment process. For more than a decade, Nordic countries, such as Denmark and Sweden, have actively promoted integrated chemicals policies to address contamination of critical waterways. They have successfully used a variety of voluntary and mandatory policy tools, such as education, procurement, lists of chemicals of concern, eco-labeling, research and development on safer substitutes, and chemical phase-out requirements, to encourage companies using chemicals to reduce their reliance on harmful substances and to develop safer substitutes. While previously isolated to particular countries, innovative and exciting European-wide policies to promote sustainable chemicals management are now moving forward, including the recently published draft Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of CHemicals (REACH) policy of the European Union. A sweeping change in chemicals management policies in Europe is inevitable and it will ultimately affect manufacturers in the U.S. and globally. The European movement provides an opportunity to initiate a discussion on integrated chemicals policy in the U.S. where some innovative initiatives already are underway.
Cross-Cultural Approaches to Addict Families
Authors: Coleman Sandra B.
Published: May 2005

From a national survey of family therapy and drug abuse treatment, diverse methods of treating families from varying ethnic/minority backgrounds have been derived in an effort to integrate both family and environmental systems theory—an “ecological” family therapy approach. A number of cross-cultural approaches to working with addict families are described and a systems framework is used to discuss the various treatment strategies. Conclusions are drawn about the major family factors which transcend cultural differences. Particularly relevant to all cultures are conflicts regarding loss, separation, parental discipline and dependency issues.
Aging and Primary Relations
Authors: Babchuk Nicholas
Published: May 2005

After listing all consanguinal and affinal kin, our sample of 800 respondents forty-five and older identified those with whom they felt very close and who among these were confidants. A parallel procedure was used to identify very close friends and confidant friends. These four types (primary relatives, confidant relatives, primary friends, confidant friends) were seen as constituting the primary-group resource of our respondents. Thirty of the 800 individuals lacked primary ties with kin, compared to 118 of 800 without primary ties with friends. While very few of the respondents were without very close ties of any kind, those with extensive primary-group resources were more likely to be women rather than men, younger rather than older, married rather than single, and in high rather than low-status occupations.
Introduction of Microcomputers: A Case Study of Patterns of use and Children's Perceptions
Authors: Kinnear Adrianne
Published: May 2005

Children's attitudes toward and perceptions of the use of computers were monitored in two upper primary classrooms over a nine-month period, following the introduction of computer use. Unstructured use during non-class hours became the dominant pattern in both classrooms, with boys dominating the access and use in one of these classrooms. The resulting reduced computer use by girls contributed to the boys' and teachers' perceptions that girls are less interested in computers. Girls tended to be less positive than boys about the usefulness of computers in the classroom and their attitude scores were even more polarized after the year's experiences. The research highlights the potential role that patterns of computer use in classrooms may play in the formulation of children's attitudes toward and perceptions of computers.
A Computerized Marijuana Decision Maze: Expert Opinion regarding its Use in Health Education
Authors: Henningson Kathryn A. , Gold Robert S. , Duncan David F.
Published: May 2005

The Marijuana Action Maze (MAM) is a computerized simulation game designed to aid drug decision-making skills development. Its intended target population is adolescents and its developmental goals include sensitization to alternatives, consequences, and educational and rehabilitative resources available for making certain marijuana related decisions. In this initial assessment of the MAM, the Delphi technique was used to explore the MAM's applicability to its intended audience and setting and to the health education discipline. To this end, the study assessed expert opinions of practicing school health educators, practicing community health educators, and educational software experts to determine the MAM's acceptability among potential purchasers. Panelists assessed the importance, feasibility, desirability, and achievement of the MAM's developmental goals, rated its technical quality, and suggested appropriate health education applications.
The Use of Qualitative Research Methods in Student Affairs: A Practical Guide
Authors: Walters Evon
Published: May 2005

This article is based on two original qualitative research case studies that examined the contentious issue of domestic minority student retention (one from a public and one from a private institutional perspective). It has been written exclusively for mid-level student affairs administrators who have an interest in receiving practical, yet ethical means of gathering and monitoring information. The article will describe what qualitative research is in theory and how mid-level administrators can best use it to aid them in enriching their understanding of the deep complexities of the student clientele. The article will be in the form of a conceptual module and guide to better aid the reader in initiating such a process appropriate to their own departmental needs.
Psychoeducational Intervention for Sexuality with the Aged, Family Members of the Aged, and People Who Work with the Aged
Authors: White Charles B. , Catania Joseph A.
Published: May 2005

Sexual attitudes, knowledge, and behavior have been shown to be a life-long pattern of evolving behavior without a clear beginning and ending. Older persons were educated and socialized in an environment that viewed sexuality as a procreative activity appropriate only for married persons in the child bearing years, thus neglecting the interpersonal and individual aspects of sexuality. A sexual psychoeducational intervention was conducted and evaluated with older persons, adult family members of older persons, and staff members of nursing homes. Results indicated significant changes in attitudes toward and knowledge about sexuality and aging and sexual behavior.
Nostalgic Memories in Dementia—A Case Study
Authors: Mills Marie A. , Coleman Peter G.
Published: May 2005

The literature indicates that some moderately to severely demented elderly people can still recall their emotionally subjective past. Emotion and cognition have a relationship that can be clearly seen in the recall of nostalgic memories. This article outlines a case study that illustrates how emotional autobiographical memories of past events can be stimulated through the individual use of reminiscence and counseling skills. The authors suggest that there are possible therapeutic effects attached to this approach and that this is an area worthy of further investigation.
The Relationships of Drug Items Communicated by Teenaged Interviewees to Teenaged and Adult Interviewers
Authors: Bell Edward V.
Published: May 2005

The paper discusses the relationships of drug items communicated by teenaged interviewees to teenaged and adult interviewers. The subjects were teenagers residing in East, Central and West Harlem. A pool of 298 tapes of interviews was gathered from which sixty tapes were randomly selected. Thirty tapes were from the teenaged interviewers and thirty tapes were from the adult interviewers. The types of explanations used by teenagers for drug use included ten categories established by the investigator. The interrelationship among the ten categories were calculated by the statistical analysis, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient to determine the extent of agreement.
An Examination of the Factor Structures of the Computer Attitude Scale
Authors: Nash John B. , Moroz Pauline A.
Published: May 2005

Previous research regarding the popular Computer Attitude Scale (CAS) has indicated that the computer confidence and computer anxiety subscales measure the same trait. This study, utilizing data yielded from 208 educators, obtained estimates of the reliability of the four subscale version of the forty item CAS; provided detailed information regarding the factor patterns of the CAS subscales; and provided evidence about the differential validity of the CAS among four groups with differing intensity of computer usage. Correlations and exploratory factor analysis were used to analyze the data. The results confirm that the confidence and anxiety subscales are a continuum. A new, smaller, subscale was created to reflect this relationship. Further, a new factor, attitudes toward academic endeavors associated with computer training, was named. The CAS may now be interpreted as a thirty-four-item scale addressing computer liking, perceived usefulness of computers, computer confidence/anxiety, and attitudes toward academic endeavors associated with computer training.