bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding Discipline in Families of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Structural Equation Model
Authors: Miranda Ana , Grau Dolores , Rosel Jesús , Meliá Amanda
Published: March 2013

One hundred and fifty-five mothers of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) completed a semi-structured interview, the Parenting Stress Index Questionnaire (Abidin, 1990), to evaluate parenting stress. The Parenting Scale (Arnold, O'Leary, Wolff & Acker, 1993) was also administered to measure dysfunctional discipline strategies. Structural equation modeling was used to test a model in which the independent variables were the Child's Characteristics and the Socio-Educational Status of his or her family; intermediate variables were Parenting Stress concerning the Child Domain and concerning the Parent Domain; and the dependent variable was Parental Discipline. The results confirm our hypotheses. Interventions in these families should therefore incorporate a component focused on Parenting Stress (in both the Child Domain and the Parent Domain), as a determinant of Parental Discipline.
Parenting Cultural Models of a Group of Mothers from Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Seidl-de-Moura Maria Lucia , Bandeira Tatiana Targino Alves , Campos Katia Nahum , da Cruz Edilaine Moreno , Amaral Gabriela dos Santos , de Marca Renata Gomes da Costa
Published: March 2013

Developmental contexts have been studied in terms of systems of beliefs and practices, treated as part of general cultural models. This paper aims to describe aspects of parenting cultural models of a group of 200 primiparous Brazilian mothers from Rio de Janeiro, who had children less than 44 months old. Mothers answered the Socialization Goals Interview (SGI), and an adapted version of an inventory of beliefs about practices of care, developed by M. Suizzo. Answers to the SGI were coded in five categories and their subcategories: Self-maximization (SM), Self-control (SC), Lovingness (L), Proper demeanor (PD) and Decency (D), and scores in each of them were calculated. A factor analysis indicated three dimensions of mothers' beliefs about practices: Awaking and exposing the child to diverse stimuli (Stimulation), ensuring the Proper presentation of the child and Responding to and bonding to the child. Data was further analyzed in terms of subcategories of SM and D and of the relation to the factors mothers' educational level and sex of their child. Results showed that mothers from Rio de Janeiro share a cultural model of autonomy for their children, but that they also believe in the importance of their relationship to others.
Estimating One's Own and One's Relatives' Multiple Intelligence: A Cross-Cultural Study from East Timor and Portugal
Authors: Neto Félix , Furnham Adrian , Pinto Maria da Conceição
Published: March 2013

This study examined estimates of their own, and their parents' general and multiple intelligences. Three hundred and twenty three students from East Timor, and one hundred eighty three students from Portugal estimated their own, and their parents' IQ scores on each of Gardner's ten multiple intelligences. Men believed they were more intelligent than were women on mathematical (logical), spatial, and naturalistic intelligence. There were consistent and clear culture differences. Portuguese gave higher self, and family ratings than Timorese, as expected. Participants of both cultures rated overall intelligence of their father higher than that of their mother. Implications of these results for education and self-presentations are considered.
Social Representations, Risk Behaviors and AIDS
Authors: Camargo Brigido Vizeu , Bousfield Andréa Barbará S.
Published: March 2013

This study's interest relies on adolescents' social representations of unprotected sex, more precisely on the relationship between the attitude towards the preservative and the reason attribution for its non use. 1386 secondary school students took part in the study, in the Brazilian cities of Florianópolis, Itajaí and Balneário Camboriú. In order to verify reasons attributed by the students, we focused on the sample that had sexual experiences without using the condom during last year. Data was analyzed with software ALCESTE, which showed three different classes of explanations for the non use of the preservative: the moment of the intercourse (unpredictable and incontrollable), trust in the partner and the option of the contraceptive pill, instead of the preservatives, in avoiding pregnancy. The students' attitudes towards the preservative are less favourable among those who maintain sexual intercourse with known people. The results revealed two representations of AIDS: one of trust in the partner and another of the experience with sex and the preservative – the first one gives sense to the adolescents' experiences with known sexual partners and the second, with less known sexual partners.
Social Support, Burnout Syndrome and Occupational Exhaustion among Mexican Traffic Police Agents
Authors: Beltrán Carolina Aranda , Moreno Manuel Pando , Estrada José G. Salazar , López Teresa M. Torres , Rodríguez María Guadalupe Aldrete
Published: March 2013

The consequences of work-related stress on health are worrisome, and by the same token, so is Burnout Syndrome. However, it has been shown that social support can prevent, reduce or even combat individuals' responses to stress.

A descriptive, transverse study was carried out with the objective of determining the prevalence of both Burnout Syndrome and receiving social support for traffic police in Mexico. 875 traffic police participated in the study, men and women alike, from all work shifts, day and night. Three questionnaires were administered: one to record sociodemographic and professional data, as well as the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the modified Diaz Veiga Social Resources Inventory. Our data analysis obtained frequencies and percentages and also identified associations between the study's variables.

The prevalence of Burnout Syndrome was found to be 54.9% among the study's participants. The social support networks designated as “low or poor” were shown to be associated with Burnout Syndrome, with p values less than .05, an odds ratio (OR) greater than 1 and a confidence interval that did not include the number one.

In spite of the strong network of social support reported by participants, it seems that those social effects were not strong enough to combat Burnout Syndrome, and some resolution strategy ought to be implemented at the individual, group and organizational levels.
Development of an Implicit Overall Well-Being Measure Using the Implicit Association Test
Authors: Díaz Darío , Horcajo Javier , Blanco Amalio
Published: March 2013

Usually, well-being has been measured by means of questionnaires or scales. Although most of these methods have a high level of reliability and validity, they present some limitations. In order to try to improve well-being assessment, in the present work, the authors propose a new complementary instrument: The Implicit Overall Well-Being Measure (IOWBM). The Implicit Association Test (IAT) was adapted to measure well-being by assessing associations of the self with well-being-related words. In the first study, the IOWBM showed good internal consistency and adequate temporal reliability. In the second study, it presented weak correlations with explicit well-being measures. The third study examined the validity of the measure, analyzing the effect of traumatic memories on implicit well-being. The results showed that people who remember a traumatic event presented low levels of implicit well-being compared with people in the control condition.
Employability and Personal Initiative as Antecedents of Job Satisfaction
Authors: Gamboa Juan Pablo , Gracia Francisco , Ripoll Pilar , Peiró José María
Published: March 2013

In a changing and flexible labour market it is important to clarify the role of environmental and personal variables that contribute to obtaining adequate levels of job satisfaction. The aim of the present study is to analyze the direct effects of employability and personal initiative on intrinsic, extrinsic and social job satisfaction, clarifying their cumulative and interactive effects. The study has been carried out in a sample of 1319 young Spanish workers. Hypotheses were tested by means of the moderated hierarchical regression analysis. Results show that employability and personal initiative predict in a cumulative way the intrinsic, extrinsic and social job satisfaction. Moreover, the interaction between employability and personal initiative increases the prediction of these two variables on intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. Results also indicate that higher values of employability when initiative is also high are associated to higher levels of intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction. These results have implications for theory and practice in a context of new employment relations.
Features of Color Reflection in Psychogenic Pain in Patients with Somatoform Disorders during Psychotherapeutic Treatment
Authors: Ishinova Vera A. , Svyatogor Irina A. , Reznikov Tatiana N.
Published: March 2013

The present work examines the change in color reflection in psychogenic pain in patients with somatoform disorders (SFD) during psychotherapeutic treatment, for which empatho-techniques were used. At the start and end of the course the psychophysiological condition was determined according to psychological parameters and assessment of bioelectrical brain activity. All initial indicators for the patients significantly differed from those for the healthy subjects. At the same time, color reflection in the psychogenic pain was characterised by colors in the longwave part of the spectrum, in contradistinction to healthy subjects for whom achromatic and shortwave colors predominated. After the completed course patients with SFD had a significant improvement of all psychophysiological indicators and a lack of color reflectons in the longwave part of the spectrum. The data obtained permits the proposition that there exists a link between the psychogenic pain, its color reflection and anxiety, and also changes in the functional condition of the CNS.
Argentinean Adaptation of the Social Skills Inventory IHS-Del-Prette
Authors: Olaz Fabián Orlando , Medrano Leonardo , Greco María Eugenia , Prette Zilda Aparecida Pereira Del
Published: March 2013

We present the results of the adaptation of the IHS-Del-Prette (Inventario de Habilidades Sociales, in English, Social Skills Inventory) to a sample of Argentinean college students. Firstly, we addressed the backward translation and carried out an equivalence study of the Portuguese and Spanish versions of the scale. The results showed the two versions were equivalent, as we obtained correlations lower than .50 in only 5 items. Secondly, we performed item analysis by calculating discrimination indexes and item-total correlations. Results indicated that the items are sensitive to differentiate between high and low social-skill groups. Exploratory factor analysis carried out with a sample of 602 college students yielded five factors that explained 26.5% of the total variance, although our data did not completely match the original factor structure. We also obtained moderate alpha values for the subscales, but high reliability for the total scale. Lastly, group differences between males and females are presented to provide evidence of validity. We discuss the implications of the results and present future lines of inquiry.
Factors Affecting Visual Inference in Single-Case Designs
Authors: Ximenes Verônica M. , Manolov Rumen , Solanas Antonio , Quera Vicenç
Published: March 2013

Visual inspection remains the most frequently applied method for detecting treatment effects in single-case designs. The advantages and limitations of visual inference are here discussed in relation to other procedures for assessing intervention effectiveness. The first part of the paper reviews previous research on visual analysis, paying special attention to the validation of visual analysts' decisions, inter-judge agreement, and false alarm and omission rates. The most relevant factors affecting visual inspection (i.e., effect size, autocorrelation, data variability, and analysts' expertise) are highlighted and incorporated into an empirical simulation study with the aim of providing further evidence about the reliability of visual analysis. Our results concur with previous studies that have reported the relationship between serial dependence and increased Type I rates. Participants with greater experience appeared to be more conservative and used more consistent criteria when assessing graphed data. Nonetheless, the decisions made by both professionals and students did not match sufficiently the simulated data features, and we also found low intra-judge agreement, thus suggesting that visual inspection should be complemented by other methods when assessing treatment effectiveness.
Age-related Changes in Recognition and Response Criterion
Authors: Suengas Aurora G. , Gallego-Largo Trinidad Ruiz , Simón Teresa
Published: March 2013

Recognition performance does not usually change along the lifespan, but the response criterion usually does, and in general, it changes from being conservative during youth to being liberal, in old age. The focus of the present study is to analyze the changes that take place, both in discrimination and response criterion, as a result of aging in two recognition tasks: one with neutral images, and the other with faces showing positive and negative emotional expressions. Two groups of participants performed both tasks: young (N = 21; age range, 17-33 years), older (N = 21; age range, 65-91 years). The analyses of several discrimination parameters (d′ and probability of recognition) and the response criterion yielded significant age differences. Thus, results indicated that the ability to discriminate of older participants was better than that of younger participants when having to recognize neutral images, and faces with negative emotional expressions. The response criterion of younger participants was always conservative, whereas older participants only showed liberal criteria in front of faces with emotional expressions. In relation to the neutral images, the response criterion of older participants was optimum, because it led to more hits, without increasing the false alarms. The results are partially explained by the tasks differential difficulty, and are discussed within the frame of Simulation theory.
Garrison's Model of Self-Directed Learning: Preliminary Validation and Relationship to Academic Achievement
Authors: Abd-El-Fattah Sabry M.
Published: March 2013

In this project, 119 undergraduates responded to a questionnaire tapping three psychological constructs implicated in Garrison's model of self-directed learning: self-management, self-monitoring, and motivation. Mediation analyses showed that these psychological constructs are interrelated and that motivation mediates the relationship between self-management and self-monitoring. Path modeling analyses revealed that self-management and self-monitoring significantly predicted academic achievement over two semesters with self-management being the strongest predictor. Motivation significantly predicted academic achievement over the second semester only. Implications of these findings for self-directed learning and academic achievement in a traditional classroom setting are discussed.
Using Self-Determination Theory to Explain Sport Persistence and Dropout in Adolescent Athletes
Authors: Calvo Tomás García , Cervelló Eduardo , Jiménez Ruth , Iglesias Damián , Murcia Juan Antonio Moreno
Published: March 2013

Motivational characteristics are influential in shaping adolescents' desire to persist in sport or to discontinue their sport participation. Self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) was utilized as the theoretical framework for this study. This theory examines whether sustained participatory involvement, defined as continued participation in the sport through the next year, was influenced by individuals' self-determined motivation and by the fulfillment of the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Four hundred ninety two soccer players between the ages of 13 and 17 years comprised the sample. Results indicated sport dropout was explained by higher levels of amotivation, external regulation, and introjected regulation and by lower satisfaction of relatedness and autonomy needs. The findings of this study contribute to the knowledge base on sport dropout as they supported many of self-determination theory.
Self-Relation of Adolescents in a Family with a Step-Father
Authors: Belogai Ksenia N.
Published: March 2013

This article represents an empirical study of adolescent's self-relation in a family where the mother has re-married. In many studies self-awareness and its functional aspect – self-relation – are selected as new stages in adolescence. The family is considered to be the most important factor in a child's and adolescent's personality development. Literature reviews on the specifics of a child's development in a family with a second marriage present some of the problems facing the parents and children in it. In the present article, problems of relations between children and parents are discussed. A principal finding of this report is that adolescents from families with a stepfather have a less flexible self-relation than adolescents from families with the biological father; to have a positive self-relation they need defence mechanisms. At the same time, analysis of adolescents' drawings shows that adolescents from families with a stepfather exclude themselves from the family system. In addition, the article discusses gender differences in self-relation in two types of families.
Graphical Representations of a Television Series: A Study with Deaf and Hearing Adolescents
Authors: Cambra Cristina , Leal Aurora , Silvestre Núria
Published: March 2013

The understanding of a television story can be very different depending on the age of the viewer, their background knowledge, the content of the programme and the way in which they combine the information gathered from linguistic, audio and visual elements. This study explores the different ways of interpreting an audiovisual document considering that, due to a hearing impaired, visual, audio and linguistic information could be perceived very differently to the way it is by hearing people. The study involved the participation of 20 deaf and 20 hearing adolescents, aged 12 to 19 years who, after watching a fragment of a television series, were asked to draw a picture of what had happened in the story. The results show that the graphical representation of the film is similar for both groups in terms of the number of scenes, but there is greater profusion, in the deaf group, of details about the context and characters, and there are differences in their interpretations of some of the sequences in the story.
Managing Environmental Knowledge through Learning Processes in Spanish Hospitality Companies
Authors: Cegarra-Navarro Juan Gabriel , Martinez Aurora Martinez
Published: March 2013

The major focus of this research is to investigate whether environmental knowledge has any impact on organizational outcomes through an empirical investigation of 127 Spanish hospitality companies, using structural equation models. Our results show that environmental knowledge is an important determiner for developing organizational outcomes. However, this relationship is completed with just two related constructs: Firstly, the company's acquisition process plays a key role in managing the tension between the knowledge necessary to develop the appropriated environmental initiatives and current knowledge. Secondly, the company's distribution process also sheds light on tangible means for managers to enhance their company's outcomes through environmental knowledge.
The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) Reduces Stress-Related Psychological Distress in Healthcare Professionals
Authors: Martín-Asuero Andrés , García-Banda Gloria
Published: March 2013

This semi-experimental study examines how Mindfulness facilitates a distress reduction in a group of health professionals. The sample comprises 29 professionals seeking stress reduction who undertook an 8 weeks psico-educative intervention, involving 28 hours of class, based on a program called Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction or MBSR. Results show a 35% reduction of distress, from percentile 75 to 45, combined with a 30% reduction in rumination and a 20% decrease in negative affect. These benefits lasted during the 3 months of the follow up period. The correlation analysis indicates that the decrease in distress is significantly related to the other two variables. These results confirm the effectiveness of MBSR to decrease distress and its applicability in training programs for health professionals.
Group and Individual Change in the Treatment of Drug Addictions: A Follow-up Study in Therapeutic Communities
Authors: López-Goñi José Javier , Fernández-Montalvo Javier , Menéndez Juan Carlos , Yudego Fausto , García Angel Rico , Esarte Sonia
Published: March 2013

The pre-post treatment change of 112 patients in two therapeutics Spanish communities is described. The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was used at intake and at the end of the treatment program. Results of the treatment program were evaluated by applying composite scores (CS) of the ASI, and the evolution of each patient was evaluated using the Reliable Change Index (RCI). 69.7% of the sample completed treatment, and 30.3% dropped out prematurely. At intake, the percentage of people who could improve in the different areas of the ASI ranged between 35.1% for alcohol consumption and 95.3% for family relationships. At the follow-up, the percentage of subjects who showed significant statistical improvements in the different areas varied between 7.9% in family relations and 66.7% in alcohol consumption. The percentage of patients who deteriorated was less than 10% for all variables. Implications for further research and clinical practice are commented upon.
Preliminary Analysis of the Psychometric Properties of Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being in Portuguese Adolescents
Authors: Fernandes Helder Miguel , Vasconcelos-Raposo José , Teixeira Carla Maria
Published: March 2013

This article presents a set of research studies that aim to adapt Carol Ryff‘s scales of psychological well-being (SPWB) and to analyze its psychometric properties in adolescents. The first two studies focused on the reliability and factorial validity of different Portuguese short versions of SPWB, revealing measurement models inadequacies and low internal consistency. In the third study we developed a shortened version (30 items), taking into account the application of psychometric criteria suggested by van Dierendonck (2005). The scales of this version revealed better reliability and adequate goodness of fit indices for the six-factor model, as proposed by Carol Ryff’s PWB theory. Although further research focused on the psychometrical properties reanalysis of this shortened version of SPWB is needed, this article provides a contribution to the research and intervention on positive mental health during adolescence.
General Factor of Personality Questionnaire (GFPQ): Only one Factor to Understand Personality?
Authors: Amigó Salvador , Caselles Antonio , Micó Joan C.
Published: March 2013

This study proposes a psychometric approach to assess the General Factor of Personality (GFP) to explain the whole personality. This approach defends the existence of one basic factor that represents the overall personality. The General Factor of Personality Questionnaire (GFPQ) is presented to measure the basic, combined trait of the complete personality. The questionnaire includes 20 items and is constituted by two scales with 10 items each one: the Extraversion Scale (ES) and the Introversion Scale (IS). The GFPQ shows adequate internal consistency and construct validity, while the relationships with the personality factors of other models and with psychopathology are as expected. It correlates positively and significantly with Extraversion (E) and Psychoticism (P), and negatively with Neuroticism (N) of Eysenck's EPQ (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire); it correlates positively and significantly with the Sensation Seeking Scaled (SSS) of Zuckerman, and is inside the expected direction with Sensitivity to Reward (SR) and Sensitivity to Punishment (SP) of the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ), which represent the approach and avoidance trends of behavior, respectively. It not only relates negatively with the personality disorders of the anxiety spectrum, but also with the emotional disorders in relation to anxiety and depression, and it relates positively with the antisocial personality disorder.
The Frequency Attenuation Effect in Identity and Associative Priming
Authors: Nievas Francisco
Published: March 2013

Three lexical decision experiments were carried out, where the masked priming paradigm is used to study the role of the frequency attenuation effect (more priming in low-frequency target words than in high-frequency target words) in repetition and associative priming, manipulating Prime Duration (PD) and Stimulus Onset Asynchrony (SOA). A new concept was introduced, Minimum Time Threshold (MTT), this is, the minimum time interval of exposure to the masked word in order to become aware of it. Results support the notion that MTT is a key to the appearance of the frequency attenuation effect when enough word processing time is allowed. Results do not support the unified explanation of masked priming and long-term priming as proposed by Bodner and Masson (2001). Moreover, information feedback from the semantic level was not the reason for the frequency attenuation effect in repetition priming.
Effects of an Instruction Method in Thinking Skills with Students from Compulsory Secondary Education
Authors: Sanz de Acedo Lizarraga María Luisa , Sanz de Acedo Baquedano María Teresa , Rufo Milagros Pollán
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects caused by the instruction method “Think actively in academic contexts, TAAC”, an adaptation of Wallace and Adams' (1993) method of thinking skills, creativity, selfregulation, and academic learning, with students from the second grade of Compulsory Secondary Education (CSE). We used a pretest-intervention-posttest design with control group. The sample was made up of 110 participants, aged between 13 and 15 years, 58 of them in the experimental group and 52 in the control group. Six assessment instruments were administered before and after applying the method in order to measure the dependent variables. The method, divided into eight stages, was used in all the didactic units of the syllabus content of Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Language, during one academic course, and allowed the conjoint teaching of thinking skills and the syllabus content. The results of the analyses of variance indicate positive impact of the intervention, as the experimental subjects improved significantly in thinking skills and academic achievement. Some interesting reflections for research and education are derived from this study.
Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs about Homosexuality
Authors: Pérez-Testor Carles , Behar Julia , Davins Montse , Sala José Luís Conde , Castillo José. A. , Salamero Manel , Alomar Elisabeth , Segarra Sabina
Published: March 2013

Schools play a key role in transmitting attitudes towards sexual diversity. Many studies stress the importance of teachers' and other professionals' attitudes towards gay men and/or lesbian women. This study evaluates attitudes and prejudices toward homosexuality in a sample of 254 elementary and high school teachers in Barcelona and its surrounding area. The results obtained using a scale of overt and subtle prejudice and a scale of perceived discrepancy of values indicate that discrepancy between likely behavior and personal values was significantly greater in women, those who hold religious beliefs, churchgoers and people without any gay or lesbian acquaintances. Approximately 88% of the teachers showed no type of prejudiced attitudes towards gay men and lesbian women. The experience of proximity to gay men and/or lesbian women reduces not only the discrepancy between personal values and likely behavior but also the presence of homophobic prejudice. It would be advisable to expand specific teacher training in the subject of sexual diversity in order to reduce prejudicial attitudes, thus fostering non-stereotyped knowledge of homosexuality.
Factors Associated with Rape-Supportive Attitudes: Sociodemographic Variables, Aggressive Personality, and Sexist Attitudes
Authors: Sierra Juan Carlos , Santos-Iglesias Pablo , Gutiérrez-Quintanilla Ricardo , Bermúdez María Paz , Buela-Casal Gualberto
Published: March 2013

The objectives of this study were to determine the influence of various sociodemographic variables and estimate the impact of additional psychological factors (aggressive personality traits and the sexual double standard) on rape-supportive attitudes. A sample of 700 men and 800 women from El Salvador aged between 18 and 40 years completed the Social Desirability Scale, the Double Standard Scale, the Aggression Questionnaire, the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 and the Rape-Supportive Attitude Scale. Results show gender-based and age-based differences in rape-supportive attitudes, as well as an interaction between gender and age. They also highlight the importance of the sexual double standard and aggressive personality traits in explaining such attitudes.
Attachment Style and Adjustment to Divorce
Authors: Yárnoz-Yaben Sagrario
Published: March 2013

Divorce is becoming increasingly widespread in Europe. In this study, I present an analysis of the role played by attachment style (secure, dismissing, preoccupied and fearful, plus the dimensions of anxiety and avoidance) in the adaptation to divorce. Participants comprised divorced parents (N = 40) from a medium-sized city in the Basque Country. The results reveal a lower proportion of people with secure attachment in the sample group of divorcees. Attachment style and dependence (emotional and instrumental) are closely related. I have also found associations between measures that showed a poor adjustment to divorce and the preoccupied and fearful attachment styles. Adjustment is related to a dismissing attachment style and to the avoidance dimension. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that secure attachment and the avoidance dimension predict adjustment to divorce and positive affectivity while preoccupied attachment and the anxiety dimension predicted negative affectivity. Implications for research and interventions with divorcees are discussed.
Chaos in Human Behavior: The Case of Work Motivation
Authors: Navarro José , Arrieta Carlos
Published: March 2013

This study considers the complex dynamics of work motivation. Forty-eight employees completed a work-motivation diary several times per day over a period of four weeks. The obtained time series were analysed using different methodologies derived from chaos theory (i.e. recurrence plots, Lyapunov exponents, correlation dimension and surrogate data). Results showed chaotic dynamics in 75% of cases. The findings confirm the universality of chaotic behavior within human behavior, challenge some of the underlying assumptions on which work motivation theories are based, and suggest that chaos theory may offer useful and relevant information on how this process is managed within organizations.
Factor Structure of the STAXI-2-AX and its Relationship to Burnout in Housewives
Authors: de la Rubia José Moral , Ramírez Mónica Teresa González , Hernández René Landero
Published: March 2013

This study was conducted in order to determine factor structure and reliability of STAXI-2-AX/EX (Spielberger, 1999) and to calculate the correlation between STAXI-2-AX/EX and the Housewives Burnout Questionnaire (CUBAC). The study sample included 226 housewives. Dimensional structure was estimated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Factor analysis results of STAXI-2-AX/EX showed that a four related factors model had an adequate goodness of fit, eliminating three items. Regarding the CUBAC, a two related factors structure presented the best goodness of fit, which improve if five items were eliminated. Finally, as we expected, the correlation between the two scales was positive (r= .38. We suggest that this study should be replicated in other countries.
Factorial Invariance in a Repeated Measures Design: An Application to the Study of Person-Organization Fit
Authors: Ximénez Carmen , Revuelta Javier
Published: March 2013

An important methodological concern of any research based on a person-environment (P-E) fit approach is the operationalization of the fit, which imposes some measurement requirements that are rarely empirically tested with statistical methods. Among them, the assessment of the P and E components along commensurate dimensions is possibly the most cited one. This paper proposes to test the equivalence across the P and E measures by analyzing the measurement invariance of a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis model. From a methodological point of view, the distinct aspect of this approach within the context of P-E fit research is that measurement invariance is assessed in a repeated measures design. An example illustrating the procedure in a person-organization (P-O) fit dataset is provided. Measurement invariance was tested at five different hierarchical levels: (1) configural, (2) first-order factor loadings, (3) second-order factor loadings, (4) residual variances of observed variables, and (5) disturbances of first-order factors. The results supported the measurement invariance across the P and O measures at the third level. The implications of these findings for P-E fit studies are discussed.
A General Equation to Obtain Multiple Cut-off Scores on a Test from Multinomial Logistic Regression
Authors: Bersabé Rosa , Rivas Teresa
Published: March 2013

The authors derive a general equation to compute multiple cut-offs on a total test score in order to classify individuals into more than two ordinal categories. The equation is derived from the multinomial logistic regression (MLR) model, which is an extension of the binary logistic regression (BLR) model to accommodate polytomous outcome variables. From this analytical procedure, cut-off scores are established at the test score (the predictor variable) at which an individual is as likely to be in category j as in category j+1 of an ordinal outcome variable. The application of the complete procedure is illustrated by an example with data from an actual study on eating disorders. In this example, two cut-off scores on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) scores are obtained in order to classify individuals into three ordinal categories: asymptomatic, symptomatic and eating disorder. Diagnoses were made from the responses to a self-report (Q-EDD) that operationalises DSM-IV criteria for eating disorders. Alternatives to the MLR model to set multiple cut-off scores are discussed.
Fruits, Vegetables, Soy Foods and Breast Cancer in Pre- and Postmenopausal Korean Women: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Do  , Lee  , Kim  , Jung  , Lee
Published: March 2013

We carried out a case-control study to examine the relationship between fruits, vegetables, and soy foods intake with breast cancer risk in Korean women. Incident cases (n = 359) were identified through cancer biopsies and hospital-based controls (n = 708) were selected in the same hospitals. Subjects were asked to indicate usual dietary habits, which were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (98 items). Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression after adjustment for additional confounding factors according to the menopausal status. High grape intake showed an inverse association of breast cancer in postmenopausal women (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.35–0.95; p for trend = 0.05). High tomato intake was associated with reduced breast cancer risk in premenopausal women (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.38–0.89, p for trend = 0.04). In postmenopausal women, green pepper intake showed an inverse association of breast cancer risk (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.43–0.96, p for trend = 0.03). High soybean intake showed an inverse association of breast cancer in postmenopausal women (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.34–0.89, p for trend = 0.02). Our study suggests that high intake of some fruits, vegetables, and soybeans may be associated with a reduced breast cancer risk.
Lycopene Status is not Associated with Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Concentration in a Healthy Male Population
Authors: Graydon  , Young  , Yarnell  , Evans  , Woodside
Published: March 2013

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between lycopene and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels in a healthy male population. Design: Insulin-like growth factor-1 status was assessed in healthy men aged 30–49 years (n = 104) with either high or low lycopene concentrations. Results: There was no significant difference between insulin-like growth factor-1 levels in the high- and low-lycopene groups; high lycopene group; 8.21 (2.73) nmol/L; low lycopene group; 7.65 (2.14) nmol/L, p = 0.46 (Mean (SD)). Conclusions: In this small observational study, no association was found between lycopene concentration and insulin-like growth factor-1 concentration.
The Effect of Daily Consumption of Probiotic and Conventional Yoghurt on Oxidant and Antioxidant Parameters in Plasma of Young Healthy Women
Authors: Fabian  , Elmadfa
Published: March 2013

In recent years there has been increasing interest in the potential beneficial effects of probiotic bacteria, particularly concerning their immune-modulating effects. Considering the involvement of free radicals in immunological processes, we tried to verify and compare the effects of probiotic (Lactobacillus casei) and conventional yoghurt on antioxidant and oxidant parameters in plasma of humans. In this study female volunteers consumed 100 g/day of probiotic (n = 17) or conventional yoghurt (n = 16) for two weeks (T1–T2) and 200 g/day for another two weeks (T2–T3). A wash-out phase lasting two weeks followed. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), albumin, and bilirubin were determined photometrically, uric acid was determined by enzymatic methods, and vitamin E, carotenoids, malondialdehyde (MDA), and conjugated dienes (CD) were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In the period of continuous yoghurt intake (T1–T3), mean concentrations of the antioxidants vitamin E, lycopene, and zeaxanthin decreased significantly (p < 0.01) in the probiotic and in the control group. The average concentrations of lutein, ß-carotene, albumin, uric acid, and bilirubin decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in the probiotic group, only. These alterations led to a significant (p < 0.001) decrease of the average TAC values during the period T1–T3 in both tested groups. In the interval of daily yoghurt consumption (T1–T3) the mean plasma levels of oxidant parameters MDA and CD increased significantly in the probiotic (MDA: p < 0.01; CD: p < 0.001) and the control group (CD: p < 0.01). The average activity of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) was quite constant throughout the study in both groups. The mean activities of GSH-Px and catalase decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in the probiotic group, only after consuming yoghurt daily for four weeks (T1–T3). Although several parameters changed significantly during the study, no significant differences were observed between both investigated groups. Therefore, the results indicate a possible influence of both probiotic and conventional yoghurt on the plasma levels of antioxidant and oxidant parameters.
Alpha-Ketoglutarate Decreases Serum Levels of C-terminal Cross-Linking Telopeptide of Type I Collagen (CTX) in Postmenopausal Women with Osteopenia: Six-Month Study
Authors: Filip  , Pierzynowski  , Lindegard  , Wernerman  , Haratym-Maj  , Podgurniak
Published: March 2013

Several studies have shown that α-ketoglutaric acid (AKG) increases serum levels of proline and has beneficial effects on skeletal development. We studied the effect of α-ketoglutaric (AKG) acid calcium salt (6 g AKG and 1.68 Ca/day) or calcium alone (1.68 Ca/day) on serum C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) and osteocalcin (OC), as well as on lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) in a randomized, parallel group, double-blind, 6-month study conducted on 76 postmenopausal women with osteopenia. The maximum decrease of the mean CTX level in the AKG-Ca group was observed after 24 weeks (37.0%, p = 0.006). The differences in CTX between study groups were statistically significant after 12 and 24 weeks. The OC serum level was not affected by treatments. The BMD of the AKG-Ca group increased by 1.6% from baseline; however, the difference between treatment groups was estimated as 0.9% (non-significant). This study suggests the potential usefulness of AKG-Ca in osteopenic postmenopausal women. AKG-Ca induced beneficial changes in serum CTX, which was consistent with preserving the bone mass in the lumbar spine; however, the long-term effect needs to be further investigated.
«Zu Hospiz gehört doch der ganze Mensch!» – Ehrenamtliche Hospizbegleiter im Einsatz bei Demenzkranken
Authors: Schaefer Iris Luzie , Dorschner Stephan
Published: March 2013

Bedingt durch die demographische Entwicklung und die Zunahme der Demenzkrankheit werden ehrenamtliche Helfer in ambulanten Hospizdiensten während ihrer Einsätze vermehrt mit Demenzkranken konfrontiert. Ziel dieser qualitativen Studie war die Einblicknahme in das Erleben von ehrenamtlichen Hospizhelfern bei ihrer Begleitung von Demenzkranken, um Problemfelder zu entdecken. Die Ergebnisse wurden bei der Entwicklung eines Vorbereitungskurses berücksichtigt. Zehn narrative Interviews mit ehrenamtlichen Hospizhelfern wurden nach einer interpretativ phänomenologischen Methode analysiert. Als Ergebnisse kristallisierten sich drei Zentralthemen, bestehend aus jeweils drei Kategorien, heraus. Die ehrenamtlichen Hospizbegleiter erleben die unterschiedlichen Facetten und die Progredienz der Demenzkrankheit («Den Prozess miterleben»). Sie bringen Abwechslung in den Alltag der Demenzkranken und empfinden eine große Solidarität zu den Betroffenen («Eine gute Atmosphäre schaffen»). Sie stehen den Demenzkranken empathisch bei, ohne eine Gegenleistung zu erwarten und profitieren von ihren Erfahrungen in Sterbebegleitungen («Sich selbst zurückstellen»). Ehrenamtliche Hospizbegleiter leisten wichtige Lebenshilfe für Demenzkranke, ihre Rolle im interdisziplinären Versorgungsteam ist jedoch eindeutig zu bestimmen. Vorausgehende Schulungen sind wichtig, um Interaktionsmöglichkeiten und Reflexionsfähigkeit zu verbessern.
Pflegediagnosen bei Patienten und Patientinnen psychiatrischer Aufnahmestationen in der Schweiz und in Österreich: Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede
Authors: Abderhalden Christoph , Needham Ian , Faust Anna Margarethe , Grywa Diana , Quiblier Ursula , Stefan Harald , Wagner Otto , Willard Werner
Published: March 2013

In der Schweiz und in Österreich verbreitete sich die Arbeit mit Pflegediagnosen in den letzten Jahren stark. Bisher gibt es nur wenige empirische Studien über den klinischen Gebrauch von Pflegediagnosen in der psychiatrischen Pflege. Es wurden die Häufigkeit und der Inhalt dokumentierter Pflegediagnosen auf psychiatrischen Akutstationen in der Schweiz und in Österreich untersucht und die pflegediagnostische Praxis in den zwei Ländern verglichen. Dazu wurden bei einer unausgelesenen Patienten- und Patientinnenstichprobe prospektiv alle dokumentierten Pflegediagnosen erfasst. Die Diagnosen stammen aus den Dokumentationen von 330 nach einem Stichtag konsekutiv entlassenen PatientInnen aus einer Gelegenheitsstichprobe von elf psychiatrischen Akutstationen in Österreich und der Schweiz (vier Stationen in zwei Schweizer Kliniken und sieben Stationen in drei Kliniken in Österreich). Gesamthaft waren insgesamt 635 Pflegediagnosen dokumentiert. 83% der PatientInnen hatten mindestens eine Pflegediagnose (MW = 2, median = 1). 20% der Pflegediagnosen wurden bereits am Aufnahmetag dokumentiert. 90% der Diagnosen waren in NANDA-Begriffen formuliert. Die häufigsten Pflegediagnosen waren in beiden Ländern coping-bezogene Diagnosen, Denkstörungen und Selbstversorgungsdefizite. Im Vergleich zur Schweiz wird die Pflegediagnostik in Österreich konsequenter und einheitlicher umgesetzt. Es scheint lokale Unterschiede in der diagnostischen Praxis zu geben. Wir schließen aus den Ergebnissen der Studie, dass die Anwendung der Pflegediagnostik auch auf Stationen mit eher kurzer Verweildauer möglich ist. Mit rund 20 NANDA-Pflegediagnosen kann ein großer Teil der in der Akutpsychiatrie dokumentierten Pflegeprobleme beschrieben werden. Lokale Unterschiede in der pflegediagnostischen Praxis sollten näher untersucht werden.
Pflege und Technik – Annäherung an ein spannungsreiches Verhältnis Zum gegenwärtigen Stand der internationalen Diskussion. 2. Teil
Authors: Hülsken-Giesler Manfred
Published: March 2013

Professionelle Pflege sieht sich im Zuge grundlegender gesellschaftlicher Veränderungen und darauf reagierender stetiger Reformprozesse im Bereich der Gesundheitsversorgung vor große Herausforderungen gestellt. Die Etablierung einer wissenschaftlichen Disziplin der Pflege gilt hier als eine Antwort auf diese Entwicklung. Zu den dringenden Aufgaben der Pflegewissenschaft gehört die Auseinandersetzung mit Fragen des Verhältnisses von Pflege und Technik in einer zunehmend technisierten Umgebung der Gesundheitsversorgung. Ein intensiver pflegewissenschaftlicher Diskurs um diese Problematik steht im deutschsprachigen Raum bis heute aus. Um einen Anstoß zu einer solchen Debatte zu liefern, wird mit diesem Beitrag der internationale Diskussionsstand zum Verhältnis von Pflege und Technik zusammengetragen und kritisch diskutiert. Der erste Teil fokussiert dabei zunächst auf traditionellen, essentialistischen Positionen. Der vorliegende zweite Teil bildet den aktuellen internationalen Diskurs mit Blick auf ein dialektisches Verhältnis von Pflege und Technik ab.
Breathing‐in epigenetic change with vitamin C
Authors: Monfort Asun , Wutz Anton
Published: March 2013

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that maintains the activity of iron and α‐ketoglutarate‐dependent dioxygenases. Despite these enzymes being implicated in a wide range of biological pathways, vitamin C is rarely included in common cell culture media. Recent studies show that reprogramming of pluripotent stem cells is enhanced when vitamin C is present, thereby illustrating previous limitations in reprogramming cultures. Here, we summarize understanding of dioxygenase function in reprogramming and epigenetic regulation. The available data suggest a link between dioxygenase function and stem cell differentiation, which is exposed to environmental influence and is relevant for human disease.
Brain drain, brain gain or brain sharing?
Authors: Hunter Philip
Published: March 2013

Scientific migration has long been seen in terms of brain drain and brain gain. Recent studies show that the reality is more complex and that even exporters of skilled scientists gain in the long term.
Biggest challenges in bioinformatics
Authors: Fuller Jonathan C , Khoueiry Pierre , Dinkel Holger , Forslund Kristoffer , Stamatakis Alexandros , Barry Joseph , Budd Aidan , Soldatos Theodoros G , Linssen Katja , Rajput Abdul Mateen
Published: March 2013

The third Heidelberg Unseminars in Bioinformatics (HUB) was held on 18th October 2012, at Heidelberg University, Germany. HUB brought together around 40 bioinformaticians from academia and industry to discuss the ‘Biggest Challenges in Bioinformatics’ in a ‘World Café’ style event.