bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aging in the Soviet Union: A West Siberian Perspective
Authors: Shimkin Demitri B.
Published: May 2005

A half-year's residence in the Siberian industrial city of Kemerovo permitted a variety of ethnographic observations on the aged and aging. These were supplemented by interactions with medical personnel, as well as a review of the scanty literature (geriatrics is not a recognized medical specialty in the Soviet Union). The integration of the aged in families is noteworthy, as is the respect generally given them. But hard living conditions, difficulties of transportation, dietary inadequacies, and a severe paucity of specialized facilities present problems for the elderly.
Perceptions of Filial Responsibility by Elderly Filipino Widows and Their Primary Caregivers
Authors: Blust Evangelina P. Novero , Scheidt Rick J.
Published: May 2005

This study assessed perceptions of filial responsibility among forty older Filipino mothers and their primary caregiver daughters from two urban and two rural barangays in the town of Los Banos (39 miles southeast of Manila). Using parallel standard structured interview measures, perceptions of filial expectations and filial behaviors were gathered across five categories of parental support: financial and material aid; personal care; service provision; respect; and warmth and affection. Intragenerational comparisons (analyses of variance) showed that widows' reports of actual amount of support received significantly exceeded their expectations for most forms of aid. In contrast, daughters' expectations for level of parental support exceeded their behaviors, but only for the more instrumental forms of aid. Intergenerational comparisons ( t-test analyses) revealed that daughters held reliably higher filial expectations for almost all forms of support than did their mothers. Comparisons of reports of actual support showed intergenerational consensus on the whole. Implications of these data for research and intervention in this area are discussed.
Academics beyond Midlife: Some Observations on Changing Consciousness in the Fifty to Sixty Year Decade
Authors: Karp David A.
Published: May 2005

This article draws on in-depth interview data collected from forty-seven professors between the ages of fifty and sixty. The central focus is on the twenty-three interviews done with the men. A review of the literature suggests that professionals in the fifty to sixty year decade are actively assessing how to divide their energies at work and between work and other life spheres. After describing how aging is experienced in the fifties by both men and women, the article describes a set of related patterns of consciousness change among the male professors interviewed. As male professors approach sixty, they express a number of interconnected feelings and concerns that distinguishes them from younger colleagues. First, they stress the need to exercise greater selectivity in the allocation of their time. They recognize that a limited amount of time lies ahead in their careers and that they must make qualitatively good decisions about the work they do. Second, the men in our sample evidence a decreased intensity toward research work. Third, many men express a growing humanism; a concern with getting beyond the objective boundaries of their respective disciplines. Last, professors begin to develop an exiting consciousness as they approach sixty.
Time, Age, and the Transition to Retirement: New Evidence on Life-Course Flexibility?
Authors: Settersten Richard A.
Published: May 2005

The past twenty-five years have seen dramatic changes in the transition to retirement. This article considers an overlooked set of social processes—informal age structuring—within the context of these changes. Data are drawn from a random sample of 319 adults from the Chicago area. For about half of the respondents, age was considered an irrelevant dimension for both men's and women's retirement Those respondents who found age relevant cited deadlines that were clustered not only around the critical points at which researchers have observed regularity in retirement patterns, but they also included the lower junctures that are emerging as part of the shift toward earlier retirement. These deadlines most often marked the place of retirement relative to a larger set of work transitions, or they budgeted enough time to pursue developmental opportunities at the end of life. However, most respondents said there were no serious consequences for retiring late. Important patterns also emerged across the background characteristics of our respondents. These findings feed into several provocative debates that relate time and age to models of life-course flexibility or rigidity.
Evaluation of a Drinking and Parenting Educational Program in Six Ontario Communities
Authors: Albert Werner G. , Simpson Robert I. , Eaglesham Joan A.
Published: May 2005

An eight session program of alcohol education for parents developed by the U. S. National Council on Alcohol Education was field tested by staff of the Addiction Research Foundation in six Western Ontario communities in 1981. The program, entitled “Decisions and Drinking: The Power of Positive Parenting,” consists of a series of structured learning experiences for parents of young children. Its purpose is to prevent the development of alcohol-related problems in young children by instructing their parents regarding the importance of role-modelling, decision-making, and parental alcohol use. The evaluation was focussed on the effects of the program on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the participants with respect to parenting and alcohol use. It was found that the program increased the alcohol knowledge of participants, and influenced their attitudes toward parenting in an undesirable direction. Difficulties in field-testing and implications for further evaluation or program implementation are discussed.
Prevention Training of Paraprofessionals in the Schools: An Examination of Relevancy and Effectiveness
Authors: Romano John L.
Published: May 2005

Prevention training programs for paraprofessional school personnel are examined in this article. Prevention training for the reduction of student alcohol and other drug use, incorporating a student well-being model, is described and evaluated. The prevention training, entitled “Enhancing Student Well-Being,” took place in two urban school districts with over 200 paraprofessional school personnel participating. The training was evaluated using measures of knowledge gained, self-efficacy, and participant satisfaction. Pre- and post-training differences showed consistent gains in participant efficacy expectations but less consistent gains in outcome expectations and knowledge. Participant satisfaction and self-reports of knowledge enhanced and skill improvement were uniformly high across all training programs. Implications for inservice prevention training of paraprofessionals are discussed.
Drug Education Group Process: Considerations for the Classroom
Authors: Garfield Emily F. , Jones Donald R.
Published: May 2005

This article reviews the classroom dynamics found to be crucial for group process drug and alcohol education. The recommendations are based on seven years' experience in seventeen California schools. The discussion is largely descriptive, highlighting the experiences of the group process educators and the student program recipients. The aim is to aid others seeking to implement or incorporate group process techniques in the classroom.
Visuospatial Cognition in Electronic Learning
Authors: Shah Priti , Freedman Eric G.
Published: May 2005

Static, animated, and interactive visualizations are frequently used in electronic learning environments. In this article, we provide a brief review of research on visuospatial cognition relevant to designing e-learning tools that use these displays. In the first section, we discuss the possible cognitive benefits of visualizations consider used in e-learning environments. In the second section consider cognitive constraints on the use of visualizations and design guidelines intended to reduce impact of these cognitive constraints. Finally, we consider how individual differences interact with learning from visualizations and how the use of visualizations might be altered for students of different abilities.
Old Age and the Sages
Authors: Spector Samuel I.
Published: May 2005

The psychological insights of Talmudic times remain fresh and meaningful for our age. The sages, who contributed to and compiled the Talmud, their anthology of legal, moral, and sociopsychological dicta, consider both the dignity and indignity of old age. The wise words of the sages may also suggest a modus for greater self-tolerance, and for greater forebearance by reluctant and overburdened progeny.
Emotional Stability and Student Drug Use
Authors: Steffenhagen R. A. , Schmidt F. E. , McAree C. P.
Published: May 2005

The focus of this paper is upon college drug use as it relates to the individual student user. As with the academic dropout, the college drug user is seen as reflecting an emotional problem and possibly is one and the same phenomenon. Drug use is merely symptomatic of an untoward reaction of emotional problems. The MMPI scale analysis is used as a measure of emotional stability; drug users and non-users are analyzed to indicate and predict the extent of emotional problems within the college population. It is our contention that most contemporary effort directed solely toward the control and prevention of drug use on campus is in error. The concern about drug use is secondary. The real problem is one of helping the problem student achieve a better emotional adjustment while in college.
Predicting Academic Success and Retention for African-American Women in College
Authors: Schwartz Robert A. , Washington Charles M.
Published: May 2005

This study examined the academic success and retention of 213 first year, female African-American college students at a historically black, private, liberal arts college in the Southeast. The women were surveyed about their preparation and readiness for college during their first weeks on campus. Responses were then compared against actual academic performance and retention during the first year of college.
A Proposal for Better Drug Utilization and Education in Tompkins County (New York)
Authors: Rivkin Lawrence S.
Published: May 2005

This proposal contains a mechanism to provide the population with useful drug information at the time of purchase. This mechanism may also provide the system with useful information concerning drug utilization by the consuming public. Such information is vital to health planners and others interested in health care delivery.
Drug Use and Mental Well Being among a Sample of Undergraduate and Graduate College Students
Authors: Lanier Cynthia A. , Nicholson Thomas , Duncan David
Published: May 2005

Stress related disorders in college students are widespread and largely preventable. Students do not have the preventative skills necessary to manage stress in their lives and, because of the inability to cope, students may turn to alcohol and drugs to alleviate the pressures they are experiencing. The purpose of this study was to describe the association between stress and alcohol and drug use. A total of 772 undergraduate and graduate students from a small, elite, private university were randomly selected from 4000 students to complete two anonymous questionnaires. The Core Alcohol and Drug Survey identified the frequency and consequences of alcohol and drug use, and the General-Well Being Schedule was used to assess subjective well being and mental health status. The results of this study revealed that, for this sample of students, health behaviors such as using drugs recreationally and drinking alcohol played an associative role with general well being. A significant relationship was also found between student participation in intramural or club sports and positive mental well being.
Olfactory Dreams: Phenomenology, Relationship to Volitional Imagery and Odor Identification
Authors: Stevenson Richard J. , Case Trevor I.
Published: May 2005

Phenomenological evidence for olfactory sensation in the absence of appropriate stimulation—imagery—is inconclusive and draws most support from reports of olfactory hallucinations. The current study examined whether more convincing phenomenological evidence could be obtained from normal participants, by studying reports of their olfactory dreams. A questionnaire approach ( N = 284) revealed that olfactory dreams were uncommon, had features similar to actual olfaction (emotive and brief), were representative of odors encountered in everyday life, and were positively related to self-report volitional imagery ability. In addition, a sub-group ( N = 116) also completed an odor identification test. Participants who experienced olfactory dreams were significantly better at identifying odors, an effect not mediated by motivational or attentional factors. These findings suggest people can experience olfactory images although their occurrence may be governed by the strength of connections between olfactory and semantic memory—notoriously weak in olfaction.
A Study of the Self-Concept Evaluations of Alcoholics and Non-Alcoholics
Authors: Yakichuk Albert J.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in self-concept between alcoholic and non-alcoholic adults in each of the following areas: physical self, moral-ethical self, personal self, family self, social self, and self-criticism as measured by the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS).

The TSCS and the Self-Multi-Attitude Test were administered to forty-six alcoholics from the Rehabilitation Centre of the Alcoholism Commission and fifty-nine non-alcoholic employees from government corporations. The Self-Multi-Attitude Test was administered as an additional verification of the sample grouping.

A t test was used to assess differences between means obtained by the alcoholics and non-alcoholics on each of the sub-tests of the TSCS.

The findings of the study supported the hypotheses that there are significant differences between the means obtained by alcoholics and non-alcoholics on all the sub-tests of the TSCS, with the exception of the self-criticism sub-test.
Substance use, Self-Esteem, and Depression among Asian American Adolescents
Authors: Otsuki Teresa A.
Published: May 2005

The relationship of self-esteem and depression with alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use was tested in a California statewide sample of more than 4,300 Asian American high school students comprising five subgroups: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese. Estimated prevalence rates of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use among males and females from these Asian American subgroups are presented. Correlations revealed that cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use were generally more related to high depression and low self-esteem in females than in males. Logistic regression analysis with only the female subjects investigated whether the relationship between the psychological variables and ATOD use was maintained even after controlling for traditionally important constructs in ATOD use (grade level in school, born in the United States, ethnicity, and ATOD use by friends). These results indicated that for females, depression was significantly related to alcohol and tobacco use, but self-esteem was not. Neither self-esteem nor depression was a significant contributor to marijuana use. Issues related to the application of these results are discussed.
The Fostering of Social Integration and Retention through Institutional Practice
Authors: Braxton John M. , McClendon Shederick A.
Published: May 2005

This article presents institutional practices that spring from empirically grounded forces that influence social integration and retention. We present 20 recommendations for implementation by eight domains of institutional practice: academic advising, administrative policies and practices, enrollment management, faculty development, faculty reward system, student orientation programs, residential life, and student affairs programming.
A Life-Span Developmental Cross-Cultural Study of Divergent Thinking Abilities
Authors: Jaquish Gail A. , Ripple Richard E.
Published: May 2005

Developmental aspects of ideational fluency, flexibility, and originality were assessed across five age groups (children, adolescents, young adults, adults, middle-aged adults) comparatively in two cultures (Chinese and American). A total of 316 Chinese participants ranging in age from nine to sixty years responded in writing (Cantonese) to presentation of four groups of acoustical stimuli. Responses were scored for fluency, flexibility, and originality of thought. Comparative American data were collected in a previous study. Significant age associated differences in fluency and flexibility were obtained for Chinese respondents. A cross-cultural MANOVA yielded significant main effects for culture; American scores were uniformly higher than Chinese. Developmental trends across age groups demonstrated cross-cultural similarity in the expression of originality.
What's Happening with Computer Technology in Early Childhood Education Settings?
Authors: Wood Eileen , Willoughby Teena , Specht Jacqueline
Published: May 2005

The present study examined the current status of computer use in early childhood education (ECE) by surveying active members of three mid-sized cities. An in-depth survey of seventy-five early childhood education directors provided demographic information about centers that have or have not incorporated computer technology into the programs as well as specific information about computer use. Less than half of the centers reported having a computer on the premises with users generally having only one available machine. Only half of the users had the accessories (e.g., sound cards, CD-ROM, etc.) necessary to run much of the present educational software appropriate for young learners. Among the respondents, there was overwhelming concern that the ECE staff lacked sufficient expertise or experience with computers to use them effectively. In contrast to the concerns and limitations, however, interest in introducing computer technology was high. Our results suggest that training may be necessary to facilitate the introduction of computers in ECE environments.
Construction and Validation of an Ego Integrity Status Interview
Authors: Walaskay Maxine , Whitbourne Susan Krauss , Nehrke Milton F.
Published: May 2005

Erikson's theory regarding the existence of an Ego Integrity versus Despair crisis in old age was tested using an interview derived from Whitbourne and Weinstock's application of Marcia's status construct to the ego integrity crisis. Four integrity statuses were defined: integrity achieving, dissonant (in crisis), foreclosed (avoiding crisis), and despairing. These statuses were reliably (80%) identified among forty elderly community-dwelling men and women through the forty-five-minute semistructured interview. Moreover, predicted differences among the four statuses were observed on questionnaire measures assessing reminiscing activity, death attitudes and preparation, psychological well-being, and questionnaire scales of Stages 6 through 8 of Erikson's theory. The pattern of differences suggested that integrity achieving and foreclosed samples differed mainly regarding their degree of introspection regarding the past, but that both appeared to have a high degree of psychological well-being. Dissonant individuals appeared to be unhappy and stressed, but this was seen as a temporary state in contrast to the more chronic nature of the despairing's low sense of psychological well-being. The validity of the integrity status construct and the interview designed to measure it have, therefore, been supported, and provide the basis for suggested refinements within Erikson's description of the Ego Integrity versus Despair stage.
A New Theory about the Ages of Man
Authors: Guyot Roland S.
Published: May 2005

Genetic psychologists who have long been studying the periods of growth in the ages of Man, endeavoring to determine their average durations, set the limits separating these periods empirically, and do not pursue their study beyond childhood and adolescence. In my book published in Paris (1986) I propound a new, radically different approach which takes into account Man's whole lifespan, without separating the various ages, and without separating old age from those that precede it. According to my theory, the Ages of Man, nine in number, all follow the same mathematical law, which determines their respective durations on the basis of a geometrical progression, ratio two. Their durations would be of three and six months for gestation, one, two, four, and eight years for childhood and early adolescence, sixteen for youth, thirty-two for adult maturity, sixty-four for old age. This amounts to a theoretical potential lifespan of 127 years.
The Child's Concept of Age and Aging
Authors: Galper Alice , Jantz Richard K. , Seefeldt Carol , Serock Kathy
Published: May 2005

One-hundred-and-eighty children (preschool-sixth grade) were given an instrument designed to assess their concepts of age and aging. The results support the hypothesis that children follow a Piagetian cognitive-developmental sequence in their ability to understand age concepts. Additional support is found in the high association between children's responses on the Concept of Age instrument and level of reasoning exhibited on conservation tasks. Since age concepts remain difficult even for upper-elementary children, the study leads to the practical conclusion that education, in the increasingly important field of aging, must be designed to follow a cognitive-developmental sequence, and to take into account the reasoning patterns of children of various ages.
The Influences of Cognitive Resources on Adaptation and Old Age
Authors: Poon Leonard W. , Martin Peter , Clayton Gloria M. , Messner Scott , Noble Carol Ann , Johnson Mary Ann
Published: May 2005

In the Georgia Centenarian Study, cognitive resources were estimated by fluid and crystallized intelligence, acquisition and retrieval of new information, retrieval of familiar information, and problem-solving ability in community-dwelling and nondemented adults ranging from sixty to one hundred plus years of age. Five clusters of results were found: 1) cognitive performances were lower for the older cohorts; 2) when cognitive activities were dependent on everyday experiences, no age-related problem-solving decline was found; 3) physical health and mental health can significantly influence cognitive performances; 4) cognitive and personality factors can combine to account for a larger amount of adaptation variance than can be accounted for by either of the factors alone; and 5) individuals with a high level of intelligence and affect sustain their instrumental activities of daily living. Cognitive resources were an important contributor to successful adaptation for the oldest-old.
Some Factors Involved in Alcohol Consumption of First-Year Undergraduates
Authors: Leeman Robert F. , Wapner Seymour
Published: May 2005

Three studies were conducted with samples of first-year undergraduates in order to assess relationships among college drinking, adjustment, recent life-changing events, interpersonal factors, self-control, and perceived risk. Significant correlations were found between alcohol use and life-change, but not between alcohol use and college adjustment. In addition, several significant findings linked alcohol use to social factors. Responses to open-ended interview questions suggest that self-control and risk may play a role in students' decisions regarding consumption, after initial experience with alcohol use. Non-social factors, namely stressful events, appear to play a role in consumption behavior; however, students more frequently report on social factors as motivating their decisions regarding alcohol intake.
Women and Substance Abuse: Critical Issues in Treatment Design
Authors: Doshan Tom , Bursch Charles
Published: May 2005

The status of women who abuse drugs is briefly reviewed and important considerations for treatment design are proposed. General concerns stress the importance of a well formulated treatment philosophy, encourage treatment of women with varying drug related dependencies together, and advocate the utilization of female professional staff in most instances. Recommended components of treatment include women-only therapy groups, assertion training, social skills training, attention to child-care issues and outreach activities. The status of treatment research and care is assessed and professionals are urged to provide therapeutic alternatives based on the directions suggested by the literature.
Sex Differences in the Beliefs of Nonsmokers about Why Cigarette Smokers Smoke
Authors: Evans Ronald G. , Lowe John B.
Published: May 2005

Nonsmokers are becoming more actively used in smoking cessation treatments in social support roles. This study sought to determine if nonsmokers understand the reasons smokers of their own sex and of the opposite sex give for smoking cigarettes. Nonsmokers ( N = 175) were randomly assigned to complete a Reasons for Smoking Scale as they thought a typical smoker of either their own or the opposite sex would complete it [1]. Those results were then matched against a criterion group of smokers ( N = 81) from the same college population who had completed the Reasons scale. Results indicated that male nonsmokers were generally accurate in their perceptions of each sex, underestimating only the importance smoking men attach for relaxation as a reason, and overestimating how much women report smoking out of sheer habit. Nonsmoking women, on the other hand, inaccurately perceived each of the six Reasons factors cited by women who smoke, and were similarly inaccurate on two factors cited by men. These results indicate that education aimed specifically at nonsmoking women may be necessary to make them most effective in helping peers quit smoking.
Guidelines for a Creative Newspaper Written by and for Residents of Homes for Aged
Authors: Shapiro Edith
Published: May 2005

A newspaper written by and for residents of a home for the aged can provide a useful vehicle for the exercise of independent thinking within a rule-oriented and dependency-fostering environment. The development of a residents' newspaper is described from the standpoint of a volunteer coordinator, based upon three years of experience in a 475-bed facility.
The Perceived Effects of Drug Messages on Use Patterns in Adolescents
Authors: Mayton Daniel M. , Nagel Elizabeth A. , Parker Reese
Published: May 2005

Following a survey of over 5,000 students in north central Idaho and southeast Washington, an interviewing strategy was implemented with 223 adolescents randomly selected by their principals. The strategy was designed to learn: 1) which sources have utility and credibility with youth in providing drug information; 2) whether different message content and delivery style have differential effects upon that group; and 3) whether widely held perceptions voiced by parents and teachers about their ineffectiveness as information sources were accurate. Double-blind interviews, arranged to protect respondent anonymity, were conducted by trained interviewers from a research methods class. No interview was held when either an interviewer or respondent knew the other. Among the important findings of the study were that: 1) parents and teachers are trusted, credible sources of drug information; 2) doctors, nurses, law officers, and clergy are also credible but not visible to youth; 3) the evil media and celebrity fears of parents and teachers are largely ungrounded in adolescent perception; and 4) factual information from credible sources emphasizing the range of types of negative consequences associated with drug use can exert powerful effects upon adolescents' reported personal use of drugs.
Intergenerational Talk and Communication with Older People
Authors: Giles Howard , Coupland Nikolas , Coupland Justine , Williams Angie , Nussbaum Jon
Published: May 2005

A program of research conducted within an anti-agism paradigm demonstrates that young people process and respond to the speech of older people in stereotypical ways. Such conclusions result from studies using a variety of research methods. Experimental studies demonstrate that older-sounding speech triggers age schematic responses and that young people tend to use agist strategies of information seeking and compliance gaining from older people, while interactive studies explore how stereotypes and age identities are co-produced by young and old people in conversation. We use lifespan and intercultural perspectives to argue that the communicative patterns we observe in our studies are in some senses and contexts counterproductive in both the long and short term, in that they can reproduce negative attitudes toward aging as well as inhibit successful aging.
Training of Paraprofessionals—Some Caveats
Authors: Dalali Isobel Day , Charuvastra V. , Schlesinger J.
Published: May 2005

This paper discusses some of the dynamics inherent in the training process involving ex-addict paraprofessional counselors. Some issues discussed are the threat to self-esteem implied in the training process for ex-addict counselors. These include mistrust of their intuitive feelings, minimizing their street knowledge, and a possible resistance against imagined professional control.

The issue of why train, from both the administrative as well as counselors' view, is extensively discussed and the point is made that training is at the heart of function. Techniques found effective in the training of ex-addict counselors are discussed at length, and a few cautions are examined for increased sensitivity and effectiveness.
Chemical Foreplay among Black and White Students
Authors: Belcastro Philip A. , Nicholson Thomas
Published: May 2005

Throughout the ages, human beings Have consumed a wide variety of drugs to increase sexual desires, performance and pleasure. However in terms of alcohol and marijuana use in conjunction with sexual behavior patterns, little research has been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine whether individuals who use alcohol and/or marijuana prior to coitus have sexual behavior profiles significantly different than those individuals who do not use alcohol and/or marijuana prior to coitus. A sample of convenience which comprised 1,090 students and 5 per cent of the student population was drawn. The Belcastro Sexual Behavior Inventory was utilized to collect the data. The analysis indicated that for this population experimentation with alcohol and marijuana prior to coitus is not atypical among college students. The pattern of sexual behaviors for black students was not all that dissimilar between those who did and did not use alcohol and marijuana prior to coitus. This was not true for white students. White females who used alcohol and marijuana prior to coitus had a sexual behavior profile which was in sharp contrast to those females who did not use these drugs prior to coitus. It was suggested that the use of these drugs may be a form of “chemical foreplay” where they are used to enhance and culminate the coital episode. If this premise is supported by future empirical research it would seem that education which segregates the area of drugs from the area of sexuality is inadequate.
The Relationship between External Events and Affect States in Older People
Authors: Winter Laraine , Lawton M. Powell , Casten Robin J. , Sando Robert L.
Published: May 2005

Long-term and moderately short-term effects of bereavement and marriage on psychological well-being (PWB) among older people were investigated. The aspect of PWB that was examined was the prevalence of six affects, rated in terms of their frequency during the past year. Affect frequency of four groups was tested: Recently widowed, recently married, and widowed and married elders unselected for length of time in those marital statuses. As predicted, both length of time in the marital status and congruence between the positive event (marriage) and positive affect and between congruence of the negative event (bereavement and negative affect) were associated with group differences. Depressive affect was greatest among the recently bereaved but the recently-married, long-married, and longer-bereaved groups did not differ in depression. Positive affect was greatest among the recently married and other groups did not differ in this respect. Hostility, anxiety, shyness, and contentment were not predicted to differ among groups; in fact, contentment was least in the bereaved; shyness was least among the recently-married, and hostility was lowest among the long-widowed. Results are discussed in terms of the joint influences of time since a life event and the differential relevance of positive and negative affect states to positive and negative events. Continued research attention to the covariation of these factors in relation to the affective aspects of PWB is needed to understand the conditions of stability and change.
The Effects of Students' Computer-Based Prior Experiences and Instructional Exposures on the Application of Hypermedia-Related Mental Models
Authors: Reed W. Michael , Ayersman David J. , Liu Min
Published: May 2005

The focus of this study was for students using an extensive hypermedia environment to state how the program's features, tools, or commands reflected four theoretical constructs: 1) semantic networks, 2) concept maps, 3) frames/scripts, and 4) schemata. Two exercises were created: 1) context-weak and 2) context-strong. It was found that, when the context was strong, the students cited more semantic networks and concept maps than when the context was weak. They, however, cited more frames/scripts and schemata when the context was weak than when the context was strong. In addition to viewing the four construct-models individually, the results were interpreted when establishing a linear construct-models group (semantic networks and frames/scripts) and a nonlinear construct-models group (concept maps and schemata). Results were also interpreted when grouping the construct-models as information-structure construct-models (semantic networks and concept maps) and as user-practiced construct-models (frames/scripts and schemata).
Effects of Meditation on Anxiety and Chemical Dependency
Authors: Wong Martin R. , Brochin Nancye B. , Gendron Kay L.
Published: May 2005

Research evidence indicates relationships between anxiety and the use of psychoactive drugs, and between the practice of meditation and lowered physiological indices of anxiety. Ex-post-facto studies of meditators indicate a negative correlation between practice of meditation and drug use. In the present study, a non-self-selected sample of chemically dependent people was instructed in the practice of meditation as part of an ongoing rehabilitation program and compared with a non-instructed control group, both at the termination of training and six months later. Differences established upon termination were no longer evident in the instructed group after six months. Subjects who reported continuing at least minimal meditative practices, however, showed differences in social adjustment, work performance, and use of drugs and alcohol when compared with non-practicers. These differences were more pronounced than those established for on-going Alcoholics Annonymous members.
Attitudes toward Youth as a Function of Adult Age: A Multivariate Study in Intergenerational Dynamics
Authors: Cryns Arthur G. , Monk Abraham
Published: May 2005

This study explores the social attitudes of three groups of adult males-young adult, middle-aged, and elderly-toward three, present-day youth groups (young people today, our boys in Vietnam, college students). Utilizing a semantic differential measure of attitude and testing for adult age group differences in attitudes toward the young, the study establishes that young adults are least accepting of youth, that elderly males are most accepting, and that middle-aged males assume an intermediate position between the other two age groups. These results suggest that acceptance of youth is a linearly increasing function of age. It was further observed that the subjects of this study, irrespective of their position on the adult age range, are significantly more positively inclined toward the young military in Vietnam than they are toward the generalized young or to college students. The latter receive the least favorable attitudinal ratings. The authors discuss a number of possible interpretations of the results obtained.
“Hashish and Marijuana”—An Innovative, Interdisciplinary Drug Education Curricular Program for High Schools
Authors: Zoller Uri , Weiss Shoshana
Published: May 2005

The interdisciplinary, chemically-oriented curricular unit “Hashish and Marijuana” is an attempt to cope effectively with the drug abuse problem among youngsters by means of an appropriate model to be implemented within the realm of natural sciences—social sciences interface at high schools.

This preventive program in drug education which equally emphasizes the cognitive and the affective domains was developed at Haifa University in Israel and has already been field-tested on a pilot scale. Preliminary results indicate both significant (positive) change in the cognitive levels of knowledge about the “drug issue” as well as “positive” changes in the concerned attitudes of the target population. Significantly, the new curriculum was favorably accepted by both students and teachers. Based on these results, it is believed that our program is a viable educational vehicle in equipping secondary school students with the necessary intellectual “ammunition” and attitudinal “load” to cope successfully with the problem of drug abuse within their realism of constraints under a variety of life situations.
Implications of Cognitive Change for Gerontological Pedagogical Practice
Authors: Spilich George J.
Published: May 2005

The focus of this paper is the problem of designing educational systems for the aged so as to maximize their potential for success. Relevant geropsychological literature is briefly summarized. It is proposed that complex changes in working memory occur with advanced age; and that by understanding the nature of these changes, educational materials can be designed which properly bring to the fore concepts, refresh memory, and guide the comprehension process. In this way, the aged are more likely to maintain their performance and to acquire new skills, to the benefit of society.
The Self-Portrait in Adulthood and Aging
Authors: Morin Catherine , Bensalah Yamina
Published: May 2005

Ninety-eight participants aged thirty to eighty-five, drew a self-portrait in which the depiction of face features and limb extremities was studied. Statistical multivariate analysis permitted to describe three classes of drawings with different modes of representation of hands and face features. The representation of the hands was problematic in most of the participants regardless of age. There was a relation between age and not representing the face features: 17 percent of the participants over sixty-five did not represent the face features vs. none of the younger participants. Results are discussed from a psychoanalytic perspective. The difficulties in representing the hands are discussed in relation to castration. The absence of face features in the portraits of some elderly drawers could indicate a minimal age-related defect of the network which establishes that the real mouth and eyes are both symbolic body orifices and imaginary face features. The comments made by some drawers strongly suggest that this absence may also represent an incapacity to face the losses imposed by aging.
The Married, the Formerly Married and the Never Married: Support System Differentials of Older Women in Planned Retirement Communities
Authors: Longino Charles F. , Lipman Aaron
Published: May 2005

This paper explores the nature of informal support given to older women, depending upon their marital status and the presence of living children. To control for differential availability of formal resources and for background characteristics, random samples of 371 noninstitutionalized female residents of two midwestern life care communities were interviewed. We found, unsurprisingly, that women who were presently, or who had been married, received more emotional, social, and instrumental support from their family members. But in further analysis it became clear, much to our surprise, that the presence of a husband only assured the married women of significantly more instrumental (task-oriented) support. It was the existence of living children-even just one child-that generated greater emotional, social, and instrumental support from her family. The greatest informal support deficits are among the never married, as expected, but are a result of the lack of children rather than the absence of a husband.
Neighborhood Deterioration and Social Isolation in Later Life
Authors: Krause Neal
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study is to test a conceptual model that attempts to show how selected neighborhood characteristics are related to social isolation in later life. This model specifies that older adults with low levels of educational attainment are more likely to experience financial problems and that elderly people who are confronted by financial difficulties are more likely to reside in dilapidated neighborhoods. The model further predicts that deteriorated neighborhoods in turn tend to promote distrust of others and older adults who are more distrustful of others tend to be more socially isolated. Based on data provided by a nationwide survey of elderly people, subsequent analyses revealed strong support for the theoretical sequence described above.
Psycho-Social Factors as Predictors of Success in a Work-Release Program
Authors: Brahen Leonard S. , Capone Thomas , Fitzpatrick Loretta
Published: May 2005

This study was undertaken to investigate the predictive value of social and environmental historical factors as a determinant of the rehabilitative potential of an inmate as measured by his success in completing satisfactorily a Narcotic Antagonist Work-Release Program.

The N.I.D.A. Psycho-Social Inventory1 taken from forty clients were objectively scored by category. The categories studied were general background (religion, education, etc.), family, work, criminal and drug history. Statistical correlation was sought by category with the subject's objective jail score reflecting success in the jail program. Means of jail scores of extreme groups (fifteen highest and fifteen lowest subjects) were compared with their category scores using the t-test. Only the work factor reached significance at a level of .05. Further analysis of the work factor showed that both of its components (length of employment and proximity to incarceration) were required to achieve significance.
Alcohol and Drug Use of Inter-City versus Rural School Age Children
Authors: Finke Linda , Williams Judy
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study of seventy-nine children was to determine: 1) the prevalence and type of substance use in inter-city and rural eight to twelve-year-old children; and 2) the relationships between child substance use, self-esteem, peer substance use, and family climate. The conceptual framework for the study was a modification of Kumpfer and Turner's Social Ecology Model (1991). Nineteen percent of the children had used alcohol or drugs. Thirty-three percent of the children acknowledged having friends who used substances. Inter-city children reported more alcohol and marijuana use, while the rural children reported more use of inhalants. The responses of both inter-city and rural children also indicated that there were problems with substance use and family violence in the home. Self-esteem and affiliation with drug using peers were significantly correlated with substance use of the child.
Personal Experience of Aging in the Children of a Parent with Dementia
Authors: Gerritsen Debby , Kuin Yolande , Steverink Nardi
Published: May 2005

We investigated whether adults with a parent with dementia experience their personal aging differently than adults whose parents do not have dementia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 adults who had a parent with dementia and 25 controls. We found that, although in a general sense the two groups were quite similar in their personal experiences of aging, there were specific differences. The children of parents with dementia had a health-concept in which there was substantial emphasis on mental health. Moreover, they linked the dementia of their parent to their own aging and worried about developing a dementia syndrome themselves. They also held different attitudes with regard to end-of-life decisions. Finally, participants having a parent with dementia gave more extensive answers to simple questions. This overall response suggests more involvement with growing older and finitude in the children of parents with dementia.
Age, Era, and Life Perspective: Emotional Connotations of the 1920's through the 1980's to Individuals in their Twenties through their Eighties
Authors: Gifford Robert
Published: May 2005

The affective meaning of seven decades (1920's to 1980's) to seven adult age groups (twenties to eighties) was examined. Measures of Pleasure, Excitement, Arousal, and Distress were obtained for each decade from each age group. The results showed, as one might expect, that decades vary in emotional character, but, more importantly, that the emotional character of individual decades sometimes differs significantly as a function of age. Older age groups view the century as more pleasurable and less distressing than do younger age groups. These variations in the emotional image of the twentieth century are discussed as one indicator of life perspective and as a possible source of intergenerational conflict.
Impact and Roles of Drug Information in Drug Education
Authors: Goodstadt Michael S.
Published: May 2005

Evidence is presented elucidating the role of knowledge about drugs in facilitating or impeding drug use. The issues considered include (1) the role of drug information in previous “education” programs, (2) the source and uses of drug information, (3) the impact of this information, and (4) the alternative roles for drug information.
Towards a Chronology of Brownware Pottery in the Western Great Basin: A Case Study from Owens Valley
Authors: Eerkens Jelmer W.
Published: May 2005

Great Basin brownware is often perceived as highly variable and lacking distinct subdivisions. Combined with the lack of painted decoration, the result has been to lump all brownware into a single all-encompassing temporal category. This article examines this perception in the Owens Valley of California where pot sherds are often found associated with late prehistoric house floors. An analysis of these sherd assemblages reveals important changes in how pots were made through time and suggests changes in prehistoric human behavior.
Days beyond Recall: Subsistence Homesteading in the Rural South, Circa 1920
Authors: Wershow Harold J.
Published: May 2005

Accented in some 100 semi-structured interviews with Southern aged poor is the bitter struggle to survive. People worked long hours for little, bartering farm produce for the few store-bought necessities. Primitive housing, education and medicine sufficed. Both black and white poor suffered brutal exploitation, despite which they review their life with satisfaction. We hypothesize that, to maintain mental health, it is better to idealize the unalterable past. Several global assessments of “morale” are discussed. It is also suggested that this journal become a clearing house for questions that measure psychic well-being in the aged more naturally and by indirection than do scales in current use.