bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Viktimisierung durch Gleichaltrige als Entwicklungsrisiko
Authors: Gasteiger Klicpera B. , Klicpera C.
Published: April 2003

Zusammenfassung: Das Phänomen der Viktimisierung unter Schülern ist in den letzten Jahren immer stärker in den Mittelpunkt des Interesses gerückt. In der vorliegenden Übersicht werden aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse zu diesem neuen Thema zusammengetragen. Von Viktimisierung betroffen sind etwa 10% der Schüler, die regelmäßig von einem oder mehreren ihrer Mitschüler verbal oder physisch attackiert werden. Die Ursachen sind sowohl im sozialen Kontext zu suchen als auch in einem individuellen Mangel an sozialen Fähigkeiten, aber auch in den sozial-kognitiven Attributionsmustern der Kinder. Als weiterer wichtiger Risikofaktor ist die Eltern-Kind-Beziehung zu betrachten. Die Stabilität der Viktimisierung ist relativ hoch. Kurzfristige Folgen bestehen in einer negativen Stimmung und einem geringeren Selbstbewusstsein, längerfristig fühlen sich die Kinder zudem oft einsam, hilflos und traurig. Neuere Untersuchungen belegen einen Zusammenhang zwischen Viktimisierung und der Entwicklung von depressiven Verstimmungen. Als protektive Faktoren wirken sowohl eine bestimmte Nonchalance in konkreten Situationen, aber vor allem der Schutz durch wenigstens einen guten Freund. Therapeutische Folgerungen sollten sowohl auf der individuellen als auch der Klassenebene gezogen werden. Für die Kinder selbst wäre ein Training in bestimmten Bereichen sozialer Kompetenz hilfreich, wichtig wäre aber auch die Beratung der Eltern, und schließlich die Beratung der Lehrer, damit die Dynamik in der Klasse unterbrochen werden kann. Für die Forschung wäre es notwendig, auch über diese Form der Viktimisierung bei klinischen Stichproben Näheres zu erfahren.
Aktuelle Forschung auf der Suche nach neurobiologischen Korrelaten der Lese-Rechtschreib-Störung
Authors: Breitenbach E. , Lenhard W.
Published: April 2003

Zusammenfassung: Fragestellung: Im vorliegenden Übersichtsartikel werden Schwerpunkte der aktuellen Forschung zu neurobiologischen Korrelaten der Lese-Rechtschreibstörung (LRS) aufgezeigt. Methodik: Es wurden etwa 120 Artikel ausgewertet, die überwiegend in den letzten sechs Jahren erschienen sind. Ergebnis: Es lassen sich drei Schwerpunkte unterscheiden. Der erste Forschungsschwerpunkt thematisiert ungewöhnliche Asymmetrien der Plana temporalia und Auffälligkeiten des Corpus callosum. Die Vertreter des zweiten Ansatzes analysieren abnorme Aktivierungsmuster des linkshemisphärischen Frontal- und Temporallappens. In diesem Zusammenhang wird eine Dysfunktion des linkshemisphärischen Gyrus angularis diskutiert. Die Vertreter der dritten Störung untersuchen Auffälligkeiten im Bereich der Wahrnehmung. Sie vermuten ein globales Defizit der Verarbeitung schneller Reize und finden Korrelate der LRS in Defiziten subkortikaler Systeme der akustischen und visuellen Informationsverarbeitung. Schlussfolgerungen: Aufgrund wiederholter Negativbefunde erscheint der erste Ansatz als zu unspezifisch. Forschungsbemühungen konzentrieren sich zunehmend auf den zweiten und dritten Schwerpunkt.
Die Faktorenstruktur des Autismus Diagnostischen Interviews-Revision (ADI-R): Eine Untersuchung zur dimensionalen versus kategorialen Klassifikation autistischer Störungen
Authors: Bölte S. , Poustka F.
Published: April 2003

Zusammenfassung:Fragestellung: Ziel dieser explorativen Studie war es zu untersuchen, ob die in erster Linie inhaltsvalide konstruierten Verhaltensbereiche des Autismus nach ICD-10 und DSM-IV (soziale Interaktion, Kommunikation und begrenzte, repetitive, stereotype Verhaltensmuster) mit statistisch generierten Verhaltensdimensionen konsistent sind. Methodik: Aus dem Autismus Diagnostischen Interview-Revision (ADI-R) gewonnene Daten von N = 262 Probanden mit Autismus oder autistischen Zügen wurden in einer Hauptkomponentenanalyse mit Varimax-Rotation und Faktorenextraktion nach dem Scree-Kriterium verrechnet. Ergebnisse: Die Dimensionierung der Algorithmusitems des ADI-R ergab nur eine vage Übereinstimmung der latenten Variablen mit den postulierten Verhaltensbereichen nach ICD-10 und DSM-IV. Eine 3-Faktorenlösung mit 46,1% Varianzaufklärung ergab zwei sozio-kommunikative und eine sprachbezogene Dimension. Die Items zur Erfassung repetitiven, stereotypen Verhaltens luden nur schwach auf diesen Faktoren. Schlussfolgerungen: Die faktorenanalytische Vorgehensweise legt eine von ICD-10 und DSM-IV abweichende Organisation des Autismuskonstrukts nahe, in der repetitive, stereotype Symptome der Störung eine eingeschränkte Bedeutung haben.
Mutter-Kind-Interaktion und externalisierende Störungen bei Kindern im Grundschulalter
Authors: Trautmann-Villalba P. , Gerhold M. , Polowczyk M. , Dinter-Jörg M. , Laucht M. , Esser G. , Schmidt M.H.
Published: April 2003

Zusammenfassung: Fragestellung: Das Verhalten von achtjährigen Kindern mit externalisierenden Störungen (hyperkinetische Störung und Störung des Sozialverhaltens) in der Interaktion mit ihren Müttern wurde untersucht. Methodik/Ergebnisse: Im univariaten Vergleich waren Mütter in der Interaktion mit ihren hyperkinetischen Kindern restriktiver, abwertender und weniger angemessen als Mütter unauffälliger Kinder, während sich die Kinder unaufmerksamer und impulsiver sowie weniger assertiv und hilflos verhielten. Kinder mit einer Störung des Sozialverhaltens waren in der Interaktion mit ihren Müttern abwertender, aggressiver und provokativer als unauffällige Kinder, während die Mütter mehr Ungeduld zeigten. Schlussfolgerung: Eine Interaktion zwischen aggressivem Kindverhalten und Restriktivität der Mutter trug zu vermehrten dissozialen Symptomen bei. Eine höhere Zahl hyperkinetischer Symptome wurde durch die Interaktion zwischen impulsivem Kindverhalten und mütterlicher Aversivität begünstigt.
Motorische, kognitive und sozial-emotionale Entwicklung von 11-Jährigen mit frühkindlichen Risikobelastungen: späte Folgen
Authors: Laucht M. , Schmidt M.H. , Esser G.
Published: April 2003

Zusammenfassung: Fragestellung: Untersuchung der Auswirkungen frühkindlicher Risiken auf das Entwicklungsniveau im Alter von 11 Jahren. Methode: In einer prospektiven Längsschnittstudie von der Geburt bis zur späten Kindheit an einer Stichprobe von 362 Kindern mit unterschiedlichen frühkindlichen Risikobelastungen wurde der Verlauf von Entwicklungs- und Verhaltensstörungen untersucht. Organische (prä- und perinatale Komplikationen) und psychosoziale Risiken (familiäre Belastungen) wurden in einem zwei-faktoriellen Design systematisch variiert. Im Alter von 11 Jahren wurden Kennwerte der motorischen, kognitiven und sozial-emotionalen Entwicklung von 341 Kindern (168 Jungen, 173 Mädchen, entsprechend 94,2% der Ausgangsstichprobe) erfasst. Die vorausgegangenen Erhebungen waren im Alter von 3 Monaten, 2, 4½ und 8 Jahren durchgeführt worden. Ergebnisse: Die Auswirkungen früher Entwicklungsrisiken bestanden bis in die späte Kindheit fort. Mit Risiken hoch belastete Kinder waren bis zu dreimal häufiger in ihrer Entwicklung beeinträchtigt als unbelastete Kinder. Sowohl organische als auch psychosoziale Risiken trugen zu einer ungünstigen Prognose bei. Während prä- und perinatale Komplikationen vor allem motorische und kognitive Funktionen beeinträchtigten, konzentrierten sich die Auswirkungen belasteter familiärer Lebensverhältnisse auf die sozial-emotionale Entwicklung. Spätschäden von Schwangerschafts- und Geburtskomplikationen manifestierten sich insbesondere im Bereich kognitiver Funktionen und schulischer Leistungen. Auch im Schulalter ließ sich der kumulative Einfluss beider Risikobereiche am besten durch eine Addition der Einzeleffekte erklären. Schlussfolgerungen: Frühkindliche Entwicklungsrisiken haben spezifische und langfristige Auswirkungen, die sich später in ungünstigen schulischen Entwicklungen niederschlagen.
Suicide Risk in High School Students in Slovenia
Authors: Tomori Martina
Published: April 2003

The objective of this study was to determine the psychosocial factors which differentiate suicidal adolescents from their nonsuicidal peers. By means of a specially designed questionnaire, distributed to a representative sample of 4686 Slovene high school students of both sexes aged 14-19 years, we assessed their general characteristics, suicidal ideation and behavior, family circumstances, self-appraisal of the problems and ways of solving them, engagement in sport, and exposure to suicide in their close circle. Numerous important differences were established between suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents. The data gathered will help further research into suicidal behavior in adolescents.
Impulsivity as a Correlate of Suicidal Behavior in Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients
Authors: Horesh Netta , Gothelf Doron , Ofek Hadas , Weizman Tal , Apter Alan
Published: April 2003

One hundred and eighteen inpatient adolescents in a psychiatric hospital were evaluated to determine the relationship of aggression, self injury, and suicidal behavior to impulsivity. It was hypothesized that all these variables would be significantly and positively correlated with one another. This hypothesis was in part based on the results of psychobiological research that found serotonin dysfunction to be the common denominator of these psychopathological dimensions. As predicted, a significant correlation was found between the measures of suicidal behavior, aggressive behavior, and impulsivity. This correlation between suicidal behavior and impulsivity remained after partialing out the factor of aggression. Furthermore, the correlations between impulsivity and suicidality appeared greater in males than in females. Since male suicide attempters are more likely to eventually commit suicide than female suicide attempters, these findings may have a bearing on suicide prediction.
Suicide in Nógrád County, Hungary, 1970-1994
Authors: Zonda Tamás
Published: April 2003

The author examined completed suicides occurring over a period of 25 years in a county of Hungary with a traditionally low (relatively speaking) suicide rate of 25.8. The rates are clearly higher in villages than in the towns. The male/female ratio was close to 4:1, among elderly though only 1.5:1. The high risk groups are the elderly, divorced, and widowed. Violent methods are chosen in 66.4% of the cases. The rates are particularly high in the period April-July. Prior communication of suicidal intention was revealed in 16.3% of all cases. Previous attempts had been undertaken by 17%, which in turn means that 83% of suicides were first attempts. In our material 10% the victims left suicide notes. Psychiatric disorders were present in 60.1% of the cases, and severe, multiple somatic illnesses (including malignomas) were present in 8.8%. The majority of the data resemble those found in the literature.
Incarcerated Adolescents' Distress and Suicidality in Relation to Parental Bonding Styles
Authors: McGarvey Elizabeth L , Kryzhanovskaya Ludmila A , Koopman Cheryl , Waite Dennis , Canterbury Randolph J
Published: April 2003

This study examines the relationships between the bonding style of an incarcerated adolescent with parents and his/her current feelings of self-esteem, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and attempts. It also investigates differences between bonding to mother and bonding to father. Some 296 incarcerated adolescents were interviewed using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Significant relationships were found between youths' self-esteem, hopelessness, and suicidal behavior and their bonding style. Youths whose parent(s) had a parental bonding style of affectionless control reported the greatest distress, and youths whose parent(s) had an optimal bonding style reported the least distress. Differences were found between bonding styles with the mother and with the father. Attachment theory may be useful in targeting incarcerated youths who have affectionless control bonding with parent(s) for special interventions since these youths are most at risk for psychosocial problems.
Suicidal Behavior in the Ukraine, 1988-1998
Authors: Kryzhanovskaya Ludmila , Pilyagina Galina
Published: April 2003

This report studies the available data concerning suicide rates in the Ukraine and points to the importance of appropriate monitoring of suicides and attempted suicides. It illustrates the necessity of collecting this information and of developing “The Ukrainian National Program on Suicide Prevention.” Unfortunately, suicide research and publications about suicide rates were prohibited in the former Soviet Union, so some of the data about suicidal behavior in the Ukraine is incomplete. We used the official suicide death statistics of the Ukraine from the Center of Statistics (Ukrainian Ministry of Health) for the period 1988-1998. The overall rate of suicide in the Ukraine is relatively high. Official statistics in the Ukraine show that there were 29.6 suicides per 100,000 population in 1998. The frequency of completed suicide differs in the various regions of the country, suicides being more frequent in the industrially developed regions and in the rural areas of the country than in the cities. In the western part of the Ukraine the frequency of suicide is relatively low (11.1 per 100,000). Between 1988 and 1997 the suicide rate increased by 57%. In 1998 the suicide rate for women was approximately five times lower than that for men.
Stress, Coping Styles, and Hopelessness in Self-Poisoners
Authors: Elliott Julie L , Frude Neil
Published: April 2003

This study examined the association between level of hopelessness with stress and coping style for a sample of 80 people who had recently attempted suicide. Higher levels of hopelessness were found to be associated with higher levels of stress. Level of hopelessness was also associated with the use of problem-focused but not with emotion-focused coping. Analyses of the interaction between stress and coping style suggested that these variables influence the level of hopelessness in an independent and linear fashion. The implications for clinical intervention are discussed.
Heart Beat Perception in Patients with Depressive, Somatoform, and Personality Disorders
Authors: Mussgay L. , Klinkenberg N. , Rüddel H.
Published: April 2003

Abstract According to current concepts of functional psychosomatic disorders, disturbed interoceptive processes are considered relevant causal factors especially in relation to panic disorders and functional cardiac complaints. In our study, heart beat perception was assessed for subgroups of psychosomatic disorders and in comparison to healthy controls. A further issue was the distribution of performance scores across diagnostic subgroups. Special consideration was given to the question of panic patients forming two extreme groups with either better or worse perception than other patient groups. Additionally, a subsample of patients was tested twice in order to establish test-retest-reliability of heart beat perception. Within the whole group of 546 patients, marginally significant differences in heart beat perception scores in the Schandry Mental Tracking Task between subgroups became evident. The detection score of patients with personality disorders was lower compared to patients with functional disorders and healthy controls. Patients with functional heart disorder and panic patients did not have higher perception scores than controls. Effects of medication were taken into account. Only medicated panic patients showed better heart beat perception than unmedicated ones. The distribution of heart beat perception was similar in all groups studied, patients with panic disorders did not differ from the general picture. Time stability after a 4 week interval in 42 patients was sufficiently high to show trait characteristics reaching r = .58. In general, psychosomatic patients are characterized by a tendency towards lower perception scores compared to healthy subjects. Better than normal interoceptive functioning, in contrast to some literature reports, does not seem to play a decisive role in the establishment of functional psychosomatic disorders.
Response Anticipation Processes in the Learning of a Sensorimotor Sequence
Authors: Rüsseler Jascha , Hennighausen Erwin , Rösler Frank
Published: April 2003

Abstract We investigated the contribution of motor processes to implicit and explicit serial learning by means of event-related brain potentials. An otherwise predictable sequence of S-R pairs was occasionally interrupted by stimuli that violated either the stimulus or the response sequence (perceptual or motor deviants). After performing the task, participants were asked to recall as much of the sequence as possible. On the basis of these free recall results, two groups of subjects (explicit and implicit learners) were formed. Reaction time was prolonged for motor deviants but not for perceptual deviants, which violated the predictable sequence of stimulus locations. Early activation in the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) for standard stimuli and an activation of the expected but incorrect response for deviants violating the response sequence indicate the contribution of motor processes to serial learning. ERPs did not show any learning-related changes. Furthermore, in all dependent measures no differences between explicit and implicit learners were observed. The results are at variance with previous claims that serial learning is a purely perceptual process.
Focusing of Visuospatial Attention
Authors: Pesce Caterina , Bösel Rainer
Published: April 2003

Abstract In the present study we explored the focusing of visuospatial attention in subjects practicing and not practicing activities with high attentional demands. Similar to the studies of Castiello and Umiltà (e. g., 1990) , our experimental procedure was a variation of Posner's (1980) basic paradigm for exploring covert orienting of visuospatial attention. In a simple RT-task, a peripheral cue of varying size was presented unilaterally or bilaterally from a central fixation point and followed by a target at different stimulus-onset-asynchronies (SOAs). The target could occur validly inside the cue or invalidly outside the cue with varying spatial relation to its boundary. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and reaction times (RTs) were recorded to target stimuli under the different task conditions. RT and ERP findings showed converging aspects as well as dissociations. Electrophysiological results revealed an amplitude modulation of the ERPs in the early and late Nd time interval at both anterior and posterior scalp sites, which seems to be related to the effects of peripheral informative cues as well as to the attentional expertise. Results were: (1) shorter latency effects confirm the positive-going amplitude enhancement elicited by unilateral peripheral cues and strengthen the criticism against the neutrality of spatially nonpredictive peripheral cueing of all possible target locations which is often presumed in behavioral studies. (2) Longer latency effects show that subjects with attentional expertise modulate the distribution of the attentional resources in the visual space differently than nonexperienced subjects. Skilled practice may lead to minimizing attentional costs by automatizing the use of a span of attention that is adapted to the most frequent task demands and endogenously increases the allocation of resources to cope with less usual attending conditions.
Myoelectric Activity Differences in Three Learning Sessions
Authors: Ritvanen Tiina , Koskelo Reijo , Hnninen Osmo
Published: April 2003

Abstract This study follows muscle activity in three different learning sessions (computer, language laboratory, and normal classroom) while students were studying foreign languages. Myoelectric activity was measured in 21 high school students (10 girls, 11 boys, age range 17-20 years) by surface electromyography (sEMG) from the upper trapezius and frontalis muscles during three 45-min sessions. Root mean square (RMS) average from both investigated muscles was calculated. The EMG activity was highest in both muscle groups in the computer-aided session and lowest in the language laboratory. The girls had higher EMG activity in both investigated muscle groups in all three learning situations. The measured blood pressure was highest at the beginning of the sessions, decreased within 10 min, but increased again toward the end of the sessions. Our results indicate that the use of a computer as a teaching-aid evokes more constant muscle activity than the traditional learning situations. Since muscle tension can have adverse health consequences, more research is needed to determine optimal classroom conditions, especially when technical aids are used in teaching.
Assessing Social Anxiety: The Inventory of Interpersonal Situations (IIS)
Authors: van Dam-Baggen Rien , Kraaimaat Floris
Published: April 2003

Summary: The purpose of this study was to develop a self-report questionnaire for the assessment of social anxiety in adults. The Inventory of Interpersonal Situations (IIS) consists of 35 items formulated as responses to specific social situations. The IIS is based on an interactive concept of social anxiety and provides scores for both a Discomfort and a Frequency scale. The reliability and validity of the IIS were investigated in several adult psychiatric and nonpsychiatric samples. The scales for Discomfort and Frequency showed stability over time. Cronbach's α's revealed a sufficiently high internal consistency on both scales, while the conceptual structure was shown to be rather invariant across socially anxious and nonsocially anxious groups. The IIS scales were able to discriminate between socially anxious and nonsocially anxious samples, and showed significant relationships with independent measures of social anxiety. The IIS scales demonstrated high predictive validity for overt behavior in social situations.
A Triarchic Analysis of an Aptitude-Treatment Interaction
Authors: Sternberg Robert J. , Grigorenko Elena L. , Ferrari Michel , Clinkenbeard Pamela
Published: April 2003

Summary: This article describes a triarchic analysis of an aptitude-treatment interaction in a college-level introductory-psychology course given to selected high-school students. Of the 326 total participants, 199 were selected to be high in analytical, creative, or practical abilities, or in all three abilities, or in none of the three abilities. The selected students were placed in a course that either well matched or did not match their pattern of analytical, creative, and practical abilities. All students were assessed for memory, analytical, creative, and practical achievement. The data showed an aptitude-treatment interaction between students' varied ability patterns and the match or mismatch of these abilities to the different instructional groups.
Detecting Measurement Invariance in Organizational Surveys* * The original data upon which this paper is based are available at www.hhpub.com/journals/ejpa
Authors: Eid Michael , Rauber Michael
Published: April 2003

Summary: The problem of measurement invariance in organizational surveys is discussed, and it is shown how mixture distribution models can be used to detect response styles in organizational surveys. The results of an analysis of a leadership performance scale with the polytomous mixed Rasch model is reported (N = 4578). The results revealed that two latent classes differing in response styles could be detected: One class (size: 71%) using the whole response scale without a strong preference for specific categories and one class (size: 29%) preferring the extreme response categories and avoiding the middle ones. Furthermore, it was shown that the two latent classes differ in demographic and other organizational variables. Finally, the implications of this study for comparing individuals across divisions and organizations as well as for future research on organizational assessment methods are discussed.
Sociotropy-Autonomy and the Beck Depression Inventory
Authors: Sato Toru , McCann Doug
Published: April 2003

Summary: According to Beck's cognitive theory of depression, individuals who score high on the personality dimensions of either sociotropy or autonomy are considered to be vulnerable to depression. Although past research has provided abundant support for the relationship between sociotropy and depression, very little support has been provided for the relationship between autonomy and depression. Two studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between the items of Beck Depression Inventory ( Beck et al., 1979 ), one of the most commonly used measures in the assessment of an individual's level of depression, and measures of sociotropy and autonomy. In both studies, participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory and various measures of sociotropy and autonomy. The results suggested that the majority of the items of the Beck Depression Inventory were related to measures of sociotropy rather than autonomy. These findings suggest that the lack of support for the relationship between autonomy and depression may be due partially to the specific measures used in the assessment of sociotropy and autonomy as well as depression.
Questions on Life Satisfaction (FLZM) - A Short Questionnaire for Assessing Subjective Quality of Life
Authors: Henrich Gerhard , Herschbach Peter
Published: April 2003

Summary: A short questionnaire for assessing general and health-related quality of life is presented. Test construction and psychometric evaluation are described and recent findings obtained with the instrument reported and plans for developing additional modules outlined. Questions on Life SatisfactionModules (in the original German: FLZM, Fragen zur LebenszufriedenheitModule) combines three features: economy, modular structure, and individual weighting of items. The questionnaire consists of two 8-item modules, “General Life Satisfaction” and “Satisfaction with Health.” The respondent rates each items twice, once for the subjective importance of the aspects of life or health addressed, and once for the degree of satisfaction in that area. The two ratings are combined into a “weighted satisfaction” score. The total score is the sum of these eight scores. Norms for Germany and Spain have been established. Data for patients from different diagnostic groups in Germany are also available. The work in progress on international versions (UK English, US English, Dutch, Spanish, and Italian) and on additional modules is discussed.
The Effects of Dispositional and Situational Coping, Perceived Social Support, and Cognitive Appraisal on Immediate Outcome
Authors: Hudek-Knežević Jasna , Kardum Igor
Published: April 2003

Summary: The effects of coping styles and strategies, perceived social support, and primary and secondary cognitive appraisal on immediate outcome were examined in this study. Two theoretical models were tested via linear structural equation modelling (LISREL VI) on a sample of 116 women. The first model was derived from the structural approach to stress and coping, while the second was based primarily on a theoretical position of the transactional approach to stress and coping process. Both models were tested twice, by taking into account appraisal of threat and appraisal of controllability. The results indicate the importance of cognitive appraisals and their effects on adaptational outcomes, situational coping efforts as well as their mediating role between some coping resources and adaptational outcomes. The main differences obtained in the models tested account for the type of cognitive appraisal included in the analyses. The appraisal of threat proved to be a more central component of stressful experience than appraisal of controllability. The results also show that dispositional as well as situational coping strategies exert relatively weak effects on immediate outcome.
Parents' Judgments and Students' Self-Judgments of Empathy
Authors: Cliffordson Christina
Published: April 2003

Summary: A sample of 221 adolescents and their parents were asked to complete the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI; Davis, 1980 ), which is comprised of four subscales: empathic concern, perspective taking, fantasy, and personal distress; and a global-item measure containing four items, one for each subscale. The factorial structure that emerged in a previous study ( Cliffordson, 2000 ) involving the students was tested on ratings provided by their parents. The results from the IRI scale were also compared to results from the global-item measure. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the structure of empathy and the agreement of self/other judgments. The results support the conclusions from the previous study that the concept of empathy can be considered to be identical to empathic concern, which also explains a great deal of perspective taking and fantasy. The agreement between the students' and their parents' judgments was substantial, and there are several reasons to believe that the interjudge agreement obtained is accurate.
Instrumental and Ideological Union Commitment: Longitudinal Assessment of Construct Validity
Authors: Sjöberg Anders , Sverke Magnus
Published: April 2003

Summary: Previous research has identified instrumentality and ideology as important aspects of member attachment to labor unions. The present study evaluated the construct validity of a scale designed to reflect the two dimensions of instrumental and ideological union commitment using a sample of 1170 Swedish blue-collar union members. Longitudinal data were used to test seven propositions referring to the dimensionality, internal consistency reliability, and temporal stability of the scale as well as postulated group differences in union participation to which the scale should be sensitive. Support for the hypothesized factor structure of the scale and for adequate reliabilities of the dimensions was obtained and was also replicated 18 months later. Tests for equality of measurement model parameters and test-retest correlations indicated support for the temporal stability of the scale. In addition, the results were consistent with most of the predicted differences between groups characterized by different patterns of change/stability in union participation status. The study provides strong support for the construct validity of the scale and indicates that it can be used in future theory testing on instrumental and ideological union commitment.
Neuropsychological Toxicology
Authors: Peper Martin
Published: April 2003

Humans exposed to neurotoxins may exhibit alterations in cognitive and affective functioning and report a wide range of subjective symptoms. The multidisciplinary field of “neuropsychological toxicology” provides a framework for the systematic assessment and interpretation of adverse effects. Neuropsychological assessment is of interest not only to clinicians, but also to regulatory and legislative authorities. The importance of neuropsychological toxicology in the area of occupational risk research is increasingly being recognized. Possible fields of application include behavioral monitoring for preventive purposes, expert assessment in the context of compensation cases, and treatment in rehabilitation programs. This article reviews common research approaches, selected findings, and methodological problems of this emerging discipline and summarizes the implications for related fields of psychological research.
Developmental Changes in Reasoning Strategies
Authors: Bergling Barbro M.
Published: April 2003

It is frequently necessary to make comparisons between scales or items using some common items and measuring the same trait. A methodology to solve this problem is the Rasch equating procedure for comparisons between two or more test instruments, given that they measure the same construct and have some test items in common. This equating procedure was applied on two test instruments (Problemsolving Heft 17 and Heft 27) constructed on the basis of theoretical analyses of 12 of Piaget's classical experiments. The problem of the present study was to explore the magnitude of developmental changes from 10 to 14 years of age in Swedish school children. A common Rasch scale was developed consisting of 14 items out of which 10 items were common to both instruments and 4 items were age specific. When this common scale was applied to separate scaling of each test instrument on the two age groups, developmental changes of more than twice the standard error were found for each item. The order of the test items within the scales was, as expected, unchanged from 10 to 14 years of age except a minor change in two items. The relative difficulties of items within each sample and between the samples were examined. Comparisons between items representing the same Piagetian construct were analyzed in regard to the constructs “all other things being equal,” equilibrium, proportionality, and reciprocal implication. Interpretations of possible explanations of the differences found are discussed.
Power, Conflict, and Effectiveness
Authors: Rahim M. Afzalur , Antonioni David , Krumov Krum , Ilieva Snejana
Published: April 2003

This study investigated the relationships of bases of leader power (coercive, reward, legitimate, expert, and referent) and styles of handling interpersonal conflict (integrating, obliging, dominating, avoiding, and compromising) to subordinates' effectiveness. Data for this study were collected with questionnaires from the United States and Bulgaria and analyzed with hierarchical regression analysis for each country. Results indicated that in the United States referent power base of supervisors and integrating style of handling conflict of subordinates were positively associated with effectiveness. In Bulgaria, legitimate power base of supervisors was positively associated with effectiveness, but the subordinates' conflict styles were not associated with effectiveness.
Genetics and Psychology: Beyond Heritability
Authors: Plomin Robert , Colledge Essi
Published: April 2003

The questions whether and how much genetic factors affect psychological dimensions and disorders represent important first steps in understanding the origins of individual differences. Because it is now widely accepted that genetic influences contribute importantly to individual differences throughout psychology, genetic research is moving beyond merely estimating heritability to asking questions about how genetic mechanisms work. We focus on two examples of ways in which genetic research is going beyond heritability. The first is to use genetically sensitive designs to identify specific environmental influences, taking into account two of the most important findings from behavioral genetics: nonshared environment and genotype-environment correlation. The second is to use the new tools of molecular genetics to identify specific genes responsible for the substantial heritability of a variety of behavioral traits.
Longitudinal Impact of Perceived Self-Regulatory Efficacy on Violent Conduct
Authors: Caprara Gian Vittorio , Regalia Camillo , Bandura Albert
Published: April 2003

The present study examined the longitudinal impact of perceived self-regulatory efficacy and parental communication on violent conduct. Adolescents' perceived efficacy to resist peer pressure for transgressive activities counteracted engagement in violent conduct both directly and by fostering open communication with parents. Parental communication was linked to violent conduct concurrently but not longitudinally. There were gender differences in level of engagement in violent activities, but the causal structures were the same. Perceived self-regulatory efficacy contributed to violent conduct both concurrently and longitudinally after controlling for prior level of violent conduct and openness of parental communication.
The Context for a European Framework for Psychologists' Training
Authors: Peiro José Maria , Lunt Ingrid
Published: April 2003

In this paper we analyze the context in which the European Framework for Psychologists Training was developed over a 2-year period 1999-2001. The increasingly global context in which European psychologists have to function suggests that the costs of not having a common framework are too great. Pressures by the European Union to promote mobility and convergence across the European member states create further impetus for a common framework. The wider European context provides an interesting tension between diversity and overarching common commitments and principles. It is suggested that the benefits of a common framework outweigh the disadvantages. These benefits include greater student and staff mobility, a clearer identity of European psychology, increased opportunities to attract world-class scholars to European universities, enhanced transparency of qualifications, and common solutions to problems at a European level. We argue that European psychology cannot afford not to have a common European framework for education and training and conclude with a projection and suggestion of what might be achieved in next 10 years.
Counterintuitive multiphoton pulse sequences in molecular isomerization. I. Selectivity and robustness of competing multiphoton stimulated Raman adiabatic passage processes
Authors: Vrábel Imrich , Jakubetz Werner
Published: April 2003

We use a 28-level system consisting of the vibrational bend states of the HCN/HNC system as a model system for the investigation of population transfer across the isomerization barrier using counterintuitively ordered multiphoton (MP) laser pulses. This (m+n)-STIRAP (stimulated Raman-adiabatic passage) arrangement with m pump- and n Stokes-photons is found to be capable of driving HCN→HNC transition states selectively and in a robust manner, despite the presence of near-degenerate parallel processes of different photonicities. Employing Gaussian pulses with widths of 80 ps, the process of highest photonicity we demonstrate is (4+6)-STIRAP, and we investigate systematically the robustness against variations in pulse amplitudes and frequencies for all parallel processes with m=2 and 3, and n=1–6. We discuss the conditions under which selective population transfer is obtained. We also compare with (1+1)-STIRAP using overtone transitions to drive the same state-specific processes and conclude that the few-step sequential MP-STIRAP isomerization is a feasible alternative to the sequential (1+1)-STIRAP based method proposed by Kurkal and Rice [J. Phys. Chem. B 105, 6488 (2001)].
Time averaging the semiclassical initial value representation for the calculation of vibrational energy levels
Authors: Kaledin Alexey L. , Miller William H.
Published: April 2003

An application of the initial value representation (IVR) of semiclassical (SC) theory to approximate the quantum mechanical time evolution operator, exp[−iĤt/ℏ], requires an integral over the phase space of initial conditions of classical trajectories. The integrand of this integral is complex, i.e., has a phase, from which quantum coherence (in fact, all quantum) effects arise, but which also makes SC-IVR calculations more difficult than ordinary classical molecular dynamics simulations (the semiclassical version of the “sign problem”). A number of approaches have been devised to ameliorate the sign problem, and here we show how a time averaging procedure—the integrand of the phase space integral is time-averaged over the classical trajectory originating from each initial condition—can be profitably used in this regard, particularly so for the calculation of spectral densities (from which vibrational energy levels can be identified). This time averaging procedure is shown to greatly reduce the number of initial conditions (i.e., the number of classical trajectories) that are needed to converge IVR phase space averages. In some cases useful results can be obtained with only one classical trajectory. Calculations are carried out for vibrational energy levels of H2 and H2O to illustrate the overall procedure.
Correlation of electronic and local structure of 4-hydroxy-thiophenol on NaCl(100) and Ag(100)
Authors: Tegenkamp C. , Pfnür H.
Published: April 2003

The electronic structure of 4-hydroxy-thiophenol (HTP) adsorbed on poly-Ag(100) and on NaCl(100) was investigated with photoelectron (UPS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), supplemented by DFT/B3LYP and restricted CIS-calculations of isolated molecules in order to identify molecular emissions and characteristic losses. Whereas on NaCl(100) the HTP molecules interact mainly via van der Waals interaction, on Ag(100) a strong level shift of 0.6 eV to lower binding energies of the thiol emission was found, indicating the formation of an Ag–S bond. As concluded from intensity ratios of various emissions both in UPS and in EELS, the HTP molecule on NaCl(100) adsorbs essentially in a planar geometry, whereas on Ag(100) the angle between the HTP molecular plane and the surface is around 70°, in agreement with expectations from orbital symmetry and overlap.
Taming the rugged landscape: Techniques for the production, reordering, and stabilization of selected cluster inherent structures
Authors: Sabo Dubravko , Doll J. D. , Freeman David L.
Published: April 2003

We report our studies of the potential energy surface (PES) of selected binary Lennard-Jones clusters. The effect of adding selected impurity atoms to a homogeneous cluster is explored. Inherent structures and transition states are found by combination of conjugate gradient and eigenvector-following methods while the topography of the PES is mapped with the help of a disconnectivity analysis. We show that we can controllably induce new structures as well as reorder and stabilize existing structures that are characteristic of higher-lying minima.
X-ray standing wave studies of strained InxGa1−xAs/InP short-period superlattices
Authors: Aruta Carmela , Lamberti Carlo , Gastaldi Luigi , Boscherini Federico
Published: April 2003

We report an x-ray standing wave (XSW) study on a set of structurally well-characterized InxGa1−xAs/InP short-period superlattices grown by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition and chemical-beam epitaxy techniques. It was possible to model the x-ray standing wave profiles only once the superlattice period has been assumed to be constituted by four layers of well-defined chemical composition [barrier (InP), first interface (InAs0.7P0.3), well (In0.53Ga0.47As), and second interface (In0.53Ga0.47As0.7P0.3)], and of variable thickness. The thickness of the four layers have been obtained by fitting the high resolution x-ray diffraction profiles of the heterostructures. The presence of partially disordered interface layers, as evidenced by a transmission electron microscopy study, causes a significant reduction of the coherent fraction, F, of both Ga and As atoms. The difference in F values among measured samples illustrates how the XSW can provide important information on the quality of semiconductor superlattices. Comparison with a “long period (160 Å)” In0.53Ga0.47As/InP superlattice, where the role played by InAs0.7P0.3 and In0.53Ga0.47As0.7P0.3 interface layers is negligible, confirms this picture. The coherent fraction of both As and Ga correlates well with the average perpendicular lattice misfit 〈Δa⊥/a〉 determined by x-ray diffraction.
Focused ion beam prepared contacts of tungsten to silicon characterized by a cross-bridge Kelvin resistor approach
Authors: Langfischer H. , Bertagnolli E.
Published: April 2003

Focused ion beam (FIB) chemical vapor deposition of tungsten is widely used for circuit repair and prototyping. An extension of this direct write approach from the interconnect metalization level to the device level in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology requires the demonstration of ohmic low resistance contacts to both types of highly doped source and drain regions. We investigated the metal-silicon contacts of 50 keV Ga+ FIB deposited tungsten by a cross-bridge Kelvin resistor approach to extract the contact resistances and we found nonrectifying contacts to both p+- and n+-silicon. For p+-silicon a resistivity of 5.33×10−6 Ω cm2, whereas for n+-silicon a higher value of 9.96×10−3 Ω cm2 is found. Thermal treatment at 450 °C for 15 min deteriorates the contact properties of p+-silicon. In contrast, the annealing process reduced the resistivity of the tungsten to n+-silicon contacts by factor of 100 to a value of 1.07×10−4 Ω cm2.
Shock wave induced vaporization of porous solids
Authors: Shen Andy H. , Ahrens Thomas J. , O’Keefe John D.
Published: April 2003

Strong shock waves generated by hypervelocity impact can induce vaporization in solid materials. To pursue knowledge of the chemical species in the shock-induced vapors, one needs to design experiments that will drive the system to such thermodynamic states that sufficient vapor can be generated for investigation. It is common to use porous media to reach high entropy, vaporized states in impact experiments. We extended calculations by Ahrens [J. Appl. Phys. 43, 2443 (1972)] and Ahrens and O’Keefe [The Moon 4, 214 (1972)] to higher distentions (up to five) and improved their method with a different impedance match calculation scheme and augmented their model with recent thermodynamic and Hugoniot data of metals, minerals, and polymers. Although we reconfirmed the competing effects reported in the previous studies: (1) increase of entropy production and (2) decrease of impedance match, when impacting materials with increasing distentions, our calculations did not exhibit optimal entropy-generating distention. For different materials, very different impact velocities are needed to initiate vaporization. For aluminum at distention (m)<2.2, a minimum impact velocity of 2.7 km/s is required using tungsten projectile. For ionic solids such as NaCl at distention <2.2, 2.5 km/s is needed. For carbonate and sulfate minerals, the minimum impact velocities are much lower, ranging from less than 1 to 1.5 km/s.
Resonant magnetotunneling of photogenerated holes in double barrier structures
Authors: Vercik A. , Gobato Y. Galvão , Bittencourt A. C. Rodrigues , Marques G. E. , Brasil M. J. S. P. , Trallero-Giner C.
Published: April 2003

In this work, we report on a technique—namely, the photoinduced magnetotunneling technique—which allows the direct experimental observation of tunneling of holes through valence-band Landau levels in n-i-n double-barrier resonant tunneling structures. Photocurrent–voltage curves exhibit several peaks associated with the complex nature of the dispersion of holes under parallel electric and magnetic fields applied to the sample.
Disorder in silicon films grown epitaxially at low temperature
Authors: Schwarzkopf J. , Selle B. , Bohne W. , Röhrich J. , Sieber I. , Fuhs W.
Published: April 2003

Homoepitaxial Si films were prepared by electron cyclotron resonance plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on Si(100) substrates at temperatures of 325–500 °C using H2, Ar, and SiH4 as process gases. The gas composition, substrate temperature, and substrate bias voltage were systematically varied to study the breakdown of epitaxial growth. Information from ion beam techniques, like Rutherford backscattering and heavy-ion elastic recoil detection analysis, was combined with transmission and scanning electron micrographs to examine the transition from ordered to amorphous growth. The results suggest that the breakdown proceeds in two stages: (i) highly defective but still ordered growth with a defect density increasing with increasing film thickness and (ii) formation of conically shaped amorphous precipitates. The hydrogen content is found to be directly related to the degree of disorder which acts as sink for excessive hydrogen. Only in almost perfect epitaxially grown films is the hydrogen level low, and an exponential tail of the H concentration into the crystalline substrate is observed as a result of the diffusive transport of hydrogen.