bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex Differences in Criminal Homicide and Suicide in England and Wales and the United States
Authors: Palmer Stuart
Published: May 2005

This is an analysis of patterns of criminal homicide and suicide in England and Wales and the United States during recent decades. Special attention is given to the sex of homicidal offenders and victims and of suicide victims. Also stressed are age of offenders and victims, the familial and other role relationships of homicidal offenders and victims to each other, and the nature of homicide followed by the offender's suicide in the two countries. In England and Wales, the low violence country, females if they kill at all are much more prone to commit suicide than homicide, as compared to females in the United States, the high violence country. In England and Wales, female victimization rates for both forms of death much more nearly approach those of males than is the case in the United States. Homicidal offenders are more likely to victimize members of their own families in England and Wales than in the United States. This is particularly true of English-Welsh females and especially in regard to killing of their own children. Homicidal offenders are decidedly more prone to kill themselves in England and Wales than in the United States. Female offenders are extremely likely to do so in England and Wales and very unlikely to do so in the United States. These tendencies are tentatively related to the possible development of a subculture of self-directed violence in England and Wales, particularly among females.
Age and Forgetfulness: Young Perceivers' Impressions of Young and Older Neighbors
Authors: Erber Joan T. , Szuchman Lenore T. , Etheart Mary E.
Published: May 2005

Previous person perception research has indicated that people use an age-based double standard when judging targets who experience single instances of memory failure. The two experiments reported here extend the investigation by assessing whether perceivers evidence a similar bias in judging both the memory capability and personal traits of targets who vary in age and degree of forgetfulness. In the first experiment 179 young adults rated how likely they would be to choose a certain type of neighbor, described in a two-page vignette, to perform memory tasks. The neighbor's (i.e., target person's) age and degree of forgetfulness were manipulated. Participants gave higher choice ratings to nonforgetful than to forgetful targets. Also, they gave higher choice ratings to old over young targets. In the second experiment ninety young adults rated the degree to which they considered targets (described in the same vignettes used in the first experiment) to possess specific traits (e.g., responsible) that were both desirable and relevant to performing memory tasks. Nonforgetful targets received higher ratings than forgetful targets and older targets received higher ratings than young targets. The perception that older targets possess such traits to a greater degree than young targets may explain the initial finding that respondents were more likely to choose old over young targets to perform memory tasks.
Daydreaming, Self Concept and Academic Performance
Authors: Gold S. R. , Andrews J. C. , Minor S. W.
Published: May 2005

A continuous interaction model was proposed to explain the relationship among daydreaming, self concept and academic performance. Daydreams were hypothesized to both influence performance and attitudes and in turn be affected by performance outcomes and self concept. A second aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of a semantic differential scale as a method for subjects to rate their own daydreams. Subjects recorded school-related daydreams during two time periods in a semester, completed three self concept scales and took four psychology exams. Multiple regressions were used to analyze the proposed model. The second self concept score was predicted by the initial self concept score, daydream activity, and gender. The third self concept score was explained by the second self concept score and an exam score. The three summary dimensions of the semantic differential were independent and stable over seven weeks.
A Grammatical Update of Pronoun Reference
Authors: Snyder Howard R.
Published: May 2005

Most technical writing texts contain grammar reviews, but few supply more than prescriptive rules to correct persistent examples of unclear writing. To provide a more progressive approach to grammatical analysis, this article applies the non-prescriptive constructs of modern grammar to the recurrent problem of faulty pronoun reference. Grammatical problems often arise because pronouns serve both as form-class and as structure-class words, because they often must agree in case, person, gender, and number with antecedents, and because the pronoun it is often misunderstood as an expletiv. The author suggests that small, problem-oriented doses of modern grammar may help students and professionals alike to better understand the intricacies of textual English.
1974 and after: A General Practitioner's Views of the Reorganization of the British National Health Service
Authors: Fry John
Published: May 2005

Living and working through the period since the British National Health Service began in 1947, the author describes his experiences as a family and general practitioner and in particular notes the effects and non-effects of the reorganization that took place in the National Health Service in 1974.
Instructional Values of Microcomputers for Handicapped Children
Authors: Gray Robert A. , Masat Lawrence J.
Published: May 2005

The use of microcomputers in education is growing at a phenomenal rate. Major “micro” manufacturers have sold thousands of units to school systems. Because of the rapid growth of this medium, it is extremely important that educational technologists and teachers of exceptional children be keenly aware of the effective use of this new technology. In this article selection criteria as well as specific classroom applications with handicapped students are examined. Advantages and limitations of microcomputer use with various handicapping conditions are discussed. To give the reader further insight concerning the general topic of microcomputers, specific sources are listed in the resources section of this article.
Individual Differences in Complexity Preference and Artistic Style: Neoclassical versus Expressionistic Aesthetics
Authors: King Roy , Meganathan Jith , Nagahara Jill , Boscolo Marilia
Published: May 2005

Individual differences in style and emotional content of artwork created in an expressive therapy group were correlated with individual aesthetic preferences for visual complexity in order to investigate the dichotomy between classical and expressionistic/romantic aesthetic models. Twenty-two subjects produced artwork rated according to Simon's theory of styles. A dimension varying from vivid, nonrealistic, and painterly art to muted, realistic, and linear art was found to be moderately stable across sessions and reliable across raters. This dimension further correlated with subjects' scores on the Barron-Welsh Art Scale, assessing their preference for visual complexity, as well as with ratings of anxious and angry content in their art. These results were interpreted in light of recent models of hemispheric lateralization in complex emotional/visual information processing, in particular, in terms of individual biases in right vs. left cortical arousal.
Death-Related Experiences, Attitudes, and Feelings Reported by Thanatology Students and a National Sample
Authors: Bluestein Venus W.
Published: May 2005

Considering that death continues to be a taboo topic in most circles and that thanatology classes are relatively uncommon, what motivates anyone to choose voluntarily to confront the subject of death? Are such individuals unusually morbid? Have their experiences with death differed in some significant way from those of people in general? Are their attitudes and feelings about death significantly different from others? A 90-item questionnaire exploring death-related attitudes, feelings, experiences was administered to 82 thanatology students. Responses were compared to those given by Psychology Today readers to a similar questionnaire. Significant differences were found between the two groups which suggest areas for further research.
Accuracy of Published Medical Reference Citations
Authors: Goodrich June E. , Roland Charles G.
Published: May 2005

Among 2, 195 reference citations, published during 1975 in ten major US medical journals, 634 (29%) were found to be erroneous on direct checking of the original source. The percentage of error within individual journals ranged from 14 to 50 per cent. Such a high error rate would seem to seriously diminish the usefulness of published reference lists and, possibly, raise questions about the accuracy of other portions of the literature also.
An Integrated Model of the Main States of Consciousness
Authors: Kokoszka Andrzej
Published: May 2005

This model of the main states of consciousness synthesizes interdisciplinary data. It describes and differentiates four main states of consciousness: “ordinary waking states of consciousness,” “differentiated waking states of consciousness” – including “ultraconsciousness states,” “REM sleep” and “slow-wave sleep.” Each state is described along the following dimensions: sleep – wakefulness, rhythm and rest – activity rhythm; activity of the hypnogenic and activating physiological system; brain hemispheric activity; the threshold of the extero- and interoceptive stimuli reception; perceptual dominance of stimuli from external or internal sources; activity-vividness of imagination; degree of rational feeling of experiences; changing one's experience of control over the content and form of one's own experiences; active or passive state of mind – changing dominance of either contemplation or action; feed-back relation with the surroundings. This model together with the conception of metabolism of information and the conception of protective mechanisms of metabolism of information suggest a perspective for a new description of human activity, especially of relaxation and resting activity.
Parents' Coping and Communication following Their Infant'S Death
Authors: Feeley Nancy , Gottlieb Laurie N.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was: 1) to examine whether mothers and fathers utilize similar or different coping strategies to deal with the death of their infant, and 2) to explore whether discordant parental coping was associated with communication difficulties.

Twenty-seven couples who had experienced a stillbirth, neonatal death, or Sudden Infant Death within the previous six to twenty-seven months were asked to participate. Two constructs were measured: (a) Coping was assessed with the Ways of Coping Checklist and the Coping with the Death of a Child instrument and (b) Communication was measured with the Marital Communication Inventory. Mothers and fathers independently completed these three questionnaires.

Mothers and fathers differed in their use of only three of the fourteen coping strategies examined. Thus, mothers' and fathers' coping strategies, six to twenty-seven months post-loss, were more concordant than discordant. Mothers used seeking social support, escape-avoidance strategies, and preoccupation to a significantly greater extent than did fathers. Important predictors of mothers' coping strategies were the infant's age and time since the death, while for fathers the important predictors were the infant's gender and the family income level.

For couples whose coping was discordant, mothers perceived higher levels of conflict in their communication with their spouses as compared to couples whose coping was concordant.
Psychotropic Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation
Authors: Goldberg Harold L. , Nissim Robyn
Published: May 2005

Objective:

This article reviews the literature on the use of psychotropic drugs in pregnancy and lactation.

Method:

Medline search yielded more than five hundred titles. Articles were reviewed and ninety-one were selected for reference.

Results:

Fetal physiology and teratogenicity are discussed and the effects of specific drugs on the fetus and newborn are presented. When possible, recommendations for use or non-use are presented.

Conclusions:

Though no controlled studies have ever been done in pregnant women to truly prove their safety, it appears that most, but not all, current psychotropic drugs appear fairly safe for use in pregnancy.
The Portability of the “Electronics Workbench” Simulation Software to China
Authors: Zhi-Cheng Dong , Collis Betty
Published: May 2005

This article discusses the portability of the Canadian-made simulation software package, “Electronic Workbench” package (EWB) to China. As part of a larger project investigating the portability of various educational software packages, the EWB package was used in electronics instruction in China and was also evaluated by specialists relative to its potential usability and value in Chinese schools and higher education. Through these experiences, an analysis was made about the educational value of EWB in China and the problems likely to confront its more general use in the country. In addition, ideas are proposed for the extension of the EWB package itself and for further development of “workbench” software for other subjects.
Computer Terminology: Familiarity vs. Understanding
Authors: Helft B. Loerinc , Levine Lawrence H.
Published: May 2005

A group of 625 college students taking the introductory computer course were tested for their knowledge of computer terms. The results were analyzed several ways—as a whole, by those who thought they knew the definitions (omitting those who did not guess at the answer), by those who owned a home computer, by type of magazines read, and other relevant attributes. The results showed that, generally, these attributes were not related to the level of understanding of computer vocabulary. A further analysis revealed that there is widespread, inconsistent use of common computer terms with little regard to their technical meanings. The implications of these results for teaching introductory computer courses are addressed.
Effects of Media Attributes in Anchored Instruction
Authors: Shyu Hsin-Yih
Published: May 2005

The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of computer-assisted video-based anchored instruction on promoting students' attitudes toward mathematical instruction and problem-solving skills for Taiwanese elementary students and to examine the effects of different media attributes on students' mathematical achievement and attitudes in a situated learning environment. The independent variables were treatment (situated learning treatment as an experimental group vs. no treatment as a control group) and media attributes (video-based CD-ROM computer-assisted instruction vs. printed storybook). The dependent variables were achievement in solving mathematical problems and attitudes toward mathematics. There was a significant difference among groups in students' achievement, but no significant difference on their attitudes. Furthermore, a post hoc analysis indicated that there was a significant difference between the CD-ROM group and the control group on achievement. However, there was no significant difference found between the Printed Storybook group and the control group nor between the CD-ROM group and the Printed Storybook group. These findings suggest that anchored instruction was more important than media attributes in the teaching of problem solving among Taiwanese elementary students.
Performance-Based Individualized Educational Applications of the Computer in Continuing Medical Education
Authors: Clark Ruth Colvin , Manning Phil R.
Published: May 2005

Computers may have greatest educational impact on adult professional learners rather than as delivery devices for Computer Assisted Instruction in undergraduate settings. The applications of computers to medical education is reviewed with emphasis on recent application of computer capabilities to provide practicing physicians with memory support, profiles of practice for needs assessment, and diagnostic/management algorithms. The strategy of providing physicians with ongoing practice-related feedback in the form of confidential review of their prescribing practices is described as a model of an educational intervention which can be readily adapted to computer technology and would facilitate professional growth in adult learners which would be both timely and directly related to individual practice behaviors.
Operations Research on the Female Village-Based Family Planning Worker Program of Pakistan
Authors: Lush Louisiana , Cernada George P. , Rob A. K. Ubaidur , Arif Mohammed Shafiq , Haque Minhaj Ul , Ahmad Muhammad Shafiq
Published: May 2005

This article presents the results of a number of operations research studies (OR) of family planning services provided by a new cadre of female village-based family planning workers in Punjab Province, Pakistan. This cadre of workers, recruited nationwide, have been trained to visit women in their villages to provide information and family planning services. The studies were conducted as part of a broad program of technical assistance to the Government of Pakistan. Surveys investigated the quality of their training as well as attitudes among clients to the new program. They found that the program is developing well but there is room for improvement, particularly in counseling and training. Additional field studies are ongoing and recommendations for change have been incorporated in training and supervision. The program is expanding on a national scale.
Klinefelter's Syndrome and Psychopathology: A Case Study of the Combined Effects of Nature and Nurture
Authors: Zastowny Thomas R. , Lehman Anthony F. , Dickerson Fran
Published: May 2005

A patient with Klinefelter's syndrome and genotype 47 XXY was abused and ostracized by his family during childhood. Later, this pattern was repeated by a series of homosexual lovers. The separate and interactive effects between genetic and psychosocial risk factors may account for this patient's subsequent psychosexual and personality disorders and reminds scholars of psychopathology of the importance of early detection and intervention. This single case study is presented for heuristic value, illustrative purposes, and serves as a link between mental health clinicians and sexologists.
Self-Report Symptoms That Predict Major Depression in Patients with Prominent Physical Symptoms
Authors: Abbey Susan E. , Toner Brenda B. , Garfinkel Paul E. , Kennedy Sidney H. , Kaplan Allan S.
Published: May 2005

The diagnosis of depression in patients presenting with both depressive and physical symptoms is potentially confounded and problematic. The present study of 271 patients with four types of illness all with prominent physical symptoms—end-stage renal disease (n = 99), irritable bowel syndrome ( n = 21), post-infectious neuromyasthenia ( n = 25) and eating disorders ( n = 126)—investigates if there are a group of symptoms on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) which predict the diagnosis of major depressive episode (MDE) made using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS). Discriminant function analysis of BDI responses yielded a four item function—self-hate, indecisiveness, loss of appetite and suicidal thoughts—which maximally discriminated between patients with and without a current MDE and correctly classified 75 percent of subjects.
Social Theory and Medicine
Authors: Waitzkin Howard , Waterman Barbara
Published: May 2005

Three sociologists-Talcott Parsons, Eliot Freidson, and David Mechanic-have explained medical phenomena within a broader theoretical framework. Although all three have made significant contributions, their conclusions remain incomplete on the theoretical level and seldom have been helpful for workers concerned with ongoing problems of health care. Our purpose here is to summarize some of the strengths and weaknesses of each theoretical position. Parsons has elucidated the sick role as a deviant role in society, the function of physicians as agents of social control, and the normative patterns governing the doctor-patient relationship. The principal problems in Parsons' analysis center on an uncritical acceptance of physicians' social control functions, his inattention to the ways in which physicians' behavior may inhibit change in society, and overoptimism about the medical profession's ability to regulate itself and to prevent the exploitation of patients. Viewing medical phenomena within a broader theory of the professions in general, Freidson has formulated a wide ranging critique of the medical profession and professional dominance. On the other hand, Freidson's work neglects the full political implications of bringing professional autonomy under control. Mechanic's conceptual approach emphasizes the social psychologic factors, rather than the institutional conditions, which are involved in the genesis of illness behavior. Mechanic also overlooks the ways in which illness behavior, by permitting a controllable form of deviance, fosters institutional stability. In conclusion, we present a brief overview of a theoretical framework whose general orientation is that of Marxian analysis. Several themes recur in this framework: illness as a source of exploitation, the sick role as a conservative mechanism fostering social stability, stratification in medicine, and the imperialism of large medical institutions and health-related industries.
A Review of the Data Collection Process
Authors: Schadewitz Hannu J. , Blevins Dallas R.
Published: May 2005

This article reviews the data collection process. This process is of crucial importance because data offer empirical answers to theoretical research questions. Although the literature provides a wealth of instruction on the treatment of already collected data, far less has been written about the selection of the data. The present view focuses on this overlooked portion of research methodology. An actual illustration is used to demonstrate the factual decisions and procedures that may be used in any data collection process.
Family Medicine and the Health Care Crisis in the United States
Authors: Smith R.
Published: May 2005

Many millions of Americans are deprived of medical care because of inadequate and poorly distributed health resources. The cost of care has become the most potent single cause for concern, and much of the current governmental response focuses on this issue. The plethora of bills before Congress is considered in this paper and three examples advocating a less or greater degree of change are studied. The universities are responding in a variety of ways, and these include expansion of their service and educational bases into the community. The widespread creation of departments of family medicine is a new feature of American medical education and could constitute a major change in direction equal in significance to change resulting from the Flexner Report. Though greater emphasis on primary medical care is clearly accepted as important by both government and educators, the future is uncertain. Barriers and shortages should disappear in the years ahead, and a great resurgence of family medicine should reintroduce many desired features into practice which are now missing.
Family Physicians and Referral for Psychotherapy
Authors: Rudisill John R. , Painter Albert F. , Rodenhauser Paul , Gillen John C.
Published: May 2005

This study examines the factors influencing family physicians' patient referrals for psychotherapy. A questionnaire designed from a pilot study of the full-time family practice faculty at Wright State University was mailed to all members (154) of the voluntary family practice faculty at Wright State University with a 63 percent return rate. Results indicated the most important factors in determining whether a patient is referred for psychotherapy include the severity of the problem, the threat of suicide, and the need for specialized treatment. The most important therapist characteristics looked for by a family physician are ability, availability, appreciation of the person as a whole, interaction skills, and experience. The article also discusses the ways in which family physicians find a psychotherapist, the feedback desired by the family physician from a psychotherapist, and type of psychotherapist discipline preferred by the family physician for handling various patient situations.
Primary Prevention of Chemical Contamination
Authors: Tickner Joel , Wright Sara
Published: May 2005

The current approach to addressing health and ecosystem risks from biosolids, or sludge, requires identification of so-called “safe” or “acceptable” levels of exposure and installation of controls to achieve such levels. This end-of-the pipe approach is inconsistent with the public health concept of primary prevention. Following an overview of the limitations in current approaches to understand and address risks of biosolids contamination, we present a new, preventative paradigm for addressing the hazards of sludge. We conclude that given the disparate and widely distributed sources of contaminants in biosolids and the amount of uncertainty in information about health and environmental effects, we need a new approach to this and other environmental dilemmas. This approach is embodied in the concept of the precautionary principle and public health goal-setting.
Social Class: The Missing Link in U.S. Health Data
Authors: Krieger Nancy , Fee Elizabeth
Published: May 2005

National vital statistics in the United States are unique among those of advanced capitalist countries in reporting data only by race, sex, and age—not by class and income. This article reviews the limited U.S. data resources that may be used to document social class inequalities in health. Summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of the British approach to gathering data on social class and health, the authors discuss possible approaches to collecting data that could be feasible in the U.S. context. They argue that educational level is an insufficient marker for socioeconomic position and contend that appropriate measures must take into account not only individual but also household and neighborhood markers of social class. These additional types of social class data are especially important for accurately describing and understanding social class inequalities in health among women and across diverse racial/ethnic groups.
Women and Aids: Introduction
Authors: Krieger Nancy , Margo Glen
Published: May 2005

Around the world, more and more women—principally poor women of color—are being diagnosed with and are dying of AIDS, the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Yet, effective and appropriate prevention programs for women are sorely missing from the global program to control AIDS. To help us understand why this gap exists, and what we must do to close it, the three articles in this issue focus on women and AIDS. Examining the situation in such countries as Zimbabwe and South Africa, as well as in other economically underdeveloped and developed regions, the authors argue that women with the least control over their bodies and their lives are at greatest risk of acquiring AIDS. For example, the high rate of infection among women in Africa cannot be understood apart from the legacy of colonialism (including land expropriation and the forced introduction of a migrant labor system) and the insidious combination of traditional and European patriarchal values. Only by recognizing the socioeconomic and cultural determinants of both disease and sexual behavior, and only by incorporating these insights into our AIDS prevention programs, will we be able to curb the spread of this lethal disease.
A Model for Development and Evaluation of Special Instructional Materials
Authors: Morsink Catherine V. , Morsink Robert C.
Published: May 2005

Along with diagnosticians who select materials and teachers who use them, the developers of instructional materials share responsibility for their quality. The development and evaluation of instructional materials for use with handicapped learners is a matter of particular concern now that classroom teachers without special training are responsible for increasing amounts of these children's educational programs.

This article presents a review of existing models for the systematic creation and testing of instructional materials. Four such models are described and synthesized into a logic diagram, which is suggested as a guide to systematize the process of developing materials for use with exceptional students. A set of materials designed to assist young disabled learners in acquiring beginning word attack skills is used to illustrate the steps in the development/evaluation process.

The six steps suggested in this model are: statement of the problem, formulation of a rationale, development of specifications, development of prototype child-use and teacher training materials, evaluation of materials, and dissemination of the product Feedback loops are included in each step.

The importance of using a systematic approach to the development and evaluation of materials for handicapped learners is stressed.
Educators' Perceptions of the D.A.R.E. Program
Authors: Donnermeyer Joseph F. , Wurschmidt Todd N.
Published: May 2005

This study examines the perceptions of educators about the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, based on the results of a statewide survey among 286 fifth and sixth grade teachers and principals. Educators gave their highest ratings to teacher/officer interaction, the role playing exercises, and the graduation ceremony. Ratings of overall program quality and the impact of the program on students were both high. Block regression analysis was used to examine factors predictive of educators' views of D.A.R.E. D.A.R.E. program elements were the most important factors explaining variance in educators' ratings of over-all program quality and program impact on students. Altogether, 54 percent and 38 percent of the variance in both dependent variables were explained. The results are discussed in terms of the important role teachers and principals play as stakeholders in prevention education.
Computer Searching and the Technical Writer
Authors: Dolan Donna R.
Published: May 2005

Computer searching, a new information technology which uses a computer to search abstracts, indexes, and reference books, is often available in the corporate library. Computer searching has several applications which are useful for the technical writer. A computer search can uncover current affairs and the latest research findings while they are still newsworthy. The computer can turn up potential markets for authors and locate experts in certain subject fields. It can verify facts and references in manuscripts, locate definitions of new terms, and retrieve all available information for a comprehensive project. This new technology leaves more time for the technical writer to spend in writing rather than researching.
HIV/AIDS Risk to Women Travelers in Thailand: Comparison of Japanese and Western Populations
Authors: Vorakitphokatorn Sairudee , Pulerwitz Julie , Cash Richard A.
Published: May 2005

Japanese and Western women travelers to Thailand were interviewed to determine factors associated with travel and risk of sexually transmitted HIV infection. Self-administered questionnaires ( n = 179) were collected at beach resort areas during July and August of 1995. Four travel attitude profiles were determined by a Principle Components Analysis. Japanese travelers reported attitudes consistent with “Relaxation/Romance,” and Western travelers attitudes consistent with “Sexual Adventure.” Both groups indicated that they would develop a sexual relationship with another traveler, as opposed to a local Thai. Japanese respondents were less likely to report carrying condoms, report the intention to use condoms, or report knowledge about AIDS in Thailand. They also reported less comfort with the open distribution of condoms and AIDS prevention information. Differing HIV risk beliefs and behaviors indicate that cultural factors should be taken into account when designing intervention messages and materials for any group.
Self-Help within a Medical Institution: Its Potentials and Limits
Authors: Freudenberg Nicholas A.
Published: May 2005

The current health self-help movement has its roots in the social movements of the 1960's. Frustrated with the practices and priorities of established medicine, many groups organized to meet their health needs outside the medical care system. Now self-help is becoming more attractive to health care providers. Hospitals, physicians and funding agencies are putting new emphasis on teaching self-help skills to a variety of patients.

This report describes one such program established for asthmatic children and their parents in a medical center in New York City. By analyzing the different perspectives of parents, children, educators, physicians, hospital administrators and the funding agency, it shows how self-help programs within a hospital setting are shaped by an interaction of forces. The potential and limits of self-help as an instrument for social and institutional change are described. The article concludes with recommendations on how health workers can contribute to the self-help process.
Using the Health Belief Model to Assess the HIV Education Needs of Junior and Senior High School Students
Authors: Petosa Rick , Wessinger Janet
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to use the Health Belief Model as a conceptual framework to examine the HIV education needs of seventh, ninth, and eleventh grade students. A statewide stratified random sample was drawn during the Spring of 1988. Results reveal serious misconceptions regarding HIV transmission and the nature of AIDS. High levels of fear of AIDS were reported. While students perceive themselves to be highly susceptible to AIDS they clearly misunderstand the seriousness of the disease. Barriers to preventive actions and social pressures to increase risk were reported. Based on the results specific recommendations regarding the design of effective AIDS education are offered.
Knowledge and Attitudes of University Female Students toward Obesity
Authors: Musaiger Abdulrahman O.
Published: May 2005

A cross-sectional study on 203 university female students aged eighteen to thirty years was carried out to determine their knowledge and attitudes toward obesity. The findings revealed that most of the girls believed that overeating (53%) or overeating in addition to inactivity (26.1%) are the main causes of obesity. However, 50 percent of the girls reported that they did not know the health complications of obesity. In general, attitudes toward certain food fads related to obesity was found to be unsatisfactory. Only 50 percent of the girls knew their height compared to 76 percent who knew their weight. Bodyweight perception was found to be inaccurate in 30 percent of girls with acceptable weight, while 80 percent of overweight girls considered themselves obese. Magazines and television are the main sources of nutrition information for these girls. Intervention programs to correct the food fads and change the food habits of adolescent girls are highly recommended.
The Effects of Instruction in Courseware Preview Methodology on the Predictive Validity of Teacher Preview Ratings
Authors: Ring Geoff
Published: May 2005

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of instruction in courseware preview methodology on the predictive validity of the courseware preview ratings of primary (elementary) school teachers. The term predictive validity in this context refers to the confidence with which a teacher's preview rating before classroom trialling can be used to predict his or her postview rating after classroom trialling. It was found that a high level of instruction in courseware preview methodology is likely to increase the predictive validity of the courseware preview ratings of primary school teachers. The results of the study demonstrated that such instruction has the potential to substantially reduce the need for classroom trialling of courseware by teachers as a prelude to purchase decisions. Highly trained teachers have reason to be confident about using their preview-based estimates of courseware merit as a basis for selecting courseware for themselves, their school, or larger populations with which they are familiar, in the sense that their choice is likely to agree with the decision they would make if they were to conduct classroom trialling prior to selection. The implication for educational practice is that instructional courses for teachers in courseware preview methodology are worthwhile, provided they are substantial and of high quality.
Risk, Protection, and Vulnerability to Adolescent Drug Use: Latent-Variable Models of Three Age Groups
Authors: Scheier Lawrence M. , Newcomb Michael D. , Skager Rodney
Published: May 2005

Much research has focused on the relationships between risk factors and adolescent drug use (DU). Less is known regarding the role of protective factors and how they may inoculate youth from initiating or escalating their DU. Using latent-variable modeling and a risk factor method, we examined the cross-sectional role of risk and protective factors in predicting teenage DU for three age groups, separately by gender. Data are from a biannual statewide survey of California students. A Vulnerability latent construct was reflected in three unit-weighted indexes: risk for initiation to DU, risk for problem DU, and protection from DU. A Polydrug Use construct was reflected in eight measures of alcohol and drug use. Structural equation models revealed that for all age/gender groups, Vulnerability was strongly related to Polydrug Use as well as having specific effects on the DU measures. Effects between Vulnerability and DU were more numerous for seventh and eleventh grade than ninth grade students. Ninth grade females had the fewest effects overall. Number of specific effects between protection and DU remained stable with increasing age. Results underscore two important foci for prevention: 1) the importance of considering age-related developmental phenomena in the overall context of DU prevention; and 2) that programs continue to emphasize risk reduction, while simultaneously developing and reinforcing protective agents.
Describing Community Health Risks: Can Epidemiology Be Improved?
Authors: Kriebel David
Published: May 2005

Environmental threats are one of the highest concerns of communities seeking to improve public health. University researchers seek to assist communities with these concerns by providing technical expertise. But these community-science collaborations are often frustrating to both parties. Communities often find that the scientific studies have not “proven” what they believe the problem to be, while scientists often feel at least pestered, if not manipulated, by the “dirty” politics of the community. This paper investigates the proposition that environmental scientists must learn to combine their quantitative studies with qualitative views on the community and its health, if their studies are to be useful and indeed even fully accurate. The goal of the presentation is to explore changes in the methods of one particular field, environmental epidemiology, that might make it more relevant to current environmental debates. After a brief history of the field, limitations in the current practice of epidemiology are presented. These can be grouped under two headings: an over-emphasis on quantitative results, and an underestimation of uncertainties in study results. Some suggestions are given for changes that might address these problems, and make epidemiology more useful for citizens and policy-makers. These are:

nest quantitative results in qualitative descriptions of study populations; fit two different kinds of statistical models—one very simple, the other quite complex; conduct sensitivity analyses; and use precautionary guidelines for causal inference.

It is concluded that environmental epidemiology serves a particular societal function; which is to inform citizens and policy makers about environmental hazards that, perhaps, should be the subject of legal and economic interventions. For this reason, methods could be changed to improve the fit of the science to this function. There remains, however, much to be done to revise and refine this perspective, and to make the suggestions sufficiently specific that they can be put into practice.
The Relationship between Rumination, Dysphoria, and Self-Referent Thinking: Some Preliminary Findings
Authors: Smallwood Jonathan , Obsonsawin Marc , Baracaia Simona F. , Reid Helga , O'Connor Rory , Heim Derek
Published: May 2005

Rumination has recently been conceptualized as “behaviors and thoughts that focus one's attention on one's depressive symptoms and on the implication of these symptoms” [1, p. 569). In this article, we describe current theoretical formulations about how a ruminative processing style interacts with a dysphoric mood to yield high levels of self-relevant thinking. In the subsequent sections, we describe three experiments, the results of which broadly support a combination of two themes described in the literature: (i) that rumination, in the absence of dysphoria, seems to be associated with high levels of task focus, consistent with the attentional inflexibility hypothesis; and (ii) that we can distinguish between the effects of rumination and dysphoria in terms of their contributions to the content of a self-referential thinking. In particular, dysphoria seems to be associated with higher levels of pre-occupation with one's concerns while rumination, particularly in the presence of a dysphoric mood, seems to be associated with a pre-occupation with one's own performance: a finding consistent with the mood as input hypothesis for rumination. The theoretical implications for these findings are discussed, and we outline two important issues for future research to tackle.
Trends in Prehistoric Subsistence on the Southern New England Coast: The View from Narragansett Bay
Authors: Bernstein David J.
Published: May 2005

Evidence from the Narragansett Bay region suggests that subsistence practices here progressively diversified and expanded over the last 3000 years of the prehistoric period. This trend is reflected in faunal (vertebrate and molluskan) and macrobotanical assemblages, as well as the regional palynological and ethnohistoric records. Although production expanded over time, the specialized or “focal” economies common elsewhere in eastern North America, did not seemingly develop. This increase (intensification) in production was achieved through diversification and cultural modification of the landscape rather than specialization. Some possible explanations for this pattern are considered.
The Golden Section Hypothesis—Its Last Funeral
Authors: Höge Holger
Published: May 2005

Since the very beginning of experimental aesthetics with Fechner's investigation of the Holbein Madonna (1872) and the aesthetic pleasingness of the golden section (1865, 1871a, 1876/1925/1978) there have been reports with widely differing results on this hypothesis (to quote only a few: Benjafield, 1976; Boselie, 1992; Davis, 1933; Godkewitsch, 1974; Haines & Davies, 1904; Lalo, 1908; Piehl, 1976; Plug, 1980; Svensson, 1977; Thompson, 1946; see also the reviews of Green, 1995 and Höge, 1995). Thus, as there are so many results on the golden section hypothesis showing contradictory outcomes it seemed necessary to replicate Fechner's original study as far as possible: giving the same proportions, using white cards on black ground. Other specifics could not be kept constant because Fechner's report on the experiment is not very precise (cf. Fechner, 1876/1925/1997). As a complete replication is not possible, three experiments were carried out, each of them being slightly different in methodology. However, regardless of the conditions under which the choices were made, the golden section did not turn out to be the preferred proportion. The comparison with Fechner's results makes this research only quasi-experimental in character and, hence, inevitably there are some restrictions with respect to the strength of the conclusions to be drawn. But, nevertheless, the nice peak of preference Fechner reported for the golden section seems to be either an artifact or it is an effect of still unknown factors. Two possible hypotheses (change-of-taste and color-of-paper) are discussed. It is concluded that the golden section hypothesis is a myth.
Forming on-Line Impressions: A Class Exercise
Authors: Bishop-Clark Cathy , Dietz-Uhler Beth
Published: May 2005

In an exercise designed to assess the accuracy of the impressions we form of people in online settings, students in a Psychology of the Internet course were asked to interact with two people in two different Internet settings. First, students were asked to interact with “Tom” (a college student) in an asynchronous discussion board setting over the period of one week. They were instructed to “try to get to know him” and form an impression of him. Likewise, students were asked to interact with “Dr. Smith” (a mathematics professor) in a synchronous chat room setting for a period of 30 minutes. Students were asked to describe physical appearance, gender, age, personality, political orientation, and likeability for both Tom and Dr. Smith. Students then met Tom and Dr. Smith in person. Students were shocked to learn Dr. Smith was female and Tom was a quadriplegic. The exercise was a powerful illustration of the issues involved in online impression formation. Pseudo-names are used throughout the article.
Delirium after Elective Orthopedic Surgery: Risk Factors and Natural History
Authors: Rogers Malcolm P. , Liang Matthew H. , Daltroy Lawren H. , Eaton Holley , Peteet John , Wright Elizabeth , Albert Marilyn
Published: May 2005

Forty-six orthopedic patients were studied to determine the incidence, natural history, and risk factors associated with post-operative delirium. Pre-operatively, patients were given a neuropsychological screening evaluation, the Mood Adjective Checklist (MACL), the Zung Depression Scale, the Anxiety Inventory Scale, and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). A psychiatrist interviewed each patient on post-op day four for evidence of delirium as defined by DSM III criteria. Of the patients studied, thirteen (26%) were possibly or definitely delirious following surgery. Treatment with propranolol, scopolamine, or flurazepam (Dalmane) conferred a relative risk for delirium of 11.7 ( p = 0.0028). Delirium was associated with increased post-operative complications ( p = 0.01), poorer post-operative mood ( p = 0.06), and an increase of about 1.5 days in length of stay (not significant). Delirious patients were significantly less likely than matched controls to improve in function at six months compared with a pre-operative baseline HAQ ( t = 6.43, p < 0.001).
Repetitive Phenomena in Dementia
Authors: Hwang Jen-Ping , Tsai Shih-Jen , Yang Cheng-Hung , Liu King-Ming , Lirng Jiing-Feng
Published: May 2005

Objective:

Both repetitive talk and behaviors (repetitive phenomena) are common in demented patients and are bothersome to their caregivers and families. The purpose of this preliminary report was to explore these repetitive phenomena in demented patients admitted to a geropsychiatric ward.

Method:

The sample population consisted of 141 demented patients. Patients' caregivers were asked if patients had presented a repetitive fixed pattern of physical action or talk since the onset of dementia.

Results:

Of the 141 demented patients included in the study, seventy-nine had repetitive phenomena. Patients with these phenomena had various presentations and developed them in the early stage of dementia.

Conclusions:

Repetitive phenomena are widespread in dementia, especially for older patients, and may be an early sign of dementia. The characteristics of repetitive phenomena and some likely underlying mechanisms are discussed.