bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Compatibility of Rational-Emotive Therapy and Judeo-Christian Philosophy: A Focus on Clinical Strategies
Authors: DiGiuseppe Raymond A. , Robin Mitchell W. , Dryden Windy
Published: September 2018

Because of the personal religious and philosophical beliefs of Albert Ellis, Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET) is often perceived as inappropriate for clients with strong religious beliefs. Three of the major irrational thought processes hypothesized by RET to be at the core of psychopathology are shown to also be inconsistent with Judeo-Christian philosophy. Therefore, it is postulated that disputing irrational beliefs and establishing more rational philosophies is also consistent with Judeo-Christian philosophy. Specific clinical strategies are suggested for working with religious clients in changing these three irrational beliefs.
Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression
Authors: Dyck Murray J. , Stewart Bonnie L.
Published: September 2018

This article attempts to reduce construct ambiguity associated with the cognitive theory of depression. Increased clarity is achieved by focusing on one of six overlapping cognitive models of depression, the stressor-vulnerability model. This model describes sufficient conditions for causing depression. Basic constructs are defined both conceptually and operationally, appropriate criteria for testing the model are established, and the small set of studies that incorporate at least some of the test conditions is reviewed. Results suggest that the more closely the specified test conditions are approximated, the more positive are the results in their support of the stressor-vulnerability model of depression.
The Consequences of Panic
Authors: Rachman Stanley
Published: September 2018

The most common behavioral consequence of panic is the emergence of avoidance behavior. If this behavior becomes excessive/extensive, it can be disabling. It is postulated that the major determinant of panic-related avoidance behavior is the person’s present prediction of the probability of experiencing a panic in specified circumstances. Other factors, such as the expected aversiveness of the panic and the availability of safety signals, also contribute to the avoidance. The cognitive consequences of panic include the following: Episodes of panic are followed by increases in the prediction of future panics, and in expected fear, but little or no increase in reported fear. Unexpected panics make the largest contribution to these changes, and expected panics are followed by little or no change in predictions or reports of panic or of fear. Disconfirmed predictions of panic are followed by reductions in fear, and with sufficient repetitions, by reductions in predictions of panic.
Models and Treatment of Panic: Behavioral Therapy of Panic
Authors: Craske Michelle G.
Published: September 2018

In this presentation, the results from two studies examining the effectiveness of behavioral treatments for panic disorder are presented. In the first study, a dismantling treatment study design was used to compare relaxation training, exposure and cognitive procedures, the combination of relaxation plus expoosure and cognitive procedures, and a Wait-List control. Subjects with panic disorder and mild or no agoraphobic avoidance were compared immediately after the 15-week treatment program and 6 months and 24 months later. Overall, exposure and cognitive procedures were found to be more effective than relaxation for the control of panic attacks in the short term and over the long term. In the second study, the combination of relaxation plus exposure and cognitive procedures was compared to Alprazolam, Placedbo, and Wait-List control conditions. Overall, the Cognitive-Behavioral therapy condition showed strongest improvements by the end of treatment in terms of panic, general enxiety and global functioning. Finally, it was noted that although exposure and cognitive procedures effectively controlled panic attacks in approximately 80% of subjects (immediately post treatment and 24-months post treatment), only 50% of the subjects were no longer distressed in general.
The Role and Structure of Personal Narratives
Authors: van den Broek Paul , Thurlow Richard
Published: September 2018

A commonly held view in psychotherapy is that people’s past experiences, their present feelings and knowledge, and their expectations about the future, exert a powerful influence on their actions. What is usually left unspecified is the cognitive process by which these influences take place. Findings in experimental research, reviewed in the present article, suggest that a central component of this process is the construction of complex and partly subjective mental representations of one’s experiences, feelings, and goals. These representations form the basis for subsequent behavior and therefore are, implicitly or explicitly, targets of therapeutic intervention. This article describes structural and functional properties of people’s mental representations of real-life events, emphasizing their narrative and causal nature, as well as the conditions under which deliberate intervention is most likely to change people’s representations. Developmental differences are considered with respect to both topics. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for adult and child psychotherapy.
Cognitive Therapy and the Facilitation of Affect: Two Case Illustrations
Authors: Newman Cory F.
Published: September 2018

Cognitive therapy, as conducted by Aaron T. Beck and his associates, is known for effectively teaching clients to modify the kinds of dysfunctional thinking processes that are associated with depression and a number of other disorders. On the other hand, cognitive therapy has developed a reputation for paying too little attention to emotionality and its expression thereof as part of treatment. In spite of this popular viewpoint, it is argued here that cognitive therapy is very much concerned with the appropriate experiencing of affect. Two brief case illustrations are presented that highlight the role of emotion enhancement as an important, congruent component of cognitive therapy. The first case demonstrates the facilitation of positive affect in therapy, while the second case example suggests that the augmentation of negative affect may also be appropriate during the course of cognitive therapy.
A Cognitive-Interpersonal Approach to the Treatment of Personality Disorders
Authors: Safran Jeremy D. , McMain Shelley
Published: September 2018

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the application of cognitive therapy procedures to clients with personality disorders. In this article it is suggested that the interest in personality disorders is consistent with a renewed interest in the basic concept of personality, and that there is a need for systematic theory regarding the fashion in which consistencies in construal style and interpersonal patterns develop. A number of relevant theoretical developments are briefly summarized and their implications for treatment are explored.
A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach to Panic Disorder in a Woman With a History of Incest: A Case Study
Authors: Oestrich Irene H.
Published: September 2018

This case study is of particular interest because it highlights phenomena that behavior therapists have not described until recently. Such phenomena are regarded as important to an understanding and appreciation of the holistic and complex functioning of human beings.

Michael Mahoney and other cognitive therapists (Eelen & Fontaine, 1986, Mahoney, 1980, Mahoney, 1986) have brought our attention to the unconscious processes, psychological self-focus, dynamic conflicts and childhood experiences that may be essential issues in therapy. These personal processes may be very important in coping with anxiety, especially anxiety that derives from early stages of development.

The description of this case is an attempt to show how cognitive-behavioral techniques can lead to disclosure in psychotherapy and help a client who suffers from panic attacks.

The case study describes how a 47-year-old, married woman, Laura, a victim of incest in early childhood, was helped through cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. The intense experiences of encroachment and invasion involved in incest are described, together with a demonstration of how cognitive methods are useful in uncovering tacit or unconscious processes. Methods used are in essence similar to well- known treatment procedures with clients suffering from panic attacks (Hawton, Salkovskis, Kirk, & Clark, 1989). In addition, the highly damaging phenomenon of incest in this case involves obstacles of resistance and brings us into deeper levels of interpretation and understanding.
Integrating Psychotherapeutic Strategies in the Treatment of Young Severely Disturbed Patients
Authors: Perris Carlo
Published: September 2018

At the same time as the number of psychotherapies is increasing in an unprecedented way, there is also a growing awareness that if psychotherapy is to gain a prominent place in the treatment of the mentally ill in public services, then it is necessary to move beyond the constraints of ideological dogmas and to search for possible purposeful integration. With this latter objective in view, the article describes an integrated treatment program, largely based on cognitive psychotherapy, designed for the treatment of young, severely disturbed patients. The program comprises: milieu therapy, the individualized use of nonverbal therapeutic strategies, group therapy, individual therapy, and the individualized use of medication.
Constructivism and the Cognitive Psychotherapies: Some Conceptual and Strategic Contrasts
Authors: Neimeyer Robert A.
Published: September 2018

Cognitive therapies have continued to develop along both quantitative and qualitative lines. One important qualitative development has been the emergence of a constructivist trend, which has suggested both conceptual realignments and new strategic emphases for theorists and practitioners of cognitive therapy has been an important and qualitative development. This paper reviews several informative contrasts between traditional cognitive therapies and their constructivist alternatives, both at the level of epistemology and at the level of clinical practice.
Career Counseling in the Postmodern Era
Authors: Savickas Mark L.
Published: September 2018

Hallmarks of the modern era such as logical positivism, objectivistic science, and industrialism are being questioned as we decenter from an “us versus them” singular perspective toward a multiple perspective discourse. All indicators suggest the move from seeking truth to participation in conversations; from objectivity to perspectivity. In tune with these societal changes, career counseling seems to be reforming itself into an interpretive discipline in which practitioners help individuals to relate their quest for meaning to the division of labor in their community. The postmodern era has already engendered six innovations in counseling for career development.
Using RET to Reduce Psychological Dysfunction Associated with Supernatural Belief Systems
Authors: Robb Harold B.
Published: September 2018

This paper provides a general approach to using Rational-Emotive Therapy with any person experiencing psychological dysfunction in relation to their supernatural belief system. It shows how the principles of RET are used when supernaturalism is: (1) used metaphorically, (2) conceptualized as origin, (3) in concert with RET and (4) in conflict with RET.
Cognitive Therapy With Inpatients: Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Stuart Scott , Bowers Wayne A.
Published: September 2018

Cognitive therapy has shown promise as a treatment for depressed outpatients. Despite recent increases in its use with inpatients, the treatment itself has not been well substantiated empirically. This article reviews the literature on cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) with inpatients, and uses meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of this approach to treatment. The results suggest that CBT can be beneficial with inpatients both as a primary treatment and as an adjunct to antide-pressant medication. More controlled research needs to be completed to fully confirm CBT’s role in an inpatient setting.
The Regulation of Cognitive States: A Cognitive Model of Psychoactive Substance Abuse
Authors: Toneatto Tony
Published: September 2018

This paper describes a cognitive model of psychoactive substance abuse which emphasizes the ability of psychoactive substances to rapidly modify uncomfortable cognitive states. Cognitive states include any mental event of which one can become aware such as thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions and memories. It is suggested that substance abusers have learned to interpret such mental events (i.e., metacognitions) in such a way that they are construed as harmful, threatening, and undesirable. Psychoactive substance abuse becomes the preferred means of effectively modifying such cognitive states. A cognitive treatment of substance abuse, based on the model successfully employed in the treatment of anxiety disorders, is outlined which stresses the importance of gradually exposing substance-dependent clients to avoided cognitive states within a therapeutic environment that encourages disconfirmation of dysfunctional metacognitions and a more adaptive appraisal of their cognitive states.
The Status of Cognitive Change in Cognitive Therapy and Other Therapies
Authors: Riskind John H.
Published: September 2018

In this article, we analyze the nature of cognitive therapy and explore the likelihood of cognitive processes in other forms of therapy. In minimalist terms, cognitive therapy may often distill down to (1) acknowledging the apparent reality with which the individual is contending, and (2) providing an optional perspective—often the other side of the reversible illusion. Moreover, all therapies may be effective to the degree they promote cognitive change, although cognitive therapy alone explicitly attempts to accentuate cognitive mechanisms of action. Also, frequent suggestions that performance experiences are necessary for cognitive change may be overstated. Finally, the implications of applying some of the criteria for scoring fidelity of cognitive behavior therapy to other therapies, and the utility of importing ideas from social cognition research on two routes of persuasion and cognitive change, are discussed.
Thinking About Cognition in Therapy: A Commentary
Authors: DeRubeis Robert J.
Published: September 2018

It is a pleasure and a challenge to provide commentary on the foregoing papers which, collectively, contain insightful clarifications and provocative extensions of the role of cognition in cognitive therapy and other therapeutic modalities. Before I begin my comments, I should inform the reader that I tend to be a “splitter,” not a “lumper,” when I attempt to understand psychotherapies. My tendency is to search for and clarify meaningful distinctions between psychotherapeutic approaches as well as among the phenomena that might mediate the effects of therapies, such as cognitions, behaviors, and neurotransmitters.
Chronic Physical Disability and Secondary Control: Appraisals of an Undesirable Situation
Authors: Krantz Susan E.
Published: September 2018

“Secondary control” (accommodation to unchangeable, undesirable situations), rather than just “primary control” (choosing to leave or improve the situation) can help in adapting to a chronic physical disability. To identify instances of secondary control, semistructured interviews with 22 persons with chronic physical disabilities were conducted. This research examined the emotional valence of disability appraisals, and identified regularities in these appraisals. Results showed that the great majority of interviewees used secondary control in handling their disability, and that 95% of comments were non-negative in emotional tone. Regularities included mention that one learns much about the self and others, and comes to know more than able-bodied persons in some ways. It is concluded that secondary control processes are useful, and their training should be considered during cognitive therapy.
Financial Information Source, Knowledge, and Practices of College Students from Diverse Backgrounds
Authors: Mimura Yoko , Koonce Joan , Plunkett Scott W. , Pleskus Lindsey
Published: September 2018

Using cross-sectional data, we examined the financial information sources, financial knowledge, and financial practices of young adults, many of whom are first generation college students, ethnic minorities, and immigrants or children of immigrants. Participants (n = 1,249) were undergraduate students at a large regional comprehensive university. The general linear model results suggested personal financial information obtained from parents was positively associated with levels of financial knowledge and financial practices, and information obtained from other family members and college courses was positively associated with better financial practices. The findings suggest that parents and college personal finance courses may serve as positive inputs for financial socialization among young adults regardless of their demographic backgrounds.
Savings Goals and Saving Behavior From a Perspective of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Authors: Lee Jae Min , Hanna Sherman D.
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between saving goals and saving behavior from a perspective of Maslow's Hierarchy. Using 1998-2007 Surveys of Consumer Finance datasets, we analyzed responses given to an open ended saving reason question, and categorized responses into six saving goals. The retirement/security goal was the most frequently mentioned, and the self-actualization goal was the least frequently mentioned. We tested two models to ascertain whether the order of response differed in the likelihood of saving, measured as whether households spent less than income. Model 1 tested the effects of whether particular goals were given as the first response to the open-ended question, and Model 2 tested the effects of whether particular goals were given as any response. In both analyses, self actualization and retirement/security had the strongest associations with saving behavior.
A Study of Recognizing Conflicts of Interest in Pending Financial Planning Engagements
Authors: Bearden Frank C.
Published: September 2018

Conflicts of interest (COI) are an ethical issue for financial planners because they impair professional judgment if not addressed. This article describes a quantitative, cross-sectional study of COI recognition in pending engagements and measuring the influence of time in practice and financial planning credentials upon recognition. Participants were 51 graduates of the M.S. degree from the College for Financial Planning. Participants were asked three questions regarding each of the six hypothetical situations of pending financial planning engagements. Each question provided an indicator of COI recognition. Time in practice and financial planning credentials were used as influence factors upon COI recognition. Results indicated high COI recognition involving role conflict and low recognition with family members as clients. Time in practice was related to increased COI recognition involving role conflict. Financial planning credentials were related to increased COI recognition with a business associate as client.
Active Versus Passive Investment Management Of State Pension Plans: Implications For Personal Finance
Authors: Walden Michael L.
Published: September 2018

There are 19 million workers and retirees and $3 trillion of assets in state pension plans. However, questions have arisen about the long-run ability of the plans to pay promised benefits to retirees. Consequently, proposals have been made to reduce promised pension payments or alter other terms of the pension contracts. Yet another heretofore unexplored alternative is to reduce state pension plan management fees by moving from actively managed portfolios to low-fee passively managed accounts. Using state pension plan data for the 2003-2012 decade and returns from three alternative low fee portfolios, it is found that all states could have increased after-fee earnings and improved their long-run ability to pay retirees by moving to the low-fee investment accounts. While clearly relevant for workers and retirees in state pension plans, the findings also have implications for all investors regarding the ongoing debate between active and passive investment management strategies.
Lamaze Childbirth among the Amish People
Authors: Bing Elisabeth
Published: September 2018

This paper is an account of the author’s observation of three Amish births in 1972, one in a home and two in a hospital. This 30-year-old story illustrates normal birth among a group dedicated to “low-tech” living. Although some aspects of Amish life and birth may have changed in the past 30 years, the basic philosophy of life and birth has not. This philosophy serves as a living reminder to us that generations of women from many cultures have given birth in a similar manner.
A Perinatal Intervention Program for Urban American Indians—Part 2: The Story of a Program and Its Implications for Practice
Authors: Prater Sandra L. , Davis Carol L.
Published: September 2018

This is the story of how a culturally aware staff successfully intervened with a clientele of another culture. A high infant mortality rate for American Indians in Milwaukee, WI, prompted a community health agency to initiate a program to address the problem. Efforts were made to educate the American Indian community about the importance of both prenatal and postnatal care. Part 1 of this report was published (Davis & Prater, 2001) and presented the design and implementation of the program, as well as program outcomes. Here, Part 2 describes aspects of the same program, including the personal story of a client and the results of an evaluation conducted by a three-person research team. Implications for practice are also presented. Among these are suggestions for hiring and retaining staff, locating and retaining clients, addressing cultural sensitivity, and identifying administrative actions that enhance program operation. The personal stories of two additional clients are included to illustrate the difficult reality of some clients’ lives and the resulting necessity for flexibility and resourcefulness on the part of program staff. This program represents the positive impact that program workers had on the problem of American Indian infant mortality.
The Impact of Previous Perinatal Loss on Subsequent Pregnancy and Parenting
Authors: Lamb Elizabeth H.
Published: September 2018

The loss of any pregnancy through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or neonatal death presents as a significant life crisis for any woman and has far-reaching implications into a couple’s future aspirations. Planning another pregnancy after dealing with a perinatal loss is difficult and plagued by ambivalence, doubts, and insecurities. Despite this ambivalence, a majority of women do become pregnant within a year following a perinatal loss. Four recurring issues surrounding perinatal loss and subsequent pregnancy have been identified in this literature review: the effect of the grief process on the subsequent pregnancy; parental coping mechanisms during the subsequent pregnancy; replacement or vulnerable child syndrome; and parenting issues with the subsequent live-born child. Issues surrounding anxiety as a coping mechanism during a pregnancy following a perinatal loss are documented consistently in the literature; however, less is known about the impact that a loss has on parenting behaviors with subsequent children. Further research is imperative to examine these issues in more detail so that evidence-based practices can be established and updated. Health care providers are in a unique position to assist these couples in dealing with the issues that a perinatal loss may place on subsequent pregnancies. By providing a reassuring and supportive environment, women can achieve a positive pregnancy outcome with the correct tools to decrease anxiety and enhance attachment to the subsequent healthy child.
Preparing Expectant Couples for New-Parent Experiences: A Comparison of Two Models of Antenatal Education
Authors: Schmied Virginia , Myors Karen , Wills Jo , Cooke Margaret
Published: September 2018

This paper describes a pilot antenatal education program intended to better prepare couples for the early weeks of lifestyle changes and parenting. Eight weeks after birth, data were collected by questionnaire from 19 couples who participated in a pilot program and from 14 couples who were enrolled in a routine hospital program. Women in the pilot program were significantly more satisfied with their experience of parenthood. Facilitated gender-specific discussion groups formed a key strategy in the pilot program.
Research Update: Misoprostol—Is More Research Needed?
Authors: Moore Mary Lou
Published: September 2018

Misoprostol (Cytotec) is a synthetic prostaglandin E1 analogue that was designed for the prevention and treatment of peptic ulcer associated with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In obstetrics, misoprostol has been administered for induction of first and second trimester abortion, for induction of labor in the third trimester, and to control postpartum hemorrhage. None of these uses has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Nevertheless, misoprostol is widely used in the United States and throughout the world. Advantages are cited as reduced rate of cesareans, shorter time from induction to birth and, particularly in developing countries, lower cost, oral, vaginal or rectal administration, and stability without refrigeration. Disadvantages are uterine hyperstimulation and, in rare instances, uterine rupture and death. Mothers should be informed of both the risks and the possible benefits of misoprostol. Further research with large samples is necessary to determine whether the risks outweigh any possible benefits.
Questions from Our Readers: Promoting, Protecting, and Supporting Normal Birth
Authors: Lothian Judith A.
Published: September 2018

This column discusses ways in which childbirth educators can promote, protect, and support normal birth to help make it the standard.
Research Update: Preterm Birth: A Continuing Challenge
Authors: Moore Mary Lou
Published: September 2018

Although preterm birth has been a major focus of study for the past two decades by health care providers in several disciplines, it remains more prevalent in the United States than in many developed countries and continues to be a prime reason for infant death (mortality) and illness (morbidity). In the past 10 years, preterm rates have risen in the United States from 10.6% in 1990 to 11.6% in 2000. Low birthweight rates have increased from 7.0% in 1990 to 7.6% in 2000. This column reviews recent studies addressing preterm and low birthweight births, including changing demographics, the role of assisted reproductive technology, smoking, domestic violence, the experience of women, and treatment strategies.
Resource Column: HIV and Pregnancy Web Sites
Authors: Montgomery Kristen S.
Published: September 2018

This column reviews seven Web sites that address HIV and pregnancy.
Woman-Centered Maternity Nursing Education and Practice
Authors: Giarratano Gloria
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this Heideggerian phenomenological study was to uncover the meanings of the clinical experiences of registered nurses working in maternity settings after they studied maternity nursing from a woman-centered, feminist perspective in a generic baccalaureate nursing program. Purposeful sampling was conducted to locate and recruit nurses who had graduated from this nursing program between the December 1996 and December 1998 semesters and were currently working in a maternal-newborn clinical setting. Each participant had taken the required woman-centered, maternity-nursing course during her/his undergraduate education. Data collection included an individual, open-ended interview that focused on the nurses’ descriptions of their everyday practices as maternity nurses. Nineteen maternal-newborn nurses between the ages of 23 and 43 years who had been in practice from six months to three years were interviewed. The constitutive patterns identified from the interviews were: “Otherness,” “Being and Becoming Woman-Centered,” and “Tensions in Practicing Woman-Centered Care.” Findings revealed that the nurses had a raised awareness of oppressive maternity care practices and applied ideology of woman-centeredness as a framework for providing more humanistic care. Creating woman-centered maternity care meant negotiating tensions and barriers in medically focused maternity settings and looking for opportunities for advocacy and woman-empowerment. The barriers the nurses faced in implementing woman-centered care exposed limitations to childbearing choices and nursing practices that remain problematic in maternity care.
There’s No Credential Like Show Credential
Authors: Gauldin Deb
Published: September 2018

In this column, the author takes a humorous look at conference attendees’ name tags.
Listening to Mothers—The First National U.S. Survey of Women’s Childbearing Experiences
Authors: Lothian Judith A.
Published: September 2018

In this column, the author outlines some of the results of the Listening to Mothers Survey, conducted by the Maternity Center Association, and the implications of the results on childbirth education.
Childbirth Experience in Women at High Risk: Is It Improved by Use of a Birth Plan?
Authors: Berg Marie , Lundgren Ingela , Lindmark Gunilla
Published: September 2018

Women at obstetric high risk more often experience negative feelings related to childbirth than women with normal outcomes. For these high-risk women, an individual birth plan does not appear to improve the overall experience of childbirth; rather, it seems to intensify the negative feelings in several aspects. The increased vulnerability in women at high risk warrants special attention to the possibility that types of care routinely offered to all women may negatively influence the experiences of high-risk women.
Decision Latitude in Childbirth
Authors: Humenick Sharron S.
Published: September 2018

Decision latitude in the workplace and a mother’s perception of control in the labor of childbirth are highly related concepts. Both concepts have been shown to be important to the health and development of laboring humans.
Web Sites that Address Perinatal Physical Activity
Authors: Montgomery Kristen S.
Published: September 2018

In this column, the author provides examples of Web sites that address exercise and physical activity during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Childbirth Education for the HIV-Positive Woman
Authors: Montgomery Kristen S.
Published: September 2018

Pregnant HIV-positive women have unique education needs during the perinatal period. HIV-positive women need information regarding the differences in recommended care they can expect to experience both for themselves and their newborn. Differences in recommended care are related to minimizing transmission of the HIV virus. This article discusses the unique educational content needs of HIV-positive pregnant women. Providing women with appropriate information about what their labor and delivery experiences will entail can help them make decisions and promote a positive birth experience.
Excuses, Excuses, Excuses
Authors: Gauldin Deb
Published: September 2018

In this humor column, a perinatal educator learns that explanations are not always necessary when one is a grownup.
Uncovering Your Own Birth History
Authors: Behrmann Barbara L.
Published: September 2018

In the second of a two-part article, the author encourages women to learn about their mothers’ and grandmothers’ birth experiences as a way to celebrate and record their family’s legacy of childbirth.
Public Display of Affection in Couples Attending Childbirth Education Classes: Implications for Practice in Thailand
Authors: Sasamon Srisuthisak , Amankwaa Linda Clark
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this article is to describe couples’ touch behaviors and positions during their interactions in childbirth education class exercises in the United States—practices that might be construed differently among couples in Thailand. Using observations collected at childbirth education classes conducted in the United States during the fall of 2002, the author found four positions that would be considered culturally sensitive with her Thai experiences. Perhaps with some modifications in the technique, mothers and their partners in in the technique, mothers and their partners in Thailand will more readily accept childbirth education classes.
Postpartum Depressive Symptoms: Risks for Czech and Thai Mothers
Authors: Hassert Silva , Sharon Sharon Robinson , Payakkakom Anusorn , Kodyšová Eliška
Published: September 2018

Multiple psychosocial risk factors are linked to women’s experience of postpartum depressive symptoms worldwide. This study focused on mothers in the Czech Republic (n = 126) and Thailand (n = 161), two countries where little research on mothers’ experiences of postpartum depressive symptoms (PPDS) has been conducted. Measures included the Postpartum Social Support Questionnaire, Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, Quality of Relationships Inventory, Dysfunctional Attitude Scale-Form A-17, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that for Czech mothers, financial concerns, partner conflict, perfectionism, maternal efficacy, and parental support were significantly related to PPDS. For Thai mothers, only partner conflict and perfectionism were significantly related to PPDS. Cultural implications for childbirth educators are discussed in the context of these risk factors.
First-Time Mothers’ Experiences of a Planned Cesarean Birth
Authors: Puia Denise
Published: September 2018

Even though a cesarean birth is planned, women may experience physical and psychological difficulties. This qualitative study explored the overall experience of first-time mothers having a planned cesarean birth, which was any cesarean in which the decision was made prior to the onset of labor or labor induction. Eleven primipara postpartum mothers shared their stories. Data were analyzed using Riessman’s method of thematic narrative analysis. Seven overarching themes revealed a need to accept a cesarean birth and create realistic expectations. Education and support specific to planned cesarean births need to be provided to the woman and her support person both before and after the birth. Realistic expectations will improve the adaptation process.
An Account of Labor and Birth Following a High-Risk Pregnancy That Ended in Induction of Labor at 37 Weeks: An Acknowledgment of When Option B Can Still Lead to a Positive Birth Experience
Authors: Pascuzzi Lesley Ann
Published: September 2018

After two textbook pregnancies, I was not expecting my third to be any different. However, despite feeling well and exercising regularly, at 29 weeks, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. After taking insulin, I developed pregnancy-induced hypertension and oligohydramnios. Having studied to become a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator in 2017, I was keen to utilize all my learning and follow the six Healthy Birth Practices to avoid repeating the birth experiences I had had in 2012 and 2014. This is an account of when option B is presented as the best option for the safest end to pregnancy and the ways I tried to gain control of what I could the Lamaze way.
Measurement of Functional Ability in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Keresztes Patricia , Holm Karyn , Penckofer Sue , Merritt Sharon
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine measures of functional ability in a group (n=60) of cardiac patients undergoing treadmill exercise tests. Functional ability was defined as the degree to which the individual is able to perform physical activity in the absence of symptoms. Instruments used were the Modified Harvard Alumni Scale (MHAS), the Symptom Scale (SS) comprised of the following subscales: angina (AS), shortness of breath (SOBS), and fatigue (FS); the overall Health Rating Index (OHRI); and the Goldman Specific Activity Scale (SAS). Concurrent validity was supported by the fact that the instruments were correlated with metabolic equivalents achieved on the treadmill. Correlations were: MHAS (r=.34, P<.01), SS (r= -.67, p<.01), AS (r= -.54, p<.01), SOBS (r= -.41, p<.05), FS (r= -.56, P<.001) and the OHRI (r=.45, p<.001). Reliability was determined using Cronbachs, alpha and were: SS= .92, AS=.87, SOBS=.86, FS=.85 and OHRI=.88. Findings support the need for testing and evaluation of instruments measuring functional ability in diverse cardiovascular populations.
A Quantitative Survey to Measure Energy Expenditure in Midlife Women
Authors: Wilbur JoEllen , Holm Karyn , Dan Alice
Published: September 2018

The Taylor Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Tecumseh Occupational Physical Activity Questionnaire were modified to measure energy expenditure in midlife women. A three-dimensional measure of female physical activity resulted which reflected leisure, occupational, and household activities. Total daily energy expenditure for the specific activities was calculated using established metabolic units and reported time spent performing the activities. Test-retest reliability was evaluated at two weeks for 15 % (n = 59) of the sample of 375 midlife women. There was high agreement on participation in the various activities, but low agreement on the time spent doing the activities. Cardiorespiratory fitness, established with a Monarch bicycle ergometer, was used to test the validity of the energy expenditure measure. Correlations were significant between cardiorespiratory fitness and both leisure activity and household activity, but not between cardiorespiratory fitness and occupational activity.
Evaluation of the Reliability and Validity of Nursing Outcomes Classification Patient Outcomes and Measures
Authors: Maas Meridean , Johnson Marion , Moorhead Sue , Reed David , Sweeney Sharon
Published: September 2018

One hundred sixty-nine of the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) patient outcomes were tested for interrater reliability, criterion validity, and sensitivity. In 10 field sites, ranging from hospitals to home care, pairs of nurses rated the outcome measures for 5 to 130 patients. Inter-class correlations were greater than or equal to 0.70 for 63 outcomes. Pearson’s correlations with criterion measures were greater than or equal to 0.60 for 40 outcomes and from 0.39 to 0.60 for 43 additional ones. Change scores for 99 outcomes ranged from 0 to 2.0 from first to second and second to third rating. Most NOC measures demonstrated good inter-rater reliability, substantial criterion validity, and sensitivity to change. More testing and thorough training of nurses using NOC outcomes are needed.
Development and Testing of the Nursing Role Model Competence Scale (NRMCS)
Authors: Lynn Mary R.
Published: September 2018

Although contact with appropriate role models is considered essential for adequate professional socialization, no instruments exist for the measurement of role modeling or role model competence in nursing. The aim of this study was to develop and test a measure of perceived role model competence. Initial item sources for the Nursing Role Model Competence Scale (NRMCS) were literature-based. Twenty nine items were compiled for content validity assessment by two panels of persons identified as clinical and educational role models. Eight additional items were added as a result of the expert review and mailed to 2,000 baccalaureate and higher degree nurses in a southwestern state. Of the 1,053 respondents, 951 provided complete data on the NRMCS. Psychometric evaluation of the NRMCS included item-total correlations (.42-.70), principal axis factor analysis with varimax rotation (51% of the variance accounted for), reliability estimation using alpha and theta estimates (>.77) and item-factor correlations (.41-.70). The four NRMCS factors—Positive Regard, Competence, Assertive Leader and Professional Advocate—were statistically compared, with five of the six comparisons resulting in significant differences. Respondents with higher professional scores were found to rate their role models as more competent on the NRMCS factors.
Reliability, Construct Validity, and Subscale Norms of the Brief Symptom Inventory When Administered to Bereaved Parents
Authors: Johnson L. Clark , Murphy Shirley A. , Dimond Margaret
Published: September 2018

The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) was administered to parents (N = 260; 171 mothers and 89 fathers) whose adolescent and young adult children died unexpectedly and violently by accident, homicide, or suicide. Summary statistics and reliability coefficients (Cronbach’ s a) for the nine subscales and the Global Severity Index were calculated. A comparison of means and standard deviations confirmed the expectation that this sample is dramatically different from the normative American community standard. Raw scores for the subscales were transformed into standardized T scores and critical values for a screening heuristic presented. An attempt to obtain construct validity using factor analysis suggested that a five-factor solution provided a description of this population of bereaved parents that is more insightful than the nine standard subscales of the BSI. Implications for both clinicians and future research are discussed.
Preliminary Testing of the Long-Term Quality of Life (LTQL) Instrument for Female Cancer Survivors
Authors: Wyatt Gwen , Kurtz Margot E. , Friedman Laurie L. , Given Barbara , Given Charles W.
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to develop a quality of life instrument for longterm female cancer survivors. A factor analysis (n = 188) of 34 items resulted in the Long-Term Quality of Life (LTQL) instrument. Internal consistency was high for the four subscales: somatic concerns (alpha = .86), spiritual/philosophical views of life (alpha = .87), fitness (alpha = .92), and social support (alpha = .88). These four factors are congruent with Ferrell’s four theoretical domains of quality of life developed for women with breast cancer. Content validity was supported through interrater agreement of subscale items. Significant correlations between the LTQL and the CaRES, an established measure of quality of life, support the concurrent validity of the LTQL. Construct validity was supported by differential subscale scores according to demographic and health status data. Although the LTQL retained all of Ferrell’s four domains of quality of life (physical, psychological, social, and spiritual) within one instrument, individual items reconfigured to suggest an overlapping of domains for the long-term female cancer survivor. This research suggests that the LTQL warrants further testing and may be a useful measure of quality of life in long-term female cancer survivors.
The Development of a Measure of Public Health Nurses’ Practice Responses to Women Who Are Abused
Authors: Dickson Florence , Tutty Leslie M.
Published: September 2018

The Public Health Nurses’ Responses to Women Who Are Abused (PHNR) scale was designed to measure the degree of nurses’ helpfulness to women who are abused by their partners. The measure utilizes two vignettes of nursing practice situations. A factor analysis of the original 30-item scale found that 20 items loaded on one factor (n = 125). This revised 20-item PHNR demonstrated a strong internal consistency (alpha = .85). The two scenarios were compared over a 2-week time period, resulting in a moderately strong correlation of r = .74. High scores on the PHNR were associated with increased age, personal experience, greater number of years of nursing experience, and attendance at workshops on wife abuse. While the initial psychometric properties of the scale are supportive, further investigation is warranted. With this caution, the PHNR may prove useful in identifying nurses’ skill and knowledge levels in helping abused women, and for pre/posttest evaluations of educational programs for nurses regarding wife assault.
Self-Care Agency: The Concept and How It Is Measured
Authors: Carter Patricia A.
Published: September 2018

Self-Care Agency (SCA) is a phenomenon of great interest. Nevertheless, difficulty comes when attempting to compare results of studies. This difficulty is caused by the multiple conceptual definitions and instruments used across disciplines. Based on the literature, a historical view of the conceptual development of SCA, a description of the extant instruments, and a discussion of the fit between these definitions and instruments are presented. Researchers need to determine if they plan to measure personal abilities for self-care or the actions taken by an individual for self-care and choose their instruments appropriately.
Development of an Instrument to Measure Community Acceptance of Nurse Practictioners and Physician Assistants
Authors: Baer Lynn C. , Baldwin Kathleen A. , Sisk Rebecca J. , Watts Parris , Grinslade Margaret S. , Brockschmidt Beth , Dinger Mary K. , Marion Lucy N. , McCubbin Jan
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to identify the significant dimensions of the concept of community acceptance of nurse practitioners/physician’s assistants and to construct areliable and valid instrument which would reflect these dimensions. The methodological approach included: conceptualization of categories, development of items for each category, development of the tool, administration of the tool, and psychometric analysis of results. Community input through focus-group interviews and post-administration questions provided qualitative data. The survey tool, consisting of items in four conceptualized categories (knowledge, access, competence, and trust), was administered in five rural communities. The responses of 967 residents were analyzed through factor analysis. The criterion, eigenvalue > 1.0, resulted in seven factors. Oblique rotation was applied to the seven factors and marker variables (loadings > .70) facilitated the identification of the underlying dimensions of each factor. Overall, 98% of the items assigned to the original categories were maintained after factor analysis. The identification of these dimensions helped to simplify the description and understanding of community acceptance of nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants. Community acceptance of these advanced health care providers is a necessary precursor to use of services.
Comparison of Pain Measures in Surgical Patients
Authors: Zalon Margarete L.
Published: September 2018

Numerous instruments have been developed for the measurement of pain with various clinical populations. This study was designed to compare pain measures for research in a sample of postoperative patients. The Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) was administered along with the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and two visual analogue scales, one for pain while at rest (VAS-R) and one for pain upon movement (VAS-M), in random order, to 115 hospitalized patients twice following their surgery. An additional 29 patients completed the instruments once. Correlations between the visual analogue scales, BPI-SF, and SF-MPQ ranged from .33 to .76 (p < .01), suggesting that the instruments measure different aspects of pain and that instructions can influence the results. Recommendations for the selection of pain measures in patients experiencing acute pain and for future research are described.