Dramatic increase in the interest in, and, use of, alternative and complementary medicine.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Attitude↗
Biomedical subjects
A Furnham
Publications and source records attributed to A Furnham.
An international validation of the interaction with disabled persons scale.
The Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale (IDP) was devised to measure attitudes in terms of discomfort reported about social interaction with people with disabilities. The Scale has been used in Australia for ten years. This article reports results of an international validation project that was designed to determine whether psychometric characteristics and norms emerging for Australian groups apply elsewhere. A methodological proforma was developed to maximize uniformity of data collection across nine countries: Australia, Canada, Croatia, England, Germany, Hong Kong, Poland, Scotland and the United States. In most countries the Scale was administered in English; however it also was translated into Germany, Polish, French and Croat. Results indicate that across countries mean scores fell within ten points, similar moderate to high levels of item homogeneity occurred and level of prior contact with people with disabilities emerged as the strongest predictor of IDP scores. It was concluded that the IDP Scale is a valid measure that is able to discriminate between respondents within the countries included in the study.
Adult↗
Ethical ideology and the allocation of scarce medical resources.
This study was designed to determine the ethical beliefs upon which both medical and non-medical participants base their decisions when asked to construct a ranked waiting-list for treatment for patients suffering from kidney failure. Participants were given minimal demographic and medical data about hypothetical patients and were asked to rank them in order of priority for treatment. A participant's initial ethical position was determined by the Forsyth (1980) Ethical Ideology Questionnaire which provides a fourfold typology based on two factors (relativism and idealism). Each participant's personal demographic information was also obtained. The analysis yielded a main effect of the 'number of dependents' variable of the patient and its interaction with the 'religiousness' variable of the participants which reflected a utilitarian moral ideology working within an egalitarian framework. Implications of studies of this sort for sociomedical moral decision making and research on ethical and moral issues are discussed. The limitations of this sort of research are also considered.
Adolescent↗
Ear dominance and telephone sales.
In a field study, three equally sized sales teams used on of three head-sets--left, right, both ears--for a day's selling of insurance by telephone. This had no effect on sales. In a retrospective study of records, daily sales performance including the percentage conversion rate for sales divided by the number of calls and the number and duration of calls was related to preference for type of head-set. Sales were markedly influenced by the choice of head-set. People who chose to wear the left earpiece significantly out sold the others wearing right and stereohead-sets. Neither the number of incoming calls nor the time spent on the telephone were influenced by the choice of head-set. When sales are analysed in terms of individual differences in personal preference for type of head-set, those who chose the left ear had an advantage. Forced use of the left, versus right ear or both ears for one day had no effect.
Commerce↗
Age and sex differences in health beliefs and behaviours.
200 adults completed various questionnaires about their general health awareness, health locus of control, and the perceived causes of illness. Whereas there were fewer age differences than expected, a number of consistent sex differences appeared. For example, the women relied less on "provider control" of health (doctors being in charge), expressed greater "nutritional consciousness," and believed more than men that psychological factors play an important part in the aetiology of illness.
Adolescent↗
Personality and happiness.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Adaptation, Psychological↗
Job search strategies, attitudes to school and attributions about unemployment
Two-hundred and seventy British final-year school-leavers completed a questionnaire battery looking at attitudes to school, attributions for unemployment, job search strategies and the perceived characteristics of an ideal job. Six varimax-rotated factor analyses were performed on each part of the six part questionnaire. In accordance with similar studies in the area, each of the questionnaire sections yielded a predictable factor structure. Higher-order factor analysis showed five clear factors, which together accounted for nearly 45% of the variance. They were labelled: self-effort strategies, fatalistic, background, extrinsic and alienated. This showed that job search strategies, career advice, employment attributions and the perceived most and least desirable features of jobs are clearly interrelated. The complexity and interrelatedness of these cognitions about work suggest they may be difficult to change.
Journal Article↗
Psychiatric symptomatology and the recall of positive and negative personality information.
Various studies from the cognitive information processing tradition have shown that neuroticism is particularly associated with the preferential processing of negative information about the self. Just over 60 'normal' subjects completed the Langner (1962, Journal of Health and Human Behaviour, 3, 269-276) 22 measure of minor psychiatric symptoms. Later, they were presented with a list of positive, neutral and negative trait words for self-rating. After 1 hr, subjects were asked to recall all the trait words. As predicted, the Langner (1962) score was associated with an increased probability of recalling negative self-referent information (r = 0.36). Implications for therapy are considered.
Adult↗
Lay theories of heroin addiction.
This study examined the structure and determinants of lay people's implicit theories of heroin addiction. A questionnaire was derived from interviews with lay people about their beliefs and theories of heroin addiction and academic literature on the subject. One hundred and forty-four subjects completed the questionnaire, in which they rated 105 statements about the causes, correlates and cures of heroin addiction. The three parts of the questionnaire were individually factor analyzed and a clear, interpretable factor structure emerged for each. The factors seemed similar to explicit academic theories, but the exception was beliefs about cure, which did not show overall support for the most clinically used models. When the three factor analyses were combined into a single 'higher-order' factor analysis four factors emerged, labelled moralistic, psychosocial, sociocultural and drug treatment, which reflect more or less coherent views on the nature of heroin addiction. Subjects' political beliefs was the greatest (demographic and attitudinal) determinant of lay beliefs in these factors, with experience of addiction, addicts, drugs and age also highly correlated. Vote was the main determinant and best predictor of the four 'higher-order' structured lay theories: right-wing voters emphasizing moralistic and individualistic theory and left-wing voters supporting the psychological and societal ideas. Implications for policy and interventions to addicts of these lay theories are considered.
Adolescent↗
Why do patients turn to complementary medicine? An empirical study.
Over 250 patients from three complementary medicine practices-acupuncture, osteopathy and homoeopathy-completed a questionnaire rating 20 potential reasons for seeking complementary treatment. The reasons that were most strongly endorsed were "because I value the emphasis on treating the whole person'; "because I believe complementary therapy will be more effective for my problem than orthodox medicine'; "because I believe that complementary medicine will enable me to take a more active part in maintaining my health'; and "because orthodox treatment was not effective for my particular problem'. Five factors were identified, in order of importance: a positive valuation of complementary treatment, the ineffectiveness of orthodox treatment for their complaint, concern about the adverse effects of orthodox medicine, concerns about communication with doctors and, of less importance, the availability of complementary medicine. Groups were compared, using analysis of covariance to control for demographic differences between the three patient groups. Osteopathy patients' reasons indicated they were least concerned about the side effects of orthodox medicine and most influenced by the availability of osteopathy for their complaints. Homoeopathy patients were most strongly influenced by the ineffectiveness of orthodox medicine for their complaints, a fact which was largely accounted for by the chronicity of their complaints. Results are discussed in terms of the limited research in this area. Future studies should separate the reasons for beginning complementary treatment from the reasons for continuing it. It is possible, for instance, that the failure of orthodox medicine is the strongest motive for seeking complementary treatment but that, once treatment has been experienced, other more positive factors become more important.
Acupuncture Therapy↗
The health beliefs and behaviours of orthodox and complementary medicine clients.
This study examined different attitudes towards health and illness among an adult, working, German population. Two hundred and two subjects completed a questionnaire which assessed such beliefs as control over one's health; preventative and restorative measures in staying healthy; perceived efficacy of orthodox vs. complementary medical treatment; the underlying physiological or psychological bases of illnesses, and health consciousness. There was some evidence that females were more inclined to attend complementary forms of treatment, and that younger persons were more likely to consult an orthodox general practitioner, otherwise demographic variables were unrelated to preference for orthodox or complementary forms of treatment. Overall, the complementary medicine (CM) group compared to the general practitioner (GP) group were more critical and sceptical of the effectiveness of orthodox medicine; they felt their health could be improved; they were more loyal to their practitioner, and appeared to display more ecologically aware life-styles. Thus clients who select complementary forms of treatment may do so less from disenchantment with, and bad experience of, orthodox medical techniques rather than from a deep-seated belief in the effectiveness of complementary medicine.
Adolescent↗
Self-critical attitudes and parental criticism in young women.
It has been suggested that self-criticism derived from the family environment is a major vulnerability factor for depression. We tested in a sample of young women the hypothesis that self-criticism would be linked to parental reports of criticism, with perceived parental criticism playing a mediating role. Results indicated that self-criticism over appearance was independent of the other types of self-criticism measured. The data revealed additionally that self-criticism was related, independently of depression, to perceived parental criticism, but not to parents' own reports of criticism. Self-criticism over appearance was not related to parental variables.
Adolescent↗
A cross-cultural study of attitudes towards seeking psychological help.
Among 98 Asians and 78 Caucasian British subjects physicians' ratings of somatisising predicted patients with less positive attitudes towards psychotherapy. Whether a psychotherapist had been seen previously was also significant as was years lived in Great Britain.
Attitude to Health↗
Lay beliefs about phobia.
One hundred fifty people completed a two-part questionnaire that investigates beliefs about the nature and cure of phobia. The questionnaire was derived from interviews with people as well as a content analysis of salient literature. Both parts of the questionnaire had a fairly complex, but interpretable, factor structure. Five factors emerged from the 23-item attitude section: the idea that certain personality factors related to phobia; there are physical correlates of phobia; observational learning causes phobia; phobias are caused by behavioral pairing; and, finally, Freudian ideas of unconscious association. The 13-item treatment section showed four factors: alternative medical practices; psycho-analytic practices, desensitization, and flooding. There was a clear and logical relationship between perceptions of the causes and treatment of phobia. The study demonstrates that lay people have coherent theories of the etiology and cure of phobia.
Adolescent↗
Health, just world beliefs and coping style preferences in patients of complementary and orthodox medicine.
This study was designed to compare health and Just World Beliefs, coping style preferences and the mental health of a group of patients that utilize complementary medicine (CM), a group that exclusively use orthodox medicine (OM) and a mixed group who use both. Each participant filled out a questionnaire consisting of four sections: a measure of health beliefs which attributed certain factors to the state of their current health and to their capacity to become healthier in the future; a measure of the extent of their Belief in a Just World; a measure of coping style preference when faced with a threatening situation; and a measure of mental health. The results, co-varying out demographic factors, showed differences between the group yielded significant differences on the beliefs about future health, with the CM group scoring higher than the OM group. There were no differences in coping styles, Just World Beliefs or mental health between the three groups. The results were discussed in relation to explanations for differences in illness behaviour, specifically the reasons for choosing complementary therapies against orthodox therapies for the treatment of illness.
Adaptation, Psychological↗
The health beliefs and behaviors of three groups of complementary medicine and a general practice group of patients.
Patients (n = 256), consulting either a general practitioner (GP) or one of three complementary practitioners (osteopath, homeopath, or acupuncturist), completed a seven-part questionnaire that looked at demographic data, medical history, familiarization with complementary therapies, health beliefs and life-style, health locus of control, scientific health beliefs, and their perceptions of the consultation style of general and complementary practitioners. The four subject groups did not differ significantly on the demographic variables of sex, years of schooling, whether or not they had a degree, marital status, or income, but did differ on age and number of children. The effects of both the significant demographic variables and some aspects of patients medical history were controlled for in subsequent analyses. Acupuncture patients stood out as having the most different chronic medical history. They were also least satisfied with their GP, had least confidence in prescribed drugs, and were most concerned with leading a healthy life-style. The acupuncture patients were most skeptical about orthodox medicine. The main finding was that patients of complementary practitioners are not a homogeneous group, but do differ in their views on satisfaction with GPs, healthy life-style, global environmental issues, confidence in prescribed drugs, faith in medical science, importance of a "healthy mind," harmful effects of medical science, and scientific methodology. The results imply that patients consult different practitioners, general or alternative, on the basis of a combination of their level of skepticism about orthodox medicine, their life-style, and other health beliefs. To talk of patients of complementary practitioners as a homogeneous group is fundamentally wrong.
Acupuncture Therapy↗
The perceived efficacy of complementary and orthodox medicine in complementary and general practice patients.
A total of 216 patients attending either the British School of Osteopathy, a large acupuncture centre (City Health Centre), the Royal Homeopathic Hospital or a large general practice in South London completed a questionnaire on the perceived efficacy of orthodox and complementary medicine. The questionnaire covered 1) demographic information and experience of complementary medicine; 2) the Health Locus of Control scale; (3) attitudinal variables: belief in the importance of a scientific base to medicine, the importance of psychological factors in illness and the possible side effects of modern medicine; and 4) ratings of the perceived efficacy of acupuncture, osteopathy, homeopathy, herbalism and orthodox medicine for 16 illnesses, divided into four categories: major, minor, chronic and psychological. Whilst there was no difference between the four groups, health locus of control beliefs showed the acupuncture patients believed less in the scientific basis of orthodox medicine and more in its harmful effects compared with all other groups. Again, acupuncture patients more than any other group tended to believe in the efficacy of that therapy to 'cure' major, minor, chronic and psychological problems. Beliefs in the efficacy of complementary therapies were associated with a belief in importance of psychological factors in illness and concerns about the harmful effects of orthodox medicine. Results are discussed in terms of three things: differences between lay and professional medical beliefs; the health education implications for this research, and the role of complementary therapies in general practice and health promotion.
Acupuncture Therapy↗
The attitudes, behaviors and beliefs of patients of conventional vs. complementary (alternative) medicine.
Subjects were two groups of patients, one whose members were visiting a GP and the other whose members were seeing a variety of Alternative Practitioners (AP), who were not significantly different in terms of sex, age, level of education, marital status, occupational status, political views, newspaper readership, ethnic grouping, religion, and income. The major difference between the two groups were the fact that the AP group were more critical and skeptical about the efficacy of modern medicine; they believed their health could be improved; they stayed loyal to their chosen practitioner; they had tried more alternative therapies and have more self- and ecologically aware lifestyles; and they believed that treatment should concentrate on the whole person and greater knowledge of the physiology of the body.
Adult↗