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The relationship between attachment cognitions and psychological adjustment in late adolescent women.

This longitudinal study of 137 female high school seniors investigated the relationship of attachment cognitions, current psychological functioning, and psychological functioning 12 months later. Attachment cognitions, assessed with the Revised Adult Attachment Scale and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, were significantly associated with current symptomatology. The Revised Adult Attachment Scale, in interaction with initial symptomatology, predicted depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, and personality disorders 12 months later. The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment parent subscales predicted eating disorder and personality disorder symptomatology, whereas the peer subscales predicted substance abuse, eating disorder, and personality disorder symptomatology.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Sociable and prosocial dimensions of social competence in Chinese children: common and unique contributions to social, academic, and psychological adjustment.

A sample of 6th-grade children (N = 470), initially aged 12 years, in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, participated in this longitudinal study. Data on children's sociability and prosocial orientation were collected from peer assessments. Information on indexes of adjustment was obtained from multiple sources. The results indicated that sociable and prosocial functions were 2 overlapping, but distinct, dimensions of social competence and had common as well as unique contributions to the prediction of adjustment in specific areas. Whereas prosocial orientation was mainly predictive of social and school adjustment and externalizing problems, sociability uniquely contributed to the prediction of internalizing problems and emotional adjustment. Finally, prosocial orientation and sociability might moderate the development of adjustment difficulties.

Achievement↗

Time perspective and early-onset substance use: a model based on stress-coping theory.

This research tested the relation of time perspective to early-onset substance use (tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana) with a sample of 454 elementary school students with a mean age of 11.8 years. An adaptation of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (P. G. Zimbardo & J. N. Boyd, 1999) was administered with measures derived from stress-coping theory. Independent effects showed future orientation inversely related to substance use and present orientation positively related to substance use. Structural modeling analysis indicated that the relation of time perspective measures to substance use was indirect, mediated through behavioral coping and anger coping. Proximal factors for substance use were negative affect, peer substance use, and resistance efficacy. Results are discussed with respect to epigenetic models and the role of executive functions in self-control ability.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Hematological, anthropometric, and metabolic comparisons between vegetarian and nonvegetarian elderly women.

The purpose of this study was to investigate hematological, anthropometric, and metabolic differences in elderly women who were similar in most respects except for choice of diet. Nineteen vegetarian (V) and 12 non-vegetarian (NV) elderly women (mean ages 72.3 +/- 1.4 and 69.5 +/- 1.0 years, respectively) were recruited based on several selection criteria including race, religion, education, Quetelet Index, absence of major chronic disease and use of medications, physical activity, and geographic area. Average years of adherence by V and NV groups to dietary regimens were 46.3 +/- 3.3 and 69.6 +/- 1.0, respectively; Hematological comparisons revealed that the V elderly women had significantly lower glucose (4.60 +/- 0.09 vs 5.13 +/- 0.11 mmol/L), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.14 +/- 0.19 vs 4.09 +/- 0.27 mmol/L) and total cholesterol levels (5.41 +/- 0.20 vs 6.48 +/- 0.29 mmol/L) than the NV elderly women (P less than 0.01) for each. The V elderly women tended to have less body fat and midupper arm muscle area than the NV. No differences between groups were found in a variety of metabolic and electrocardiographic parameters during graded maximal treadmill testing except for lower heart rates in the V women. VO2max was not significantly different between the V and NV elderly women (23.8 +/- 1.5 vs 21.9 +/- 0.8 ml.kg-1.min-1, respectively). In summary, when healthy elderly V women are compared with closely matched NV peers, the vegetarian diet is associated with several benefits, primarily lower blood glucose and lipid levels, but not greater functional capacity.

Aged↗

Risk factors for adolescent marijuana use across cultures and across time.

An integrated analysis of the data from 3 different studies was conducted to examine the early psychosocial predictors of later marijuana use among adolescents. Longitudinal analysis of interview data was performed. The data used in the analysis were derived from (a) a sample of 739 predominantly White adolescents representative of the northeastern United States, (b) a sample of 1,190 minority adolescents from the East Harlem section of New York City, and (c) a sample of 1,374 Colombian adolescents from two cities in Colombia, South America. In 2 of the samples, participants were interviewed in their homes, and in the 3rd study, participants were assessed in school. The predictors included a number of variables from (a) the personality domain, reflecting the adolescents' conventionality and intrapsychic functioning; (b) the family domain, representing the parent-child mutual attachment relationship and parental substance use; (c) the peer domain, reflecting the peer group's delinquency and substance use; and (d) the adolescents' own use of legal drugs. The dependent variable was adolescent marijuana use. The results of the analysis demonstrated remarkable consistency in the risk and protective factors for later marijuana use across the 3 samples, attesting to the robust nature of these predictors and their generalizability across gender, time, location, and ethnic/cultural background. These findings have important implications for designing intervention programs. Programs aimed at preventing adolescent marijuana use can be designed to incorporate universal features and still incorporate specific components that address the unique needs of adolescents from different groups.

Adolescent↗

The ERGO genome analysis and discovery system.

The ERGO (http://ergo.integratedgenomics.com/ERGO/) genome analysis and discovery suite is an integration of biological data from genomics, biochemistry, high-throughput expression profiling, genetics and peer-reviewed journals to achieve a comprehensive analysis of genes and genomes. Far beyond any conventional systems that facilitate functional assignments, ERGO combines pattern-based analysis with comparative genomics by visualizing genes within the context of regulation, expression profiling, phylogenetic clusters, fusion events, networked cellular pathways and chromosomal neighborhoods of other functionally related genes. The result of this multifaceted approach is to provide an extensively curated database of the largest available integration of genomes, with a vast collection of reconstructed cellular pathways spanning all domains of life. Although access to ERGO is provided only under subscription, it is already widely used by the academic community. The current version of the system integrates 500 genomes from all domains of life in various levels of completion, 403 of which are available for subscription.

Animals↗

Parental identification of depression and mental health service use among depressed adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine a proposed pathway to service use among depressed adolescents, this study assessed the effects of (1) parental perceptions of family burden due to adolescents'depression, (2) adolescent-parent communication, (3) parents' depressive symptomatology, and (4) comorbid substance use disorders on parental identification of adolescent depression and use of mental health services. METHOD: A two-stage screening process was used to recruit 44 depressed adolescents and their parents from pediatrics clinics between 1997 and 1999. Measures included structured diagnostic interviews with adolescents, the Child and Adolescent Services Assessment, the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory (for parents), and the Communication subscale of the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment. RESULTS: When history of service use was controlled, two predictors--parental perceptions of family burden and presence of a substance use disorder in the adolescent--were most strongly related to parental depression-identification. The data support the role of parental identification of depression as a mediator between the parent/adolescent characteristics and reports of mental health service use. CONCLUSION: Enhancing parents' abilities to identify and understand signs of depression may facilitate service use among depressed adolescents.

Adolescent↗

Hospital networking. Comparing the work of nurses with flexible and traditional schedules.

OBJECTIVE: This research study was conducted to contrast workplace socialization of nurses working flexible (flex) and traditional schedules in an acute care setting. The study illustrates the types of social networks used by both types of nurses in a reengineered healthcare environment. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Reengineering strategies, such as flex nurse staffing, add a new dimension to workplace change and adaptation. Few studies have examined the similarities and differences between nurses working flex and traditional schedules. The research literature shows that workplace socialization significantly affects job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and retention. No studies have examined how the process of socialization--forming social networks--differs for nurses working traditional or flex schedules. METHODS AND SUBJECTS: A convenience sample of 120 nurses working traditional schedules and 46 nurses working flex schedules from a pediatric, tertiary care setting completed the Social Network Questionnaire (SNQ), a standardized instrument that records individuals' social network composition and function. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the nurses' social network composition. Both types of nurses constructed peer-based networks and nurse managers were also present in their networks. Nurses working traditional schedules used significantly more peer members for different types of emotional support, such as reassurance and handling emotional upsets. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace networks are important to both types of nurses. Nurses on flex schedules may form less social attachments in order to manage the increased demands of moving among multiple units. This group of nurses can provide clues for adaptive change in reengineered environments.

Female↗

Correlating nursing care, nursing practice, and nursing performance standards.

All too often nursing standards have been viewed as a cumbersome paperwork task with little day-to-day practical relevance. Using a matrix approach that incorporates nursing role functions and the nursing process, the authors developed a model that provides the basis for job descriptions, performance appraisals, peer review, and quality management activities.

Employee Performance Appraisal↗

An experimental analysis of aggression.

Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, and Richman developed an assessment method to identify the operant functions of self-injurious behavior. In this study, a similar method was used to assess the operant functions of aggression displayed by children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Although previous research has shown that aggression is an operant behavior, there has been no comprehensive analysis of aggression using analog functional analysis method. Eight children and adolescents participated. The experimental conditions involved attention, escape, materials, no interaction, and control. Results for 7 of the 8 participants identified clear operant functions (positive or negative reinforcement) for aggression. For 1 child, subsequent analyses suggested that aggression was possibly sensitive to peer attention as reinforcement.

Adolescent↗

Children of heroin addicts.

Fourteen Black male, opiate addicts, their wives, and their children were studied intensively using psychiatric interviews and psychological tests. Their 32 children were compared to 37 pediatric clinic children. The children raised in a home where father is an opiate addict function cognitively less well than their father, and the teenagers show earlier and stronger antisocial trends than pediatric clinic peers. On the other hand, there is a surprising absence of other psychopathology that one might expect, taking into consideration the deviant environment from which they come.

Adolescent↗

Surgical alternatives for treatment of articular cartilage lesions.

Articular cartilage injuries in the knee are common; fortunately, full-thickness articular cartilage defects constitute only a small portion of this group. These lesions may be incidentally encountered during ligament or meniscal surgery, having been silent or asymptomatic for an unknown period of time. However, when they are large and symptomatic, the surgeon may choose from a wide array of techniques available for treatment. The relatively small number of natural history studies regarding full-thickness articular surface lesions complicates the decision-making process. Accurate evaluation and classification of the anatomic defect aids in the development of a clinical algorithm for treatment. Surgical techniques are either reparative or restorative in nature. Reparative techniques fall short of complete reestablishment of the articular cartilage; however, the resultant repairs may remain quite functional for varying periods of time. Restorative techniques attempt to reestablish the native articular surface. To date, no peer-reviewed, prospective, randomized, controlled studies of operative versus nonoperative treatment for full-thickness articular cartilage lesions have been published. Even though the long-term results of surgical treatment for full-thickness articular surface lesions remain unknown, the early results are encouraging.

Adult↗

Words used by children and their primary caregivers for private body parts and functions.

BACKGROUND: Effective patient-physician communication requires the use of words that are clearly understood by both parties. We conducted this study to compile a list of words used by children and caregivers to describe "private" anatomical structures and physiological functions, to document the frequency of such usage and to examine the relation between correct word usage and caregiver's level of education. METHODS: In a large urban pediatric emergency department, a convenience sample of 156 children at least 3 years old were asked to name the body parts (penis, testes, vagina, buttocks, breasts) pointed to in 4 simple, explicit line drawings of an unclothed boy or girl, and to name the bodily functions (vomiting, defecation, urination) depicted in 3 drawings of children. Eighty-seven patients sufficiently fluent in English were included in the study. Their caregivers were asked separately what words they currently use with their child and with other adults for these body parts and functions and what words they remembered using as children. RESULTS: The children used a mean of 1.2 correct anatomical and physiological terms out of a possible 8 to describe the private parts and functions in the drawings. The mean number of correct words used by the caregivers was 2.3 when talking with their children, 3.6 when talking with their peers and 1.5 when they were children. There was no correlation between the caregiver's level of education and the frequency of correct word usage by their children. We identified slang words used by at least 5% of the respondents; however, some used the same slang words to refer to different body parts. INTERPRETATION: Given the variety of slang words used by children and their caregivers to describe private parts and functions, the meaning of the words should be clarified during history taking.

Body Image↗

Program integrity as a moderator of prevention program effectiveness: results for fifth-grade students in the adolescent alcohol prevention trial.

This study reports the results of a test of the quality of program delivery (program integrity) as a variable that may moderate the effectiveness of alcohol prevention programs. Two theory-based programs, Resistance Training and Normative Education, were delivered to fifth-grade students who were then tested on program relevant mediating variables. Resistance Training was found to improve students' knowledge of peer pressure resistance strategies, their performance on a behavioral assessment of peer pressure resistance skills and the manifestation of their future intentions to drink alcohol. Normative Education was found to improve students' perceptions of a conservative norm regarding alcohol use, facilitated their belief that refusing unwanted offers to drink alcohol could be easily accomplished and reduced their perceptions of the prevalence of alcohol use. Program integrity was measured by program specialists who taught the programs to students and by trained observers. Ratings of program integrity were found to significantly moderate outcomes for three of seven mediating variables. Affected were knowledge of peer pressure resistance strategies, behavioral pressure resistance skills and perceived self-efficacy. These results suggest that the quality of program delivery and reception may play an important moderating function on prevention program effectiveness.

Adolescent↗

Psychosocial functioning in siblings of paediatric cancer patients one to six months after diagnosis.

The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for psychosocial problems in siblings of paediatric cancer patients. One and 6 months after diagnosis, sibling self-reported anxiety, social-emotional problems and quality of life (QoL) were assessed, as were the predictor variables: sibling prediagnosis functioning, age and gender and the ill child's diagnosis. At 1 month, siblings reported a lower QoL and adolescent girls reported more emotional problems compared with peers. At 6 months, adolescent QoL remained relatively impaired. Over time, adolescent brothers reported fewer emotional and total problems and young girls reported decreased anxiety. No significant amelioration in QoL was found over time. The older the siblings were, the lower their observed QoL at both measurements and in several domains. The occurrence of life events predicted sisters' QoL at 1 month. Changes in sibling functioning were predicted by none of the investigated risk factors. Thus, QoL is impaired shortly after diagnosis. Adolescent siblings risk persisting problems in daily functioning. Further prospective research on other risk factors such as coping and family functioning over time is needed.

Adolescent↗

A peer group intervention for adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their best friends.

OBJECTIVE: To devise and implement a structured intervention for integrating peers into diabetes care in a healthy and adaptive manner. METHODS: Adolescents with diabetes (n = 21) and their best friends (n = 21) participated in a group intervention aimed at increasing diabetes knowledge and social support of diabetes care. Measures of social support, knowledge about diabetes and support, diabetes functioning, and social functioning were obtained prior to and following intervention. RESULTS: Following the intervention, adolescents and their friends demonstrated higher levels of knowledge about diabetes and support, as well as a higher ratio of peer to family support, and friends demonstrated improved self-perception. Parents reported decreased diabetes-related conflict. CONCLUSIONS: Peer group intervention approaches may result in increased positive peer involvement in adolescents' diabetes care.

Adaptation, Psychological↗