A company-based lottery to reduce the personal driving of employees

A company-based lottery was used to reduce the number of nonessential miles employees drove their personal cars each day and thereby save gasoline. Employees were divided into an experimental and a contrast group. The experimental design involved two conditions: (a) a baseline in which no consequences were attached to driving behavior, and (b) a month-long lottery in which the experimentals were rewarded for decreasing their percentage of average miles driven per day relative to their initial baseline average. The experimentals received an ABA order of conditions while the contrast group remained in baseline. The lottery condition consisted of four weekly lotteries and one grand drawing held at the end of the month. During the lottery condition, the experimentals reduced their average daily mileage by 11.6% relative to their initial baseline (7.85 miles per employee per day) while the contrast employees increased their average mileage by 21.2%. Both groups exceeded their initial baseline averages in the return to baseline. The study was almost cost-effective because the experimentals' gas savings ($75) was within $4 of the cost of motivating them to reduce their mileage ($79).     

Testing a model of codependency for college students in Taiwan based on Bowen's concept of differentiation

The purpose of this study was to test a model of codependency based on Bowen's concept of differentiation for college students in Taiwan. The relations between family‐of‐origin dysfunction, differentiation of self, codependency traits and related symptoms including low self‐esteem, relationship distress and psychological adjustment problems were examined. Data were collected from 567 college students from 2 large, urban universities in northern Taiwan. Results indicated a significantly negative relationship between levels of codependency and self‐differentiation and that self‐differentiation partially mediated the relationship between family‐of‐origin dysfunction and codependency. The implications of these findings for counselling Taiwanese college students who experience codependency traits and related symptoms as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Predictors and outcomes of cyberbullying among college students: A two wave study

Existing research on cyberbullying has primarily focused on adolescents in cross-sectional survey studies, with less research focusing on college students or employed adults over longer periods of time. To extend this literature, the current study examined new predictors and outcomes of cyberbullying perpetration (CP) and victimization (CV) among college students from two different universities that were followed across two time points. Risk factors were measured in line with previous theoretical models, including biological or personality-related variables (e.g., low self-control, dark-side personality traits, empathy) and environmental variables (e.g., perceived social support, lack of rule clarity, and internet use). Additionally, we examined several possible outcomes of CV and CP. Results from path analyses revealed that involvement with traditional bullying (either as a perpetrator or a victim) as well as Machiavellianism significantly predicted CV and CP. With regard to the cross-lagged associations between CV and CP, we found that Time 1 CV predicted time 2 CP, but Time 1 CP did not predict Time 2 CV. That is, being a victim of cyberbullying during the Fall semester predicted involvement as a perpetrator in the Spring semester. However, being a perpetrator during the Fall semester did not predict being a victim during the Spring semester. Regarding outcomes, we found that CV significantly predicted anxiety, depression, and helping behavior, and CP significantly predicted deviant behavior, but not GPA nor alcohol consumption. These findings have practical implications for college students as well as university student support services.     

Depression for college students in a traditional Christian culture context: the role of attachment,spirituality and social support

The role of attachment, perceived social support, and perceived discrepancy from spiritual ideal were assessed in their association with depression in college students in a Christian culture environment. Participants (N?=?155) at a small Christian university completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire, and questions about satisfaction with social support and discrepancy of their spiritual well-being to an ideal spiritual well-being. Results showed that social support, insecure attachment and discrepancy from spiritual ideal were all significant predictors of depression. Attachment was found to moderate the association between perceived spiritual well-being and depression, with insecurely attached individuals more at risk for depression if they evaluate their spiritual development as lacking. Implications are discussed.     

Randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a web-based stress management program among community college students

Background and Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a web-based stress management program among community college students that focused on increasing perceived control over stressful events. Design: Students (N = 257) were randomly assigned to a Present Control Intervention or a Stress-information only comparison group. Methods: Primary outcomes were perceived stress and stress symptoms; secondary outcomes were depression and anxiety. Self-report measures were completed online at preintervention, postintervention, and three-week follow-up. Intervention effects were estimated using linear mixed models. Seventy-five percent of the sample (n = 194) completed the pretest and comprised the intent-to-treat sample. Results: Participants in the intervention group reported significant increases in present control, and significant decreases in all four primary and secondary outcome measures from baseline to postintervention and follow-up. Within-group effect sizes were small to medium at postintervention (mean d = –.34) and follow-up (mean d = –.49). The mean between-group effect size on the four outcome measures was d = .35 at postintervention but d = .12 at follow-up, due to unexpected decreases in distress in the comparison group. Conclusions: Our online program is a cost-effective mental health program for college students. Limitations and future direction are discussed.     

家庭第一代大学生的心理挑战及其解析——基于文化不匹配理论的视角

家庭第一代大学生在大学校园的学习和生活中都面临着一定的挑战。以往文献表明家庭第一代大学生表现出了明显的心理适应水平低, 学校参与度不高以及学业表现不足。文化不匹配理论从大学生的文化自我模式与高校文化规范之间关系出发, 解释了家庭第一代大学生在大学生活中的适应与学业成就等方面的不利处境。以文化不匹配理论为基础, 对家庭第一代大学生所面临的心理行为挑战及其干预实践进行了系统的回顾。未来的研究可以关注人格因素对文化不匹配的调节作用, 也可以探讨教育多样化在推进教育公平过程中的角色以及我国家庭第一代大学生的独特心理特征等内容。     

Relational aggression in college students: Examining the roles of social anxiety and empathy

This study examined the unique contributions of social anxiety and empathy to relational aggression in 300 19–to–25–year–old (M=21.25; SD=1.32) male (n=97) and female (n=203) college students using hierarchical linear regression analysis. The interactive relations between gender and social anxiety, and between gender and empathy, were also assessed. In addition to the gender and overt aggression covariates, fear of negative evaluation and perspective taking were unique predictors of relational aggression. Males, students who were more overtly aggressive, and those who reported greater fear of negative evaluation were more relationally aggressive than were peers. Students with higher levels of perspective taking reported using less relational aggression than did peers. A gender x empathetic concern interaction indicated that for males only, lower levels of empathetic concern were associated with higher levels of relational aggression. Results are discussed within a social information‐processing perspective. Aggr. Behav. 29:430–439, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The roles of delay and probability discounting in texting while driving: Toward the development of a translational scientific program

A sample of 109 college students completed a survey to assess how frequently they send or read text messages while driving. In a novel discounting task with a hypothetical scenario in which participants receive a text message while driving, they rated the likelihood of replying to a text message immediately versus waiting to reply until arriving at a destination. The scenario presented several delays to a destination and probabilities of a motor vehicle crash. The likelihood of waiting to reply decreased as a function of both the delay until the destination and the probability of a motor vehicle crash. Self‐reported higher frequencies of texting while driving were associated with greater rates of both delay and probability discounting. The degree of delay discounting was altered as a function of the probability of a motor vehicle crash and vice versa. These results suggest that both delay and probability discounting are important underlying mechanisms of drivers' decision to text while driving.     

The relationship between ADHD symptoms and driving behavior in college students: The mediating effects of negative emotions and emotion control

Previous research has shown a relationship between attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and driving anger and adverse driving outcomes. Moreover, adults with ADHD symptoms express their emotions in more aggressive ways, indicating a lack of emotion control. The present study surveyed 246 college students to examine the relationship among ADHD symptoms, negative emotions, emotion control, and driving anger and safe driving behavior. Mediating effects of negative emotions and emotional control on the relationship between ADHD symptoms and self-reported driving anger and safe driving behavior were also examined. Both negative emotions and emotion control were significant mediators of the relationship between ADHD symptoms and driving anger, but not safe driving behavior. Mediation was stronger for ADHD-Hyperactive/Impulsive symptoms than for ADHD-Inattention symptoms. These results may provide some insight on how to design training programs for individuals with ADHD symptoms to increase driving safety.     

Validation of the F-DBQ: A short (and accurate) risky driving behavior questionnaire for long-haul professional drivers

Although the Driving Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) remains the most known tool for assessing risky road behaviors among motor vehicle drivers, recent studies have raised several concerns on the specificity of both driving task conditions and behavioral repertory of certain segments of the driving population. Among them, long-haul (cargo) professional drivers constitute one of the “intensive driving” groups for which the existing adapted behavioral research tools are still very scarce.PurposeThe aim of the present study was to test and validate the F-DBQ (or “Freight Driving Behavior Questionnaire”), a short version of the DBQ adapted to the occupational driving conditions and typical road risk behaviors of freight drivers.MethodFor this cross-sectional study, a sample of n = 982 Spanish long-haul drivers with a mean age of 48.5 years was used, responding to a questionnaire composed of measures on road risk behaviors (DBQ), fatigue (Checklist Individual Strength – CIS and Need for Recovery Scale – NFR) and job stress (Effort–Reward Imbalance questionnaire – ERI).ResultsThrough competitive Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) with structural equation models, it was found that the F-DBQ has a clear dimensional structure, a fair goodness-of-fit, high factorial weights, internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity and an improved fit to long haul drivers’ working conditions. Also, both (general and work-related) fatigue and job stress have shown to have a significant role in explaining risky road behaviors of long-haul drivers.ConclusionThe findings of this study support that an abbreviated version of the Driving Behavior Questionnaire (the F-DBQ) can be used to assess traffic violations and errors among long-haul drivers, in consideration of their specific task-related conditions (that qualitatively differ from other groups of drivers), with potential implications on the enforcement of occupational and road safety research.     

大学生社会比较与抑郁：人际自立影响的性别差异

社会比较是人类生活中的普遍现象。通过对701名大学生的问卷调查,研究分析了大学生社会比较、抑郁、人际自立以及性别间的影响关系,结果发现：大学生抑郁与能力比较显著正相关,与人际自立显著负相关。多重调节模型分析表明,人际自立显著调节能力比较与抑郁关系,且有性别差异。低人际自立男大学生,能力比较显著影响其抑郁程度。建议重点关注低人际自立男大学生,及时化解其由于社会比较产生的负性情绪,避免陷入抑郁“泥潭”。     

Academic achievement in first-year Portuguese college students: the role of academic preparation and learning strategies

This paper analyses the role of academic preparation and learning strategies in the prediction of first-year Portuguese college students' academic achievement, considering students' sex and academic field attended. A sample of 445 first-year college students (68.5% female) from the University of Minho (25.8% enrolled in economics, 35.3% in science/technology, and 38.9% in humanities degrees) participated in the study. Students answered a questionnaire on learning strategies in the classroom at the end of the first semester, which consisted of 44 items organized in five dimensions: comprehensive approach, surface approach, personal competency perceptions, intrinsic motivation, and organization of study activities. Academic achievement (grade point average at the end of first year) and academic preparation (students' higher education access mark) were obtained through the academic records of the university. Results showed that academic preparation was the strongest predictor of first-year academic achievement, and only marginal additional variance was explained by learning strategies as assessed by the self-reported questionnaire. There were sex and academic field differences, but these variables do not seem strong enough to affect the results, although the different percentages of variance captured by each model and the different weights associated to higher education access mark, stimulate the use of these and/or other personal and contextual variables when analysing the phenomenon.     

Social support and psychosocial competence: Explaining the adaptation to college of ethnically diverse students

Examined relationships among social support, psychosocial competence, and adaptation to college in a sample of 357 African American, Asian American, Latino, and white college students. Social support and active coping were significant predictors of adaptation to college, whereas locus of control was not. However, there was an interaction between ethnicity and locus of control indicating that although internal African American, Latino, and white students had higher adaptation-to-college scores than external students, the opposite was true for Asian Americans. The relationships among social support, internality, and active coping were also explored. Satisfaction with social support and internality were positively related to active coping, but locus of control and social support were unrelated. Active coping and internality were significantly related to each other for all groups except for African Americans. Although most relationships were the same across groups, these findings call attention to the role of ethnicity as a moderator of college adjustment processes.     

Effects of the contingency for homework submission on homework submission and quiz performance in a college course

Effects of the contingency for submission of homework assignments on the probability of assignment submission and on quiz grades were assessed in an undergraduate psychology course. Under an alternating treatments design, each student was assigned to a points condition for 5 of 10 quiz-related homework assignments corresponding to textbook chapters. Points were available for homework submission under this condition; points were not available under the no-points condition. The group-mean percentage of homework assignments submitted and quiz grades were higher for all chapters under the points condition than in the no-points condition. These findings, which were replicated in Experiment 2, demonstrate that homework submission was not maintained when the only consequences were instructor-provided feedback and expectation of improved quiz performance.     

Social anxiety and vulnerability for problematic drinking in college students: the moderating role of post-event processing

Socially anxious college students are at increased risk for engaging in problematic drinking (i.e. heavy or risky drinking) behaviors that are associated with the development of an alcohol use disorder. The present study examined whether post-event processing (PEP), repeatedly thinking about and evaluating one’s performance in a past social situation, strengthens the association between social anxiety and vulnerability to problematic drinking among college students. Eighty-three college drinkers with high or low social anxiety participated in a social interaction task and were exposed to a manipulation that either promoted or inhibited PEP about the social interaction. Among participants randomized to the PEP promotion condition, those with high social anxiety exhibited a greater urge to use alcohol after the social interaction and greater motivation to drink to cope with depressive symptoms over the week following the manipulation than did those with low social anxiety. These findings suggest that targeting PEP in college drinking intervention programs may improve the efficacy of such programs for socially anxious students.     

Examining the initial usability,acceptability and feasibility of a digital mental health intervention for college students in India

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is prevalent among college students in India; however, barriers like stigma, treatment accessibility and cost prevent engagement in treatment. Web- and mobile-based, or digital, mental health interventions have been proposed as a potential solution to increasing treatment access. With the ultimate goal of developing an engaging digital mental health intervention for university students in India, the current study sought to understand students' reactions to a culturally and digitally adapted evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for GAD intervention. Specifically, through theatre testing and focus groups with a non-clinical sample of 15 college students in India, the present study examined initial usability, acceptability and feasibility of the “Mana Maali Digital Anxiety Program.” Secondary objectives comprised identifying students' perceived barriers to using the program and eliciting recommendations. Results indicated high usability, with the average usability rating ranking in the top 10% of general usability scores. Participants offered actionable changes to improve usability and perceived acceptability among peers struggling with mental health issues. Findings highlight the benefits of offering digital resources that circumvent barriers associated with accessing traditional services. Results build on existing evidence that digital interventions can be a viable means of delivering mental healthcare to large, defined populations.     

Promoting safety belt use among state employees: the effects of prompting and a stimulus-control intervention.

This study assessed the effects of dashboard stickers and signature sheets on safety belt use among occupants of state-owned vehicles in three Florida agencies. The stickers and signature sheets contained information regarding a regulation requiring safety belt use and a consequence of a 25% reduction in benefits for noncompliance if the driver were to become involved in an accident. Safety belt use significantly increased during the intervention phase in all three agencies and maintained variable but high levels for 5 months. In Agency 1 and Agency 2 (stickers plus signature sheets) safety belt use increased from averages of 10.8% and 9.4% during baseline to 57.4% and 47.0%, respectively, during intervention. In Agency 3 (stickers only) the rates of safety belt use averaged 9.7% during baseline and 38.0% during intervention. Some increases in private vehicle use were observed. A substantial reduction in workers'' compensation claim costs was shown for the target agencies with some reductions also shown in the nontarget agencies.     

The reliability and construct validity of scores on the Japanese version of an academic self‐concept scale for a sample of college students1

Abstract: This study investigated the internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity of scores on the Japanese version of the Dimensions of Self‐Concept (DOSC) academic self‐concept scale for a sample of 177 students at a small Japanese private college. Confirmatory factor analyses showed promising support for the construct validity of scores on the six factor subscales (Level of Aspiration, Anxiety, Academic Interest and Satisfaction, Leadership and Initiative, Identification versus Alienation, and Stress), representing the six hypothesized constructs of academic self‐concept. Internal consistency reliability of scores on the six subscales ranged from 0.82 to 0.87.     

Positive emotions,hope, and life satisfaction in Chinese adults: a test of the broaden-and-build model in accounting for subjective well-being in Chinese college students

ABSTRACT

The present study sought to determine if the positive association between positive emotions and life satisfaction can be understood as a function of hope in Chinese. Consistent with the broaden-and-build model of positive emotions, we tested the hypothesis that positive affectivity, the disposition to experience positive emotions, would be associated with broadening hope agency, building hope pathways, or both, in a sample of 212 Chinese college students. Results examining for bootstrapped mediation testing with multiple mediators indicated that positive affectivity was indirectly associated with life satisfaction through hope agency, but not through hope pathways. In support for partial mediation, however, the association between positive affectivity and life satisfaction remained significant even after including hope components in the model. Some implications of the present findings are discussed.