A two year follow-up study of public vocational school graduates

A 2-year follow-up study of public vocational school graduates revealed that the graduates successfully obtained jobs. Among the factors deemed important by both graduates and employer, communication skills were mentioned as vital. Counseling and preparation in getting along with others were perceived by graduates as inferior. Except for cooperative work program graduates, adjustment to an 8 hr workday caused some problems.     

A twenty-five year follow-up study of ten exceptionally creative adolescent girls

A 25-yr. follow-up of 10 women identified as highly creative during adolescence indicated that most believed they had actualized their creative potential to a moderately high degree. However, only one woman stated that creative expression was a dominant life theme and primary commitment. Factors that facilitate and inhibit creativity over a lifetime are discussed.     

Self-concepts of creative girls: a twenty-five year follow-up

The 25-yr. follow-up study of the self-concepts of a highly creative group of 10 adolescent girls showed both stability and change. In mid-life the group continued to describe themselves as both creative and intelligent; however, they also changed in that they now regard themselves as having a greater social interest.     

A one year follow-up of relaxation response meditation as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome

Ten of thirteen original participants with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) participated in a one year follow-up study to determine whether the effects of Relaxation Response Meditation (RRM) on IBS symptom reduction were maintained over the long-term. From pre-treatment to one-year follow-up, significant reductions were noted for the symptoms of abdominal pain (p = 0.017), diarrhea (p = 0.045), flatulence (p = 0.030), and bloating (p = 0.018). When we examined changes from the original three month follow-up point to the one year follow-up, we noted significant additional reductions in pain (p = 0.03) and bloating (p = 0.04), which tended to be the most distressing symptoms of IBS. It appears that: (1) continued use of meditation is particularly effective in reducing the symptoms of pain and bloating; and (2) RRM is a beneficial treatment for IBS in the both short- and the long-term.     

A parametric analysis of the relationship between food quantity and rumination

Rumination is the chronic regurgitation, chewing, and reswallowing of previously ingested food. The study reported here, using a parametric design, examined the control of rumination by the quantity of food eaten at meals. The subjects were three profoundly retarded individuals who chronically emitted this behavior. The quantity of food by weight ingested daily was varied in 10-oz steps in both ascending and descending series (data were collected only after breakfasts and lunches). Ruminating decreased when food quantity increased and increased when food quantity decreased. In addition, there was a similar inverse interaction between breakfast food quantity and post-lunch ruminating. The data showed relatively rapid transitions in both frequency and duration at each meal size for all subjects. The data establish a clear functional relation between the quantity of food ingested and ruminating.     

The relationship of negative mood regulation expectancies with rumination and distraction

Individuals high in negative mood regulation expectancies believe that a wide variety of actions has the potential to improve their negative mood. According to response expectancy theory, negative mood regulation expectancies affect mood in a nonvolitional and self-confirming manner. The present study evaluated this claim by assessing the ability of negative mood regulation expectancies to predict current depression after controlling for a variety of volitional coping responses, including rumination, distraction, active coping, and avoidant coping. 105 Introduction to Psychology college students at the University of Connecticut, 47 men and 58 women (M age = 20.3 yr., SD = 1.5), completed measures of each of the latter constructs for course credit. Results were consistent with response expectancy theory: negative mood regulation expectancies predicted current depression above and beyond coping behaviors. In addition, higher negative mood regulation expectancies were associated with greater use of adaptive coping responses. Results of this study further support the notion that effects of negative mood regulation expectancies on mood cannot be fully accounted for by intentional coping behaviors.     

Problem drinking and psychological well-being: A five year follow-up study for adolescence to young adulthood

The psychological well-being of 651 Finnish adolescents (approximately age 17) was followed to young adulthood (age 22) and examined in terms of their drinking styles at age 22. The young adults were grouped into four categories delineating drinking style (non-users, non-problem drinkers, presumptive problem drinkers, and problem drinkers), and each group was examined for evolved paths of psychological well-being. The psychological profile of the participants was comprised of seven variables: self-esteem, trait anxiety, somatic symptoms, eating concerns, and mature, neurotic, and immature defense styles. The comparison of the drinking style categories revealed that future problem drinkers had lower states of psychological well-being already in adolescence and that the differences became more pronounced during the transition to young adulthood. Poor psychological well-being is a risk for the development of later problem drinking, although the profile of this poor psychological state is somewhat different in women and men.     

Comparison of ruminative responses with negative rumination as a vulnerability factor for depression

Several studies have shown that the ruminative responses, which are defined as a coping pattern that focuses on the symptoms of depression and on the possible causes and consequences of these symptoms, are associated with depression. Recently, negative rumination, which is defined as the tendency to continue to think about something bad, harmful, or unhopeful for a long time, has been proposed as a vulnerability factor for depression. The purpose of this study was to compare depression scores associated with negative rumination and ruminative responses. We expected to find depression associated with negative rumination. The sample consisted of 188 Japanese undergraduate students (83 men: M age= 19.0 yr., SD= 1.1; 105 women: M age = 19.1 yr., SD = 1.7) taking a human sciences course at a Japanese university. Subjects participated in an 8-mo. longitudinal study. Logistic analysis indicated that negative rumination was a significant predictor of depression. However, ruminative responses as a whole were not a significant predictor of depression after controlling for negative rumination. These findings suggest that it is important to distinguish whether rumination is focused on negative or nonnegative subject matter.     

A first order approximation of satiation time: (IRT)2/Rt

Habituation, satiation, adaptation, and boredom are a few of the words used to label the behavioral consequences of a fundamental operation: repeated and protracted presentation of a stimulus. The cumulative measure of the response associated with that stimulus is expected to display an inflection at some time Ti after which the slope approaches zero. Ti can be estimated by dividing the square of the interresponse time (IRT)2 by the duration of the response associated with reinforcement (Rt), where Rt is expressed in the nearest whole temporal unit of interresponse time. Calculated TiS for habituation to the same sexual, aggressive, or social stimuli are compatible with general observation.     

Vision with spatial inversion: A follow-up study

The Psychological Record -     

A follow-up study of girls with gender identity disorder

This study provided information on the natural histories of 25 girls with gender identity disorder (GID). Standardized assessment data in childhood (mean age, 8.88 years; range, 3-12 years) and at follow-up (mean age, 23.24 years; range, 15-36 years) were used to evaluate gender identity and sexual orientation. At the assessment in childhood, 60% of the girls met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for GID, and 40% were subthreshold for the diagnosis. At follow-up, 3 participants (12%) were judged to have GID or gender dysphoria. Regarding sexual orientation, 8 participants (32%) were classified as bisexual/homosexual in fantasy, and 6 (24%) were classified as bisexual/homosexual in behavior. The remaining participants were classified as either heterosexual or asexual. The rates of GID persistence and bisexual/homosexual sexual orientation were substantially higher than base rates in the general female population derived from epidemiological or survey studies. There was some evidence of a "dosage" effect, with girls who were more cross-sex typed in their childhood behavior more likely to be gender dysphoric at follow-up and more likely to have been classified as bisexual/homosexual in behavior (but not in fantasy).     

Exploring the long-term experience of vasomotor instability: A 5 year follow-up study of distress,perceived control and catastrophizing

Some women experience vasomotor instability for many years post-menopause, but little is known about their appraisals of this health problem, their levels of distress or their coping strategies, and whether these change over time. This study followed up a group of women over 5 years, to examine changes and consistencies in frequency of flushing, flush-related distress/ discomfort, control beliefs and catastrophic thoughts. A further aim was to examine the validity of previously developed measures of perceived control and catastrophizing against conceptually relevant standardized scales. A questionnaire of 20 women (average age 53 years) was carried out, with follow-up 5 years later. Measures of flush distress, flush frequency, perceived control over hot flushes, and catastrophic thoughts about flushing was compared at Time 1 and Time 2. Additionally, multidimensional health locus of control (MHLC) and depression (CES-D) scores were taken at follow-up. All measure showed improvements in well-being. Nevertheless, there were many individual consistencies in scores on most variables at Time 1 and 2. Flush distress at Time 2 was most related to catastrophic thinking, and was slightly elevated in more depressed women. Flush distress was completely unrelated to health locus of control. Psychological responses to hot flushes seem to improve over a 5-year period, yet women show some consistency in their appraisals of this mid-life health problem. Counsellors may find that cognitive re-framing strategies are helpful for alleviating flush distress in women who are continue to be distressed by chronic vasomotor instability, as distress is so closely related to catastrophic thinking.     

A further analysis of the effect of satiation on the sucking response in puppies

The Psychological Record - A total of 84 tests were made on puppies to further examine the influence of stomach injected food on the sucking reflex. Sucking followed injection of milk in every...