Gender,Disability and Career Maturity Among College Students

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between gender, disability and career maturity among 180 college students enrolled in a university in northwestern Pennsylvania. A multivariate analysis of variance yielded a significant main effect for gender, no significant effect for disability, and no significant interaction effect. As compared with males, females demonstrated higher overall levels of career maturity, as well as higher levels of career development knowledge, including knowledge about decision making and the world of work.     

Stigma by Association: Perceptions of the Dating Partners of College Students With Physical Disabilities

In an investigation of stigma by association, 179 nondisabled students gave free-response and adjective checklist responses in one of four experimental conditions: stimulus person as dating partner of a disabled male, of a disabled female, of a nondisabled male, or of a nondisabled female college student. Adjective checklist results indicated that, as compared with the partners of nondisabled individuals, the partners of disabled individuals were perceived as significantly more trustworthy and nurturant. Content analysis of the free-response item showed that the partners of disabled individuals were more likely to be described as having nurturant qualities than the partners of nondisabled individuals and were less likely to be described as intelligent, sociable, or athletic. Discussion focuses on the significance of these results for understanding disability stigma by association and on the implications of these findings for interaction between individuals with and without disabilities.     

Assisting At-Risk College Students With Attributional Retraining and Effective Teaching1

Attributional retraining appears to be an effective remedial intervention for college students. However, the potential moderating effects of student and classroom characteristics have not yet been investigated systematically. In two studies, attributional retraining was provided to low- and high-risk students, followed by a videotaped lecture presented by either an ineffective or effective instructor. Attributional retraining enhanced achievement on a lecture-based achievement test only when combined with effective teaching, improving the achievement of students who had previously performed poorly (Experiment l), and of low-achieving externals (Experiment 2). The intervention provided no advantage for previously successful students and low-achieving internals. Moreover, attributional retraining induced a more internal attribution profile in students with an external locus, and increased expectations of future success in both externals and internals, but again only when students also received effective instruction. These results suggest that contextual factors related to the classroom, such as quality of instruction, and individual differences have to be considered when developing attributional retraining programs.     

The Morning After: Gender Differences In Attributions About Alcohol-Related Sexual Encounters1

Traditional sex role characteristics suggest that women may be more dissatisfied with casual sex than men. We investigated this notion by examining the reactions of women and men to a hypothetical, first-time sexual encounter. An additional factor that was hypothesized to affect reactions was the presence of alcohol, which may serve as a cue for sexual disinhibition. College students read a scenario depicting a consensual sexual encounter between two people who met at a party, and made judgments about the partners' behavior and characteristics. Four versions of the scenario varied the alcohol consumption of both characters. Results showed that men were more likely than women to find the behavior of each partner socially acceptable, to foresee a positive future for the couple as a result of their sexual encounter, and to predict that they themselves would engage in similar behavior. Although no main effects for alcohol consumption were found, alcohol consumption interacted with gender to influence judgments about the characters' sexuality. Results are discussed in terms of sex role stereotyping and the tendency of both sexes to misunderstand or misperceive each other's sexual feelings.     

某大学学生的DISC人格特质调查分析

目的：了解某大学学生的人格特质。方法：本研究以184名学生为被试,通过SPSS11.5统计软件进行统计分析。结果：①该大学学生的人格特质类型以稳定性-S型为主,其中,S-1和S-2类型的居多;②性别差异在人格特质的服从性上差异显著,其中,男生的服从性高于女生的服从性;③学历差异在人格特质的稳定性上差异显著,其中,本科生的稳定性高于研究生的稳定性。结论：本研究能从某一程度上反映该大学学生的人格特质。     

Irritability as a Transdiagnostic Vulnerability Trait:Current Issues and Future Directions

In recent years, irritability has received increasing attention among mental health professionals given its transdiagnostic associations with diverse forms of psychopathology. In contrast to other emotional states and traits, however, literature addressing associations between irritability and related temperament and personality constructs is limited. In addition, those who study irritability have diverse perspectives on its neurobiological substrates. In this comment, we situate irritability in the literatures on child temperament and adult personality, and describe a model in which irritability derives from low tonic dopamine (DA) levels and low phasic DA reactivity in subcortical neural structures implicated in appetitive responding. We note that different findings often emerge in neuroimaging studies when irritability is assessed in circumscribed diagnostic groups versus representative samples. We conclude with directions for future research, and propose that more authors use hierarchical Bayesian modeling, which captures functional dependencies between irritability and other dispositional traits (e.g., trait anxiety) that standard regression models are insensitive too. Treatment implications are also considered.     

Dimensions of Trait Attributions Associated with Eyeglasses,Men's Facial Hair,and Women's Hair Length1

This research investigated the effects of men's eyeglasses and facial hair and women's eyeglasses and hair length on the traits associated with facial schemata. One hundred and thirty-five introductory psychology students rated Photo-Ident^TM composites of stimulus persons on 20 adjectival continua. A factor analysis of the scores extracted three factors: Social Value, Social Forcefulness, and Mental Competence. Eyeglasses on both the men and women were associated with attributions of diminished forcefulness and heightened competence. Men's beards were associated with lessened competence. Women's long hair was associated with decreased forcefulness. The results were interpreted in terms of the effects of the independent variables on apparent facial maturity.     

特质焦虑大学生注意偏向的实验研究

焦虑与注意偏向的研究是近年来情绪与认知领域的热点.本研究采用点探测和线索靶子两个实验任务来探讨特质焦虑大学生注意偏向的特点及其内在机制.结果表明:(1)高特质焦虑大学生对负性情绪词附近靶刺激的反应时显著短于中性和正性情绪词附近的靶刺激.表现出一种对负性刺激的注意偏向.而低特质焦虑大学生没有出现注意偏向;(2)高低特质焦虑大学生在有效线索情况下反应时没有显著差异;在无效线索情况下.高特质焦虑大学生对以负性情绪词为线索的靶刺激反应时显著长于对其他靶刺激的反应时,表现出一种对负性刺激的空间注意的解除困难.因此,高特质焦虑个体对负性刺激的注意偏向是一种注意解除困难.     

Age and Expectations About Counseling: Two Methodological Perspectives

Quantitative and phenomenological research methods are briefly discussed as they were simultaneously applied to expectations about counseling in 100 elderly persons and 100 gender- and ethnic-matched college students. Participants completed the Expectations About Counseling-Brief Form (EAC-B) questionnaire with appended demographic items, and also participated in semistructured group interviews. Analysis of variance indicated general similarity in EAC-B responses for elderly and young respondents. Phenomenological analyses of interview responses, however, revealed different expectations among elderly and young participants, which may account for the reluctance of many elderly persons to seek counseling. Results are discussed as they apply to counseling research and practice.     

Physical Size Stereotyping as a Mediator of Attributions of Responsibility in an Alleged Date-Rape Situation1

This research focuses on male and female observers' attributions of responsibility to a female accuser and a male accused of rape. Observers read 1 of 2 scenarios in which the accuser was either smaller or larger than the accused and then made judgments concerning each person's responsibility for what happened. The data indicated that the larger accuser was considered more responsible than the smaller accuser and the larger accused was perceived to be more responsible than the smaller accused. Females attributed more responsibility and had less sympathy, respect, and liking for the accused, whereas males attributed more responsibility and reported more negative attitudes toward the accuser. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for legal and health-care professionals.     

Associations Between Sleep Hygiene and Insomnia Severity in College Students: Cross-Sectional and Prospective Analyses

Although a small number of studies characterized cross-sectional associations between sleep hygiene and insomnia severity, no prior study has examined their relationships prospectively. Further, the relationship between sleep hygiene and insomnia severity among college students has rarely been examined. This study examined the prevalence of diverse sleep hygiene behaviors and their associations with insomnia severity in two independent samples of college students from a cross-sectional (N = 548; mean age = 19; 59% female; 71% White) and a two-wave short-term prospective (N = 157; mean age = 19; 71% female; 76% White) study. A total of 12% to 13% of students reported clinically significant insomnia. On average, students reported frequent engagement in inconsistent sleep-wake schedules and lounging and worrying/thinking about important matters in the bed. Improper sleep scheduling, behaviors that promote arousal near bedtime, and uncomfortable sleeping environments were positively associated with cross-sectional insomnia severity. After controlling for other well-established risk factors, only improper sleep scheduling remained significant. Prospectively, baseline improper sleep scheduling predicted insomnia severity at a 2-month follow-up after controlling for baseline insomnia severity and other well-established risk factors. Together, findings suggest a potential unique role of improper sleep scheduling in insomnia among college students.     

Attitudes of Health Care Trainees About Genetics and Disability: Issues of Access, Health Care Communication, and Decision Making

Prior studies suggest that knowledge and attitudes of health care professionals influence patient communication and medical decision making. To study this dynamic in the context of genetic disability, we developed a survey on health professionals' attitudes regarding disability and genetic screening and pilot-tested it on a sample of medical students, residents, and genetic counseling students (N = 85). Despite minimal experience with disability or genetics, most respondents reported feeling comfortable dealing with genetics (59%) and disability (75%). The majority felt that disability caused significant suffering for both the person (51%) and family (64%), and that research should be directed toward preventing genetic disability (62%). Similar to prior literature, perceived Quality of Life was most often based on degrees of physical and cognitive functioning, pain, and social support. However, differences were found between genetic counseling trainees and other medical trainees in their relative emphasis of social versus medical issues in questions of disability and genetic testing, and these response patterns were associated with differences in the groups' priorities for offering information about social resources. Respondents agreed that access to genetic testing and information is personal and that testing should be available upon request for oneself (68%) and to a lesser degree for one's fetus (55%) or child (41%). However, the same individuals frequently stated that society should regulate access to such technologies. Although most felt that the patient and professional should jointly make such decisions on a case-by-case basis, it was also seen as appropriate for the health care professional to occasionally decline genetic testing. It seems apparent that training and experience influence knowledge and attitudes. Therefore, it is critical to document knowledge and attitudes of various health care providers and trainees, including differences between various specialties, to improve educational interventions geared to this area.     

Career and Career-Related Educational Concerns of College Students With Disabilities

This article providas career counselors with an overview of career-related issues relevant to students with disabilities in postsecondary educational settings. Topics addressed include the impact of disability on career development, the impact of disability on postsecondary educational participation, and access and accommodation issues. The authors argue for an expanded role for career counselors who work with college students with disabilities. It is concluded that career counselors can play an important role in facilitating college students with disabilities in their adaptation to the college environment, their acquisition of appropriate accommodations, and their transition to employment.     

Personality Adjustment in College Students With a Parent Perceived as Alcoholic or Nonalcoholic

Adjustment of 547 college students was examined by the variables of alcoholic parentage and participant gender. Results from a multivariate analysis of variance, using the Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms, indicated significant main effects for gender but not for alcoholic parentage. Significant gender differences occurred for alcohol abuse, drug abuse, paranoid psychosis, affective depression, anxiety disorders, psychological factors affecting physical condition, immature character, and neurotic character. Findings suggest that college students from alcoholic homes should not be distinguished from the general population in terms of their adjustment.     

Community-based Norms About Intimate Partner Violence: Putting Attributions of Fault and Responsibility into Context

Fault and responsibility are key concepts in understanding how victims and assailants are, or are not, held accountable by society. We used a fractional factorial vignette design with a community-residing sample of 3,679 adults to examine judgments about intimate partner violence (IPV). Although fault, or causal responsibility, was assigned most often to assailants (69%), respondents assigned solution responsibility most often to both persons (52%) or to the victim alone (31%): interpersonal communication for couples (38%) and self-protective actions for victims (i.e., engaging formal authorities [12%] and/or leaving the assailant [11%]) were the most frequent suggestions. Potential injury to the victim and gender/relationship-based norms had the greatest impact on judgments. Findings may inform strategies to alter social norms regarding IPV. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Attributions About Rape: Effects of Rapist Force, Observer Sex and Sex Role Attitudes

The present study investigated subjects' perceptions of a hypothetical rape situation as a function of the amount of force used in the rape, sex of subject, and subjects' attitudes toward feminism. Two hundred thirty-two subjects (118 females, 114 males) were randomly assigned by sex to one of three force conditions. Consistent with expectation, subjects expressed greater certainty that a rape had actually occurred with increased force on the part of the assailant ( p <.001). A second hypothesis received partial support: Increasing force led to stronger attributions of rape on the part of traditional women, whereas liberal women tended to see the incident as rape at all force levels. A similar relationship did not emerge for men, however. As predicted, profeminist subjects implicated societal factors as causal in rape to a greater extent than did nonfeminists. Contrary to prediction, however, pro- and nonfeminists were not found to differ from each other in the degree of blame attributed to either the victim or the assailant. The findings support the general notion that one's gender and sex-role attitudes as well as the degree of force used by a rape assailant affect one's evaluation of this situation and the manner in which one attributes cause. Implications for rape prevention and victim reaction are discussed.     

Tutor Attributions and Attitude As a Function of Tutee Performance1

In a single-session tutoring situation, a sixth-grade tutor taught a concept-formation task to a third-grade tutee. Over the series of trials, performance of the tutee was controlled to create differential patterns of success and failure on the task: success-success, failure-failure, success-failure, and failure-success. Results showed that sequence of performance exerted a strong impact on the tutor's attributions of ability and affective responses concerning the tutee. The tutee's initial performance had greater impact on the tutor's reactions than later performance, indicating a strong primacy effect. Differential performance by the tutee did not affect the tutor's evaluation of his own teaching ability.