奖赏和损失情境下男性海洛因戒断者的风险决策缺陷

摘 要 采用修改版的多伦多赌博任务考察决策情境对海洛因戒断者风险决策的影响。研究结果主要发现,海洛因戒断者在损失情境下的风险寻求决策比率与吸毒年限显著正相关,这种相关提示了风险决策背景下海洛因成瘾者持续使用毒品与其较低的损失敏感性之间的复杂交互作用。其次,海洛因戒断者在做出风险决策后收到消极反馈时的风险规避倾向可以负向预测其风险寻求决策比率,这可能进一步反映了海洛因戒断者风险感知的钝化或其对消极反馈信息的整合加工存在异常。     

The association between heroin use and anxiety sensitivity among inner-city individuals in residential drug use treatment

The current study represents an initial investigation of the association between heroin use and anxiety sensitivity (AS). Within a sample of 172 inner-city treatment seeking drug users, AS was compared across past year (1) heroin users with no crack/cocaine use (n=12); (2) crack/cocaine users with no heroin use (n=66); (3) users of both heroin and crack/cocaine (n=45); and (4) individuals with no use of heroin or crack/cocaine (n=49). Consistent with expectations, primary heroin users evidenced higher levels of AS than all other groups, with these differences also evidenced for the physical and social subscales. Differences in AS total score and physical subscale score persisted after controlling for demographic variables, depressive symptoms, and primary use of drugs other than heroin and crack/cocaine including alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, and hallucinogens. Findings suggest a unique relationship between AS and heroin, and set the stage for future work explicating the direction of the observed association.     

The prevalence of stalking of psychological therapists working in primary care by current or former clients

The prevalence of being a victim of harassment or stalking among the general population of the UK is held to be 11.8 per cent. There has been speculation that the prevalence rate would be higher for psychological therapists, as they could be at risk from their own clients. This study analysed the prevalence of job‐related experiences of harassment or stalking in a postal survey of psychological therapists who worked in primary care. The results showed a prevalence rate of more than twice the national average at 24 per cent. The stalkers, who were equally male or female, fell into three broad categories: those clients who were needy and made early attachments to their therapists; those experiencing erotic transference; and those with personality disorders. The implications of these findings for training and practice are discussed.     

heroin injection among addicted felons: testing extant theories

Five causal explanations for heroin injection among addicted felons are summarized from extant literature: stratification hypothesis, market forces hypothesis, social network hypothesis, risk-taking syndrome hypothesis, and career intensification hypothesis. These theories were tested on a sample of 366 heroin-addicted felons from Brooklyn. Variables derived from these hypotheses correctly predicted 76 percent of the cases. The hypotheses with the strongest empirical support were the social network and risk-taking syndrome. According to the social network hypothesis, age, gender, and ethnic groups developed their own heroin subcultures that influence injecting behavior. In the risk-taking hypothesis, users who engaged in other non-drug reckless behaviors were at a higher risk of injecting heroin. The availability (street price) of heroin surfaced as the strongest correlate of heroin injection as more users self-identified as injectors during periods of lower availability. Age and longevity of heroin use were found to negatively correlate with injection. Policy implications derived from these findings are discussed.     

Personality Traits Increasingly Important for Male Fertility: Evidence from Norway

We study the relationship between personality traits and fertility using a survey of Norwegian men and women born from 1927 to 1968 (N = 7017 individuals). We found that personality relates to men's and women's fertility differently; conscientiousness decreases female fertility, openness decreases male fertility and extraversion raises the fertility of both sexes. Neuroticism depresses fertility for men, but only for those born after 1956. The lower male fertility in younger cohorts high in neuroticism cannot be explained by partnership status, income or education. The proportion of childless men (at age 40 years) has increased rapidly for Norwegian male cohorts from 1940 to 1970 (from about 15 to 25 per cent). For women, it has only increased marginally (from 10 to 13 per cent). Our findings suggest that this could be partly explained by the increasing importance of personality characteristics for men's probability of becoming fathers. Men that have certain personality traits may increasingly be avoiding the long‐term commitment of having children, or their female partners are shunning entering this type of commitment with them. Childbearing in contemporary richer countries may be less likely to be influenced by economic necessities and more by individual partner characteristics, such as personality. Copyright © 2013 European Association of Personality Psychology     

Treatment Populations,Services, and Outcomes for Cocaine and Crack-Cocaine Dependence

This paper analyzes demographic and other pretreatment characteristics, measures of treatment services received, and treatment outcomes of participantsin the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (NTIES), a large-scale longitudinal study of substance abuse treatment (D. R. Gerstein et al., 1997; R. A. Johnson & D. R. Gerstein, 2000). The focus here is those treated primarily for cocaine powder or crack-cocaine dependence, compared with those in treatment for other substances, particularly heroin. Crack-dependent users tend to be female and black, older than primary marijuana or alcohol users but younger than those in treatment for heroin. Primary cocaine powder or crack users are likely to have entered treatment under pressure from the criminal justice system. After treatment there are substantial reductions in use of cocaine powder and crack, especially among participants with fewer prior treatment episodes and lower pretreatment intensity of use. Longer duration and intensity of treatment result in greater reductions in cocaine and crack use.     

Students' perceptions of constructivist Internet learning environments by a physics virtual laboratory: the gap between ideal and reality and gender differences.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of Internet users of a physics virtual laboratory, Demolab, in Taiwan. Learners' perceptions of Internet-based learning environments were explored and the role of gender was examined by using preferred and actual forms of a revised Constructivist Internet-based Learning Environment Survey (CILES). The students expressed a clear gap between ideal and reality, and they showed higher preferences for many features of constructivist Internet-based learning environments than for features they had actually learned in Demolab. The results further suggested that male users prefer to be involved in the process of discussion and to show critical judgments. In addition, male users indicated they enjoyed the process of negotiation and discussion with others and were able to engage in reflective thoughts while learning in Demolab. In light of these findings, male users seemed to demonstrate better adaptability to the constructivist Internet-based learning approach than female users did. Although this study indicated certain differences between males and females in their responses to Internet-based learning environments, they also shared numerous similarities. A well-established constructivist Internet-based learning environment may encourage more female learners to participate in the science community.     

海洛因依赖者抑制控制功能的损伤机制及其可逆性

抑制控制障碍是海洛因依赖者认知功能受损的核心问题, 是影响复吸的关键因素。大量研究证实了海洛因依赖者抑制控制功能的受损, 并且发现长期药物滥用者额叶、前扣带回皮层、中脑腹侧被盖区、伏隔核、脑岛等相关脑区活动存在异常。以往研究表明海洛因依赖者抑制控制功能受损是一种持久性的、不可逆的脑损伤, 但最近一些研究却提供了毒品戒断者抑制控制功能生物性恢复的证据。未来的研究应该更加关注多重冲突条件下海洛因依赖者抑制控制功能的研究, 并且在戒毒实践中根据海洛因戒断者自身特点进行区分性治疗。     

Perceived Contraceptive Attributes and Method Choice1

This research investigated the relationship of perceived contraceptive attributes to contraceptive choice. More specifically, the study a) examined what attributes women perceive as important in their choice of a contraceptive method; b) compared women who use the vaginal sponge with women who use oral contraceptives or the diaphragm on perceived importance of attributes; and c) compared sponge users with pill users and diaphragm users on perceived characteristics of three contraceptive methods. Data were collected in telephone interviews from a national sample of 330 current sponge users and 330 women who use other forms of female contraception. Those attributes that were rated highest concerned effectiveness and safety, whereas those that were rated lowest focused on convenience of use and interference with sexual activity. Women differed somewhat by user status on the attributes they believe are important in contraceptive choice, with each group emphasizing those attributes characterizing their own method. Moreover. each user group perceived their own method more favorably than did users of other methods. Perceptions of specific contraceptive methods. particularly the sponge. were more predictive of user status than were general importance ratings.     

Electro-aversion therapy of chronic alcoholism

Twenty-six male patients with severe chronic alcoholism were treated with electro-aversion therapy according to two different designs. At follow-up after 12 months, 24 per cent had not had any relapse requiring admissions to hospital, 12 per cent were lost during the follow-up period, and 64 per cent had relapses. Before treatment all the patients had been admitted to hospital several times a year.

Aversion therapy without supplementary treatment is indicated mainly for patients who have intact social relationships and regular work. Treatment of advanced states of alcoholism requires supplementary treatment in the form of anxiety-relieving methods, psychosocial support and teaching the patient new and alternative habits.     

Gray matter density negatively correlates with duration of heroin use in young lifetime heroin-dependent individuals

Numerous studies have documented cognitive impairments and hypoactivity in the prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices in drug users. However, the relationships between opiate dependence and brain structure changes in heroin users are largely unknown. In the present study, we measured the density of gray matter (DGM) with voxel-based morphometry in 30 lifetime heroin-dependent individuals who had abstained from drug use for 5 months, and 34 healthy participants. The DGM of the prefrontal, temporal and cingulate cortices significantly decreased in heroin addicts relative to the healthy group. Critically, partial correlation analysis, which controlled for age, education and gender factors as well as nicotine use and heroin abstinence duration, showed that the duration of heroin use negatively correlated with the DGM in heroin-dependent individuals. These results provide compelling evidence for structural abnormality in heroin-dependent individuals and further suggest that duration of heroin use is a critical factor leading to brain damage.     

Gray matter density negatively correlates with duration of heroin use in young lifetime heroin-dependent individuals

Numerous studies have documented cognitive impairments and hypoactivity in the prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices in drug users. However, the relationships between opiate dependence and brain structure changes in heroin users are largely unknown. In the present study, we measured the density of gray matter (DGM) with voxel-based morphometry in 30 lifetime heroin-dependent individuals who had abstained from drug use for 5 months, and 34 healthy participants. The DGM of the prefrontal, temporal and cingulate cortices significantly decreased in heroin addicts relative to the healthy group. Critically, partial correlation analysis, which controlled for age, education and gender factors as well as nicotine use and heroin abstinence duration, showed that the duration of heroin use negatively correlated with the DGM in heroin-dependent individuals. These results provide compelling evidence for structural abnormality in heroin-dependent individuals and further suggest that duration of heroin use is a critical factor leading to brain damage.     

Changes in contraceptive method mix in developing countries

CONTEXT: Understanding shifts in contraceptive method mix is key to helping policymakers, program managers and donor agencies meet current contraceptive demand and estimate future needs in developing countries. METHODS: Data from Demographic and Health Surveys, Reproductive Health Surveys and other nationally representative surveys were analyzed to describe trends and shifts in method mix among married women of reproductive age from 1980 to 2005. The analysis included 310 surveys from 104 developing countries. RESULTS: Contraceptive use among married women of reproductive age increased in all regions of the developing world, reaching 66% in Asia and 73% in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2000-2005, though only 22% in Sub- Saharan Africa. The proportion of married contraceptive users relying on the IUD declined from 24% to 20%, and the proportion using the pill fell from 16% to 12%. The share of method mix for injectables rose from 2% to 8%, and climbed from 8% to 26% in Sub-Saharan Africa, while the share for condoms was 5-7%. The overall proportion of users relying on female sterilization ranged from 29% to 39%, reaching 42-43% in Asia and in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2000-2005; on average, the share of all method use accounted for by male sterilization remained below 3% for all periods. Use of traditional methods declined in all regions; the sharpest drop-from 56% to 31% of users-occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. CONCLUSIONS: To meet the rising demand for modern methods, it is critical that future programmatic efforts provide methods that are both accessible and acceptable to users.     

Attrition and the Student Who is Certain

A study of 89 male students at a small liberal arts college tested the hypothesis that a student whose statement about vocational and/or academic goals expressed certainty and whose grade-point average was below a 2.00 at the end of one year would probably not graduate. The hypothesis had both statistical and practical significance since loss from this group was 75 per cent compared to an average loss of 37.1 per cent (Test of Proportions, z = 2.766, P = .0028).     

Effects of group membership and identification on categorization and subtyping in memory

A meta-analysis (N=229) was performed to test effects of group membership and identification on the use of (sub)categories across five of our own experiments. In each experiment a name matching paradigm was used to investigate the extent to which (sub)categories were used to organize social information in memory. Four subcategories (male students, female students, male teachers, female teachers) were available to categorize the stimulus persons, as a result of crossing sex and academic status. Comparing findings over studies yielded (a) a strong tendency to use subtypes to organize social information in memory; (b) no support for the prediction of stronger subtyping of ingroup members than of outgroup members; (c) support for the prediction that subjects high on identification with own-sex group would use subtypes within gender categories to a lesser extent than subjects low on identification with own-sex. (d) In addition, it appeared that sex and academic status were used as independent overall categorizations as well, although superordinate categorization effects were caused for a large part (75–87 per cent) by name-confusions within subcategories, which suggests a preference for the use of subtypes over superordinate categories. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Heroin addicts reporting previous heroin overdoses also report suicide attempts

Nonfatal heroin overdoses and suicide attempts are both common among heroin addicts, but there is limited knowledge about the association between them. The sample in the present study consisted of 149 regular heroin users in Malmö, Sweden. Out of these 98 had taken an unintentional heroin overdose at some time and 51 had made at least one attempt to commit suicide (but not using heroin). Suicide attempts were significantly more common among those who had taken unintentional overdoses as compared with those who had never taken any overdose (p < 0.01). The more overdoses, the greater the risk of suicide attempt.     

The perception of sex-inconsistent behavior

Sex-role perceptions were approached from an out-of-role attributional framework, with the predictions that out-of-role behavior would be rated more extreme than in-role behavior on sex-role stereotype scales and that out-of-role behavior would be seen as more internally determined. One hundred and twenty male and female college students heard one of four tapes in which the two stimulus persons (SPs), male and female, behaved in sex-role consistent or inconsistent behavior using the dimension of dominance-submission (DM-DF, SM-SF, DM-SF, DF-SM). The DF, compared to the DM, was attributed more masculinity and less femininity. The DF's behavior, compared to the DM, was seen as originating more from internal than situational causes.