ICQ (I seek you) and adolescents: a quantitative study in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Government and the education sector encourage the whole population-from toddlers to senior citizens-to utilize information technology, and many do. Yet there are no studies exploring the patterns of adolescents using ICQ (I seek you) in Asian countries. This study was done in Hong Kong, which has the greatest number of ICQ users. A quantitative approach was adopted by administering self-constructed questionnaires to the students of one high school. One hundred and forty-seven adolescents volunteered to participate. The key findings of the study are (1) most of the adolescents have been using ICQ for 1-4 years; (2) most fit one of two patterns of use: either 2 or 3 days per week, or more than 5 days per week; (3) they spend less than 3 h per day on ICQ; (4) the main reasons for using ICQ are entertainment, relaxation, and socializing; and (5) parents are concerned about possible negative impacts on their children's academic performance because of using ICQ. Two main implications are drawn: proper use of ICQ can minimize parental distress and encourage adolescents to be less sedentary.     

Net-generation attributes and seductive properties of the internet as predictors of online activities and internet addiction.

Born between 1977 and 1997, Net-generation is the first generation to grow up surrounded by home computers, video games, and the Internet. As children of the Baby Boomers, the Internet is the medium of choice for the Net-geners. Based on the assumption that Net-generation has unique characteristics, this study examined (1) how Net-geners addicted to the Internet differ from the non-addicted and (2) how these attributes, together with the seductive properties of the Internet, are related to Internet addiction. Data were gathered from a probability sample of 699 Net-geners between the ages of 16 and 24. Results show that Net-geners addicted to the Internet tend to be young female students. Being emotionally open on the Net and a heavy user of ICQ were most influential in predicting Net-geners' problematic use of the Internet. Addicted Net-geners are also strongly linked to the pleasure of being able to control the simulated world in online games. The finding reinforces previous research that "dependents" of the Internet spend most of their time in the synchronous communication environment engaging in interactive online games, chat rooms, and ICQ for pleasure-seeking or escape, while "non-dependents" use information-gathering functions available on the Internet. Furthermore, Internet addicts tend to watch television significantly less, indicating a displacement effect on traditional media use for the Net-generation.     

Validity and Reliability of the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire: Empirical Evidence from an Italian Study

Interpersonal competence is crucial to human life, and poor social functioning is a typical feature of various psychopathological conditions. Given the relevance of the construct, increasing attention has recently been paid to the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (ICQ; Buhrmester et al. 1988), a 40-item self-report measuring five domains of interpersonal competence. To provide additional data on the cross-cultural adaptability of the ICQ, we developed an Italian version and investigated its psychometric properties with two independent student samples. Respondents were mostly women (about three quarters), ranging in age from 18 to 57. Study 1 (n?=?408) tested factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity. Study 2 (n?=?59) investigated test-retest reliability. Taken together, the results of both these studies provided support for the cross-cultural applicability of the ICQ, and revealed interesting associations between interpersonal competence and constructs such as well-being, emotion dysregulation and empathy.     

The nature of interparental conflict of married and divorced parents: Implications for young adolescents

While research has demonstrated that interparental conflict is associated with poor child and adolescent functioning, studies have not yet addressed the characteristics of such conflict. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to report reliability and validity data of a questionnaire, the Interparental Conflict Questionnaire (ICQ), designed to assess the nature of interparental conflict more thoroughly than has been done previously, and (2) to compare the nature of such conflict in a married and divorced sample. Fifty-five married and 46 divorced parents, all of whom had a young adolescent, participated by completing two questionnaires: the O'Leary-Porter Scale and the ICQ. Validity (e.g., correlation with the O'Leary-Porter Scale) was generally acceptable for the ICQ, whereas test-retest reliability tended to be moderate to low. Additional findings indicated that heated arguments rarely occurred. Furthermore, in comparing married and divorced parents, the former discussed issues more and, to some extent, the latter argued more. However, one of the most striking aspects of the findings was the similarity of the married and divorced samples in terms of their conflict. Implications of the findings for understanding and explaining the role of interparental conflict in child and adolescent functioning are explored.This study was supported, in part, by the William T. Grant Foundation and the University of Georgia's Institute for Behavioral Research.     

数字化交互平台产品的客户体验旅程与投入关系

基于利益相关者营销、自反与身份演化、螺旋等理论,系统探讨企业如何在消费旅程中针对数字化交互平台(DIP)产品提供定制和丰富的客户体验以增加客户投入,进而与其他参与者共同创造价值。分别针对消费旅程中DIP产品参与者价值共创的连续性,DIP产品的客户体验旅程的结构与生成,DIP产品的客户体验旅程双元的张力及调和机理,DIP产品的客户投入的结构、管理与有效性,DIP产品的客户体验旅程和客户投入的相互关系等问题进行深入研究,为企业提出相应的实务性策略和建议。     

Parents' expectations and perceptions of infant temperament: “Pregnancy status” differences

At approximately 16 weeks of pregnancy, 41 couples (14 primiparous and 27 multiparous, 13 of whom anticipated a cesarean delivery) completed Bates, Freeland, and Lounsbury's (1979) Infant Characteristic Questionnaire (ICQ), modified to ask about expectations of infant characteristics. Significant group differences were found in three of the four ICQ factors. The multiparous parents expecting a vaginal delivery had the lowest scores, indicating expectations of temperamentally “more optimal” babies. A similar pattern of results was obtained from late pregnancy and 3–4 months postpartum administrations of the ICQ. In general, factor scores of the primiparous and cesarean parents did not differ. Significant correlations were obtained in comparisons of the scores from the two prenatal administrations and, for the multiparous parents, in the prenatal to postpartum comparisons. The results indicate that parity and childbirth experience affect parents' expectations and perceptions of infant temperament.     

Shyness and locus of control as predictors of internet addiction and internet use.

The new psychological disorder of Internet addiction is fast accruing both popular and professional recognition. Past studies have indicated that some patterns of Internet use are associated with loneliness, shyness, anxiety, depression, and self-consciousness, but there appears to be little consensus about Internet addiction disorder. This exploratory study attempted to examine the potential influences of personality variables, such as shyness and locus of control, online experiences, and demographics on Internet addiction. Data were gathered from a convenient sample using a combination of online and offline methods. The respondents comprised 722 Internet users mostly from the Net-generation. Results indicated that the higher the tendency of one being addicted to the Internet, the shyer the person is, the less faith the person has, the firmer belief the person holds in the irresistible power of others, and the higher trust the person places on chance in determining his or her own course of life. People who are addicted to the Internet make intense and frequent use of it both in terms of days per week and in length of each session, especially for online communication via e-mail, ICQ, chat rooms, newsgroups, and online games. Furthermore, full-time students are more likely to be addicted to the Internet, as they are considered high-risk for problems because of free and unlimited access and flexible time schedules. Implications to help professionals and student affairs policy makers are addressed.     

Telephone Interviewing: A Reappraisal and a Field Experiment

A review of 25 empirical evaluations of telephone interviewing indicated that the method compares favorably with face-to-face interviewing in terms of the range of subject matter that can be covered, length of interview, response rates, quality of data, and, most conspicuously, cost. In order to surmount some of the limitations of previous empirical comparisons of the two interviewing methods, a field experiment was conducted wherein 93 interviewers administered either face-to-face or telephone interviews to 470 similarly selected household respondents. Although the two methods did not differ significantly in terms of response rates, codeability of data, or reporting on sensitive issues, they did differ somewhat in interview length and the sex composition of the samples obtained.     

New approaches to the design of computerized interviewing and testing systems

Most computer interviewing and testing systems have adopted paper-and-pencil approaches to information gathering with little modification. However, computer technology offers two fundamental advantages over paper-and-pencil technology for psychological information gathering: (1) A computer can record ancillary data such as latencies and pressure on response keys during an interviewing session, and (2) A computer can react adaptively to special events as these arise during a session. Ways to capitalize on these advantages are outlined. A pilot study of interviewee behavior during a computer problem-screening interview is described, and the implications of the results for future research in the area are discussed. Passive and active computer testing systems occupy positions on a continuum between paper-based psychological testing and the flexible, but less well controlled, technology represented by the human. With its unique capabilities, computer technology has a special role to play in the future of psychological measurement.     

The colour red affects time perception differently in different contexts

Previous studies have found that psychological and behavioural functions of the colour red vary according to context. In this research, we used the verbal estimation paradigm to determine if the colour red affects individuals' perception of interval duration. In our results, perceived duration was shorter in a red condition than in a blue one; additionally, only in the red condition, perceived duration was shorter in an online dating context than in an online interviewing context. The contribution and limitations of this study and future research directions are discussed.     

Reliability and Validity of a Treatment Fidelity Assessment for Motivational Interviewing Targeting Sexual Risk Behaviors in People Living with HIV/AIDS

This study psychometrically evaluates the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Code (MITI) to assess fidelity to motivational interviewing to reduce sexual risk behaviors in people living with HIV/AIDS. 74 sessions from a pilot randomized controlled trial of motivational interviewing to reduce sexual risk behaviors in people living with HIV were coded with the MITI. Participants reported sexual behavior at baseline, 3-month, and 6-months. Regarding reliability, excellent inter-rater reliability was achieved for measures of behavior frequency across the 12 sessions coded by both coders; global scales demonstrated poor intraclass correlations, but adequate percent agreement. Regarding validity, principle components analyses indicated that a two-factor model accounted for an adequate amount of variance in the data. These factors were associated with decreases in sexual risk behaviors after treatment. The MITI is a reliable and valid measurement of treatment fidelity for motivational interviewing targeting sexual risk behaviors in people living with HIV/AIDS.     

Systems for multivariate monitoring of behavioral status over time

Decision-theoretic criteria are presented for optimizing the information gathered from a series of interviews over time. It is shown that the optimum interviewing strategy depends strongly on assumptions about the covariation of behavior over time. Standard interviewing strategies, including the major-problem/target-complaints approach, are optimal only under extreme assumptions about behavior. An interviewing strategy based on dynamic programming is presented that will provide optimal information return from a series of interviews under assumptions that are realistic for mental health applications. A system using this approach can tailor its interviewing strategy to adapt to differences in interview content, item importance, and individual response patterns, selecting the optimally informative questions to ask each subject at each point in time. Simulation results show that this approach achieves a 34% reduction in the false negatives obtained with the major-problem/target-complaints method, and, depending on the acceptable error rate, a reduction of 47 % or more in the questions that are needed in standard interviewing.     

Do motivational interviewing behaviors predict reductions in partner aggression for men and women?

Motivational interviewing is a directive, non-confrontational intervention to promote behavior change. The current study examined therapist behaviors during a successful brief motivational interviewing intervention for physically aggressive college dating couples (Woodin & O'Leary, 2010). Forty-five minute motivational interviews with each partner were videotaped and coded using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity scale (MITI; Moyers, Martin, Manuel, & Miller, 2003). Hierarchical modeling analyses demonstrated that therapist behaviors consistent with motivational interviewing competency predicted significantly greater reductions in physical aggression perpetration following the intervention. Specifically, greater reflection to question ratios by the therapists predicted reductions in aggression for both men and women, greater percentages of open versus closed questions predicted aggression reductions for women, and there was a trend for greater levels of global therapist empathy to predict aggression reductions for women. These findings provide evidence that motivational interviewing seems to have an effect on behavior change through therapist behaviors consistent with the theoretical underpinnings of motivational interviewing.     

A minicomputer system for multiperson computer-assisted telephone interviewing

A computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) system has been developed which has new and extensive implications for almost every phase of survey research. CATI provides (1) schedule design assistance, (2) new interviewing capabilities and controls which eliminate procedural errors, (3) coding assistance, (4) sampling administration, (5) interview supervision, and (6) postinterview data processing.     

Assessment and validation of diagnostic interviewing skills for the mental health professions

A behavioral test was developed to assess the quality of diagnostic interviewing skills of (future) mental health professionals. Two aspects of diagnostic interviewing ability are distinguished: process skills, reflecting the interpersonal and communication skills; and content skills, referring to the information-gathering ability of the interviewer. It was found that diagnostic interviewing can be reliably measured with respect to interrater reliability. However, interviewer performance on one case proved to be a poor predictor of performance on other cases. It was concluded that a large number of cases is required to obtain reliable scores of general diagnostic interviewing ability. Validity was supported by the correlational analyses. Process skills were strongly related to patient satisfaction, whereas content skills were related to the amount of relevant information given by the patient and the accuracy of the diagnostic formulation and treatment plan.     

Videogame Addiction and its Treatment

For many, the concept of videogame addiction seems far-fetched, particularly if their concepts and definitions of addiction involve the taking of drugs. This paper overviews the small, but growing area of videogame addiction and then examines the treatment options available for those affected by excessive videogame playing. An overview of the available empirical literature appears to indicate that adverse effects are likely to affect only a relatively small subgroup of players and that frequent players are the most at-risk for developing problems. Worldwide, there are relatively few practitioners that specialise in the treatment of videogame addiction and this may be because there are so few players who are genuinely addicted to playing videogames. However, the Internet may be facilitating excessive online game playing as evidenced by the increasing number of specialist addiction treatment clinics for online videogame addiction. This paper overviews the various approaches that have been used as an intervention in treating videogame addicts, including online support groups, 12-step programmes, behavioural and cognitive-behavioural therapies, and motivational interviewing.     

Cognitive testing of an instrument to evaluate acceptability and use of pre-exposure prophylaxis products among women

Given the range of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) products currently being tested to prevent HIV in women, a standardized Acceptability and Use of PrEP Products Among Women Tool may facilitate comparisons of product acceptability and use across different geographies, trials, and users. We conducted three rounds of cognitive interviewing over 2 months in 2016, with 28 South African women who had experience participating in a range of PrEP product trials. The final instrument contained 41 items, including five new items that improved construct validity and 22 items modified for clarity. Changes were made due to unclear wording, difficulty answering, participant embarrassment, low response variability, and administrative formatting. Cognitive interviewing provided a means to address issues that would have inhibited this tool's ability to accurately collect data otherwise. This rapid, low-cost study provided valuable insight into participants' understanding of questions and demonstrated the utility of cognitive interviewing in international clinical trials.     

Understanding and Improving the Validity of Self-Report of Parenting

Although researchers using parental self-report data have questioned its validity (Holden, 2001) and called for more work in this area (Krevans & Gibbs, 1996; Locke & Prinz, 2002), methodological concerns regarding self-report about parenting practices have not been addressed adequately. The susceptibility of parental report to systematic distortions suggests a need for research on ways to improve self-report. This paper attempts to synthesize research findings from other fields (e.g., survey methodology) about ways to improve the validity of self-report, and to discuss the implications for self-report of parenting behaviors. Methods for improving self-report are presented for each of the 5 major tasks in responding to a question: (1) understanding the question, (2) recalling relevant behavior, (3) inference and estimation, (4) mapping the answer onto the response format, and (5) “editing” the answer for reasons of social desirability. Self-administered interviewing, audio-computer-assisted interviewing, pretesting, conversational interviewing, and the decompositional item may be among the best candidates for use in parental self-report. Recommendations are offered with respect to strategies that might prove useful in improving parental assessment of parenting, and to research efforts to evaluate the utility and potential costs of these strategies.