STIMULUS FACTORS EFFECTING PEER CONVERSATION AMONG INSTITUTIONALIZED RETARDED WOMEN1

The effect of a series of stimulus changes, including attendant present or absent and agent of token reinforcement in a sorting task, on peer interaction among retarded women was examined. Conversation was not differentially directed toward the agent of reinforcement when that agent was a peer, nor did a peer agent increase the overall rate of peer interaction. Peer interaction did increase when no attendant was present, and during the final phase of the experiment, the high rate of peer interaction was maintained while the attendant was faded back into the situation in a series of discrete steps. The procedure was found to be efficient in terms of staff time and did not adversely affect task performance.     

ALCOHOL AND DATING RISK FACTORS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AMONG COLLEGE WOMEN

American societal norms frequently link alcohol, dating, and sexuality. This cross-sectional study examined the role of alcohol and dating risk factors for sexual assault among a representative sample of female students at a large urban university. Over half of the 1,160 women had experienced some form of sexual assault. Ninety-five percent of these assaults were committed by someone the woman knew and almost half of these assaults involved alcohol consumption by either the man, the woman, or both. Discriminant function analyses indicated that dating, sexual, and misperception experiences and alcohol consumption during these experiences predicted assault group status. Furthermore, alcohol consumption during consensual sex and sexual misperceptions were positively related to alcohol consumption during the sexual assault. The predictors of assault group status were similar for African American and Caucasian women. Theoretical implications are discussed and suggestions are made for combining alcohol and sexual assault prevention programming.     

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCULTURATIVE STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY AMONG MARRIED MEXICAN IMMIGRANT WOMEN

The purpose of the present study was to describe levels of acculturative stress and individual stressors and their relationship to levels of depressive symptomatology among young Mexican immigrant women. The mean age of the respondents was 25.7 years with a mean of 9.4 years of education. Their age at migration was 18.5 years and their average length of stay in the United States was 7.5 years. Women who in the last three months experienced discrimination, sex-role conflicts, and concern about starting a family in this country had significantly higher (over 16) CES-D scores than women who did not report experiencing those situations. The overall findings suggest that this sample of Mexican women immigrants as a group are at risk for the development of psychological problems.     

AFFECT EXPRESSION, MARITAL SATISFACTION, AND STRESS REACTIVITY AMONG PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN DURING A CONFLICTUAL MARITAL DISCUSSION

Relationships between women's affect expressions, marital satisfaction, and cardiovascular reactivity were investigated. Twenty-four healthy women and their spouses completed the Marital Satisfaction Inventory (MSI). Women's cardiovascular reactivity was monitored during a 10-minute videotaped husband-wife conflict discussion that later was rated for affect expressions. Regression analysis showed that active negative affect accounted for 20% of the variability in systolic blood pressure. Neither positive affects nor MSI Global Marital Distress was related to women's cardiovascular responses. For women, 53% of the variance in MSI Global Marital Distress was accounted for by total negative affect, but for men affects and marital distress were unrelated. Further research is warranted on the associations between marital distress, affect expression, and cardiovascular reactivity that may lead to physical and mental health problems.     

BINGE DRINKING AMONG AMERICAN COLLEGE WOMEN

This study examines data from questionnaires to establish the prevalence and correlates of women's binge drinking, defined as four or more drinks per episode, at women's colleges ( n = 508) and at coeducational colleges ( n = 9,624). Results showed that women at women's colleges binged less frequently, had fewer alcohol-related problems, experienced fewer negative effects of others' drinking, and were less likely to drink and drive. The correlates of binge drinking were similar for the two groups of women. The differences appear to be related not to the quantity or amount of socializing but to its quality. The absence of fraternities and coeducational dormitories, the reduced likelihood of a party-centered lifestyle, and self-selection factors at women's colleges all may contribute to a healthier environment for women. Interventions designed to lower the risk of college binge drinking should further explore the peer-group contexts in which problem drinking is reduced.     

RECONCEPTUALIZING ISSUES THAT AFFECT WOMEN'S SEXUAL DECISION-MAKING AND SEXUAL FUNCTIONING

This paper addresses five existing societal myths and their underlying faulty assumptions about women's sexuality. The following myths are examined: (a) women possess adequate sexual knowledge to understand their sexual needs, (b) they know how to communicate about sex, (c) they engage in sex because they want to do so, (d) if they are sexually active, they enjoy sex, and (e) they use their knowledge of sex to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. These myths need to be considered when conducting research and developing interventions designed to decrease women's sexual risk-taking. Research that assesses women's levels of factual sexual knowledge, comfort and skills discussing sexual information, and literacy is needed. The importance of examining ethnic, cultural, economic, religious, relationship factors, and psychological issues is discussed in order to encourage research relevant to women's sexual decision-making.     

SILENCING THE SELF AND DEPRESSION AMONG WOMEN

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity and provide normative data for the Silencing the Self Scale, a newly devised instrument for measuring cognitive schemas hypothesized to be related to depression in women. The study also tested the hypothesis that race would moderate the relationship between silencing the self and depression. The sample consisted of 80 women: 40 African Americans and 40 Caucasians. Controlling for income and socially desirable response bias, a significant relationship between silencing the self and depression was found only for Caucasian women. It was suggested that differing values and socialization practices may be responsible for the findings.     

CONSIDERATIONS FOR PREVENTION OF HIV INFECTION AMONG HISPANIC WOMEN

Data on the characteristics of individuals diagnosed with AIDS show that Hispanic women, men, and children are overrepresented. In order to effectively reduce the risk of HIV infection in Hispanic communities, prevention programs must take into account characteristics of Hispanic populations that differentiate them from the general population and that reflect the social and economic contexts that shape the realities of Hispanic women's lives.
This article presents an analysis of the AIDS epidemic, taking into consideration the major factors that will need to be addressed in designing programs to prevent HIV infection in Hispanic communities. First, characteristics of the AIDS epidemic among Hispanics are discussed. Second, demographic and psychological characteristics of Hispanic women and their relevance to AIDS prevention efforts are presented. Third, recommendations for research and prevention programs are made. While the specific topic of concern here is AIDS risk reduction, the approach illustrates the types of questions and factors that need to be considered in developing prevention approaches for any health problem in any ethnic and racial minority communities.     

MATHEMATICS ANXIETY AND SCIENCE CAREERS AMONG ABLE COLLEGE WOMEN

Abstract —Does mathematics anxiety deflect able students from pursuing scientific careers? We obtained the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores of 1,366 students entering Barnard College and also questioned them about their career interests and their feelings about mathematics learning At every level of mathematical skill, math anxiety correlated negatively with interest in scientific careers Contrariwise, quantitative SAT score was unrelated lo career interests, within relatively homogeneous categories of math anxiety or confidence Students were also asked directly whether the desire to avoid math affected their career choices The responses suggested a mediating role for math anxiety or confidence in career choice.     

AN EXPERIMENTAL REPLICATION OF THE DEPRESSED-ENTITLEMENT EFFECT AMONG WOMEN

Previous research has suggested that women pay themselves significantly less than men pay themselves for the same amount of work (Callahan-Levy & Messé, 1979; Major, McFarlin, & Gagnon, 1984). In an experimental study involving 132 participants (68 men and 64 women), this "depressed-entitlement effect" was replicated in a current sample of university students. Independent judges unaware of participant gender perceived no differences in quality between products of men and women, indicating that the two groups' efforts did not differ in objective terms. Results are interpreted in terms of a general system-justification framework (lost & Banaji, 1994), according to which members of disadvantaged groups internalize ideological justifications for their own disadvantage.     

SOCIAL INFLUENCE STRATEGIES AMONG JAPANESE AND AMERICAN COLLEGE WOMEN

Social influence strategies of 40 Japanese and 41 American college women were compared. With the use of a free-response format, respondents were asked to describe how they get their way with their mother, father, male teacher/boss, female teacher/boss, male friends, and female friends. Contrary to expectations, content analysis indicated that Japanese women reported using strong and neutral strategies more frequently and weak strategies less freguently than American women. American women used manipulation (especially sexual manipulation) more frequently and reasoning less frequently than Japanese women. Analyses by target of influence indicated that these differences were not found when the target was a female friend but were demonstrated across most of the other targets.     

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN MOTHERS OF INFANT

This study explored the association between interpersonal factors and depressive symptoms in first-time mothers over the first two years of parenthood. An interpersonal style characterized by dependency, recollections of rejection in childhood, and current relationship characteristics was assessed in a nonclinical sample of 133 women. The final model explained 52% of the variance in depressive symptoms at 24 months. Controlling for initial symptom levels, interpersonal variables explained 24% of the outcome variance. The findings suggest that two interpersonal attributes, peer rejection in childhood and a dependent interpersonal style, are particularly important to our understanding of depressive symptomatology.     

INGROUP REJECTION AMONG WOMEN: THE ROLE OF PERSONAL INADEQUACY

We examined predictors and outcomes of women's hostility toward other women. Based on a projection model, we hypothesized and tested the theory via structural equation modeling that women's sense of personal inadequacy, the tendency to stereotype, and general anger would predict hostility toward women, and hostility toward women would predict blaming victims of violence and poor relationships with a female friend. Participants were 464 college women with an average age of 28.08. All measures were pencil and paper. Women's hostility toward women served as an intervening variable between a personal sense of inadequacy, tendency to stereotype, blaming women victims of violence, and intimacy with one's best female friend.     

SEX DIFFERENCES IN PERSUASIBILITY FACTORS AMONG CHINESE1

Différences selon le sexe dans les facteurs de sensibilité à la persuasion chez des sujets chinois. — Plusieurs analyses factorielles distinctes ont été faites à partir des notes de sensibilité à la persuasion d'adolescents chinois, filles et garçons. Pour les garçons, trois facteurs émergent: le premier est relatif aux aux questions qui ne sont ni idéologiques, ni personnelles, le second aux questions idéologiques et le troisième, aux questions personnelles. Pour les filles, quatre facteurs ont pu être identifiés: L'un semble exprimer un certain ressentiment contre L'autorité masculine, le second est semblable au facteur idéologique trouvé chez les garçons; les deux derniers indiquent une sensibilité, L'un aux effets de priorité, L'autre, aux effets de récence. Les différences selon le sexe que L'on a constatées dans les facteurs, semblent être le reflet des différences dans les normes prescrites à L'un et L'autre sexe dans la culture chinoise traditionnelle.     

CRITERIA USED TO DEFINE AND EVALUATE SOCIALLY COMPETENT BEHAVIOR AMONG WOMEN

Criteria used to evaluate socially competent behavier of women are described and critiqued. Many definitions of social competence do not employ a process view of social behavier in which individual goals and values as well as specific verbal and nonverbal behaviers are considered. This may result in the imposition of artificial goals on consumers of assertion and social skills training programs and the neglect of individual goals. The relationship between the definition of competence used and the assessment methods relied on is discussed. The advantages of focusing on specific goals are noted and a checklist that consumers can use to review the content of training programs is provided.