Goals and everyday problem solving: examining the link between age-related goals and problem-solving strategy use

Qualitative interviews on family and financial problems from 332 adolescents, young, middle-aged, and older adults, demonstrated that developmentally relevant goals predicted problem-solving strategy use over and above problem domain. Four focal goals concerned autonomy, generativity, maintaining good relationships with others, and changing another person. We examined both self- and other-focused problem-solving strategies. Autonomy goals were associated with self-focused instrumental problem solving and generative goals were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in family and financial problems. Goals of changing another person were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in the family domain only. The match between goals and strategies, an indicator of problem-solving adaptiveness, showed that young individuals displayed the greatest match between autonomy goals and self-focused problem solving, whereas older adults showed a greater match between generative goals and other-focused problem solving. Findings speak to the importance of considering goals in investigations of age-related differences in everyday problem solving.     

Examination of psychiatric symptoms in student athletes

In the present study, the authors examined the severity of psychiatric symptoms in undergraduate recreational (noncompetitive) athletes (n = 64) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA; competitive) athletes (n = 72). The results indicated that the 2 groups were similar in the severity of psychiatric symptoms. The recreational and NCAA athletes combined (n = 136) showed less severe global psychiatric symptoms when they were compared with an undergraduate control group (n = 435). The implications of the study are discussed in the context of those findings.     

Effects of Interspersing Rate on Student Preferences for Mathematics Assignments

This study investigated the extent to which interspersing effects are consistent with the effects of reinforcement on predicting students preferences for mathematics assignments. Students were exposed to 4 pairs of assignments. Each assignment pair contained a control assignment with 15 problems requiring multiplication of a three digit number by a two digit number, and an experimental assignment consisting of 15 similar multiplication problems plus additional brief one-digit by one-digit multiplication problems interspersed at four different rates (i.e., no interspersing, every other, every third, or every fifth problem) across assignment pairs. Performance data were collected for accuracy, total problem completion rate and target problem completion rate. In addition to performance data, students were asked to rate each assignment with regard to relative difficulty, time, effort to complete, and preference between assignments for homework. Results suggest that although interspersing rates do not affect accuracy, they do affect problem completion rate, and student preferences for academic assignments. Discussion focuses on interspersing rate and schedules of reinforcement with emphasis on both applied and theoretical implications.     

Telephone versus print delivery of an individualized motivationally tailored physical activity intervention: Project STRIDE.

OBJECTIVE: Given that only 25% of Americans meet physical activity recommendations, there is a need to develop and disseminate effective, evidence-based interventions to promote physical activity. The authors tested 2 delivery channels, telephone and print, to determine whether one was more effective in promoting physical activity. DESIGN: The authors randomly assigned 239 healthy, sedentary adults to (a) telephone-based individualized feedback, (b) print-based individualized feedback, or (c) contact control. Both intervention arms were guided by a motivationally tailored, theoretically driven computer expert system. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physical activity as measured by the 7-day Physical Activity Recall interview. RESULTS: At 6 months, both telephone and print arms significantly increased in minutes of moderate intensity physical activity compared with control, with no differences between the intervention arms. At 12 months, print participants reported a significantly greater number of moderate intensity minutes than both telephone and control participants, who did not differ. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that both telephone and print enhance the adoption of physical activity among sedentary adults; however, print interventions may be particularly effective in maintaining physical activity in the longer term.     

Ongoing physical activity advice by humans versus computers: the Community Health Advice by Telephone (CHAT) trial.

PURPOSE: Given the prevalence of physical inactivity among American adults, convenient, low-cost interventions are strongly indicated. This study determined the 6- and 12-month effectiveness of telephone interventions delivered by health educators or by an automated computer system in promoting physical activity. DESIGN: Initially inactive men and women age 55 years and older (N = 218) in stable health participated. Participants were randomly assigned to human advice, automated advice, or health education control. MEASURES: The validated 7-day physical activity recall interview was used to estimate minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Physical activity differences by experimental arm were verified on a random subsample via accelerometry. RESULTS: Using intention-to-treat analysis, at 6 months, participants in both interventions, although not differing from one another, showed significant improvements in weekly physical activity compared with controls. These differences were generally maintained at 12 months, with both intervention arms remaining above the target of 150 min per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity on average. CONCLUSION: Automated telephone-linked delivery systems represent an effective alternative for delivering physical activity advice to inactive older adults.     

Textbooks for teaching the anthropology of religion: a review

Written from the perspective of those who teach the anthropology of religion, the paper reviews a selection of texts commonly used in teaching. The authors find the texts are generally useful, although those written clearly and with good cross-referencing detail (index, bibliography, overviews) are the most helpful. One major finding is the range of views over what might constitute 'textbook’ - itself a fairly contested term more widely.     

Object and size awareness in preschool-age children

Self-awareness is a skill developed during the first few years of life. Although some research demonstrates that this ability may be incomplete in toddlers, there is little to no literature relating to preschoolers. This study tested 44 preschool-age children on 8 tasks to assess their awareness of the structural characteristics of their own size and weight as well as the size and weight of external objects. The most frequently observed behavior was for children to make an attempt at something that was inappropriate for their size and weight, but overall participants showed a better understanding of their own bodies than other objects. Both the number of attempts required to solve the problems and accuracy of their solutions demonstrated these task differences. These results indicate that the development of body awareness skills is far from complete for 3- and 4-year-olds.     

Correlates of satisfaction with body function and body appearance in middle- and older aged adults: The activity counseling trial (ACT)

Abstract

This study examined the dimensional structure and correlates of body satisfaction among middle-aged and older adult men (n = 471) and women (n = 383) who were participants in the Activity Counseling Trial. Correlates were grouped as (1) fitness parameters, (2) demographic characteristics, and (3) components of subjective well-being. Factor analyses demonstrated that body function and body appearance were independent components of satisfaction in this population. Body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness were directly related to satisfaction with body appearance; however, satisfaction with body function was most strongly related in expected directions to measures of subjective well-being. Age was positively related to both measures of body satisfaction, whereas data on race revealed that blacks were more satisfied with their body appearance and function than whites. The observed relationships for body satisfaction suggest that older adults may value body function more than body appearance. Furthermore, the associations of race and age with body satisfaction have important implications for intervention research.     

I Want to Hold Your Hand: Abstinence Curricula, Bioethics, and the Silencing of Desire

The abstinence approach to sex education remains influential despite its demonstrated ineffectiveness. One bill forbids the “promotion” of “gateway sexual activity,” while requiring outright condemnation of “non-abstinence,” defined so loosely as to plausibly include handholding. Bioethics seldom (if ever) contributes to sex-ed debates, yet exploring the pivotal role of medical discourse reveals the need for bioethical intervention. Sex-ed debates revolve around a theory of human flourishing based on heteronormative temporality, a developmental teleology ensuring the transmission of various supposed social goods through heterosexual marriage (Halberstam, 2005). Heteronormative temporality also constitutes a moralized discourse in which the values of health and presumed certainties of medicine serve to justify conservative religious dictates that otherwise would appear controversial as the basis for public policy. Overall, this analysis explores how moralized medical discourses compound existing injustices, while suggesting bioethics’ potential contributions to moral and political analysis of sex-ed policies.     

Exploring Women's Perspectives of Overcoming Intimate Partner Violence: A Phenomenological Study

Research in occupational therapy with women overcoming Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) focuses primarily on role acquisition; however, a broader lens in which to understand recovery may support more client-centered practice. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the perspectives of women overcoming Intimate Partner Violence. Six women, residents at a domestic violence shelter, volunteered to participate in this phenomenological study. Relationships, Starting Over, Spirituality, and Expansion of Self emerged as major themes with an overarching theme of Forward Movement as the women continued on their journey in recovery.