Predictors of smoking cessation in Taiwan: using the theory of planned behavior

This study aimed to explore the factors predicting the intention to quit smoking and the subsequent behavior 6 months later using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Data were obtained from 145 smokers who attended a smoking cessation clinic in a community hospital. All participants completed a questionnaire which included demographic information, TPB-based items, perceived susceptibility and previous attempts to quit. The actual quitting behavior was obtained by follow-up phone calls 6 months later. The TPB constructs explained 34% of the variance in intention to quit smoking. By adding perceived susceptibility, the explained variance was significantly improved to 40%. The most important predictors were perceived behavior control and perceived susceptibility, followed by attitude. Subjective norm did not contribute to the prediction of intention. Attitude and perceived behavior control contributed to the prediction of actual quitting behavior, but intention, subjective norm and perceived susceptibility did not. Our findings support that the TPB is generally a useful framework to predict the intention to quit smoking in Taiwan. The inclusion of perceived susceptibility improved the prediction of intention. With regards to successfully quitting, attitude and perceived behavior control played more crucial roles than other TPB constructs. Smoking cessation promotion initiatives focusing on reinforcing cessation belief, enhancing a smoker’s perception of their capability to quit smoking, and persuading smokers that they can overcome cessation barriers to cessation could make subsequent interventions more effective.     

The coupling of short sleep duration and high sleep need predicts riskier decision making

Abstract

Objective: To examine how risk-related decision making might be associated with habitual sleep variables, including sleep variability, sleep duration and perceived sleep need in young adults cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

Design: 166 participants completed a 7-day protocol with sleep and risk-related decision-making measures at baseline (T1) and 12 months later (T2).

Results: Habitual short sleep duration (averaging < 6?h nightly) was identified in 11.0% in our sample. After controlling for baseline demographic factors and risk-taking measures, self-reported sleep need at T1 interacted with habitual short sleep in predicting risk taking at follow-up (F_8,139=9.575, adjusted R²=.431, p<.001). T1 greater perceived sleep need predicted more risk taking among short sleepers, but decreased risk taking among normal sleepers at T2. Variable sleep timing was cross-sectionally correlated with making more Risky choices at baseline and fewer Safe choices after loss at follow up.

Conclusions: Young adults with variable sleep timing and those with short sleep duration coupled with high perceived sleep need were more likely to take risks. The moderating effects of perceived sleep need suggest that individual differences may alter the impact of sleep loss and hence should be measured and accounted for in future studies.     

Measuring intention in language learning: a confirmatory factor analysis

Intention in language learning has not been studied effectively in research on second language (L2) learning. The goal is to fill this gap by designing and testing a measure of L2 learning intention. The scale was differentiated into two distinct but correlated components, goal intention and implementation intention, within the L2 context. The two intention scales were examined for reliability and validity using a series of standard psychometric procedures. A confirmatory factor model was then constructed and tested with a sample of 333 senior high school and college students. The results showed that a modified model had good psychometric characteristics and reasonable fit to the data.     

Enhancing implicit change detection through action

Implicit change detection demonstrates how the visual system can benefit from stored information that is not immediately available to conscious awareness. We investigated the role of motor action in this context. In the first two experiments, using a one-shot implicit change-detection paradigm, participants responded to unperceived changes either with an action (jabbing the screen at the guessed location of a change) or with words (verbal report), and sat either 60 cm or 300 cm (with a laser pointer) away from the display. Our observers guessed the locations of changes at a reachable distance better with an action than with a verbal judgment. At 300 cm, beyond reach, the motor advantage disappeared. In experiment 3, this advantage was also unavailable when participants sat at a reachable distance but responded with hand-held laser pointers near their bodies. We conclude that a motor system specialized for real-time visually guided behavior has access to additional visual information. Importantly, this system is not activated by merely executing an action (experiment 2) or presenting stimuli in one's near space (experiment 3). It is activated only when both conditions are fulfilled, which implies that it is the actual contact that matters to the visual system.     

Few Gender Differences Exist Between Women and Men with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is generally considered to be a women's health issue, but the illness occurs also in men. The research objective of this study was to determine if illness patterns and functional status differed between the sexes. Because our own data showed that women with CFS have significantly more comorbid fibromyalgia or multiple chemical sensitivity than men, we eliminated patients with these comorbid conditions from our evaluation. Women with CFS were quite similar to men with CFS in terms of demographics, psychiatric status, functional status, and assessments of disability. Women reported more infectious/flu-like symptoms (represented by a factor derived from factor analysis) than men, but these differences were insignificant after controlling for other variables. Cluster analysis revealed that women were more likely than men to fall in the cluster characterized by symptom severity. Differences found were those of degree rather than of type; strikingly different illness patterns—suggestive of different pathophysiological processes between the sexes—were not found.     

Effects of movement frequency and joint kinetics on the joint coordination underlying bimanual circle drawing

Ten healthy participants performed bimanual symmetric and asymmetric circle drawing at 4 frequencies. The authors partitioned the variance of the joint configuration across repetitions into 1 component representing equivalent joint configurations with respect to achieving stability of the mean hand path (i.e., goal-equivalent variance, GEV) and 1 component leading to a variable hand path (non-goal-equivalent variance, NGEV) across cycles. Higher frequencies led to increased NGEV related to control of the nondominant hand and to the relative position and orientation between the hands during asymmetric drawing. The results were related to differences in muscle and interaction moments between the arms, and they suggest a possible relationship between the ability to use intersegmental forces and the stability of interlimb synergy.     

Promotion of social change: a conceptual framework

This paper argues for the need to advance promotion efforts and proposes a conceptual framework for promotion of social change. A brief review is presented of traditional frameworks for the prevention of mental and social disorders and the promotion of wellness and social competencies, with attention to the ways in which promotion of social change extends and departs from these frameworks. In a framework for promoting social change, we advocate for promoting dynamic processes within systems, rather than outcomes within individuals. Systems are viewed as flexible and capable of facilitating multiple adaptive pathways for individuals and groups. Promoting social change also involves careful attention to critical analysis, values, language, and contextual processes. Examples are discussed throughout to illustrate how these principles have been used in the past and can be implemented in future efforts to promote social change.     

Effects of speech rate on the absolute and relative timing of apraxic and conduction aphasic sentence production

The purpose of this investigation was to provide a constructive replication of the Kent and McNeil (1987, In Phonetic approaches to speech production in aphasia and related disorders. San Diego: College-Hill Press) study of the speech timing characteristics of apraxic and conduction aphasic speakers. Acoustic analysis was used to obtain absolute utterance durations, segment durations, and vowel formant trajectories from utterances produced under control, fast, and slow rate conditions. Segment-to-whole ratios and slope values were calculated. Results support the hypothesis presented by Kent and McNeil (1987) that there is a phonetic-motoric component contributing to the speech patterns of both the apraxic and conduction aphasic speakers sampled. Theories of rate control in normal and disordered speakers are discussed.     

The effect of price discounts on green consumerism behavioral intentions

Green consumerism encourages consumers to demonstrate environmentally friendly behavior for protecting the environment and health of human beings. For example, if consumers wish to purchase take‐out beverages, they are encouraged to bring their own cups or water bottles rather than use disposable cups. This study, through 2 experiments, discussed the use of price discounts for encouraging green consumerism behavioral intentions. Experiment 1 examined the relationships among a green promotion setting, perceived nonmonetary and monetary sacrifice, and purchase intention toward the list price. The results of hierarchical regression models based on 120 valid questionnaires showed that perceived nonmonetary sacrifice fully mediated the relationship between a green promotion setting and the purchase intention toward the list price. Experiment 2 investigated the relationship between price discount levels and frames and a green or general promotion setting used by take‐out beverage shops. The results of the analysis of variance based on 900 valid questionnaires demonstrated that (i) the variation in consumer purchase intention in response to green consumerism promotion was lower than that in response to general promotion; (ii) the price discount threshold used in green consumerism promotion was 20%, which was higher than that in a general promotion setting; and (iii) consumers preferred a percentage discount offered during green consumerism promotion; however, they preferred a discount with a specific dollar amount in a general promotion setting. These results provide suggestions for improving green marketing and green consumerism. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.