Competence in everyday activities as a predictor of cognitive risk and mortality

This study examined the association of a performance-based measure of everyday functioning with clinically meaningful outcomes. Elderly participants in a prospective study of dementia were assessed at two occasions on the Everyday Problems Test for Cognitively Challenged Elderly (EPCCE), a performance-based measure of everyday functioning. Older adults who remained cognitively intact performed approximately 0.66 SD units higher on the EPCCE at both occasions than elders rated as impaired, when covarying on age, education, gender, and cognitive status. Relative to the nonimpaired participants, decline in EPCCE performance over a 2-year interval was significantly greater for impaired participants and those participants who transitioned from nonimpaired to impaired over the course of the study. Increased risk of mortality was associated with lower baseline scores and decline in EPCCE performance even after controlling for demographic variables and performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination. Given the clinical importance of identifying "at risk" elders for impairment, the findings from this study provide initial evidence for the predictive utility of performance-based measures of everyday functioning.     

Tendency to catastrophize somatic sensations: pain catastrophizing and anxiety sensitivity in predicting headache

General catastrophic thinking styles about uncomfortable bodily sensations may predispose the development of common health pathologies, such as persistent headache. The purpose of this research was to explore the relationships between the Pain Catastrophizing (PC) Scale and Anxiety Sensitivity (AS) Index, which measure tendencies to catastrophize pain- and anxiety-related somatic sensations, respectively. A non-clinical sample completed the PC Scale, AS Index, and health outcome questionnaires regarding headache (n = 1018). Results revealed that: (i) AS and PC are empirically separate constructs; (ii) the overlap between PC and AS lies within the domain of fearing physical catastrophe; (iii) AS independently predicts weekly headache, headache pain intensity, and the number of a wide range of physical symptoms associated with headache; and (iv) PC independently predicts the presence of weekly headache. Limitations and implications of this research, as well as recommendations for future research directions are discussed.     

Governing therapy choices: Power/Knowledge in the treatment of progressive renal failure

This article outlines the struggle between the power of the health care professional and the rights of the individual to choose freely a modality of treatment. Nurses are instrumental in assisting patients in making the best decision for a therapy they will have to assume for the rest of their lives. In guiding patients' decision, nurses must take into account these unavoidable contingencies: changes in lifestyle, nutritional restrictions, level of acceptance, compliance issues, ease of training and availability of support/facilities. Ensuring that the patient makes an informed decision is therefore an ongoing challenge for nurses as they are taking part in a delicate balancing act between not directly influencing the patient's decision while making sure the patient is accurately informed.     

Applied sport psychology in canada

The present study sought to ascertain a contextualized perspective of established practitioners’ subjective reasoning underpinning their practices. An interpretive phenomenological analysis (Smith, 1996) was adopted as an in-depth qualitative approach to explore 9 UK-based applied sport psychologists’ perceptions and experiences. Three superordinate themes emerged: literature underpinning professional practice, the importance of the sport setting and context, and the need for professional judgment. The study provides a valuable insight into the influences on sport psychologists’ behavior, the role this plays when advising elite performers on allocation of their thought processes, and how such advice is operationalized and applied.     

A tool for measuring stress tolerance in elite athletes

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the nature of pre-performance routines used in golf. Six male international golfers were recruited to participate in this study (Age M = 29; handicap M = +1.5; years playing golf M = 16.25). The golfers were interviewed individually to gain an understanding of participants’ perceptions of the nature and function of their pre-performance routines. The data were thematically analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. In total, 9 super-ordinate themes emerged: allocation of attention, psychological skills, shot selection, routine mind set, routine composition, compulsive behaviors, routine evolution/application, top players, and moderating factors. Results suggest that the development of routines is dependent on the personality, coping resources, and situational appraisals of each individual performer.     

How job characteristics relate to need satisfaction and autonomous motivation: implications for work effort

To explore the motivational potential of job design, we linked job demands and job resources, as defined in the job demands–resources model, to the motivational process defined in self‐determination theory. Specifically, we introduced basic need satisfaction and autonomous motivation as consecutive process variables mediating the relationship between job design and work effort. We tested this model by means of structural equation modeling in a sample of 689 employees. The comparison of several competing models provided support for the hypothesized model. We conclude that job demands thwart and job resources promote the fulfillment of 3 psychological needs. High levels of need satisfaction, in turn, are associated with autonomous motivation and, therefore, with high levels of effort.     

A Reliability Generalization Study of Coefficient Alpha for the Life Orientation Test

The Pd, K and L scales of the MMPI and four of Kolberg's Moral Judgment Situations were administered to three criterion groups; adolescent delinquents, college students, and individuals belonging to a therapy collective which provides free community service. Greater than 50% of both the delinquent and therapy collective subjects were classified as psychopathic, (Pd + K T score > 70). The three subject groups obtained significantly different moral maturity scores with the therapy collective subjects receiving the highest moral maturity mean score. The results of two stepwise regression analyses found no relationship between Pd scores and moral maturity scores.     

Combined Effects of Positive and Negative Affectivity and Job Satisfaction on Job Performance and Turnover Intentions

Capturing data from employee–supervisor dyads (N = 321) from eight organizations in Pakistan, including human service organizations, an electronics assembly plant, a packaging material manufacturing company, and a small food processing plant, we used moderated regression analysis to examine whether the relationships between trait affect (positive affectivity [PA] and negative affectivity [NA]) and two key work outcome variables (job performance and turnover) are contingent upon the level of job satisfaction. We applied the Trait Activation Theory to explain the moderating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between affect and performance and between affect and turnover. Overall, the data supported our hypotheses. Positive and negative affectivity influenced performance and the intention to quit, and job satisfaction moderated these relationships. We discuss in detail the results of these findings and their implications for research and practice.     

The Varieties of Wonder

Although wonder is a response to what is extraordinary or regarded as such, this covers a variety of things. Hence, wonder covers a spectrum from mere surprise or puzzlement to stronger responses like dread or amazement; moreover, it is often linked to other powerful responses like fear or admiration, and it can lead people into many pursuits and areas of reflection. I look at the variety of the objects of wonder, and of the neighbouring responses and conceptual connections found here, then I discuss the response of wonder itself, and its causes and effects. Finally, I ask why the sense of wonder can atrophy, and whether it can be suppressed deliberately.     

Latent self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism: Tests of factorial,convergent, and discriminant validity using self- and informant reports

Using latent variables for self-oriented perfectionism (i.e., demanding perfection of oneself) and socially prescribed perfectionism (i.e., perceiving others are demanding perfection of oneself) has advantages. However, few studies have specifically examined the psychometric properties of these latent variables. The present study addresses this shortcoming by testing the factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity of self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism latent variables using self- and informant reports. It was hypothesized that (a) the factor structure of the self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism latent variables would be supported, (b) self- and informant reports would moderately converge, and (c) the self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism latent variables would be discriminable. A sample of 242 undergraduate women and 378 informants (218 mothers, 160 fathers) was recruited. Undergraduate women completed self-reports, and mothers and fathers completed informant reports. Results were consistent with hypotheses, thereby supporting (a) the factorial validity of the self-oriented and socially prescribed latent variables using self- and informant reports, (b) the convergent validity of the self-oriented and socially prescribed latent variables via moderately to strongly correlated self- and informant reports, and (c) the discriminant validity of the self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism latent variables. Findings suggest research using these latent variables is warranted.