Reliability and validity of children's reports of migraine headache symptoms

The present study was concerned with whether children's responses to a questionnaire correspond with parents' reports of the child's headache symptoms and whether these responses correlate with self-monitored headache activity. Twenty-eight children, ages 7 years–16 years, participated in the study. Using a questionnaire format, data on a wide variety of headache characteristics were gathered from parents and children. During the subsequent 4 weeks, children monitored their headache activity and medication usage. Results were generally supportive of the validity and reliability of children's reports via a questionnaire format. The responses to the frequency of headache and medication usage were found to predict the responses over the next month, whereas the response on the duration of headache did not. Significant correlations for most headache-symptom items indicated that children and parents agree on their presence and severity. This investigation is the first step in developing a systematic assessment procedure for childhood headache.     

Alcohol use and high-risk sexual behavior among men who have sex with men: the effects of consumption level and partner type.

Alcohol use may increase HIV sexual risk behavior, although findings have varied across study populations and methods. Using event-level data from 1,712 seronegative men who have sex with men, the authors tested the hypothesis that social context would moderate the effect of alcohol consumption on unprotected anal sex (UAS). For encounters involving a primary partner, rates of UAS did not vary as a function of alcohol use. However, consumption of 4 or more drinks tripled the likelihood of UAS for episodes involving a nonprimary partner. Thus, the effects of alcohol vary according to the context in which it is used. Interventions to reduce substance-related risk should be tailored to the demands of maintaining sexual safety with nonprimary partners.     

Sculpted Shame: Experiential Learning and Pastoral Theology's Role as a Reconciling Force in Theological Education

Pastoral Psychology -