Conceptual Competence as a Component of Second Language Fluency

In this article we argue that conceptual competence should be seen as a component of second language (L2) communicative competence. Abstract concepts are highly expressed by means of metaphors, metonymies, idioms and other types of figurative language. In literature it is suggested that knowledge and appropriate use of these lexical segments are closely related to L2 mastery and therefore conceptual instruction is expected to facilitate L2 learning. To test the relationship between conceptual and L2 competence we conducted an experiment in which Modern Greek learners were encouraged to express their views on the concept of happiness. The results showed their weak performance in conveying their ideas in a coherent and acceptable manner.     

Healthcare provider cultural competency: development and initial validation of a patient report measure.

OBJECTIVE: Health researchers have proposed that provider cultural competency may contribute to health disparities. Yet, this belief continues to lack empirical support, and this is due in part to measurement issues that have plagued the cultural competency construct. In the present research, we report on the development of a theoretically grounded, generally applicable, and patient report measure of provider cultural competency. DESIGN: Samples of predominantly African American patients (N=310) were recruited from three urban medical clinics to complete a survey about their relationship with their physician. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We examined the factor structure, validity and other psychometric characteristics of a newly proposed patient report measure of provider cultural competency. RESULTS: Psychometric analyses supported a tripartite model of cultural competency that was comprised of patient judgments of their physician's cultural knowledge, awareness, and skill. In addition, this result was replicated across multiple clinical contexts, while also demonstrating convergent and incremental validity when correlated with measures of trust, satisfaction and discrimination. CONCLUSION: This newly proposed measure addresses prior limitations in cultural competency measurement and may enhance future research by providing a standardized tool for use in multiple clinical and cultural contexts.     

Uncovering the Value and Meaning of a Horticulture Therapy Program for Clients at a Long-Term Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Facility

This qualitative study investigated the value and meaning of the Greenhouse Program and its impact on recovery goals of residents with severe and persistent mental illness at an adult, long-term psychiatric facility. Eight participants and two occupational therapists were interviewed. Findings revealed two main themes, relating to the essence of the program and personal growth of the participants, supplemented by six sub-themes. The findings suggest that initiatives, such as the Greenhouse Program, are an appropriate intervention that occupational therapy professionals can use in adult inpatient psychiatric facilities.     

Couples with Intimate Partner Violence Seeking Relationship Help: Associations and Implications for Self‐Help and Online Interventions

In‐person conjoint treatments for relationship distress are effective at increasing relationship satisfaction, and newly developed online programs are showing promising results. However, couples reporting even low levels intimate partner violence (IPV) are traditionally excluded from these interventions. To improve the availability of couple‐based treatment for couples with IPV, the present study sought to determine whether associations with IPV found in community samples generalized to couples seeking help for their relationship and whether web‐based interventions for relationship distressed worked equally well for couples with IPV. In the first aim, in a sample of 2,797 individuals who were seeking online help for their relationship, the levels and correlates of both low‐intensity and clinically significant IPV largely matched what is found in community samples. In the second aim, in a sample of 300 couples who were randomly assigned to a web‐based intervention or a waitlist control group, low‐impact IPV did not moderate the effects of the intervention for relationship distress. Therefore, web‐based interventions may be an effective (and easily accessible) intervention for relationship distress for couples with low‐intensity IPV.     

Sudden gains in treatment-as-usual couple therapy for military veterans

Previous studies of couple therapy have conceptualized change as a gradual process. However, there is growing evidence that, for many clients, the majority of gains in other treatment modalities are often achieved between just 2 sessions. Isolating the frequency, nature, and predictors of these sudden gains (SGs) in couple therapy can add to a growing understanding of how and why couple therapy works. In a sample of 67 couples receiving treatment-as-usual couple therapy in two Veterans Affairs hospitals, 25% of individuals experienced a SG in relationship satisfaction. The magnitude of these SGs were large (d = 1.62) and fully explained the total pre-post change for individuals who experienced them. Individuals with SGs showed significantly greater satisfaction gains during therapy; however SGs were not related to relationship satisfaction or relationship status at 18-month follow-up. SGs were predicted by the content of the previous session, putative change mechanisms of communication, intimacy, and behavior, as well as the partner's SGs during the same period. Results suggest that SGs are an important component of change during couple therapy for some individuals, challenging the assumption of continuous change in previous studies. In addition, predictors of SGs were generally consistent with theoretical and empirical examinations of mechanisms of change in couple therapy.     

The effects of gender,long-term need for recovery and trait inhibition-rumination on morning and evening saliva cortisol secretion

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of need for recovery from work and trait rumination on saliva cortisol secretion. The sample consisted of 76 white-collar workers, 52 men and 24 women who had previously provided baseline data four years earlier and volunteered to participate in the present study. In the present study, saliva cortisol secretion was measured over seven consecutive days, on awakening, and at 10 p.m. No relationships were found between the independent variables and morning saliva cortisol levels. High trait rumination at baseline, however, was significantly related to higher evening cortisol levels for both women and men. Baseline need for recovery from work was strongly related to evening cortisol secretion for women, but in the opposite direction than expected. The present results add to the small but equivocal body of literature that has examined the long-term effects of work strain on cortisol secretion.     

Executive Functioning and Gambling: Performance on the Trail Making Test is Associated with Gambling Problems in Older Adult Gamblers

ABSTRACT

Rates of gambling problems in older adults have risen with increased accessibility of gambling venues. One possible contributor to problem gambling among older adults is decreased self-control brought about by diminished executive functioning. Consistent with this possibility, Study 1 revealed that older adults recruited from gambling venues reported greater gambling problems if they also experienced deficits in executive functioning, measured via the Trail Making Test. Study 2 replicated this finding and demonstrated that problem gambling is associated with increased depression among older adults, mediated by increased financial distress. These studies provide support for the hypothesis that older adult gamblers who have executive functioning problems are also likely to have gambling problems.