Personality factors as predictors of pathological gambling

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between different personality variables and pathological gambling (PG). The NEO-FFI and measures of impulsivity and sensation-seeking were administered to a sample of pathological gamblers (n = 90) and to a contrast group of non-pathological gamblers (n = 66) matched on sex and age. Gender, age, education level and the personality variables were entered into crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses with PG-status as the dependent variable. The results showed that educational level and all personality variables were significant predictors of PG in the crude analyses, however only four of the 12 significant predictor variables (Neuroticism, Openness, Impulsivity, and need for Stimulus Intensity) remained significant in the adjusted analysis. All predictor variables accounted for 71% of the variance in PG-status. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Associations between appearance-related self-discrepancies and young women's and men's affect, body satisfaction, and emotional eating: a comparison of fixed-item and participant-generated self-discrepancies

This study examines the associations between appearance-related, actual-ideal self-discrepancies--from both own and romantic partner's standpoints--and negative affect, body satisfaction, and eating behavior. It extends previous research through studying both genders and the romantic partner standpoint, but its main novel contribution is a systematic comparison between idiographic, participant-generated, and nomothetic, fixed-item measures of appearance-related self-discrepancies. The findings show that these measures cannot be, and should not be, treated as equivalent. The idiographic measures were superior in predicting outcome variables when considering the own standpoint. Nomothetic measures did demonstrate some gender-specific associations, but only from the romantic partner standpoint, and only for women. These findings can be explained with respect to the assessment of accessible, versus available, self-discrepancies. Implications for self-discrepancy and body image theory and research are discussed.     

The Costs of Consumer Culture and the “Cage Within”: The Impact of the Material “Good Life” and “Body Perfect” Ideals on Individuals” Identity and Well-Being

In this article I explore the motivated construal processes that allow individuals to dispel doubt and sustain conviction in the face of less-than-perfect partners and relationships. The surface features of conviction are discussed first with a focus on the positive illusions that predict relationship well-being and stability. The structural underpinnings of conviction are then discussed with a focus on the cognitive mechanisms that contain the implications of negativity within positive relationship representations. I conclude by discussing possible self-evaluation motives that may interfere with intimates dispelling doubt and finding the sense of conviction needed to sustain satisfying, stable romantic relationships.     

Quality of life in patients before and after kidney transplantation

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to differentially determine quality of life (QOL) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) after successful kidney transplantation (RT, Group A) compared with ESRD patients on a waiting list for RT (Group B). and with healthy controls (Group C) because opinions vary as to which treatment modality can best assure ESRD patients a high QOL.

Groups A, B and C each consisted of 149 persons, matched for age and gender. The Munich Quality of Life Dimensions List (MLDL) was used to measure global aspects of QOL. Distinct aspects of QOL were investigated by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the Questionnaire for Social Support (K-22).

Groups A and C reported similar QOL. Which was significantly higher than in group B (p < .0001). This was particularly true for the physical and psychological status and daily activities, but not for the social situation. Groups A and B reported similar social support, which was significantly, lower than in group C (p < 006). Both ESRD groups reported higher satisfaction with social support than healthy controls (p < .0001).

Successful RT nor only improved distinct aspects of QOL in patients with ESRD, but even put them on par with healthy controls regarding physical and psychological QOL.

Lower social support and higher satisfaction with social support in both groups of ESRD patients should be evaluated further. From a clinical viewpoint. the improvement of physical and psychological aspects of QOL in RT patients is impressive; but more attention should be paid to constantly low social support in this group of patients. International multi center longitudinal studies to investigate QOL in ESRD patients under different treatments am necessary.     

Differential effectiveness of explicit verbal feedback on children's communication skills

In order to specify by which combination of content and form dimensions the explicit verbal feedback comes to be most effective in enhancing communication skills, a training experiment was designed where both dimensions were factorially manipulated. Forty children (mean age, 5–10) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions: Interrogative Cognitive feedback, Declarative Cognitive feedback, Interrogative Perceptual feedback, and Declarative Perceptual feedback. The Cognitive type of feedback specified the successive cognitive steps underlying the comparison activity whereas the Perceptual type of feedback stressed only the necessity of describing perceptual differences when communicating. These two contents of feedback were either provided by a set of standardized questions or of declarative statements, after each trial of a speaking training task. Subjects were given a pretest, and immediate and delayed posttests comprised of a speaking task and a listening generalization task. A 2 (Contents) × 2 (Forms) × 2 (Tasks) × 2 (Post-tests) analysis of variance showed that all subjects performed significantly better on the speaking task than on the listening generalization task and that subjects in the Interrogative Cognitive condition performed better than subjects in the three other conditions, on both post-test tasks. Results emphasize the mutual facilitating effects of the Interrogative Form and the Cognitive Content of explicit feedback and are discussed in terms of the generalization and stability of the induced learning.     

Does linguistic reversibility exist? an experimental exploration of a psycholinguistic construct

Three experiments were devised involving 176 subjects aged between 5-0 and 8-1 years to examine children's receptive control of a set of four intersentence relations (identity, antonymy, structure reversal, equivalence) and to relate this linguistic ability to levels of cognitive functioning as assessed by the Piagetian measureDeux Sens de l'Orientation. The results indicate a significant but moderate correlation between performance on the two tasks. Cognitive precedence with respect to corresponding linguistic ability was observed in only one of the experiments, where linguistic performance was unsually low due to phonological interference between the lexical items used. The results were interpreted as giving evidence of linguistic reversibility—partially independent from cognitive reversibility though isomorphic with it—in the perceptual-figurative mode, resulting in flexible and efficient processing of linguistic inversions and even converse relations by preoperational children. These data complement previous psycholinguistic research in the Piagetian tradition, which had shown cognitive precedence relative to corresponding linguistic processes. It is suggested that previous research had tapped mainly linguistic processes in the cognitive operational mode, and that future research needs to examine the interrelation between the two modes.     

THE ACQUISITION OF PERSON PRONOUNS IN FRENCH-SPEAKING CHILDREN*

The study reports data on the acquisition of person pronouns by 29 French-speaking children, aged between 18 and 30 months. The results show that this acquisition proceeds according to a regular developmental sequence, which parallels that found in research with English-speaking children. However, it appeared that the French-speaking children in this study learned the pronouns about 2-3 months later than had been reported for English-speaking children. The results are interpreted as giving evidence about the selective contribution of general developmental mechanisms and socio-cultural and linguistic factors to young children's learning of person pronouns.     

Problematic video game use: estimated prevalence and associations with mental and physical health

A nationwide survey was conducted to investigate the prevalence of video game addiction and problematic video game use and their association with physical and mental health. An initial sample comprising 2,500 individuals was randomly selected from the Norwegian National Registry. A total of 816 (34.0 percent) individuals completed and returned the questionnaire. The majority (56.3 percent) of respondents used video games on a regular basis. The prevalence of video game addiction was estimated to be 0.6 percent, with problematic use of video games reported by 4.1 percent of the sample. Gender (male) and age group (young) were strong predictors for problematic use of video games. A higher proportion of high frequency compared with low frequency players preferred massively multiplayer online role-playing games, although the majority of high frequency players preferred other game types. Problematic use of video games was associated with lower scores on life satisfaction and with elevated levels of anxiety and depression. Video game use was not associated with reported amount of physical exercise.