Gender Differences in Reporting Psychological Abuse in a National Sample

Understanding the nature and impact of psychological abuse for males and females is crucial because it might be the precursor of other forms of violence. This study examines reported gender differences in psychologically abusive acts using a national sample of U.S. citizens. The data were collected anonymously from an online administration of the Measure of Psychological Abuse (MPAB). Other measures were included to assess outcomes that might occur due to psychological abuse. Results indicate that there are more similarities than differences in the gender reports of psychological abuse. Compared to males' reports, differences include female reports of certain behaviors leading to more negative emotional and behavioral impact and more negative outcomes due to being in a psychologically abusive relationship.     

Understanding Patients' Reactions to Services: The Role of Personal Service Values in Heart Patient Satisfaction and Wellness

This study proposed an individual-difference perspective on heart patients' customer-service satisfaction. We hypothesized that heart patients' satisfaction with service is positively related to wellness and that instrumental care, expressive care, and communication effectiveness are positively related to satisfaction and wellness. We also hypothesized that patients' values for services would moderate the relationship between service provision and outcomes. A survey of 217 heart patients provided support for these hypotheses. Of particular interest were findings that: (a) the service provision-service outcomes relationship was moderated by service values for some patient groups but not for others; and (b) the service provision-outcomes relationship differed across patient subgroups. We discuss the implications for patient satisfaction research and for planning individualized treatment strategies.     

Measurement of newcomer socialization: Construct validation of a multidimensional scale

A construct validation approach was taken to develop a primary measure of newcomer socialization that addresses shortcomings with a prior scale (Chao, Kelly, Wolf, Klein, & Gardner, 1994). Three separate groups of subject matter experts reviewed items to ensure the content validity of the Newcomer Socialization Questionnaire (NSQ). Studies 1 and 2 examined the NSQ’s psychometric properties using employed students and organizational newcomers as participants, respectively. Results illustrate scale reliability, factor structure, convergent and discriminant validity, and correlations with criterion variables. The NSQ measures three dimensions or domains of newcomer socialization: the organization, the group and the job/task. In addition, both factual knowledge and knowledge of expected role behaviors are assessed within each domain. Thus, the NSQ provides a useful measurement tool for researchers and practitioners interested in examining direct outcomes of being socialized.     

CAN SPATIAL TRAINING ERASE THE GENDER DIFFERENCES ON THE WATER-LEVEL TASK?

Spatial training has been only modestly effective at improving the performance of adolescents and adults on the water-level task. Based on previous findings with the task, a self-discovery training procedure was developed that involved having participants proceed from easier to more difficult problems along a dimension of increasingly greater competing perceptual cues. The training was effective in (a) eliminating the gender differences on the drawing task, and (b) significantly improving females' knowledge of the physical (invariance) principle, although not to the level of males. Training effects did not transfer to a related spatial task.     

Habituation of conditioned suppression

Habituation of a conditioned emotional response was investigated using a procedure which eliminated contaminating temporal discriminations. Three rats were trained to bar press on a random interval 60 sec schedule of milk reinforcement and variable duration tone-shock pairings were superimposed upon this baseline. Very little recovery from conditioned suppression was found over 60 sessions of testing and no systematic differences were found after a month's “vacation” from the procedure. Analysis of responding within the CS period showed uniform suppression. The data are discussed in terms of stimulus predictability.     

Best Practices Start With Screening: A Closer Look at Screening,Brief Intervention,and Referral to Treatment in Adolescent,Military, and LGBTQ Populations

Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is a flexible, evidence‐based approach to assessing risk and providing brief interventions for individuals with alcohol use disorders. This article identifies 3 diverse populations that could benefit from universal screening—a foundation of SBIRT—and provides resources and support for implementation across a broad range of settings.