Life event categories differentially predict psychopathology symptom levels.

The present study used a prospective design to investigate whether eight categories of daily negative life events or "hassles" differentially predict psychopathology levels, and/or changes in psychopathology levels over 1 month in a mixed-sex, nonclinical sample of undergraduate subjects. Hassles were assessed using the Revised Hassles Scale (HS-R; DeLongis, 1985); psychopathology was assessed using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-90; Derogatis, Lipman, & Covi, 1973) on two occasions, separated by 1 month. Scores on all eight HS-R subscales predicted Time 2 scores on most or all of the SCL-90 psychopathology scales. However, the magnitudes of these correlations varied widely, indicating that these subscales may be substantially different in their abilities to predict psychopathology levels.     

The MOS Short-Form General Health Survey: single item vs multiple measures of health-related quality of life: some nuances.

Researchers concluded that Item 2 of the Short-form General Health Survey of the Medical Outcomes Study can be used as a single-item measure of health-related quality of life. This conclusion is tested again on a random sample of elderly people in the Netherlands. Although it can be concluded that the psychometric properties of the short form are satisfactory, the use of the single item as a measure of health-related quality of life is discussed.     

The Effects of Decision Outcome Dispersion Upon Organizational Decision Making

The effects of varying decision outcome dispersion on organizational decision making were investigated under individual and group decision making conditions. Thirty-six female and pg]36 male subjects made decisions for organizational decision scenarios in which outcomes affected primarily the decision maker, people other than the decision maker, or a group of which the decision maker was a member. Subjects rated their levels of perceived risk and confidence in their decisions and made decisions within a simulated context of either a small or a large organization. Results indicated that subjects perceived significantly less risk and more confidence in their decisions when outcomes affected primarily themselves rather than others regardless of whether the decisions were made individually or by a group. Males perceived their decisions as significantly more risky than females. Induced organizational size did not significantly influence decision making.

     

Evaluation of an intervention designed to improve patients' hospital experience.

The influence of a videotape, shown in a hospital admitting room, on patients' state anxiety and concerns about hospitalization was assessed in a preliminary study. For both state anxiety and specific concerns regarding hospitalization the pretest scores on each variable accounted for the preponderance of the variance in the posttest scores. In both instances, the intervention and the interaction of the intervention with the pretest scores accounted for less than 1% of variance in the outcome. While finding small effects to be significant for such a small sample (N = 93) is unlikely, the sample size was adequate to detect medium to large effects. More important was the fact that 73.33% of the videotape intervention group indicated that they did not watch the video, which leads us to the conclusion that this intervention as tested is not worthwhile.     

Type A behavior, job satisfaction, and stress among black professionals.

Most studies of work-related Type A behavior have been conducted with samples of white men. Using a mail questionnaire to assess Type A behavior, job satisfaction, and daily stress and tension among 250 black men and 233 black women public accountants, the prevalence of Type A behavior and its relationship with satisfaction and stress were highly consistent with those reported for other samples of white men and women.     

Gender differences in cognitive styles of MBA students in three countries.

Differences between the scores of male and female respondents, 115 British, 123 Australian, and 131 American midcareer MBA students, confirm propositions derived from Kirton's adaption-innovation theory to the effect that individuals who diverge most from social norms will be among the most innovative members of their group.     

Demographic and intellectual correlates of the Short-term Memory Test.

This study examined the effect of demographic variables and intellectual factors on the Short-term Memory Test. Subjects were 20 patients neurologically diagnosed as brain-damaged. There was only one significant correlation between Verbal IQ and the Short-term Memory Test. Demographic variables of age, education, and sex did not correlate significantly with scores of the Short-term Memory Test.     

Assessing the likelihood of reliable workplace behavior: further contributions to the validation of the Employee Reliability Inventory.

This paper summarizes a number of studies in which the validity of the Employee Reliability Inventory, a preemployment screening instrument designed to assess the likelihood of reliable and productive workplace behavior, was examined. Criterion-related studies compared the scores of a broadly diverse group of job applicants with those obtained from an array of criterion and comparison groups, for whom there was documented evidence of reliable or unreliable behavior. Criterion-related evidence indicates that the six scales are effective in differentiating a variety of criterion groups with unreliable behavior from a number of different job applicant comparison groups. Construct-related evidence for the validity of an emotional adjustment scale is reported as well. The issue of response distortion in preemployment inventories is discussed, and data are reported which indicate that scores on all six scales appear to be functionally free from the potentially confounding effects of response distortion. These results are consistent with the original validation and cross-validation findings, which supported the validity of the six scales when assessing the likelihood of reliable behavior in a population of job applicants.     

Demoralization and living alone: outcome from an urban community study.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate differences in demoralization between those who live in single-person households and those who live in households with others in a random sample of 8,634 urban adults. Responses to the 26-item Psychiatric Epidemiologic Research Interview did not substantiate that adults who live alone are more likely to be demoralized than those who live with others, until age and gender are considered. Men who live alone scored higher on demoralization than men who live with others, yet women who live with others scored higher on demoralization than those who live alone. An interaction for living arrangement and age group on demoralization was also observed.