Effects of Cognitive Complexity and Emotional Upset on Processing Supportive Messages: Two Tests of a Dual‐Process Theory of Supportive Communication Outcomes

We report tests of hypotheses derived from a theory of supportive communication outcomes that maintains the effects of supportive messages are moderated by factors influencing the motivation and ability to process these messages. Participants in two studies completed a measure of cognitive complexity, which provided an assessment of processing ability, and reported their degree of upset with a problem situation, which was hypothesized to impact both motivation and ability; they subsequently evaluated the helpfulness of comforting messages that varied in person centeredness. Consistent with predictions, an index of message processing depth—the degree to which participants discriminated between the helpfulness of better and worse supportive messages—was associated with the factors additively in both studies and interactively in one study.     

The Prevalence of Spirituality, Optimism, Depression, and Fatalism in a Bi-ethnic Stroke Population

To provide insight into the reduced post-stroke all-cause mortality among Mexican Americans, we explored ethnic differences in the pre-stroke prevalence of (1) spirituality, (2) optimism, (3) depression, and (4) fatalism in a Mexican American and non-Hispanic white stroke population. The Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project is a population-based stroke surveillance study in Nueces County, Texas. Seven hundred ten stroke patients were queried. For fatalism, optimism, and depression scales, unadjusted ethnic comparisons were made using linear regression models. Regression models were also used to explore how age and gender modify the ethnic associations after adjustment for education. For the categorical spirituality variables, ethnic comparisons were made using Fisher's exact tests. Mexican Americans reported significantly more spirituality than non-Hispanic whites. Among women, age modified the ethnic associations with pre-stroke depression and fatalism but not optimism. Mexican American women had more optimism than non-Hispanic white women. With age, Mexican American women had less depression and fatalism, while non-Hispanic white women had more fatalism and similar depression. Among men, after adjustment for education and age, there was no ethnic association with fatalism, depression, and optimism. Spirituality requires further study as a potential mediator of increased survival following stroke among Mexican Americans. Among women, evaluation of the role of optimism, depression, and fatalism as they relate to ethnic differences in post-stroke mortality should be explored.     

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Older Adults

Insomnia is associated with significant morbidity and is often a persistent problem, particularly in older adults. It is important to attend to this complaint and not assume that it will remit spontaneously. In many cases, unfortunately, insomnia remains unrecognized and untreated, often because it is presumed that insomnia is an inevitable consequence of aging. Although the sleep structure naturally changes with advancing age, these changes are not necessarily associated with complaints of poor sleep, distress, or daytime consequences, while chronic insomnia clearly is. There is increasing evidence that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective for the management of chronic insomnia in the elderly and that it is of significant benefit for insomnia comorbid with medical and psychological conditions, also more prevalent in older age. The aim of this article is to familiarize clinicians working with older adults with the different components of CBT for insomnia and how to adapt the treatment to this population. A clinical case and session-by-session implementation of CBT for insomnia are described to illustrate information and guidelines provided in this article.     

Evaluation of an Internet-short message service-based intervention for promoting physical activity in Hong Kong Chinese adolescent school children: a pilot study

Evaluation of acceptability and preliminary efficacy of an Internet and short message service (SMS) intervention for promoting physical activity (PA) in Hong Kong Chinese school children. An 8-week quasi-experimental study non-randomly assigned 78 school children (mean age=12.8 years) to (a) an intervention group that received a stage-matched, Internet PA program two times a week and tailored SMS messages daily; or (b) a no-treatment control. Data were collected from September 2008 until June 2009. Acceptability measures included exposure rate and participant's satisfaction. Efficacy measures were changes in stage of motivational readiness (SMR) and self-reported PA level. Intervention participants demonstrated significant pre-post increments in SMR (Z=-2.558, p=0.011) and self-reported PA level [F(1, 76)=4.50, p=0.04]. There was a non-significant trend between groups in both SMR (p=0.24) and PA (p=0.13). Despite the similar ratings of satisfaction between Internet (M=3.12±0.74) and SMS (M=3.12±0.84), participants displayed distinct patterns of exposure with 66% exhibiting a weekly login rate of 0.5 times/person and an average of 3.75 minutes/visit/person. In contrast, 79% of participants read an average of 1.3 SMS/person/week and 47% voluntarily replied to ～3.8 SMS/person. These findings demonstrate the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of an Internet-SMS-based intervention for promoting PA in Hong Kong school children. The divergent exposure rates between the Internet and SMS may be a unique pattern for adolescents in early SMR. Future research should be cognizant of the importance of SMR since it may influence utilization and/or adherence.     

Marx and Cohen on Exploitation and the labor theory of value

Gerald A. Cohen, in ‘The Labor Theory of Value and the Concept of Exploitation’, argues that, contrary to the traditional assumption, Marx's charge of exploitation against capitalism does not require the labor theory of value. However, there is a related but simpler basis for the charge. Hence Marx's criticism can stand even if the labor theory of value falls. Furthermore, he argues that the labor theory of value is false. It is argued here that Cohen is mistaken; the charge Marx makes against capitalism does require the labor theory of value. Cohen's conception of exploitation is weaker than Marx's both theoretically and morally. It is also argued that Cohen's criticisms of the labor theory of value rest on misunderstandings of the theory and Marx's methodology.     

Maternal discrimination and the development of sex differences in exploratory behaviour in infant spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus)

The present paper reports sex differences in exploratory behaviour by infant Spiny Mice, Acomys cahirinus, that may, in part, be related to differences in maternal behaviour towards pups; like some other rodents, mother Acomys differentiate behaviourally between male and female pups. In Experiment 1 infant Acomys were allowed to explore a novel arena. This experiment showed that even by Day 3 (the day of birth=Day 1) female Acomys explored a novel environment more than males; they entered the arena sooner than males and spent more time in contact with a novel object. Experiment 2 showed that infant females were more active than males when observed in the home cage in the presence of their parents and made more approaches to the mother. Mothers, on the other hand, directed more licking behaviour towards males. Experiment 3 focused on the exploratory behaviour of individual pups in the presence of the mother. Given access to a large, complex arena, female pups explored more than males. The results also showed that mothers direct more of their social interactions towards sons than daughters, particularly when pups are about a week old. Some mothers appear to “direct” the movement of their offspring, by blocking their forward movement; this was done more often to male than to female pups. The data suggest that the previously observed changes in exploratory behaviour at this time, and the emergence of sex differences in exploration, may in part depend upon the mothers' reactions to pups by sex.     

The Influence of Intersecting Identities on Self‐Harm,Suicidal Behaviors,and Depression among Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual Individuals

Individuals with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identities have higher prevalence of self‐directed violence, but very little is known about racial/ethnic differences between LGB populations. This study aimed to examine racial/ethnic differences in self‐harm, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and depression among LGB and heterosexual emerging adults. Data are compiled from the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 National College Health Assessment and limited to respondents within emerging adulthood (ages 18–24) who indicated their sexual orientation and racial/ethnic identities (n = 89,199). Within each racial/ethnic group, LGB individuals were significantly more likely to report self‐harm, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and depression than non‐LGB individuals.     

Book reviews

Patterson, K., Marshall, J, C. and Coltheart, M. (Eds.). Surface dyslexia : Neuropsychological and cognitive studies of phonological reading. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 1985. Pp. 544. ISBN 0-86377-026-6. £29.95.

Donovan, B. T. Hormones and human behaviour. Cambridge : Cambridge Unversity Press. 1985. Pp. 223. ISBN 0-521-25881-2. £25.00.

Harris, M. D. Introduction to Natural Language Processing. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall International. 1985. Pp. 366. ISBN 0-8539-3253-2. £25.00.

Daniloff, N. (Ed.). Speech science—Recent advances. London: Taylor and Francis. 1982. Pp. 326. ISBN 0-85066-501-9. £30.00.

Haugeland, J. Artificial Intelligence-The very Idea. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press. 1985. Pp. 287. ISBN 0-262-08153-9. £14.95.

Sampson, G. Writing systems. London: Hunthcinson. 1985. Pp. 234. ISBN 0-091-56980-X. £19.65.

Pavlidis, G. Th. and Fisher, D. f. (Eds.). Dyslexia: Its neuropsychology and treatment 1986. Chichester: John Wiley. £29.50.     

Andromeda Freed From Her Chains

Minds for the Making: The Role of Science in American Education, 1750–1990, by Scott L. Montgomery, New York: The Guilford Press, 1994, pb, $18.95.