A formal cognitive model of the go/no-go discrimination task: evaluation and implications

This article proposes and tests a formal cognitive model for the go/no-go discrimination task. In this task, the performer chooses whether to respond to stimuli and receives rewards for responding to certain stimuli and punishments for responding to others. Three cognitive models were evaluated on the basis of data from a longitudinal study involving 400 adolescents. The results show that a cue-dependent model presupposing that participants can differentiate between cues was the most accurate and parsimonious. This model has 3 parameters denoting the relative impact of rewards and punishments on evaluations, the rate that contingent payoffs are learned, and the consistency between learning and responding. Commission errors were associated with increased attention to rewards; omission errors were associated with increased attention to punishments. Both error types were associated with low choice consistency. The parameters were also shown to have external validity: Attention to rewards was associated with externalizing behavior problems on the Achenbach scale, and choice consistency was associated with low Welsh anxiety. The present model can thus potentially improve the sensitivity of the task to differences between clinical populations.     

The reliability and validity of the panic disorder self-report: a new diagnostic screening measure of panic disorder

This study examined the Panic Disorder Self-Report (PDSR), a new self-report diagnostic measure of panic disorder based on the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). PDSR diagnoses were compared with structured interview diagnoses of individuals with generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and panic disorder and nonanxious controls. Receiver operating characteristic analyses revealed that the PDSR showed 100% specificity and 89% sensitivity. The PDSR also demonstrated retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, and kappa agreement of .93 with a structured interview. Finally, the PDSR demonstrated clinical validity. Students who were identified as having panic disorder using the PDSR did not have significantly different scores on the Panic Disorder Severity Scale--Self-Report form (P. R. Houck, D. A. Speigel, M. K. Shear, & P. Rucci, 2002) than a panic disordered community sample. However, both groups had significantly higher scores than students identified as not meeting criteria for panic disorder.     

Preferences for involvement in medical decision making: comparing British and German views

Despite beneficial outcomes of patients' involvement in medical decision processes, it has been claimed that patients are generally not interested in medical decision making (MDM). Whereas current research focuses on actual MDM, this research explored the impact of nationality and perceptual processes of MDM. Preferences for involvement in decision making were examined in a sample of 204 German and 143 British university students. Hierarchical multiple regressions were employed to explore the link between socio-demographic information, individuals' perceived relationship with their GP, Health Locus of Control - Powerful Others, perceptions regarding the frequency and sufficiency of information provision and involvement in MDM, and individuals' preferred level of involvement and information. A significant amount of the variance in individuals preferences for involvement could be explained (Adjusted R2 = .59, p < .001). Independent t-test analyses showed that British and German perceptions of care differed significantly on a variety of different measures. Separate analyses for the German and British group highlighted cross-national differences in care and preferences for involvement. The study suggests that preferences to become involved might depend more on perceptual processes than actual involvement in decision making, and that communication and national health policy could play an important role.     

Predicting Acculturation Using Career,Family, and Demographic Variables in a Sample of Mexican American Students

The authors examined the relationship of a set of career variables, family cohesion, and demographic variables with the acculturation level of a sample of 176 Mexican American community college students. Multiple regression analyses using a blocked entry method revealed that only the demographic variables related significantly to acculturation. Based upon the zero order correlations, socioeconomic status would appear to account for most of the variance shared by acculturation and a linear combination of the demographic variables.     

Decision versus policy in crises intervention

The paper describes procedures for contrasting actions taken by crises intervention outreach workers and consumers with administrative policies. The data used to exemplify the procedures came from the outreach projects of six county MH/MR programs in Central Pennsylvania during the year following the flood caused by Hurricane Agnes, in 1972. The procedure identifies and counts the ways through which consumers entered the outreach process; the major outreach worker decision; and the immediate disposition of each consumer's case. The six county MH/MR program administrators were asked to consider program policies and show how they would ideally expect 1,000 hypothetical consumers to come into, to be processed through, and to be referred out of their respective outreach programs. Contrasts of the ideal and actual consumer data, along with consumer follow-up questionnaires, provided the basis for evaluating the six county MH/MR program outreach projects. These experiences provided the basis for a generalized model of evaluating crises intervention activities.     

Self-control of smoking—II effects of cue salience and source of delay imposition on the effectiveness of training under increasing delay

Imposed increasing delay of cigarette puffs has been shown to facilitate smoking inhibition. Hypothetical mechanisms involved (frustration extinction or rehearsal of coping responses) imply that increased temptation cue salience and decreased degree of external control in increasing delay training, should facilitate smoking inhibition. After three pre-test delay tolerance trials, all subjects were cued to pace their smoking in an increasing sequence of delay. During treatment the cigarette temptation cues were either visible or hidden. Delays were either self-imposed but cued by the experimenter or the delays were physically imposed by the experimenter. Post-test consisted of three delay tolerance trials. Pre-test to post-test improvement was significantly facilitated by cue salience and reduced external control. No significant interaction effects were obtained. Cue salience significantly reduced the self-reported aversiveness and GSRs during self-control trials. Implications for treatment were advanced.     

Self-report, situation-specific coping questionnaires: what are they measuring?

Self-report, situation-specific assessments of coping, such as the Ways of Coping Scale (WOC), have been used frequently in recent years. Several potential issues in the development and use of these questionnaires have been identified, including the applicability of coping items to different kinds of stressful events, the definition of the period for which Ss report coping efforts, and the meaning of the "extent" response key that is used for reporting coping items. In this study, 91 college students completed the WOC and were then interviewed about their responses; interview questions were focused on the 3 issues stated above. The hypothesized concerns about the WOC were supported. Many of the coping items were not applicable to certain kinds of stressful events. Also, how the coping report period was defined varied across Ss and the way in which the extent response key was interpreted differed across both Ss and WOC items.     

Social Discrimination in a Personnel Selection Context: The Effects of an Authority's Instruction to Discriminate and Followers' Authoritarianism1

Social discrimination in a personnel‐selection context was studied using an in‐basket exercise. West German participants had to select personnel from an applicant pool that included West German applicants (in‐group members) and East German applicants (out‐group members). As predicted, we found a main effect for an authority's instruction to discriminate against out‐group members. This main effect was, as predicted, qualified by an Instruction Right‐Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) interaction effect. Only high scorers on RWA discriminated against out‐group members when instructed to do so.     

Examining the initial usability,acceptability and feasibility of a digital mental health intervention for college students in India

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is prevalent among college students in India; however, barriers like stigma, treatment accessibility and cost prevent engagement in treatment. Web- and mobile-based, or digital, mental health interventions have been proposed as a potential solution to increasing treatment access. With the ultimate goal of developing an engaging digital mental health intervention for university students in India, the current study sought to understand students' reactions to a culturally and digitally adapted evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for GAD intervention. Specifically, through theatre testing and focus groups with a non-clinical sample of 15 college students in India, the present study examined initial usability, acceptability and feasibility of the “Mana Maali Digital Anxiety Program.” Secondary objectives comprised identifying students' perceived barriers to using the program and eliciting recommendations. Results indicated high usability, with the average usability rating ranking in the top 10% of general usability scores. Participants offered actionable changes to improve usability and perceived acceptability among peers struggling with mental health issues. Findings highlight the benefits of offering digital resources that circumvent barriers associated with accessing traditional services. Results build on existing evidence that digital interventions can be a viable means of delivering mental healthcare to large, defined populations.