The Influence of General and Exercise Specific Social Support on Self‐Efficacy for Overcoming Barriers to Cardiac Rehabilitation1

Self‐efficacy (SE) for overcoming barriers to exercise is key to continued exercise behavior in cardiac rehabilitation (CR). This study examined factors influencing patients' SE for overcoming barriers to exercise in CR. It was hypothesized that stress after a cardiac event would have a negative impact on SE, but that social support would be related to less stress and more SE. Measures of SE for overcoming barriers to exercise in CR, perceived stress, general forms of social support, and sources of support for exercise were completed by 459 men and 138 women upon entry into CR. Structural equation modeling revealed that general support was related to less stress and more support for exercise, which were both related to increased SE.     

WE (SOMETIMES) KNOW NOT HOW WE FEEL: PREDICTING JOB PERFORMANCE WITH AN IMPLICIT MEASURE OF TRAIT AFFECTIVITY

In this study we examined relationships between trait affectivity and work performance. However, because trait affectivity is believed to operate primarily outside awareness, we assessed it using techniques designed to measure content at explicit  and  implicit levels. Although results were consistent across the explicit and implicit measures (i.e., positive affectivity was positively related to task performance and citizenship behavior, whereas negative affectivity was negatively related to task performance and positively related to counterproductive behavior), the implicit measure predicted greater proportions of variance in supervisor-rated criteria and did so incremental to the explicit measure. We discuss the implications of these results for theory and practice, and highlight the potential usefulness of implicit measures for applied research.     

Stress, Religious Coping Resources, and Depressive Symptoms in an Urban Adolescent Sample

We surveyed low-income urban adolescents about their total exposure to urban stressors and their use of religious coping resources, specifically in the areas of social support, spiritual support, and community service opportunities provided by their congregations. Additionally, we assessed their current levels of depressive symptomatology. Among females, the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms was moderated by the use of spiritual support and community service opportunities. The moderating relationship was such that at low levels of stress, high usage of these resources protected against the development of depressive symptoms. At high levels of stress, however, the protective relationship was lost. Lastly, when the social support aspects of religious coping were statistically controlled, the moderation effect disappeared, suggesting that within this sample, the social support seeking aspects of the resources, rather than their religious nature, was responsible for the effects.     

Utilizing Family Strengths and Resilience: Integrative Family and Systems Treatment with Children and Adolescents with Severe Emotional and Behavioral Problems

Community mental health agencies are consistently challenged to provide realistic and effective home-based family-centered treatment that meets local needs and can realistically fit within available budget and resource capabilities. Integrated Family and Systems Treatment (I-FAST) is developed based on existing evidence-based approaches for working with at-risk children, adolescents, and families and a strengths perspective. I-FAST identified 3 evidence-based, core treatment components and integrated them into a coherent treatment protocol; this is done in a way that builds on and is integrated with mental health agencies' existing expertise in home-based treatment. This is an intervention development study in which we conducted an initial feasibility trial of I-FAST for treating families with children at risk of out-of-home placement. The outcomes of the study provide initial empirical evidence that supports the effectiveness of I-FAST. Findings indicate that there were significant improvements in child behavior, significant increases in parental competency, and significant increases in the level of cohesion and adaptability in these families. All observed changes were significant from pre- to posttreatment with the families able to maintain these positive changes at 6-month follow-up. A more rigorous and robust research design, however, will be needed to establish definitive evidence of the effectiveness of I-FAST.     

A REVIEW OF FAIR EMPLOYMENT CASES IN THE FIELD OF TRAINING1

Federal fair employment legislation, administrative guidelines, and court cases that relate to training are reviewed. The review identified three issues: (a) selection practices which use training as a criterion, (b) justification of training programs where there has been a determination of disparate treatment, and (c) the use of training programs as a legitimate factor other than sex to justify pay differentials. The review indicates most Courts will not accept training success as a valid criterion for test selection, although tests for minimum standards might be validated against training alone; Courts generally review equal treatment factors rather than determining the business necessity of training; and finally, there are definite guidelines for demonstrating pay differentials based on training programs. The implications for courts and professionals conclude the paper.     

Religious Values as Cross-Cultural Issues in Counseling

This article highlights the importance of considering religious values in counseling from a cross-cultural perspective. Counseling has virtually ignored some aspects of culture and their influence on the therapeutic process.     

The Effects of Problem-Solving Training on Adolescents' Career Exploration and Career Decision Making

Of three career guidance methods, namely guided field trips, cognitive, and behavioral problem-solving training, the latter had more influence on 11th graders' career exploratory and career decision making behaviors.