Emotion processing and regulation in women with morbid obesity who apply for bariatric surgery

Emotional eating, the tendency to eat when experiencing negative affect, is prevalent in morbid obesity and may indicate that ways to deal with emotions are disturbed. Our aim was to compare emotion processing and regulation between 102 women with morbid obesity who apply for bariatric surgery and 102 women from the general population (control group) and to examine in the group with morbid obesity the association of emotion processing and regulation with emotional eating. The group with morbid obesity reported higher scores on difficulty identifying feelings (alexithymia, p?=?0.002) and suppression of emotions (p?=?0.003) than the control group. In the women with morbid obesity, more negative affect and a higher difficulty identifying feelings were correlated with more emotional eating (r?=?0.36 and r?=?0.35, p?<?0.001). Our study suggests that negative emotions and unhealthy emotion processing may play a role in emotional eating, and it indicates the possible relevance of emotion processing and emotional regulation as initiating or perpetuating mechanisms in morbid obesity.     

Children's use of addition to solve two‐digit subtraction problems

Subtraction problems of the type M ? S = ? can be solved with various mental calculation strategies. We investigated fourth‐ to sixth‐graders' use of the subtraction by addition strategy, first by fitting regression models to the reaction times of 32 two‐digit subtractions. These models represented three different strategy use patterns: the use of direct subtraction, subtraction by addition, and switching between the two strategies based on the magnitude of the subtrahend. Additionally, we compared performance on problems presented in two presentation formats, i.e., a subtraction format (81 ? 37 = .) and an addition format (37 + . = 81). Both methods converged to the conclusion that children of all three grades switched between direct subtraction and subtraction by addition based on the combination of two features of the subtrahend: If the subtrahend was smaller than the difference, direct subtraction was the dominant strategy; if the subtrahend was larger than the difference, subtraction by addition was mainly used. However, this performance pattern was only observed when the numerical distance between subtrahend and difference was large. These findings indicate that theoretical models of children's strategy choices in subtraction should include the nature of the subtrahend as an important factor in strategy selection.     

Psychological Hardiness and Adjustment to Life Events in Adulthood

Data were collected from 88 persons who had lost their jobs and 227 persons whose youngest child had left home to explore the impact of psychological hardiness on personal distress, adjustment, and coping strategies. Analyses controlling for numerous sociodemographic factors as well as NEO Neuroticism and Extroversion suggested that the interaction between overall hardiness and the experience of differential life events influenced the use of planful problem solving and positive reappraisal as coping mechanisms, as well as influencing levels of positive affect. In addition, a main effect for overall hardiness on several coping strategies, positive affect, and life satisfaction was obtained. Findings also suggested that job loss was a more stressful experience for adults in this study than was the empty nest. These data indicate that hardiness may mediate responses to life events that differ in terms of their predictability and anticipatory nature.     

The measurement of cognitive vocational maturity

This report describes an instrument that was designed to measure an individual's level of cognitive vocational maturity in six areas: Fields of Work, Job Selection, Work Conditions, Education Required, Attributes Requited, and Duties. Procedures used in developing the item analysis research form and the final form of the instrument are described. Sample items from each subtest are presented. Kuder-Richardson reliability estimates for each of the six area subtests are presented for grades 6–9. Both criterion-related and construct validity data are presented. Pupils whose vocational choices were in agreement with their field of interest and their ability level scored higher on all subtests than pupils whose choices agreed neither with their interests nor with their ability level. Mean scores on all area subtests increase across grades levels, thus providing support for the claim that vocational maturity behaviors are developmental ones.     

The orthogonal approximation of an oblique structure in factor analysis

A procedure is derived for obtaining an orthogonal transformation which most nearly transforms one given matrix into another given matrix, according to some least-squares criterion of fit. From this procedure, three analytic methods are derived for obtaining an orthogonal factor matrix which closely approximates a given oblique factor matrix. The case is considered of approximating a specified subset of oblique vectors by orthogonal vectors.Part of this research was carried out while the author was a psychometric fellow at the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey.     

A method of scalogram analysis using summary statistics

A method of Guttman scalogram analysis is presented that does not involve sorting and rearranging the entries in the item response matrix. The method requires dichotomous items. Formulas are presented for estimating the reproducibility of the scale and estimating the expected value of the chance reproducibility. An index of consistency is suggested for evaluating the reproducibility. An illustrative example is presented in detail. The logical basis of the method is discussed. Finally, several methods are suggested for dealing with non-dichotomous items.Lois K. Anderson assisted the author materially in the many computations required for this paper. The research reported in this paper was supported in part by the Department of Economics and Social Sciences at M.I.T. and in part, jointly, by the Army, Navy and Air Force under contract with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.     

Group identification and political protest: farmers' protest in the Netherlands

Social identity theory is employed to conceptualise the role of group identification in the conversion of discontent into participation in political protest. It is assumed that higher levels of group identification stimulate participation in protest on behalf of the group. Perceived characteristics of the intergroup situation such as the permeability of group boundaries, and the stability and legitimacy of intergroup relations are supposed to modify the role of group identification. Group identification is decomposed into an affective and a behavioural component. Furthermore, ingroup identification is distinguished from outgroup differentiation; and groups are defined at different levels of inclusiveness. In a longitudinal study among Dutch farmers (n=168) the relationship between group identification and protest participation is investigated. Group identification, be it affective or behavioural, appears to influence action preparedness. People seem to enter the protest arena with some level of group identification. This level of group identification sets the level of action preparedness. Once set, the level of action preparedness remains fairly stable over time and appears to be a strong predictor of future action preparedness and participation. Action preparedness in its turn together with the behavioural component of group identification influences actual participation in collective action. Outgroup differentiation did not have any impact on protest participation. Identification with farmers in the European Union did not matter, but identification with farmers at the national or regional level did stimulate protest participation. Perceived characteristics of the intergroup situation did not have an impact on group identification, but permeability and stability did affect protest participation. Theoretical implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.