The Hispanic Americans Baseline Alcohol Survey (HABLAS): Acculturation, Birthplace and Alcohol-Related Social Problems Across Hispanic National Groups

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between acculturation, birthplace, and alcohol-related social problems across Hispanic national groups. METHOD: 5,224 Hispanic adults (18+ years) were interviewed using a multistage cluster sample design in Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Houston, and Los Angeles. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis shows no association between acculturation and problems among men or women. Birthplace is a risk factor for social problems among both genders. Among men, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and South/Central Americans are more likely to report social problems than Cuban Americans. Other risk factors for men are unemployment, a higher volume of drinking, and a higher frequency of binge drinking. Among women, Mexican American origin and binge drinking are also risk factors for reporting problems. CONCLUSIONS: U.S.-born Hispanics may experience stress and other detrimental effects to health because of their minority status, which may increase the likelihood of more drinking and the development of alcohol-related problems.     

The Relation of Personal Epistemology to Parenting Style and Goal Orientation in College Mothers

This study sought to establish the relevance of mothers’ epistemic beliefs to their parenting style and preferred academic goals for their child. College mothers (N = 163) from primarily working class families completed a variety of self-report measures including a modified version of Schommer’s [(1990). Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 498–504] Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire, the Parental Attitudes Questionnaire-Revised [Reitman, Rhode, Hupp, & Altobello (2002). Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 24(2), 119–127], and several goal orientation scales. Results indicated that a view of learning as effortful and under the learner’s control and a view of knowledge as actively constructed were associated with an authoritative parenting style and with a preference for their child to focus on learning, improvement, and effort in approaching academic tasks. By contrast, a view of learning as quick, straightforward, relatively passive and as based in innate constraints and a view of knowledge as consisting of discreet, unambiguous facts were associated with authoritarian and permissive styles and the adoption of performance goals for one’s child. Portions of this study were presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development in Atlanta, April, 2005.     

Correlations among GPA and scores on the Spanish version of WISC-R and the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement subtests for 10- to 12-year-old Puerto Rican children

The purpose of this study was to explore the correlations among GPA, the Spanish version of the WISC-R, and the Woodcock Johnson Achievement subtests for a group of Puerto Rican children. The tests were administered to a sample of 32 children between the ages of 10 to 12 yr. in Grade 4. Pearson correlations between the Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale scaled scores in the WISC-R (Spanish Edition) ranged between .37 to .83. Correlations between subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test ranged from .26 to .70. The moderate correlation between the Total scaled scores on the Woodcock-Johnson and the scaled scores of the Performance, Verbal, and Full Scales of the Spanish WISC-R is indicative of the value of these Spanish-language instruments in diagnosing the intellectual and academic performance of Spanish-speaking populations in the United States.     

Black College Women's Career Values: A Preliminary Investigation

We identified nine values that guided the career decisions of a sample of Black college women, then explored whether these values were predicted by racial and feminist identify stage sentiments Findings from this study suggest the need for further research on the career development of women of color.     

Brief report: Validation of a reinforcer survey for use with geriatric patients

This paper describes a Geriatric Reinforcer Survey (GRS) which expands upon a previous Reinforcement Survey Schedule (RSS) developed by Cautela and Kastenbaum (1967). The GRS, an instrument designed to quickly assess reinforcer preference in geriatric populations, has two formats, one for individuals over 65 years of age who are still able to comprehend and write, and one designed to be filled out by relatives and staff familiar with an individual over 65 years of age who can no longer comprehend or write well. Reinforcer preference was determined by giving the GRS to a total of 107 geriatric persons in both home and institutional settings. Test-retest reliability was assessed on a subsample of 71 individuals over a 10-14-day period and was found to be r_s = 0.608, p <0.01 using the Spearman Rank-Order Correlation Coefficient. This indicated that the GRS had reasonable test-retest reliability. The validity of having a relative or familiar staff person fill out the GRS for a specific individual was also tested. Results of 43 administrations of the GRS to relatives of a geriatric person, using the Spearman Rank-Order Correlation Coefficient, showed a correlation of r_s = 0.488, p <0.01 when the responses of that person were compared to those of the individual. Results of 17 administrations of the GRS to staff familiar with a particular patient were r_s = 0.436, p < 0.05 when compared to responses made by the individual. This indicates that the GRS might be useful in structuring interventions for individuals who are incapacitated, and groups of geriatric persons. The GRS also has the potential to be a valuable research tool.     

Young Children Use Letter Names in Learning to Read Words

Three studies demonstrated that mental simulations and affect are related to temporal changes in subjective confidence. In Study 1, students' confidence in their midterm exam performance lessened from the first day of class (3.5 weeks before the exam) to exam day, and confidence correlated negatively with upward simulations (i.e., simulations that are better than reality) and negative affect. In Study 2, manipulated upward simulations produced low confidence and negative mood even when the exam was viewed from a distance; students who were forced to think about upward simulations 1 month prior to the exam felt no more confident than did students on exam day. In Study 3, manipulated negative moods produced low confidence and more upward simulations when students anticipated laboratory tasks, and again distal and proximal confidence did not differ. Discussion centers around reciprocal relations between mental simulations and affect, and a possibly integrative account of previous explanations.     

Immobilization Stress Elevates GTP Cyclohydrolase I mRNA Levels in Rat Adrenals Predominantly by Hormonally Mediated Mechanisms

GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin, the cofactor for catecholamine, indolamine and nitric oxide biosynthesis. In this study we examined the effect of immobilization stress on GTPCH mRNA levels and the mechanism(s) of stress-induced changes in adrenomedullary GTPCH mRNA levels. We used reverse-polymerase chain reaction to isolate and clone a cDNA corresponding to nucleotides 269 to 570 of rat GTPCH. Northern blot analysis with a cRNA probe revealed two species of GTPCH mRNA (about 3.6 and 1.2 kb) in rat adrenal medulla and cortex, and in PC12 cells. The levels of both forms of GTPCH mRNA were significantly increased 3-5 fold in adrenal medulla by a single 2 hour immobilization and by repeated immobilizations (2 hours a day for 2 days). Hypophysectomy had little effect on their basal levels but prevented the stress elicited rise in both GTPCH mRNAs. In contrast, unilateral transection of the splanchnic nerve did not affect induction of the 3.6 kb GTPCH mRNA by stress. Combined denervation with hypophysectomy completely blocked the induction of both GTPCH mRNA species by immobilization stress. Thus, stress elicits elevation of both forms of GTPCH mRNA by a mechanism requiring an intact pituitary-adrenocortical axis.