Burnout risk among first-year teacher students: The roles of personality and motivation

The present study identified individual variables by which first-year teacher students' risk for burnout can be detected at an early stage. We analyzed a sample of teacher students (n = 559) and a control group of psychology students (n = 150) by using multinomial logistic regression analyses. We estimated the impact of personality (Five-Factor model) and motivation for choosing teacher education on work-related coping behavior and experiences (WCEP types: healthy-ambitious, unambitious, excessively-ambitious, and risk for burnout). Neuroticism and the extrinsic motivation of choosing teacher education (the assumed low difficulty of studies) were risk factors for unhealthy, stress-related coping behavior and experiences. In contrast, high levels of extraversion and conscientiousness as well as intrinsic motivation for choosing teacher education (subject-specific interest) were related to healthy-ambitious behavior. Relations of personality and stress-related WCEP types were partially moderated according to field of study (teaching versus psychology). Our results are of particular importance for improving counseling programs that advise prospective teacher students regarding their individual fit to the requirements and challenges of the teaching profession and for correcting false expectations about study demands.     

Person-organization fit: Testing socialization and attraction-selection-attrition hypotheses

Using the socialization and attraction-selection-attrition (ASA) frameworks, this study examined the relation between employees’ work values and their organization’s values (person-organization fit). With a two year time interval, 140 respondents participated in a longitudinal study. After entry, socialization served to enhance homogeneity. The work values underwent small changes and the perception of fit with the organization grew. Despite high retention rates results confirmed the attrition effect. Results indicated that the lower the perceived match between own and organizational values at entry, the more likely it was that someone left the organization over time. We concluded that socialization as well as attrition mechanisms were present at the same time.     

A binomial test for hierarchical dependency

A binomial test for hierarchical dependency is presented. The null hypothesis is that all members of a population who possess a certain skill are a subset of the members who possess another skill. This hypothesis is basic to the writings of several prominent theorists, such as Gagné and Piaget. The model, assumptions, formula derivations, and procedures for the test are explained. An illustrative example is also provided.     

Intracerebroventricular Infusion of the NMDA Receptor-Associated Glycine Site Antagonist 7-Chlorokynurenate Impairs Water Maze Performance but Fails to Block Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation in Vivo

Most previous studies investigating the relationship betweenN-methyl- -aspartate receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity and learning have employed drugs that either compete with glutamate for access to the primary agonist binding site (e.g., -2-amino-5-phosphopentanoic acid) or block the associated ion channel (e.g., dizocilpine). This study targeted the glycine receptor site located on the NMDA receptor complex. Chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of the glycine site antagonist 7-chlorokynurenate (7CK; 75 mM, 0.5 μl/h, icv, for up to 14 days) impaired performance of male Lister hooded rats during acquisition of a spatial reference memory task in the water maze. In addition, however, these animals showed sensorimotor deficits, including a prolonged righting reflex, ataxia, and difficulty in staying on the escape platform. On completion of behavioral testing, the rats were anesthetized with urethane and an attempt was made to induce LTP in the hippocampus ipsilateral to the infusion cannula. Both control and 7CK-infused animals displayed equivalent long-term potentiation (LTP) 60 min posttetanus. A novel analytical technique for assaying drug tissue levels involving high-performance liquid chromotography with fluorescence detection revealed that tissue levels of 7CK in hippocampus were extremely low and unlikely to be sufficient to affect LTP, as observed. These findings neither support nor compromise the LTP/learning hypothesis, but they illustrate some of the problems of using drugs to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms of learning and memory and the importance of a within-subjects design incorporating behavioral, physiological, and biochemical measures.     

Psychiatric disorders and motor vehicle accidents

The literature has often suggested a relationship between psychiatric illness and increased risk for motor vehicle accidents but few data exist, particularly those from prospective or case-controlled studies. The present study examined detailed accident and injury data from a large series (N = 1778) of motor vehicle crashes that included persons with diagnoses of psychiatric illnesses (n = 17); matched controls were also studied. As expected, drivers with psychiatric diagnoses used psychotropic medications more frequently than did controls. Drivers with psychiatric diagnoses did not have more frequent single-car crashes, unsafe speed or failure to yield violations, or less restraint use than did controls. Such drivers did less often drive motorcycles and tended to be less often cited for alcohol use. Implications of these results for efforts toward prevention and for further study are discussed.