Under pressure: the interaction between high-stakes contexts and individual differences in decision-making in humans and non-human species

Animal Cognition - Observed behavior can be the result of complex cognitive processes that are influenced by environmental factors, physiological process, and situational features. Pressure, a...     

Food, mood, and attitude: reducing risk for eating disorders in college women.

Food, Mood, and Attitude (FMA) is a CD-ROM prevention program developed to decrease risk for eating disorders in college women. Female 1st-year students (N = 240) were randomly assigned to the intervention (FMA) or control group. Equal numbers of students at risk and of low risk for developing an eating disorder were assigned to each condition. Participants in the FMA condition improved on all measures relative to controls. Significant 3-way interactions (Time x Condition x Risk Status) were found on measures of internalization of sociocultural attitudes about thinness, shape concerns, and weight concerns, indicating that at-risk participants in the intervention group improved to a greater extent than did low-risk participants. At follow-up, significantly fewer women in the FMA group reported overeating and excessive exercise relative to controls.     

A Systematic Review and Quality Assessment of Therapeutic Group Process Questionnaires

ABSTRACT

The aims of this study were to systematically review the literature on questionnaire-based group process measures and assess the psychometric scale development properties of these measures. A systematic search of questionnaire-based measures of group process was conducted from four databases: PsycINFO, Medline, EMBASE and AMED. A quality assessment was undertaken using established criteria. Only studies that described the development of questionnaire-based scales were included. Seventeen studies which described thirteen measures were included in the analysis. The developed list highlights a range of questionnaires that can be used by clinicians and researchers seeking to measure either “specific therapeutic group mechanisms” or “overall group experiences.” Further research should focus on developing the content validity of these scales by involving the target population during item selection and reduction.     

Awareness,Attitudes, and Use of Crisis Hotlines among Youth At‐Risk for Suicide

Crisis hotlines have been central to suicide prevention efforts; however, utilization among youth remains low. A sample of at‐risk youth was surveyed about their awareness, utilization, and attitudes toward local and national crisis hotlines. Youth reported low rates of awareness and utilization, yet expressed a strong interest in phone hotlines (41% vs. 59% for new media categories combined). Youth reported stigma, but that help‐seeking could be positively influenced by peers and adults in their support system. Implications include making crisis services available across several mediums and the importance of engaging trusted others in youth suicide awareness campaigns and prevention efforts.     

Resilience Factors in Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Health Care Provider,Parent and Youth Perspectives

Journal of Child and Family Studies - Exploring factors related to resilience in youth with inflammatory bowel disease may elucidate modifiable risk factors and inform interventions. Yet, how...     

Phonological awareness and language intervention in preschoolers from low socio‐economic backgrounds: A longitudinal investigation

This study examines the literacy outcomes for children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds who had received specific whole‐class phonological awareness (PA) and language intervention in preschool. The participants were 57 children who had been involved in the original intervention study. Their PA skills, letter‐sound knowledge, real word and non‐word spelling and reading comprehension were assessed in Grade 2. The results indicated that children who had received intervention in preschool performed similarly to the children who had not received intervention. The gains made in PA and language skills post intervention had failed to augment further literacy development. A post hoc examination of individual student profiles, however, revealed that a subgroup of children who had received intervention had maintained their enhanced performance and that the intervention cohort had similar scores on tests of PA ability to their age‐matched peers in the population. It was concluded that whole‐class, teacher‐delivered, PA and language intervention, while effective in the short term, does not lead to a generalized improvement in literacy skills in Grade 2. Possible reasons for the failure of the program to produce medium term gains are discussed.