Examining dosage effects on prevention outcomes: Results from a multi-modal longitudinal preventive intervention for young disruptive boys

The present study examined (a) the predictive effect of disruptive boys' attendance to a prevention program (i.e., dosage) on post-intervention academic achievement and behavior and (b) the potential moderating effects of child and family characteristics in this context. The 3-year intervention program included reading, self-regulation, and social skills training for the boys, parental support and skills training for parents, and teacher support. A multiple-screening procedure selected 58 disruptive, low socioeconomic status boys at the age of 6 years for program participation. Multiple regression analyses and logistic regression analyses showed that the number of program sessions attended did not contribute to the prediction of boys' post-intervention disruptive behavior. However, the number of attended sessions was positively related to boys' post-intervention likability, as well as to their post-intervention writing, reading, math, and human science performances. Interaction terms revealed that family constellation moderated the link between program dosage and likability and math success, respectively, whereas boys' IQ moderated the links between dosage and boys' success in writing and math. The discussion stresses the importance of dosage-effect analysis and the examination of moderating variables in this context.     

A Motivational Model of Work Turnover

The purpose of this article was to propose and test a motivational model of work turnover. The model posits that feelings of relatedness toward work colleagues and feelings of competence jointly and positively affect self-determined work motivation, which in turn facilitates work satisfaction but prevents emotional exhaustion. Moreover, work satisfaction and emotional exhaustion respectively lead to negative and positive effects on turnover intentions. Finally, over time, turnover intentions translate into turnover behavior. A total of 490 alumni from a school of administration completed a questionnaire assessing the various components of the motivational model. Results from structural equation modeling analyses (with EQS; Bentler, 1992) supported the motivational model. Results are discussed in light of the relevant literature, and future research directions are proposed.     

Feasibility of Adapting Multisystemic Therapy to Improve Illness Management Behaviors and Reduce Asthma Morbidity in High Risk African American Youth: A Case Series

African-American adolescents have the highest rates of asthma morbidity and mortality, yet there are few successful behavioral interventions to improve illness management for this group. Mental health providers have an opportunity to expand their services and impact by targeting adolescents with poor asthma management. We describe the adaptation of Multisystemic Therapy (MST), an intensive, home and community-based treatment originally used with antisocial youth, for improving asthma management. We present a case study to illustrate the treatment model. Feasibility was demonstrated with eight African American adolescents with chronic, persistent asthma, suggesting that further evaluation of MST for youth with asthma and poor illness management is warranted.     

Les unités de soins intensifs psychiatriques (USIP) : expériences françaises et internationales

Psychiatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) propose a secure setting for patients with acute behavior disturbances who can not be managed in psychiatric general wards. Physical violence acts against patients or hospital staff, substance abuse, non-compliance for care and treatment, intensity of symptoms or absconding are frequent motives for admission. Patients are compulsorily detained in secure conditions. They are admitted from psychiatric facilities of a health area or by agreement between hospitals. Multidisciplinary working in psychiatric intensive care is essential, delivered by qualified staff. Care and treatment must be centered on the patient, multidisciplinary, intensive, comprehensive with an immediacy of response to critical situations. As length of stay should not exceed 2 months in duration, interface and liaison with original services of patients are important issues. In France, PICU exist notably at Cadillac, Lyon, Paris, Nice, Eygurande, Montpellier, Pau and Prémontré. These facilities appear as a missing level, an interesting alternative in mental health care system, between psychiatric general wards and maximum security hospitals. This paper reports the creation of a National Association of PICU in France, the existence of national minimum standards and international experiences.     

Gender roles and care giving to the elderly: An empirical study

The purpose of this research was to examine care giving to the elderly from a gender role perspective. Data were collected from a randomized sample of Québec care givers (n=294) who provide various levels of care giving to people with different kinds of impairments. The results indicate that although women provide more care than men, both experience an equivalent burden. Familial obligations (Presence of a Spouse × Presence of Children) affect men and women care givers differently. An intersex generation effect is evident with regard to professional burden: husband care givers report a greater burden than wives, whereas daughters and sons report the same level. The findings suggest that men have more difficulty assuming responsibilities associated with multiple roles, whereas women have adopted new roles in addition to the traditionally ascribed care-giving role.The research reported in this paper is part of a study funded by the Conseil québécois de la recherche sociale, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. The authors wish to thank Jocelyne Boivin for her helpful work with the documentation and Lottie White for her help with the English version of this paper, as well as the anonymous reviewers of whose judicious comments were greatly appreciated.     

Embodied temporal perception of emotion

The role of embodiment in the perception of the duration of emotional stimuli was investigated with a temporal bisection task. Previous research has shown that individuals overestimate the duration of emotional, compared with neutral, faces (S. Droit-Volet, S. Brunot, & P. M. Niedenthal, 2004). The authors tested a role for embodiment in this effect. Participants estimated the duration of angry, happy, and neutral faces by comparing them to 2 durations learned during a training phase. Experimental participants held a pen in their mouths so as to inhibit imitation of the faces, whereas control participants could imitate freely. Results revealed that participants overestimated the duration of emotional faces relative to the neutral faces only when imitation was possible. Implications for the role of embodiment in emotional perception are discussed.