Marital conflict and children's adjustment: a cognitive-contextual framework

Marital problems have been related to numerous indexes of maladjustment in children. Although several parameters of this association have been identified, the process by which exposure to interparental conflict gives rise to adjustment problems in children is largely unexplored. Research on the link between marital conflict and child maladjustment therefore is critically evaluated, and a framework is presented that organizes existing studies and suggests directions for future research on processes that may account for the association. According to the framework, the impact of marital conflict is mediated by children's understanding of the conflict, which is shaped by contextual, cognitive, and developmental factors. The implications of the framework for children's adjustment are discussed.     

The “Testing” Effect and Restricted Retrieval Rehearsal

Four experiments examined two alternative views of retrieval events. The results of Experiment 1 were equivocal because of an apparent “ceiling effect.” The results of Experiments 2, 3, and 4, in which changes were made in basic procedures, seemed to indicate that the act of retrieval itself had an effect on the memorability of words.

     

Attitudes toward autopsy refusal by young adults

A survey of 158 18- to 24-yr. old college and 119 noncollege adults indicated that the latter were more reluctant to approve autopsies for spouses, children and distant relatives. Nonstudents also expressed more objections to autopsies than did students.     

Birth order and fear of success among midadolescents

While among 194 high school students 79 first-borns showed less fear of negative consequences of academic success than 78 last-borns and 37 middle-borns, no differences were observed on fear of increased positive attention or of increased responsibility.     

Effects of a forced institutional relocation on the mortality and morbidity of nursing home residents

Residents of a county nursing home underwent a forced, mass relocation. Gerontologists advised on preparation of staff and residents. No increase in residents' mortality or morbidity was found after the relocation. The highest death rate was in the anticipatory period, the year prior to the move.     

The Ways of Coping instrument: reliability and temporal stability for a sample of employees

Convergent support is demonstrated for the use of seven empirically derived scales of the Ways of Coping instrument developed by Lazarus and his colleagues. While the instrument is widely used, until now the internal consistency of the coping measures and stability of the factor structure have yet to be shown for a sample of employed adults. While type of job and type of coping incident reported are not dependent, analysis indicates that work and nonwork groups differ across several coping dimensions. Research implications and directions are addressed.     

Distorted body image as a risk factor in anorexia nervosa: replication and clarification

This study replicated the results of an earlier one in which college women showing psychological similarities to anorexics indicated an unrealistically larger body-image relative to controls but only if they were relatively thin. This kind of perceptual enhancement was not found when inanimate objects were rated. The proposal that an enhanced body image plays a dynamic role in motivating food restraint (and may increase the risk of becoming anorexic) was supported by an analysis of dieting strategies.     

Adapted character styles of Vietnam veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

A total of 189 male Vietnam veterans who were admitted to a specialized inpatient treatment program were evaluated using the Millon Clinical Multiphasic Personality Inventory to assess character styles. The veterans were assessed for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder by using a subscale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and 72% of the patients were classified as having Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The character styles of passive-aggressive, schizoid, avoidant, and borderline were significantly associated with these patients. The most common 2-point profile was passive-aggressive and avoidant (8-2 or 2-8) and was significantly related to the diagnosis. While drug and alcohol abuse were common problem areas for the entire sample, the profile of patients with Posttraumatic Stress was different from those of substance abusers. These results indicate that treating Vietnam veterans with this disorder requires adopting strategies which include a character style focus as well as a symptom focus.     

Men's perception of premenstrual changes on the premenstrual assessment form

Outcome research has shown that partner-spouse support can enhance the therapeutic outcome in a number of clinical problems. In the area of premenstrual tension, studies of treatment have apparently overlooked this issue of partners' support. This study was designed to address how men perceive premenstrual changes. 99 undergraduate men were asked whether they believed that women had premenstrual changes reflected on the 18 unipolar scales of the Premenstrual Assessment Form. Responses suggest that young men acknowledge that some women experience dysphoric features like hostility, mood swings, and low self-esteem as well as physical discomfort and behavioural changes. Clinical implications are outlined.     

Measures of concurrent validity and alternate-form reliability of the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence

The subjects, 60 undergraduate students, were administered the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI) individually. The Shipley Institute of Living Scale was administered in small groups. A Pearson correlation of .56 was obtained for TONI Quotients, Forms A and B. TONI Quotients, Forms A and B, correlated with Shipley estimated WAIS--R IQ .50 and .46, respectively, and correlated to .71 and .64, with Shipley Total T scores, .52 and .44, respectively (corrected to .71 and .61), with Shipley Abstraction T scores, .51 and .42, respectively (corrected, .63 and .52), and with Shipley Vocabulary T scores .26 and .32, respectively (corrected to .63 and .52). TONI scores seem more closely related to Shipley Total and Abstraction scores than to Shipley Vocabulary.