Relationships among measures of alcohol drinking behavior, life-events and perceived stress

Two measures of stress (life-events and perceived stress) and a measure of alcohol-drinking behavior were administered to 6,747 adult males. Analysis was carried out to examine the extent to which subjects classified into drinking-behavior groups differed on stress measures while controlling for age, income, and race. Significant differences held up under age, race, and income controls for life-events and perceived stress between the abstinence, common-use, and problem-drinking groups. Stress scores increased sequentially across the drinking-behavior groups. Apparently, men who are life-long abstainers (teetotallers) experience fewer life-events and perceive less stress than moderate drinkers, while moderate drinkers experience less stress than heavy drinkers.     

Cigarette smoking intentions and physical fitness: a multivariate study of high school males

This study was conducted to determine the extent to which several measures of physical fitness, treated compositely and individually, vary among adolescent males differentiated according to cigarette smoking status (i.e., strong intenders, mild intenders, and nonintenders). A total of 381 high school males were administered The Physical Performance Test for California to measure six traits of physical fitness, and a written questionnaire to assess smoking intentions and demographic data. As hypothesized, the teenage males who reported no intentions of smoking cigarettes were significantly more physically fit than were mild intenders and strong intenders, especially the latter. Etiological factors mediating the association are discussed within an underlying theme of prevention and cessation of the habit.     

A general least squares solution for successive intervals

A general least squares solution for successive intervals is presented, along with iterative procedures for obtaining stimulus scale values, discriminal dispersions, and category boundaries. Because provisions for weighting were incorporated into the derivation, the solution may be applied without loss of rigor to the typical experimental matrix of incomplete data, i.e., to a data matrix with missing entries, as well as to the rarely occurring matrix of complete data. The use of weights also permits adjustments for variations in the reliability of estimates obtained from the data. The computational steps involved in the solution are enumerated, the amount of labor required comparing favorably with other procedures. A quick, yet accurate, graphical approximation suggested by the least squares derivation is also described.This research was jointly supported in part by Princeton University, the Office of Naval Research under contract N6onr-270-20, and the National Science Foundation under grant NSF G-642, and in part by Educational Testing Service.     

A rational curve relating length of rest period and length of subsequent work period for an ergographic experiment

A rational function is developed relating the length of a rest period and length of subsequent work period in an ergographic situation. Simple energistic postulates are used for a critical organ or neuromuscular structure whose failure to perform adequately results in a stoppage of the work period. Experimental results for two subjects using a finger ergograph indicate that the function yields the general trend of the data but that there seem to be some systematic deviations of the data from the present rational function. One parameter determined from the data represents rate of recovery from moderate fatigue. It is hoped that this development will aid in studies of motor functions as related to such other variables as age, motivation, and effects of drugs.This research was jointly supported in part by Princeton University and the Office of Naval Research under contract N6onr 270-20.     

The objective definition of simple structure in linear factor analysis

Requirements for an objective definition of simple structure are investigated and a number of proposed objective criteria are evaluated. A distinction is drawn between exploratory factorial studies and confirmatory factorial studies, with the conclusion drawn that objective definition of simple structure depends on study design as well as on objective criteria. A proposed definition of simple structure is described in terms of linear constellations. This definition lacks only a statistical test to compare with possible chance results. A computational procedure is also described for searching for linear constellations. This procedure is very laborious and might best be accomplished on high-speed automatic computers. There is no guarantee that the procedure will find all linear constellations, but it probably would yield satisfactory results for well-designed studies.     

Control of selective echolalia via the instatement of a general alternative response

Treatment for echolalic responding has been limited to the training of a small number of correct responses and limited stimulus verbalizations by the experimenter, leaving the possibility that the introduction of novel stimuli could result in the reoccurrence of echolalia. In the present study an 11-year-old severely retarded male's echolalic responding to questions that he could not answer correctly was controlled by instating a general alternative response, “I don't know.” The subject continued to respond correctly to questions that he could answer. indicating that the general alternative response had been appropriately discriminated. A Baseline. Treatment. DRO. Treatment design indicated that the subject's echolalic responding, as well as the appropriate use of the general alternative response, was under experimental control. Generalization of the experimental results to the subject's regular day-care setting was accomplished by having the staff verbally punish all echolalic responses and then restate the question to the subject until a non-echolalic answer had been emitted. Implications of these findings and suggestions for combining previous treatment procedures for echolalia with the general alternative response procedure were offered.