VARIABLES RELATED TO BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION: Model Generation

Using a prospective design, variables from several relevant social psychological theories that would predict breast self-examination were identified. The participants included a probability sample of 362 women who were 35 or older. Instruments were tested for validity and reliability. Data were collected from each participant twice, 1 year apart, using an in-person interview for Time 1 and a telephone interview for Time 2. Results of standardized path coefficients (beta) indicated that breast self-examination (BSE) at Time 2 was directly related to BSE at Time 1 (.76). Indirect paths for susceptibility (.40), health motivation (.46), and barriers (-.54) were identified. All paths mentioned were significant (p5.01). Findings have implications for interventions to increase BSE in women 35 and older.     

The Psychometric Properties of the Swedish Version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale: A Rasch Analysis Based on Adolescent Data

Self-efficacy describes people’s belief in their own ability to perform the behaviors required to produce a desired outcome. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) with an adolescent sample, using Rasch analysis. The scale was examined with a focus on invariant functioning along the latent trait as well as across sample groups. The data were collected 2009 and 2010 among 3764 students aged between 13 and 15 years, in the 7^th to 9^th grade, in compulsory schools in the municipality of Karlstad, Sweden. The item fit was acceptable, the categorization of the items worked well and the scale worked invariantly between years of investigations. Although the GSES worked well as a whole, there was some evidence of misfit indicating room for improvements. The targeting may be improved by adding more questions of medium difficulty. Also, further attention needs to be paid to the dimensionality of the GSES as well as to whether the psychometric properties of GSES are affected by using more recent data.     

Yoga,Mindfulness, and Meditation Interventions for Youth with ADHD: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic developmental disorder affecting 3–7% of children. In light of the growing utilization of yoga, mindfulness, and meditation in ADHD populations and potential benefits it has on ADHD symptoms, executive function deficits, and social functioning, we sought to evaluate these interventions for youth with ADHD. The primary aim of this review paper is to identify the efficacy of these programs for the treatment of youth with ADHD through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic literature search was conducted in the following electronic databases: PsychINFO, ERIC, PubMed, and MEDLINE. Studies were included in the meta-analytic review if participants were between 5–17 years old, had a diagnosis of ADHD or met symptom threshold on psychometrically-validated measure of ADHD symptoms, was a treatment outcome study, and was published in a peer-reviewed English-language journal. The effect sizes of eleven studies demonstrate that yoga, mindfulness-based interventions, and/or meditation had a statistically significant effect on the outcomes of ADHD symptoms, hyperactivity, and inattention (parent and teacher report), as well as parent-child relationship, executive functioning, on-task behavior, parent stress, and parent trait-mindfulness (p?<?0.05). The effect sizes range from small to large effects across these outcomes. Considerable risk for bias was found across studies. Given significant methodological limitations of the literature, positive effect sizes found in studies should be interpreted with caution; these interventions should not be considered first-line interventions for ADHD. However, preliminary findings suggest yoga, mindfulness, and meditation may be beneficial for youth with ADHD, but extensive research is required to validate the efficacy of these interventions.     

Disclosure on Campus: Students’ Decisions to Tell Others About Unwanted Sexual Experiences,Intimate Partner Violence,and Stalking

The scope of student victimization occurring on college campuses is problematic, drawing the attention of researchers and campus officials. While most researchers of the disclosure of these unwanted experiences tend to examine just 1 form of victimization, a direct comparison of the disclosure of different types of campus victimization within a singular study is missing in the literature. The current study aimed to address this issue by examining 4 types of victimization experiences (unwanted sexual contact, unwanted sexual intercourse, intimate partner violence, and stalking) in a college population. A common set of possible predictors of disclosure were examined, including both demographic (e.g., gender, race, age) and situational factors (e.g., alcohol use, level of fear, relationship with perpetrator). While patterns of similarity across all victimization experiences emerged, the impact of gender, race, age, and alcohol use on disclosure decisions varied substantially by victimization type. The findings of this study address the gap in the current literature by providing a comparison and contrast of the influence of predictors across different types of victimization. Furthermore, the findings provide needed information that could help colleges and universities develop ways to encourage support-seeking and reporting among students.     

Spatial perseveration error by alpacas (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vicugna pacos</Emphasis>) in an A-not-B detour task

Spatial perseveration has been documented for domestic animals such as mules, donkeys, horses and dogs. However, evidence for this spatial cognition behavior among other domestic species is scarce. Alpacas have been domesticated for at least 7000 years yet their cognitive ability has not been officially reported. The present article used an A-not-B detour task to study the spatial problem-solving abilities of alpacas (Vicugna pacos) and to identify the perseveration errors, which refers to a tendency to maintain a learned route, despite having another available path. The study tested 51 alpacas, which had to pass through a gap at one end of a barrier in order to reach a reward. After one, two, three or four repeats (A trials), the gap was moved to the opposite end of the barrier (B trials). In contrast to what has been found in other domestic animals tested with the same task, the present study did not find clear evidence of spatial perseveration. Individuals’ performance in the subsequent B trials, following the change of gap location, suggests no error persistence in alpacas. Results suggest that alpacas are more flexible than other domestic animals tested with this same task, which has important implications in planning proper training for experimental designs or productive purposes. These results could contribute toward enhancing alpacas’ welfare and our understanding of their cognitive abilities.     

Conceptual Metaphors in Internship: Creative Journeys in Counselor Development

The use of metaphors is considered a cognitive and affective process in which individuals can creatively explain and understand unfamiliar experiences. Through the Metaphor Identification Procedure, 453 metaphors were identified within semester-long reflective journals from 49 students enrolled in a clinical mental health internship course. Six overarching categories resulted, highlighting creativity used in processing, understanding, and describing events within internship. Implications for supervision and counselor education are provided.