When the party for some becomes a problem for others: the effect of perceived secondhand consequences of drinking behavior on drinking norms

The authors examined the influence of fraternity men's expectancies regarding secondhand consequences of excessive drinking behavior on normative standards regarding alcohol use and consumption levels. Participants were 381 men from 26 chapters of 2 national fraternities. One organization participated in a brief intervention involving discussion of secondhand consequences of excessive drinking. Immediate influence of the intervention on perceived secondhand consequences of alcohol use was assessed using a posttest-only, randomized groups design. Results supported a hypothesized measurement model with 1 overall secondhand consequence expectancy construct and 4 subfactors: (a) Noise Disruptive of Sleep and Study, (b) Violence, (c) Sexual Assault, and (d) Property Damage. Cross-sectional analysis at the chapter and individual levels demonstrated that secondhand expectancies had an indirect effect on alcohol consumption, mediated by personal consumption standards for limiting alcohol consumption. The intervention had an effect on secondhand expectancies. Findings suggest that interventions with intact groups can increase secondhand expectancies regarding excessive drinking and may lead to a reduction in excessive alcohol consumption.     

Work characteristics, musculoskeletal disorders, and the mediating role of psychological strain: a study of call center employees

The demands of the modern office are thought to contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders. For upper body and lower back disorders, these effects are hypothesized to be mediated by psychological strain. A study of 936 employees from 22 call centers supports this hypothesis. Using logistic regression and structural equation modeling, the authors found that the relationship of workload to upper body and lower back musculoskeletal disorders was largely accounted for by job-related strain. This mediating effect was less evident for arm disorders. Contrary to expectation, job autonomy had neither a direct nor a moderating effect on any musculoskeletal disorder.     

Body dissatisfaction and body comparison with media images in males and females

This study examined the role of media body comparison as a mediator of the relationships between psychological factors and sociocultural pressures to be thin and body dissatisfaction in both females and males. Participants were 1,386 females (mean age = 19.37 years) and 1,130 males (mean age = 19.46) from diverse backgrounds who completed a self-report questionnaire. Path analysis was used to test a cross-sectional model in which media body comparison mediated the impact of self-esteem, depressive mood, parent dieting environment, friend dieting, TV exposure, magazine message exposure, weight teasing and body mass index (BMI) on body dissatisfaction. In females, media body comparison partially or fully mediated relationships between self-esteem, depressive mood, friend dieting, magazine message exposure and BMI, and body dissatisfaction. In males, media body comparison was not a significant predictor of body dissatisfaction. This research particularly highlights the need to further examine processes that are involved in the development of body dissatisfaction in males.     

Use of contextual information in the formation of cognitive maps

To investigate the importance of context and presentation of serial order of information in the formation of cognitive maps, subjects were shown slides of pairwise relationships between items and then asked to construct a map. Two context conditions were used: a spatial condition in which the item pairs appeared in the same location on the screen as they would appear in a slide of the entire map and a nonspatial condition in which all item pairs appeared centered on the screen. Information order was either chain, in which new information could be immediately added to the representation, or nonchain, in which brief storage was required. The results indicated that both spatial context and chain order enhance performance. In addition, spatial information reduces the effect of serial order, perhaps by allowing subjects to relate new information to the context itself if they cannot relate it to previous information.     

Children's self-determination of standards in reinforcement contingencies: A re-examination

The effects of contingent reinforcement under conditions of self-determined and externally determined standards were studied in two fifth-grade language art classes (n=64). Since external demands have confounded the effects of self-management previously, a major purpose was to examine the standards which students selected without external restriction and the effects on work rates. Students worked on an individualized curriculum in six heterogeneous groups within each class. Both external and self-determination of standards within reinforcement contingencies was experienced by both classes but in a counterbalanced order. Findings demonstrated an increase in the work rates over baseline from both contingency conditions (p<.05). Contingent reinforcement with externally determined standards produced an increase over reinforcement with self-determined standards (p<.05). Children selected increasingly lenient standards over the six weeks. Experience with external standards did not influence subsequent self-determined standards. The leniency was discussed in terms of peer influences and the relation of effort to rewards under self-management procedures with varying external demands.     

Drug testing in the public and private-sector workplaces: Technical and legal issues

This paper examines the technical and legal issues surrounding the implementation of drug testing programs in the public and private-sector workplaces. In Part I of the paper, technical issues important to an understanding of urinalysis drug testing methods are examined. In Part II, recent federal case law is reviewed in order to identify the different legal parameters associated with drug testing in the public and private sectors. Part III presents guidelines for employers who already have or are about to implement a drug testing program within their organizations.     

The Long-term Effects of Early Paternal Presence on Children’s Behavior

A father’s presence in the family is important for promoting adaptive behavioral functioning in children. It is unknown however, if there is a critical time during infancy and childhood for such paternal presence and involvement to affect behaviour. Using data from the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative (ABC) study, we examined the amount of paternal presence children experienced through their first 11 years of life (measured as fathers’ time spent in the same household as their children) and its effect on their behavioral outcomes at 11 years of age. After controlling for potential confounds, children who whose fathers were minimally present (left between 0 and 3.5 years of age) were twice as likely to report clinically significant behavioural difficulties as those whose fathers were present throughout childhood. Those whose fathers were present for early childhood (left between 3.5 and 7 years of age) exhibited no significant differences in their behaviour at 11 years of age when compared to their peers whose fathers remained present. Mothers reported no significant changes in their children’s behavior. Findings suggested that paternal presence early in a child’s life might be most important with regard to promoting adaptive behavioural functioning as they age.     

Psycho-Spiritual Integrative Therapy for Women with Primary Breast Cancer

Breast cancer presents physical and psychological challenges, but can also result in posttraumatic growth (PTG). Twenty-four women completed Psycho-Spiritual Integrative Therapy (PSIT) treatment and completed assessments for PTG and QOL before, immediately following, and 1 month after treatment. Women showed improvement (p?相似文献