Effects of message framing and temporal context on college student drinking behavior

This study evaluated the interactive effects of message framing and temporal context on college student alcohol use. Participants (n = 228) were randomly assigned to read an alcohol prevention message that varied by message frame (gains vs. losses) and temporal context (short- vs. long-term consequences). Participants returned to the lab one month later to report their drinking behavior over the past month. As predicted, students exposed to the gain-framed message reported lower alcohol use (drank less frequently, drank fewer alcoholic beverages per drinking occasion, and engaged in less binge drinking) as compared to students exposed to the loss-framed message, but only if they read about short-term consequences of alcohol use. Message frame had no effect when participants were exposed to long-term consequences. This investigation extends previous research by demonstrating the effectiveness of message framing for reducing health-damaging behaviors and by identifying temporal context as a moderator of framing effects.     

教师创造性教学行为评价量表的结构

用Cropley编制的"创造性教学行为自评量表"(CFT指标)对321名小学教师进行初测,选取难度在0.20~0.80之间、区分度在0.40以上的28个题项组成"教师创造性教学行为评价量表"。经探索性因素分析,发现该量表由学习方式指导、动机激发、观点评价和鼓励变通4个维度构成。对592份"教师创造性教学行为评价量表"有效数据的验证性因素分析结果表明,该量表有较好的信度和效度,可以用来评价教师的创造性教学行为。     

母子关系、师生关系与儿童入园第一年的问题行为

通过对102名托班幼儿的母亲和教师间隔9个月的两次测查,考察了母子关系、师生关系在儿童入园第一年的问题行为发展中的作用。结果表明：控制了儿童入园三个月时的问题行为后,(1)母子关系无法直接预测入园一年时的问题行为,师生关系冲突性可以反向预测入园一年时的退缩和违纪问题;(2)儿童性别调节了母子关系冲突性对入园一年时攻击问题的预测,即母子关系冲突性对入园一年时攻击问题的正向预测作用仅对女孩成立,对男孩则不成立;(3)师生关系亲密性调节了母子关系亲密性对入园一年时的退缩、焦虑、攻击和违纪问题的预测,即母子关系亲密性对入园一年时各种问题行为的负向预测作用仅对师生关系亲密程度高的儿童成立,对师生关系亲密程度低的儿童则不成立;对师生关系亲密程度低的儿童来说,母子关系亲密性对入园一年时的焦虑问题甚至具有正向预测作用     

Associations Between Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder,Externalizing Disorders,and Suicide-Related Behaviors

Borderline personality disorder and externalizing disorders are associated with suicide-related behaviors. The present study examined whether symptoms of borderline personality disorder mediate the relationship between externalizing disorders and suicide-related behaviors. Diagnostic interviews were administered to 344 participants (n = 233 women). Results indicated that symptoms of antisocial personality disorder, alcohol use disorders, and drug use disorders each were significantly associated with suicide threats and self-injurious behavior in women and symptoms of antisocial personality disorder were associated with suicide attempts in women. With the exception of the association between symptoms of alcohol dependence and self-injurious behaviors, borderline personality disorder symptoms mediated or partially mediated all associations between externalizing disorders and suicide-related behaviors in women. These results highlight the importance of assessment and treatment of borderline personality disorder symptoms in individuals with externalizing disorders, particularly in the presence of suicide-related behaviors.

Personal values and relational models

In this study, the comprehensive value research by Schwartz (e.g. 1992) was linked to Fiske's relational models theory (RMT, e.g. Fiske, 1991). A sample of 297 people answered the personal values questionnaire (PVQ), the modes of relationship questionnaire (MORQ) and the relationship profile scale (RPS) in a web‐based online survey. As hypothesized, the set of 10 values correlated in a systematic manner—according to the circular structure of personal value systems—with both trait‐like construal of and motivational investment in the relational models communal sharing (CS), authority ranking (AR) and market pricing (MP). Further research concerning a person–environment value congruency approach to predict well‐being is suggested combining the two research traditions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparison of cognitive-behavior therapy with interpersonal and cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy with the combination of cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy on decreasing the excessiveness of pathological worry and increasing happiness of the individuals with generalized anxiety disorder.

Method: The sample consisted of 36 female undergraduate students who referred themselves to the Isfahan University Counseling Center and met the criteria for GAD. They were randomly assigned into three groups; namely, two experimental groups and one control group. Before receiving the interventions all of the groups completed Penn State Worry Questionnaire and Oxford Happiness Inventory. One of the experimental groups underwent cognitive behavior therapy and the other one received the integration of cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy. The control group received no intervention.

Result: The statistical analyses indicated that the differences between the CBT and CBT+ IPT groups on excessive worry and happiness in the post tests were not significant. But significant mean differences were observed in the follow-ups regarding pathological worry and happiness between two groups.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that the integration of cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy can be applied as an effective intervention for decreasing the rate of GADs’ relapses after cognitive behavior therapy.     

管理者权力距离对员工创造性观点产生与实施关系的调节作用

本研究考察了管理者的权力距离对于员工创造性观点产生与实施过程的调节作用。对170名企业员工和他们的直接主管的问卷调查结果表明：（1）管理者的权力距离对员工创造性观点的产生与实施的影响是不同的。管理者的高权力距离会抑制员工创造性观点的产生,但会促进员工创造性观点的实施。（2）管理者的高权力距离会促进员工创造性想法从产生向实施的转化。研究讨论了管理者的权力距离水平对于创新过程影响的实践意义。     

Symptoms of Psychological Distress Among Mothers and their Adult Offspring: A Longitudinal Examination

We examined the association between maternal psychological distress during offspring’s early development and offspring’s later distress in adulthood, as well as the influence of maternal characteristics at offspring’s birth and offspring’s characteristics in adulthood on distress. Data were obtained from the British Cohort Study, a longitudinal study of children born in a one-week period in 1970. Children were followed up multiple times from birth through to age 30. Results indicate that greater symptoms of maternal psychological distress during offspring’s early childhood are associated with greater symptoms of distress in adult offspring. A large component of this association is indirect, occurring through mother’s distress in later childhood and offspring’s problem behavior during adolescence. Findings that the association between maternal and offspring’s distress is more indirect than direct support arguments that early maternal distress has long-term consequences for offspring.     

Modeling and prediction of driver preparations for making a right turn based on vehicle velocity and traffic conditions while approaching an intersection

This paper focuses on modeling and predicting the influence of a vehicle’s velocity and the relative position between a driver’s vehicle and a vehicle to the front or rear on the onset of driver preparations for making a right turn at an intersection. Repeated experiments were carried out on a public road to measure driver preparations, including releasing the accelerator pedal, moving the right foot to cover the brake pedal, and activating the turn signal, as well as to record vehicle velocity and the relative distances to the leading and following vehicles. Structural equation modeling was applied to estimate these relationships quantitatively. Two separate latent variables accounting for the interaction between the driver’s vehicle and leading or following vehicles, and the onset point where driving behavior changes from straight mode to preparation mode before a right turn, were introduced in the specification of the structural equation model. The model estimates and testing indicate that the proposed structural equation model represents well the relationship hypothesized by observational analysis: that the vehicle velocity and the traffic conditions surrounding the driver’s vehicle strongly influence the driver’s deceleration and more weakly influenced turn signal activation. The proposed structural equation model contributes to the prediction of the onset locations of covering the brake pedal and activating the turn signal based on the vehicle velocity and the relative distances to the front and rear vehicles when the accelerator pedal is released. The prediction accuracy is high compared with predictions in which the vehicle velocity and the headway or rear distances are not taken into account or predictions using a single regression model with one independent variable, namely driving speed. Finally, a possible new addition to in-vehicle navigation systems that detects unusual driver behavior by predicting the driver’s preparatory maneuvers is discussed.