Sudden Unexpected Versus Violent Death and PTSD Symptom Development

Changes to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) trauma criterion in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) have been an area of much scrutiny and debate. One of the proposed changes included removing sudden unexpected death (SUD) from the list of potentially traumatic events. This study tested the extent to which unexpected death differed from violent death and other traumas as measured by PTSD symptoms. Our results indicated a significant difference in symptom development between those experiencing sudden violent death and sudden unexpected, but nonviolent, death. Additional analyses at the DSM–IV symptom cluster level, as well as with Simms, Watson, and Doebbeling’s (2002) factor structure of PTSD symptoms, suggested further distinctions between event types and symptom development. The extent to which SUD should be included in the trauma criterion is considered.     

Gay and Lesbian Couples in Italy: Comparisons with Heterosexual Couples

Assessing couple relationships across diverse languages and cultures has important implications for both clinical intervention and prevention. This is especially true for nontraditional relationships potentially subject to various expressions of negative societal evaluation or bias. Few empirically validated measures of relationship functioning have been developed for cross‐cultural applications, and none have been examined for their psychometric sufficiency for evaluating same‐sex couples across different languages and cultures. The current study examined the psychometric properties of an Italian translation of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory – Revised (MSI‐R), a 150‐item 13‐scale measure of couple relationship functioning, for its use in assessing the intimate relationships of gay and lesbian couples in Italy. Results for these couples were compared to data from heterosexual married and unmarried cohabiting couples from the same geographical region, as well as to previously published data for gay, lesbian, and unmarried heterosexual couples from the United States. Findings suggest that, despite unique societal pressures confronting Italian same‐sex couples, these relationships appear resilient and fare well both overall and in specific domains of functioning compared to heterosexual couples both in Italy and the United States.     

The tasks of self-managing hepatitis C: The significance of disclosure

The narratives of those with hepatitis C were viewed through the lens of Corbin and Strauss’ [Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (1988). Unending work and care: Managing chronic illness at home. The Jossey-Bass health series and The Jossey-Bass social and behavioral science series. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.] self-management model for chronic illness, using qualitative methodology. Fifteen Australian hepatitis C positive interviewees described the challenges and turning points in adjusting to their diagnosis. The data were analysed using open- and closed-coding methods. Support was found for a self-management model encompassing medical, emotional and life role facets for those adjusting to life with hepatitis C. Unique challenges emerged beyond those described by Corbin and Strauss (1988 Corbin, J and Strauss, A. 1988. Unending work and care: Managing chronic illness at home, The Jossey-Bass health series and The Jossey-Bass social and behavioral science series San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.  [Google Scholar]), namely that disclosure impacted both positively and negatively on the tasks of self-management. It was concluded that self-management may be compromised by disclosure, particularly distress derived from hepatitis C-related stigma. The self-management tasks described contribute to broadening clinicians’ understanding of the challenges faced by those living with hepatitis C.     

Mechanism of formation of aligned two-phase microstructure in a Fe-0.25wt%C alloy under high magnetic field gradients

The effect of a magnetic force on creating an aligned two-phase microstructure in a Fe-0.25wt%C alloy under magnetic field gradients has been investigated. Through the changes in the heating temperature, both dipolar interactions and magnetic forces work together during the austenite to ferrite transformation. The results showed that the aligned two-phase microstructure is not observed under the influence of the magnetic force alone. The ferrite grains are elongated due to dipole interactions at the early stages of their nucleation and growth and then the magnetic force turns the elongated ferrite grains, whose major axis is not parallel to the direction of magnetic force, to the direction of the field in the presence of magnetic field gradients.     

Piezoelectric and electromechanical coupling constants for GaxIn1-xSb semiconducting alloys

The compositional dependence of piezoelectric stress and strain constants and electromechanical coupling coefficient of Ga_xIn_1-xSb have been investigated. The calculations were performed using a pseudopotential approach combined with the Adachi model where different concepts of ionicity are considered. Our results are compared with the available data and found to be in good accord with each other. Our findings show that as the Ga content varies, the piezoelectric and related constants and transport properties of the alloy system of interest are significantly affected.     

Sapientia and Stultitia in John Colet's Commentary on First Corinthians

ABSTRACT

While John Colet, friend of Erasmus and founder of St Paul's School, London, was himself widely read in Classical and pagan authors, he famously characterized pagan books as having the ‘savour of the Demon’ and exhorted minor clergy to reject human or secular wisdom. This article seeks to resolve the apparent tension between Colet's disparagement of human wisdom in his commentary on First Corinthians and his own use of pagan learning and humanist activities. Through a close analysis of Colet's understanding of human and divine wisdom and human stultitia (foolishness) in the commentary, the article argues that Colet's principal concern in reproaching human wisdom (sapientia) was the moral purity of his audience. The article concludes by considering how Colet's view of secular wisdom, thus conceived, represented an early expression of his commitment to religious, ecclesiastical and moral reform.     

Spouses' Cortisol Associations and Moderators: Testing Physiological Synchrony and Connectedness in Everyday Life

In this study, associations were examined between cortisol levels of wives and husbands in 47 heterosexual married couples. Both partners' salivary cortisol levels were measured at the same moments seven times a day on 2 typical weekdays. After accounting for the effects of the diurnal rhythm of cortisol and relevant control variables, dyadic hierarchical linear modeling indicated significant positive linkages between partners' cortisol levels, consistent with the hypothesized within‐couple physiological synchrony. Variables reflecting more (spousal presence) or less connectedness (loneliness, being alone) were also collected at the time of each cortisol sample. Results indicated that husbands' cortisol levels were higher at moments they reported feeling lonelier and lower at moments they were in the presence of their spouse. Wives' cortisol levels were higher at moments they were alone. In addition, wife–husband cortisol synchrony was stronger for husbands who spent relatively more time with their spouse across the study period—even after accounting for time spent with others in general. These findings suggest that marital partners evidence positive within‐couple cortisol associations, and that connectedness (particularly physical closeness) may underpin spouses' physiological synchrony.     

Time-specific Errors in Growth Curve Modeling: Type-1 Error Inflation and a Possible Solution with Mixed-Effects Models

Growth curve modeling (GCM) has been one of the most popular statistical methods to examine participants’ growth trajectories using longitudinal data. In spite of the popularity of GCM, little attention has been paid to the possible influence of time-specific errors, which influence all participants at each timepoint. In this article, we demonstrate that the failure to take into account such time-specific errors in GCM produces considerable inflation of type-1 error rates in statistical tests of fixed effects (e.g., coefficients for the linear and quadratic terms). We propose a GCM that appropriately incorporates time-specific errors using mixed-effects models to address the problem. We also provide an applied example to illustrate that GCM with and without time-specific errors would lead to different substantive conclusions about the true growth trajectories. Comparisons with other models in longitudinal data analysis and potential issues of model misspecification are discussed.