Factors Associated with Functional Dependence in Alzheimer's Disease

The purpose of this study was to determine whether common geriatric conditions, family function, and nutritional problems have independent associations with functional dependence beyond the effect of cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer's disease. It was found that some common geriatric conditions affecting patients with Alzheimer's disease appear to have multiple and differential relationships with specific instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) dependency. These results have implications for medical care. Preventing one condition may not be sufficient to prevent further IADL dependences because the conditions are independently related to individual outcome variables. Thus, multiple conditions may need to be managed concurrently if further functional dependence is to be expected.     

大学生手机互联网依赖对疏离感的影响：社会支持系统的作用

为探讨大学生手机依赖、现实社会支持、网络社会支持及疏离感的关系。采用大学生手机成瘾倾向量表、青少年疏离感量表、大学生网络社会支持量表和青少年社会支持量表对442 名大学生进行测量。结果发现：（1）不同手机依赖水平与疏离感差异显著,高手机依赖者的疏离感均显著高于低手机依赖者;（2）手机依赖对疏离感有显著正向预测作用,网络社会支持和现实社会支持对疏离感有显著负向预测作用;（3）现实社会支持在手机依赖与疏离感间具有中介效应和调节效应,手机依赖既直接对疏离感产生影响,又通过现实社会支持对疏离感产生影响,中介效应占总效应的比例为17.8%;（4）现实社会支持和网络社会支持在手机依赖与疏离感间均具有调节效应,可以缓冲手机依赖对疏离感的影响。     

冲动性对不同成瘾行为发展的调控及其神经机制

近年来越来越多的研究证据提示, 个体冲动性在成瘾疾患发生发展机制中具有关键作用, 可能成为成瘾行为的潜在易感标记以及早期识别和干预的重要靶点, 但冲动性对不同成瘾行为变化发展的调控机制尚不明确。项目拟综合跨成瘾谱系比较、纵向追踪设计、冲动行为干预等研究途径, 采用人格测量、神经认知、神经影像等技术, 首先比较尼古丁依赖者与网络游戏成瘾者的冲动性结构及其在前额叶–纹状体环路的结构功能改变; 然后采用混合分组设计筛选出具有高低冲动性的非成瘾青少年进行连续追踪研究, 考察冲动性对尼古丁依赖与网络游戏成瘾的预测效力; 并采用认知行为训练, 对吸烟成瘾者与网络游戏成瘾者进行冲动干预, 考察行为干预对冲动性水平及前额叶–纹状体环路功能的改变, 以及对不同成瘾行为发展的抑制后效。旨在探索冲动性作为成瘾的潜在易感标记及干预靶点的效力。     

高职生自主学习能力与网络依赖程度关系的研究

在问卷调查法的基础上,本研究对高职生自主学习能力与网络依赖程度进行多种维度的相关分析,并通过多重线性回归分别对突出影响网络依赖及其四种维度的自主学习因子进行考察.结果表明:高职生自主学习能力和网络依赖程度之间存在十分密切的关系,其中学习策略分量表中的学习求助因子和学习管理因子对高职生的网络依赖有最大的影响.     

Heteroscedasticity as a Basis of Direction Dependence in Reversible Linear Regression Models

Heteroscedasticity is a well-known issue in linear regression modeling. When heteroscedasticity is observed, researchers are advised to remedy possible model misspecification of the explanatory part of the model (e.g., considering alternative functional forms and/or omitted variables). The present contribution discusses another source of heteroscedasticity in observational data: Directional model misspecifications in the case of nonnormal variables. Directional misspecification refers to situations where alternative models are equally likely to explain the data-generating process (e.g., x → y versus y → x). It is shown that the homoscedasticity assumption is likely to be violated in models that erroneously treat true nonnormal predictors as response variables. Recently, Direction Dependence Analysis (DDA) has been proposed as a framework to empirically evaluate the direction of effects in linear models. The present study links the phenomenon of heteroscedasticity with DDA and describes visual diagnostics and nine homoscedasticity tests that can be used to make decisions concerning the direction of effects in linear models. Results of a Monte Carlo simulation that demonstrate the adequacy of the approach are presented. An empirical example is provided, and applicability of the methodology in cases of violated assumptions is discussed.     

Controlling the uncontrollable. Self-regulation and the dynamics of addiction

The multidisciplinary research on addictions generally promotes the assumption that addictive behavior is caused and maintained by the external psychoactive substance, which accordingly is considered to be ‘addictive in itself’. The present article challenges this widespread assumption by engaging in a detailed examination of the psychodynamic structures of addiction. Tracing addictive behavior back to problems in affect regulation, the article discusses the object, motivation, dynamics, and developmental origins of addiction. Linking the problem with the topic of transitional object relations, the article eventually argues that addictive behavior amounts to a desperate pursuit for self-control. The tragedy of the addict is that he or she only manages to replace one sense of uncontrollability with another.     

Perceived impact of online written feedback on students’ writing and learning: a reflection

In this reflective study, I perceive the impact of my own written feedback on students’ academic writing skills in particular and on learning in general. Anchored on Schon’s reflection-on-action (ROA) framework, my reflection arose from a content analysis of my written feedback on 80 student drafts and 44 feedback responses. I found that my written feedback is of two types: focus on form and focus on meaning. Coding the feedback led to an identification of six feedback functions: instructive/using imperatives (18.36%); suggestive (15.31%); asking questions/probing (23.98%); stating a personal opinion (6.12%); corrective (29.59%); and affirming/negating (6.63%). The categorisation of feedback according to these functions was influenced by Wolsey’s feedback functions (2008) which was adapted by Alvarez, Espasa and Guasch. Results revealed that I employ corrective feedback, probing questions and instructive feedback more frequently than suggestive feedback, personal statement or affirmation/negation. I also found that my feedback on form (59%) is higher than my feedback on meaning (41%). I explain the relationship of these findings by identifying some confounding factors that enabled me to interrogate my assumptions, along with a discussion of their implications.     

On the need for negative local item dependence

While negative local item dependence (LID) has been discussed in numerous articles, its occurrence and effects often go unrecognized. This is due in part to confusion over what unidimensional latent trait is being utilized in evaluating the LID of multidimensional testing data. This article addresses this confusion by using an appropriately chosen latent variable to condition on. It then provides a proof that negative LID must occur when unidimensional ability estimates (such as number right score) are obtained from data which follow a very general class of multidimensional item response theory models. The importance of specifying what unidimensional latent trait is used, and its effect on the sign of the LIDs are shown to have implications in regard to a variety of foundational theoretical arguments, to the simulation of LID data sets, and to the use of testlet scoring for removing LID.This paper is based in part on a chapter in the first author's doctoral dissertation, written at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign under the supervision of William Stout. Part of this research has been presented at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education, San Diego, California, April 14–16, 1998.The research of the first author was partially supported by a Harold Gulliksen Psychometric fellowship through Educational Testing Service and by a Research and Productive Scholarship award from the University of South Carolina.     

The Moral Contours of Empathy

Morally contoured empathy is a form of reasonable partiality essential to the healthy care of dependents. It is critical as an epistemic aid in determining proper moral responsiveness; it is also, within certain richly normative roles and relationships, itself a crucial constitutive mode of moral connection. Yet the achievement of empathy is no easy feat. Patterns of incuriosity imperil connection, impeding empathic engagement; inappropriate empathic engagement, on the other hand, can result in self-effacement. Impartial moral principles and constraints offer at best meager protection against these perils, and hence serve poorly in securing morally contoured empathy. More nuanced and practical guidance should be sought in normatively substantive conceptions of our roles and relationships and their defining moral stakes. These, joined with more abstract moral tools, can facilitate rich, narratively textured interpretations of moralitys demands. While the content of our normative conceptions must be continually debated, engaging in this debate is vital to the achievement of proper empathy, and thus to effective, respectful, morally healthy care of dependents.This paper was originally presented at the conference on Reasonable Partiality at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, October 22–24, 2003. I wish to thank all those present for stimulating discussion. Special thanks go to Bert Musschenga, who organized the conference, and who has provided insightful feedback on this paper. Warm thanks as well to Brenda Almond and Bernie Rollin for lively exchanges on the issues addressed here and to Nancy Sherman for sharing with me an ongoing fascination with, and her own fantastic work on, empathy. Comments from an anonymous reviewer for the journal were challenging and helpful. Finally, I wish to express gratitude beyond normal bounds to Maggie Little both for her generosity, keen insight, and artful intervention at key points in this essays evolution and for her ground-breaking work on deontic pluralism that deeply influences the position I frame here.     

The Rôle of Language In Belief Revision

Analytical tools that give precision to the concept of "independence of syntax" are developed in the form of a series of substitutivity principles. These principles are applied in a study of the rôle of language in belief revision theory. It is shown that sets of sentences can be used in models of belief revision to convey more information than what is conveyed by the combined propositional contents of the respective sets. It is argued that it would be unwise to programmatically restrain the use of sets of sentences to that of representing propositional contents. Instead, the expressive power of language should be used as fully as possible. Therefore, syntax-independence should not be seen as a criterion of adequacy for language-based models of information-processing, but rather as a property that emerges from some but not all the idealization processes through which such models are constructed.