A review of recent studies on differential reinforcement during skill acquisition in early intervention

Although the use of differential reinforcement has been recommended in previous investigations and in early intervention curriculum manuals, few studies have evaluated the best method for providing differential reinforcement to maximize independent responding. This paper reviews previous research on the effectiveness of differential reinforcement as treatment and describes important areas of future research.     

The health of employed women and men: work,family, and community correlates

Research into clarifying the relationship between social roles and health has increasingly focused on studying the particular circumstances in which occupying multiple roles may enhance or diminish well‐being. This study examined the association between a general measure of well‐being—self‐rated health—and the perceived quality of work, family and community in a sample of employed urban‐dwelling Canadians in a mid‐size city, and whether the nature of the association differed for men and women. Few gender differences were found in the perceived quality of work, family and community. However, men and women differed significantly in the specific type of quality measures associated with general health. For women, satisfaction with one's partner/spouse and in the money available to meet basic family needs had a stronger association with self‐rated health. For men, the significant correlates were satisfaction with family relationships (other than one's partner) and the community physical environment. For both women and men, a more socially cohesive community was associated with better self‐rated health. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Religion and Spirituality in Quality of Life Studies

The authors present their views on the current state of the art for research focused upon religion/spirituality and quality of life. Because of the undeniable influence of religion and spirituality at the macro-level of cultures, the internal and external worlds of individuals embedded in any culture are touched by religion and spirituality – even for individuals who deny any religious affiliation or beliefs. Religion and spirituality has already attracted attention from QOL researchers across a wide set of disciplines and should continue to do so in the future. The authors discuss approaches, topics and methodological issues that should be considered when researching religion/spirituality and QOL. Recommendations for future research are set in italics.     

Kinship Foster Care from the Perspective of Quality of Life: Research on the Satisfaction of the Stakeholders

A quality of life studies perspective has guided the design and implementation of research on kinship care as a placement resource within the child protection system in Catalonia (Spain). This research was carried out gathering the points of view of the three main stakeholders: kinship caregivers, children who are placed in extended family and practitioners of the EAIAs (Childhood and Adolescence Interdisciplinary Care Teams). Satisfaction involved in kinship care has been explored. In this article the main stakeholders’ satisfaction with kinship care is presented, and on the other hand, children’s satisfaction with life as a whole and with five specific domains in life is analysed: Education received from their caregiver, their school, their friends, their time enjoyment and their health. As expected, practitioners show the lowest evaluations with this kind of service. Surprisingly, evaluations by children referred to kinship care and to education received by caregivers are higher than those in the normative population aged 12–16 in relation to their own natural family. The findings show implications for practice and they imply challenges for quality-of-life research.     

The Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale: Sex,Race, and Grade Effects for Applications with Middle School Students

Preliminary normative data for the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS) total score were collected from 2,987 South Carolina middle school students in Grades 6 though 8. Tests for gender and ethnicity (African-American vs. Caucasian) effects were non-significant. Statistically significant differences between grade levels were discovered, but the magnitude of these differences was quite small. Thus, a single set of norms is appropriate for use when interpreting middle school students’ responses to the BMSLSS.     

EORTC QLQ—C30及其在胸部肿瘤患者生命质量研究中的应用

生命质量研究是近年来肿瘤研究的热点之一,其主要作用评价治疗效果,选择治疗方案;应用于抗肿瘤新药筛选;用于预测患者预后和远期生存状态。EORTC QLQ-C30及其子量表在世界范围内被应用于胸部肿瘤治疗和研究当中并取得了较好效果,为评价食管癌和肺癌的各种治疗方法提供了一个较好的参考标准,同时对提高食管癌和肺癌的治疗水平和改善病人生命质量起到了一定的推动作用。     

关注晚期癌症患者的生活质量

在强调整体医学的今天,在肿瘤治疗尚未出现理想疗效的前提下,肿瘤治疗目标应遵循生存率与生活质量(QOL)并重的原则。在诊治晚期癌症患者过程中不仅要关心他们的生存期,更要关心他们的生活质量。在诊治过程中要根据他们独特的心理和生理特征给予全方位关怀,减轻痛苦、维持生命质量和保证他们应有的人格尊严。     

关于阴茎移植的伦理问题

随着医学科学的发展,器官移植日趋成熟,不仅使患者延长了生命,更大大提高了生活质量。阴茎移植是器官移植和免疫学发展的结晶,是异体器官移植领域内新的突破,为阴茎缺失的患者带来了新生,对患者心理、家庭和社会有着重大影响。但目前异体阴茎移植刚刚起步,技术尚不成熟,且阴茎是一特殊器官,涉及到的伦理道德问题很多,我们试图从受者、供者、医生和法律等方面讨论阴茎移植所面临的伦理道德问题,希望阴茎移植能真正造福于人类。     

论临床试验中的治疗性误解及对策

研究和临床治疗在根本目的、基本方法、风险的正当性,以及应遵循的伦理原则等多方面都存在着根本性的区别。在临床试验的理论与实践中,混淆治疗与研究两者的区别,就会造成治疗性误解,从而违背科研伦理的知情同意原则,损害受试者的利益。以研究和治疗的区分为出发点,对治疗性误解的原因、引起的主要伦理问题及对策加以讨论。     

早期前列腺癌治疗的临床决策

早期前列腺癌治疗方法多种多样,临床医生根据患者不同的病理分期、分级及身体条件,做出符合患者个体的临床治疗决策,以期在目前条件下达到最佳治疗效果,降低医疗费用及提高生活质量。