No blank slates: Pre-existing schemas about pharmaceuticals predict memory for side effects

Objectives: Attribution of symptoms as medication side effects is informed by pre-existing beliefs about medicines and perceptions of personal sensitivity to their effects (pharmaceutical schemas). We tested whether (1) pharmaceutical schemas were associated with memory (recall/recognition) for side effect information (2) memory explained the attribution of a common unrelated symptom as a side effect.

Design: In this analogue study participants saw the patient leaflet of a fictitious asthma drug listing eight side effects.

Main outcome measures: We measured recall and recognition memory for side effects and used a vignette to test whether participants attributed an unlisted common symptom (headache) as a side effect.

Results: Participants who perceived pharmaceuticals as more harmful in general recalled fewer side effects correctly (r_{Correct Recall} = ?.273), were less able to differentiate between listed and unlisted side effects (r_{Recognition Sensitivity} = ?.256) and were more likely to attribute the unlisted headache symptom as a side effect (r_{side effect attribution} = .381, ps < .01). The effect of harm beliefs on side effect attribution was partially mediated by correct recall of side effects.

Conclusion: Pharmaceutical schemas are associated with memory for side effect information. Memory may explain part of the association between pharmaceutical schemas and the attribution of unrelated symptoms as side effects.     

Lifestyle traits as predictors of driving behaviour in urban areas of Greece

The aim of this study was to examine possible links between different lifestyle patterns and aberrant driver’s behaviour. Personal interviews were conducted in a representative sample of 324 adults (18–65), all residents of Crete. Aberrant driver’s behaviour was assessed by the ‘driver behaviour questionnaire’ (DBQ). Also to measure different dimensions of lifestyle, first, a 26-items questionnaire was used, and second, three questions measuring ‘driving without destination’, related in previous findings with road accident risk. Four lifestyle patterns: ‘religion/tradition’, ‘driving aimlessly’, ‘sports’ and ‘culture’ are significant predictors of ordinary violations. ‘Driving without destination’ has a significant effect all three DBQ factors (b positive). ‘Religion/tradition’ was related only to ordinary violations (b negative) and ‘sports’ has a positive impact on ordinary violations and a negative impact on ‘errors’. Two lifestyle factors are related to more dangerous driving: ‘Driving without destination’ and/or pursuing a more ‘athletic way of living’. Road safety campaigns must teach the first group to use other hobbies and activities to vent their feelings and the second, not to overestimate their abilities, while driving.     

The spiritual well-being questionnaire: Testing for model applicability, measurement and structural equivalencies, and latent mean differences across gender

Fisher (1998) proposed a spiritual well-being model, comprising primary factors for the domains of personal, communal, environmental and transcendental well-being, that cohere to form a single higher order or global spiritual well-being dimension. In line with this model, Gomez and Fisher (2003) published the Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire (SWBQ), with scales for measuring personal, communal, environmental and transcendental spiritual well-being. This study used multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine gender equivalencies of the measurement and structural models of the SWBQ, and the latent mean in the four SWBQ factors. A total of 3101 females and 1361 males, with age ranging from 15 to 32 years, completed the SWBQ. The statistical fit results supported the invariance of the measurement model, and some aspects of the structural model. The practical fit indices results provided support for the invariance of both the measurement and structural models. The results also showed little gender differences. Together, these findings support gender equivalencies for the SWBQ.     

中学生自我控制能力问卷的编制及其调查

本研究的目的是编制一套“中学生自我控制能力问卷”,并运用问卷调查了上海地区的885名预初至高二的学生,对中学生自我控制能力的特点进行了探索。研究结果表明：(1)中学生自我控制能力问港山情绪自控、行为白控和思维自控三个维度组成;(2)中学生自我控制能力问卷具有较高的信效度;(3)中学生自我控制能力成正态分市;(4)中学生自我控制能力在年级及性别上的差异非常显着;(5)中学生自我控制能力的发展还不稳定,处于波动之中。     

The Reliability and Validity of a Brief Self-Report Questionnaire to Screen for Mental Health Problems: The Health Dynamics Inventory

Mental health problems are underrecognized in medical settings, leading to inadequate treatment. The present paper describes the development of the Health Dynamics Inventory (HDI), a brief, self-report questionnaire developed to evaluate mental health functioning. The HDI was written to evaluate the three aspects of mental disorders as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM): (1) the experience of emotional or behavioral symptoms; (2) emotional distress; and (3) psychosocial impairment. This study evaluated the psychometric properties and construct validity of its items, scales, and subscales. Results indicated that the items distinguish patients from nonpatients, that the instrument's scales and subscales are reliable, and that the scales and subscales discriminates between persons with mental health concerns or diagnosable problems and those without such concerns or problems. The utility of the instrument for screening mental health problems in primary care settings is discussed.     

农民工感恩问卷的编制与应用价值

通过文献综述、理论分析、个别访谈和开放式问卷调查,编制了农民工感恩问卷初卷,对671名江苏苏南地区农民工进行施测,进行项目分析、探索性因素分析、验证性因素分析及信效度检验,并使用该问卷进行初步调查。结果发现：（1）最终形成16个题目的农民工感恩问卷,问卷包含频度方面、密度方面、广度方面三个因子,方差累积贡献率为52.06%;验证性因素分析表明模型拟合得较好;问卷内部一致性系数为0.84;该问卷具有良好的信、效度,可以作为农民工感恩水平的有效测量工具。（2）农民工的整体感恩状况良好,农民工的感恩水平存在性别     

青少年学校归属感问卷编制

该研究在开放式问卷与相关研究基础上,编制了学校归属感初始问卷。对240名学生初始测试后进行探索性因素分析,然后对440名学生的正式测验结果进行验证性因素分析。结果表明学生归属感问卷包括四个维度：同伴关系,教师支持,规章制度,硬件设施。验证性因素分析后各个数据均达到可接受水平,四维度模型拟合度较好。问卷具有良好的信度与效度,可以作为青少年学校归属感水平的测量工具。     

大学生恋爱动机问卷的初步编制

目的:探讨大学生恋爱动机的结构并编制相应的测量工具。方法:运用文献法、开放式问卷和访谈法设计问卷,多次施测修改问卷,采用相关分析、探索性分析和验证性分析对问卷的信、效度进行检验。结果:大学生恋爱动机问卷包括功利性、面子性、性爱性,情感性、消遣性和婚姻性六个维度,累计贡献率57.459%,共27项;问卷的信度和效度均符合心理测量学的要求。结论:大学生恋爱动机问卷可作为测评大学生恋爱动机的工具。     

《青少年良心评估问卷》的编制

通过团体施测抽样测查了从初一到大四的被试共1635余人,在进行两次项目分析和探索性因素分析的基础上,正式问卷由认知,情感,行为,意志四个分问卷组成,各分问卷各由四个维度构成,最后《青少年良心评估问卷》由70个项目构成,总问卷的内部一致性系数为0.924,分半系数为0.853,验证性分析表明各分问卷的结构拟合度较好,结果表明良心评估问卷可作为一种评估工具进行使用。