Perceived control and long-term changes in disability in late middle-aged and older persons: An eight-year follow-up study

This article examined the predictive role of perceived control in long-term changes in disability among 1541 independently living older persons. Disability referred to self-reported difficulties with (instrumental) activities of daily living. Perceived control referred to the extent to which one assumes oneself as having control over one's life chances, unlike the fatalistic assumption that one's life is ruled by external factors. Data on disability and perceived control were collected in 1993 and recollected in 2001. Covariates included age, gender, living arrangement, level of education, and the number of chronic medical conditions. Regression equations were estimated with disability in 2001 as outcome and the selected variables as predictors. The level of perceived control decreased and the level of disability increased significantly over an 8-year period. The predictive role of perceived control for subsequent change in disability was statistically significant but not very strong. The association between perceived control in 1993 and disability in 2001 was stronger for older persons (>65 years) compared to younger persons (≤65 years).     

学前儿童努力控制的发展轨迹与父母养育的关系：一项多水平分析

通过3年追踪研究, 采用问卷法考察了474名学前儿童努力控制发展变化的轨迹, 以及初始父母养育方式对其发展水平和发展速率的影响。多水平分析的结果表明：(1)学前儿童的努力控制呈线性增长, 其发展水平和增长速度均存在明显的个体差异, 努力控制初始水平较高的儿童, 其增长速度也较快。(2)初始的父母鼓励与接纳对儿童努力控制的最后发展水平有促进作用, 而父母的拒绝与惩罚则起反作用。(3)父亲鼓励与接纳能加速儿童努力控制的平均增长速率, 而母亲鼓励与接纳则会延缓其平均增长速率。(4)初始的父亲养育方式可分别解释儿童努力控制发展水平和发展速率10%和2%的变异, 初始的母亲养育方式可分别解释其14%和3%的变异, 父母养育方式累计可分别解释其19%和10%的变异。     

An Occupational Therapist's Interdisciplinary Approach to a Geriatric Psychiatry Activity Group: A Case Study

Occupational therapy has long recognized the usefulness of activity groups to promote functional outcomes for clients in mental-health settings. An occupational therapist used an interdisciplinary approach (working with a psychiatric nurse practitioner and a manual arts therapist) to conduct a biweekly geriatric psychiatry activity group. A case study is presented to demonstrate the success and longevity of the interdisciplinary activity group. Each clinician contributed unique skills to provide occupation which provided positive outcomes for the clients. Practically, the employing of different disciplines allowed group coverage for each other in times of cost-containment and limited resources.     

The associations of the Five Factor Model of personality with inflammatory biomarkers: A four-year prospective study

This study evaluated the associations of the Five Factor Model of personality with two inflammation biomarkers, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, and the possible moderating effects of common health-related behaviors (physical activity and smoking) concurrently and over four years, while adjusting for socio-demographic and health status. Participants were individuals who underwent a health examination at two points of time, T1 (n = 1709) and T2 (n = 923), about four years apart. Regression analyses uncovered positive associations between Neuroticism and Extraversion with two inflammatory biomarkers at baseline (T1) and over time (T2) and increases in their levels over time. Additionally, a synergistic interaction of neuroticism and physical inactivity was associated with higher levels of inflammation biomarkers at both time periods. Openness was negatively associated with inflammation biomarkers at T1 and T2, but not with changes in their levels. No significant associations were found for Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. The results suggest that personality traits might be involved in the inflammatory process both concurrently and over time, and thus indicate a possible mechanism by which personality traits might influence health, especially cardiovascular disease risk.     

Authoritarianism as a personality trait: Evidence from a longitudinal behavior genetic study

Authoritarianism has long been conceived of as a highly stable personality trait ( and ), though recent accounts have argued that authoritarianism is too malleable to justify this conception. We provided a test of the trait conception of authoritarianism by measuring its stability in a community sample of twins over a 15 year period, and by identifying the source of any stability with biometric modeling. Our results showed that authoritarianism exhibited a high degree of rank-order stability (r = .74). Biometric analyses indicated that this stability derived primarily from genetic influences, with changes in authoritarianism due to the unique experiences of the individual. In both of these respects, our results were highly comparable to those reported for other personality traits in previous work, indicating support for the trait conception of authoritarianism. Other results of note included a higher degree of stability among the more educated portion of the sample, supporting a hypothesis by Krosnick and Alwin (1989).     

Wisdom and good lives: A process perspective

Wisdom and good lives are related. On one hand, judgments about whether wisdom has been manifested are often based on conceptions of what is a good life. On the other hand, wisdom, as manifested by human endeavors throughout history which contributed to the common good over the long term, can itself transform the standards that we use to evaluate good lives. In this article, wisdom is defined as a process encompassing three core components—cognitive integration, embodiment in action, and positive effects for oneself and others. One form of wisdom, which transforms our conceptions of a good life, is discussed, using Mother Teresa's endeavor as an example. Her endeavor which embodied an integrated idea—serving Christ by serving the poorest of the poor—generated positive effects for herself and others, and has transformed people's conceptions of a good life. The relationship of this form of wisdom to hardship, happiness, and old age is also discussed.     

Young adult narcissism: A 20 year longitudinal study of the contribution of parenting styles, preschool precursors of narcissism, and denial

The role of parenting styles in the development of young adult narcissism is investigated with individuals from the Block and Block (1980) longitudinal study. At age 3, participants were assessed for the presence of narcissism precursors, and mothers and fathers provided information about their parenting styles. At age 23, the presence of both healthy and maladaptive narcissism was assessed, along with the use of denial. The results showed that parenting styles had a direct effect on the development of healthy narcissism, but the effect on the development of maladaptive narcissism depended on the child’s initial proclivity towards narcissism. Also, the use of denial was positively associated with the presence of maladaptive narcissism, but not with healthy narcissism.     

患者报告结局（PRO）在临床疗效评价体系中的应用与思考

现代医疗模式的转变,使得患者对疾病的直接感受,对疗效的评价,成为临床决策和药物安全性评价的重要指标。而PRO量表的问世,使患者有机会真正参与到医疗过程中来,也为临床疗效评价及药物管理提供了珍贵资料。本文将通过什么是PRO、PRO的价值以及PRO的发展近况来对PRO做一个初步的介绍,以便为后来的研究者提供可能的帮助。     

Conversing while driving: The importance of visual information for conversation modulation

Multiple studies have shown an increased accident risk due to telephoning while driving. On the other hand, driving with passengers leads to a decreased accident risk. One explanation is a conversation modulation by passengers in cars which leads to a different conversation pattern which is not so detrimental to driving as that when phoning. A driving simulator study was conducted in order to examine this conversation modulation more closely and to find out more about the factors involved in this modulation, especially about the role of visual information available to the passenger. In a within-subject design the conversational patterns of 33 drivers and passengers in different in-car settings (passenger as usual, passenger without front view or passenger without view of the driver) were compared to a hands-free cell phone and to a hands-free cell phone with additional visual information either about the driving situation or the driver. Participants were instructed to have a naturalistic small-talk with a friend. Results of the drivers’ speaking behavior showed a reduction of speaking while driving. Compared to a conversation partner on the cell phone, a passenger in the car varies his speaking rhythm by speaking more often but shorter. Further analyses showed that this effect is also found with a cell phone when providing the conversation partner additional visual information either about the driving situation or the driver. This latter finding supports the idea that conversation modulation is not triggered by being in the car but by the visual information about the driver’s state and the driving situation.