Counselor Education Students’ Perceptions of Wellness and Mental Health in African American Men: The Effects of Colorism

Colorism is discrimination based on skin tone. Skin color influences clinicians’ diagnostic impressions. The degree to which colorism influences counseling students’ clinical decision making is unknown. This study examined colorism's effect on counselor education master's students’ (N = 154) clinical decisions. Analysis of covariance failed to produce statistically significant results when comparing students’ evaluations of a male African American's mental health and wellness, when controlling for presentation management, across 4 skin tones. Counselors should include colorism in diversity training. El colorismo es la discriminación basada en el tono de la piel. El tono de la piel influye en las impresiones diagnósticas de los profesionales clínicos. Se desconoce hasta qué punto el colorismo influye en las decisiones clínicas de los estudiantes de consejería. Este estudio examinó el efecto del colorismo en las decisiones clínicas de estudiantes de maestría en educación de consejeros (N = 154). El análisis de la covarianza no produjo resultados estadísticamente significativos al comparar las evaluaciones de los estudiantes sobre la salud mental y el bienestar de un cliente afroamericano varón, controlando la gestión de la presentación de 4 tonos de piel diferentes. Los consejeros deberían incluir el colorismo en la capacitación de diversidad.     

High-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy of the antiphase boundary in a rapidly solidified B2 type TiPd compound

High-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) with Z-contrast is applied to characterize the antiphase boundary (APB) of the B2 structure in a rapidly solidified TiPd melt-spun compound. The atomic shift associated with the R ?=?(1/2) a ₀ ?111? type displacement vector is directly observed at the boundary. A microstructure modification of the melt-spun compound with the cooling rate during solidification is also described.     

Justifications for bullying among Japanese schoolchildren

The present research investigated the justifications for bullying as a function of the various roles that children assume in bullying. Contrary to expectations, most children judged bullying to be right or at least permitted regardless of their role in the episode. However, children with different types of involvement in bullying showed different justification strategies. In particular, bullies were more likely to blame the victims than were children assuming other roles. Gender differences were found in the justifications provided. Boys were more likely to blame the victims, whereas girls were more likely to engage in denial of injury. These results support the notion that justifications for bullying function to sustain bullying.     

Finding new ways to practise critically: applying a critical reflection model with Australian health promotion practitioners

Greater support is required in health promotion for practitioners to adopt critical approaches to their practice. Despite recognition of the role that critical reflection can play in supporting critical practice, it is underdeveloped in health promotion. This pilot study aimed to explore the use of critical reflection with health promotion practitioners. Critical postmodernism provided the theoretical perspective and critical reflection methodology guided the study. The data collection method involved the application of a critical reflection model via in-depth semi-structured interviews with two health promotion practitioners who were recruited using purposive sampling. Critical postmodernism and critical health promotion values and principles were the thematic frameworks used to analyse the data. Four types of assumptions were identified across both participants’ narratives: binary opposites and dichotomous thinking; identity and othering; professionalism; and power. Two key themes that evidenced these assumptions were conceptualising power as a commodity, and identity in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander context. Both traditional and critical health promotion practice approaches were evident in participants’ practice. The process of engaging in critical reflection resulted in positive outcomes for the practitioners, including the identification of new, more critical ways of practising. Critical reflection provides a process for developing critical health promotion practice. The designation of critical reflection as a core health promotion competency may enhance the development of critical health promotion. Further research is needed to develop and test a critical reflection model incorporating the values and principles of health promotion with a larger sample of practitioners.     

A comparison of the mechanical effect of arm swing and countermovement on the lower extremities in vertical jumping

The purposes of this study were to quantify and compare how arm swing and countermovement affect lower extremity torque and work during vertical jumping and to gain insight into the mechanisms that enable the arm swing and countermovement to increase jump height. Five participants maximally performed two types of vertical squat jumps with (SJA) and without (SJ) an arm swing and two types of countermovement vertical jumps with (CJA) and without (CJ) an arm swing. The participants jumped from a force platform and all performances were videotaped with a high-speed video camera (200Hz). Jump heights, joint torques and work were calculated by combining kinematic and kinetic data. It was found that of the four jumping conditions, the participants jumped highest when they used an arm swing with countermovement (i.e., CJA). The increase of the countermovement jump height with an arm swing is the result of the increase of the lower extremity work. In the hip joint, the increase in torque caused by the countermovement predominantly occurred at the beginning of the propulsion phase, while the increase in torque caused by the arm swing occurred in the rest of the propulsion phase. A key finding of our study is that arm swing and countermovement have independent effects on lower extremity work, and their effects are additive in CJA to produce greater jump height.     

Ethics Issues with Private Research Ethics Boards: A Breakout Session at the 2009 NCEHR National Conference

Research Ethics Boards (REBs) provide oversight for Canadians that research projects will comply with standards of ethics if the studies are carried out as described in the documents that have been approved. While REBs have traditionally been affiliated with institutions such as universities and hospitals, a number of factors - including the increased volume of research being conducted outside academic centres - have resulted in the establishment of some private or independent REBs. This, in turn, has raised concerns about the credibility of REBs in the private sector and their capacity to handle issues around conflict of interest. This Breakout Session was an opportunity to hear the perspectives of people associated with institutional and private REBs and examine perceived problems with boards in the private sector, scrutinize theoretical and structural differences between types of REBs, and look at whether or not there is room for both institutional and private boards in the Canadian research review landscape.     

The Ethics of Conducting Community-Engaged Homelessness Research

This paper focuses on some of the ethical issues which may arise when conducting research in the context of homelessness. These issues are considered from the viewpoints of researchers, research coordinators and interviewers, drawing from their extensive real world experience. In addition to negotiating the complex context of homelessness, community-based homelessness researchers need to address a number of ethical issues in research conception, design, implementation and dissemination. Although these issues are commonly considered in community-engaged research, research with people who are homeless may raise exceptional challenges. Such challenges include determining the nature of informed consent; protecting research participants and researchers, and determining appropriate compensation for participation. Understanding the context of homelessness to conduct ethical research will require sharing information and joint decision-making, processes that must include members of communities within which the research participants live. Furthermore, researchers should be sensitive to the changing context of homelessness, and vigilant for new ethical challenges.     

Japanese monkeys' cardiac responses to visual depth

The present study examined the heart-rate changes which occurred in the visual-depth situation of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata). Four animals were tested over the first four weeks of age in the visual pitfall designed as a modification of the visual cliff. The infant monkeys showed heart-rate reduction in the depth condition. This reduction was observed from the first week and became remarkable at the third week. There were no differences in heart-rate change between monocular and binocular vision. These findings suggest that the Japanese monkey can discriminate visual depth shortly after birth and that the heart-rate reduction depends upon the fear of visual depth, not upon the novelty of the situation.     

Chicks' maze learning reinforced by visual pitfall extending downward

The present study examined whether visually evoked fear of depth could reinforce a particular response of animals, i.e., to special maze learning. The maze was composed of four units of Y-shaped alley. In this maze, the visual pitfalls were set behind corners of the alley in place of a physical barrier. The experiments showed that eight of 13 male chicks could achieve the initial learning and that three successful ones could also achieve reversal learning. The results suggest that the visually evoked fear of depth provided by motion parallax can act as a reinforcer.