Measurement tool for preoperative anxiety in young children: The yale preoperative anxiety scale

To develop a preoperative anxiety scale (YPAS) for children undergoing surgery, 21 specific behaviors indicating anxiety were defined within five domains (activity, emotional expressivity, state of arousal, vocalization, and use of adults). A reliability Kappa analysis revealed that inter-observer agreement ranged from .66 to .94, while intra-observer Kappa ranged from .66 to .91. Validity analysis between a Visual Analog Scale and the YPAS revealed an r of .59 for entering the operating room. Multiserial analysis comparing the YPAS to the Vernon Anxiety Scale ranged from .61 to .64. Showing good to excellent observer reliability and validity, the YPAS proves to be an appropriate tool for studying children's responses in preoperative settings. As such, the new assessment instrument should be of interest to clinical and research neuropsychologists who need to assess a child's anxiety level prior to the undertaking of a given surgical procedure.     

From a Static to a Dynamic Approach to the Study of Partner Violence

Feminist and family violence scholars disagree over how partner violence should be studied and understood. One may expect that the use of different observation units would serve as a backdrop to the controversy, yet most studies in the field are based on single individual behavioral units of observation that are context-free. The present article attempts to propose a complementary or alternative observational unit. This unit of observation focuses on the aggressive interactions between the intimate partners, and enables researchers not only to explore the causes and consequences of the aggressive behavior but also to capture and analyze the dynamics of the partners’ conflicts that escalate to violence. The interactional observation unit can serve to advance the accumulating knowledge in the field as well as the discussion on the role of gender in partner violence.     

Whose Doctorate is it Anyway? Guidelines for an Agreement Between Adviser and Doctoral Student Regarding the Advisement Process and Intellectual Property Rights

The process of advisement in the research of a doctoral dissertation is prolonged and harbors a variety of ethical aspects and issues. In some cases it gives rise to dissatisfaction on the part of both advisor and student regarding the process itself and/or the publication of the dissertation. To ameliorate these problems, the Dissertation Committee of the School of Social Work at the University of Haifa recently set out guidelines for both advisor and doctoral student, in accordance with which both parties will draw up an agreement in advance to suit the student’s research. The present article discusses the components of the advisement process and presents recommendations for an advisor-doctoral student agreement. Although no evaluation was undertaken by the authors to assess the impact of the guidelines agreement, our brief experience with these guidelines reinforces the importance of such an agreement, which can help assure mutual satisfaction on the part of both the advisor and the student.     

Digit Symbol Substitution test performance: sex differences in a Hebrew-readers' health population

The Digit Symbol Substitution test is simple to administer and sensitive to individual differences related to cognitive performance. The present study evaluated sex-related differences in performance by a Hebrew reading sample. The test was administered to 275 men and 252 women (age range: 20-44 years). Hebrew women significantly scored higher than the men. Means which increased during four consecutive 30-sec. time periods of performance, was significantly greater for the women than the men. This finding indicates women were more effective on this pair-associated learning task than men.     

Human papillomavirus vaccination intentions and uptake in college women

Objective: Using the health belief model (HBM) and theory of planned behavior (TPB) as theoretical frameworks, the objectives of this study were: (a) to identify correlates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination intentions and (b) to explore differences between correlates of HPV vaccination intentions and uptake. Methods: Undergraduate women (N = 447) who did not intend to receive (n = 223), intended to receive (n = 102), or had received (n = 122) the HPV vaccine were surveyed. Logistic regressions were conducted to examine the correlates of vaccination intentions and uptake. Results: Negative health consequences of the vaccine, physician's recommendation, positive attitudes toward the vaccine, and subjective norms were significant correlates of vaccination intentions. When comparing correlates of vaccination intentions to correlates of vaccination uptake, physician's recommendation, subjective norms, and perceived susceptibility to HPV were unique correlates of uptake. Conclusion: Differences between correlates of vaccination intentions and uptake suggest that social influences of liked and trusted individuals may make an important and unique contribution in motivating young women to receive the HPV vaccine beyond other variables from the HBM and TPB. Future utilization of longitudinal designs is needed to understand which factors may cause individuals to decide to receive the HPV vaccine. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

Contact theory in the workplace: The case of Jewish–Arab contact in Israel

Contact theory is a fundamental theory in social psychology, suggesting that contact between antagonistic groups can reduce prejudice and stereotypes. The current study applies former studies in evaluating a specific case of the connection between contact and attitudes toward minorities in work contexts. A survey was conducted using 873 Israeli Jews in order to assess their attitudes toward the Arab population in Israel and Arabs' work characteristics. The results indicated that the connection between intergroup contact and attitudes is complex. On the one hand, workplace contact between Israeli Jews and Arabs was significantly correlated with the willingness to meet Arabs in and outside the workplace and to perceive Arabs in a less threatening way. However, contact during work was not significantly correlated with the participants' general attitude toward the Arab population. In addition, contact during work was not found to be significantly correlated with the participants' perceptions about Arabs' personality traits or work characteristics. The results of this study also suggest that attitudes toward Arabs' work characteristics have a strong connection to other dimensions of attitudes toward Arabs, even more than the impact of contact during work.     

Perceptions,emotions, and behavioral decisions in conflicts that escalate to violence

The present study tests the notion that cost-benefit considerations guide individuals’ emotional and behavioral responses when confronting an aggressive male stranger. Data was derived from hypothetical situations, with varying levels of opponent dangerousness and aggression severity, presented to 212 male and female students. Results indicate that the less dangerous the opponent and/or the more severe his aggression, the more intense are the respondents’ expected emotions of anger and fear and the higher the intended severity of respondents’ counter-aggression. While the expected emotional experience for female participants is more intense than for males, the intended behavioral counter-aggression is more severe for male participants than for females. Finally, an association between emotional experience and behavioral response was found only among males and it was mediated by opponent levels of dangerousness and aggression severity. Findings support the cost-benefit notion and emphasize the importance of studying aggression from an event perspective. Zeev Winstok, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Studies, University of Haifa, and a Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of Society, University of Haifa, Israel.