Differences between autogenous and reactive obsessions in terms of metacognitions and automatic thoughts.

PubMed

Keleş Altun, İlkay; Uysal, Emel; Özkorumak Karagüzel, Evrim

2017-01-01

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions have been classified as autogenous obsessions and reactive obsessions on the basis of the cognitive theory of Lee and Kwon. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences between autogenous groups (AG) and reactive groups (RG) in terms of metacognition and automatic thoughts, for the purpose of investigating the differences of cognitive appraisals. One hundred and thirty-three patients diagnosed with OCD were included in the study as the patient group. A control group was formed of 133 age, gender and education-matched healthy individuals. The OCD group patients were separated into subgroups according to the primary obsessions. The sociodemographic data, and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, Metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores of the AG, RG, and control groups were compared. The MCQ-30 (total) and the subscales of MCQ-30 and ATQ scale points were seen to be significantly higher in the AG than in the RG and significantly higher in the RG than in the control group. In the reactive obsession group, the predictive variables of the ATQ points were determined to be MCQ-30 (total), BDI and BAI. In the autogenous obsession group, the predictive variables of the ATQ points were determined to be BDI and BAI. In the current study, differences were determined between the AG and the RG in respect of metacognitions and automatic thoughts. In light of these results, the recommended grouping can be considered useful in the identification of OCD sub-types. There is a need for further studies to identify more homogenous sub-types of OCD. Future multi-centered studies of sub-typing with larger samples using more specific instruments to sub-type and dimensional evaluation will be useful for detailed evaluation and better understanding of the subject.

Emotions during sexual activity: differences between sexually functional and dysfunctional men and women.

PubMed

Nobre, Pedro J; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2006-08-01

The present study investigated the differences in emotional response to automatic thoughts presented during sexual activity between sexually functional and dysfunctional men and women. A total of 376 participants (160 women and 120 men without sexual problems and 47 women and 49 men with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of sexual dysfunction) completed the Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ male and female versions; P. J. Nobre & J. Pinto-Gouveia, 2000) and measures of sexual functioning: The International Index of Sexual Function (IIEF; R. C. Rosen et al., 1997), and The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI; R. C. Rosen et al., 2000). The SMQ is a combined measure constituted by three interdependent subscales: Automatic Thought subscale (AT), Emotional Response subscale (ER), and Sexual Response subscale (SR). Emotions were assessed by the ER subscale, where participants endorsed emotional reactions (worry, sadness, disillusion, fear, guilt, shame, anger, hurt, pleasure, satisfaction) to a list of automatic thoughts (AT subscale) that may occur during sexual activity. Results showed that both men and women with sexual dysfunction had significantly less positive emotional reactions to automatic thoughts during sexual activity. Sexually dysfunctional men had significantly more emotions of sadness, disillusion, and fear, and less pleasure and satisfaction, compared to men without sexual problems. Women with sexual dysfunction had significantly less pleasure and satisfaction, and more sadness, disillusion, guilt, and anger. Findings were congruent with recent studies indicating that emotions related to depressed affect (sadness, disillusion, lack of pleasure) as opposed to negative emotions (mostly related to anxiety) were stronger correlates of sexual dysfunction.

The relationship between automatic thoughts and depression in a cognitive-behavioral treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS: Exploring temporality and causality.

PubMed

Riley, Kristen E; Lee, Jasper S; Safren, Steven A

2017-10-01

Depression in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is highly prevalent and related to worse adherence to antiretroviral therapy, but is amenable to change via CBT. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adherence and depression (CBT-AD) specifically addresses negative automatic thoughts (ATs) as one component of the treatment. There is little research on the temporal nature of the relation between ATs and depression. HIV-positive adults with depression (N=240) were randomized to CBT-AD, information/supportive psychotherapy for adherence and depression (ISP-AD), or one session of adherence counseling alone (ETAU). ATs were self-reported (Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire; ATQ) and depression was assessed by blinded interview (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale; MADRS) at baseline, and 4-, 8-, and 12-months. We performed autoregressive cross-lagged panel models. Broadly, decreases in ATs were followed by decreases in depression, but decreases in depression were not followed by decreases in ATs. In CBT-AD, decreases in ATs were followed by decreases in depression, and vice versa. However, in the ISP group, while depression and ATs both significantly influenced each other, not all relations were in the direction expected. This study adds to the evidence base for cognitive interventions to decrease depression in individuals with a chronic medical condition, HIV/AIDS.

Culture and Sexuality: Cognitive-Emotional Determinants of Sexual Dissatisfaction Among Iranian and New Zealand Women.

PubMed

Abdolmanafi, Atefe; Nobre, Pedro; Winter, Sam; Tilley, P J Matt; Jahromi, Reza Ghorban

2018-05-01

Several studies have demonstrated that culture plays a fundamental role in individuals' beliefs, attitudes, and values toward sexuality, and influences their ability to enjoy sex. It follows that culture may influence sexual satisfaction or dissatisfaction. To examine and compare cognitive-emotional variables related to women's sexual dissatisfaction in Iran and New Zealand. In total, 196 Iranian women and 207 New Zealand women participated in the study, answering questionnaires evaluating dysfunctional sexual beliefs, automatic thoughts, emotional and sexual response during sexual activity, as well as sexual satisfaction. Sexual beliefs were measured by the Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire, thoughts and emotional responses were measured by the Sexual Modes Questionnaire, and sexual satisfaction was measured by the Sexual Satisfaction Index. Findings indicated that in both Iranian and New Zealand women, failure and disengagement thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, and emotions of fear during sexual activity were significant predictors of sexual dissatisfaction. Besides these common predictors, results also indicated that sexual conservatism and women's sexual passivity beliefs, sexual abuse thoughts, and fear during sexual activity were significant predictors of sexual dissatisfaction in Iranian women. Beliefs of sexual desire and pleasure as a sin; age-related beliefs; and emotions such as sadness, disillusion, and hurt were significant predictors of sexual dissatisfaction in New Zealand women. The present findings could facilitate a better understanding of cultural differences in the roles played by dysfunctional sexual beliefs, negative automatic thoughts, and negative emotions during sexual activity, and the value of these beliefs, thoughts, and emotions in predicting sexual dissatisfaction. The strength of this study is in providing an examination of the role of culturally bound beliefs in predicting sexual dissatisfaction in women from different cultural backgrounds. Limitations include the lack of evaluation of psychological and interpersonal variables that may impact on women's sexual dissatisfaction. These findings suggest that there may be a role of culture in shaping beliefs, attitudes, and values toward sexuality; and provide evidence for the effect of cognitive-emotional variables in predicting women's sexual dissatisfaction. Abdolmanafi A, Nobre P, Winter S, et al. Culture and Sexuality: Cognitive-Emotional Determinants of Sexual Dissatisfaction Among Iranian and New Zealand Women. J Sex Med 2018;15:687-697. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

No strong evidence for abnormal levels of dysfunctional attitudes, automatic thoughts, and emotional information-processing biases in remitted bipolar I affective disorder.

PubMed

Lex, Claudia; Meyer, Thomas D; Marquart, Barbara; Thau, Kenneth

2008-03-01

Beck extended his original cognitive theory of depression by suggesting that mania was a mirror image of depression characterized by extreme positive cognition about the self, the world, and the future. However, there were no suggestions what might be special regarding cognitive features in bipolar patients (Mansell & Scott, 2006). We therefore used different indicators to evaluate cognitive processes in bipolar patients and healthy controls. We compared 19 remitted bipolar I patients (BPs) without any Axis I comorbidity with 19 healthy individuals (CG). All participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale, the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, the Emotional Stroop Test, and an incidental recall task. No significant group differences were found in automatic thinking and the information-processing styles (Emotional Stroop Test, incidental recall task). Regarding dysfunctional attitudes, we obtained ambiguous results. It appears that individuals with remitted bipolar affective disorder do not show cognitive vulnerability as proposed in Beck's theory of depression if they only report subthreshold levels of depressive symptoms. Perhaps, the cognitive vulnerability might only be observable if mood induction procedures are used.

[Effects of Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Social Anxiety Disorders].

PubMed

Li, Yu-Chen; Meng, Ya-Jing; Yuan, Min-Lan; Zhu, Hong-Ru; Ren, Zheng-Jia; Qiu, Chang-Jian; Zhang, Wei

2017-11-01

To evaluate the effect of group cognitive behavioral therapy (GCBT) on social anxiety disorders (SAD). A total of 50 patients with SAD were recruited in this study. A survey containing the Liebowitz social anxiety scale (LSAS),the automatic thoughts questionnaire (ATQ),the fear of negative evaluation questionnaire (FNE),the social support rating scale (SSRS),the tridimensional personality questionnaire (TPQ),and the egna minnen barndoms uppfostran (EMBU) was administered before and (one week) after the GCBT,including in the 50 healthy controls. About 21 patients completed the eight-week GCBT (once a week,2 h a session). Follow-up surveys were conducted on 40 patients (22 patients treated with GCBT and 18 untreated) over a 1-5 year period. Significant differences were found between the SAD patients and healthy controls in thinking mode,personality characteristics,social support,parental rearing styles,and social anxiety symptoms. Significant decrease in social anxiety symptom ( t =4.06, P =0.000) , negative automatic thoughts ( t =4.58, P =0.000) and fear for rejection ( t =3.85, P =0.000) were observed after the GCBT therapy. Such improvement was positively correlated with subjective social support ( r =0.361, P =0.022) ,and negatively correlated with rejection of father ( r =-0.431, P =0.005) . There was also statistical difference between the patients with and without the GCBT therapy ( P =0.033) . GCBT treatment can relieve SAD symptoms by changing the negative cognitive of SAD patients. Social support and rejection of father affects the prognosis of SAD.

Cognitions as mediators in the relationship between self-compassion and affect

PubMed Central

Arimitsu, Kohki; Hofmann, Stefan G.

2014-01-01

Previous studies suggest that self-compassion is related to numerous facets of mental health, but the role of cognitions in this relationship remains unknown. To examine the mediating role of cognitions in the relationship between self-compassion and anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction when controlling for self-esteem in Japanese people, we conducted two studies. Study 1 (N = 231) examined the relationship between self-compassion and affect by modeling negative automatic thoughts as a mediator; Study 2 (N = 233) tested whether positive and negative automatic thoughts meditate this relationship. Results suggested that both self-compassion and self-esteem increased positive automatic thoughts and decreased trait anxiety, whereas only self-esteem increased life satisfaction and decreased depression directly. Positive automatic thoughts increased life satisfaction and decreased depression and trait anxiety, and positive automatic thoughts mediated the relationship between self-compassion and negative affect. These findings suggest that both positive and negative automatic thoughts mediate the relationship between self-compassion and affect in Japanese people. PMID:25395717

Bringing automatic stereotyping under control: implementation intentions as efficient means of thought control.

PubMed

Stewart, Brandon D; Payne, B Keith

2008-10-01

The evidence for whether intentional control strategies can reduce automatic stereotyping is mixed. Therefore, the authors tested the utility of implementation intentions--specific plans linking a behavioral opportunity to a specific response--in reducing automatic bias. In three experiments, automatic stereotyping was reduced when participants made an intention to think specific counterstereotypical thoughts whenever they encountered a Black individual. The authors used two implicit tasks and process dissociation analysis, which allowed them to separate contributions of automatic and controlled thinking to task performance. Of importance, the reduction in stereotyping was driven by a change in automatic stereotyping and not controlled thinking. This benefit was acquired with little practice and generalized to novel faces. Thus, implementation intentions may be an effective and efficient means for controlling automatic aspects of thought.

Structural validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI) in a sample of the general Spanish population.

PubMed

González Rodríguez, Manuel; Avero Delgado, Pedro; Rovella, Anna Teresa; Cubas León, Rosario

2008-11-01

This paper introduces the validation of the Spanish adaptation of the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI) by Wegner and Zanakos (1994). A sample of 833 people from the general population completed the WBSI along with other questionnaires. The exploratory factor analysis and the confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution accounting for 51.8% of the cumulative variance. This structure is comprised of the two following factors: unwanted intrusive thoughts (alpha = .87, r = .70) and actions of distraction and suppression of thoughts (alpha = .80, r = .60). Both internal consistency reliability (alpha = .89) and test-retest reliability (r = .71) showed adequate homogeneity, sound consistency, and stability over time. The results are discussed bearing in mind both isolated factors and the possible relationships of the suppression factor with automatic negative thoughts and insomnia.

What older adolescents expect from physical activity: Implicit cognitions regarding health and appearance outcomes.

PubMed

McFadden, K; Berry, T R; McHugh, T F; Rodgers, W M

2018-04-01

To explore older adolescents' reflective and impulsive thoughts about health- and social/appearance-related physical activity (PA) outcomes and investigate how those thoughts relate to their PA behavior. One hundred and forty-four undergraduate students (109 women; 35 men) aged 17-19 years (M = 18.11, SD = 0.65) participated in this study in October 2015. Participants completed a Go/No-go Association Task that assessed automaticity of associations between PA words and either health outcomes or social/appearance outcomes. Questionnaires assessing PA behavior, attitudes, outcome expectations, and body image were also completed. Participants demonstrated a positive automatic association between PA and social/appearance outcomes, F(1, 136) = 4.403, p < .05, η 2 = .031, but they showed no difference in their associations between PA and desirable or undesirable health outcomes, F(1, 136) = 2.405, p = .123, η 2 = .017. Older adolescents implicitly attend to the social/appearance outcomes of PA more than potential health outcomes, indicating that social recognition and a desirable physique may be the key PA motivators for adolescents.

The relationship between parents' and children's automatic thoughts in a college student sample.

PubMed

Donnelly, Reesa; Renk, Kimberly; Sims, Valerie K; McGuire, Jack

2011-04-01

Research demonstrates the importance of early social interactions in the development of schemas and automatic thoughts. It does not appear, however, that the existing research examines intergenerational correlations in automatic thoughts. As a result, this study explores the relationship between the automatic thoughts of parents and those of their college-age children in a sample of 252 college students and their mothers and fathers. Results of this study suggest that there are significant relationships between parents' and college students' positive automatic thoughts. Different trends by gender also are noted in the relationships among variables for male and female college students with their mothers and fathers. Further, mothers' positive ATs predicted the positive ATs of their college students, with mothers' ratings of their own communication with their college students mediating partially this relationship. Finally, college students' anxiety and self-esteem is predicted significantly by their mothers' anxiety and self-esteem (respectively) as well as their own positive and negative ATs. These findings suggest the possibility that ATs play a role in the intergenerational transmission of certain domains of psychological functioning.

Depression, automatic thoughts, alexithymia, and assertiveness in patients with tension-type headache.

PubMed

Yücel, Basak; Kora, Kaan; Ozyalçín, Süleyman; Alçalar, Nilüfer; Ozdemir, Ozay; Yücel, Aysen

2002-03-01

The role of psychological factors related to headache has long been a focus of investigation. The aim of this study was to evaluate depression, automatic thoughts, alexithymia, and assertiveness in persons with tension-type headache and to compare the results with those from healthy controls. One hundred five subjects with tension-type headache (according to the criteria of the International Headache Society classification) and 70 controls were studied. The Beck Depression Inventory, Automatic Thoughts Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Rathus Assertiveness Schedule were administered to both groups. Sociodemographic variables and headache features were evaluated via a semistructured scale. Compared with healthy controls, the subjects with headache had significantly higher scores on measures of depression, automatic thoughts, and alexithymia and lower scores on assertiveness. Subjects with chronic tension-type headache had higher depression and automatic thoughts scores than those with episodic tension-type headache. These findings suggested that persons with tension-type headache have high depression scores and also may have difficulty with expression of their emotions. Headache frequency appears to influence the likelihood of coexisting depression.

Do automatic reactions elicited by thoughts of romantic partner, mother, and self relate to adult romantic attachment?

PubMed

Zayas, Vivian; Shoda, Yuichi

2005-08-01

Three studies tested the expectation that automatic reactions elicited by the mental representation of one's current romantic partner, mother, and self relate to adult romantic attachment. Adult romantic attachment was assessed using multiple measures, and individual differences in automatic reactions were assessed by the Implicit Association Test (IAT). Studies 1 and 2 showed that automatic reactions elicited by thoughts of current romantic partner, but not by thoughts of self, were related to adult romantic attachment assessed at a specific (i.e., within one's current romantic relationship) and general level (i.e., across all romantic relationships). The pattern of results was stronger among individuals identified as attachment-schematic. Studies 2 and 3 showed that automatic reactions elicited by thoughts of one's mother were related to adult romantic attachment assessed at a general level. In all three studies, results did not differ depending on how adult romantic attachment was conceptualized (four styles vs. two dimensions).

The Thoughts Questionnaire (TQ) for family caregivers of people with dementia.

PubMed

Sullivan, Karen A; Beattie, Elizabeth; Khawaja, Nigar G; Wilz, Gabriele; Cunningham, Lauren

2016-11-01

To develop a new measure of dysfunctional thoughts for family caregivers of people living with dementia. These thoughts can contribute to negative outcomes, but they may be modifiable. A stepwise process was used to develop the Thoughts Questionnaire, commencing with item generation, concept mapping, and pilot testing in a sample of professional and nonprofessional caregivers of people with dementia (n = 18). Next, an independent sample of 35 family caregivers of people with dementia (30 female; M age  = 64.30, standard deviation = 10.65) completed: (a) the Thoughts Questionnaire; (b) an existing measure of dysfunctional thoughts, the Dementia Thoughts Caregivers Questionnaire; and (c) separate validated measures of depressive symptoms, caregiver stress, and coping, respectively. The level of agreement with dysfunctional thought statements from the Dementia Thoughts Caregivers Questionnaire and Thoughts Questionnaire was low. However, a small number of Thoughts Questionnaire statements were strongly endorsed by over 85% of the sample. Both dysfunctional thought measures had adequate reliability, but total scores were not significantly intercorrelated (r = .287, p = .095). Only the Thoughts Questionnaire was significantly, positively correlated with most caregiver stress measures. Thoughts Questionnaire items required a much lower reading level than the Dementia Thoughts Caregivers Questionnaire items. This study provides preliminary data on a tool for assessing the negative role-related thoughts that family caregivers of people with dementia may experience. Given that these thoughts are implicated in depression but they may be modified, the capacity to identify dysfunctional thoughts may prove useful in caregiver support programs. © The Author(s) 2014.

Common psychotic symptoms can be explained by the theory of ecological perception.

PubMed

Golembiewski, Jan Alexander

2012-01-01

The symptoms of psychiatric illness are diverse, as are the causes of the conditions that cause them. Yet, regardless of the heterogeneity of cause and presentation, a great deal of symptoms can be explained by the failure of a single perceptual function--the reprocessing of ecological perception. It is a central tenet of the ecological theory of perception that we perceive opportunities to act. It has also been found that perception automatically causes actions and thoughts to occur unless this primary action pathway is inhibited. Inhibition allows perceptions to be reprocessed into more appropriate alternative actions and thoughts. Reprocessing of this kind takes place over the entire frontal lobe and it renders action optional. Choice about what action to take (if any) is the basis for the feeling of autonomy and ultimately for the sense-of-self. When thoughts and actions occur automatically (without choice) they appear to originate outside of the self, thereby providing prima facie evidence for some of the bizarre delusions that define schizophrenia such as delusional misidentification, delusions of control and Cotard's delusion. Automatic actions and thoughts are triggered by residual stimulation whenever reprocessing is insufficient to balance automatic excitatory cues (for whatever reason). These may not be noticed if they are neutral and therefore unimportant or where actions and thoughts have a positive bias and are desirable. Responses to negative stimulus, on the other hand, are always unwelcome, because the actions that are triggered will carry the negative bias. Automatic thoughts may include spontaneous positive feelings of love and joy, but automatic negative thoughts and visualisations are experienced as hallucinations. Not only do these feel like they emerge from elsewhere but they carry a negative bias (they are most commonly critical, rude and are irrationally paranoid). Automatic positive actions may include laughter and smiling and these are welcome. Automatic behaviours that carry a negative bias, however, are unwelcome and like hallucinations, occur without a sense of choice. These include crying, stereotypies, perseveration, ataxia, utilization and imitation behaviours and catatonia. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Dispositional mindfulness modulates automatic transference of disgust into moral judgment].

PubMed

Sato, Atsushi; Sugiura, Yoshinori

2014-02-01

Previous studies showed that incidental feelings of disgust could make moral judgments more severe. In the present study, we investigated whether individual differences in mindfulness modulated automatic transference of disgust into moral judgment. Undergraduates were divided into high- and low-mindfulness groups based on the mean score on each subscale of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Participants were asked to write about a disgusting experience or an emotionally neutral experience, and then to evaluate moral (impersonal vs. high-conflict personal) and non-moral scenarios. The results showed that the disgust induction made moral judgments more severe for the low "acting with awareness" participants, whereas it did not influence the moral judgments of the high "acting with awareness" participants irrespective of type of moral dilemma. The other facets of the FFMQ did not modulate the effect of disgust on moral judgment. These findings suggest that being present prevents automatic transference of disgust into moral judgment even when prepotent emotions elicited by the thought of killing one person to save several others and utilitarian reasoning conflict.

Negative Automatic Thoughts, Emotional Intelligence and Demographical Different Variables Affecting University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Direktor, Cemaliye; Simsek, Angelika H.; Serin, Nerguz Bulut

2017-01-01

This study examines the relationship of negative automatic thoughts, emotional intelligence subscales, gender, and department of university students. The participants are 291 students (170 female and 121 male) of Department of Psychology, Department of Counselling and Department of Preschool Education, of Private University in North Cyprus.…

Efficacy of psychological pain theory-based cognitive therapy in suicidal patients with major depressive disorder: A pilot study.

PubMed

Zou, Yingmin; Li, Huanhuan; Shi, Chuan; Lin, Yixuan; Zhou, Hanyu; Zhang, Jiaqi

2017-03-01

The present study aimed to explore the effects of psychological pain theory-based cognitive therapy (PPTBCT) on suicide among depressed patients, compared with a control group who received usual psychological care (UPC). The sample consisted of 32 depressed patients and 32 healthy control subjects. All participants completed the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI), Beck Depression Inventory, Three-Dimensional Psychological Pain Scale (TDPPS), and Problem Solving Inventory(PSI), and Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ). All measures differed significantly between depressed patients and healthy controls. Then clinical participants were assigned randomly to the PPTBCT (n=19) and control (n=13) groups. During the 8-week intervention, scores related to depression, suicidal ideation, psychological pain, and automatic thoughts were decreased in both groups at the post-intervention and 4-week follow-up time points, compared with pre-intervention scores. BSI scores remained low at follow up and did not differ significantly from post-intervention scores in the PPTBCT group, but were significantly higher at follow up than at post-intervention in the control group. PPTBCT may effectively reduce suicide risk in patients with major depressive disorder, although the effects of its application need to be confirmed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using suggestion to model different types of automatic writing.

PubMed

Walsh, E; Mehta, M A; Oakley, D A; Guilmette, D N; Gabay, A; Halligan, P W; Deeley, Q

2014-05-01

Our sense of self includes awareness of our thoughts and movements, and our control over them. This feeling can be altered or lost in neuropsychiatric disorders as well as in phenomena such as "automatic writing" whereby writing is attributed to an external source. Here, we employed suggestion in highly hypnotically suggestible participants to model various experiences of automatic writing during a sentence completion task. Results showed that the induction of hypnosis, without additional suggestion, was associated with a small but significant reduction of control, ownership, and awareness for writing. Targeted suggestions produced a double dissociation between thought and movement components of writing, for both feelings of control and ownership, and additionally, reduced awareness of writing. Overall, suggestion produced selective alterations in the control, ownership, and awareness of thought and motor components of writing, thus enabling key aspects of automatic writing, observed across different clinical and cultural settings, to be modelled. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Balanced states of mind in psychopathology and psychological well-being.

PubMed

Wong, Shyh Shin

2010-08-01

The balanced states of mind (BSOM) model proposes that coping with stress and psychological well-being is a function of the BSOM ratio of positive thoughts to the sum of positive and negative thoughts. Based on different BSOM ratios, different BSOM categories are constructed to quantitatively differentiate levels of coping with stress and psychological well-being. The cognitive content-specificity hypothesis states that there are unique themes of semantic content in self-reported automatic thoughts particular to depression or anxiety. This study investigated the BSOM model and its cognitive content-specificity for depression, anxiety, anger, stress, life satisfaction, and happiness, based on negative and positive automatic thoughts. Three hundred and ninety-eight college students from Singapore participated in this study. First, BSOM ratio and positive automatic thoughts were positively correlated with life satisfaction and happiness, and negatively correlated with stress, anxiety, depression, and anger. In contrast, negative automatic thoughts were positively correlated with stress, anxiety, depression, and anger, and negatively correlated with life satisfaction and happiness. Second, levels of psychopathology and psychological well-being were statistically differentiable among the BSOM categories for depression, happiness, perceived stress, and life satisfaction; and less statistically differentiable among the BSOM categories for anxiety and anger, as expected based on the BSOM model and cognitive content-specificity hypothesis. Third, the results were more supportive of the BSOM model for depression, followed by happiness, perceived stress, life satisfaction, anxiety, and anger in terms of percentage of variance accounted for by BSOM categories, as expected based on the cognitive content-specificity hypothesis. Taken together, the results suggested that the more moderately positive thoughts one has (balanced by negative thoughts), the better mental health outcomes one has. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

The Effect of Automatic Thoughts on Hopelessness: Role of Self-Esteem as a Mediator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cakar, Firdevs Savi

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to test a theoretical model concerning the role of self-esteem as a mediator between university students' automatic thoughts and their levels of hopelessness. The participants consisted of 338 students (197 females (58.3%) and 141 males (41.7%) from various departments at the Celal Bayar University. The research data…

One-Year Follow-Up of the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy for Patients' Depression: A Randomized, Single-Blinded, Controlled Study.

PubMed

Chiang, Kai-Jo; Chen, Tsai-Hui; Hsieh, Hsiu-Tsu; Tsai, Jui-Chen; Ou, Keng-Liang; Chou, Kuei-Ru

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term (one year) effectiveness of a 12-session weekly cognitive behavior group therapy (CBGT) on patients with depression. This was a single-blind randomized controlled study with a 2-arm parallel group design. Eighty-one subjects were randomly assigned to 12 sessions intervention group (CBGT) or control group (usual outpatient psychiatric care group) and 62 completed the study. The primary outcome was depression measured with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). The secondary outcomes were automatic thoughts measured by automatic thoughts questionnaire (ATQ). Both groups were evaluated at the pretest (before 2 weeks), posttest (after 12 therapy sessions), and short- (3 months), medium- (6 months), and long-term (12 months) follow-up. After receiving CBGT, the experimental group had a statistically significant reduction in the BDI-II from 40.30 at baseline to 17.82 points at session eight and to 10.17 points at postintervention (P < 0.001). Similar effects were seen on the HRSD. ATQ significantly decreased at the 12th session, 6 months after sessions, and 1 year after the sessions ended (P < 0.001). We concluded that CBGT is effective for reducing depression and continued to be effective at 1 year of follow-up.

Predictors of Change Following Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Children with Anxiety Problems: A Preliminary Investigation on Negative Automatic Thoughts and Anxiety Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muris, Peter; Mayer, Birgit; den Adel, Madelon; Roos, Tamara; van Wamelen, Julie

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate negative automatic thoughts and anxiety control as predictors of change produced by cognitive-behavioral treatment of youths with anxiety disorders. Forty-five high-anxious children aged between 9 and 12 years who were selected from the primary school population, received a standardized CBT…

Assessing Negative Automatic Thoughts: Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Version of the Cognition Checklist

PubMed Central

Batmaz, Sedat; Ahmet Yuncu, Ozgur; Kocbiyik, Sibel

2015-01-01

Background: Beck’s theory of emotional disorder suggests that negative automatic thoughts (NATs) and the underlying schemata affect one’s way of interpreting situations and result in maladaptive coping strategies. Depending on their content and meaning, NATs are associated with specific emotions, and since they are usually quite brief, patients are often more aware of the emotion they feel. This relationship between cognition and emotion, therefore, is thought to form the background of the cognitive content specificity hypothesis. Researchers focusing on this hypothesis have suggested that instruments like the cognition checklist (CCL) might be an alternative to make a diagnostic distinction between depression and anxiety. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the CCL in a psychiatric outpatient sample. Patients and Methods: A total of 425 psychiatric outpatients 18 years of age and older were recruited. After a structured diagnostic interview, the participants completed the hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS), the automatic thoughts questionnaire (ATQ), and the CCL. An exploratory factor analysis was performed, followed by an oblique rotation. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and concurrent and discriminant validity analyses were undertaken. Results: The internal consistency of the CCL was excellent (Cronbach’s α = 0.95). The test-retest correlation coefficients were satisfactory (r = 0.80, P < 0.001 for CCL-D, and r = 0.79, P < 0.001 for CCL-A). The exploratory factor analysis revealed that a two-factor solution best fit the data. This bidimensional factor structure explained 51.27 % of the variance of the scale. The first factor consisted of items related to anxious cognitions, and the second factor of depressive cognitions. The CCL subscales significantly correlated with the ATQ (rs 0.44 for the CCL-D, and 0.32 for the CCL-A) as well as the other measures of mood severity (all Ps < 0.01). To a great extent, all items of the CCL were able to distinguish the clinical and non-clinical groups, suggesting the scale has high discriminating validity. Conclusions: The current study has provided evidence that the Turkish version of the CCL is a reliable and valid instrument to assess NATs in a clinical outpatient sample. PMID:26834808

Achievement Goal Orientations and Self Handicapping as Mediator and Moderator of the Relationship between Intrinsic Achievement Motivation and Negative Automatic Thoughts in Adolescence Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapikiran, Sahin

2012-01-01

The main purpose of this study was to examine the mediator and moderator role of self-handicapping and achievement goal orientations variables on the relationship between negative automatic thoughts intrinsic achievement motivation in high school students. 586 high school students, ranging in age from 14 to 20 (M = 16.08), adolescence students…

Critical Thinking: Intellectual Standards Essential to Reasoning Well within Every Domain of Thought

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elder, Linda; Paul, Richard

2013-01-01

Students live in a world of thoughts. They accept some thoughts as true. They reject others as false. But the thoughts they perceive as true are sometimes false, unsound, or misleading. And the thoughts they perceive as false and trivial are sometimes true and significant. People don't automatically sense what is reasonable and what is…

The Sexual Thoughts Questionnaire: Psychometric Evaluation of a Measure to Assess Self-Reported Thoughts During Exposure to Erotica Using Sexually Functional Individuals.

PubMed

Sigre-Leirós, Vera; Carvalho, Joana; Nobre, Pedro J

2016-05-01

Validated instruments for assessing specific thought content during exposure to sexually explicit material are lacking. To investigate the psychometric properties of a measure that assesses self-reported thoughts during exposure to sexual stimuli in laboratory settings, namely the Sexual Thoughts Questionnaire. The factorial structure of the questionnaire and its reliability and validity were examined. One hundred sixty-seven sexually functional individuals (97 women and 70 men) were exposed to sexually explicit material while their genital arousal was being assessed. Subjective sexual arousal and thoughts during exposure to sexually explicit material also were assessed. Women's genital arousal was measured with a vaginal photoplethysmograph and men's genital arousal was measured with an indium-gallium strain gauge. Subjective sexual arousal and thoughts during exposure to erotica were assessed with self-report scales. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation identified five factors: sexual arousal thoughts, distractive and disengaging thoughts, body image and performance thoughts, actress's physical attractiveness thoughts, and sinful and lack of affection thoughts. Moreover, the scale showed satisfactory levels of internal consistency. Studies on convergent validity showed an association between self-reported thoughts and subjective sexual arousal levels in the women and men. The Sexual Thoughts Questionnaire showed adequate psychometric properties in a sexually functional sample. It could be useful in further experimental research on the role of cognitions in sexual response and allow further comparison between sexually functional and dysfunctional individuals, with possible significant implications for the assessment and treatment of sexual problems. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Relationship between cognitive content and emotions following dilatory behavior: considering the level of trait procrastination].

PubMed

Hayashi, Junichiro

2009-02-01

The present study developed and evaluated the Automatic Thoughts List following Dilatory Behavior (ATL-DB) to explore the mediation hypothesis and the content-specificity hypothesis about the automatic thoughts with trait procrastination and emotions. In Study 1, data from 113 Japanese college students were used to choose 22 items to construct the ATL-DB. Two factors were indentified, I. Criticism of Self and Behavior, II. Difficulty in Achievement. These factors had high degrees of internal consistency and had positive correlations to trait procrastination. In Study 2, the relationships among trait procrastination, the automatic thoughts, depression, and anxiety were examined in 261 college students by using Structural Equation Modeling. The results showed that the influence of trait procrastination on depression was mainly mediated through Criticism of Self and Behavior only, while the influence of trait procrastination to anxiety was mediated through Criticism of Self and Behavior and Difficulty in Achievement. Therefore, the mediation hypothesis was supported and the content-specificity hypothesis was partially supported.

Cognitive predictors and moderators of winter depression treatment outcomes in cognitive-behavioral therapy vs. light therapy.

PubMed

Sitnikov, Lilya; Rohan, Kelly J; Evans, Maggie; Mahon, Jennifer N; Nillni, Yael I

2013-12-01

There is no empirical basis for determining which seasonal affective disorder (SAD) patients are best suited for what type of treatment. Using data from a parent clinical trial comparing light therapy (LT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and their combination (CBT + LT) for SAD, we constructed hierarchical linear regression models to explore baseline cognitive vulnerability constructs (i.e., dysfunctional attitudes, negative automatic thoughts, response styles) as prognostic and prescriptive factors of acute and next winter depression outcomes. Cognitive constructs did not predict or moderate acute treatment outcomes. Baseline dysfunctional attitudes and negative automatic thoughts were prescriptive of next winter treatment outcomes. Participants with higher baseline levels of dysfunctional attitudes and negative automatic thoughts had less severe depression the next winter if treated with CBT than if treated with LT. In addition, participants randomized to solo LT who scored at or above the sample mean on these cognitive measures at baseline had more severe depressive symptoms the next winter relative to those who scored below the mean. Baseline dysfunctional attitudes and negative automatic thoughts did not predict treatment outcomes in participants assigned to solo CBT or CBT + LT. Therefore, SAD patients with extremely rigid cognitions did not fare as well in the subsequent winter if treated initially with solo LT. Such patients may be better suited for initial treatment with CBT, which directly targets cognitive vulnerability processes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brain mechanisms for loss of awareness of thought and movement

PubMed Central

Oakley, David A.; Halligan, Peter W.; Mehta, Mitul A.; Deeley, Quinton

2017-01-01

Abstract Loss or reduction of awareness is common in neuropsychiatric disorders and culturally influenced dissociative phenomena but the underlying brain mechanisms are poorly understood. fMRI was combined with suggestions for automatic writing in 18 healthy highly hypnotically suggestible individuals in a within-subjects design to determine whether clinical alterations in awareness of thought and movement can be experimentally modelled and studied independently of illness. Subjective ratings of control, ownership, and awareness of thought and movement, and fMRI data were collected following suggestions for thought insertion and alien control of writing movement, with and without loss of awareness. Subjective ratings confirmed that suggestions were effective. At the neural level, our main findings indicated that loss of awareness for both thought and movement during automatic writing was associated with reduced activation in a predominantly left-sided posterior cortical network including BA 7 (superior parietal lobule and precuneus), and posterior cingulate cortex, involved in self-related processing and awareness of the body in space. Reduced activity in posterior parietal cortices may underlie specific clinical and cultural alterations in awareness of thought and movement. Clinically, these findings may assist development of imaging assessments for loss of awareness of psychological origin, and interventions such as neurofeedback. PMID:28338742

[Mindfulness-based-relapse prevention (MBRP): Evaluation of the impact of a group of Mindfulness Therapy in alcohol relapse prevention for alcohol use disorders].

PubMed

Carpentier, D; Romo, L; Bouthillon-Heitzmann, P; Limosin, F

2015-12-01

For several years, the learning of mindfulness has developed in a psychological intervention perspective, particularly in the field of addiction. Presently, the management of addictions with substances is centered on two questions: the motivation in the change of behaviour and in a significant change in alcohol consumption. Concerning alcohol dependence, the evolution of behaviour is variable and characterized by forgiveness episodes and relapses. Over many years, a treatment for the abuse of substance associated with techniques based on full consciousness (Kabat-Zinn, 1990; Segal et al., 2002) Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) was developed by Marlatt et al. (2011). The prevention of the relapse therapy, based on full consciousness, is a program of eight sessions integrating techniques of "mindfulness" into the techniques of prevention of the relapse. However, not much research has focused on the MBRP, the publication of the manual regarding this intervention is too recent (Bowen S et al., 2011). We are interested in the active mechanisms, which are at stake in the MBRP. Indeed, the meditation acts presents many mechanisms in the addicting disorders. Our non-controlled research was based on a protocol in order to evaluate the alcohol consummation, mindfulness, impulsiveness, automatic thoughts, anxiety and abilities to cope. The first results are interesting: reduction of alcohol consummation, increase of mindfulness, reduction of trigger relapse, increasing cognitive flexibility and high degree of satisfaction among participants. An intervention MBRP was proposed to 26 patients who were assigned to three groups. They were questioned about their alcohol consumption and assessed by a protocol of seven evaluations before and after the group MBRP: Five Facets Mindfulness (FFMQ), Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ II), State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-A, STAI-B), Questionnaire of the automatic thoughts (QPA), and The Drug-Taking Confidence Questionnaire (DTCQ-8). This study exposes the preliminary results of an intervention for substance use disorders called mindfulness-based relapse prevention (mbrp) administered to five groups of alcohol dependent patients in a psychiatric department and a department of alcohol science in France. The results show maintained abstinence and a moderation leading to abstinence for the still consuming patients. According to our evaluations, we obtained several significant results after the therapy, despite our small cohort: patients accepted their thoughts and feelings better (FFMQ-judgment); the tendency to give in to the impulses decreased (urgency-UPPS), and their tolerance to anxiety increased (STAI-YA-YB). Moreover, this study appears to confirm that the MBRP program allows an improvement of self-efficiency. The study continues in order to confirm these results on a larger sample and to explore the long-term results, so as to propose a new work-tool for patients and caregivers. Copyright © 2015 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Cognitive-behavioral treatment groups for people with chronic physical illness in Hong Kong: reflections on a culturally attuned model.

PubMed

Wong, Daniel Fu Keung; Chau, Phyllis; Kwok, Anna; Kwan, Jackie

2007-07-01

This study describes and evaluates a cognitive-behavioral treatment group for people with chronic physical illness in Hong Kong. We developed a group protocol based on the understanding that Chinese people generally prefer a structured group format, expect group leaders to be active and directive, and are not used to expressing opinions and emotions in groups. The experimental and waitlist control groups had 38 and 35 participants, respectively. A standardized questionnaire was administered to all participants before and after the group treatment. Results suggest that members of the experimental group showed improvements in mental health, negative automatic thoughts, and negative emotions when compared to those in the waitlist control groups, and at the end of group treatment. Implications for designing and running a culturally attuned CBT group for Chinese people are discussed.

Are Automatic Imitation and Spatial Compatibility Mediated by Different Processes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Richard P.; Catmur, Caroline; Heyes, Cecilia

2013-01-01

Automatic imitation or "imitative compatibility" is thought to be mediated by the mirror neuron system and to be a laboratory model of the motor mimicry that occurs spontaneously in naturalistic social interaction. Imitative compatibility and spatial compatibility effects are known to depend on different stimulus dimensions--body…

Contextual Modulation of Mirror and Countermirror Sensorimotor Associations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Richard; Dickinson, Anthony; Heyes, Cecilia

2012-01-01

Automatic imitation--the unintended copying of observed actions--is thought to be a behavioral product of the mirror neuron system (MNS). Evidence that the MNS develops through associative learning comes from previous research showing that automatic imitation is attenuated by countermirror training, in which the observation of one action is paired…

Changes in automatic threat processing precede and predict clinical changes with exposure-based cognitive-behavior therapy for panic disorder.

PubMed

Reinecke, Andrea; Waldenmaier, Lara; Cooper, Myra J; Harmer, Catherine J

2013-06-01

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for emotional disorders such as anxiety or depression, but the mechanisms underlying successful intervention are far from understood. Although it has been a long-held view that psychopharmacological approaches work by directly targeting automatic emotional information processing in the brain, it is usually postulated that psychological treatments affect these processes only over time, through changes in more conscious thought cycles. This study explored the role of early changes in emotional information processing in CBT action. Twenty-eight untreated patients with panic disorder were randomized to a single session of exposure-based CBT or waiting group. Emotional information processing was measured on the day after intervention with an attentional visual probe task, and clinical symptoms were assessed on the day after intervention and at 4-week follow-up. Vigilance for threat information was decreased in the treated group, compared with the waiting group, the day after intervention, before reductions in clinical symptoms. The magnitude of this early effect on threat vigilance predicted therapeutic response after 4 weeks. Cognitive behavioral therapy rapidly affects automatic processing, and these early effects are predictive of later therapeutic change. Such results suggest very fast action on automatic processes mediating threat sensitivity, and they provide an early marker of treatment response. Furthermore, these findings challenge the notion that psychological treatments work directly on conscious thought processes before automatic information processing and imply a greater similarity between early effects of pharmacological and psychological treatments for anxiety than previously thought. Copyright © 2013 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expanding the Analysis of Psychosocial Factors of Sexual Desire in Men.

PubMed

Nimbi, Filippo Maria; Tripodi, Francesca; Rossi, Roberta; Simonelli, Chiara

2018-02-01

The literature lacks studies of the male sex drive. Most existing studies have focused on hypoactive sexual desire disorder in coupled heterosexual men, highlighting some of the main related biological, psychological, and social factors. To evaluate the role of selected psychological and social variables affecting male sexual desire such as quality of life, sexual function, distress, satisfaction, psychological symptoms, emotions, alexithymia, couple adjustment, sexism, cognitive schemas activated in a sexual context, sexual dysfunctional beliefs, and different classes of cognitions triggered during sexual activity about failure anticipation, erection concerns, age- and body-related thoughts, erotic fantasies, and negative attitudes toward sexuality. A wide self-administered survey used snowball sampling to reach 298 heterosexual Italian men (age = 32.66 ± 11.52 years) from the general population. 13 questionnaires exploring psychological and social elements involved in sexual response were administrated: International Index of Erectile Function, Short Form 36 for Quality of Life, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Symptom Check List-90-Revised, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Premature Ejaculation Severity Index, Sexual Distress Scale, Sexual Satisfaction Scale, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, Sexual Modes Questionnaire, Sexual Dysfunctional Belief Questionnaire, and Questionnaire of Cognitive Schema Activation in Sexual Context. Results showed lack of erotic thoughts (β = -0.328), fear (β = -0.259) and desire to have a baby (β = -0.259) as the main predictors of the level of sexual desire in this group. Energy-fatigue, depression, premature ejaculation severity, sexual distress, compatibility, subjective sexual response, and sexual conservatism had a weaker effect on sexual desire. Sexual functioning (13.80%), emotional response (12.70%), dysfunctional sexual beliefs (12.10%), and negative automatic thoughts (12.00%) had more variable effects on sexual drive. Analyzed variables could represent important factors that should be considered in the assessment of desire concerns and discussed in therapy. The strength of this study is the analysis of novel psychological and social factors on male sexual desire. Recruitment and sample size do not allow generalization of the results, but some crucial points for future research and clinical practice are discussed. Our findings showed that male sexual desire could be affected by many psychological and social elements. Other factors remain to be explored, in their direct and interactive effects, aiming to better explain male sexual desire functioning. Nimbi FM, Tripodi F, Rossi R, Simonelli C. Expanding the Analysis of Psychosocial Factors of Sexual Desire in Men. J Sex Med 2018;15:230-244. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testing a model of depression among Thai adolescents.

PubMed

Vatanasin, Duangjai; Thapinta, Darawan; Thompson, Elaine Adams; Thungjaroenkul, Petsunee

2012-11-01

This predictive correlational study was designed to test a comprehensive model of depression for Thai adolescents. This sample included 800 high school students in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Data were collected using self-reported measures of depression, negative automatic thoughts, effective social problem solving, ineffective social problem solving, rumination, parental care, parental overprotection, and negative life events. Structural equation modeling revealed that negative automatic thoughts, effective and ineffective social problem solving mediated the effects of rumination, negative life events, and parental care and overprotection on adolescent depression. These findings provide new knowledge about identified factors and the mechanisms of their influence on depression among Thai adolescents, which are appropriate for targeting preventive interventions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Automatic, time-interval traffic counts for recreation area management planning

Treesearch

D. L. Erickson; C. J. Liu; H. K. Cordell

1980-01-01

Automatic, time-interval recorders were used to count directional vehicular traffic on a multiple entry/exit road network in the Red River Gorge Geological Area, Daniel Boone National Forest. Hourly counts of entering and exiting traffic differed according to recorder location, but an aggregated distribution showed a delayed peak in exiting traffic thought to be...

The Depressive Experiences Questionnaire: validity and psychological correlates in a clinical sample.

PubMed

Riley, W T; McCranie, E W

1990-01-01

This study sought to compare the original and revised scoring systems of the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ) and to assess the construct validity of the Dependent and Self-Critical subscales of the DEQ in a clinically depressed sample. Subjects were 103 depressed inpatients who completed the DEQ, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hopelessness Scale, the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ), the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS), and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). The original and revised scoring systems of the DEQ evidenced good concurrent validity for each factor scale, but the revised system did not sufficiently discriminate dependent and self-critical dimensions. Using the original scoring system, self-criticism was significantly and positively related to severity of depression, whereas dependency was not, particularly for males. Factor analysis of the DEQ scales and the other scales used in this study supported the dependent and self-critical dimensions. For men, the correlation of the DEQ with the MMPI scales indicated that self-criticism was associated with psychotic symptoms, hostility/conflict, and a distress/exaggerated response set, whereas dependency did not correlate significantly with any MMPI scales. Females, however, did not exhibit a differential pattern of correlations between either the Dependency or the Self-Criticism scales and the MMPI. These findings suggest possible gender differences in the clinical characteristics of male and female dependent and self-critical depressive subtypes.

Two Sources of Evidence on the Non-Automaticity of True and False Belief Ascription

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Back, Elisa; Apperly, Ian A.

2010-01-01

A recent study by Apperly et al. (2006) found evidence that adults do not automatically infer false beliefs while watching videos that afford such inferences. This method was extended to examine true beliefs, which are sometimes thought to be ascribed by "default" (e.g., Leslie & Thaiss, 1992). Sequences of pictures were presented in which the…

Relationships between thought-action fusion, thought suppression and obsessive-compulsive symptoms: a structural equation modeling approach.

PubMed

Rassin, E; Muris, P; Schmidt, H; Merckelbach, H

2000-09-01

Research has shown that there are strong similarities in content between the obsessions and compulsions that characterize obsessive-compulsive disorder and nonclinical obsessions and compulsions. However, clinical and nonclinical obsessions and compulsions do differ with respect to characteristics like frequency, intensity, discomfort and elicited resistance. Two separate concepts have been invoked to explain how normal obsessions and compulsions may develop into clinical phenomena. First, it is suggested that thought-action fusion (TAF) contributes to obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Second, thought suppression may intensify obsessive-compulsive symptoms due to its paradoxical effect on intrusive thoughts. Although both phenomena have been found to contribute to obsessive-compulsive symptoms, possible interactions between these two have never been investigated. The current study explored how TAF and thought suppression interact in the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Undergraduate psychology students (N = 173) completed questionnaires pertaining to TAF, thought suppression and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Covariances between the scores on these questionnaires were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling. Results suggest that TAF triggers thought suppression, while thought suppression, in turn, promotes obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

[Spanish adaptation of the Thought-Action Fusion Questionnaire for Adolescents (TAFQ-A)].

PubMed

Fernández-Llebrés, Rosa; Godoy, Antonio; Gavino, Aurora

2010-08-01

This study deals with the psychometric properties of the Thought-Action Fusion Questionnaire for Adolescents (TAFQ-A), which assesses the belief that harmful thoughts and actions are equivalent. The TAFQ-A comprises two scales: TAF-Moral and TAF-Likelihood. A total of 1726 children and adolescents completed 5 tests in order to establish the relationships of TAFQ-A with measures of psychopathology and with cognitive variables related to the ethiology of obsessive-compulsive problems. Results show that factorial structure, reliability and criterion validity of TAFQ-A are appropriate.

Cognitive Distortions Associated with Imagination of the Thin Ideal: Validation of the Thought-Shape Fusion Body Questionnaire (TSF-B)

PubMed Central

Wyssen, Andrea; Debbeler, Luka J.; Meyer, Andrea H.; Coelho, Jennifer S.; Humbel, Nadine; Schuck, Kathrin; Lennertz, Julia; Messerli-Bürgy, Nadine; Biedert, Esther; Trier, Stephan N.; Isenschmid, Bettina; Milos, Gabriella; Whinyates, Katherina; Schneider, Silvia; Munsch, Simone

2017-01-01

Thought-shape fusion (TSF) describes the experience of body-related cognitive distortions associated with eating disorder (ED) pathology. In the laboratory TSF has been activated by thoughts about fattening/forbidden foods and thin ideals. This study aims at validating a questionnaire to assess the trait susceptibility to TSF (i.e., body-related cognitive distortions) associated with the imagination of thin ideals, and developing an adapted version of the original TSF trait questionnaire, the Thought-Shape Fusion Body Questionnaire (TSF-B). Healthy control women (HC, n = 317) and women diagnosed with subthreshold and clinical EDs (n = 243) completed an online-questionnaire. The factor structure of the TSF-B questionnaire was examined using exploratory (EFA) and subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA pointed to a two-factor solution, confirmed by CFA. Subscale 1 was named Imagination of thin ideals, containing five items referring to the imagination of female thin ideals. Subscale 2 was named Striving for own thin ideal, with seven items about pursuing/abandoning attempts to reach one’s own thin ideal. The total scale and both subscales showed good convergent validity, excellent reliability, and good ability to discriminate between individuals with subthreshold/clinical EDs and HCs. Results indicate that cognitive distortions are also related to the imagination of thin ideals, and are associated with ED pathology. With two subscales, the TSF-B trait questionnaire appropriately measures this construct. Future studies should clarify whether TSF-B is predictive for the development and course of EDs. Assessing cognitive distortions with the TSF-B questionnaire could improve understanding of EDs and stimulate the development of cognitively oriented interventions. Clinical Trial Registration Number: DRKS-ID: DRKS00005709. PMID:29312059

Initial validation of two opiate craving questionnaires the obsessive compulsive drug use scale and the desires for drug questionnaire.

PubMed

Franken, Ingmar H A; Hendriksa, Vincent M; van den Brink, Wim

2002-01-01

In the present study, the factor structure, internal consistency, and the concurrent validity of two heroin craving questionnaires are examined. The Desires for Drug Questionnaire (DDQ) measures three factors: desire and intention, negative reinforcement, and control. The Obsessive Compulsive Drug Use Scale (OCDUS) also measures three factors: thoughts about heroin and interference, desire and control, and resistance to thoughts and intention. Subjects were 102 Dutch patients who were currently in treatment for drug dependency. All proposed scales have good reliability and concurrent validity. Implementation of these instruments in both clinical and research field is advocated.

Differences in the relationship between traumatic experiences, self-esteem, negative cognition, and Internet addiction symptoms among North Korean adolescent defectors and South Korean adolescents: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Park, Subin; Lee, Yeeun; Jun, Jin Yong

2017-11-01

North Korean adolescent defectors experience adaptation difficulties along with a wide range of psychosocial problems, but no study has yet examined their Internet addiction symptoms. We compared early traumatic experiences, self-esteem, negative cognition, and Internet addiction symptoms, as well as the relationships between these variables, between North Korean adolescent defectors and South Korean adolescents. Fifty-six North Korean adolescent defectors and 112 age- and sex- matched South Korean adolescents participated. The analyses examined the relationship between traumatic experiences and Internet addiction symptoms, with negative automatic thoughts or low self-esteem as mediators of these relations. North Korean adolescent defectors tended to have higher levels of negative automatic thoughts and more severe Internet addiction symptoms, as well as better self-esteem, than did South Korean adolescents. Furthermore, only among North Korean adolescent defectors, traumatic experiences were positively associated with Internet addition symptoms via increasing negative automatic thoughts. North Korean adolescent defectors are more susceptible to Internet addiction, negative cognitions, and early traumatic experiences compared to South Korean adolescents. However, the cross-sectional design of this study precludes consideration of the causality of these relationships. Interventions aiming to correct negative cognitions and increase self-esteem may be helpful for North Korean adolescent defectors with problematic Internet use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Brain Diseases

MedlinePlus

The brain is the control center of the body. It controls thoughts, memory, speech, and movement. It regulates the function of many organs. When the brain is healthy, it works quickly and automatically. However, ...

[Factors influencing the sense of unintegration of thoughts in maintaining anger].

PubMed

Endo, Hiroko; Yukawa, Shintaro

2013-12-01

Endo and Yukawa (2012) investigated the process of maintaining anger and demonstrated that a sense of unintegration of thoughts maintained anger by promoting recurrent thinking and avoidance behavior. Our present study examined how personality characteristics and situational factors affected the process of maintaining anger. Undergraduates (N=713) wrote about an anger episode, and completed questionnaires assessing their sense of unintegration of thoughts, recurrent thinking, avoidance behaviors, and maintaining anger. The questionnaires also assessed personality characteristics such as difficulty in identifying feelings, and situational factors such as the need for maintaining relationships, anger arousability, and meaning-making for the anger episode. The results of covariance structure analysis indicated that difficulties in identifying feelings and anger arousability contributed to maintaining anger by increasing the sense of unintegration of thoughts just after the episode. However, the need for maintaining relationships directly reduced the sense of unintegration of thoughts just after the episode, and indirectly decreased the present sense of unintegration of thoughts by meaning-making. Moreover, although recurrent thinking promoted the current sense of unintegration of thoughts, it also provided meaning.

The relationship of thought suppression and recent rape to disordered eating in emerging adulthood.

PubMed

Collins, Brittany; Fischer, Sarah; Stojek, Monika; Becker, Kendra

2014-02-01

This study utilizes a prospective design to examine the interaction of recent rape/attempted rape with individual differences in thought suppression on increases in disordered eating symptoms during late adolescence/emerging adulthood. Thought suppression is the attempt to suppress unwanted thoughts. We propose that emerging adult women who have experienced recent rape/attempted rape and tend to use thought suppression as a coping mechanism are at risk for increases in disordered eating. 319 women completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, the Sexual Experiences Survey, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and the White Bear Thought Suppression Inventory in their first month of college and three months later. The experience of recent rape/attempted rape in the three months prior to the assessment accounted for unique variance in disordered eating at Time 2. Levels of thought suppression assessed at Time 1 significantly moderated the influence of recent rape/attempted rape on disordered eating at Time 2. Copyright © 2013 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Relations of Cognitive, Behavioral, and Physical Activity Variables to Depression Severity in Traumatic Brain Injury: Reanalysis of Data From a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Bombardier, Charles H; Fann, Jesse R; Ludman, Evette J; Vannoy, Steven D; Dyer, Joshua R; Barber, Jason K; Temkin, Nancy R

To explore the relations of cognitive, behavioral, and physical activity variables to depression severity among people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) undergoing a depression treatment trial. Community. Adults (N = 88) who sustained complicated mild to severe TBI within the past 10 years, met criteria for major depressive disorder, and completed study measures. Randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to cognitive-behavioral therapy (n = 58) or usual care (n = 42). Outcomes were measured at baseline and 16 weeks. We combined the groups and used regressions to explore the relations among theoretical variables and depression outcomes. Depression severity was measured with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Symptom Checklist-20. Theory-based measures were the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ), Environmental Rewards Observation Scale (EROS), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Compared with non-TBI norms, baseline DAS and ATQ scores were high and EROS and IPAQ scores were low. All outcomes improved from baseline to 16 weeks except the DAS. The ATQ was an independent predictor of baseline depression. An increase in EROS scores was correlated with decreased depression. Increasing participation in meaningful roles and pleasant activities may be a promising approach to treating depression after TBI.

From Memory to Attitude: The Neurocognitive Process beyond Euthanasia Acceptance.

PubMed

Enke, Martin; Meyer, Patric; Flor, Herta

2016-01-01

Numerous questionnaire studies on attitudes towards euthanasia produced conflicting results, precluding any general conclusion. This might be due to the fact that human behavior can be influenced by automatically triggered attitudes, which represent ingrained associations in memory and cannot be assessed by standard questionnaires, but require indirect measures such as reaction times (RT) or electroencephalographic recording (EEG). Event related potentials (ERPs) of the EEG and RT during an affective priming task were assessed to investigate the impact of automatically triggered attitudes and were compared to results of an explicit questionnaire. Explicit attitudes were ambivalent. Reaction time data showed neither positive nor negative associations towards euthanasia. ERP analyses revealed an N400 priming effect with lower mean amplitudes when euthanasia was associated with negative words. The euthanasia-related modulation of the N400 component shows an integration of the euthanasia object in negatively valenced associative neural networks. The integration of all measures suggests a bottom-up process of attitude activation, where automatically triggered negative euthanasia-relevant associations can become more ambiguous with increasing time in order to regulate the bias arising from automatic processes. These data suggest that implicit measures may make an important contribution to the understanding of euthanasia-related attitudes.

From Memory to Attitude: The Neurocognitive Process beyond Euthanasia Acceptance

PubMed Central

Enke, Martin; Meyer, Patric; Flor, Herta

2016-01-01

Numerous questionnaire studies on attitudes towards euthanasia produced conflicting results, precluding any general conclusion. This might be due to the fact that human behavior can be influenced by automatically triggered attitudes, which represent ingrained associations in memory and cannot be assessed by standard questionnaires, but require indirect measures such as reaction times (RT) or electroencephalographic recording (EEG). Event related potentials (ERPs) of the EEG and RT during an affective priming task were assessed to investigate the impact of automatically triggered attitudes and were compared to results of an explicit questionnaire. Explicit attitudes were ambivalent. Reaction time data showed neither positive nor negative associations towards euthanasia. ERP analyses revealed an N400 priming effect with lower mean amplitudes when euthanasia was associated with negative words. The euthanasia-related modulation of the N400 component shows an integration of the euthanasia object in negatively valenced associative neural networks. The integration of all measures suggests a bottom-up process of attitude activation, where automatically triggered negative euthanasia-relevant associations can become more ambiguous with increasing time in order to regulate the bias arising from automatic processes. These data suggest that implicit measures may make an important contribution to the understanding of euthanasia-related attitudes. PMID:27088244

Exaggerated, mispredicted, and misplaced: when "it's the thought that counts" in gift exchanges.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Epley, Nicholas

2012-11-01

Gift-giving involves both the objective value of a gift and the symbolic meaning of the exchange. The objective value is sometimes considered of secondary importance as when people claim, "It's the thought that counts." We evaluated when and how mental state inferences count in gift exchanges. Because considering another's thoughts requires motivation and deliberation, we predicted gift givers' thoughts would increase receivers' appreciation only when triggered to consider a giver's thoughts, such as when a friend gives a bad gift. Because gift givers do not experience this trigger, we expected they would mispredict when their thoughts count and when they do not. Three experiments support these predictions. A final experiment demonstrated that thoughts "count" for givers by increasing social connection to the receiver. These results suggest that mental state inferences are not automatic in social interactions and that inferences about how much thoughts count are systematically miscalibrated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

The Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire: validation of the English translation.

PubMed

Sexton, Kathryn A; Dugas, Michel J

2008-01-01

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire (CAQ; Gosselin, P., Langlois, F., Freeston, M. H., Ladouceur, R., Dugas, M. J., & Pelletier, O. (2002). Le Questionnaire d'évitement cognitif (QEC): Développement et validation auprès d'adultes et d'adolescents [The Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire (CAQ): Development and validation among adult and adolescent samples]. Journal de Thérapie Comportementale et Cognitive, 12, 24-37) English translation. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 456 (65.3% female; mean age=23.13 years, S.D.=5.18 years) undergraduate students at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. The CAQ assesses five worry-related cognitive avoidance strategies, namely Thought Suppression, Thought Substitution, Distraction, Avoidance of Threatening Stimuli, and the Transformation of Images into Thoughts. The CAQ scale and subscales showed good to excellent internal consistency and good stability over a 5-week period. A confirmatory factor analysis found support for the proposed subscales, though the overall goodness-of-fit was lower than expected. Preliminary evidence of convergent and divergent validity was found with measures of worry, thought suppression, and dispositional coping styles. The relationship between the CAQ and specific dispositional coping styles, however, was dependent on the context of the situation in which the information-seeking and information-avoidant coping strategies were employed. Specifically, the CAQ was negatively correlated with vigilance in controllable situations and positively correlated with both information-avoidance in controllable situations and information-seeking in uncontrollable situations.

Factors Influencing Pursuit of Higher Education: Validating a Questionnaire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Sandra M.

This paper explains the process used to validate the construct validity of the Factors Influencing Pursuit of Higher Education Questionnaire. This questionnaire is a literature-based, researcher-developed instrument which gathers information on the factors thought to affect a person's decision to pursue higher education. The questionnaire includes…

A Smart Unconscious? Procedural Origins of Automatic Partner Attitudes in Marriage

PubMed Central

Murray, Sandra L.; Holmes, John G.; Pinkus, Rebecca T.

2010-01-01

The paper examines potential origins of automatic (i.e., unconscious) attitudes toward one’s marital partner. It tests the hypothesis that early experiences in conflict-of-interest situations predict one’s later automatic inclination to approach (or avoid) the partner. A longitudinal study linked daily experiences in conflict-of-interest situations in the initial months of new marriages to automatic evaluations of the partner assessed four years later using the Implicit Associations Test. The results revealed that partners who were initially (1) treated less responsively and (2) evidenced more self-protective and less connectedness-promoting “if-then” contingencies in their thoughts and behavior later evidenced less positive automatic partner attitudes. However, these factors did not predict changes in love, satisfaction, or explicit beliefs about the partner. The findings hint at the existence of a “smart” relationship unconscious that captures behavioral realities conscious reflection can miss. PMID:20526450

Correlates and Predictors of New Mothers' Responses to Postpartum Thoughts of Accidental and Intentional Harm and Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms.

PubMed

Fairbrother, Nichole; Thordarson, Dana S; Challacombe, Fiona L; Sakaluk, John K

2018-07-01

Unwanted, intrusive thoughts of infant-related harm are a normal, albeit distressing experience for most new mothers. The occurrence of these thoughts can represent a risk factor for the development of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). As the early postpartum period represents a time of increased risk for OCD development, the transition to parenthood provides a unique opportunity to better understand OCD development. The purpose of this study was to assess components of cognitive behavioural conceptualizations of postpartum OCD in relation to new mothers' thoughts of infant-related harm. English-speaking pregnant women (n = 100) participated. Questionnaires were completed at approximately 36 weeks of gestation, and at 4 and 12 weeks postpartum. An interview to assess postpartum harm thoughts was administered at 4 and 12 weeks postpartum. Questionnaires assessed OC symptoms, OC-related beliefs, fatigue, sleep difficulties and negative mood. Prenatal OC-related beliefs predicted postpartum OC symptoms, as well as harm thought characteristics and behavioural responses to harm thoughts. The severity of behavioural responses to early postpartum harm thoughts did not predict later postpartum OC symptoms, but did predict frequency and time occupation of accidental harm thoughts, and interference in parenting by intentional harm thoughts. Strong relationships between OC symptoms and harm thought characteristics, and concurrent sleep difficulties, negative mood and fatigue were also found. Findings provide support for cognitive behavioural conceptualizations of postpartum OCD and emphasize the importance of maternal sleep, fatigue and negative mood in the relationship between OC-related beliefs and maternal cognitive and behavioural responses to postpartum harm thoughts.

The Cognitive Unconscious.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kihlstrom, John F.

1987-01-01

Addresses implications drawn from contemporary research in cognitive psychology which deal with the impact of nonconscious mental structures and processes on an individual's experience, thought, and action. Discusses the information-processing perspective, automatic processes, subliminal perception, implicit memory, hypnotic alterations, and the…

Accounting for intrusive thoughts in PTSD: Contributions of cognitive control and deliberate regulation strategies.

PubMed

Bomyea, Jessica; Lang, Ariel J

2016-03-01

Persistent, trauma-related intrusive thoughts are common in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Automatic aspects of cognitive functioning (including executive functioning) and maladaptive deliberate attempts at cognitive regulation have been proposed as individual difference factors that may perpetuate intrusive thoughts. The current study sought to examine the joint contribution of these two factors on intrusive thoughts in PTSD. Forty-two women with PTSD completed an executive functioning assessment followed by a thought suppression task. Intrusive thoughts (frequency and duration), as well as participants' use of specific cognitive regulation strategies (avoidance-based thought regulation strategies; TRS), were measured during the task. Hierarchical linear regression was used to examine the interaction of executive functioning and TRS on intrusive thoughts. Greater use of TRS was associated with greater intrusive thought persistence for those with low executive functioning, but not those with high executive functioning. Data was collected cross-sectionally and the laboratory thought suppression task may not correspond to naturalistic thought regulation. Results are consistent with prior literature suggesting that certain responses deployed by individuals to control intrusive thoughts may be unhelpful, but that a higher level of cognitive capacity may mitigate this effect. Implications of these findings for recent models of cognition in PTSD are discussed. Published by Elsevier B.V.

How does self-injury feel? Examining automatic positive reinforcement in adolescent self-injurers with experience sampling.

PubMed

Selby, Edward A; Nock, Matthew K; Kranzler, Amy

2014-02-28

One of the most frequently reported, yet understudied, motivations for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) involves automatic positive reinforcement (APR), wherein sensations arising from NSSI reinforce and promote the behavior. The current study used experience sampling methodology with a clinical sample of self-injuring adolescents (N=30) over a 2-week period during which the adolescents reported NSSI behaviors, and rated if an APR motivation was present, and if so whether that motivation pertained to feeling "pain," "stimulation," or "satisfaction." Over 50% of the sample reported at least one instance of NSSI for APR reasons. No significant differences were found on demographic factors or psychiatric comorbidity for those with and without an APR motivation. However, those with an APR motivation reported elevated NSSI thoughts, longer duration of those thoughts, and more NSSI behaviors. They also reported more alcohol use thoughts, alcohol use, impulsive spending, and binge eating. The most commonly reported sensation following NSSI for APR was "satisfaction." However those endorsing feeling pain reported the most NSSI behaviors. These findings provide new information about the APR motivations for NSSI and shed light on the different sensations felt. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

From conscious thought to automatic action: A simulation account of action planning.

PubMed

Martiny-Huenger, Torsten; Martiny, Sarah E; Parks-Stamm, Elizabeth J; Pfeiffer, Elisa; Gollwitzer, Peter M

2017-10-01

We provide a theoretical framework and empirical evidence for how verbally planning an action creates direct perception-action links and behavioral automaticity. We argue that planning actions in an if (situation)-then (action) format induces sensorimotor simulations (i.e., activity patterns reenacting the event in the sensory and motor brain areas) of the anticipated situation and the intended action. Due to their temporal overlap, these activity patterns become linked. Whenever the previously simulated situation is encountered, the previously simulated action is partially reactivated through spreading activation and thus more likely to be executed. In 4 experiments (N = 363), we investigated the relation between specific if-then action plans worded to activate simulations of elbow flexion versus extension movements and actual elbow flexion versus extension movements in a subsequent, ostensibly unrelated categorization task. As expected, linking a critical stimulus to intended actions that implied elbow flexion movements (e.g., grabbing it for consumption) subsequently facilitated elbow flexion movements upon encountering the critical stimulus. However, linking a critical stimulus to actions that implied elbow extension movements (e.g., pointing at it) subsequently facilitated elbow extension movements upon encountering the critical stimulus. Thus, minor differences (i.e., exchanging the words "point at" with "grab") in verbally formulated action plans (i.e., conscious thought) had systematic consequences on subsequent actions. The question of how conscious thought can induce stimulus-triggered action is illuminated by the provided theoretical framework and the respective empirical evidence, facilitating the understanding of behavioral automaticity and human agency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Targeting acceptance in the management of food craving: The mediating roles of eating styles and thought suppression.

PubMed

Coffino, Jaime A; Heiss, Sydney; Hormes, Julia M

2018-04-01

Food craving is now widely considered to be a cognitively motivated state. Acceptance-based treatments are effective in reducing the adverse impact of food cravings on consumption, via a hypothesized decrease in experiential avoidance. The mechanisms that drive the success of acceptance-based management of craving remain to be empirically tested. This study examined the role of eating styles and thought suppression as mediators in the relationship between experiential avoidance and craving. Participants (n = 298, 51.5% female) completed the Food Craving Acceptance and Awareness Questionnaire (FAAQ), the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI; a measure of thought suppression), and the reduced version of the Food Craving Questionnaire- Trait (FCQ-T-r). Scores on the FAAQ were inversely associated with scores on the FCQ-T-r, DEBQ, and WBSI; FCQ-T-r scores were positively correlated with scores on the DEBQ and WBSI (all p < 0.001). The total indirect effect of acceptance on craving through the hypothesized mediators was significantly different from zero. Controlling for eating styles and thought suppression, acceptance remained a significant predictor of craving. Results thus provide initial evidence that eating styles and thought suppression mediate the relationship between food-specific experiential avoidance and food craving. Findings lay the foundation for future study of the proximal antecedents of food cravings and lend preliminary support for targeting thought suppression and eating styles in acceptance-based approaches to the management of craving. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dyslexia and Substance Use in a University Undergraduate Population.

PubMed

Wilcockson, Thomas D W; Pothos, Emmanuel M; Fawcett, Angela J

2016-01-02

A number of cognitive deficits are associated with dyslexia. However, only a limited amount of research has been performed exploring a putative link between dyslexia and substance use. As substance use is thought to involve a cognitive component, it is possible that the pattern of substance use would be different for dyslexic participants, when compared to nondyslexic controls. During the current study, a guiding hypothesis was that people with dyslexia would demonstrate less substance use than nondyslexic controls. Theories of memory activation, automaticity, and attentional bias in substance use suggest that cognitive components of substance use are important in the development and maintenance of continued substance use and it is thought that, at least some of these components, would be impaired in a dyslexic population. If the cognitive deficits displayed by dyslexics somehow impair the development of cognitive components of substance use, substance use for dyslexic participants may be less pronounced. This paper therefore examines this hypothesis by comparing substance use within dyslexic and nondyslexic participants, from an undergraduate population. This was an exploratory questionnaire-based study. Dyslexic participants (n = 35) were compared to control participants (n = 62) on a series of questions designed to measure their substance use history. The results provided preliminary evidence of a difference between dyslexic and nondyslexic substance use. Dyslexics reported a substance use history that was significantly lower than nondyslexic controls. These results are interpreted in terms of cognitive deficits within dyslexia and with reference to the cognitive model of substance use.

Evaluation of an ethical method aimed at improving hygiene rules compliance in dental practice.

PubMed

Offner, Damien; Strub, Marion; Rebert, Christelle; Musset, Anne-Marie

2016-06-01

The objective of this study is to determine the efficiency of an ethical method, based on a thought experiment in ethics, on hygiene rules compliance for dental health care team members. This is a prospective study that assesses hygiene compliance in dental practice before and after a thought experiment in ethics, using 2 questionnaires. Participants included 130 clinician students in dentistry at Strasbourg University Hospital, France. The results emphasize a better implementation of hygiene rules after the thought experiment in ethics, when comparing the relative frequencies of completed hygiene items. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test shows significant differences between the first questionnaire and the second one after the thought experiment in ethics (P < .001). This ethical method provides efficiency on hygiene rules compliance, which makes it beneficial to implement. However, far from being an absolute unit method, this thought experiment in ethics appears to be an original, supplemental, and complementary method. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-harm and its association with internet addiction and internet exposure to suicidal thought in adolescents.

PubMed

Liu, Hui-Ching; Liu, Shen-Ing; Tjung, Jin-Jin; Sun, Fang-Ju; Huang, Hui-Chun; Fang, Chun-Kai

2017-03-01

Self-harm (SH) is a risk factor for suicide. We aimed to determine whether internet addiction and internet exposure to confided suicidal ideation are associated with SH in adolescents. This study was a cross-sectional survey of students who self-completed a series of online questionnaires including a sociodemographic information questionnaire, questionnaire for suicidality and SH, Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), multi-dimensional support scale (MDSS), Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES), Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C), and questionnaire for substance abuse. A total of 2479 students completed the questionnaires (response rate = 62.1%). They had a mean age of 15.44 years (range 14-19 years; standard deviation 0.61), and were mostly female (n = 1494; 60.3%). The prevalence of SH within the previous year was 10.1% (n = 250). Among the participants, 17.1% had internet addiction (n = 425) and 3.3% had been exposed to suicidal content on the internet (n = 82). In the hierarchical logistic regression analysis, internet addiction and internet exposure to suicidal thoughts were both significantly related to an increased risk of SH, after controlling for gender, family factors, exposure to suicidal thoughts in the real life, depression, alcohol/tobacco use, concurrent suicidality, and perceived social support. However, the association between internet addiction and SH weakened after adjusting for the level of self-esteem, while internet exposure to suicidal thoughts remained significantly related to an increased risk of SH (odds ratio = 1.96; 95% confidence interval: 1.06-3.64). Online experiences are associated with SH in adolescents. Preventive strategies may include education to increase social awareness, to identify the youths most at risk, and to provide prompt help. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The use of automatic programming techniques for fault tolerant computing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wild, C.

1985-01-01

It is conjectured that the production of software for ultra-reliable computing systems such as required by Space Station, aircraft, nuclear power plants and the like will require a high degree of automation as well as fault tolerance. In this paper, the relationship between automatic programming techniques and fault tolerant computing systems is explored. Initial efforts in the automatic synthesis of code from assertions to be used for error detection as well as the automatic generation of assertions and test cases from abstract data type specifications is outlined. Speculation on the ability to generate truly diverse designs capable of recovery from errors by exploring alternate paths in the program synthesis tree is discussed. Some initial thoughts on the use of knowledge based systems for the global detection of abnormal behavior using expectations and the goal-directed reconfiguration of resources to meet critical mission objectives are given. One of the sources of information for these systems would be the knowledge captured during the automatic programming process.

Natural language processing of spoken diet records (SDRs).

PubMed

Lacson, Ronilda; Long, William

2006-01-01

Dietary assessment is a fundamental aspect of nutritional evaluation that is essential for management of obesity as well as for assessing dietary impact on chronic diseases. Various methods have been used for dietary assessment including written records, 24-hour recalls, and food frequency questionnaires. The use of mobile phones to provide real-time dietary records provides potential advantages for accessibility, ease of use and automated documentation. However, understanding even a perfect transcript of spoken dietary records (SDRs) is challenging for people. This work presents a first step towards automatic analysis of SDRs. Our approach consists of four steps - identification of food items, identification of food quantifiers, classification of food quantifiers and temporal annotation. Our method enables automatic extraction of dietary information from SDRs, which in turn allows automated mapping to a Diet History Questionnaire dietary database. Our model has an accuracy of 90%. This work demonstrates the feasibility of automatically processing SDRs.

The content and process of self-stigma in people with mental illness.

PubMed

Chan, Kevin K S; Mak, Winnie W S

2017-01-01

Although many individuals with mental illness may self-concur with the "content" of stigmatizing thoughts at some point in their lives, they may have varying degrees of habitual recurrence of such thoughts, which could exacerbate their experience of self-stigma and perpetuate its damaging effects on their mental health. Although it is important to understand the "process" of how self-stigmatizing thoughts are sustained and perpetuated over time, no research to date has conceptualized and distinguished the habitual process of self-stigma from its cognitive content. Thus, the present study aims to develop and validate a measure of the habitual process of self-stigma-the Self-stigmatizing Thinking's Automaticity and Repetition Scale (STARS). In this study, 189 individuals with mental illness completed the STARS, along with several explicit (self-report) and implicit (response latency) measures of theoretically related constructs. Consistent with theories of mental habit, an exploratory factor analysis of the STARS items identified a 2-factor structure that represents the repetition (4 items) and automaticity (4 items) of self-stigmatization. The reliability of the STARS was supported by a Cronbach's α of .90, and its validity was supported by its significant correlations with theoretical predictors (content of self-stigma, experiential avoidance, and lack of mindfulness), expected outcomes (decreased self-esteem, life satisfaction, and recovery), and the Brief Implicit Association Tests measuring the automatic processing of self-stigmatizing information. With the validation of the STARS, future research can consider both the content and process of self-stigma so that a richer picture of its development, perpetuation, and influence can be captured. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Are all models susceptible to dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image? The moderating role of personality styles.

PubMed

Blasczyk-Schiep, Sybilla; Sokoła, Kaja; Fila-Witecka, Karolina; Kazén, Miguel

2016-06-01

We investigated dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image in relation to personality styles in a group of professional models. Dysfunctional cognitions in professional models (n = 43) and a control group (n = 43) were assessed with the 'Eating Disorder Cognition Questionnaire' (EDCQ), eating attitudes with the 'Eating Attitudes Test' (EAT), and personality with the 'Personality Styles and Disorders Inventory' (PSDI-S). Models had higher scores than controls on the EDCQ and EAT and on nine scales of the PSDI-S. Moderation analyses showed significant interactions between groups and personality styles in predicting EDCQ scales: The ambitious/narcissistic style was related to "negative body and self-esteem", the conscientious/compulsive style to "dietary restraint", and the spontaneous/borderline style to "loss of control in eating". The results indicate that not all models are susceptible to dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image. Models are at a higher risk of developing negative automatic thoughts and dysfunctional assumptions relating to body size, shape and weight, especially if they have high scores on the above personality styles.

The relationships of coping, negative thinking, life satisfaction, social support, and selected demographics with anxiety of young adult college students.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Jihan S R; Staten, Ruth Topsy; Lennie, Terry A; Hall, Lynne A

2015-05-01

Understanding young adults' anxiety requires applying a multidimensional approach to assess the psychosocial, behavioral, and cognitive aspects of this phenomenon. A hypothesized model of the relationships among coping style, thinking style, life satisfaction, social support, and selected demographics and anxiety among college students was tested using path analysis. A total of 257 undergraduate students aged 18-24 years completed an online survey. The independent variables were measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Brief Students' Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale, the Brief COPE Inventory, the Positive Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, and the Cognition Checklist-Anxiety. The outcome, anxiety, was measured using the Anxiety subscale of the 21-item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale. Only negative thinking and maladaptive coping had a direct relationship with anxiety. Negative thinking was the strongest predictor of both maladaptive coping and anxiety. These findings suggest that helping undergraduates manage their anxiety by reducing their negative thinking is critical. Designing and testing interventions to decrease negative thinking in college students is recommended for future research. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Automatic single questionnaire intensity (SQI, EMS98 scale) estimation using ranking models built on the existing BCSF database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlupp, A.; Sira, C.; Schmitt, K.; Schaming, M.

2013-12-01

In charge of intensity estimations in France, BCSF has collected and manually analyzed more than 47000 online individual macroseismic questionnaires since 2000 up to intensity VI. These macroseismic data allow us to estimate one SQI value (Single Questionnaire Intensity) for each form following the EMS98 scale. The reliability of the automatic intensity estimation is important as they are today used for automatic shakemaps communications and crisis management. Today, the automatic intensity estimation at BCSF is based on the direct use of thumbnails selected on a menu by the witnesses. Each thumbnail corresponds to an EMS-98 intensity value, allowing us to quickly issue an intensity map of the communal intensity by averaging the SQIs at each city. Afterwards an expert, to determine a definitive SQI, manually analyzes each form. This work is time consuming and not anymore suitable considering the increasing number of testimonies at BCSF. Nevertheless, it can take into account incoherent answers. We tested several automatic methods (USGS algorithm, Correlation coefficient, Thumbnails) (Sira et al. 2013, IASPEI) and compared them with 'expert' SQIs. These methods gave us medium score (between 50 to 60% of well SQI determined and 35 to 40% with plus one or minus one intensity degree). The best fit was observed with the thumbnails. Here, we present new approaches based on 3 statistical ranking methods as 1) Multinomial logistic regression model, 2) Discriminant analysis DISQUAL and 3) Support vector machines (SVMs). The two first methods are standard methods, while the third one is more recent. Theses methods could be applied because the BCSF has already in his database more then 47000 forms and because their questions and answers are well adapted for a statistical analysis. The ranking models could then be used as automatic method constrained on expert analysis. The performance of the automatic methods and the reliability of the estimated SQI can be evaluated thanks to the fact that each definitive BCSF SQIs is determined by an expert analysis. We compare the SQIs obtained by these methods from our database and discuss the coherency and variations between automatic and manual processes. These methods lead to high scores with up to 85% of the forms well classified and most of the remaining forms classified with only a shift of one intensity degree. This allows us to use the ranking methods as the best automatic methods to fast SQIs estimation and to produce fast shakemaps. The next step, to improve the use of these methods, will be to identify explanations for the forms not classified at the correct value and a way to select the few remaining forms that should be analyzed by the expert. Note that beyond intensity VI, on-line questionnaires are insufficient and a field survey is indispensable to estimate intensity. For such survey, in France, BCSF leads a macroseismic intervention group (GIM).

Attention, automaticity, and awareness in synesthesia.

PubMed

Mattingley, Jason B

2009-03-01

The phenomenon of synesthesia has occupied the thoughts of philosophers and artists for decades. With the advent modern behavioral and brain imaging techniques, scientific research on synesthesia has also moved into the mainstream of thought. Here I provide a cognitive neuroscience perspective on the condition, with a particular emphasis on grapheme-color synesthesia, the most common variant, in which individuals report vivid and consistent experiences of color in association with numerals, letters, and words. Behavioral studies have revealed several fundamental properties of induced synesthetic colors. First, although they seem to arise automatically, without the need for voluntary control, they are strongly modulated by selective attention. Second, they attain salience relatively early in visual processing, and so can influence perceptual judgments and guide focal attention in cluttered, achromatic displays. Third, brain activity during synesthetic color experiences arises from within the ventral temporal lobe, including color-selective area V4. It has been speculated that grapheme-color synesthesia arises from disinhibited feedback or abnormal cross-wiring between brain regions involved in extracting visual form and color.

Thought-action fusion and thought suppression in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Rassin, E; Diepstraten, P; Merckelbach, H; Muris, P

2001-07-01

To examine the significance of thought-action fusion (TAF) and thought suppression tendencies, the present study obtained pre- and post-treatment questionnaire data on these constructs in a sample of OCD patients (n=24) and non-OCD anxiety patients (n=20). Results indicate that TAF and suppression are correlated with severity of psychopathology. Yet, the associations between TAF and psychopathology are not typical for OCD, but do also occur in other anxiety disorders (e.g., panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and social phobia). As well, mean scores on the TAF and thought suppression measures dropped significantly from pre- to post-treatment, indicating that TAF and thought suppression are susceptible to change during psychotherapy.

Weight status, psychological health, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts in Dutch adolescents: results from the 2003 E-MOVO project.

PubMed

van Wijnen, Lisa G C; Boluijt, Petra R; Hoeven-Mulder, Henriette B; Bemelmans, Wanda J E; Wendel-Vos, G C Wanda

2010-05-01

This study describes the association between weight status and psychological health, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in adolescents from a population-based study of 21,730 adolescents who responded to a classroom-based internet questionnaire. It demonstrated clear associations between weight status in adolescents and poor psychological health, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, especially in obese individuals. Obese boys and girls were more likely to be classified as "psychologically unhealthy" than were normal weight subjects. They also reported more suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts.

Suicide Risk Response: Enhancing Patient Safety Through Development of Effective Institutional Policies

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

potentially lethal self harm ). The CWG recognized the importance of having well-defined policies for response to suicidal TIDES and WAVES patients, and...calculates responses and automatically triggers the suicidality protocol 3.1 3 Spontaneous mention of suicide, self - harm , or persistent thoughts

A Secondary Working Memory Challenge Preserves Primary Place Strategies Despite Overtraining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Robert S.; Uttaro, Michael R.; Fleming, Samantha E.; Suarez, Daniel F.; Ascoli, Giorgio A.; Dumas, Theodore C.

2013-01-01

Learning by repetition engages distinct cognitive strategies whose contributions are adjusted with experience. Early in learning, performance relies upon flexible, attentive strategies. With extended practice, inflexible, automatic strategies emerge. This transition is thought fundamental to habit formation and applies to human and animal…

Manifestation of the synergetic mechanism in the implementation of automatic processing of scientific documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chizhacovsky, Valentin; Popescu, Anatol N.; Russu, Vladimir

2005-02-01

This article is dedicated to the problem of the presence in the natural language and in the cognitive-verbal human activity of an interior mechanisms of reproduction and self regulation which will help us solve problem by the automatic documents. We have attributed to these mechanisms the property of being synergetic. The above expressed thought has been confirmed at the implementation of the automatic processing of scientific articles, published in the German specialized magazine "Wasserwirtschaft-Wassertechnik-WWT", which we have addressed to the sub subject field "Abwasser" (waste water). By dividing the implementation of our task in many consequent stages and sub stages we have obtained the possibilities to create the conditions which favored the manifestation of the needed linguistic synergetic activities.

Speak Out for Listening.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Charles H.

There are two possible explanations about why listening is such an overlooked skill. First, as a skill, listening suffers from automaticity, the operational nature of skills that are used without conscious thought to achieve a goal. Second, there is no word which specifically identifies an inability to listen. "Illistenacy" is a term that can…

Investigating the Relationship between Stable Personality Characteristics and Automatic Imitation

PubMed Central

Butler, Emily E.; Ward, Robert; Ramsey, Richard

2015-01-01

Automatic imitation is a cornerstone of nonverbal communication that fosters rapport between interaction partners. Recent research has suggested that stable dimensions of personality are antecedents to automatic imitation, but the empirical evidence linking imitation with personality traits is restricted to a few studies with modest sample sizes. Additionally, atypical imitation has been documented in autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, but the mechanisms underpinning these behavioural profiles remain unclear. Using a larger sample than prior studies (N=243), the current study tested whether performance on a computer-based automatic imitation task could be predicted by personality traits associated with social behaviour (extraversion and agreeableness) and with disorders of social cognition (autistic-like and schizotypal traits). Further personality traits (narcissism and empathy) were assessed in a subsample of participants (N=57). Multiple regression analyses showed that personality measures did not predict automatic imitation. In addition, using a similar analytical approach to prior studies, no differences in imitation performance emerged when only the highest and lowest 20 participants on each trait variable were compared. These data weaken support for the view that stable personality traits are antecedents to automatic imitation and that neural mechanisms thought to support automatic imitation, such as the mirror neuron system, are dysfunctional in autism spectrum disorders or schizophrenia. In sum, the impact that personality variables have on automatic imitation is less universal than initial reports suggest. PMID:26079137

Investigating the Relationship between Stable Personality Characteristics and Automatic Imitation.

PubMed

Butler, Emily E; Ward, Robert; Ramsey, Richard

2015-01-01

Automatic imitation is a cornerstone of nonverbal communication that fosters rapport between interaction partners. Recent research has suggested that stable dimensions of personality are antecedents to automatic imitation, but the empirical evidence linking imitation with personality traits is restricted to a few studies with modest sample sizes. Additionally, atypical imitation has been documented in autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, but the mechanisms underpinning these behavioural profiles remain unclear. Using a larger sample than prior studies (N=243), the current study tested whether performance on a computer-based automatic imitation task could be predicted by personality traits associated with social behaviour (extraversion and agreeableness) and with disorders of social cognition (autistic-like and schizotypal traits). Further personality traits (narcissism and empathy) were assessed in a subsample of participants (N=57). Multiple regression analyses showed that personality measures did not predict automatic imitation. In addition, using a similar analytical approach to prior studies, no differences in imitation performance emerged when only the highest and lowest 20 participants on each trait variable were compared. These data weaken support for the view that stable personality traits are antecedents to automatic imitation and that neural mechanisms thought to support automatic imitation, such as the mirror neuron system, are dysfunctional in autism spectrum disorders or schizophrenia. In sum, the impact that personality variables have on automatic imitation is less universal than initial reports suggest.

Thought control strategies in adolescents: links with OCD symptoms and meta-cognitive beliefs.

PubMed

Wilson, Charlotte; Hall, Martin

2012-07-01

The perceived control of intrusive thoughts is important in our understanding of a variety of psychological disorders, but particularly in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Little research has explored thought control strategies in younger populations, despite the frequent onset of OCD in childhood. This study examined thought control strategies and meta-cognitive beliefs in relation to Obsessive Compulsive (OC) interference scores in an adolescent sample. A non-referred sample of 151 adolescents aged 13-16 completed the Thought Control Questionnaire, the Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire - Adolescent version, and the Leyton Obsessional Inventory - Child Version. Adolescents reported using distraction and worry as thought control strategies as much as adults, but social control and reappraisal less frequently, with adolescent males also reporting less use of punishment as a strategy. The strategies of worry and punishment, and positive beliefs about worry, uncontrollability and danger beliefs (UCD) and superstition punishment and responsibility beliefs (SPR) predicted OC interference scores. Furthermore, these meta-cognitive beliefs mediated the relationships between punishment and worry and OC interference scores. Given the similarities between our results and those from research exploring these variables in adults, it is proposed that cognitive behavioural models of OCD that have been developed in adult populations may be relevant to adolescents, but that meta-cognitive beliefs about superstition, punishment and responsibility may be important in adolescence.

Why all the confusion? Experimental task explains discrepant semantic priming effects in schizophrenia under "automatic" conditions: evidence from Event-Related Potentials.

PubMed

Kreher, Donna A; Goff, Donald; Kuperberg, Gina R

2009-06-01

The schizophrenia research literature contains many differing accounts of semantic memory function in schizophrenia as assessed through the semantic priming paradigm. Most recently, Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) have been used to demonstrate both increased and decreased semantic priming at a neural level in schizophrenia patients, relative to healthy controls. The present study used ERPs to investigate the role of behavioral task in determining neural semantic priming effects in schizophrenia. The same schizophrenia patients and healthy controls completed two experiments in which word stimuli were identical, and the time between the onset of prime and target remained constant at 350 ms: in the first, participants monitored for words within a particular semantic category that appeared only in filler items (implicit task); in the second, participants explicitly rated the relatedness of word-pairs (explicit task). In the explicit task, schizophrenia patients showed reduced direct and indirect semantic priming in comparison with healthy controls. In contrast, in the implicit task, schizophrenia patients showed normal or, in positively thought-disordered patients, increased direct and indirect N400 priming effects compared with healthy controls. These data confirm that, although schizophrenia patients with positive thought disorder may show an abnormally increased automatic spreading activation, the introduction of semantic decision-making can result in abnormally reduced semantic priming in schizophrenia, even when other experimental conditions bias toward automatic processing.

Evidence that attitude accessibility augments the relationship between speeding attitudes and speeding behavior: a test of the MODE model in the context of driving.

PubMed

Elliott, Mark A; Lee, Emme; Robertson, Jamie S; Innes, Rhona

2015-01-01

According to the MODE model of attitude-to-behavior processes, attitude accessibility augments attitude-behavior correspondence, reflecting an automatic influence of attitudes on behavior. We therefore tested whether attitude accessibility moderates the attitude-behavior relationship in a context that is governed by characteristically automatic behavior, namely driving. In study 1 (correlational design), participants (N=130) completed online questionnaire measures of the valences and accessibilities of their attitudes towards speeding. Two weeks later, online questionnaire measures of subsequent speeding behavior were obtained. Attitude valence was a significantly better predictor of behavior at high (mean+1SD) versus low (mean-1SD) levels of attitude accessibility. In study 2 (experimental design), attitude accessibility was manipulated with a repeated attitude expression task. Immediately after the manipulation, participants (N=122) completed online questionnaire measures of attitude valence and accessibility, and two weeks later, subsequent speeding behavior. Increased attitude accessibility in the experimental (versus control) condition generated an increase in attitude-behavior correspondence. The findings are consistent with the MODE model's proposition that attitudes can exert an automatic influence on behavior. Interventions to reduce speeding could usefully increase the accessibility of anti-speeding attitudes and reduce the accessibility of pro-speeding attitudes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The correlation between thought-action fusion and religiosity in a normal sample.

PubMed

Rassin, E; Koster, E

2003-03-01

Thought-action fusion (TAF) refers to a set of two cognitive biases that are thought to contribute to the inflation of feelings of responsibility for one's own thoughts, and thus to the development of obsession. Therefore, insight into the origins of TAF is a clinically relevant research topic. The present study examined the association between religiosity and TAF. Undergraduate students (N=100) completed questionnaires concerning religion, TAF and obsessive-compulsive complaints. Results indicate that religiosity is, indeed, correlated with certain aspects of TAF. Furthermore, correlational patterns differed between Catholic and Protestant subsamples.

Hitler: a neurohistorical formulation.

PubMed

Martindale, C; Hasenfus, N; Hines, D

1976-01-01

It is hypothesized that Adolf Hitler suffered from a constitutional left-side weakness that allowed his cerebral hemisphere to exert a strong influence on his thought and behavior. Physical characteristics such as trembling of the left extremities, lack of a left testicle, and tendency to exhibit leftward eye movements are interpreted as supportive of the hypothesis. Right hemisphere dominance is consistent with a number of Hitler's personal traits such as praise of the irrational, automatic speech, auditory hallucinations, hypochondriasis, uncontrolled rages, and spatial and musical interests. Right hemisphere dominated thought may also have formed a basis for his two basic political policies: Lebensraum and anti-Semitism.

Spanish version of the Thought-Action Fusion Questionnaire and its application in eating disorders.

PubMed

Jáuregui-Lobera, I; Santed-Germán, Ma; Bolaños-Ríos, P; Garrido-Casals, O

2013-01-01

The aims of the study were to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Thought-Action Fusion Questionnaire (TAF-SP), as well as to determine its validity by evaluating the relationship of the TAF-SP to different instruments. TWO GROUPS WERE STUDIED: one comprising 146 patients with eating disorders; and another a group of 200 students. THREE FACTORS WERE OBTAINED: TAF-Moral; TAF-Likelihood-others; and TAF-Likelihood-oneself. The internal consistency of the TAF-SP was determined by means of Cronbach's α coefficient, with values ranging between 0.84-0.95. The correlations with other instruments refected adequate validity. The three-factor structure was tested by means of a linear structural equation model, and the structure fit satisfactorily. Differences in TAF-SP scores between the diagnostic subgroups were also analyzed. The TAF-SP meets the psychometric requirements for measuring thought-action fusion and shows adequate internal consistency and validity.

Sexual function of young women with myelomeningocele.

PubMed

Gamé, Xavier; Moscovici, Jacques; Guillotreau, Julien; Roumiguié, Mathieu; Rischmann, Pascal; Malavaud, Bernard

2014-06-01

To assess the sexual function of young women with spina bifida and myelomeningocele and to determine the factors influencing their sexual function. A postal cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was performed in 44 women, mean age 27.66 ± 5.89 years, with spina bifida and myelomeningocele. The questionnaire included the Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women and questions about voiding mode, urinary symptoms, socioeconomic status, education level, lifestyle, and partnership. In parallel, data were also collected from the paediatric surgery records of patients who returned the questionnaire. The response rate was 56.8% (25/44). All domains of female sexual function (thoughts/desires, arousal, frequency of sexual activity, receptivity/initiation, pleasure/orgasm, relationship satisfaction) were altered. Urinary incontinence was likely to be the main factor responsible for altered sexual function and was associated with lower thoughts/desires, arousal, and receptivity/initiation scores. Wearing pads also constituted a limitation to achieving intimacy. Young myelomeningocele women report poor sexual functioning. The presence of urinary incontinence is associated with lower thoughts/desire, arousal, and receptivity/initiation. Copyright © 2013 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Suicidal thoughts among medical residents with burnout.

PubMed

van der Heijden, Frank; Dillingh, Gea; Bakker, Arnold; Prins, Jelle

2008-01-01

Recent research showed that medical residents have a high risk for developing burnout. The present study investigates the prevalence of burnout and its relationship with suicidal thoughts among medical residents. All Dutch medical residents (n = 5126) received a self-report questionnaire. Burnout was measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Residents were asked about the frequency of suicidal thoughts. Response rate was 41.3% (n = 2115). 432 Residents (20.6%) were classified as burnout. 12% reported having suicidal thoughts at least 1 time during their residency, and 1% many times. Suicidal thoughts were substantially more prevalent in the group with burnout in comparison to non-burnout (20.5% vs. 7.6%; chi(2) = 182.9, p < .001). Knowledge about the relationship between burnout and suicidal thoughts among these young medical professionals could be important for suicide prevention.

Young and restless: validation of the Mind-Wandering Questionnaire (MWQ) reveals disruptive impact of mind-wandering for youth

PubMed Central

Mrazek, Michael D.; Phillips, Dawa T.; Franklin, Michael S.; Broadway, James M.; Schooler, Jonathan W.

2013-01-01

Mind-wandering is the focus of extensive investigation, yet until recently there has been no validated scale to directly measure trait levels of task-unrelated thought. Scales commonly used to assess mind-wandering lack face validity, measuring related constructs such as daydreaming or behavioral errors. Here we report four studies validating a Mind-Wandering Questionnaire (MWQ) across college, high school, and middle school samples. The 5-item scale showed high internal consistency, as well as convergent validity with existing measures of mind-wandering and related constructs. Trait levels of mind-wandering, as measured by the MWQ, were correlated with task-unrelated thought measured by thought sampling during a test of reading comprehension. In both middle school and high school samples, mind-wandering during testing was associated with worse reading comprehension. By contrast, elevated trait levels of mind-wandering predicted worse mood, less life-satisfaction, greater stress, and lower self-esteem. By extending the use of thought sampling to measure mind-wandering among adolescents, our findings also validate the use of this methodology with younger populations. Both the MWQ and thought sampling indicate that mind-wandering is a pervasive—and problematic—influence on the performance and well-being of adolescents. PMID:23986739

Evaluation of Extinction as a Functional Treatment for Binge Eating

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosch, Amanda; Miltenberger, Raymond G.; Gross, Amy; Knudson, Peter; Breitwieser, Carrie Brower

2008-01-01

Binge eating is a serious behavior problem exhibited by individuals diagnosed with binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa. Binge eating is thought to be maintained by automatic negative reinforcement in the form of relief from negative emotional responding. Current treatments produce only moderate abstinence, perhaps because they do not attempt…

Study and Test to Confirm Automobile Drivetrain Components to Improve Fuel Economy : Volume 2. The Drivetrain Design Process With an Automatic Transmission

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-05-01

This report presents the key thought processes that are used by the drivetrain designer in matching an engine to a given vehicle with specific performance goals in mind. This report provides those uninitiated in this aspect of automotive design valua...

Brief Christian and Non-Christian Rational-Emotive Therapy with Depressed Christian Clients: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, W. Brad; Ridley, Charles R.

1992-01-01

Operationalized brief "Christian" form of rational-emotive therapy (CRET) and compared therapeutic efficacy of CRET with standard version of brief rational-emotive therapy (RET). Findings from depressed Christian clients (n=10) indicated that both treatments were effective in reducing depression and automatic negative thoughts whereas only CRET…

The Role of Peer Pressure, Automatic Thoughts and Self-Esteem on Adolescents' Aggression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavuzer, Yasemin; Karatas, Zeynep; Civilidag, Aydin; Gundogdu, Rezzan

2014-01-01

Problem Statement: Aggression is defined as any kind of behavior intended to hurt others. Aggression generally arises due to the interaction between individual (e.g., social and emotional difficulties, low self-esteem, peer rejection, academic failure) and environmental (e.g., poverty, lack of family supervision, limited social support, conflicts…

Reductions in Negative Automatic Thoughts in Students Attending Mindfulness Tutorials Predicts Increased Life Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritvo, Paul; Vora, Khushboo; Irvine, Jane; Mongrain, Myriam; Azargive, Saam; Azam, Muhammad Abid; Pirbaglou, Meysam; Guglietti, Crissa; Wayne, Noah; Perez, Daniel Felipe; Cribbie, Rob

2013-01-01

University education confronts students with stressful developmental challenges that can lead to mental health problems. Innovative programs must address an increasing prevalence of these problems but are impeded by the high costs involved. In this study, thirty-nine undergraduate students attended weekly one hour mindfulness meditation tutorials…

Hypo-egoic self-regulation: exercising self-control by diminishing the influence of the self.

PubMed

Leary, Mark R; Adams, Claire E; Tate, Eleanor B

2006-12-01

Theory and research dealing with self-regulation have focused primarily on instances of self-regulation that involve high levels of self-reflection and effortful self-control. However, intentionally trying to control one's behavior sometimes reduces the likelihood of achieving one's goals. This article examines the process of hypo-egoic self-regulation in which people relinquish deliberate, conscious control over their own behavior so that they will respond more naturally, spontaneously, or automatically. An examination of spontaneously occurring hypo-egoic states (such as flow, deindividuation, and transcendence) suggests that hypo-egoic states are characterized by lowered self-awareness and/or an increase in concrete and present-focused self-thoughts. In light of this, people may intentionally foster hypo-egoism via two pathways-(a) taking steps to reduce the proportion of time that they are self-aware (such as repeating a behavior until it is automatic or practicing meditation) or (b) increasing the concreteness of their self-thoughts (such as inducing a concrete mindset or practicing mindfulness). In this way, people may deliberately choose to regulate hypo-egoically when effortful control might be detrimental to their performance.

A Comparative Study of Thought Fusion Beliefs and Thought Control Strategies in Patient With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder and Normal People

PubMed Central

Amiri Pichakolaei, Ahmad; Fahimi, Samad; Bakhshipour Roudsari, Abbas; Fakhari, Ali; Akbari, Ebrahim; Rahimkhanli, Masoumeh

2014-01-01

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the metacognitive model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), through a comparative study of thought fusion beliefs and thought control strategies between patients with OCD, depression, and normal people. Methods: This is a causal-comparative study. About 20 patients were selected with OCD, and 20 patients with major depression disorder (MDD), and 20 normal individuals. Participants completed a thought fusion instrument and thought control questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance. Results: Results indicated that patients with OCD obtained higher scores than two other groups. Also, there was a statistical significant difference between the three groups in thought control strategies and punishment, worry, and distraction subscales. Conclusion: Therefore, the results of the present study supported the metacognitive model of obsessive and showed thought fusion beliefs and thought control strategies can be effective in onset and continuity of OCD. PMID:25780373

Thought-action fusion as a causal factor in the development of intrusions.

PubMed

Rassin, E; Merckelbach, H; Muris, P; Spaan, V

1999-03-01

Thought-action fusion refers to the tendency to treat thoughts and actions as equivalents. Some authors (e.g., Rachman, 1997; Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 793-802) have suggested that thought-action fusion plays a role in the etiology of obsessive intrusions. The present study sought to test this idea. Subjects (n = 19) in the experimental condition underwent a bogus EEG recording session. They were informed that the apparatus was able to pick up the word 'apple' and that thoughts of that word could result in the administration of electrical shocks to another person. After having spent 15 minutes in the EEG laboratory, experimental subjects and controls (n = 26) completed a short questionnaire containing items about characteristics of the target thought (e.g., frequency, aversiveness). Results indicate that thought-action fusion, indeed, promotes intrusive thinking in that it results in a higher frequency of target thoughts, more discomfort, and more resistance. Thus, the current findings support the idea that thought-action fusion may contribute to the development of obsessive intrusions.

Activating analytic thinking enhances the value given to individualizing moral foundations.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Onurcan; Saribay, S Adil

2017-08-01

Two central debates within Moral Foundations Theory concern (1) which moral foundations are core and (2) how conflict between ideological camps stemming from valuing different moral foundations can be resolved. Previous studies have attempted to answer the first question by imposing cognitive load on participants to direct them toward intuitive and automatic thought. However, this method has limitations and has produced mixed findings. In the present research, in two experiments, instead of directing participants toward intuitive thought, we tested the effects of activating high-effort, analytic thought on participants' moral foundations. In both experiments, analytic thought activation caused participants to value individualizing foundations greater than the control condition. This effect was not qualified by participants' political orientation. No effect was observed on binding foundations. The results are consistent with the idea that upholding individualizing foundations requires mental effort and may provide the basis for reconciliation between different ideological camps. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automatic mathematical modeling for space application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Caroline K.

1987-01-01

A methodology for automatic mathematical modeling is described. The major objective is to create a very friendly environment for engineers to design, maintain and verify their model and also automatically convert the mathematical model into FORTRAN code for conventional computation. A demonstration program was designed for modeling the Space Shuttle Main Engine simulation mathematical model called Propulsion System Automatic Modeling (PSAM). PSAM provides a very friendly and well organized environment for engineers to build a knowledge base for base equations and general information. PSAM contains an initial set of component process elements for the Space Shuttle Main Engine simulation and a questionnaire that allows the engineer to answer a set of questions to specify a particular model. PSAM is then able to automatically generate the model and the FORTRAN code. A future goal is to download the FORTRAN code to the VAX/VMS system for conventional computation.

Impact of Virtual Reality on Young Adults' Physiological Arousal and Aggressive Thoughts: Interaction versus Observation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calvert, Sandra L.; Tan, Siu-Lan

1994-01-01

Compared to college students who only watched a violent virtual reality game, those who played the game exhibited a higher heart rate after the game, reported more dizziness and nausea during the game, and exhibited more aggressive thoughts on a posttest questionnaire. Results suggest support for arousal and cognitive, but not psychoanalytic,…

Student Nurses' Knowledge in Relation to Blood Pressure Measurement by Sphygmomanometry and Auscultation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torrance, Colin; Serginson, Eve

1996-01-01

British nursing students (78 of 93) completed a questionnaire about blood pressure; 90% were not familiar with Korotkoff sounds or auscultary gap; most thought blood pressure was the same in both arms; 63% knew resting was essential before measurement; 59% assessed the arm for cuff size; only 25% thought the cuff should be placed at heart level.…

Dysfunctional Metacognitive Beliefs in Body Dysmorphic Disorder

PubMed Central

Zeinodini, Zahra; Sedighi, Sahar; Rahimi, Mandana Baghertork; Noorbakhsh, Simasadat; Esfahani, Sepideh Rajezi

2016-01-01

The present study aims to examine the correlation of body dysmorphic disorder, with metacognitive subscales, metaworry and thought-fusion. The study was conducted in a correlation framework. Sample included 155 high school students in Isfahan, Iran in 2013-2014, gathered through convenience sampling. To gather data about BDD, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for BDD was applied. Then, Meta Cognitive Questionnaire, Metaworry Questionnaire, and Thought-Fusion Inventory were used to assess metacognitive subscales, metaworry and thought-fusion. Data obtained from this study were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regressions in SPSS 18. Result indicated YBOCS-BDD scores had a significant correlation with scores from MCQ (P<0.05), MWG (P<0.05), and TFI (P<0.05). Also, multiple regressions were run to predict YBOCS from TFI, MWQ, and MCQ-30. These variables significantly predicted YBOCS [F (3,151) =32.393, R2=0.57]. Findings indicated that body dysmorphic disorder was significantly related to metacognitive subscales, metaworry, and thought fusion in high school students in Isfahan, which is in line with previous studies. A deeper understanding of these processes can broaden theory and treatment of BDD, thereby improve the lives of sufferers and potentially protect others from developing this devastating disorder. PMID:26493420

Existential experiences and needs related to induced abortion in a group of Swedish women: a quantitative investigation.

PubMed

Stålhandske, Maria Liljas; Makenzius, Marlene; Tydén, Tanja; Larsson, Margareta

2012-06-01

To investigate the prevalence of existential experiences and needs among women who have requested an induced abortion. A questionnaire was used to collect information from 499 women who had requested an induced abortion. A principle component analysis resulted in three components of existential experiences and needs: existential thoughts, existential practices, and humanisation of the foetus. These components were analysed in relation to background data and other data from the questionnaire. Existential experiences and needs were common. For 61% of women existential thoughts about life and death, meaning and morality were related to the abortion experience. Almost 50% of women reported a need for special acts in relation to the abortion; 67% of women thought of the pregnancy in terms of a child. A higher presence of existential components correlated to difficulty in making the abortion decision and poor psychological wellbeing after the abortion. Women's experiences of abortion can include existential thoughts about life, death, meaning and morality, feelings of attachment to the foetus, and the need for symbolic expression. This presents a challenge for abortion personnel, as the situation involves complex aspects over and above medical procedures and routines.

Food for thought: ego-dystonicity and fear of self in eating disorders.

PubMed

Purcell Lalonde, Magali; O'Connor, Kieron; Aardema, Frederick; Coelho, Jennifer S

2015-05-01

Degree of ego-dystonicity in obsessions is clinically relevant to the conceptualization and treatment of eating disorders (EDs). Obsessive-compulsive disorder research has suggested that the transformation of intrusive thoughts into obsessions is linked to the degree to which intrusive thoughts threaten core perceptions of the self. This study aims to explore the relationship between the ego-dystonic nature of obsessions in ED patients and a fear of self, the link between ED symptom severity and ego-dystonicity in obsessions, and differences between non-clinical and individuals with EDs in the presence of ego-dystonic thoughts and a fear of self. Ego-dystonicity (Ego-dystonicity Questionnaire (EDQ)) and feared self (Fear of Self Questionnaire (FSQ)) degrees were measured in a clinical sample (n = 57 with EDs) and a non-clinical sample (n = 45). EDQ and FSQ scores were highly correlated in both samples. EDQ scores were not significantly correlated to ED symptom severity with the exception of the EDQ Irrationality subscale, which was strongly related to compulsion severity. Participants with an ED had significantly higher EDQ and FSQ scores compared with controls. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Phonemic Awareness versus Meaning Instruction in Beginning Reading: A Discussion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Partridge, Susan

Two Schools of thought prominent in reading instruction are: (1) that reading is a language-based skill which requires the reader to have a sound knowledge of phonology and that this knowledge must be at an automatic level of information processing; and (2) that reading problems are the result of being overly attentive to phonetic and orthographic…

Perceptions of Prospective Teachers about School Principals: Prejudice or Real

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tosun, Figen Çam

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to reveal prospective teachers' thoughts and observations about school principals. In the study, the qualitative and quantitative research methods were used together. In quantitative research method, a questionnaire was developed and survey research was conducted with the help of this questionnaire. In the qualitative…

Men's sex-dominance inhibition: do men automatically refrain from sexually dominant behavior?

PubMed

Kiefer, Amy K; Sanchez, Diana T

2007-12-01

Men receive conflicting messages about their sexual roles in heterosexual relationships. Men are socialized to initiate and direct sexual activities with women; yet societal norms also proscribe the sexual domination and coercion of women. The authors test these competing hypotheses by assessing whether men inhibit the link between sex and dominance. In Studies 1a and b, using a subliminal priming procedure embedded in a lexical decision task, the authors demonstrate that men automatically suppress the concept of dominance following exposure to subliminal sex primes relative to neutral primes. In Studies 2 and 3, the authors show that men who are less likely to perceive sexual assertiveness as necessary, to refrain from dominant sexual behavior, and who do not invest in masculine gender ideals are more likely to inhibit dominant thoughts following sex primes. Implications for theories of automatic cognitive networks and gender-based sexual roles are discussed.

[Views of professionals and patients on the introduction of computer science into the consultation].

PubMed

Roig Buscató, C; Erra Yuste, N; Seguer Toirán, A; Belda Díaz, S; Juncosa Font, S

2005-09-15

To compare the views of professionals and patients on the computerisation of consultations. Cross-sectional. Rural health district in the province of Barcelona, with a population of about 15,000. Consecutive sampling of people seen in the health district and the group of health professionals working in it. Two anonymous self-filled questionnaires with closed questions aimed at health professionals and a sample of patients (accuracy, 0.05; confidence, 95%; prevalence, 50%). The mean age of the 407 patients was 48.4 (SD, 17.2), with 63.6% women. 21 questionnaires were filled in by the professionals (91%), 12 by doctors, and 9 by nurses. Their mean age was 43.9 (SD, 7.5), and 71.4% were women. For common questions, 54.3% of patients were keen on seeing the screen, while professionals calculated this figure at 11%. 5.6% of patients thought computerisation had changed the relationship, whereas 31.6% of professionals did. 12.6% of patients thought it had made the visit longer, whereas 38.1% of the professionals thought it had. 10.6% of patients and 47.4% of professionals thought it had led to loss of confidentiality. The introduction of computers into consultations was accepted well. Professionals were more worried than patients about possible loss of confidentiality, and thought that there had been bigger changes in the doctor-patient relationship and that visits had become longer.

Spanish version of the Thought-Action Fusion Questionnaire and its application in eating disorders

PubMed Central

Jáuregui-Lobera, I; Santed-Germán, Ma; Bolaños-Ríos, P; Garrido-Casals, O

2013-01-01

Purpose The aims of the study were to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Thought-Action Fusion Questionnaire (TAF-SP), as well as to determine its validity by evaluating the relationship of the TAF-SP to different instruments. Patients and methods Two groups were studied: one comprising 146 patients with eating disorders; and another a group of 200 students. Results Three factors were obtained: TAF–Moral; TAF–Likelihood-others; and TAF–Likelihood-oneself. The internal consistency of the TAF-SP was determined by means of Cronbach’s α coefficient, with values ranging between 0.84–0.95. The correlations with other instruments refected adequate validity. The three-factor structure was tested by means of a linear structural equation model, and the structure fit satisfactorily. Differences in TAF-SP scores between the diagnostic subgroups were also analyzed. Conclusion The TAF-SP meets the psychometric requirements for measuring thought-action fusion and shows adequate internal consistency and validity. PMID:24043960

Continuity of care through medical records--an explorative study on GPs' management considerations.

PubMed

Schers, Henk; van den Hoogen, Henk; Grol, Richard; van den Bosch, Wil

2006-06-01

The growing complexity of care with more professionals involved is a threat to the delivery of coherent and consistent care. Excellent exchange of information between professionals may be a way to maintain continuity of care. Relevant information to be passed over includes thoughts about future management for individual patients. To explore the nature of GPs' thoughts about future management, and to determine the extent to which such thoughts are actually recorded in medical records. Cross-sectional study of 5741 consultations. Thirty GPs from 17 practices in a region in the eastern part of The Netherlands. The GPs responded to an electronic questionnaire, directly after 200 successive consultations. The questionnaire included items on management considerations, consultation characteristics and personal continuity. We compared the data from the questionnaire to the actual recording of management considerations in the patient records. The GPs had management considerations in 66.4% of the consultations, involving mainly considerations about additional testing (15.5%), adjustment of medication (22.5%), alternative treatment plans (18.6%), possible referral (11.8%) and coping behaviour (18.0%). These considerations were seldom recorded in the electronic patient record; additional testing (3.0%) adjustment of medication (2.9%) and alternative treatment plans (4.1%). Surprisingly however, GPs rarely found that management considerations from earlier consultations were lacking in the medical record. GPs often have thoughts on how to deal with this patient, but hardly ever record such considerations. We recommend the development of tools that facilitate the recording of management considerations in electronic patient records.

Self-compassion moderates the perfectionism and depression link in both adolescence and adulthood.

PubMed

Ferrari, Madeleine; Yap, Keong; Scott, Nicole; Einstein, Danielle A; Ciarrochi, Joseph

2018-01-01

Psychological practitioners often seek to directly change the form or frequency of clients' maladaptive perfectionist thoughts, because such thoughts predict future depression. Indirect strategies, such as self-compassion interventions, that seek to change clients' relationships to difficult thoughts, rather than trying to change the thoughts directly could be just as effective. This study aimed to investigate whether self-compassion moderated, or weakened, the relationship between high perfectionism and high depression symptoms in both adolescence and adulthood. The present study utilised anonymous self-report questionnaires to assess maladaptive perfectionism, depression, and self-compassion across two samples covering much of the lifespan. Questionnaires were administered in a high school setting for the adolescent sample (Study 1, Mage = 14.1 years, n = 541), and advertised through university and widely online to attract a convenience sample of adults (Study 2, Mage = 25.22 years, n = 515). Moderation analyses revealed that self-compassion reduced the strength of relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depression in our adolescent Study 1 (β = -.15, p < .001, R2 = .021.) and our adult study 2 (β = -.14, p < .001, R2 = .020). Cross-sectional self-reported data restricts the application of causal conclusions and also relies on accurate self-awareness and willingness to respond to questionnaire openly. The replication of this finding in two samples and across different age-appropriate measures suggests that self-compassion does moderate the link between perfectionism and depression. Self-compassion interventions may be a useful way to undermine the effects of maladaptive perfectionism, but future experimental or intervention research is needed to fully assess this important possibility.

Thought-action fusion in individuals with OCD symptoms.

PubMed

Amir, N; Freshman, M; Ramsey, B; Neary, E; Brigidi, B

2001-07-01

Rachman (Rachman, S. (1993). Obsessions, responsibility, and guilt. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31, 149-154) suggested that patients with OCD may interpret thoughts as having special importance, thus experiencing thought-action fusion (TAF). Shafran, Thordarson and Rachman (Shafran, R., Thordarson, D. S. & Rachman, S. (1996). Thought-action fusion in obsessive compulsive disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 710, 379-391) developed a questionnaire (TAF) and found that obsessives scored higher than non-obsessives on the measure. In the current study, we modified the TAF to include a scale that assessed the "likelihood of events happening to others" as well as ratings of the responsibility and cost for having these thoughts. Replicating previous findings, we found that individuals with OC symptoms gave higher ratings to the likelihood of negative events happening as a result of their negative thoughts. Individuals with OC symptoms also rated the likelihood that they would prevent harm by their positive thoughts higher than did individuals without OC symptoms. These results suggest that the role of thought-action fusion in OCs may extend to exaggerated beliefs about thoughts regarding the reduction of harm.

A randomized controlled trial of the Cool Teens CD-ROM computerized program for adolescent anxiety.

PubMed

Wuthrich, Viviana M; Rapee, Ronald M; Cunningham, Michael J; Lyneham, Heidi J; Hudson, Jennifer L; Schniering, Carolyn A

2012-03-01

Computerized cognitive behavioral interventions for anxiety disorders in adults have been shown to be efficacious, but limited data are available on the use of computerized interventions with young persons. Adolescents in particular are difficult to engage in treatment and may be especially suited to computerized technologies. This paper describes the results of a small randomized controlled trial of the Cool Teens program for adolescent anxiety, and examines potential barriers to treatment and user preferences of computerized technology in this population. Forty-three adolescents with a primary diagnosis of anxiety were randomly allocated to the Cool Teens program, a 12-week computerized cognitive-behavioral therapy program for anxiety management, or a 12-week wait list. Effects on symptoms, negative thoughts, and life interference were assessed at post-treatment and 3-month follow-up, based on diagnosis as well as self and maternal report. Using mixed-model analyses, at post-treatment and follow-up assessments, adolescents in the Cool Teens condition, compared with those on the wait list, were found to have significant reductions in the total number of anxiety disorders, the severity of the primary anxiety disorder, and the average severity for all disorders. These results were matched by significant reductions in mother and child questionnaire reports of anxiety, internalizing symptoms, automatic thoughts, and life interference. Further few barriers to treatment were found, and user preferences indicated that the computerized treatment was well suited to adolescents with anxiety. The Cool Teens program is efficacious for treatment of adolescent anxiety. Clinical trial registration information-A randomized controlled trial of the Cool Teens computerized program for anxious adolescents compared with waist list; http://www.anzctr.org.au; ACTRN12611000508976. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Believability of Anxious Feelings and Thoughts Questionnaire (BAFT): A Psychometric Evaluation of Cognitive Fusion in a Nonclinical and Highly Anxious Community Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herzberg, Kristin N.; Sheppard, Sean C.; Forsyth, John P.; Crede, Marcus; Earleywine, Mitch; Eifert, Georg H.

2012-01-01

Cognitive fusion--or the tendency to buy into the literal meaning of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations--plays an important role in the etiology and maintenance of anxiety disorders and figures prominently in third-generation behavior therapies such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Nonetheless, there is a lack of validated…

[Food and beverages available in automatic food dispensers in health care facilities of the Portugal North Health Region].

PubMed

Rodrigues, Filipa Gomes; Ramos, Elisabete; Freitas, Mário; Neto, Maria

2010-01-01

Patients and health staff frequently need to stay in health care facilities for quite a long time. Therefore, it's necessary to create the conditions that allow the ingestion of food during those periods, namely through the existence of automatic food dispensers. However, the available food and beverages might not always be compatible with a healthy diet. The aim of this work was to evaluate if the food and beverages available in automatic food dispensers in public Ambulatory Care Facilities (ACF) and Hospitals of the Portugal North Health Region were contributing to a healthy diet, during the year of 2007. A questionnaire was elaborated and sent to the Coordinators of the Health Sub-Regions and to the Hospital Administrators. The questionnaire requested information about the existence of automatic food dispensers in the several departments of each health care facility, as well as which food and beverages were available and most sold. Afterwards, the pre-processing of the results involved the classification of the food and beverages in three categories: recommended, sometimes recommended and not recommended. The questionnaire reply ratio was 71% in ACF and 83% in Hospitals. Automatic food dispensers were available in all the Hospitals and 86.5% of ACF. It wasn't possible to acquire food in 37% of the health facility departments. These departments were all located in ACF. The more frequently available beverages in departments with automatic food dispensers were coffee, still water, tea, juices and nectars and soft drinks. Still water, coffee, yogurt, juices and nectars and soft drinks were reported as the most sold. The more frequently avaliable food items were chocolate, recommended cookies, not recommended cakes, recommended sandwiches and sometimes recommended croissants. The food items reported as being the most sold were recommended sandwiches, chocolate, recommended cookies, sometimes recommended croissants and not recommended cookies. The beverages in the recommended and sometimes recommended groups were the most frequently available and sold. The not recommended food items were reported as being the most available, while both the recommended and not recommended food items were equally reported as being the most sold. Results show that unhealthy food and beverages are widely available in public health care facilities of the Portugal North Health Region.

Connecting Lines of Research on Task Model Variables, Automatic Item Generation, and Learning Progressions in Game-Based Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graf, Edith Aurora

2014-01-01

In "How Task Features Impact Evidence from Assessments Embedded in Simulations and Games," Almond, Kim, Velasquez, and Shute have prepared a thought-provoking piece contrasting the roles of task model variables in a traditional assessment of mathematics word problems to their roles in "Newton's Playground," a game designed…

Automatic Activation of Phonological Templates for Native but Not Nonnative Phonemes: An Investigation of the Temporal Dynamics of Mu Activation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos-Oliveira, Daniela Cristina

2017-01-01

Models of speech perception suggest a dorsal stream connecting the temporal and inferior parietal lobe with the inferior frontal gyrus. This stream is thought to involve an auditory motor loop that translates acoustic information into motor/articulatory commands and is further influenced by decision making processes that involve maintenance of…

Decreased Load on General Motor Preparation and Visual-Working Memory while Preparing Familiar as Compared to Unfamiliar Movement Sequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Kleine, Elian; Van der Lubbe, Rob H. J.

2011-01-01

Learning movement sequences is thought to develop from an initial controlled attentive phase to a more automatic inattentive phase. Furthermore, execution of sequences becomes faster with practice, which may result from changes at a general motor processing level rather than at an effector specific motor processing level. In the current study, we…

Beliefs about inhaled corticosteroids: Comparison of community pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and patients with asthma.

PubMed

Driesenaar, Jeanine A; De Smet, Peter A G M; van Hulten, Rolf; Horne, Rob; Zwikker, Hanneke; van den Bemt, Bart; van Dulmen, Sandra

2016-12-01

To compare pharmacists' and pharmacy technicians' perceptions of patients' beliefs regarding inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) with those of patients and to compare the ICS beliefs of pharmacists and technicians with those of patients with asthma. 1269 community pharmacies were approached to fill out an online questionnaire; 1952 patients were sent a questionnaire by post. Beliefs (i.e., necessity and concerns) regarding ICS were measured using (an adapted version of) the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ-specific). Pharmacists and technicians were instructed to fill out the BMQ for themselves, and to fill it out in the way they thought most of their patients would complete it. 136 pharmacists, 90 pharmacy technicians and 161 patients with asthma completed the questionnaire. Pharmacists and technicians thought patients had more concerns about ICS than patients themselves reported (p < 0.0001). They also thought that patients had stronger beliefs in their personal need for ICS than patients reported (p < 0.01). Pharmacists reported lower levels of concerns than patients (p < 0.05) and both providers attributed a higher level of necessity to ICS than patients did (p < 0.0001). Pharmacists and technicians overestimate the personal need for treatment as well as the concerns patients with asthma have regarding ICS. They also have, to some extent, stronger positive beliefs about ICS than patients. If pharmacists and technicians expect that patients share their positive views about ICS, they might be less likely to elicit and address patients' doubts and concerns about ICS, which might be relevant for effective ICS treatment and subsequent patient outcomes.

A survey of selected aviators' perceptions regarding Army crew endurance guidelines.

PubMed

Caldwell, J A; Caldwell, J L; Hartnett, T C

1995-01-01

A 59-item questionnaire was administered to Army helicopter pilots from a variety of Army units to assess crew endurance issues. Analysis of 653 completed questionnaires indicated that respondents felt that the maintenance of aviator proficiency was more important than the fulfillment of only currency requirements in improving flight endurance. Approximately three-quarters of the respondents said that physical training was important to them personally, and 63% said that improved physical fitness reduces flight-related fatigue. With regard to the current crew endurance guide, only 1% of the respondents thought that the guide was exceptional and 65% said that they thought it should be rewritten. Adjustments were suggested for some of the recommended flight time limitations, to include liberalizing the factor associated with night-vision device flight. A majority of respondents indicated that data from either in-flight endurance evaluations or questionnaires administered to personnel in the field should be used to develop a new guide. Most respondents did not feel comfortable delegating responsibility for total crew endurance planning to unit commanders.

Self-compassion moderates the perfectionism and depression link in both adolescence and adulthood

PubMed Central

Yap, Keong; Scott, Nicole; Einstein, Danielle A.; Ciarrochi, Joseph

2018-01-01

Background Psychological practitioners often seek to directly change the form or frequency of clients’ maladaptive perfectionist thoughts, because such thoughts predict future depression. Indirect strategies, such as self-compassion interventions, that seek to change clients’ relationships to difficult thoughts, rather than trying to change the thoughts directly could be just as effective. This study aimed to investigate whether self-compassion moderated, or weakened, the relationship between high perfectionism and high depression symptoms in both adolescence and adulthood. Methods The present study utilised anonymous self-report questionnaires to assess maladaptive perfectionism, depression, and self-compassion across two samples covering much of the lifespan. Questionnaires were administered in a high school setting for the adolescent sample (Study 1, Mage = 14.1 years, n = 541), and advertised through university and widely online to attract a convenience sample of adults (Study 2, Mage = 25.22 years, n = 515). Results Moderation analyses revealed that self-compassion reduced the strength of relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depression in our adolescent Study 1 (β = -.15, p < .001, R2 = .021.) and our adult study 2 (β = -.14, p < .001, R2 = .020). Limitations Cross-sectional self-reported data restricts the application of causal conclusions and also relies on accurate self-awareness and willingness to respond to questionnaire openly. Conclusions The replication of this finding in two samples and across different age-appropriate measures suggests that self-compassion does moderate the link between perfectionism and depression. Self-compassion interventions may be a useful way to undermine the effects of maladaptive perfectionism, but future experimental or intervention research is needed to fully assess this important possibility. PMID:29466452

Long-term clinical evaluation of the automatic stance-phase lock-controlled prosthetic knee joint in young adults with unilateral above-knee amputation.

PubMed

Andrysek, Jan; Wright, F Virginia; Rotter, Karin; Garcia, Daniela; Valdebenito, Rebeca; Mitchell, Carlos Alvarez; Rozbaczylo, Claudio; Cubillos, Rafael

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to clinically evaluate the automatic stance-phase lock (ASPL) knee mechanism against participants' existing weight-activated braking (WAB) prosthetic knee joint. This prospective crossover study involved 10 young adults with an above-knee amputation. Primary measurements consisted of tests of walking speeds and capacity. Heart rate was measured during the six-minute walk test and the Physiological Cost Index (PCI) which was calculated from heart rate estimated energy expenditure. Activity was measured with a pedometer. User function and quality of life were assessed using the Lower Limb Function Questionnaire (LLFQ) and Prosthetic Evaluation Questionnaire (PEQ). Long-term follow-up over 12 months were completed. Walking speeds were the same for WAB and APSL knees. Energy expenditure (PCI) was lower for the ASPL knees (p = 0.007). Step counts were the same for both knees, and questionnaires indicated ASPL knee preference attributed primarily to knee stability and improved walking, while limitations included terminal impact noise. Nine of 10 participants chose to keep using the ASPL knee as part of the long-term follow-up. Potential benefits of the ASPL knee were identified in this study by functional measures, questionnaires and user feedback, but not changes in activity or the PEQ.

The experiences of undergraduate nursing students with bots in Second LifeRTM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rose, Lesele H.

As technology continues to transform education from the status quo of traditional lecture-style instruction to an interactive engaging learning experience, students' experiences within the learning environment continues to change as well. This dissertation addressed the need for continuing research in advancing implementation of technology in higher education. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover more about the experiences of undergraduate nursing students using standardized geriatric evaluation tools when interacting with scripted geriatric patient bots tools in a simulated instructional intake setting. Data was collected through a Demographics questionnaire, an Experiential questionnaire, and a Reflection questionnaire. Triangulation of data collection occurred through an automatically created log of the interactions with the two bots, and by an automatically recorded log of the participants' movements while in the simulated geriatric intake interview. The data analysis consisted of an iterative review of the questionnaires and the participants' logs in an effort to identify common themes, recurring comments, and issues which would benefit from further exploration. Findings revealed that the interactions with the bots were perceived as a valuable experience for the participants from the perspective of interacting with the Geriatric Evaluation Tools in the role of an intake nurse. Further research is indicated to explore instructional interactions with bots in effectively mastering the use of established Geriatric Evaluation Tools.

A Study on the Level of the First Aid Knowledge of Educators Working in Preschools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dincer, Caglayan; Atakurt, Yildir; Simsek, Isil

This questionnaire study examined the level of knowledge of first aid of 138 educators in private and state preschools in Turkey. Questionnaires were completed by educators between May and July 1997. The findings indicated that about 17 percent of the educators thought that they had sufficient first aid knowledge, with 62 percent indicating that…

Suicidal ideation among patients with Behçet's syndrome.

PubMed

Saygin, Caner; Uzunaslan, Didem; Hatemi, Gulen; Hamuryudan, Vedat

2015-01-01

To evaluate the frequency of suicidal ideation among Behçet's syndrome (BS) patients compared to healthy and diseased controls and to delineate possible factors predicting an increase in suicidal ideation. We included consecutive BS patients attending our outpatient clinic, patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and healthy hospital staff as controls. Suicidal ideation was assessed by a standard questionnaire. Linear regression was used to identify the factors associated with suicidal ideation, such as demographic and clinical features, drugs, disease activity assessed using the Behçet's disease current activity form (BDCAF) for BS patients and BASDAI for AS patients, Behçet's disease quality of life (BDQoL) and Beck depression inventory (BDI) score. We surveyed 303 BS patients, 52 AS patients and 106 healthy controls. Suicidal thoughts, as reflected by a positive response to the first three items of the questionnaire, were higher among BS patients with major organ involvement (42%) than those with mucocutaneous involvement (35%) and the control groups. There were significantly more BS patients with active major organ involvement who had thought to terminate their lives without plans within the last year (25.5%) compared to those with active mucocutaneous involvement (8.7%) and active AS patients (10%) (p=0.012). Patient-reported joint pain (β=-0.155, p=0.046), BDQoL (β=0.176, p=0.032), and BDI (β=0.017, p<0.0001) scores, suicidal thoughts before the onset of BS (β=-0.124, p=0.043), neurologic involvement (β=0.119, p=0.047) and past prednisone use (β=0.212, p=0.005) were independent predictors of suicidal thoughts. BS patients with major organ involvement have increased thoughts of suicide during the active stages of their disease. A number of risk factors could help physicians to identify patients with increased suicidal thoughts.

Changes in Cognitive-Behavioral Constructs Across Treatment Modalities for Seasonal Affective Disorder: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Light Therapy, and their Combination

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

increased appetite (including cravings for complex carbohydrates and sugars; Kasper et al., 1989). Within the recurrent depressed population...individuals’ rate of engagement in pleasant activities through three interpersonal styles of interaction : assertion, interpersonal style of expressive...degree of change on automatic thoughts. This hypothesized pattern of findings would produce a significant Group X Occasion interaction

Executive Functions and Motivation as Moderators of the Relationship Between Automatic Associations and Alcohol Use in Problem Drinkers Seeking Online Help.

PubMed

van Deursen, Denise S; Salemink, Elske; Boendermaker, Wouter J; Pronk, Thomas; Hofmann, Wilhelm; Wiers, Reinout W

2015-09-01

Dual process models posit that problem drinking is maintained by an imbalance between relatively strong automatic processes and weak controlled processes, a combination of executive functions and motivation. Few studies have examined how the interplay between automatic processes and executive functions is affected by motivation to change. This study examined this relationship in problem drinkers seeking online help to change their alcohol use. It was expected that executive functions (i.e., working memory, response inhibition) would moderate the relationship between automatic (valence and approach) associations and alcohol use and that this effect would be stronger in individuals with strong motivation to change. A sample of 302 problem drinkers (mean age: 51.7 years) participated in this study as part of the baseline assessment before an Internet intervention. Participants completed an online version of the brief Implicit Association Test (valence and approach associations), the self-ordered pointing task (working memory), the Stroop task (response inhibition), the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (motivation to change), and the Timeline Follow-Back Questionnaire (alcohol use). Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was used to test the 4 hypothesized 3-way interactions. As expected, the interaction between valence associations and working memory only predicted alcohol use among individuals with strong motivation. This pattern was neither found for response inhibition nor for approach associations. Results provide partial support for the moderating role of motivation in the interplay between automatic processes and executive functions. Future studies should investigate this relationship in participants with the full range of motivation and alcohol use. Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Want, need and habit as drivers of smoking behaviour: A preliminary analysis.

PubMed

Wehbe, Luis; Ubhi, Harveen Kaur; West, Robert

2018-01-01

Models of tobacco smoking behaviour propose that anticipated pleasure or satisfaction, the need to alleviate a nicotine-induced drive state and a stimulus-driven impulse potentially play an important role. This study aimed to provide a preliminary assessment of how far urges to smoke are reported by smokers and whether the strength of such urges prior to a quit attempt predicts short-term success at quitting. In a prospective study, 566 smokers attending a treatment programme to help smokers quit completed a written questionnaire covering frequency of different types of urge to smoke (automatic impulse - 'automatic urges', anticipated pleasure - 'pleasure urges', and fulfilling a need - 'need urges'). They were asked to rate this for whichever of these urges was dominant for them. The questionnaire also assessed daily cigarette consumption, time to first cigarette of the day, age and gender. Carbon monoxide verified smoking status was recorded at 1 and 4weeks after the target quit date. A total of 47.9% (271) of smokers reported that automatic urges were dominant, 21.7% (123) reported pleasure urges to be dominant, and 30.4% (172) reported need urges to be dominant. The strength of automatic urges predicted abstinence at both 1week (OR=0.74, p=0.005, 95%CI=0.60-0.92) and 4weeks (OR=0.73, p=0.008, 95%CI=0.59-0.92). Associations between other urge types and abstinence were not statistically significant. A substantial proportion of smokers attending a clinic for help with quitting report that their dominant urges to smoke occur without any anticipation of pleasure or relief and the strength of the automatic urges predicts failure to sustain abstinence following a quit attempt. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Eating-related Intrusive Thoughts Inventory: exploring the dimensionality of eating disorder symptoms.

PubMed

Perpiñá, Conxa; Roncero, María; Belloch, Amparo; Sánchez-Reales, Sergio

2011-08-01

The aims of this study were, first, to examine the structure and validity of the Eating-related Intrusive Thoughts Inventory (INPIAS), a self-report questionnaire designed to assess eating disorders related to intrusive thoughts (EDITs), and second, to explore the existence of a continuum ranging from normal to abnormal thought intrusions related to eating, weight, and shape. Participants were 574 (408 women) nonclinical community individuals. Analyses revealed that EDITs can be clustered into three sets: appearance-dieting, need to exercise, and thoughts-impulses related to eating disorders. EDITs' consequences showed a two-factor structure: emotional consequences/personal meaning and thought-action fusion responsibility; and four factors of strategies: "anxiety," suppression, obsessive-compulsive rituals, and distraction. The sample was then divided according to reported restrained eating. The High dietary restraint group reported a higher frequency of EDITs, whereas differences in the other factors were mediated by depression, anxiety, and obsessionality. The results suggest that eating disorder-related cognitions are experienced by nonclinical individuals, and distributed on a continuum.

Word reading practice reduces Stroop interference in children.

PubMed

Protopapas, Athanassios; Vlahou, Eleni L; Moirou, Despoina; Ziaka, Laoura

2014-05-01

Stroop interference is thought to index reading automaticity and is expected to increase with reading practice and to decrease with improved color naming. We investigated the effects of practice in word reading and color naming on interference in 92 adults and 109 children in Grades 4-5. For children, interference was reduced after reading practice with color words. In neither group was interference affected by practice in color naming of neutral stimuli. These findings are consistent with a direct negative relationship between reading ability and interference and challenge the automaticity account in favor of a blocking mechanism whereby interference is determined by the delay to inhibit the reading response rather than by the efficiency of color naming. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recruitment in Radiotherapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deeley, T. J.; And Others

1976-01-01

The Faculty Board of Radiotherapy and Oncology of the Royal College of Radiobiologists surveyed the factors thought to influence recruitment into the specialty. Possible factors listed in replies of 36 questionnaires are offered. (LBH)

An exploration of negative thoughts as a normal phenomenon after childbirth.

PubMed

Hall, Pauline L; Wittkowski, Anja

2006-01-01

The period following the birth of a child brings many transitions into a woman's life, which can effect major psychological and social changes, including feelings of loss. If new mothers experience negative thoughts at this time, when societal expectations are of happiness, this may lead to feelings of unacceptability and guilt. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of negative thoughts after childbirth in nondepressed mothers. Following the identification of negative thoughts experienced by women who had suffered postnatal depression, a quantitative survey was conducted, which asked nondepressed mothers to indicate how often they experienced the negative thoughts or images identified by depressed mothers. One hundred and fifty-eight returned questionnaire packs were included in the analyses. The 158 nondepressed mothers acknowledged experiencing all but one of the 54 negative cognitions. Negative cognitions usually associated with postnatal depression are also experienced by mothers who are not considered depressed. This information provides evidence for reassuring new mothers that negative thoughts after childbirth are common. This, in turn, may help to reduce feelings of guilt associated with experiencing negative thoughts in the postpartum period.

Functional relationships among monitoring performance: Subjective report of thought process and compromising states of awareness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, Frederick

1995-01-01

A biocybernetic system for use in adaptive automation was evaluated using EEG indices based on the beta, alpha, and theta bandwidths. Subjects performed a compensatory tracking task while their EEG was recorded and one of three engagement indices was derived: beta/(alpha + theta), beta/alpha, or 1/alpha. The task was switched between manual and automatic modes as a function of the subjects' level of engagement and whether they were under a positive or negative feedback condition. It was hypothesized that negative feedback would produce more switches between manual and automatic modes, and that the beta/(alpha + theta) index would produce the strongest effect. The results confirmed these hypotheses. There were no systematic changes in these effects over three 16-minute trials. Tracking performance was found to be better under negative feedback. An analysis of the different EEG bands under positive and negative feedback in manual and automatic modes found more beta power in the positive feedback/manual condition and less in the positive feedback/automatic condition. The opposite effect was observed for alpha and theta power. The implications of biocybernetic systems for adaptive automation are discussed.

Normal and obsessional jealousy: a study of a population of young adults.

PubMed

Marazziti, Donatella; Di Nasso, Elena; Masala, Irene; Baroni, Stefano; Abelli, Marianna; Mengali, Francesco; Mungai, Francesco; Rucci, Paola

2003-05-01

Jealousy is a heterogenous emotion ranging from normality to pathology. Several problems still exist in the distinction between normal and pathological jealousy. With the present study, we aimed to contribute to the definition of the boundary between obsessional and normal jealousy by means of a specific self-report questionnaire developed by us. The questionnaire called "Questionnaire on the Affective Relationships" (QAR) and consisting of 30 items, was administered to 400 university students of both sexes and to 14 outpatients affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) whose main obsession was jealousy. The total scores and single items were analysed and compared. Two hundred and forty-five, approximately 61% of the questionnaires, were returned. The statistical analyses showed that patients with OCD had higher total scores than healthy subjects; in addition, it was possible to identify an intermediate group of subjects, corresponding to 10% of the total, who were concerned by jealousy thoughts around the partner, but at a lower degree than patients, and that we called "healthy jealous subjects" because they had no other psychopathological trait. Significant differences were also observed for single items in the three groups. Our study showed that 10% of a population of university students, albeit normal, have jealousy thoughts around the partner, as emerged by the specific questionnaire developed by us. This instrument permitted to clearly distinguish these subjects from patients with OCD and healthy subjects with no jealousy concern.

Public knowledge of how to use an automatic external defibrillator in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Fan, K L; Leung, L P; Poon, H T; Chiu, H Y; Liu, H L; Tang, W Y

2016-12-01

The survival rate of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Hong Kong is low. A long delay between collapse and defibrillation is a contributing factor. Public access to defibrillation may shorten this delay. It is unknown, however, whether Hong Kong's public is willing or able to use an automatic external defibrillator. This study aimed to evaluate public knowledge of how to use an automatic external defibrillator in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. A face-to-face semi-structured questionnaire survey of the public was conducted in six locations with a high pedestrian flow in Hong Kong. In this study, 401 members of the public were interviewed. Most had no training in first aid (65.8%) or in use of an automatic external defibrillator (85.3%). Nearly all (96.5%) would call for help for a victim of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest but only 18.0% would use an automatic external defibrillator. Public knowledge of automatic external defibrillator use was low: 77.6% did not know the location of an automatic external defibrillator in the vicinity of their home or workplace. People who had ever been trained in both first aid and use of an automatic external defibrillator were more likely to respond to and help a victim of cardiac arrest, and to use an automatic external defibrillator. Public knowledge of automatic external defibrillator use is low in Hong Kong. A combination of training in first aid and in the use of an automatic external defibrillator is better than either one alone.

Why love has wings and sex has not: how reminders of love and sex influence creative and analytic thinking.

PubMed

Förster, Jens; Epstude, Kai; Ozelsel, Amina

2009-11-01

This article examines cognitive links between romantic love and creativity and between sexual desire and analytic thought based on construal level theory. It suggests that when in love, people typically focus on a long-term perspective, which should enhance holistic thinking and thereby creative thought, whereas when experiencing sexual encounters, they focus on the present and on concrete details enhancing analytic thinking. Because people automatically activate these processing styles when in love or when they experience sex, subtle or even unconscious reminders of love versus sex should suffice to change processing modes. Two studies explicitly or subtly reminded participants of situations of love or sex and found support for this hypothesis.

Angry thoughts in Spanish drivers and their relationship with crash-related events. The mediation effect of aggressive and risky driving.

PubMed

Herrero-Fernández, David; Fonseca-Baeza, Sara

2017-09-01

Several studies have related aggressive and risky driving behaviours to accidents. However, the cognitive processes associated with driving aggression have received very little attention in the scientific literature. With the aim of shedding light on this topic, the present research was carried out on a sample of 414 participants in order to validate the Driver's Angry Thoughts Questionnaire (DATQ) with a sample of Spanish drivers and to test the hypothesis of the mediation effect of aggressive and risky driving on the relationship between drivers' angry thoughts and crash-related events. The results showed a good fit with the five-factor model of the questionnaire (Judgmental and Disbelieving Thinking, Pejorative Labelling and Verbally Aggressive Thinking, Revenge and Retaliatory Thinking, Physically Aggressive Thinking, and Coping Self-Instruction). Moreover, slight gender differences were observed in drivers' angry thoughts, with women scoring higher than men (η 2 =0.03). However, younger drivers had higher scores than older drivers in general (η 2 =0.06). Finally, several mediation effects of aggressive driving and risky driving on the relationship between aggressive thinking and the crash-related events were found. Implications of the results for research in traffic psychology and clinical assessment of aggressive drivers as well as limitations of the study are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Trust in the care relationship].

PubMed

Sureau, Patrick

2018-04-01

A relationship of trust is an expression often used by caregivers, to such an extent that it almost seems self-evident. It is nevertheless important to give some thought to this aspect in order to construct a reliable, authentic and ethical care relationship. Indeed, trust is not automatic. It requires reciprocity, a deliberate choice on the part of the caregiver and the patient. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Beyond lesbian bed death: enhancing our understanding of the sexuality of sexual-minority women in relationships.

PubMed

Cohen, Jacqueline N; Byers, E Sandra

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to characterize the sexuality of sexual-minority (i.e., lesbian, bisexual, queer, unlabeled, questioning) women. Participants were 586 women (87% White) in a same-sex relationship of 1 to 36 years in duration. They completed measures assessing their sexual behavior (frequency of nongenital and genital sexual activities), motivation (sexual desire), and cognitive-affective responses (sexual satisfaction, sexual esteem, sexual anxiety, negative automatic thoughts). On average, the women reported experiencing their sexuality positively across all domains. Regardless of relationship duration, most of the women reported engaging in both genital and nongenital sexual behaviors with their partner once a week or more; few reported that they had not engaged in sexual activity in the previous month. A multiple regression analysis indicated that frequency of genital sexual activity, sexual desire, sexual anxiety, and automatic thoughts contributed uniquely to the prediction of sexual satisfaction over and above the other sexuality variables. The findings are discussed in terms of the idea that lesbians have sex less frequently than other couple types and that sexual frequency declines rapidly in lesbian relationships (i.e., "lesbian bed death") and descriptions of sexual-minority women's sexuality that suggest that genital sexual activity is not important to sexual satisfaction.

Two sources of evidence on the non-automaticity of true and false belief ascription.

PubMed

Back, Elisa; Apperly, Ian A

2010-04-01

A recent study by Apperly et al. (2006) found evidence that adults do not automatically infer false beliefs while watching videos that afford such inferences. This method was extended to examine true beliefs, which are sometimes thought to be ascribed by "default" (e.g., Leslie & Thaiss, 1992). Sequences of pictures were presented in which the location of an object and a character's belief about the location of the object often changed. During the picture sequences participants responded to an unpredictable probe picture about where the character believed the object to be located or where the object was located in reality. In Experiment 1 participants were not directly instructed to track the character's beliefs about the object. There was a significant reaction time cost for belief probes compared with matched reality probes, whether the character's belief was true or false. In Experiment 2, participants were asked to track where the character thought the object was located, responses to belief probes were faster than responses to reality probes, suggesting that the difference observed in Experiment 1 was not due to intrinsic differences between the probes, but was more likely to be due to participants inferring beliefs ad hoc in response to the probe. In both Experiments 1 and 2, responses to belief and reality probes were faster in the true belief condition than in the false belief condition. In Experiment 3 this difference was largely eliminated when participants had fewer reasons to make belief inferences spontaneously. These two lines of evidence are neatly explained by the proposition that neither true nor false beliefs are ascribed automatically, but that belief ascription may occur spontaneously in response to task demands. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The CMIP5 Model Documentation Questionnaire: Development of a Metadata Retrieval System for the METAFOR Common Information Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascoe, Charlotte; Lawrence, Bryan; Moine, Marie-Pierre; Ford, Rupert; Devine, Gerry

2010-05-01

The EU METAFOR Project (http://metaforclimate.eu) has created a web-based model documentation questionnaire to collect metadata from the modelling groups that are running simulations in support of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project - 5 (CMIP5). The CMIP5 model documentation questionnaire will retrieve information about the details of the models used, how the simulations were carried out, how the simulations conformed to the CMIP5 experiment requirements and details of the hardware used to perform the simulations. The metadata collected by the CMIP5 questionnaire will allow CMIP5 data to be compared in a scientifically meaningful way. This paper describes the life-cycle of the CMIP5 questionnaire development which starts with relatively unstructured input from domain specialists and ends with formal XML documents that comply with the METAFOR Common Information Model (CIM). Each development step is associated with a specific tool. (1) Mind maps are used to capture information requirements from domain experts and build a controlled vocabulary, (2) a python parser processes the XML files generated by the mind maps, (3) Django (python) is used to generate the dynamic structure and content of the web based questionnaire from processed xml and the METAFOR CIM, (4) Python parsers ensure that information entered into the CMIP5 questionnaire is output as CIM compliant xml, (5) CIM compliant output allows automatic information capture tools to harvest questionnaire content into databases such as the Earth System Grid (ESG) metadata catalogue. This paper will focus on how Django (python) and XML input files are used to generate the structure and content of the CMIP5 questionnaire. It will also address how the choice of development tools listed above provided a framework that enabled working scientists (who we would never ordinarily get to interact with UML and XML) to be part the iterative development process and ensure that the CMIP5 model documentation questionnaire reflects what scientists want to know about the models. Keywords: metadata, CMIP5, automatic information capture, tool development

Automatic evaluations and exercise setting preference in frequent exercisers.

PubMed

Antoniewicz, Franziska; Brand, Ralf

2014-12-01

The goals of this study were to test whether exercise-related stimuli can elicit automatic evaluative responses and whether automatic evaluations reflect exercise setting preference in highly active exercisers. An adapted version of the Affect Misattribution Procedure was employed. Seventy-two highly active exercisers (26 years ± 9.03; 43% female) were subliminally primed (7 ms) with pictures depicting typical fitness center scenarios or gray rectangles (control primes). After each prime, participants consciously evaluated the "pleasantness" of a Chinese symbol. Controlled evaluations were measured with a questionnaire and were more positive in participants who regularly visited fitness centers than in those who reported avoiding this exercise setting. Only center exercisers gave automatic positive evaluations of the fitness center setting (partial eta squared = .08). It is proposed that a subliminal Affect Misattribution Procedure paradigm can elicit automatic evaluations to exercising and that, in highly active exercisers, these evaluations play a role in decisions about the exercise setting rather than the amounts of physical exercise. Findings are interpreted in terms of a dual systems theory of social information processing and behavior.

Office Requirements in the Portland Standard Metropolitan Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Leonard

1975-01-01

The findings evolved from questionnaires received from 204 firms pertaining to needed skills in spelling, typewriting, automatic typewriting, calculating machines, transcription machines, shorthand, and work processing, as well as to attributes of job attendance, cooperation, courtesy, telephone personality and appearance. (Author)

Nurses who work in general medical practices: a Victorian survey.

PubMed

Bonawit, V; Watson, L

1996-01-01

A questionnaire survey of 452 general medical practices in Victoria attracted responses from 277 practices, many of which did not employ nurses. The 93 respondents from 85 practices who were nurses reported that they enjoyed flexible working hours and stable employment. While their main reason for working in GPs' rooms was convenience, the most important aspect of their work was interaction with patients and fellow workers. Sixtyseven percent of nurses thought continuing education in specific skills was necessary for their work, 43% thought a post-registration qualification in community health nursing would be desirable and 47% thought a special interest group of nurses working in medical practices would be useful.

Attitudes and feelings towards menstruation and womanhood in girls at menarche.

PubMed

Rembeck, Gun I; Möller, Margareta; Gunnarsson, Ronny K

2006-06-01

To elucidate early adolescent girls' attitudes, thoughts and feelings towards menstruation and their bodies. 309 12-y-old girls answered questionnaires. One part of the questionnaire dealt with thoughts and feelings towards menstruation. The other part dealt with thoughts and feelings towards menstruation and sex and ability to communicate on aspects of womanhood. Postmenarcheal girls were less positive towards menstruation than premenarcheal girls (p = 1 x 10(-6)). Many girls (43%) did not reaffirm the statement "I like my body" and almost one quarter stated being teased for their appearance. Many of the girls claimed that they had been called "cunt" (38%) or "whore" (46%). If called "cunt" or "whore", 17% stated that they felt alone, 76% felt anger and 50% were offended. Mothers were those with whom girls could most easily "chat" about their period. Sixty-seven per cent received information about menstruation from school nurses. Wanting to be an adult and liking that their body develops seem to be associated with a more positive feeling towards menstruation. Furthermore, mothers' timing and ability to communicate attitudes towards menstruation and the body are as important as those in a girl's immediate environment.

Dreaming and personality: Wake-dream continuity, thought suppression, and the Big Five Inventory.

PubMed

Malinowski, Josie E

2015-12-15

Studies have found relationships between dream content and personality traits, but there are still many traits that have been underexplored or have had questionable conclusions drawn about them. Experimental work has found a 'rebound' effect in dreams when thoughts are suppressed prior to sleep, but the effect of trait thought suppression on dream content has not yet been researched. In the present study participants (N=106) reported their Most Recent Dream, answered questions about the content of the dream, and completed questionnaires measuring trait thought suppression and the 'Big Five' personality traits. Of these, 83 were suitably recent for analyses. A significant positive correlation was found between trait thought suppression and participants' ratings of dreaming of waking-life emotions, and high suppressors reported dreaming more of their waking-life emotions than low suppressors did. The results may lend support to the compensation theory of dreams, and/or the ironic process theory of mental control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Procrastination as a Self-Regulation Failure: The Role of Impulsivity and Intrusive Thoughts.

PubMed

Rebetez, Marie My Lien; Rochat, Lucien; Barsics, Catherine; Van der Linden, Martial

2018-02-01

Procrastination has been described as the quintessence of self-regulatory failure. This study examines the relationships between this self-regulatory failure and other manifestations of self-regulation problems, namely impulsivity and intrusive thoughts. One hundred and forty-one participants completed questionnaires assessing procrastination, impulsivity (in particular, the urgency and lack of perseverance dimensions), and intrusive thoughts (i.e., rumination and daydreaming). Main results show that urgency mediated the association between rumination and procrastination, whereas rumination did not mediate the relation between urgency and procrastination. Lack of perseverance mediated the association between daydreaming and procrastination, and daydreaming mediated the relation between lack of perseverance and procrastination. This study highlights the role of impulsivity and intrusive thoughts in procrastination, specifies the links between these self-regulation problems, and provides insights into their (potential) underlying mechanisms. It also opens interesting prospects for management strategies for implementing targeted psychological interventions to reduce impulsive manifestations and/or thought control difficulties accompanying procrastination.

Performance of a Working Face Recognition Machine using Cortical Thought Theory

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-04

been considered (2). Recommendations from Bledsoe’s study included research on facial - recognition systems that are "completely automatic (remove the...C. L. Location of some facial features . computer, Palo Alto: Panoramic Research, Aug 1966. 2. Bledsoe, W. W. Man-machine facial recognition : Is...34 image?" It would seem - that the location and size of the features left in this contrast-expanded image contain the essential information of facial

Effects of Social Desirability Bias on Self-Report and Non Self-Report Assessments During Smoking Cessation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-30

measures assess automatic cognitions , both of which should be outside the conscious control of the participant. Therefore, examining these types of...Self-reported Attitudes and Cognitions Research also suggests that SDR can have a significant effect on self- reported attitudes and thoughts...particularly ones which are driven by social approval. SDR has been reported to be associated with self-reported attitudes and cognitions , such as craving

Think the thought, walk the walk - social priming reduces the Stroop effect.

PubMed

Goldfarb, Liat; Aisenberg, Daniela; Henik, Avishai

2011-02-01

In the Stroop task, participants name the color of the ink that a color word is written in and ignore the meaning of the word. Naming the color of an incongruent color word (e.g., RED printed in blue) is slower than naming the color of a congruent color word (e.g., RED printed in red). This robust effect is known as the Stroop effect and it suggests that the intentional instruction - "do not read the word" - has limited influence on one's behavior, as word reading is being executed via an automatic path. Herein is examined the influence of a non-intentional instruction - "do not read the word" - on the Stroop effect. Social concept priming tends to trigger automatic behavior that is in line with the primed concept. Here participants were primed with the social concept "dyslexia" before performing the Stroop task. Because dyslectic people are perceived as having reading difficulties, the Stroop effect was reduced and even failed to reach significance after the dyslectic person priming. A similar effect was replicated in a further experiment, and overall it suggests that the human cognitive system has more success in decreasing the influence of another automatic process via an automatic path rather than via an intentional path. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Employment loss during economic crisis and suicidal thoughts in Belgium: a survey in general practice

PubMed Central

Vanderoost, Filip; van der Wielen, Susan; van Nunen, Karolien; Van Hal, Guido

2013-01-01

Background The economic crisis of 2009 led to a wave of corporate reorganisations and bankruptcies, with many dismissals of employees. GPs were confronted with subsequent health consequences. Aim To assess the possible relationship between losing one’s job and having suicidal thoughts. Design and setting A survey of patients aged 18–49 years recruited from GP practices in Belgium in Deurne (Flemish region) and La Louvière (Walloon region) from September to December 2010. Method Anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Results Of all eligible patients (n = 1818), 831 were offered the questionnaire and 377 completed it (45.4%). More than one in five had been confronted with employment loss in the past year (the responder or someone close losing their job). Almost one in ten had lost their job themselves in the past year. More than one in four had experienced suicidal thoughts and 11.7% had seriously considered ending their life in the past year. In the logistic regression analysis, the following characteristics showed a statistically significant relationship with having suicidal thoughts: being single (odds ratio [OR] = 4.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7 to 13.8), not having satisfying social contacts (OR = 5.1, 95% CI = 1.6 to 16.2), having depressive complaints (OR = 18.4, 95% CI = 5.8 to 58.4), and having lost one’s employment in the past year (OR = 8.8, 95% CI = 2.0 to 39.3). Conclusion This study points to a statistically significant relationship between losing one’s employment in the past year and having suicidal thoughts. It emphasises the important role of the GP in the continuous and reinforced assessment of suicidal risk in times of recession. PMID:24152484

Factors influencing help seeking in mentally distressed young adults: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed Central

Biddle, Lucy; Gunnell, David; Sharp, Debbie; Donovan, Jenny L

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: Young adults, especially men, are among those least likely to consult healthcare professionals when mentally distressed or suicidal. AIMS: To investigate the help-seeking behaviours of mentally distressed young adults. Design of study: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Bristol and surrounding areas, including inner-city, suburban and urban locations. METHOD: A questionnaire was sent to a sample of 3004 young adults aged 16-24 years. This assessed probable mental disorder (using the 12-item general health questionnaire [GHQ-12]), suicidal thoughts (GHQ-28 suicide subscale), and help-seeking behaviours. RESULTS: Most responders who were assessed as having probable mental disorders (GHQ "cases") had not sought help. Help seeking was more common in female GHQ cases than male cases (34.8% and 21.8%,respectively; P = 0.003) and women with suicidal thoughts more commonly sought help than men with suicidal thoughts (41.6% and 30.9%, respectively; P = 0.15). Small proportions of male and female GHQ cases (7.5% and 8.9%, respectively; P = 0.6), and less than one in five responders with suicidal thoughts, had consulted a general practitioner. In more female than male cases, help was sought from family and friends (30.7% and 18.4%, respectively; P = 0.004). GHQ score was the strongest predictor of help seeking. Men had a higher threshold of severity at which they would seek help than women. Recent experience of suicidal thoughts appeared to be a stronger predictor of formal help seeking in mentally distressed women than mentally distressed men. CONCLUSION: Distressed young adults are reluctant to seek help. Men are particularly unlikely to do so unless severely distressed and tend not to seek lay support. Sex differences in help seeking may be important in understanding the high suicide rate for men. PMID:15113490

Food cravings in everyday life: An EMA study on snack-related thoughts, cravings, and consumption.

PubMed

Richard, Anna; Meule, Adrian; Reichenberger, Julia; Blechert, Jens

2017-06-01

Food craving refers to an intense desire to consume a specific food and is regularly experienced by the majority of individuals. Yet, there are interindividual differences in the frequency and intensity of food craving experiences, which is often referred to as trait food craving. The characteristics and consequences of trait and state food craving have mainly been investigated in questionnaire-based and laboratory studies, which may not reflect individuals' behavior in daily life. In the present study, sixty-one participants completed the Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait-reduced (FCQ-T-r) as measure of trait food craving, followed by seven days of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), during which they reported snack-related thoughts, craving intensity, and snack consumption at five times per day. Results showed that 86 percent of reported snacks were high-caloric, with chocolate-containing foods being the most often reported snacks. Individuals with high FCQ-T-r scores (high trait food cravers, HCs) thought more often about high-calorie than low-calorie snacks whereas no differences were found in individuals with low FCQ-T-r scores (low trait food cravers, LCs). Further, the relationship between craving intensity and snack-related thoughts was stronger in HCs than in LCs. Higher craving intensity was associated with more consumption of snacks and again this relationship was stronger in HCs than in LCs. Finally, more snack-related thoughts were related to more frequent consumption of snacks, independent of trait food craving. Thus, HCs are more prone to think about high-calorie snacks in their daily lives and to consume more snack foods when they experience intense cravings, which might be indicative of a heightened responding towards high-calorie foods. Thus, trait-level differences as well as snack-related thoughts should be targeted in dietary interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implicit depression and hopelessness in remitted depressed individuals.

PubMed

Meites, Tiffany M; Deveney, Christen M; Steele, Katherine T; Holmes, Avram J; Pizzagalli, Diego A

2008-09-01

Cognitive theories of depression posit that automatically activated cognitive schemas, including negative thoughts about the self and the future, predispose individuals to develop depressive disorders. However, prior research has largely examined these constructs using explicit tests in currently depressed individuals. Using the Implicit Association Test (IAT), the present study examined automatic associations between the self and mood state ("depression IAT") and between the future and mood state ("hopelessness IAT") before and after a negative mood induction in 19 remitted depressed individuals and 23 healthy controls. In the depression IAT, remitted depressed participants exhibited an overall lower tendency to associate themselves with happiness relative to the healthy controls before the mood induction. Control, but not remitted depressed, participants' automatic associations between the self and happiness diminished following the mood induction. Contrary to our hypotheses, no significant findings emerged when considering the hopelessness IAT. Consistent with prior studies, no significant correlations emerged between implicit and explicit biases, suggesting that these measures probe different processes. Results extend prior IAT research by documenting the presence of a reduced tendency to associate the self with happiness in a sample at increased risk for depression.

Reduction of ammonia and volatile organic compounds from food waste-composting facilities using a novel anti-clogging biofilter system.

PubMed

Ryu, Hee Wook; Cho, Kyung-Suk; Lee, Tae-Ho

2011-04-01

The performance of a pilot-scale anti-clogging biofilter system (ABS) was evaluated over a period of 125days for treating ammonia and volatile organic compounds emitted from a full-scale food waste-composting facility. The pilot-scale ABS was designed to intermittently and automatically remove excess biomass using an agitator. When the pressure drop in the polyurethane filter bed was increased to a set point (50 mm H(2)O m(-1)), due to excess biomass acclimation, the agitator automatically worked by the differential pressure switch, without biofilter shutdown. A high removal efficiency (97-99%) was stably maintained for the 125 days after an acclimation period of 1 week, even thought the inlet gas concentrations fluctuated from 0.16 to 0.55 g m(-3). Due the intermittent automatic agitation of the filter bed, the biomass concentration and pressure drop in the biofilter were maintained within the ranges of 1.1-2.0 g-DCW g PU(-1) and below 50 mm H(2)O m(-1), respectively. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the relationship between illogical thoughts and dependence on others and marriage compatibility in the Iranian Veterans exposed to chemicals in Iran-Iraq War.

PubMed

Afkar, A H; Mahbobubi, M; Neyakan Shahri, M; Mohammadi, M; Jalilian, F; Moradi, F

2014-05-08

Marital satisfaction is one of the main determinants of a family's correct function. A large number of veterans have been reported to suffer from depression, anxiety, mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and physical disorders. The objective of this study is to examine association between Illogical thoughts and Dependence on Others and Marriage Compatibility in the Iranian Veterans Exposed to Chemicals in Iran-Iraq War. The present cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted on 200 veterans exposed to chemicals who were covered by the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, Gilangharb, Kermanshah, Iran. The study sample size was determined according to Krejcie and Morgan formula and the subjects were selected through random sampling. The study data were collected using marriage compatibility questionnaire, illogical thoughts questionnaire, and dependence on others questionnaire. The study data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software (version18). Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple regression, and t-test were used in order to determine the relationships among the variables and compare the means. The findings of the current study revealed no significant relationship between dependence on others, anxious attention, helplessness, avoiding problems, perfectionism, and autonomy and marriage compatibility. However, a significant relationship was found between failure and marriage compatibility. Overall, the findings of the present study showed that the veterans of Gilangharb did not have disorders, but depended on others, particularly their spouses, due to their abnormal physical status. Sometimes, they cannot even do their personal tasks which results in their dependence on others eventually putting the veterans under pressure and stress.

Patient Participation in Research in the Managed Care Environment: Key Perceptions of Members in an HMO

PubMed Central

Purdy, Sarah; Finkelstein, Jonathan A; Fletcher, Robert; Christiansen, Cindy; Inui, Thomas S

2000-01-01

This study's objective was to elicit the views of research among enrollees in an HMO. A questionnaire was mailed to 207 adult enrollees, 55% had been exposed to research and 45% had not. Ninety-four percent of respondents supported research within the HMO, and 87% thought using information from medical records for research was acceptable. Sixty-three percent thought participation in research increased patient understanding of health care. Significantly more prior research participants thought that participation in research improves care. More patients would participate if written information were provided (67%), if feedback of results was provided (72%), and if their clinician invited them (67%). Only a modest percentage (20%) of patients would participate in a randomized trial. PMID:10940136

Deficit in automatic sound-change detection may underlie some music perception deficits after acute hemispheric stroke.

PubMed

Kohlmetz, C; Altenmüller, E; Schuppert, M; Wieringa, B M; Münte, T F

2001-01-01

Music perception deficits following acute neurological damage are thought to be rare. By a newly devised test battery of music-perception skills, however, we were able to identify among a group of 12 patients with acute hemispheric stroke six patients with music perception deficits (amusia) while six others had no such deficits. In addition we recorded event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in a passive listening task with frequent standard and infrequent pitch deviants designed to elicit the mismatch negativity (MMN). The MMN in the patients with amusia was grossly reduced, while the non-amusic patients and control subjects had MMNs of equal size. These data show that amusia is quite common in unselected stroke patients. The MMN reduction suggests that amusia is related to unspecific automatic stimulus classification deficits in these patients.

Understanding adolescent response to a technology-based depression prevention program.

PubMed

Gladstone, Tracy; Marko-Holguin, Monika; Henry, Jordan; Fogel, Joshua; Diehl, Anne; Van Voorhees, Benjamin W

2014-01-01

Guided by the Behavioral Vaccine Theory of prevention, this study uses a no-control group design to examine intervention variables that predict favorable changes in depressive symptoms at 6- to 8-week follow-up in at-risk adolescents who participated in a primary care, Internet-based prevention program. Participants included 83 adolescents from primary care settings ages 14 to 21 (M = 17.5, SD = 2.04), 56.2% female, with 41% non-White. Participants completed self-report measures, met with a physician, and then completed a 14-module Internet intervention targeting the prevention of depression. Linear regression models indicated that several intervention factors (duration on website in days, the strength of the relationship with the physician, perceptions of ease of use, and the perceived relevance of the material presented) were significantly associated with greater reductions in depressive symptoms from baseline to follow-up. Automatic negative thoughts significantly mediated the relation between change in depressive symptoms scores and both duration of use and physician relationship. Several intervention variables predicted favorable changes in depressive symptom scores among adolescents who participated in an Internet-based prevention program, and the strength of two of these variables was mediated by automatic negative thoughts. These findings support the importance of cognitive factors in preventing adolescent depression and suggest that modifiable aspects of technology-based intervention experience and relationships should be considered in optimizing intervention design.

The Study of Cognitive Change Process on Depression during Aerobic Exercises.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Kheirollah; Ahmadi, Seyed Mojtaba; Moghadam, Arash Parsa; Parvizifard, Aliakbar

2017-04-01

Several studies have shown that aerobic exercise is effective in treating the depression and improving the mental health. There are various theories which explains why aerobic exercise is effective in the treatment of depression and improve mental health, but there are limited studies to show how cognitive components and depression improve during aerobic exercises. The current study was carried out to investigate the cognitive change process during aerobic exercises in depressed students. This study was conducted through structural equation modeling; the study sample included 85 depressed students. Participants were selected through purposive sampling method. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Automatic Negative Thoughts (ATQ), and the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) were used as the data collection instruments. The participants received eight sessions of aerobic exercise (three times a week). The obtained data was analysed by AMOS-18 & SPSS 18 software. The results showed that depression (p=0.001), automatic thoughts (ferquency p=0.413, beliefs p=0.676) and dysfunctional assumptions (p=0.219) reduce during aerobic exercise; however, it was only meaningful for the depression. The casual and consequential models were not fit to the data and partially and fully interactive models provided an adequate fit to the data. Fully interactive model provided the best fit of the data. It seems that aerobic exercise reduced cognitive components separately leading to reduce depression.

Measurement of exercise habits and prediction of leisure-time activity in established exercise.

PubMed

Tappe, Karyn A; Glanz, Karen

2013-01-01

Habit formation may be important to maintaining repetitive healthy behaviors like exercise. Existing habit questionnaires only measure part of the definition of habit (automaticity; frequency). A novel habit questionnaire was evaluated that measured contextual cueing. We designed a two-stage observational cohort study of regular exercisers. For stage 1, we conducted an in-person interview on a university campus. For stage 2, we conducted an internet-based survey. Participants were 156 adults exercising at least once per week. A novel measure, The Exercise Habit Survey (EHS) assessed contextual cueing through 13 questions on constancy of place, time, people, and exercise behaviors. A subset of the Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI), measuring automaticity, was also collected along with measures of intention and self-efficacy, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), leisure-time section. The EHS was evaluated using factor analysis and test-retest reliability. Its correlation to other exercise predictors and exercise behavior was evaluated using Pearson's r and hierarchical regression. Results suggested that the EHS comprised four subscales (People, Place, Time, Exercise Constancy). Only Exercise Constancy correlated significantly with SRHI. Only the People subscale predicted IPAQ exercise metabolic equivalents. The SRHI was a strong predictor. Contextual cueing is an important aspect of habit but measurement methodologies warrant refinement and comparison by different methods.

Body Image in Dyadic and Solitary Sexual Desire: The Role of Encoding Style and Distracting Thoughts.

PubMed

Dosch, Alessandra; Ghisletta, Paolo; Van der Linden, Martial

2016-01-01

This study explored the link between body image and desire to engage in sexual activity (dyadic and solitary desire) in adult women living in a long-term couple relationship. Moreover, it considered two psychological factors that may underlie such a link: the occurrence of body-related distracting thoughts during sexual activity and encoding style (i.e., the tendency to rely on preexisting internal schemata versus external information at encoding). A total of 53 women (29 to 47 years old) in heterosexual relationships completed questionnaires assessing sexual desire (dyadic, solitary), body image, body-related distracting thoughts during sexual activity, and encoding style. Results showed that poor body image was associated with low dyadic and solitary sexual desire. Body-related distracting thoughts during sexual activity mediated the link between body image and solitary (but not dyadic) sexual desire. Finally, the mediation of body-related distracting thoughts between body image and solitary sexual desire was moderated by encoding style. A negative body image promoted the occurrence of body-related distracting thoughts during sexual activity, especially in internal encoders. Our study highlights the importance of body image, distracting thoughts, and encoding style in women's solitary sexuality and suggests possible factors that may reduce the impact of those body-related factors in dyadic sexual desire.

Thought suppression predicts task switching deficits in patients with frontal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Gul, Amara; Ahmad, Hira

2015-04-01

To examine the relationship between task switching and thought suppression in connection with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE). This experimental study included 30 patients with FLE admitted to the Services and Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan between February and November 2013, and 30 healthy individuals from the local community. Participants performed a task switching experiment where they switched between emotion and age categorizations among faces. In addition, they completed a thought suppression questionnaire. There were 3 important results: (i) Patients with FLE showed weaker task switching abilities than healthy individuals. This result is attributed toward executive dysfunctions in patients with FLE. (ii) Contrary to the control group, patients with FLE showed larger switch cost for the age than the emotion categorization. This result can be seen in the context of social cognition deficits and poor inhibitory control in patients with FLE. In addition, larger switch costs reflected a binding effect with facial emotion as compared to age. The integration might represent emotion as an intrusive facial dimension that interrupted task switching performance. (iii) Patients with FLE had more recurrent suppression of thoughts than controls. Thought suppression was a significant predictor for switch costs. High scores on thought suppression were correlated with task switching deficits. The results suggest that thought suppression causes significant cognitive decline.

How Personality Affects Vulnerability among Israelis and Palestinians following the 2009 Gaza Conflict

PubMed Central

Canetti, Daphna; Kimhi, Shaul; Hanoun, Rasmiyah; Rocha, Gabriel A.; Galea, Sandro; Morgan, Charles A.

2016-01-01

Can the onset of PTSD symptoms and depression be predicted by personality factors and thought control strategies? A logical explanation for the different mental health outcomes of individuals exposed to trauma would seem to be personality factors and thought control strategies. Trauma exposure is necessary but not sufficient for the development of PTSD. To this end, we assess the role of personality traits and coping styles in PTSD vulnerability among Israeli and Palestinian students amid conflict. We also determine whether gender and exposure level to trauma impact the likelihood of the onset of PTSD symptoms. Five questionnaires assess previous trauma, PTSD symptoms, demographics, personality factors and thought control strategies, which are analyzed using path analysis. Findings show that the importance of personality factors and thought control strategies in predicting vulnerability increases in the face of political violence: the higher stress, the more important the roles of personality and thought control strategies. Thought control strategies associated with introverted and less emotionally stable personality-types correlate positively with higher levels of PTSD symptoms and depression, particularly among Palestinians. By extension, because mental health is key to reducing violence in the region, PTSD reduction in conflict zones warrants rethinking. PMID:27391240

How Personality Affects Vulnerability among Israelis and Palestinians following the 2009 Gaza Conflict.

PubMed

Canetti, Daphna; Kimhi, Shaul; Hanoun, Rasmiyah; Rocha, Gabriel A; Galea, Sandro; Morgan, Charles A

2016-01-01

Can the onset of PTSD symptoms and depression be predicted by personality factors and thought control strategies? A logical explanation for the different mental health outcomes of individuals exposed to trauma would seem to be personality factors and thought control strategies. Trauma exposure is necessary but not sufficient for the development of PTSD. To this end, we assess the role of personality traits and coping styles in PTSD vulnerability among Israeli and Palestinian students amid conflict. We also determine whether gender and exposure level to trauma impact the likelihood of the onset of PTSD symptoms. Five questionnaires assess previous trauma, PTSD symptoms, demographics, personality factors and thought control strategies, which are analyzed using path analysis. Findings show that the importance of personality factors and thought control strategies in predicting vulnerability increases in the face of political violence: the higher stress, the more important the roles of personality and thought control strategies. Thought control strategies associated with introverted and less emotionally stable personality-types correlate positively with higher levels of PTSD symptoms and depression, particularly among Palestinians. By extension, because mental health is key to reducing violence in the region, PTSD reduction in conflict zones warrants rethinking.

Canadian Children's Perceptions of Spirituality: Diverse Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Kelsey; Talwar, Victoria; Bosacki, Sandra

2012-01-01

Few researchers have explored children's understandings of spirituality. Thus, Canadian children from different religious, spiritual and cultural backgrounds were asked open-ended questions concerning their spiritual thoughts, beliefs and experiences. Parents of participants completed a demographic questionnaire and reported children's religious…

Practice Plans of Today's Medical Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosen, Raye Hudson; And Others

1981-01-01

Students' future practice plans were surveyed by questionnaire at three Michigan medical schools to study future physician productivity and its implications for health manpower planning. Results suggested that the students planned to work less than they thought their role models did. (LB)

The enduring scientific contributions of Sigmund Freud.

PubMed

Gedo, John E

2002-01-01

Through the development of a novel observational method, Sigmund Freud made possible the collection of reliable data about man's inner life. The scientific hypotheses he formulated about these formed the initial version of psychoanalysis. Many of these first thoughts have had to be revised in the light of subsequent scientific findings about the operations of the central nervous system, but even these refuted propositions often had much heuristic value. Despite the passage of a whole century, many Freudian hypotheses have retained their scientific standing. Most important among these was Freud's realization that human thought is usually unconscious. His understanding of the role of the automatic repetition of basic patterns of behavior, of the fateful consequences of early childhood emotional vicissitudes in structuring enduring mental dispositions, and of the distinction between two distinct modes of thinking are the most significant among his many contributions.

Monitoring, metacognition, and executive function: elucidating the role of self-reflection in the development of self-regulation.

PubMed

Lyons, Kristen E; Zelazo, Philip David

2011-01-01

While an abundance of research has investigated the development of the automatic and controlled processes through which individuals control their thoughts, emotions, and actions, less research has emphasized the role of the self in self-regulation. This chapter synthesizes four literatures that have examined the mechanisms through which the individual acts in a managerial role, evaluating the current status of the system and initiating regulatory actions as necessary. Taken together, these literatures (on executive function, error monitoring, metacognition, and uncertainty monitoring) suggest that self-reflection plays a critical role in self-regulation, and that developmental improvements in self-reflection (via increasing levels of conscious awareness and enhanced calibration of monitoring systems) may serve as driving forces underlying developmental improvement (and temperamental individual differences) in children's ability to control their thoughts and actions.

Commentary--Attachment in Middle Childhood: Looking Back, Forward, and Within

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steele, Howard

2015-01-01

This commentary discusses the articles that comprise this special issue on attachment in middle childhood. Central to this discussion is the distinction between verbal, strategic, and conscious responses to questionnaires as compared to verbal and nonverbal, automatic and largely unconscious responses to interviews. Both methods have been…

Language Assessment in a Snap: Monitoring Progress up to 36 Months

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilkerson, Jill; Richards, Jeffrey A.; Greenwood, Charles R.; Montgomery, Judy K.

2017-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of the Developmental Snapshot, a 52-item parent questionnaire on child language and vocal communication development that can be administered monthly and scored automatically. The Snapshot was created to provide an easily administered monthly progress monitoring tool that enables parents to…

Mobile Phone-Based Questionnaire for Assessing 3 Months Modified Rankin Score After Acute Stroke: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Cooray, Charith; Matusevicius, Marius; Wahlgren, Nils; Ahmed, Niaz

2015-10-01

In many countries, a majority of stroke patients are not assessed for long-term functional outcome owing to limited resources and time. We investigated whether automatic assessment of the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) based on a mobile phone questionnaire may serve as an alternative to mRS assessments at clinical visits after stroke. We enrolled 62 acute stroke patients admitted to our stroke unit during March to May 2014. Forty-eight patients completed the study. During the stay, patients and/or caregivers were equipped with a mobile phone application in their personal mobile phones. The mobile phone application contained a set of 20 questions, based on the Rankin Focused Assessment, which we previously tested in a pilot study. Three months after inclusion, the mobile phone application automatically prompted the study participants to answer the mRS questionnaire in the mobile phones. Each question or a group of questions in the questionnaire corresponded to a certain mRS score. Using a predefined protocol, the highest mRS score question where the study participant had answered yes was deemed the final mobile mRS score. A few days later, a study personnel performed a clinical visit mRS assessment. The 2 assessments were compared using quadratic weighing κ-statistics. Mean age was 67 years (38% females), and median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 5 (interquartile range 2-10.5, range 0-23). Median and mean clinical visit mRS at 3 months was 2 and 2.3, respectively. We found a 62.5% agreement between clinical visit and mobile mRS assessment, weighted kappa 0.89 (95% confidence interval 0.82-0.96), and unweighted kappa 0.53 (95% confidence interval 0.36-0.70). Dichotomized mRS outcome separating functionally independent (mRS score 0-2) from dependent (mRS score 3-5) showed 83% agreement and unweighted kappa of 0.66 (95% confidence interval 0.45-0.87). Mobile phone-based automatic assessments of mRS performed well in comparison with clinical visit mRS and could be used as an alternative in stroke follow-up. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

[Construction of a structural model about male and female adolescents' alienation, depression, and suicidal thoughts].

PubMed

Lee, Eunsook

2007-06-01

This study was designed to construct a structural model explaining alienation, depression, and suicidal thoughts in male and female adolescents. Data was collected by questionnairs from 204 male and 208 female students selected randomly in high schools in K city. This study found that depression was significantly affected by alienation, and was indirectly affected through alienation by school attachment, peer relationships, and academic performance. Suicidal thoughts were greatly affected by depression, and were directly and indirectly influenced by alienation. It was confirmed that alienation turned out to be a important mediating variable, while it had a effect significant on depression and suicidal thoughts. Also there were significant differences in affecting factors among male and female students. Intervention strategies for preventing alienation, depression and suicidal thoughts should be different according to gender. In addition, specific nursing intervention plans, including parent education and role training programs, fostering of humanistic and achievement-focused educational environment, peer support programs, and individual counselling, need to be developed and implemented to lessen a feeling of alienation from family and school.

Assessment of thought-shape fusion: initial validation of a short version of the trait thought-shape fusion scale.

PubMed

Coelho, Jennifer S; Baeyens, Céline; Purdon, Christine; Shafran, Roz; Roulin, Jean-Luc; Bouvard, Martine

2013-01-01

Thought-shape fusion (TSF) is a cognitive distortion that has been linked to eating pathology. Two studies were conducted to further explore this phenomenon and to establish the psychometric properties of a French short version of the TSF scale. In Study 1, students (n = 284) completed questionnaires assessing TSF and related psychopathology. In Study 2, the responses of women with eating disorders (n = 22) and women with no history of an eating disorder (n = 23) were compared. The French short version of the TSF scale has a unifactorial structure, with convergent validity with measures of eating pathology, and good internal consistency. Depression, eating pathology, body dissatisfaction, and thought-action fusion emerged as predictors of TSF. Individuals with eating disorders have higher TSF, and more clinically relevant food-related thoughts than do women with no history of an eating disorder. This research suggests that the shortened TSF scale can suitably measure this construct, and provides support for the notion that TSF is associated with eating pathology. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Negative affect, negative urgency, thought suppression, and bulimic symptoms: a moderated mediation analysis in a sample at-risk for bulimic symptoms.

PubMed

Lavender, Jason M; Green, Daniel; Anestis, Michael D; Tull, Matthew T; Gratz, Kim L

2015-05-01

Research suggests that negative affect, negative urgency, and thought suppression are related to bulimic symptoms, either directly or indirectly. This study examined associations between these constructs in a sample at-risk for bulimic symptoms. Participants (N = 80) recruited from a residential substance abuse treatment facility completed self-report questionnaires. A regression-based bootstrapping approach was used to examine the indirect effect of negative affect on bulimic symptoms through negative urgency and the moderating role of thought suppression in the association between negative affect and negative urgency. Results revealed a significant indirect effect, significant moderation, and a significant moderated mediation effect, with an indirect effect of negative affect on bulimic symptoms through negative urgency, conditional upon low to moderate (but not high) levels of thought suppression. These findings suggest that negative affect may promote rash actions, particularly in the context of low to moderate thought suppression, leading to increased risk of bulimic symptoms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Adolescent Depression and Risk Factors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Sanders, Christopher

2001-01-01

Seventy-nine high school seniors were administered the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), as well as a questionnaire on parent relationships; peer relationships; positive and negative feelings including suicidal thoughts; and lifestyle variables including academic performance, exercise, and drug use. Results are discussed…

Physician, heal thyself

PubMed Central

Blais, Régis; Safianyk, Catherine; Magnan, Anne; Lapierre, André

2010-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To document the opinions of the users of the Quebec Physicians Health Program (QPHP) about the services they received. DESIGN Mailed questionnaire. SETTING Quebec. PARTICIPANTS A total of 126 physicians who used QPHP services between 1999 and 2004. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Users’ overall rating of the QPHP services, their opinions about the program, and whether their situations improved as a result of accessing QPHP services. RESULTS Ninety-two of the 126 physicians surveyed returned their completed questionnaires, providing a response rate of 73%. Most respondents thought that the QPHP services were good or excellent (90%), most would use the program again (86%) or recommend it (96%), and most thought the Quebec physician associations and the Collège des médecins du Québec should continue funding the QPHP (97%). Most respondents thought the service confidentiality was excellent (84%), as was staff professionalism (82%), and 62% thought the quality of the services they were referred to was excellent. However, only 57% believed their situations had improved with the help of the QPHP. CONCLUSION The QPHP received good marks from its users. Given the effects of physician burnout on patients and on the health care system, it is not only a personal problem, but also a collective problem. Thus, actions are needed not only to set up programs like the QPHP for those suffering from burnout, but also to prevent these types of problems. Because family physicians are likely to be the first ones consulted by their physician patients in distress, they play a key role in acknowledging these problems and referring those colleagues to the appropriate help programs when needed. PMID:20944027

Physician, heal thyself: Survey of users of the Quebec Physicians Health Program.

PubMed

Blais, Régis; Safianyk, Catherine; Magnan, Anne; Lapierre, André

2010-10-01

To document the opinions of the users of the Quebec Physicians Health Program (QPHP) about the services they received. Mailed questionnaire. Quebec. A total of 126 physicians who used QPHP services between 1999 and 2004. Users' overall rating of the QPHP services, their opinions about the program, and whether their situations improved as a result of accessing QPHP services. Ninety-two of the 126 physicians surveyed returned their completed questionnaires, providing a response rate of 73%. Most respondents thought that the QPHP services were good or excellent (90%), most would use the program again (86%) or recommend it (96%), and most thought the Quebec physician associations and the Collège des médecins du Québec should continue funding the QPHP (97%). Most respondents thought the service confidentiality was excellent (84%), as was staff professionalism (82%), and 62% thought the quality of the services they were referred to was excellent. However, only 57% believed their situations had improved with the help of the QPHP. The QPHP received good marks from its users. Given the effects of physician burnout on patients and on the health care system, it is not only a personal problem, but also a collective problem. Thus, actions are needed not only to set up programs like the QPHP for those suffering from burnout, but also to prevent these types of problems. Because family physicians are likely to be the first ones consulted by their physician patients in distress, they play a key role in acknowledging these problems and referring those colleagues to the appropriate help programs when needed.

Automatic Telescope Search for Extrasolar Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, Gregory W.

1998-01-01

We are using automatic photoelectric telescopes at the Tennessee State University Center for Automated Space Science to search for planets around nearby stars in our galaxy. Over the past several years, wc have developed the capability to make extremely precise measurements of brightness changes in Sun-like stars with automatic telescopes. Extensive quality control and calibration measurements result in a precision of 0.l% for a single nightly observation and 0.0270 for yearly means, far better than previously thought possible with ground-based observations. We are able, for the first time, to trace brightness changes in Sun-like stars that are of similar amplitude to brightness changes in the Sun, whose changes can be observed only with space-based radiometers. Recently exciting discoveries of the first extrasolar planets have been announced, based on the detection of very small radial-velocity variations that imply the existence of planets in orbit around several Sun-like stars. Our precise brightness measurements have been crucial for the confirmation of these discoveries by helping to eliminate alternative explanations for the radial-velocity variations. With our automatic telescopes, we are also searching for transits of these planets across the disks of their stars in order to conclusively verify their existence. The detection of transits would provide the first direct measurements of the sizes, masses, and densities of these planets and, hence, information on their compositions and origins.

Investigation of the Relationship between Illogical Thoughts and Dependence on Others and Marriage Compatibility in the Iranian Veterans Exposed to Chemicals in Iran-Iraq War

PubMed Central

Afkar, A. H.; Mahboubi, M.; Shahri, M. Neyakan; Mohamadi, M.; Jalilian, F.; Moradi, F.

2014-01-01

Background: Marital satisfaction is one of the main determinants of a family’s correct function. A large number of veterans have been reported to suffer from depression, anxiety, mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and physical disorders. The objective of this study is to examine association between Illogical thoughts and Dependence on Others and Marriage Compatibility in the Iranian Veterans Exposed to Chemicals in Iran-Iraq War. Methods: The present cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted on 200 veterans exposed to chemicals who were covered by the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, Gilangharb, Kermanshah, Iran. The study sample size was determined according to Krejcie and Morgan formula and the subjects were selected through random sampling. The study data were collected using marriage compatibility questionnaire, illogical thoughts questionnaire, and dependence on others questionnaire. The study data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software (version18). Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple regression, and t-test were used in order to determine the relationships among the variables and compare the means. Results: The findings of the current study revealed no significant relationship between dependence on others, anxious attention, helplessness, avoiding problems, perfectionism, and autonomy and marriage compatibility. However, a significant relationship was found between failure and marriage compatibility. Discussion: Overall, the findings of the present study showed that the veterans of Gilangharb did not have disorders, but depended on others, particularly their spouses, due to their abnormal physical status. Sometimes, they cannot even do their personal tasks which results in their dependence on others eventually putting the veterans under pressure and stress. PMID:25168982

The dorsal medial frontal cortex mediates automatic motor inhibition in uncertain contexts: evidence from combined fMRI and EEG studies.

PubMed

Albares, Marion; Lio, Guillaume; Criaud, Marion; Anton, Jean-Luc; Desmurget, Michel; Boulinguez, Philippe

2014-11-01

Response inhibition is commonly thought to rely on voluntary, reactive, selective, and relatively slow prefrontal mechanisms. In contrast, we suggest here that response inhibition is achieved automatically, nonselectively, within very short delays in uncertain environments. We modified a classical go/nogo protocol to probe context-dependent inhibitory mechanisms. Because no single neuroimaging method can definitely disentangle neural excitation and inhibition, we combined fMRI and EEG recordings in healthy humans. Any stimulus (go or nogo) presented in an uncertain context requiring action restraint was found to evoke activity changes in the supplementary motor complex (SMC) with respect to a control condition in which no response inhibition was required. These changes included: (1) An increase in event-related BOLD activity, (2) an attenuation of the early (170 ms) event related potential generated by a single, consistent source isolated by advanced blind source separation, and (3) an increase in the evoked-EEG Alpha power of this source. Considered together, these results suggest that the BOLD signal evoked by any stimulus in the SMC when the situation is unpredictable can be driven by automatic, nonselective, context-dependent inhibitory activities. This finding reveals the paradoxical mechanisms by which voluntary control of action may be achieved. The ability to provide controlled responses in unpredictable environments would require setting-up the automatic self-inhibitory circuitry within the SMC. Conversely, enabling automatic behavior when the environment becomes predictable would require top-down control to deactivate anticipatorily and temporarily the inhibitory set. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of Automatic Live Linux Rebuilding System with Flexibility in Science and Engineering Education and Applying to Information Processing Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonoda, Jun; Yamaki, Kota

We develop an automatic Live Linux rebuilding system for science and engineering education, such as information processing education, numerical analysis and so on. Our system is enable to easily and automatically rebuild a customized Live Linux from a ISO image of Ubuntu, which is one of the Linux distribution. Also, it is easily possible to install/uninstall packages and to enable/disable init daemons. When we rebuild a Live Linux CD using our system, we show number of the operations is 8, and the rebuilding time is about 33 minutes on CD version and about 50 minutes on DVD version. Moreover, we have applied the rebuilded Live Linux CD in a class of information processing education in our college. As the results of a questionnaires survey from our 43 students who used the Live Linux CD, we obtain that the our Live Linux is useful for about 80 percents of students. From these results, we conclude that our system is able to easily and automatically rebuild a useful Live Linux in short time.

Facilitating Goal-Oriented Behaviour in the Stroop Task: When Executive Control Is Influenced by Automatic Processing

PubMed Central

Parris, Benjamin A.; Bate, Sarah; Brown, Scott D.; Hodgson, Timothy L.

2012-01-01

A portion of Stroop interference is thought to arise from a failure to maintain goal-oriented behaviour (or goal neglect). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether goal- relevant primes could enhance goal maintenance and reduce the Stroop interference effect. Here it is shown that primes related to the goal of responding quickly in the Stroop task (e.g. fast, quick, hurry) substantially reduced Stroop interference by reducing reaction times to incongruent trials but increasing reaction times to congruent and neutral trials. No effects of the primes were observed on errors. The effects on incongruent, congruent and neutral trials are explained in terms of the influence of the primes on goal maintenance. The results show that goal priming can facilitate goal-oriented behaviour and indicate that automatic processing can modulate executive control. PMID:23056553

Automatic Jet Contrail Detection and Segmentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weiss, J.; Christopher, S. A.; Welch, R. M.

1997-01-01

Jet contrails are an important subset of cirrus clouds in the atmosphere, and thin cirrus are thought to enhance the greenhouse effect due to their semi-transparent nature. They are nearly transparent to the solar energy reaching the surface, but they reduce the planetary emission to space due to their cold ambient temperatures. Having 'seeded' the environment, contrails often elongate and widen into cirrus-like features. However, there is great uncertainty regarding the impact of contrails on surface temperature and precipitation. With increasing numbers of subsonic aircraft operating in the upper troposphere, there is the possibility of increasing cloudiness which could lead to changes in the radiation balance. Automatic detection and seg- mentation of jet contrails in satellite imagery is important because (1) it is impractical to compile a contrail climatology by hand, and (2) with the segmented images it will be possible to retrieve contrail physical properties such as optical thickness, effective ice crystal diameter and emissivity.

Truncated feature representation for automatic target detection using transformed data-based decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riasati, Vahid R.

2016-05-01

In this work, the data covariance matrix is diagonalized to provide an orthogonal bases set using the eigen vectors of the data. The eigen-vector decomposition of the data is transformed and filtered in the transform domain to truncate the data for robust features related to a specified set of targets. These truncated eigen features are then combined and reconstructed to utilize in a composite filter and consequently utilized for the automatic target detection of the same class of targets. The results associated with the testing of the current technique are evaluated using the peak-correlation and peak-correlation energy metrics and are presented in this work. The inverse transformed eigen-bases of the current technique may be thought of as an injected sparsity to minimize data in representing the skeletal data structure information associated with the set of targets under consideration.

The perseverative worry bout: A review of cognitive, affective and motivational factors that contribute to worry perseveration.

PubMed

Davey, Graham C L; Meeten, F

2016-12-01

This paper reviews the cognitive, affective and attentional factors that contribute to individual perseverative worry bouts. We describe how automatic biases in attentional and interpretational processes contribute to threat detection and to the inclusion of negative intrusive thoughts into the worry stream typical of the "what if …?" thinking style of pathological worriers. The review also describes processes occurring downstream from these perceptual biases that also facilitate perseveration, including cognitive biases in beliefs about the nature of the worry process, the automatic deployment of strict goal-directed responses for dealing with the threat, the role of negative mood in facilitating effortful forms of information processing (i.e. systematic information processing styles), and in providing negative information for evaluating the success of the worry bout. We also consider the clinical implications of this model for an integrated intervention programme for pathological worrying. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insufficient sleep predicts clinical burnout.

PubMed

Söderström, Marie; Jeding, Kerstin; Ekstedt, Mirjam; Perski, Aleksander; Akerstedt, Torbjörn

2012-04-01

The present prospective study aimed to identify risk factors for subsequent clinical burnout. Three hundred eighty-eight working individuals completed a baseline questionnaire regarding work stress, sleep, mood, health, and so forth. During a 2-year period, 15 subjects (7 women and 8 men) of the total sample were identified as "burnout cases," as they were assessed and referred to treatment for clinical burnout. Questionnaire data from the baseline measurement were used as independent variables in a series of logistic regression analyses to predict clinical burnout. The results identified "too little sleep (< 6 h)" as the main risk factor for burnout development, with adjustment for "work demands," "thoughts of work during leisure time," and "sleep quality." The first two factors were significant predictors in earlier steps of the multivariate regression. The results indicate that insufficient sleep, preoccupation with thoughts of work during leisure time, and high work demands are risk factors for subsequent burnout. The results suggest a chain of causation. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

The association between ruminative thinking and negative interpretation bias in social anxiety.

PubMed

Badra, Marcel; Schulze, Lars; Becker, Eni S; Vrijsen, Janna Nonja; Renneberg, Babette; Zetsche, Ulrike

2017-09-01

Cognitive models propose that both, negative interpretations of ambiguous social situations and ruminative thoughts about social events contribute to the maintenance of social anxiety disorder. It has further been postulated that ruminative thoughts fuel biased negative interpretations, however, evidence is rare. The present study used a multi-method approach to assess ruminative processing following a social interaction (post-event processing by self-report questionnaire and social rumination by experience sampling method) and negative interpretation bias (via two separate tasks) in a student sample (n = 51) screened for high (HSA) and low social anxiety (LSA). Results support the hypothesis that group differences in negative interpretations of ambiguous social situations in HSAs vs. LSAs are mediated by higher levels of post-event processing assessed in the questionnaire. Exploratory analyses highlight the potential role of comorbid depressive symptoms. The current findings help to advance the understanding of the association between two cognitive processes involved in social anxiety and stress the importance of ruminative post-event processing.

Thought-action fusion and anxiety disorders symptoms in normal adolescents.

PubMed

Muris, P; Meesters, C; Rassin, E; Merckelbach, H; Campbell, J

2001-07-01

The present study examined thought-action fusion (TAF) in a large sample of normal adolescents (n=427). Participants completed the Thought-Action Fusion Questionnaire for Adolescents (TAFQ-A) and scales measuring trait anxiety, symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, other anxiety disorders, and depression. Results showed that the TAFQ-A is a reliable instrument assessing two dimensions of TAF, viz. Morality (i.e., the belief that unacceptable thoughts are morally equivalent to overt actions) and Likelihood (i.e., the belief that thinking of an unacceptable or disturbing situation will increase the probability that that situation actually occurs). Furthermore, TAF was not only associated with symptoms of OCD, but also with symptoms of other anxiety disorders and depression. However, when controlling for levels of trait anxiety, most connections between TAF and anxiety disorders symptoms disappeared. Symptoms of OCD and generalised anxiety remained significantly related to TAF. Altogether, the data are supportive of the notion that TAF is involved in a broad range of anxiety disorders and in particular OCD.

The delay period as an opportunity to think about future intentions: Effects of delay length and delay task difficulty on young adult's prospective memory performance.

PubMed

Mahy, Caitlin E V; Schnitzspahn, Katharina; Hering, Alexandra; Pagobo, Jacqueline; Kliegel, Matthias

2018-05-01

The current study examined the impact of length and difficulty of the delay task on young adult's event-based prospective memory (PM). Participants engaged in either a short (2.5 min) or a long (15 min) delay that was filled with either a simple item categorization task or a difficult cognitive task. They also completed a questionnaire on whether they thought about the PM intention during the delay period and how often they thought about it. Results revealed that participants' PM was better after a difficult delay task compared to an easy delay task. Participants thought about the PM intention more often during the difficult delay task than during the easy delay task. PM performance was positively related to participants' reports of how many times they thought about their intentions. The important role of delay task difficulty in allowing or preventing individuals from refreshing their future intentions is discussed.

[Effects of the recipient's response on the emotions and cognitions of female undergraduates disclosing negative emotional experiences in interpersonal relationships].

PubMed

Endo, Hiroko; Yukawa, Shintaro

2013-04-01

The relationship between a recipient's response to a disclosure of negative emotional experiences, and the resulting negative emotions, hesitation in self-disclosure (interpersonal and intra-personal hesitation), and negatively-confused thoughts of the person making the disclosure were investigated. Female undergraduates (N=271) were asked to write about angry or sad events in their interpersonal relationships that they had disclosed to someone. Then they completed a questionnaire assessing the recipient's responses, negative emotions such as anger and depression caused by the recipient's responses, hesitation in self-disclosure about the events, and negatively-confused thoughts about the events. The results of covariance structure analysis indicated that a recipient's rejection in response to the disclosure of negative emotional experiences resulted in negative thoughts caused by an increase of negative emotions and hesitation in self-disclosure. The results also showed that a recipient's acceptance also increased depression in the person making the self-disclosure, which intensified the intra-personal hesitation, and increased negatively-confused thoughts.

Asthma-specific cognitions, self-focused attention, and fear of negative evaluation in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with childhood-onset asthma.

PubMed

Junghans-Rutelonis, Ashley N; Tackett, Alayna P; Suorsa, Kristina I; Chaney, John M; Mullins, Larry L

2018-01-01

The present study examined the impact of asthma-specific thought intrusion (TI) and thought suppression (TS) on two cognitive-affective variables (self-focused attention and fear of negative evaluation) among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with childhood-onset asthma. Participants were 290 AYAs who completed assessment questionnaires and participated in a written exercise electronically. Asthma-TI and TS were reported by participants following participation in a writing assignment. Asthma-TI was associated with increased private, public, and social anxiety self-focused attention, and greater fear of negative evaluation. Interestingly, asthma-TS was not associated with these same outcome variables. Findings suggest illness-specific cognitions are associated with cognitive-affective variables and it may be important to assess for illness-specific intrusive thoughts following asthma-focused medical appointments. Additionally, findings suggest the importance of assessing asthma-TI and TS separately in order to better understand thoughts about health and psychological functioning.

Knowing what to respond in the future does not cancel the influence of past events.

PubMed

Tubau, Elisabet; López-Moliner, Joan

2009-05-29

Everyday tasks seldom involve isolate actions but sequences of them. We can see whether previous actions influence the current one by exploring the response time to controlled sequences of stimuli. Specifically, depending on the response-stimulus temporal interval (RSI), different mechanisms have been proposed to explain sequential effects in two-choice serial response tasks. Whereas an automatic facilitation mechanism is thought to produce a benefit for response repetitions at short RSIs, subjective expectancies are considered to replace the automatic facilitation at longer RSIs, producing a cost-benefit pattern: repetitions are faster after other repetitions but they are slower after alternations. However, there is not direct evidence showing the impact of subjective expectancies on sequential effects. By using a fixed sequence, the results of the reported experiment showed that the repetition effect was enhanced in participants who acquired complete knowledge of the order. Nevertheless, a similar cost-benefit pattern was observed in all participants and in all learning blocks. Therefore, results of the experiment suggest that sequential effects, including the cost-benefit pattern, are the consequence of automatic mechanisms which operate independently of (and simultaneously with) explicit knowledge of the sequence or other subjective expectancies.

Implicit Depression and Hopelessness in Remitted Depressed Individuals

PubMed Central

Meites, Tiffany M.; Deveney, Christen M.; Steele, Katherine T.; Holmes, Avram J.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.

2008-01-01

Cognitive theories of depression posit that automatically activated cognitive schemas, including negative thoughts about the self and the future, predispose individuals to develop depressive disorders. However, prior research has largely examined these constructs using explicit tests in currently depressed individuals. Using the Implicit Association Test (IAT), the present study examined automatic associations between the self and mood state (“depression IAT”) and between the future and mood state (“hopelessness IAT”) before and after a negative mood induction in 19 remitted depressed individuals and 23 healthy controls. In the depression IAT, remitted depressed participants exhibited an overall lower tendency to associate themselves with happiness relative to the healthy controls before the mood induction. Control, but not remitted depressed, participants’ automatic associations between the self and happiness diminished following the mood induction. Contrary to our hypotheses, no significant findings emerged when considering the hopelessness IAT. Consistent with prior studies, no significant correlations emerged between implicit and explicit biases, suggesting that these measures probe different processes. Results extend prior IAT research by documenting the presence of a reduced tendency to associate the self with happiness in a sample at increased risk for depression. PMID:18692169

The Doubting System 1: Evidence for automatic substitution sensitivity.

PubMed

Johnson, Eric D; Tubau, Elisabet; De Neys, Wim

2016-02-01

A long prevailing view of human reasoning suggests severe limits on our ability to adhere to simple logical or mathematical prescriptions. A key position assumes these failures arise from insufficient monitoring of rapidly produced intuitions. These faulty intuitions are thought to arise from a proposed substitution process, by which reasoners unknowingly interpret more difficult questions as easier ones. Recent work, however, suggests that reasoners are not blind to this substitution process, but in fact detect that their erroneous responses are not warranted. Using the popular bat-and-ball problem, we investigated whether this substitution sensitivity arises out of an automatic System 1 process or whether it depends on the operation of an executive resource demanding System 2 process. Results showed that accuracy on the bat-and-ball problem clearly declined under cognitive load. However, both reduced response confidence and increased response latencies indicated that biased reasoners remained sensitive to their faulty responses under load. Results suggest that a crucial substitution monitoring process is not only successfully engaged, but that it automatically operates as an autonomous System 1 process. By signaling its doubt along with a biased intuition, it appears System 1 is "smarter" than traditionally assumed.

Online Questionnaires Use with Automatic Feedback for e-Innovation in University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Remesal, Ana; Colomina, Rosa M.; Mauri, Teresa; Rochera, M. José

2017-01-01

Technological tools have permeated higher education programs. However, their mere introduction does not guarantee instructional quality. This article presents the results of an innovation project aimed at fostering autonomous learning among students at a Pre-School and Primary Teacher degree. For one semester all freshmen students used a system…

CHAID Analysis to Determine Socioeconomic Variables That Explain Students' Academic Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Önder, Emine; Uyar, Seyma

2017-01-01

This study aims to determine students' characteristics that predict their academic success. The study group consisted of 4,229 students studying at middle schools in Burdur. The data were collected using a questionnaire in the 2014-2015 academic year and analyzed using CHAID (Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection) analysis, a type of…

Data and knowledge in medical distributed applications.

PubMed

Serban, Alexandru; Crişan-Vida, Mihaela; Stoicu-Tivadar, Lăcrămioara

2014-01-01

Building a clinical decision support system (CDSS) capable to collect process and diagnose data from the patients automatically, based on information, symptoms and investigations is one of the current challenges for researchers and medical science. The purpose of the current study is to design a cloud-based CDSS to improve patient safety, quality of care and organizational efficiency. It presents the design of a cloud-based application system using a medical based approach, which covers different diseases to diagnosis, differentiated on most important pathologies. Using online questionnaires, traditional and new data will be collected from patients. After data input, the application will formulate a presumptive diagnosis and will direct patients to the correspondent department. A questionnaire will dynamically ask questions about the interface, and functionality improvements. Based on the answers, the functionality of the system and the user interface will be improved considering the real needs expressed by the end-users. The cloud-based CDSS, as a useful tool for patients, physicians and healthcare providers involves the computer support in the diagnosis of different pathologies and an accurate automatic differential diagnostic system.

Changes in the lifetime prevalence of suicidal feelings and thoughts among Norwegian doctors from 2000 to 2010: a longitudinal study based on national samples

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Thinking about suicide is an indicator of suicide risk. Suicide rates are higher among doctors than in the population. The main aims of this study are to describe the changes in the lifetime prevalence of suicidal feelings from 2000 to 2010 and the possible predictors of serious suicidal thoughts in 2010 among Norwegian doctors. Differences in lifetime prevalence of suicidal feelings between Norwegian doctors in 2010 and German doctors in 2006 will be also described. Methods Longitudinal and cross-sectional study based on questionnaire data from 2000 and 2010, including approximately 1,600 Norwegian doctors. In Germany, cross-sectional study based on questionnaire data from 2006 among a sample of 3,295 doctors. The main outcome measures were the lifetime prevalence of suicidal feelings (felt life was not worth living, wished own death, had thoughts of taking own life). Results The prevalences in 2000 and 2010 of ever had feelings of life not worth living were 48 (44 to 52) % and 45 (41 to 49) %, of ever wished own death 27 (23 to 30) % and 23 (20 to 26) %, and of ever had thoughts of taking own life 29 (16 to 33) % and 24 (21 to 27) %. Paired t-tests among those who responded both in 2000 and 2010 show significant reductions for felt life not worth living (t = −3.4; p = 0.001), wished own death (t = −3.1; p = 0.002) and had thoughts of taking own life (t = −3.5; p < 0.0001). In 2010, significant predictors of serious suicidal thoughts in a multivariate model were low subjective well-being (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.52-0.90), poor or average self-rated health (2.36; 1.25-4.45) and high psychosocial work stress (1.92; 1.06-3.46), controlled for age, gender, speciality and job satisfaction. Norwegian doctors in 2010 compared with their German counterparts in 2006 reported quite similar prevalences of suicidal feelings. Conclusions Suicidal feelings among Norwegian doctors decreased from 2000 to 2010. Individual and work-related factors may to certain explain these findings. Compared with other professionals in Norway and doctors in Germany, Norwegian doctors showed no higher risk of suicidal thoughts. PMID:24286517

Changes in the lifetime prevalence of suicidal feelings and thoughts among Norwegian doctors from 2000 to 2010: a longitudinal study based on national samples.

PubMed

Rosta, Judith; Aasland, Olaf G

2013-11-28

Thinking about suicide is an indicator of suicide risk. Suicide rates are higher among doctors than in the population. The main aims of this study are to describe the changes in the lifetime prevalence of suicidal feelings from 2000 to 2010 and the possible predictors of serious suicidal thoughts in 2010 among Norwegian doctors. Differences in lifetime prevalence of suicidal feelings between Norwegian doctors in 2010 and German doctors in 2006 will be also described. Longitudinal and cross-sectional study based on questionnaire data from 2000 and 2010, including approximately 1,600 Norwegian doctors. In Germany, cross-sectional study based on questionnaire data from 2006 among a sample of 3,295 doctors. The main outcome measures were the lifetime prevalence of suicidal feelings (felt life was not worth living, wished own death, had thoughts of taking own life). The prevalences in 2000 and 2010 of ever had feelings of life not worth living were 48 (44 to 52) % and 45 (41 to 49) %, of ever wished own death 27 (23 to 30) % and 23 (20 to 26) %, and of ever had thoughts of taking own life 29 (16 to 33) % and 24 (21 to 27) %. Paired t-tests among those who responded both in 2000 and 2010 show significant reductions for felt life not worth living (t = -3.4; p = 0.001), wished own death (t = -3.1; p = 0.002) and had thoughts of taking own life (t = -3.5; p < 0.0001). In 2010, significant predictors of serious suicidal thoughts in a multivariate model were low subjective well-being (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.52-0.90), poor or average self-rated health (2.36; 1.25-4.45) and high psychosocial work stress (1.92; 1.06-3.46), controlled for age, gender, speciality and job satisfaction. Norwegian doctors in 2010 compared with their German counterparts in 2006 reported quite similar prevalences of suicidal feelings. Suicidal feelings among Norwegian doctors decreased from 2000 to 2010. Individual and work-related factors may to certain explain these findings. Compared with other professionals in Norway and doctors in Germany, Norwegian doctors showed no higher risk of suicidal thoughts.

Parental concerns on the circumcision for elementary school boys: a questionnaire study.

PubMed Central

Lee, Sang D.; Park, Eun; Choe, Byeng M.

2003-01-01

To evaluate the parental concerns for elementary school boys (7-12 yr) on the circumcision, a randomly selected cross-sectional survey was performed in each elementary school from 16 urban wards in Busan. We asked 10,861 parents to answer the questionnaires on the circumcision such as the benefits and fallbacks of circumcision, proper time and knowledge of the surgery, and neonatal circumcision. The overall response rate to the questionnaire was 38.9%. The overall circumcision rate of elementary school boys was 43.2%, which increased from 18.7% at 7 yr old to 64.8% at 12 yr old. The significant reason for and against circumcision was "hygiene benefits (88.1%)" and "unreliable medical benefits (38.5%)", respectively. 74.9% of parents thought that elementary school age is the optimal time of circumcision. Only 11.2% of boys were circumcised during neonatal period. The main reason for parents to oppose neonatal circumcision was "their babies feel pain (35.8%)". About 50% of parents thought that circumcision will prevent medical diseases. Besides the medical basis, the circumcision is emerging as a kind of social custom in Busan. For parents making the decisions on the circumcision of their boys, physician or health care providers should provide helpful and honest facts about circumcision. PMID:12589091

Automatic Avoidance Tendencies for Alcohol Cues Predict Drinking After Detoxification Treatment in Alcohol Dependence

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Alcohol dependence is characterized by conflict between approach and avoidance motivational orientations for alcohol that operate in automatic and controlled processes. This article describes the first study to investigate the predictive validity of these motivational orientations for relapse to drinking after discharge from alcohol detoxification treatment in alcohol-dependent patients. One hundred twenty alcohol-dependent patients who were nearing the end of inpatient detoxification treatment completed measures of self-reported (Approach and Avoidance of Alcohol Questionnaire; AAAQ) and automatic (modified Stimulus-Response Compatibility task) approach and avoidance motivational orientations for alcohol. Their drinking behavior was assessed via telephone follow-ups at 2, 4, and 6 months after discharge from treatment. Results indicated that, after controlling for the severity of alcohol dependence, strong automatic avoidance tendencies for alcohol cues were predictive of higher percentage of heavy drinking days (PHDD) at 4-month (β = 0.22, 95% CI [0.07, 0.43]) and 6-month (β = 0.22, 95% CI [0.01, 0.42]) follow-ups. We failed to replicate previous demonstrations of the predictive validity of approach subscales of the AAAQ for relapse to drinking, and there were no significant predictors of PHDD at 2-month follow-up. In conclusion, strong automatic avoidance tendencies predicted relapse to drinking after inpatient detoxification treatment, but automatic approach tendencies and self-reported approach and avoidance tendencies were not predictive in this study. Our results extend previous findings and help to resolve ambiguities with earlier studies that investigated the roles of automatic and controlled cognitive processes in recovery from alcohol dependence. PMID:27935726

Assessment of voice, speech, and related quality of life in advanced head and neck cancer patients 10-years+ after chemoradiotherapy.

PubMed

Kraaijenga, S A C; Oskam, I M; van Son, R J J H; Hamming-Vrieze, O; Hilgers, F J M; van den Brekel, M W M; van der Molen, L

2016-04-01

Assessment of long-term objective and subjective voice, speech, articulation, and quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for advanced, stage IV disease. Twenty-two disease-free survivors, treated with cisplatin-based CRT for inoperable HNC (1999-2004), were evaluated at 10-years post-treatment. A standard Dutch text was recorded. Perceptual analysis of voice, speech, and articulation was conducted by two expert listeners (SLPs). Also an experimental expert system based on automatic speech recognition was used. Patients' perception of voice and speech and related quality of life was assessed with the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and Speech Handicap Index (SHI) questionnaires. At a median follow-up of 11-years, perceptual evaluation showed abnormal scores in up to 64% of cases, depending on the outcome parameter analyzed. Automatic assessment of voice and speech parameters correlated moderate to strong with perceptual outcome scores. Patient-reported problems with voice (VHI>15) and speech (SHI>6) in daily life were present in 68% and 77% of patients, respectively. Patients treated with IMRT showed significantly less impairment compared to those treated with conventional radiotherapy. More than 10-years after organ-preservation treatment, voice and speech problems are common in this patient cohort, as assessed with perceptual evaluation, automatic speech recognition, and with validated structured questionnaires. There were fewer complaints in patients treated with IMRT than with conventional radiotherapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognition, imagery and coping among adolescents with social anxiety and phobia: testing the Clark and Wells model in the population.

PubMed

Ranta, Klaus; Tuomisto, Martti T; Kaltiala-Heino, Riittakerttu; Rantanen, Päivi; Marttunen, Mauri

2014-01-01

The Clark and Wells' cognitive model of social phobia suggests that self-focused attention, negative observer-perspective images of oneself and safety behaviours maintain anxiety in subjects with SP. Empirical research among adults supports the model, but limited evidence for it has been obtained in other age groups or in the general population. We examined automatic thoughts, imagery, safety behaviours and general coping of adolescents with social anxiety and phobia. These were elicited by a thought listing procedure in a recalled, distressing social situation. The target variables were compared between adolescents with high versus normal self-reported social anxiety (HSA/NSA) and between adolescents with clinical/subclinical SP (SP/SSP) versus no diagnosis. Adolescents with HSA reported overall negative thoughts, negative observer-perspective images and safety behaviours more frequently than adolescents with NSA. The SP/SSP group displayed the same difference, and clearer, relative to the no diagnosis group, but additionally reported negative thoughts focused more often on self. Minor differences in coping were found between the groups. The study suggests that adolescents with SP already display the negative self-focused cognitions, observer-perspective imagery and behavioural pattern found among adults with SP. Social anxiety associates with observer-perspective imagery and safety behaviours in adolescence. Adolescents with clinical social phobia report frequent negative self-focused thoughts. However, such negative cognitions focused on self do not associate to self-reported social anxiety. The cognitive model of social phobia (Clark & Wells, 1995) is applicable to adolescents. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The relationship of thought-action fusion to pathologicial worry and generalized anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Hazlett-Stevens, Holly; Zucker, Bonnie G; Craske, Michelle G

2002-10-01

Meta-cognitive beliefs associated with pathological worry and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) may encompass the likelihood subtype of thought-action fusion (TAF), the belief that one's thoughts can influence outside events. In the current study of 494 undergraduate college students, positive correlations between scores on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) and the two Likelihood subscales of the TAF Scale were found, and participants endorsing at least some DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for GAD scored significantly higher on both TAF-Likelihood subscales than participants reporting no GAD symptoms. However, these TAF scales did not predict GAD diagnostic status with PSWQ included as a predictor. In contrast to previous research, the TAF-Moral scale did not correlate with worry. Relationships between TAF, pathological worry, and meta-cognition are discussed in relation to GAD.

Children's mental time travel during mind wandering.

PubMed

Ye, Qun; Song, Xiaolan; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Qinqin

2014-01-01

The prospective bias is a salient feature of mind wandering in healthy adults, yet little is known about the temporal focus of children's mind wandering. In the present study, (I) we developed the temporal focus of mind wandering questionnaire for school-age children (TFMWQ-C), a 12-item scale with good test-retest reliability and construct validity. (II) The criterion validity was tested by thought sampling in both choice reaction time task and working memory task. A positive correlation was found between the temporal focus measured by the questionnaire and the one adopted during task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) by thought sampling probes, especially in the trait level of future-oriented mind wandering. At the same time, children who experienced more TUTs tended to show worse behavioral performance during tasks. (III) The children in both tasks experienced more future-oriented TUTs than past-oriented ones, which was congruent with the results observed in adults; however, in contrast with previous research on adults, the prospective bias was not influenced by task demands. Together these results indicate that the prospective bias of mind wandering has emerged since the school-age (9∼13 years old), and that the relationship between mental time travel (MTT) during mind wandering and the use of cognitive resources differs between children and adults. Our study provides new insights into how this interesting feature of mind wandering may adaptively contribute to the development of children's MTT.

Evaluation of Electronic Formats of the NASA Task Load Index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.

2011-01-01

Paper questionnaires are being replaced by electronic questionnaires. The primary objective of this research was to determine whether electronic formats of paper questionnaires change subjects ratings and, if so, how the ratings changed. Results indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in self-assessment of workload when using the electronic replica or the paper format of the NASA-TLX scale. Variations of the electronic formats were tested to enforce structure to the TLX scale. Respondents had more consistent ratings with these alternative formats of the NASA-TLX. Non-pilots, in general, had lower workload ratings than pilots. The time to input the rating was the fastest for the electronic facsimile and random title formats. Also subjects preferred the electronic formats and thought these formats were easier to use. Therefore, moving questionnaires from paper to electronic media could change respondents' answers.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of a Questionnaire Based on the Nursing Outcomes Classification to Determine the Knowledge of Parents on Breast-Feeding: Research Protocol.

PubMed

Paloma-Castro, Olga; Romero-Sánchez, José Manuel; Paramio-Cuevas, Juan Carlos; Pastor-Montero, Sonia María; Del Carmen Sánchez-Dalda, María; Rozadillas-Sanmiguel, Elena; Moreno-Corral, Luis Javier

2017-04-01

To develop and psychometrically evaluate a questionnaire based on the outcome "Knowledge: Breast-feeding" of the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) to determine the knowledge of parents on breast-feeding. The NOC outcome "Knowledge: Breast-feeding" allows for nurses/midwives to assess the efficacy of interventions aimed to improve the knowledge on breast-feeding in parents thought the clinical interview/observation. However, the use of self-administered questionnaires by patients could facilitate its evaluation. Two-phased study: (1) Development of the questionnaire based on experts' opinions; (2) Methodological design to assess its psychometric properties. The availability of tools that enable the determination of the knowledge of patients would facilitate nurses/midwives to set objectives, individualize interventions, and measure their effectiveness. © 2015 NANDA International, Inc.

Psychometric properties of revised Thought-Action Fusion questionnaire (TAF-R) in an Iranian population.

PubMed

Pourfaraj, Majid; Mohammadi, Nourallah; Taghavi, Mohammadreza

2008-12-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of Thought-Action Fusion revised scale (TAF-R; Amir, N., freshman, M., Ramsey, B., Neary, E., & Brigidi, B. (2001). Thought-action fusion in individuals with OCD symptoms. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 765-776) in a sample of 565 (321 female) students of Shiraz university. The results of factor analysis with using varimax rotation yielded eight factors that explained 80% variances of total scale. These factors are labeled: moral TAF, responsibility for positive thoughts, likelihood negative events, likelihood positive events, responsibility for negative thoughts, responsibility for harm avoidance, likelihood harm avoidance and likelihood self, respectively. The reliability coefficients of total scale are calculated by two methods: internal consistency and test-retest, which were 0.81 and 0.61, respectively. Concurrent validity showed that TAF-R scores positively and significantly correlate with responsibility, guilt and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Confirming the expectations, there were people with high obsessive-compulsive symptoms having higher TAF-R scores than those with low symptoms. Moreover, subscales-total correlations showed that the correlations between subscales were low, but subscales correlating with total score of TAF-R were moderated.

Posttraumatic Growth Moderates Suicide Risk among Trauma Exposed Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheline, Kelly T.; Rosén, Lee A.

2017-01-01

We assessed the moderating role of posttraumatic growth on the relationship between traumatic life events and suicidal ideation and behavior, suicide risk, and college adjustment. The sample of 557 college students completed questionnaires measuring their severity and number of traumatic life events, posttraumatic growth, suicidal thoughts,…

Primary Teachers' Literacy and Attitudes on Education for Sustainable Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spiropoulou, Dimitra; Antonakaki, Triantafyllia; Kontaxaki, Sophia; Bouras, Sarantis

2007-01-01

This paper reports on research concerning Greek in-service Primary teachers' perceptions about environmental issues and attitudes towards Education for Sustainable Development. A questionnaire with multiple-choice and open-ended questions was used in order to gain more comprehensive understanding of their thoughts. The analysis of data revealed…

Multi-Positioning Mathematics Class Size: Teachers' Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handal, Boris; Watson, Kevin; Maher, Marguerite

2015-01-01

This paper explores mathematics teachers' perceptions about class size and the impact class size has on teaching and learning in secondary mathematics classrooms. It seeks to understand teachers' views about optimal class sizes and their thoughts about the education variables that influence these views. The paper draws on questionnaire responses…

School Bullying and Current Educational Practice: Re-Imagining Theories of Educational Transformation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Ronald B.

2007-01-01

Background/Context: Bullying within schools continues despite thoughtful and well-researched anti-bullying strategies deployed against it. The bulk of research targeted toward understanding and eradicating bullying within schools is of an empirical nature. In other words, through data collection, questionnaires, interviews, ethnography,…

Machine learning for medical images analysis.

PubMed

Criminisi, A

2016-10-01

This article discusses the application of machine learning for the analysis of medical images. Specifically: (i) We show how a special type of learning models can be thought of as automatically optimized, hierarchically-structured, rule-based algorithms, and (ii) We discuss how the issue of collecting large labelled datasets applies to both conventional algorithms as well as machine learning techniques. The size of the training database is a function of model complexity rather than a characteristic of machine learning methods. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

State of the Art and Challenges of Radio Spectrum Monitoring in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Q. N.; Yang, J. J.; Jin, Z. Y.; Chen, D. Z.; Huang, M.

2017-10-01

This paper provides an overview of radio spectrum monitoring in China. First, research background, the motivation is described and then train of thought, the prototype system, and the accomplishments are presented. Current radio spectrum monitoring systems are man-machine communication systems, which are unable to detect and process the radio interference automatically. In order to realize intelligent radio monitoring and spectrum management, we proposed an Internet of Things-based spectrum sensing approach using information system architecture and implemented a pilot program; then some very interesting results were obtained.

Effects of 10 Hz and 20 Hz Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on Automatic Motor Control.

PubMed

Cappon, Davide; D'Ostilio, Kevin; Garraux, Gaëtan; Rothwell, John; Bisiacchi, Patrizia

2016-01-01

In a masked prime choice reaction task, presentation of a compatible prime increases the reaction time to the following imperative stimulus if the interval between mask and prime is around 80-250 ms. This is thought to be due to automatic suppression of the motor plan evoked by the prime, which delays reaction to the imperative stimulus. Oscillatory activity in motor networks around the beta frequency range of 20 Hz is important in suppression of movement. Transcranial alternating current at 20 Hz may be able to drive oscillations in the beta range. To investigate whether transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 20 Hz would increase automatic inhibition in a masked prime task. As a control we used 10 Hz tACS. Stimulation was delivered at alpha (10 Hz) and beta (20 Hz) frequency over the supplementary motor area and the primary motor cortex (simultaneous tACS of SMA-M1), which are part of the BG-cortical motor loop, during the execution of the subliminal masked prime left/right choice reaction task. We measured the effects on reaction times. Corticospinal excitability was assessed by measuring the amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) evoked in the first dorsal interosseous muscle by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over M1. The 10 and 20-Hz tACS over SMA-M1 had different effects on automatic inhibition. The 20 Hz tACS increased the duration of automatic inhibition whereas it was decreased by 10 Hz tACS. Neurophysiologically, 20 Hz tACS reduced the amplitude of MEPs evoked from M1, whereas there was no change after 10 Hz tACS. Automatic mechanisms of motor inhibition can be modulated by tACS over motor areas of cortex. tACS may be a useful additional tool to investigate the causal links between endogenous brain oscillations and specific cognitive processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the link between environmental identity, behaviors and decision making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freed, Allison

This study was conducted with undergraduate students at a large university to investigate the association between environmental identity, pro-environmental behaviors and environmental decision-making. This study explored how environmental identity as defined by Clayton (2003) influenced the type of pro-environmental behaviors individuals choose to participate in. Environmental decision-making based on Kahneman's (2003, 2011) System 1 and System 2 framework was also assessed in association with environmental identity. A survey including the Environmental Identity Survey (Clayton, 2003), the Environmentally Responsible Behaviors Index (Smith-Sebasto & D'Acosta, 1995), and a Decision Making Questionnaire were administered. After administering the surveys, eight participants were chosen for a 60-minute interview. The quantitative results of the study showed there was a significant relationship between environmental identity and participating in environmental behaviors more often. There was also a significant relation between environmental identity and making the decision to recycle in a fast and automatic way. The interview results showed that participants with both a strong and a weak environmental identity recycled often and thought it was a fast decision. The results of this study show that certain components of environmental identity are important, but other factors like the physical environment and social norms influence the thinking that goes into recycling more than environmental identity alone. This study provides evidence of the importance of social norms and environmental structures in fostering pro-environmental behaviors and influencing the type of thinking that goes into making environmental decisions. Keywords: environmental identity, environmental behaviors, System 1, System 2, recycling.

Children at risk: the association between perceived weight status and suicidal thoughts and attempts in middle school youth.

PubMed

Whetstone, Lauren M; Morrissey, Susan L; Cummings, Doyle M

2007-02-01

Suicide is one of the most common causes of death among young people. A report from the US Surgeon General called for strategies to prevent suicide, including increasing public awareness of suicide and risks factors, and enhancing research to understand risk and protective factors. Weight perception has been linked to depression and poor self-esteem in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived weight status and suicidal thoughts and actions by gender in middle school youth. All public middle school students in 4 eastern North Carolina counties presented, and with parental permission (n = 5174), completed the Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Middle School Questionnaire. The 3 dependent variables were self-reported thinking, planning, and attempting suicide. Bivariate analyses describe suicidal thoughts and actions; multiple logistic regression models examined the relationship between weight description and suicidal thoughts and actions controlling for age, race, household composition, grades on report cards, and parents' education. Significantly more females than males reported thinking (26% vs 19%), planning (12% vs 9%), and attempting (11% vs 8%) suicide. For females, those who perceived themselves as overweight were significantly more likely to report suicidal thoughts and actions; while for males, perceptions of overweight and underweight were significantly associated with suicidal thoughts and actions. Controlling for personal and family characteristics, perceived weight status was significantly associated with suicidal thoughts and actions in middle school boys and girls.

[Questionnaire survey of musician's dystonia among students of a music college].

PubMed

Konaka, Kuni; Mochizuki, Hideki

2015-01-01

Musician's dystonia is known as a task specific dystonia. Though it is thought to occur during a long course of repetitive performance, the actual circumstances that precipitate this condition are not clear. According to factual reports this disease is not commonly known, probably because many of these patients may not have been visiting a hospital. We prepared a questionnaire and did a survey among the students of a music college. This is the first questionnaire survey aimed at finding out the prevalence of musician's dystonia among the students of music. Among the 480 participants of this survey, 29% of the students had knowledge of this disorder and 1.25% of the students had dystonia while performing music.

Automatic avoidance tendencies for alcohol cues predict drinking after detoxification treatment in alcohol dependence.

PubMed

Field, Matt; Di Lemma, Lisa; Christiansen, Paul; Dickson, Joanne

2017-03-01

Alcohol dependence is characterized by conflict between approach and avoidance motivational orientations for alcohol that operate in automatic and controlled processes. This article describes the first study to investigate the predictive validity of these motivational orientations for relapse to drinking after discharge from alcohol detoxification treatment in alcohol-dependent patients. One hundred twenty alcohol-dependent patients who were nearing the end of inpatient detoxification treatment completed measures of self-reported (Approach and Avoidance of Alcohol Questionnaire; AAAQ) and automatic (modified Stimulus-Response Compatibility task) approach and avoidance motivational orientations for alcohol. Their drinking behavior was assessed via telephone follow-ups at 2, 4, and 6 months after discharge from treatment. Results indicated that, after controlling for the severity of alcohol dependence, strong automatic avoidance tendencies for alcohol cues were predictive of higher percentage of heavy drinking days (PHDD) at 4-month (β = 0.22, 95% CI [0.07, 0.43]) and 6-month (β = 0.22, 95% CI [0.01, 0.42]) follow-ups. We failed to replicate previous demonstrations of the predictive validity of approach subscales of the AAAQ for relapse to drinking, and there were no significant predictors of PHDD at 2-month follow-up. In conclusion, strong automatic avoidance tendencies predicted relapse to drinking after inpatient detoxification treatment, but automatic approach tendencies and self-reported approach and avoidance tendencies were not predictive in this study. Our results extend previous findings and help to resolve ambiguities with earlier studies that investigated the roles of automatic and controlled cognitive processes in recovery from alcohol dependence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

What’s the Harm in Asking about Suicidal Ideation?

PubMed Central

Mathias, Charles W.; Furr, R. Michael; Sheftall, Arielle H.; Hill-Kapturczak, Nathalie; Crum, Paige; Dougherty, Donald M.

2013-01-01

Both researchers and oversight committees share concerns about patient safety in the study-related assessment of suicidality. However, concern about assessing suicidal thoughts can be a barrier to the development of empirical evidence that informs research on how to safely conduct these assessments. A question has been raised if asking about suicidal thoughts can result in iatrogenic increases of such thoughts, especially among at-risk samples. The current study repeatedly tested suicidal ideation at 6-month intervals for up to 2-years. Suicidal ideation was measured with the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire Junior, and administered to adolescents who had previously received inpatient psychiatric care. Change in suicidal ideation was tested using several analytic techniques, each of which pointed to a significant decline in suicidal ideation in the context of repeated assessment. This and previous study outcomes suggest that asking an at-risk population about suicidal ideation is not associated with subsequent increases in suicidal ideation. PMID:22548324

Social constraints and quality of life among Chinese-speaking breast cancer survivors: a mediation model.

PubMed

You, Jin; Lu, Qian

2014-11-01

Literature has revealed detrimental effects of unsupportive interpersonal interactions on adjustment to cancer. However, no studies have examined this effect and the underlying psychological pathways among Chinese-speaking breast cancer survivors. The study investigated the relationship between social constraints and adjustment to cancer and the underlying psychological pathways among Chinese-speaking breast cancer survivors. Chinese-speaking breast cancer survivors (N = 120) completed a questionnaire package assessing social constraints, intrusive thoughts, affect, and quality of life. Results revealed a negative relationship between social constraints and quality of life. Such a relationship between social constraints and quality of life was mediated by negative affect and intrusive thoughts, while the association of intrusive thoughts and quality of life were completely mediated by positive and negative affect. Findings highlight the negative association between unsupportive interpersonal interactions and adjustment through cognitive and affective pathways among Chinese-speaking breast cancer survivors.

Effects of thought suppression on episodic memory.

PubMed

Rassin, E; Merckelbach, H; Muris, P

1997-11-01

Subjects were shown a short film fragment. Following this, one group of subjects (n = 26) was instructed to suppress their thoughts about the film, while the other group (n = 24) received no instructions. After 5 hrs subjects returned to the laboratory and completed a questionnaire testing their memory about the film. Results showed that suppression subjects reported a higher frequency of thoughts about the film than control subjects. No evidence was obtained for Wegner, Quillian, and Houston's (1996; Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, 680-691) claim that suppression has an undermining effect on memory for chronology. Possible causes for the differences between the results as obtained by Wegner et al., and those found in the present study are discussed. These causes may pertain to the experimental design, but also to differences in emotional impact of the stimulus material that was used in both studies.

Thoughts and sensations, twin galaxies of the inner space: The propensity to mind-wander relates to spontaneous sensations arising on the hands.

PubMed

Michael, George A; Tapiero, Isabelle; Gálvez-García, Germán; Jacquot, Laurence

2017-10-01

Sensations and thoughts have been described as potentially related to self-awareness. We therefore asked whether sensations that arise in the absence of external triggers, i.e., spontaneous sensations (SPS), which were shown to relate to interoception and perception of the self, vary as a function of the individual propensity to generate spontaneous thoughts, i.e., mind-wandering. The Mind Wandering Questionnaire (MWQ) was used as a specific tool to assess the frequency and propensity to mind-wander several weeks before completing an SPS task. Correlational analyses between the MWQ score and SPS showed that greater propensity to mind-wander coincided with widespread perception of SPS, while lesser propensity to mind-wander coincided with more spatially restricted perception of SPS. The results are interpreted in light of the role of spontaneous thoughts and sensations in self-awareness. The potential psychological processes and the way they might regulate the relation between mind-wandering and the perception of SPS are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Psychiatrically Hospitalized Suicidal Adolescents: Self-Report Instruments as Predictors of Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huth-Bocks, Alissa C.; Kerr, David C. R.; Ivey, Asha Z.; Kramer, Anne C.; King, Cheryl A.

2007-01-01

Objective: The validity and clinical utility of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-Junior, and Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) were examined longitudinally among suicidal adolescents. Method: Between 1998 and 2000, 289 psychiatrically hospitalized, suicidal youth, ages 12 to 17 years,…

Perceptions of Caregivers about Special Respite Services for the Elderly.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Dulcy B.; Goldman, Lorraine

1989-01-01

Questionnaires were completed by 23 family members who had arranged for respite care for ill elderly relatives. Caregiver families used their respite for vacations, personal business, freedom from caregiving, and surgery. Eighteen wished to participate in respite again because they thought it the best available arrangement to maintain their mental…

Development of Food Safety Psychosocial Questionnaires for Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd-Bredbenner, C.; Wheatley, V.; Schaffner, D.; Bruhn, C.; Blalock, L.; Maurer, J.

2007-01-01

Food mishandling is thought to be more acute among young adults; yet little is known about why they may engage in risky food handling behaviors. The purpose of this study was to create valid, reliable instruments for assessing key food safety psychosocial measures. Development of the measures began by examining published studies and behavior…

Qualities of Early Childhood Teachers: Reflections from Teachers and Administrators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weitman, Catheryn J.; Humphries, Janie H.

Data were collected from elementary school principals and kindergarten teachers in Texas and Louisiana in an effort to identify qualities that are thought to be important for kindergarten teachers. A questionnaire listing 462 qualities of early childhood teachers was compiled from literature reviews. Subjects were asked to check a maximum of 50…

A Permutation Test for Correlated Errors in Adjacent Questionnaire Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hildreth, Laura A.; Genschel, Ulrike; Lorenz, Frederick O.; Lesser, Virginia M.

2013-01-01

Response patterns are of importance to survey researchers because of the insight they provide into the thought processes respondents use to answer survey questions. In this article we propose the use of structural equation modeling to examine response patterns and develop a permutation test to quantify the likelihood of observing a specific…

Suicide Bulletin Board Systems Comparison between Japan and Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sueki, Hajime; Eichenberg, Christiane

2012-01-01

An online questionnaire (n = 301) was conducted to analyze the cross-cultural influence of the use of suicide bulletin board systems. Factor analysis demonstrated that participants had two types of motives: the constructive motive of mutual help and the destructive motive of suicide preparation. The results showed that suicidal thoughts did not…

The Effects of Mindfulness versus Thought Suppression on Implicit and Explicit Measures of Experiential Avoidance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hooper, Nic; Villatte, Matthieu; Neofotistou, Evi; McHugh, Louise

2010-01-01

The current study aimed to provide an implicit measure of experiential avoidance (EA). Fifty undergraduate participants were exposed to an implicit (Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure: IRAP) and an explicit (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II: AAQ II) measure of EA. Subsequently participant's response latencies on viewing a negatively…

Junior hospital doctors' views on their training in the UK.

PubMed Central

Panayiotou, B. N.; Fotherby, M. D.

1996-01-01

To ascertain the views of senior house officers and registrars on the educational and training component of their posts, a questionnaire was sent to all full-time doctors working in training posts in general and/or geriatric medicine at three district general and three teaching hospitals. Completed questionnaires were received from 64 (61%) of 105 doctors who were contacted. Most had a careers counsellor or tutor, although less than two-thirds thought they had benefited from this arrangement. The majority of doctors attended at least two medical tutorials or meetings per week; most wanted to attend more but were unable to because of other work commitments. Supervision by more senior staff on the ward was deemed by most to be satisfactory, but less so in out-patient clinics. Overall, one-third of doctors thought that training was inadequate and three-quarters wanted a greater amount of formal education. The majority of junior doctors' time was spent on routine work and most considered :training' constituted less than 10% of their working time. Doctors in training require more sessions designated as educational, with protected time to attend these. PMID:8949591

A temporal dissociation of subliminal versus supraliminal fear perception: an event-related potential study.

PubMed

Liddell, Belinda J; Williams, Leanne M; Rathjen, Jennifer; Shevrin, Howard; Gordon, Evian

2004-04-01

Current theories of emotion suggest that threat-related stimuli are first processed via an automatically engaged neural mechanism, which occurs outside conscious awareness. This mechanism operates in conjunction with a slower and more comprehensive process that allows a detailed evaluation of the potentially harmful stimulus (LeDoux, 1998). We drew on the Halgren and Marinkovic (1995) model to examine these processes using event-related potentials (ERPs) within a backward masking paradigm. Stimuli used were faces with fear and neutral (as baseline control) expressions, presented above (supraliminal) and below (subliminal) the threshold for conscious detection. ERP data revealed a double dissociation for the supraliminal versus subliminal perception of fear. In the subliminal condition, responses to the perception of fear stimuli were enhanced relative to neutral for the N2 "excitatory" component, which is thought to represent orienting and automatic aspects of face processing. By contrast, supraliminal perception of fear was associated with relatively enhanced responses for the late P3 "inhibitory" component, implicated in the integration of emotional processes. These findings provide evidence in support of Halgren and Marinkovic's temporal model of emotion processing, and indicate that the neural mechanisms for appraising signals of threat may be initiated, not only automatically, but also without the need for conscious detection of these signals.

Reflecting on non-reflective action: An exploratory think-aloud study of self-report habit measures

PubMed Central

Gardner, Benjamin; Tang, Vinca

2014-01-01

Objectives Within health psychology, habit – the tendency to enact action automatically as a learned response to contextual cues – is most commonly quantified using the ‘Self-Report Habit Index’, which assesses behavioural automaticity, or measures combining self-reported behaviour frequency and context stability. Yet, the use of self-report to capture habit has proven controversial. This study used ‘think-aloud’ methods to investigate problems experienced when completing these two measures. Design Cross-sectional survey with think-aloud study. Methods Twenty student participants narrated their thoughts while completing habit measures applied to four health-related behaviours (active commuting, unhealthy snacking, and one context-free and one context-specific variant of alcohol consumption). Data were coded using thematic analysis procedures. Results Problems were found in 10% of responses. Notable findings included participants lacking confidence in reporting automaticity, struggling to recall behaviour or cues, differing in interpretations of ‘commuting’, and misinterpreting items. Conclusions While most responses were unproblematic, and further work is needed to investigate habit self-reports among larger and more diverse samples, findings nonetheless question the sensitivity of the measures, and the conceptualization of habit underpinning common applications of them. We offer suggestions to minimize these problems. PMID:23869847

Design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation of healthcare organization management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charalampos, Platis; Emmanouil, Zoulias; Dimitrios, Iracleous; Lappa, Evaggelia

2017-09-01

The management of a healthcare organization is monitored using a suitably designed questionnaire to 271 nurses operating in Greek hospital. The data are fed to an automatic data mining system to obtain a suitable series of models to analyse, visualise and study the obtained information. Hidden patterns, correlations and interdependencies are investigated and the results are analytically presented.

External misattribution of internal thoughts and proneness to auditory hallucinations: the effect of emotional valence in the Deese–Roediger–McDermott paradigm

PubMed Central

Kanemoto, Mari; Asai, Tomohisa; Sugimori, Eriko; Tanno, Yoshihiko

2013-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that a tendency to externalize internal thought is related to auditory hallucinations or even proneness to auditory hallucinations (AHp) in the general population. However, although auditory hallucinations are related to emotional phenomena, few studies have investigated the effect of emotional valence on the aforementioned relationship. In addition, we do not know what component of psychotic phenomena relate to externalizing bias. The current study replicated our previous research, which suggested that individual differences in auditory hallucination-like experiences are strongly correlated with the external misattribution of internal thoughts, conceptualized in terms of false memory, using the Deese–Roediger–McDermott (DRM) paradigm. We found a significant relationship between experimental performance and total scores on the Launay–Slade Hallucination Scale (LSHS). Among the LSHS factors, only vivid mental image, which is said to be a predictor of auditory hallucinations, was significantly related to experimental performance. We then investigated the potential effect of emotional valence using the DRM paradigm. The results indicate that participants with low scores on the LSHS (the low-AHp group in the current study) showed an increased discriminability index (d′) for positive words and a decreased d′ for negative words. However, no effects of emotional valence were found for participants with high LSHS scores (high-AHp group). This study indicated that external misattribution of internal thoughts predicts AHp, and that the high-AHp group showed a smaller emotional valence effect in the DRM paradigm compared with the low-AHp group. We discuss this outcome from the perspective of the dual-process activation-monitoring framework in the DRM paradigm in regard to emotion-driven automatic thought in false memory. PMID:23847517

Tinnitus, anxiety and automatic processing of affective information: an explorative study.

PubMed

Ooms, Els; Vanheule, Stijn; Meganck, Reitske; Vinck, Bart; Watelet, Jean-Baptiste; Dhooge, Ingeborg

2013-03-01

Anxiety is found to play an important role in the severity complaint of tinnitus patients. However, when investigating anxiety in tinnitus patients, most studies make use of verbal reports of affect (e.g., self-report questionnaires and/or interviews). These methods reflect conscious appraisals of anxiety, but do not map underlying processing mechanisms. Nonetheless, such mechanisms, like the automatic processing of affective information, are important as they modulate emotional experience and emotion-related behaviour. Research showed that highly anxious people process threatening information (e.g., fearful and angry faces) faster than non-anxious people. Therefore, this study investigates whether tinnitus patients process affective stimuli (happy, sad, fearful, and angry faces) in the same way as highly anxious people do. Our sample consisted out of 67 consecutive tinnitus patients. Relationships between tinnitus severity, pitch, loudness, hearing loss, and the automatic processing of affective information were explored. Results indicate that especially in severely distressed tinnitus patients, the severity complaint is highly related to the automatic processing of fearful (r = 0.37, p < 0.05), angry (r = 0.44, p < 0.00) and happy (r = -0.44, p < 0.00) faces, and these relationships became even stronger after controlling for hearing loss. Furthermore, in contrast with findings on the relation between audiological characteristics (pitch and loudness) and conscious report of anxiety, we did find that the audiological characteristic, loudness, tends to be in some degree related to the automatic processing of fearful faces (r = 0.25, p = 0.08). We conclude that tinnitus is an anxiety-related problem on an automatic processing level.

Effectiveness of an automatic manual wheelchair braking system in the prevention of falls.

PubMed

Martorello, Laura; Swanson, Edward

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an automatic manual wheelchair braking system in the reduction of falls for patients at high risk of falls while transferring to and from a manual wheelchair. The study design was a normative survey carried out through the use of a written questionnaire sent to 60 skilled nursing facilities to collect data from the medical charts, which identified patients at high risk for falls who used an automatic wheelchair braking system. The facilities participating in the study identified a frequency of falls of high-risk patients while transferring to and from the wheelchair ranging from 2 to 10 per year, with a median fall rate per facility of 4 falls. One year after the installation of the automatic wheelchair braking system, participating facilities demonstrated a reduction of zero to three falls during transfers by high-risk patients, with a median fall rate of zero falls. This represents a statistically significant reduction of 78% in the fall rate of high-risk patients while transferring to and from the wheelchair, t (18) = 6.39, p < .0001. Incident reports of falls to and from manual wheelchairs were reviewed retrospectively for a 1-year period. This study suggests that high-risk fallers transferring to or from manual wheelchairs sustained significantly fewer falls when the Steddy Mate automatic braking system for manual wheelchairs was installed. The application of the automatic braking system allows clients, families/caregivers, and facility personnel an increased safety factor for the reduction of falls from the wheelchair.

THE INTERACTIVE AUTOMATIC SYNDROME DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAM OF DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES "ELECTRONIC POLICLINIC".

PubMed

Mishlanov, V Yu; Katkova, A V; Dugina, A A; Kuznetzova, V D; Tepanyan, A T; Zhygulev, A N

The aim of the study was to estimate clinical efficiency of the interactive automatic program of digestive system diseases diagnostics "Electronic policlinic". Material was presented by 22 patients with different gastroenterological diseases (duodenal ulcer, chronical gastritis, chronical pancreatitis) and the comparative group consisted of 20 healthy people. The plan of the research included the interactive questionnaire using diagnostic module digestive system diseases of the digestive system of the automated program "Electronic policlinic" (Certificate No. 2012614202 from 12.05.12) posted on the Internet (http://klinikcity.ru). For the purpose of verification of diagnosis patients underwent fibrogastroduodenoscopy, ultrasound examination of abdominal cavity organs, CT scan, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, barium enema. As the result of the study there were showed that interactive automated system was able to reveal 85,7% of patients with chronical gastritis, duodenal ulcer and chronical pancreatitis and 75% of patients with colonopathy. The specify of diagnostic procedure was 80% in the first case and 100% in the second. Prevalence of digestive system diseases basic symptoms was studied too. The conclusion of the study demonstrated interactive questionnaire good ability in preliminary digestive problem patient examination procedure for individual diagnostic plan making.

Carbohydrate Estimation by a Mobile Phone-Based System Versus Self-Estimations of Individuals With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Rhyner, Daniel; Loher, Hannah; Dehais, Joachim; Anthimopoulos, Marios; Shevchik, Sergey; Botwey, Ransford Henry; Duke, David; Stettler, Christoph; Diem, Peter; Mougiakakou, Stavroula

2016-05-11

Diabetes mellitus is spreading throughout the world and diabetic individuals have been shown to often assess their food intake inaccurately; therefore, it is a matter of urgency to develop automated diet assessment tools. The recent availability of mobile phones with enhanced capabilities, together with the advances in computer vision, have permitted the development of image analysis apps for the automated assessment of meals. GoCARB is a mobile phone-based system designed to support individuals with type 1 diabetes during daily carbohydrate estimation. In a typical scenario, the user places a reference card next to the dish and acquires two images using a mobile phone. A series of computer vision modules detect the plate and automatically segment and recognize the different food items, while their 3D shape is reconstructed. Finally, the carbohydrate content is calculated by combining the volume of each food item with the nutritional information provided by the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. The main objective of this study is to assess the accuracy of the GoCARB prototype when used by individuals with type 1 diabetes and to compare it to their own performance in carbohydrate counting. In addition, the user experience and usability of the system is evaluated by questionnaires. The study was conducted at the Bern University Hospital, "Inselspital" (Bern, Switzerland) and involved 19 adult volunteers with type 1 diabetes, each participating once. Each study day, a total of six meals of broad diversity were taken from the hospital's restaurant and presented to the participants. The food items were weighed on a standard balance and the true amount of carbohydrate was calculated from the USDA nutrient database. Participants were asked to count the carbohydrate content of each meal independently and then by using GoCARB. At the end of each session, a questionnaire was completed to assess the user's experience with GoCARB. The mean absolute error was 27.89 (SD 38.20) grams of carbohydrate for the estimation of participants, whereas the corresponding value for the GoCARB system was 12.28 (SD 9.56) grams of carbohydrate, which was a significantly better performance ( P=.001). In 75.4% (86/114) of the meals, the GoCARB automatic segmentation was successful and 85.1% (291/342) of individual food items were successfully recognized. Most participants found GoCARB easy to use. This study indicates that the system is able to estimate, on average, the carbohydrate content of meals with higher accuracy than individuals with type 1 diabetes can. The participants thought the app was useful and easy to use. GoCARB seems to be a well-accepted supportive mHealth tool for the assessment of served-on-a-plate meals.

Driving safety among patients with automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

PubMed

Finch, N J; Leman, R B; Kratz, J M; Gillette, P C

1993-10-06

To determine the driving behavior of patients following the placement of automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators (AICDs). Forty patients with AICDs (33 men, seven women; mean age, 62.7 years) responded to a questionnaire designed to ascertain driving behavior after hospital discharge. Despite medical advice never to drive again, 28 patients (70%) resumed driving, with the majority doing so by 8 months after AICD implantation. Of these, 11 (40%) identified themselves as the primary driver in their household. Fourteen (50%) drove daily. Two (7%) were driving and continued to drive during discharge of their AICDs. Twenty-five (91%) reported that they felt comfortable and safe while driving. A majority of patients with AICDs continue to drive after a proscription of this activity by health care workers.

Meta-analytic moderators of experimental exposure to media portrayals of women on female appearance satisfaction: Social comparisons as automatic processes.

PubMed

Want, Stephen C

2009-09-01

Experimental exposure to idealized media portrayals of women is thought to induce social comparisons in female viewers and thereby to be generally detrimental to female viewers' satisfaction with their own appearance. Through meta-analysis, the present paper examines the impact of moderators of this effect, some identified and updated from a prior meta-analysis and some that have hitherto received little attention. Participants' pre-existing appearance concerns and the processing instructions participants were given when exposed to media portrayals were found to significantly moderate effect sizes. With regard to processing instructions, a novel and counter-intuitive pattern was revealed; effect sizes were smallest when participants were instructed to focus on the appearance of women in media portrayals, and largest when participants processed the portrayals on a distracting, non-appearance dimension. These results are interpreted through a framework that suggests that social comparisons are automatic processes, the effects of which can be modified through conscious processing.

Dynamics of cochlear nonlinearity: Automatic gain control or instantaneous damping?

PubMed

Altoè, Alessandro; Charaziak, Karolina K; Shera, Christopher A

2017-12-01

Measurements of basilar-membrane (BM) motion show that the compressive nonlinearity of cochlear mechanical responses is not an instantaneous phenomenon. For this reason, the cochlear amplifier has been thought to incorporate an automatic gain control (AGC) mechanism characterized by a finite reaction time. This paper studies the effect of instantaneous nonlinear damping on the responses of oscillatory systems. The principal results are that (i) instantaneous nonlinear damping produces a noninstantaneous gain control that differs markedly from typical AGC strategies; (ii) the kinetics of compressive nonlinearity implied by the finite reaction time of an AGC system appear inconsistent with the nonlinear dynamics measured on the gerbil basilar membrane; and (iii) conversely, those nonlinear dynamics can be reproduced using an harmonic oscillator with instantaneous nonlinear damping. Furthermore, existing cochlear models that include instantaneous gain-control mechanisms capture the principal kinetics of BM nonlinearity. Thus, an AGC system with finite reaction time appears neither necessary nor sufficient to explain nonlinear gain control in the cochlea.

Automatic Prediction of Conversion from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Probable Alzheimer’s Disease using Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PubMed Central

Nho, Kwangsik; Shen, Li; Kim, Sungeun; Risacher, Shannon L.; West, John D.; Foroud, Tatiana; Jack, Clifford R.; Weiner, Michael W.; Saykin, Andrew J.

2010-01-01

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is thought to be a precursor to the development of early Alzheimer’s disease (AD). For early diagnosis of AD, the development of a model that is able to predict the conversion of amnestic MCI to AD is challenging. Using automatic whole-brain MRI analysis techniques and pattern classification methods, we developed a model to differentiate AD from healthy controls (HC), and then applied it to the prediction of MCI conversion to AD. Classification was performed using support vector machines (SVMs) together with a SVM-based feature selection method, which selected a set of most discriminating predictors for optimizing prediction accuracy. We obtained 90.5% cross-validation accuracy for classifying AD and HC, and 72.3% accuracy for predicting MCI conversion to AD. These analyses suggest that a classifier trained to separate HC vs. AD has substantial potential for predicting MCI conversion to AD. PMID:21347037

Children’s mental time travel during mind wandering

PubMed Central

Ye, Qun; Song, Xiaolan; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Qinqin

2014-01-01

The prospective bias is a salient feature of mind wandering in healthy adults, yet little is known about the temporal focus of children’s mind wandering. In the present study, (I) we developed the temporal focus of mind wandering questionnaire for school-age children (TFMWQ-C), a 12-item scale with good test–retest reliability and construct validity. (II) The criterion validity was tested by thought sampling in both choice reaction time task and working memory task. A positive correlation was found between the temporal focus measured by the questionnaire and the one adopted during task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) by thought sampling probes, especially in the trait level of future-oriented mind wandering. At the same time, children who experienced more TUTs tended to show worse behavioral performance during tasks. (III) The children in both tasks experienced more future-oriented TUTs than past-oriented ones, which was congruent with the results observed in adults; however, in contrast with previous research on adults, the prospective bias was not influenced by task demands. Together these results indicate that the prospective bias of mind wandering has emerged since the school-age (9∼13 years old), and that the relationship between mental time travel (MTT) during mind wandering and the use of cognitive resources differs between children and adults. Our study provides new insights into how this interesting feature of mind wandering may adaptively contribute to the development of children’s MTT. PMID:25191301

The Self-help Online against Suicidal thoughts (SOS) trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mühlmann, Charlotte; Madsen, Trine; Hjorthøj, Carsten; Kerkhof, Ad; Nordentoft, Merete; Erlangsen, Annette

2017-01-28

Suicidal thoughts are common, causing distress for millions of people all over the world. However, people with suicidal thoughts might not access support due to financial restraints, stigma or a lack of available treatment offers. Self-help programs provided online could overcome these barriers, and previous efforts show promising results in terms of reducing suicidal thoughts. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of an online self-help intervention in reducing suicidal thoughts among people at risk of suicide. The Danish Self-help Online against Suicidal thoughts (SOS) trial is a partial replication of a previously conducted Dutch trial. A randomized, waiting-list controlled trial with 1:1 allocation ratio will be carried out. A total of 438 people with suicidal thoughts will be recruited from the Danish suicide hotline, The Lifeline's, website and allocated to the intervention condition (N = 219) or the control condition (N = 219). The intervention condition consists of a 6-week, Internet-based self-help therapy intervention. The format of the intervention is self-help, but the participants can be guided by the trial manager. The control condition consists of a waiting-list assignment for 32 weeks. The primary outcomes are frequency and intensity of suicidal thoughts. Secondary outcome measures include depressive symptoms, hopelessness, worrying, quality of life, costs related to health care utilization and production loss. Number of deliberate self-harm episodes, suicides and deaths will, as well as the participant's evaluation of the intervention and the experience of negative effects, be investigated. Assessments will be conducted over the intervention website through self-report questionnaires at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 32 weeks (6 months post intervention). If we find the intervention to be linked to reductions in suicidal thoughts, this will strengthen the evidence that online self-help interventions are relevant tools for people with suicidal thoughts. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02872610 . Registered on 9 August 2016.

Mind wandering and retrieval from episodic memory: a pilot event-related potential study.

PubMed

Riby, Leigh Martin; Smallwood, Jonathan; Gunn, Valerie P

2008-06-01

The present study investigated the effects of mind wandering (task-unrelated thought) on the subcomponents of episodic memory as reflected by event-related potentials (ERPs). Specifically, individual differences in the pattern of ERP episodic 'old/new' effects (left-parietal, right-frontal and central-negativity effects) were examined across groups of participants experiencing either high or low frequencies of task-unrelated thought during encoding. Twenty participants studied lists of words and line drawings in one of two contexts (red versus green coloured boxes). At test, participants discriminated between target (old words or line drawings presented in one colour) and nontargets (old items from the other colour and new items). On completion of the memory task, participants completed the 'thinking' component of the Dundee Stress State Questionnaire to provide a retrospective measure of task-unrelated thought. Behavioural data indicated that irrespective of the presence of task-unrelated thought, participants were able to complete the memory task equally well. However, an analysis of ERPs across High and Low task-unrelated thought groups revealed differences in retrieval strategy. Those individuals with infrequent episodes of task-unrelated thought at study used a 'pure' recollection strategy (left-parietal effect only). Conversely, those participants experiencing frequent episodes of task-unrelated thought were unable to recollect the stimuli with ease, as indexed by a diminished parietal effect. As a consequence, these participants employed additional strategic processes for task completion, as indexed by an elevated amplitude of central negativity effects. These data are consistent with the decoupling hypothesis of mind wandering which suggests impaired recollection when attention becomes directed away from the task.

Complete unconscious control: Using (in)action primes to demonstrate completely unconscious activation of inhibitory control mechanisms

PubMed Central

Hepler, Justin; Albarracin, Dolores

2018-01-01

Although robust evidence indicates that action initiation can occur unconsciously and unintentionally, the literature on action inhibition suggests that inhibition requires both conscious thought and intentionality. In prior research demonstrating automatic inhibition in response to unconsciously processed stimuli, the unconscious stimuli had previously been consciously associated with an inhibitory response within the context of the experiment, and participants had consciously formed a goal to activate inhibition processes when presented with the stimuli (because task instructions required participants to engage in inhibition when the stimuli occurred). Therefore, prior work suggests that some amount of conscious thought and intentionality are required for inhibitory control. In the present research, we recorded event-related potentials during two go/no-go experiments in which participants were subliminally primed with general action/inaction concepts that had never been consciously associated with task-specific responses. We provide the first demonstration that inhibitory control processes can be modulated completely unconsciously and unintentionally. PMID:23747649

The effect of analytic and experiential modes of thought on moral judgment.

PubMed

Kvaran, Trevor; Nichols, Shaun; Sanfey, Alan

2013-01-01

According to dual-process theories, moral judgments are the result of two competing processes: a fast, automatic, affect-driven process and a slow, deliberative, reason-based process. Accordingly, these models make clear and testable predictions about the influence of each system. Although a small number of studies have attempted to examine each process independently in the context of moral judgment, no study has yet tried to experimentally manipulate both processes within a single study. In this chapter, a well-established "mode-of-thought" priming technique was used to place participants in either an experiential/emotional or analytic mode while completing a task in which participants provide judgments about a series of moral dilemmas. We predicted that individuals primed analytically would make more utilitarian responses than control participants, while emotional priming would lead to less utilitarian responses. Support was found for both of these predictions. Implications of these findings for dual-process theories of moral judgment will be discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Cognitive behavioral therapy for tension-type headache: a case report].

PubMed

Salman, İsmail Barış; Sertel Berk, Hanife Özlem

2017-10-01

Tension-type headache has a very high socioeconomic impact, and its lifetime prevalence is reported to be between 30% and 78% in different studies. It is widely acknowledged that noninvasive management with a multidisciplinary approach should be considered for the treatment of tension-type headache. Cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation exercises are efficient techniques. This article illustrates the application of a cognitive behavioral therapy protocol enhanced with progressive muscle stretching and relaxation exercises in the treatment of chronic tension-type headache via a case report. Our patient had an ongoing headache for 6 years when he was referred to us by the department of psychiatry. After 10 cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, the patient had learned to notice muscle tension and relax the muscles as well as to recognize and express his emotions in a better way. He became aware of automatic thoughts and learned to find alternative thoughts. Headache severity decreased, and he was able to increase participation in daily life activities.

The Elaborated Intrusion Theory of desire: a 10-year retrospective and implications for addiction treatments.

PubMed

May, Jon; Kavanagh, David J; Andrade, Jackie

2015-05-01

Ten years after the publication of Elaborated Intrusion (EI) Theory, there is now substantial research into its key predictions. The distinction between intrusive thoughts, which are driven by automatic processes, and their elaboration, involving controlled processing, is well established. Desires for both addictive substances and other desired targets are typically marked by imagery, especially when they are intense. Attention training strategies such as body scanning reduce intrusive thoughts, while concurrent tasks that introduce competing sensory information interfere with elaboration, especially if they compete for the same limited-capacity working memory resources. EI Theory has spawned new assessment instruments that are performing strongly and offer the ability to more clearly delineate craving from correlated processes. It has also inspired new approaches to treatment. In particular, training people to use vivid sensory imagery for functional goals holds promise as an intervention for substance misuse, since it is likely to both sustain motivation and moderate craving. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

If and SR Ca2+ release both contribute to pacemaker activity in canine sinoatrial node cells

PubMed Central

Gao, Zhan; Chen, Biyi; Joiner, Mei-ling A.; Wu, Yuejin; Guan, Xiaoqun; Koval, Olha M.; Chaudhary, Ashok K.; Cunha, Shane R.; Mohler, Peter J.; Martins, James B.; Song, Long-Sheng; Anderson, Mark E.

2010-01-01

Increasing evidence suggests that cardiac pacemaking is the result of two sinoatrial node (SAN) cell mechanisms: a ‘voltage clock’ and a Ca2+ dependent process, or ‘Ca2+ clock.’ The voltage clock initiates action potentials (APs) by SAN cell membrane potential depolarization from inward currents, of which the pacemaker current (If) is thought to be particularly important. A Ca2+ dependent process triggers APs when sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ release activates inward current carried by the forward mode of the electrogenic Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX). However, these mechanisms have mostly been defined in rodents or rabbits, but are unexplored in single SAN cells from larger animals. Here, we used patch-clamp and confocal microscope techniques to explore the roles of the voltage and Ca2+ clock mechanisms in canine SAN pacemaker cells. We found that ZD7288, a selective If antagonist, significantly reduced basal automaticity and induced irregular, arrhythmia-like activity in canine SAN cells. In addition, ZD7288 impaired but did not eliminate the SAN cell rate acceleration by isoproterenol. In contrast, ryanodine significantly reduced the SAN cell acceleration by isoproterenol, while ryanodine reduction of basal automaticity was modest (∼14%) and did not reach statistical significance. Importantly, pretreatment with ryanodine eliminated SR Ca2+ release, but did not affect basal or isoproterenol-enhanced If. Taken together, these results indicate that voltage and Ca2+ dependent automaticity mechanisms coexist in canine SAN cells, and suggest If and SR Ca2+ release cooperate to determine baseline and catecholamine-dependent automaticity in isolated dog SAN cells. PMID:20380837

Automatic imitation effects are influenced by experience of synchronous action in children.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, Eoin P; Bijvoet-van den Berg, Simone; Caldwell, Christine A

2018-07-01

By their fourth year of life, children are expert imitators, but it is unclear how this ability develops. One approach suggests that certain types of experience might forge associations between the sensory and motor representations of an action that may facilitate imitation at a later time. Sensorimotor experience of this sort may occur when an infant's action is imitated by a caregiver or when socially synchronous action occurs. This learning approach, therefore, predicts that the strength of sensory-motor associations should depend on the frequency and quality of previous experience. Here, we tested this prediction by examining automatic imitation, that is, the tendency of an action stimulus to facilitate the performance of that action and interfere with the performance of an incompatible action. We required children (aged between 3 years 8 months and 7 years 11 months) to respond to actions performed by an experimenter (e.g., two hands clapping) with both compatible actions (i.e., two hands clapping) and incompatible actions (i.e., two hands waving) at different stages in the experimental procedure. As predicted by a learning account, actions thought to be performed in synchrony (i.e., clapping/waving) produced stronger automatic imitation effects when compared with actions where previous sensorimotor experience is likely to be more limited (e.g., pointing/hand closing). Furthermore, these automatic imitation effects were not found to vary with age, with both compatible and incompatible responses quickening with age. These findings suggest a role for sensorimotor experience in the development of imitative ability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Processing of Emotional Distraction is both Automatic and Modulated by Attention: Evidence from an Event-Related fMRI Investigation

PubMed Central

Shafer, A.T.; Matveychuk, D.; Penney, T.; O’Hare, A.J.; Stokes, J.; Dolcos, F.

2015-01-01

Traditionally, emotional stimuli have been thought to be automatically processed via a bottom-up automatic “capture of attention” mechanism. Recently, this view has been challenged by evidence that emotion processing depends on the availability of attentional resources. Although these two views are not mutually exclusive, direct evidence reconciling them is lacking. One limitation of previous investigations supporting the traditional or competing views is that they have not systematically investigated the impact of emotional charge of task-irrelevant distraction in conjunction with manipulations of attentional demands. Using event-related fMRI, we investigated the nature of emotion-cognition interactions in a perceptual discrimination task with emotional distraction, by manipulating both the emotional charge of the distracting information and the demands of the main task. Findings suggest that emotion processing is both automatic and modulated by attention, but emotion and attention were only found to interact when finer assessments of emotional charge (comparison of most vs. least emotional conditions) were considered along with an effective manipulation of processing load (high vs. low). The study also identified brain regions reflecting the detrimental impact of emotional distraction on performance as well as regions involved in helping with such distraction. Activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventrolateral PFC was linked to a detrimental impact of emotional distraction, whereas the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and lateral occiptal cortex were involved in helping with emotional distraction. These findings demonstrate that task-irrelevant emotion processing is subjective to both the emotional content of distraction and the level of attentional demand. PMID:22332805

Understanding the Use of Twitter for Teaching Purposes in Saudi Arabian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alim, Sophia

2017-01-01

The increased use of Twitter in Saudi Arabia has opened new opportunities in higher education teaching. However, there exists a lack of studies which examine academics' thoughts on Twitter use for teaching purposes. For this study, a questionnaire was distributed to academics in Saudi Arabian universities in order to explore their experiences and…

The Cognitive Developmental Approach to "Epistemology" and Its Relation to Logical and Moral Stages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broughton, John

This paper presents a cross-sectional investigation of adolescents' and young adults' reflective epistemological development. Three groups of 8 subjects (4 male and female) ages 10, 14, and 18 were given Piagetian tasks, the Kohlberg moral judgment questionnaire, and an epistemology interview covering such concepts as knowledge, thought, feeling,…

Psychometric Evaluation of the Work Acceptance and Action Questionnaire of Psychological Flexibility Modified for University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Brent; Rosenberg, Harold; Lauritsen, Kirstin; Davis, Alan K.; Cross, Nicole

2017-01-01

According to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), "psychological flexibility" refers to an individual's ability to maintain mindful awareness of his or her thoughts and emotions in the present moment while behaving according to his or her personal values. Psychological inflexibility could set the foundation for emotional distress and…

A Closer Look at Chinese EFL Learners' Test-Wiseness Strategies in Reading Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haiyan, Miao; Rilong, Liu

2016-01-01

This paper reports on an investigation into the relationship of test-takers' use of test-wiseness strategies to Chinese EFL learners' reading test performance. A test-wiseness questionnaire was administered immediately after the final achievement test to probe into how learners thought while completing the reading section of the test. It was found…

Bumping into Someone: Japanese Students' Perceptions and Observations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lieske, Carmella

2010-01-01

This pilot study explores the apologies Japanese nursing college students thought they would use in their L1 (i.e. Japanese) and their L2 (i.e. English) when bumping into each other. The students completed a questionnaire, the results of which indicated that they believed they should always apologize for bumping into someone. The paper describes…

Food for Thought: Analysing the Internal and External School Food Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callaghan, Mary; Molcho, Michal; Nic Gabhainn, Saoirse; Kelly, Colette

2015-01-01

Purpose: Availability and access to food is a determinant of obesity. The purpose of this paper is to examine food availability within and outside of post-primary schools in Ireland. Design/methodology/approach: Data on the internal school food environment were collected from 63 post-primary schools using questionnaires. The external school food…

Do We See through Their Eyes? Testing a Bilingual Questionnaire in Education Research Using Cognitive Interviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sopromadze, Natia; Moorosi, Pontso

2017-01-01

The paper aims to demonstrate the value of cognitive interviewing (CI) as a survey pretesting method in comparative education research. Although rarely used by education researchers, CI has been successfully applied in different disciplines to evaluate and improve question performance. The method assumes that observing people's thought processes…

Examining the Use of Curriculum to Support Early Literacy Instruction: A Multiple Case Study of Head Start Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihai, Alina; Butera, Gretchen; Friesen, Amber

2017-01-01

Research Findings: This qualitative study examined how Head Start teachers thought about children's early literacy and how they enacted their thinking in a year-long curriculum reform effort. Data collected included interviews, observations, questionnaires, concept maps, and teachers' reflections on implementation. The results indicated that as…

Brief Report: Direct and Indirect Relations of Risk Factors with Eating Behavior Problems in Late Adolescent Females

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Birgit; Muris, Peter; Meesters, Cor; Zimmermann-van Beuningen, Ritine

2009-01-01

This study explored correlations between risk factors and eating behavior problems in late adolescent, non-clinical females (N = 301). Participants completed questionnaires for assessing eating problems, the closely associated factors of Body Mass Index (BMI) and body dissatisfaction, and a number of other risk variables that are thought to be…

De-Mystifying Inventive Thinking: A Survey with Pedagogic Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Andre

2013-01-01

Students on an enterprise course running in a number of colleges in the UK in which invention and innovation formed part of the curriculum were asked to complete a questionnaire immediately upon having an inventive thought in an attempt to establish the thinking processes involved. Results from those who had ideas that subsequently proved to be…

Australian attitudes to DNA sample banks and genetic screening.

PubMed

Williams, Carolyn

2005-11-01

An exploration via an anonymous questionnaire of Australian public attitudes towards medical genetics and sample banking revealed the overwhelming majority views these developments with thoughtful confidence. Continued public education and awareness of these issues will allow the public to make informed decisions and enhance vigilance towards the sometimes misleading coverage in the press and media.

The Queensland Young People's Mental Health Survey Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donald, Maria; Dower, Jo; Lucke, Jayne; Raphael, Beverley

This study's data were collected by telephone and written questionnaires from 15- to 24-year-olds, the age reported to be at high risk for disorders such as depression. The survey revealed that of those contacted, one in four females and one in eight males reported high levels of depressive symptomatology. One in three had suicidal thoughts at…

Occupational therapy and the treatment of the colles' fracture.

PubMed

Naunton, D

1988-01-01

Colles' fracture is a frequently occurring injury, particularly in the older population, and well-known to most occupational therapists working in the area of physical dysfunction. The residual deficits associated with this fracture cause major functional problems for the patient and may be avoided by early referral to occupational therapy. Stages of fracture healing will be discussed with recommendations for timely therapeutic intervention. The importance of developing an automatic, early referral system between physicians and occupational therapy departments is stressed, in order to provide thoughtful, preventive, effective treatment to patients with this potentially disabling fracture.

What do firefighters desire from the next generation of personal protective equipment? Outcomes from an international survey

PubMed Central

LEE, Joo-Young; PARK, Joonhee; PARK, Huiju; COCA, Aitor; KIM, Jung-Hyun; TAYLOR, Nigel A.S.; SON, Su-Young; TOCHIHARA, Yutaka

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate smart features required for the next generation of personal protective equipment (PPE) for firefighters in Australia, Korea, Japan, and the USA. Questionnaire responses were obtained from 167 Australian, 351 Japanese, 413 Korean, and 763 U.S. firefighters (1,611 males and 61 females). Preferences concerning smart features varied among countries, with 27% of Korean and 30% of U.S. firefighters identifying ‘a location monitoring system’ as the most important element. On the other hand, 43% of Japanese firefighters preferred ‘an automatic body cooling system’ while 21% of the Australian firefighters selected equally ‘an automatic body cooling system’ and ‘a wireless communication system’. When asked to rank these elements in descending priority, responses across these countries were very similar with the following items ranked highest: ‘a location monitoring system’, ‘an automatic body cooling system’, ‘a wireless communication system’, and ‘a vision support system’. The least preferred elements were ‘an automatic body warming system’ and ‘a voice recording system’. No preferential relationship was apparent for age, work experience, gender or anthropometric characteristics. These results have implications for the development of the next generation of PPE along with the international standardisation of the smart PPE. PMID:26027710

Automatic mathematical modeling for real time simulation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Caroline; Purinton, Steve

1988-01-01

A methodology for automatic mathematical modeling and generating simulation models is described. The models will be verified by running in a test environment using standard profiles with the results compared against known results. The major objective is to create a user friendly environment for engineers to design, maintain, and verify their model and also automatically convert the mathematical model into conventional code for conventional computation. A demonstration program was designed for modeling the Space Shuttle Main Engine Simulation. It is written in LISP and MACSYMA and runs on a Symbolic 3670 Lisp Machine. The program provides a very friendly and well organized environment for engineers to build a knowledge base for base equations and general information. It contains an initial set of component process elements for the Space Shuttle Main Engine Simulation and a questionnaire that allows the engineer to answer a set of questions to specify a particular model. The system is then able to automatically generate the model and FORTRAN code. The future goal which is under construction is to download the FORTRAN code to VAX/VMS system for conventional computation. The SSME mathematical model will be verified in a test environment and the solution compared with the real data profile. The use of artificial intelligence techniques has shown that the process of the simulation modeling can be simplified.

Perceptions, use and attitudes of pharmacy customers on complementary medicines and pharmacy practice.

PubMed

Braun, Lesley A; Tiralongo, Evelin; Wilkinson, Jenny M; Spitzer, Ondine; Bailey, Michael; Poole, Susan; Dooley, Michael

2010-07-20

Complementary medicines (CMs) are popular amongst Australians and community pharmacy is a major supplier of these products. This study explores pharmacy customer use, attitudes and perceptions of complementary medicines, and their expectations of pharmacists as they relate to these products. Pharmacy customers randomly selected from sixty large and small, metropolitan and rural pharmacies in three Australian states completed an anonymous, self administered questionnaire that had been pre-tested and validated. 1,121 customers participated (response rate 62%). 72% had used CMs within the previous 12 months, 61% used prescription medicines daily and 43% had used both concomitantly. Multivitamins, fish oils, vitamin C, glucosamine and probiotics were the five most popular CMs. 72% of people using CMs rated their products as 'very effective' or 'effective enough'. CMs were as frequently used by customers aged 60 years or older as younger customers (69% vs. 72%) although the pattern of use shifted with older age. Most customers (92%) thought pharmacists should provide safety information about CMs, 90% thought they should routinely check for interactions, 87% thought they should recommend effective CMs, 78% thought CMs should be recorded in customer's medication profile and 58% thought pharmacies stocking CMs should also employ a complementary medicine practitioner. Of those using CMs, 93% thought it important for pharmacists to be knowledgeable about CMs and 48% felt their pharmacist provides useful information about CMs. CMs are widely used by pharmacy customers of all ages who want pharmacists to be more involved in providing advice about these products.

A Correspondence between Individual Differences in the Brain's Intrinsic Functional Architecture and the Content and Form of Self-Generated Thoughts

PubMed Central

Gorgolewski, Krzysztof J.; Lurie, Dan; Urchs, Sebastian; Kipping, Judy A.; Craddock, R. Cameron; Milham, Michael P.; Margulies, Daniel S.; Smallwood, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Although neural activity often reflects the processing of external inputs, intrinsic fluctuations in activity have been observed throughout the brain. These may relate to patterns of self-generated thought that can occur while not performing goal-driven tasks. To understand the relationship between self-generated mental activity and intrinsic neural fluctuations, we developed the New York Cognition Questionnaire (NYC-Q) to assess the content and form of an individual's experiences during the acquisition of resting-state fMRI data. The data were collected as a part of the Nathan Kline Rockland Enhanced sample. We decomposed NYC-Q scores using exploratory factor analysis and found that self-reported thoughts clustered into distinct dimensions of content (future related, past related, positive, negative, and social) and form (words, images, and specificity). We used these components to perform an individual difference analysis exploring how differences in the types of self-generated thoughts relate to whole brain measures of intrinsic brain activity (fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations, regional homogeneity, and degree centrality). We found patterns of self-generated thoughts related to changes that were distributed across a wide range of cortical areas. For example, individuals who reported greater imagery exhibited greater low frequency fluctuations in a region of perigenual cingulate cortex, a region that is known to participate in the so-called default-mode network. We also found certain forms of thought were associated with other areas, such as primary visual cortex, the insula, and the cerebellum. For example, individuals who reported greater future thought exhibited less homogeneous neural fluctuations in a region of lateral occipital cortex, a result that is consistent with the claim that particular types of self-generated thought depend on processes that are decoupled from sensory processes. These data provide evidence that self-generated thought is a heterogeneous category of experience and that studying its content can be helpful in understanding brain dynamics. PMID:24824880

Obesity, food restriction, and implicit attitudes to healthy and unhealthy foods: Lessons learned from the implicit relational assessment procedure.

PubMed

McKenna, Ian; Hughes, Sean; Barnes-Holmes, Dermot; De Schryver, Maarten; Yoder, Ruth; O'Shea, Donal

2016-05-01

It has been argued that obese individuals evaluate high caloric, palatable foods more positively than their normal weight peers, and that this positivity bias causes them to consume such foods, even when healthy alternatives are available. Yet when self-reported and automatic food preferences are assessed no such evaluative biases tend to emerge. We argue that situational (food deprivation) and methodological factors may explain why implicit measures often fail to discriminate between the food-evaluations of these two groups. Across three studies we manipulated the food deprivation state of clinically obese and normal-weight participants and then exposed them to an indirect procedure (IRAP) and self-report questionnaires. We found that automatic food-related cognition was moderated by a person's weight status and food deprivation state. Our findings suggest that the diagnostic and predictive value of implicit measures may be increased when (a) situational moderators are taken into consideration and (b) we pay greater attention to the different ways in which people automatically relate rather than simply categorize food stimuli. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Task-irrelevant spider associations affect categorization performance.

PubMed

Woud, Marcella L; Ellwart, Thomas; Langner, Oliver; Rinck, Mike; Becker, Eni S

2011-09-01

In two studies, the Single Target Implicit Association Test (STIAT) was used to investigate automatic associations toward spiders. In both experiments, we measured the strength of associations between pictures of spiders and either threat-related words or pleasant words. Unlike previous studies, we administered a STIAT version in which stimulus contents was task-irrelevant: The target spider pictures were categorized according to the label picture, irrespective of what they showed. In Study 1, spider-fearful individuals versus non-fearful controls were tested, Study 2 compared spider enthusiasts to non-fearful controls. Results revealed that the novel STIAT version was sensitive to group differences in automatic associations toward spiders. In Study 1, it successfully distinguished between spider-fearful individuals and non-fearful controls. Moreover, STIAT scores predicted automatic fear responses best, whereas controlled avoidance behavior was best predicted by the FAS (German translation of the Fear of Spiders Questionnaire). The results of Study 2 demonstrated that the novel STIAT version was also able to differentiate between spider enthusiasts and non-fearful controls. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automatic data-processing equipment of moon mark of nail for verifying some experiential theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

PubMed

Niu, Renjie; Fu, Chenyu; Xu, Zhiyong; Huang, Jianyuan

2016-04-29

Doctors who practice Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnose using four methods - inspection, auscultation and olfaction, interrogation, and pulse feeling/palpation. The shape and shape changes of the moon marks on the nails are an important indication when judging the patient's health. There are a series of classical and experimental theories about moon marks in TCM, which does not have support from statistical data. To verify some experiential theories on moon mark in TCM by automatic data-processing equipment. This paper proposes the equipment that utilizes image processing technology to collect moon mark data of different target groups conveniently and quickly, building a database that combines this information with that gathered from the health and mental status questionnaire in each test. This equipment has a simple design, a low cost, and an optimized algorithm. The practice has been proven to quickly complete automatic acquisition and preservation of key data about moon marks. In the future, some conclusions will likely be obtained from these data; some changes of moon marks related to a special pathological change will be established with statistical methods.

The Development of Three Questionnaires to Assess Beliefs about Green Exercise

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Green exercise is physical activity that takes place in the presence of natural environments. Despite the promising evidence of the benefits, little is known about how individuals’ thoughts and feelings influence participation in green exercise and subsequent outcomes. The aim of the current research was to develop questionnaires using the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a framework that could both directly and indirectly assess attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behaviour control, along with intention toward green exercise. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that the indirect, direct, and intention measures all had good overall model fits when tested on a refinement (n = 253) and validation (n = 230) sample. The questionnaires will contribute towards helping to better understanding individuals’ beliefs about green exercise, how these influence behaviour, and ultimately to enable the development of effective interventions promoting green exercise. PMID:28976924

The Development of Three Questionnaires to Assess Beliefs about Green Exercise.

PubMed

Flowers, Elliott P; Freeman, Paul; Gladwell, Valerie F

2017-10-04

Green exercise is physical activity that takes place in the presence of natural environments. Despite the promising evidence of the benefits, little is known about how individuals' thoughts and feelings influence participation in green exercise and subsequent outcomes. The aim of the current research was to develop questionnaires using the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a framework that could both directly and indirectly assess attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behaviour control, along with intention toward green exercise. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that the indirect, direct, and intention measures all had good overall model fits when tested on a refinement (n = 253) and validation (n = 230) sample. The questionnaires will contribute towards helping to better understanding individuals' beliefs about green exercise, how these influence behaviour, and ultimately to enable the development of effective interventions promoting green exercise.

Cerebral Correlates of Automatic Associations Towards Performance Enhancing Substances

PubMed Central

Schindler, Sebastian; Wolff, Wanja

2015-01-01

The direct assessment of explicit attitudes toward performance enhancing substances, for example Neuroenhancement or doping in sports, can be affected by social desirability biases and cheating attempts. According to Dual Process Theories of cognition, indirect measures like the Implicit Association Test (IAT) measure automatic associations toward a topic (as opposed to explicit attitudes measured by self-report measures). Such automatic associations are thought to occur rapidly and to evade voluntary control. However, whether or not such indirect tests actually reflect automatic associations is difficult to validate. Electroencephalography (EEG) has a superior time resolution which can differentiate between highly automatic compared to more elaborate processing stages. We therefore used EEG to examine on which processing stages cortical differences between negative or positive attitudes to doping occur, and whether or not these differences can be related to BIAT scores. We tested 42 university students (31 females, 24.43 ± 3.17 years old), who were requested to complete a brief doping IAT (BIAT) on attitudes toward doping. Cerebral activity during doping BIAT completion was assessed using high-density EEG. Behaviorally, participants D-scores exhibited negative attitudes toward doping, represented by faster reaction times in the doping + dislike pairing task. Event-related potentials (ERPs) revealed earliest effects between 200 and 300 ms. Here, a relatively larger occipital positivity was found for the doping + dislike pairing task. Further, in the LPP time range between 400 and 600 ms a larger late positive potential was found for the doping + dislike pairing task over central regions. These LPP amplitude differences were successfully predicting participants' BIAT D-scores. Results indicate that event-related potentials differentiate between positive and negative doping attitudes at stages of mid-latency. However, it seems that IAT scores can be predicted only by the later occurring LPP. Our study is the first to investigate the cerebral correlates that contribute to test scores obtained in the indirect testing of automatic associations toward doping. The implications of our results for the broader NE concept are discussed in light of the conceptual similarity of doping and NE. PMID:26733914

Association between Protestant religiosity and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and cognitions.

PubMed

Abramowitz, Jonathan S; Deacon, Brett J; Woods, Carol M; Tolin, David F

2004-01-01

There is evidence that religion and other cultural influences are associated with the presentation of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, as well as beliefs and assumptions presumed to underlie the development and maintenance of these symptoms. We sought to further examine the relationship between Protestant religiosity and (1) various symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (e.g., checking, washing) and (2) OCD-related cognitions. Using self-report questionnaires, we compared differences in these OCD-related phenomena between highly religious Protestants, moderately religious Protestants, and atheist/agnostic participants drawn from an undergraduate sample. Highly religious versus moderately religious Protestants reported greater obsessional symptoms, compulsive washing, and beliefs about the importance of thoughts. Additionally, the highly religious evinced more obsessional symptoms, compulsive washing, intolerance for uncertainty, need to control thoughts, beliefs about the importance of thoughts, and inflated responsibility, compared to atheists/agnostics. Results are discussed in terms of the relationship between religion and OCD symptoms in the context of the cognitive-behavioral conceptualization of OCD. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Registered nurses' thoughts on blended learning in a postgraduate course in cancer care--content analyses of web surveys and a focus group interview.

PubMed

Arving, Cecilia; Wadensten, Barbro; Johansson, Birgitta

2014-06-01

Purpose of the research was to describe registered nurses' (RNs) (n = 53) thoughts on the blended learning format in a 'specialist nursing programme in cancer care'. The study was conducted in autumn 2007 and 2008. A content analysis of answers to open-ended questions in a web-based questionnaire and a focus group interview were carried out. The analysis revealed that the RNs appreciated blended learning. The web lectures facilitated learning and gave RNs access to the education at any time. However, according to the RNs, knowledge is gained through interaction between RNs and teachers, and this aspect needed to be improved. The RNs also thought that the content of the seminars on campus should focus on evidence-based nursing knowledge and practical skills, not just taught as stable facts and procedures. The result from the present study could help to improve the design and content of advanced nursing courses using a blended learning format.

Parental bonding and vulnerability to adolescent suicide.

PubMed

Martin, G; Waite, S

1994-04-01

Part of a series of studies into early detection in adolescent suicide, this study investigated relationships between parenting style and suicidal thoughts, acts and depression. Students (mean age 15 years) from 4 randomly chosen high schools completed self-report questionnaires containing the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and the Youth Self Report, which provided information about suicide ideation, deliberate self-harm and depression. Significant differences for mean scores on the PBI subscales were noted between cases and noncases of depression, suicidal thoughts and deliberate self-harm. Assignment by adolescents of their parents to the "affectionless control" quadrant of the PBI doubles the relative risk for suicidal thoughts, increases the relative risk for deliberate self-harm 3-fold and increases the relative risk for depression 5-fold. It seems that the PBI may play a role in identification of vulnerable adolescents; further, it both elucidates aspects of adolescent-parent interaction and points toward areas for intervention with at-risk adolescents. We recommend the use of the PBI in early detection studies of adolescent suicide.

Meta-Cognitions in Tourette Syndrome, Tic Disorders, and Body-Focused Repetitive Disorder

PubMed Central

O’Connor, Kieron; St-Pierre-Delorme, Marie-Ève; Leclerc, Julie; Lavoie, Marc; Blais, Mélodie T

2014-01-01

Objective To explore if self-reported presence of thinking about tics or body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs; gests) are direct triggers of tic or gest onset in 3 groups: Tourette syndrome (TS; n =18), persistent chronic tic disorders (TDs; n = 42), and a comparison group with BFRB (n = 36). Method: The 3 groups completed a thinking about tics inventory, listing 22 items derived from clinician consensus that asked whether thoughts always, sometimes, or never exclusively triggered tic onset. Other questionnaires measured mood, perfectionism, impulsivity, premonitory urge, and self-rated tension. Sixty-three participants completed the inventory twice, and the inventory was completed pre- and post-behavioural intervention by a further 54. Results: The ranking of the thoughts reported as likely to trigger tics or gests was positively correlated across TD and BFRB groups. Exploratory principal components analysis of a reduced 12-item set (the thinking about tics inventory) in TS and TD groups revealed that such thoughts could be grouped into 3 separate subscales: thoughts about the interference of tics or gests, thoughts anticipating tics or gests, and thoughts about whether the person has permission to perform the tic or the gest. The 3 sets of subscales showed good and acceptable internal consistency and overall score showed good test–retest reliability, suggesting thoughts about tics or gests are robust and measurable. The subscales correlated with impulsivity, tic or behaviour severity, and ratings of frequency decreased post-behavioural treatment. Conclusions: Thinking about tics or gests is reported as triggering tics or gests in both TD and BFRB, and meta-cognition seems independent of premonitory sensations and relates to distinct clinical characteristics in each clinical group. PMID:25161066

Thoughts of death and self-harm in patients with epilepsy or multiple sclerosis in a tertiary care center.

PubMed

Dickstein, Leah P; Viguera, Adele C; Nowacki, Amy S; Thompson, Nicolas R; Griffith, Sandra D; Baldessarini, Ross J; Katzan, Irene L

2015-01-01

Patients with epilepsy or multiple sclerosis (MS) have high risks of depression and increased risks of suicide, but little is known about their risks of suicidal ideation. We sought to (1) estimate the prevalence of thoughts of being better off dead or of self-harm among patients with epilepsy or MS, (2) identify risk factors for such thoughts, and (3) determine whether any risk factors interact with depression to predict such thoughts. A Cleveland Clinic database provided information on 20,734 visits of 6586 outpatients with epilepsy or MS. Outcome measures were thoughts of death or self-harm (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ] item-9), and total score ≥10 for the 8 remaining PHQ items (probable major depression). Generalized estimating equations accounted for repeat visits in tests of associations of PHQ item-9 responses with depression, age, sex, race, household income, disease severity, and quality of life. Prevalence of thoughts of death or self-harm averaged 14.4% overall (epilepsy, 14.0% and MS, 14.7%). Factors associated with positive PHQ item-9 responses in epilepsy were depression and male sex, modified by poor quality of life. Factors associated with positive PHQ item-9 in MS were depression, male sex, medical comorbidity, and poor quality of life; the effect of depression was worse with greater MS severity and being unmarried. Among patients with common neurologic disorders (epilepsy or MS), 14%-15% reported thoughts of death or self-harm associated with illness severity, depression, quality of life, male sex, and being unmarried. Such patients require further evaluation of clinical outcomes and effects of treatment. Copyright © 2015 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meta-cognitions in tourette syndrome, tic disorders, and body-focused repetitive disorder.

PubMed

O'Connor, Kieron; St-Pierre-Delorme, Marie-Ève; Leclerc, Julie; Lavoie, Marc; Blais, Mélodie T

2014-08-01

To explore if self-reported presence of thinking about tics or body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs; gests) are direct triggers of tic or gest onset in 3 groups: Tourette syndrome (TS; n =18), persistent chronic tic disorders (TDs; n = 42), and a comparison group with BFRB (n = 36). The 3 groups completed a thinking about tics inventory, listing 22 items derived from clinician consensus that asked whether thoughts always, sometimes, or never exclusively triggered tic onset. Other questionnaires measured mood, perfectionism, impulsivity, premonitory urge, and self-rated tension. Sixty-three participants completed the inventory twice, and the inventory was completed pre- and post-behavioural intervention by a further 54. The ranking of the thoughts reported as likely to trigger tics or gests was positively correlated across TD and BFRB groups. Exploratory principal components analysis of a reduced 12-item set (the thinking about tics inventory) in TS and TD groups revealed that such thoughts could be grouped into 3 separate subscales: thoughts about the interference of tics or gests, thoughts anticipating tics or gests, and thoughts about whether the person has permission to perform the tic or the gest. The 3 sets of subscales showed good and acceptable internal consistency and overall score showed good test-retest reliability, suggesting thoughts about tics or gests are robust and measurable. The subscales correlated with impulsivity, tic or behaviour severity, and ratings of frequency decreased post-behavioural treatment. Thinking about tics or gests is reported as triggering tics or gests in both TD and BFRB, and meta-cognition seems independent of premonitory sensations and relates to distinct clinical characteristics in each clinical group.

Parental separation in childhood, social capital, and suicide thoughts and suicide attempts: A population-based study.

PubMed

Lindström, Martin; Rosvall, Maria

2015-09-30

Studies of the association between parental separation in childhood and suicide thoughts and attempts are scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate associations between parental separation/divorce during childhood, and ever having had suicide thoughts and ever having made suicide attempt, adjusting for social capital and other covariates. In 2012 a cross-sectional public health survey was conducted in Scania, southern Sweden, with a postal questionnaire with 28,029 participants aged 18-80. Associations between parental separation/divorce during childhood and ever having considered suicide or having made suicide attempt were analysed by logistic regression. Overall, 12.1% of the men and 15.5% of the women had experienced suicide thoughts, and 3.2% of the men and 5.3% of the women had ever tried committing suicide. Among men, 20.4% had experienced parental separation during childhood until age 18, and among women 22.3%. Parental separation/divorce in childhood was with few exceptions significantly associated with ever having had suicide thoughts with the highest odds ratios for those who had experienced parental separation during ages 0-4 years. Parental separation/divorce in childhood was significantly associated with suicide attempts among men who had experienced parental separation/divorce at ages 0-4 and 15-18, and among women at any age 0-18. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Relationship Between College Zoology Students' Religious Beliefs and Their Ability to Objectively View the Scientific Evidence Supporting Evolutionary Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinclair, Anne; Baldwin, Beatrice

An anonymous 12-item, multiple-choice questionnaire was administered to 218 southern college, introductory zoology students prior to and following a study of evolutionary theory to assess their understanding and acceptance of the credibility of the evidence supporting the theory. Key topics addressed were the history of evolutionary thought, basic…

Reproducing Advantage: The Perspective of English School Leavers on Studying Abroad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Russell; Findlay, Allan; Ahrens, Jill; Dunne, Mairead

2011-01-01

This paper presents results of a questionnaire survey of 1400 Year 13 (final-year) school and sixth-form pupils in two contrasting areas of England, which asked them about their thoughts and plans to study at university abroad. Key questions that the survey sought to answer were the following. How many and what proportion of all higher education…

The Wider Benefits of Further Education: Practitioner Views. Wider Benefits of Learning Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preston, John; Hammond, Cathie

The wider benefits of further education (FE) were examined in a survey circulated to more than 10,000 FE practitioners in a representative sample of FE colleges throughout England. A total of 2,729 questionnaires (approximately 27%) were returned. The following were among the benefits of FE cited: esteem; efficacy; independence of thought; problem…

Use of Weblogs to Enhance Group Learning and Design Creativity amongst Students at a Thai University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auttawutikul, Siwanit; Wiwitkunkasem, Kasemrut; Smith, Duncan R.

2014-01-01

This study reports on the introduction of weblogs as a part of the teaching environment for Thai students to facilitate group learning and enhance creativity. Assessment of progress was through formal creative thought testing, as well as a questionnaire with both structured and open questions. Results showed a significant improvement in assessed…

Pursuing Higher Education: Are There Gender Differences in the Factors That Influence Individuals To Pursue Higher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Sandra McMeans

This study investigated whether gender differences exist in the factors thought to influence a person's desire to pursue higher education. A 152-item multiple choice questionnaire, completed by 346 students enrolled at a large university during 1998, was the source of the data. The independent variable was gender; dependent variables were…

Female genital mutilation in the Sudan: survey of the attitude of Khartoum university students towards this practice.

PubMed

Herieka, E; Dhar, J

2003-06-01

Female genital mutilation (FGM) or female circumcision is the removal of variable amounts of tissue from the female external genitalia. It is practised all over the world on very young girls. This study was conducted in Sudan where FGM is a criminal offence and not a religious dictate. We assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of this practice among Khartoum university students and compared the differences between male and female student responses. An anonymised detailed questionnaire was distributed among the university students. In addition to the participant's age, marital status, course studying, details regarding their attitude, knowledge of the practice of FGM, and their own experiences were collected. Of the 500 questionnaires distributed, 414 (82.8%) were returned from 192 (46%) females and 222 (54%) males. 109 (56.8%) of the female respondents were themselves circumcised.18.8% of the male students and 9.4% of the female students thought FGM was recommended by their religion. Only 90 (46.9%) female students compared with 133 (59.9%) male students thought FGM was illegal. Though 16 (8.3%) female respondents thought FGM would increase their chances of marriage, the majority, 166 (74.8%), of the male students would prefer a non-circumcised female. This study shows that 109 (56.8%) female university students who responded were circumcised. Confusing religious messages and ambiguous laws seem to be responsible for the continuation of this practice. The study highlights the partnership that needs to be established between religious leaders and educationalists to end this medieval practice.

The impact of staff initiated referral and intervention protocols on symptoms of depression in people with mild intellectual disability.

PubMed

McGillivray, Jane A; Kershaw, Mavis M

2013-02-01

It has been estimated that people with ID experience the same and possibly higher levels of depression than the general population. Referral to a General Medical Practitioner (GP) for primary care is recommended practice for people with depression and cognitive behavioural (CB) therapy is now an accepted evidence based intervention. A growing body of literature indicates that people with ID and depression may benefit from CB strategies. The aim of the current study was to compare (i) CB group intervention strategies with referral to a GP; (ii) CB group intervention strategies only; and (iii) referral to a GP only on symptoms of depression among people with mild ID. Staff from six participating agencies received training in (a) how to identify and screen individuals with mild ID for depressive symptoms and risk factors for depression, and (b) supportive referral of identified individuals to GPs for mental health services. In addition, staff from four of the agencies undertook (c) training on how to deliver group CB intervention strategies. Eighty-two participants were allocated to one of the three intervention groups. Depressive symptoms and negative automatic thoughts were assessed prior to the intervention, at the conclusion of the intervention, and at eight months follow-up. Compared to GP referral alone, those participants who received CB strategies both with and without GP referral displayed significant reductions in depressive symptoms. The use of CB strategies only also resulted in a significant reduction in frequency of negative automatic thoughts. The findings of this study support routine screening of individuals with mild ID for depression and the delivery of group CB intervention programmes by trained staff within community-based disability agencies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analyzing depression tendency of web posts using an event-driven depression tendency warning model.

PubMed

Tung, Chiaming; Lu, Wenhsiang

2016-01-01

The Internet has become a platform to express individual moods/feelings of daily life, where authors share their thoughts in web blogs, micro-blogs, forums, bulletin board systems or other media. In this work, we investigate text-mining technology to analyze and predict the depression tendency of web posts. In this paper, we defined depression factors, which include negative events, negative emotions, symptoms, and negative thoughts from web posts. We proposed an enhanced event extraction (E3) method to automatically extract negative event terms. In addition, we also proposed an event-driven depression tendency warning (EDDTW) model to predict the depression tendency of web bloggers or post authors by analyzing their posted articles. We compare the performance among the proposed EDDTW model, negative emotion evaluation (NEE) model, and the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-based depression tendency evaluation method. The EDDTW model obtains the best recall rate and F-measure at 0.668 and 0.624, respectively, while the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-based method achieves the best precision rate of 0.666. The main reason is that our enhanced event extraction method can increase recall rate by enlarging the negative event lexicon at the expense of precision. Our EDDTW model can also be used to track the change or trend of depression tendency for each post author. The depression tendency trend can help doctors to diagnose and even track depression of web post authors more efficiently. This paper presents an E3 method to automatically extract negative event terms in web posts. We also proposed a new EDDTW model to predict the depression tendency of web posts and possibly help bloggers or post authors to early detect major depressive disorder. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perceptions, use and attitudes of pharmacy customers on complementary medicines and pharmacy practice

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Complementary medicines (CMs) are popular amongst Australians and community pharmacy is a major supplier of these products. This study explores pharmacy customer use, attitudes and perceptions of complementary medicines, and their expectations of pharmacists as they relate to these products. Methods Pharmacy customers randomly selected from sixty large and small, metropolitan and rural pharmacies in three Australian states completed an anonymous, self administered questionnaire that had been pre-tested and validated. Results 1,121 customers participated (response rate 62%). 72% had used CMs within the previous 12 months, 61% used prescription medicines daily and 43% had used both concomitantly. Multivitamins, fish oils, vitamin C, glucosamine and probiotics were the five most popular CMs. 72% of people using CMs rated their products as 'very effective' or 'effective enough'. CMs were as frequently used by customers aged 60 years or older as younger customers (69% vs. 72%) although the pattern of use shifted with older age. Most customers (92%) thought pharmacists should provide safety information about CMs, 90% thought they should routinely check for interactions, 87% thought they should recommend effective CMs, 78% thought CMs should be recorded in customer's medication profile and 58% thought pharmacies stocking CMs should also employ a complementary medicine practitioner. Of those using CMs, 93% thought it important for pharmacists to be knowledgeable about CMs and 48% felt their pharmacist provides useful information about CMs. Conclusions CMs are widely used by pharmacy customers of all ages who want pharmacists to be more involved in providing advice about these products. PMID:20646290

Rapid social perception is flexible: approach and avoidance motivational states shape P100 responses to other-race faces

PubMed Central

Cunningham, William A.; Van Bavel, Jay J.; Arbuckle, Nathan L.; Packer, Dominic J.; Waggoner, Ashley S.

2012-01-01

Research on person categorization suggests that people automatically and inflexibly categorize others according to group memberships, such as race. Consistent with this view, research using electroencephalography (EEG) has found that White participants tend to show an early difference in processing Black versus White faces. Yet, new research has shown that these ostensibly automatic biases may not be as inevitable as once thought and that motivational influences may be able to eliminate these biases. It is unclear, however, whether motivational influences shape the initial biases or whether these biases can only be modulated by later, controlled processes. Using EEG to examine the time course of biased processing, we manipulated approach and avoidance motivational states by having participants pull or push a joystick, respectively, while viewing White or Black faces. Consistent with previous work on own-race bias, we observed a greater P100 response to White than Black faces; however, this racial bias was attenuated in the approach condition. These data suggest that rapid social perception may be flexible and can be modulated by motivational states. PMID:22661937

Attention biases in preoccupation with body image: An ERP study of the role of social comparison and automaticity when processing body size.

PubMed

Uusberg, Helen; Peet, Krista; Uusberg, Andero; Akkermann, Kirsti

2018-03-17

Appearance-related attention biases are thought to contribute to body image disturbances. We investigated how preoccupation with body image is associated with attention biases to body size, focusing on the role of social comparison processes and automaticity. Thirty-six women varying on self-reported preoccupation compared their actual body size to size-modified images of either themselves or a figure-matched peer. Amplification of earlier (N170, P2) and later (P3, LPP) ERP components recorded under low vs. high concurrent working memory load were analyzed. Women with high preoccupation exhibited an earlier bias to larger bodies of both self and peer. During later processing stages, they exhibited a stronger bias to enlarged as well as reduced self-images and a lack of sensitivity to size-modifications of the peer-image. Working memory load did not affect these biases systematically. Current findings suggest that preoccupation with body image involves an earlier attention bias to weight increase cues and later over-engagement with own figure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Moral Competence and Character Strengths among Adolescents: The Development and Validation of the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Nansook; Peterson, Christopher

2006-01-01

Moral competence among adolescents can be approached in terms of good character. Character is a multidimensional construct comprised of a family of positive traits manifest in an individual's thoughts, emotions and behaviours. The Values in Action Inventory for Youth (VIA-Youth) is a self-report questionnaire suitable for adolescents that measures…

Regression Levels of Selected Affective Factors on Science Achievement: A Structural Equation Model with TIMSS 2011 Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akilli, Mustafa

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the science success regression levels of chosen emotional features of 8th grade students using Structural Equation Model. The study was conducted by the analysis of students' questionnaires and science success in TIMSS 2011 data using SEM. Initially, the factors that are thought to have an effect on science…

A-Level Psychology Teachers: Who Are They and What Do They Think about Psychology as a Subject and a Discipline?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowley, Martin; Dalgarno, Elizabeth L.

2010-01-01

A-level psychology teachers (N=109) responded to a questionnaire asking about their academic background, their experience of and views about A-level psychology. Teachers were also asked about the scientific status of psychology as a discipline and about the nature of science in general. Most respondents thought that the A-level course provides…

Thoughts on Teaching Thinking: Perceptions of Practitioners with a Shared Culture of Thinking Skills Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Hanneke

2008-01-01

This article aims to outline the reported experiences of practitioners in a local authority in England where, since the mid-1990s, a high proportion of teachers have undertaken professional development in the field of teaching thinking skills. The article is based on the main findings from a questionnaire survey which was carried out among first,…

Examining critical care nurses' critical incident stress after in hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

PubMed

Laws, T

2001-05-01

The object of this study was to determine if critical care nurses' emotional responses to having performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation were indicative of critical incident stress. A descriptive approach was employed using a survey questionnaire of 31 critical care nurses, with supportive interview data from 18 of those participants. Analysis of the data generated from the questionnaire indicated that the respondents experienced thought intrusion and avoidance behaviour. A majority of those interviewed disclosed that they had experienced a wide range of emotional stressors and physical manifestations in response to having performed the procedure. The findings from both questionnaire and interview data were congruent with signs of critical incident stress, as described in the literature. This has been found to be detrimental to employees' mental health status and, for this reason, employers have a duty of care to minimise the risk of its occurrence and to manage problems as they arise.

Parental Health Attributions of Childhood Health and Illness: Development of the Pediatric Cultural Health Attributions Questionnaire (Pedi-CHAQ).

PubMed

Vaughn, Lisa M; McLinden, Daniel J; Shellmer, Diana; Baker, Raymond C

2011-01-01

The causes attributed to childhood health and illness across cultures (cultural health attributions) are key factors that are now more frequently identified as affecting the health outcomes of children. Research suggests that the causes attributed to an event such as illness are thought to affect subsequent motivation, emotional response, decision making, and behavior. To date, there is no measure of health attributions appropriate for use with parents of pediatric patients. Using the Many-Facets approach to Rasch analysis, this study assesses the psychometrics of a newly developed instrument, the Pediatric Health Attributions Questionnaire (Pedi-CHAQ), a measure designed to assess the cultural health attributions of parents in diverse communities. Results suggest acceptable Rasch model statistics of fit and reliability for the Pedi-CHAQ. A shortened version of the questionnaire was developed as a result of this study and next steps are discussed.

An emotion-differentiated perspective on empathy with the emotion specific empathy questionnaire

PubMed Central

Olderbak, Sally; Sassenrath, Claudia; Keller, Johannes; Wilhelm, Oliver

2014-01-01

Empathy refers to the thoughts and feelings of one individual in response to the observed (emotional) experiences of another individual. Empathy, however, can occur toward persons experiencing a variety of emotions, raising the question of whether or not empathy can be emotion specific. This paper discusses theoretical and empirical support for the emotion specificity of empathy. We present a new measure, the Emotion Specific Empathy questionnaire, which assesses affective and cognitive empathy for the six basic emotions. This paper presents the measure's psychometric qualities and demonstrates, through a series of models, the discriminant validity between emotion specific empathies suggesting empathy is emotion specific. Results and implications are discussed. PMID:25071632

A comparison of two methods to assess the usage of mobile hand-held communication devices.

PubMed

Berolo, Sophia; Steenstra, Ivan; Amick, Benjamin C; Wells, Richard P

2015-01-01

The purposes of this study were to: 1) examine agreement between self-reported measures of mobile device use and direct measures of use, and 2) understand how respondents thought about their device use when they provided self-reports. Self-reports of six categories of device use were obtained using a previously developed questionnaire, and direct measures of use were collected using a custom logging application (n = 47). Bland-Altman analyses were used to examine agreement between the two measurement approaches. Interviews targeted participants' experiences completing the device use section of the questionnaire. Self-reports of use on a typical day last week overestimated logged use. Overestimates tended to be low at low average usage times, and became more variable as usage time increased. Self-reports of use yesterday also exceeded logged use, however the degree of overestimation was less than for a typical day last week. Six themes were identified from interviews, including the thought process used by participants to arrive at usage and the ease of reporting usage. It is challenging for respondents of this questionnaire to provide accurate self-reports of use. The source of this challenge may be attributed to the intrinsic difficulty of estimating use, partly due to the multiple functions of the devices as well as the variability of use both within a day and a week. Research investigating the relationship between device use and health outcomes should include a logging application to examine exposure simultaneously with self-reports to better understand the sources of hazardous exposures.

The relationship between parenting attitudes, negative cognition, and the depressive symptoms according to gender in Korean adolescents.

PubMed

Park, Subin; Kim, Bung-Nyun; Park, Min-Hyeon

2016-01-01

Parenting style is one potential contributor to the development of adolescents' cognitions, self-esteem and emotional problems. This study examined the relationship between maternal parenting attitudes and adolescents' negative cognitions, and depressive symptoms according to gender. A total of 401 middle and high school students were recruited (i.e. 221 males and 180 females; mean age, 13.92 ± 1.31 years). The Maternal Behavior Research Instrument assessed maternal parenting attitudes. Analyses examined the relationship between parenting attitudes and affective symptoms, with self-esteem and negative automatic thoughts as mediators of these relations. Maternal rejecting attitudes were positively associated with depressive symptoms via increasing negative autonomic thoughts and decreasing self-esteem among female adolescents. Among male adolescents, maternal rejecting attitudes were associated with low self-esteem, but they were not associated with depressive symptoms. Maternal parenting has a larger impact on the emotional adjustment of females compared to males. Interventions to increase self-esteem and correct negative cognitions may be helpful for depressed female adolescents, specifically for those whose mothers are rejecting.

Cenesthopathy and Subjective Cognitive Complaints: An Exploratory Study in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Jimeno, Natalia; Vargas, Martin L

2018-01-01

Cenesthopathy is mainly associated with schizophrenia; however, its neurobiological basis is nowadays unclear. The general objective was to explore clinical correlates of cenesthopathy and subjective cognitive complaints in schizophrenia. Participants (n = 30) meeting DSM-IV criteria for psychotic disorder were recruited from a psychiatry unit and assessed with: Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry (AMDP) system, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Frankfurt Complaint Questionnaire (FCQ), and the Bonn Scale for the Assessment of Basic Symptoms (BSABS). For quantitative variables, means and Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated. Linear regression following backward method and principal component analysis with varimax rotation were used. 83.3% of subjects (73.3% male, mean age, 31.5 years) presented any type of cenesthopathy; all types of cenesthetic basic symptoms were found. Cenesthetic basic symptoms significantly correlated with the AMDP category "fear and anancasm," FCQ total score, and BSABS cognitive thought disturbances. In the regression analysis only 1 predictor, cognitive thought disturbances, entered the model. In the principal component analysis, a main component which accounted for 22.69% of the variance was found. Cenesthopathy, as assessed with the Bonn Scale (BSABS), is mainly associated with cog-nitive abnormalities including disturbances of thought initiative and mental intentionality, of receptive speech, and subjective retardation or pressure of thoughts. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The hopes of West African refugees during resettlement in northern Sweden: a 6-year prospective qualitative study of pathways and agency thoughts.

PubMed

Anjum, Tanvir M; Nordqvist, Cecilia; Timpka, Toomas

2012-01-24

Little is known about how positive phenomena can support resettlement of refugees in a new country. The aim of this study was to examine the hopeful thinking in a group of West African quota refugees at arrival and after 6 years in Sweden and compare these thoughts to the views of resettlement support professionals. The primary study population comprised 56 adult refugees and 13 resettlement professionals. Qualitative data were collected from the refugees by questionnaires on arrival and 6 years later. Data were collected from the resettlement professionals by interview about 3 years after arrival of the refugees. Snyder's cognitive model of hope was used to inform the comparative data analyses. Hopes regarding education were in focus for the refugees shortly after arrival, but thoughts on family reunion were central later in the resettlement process. During the later stages of the resettlement process, the unresponsiveness of the support organization to the family reunion problem became as issue for the refugees. The professionals reported a complex mix of "silent agency thoughts" underlying the local resettlement process as a contributing reason for this unresponsiveness. Hopes regarding education and family reunion were central in the resettlement of West African refugees in Sweden. These thoughts were not systematically followed up by the support organization; possibly the resources for refugees were not fully released. More studies are needed to further investigate the motivational factors underpinning host community support of refugees' hopes and plans.

Perceived Stigma of Sudden Bereavement as a Risk Factor for Suicidal Thoughts and Suicide Attempt: Analysis of British Cross-Sectional Survey Data on 3387 Young Bereaved Adults.

PubMed

Pitman, Alexandra; Rantell, Khadija; Marston, Louise; King, Michael; Osborn, David

2017-03-09

The sudden death of a friend or relative, particularly by suicide, is a risk factor for suicide. People who experience sudden bereavement report feeling highly stigmatised by the loss, potentially influencing access to support. We assessed whether perceived stigma following sudden bereavement is associated with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempt. We analysed cross-sectional survey data on 3387 young adults bereaved by the sudden death of a close contact. We tested the association of high versus low perceived stigma (on the stigma sub-scale of the Grief Experience Questionnaire) with post-bereavement suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, using random effects logistic regression, adjusting for socio-demographic factors, pre-bereavement psychopathology, and mode of sudden bereavement (natural causes/unnatural causes/suicide). Subjects with high perceived stigma scores were significantly more likely to report post-bereavement suicidal thoughts (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.74; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.93-3.89) and suicide attempt (AOR = 2.73; 95% CI = 2.33-3.18) than those with low stigma scores. People who feel highly stigmatised by a sudden bereavement are at increased risk of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempt, even taking into account prior suicidal behaviour. General practitioners, bereavement counsellors, and others who support people bereaved suddenly, should consider inquiring about perceived stigma, mental wellbeing, and suicidal thoughts, and directing them to appropriate sources of support.

Urban versus rural populations' views of health care in Scotland.

PubMed

Farmer, Jane; Hinds, Kerstin; Richards, Helen; Godden, David

2005-10-01

To compare satisfaction with, and expectations of, health care of people in rural and urban areas of Scotland. Questions were included in the 2002 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey (SSAS). The Scottish House-hold Survey urban-rural classification was used to categorize locations. A random sample of 2707 people was contacted to participate in a face-to-face interview and a self-completion questionnaire survey. SPSS (v.10) was used to analyse the data. Relationships between location category and responses were explored using logistic regression analysis. In all, 1665 (61.5%) interviews were conducted and 1507 (56.0%) respondents returned self-completion questionnaires. Satisfaction with local doctors and hospital services was higher in rural locations. While around 40% of those living in remote areas thought A&E services too distant, this did not rank as a top priority for health service improvement. This could be due to expectations that general practitioners would assist in out-of-hours emergencies. Most Scots thought services should be good in rural areas even if this was costly, and that older people should not be discouraged from moving to rural areas because of their likely health care needs. In all, 79% of respondents thought that care should be as good in rural as urban areas. Responses to many questions were independently significantly affected by rural/urban location. Most Scots want rural health care to continue to be good, but the new UK National Health Service (NHS) general practitioner contract and service redesign will impact on provision. Current high satisfaction, likely to be due to access and expectations about local help, could be affected. This study provides baseline data on attitudes and expectations before potential service redesign, which should be monitored at intervals in future.

Inflexible daily behaviour is associated with the ability to control an automatic reaction in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Tei, Shisei; Fujino, Junya; Hashimoto, Ryu-Ichiro; Itahashi, Takashi; Ohta, Haruhisa; Kanai, Chieko; Kubota, Manabu; Nakamura, Motoaki; Kato, Nobumasa; Takahashi, Hidehiko

2018-05-24

Inflexible behaviours in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) broadly obstruct social communication. Meanwhile, flexibility implicates cognitive control to resolve socially conflicting situations; however, it remains unclear how people with ASD behave in the face of these conflicts in this respect. We used the ultimatum game (UG) and the implicit-association test (IAT) to examine goal-directed/economic flexibility, both of which involve conflict and cognitive control. In addition, we used the Detail and Flexibility Questionnaire (DFlex) to measure inflexible everyday behaviour with diminished cognitive control and attention shifting. We observed the decreased flexibility in participants with ASD (DFlex and IAT); further, their IAT scores positively correlated with DFlex. However, in the UG, contrary to our prediction, participants with ASD accepted unfair offers more frequently than TD. These results suggest that assessing the automatic/attention processing level with the IAT could be a useful approach to study behavioural flexibility among ASD compared with the UG, which might comprise multiple response strategies besides economic rationality. Overall, the severity of inflexible daily behaviours in people with ASD may be associated with a reduced flexible attitude at an automatic level, altered attention processing and decreased cognitive control.

The development of the Athens Emotional States Inventory (AESI): collection, validation and automatic processing of emotionally loaded sentences.

PubMed

Chaspari, Theodora; Soldatos, Constantin; Maragos, Petros

2015-01-01

The development of ecologically valid procedures for collecting reliable and unbiased emotional data towards computer interfaces with social and affective intelligence targeting patients with mental disorders. Following its development, presented with, the Athens Emotional States Inventory (AESI) proposes the design, recording and validation of an audiovisual database for five emotional states: anger, fear, joy, sadness and neutral. The items of the AESI consist of sentences each having content indicative of the corresponding emotion. Emotional content was assessed through a survey of 40 young participants with a questionnaire following the Latin square design. The emotional sentences that were correctly identified by 85% of the participants were recorded in a soundproof room with microphones and cameras. A preliminary validation of AESI is performed through automatic emotion recognition experiments from speech. The resulting database contains 696 recorded utterances in Greek language by 20 native speakers and has a total duration of approximately 28 min. Speech classification results yield accuracy up to 75.15% for automatically recognizing the emotions in AESI. These results indicate the usefulness of our approach for collecting emotional data with reliable content, balanced across classes and with reduced environmental variability.

Evaluation of a web-based lifestyle coach designed to maintain a healthy bodyweight.

PubMed

Kelders, Saskia M; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E W C; Werkman, Andrea; Seydel, Erwin R

2010-01-01

We evaluated a web-based intervention, the Healthy Weight Assistant (HWA), which was designed to help people with a healthy bodyweight, or those who are slightly overweight, to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Four evaluation methods were used: (1) pre- and post-test questionnaires; (2) real time usability-tests; (3) log-file analysis; (4) qualitative analysis of forum posts, email messages and free-text responses in the questionnaires. A total of 703 respondents received access to the HWA. Six weeks after receiving access, 431 respondents completed a second questionnaire. The enthusiastic responses showed that many people were interested in using an interactive online application to support achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. The preliminary results suggest that improvements with respect to motivation may lead to large effects, yet require only small changes in the design of the HWA. Sending automatic tailored reminders may enhance motivation to keep using the application. Motivation to change behaviour may be enhanced by emphasizing goal setting and visualizing progress.

Thalamic deep brain stimulation decelerates automatic lexical activation.

PubMed

Ehlen, Felicitas; Vonberg, Isabelle; Tiedt, Hannes O; Horn, Andreas; Fromm, Ortwin; Kühn, Andrea A; Klostermann, Fabian

2017-02-01

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) is a therapeutic option for patients with essential tremor. Despite a generally low risk of side effects, declines in verbal fluency (VF) have previously been reported. We aimed to specify effects of VIM-DBS on major cognitive operations needed for VF task performance, represented by clusters and switches. Clusters are word production spurts, thought to arise from automatic activation of associated information pertaining to a given lexical field. Switches are slow word-to-word transitions, presumed to indicate controlled operations for stepping from one lexical field to another. Thirteen essential tremor patients with VIM-DBS performed verbal fluency tasks in their VIM-DBS ON and OFF conditions. Clusters and switches were formally defined by mathematical criteria. All results were compared to those of fifteen healthy control subjects, and significant OFF-ON-change scores were correlated to stimulation parameters. Patients produced fewer words than healthy controls. DBS ON compared to DBS OFF aggravated this deficit by prolonging the intervals between words within clusters, whereas switches remained unaffected. This stimulation effect correlated with more anterior electrode positions. VIM-DBS seems to influence word output dynamics during verbal fluency tasks on the level of word clustering. This suggests a perturbation of automatic lexical co-activation by thalamic stimulation, particularly if delivered relatively anteriorly. The findings are discussed in the context of the hypothesized role of the thalamus in lexical processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knowing the people who come to public astronomical observatories: The case of Akita prefecture, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamura, N.

2015-03-01

The purpose of this research is to know and gain a better understanding of people who come to astronomical observatories and to find out more about their experiences and thoughts on astronomy. To find some of the issues about science communication in astronomy, the author carried out questionnaire research studies involving high school students and junior high school and elementary school teachers.

Psycho-Social Behaviour of Urban Indian Adolescent Girls during menstruation.

PubMed

Goel, Manish Kumar; Kundan, Mittal

2011-01-01

Adolescence in females signifies the transition from girlhood to womanhood and is marked with the onset of menarche. Indian society is interwoven into a set of traditions, myths and misconceptions, especially regarding menstruation and related issues. The present study was conducted to assess knowledge and psycho-social behavior related to menstruation among adolescent girls in urban Haryana (state), India. A total of 478 adolescent girls in the age group of 15 -19 years from three educational institutes of Rohtak city were selected randomly. It was a community-based, descriptive, cross-sectional questionnaire based study, and a pre-tested, pre-coded, closed ended questionnaire was used. Feeling of sickness was the most common (in more than two-third of subjects) followed by irritability and emotional disturbances. More than 3/4(th) of the subjects did not worship during menstruation, 45% were not allowed in kitchen and nearly one-fourth followed dietary restrictions. More than 16% subjects thought menstruation to be a sign of onset of a disease and little more than 7 % thought it to be a curse. Girls preferred to discuss their menstruation related problems either with their mothers or with their friends. Girls have inaccurate and partial information regarding menstruation. There is a need of early intervention in the area of adolescent psycho-social behavior during menstruation.

Are neurotic personality traits and neurotic symptoms intensity associated with suicidal thoughts reported by patients of a day hospital for neurotic disorders?

PubMed

Sobański, Jerzy A; Cyranka, Katarzyna; Rodziński, Paweł; Klasa, Katarzyna; Rutkowski, Krzysztof; Dembińska, Edyta; Mielimąka, Michał; Müldner-Nieckowski, Łukasz; Smiatek-Mazgaj, Bogna

2015-01-01

Analysis of prevalence and intensity of suicidal thoughts and their associations with neurotic personality traits as well as neurotic symptoms intensity in patients participating in qualification for hospitalization in a day hospital for treatment of neurotic and behavioral disorders. The results of Symptom Checklist KO"0", Neurotic Personality Questionnaire KON-2006 and Life Inventory of 1063 patients (739 women and 324 men), admitted to psychotherapy in a day hospital because of neurotic, behavioral and personality disorders. In the population of patients coming for treatment in the day hospital, the presence of suicidal ideations (SI) was common (reaching one-third of the respondents) and was regardless of the respondents'gender associated with significantly higher global symptom level (OWK) and significantly greater global neurotic personality disintegration (XKON) as well as significantly higher values of most of the neurotic personality inventory scales. None of the neurotic personality traits reduced the risk of suicidal ideation nor was associated with low SI arduousness. Day hospital patients reporting SI are a subgroup burdened with more severe neurotic disorders and comorbid personality disorders. Thus, the persons reporting in symptom questionnaires willingness to take one's own life, although relatively frequently encountered, deserve special attention due to the greater severity of their symptoms.

Medical students' attitudes to caring for a young infant--can parenting a doll influence these beliefs?

PubMed

Bath, L E; Cunningham, S; McIntosh, N

2000-12-01

To investigate whether attitudes to parenting were altered in final year medical students following a period spent caring for a simulated infant. Seventy medical students during their paediatric attachment in the final year completed a questionnaire regarding personal childcare attitudes. Students attached to a teaching hospital were allocated a 24 hour time period to care for "Baby Think It Over" (BTIO), a computerised doll that simulates a 6 week old infant and records care given. The students then completed a second questionnaire assessing the impact of the experience. Forty nine per cent of students thought their advice regarding sick children was less valid than if they had their own children; 96% of students believed their approach to parents caring for young infants could be improved by caring for a 6 week old infant. All the students felt their lifestyle would be affected. Following the BTIO care period, 79% considered the experience straightforward, with 35% expressing a little more empathy and 15% a lot more empathy for parents as a result. Thoughts regarding impact on lifestyle were unaltered. Caring for BTIO, however, was not considered to be a realistic experience and overall not particularly useful. Simulated infants are of only limited value in increasing medical student understanding of parental concerns.

Facebook activity of residents and fellows and its impact on the doctor-patient relationship.

PubMed

Moubarak, Ghassan; Guiot, Aurélie; Benhamou, Ygal; Benhamou, Alexandra; Hariri, Sarah

2011-02-01

Facebook is an increasingly popular online social networking site. The purpose of this study was to describe the Facebook activity of residents and fellows and their opinions regarding the impact of Facebook on the doctor-patient relationship. An anonymous questionnaire was emailed to 405 residents and fellows at the Rouen University Hospital, France, in October 2009. Of the 202 participants who returned the questionnaire (50%), 147 (73%) had a Facebook profile. Among responders, 138 (99%) displayed their real name on their profile, 136 (97%) their birthdates, 128 (91%) a personal photograph, 83 (59%) their current university and 76 (55%) their current position. Default privacy settings were changed by 61% of users, more frequently if they were registered for >1 year (p=0.02). If a patient requested them as a 'friend', 152 (85%) participants would automatically decline the request, 26 (15%) would decide on an individual basis and none would automatically accept the request. Eighty-eight participants (48%) believed that the doctor-patient relationship would be altered if patients discovered that their doctor had a Facebook account, but 139 (76%) considered that it would change only if the patient had open access to their doctor's profile, independent of its content. Residents and fellows frequently use Facebook and display personal information on their profiles. Insufficient privacy protection might have an impact the doctor-patient relationship.

Validation of the exercise and eating disorder questionnaire in males with and without eating disorders

PubMed Central

Bjørnelv, Sigrid; Bratberg, Grete Helen; Rø, Øyvind

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective The need to consider gender when studying exercise in eating disorder (ED) has been underscored. The study aimed to test the psychometric properties and factor structure of the exercise and eating disorder (EED) questionnaire for males with and without ED, to highlight gender differences, and to explore issues relevant for a male version of the EED questionnaire. Method This cross sectional study included 258 male participants: 55 ED patients (inpatients and outpatients) and 203 student controls. The patient group consisted of 54.5% (n = 30) with AN, 18.2% (n = 10) with BN, 27.2% (n = 15) with unspecified ED. The ED sample was treated as transdiagnostic in all analyses. t Tests, chi‐square test, correlations analyses, and a principal component analysis were conducted. Results The analyses confirmed that the EED questionnaire had adequate psychometric properties, and a four‐factor solution: (a) compulsive exercise, (b) positive and healthy exercise, (c) awareness of bodily signals, and (d) weight and shape exercise. The questionnaire discriminated significantly (p < .01– < .001) between patients and controls on the global score, subscales, and 16 out of 18 individual items. Convergent validity was demonstrated by high correlations between the EED questionnaire and the eating disorder examination questionnaire (r = .65). Discussion The results indicated that the EED questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for males. It is a clinically derived, self‐report questionnaire to assess compulsive exercise among ED patients, regarding attitudes and thoughts toward compulsive exercise and identification of treatment targets and priorities PMID:29537659

The role of self-regulatory skills and automaticity on the effectiveness of a brief weight loss habit-based intervention: secondary analysis of the 10 top tips randomised trial.

PubMed

Kliemann, Nathalie; Vickerstaff, Victoria; Croker, Helen; Johnson, Fiona; Nazareth, Irwin; Beeken, Rebecca J

2017-09-05

Habit-interventions are designed to promote the automaticity of healthy behaviours and may also enhance self-regulatory skills during the habit-formation process. A recent trial of habit-based advice for weight loss (10 Top Tips; 10TT), found that patients allocated to 10TT lost significantly more weight over 3 months than those allocated to usual care, and reported greater increases in automaticity for the target behaviours. The current study aimed to test the hypothesis that i) 10TT increased self-regulatory skills more than usual care, and ii) that self-regulatory skills and automaticity changes mediated the effect of 10TT on weight loss. 537 obese patients from 14 primary care practices in the UK were randomized to receive 10TT or usual care. Patients in the 10TT group received a leaflet containing tips for weight loss and healthy habits formation, a self-monitoring log book and a wallet-sized shopping guide on how to read food labels. Patients were weighed and completed validated questionnaires for self-regulation and automaticity at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Within-group and Between-group effects were explored using Paired T-test and ANCOVA, respectively. Mediation was assessed using bootstrapping to estimate indirect effects and the sobel test. Over 3 months patients who were given 10TT reported greater increases in self-regulatory skills (Mean difference: .08; 95% CI .01; .15) than those who received usual care. Changes in self-regulatory skills and automaticity over 3 months mediated the effect of the intervention on weight loss (β = .52, 95% Bias Corrected CI .17; .91). As hypothesised, 10TT enhanced self-regulatory skills and changes in self-regulatory skills and automaticity mediated the effect of the intervention on weight loss. This supports the proposition that self-regulatory training and habit formation are important features of weight loss interventions. This study was prospectively registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials ( ISRCTN16347068 ) on 26 September 2011.

Phobic spider fear is associated with enhanced attentional capture by spider pictures: a rapid serial presentation event-related potential study.

PubMed

Van Strien, Jan W; Franken, Ingmar H A; Huijding, Jorg

2009-03-04

The early posterior negativity (EPN) reflects early selective visual processing of emotionally significant information. This study explored the association between fear of spiders and the EPN for spider pictures. Fifty women completed a Spider Phobia Questionnaire and watched the random rapid serial presentation of 600 neutral, 600 negatively valenced emotional, and 600 spider pictures (three pictures per second). The EPN was scored as the mean activity in the 225-300-ms time window at lateral occipital electrodes. Participants with higher scores on the phobia questionnaire showed larger (i.e. more negative) EPN amplitudes in response to spider pictures. The results suggest that the attentional capture of spider-related stimuli is an automatic response, which is modulated by the extent of spider fear.

The East Anglian specialist registrar assessment tool

PubMed Central

Robinson, Susan; Boursicot, Katharine; Hayhurst, Catherine

2007-01-01

Background In our region, it was acknowledged that the process of assessment needed to be improved, but before developing a system for this, there was a need to define the “competent or satisfactory trainee”. Objective To outline the process by which a consensus was achieved on this standard, and how a system for formally assessing competency across a wide range of knowledge skills and attitudes was subsequently agreed on, thus enabling increased opportunities for training and feedback and improving the accuracy of assessment in the region. Methods The opinions of trainees and trainers from across the region were collated, and a consensus was achieved with regard to the minimum acceptable standard for a trainee in emergency medicine, thus defining a competent trainee. The group that set the standard then focused on identifying the assessment methods most appropriate for the evaluation of the knowledge, skills and attitudes required of an emergency medicine trainee. The tool was subsequently trialled for a period of 6 months, and opinion evaluated by use of a questionnaire. Results The use of the tool was reviewed from both the trainers' and trainees' perspectives. 42% (n = 11) of trainers and 31% (n = 8) trainees responded to the questionnaire. In the region, there were 26 trainers and 26 trainees. Five trainees and nine trainers had used the tool. 93% (14/15) of respondents thought that the descriptors used to describe the satisfactory trainee were acceptable; 89% (8/9) of trainers thought that it helped them assess trainees more accurately. 60% (3/5) of trainees thought that, as a result, they had a better understanding of their weak areas. Conclusion We believe that we achieved a consensus across our region as to what defined a satisfactory trainee and set the standard against which all our trainees would subsequently be evaluated. The use of this tool to assess trainees during the pilot period was disappointing; however, we were encouraged that most of those using the tool thought that it allowed an objective assessment of trainees and feedback on areas requiring further work. Those who used the tool identified important reasons that may have hindered widespread use of the assessment tool. PMID:17351222

Safe working practices and HIV infection: knowledge, attitudes, perception of risk, and policy in hospital.

PubMed Central

Davidson, G; Gillies, P

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVES--To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of risk of occupational HIV transmission in hospital in relation to existing guidelines. DESIGN--Cross sectional anonymous questionnaire survey of all occupational groups. SETTING--One large inner city teaching hospital. SUBJECTS--All 1530 staff working in the hospital in October 1991 and 22 managers. MAIN MEASURES--Knowledge of safe working practices and hospital guidelines; attitudes towards patients with AIDS; perception of risk of occupational transmission of HIV; availability of guidelines. RESULTS--The response rate in the questionnaire survey was 63% (958/1530). Although staff across all occupational groups knew of the potential risk of infection from needlestick injury (98%, 904/922), significantly more non-clinical staff (ambulance, catering, and domestic staff) than clinical staff (doctors, nurses, and paramedics) thought HIV could be transmitted by giving blood (38%, 153/404 v 12%, 40/346; chi 2 = 66.1 p < 0.001); one in ten clinical staff believed this. Except for midwives, half of staff in most occupational groups and 19% (17/91) of doctors and 22% (28/125) of nurses thought gloves should be worn in all contacts with people with AIDS. Most staff (62%, 593/958), including 38% (36/94) of doctors and 52% (67/128) of nurses thought patients should be routinely tested on admission, 17% of doctors and 19% of nurses thought they should be isolated in hospital. One in three staff perceived themselves at risk of HIV. Midwives, nurses, and theatre technicians were most aware of guidelines for safe working compared with only half of doctors, ambulance, and paramedical staff and no incinerator staff. CONCLUSIONS--Policy guidelines for safe working practices for patients with HIV infection and AIDS need to be disseminated across all occupational groups to reduce negative staff attitudes, improve knowledge of occupational transmission, establish an appropriate perception of risk, and create a supportive and caring hospital environment for people with HIV. IMPLICATIONS--Managers need to disseminate policy guidelines and information to all staff on an ongoing basis. PMID:10132073

Ambivalence over emotional expression, intrusive thoughts, and posttraumatic stress symptoms among Chinese American breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Lu, Qian; Yeung, Nelson; Man, Jenny; Gallagher, Matthew W; Chu, Qiao; Deen, Sidra H

2017-10-01

Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are common among breast cancer survivors. However, the association and the underlying mediating mechanism between psychosocial factors and PTSS were rarely investigated among breast cancer survivors. Previous studies have suggested the importance of emotional expression in cancer survivors' PTSS. This study examined the association between ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE; defined as the conflict between the desire to express feelings and the fear of its consequences) and PTSS, and proposed intrusive thoughts as the mediators in such an association. We tested this proposed mediation model among Chinese breast cancer survivors whose culture discourages emotional expression. Participants were 118 Chinese-speaking breast cancer survivors in the USA, who were diagnosed with breast cancer of stages 0-III within the past 5 years. They completed questionnaires measuring their levels of AEE, PTSS, and intrusive thoughts. AEE was positively associated with intrusive thoughts (r = 0.43, p < 01), which were positively associated with the arousal and avoidance subscales of PTSS (r = 0.68 and r = 0.62, respectively, p < .01). Path analysis supported a partial mediation model with an indirect effect from AEE to the latent variable of PTSS (with both arousal and avoidance as indicators) via intrusive thoughts (β = 0.29; 95% CI= 0.18, 0.42) and the direct effect from AEE to the latent variable of PTSS (β = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.07, 0.35), all p < .001. Those who are highly ambivalent about emotion expression tend to have higher PTSS, and this may be partially due to the lack of opportunities to discuss emotional events, thereby increasing the repetitive cancer-related negative thoughts. Intervention for PTSS should consider helping cancer patients to develop adaptive emotional regulation strategies to reduce the detrimental effects of cancer-related intrusive thoughts.

The effect of targeted and tailored patient depression engagement interventions on patient-physician discussion of suicidal thoughts: a randomized control trial.

PubMed

Shah, Ruby; Franks, Peter; Jerant, Anthony; Feldman, Mitchell; Duberstein, Paul; Fernandez y Garcia, Erik; Hinton, Ladson; Strohecker, Lorrie; Kravitz, Richard L

2014-08-01

Despite improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of depression, primary care provider (PCP) discussion regarding suicidal thoughts among patients with depressive symptoms remains low. To determine whether a targeted depression public service announcement (PSA) video or an individually tailored interactive multimedia computer program (IMCP) leads to increased primary care provider (PCP) discussion of suicidal thoughts in patients with elevated risk for clinical depression when compared to an attention control. Randomized control trial at five different healthcare systems in Northern California; two academic, two Veterans Affairs (VA), and one group-model health maintenance organization (HMO). Eight-hundred sixty-seven participants, with mean age 51.7; 43.9% women, 43.4% from a racial/ethnic minority group. The PSA was targeted to gender and socio-economic status, and designed to encourage patients to seek depression care or request information regarding depression. The IMCP was an individually tailored interactive health message designed to activate patients to discuss possible depressive symptoms. The attention control was a sleep hygiene video. Clinician reported discussion of suicidal thoughts. Analyses were stratified by depressive symptom level (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9] score < 9 [mild or lower] versus ≥ 10 [at least moderate]). Among patients with a PHQ-9 score ≥ 10, PCP discussion of suicidal thoughts was significantly higher in the IMCP group than in the control group (adjusted odds ratio = 2.33, 95% confidence interval = 1.5, 5.10, p = 0.03). There were no significant effects of either intervention on PCP discussion of suicidal thoughts among patients with a PHQ-9 score < 9. Exposure of patients with at least moderate depressive symptoms to an individually tailored intervention designed to increase patient engagement in depression care led to increased PCP discussion of suicidal thoughts.

f-treeGC: a questionnaire-based family tree-creation software for genetic counseling and genome cohort studies.

PubMed

Tokutomi, Tomoharu; Fukushima, Akimune; Yamamoto, Kayono; Bansho, Yasushi; Hachiya, Tsuyoshi; Shimizu, Atsushi

2017-07-14

The Tohoku Medical Megabank project aims to create a next-generation personalized healthcare system by conducting large-scale genome-cohort studies involving three generations of local residents in the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. We collected medical and genomic information for developing a biobank to be used for this healthcare system. We designed a questionnaire-based pedigree-creation software program named "f-treeGC," which enables even less experienced medical practitioners to accurately and rapidly collect family health history and create pedigree charts. f-treeGC may be run on Adobe AIR. Pedigree charts are created in the following manner: 1) At system startup, the client is prompted to provide required information on the presence or absence of children; f-treeGC is capable of creating a pedigree up to three generations. 2) An interviewer fills out a multiple-choice questionnaire on genealogical information. 3) The information requested includes name, age, gender, general status, infertility status, pregnancy status, fetal status, and physical features or health conditions of individuals over three generations. In addition, information regarding the client and the proband, and birth order information, including multiple gestation, custody, multiple individuals, donor or surrogate, adoption, and consanguinity may be included. 4) f-treeGC shows only marriages between first cousins via the overlay function. 5) f-treeGC automatically creates a pedigree chart, and the chart-creation process is visible for inspection on the screen in real time. 6) The genealogical data may be saved as a file in the original format. The created/modified date and time may be changed as required, and the file may be password-protected and/or saved in read-only format. To enable sorting or searching from the database, the file name automatically contains the terms typed into the entry fields, including physical features or health conditions, by default. 7) Alternatively, family histories are collected using a completed foldable interview paper sheet named "f-sheet", which is identical to the questionnaire in f-treeGC. We developed a questionnaire-based family tree-creation software, named f-treeGC, which is fully compliant with international recommendations for standardized human pedigree nomenclature. The present software simplifies the process of collecting family histories and pedigrees, and has a variety of uses, from genome cohort studies or primary care to genetic counseling.

Automatic approach-avoidance tendencies as a candidate intermediate phenotype for depression: Associations with childhood trauma and the 5-HTTLPR transporter polymorphism

PubMed Central

van Minnen, Agnes; Becker, Eni S.; van Oostrom, Iris; Speckens, Anne; Rinck, Mike; Vrijsen, Janna N.

2018-01-01

Depression risk genes in combination with childhood events have been associated with biased processing as an intermediate phenotype for depression. The aim of the present conceptual replication study was to investigate the role of biased automatic approach-avoidance tendencies as a candidate intermediate phenotype for depression, in the context of genes (5-HTTLPR polymorphism) and childhood trauma. A naturalistic remitted depressed patients sample (N = 209) performed an Approach-Avoidance Task (AAT) with facial expressions (angry, sad, happy and neutral). Childhood trauma was assessed with a questionnaire. Genotype groups were created based on allele frequency: LaLa versus S/Lg-carriers. The latter is associated with depression risk. We found that remitted S/Lg-carriers who experienced childhood trauma automatically avoided sad facial expressions relatively more than LaLa homozygotes with childhood trauma. Remitted LaLa-carriers who had not experienced childhood trauma, avoided sad faces relatively more than LaLa homozygotes with childhood trauma. We did not find a main effect of childhood trauma, nor differential avoidance of any of the other facial expressions. Although tentative, the results suggest that automatic approach-avoidance tendencies for disorder-congruent materials may be a fitting intermediate phenotype for depression. The specific pattern of tendencies, and the relation to depression, may depend on the genetic risk profile and childhood trauma, but replication is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. PMID:29547643

Gender differences in automatic thoughts and cortisol and alpha-amylase responses to acute psychosocial stress in patients with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

PubMed

Kanehisa, Masayuki; Kawashima, Chiwa; Nakanishi, Mari; Okamoto, Kana; Oshita, Harumi; Masuda, Koji; Takita, Fuku; Izumi, Toshihiko; Inoue, Ayako; Ishitobi, Yoshinobu; Higuma, Haruka; Ninomiya, Taiga; Akiyoshi, Jotaro

2017-08-01

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) has a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfection, and mental and interpersonal control at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency. The aims of the present study were to explore the relationship between OCPD and psychological stress and psychological tests. We evaluated 63 OCPD patients and 107 healthy controls (HCs). We collected saliva samples from patients and controls before and after a social stress procedure, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), to measure the concentrations of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and salivary cortisol. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Profile of Mood State (POMS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale (SASS), and Depression and Anxiety Cognition Scale (DACS) were administered to patients and HCs. Following TSST exposure, the salivary amylase and cortisol levels were significantly decreased in male patients compared with controls. Additionally, OCPD patients had higher CTQ, POMS, STAI, and BDI scores than HCs and exhibited significantly higher anxiety and depressive states. OCPD patients scored higher on future denial and threat prediction as per the DACS tool. According to a stepwise regression analysis, STAI, POMS, and salivary cortisol responses were independent predictors of OCPD. Our results suggested that attenuated sympathetic and parasympathetic reactivity in male OCPD patients occurs along with attenuated salivary amylase and cortisol responses to the TSST. In addition, there was a significant difference between OCPD patients and HCs in child trauma, mood, anxiety, and cognition. The finding support the modeling role of cortisol (20min) on the relationships between STAI trait and depression among OCPD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and validation of a self-administered questionnaire as an aid to detection of occupational exposure to lung carcinogens.

PubMed

Pélissier, C; Dutertre, V; Fournel, P; Gendre, I; Michel Vergnon, J; Kalecinski, J; Tinquaut, F; Fontana, L; Chauvin, F

2017-02-01

Ten to thirty percent of lung cancer is thought to be of occupational origin. Lung cancer is under-declared as an occupational disease in Europe, and most declarations of occupational disease concern asbestos. The purpose of this study was to design and validate a short, sensitive self-administered questionnaire, as an aid for physicians in detecting occupational exposure to asbestos and other lung carcinogens in order to remedy occupational lung cancer under-declaration. Cross-sectional study. A short (30-question) self-administered questionnaire was drawn up by oncologist-pneumologists and occupational physicians, covering situations of exposure to proven and probable lung carcinogens. Understanding and acceptability were assessed on 15 lung cancer patients. Validity and reliability were assessed on 70 lung cancer patients by comparison against a semi-directive questionnaire considered as gold standard. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed by comparing responses to items on the two questionnaires. Reliability was assessed by analysing the kappa concordance coefficient for items on the two questionnaires. Sensitivity was 0.85 and specificity 0.875. Concordance between responses on the two questionnaires was 85.7%, with a kappa coefficient of 0.695 [0.52-0.87]. Mean self-administration time was 3.1 min (versus 8.12 min to administer the gold-standard questionnaire). In 16 patients, the self-administered questionnaire detected lung carcinogen exposure meeting the criteria for occupational disease. The present short, easy-to-use self-administered questionnaire should facilitate detection of occupational exposure to lung carcinogens. It could be used in occupational lung cancer screening and increase the presently low rate of application for recognition of lung cancer as an occupational disease. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Unconscious Decision Aids Applied to Complex Patient-Centered Medical Decisions

PubMed Central

Manigault, Andrew Wilhelm; Whillock, Summer Rain

2015-01-01

Background To improve patient health, recent research urges for medical decision aids that are designed to enhance the effectiveness of specific medically related decisions. Many such decisions involve complex information, and decision aids that independently use deliberative (analytical and slower) or intuitive (more affective and automatic) cognitive processes for such decisions result in suboptimal decisions. Unconscious thought can arguably use both intuitive and deliberative (slow and analytic) processes, and this combination may further benefit complex patient (or practitioner) decisions as medical decision aids. Indeed, mounting research demonstrates that individuals render better decisions generally if they are distracted from thinking consciously about complex information after it is presented (but can think unconsciously), relative to thinking about that information consciously or not at all. Objective The current research tested whether the benefits of unconscious thought processes can be replicated using an Internet platform for a patient medical decision involving complex information. This research also explored the possibility that judgments reported after a period of unconscious thought are actually the result of a short period of conscious deliberation occurring during the decision report phase. Methods A total of 173 participants in a Web-based experiment received information about four medical treatments, the best (worst) associated with mostly positive (negative) side-effects/attributes and the others with equal positive-negative ratios. Next, participants were either distracted for 3 minutes (unconscious thought), instructed to think about the information for 3 minutes (conscious thought), or moved directly to the decision task (immediate decision). Finally, participants reported their choice of, and attitudes toward, the treatments while experiencing high, low, or no cognitive load, which varied their ability to think consciously while reporting judgments. Cognitive load was manipulated by having participants memorize semi-random (high), line structured (low), or no dot patterns and recall these intermittently with their decision reports. Overall then, participants were randomly assigned to the conditions of a 3 (thought condition) by 3 (cognitive-load level) between-subjects design. Results A logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds of participants choosing the best treatment were 2.25 times higher in the unconscious-thought condition compared to the immediate-decision condition (b=.81, Wald=4.32, P=.04, 95% CI 1.048-4.836), and 2.39 times greater compared to the conscious-thought condition (b=.87, Wald=4.87, P=.027, 95% CI 1.103-5.186). No difference was observed between the conscious-thought condition compared to the immediate-decision condition, and cognitive load manipulations did not affect choices or alter the above finding. Conclusions This research demonstrates a plausible benefit of unconscious thinking as a decision aid for complex medical decisions, and represents the first use of unconscious thought processes as a patient-centered medical decision aid. Further, the quality of decisions reached unconsciously does not appear to be affected by the amount of cognitive load participants experienced. PMID:25677337

Detection of patient psychological distress and longitudinal patient–doctor relationships: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Ridd, Matthew; Lewis, Glyn; Peters, Tim J; Salisbury, Chris

2012-01-01

Background Psychological distress in patients who attend their GP is thought to be under-recognised. However, it is likely that both disclosure and detection are influenced by how well the patient and doctor know each another. Aim To examine whether patient–doctor depth of relationship is associated with identification of psychological distress. Design and setting Cross-sectional study in general practices in and around Bristol, England. Method Patients (aged ≥16 years) were asked to complete a questionnaire and consent to their electronic medical records being reviewed. Study GPs independently assessed patient psychological distress. Multivariable logistic regression was used to look for associations between patient–doctor depth of relationship and GP detection of patient psychological distress (defined according to the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-12). Results There were 643 eligible appointments with 31 GPs. In total, 541 (84.1%) patients returned questionnaires and 490 (76.2%) consented to their records being reviewed. Patient–doctor depth of relationship was not associated with GP detection of mild to severe patient psychological distress (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.94, 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.02) but, in secondary analyses, it was associated with the identification of moderate to severe distress (adjusted OR 1.13, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.26). GPs reported more patient psychological distress in patients who reported a greater depth of relationship but this did not relate to patients' GHQ-12 scores. Conclusion Evidence to support an association between patient–doctor depth of relationship and improved GP detection of patients with psychological distress was weak, except in those patients who GPs thought were more distressed. GPs may overestimate emotional distress in patients who report deeper patient–doctor relationships. PMID:22429433

Detection of patient psychological distress and longitudinal patient-doctor relationships: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ridd, Matthew; Lewis, Glyn; Peters, Tim J; Salisbury, Chris

2012-03-01

Psychological distress in patients who attend their GP is thought to be under-recognised. However, it is likely that both disclosure and detection are influenced by how well the patient and doctor know each another. To examine whether patient-doctor depth of relationship is associated with identification of psychological distress. Cross-sectional study in general practices in and around Bristol, England. Patients (aged ≥16 years) were asked to complete a questionnaire and consent to their electronic medical records being reviewed. Study GPs independently assessed patient psychological distress. Multivariable logistic regression was used to look for associations between patient-doctor depth of relationship and GP detection of patient psychological distress (defined according to the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-12). There were 643 eligible appointments with 31 GPs. In total, 541 (84.1%) patients returned questionnaires and 490 (76.2%) consented to their records being reviewed. Patient-doctor depth of relationship was not associated with GP detection of mild to severe patient psychological distress (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.94, 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.02) but, in secondary analyses, it was associated with the identification of moderate to severe distress (adjusted OR 1.13, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.26). GPs reported more patient psychological distress in patients who reported a greater depth of relationship but this did not relate to patients' GHQ-12 scores. Evidence to support an association between patient-doctor depth of relationship and improved GP detection of patients with psychological distress was weak, except in those patients who GPs thought were more distressed. GPs may overestimate emotional distress in patients who report deeper patient-doctor relationships.

Towards improved uptake of malaria chemoprophylaxis among West African travellers: identification of behavioural determinants

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Malaria is a potentially lethal illness for which preventive measures are not optimally used among all travellers. Travellers visiting friends and relatives in their country of origin (VFRs) are known to use chemoprophylaxis less consistently compared to tourist travellers. In this study, factors explaining the low use of chemoprophylaxis were pursued to contribute to improving uptake of preventive measures among VFRs. Methods Following in-depth interviews with Ghanaians living in Amsterdam, a questionnaire was developed to assess which behavioural determinants were related to taking preventive measures. The questionnaire was administered at gates of departing flights from Schiphol International Airport, Amsterdam (the Netherlands) to Kotoka International Airport, Accra (Ghana). Results In total, 154 questionnaires were eligible for analysis. Chemoprophylaxis had been started by 83 (53.9%) and bought by 93 (60.4%) travellers. Pre-travel advice had been obtained by 104 (67.5%) travellers. Those who attended the pre-travel clinic and those who incorrectly thought they had been vaccinated against malaria were more likely to use preventive measures. Young-, business- and long-term travellers, those who had experienced malaria, and those who thought curing malaria was easier than taking preventive tablets were less likely to use preventive measures. Conclusion Almost half of the VFRs travelling to West Africa had not started chemoprophylaxis; therefore, there is room for improvement. Risk reduction strategies could aim at improving attendance to travel clinics and focus on young-, business and long term travellers and VFRs who have experienced malaria during consultation. Risk reduction strategies should focus on improving self-efficacy and conceptions of response efficacy, including social environment to aim at creating the positive social context needed. PMID:24107150

General practitioner attitudes to direct-to-consumer genetic testing in New Zealand.

PubMed

Ram, Sanyogita; Russell, Bruce; Gubb, Mary; Taylor, Rebekah; Butler, Cassandra; Khan, Imran; Shelling, Andrew

2012-10-26

The aim of the study was to explore the attitudes of general practitioners (GPs) towards direct to consumer (DTC) genetic testing and elicit their perceptions of the risks and benefits associated with DTC genetic testing. A postal questionnaire was mailed to a national random sample of 300 registered GPs from a list provided by the New Zealand Medical Council. Non-responders were followed up with an abridged survey questionnaire. Responses were received from 38% of the GPs contacted. This consisted of 113 responses from the full questionnaire. The proportion of respondents who had heard about DTC genetic testing was 47.8%. Respondents considered convenience to be the greatest benefit for the individual requesting DTC genetic testing. Misunderstanding of results and inadequate provision of information were perceived to be the greatest risks associated. Lack of knowledge, experience and time were all considered barriers to GPs providing genetic counselling, and a genetic specialist was highlighted as the most appropriate to provide this. Respondents thought advertising of DTC genetic testing should be regulated in a similar manner to DTC advertising of prescription medicines. Clinical validity of tests and counselling were thought to be the most important aspects to be regulated. As public access to DTC genetic testing increases, the role of GPs knowledge and training to reflect this growth will become increasingly more important. The 'Patient-Doctor-Counsellor Model of Delivery of Genetic Services' may be more appropriate for the provision of this service than the current model of direct access by patients. The involvement of health professionals in the DTC genetic testing process will aid patients in making informed health decisions, and ensure increased benefit from recent advances in genetic information.

Experiences, feelings and thoughts of women undergoing second trimester medical termination of pregnancy.

PubMed

Andersson, Inga-Maj; Christensson, Kyllike; Gemzell-Danielsson, Kristina

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore women's expectations and experiences of undergoing second trimester abortion. This is a cross-sectional study using a screening questionnaire and semi-structured interviews for data collection. Thirty-one women filled out the questionnaire and 23 of them were later interviewed. The questionnaires were analyzed by descriptive statistics. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Indications for the abortion were fetal malformation or unintended pregnancy. The women expressed similar feelings and these were irrespective for the reason for having an abortion. Both physical and mental pain was experienced during the abortion process and described by the women. Taking the mifepristone-pill was experienced as especially emotionally difficult for many participants. Professional support from the staff together with support from the partner, a friend or relative helped in transforming the worries related to something unknown to feelings of coping with a new and hard experience. Prior to the abortion most women stated that they did not want to view the fetus but women who chose to view the fetus described this as a way of confronting the reality and an opportunity to say farewell to the pregnancy/fetus. The analysis of the interview transcripts revealed five themes mirroring the women's experiences, thoughts and feelings related to the abortion. The decision to undergo second trimester abortion sometimes exposes women to strong and conflicting emotions which are irrespective for the reason for having an abortion. Despite this women do not regret their decision to terminate the pregnancy. This analysis shows that their rational thinking outweighs their emotionally difficult feelings. It is important for the attending staff to be responsive to the needs of each individual woman whatever the indication is for the abortion.

Towards improved uptake of malaria chemoprophylaxis among West African travellers: identification of behavioural determinants.

PubMed

Wieten, Rosanne W; Harting, Janneke; Biemond, Pieter M; Grobusch, Martin P; van Vugt, Michèle

2013-10-10

Malaria is a potentially lethal illness for which preventive measures are not optimally used among all travellers. Travellers visiting friends and relatives in their country of origin (VFRs) are known to use chemoprophylaxis less consistently compared to tourist travellers. In this study, factors explaining the low use of chemoprophylaxis were pursued to contribute to improving uptake of preventive measures among VFRs. Following in-depth interviews with Ghanaians living in Amsterdam, a questionnaire was developed to assess which behavioural determinants were related to taking preventive measures. The questionnaire was administered at gates of departing flights from Schiphol International Airport, Amsterdam (the Netherlands) to Kotoka International Airport, Accra (Ghana). In total, 154 questionnaires were eligible for analysis. Chemoprophylaxis had been started by 83 (53.9%) and bought by 93 (60.4%) travellers. Pre-travel advice had been obtained by 104 (67.5%) travellers. Those who attended the pre-travel clinic and those who incorrectly thought they had been vaccinated against malaria were more likely to use preventive measures. Young-, business- and long-term travellers, those who had experienced malaria, and those who thought curing malaria was easier than taking preventive tablets were less likely to use preventive measures. Almost half of the VFRs travelling to West Africa had not started chemoprophylaxis; therefore, there is room for improvement. Risk reduction strategies could aim at improving attendance to travel clinics and focus on young-, business and long term travellers and VFRs who have experienced malaria during consultation. Risk reduction strategies should focus on improving self-efficacy and conceptions of response efficacy, including social environment to aim at creating the positive social context needed.

School nurses' opinions about the prevention of tobacco use.

PubMed

Reinert, Bonita; Carver, Vivien; Range, Lillian M

2005-01-01

To further understand school nurses' tobacco policy beliefs and attitudes toward tobacco companies, a convenience sample of 53 school nurses completed questionnaires about anti-tobacco policies and attitudes toward tobacco companies. Overall, these nurses strongly agreed with tobacco policies such as banning youths from wearing clothing with a tobacco logo to school and fining restaurant owners who permit smoking. In addition, these nurses on average were negative toward tobacco companies. For example, they thought that tobacco companies and advertising leads to youth tobacco use. However, this group of school nurses thought that youths were basically neutral toward tobacco companies. Considering their professional experience with tobacco prevention at school, school nurses would be logical designers of tobacco prevention school interventions. An implication of these results is that school nurse education should include policy and activism components.

Study to Examine Psychological Processes in Suicidal Ideation and Behavior (STEPPS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

Nicholson et al., 2009) and as 1 in 4 people are thought to experience mental health problems, the sample would include sufficient individuals who...researchers with experience of conducting interviews in the community, and >70 interviewers were trained to carry out the data collection across...89.5%) and/or mobile phone numbers (86.3%). An online version of the questionnaire has been developed, which should create the most direct and

Senior Noncommissioned Officers’ APR Opinion Survey

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-02-01

the number of NCOs who chow each response alternative on each Item of the questionnaire. Secondly, it wE necessaty to make comparisons among NCOs... aRting Faton Ranked Differentiallyt by Grade Rank Giva , Rating Pastor 11? as to Ability to Train Others 20 24 26 .Pofessional Qualities 10 15 17...experience necessaty to evaluate senior NCOs. Many aldo thought that an unhealthy conflict of Interest arises when a senior NCO Is evaluated by another

The hopes of West African refugees during resettlement in northern Sweden: a 6-year prospective qualitative study of pathways and agency thoughts

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Little is known about how positive phenomena can support resettlement of refugees in a new country. The aim of this study was to examine the hopeful thinking in a group of West African quota refugees at arrival and after 6 years in Sweden and compare these thoughts to the views of resettlement support professionals. Method The primary study population comprised 56 adult refugees and 13 resettlement professionals. Qualitative data were collected from the refugees by questionnaires on arrival and 6 years later. Data were collected from the resettlement professionals by interview about 3 years after arrival of the refugees. Snyder's cognitive model of hope was used to inform the comparative data analyses. Results Hopes regarding education were in focus for the refugees shortly after arrival, but thoughts on family reunion were central later in the resettlement process. During the later stages of the resettlement process, the unresponsiveness of the support organization to the family reunion problem became as issue for the refugees. The professionals reported a complex mix of "silent agency thoughts" underlying the local resettlement process as a contributing reason for this unresponsiveness. Conclusion Hopes regarding education and family reunion were central in the resettlement of West African refugees in Sweden. These thoughts were not systematically followed up by the support organization; possibly the resources for refugees were not fully released. More studies are needed to further investigate the motivational factors underpinning host community support of refugees' hopes and plans. PMID:22269339

Emotional, Cognitive and Behavioral Reactions to Paranoid Symptoms in Clinical and Nonclinical Populations.

PubMed

Carvalho, Célia Barreto; da Motta, Carolina; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Peixoto, Ermelindo Manuel Bernardo

Paranoia is a disruptive belief that can vary across a continuum, ranging from persecutory delusions presented in clinical settings to paranoid cognitions that are highly prevalent in the general population. The literature suggests that paranoid thoughts derive from the activation of a paranoid schema or information processing biases that can be sensitive to socially ambiguous stimuli and influence the processing of threatening situations. Four groups (schizophrenic participants in active psychotic phases, n=61; stable participants in remission, n=30; participants' relatives, n=32; and, healthy controls, n=64) were assessed with self-report questionnaires to determine how the reactions to paranoia of clinical patients differ from healthy individuals. Cognitive, emotional and behavioral dimensions of their reactions to these paranoid thoughts were examined. Paranoid individuals were present in all groups. Most participants referred to the rejection by others as an important trigger of paranoid ideations, while active psychotics were unable to identify triggering situations to their thoughts and reactions. This may be a determinant to the different reactions and the different degree of invalidation caused by paranoid thoughts observed across groups. Clinical and nonclinical expressions of paranoid ideations differ in terms of their cognitive, emotional and behavioral components. It is suggested that, in socially ambiguous situations, paranoid participants (presenting lower thresholds of paranoid schema activation) lose the opportunity to disconfirm their paranoid beliefs by resourcing to more maladaptive coping strategies. Consequently, by dwelling on these thoughts, the amount of time spent thinking about their condition and the disability related to the disease increases.

Beta-blockers may reduce intrusive thoughts in newly diagnosed cancer patients.

PubMed

Lindgren, Monica E; Fagundes, Christopher P; Alfano, Catherine M; Povoski, Stephen P; Agnese, Doreen M; Arnold, Mark W; Farrar, William B; Yee, Lisa D; Carson, William E; Schmidt, Carl R; Kiecolt-Glaser, Janice K

2013-08-01

A cancer diagnosis provokes significant levels of emotional distress, with intrusive thoughts being the most common manifestation among breast cancer survivors. Cancer-related intrusive thoughts can take the form of emotional memories, flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive images. Emotional arousal after a severe life stressor prolongs adrenergic activation, which in turn may increase risk for post-traumatic symptomatology. However, antihypertensive beta-blockers block adrenergic activation and are known to reduce traumatic memories and related psychological distress. Thus, the current study examined the association between beta-blocker use and the severity of cancer-related intrusive thoughts and related symptoms following a cancer diagnosis. The 174 breast and 36 female colorectal cancer patients who had recently undergone diagnostic screening or biopsy included 39 beta-blocker users and 171 non-users. Prior to any cancer treatment including surgery, participants completed questionnaires that included the Impact of Events Scale and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Analyses controlled for age, education, cancer stage, cancer type, days since diagnosis, marital status, depression, and comorbidities. Although the high rates of cancer-related distress in this sample were similar to those of other studies with recently diagnosed patients, beta-blocker users endorsed 32% fewer cancer-related intrusive thoughts than non-users. Recently diagnosed cancer patients using beta-blockers reported less cancer-related psychological distress. These results suggest that beta-blocker use may benefit cancer patients' psychological adjustment following diagnosis, and provide a promising direction for future investigations on the pharmacological benefits of beta-blockers for cancer-related distress. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Beta-blockers May Reduce Intrusive Thoughts in Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patients

PubMed Central

Lindgren, Monica E.; Fagundes, Christopher P.; Alfano, Catherine M.; Povoski, Stephen P.; Agnese, Doreen M.; Arnold, Mark W.; Farrar, William B.; Yee, Lisa D.; Carson, William E.; Schmidt, Carl R.; Kiecolt-Glaser, Janice K.

2012-01-01

Objective A cancer diagnosis provokes significant levels of emotional distress, with intrusive thoughts being the most common manifestation among breast cancer survivors. Cancer-related intrusive thoughts can take the form of emotional memories, flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive images. Emotional arousal after a severe life stressor prolongs adrenergic activation, which in turn may increase risk for posttraumatic symptomatology. However, antihypertensive beta-blockers block adrenergic activation and are known to reduce traumatic memories and related psychological distress. Thus, the current study examined the association between beta-blocker use and the severity of cancer-related intrusive thoughts and related symptoms following a cancer diagnosis. Methods The 174 breast and 36 female colorectal cancer patients who had recently undergone diagnostic screening or biopsy included 39 beta-blocker users and 171 non-users. Prior to any cancer treatment including surgery, participants completed questionnaires that included the Impact of Events Scale (IES) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Analyses controlled for age, education, cancer stage, cancer type, days since diagnosis, marital status, depression, and comorbidities. Results Although the high rates of cancer-related distress in this sample were similar to those of other studies with recently diagnosed patients, beta-blocker users endorsed 32% fewer cancer-related intrusive thoughts than non-users. Conclusions Recently diagnosed cancer patients using beta-blockers reported less cancer-related psychological distress. These results suggest that beta-blocker use may benefit cancer patients’ psychological adjustment following diagnosis, and provide a promising direction for future investigations on the pharmacological benefits of beta-blockers for cancer-related distress. PMID:23255459

Some effects of stress on users of a voice recognition system: A preliminary inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

French, B. A.

1983-03-01

Recent work with Automatic Speech Recognition has focused on applications and productivity considerations in the man-machine interface. This thesis is an attempt to see if placing users of such equipment under time-induced stress has an effect on their percent correct recognition rates. Subjects were given a message-handling task of fixed length and allowed progressively shorter times to attempt to complete it. Questionnaire responses indicate stress levels increased with decreased time-allowance; recognition rates decreased as time was reduced.

Assessment of Knowledge of Day-Care Center Workers in Basic Aspects of Child Care: A Pilot Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-01

to make a score of at least 70 percent on the multiple choice portion of the questionnaire used in this study . %~u CHAPTER II THE REVIEW OF LITERATURE...employees. These factors would automatically introduce a source of bias into the study . Of the centers contacted, one for-profit center, a franchise center...order to obtain consent. These centers were subsequently exclu- ded from the study leaving only three strata: operated for- profit centers (from her on

Working hours of surgical residence: perspective of a group of surgeons in a regional hospital in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lo, Siu-Fai; Spurgeon, Peter

2007-01-01

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and European working time directive have restricted residents' workweek to 80 and 48 hours, respectively. Impacts on resident's training and health services are under evaluation in western countries. However, relevant studies are deficient in Hong Kong. Surgeons in a regional hospital of Hong Kong were recruited. Opinions were collected by semi-structured questionnaire. Response rate was 82%. Most respondents agreed that residents' work hours should be limited. Seventy-two percent thought that the addition of physician assistants, nurse practitioners and ancillary staff could help decrease the workload of residents. More than 60% thought that residents should have post-call afternoon off. Seventy-two percent worried that the number of operations residents performed would decrease. Only half agreed that long work hours was part of resident training and 56.3% agreed that the training period should be lengthened because of limiting work hours. Ninety-four percent agreed that sleep-deprived residents would create more medical errors; 72% thought that long work hours would impair quality of care. Surprisingly, only 28% thought that limiting work hours would compromise continued patient care. Most respondents opine that resident work hours should be regulated and welcome minor rescheduling of residents' workflow. The impacts on residents' training and patient care require further evaluation.

Working Memory Capacity, Mind Wandering, and Creative Cognition: An Individual-Differences Investigation into the Benefits of Controlled Versus Spontaneous Thought.

PubMed

Smeekens, Bridget A; Kane, Michael J

2016-11-01

Should executive control, as indicated by working memory capacity (WMC) and mind-wandering propensity, help or hinder creativity? Sustained and focused attention should help guide a selective search of solution-relevant information in memory and help inhibit uncreative, yet accessible, ideas. However, unfocused attention and daydreaming should allow mental access to more loosely relevant concepts, remotely linked to commonplace solutions. Three individual-differences studies inserted incubation periods into one or two divergent thinking tasks and tested whether WMC (assessed by complex span tasks) and incubation-period mind wandering (assessed as probed reports of task-unrelated thought [TUT]) predicted post-incubation performance. Retrospective self-reports of Openness (Experiment 2) and mind-wandering and daydreaming propensity (Experiment 3) complemented our thought-probe assessments of TUT. WMC did not correlate with creativity in divergent thinking, whereas only the questionnaire measure of daydreaming, but not probed thought reports, weakly predicted creativity; the fact that in-the-moment TUTs did not correlate divergent creativity is especially problematic for claims that mind-wandering processes contribute to creative cognition. Moreover, the fact that WMC tends to strongly predict analytical problem solving and reasoning, but may not correlate with divergent thinking, provides a useful boundary condition for defining WMC's nomological net. On balance, our data provide no support for either benefits or costs of executive control for at least one component of creativity.

Opinions and Satisfaction Regarding Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Therapy in Adult Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Nishio, Ikuko; Chujo, Masami; Ohkura, Tsuyoshi; Kataoka, Hideyuki

2015-01-01

Background This study examined the treatment satisfaction of type 1 diabetic patients undergoing continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy, and patients’ thoughts regarding CSII. Methods We provided a self-administered questionnaire survey over the internet. Participants were 106 individuals with type-one diabetes aged 20 years or older, undergoing CSII. The survey examined patients’ treatment satisfaction, and their thoughts regarding CSII. Descriptive statistics were calculated. We compared relationships between treatment satisfaction and other variables using the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, and performed content analysis on participants’ thoughts regarding CSII. Results Regarding treatment satisfaction, the response, “neither of them” was the most frequent. Comparing relationships between treatment satisfaction and other variables, significant differences were found for the variables “age,” “presence of dissatisfaction regarding doctors’ response,” and “presence of a significant medical expense burden.” Participants’ thoughts regarding CSII were classified into 10 categories. Conclusion Participants expressed positive evaluations, such as that their blood sugar control had improved due to CSII, and that they perceived improvement in their health. Participants also expressed negative evaluations, however, such as that medical expenses resulting from CSII were high, and that these expenses may cause distress and future economic insecurity. In future, patients may benefit from nursing support that allows patients to confidently continue with CSII. PMID:26538796

Daydream Believer: Rumination, Self-Reflection and the Temporal Focus of Mind Wandering Content.

PubMed

Shrimpton, Daisy; McGann, Deborah; Riby, Leigh M

2017-11-01

Current research into mind-wandering is beginning to acknowledge that this process is one of heterogeneity. Following on from previous findings highlighting the role of self-focus during mind wandering, the present study aimed to examine individual differences in rumination and self-reflection and the impact such styles of self-focus may have on mind-wandering experiences. Thirty-three participants were required to complete the Sustained Attention Response Task (SART), aimed at inducing mind-wandering episodes, whilst also probing the content of thought in terms of temporal focus. Self-report questionnaires were also administered after the SART to measure dispositional differences in style and beliefs regarding mind-wandering and assessments of individual differences in rumination and self-reflection. Those individuals with reflective self-focus showed a strong positive association with positive and constructive thoughts. Critically, ruminative self-focus was positively associated with a tendency for the mind to wander towards anguished fantasies, failures and aggression, but it was also positively associated with positive and constructive thoughts. Furthermore, while dispositional differences in self-focus showed no relationship with the temporal perspective of thoughts when probed during a cognitive task, performance on the task itself was related to whether participants were thinking about the past, present or future during that activity. Such findings are discussed in line with previous research, and provide a further step towards accounting for the heterogeneous nature of mind-wandering.

The distracted mind on the wheel: Overall propensity to mind wandering is associated with road crash responsibility

PubMed Central

Née, Mélanie; Lagarde, Emmanuel; Schooler, Jonathan; Contrand, Benjamin; Orriols, Ludivine; Galera, Cédric

2017-01-01

The role of distractions on attentional lapses that place road users in higher risk of crash remains poorly understood. We aimed to assess the respective impact of (i) mind wandering trait (propensity to mind wander in the everyday life as measured with a set of 4 questions on the proportion of time spent mind wandering in 4 different situations) and (ii) mind wandering state (disturbing thoughts just before the crash) on road crash risk using a comparison between responsible and non-responsible drivers. 954 drivers injured in a road crash were interviewed at the adult emergency department of the Bordeaux university hospital in France (2013–2015). Responsibility for the crash, mind wandering (trait/state), external distraction, alcohol use, psychotropic drug use, and sleep deprivation were evaluated. Based on questionnaire reports, 39% of respondents were classified with a mind wandering trait and 13% reported a disturbing thought just before the crash. While strongly correlated, mind wandering state and trait were independently associated with responsibility for a traffic crash (State: OR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.64–3.83 and Trait: OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.22–2.16 respectively). Self-report of distracting thoughts therefore did not capture the entire risk associated with the propensity of the mind to wander, either because of under-reported thoughts and/or other deleterious mechanisms to be further explored. PMID:28771623

The distracted mind on the wheel: Overall propensity to mind wandering is associated with road crash responsibility.

PubMed

Gil-Jardiné, Cédric; Née, Mélanie; Lagarde, Emmanuel; Schooler, Jonathan; Contrand, Benjamin; Orriols, Ludivine; Galera, Cédric

2017-01-01

The role of distractions on attentional lapses that place road users in higher risk of crash remains poorly understood. We aimed to assess the respective impact of (i) mind wandering trait (propensity to mind wander in the everyday life as measured with a set of 4 questions on the proportion of time spent mind wandering in 4 different situations) and (ii) mind wandering state (disturbing thoughts just before the crash) on road crash risk using a comparison between responsible and non-responsible drivers. 954 drivers injured in a road crash were interviewed at the adult emergency department of the Bordeaux university hospital in France (2013-2015). Responsibility for the crash, mind wandering (trait/state), external distraction, alcohol use, psychotropic drug use, and sleep deprivation were evaluated. Based on questionnaire reports, 39% of respondents were classified with a mind wandering trait and 13% reported a disturbing thought just before the crash. While strongly correlated, mind wandering state and trait were independently associated with responsibility for a traffic crash (State: OR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.64-3.83 and Trait: OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.22-2.16 respectively). Self-report of distracting thoughts therefore did not capture the entire risk associated with the propensity of the mind to wander, either because of under-reported thoughts and/or other deleterious mechanisms to be further explored.

Daydream Believer: Rumination, Self-Reflection and the Temporal Focus of Mind Wandering Content

PubMed Central

Shrimpton, Daisy; McGann, Deborah; Riby, Leigh M.

2017-01-01

Current research into mind-wandering is beginning to acknowledge that this process is one of heterogeneity. Following on from previous findings highlighting the role of self-focus during mind wandering, the present study aimed to examine individual differences in rumination and self-reflection and the impact such styles of self-focus may have on mind-wandering experiences. Thirty-three participants were required to complete the Sustained Attention Response Task (SART), aimed at inducing mind-wandering episodes, whilst also probing the content of thought in terms of temporal focus. Self-report questionnaires were also administered after the SART to measure dispositional differences in style and beliefs regarding mind-wandering and assessments of individual differences in rumination and self-reflection. Those individuals with reflective self-focus showed a strong positive association with positive and constructive thoughts. Critically, ruminative self-focus was positively associated with a tendency for the mind to wander towards anguished fantasies, failures and aggression, but it was also positively associated with positive and constructive thoughts. Furthermore, while dispositional differences in self-focus showed no relationship with the temporal perspective of thoughts when probed during a cognitive task, performance on the task itself was related to whether participants were thinking about the past, present or future during that activity. Such findings are discussed in line with previous research, and provide a further step towards accounting for the heterogeneous nature of mind-wandering. PMID:29358989

The attention habit: how reward learning shapes attentional selection.

PubMed

Anderson, Brian A

2016-04-01

There is growing consensus that reward plays an important role in the control of attention. Until recently, reward was thought to influence attention indirectly by modulating task-specific motivation and its effects on voluntary control over selection. Such an account was consistent with the goal-directed (endogenous) versus stimulus-driven (exogenous) framework that had long dominated the field of attention research. Now, a different perspective is emerging. Demonstrations that previously reward-associated stimuli can automatically capture attention even when physically inconspicuous and task-irrelevant challenge previously held assumptions about attentional control. The idea that attentional selection can be value driven, reflecting a distinct and previously unrecognized control mechanism, has gained traction. Since these early demonstrations, the influence of reward learning on attention has rapidly become an area of intense investigation, sparking many new insights. The result is an emerging picture of how the reward system of the brain automatically biases information processing. Here, I review the progress that has been made in this area, synthesizing a wealth of recent evidence to provide an integrated, up-to-date account of value-driven attention and some of its broader implications. © 2015 New York Academy of Sciences.

From Modelling to Execution of Enterprise Integration Scenarios: The GENIUS Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheibler, Thorsten; Leymann, Frank

One of the predominant problems IT companies are facing today is Enterprise Application Integration (EAI). Most of the infrastructures built to tackle integration issues are proprietary because no standards exist for how to model, develop, and actually execute integration scenarios. EAI patterns gain importance for non-technical business users to ease and harmonize the development of EAI scenarios. These patterns describe recurring EAI challenges and propose possible solutions in an abstract way. Therefore, one can use those patterns to describe enterprise architectures in a technology neutral manner. However, patterns are documentation only used by developers and systems architects to decide how to implement an integration scenario manually. Thus, patterns are not theoretical thought to stand for artefacts that will immediately be executed. This paper presents a tool supporting a method how EAI patterns can be used to generate executable artefacts for various target platforms automatically using a model-driven development approach, hence turning patterns into something executable. Therefore, we introduce a continuous tool chain beginning at the design phase and ending in executing an integration solution in a completely automatically manner. For evaluation purposes we introduce a scenario demonstrating how the tool is utilized for modelling and actually executing an integration scenario.

Quantitative and qualitative trophectoderm grading allows for prediction of live birth and gender.

PubMed

Ebner, Thomas; Tritscher, Katja; Mayer, Richard B; Oppelt, Peter; Duba, Hans-Christoph; Maurer, Maria; Schappacher-Tilp, Gudrun; Petek, Erwin; Shebl, Omar

2016-01-01

Prolonged in vitro culture is thought to affect pre- and postnatal development of the embryo. This prospective study was set up to determine whether quality/size of inner cell mass (ICM) (from which the fetus ultimately develops) and trophectoderm (TE) (from which the placenta ultimately develops) is reflected in birth and placental weight, healthy live-birth rate, and gender after fresh and frozen single blastocyst transfer. In 225 patients, qualitative scoring of blastocysts was done according to the criteria expansion, ICM, and TE appearance. In parallel, all three parameters were quantified semi-automatically. TE quality and cell number were the only parameters that predicted treatment outcome. In detail, pregnancies that continued on to a live birth could be distinguished from those pregnancies that aborted on the basis of TE grade and cell number. Male blastocysts had a 2.53 higher chance of showing TE of quality A compared to female ones. There was no correlation between the appearance of both cell lineages and birth or placental weight, respectively. The presented correlation of TE with outcome indicates that TE scoring could replace ICM scoring in terms of priority. This would automatically require a rethinking process in terms of blastocyst selection and cryopreservation strategy.

Technical report: an ePRO patient reported outcome program for the evaluation of patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

PubMed

Gerson, C D; Gerson, M-J

2014-02-01

Patient reported outcome (PRO) is an important healthcare concept that describes patient's participation in their care by self-evaluation, usually in the form of questionnaires. This report describes an unique computerized technique, electronic PRO (ePRO), for following the progress of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Patients first completed a series of questionnaires, including questions about their illness history, symptom severity, and, in this application, psychological and relationship issues. The symptom severity and psychological questionnaires were then completed at intervals by the patients on their own computers. The ePRO was constructed to allow scores to be automatically summed and placed on a time-line graph for review at the time of the next office visit. Of the 32 patients who completed the initial set of questionnaires, 20 maintained participation in the program for a 6-month period. Of those 20 patients, median number of submissions was 7.0; median interval between questionnaire submissions was 3.0 weeks, whereas median interval between office visits was 5.9 weeks. On average, questionnaire completion took less than 5 min and was positively experienced by the patients. The ePRO program proved to be technically feasible, clinically useful, and positively experienced by the patients. It provides a focus on a collaborative conversation between physician and patient. It has significant potential as a technique for evaluating outcome in response to various therapies. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Validation of the exercise and eating disorder questionnaire in males with and without eating disorders.

PubMed

Danielsen, Marit; Bjørnelv, Sigrid; Bratberg, Grete Helen; Rø, Øyvind

2018-05-01

The need to consider gender when studying exercise in eating disorder (ED) has been underscored. The study aimed to test the psychometric properties and factor structure of the exercise and eating disorder (EED) questionnaire for males with and without ED, to highlight gender differences, and to explore issues relevant for a male version of the EED questionnaire. This cross sectional study included 258 male participants: 55 ED patients (inpatients and outpatients) and 203 student controls. The patient group consisted of 54.5% (n = 30) with AN, 18.2% (n = 10) with BN, 27.2% (n = 15) with unspecified ED. The ED sample was treated as transdiagnostic in all analyses. t Tests, chi-square test, correlations analyses, and a principal component analysis were conducted. The analyses confirmed that the EED questionnaire had adequate psychometric properties, and a four-factor solution: (a) compulsive exercise, (b) positive and healthy exercise, (c) awareness of bodily signals, and (d) weight and shape exercise. The questionnaire discriminated significantly (p < .01- < .001) between patients and controls on the global score, subscales, and 16 out of 18 individual items. Convergent validity was demonstrated by high correlations between the EED questionnaire and the eating disorder examination questionnaire (r = .65). The results indicated that the EED questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for males. It is a clinically derived, self-report questionnaire to assess compulsive exercise among ED patients, regarding attitudes and thoughts toward compulsive exercise and identification of treatment targets and priorities. © 2018 The Authors International Journal of Eating Disorders Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Oxytocin administration enhances controlled social cognition in patients with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Woolley, J.D.; Chuang, B.; Lam, O.; Lai, W.; O’Donovan, A.; Rankin, K.P.; Mathalon, D.H.; Vinogradov, S.

2014-01-01

Summary Background Individuals with schizophrenia have functionally significant deficits in automatic and controlled social cognition, but no currently available pharmacologic treatments reduce these deficits. The neuropeptide oxytocin has multiple prosocial effects when administered intranasally in humans and there is growing interest in its therapeutic potential in schizophrenia. Methods We administered 40 IU of oxytocin and saline placebo intranasally to 29 male subjects with schizophrenia and 31 age-matched, healthy controls in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Social cognition was assessed with The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT) and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). We examined the effects of oxytocin administration on automatic social cognition (the ability to rapidly interpret and understand emotional cues from the voice, face, and body); controlled social cognition (the ability to comprehend indirectly expressed emotions, thoughts, and intentions through complex deliberations over longer time periods); and a control task (the ability to comprehend truthful dialog and perform general task procedures) in individuals with and without schizophrenia using mixed factorial analysis of variance models. Results Patients with schizophrenia showed significant impairments in automatic and controlled social cognition compared to healthy controls, and administration of oxytocin significantly improved their controlled, but not automatic, social cognition, F(1, 58) = 8.75; p = 0.004. Conversely, oxytocin administration had limited effects on social cognition in healthy participants. Patients and controls performed equally well and there were no effects of oxytocin administration on the control task. Discussion Intact social cognitive abilities are associated with better functional outcomes in individuals with schizophrenia. Our data highlight the potentially complex effects of oxytocin on some but not all aspects of social cognition, and support the exploration of intranasal oxytocin as a potential adjunct treatment to improve controlled social cognition in schizophrenia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. PMID:25001961

User experience integrated life-style cloud-based medical application.

PubMed

Serban, Alexandru; Lupşe, Oana Sorina; Stoicu-Tivadar, Lăcrămioara

2015-01-01

Having a modern application capable to automatically collect and process data from users, based on information and lifestyle answers is one of current challenges for researchers and medical science. The purpose of the current study is to integrate user experience design (UXD) in a cloud-based medical application to improve patient safety, quality of care and organizational efficiency. The process consists of collecting traditional and new data from patients and users using online questionnaires. A questionnaire dynamically asks questions about the user's current diet and lifestyle. After the user will introduce the data, the application will formulate a presumptive nutritional plan and will suggest different medical recommendations regarding a healthy lifestyle, and calculates a risk factor for diseases. This software application, by design and usability will be an efficient tool dedicated for fitness, nutrition and health professionals.

Hypnotic clever hands: Agency and automatic responding.

PubMed

Polito, Vince; Barnier, Amanda J; Connors, Michael H

2018-06-01

The Clever Hands task (Wegner, Fuller, & Sparrow, 2003) is a behavioral illusion in which participants make responses to a trivia quiz for which they have no sense of agency. Sixty high hypnotizable participants completed two versions of the Clever Hands task. Quiz One was a replication of the original study. Quiz Two was a hypnotic adaptation using three suggestions that were based on clinical disruptions to the sense of agency. The suggestions were for: random responding, thought insertion, and alien control. These suggestions led to differences in accuracy (action production) and estimates of accuracy (action projection). Specifically, whereas the random responding suggestion had little effect, the two clinically based suggestions had opposite impacts on action production: the thought insertion suggestion led to an increase in the rate of correct responses (although participants still believed they were responding randomly); while the alien control suggestion led to a reduction in the rate of correct answers and a pattern of results that more closely approximated randomness. Contrary to theoretical accounts that claim that hypnosis affects executive monitoring rather than executive control, this result indicates that specific hypnotic suggestions can also influence the implicit processes involved in action production. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Simultaneity in Emotional Moments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clore, Gerald L.

Emotions are described as emergent states, which exist only to the extent that multiple affective reactions to the same object occur at the same time. Emotions are thus the confluence of thoughts, feelings, expressions, desires, and so on. They emerge as meta-cognitive representations of embodied affective reactions. Emotions may be initiated by low-level, automatic, unconscious affective reactions, which are then iteratively re-processed with ever greater cognitive involvement until they become elaborated into emotional states. Affective and emotional reactions act as information about the value of objects of judgment and of accessible cognitions and inclinations during tasks. They influence judgment and thought when they are experienced simultaneously with sensory data about the world. Affective influences thus depend on our inability to disentangle affective from descriptive perceptions. To the extent that affective reactions reflect different, incommensurate sources of value (e.g., utilitarian, moral, aesthetic), perceived persons or objects may be experienced as being transcendently good or evil. Experiments varying people's attributions for their affective experiences allow the separate roles of affective and descriptive information to be examined. However, it is the inability to parse everyday experience into its separate sources of evaluative and descriptive information that gives rise to a colourful and transcendent reality.

Linking quality indicators to clinical trials: an automated approach

PubMed Central

Coiera, Enrico; Choong, Miew Keen; Tsafnat, Guy; Hibbert, Peter; Runciman, William B.

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective Quality improvement of health care requires robust measurable indicators to track performance. However identifying which indicators are supported by strong clinical evidence, typically from clinical trials, is often laborious. This study tests a novel method for automatically linking indicators to clinical trial registrations. Design A set of 522 quality of care indicators for 22 common conditions drawn from the CareTrack study were automatically mapped to outcome measures reported in 13 971 trials from ClinicalTrials.gov. Intervention Text mining methods extracted phrases mentioning indicators and outcome phrases, and these were compared using the Levenshtein edit distance ratio to measure similarity. Main Outcome Measure Number of care indicators that mapped to outcome measures in clinical trials. Results While only 13% of the 522 CareTrack indicators were thought to have Level I or II evidence behind them, 353 (68%) could be directly linked to randomized controlled trials. Within these 522, 50 of 70 (71%) Level I and II evidence-based indicators, and 268 of 370 (72%) Level V (consensus-based) indicators could be linked to evidence. Of the indicators known to have evidence behind them, only 5.7% (4 of 70) were mentioned in the trial reports but were missed by our method. Conclusions We automatically linked indicators to clinical trial registrations with high precision. Whilst the majority of quality indicators studied could be directly linked to research evidence, a small portion could not and these require closer scrutiny. It is feasible to support the process of indicator development using automated methods to identify research evidence. PMID:28651340

Cognition and balance control: does processing of explicit contextual cues of impending perturbations modulate automatic postural responses?

PubMed

Coelho, Daniel Boari; Teixeira, Luis Augusto

2017-08-01

Processing of predictive contextual cues of an impending perturbation is thought to induce adaptive postural responses. Cueing in previous research has been provided through repeated perturbations with a constant foreperiod. This experimental strategy confounds explicit predictive cueing with adaptation and non-specific properties of temporal cueing. Two experiments were performed to assess those factors separately. To perturb upright balance, the base of support was suddenly displaced backwards in three amplitudes: 5, 10 and 15 cm. In Experiment 1, we tested the effect of cueing the amplitude of the impending postural perturbation by means of visual signals, and the effect of adaptation to repeated exposures by comparing block versus random sequences of perturbation. In Experiment 2, we evaluated separately the effects of cueing the characteristics of an impending balance perturbation and cueing the timing of perturbation onset. Results from Experiment 1 showed that the block sequence of perturbations led to increased stability of automatic postural responses, and modulation of magnitude and onset latency of muscular responses. Results from Experiment 2 showed that only the condition cueing timing of platform translation onset led to increased balance stability and modulation of onset latency of muscular responses. Conversely, cueing platform displacement amplitude failed to induce any effects on automatic postural responses in both experiments. Our findings support the interpretation of improved postural responses via optimized sensorimotor processes, at the same time that cast doubt on the notion that cognitive processing of explicit contextual cues advancing the magnitude of an impending perturbation can preset adaptive postural responses.

Validation of a General and Sport Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire in Adolescents and Young Adults: GeSNK.

PubMed

Calella, Patrizia; Iacullo, Vittorio Maria; Valerio, Giuliana

2017-04-29

Good knowledge of nutrition is widely thought to be an important aspect to maintaining a balanced and healthy diet. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new reliable tool to measure the general and the sport nutrition knowledge (GeSNK) in people who used to practice sports at different levels. The development of (GeSNK) was carried out in six phases as follows: (1) item development and selection by a panel of experts; (2) pilot study in order to assess item difficulty and item discrimination; (3) measurement of the internal consistency; (4) reliability assessment with a 2-week test-retest analysis; (5) concurrent validity was tested by administering the questionnaire along with other two similar tools; (6) construct validity by administering the questionnaire to three groups of young adults with different general nutrition and sport nutrition knowledge. The final questionnaire, consisted of 62 items of the original 183 questions. It is a consistent, valid, and suitable instrument that can be applied over time, making it a promising tool to look at the relationship between nutrition knowledge, demographic characteristics, and dietary behavior in adolescents and young adults.

The moderating effects of coping and self-esteem on the relationship between defeat, entrapment and suicidality in a sample of prisoners at high risk of suicide.

PubMed

Gooding, P; Tarrier, N; Dunn, G; Shaw, J; Awenat, Y; Ulph, F; Pratt, D

2015-11-01

Research is sparse which examines pathways to suicide, and resilience to suicide, in people who are particularly vulnerable to suicide, for example, prison inmates. The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which perceptions of self-esteem and coping ability interacted with defeat and entrapment to both amplify suicidal thoughts and feelings, and to act as a buffer against suicidal thoughts and feelings. Participants were 65 male prisoners at high risk of suicide. A cross-sectional questionnaire design was used. Questionnaire measures of depression, defeat, entrapment, self-esteem, coping ability and suicidal probability were administered. For the hopelessness component of the suicide probability measure, high levels of coping ability together with low levels of defeat resulted in the lowest levels of suicidality indicative of a resilience factor. In contrast, low levels of coping skills together with high levels of entrapment were a high risk factor for this hopelessness component of suicide. This pattern of results pertained when controlling for depression levels. This is the first study to examine interactions between defeat, entrapment and appraisals of self-esteem and coping ability. Therapeutic interventions would benefit from boosting perceptions and appraisals of coping ability, in particular, in people who are at high risk for suicide. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The moderating effects of coping and self-esteem on the relationship between defeat, entrapment and suicidality in a sample of prisoners at high risk of suicide

PubMed Central

Gooding, P.; Tarrier, N.; Dunn, G.; Shaw, J.; Awenat, Y.; Ulph, F.; Pratt, D.

2015-01-01

Background Research is sparse which examines pathways to suicide, and resilience to suicide, in people who are particularly vulnerable to suicide, for example, prison inmates. The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which perceptions of self-esteem and coping ability interacted with defeat and entrapment to both amplify suicidal thoughts and feelings, and to act as a buffer against suicidal thoughts and feelings. Methods Participants were 65 male prisoners at high risk of suicide. A cross-sectional questionnaire design was used. Questionnaire measures of depression, defeat, entrapment, self-esteem, coping ability and suicidal probability were administered. Results For the hopelessness component of the suicide probability measure, high levels of coping ability together with low levels of defeat resulted in the lowest levels of suicidality indicative of a resilience factor. In contrast, low levels of coping skills together with high levels of entrapment were a high risk factor for this hopelessness component of suicide. This pattern of results pertained when controlling for depression levels. Conclusions This is the first study to examine interactions between defeat, entrapment and appraisals of self-esteem and coping ability. Therapeutic interventions would benefit from boosting perceptions and appraisals of coping ability, in particular, in people who are at high risk for suicide. PMID:26497469

Oral health knowledge and sources of information among male Saudi school children.

PubMed

Wyne, Amjad H; Chohan, Arham N; Al-Dosari, Khalid; Al-Dokheil, Majed

2004-06-01

The purpose of present study was to determine the oral health knowledge and sources of information in male Saudi school children. The required information was collected through a especially designed questionnaire. A total of 130 children completed the questionnaire with the mean age of 13.3 (SD 1.9) years. There was no significant difference in oral health knowledge or sources of information in relation to age and educational level. Less than half (44.6%) of the children actually had heard about fluoride, one-third (34.6%) correctly identified the action of fluoride as preventing tooth decay. Almost all (97.2%) the children thought that sweets (chocolates/candies) could cause tooth decay. However, a large number of children were not aware of cariogenic potential of soft drinks (31.5%). More than half (53.1%) of the children reported that their dentist taught them how to brush properly. However, 11.5% children were not taught by any one about proper tooth-brushing. A large number (40.0%) of children thought that one must visit the dentist only in case of pain in the teeth. Dentists were the most popular (61.5%) source of oral health information. It can be concluded that the children need further oral health education in areas of caries prevention, and there was a need to utilise parents, schoolteachers and media to enhance their oral health knowledge.

Physicians' perceptions of managed care.

PubMed

Levine, R A; Lieberson, A

1998-02-01

We wished to determine physicians' views and knowledge of managed care, particularly their beliefs about the provisions of managed care contracts in terms of legality and ethics. A questionnaire was sent to the 315 physicians of the medical staff of Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut regarding managed care and managed care contracts. Sixty-six responses were received within a 45-day period (20.9% return). Although only 1 of 11 contract provisions presented in one section of the questionnaire was illegal in Connecticut, a majority of physicians believed 7 of the 11 were illegal. On average, 50% of physicians polled thought each of the provisions was illegal, and a varying majority of physicians (53% to 95.4%) felt the various provisions were unethical. The majority of respondents (84.8% to 92.4%) believed that nondisclosure provisions were unethical. Ninety-seven percent thought managed care interferes with quality of care, and 72.7% of physicians felt that the managed care industry should be held legally responsible for ensuring quality of care. However, 92.4% of physicians considered themselves to be ethically responsible for ensuring quality of care. Physicians have a poor understanding of the legal aspects of managed care contracts but feel strongly that many provisions of these contracts are unethical. Physicians also believe that managed care is causing medicine to be practiced in a manner that is contrary to patients' interests and that legal recourse is needed to prevent this.

Educating for diversity: an evaluation of a sexuality diversity workshop to address secondary school bullying.

PubMed

Lucassen, Mathijs F G; Burford, James

2015-10-01

To evaluate the potential of a 60-minute sexuality diversity workshop to address bullying in secondary schools. Students completed pre- and post-workshop questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise results with pre- to immediate post-workshop changes compared using t-tests. Thematic analysis was used to analyse open-ended questionnaire responses. We had 229 students (mean age 13.7 years) attending 10 workshops participate in the study. Three-quarters of students thought the workshop would reduce bullying in schools, and over 95% of the participants thought that other secondary schools should offer the workshop. There was a significant increase in valuing (p < 0.001) and understanding (p < 0.001) sexuality-diverse individuals (e.g. lesbian, gay and bisexual people), between the pre- and post-workshop results. School climates were largely perceived to be 'hard' and included 'bullying/mocking' of sexuality-diverse students; however, many individual students reported a desire to be supportive of their sexuality-diverse peers. Sexuality-based bullying is commonplace in secondary schools. This form of bullying is associated with depression and suicide attempts. Reducing sexuality-based bullying is very likely to have a positive impact on the mental health of young people. Brief workshops, as a part of a wider suite of interventions, have some potential to create safer school environments. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Using Educational Prescriptions to Teach Medical Students Evidence-based Medicine

PubMed Central

Umscheid, Craig A.; Maenner, Matthew J.; Mull, Nikhil; Veesenmeyer, Angela F.; Farrar, John T.; Goldfarb, Stanley; Morrison, Gail; Albanese, Mark A.; Frohna, John G.; Feldstein, David A.

2018-01-01

Purpose To evaluate feasibility and impact of evidence-based medicine (EBM) educational prescriptions (EPs) in medical student clerkships. Methods Students answered clinical questions during clerkships using EPs, which guide learners through the “four As” of EBM. Epidemiology fellows graded EPs using a rubric. Feasibility was assessed using descriptive statistics and student and fellow end-of-study questionnaires, which also measured impact. In addition, for each EP, students reported patient impact. Impact on EBM skills was assessed by change in EP scores over time and scores on an EBM objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) that were compared to controls from the prior year. Results 117 students completed 402 EPs evaluated by 24 fellows. Average score was 7.34/9.00 (SD 1.58). 69 students (59%) and 21 fellows (88%) completed questionnaires. Most students thought EPs improved “Acquiring” and “Appraising.” Almost half thought EPs improved “Asking” and “Applying.” Fellows did not value grading EPs. For 18%of EPs, students reported a “change” or “potential change” in treatment. 56% “confirmed” treatment. EP scores increased by 1.27 (95% CI: 0.81–1.72). There were no differences in OSCE scores between cohorts. Conclusions Integrating EPs into clerkships is feasible and has impact, yet OSCEs were unchanged, and research fellows had limitations as evaluators. PMID:27075864

Resting-State fMRI Functional Connectivity Is Associated with Sleepiness, Imagery, and Discontinuity of Mind

PubMed Central

Chen, Gang; den Braber, Anouk; van ‘t Ent, Dennis; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Mansvelder, Huibert D.; de Geus, Eco; Van Someren, Eus J. W.; Linkenkaer-Hansen, Klaus

2015-01-01

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is widely used to investigate the functional architecture of the healthy human brain and how it is affected by learning, lifelong development, brain disorders or pharmacological intervention. Non-sensory experiences are prevalent during rest and must arise from ongoing brain activity, yet little is known about this relationship. Here, we used two runs of rs-fMRI both immediately followed by the Amsterdam Resting-State Questionnaire (ARSQ) to investigate the relationship between functional connectivity within ten large-scale functional brain networks and ten dimensions of thoughts and feelings experienced during the scan in 106 healthy participants. We identified 11 positive associations between brain-network functional connectivity and ARSQ dimensions. ‘Sleepiness’ exhibited significant associations with functional connectivity within Visual, Sensorimotor and Default Mode networks. Similar associations were observed for ‘Visual Thought’ and ‘Discontinuity of Mind’, which may relate to variation in imagery and thought control mediated by arousal fluctuations. Our findings show that self-reports of thoughts and feelings experienced during a rs-fMRI scan help understand the functional significance of variations in functional connectivity, which should be of special relevance to clinical studies. PMID:26540239

Early maladaptive schemas and suicidal risk in an Iranian sample of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Khosravani, Vahid; Sharifi Bastan, Farangis; Samimi Ardestani, Mehdi; Jamaati Ardakani, Razieh

2017-09-01

There are few studies on suicidal risk and its related factors in patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This study investigated the associations of early maladaptive schemas, OC symptom dimensions, OCD severity, depression and anxiety with suicidality (i.e., suicidal ideation and suicide attempts) in OCD patients. Sixty OCD outpatients completed the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI), the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF), the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). 51.7% of patients had lifetime suicide attempts and 75% had suicidal ideation. OCD patients with lifetime suicide attempts exhibited significantly higher scores on early maladaptive schemas than those without such attempts. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the mistrust/abuse schema and the OC symptom dimension of unacceptable thoughts explained lifetime suicide attempts. The mistrust/abuse schema, unacceptable thoughts and depression significantly predicted suicidal ideation. These findings indicated that the mistrust/abuse schema may contribute to high suicidality in OCD patients. Also, patients suffering from unacceptable thoughts need to be assessed more carefully for warning signs of suicide. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Worry and Rumination in Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

PubMed

Dar, Kaiser A; Iqbal, Naved

2015-01-01

Ample work has already been conducted on worry and rumination as negative thought processes involved in the etiology of most of the anxiety and mood related disorders. However, minimal effort has been exerted to investigate whether one type of negative thought process can make way for another type of negative thought process, and if so, how it subsequently results in experiencing a host of symptoms reflective of one or the other type of psychological distress. Therefore, the present study was taken up to investigate whether rumination mediates the relationship between worry and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and between worry and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in two clinical groups. Self-report questionnaires tapping worry, rumination, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) were administered to a clinical sample of 60 patients aged 30-40. Worry, rumination, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) correlated substantially with each other, however, rumination did not mediate the relationship between worry and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and between worry and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). We also analyzed differences of outcome variables within two clinical groups. These results showed that worry and rumination were significantly different between GAD and OCD groups.

How I do it: a practical database management system to assist clinical research teams with data collection, organization, and reporting.

PubMed

Lee, Howard; Chapiro, Julius; Schernthaner, Rüdiger; Duran, Rafael; Wang, Zhijun; Gorodetski, Boris; Geschwind, Jean-François; Lin, MingDe

2015-04-01

The objective of this study was to demonstrate that an intra-arterial liver therapy clinical research database system is a more workflow efficient and robust tool for clinical research than a spreadsheet storage system. The database system could be used to generate clinical research study populations easily with custom search and retrieval criteria. A questionnaire was designed and distributed to 21 board-certified radiologists to assess current data storage problems and clinician reception to a database management system. Based on the questionnaire findings, a customized database and user interface system were created to perform automatic calculations of clinical scores including staging systems such as the Child-Pugh and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer, and facilitates data input and output. Questionnaire participants were favorable to a database system. The interface retrieved study-relevant data accurately and effectively. The database effectively produced easy-to-read study-specific patient populations with custom-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria. The database management system is workflow efficient and robust in retrieving, storing, and analyzing data. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and appraisals of emotional states.

PubMed

McCubbin, R A; Sampson, M J

2006-01-01

A new measure assessing respondents' perceptions of the threat posed by their own emotions (the Perception of Threat from Emotion Questionnaire; the PTEQ) is presented. A range of data relating to the psychometric properties of the PTEQ indicates that it is a reliable measure of people's stable beliefs about their emotions, and is not highly correlated with either mood or measures of responsibility and thought-action fusion. In a student sample, regression analyses indicate that responses to the PTEQ significantly predict responses to a general measure of obsessionality (the Padua Inventory), even when levels of depression and anxiety are controlled for. Moreover, when compared with measures of responsibility and thought-action fusion, the PTEQ emerges as the strongest independent predictor of obsessionality. Of the seven different emotions to which the PTEQ relates, it is found that beliefs about 'anger' are the strongest predictor of obsessionality. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Estimating one's own and one's relatives' multiple intelligence: a study from Argentina.

PubMed

Furnham, Adrian; Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas

2005-05-01

Participants from Argentina (N = 217) estimated their own, their partner's, their parents' and their grandparents' overall and multiple intelligences. The Argentinean data showed that men gave higher overall estimates than women (M = 110.4 vs. 105.1) as well as higher estimates on mathematical and spatial intelligence. Participants thought themselves slightly less bright than their fathers (2 IQ points) but brighter than their mothers (6 points), their grandfathers (8 points), but especially their grandmothers (11 points). Regressions showed that participants thought verbal and mathematical IQ to be the best predictors of overall IQ. Results were broadly in agreement with other studies in the area. A comparison was also made with British data using the same questionnaire. British participants tended to give significantly higher self-estimates than for relatives, though the pattern was generally similar. Results are discussed in terms of the studies in the field.

Gynaecologists' attitude to abortion provision in 2015.

PubMed

Savage, Wendy Diane; Francome, Colin

2017-04-01

We aimed to ascertain the attitude of consultant gynaecologists towards the working of the 1967 Abortion Act, women's choice and decriminalisation of abortion, and whether they had requests on the grounds of foetal sex in the last five years. A postal questionnaire was sent to a 20% random sample of NHS gynaecologists, coded and analysed using SPSS. 286 doctors replied, 78%. 60% considered the abortion act was working satisfactorily. Ninety percent thought the woman should decide whether to continue the pregnancy in consultation with her doctor. However, 15% thought it too easy to obtain. Fifty-six percent of those with an opinion agreed that abortion should be decriminalised and treated like any other medical procedure. It is time to consider decriminalisation of abortion. About half performed abortions and 152 (97%) had never had a request for an abortion on the grounds of foetal sex. Sex selection is not a major problem in the UK.

The importance of thinking styles in predicting binge eating.

PubMed

Nikčević, A V; Marino, C; Caselli, G; Spada, M M

2017-08-01

Impulsivity, Body Mass Index, negative emotions and irrational food beliefs are often reported as predictors of binge eating. In the current study we explored the role played by two thinking styles, namely food thought suppression and desire thinking, in predicting binge eating among young adults controlling for established predictors of this condition. A total of 338 university students (268 females) participated in this study by completing a battery of questionnaires measuring the study variables. Path analysis revealed that impulsivity was not associated with binge eating, that Body Mass Index and negative emotions predicted binge eating, and that irrational food beliefs only influenced binge eating via food thought suppression and desire thinking. In conclusion, thinking styles appear an important predictor of binge eating and they should be taken into consideration when developing clinical interventions for binge eating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Iraqi parents' views of barriers to childhood immunization.

PubMed

Al-Lela, O Q B; Bahari, M B; Al-Abbassi, M G; Salih, M R M; Basher, A Y

2013-03-01

Deficiencies in knowledge about immunization among parents often leads to poor utake or errors in immunization dosage and timing. The aims of this study were to determine Iraqi parents' views of barriers to immunization and beliefs about ways to promote immunization. A questionnaire survey was carried out among 528 Iraqi parents with children who had incomplete immunization status. The main barriers to immunization agreed by the parents were lack of vaccine availability (51.5% of parents) and parents' lack of education (42.4%), while 88.4% of parents thought that lack of funding was not an important barrier. More than 60% of the parents suggested promoting childhood immunization via the media, and 77.5% thought that an increase in funding would not remove barriers to childhood immunization. Better vaccine availability in public health clinics and improving parents' literacy might enhance immunization uptake in Iraq.

Inner Speech and Clarity of Self-Concept in Thought Disorder and Auditory-Verbal Hallucinations

PubMed Central

de Sousa, Paulo; Sellwood, William; Spray, Amy; Fernyhough, Charles; Bentall, Richard P.

2016-01-01

Abstract Eighty patients and thirty controls were interviewed using one interview that promoted personal disclosure and another about everyday topics. Speech was scored using the Thought, Language and Communication scale (TLC). All participants completed the Self-Concept Clarity Scale (SCCS) and the Varieties of Inner Speech Questionnaire (VISQ). Patients scored lower than comparisons on the SCCS. Low scores were associated the disorganized dimension of TD. Patients also scored significantly higher on condensed and other people in inner speech, but not on dialogical or evaluative inner speech. The poverty of speech dimension of TD was associated with less dialogical inner speech, other people in inner speech, and less evaluative inner speech. Hallucinations were significantly associated with more other people in inner speech and evaluative inner speech. Clarity of self-concept and qualities of inner speech are differentially associated with dimensions of TD. The findings also support inner speech models of hallucinations. PMID:27898489

Attitudinal and Intentional Acceptance of Domestic Robots by Younger and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Ezer, Neta; Fisk, Arthur D.; Rogers, Wendy A.

2014-01-01

A study was conducted to examine the expectations that younger and older individuals have about domestic robots and how these expectations relate to robot acceptance. In a questionnaire participants were asked to imagine a robot in their home and to indicate how much items representing technology, social partner, and teammate acceptance matched their robot. There were additional questions about how useful and easy to use they thought their robot would be. The dependent variables were attitudinal and intentional acceptance. The analysis of the responses of 117 older adults (aged 65–86) and 60 younger adults (aged 18–25) indicated that individuals thought of robots foremost as performance-directed machines, less so as social devices, and least as unproductive entities. The robustness of the Technology Acceptance Model to robot acceptance was supported. Technology experience accounted for the variance in robot acceptance due to age. PMID:25584365

Inner Speech and Clarity of Self-Concept in Thought Disorder and Auditory-Verbal Hallucinations.

PubMed

de Sousa, Paulo; Sellwood, William; Spray, Amy; Fernyhough, Charles; Bentall, Richard P

2016-12-01

Eighty patients and thirty controls were interviewed using one interview that promoted personal disclosure and another about everyday topics. Speech was scored using the Thought, Language and Communication scale (TLC). All participants completed the Self-Concept Clarity Scale (SCCS) and the Varieties of Inner Speech Questionnaire (VISQ). Patients scored lower than comparisons on the SCCS. Low scores were associated the disorganized dimension of TD. Patients also scored significantly higher on condensed and other people in inner speech, but not on dialogical or evaluative inner speech. The poverty of speech dimension of TD was associated with less dialogical inner speech, other people in inner speech, and less evaluative inner speech. Hallucinations were significantly associated with more other people in inner speech and evaluative inner speech. Clarity of self-concept and qualities of inner speech are differentially associated with dimensions of TD. The findings also support inner speech models of hallucinations.

Childhood physical abuse and differential development of paranormal belief systems.

PubMed

Perkins, Stefanie L; Allen, Rhiannon

2006-05-01

This study compared paranormal belief systems in individuals with and without childhood physical abuse histories. The Revised Paranormal Belief Scale and the Assessing Environments III Questionnaire were completed by 107 University students. Psi, precognition, and spiritualism, which are thought to provide a sense of personal efficacy and control, were among the most strongly held beliefs in abused subjects, and were significantly higher in abused versus nonabused subjects. Superstition and extraordinary life forms, thought to have an inverse or no relation to felt control, were the least strongly held beliefs in abused subjects, and, along with religious beliefs, did not differ between the two abuse groups. Witchcraft was unexpectedly found to be the most strongly held belief among those with abuse histories. Results suggest that by providing a sense of control, certain paranormal beliefs may offer a powerful emotional refuge to individuals who endured the stress of physical abuse in childhood.

Reconstructing past occupational exposures: how reliable are women's reports of their partner's occupation?

PubMed

Tagiyeva, Nara; Semple, Sean; Devereux, Graham; Sherriff, Andrea; Henderson, John; Elias, Peter; Ayres, Jon G

2011-06-01

Most of the evidence on agreement between self- and proxy-reported occupational data comes from interview-based studies. The authors aimed to examine agreement between women's reports of their partner's occupation and their partner's own description using questionnaire-based data collected as a part of the prospective, population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Information on present occupation was self-reported by women's partners and proxy-reported by women through questionnaires administered at 8 and 21 months after the birth of a child. Job titles were coded to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC2000) using software developed by the University of Warwick (Computer-Assisted Structured Coding Tool). The accuracy of proxy-report was expressed as percentage agreement and kappa coefficients for four-, three- and two-digit SOC2000 codes obtained in automatic and semiautomatic (manually improved) coding modes. Data from 6016 couples at 8 months and 5232 couples at 21 months postnatally were included in the analyses. The agreement between men's self-reported occupation and women's report of their partner's occupation in fully automatic coding mode at four-, three- and two-digit code level was 65%, 71% and 77% at 8 months and 68%, 73% and 76% at 21 months. The accuracy of agreement was slightly improved by semiautomatic coding of occupations: 73%/73%, 78%/77% and 83%/80% at 8/21 months respectively. While this suggests that women's description of their partners' occupation can be used as a valuable tool in epidemiological research where data from partners are not available, this study revealed no agreement between these young women and their partners at the two-digit level of SOC2000 coding in approximately one in five cases. Proxy reporting of occupation introduces a statistically significant degree of error in classification. The effects of occupational misclassification by proxy reporting in retrospective occupational epidemiological studies based on questionnaire data should be considered.

Homicidal/violent thoughts, suicidal ideation and violent behavior in adolescents with social phobia in Metropolitan Lima, Perú.

PubMed

Vivar, Roxana; Morón, Giannina; Padilla, Martín; Alarcón, Renato D

2014-09-01

Social phobia and violent behavior are both important mental health problems among adolescent populations in different parts of the world. This study attempts to evaluate possible connections between social phobia, homicidal/violent thoughts, suicidal ideation, and subsequent violent behavior among adolescents living in the metropolitan area of Lima, Perú. A sample of 991 adolescents, part of the 2002 Epidemiological Study in Metropolitan Lima, conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health "Honorio Delgado-Hideyo Noguchi" (INSM "HD-HN") was studied. Social phobia was diagnosed on the basis of clinical assessment and the use of MINI, and suicidal ideation, homicidal/violent thoughts, and violent behavior were identified through the Mental Health Questionnaire. Odds ratio (OR) statistical analyses adjusted by logistic regression controlling for age and gender were performed. Variables associated with social phobia were homicidal thoughts in the last month (OR: 5.19, confidence interval [CI] at 95% 4.95-5.40), an impulse to hit known (OR: 1.56; 95% CI, 1.53-1.59) and unknown (OR: 3.98, 95% CI,3.89-4.07) persons, the wish to take revenge for a past offense (OR: 2.60, 95% CI 2.54-2.64), getting involved in fights with different kinds of weapons (OR: 1,78, 95% CI 1.70-1.87), suicidal ideation throughout lifetime (OR: 4.74, 95% CI 4.65-4.83), and life prevalence of suicidal attempt (OR: 5.39, 95% CI 5.23-5.55). Social phobia in adolescents of this Peruvian sample seems to be closely associated with both homicidal/violent thoughts, violent behavior, and suicidal ideation. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Lab meets real life: A laboratory assessment of spontaneous thought and its ecological validity

PubMed Central

Welz, Annett; Reinhard, Iris; Alpers, Georg W.

2017-01-01

People’s minds frequently wander towards self-generated thoughts, which are unrelated to external stimuli or demands. These phenomena, referred to as “spontaneous thought” (ST) and “mind wandering” (MW), have previously been linked with both costs and benefits. Current assessments of ST and MW have predominantly been conducted in the laboratory, whereas studies on the ecological validity of such lab-related constructs and their interrelations are rare. The current study examined the stability of ST dimensions assessed in the lab and their predictive value with respect to MW, repetitive negative thought (uncontrollable rumination, RUM), and affect in daily life. Forty-three university students were assessed with the Amsterdam Resting State Questionnaire (2nd version) to assess ten ST dimensions during the resting state in two laboratory sessions, which were separated by five days of electronic ambulatory assessment (AA). During AA, individuals indicated the intensity of MW and RUM, as well as of positive and negative affect in daily life ten times a day. ST dimensions measured in the lab were moderately stable across one week. Five out of ten ST lab dimensions were predicted by mental health-related symptoms or by dispositional cognitive traits. Hierarchical linear models revealed that a number of ST lab dimensions predicted cognitive and affective states in daily life. Mediation analyses showed that RUM, but not MW per se, accounted for the relationship between specific ST lab dimensions and mood in daily life. By using a simple resting state task, we could demonstrate that a number of lab dimensions of spontaneous thought are moderately stable, are predicted by mental health symptoms and cognitive traits, and show plausible associations with categories of self-generated thought and mood in daily life. PMID:28910351

Inpatient treatment has no impact on the core thoughts and perceptions in adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Fennig, Silvana; Brunstein Klomek, Anat; Shahar, Ben; Sarel-Michnik, Zohar; Hadas, Arie

2017-06-01

Examine changes in core perceptions and thoughts during the weight restoration phase of inpatient treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Forty-four adolescents with anorexia nervosa consecutively admitted (2009-2012) to an inpatient paediatric-psychiatric unit specializing in eating disorders. The programme consisted of a complete inpatient intervention combining weight restoration by structured supervised meals with individual and group cognitive-behavioural therapy, parental training/family intervention and educational activities, followed by a half-way day-treatment weight-stabilizing phase and progressive reintroduction to the community. The study focused on changes from hospital admission to discharge in patients' responses to self-report questionnaires on eating disorder symptoms, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. No significant changes in core anorexic thoughts and perceptions as Body dissatisfaction, Drive for thinness, Weight concern and Shape concern were noted. However, a reduction in the general severity of eating disorder symptoms (including Restraint and Eating concern) was observed, mainly related to the treatment structure. Levels of depression significantly decreased but remained within pathological range. We also found a concerning increase in suicidal ideation not correlated with a concomitant increase in depressive symptomatology. Inpatient treatment of anorexia nervosa in adolescents does not significantly modify core anorexic thoughts and perceptions. This may explain the high relapse rates. Changes in core beliefs may be crucial for recovery and prevention of relapse in anorexia nervosa at this critical age. This study may have clinical implications for the development of better treatment strategies to target the gap between disturbed thoughts and distorted perceptions - the core aspects of anorexia nervosa and physical recovery during and after the weight restoration phase. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

The Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale: factorial structure, gender effects and relationship with nicotine dependence and smoking cessation in French smokers.

PubMed

Berlin, Ivan; Singleton, Edward G; Pedarriosse, Anne-Marie; Lancrenon, Sylvie; Rames, Alexis; Aubin, Henri-Jean; Niaura, Raymond

2003-11-01

To assess the validity of the French version of the Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale (MRSS), and to identify which smoking patterns differentiate male and female smokers, which are related to tobacco dependence (as assessed by the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, FTND), to mood (Beck Depression Inventory II), to affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) and which are predictors of successful quitting. Three hundred and thirty smokers [(mean +/- SD) aged 40 +/- 9 years, 145 (44%) women, mean FTND score: 6.2 +/- 2], candidates for a smoking cessation programme and smoking at least 15 cigarettes/day. Factor analysis of the 21-item scale gave the optimal fit for a seven-factor model, which accounted for 62.3% of the total variance. The following factors were identified: 'addictive smoking', 'pleasure from smoking', 'tension reduction/relaxation', 'social smoking', 'stimulation', 'habit/automatism' and 'handling'. The 'addictive smoking' score increased in a dose-dependent manner with number of cigarettes smoked per day; the 'habit/automatism' score was significantly higher, with more than 20 cigarettes per day than with < or = 20 cigarettes per day. The reasons for smoking were different for males and females: females scored higher on 'tension reduction/relaxation', 'stimulation' and 'social smoking'. A high level of dependence (FTND > or = 6) was associated with significantly higher scores only on 'addictive smoking', the association being stronger in females. Time to first cigarette after awakening was associated with higher 'addictive smoking' and 'habit/automatism' (P < 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression, failed quitting was predicted by higher habit/automatism score (odds ratio = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.06-1.95, P = 0.02) and greater number of cigarettes smoked per day (odds ratio = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.01-1.06, p = 0.03). The questionnaire yielded a coherent factor structure; women smoked more for tension reduction/relaxation, stimulation and for social reasons than men; addictive smoking and automatic smoking behaviour were similar in both sexes and were associated strongly with a high level of nicotine dependence; the 'habit/automatism' score predicted failure to quit over and above cigarettes per day.

Best practice guidance for the use of strategies to improve retention in randomized trials developed from two consensus workshops

PubMed Central

Brueton, Valerie; Stenning, Sally P.; Stevenson, Fiona; Tierney, Jayne; Rait, Greta

2017-01-01

Objectives To develop best practice guidance for the use of retention strategies in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Study Design and Setting Consensus development workshops conducted at two UK Clinical Trials Units. Sixty-six statisticians, clinicians, RCT coordinators, research scientists, research assistants, and data managers associated with RCTs participated. The consensus development workshops were based on the consensus development conference method used to develop best practice for treatment of medical conditions. Workshops commenced with a presentation of the evidence for incentives, communication, questionnaire format, behavioral, case management, and methodological retention strategies identified by a Cochrane review and associated qualitative study. Three simultaneous group discussions followed focused on (1) how convinced the workshop participants were by the evidence for retention strategies, (2) barriers to the use of effective retention strategies, (3) types of RCT follow-up that retention strategies could be used for, and (4) strategies for future research. Summaries of each group discussion were fed back to the workshop. Coded content for both workshops was compared for agreement and disagreement. Agreed consensus on best practice guidance for retention was identified. Results Workshop participants agreed best practice guidance for the use of small financial incentives to improve response to postal questionnaires in RCTs. Use of second-class post was thought to be adequate for postal communication with RCT participants. The most relevant validated questionnaire was considered best practice for collecting RCT data. Barriers identified for the use of effective retention strategies were: the small improvements seen in questionnaire response for the addition of monetary incentives, and perceptions among trialists that some communication strategies are outdated. Furthermore, there was resistance to change existing retention practices thought to be effective. Face-to-face and electronic follow-up technologies were identified as retention strategies for further research. Conclusions We developed best practice guidance for the use of retention strategies in RCTs and identified potential barriers to the use of effective strategies. The extent of agreement on best practice is limited by the variability in the currently available evidence. This guidance will need updating as new retention strategies are developed and evaluated. PMID:28546093

Best practice guidance for the use of strategies to improve retention in randomized trials developed from two consensus workshops.

PubMed

Brueton, Valerie; Stenning, Sally P; Stevenson, Fiona; Tierney, Jayne; Rait, Greta

2017-08-01

To develop best practice guidance for the use of retention strategies in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Consensus development workshops conducted at two UK Clinical Trials Units. Sixty-six statisticians, clinicians, RCT coordinators, research scientists, research assistants, and data managers associated with RCTs participated. The consensus development workshops were based on the consensus development conference method used to develop best practice for treatment of medical conditions. Workshops commenced with a presentation of the evidence for incentives, communication, questionnaire format, behavioral, case management, and methodological retention strategies identified by a Cochrane review and associated qualitative study. Three simultaneous group discussions followed focused on (1) how convinced the workshop participants were by the evidence for retention strategies, (2) barriers to the use of effective retention strategies, (3) types of RCT follow-up that retention strategies could be used for, and (4) strategies for future research. Summaries of each group discussion were fed back to the workshop. Coded content for both workshops was compared for agreement and disagreement. Agreed consensus on best practice guidance for retention was identified. Workshop participants agreed best practice guidance for the use of small financial incentives to improve response to postal questionnaires in RCTs. Use of second-class post was thought to be adequate for postal communication with RCT participants. The most relevant validated questionnaire was considered best practice for collecting RCT data. Barriers identified for the use of effective retention strategies were: the small improvements seen in questionnaire response for the addition of monetary incentives, and perceptions among trialists that some communication strategies are outdated. Furthermore, there was resistance to change existing retention practices thought to be effective. Face-to-face and electronic follow-up technologies were identified as retention strategies for further research. We developed best practice guidance for the use of retention strategies in RCTs and identified potential barriers to the use of effective strategies. The extent of agreement on best practice is limited by the variability in the currently available evidence. This guidance will need updating as new retention strategies are developed and evaluated. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spanish and Catalan translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the Picker Patient Experience Questionnaire-15.

PubMed

Bertran, M J; Viñarás, M; Salamero, M; Garcia, F; Graham, C; McCulloch, A; Escarrabill, J

To develop and test a culturally adapted core set of questions to measure patients' experience after in-patient care. Following the methodology recommended by international guides, a basic set of patient experience questions, selected from Picker Institute Europe questionnaires (originally in English), was translated to Spanish and Catalan. Acceptability, construct validity and reliability of the adapted questionnaire were assessed via a cross-sectional validation study. The inclusion criteria were patients aged >18 years, discharged within one week to one month prior to questionnaire sending and whose email was available. Day cases, emergency department patients and deaths were excluded. Invitations were sent by email (N=876) and questionnaire was fulfilled through an online platform. An automatic reminder was sent 5 days later to non-respondents. A questionnaire, in Spanish and Catalan, with adequate conceptual and linguistic equivalence was obtained. Response rate was 44.4% (389 responses). The correlation matrix was factorable. Four factors were extracted with Parallel Analysis, which explained 43% of the total variance. First factor: information and communication received during discharge. Second factor: low sensitivity attitudes of professionals. Third factor: assessment of communication of medical and nursing staff. Fourth factor: global items. The value of the Cronbach alpha was 0.84, showing a high internal consistency. The obtained experience patient questionnaire, in Spanish and Catalan, shows good results in the psychometric properties evaluated and could be a useful tool to identify opportunities for health care improvement in our context. Email could become a feasible tool for greater patient participation in everything that concerns his health. Copyright © 2018 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[Revealing three psychological states before an acting out in 32 patients hospitalized for suicide attempt].

PubMed

Vandevoorde, J

2013-09-01

The purpose of this study was to reconstruct the psychological state of suicidal subjects at the time of the execution of the gesture according to their thoughts, their emotions, their actions, their fantasy life and consciousness. Thirty-three adult subjects agreed, just days after their suicide attempt, to answer the Interview Method for Suicidal Acts (IMSA). This object of this semi-structured interview is to invite the suicidal to reconstruct mentally and chronologically their suicide attempt. IMSA can follow the thoughts, behavior, consciousness, emotions and activity of the suicidal scenario by helping the patient to reconstruct the phenomenology of his/her actions until the final suicidal gesture. The data were processed using the method of Classification TwoStep on SPSS, based on Schwarz Bayesian criterion. The results highlight three main types of psychological state: (1) a "kinesthetic" psychological state (called "type K") is characterized by a rupture between the subjective sensation of motor movement and effective motility (motor automatism), the presence of a dissociative state, an "empty" feeling of thought and the absence of an external triggering factor; (2) a "cognitive" psychological state (called "type C") is characterized by a significant reflection on the decision to die and infiltration of the morbid thought, an intense fantasy life around the suicidal scenario, a clear state of consciousness, and an absence of loss of motor control; (3) an "emotional" psychological state (called "type E") is characterized by confusing and chaotic emotional processes, the emergence of a dissociative state, and a significant impact of external events on the onset of the suicide attempt. This classification of suicide attempts allows us to identify the different combinations of the suicidal process and opens up new therapeutic strategies. Copyright © 2013 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Surgical simulators in urological training--views of UK Training Programme Directors.

PubMed

Forster, James A; Browning, Anthony J; Paul, Alan B; Biyani, C Shekhar

2012-09-01

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The role of surgical simulators is currently being debated in urological and other surgical specialties. Simulators are not presently implemented in the UK urology training curriculum. The availability of simulators and the opinions of Training Programme Directors' (TPD) on their role have not been described. In the present questionnaire-based survey, the trainees of most, but not all, UK TPDs had access to laparoscopic simulators, and that all responding TPDs thought that simulators improved laparoscopic training. We hope that the present study will be a positive step towards making an agreement to formally introduce simulators into the UK urology training curriculum. To discuss the current situation on the use of simulators in surgical training. To determine the views of UK Urology Training Programme Directors (TPDs) on the availability and use of simulators in Urology at present, and to discuss the role that simulators may have in future training. An online-questionnaire survey was distributed to all UK Urology TPDs. In all, 16 of 21 TPDs responded. All 16 thought that laparoscopic simulators improved the quality of laparoscopic training. The trainees of 13 TPDs had access to a laparoscopic simulator (either in their own hospital or another hospital in the deanery). Most TPDs thought that trainees should use simulators in their free time, in quiet time during work hours, or in teaching sessions (rather than incorporated into the weekly timetable). We feel that the current apprentice-style method of training in urological surgery is out-dated. We think that all TPDs and trainees should have access to a simulator, and that a formal competency based simulation training programme should be incorporated into the urology training curriculum, with trainees reaching a minimum proficiency on a simulator before undertaking surgical procedures. © 2012 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2012 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

Developing Online Oceanography at UCSB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prothero, W. A.; Dodson, H.

2001-12-01

Oceanography at UCSB is an introductory general education science course taken by up to 200 students per quarter. The emphasis is on learning science process by engaging in authentic science activities that use real earth data. Recently, to increase student motivation, the course has been modified to include an Earth Summit framework. The online support being developed for this course is the first step in the creation of a completely online oceanography class. Foundation software was first tested in the class during Spring 2001. Online activities that are supported are writing and instructor feedback, online threaded discussion with live chat and graphics, automatically graded homeworks and games, auto graded quizzes with questions randomly selected from a database, and thought problems graded by the instructor(s). Future plans include integration with commercial course management software. To allow choice of assignments, all course activities totaled110%. Since grades were based on A=90-100, B=80-90, C= 70-80, etc, it was possible to get a better than A grade. Students see the effect (on their grade) of each assignment by calculating their current course grade. Course activities included (most of which are automatically graded): weekly lab homeworks, weekly mini-quizzes (10 multiple choice questions selected at random from a topic database), weekly thought questions (graded by the TA), 3 written assignments, and "Question of the Day" from lecture (credit given for handing it in), The online writing software allowed students to enter their writing, edit and link to graphic images, print the paper, and electronically hand it in. This has the enormous advantage of allowing the instructor and TA's convenient access to all student papers. At the end of the course, students were asked how effective each of the course activities were in learning the course material. On a five point scale, ranging from highest contribution to lowest, the percentage of students giving ratings of 4 or 5 (highest) were: lectures: 27%, labs: 70%, earth summit activities: 57%, weekly thought questions: 36%, Questions of the day: 34%, weekly quizzes: 51%, weekly homeworks: 48%, writing assignments: 68%. Course difficulty responses were symmetrically peaked at a rating of 3, indicating that the course was taught at the right level. 64% of the students responded with 4 or 5 level to "I worked very hard in this class." Join the DLESE "Oceanography" interest group (www.dlese.org) to discuss and help develop oceanography course materials. >http://oceanography.geol.ucsb.edu/Support/CourseWare/Index.html

Psychological aspects of the cancer patients' education: thoughts, feelings, behavior and body reactions of patients faced with diagnosis of cancer.

PubMed

Klikovac, T; Djurdjevic, A

2010-01-01

In order to assess the impact of cancer diagnosis on several psychological dimensions, this study was undertaken with the aim to understand, identify and document the psychological responses of cancer patients - their common thoughts, feelings, body sensations and behavior when they faced the cancer diagnosis. The sample consisted of 80 patients who attended psychological lectures during the implementation of the European Educational Programme (EEP) "Learning to live with cancer". At the beginning of the lectures, the patients were asked to fulfill the self-describing questionnaire with 4 open questions: "Describe your common thoughts, feelings, behavior, and body reactions in the first 6 weeks when you learned that you were affected by cancer". A significant proportion of patients reported disease denial (65%) and reexamination in relation to past life experiences, stressful events and bad habits (60%). Depressive feelings and disappointment were reported by 90% of the patients, while 85% of them reported fear, hopelessness and emptiness. They also reported sadness (70%), anger and anxiety (65%), nervousness and irritability (90%). Positive thoughts and attitude in the sense of optimism concerning a successful treatment outcome were reported by 20% and 15% of patients, respectively. The diagnosis of cancer and cancer treatment can cause distress, emotional turmoil and different psychosocial disorders. Taking into consideration different psychological reactions of cancer patients can be helpful for organizing adequate psycho-educational and psychosocial support, and psychotherapy for cancer patients and their families.

Working Memory Capacity, Mind Wandering, and Creative Cognition: An Individual-Differences Investigation into the Benefits of Controlled Versus Spontaneous Thought

PubMed Central

Smeekens, Bridget A.; Kane, Michael J.

2015-01-01

Should executive control, as indicated by working memory capacity (WMC) and mind-wandering propensity, help or hinder creativity? Sustained and focused attention should help guide a selective search of solution-relevant information in memory and help inhibit uncreative, yet accessible, ideas. However, unfocused attention and daydreaming should allow mental access to more loosely relevant concepts, remotely linked to commonplace solutions. Three individual-differences studies inserted incubation periods into one or two divergent thinking tasks and tested whether WMC (assessed by complex span tasks) and incubation-period mind wandering (assessed as probed reports of task-unrelated thought [TUT]) predicted post-incubation performance. Retrospective self-reports of Openness (Experiment 2) and mind-wandering and daydreaming propensity (Experiment 3) complemented our thought-probe assessments of TUT. WMC did not correlate with creativity in divergent thinking, whereas only the questionnaire measure of daydreaming, but not probed thought reports, weakly predicted creativity; the fact that in-the-moment TUTs did not correlate divergent creativity is especially problematic for claims that mind-wandering processes contribute to creative cognition. Moreover, the fact that WMC tends to strongly predict analytical problem solving and reasoning, but may not correlate with divergent thinking, provides a useful boundary condition for defining WMC’s nomological net. On balance, our data provide no support for either benefits or costs of executive control for at least one component of creativity. PMID:28458764

Training the trainer: An educational course for training pain nursing specialists supported by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).

PubMed

Cui, Jing; Zhou, Lingjun; Zhang, Lingjuan; Li, Li; Zhao, Jijun

2013-12-01

To train pain nursing specialists through a pain education program, 20 nurses from six hospitals in Shanghai Province and seven in six provinces of China received the training of 2-month pain education and 4-month clinical practice. This nonrandomized pilot study examined the results of tests before and after the program, case report evaluations, future plan evaluations, clinical practice, and satisfaction questionnaire. After the program, the score of the test increased significantly compared with that before the program (44.1 ± 3.19; paired-sample t = 10.363; p < .0001). All of the participants thought that the program had broadened their vision, 19 (95%) thought that the program had raised the level of their theoretical knowledge in pain management, 17 (85%) thought that the program had improved their skills in clinical practice, and 15 (75%) thought that the program had played a role in enhancing their research abilities. Considering the whole program, most students (n = 17; 85%) were quite satisfied, and 3 (15%) were simply satisfied. By content analysis of the opening questions, we found that the participants had deeper and broader ideas about nurses' role and pain nursing specialists' responsibilities in pain management. The program improved nurses' attitudes, knowledge, and skills in pain management. The participants recognized pain nursing specialists' responsibilities in pain management more clearly. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Evaluation of general practitioners' knowledge about diagnostic and therapeuthic management of erysipelas in the city of Marrakech].

PubMed

Ihbibane, Fatima; Arsène, Ntini Lebi; Adarmouch, Latifa; Amine, Mohamed; Tassi, Noura

2018-01-01

Erysipelas is the most common non necrotizing bacterial dermohypodermitis (NNBDH). This study aimed to evaluate the adequacy of general practitioners' knowledge about literature data on the diagnostic and therapeuthic management of erysipelas. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical survey of 167 general practitioners in the public and private sectors in Marrakech over the period from 19 May to 20 October 2014. The 114 questionnaires which had been returned revealed that local and general risk factors were often reported for erysipelas. 92 (80.7%) physicians thought that positive diagnosis of common types was based on clinical examination. 97(85.1%) physicians thought that it required only out-patient service and that hospitalization and para-clinical examinations should only be performed in patients with severe, atypical or complicated erysipelas. 25 (21.9%) physicians thought that oral amoxicillin should be the gold standard therapy. 15(13.2%) physicians thought that bi-antibiotic therapy including antistreptococcique molecule should be the gold standard. 16 doctors (14%) advocated anti-inflammatory drugs. The primary and secondary prevention levels generated interest from physicians of whom 108 (94.7%) were favorable to the treatment of the portals of entry in the skin while 53 (46.5%) to the antibioprophylaxis after the second recurrence. Our study highlights that erysipelas is relatively frequent in city medical practice; clinical diagnosis guidelines should be shared between the specialists in order to improve the diagnostic and therapeutic approch of our physicians.

Automatic measurement of skin textures of the dorsal hand in evaluating skin aging.

PubMed

Gao, Qian; Yu, Jiaming; Wang, Fang; Ge, Tiantian; Hu, Liwen; Liu, Yang

2013-05-01

Changes in skin textures have been used to evaluate skin aging in many studies. In our previous study, we built some skin texture parameters, which can be used to evaluate skin aging of human dorsal hand. However, it will take too much time and need to work arduously to get the information from digital skin image by manual work. So, we want to build a simple and effective method to automatically count some of those skin texture parameters by using digital image-processing technology. A total of 100 subjects aged 30 years and above were involved. Sun exposure history and demographic information were collected by using a questionnaire. The skin image of subjects' dorsal hand was obtained by using a portable skin detector. The number of grids, which is one of skin texture parameters built in our previous study, was measured manually and automatically. Automated image analysis program was developed by using Matlab 7.1 software. The number of grids counted automatically (NGA) was significantly correlated with the number of grids counted manually (NGM) (r = 0.9287, P < 0.0001). And in each age group, there were no significant differences between NGA and NGM. The NGA was negatively correlated with age and lifetime sun exposure, and decreased with increasing Beagley-Gibson score from 3 to 6. In addition, even after adjusting for NGA, the standard deviation of grid areas for each image was positively correlated with age, sun exposure, and Bealey-Gibson score. The method introduced in present study can be used to measure some skin aging parameters automatically and objectively. And it will save much time, reduce labor, and avoid measurement errors of deferent investigators when evaluating a great deal of skin images in a short time. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Dimensions of self-leadership: a German replication and extension.

PubMed

Müller, Güonter F

2006-10-01

In a sample of 167 German students three dimensions of self-leadership, i.e., constructive thoughts, natural reward creation, and proactive behavior, were replicated as when scale values of a German self-leadership questionnaire were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis very satisfactory fit-indices were obtained. In addition, dimensions of self-leadership correlated with entrepreneurial trait disposition (multiple R=0.46, p < .01), and entrepreneurial job orientation (multiple R=0.23, p < .05). Conclusions for further research and practical applications are discussed.

Is it time to abandon paper? The use of emails and the Internet for health services research--a cost-effectiveness and qualitative study.

PubMed

Hunter, Jennifer; Corcoran, Katherine; Leeder, Stephen; Phelps, Kerryn

2013-10-01

A multidisciplinary primary care clinic in Sydney, Australia, was planning to use electronic questionnaires to measure patient-reported outcomes. Semi-structured interviews with 20 patients were undertaken to explore, among other things, practical issues regarding different questionnaire formats. The response rates and costs of email versus postal invitations were also evaluated. Compared with postal invitations, email invitations offered a cost-effective and practical alternative, with a greater proportion of patients volunteering for an interview. Assuming the interface is well-designed and user-friendly, many patients were happy to use the Internet to answer questionnaires. Most patients thought alternate formats should also be offered. Patients discussed advantages and disadvantages of the Internet format. Although more younger patients and females had given the clinic an email address; both sexes, and young and old patients, expressed strong preferences for either wanting or not wanting to use the Internet. Researchers should consider using email invitations as a cost-effective first-line strategy to recruit patients to participate in health services research. Internet questionnaires are potentially cheaper than paper questionnaires, and the format is acceptable to many patients. However, for the time being, concurrent alternate formats need to be offered to ensure wider acceptability and to maximize response rates. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prehospital airway management on rescue helicopters in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Schmid, M; Mang, H; Ey, K; Schüttler, J

2009-06-01

Adequate equipment is one prerequisite for advanced, out of hospital, airway management. There are no data on current availability of airway equipment on UK rescue helicopters. An internet search revealed all UK rescue helicopters, and a questionnaire was sent to the bases asking for available airway management items. We identified 27 helicopter bases and 26 (96%) sent the questionnaire back. Twenty-four bases (92%) had at least one supraglottic airway device; 16 (62%) helicopters had material for establishing a surgical airway (e.g. a cricothyroidotomy set); 88% of the helicopters had CO(2) detection; 25 (96%) helicopters carried automatic ventilators; among these, four (15%) had sophisticated ventilators and seven (27%) helicopters carried special face masks suitable for non-invasive ventilation. We found a wide variation in the advanced airway management equipment that was carried routinely on air ambulances. Current guidelines for airway management are not met by all UK air ambulances.

Semi-Supervised Approach to Monitoring Clinical Depressive Symptoms in Social Media

PubMed Central

Yazdavar, Amir Hossein; Al-Olimat, Hussein S.; Ebrahimi, Monireh; Bajaj, Goonmeet; Banerjee, Tanvi; Thirunarayan, Krishnaprasad; Pathak, Jyotishman; Sheth, Amit

2017-01-01

With the rise of social media, millions of people are routinely expressing their moods, feelings, and daily struggles with mental health issues on social media platforms like Twitter. Unlike traditional observational cohort studies conducted through questionnaires and self-reported surveys, we explore the reliable detection of clinical depression from tweets obtained unobtrusively. Based on the analysis of tweets crawled from users with self-reported depressive symptoms in their Twitter profiles, we demonstrate the potential for detecting clinical depression symptoms which emulate the PHQ-9 questionnaire clinicians use today. Our study uses a semi-supervised statistical model to evaluate how the duration of these symptoms and their expression on Twitter (in terms of word usage patterns and topical preferences) align with the medical findings reported via the PHQ-9. Our proactive and automatic screening tool is able to identify clinical depressive symptoms with an accuracy of 68% and precision of 72%. PMID:29707701

Automatic and Controlled Semantic Retrieval: TMS Reveals Distinct Contributions of Posterior Middle Temporal Gyrus and Angular Gyrus

PubMed Central

Davey, James; Cornelissen, Piers L.; Thompson, Hannah E.; Sonkusare, Saurabh; Hallam, Glyn; Smallwood, Jonathan

2015-01-01

Semantic retrieval involves both (1) automatic spreading activation between highly related concepts and (2) executive control processes that tailor this activation to suit the current context or goals. Two structures in left temporoparietal cortex, angular gyrus (AG) and posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), are thought to be crucial to semantic retrieval and are often recruited together during semantic tasks; however, they show strikingly different patterns of functional connectivity at rest (coupling with the “default mode network” and “frontoparietal control system,” respectively). Here, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to establish a causal yet dissociable role for these sites in semantic cognition in human volunteers. TMS to AG disrupted thematic judgments particularly when the link between probe and target was strong (e.g., a picture of an Alsatian with a bone), and impaired the identification of objects at a specific but not a superordinate level (for the verbal label “Alsatian” not “animal”). In contrast, TMS to pMTG disrupted thematic judgments for weak but not strong associations (e.g., a picture of an Alsatian with razor wire), and impaired identity matching for both superordinate and specific-level labels. Thus, stimulation to AG interfered with the automatic retrieval of specific concepts from the semantic store while stimulation of pMTG impaired semantic cognition when there was a requirement to flexibly shape conceptual activation in line with the task requirements. These results demonstrate that AG and pMTG make a dissociable contribution to automatic and controlled aspects of semantic retrieval. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We demonstrate a novel functional dissociation between the angular gyrus (AG) and posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) in conceptual processing. These sites are often coactivated during neuroimaging studies using semantic tasks, but their individual contributions are unclear. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation and tasks designed to assess different aspects of semantics (item identity and thematic matching), we tested two alternative theoretical accounts. Neither site showed the pattern expected for a “thematic hub” (i.e., a site storing associations between concepts) since stimulation disrupted both tasks. Instead, the data indicated that pMTG contributes to the controlled retrieval of conceptual knowledge, while AG is critical for the efficient automatic retrieval of specific semantic information. PMID:26586812

Automatic colorimetric calibration of human wounds

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Recently, digital photography in medicine is considered an acceptable tool in many clinical domains, e.g. wound care. Although ever higher resolutions are available, reproducibility is still poor and visual comparison of images remains difficult. This is even more the case for measurements performed on such images (colour, area, etc.). This problem is often neglected and images are freely compared and exchanged without further thought. Methods The first experiment checked whether camera settings or lighting conditions could negatively affect the quality of colorimetric calibration. Digital images plus a calibration chart were exposed to a variety of conditions. Precision and accuracy of colours after calibration were quantitatively assessed with a probability distribution for perceptual colour differences (dE_ab). The second experiment was designed to assess the impact of the automatic calibration procedure (i.e. chart detection) on real-world measurements. 40 Different images of real wounds were acquired and a region of interest was selected in each image. 3 Rotated versions of each image were automatically calibrated and colour differences were calculated. Results 1st Experiment: Colour differences between the measurements and real spectrophotometric measurements reveal median dE_ab values respectively 6.40 for the proper patches of calibrated normal images and 17.75 for uncalibrated images demonstrating an important improvement in accuracy after calibration. The reproducibility, visualized by the probability distribution of the dE_ab errors between 2 measurements of the patches of the images has a median of 3.43 dE* for all calibrated images, 23.26 dE_ab for all uncalibrated images. If we restrict ourselves to the proper patches of normal calibrated images the median is only 2.58 dE_ab! Wilcoxon sum-rank testing (p < 0.05) between uncalibrated normal images and calibrated normal images with proper squares were equal to 0 demonstrating a highly significant improvement of reproducibility. In the second experiment, the reproducibility of the chart detection during automatic calibration is presented using a probability distribution of dE_ab errors between 2 measurements of the same ROI. Conclusion The investigators proposed an automatic colour calibration algorithm that ensures reproducible colour content of digital images. Evidence was provided that images taken with commercially available digital cameras can be calibrated independently of any camera settings and illumination features. PMID:20298541

Pre-processing liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry data: extracting pure mass spectra by deconvolution from the invariance of isotopic distribution.

PubMed

Krishnan, Shaji; Verheij, Elwin E R; Bas, Richard C; Hendriks, Margriet W B; Hankemeier, Thomas; Thissen, Uwe; Coulier, Leon

2013-05-15

Mass spectra obtained by deconvolution of liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC/HRMS) data can be impaired by non-informative mass-over-charge (m/z) channels. This impairment of mass spectra can have significant negative influence on further post-processing, like quantification and identification. A metric derived from the knowledge of errors in isotopic distribution patterns, and quality of the signal within a pre-defined mass chromatogram block, has been developed to pre-select all informative m/z channels. This procedure results in the clean-up of deconvoluted mass spectra by maintaining the intensity counts from m/z channels that originate from a specific compound/molecular ion, for example, molecular ion, adducts, (13) C-isotopes, multiply charged ions and removing all m/z channels that are not related to the specific peak. The methodology has been successfully demonstrated for two sets of high-resolution LC/MS data. The approach described is therefore thought to be a useful tool in the automatic processing of LC/HRMS data. It clearly shows the advantages compared to other approaches like peak picking and de-isotoping in the sense that all information is retained while non-informative data is removed automatically. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mind as Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinstry, Chris

The present article describes a possible method for the automatic discovery of a universal human semantic-affective hyperspatial approximation of the human subcognitive substrate - the associative network which French (1990) asserts is the ultimate foundation of the human ability to pass the Turing Test - that does not require a machine to have direct human experience or a physical human body. This method involves automatic programming - such as Koza's genetic programming (1992) - guided in the discovery of the proposed universal hypergeometry by feedback from a Minimum Intelligent Signal Test or MIST (McKinstry, 1997) constructed from a very large number of human validated probabilistic propositions collected from a large population of Internet users. It will be argued that though a lifetime of human experience is required to pass a rigorous Turing Test, a probabilistic propositional approximation of this experience can be constructed via public participation on the Internet, and then used as a fitness function to direct the artificial evolution of a universal hypergeometry capable of classifying arbitrary propositions. A model of this hypergeometry will be presented; it predicts Miller's "Magical Number Seven" (1956) as the size of human short-term memory from fundamental hypergeometric properties. A system that can lead to the generation of novel propositions or "artificial thoughts" will also be described.

The Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ): Development and validation.

PubMed

Corr, Philip J; Cooper, Andrew J

2016-11-01

We report the development and validation of a questionnaire measure of the revised reinforcement sensitivity theory (rRST) of personality. Starting with qualitative responses to defensive and approach scenarios modeled on typical rodent ethoexperimental situations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) revealed a robust 6-factor structure: 2 unitary defensive factors, fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS; related to fear) and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS; related to anxiety); and 4 behavioral approach system (BAS) factors (Reward Interest, Goal-Drive Persistence, Reward Reactivity, and Impulsivity). Theoretically motivated thematic facets were employed to sample the breadth of defensive space, comprising FFFS (Flight, Freeze, and Active Avoidance) and BIS (Motor Planning Interruption, Worry, Obsessive Thoughts, and Behavioral Disengagement). Based on theoretical considerations, and statistically confirmed, a separate scale for Defensive Fight was developed. Validation evidence for the 6-factor structure came from convergent and discriminant validity shown by correlations with existing personality scales. We offer the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire to facilitate future research specifically on rRST and, more broadly, on approach-avoidance theories of personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Development of a measure of the motives underlying the selection of food: the food choice questionnaire.

PubMed

Steptoe, A; Pollard, T M; Wardle, J

1995-12-01

A number of factors are thought to influence people's dietary choices, including health, cost, convenience and taste, but there are no measures that address health-related and non-health-related factors in a systematic fashion. This paper describes the development of a multidimensional measure of motives related to food choice. The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) was developed through factor analysis of responses from a sample of 358 adults ranging in age from 18 to 87 years. Nine factors emerged, and were labelled health, mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, price, weight control, familiarity and ethical concern. The questionnaire structure was verified using confirmatory factor analysis in a second sample (n = 358), and test-retest reliability over a 2- to 3-week period was satisfactory. Convergent validity was investigated by testing associations between FCQ scales and measures of dietary restraint, eating style, the value of health, health locus of control and personality factors. Differences in motives for food choice associated with sex, age and income were found. The potential uses of this measure in health psychology and other areas are discussed.

Ivacaftor and symptoms of extra-oesophageal reflux in patients with cystic fibrosis and G551D mutation.

PubMed

Zeybel, Gemma L; Pearson, Jeffrey P; Krishnan, Amaran; Bourke, Stephen J; Doe, Simon; Anderson, Alan; Faruqi, Shoaib; Morice, Alyn H; Jones, Rhys; McDonnell, Melissa; Zeybel, Mujdat; Dettmar, Peter W; Brodlie, Malcolm; Ward, Chris

2017-01-01

Extra-oesophageal reflux (EOR) may lead to microaspiration in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), a probable cause of deteriorating lung function. Successful clinical trials of ivacaftor highlight opportunities to understand EOR in a real world study. Data from 12 patients with CF and the G551D mutation prescribed ivacaftor (150mg bd) was collected at baseline, 6, 26 and 52weeks. The changes in symptoms of EOR were assessed by questionnaire (reflux symptom index (RSI) and Hull airway reflux questionnaire (HARQ)). Six patients presented EOR at baseline (RSI >13; median 13; range 2-29) and 5 presented airway reflux (HARQ >13; median 12; range 3 to 33). Treatment with ivacaftor was associated with a significant reduction of EOR symptoms (P<0∙04 versus baseline) denoted by the reflux symptom index and Hull airway reflux questionnaire. Ivacaftor treatment was beneficial for patients with symptoms of EOR, thought to be a precursor to microaspiration. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Timing of repetition suppression of event-related potentials to unattended objects.

PubMed

Stefanics, Gabor; Heinzle, Jakob; Czigler, István; Valentini, Elia; Stephan, Klaas Enno

2018-05-26

Current theories of object perception emphasize the automatic nature of perceptual inference. Repetition suppression (RS), the successive decrease of brain responses to repeated stimuli, is thought to reflect the optimization of perceptual inference through neural plasticity. While functional imaging studies revealed brain regions that show suppressed responses to the repeated presentation of an object, little is known about the intra-trial time course of repetition effects to everyday objects. Here we used event-related potentials (ERP) to task-irrelevant line-drawn objects, while participants engaged in a distractor task. We quantified changes in ERPs over repetitions using three general linear models (GLM) that modelled RS by an exponential, linear, or categorical "change detection" function in each subject. Our aim was to select the model with highest evidence and determine the within-trial time-course and scalp distribution of repetition effects using that model. Model comparison revealed the superiority of the exponential model indicating that repetition effects are observable for trials beyond the first repetition. Model parameter estimates revealed a sequence of RS effects in three time windows (86-140ms, 322-360ms, and 400-446ms) and with occipital, temporo-parietal, and fronto-temporal distribution, respectively. An interval of repetition enhancement (RE) was also observed (320-340ms) over occipito-temporal sensors. Our results show that automatic processing of task-irrelevant objects involves multiple intervals of RS with distinct scalp topographies. These sequential intervals of RS and RE might reflect the short-term plasticity required for optimization of perceptual inference and the associated changes in prediction errors (PE) and predictions, respectively, over stimulus repetitions during automatic object processing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 The Authors European Journal of Neuroscience published by Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Decision making for destination therapy left ventricular assist devices: "there was no choice" versus "I thought about it an awful lot".

PubMed

McIlvennan, Colleen K; Allen, Larry A; Nowels, Carolyn; Brieke, Andreas; Cleveland, Joseph C; Matlock, Daniel D

2014-05-01

Destination therapy left ventricular assist devices (DT LVADs) are one of the most invasive medical interventions for end-stage illness. How patients decide whether or not to proceed with device implantation is unknown. We aimed to understand the decision-making processes of patients who either accept or decline DT LVADs. Between October 2012 and September 2013, we conducted semistructured, in-depth interviews to understand patients' decision-making experiences. Data were analyzed using a mixed inductive and deductive approach. Twenty-two eligible patients were interviewed, 15 with DT LVADs and 7 who declined. We found a strong dichotomy between decision processes with some patients (11 accepters) being automatic and others (3 accepters, 7 decliners) being reflective in their approach to decision making. The automatic group was characterized by a fear of dying and an over-riding desire to live as long as possible: "[LVAD] was the only option I had…that or push up daisies…so I automatically took this." By contrast, the reflective group went through a reasoned process of weighing risks, benefits, and burdens: "There are worse things than death." Irrespective of approach, most patients experienced the DT LVAD decision as a highly emotional process and many sought support from their families or spiritually. Some patients offered a DT LVAD face the decision by reflecting on a process and reasoning through risks and benefits. For others, the desire to live supersedes such reflective processing. Acknowledging this difference is important when considering how to support patients who are faced with this complex decision. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Automatic processes in at-risk adolescents: the role of alcohol-approach tendencies and response inhibition in drinking behavior.

PubMed

Peeters, Margot; Wiers, Reinout W; Monshouwer, Karin; van de Schoot, Rens; Janssen, Tim; Vollebergh, Wilma A M

2012-11-01

This study examined the association between automatic processes and drinking behavior in relation to individual differences in response inhibition in young adolescents who had just started drinking. It was hypothesized that strong automatic behavioral tendencies toward alcohol-related stimuli (alcohol-approach bias) were associated with higher levels of alcohol use, especially amongst adolescents with relatively weak inhibition skills. To test this hypothesis structural equation analyses (standard error of mean) were performed using a zero inflated Poisson (ZIP) model. A well-known problem in studying risk behavior is the low incidence rate resulting in a zero dominated distribution. A ZIP-model accounts for non-normality of the data. Adolescents were selected from secondary Special Education schools (a risk group for the development of substance use problems). Participants were 374 adolescents (mean age of M = 13.6 years). Adolescents completed the alcohol approach avoidance task (a-AAT), the Stroop colour naming task (Stroop) and a questionnaire that assessed alcohol use. The ZIP-model established stronger alcohol-approach tendencies for adolescent drinkers (P < 0.01) and the interaction revealed a stronger effect of alcohol-approach tendencies on alcohol use in the absence of good inhibition skills (P < 0.05). Automatically-activated cognitive processes are associated with the drinking behavior of young, at-risk adolescents. It appears that alcohol-approach tendencies are formed shortly after the initiation of drinking and particularly affect the drinking behavior of adolescents with relatively weak inhibition skills. Implications for the prevention of problem drinking in adolescents are discussed. © 2012 The Authors. Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Psilocybin-Induced Deficits in Automatic and Controlled Inhibition are Attenuated by Ketanserin in Healthy Human Volunteers

PubMed Central

Quednow, Boris B; Kometer, Michael; Geyer, Mark A; Vollenweider, Franz X

2012-01-01

The serotonin-2A receptor (5-HT2AR) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and related inhibitory gating and behavioral inhibition deficits of schizophrenia patients. The hallucinogen psilocybin disrupts automatic forms of sensorimotor gating and response inhibition in humans, but it is unclear so far whether the 5-HT2AR or 5-HT1AR agonist properties of its bioactive metabolite psilocin account for these effects. Thus, we investigated whether psilocybin-induced deficits in automatic and controlled inhibition in healthy humans could be attenuated by the 5-HT2A/2CR antagonist ketanserin. A total of 16 healthy participants received placebo, ketanserin (40 mg p.o.), psilocybin (260 μg/kg p.o.), or psilocybin plus ketanserin in a double-blind, randomized, and counterbalanced order. Sensorimotor gating was measured by prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response. The effects on psychopathological core dimensions and behavioral inhibition were assessed by the altered states of consciousness questionnaire (5D-ASC), and the Color-Word Stroop Test. Psilocybin decreased PPI at short lead intervals (30 ms), increased all 5D-ASC scores, and selectively increased errors in the interference condition of the Stroop Test. Stroop interference and Stroop effect of the response latencies were increased under psilocybin as well. Psilocybin-induced alterations were attenuated by ketanserin pretreatment, whereas ketanserin alone had no significant effects. These findings suggest that the disrupting effects of psilocybin on automatic and controlled inhibition processes are attributable to 5-HT2AR stimulation. Sensorimotor gating and attentional control deficits of schizophrenia patients might be due to changes within the 5-HT2AR system. PMID:21956447

Psilocybin-induced deficits in automatic and controlled inhibition are attenuated by ketanserin in healthy human volunteers.

PubMed

Quednow, Boris B; Kometer, Michael; Geyer, Mark A; Vollenweider, Franz X

2012-02-01

The serotonin-2A receptor (5-HT(2A)R) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and related inhibitory gating and behavioral inhibition deficits of schizophrenia patients. The hallucinogen psilocybin disrupts automatic forms of sensorimotor gating and response inhibition in humans, but it is unclear so far whether the 5-HT(2A)R or 5-HT(1A)R agonist properties of its bioactive metabolite psilocin account for these effects. Thus, we investigated whether psilocybin-induced deficits in automatic and controlled inhibition in healthy humans could be attenuated by the 5-HT(2A/2C)R antagonist ketanserin. A total of 16 healthy participants received placebo, ketanserin (40 mg p.o.), psilocybin (260 μg/kg p.o.), or psilocybin plus ketanserin in a double-blind, randomized, and counterbalanced order. Sensorimotor gating was measured by prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response. The effects on psychopathological core dimensions and behavioral inhibition were assessed by the altered states of consciousness questionnaire (5D-ASC), and the Color-Word Stroop Test. Psilocybin decreased PPI at short lead intervals (30 ms), increased all 5D-ASC scores, and selectively increased errors in the interference condition of the Stroop Test. Stroop interference and Stroop effect of the response latencies were increased under psilocybin as well. Psilocybin-induced alterations were attenuated by ketanserin pretreatment, whereas ketanserin alone had no significant effects. These findings suggest that the disrupting effects of psilocybin on automatic and controlled inhibition processes are attributable to 5-HT(2A)R stimulation. Sensorimotor gating and attentional control deficits of schizophrenia patients might be due to changes within the 5-HT(2A)R system.

An investigation into the relevance of action planning, theory of planned behaviour concepts, and automaticity for fruit intake action control.

PubMed

de Bruijn, Gert-Jan; Wiedemann, Amelie; Rhodes, Ryan E

2014-09-01

In the action control framework, intention-behaviour discordance is studied around public health guidelines. Although this framework has been applied to physical activity behaviours, it has only seen very limited attention regarding fruit intake. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate distributions and predictors of fruit intake intention-behaviour discordance. Prospective correlational design. Data were obtained from undergraduate students (n = 413) using validated questionnaires. Variables from the theory of planned behaviour, automaticity, and action planning were assessed at baseline, and fruit intake was assessed 2 weeks later. Data were analysed using discriminant function analyses and analyses of variance. The proportion of unsuccessful intenders ranged from 39.2% to 80.8%. There was a larger proportion of fruit intake intenders amongst those who reported strong automatic fruit intake. Action control was predicted by fruit intake automaticity and affective attitudes, but the strongest predictor was perceived behavioural control. No action planning items were related to fruit intake action control. There is considerable asymmetry in the intention-fruit intake relationship. An application of the action control framework may stimulate debate on the applicability of intention-based models at the public health level. What is already known on this subject? Intention is theorized to be a key construct in fruit intake. Studies in the physical activity domain indicate that nearly half of the people with positive intentions fail to subsequently act. What does this study add? The proportion of unsuccessful intenders ranged from 39.2% to 80.8%. Holding positive intentions is not sufficient to consume fruit at suggested public health guidelines. Perceived behavioural control is the most important predictor of fruit intake action control. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Effectiveness of autism training programme: An example from Van, Turkey.

PubMed

Eray, Safak; Murat, Duygu

2017-11-01

To determine the knowledge and attitudes of family practitioners before and after their participation in a training programme. The study was conducted at Van Training and Research Hospital, Van, Turkey, from December 1to 15, 2016, and comprised family practitioners. Before the training, the practitioners were asked to fill out a questionnaire that was prepared by the researchers. Subsequently, the training course was presented by the child and adolescent psychiatrists. After the training, participants were asked to fill out the same questionnaire again. The results of survey were compared before and after training. Data was evaluated using SPSS 22.Descriptive analyses were used and baseline characteristics were compared between groups using McNemar's test and paired t-test. Of the 79 family practitioners who filled out the questionnaire,75(94.9%) were included. The mean age of the practitioners was 28.2±11.63, with 40(53%) being females. Moreover,26(34.7%) participants thought that they had sufficient information regarding autism spectrum disorder before training, and this number increased to 66(88%) after training. There was a significant difference between pre-training and post-training scores of the questionnaire (p<0.001). There was a deficiency in knowledge about autism symptoms, aetiology, prevalence and treatment among family practitioners. .

Evaluating children's conservation biology learning at the zoo.

PubMed

Jensen, Eric

2014-08-01

Millions of children visit zoos every year with parents or schools to encounter wildlife firsthand. Public conservation education is a requirement for membership in professional zoo associations. However, in recent years zoos have been criticized for failing to educate the public on conservation issues and related biological concepts, such as animal adaptation to habitats. I used matched pre- and postvisit mixed methods questionnaires to investigate the educational value of zoo visits for children aged 7-15 years. The questionnaires gathered qualitative data from these individuals, including zoo-related thoughts and an annotated drawing of a habitat. A content analysis of these qualitative data produced the quantitative data reported in this article. I evaluated the relative learning outcomes of educator-guided and unguided zoo visits at London Zoo, both in terms of learning about conservation biology (measured by annotated drawings) and changing attitudes toward wildlife conservation (measured using thought-listing data). Forty-one percent of educator-guided visits and 34% of unguided visits resulted in conservation biology-related learning. Negative changes in children's understanding of animals and their habitats were more prevalent in unguided zoo visits. Overall, my results show the potential educational value of visiting zoos for children. However, they also suggest that zoos' standard unguided interpretive materials are insufficient for achieving the best outcomes for visiting children. These results support a theoretical model of conservation biology learning that frames conservation educators as toolmakers who develop conceptual resources to enhance children's understanding of science. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Oral health knowledge of health care workers in special children's center.

PubMed

Wyne, Amjad; Hammad, Nouf; Splieth, Christian

2015-01-01

To determine the oral health knowledge of health care workers in special children's center. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect following information: demographics, oral hygiene practices, importance of fluoride, dental visits, cause of tooth decay, gingival health, and sources of oral health information. The study was conducted at Riyadh Center for Special Children in Riyadh City from December 2013 to May 2014. All 60 health care workers in the center completed the questionnaire. A great majority (95%) of the workers brushed their teeth twice or more daily. More than two-third (71.7%) of the workers knew that fluoride helps in caries prevention. One in five (21.7%) workers thought that a dental visit only becomes necessary in case of a dental problem. Similarly, 13.3% of the workers thought to "wait till there is some pain in case of a dental cavity" before seeking dental treatment. The workers ranked soft drinks/soda (98.3%), flavored fizzy drinks (60%) and sweetened/flavored milks (43.3%) as top three cariogenic drinks. A great majority (95%) of the workers correctly responded that blood on toothbrush most probably is a sign of "gum disease". Dentists (50%) and media (45%) were the main source of their oral health information. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in workers' response in relation to their specific job. The special health care workers in the disabled children's center generally had satisfactory oral health knowledge and practices.

A Survey Focusing on Lucid Dreaming, Metacognition, and Dream Anxiety in Medical Students

PubMed Central

YOKUŞOĞLU, Çağdaş; ATASOY, Mücahit; TEKELİ, Nurgül; URAL, Ahmet; ULUS, Çağla; TAYLAN, Yunus; AYDIN, Gülser; GÜLTEKİN, Gözde; EMÜL, Murat

2017-01-01

Introduction The aim of this study was to examine the level of lucidity and its relation with metacognitive beliefs and dream anxiety in medical students. Methods Nine hundred sixteen medical students were enrolled in the study. The participants were assessed with the Lucidity and Consciousness in Dreams Scale (LuCiD), the Metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), and the Van Dream Anxiety Scale (VDAS). Results There was no significant difference in mean total lucidity score between females and males, but there were some significant sex differences in subscales of lucidity, and control was significantly higher in male students, while realism, thought, and dissociation were significantly higher in female students. In addition, females had more dream anxiety levels, higher total MCQ-30 scores, and higher cognitive confidence and uncontrollability scores according to Metacognition Questionnaire-30 than males. We also found that the mean lucidity level was positively correlated with the mean total metacognition score and the mean total dream anxiety level. Discussion Our results suggest that female medical students tend to have more realistic dreams (p=0.018), have more logical thoughts during dreaming (p=0.011), and have a more dissociative experience during dreaming (p=0.028), while male medical students have more controlled dream events (p=0.002). There seem to be differences according to lucidity features between sexes, and the relationship between subdomains of lucidity and metacognition might lead to new therapeutic approaches to several psychiatric disorders such as anxiety disorders. PMID:29033639

[Evaluation of the S-1 granule forms in gastric cancer patients who received treatment with S-1 capsule-questionnaire survey about drug dosage forms].

PubMed

Fujino, Misako; Fujii, Chika; Imamura, Hiroshi; Kishimoto, Tomono; Kawabata, Ryohei; Sumida, Rumi; Anami, Setsuko; Hachino, Yoshimi; Furukawa, Hiroshi

2012-01-01

The S-1(tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil potassium)granule was developed to meet the needs of patients with cancer. Although the choice of the patients was thought to spread by the addition of the new agent type, the recognition of the S-1 granule is still low and you should adapt yourself to what kind of patients or are unknown. Therefore, we conducted a questionnaire survey of patients with gastric cancer undergoing treatment with S-1 capsules to investigate the adaptation and taste of the patients. As a result, although it was the investigation by the patients during S-1 capsule remedy, it was replied when 21. 3%(13/61 case)'had good granule,'and all cases raised it by the reason of there'not being the sense of incongruity of the throat at taking.'Also, about the global assessment of granule, the proportion of patient who replied'very good'or'good'were 31. 1% and 47%, in all cases and in the cases that felt the sense of incongruity of the throat during S-1 capsule remedy, respectively. Therefore, in the patients treated with the S-1 capsule, there were thought to be the patients who expected treatment with a granule. By the results of this survey, it was found that it is necessary to perform a medical teaching including dosage form to contribute to the adherence improvement of the patients.

Direct experience while eating: Laboratory outcomes among individuals with eating disorders versus healthy controls.

PubMed

Elices, Matilde; Carmona, Cristina; Narváez, Vanessa; Seto, Victoria; Martin-Blanco, Ana; Pascual, Juan C; Soriano, José; Soler, Joaquim

2017-12-01

To compare individuals with eating disorders (EDs) to healthy controls (HCs) to assess for differences in direct engagement in the eating process. Participants (n=58) were asked to eat an orange slice. To assess the degree of direct engagement with the eating process, participants were asked to write down 10 thoughts about the experience of eating the orange slice. Next, the participants were instructed to classify the main focus of each thought as either experiential ("direct experience") or analytical ("thinking about"). A direct experience index (DEI) was computed by dividing the number of times that participants classified an experience as a "direct experience" (the numerator) by the total number of all observations (i.e., direct experience+thinking about). Participants also completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Experiences Questionnaire (EQ) to assess mindfulness facets and decentering, respectively. Compared to controls, participants in the EDs group presented significantly lower levels of direct experience during the eating task (EDs group: mean=43.54, SD=29.64; HCs group: mean=66.17, SD=22.23, p=0.03). Participants in the EDs group also scored significantly lower on other mindfulness-related variables. These findings suggest that engagement with the direct experience of eating is lower in individuals with EDs. Future research should investigate the role of mindfulness-based interventions to address direct experience while eating in individuals with EDs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metacognitive mechanisms underlying lucid dreaming.

PubMed

Filevich, Elisa; Dresler, Martin; Brick, Timothy R; Kühn, Simone

2015-01-21

Lucid dreaming is a state of awareness that one is dreaming, without leaving the sleep state. Dream reports show that self-reflection and volitional control are more pronounced in lucid compared with nonlucid dreams. Mostly on these grounds, lucid dreaming has been associated with metacognition. However, the link to lucid dreaming at the neural level has not yet been explored. We sought for relationships between the neural correlates of lucid dreaming and thought monitoring. Human participants completed a questionnaire assessing lucid dreaming ability, and underwent structural and functional MRI. We split participants based on their reported dream lucidity. Participants in the high-lucidity group showed greater gray matter volume in the frontopolar cortex (BA9/10) compared with those in the low-lucidity group. Further, differences in brain structure were mirrored by differences in brain function. The BA9/10 regions identified through structural analyses showed increases in blood oxygen level-dependent signal during thought monitoring in both groups, and more strongly in the high-lucidity group. Our results reveal shared neural systems between lucid dreaming and metacognitive function, in particular in the domain of thought monitoring. This finding contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms enabling higher-order consciousness in dreams. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/351082-07$15.00/0.

The severity of attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms and its relationship with lifetime substance use and psychological variables among 10th grade students in Istanbul.

PubMed

Evren, Cuneyt; Dalbudak, Ercan; Evren, Bilge; Can, Yesim; Umut, Gokhan

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the severity of attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms (ADHS) and related psychological and behavioral variables among 10th grade students in Istanbul/Turkey. Cross-sectional online self-report survey conducted in 45 schools in 15 districts Istanbul. The questionnaire included sections about demographic data and use of substances including tobacco, alcohol and drugs. Also ADHS, depression, anxiety, anger and sensation seeking subscales of Psychological Screening Test for Adolescents (PSTA) were used. The analyses were conducted based on the 4938 subjects. Mean ADHS score was higher in females and among those with a lifetime use of tobacco, alcohol and drug, and having self-harming behavior and suicidal thoughts. ADHS score was correlated with depression, anxiety, anger and sensation seeking scores. In univariate covariance analysis (ANCOVA); depression, anxiety, anger, sensation seeking, lifetime alcohol use and suicidal thoughts predicted the severity of ADHS. The findings suggest that, since ADHS is associated with depression, anxiety, anger, sensation seeking, lifetime alcohol use and suicidal thoughts among 10th grade students, clinicians should screen suicidality and comorbid psychiatric symptoms routinely in adolescents with ADHS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dispatching the wandering mind? Toward a laboratory method for cuing “spontaneous” off-task thought

PubMed Central

McVay, Jennifer C.; Kane, Michael J.

2013-01-01

Cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists study most phenomena of attention by measuring subjects' overt responses to discrete environmental stimuli that can be manipulated to test competing theories. The mind wandering experience, however, cannot be locally instigated by cleverly engineered stimuli. Investigators must therefore rely on correlational and observational methods to understand subjects' flow of thought, which is only occasionally and indirectly monitored. In an effort toward changing this state of affairs, we present four experiments that develop a method for inducing mind wandering episodes—on demand—in response to task-embedded cues. In an initial laboratory session, subjects described their personal goals and concerns across several life domains (amid some filler questionnaires). In a second session, 48 h later, subjects completed a go/no-go task in which they responded to the perceptual features of words; unbeknownst to subjects, some stimulus words were presented in triplets to represent the personal concerns they had described in session 1. Thought probes appearing shortly after these personal-goal triplets indicated that, compared to control triplets, priming subjects' concerns increased mind wandering rate by about 3–4%. We argue that this small effect is, nonetheless, a promising development toward the pursuit of an experimentally informed, theory-driven science of mind wandering. PMID:24027542

Views of physicians in training on the ethical and legal issues in preliminary reporting of echocardiographic data.

PubMed

McDonald, R W; Rice, M J; Marcella, C P; Reller, M D; Imus, R L

1991-01-01

Cardiac sonographers may be pressured by physicians into giving diagnostic interpretations of echocardiographic data. This study investigated the issue of preliminary reporting of echocardiographic data. A questionnaire was sent to 292 physicians; 85 physicians (29%) responded. Seventy-two physicians (87%) thought they had more than a minimal knowledge of echocardiography, 94% wanted a written or verbal preliminary report, and 84% thought that giving a preliminary report should be part of the cardiac sonographer's job. If abnormalities were found, 80% wanted the results before a cardiologist reviewed the study, and 56% would want a diagnostic rather than a descriptive report. Fifty-four physicians (64%) would pressure the cardiac sonographer into giving a preliminary echocardiographic report and would use this information to manage the patient. The majority of the physicians thought that it is legal for the cardiac sonographer to give a preliminary echocardiogram report. Eighty percent said that the cardiac sonographer would not be "practicing medicine without a license," and 82% that the sonographer would not be "aiding and abetting the unauthorized practice of medicine." This data would indicate that physicians at Oregon Health Sciences University want the cardiac sonographer to give preliminary echocardiographic results, even though the sonographer may be breaking state statutes.

Experiences, Feelings and Thoughts of Women Undergoing Second Trimester Medical Termination of Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Andersson, Inga-Maj; Christensson, Kyllike; Gemzell-Danielsson, Kristina

2014-01-01

Main Objective The objective of this study was to explore women's expectations and experiences of undergoing second trimester abortion. Methods This is a cross-sectional study using a screening questionnaire and semi-structured interviews for data collection. Thirty-one women filled out the questionnaire and 23 of them were later interviewed. The questionnaires were analyzed by descriptive statistics. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Most Important Findings Indications for the abortion were fetal malformation or unintended pregnancy. The women expressed similar feelings and these were irrespective for the reason for having an abortion. Both physical and mental pain was experienced during the abortion process and described by the women. Taking the mifepristone-pill was experienced as especially emotionally difficult for many participants. Professional support from the staff together with support from the partner, a friend or relative helped in transforming the worries related to something unknown to feelings of coping with a new and hard experience. Prior to the abortion most women stated that they did not want to view the fetus but women who chose to view the fetus described this as a way of confronting the reality and an opportunity to say farewell to the pregnancy/fetus. The analysis of the interview transcripts revealed five themes mirroring the women's experiences, thoughts and feelings related to the abortion. Conclusions The decision to undergo second trimester abortion sometimes exposes women to strong and conflicting emotions which are irrespective for the reason for having an abortion. Despite this women do not regret their decision to terminate the pregnancy. This analysis shows that their rational thinking outweighs their emotionally difficult feelings. It is important for the attending staff to be responsive to the needs of each individual woman whatever the indication is for the abortion. PMID:25546416

A cross-sectional study of mental health and well-being and their associations in the UK veterinary profession.

PubMed

Bartram, David J; Yadegarfar, Ghasem; Baldwin, David S

2009-12-01

Veterinary surgeons are at elevated risk of suicide, with a proportional mortality ratio around four times that of the general population and approximately twice that of other healthcare professions. There has been much speculation regarding possible mechanisms underlying increased suicide risk in the profession but little empirical research. We aimed to assess the contribution of mental health and well-being to the elevated risk, through a postal questionnaire survey of a large stratified random sample of veterinary surgeons practising within the UK. A questionnaire was mailed twice to 3,200 veterinary surgeons. Anxiety and depressive symptoms, alcohol consumption, suicidal ideation, positive mental well-being, perceptions of psychosocial work characteristics, and work-home interaction were assessed using valid and reliable existing instruments and a series of bespoke questions previously developed through informal focus groups. Evaluable questionnaires were returned by 1,796 participants, a response rate of 56.1%. The demographic and occupational profile of respondents was representative of the UK veterinary profession. The prevalence of 'caseness' (i.e. HADS subscale score >/=8) for anxiety, depression, and co-morbid anxiety and depression was 26.3, 5.8 and 4.5%. 5.4% of respondents were non-drinkers, 32.0% low-risk drinkers, and 62.6% 'at-risk' drinkers (i.e. AUDIT-C score >/=4 for women, >/=5 for men). The 12-month prevalence of suicidal thoughts was 21.3%. Compared to the general population, the sample reported high levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms; higher 12-month prevalence of suicidal thoughts; less favourable psychosocial work characteristics, especially in regard to demands and managerial support; lower levels of positive mental well-being; and higher levels of negative work-home interaction. The levels of psychological distress reported suggest ready access to and knowledge of lethal means is probably not operating in isolation to increase suicide risk within the profession.

An international survey of physicians regarding clinical trials: a comparison between Kyoto University Hospital and Seoul National University Hospital

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background International clinical trials are now rapidly expanding into Asia. However, the proportion of global trials is higher in South Korea compared to Japan despite implementation of similar governmental support in both countries. The difference in clinical trial environment might influence the respective physicians’ attitudes and experience towards clinical trials. Therefore, we designed a questionnaire to explore how physicians conceive the issues surrounding clinical trials in both countries. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted at Kyoto University Hospital (KUHP) and Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) in 2008. The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions and 2 open-ended questions on broad key issues relating to clinical trials. Results The number of responders was 301 at KUHP and 398 at SNUH. Doctors with trial experience were 196 at KUHP and 150 at SNUH. Among them, 12% (24/196) at KUHP and 41% (61/150) at SUNH had global trial experience. Most respondents at both institutions viewed clinical trials favorably and thought that conducting clinical trials contributed to medical advances, which would ultimately lead to new and better treatments. The main reason raised as a hindrance to conducting clinical trials was the lack of personnel support and time. Doctors at both university hospitals thought that more clinical research coordinators were required to conduct clinical trials more efficiently. KUHP doctors were driven mainly by pure academic interest or for their desire to find new treatments, while obtaining credits for board certification and co-authorship on manuscripts also served as motivation factors for doctors at SNUH. Conclusions Our results revealed that there might be two different approaches to increase clinical trial activity. One is a social level approach to establish clinical trial infrastructure providing sufficient clinical research professionals. The other is an individual level approach that would provide incentives to encourage doctors to participate in and conduct clinical trials. PMID:24156760

Posterior parietal cortex and episodic encoding: insights from fMRI subsequent memory effects and dual-attention theory.

PubMed

Uncapher, Melina R; Wagner, Anthony D

2009-02-01

The formation of episodic memories--memories for life events--is affected by attention during event processing. A leading neurobiological model of attention posits two separate yet interacting systems that depend on distinct regions in lateral posterior parietal cortex (PPC). From this dual-attention perspective, dorsal PPC is thought to support the goal-directed allocation of attention, whereas ventral PPC is thought to support reflexive orienting to information that automatically captures attention. To advance understanding of how parietal mechanisms may impact event encoding, we review functional MRI studies that document the relationship between lateral PPC activation during encoding and subsequent memory performance (e.g., later remembering or forgetting). This review reveals that (a) encoding-related activity is frequently observed in human lateral PPC, (b) increased activation in dorsal PPC is associated with later memory success, and (c) increased activation in ventral PPC predominantly correlates with later memory failure. From a dual-attention perspective, these findings suggest that allocating goal-directed attention during event processing increases the probability that the event will be remembered later, whereas the capture of reflexive attention during event processing may have negative consequences for event encoding. The prevalence of encoding-related activation in parietal cortex suggests that neurobiological models of episodic memory should consider how parietal-mediated attentional mechanisms regulate encoding.

Exploration of use of SenseCam to support autobiographical memory retrieval within a cognitive-behavioural therapeutic intervention following acquired brain injury.

PubMed

Brindley, Rob; Bateman, Andrew; Gracey, Fergus

2011-10-01

Delivering effective psychotherapy to address the significant emotional consequences of acquired brain injury (ABI) is challenged by the presence of acquired cognitive impairments, especially retrieval of detailed autobiographical memories of emotional trigger events. Initial studies using a wearable camera (SenseCam) suggest long-term improvements in autobiographical retrieval of recorded events. In this study a single-case experimental design was implemented to explore the use of SenseCam as a memory aid for a man with a specific anxiety disorder and memory and executive difficulties following ABI. We predicted that SenseCam supported rehearsal of memories of events that trigger high levels of anxiety would yield improved retrieval of both factual detail and internal state information (thoughts and feelings) compared with a conventional psychotherapy aid (automatic thought record sheets, ATRs) and no strategy. The findings indicated SenseCam supported retrieval of anxiety trigger events was superior to ATRs or no strategy in terms of both detail and internal state information, with 94% of the information being recalled in the SenseCam condition, compared to 39% for the "no strategy" and 22% for the ATR conditions. It is concluded that SenseCam may be of use as a compensatory aid in psychotherapies relying on retrieval of emotionally salient trigger events.

Mind wandering at the fingertips: automatic parsing of subjective states based on response time variability

PubMed Central

Bastian, Mikaël; Sackur, Jérôme

2013-01-01

Research from the last decade has successfully used two kinds of thought reports in order to assess whether the mind is wandering: random thought-probes and spontaneous reports. However, none of these two methods allows any assessment of the subjective state of the participant between two reports. In this paper, we present a step by step elaboration and testing of a continuous index, based on response time variability within Sustained Attention to Response Tasks (N = 106, for a total of 10 conditions). We first show that increased response time variability predicts mind wandering. We then compute a continuous index of response time variability throughout full experiments and show that the temporal position of a probe relative to the nearest local peak of the continuous index is predictive of mind wandering. This suggests that our index carries information about the subjective state of the subject even when he or she is not probed, and opens the way for on-line tracking of mind wandering. Finally we proceed a step further and infer the internal attentional states on the basis of the variability of response times. To this end we use the Hidden Markov Model framework, which allows us to estimate the durations of on-task and off-task episodes. PMID:24046753

Transcending as a driver of development.

PubMed

Travis, Frederick

2016-06-01

This paper draws from three different bodies of research to discuss the hypothesis that age-appropriate experiences enhance brain and cognitive development throughout the life span. These age-appropriate experiences could be considered as the drivers of development at each age, including drivers to foster development beyond adult abstract thinking, as described in Piaget's formal operational stage. We explore how a nurturing caregiver is the driver in the first 2 years of life, how language learning is the driver from 3 to 10 years, and how problem solving is the driver in the teenage years. To develop beyond adult rational thinking, we suggest that the driver is transcending thought, which can result when practicing meditations in the automatic self-transcending category, such as Transcendental Meditation. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

Text Mining of UU-ITE Implementation in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakim, Lukmanul; Kusumasari, Tien F.; Lubis, Muharman

2018-04-01

At present, social media and networks act as one of the main platforms for sharing information, idea, thought and opinions. Many people share their knowledge and express their views on the specific topics or current hot issues that interest them. The social media texts have rich information about the complaints, comments, recommendation and suggestion as the automatic reaction or respond to government initiative or policy in order to overcome certain issues.This study examines the sentiment from netizensas part of citizen who has vocal sound about the implementation of UU ITE as the first cyberlaw in Indonesia as a means to identify the current tendency of citizen perception. To perform text mining techniques, this study used Twitter Rest API while R programming was utilized for the purpose of classification analysis based on hierarchical cluster.

Directed forgetting and aging: the role of retrieval processes, processing speed, and proactive interference.

PubMed

Hogge, Michaël; Adam, Stéphane; Collette, Fabienne

2008-07-01

The directed forgetting effect obtained with the item method is supposed to depend on both selective rehearsal of to-be-remembered (TBR) items and attentional inhibition of to-be-forgotten (TBF) items. In this study, we investigated the locus of the directed forgetting deficit in older adults by exploring the influence of recollection and familiarity-based retrieval processes on age-related differences in directed forgetting. Moreover, we explored the influence of processing speed, short-term memory capacity, thought suppression tendencies, and sensitivity to proactive interference on performance. The results indicated that older adults' directed forgetting difficulties are due to decreased recollection of TBR items, associated with increased automatic retrieval of TBF items. Moreover, processing speed and proactive interference appeared to be responsible for the decreased recall of TBR items.

Multilocus Association Mapping Using Variable-Length Markov Chains

PubMed Central

Browning, Sharon R.

2006-01-01

I propose a new method for association-based gene mapping that makes powerful use of multilocus data, is computationally efficient, and is straightforward to apply over large genomic regions. The approach is based on the fitting of variable-length Markov chain models, which automatically adapt to the degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between markers to create a parsimonious model for the LD structure. Edges of the fitted graph are tested for association with trait status. This approach can be thought of as haplotype testing with sophisticated windowing that accounts for extent of LD to reduce degrees of freedom and number of tests while maximizing information. I present analyses of two published data sets that show that this approach can have better power than single-marker tests or sliding-window haplotypic tests. PMID:16685642

Multilocus association mapping using variable-length Markov chains.

PubMed

Browning, Sharon R

2006-06-01

I propose a new method for association-based gene mapping that makes powerful use of multilocus data, is computationally efficient, and is straightforward to apply over large genomic regions. The approach is based on the fitting of variable-length Markov chain models, which automatically adapt to the degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between markers to create a parsimonious model for the LD structure. Edges of the fitted graph are tested for association with trait status. This approach can be thought of as haplotype testing with sophisticated windowing that accounts for extent of LD to reduce degrees of freedom and number of tests while maximizing information. I present analyses of two published data sets that show that this approach can have better power than single-marker tests or sliding-window haplotypic tests.

A system for automatic evaluation of simulation software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, J. P.; Hodges, B. C.

1976-01-01

Within the field of computer software, simulation and verification are complementary processes. Simulation methods can be used to verify software by performing variable range analysis. More general verification procedures, such as those described in this paper, can be implicitly, viewed as attempts at modeling the end-product software. From software requirement methodology, each component of the verification system has some element of simulation to it. Conversely, general verification procedures can be used to analyze simulation software. A dynamic analyzer is described which can be used to obtain properly scaled variables for an analog simulation, which is first digitally simulated. In a similar way, it is thought that the other system components and indeed the whole system itself have the potential of being effectively used in a simulation environment.

Developing a questionnaire to identify perceived barriers for implementing the Dutch physical therapy COPD clinical practice guideline.

PubMed

van der Wees, Philip J; Zagers, Cor A M; de Die, Sara E; Hendriks, Erik J M; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G; de Bie, Rob A

2013-05-01

Clinical practice guidelines have been developed to assist healthcare practitioners in clinical decision making. Publication of clinical practice guidelines does not automatically lead to their uptake and barrier identification has been recognized as an important step in implementation planning. This study aimed at developing a questionnaire to identify perceived barriers for implementing the Dutch COPD guideline for physical therapists and its recommended measurement instruments. An overall questionnaire, based on two existing questionnaires, was constructed to identify barriers and facilitators for implementing the COPD guideline. The construct of the questionnaire was assessed in a cross-sectional study among 246 chest physical therapists. Factor analysis was conducted to explore underlying dimensions. Psychometric properties were analyzed using Cronbach's alpha. Barriers and facilitators were assessed using descriptive statistics. Some 139 physical therapists (57%) responded. Factor analysis revealed 4-factor and 5-factor solutions with an explained variance of 36% and 39% respectively. Cronbach's alpha of the overall questionnaire was 0.90, and varied from 0.66 to 0.92 for the different factors. Underlying domains of the 5-factor solution were characterized as: attitude towards using measurement instruments, knowledge and skills of the physical therapist, applicability of the COPD guideline, required investment of time & money, and patient characteristics. Physical therapists showed a positive attitude toward using the COPD guideline. Main barriers for implementation were required time investment and financial constraints. The construct of the questionnaire revealed relevant underlying domains for the identification of barriers and facilitators for implementing the COPD guideline. The questionnaire allowed for tailoring to the target group and may be used across health care professionals as basis for in-depth analysis of barriers to specific recommendations in guidelines. The results of the questionnaire alone do not provide sufficient information to inform the development of an implementation strategy. The infrastructure for developing the guideline can be used for addressing key barriers by the guideline development group, using the questionnaire as well as in-depth analysis such as focus group interviews. Further development of methods for prospective identification of barriers and consequent tailoring of implementation interventions is required.

Developing a questionnaire to identify perceived barriers for implementing the Dutch physical therapy COPD clinical practice guideline

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Clinical practice guidelines have been developed to assist healthcare practitioners in clinical decision making. Publication of clinical practice guidelines does not automatically lead to their uptake and barrier identification has been recognized as an important step in implementation planning. This study aimed at developing a questionnaire to identify perceived barriers for implementing the Dutch COPD guideline for physical therapists and its recommended measurement instruments. Methods An overall questionnaire, based on two existing questionnaires, was constructed to identify barriers and facilitators for implementing the COPD guideline. The construct of the questionnaire was assessed in a cross-sectional study among 246 chest physical therapists. Factor analysis was conducted to explore underlying dimensions. Psychometric properties were analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha. Barriers and facilitators were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results Some 139 physical therapists (57%) responded. Factor analysis revealed 4-factor and 5-factor solutions with an explained variance of 36% and 39% respectively. Cronbach’s alpha of the overall questionnaire was 0.90, and varied from 0.66 to 0.92 for the different factors. Underlying domains of the 5-factor solution were characterized as: attitude towards using measurement instruments, knowledge and skills of the physical therapist, applicability of the COPD guideline, required investment of time & money, and patient characteristics. Physical therapists showed a positive attitude toward using the COPD guideline. Main barriers for implementation were required time investment and financial constraints. Conclusions The construct of the questionnaire revealed relevant underlying domains for the identification of barriers and facilitators for implementing the COPD guideline. The questionnaire allowed for tailoring to the target group and may be used across health care professionals as basis for in-depth analysis of barriers to specific recommendations in guidelines. The results of the questionnaire alone do not provide sufficient information to inform the development of an implementation strategy. The infrastructure for developing the guideline can be used for addressing key barriers by the guideline development group, using the questionnaire as well as in-depth analysis such as focus group interviews. Further development of methods for prospective identification of barriers and consequent tailoring of implementation interventions is required. PMID:23631555

[In-depth interviews and the Kano model to determine user requirements in a burns unit].

PubMed

González-Revaldería, J; Holguín-Holgado, P; Lumbreras-Marín, E; Núñez-López, G

To determine the healthcare requirements of patients in a Burns Unit, using qualitative techniques, such us in-depth personal interviews and Kano's methodology. Qualitative methodology using in-depth personal interviews (12 patients), Kano's conceptual model, and the SERVQHOS questionnaire (24 patients). All patients had been hospitalised in the last 12 months in the Burns Unit. Using Kano's methodology, service attributes were grouped by affinity diagrams, and classified as follows: must-be, attractive (unexpected, great satisfaction), and one-dimensional (linked to the degree of functionality of the service). The outcomes were compared with those obtained with SERVQHOS questionnaire. From the analysis of in-depth interviews, 11 requirements were obtained, referring to hotel aspects, information, need for closer staff relationship, and organisational aspects. The attributes classified as must-be were free television and automatic TV disconnection at midnight. Those classified as attractive were: individual room for more privacy, information about dressing change times in order to avoid anxiety, and additional staff for in-patients. The results were complementary to those obtained with the SERVQHOS questionnaire. In-depth personal interviews provide extra knowledge about patient requirements, complementing the information obtained with questionnaires. With this methodology, a more active patient participation is achieved and the companion's opinion is also taken into account. Copyright © 2016 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Glucose and the wandering mind: not paying attention or simply out of fuel?

PubMed

Birnie, L H W; Smallwood, J; Reay, J; Riby, L M

2015-08-01

The impact of raising glycaemia by ingestion of a glucose drink has revealed cognitive facilitation, particularly for memory and attention. This study aimed to extend current knowledge by examining, for the first time, whether glucose load also moderates task-related (TRT) and task-unrelated thoughts (TUT) during activities that vary in their requirement for sustained attention. A 2 (25 g glucose vs. placebo) × 2 (fast vs. slow version of the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART)) repeated measures, counterbalanced design was used with 16 healthy adults. Self-report questionnaires probed participants' levels of TRT and TUT during SART performance. Prior to testing, the Short Imaginal Processes Inventory (SIPI) was also administered to help pinpoint the nature of thought processes during the task before and after treatment. Analysis of variance revealed no significant effect of treatment; however, we report a pattern of results that is consistent with glucose facilitation effects on task accuracy for more demanding attention tasks (d = 0.56). Additionally, glucose improved the monitoring and task reflection as measured by TRT (d = 0.33) in the more demanding task but no effect on TUT. Probing the nature of thought processes further, we also report two novel correlations (in the placebo) between fears of failure (indexed by the SIPI) and the number of TUT episodes and perceived poor attention control (indexed by the SIPI) and number of TUT and speculate that glucose may act to buffer against TUT episodes under externally demanding situations. These data extend previous research examining the glucose facilitation effect to the processing of internal thought processes.

Exploring the association between exposure to suicide and suicide risk among military service members and veterans.

PubMed

Hom, Melanie A; Stanley, Ian H; Gutierrez, Peter M; Joiner, Thomas E

2017-01-01

Past research suggests that suicide has a profound impact on surviving family members and friends; yet, little is known about experiences with suicide bereavement among military populations. This study aimed to characterize experiences with suicide exposure and their associations with lifetime and current psychiatric symptoms among military service members and veterans. A sample of 1753 United States military service members and veterans completed self-report questionnaires assessing experiences with suicide exposure, lifetime history of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, current suicidal symptoms, and perceived likelihood of making a future suicide attempt. The majority of participants (57.3%) reported knowing someone who had died by suicide, and of these individuals, most (53.1%) reported having lost a friend to suicide. Chi-square tests, one-way ANOVAs, and logistic regression analyses revealed that those who reported knowing a suicide decedent were more likely to report more severe current suicidal symptoms and a history of suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to those who did not know a suicide decedent. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that greater self-reported interpersonal closeness to a suicide decedent predicted greater self-reported likelihood of a future suicide attempt, even after controlling for current suicidal symptoms and prior suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This study utilized cross-sectional data, and information regarding degree of exposure to suicide was not collected. Military personnel and veterans who have been bereaved by suicide may themselves be at elevated risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Additional work is needed to delineate the relationship between these experiences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Patients' knowledge and expectations regarding dental implants: assessment by questionnaire.

PubMed

Rustemeyer, J; Bremerich, A

2007-09-01

Today, modern implant dentistry appeals to a wide population, but the decision for and the success of implants depend on the knowledge and expectations of patients. The aim of this study was, with the help of a questionnaire, to evaluate the level of patient knowledge before a professional consultation was performed, and hence to be better prepared in the interests of patient awareness. Fifty-eight percent of 315 patients questioned thought that implants require the same care as natural teeth, 61% expected an additional payment of 2000 Euro or less, 80% held the function of an implant-supported overdenture as very important and 54% attached great importance to the aesthetics. The expectations that patients have for an implant-supported set are high in contrast to their willingness to make additional payments. There are still misconceptions regarding costs, and these must be resolved individually in practice.

Assessment of parental awareness about malocclusion in Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran.

PubMed

Danaei, S Momeni; Oshagh, M; Pajuhi, N; Ghahremani, Y; Bushehri, Ghodsi S

2011-07-01

Information empowers people to take charge of their health. The aim of this study in Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran was to evaluate parents' knowledge about dental malocclusion, referral routes and information sources. A random sample of 1000 7-9-year-old schoolchildren were given a questionnaire to complete at home. Questionnaires were completed by 795 parents. Knowledge about malocclusion was significantly greater in families with higher levels of education and income. Most respondents (83.5%) were aware of the importance of maintaining primary teeth to prevent malocclusion, and 25.1% thought that carious primary teeth must be extracted. Half of the parents (50.6%) did not know that spaces between primary teeth are normal. Only 28.8% of the children visited dentists for annual routine check-ups. Television (43.3%) was the most common source of dental information. The level of general public awareness about malocclusion needs to be improved.

Experiential Avoidance Mediates the Association between Emotion Regulation Abilities and Loneliness.

PubMed

Shi, Rui; Zhang, Shilei; Zhang, Qianwen; Fu, Shaoping; Wang, Zhenhong

2016-01-01

Experiential avoidance (EA) involves the unwillingness to remain in contact with aversive experiences such as painful feelings, thoughts, and emotions. EA is often associated with the development and maintenance of emotional problems. Since loneliness is characterized by negative emotions such as sadness and pessimism, which is often linked to emotional problems, this study aims to test the mediating effects of EA on the relationship between emotion regulation abilities (ERA) and loneliness in a sample of Chinese adults. Five hundred undergraduates completed questionnaires measuring EA (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; AAQ-Ⅱ), ERA (Failure-relate action orientation; Action Control Scale, ACS-90) and loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale). Structural equation modeling showed that EA fully-mediated the relationship between ERA and loneliness. The findings suggest EA is a key mechanism in explaining why people with high ERA are prone to feeling lower levels of loneliness. In particular, these findings have important implications for designing effective psychological interventions for loneliness.

Deficits in Visuo-Motor Temporal Integration Impacts Manual Dexterity in Probable Developmental Coordination Disorder.

PubMed

Nobusako, Satoshi; Sakai, Ayami; Tsujimoto, Taeko; Shuto, Takashi; Nishi, Yuki; Asano, Daiki; Furukawa, Emi; Zama, Takuro; Osumi, Michihiro; Shimada, Sotaro; Morioka, Shu; Nakai, Akio

2018-01-01

The neurological basis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is thought to be deficits in the internal model and mirror-neuron system (MNS) in the parietal lobe and cerebellum. However, it is not clear if the visuo-motor temporal integration in the internal model and automatic-imitation function in the MNS differs between children with DCD and those with typical development (TD). The current study aimed to investigate these differences. Using the manual dexterity test of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (second edition), the participants were either assigned to the probable DCD (pDCD) group or TD group. The former was comprised of 29 children with clumsy manual dexterity, while the latter consisted of 42 children with normal manual dexterity. Visuo-motor temporal integration ability and automatic-imitation function were measured using the delayed visual feedback detection task and motor interference task, respectively. Further, the current study investigated whether autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) traits, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits, and depressive symptoms differed among the two groups, since these symptoms are frequent comorbidities of DCD. In addition, correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to extract factors affecting clumsy manual dexterity. In the results, the delay-detection threshold (DDT) and steepness of the delay-detection probability curve, which indicated visuo-motor temporal integration ability, were significantly prolonged and decreased, respectively, in children with pDCD. The interference effect, which indicated automatic-imitation function, was also significantly reduced in this group. These results highlighted that children with clumsy manual dexterity have deficits in visuo-motor temporal integration and automatic-imitation function. There was a significant correlation between manual dexterity, and measures of visuo-motor temporal integration, and ASD traits and ADHD traits and ASD. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the DDT, which indicated visuo-motor temporal integration, was the greatest predictor of poor manual dexterity. The current results supported and provided further evidence for the internal model deficit hypothesis. Further, they suggested a neurorehabilitation technique that improved visuo-motor temporal integration could be therapeutically effective for children with DCD.

Deficits in Visuo-Motor Temporal Integration Impacts Manual Dexterity in Probable Developmental Coordination Disorder

PubMed Central

Nobusako, Satoshi; Sakai, Ayami; Tsujimoto, Taeko; Shuto, Takashi; Nishi, Yuki; Asano, Daiki; Furukawa, Emi; Zama, Takuro; Osumi, Michihiro; Shimada, Sotaro; Morioka, Shu; Nakai, Akio

2018-01-01

The neurological basis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is thought to be deficits in the internal model and mirror-neuron system (MNS) in the parietal lobe and cerebellum. However, it is not clear if the visuo-motor temporal integration in the internal model and automatic-imitation function in the MNS differs between children with DCD and those with typical development (TD). The current study aimed to investigate these differences. Using the manual dexterity test of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (second edition), the participants were either assigned to the probable DCD (pDCD) group or TD group. The former was comprised of 29 children with clumsy manual dexterity, while the latter consisted of 42 children with normal manual dexterity. Visuo-motor temporal integration ability and automatic-imitation function were measured using the delayed visual feedback detection task and motor interference task, respectively. Further, the current study investigated whether autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) traits, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits, and depressive symptoms differed among the two groups, since these symptoms are frequent comorbidities of DCD. In addition, correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to extract factors affecting clumsy manual dexterity. In the results, the delay-detection threshold (DDT) and steepness of the delay-detection probability curve, which indicated visuo-motor temporal integration ability, were significantly prolonged and decreased, respectively, in children with pDCD. The interference effect, which indicated automatic-imitation function, was also significantly reduced in this group. These results highlighted that children with clumsy manual dexterity have deficits in visuo-motor temporal integration and automatic-imitation function. There was a significant correlation between manual dexterity, and measures of visuo-motor temporal integration, and ASD traits and ADHD traits and ASD. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the DDT, which indicated visuo-motor temporal integration, was the greatest predictor of poor manual dexterity. The current results supported and provided further evidence for the internal model deficit hypothesis. Further, they suggested a neurorehabilitation technique that improved visuo-motor temporal integration could be therapeutically effective for children with DCD. PMID:29556211

The sequentially discounting autoregressive (SDAR) method for on-line automatic seismic event detecting on long term observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.; Toshioka, T.; Nakajima, T.; Narita, A.; Xue, Z.

2017-12-01

In recent years, more and more Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) studies focus on seismicity monitoring. For the safety management of geological CO2 storage at Tomakomai, Hokkaido, Japan, an Advanced Traffic Light System (ATLS) combined different seismic messages (magnitudes, phases, distributions et al.) is proposed for injection controlling. The primary task for ATLS is the seismic events detection in a long-term sustained time series record. Considering the time-varying characteristics of Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of a long-term record and the uneven energy distributions of seismic event waveforms will increase the difficulty in automatic seismic detecting, in this work, an improved probability autoregressive (AR) method for automatic seismic event detecting is applied. This algorithm, called sequentially discounting AR learning (SDAR), can identify the effective seismic event in the time series through the Change Point detection (CPD) of the seismic record. In this method, an anomaly signal (seismic event) can be designed as a change point on the time series (seismic record). The statistical model of the signal in the neighborhood of event point will change, because of the seismic event occurrence. This means the SDAR aims to find the statistical irregularities of the record thought CPD. There are 3 advantages of SDAR. 1. Anti-noise ability. The SDAR does not use waveform messages (such as amplitude, energy, polarization) for signal detecting. Therefore, it is an appropriate technique for low SNR data. 2. Real-time estimation. When new data appears in the record, the probability distribution models can be automatic updated by SDAR for on-line processing. 3. Discounting property. the SDAR introduces a discounting parameter to decrease the influence of present statistic value on future data. It makes SDAR as a robust algorithm for non-stationary signal processing. Within these 3 advantages, the SDAR method can handle the non-stationary time-varying long-term series and achieve real-time monitoring. Finally, we employ the SDAR on a synthetic model and Tomakomai Ocean Bottom Cable (OBC) baseline data to prove the feasibility and advantage of our method.

Using Facebook as an informal learning environment.

PubMed

Cain, Jeff; Policastri, Anne

2011-12-15

To create, implement, and assess the effectiveness of an optional Facebook activity intended to expose students to contemporary business issues not covered in the core content of a pharmacy management and leadership course and to perspectives of experts and thought leaders external to their university. An informal learning strategy was used to create a Facebook group page and guest experts were identified and invited to submit posts pertaining to business-related topics. Students were given instructions for joining the Facebook group but informed that participation was optional. A mixed-methods approach using a student questionnaire, results on examination questions, and a student focus group was used to assess this activity. The informal design with no posting guidelines and no participation requirement was well received by students, who appreciated the unique learning environment and exposure to external experts. Facebook provides an informal learning environment for presenting contemporary topics and the thoughts of guest experts not affiliated with a college or school, thereby exposing students to relevant "real world" issues.

Using Facebook as an Informal Learning Environment

PubMed Central

Policastri, Anne

2011-01-01

Objective. To create, implement, and assess the effectiveness of an optional Facebook activity intended to expose students to contemporary business issues not covered in the core content of a pharmacy management and leadership course and to perspectives of experts and thought leaders external to their university. Design. An informal learning strategy was used to create a Facebook group page and guest experts were identified and invited to submit posts pertaining to business-related topics. Students were given instructions for joining the Facebook group but informed that participation was optional. Assessment. A mixed-methods approach using a student questionnaire, results on examination questions, and a student focus group was used to assess this activity. The informal design with no posting guidelines and no participation requirement was well received by students, who appreciated the unique learning environment and exposure to external experts. Conclusions. Facebook provides an informal learning environment for presenting contemporary topics and the thoughts of guest experts not affiliated with a college or school, thereby exposing students to relevant “real world” issues. PMID:22345726

Nurses' perceptions of the impact of electronic health records on work and patient outcomes.

PubMed

Kossman, Susan P; Scheidenhelm, Sandra L

2008-01-01

This study addresses community hospital nurses' use of electronic health records and views of the impact of such records on job performance and patient outcomes. Questionnaire, interview, and observation data from 46 nurses in medical-surgical and intensive care units at two community hospitals were analyzed. Nurses preferred electronic health records to paper charts and were comfortable with technology. They reported use of electronic health records enhanced nursing work through increased information access, improved organization and efficiency, and helpful alert screens. They thought use of the records hindered nursing work through impaired critical thinking, decreased interdisciplinary communication, and a high demand on work time (73% reported spending at least half their shift using the records). They thought use of electronic health records enabled them to provide safer care but decreased the quality of care. Administrative implications include involving bedside nurses in system choice, streamlining processes, developing guidelines for consistent documentation quality and location, increasing system speed, choosing hardware that encourages bedside use, and improving system information technology support.

The relation of childhood trauma to suicide ideation in patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder with lifetime suicide attempts.

PubMed

Khosravani, Vahid; Kamali, Zoleikha; Jamaati Ardakani, Razieh; Samimi Ardestani, Mehdi

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relations of childhood trauma (CT) and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptom dimensions to suicide ideation in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Seventy OCD outpatients with lifetime suicide attempts and 60 controls were included. Participants completed the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Among OCD patients, 97.1% had current suicide ideation. OCD patients revealed higher scores on CT, suicide ideation, depression and anxiety than controls. The CT history of sexual abuse (SA) and OC symptom dimension of unacceptable thoughts explained suicide ideation. It was concluded that SA and unacceptable thoughts may contribute to high suicidality and have important implications for the assessment and treatment of suicide risk in OCD patients with lifetime suicide attempts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Web- and Mobile-Based Map of Mental Health Resources for Postsecondary Students (Thought Spot): Protocol for an Economic Evaluation

PubMed Central

Kaur, Amandeep; Isaranuwatchai, Wanrudee; Jaffer, Aliya; Ferguson, Genevieve; Abi-Jaoude, Alexxa; Johnson, Andrew; Hollenberg, Elisa

2018-01-01

Background Youth demonstrate a low propensity to seek help for mental health issues and exhibit low use of health services despite the high prevalence of mental health challenges in this population. Research has found that delivering interventions via the internet and mobile devices is an effective way to reach youth. Thought Spot, a Web- and mobile-based map, was developed to help transition-aged youth in postsecondary settings overcome barriers to help-seeking, thereby reducing the economic burden associated with untreated mental health issues. Objective This paper presents the protocol for an economic evaluation that will be conducted in conjunction with a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness and cost of Thought Spot compared with usual care in terms of self-efficacy for mental health help-seeking among postsecondary students. Methods A partially blinded RCT will be conducted to assess the impact of Thought Spot on the self-efficacy of students for mental health help-seeking. Students from 3 postsecondary institutions in Ontario, Canada will be randomly allocated to 1 of 2 intervention groups (resource pamphlet or Thought Spot) for 6 months. The economic evaluation will focus on the perspective of postsecondary institutions or other organizations interested in using Thought Spot. Costs and resources for operating and maintaining the platform will be reported and compared with the costs and resource needs associated with usual care. The primary outcome will be change in help-seeking intentions, measured using the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire. The cost-effectiveness of the intervention will be determined by calculating the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, which will then be compared with willingness to pay. Results The RCT is scheduled to begin in February 2018 and will run for 6 months, after which the economic evaluation will be completed. Conclusions We expect to demonstrate that Thought Spot is a cost-effective way to improve help-seeking intentions and encourage help-seeking behavior among postsecondary students. The findings of this study will help inform postsecondary institutions when they are allocating resources for mental health initiatives. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03412461; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03412461 (Archived at WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xy5lWpnZ) PMID:29599106

The impact of artificial vehicle sounds for pedestrians on driver stress.

PubMed

Cottrell, Nicholas D; Barton, Benjamin K

2012-01-01

Electrically based vehicles have produced some concern over their lack of sound, but the impact of artificial sounds now being implemented have not been examined in respect to their effects upon the driver. The impact of two different implementations of vehicle sound on driver stress in electric vehicles was examined. A Nissan HEV running in electric vehicle mode was driven by participants in an area of congestion using three sound implementations: (1) no artificial sounds, (2) manually engaged sounds and (3) automatically engaged sounds. Physiological and self-report questionnaire measures were collected to determine stress and acceptance of the automated sound protocol. Driver stress was significantly higher in the manually activated warning condition, compared to both no artificial sounds and automatically engaged sounds. Implications for automation usage and measurement methods are discussed and future research directions suggested. The advent of hybrid- and all-electric vehicles has created a need for artificial warning signals for pedestrian safety that place task demands on drivers. We investigated drivers' stress differences in response to varying conditions of warning signals for pedestrians. Driver stress was lower when noises were automated.

[An evaluation of some of the relationships between thought-action fusion, attributional styles, and depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms].

PubMed

Piri, Serap; Kabakçi, Elif

2007-01-01

Thought-action fusion (TAF) is a cognitive bias presumed to underlie the development of obsessional problems. Two domains of TAF have been identified. The first, TAF-moral, is characterized by the belief that having morally unacceptable thoughts is as bad as actually carrying them out. The second, TAF-likelihood, refers to the belief that certain thoughts cause particular events. The event can be related to one's self (likelihood-self) or to someone else (likelihood-others). The other cognitive variable of the study is attributional style. The theory of attributional styles, in terms of the causes of good and bad events, is taken into account especially in the context of depression and has four dimensions: internality-externality, stability-instability, globality-specifity, and importance-unimportance. The first objective of the present study was to investigate the relationships between TAF, and attributional style, and depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The second objective was to determine the predictors of TAF when the effects of depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms are statistically controlled. The sample consisted of 312 students randomly selected from different departments at Hacettepe University. The Thought-Action Fusion Scale (TAFS), Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered to these students. The correlations among all the subtypes of TAF (TAF-moral, likelihood-self, and likelihood-others), and the global attributions for bad events, BDI, and MOCI were significant. In addition, the correlation between TAF-moral and the importance of the attribution for bad events was significant. TAF-likelihood-others and TAF-likelihood-self were predicted by global attributions for bad events and TAF-moral was predicted by the importance of the attributions for bad events. TAF, and attributional styles, and depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms may be related to each other. The results also suggest a possible effect of other variables not controlled in this study, both on TAF and the dimensions of attributional styles.

A Survey of Interventional Radiology Awareness Among Final-Year Medical Students in a European Country

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leong, Sum; Keeling, Aoife N.; Lee, Michael J., E-mail: mlee@rcsi.i

2009-07-15

Interventional radiology (IR) is a rapidly expanding specialty that is facing the challenges of turf wars and personnel shortages. Appropriate exposure of medical students to this field can be vital to recruitment of potential future trainees or referring physicians. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and views of final-year medical students in a single EU country regarding various aspects of IR. An electronic survey was sent via e-mail to all final-year medical students in a European country. The students were given a month to respond to the questionnaire. A total of 234 students of 675 (34.5%)more » replied to the survey. Of the respondents, 35% had previously completed an attachment to the radiology department. The majority of students (63%) thought their knowledge in radiology in general was poor. The percentage of students who correctly identified procedures performed by interventional radiologists was 69% for Hickman line insertion, 79% for fibroid embolization, and 67.5% for lower limb angioplasty. Sixty percent, 30%, and 47% thought that interventional radiologists perform cardiac angioplasties, perform arterial bypasses, and create AV fistulas, respectively. Forty-nine percent felt that interventional radiologists are surgically trained. Eighty-three percent of students were first made aware of angioplasty by a cardiologist. Thirty-one percent thought that interventional radiologists do ward rounds, 24% thought that interventional radiologists have admitting rights, and 26% felt that interventional radiologists run an outpatient practice. A significant number of students (76%) thought that the job prospects in IR are good or excellent but only 40.5% were willing to consider a career in IR. In conclusion, this study indicates that IR remains a nascent but attractive specialty to the majority of medical students. Further development of the existing informal undergraduate curriculum to address shortcomings will ensure that IR continues to attract the brightest talents to the field.« less

Emotional coping differences among breast cancer patients from an online support group: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Batenburg, Anika; Das, Enny

2014-02-05

Due to mixed findings in research on the effect of online peer-to-peer support on psychological well-being, there is a need for studies explaining why and when online support communities are beneficial for cancer patients. Previous studies have typically not taken into account individual coping differences, despite the fact that patients have different strategies to cope with cancer-related emotions. In the current study, it was predicted that the effects of online support group participation would partly depend on patients' ability to cope with thoughts and emotions regarding the illness. For this study, 184 Dutch breast cancer patients filled out a questionnaire assessing activity within a peer-led online support community, coping with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness (cognitive avoidance, emotional processing, and expression) and psychological well-being (depression, breast cancer-related concerns, and emotional well-being). Of these, 163 patients were visiting an online peer-led support community. Results showed interactions of the intensity of support group participation and coping style on psychological well-being. Specifically, we found an interaction of online activity and emotional expression on depression (beta=-.17, P=.030), a marginally significant interaction of online activity and emotional expression on emotional well-being (beta=.14, P=.089), and an interaction of online activity and cognitive avoidance on breast cancer-related concerns (beta=.15, P=.027). For patients who actively dealt with their emotions and thoughts, active online support group participation was positively related to psychological well-being. For patients high on avoidance of illness-related thoughts or low on emotional expression, active participation was negatively related to measures of well-being. The current study revealed the role of individual differences in coping in online support group participation. Results suggest that breast cancer patients' ability to cope with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness influence the relationship between online support group participation and psychological well-being.

A survey of interventional radiology awareness among final-year medical students in a European country.

PubMed

Leong, Sum; Keeling, Aoife N; Lee, Michael J

2009-07-01

Interventional radiology (IR) is a rapidly expanding specialty that is facing the challenges of turf wars and personnel shortages. Appropriate exposure of medical students to this field can be vital to recruitment of potential future trainees or referring physicians. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and views of final-year medical students in a single EU country regarding various aspects of IR. An electronic survey was sent via e-mail to all final-year medical students in a European country. The students were given a month to respond to the questionnaire. A total of 234 students of 675 (34.5%) replied to the survey. Of the respondents, 35% had previously completed an attachment to the radiology department. The majority of students (63%) thought their knowledge in radiology in general was poor. The percentage of students who correctly identified procedures performed by interventional radiologists was 69% for Hickman line insertion, 79% for fibroid embolization, and 67.5% for lower limb angioplasty. Sixty percent, 30%, and 47% thought that interventional radiologists perform cardiac angioplasties, perform arterial bypasses, and create AV fistulas, respectively. Forty-nine percent felt that interventional radiologists are surgically trained. Eighty-three percent of students were first made aware of angioplasty by a cardiologist. Thirty-one percent thought that interventional radiologists do ward rounds, 24% thought that interventional radiologists have admitting rights, and 26% felt that interventional radiologists run an outpatient practice. A significant number of students (76%) thought that the job prospects in IR are good or excellent but only 40.5% were willing to consider a career in IR. In conclusion, this study indicates that IR remains a nascent but attractive specialty to the majority of medical students. Further development of the existing informal undergraduate curriculum to address shortcomings will ensure that IR continues to attract the brightest talents to the field.

Emotional Coping Differences Among Breast Cancer Patients From an Online Support Group: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Due to mixed findings in research on the effect of online peer-to-peer support on psychological well-being, there is a need for studies explaining why and when online support communities are beneficial for cancer patients. Objective Previous studies have typically not taken into account individual coping differences, despite the fact that patients have different strategies to cope with cancer-related emotions. In the current study, it was predicted that the effects of online support group participation would partly depend on patients’ ability to cope with thoughts and emotions regarding the illness. Methods For this study, 184 Dutch breast cancer patients filled out a questionnaire assessing activity within a peer-led online support community, coping with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness (cognitive avoidance, emotional processing, and expression) and psychological well-being (depression, breast cancer-related concerns, and emotional well-being). Of these, 163 patients were visiting an online peer-led support community. Results Results showed interactions of the intensity of support group participation and coping style on psychological well-being. Specifically, we found an interaction of online activity and emotional expression on depression (beta=–.17, P=.030), a marginally significant interaction of online activity and emotional expression on emotional well-being (beta=.14, P=.089), and an interaction of online activity and cognitive avoidance on breast cancer–related concerns (beta=.15, P=.027). For patients who actively dealt with their emotions and thoughts, active online support group participation was positively related to psychological well-being. For patients high on avoidance of illness-related thoughts or low on emotional expression, active participation was negatively related to measures of well-being. Conclusions The current study revealed the role of individual differences in coping in online support group participation. Results suggest that breast cancer patients’ ability to cope with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness influence the relationship between online support group participation and psychological well-being. PMID:24499687

The education of traditional Japanese (Kampo) medicine: surveys of training hospitals and residents.

PubMed

Arai, Makoto; Nakada, Yoshinobu; Izumi, Shun-Ichiro

2017-03-02

Japanese physicians prescribe Kampo medicine, but Kampo education is not standardized. We surveyed training hospitals and residents to identify problems and suggest solutions to promote Kampo education during and after residency. This was a double questionnaire survey of 1011 training hospitals in Japan and 93 Tokai University School of Medicine graduates of 2011. There were 816 effective responses (81%) from the training hospitals. Most instructors (84%) thought physicians should have Kampo clinical skills; 67% thought positively about introducing Kampo education into clinical training; 23% of the hospitals provided Kampo education; 70% of instructors at hospitals without Kampo education indicated the lack of Kampo instructors, 16% lack of time, and 7% no necessity for Kampo education; hospitals permitted Kampo education through voluntary study (42%), lectures sponsored by Kampo manufacturers (35%), and study sessions with other hospitals (32%); independent study sessions (10%); smaller hospitals were less active in Kampo education than larger ones. The survey of residents had 72 effective responses (77%): 91% were interested in Kampo medicine; 96% thought it worth learning; 31% could learn it during residency; 52% were not satisfied with the training, 83% wanted to learn it; 73% thought it should be introduced into the curricula; 93% prescribed Kampo medicine, and residents who learned it prescribed it more; 48% were reluctant to prescribe it after residency; 89% thought Western and Kampo medicine should be integrated. Instructors knew Kampo education was needed, but little of it was taught, especially in small hospitals, because of the lack of Kampo instructors. Residents recognized the need for Kampo medicine and were motivated to learn it. Kampo medicine was mostly prescribed because instructors suggested it. Because of the limited opportunities to learn Kampo medicine, it should be taught during residency. In small hospitals, cooperation with other hospitals could be a solution to teach Kampo medicine.

Amnesia and future thinking: Exploring the role of memory in the quantity and quality of episodic future thoughts.

PubMed

Cole, Scott N; Morrison, Catriona M; Barak, Ohr; Pauly-Takacs, Katalin; Conway, Martin A

2016-06-01

To examine the impact of memory accessibility on episodic future thinking. Single-case study of neurological patient HCM and an age-matched comparison group of neurologically Healthy Controls. We administered a full battery of tests assessing general intelligence, memory, and executive functioning. To assess autobiographical memory, the Autobiographical Memory Interview (Kopelman, Wilson, & Baddeley, 1990. The Autobiographical Memory Interview. Bury St. Edmunds, UK: Thames Valley Test Company) was administered. The Past Episodic and Future Episodic sections of Dalla Barba's Confabulation Battery (Dalla Barba, 1993, Cogn. Neuropsychol., 1, 1) and a specifically tailored Mental Time Travel Questionnaire were administered to assess future thinking in HCM and age-matched controls. HCM presented with a deficit in forming new memories (anterograde amnesia) and recalling events from before the onset of neurological impairment (retrograde amnesia). HCM's autobiographical memory impairments are characterized by a paucity of memories from Recent Life. In comparison with controls, two features of his future thoughts are apparent: Reduced episodic future thinking and outdated content of his episodic future thoughts. This article suggests neuropsychologists should look beyond popular conceptualizations of the past-future relation in amnesia via focussing on reduced future thinking. Investigating both the quantity and quality of future thoughts produced by amnesic patients may lead to developments in understanding the complex nature of future thinking disorders resulting from memory impairments. We highlight the clinical importance of examining the content of future thoughts in amnesic patients, rather than only its quantitative reduction. We propose an explanation of how quantitative and qualitative aspects of future thinking could be affected by amnesia. This could provide a useful approach to understand clinical cases of impaired prospection. Systematic group investigations are required to fully examine our hypothesis. Although the current study utilized typical future thinking measures, these may be limited and we highlight the need to develop clinically relevant measures of prospection. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Sexual Activity, Psychosexual Distress, and Fear of Progression in Women With Human Papillomavirus-Related Premalignant Genital Lesions.

PubMed

Nagele, Eva; Reich, Olaf; Greimel, Elfriede; Dorfer, Martha; Haas, Josef; Trutnovsky, Gerda

2016-02-01

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are very common in women 18 to 30 years old and substantially affect women's sexual health. To examine sexual activity, psychosexual distress, and fear of progression in women diagnosed with HPV-related precancerous genital lesions. In this observational study, women diagnosed with premalignant lesions of the cervix, vagina, or vulva were recruited from a university hospital-based colposcopy clinic. Quantitative data from three validated patient-administered questionnaires (Sexual Activity Questionnaire, German version of the Cervical Dysplasia Distress Questionnaire, and Fear of Progression Questionnaire) were compared within the study population, according to the location of the genital lesion, and with relevant reference populations. Qualitative data from two written open-ended questions about women's thoughts regarding diagnosis and information were analyzed. Two-hundred nine women completed the questionnaires. Seventy-eight percent of women (n = 162) were referred for evaluation of suspect lesions of the cervix, 8% (n = 17) of the vagina, and 14% (n = 30) of the vulva. There were no significant differences in questionnaire results among the three patient groups, except for sexual consequences (Cervical Dysplasia Distress Questionnaire) and recent sexual activity (Sexual Activity Questionnaire). Women with vulvar lesions were most likely to worry about sexual consequences (ie, being unable to have children, being sexually less attractive, or infecting a sexual partner; P = .04). The Sexual Activity Questionnaire subscales sexual pleasure (P = .15) and sexual habits (P = 1.00) were similar to those in a healthy control population, whereas sexual discomfort (P = .51) was comparable to that in a reference population of women who survived cervical cancer. The subscale partner-specific concerns (Fear of Progression Questionnaire) was similar to that in a reference population of patients with cancer (P = .28). HPV-related precancerous genital lesions, especially of the vulva, are likely to cause concerns about sexual health. Effective information and communication are important to lessen negative sexual consequences and anxiety. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HKF-R 10 - screening for predicting chronicity in acute low back pain (LBP): a prospective clinical trial.

PubMed

Neubauer, Eva; Junge, Astrid; Pirron, Peter; Seemann, Hanne; Schiltenwolf, Marcus

2006-08-01

Prospective cohort study. To develop a short instrument to reliably predict chronicity in low back pain (LBP). Health care expenditures on the treatment of low back pain continue to increase. It is therefore important to prevent the development of chronicity. In Germany, there is at present no early risk assessment tool to predict the risk of developing chronic LBP for patients presenting with acute LBP. Undertaken in an orthopedic practice setting, this study examined known risk factors for chronicity. It resulted in the development of a short questionnaire that successfully predicted the course of chronicity with an accuracy of 78%. A cohort of 192 orthopaedic outpatients was assessed for clinical, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive parameters bsed on a self-report test battery of 167 established items predictive for chronicity in LBP. Chronicity was defined as back pain persisting for longer than six months. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive value of all items significantly associated with the dependent variable. The study found the following items to have the strongest predictive value in the development of chronicity: "How strong was your back pain during the last week when it was most tolerable?" and the question "How much residual pain would you be willing to tolerate while still considering the therapy successful?" These were followed by the variables for "Duration of existing LBP" (more than eight days), the patient's educational level (low levels are related to higher risks of chronicity) and pain being experienced elsewhere in the body. Other significant factors were five items assessing depression (Zung) and the palliative effect of therapeutic massage (where a positive correlation was found). Female patients have a higher risk for chronicity, as do patients with a high total score on the scales assessing "catastrophizing thoughts" and thoughts of "helplessness". Using the items listed above, the study was able to predict a patient's risk of developing chronic LBP with a probability of 78%. These items were assembled in a brief questionnaire and were paired with a corresponding evaluative tool. This enables practitioners to assess an individual patient's risk for chronicity by means of a simple calculator in just a few minutes. A validation study for the questionnaire is currently being prepared. MINI ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was the development of a brief questionnaire to assess the risk for chronicity for LBP.

Feature determination from powered wheelchair user joystick input characteristics for adapting driving assistance.

PubMed

Gillham, Michael; Pepper, Matthew; Kelly, Steve; Howells, Gareth

2017-01-01

Background : Many powered wheelchair users find their medical condition and their ability to drive the wheelchair will change over time. In order to maintain their independent mobility, the powered chair will require adjustment over time to suit the user's needs, thus regular input from healthcare professionals is required. These limited resources can result in the user having to wait weeks for appointments, resulting in the user losing independent mobility, consequently affecting their quality of life and that of their family and carers. In order to provide an adaptive assistive driving system, a range of features need to be identified which are suitable for initial system setup and can automatically provide data for re-calibration over the long term. Methods : A questionnaire was designed to collect information from powered wheelchair users with regard to their symptoms and how they changed over time. Another group of volunteer participants were asked to drive a test platform and complete a course which represented manoeuvring in a very confined space as quickly as possible. Two of those participants were also monitored over a longer period in their normal home daily environment. Features, thought to be suitable, were examined using pattern recognition classifiers to determine their suitability for identifying the changing user input over time. Results : The results are not designed to provide absolute insight into the individual user behaviour, as no ground truth of their ability has been determined, they do nevertheless demonstrate the utility of the measured features to provide evidence of the users' changing ability over time whilst driving a powered wheelchair. Conclusions : Determining the driving features and adjustable elements provides the initial step towards developing an adaptable assistive technology for the user when the ground truths of the individual and their machine have been learned by a smart pattern recognition system.

Feature determination from powered wheelchair user joystick input characteristics for adapting driving assistance

PubMed Central

Gillham, Michael; Pepper, Matthew; Kelly, Steve; Howells, Gareth

2018-01-01

Background: Many powered wheelchair users find their medical condition and their ability to drive the wheelchair will change over time. In order to maintain their independent mobility, the powered chair will require adjustment over time to suit the user's needs, thus regular input from healthcare professionals is required. These limited resources can result in the user having to wait weeks for appointments, resulting in the user losing independent mobility, consequently affecting their quality of life and that of their family and carers. In order to provide an adaptive assistive driving system, a range of features need to be identified which are suitable for initial system setup and can automatically provide data for re-calibration over the long term. Methods: A questionnaire was designed to collect information from powered wheelchair users with regard to their symptoms and how they changed over time. Another group of volunteer participants were asked to drive a test platform and complete a course which represented manoeuvring in a very confined space as quickly as possible. Two of those participants were also monitored over a longer period in their normal home daily environment. Features, thought to be suitable, were examined using pattern recognition classifiers to determine their suitability for identifying the changing user input over time. Results: The results are not designed to provide absolute insight into the individual user behaviour, as no ground truth of their ability has been determined, they do nevertheless demonstrate the utility of the measured features to provide evidence of the users’ changing ability over time whilst driving a powered wheelchair. Conclusions: Determining the driving features and adjustable elements provides the initial step towards developing an adaptable assistive technology for the user when the ground truths of the individual and their machine have been learned by a smart pattern recognition system. PMID:29552641

Promoting functional foods as acceptable alternatives to doping: potential for information-based social marketing approach.

PubMed

James, Ricky; Naughton, Declan P; Petróczi, Andrea

2010-11-10

Substances with performance enhancing properties appear on a continuum, ranging from prohibited performance enhancing drugs (PED) through dietary supplements to functional foods (FF). Anti-doping messages designed to dissuade athletes from using PEDs have been typically based on moralising sport competition and/or employing scare campaigns with focus on the negative consequences. Campaigns offering comparable and acceptable alternatives are nonexistent, nor are athletes helped in finding these for themselves. It is timely that social marketing strategies for anti-doping prevention and intervention incorporate media messages that complement the existing approaches by promoting comparable and acceptable alternatives to doping. To facilitate this process, the aim of this study was to ascertain whether a single exposure knowledge-based information intervention led to increased knowledge and subsequently result in changes in beliefs and automatic associations regarding performance enhancements. In a repeated measure design, 115 male recreational gym users were recruited and provided with a brief information pamphlet on nitrite/nitrate and erythropoietin as a comparison. Measures of knowledge, beliefs and automatic associations were taken before and after the intervention with at least 24 hours between the two assessments. The psychological tests included explicit measures of beliefs and cognitive attitudes toward FF and PED using a self-reported questionnaire and computerised assessments of automatic associations using the modified and shortened version of the Implicit Association Test. The information based intervention significantly increased knowledge (p < 0.001), changed explicit beliefs in specific FF (p < 0.001) and shifted the automatic association of FF with health to performance (p < 0.001). Explicitly expressed beliefs and automatic associations appear to be independent. Evidence was found that even a single exposure to a persuasive positive message can lead to belief change and can create new or alter existing associations - but only in the specific domain. Interventions to change outcome expectations in a positive way could be a rewarding avenue for anti-doping. Effective social marketing campaigns for drug free sport should follow appropriate market segmentation and use targeted messages via promoting the natural form as opposed to the purified form of the main active ingredient.

Promoting functional foods as acceptable alternatives to doping: potential for information-based social marketing approach

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Substances with performance enhancing properties appear on a continuum, ranging from prohibited performance enhancing drugs (PED) through dietary supplements to functional foods (FF). Anti-doping messages designed to dissuade athletes from using PEDs have been typically based on moralising sport competition and/or employing scare campaigns with focus on the negative consequences. Campaigns offering comparable and acceptable alternatives are nonexistent, nor are athletes helped in finding these for themselves. It is timely that social marketing strategies for anti-doping prevention and intervention incorporate media messages that complement the existing approaches by promoting comparable and acceptable alternatives to doping. To facilitate this process, the aim of this study was to ascertain whether a single exposure knowledge-based information intervention led to increased knowledge and subsequently result in changes in beliefs and automatic associations regarding performance enhancements. Methods In a repeated measure design, 115 male recreational gym users were recruited and provided with a brief information pamphlet on nitrite/nitrate and erythropoietin as a comparison. Measures of knowledge, beliefs and automatic associations were taken before and after the intervention with at least 24 hours between the two assessments. The psychological tests included explicit measures of beliefs and cognitive attitudes toward FF and PED using a self-reported questionnaire and computerised assessments of automatic associations using the modified and shortened version of the Implicit Association Test. Results The information based intervention significantly increased knowledge (p < 0.001), changed explicit beliefs in specific FF (p < 0.001) and shifted the automatic association of FF with health to performance (p < 0.001). Explicitly expressed beliefs and automatic associations appear to be independent. Conclusion Evidence was found that even a single exposure to a persuasive positive message can lead to belief change and can create new or alter existing associations - but only in the specific domain. Interventions to change outcome expectations in a positive way could be a rewarding avenue for anti-doping. Effective social marketing campaigns for drug free sport should follow appropriate market segmentation and use targeted messages via promoting the natural form as opposed to the purified form of the main active ingredient. PMID:21067611

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Social Anxiety - Acceptance and Action Questionnaire.

PubMed

Soltani, Esmail; Bahrainian, Seyed Abdolmajid; Masjedi Arani, Abbas; Farhoudian, Ali; Gachkar, Latif

2016-06-01

Social anxiety disorder is often related to specific impairment or distress in different areas of life, including occupational, social and family settings. The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the persian version of the social anxiety-acceptance and action questionnaire (SA-AAQ) in university students. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 324 students from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences participated via the cluster sampling method during year 2015. Factor analysis by the principle component analysis method, internal consistency analysis, and convergent and divergent validity were conducted to examine the validity of the SA-AAQ. To calculate the reliability of the SA-AAQ, Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability were used. The results from factor analysis by principle component analysis method yielded three factors that were named acceptance, action and non-judging of experience. The three-factor solution explained 51.82% of the variance. Evidence for the internal consistency of SA-AAQ was obtained via calculating correlations between SA-AAQ and its subscales. Support for convergent and discriminant validity of the SA-AAQ via its correlations with the acceptance and action questionnaire - II, social interaction anxiety scale, cognitive fusion questionnaire, believability of anxious feelings and thoughts questionnaire, valued living questionnaire and WHOQOL- BREF was obtained. The reliability of the SA-AAQ via calculating Cronbach's alpha and test-retest coefficients yielded values of 0.84 and 0.84, respectively. The Iranian version of the SA-AAQ has acceptable levels of psychometric properties in university students. The SA-AAQ is a valid and reliable measure to be utilized in research investigations and therapeutic interventions.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Social Anxiety - Acceptance and Action Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Soltani, Esmail; Bahrainian, Seyed Abdolmajid; Masjedi Arani, Abbas; Farhoudian, Ali; Gachkar, Latif

2016-01-01

Background Social anxiety disorder is often related to specific impairment or distress in different areas of life, including occupational, social and family settings. Objective The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the persian version of the social anxiety-acceptance and action questionnaire (SA-AAQ) in university students. Materials and Methods In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 324 students from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences participated via the cluster sampling method during year 2015. Factor analysis by the principle component analysis method, internal consistency analysis, and convergent and divergent validity were conducted to examine the validity of the SA-AAQ. To calculate the reliability of the SA-AAQ, Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest reliability were used. Results The results from factor analysis by principle component analysis method yielded three factors that were named acceptance, action and non-judging of experience. The three-factor solution explained 51.82% of the variance. Evidence for the internal consistency of SA-AAQ was obtained via calculating correlations between SA-AAQ and its subscales. Support for convergent and discriminant validity of the SA-AAQ via its correlations with the acceptance and action questionnaire - II, social interaction anxiety scale, cognitive fusion questionnaire, believability of anxious feelings and thoughts questionnaire, valued living questionnaire and WHOQOL- BREF was obtained. The reliability of the SA-AAQ via calculating Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest coefficients yielded values of 0.84 and 0.84, respectively. Conclusions The Iranian version of the SA-AAQ has acceptable levels of psychometric properties in university students. The SA-AAQ is a valid and reliable measure to be utilized in research investigations and therapeutic interventions. PMID:27803719

Toward a Comprehensive Understanding of Executive Cognitive Function in Implicit Racial Bias

PubMed Central

Ito, Tiffany A.; Friedman, Naomi P.; Bartholow, Bruce D.; Correll, Joshua; Loersch, Chris; Altamirano, Lee J.; Miyake, Akira

2014-01-01

Although performance on laboratory-based implicit bias tasks often is interpreted strictly in terms of the strength of automatic associations, recent evidence suggests that such tasks are influenced by higher-order cognitive control processes, so-called executive functions (EFs). However, extant work in this area has been limited by failure to account for the unity and diversity of EFs, focus on only a single measure of bias and/or EF, and relatively small sample sizes. The current study sought to comprehensively model the relation between individual differences in EFs and the expression of racial bias in three commonly used laboratory measures. Participants (N=485) completed a battery of EF tasks (session 1) and three racial bias tasks (session 2), along with numerous individual difference questionnaires. The main findings were as follows: (1) measures of implicit bias were only weakly intercorrelated; (2) EF and estimates of automatic processes both predicted implicit bias and also interacted, such that the relation between automatic processes and bias expression was reduced at higher levels of EF; (3) specific facets of EF were differentially associated with overall task performance and controlled processing estimates across different bias tasks; (4) EF did not moderate associations between implicit and explicit measures of bias; and (5) external, but not internal, motivation to control prejudice depended on EF to reduce bias expression. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of global and specific EF abilities in determining expression of implicit racial bias. PMID:25603372

Are You Suggesting That's My Hand? The Relation Between Hypnotic Suggestibility and the Rubber Hand Illusion.

PubMed

Walsh, E; Guilmette, D N; Longo, M R; Moore, J W; Oakley, D A; Halligan, P W; Mehta, M A; Deeley, Q

2015-01-01

Hypnotic suggestibility (HS) is the ability to respond automatically to suggestions and to experience alterations in perception and behavior. Hypnotically suggestible participants are also better able to focus and sustain their attention on an experimental stimulus. The present study explores the relation between HS and susceptibility to the rubber hand illusion (RHI). Based on previous research with visual illusions, it was predicted that higher HS would lead to a stronger RHI. Two behavioral output measures of the RHI, an implicit (proprioceptive drift) and an explicit (RHI questionnaire) measure, were correlated against HS scores. Hypnotic suggestibility correlated positively with the implicit RHI measure contributing to 30% of the variation. However, there was no relation between HS and the explicit RHI questionnaire measure, or with compliance control items. High hypnotic suggestibility may facilitate, via attentional mechanisms, the multisensory integration of visuoproprioceptive inputs that leads to greater perceptual mislocalization of a participant's hand. These results may provide insight into the multisensory brain mechanisms involved in our sense of embodiment.

Sleep disturbance caused by meaningful sounds and the effect of background noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namba, Seiichiro; Kuwano, Sonoko; Okamoto, Takehisa

2004-10-01

To study noise-induced sleep disturbance, a new procedure called "noise interrupted method"has been developed. The experiment is conducted in the bedroom of the house of each subject. The sounds are reproduced with a mini-disk player which has an automatic reverse function. If the sound is disturbing and subjects cannot sleep, they are allowed to switch off the sound 1 h after they start to try to sleep. This switch off (noise interrupted behavior) is an important index of sleep disturbance. Next morning they fill in a questionnaire in which quality of sleep, disturbance of sounds, the time when they switched off the sound, etc. are asked. The results showed a good relationship between L and the percentages of the subjects who could not sleep in an hour and between L and the disturbance reported in the questionnaire. This suggests that this method is a useful tool to measure the sleep disturbance caused by noise under well-controlled conditions.

Knowledge and Awareness of Colorectal Cancer among Undergraduate Students at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: a Survey-Based Study.

PubMed

Imran, Muhammad; Sayedalamin, Zaid; Alsulami, Salhah S; Atta, Magdi; Baig, Mukhtiar

2016-01-01

This study explored the knowledge and awareness about colorectal cancer (CRC) among undergraduate students of one of the leading universities in Saudi Arabia, along with the mode of information access. The present cross-sectional study was conducted at the King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, among students of different faculties. The study questionnaire, containing 28 items, was adapted from surveys identified in the relevant literature. The CRC awareness questionnaire consisted of an awareness section (early CRC signs and symptoms, and risk factors) and a knowledge section. The data were analyzed using the SPSS version 21.0. A total of 525 undergraduate students participated in the study. The majority were females (63.0%) and approximately half (56.8%) were medical students. The majority of the students (82.3%) were aware of CRC, and 68% thought that CRC is a preventable disease. Regarding colorectal cancer screening tests, only one-third of students (33%) had actual knowledge, while the majority of the students (77.0%) thought that there are tests which help in early detection. Only 4% of the participants had a family history of CRC. The majority of the participants (84%) thought that CRC is a disease that can be cured. Almost 50-60% participants had good awareness level regarding risk factors, and signs and symptoms. Regarding knowledge, participant responses varied for family history (52%), age (59%), chronic infection of the colon (72%), obesity and lack of exercise (66%). More than one-third of the students had received information material regarding CRC from their curriculum followed by social media (20.4%), and nearly 40% from other sources such as TV, hospital and mass media. Female participants had significantly better awareness in a few questions regarding CRC awareness as compared to their male counterparts. There was a significant difference observed between medical and non-medical students (<0.001) in overall score of awareness and knowledge about CRC while no significant difference found in gender-wise comparison. Knowledge and awareness of students about CRC were not up to the mark. Medical students and female students had better knowledge in a few areas, but the overall situation is dismal.

Oral health knowledge of health care workers in special children’s center

PubMed Central

Wyne, Amjad; Hammad, Nouf; Splieth, Christian

2015-01-01

Objective: To determine the oral health knowledge of health care workers in special children’s center. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect following information: demographics, oral hygiene practices, importance of fluoride, dental visits, cause of tooth decay, gingival health, and sources of oral health information. The study was conducted at Riyadh Center for Special Children in Riyadh City from December 2013 to May 2014. Results: All 60 health care workers in the center completed the questionnaire. A great majority (95%) of the workers brushed their teeth twice or more daily. More than two-third (71.7%) of the workers knew that fluoride helps in caries prevention. One in five (21.7%) workers thought that a dental visit only becomes necessary in case of a dental problem. Similarly, 13.3% of the workers thought to “wait till there is some pain in case of a dental cavity” before seeking dental treatment. The workers ranked soft drinks/soda (98.3%), flavored fizzy drinks (60%) and sweetened/flavored milks (43.3%) as top three cariogenic drinks. A great majority (95%) of the workers correctly responded that blood on toothbrush most probably is a sign of “gum disease”. Dentists (50%) and media (45%) were the main source of their oral health information. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in workers’ response in relation to their specific job. Conclusion: The special health care workers in the disabled children’s center generally had satisfactory oral health knowledge and practices. PMID:25878636

Measuring Maladaptive Cognitions in Complicated Grief: Introducing the Typical Beliefs Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Skritskaya, Natalia A.; Mauro, Christine; Olonoff, Matthew; Qiu, Xin; Duncan, Sarah; Wang, Yuanjia; Duan, Naihua; Lebowitz, Barry; Reynolds, Charles F.; Simon, Naomi M.; Zisook, Sidney; Shear, M. Katherine

2016-01-01

Objectives Maladaptive cognitions related to loss are thought to contribute to development of complicated grief and are crucial to address in treatment, but tools available to assess them are limited. This paper introduces the Typical Beliefs Questionnaire (TBQ), a 25-item self-report instrument to assess cognitions that interfere with adaptation to loss. Design Study participants completed an assessment battery during their initial evaluation and again after completing treatment at 20 weeks. Test-retest reliability was assessed on a subsample of the participants who did not show change in complicated grief severity after the first four weeks of treatment. To examine latent structure of the TBQ, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed. Setting Academic medical centers in Boston, New York, Pittsburgh and San Diego from 2010–2014. Participants 394 bereaved adults who met criteria for complicated grief. Measurements The TBQ along with assessments of complicated grief symptoms and related avoidance, depression symptoms, functional impairment, and perceived social support. Results The TBQ exhibited good internal consistency (α= .82) and test-retest reliability (n=105; ICC= .74). EFA indicated a five-factor structure: “Protesting the Death,” “Negative Thoughts About the World,” “Needing the Person,” “Less Grief is Wrong” and “Grieving Too Much.” The total score and all factors showed sensitivity to change with treatment. Conclusions This new tool allows a clinician to quickly and reliably ascertain presence of specific maladaptive cognitions related to complicated grief, and subsequently, to use the information to aid a diagnostic assessment, to structure the treatment, and to measure treatment outcomes. PMID:27793576

Who gives pain relief to children?

PubMed Central

Spedding, R L; Harley, D; Dunn, F J; McKinney, L A

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To compare pre-hospital parental administration of pain relief for children with that of the accident and emergency (A&E) department staff and to ascertain the reason why pre-hospital analgesia is not being given. DESIGN/METHODS: An anonymous prospective questionnaire was given to parents/guardians of children < 17 years. The children were all self referred with head injuries or limb problems including burns. The first part asked for details of pain relief before attendance in the A&E department. The second part of the questionnaire contained a section for the examining doctor and triage nurse to fill in. The duration of the survey was 28 days. RESULTS: Altogether 203 of 276 (74%) of children did not receive pain relief before attendance at the A&E department. Reasons for parents not giving pain relief included 57/203 (28%) who thought that giving painkillers would be harmful; 43/203 (21%) who did not give painkillers because the accident did not happen at home; and 15/203 (7%) who thought analgesia was the responsibility of the hospital. Eighty eight of the 276 (32%) did not have any painkillers, suitable for children, at home. A&E staff administered pain relief in 189/276 (68%). CONCLUSIONS: Parents often do not give their children pain relief before attending the A&E department. Parents think that giving painkillers may be harmful and often do not have simple analgesics at home. Some parents do not perceive that their child is in pain. Parents require education about appropriate pre-hospital pain relief for their children. PMID:10417932

Perceived value of applying Information Communication Technology to implement guidelines in developing countries; an online questionnaire study among public health workers.

PubMed

Machingura, Pasipanodya Ian; Adekola, Olawumi; Mueni, Eunice; Oaiya, Omo; Gustafsson, Lars L; Heller, Richard F

2014-01-01

Practice guidelines can be used to support healthcare decision making. We sought to identify the use, and barriers to the implementation, of electronic based guidelines to support decision-making in maternal and child healthcare (MCH) and the rational use of medicines, in developing countries. Graduates who had gained the Master of Public Health degree through the Peoples-uni (postgraduate public health education in developing countries) were sent an online survey questionnaire which had been piloted. Two reminders were sent to non-respondents at intervals of 10 days. Results were explored using descriptive analyses. 44 of the potential 48 graduates from 16 countries responded - most were from Africa. 82% and 89% of respondents were aware of guidelines on MCH and the rational use of medicines respectively. Electronic guidelines were more available in university hospitals than in provincial hospitals or rural care. All respondents thought that guidelines could improve the delivery of quality care, and 42 (95%) and 41 (93%) respectively thought that computers and mobile or smartphones could increase the use of guidelines in service delivery. Lack of access to computers, need to buy phone credit, need for training in the use of either computerized or phone based guidelines and fear of increased workload were potential barriers to use. There is support for the use of electronic guidelines despite limited availability and barriers to use in developing countries. These findings, and other literature, provide a guide as to how the further development of ICT based guidelines may be implemented to improve health care decision making.

Assessment of motivation to control alcohol use: The motivational thought frequency and state motivation scales for alcohol control.

PubMed

Robinson, Nicole; Kavanagh, David; Connor, Jason; May, Jon; Andrade, Jackie

2016-08-01

The Elaborated Intrusion Theory of Desire holds that desires for functional and dysfunctional goals share a common form. Both are embodied cognitive events, characterised by affective intensity and frequency. Accordingly, we developed scales to measure motivational cognitions for functional goals (Motivational Thought Frequency, MTF; State Motivation, SM), based on the existing Craving Experience Questionnaire (CEQ). When applied to increasing exercise, MTF and SM showed the same three-factor structure as the CEQ (Intensity, Imagery, Availability). The current study tested the internal structure and concurrent validity of the MTF and SM Scales when applied to control of alcohol consumption (MTF-A; SM-A). Participants (N=417) were adult tertiary students, staff or community members who had recently engaged in high-risk drinking or were currently trying to control alcohol consumption. They completed an online survey comprising the MTF-A, SM-A, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ) and demographics. Confirmatory Factor Analysis gave acceptable fit for the MTF-A, but required the loss of one SM-A item, and was improved by intercorrelations of error terms. Higher scores were associated with more severe problems on the AUDIT and with higher Contemplation and Action scores on the RCQ. The MTF-A and SM-A show potential as measures of motivation to control drinking. Future research will examine their predictive validity and sensitivity to change. The scales' application to both increasing functional and decreasing dysfunctional behaviours is consistent with EI Theory's contention that both goal types operate in similar ways. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sweets and fats tasting in patients with anorexia nervosa: the role of the thought-shape fusion cognitive distortion.

PubMed

Monje Moreno, José Manuel; Alvarez Amor, Leticia; Ruiz-Prieto, Inmaculada; Bolaños-Ríos, Patricia; Jáuregui-Lobera, Ignacio

2014-05-01

It has been found that the olfactorygustatory function is altered in patients with eating disorders, with an impairment affecting the perception of olfactory and gustatory stimuli. The aim was to explore the subjective reactivity after the exposure and tasting of foods with different gradient of sweetness and different fats textures. In addition, changes in the thought-shape fusion (TSF) cognitive distortion were assessed after tasting those different presentations as well as the correlations between the initial scores on TSF-Questionnaire (TSF-Q) and the different responses after that tasting. A total of 15 healthy controls and 23 outpatients with anorexia nervosa underwent two sessions of tasting (sweets with different gradient of sweetness and fats with different textures) and they filled several questionnaires (pre- and post-tasting) to measure their responses after tasting. Participants showed less "self-control" after tasting sweets. The score on TSF-Q increased significantly after the sweets tasting in the patients group. Patients had the worst response after tasting presentations with more quantity of glucose (less gradient of sweetness) than after tasting those with more amount of sucrose (much more sweetness). With respect to the fats, patients showed the worst reaction after tasting the most unfamiliar texture. Pre fats tasting TSF-Q scores correlated significantly with all responses in the patients group. Both psychological and biological (e.g. genetic) factors could be involved in the reactions of patients with anorexia nervosa after tasting sweets and fats. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Student perceptions of a spiral curriculum.

PubMed

Coelho, C S; Moles, D R

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was evaluation of constructive alignment of student perceptions to a spiral curriculum, as a pre-requisite to successful learning. A survey was undertaken to evaluate student thoughts and experiences of a spiral curriculum, by participation in an anonymous voluntary questionnaire. Students were asked to rate their thoughts on their understanding, perceived benefit of and confusion with their spiral curriculum at the current time and retrospectively during previous years, and to answer free-text questions on the impact, effects on learning and future suggestions for their spiral curriculum. Sixty (86%) students completed the questionnaire. Understanding the spiral curriculum worked enhanced with time, with the benefit of the spiral curriculum being felt more conclusively in the latter years, and the majority of students not being confused by the spiral curriculum. Those students who were most confused by the spiral curriculum were the ones who were least likely to appreciate its benefits. The opportunity for consolidation of previously visited knowledge was a perceived predominant advantage, with re-visitation of topics helping to deepen understanding and learning. Clarity on the depth of knowledge at each stage prevents information overload. A spiral curriculum must spiral and not be a repetition of previously delivered topics. This study provided insights into students' perceptions of an integrated spiral curriculum, and whilst predominantly positive, there are challenges to enhance the student experience. The spiral curriculum provides an opportunity to revisit and consolidate learning to the apparent benefit of the student. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Consanguineous marriage and reproductive risk: attitudes and understanding of ethnic groups practising consanguinity in Western society.

PubMed

Teeuw, Marieke E; Loukili, Ghariba; Bartels, Edien Ac; ten Kate, Leo P; Cornel, Martina C; Henneman, Lidewij

2014-04-01

Consanguineous couples should be adequately informed about their increased reproductive risk and possibilities for genetic counselling. Information may only be effective if it meets the needs of the target group. This study aimed to gain more insight into: (1) attitudes of people belonging to ethnic groups in Western society towards consanguinity and their understanding of risk for offspring; and (2) their attitudes regarding reproductive information targeted at consanguineous couples. Dutch Moroccans and Turks were invited to complete an online questionnaire by snowball sampling and by placing a link on two popular Dutch Moroccan/Turkish forum websites between September and October 2011. The questionnaire was completed by 201 individuals who were, on average, neither positive nor negative towards consanguinity. Respondents with a consanguineous partner were more positive, estimated the risk for the offspring lower and were less positive about the provision of risk information to consanguineous couples when compared with respondents without a consanguineous partner. Participants of Turkish origin had a more negative attitude towards consanguinity and estimated the reproductive risk higher than Moroccan participants. More than half of the respondents thought that information should be given before marriage, whereas only 10% thought it should never be provided. The general practitioner was most often mentioned (54%) as the designated professional to inform people. Information about genetic risks related to consanguinity should be offered early, preferably before marriage. The diversity of the target population requires various strategies to disseminate information and reach consanguineous couples with the offer of genetic counselling.