Resisting tempting foods and smoking behavior: Implications from a self-control theory perspective.

Objective: Individuals may desire to diet or restrain from eating certain foods while attempting to quit smoking out of concern for weight gain. However, previous research and clinical tobacco treatment guidelines suggest that concurrent dieting may undermine attempts to quit smoking. The current study applied the self-control strength model, which posits that self-regulation relies on a limited strength that is consumed with use, to test whether resisting tempting sweets would lead to a greater likelihood of subsequent smoking. Design: Participants were 101 cigarette smokers randomly assigned to resist eating either from a tempting plate of sweets or from a plate of less tempting vegetables. All participants were then given a 10-min recess. Main Outcome Measures: Whether participants smoked during the break, measured with a breath carbon monoxide sample, served as the primary dependent variable. Results: As predicted, participants who resisted sweets were more likely to smoke during the break (53.2%) than those who resisted vegetables (34.0%), χ2(1, N = 101) = 3.65 p     

The future of psychotherapy: A Delphi poll.

Predicted psychotherapy trends in the next decade by using the Delphi poll. 36 therapists and researchers completed a 100-item questionnaire assessing possible changes in therapeutic interventions, psychotherapists, therapy modalities, theoretical orientations, research findings, and professional issues. Results indicate that therapy will become more cognitive behavioral, present centered, problem specific, and briefer; cathartic, aversive, and dynamic approaches are expected to decrease. Family and marital therapy are predicted to markedly increase; long-term individual modalities are expected to markedly decrease. Optimistic forecasts include an increase in women and minority therapists, accelerated services to underserved populations, coverage under national health insurance, and standard implementation of peer review. One emerging pattern suggests that psychotherapists' efforts at change will become more similar to self-change processes that are used by people in their natural environment. The impermanent nature of psychotherapy and the deleterious consequences of this impermanent condition are discussed. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correlates of physical activity in a national sample of girls and boys in Grades 4 through 12.

Psychological, biological, social, and physical environmental variables were examined for their association with physical activity of young people. A national sample of 1,504 parents and children in Grades 4–12 were interviewed by telephone. Twenty-two potential determinants were assessed along with an 11-item child physical activity index (α?=?.76). Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted separately for 6 age–sex subgroups. Percentage of variance explained ranged from 18% for boys in Grades 4–6 to 59% for girls in Grades 10–12. Three variables had strong and consistent associations with the child physical activity index that generalized across subgroups: use of afternoon time for sports and physical activity, enjoyment of physical education, and family support for physical activity. These 3 variables should be targeted for change to promote physical activity in all groups of young people. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Single Versus Multiple Health Behavior Change: Promoting Physical Activity and Nutrition Among Adolescents.

Targeting multiple behaviors for change may provide significant health benefits. This study compared interventions targeting physical activity and nutrition (PAN) concurrently versus physical activity (PA) alone. Adolescents (N=138) were randomized to the PAN or PA intervention or control condition (n=46 per group). Primary outcomes were change in PA accelerometer and 3-day dietary recording from baseline to 3-month follow-up. The PAN and PA interventions were efficacious in supporting boys' (p     

Basic principles of thermal degradation and thermal stabilization of poly(vinyl chloride). Synergism of stabilizer action

Changes in the quantities of active stabilizing components during thermal aging of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) containing a mixture of calcium and zinc stearates were analyzed. A mathematical model of the stabilization process by using the stabilizer mixture and a computer program for analyzing the process of PVC thermal degradation after the beginning of HCl evolution are given.     

Measuring processes of change: Applications to the cessation of smoking.

Subjects (N?=?970) representing five stages of smoking cessation (precontemplation, contemplation, action, maintenance, and relapse) were given a 65-item test measuring 10 basic processes of change. Subjects recorded the last time they quit smoking, their current use, the frequency of occurrence, and the degree of item helpfulness. A 40-item questionnaire provided highly reliable measures of 10 processes of change, labeled (a) consciousness raising, (b) dramatic relief, (c) self-liberation, (d) social liberation, (e) counterconditioning, (f) stimulus control, (g) self-reevaluation, (h) environmental reevaluation, (i) reinforcement management, and (j) helping relationship. In a confirmatory analysis, 770 subjects were assessed 6 months later. The analysis both confirmed the 10-process model and revealed two secondary factors, Experiential and Behavioral, which were composed of 5 processes each and reflected how individuals in particular stages use more than 1 process at a time. The transtheoretical model of change and available external validity evidence are reviewed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Basic principles of thermal degradation and thermal stabilization of poly(vinyl chloride). Mathematical model of the action of PVC thermal stabilizers

A model of the action of chemically homogeneous thermal stabilizers of poly(vinyl chloride) is shown. Based on the described computer program and experimental data, the proposed model is confirmed and rate constants of the reaction of stabilizers with HCI and the effect of the products of this reaction on the kinetics of PVC degradation are calculated.     

Computer-based smoking cessation interventions in adolescents: description, feasibility, and six-month follow-up findings

The impact of adolescent smoking cessation clinics has been disappointing due to low participation rates, high attrition, and low quit rates. This paper describes two computerized self-help adolescent smoking cessation intervention programs: 1) a program utilizing the expert system which is based on the transtheoretical model of change and 2) a popular action-oriented smoking cessation clinic program for teens which was modified for computer presentation. High participation rates in the program among 132 smokers demonstrate the high feasibility and acceptability of the programs. Quit rates of up to 20% were observed during the intervention, and an additional 30% made unsuccessful quit attempt(s). The 6-month follow-up findings indicated that adolescents were poorly prepared to maintain abstinence.     

汽车应用中的磁阻传感器磁阻传感器系统的建模和仿真

磁阻效应支持汽车内的多种传感器应用。磁阻传感器主要用来测量机械系统的速度和角度。这样,磁阻传感器就成为电气元件、磁性元件和机械元件所组成的复杂系统的一部分。因为所有元件都会影响系统的反应,所以在规划系统及其操作时要非常重视对整个系统的仿真。下面重点讨论这种系统的建模和仿真。     

Older versus younger treatment-seeking smokers: differences in smoking behavior, drug and alcohol use, and psychosocial and physical functioning

Quitting smoking benefits older individuals, yet few recent studies have described older smokers. The goal of this paper was to test a series of hypotheses about differences between smokers aged 50 years or older (50+) and those younger than age 50 (<50) presenting to the same treatment facility during 2002-2004 for participation in two randomized clinical trials: one exclusively for smokers aged 50+, and a second open to smokers aged 18 or older. As predicted, smokers aged 50+ were more tobacco dependent, had better psychological functioning, and had poorer physical functioning than those aged <50. Contrary to predictions, we found no differences in motivation to quit cigarette smoking or in alcohol use. Women aged 50+ were less likely to report marijuana use than women aged <50, and less likely than men to receive a positive diagnosis for alcohol abuse. Despite higher scores on measures of tobacco dependence, older smokers were less likely to be diagnosed as tobacco dependent or as having tobacco withdrawal using DSM-IV criteria. Rates of DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence were high in both age groups but were higher for smokers aged <50. We found no striking differences between studies in reasons for exclusion, but in both the proportion of individuals excluded due to current antidepressant use was high. Implications for the assessment and treatment of older adults are discussed.