A self-control versus a counterconditioning paradigm for systematic desensitization: An experimental comparison.

Compared procedures that follow from the traditional counterconditioning paradigm and a self-control paradigm of systematic desensitization, using 47 test-anxious undergraduates as Ss. As predicted, the self-control procedures were superior to the counterconditioning procedures and control conditions, although only Sarason's Test Anxiety Scale was statistically significant. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A model for predicting the transmission rate of malaria from serological data

A model is developed to estimate the duration for which malaria antibody levels in the blood remain high in a closed population. This estimate can be used to calculate the transmission rate within a region, in conjunction with the serological information contained in the population. The model is used on data obtained from a study of malaria in the Philippines and shows excellent agreement. It is subsequently utilised for predictions and seems to be an appropriate vehicle for this purpose.     

Distractibility, circadian arousal, and aging: A boundary condition?

Two studies assessed the presence of a synchrony effect between peak circadian arousal and time of testing for both older and younger adults. Participants performed a reading aloud task that included distracting words that were either present or absent and, if present, were either thematically related or unrelated to the target text. As well, the distracting material was presented in either spatially predictable or unpredictable locations. In each experiment, older and younger adults were tested at optimal versus nonoptimal times. Both experiments showed age differences in susceptibility to distraction, replicating earlier findings (e.g., M. C. Carlson, et al; see record 1996-00890-001). Neither showed differences due to time of testing, suggesting a boundary condition for cognitive disruptions associated with circadian arousal patterns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of abrasion model differences in heavy ion fragmentation: optical versus geometric models

Using an abrasion-ablation collision model, which includes contributions from frictional-spectator interactions and electromagnetic dissociation, analyses of the sensitivities of predicted fragmentation cross sections to the choice of a particular abrasion formalism are made using both geometric and optical potential abrasion models. Most cross section differences obtained using the two abrasion models are less than the present experimental uncertainties, suggesting that either abrasion model is suitable for estimating isotopic and elemental fragment distributions.     

Violent versus nonviolent couples: A comparison of patterns.

Administered a research questionnaire to 3 groups of married couples (19 violent couples, 7 nonviolent couples in marital therapy, and 24 nonviolent couples not in therapy) to identify characteristics of violent couples. Violent Ss were engaged in counseling for wife battery. Results show that alcohol was the most significant factor operating in violent marriages. Violent couples were also found to have significantly more stereotyped sex-role attitudes, more aggressive and passive behaviors, less marital satisfaction, and a greater degree of dissatisfaction with decision making in the family. Violent couples usually witnessed more violence in their childhood homes. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of the relative risk of vessel injury with conical versus pyramidal laparoscopic trocars in a rabbit model

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the relative risk of vessel injury after use of a 5 mm conical-tipped trocar, a 5 mm pyramidal-tipped trocar, and a 10 mm pyramidal-tipped trocar in a rabbit vessel model. STUDY DESIGN: Plastic templates were placed in front of and behind 108 mesenteric vessels in 11 anesthetized New Zealand White rabbits. Laparoscopic trocars were inserted through the templates and mesentery. The incidence of vessel injury was determined at distances from the vessels ranging from 0 to 5 mm. RESULTS: The 5 mm conical trocar resulted in a vessel injury rate of 88% at 0 mm from the vessel but 0% at 1 or 2 mm. The 5 mm pyramidal trocar resulted in 100%, 88%, and 62% injury rates of 0, 1, and 2 mm from the vessels, respectively. The 10 mm pyramidal trocar resulted in a 100% injury rate at 0, 1, 2, or 3 mm from the vessels and 80% and 40% at 4 mm and 5mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: The relative risk of vessel injury is significantly increased by the use of pyramidal-tipped trocars when compared with conical-tipped trocars, especially if larger diameter trocars are used.     

Behavioral expectation scales versus summated scales: A fairer comparison.

Compared the psychometric qualities of ratings from behavioral expectation scales (BES) to the qualities of ratings from 2 types of summated scales. 154 university students each rated 1 of 15 instructors using the 3 scales. The 1st set of summated scales was comprised of components of the dimension definitions generated in the BES procedure, and the 2nd set of scales was comprised of the behavioral expectation items that had survived all phases of the BES procedure. No significant differences were found between the 3 formats on interrater reliability, leniency error, halo effect, or discrimination across ratees. Results are discussed in terms of the general improvement of BES psychometric properties and the need for more research on behavioral and organizational effects of BES. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rational-emotive therapy versus systematic desensitization: A comment on Moleski and Tosi.

States that the results of R. Moleski and D. J. Tosi's (see record 1977-01710-001) study, purporting the superiority of rational-emotive therapy over systematic desensitization in the treatment of stuttering, can largely be explained by chance sample fluctuation alone. It is argued that their expected error rate is unacceptably high because of their questionable ANOVA design and use of an alpha level of .10. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Animal model for the study of methanol toxicity: comparison of folate-reduced rat responses with published monkey data

The postpartum period is an ideal time to begin contraception, as women are more highly motivated to adopt contraception at this time and it is convenient for both patients and service providers. For intrauterine device (IUD) contraception, this period offers other advantages, such as ease of insertion and minimal adverse impacts on breastfeeding. Among early studies, most postpartum insertions were performed anywhere from a few hours to seven days or more after delivery, and retention of the IUD in the uterus was poor. Since the 1970s, immediate postplacental insertion (IPPI), i.e., IUD insertion performed within 10 minutes after placental delivery, has been advocated, and fairly, low expulsion rates have been reported. Up to now, IPPI has not been widely accepted in clinics because its expulsion rate still appears to be higher than that of interval insertion. In order to further study IPPI and perfect this contraceptive technique, it is essential to comprehensively review IPPI results and compare the Chinese experience with that of the rest of the world.     

Meta-analysis of correlation coefficients: A Monte Carlo comparison of fixed- and random-effects methods.

The efficacy of the Hedges and colleagues, Rosenthal-Rubin, and Hunter-Schmidt methods for combining correlation coefficients was tested for cases in which population effect sizes were both fixed and variable. After a brief tutorial on these meta-analytic methods, the author presents 2 Monte Carlo simulations that compare these methods for cases in which the number of studies in the meta-analysis and the average sample size of studies were varied. In the fixed case the methods produced comparable estimates of the average effect size; however, the Hunter-Schmidt method failed to control the Type I error rate for the associated significance tests. In the variable case, for both the Hedges and colleagues and Hunter-Schmidt methods, Type I error rates were not controlled for meta-analyses including 15 or fewer studies and the probability of detecting small effects was less than .3. Some practical recommendations are made about the use of meta-analysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Small sample longitudinal clinical trial with missing data: A comparison of analytic methods.

The statistical power of 6 analytic methods was compared: t test and Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test on mean least squares regression slopes estimated for each participant, t test and Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test on pre-post differences, least squares multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance (MANOVA), and unbalanced repeated measures (URM) model with a 1st-order autoregressive covariance structure using restricted maximum-likelihood estimation. Factors included effect size, attrition pattern, sample size, and visit-to-visit correlation levels under sample size and dropout rates common to drug abuse treatment trials. In addition to its known effects of increasing N and effect size, the classic MANOVA approach was not as powerful as the other methods. Both t tests on pre-post change and the URM model performed well, and the results of using individual slope estimates as a summary statistic under an intent-to-treat model were surprisingly poor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job enrichment versus social cues: A comparison and competitive test.

41 part-time student employees were randomly assigned in a 2–2 factorial design (2 types of social cues and 2 levels of job enrichment) to investigate the effects of the independent variables on perceptions of job enrichment, job ambiguity, job satisfaction, and productivity. All Ss worked in a simulated organizational setting involving a routine clerical task. Results show that both the cues given by co-workers as well as the physical properties of the task had an effect on employee perceptions of job enrichment and job ambiguity. In addition, Ss receiving positive social cues from co-workers were more satisfied and more productive than Ss receiving negative social cues from co-workers. Results are discussed in terms of their relevance for current theories of job motivation. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)