Attitudes of management undergraduates toward persons with disabilities: A need for change.

Objective: To examine attitudes toward persons with disabilities of management undergraduates who will be the next generation of professionals and managers hiring and working with employees or clients with disabilities. Participants: A convenience sample of 231 volunteer management undergraduates (129 men and 102 women) ranging in age from 19 to 51 years (M?=?22.89, SD?=?4.43) from 7 human resource management and organizational behavior management classes in a small western Canadian university. Main Outcome Measures: L. Gething's (1991) Interaction With Disabled Persons Scale (IDP) along with openended questions and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (D. P. Crowne & D. Marlowe, 1960). Results: This Canadian sample expressed a complex set of positive and negative attitudes toward persons with disabilities. Conclusions: There is a need to sensitize management undergraduates to issues regarding employment of people with disabilities. Recommendations are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes toward instructors, social desirability, and behavioral intentions.

Examined whether student attitude toward instructors was related to subsequent behavior, such as the behavioral intention to take further courses with that instructor, and whether social desirability affected this relationship. 158 undergraduates completed instructor ratings, and a short form of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Principal components analysis and varimax rotation isolated 6 instructor rating factors. Ss also participated in a mock preregistration procedure assessing their intention to reregister for the same or different instructors. Results indicate that the 1st instructor rating factor, Instructor Skill, correlated .72 with intention to take further courses with that instructor. No other relationships or interactions were significant. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health professionals' attitudes toward confidentiality, privilege, and third-party disclosure.

Describes a questionnaire survey of 64 mental health professionals in North Dakota examining their knowledge of and attitudes toward 3 important ethical-legal issues: confidentiality, privilege, and disclosure of information to 3rd parties. Results demonstrate agreement on the importance of confidentiality in the therapeutic relationship. With regard to privilege, a wider range of variance among respondents suggests that the ramifications of privilege statutes (as well as those professions included or not included) are blurred among mental health professions. Results also suggest the need for clients to be informed about the conditions under which exceptions to the general principle of confidentiality will occur. An appendix of means, standard deviations, and frequency tabulations of the questionnaire items is included. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes toward sex, arousal, and the retention of contraceptive information.

Previous research has suggested that woman with a negative emotional orientation toward sexuality (i.e., erotophobia) have difficulty learning and retaining sexually relevant material such as contraceptive information. It has been hypothesized that these women become aroused by this material and that this arousal interferes with their ability to learn it. The importance of this issue led us to conduct the current study. Erotophobic and erotophilic women viewed presentations about contraception while their physiological responses were being monitored. In addition, they were tested on the information contained in the presentation before, immediately after, and again 4–6 wks after the presentation. Results indicate that the erotophobic women knew less contraceptive information before the presentation and were more aroused by the presentation. This arousal, however, did not interfere with retention of the material. Results are discussed in terms of individual differences in reactions to sexual material and the ability to learn, retain, and use contraceptive information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes toward authority of delinquent and non-delinquent boys.

A picture projective test designed to measure attitudes toward authority incorporating two levels each of three variables, male and female authority figures, high and low power authority figures, and high and low threat situations, was administered to 20 delinquent and 20 non-delinquent boys of age 10-12. The hypothesis that there are differences in attitudes of delinquents and non-delinquents toward authority was not supported. Results indicated significantly greater expressed hostility of both groups toward female authority figures than to male authority figures. Responses to different levels of threat and power varied significantly from individual to individual. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Diabetes care for Medicare beneficiaries. Attitudes and behaviors of primary care physicians

OBJECTIVE: To obtain information related to primary care physician (PCP) attitudes, knowledge, and practice patterns, as well as perceptions about barriers to care and the use of materials to assist in the delivery of diabetes care for elderly patients in the office setting. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A survey was mailed to a random sample (n = 900) of PCPs (internal medicine, family practice, and general practice physicians and endocrinologists) from the states of Alabama, Iowa, and Maryland who met selection criteria and provided diabetes care to > or = 25 Medicare beneficiaries during calendar year 1993. RESULTS: Respondents provided self-reported information regarding diabetes care for elderly patients. PCP respondents (n = 370) considered blood glucose control to be the most important treatment goal. Most respondents (92%) considered acceptable GHb values to be those < 8%. Blood pressure measurement and foot inspections for the detection of ulcers and infection were the most commonly reported routine procedures performed as part of an office visit. Laboratory tests reported to be frequently ordered included GHb, serum creatinine, and proteinuria tests. Patient nonadherence to the treatment regimen was reported to be the most common barrier to care. The majority of respondents reported using two treatment aids in caring for patients with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide some evidence that PCP self-reported attitudes, knowledge, and practice patterns in delivering diabetes care for elderly patients in the office setting more closely reflect current recommended practice than reported in previous physician surveys. Opportunities for improvement still exist.     

Knowledge and attitudes of health-care providers toward cancer pain management: a comparison of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in the state of New Hampshire

The knowledge and attitudes toward cancer pain management of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in the state of New Hampshire were examined through the use of a statewide survey. Many of the providers who completed the survey, and thus indicated that they treated patients with cancer pain on a regular basis, were not pain or oncology specialists. Most of these providers were quite well informed about the fundamentals of cancer pain management. Approximately 90% of providers in all three groups were not concerned about addiction among cancer patients. Yet, there was a small percentage of providers who responded in less than optimal ways to items dealing with opioid pharmacology, pain assessment, and the importance of pain relief. Comparison of responses among provider groups indicated that nurses were the most knowledgeable and pharmacists the least knowledgeable about pain assessment. Physicians were the most knowledgeable regarding opioid pharmacology but seemed the least committed to providing optimal pain relief. Further analysis identified a small group of physicians that included a disproportionately high percentage of family practitioners and surgeons who consistently responded in less than optimal ways to items dealing with the importance of pain relief. The results of this study indicate a continuing need for broad-based educational programs in cancer pain management and for new initiatives focused on practitioners who see relatively few cancer patients and may have difficulty accessing traditional educational programs.     

Attitudes of schizophrenics and normals toward success and failure.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that schizophrenics, as compared with normals, are relatively more highly motivated to avoid failure than to achieve success. A total of 291 Ss, including 136 hospitalized male schizophrenics, 103 normals, and--as a contrast group--52 neurotics, were administered the Success-Failure Inventory (SFI), a 22-item True-False instrument designed to assess attitudes toward success attainment and failure avoidance. As predicted, the schizophrenic samples manifested greater relative failure avoidance than the normals. Further, active schizophrenics evidenced greater relative failure avoidance than did remitted schizophrenics. Remitted schizophrenics and neurotics were not significantly different. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes of professional appraisers toward aesthetics and appraisal activities.

An information questionnaire and Likert-type scales were sent to 100 industrial and 512 nonindustrial real estate appraisers to measure attitudes toward the influence of esthetic factors in realty appraisal. Results indicate 2 relatively unrelated but approximately equally important attitudes: (a) concern of the appraiser for the intended users or use of the property (public vs. private concern or individuals, and recreational vs. business, etc.); and (b) concern for such programs as urban renewal, highway beautification, city planning, and modern architectural trends. Results suggest that appraisers are relatively positive in their attitudes, and feel that more weight should be given esthetics in appraisal than is being given or than they personally give. These attitudes were related to age of appraiser and the size of the city from which he operated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Knowledge, moral praise, and moral side effects.

Thomas Nadelhoffer (2004) claims that a morally praiseworthy agent cannot knowingly produce a morally positive side effect. I claim that the argument Nadelhoffer uses to establish this claim has two false premises. The two false premises are: (1) If something is a side effect, then it is not desired or intended; and (2) If agent S is morally praiseworthy and knows that her performing p will produce a morally positive q, then q forms part of S's reason for p-ing. I offer a counterexample that shows the falsity of (1) and (2). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes of psychotherapists toward the 1970 APA standards for psychotherapy training.

518 members of the American Psychological Association, Division 29, were sent a questionnaire asking them to review each of the recommendations of the Psychotherapy Curriculum and Consultation Committee on Psychotherapy Training. Recommendations were evaluated along 3 dimensions: (a) the extent to which these recommendations were present in doctoral training, (b) the extent to which the recommendations were considered to facilitate therapeutic competence, and (c) whether the respondents would include the recommendations in an ideal psychotherapy training program. Half of the Ss indicated that the recommendations were prevalent in their training. A majority found that the recommendations facilitated competence and would include them in ideal training. An important implication of the study is that even though all the recommendations are not prevalent in clinical psychology graduate programs, Ss think they ought to be. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Degree of client disclosure as a function of past disclosure, counselor disclosure, and counselor facilitativeness.

Examined the relationship between a client's past disclosure rate, specific situational variables, and client disclosure rate in counseling. College students receiving individual counseling services (36 male and 64 female) served as Ss. Each S received 2 questionnaires that contained 3 forms of the Jourard Self-Disclosure Questionnaire and a revised form of the Relationship Questionnaire. Results do not provide total support for any 1 theory of self-disclosure in counseling. A client's past tendency to self-disclose was significantly related to present tendency to self-disclose in the counseling relationship; however, present disclosure rate was also strongly related to certain situational variables, including client perception of counselor self-disclosure and counselor facilitativeness. The relationship between client perception of counselor facilitativeness and client perception of both client and counselor self-disclosure appears to occur through the client's perception of the counselor as warm and empathic, not through perception of the counselor as genuine. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes toward rape: A comparative analysis of police, rapists, crisis counselors, and citizens.

This study was designed to (a) examine the dimensionality of rape attitudes; (b) explore the relationships between perceptions of rape and background characteristics of rapists, police, female rape crisis counselors, and citizens; and (c) determine how these groups might differ with regard to rape attitudes. Data were collected from 1,448 Ss from the aforementioned groups using measures of Ss' attitudes toward and knowledge of rape, the Attitudes Toward Women Scale, and a personal data form. Results show that the groups were similar in their structures of rape attitudes. As predicted, sex, race, and marital status were the most important characteristics for predicting rape attitudes; within the respondent groups, however, other characteristics were found to be important. Significant differences were also found among the groups in their perceptions of rape. The counselors differed from the police, citizens, and rapists in their views of rape, while citizens and police were most similar. No differences were found between the police and rapists on half of the attitudinal dimensions. Implications of the results are discussed in terms of attitudes toward rape. (82 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Skills training for drug abusers: Generalization, maintenance, and effects on drug use.

This study reports on the follow-up data for the treatment of drug abuse by J. D. Hawkins et al (see record 1987-08465-001). In the original study, 130 clients in the reentry phase of residential drug treatment programs were randomly assigned to a control group (n?=?60) or to a 10-week supplemental behavioral skills training course (n?=?70). Eighty-two percent of the sample was male, and 75% was White. Subjects' ages ranged from 15 to 55 years, though the majority (71%) were in their twenties. A role-play test assessing skill levels was administered as a pretest, following the 10-week skill training course, and again at 6 and 12 months as follow-ups. Although skills decayed slightly over time, the skill levels of experimental subjects were higher than the control group 12 months after training. Generalization of skills to role-play situations for which no training had been received was also found. However, with the exceptions of marijuana and amphetamine use, skill training did not affect drug use after treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes of internship directors toward preinternship training and clinical training models.

A survey of 179 internship directors revealed considerable dissatisfaction concerning university preparation in clinical skills. Interns are seen by many as not well prepared in assessment or psychotherapeutic activities, and university training in these areas frequently failed to improve over 3 yrs. Nevertheless, there was little sentiment to abandon the scientist/practitioner training model in favor of either university-based PsyD programs or free-standing professional schools. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes toward career counseling: The role of public and self-stigma.

Although many students struggle with career-related issues in college, comparatively few engage the career services offered by their academic institutions for help with their difficulties. In addition, there is little research on the factors influencing students’ decisions to engage in counseling for career-related issues, making it difficult to develop programs to enhance students’ use of career counseling services. The present study examines the relationships between the stigma associated with help seeking and attitudes toward engaging in career counseling. Participants were 509 college students who completed measures of stigma and attitudes toward career counseling. Structural equation modeling results indicated that public and personal stigmas were linked to self-stigma, which in turn was linked to attitudes toward seeking career counseling. Sixty percent of the variance in self-stigma and 42% of the variance in attitudes was accounted for in the model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes toward retarded children: Effects of labeling and behavioral aggressiveness.

Examined effects of the label "mentally retarded" on attitudes of peers among 48 3rd graders. Half of the Ss were shown a videotape of an actor displaying acting-out behavior, while the remaining half were shown a videotape with the same actor engaging in passive behavior. Half of the Ss in each of these 2 groups were told that the actor was a 5th grader, and the other half were told that he was a mentally retarded boy in a special class. Analysis of variance results revealed a significant interaction between label and behavior, which indicated that Ss responded more negatively to the "mentally retarded" actor who displayed acting-out behavior than to the same actor who exhibited identical behavior but was not labeled. It is concluded that labels should be considered only as they interact with specific behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)