A comparison between behavioral replication training and sensitivity training approaches to heterosexual dating anxiety.

Compared a behavioral replication program and a sensitivity training program with regard to treatment efficiency for heterosexual dating anxiety in 29 undergraduates. No significant differences were found between the 2 programs on measures of general social anxiety (e.g., State-Trait Anxiety Inventory A-State scale). However, the behavioral program demonstrated, in general, a significant treatment efficiency on more specific measures of heterosexual dating anxiety, including both behavioral ratings and self-report responses to a simulated dating interaction and a measure of transfer. "Tailoring" of treatment programs to the specific target problems of the treatment population and the inclusion of procedures to promote transfer are suggested. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A further investigation of the filled-duration illusion with a comparison between children and adults.

This study investigated the filled duration illusion in children in comparison to adults, using a temporal bisection task with two ranges of anchor durations (1 vs. 4s and 2 vs. 8s). The results revealed a marked filled duration effect when filled and empty durations were presented in the same session (within-subjects condition), with the filled durations being judged to be longer than the empty durations in all age groups. However, the magnitude of this effect appeared to be larger in the children than in the adults. Furthermore, the filled duration effect decreased with the longest duration stimuli, and apparent reversals of this effect were observed with the empty durations being judged longer. In the between-subjects experiment, the filled duration effect disappeared in all age groups. However, in the children, the variability in the temporal judgment appeared to be greater for the empty than for the filled durations, thus indicating a lower sensitivity to empty durations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between serum IgE and airway responsiveness in adults with asthma

BACKGROUND: General population studies have shown a relationship between total serum IgE levels and airway responsiveness, but this association has not been documented in patients with asthma. OBJECTIVE: The study assesses the cross-sectional relationship between IgE levels and airway responsiveness in 208 subjects who had had emergency department treatment for asthma at least 2 years earlier. METHODS: All participants completed a standardized respiratory questionnaire and underwent spirometry, allergy skin testing, and a dose-response methacholine challenge test. RESULTS: After adjusting for age and gender, the percentage of patients with asthma and airway responsiveness (provocative concentration causing a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 second [PC20] < or = 8 mg/ml) increased from 52% in the lower quintile of IgE to 72% in the upper quintile (p < 0.01). After adjusting for age, gender, baseline percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and smoking, the association between IgE (both in quintiles and continuous) and PC20 appeared consistent and statistically significant (p < 0.01). This association was stronger in patients who were not given inhaled steroid (odds ratio for twice the concentration of IgE, 1.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 and 1.84), than in patients treated with inhaled steroid (odds ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.82 and 1.50). Eosinophilia and skin reactivity were associated with PC20 although to a lesser extent. CONCLUSION: These findings strengthen the role played by IgE in facilitating the development of bronchial responsiveness in patients with asthma.     

Pathways between physical activity and quality of life in adults with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: This prospective study examined symptoms of depression, fatigue, pain, self-efficacy, and social support as possible intermediaries in the pathway between changes in physical activity and quality of life (QOL) across a 6-month period in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Design and Main Outcome Measures: Adults with a definite diagnosis of MS wore an accelerometer for 7 days and then completed a battery of questionnaires at baseline (n = 292) and 6-months follow-up (n = 276). The data were analyzed using panel analysis and covariance modeling in Mplus 3.0. Results: The initial analysis indicated that change in physical activity was associated with a statistically significant and small residual change in QOL (β = .07). The subsequent analysis indicated that change in physical activity was associated with residual changes in fatigue (γ = ?.17), pain (γ = ?.13), social support (γ = .07), and self-efficacy (γ = .11), and, in turn, changes in fatigue (β = ?.13), pain (β = ?.09), social support (β = .18), and self-efficacy (β = .10) were associated with a residual change in QOL. Conclusion: The observed pattern of relationships supports the possibility that physical activity is indirectly associated with improved QOL through pathways that include fatigue, pain, social support, and self-efficacy in individuals with MS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationships between physical exercise and cognitive abilities in older adults.

We investigated relationship between physical exercise and the cognitive abilities of older adults. We hypothesized that the performance of vigorous exercisers would be superior to that of sedentary individuals on measures of reasoning, working memory, and reaction time (RT). We gave a series of cognitive tasks to 62 older men and women who exercised vigorously and 62 sedentary men and women. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance (ANOVAs), with age and education as covariates, indicated that the performance of the exercisers was significantly better on measures of reasoning, working memory, and RT. Between-group differences persisted when vocabulary, on which the performance of exercisers was superior, was used as third covariate. Subsequent analyses showed that neither self-rated health, medical conditions, nor medications contributed to the differences between exercise groups. Results suggest that the possible contribution of physical exercise to individual differences in cognition among older adults should be further investigated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of rater training programs: Error training and accuracy training.

108 undergraduates were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 experimental groups to rate videotaped performances of several managers talking with a problem subordinate. The research employed a single-factor experimental design in which rater error training (RET), rater accuracy training (RAT), rating error and accuracy training (RET/RAT), and no training were compared for 2 rating errors (halo and leniency) and accuracy of performance evaluations. Differences in program effectiveness for various performance dimensions were also assessed. Results show that RAT yielded the most accurate ratings and no-training the least accurate ratings. The presence of error training (RET or RET/RAT) was associated with reduced halo, but the presence of accuracy training (RAT or RET/RAT) was associated with less leniency. Dimensions?×?Training interactions revealed that training was not uniformly effective across the rating dimensions. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mentoring in the context of a training programme for young unemployed adults with physical disability

We describe a modified method for antegrade placement of periurethral collagen in incontinent men. In this technique, a flexible cystoscope is used to guide the placement of a specially designed needle into the bladder neck and external sphincter region via an antegrade transvesical approach. The 19-gauge, 28-cm long needle is passed suprapubically without a sheath. The procedure may be performed with local anesthesia and intravenous sedation only and takes less than 30 minutes.     

Behavioral interventions in asthma. Breathing training

Breathing exercises are frequently recommended as an adjunctive treatment for asthma. A review of the current literature found little that is systematic documenting the benefits of these techniques in asthma patients. The physiological rationale of abdominal breathing in asthma is not clear, and adverse effects have been reported in chronic obstructive states. Theoretical analysis and empirical observations suggest positive effects of pursed-lip breathing and nasal breathing but clinical evidence is lacking. Modification of breathing patterns alone does not yield any significant benefit. There is limited evidence that inspiratory muscle training and hypoventilation training can help reduce medication consumption, in particular beta-adrenergic inhaler use. Breathing exercises do not seem to have any substantial effect on parameters of basal lung function. Additional research is needed on the psychological and physiological mechanisms of individual breathing techniques in asthma, differential effects in subgroups of asthma patients, and the generalization of training effects on daily life.     

Encoding and memory for visible speech and gestures: A comparison between young and older adults.

Two experiments explored whether older adults have developed a strategy of compensating for slower speeds of language processing and hearing loss by relying more on the visual modality. Experiment 1 examined the influence of visual articulatory movements of the face (visible speech) in auditory–visual syllable classification in young adults and older adults. Older adults showed a significantly greater influence of visible speech. Experiment 2 examined immediate recall in three spoken-language sentence conditions: speech alone, with visible speech, or with both visible speech and iconic gestures. Sentences also varied in meaningfulness and speech rate. In the old adult group, recall was better for sentences containing visible speech compared with the speech-alone sentences in the meaningful sentence condition. Old adults' recall showed no overall benefit of the presence of gestures. Young adults' recall on meaningful sentences was not higher for the visible speech compared with the speech-alone condition, whereas recall was significantly higher with the addition of iconic gestures. In the anomalous sentence condition, both young and old adults showed an advantage in recall by the presence of visible speech.… (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous anxiety management training.

Compared the effectiveness of treating 31 test anxious (Achievement Anxiety Scale) and 25 speech anxious (Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker) undergraduates in anxiety management training (AMT) groups composed of only test-anxious or speech-anxious Ss (homogeneous AMT) or a mixture of both (heterogeneous AMT). For test-anxious Ss, both forms of AMT significantly reduced state and trait test anxiety compared with controls, these gains were maintained, and Ss had higher psychology grades. Follow-up assessment evidenced nontargeted anxiety reduction for both forms of AMT, but showed that homogeneous AMT Ss reported less anxiety on the Fear Inventory than either heterogeneous AMT or control Ss. For speech-anxious Ss, heterogeneous AMT lowered speech anxiety significantly more and was the only condition to show any evidence of nontargeted anxiety reduction for Ss. Results are discussed in terms of immediate, efficient delivery of anxiety reduction services to a wide range of clients. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of regular with intermittent bronchodilators in asthma patients on inhaled steroids

A 73 year old lady developed abdominal pain, anaemia and obstructive jaundice 18 days after a road traffic accident. The jaundice was due to compression of the biliary confluence by a haematoma which was caused by a laceration of the left portal vein. The portal vein was repaired (lateral venorrhaphy) and post-operative recovery was uncomplicated. Porta hepatis injuries are difficult to diagnose and delayed presentation is not uncommon. Significant morbidity and mortality may ensue if aggressive management is not adopted.     

Advancing videotape parent training: A comparison study.

This study examines the specific effects of adding a broader based, videotape treatment component (ADVANCE) to a basic videotape parent skills training program (GDVM). ADVANCE treatment trains parents to cope with interpersonal distress through improved communication, problem solving, and self-control skills. 78 families with a child diagnosed as oppositional-defiant or conduct-disordered were randomly assigned to either GDVM alone or GDVM plus ADVANCE. Parent reports of child adjustment and parent distress, assessment of child's knowledge of social skills, as well as independent observations of mother– and father–child interactions and communication and of problem solving between parents were obtained at pre- and post-GDVM and at post-ADVANCE. Both groups significantly improved at short-term follow-up. ADVANCE produced additional significant improvements in parents' communication, problem-solving skills, and consumer satisfaction, as well as children's increased knowledge of prosocial solutions. The clinical significance of these findings is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of higher order auditory processes in younger and older adults.

The authors conducted 3 experiments investigating the effects of aging on higher order auditory processes. They compared younger and older adults with respect to (a) their auditory channel capacity, (b) the extent of their top-down control over auditory gain, and (c) their ability to focus attention on a narrow band of frequencies. To ensure that subclinical cochlear processing deficits in older adults (e.g., higher thresholds, poorer discrimination of frequency and intensity differences) did not limit performance, the authors used only stimuli that were perfectly discriminable by all participants. No age differences were found in any of these experiments, suggesting that some higher order auditory processes (e.g., top-down control over auditory gain, auditory attention) are preserved in normal aging, despite numerous age-related declines in peripheral auditory functionality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job interview training with rehabilitation clients: A comparison of videotape and role-playing procedures.

Randomly assigned 19 clients at a rehabilitation center to 1 of 3 treatments designed to improve job interview behavior. Judges' ratings indicated that Ss in a videotape-feedback condition and those in a role-playing condition improved significantly more than those in an attention-placebo control group, but that the 2 experimental groups did not differ from each other. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison between emergency diagnostic and treatment unit and inpatient care in the management of acute asthma

BACKGROUND: Emergency diagnostic and treatment units (EDTUs) may provide an alternative to hospitalization for patients with reversible diseases, such as asthma, who fail to adequately respond to emergency department therapy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the medical and cost-effectiveness, patient satisfaction, and quality of life of patients receiving EDTU care for acute asthma compared with inpatient care. METHODS: A prospective, randomized clinical trial performed at 2 urban public hospitals enrolled patients with acute asthma (age range, 18-55 years) not meeting discharge criteria after 3 hours of emergency department therapy. Patients were treated with inhaled adrenergic agonists and steroids in an EDTU for up to 9 hours after randomization or with routine therapy in a hospital ward. Patients were followed up for 8 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Discharge rate from the EDTU, length of stay, relapse rates, days missed from work or school, days incapacitated during waking hours, symptom-free days and nights, nocturnal awakenings, direct medical costs, patients satisfaction, and patient quality of life. RESULTS: The study consisted of 222 patients with asthma. Sixty-five patients (59%) treated in an EDTU were discharged home; the remainder were admitted to the hospital. There were no differences during the follow-up period in relapse rates (P = .74) or in any other morbidities between the EDTU and inpatient groups. There were significant differences in the length of stay, patient satisfaction, and quality of life favoring EDTU care. The mean (+/-SD) cost per patient in the EDTU group was $1202.79 +/- $1343.96, compared with $2247.32 +/- $1110.18 for the control group (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of selected patients with asthma in an EDTU results in the safe discharge of most such patients. This study suggests that quality gains and cost-effective measures can be achieved by the use of such units.     

A comparison of the effects of training and secondary tasks on tracking behavior.

In attempting to estimate what kind of a mechanism would best replace the human operator in a man-machine system, 6 sailors operated radar sets while their performance was studied by electronic computers (analog). The effects of training and secondary scores were studied in terms of errors. The type of mechanism it would take to replace the man depended upon the level of training the man had received. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A cross-cultural comparison of personality in adults and children: Singapore and England.

493 men (mean age 28.24 yrs) and 501 women (mean age 26.65 yrs) in Singapore completed the adult Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Similarly, 250 Singapore boys (mean age 13.14 yrs) and 508 girls (mean age 13.28 yrs) completed the Junior EPQ. Correlations between items were calculated for men and women, boys and girls separately. Factor analyses were performed on the resulting matrices, and indices of factor comparison were calculated for all 4 groups, comparing the factors extracted and rotated with similar factors from the original British standardizations. All the indices were high (.91) for the children and even higher (.96) for the adults. It is concluded that similar personality dimensions are to be found in the 2 countries. Findings support the idea that the dimensions of neuroticism, psychoticism, and extraversion are of universal applicability. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)