Bringing science to bear: An empirical assessment of the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program.

This article outlines the U.S. Army's effort to empirically validate and assess the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program. The empirical assessment includes four major components. First, the CSF scientific staff is currently conducting a longitudinal study to determine if the Master Resilience Training program and the Comprehensive Resilience Modules lead to lasting resilience development in soldiers. Second, the CSF program has partnered with other researchers to conduct a series of longitudinal studies examining the link between physiological, neurobiological, and psychological resilience factors. Third, the CSF program is also incorporating institutional-level data to determine if its material influences health, behavioral, and career outcomes. Fourth, group randomized trials are being conducted to ensure that resilience training incorporated under the CSF program is effective with soldiers. A specific rationale and methodologies are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Language-based measures of mindfulness: Initial validity and clinical utility.

This study examined relationships among language use, mindfulness, and substance-use treatment outcomes in the context of an efficacy trial of mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) for adults with alcohol and other drug use (AOD) disorders. An expert panel generated two categories of mindfulness language (ML) describing the mindfulness state and the more encompassing “mindfulness journey,” which included words describing challenges of developing a mindfulness practice. MBRP participants (n = 48) completed baseline sociodemographic and AOD measures, and participated in the 8-week MBRP program. AOD data were collected during the 4-month follow-up. A word count program assessed the frequency of ML and other linguistic markers in participants’ responses to open-ended questions about their postintervention impressions of mindfulness practice and MBRP. Findings supported concurrent validity of ML categories: ML words appeared more frequently in the MBRP manual compared to the 12-step Big Book. Further, ML categories correlated with other linguistic variables related to the mindfulness construct. Finally, predictive validity was supported: greater use of ML predicted fewer AOD use days during the 4-month follow-up. This study provided initial support for ML as a valid, clinically useful mindfulness measure. If future studies replicate these findings, ML could be used in conjunction with self-report to provide a more complete picture of the mindfulness experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Master resilience training in the U.S. Army.

The U.S. Army Master Resilience Trainer (MRT) course, which provides face-to-face resilience training, is one of the foundational pillars of the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program. The 10-day MRT course is the foundation for training resilience skills to sergeants and for teaching sergeants how to teach these skills to their soldiers. The curriculum is based on materials developed by the University of Pennsylvania, the Penn Resilience Program (PRP), and other empirically validated work in the field of positive psychology. This “train the trainer model” is the main vehicle for the dissemination of MRT concepts to the entire force. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences in alcohol and other drug use among young adults

This article describes gender differences in alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and misuse in a representative sample of young women and men in the United States. Data were drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) and focus on gender differences in prevalence and patterns of AOD use in African American, Hispanic, and White young adults ages 19 to 24 years old. Findings are summarized and implications for prevention are presented.     

Preventing and reducing alcohol and other drug use among high-risk youths by increasing family resilience

This study examines the effects of a community-based program designed to delay onset and reduce the frequency of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use among high-risk youths, ages 12 to 14, through strengthening family resilience. It is part of a larger five-year demonstration project funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). The program was implemented in multiple church communities in rural, suburban, and inner-city settings. Program components of this study included parent or guardian and youth training, early intervention services, and follow-up case management services. The results show that the program produced positive direct effects on family resilience. The evaluation also found positive moderating effects on delayed onset of alcohol and other drug use and frequency of alcohol and other drug use among youths in the form of conditional relationships with changes in those family resilience factors that were targeted by the program.     

Social resilience: The value of social fitness with an application to the military.

Resilience has been regarded narrowly as a quintessential individual property by most investigators. Social resilience, however, is inherently a multilevel construct, revealed by capacities of individuals, but also groups, to foster, engage in, and sustain positive social relationships and to endure and recover from stressors and social isolation. Emergent levels of organization, ranging from dyads, families, and groups to cities, civilizations, and international alliances have long been apparent in human existence, but identifying the features of individuals, relationships, and group structures and norms that promote social resilience—and determining effective interventions to build social resilience—represent some of the most important challenges facing the military as well as contemporary behavioral science. We identify nine personal resources that foster social resilience, and we describe an educational, computer-based program that builds on these resources in an effort to improve the social resilience among troops in the U.S. Army. Data from this program should provide valuable evidence regarding the challenge of building social resilience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The concept of family resilience: crisis and challenge

The concept of resilience, the ability to withstand and rebound from crisis and adversity, has valuable potential for research, intervention, and prevention approaches aiming to strengthen couples and families. Resilience has been viewed as residing within the individual, with the family often dismissed as dysfunctional This article advances a systemic view of resilience in ecological and developmental contexts and presents the concept of family resilience, attending to interactional processes over time that strengthen both individual and family hardiness. Extending our understanding of normal family functioning, the concept of family resilience offers a useful framework to identify and fortify key processes that enable families to surmount crises and persistent stresses. There are many pathways in relational resilience, varying to fit diverse family forms, psychosocial challenges, resources, and constraints. Shared beliefs and narratives that foster a sense of coherence, collaboration, competence, and confidence are vital in coping and mastery. Interventions to strengthen family resilience have timely relevance for weathering the rapid social changes and uncertainties facing families today.     

Effects of group- versus home-based exercise in the treatment of obesity.

This study examined the effects of 2 aerobic exercise regimens on exercise participation, fitness, eating patterns, treatment adherence, and weight changes in 49 obese women undergoing a year-long behavioral weight loss program. Participants were assigned randomly to weight loss treatment plus either group- or home-based exercise. All participants were instructed to complete a moderate-intensity walking program (30 min/day, 5 days/week). Group exercise participants were provided with 3 supervised group exercise sessions per week for the 1st 26 weeks and with 2 sessions per week thereafter. Home exercise participants were instructed to complete all exercise in their home environment. After 6 months, both conditions displayed significant improvements in exercise participation, fitness, eating patterns, and weight loss. At 12 months, the home-based program showed superior performance to the group condition in exercise participation and treatment adherence; at 15 months, participants in the home program demonstrated significantly greater weight losses than those in the group program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multicomponent intervention to prevent partner violence within an existing service intervention.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an enormous public health problem that results in injury, health problems, and substantial cost to society. Despite having a grasp of the scope of IPV, public health officials and workers know little about how to prevent it. The few empirically established primary prevention programs consist of school-based curricula targeting high school students. Additional venues for IPV prevention are needed, especially for women at elevated risk. This article describes a preventive intervention for IPV consisting of three components: (a) a structured assessment for IPV; (b) a brochure-driven intervention for women experiencing IPV, including safety planning, referrals, and advocacy; and (c) a skills-based curriculum delivered to all participants that focuses on improving relationship decisions and outcomes. While this intervention could potentially be delivered in a multitude of clinical settings, this article focuses on its delivery within a home visitation program for young, disadvantaged new mothers, a population known to be at increased risk for IPV. If found to be effective, this intervention could be incorporated into many service delivery systems, with broad-based clinical implications for IPV prevention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characterization of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitory domain of the INK4 family as a model for a synthetic tumour suppressor molecule

Few studies have addressed recruitment and retention of participants in preventive interventions directed at human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and these generally have not focused on women. In this study, part of the Women in Group Support (WINGS) project, we examine the experience of three sites in recruiting 444 high-risk women for a small group intervention to reduce risky sexual behavior. The intervention included six structured sessions, followed by a continuing series of client-focused, drop-in sessions. Incentives for participants included child care, food, and transportation tokens. Attendees at each structured session also received a cash incentive of $10-$20. Forty-six percent of the women were recruited from community sources, 35% from clinics, and 19% from drug programs. Across all recruitment sources, almost a third of the women reported having had a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the past year, 88%-94% reported a risky male partner (who, they believed, had sex with other partners or with sex workers, was an injecting drug user, or was HIV positive), and 10%-36% reported trading sex for money or drugs. During 18 months of recruitment, each site averaged 34 screening interviews monthly to secure 8 eligible women a month who completed baseline interviews and reported for randomization. The average number of paid sessions attended by participants was five of six (83%). Average attendance at unpaid sessions was 1 of 12 (8%). Key facilitators to recruitment and retention included linkages with community agencies and monetary incentives. Our findings suggest that researchers and community service providers need to explore alternative strategies to paying women for attending group sessions (e.g., incorporating group interventions into existing program requirements) and balance these against the costs and recruitment effectiveness.     

Worksite stress management training: Moderated effects and clinical significance.

Psychologically healthy participants may dilute the observed effects of worksite stress management training (SMT) programs, therefore hiding the true effectiveness of these interventions for more distressed workers. To examine this issue, 311 local government employees were randomly assigned to SMT based on acceptance and commitment therapy (SMT, n = 177) or to a waitlist control group (n = 134). The SMT program consisted of three half-day training sessions, and imparted a mixture of mindfulness and values-based action skills. Across a 6-month assessment period, SMT resulted in a significant reduction in employee distress. As predicted, the impact of SMT was significantly moderated by baseline distress, such that meaningful effects were found only among a subgroup of initially distressed workers. Furthermore, a majority (69%) of these initially distressed SMT participants improved to a clinically significant degree. The study highlights the importance of accounting for sample heterogeneity when evaluating and classifying worksite SMT programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping modeling problem solving versus mastery modeling: Effects on adherence, in-session process, and skill acquisition in a residential parent-training program.

This trial compared 2 approaches used to introduce parenting skills in a residential staff training program. 50 staff were randomly assigned to mastery modeling in which videotaped models demonstrated new skills, coping modeling problem solving (CMPS) in which participants formulated their own solutions to the errors depicted by videotaped models, or a waiting-list control group. In both approaches, leaders used modeling, role playing, and homework projects to promote mastery and transfer of new skills. The skills of all groups improved, but CMPS participants attended more sessions, were late to fewer sessions, completed more homework, engaged in more cooperative in-session interaction, rated the program more positively, and reported higher job accomplishment scores. These data suggest that CMPS allowing participants to formulate their own solutions may enhance adherence and reduce the resistance observed in more didactic programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA's Resilience Initiative.

Resilience is the human ability to adapt in the face of tragedy, trauma, adversity, hardship, and ongoing significant life stressors. Focus groups conducted by the APA Practice Directorate after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, found people to be experiencing a chronic sense of stress and uncertainty for which they wanted to be more resilient. In response, APA launched its public education campaign, "The Road to Resilience," in August 2002. A key component of the campaign is community outreach by psychologists, in which psychologists around the country bring information about resilience directly into their communities. This has allowed psychologists to help their communities and to help communities better understand the value of psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and test of a model linking safety-specific transformational leadership and occupational safety.

The authors developed, tested, and replicated a model in which safety-specific transformational leadership predicted occupational injuries in 2 separate studies. Data from 174 restaurant workers (M age=26.75 years, range=15-64) were analyzed using structural equation modeling (LISREL 8; K. G. J?reskog & D. S?rbom, 1993) and provided strong support for a model whereby safety-specific transformational leadership predicted occupational injuries through the effects of perceived safety climate, safety consciousness, and safety-related events. Study 2 replicated and extended this model with data from 164 young workers from diverse jobs (M age=19.54 years, range=14-24). Safety-specific transformational leadership and role overload were related to occupational injuries through the effects of perceived safety climate, safety consciousness, and safety-related events. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comprehensive soldier fitness: A vision for psychological resilience in the U.S. Army.

The stress and strain on the U.S. Army's community due to nearly a decade of protracted war is well documented in the press and in scientific literature. In response, the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program is a preventive program that seeks to enhance psychological resilience among all members of the Army community, which includes soldiers, family members, and Department of the Army civilians. CSF is not a medical treatment program. Rather, CSF helps those community members who are psychologically healthy face life's adversities—including combat and prolonged separation from loved ones—by providing evidence-based training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Osteoporosis prevention in young women

PURPOSE: To assess whether young women who participate in an osteoporosis prevention program based on the Health Belief (Rosenstock, 1966) and Self-Efficacy Models (Bandura, 1977) demonstrate higher levels of knowledge regarding osteoporosis prevention than young women who do not participate in such a program. DESIGN: A classic experimental design with one treatment group and one control group was used to test the efficacy of the osteoporosis prevention program. Pretest data on knowledge, health belief attitudes (7 subscales), and self-efficacy (2 subscales) were collected in the treatment and control groups. SAMPLE: A convenience sample of 31 young college women were randomly assigned to an experimental group or to a control group to receive an osteoporosis prevention program. METHOD: Subjects in the experimental and control groups completed the Osteoporosis Knowledge Test, the Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale, and the Osteoporosis Self-Efficacy Scale (Kim et al., 1991) at two times. The experimental group received an osteoporosis prevention program. MAIN RESEARCH CLASSIFICATIONS: Osteoporosis, Health Belief, Self-Efficacy, Women's Health. FINDINGS: Subjects in the experimental group had significantly higher knowledge and health belief scores after receiving the intervention than their pretest scores while subjects in the control group had no change in scores. CONCLUSION: The osteoporosis program was effective in increasing awareness of osteoporosis prevention in this group of young women. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING RESEARCH: The results may be useful for developing young women's awareness and knowledge of osteoporosis prevention. Future research could include developing osteoporosis prevention programs at an earlier age when girls are in grade school and junior high school. Teaching health promotion strategies for bone health is essential to all women across the life span.     

Evaluation issues in the Drake Chemical Workers Notification and Health Registry Study

The Drake Chemical Workers' Health Registry combined notification of workers about bladder cancer risk with access to a free program for screening and diagnosis. Evaluation of the project has given rise to several findings and new research questions. Findings in this article illustrate the following evaluation issues: 1) studying the combination of strategies that are most effective and cost effective to notify workers of their disease risks, 2) determining the realistic yield from strategies to gain participation in health screening and other protective services for notified workers, 3) identifying the notification strategies that were most effective for different kinds of participants, 4) using process evaluation to identify key activities for ensuring continued participation of cohort members in screening, and 5) examining the extent to which participants are willing to quit smoking to protect their health.     

What is the psychiatrist's role in drugs and alcohol?

OBJECTIVE: This article describes a consensus view of the role of psychiatrists in respect of alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems, in response to the view expressed by Wodak [1]. METHOD: The data were selected on the basis of the knowledge and experience of the authors. RESULTS: Psychiatrists have made major contributions in the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of AOD problems over many years in Australia and New Zealand. In recent years there has been an explosion of new knowledge in the AOD area and a shift from mental health to primary and public health care for these patients. Substance use disorders (SUD) are highly prevalent in all areas of psychiatric practice, requiring treatment in their own right as well as complicating the treatment of coexisting psychiatric illness. CONCLUSION: It is argued that psychiatrists have important roles in harm reduction, prevention and policy development; brief and early intervention in SUD in liaison and child psychiatry; and systematic treatment for those with dependence and other psychiatric comorbidity. A research and collaborative approach to AOD services and patients should be encouraged, rather than engaging in divisive debate over "ownership' of this area of clinical practice.     

Review of A cognitive behavioural therapy program for problem gambling, therapist manual.

Reviews the book, A cognitive behavioural therapy program for problem gambling, therapist manual by Namrata Raylu and Tian Po Oei (2010). This book provides a session by session protocol for outpatient treatment of problem gambling. The protocol was developed for an efficacy study comparing individual and group treatment but has been repackaged for a broader audience. In the research study, both the individual and group participants showed good outcomes in comparison with a waiting list control with no differences between individual and group formats. This work adds to the growing evidence base for cognitive–behavioural and motivational treatments for gambling disorders. The treatment program comprises 10 core and 3 elective sessions. As with many CBT protocols, the first two sessions focus on assessment and psychoeducation. The remaining eight core sessions cover cognitive and behavioural strategies, relaxation, imaginal exposure, problem-solving skills, management of negative emotions, and relapse prevention. The three elective sessions focus on helping clients with assertiveness and dealing with debt, and helping concerned significant others cope with the gambling problems. As is indicated in the Preface, this manual is written for professional health workers with some knowledge of CBT but limited knowledge of problem gambling. The aim of providing the relevant background in gambling disorders is accomplished effectively in two ways. First, the book provides a concise but comprehensive review of the research literature on the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of gambling disorders in the second chapter. Second, a connection is made to the background literature in providing the rationale for specific areas of focus, interventions, and topics for each session. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)