Validity and Meaning: Comment.

Comments on an article by Robert L. Ebel (see record 1962-05654-001). This article discusses basic problems in psychological testing and measurement, and as such the author touches upon basic problems of scientific psychology as well. According to the commentator the problems the author raises are very well taken. For a while it seems that he will come up with what points to a solution but some reflection shows that although he approached the "truth," he failed to reach it. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting the evaluation of real stimulus objects from abstract evaluation of their attributes: The case of trout streams.

Studied human judgment behavior in 10 employees of Iowa trout hatcheries. In Phase 1 Ss judged hypothetical trout streams varying in quantity of trout and driving time to stream. In Phase 2 Ss judged real Iowa trout streams and estimated the quantity of trout and the driving time for each stream. These estimates were used in multiple regression equations, derived from the data in Phase 1, to predict the ratings of the real streams in Phase 2. Correlations between predicted and observed judgments ranged from .37 (individual S level) to .85 (group level). Results are consistent with empirical work in the number processing and nonexperimental work in geography and other spatially oriented sciences. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A developmental study of learned helplessness.

Examined susceptibility to learned helplessness among 20 children from each of kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 3, and Grade 5 classes by exposing groups of Ss to either repeated failure or repeated success on hidden figures problems. Helplessness was measured by Ss' persistence in looking for hidden figures and their capacity to find them following repeated success or failure. It was hypothesized that younger Ss would be less susceptible to helplessness than older ones, due to age-related differences in causal attributions for success and failure. Results confirm the hypothesis in that failure, relative to success, had significantly less influence on the level of helplessness in younger Ss' behavior. It is suggested that the development of attributional capabilities during the preschool and early elementary school years has important ramifications for cognitive theories of motivation. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identification of RANTES receptors on human monocytic cells: competition for binding and desensitization by homologous chemotactic cytokines

RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T expressed and secreted) is a member of the chemotactic cytokine (chemokine) beta subfamily. High affinity receptors for RANTES have been identified on a human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1, which responded to RANTES in chemotaxis and calcium mobilization assays. Steady-state binding data analyses revealed approximately 700 binding sites/cell on THP-1 cells with a Kd value of 400 pM, comparable to that expressed on human peripheral blood monocytes. The RANTES binding to monocytic cells was competed for by monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF) and macrophage inflammatory protein 1 (MIP-1) alpha, two other chemokine beta cytokines. Although MCAF and MIP-1 alpha competed for RANTES binding to monocytes with apparent lower affinity (with estimated Kd of 6 and 1.6, nM respectively) both of these cytokines effectively desensitized the calcium mobilization induced by RANTES. The chemotactic response of THP-1 cells to RANTES was also markedly inhibited by preincubation with MCAF or MIP-1 alpha. In contrast, RANTES did not desensitize the THP-1 calcium mobilization and chemotaxis in response to MCAF or MIP-1 alpha. These results, together with our previous observations that RANTES did not compete for MCAF or MIP-1 alpha binding on monocytic cells, indicate the expression of promiscuous receptors on monocytes that recognize one or more cytokines within the chemokine beta family.     

Development of clinical indicators for performance measurement and improvement: an HMO/purchaser collaborative effort

This article describes a collaborative effort between a major health care purchaser, three area health maintenance organizations, and a state Medicaid agency to develop clinical indicators as the basis for a comparison database. Some of the difficulties in developing a "common yardstick" of quality and value are candidly discussed.     

Left colon gangrene after acute inferior mesenteric artery occlusion

We report here an experience with five patients, aged 58 to 70, suffering gangrene of the left colon after spontaneous inferior mesenteric artery occlusion. All cases were the result of arteriosclerosis; in two, small aortic aneurysms were present and might have been responsible for emboli to the inferior mesenteric artery. The dead bowel was resected in all patients; three patients survived. No primary anastomoses were done and they are not recommended. Because ligation of the patent inferior mesenteric artery has been done so often without ill effects during aortic surgery, the collateral circulation to the left colon can be considered excellent. Gangrene is therefore rare and requires major interference with collateral circulation by emboli or arteriosclerotic occlusion. The clinical symptoms and signs may be confusing.     

Assessment of cohesion and adaptability in component family dyads: A question of convergent and discriminant validity.

In the assessment of family cohesion and adaptability, researchers typically overlook the possibility that different components of the family may be more cohesive or adaptable than others. This potential problem is often compounded by monomethodism, reliance on a single source of information. Using a multitrait-mutimethod approach, we obtained three measures of cohesion and adaptability in three component dyads of relatively healthy families. Mothers, fathers, and college students reported about cohesion and adaptability in the mother–student, father–student, and mother–father relationships. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we found significant differences in the convergent validities of mothers', fathers', and students' reports. Furthermore, significant differences emerged among the correlations between mother–father, mother–student, and father–student cohesion (and adaptability), which suggests that noteworthy differences exist between family subsystems on these constructs. Implications for assessment strategies in marital and family counseling are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of peer support and therapist contact on long-term weight loss.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of two posttreatment programs designed to enhance the maintenance of weight loss. Eighty-five obese clients were randomly assigned to either (a) behavior therapy plus a peer-support maintenance program, (b) behavior therapy plus a therapist-contact maintenance program, or (c) behavior therapy only. At a 7-month follow-up session, the therapist-contact program resulted in significantly greater maintenance of weight loss compared with the peer support and behavior therapy only conditions. However, by the time of an 18-month follow-up assessment, overall relapse rates were equivalent across conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)