Distinctive late-life challenges: Implications for coping and well-being.

Two distinctive late-life challenges, community relocation and caring for an adult child with mental retardation, were studied to determine their influence on coping and well-being. These challenges differ in terms of their normativeness, duration, and whether they were expected. Data from 2 ongoing longitudinal studies (N?=?449) were used to test the hypotheses that women experiencing residential relocation would report higher well-being and use problem-focused coping more frequently than women with long-term caregiving responsibilities. As predicted, more positive changes in well-being across time were reported by the relocation sample, which also showed more problem-focused coping. Women in the caregiving sample, however, showed stronger relationships between coping and well-being, underscoring possible gains in expertise that accompany challenges of lengthy duration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Simplified procedure for preparation of35S-labeled brain sulfatide

A simplified procedure for the preparation of³⁵S-labeled brain cerebroside sulfates has been developed. The labeled sulfatides are synthesized in vivo after intracerebral administration of inorganic³⁵S-sulfate in developing rats. The animals are sacrificed three days later and brain homogenates extracted with chloroform-methanol. The extract is subjected to mild alkaline treatment and washed with water. The organic phase is chromatographed on triethylaminoethyl-cellulose from which sulfatides are eluted with chloroform-methanol containing potassium acetate. Radioactive fractions are pooled, concentrated, and potassium acetate removed by dialysis against water. Alternatively, salts are removed by passing radioactive fractions through Sephadex G-25. After evaporating to near dryness, the radioactive cerebroside sulfates are dissolved in a small volume of chloroform-methanol and stored at −20 C. The³⁵S-sulfatides are essentially free of lipid contaminants, and 97% of the radio-activity corresponds with sulfatides on chromatographic analysis.     

Categorical distinctions in the study of personality disorder: Implications for classification.

Discusses the historical underpinnings of psychiatric classification and examines empirical evidence relevant to (1) whether personality disorders are distinct from each other and from normal personality and (2) whether personality disorders should be classified separately from other mental disorders. At the phenotypic level, research evidence strongly supports the use of a dimensional model to delineate personality disorders; evidence about their genotypic representation is less conclusive though still supportive. Neither empirical nor rational arguments indicate strong justification for separating personality disorders from other mental disorders, as has been done in both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III (DSM-III) and DSM-IV. Distinctions between abnormal and disordered personality are considered, and suggestions are made for more satisfactory diagnostic classificatory schemes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reactance as a function of actual versus projected autonomy.

Tested the impression management interpretation of psychological reactance. Contrary to the traditional effectance motivation interpretation, the impression management interpretation asserts that people are less concerned with the actual loss of a specific behavioral freedom than they are with maintaining the outward appearance of being free. 122 undergraduates read a communication that threatened their freedom to hold a particular attitude. Prior to the threat, some Ss were able either publicly or privately to exercise their freedom. Other Ss were not given the opportunity to exercise their freedom prior to its being threatened. Ss expressed their postcommunication attitude in a public or private manner. Consistent with the impression management hypothesis, attitude change did not occur when postcommunication attitudes were private. Further, public postcommunication attitudes were primarily used to convey the impression that the participant was autonomous; reactancelike attitude change occurred only when participants had not publicly exercised their freedom before it was threatened. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Compositional determination of 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide and styreen hompolymer blends by infrared spectrometry and pyrolysis gas chromatography

Compositional analysis of 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide (PPO) and styrene homopolymer blends was accomplished using infrared spectrometry and pyrolysis gas chromatography. In infrared measurements the 1030/700 cm^?1 absorption ratio provides percent PPO in the blends within ±3% of the actual value but with a σ% of ±10. In pyrolysis GC measurements, four peaks resulting from the fragmentation of the PPO molecule have been investigated for quantitation. One of these peaks provides results with ±2% of the PPO present with a σ% of 7 when the percent PPO in the blend is above 20.     

Social-cognitive predictors of fruit and vegetable intake in children.

Social-cognitive theory (SCT) was used to explain the fruit and vegetable intake of 1,398 3rd graders. SCT variables assessed included self-efficacy, outcome expectations, preferences, social norms, asking skills, and knowledge. Fruit and vegetable intake was assessed with 7-day records. Bivariate correlations with fruit and vegetable intake ranged from .17 for asking skills to .29 for fruit and vegetable preferences. In analyses controlling for school-level clustering, only preferences and positive outcome expectations remained significantly associated with fruit and vegetable intake, accounting for approximately 10%–11% of the variance. Limitations in the conceptualization, scope, and measurement of the variables assessed may have contributed to the weak associations observed. Models incorporating factors other than individual-level social-cognitive variables may be required to more fully explain children's dietary behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Postpartum depression: A critical review.

A review of the literature suggests that there are 3 types of postpartum dysphoric mood states: the maternity blues (a fairly common, transient disorder), postpartum affective psychosis (relatively rare), and postpartum depression (as many as 20% of postpartum women may develop mild to moderate depression). The etiology of postpartum depression remains unclear, although numerous biological, psychological, and sociopsychological factors have been proposed as etiologically relevant. There is some empirical support for these notions, but methodological and conceptual problems hinder the development of a coherent theoretical framework for understanding the etiology, course, and treatment of the disorder. Recent data indicate a relation between stress and depression; future research into postpartum depression is needed to determine the contribution of psychosocial factors (e.g., life events and social support). Medical complications during pregnancy, infant variables, and the effect on the infant–mother relationship also need to be studied. (3 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Will the real social desirability please stand up? Hopelessness, depression, social desirability, and the prediction of suicidal behavior.

Articles by the 2nd author and S. Nielsen (see PA, Vols 67:1443 and 69:12939) and J. Nevid (see record 1983-11675-001) have examined and debated the clinical significance of the negative relationship between the Hopelessness Scale and the social desirability (SD) response style. K. Petrie and K. Chamberlain (see record 1983-32939-001) found that the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale had no influence on the prediction of suicidal behavior. The present authors argue that this study did not address the question of SD response set in self-reported hopelessness, as the Marlowe-Crowne scale is factorially distinct from existing SD scales. The clinical utility of including SD assessment in the risk assessment and prediction of suicidal behavior was analyzed using both a general population sample (n?=?197) of Ss in a previous study by the 2nd author and Nielsen (1981) and a psychiatric sample (n?=?96) who participated in a study by the 2nd author et al (1983). Results indicate that prediction accuracy was enhanced by including SD assessment, particularly among psychiatric patients and when historical reports of suicidal behavior were involved. Nevertheless, using only hopelessness, depression, and SD assessments in suicide risk prediction still produced a dangerously high level of false negative cases in both general population and psychiatric samples. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Public and private self-consciousness and emotional expressivity.

Investigated the moderating effect of both private and public self-consciousness (Self-Consciousness Scale) on the predictive validity of self-reported emotional expressivity. After writing stories about their expression of anger and elation, 46 Ss were brought into the lab to enact their responses to standardized anger- and elation-arousing situations. Predictions of higher self-report–criterion correlations for low public self-conscious persons were supported. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of activity level in children revisited: Effects of mother presence.

D. K. Routh et al (see record 1974-25047-001) found a consistent decrease in children's activity in a standardized playroom over the ages 3–9 yrs. The present experiment (using 100 10 mo–5 yr olds) was an attempt to extend these findings downward to the age of 10 mo, which necessitated certain changes in procedures. Surprisingly, in Exp I there was a significant increase in activity level over the ages from 3 to 5 yrs. Exp II (96 3-, 4-, and 5-yr-olds) then varied factorially the procedural differences between the 1974 Routh et al study and Exp I, namely the furnishings (tables and chairs vs rugs), type of toys (child toys vs baby toys), and the presence or absence of the child's mother from a small adjoining cubicle. The anomalous findings of the other 2 studies were reproduced and found to be due to the effects of mother presence rather than the other factors varied. With mother present, 5-yr-olds (but not 3- or 4-yr-olds) were significantly more active than with mother absent. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)