Mental organization of maps.

Previous studies deconfounding spatial and temporal proximity during map learning have found a temporal influence on mental map organization. The authors explored whether this observed priming effect reflected the manner in which a map was learned by having people either name objects or point to them during learning. Naming objects resulted in temporal organization but pointing to objects resulted in spatial organization, suggesting that mental map organization is sensitive to emphasizing different types of map information during learning. The authors also explored whether the temporal organization observed in the naming group was influenced by the ease of using spatial information during learning, such as when the expectancy to use spatial information was made explicit or when a consistent temporal order was absent. When naming map objects, evidence for a spatial organization was weak, whereas a temporal organization was observed when a consistent temporal order was present. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reliability and validity of the Parent-Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI): Evidence from a longitudinal cross-informant investigation.

Psychometric properties of the Parent-Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) were examined using data collected from adolescents and their parents in the Fullerton Longitudinal Study. Results revealed acceptable internal consistency for most scales and moderate to high 1-year stability for all scales. Both parents' PCRI scores correlated with their views of family climate. Cross-informant concordance was pervasive and strong between mothers' PCRI scores and adolescents' perceptions of the parent-child relationship and family climate; however, convergence was not evident between fathers' and adolescents' reports. Additionally, poor performance was observed for the Autonomy scale. In conjunction with other research on parent-adolescent relationships, concerns are raised regarding the utility of scales to contrast mother-adolescent with father-adolescent relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluation of Xanthan Cum as a Hydrophilic Matrix for Controlled-Release Dosage form Preparations

Xanthan gum was evaluated as hydrophilic matrix for controlled release preparations. Different parameters were considered: direct and wet granulation, gum concentration, effect of addition of binders, pH, ionic strength, rotation speed and surfactant. Suitable controlled release profile could be obtained. Practically no influence of the parameters studied was noted, with the exception of gum concentration, the rotation speed and presence of ion in the dissolution medium. The release rate profiles were evaluated by different kinetic equations: Zero order, First order, Higuchi equation and RRSBW equation and the data statistically analyzed with F-Ratio. Without binder, in aqueous medium, zero order kinetics were found from the origin of the release rate profile. With binder and dissolution media with electrolytes or buffer solutions, generally zero order kinetics were also found after an initial period of about half an hour. The release kinetics were independent of the method of preparation and compression force.     

Contributions to patient adherence: Is it time to share the blame?

Poor adherence to treatment is well recognized and contributes significantly to treatment failures in medical care. Studies examining contributing factors have focused predominantly on the patient. Studies examining provider influences have primarily examined communication styles or educational practices. M. R. DiMatteo et al (see record 1993-26883-001) show that other characteristics of the provider may influence patient behavior. Particularly interesting is the finding that baseline adherence predicts adherence 2 yrs later. Although this study opens the door to an examination of provider characteristics and their influence on patient behavior, care needs to be taken to avoid too rapid an acceptance of the discrete findings. The study used self-report by interview, a measure that can be significantly biased. However, this study provides future avenues to explore using more objective measures of patient adherence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enhancing clinical practice: The role of practice guidelines.

Health service researchers believe that significant practice variations occur, in part, because there is no strong consensus on best practices for managing a specific condition. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research supports the development of science-based clinical guidelines, performance measures, and standards of quality. Since 1992, it has published 6 clinical guidelines and is supporting development of more than 20 others. Each has a consumer version, in English and Spanish, to educate patients and describe care options. Widespread use of these guidelines will improve the quality of health care by assisting providers in making more informed decisions, thereby reducing unnecessary health care practices; will reduce some costs; and will provide feedback on knowledge gaps that merit the attention and support of researchers and policymakers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Educational facilities and financial assistance for graduate students in psychology: 1966-67.

This report is similar to previous ones on educational facilities and financial assistance for graduate students in psychology. Institutions with graduate programs in psychology are listed, with information supplied by the respective departments. There is no evaluation of these programs and no implication of approval of them by the American Psychological Association, except those doctoral programs in clinical psychology and in counseling psychology that are indicated by the phrase, "PhD in clinical and counseling APA-approved." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Biases resulting from the use of indexes: An application to attributional style and depression.

The use of arbitrary indexes, including the commonly used equal-weight index, leads to biases in many studies. The appropriate index depends on the research question (dependent variable) and the population, so no single index is correct for all studies. If an incorrect index is used, tests of the relation between the construct measured by the index and a dependent variable are biased. We present three tests for bias and show how an unbiased index can be calculated by using a multiple regression. Using data from a study of attributional style and depression in psychiatric inpatients, we found that the widely used equal-weight indexes of attributional style produce large (up to 112%) biases in the estimated coefficients. Similarly, the use of equal-weight indexes biases the hypothesis tests. Finally, contrary to Wainer's (1976) contention that the inappropriate use of equal-weight indexes does not greatly reduce the explanatory power of the estimating equation, we found that the use of an index lowers the R–2 33%. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal study of cognitions, life events, and depression in psychiatric inpatients.

Administered the Beck Depression Inventory, Attributional Style Questionnaire, Social Readjustment Rating Scale and an irrational beliefs inventory to 47 psychiatric inpatients (mean age 32 yrs) when they were admitted to the hospital, to 32 of them when they were discharged, and to 20 of them 7 mo later. The study tested the models of depression of A. T. Beck (1972) and of L. Y. Abramson et al (see record 1979-00305-001) that predict that stressful life events interact with certain types of cognitions (irrational beliefs in Beck's model; attributions in the Abramson et al model) to produce clinical depression. Results of multiple regression analysis show that severity of depression was related to irrational beliefs, attributions, the interaction of Attributions and Life Events, and the interaction of Attributions and Session. There was no relationship between depression and the interaction of Irrational Beliefs and Life Events. The Attributions?×?Session interaction indicated that the relationship between attributions and depression changed over the period studied; the relationship between irrational beliefs and depression was stable over time. Attributions and irrational beliefs changed over the period studied, indicating that they are not stable, unchanging aspects of personality. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)