Introduction.

This article introduces the current issue of Health Psychology. The call for early intervention to prevent adulthood health problems and the need to consider each period of children's lives within its developmental perspective are the main emphases in this special issue of the journal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in and stability of hostile characteristics: Results from a 4-year longitudinal study of children.

Changes in and stability of hostility characteristics and their relationship to age, sex, and family support were examined among 108 10–18 yr olds in a 4-yr longitudinal study. Clinical ratings of Structured Interview potential for hostility, self-reported MMPI-derived hostile attitudes, and perceptions of family support were obtained at study entry and at follow-up when Ss were aged 15–21 yrs. Results showed relative stability of hostility rankings across 4 yrs, with males being more hostile than females. Both sexes increased in hostility over time, with the greatest increase in Ss who perceived low family support at follow-up and whose parents perceived high family support at study entry. Results are consistent with notions that early signs of hostility are risk factors for later development of coronary disease and that family environment influences development of hostility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of aging and schedules of knowledge of results on motor learning

Little research has been conducted on aging and the learning of motor skills. In this study, we examined the effects of different schedules of knowledge of results (KR) on the acquisition and retention of a movement timing task by young adults (20-23 years) and older adults (60-82 years). The results indicated that there were differences between young and older adults in the accuracy and consistency of motor performance when KR was provided. Accuracy effects persisted during a retention interval when KR was no longer provided, although there were no differences in variability. There were no interactions of age with any of the KR-related variables. These findings suggest that the ability to process KR, and the effects of KR on motor learning, are similar in young and older adults. These findings are discussed in terms of age-related issues in movement control and learning processes.     

Predictors of individual differences in mail-coding skills and their variation with ability level.

Personality and cognitive predictors of mail coding were investigated in 2 samples, 1 of high coding ability (N?=?56) and 1 of mixed ability (N?=?158). Two approaches to predicting correlates of skill within groups of differing ability were compared: P. L. Ackerman's (1988) ability theory and D. A. Norman and T. Shallice's (1985) account of levels of action control. The predictors of mail-coding skill varied with ability: Personality variables were more predictive among higher ability Ss, and cognitive measures were more predictive among lower ability Ss. Implications of the findings for theories of individual differences in skill are discussed. There were 2 main practical conclusions. First, the measures used were more predictive than a standard psychometric selection test. Second, correlates of skill may be different among unselected job applicants and among the subset of applicants hired for subsequent operational training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Resistance to vasopressin action on the kidney in patients with Cushing's disease

OBJECTIVE: To assess the plasma levels and action of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in patients with Cushing's disease. There are many reports that patients with Addison's disease have increased AVP levels associated with hyponatraemia and hypoosmolality, but none on the dynamics of secretion of this neurohormone during osmolality-based stimulation in patients with chronic hypercortisolism. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: The plasma AVP concentration and the urinary and plasma osmolality after a 7.5-h water deprivation test (WDT) were evaluated in 13 patients with Cushing's disease and 15 normal (control) individuals. In patients with Cushing's disease we also assessed the urinary osmolality in response to 10 micrograms i.v. desmopressin (DDAVP) administered at the end of the WDT. RESULTS: At the end of the WDT, urinary osmolality was significantly lower in patients with Cushing's disease (511.5 +/- 148.5 mOsm/l) than in the normal subjects (981.1 +/- 107.1 mOsm/l, P < 0.001), whereas plasma osmolality did not differ between the two groups. Consequently, the urine/plasma osmolality ratio (Uosm/Posm) was lower in patients with Cushing's disease than in normal individuals (1.8 +/- 0.5 compared with 3.4 +/- 0.4, P < 0.001). The AVP concentration also was greater (7.3 +/- 3.1 pmol/l) in those with Cushing's disease than in the controls (3.9 +/- 2.3 pmol/l, P < 0.005). After administration of DDAVP to the hypercortisolaemic patients, the urinary osmolality attained (718.0 +/- 200.0 mOsm/l) was still lower than that in the normal group at the end of WDT (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Cushing's disease presented higher AVP levels and smaller Uosm/Posm ratios than normal subjects. After DDAVP, the patients with Cushing's disease were unable to concentrate the urine adequately. These data suggest that the kidney shows resistance to the action of both endogenous and exogenous AVP in patients with Cushing's disease.     

Breast cancer screening of the medically underserved: results and implications

Socioeconomic status is the most significant factor influencing the decreased survival associated with breast cancer in minority groups in the United States. Barriers to the use of early detection programs by low-income women often result in the detection of breast cancer at stages too advanced to assure optimum outcomes. In an effort to increase accessibility of breast cancer screening among such individuals, the Early Detection Program (EDP) was initiated in 1987. The program provided breast cancer screening to women 40 years of age and older who attended eight primary healthcare centers located in low-income neighborhoods throughout Dade County, Florida. From its inception in October 1987 through December 1993, 23,866 medically underserved women had mammography examinations, with more than 17,000 of these women undergoing baseline mammograms. Since the program's inception, 126 cancers were diagnosed in 123 women. A dramatic shift from later to earlier stage breast cancers was observed. These results warrant a greater inclusion of medically underserved and lower socioeconomic status women in screening programs for the early detection of breast cancer.