Toward terminological, conceptual, and statistical clarity in the study of mediators and moderators: Examples from the child-clinical and pediatric psychology literatures.

Numerous recent attempts to identify mediated and moderated effects in child-clinical and pediatric research on child adjustment have been characterized by terminological, conceptual, and statistical inconsistencies. To promote greater clarity, the terms mediating and moderating are defined and differentiated. Recommended statistical strategies that can be used to test for these effects are reviewed (i.e., multiple regression and structural equation modeling techniques). The distinction between mediated and indirect effects is also discussed. Examples of troublesome and appropriate uses of these terms in the child-clinical and pediatric psychology literatures are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parent Functioning in Families of Preadolescents With Spina Bifida: Longitudinal Implications for Child Adjustment.

The purpose of this study was to test a strength-of-association model regarding possible longitudinal and bidirectional associations between parent functioning and child adjustment in families of children with spina bifida (n = 68) and families of able-bodied children (n = 68). Parent functioning was assessed across 3 domains: parenting stress, individual psychosocial adjustment, and marital satisfaction. Child adjustment was indexed by teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing symptoms, self-reported depressive symptoms, and observed adaptive behavior. Findings revealed that all 3 parent functioning variables predicted child adjustment outcomes, and that such results were particularly strong for externalizing symptoms. Associations between parent functioning and child adjustment tended to be in the direction of parent to child and were similar across both groups. These findings have implications for potential interventions targeted at helping families manage the transition into early adolescence in families of children with spina bifida as well as families of healthy children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical-developmental interface: Implications of developmental research for adolescent psychotherapy.

Suggests that therapists who work with adolescents would benefit greatly from information on typical adolescent development. An empirically based Framework for Understanding Adolescent Development is presented, detailing the normative changes of the adolescent developmental period. Treatment implications of each component of the framework are discussed. The importance of various types of knowledge that are necessary for the clinician to work effectively with adolescent clients is emphasized (i.e., knowledge of developmental norms, developmental level, developmental transitions, developmental predictors, and developmental psychopathology). Recommendations are given for how a developmental perspective can be integrated into training and intervention endeavors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of general tension: Subjective and physiological effects of progressive relaxation.

Exp I found virtually no effects of type of no-treatment condition or demand/suggestion on the self-monitoring of daily tension percentage and severity among 43 overly tense undergraduates during a 4-wk baseline period. Ss given 4 subsequent sessions of progressive relaxation did report significant reductions in tension, which were maintained at a 7-mo follow-up. Exp II included 36 overly tense undergraduates and compared a no-treatment condition to groups given 9 sessions of relaxation with vs without muscle tension release. Counterdemand instructions were in effect for the 1st 7 sessions. Relaxation with tension release produced reductions in daily tension percentage significantly superior to no-treatment during the counterdemand period, whereas relaxation without tension release did not differ from either group. Treatment effects maintained at a 5-mo follow-up. No treatment effects were found on several during-session physiological measures, although Session 1 physiological reduction predicted improvement in tension percentage. Presence or absence of tension release significantly influenced the number of relaxation cycles necessary to produce reports of deep relaxation, frequency of practice, and successfulness of eliminating daily tension at follow-up. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing the fire performance of electric cables (FIPEC)

The FIPEC project is a research project funded by DG XII of the European Commission and co‐financed by several European cable manufacturers, compounders, cable users and governmental research bodies. The FIPEC project has developed different levels of testing ranging from a small‐scale, cone calorimeter test procedure developed for cables and materials, a full‐scale test procedure based on the IEC 60332‐3, but utilising HRR and SPR measurements, to a real‐scale test. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Self‐healing imidazolium‐based ionene‐polyamide membranes: an experimental study on physical and gas transport properties

A new series of six imidazolium‐based ionenes containing aromatic amide linkages has been developed. These ionene‐polyamides are all constitutional isomers varying in the regiochemistry of the amide linkages (para, meta) and xylyl linkages (ortho, meta, para) along the polymer backbone. The physical properties as well as the gas separation behaviors of the corresponding membranes have been extensively studied. These ionene‐polyamide membranes show excellent thermal and mechanical stabilities, together with self‐healing and shape memory characteristics. Most importantly, [TC‐API(p)‐Xy][Tf₂N] and [IC‐API(m)‐Xy][Tf₂N] membranes (TC, terephthaloyl chloride; API, 1‐(3‐aminopropyl)imidazole; Xy, xylyl; Tf₂N, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide; IC, isophthaloyl chloride), where the amide and xylyl linkages are attached at para and meta positions, exhibit superior selectivity for CO₂/CH₄ and CO₂/N₂ gas pairs. We also demonstrate the transport properties and diverse applicability of our newly developed ionene‐polyamides, particularly [TC‐API(p)‐Xy][Tf₂N], for various industrial applications. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Non‐monotonic molecular weight dependence of crystallization rates of linear and cyclic poly(epsilon‐caprolactone)s in a wide temperature range

By using a commercial fast‐scan chip‐calorimeter, the effect of molecular weight on the isothermal crystallization rates of linear and cyclic poly(epsilon‐caprolactone) samples (L‐PCLs and C‐PCLs) is investigated. The results confirm the non‐monotonic molecular weight dependence of the crystallization rates of both L‐PCLs and C‐PCLs over a wide temperature range, previously observed only in the high temperature range, in which the medium molecular weight PCLs exhibit the highest crystallization rate. Chain‐end effects of L‐PCL with medium molecular weights induce faster crystallization rates in specific low temperature regions, in comparison to that for counterpart C‐PCL. This phenomenon no longer exists in high molecular weight samples because of ‘diluted’ chain‐end effects in long chain samples. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Trajectories of family processes across the adolescent transition in youth with spina bifida.

The current study investigated change in family processes, including conflict, cohesion, and stress, across the adolescent transition, comparing the developmental trajectories of youth with and without spina bifida. Individual growth curve modeling procedures were utilized to describe the developmental course of family processes across 4 waves of data collection, from ages 9 to 15 years, and to test whether illness status (spina bifida vs. matched comparison group [N = 68 for both groups at Time 1]) would significantly predict individual variability in family processes. Potential moderators (child gender, socioeconomic status [SES], and child verbal ability) of the association between illness status and family functioning were also examined. Differences were found between the trajectories of family processes for families of youth with and without spina bifida. For families of youth with spina bifida, changes in family conflict and cohesion may be less dramatic than or inconsistent with what is expected during typical adolescence. Families of youth with spina bifida from low SES homes appear to demonstrate resilience in terms of family stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)