Stress reaction of school-age children to the bombardment by SCUD missiles.

Stress reactions of 5th-, 7th-, and 10th-grade children (N?=?492) exposed to missile attacks during the Persian Gulf War were examined a month after the war by a questionnaire that assessed level of exposure to trauma and psychological symptoms. Higher stress responses were obtained in areas hit and were influenced by proximity to sites or individuals involved in actual damage. Gender, age, and region interacted such that 5th-grade boys reported the highest stress reactions regardless of region, whereas 5th-grade girls reported the highest stress responses only in regions hit. Gender, age, and objective and subjective stress correctly identified 75% of the children as potential clinical or nonclinical candidates. The possible mediating coping responses and applications for high-risk groups are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validation of the impact of event scale for psychological sequelae of combat.

The purpose of this study was to validate the Impact of Event Scale (IES) with a large sample of male subjects who had been exposed to the trauma of combat. Three groups of subjects were compared: (a) subjects who had participated in combat and had been identified as suffering from combat stress reaction; (b) control subjects who had participated in the same battles and were matched on relevant sociodemographic characteristics but had not shown symptoms of combat stress reaction; and (c) combat-ready subjects who were similar to the other groups but had not actively participated in battle. The basic scale structure was replicated. The IES was shown to be sensitive to differences between and within groups. Four basic patterns of intrusion and avoidance were identified. Discussion was focused on the theoretical issues associated with these patterns and on the effects of different types of trauma, and the need for clear criteria for diagnosis and treatment was indicated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between academic tracking and the degree of interethnic acceptance.

The unidimensional Interpersonal Relationship Assessment Technique (IRAT) was developed to examine the relationship between academic tracking and degree of cross-ethnic acceptance in integrated homeroom classes. When responses to the IRAT by 2,323 Israeli junior high school students were analyzed without the tracking factor, typical asymmetrical cross-ethnic acceptance was found. Both Middle Eastern and Western Ss exhibited a higher degree of acceptance toward Western students than toward Middle Eastern ones. When including the tracking factor in the analysis, regardless of ethnic origin, the degree of cross-ethnic acceptance was positively related to the academic status of evaluated classmates. Additionally, high-track Ss were selectively less accepting of low-track classmates than were their low-track counterparts. Implications for future success in integration are discussed. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A field study of employees' attitudes and behaviors after promotion decisions.

The impact of promotion decisions on equity, commitment, and behavioral outcomes was examined in a field setting. Workers in a service company who submitted their candidacy for promotion to either department or division heads were compared with their noncandidate counterparts (total N?=?191). Ss completed surveys after promotion decisions were made. In addition, measures of the Ss' lateness and absence before and after the promotion were available. Data analyzed by level of position (department vs division) and promotion decision (promoted, not promoted, and control) indicated that promotions resulting from self-initiated candidacies might actually produce undesirable outcomes. Failure to get a promotion was associated with feelings of inequity, a decrease in commitment, and an increase in absenteeism; positive promotion decisions increased commitment. Theoretical and organizational implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping of school-age children in the sealed room during scud missile bombardment and postwar stress reactions.

Children's coping behaviors in the sealed room (a shelter against chemical and biological weapons) during scud missile attacks in the Persian Gulf War were examined in relation to postwar stress reactions. Three weeks after the war, 5th, 7th, and 10th graders (N?=?492) completed questionnaires assessing coping behaviors and emotional responses in the sealed room, as well as current stress reactions and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite an underlying feeling of tension, the dominant emotional stance in the sealed room was one of detached optimism. Common forms of coping involved information seeking, checking, and wishful thinking. Emotion-focused coping such as avoidance and distraction strategies was associated with less postwar stress reactions than persistence at direct problem-focused actions once the minimal actions available had been undertaken. Fifth graders were found to use less emotion-focused and more problem-focused coping strategies than were the 7th and 10th graders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder: Relation between dichotomous and continuous measures.

Both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III; American Psychiatric Association, 1980) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES) assess distress following trauma. This article assesses the interrelation between these two instruments for soldiers who suffered from combat stress reactions (N?=?382) and for a matched group (N?=?334). Results indicated that subjects suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the DSM-III yielded higher scores of the Intrusion and Avoidance factors of the IES. Furthermore, the Intrusion factor was predominantly associated with each of the criteria of the DSM-III diagnosis. Although the IES and the DSM-III overlap, they may tap different aspects of battle-related PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Similarity versus social ambition effects in the assessment of interpersonal acceptance in the classroom.

Evaluated the manner in which variations in sociometric formulations highlight differing effects of academic status on social acceptance in the classroom in 2 parallel studies with 619 7th, 8th, and 9th graders. Ss completed alternately worded versions of an interpersonal relationship assessment technique. As expected, versions emphasizing personal desires or willingness to interact led to findings indicating heightened acceptance for targets of higher academic status (social ambition). In contrast, versions leading Ss to consider realistic costs or limitations evoked higher acceptance for targets of similar rather than different social status (similarity). The contingency between sociometric formulation and outcome was consistent with level of aspiration and social exchange theories and points to the distinctive role of both desire and cost–benefit considerations in choice of social relations among adolescents. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)