Receptivity and planned change: Community attitudes and deinstitutionalization.

An expectancy-value model was used to measure and explain receptivity attitudes (i.e., change climate) toward the implementation of deinstitutionalization programs. Questionnaires measuring values, expectancies, and behavioral intentions were mailed to community leaders and to members of community groups believed to be important in setting opinions and making decisions. Responses from 599 persons revealed that (a) the size of a proposed group home affected neither attitudes nor intentions of support, (b) group homes for mental health clients were viewed with less favorable attitudes and intentions than those for the retarded or the elderly, (c) members of various community groups held significantly different attitudes and intentions toward the programs, and (d) attitudes and intentions toward deinstitutionalization were more favorable than toward institutionalization. The application of this approach for assessing the implementation climate for planned change was discussed. (55 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The problem of intersource consensus in measuring therapeutic outcomes: New data and multivariate perspectives.

Contrasted the results yielded by several multivariate techniques (component analysis, canonical correlation, typological analysis) to examine intersource agreement and disagreement in a nationwide sample of 79 therapist-patient dyads across pre-post data (converted to residualized gain scores) generated by patients, therapists, and psychometrists on a total of 22 measures (e.g., MMPI Current Adjustment Rating Scale, and Psychiatric Status Schedule). 4 factors emerged from a principal components analysis-changes in (a) patient-experienced distress, (b) observable maladjustment, (c) impulse expression, and (d) self-acceptance. It is suggested that large-scale collaborative studies are needed to clarify further the types of intersource agreement and disagreement isolated in this study. The development of consensual measures of outcome is imperative for the systematic evaluation of the effects of diverse therapeutic interventions. (26 ref) self-acceptance. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychological well-being of women of Menoufiya, Egypt: Relationships with family planning.

Researchers surveyed the psychological well-being of 795 women of reproductive age from Menoufiya, Egypt. Five years earlier, these women had provided data relevant to their family planning behavior. This analysis links these data sets to investigate the impact of family planning on women's sense of well-being, within the context of beliefs about appropriate gender-related behaviors. Well-being measures are derived for trait and state dimensions. Use of family planning and number of children born within the preceding 5 years predicted state ratings of happiness, and number of children predicted anxious pride. Neither are related to any of the trait ratings. Further, 3 different gender-role attitudes are vital to the explanation of how women define and feel good about themselves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)