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Land snails in the family Helminthoglyptidae are found sparingly and locally throughout southern California's deserts. They are mostly restricted to rock outcrops and talus in partially shaded canyons where they can gain access to cooler temperatures under the rocks. Several species are known only from their type localities, and were described by shell characters only. We have endeavored to locate known species, document their reproductive anatomy and embryonic shell structure, refine knowledge of their distribution, and incorporate genetic sequencing of two mitochondrial genes (COI and 16S) to investigate evolutionary relationships in these taxa. As a “first pass” molecular study, we have established basic sequence and divergence data for 27 populations of snails in five genera: Helminthoglypta (subgenus Coyote), Eremarionta, Cahuillus, Chamaearionta and Sonorelix. Fifteen of the populations were previously unknown. We confirmed that the Salton Rift/Coachella Valley is a major biogeographic barr...

Writing is a critical skill for graduate students, but few studies in the literature describe how it is supported in the training of biomedical graduate students. The Initiative for Maximizing Student Development program at Loma Linda University aims to develop this important skill in its students through an integrated, structured writing intervention. Specifically, the program hired a writing specialist who taught writing seminars, facilitated writing and publishing workshops, and mentored students in one-on-one writing conferences. Doctoral students in the program, primarily underrepresented minority students with some not having English as a first language, all exhibited writing apprehension and blocking behaviors. The percentage of students graduating, publishing, and entering science careers, all of which require writing, is high. To yield insight into how this intervention worked, we conducted in-depth interviews of six of the earliest graduates, derived themes, analyzed data from pre- and post-assessments, and described their publication records. Participating students increased their writing confidence, adopted productive writing strategies, decreased writing anxiety and blocking behaviors, and published successfully.

This article presents a form of teacher reasoning that we call proclivities for teaching mathematics. We define proclivities for teaching mathematics as the beliefs, knowledge, and dispositions that are actionable in the flow of instruction, and we argue that growth in this area contributes to positive change in mathematics instruction. Proclivities for teaching mathematics encompass four domains: productive disposition, openness to new ideas, thought processes, and organization of mathematical thought; in this article, we focus on productive disposition. The article provides a rationale for the construct of proclivities for teaching mathematics, and describes an initial attempt to develop measures for these proclivities. Analyses of data from a sample of 63 teachers indicate that measures of proclivities for teaching mathematics are associated with increases in teacher knowledge, self-efficacy, and instructional improvement over time, and although the dataset is small, these positive indicators suggest that further exploration of this construct is warranted.

Interpersonal chemistry refers to a connection between two individuals that exists upon first meeting. The goal of the current study is to identify beliefs about the underlying components of friendship chemistry. Individuals respond to an online Friendship Chemistry Questionnaire containing items that are derived from interdependence theory and the friendship formation literature. Participants are randomly divided into two subsamples. A principal axis factor analysis with promax rotation is performed on subsample 1 and produces 5 factors: Reciprocal candor, mutual interest, personableness, similarity, and physical attraction. A confirmatory factor analysis is conducted using subsample 2 and provides support for the 5-factor model. Participants with agreeable, open, and conscientious personalities more commonly report experiencing friendship chemistry, as do those who are female, young, and European/white. Responses from participants who have never experienced chemistry are qualitatively analyzed. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

This paper presents the outcomes of a Dialectical Behavior Treatment (DBT) program, implemented in intensive outpatient care with two groups of adolescents (n = 55 and n = 45), ages 12-18, who engaged in deliberate self-harm (DSH) but had different insurance/funding sources and risk backgrounds. This pre-post study examined variability in clinical functioning and treatment utilization between the two groups and investigated moderating risk factors. Findings support DBT's effectiveness in improving clinical functioning for youth with DSH regardless of insurance type. However, lower rates of treatment completion among youth without private insurance call for extra engagement efforts to retain high-risk youth in DBT.

The study employed 90 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) who were matched to 90 typically developing children on age, gender, and ethnicity. Using structural equation modeling, maternal sleep and maternal stress mediated the relationship between children's sleep and mothers' mental health for mothers of children with and without ASDs. Mothers of children with ASDs reported more problems related to children's sleep, their own sleep, greater stress, and poorer mental health; however, children's sleep and maternal sleep were more closely related to maternal stress for mothers of typically developing children. Implications of these findings and future directions for research are discussed.

Gendered aging effects have been documented in television and film, such that older female characters are more underrepresented and stereotypically portrayed than their male counterparts. This trend has an adverse impact on the careers of female screen actors. This study examines whether the popularity of female screen actors among general audiences is impacted by age as well. Specifically, we expected that the popularity of female screen actors would decline more sharply with age than that of male screen actors. Biographical and filmographical information was collected for 347 actors (153 males, 194 females) from the IMDbpro website. Data were analyzed using growth modeling and hierarchical multiple regression. Results showed no gendered aging effects, but did demonstrate that male screen actors are more popular at all age groups than female screen actors and both groups' popularity declined with age. Implications are discussed.

Systematic studies on the specific symptom experience in children with advanced cancer are limited.The objective of the study was to examine the common symptoms and to explore commonly occurring symptoms over time.A prospective and longitudinal study design was used. Data were collected at 10 data points from 60 children over a 5-month period. Children ranged from 6 to 17 years old, spoke English or Spanish, were diagnosed with advanced cancer, and were receiving healthcare in 1 of 4 Southern California hospitals. Nurses' documentations of symptoms were examined.The study sample was composed of children 6 to 12 years old (52%) and 13 to 17 years old (48%); 42% were female, and 58% were male. Fifty-five percent were Latino, and 30% were Caucasian. Pain, nausea, drowsiness, and energy loss were reported by children in more than 50% of the interviews. Children's and nurses' reports of symptoms were similar except children reported significantly more frequency and intensity of pain.Children with advanced cancer were able to report and describe their symptoms. There were few differences by gender, age, and ethnicity.It is important that children's symptoms are clearly communicated to nurses, and these study findings may be used to anticipate and manage the symptoms experienced by children with advanced cancer.

Background: It is important for health care professionals to understand the pain experience in children with advanced cancer. There has been increased attention to this topic, but systematic studies are limited. Objective: To examine pain symptoms and management in children with advanced cancer using child self-report and nurse documentation. Methods: A prospective, longitudinal method was used to collect data from 62 children over a 5-month period. Children were English and Spanish speaking, ages 6 to 17 years, with advanced cancer. Nurses also provided data. Results: Across all interviews, pain was reported 56% of the time by all children. Nurses documented pain only 23% of the time. Children most frequently reported head pain (31%), followed by abdomen, lower back, leg, and feet pain (20% to 30%). Children consistently reported more intense pain compared with nurses. Nonopioids were used more frequently (45%) than opioids (32%), and nurses’ perception of pain intensity was more highly correlated with administration of opioids ( r = .72, P < .001). Children who died during their participation in this study received more opioids over time. Pain intensity was relatively stable over time. Nurses noted ethnicity related differences with higher pain levels for Caucasian children, who received analgesics more frequently. Discussion: The children consistently reported pain. Child self-report and nurse documentation of pain differed, as did pain management among children who died compared with those who did not. Ethnicity differences in the identification and management of pain by nurses begs further study. Overall, nurses were aware of and responsive to pain and pain management.

The current study evaluated the structure of a revised (shortened) version of the Creativity Domain Questionnaire (CDQ), examined its relationship with five personality factors, and analyzed potential differences in creativity domains based upon gender and occupational status. One hundred eighty-two students and 60 warehouse employees completed the Revised Creativity Domain Questionnaire (CDQ-R) and the Big Five Factor Markers. Consistent with an exploratory factor analysis of pilot data, a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis of these data supported a four-factor structure for the CDQ-R. Correlations between these four creativity domains and the Big Five personality factors generally were consistent with theoretical expectations. Effects for gender also were consistent with theory. Women perceived themselves as more creative in the Arts general domain while men perceived themselves significantly more creative in Math/Science. There were no effects for occupational status. Creativity takes place in diverse contexts, and we cannot expect the personalities of people who create in different domains to be the same, or to differ in the same ways from comparison subjects. (Helson, 1996, p. 303)

This study examines the ability of relational history narratives collected through the Oral History Interview (OHI) to predict the trajectory of feeling flooded by a spouse's negative emotions, loneliness, depressive symptoms, and marital satisfaction across a three-year period, as the trajectory patterns of these marital factors are associated with divorce. Participants scoring highest on marital bond (a score ascertained from marital storytelling behaviors and representing positive perceptions of one's spouse and relationship) reported the highest levels of satisfaction and lowest levels of loneliness, flooding, and depression over time. There were significant differences between men and women on flooding, but for each of the other outcome variables, the couples with the lowest marital bond scores exhibited different gender patterns than the couples with higher marital bond scores. The identification of these precursors to divorce suggests therapeutic applications for relational history narratives.

This study examines three areas of intimate partner violence in a conservative Christian denomination, noting gender differences in patterns of abuse among men and women. Specifically investigating patterns of victimization, the study identifies women as targets of intimate terrorism. Women who experienced escalating violence and sexual violence also reported emotional abuse, controlling behaviors, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that are typical of intimate terrorism. Women who endured potentially lethal violence had the added associated action of calling the police or 911. Although factors that are associated with male victimization also feature controlling behaviors, the control is not associated with PTSD or associated fear behaviors that are typical of intimate terrorism.

Nikola Angelov1, Raydolfo M Aprecio1, James Kettering1, Tord Lundgren2, Matt Riggs3, Jan Egelberg11School of Dentistry, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA; 2Department of Periodontology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; 3Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USABackground: The aim of this study was to compare the recovery of three putative periodontal pathogens from periodontal lesions in samples using paper points inserted to different depths of the lesions.Methods: Twenty 6–8 mm deep periodontal lesions with bleeding on probing were studied. Microbial samples were obtained using paper points inserted to three different depths of the lesions: orifice of lesion; 2 mm into the lesion; and to the base of lesion. Culturing was used for recovery and identification of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Prevotella intermedia.Results: The recovery of each of the three putative periodontal pathogens was similar following sampling at the various depths of the lesions.Conclusions: The findings may be explained by the fact that the paper points become saturated as they pass through the orifice of the lesion. Absorption of microorganisms will therefore primarily occur at the orifice. It is also conceivable that the pathogens may be present in similar proportions throughout the various depths of the periodontal lesions.Keywords: paper point sampling, P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, A. actinomycetemcomitans

We conducted a review of literature regarding sexual attitudes and double standards, focusing on participant gender and ethnic background. We found that men had more permissive sexual attitudes than women, and that African Americans had the most permissive sexual attitudes, followed by White Americans, then by Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans. The literature regarding sexual double standards was mixed; some studies showed evidence of continued sexual double standards and some studies showed the absence of sexual double standards. In some studies, men were more likely to endorse the sexual double standard than women. We found only one article addressing sexual double standards using ethnic background as a quasi-independent variable; this research revealed that non-North American (Russian and Japanese) samples were more likely to endorse the traditional double standard, that sex is more acceptable for men than for women.

Purpose To identify useful acute indicators of long-term neurocognitive outcome beyond clinical variables for children and adolescents treated for a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Materials and Methods The efficacy of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) acquired 6 ± 4 days after TBI in 20 children/adolescents in predicting intellectual and neuropsychological functioning one to four years post injury was assessed. Short echo-time single voxel MRS (SVS) from normal-appearing brain was compared to intermediate echo-time multivoxel MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) from normal-appearing and visibly-injured brain acquired through the level of the corpus callosum (CC). Results N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) was moderate to strongly correlated with cognitive scores. Mean NAA/creatine (Cre) from MRSI alone explained over 40% of the variance in cognitive scores and 18% of the variance above and beyond demographic and clinical variables alone. Mild to moderate associations were noted between SVS metabolites (glutamate/glutamine [Glx] and myoinositol [mI]) and cognitive scores, with no such associations apparent for choline (Cho) or Cre. Exploratory analyses revealed trends for regional neuroimaging data and specific cognitive abilities. Conclusion Acute MR spectroscopy of the pediatric brain injury patient improves prognostic ability and may provide valuable information for early treatment and intervention planning. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

In the present study, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the Observer Alexithymia Scale-French translation (OAS-F), a 33-item, observer-rated alexithymia measure. The scale, accessible to lay and professional raters, taps everyday expressions of alexithymia. French university students (N = 159) were asked to rate a person they knew well or ask an acquaintance to rate them. Those being rated (N = 159) were parents, siblings, children, and friends. OAS-F total and subscale scores were comparable to those in the English normative samples. Moreover, OAS scores were reliable, and the scale’s five-factor structure (distant, uninsightful, somatizing, humorless, and rigid) was confirmed. Importantly, too, OAS total scores correlated 0.31 with (self-report) 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) scores. The OAS-F appears to be a psychometrically sound observer-rated alexithymia measure.

Traumatic brain injury is among the most frequent pediatric neurologic disorders in the United States, affecting multiple aspects of neuropsychologic functioning. This study assessed the efficacy of susceptibility weighted imaging as a predictor of long-term neuropsychologic functioning after pediatric brain injury compared with magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging. Susceptibility weighted imaging is a relatively new method that is considered superior to traditional magnetic resonance imaging sequences for detecting hemorrhagic diffuse axonal injury. In this study, imaging and spectroscopy were acquired 6 +/- 4 days after injury. Measures of neuropsychologic functioning were administered to 18 children and adolescents 1-4 years post injury. Negative correlations between lesion number and volume with neuropsychologic functioning were demonstrated. Lesion volume explained over 32% of the variance in cognitive performance, explaining at least an additional 20% beyond injury severity and age at injury alone and 19% beyond magnetic resonance spectroscopic metabolite variables. Exploratory analyses resulted in notable trends, with lesions in deeper brain regions more strongly associated with poorer neuropsychologic performance. Improved detection of the extent of diffuse axonal injury following a brain injury will allow for a better understanding of its association with long-term outcome, which in turn can improve prognostic efficacy for effective treatment planning.

Background: The aim of the present study, performed during periodontal recall visits, was to compare the levels of pain experienced by patients during periodontal probing using probes with tip diameters of either 0.40 mm or 0.63 mm. Methods: Three groups of 20 adult patients were examined by three different therapists. Diagonal maxillary/mandibular quadrants were probed with a 0.40 mm and a 0.63 mm probe, respectively. At the completion of probing of each quadrant, the patients were asked to describe their pain using a visual analog scale (VAS). Results: Most patients showed low VAS pain scores for both probes. However, using an arbitrary threshold of VAS ≥40 mm to indicate significant pain, some patients had a painful experience. Lower median pain responses following probing with the 0.63 mm probe compared to the 0.40 mm probe were observed for patients of therapist 1, and for the quartile of all 60 patients that showed the highest VAS scores. For therapist 2 and 3 groups, no differences were found. The pain levels expressed by the three groups of patients varied, confirming results of our previous studies, which also observed differences in patients' pain experiences following probing by different therapists. Conclusions: The ability to deliver dental care with a minimum of patient discomfort would seem to be an essential part of the skills of individual clinicians. We would like to suggest that dental therapists periodically evaluate this part of their skill by asking patients to express their pain experiences following various procedures using VAS scales. J Periodontol 2005;76:980-984.

This study cross-validates a short aggression inventory using a sample of 250 law enforcement professionals. The instrument under investigation is the 12-question modified version of the Buss-Perry Aggression Scale (Buss & Perry, 1992). Statistical and external validation methods were used to ascertain the appropriateness of this scale's use with law enforcement professionals. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that both the firstorder, four-factor model, {ie12-1}, GFI=.94, NFI=.84, NNFI=.88, and CFI=.91, and the second-order model with a single, global Aggression “super” factor, {ie12-2}, GFI=.94, NFI=.84, NNFI=.89, and CFI=.91, provided a reasonable goodness-of-fit to the data. Subscales of this instrument correlated meaningfully with departmental measures of citizen complaints for physical and verbal aggression by officers, as well as the number of shooting incidents in which the officers were involved. The need for a short measure of aggression is discussed and applications in law enforcement are offered.

To develop a non-condition-specific scale to capture biases, emotions, and expectations generated by medical condition descriptors.An 18-item pilot scale was developed from the literature on physicians' responses to patients they like and dislike, stigma definitions, and discussions with primary care faculty. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted after 440 medical students rated one of 12 diverse conditions. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed after 163 medical students rated two psychiatric conditions. Validity was evaluated by the scale's ability to meaningfully stratify the 12 conditions and identify changes in attitudes toward psychiatric conditions after a psychiatry clerkship.Exploratory factor analysis supported an 11-item unidimensional solution (all factor loadings.40, coefficient alpha =.87). The final scale, the Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS), taps the degree to which medical students find patients with a given medical condition to be enjoyable, treatable, and worthy of medical resources. The unidimensional model also was supported by the confirmatory factor analyses for the two psychiatric conditions (both comparative fit indices =.98). The scale stratified the 12 conditions as expected: straightforward medical conditions rated highest, somatoform conditions rated lowest. Students showed greater regard for patients with major depression after the psychiatry clerkship, and students who rotated through an addiction treatment program showed a greater increase in regard for patients with alcoholism than did students not exposed to addiction treatment.MCRS scores are reliable, and the scale appears to be a valid instrument for assessing regard for any medical condition.

A meta-analysis was performed of the research published from 1985 to 1998 examining the effect of in utero exposure to cocaine on infant neuobehavioral outcome. The initial search for articles to include in the meta-analysis identified 18 studies with potentially meta-analytic variables. Of the studies originally retrieved, 13 failed to meet all of the inclusion criteria and were excluded from the meta-analysis. A total of 14 meta-analyses were performed comparing cocaine-exposed infants to nonexposed infants on NBAS cluster scales at birth and at 3–4 weeks of age. While the meta-analytic combination of studies produced a large enough sample size to drive statistical significance in a small majority of the tests of difference between the cocaine-exposed and nonexposed infants both at birth and soon after, the magnitude of all effects was small. The largest reliable differences appeared for the motor performance and abnormal reflexes clusters. Both also demonstrated a slight trend for increasing standard differences from birth to measures obtained at 3–4 weeks. The orientation and autonomic regulation clusters produced small, significant effects at both time periods, but the trend was for reduced effect sizes over time. All other effects appear truly negligible.

The Trinitarian view of validity (namely content, criterion-related, and construct) has dominated psychology for almost a half century. In industrial and personnel psychology especially, content and criterion-related (in particular) forms of validity have served as workhorses. Such a limited focus has lead to a stagnation of the area and the inability to incorporate more theory into the research and practice of personnel psychology. Therefore, we review the evolution of the concept of validity in the psychology discipline, with a particular emphasis on industrial and personnel psychology. We then review the legal and statutory history within industrial and personnel psychology that has helped to shape the concept of validity over the years. Finally, we examine some emerging trends in industrial and personnel psychology, including the issue of graduate training, which may have important consequences on how we conceptualize validity in the future in both our research and practice of personnel psychology.

This study describes the development of general scales to measure self-efficacy and outcome expectancy at both the individual and group level. Factor analysis of an initial application of these scales in work settings was used for scale revision. Results from a second work sample provide evidence of the revised scales' factorial validity, reliability, and criterion validity in reference to work satisfaction, organizational commitment, and work performance based on peer evaluations. These scales are proposed as tools to enhance the use of these constructs in job-related research.

Summary.-173 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to 4 groups. Group 1 (n = 43) received a description of general objective criteria For the job of police officer. Group 2 (n = 43) received additional information describing variables relevant to the valid prediction of job performance and were instructed to pay attention to those variables. Group 3 (n = 46) received additional information describing those variables not valid for iob selection and were instructed to attend to those. Group 4 (n = 41) received the descriptions of and instructions to focus on both relwant and irrelevant variables. All subjects then rated 4 fictitious job applicants on the basis of application materials that were manipulated in reference to both their relevant/valid qualifications and their irrelevant/stereotypical fit to the job. Analysis indicated that subjects atrending to irrelevant information rated applicants more objectively. Assuming these results generalize to cognitive processes that occur among actual personnel managers, findings suggest that training raten to attend to rather than ignore irrelevant information may help reduce bias in ~ersonnel selection. As Guion (1976) stated, there is a difference between statistical discrimination (distinguishing between people who can do the job) and unfair discrimination. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act was an attempt to provide guidelines for selection devices to help alleviate unfair discrimination. Nevertheless, despite all of the attempts to alleviate bias through improvements in federal and state laws and in testing the reliability and validity of selection measures, Tenopyr (1981) noted that it is not tests that discriminate against people; people discriminate against people. In that regard, directly reducing unfair discrimination may depend more on assessing the human

In this study, we evaluated CUIDAR, a program that provides community-based 10-week parent training to reduce attention and behavior problems in preschool children. We recruited 154 predominantly low-income and Latino preschoolers and their parents to participate in this evaluation study. We collected data prior to and immediately following intervention and one year later. At the time of follow-up, we also recruited 15 parents who had initially enrolled, but never participated in the program to serve as a comparison group for a limited set of analyses. From pre to post intervention, we observed significant, positive changes in eight out of ten measured parenting behaviors. From pre intervention to follow-up, improvements in the use of transitional statements and planning ahead were significant. Children's SDQ Total Difficulties scores significantly decreased from pre to post intervention (d = .36), and we observed significant, positive changes in all SDQ subscales. From pre intervention to follow-up, children's SDQ Total Difficulties scores significantly decreased (d = .71) and all SDQ subscales reflected significant, positive changes. We observed no significant differences in reported barriers to participation between parents who participated in the program and those who enrolled, but never participated. Intervention gains were moderated by several factors, including history of out-of-home care and family structure. Our results should be interpreted cautiously because not all analyses included a comparison group, and a randomized trial of CUIDAR effectiveness is still needed. © 2010 The Author(s).

To address the lack of empirically grounded measures of childhood sexual abuse severity, a survey of self-report items was developed following a thorough review of the childhood sexual abuse literature. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using data collected from a convenience sample of college students that included 275 females and males with a history of childhood sexual abuse. The solution produced seven factors interpreted as the following: (a) less intrusive forms of childhood sexual abuse (e.g., sexual invitations, kissing), (b) more intrusive forms of childhood sexual abuse (e.g., oral sex, intercourse), (c) humiliation/fear, (d) childhood sexual abuse involving photography, (e) familiarity with the perpetrator, (f) physical force/rape, and (g) active digital penetration. Correlations among these factors further suggested the existence of two relatively independent second-order factors, one based on the levels of physical intrusiveness and the other composed of the psychological/emotional factors. While arguably the most common measurement of severity, physical intrusiveness had little association with critical factors such as humiliation, fear, and association with the perpetrator. Consequently, physical intrusiveness appears to be an inadequate stand-alone measure of childhood sexual abuse severity. These results are proposed to lay the groundwork for an improved, more comprehensive measure of childhood sexual abuse severity.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the English and Spanish versions of the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD-symptom and Normal-behavior (SWAN) rating scale. Method: Parents of preschoolers completed both a SWAN and the well-established Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) on two separate occasions over a span of 3 months; instruments were in the primary language of the family (English or Spanish). Results: Psychometric properties for the English and Spanish versions of the SWAN were adequate, with high internal consistency and moderate test–retest reliability. Skewness and kurtosis statistics for the SWAN were within the range expected for a normally distributed population. The SWAN also demonstrated adequate convergent and discriminant validity in correlations with the various subscales of the SDQ. Conclusion: Psychometric properties of both the English and Spanish versions of the SWAN indicate that it is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring child attention and hyperactivity. The stability of ratings over time in this preschool sample was moderate, which may reflect the relative instability of these characteristics in preschool children.

To illustrate the implementation of a bottom-up approach to the study of culture in health disparities, this article describes the development of a cultural cancer screening scale (CCSS) using mixed methodologies. The aim was to identify cultural factors relevant to breast and cervical cancer screening, develop an instrument to assess them and examine its preliminary psychometric properties among Latin American (Latino) and non-Latino White (Anglo) women in Southern California. Seventy-eight Latino and Anglo women participated in semi-structured interviews, which were content coded based on Triandis' methods for the analysis of subjective culture. Based on the emerging cultural elements, items relevant to cancer screening were developed and pilot tested with 161 participants. After the instrument was refined, 314 Latino and Anglo women from various socioeconomic backgrounds completed the CCSS and data were factor analyzed resulting in five cultural factors: cancer screening fatalism, negative beliefs about health professionals, catastrophic disease expectations, symptomatic deterrents and sociocultural deterrents. The instrument demonstrated measurement equivalence, adequate reliability and predictive validity. The research and the CCSS are discussed in terms of implications for the study of culture in relation to health disparities and the development of evidence-based interventions with culturally diverse populations and their health professionals.

(1991). Predictors of Student Success in a Teacher Education Program: What is Valid, What is Not. Action in Teacher Education: Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 41-46.

Background: The aims of the present study were to identify the level of pain experienced by patients from probing during periodontal examination, and to determine to what extent the examining periodontist and the dental assistant could estimate the degree of pain experienced by the patients. Methods: For each of three periodontists, 20 patients referred for periodontal diagnosis and treatment were selected. The periodontist carried out his examination, which included probing at six sites per tooth. Following probing, the patients rated the pain using a visual analog scale (VAS). The periodontist and the dental assistant who helped out during the examination independently rated the pain level they perceived that each patient experienced, also using a VAS. Results: Most patients showed low pain responses to probing. However, using an arbitrary threshold of VAS ≥40 mm to indicate significant pain, some patients had a painful experience. Differences were observed between the pain levels expressed by the three groups of patients. While two of the three periodontists were able to appraise the pain experienced by their patients, the third was not. Conclusions: It seems important that the periodontist at the first encounter with the patient should be sensitive to the discomfort the examination may entail. This may influence the patients' decision to accept the required treatment, and may also affect the patients' attitude to and co-operation with the subsequent treatment. J Periodontol 2005;76:985-990.

Armenia's current sociopolitical and economic instability and the alarming HIV incidence rates in neighboring countries amplify its risk for a national epidemic. The goals of this study were to assess HIV/AIDS knowledge and risk behaviors among higher education students in Yerevan. Knowledge of HIV transmission through sexual intercourse was markedly higher than that on intravenous transmission and prevailing myths; however, HIV/AIDS knowledge was not related to risk behaviors. Tobacco and alcohol prevalence was relatively high. Students reported risky sexual behaviors, including inconsistent condom use, casual sex, and multiple partners. In addition to descriptive statistics delineating gender differences across the target behavioral domains, bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to understand factors that contributed to increased risk, including early age of initiation and the relationship between substance use and risky sexual activity. The study results provide much-needed information for the development of school- and community-based AIDS prevention programs in Armenia.

The aims of this study were to determine: 1) the degree of pain experienced by patients during probing and debridement; 2) whether the treating hygienists could estimate the degree of pain experienced by the patients; and 3) whether the patients' pain responses could be predicted by factors such as the patients' age, gender, number of residual periodontal lesions, and answers to a questionnaire on dental anxiety.Prior to periodontal maintenance procedures, two groups of 20 adult patients to be treated by two hygienists completed an anxiety questionnaire. Subsequently, measurements of probing depths were performed, followed by pain ratings by each patient using a visual analog scale (VAS). The hygienists also completed a VAS, estimating the pain level they perceived their patient to have experienced. The same protocol was repeated for instrumentation (debridement).Most patients showed low pain responses to both probing and instrumentation. However, using an arbitrary threshold of VASor = 40 mm, 20% to 33% of the patients had a significant pain experience. The hygienists were quite accurate in their relative estimates of their patients' pain experiences. Regression analyses disclosed that significant portions of the pain responses could be predicted by the patients' answers to one of the dental anxiety questions.Recognition of patients who are likely to experience significant pain during periodontal treatment may be facilitated by the use of one question on dental anxiety. During treatment, the ability to gauge and respond to patients' pain experiences would seem to be an important component of a therapist's clinical skills.

Probing bone measurements as an alternative to open bone measurements to evaluate regenerative procedures in furcation defects do not seem to be used as yet. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the reliability of probing bone measurements in such defects.Fifteen patients scheduled for surgical treatment of a total of 30 mandibular molars with buccal or lingual Class II furcation defects were studied. During treatment, duplicate vertical and horizontal recordings of probing attachment levels, probing bone levels, and open bone levels were taken by independent examiners.Deviations of both vertical and horizontal recordings between the first and second examiners were within +/-1 mm in 90% to 100% of examined sites for all 3 measurements. Standard deviations of differences between pairs of duplicate recordings were also similar for the 3 measurements both for vertical and horizontal defect dimensions and amounted to 0.7 to 0.9 mm. On average, vertical and horizontal open bone levels were 0.9 to 1.1 mm deeper than probing bone levels. Probing bone levels, in turn, were 1.1 to 1.5 mm deeper than probing attachment levels.In view of the consistency demonstrated between probing bone level and open bone level measurements in mandibular Class II defects, coupled with the additional discomfort for the patient of a reentry surgery and a possible reentry traumatic effect, open bone level measurements do not seem necessary or even justified to evaluate effects of periodontal therapy in these defects, and can be substituted by probing bone measurements.

The aims of this study were to assess the degree of pain experienced by patients during probing and debridement and to determine whether the pain responses could be predicted by the patient's age, gender, percentage of sitesor = 4 mm deep, and responses to a questionnaire on dental anxiety.Prior to the maintenance procedures, 26 adult patients completed an anxiety questionnaire. Subsequently, measurements of probing depths were performed. The patients activated a tallying device at each probe entry that evoked pain (pain frequency). Pain levels for each quadrant were also assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS). Following probing, the same protocol was repeated during instrumentation (debridement).Most patients showed low pain responses to both probing and instrumentation as evaluated by both methods of measurement. However, using arbitrary thresholds of pain frequencyor = 50% and VASor = 40 mm, approximately 15% of the patients had a painful experience. Stepwise multiple regression analyses disclosed that significant portions of the pain levels could be predicted by gender and the patients' answers to 2 of the dental anxiety questions.Recognition of patients who are likely to experience pain during periodontal treatment can be facilitated by the use of 2 questions on dental anxiety and the VAS response to probing during examination.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Observer Alexithymia Scale (OAS; Haviland, Warren, & Riggs, 2000) in a clinical setting. Clinical and counseling psychologists used the OAS to rate outpatients (n = 192) with various Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnoses. Reliability and validity data are similar to the initial nonclinical data (n = 819): OAS scores are reliable (coefficient alpha = .90), and the five-factor structure--Distant, Uninsightful, Somatizing, Humorless, and Rigid--was confirmed. Moreover, the OAS does a relatively good job of differentiating clinical from nonclinical cases. The OAS is psychometrically sound, and it appears to be a useful tool for collecting and evaluating observer data on the clinically relevant, everyday expressions of alexithymia.

Chronic pain remains at epidemic levels in the United States, affecting approximately 20% of the population ( Breivik et al., 2006 ). At present, treatments generally target symptom relief and seldom address improvements in quality of life and overall healing. Recent insights in neurobiology have demonstrated that chronic pain is a degenerative disease of cortical and sub-cortical structures ( Tracy, 2008 ). Thus, treatments can be designed to enhance specific areas of the brain affected by chronic pain and, thereby, improve patients' cognitive and emotional abilities. For example, specific treatments can be designed that normalize function of frontal lobe areas negatively affected by the effects of chronic pain.

The authors developed a relatively brief observer alexithymia measure that can be used by patients’ acquaintances and relatives. Items corresponding to the defining features of alexithymia (California Q-Set Alexithymia Prototype) were written, and the new instrument's psychometric properties were evaluated in 3 lay-rater samples. The 33-item Observer Alexithymia Scale (OAS) is internally consistent (coefficient alphas = 0.88 and 0.89) and stable (2-week test-retest reliability = 0.87). Moreover, it has an interpretable five-factor structure (based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses): distant, uninsightful, somatizing, humorless, and rigid. The OAS is a reliable instrument with a stable factor structure and good conceptual coverage and thus, it appears to be a useful tool for collecting observer data on the clinically relevant expressions of alexithymia that receive minimal attention.

Two models describing the theoretical relationship among the constructs of perceived group success-failure, individual and collective levels of job-specific efficacy and outcome expectancy, satisfaction, and organizational commitment were developed. Model 1 proposed that the causal relationship between group success-failure and subsequent attitudinal variables (satisfaction and organizational commitment) is completely mediated by efficacy and outcome expectancy variables. The second model proposed a direct causal link from perceived group success-failure to the attitudinal variables and omitted questionable causal paths from personal efficacy and collective outcome expectancy to the attitudinal variables. The competing models were subjected to structural equation path model analysis. The second model produced an adequate fit between theory and data. Implications for organizations are discussed.

The increasing awareness and concern with equity issues in higher education, along with the escalating litigation, has prompted institutions to undertake salary prediction studies. Four prediction models (built on a males only and total sample) were compared: (1) entering all variables, (2) excluding rank and tenure, (3) using predicted rank and tenure, and (4) using only “objective” variables. Models were tested using all permanent full-time faculty at a large midwestern university. Using predicted rank and tenure was the most suitable for equity studies. Including all variables yielded the best results for explaining/predicting reward systems. The other two models did not appear appropriate for either purpose. The males only sample consistently produced the largest bias effects. Institutions considering a salary prediction study should find these outcomes helpful in determining appropriate analytical strategies.

Past attempts to predict the salary of faculty have been flawed by the use of rank, a potential source of bias, but removing rank from the equation seriously reduces prediction. This research studies the degree of bias in rank. Discriminant analysis produced a solution that correctly predicted rank 69% of the time for the 1083 faculty members used in the study. Among teaching and research faculty, there was a significant relationship between the direction of prediction error and gender. For women, the number of times they were predicted to have a rank higher than their actual rank exceeded the opposite condition by 2 1/2 times; for men, there was a slight tendency for the opposite. Methods were suggested for using the information administratively to correct problems. Further, recommendations are made to use the results to study salary-bias problems.