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This book gives an up-to-date overview of methodological and data-analytical issues of cross-cultural studies. Written by leading experts in the field, it presents the most important tools for doing cross-cultural research and outlines design considerations, methods, and analytical techniques that can improve ecological validity and help researchers to avoid pitfalls in cross-cultural psychology. By focusing on the relevant research questions that can be tackled with particular methods, it provides practical guidance on how to translate conceptual questions into decisions on study design and statistical techniques. Featuring examples from cognitive and educational assessment, personality, health, and intercultural communication and management, and illustrating key techniques in feature boxes, this concise and accessible guide is essential reading for researchers, graduate students, and professionals who work with culture-comparative data.
This chapter combines developments in the emotion literature with developments in cross-cultural methodology in order to formulate four recommendations that can bridge the gap between relativist and universalist views on cultural variation in emotion. We recommend that researchers (1) specify the emotions or facets of emotions they study, preferably using a multi-componential approach to assessing emotions; (2) check the equivalence across languages and cultures of the emotion vocabulary they use, either by existing data bases or by including the measurement of meaning in their design; (3) specify the level at which they compare emotions across cultures ranging from descriptions of culture-specific constructs to direct comparisons of mean scores, and apply adequate methods to demonstrate the level of comparability claimed; and (4) account for both similarities and differences when they formulate hypotheses, as well as when they interpret their data. These recommendations are illustrated with historical and contemporary cross-cultural emotion research.
At first glance, the 1961 collection Contemporary Social Problems is indistinguishable from dozens of similarly named textbooks. The volume, edited by Robert Merton and Robert Nisbet, was the latest installment in a long-running genre of works aiming to orient American sociology undergraduates to a range of “social problems.” Like its predecessors, the Merton and Nisbet collection featured a chapter-by-chapter march through a succession of named problems such as crime, drug addiction, and family disorganization.
The social sciences underwent rapid development in postwar America. Problems once framed in social terms gradually became redefined as individual with regards to scope and remedy, with economics and psychology winning influence over the other social sciences. By the 1970s, both economics and psychology had spread their intellectual remits wide: psychology's concepts suffused everyday language, while economists entered a myriad of policy debates. Psychology and economics contributed to, and benefited from, a conception of society that was increasingly skeptical of social explanations and interventions. Sociology, in particular, lost intellectual and policy ground to its peers, even regarding 'social problems' that the discipline long considered its settled domain. The book's ten chapters explore this shift, each refracted through a single 'problem': the family, crime, urban concerns, education, discrimination, poverty, addiction, war, and mental health, examining the effects an increasingly individualized lens has had on the way we see these problems.
This chapter proposes that globalization of multinational enterprises (MNEs) can be viewed as involving self-organizing swarms searching for optimal solutions to challenges presented by new and rapidly changing organizational ecologies. These challenges include developing innovative strategies for leadership, communication, training, management style, organizational design, and so forth. In this model, optimization most effectively occurs through evolutionary performance-based processes rather than more rational, analytic ones. This chapter applies recent theory and research on swarm intelligence to globalization, relates it to work on building microcultures in MNEs and suggests that the combination of these two processes can lead to more “intelligent swarming.” The latter involves a more detailed description of the past solution attempts of one’s own work team and those of other potentially comparable teams, including a fuller explication of key ecological characteristics, identification of potentially relevant comparison ecologies, and accurate evaluation of solution outcomes. It also involves better data storage and retrieval. Conditions which nurture intelligent swarming are discussed. Two training activities that have been used in a variety of organizational contexts and adaptable to enhancing intelligent swarming are described – “World Café” and “Smart Swarming.”
The current study aims to describe the Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence across the US regions, and explore the predictive factors of MD adherence among US adults.
Design:
Cross-sectional secondary data analysis. MD adherence score (0–9) was calculated using the Block 98 FFQ. Hot spot analysis was conducted to describe the geospatial distribution of MD adherence across the US regions. Logistic regression explored predictors of MD adherence.
Setting:
Nationwide community-dwelling residency in the USA.
Participants:
Adults aged ≥45 years (n 20 897) who participated in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study and completed baseline assessment during January 2003 and October 2007.
Results:
The mean of MD adherence score was 4·36 (sd 1·70), and 46·5 % of the sample had high MD adherence (score 5–9). Higher MD adherence clusters were primarily located in the western and northeastern coastal areas of the USA, whereas lower MD adherence clusters were majorly observed in south and east-north-central regions. Being older, black, not a current smoker, having a college degree or above, an annual household income ≥ $US 75K, exercising ≥4 times/week and watching TV/video <4 h/d were each associated with higher odds of high MD adherence.
Conclusions:
There were significant geospatial and population disparities in MD adherence across the US regions. Future studies are needed to explore the causes of MD adherence disparities and develop effective interventions for MD promotion in the USA.
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is showing the highest mortality in psychiatric illness, especially because of its somatic consequences. A special program for refeeding patients with extreme severe underweight has been established in Munich.
Methods
From 2000–2010 about 80 patients with any eating disorder were admitted. Data of 53 patients with AN were analysed. After admission most of the patients (n = 43) received a percutaneous gastric feeding tube. A high caloric solution (Fresubin energy) was administered adjusted to bodyweight aiming a weight gain of 700–1000 g per week. After reaching BMI 17 most patients were send for illness specific psychotherapy to a specialized clinic.
Results
The sample consists of 50 (94.3%) females. Patients were diagnosed as having AN restrictive subtype in 25 cases (47.2%), AN binge/purge subtype in 24 cases (45,2%) and AN purging subtype in 4 cases (7.6%). Mean age at admission was 25.4 years (SD 7.0) and mean duration of illness until admission was 8.4 years (SD 5.7). Average length of stay in the intensive care unit was 135 days (SD 79.4). Mean BMI at admission was 12.3 (SD 1.6) and mean BMI at discharge 16.6 (SD 1.6). Thus, mean weight increase was 11.4 kg (SD 5.4).
Discussion
This intensive care program was established to enable patients with extreme severe AN to participate in psychotherapeutic programs afterwards as it was reported that cognitive function changed in regard to bodyweight. Further evaluation has to consider the occurrence of a refeeding syndrome.
The QUALITY study evaluated Quality-of-Life in schizophrenic patients treated with atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) in the ambulatory setting.
Methods
This study was a 9-month, observational, multicentre prospective study. Patients (18–65 years-old) diagnosed with schizophrenia and treatment started with one AAP before visit-1 (minimum: 4-weeks, maximum: 8-weeks) were enrolled into this Belgian study. At visit-1 patients’ demographics and medical history were recorded with follow-up visits after 3-, 6- and 9-months. At each visit, patients completed the Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic treatment short form (SWN-K), while investigators assessed the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS-8) and Global Assessment of Functioning.
Results
121 patients were enrolled: 91 male, mean age 36.7 ± 10.8years. The main AAPs were risperidone (38/121), apripirazole (28/121) and quetiapine (25/121). On average, most mean changes from baseline in SWN-K-subscale scores were positive (between −0.5 and +0.5, range −1.8–1.6) suggesting patients felt better, although there were no treatment-group differences. The associations between baseline SWN-K-subscales and age were small (RC [regression co-efficient] range: −0.03–0.01). PANSS-8-score changes were slightly negative (means between −0.77 and −0.43) suggesting decreased symptom severity. Patients with more severe negative symptoms considered their mental- and physical-functioning to be better throughout the study, indicated by significant correlations between these SWN-K-subscale scores and negative PANSS-scores (RC = 0.19, p = 0.0282; RC = 0.15, p = 0.0258). The associations between SWN-K-scores and positive PANSS-scores were small (RC: 0.01–0.14). The number of hospitalizations decreased during the study (9.6% between visit-1 and 2 vs. 7.5% visit-3 and −4).
Conclusions
Quality-of-life for all patients seemed to improve slightly, without any differences between treatment-groups.
With 10 million of patients across the world, Parkinson's disease is the second most common form of neurodegeneration, after Alzheimer's. Among half of patients develop psychotic symptoms, such as visual hallucinations and delusions, which are correlated with higher rate of placement in nursing home, are difficult to treat and severely affect quality of life, making Parkinson's disease psychosis (PDP) a major public health issue.
Objectives
The aim of this study is to identify treatment options that could be used to treat PDP and clarify underlying pathophysiology.
Method
We conducted a literature review on Pubmed, Goggle scholar and Cochrane library, using a combination of the following: “Parkinson's disease Psychosis” “visual hallucinations” “Pimavanserin” “Clozapine” “atypical anti-psychotics” 120 articles were screened.
Results
Considering that hallucinations arise from overactivation of dopaminergic receptors, treatment options include reducing the dopaminergic drugs used to control motor symptoms; using atypical anti-psychotics such as Risperidone, Olanzapine, Quetiapine, which often results in the worsening of extra-pyramidal symptoms. Another option is the use of low doses of Clozapine, which has been proven efficient with no worsening of non-motor symptoms, suggesting the implication of other pathways, such as serotonin. Finally, Pimavanserin, a 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonist, without any dopaminergic activity, has been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of PDP, well tolerated and easy to use.
Conclusion
Serotonin inverse agonists represent a major breakthrough in the pharmacotherapy of PDP, and may lead the way to changes in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Previous research suggests that adult anxiety disorders begin in adolescence and the transition from primary school to secondary school is the first challenge many young adolescents face, which could test their resilience for the first time.
Objectives
To examine students’ anxiety scores before and after their transition, and what protective and risk factors are present during this challenge.
Aims
To determine how the transition can impact anxiety in children, and if protective factors can help decrease the disruption that the transition can cause.
Methods
One hundred and eighty-four pupils completed questionnaires in their last term of primary school and during the first term of secondary school. At time 1: the attachment, school membership, and bullying and victimization measures were compared with pupils’ anxiety scores, along with whether their friends or siblings will be attending the same secondary school as them. These analyses will also be conducted once the pupils start secondary school, at time 2.
Results
Secure attachment was associated with lower anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.56) = 7.255, P = .002; F(2.52) = 19.245, P = .000; F(2.181) = 10.181, P = .000; F(2.53) = 20.545, P = .000). School membership was associated with lower transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 4.151, P = .017; F(2.181) = 3.632, P = .028). Low victimisation was also associated with low anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 14.024, P = .000; F(2.181) = 14.529, P = .000; F(2.181) = 9.381, P = .000).
Conclusions
These preliminary results suggest that attachment, school membership and victimisation all impact on pupils anxiety before they transition to secondary school. Therefore, schools could work together to increase school membership and decrease victimisation, particularly for pupils who they suspect will struggle with the transition.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
In recent years, numerous studies about the image of psychiatry have been conducted. However, to our knowledge, a significant part of psychiatry has been very little explored: the vision of psychiatric hospitals (PsH). For instance, “PsH” on google images reveals a long list of frightening pictures of ravaged places.
Objectives/Aims
With such an image spread by the medias, we wanted to evaluate the vision of PsH and treatment modalities among general population in 2015, in 4 countries: France, Spain, England, and Brazil.
Methods
An online survey in 4 languages has been sent via facebook and emails. Two hundred and fifteen responses were collected during September 2015: 178 French, 11 Spanish, 17 Brazilians, 9 English.
Results
Thirty-nine percent of participants consider PsH as a place of care, and 16% as an asylum. There were differences among countries: for example, asylum is more represented in France than Spain. Regarding patients admitted in PsH, they are not all dangerous (90%), nor all irresponsible (94%) and have specifics rights (66%). Concerning diseases: delirium, bipolar disorders, and perversity are to be treated in PsH, while depression, addiction, and autism are to be cured in psychiatric structures other than hospital. Moreover, 2% of participants believe abuses are common practice, whereas a majority consider therapeutic activities instead.
Conclusions
These results are quite different from the studies based on the perception of mental illness and patients. Here, on the overall, they are quite encouraging. So, PsH could lead the path on the improvement of the image of psychiatry.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Family dysfunction can test the resilience of adolescents, specifically those from single parent families and those attending schools in more socio-economically challenged areas.
Objectives
To determine what factors are associated with resilience for those from single parent families or attend schools in more socio-economically challenged areas.
Aims
To examine the role of emotional regulation and self-esteem as putative resilience factors in the context of single parents status and socioeconomic disadvantage.
Methods
Secondary school pupils from single and dual parent families aged 13 to 15 answered questionnaires at three time points on: emotional regulation, self-esteem, depression and anxiety. A total of 434 pupils took part at time 1, 574 at time 2, and 467 at time 3. The secondary schools were categorised into more and less disadvantaged schools.
Results
Positive self-esteem [F(1.205) = 54.568, P = 0.000; F(1.157) = 35.582, P = 0.000] and emotional regulation [F(1.205) = 46.925, P = 0.000; F(1.157) = 16.583, P = 0.000] were both associated with resilience against depression in adolescents from single parent families. Positive self-esteem [F(1,75) = 102.629, P = 0.000; F(1.355) = 60.555, P = 0.000] and emotional regulation [F(1.60) = 34.813, P = 0.000; F(1.73) = 36.891, P = 0.000] were both associated with resilience against depression in adolescents attending more socio-economically challenged areas.
Conclusions
This research suggests that adolescent resilience against depression may be promoted by improving self-esteem and emotional regulation. Therefore, future interventions could focus on boosting these resilience factors. Further resilience research could include emotional regulation and self-esteem as protective factors for resilience in adolescent mental health. As these variables have been identified, they can help find more pieces to the complex puzzle of resilience.
Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
The cessation of driving is a difficult transition for the elderly, but it can be facilitated through interventions. The purpose of this study was to explore the satisfaction, usefulness and applicability of the CarFreeMe intervention in the French-Canadian context. A qualitative clinical research device was used on ten older adults aged between 61 and 90 years. The participants had stopped driving within the last twelve months or were planning to stop driving in the near future and did not have cognitive impairments. After the intervention, the participants were generally satisfied and reported on its usefulness and applicability in a French-Canadian context. In addition, they identified the positive impacts related to their social involvement as they re-engaged in or pursued their significant activities. Further research is required to assess the intervention’s effects and the practicability of implementing it in Canada.
In this paper, I investigate the conditional contributions of the ins and outs of unemployment from both empirical and theoretical perspectives. Based on a New Keynesian Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) theoretical framework, I estimate a sign restriction Vector Auto Regressive (VAR) model using French data. To identify the origins of unemployment dynamics in terms of worker transition rates, I simulate two shocks: one on the supply side (technology) and the other on the demand side (monetary). The VAR model reveals that the contributions of transition rates in explaining unemployment differ across shocks. After a technology shock, unemployment fluctuations are mainly explained by the job finding process, while the contributions of the two margins are more balanced for the monetary shock. The theoretical model is not able to reproduce the underlying mechanisms inducing unemployment. In particular, the conditional contributions of the job separation margin are overestimated each time. For instance, after a technology shock, 60% of unemployment changes are generated by this margin, while the data suggest a contribution of 28%. This paper strongly indicates that, in its standard formulation, a search and matching DSGE model featuring endogenous job separations is not able to replicate the dominating influence of the outflow process.
Giammichele et al. (2018) proposed a full determination, largely independent of evolution calculations, of the chemical composition and stratification inside the hot pulsating DB white dwarf KIC 08626021. However, Timmes et al. (2018) pointed out that neglecting the effects of neutrino cooling, such as in the static models used in Giammichele et al. study, could impact significantly the derived seismic solution and compromise conclusions drawn upon it. Here we present a reanalysis of KIC 08626021, using improved static models which now incorporate more realistic luminosity profiles that reflect the still significant energy losses induced by neutrino emission mechanisms in hot DB white dwarfs. We show that this effect has only a limited impact on the derived seismic model properties and, more importantly, that all the conclusions brought by Giammichele et al. (2018) remain entirely valid.