Does a narcissism epidemic exist in modern western societies? Comparing narcissism and self-esteem in East and West Germany.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aline Vater

Full Text Available Narcissism scores are higher in individualistic cultures compared with more collectivistic cultures. However, the impact of sociocultural factors on narcissism and self-esteem has not been well described. Germany was formerly divided into two different social systems, each with distinct economic, political and national cultures, and was reunified in 1989/90. Between 1949 and 1989/90, West Germany had an individualistic culture, whereas East Germany had a more collectivistic culture. The German reunification provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate the impact of sociocultural and generational differences on narcissism and self-esteem. In this study, we used an anonymous online survey to assess grandiose narcissism with the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI and the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI to assess grandiose and vulnerable aspects of narcissism, and self-esteem with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE in 1,025 German individuals. Data were analyzed according to age and place of birth. Our results showed that grandiose narcissism was higher and self-esteem was lower in individuals who grew up in former West Germany compared with former East Germany. Further analyses indicated no significant differences in grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism or self-esteem in individuals that entered school after the German reunification (≤ 5 years of age in 1989. In the middle age cohort (6-18 years of age in 1989, significant differences in vulnerable narcissism, grandiose narcissism and self-esteem were observed. In the oldest age cohort (> 19 years of age in 1989, significant differences were only found in one of the two scales assessing grandiose narcissism (NPI. Our data provides empirical evidence that sociocultural factors are associated with differences in narcissism and self-esteem.

Does a narcissism epidemic exist in modern western societies? Comparing narcissism and self-esteem in East and West Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Moritz, Steffen; Roepke, Stefan

2018-01-01

Narcissism scores are higher in individualistic cultures compared with more collectivistic cultures. However, the impact of sociocultural factors on narcissism and self-esteem has not been well described. Germany was formerly divided into two different social systems, each with distinct economic, political and national cultures, and was reunified in 1989/90. Between 1949 and 1989/90, West Germany had an individualistic culture, whereas East Germany had a more collectivistic culture. The German reunification provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate the impact of sociocultural and generational differences on narcissism and self-esteem. In this study, we used an anonymous online survey to assess grandiose narcissism with the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) to assess grandiose and vulnerable aspects of narcissism, and self-esteem with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) in 1,025 German individuals. Data were analyzed according to age and place of birth. Our results showed that grandiose narcissism was higher and self-esteem was lower in individuals who grew up in former West Germany compared with former East Germany. Further analyses indicated no significant differences in grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism or self-esteem in individuals that entered school after the German reunification (≤ 5 years of age in 1989). In the middle age cohort (6–18 years of age in 1989), significant differences in vulnerable narcissism, grandiose narcissism and self-esteem were observed. In the oldest age cohort (> 19 years of age in 1989), significant differences were only found in one of the two scales assessing grandiose narcissism (NPI). Our data provides empirical evidence that sociocultural factors are associated with differences in narcissism and self-esteem. PMID:29364885

Does a narcissism epidemic exist in modern western societies? Comparing narcissism and self-esteem in East and West Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Vater, Aline; Moritz, Steffen; Roepke, Stefan

2018-01-01

Narcissism scores are higher in individualistic cultures compared with more collectivistic cultures. However, the impact of sociocultural factors on narcissism and self-esteem has not been well described. Germany was formerly divided into two different social systems, each with distinct economic, political and national cultures, and was reunified in 1989/90. Between 1949 and 1989/90, West Germany had an individualistic culture, whereas East Germany had a more collectivistic culture. The German reunification provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate the impact of sociocultural and generational differences on narcissism and self-esteem. In this study, we used an anonymous online survey to assess grandiose narcissism with the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) to assess grandiose and vulnerable aspects of narcissism, and self-esteem with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) in 1,025 German individuals. Data were analyzed according to age and place of birth. Our results showed that grandiose narcissism was higher and self-esteem was lower in individuals who grew up in former West Germany compared with former East Germany. Further analyses indicated no significant differences in grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism or self-esteem in individuals that entered school after the German reunification (≤ 5 years of age in 1989). In the middle age cohort (6-18 years of age in 1989), significant differences in vulnerable narcissism, grandiose narcissism and self-esteem were observed. In the oldest age cohort (> 19 years of age in 1989), significant differences were only found in one of the two scales assessing grandiose narcissism (NPI). Our data provides empirical evidence that sociocultural factors are associated with differences in narcissism and self-esteem.

The Helpfulness of Spiritually Influenced Group Work in Developing Self-Awareness and Self-Esteem: A Preliminary Investigation

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Diana Coholic

2005-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses an exploratory study that investigated the helpfulness of spiritually influenced group work with eight adult women who shared a history of substance abuse. The overall purpose of the group was to help participants develop their self-awareness and self-esteem. The group, which was contextualized in transpersonal theory, was organized around the following themes and experiential exercises: meditation, mindfulness practice, dream work, stream of consciousness writing, the shadow self, and other arts-based processes. Grounded-theory analysis of group sessions and individual interviews with the participants found that the participants perceived the group to be helpful in developing their self-awareness and self-esteem. While the participants identified different aspects of the group as spiritual, making-meaning was one practice that was consistently described as a spiritually sensitive process. The results of this study in this emergent field are promising and suggestions are provided for future research.

A REVIEW OF SELF HELP GROUPS: ISSUE AND CHALLENGES IN INDIA

OpenAIRE

Anoop Dixit *, Dr. S. K. Sharma

2017-01-01

Basic purpose of this study is to review the challenges and issues faced by SHGs in India. It was found that SHG’s facilitated the members to become self dependent for solving their social & economic problems and enhances the social status of members by virtue of their being members to the group. Self help groups are small informal association of the poor created at the grass root level for the purpose of enabling members to reap economic benefits out of mutual help solidarity and joint respo...

Right: Left:: East: West. Evidence that individuals from East Asian and South Asian cultures emphasize right hemisphere functions in comparison to Euro-American cultures.

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Rozin, Paul; Moscovitch, Morris; Imada, Sumio

2016-09-01

We present evidence that individuals from East or South Asian cultures (Japanese college students in Japan and East or South Asian born and raised college students in the USA) tend to exhibit default thinking that corresponds to right hemisphere holistic functions, as compared to Caucasian individuals from a Western culture (born and raised in the USA). In two lateralized tasks (locating the nose in a scrambled face, and global-local letter task), both Asian groups showed a greater right hemisphere bias than the Western group. In a third lateralized task, judging similarity in terms of visual form versus functional/semantic categorizations, there was not a reliable difference between the groups. On a classic, ambiguous face composed of vegetables, both Eastern groups displayed a greater right hemisphere (holistic face processing) bias than the Western group. These results support an "East - Right Hemisphere, West - Left Hemisphere" hypothesis, as originally proposed by Ornstein (1972). This hypothesis is open as to the degree to which social-cultural forces were involved in hemispheric specialization, or the opposite, or both. Our aim is to encourage a more thorough analysis of this hypothesis, suggesting both lateralization studies corresponding to documented East-West differences, and East-West studies corresponding to lateralization differences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Greater Effect of East versus West Travel on Jet Lag, Sleep, and Team Sport Performance.

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Fowler, Peter M; Knez, Wade; Crowcroft, Stephen; Mendham, Amy E; Miller, Joanna; Sargent, Charlie; Halson, Shona; Duffield, Rob

2017-12-01

This study aimed to determine the recovery timeline of sleep, subjective jet lag and fatigue, and team sport physical performance after east and west long-haul travel. Ten physically trained men underwent testing at 0900 h and 1700 h local time on four consecutive days 2 wk before outbound travel (BASE), and the first 4 d after 21 h of outbound (WEST) and return (EAST) air travel across eight time zones between Australia and Qatar. Data collection included performance (countermovement jump, 20-m sprint, and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 [YYIR1] test) and perceptual (jet lag, motivation, perceived exertion, and physical feeling) measures. In addition, sleep was measured via wrist activity monitors and self-report diaries throughout the aforementioned data collection periods. Compared with the corresponding day at BASE, the reduction in YYIR1 distance after EAST was significantly different from the increase in WEST on day 1 after travel (P sleep onset and offset were significantly later and mean time in bed and sleep duration were significantly reduced across the 4 d in EAST compared with BASE and WEST (P sport physical performance. Specifically, east travel has a greater detrimental effect on sleep, subjective jet lag, fatigue, and motivation. Consequently, maximal and intermittent sprint performance is also reduced after east travel, particularly within 72 h after arrival.

Role of Self-help Groups in Promoting Inclusion and Rights of Persons with Disabilities

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K P Kumaran

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose:This study examined the role of self help groups in addressing some of the problems faced by persons with disabilities such as social exclusion, discrimination, lack of awareness about their rights and privileges, and absence of livelihood programmes.Method: One hundred persons with disabilities were randomly drawn for the study from 50 self help groups in 2 districts that were covered under a popular poverty alleviation programme implemented by the state of Andhra Pradesh  in India.  An interview schedule was used to collect information.Results: Before joining the group, some of the persons with disabilities were mostly confined to their houses, and viewed as less productive and incapable of leading a ‘normal’ life. After joining the groups, they came out of their seclusion and started to work together for their collective welfare and development. They gained knowledge about their rights and privileges and started income generation activities with the help of loans made available to them.  They gained better acceptance within their families, but attitudes of their communities was slower to change. A feeling that “disability is not inability” seemed to have been internalized among the members of the groups.Conclusion: Self-help groups can be very effective in helping persons with disabilities to come out of their isolation and in promoting their participation and inclusion in societal mainstream.Key Words: Self-help group, persons with disabilitiesdoi 10.5463/DCID.v22i2.78

Microbial keratitis in West and East Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Vanitha Ratnalingam; Thiageswari Umapathy; Kala Sumugam; Hanida Hanafi; Shamala Retnasabapathy

2017-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the epidemiological and etiological factors of microbial keratitis seen in tertiary hospitals in West and East Malaysia.METHODS: A total of 207 patients were enrolled. Patients referred for microbial keratitis to Sungai Buloh Hospital and Kuala Lumpur Hospital in West Malaysia and Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Kuching General Hospital in East Malaysia were recruited. Risk factors were documented. Corneal scrapings for microscopy and culture were performed.RESULTS: The most com...

Padres Maltratadores: Grupos de Autoayuda (Abusive Parents: Self-Help Groups).

Science.gov (United States)

Intebi, Irene V.; Groisman, Adriana E.

1991-01-01

Causes of child abuse by parents are discussed. A therapy program in Buenos Aires (Argentina) for abusive parents is described. The program utilizes self-help groups as part of the therapeutic plan and has found them to be promising. Referral, types of interactions with the groups, and short-, medium-, and long-term objectives are discussed. (BRM)

Alien smuggling: East to West.

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Walsh, J H

1987-01-01

This year untold millions of illegal aliens will enter Western Europe, Canada, and the US; in 1986, the US alone made 1.7 million apprehensions. Because of the numbers involved and the hard currency exchanged, alien smuggling has become big business--a lucrative track in desparate human beings. West Germany's open door asylum policy has been a boon to the smugglers, and West Berlin is currently a favored port of entry. The government provides social benefits--apartments, food, a stipend, and clothing--for asylum seekers. Smuggling operations appear to fit 3 categories: 1) state-sponsored alien smugglers, with a sub-category of terrorists; 2) ethnic smugglers with a history of terrorist spinoffs; and 3) independent smugglers, who are profit oriented, and willing to handle ethnic aliens and terrorists. In West Germany, immigration investigations begin at the border. West German officials often know that as they cause the Eastern border to be tightened, the flow will gravitate south toward Austria. Redirecting the trasit of Third Worlders from East Berlin away from West Germany, Sweden, and Denmark will be a stop-gap measure at best. Part of West Germany's immigration problem can be traced to the Basic Law that provides asylum for those who claim persecution (political, racial, ethnic, or religious). Yet, any attempt to change asylum would result in an admission of defeat in the quest for a unified Germany. Should Austria move to tighten its immigration laws, agreements similar to those between East and West Germany will likely follow.

Simulated East-west differences in F-region peak electron density at Far East mid-latitude region

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Ren, Z.; Wan, W.

2017-12-01

In the present work, using Three-Dimensional Theoretical Ionospheric Model of the Earth in Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (TIME3D-IGGCAS), we simulated the east-west differences in Fregion peak electron density (NmF2) at Far East mid-latitude region.We found that, after removing the longitudinal variations of neutral parameters, TIME3D-IGGCAS can better represent the observed relative east-west difference (Rew) features. Rew is mainly negative (West NmF2 > East NmF2) at noon and positive (East NmF2 >West NmF2) at evening-night. The magnitude of daytime negative Rew is weak at local winter and strong at local summer, and the daytime Rew show two negative peaks around two equinoxes. With the increasing of solar flux level, the magnitude of Rew mainly become larger, and two daytime negative peaks slight shifts to June Solstice. With the decreasing of geographical latitude, Rew mainly become positive, and two daytime negative peaks slight shifts to June Solstice. Our simulation also suggested that the thermospheric zonal wind combined with the geomagnetic field configuration play a pivotal role in the formation of the ionospheric east-west differences at Far East midlatitude region.

Cold war, quantum foundations, and East-West collaboration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skaar-Jacobsen, Anja [Niels Bohr Archive, Copenhagen (Germany)

2011-07-01

It is well-known that the cultural cold war changed the ideological line in the Soviet Union from the late 1940s and that this had serious implications for the autonomy of research in genetics and quantum foundations in the East bloc. However, besides the more narrow concern from the point of view of research in quantum foundations, I suggest that the ideological impact on quantum foundations also constituted an obstacle for attempts by Western physicists to bring about a rapprochement between physics in the east and west in general. In connection with re-establishing East-West co-operation between physicists after Stalin's death in 1953 this obstacle needed to be cleared away. In my talk I discuss these issues and how the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Copenhagen came to be an important meeting place for physicists from the East and West from the mid-1950s.

Self-help group and the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis - Pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Eliášová

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: The goal of the pilot study was to compare the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis in the Presov region with or without the support of a self-help group. Design: The character of this pilot study on patients with MS was related to the use of self-help groups and their impact on the assessment of the quality of life of the respondents, with the help of a questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF. Methods: The research was carried out in the Prešov region with the help of the standardized WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Ninety-one patients with MS participated in the pilot study (46 respondents attended a self-help group and 35 did not. Results: The groups, when compared, aided by the statistically evaluated WHOQOL-BREF domains, were found to show significant differences in their evaluation of quality of life in three domains: domain one: physical health; domain two: surviving; domain three: social relations. Better scores were achieved in these domains by those who attended a group. In the physical sphere, we noticed significant differences in sleep quality, and sexual satisfaction (p < 0.001, while in social and economic areas, there were significant differences in satisfaction with personal relationships (p < 0.001, and economic circumstances (p < 0.01, self-contentment (p < 0.01, and coping with negative feelings (p < 0.05. Conclusion: Patients with multiple sclerosis can live normal lives provided they are supported by their families, friends, health care professionals, and self-help groups.

Using Qualitative Methods to Explore Lay Explanatory Models, Health-Seeking Behaviours and Self-Care Practices of Podoconiosis Patients in North-West Ethiopia.

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Harrison S Banks

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Podoconiosis (endemic non-filarial elephantiasis is a chronic, non-infectious disease resulting from exposure of bare feet to red-clay soil in tropical highlands. This study examined lay beliefs about three under-researched aspects of podoconiosis patients' care: explanatory models, health-seeking behaviours and self-care.In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were undertaken with 34 participants (19 male, 15 female between April-May 2015 at podoconiosis treatment centres across East and West Gojjam regions in north-west Ethiopia.Explanatory models for podoconiosis included contamination from blood, magic, soil or affected individuals. Belief in heredity or divine punishment often delayed clinic attendance. All participants had tried holy water treatment and some, holy soil. Herbal treatments were considered ineffectual, costly and appeared to promote fluid escape. Motivators for clinic attendance were failure of traditional treatments and severe or disabling symptoms. Patients did not report self-treatment with antibiotics. Self-care was hindered by water being unavailable or expensive and patient fatigue.A pluralistic approach to podoconiosis self-treatment was discovered. Holy water is widely valued, though some patients prefer holy soil. Priests and traditional healers could help promote self-care and "signpost" patients to clinics. Change in behaviour and improving water access is key to self-care.

Using Qualitative Methods to Explore Lay Explanatory Models, Health-Seeking Behaviours and Self-Care Practices of Podoconiosis Patients in North-West Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Banks, Harrison S.; Tsegay, Girmay; Wubie, Moges; Tamiru, Abreham; Davey, Gail; Cooper, Max

2016-01-01

Background Podoconiosis (endemic non-filarial elephantiasis) is a chronic, non-infectious disease resulting from exposure of bare feet to red-clay soil in tropical highlands. This study examined lay beliefs about three under-researched aspects of podoconiosis patients’ care: explanatory models, health-seeking behaviours and self-care. Methods In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were undertaken with 34 participants (19 male, 15 female) between April-May 2015 at podoconiosis treatment centres across East and West Gojjam regions in north-west Ethiopia. Results Explanatory models for podoconiosis included contamination from blood, magic, soil or affected individuals. Belief in heredity or divine punishment often delayed clinic attendance. All participants had tried holy water treatment and some, holy soil. Herbal treatments were considered ineffectual, costly and appeared to promote fluid escape. Motivators for clinic attendance were failure of traditional treatments and severe or disabling symptoms. Patients did not report self-treatment with antibiotics. Self-care was hindered by water being unavailable or expensive and patient fatigue. Conclusion A pluralistic approach to podoconiosis self-treatment was discovered. Holy water is widely valued, though some patients prefer holy soil. Priests and traditional healers could help promote self-care and “signpost” patients to clinics. Change in behaviour and improving water access is key to self-care. PMID:27536772

Using Qualitative Methods to Explore Lay Explanatory Models, Health-Seeking Behaviours and Self-Care Practices of Podoconiosis Patients in North-West Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Banks, Harrison S; Tsegay, Girmay; Wubie, Moges; Tamiru, Abreham; Davey, Gail; Cooper, Max

2016-08-01

Podoconiosis (endemic non-filarial elephantiasis) is a chronic, non-infectious disease resulting from exposure of bare feet to red-clay soil in tropical highlands. This study examined lay beliefs about three under-researched aspects of podoconiosis patients' care: explanatory models, health-seeking behaviours and self-care. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were undertaken with 34 participants (19 male, 15 female) between April-May 2015 at podoconiosis treatment centres across East and West Gojjam regions in north-west Ethiopia. Explanatory models for podoconiosis included contamination from blood, magic, soil or affected individuals. Belief in heredity or divine punishment often delayed clinic attendance. All participants had tried holy water treatment and some, holy soil. Herbal treatments were considered ineffectual, costly and appeared to promote fluid escape. Motivators for clinic attendance were failure of traditional treatments and severe or disabling symptoms. Patients did not report self-treatment with antibiotics. Self-care was hindered by water being unavailable or expensive and patient fatigue. A pluralistic approach to podoconiosis self-treatment was discovered. Holy water is widely valued, though some patients prefer holy soil. Priests and traditional healers could help promote self-care and "signpost" patients to clinics. Change in behaviour and improving water access is key to self-care.

Beyond the therapeutic: A Habermasian view of self-help groups' place in the public sphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhary, Sarah; Avis, Mark; Munn-Giddings, Carol

2013-02-01

Self-help groups in the United Kingdom continue to grow in number and address virtually every conceivable health condition, but they remain the subject of very little theoretical analysis. The literature to date has predominantly focused on their therapeutic effects on individual members. And yet they are widely presumed to fulfil a broader civic role and to encourage democratic citizenship. The article uses Habermas' model of the public sphere as an analytical tool with which to reconsider the literature on self-help groups in order to increase our knowledge of their civic functions. In doing this it also aims to illustrate the continuing relevance of Habermas' work to our understanding of issues in health and social care. We consider, within the context of current health policies and practices, the extent to which self-help groups with a range of different forms and functions operate according to the principles of communicative rationality that Habermas deemed key to democratic legitimacy. We conclude that self-help groups' civic role is more complex than is usually presumed and that various factors including groups' leadership, organisational structure and links with public agencies can affect their efficacy within the public sphere.

Responding to local needs. Self-help groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayaseelan, J

1993-01-01

Pink Triangle, the only community-based group in Malaysia which works with men who have sex with men, took initial steps in August 1992 to establish a self-help project for people who are HIV-seropositive. Supporting people who are HIV-positive and fighting for their rights is new in Malaysia. The group has thus far been publicized through its public education events, hospitals, and other nongovernmental organizations. For the first time, information is being published specifically by and for people living with HIV/AIDS. The project also has a phone line to allow people to speak anonymously with someone who shares their experience. Many callers are men who have sex with men in the social context of intense prejudice and discrimination. Afraid to openly acknowledge their sexuality with strangers, the callers have yet to accede to meeting each other face-to-face in a group setting. The author notes in closing that Pink Triangle must be realistic about what can be achieved in Malaysia and allow the group to develop according to people's needs and not on the basis of a model imported from outside of the country.

The structure of social exchange in self-help support groups: development of a measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Louis D; Tang, Xiaohui; Hollman, Ruth L

2014-03-01

Self-help support groups are indigenous community resources designed to help people manage a variety of personal challenges, from alcohol abuse to xeroderma pigmentosum. The social exchanges that occur during group meetings are central to understanding how people benefit from participation. This paper examines the different types of social exchange behaviors that occur during meetings, using two studies to develop empirically distinct scales that reliably measure theoretically important types of exchange. Resource theory informed the initial measurement development efforts. Exploratory factor analyses from the first study led to revisions in the factor structure of the social exchange scales. The revised measure captured the exchange of emotional support, experiential information, humor, unwanted behaviors, and exchanges outside meetings. Confirmatory factor analyses from a follow-up study with a different sample of self-help support groups provided good model fit, suggesting the revised structure accurately represented the data. Further, the scales demonstrated good convergent and discriminant validity with related constructs. Future research can use the scales to identify aspects of social exchange that are most important in improving health outcomes among self-help support group participants. Groups can use the scales in practice to celebrate strengths and address weaknesses in their social exchange dynamics.

Health education in self-help groups to promote healthy lifestyles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno López de la Vega

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In this review we discuss the formation of self-help groups (GAM in order to help to counteract diseases, illnesses or conditions assertively, effective and above all positive, this in order to integrate health education in its multidisciplinary approach to create GAM that provide viable alternatives to modify unhealthy lifestyles or unhealthy. It is important the introduction of health education in the creation and sustenance of the same, as it provides a different perspective on the implementation of plans, programs and projects open to meet learning needs and changes in lifestyle with the help of support networks and psycho-emotional aspects intervention, which aims to achieve stability at individual and collective level.

In search of East Asian self-enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Heine, Steven J; Hamamura, Takeshi

2007-02-01

A meta-analysis of published cross-cultural studies of self-enhancement reveals pervasive and pronounced differences between East Asians and Westerners. Across 91 comparisons, the average cross-cultural effect was d = .84. The effect emerged in all 30 methods, except for comparisons of implicit self-esteem. Within cultures, Westerners showed a clear self-serving bias (d = .87), whereas East Asians did not (d = -.01), with Asian Americans falling in between (d = .52). East Asians did self-enhance in the methods that involved comparing themselves to average but were self-critical in other methods. It was hypothesized that this inconsistency could be explained in that these methods are compromised by the "everyone is better than their group's average effect" (EBTA). Supporting this rationale, studies that were implicated by the EBTA reported significantly larger self-enhancement effect for all cultures compared to other studies. Overall, the evidence converges to show that East Asians do not self-enhance.

K-East and K-West Reactors

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Hanford's "sister reactors", the K-East and the K-West Reactors, were built side-by-side in the early 1950's. The two reactors went operational within four months of...

Intrapersonal Resources and the Effectiveness of Self-Help Groups for Bereaved Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Caserta, Michael S.; Lund, Dale A.

1993-01-01

Examined relative impact of 3 intrapersonal resources (self-esteem, competencies, and life satisfaction) and duration of self-help group intervention on levels of depression and grief over time among 295 recently widowed adults. Found that, in general, resources examined had greater direct influence on outcomes than did intervention. (Author/NB)

VLF modal interference distance and nighttime D region VLF reflection height for west-east and east-west propagation paths to Fiji

Science.gov (United States)

Chand, Atishnal Elvin; Kumar, Sushil

2017-08-01

Very low frequency (VLF) signals from navigational transmitters propagate through the Earth-ionosphere waveguide formed by the Earth and the lower conducting ionosphere and show the pronounced minima during solar terminator transition between transmitter and receiver. Pronounced amplitude minima observed on 19.8 kHz (NWC transmitter) and 24.8 kHz (NLK transmitter) signals recorded at Suva (18.149°S, 178.446°E), Fiji, during 2013-2014, have been used to estimate the VLF modal interference distance (DMS) and nighttime D region VLF reflection height (hN). The NWC transmitter signal propagates mostly in west-east direction, and the NLK transmitter follows a transequatorial path propagating significantly in the east-west direction. The values of DMS calculated using midpath terminator speed are 2103 ± 172 km and 2507 ± 373 km for these paths having west-east and east-west components of VLF subionospheric propagation, respectively, which agree with previously published results and within 10% with theoretical values. We have also compared the DMS estimated using a terminator time method with that calculated using terminator speed for a particular day and found both the values to be consistent. The hN values were found to be maximum during winter of Southern Hemisphere for NWC signal and winter of Northern Hemisphere for NLK signal VLF propagation paths to Suva. The hN also shows significant day-to-day and seasonal variabilities with a maximum of about 10 km and 23 km for NWC and NLK signal propagation paths, respectively, which could be due to the atmospheric gravity waves associated with solar terminator transition, as well as meteorological factors such as strong lightnings.

YUCCA MOUNTAIN SITE CHARACTERIZATION PROJECT EAST-WEST DRIFT SYSTEM SAFETY ANALYSIS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NA

1999-06-08

The purpose of this analysis is to systematically identify and evaluate hazards related to the design of the Yucca Mountain Project Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) East-West Cross Drift. This analysis builds upon prior ESF System Safety Analyses and incorporates TS Main Drift scenarios, where applicable, into the East-West Drift scenarios. This System Safety Analysis (SSA) focuses on the personnel safety and health hazards associated with the engineered design of the East-West Drift. The analysis also evaluates other aspects of the East-West Drift, including purchased equipment (e.g., scientific mapping platform) or Systems/Structures/Components (SSCs) and out-of-tolerance conditions. In addition to recommending design mitigation features, the analysis identifies the potential need for procedures, training, or Job Safety Analyses (JSAs). The inclusion of this information in the SSA is intended to assist the organization(s) (e.g., constructor, Safety and Health, design) responsible for these aspects of the East-West Drift in evaluating personnel hazards and augment the information developed by these organizations. The SSA is an integral part of the systems engineering process, whereby safety is considered during planning, design, testing, and construction. A largely qualitative approach is used which incorporates operating experiences and recommendations from vendors, the constructor and the operating contractor. The risk assessment in this analysis characterizes the scenarios associated with East-West Drift SSCs in terms of relative risk and includes recommendations for mitigating all identified hazards. The priority for recommending and implementing mitigation control features is: (1) Incorporate measures to reduce risks and hazards into SSC designs. (2) Add safety features and capabilities to existing designs. (3) Develop procedures and conduct training to increase worker awareness of potential hazards, reduce exposure to hazards, and inform personnel of the

Self-help groups for former patients: relations with mental health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Emerick, R E

1990-04-01

Data from a national survey of 104 self-help groups for former mental patients were examined to assess actual and potential partnerships between these groups and mental health professionals. The groups' level of interaction with and attitudes toward professionals varied with the structure, affiliation, and service model of the groups. The majority were moderate "supportive" groups in which partnerships with professionals could occur but were problematic. Less common were radical "separatist" groups, with which professional partnerships were almost guaranteed to fail, and conservative "partnership" groups, with which partnerships were likely to succeed. Strong antipsychiatric attitudes throughout the mental patient movement suggest that mental health professionals who approach former-patient groups with narrow clinical conceptions of mental illness are likely to fail in establishing partnerships.

Money and violence : financial self-help groups in a South African township

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bähre, Erik

2007-01-01

This ethnography is about the way in which Xhosa migrants in the townships of Cape Town, South Africa, collectively manage their money in financial self-help groups, also known as financial mutuals. This is an umbrella term for a myriad of collective financial arrangements that are mostly informal.

Self rating of health is associated with stressful life events, social support and residency in East and West Berlin shortly after the fall of the wall

OpenAIRE

Hillen, T.; Schaub, R.; Hiestermann, A.; Kirschner, W.; Robra, B.

2000-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE—To compare the health status and factors influencing the health of populations that had previously lived under different political systems.
DESIGN—Cross sectional health and social survey using postal interviews. The relation between self reported health and psychosocial factors (stressful life events, social support, education, health promoting life style and health endangering behaviour) was investigated. To determine East-West differences a logistic regression model includi...

How does social comparison within a self-help group influence adjustment to chronic illness? A longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dibb, Bridget; Yardley, Lucy

2006-09-01

Despite the growing popularity of self-help groups for people with chronic illness, there has been surprisingly little research into how these may support adjustment to illness. This study investigated the role that social comparison, occurring within a self-help group, may play in adjustment to chronic illness. A model of adjustment based on control process theory and response shift theory was tested to determine whether social comparisons predicted adjustment after controlling for the catalyst for adjustment (disease severity) and antecedents (demographic and psychological factors). A sample of 301 people with Ménière's disease who were members of the Ménière's Society UK completed questionnaires at baseline and 10-month follow-up assessing adjustment, defined for this study as functional and goal-oriented quality of life. At baseline, they also completed measures of the predictor variables i.e. the antecedents (age, sex, living circumstances, duration of self-help group membership, self-esteem, optimism and perceived control over illness), the catalyst (severity of vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss and fullness in the ear) and mechanisms of social comparison within the self-help group. The social comparison variables included the extent to which self-help group resources were used, and whether reading about other members' experiences induced positive or negative feelings. Cross-sectional results showed that positive social comparison was indeed associated with better adjustment after controlling for all the other baseline variables, while negative social comparison was associated with worse adjustment. However, greater levels of social comparison at baseline were associated with a deteriorating quality of life over the 10-month follow-up period. Alternative explanations for these findings are discussed.

Cultural Adaptations to Environmental Variability: An Evolutionary Account of East-West Differences

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Lei; Mak, Miranda C. K.; Li, Tong; Wu, Bao Pei; Chen, Bin Bin; Lu, Hui Jing

2011-01-01

Much research has been conducted to document and sometimes to provide proximate explanations (e.g., Confucianism vs. Western philosophy) for East-West cultural differences. The ultimate evolutionary mechanisms underlying these cross-cultural differences have not been addressed. We propose in this review that East-West cultural differences (e.g.,…

Working in the UK: Polish migrant worker routes into employment in the north east and north west construction and food processing sectors

OpenAIRE

Fitzgerald, Ian

2007-01-01

This report presents the findings of a TUC-funded project that sought to identify the main routes into employment for Polish migrant workers in the North East and North West construction and food processing sectors. Its findings show that the two sectors offer real opportunities and challenges for trade unions to organise those who most need help. Indeed many unions in the sectors have already taken up the challenge and have started to see real successes in organising groups traditionally see...

The Hidden Integration of Eurasia: East-West Relations in the History of Technology

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Per Högselius

2017-12-01

Full Text Available “East” and “West” have long been prominent categories in the history of technology. The historical literature that claims to deal with comparisons or connections between East and West from a technological point of view is rich and fascinating. Yet, so far there has been no attempt to succinctly summarize or synthesize the main findings. This article takes a first step towards such a synthesis. It does so by addressing technological interaction between three broadly defined geographical regions: (1 Western Europe and North America; (2 Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia; and (3 the non-Russian Far East. The article suggests that East–West studies in the history of technology can be divided into three sets, which would benefit from greater interaction with each other: studies of East–West and West– East technology transfer; studies comparing the evolution of Eastern and Western technological levels and technological “styles”; and studies of large technical systems that materially interconnect East and West.

Organic Geochemistry and Rock-Eval Pyrolysis of Eocene fine Sediments, East Ketungau Basin, West Kalimantan

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M.H. Hermiyanto Zajuli

2014-06-01

Full Text Available DOI: 10.17014/ijog.v6i2.119Indonesia contains many Paleogene and Neogene basins which some of them have been proven to be a very prolific producer of oil and gas. A study on the result of Rock-Eval pyrolysis and biomarker undertaken on the Eocene Mandai Group was able to assess hydrocarbon potential of the Paleogene fine sediments in the frontier basin, especially West Kalimantan area. East Ketungau Basin is located in the western Kalimantan, bounded with Melawi Basin by the Semitau High in the south and West Ketungau Basin in the west. The Mandai Group was deposited in the East Ketungau Basin during Eocene, consisting of sandstone and mudstone facies. Mudstone facies comprises shale, claystone, and coal. Seven samples of Eocene fine sediments collected from East Ketungau Basin were analyzed by Rock-Eval pyrolisis and three samples for biomarker to evaluate their hydrocarbon potential. The Rock-Eval pyrolisis result of Mandai Group shows that TOC value of this facies ranges from 0.34 % to 5.16 %, Potential Yield (PY between 0.06 and 4.78 mg HC/g rock, and Hydrogen Index (HI from 12 to 89. Based on that result, the fine sediments of Mandai Group are included into a gas prone source rock potential with poor to fair categories. Moreover Tmax values vary from 426o C to 451o C. The Eocene fine sediments of Mandai Group fall under kerogen type III. Based on Tmax and biomarker analyses, the maturity of the sediments is situated within immature to mature level. The fine sediments of Mandai Group were deposited in a terrestrial to marine environment under anoxic to sub-oxic condition.

DETERMINANTS OF WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN SELF HELP GROUP LED MICRO-FINANCING OF FARMS IN ISUIKWUATO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

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Chidozie Onyedikachi ANYIRO

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This research analyzed determinants of women’s participation in self help group-led micro-financing of farms in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to; determine the level of women’s participation in self help group led micro financing of farms; determine the factors that influence women’s participation in self help group micro financing of farms; identify constraints of women participation in self help group micro financing of farms in the study area. Multistage random sampling technique was employed in collecting data from one hundred and twenty (120 members of women self help group using structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, likert scale type and probit regression analysis. The research revealed that the women (respondents actively participated in self help group meetings ( = 3.07, financial and material contributions (= 3.33, self help group project (= 3.36 and recruitment of fresh members (= 3.16, because their calculated means were greater than the critical midpoint mean score (3.0. The study also showed that the women did not participate in committee membership ( = 2.54 and holding of official executive position (= 2.53 in self help group since the midpoint score (3.0 was greater than their calculated mean values. The result of probit regression analysis showed that women’s participation in self help group led micro financing of farms was influenced by household size, years of membership experience, access to credit, primary occupation, mode of entry and annual contribution. The model predicted 94.69 per cent of the sample correctly and posted a log likelihood value of -33.54958, a pseudo R2value of 0.3013 and a goodness of fit chi-square value of 32.10 which is statistically significant at 1.0% level. Meanwhile irregular monthly contribution and loan default were the major constraints of women’s participation in self help group led micro

A controlled trial of an expert system and self-help manual intervention based on the stages of change versus standard self-help materials in smoking cessation.

Science.gov (United States)

Aveyard, Paul; Griffin, Carl; Lawrence, Terry; Cheng, K K

2003-03-01

To examine the population impact and effectiveness of the Pro-Change smoking cessation course based on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) compared to standard self-help smoking cessation literature. Randomized controlled trial. Sixty-five West Midlands general practices. Randomly sampled patients recorded as smokers by their general practitioners received an invitation letter and 2471 current smokers agreed. Responders were randomized to one of four interventions. The control group received standard self-help literature. In the Manual intervention group, participants received the Pro-Change system, a self-help workbook and three questionnaires at 3-monthly intervals, which generated individually tailored feedback. In the Phone intervention group, participants received the Manual intervention plus three telephone calls. In the Nurse intervention group, participants received the Manual intervention plus three visits to the practice nurse. Biochemically confirmed point prevalence of being quit and 6-month sustained abstinence, 12 months after study commencement. A total of 9.1% of registered current smokers participated, of whom 83.0% were not ready to quit. Less than half of participants returned questionnaires to generate second and third individualized feedback. Telephone calls reached 75% of those scheduled, but few participants visited the nurse. There were small differences between the three Pro-Change arms. The odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) for all Pro-Change arms combined versus the control arm were 1.50 (0.85-2.67) and 1.53 (0.76-3.10), for point prevalence and 6-month abstinence, respectively. This constitutes 2.1% of the TTM group versus 1.4% of the control group achieving confirmed 6-month sustained abstinence. There was no statistically significant benefit of the intervention apparent in this trial and the high relapse of quitters means that any population impact is small.

Revised East-West Antarctic plate motions since the Middle Eocene

Science.gov (United States)

Granot, R.; Cande, S. C.; Stock, J.; Damaske, D.

2010-12-01

The middle Cenozoic (43-26 Ma) rifting between East and West Antarctica is defined by an episode of ultraslow seafloor spreading in the Adare Basin, located off northwestern Ross Sea. The absence of fracture zones and the lack of sufficient well-located magnetic anomaly picks have resulted in a poorly constrained kinematic model (Cande et al., 2000). Here we utilize the results from a dense aeromagnetic survey (Damaske et al., 2007) collected as part of GANOVEX IX 2005/06 campaign to re-evaluate the kinematics of the West Antarctic rift system since the Middle Eocene. We identify marine magnetic anomalies (anomalies 12o, 13o, 16y, and 18o) along a total of 25,000 km of the GPS navigated magnetic profiles. The continuation of these anomalies into the Northern Basin has allowed us to use the entire N-S length of this dataset in our calculations. A distinct curvature in the orientation of the spreading axis provides a strong constraint on our calculated kinematic models. The results from two- (East-West Antarctica) and three- (Australia-East Antarctica-West Antarctica) plate solutions agree well and create a cluster of rotation axes located south of the rift system, near the South Pole. These solutions reveal that spreading rate and direction, and therefore motion between East and West Antarctica, were steady between the Middle Eocene and Early Oligocene. Our kinematic solutions confirm the results of Davey and De Santis (2005) that the Victoria Land Basin has accommodated ~95 km of extension since the Middle Eocene. This magnetic pattern also provides valuable constraints on the post-spreading deformation of the Adare Basin (Granot et al., 2010). The Adare Basin has accommodated very little extension since the Late Oligocene (<7 km), but motion has probably increased southward. The details of this younger phase of motion are still crudely constrained.

Ethics and Ego: East-West Perceptions of Morality

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Geir Sigurðsson

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The thesis from which this comparison proceeds is that the major differences between the East-Asian and Western ethical traditions emanate from divergent views of the kind of role selfhood or ego should play in social human life. A comparison of these views, it is suggested, will be helpful to flesh out the different perceptions of morality. It will be proposed that Western thinking is characterized by a stronger focus on the self, and that while Western ethical thinkers and schools certainly seek to reduce self-centeredness, such endeavours generally proceed through an augmentation of the role of human reason and thus a more intense and even tormenting self-consciousness. A clear reflection of this tendency is the ethical approach to moral issues qua issues associated with individual action and rational choice. The East-Asian approach differs from this in that it seeks to balance excessive introspection with a cultivated ‘sense’ of identification with the whole, be it society or the natural realm. While this approach, it seems, largely succeeds in preventing an existential kind of agony, it nevertheless suffers from some other serious weaknessess. Hence both traditions, it is argued, have something to offer one other. The discussion offered here is merely a sketchy outline that may hopefully work as a first step toward that purpose.

SELF HELP GROUPS (SHGS: MICRO FINANCE IN INDIA

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Shivam SAKSHI

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Micro finance in India has developed in decades from an idea to implementation to many success stories to an overall success. The early dawn of the idea of micro financing was to provide the capital to the population which was considered the bottom of socio economic pyramid so as to carry out the small household business and this idea has gradually grown up to become the way to help improve the socio standards of the poor people. India is the country of villages, more than 70% of the nation’s population resides in the rural areas of the country and 60% of this rural population depends on agriculture for living. In such situation the micro financing can play a vital role in making the rural people’s life easy. In a developing country like India with a lot of people residing in rural areas, micro finance is undoubtedly the best implementation. Self Help Groups of India has emerged as the world’s largest and most successful network of Community Based Organisations. The main goal of an SHG is to elevate the living conditions of the rural poor with a maximum emphasize on women. The present paper’s objective is to explain the situation of micro finance in India and to explain the main channel of micro finance in India which is SHGs and the details of the SHGs.

RISKS, VULNERABILITY AND DETERMINANTS OF WOMEN FARMERS’ PARTICIPATION IN SELF-HELP-GROUP (SHG-LED MICROFINANCING IN ISUIKWUATO, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

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Christopher Ogbonna EMEROLE

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This study on risks, vulnerability and determinants of women farmers’ participation in Self-Help-Group led micro financing was carried out in Isuikwuato local Government Area (LGA of Abia State in Nigeria. Two-stage random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were adopted in selecting communities and respondents. Socio- economic and some farm operation variables were analyzed descriptively and others regressed on discrete decision of women participating or not participating in Self-Help- group (SHG financing. Fire outbreak, ill health, theft, soil erosion and attack of farm products by pests and diseases were perceived (in this descending order as risks/natural disasters confronting the farmers. Previously owed debts, Ease of membership to groups, Age of the woman, Household size, and use of cultural/formal insurance over perceived risks were factors that influenced participation of women farmers in self-help-group micro financing. To ease the burden of inaccessibility to formal farm credit among women farmers, we recommended that relatively younger women should be encouraged to join older women in such mutual self-help groups to reap benefits accruable from the groups especially being able to manage their farms and households with less stress.

Far East LPG sales will grow faster than in West

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

LPG sales through 2010 in regions east of the Suez Canal (East of Suez) will grow at more than twice those in regions west of the canal. East-of-Suez sales will grow at more than 4.0%/year, compared to slightly less than 2.0%/year growth in sales West of Suez. East-of-Suez sales will reach 92 million tons/year (tpy) by 2010, accounting for 39% of the worldwide total. This share was 31% in1995 and only 27% in 1990. LPG sales worldwide will reach 192 million tons in 2000 and 243 million tpy by 2010. In 1995, they were 163 million tons. These are some of the major conclusions of a recent study by Frank R. Spadine, Christine Kozar, and Rudy Clark of New York City-based consultant Poten and Partners Inc. Details of the study are in the fall report ''World Trade in LPG 1990--2010''. This paper discusses demand segments, seaborne balance, Western sources, largest trading region, North American supplies, and other supplies

The German East-West Mortality Difference: Two Crossovers Driven by Smoking.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt, Tobias; van Raalte, Alyson; Grigoriev, Pavel; Myrskylä, Mikko

2017-06-01

Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, mortality was considerably higher in the former East Germany than in West Germany. The gap narrowed rapidly after German reunification. The convergence was particularly strong for women, to the point that Eastern women aged 50-69 now have lower mortality despite lower incomes and worse overall living conditions. Prior research has shown that lower smoking rates among East German female cohorts born in the 1940s and 1950s were a major contributor to this crossover. However, after 1990, smoking behavior changed dramatically, with higher smoking intensity observed among women in the eastern part of Germany. We forecast the impact of this changing smoking behavior on East-West mortality differences and find that the higher smoking rates among younger East German cohorts will reverse their contemporary mortality advantage. Mortality forecasting methods that do not account for smoking would, perhaps misleadingly, forecast a growing mortality advantage for East German women. Experience from other countries shows that smoking can be effectively reduced by strict anti-smoking policies. Instead, East Germany is becoming an example warning of the consequences of weakening anti-smoking policies and changing behavioral norms.

East-west cooperation in the environment in Europe-problems, strategies, perspectives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schreiber, Helmut

1989-12-01

This report deals with problems and developments in the field of East-West cooperation in Europe. The major emphasis is put on the cooperation in the environmental field. Nevertheless it has to be stated that developments in the environmental field should not be separated from the developments in other fields of possible cooperation like economy, science and culture. The report is divided in five chapters and an appendix. In the first chapter the results of the study will be discussed on the basis of the research questions given by the National Energy Administration. The second chapter contains some background information on some basic trends in environmental problems in Eastern Europe; the German Democratic Republic, Poland, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union are the countries described here. Special emphasis is laid on Poland, a country of particular interest for Sweden. In the third chapter answers are given to the question, why East-West environmental cooperation is necessary. In chapter four existing forms of cooperation are surveyed. In this chapter, the author deals mainly with cooperations in the field of environmental protection, but he also gives an overview on cooperations in other fields. Four countries are included in this overview: the FGR, France, Great Britain and the Netherlands. In chapter five, questions of general concern for East-West environmental cooperation are discussed. Appendix 1 gives an overview of the more important bilateral agreements between Eastern and Western European countries. Appendix 2 lists the institutions and names of the persons we interviewed. Appendix 3 gives an overview on the literature on East-West environmental cooperation in Europe.

A Preliminary Investigation of Toughlove: Assertiveness and Support in a Parents' Self-Help Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Klug, Wayne

This study examined Toughlove, the controversial self-help organization for parents and out-of-control adolescents. Six small group Toughlove meetings containing an average of 8 members for each were observed, and questionnaires were completed by 75 Toughlove parents from 8 states. Variables examined include the roles of empathy, assertiveness…

Can Addiction-Related Self-Help/Mutual Aid Groups Lower Demand for Professional Substance Abuse Treatment?

Science.gov (United States)

Humphreys, Keith

1998-01-01

Discusses the potential of self-help/mutual-aid groups as a way to reduce the demand for professional substance-abuse treatment and proposes a model that combines the two approaches for cost-effective and therapeutically effective networks of services. (SLD)

Internal migration in West Germany and implications for east-west salary convergence.

Science.gov (United States)

Decressin, J W

1994-01-01

"Using a simple model of gross migration [in West Germany], the paper shows that provided economic agents are sufficiently risk averse, migrational flows are likely to be procyclical. The econometric results confirm that flows are highly procyclical. They further indicate that changes in regional economic disparities significantly affect migrational flows. However, given the widening of regional disparities in the 1980s accompanied by a worsening in aggregate conditions, migration seems least effective in offsetting the differentiated impact of labor market shocks when it would be most useful. The paper concludes by applying the results to the issue of east-west migration and salary convergence." (SUMMARY IN GER) excerpt

Self-Help for Depression via E-mail: A Randomised Controlled Trial of Effects on Depression and Self-Help Behaviour.

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Amy J Morgan

Full Text Available Self-help or self-management strategies are commonly used to deal with depression, but not all are thought to be helpful. A previous study found that sub-threshold depression symptoms were improved by an e-mail intervention that encouraged the use of evidence-based self-help strategies.To investigate whether these e-mails were effective for adults with a range of depression symptomatology including major depression.The study was a parallel-group randomised controlled trial. Adult participants with any level of depressive symptoms were recruited over the internet from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States. Participants were randomised to receive a series of e-mails either promoting the use of evidence-based self-help strategies or containing depression information as a control. E-mails were sent automatically twice a week for six weeks. Depression symptoms were assessed with the self-rated Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-9.1736 participants with a wide range of symptom severity were recruited and assigned to active (n = 862 and control (n = 874 groups. However, there was a significant attrition rate, with 66.9% lost to follow-up at post-intervention. Both groups showed large improvements in depression symptoms overall, with no significant difference in improvement at the end of the study (mean difference in improvement 0.35 points, 95% CI: -0.57 to 1.28, d = 0.11, 95% CI: -0.06 to 0.27, although there was a small effect at the study mid-point. Results were similar for the sub-group of participants with major depression. The active group showed small to moderate improvements in self-help behaviour (d = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.23 to 0.56.These results suggest that the e-mails were able to increase participants' use of evidence-based self-help, but that this did not improve depression more than an attention control.NCT01399502.

Internet-based self-help group with and without online-moderation as post-rehabilitation support

OpenAIRE

Pirsich, Carolin (geb. Ubben)

2011-01-01

After having received an in-patient-treatment in a psychosomatic rehabilitation, chronic mentally ill patients need to cope with their diseases on a long term base. They are confronted with the task to sustain and develop the acquired coping strategies as well as to integrate them into their everyday life. To support these efforts, rehabilitation clinics recommend follow-up care (e.g. through self-help groups). The project “Online discussion group Seehof” was designed for the rehabilitation c...

East-West gradient in the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burisch, J.; Pedersen, N; Cukovic-Cavka, S

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing in Eastern Europe. The reasons for these changes remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether an East-West gradient in the incidence of IBD in Europe exists. DESIGN: A prospective, uniformly diagnosed...... treatment as rescue therapy. Of all European CD patients, 20% received only 5-aminosalicylates as induction therapy. CONCLUSIONS: An East-West gradient in IBD incidence exists in Europe. Among this inception cohort-including indolent and aggressive cases-international guidelines for diagnosis and initial...

Communal normalization in an online self-help group for adolescents with a mentally ill parent.

Science.gov (United States)

Trondsen, Marianne V; Tjora, Aksel

2014-10-01

Although implications of parental mental illness are well documented, most children of mentally ill parents are left to manage their family situation with limited information and support. We explored the role of a Norwegian online self-help group for adolescents (aged 15 to 18) with a mentally ill parent. Through in-depth interviews with 13 participants, we found that the online self-help group provided "communal normalization" by which participants, through communication in the forum, made sense of everyday experiences and emotions arising from having a mentally ill parent. We identified three main aspects of this process-recognizability, openness, and agency-all of which were important for the adolescents' efforts to obtain support, to be supportive, and to handle everyday life situations better. Communal normalization might provide resources for significantly improving the participants' life situations, and could demonstrate similar potential for users in other situations characterized by stigma, loneliness, silence, and health worries. © The Author(s) 2014.

East-West cooperation at CERN

CERN Document Server

2002-01-01

From left to right: H. Bokemeyer, in charge of physics for INTAS, J. Sinnaeve, INTAS' general secretary and R. Landua, ATHENA spokesman, visit the ATHENA experiment installations. Heads of INTAS (International Association for the promotion and cooperation of the new independent states of the former Soviet Union) visited CERN on 11 October. This association is in charge of preserving and promoting the scientific potential of the former Soviet Union countries through a cooperation between East and West. In recents years, a certain number of projects related to the LHC experiments have been co-financed by INTAS. The support for young researchers coming from these countries is also a big success.

Women’s Empowerment through Self-help Groups and its Impact on Health Issues: Empirical Evidence

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Assist. Prof. Sudipta De

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Based on an empirical study in West Bengal, this paper attempts toexamine whether women’s involvement in the microcredit programmethrough SHGs makes any positive change on women’s empowerment.From the assessment of various criteria of empowerment(power,autonomy and self-reliance, entitlement, participation and awarenessand capacity-building, the study suggests that if women participatingin the microcredit programme through SHGs sustain for some longerperiod (eight years or more, such programme might contribute tohigher level of women’s empowerment than women’s empowermentunder all types of control group. This paper also finds that women’searnings from saving and credit have positive and significant effect onnutritional status of the children of women members of SHGs and onthe protein-intake for their household compared with that of amongcontrol groups.

After the Wall: Parental Attitudes to Child Rearing in East and West Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Uhlendorff, Harald

2004-01-01

In the years following German reunification, East and West German parents (282 mothers and 207 fathers) were interviewed about attitudes to the rearing of their 7- to 13-year-old children and about their social networks. Path analyses show that East German parents engage in more protective and less permissive parenting, and that East German…

BETWEEN THE WEST AND THE EAST: UKRAINIAN ECONOMIC THOUGHT AS THE CROSSROADS

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A. Oleinik

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Ukrainian economists, similarly to Ukrainian society, are in the middle of the process of turning from the East to the West. However, the visibility of their work remains low both in the East and the West. The analysis of their publication activity (using data from the Web of Science and eLibrary confirms these assumptions. It is argued that the first step in this eventual transition consists in building the space for economic debates at the national level. Active and healthy debates at the national level will increase chances of Ukrainian economists to be heard internationally.

Cyber-support: an analysis of online self-help forums (online self-help forums in bipolar disorder).

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Rita; Bauer, Michael; Spiessl, Hermann; Kagerbauer, Tanja

2013-06-01

The Internet is becoming increasingly important in psychiatry and psychotherapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate if and how online self-help forums are used by patients with bipolar disorders, their relatives and treating professionals. A total of 2400 postings in two online forums were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. "Disclosure", "friendship" and "online-group cohesion" were the main self-help mechanisms. The topics most discussed were "social network", "symptoms of the illness" and "medication". Factor analyses revealed three factors concerning self-help mechanisms: "group cohesion", "emotional support" and "exchange of information", as well as three factors concerning fields of interest: "illness-related aspects", "social aspects" and "financial and legal issues". We infer that the main interest in participating in online forums for patients with bipolar disorders and their relatives is to share emotions and to discuss their daily struggles with the illness. Our study also reveals that social networking is very important for patients coping with bipolar disorders. Psycho-educative programmes should focus on those aspects.

When West Meets East: Generalizing Theory and Expanding the Conceptual Toolkit of Criminology.

Science.gov (United States)

Messner, Steven F

2015-06-01

This paper considers the ways in which established criminological theories born and nurtured in the West might need to be transformed to be applicable to the context of East Asian societies. The analyses focus on two theoretical perspectives-Situational Action Theory and Institutional Anomie Theory-that are located at opposite ends of the continuum with respect to levels of analysis. I argue that the accumulated evidence from cross-cultural psychology and criminological research in East Asian societies raises serious questions about the feasibility of simply transporting these perspectives from the West to the East. Instead, my analyses suggest that the formulation of theoretical explanations of crime that are truly universal will require criminologists to create and incorporate new concepts that are more faithful to the social realities of non-Western societies, societies such as those in East Asia and Asia more generally.

Epidemiology of pollution-induced airway disease: urban/rural differences in East and West Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicolai, T.

1997-01-01

The prevalence of asthma and allergic disorders was assessed in 9-11 year-old children in Leipzig and Halle in East Germany, as well as in Munich, West Germany. Both East German cities are heavily polluted due to private burning of coal and industrial emissions, while Munich has low smoke emissions but heavy road traffic. All fourth grade pupils in Munich were compared with those in Leipzig and Halle. Non-specific airway disease (bronchitis), cough, and autumn/winter nasal symptoms were most prevalent in Leipzig and Halle. Hay fever and skin test reacitivity to aeroallergens were higher in West Germany compared with east Germany. Furthermore, the prevalence of asthma was also higher in the West German study area. Increased skin prick test reactivity in the West explained the increased prevalence of asthma. Longitudinal analysis showed increased respiratory symptoms on days with high mean levels of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, as well as on days with a high peak level of 10 μ respirable particles (PM10) in East Germany. The effects of these pollutants were additive. Exposure to heavy road traffic in Munich was related to decreased pulmonary function and non-specific airway symptoms, but not to allergic sensitization and asthma. (au)

Xujiahui Library: A Cultural Crossroads between East and West

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Hui-Lan H. Titangos

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Since its establishment in 1847 by French Jesuits, the Xujiahui Library (also known as Bibliotheca Zi-ka-wei seems to stay intact despite the fall of the last dynasty, wars both world and civil, and political and economic reforms and upheavals. Many an effort has been made to decode the secret of its lasting survival, such as its role as a first public library in Shanghai, its unique collections, and continuing contributions from its dedicated librarians. While the above holds true, the author has discovered a number of aspects inherent, but vital to the success of the library: 1 A cultural and geographical crossroads between the East and the West, reflecting the city it is in; 2 Forward and outward library missions laid down by its founding fathers, and flexible adaptions to time and place; and 3 Core collections interacting between the East and the West to meet the needs of its diverse users.

Gender segregation and wage gap: an East-West comparison

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jurajda, Štěpán

2005-01-01

Roč. 3, 2-3 (2005), s. 598-607 ISSN 1542-4766 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA403/03/0340 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : gender segregation * wage differences * East-West comparison Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.jstor.org/stable/40005002

East is East and West is West - a literary and historical view from the perspective of Madame Butterfly

OpenAIRE

Bamford, Nick

2016-01-01

In this paper I will look at aspects of cultural difference as well as commercial and political relationships between East and West in a literary and historical context. These aspects have become evident during research for my PhD by practice, which involves creating a contemporary, gay, screen adaptation of the story of Madame Butterfly. I will demonstrate how the story, by American author John Luther Long, emerged in response to the fashion of ‘Japonisme’, which was prompted by the opening ...

Hydrologic response across a snow persistence gradient on the west and east slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Richard, G. A.; Hammond, J. C.; Kampf, S. K.; Moore, C. D.; Eurich, A.

2017-12-01

Snowpack trend analyses and modeling studies suggest that lower elevation snowpacks in mountain regions are most sensitive to drought and warming temperatures, however, in Colorado, most snow monitoring occurs in the high elevations where snow lasts throughout the winter and most streamflow monitoring occurs at lower elevations. The lack of combined snow and streamflow monitoring in watersheds along the transition from intermittent to persistent snow creates a gap in our understanding of snowmelt and runoff within the intermittent-persistent snow transition. Expanded hydrologic monitoring that spans the gradient of snow conditions in Colorado can help improve streamflow prediction and inform land and water managers. This study established hydrologic monitoring watersheds in intermittent, transitional, and persistent snow zones on the east slope and west slope of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, and uses this monitoring network to improve understanding of how snow accumulation and melt affect soil moisture and streamflow generation under different snow conditions. We monitored six small watersheds (three west slope, three east slope) (0.8 to 3.9 km2) that drain intermittent, transitional, and persistent snow zones. At each site, we measured: streamflow, snow depth, soil moisture, precipitation, air temperature, and snow water equivalent (SWE). In our first season of monitoring, the west slope persistent and transitional sites had more mid-winter melt and infiltration, shorter snowpack duration, and lower peak SWE than the east slope sites. Snow cover remained at the east slope persistent site into June, whereas much of the snow at the persistent site on the west slope had already melted by early June. The difference in soil water input likely has consequences for streamflow response that we will continue to examine in future years. At the west slope intermittent site, the stream did not flow during the entire first year of monitoring, while at the east slope

Preferences for Inequality: East vs. West. Innocenti Working Papers.

Science.gov (United States)

Suhrcke, Marc

Do preferences for income inequality differ systematically between the post-socialist countries of central and eastern Europe and the western established market economies? Analyzing 1999 data from a large international survey to address this question, the paper examines whether attitudes to inequality differ between east and west even after the…

Significant cost reductions at minimal losses of yield. East/west oriented PV arrays with only one MPP tracker; Deutliche Kostenreduzierung bei minimalen Ertragsverlusten. Ost/West ausgerichtete PV-Anlagen mit nur einem MPP-Tracker

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Staudacher, Dietmar [Fronius International GmbH, Wels (Austria)

2012-05-15

In the past, the disposition to install east/west oriented PV systems was rather subdued. Meanwhile, a growing interest in the installation of PV arrays on east/west roof is observed. Although PV systems with south orientations are better east/west-oriented PV arrays also with considerable yields can be achieved.

A neoliberalisation of civil society? Self-help groups and the labouring class poor in rural South India.

Science.gov (United States)

Pattenden, Jonathan

2010-01-01

This paper notes the prominence of self-help groups (SHGs) within current anti-poverty policy in India, and analyses the impacts of government- and NGO-backed SHGs in rural North Karnataka. It argues that self-help groups represent a partial neoliberalisation of civil society in that they address poverty through low-cost methods that do not challenge the existing distribution of power and resources between the dominant class and the labouring class poor. It finds that intra-group savings and loans and external loans/subsidies can provide marginal economic and political gains for members of the dominant class and those members of the labouring classes whose insecure employment patterns currently provide above poverty line consumption levels, but provide neither material nor political gains for the labouring class poor. Target-oriented SHG catalysts are inattentive to how the social relations of production reproduce poverty and tend to overlook class relations and socio-economic and political differentiation within and outside of groups, which are subject to interference by dominant class local politicians and landowners.

Is the east-west power bridge economic?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

At the latest conference of the East-West Energy Bridge project in Warsaw on October 24-25, 1995, the majority opinion concluded that the vast trans-European hvdc network proposed for operation in 2010 could be economically financed and operated in spite of reservations by some German utilities. Anatoliy Dyakov, president of the Russian UPS (Unified Power System), recently said that Russia would shortly start building the line from Smolensk to Kaliningrad as the first stage of this project. (author)

Review: Ingrid Miethe, Claudia Kajatin & Jana Pohl (Eds. (2004. Geschlechterkonstruktionen in Ost und West. Biografische Perspektiven [Gender Constructions in East and West. Biographical Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Döring

2006-03-01

Full Text Available This reader contains analyses of gender constructions in East and West Germany from biographical perspectives. It is based on narrative interviews with women and men living in the former East and West. By means of case reconstructions and case comparisons the authors reveal how individuals deal actively with specific societal gender roles. Historical differences between women's movement and feminism in East Germany versus West Germany are knowledgeably described. The book offers a very complex and multilayered theoretical and empirical construction of gender in its diverse dimensions, but men's biographies and men's studies remain marginalized. Men's movements as well as the gay rights movement are blind spots. The gendering of work and the context of European unification are emphasized. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0602353

Beyond East and West: Icon and Russian Theopolitical Imagination

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Mrowczynski-Van Allen Artur

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The article demonstrates the relevance of the thought of Eugene Trubetskoy to the new method of political science, proposed by Eric Voegelin. In his essay under the title “Speculation in colors. Three Essays on the Russian icon”, the thinker develops analysis, surprisingly close to the principles of presentation and order, developed by Voegelin, and expresses a vision, which is absolutely relevant, including in terms of the offered by William Cavanaugh “theopolitical imagination”. Thanks to this approach it turns out that the availability of clear ecclesiological and historiosophical foundations for today and give us an example and a common base (for both Orthodox and Catholics to overcome the division between East and West of the Christian world. This article attempts to show that the division between East and West, to the image of which we are so accustomed to, is neither ecclesial nor Christian, and that, on the contrary, naturally church vision of that separation is quite different. The author aims to identify in the theopolitical context, what exactly is the vision of a church split.

Genetic traces of east-to-west human expansion waves in Eurasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaix, Raphaëlle; Austerlitz, Frédéric; Hegay, Tatyana; Quintana-Murci, Lluís; Heyer, Evelyne

2008-07-01

In this study, we describe the landscape of human demographic expansions in Eurasia using a large continental Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA dataset. Variation at these two uniparentally-inherited genetic systems retraces expansions that occurred in the past 60 ky, and shows a clear decrease of expansion ages from east to west Eurasia. To investigate the demographic events at the origin of this westward decrease of expansion ages, the estimated divergence ages between Eurasian populations are compared with the estimated expansion ages within each population. Both markers suggest that the demographic expansion diffused from east to west in Eurasia in a demic way, i.e., through migrations of individuals (and not just through diffusion of new technologies), highlighting the prominent role of eastern regions within Eurasia during Palaeolithic times. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The stratigraphy of the Marydale Group west of Prieska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potgieter, G.J.A.; Botha, B.J.V.

1982-01-01

Isolated outcrops of the Marydale Group are present in a narrow belt along the south-western edge of the Kaapvaal Craton. The belt outcrops along a total distance of 120 km from Soetvlei, 35 km south-east of Prieska, to Marydale. The best exposure of this unit is west of Prieska, between Prieskapoort and Copperton. Outcrops are generally very poor except along a few road and rail cuttings. The Marydale Group consists of a quick alternation of immature clastic and volcanoclastic rocks and lava. The exact stratigraphic position of the Marydale Group could not be deduced from field evidence. Provisional Pb/Pb and Rb-Sr isotope work on the banded iron formation the Modderfontein Formation and the metalava of the Uitzigt Formation respectively, indicate an age of 3 100 Ma

Unexpected East-West effect in mesopause region SABER temperatures over El Leoncito

Science.gov (United States)

Reisin, Esteban R.; Scheer, Jürgen

2017-05-01

We find that mesopause region temperatures determined by the SABER instrument on the TIMED satellite during nocturnal overpasses at El Leoncito (31.8°S, 69.3°W) are several kelvins higher when SABER observes from the East than when it observes from the West. We distinguish between altitudes corresponding to the nominal emission heights of the OH and O2 airglow layers. The East-West temperature differences of 4.5 K obtained for OH-equivalent height, and of 3.5 K for O2-equivalent height are surprising, because an effect of the South Atlantic Anomaly on SABER temperature is unexpected. However, the ground-based data obtained with our airglow spectrometer at El Leoncito show that such a SABER artifact can be ruled out. Rather, the phenomenon is explained as a consequence of the temporal sampling of the nocturnal variation, which is mostly due to the semidiurnal tide. The monthly mean tide is strongest from April to September with a mean amplitude of 6.9 K for OH, and of 10.5 K for O2 rotational temperature, but the contribution to the East-West effect varies strongly from month to month because of differences in the temporal sampling. This mechanism should be active at other sites, as well.

Wetlands & Deepwater Habitats - MO 2012 East West Gateway Wetland Restoration Rank (GDB)

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC State | GIS Inventory — Over the past five years, the East-West Gateway Council of Governments has facilitated creation of data layers to enhance conservation and transportation planning in...

High effectiveness of self-help programs after drug addiction therapy

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Kristensen Øistein

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The self-help groups Alcoholics Anonymous (AA and Narcotics Anonymous (NA are very well established. AA and NA employ a 12-step program and are found in most large cities around the world. Although many have argued that these organizations are valuable, substantial scepticism remains as to whether they are actually effective. Few treatment facilities give clear recommendations to facilitate participation, and the use of these groups has been disputed. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the use of self-help groups after addiction treatment is associated with higher rates of abstinence. Methods One hundred and fourteen patients, 59 with alcohol dependency and 55 with multiple drug dependency, who started in self-help groups after addiction treatment, were examined two years later using a questionnaire. Return rate was 66%. Six (5% of the patients were dead. Results Intention-to-treat-analysis showed that 38% still participated in self-help programs two years after treatment. Among the regular participants, 81% had been abstinent over the previous 6 months, compared with only 26% of the non-participants. Logistic regression analysis showed OR = 12.6, 95% CI (4.1–38.3, p Conclusion The study has several methodological problems; in particular, correlation does not necessarily indicate causality. These problems are discussed and we conclude that the probability of a positive effect is sufficient to recommend participation in self-help groups as a supplement to drug addiction treatment. Previous publication This article is based on a study originally published in Norwegian: Kristensen O, Vederhus JK: Self-help programs in drug addiction therapy. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2005, 125:2798–2801.

Seeking psychological help: a comparison of individual and group treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shechtman, Zipora; Vogel, David; Maman, Neta

2010-01-01

The study examined public and self-stigma and their association with attitudes and intentions to seek psychological help in regard to both individual and group treatment as well as to various subgroups, including gender, ethnicity, educational orientation, level of religion, and age. Undergraduate students (N=307) in three universities in Israel participated in the study. Results partly confirmed the model for both individual and group therapy: Self-stigma was related to attitudes and intentions to seek help. However, public stigma was not related to self-stigma. Importantly, some differences were also found among the various subgroups, and the model, which takes into account the different subgroups, looks somewhat different for individual and group therapy.

[Self-determined but with professional leadership? On the effectiveness and definition of self-help groups].

Science.gov (United States)

Klytta, C; Wilz, G

2007-02-01

Because the effectiveness of self-help groups (SHGs) has not been proven yet and also since multi-focus reviews on SHGs are rare, the present article offers an overview of the current state of research. Possible reasons for the conflicting results in the literature are also investigated. An extensive literature search was done to review studies which used longitudinal design and control groups to measure the effectiveness of SHGs and so-called "support groups". Positive effects in comparison to the control groups were proven in four out of seven of the studies. In the remaining three studies the outcomes between the groups were the same. Considering the naturalistic designs of the studies, these results clearly indicate that SHGs are indeed effective. An insufficient consideration of the heterogeneity of the groups is held responsible for the difficulties associated with previous research on the topic, especially as far as the differentiation between SHGs and professionally led groups is concerned. The definition excludes professional leadership but, in fact, professional involvement in SHGs up to their leadership is the rule. The following suggestions have been derived from this literature analysis: uniform classifications for SHGs and professionally-led support groups should be established in order to make it possible to provide a clear distinction between these types of groups as well as to indicate the extent of professional involvement in them. A plea is made for a generally stronger consideration of organisational differences in the research of SHGs.

Importance of hemodialysis-related outcomes: comparison of ratings by a self-help group, clinicians, and health technology assessment authors with those by a large reference group of patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janssen IM

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Inger M Janssen,1 Fueloep Scheibler,2 Ansgar Gerhardus3,4 1Department of Epidemiology and International Public Health, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, 2Department of Non-Drug Interventions, Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, Cologne, 3Department for Health Services Research, Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research, University of Bremen, 4Health Sciences Bremen, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany Background: The selection of important outcomes is a crucial decision for clinical research and health technology assessment (HTA, and there is ongoing debate about which stakeholders should be involved. Hemodialysis is a complex treatment for chronic kidney disease (CKD and affects many outcomes. Apart from obvious outcomes, such as mortality, morbidity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL, others such as, concerning daily living or health care provision, may also be important. The aim of our study was to analyze to what extent the preferences for patient-relevant outcomes differed between various stakeholders. We compared preferences of stakeholders normally or occasionally involved in outcome prioritization (patients from a self-help group, clinicians and HTA authors with those of a large reference group of patients. Participants and methods: The reference group consisted of 4,518 CKD patients investigated previously. We additionally recruited CKD patients via a regional self-help group, nephrologists via an online search and HTA authors via an expert database or personal contacts. All groups assessed the relative importance of the 23 outcomes by means of a discrete visual analog scale. We used descriptive statistics to rank outcomes and compare the results between groups. Results: We received completed questionnaires from 49 self-help group patients, 19 nephrologists and 18 HTA authors. Only the following 3 outcomes were ranked within the top 7 outcomes by all 4 groups: safety, HRQoL and emotional state. The

Trace elements in near-shore sediments along the east and west coasts of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Paropkari, A.L.; Shirodkar, P.V.; Alagarsamy, R.; Kaisary, S.; Mesquita, A.

the riverine mouths. The analyses showed significant differences in the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Ni, Fe, Mn, Al and TOC between the east and west coasts. Their average bulk concentrations along the east coast are: Cu (59.6 ppm), Zn (103.45 ppm), Ni (115.5 ppm...

Cognitive-behavioural group therapy versus guided self-help for compulsive buying disorder: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, A; Arikian, A; de Zwaan, M; Mitchell, J E

2013-01-01

Compulsive buying (CB) is defined as extreme preoccupation with buying/shopping and frequent buying that causes substantial negative psychological, social, occupational and financial consequences. There exists preliminary evidence that group cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective in the treatment of CB. The present pilot study made a first attempt to compare group CBT for CB with telephone-guided self-help (GSH). Fifty-six patients were allocated randomly to one of the three conditions: (1) group CBT (n = 22); (2) GSH (n = 20); and (3) a waiting list condition (n = 14). The results indicate that face-to-face group CBT is superior not only to the waiting list condition but also to GSH. Patients who received GSH tended to have more success in overcoming CB compared with the waiting list controls. Given the sample size, the results must be considered as preliminary and further research is needed to address the topic whether GSH also could be a helpful intervention in reducing CB. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Acculturation, self-construal, mental and physical health: an explorative study of East Asian students in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Shim, Gayoung; Freund, Henning; Stopsack, Malte; Kämmerer, Annette; Barnow, Sven

2014-08-01

The present study explores acculturation and its associated aspects of two East Asian student groups with different levels of exposure to German culture (100 international students from East Asian countries [IS]; 61 second generation students of East Asian descent [SGS]). First, we investigated the relationships between acculturation, self-construal, depressive and somatic symptoms, and differences between the student groups in these variables. Second, the four acculturation types (integration, assimilation, separation and marginalization) were examined regarding their relationship to self-construal and health outcomes. The results showed that the acculturation dimensions (mainstream, heritage) were relevant to the level of depressive symptoms for IS which was not the case for SGS. Furthermore, IS reported more somatic symptoms whereas there was no difference between the two groups in the level of depressive symptoms. In the analysis of acculturation types, assimilated and integrated students were characterized by high independent self-construal, while separated and integrated students showed high interdependent self-construal. Assimilated students displayed the least depressive symptoms of all acculturation groups. This study highlights different characteristics of East Asian students in acculturation, self-construal and health outcomes, and discusses the complexity of the relationships between acculturation types and health. © 2013 International Union of Psychological Science.

For the categories `east` and `west` in the stories `White Fortress` by Ohran Pamuk and Zona Zamfirova by Stevan Sremac

OpenAIRE

Karanikolova-Cocorovska, Lusi

2015-01-01

This article deals with the issues east - west in two novels: "White Fortress" by OrhanPamuk and "ZonaZamfirova" by StevanSremac. The focus is on the treatment of these two entities as separate categories, according to their significance in the novels, and also according to their importance to the culture of the East and West. It is determined the analysis of the categories "east" and "west" in the novels "White Fortress" by OrhanPamuk and ZonaZamfirova by StevanSremacod simply because t...

Efficacy of a Self-Help Treatment for At-Risk and Pathological Gamblers.

Science.gov (United States)

Boudreault, Catherine; Giroux, Isabelle; Jacques, Christian; Goulet, Annie; Simoneau, Hélène; Ladouceur, Robert

2018-06-01

Available evidence suggests that self-help treatments may reduce problem gambling severity but inconsistencies of results across clinical trials leave the extent of their benefits unclear. Moreover, no self-help treatment has yet been validated within a French Canadian setting. The current study therefore assesses the efficacy of a French language self-help treatment including three motivational telephone interviews spread over an 11-week period and a cognitive-behavioral self-help workbook. At-risk and pathological gamblers were randomly assigned to the treatment group (n = 31) or the waiting list (n = 31). Relative to the waiting list, the treatment group showed a statistically significant reduction in the number of DSM-5 gambling disorder criteria met, gambling habits, and gambling consequences at Week 11. Perceived self-efficacy and life satisfaction also significantly improved after 11 weeks for the treatment group, but not for the waiting list group. At Week 11, 13% of participants had dropped out of the study. All significant changes reported for the treatment group were maintained throughout 1, 6 and 12-month follow-ups. Results support the efficacy of the self-help treatment to reduce problem gambling severity, gambling behaviour and to improve overall functioning among a sample of French Canadian problem gamblers over short, medium and long term. Findings from this study lend support to the appropriateness of self-help treatments for problem gamblers and help clarify inconsistencies found in the literature. The low dropout rate is discussed with respect to the advantages of the self-help format. Clinical and methodological implications of the results are put forth.

Piracy around Africa's west and east coasts: a comparative political ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study of politics, or political science, focuses on both the abstract theories and practical operation of government and politics. The phenomenon of piracy on the east and west coasts of Africa brings an important scholarly issue to the fore, namely the significant roles of non-state actors in national, regional and global ...

Precipitation Characteristics in West and East Africa from Satellite and in Situ Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Dezfuli, Amin K.; Ichoku, Charles M.; Mohr, Karen I.; Huffman, George J.

2017-01-01

Using in situ data, three precipitation classes are identified for rainy seasons of West and East Africa: weak convective rainfall (WCR), strong convective rainfall (SCR), and mesoscale convective systems (MCSs).Nearly 75% of the total seasonal precipitation is produced by the SCR and MCSs, even though they represent only 8% of the rain events. Rain events in East Africa tend to have a longer duration and lower intensity than in West Africa, reflecting different characteristics of the SCR and MCS events in these two regions. Surface heating seems to be the primary convection trigger for the SCR, particularly in East Africa, whereas the WCR requires a dynamical trigger such as low-level convergence. The data are used to evaluate the performance of the recently launched Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG)project. The IMERG-based precipitation shows significant improvement over its predecessor, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), particularly in capturing the MCSs, due to its improved temporal resolution.

Internet based self-help therapy versus waitlist control group for persons with anxiety disorders: A randomised feasibility study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fenger, Morten Munthe; Lindschou, Jane; Gluud, Christian

) FearFighter or B) waitlist control group. Participants are persons with a diagnosis of social phobia, agora phobia, phobia or panic disorder. The intervention with FearFighter is a nine step cognitive behavioural self-help therapy program delivered over the internet over nine weeks. Participants...

Internet-Based Self-Help with Therapist Feedback and in Vivo Group Exposure for Social Phobia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Gerhard; Carlbring, Per; Holmstrom, Annelie; Sparthan, Elisabeth; Furmark, Tomas; Nilsson-Ihrfelt, Elisabeth; Buhrman, Monica; Ekselius, Lisa

2006-01-01

Sixty-four individuals with social phobia (social anxiety disorder) were assigned to a multimodal cognitive-behavioral treatment package or to a waiting list control group. Treatment consisted of a 9-week, Internet-delivered, self-help program that was combined with 2 group exposure sessions in real life and minimal therapist contact via e-mail.…

Group anxiety management: effectiveness, perceived helpfulness and follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Cadbury, S; Childs-Clark, A; Sandhu, S

1990-05-01

An evaluation was conducted on out-patient cognitive-behavioural anxiety management groups. Twenty-nine clients assessed before and after the group and at three-month follow-up showed significant improvement on self-report measures. A further follow-up on 21 clients, conducted by an independent assessor at an average of 11 months, showed greater improvement with time. Clients also rated how helpful they had found non-specific therapeutic factors, and specific anxiety management techniques. 'Universality' was the most helpful non-specific factor, and 'the explanation of anxiety' was the most helpful technique.

East, West German gas pipeline grids linked

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that Ruhrgas AG, Essen, has started up the first large diameter gas pipeline linking the gas grids of former East and West Germany. Ruhrgas last month placed in service a 40 in., 70 km line at Vitzeroda, near Eisenach, linking a new Ruhrgas pipeline in Hesse state with a 330 km gas pipeline built last year in Thuringia and Saxony states by Erdgasversorgungs GmbH (EVG), Leipzig. The new link enables pipeline operator EVG to receive 70 bcf/year of western European gas via Ruhrgas, complementing the 35 bcf/year of gas coming from the Commonwealth of Independent States via Verbundnetz Gas AG (VNG), Leipzig

Health Care and Women's Empowerment: The role of Self Help Groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Chakravarty

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Over the last couple of decades the concept of Self Help Groups (SHGs and its potential as an effective tool to alleviate poverty and empower women has garnered considerable interest worldwide. Considering the importance given by policy makers across various nations to the group approach while conceptualizing, formulating and implementing any scheme or programme for the welfare of marginalized and underprivileged sections of the society (especially women, we identified the need to critically examine and explore the role of SHGs in the empowerment of women with a special emphasis on health status. To date, the functioning of SHGs has essentially been viewed only from an economic perspective. The existing approach puts encourages the economic development of women, with SHGs a mechanism to achieving this. However, how these economic benefits are being translated into the change in women’s status, particularly their health status, remains unexplored and ultimately unaddressed. This working research paper attempts to review the scope and limitations of SHGs in improving women’s health and empowerment based upon empirical work undertaken in the Jharkhand state of India. Our paper also explores the extent to which SHGs can be involved in attaining better health status for women, and thereby point the way for further research.   

Analysis of variables affecting unemployment rate and detecting for cluster in West Java, Central Java, and East Java in 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Samuel, Putra A.; Widyaningsih, Yekti; Lestari, Dian

2016-02-01

The objective of this study is modeling the Unemployment Rate (UR) in West Java, Central Java, and East Java, with rate of disease, infant mortality rate, educational level, population size, proportion of married people, and GDRP as the explanatory variables. Spatial factors are also considered in the modeling since the closer the distance, the higher the correlation. This study uses the secondary data from BPS (Badan Pusat Statistik). The data will be analyzed using Moran I test, to obtain the information about spatial dependence, and using Spatial Autoregressive modeling to obtain the information, which variables are significant affecting UR and how great the influence of the spatial factors. The result is, variables proportion of married people, rate of disease, and population size are related significantly to UR. In all three regions, the Hotspot of unemployed will also be detected districts/cities using Spatial Scan Statistics Method. The results are 22 districts/cities as a regional group with the highest unemployed (Most likely cluster) in the study area; 2 districts/cities as a regional group with the highest unemployed in West Java; 1 district/city as a regional groups with the highest unemployed in Central Java; 15 districts/cities as a regional group with the highest unemployed in East Java.

Catch tanks inhibitor addition 200-East and 200-West Areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palit, A.N.

1996-01-01

Reported is the study of 11 catch tanks in the 200-East Area and the 7 catch tanks in the 200-West Area listed as active. The location, capacity, material of construction, annual total accumulation, annual rain intrusion, waste transfer rate, and access for chemical injection in these tanks are documented. The present and future utilization and isolation plans for the catch tanks are established

Social Welfare in East and West – A Tranquilizer for Dialogue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juego, Bonn; Schmidt, Johannes Dragsbæk

Policies in Southeast Asia (Thailand and Indonesia in particular, but also Malaysia and the Philippines) in a comparative perspective with the East Asian experience (Japan, Korea and Taiwan - excl. labor), and the Scandinavian experience with corporatism (incl. labor). Are there lessons to be lea......Policies in Southeast Asia (Thailand and Indonesia in particular, but also Malaysia and the Philippines) in a comparative perspective with the East Asian experience (Japan, Korea and Taiwan - excl. labor), and the Scandinavian experience with corporatism (incl. labor). Are there lessons...... definite conclusions or policy prescriptions. As a matter of fact, in terms of social welfare, equity and labor market policies the pre-crisis model of East Asia might offer lessons for the West and vice versa. Mutual learning and dialogue must be the key for future understanding and cooperation....

The fertility behaviour of East to West German migrants

OpenAIRE

Anja Vatterrott

2011-01-01

In the twenty years since the reunification of Germany, we have seen a convergence of total fertility rates in the eastern and western parts of the country, but differences remain in the timing, number and spacing of births. Our aim in this paper is to better understand the persistence of these differences by studying the fertility behaviour of migrants from the East to the West. Millions of people have followed this migration path in recent decades, mainly in response to the unfavourable eco...

Self-help conferences for people who stutter: a qualitative investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Trichon, Mitchell; Tetnowski, John

2011-12-01

stuttering has on their lives. The reader will be able to: (1) describe recurring themes associated with the lived experience having attended a self-help conference(s) for people who stutter (PWS) from the perspective of a group of adults who stutter, and (2) describe the potential benefits of attending self-help conferences for PWS in order to make appropriate evidence-based referrals to self-help conferences for PWS. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

East Asian child-rearing attitudes: an exploration of cultural, demographic and self-disclosure factors among US immigrants.

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, Declan T; Bernard, Matthew J; Beitel, Mark

2009-10-01

Child-rearing attitudes among East Asian groups have been emphasized in the developmental psychology literature in the context of their association with academic achievement. Although child-rearing attitudes play an important role in the transmission of cultural values, much of the research on East Asian child-rearing attitudes has ignored cultural variables and has instead focused on authoritarian parenting style. The current study examined the association between three classes of variables-culture (i.e., ethnic identity, self-construal, acculturation), demographics (sex, years in the US, English fluency), and self-disclosure-and traditional child-rearing attitudes (TCRA) among East Asian immigrants in the United States. It was hypothesized that higher levels of TCRA would be associated with higher levels of ethnic identity, interdependent self-construal, separation, and guarded self-disclosure, and fewer years spent in the United States. The participants included 170 East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) immigrants (88 men, 82 women) who were administered a battery of psychometrically established measures. Our hypotheses were largely supported. We found that, while there was no significant sex by ethnicity effect for TCRA, men were significantly more likely than women to endorse TCRA and the Korean group had significantly higher TCRA than the Japanese group. Ethnic identity, interdependent self-construal, separation, years in the US, and guarded self-disclosure were significant independent predictors of TCRA. The findings suggest the need for broadening the content of assessment tools of child-rearing attitudes and measuring associated cultural and noncultural variables among East Asian ethnic groups. Future research on child-rearing attitudes among Asian ethnic groups may benefit from (1) measuring multiple dimensions of TCRA, (2) assessing associated cultural variables directly rather than inferring them in an ad hoc fashion based on observed ethnicity

Influence of latitude on the US great plains East-West precipitation gradient

Science.gov (United States)

Precipitation varies greatly from east to west across the US Great Plains as a result of a combination of the rain shadow of the Rocky Mountains and the moisture flow from the Gulf of Mexico. Because of this precipitation gradient, application of research results obtained in one location to other lo...

"East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet" Work engagement and workaholism across Eastern and Western cultures

OpenAIRE

Hu, Q; Schaufeli, Wilmar; Taris, T.W; Hessen, D.J; Hakanen, J; Salanova, M; Shimazu, A

2014-01-01

This article compares the mean levels of work engagement and workaholism across two cultures (East Asia and Western Europe) by using a latent variable approach. Data were collected in Western Europe in the Netherlands (N = 10,162), Spain (N = 3,481), and Finland (N = 3,472) and in East Asia in China (N = 2,977) and in Japan (N =2,520). It was assumed that, based on cultural differences, in individualistic and Christian Europe work is associated with self-enhancement and personal development, ...

What to do about depression? Self-help recommendations of the public.

Science.gov (United States)

Holzinger, Anita; Matschinger, Herbert; Angermeyer, Matthias

2012-07-01

While help-seeking and treatment preferences for depression have been assessed in a number of population studies, little is known about the public's self-help beliefs. To explore public beliefs about self-help actions to be taken in case of depression. In spring 2009, a population-based survey was conducted by telephone in the city of Vienna. A fully structured interview was carried out, which began with the presentation of a vignette describing a case of depression. Subsequently, respondents were asked to indicate to what extent they would recommend various self-help actions. Among the self-help options proposed, confiding in a close friend or someone in the family were most frequently recommended. Apart from that, a variety of interpersonal actions (socializing with others, joining a self-help group), psychological methods (thinking positively), lifestyle changes (engaging in sport, listening to music, going on vacation, reading a good book) and dietary methods (eating healthy food) were endorsed by over half of respondents. While women were more ready to recommend self-help actions, the better educated were less enthusiastic about them. As only some of the self-help measures endorsed by the public are evidence based, more research is needed before promulgating their use.

Tracing the origin of the east-west population admixture in the Altai region (Central Asia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mercedes González-Ruiz

Full Text Available A recent discovery of Iron Age burials (Pazyryk culture in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia may shed light on the mode and tempo of the generation of the current genetic east-west population admixture in Central Asia. Studies on ancient mitochondrial DNA of this region suggest that the Altai Mountains played the role of a geographical barrier between West and East Eurasian lineages until the beginning of the Iron Age. After the 7th century BC, coinciding with Scythian expansion across the Eurasian steppes, a gradual influx of East Eurasian sequences in Western steppes is detected. However, the underlying events behind the genetic admixture in Altai during the Iron Age are still unresolved: 1 whether it was a result of migratory events (eastward firstly, westward secondly, or 2 whether it was a result of a local demographic expansion in a 'contact zone' between European and East Asian people. In the present work, we analyzed the mitochondrial DNA lineages in human remains from Bronze and Iron Age burials of Mongolian Altai. Here we present support to the hypothesis that the gene pool of Iron Age inhabitants of Mongolian Altai was similar to that of western Iron Age Altaians (Russia and Kazakhstan. Thus, this people not only shared the same culture (Pazyryk, but also shared the same genetic east-west population admixture. In turn, Pazyryks appear to have a similar gene pool that current Altaians. Our results further show that Iron Age Altaians displayed mitochondrial lineages already present around Altai region before the Iron Age. This would provide support for a demographic expansion of local people of Altai instead of westward or eastward migratory events, as the demographic event behind the high population genetic admixture and diversity in Central Asia.

Tracing the origin of the east-west population admixture in the Altai region (Central Asia).

Science.gov (United States)

González-Ruiz, Mercedes; Santos, Cristina; Jordana, Xavier; Simón, Marc; Lalueza-Fox, Carles; Gigli, Elena; Aluja, Maria Pilar; Malgosa, Assumpció

2012-01-01

A recent discovery of Iron Age burials (Pazyryk culture) in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia may shed light on the mode and tempo of the generation of the current genetic east-west population admixture in Central Asia. Studies on ancient mitochondrial DNA of this region suggest that the Altai Mountains played the role of a geographical barrier between West and East Eurasian lineages until the beginning of the Iron Age. After the 7th century BC, coinciding with Scythian expansion across the Eurasian steppes, a gradual influx of East Eurasian sequences in Western steppes is detected. However, the underlying events behind the genetic admixture in Altai during the Iron Age are still unresolved: 1) whether it was a result of migratory events (eastward firstly, westward secondly), or 2) whether it was a result of a local demographic expansion in a 'contact zone' between European and East Asian people. In the present work, we analyzed the mitochondrial DNA lineages in human remains from Bronze and Iron Age burials of Mongolian Altai. Here we present support to the hypothesis that the gene pool of Iron Age inhabitants of Mongolian Altai was similar to that of western Iron Age Altaians (Russia and Kazakhstan). Thus, this people not only shared the same culture (Pazyryk), but also shared the same genetic east-west population admixture. In turn, Pazyryks appear to have a similar gene pool that current Altaians. Our results further show that Iron Age Altaians displayed mitochondrial lineages already present around Altai region before the Iron Age. This would provide support for a demographic expansion of local people of Altai instead of westward or eastward migratory events, as the demographic event behind the high population genetic admixture and diversity in Central Asia.

A community-based group-guided self-help intervention for low mood and stress: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

McClay, Carrie-Anne; Morrison, Jill; McConnachie, Alex; Williams, Christopher

2013-11-19

Depression is a mental health condition which affects millions of people each year, with worldwide rates increasing. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is recommended in the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the treatment of depression. However, waiting lists can cause delays for face-to-face therapy. Also a proportion of people decline to present for help through the health service - the so-called treatment gap. Self-referral to CBT using community-based group interventions delivered by a voluntary sector organization may serve to resolve this problem. The aim of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to determine the efficacy of such a guided CBT self-help course, the 'Living Life to the Full' (LLTTF) classes delivered by the charity Action on Depression (AOD). The primary outcome is level of depression at 6 months assessed using the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ9) depression scale. Secondary measures include levels of anxiety and social functioning. Participants with symptoms of low mood will be recruited from the community through newspaper adverts and also via the AOD website. Participants will receive either immediate or delayed access to guided CBT self-help classes - the eight session LLTTF course. The primary endpoint will be at 6 months at which point the delayed group will be offered the intervention. Levels of depression, anxiety and social functioning will be assessed and an economic analysis will be carried out. This RCT will test whether the LLTTF intervention is effective and/or cost-effective. If the LLTTF community-based classes are found to be cost effective, they may be helpful as both an intervention for those already seeking care in the health service, as well as those seeking help outside that setting, widening access to psychological therapy. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN86292664.

Cultural differences between East and West Germany after 1991 : Communist values versus economic performance?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Hoorn, A.A.J.; Maseland, R.K.J.

2010-01-01

Two decades after reunification substantial economic disparities between East and West Germany remain. With formal institutions being equalized, a typical explanation is that the partition of Germany created differences in economic values and attitudes that continue to feed differences in economic

Internet-based guided self-help for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Catrin E; Farewell, Daniel; Groves, Vicky; Kitchiner, Neil J; Roberts, Neil P; Vick, Tracey; Bisson, Jonathan I

2017-06-01

There are numerous barriers that limit access to evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Internet-based guided self-help is a treatment option that may help widen access to effective intervention, but the approach has not been sufficiently explored for the treatment of PTSD. Forty two adults with DSM-5 PTSD of mild to moderate severity were randomly allocated to internet-based self-help with up to 3 h of therapist assistance, or to a delayed treatment control group. The internet-based program included eight modules that focused on psychoeducation, grounding, relaxation, behavioural activation, real-life and imaginal exposure, cognitive therapy, and relapse prevention. The primary outcome measure was reduction in clinician-rated traumatic stress symptoms using the clinician administered PTSD scale for DSM-V (CAPS-5). Secondary outcomes were self-reported PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, alcohol use, perceived social support, and functional impairment. Posttreatment, the internet-based guided self-help group had significantly lower clinician assessed PTSD symptoms than the delayed treatment control group (between-group effect size Cohen's d = 1.86). The difference was maintained at 1-month follow-up and dissipated once both groups had received treatment. Similar patterns of difference between the two groups were found for depression, anxiety, and functional impairment. The average contact with treating clinicians was 2½ h. Internet-based trauma-focused guided self-help for PTSD is a promising treatment option that requires far less therapist time than current first line face-to-face psychological therapy. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[East-West migration in Europe 1918-1992].

Science.gov (United States)

Fassmann, H; Munz, R

1995-03-01

"The paper [analyzes] available demographic data on international migration within and to Europe during the periods 1918-39 and 1945-92. The main focus is on the East-West dimension of this migration. In the inter-war period some 9.2 million people either left their countries as labour migrants or were displaced.... In the post-war period (1945-50) some 15.4 million people fled or were displaced within Europe. Most of them moved or were forced to move westwards.... In recent times the wars in Croatia and Bosnia as well as ethnic cleansing have led to the largest wave of refugees and displaced persons since 1945.... The paper argues that push and pull factors causing massive migration cannot...be contained by erecting new legislative barriers and deploying more armed guards against newcomers." (EXCERPT)

Internal Migration, Regional Labour Market Dynamics and Implications for German East-West Disparities – Results from a Panel VAR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alecke, Björn; Mitze, Timo; Untiedt, Gerhard

This paper analyses the causal linkages between regional labour market variables and internal migration flows among German states between 1991–2006. We adopt a Panel VAR approach to identify the feedback effects among the variables and analyse the dynamic properties of the system through impulser......This paper analyses the causal linkages between regional labour market variables and internal migration flows among German states between 1991–2006. We adopt a Panel VAR approach to identify the feedback effects among the variables and analyse the dynamic properties of the system through...... impulseresponse functions.We also use the model to track the evolution of the particular East-West migration since re-unification aiming to shed more light on the East German “empirical puzzle”, characterized by lower migration responses than expected from the regional labour market position relative to the West......:That is, along with a second wave of East-West movements around 2001 net flows out of East Germany were much higher than expected after controlling for its weak labour market and macroeconomic performance. Since this second wave is also accompanied by a gradual fading out of economic distortions...

Who Seeks Help Online for Self-Injury?

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, Mareka; Casey, Leanne

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify differences between young people who seek help online for self-injury and those who self-injure but do not seek help online, in order to improve online services for young people at high risk of suicide. Young people reporting a history of self-injury (N = 679) were identified as part of larger study (N = 1,463) exploring help-seeking. One third of young people with a history of self-injury reported online help-seeking for self-injury. Online help-seekers were significantly more distressed, suicidal, and had a greater degree of self-injury compared to those who did not seek help online. The Internet provides an important form of support to the most at risk young people in this population, and may be a proximal step to face-to-face help-seeking. Further research is required to investigate the forms of support currently accessed by young people online, and their effectiveness.

Cyber-Porn Dependence: Voices of Distress in an Italian Internet Self-Help Community

Science.gov (United States)

Cavaglion, Gabriel

2009-01-01

This study analyzes narratives of cyber-porn users and defines major patterns of distress as self-reported by contributors to a self-help group in the Internet. It applies narrative analysis methodology to 2000 messages sent by 302 members of an Italian self-help Internet community for cyber-porn dependents ("noallapornodipendenza").…

AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO MEET BEEF SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN WEST PAPUA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Hartono

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this research is to present an alternative approach to meet beef self-sufficiency in West Papua, Indonesia. It mainly focuses on calculating the needed number of productive cows to enhance beef production in the province. Out of the total farmer households in Manokwari, Indonesia, 189 farmer-respondents were selected as samples of the study. Selection of the sample was based on the number of cattle kept in every age group (less than one (2 years old and the number of productive cows. Secondary data came from the time series data of the number of slaughtered cattle vis-à-vis the population of all districts in West Papua Province from 1980-2008. Data were analyzed using the Partial Adjustment Model (PAM and Ordinary Least Square (OLS method. Results of the study showed that beef self-sufficiency in West Papua depend on the availability of the number of productive cows to produce ready-slaughtered-bull in the previous year. Particularly for West Papua, to produce one unit of bull in the tth –year, with the assumption that cattle mortality is 4.92%, a number of 2.38 animal units AU of productive cows must be provided in the previous two (2 years.

Unification of Theoretical Models of Academic Self-Concept/Achievement Relations: Reunification of East and West German School Systems after the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, Herbert W.; Koller, Olaf

2004-01-01

Longitudinal data (five waves) from large cohorts of 7th grade students in East Germany ("n"=2,119) and West Germany ("n"=1,928) were collected from the start of the reunification of the school systems following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Here we integrate the two major theoretical models of relations between academic…

Learning to Be a Person--East and West

Science.gov (United States)

Jarvis, Peter

2013-01-01

This paper falls into two parts--a Western interpretation and an Eastern critique of the same process. The first part provides an interpretation of how we learn to become culturally embedded individuals. The paper notes the learning processes in the formation of the cultural and national self. We, in the West, have traditionally assumed that the…

Sitting with others: mental health self-help groups in northern Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cohen Alex

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Over the past four decades, there has been increasing interest in Self-Help Groups, by mental health services users and caregivers, alike. Research in high-income countries suggests that participation in SHGs is associated with decreased use of inpatient facilities, improved social functioning among service users, and decreased caregiver burden. The formation of SHGs has become an important component of mental health programmes operated by non-governmental organisations (NGOs in low-income countries. However, there has been relatively little research examining the benefits of SHGs in this context. Methods Qualitative research with 18 SHGs, five local non-governmental organisations, community mental health nurses, administrators in Ghana Health Services, and discussions with BasicNeeds staff. Results SHGs have the potential to serve as key components of community mental health programmes in low-resource settings. The strongest evidence concerns how SHGs provide a range of supports, e.g., social, financial, and practical, to service users and caregivers. The groups also appear to foster greater acceptance of service users by their families and by communities at large. Membership in SHGs appears to be associated with more consistent treatment and better outcomes for those who are ill. Discussion This study highlights the need for longitudinal qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the effect of SHGs on clinical, social and economic outcomes of service users and their carers. Conclusions The organisation of SHGs appears to be associated with positive outcomes for service users and caregivers. However, there is a need to better understand how SHGs operate and the challenges they face.

Climate sensitivity of Mediterranean pine growth reveals distinct east-west dipole

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Seim, A.; Treydte, K.; Trouet, V.; Frank, D.; Fonti, P.; Tegel, W.; Panayotov, M.; Fernandez-Donado, L.; Krusic, P.; Büntgen, Ulf

2015-01-01

Roč. 35, č. 9 (2015), s. 2503-2513 ISSN 0899-8418 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.20.0248 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : tree-ring width * scots pine * wood formation * ice core * variability * drought * precipitation * reconstructions * circulation * dynamics * climate dynamics * dendroclimatology * drought response * Mediterranean east-west dipole * palaeoclimatology * Pinus spp * principal component analysis * tree-ring width Subject RIV: DG - Athmosphere Sciences, Meteorology Impact factor: 3.609, year: 2015

[Classification of gamblers from self-help groups using cluster analysis].

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, G

1991-01-01

In an empirically based classification by cluster analysis of 437 gamblers from self-help groups five distinct homogeneous subgroups were determined on the basis of such characteristics as frequency of gambling of various kinds, function of gambling and sensation during gambling, symptoms of pathological gambling as well as personality characteristics. These can be characterized as: Pathological slot-machine gamblers with 1) an emotionally instable, depressive-aggressive personality structure and 2) an emotionally instable, depressive personality structure; 3) pathological gamblers on German-style slot-machines and 4) pathological gamblers on classical games of chance--both without conspicuous personality, and 5) gamblers on German-style slot-machines under a subjective strain. On the whole, the distinctions are due to psychological variables, the social data hardly differ. A comparison of the subgroups on the basis of variables regarding the course and result of treatment shows that the pathological gamblers with a conspicuous personality structure more often failed to reach, the goal of abstinence set by "Gamblers Anonymous" and instead report about an improvement of their gambling behaviour. On the other hand, the gamblers on German-style slot-machines who were under a subjective strain more often found it easier to stop gambling completely. The results of the cluster analysis are compared with clinical diagnostic classifications of gamblers who received out-patient or in-patient treatment as well as with empirical classifications of addicts, and first hypotheses of a differential therapy indication are being discussed.

Positive and negative flashbulb memories of the fall of the Berlin Wall among East- and West Germans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bohn, Annette; Berntsen, Dorthe

2006-01-01

, rehearsal and the centrality of the memory to the person's identity and life story correlated positively with memory qualities. The results suggest that positive versus negative emotions have different effects on the processing and long-term retention of flashbulb memories.......Flashbulb memories for the fall of the Berlin Wall were examined among 103 East and West Germans who considered the event as either highly positive or highly negative. Participants in the positive group rated their memories higher on measures of reliving and sensory imagery, whereas memory...

Forecasting hotspots in East Kutai, Kutai Kartanegara, and West Kutai as early warning information

Science.gov (United States)

Wahyuningsih, S.; Goejantoro, R.; Rizki, N. A.

2018-04-01

The aims of this research are to model hotspots and forecast hotspot 2017 in East Kutai, Kutai Kartanegara and West Kutai. The methods which used in this research were Holt exponential smoothing, Holt’s additive dump trend method, Holt-Winters’ additive method, additive decomposition method, multiplicative decomposition method, Loess decomposition method and Box-Jenkins method. For smoothing techniques, additive decomposition is better than Holt’s exponential smoothing. The hotspots model using Box-Jenkins method were Autoregressive Moving Average ARIMA(1,1,0), ARIMA(0,2,1), and ARIMA(0,1,0). Comparing the results from all methods which were used in this research, and based on Root of Mean Squared Error (RMSE), show that Loess decomposition method is the best times series model, because it has the least RMSE. Thus the Loess decomposition model used to forecast the number of hotspot. The forecasting result indicatethat hotspots pattern tend to increase at the end of 2017 in Kutai Kartanegara and West Kutai, but stationary in East Kutai.

East-West differences in perception of brain death. Review of history, current understandings, and directions for future research.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qing; Miller, Geoffrey

2015-06-01

The concept of brain death as equivalent to cardiopulmonary death was initially conceived following developments in neuroscience, critical care, and transplant technology. It is now a routine part of medicine in Western countries, including the United States. In contrast, Eastern countries have been reluctant to incorporate brain death into legislation and medical practice. Several countries, most notably China, still lack laws recognizing brain death and national medical standards for making the diagnosis. The perception is that Asians are less likely to approve of brain death or organ transplant from brain dead donors. Cultural and religious traditions have been referenced to explain this apparent difference. In the West, the status of the brain as home to the soul in Enlightenment philosophy, combined with pragmatism and utilitarianism, supports the concept of brain death. In the East, the integration of body with spirit and nature in Buddhist and folk beliefs, along with the Confucian social structure that builds upon interpersonal relationships, argues against brain death. However, it is unclear whether these reasoning strategies are explicitly used when families and medical providers are faced with acknowledging brain death. Their decisions are more likely to involve a prioritization of values and a rationalization of intuitive responses. Why and whether there might be differences between East and West in the acceptance of the brain death concept requires further empirical testing, which would help inform policy-making and facilitate communication between providers and patients from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

[Drug Addiction Self-Help Recovery scale (DASH-scale): an approach to the measurement of recovery from drug addiction in self-help program among drug addicts].

Science.gov (United States)

Shimane, Takuya; Misago, Chizuru

2004-12-01

The purpose of the study was to develop a scale for measuring the recovery in self-help program for drug addicts. Our study sites were fourteen self-help groups for drug addicts called "DARC: Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center". DARC activities were based on Narcotics Anonymous types of self-help program. The 25-items DASH-scale questionnaire was developed using data, which were obtained through in-depth interview among DARC staff. A cross-sectional study among recovering addicts participating in "DARC" activities was implemented from Jan 2004 to Feb 2004. 164 subjects were responded to our questionnaire. Factor analysis was carried out and items with weaker or split loadings were removed. Factor analysis of DASH-scale results produced a surprisingly clean four-factor solution. 19-items were left to form the final DASH-scale; regular life-style (6 items), acceptance of drug addiction (5 items), sympathy with member (5 items), reborn (3 items). The internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha) of these scales was very high (0.87). Low but significant concurrent correlations were observed between the DASH-scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (0.22), Purpose in Life Test (0.35). Discriminant validity of the DASH-scale was supported by significant increase with exposed period of self-help program. Evidence supports the DASH-scale was possible to measure recovery in self-help program.

K-West and K-East basin thermal analyses for dry conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaver, T.R.; Cramer, E.R.; Hinman, C.A.

1994-01-01

Detailed 3 dimensional thermal analyses of the 100K East and 100 K West basins were conducted to determine the peak fuel temperature for intact fuel in the event of a complete loss of water from the basins. Thermal models for the building, an array of fuel encapsulation canisters on the basin floor, and the fuel within a single canister are described along with conservative predictions for the maximum expected temperatures for the loss of water event

Self-help on-line: an outcome evaluation of breast cancer bulletin boards.

Science.gov (United States)

Lieberman, Morton A; Goldstein, Benjamin A

2005-11-01

Many breast cancer patients find help from on-line self-help groups, consisting of self-directed, asynchronous, bulletin boards. These have yet to be empirically evaluated. Upon joining a group and 6 months later, new members (N=114) to breast cancer bulletin boards completed measures of depression (CES-D), growth (PTGI) and psychosocial wellbeing (FACT-B). Improvement was statistically significant on all three measures. This serves as a first validation of Internet bulletin boards as a source of support and help for breast cancer patients. These boards are of particular interest because they are free, accessible and support comes from peers and not from professional facilitators.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall: perceptions and consequences of stability and change among middle-aged and older East and West Germans.

Science.gov (United States)

Westerhof, Gerben J; Keyes, Corey L M

2006-09-01

This study empirically tested the self-systems theory of subjective change in light of the rapid change after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The theory predicts that individuals have a tendency to perceive stability and that perceived stability exerts a strong positive effect on subjective well-being. We would expect perceptions of decline and, to a lesser extent, perceptions of improvement to be related to lower levels of subjective well-being. Data were from respondents aged 40-85 years who participated in the German Aging Survey. We used measures of well-being and temporal comparisons during the past 10 years (1986-1996). West Germans reported more stability than East Germans, in particular in the public domain and in older age groups. Compared with perceptions of stability, perceptions of decline were related to less life satisfaction and more negative affect, and perceptions of growth to more negative affect. Temporal comparisons were unrelated to positive affect. Our findings both confirm and reject the self-systems theory of subjective change as it relates to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Studying temporal comparisons is important in understanding the effects of historical events and their timing within an individual life course.

Beyond the 'east-west' dichotomy: Global variation in cultural models of selfhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Vignoles, Vivian L; Owe, Ellinor; Becker, Maja; Smith, Peter B; Easterbrook, Matthew J; Brown, Rupert; González, Roberto; Didier, Nicolas; Carrasco, Diego; Cadena, Maria Paz; Lay, Siugmin; Schwartz, Seth J; Des Rosiers, Sabrina E; Villamar, Juan A; Gavreliuc, Alin; Zinkeng, Martina; Kreuzbauer, Robert; Baguma, Peter; Martin, Mariana; Tatarko, Alexander; Herman, Ginette; de Sauvage, Isabelle; Courtois, Marie; Garðarsdóttir, Ragna B; Harb, Charles; Schweiger Gallo, Inge; Prieto Gil, Paula; Lorente Clemares, Raquel; Campara, Gabriella; Nizharadze, George; Macapagal, Ma Elizabeth J; Jalal, Baland; Bourguignon, David; Zhang, Jianxin; Lv, Shaobo; Chybicka, Aneta; Yuki, Masaki; Zhang, Xiao; Espinosa, Agustín; Valk, Aune; Abuhamdeh, Sami; Amponsah, Benjamin; Özgen, Emre; Güner, E Ülkü; Yamakoğlu, Nil; Chobthamkit, Phatthanakit; Pyszczynski, Tom; Kesebir, Pelin; Vargas Trujillo, Elvia; Balanta, Paola; Cendales Ayala, Boris; Koller, Silvia H; Jaafar, Jas Laile; Gausel, Nicolay; Fischer, Ronald; Milfont, Taciano L; Kusdil, Ersin; Çağlar, Selinay; Aldhafri, Said; Ferreira, M Cristina; Mekonnen, Kassahun Habtamu; Wang, Qian; Fülöp, Márta; Torres, Ana; Camino, Leoncio; Lemos, Flávia Cristina Silveira; Fritsche, Immo; Möller, Bettina; Regalia, Camillo; Manzi, Claudia; Brambilla, Maria; Bond, Michael Harris

2016-08-01

Markus and Kitayama's (1991) theory of independent and interdependent self-construals had a major influence on social, personality, and developmental psychology by highlighting the role of culture in psychological processes. However, research has relied excessively on contrasts between North American and East Asian samples, and commonly used self-report measures of independence and interdependence frequently fail to show predicted cultural differences. We revisited the conceptualization and measurement of independent and interdependent self-construals in 2 large-scale multinational surveys, using improved methods for cross-cultural research. We developed (Study 1: N = 2924 students in 16 nations) and validated across cultures (Study 2: N = 7279 adults from 55 cultural groups in 33 nations) a new 7-dimensional model of self-reported ways of being independent or interdependent. Patterns of global variation support some of Markus and Kitayama's predictions, but a simple contrast between independence and interdependence does not adequately capture the diverse models of selfhood that prevail in different world regions. Cultural groups emphasize different ways of being both independent and interdependent, depending on individualism-collectivism, national socioeconomic development, and religious heritage. Our 7-dimensional model will allow future researchers to test more accurately the implications of cultural models of selfhood for psychological processes in diverse ecocultural contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Topographic Steering of Enhanced Ice Flow at the Bottleneck Between East and West Antarctica

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winter, Kate; Ross, Neil; Ferraccioli, Fausto

2018-01-01

Hypothesized drawdown of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet through the “bottleneck” zone between East and West Antarctica would have significant impacts for a large proportion of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Earth observation satellite orbits and a sparseness of radio echo sounding data have restricted...... investigations of basal boundary controls on ice flow in this region until now. New airborne radio echo sounding surveys reveal complex topography of high relief beneath the southernmost Weddell/Ross ice divide, with three subglacial troughs connecting interior Antarctica to the Foundation and Patuxent Ice...... Streams and Siple Coast ice streams. These troughs route enhanced ice flow through the interior of Antarctica but limit potential drawdown of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet through the bottleneck zone. In a thinning or retreating scenario, these topographically controlled corridors of enhanced flow could...

Mental health orientation for self-help group members: A feasibility study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Basavaraj Shrinivasa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Treatment gap for mental health care in low- and middle-income (LAMI countries is very large, and building workforce using the locally available resources is very much essential in reducing this gap. The current study is a preliminary work toward this direction. Materials and Methods: A single group pre- and post-design was considered for assessing the feasibility of Mental Health Orientation (MHO Program for Self-Help Group members. Assessment of participants' MHO using Orientation Towards Mental Illness (OMI scale was undertaken at three levels: baseline assessment before the intervention, after completing 2 days orientation program, and 6 weeks later. Results: Analysis of data resulted in statistically significant mean scores in the domains of areas of causation (F[1.41, 40.7] = 21.7, P< 0.000, ηp2 = 0.428, perception of abnormality (F[1.27, 36.8] = 15.8, P< 0.000, ηp2 = 0.353, treatment (F[1.42, 41.3] = 34.8, P< 0.000, ηp2 = 0.546, and after effect (F[1.36,39.4] = 26.7, P< 0.000, ηp2 = 0.480. Although the overall mean scores of all the domains of OMI were found to be statistically significantly different, there was no significant difference in the mean scores between post and follow-up assessments on areas of causation (μd = 1.27, P = 0.440 and treatment (μd = 1.00, P = 0.156. Conclusion: Overall, the findings of our study demonstrate that brief MHO program can exert a beneficial effect on bringing about significant change in the orientation of the participants toward mental illness but need to be refreshed over time to make the impact of the program stay longer.

Print-based self-help interventions for smoking cessation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann-Boyce, Jamie; Lancaster, Tim; Stead, Lindsay F

2014-06-03

Many smokers give up smoking on their own, but materials giving advice and information may help them and increase the number who quit successfully. The aims of this review were to determine: the effectiveness of different forms of print-based self-help materials, compared with no treatment and with other minimal contact strategies; the effectiveness of adjuncts to print-based self help, such as computer-generated feedback, telephone hotlines and pharmacotherapy; and the effectiveness of approaches tailored to the individual compared with non-tailored materials. We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group trials register. Date of the most recent search April 2014. We included randomized trials of smoking cessation with follow-up of at least six months, where at least one arm tested a print-based self-help intervention. We defined self help as structured programming for smokers trying to quit without intensive contact with a therapist. We extracted data in duplicate on the participants, the nature of the self-help materials, the amount of face-to-face contact given to intervention and to control conditions, outcome measures, method of randomization, and completeness of follow-up.The main outcome measure was abstinence from smoking after at least six months follow-up in people smoking at baseline. We used the most rigorous definition of abstinence in each trial, and biochemically validated rates when available. Where appropriate, we performed meta-analysis using a fixed-effect model. We identified 74 trials which met the inclusion criteria. Many study reports did not include sufficient detail to judge risk of bias for some domains. Twenty-eight studies (38%) were judged at high risk of bias for one or more domains but the overall risk of bias across all included studies was judged to be moderate, and unlikely to alter the conclusions.Thirty-four trials evaluated the effect of standard, non-tailored self-help materials. Pooling 11 of these trials in which there

Apprenticeship, Vocational Training, and Early Labor Market Outcomes--Evidence from East and West Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Riphahn, Regina T.; Zibrowius, Michael

2016-01-01

We study the returns to apprenticeship and vocational training for three early labor market outcomes all measured at age 25 for East and West German youths: non-employment (i.e. unemployment or out of the labor force), permanent fulltime employment, and wages. We find strong positive effects of apprenticeship and vocational training. There are no…

Terminal Decline in Well-Being Differs between Residents in East Germany and West Germany

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Vogel, Nina; Gerstorf, Denis; Ram, Nilam; Goebel, Jan; Wagner, Gert G.

2017-01-01

Lifespan research has long been interested in how contexts shape individual development. Using the separation and later reunification of Germany as a kind of natural experiment we examine whether and how living and dying in the former East or West German context has differentially shaped late-life development of well-being. We apply multi-level…

Distribution of hydromedusae from the exclusive economic zone of the west and east coasts of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Santhakumari, V.; Nair, V.R.

Distribution and abundance of hydromedusae from the exclusive economic zone of the west and east coasts of India is carried out based on zooplankton collections (on board FORV Sagar Sampada) during the period 1985-1990. The 661 samples collected...

Back to the USSR: How Colors Might Shape the Political Perception of East versus West.

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Gebauer, Fabian; Raab, Marius H; Carbon, Claus-Christian

2016-01-01

People typically process information to confirm their prior held attitudes and stereotypes. As the political relations between NATO and Russia have distinctively drifted apart in recent years, we were interested in how far old-established color depictions referring to the Cold War's demarcations (USSR = red; NATO = blue) might reinforce people's political perception of an East versus West antagonism nowadays. Participants received a fabricated news article in which both world powers were either depicted on a map as Russia = red and NATO = blue or vice versa (Study 1). Testing a different sample in Study 2, we fully removed color assignments and used hachured distinctions or no distinctions at all. We revealed that perceived political distance between both sides increased particularly for participants with negative attitudes toward Russia, but only when Russia was depicted in red. Thus, colors referring to the old-established Cold War patterns can indeed shape the political perception and reinforce stereotypical East versus West thinking.

Psychological distress and psychiatric disorders in primary health care patients in East and West Germany 1 year after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

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Achberger, M; Linden, M; Benkert, O

1999-04-01

The reunification of Germany confronted citizens in East and West Germany with many changes in their lives. These changes may be considered as critical life events. Especially for those in East Germany, life circumstances drastically changed, and individuals were increasingly required to adopt and develop coping capabilities. In addition to new opportunities and freedom, there was threatening uncertainty about the future. Theories of life events and stress postulate that threat events have an impact on human well-being. It was expected that there would be an increased rate of psychiatric morbidity after unification, especially in the eastern part of Germany. An international study by the WHO on psychiatric disorders in general health care was carried out in 1990, 1 year after the opening of the Berlin Wall, in both parts of Berlin and in Mainz, West Germany. This allowed for a comparison of the prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders among general health care patients in the East and West, after the euphoria immediately following unification had subsided. The prevalence rates of current ICD-10 diagnoses and of subthreshold disorders in East Berlin were similar to the rates in West Berlin and Mainz. The recognition rate of psychiatric disorders by physicians did not differ in East Berlin as compared to West Berlin and Mainz. Contrary to the prediction expected from the literature on individual negative life events, major changes in life circumstances and stressful life events on a societal level within 1 year did not have a major impact on psychological function.

Agreement among readers on what is relevant in self-help psychology books.

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Forest, James J; Del Ben, Kevin; Toews, Stuart B

2003-12-01

It was hypothesized that text marking in self-help psychology books would indicate that readers agree on which pages and lines contain relevant information. Previously owned copies of two self-help book titles (n=48, n=38), all with marked text, were collected from second-hand book stores and scored for line and page marking. Chi-squares for goodness-of-fit yielded significant differences between observed and chance agreement in marking behavior. Intraclass and KR-20 correlations were significantly different from zero, suggesting that readers agreed on what information was relevant and irrelevant. Actual users of self-help books may have similar standards because of cultural values, social group relations, or common problem experiences.

Chlorinated biphenyls and pesticides in migrating and resident seabirds from East and West Antarctica.

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Corsolini, Simonetta; Borghesi, Nicoletta; Ademollo, Nicoletta; Focardi, Silvano

2011-11-01

The unhatched eggs of the following seabirds were analyzed to quantify PCBs, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), α-, β-, γ-, δ-hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), o,p' and p,p' isomers of DDT, DDD and DDE: resident Adèlie (Pygoscelis adèliae, ADPE) and Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri, EMPE) penguins, migrating snow petrel (Pagodroma nivea, SNPT) and South Polar skua (Catharacta maccormicki, SPSK) from the Ross Sea (East Antarctica); and migrating Brown skua (Catharacta antartica, BRSK) and resident ADPE from the Brainsfield Strait (West Antarctica). The general aims were to evaluate the contaminant accumulation in eggs of migrating and resident species in the two study areas, and to compare levels in penguins and skuas nesting in East and West Antarctica. PCB congener and HCH and DDT isomer profiles were also assessed. Comparisons were evaluated using seven PCB congeners (IUPAC nos. 28, 52, 101, 118+149, 138, 153, and 180), p,p'-DDE, ΣDDTs, and ΣHCHs. Higher contaminant concentrations were detected in migrating seabirds (South polar skua and brown skua)>sub-Antarctic species (snow petrel)>Antarctic species (penguins) from both the sampling sites, suggesting contamination events at lower latitudes for those birds migrating northward. HCHs showed the lowest concentrations in all species (from 0.03±0.03 ng/g wet wt in SPSK to 1.81±1.23 ng/g wet wt in ADPE from West Antarctica), and PCBs were the most abundant contaminants (from 4.34±2.15 ng/g wet wt. in EMPE to 53.41±19.61 ng/g wet wt. in brown skua). Among pesticides, it is relevant the detection of p,p'-DDT in Adèlie penguin from West Antarctica and in both species of skua; the detection of this pesticide can confirm its actual use in certain malaria-endemic countries from where it is transferred through the long range transport to the polar regions. Contaminants did not show any significant temporal trend during a ten year time span, from 1994/95 to 2004/05, in organisms collected in East Antarctica and they did not

East-West European farm investment behaviour - The role of financial constraints and public support

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fertő, I.; Bakucs, Z.; Bojnec, S.; Latruffe, L.

2017-09-01

The article investigated farm investment behaviour among East (Hungarian and Slovenian) and West (French) European Union farms using individual farm accountancy panel data for the 2003-2008 period. Despite differences in farm structures, except for the presence of capital market imperfections evidenced in the East, farms’ investment behaviour was not substantially different. Farm gross investment was positively associated with real sales’ growth. In addition, it was positively associated with public investment subsidies which can mitigate capital market imperfections in the short-term. On the long run, the farm’s ability to successfully compete in the output market by selling produce and securing a sufficient cash flow for investment is crucial.

East-West European farm investment behaviour - The role of financial constraints and public support

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fertő, I.; Bakucs, Z.; Bojnec, S.; Latruffe, L.

2017-01-01

The article investigated farm investment behaviour among East (Hungarian and Slovenian) and West (French) European Union farms using individual farm accountancy panel data for the 2003-2008 period. Despite differences in farm structures, except for the presence of capital market imperfections evidenced in the East, farms’ investment behaviour was not substantially different. Farm gross investment was positively associated with real sales’ growth. In addition, it was positively associated with public investment subsidies which can mitigate capital market imperfections in the short-term. On the long run, the farm’s ability to successfully compete in the output market by selling produce and securing a sufficient cash flow for investment is crucial.

Enhancing inpatient psychotherapeutic treatment with online self-help: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

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Zwerenz, Rüdiger; Becker, Jan; Knickenberg, Rudolf J; Hagen, Karin; Dreier, Michael; Wölfling, Klaus; Beutel, Manfred E

2015-03-17

Depression is one of the most debilitating and costly mental disorders. There is increasing evidence for the efficacy of online self-help in alleviating depression. Knowledge regarding the options of combining online self-help with inpatient psychotherapy is still limited. Therefore, we plan to evaluate an evidence-based self-help program (deprexis®; Gaia AG, Hamburg, Germany) to improve the efficacy of inpatient psychotherapy and to maintain treatment effects in the aftercare period. Depressed patients (n = 240) with private internet access aged between 18 and 65 are recruited during psychosomatic inpatient treatment. Participants are randomized to an intervention or control group at the beginning of inpatient treatment. The intervention group (n = 120) is offered an online self-help program with 12 weekly tasks, beginning during the inpatient treatment. The control group (n = 120) obtains access to an online platform with weekly updated information on depression for the same duration. Assessments are conducted at the beginning (T0) and the end of inpatient treatment (T1), at the end of intervention (T2) and 6 months after randomization (T3). The primary outcome is the depression score measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II at T2. Secondary outcome measures include anxiety, self-esteem, quality of life, dysfunctional cognitions and work ability. We expect the intervention group to benefit from additional online self-help during inpatient psychotherapy and to maintain the benefits during follow-up. This could be an important approach to develop future concepts of inpatient psychotherapy. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02196896 (registered on 16 July 2014).

'SANDANSKI-2': European east-west coordination meeting on nuclear science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oertzen, W. von; Kalpakchieva, R.

2001-01-01

'Sandanski-2' is a European East-West Coordination Meeting on Nuclear Science, which took place on the 5-9 May 2001 in the town of Sandanski, Bulgaria. It is the second meeting of this type. Here we present the motivations for holding this meeting, its scientific programme, the list of participants, as well as a short summary of the scientific and executive issues, which were presented by 66 reports. At the meeting 115 scientists from 17 European countries, the USA, Japan and JINR were present. Complete information on the Meeting is available on a CD and can also be found under the address: http://www.sandanski.ru/

Test plan for surface and subsurface examinations of K-east and K-west fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitner, A.L.

1997-01-01

The test plan for subsurface examinations on damaged K East and K West Basin fuel elements is presented. The purpose of these examinations is to inspect damaged areas on the fuel elements for the presence of voids, sludge, or broken fuel, and to obtain samples from the damaged areas for subsequent characterization tests

SELF-HELP GROUPS FOR PARENTS WITH MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN

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Vaska STANCHEVA-POPKOSTADINOVA

1997-09-01

Full Text Available This presentation concerns a group for parents of mentally retarded children.A group of these parents receives professional help and environmental support. The parents are encouraged to assume responsibility in the everyday life educational process of their children.As Baker / 1980 / states: “ If parents cope better on daily basis with the child who has mental retardation, not only the child but also the parents would benefit”.Taking part in the group gave the parents:· the opportunity to meet other parents with the same children;· to talk to other parents and feel less isolated;· to share information and experiences, skills and ideas;· the opportunity to listen to the needs and problems of other parents;· to change the ways of working to meet the child’s needs;· share information about the possibilities of education and services;· parents are encouraged to meet together to support one another;· parents need a special approach to many problems existing in their families.· the education in the group puts the beginning of the work with the parents.The idea is to gather the efforts of specialists from different fields and to establish multi-disciplinary group aiming to work with the parents and create a good collaboration and partnership between them in order to improve the living conditions and services to the retarded persons.This paper reports on the development, evaluation and dissemination of the program for education of parents with mentally retarded children. At the Symposium we will be able to present the results of the effectiveness of the education.

Positive Psychology for Overcoming Symptoms of Depression: A Pilot Study Exploring the Efficacy of a Positive Psychology Self-Help Book versus a CBT Self-Help Book.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Katie

2018-04-25

Depression is an extremely common mental health disorder, with prevalence rates rising. Low-intensity interventions are frequently used to help meet the demand for treatment. Bibliotherapy, for example, is often prescribed via books on prescription schemes (for example 'Reading Well' in England) to those with mild to moderate symptomology. Bibliotherapy can effectively reduce symptoms of depression (Naylor et al., 2010). However, the majority of self-help books are based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which may not be suitable for all patients. Research supports the use of positive psychology interventions for the reduction of depression symptoms (Bolier et al., 2013) and as such self-help books from this perspective should be empirically tested. This study aimed to test the efficacy of 'Positive Psychology for Overcoming Depression' (Akhtar, 2012), a self-help book for depression that is based on the principles of positive psychology, in comparison with a CBT self-help book that is currently prescribed in England as part of the Reading Well books on prescription scheme. Participants (n = 115) who were not receiving treatment, but had symptoms of depression, read the positive psychology or the CBT self-help book for 8 weeks. Depression and well-being were measured at baseline, post-test and 1-month follow-up. Results suggest that both groups experienced a reduction in depression and an increase in well-being, with no differences noted between the two books. Future directions are discussed in terms of dissemination, to those with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, via books on prescription schemes.

The East and the West in the polemical context of the Serbian music between the two World Wars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomašević Katarina D.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available This article represents a fragment of the author's doctoral dissertation Serbian Music at the Crossroads of the East and the West? On the Dialogue between the Traditional and the Modern in Serbian Music between the Two World Wars (the review of the thesis see on www.newsound.org.yu, issue No 24. The thesis (mentor: prof. Dr Mirjana Veselinović-Hofman was defended at the Faculty of Music, Belgrade, on January 2004. A revised text of the dissertation is forthcoming, in an edition of the Institute of Musicology of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The article describes the creative orientation of composers Miloje Milojević, Petar Konjović and Josip Slavenski as the key figures of the epoch, indicates their choices of an Eastern or Western orientation, and explains the antagonism between the poetics of the "Europeans" and the representatives of avant-garde trends. The topicality of the East-West dichotomy in the critical consciousness of the protagonist of this period is marked as one of the main and the most important dilemma of the polemical context of the Serbian art after the World War I. Conducted from standpoints "Pro et Contra Europe", East-West discussion was also the part of the debate of Serbian national art's development strategy in the new, modern epoch of its history.

The metallogenic role of east-west fracture zones in South America with regard to the motion of lithospheric plates (with an example from Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Kutina, J.; Carter, William D.; Lopez, F.X.

1978-01-01

The role of east-west fracture zones in South America is discussed with regard to global fracturing and the motion of lithospheric plates. A set of major NW-trending lineaments has been derived which show a tendency to be spaced equidistantly and may correspond to a set of east-west fractures in the "pre-drift" position of the South American plate. Statistical analysis of linears in the ERTS-mosaics shows that NW-fractures are also among the most important ones in the Andes region, suggesting that the above major lineaments extend into the basement of the Andes. Some of the old major fractures, trending east-west in the present orientation of South America, are discussed and their NE orientation in the pre-drift position of the plate is considered. An example of structural control of ore deposition in the Brazilian Shield is presented, using the maps of the RADAM Project. It is concluded that the small tin-bearing granitic bodies concentrated in the region of Sao Felix do Xingu in the state of Para represent upper parts of an unexposed granitoid massif which is controlled by the intersection of a major east-west fracture zone probably represents westward extension of the Patos Lineament of the easternmost part of Brazil, connected with the east-west fracture zone of the Para state through the basement of the Maranhao Basin (Sineclise do Maranhao-Piaui). It is expected that the proposed "Patos-Para Lineament" extends further westward and may similarly control, at intersections with fractures of other trends, some mineralization centers in the western part of the state of Para and in the state of Amazonas.

Generation Gap in the Plays of the First Post-war Years in West and East Germany

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Anzhela Rafizovna Lisenko

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In this article the author deals with dramatic art of West and East Germany in the first post-war years and studies the issue of fathers and sons in works “The Man Outside” (“Draußen vor der Tür” by W. Borchert (1947, West Germany and “Wie Tiere des Waldes” by F. Wolf (1948, East Germany. The main topic of both plays is the war issue, the motive of guilt and responsibility growing into a generation gap. The representatives of the younger generation try to find out how their “fathers” could let fascism and war happen, why the “children” who had gone to war were forced to kill and to be killed. In the setting of the main conflict the one with authorities and God in both plays arises, there is an issue of depreciation of human life, a madness issue. As a result of comparison of plays the author comes to a conclusion that despite the common topic and the main conflict of plays the resolution becomes different. The play of East German F. Wolf has a more optimistic nature. The total hopelessness of a situation is observed in the work of Borchert. It is probably connected with the fact that optimism and belief in better future were important components of the socialist ideology and the principle of a socialist realism dominating in East Germany.

Access to Risk Mitigating Weather Forecasts and Changes in Farming Operations in East and West Africa: Evidence from a Baseline Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abayomi Samuel Oyekale

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Unfavorable weather currently ranks among the major challenges facing agricultural development in many African countries. Impact mitigation through access to reliable and timely weather forecasts and other adaptive mechanisms are foremost in Africa’s policy dialogues and socio-economic development agendas. This paper analyzed the factors influencing access to forecasts on incidence of pests/diseases (PD and start of rainfall (SR. The data were collected by Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS and analyzed with Probit regression separately for East Africa, West Africa and the combined dataset. The results show that 62.7% and 56.4% of the farmers from East and West Africa had access to forecasts on start of rainfall, respectively. In addition, 39.3% and 49.4% of the farmers from East Africa indicated that forecasts on outbreak of pests/diseases and start of rainfall were respectively accompanied with advice as against 18.2% and 41.9% for West Africa. Having received forecasts on start of rainfall, 24.0% and 17.6% of the farmers from East and West Africa made decisions on timing of farming activities respectively. Probabilities of having access to forecasts on PD significantly increased with access to formal education, farm income and previous exposure to climatic shocks. Furthermore, probabilities of having access to forecasts on SR significantly increased (p < 0.05 with access to business income, radio and perception of more erratic rainfall, among others. It was recommended that promotion of informal education among illiterate farmers would enhance their climatic resilience, among others.

Helpers' Self-Assessment Biases Before and after Helping Skills Training

Science.gov (United States)

Jaeken, Marine; Zech, Emmanuelle; Brison, Céline; Verhofstadt, Lesley L.; Van Broeck, Nady; Mikolajczak, Moïra

2017-01-01

Several studies have shown that therapists are generally biased concerning their performed helping skills, as compared to judges' ratings. As clients' ratings of therapists' performance are better predictors of psychotherapy effectiveness than judges' ratings, this study examined the validity and effectiveness of a helping skills training program at reducing novice helpers' self-enhancement biases concerning their helping skills, in comparison to their clients' ratings. Helping skills were assessed by three objective measures (a knowledge multiple choice test, a video test and a role play), as well as by a self- and peer-reported questionnaire. In addition, some performed helping skills' correlates (relationship quality, session quality, and helpers' therapeutic attitudes) were assessed both by helpers and their simulated helpees. Seventy-two sophomores in psychology participated to this study, 37 being assigned to a 12-h helping skills training program, and 35 to a control group. Helpers were expected to assess the aforementioned performed helping skills and correlates as being better than their helpees' assessments at pretest, thus revealing a self-enhancement bias. At posttest, we expected that trained helpers would objectively exhibit better helping skills than untrained helpers while beginning to underestimate their performance, thus indexing a self-diminishment bias. In contrast, we hypothesized that untrained helpers would continue to overestimate their performance. Our hypotheses were only partly confirmed but results reflected a skilled-unaware pattern among trainees. Trained helpers went either from a pretest overestimation to a posttest equivalence (performed helping skills and performed therapeutic attitudes), or from a pretest equivalence to a posttest underestimation (performed session quality and performed therapeutic relationship), as compared to helpees' ratings. Results showed that trained helpers improved on all helping skills objective measures

Helpers' Self-Assessment Biases Before and after Helping Skills Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaeken, Marine; Zech, Emmanuelle; Brison, Céline; Verhofstadt, Lesley L; Van Broeck, Nady; Mikolajczak, Moïra

2017-01-01

Several studies have shown that therapists are generally biased concerning their performed helping skills, as compared to judges' ratings. As clients' ratings of therapists' performance are better predictors of psychotherapy effectiveness than judges' ratings, this study examined the validity and effectiveness of a helping skills training program at reducing novice helpers' self-enhancement biases concerning their helping skills, in comparison to their clients' ratings. Helping skills were assessed by three objective measures (a knowledge multiple choice test, a video test and a role play), as well as by a self- and peer-reported questionnaire. In addition, some performed helping skills' correlates (relationship quality, session quality, and helpers' therapeutic attitudes) were assessed both by helpers and their simulated helpees. Seventy-two sophomores in psychology participated to this study, 37 being assigned to a 12-h helping skills training program, and 35 to a control group. Helpers were expected to assess the aforementioned performed helping skills and correlates as being better than their helpees' assessments at pretest, thus revealing a self-enhancement bias. At posttest, we expected that trained helpers would objectively exhibit better helping skills than untrained helpers while beginning to underestimate their performance, thus indexing a self-diminishment bias. In contrast, we hypothesized that untrained helpers would continue to overestimate their performance. Our hypotheses were only partly confirmed but results reflected a skilled-unaware pattern among trainees. Trained helpers went either from a pretest overestimation to a posttest equivalence (performed helping skills and performed therapeutic attitudes), or from a pretest equivalence to a posttest underestimation (performed session quality and performed therapeutic relationship), as compared to helpees' ratings. Results showed that trained helpers improved on all helping skills objective measures

From east to west. Enlargement and migration flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth Ferrero

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The end of the Cold produced migratory flows of an economic type in the direction East-West Although the exchange and movement of populations in Europe is nothing new, what was new was the change in the underlying philosophy. The change of paradigm from a world with two opposing poles to one with an hegemonic power, shattered all the schemes that until then were taken for granted. Since the fall of the Berlin wall the issue was no longer to take in political refugies coming from the soviet block, butrather to regulate the flows coming from those countries in more and more numbers. In this paper we try to reconstruct the history of the development of control of the migratory flows coming from Central and Easter Europe towards the European Union before,during and after the enlowgement processes which have taken place in 2004 and 2007.

Atmospheric 210Pb changes during monsoon in east and west coast of Peninsular Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siti Munirah Johari; Che Abdul Rahim Mohamed

2013-01-01

Full-text: 210 Pb is widely used as an atmospheric tracer as its parent, 222 Rn is continuously produced in the atmosphere from soil emanation. This study was conducted to observe the changes of 210 Pb activity based on temporal and spatial factor using PM10 samples. PM10 were sampled by Malaysian Meteorological Department in four station consist of two station from both east and west coast of Peninsular Malaysia in 2007. Activity level of 210 Pb was determined using the Tennelec XLB-5 Gross Alpha-Beta Counter, Canberra, after the ingrowth of 210 Pb by the outgrowth of 210 Bi. Basically, the analysed result showed that three to four significant peaks during northeast monsoon, southwest monsoon and inter monsoon. For east coast which comprises Kuantan and Mersing stations, the highest 210 Pb activity in Kuantan was in April and June with 45.73 ± 3.66 mBq/ kg and 48.20 ± 3.33 mBq/ kg, respectively. While in Mersing, 210 Pb activity showed the highest in April and July with 45.77 ± 2.67 mBq/ kg and 44.21 ± 2.42 mBq/ kg, respectively. As for the west coast, it comprises Setiawan and Chuping stations. Setiawan station showed the highest 210 Pb activity in October and July with 48.90 ± 2.52 mBq/ kg and 44.09 ± 2.34 mBq/ kg, respectively. Chuping showed the highest 210 Pb activity in March and October with 39.96 ± 1.94 mBq/ kg and 14.98 ± 0.80 mBq/ kg, respectively. It shows that 210 Pb activity in Chuping is much lower than in Setiawan because of its location is in a rural area. This study showed that during southwest monsoon from May to September, it clearly showed that 210 Pb activity is higher in west coast than in east coast as wind sources come from southwest of Peninsular Malaysia. (author)

Disentangling self-stigma: are mental illness and help-seeking self-stigmas different?

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Tucker, Jeritt R; Hammer, Joseph H; Vogel, David L; Bitman, Rachel L; Wade, Nathaniel G; Maier, Emily J

2013-10-01

Two established but disparate lines of research exist: studies examining the self-stigma associated with mental illness and studies examining the self-stigma associated with seeking psychological help. Whereas some researchers have implicitly treated these 2 constructs as synonymous, others have made the argument that they are theoretically and empirically distinct. To help clarify this debate, we examined in the present investigation the overlap and uniqueness of the self-stigmas associated with mental illness and with seeking psychological help. Data were collected from a sample of college undergraduates experiencing clinical levels of psychological distress (N = 217) and a second sample of community members with a self-reported history of mental illness (N = 324). Confirmatory factor analyses provide strong evidence for the factorial independence of the 2 types of self-stigma. Additionally, results of regression analyses in both samples suggest that the 2 self-stigmas uniquely predict variations in stigma-related constructs (i.e., shame, self-blame, and social inadequacy) and attitudes and intentions to seek help. Implications for researchers and clinicians interested in understanding stigma and enhancing mental health service utilization are discussed.

A randomised controlled trial of face to face versus pure online self-help cognitive behavioural treatment for perfectionism.

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Egan, Sarah J; van Noort, Emily; Chee, Abby; Kane, Robert T; Hoiles, Kimberley J; Shafran, Roz; Wade, Tracey D

2014-12-01

Previous research has shown cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) to be effective in reducing perfectionism. The present study investigated the efficacy of two formats of CBT for perfectionism (CBT-P), face-to-face and pure online self-help, in reducing perfectionism and associated psychological symptoms. Participants were randomly allocated to face-to-face CBT-P (n = 18), pure online self-help CBT-P (n = 16), or a waitlist control period (n = 18). There was no significant change for the waitlist group on any of the outcome measures at the end of treatment. Both the face-to-face and pure online self-help groups reported significant reductions at the end of treatment for the perfectionism variables which were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. The face-to-face group also reported significant reductions over this time in depression, anxiety, and stress, and a significant pre-post increase in self-esteem, all of which were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. In contrast, the pure online self-help group showed no significant changes on these outcomes. The face-to-face group was statistically superior to the pure online self-help group at follow-up on the perfectionism measures, concern over mistakes and personal standards. The results show promising evidence for CBT for perfectionism, especially when offered face to face, where sustained benefit across a broad range of outcomes can be expected. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

East-west collaboration in nuclear science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfram von, Oertzen

2002-01-01

The Sandarski-2 meeting on east-west collaborations in nuclear sciences was held in May 2001 in Bulgaria with 115 participants from 17 European countries, Usa, Japan and Russia (Dubna). The scientific included 66 oral contributions. During the last decade Eastern Europe has undergone substantial political and economic changes. These changes have had a decisive impact on the scientific community in these countries, because the support for basic and applied science has decreased dramatically due to the collapse of economic systems. It should noted that there are still good resources: experimental installations, technical and scientific manpower and a well trained human intellectual reserve but conditions differ strongly from one institute to another. Many national and European institutions have set up support programs for the funding of local activities for scientists in their eastern institutions or by funding collaborations between eastern and western scientists. Many highly specialized eastern scientists work now in Europe, the Usa and Japan but the brain drain from the poorest eastern countries is a real problem. One recommendation put forward at this meeting is the creation of European structures for the support of scientists in their eastern home institutions in such a way that they can return and continue to work at home. (A.C.)

East-West gradient in cardio-vascular mortality in Austria: how much can we explain by following the pattern of risk factors?

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Katharina V; Rieder, Anita; Dorner, Thomas E

2011-11-14

Various studies show major regional differences in the prevalence of cardio-vascular disease morbidity and mortality, both in Europe and within European countries. In Austria, these differences are documented by an East-West gradient with declining morbidity and mortality rates when moving from the East to the West of the country. It was the aim of this study to analyse if, and to what extent, socio-demographic and socio-economic determinants, social resources and health behaviour can contribute to the clarification of this East-West gradient by conducting secondary analyses of an existing Austrian health dataset. The data were analysed using bivariate analyses, as well as univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. These analyses revealed significant East-West gradients for various risk factors, as well as socio-demographic and socio-economic health determinants. There was a gradual decrease of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and psycho-social discomfort in both sexes, with the highest prevalences in those Austrian regions with the highest cardio-vascular mortality and a stepwise decrease to the regions with the lowest cardio-vascular mortality. Controlling for educational level significantly raised the odds for diabetes, hypertension and obesity. In the results of the multivariate analyses, factors that significantly and independently predicted diabetes mellitus were geographic location, psycho-social discomfort, lack of physical exercise, and age in both sexes. For women these factors additionally included a low educational level, lack of social support, and being born abroad. Our study shows a clear gradual decline of cardio-vascular mortality and some of its risk factors from East to West in Austria. Concerning these risk factors, the geographic region and psycho-social discomfort showed the greatest association with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity. Hence, they contribute to the explanation of the variance in spatial cardio

East-West gradient in cardio-vascular mortality in Austria: how much can we explain by following the pattern of risk factors?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stein Katharina V

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Various studies show major regional differences in the prevalence of cardio-vascular disease morbidity and mortality, both in Europe and within European countries. In Austria, these differences are documented by an East-West gradient with declining morbidity and mortality rates when moving from the East to the West of the country. It was the aim of this study to analyse if, and to what extent, socio-demographic and socio-economic determinants, social resources and health behaviour can contribute to the clarification of this East-West gradient by conducting secondary analyses of an existing Austrian health dataset. Results The data were analysed using bivariate analyses, as well as univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. These analyses revealed significant East-West gradients for various risk factors, as well as socio-demographic and socio-economic health determinants. There was a gradual decrease of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and psycho-social discomfort in both sexes, with the highest prevalences in those Austrian regions with the highest cardio-vascular mortality and a stepwise decrease to the regions with the lowest cardio-vascular mortality. Controlling for educational level significantly raised the odds for diabetes, hypertension and obesity. In the results of the multivariate analyses, factors that significantly and independently predicted diabetes mellitus were geographic location, psycho-social discomfort, lack of physical exercise, and age in both sexes. For women these factors additionally included a low educational level, lack of social support, and being born abroad. Conclusions Our study shows a clear gradual decline of cardio-vascular mortality and some of its risk factors from East to West in Austria. Concerning these risk factors, the geographic region and psycho-social discomfort showed the greatest association with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity. Hence, they

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006, (NODC Accession 0012632)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 data include biological and oceanographic measurements...

Capturing dynamic processes of change in GROW mutual help groups for mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Finn, Lizzie D; Bishop, Brian J; Sparrow, Neville

2009-12-01

The need for a model that can portray dynamic processes of change in mutual help groups for mental health (MHGMHs) is emphasized. A dynamic process model has the potential to capture a more comprehensive understanding of how MHGMHs may assist their members. An investigation into GROW, a mutual help organization for mental health, employed ethnographic, phenomenological and collaborative research methods. The study examined how GROW impacts on psychological well being. Study outcomes aligned with the social ecological paradigm (Maton in Understanding the self-help organization: frameworks and findings. Sage, Thousand Oaks 1994) indicating multifactorial processes of change at and across three levels of analysis: group level, GROW program/community level and individual level. Outcome themes related to life skills acquisition and a change in self-perception in terms of belonging within community and an increased sense of personal value. The GROW findings are used to assist development of a dynamic multi-dimensional process model to explain how MHGMHs may promote positive change.

Does self-help increase rates of help seeking for student mental health problems by minimizing stigma as a barrier?

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Michael E; Krafft, Jennifer; Levin, Crissa

2018-01-01

This study examined whether self-help (books, websites, mobile apps) increases help seeking for mental health problems among college students by minimizing stigma as a barrier. A survey was conducted with 200 college students reporting elevated distress from February to April 2017. Intentions to use self-help were low, but a significant portion of students unwilling to see mental health professionals intended to use self-help. Greater self-stigma related to lower intentions to seek professional help, but was unrelated to seeking self-help. Similarly, students who only used self-help in the past reported higher self-stigma than those who sought professional treatment in the past. Although stigma was not a barrier for self-help, alternate barriers were identified. Offering self-help may increase rates of students receiving help for mental health problems, possibly by offering an alternative for students unwilling to seek in-person therapy due to stigma concerns.

Neonatal mortality in East Africa and West Africa: a geographic analysis of district-level demographic and health survey data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sue C. Grady

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Under-five child mortality declined 47% since 2000 following the implementation of the United Nation’s (UN Millennium Development Goals. To further reduce under-five child mortality, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs will focus on interventions to address neonatal mortality, a major contributor of under-five mortality. The African region has the highest neonatal mortality rate (28.0 per 1000 live births, followed by that of the Eastern Mediterranean (26.6 and South-East Asia (24.3. This study used the Demographic and Health Survey Birth Recode data (http://dhsprogram.com/data/File-Types-and-Names.cfm to identify high-risk districts and countries for neonatal mortality in two sub-regions of Africa – East Africa and West Africa. Geographically weighted Poisson regression models were estimated to capture the spatially varying relationships between neonatal mortality and dimensions of potential need i care around the time of delivery, ii maternal education, and iii women’s empowerment. In East Africa, neonatal mortality was significantly associated with home births, mothers without an education and mothers whose husbands decided on contraceptive practices, controlling for rural residency. In West Africa, neonatal mortality was also significantly associated with home births, mothers with a primary education and mothers who did not want or plan their last child. Importantly, neonatal mortality associated with home deliveries were explained by maternal exposure to unprotected water sources in East Africa and older maternal age and female sex of infants in West Africa. Future SDG-interventions may target these dimensions of need in priority high-risk districts and countries, to further reduce the burden of neonatal mortality in Africa.

Implementing 'self-help friendliness' in German hospitals: a longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Trojan, Alf; Nickel, Stefan; Kofahl, Christopher

2016-06-01

In Germany, the term 'self-help friendliness' (SHF) describes a strategy to institutionalize co-operation of healthcare institutions with mutual aid or self-help groups of chronically ill patients. After a short explanation of the SHF concept and its development, we will present findings from a longitudinal study on the implementation of SHF in three German hospitals. Specifically, we wanted to know (i) to what degree SHF had been put into practice after the initial development phase in the pilot hospitals, (ii) whether it was possible to maintain the level of implementation of SHF in the course of at least 1 year and (iii) which opinions exist about the inclusion of SHF criteria in quality management systems. With only minor restrictions, the findings provide support for the usefulness, practicability, sustainability and transferability of SHF. Limitations of our empirical study are the small number of hospitals, the above average motivation of their staff, the small response rate in the staff-survey and the inability to get enough data from members of self-help groups. The research instrument for measuring SHF was adequate and fulfils the most important scientific quality criteria in a German context. We conclude that the implementation of SHF leads to more patient-centredness in healthcare institutions and thus improves satisfaction, self-management, coping and health literacy of patients. SHF is considered as an adequate approach for reorienting healthcare institutions in the sense of the Ottawa Charta, and particularly suitable for health promoting hospitals. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Salivary Cortisol Levels and Depressive Symptomatology in Consumers and Nonconsumers of Self-Help Books: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond, Catherine; Marin, Marie-France; Hand, Anne; Sindi, Shireen; Juster, Robert-Paul; Lupien, Sonia J

2016-01-01

The self-help industry generates billions of dollars yearly in North America. Despite the popularity of this movement, there has been surprisingly little research assessing the characteristics of self-help books consumers, and whether this consumption is associated with physiological and/or psychological markers of stress. The goal of this pilot study was to perform the first psychoneuroendocrine analysis of consumers of self-help books in comparison to nonconsumers. We tested diurnal and reactive salivary cortisol levels, personality, and depressive symptoms in 32 consumers and nonconsumers of self-help books. In an explorative secondary analysis, we also split consumers of self-help books as a function of their preference for problem-focused versus growth-oriented self-help books. The results showed that while consumers of growth-oriented self-help books presented increased cortisol reactivity to a psychosocial stressor compared to other groups, consumers of problem-focused self-help books presented higher depressive symptomatology. The results of this pilot study show that consumers with preference for either problem-focused or growth-oriented self-help books present different physiological and psychological markers of stress when compared to nonconsumers of self-help books. This preliminary study underlines the need for additional research on this issue in order to determine the impact the self-help book industry may have on consumers' stress.

Salivary Cortisol Levels and Depressive Symptomatology in Consumers and Nonconsumers of Self-Help Books: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine Raymond

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The self-help industry generates billions of dollars yearly in North America. Despite the popularity of this movement, there has been surprisingly little research assessing the characteristics of self-help books consumers, and whether this consumption is associated with physiological and/or psychological markers of stress. The goal of this pilot study was to perform the first psychoneuroendocrine analysis of consumers of self-help books in comparison to nonconsumers. We tested diurnal and reactive salivary cortisol levels, personality, and depressive symptoms in 32 consumers and nonconsumers of self-help books. In an explorative secondary analysis, we also split consumers of self-help books as a function of their preference for problem-focused versus growth-oriented self-help books. The results showed that while consumers of growth-oriented self-help books presented increased cortisol reactivity to a psychosocial stressor compared to other groups, consumers of problem-focused self-help books presented higher depressive symptomatology. The results of this pilot study show that consumers with preference for either problem-focused or growth-oriented self-help books present different physiological and psychological markers of stress when compared to nonconsumers of self-help books. This preliminary study underlines the need for additional research on this issue in order to determine the impact the self-help book industry may have on consumers’ stress.

1997-1998 Annual Review of the 200 West and 200 East area performance assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

WOOD, M.I.

1999-01-01

An annual review of the 200 West and 200 East Area Performance Assessment (PA) analyses for fiscal year 1998 was completed. Burial ground disposal operations were found to be compliant with performance objectives in DOE Order 5820.2A. Other newly generated information and analyses relevant to PA assumptions and results were summarized. This report was initially submitted to the Department of Energy-Richland Office (DOE-RL) as a letter report in October, 1998

Beyond the 'East-West' dichotomy:global variation in cultural models of selfhood

OpenAIRE

Vignoles, Vivian L.; Owe, Ellinor; Becker, Maja; Smith, Peter B.; Easterbrook, Matthew J.; González, Roberto; Didier, Nicolas; Carrasco, Diego; Schwartz, Seth J.; Des Rosiers, Sabrina E.; Villamar, Juan A.; Gavreliuc, Alin; Zinkeng, Martina; Kreuzbauer, Robert; Baguma, Peter

2016-01-01

Markus and Kitayama’s (1991) theory of independent and interdependent self-construals had a major influence on social, personality and developmental psychology by highlighting the role of culture in psychological processes. However, research has relied excessively on contrasts between North American and East Asian samples, and commonly-used self-report measures of independence and interdependence frequently fail to show predicted cultural differences. We revisited the conceptualization and me...

Job Search Self-Efficacy of East Asian International Graduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yi-Jiun; Flores, Lisa Y.

2013-01-01

Using a sample of 86 East Asian international graduate students, this study examined Bandura's perceived self-efficacy model (1986) in the domain of job search self-efficacy and tested the mediating effects of job search self-efficacy in the relationship between efficacy source variables and job search behaviors. Results show that both performance…

East-West migration and gender: Is there a "double disadvantage" vis-à-vis stayers?

OpenAIRE

Zaiceva, Anzelika

2007-01-01

This paper examines whether female East-West migrants in Germany after the reunification face an additional disadvantage after they move compared to both stayers and males. It employs panel data techniques to take account of unobserved heterogeneity. I find that migrant women after migration neither experience a drop in relative employment, nor earn lower relative hourly wages. They do, however, work relatively less hours and have a lower relative annual income. The results also suggest that ...

Is technology assisted guided self-help successful in treating female adolescents with bulimia nervosa?

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Gudrun; Wagner, Gudrun; Penelo, Eva; Nobis, Gerald; Mayerhofer, Anna; Schau, Johanna; Spitzer, Marion; Imgart, Hartmut; Karwautz, Andreas

2013-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the long-term outcome of new technology assisted guided self-help in adolescents with bulimia nervosa (BN). One hundred and twenty-six patients with BN (29 adolescents and 97 adults) were randomly allocated to a cognitive behavioural therapy-based self-help program delivered by the Internet or bibliotherapy, both accompanied by e-mail guidance. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, month 4, 7 and 18 including remission rates and eating disorder associated psychopathology. In all, 44% of adolescents vs. 38.7% of adults were in remission at month 7, and 55% of adolescents vs. 62.5% of adults were in remission at follow-up. Objective binge eating and compensatory behaviour improved significantly over time in both groups, with the highest decrease during the first 4 months. A significant decrease over time and no group differences have been found in almost all EDI-2 subscales. E-mail guided self-help (delivered via the Internet or bibliotherapy) is equally effective for adolescents as for adults with BN, and can be recommended as an initial step of treatment for this younger age group.

Gene frequencies of ABO and Rh blood groups in Nigeria: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abass Toba Anifowoshe

2017-07-01

Conclusion: The study provides information on the distribution/frequency of ABO/Rh(D blood group and their corresponding allelic proportion in a large Nigeria study. It also revealed how the Nigerian populations in the North, South, West and East vary with respect to genetic traits. This vital information will be important for population genetics and anthropology studies and may be helpful in planning for future health strategy and blueprint, particularly planning with regards to disease management and blood transfusion medicine.

Beyond the East-West Dilemma: Rethinking Greekness Through Diffracted Gazes in Contemporary Greek Travelogues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peggy Karpouzou

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Travel writing has been viewed as one of the main sources of national typologies and is often held responsible for the consolidation of stereotypes about otherness and for the promotion of an imperialist agenda. This paper aims to investigate conceptions of Greekness in contemporary Greek travelogues which involve a rethinking of stereotypical national representations. The analysis proceeds by proposing the method of “questioning home” in travelogues through diffracted gazes towards the traveller’s homeland as a result of his encounter with otherness. In the second part, Greekness is explored beyond the nation-state approach and the long-held national stereotype of the “Greek particularism”, Greece’s isolation because of the country’s unresolved tension between East and West. A. Vistonitis’ and M. Kassolas’s travelogues reporting their travels to the East (China and to the West (USA respectively at the end of the 20th century are examined as case-studies. Through narrators’ dialogues with their hosts and the raising of relevant political and geopolitical issues, “transnational” conceptions of Greek identity are explored: the notions of “diaspora”, “cosmopolitan citizenship”, “openness” and “connectivity” challenge the national narration based on “purity” and “exclusion”, and facilitate the investigation of potential roles for Greece in the globalized world of the early 21st century.

A comparative analysis of the influence of economic culture on East and West German consumers' subjective product meaning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunert, Klaus G.; Grunert, Suzanne C.

1993-01-01

of habitualization of their shopping behaviour. While the purchase of food products in West Germany is to a large extent characterized by low involvement and inertia, the same purc in East Germany seem to be characterized by high involvement and real decision-making. 8. These differences have implications...

A survey of UK healthcare workers' attitudes on volunteering to help with the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lance Turtle

Full Text Available To understand the barriers and enablers for UK healthcare workers who are considering going to work in the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa, but have not yet volunteered.After focus group discussions, and a pilot questionnaire, an anonymous survey was conducted using SurveyMonkey to determine whether people had considered going to West Africa, what factors might make them more or less likely to volunteer, and whether any of these were modifiable factors.The survey was publicised among doctors, nurses, laboratory staff and allied health professionals. 3109 people answered the survey, of whom 472 (15% were considering going to work in the epidemic but had not yet volunteered. 1791 (57.6% had not considered going, 704 (22.6% had considered going but decided not to, 53 (1.7% had volunteered to go and 14 (0.45% had already been and worked in the epidemic.For those considering going to West Africa, the most important factor preventing them from volunteering was a lack of information to help them decide; fear of getting Ebola and partners' concerns came next. Uncertainty about their potential role, current work commitments and inability to get agreement from their employer were also important barriers, whereas clarity over training would be an important enabler. In contrast, for those who were not considering going, or who had decided against going, family considerations and partner concerns were the most important factors.More UK healthcare workers would volunteer to help tackle Ebola in West Africa if there was better information available, including clarity about roles, cover arrangements, and training. This could be achieved with a well-publicised high quality portal of reliable information.

Distinct crustal isostasy trends east and west of the Rocky Mountain Front

KAUST Repository

Schmandt, Brandon

2015-12-14

© 2015. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. Seismic structure beneath the contiguous U.S. was imaged with multimode receiver function stacking and inversion of Rayleigh wave dispersion and ellipticity measurements. Crust thickness and elevation are weakly correlated across the contiguous U.S., but the correlation is ∼3-4 times greater for separate areas east and west of the Rocky Mountain Front (RMF). Greater lower crustal shear velocities east of the RMF, particularly in low-elevation areas with thick crust, are consistent with deep crustal density as the primary cause of the contrasting crust thickness versus elevation trends. Separate eastern and western trends are best fit by Airy isostasy models that assume lower crust to uppermost mantle density increases of 0.18 g/cm3 and 0.40 g/cm3, respectively. The former value is near the minimum that is plausible for felsic lower crust. Location of the transition at the RMF suggests that Laramide to post-Laramide processes reduced western U.S. lower crustal density.

Reentrainment of the circadian pacemaker during jet lag: East-west asymmetry and the effects of north-south travel.

Science.gov (United States)

Diekman, Casey O; Bose, Amitabha

2018-01-21

The normal alignment of circadian rhythms with the 24-h light-dark cycle is disrupted after rapid travel between home and destination time zones, leading to sleep problems, indigestion, and other symptoms collectively known as jet lag. Using mathematical and computational analysis, we study the process of reentrainment to the light-dark cycle of the destination time zone in a model of the human circadian pacemaker. We calculate the reentrainment time for travel between any two points on the globe at any time of the day and year. We construct one-dimensional entrainment maps to explain several properties of jet lag, such as why most people experience worse jet lag after traveling east than west. We show that this east-west asymmetry depends on the endogenous period of the traveler's circadian clock as well as daylength. Thus the critical factor is not simply whether the endogenous period is greater than or less than 24 h as is commonly assumed. We show that the unstable fixed point of an entrainment map determines whether a traveler reentrains through phase advances or phase delays, providing an understanding of the threshold that separates orthodromic and antidromic modes of reentrainment. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that jet lag only occurs after east-west travel across multiple time zones, we predict that the change in daylength encountered during north-south travel can cause jet lag even when no time zones are crossed. Our techniques could be used to provide advice to travelers on how to minimize jet lag on trips involving multiple destinations and a combination of transmeridian and translatitudinal travel. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Final predictions of ambient conditions along the east-west cross drift using the 3-D UZ site-scale model. Level 4 milestone SP33ABM4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritcey, A.C.; Sonnenthal, E.L.; Wu, Y.S.; Haukwa, C.; Bodvarsson, G.S.

1998-01-01

In 1998, the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP) is expected to continue construction of an East-West Cross Drift. The 5-meter diameter drift will extend from the North Ramp of the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF), near Station 19+92, southwest through the repository block, and over to and through the Solitario Canyon Fault. This drift is part of a program designed to enhance characterization of Yucca Mountain and to complement existing surface-based and ESF testing studies. The objective of this milestone is to use the three-dimensional (3-D) unsaturated zone (UZ) site-scale model to predict ambient conditions along the East-West Cross Drift. These predictions provide scientists and engineers with a priori information that can support design and construction of the East-West Cross Drift and associated testing program. The predictions also provide, when compared with data collected after drift construction, an opportunity to test and verify the calibration of the 3-D UZ site-scale model

Short communication: East-West European farm investment behaviour - The role of financial constraints and public support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imre Fertő

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The article investigated farm investment behaviour among East (Hungarian and Slovenian and West (French European Union farms using individual farm accountancy panel data for the 2003-2008 period. Despite differences in farm structures, except for the presence of capital market imperfections evidenced in the East, farms’ investment behaviour was not substantially different. Farm gross investment was positively associated with real sales’ growth. In addition, it was positively associated with public investment subsidies which can mitigate capital market imperfections in the short-term. On the long run, the farm’s ability to successfully compete in the output market by selling produce and securing a sufficient cash flow for investment is crucial.

The Angst of Youth in Post-Industrial Japan: A Narrative Self-help Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rie Kido

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the experience of angst (ikizurasa among youth in long- term unemployment in post-industrial Japan, and proposes a model for supporting them. Currently, the dominant model for unemployment support consists of activation policies, which assume that users can identify their problems and clarify their needs in job seeking. However, for youth in situations of long-term unemployment, the effectiveness of these policies is limited. This paper argues that indirect support which focuses on (reconstructing human relationships through sharing narratives is a more effective way to help such youth mitigate their angst. In-depth interviews with two participants in a Self-Help Group for youth affected by long-term unemployment, as well as participant observations of the group, reveal how a narrative approach allowed participants to build new senses of self founded in realities shared by others. The analysis shows how these developments were crucial to helping the participants to find employment that suited their situations and needs.

East-West European economic integration: Difficult to reach target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Ermo, V.; Manca, S.

1993-01-01

The energy sector of Western Europe is now undergoing a slow growth period due largely to the socio-economic upheavals of East and West German unification and the political-economic restructuring of the countries making up Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. This paper evidences this fact by tabling and commenting on 1991-1992 coal, petroleum, natural gas and electric power production/consumption/export statistical data representing energy sector activities in the former COMECON member countries. The poor performance of these countries can be attributed to the effects of energy market liberalization, the restructuring of utility assets, limited production capacities and inflation. It is estimated that the adjustment time to reach economic parity with Western nations will be long but that the waiting period could be shortened through the implementation of technology transfer and financial cooperation programs with the more prosperous countries capable of providing the investment capital and know-how needed for the restructuring of production systems and resource development

Epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases from west to east.

Science.gov (United States)

Vegh, Zsuzsanna; Kurti, Zsuzsanna; Lakatos, Peter L

2017-02-01

The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) show considerable variation over time and across geographical regions. The first studies on the epidemiology of IBD were mainly from traditionally high-incidence areas, such as North America, and northern and western Europe. In the last two decades, more and more studies have been published from Eastern European and Asian countries with increasing incidence rates from some regions. According to recent studies, the high incidence and prevalence of IBD in some Western countries is plateauing and in some Eastern countries increasing incidences have been reported. In the era of new multicenter epidemiological studies with common methodology the direct comparison of incidences and prevalences has became possible. In the present review we summarized the currently available literatures on west-east differences in the incidences and prevalences of IBD. © 2017 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Environmental baseline survey report for West Black Oak Ridge, East Black Oak Ridge, McKinney Ridge, West Pine Ridge and parcel 21D in the vicinity of the East Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

King, David A. [Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Independent Environmental Assessment and Verification Program

2012-11-29

This environmental baseline survey (EBS) report documents the baseline environmental conditions of five land parcels located near the U.S. Department of Energy?s (DOE?s) East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), including West Black Oak Ridge, East Black Oak Ridge, McKinney Ridge, West Pine Ridge, and Parcel 21d. Preparation of this report included the detailed search of federal government records, title documents, aerial photos that may reflect prior uses, and visual inspections of the property and adjacent properties. Interviews with current employees involved in, or familiar with, operations on the real property were also conducted to identify any areas on the property where hazardous substances and petroleum products, or their derivatives, and acutely hazardous wastes may have been released or disposed. In addition, a search was made of reasonably obtainable federal, state, and local government records of each adjacent facility where there has been a release of any hazardous substance or any petroleum product or their derivatives, including aviation fuel and motor oil, and which is likely to cause or contribute to a release of any hazardous substance or any petroleum product or its derivatives, including aviation fuel or motor oil, on the real property. A radiological survey and soil/sediment sampling was conducted to assess baseline conditions of Parcel 21d that were not addressed by the soils-only no-further-investigation (NFI) reports. Groundwater sampling was also conducted to support a Parcel 21d decision. Based on available data West Black Oak Ridge, East Black Oak Ridge, McKinney Ridge, and West Pine Ridge are not impacted by site operations and are not subject to actions per the Federal Facility Agreement (FFA). This determination is supported by visual inspections, records searches and interviews, groundwater conceptual modeling, approved NFI reports, analytical data, and risk analysis results. Parcel 21d data, however, demonstrate impacts from site

Environmental baseline survey report for West Black Oak Ridge, East Black Oak Ridge, McKinney Ridge, West Pine Ridge and parcel 21D in the vicinity of the East Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, David A.

2012-01-01

This environmental baseline survey (EBS) report documents the baseline environmental conditions of five land parcels located near the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), including West Black Oak Ridge, East Black Oak Ridge, McKinney Ridge, West Pine Ridge, and Parcel 21d. Preparation of this report included the detailed search of federal government records, title documents, aerial photos that may reflect prior uses, and visual inspections of the property and adjacent properties. Interviews with current employees involved in, or familiar with, operations on the real property were also conducted to identify any areas on the property where hazardous substances and petroleum products, or their derivatives, and acutely hazardous wastes may have been released or disposed. In addition, a search was made of reasonably obtainable federal, state, and local government records of each adjacent facility where there has been a release of any hazardous substance or any petroleum product or their derivatives, including aviation fuel and motor oil, and which is likely to cause or contribute to a release of any hazardous substance or any petroleum product or its derivatives, including aviation fuel or motor oil, on the real property. A radiological survey and soil/sediment sampling was conducted to assess baseline conditions of Parcel 21d that were not addressed by the soils-only no-further-investigation (NFI) reports. Groundwater sampling was also conducted to support a Parcel 21d decision. Based on available data West Black Oak Ridge, East Black Oak Ridge, McKinney Ridge, and West Pine Ridge are not impacted by site operations and are not subject to actions per the Federal Facility Agreement (FFA). This determination is supported by visual inspections, records searches and interviews, groundwater conceptual modeling, approved NFI reports, analytical data, and risk analysis results. Parcel 21d data, however, demonstrate impacts from site

'Penetrated system' or 'normal' state? An exploration of INF arms control policy, East-West economic relations, and inter-German policy in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1979-1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, C.S.

1991-01-01

The thesis explores policy-making processes in the Federal Republic from 1979-1987 in three areas: INF arms control policy, East-West economic relations, and inter-German policy. Each case study assesses the degree of complexity and domestic accountability in policy-making processes and evaluates the relative influence of domestic and external factors on policy choices. It argues that the trends in West German foreign policy toward greater assertiveness reflected the evolution of the FRG as a state, society, and polity. The 'maturation' of the Federal Republic has introduced greater complexity into foreign policy-making processes, and more frequent societal intervention into what heretofore were elite deliberations. Domestic actors have begun to demand greater accountability, while West German leaders, in turn, have become more assertive and confident in defending German national interests. As the FRG has gained respect and self-respect, it has begun to assume the international role that might be expected of a state of its size, population, geo-political importance, and level of political and economic development. The FRG has become a 'normal' state

Saghro Group in the Ougnat Massif (Morocco), an evidence for a continuous Cadomian basin along the northern West African Craton

Science.gov (United States)

Michard, André; Soulaimani, Abderrahmane; Ouanaimi, Hassan; Raddi, Youssef; Aït Brahim, Lahsen; Rjimati, Ech-Cherki; Baidder, Lahssen; Saddiqi, Omar

2017-03-01

The Saghro Group (SG) is a folded, low-grade volcano-sedimentary series up to 8 km thick that crops out within and to the north of the Pan-African suture zone in the central and eastern Anti-Atlas. Here we describe the SG of the Ougnat inliers that are exposed in the easternmost Anti-Atlas beneath the unconformable, Late Ediacaran Ouarzazate Group (OZG) volcanic rocks. The Ougnat SG mostly consists of volcaniclastic greywackes accumulated in a peritidal-to-shallow basin. The basin infilling was deformed by NNE-trending, mostly upright folds with axial-planar slaty cleavage and low-grade metamorphism. The deformed SG rocks were intruded by the ∼550 Ma Mellab hypovolcanic granodiorite. The latter also crosscuts the lowest OZG rocks that are dated to 574-571 Ma in the western Saghro region. The SG rocks that form the Siroua and Saghro inliers have an oldest age of 620-610 Ma and were folded at ∼610-580 Ma at the onset of the Cadomian orogenic events. We show that the SG rocks are similar to the ;Série verte; (SV) rocks that are exposed in the Ougarta and western Hoggar east of the Pan-African suture. We infer that the SG and SV rocks accumulated in a same, continuous basin that was bounding the West African Craton to the north and the east. This strongly subsiding basin formed close to a volcanic arc and was folded during the last Pan-African synmetamorphic events. Fold orientation and age of folding differ however along the edge of the West African Craton. The orogenic greywackes that form the remnants of the SG-SV basin thus constitute a precious record of the diachronic Cadomian event s.l. along the West African Craton northern margin.

Efficacy of a self-help manual in increasing resilience in carers of adults with depression in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

McCann, Terence V; Songprakun, Wallapa; Stephenson, John

2016-02-01

Caring for a person with a mental illness can have adverse effects on caregivers; however, little is known about how best to help such caregivers. The aim of the present study was to examine the efficacy of a cognitive behaviour therapy-guided self-help manual in increasing resilience in caregivers of individuals with depression, in comparison to caregivers who receive routine support only. A randomized, controlled trial was conducted, following CONSORT guidelines, with 54 caregivers allocated to parallel intervention (self-help manual) (n = 27) or control (standard support) (n = 27) groups. Resilience was assessed at baseline, post-test (week 8), and follow up (week 12). Intention-to-treat analyses were undertaken. Repeated-measures ANOVA indicated a significant difference in resilience scores between the three time points, showing a large effect. Pairwise comparisons between intervention and control groups indicated resilience to be significantly different between baseline and post-test, and between baseline and follow up, but not between post-test and follow up. Overall, the intervention group showed a slightly greater increase in resilience over time than the control group; however, the time-group interaction was not significant. Guided self-help is helpful in improving caregivers' resilience and could be used as an adjunct to the limited support provided to carers by mental health nurses and other clinicians. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Understanding help-seeking amongst university students: the role of group identity, stigma, and exposure to suicide and help-seeking

Science.gov (United States)

Kearns, Michelle; Muldoon, Orla T.; Msetfi, Rachel M.; Surgenor, Paul W. G.

2015-01-01

Background: Despite a high prevalence of suicide ideation and mental health issues amongst university students, the stigma of help-seeking remains a barrier to those who are in real need of professional support. Social identity theory states that help received from an ingroup source is more welcome and less threatening to one's identity than that from a source perceived as outgroup. Therefore, we hypothesized that students' stigma toward seeking help from their university mental health service would differ based on the strength of their identification with the university. Method: An online survey including measures of stigma of suicide, group identification, experience with help-seeking and exposure to suicide was administered to Irish university students (N = 493). Results: Group identification was a significant predictor of help-seeking attitudes after controlling for already known predictors. Contrary to our expectations, those who identified more strongly with their university demonstrated a higher stigma of seeking help from their university mental health service. Conclusions: Results are discussed in relation to self-categorization theory and the concept of normative fit. Practical implications for mental health service provision in universities are also addressed, specifically the need for a range of different mental health services both on and off-campus. PMID:26483722

Understanding help-seeking amongst university students: The role of group identity, stigma and exposure to suicide and help-seeking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle eKearns

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Despite a high prevalence of suicide ideation and mental health issues amongst university students, the stigma of help-seeking remains a barrier to those who are in real need of professional support. Social identity theory states that help received from an ingroup source is more welcome and less threatening to one’s identity than that from a source perceived as outgroup. Therefore, we hypothesized that students' stigma towards seeking help from their university mental health service would differ based on the strength of their identification with the university.Method: An online survey including measures of stigma of suicide, group identification, experience with help-seeking and exposure to suicide was administered to Irish university students (N = 493.Results: Group identification was a significant predictor of help-seeking attitudes after controlling for already known predictors. Contrary to our expectations, those who identified more strongly with their university demonstrated a higher stigma of seeking help from their university mental health service.Conclusions: Results are discussed in relation to self-categorization theory and the concept of normative fit. Practical implications for mental health service provision in universities are also addressed, specifically the need for a range of different mental health services both on and off-campus.

Changing theory, changing role of Coriolis effect - The East-West asymmetry of the Wadati-Benioff seismic zones

Science.gov (United States)

Scalera, Giancarlo

2014-05-01

It is a long history the tale of the recognized asymmetries of the Earth. In 1600 William Gilbert (1544-1603) published De Magnete in which the North and South geomagnetic pole are described. In 1620 Francis Bacon (1561-1628) in the XXVIIth aphorism of the Novum Organum (second part) describes the southern tips of the continents, and many other asymmetries were later described. In 1975 Samuel Warren Carey (1911-2002) stated: Neither north and south, nor east and west are tectonically equivalent. A non exhaustive list of asymmetries of the Earth is: The magnetic polarity; The land-hemisphere and the water-hemisphere; Southern tips of the continents; Larger extension of expanding mid-oceanic ridges on the southern hemisphere; South-eastward trend of younger ages in the long Pacific seafloor volcanic chains; A larger width of the seafloor isochrones bands on the Nazca region; A pear-shaped Earth; etc. It is a few decades that the different slopes of the Wadati-Benioff zones oriented towards the east and west has been enclosed in the list. Under the Americas they have angles of about 30 degrees, while under the Pacific east coasts (Asia, Japan) the angles are steeper (Luyendyk, 1970; Isacks & Barazangi, 1977; and many others). The cause of this difference has been identified in the tidal drag that would cause a global shift of the lithosphere towards west - the so called westward drift (Bostrom, 1971; Stevenson & Turner, 1977; among others). This solution has been many times criticized on the basis of the irrelevance of the tidal forces with respect to viscous friction (Jordan, 1974; Ranalli, 2000; Caputo & Caputo, 2012). Moreover, a simplistic evaluation of the regime of the convective motion in the mantle and of the order of magnitude of the involved forces (viscous, buoyancy, inertial) hastily judges as negligible the role of the Coriolis effect in producing the observed slope differences of the Wadati-Benioff regions. Instead, it is possible to show that changing

Online self-help forums on cannabis: A content assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Greiner, Christian; Chatton, Anne; Khazaal, Yasser

2017-10-01

To investigate online self-help forums related to cannabis users who were searching for help on the Internet. We analyzed the content of 717 postings by 328 users in three online forums in terms of fields of interest and self-help mechanisms. Only English-language forums that were free of charge and without registration were investigated. The main self-help mechanisms were disclosure and symptoms, with relatively few posts concerning legal issues and social perceptions. The forums differed significantly in all fields of interest and self-help mechanisms except for social network and financial and vocational issues. Highly involved users more commonly posted on topics related to diagnosis, etiology/research, and provision of information and less commonly on those related to gratitude. Correlation analysis showed a moderate negative correlation between emotional support and illness-related aspects and between emotional support and exchange of information. Cannabis forums share similarities with other mental health forums. Posts differ according to user involvement and the specific orientation of the forum. The Internet offers a viable source of self-help and social support for cannabis users, which has potential clinical implications in terms of referring clients to specific forums. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Brief Online Self-help Exercises for Postnatal Women to Improve Mood: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayers, Susan; Fitzgerald, Gemima; Thompson, Susan

2015-11-01

Giving birth and adjusting to a new baby can be difficult and stressful for new mothers. Negative mood may occur during this time and can affect women, their parenting and the infant's development. This pilot study evaluated a brief online self-help intervention designed to promote positive mood in mothers of babies and toddlers. Women in the UK who had given birth within the previous 18 months were randomly allocated to the online self-help intervention (n = 40) or active comparison group exercise (n = 40) which was matched for time and structure. Mood was measured before and after the intervention. Acceptability was examined at the end of the trial. The self-help intervention was acceptable to the majority of women and significantly increased positive mood compared to the comparison condition. This effect persisted after controlling for self-esteem, anxiety and depression. These results suggest that a simple self-help intervention focused on changing beliefs about oneself as a mother can have an immediate impact on women's mood. Further research is need to see whether these improvements continue long-term and what processes underlie these improvements.

Gamblers Anonymous in Israel: a participant observation study of a self-help group.

Science.gov (United States)

Cromer, G

1978-10-01

This participant observation study of the first Gamblers Anonymous group in Israel is designed to show (1) the ways in which the group helps it members rehabilitate themselves, (2) the three stages through which they must go in order to ensure success, and (3) the reason why some participants fail to do so. The article concludes with a number of observations concerning the extent of gambling in Israel and the different ways that should be developed for dealing with the problem.

Effects of sleep management with self-help treatment for the Japanese elderly with chronic insomnia: a quasi-experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamura, Norihisa; Tanaka, Hideki

2017-08-01

This study aimed to determine whether sleep management with self-help treatment is more effective in improving insomnia, compared to a waiting-list control. A total of 51 participants with insomnia, aged ≥60 years, were assigned to two groups: the treatment group or waiting-list control group. Intervention included sleep education, group work, moderately intense exercise, and self-help treatment using a sleep diary for 2 weeks. Participants completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-J) and sleep diaries wearing an activity recorder pre- and post-treatment. The treatment group showed a significant improvement in the ISI-J with a fairly large effect size (Cohen's d: within = 0.78, between = 0.70), whereas the waiting-list control group did not. Sleep diary and activity recorder data showed small to moderate effect sizes in the treatment group. Thus, sleep management with self-help treatment was superior to a waiting-list control for insomnia severity in the targeted elderly population.

East-West, Collectivist-Individualist: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Temperament in Toddlers from Chile, Poland, South Korea, and the U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Krassner, Ariye M; Gartstein, Maria A; Park, Curie; Dragan, Wojciech Ł; Lecannelier, Felipe; Putnam, Samuel P

2017-01-01

The present study examined toddler temperament across Chilean, South Korean, Polish, and US samples, providing an opportunity to examine both collectivist-individualist and East-West contrasts. The effect of culture on the three factor and 18 dimension scores provided by the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire were investigated. Results provide evidence of cross-cultural differences between the four samples. Chilean toddlers scored significantly higher than US, Polish, and South Korean children on the overall factor of Negative Affectivity, as well as higher than the Polish and South Korean samples on the Surgency factor. South Korean toddlers scored significantly higher on the factor of Effortful Control, and two related dimensions, than US, Polish, or Chilean samples. Results are discussed in terms of the apparent roles of individualism/collectivism and East-West distinctions in shaping temperament development.

Weekly brief phone support in self-help cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia disorder: Relevance to adherence and efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Fiona Yan-Yee; Chung, Ka-Fai; Yeung, Wing-Fai; Ng, Tommy Ho-Yee; Cheng, Sammy Kin-Wing

2014-12-01

Self-help cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is an acceptable, low-intensity treatment in a stepped care model for insomnia. We tested the application of self-help CBT-I in a Chinese population. 312 participants with self-report of insomnia associated with distress or daytime impairment 3 or more nights per week for at least 3 months were randomized to self-help CBT-I with telephone support (SHS), self-help CBT-I (SH) and waiting-list (WL). The program was Internet-based with treatment materials delivered once per week, and lasted for 6 consecutive weeks, while the telephone support was limited to 15 min weekly. Mixed-effects analyses found significant group by time interaction in sleep and sleep-related cognitions at immediate and 4-week posttreatment. Post-hoc pairwise comparison with WL revealed that both SHS and SH had significantly higher sleep efficiency at immediate (p = .004 and p = .03, respectively) and 4-week posttreatment (p = .002 and p = .02, respectively) and lower insomnia and dysfunctional beliefs scores. The SHS group had additional improvements in sleep onset latency and sleep quality. Benefits with self-help CBT-I were maintained at 12-week posttreatment, but attrition rate was about 35%. Internet-based self-help CBT-I was effective and acceptable for treating insomnia in the Chinese population. A brief telephone support further enhanced the efficacy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pleasantness bias in flashbulb memories: positive and negative flashbulb memories of the fall of the Berlin Wall among East and West Germans.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohn, Annette; Berntsen, Dornhe

2007-04-01

Flashbulb memories for the fall of the Berlin Wall were examined among 103 East and West Germans who considered the event as either highly positive or highly negative. The participants in the positive group rated their memories higher on measures of reliving and sensory imagery, whereas their memory for facts was less accurate than that of the participants in the negative group. The participants in the negative group had higher ratings on amount of consequences but had talked less about the event and considered it less central to their personal and national identity than did the participants in the positive group. In both groups, rehearsal and the centrality of the memory to the person's identity and life story correlated positively with memory qualities. The results suggest that positive and negative emotions have different effects on the processing and long-term retention of flashbulb memories.

Asking for help online: Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans youth, self-harm and articulating the 'failed' self.

Science.gov (United States)

McDermott, Elizabeth

2015-11-01

International evidence suggests that young people are less likely to seek help for mental health problems in comparison with adults. This study focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people who are a population group with an elevated risk of suicide and self-harm, and little is known about their help-seeking behaviour. Utilising qualitative virtual methods, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans youth web-based discussions about seeking help for suicidal feelings and self-harming were investigated. Findings from a thematic analysis indicate that these young people wanted assistance but found it difficult to (1) ask for help, (2) articulate emotional distress and (3) 'tell' their selves as 'failed'. This analysis suggests that key to understanding these problems are emotions such as shame which arise from negotiating norms connected to heterosexuality, adolescence and rationality. I argue that these norms act to regulate what emotions it is possible to feel, what emotions it is possible to articulate and what type of young lives that can be told. The future development of health and social care interventions which aim to reduce lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans youth suicide and self-harm need to work with a nuanced understanding of the emotional life of young people if they are to be effective. © The Author(s) 2014.

Environmental assessment for the salvage/demolition of 200 West Area, 200 East Area, and 300 Area steam plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-10-01

This environmental assessment has been prepared to assess potential environmental impacts associated with the US Department of Energy's proposed action: the salvage/demolition of the 200 West Area, 200 East Area, and 300 Area Steam Plants and steam distribution piping. Impact information will be used by the US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office Manager, to determine if the proposed action is a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. If the proposed action is determined to be major and significant, an environmental impact statement will be prepared. If the proposed action is determined not to be major and significant, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) will be issued and the action can proceed. The proposed action involves the salvage and demolition of the 200 West Area, 200 East Are, and 300 Area steam plants and their associated steam distribution piping, equipment, and ancillary facilities. Activities include the salvaging and recycling of all materials, wastes, and equipment where feasible, with waste minimization efforts utilized

A self-help book is better than sleep hygiene advice for insomnia: a randomized controlled comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bjorvatn, Bjørn; Fiske, Eldbjørg; Pallesen, Ståle

2011-12-01

The objective was to compare the effects of two types of written material for insomnia in a randomized trial with follow-up after three months. Insomniacs were recruited through newspaper advertisements to a web-based survey with validated questionnaires about sleep, anxiety, depression, and use of sleep medications. A self-help book focusing on cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia was compared to standard sleep hygiene advice; 77 and 78 participants were randomized to self-help book or sleep hygiene advice, respectively. The response rate was 81.9%. The self-help book gave significantly better scores on the sleep questionnaires compared to sleep hygiene advice. The proportion using sleep medications was reduced in the self-help book group, whereas it was increased in the sleep hygiene group. Compared to pre-treatment, the self-help book improved scores on the sleep (effect sizes 0.61-0.62) and depression (effect size 0.18) scales, whereas the sleep hygiene advice improved scores on some sleep scales (effect sizes 0.24-0.28), but worsened another (effect size -0.36). In addition, sleep hygiene advice increased the number of days per week where they took sleep medications (effect size -0.50). To conclude, in this randomized controlled trial, the self-help book improved sleep and reduced the proportion using sleep medications compared to sleep hygiene advice. The self-help book is an efficient low-threshold intervention, which is cheap and easily available for patients suffering from insomnia. Sleep hygiene advice also improved sleep at follow-up, but increased sleep medication use. Thus, caution is warranted when sleep hygiene advice are given as a single treatment. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2011 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

PROSPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT TRANSPORT IN THE EAST-WEST DIRECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paweł DROŹDZIEL

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the assets of building broad-gauge lines in Europe. The delivery time for international transport of goods affects international business in terms of the capital put into goods and subsequently affects its turnover rate. The current disproportion of different line gauges in Europe causes significant problems in the transport of goods especially in commodity streams in the East - West direction. Based on previous research of commodity streams in international trade and a comprehensive analysis of all performed studies for building broad gauge lines, the assets of building these lines included the development of employment, increasing the transport capacity and the building of transshipment stations in Slovakia. The current geopolitical developments have also a significant impact on international transport and important transport links, therefore diversifying these risks is a logical consideration to ensure the smooth delivery of goods and thus the development of international trade.

Between East and West: Kazakhstan and China’s new Silk Road

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryskeldi Satke

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This article analyses Kazakhstan’s vision of long-term development and its ambitious goals. After revising the history of the infrastructure projects in the country during the tsarist period and the Soviet era, it sets out the plans of the Kazakh president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to turn the country into a logistical hub between East and West by 2050. Later, the paper puts Nazarbayev’s vision in the context of the political and economic reality of Kazakhstan, focussing, specifically, on how the government’s multivector foreign policy fluctuates between Russia’s regional integration projects and the Chinese push westwards to develop Xinjiang province along the new Silk Road. As a conclusion, it identifies the multiple goals that may put the future of this plan in doubt.

East-West, Collectivist-Individualist: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Temperament in Toddlers from Chile, Poland, South Korea, and the U.S

Science.gov (United States)

Krassner, Ariye M.; Gartstein, Maria A.; Park, Curie; Dragan, Wojciech Ł.; Lecannelier, Felipe; Putnam, Samuel P.

2017-01-01

The present study examined toddler temperament across Chilean, South Korean, Polish, and US samples, providing an opportunity to examine both collectivist-individualist and East-West contrasts. The effect of culture on the three factor and 18 dimension scores provided by the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire were investigated. Results provide evidence of cross-cultural differences between the four samples. Chilean toddlers scored significantly higher than US, Polish, and South Korean children on the overall factor of Negative Affectivity, as well as higher than the Polish and South Korean samples on the Surgency factor. South Korean toddlers scored significantly higher on the factor of Effortful Control, and two related dimensions, than US, Polish, or Chilean samples. Results are discussed in terms of the apparent roles of individualism/collectivism and East-West distinctions in shaping temperament development. PMID:29333175

Making them fit to help themselves? Safety engineering partnerships with East European nuclear power plant operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobottka, H.

1997-01-01

The low technological standard of nuclear power plants in East Europe is a matter of concern. NPP operators are in a bad financial situation as they often are compelled to sell their electricity below cost price, or payment increasingly is delayed, or not coming in at all. Special EU programmes and partnership agreements with West European electricity companies have been instigated in order to lead out of the crisis. Will they remain no more than a pebble dropped into the sea? (orig.) [de

Self-injury in young people and the help-negation effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, Mareka; Casey, Leanne M; O'Gorman, John G

2017-04-01

This study examined the relationship between self-injurious behavior and intentions to seek help from professionals, family and friends, technology based support and from no-one. Participants were 679 young people aged 14-25 years drawn from a larger internet survey (N =1463) on the basis of their reported self-injury. A help-negation effect was found only in relation to intentions to seek help from family and friends. That is, a higher extent or severity of self-injury was independently associated with lower intentions to seek help from family and friends. This effect remained after controlling for psychological distress and suicidal ideation. Establishing avenues for early intervention and providing access to a range of potential avenues for help-seeking may assist young people to seek support in relation to self-injury. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Penetrated system' or normal' state An exploration of INF arms control policy, East-West economic relations, and inter-German policy in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1979-1987

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fisher, C.S.

1991-01-01

The thesis explores policy-making processes in the Federal Republic from 1979-1987 in three areas: INF arms control policy, East-West economic relations, and inter-German policy. Each case study assesses the degree of complexity and domestic accountability in policy-making processes and evaluates the relative influence of domestic and external factors on policy choices. It argues that the trends in West German foreign policy toward greater assertiveness reflected the evolution of the FRG as a state, society, and polity. The maturation' of the Federal Republic has introduced greater complexity into foreign policy-making processes, and more frequent societal intervention into what heretofore were elite deliberations. Domestic actors have begun to demand greater accountability, while West German leaders, in turn, have become more assertive and confident in defending German national interests. As the FRG has gained respect and self-respect, it has begun to assume the international role that might be expected of a state of its size, population, geo-political importance, and level of political and economic development. The FRG has become a normal' state.

The Self-help Online against Suicidal thoughts (SOS) trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mühlmann, Charlotte; Madsen, Trine; Hjorthøj, Carsten Rygaard

2017-01-01

-list assignment for 32 weeks. The primary outcomes are frequency and intensity of suicidal thoughts. Secondary outcome measures include depressive symptoms, hopelessness, worrying, quality of life, costs related to health care utilization and production loss. Number of deliberate self-harm episodes, suicides......BACKGROUND: Suicidal thoughts are common, causing distress for millions of people all over the world. However, people with suicidal thoughts might not access support due to financial restraints, stigma or a lack of available treatment offers. Self-help programs provided online could overcome...... these barriers, and previous efforts show promising results in terms of reducing suicidal thoughts. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of an online self-help intervention in reducing suicidal thoughts among people at risk of suicide. The Danish Self-help Online against Suicidal thoughts (SOS) trial...

Self Help Groups (SHGs and Women’s Development: A Case Study of the Varanasi District, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tripti Kumari

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Development is a multi-dimensional process that affects society in multiple ways. It is well documented that women constitute about half of the world’s population but their share in the economy and other development spheres remain neglected. In addition, this large section of population (including Indian women have been suffering from various disadvantages - lack of accessibility to resources, non-recognition of their economic contribution within the family and society. In order to resolve these emerging challenges, Government of India (GOI has implemented various programmes and policies since Independence. Among these programmes, Self Help Groups (SHGs may be considered as a significant initiative of the government as well as the non-governmental organisations (NGOs. These are based on the principle of democratic process of development. The democratic institution provides a platform to the socially and economically deprived sections and encourages them for economic participation. Since the 1970s, SHGs have been working in many states of India and contributing to the development processes. The present paper is an attempt to analyse the contribution of SHGs in women’s development in the district of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The impact of these groups on women’s development has been analysed by Gender Development Index (GDI, which focused on the male-female differences in terms of longevity of life, knowledge and economic betterment.

2 SDI, alliance coherence, and East-West nuclear stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolodzie, E.A.

1988-01-01

The nuclear modernization programme, offensive and defensive, now being implemented or seriously proposed by the Western nuclear states and the Soviet Union pose critical problems for the stability of the European and global nuclear balance. The Reagan administration's Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) and the dramatic growth of British and French nuclear capabilities add new strains on the arms race now underway between the superpowers. Current and emerging instabilities must be addressed promptly along a broad political front, within and outside the framework of the Atlantic Alliance, before they further split the alliance and damage efforts---principally those being pursued at Geneva in the superpower arms control talks---to manage the nuclear balance and the conflicts that divide the two blocs in Europe and elsewhere. The first part of this paper diagnoses the disturbing elements of the evolving nuclear environment which promotes instability. The second suggests an approach -- complex bilateralism -- that might be employed to bring these destabilizing trends under control to promote the development of more coherent, cohesive, and mutually confident alliance strategic policies than exist today and to enhance East-West stability

Toward a Culturally Responsive Model of Mental Health Literacy: Facilitating Help-Seeking Among East Asian Immigrants to North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Na, Sumin; Ryder, Andrew G; Kirmayer, Laurence J

2016-09-01

Studies have consistently found that East Asian immigrants in North America are less likely to use mental health services even when they experience levels of distress comparable to Euro-Americans. Although cultural factors that may prevent East Asian immigrants from seeking mental health care have been identified, few studies have explored ways to foster appropriate help-seeking and use of mental health services. Recent work on mental health literacy provides a potential framework for strategies to increase appropriate help-seeking and use of services. This paper reviews the literature on help-seeking for mental health problems among East Asian immigrants living in Western countries to critically assess the relevance of the mental health literacy approach as a framework for interventions to improve appropriate use of services. Modifications needed to develop a culturally responsive framework for mental health literacy are identified. © Society for Community Research and Action 2016.

Geology and assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the West Greenland-East Canada Province, 2008

Science.gov (United States)

Schenk, Christopher J.; Moore, Thomas E.; Gautier, Donald L.

2018-01-05

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently assessed the potential for undiscovered oil and gas resources of the West Greenland-East Canada Province as part of the USGS Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal program. The province lies in the offshore area between western Greenland and eastern Canada and includes Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Lancaster Sound, and Nares Strait west of, and including, part of Kane Basin. A series of major tectonic events led to the formation of several distinct structural domains that are the geologic basis for defining five assessment units (AU ) in the province, all of which are within the Mesozoic-Cenozoic Composite Total Petroleum System (TPS). Potential petroleum source rocks within the TPS include strata of Ordovician, Lower and Upper Cretaceous, and Paleogene ages. The five AUs defined for this study—the Eurekan Structures AU, Northwest Greenland Rifted Margin AU, Northeast Canada Rifted Margin AU, Baffin Bay Basin AU, and the Greater Ungava Fault Zone AU— encompass the entire province and were assessed for undiscovered, technically recoverable resources. The estimated mean volumes of undiscovered resources for the West GreenlandEast Canada Province are 10.7 billion barrels of oil, 75 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 1.7 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. For the part of the province that is north of the Arctic Circle, the estimated mean volumes of these undiscovered resources are 7.3 billion barrels of oil, 52 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 1.1 billion barrels of natural-gas liquids.

Solution-Focused Self-Help for Improving University Students' Well-Being

Science.gov (United States)

Pakrosnis, Rytis; Cepukiene, Viktorija

2015-01-01

Along with positive developments in psychology, the self-help movement is becoming widespread, based on the belief that people are capable of growing and achieving positive change with only minimal help. This article addresses the potential of a solution-focused self-help tool to improve university students' well-being by comparing its outcome to…

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, 2002 (NCEI Accession 0127071)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 data include biological and oceanographic measurements...

Cross-Cultural Validity of the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH) Scale: Examination across Six Nations

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, David L.; Armstrong, Patrick Ian; Tsai, Pei-Chun; Wade, Nathaniel G.; Hammer, Joseph H.; Efstathiou, Georgios; Holtham, Elizabeth; Kouvaraki, Elli; Liao, Hsin-Ya; Shechtman, Zipora; Topkaya, Nursel

2013-01-01

Researchers have found that the stigma associated with seeking therapy--particularly self-stigma--can inhibit the use of psychological services. Yet, most of the research on self-stigma has been conducted in the United States. This is a considerable limitation, as the role of self-stigma in the help-seeking process may vary across cultural groups.…

A preliminary report on the biomass of chaetognaths in the Indian Ocean comparing the south-west and north-east monsoon periods

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nair, V.R.

sorted and the total number of chaetognaths in the samples were then computed The average number of chaetognaths for all samples from each 5 degrees Marsden Square is separately estimated for the south-west and north-east monsoon periods The period mid...

Level and determinants of food insecurity in East and West Gojjam zones of Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a community based comparative cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Motbainor, Achenef; Worku, Alemayehu; Kumie, Abera

2016-06-11

Food insecurity remains highly prevalent in developing countries and over the past two decades it has increasingly been recognized as a serious public health problem, including in Ethiopia. An emerging body of literature links food insecurity to a range of negative health outcomes and causes of a decline in productivity. The objectives of the present study were to determine the level of food insecurity in East Gojjam zone where the productive safety net program is available, and in West Gojjam zone where there is no program, and to identify the determinants of food insecurity in both East and West Gojjam zones of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Community based comparative cross-sectional study design was used from 24 May 2013- 20 July 2013. Multistage sampling technique was implemented. A total of 4110 randomly selected households in two distinct populations were approached to be included in the study. Availability and absence of the productive safety net program between the two study areas was used to categorize them as comparative groups; otherwise the two communities are comparable in many socio-cultural characteristics. The household food security access scale questionnaire, developed by the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistant Project, was used to measure food security level. Socio-demographic and other household level information were collected by using a structured questionnaire. The binary logistic regression model was used to assess factors associated with food insecurity. From the total 4110 households, 3964 (96.45 %) gave complete responses. The total prevalence of food insecurity was 55.3 % (95 % CI: 53.8, 56.8). To compare food insecurity levels between the two zones, nearly sixty percent, 59.2 % (95 % CI: 57 %, 61.4 %) of the East Gojjam and 51.3 % (95 % CI: 49.1 %, 53.5) of West Gojjam households were food insecure. Family size (2-4) (AOR = 0.641, 95 % CI: 0.513, 0.801), non-merchant women (AOR = 1.638, 95 % CI: 1.015, 2

Level and determinants of food insecurity in East and West Gojjam zones of Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a community based comparative cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Achenef Motbainor

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Food insecurity remains highly prevalent in developing countries and over the past two decades it has increasingly been recognized as a serious public health problem, including in Ethiopia. An emerging body of literature links food insecurity to a range of negative health outcomes and causes of a decline in productivity. The objectives of the present study were to determine the level of food insecurity in East Gojjam zone where the productive safety net program is available, and in West Gojjam zone where there is no program, and to identify the determinants of food insecurity in both East and West Gojjam zones of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Methods Community based comparative cross-sectional study design was used from 24 May 2013- 20 July 2013. Multistage sampling technique was implemented. A total of 4110 randomly selected households in two distinct populations were approached to be included in the study. Availability and absence of the productive safety net program between the two study areas was used to categorize them as comparative groups; otherwise the two communities are comparable in many socio-cultural characteristics. The household food security access scale questionnaire, developed by the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistant Project, was used to measure food security level. Socio-demographic and other household level information were collected by using a structured questionnaire. The binary logistic regression model was used to assess factors associated with food insecurity. Results From the total 4110 households, 3964 (96.45 % gave complete responses. The total prevalence of food insecurity was 55.3 % (95 % CI: 53.8, 56.8. To compare food insecurity levels between the two zones, nearly sixty percent, 59.2 % (95 % CI: 57 %, 61.4 % of the East Gojjam and 51.3 % (95 % CI: 49.1 %, 53.5 of West Gojjam households were food insecure. Family size (2–4 (AOR = 0.641, 95 % CI: 0.513, 0.801, non-merchant women

Mathematical model validation of a thermal architecture system connecting east/west radiators by flight data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres, Alejandro; Mishkinis, Donatas; Kaya, Tarik

2014-01-01

A novel satellite thermal architecture connecting the east and west radiators of a geostationary telecommunication satellite via loop heat pipes (LHPs) is flight tested on board the satellite Hispasat 1E. The LHP operating temperature is regulated by using pressure regulating valves (PRVs). The flight data demonstrated the successful operation of the proposed concept. A transient numerical model specifically developed for the design of this system satisfactorily simulated the flight data. The validated mathematical model can be used to design and analyze the thermal behavior of more complex architectures. - Highlights: •A novel spacecraft thermal control architecture is presented. •The east–west radiators of a GEO communications satellite are connected using LHPs. •A transient mathematical model is validated with flight data. •The space flight data proved successful in-orbit operation of the novel architecture. •The model can be used to design/analyze LHP based complex thermal architectures

Unrealistic Optimism: East and West?

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Joshi, Mary Sissons; Carter, Wakefield

2013-01-01

Following Weinstein’s (1980) pioneering work many studies established that people have an optimistic bias concerning future life events. At first, the bulk of research was conducted using populations in North America and Northern Europe, the optimistic bias was thought of as universal, and little attention was paid to cultural context. However, construing unrealistic optimism as a form of self-enhancement, some researchers noted that it was far less common in East Asian cultures. The current study extends enquiry to a different non-Western culture. Two hundred and eighty seven middle aged and middle income participants (200 in India, 87 in England) rated 11 positive and 11 negative events in terms of the chances of each event occurring in “their own life,” and the chances of each event occurring in the lives of “people like them.” Comparative optimism was shown for bad events, with Indian participants showing higher levels of optimism than English participants. The position regarding comparative optimism for good events was more complex. In India those of higher socioeconomic status (SES) were optimistic, while those of lower SES were on average pessimistic. Overall, English participants showed neither optimism nor pessimism for good events. The results, whose clinical relevance is discussed, suggest that the expression of unrealistic optimism is shaped by an interplay of culture and socioeconomic circumstance. PMID:23407689

Unrealistic optimism: east and west?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary Sissons Joshi

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Following Weinstein’s pioneering work (1980 many studies established that people have an optimistic bias concerning future life events. At first, the bulk of research was conducted using populations in North America and Northern Europe, the optimistic bias was thought of as universal, and little attention was paid to cultural context. However, construing unrealistic optimism as a form of self-enhancement, some researchers noted that it was far less common in East Asian cultures. The current study extends enquiry to a different non-Western culture. Two hundred and eighty seven middle aged and middle-income participants (200 in India, 87 in England rated 11 positive and 11 negative events in terms of the chances of each event occurring in their own life, and the chances of each event occurring in the lives of people like them. Comparative optimism was shown for bad events, with Indian participants showing higher levels of optimism than English participants. The position regarding comparative optimism for good events was more complex. In India those of higher socioeconomic status were optimistic, while those of lower socioeconomic status were on average pessimistic. Overall, English participants showed neither optimism nor pessimism for good events. The results, whose clinical relevance is discussed, suggest that the expression of unrealistic optimism is moulded by an interplay of culture and socioeconomic circumstance.

Regulatory infrastructure in East and West Asia: Present status and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djermouni, B.

2001-01-01

A detailed assessment carried out by the IAEA showed that five Member States in East Asia (Bangladesh, Mongolia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam) and nine Member States in West Asia (Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen) did not have an adequate radiation and waste safety infrastructure in general and a basic regulatory infrastructure in particular. This indicated the partial or complete lack of control of radiation sources, i.e. location, identification, registration, licensing and inspection. Since 1996, these countries have been participating in the Model Project on Upgrading Radiation and Waste Safety Infrastructure with the primary objective of establishing or upgrading their basic regulatory infrastructure. The results achieved in the establishment/upgrading of this infrastructure and the follow-up and extension to other Member States are presented in this paper. (author)

Group dream work as a support for self – awareness

OpenAIRE

Brumen Žarn, Zarja

2016-01-01

Master's thesis discusses group dream work as a form of support for increasing the individual's self-awareness. Working with dreams encourages creativity, opens up the possibilities of self-knowing and helps individuals to guide their life paths. One of the fundamental concepts of social pedagogy is the empowerment of individuals for problem solving and self-development. For this purpose, social educational profession develops and uses a number of methods and approaches. Working with dreams i...

Military Exercises and the Dangers of Misunderstandings: the East-West Crisis of the Early 1980s

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B Heuser

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the risks of mutual misunderstanding caused by NATO and the Warsaw Treaty Organization (WTO large-scale military command-and-staff exercises in 1983. The problem of mutual misunderstanding is analyzed in the context of the classic «Security Dilemma» elaborated in 1951 by J. Gertz and adapted to military exercise issues by D. Adamski. In spite of all the available knowledge, analysis, intelligence and other forms of communication between the West and the East, a problem of mutual misunderstanding appeared between two blocs. This was highlighted during the command and staff exercises of the NATO countries «Able Archer 83» when the world was put on the brink of nuclear war. Given that the Western countries have considered exercises as a deterrence of possible attack by the WTO, the Eastern Bloc countries considered such activities directly threatening their military security. According to the author, these were military exercise carried out by both sides, which represented the most important factor of the sharp deterioration in relations between the West and the East in the early 1980s following the period of détente in the 1970s. The article is based on a large empirical data, archives data, personal interviews by the author of the participants of these events.

Preliminary evaluation of a "formulation-driven cognitive behavioral guided self-help (fCBT-GSH)" for crisis and transitional case management clients.

Science.gov (United States)

Naeem, Farooq; Johal, Rupinder K; Mckenna, Claire; Calancie, Olivia; Munshi, Tariq; Hassan, Tariq; Nasar, Amina; Ayub, Muhammad

2017-01-01

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is found to be effective for common mental disorders and has been delivered in self-help and guided self-help formats. Crisis and transitional case management (TCM) services play a vital role in managing clients in acute mental health crises. It is, therefore, an appropriate setting to try CBT in guided self-help format. This was a preliminary evaluation of a formulation-driven cognitive behavioral guided self-help. Thirty-six (36) consenting participants with a diagnosis of nonpsychotic illness, attending crisis and the TCM services in Kingston, Canada, were recruited in this study. They were randomly assigned to the guided self-help plus treatment as usual (TAU) (treatment group) or to TAU alone (control group). The intervention was delivered over 8-12 weeks. Assessments were completed at baseline and 3 months after baseline. The primary outcome was a reduction in general psychopathology, and this was done using Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure. The secondary outcomes included a reduction in depression, measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and reduction in disability, measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Participants in the treatment group showed statistically significant improvement in overall psychopathology ( P crisis and TCM clients and can be effective in improving mental health, when compared with TAU. This is the first report of a trial of guided self-help for clients attending crisis and TCM services.

Self-help interventions for depressive disorders and depressive symptoms: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorm Anthony F

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research suggests that depressive disorders exist on a continuum, with subthreshold symptoms causing considerable population burden and increasing individual risk of developing major depressive disorder. An alternative strategy to professional treatment of subthreshold depression is population promotion of effective self-help interventions that can be easily applied by an individual without professional guidance. The evidence for self-help interventions for depressive symptoms is reviewed in the present work, with the aim of identifying promising interventions that could inform future health promotion campaigns or stimulate further research. Methods A literature search for randomised controlled trials investigating self-help interventions for depressive disorders or depressive symptoms was performed using PubMed, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Reference lists and citations of included studies were also checked. Studies were grouped into those involving participants with depressive disorders or a high level of depressive symptoms, or non-clinically depressed participants not selected for depression. A number of exclusion criteria were applied, including trials with small sample sizes and where the intervention was adjunctive to antidepressants or psychotherapy. Results The majority of interventions searched had no relevant evidence to review. Of the 38 interventions reviewed, the ones with the best evidence of efficacy in depressive disorders were S-adenosylmethionine, St John's wort, bibliotherapy, computerised interventions, distraction, relaxation training, exercise, pleasant activities, sleep deprivation, and light therapy. A number of other interventions showed promise but had received less research attention. Research in non-clinical samples indicated immediate beneficial effects on depressed mood for distraction, exercise, humour, music, negative air ionisation, and singing; while potential

An assessment of suicide attempts by self-poisoning in the west of Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Najafi, Farid; Beiki, Omid; Ahmadijouybari, Tuoraj; Amini, Saeed; Moradinazar, Mehdi; Hatemi, Masoame; Moradi, Masoud

2014-10-01

Intentional self-poisoning that is widely used all over the world is one of the most common methods of suicide. This study aim was to determine the rate of attempted intentional self-poisoning and to identify high risk persons in the west of Iran (Kermanshah). A total of 3138 people (1279 M and 1859 F) studied. The average annual rate of suicide in Kermanshah was 153 persons per 100 000 people. The most number of attempted intentional self-poisoning (55.5%) were in the 20-29 year age group. The most popular toxic substances for self-poisoning were drugs (71%) and oil and fuels (15%), respectively. The most number of intentional self-poisoning suicides are attempted by drugs. By considering the high rate of intentional self-poisoning, low age of suicide attempts and also its high mortality rate in Kermanshah, it is necessary to stop the opportunity to buy over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, especially those being most misused. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[Child or career? Desire for a child in East and West Berlin].

Science.gov (United States)

Rauchfuss, M; Sperfeld, A

2001-01-01

In the Federal Republic of Germany the rate of the childless women rises. While the topic of unwanted childlessness among gynecologists receives broad attention among gynecologists, the question of (temporaryly?) intended renouncement of pregnancy and birth is of little interest. For the former GDR a low age with the firstborn and a high mother rate were typically. After the "turn" serious modifications of the birth rate in East Germany happened. The available study examined 1996 motives for and against a child with 554 up-to-date wanted childless women in East- and West-Berlin (population-referred sample). In the questionnaire, besides sociodemographic data, information was raised to own childhood, partnership, occupation, satisfaction with life and for child desire motivation. Apart from the school and vocational termination conceptions on the age with the firstborn, disadvantages for a life with child and value hierarchies for partnership and family were important for the description of the dilemma of compatibility of occupation and family. Eastsocialized women consider a compatibility rather possible. Targets for vocational development and responsible parenthood for young women come into conflict. Temporal delaying of the child desire leads to an increase of intended and unwanted childlessness with various (psychosomatic) effects on obstetrics and gynecology.

Pancultural self-enhancement.

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Sedikides, Constantine; Gaertner, Lowell; Toguchi, Yoshiyasu

2003-01-01

The culture movement challenged the universality of the self-enhancement motive by proposing that the motive is pervasive in individualistic cultures (the West) but absent in collectivistic cultures (the East). The present research posited that Westerners and Easterners use different tactics to achieve the same goal: positive self-regard. Study 1 tested participants from differing cultural backgrounds (the United States vs. Japan), and Study 2 tested participants of differing self-construals (independent vs. interdependent). Americans and independents self-enhanced on individualistic attributes, whereas Japanese and interdependents self-enhanced on collectivistic attributes. Independents regarded individualistic attributes, whereas interdependents regarded collectivistic attributes, as personally important. Attribute importance mediated self-enhancement. Regardless of cultural background or self-construal, people self-enhance on personally important dimensions. Self-enhancement is a universal human motive.

Can Parents Treat their Anxious Child using CBT? A Brief Report of a Self-Help Program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Esbjørn, Barbara Hoff; Christiansen, Bianca Munkebo; Walczak, Monika Anna

2016-01-01

Objective: We developed and tested a self-help program with minimal therapist involvement for parents of anxious children. Method: The program focused on transfer of control from therapist to parents of children with moderate anxiety, and consisted of two therapist-led workshops, a Facebook group......, and Cool Kids manuals for parents and children. The sample consisted of 20 families, and 17 completed treatment. Results: After treatment, intent-to-treat analyses indicated that 65% of the children were free of all anxiety disorders. The corresponding figure for completers was 76.5%. Conclusion: Our...... results suggest that parent-based self-help groups focusing on transfer of control may be a cost-effective way of providing treatment to children with moderate anxiety...

Self-Care and Self-Help Groups for the Elderly: A Directory.

Science.gov (United States)

National Inst. on Aging (DHHS/PHS), Bethesda, MD.

This document notes that, as health care costs continue to rise, the elderly are monitoring themselves as a means of cost containment, and as a way of enhancing their sense of well-being and their ability to lead active lives. It points out that more and more organizations are sponsoring health programs that promote the concept of self-care and…

Who has really paid for the Reconstruction of East Germany? Expected and Realized Returns on Real Estate Investments in East and West Germany in the 1990s

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dirk Kiesewetter

2009-05-01

Full Text Available We evaluate the profitability of investments in residential property in Germany after unification with a focus on the comparison of East and West Germany. Calculations are carried out for (1 the after-tax return an investor might have expected at the beginning of the 1990s, and (2 the after-tax return that has been realized ten years after. We compare a set of statistical data for investments in fifty major cities by using complete financial budgeting. The results show that tax subsidies could not always protect investors from losing money, but they have boosted realized returns after tax considerably. Therefore, it was indeed the taxpayers, not the investors, who have borne the cost of reconstructing East Germany.

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, 2002-2006 (NODC Accession 0012632)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 data include biological and oceanographic measurements...

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, November 2004 (NCEI Accession 0127073)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 data include biological and oceanographic measurements...

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, August 2003 (NCEI Accession 0127072)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 data include biological and oceanographic measurements...

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, June 2006 (NCEI Accession 0127075)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 data include biological and oceanographic measurements...

Individualisation of Migration from the East? Comparison of Different Socio-Demographic Groups and their Migration Intentions

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Maarja Saar

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Recent studies on Eastern European migration argue that moving for self-development reasons is becoming increasingly common among this group. Furthermore, it is suggested that migration from the East is becoming individualised and less dependent on social surroundings. Nevertheless, most such results rely on interviews conducted among certain social groups, such as the young and highly skilled. Hence, the comparison between different social groups and their motivations is rarely provided and, therefore, the claims about increased individualisation might be premature. This article uses the Estonian Household Module Survey, including responses from 620 Estonians intending to migrate, to evaluate if migration flows are indeed becoming more individualised and less dependent on social surroundings. Using cluster analysis, three different groups — self-development, economic and life quality migrants — are formed, which are then tested using regression analysis to check for the influence of socio-demographic variables. The article concludes that socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, ethnicity, family status and socio-economic status are still relevant for migration intentions. Indeed, a new group of Eastern European migrants, mainly oriented towards self-development, is emerging; however, it is small and consists mostly of young, Estonian-speaking females. The results complicate the notions of free mobility and liquid migration from Eastern Europe and illustrate that there is a need to pay attention to the increasing group differences in these societies

Siim Nestor soovitab : Acid Mothers Temple. Dzhäss ja "tõsidus" NYYD Ensemble ilt. Garage, this is paradise. East-West / Siim Nestor

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Nestor, Siim, 1974-

2002-01-01

Jaapani megaorkestri AMT esinemisest Linnakultuurifestivali üritusel "Operation B" Von Krahlis 8. nov. Estonia kontserdisaalis toimuvast ansambli NYYD kontserdist 11. nov. Klubis Wimbledon 8. nov. toimuvast peost "Garage, this is paradise". Saku Suurhallis toimuvast peost "East West"

Atrial fibrillation in the Middle East: unmapped, underdiagnosed, undertreated.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Shamkhani, Warkaa; Ayetey, Harold; Lip, Gregory Y H

2018-05-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the commonest persistent cardiac arrhythmia with an estimated incidence rate of between 1.5-2% and an important cause of strokes. Few epidemiological studies and clinical trials on the management of AF have been conducted outside Europe and North America. These gaps in our understanding of AF likely lead to sub-optimal management of patients with AF in the rest of the world. Areas covered: We discuss the epidemiology, treatment and clinical outcomes for AF in the Middle East after systematic review of published work for AF from the Middle East. We also discuss important clinical trials on AF conducted in the West in the same period to help contextualize our findings. Expert commentary: The few available Middle East studies suggest important epidemiological differences between Middle Eastern and Western AF populations. In particular, the Middle Eastern AF population is younger and have more co-morbidities than patients in the West. We find that significant numbers of moderate to high risk patients with AF are either undertreated or untreated placing them at increased risk of complications such as stroke. More studies in the Middle Eastern population are required to aid the development of region-specific clinical guidelines to improve patient care.

Where East meets West: in the house of individuation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Murray

2017-02-01

The psychological process of individuation as experienced in Jungian work may lead to states of consciousness that resemble advanced spiritual developments across religious traditions and cultures. This is where Westerners may reach a common ground with the East. In the essentials and with respect to the final goal there is little difference among the many ways to the self, even if the cultural features in the landscape are disparate. In late stage Jungian analysis and individuation and in what Erich Neumann calls 'centroversion', the personal and the impersonal aspects of the personality accumulate around the ego-self axis to form a composite identity. In this complex structure the ego does not vanish but is joined to the impersonal archetypal levels of the psyche and identity thus becomes at once individual and archetypal. This is the third stage of conjunction as described by Jung in Mysterium Coniunctionis and it is identical to the type of consciousness depicted in the final scenes of Zen Buddhism's Ten Ox-Herding Pictures. © 2017, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Self-esteem and anxiety: key issues in an abused women's support group.

Science.gov (United States)

Trimpey, M L

1989-01-01

A support group was organized for women who sought help to cope with physical and emotional abuse from their male partners. Women who have lived through the cycle of violence may experience a stress response that includes fear, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. High anxiety can interfere with problem solving and with developing new coping patterns. Low self-esteem can accompany depression and intensify the sense of helplessness and powerlessness abused women feel. A descriptive study was conducted to determine to what extent women in the group experienced high anxiety and low self-esteem. Results indicated that high levels of anxiety and low self-esteem were present in the group. Anxiety reduction strategies and techniques to enhance self-esteem were developed.

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, 2007-2008 (NODC Accession 0070125)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks 2007-2008 dataset includes biological and oceanographic measurements collected to satisfy the...

Effectiveness of an experiential workshop for enhancing helping professionals' self-competence in death work in Hong Kong: a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Wallace Chi Ho; Tin, Agnes Fong; Wong, Karen Lok Yi

2017-05-01

Helping professionals require self-competence in coping with the existential and emotional challenges of death work. Previous training often focused on knowledge and skills rather than on this competence. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a 3-day workshop in Hong Kong to enhance helping professionals' self-competence in death work. A randomised controlled trial was conducted to examine the effects of the training between January and May 2014. Targeted participants were helping professionals who had been doing death work for at least 6 months. The 112 participants were openly recruited from hospitals and NGOs and were assigned to an intervention group or a waitlist control group. Data were collected at pre-intervention and post-intervention. Primary outcome was self-competence in death work. All participants were grouped for analysing the changes in outcomes at pre-intervention, post-intervention and 3-month follow-up. Participants in the intervention group experienced a significant increase in the total score of the Self-competence in Death Work Scale (SC-DWS) and in scores of the Existential and Emotional subscales of SC-DWS. The positive effects of training on self-competence in death work were maintained at the 3-month follow-up. This study provides evidence of the effectiveness of training in enhancing helping professionals' self-competence in death work. Further research is required to examine the long-term effects of training. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of geological structure and uranium mineralization model in West Lemajung Sector, Kalan Basin, West Kalimantan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ngadenin; Sularto, P.

2000-01-01

The fieldwork is based on the data of strike (S0) and schistosity (S1) of cores that could not penetrate the geological structure model and result of observation on some cores has shown that U mineralization veins are not always parallel to S1. The problems were encountered in core drill data to improve the estimation of U resources from indication category to measured category. The purpose of the evaluation is to establish the advisability of geological structure model and U mineralization model which was applied by this time. The research used remapping of geological structure with surface method in the scale of 1:1000. The result of remapping shows the difference of the dipping between new geological structure model and the old model. The dipping of the new model is to South East until vertical and the old model is to North West until vertical and to South East until vertical. Despite the difference between both of them, the substantive of folding system is identical so that the new and old models can be applied in drilling in West Lemajung sector. U mineralization model of remapping result consists of 3 types : type 1 U mineralization lens form with West-East direction and vertical dipping which is associated with tourmaline, type 2 U mineralization filling in the open fractures with West-East direction and 70 o to North dipping and parallel with S1, and type 3 U mineralization fill in opening fractures with N 110 o - 130 o E the direction and 60 o to North East until subvertical dipping while the old model is only one type. It is U mineralization filling in the open fractures with West-East the direction and 70 o to North the dipping and parallel with S1. Because of this significant difference, data collection of drill core must follow the new mineralization model. (author)

Confidence- and security-building in South-East Asia. Working group II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alagappa, M.

1991-01-01

Discussion in the Working Group II focused on the following subjects: the establishment of a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality in South-East Asia; the establishment of a nuclear weapon-free zone in South-East Asia; the Cambodian conflict; regional co-operation; military security confidence-building measures

Self-help initiatives and rural development in Ibesikpo community of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigates the impact of self-help initiatives on rural development in Ibesikpo community of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Self help initiatives were defined in terms of provision of employment, education and health-care. A sample size of 369 rural dwellers was drawn and data were analyzed using simple regression ...

SELF HELP GROUPS (SHGS): MICRO FINANCE IN INDIA

OpenAIRE

Shivam SAKSHI; Pető KÁROLY

2018-01-01

Micro finance in India has developed in decades from an idea to implementation to many success stories to an overall success. The early dawn of the idea of micro financing was to provide the capital to the population which was considered the bottom of socio economic pyramid so as to carry out the small household business and this idea has gradually grown up to become the way to help improve the socio standards of the poor people. India is the country of villages, more than 70% of the nation’s...

Medical - and – psychological help to cosmetological patients with disharmonic inflated self-esteem

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M. A. Yudin

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Classical treatment with medications, procedures, surgery is unable to restore physical health and almost has no effect on the psychological state of a patient. This raises the question of involvement in the treatment process psychological measures, increase knowledge about the psychology of the patient, medical professionals and their interrelation during treatment. The aim: to identify the targets of psychological help for cosmetological patients with disharmonic inflated self-esteem (DISE. Contingent and methods. The study was conducted at the Medical Center "CA Clinic" ( Kyiv during 2014 – 2016. 178 women with cosmetological problems participated in the research, among them 82 had DISE (active treatment group and 93 had harmonic self-esteem (control group. The complex psychodiagnostic study conducted for assessment psychological state. Cosmetological patients emotional condition was studied with SCL-90-R. To study the personality characteristics, Freiburg personality questionnaire (FPI, form B and self-esteem questionnaire by V. V. Stolin and S. G. Pantileyeva were used, behavioral patterns have been investigated with S. Lazarus and Folkman’s method of WCB. Psychosocial sphere was assessed with test for diagnosis of interpersonal relations by T. Leary and social and psychological adaptation by K. Rogers and R. Diamond. Results. DISE patients complete a specific group of patients who seek for cosmetic help. Skin pathology and outwardness changes in this group had negative effects especially in the field of psychosocial functioning. The external view for DISE women is associated with high social status and is a tool of psychological impact on the environment. In DISE women signs of somatization with painful and histrionic displays, tension, nervousness, frustration and distrust for the environment, a sense of loneliness were present in the psycho-emotional sphere. For DISE patients  personality and behavioral patterns such

Self-esteem and values in microenterprises of east zone of Lima

OpenAIRE

Loli Pineda, Alejandro; López Vega, Ernestina; Atalaya Pisco, María

2014-01-01

It was investigated on the values hierarchy that prevails in the small business of the east zone of Lima, the relationship between self-esteem and the organizational values. and the differences between the self-esteem and some demographic features, as well as these with the organizational values. The study was carried out in a sample of 105 managers of equal number o small business. The information was collected through the Inventory of self-esteem (ALPEL) VA-Form. and the Values Organization...

The shadow, the tyrant and the insane: the east and west dualism in the visual journalism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Klein

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the East and West dualism considering three images: the shadow, the tyrant and the insane, respectively linked to Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. These representations, given their occurrence in the media, appear as stereotypes in the visual journalism, being in total opposition to western values, such as illuminism, democracy and reason. From the perspective of the concept of Orientalism, the text also analyzes semiotic procedures which constitute the process of demonization, according to the contribuitions of Ivan Bystrina, Gilbert Durand and Stuart Clark.

Development and Pilot Testing of an Internet-Based Self-Help Intervention for Depression for Indian Users

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seema Mehrotra

2018-03-01

Full Text Available There is a dearth of published research on uptake and utility of mental health apps in India, despite a rising global trend in the application of technology in the field of mental health. We describe the development and pilot testing of a self-help intervention for depression, PUSH-D (Practice and Use Self-Help for Depression for urban Indians. This guided self-help app, with essential and optional zone sections, was developed to provide a comprehensive coverage of therapeutic strategies drawn from cognitive behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, supportive psychotherapy, and positive psychology. Pilot testing was carried out using a single group pre-, post- and follow-up design in 78 eligible participants. Participants were typically young adults with major depression or dysthymia and significant impairment in functioning. Almost two-thirds of the participants had never sought professional mental health help. Significant reductions in depression and improvement in the functioning and well-being were notedon standardized measures in participants completing all 10 essential zone sections. These gains were maintained at follow-up. The results were similar for partial completers, who completed fiveout of the 10 essential sections. PUSH-D is one of the first indigenously developed self-help apps for depression and it shows promise in reducing the treatment gap for depression in India.

Development and Pilot Testing of an Internet-Based Self-Help Intervention for Depression for Indian Users.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehrotra, Seema; Sudhir, Paulomi; Rao, Girish; Thirthalli, Jagadisha; Srikanth, T K

2018-03-22

There is a dearth of published research on uptake and utility of mental health apps in India, despite a rising global trend in the application of technology in the field of mental health. We describe the development and pilot testing of a self-help intervention for depression, PUSH-D (Practice and Use Self-Help for Depression) for urban Indians. This guided self-help app, with essential and optional zone sections, was developed to provide a comprehensive coverage of therapeutic strategies drawn from cognitive behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, supportive psychotherapy, and positive psychology. Pilot testing was carried out using a single group pre-, post- and follow-up design in 78 eligible participants. Participants were typically young adults with major depression or dysthymia and significant impairment in functioning. Almost two-thirds of the participants had never sought professional mental health help. Significant reductions in depression and improvement in the functioning and well-being were notedon standardized measures in participants completing all 10 essential zone sections. These gains were maintained at follow-up. The results were similar for partial completers, who completed fiveout of the 10 essential sections. PUSH-D is one of the first indigenously developed self-help apps for depression and it shows promise in reducing the treatment gap for depression in India.

Preliminary evaluation of a “formulation-driven cognitive behavioral guided self-help (fCBT-GSH” for crisis and transitional case management clients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naeem F

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Farooq Naeem,1,2 Rupinder K Johal,1 Claire Mckenna,1 Olivia Calancie,1 Tariq Munshi,1,2 Tariq Hassan,1 Amina Nasar,3 Muhammad Ayub1 1Department of Psychiatry, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada; 2Addiction and Mental Health Services – Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (AMHS-KFLA, Kingston, ON, Canada; 3Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan Background: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT is found to be effective for common mental disorders and has been delivered in self-help and guided self-help formats. Crisis and transitional case management (TCM services play a vital role in managing clients in acute mental health crises. It is, therefore, an appropriate setting to try CBT in guided self-help format.Methods: This was a preliminary evaluation of a formulation-driven cognitive behavioral guided self-help. Thirty-six (36 consenting participants with a diagnosis of nonpsychotic illness, attending crisis and the TCM services in Kingston, Canada, were recruited in this study. They were randomly assigned to the guided self-help plus treatment as usual (TAU (treatment group or to TAU alone (control group. The intervention was delivered over 8–12 weeks. Assessments were completed at baseline and 3 months after baseline. The primary outcome was a reduction in general psychopathology, and this was done using Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure. The secondary outcomes included a reduction in depression, measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and reduction in disability, measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0.Findings: Participants in the treatment group showed statistically significant improvement in overall psychopathology (P<0.005, anxiety and depression (P<0.005, and disability (P<0.005 at the end of the trial compared with TAU group. Conclusion: A formulation-driven cognitive behavioral guided self-help was feasible for the crisis

Groundwater investigation at Mbuit village, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suharji; Muhammad Nurdin; Adhika Junara Karunianto; Sartapa; Slamet Sudarto

2013-01-01

West Manggarai Regency is a new regency as a result of regional development of Manggarai-Raya Regency. Based on information from the local mining service authorities dealing with groundwater, Mbuit village undergo clean water shortages in the dry season. One alternative to overcome the water shortages is the use of groundwater. The investigation of groundwater is intended to determine the characteristics of the geology, hydrogeology and characteristics of the electrical properties of the subsurface rocks which required to determine the potential rock layers that containing groundwater (aquifers). To achieve these objectives carried out the topography measurement, collecting data of geological/hydrogeology, and electrical resistivity measurement. Based on result of observations, analysis of the surface geological survey and supported by subsurface resistivity data in the investigation area, the potential aquifer is found. The aquifers potential has been found in a fractured aquifer system, in the northern of investigation region and distributed relatively west-east. The best aquifer is found in the line C at the point C15–C17, line G at the point G17–G18 (Humpung village), line D at the point D14–D17, line E at the point E14–E19 (Tureng village) with a resistivity value of 5–43 Ωm and the depth of 50–120 meters. (author)

TRANSLATION OF SELF-HELP BOOKS: TRANSLATION PROBLEMS IN RHONDA BYRNE'S "THE SECRET"

OpenAIRE

Furlan, Ana

2013-01-01

Self-help books are becoming very popular nowadays and have to be translated in other languages in order to be accessible to a wider audience from other countries. All self-help books share the same goal: to help the readers find solutions to their problems. They are written with a specific purpose and have special characteristics, which have to be considered when translating them. This graduation thesis focuses on the translation of self-help books in general and gives an analysis of som...

Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy v. conventional guided self-help for bulimia nervosa: long-term evaluation of a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Gudrun; Penelo, Eva; Wanner, Christian; Gwinner, Paulina; Trofaier, Marie-Louise; Imgart, Hartmut; Waldherr, Karin; Wöber-Bingöl, Ciçek; Karwautz, Andreas F K

2013-02-01

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)-based guided self-help is recommended as a first step in the treatment of bulimia nervosa. To evaluate in a randomised controlled trial (Clinicaltrials.gov registration number: NCT00461071) the long-term effectiveness of internet-based guided self-help (INT-GSH) compared with conventional guided bibliotherapy (BIB-GSH) in females with bulimia nervosa. A total of 155 participants were randomly assigned to INT-GSH or BIB-GSH for 7 months. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, month 4, month 7 and month 18. The greatest improvement was reported after 4 months with a continued reduction in eating disorder symptomatology reported at month 7 and 18. After 18 months, 14.6% (n = 7/48) of the participants in the INT-GSH group and 25% (n = 7/28) in the BIB-GSH group were abstinent from binge eating and compensatory measures, 43.8% (n = 21/48) and 39.2% (n = 11/28) respectively were in remission. No differences regarding outcome between the two groups were found. Internet-based guided self-help for bulimia nervosa was not superior compared with bibliotherapy, the gold standard of self-help. Improvements remain stable in the long term.

Molecular Determinants of Colon Cancer Susceptibility in the East and West.

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Abdel-Rahman, W M; Faris, M E; Peltomaki, P

2017-01-01

The currently available knowledge of factors that dictate the development and progression as well as the clinical outcome of colorectal cancers (CRC) is mainly derived from Western countries. Considerable number of publications document different incidence rates and contrasting clinical features of CRC in various groups such as the differences between urban vs. rural areas, young vs. old age and the East vs. the West. In particular, Egyptian CRC is a surprisingly young age disease with higher proportion of poorly differentiated and advanced stage cancers as compared to the Western counterparts. Less number of publications addressed the molecular genetics and epigenetic basis of these differences. The available data on CRC and other cancers support a substantial role of several environmental risk factors which impinge on the epigenome and alter the overall cellular and tissue homeostasis. Thus, environmental factors could play a role in predisposition to CRC in general as well as in shaping distinct disease phenotypes in different settings. On the other hand, the environment offers a wide range of preventive modalities including a selection of dietary chemopreventive agents which could play a significant role in fighting cancer at early stages. We here compare the clinical and molecular characteristics of Eastern and Western CRC based on the latest literature. The genetic, epigenetic and environmental etiologies for the observed differences are discussed. Finally, prospects for cancer prevention in light of the increased etiologic understanding are outlined. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Cultural Foundations of Learning: East and West

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Li, Jin

2012-01-01

Western and East Asian people hold fundamentally different beliefs about learning that influence how they approach child rearing and education. Reviewing decades of research, Dr. Jin Li presents an important conceptual distinction between the Western mind model and the East Asian virtue model of learning. The former aims to cultivate the mind to…

Efficacy of a behavioral self-help treatment with or without therapist guidance for co-morbid and primary insomnia--a randomized controlled trial.

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Jernelöv, Susanna; Lekander, Mats; Blom, Kerstin; Rydh, Sara; Ljótsson, Brjánn; Axelsson, John; Kaldo, Viktor

2012-01-22

Cognitive behavioral therapy is treatment of choice for insomnia, but availability is scarce. Self-help can increase availability at low cost, but evidence for its efficacy is limited, especially for the typical insomnia patient with co-morbid problems. We hypothesized that a cognitive behaviorally based self-help book is effective to treat insomnia in individuals, also with co-morbid problems, and that the effect is enhanced by adding brief therapist telephone support. Volunteer sample; 133 media-recruited adults with insomnia. History of sleep difficulties (mean [SD]) 11.8 [12.0] years. 92.5% had co-morbid problems (e.g. allergy, pain, and depression). Parallel randomized (block-randomization, n ≥ 21) controlled "open label" trial; three groups-bibliotherapy with (n = 44) and without (n = 45) therapist support, and waiting list control (n = 44). Assessments before and after treatment, and at three-month follow-up. Intervention was six weeks of bibliotherapeutic self-help, with established cognitive behavioral methods including sleep restriction, stimulus control, and cognitive restructuring. Therapist support was a 15-minute structured telephone call scheduled weekly. Main outcome measures were sleep diary data, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Intention-to-treat analyses of 133 participants showed significant improvements in both self-help groups from pre to post treatment compared to waiting list. For example, treatment with and without support gave shorter sleep onset latency (improvement minutes [95% Confidence Interval], 35.4 [24.2 to 46.6], and 20.6 [10.6 to 30.6] respectively), and support gave a higher remission rate (defined as ISI score below 8; 61.4%), than bibliotherapy alone (24.4%, p's < .001). Improvements were not seen in the control group (sleep onset latency 4.6 minutes shorter [-1.5 to 10.7], and remission rate 2.3%). Self-help groups maintained gains at three-month follow-up. Participants receiving self-help for insomnia benefited markedly

Mosaic maternal ancestry in the Great Lakes region of East Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Verónica; Pala, Maria; Salas, Antonio; Álvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Amorim, António; Gómez-Carballa, Alberto; Carracedo, Ángel; Clarke, Douglas J; Hill, Catherine; Mormina, Maru; Shaw, Marie-Anne; Dunne, David W; Pereira, Rui; Pereira, Vânia; Prata, Maria João; Sánchez-Diz, Paula; Rito, Teresa; Soares, Pedro; Gusmão, Leonor; Richards, Martin B

2015-09-01

The Great Lakes lie within a region of East Africa with very high human genetic diversity, home of many ethno-linguistic groups usually assumed to be the product of a small number of major dispersals. However, our knowledge of these dispersals relies primarily on the inferences of historical, linguistics and oral traditions, with attempts to match up the archaeological evidence where possible. This is an obvious area to which archaeogenetics can contribute, yet Uganda, at the heart of these developments, has not been studied for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation. Here, we compare mtDNA lineages at this putative genetic crossroads across 409 representatives of the major language groups: Bantu speakers and Eastern and Western Nilotic speakers. We show that Uganda harbours one of the highest mtDNA diversities within and between linguistic groups, with the various groups significantly differentiated from each other. Despite an inferred linguistic origin in South Sudan, the data from the two Nilotic-speaking groups point to a much more complex history, involving not only possible dispersals from Sudan and the Horn but also large-scale assimilation of autochthonous lineages within East Africa and even Uganda itself. The Eastern Nilotic group also carries signals characteristic of West-Central Africa, primarily due to Bantu influence, whereas a much stronger signal in the Western Nilotic group suggests direct West-Central African ancestry. Bantu speakers share lineages with both Nilotic groups, and also harbour East African lineages not found in Western Nilotic speakers, likely due to assimilating indigenous populations since arriving in the region ~3000 years ago.

Self-esteem, ethnic identity, and behavioral adjustment among Anglo and Chicano adolescents in West Texas.

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Grossman, B; Wirt, R; Davids, A

1985-03-01

This study provides a comparison of similarities and differences with respect to ethnic identity between Anglo and Chicano adolescents from Texas. A path analysis model was used to test a theoretical assumption concerning proposed antecedents and consequences of self-esteem. Research instruments included the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, the Semantic Differential (scales for Myself and My Ethnic Group) and the McGuire White Measure of Social Status. Results were consistent with the interpretation that there is a relationship between being Chicano and having lower self-esteem, lower behavioral adjustment, and higher ethnic esteem. The prediction that ethnic esteem would mediate between ethnic group and self-esteem was upheld. Variables such as ethnic group membership per se and sex appear as or more important to the prediction of behavioral level. Clinical implications include recognizing that Chicanos low in self-esteem or behavioral adjustment should not automatically be considered unusual. The problems faced by this group are considered as having something in common with other groups of people who have more problems, lesser status, fewer resources, and fewer sources of available help.

Reconstructing Plate Boundaries in the Jurassic Neo-Tethys From the East and West Vardar Ophiolites (Greece and Serbia)

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Maffione, Marco; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.

2018-03-01

Jurassic subduction initiation in the Neo-Tethys Ocean eventually led to the collision of the Adria-Africa and Eurasia continents and the formation of an 6,000 km long Alpine orogen spanning from Iberia to Iran. Reconstructing the location and geometry of the plate boundaries of the now disappeared Neo-Tethys during the initial moments of its closure is instrumental to perform more realistic plate reconstructions of this region, of ancient ocean basins in general, and on the process of subduction initiation. Neo-Tethyan relics are preserved in an ophiolite belt distributed above the Dinaric-Hellenic fold-thrust belt. Here we provide the first quantitative constraints on the geometry of the spreading ridges and trenches active in the Jurassic Neo-Tethys using a paleomagnetically based net tectonic rotation analysis of sheeted dykes and dykes from the West and East Vardar Ophiolites of Serbia (Maljen and Ibar) and Greece (Othris, Pindos, Vourinos, and Guevgueli). Based on our results and existing geological evidence, we show that initial Middle Jurassic ( 175 Ma) closure of the western Neo-Tethys was accommodated at a N-S trending, west dipping subduction zone initiated near and parallel to the spreading ridge. The West Vardar Ophiolites formed in the forearc parallel to this new trench. Simultaneously, the East Vardar Ophiolites formed above a second N-S to NW-SE trending subduction zone located close to the European passive margin. We tentatively propose that this second subduction zone had been active since at least the Middle Triassic, simultaneously accommodating the closure of the Paleo-Tethys and the back-arc opening of Neo-Tethys.

Characteristics of the Self-Actualized Person: Visions from the East and West.

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Chang, Raylene; Page, Richard C.

1991-01-01

Compares and contrasts the ways that Chinese Taoism and Zen Buddhism view the development of human potential with the ways that the self-actualization theories of Rogers and Maslow describe the human potential movement. Notes many similarities between the ways that Taoism, Zen Buddhism, and the self-actualization theories of Rogers and Maslow…

Traditions and Customs in Community Development: The Case of Nkanu West and Nkanu East Local Government Areas of Enugu State, Nigeria

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Adekola, G.; Egbo, Nwoye Charles

2016-01-01

This study examined the influence of traditions and customs on community development in Nkanu West and Nkanu East Local Government Areas of Enugu State. The study was carried out with three objectives and three null hypotheses. The research adopted descriptive survey design with a population of 2,125 members of community Based Organizations in the…

A Handbook for Helping Parents "Group."

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Catherine; And Others

A home based project serving special needs children 0 to 5 years old in a rural area developed a mothers' group designed to increase parents' self esteem, decrease their isolation, and provide more information about their child's development. An introductory section outlines general assumptions of the group and describes a sequence of activities…

Self-help and help-seeking for communication disability in Ghana: implications for the development of communication disability rehabilitation services.

Science.gov (United States)

Wylie, Karen; McAllister, Lindy; Davidson, Bronwyn; Marshall, Julie; Amponsah, Clement; Bampoe, Josephine Ohenewa

2017-12-29

In low and middle-income countries, such as Ghana, communication disability is poorly recognised and rehabilitation services for people with communication disability are limited. As rehabilitation services for communication disability develop, and the profession of speech-language pathology grows, it is important to consider how services can most appropriately respond to the needs and preferences of the community. Understanding the ways in which people currently self-help and seek help for communication disability is central to developing services that build on existing local practices and are relevant to the community. A qualitative descriptive survey was used to explore likely self-help and help-seeking behaviours for communication disability, in Accra, Ghana. The survey required participants to describe responses to hypothetical scenarios related to communication disability. A mix of theoretical sampling and convenience sampling was used. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data and develop categories and subcategories of reported self-help behaviours and sources of help and advice for communication disability. One hundred and thirty-six participants completed the survey. Results indicated that community members would be likely to engage in a variety self-help strategies in response to communication disability. These included working directly with a person with a communication disability to attempt to remediate a communication impairment, altering physical and communication environments, changing attitudes or care practices, educating themselves about the communication disability, providing resources, and responding in spiritual ways. Participants indicated that they would seek help for communication disability across a range of sectors - including the Western healthcare, religious, and traditional sectors. Understanding existing community actions to self-help and help-seek may allow emerging communication rehabilitation services, including the

"(East) Asia" as a Platform for Debate: Grouping and Bioethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Sleeboom-Faulkner, Margaret

This article examines the use of the notions of "Asian" and "East Asian" in definitions of bioethics. Using examples from East Asia, I argue that the verbal Asianization of bioethics is based on the notion of "Asia" as a family metaphor and serves as a platform of bioethical debate, networking, and political change. I maintain that the use of "Asia" and "East Asia" to shape bioethics is not so much a sign of inward-looking regionalism, but an attempt to build bridges among Asian countries, while putting up a common stance against what educated elites interpret as undesirable global trends of Westernization through bioethics. Using the notions of "grouping" and "segmentary systems" to show the performative nature of characterizations of (East) Asian bioethics, allowing users to mark regional identity, share meanings, take political positions, and network. Deploying Peter Haas's notion of "epistemic communities," I argue that academic and political elites translate "home" issues into "Asia speak," while at the same time, introducing and giving shape to "new" bioethical issues. Although the "Asianisms" and group-marking activities of Asian networks of bioethics are ideological, thereby engaging in the politics of in/exclusion, they succeed in putting politically sensitive topics on the agenda.

Interfacial self-organization of bolaamphiphiles bearing mesogenic groups: relationships between the molecular structures and their self-organized morphologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Bo; Liu, Guanqing; Xu, Rui; Yin, Shouchun; Wang, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Xi

2008-04-15

This article discusses the relationship between the molecular structure of bolaamphiphiles bearing mesogenic groups and their interfacial self-organized morphology. On the basis of the molecular structures of bolaamphiphiles, we designed and synthesized a series of molecules with different hydrophobic alkyl chain lengths, hydrophilic headgroups, mesogenic groups, and connectors between the alkyl chains and the mesogenic group. Through investigating their interfacial self-organization behavior, some experiential rules are summarized: (1) An appropriate alkyl chain length is necessary to form stable surface micelles; (2) different categories of headgroups have a great effect on the interfacial self-organized morphology; (3) different types of mesogenic groups have little effect on the structure of the interfacial assembly when it is changed from biphenyl to azobenzene or stilbene; (4) the orientation of the ester linker between the mesogenic group and alkyl chain can greatly influence the interfacial self-organization behavior. It is anticipated that this line of research may be helpful for the molecular engineering of bolaamphiphiles to form tailor-made morphologies.

Looking East: Yin and Yang of an Academic Exchange

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La Roche, Claire Reeves

2011-01-01

Intended as a brief guide to the cultural differences associated with an East-West academic exchange, this paper discusses customs and cultural norms likely to be encountered. Chinese economic growth has been accompanied by rapidly increasing East-West study abroad opportunities. Over the past decade, China has sent more students to study abroad…

Empowering Women Self-Help Group Members through Open and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

At this point in their lives, they do not need school or a degree but vocational skills and basic education for empowerment and self-reliance. This is hinged on the fact that education liberates and Open and distance learning (ODL) is a powerful instrument for achieving this objective. The study investigated ways ODL can ...

Patients’ perceptions of podoconiosis causes, prevention and consequences in East and West Gojam, Northern Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Molla Yordanos B

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Podoconiosis is a form of non-filarial elephantiasis that affects barefoot individuals in highland tropical areas. The disease presents with bilateral, asymmetric swelling of the legs, usually confined to below the knee. This study aimed to assess podoconiosis patients’ perceptions of prevention, control, causes and familial clustering of the disease, and to document physical, social and economic impairments associated with the disease, with the ultimate aim of enabling development of tailored interventions in this region. Methods This descriptive study is part of the largest cross-sectional community-based household survey yet conducted on podoconiosis. It was completed in November and December, 2011, in Debre Eliyas and Dembecha Woredas of East and West Gojam Zones, northern Ethiopia, and consisted of a house-to-house census by community health workers followed by interviews of identified patients using a structured questionnaire. Results In the 17,553 households surveyed, 1,319 patients were identified. More male as compared to female patients were married (84.6% vs. 53.6%, χ2 = 157.1, p 2 = 102.3, p  Conclusion This study shows that podoconiosis has strong psychosocial, physical and economic impacts on patients in East and West Gojam Zones of northern Ethiopia. Concerns related to familial clustering, poor understanding of the causes and prevention of podoconiosis all add to the physical burden imposed by the disease. Strategies that may ease the impact of podoconiosis include delivery of tailored health education on the causes and prevention of disease, involving patients in intervention activities, and development of alternative income-generating activities for treated patients.

Is production intensification likely to make farm households food-adequate? A simple food availability analysis across smallholder farming systems from East and West Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ritzema, R.S.; Frelat, R.; Douxchamps, S.; Silvestri, S.; Rufino, M.C.; Herrero, M.; Giller, K.E.; López-ridaura, S.; Teufel, N.; Paul, B.K.; Wijk, Van M.T.

2017-01-01

Despite considerable development investment, food insecurity remains prevalent throughout East and West Africa. The concept of ‘sustainable intensification’ of agricultural production has been promoted as a means to meet growing food needs in these regions. However, inadequate attention has been

Self-Orientalization: Modernity Within Ourselves or Internalized Modernization

OpenAIRE

Bezci, Bünyamin; Çiftci, Yunus

2014-01-01

After Said’s concept of orientalism had been widely recognized within political literature, this term has developed its content productively to explain Eastern Societies’ relation with modernity. Rather than being used in terms of East-West dichotomy, the term has gained new meanings as self-orientalization of Eastern Societies. In this study, the first section analyzes boundaries of the term. The second section discusses world of meaning’s locational scope of self-orientalization through nat...

Internet-Based Self-Help Intervention for ICD-11 Adjustment Disorder: Preliminary Findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Eimontas, Jonas; Rimsaite, Zivile; Gegieckaite, Goda; Zelviene, Paulina; Kazlauskas, Evaldas

2018-06-01

Adjustment disorder is one of the most diagnosed mental disorders. However, there is a lack of studies of specialized internet-based psychosocial interventions for adjustment disorder. We aimed to analyze the outcomes of an internet-based unguided self-help psychosocial intervention BADI for adjustment disorder in a two armed randomized controlled trial with a waiting list control group. In total 284 adult participants were randomized in this study. We measured adjustment disorder as a primary outcome, and psychological well-being as a secondary outcome at pre-intervention (T1) and one month after the intervention (T2). We found medium effect size of the intervention for the completer sample on adjustment disorder symptoms. Intervention was effective for those participants who used it at least one time in 30-day period. Our results revealed the potential of unguided internet-based self-help intervention for adjustment disorder. However, high dropout rates in the study limits the generalization of the outcomes of the intervention only to completers.

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, June and November 2005 (NCEI Accession 0127074)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 data include biological and oceanographic measurements...

Why Don’t They Participate? A Self-Study of Chinese Graduate Students’ Classroom:Involvement in North America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunlei Lu

2010-07-01

Full Text Available China is now the world’s largest source of international students. In terms of learning performance, Chinese graduate students studying in North America exhibit distinct differences from students who are born and raised in North America. Conflicting cultural values compel Chinese students to reconcile East-West cultures, and put an onus on North American instructors to implement culturally-sensitive pedagogy. Employing the theoretic framework of yin-yang theory, this paper examines Chinese graduate students’ classroom performance against the backdrop of East-West cultural negotiation, and specifically seeks to identify which factors inhibit Chinese graduate students’ participation in North American classrooms. Drawing from their own living experiences, the authors employ self-study in the methodological form of narrative inquiry – in conjunction with references from existing literature – to investigate Chinese graduates’ classroom challenges. Results reveal six factors impacting students’ classroom performance: language; knowledge of the education system; knowledge of the social system; personality; influence of traditional culture; and social/economic/political changes. Future research directions are also suggested.Key words: Chinese graduates, East-West, cross-culture, North America, classroom involvement, self-study 

Mental and Emotional Self-Help Technology Apps: Cross-Sectional Study of Theory, Technology, and Mental Health Behaviors.

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Crookston, Benjamin T; West, Joshua H; Hall, P Cougar; Dahle, Kaitana Martinez; Heaton, Thomas L; Beck, Robin N; Muralidharan, Chandni

2017-10-17

Mental and emotional self-help apps have emerged as potential mental illness prevention and treatment tools. The health behavior theory mechanisms by which these apps influence mental health-related behavior change have not been thoroughly examined. The objective of this study was to examine the association between theoretical behavior change mechanisms and use of mental and emotional self-help apps and whether the use of such apps is associated with mental health behaviors. This study utilized a cross-sectional survey of 150 users of mental or emotional health apps in the past 6 months. Survey questions included theory-based items, app engagement and likeability items, and behavior change items. Stata version 14 was used to calculate all statistics. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each of the demographic, theory, engagement, and behavior variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with reported changes in theory and separately for reported changes in actual behavior after controlling for potentially confounding variables. Participants reported that app use increased their motivation, desire to set goals, confidence, control, and intentions to be mentally and emotionally healthy. Engagement (Ptheory items, whereas perceived behavior change was positively associated with theory (Ptheory items. Future efforts should consider the value of impacting key theoretical constructs when designing mental and emotional health apps. As apps are evaluated and additional theory-based apps are created, cost-effective self-help apps may become common preventative and treatment tools in the mental health field. ©Benjamin T Crookston, Joshua H West, P Cougar Hall, Kaitana Martinez Dahle, Thomas L Heaton, Robin N Beck, Chandni Muralidharan. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 17.10.2017.

Online Counseling: Prioritizing Psychoeducation, Self-Help, and Mutual Help for Counseling Psychology Research and Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Tai

2005-01-01

This reaction article extends the research and practice recommendations for online counseling from the Major Contribution to the November 2005 issue of "The Counseling Psychologist" by prioritizing research and practice in online psychoeducation, self-help, and mutual help. Research suggests that tens of millions of Americans use the Internet for…

Refusing intergroup help from the morally superior: How one group's moral superiority leads to another group's reluctance to seek their help. : How one group's moral superiority leads to another group's reluctance to seek their help

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Täuber, Susanne; van Zomeren, Martijn

We examine how group members paradoxically refuse intergroup help where they might need it most: in the moral status domain. Based on the Sacred Value Protection Model (Tetlock, 2002), we predicted and found that group members felt stronger group-based anger and a stronger motivation to reaffirm

The Anaximander Mountains linkages with the Florence Rise in the east and the Pliny-Strabo Trench in the west, eastern Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Melanie; Hall, Jeremy; Aksu, Ali; Çifçi, Günay

2014-05-01

Interpretation of ~4500 km of high-resolution multichannel seismic reflection profiles and correlation with complex multibeam bathymetric features allows us to assess the Neogene tectonics of this area of the Anaximander Mountains at the junction of the Hellenic and Cyprus Arcs. Three seiusmic stratigraphic units are observed in this region and are correlated with exploration wells drilled onland in the Antalya and Kasaba Basins, and DSDP holes 375 and 376: The uppermost Unit (1, Pliocene-Quaternary) is a strongly reflective laterally continuous package of high frequency reflections which extends from the seabed to the M-reflector. Beneath this, Unit 2 (Messinian) is a weakly reflective package displaying complex internal architecture with weak, discontinuous and often chaotic reflections bounded at their top and base by the M- and N-reflectors, respectively. Unit 3 (pre-Messinian Miocene) is a strongly reverberatory, high reflective package of low amplitude reflections with significant lateral continuity. The structural architecture of the Anaximander Mountains (sensu lato) at the junction of the Hellenic and Cyprus Arcs is characterised by two phases of deformation. A protracted interval of contraction in the Miocene created a series of broadly east-west trending and predominantly south-verging structures across the entire eastern Mediterranean. This phase culminated in the latest Miocene and was followed in the Pliocene-Quaternary by an interval of spatially-partitioned strain which resulted in the development of discrete domains characterized by extensional, contractional, transpressional and transtensional structures. The Anaximenes and Anaxagoras Mountains in the east and southeast exhibit contractional/transpressional deformation and form the linkage with the Florence Rise to the southeast. An arcuate and extensively faulted and folded region immediately northwest of the Anaximenes and Anaxagoras Mountains (i.e., the Sırrı Erinç Plateau) forms a 30-40 km

Distribution and conservation of three important bird groups of the Atlantic Forest in north-east Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, G A; Araújo, H F P; Azevedo-Júnior, S M

2016-01-01

The Pernambuco Endemism Center in north-east Brazil has the most fragmented forest cover and the largest number of threatened birds of the whole Atlantic Forest. We analyzed the distribution of three groups of bird species: forest-dependent, endemic and/or threatened using the interpolation method of Inverse Distance Weighting. We also checked the concentration of these birds in protected and unprotected areas, suggesting new sites that need to be protected. The richness concentration of forest-dependent, endemic and/or threatened birds in 123 sites were analysed. There was a greater concentration of the three groups in north Alagoas, south and north Pernambuco, and north and west Paraíba. The distribution of the three groups was almost regular in different vegetation types, although a lower concentration was found in the pioneer formation. There was a greater concentration of birds from all three groups between Pernambuco and Alagoas, and this must be due to the presence of more forest fragments with better structure and vegetation heterogeneity. The protected and unprotected areas hosted important records of endemic and/or threatened birds. We suggested some important places for implementation of new protected areas due to the larger concentrations of the target birds and because they are located within the boundaries of the Important Bird Areas.

Barriers to diabetes awareness and self-help are influenced by people's demographics: perspectives of South Asians with type 2 diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pardhan, Shahina; Nakafero, Georgina; Raman, Rajiv; Sapkota, Raju

2018-03-26

To determine whether barriers to diabetes awareness and self-help differ in South Asian participants of different demographic characteristics (age, gender, and literacy) with type 2 diabetes living in the United Kingdom. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out in patients who were categorized according to age (30-60 years, ≥60 years), gender (male, female) and literacy status (literate, illiterate). Data were analysed following the iterative process of thematic analysis techniques. Barriers were demographic-specific. The illiterate groups reported language as the major barrier to improved diabetes awareness and self-help. The literate groups reported that information provided by healthcare providers was general, and not specific to their diet/culture. Major barriers to adherence to the recommended diet for diabetes included: insufficient knowledge/awareness about nutritional content of food (all groups); lack of self-will to resist eating sweets, especially during weddings/festivals (literate older groups/literate younger females/illiterate older males); difficulty cooking separate meals for diabetic and non-diabetic family members (illiterate/literate older females). Other barriers to seeking advice/help ranged from not wanting to disclose their diabetes as it may affect employment/work (literate groups) to fear of being singled out at social gatherings (illiterate groups). General lack of motivation to exercise was reported by all groups. Time constraints and not knowing what/how to exercise was reported by literate younger groups whilst the illiterate older groups reported to not having suitable exercising facilities at local communities. Different barriers were also reported when accessing healthcare; language barriers (illiterate groups), restricted access to doctors' appointments/difficulty attending specific appointment slots offered by General Practitioners (literate females). Different barriers exist to improved awareness about diabetes and

East-West cultural differences in context-sensitivity are evident in early childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Imada, Toshie; Carlson, Stephanie M; Itakura, Shoji

2013-03-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that North Americans tend to focus on central objects whereas East Asians tend to pay more attention to contextual information in a visual scene. Although it is generally believed that such culturally divergent attention tendencies develop through socialization, existing evidence largely depends on adult samples. Moreover, no past research has investigated the relation between context-sensitivity and other domains of cognitive development. The present study examined children in the United States and Japan (N = 175, age 4-9 years) to investigate the developmental pattern in context-sensitivity and its relation to executive function. The study found that context-sensitivity increased with age across cultures. Nevertheless, Japanese children showed significantly greater context-sensitivity than American children. Also, context-sensitivity fully mediated the cultural difference in a set-shifting executive function task, which might help explain past findings that East Asian children outperformed their American counterparts on executive function. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Burnout in the Helping Professions: Mutual Aid Groups as Self-Help.

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Spicuzza, Frank J.; De Voe, Marianne W.

1982-01-01

Offers some insight and understanding of the stress-producing components of counseling practice. Discusses some of the physical symptoms of burnout and examines why the syndrome is prevalent in the human services. Proposes the development of mutual aid groups as one solution to prevent or minimize burnout. (Author/RC)

Institutional Change and Gender Inequalities at Labour Market Entry: A Comparison of Estonia, Russia, and East and West Germany

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Yuliya Kosyakova

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Our study investigates how gender inequalities in job opportunities evolved during communist and post-communist times in former state-socialist countries. Theoretical arguments (mainly based on studies referring to Western countries led to the expectation of a surge in gender inequalities in these countries after the collapse of communism. Empirically, we explore the gender gap in job authority upon labour market entry by using life-history data from Russia, Estonia, and East Germany, with West Germany serving as a control case. The selection of countries was motivated primarily by the availability of rich life-history data, covering four decades of (post- state socialism but also by divergences in institutional set-ups in the course of transition from state socialism to a liberalised market economy. Our findings yield four major results. First, accounting for education and the branch of economy, women were not disadvantaged during Soviet times; instead, we have even found evidence of a slight female advantage in Estonia and East Germany. Thus, our findings mirror the communist regime’s effectiveness in equalising women’s and men’s opportunities at work. Second, in the pre-collapse decade, the advantage of women in terms of job authority decreased in East Germany and Estonia, whereas in Russia, women fell behind men. Third, with the Soviet Union collapse, a remarkable female disadvantage emerged in all formerly state socialist countries under scrutiny. In addition, we observe a growing gender gap in West Germany in the same period. The latter result strengthens the conclusion that times of economic liberalisation may go hand-in-hand with increasing gender inequalities.

Preliminary assessment of habitat protection needs for West Indian manatees on the east coast of Florida and Georgia. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-12-01

The report assesses information on the status of endangered West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) on the east coast of Florida and Georgia in the southeastern United States and recommends actions to improve protection of the species and its habitat in that area. Manatees on the east coast of Florida and Georgia appear to constitute a discrete population numbering perhaps 700 to 900 animals. Based on carcass-salvage data, recent annual mortality rates of between 8% and 10% are indicated. Perhaps 3% to 4% of the population was killed as a result of collisions with boats during 1987, and this threat appears to be increasing. Collisions with boats and destruction of essential habitat are the principal threats to the population. Recommendations include: quadruple the size of the boat-speed regulatory system on the east coast of Florida; limit development in essential manatee habitats; acquire additional manatee habitat as additions to Federal and State refuges and preserves.

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Help Evasion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Persson, Roger; Cleal, Bryan; Jakobsen, Mette Øllgaard

2014-01-01

Objective. To examine the relationship between self-efficacy and not wanting help to change health behaviors. Method. All employees in the Danish police department were invited to respond to an electronic questionnaire. All respondents expressing a desire to change health behaviors in relation...... to reporting that one did not want help. Conclusion. A high belief in one's own ability to change lifestyle behaviors in relation to smoking, alcohol, eating, and physical activity may lead to avoidance of help offers in a workplace setting. © 2013 Society for Public Health Education....

Hepatic and renal histology and mercury concentrations of North West and North East Greenland narwhals (Monodon monoceros)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Christian; Leifsson, Pall S.; Sondergaard, Jens

2018-01-01

subadult females, 8 adult females, 3 subadult males, and 1 adult male) and compare data with previous observations of 12 North West Greenland specimens (1 subadult female, 4 adult females, 1 subadult male, and 6 adult males). The zoological length was significantly larger and hepatic and renal...... of glomerular lesions (capillary dilatation [0–100%], membrane thickening [0–100%], dilatation of space [0–80%], and sclerosis [0–70%]) and two tubular lesions (atrophy/hyalinization [0–40%] and casts [0–60%]). Hepatic tissues exhibited three portal lesions (fibrosis [0–33%], cell infiltrates [0–40%], and bile...... duct proliferation [0–40%]) and two parenchymal lesions (steatosis [83–100%] and lipid-filled Ito cells [0–33%]). All 12 lesions were found in adult whales from North West Greenland while eight were present in adult whales from North East Greenland. Six lesions were detected in subadults from North...

Comparative assessment of geo dynamics processes of oil and gas production areas at the west and east boards of the south-Caspian depression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhardecki, A.V; Zhukov, V.S; Poloudin, G.A

2002-01-01

Full text: Alpine geosynclinals s belt including fold mountains up Carpathian and Crimea Mountainous to Copetdag and Pamirs divided to two unequal parts by the South-Caspian depression.Ashgabadian depression at the east side and Kyrian depression extends and get deeper at the east direction and transforms to South-Caspian depression. Large in number of oil and gas deposits and fields are situated at the areas of this depressions on the west and east boards of the South Caspian. They have a many common characteristics. They are:1.Anticline highs are form tectonic structure like a line. Lines was branching, anticline highs are shingling.2.Red color reservoir of the depression at the east board and production reservoir at the west board of the depression are the main oil and gas containing reservoirs and are stratigraphic analogy of the middle Pliocene age.3.Both side of the depression are areas of the diapiric folding and mud volcanic activity. 4.The intensive seismic activity.5 Marine gryphons, island and sandbank sometime appear and disappear at the littoral area. 6.The Caspian Sea level has quick changes at the geological history and present time.Thus, it is possible to mark two main factors of activation of the geo dynamic processes. First deformation terrestrial surface, and second -induced seismic activity. Comparing above mentioned data on western and east it is visible to boards of the South-Caspian hollow, that for want of availability of the large number identical tectonic of features there are essential distinctions in a character of induced geo dynamic activity. In the long term, in accordance with me development of oil deposits, it is possible to expect manifestation of both factors of activation of geo dynamic processes on both boards of the South-Caspian hollow

Effectiveness of self-help psychological interventions for treating and preventing postpartum depression: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Ping-Zhen; Xue, Jiao-Mei; Yang, Bei; Li, Meng; Cao, Feng-Lin

2018-04-04

Previous studies have reported different effect sizes for self-help interventions designed to reduce postpartum depression symptoms; therefore, a comprehensive quantitative review of the research was required. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the effectiveness of self-help interventions designed to treat and prevent postpartum depression, and identified nine relevant randomized controlled trials. Differences in depressive symptoms between self-help interventions and control conditions, changes in depressive symptoms following self-help interventions, and differences in postintervention recovery and improvement rates between self-help interventions and control conditions were assessed in separate analyses. In treatment trials, depression scores continued to decrease from baseline to posttreatment and follow-up assessment in treatment subgroups. Changes in treatment subgroups' depression scores from baseline to postintervention assessment were greater relative to those observed in prevention subgroups. Self-help interventions produced larger overall effects on postpartum depression, relative to those observed in control conditions, in posttreatment (Hedges' g = 0.51) and follow-up (Hedges' g = 0.32) assessments; and self-help interventions were significantly more effective, relative to control conditions, in promoting recovery from postpartum depression. Effectiveness in preventing depression did not differ significantly between self-help interventions and control conditions.The findings suggested that self-help interventions designed to treat postpartum depression reduced levels of depressive symptoms effectively and decreased the risk of postpartum depression.

Behavioral and Nondirective Guided Self-Help for Parents of Children with Externalizing Behavior: Mediating Mechanisms in a Head-To-Head Comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Katzmann, Josepha; Hautmann, Christopher; Greimel, Lisa; Imort, Stephanie; Pinior, Julia; Scholz, Kristin; Döpfner, Manfred

2017-05-01

Parent training (PT) delivered as a guided self-help intervention may be a cost- and time-effective intervention in the treatment of children with externalizing disorders. In face-to-face PT, parenting strategies have repeatedly been identified as mediating mechanisms for the decrease of children's problem behavior. Few studies have examined possible mediating effects in guided self-help interventions for parents. The present study aimed to investigate possible mediating variables of a behaviorally oriented guided self-help program for parents of children with externalizing problems compared to a nondirective intervention in a clinical sample. A sample of 110 parents of children with externalizing disorders (80 % boys) were randomized to either a behaviorally oriented or a nondirective guided self-help program. Four putative mediating variables were examined simultaneously in a multiple mediation model using structural equation modelling. The outcomes were child symptoms of ADHD and ODD as well as child externalizing problems, assessed at posttreatment. Analyses showed a significant indirect effect for dysfunctional parental attributions in favor of the group receiving the behavioral program, and significant effects of the behavioral program on positive and negative parenting and parental self-efficacy, compared to the nondirective intervention. Our results indicate that a decrease of dysfunctional parental attributions leads to a decrease of child externalizing problems when parents take part in a behaviorally oriented guided self-help program. However, none of the putative mediating variables could explain the decrease in child externalizing behavior problems in the nondirective group. A change in dysfunctional parental attributions should be considered as a possible mediator in the context of PT.

[Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker - supporter of the concept of the East German movement in favor of self-organization during the political turning point 1989/90].

Science.gov (United States)

Gebhardt, Gerd

2014-01-01

The luminosity of Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker's holistic thinking in the former German Democratic Republic (DDR) is reviewed. Broad-minded academics sought, in accordance with the modern paradigm of self-organization, beyond the ideological template for ways out of the dead end of incrustations of society and innovation blockages under the constraints of a dictatorship. Right after the fall of the wall, Weizsäcker willingly backed a "community of free researchers for self-organization" (Freie Forschungsgemeinschaft Selbstorganisation, FFGSO). This group, conceived as a nonpartisan "think tank" of civil activism, is also discussed. At a number of its meetings Weizsäcker debated the dangers of ideologically influenced science. The effectiveness of the dual leadership at his own Starnberg Institute, for instance, was stymied by the tensions arisen out of such conflicting aims. Against the voluntaristic anticipations of the mainstream in sociology, precisely that system proved to be more viable that was meant to be overcome: faulty and purportedly futureless capitalism. Weizsäcker repudiated social prognoses made in the absence of rules for their falsification resp. verification. Weizsäcker acted as a leading figure at the FFGSO's Potsdam conference, opened on 30 Mar. 1990, on the "DDR--and afterwards?". Its intention was in order to trigger a nationwide discussion of scientific scenarios in designing German unification in the face of gross practical disparities between East and West Germany. The Trust Agency inspired by the FFGSO at the Round Table between opposition and old government was supposed to transfer the national public property "Volkseigentum" of the DDR into private property of the East German citizens, to enable them to realize a role as subject through self-organization. At the group's request, Weizsäcker mediated the readiness by the Lutheran World Federation to assume the role of ombudsman in anticipation of conflicts of interest within the

Molecular Detection and Identification of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Ticks Collected from the West Bank, Palestinian Territories.

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Suheir Ereqat

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Tick-borne rickettsioses are caused by obligate intracellular bacteria belonging to the spotted fever group (SFG rickettsiae. Although Spotted Fever is prevalent in the Middle East, no reports for the presence of tick-borne pathogens are available or any studies on the epidemiology of this disease in the West Bank. We aimed to identify the circulating hard tick vectors and genetically characterize SFG Rickettsia species in ixodid ticks from the West Bank-Palestinian territories.A total of 1,123 ixodid ticks belonging to eight species (Haemaphysalis parva, Haemaphysalis adleri, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Hyalomma dromedarii, Hyalomma aegyptium and Hyalomma impeltatum were collected from goats, sheep, camels, dogs, a wolf, a horse and a tortoise in different localities throughout the West Bank during the period of January-April, 2014. A total of 867 ticks were screened for the presence of rickettsiae by PCR targeting a partial sequence of the ompA gene followed by sequence analysis. Two additional genes, 17 kDa and 16SrRNA were also targeted for further characterization of the detected Rickettsia species. Rickettsial DNA was detected in 148 out of the 867 (17% tested ticks. The infection rates in Rh. turanicus, Rh. sanguineus, H. adleri, H. parva, H. dromedarii, and H. impeltatum ticks were 41.7, 11.6, 16.7, 16.2, 11.8 and 20%, respectively. None of the ticks, belonging to the species Rh. bursa and H. aegyptium, were infected. Four SFG rickettsiae were identified: Rickettsia massiliae, Rickettsia africae, Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae and Candidatus Rickettsia goldwasserii.The results of this study demonstrate the geographic distribution of SFG rickettsiae and clearly indicate the presence of at least four of them in collected ticks. Palestinian clinicians should be aware of emerging tick-borne diseases in the West Bank, particularly infections due to R. massiliae and R. africae.

Helping While Learning: A Skilled Group Helper Training Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Smaby, Marlowe H.; Tamminen, Armas W.

1983-01-01

Describes a developmental group training workshop for training experienced counselors to do group counseling. Discusses stages of training including exploration, understanding, and action, which can help counselors learn helping skills for counseling that can often transfer to their own interpersonal lives and interactions with others. (JAC)

Satellite gravity gradient views help reveal the Antarctic lithosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Ferraccioli, F.; Ebbing, J.; Pappa, F.; Kern, M.; Forsberg, R.

2017-12-01

Here we present and analyse satellite gravity gradient signatures derived from GOCE and superimpose these on tectonic and bedrock topography elements, as well as seismically-derived estimates of crustal thickness for the Antarctic continent. The GIU satellite gravity component images the contrast between the thinner crust and lithosphere underlying the West Antarctic Rift System and the Weddell Sea Rift System and the thicker lithosphere of East Antarctica. The new images also suggest that more distributed wide-mode lithospheric and crustal extension affects both the Ross Sea Embayment and the less well known Ross Ice Shelf segment of the rift system. However, this pattern is less clear towards the Bellingshousen Embayment, indicating that the rift system narrows towards the southern edge of the Antarctic Peninsula. In East Antarctica, the satellite gravity data provides new views into the Archean to Mesoproterozoic Terre Adelie Craton, and clearly shows the contrast wrt to the crust and lithosphere underlying both the Wilkes Subglacial Basin to the east and the Sabrina Subglacial Basin to the west. This finding augments recent interpretations of aeromagnetic and airborne gravity data over the region, suggesting that the Mawson Continent is a composite lithospheric-scale entity, which was affected by several Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic orogenic events. Thick crust is imaged beneath the Transantarctic Mountains, the Terre Adelie Craton, the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains and also Eastern Dronning Maud Land, in particular beneath the recently proposed region of the Tonian Oceanic Arc Superterrane. The GIA and GIU components help delineate the edges of several of these lithospheric provinces. One of the most prominent lithospheric-scale features discovered in East Antarctica from satellite gravity gradient imaging is the Trans East Antarctic Shear Zone that separates the Gamburtsev Province from the Eastern Dronning Maud Land Province and appears to form the

Willingness to Seek Help as a Function of Self-Disclosure and Problem Severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinson, Janise A.; Swanson, Jane L.

1993-01-01

Examined effects of problem severity, amount of self-disclosure, and self-disclosure flexibility on willingness to seek help for problem. Findings from 101 college students indicated that factors that predicted greatest amount of variance in willingness to seek help were interaction of problem severity with willingness to self-disclose to…

Geologic and Engineering Characterization of East Ford Field, Reeves County, Texas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, Shirley P.; Flanders, William A.; Guzman, Jose I.; Zirczy, Helena

1999-08-16

The objective of this Class III project is to demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost-effective way to recover a higher percentage of the original oil in place through geologically based field development. The project focused on reservoir characterization of the East Ford unit, a representative Delaware Mountain Group field that produces from the upper Bell Canyon Formation (Ramsey Sandstone). The field, discovered in 1960, is operated by Oral Petco, Inc., as the East Ford unit: it contained an estimated 18.4 million barrels (MMbbl) of original oil in place.

Taiwanese students' gender, age, interdependent and independent self-construal, and collective self-esteem as predictors of professional psychological help-seeking attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Christine J

2002-02-01

Interdependent self-construal, collective self-esteem, age, and gender were used to predict attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among a sample of junior high, high school, and college students in Taiwan (N = 594). Self-construal, collective self-esteem, and help-seeking attitudes were measured by the Self-Construal Scale (T. M. Singelis, 1994), the Collective Self-Esteem Scale Revised (R. Luhtanen & J. Crocker, 1992), and the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (E. H. Fischer & J. L. Turner, 1970), respectively. By using stepwise regression, each of the independent factors with the exception of age significantly predicted the dependent variable, professional psychological help-seeking attitudes. Implications for counseling and future research are addressed.

Self-Injury, Help-Seeking, and the Internet: Informing Online Service Provision for Young People.

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, Mareka; Casey, Leanne; Rando, Natalie

2016-01-01

Although increasing numbers of young people are seeking help online for self-injury, relatively little is known about their online help-seeking preferences. To investigate the perspectives of young people who self-injure regarding online services, with the aim of informing online service delivery. A mixed-methods exploratory analysis regarding the perspectives of a subsample of young people who reported a history of self-injury and responded to questions regarding preferences for future online help-seeking (N = 457). The sample was identified as part of a larger study (N = 1,463) exploring self-injury and help-seeking. Seven themes emerged in relation to preferences for future online help-seeking: information, guidance, reduced isolation, online culture, facilitation of help-seeking, access, and privacy. Direct contact with a professional via instant messaging was the most highly endorsed form of online support. Young people expressed clear preferences regarding online services for self-injury, supporting the importance of consumer consultation in development of online services.

Taiwanese Students' Gender, Age, Interdependent and Independent Self-Construal, and Collective Self-Esteem as Predictors of Professional Psychological Help-Seeking Attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Christine J.

2002-01-01

Self-esteem, age, and gender were used to assess attitudes towards seeking psychological services among secondary school and college students. Self-esteem and gender significantly predicted students help-seeking attitudes. A counselor's knowledge of cultural perspectives of self-esteem, as they relate to help-seeking behaviors, will help with…

Up from Dependency: A New National Public Assistance Strategy. Supplement 3: A Self-Help Catalog.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotler, Martin; And Others

Self-help among low-income people is vitally important. In no area is self-help more important than in overcoming poverty's burdens and energizing the escape from poverty. This document comprises an inventory of self-help and mutual-help programs that feature active involvement of members of the low-income population. The programs in this…

The Self-Help Book in the Therapeutic Ontosphere: A Postmodern Paradox

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean Collingsworth

2014-10-01

Full Text Available he self-help book is a prominent cultural and commercial phenomenon in the therapeutic ontosphere which permeates contemporary life. The generic term 'ontosphere' is here co-opted from IT to describe a notional social space in which influential conceptualisations and shared assumptions about personal values and enti-tlements operate without interrogation in the demotic apprehension of "reality". It thus complements the established critical terms 'discourse' and 'episteme'. In the therapeutic ontosphere the normal vicissitudes of life are increasingly interpreted as personal catastrophes. As new issues of concern are defined, it is assumed that an individual will need help to deal with them and live successfully. Advice-giving has become big business and the self-help book is now an important post-modern commodity. However a paradox emerges when the content and ideology of this apparently postmodern artifact is examined. In its topical eclecticism the genre is indeed unaligned with those traditional 'grand narratives' and collective value systems which the postmodern critical project has sought to discredit. It endorses relativism, celebrates reflexivity and valorizes many kinds of 'personal truth'. Moreover readers are encouraged towards self-renovation through a process of 'bricolage' which involves selecting advice from a diverse ethical menu along-side which many 'little narratives' of localized lived experience are presented as supportive exemplars. However in asserting the pragmatic power of individual instrumentality in an episteme which has seen the critical decentering of the human subject, the self-help book perpetuates the liberal-humanist notion of an essential personal identity whose stable core is axiomatic in traditional ethical advice. And the heroic journey of self-actualization is surely the grandest of grand narratives: the monomyth. Thus the telic self-help book presents the critical theorist with something of a paradox.

Measuring the Self-Stigma Associated with Seeking Psychological Help

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, David L.; Wade, Nathaniel G.; Haake, Shawn

2006-01-01

Self-stigma is an important factor in people's decisions not to engage in therapy. To measure this construct, the authors developed the 10-item Self-Stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH) scale. In Study 1 (n = 583), the SSOSH had a unidimensional factor structure and good reliability (0.91) among participants. Study 2 (n = 470) confirmed the factor…

Group problem-solving skills training for self-harm: randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

McAuliffe, Carmel; McLeavey, Breda C; Fitzgerald, Tony; Corcoran, Paul; Carroll, Bernie; Ryan, Louise; O'Keeffe, Brian; Fitzgerald, Eva; Hickey, Portia; O'Regan, Mary; Mulqueen, Jillian; Arensman, Ella

2014-01-01

Rates of self-harm are high and have recently increased. This trend and the repetitive nature of self-harm pose a significant challenge to mental health services. To determine the efficacy of a structured group problem-solving skills training (PST) programme as an intervention approach for self-harm in addition to treatment as usual (TAU) as offered by mental health services. A total of 433 participants (aged 18-64 years) were randomly assigned to TAU plus PST or TAU alone. Assessments were carried out at baseline and at 6-week and 6-month follow-up and repeated hospital-treated self-harm was ascertained at 12-month follow-up. The treatment groups did not differ in rates of repeated self-harm at 6-week, 6-month and 12-month follow-up. Both treatment groups showed significant improvements in psychological and social functioning at follow-up. Only one measure (needing and receiving practical help from those closest to them) showed a positive treatment effect at 6-week (P = 0.004) and 6-month (P = 0.01) follow-up. Repetition was not associated with waiting time in the PST group. This brief intervention for self-harm is no more effective than treatment as usual. Further work is required to establish whether a modified, more intensive programme delivered sooner after the index episode would be effective.

Depression, Help-Seeking and Self-Recognition of Depression among Dominican, Ecuadorian and Colombian Immigrant Primary Care Patients in the Northeastern United States

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Susan Caplan

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Latinos, the largest minority group in the United States, experience mental health disparities, which include decreased access to care, lower quality of care and diminished treatment engagement. The purpose of this cross-sectional study of 177 Latino immigrants in primary care is to identify demographic factors, attitudes and beliefs, such as stigma, perceived stress, and ethnic identity that are associated with depression, help-seeking and self-recognition of depression. Results indicated that 45 participants (25% had depression by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9 criteria. Factors most likely to be associated with depression were: poverty; difficulty in functioning; greater somatic symptoms, perceived stress and stigma; number of chronic illnesses; and poor or fair self-rated mental health. Fifty-four people endorsed help-seeking. Factors associated with help-seeking were: female gender, difficulty in functioning, greater somatic symptoms, severity of depression, having someone else tell you that you have an emotional problem, and poor or fair self-rated mental health. Factors most likely to be associated with self-recognition were the same, but also included greater perceived stress. This manuscript contributes to the literature by examining attitudinal factors that may be associated with depression, help-seeking and self-recognition among subethnic groups of Latinos that are underrepresented in research studies.

Distribution and conservation of three important bird groups of the Atlantic Forest in north-east Brazil

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G. A. Pereira

Full Text Available Abstract The Pernambuco Endemism Center in north-east Brazil has the most fragmented forest cover and the largest number of threatened birds of the whole Atlantic Forest. We analyzed the distribution of three groups of bird species: forest-dependent, endemic and/or threatened using the interpolation method of Inverse Distance Weighting. We also checked the concentration of these birds in protected and unprotected areas, suggesting new sites that need to be protected. The richness concentration of forest-dependent, endemic and/or threatened birds in 123 sites were analysed. There was a greater concentration of the three groups in north Alagoas, south and north Pernambuco, and north and west Paraíba. The distribution of the three groups was almost regular in different vegetation types, although a lower concentration was found in the pioneer formation. There was a greater concentration of birds from all three groups between Pernambuco and Alagoas, and this must be due to the presence of more forest fragments with better structure and vegetation heterogeneity. The protected and unprotected areas hosted important records of endemic and/or threatened birds. We suggested some important places for implementation of new protected areas due to the larger concentrations of the target birds and because they are located within the boundaries of the Important Bird Areas.

Revisiting the West Clearwater Lake Impact Structure, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Osinski, G. R.; Brunner, A.; Collins, G.; Cohen, B. A.; Coulter, A.; Elphic, R.; Grieve, R. A. F.; Hodges, K.; Horne, A.; Kerrigan, M.

2015-01-01

The West and East Clearwater Lake impact structures are two of the most distinctive and recognizable impact structures on Earth. Known regionally as the "Clearwater Lake Complex", these structures are located in northern Quebec, Canada (56 deg 10 N, 74 deg 20 W) approximately 125 km east of Hudson Bay. The currently accepted diameters are 36 km and 26 km for the West and East structures, respectively. Long thought to represent a rare example of a double impact, recent age dating has called this into question with ages of approximately 286 Ma and approximately 460-470 Ma being proposed for the West and East structures, respectively. Relatively little is known about the East Clearwater Lake structure. There is no surface exposure and what information there is comes from geophysics and two drill cores obtained in the 1960s. In contrast, the West Clearwater Lake structure is relatively well preserved with large ring of islands in the approximately 30 km diameter lake. Much of the work done on West Clearwater stems from field investigations carried out in 1977 driven by the Apollo program, with a focus on the impact melt rocks and other impactites, which are well exposed on the ring of islands. To our knowledge, the Clearwater Lake impact structures have not been the focus of detailed impact geology field investigations since the 1977 expedition and the only geological map that exists is from the 1960s and is at the reconnaissance level. Our knowledge of impact cratering processes have increased substantially since this time, as have the analytical techniques available for samples. This provided the motivation for a joint Canadian-US-UK expedition to the West Clearwater Lake impact structure in August and September 2015, under the auspices of the FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration) project, part of NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). We focus here on the impactites of the West Clearwater Lake

OPERATIVE GROUP: EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE AS AN EXPRESSION FOR SELF-CARE IN DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Almeida Maia

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The goal is to understand the views of users with type 2 diabetes about their participation in the operating groups and the impact of self-care practices. This is a qualitative descriptive- exploratory held in three basic health units of the sanitary district east of Belo Horizonte and involved the participation of 18 users in 2011. The speeches of the users were analyzed based on content analysis, identifying the categories: exchange of experience, education for self- care, assessment of user participation in the operative groups, Feelings and links between professionals and users. It was noted that the operational groups provided the construction of knowledge through listening, reflection and questioning of reality where the user identified the importance of knowledge about diet, physical activity and treatment. We found that health actions implemented through the operational groups encourage users to think about your lifestyle, characterized as a tool in health education from the perspective of promotion, prevention and control.

Inferring the emotions of friends versus strangers: the role of culture and self-construal.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma-Kellams, Christine; Blascovich, Jim

2012-07-01

Three studies examined cross-cultural differences in empathic accuracy (the ability to correctly infer another's emotional experience) within the context of different relationships. East-West cultural differences in self-construal were hypothesized to differentiate levels of empathic accuracy across relationship types. In contrast to the independent self prevalent among members of Western cultures, members of Eastern cultures generally view the self as interdependent with those with whom they have a relationship. Easterners, relative to Westerners, are more concerned with the thoughts or feelings of close others and less concerned with the thoughts or feelings of those with whom they have no relational link (i.e., strangers). Across three studies, the authors found that East Asians, compared with European Americans, made more accurate inferences regarding the emotions of close others (i.e., friends), but less accurate inferences regarding the emotions of strangers. Furthermore, individual differences in interdependent self-construal among East Asians predicted the degree of empathic accuracy.

Regele Mihai între „est” și „vest”. Percepții, poziționări, simboluri (King Michael between east and west. Perceptions, positionings, symbols

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru MURARU

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article investigates three strategic directions within the political perceptions of Romanian King Michael involving the East/West paradigm. The article will try to highlight the main positioning, both in Exile and the complicated recent history, immediately after the December 1989 events. King Michael’s relations with Western powers and attitude throughout Romania after 1989, the fate of Bessarabia as a direct „confrontation” between East -West and the significances of the „August 23” Act in reshaping the post-revolutionary memorial debate, represent three fundamental perspectives in understanding the „East” and „West” thinking of the Romanian monarch. These three themes, rich in meanings, have three major connotations: moral, geographic and memorials. Each of them are explained and decrypted with many examples, quotes, and historical and geographical references.

The self-help literature and the power of the mind

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica Bernardo Schettini Marques

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to offer a better understanding of the self-help literature, perceiving its appeals and meanings to the public. Two special moments in the history of self-help books are analyzed: the productions of New Thought authors and contemporary mentalists publications. We pay attention to the recurrence of the old topics of the American movement in the latest production, realizing that the idea of mind power, which was in the basis of the movement, remains strong and connected to individualism and the demands of contemporary society.

Financial Stress, Self-Efficacy, and Financial Help-Seeking Behavior of College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, HanNa; Heckman, Stuart J.; Letkiewicz, Jodi C.; Montalto, Catherine P.

2014-01-01

Financial stress and self-efficacy are examined in relationship to college students' financial help-seeking behavior utilizing Grable and Joo's (1999) framework. A cognitive approach is taken by focusing on the moderating role of financial self-efficacy on the relationship between financial stress and financial help-seeking. Data from the 2010…

Linking self and group: cognitive routes to self-group overlap as driving forces of group phenomena

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Veelen, Ruth; Otten, Sabine

2014-01-01

Group affiliation implies that there is overlap in the mental representations of seld and group. Combining research on social cognition and group processes, this symposium brings together various perspectives on self-group overlap and its consequences for intra- and intergroup phenomena.

Cooperation between West and East German gas transmission companies - an example of collaboration with Eastern European gas suppliers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geweke, J.

1994-01-01

In the future, it can be assumed there will be a new quality of co-operation between the East and the West. The tremendous growth in demand for natural gas in Europe necessitates the development of new, increasingly distant gas resources. The investment required can not be raised by a few countries on their own. A strategy is needed for all states integrated in the European natural gas transmission system. Due to their geographic location, Eastern and Southern European countries have a key role to play. Central Europe will become the heart of the international natural gas business. Then the future co-operation between East and Western Europe must be taken into account. An important prerequisite for equal partners in the European gas industry will be coordination, if natural gas is to continue to make a growing contribution to an environmentally compatible and efficient energy supply in all European states and beyond. (orig.)

ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE SURVEY REPORT FOR WEST BLACK OAK RIDGE, EAST BLACK OAK RIDGE, MCKINNEY RIDGE, WEST PINE RIDGE, AND PARCEL 21D IN THE VICINITY OF THE EAST TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGY PARK, OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

David A. King

2012-11-29

This environmental baseline survey (EBS) report documents the baseline environmental conditions of five land parcels located near the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), including West Black Oak Ridge, East Black Oak Ridge, McKinney Ridge, West Pine Ridge, and Parcel 21d. The goal is to obtain all media no-further-investigation (NFI) determinations for the subject parcels considering existing soils. To augment the existing soils-only NFI determinations, samples of groundwater, surface water, soil, and sediment were collected to support all media NFI decisions. The only updates presented here are those that were made after the original issuance of the NFI documents. In the subject parcel where the soils NFI determination was not completed for approval (Parcel 21d), the full process has been performed to address the soils as well. Preparation of this report included the detailed search of federal government records, title documents, aerial photos that may reflect prior uses, and visual inspections of the property and adjacent properties. Interviews with current employees involved in, or familiar with, operations on the real property were also conducted to identify any areas on the property where hazardous substances and petroleum products, or their derivatives, and acutely hazardous wastes may have been released or disposed. In addition, a search was made of reasonably obtainable federal, state, and local government records of each adjacent facility where there has been a release of any hazardous substance or any petroleum product or their derivatives, including aviation fuel and motor oil, and which is likely to cause or contribute to a release of any hazardous substance or any petroleum product or its derivatives, including aviation fuel or motor oil, on the real property. A radiological survey and soil/sediment sampling was conducted to assess baseline conditions of Parcel 21d that were not addressed by the soils-only NFI

Demonstrating knowledge : The effects of group status on outgroup helping

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Leeuwen, Esther; Täuber, Susanne

We examined, in two experiments, the notion that members of low status groups, more than members of high status groups, use outgroup helping as a strategic tool to demonstrate their group's knowledge and boost its reputation. In Study 1 (N=103), we compared outgroup helping in response to requests

Delivering Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Weight Self-Stigma through Guided Self-Help: Results from an Open Pilot Trial

OpenAIRE

Levin, Michael E.; Potts, Sarah; Haeger, Jack; Lillis, Jason

2017-01-01

Weight self-stigma is a promising target for innovative interventions seeking to improve outcomes among overweight/obese individuals. Preliminary research suggests acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) may be an effective approach for reducing weight self-stigma, but a guided self-help version of this intervention may improve broad dissemination. This pilot open trial sought to evaluate the potential acceptability and efficacy of a guided self-help ACT intervention, included coaching and a ...

Self-help cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Fiona Yan-Yee; Chung, Ka-Fai; Yeung, Wing-Fai; Ng, Tommy H; Kwan, Ka-Shing; Yung, Kam-Ping; Cheng, Sammy K

2015-02-01

Self-help cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an increasingly popular treatment option for insomnia. The objective of this meta-analysis was to compile an up-to-date evaluation on the efficacy, adherence, acceptability and dropout rate of self-help CBT for insomnia. We systematically searched six key electronic databases up until May 2013. Two researchers independently selected relevant publications, extracted data, and evaluated methodological quality according to the Cochrane criteria. Twenty randomized controlled trials were included; 10 of which were published after the last review up until January 2007. Meta-analysis of self-help CBT vs. waiting-list, routine care or no treatment was performed. Results showed that self-help CBT improved sleep, sleep-related cognitions and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Effect sizes for sleep-diary-derived sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, and wake after sleep onset at immediate posttreatment were 0.80, 0.66, and 0.55, respectively. The average dropout rate of self-help CBT at immediate posttreatment was 14.5%, which was not significantly different from the 16.7% in therapist-administered CBT. Subgroup analyses supported the added benefit of telephone consultation. In conclusion, self-help CBT is efficacious and acceptable as an entry level of a stepped care model for insomnia. In places where face-to-face treatments are unavailable or too costly, self-help CBT can be considered as a compromise. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Link between environmental air pollution and allergic asthma: East meets West.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qingling; Qiu, Zhiming; Chung, Kian Fan; Huang, Shau-Ku

2015-01-01

With the levels of outdoor air pollution from industrial and motor vehicle emissions rising rapidly in the fastly-industrializing countries of South East Asia, the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases has also been increasing to match those in the West. Epidemiological and experimental exposure studies indicate a harmful impact of outdoor air pollution from vehicles and factories both on the development of allergic diseases and asthma and the increase in asthma symptoms and exacerbations. The level of outdoor pollution in Asia is much higher and more diverse than those encountered in Western countries. This may increase the impact of outdoor pollution on health, particularly lung health in Asia. This review discusses the constituents of air pollution in Asia with a special focus on studies in mainland China and Taiwan where the levels of pollution have reached high levels and where such high levels particularly in winter can cause a thick haze that reduces visibility. The onus remains on regulatory and public health authorities to curb the sources of pollution so that the health effects on the population particularly those with lung and cardiovascular diseases and with increased susceptibility can be mitigated.

Between East and West: polio vaccination across the Iron Curtain in Cold War Hungary.

Science.gov (United States)

Vargha, Dora

2014-01-01

In 1950s Hungary, with an economy and infrastructure still devastated from World War II and facing further hardships, thousands of children became permanently disabled and many died in the severe polio epidemic that shook the globe. The relatively new communist regime invested significantly in solving the public health crisis, initially importing a vaccine from the West and later turning to the East for a new solution. Through the history of polio vaccination in Hungary, this article shows how Cold War politics shaped vaccine evaluation and implementation in the 1950s. On the one hand, the threat of polio created a safe place for hitherto unprecedented, open cooperation among governments and scientific communities on the two sides of the Iron Curtain. On the other hand, Cold War rhetoric influenced scientific evaluation of vaccines, choices of disease prevention, and ultimately the eradication of polio.

Law Enforcement Against Fighting Group By Native In West Papua

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irna Indira Ratih

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The fundamental research conducted by looking at the phenomenon of group fights and how ethnocentrism and conflict influence each other indigenous ethnic groups in West Papua. This study used descriptive qualitative method, through field studies (in-depth interviews and literature study. The results showed that with a low level of understanding of the history of the conflict supported ever experienced by the perpetrators of communication, there is a trend of negative information transformation process to be effective. So as to absorb the negative information, aspects of ethnocentrism group members appear. The emergence of these aspects lead to the awareness and solidarity groups to join forces in-group. Other findings also showed that the factors causing conflict among indigenous ethnic groups in West Papua can be summarized in two points, namely; The first tendency puts another group at a level lower social interaction, and the second is the attempt appointment of existence itself by an ethnic group seeking recognition coupled behavior (respect from inside and outside the group by scapegoating other groups. In the indigenous ethnic group communication, attitude and behavior aspects play a role in the formation of a negative message, based on the main factors. The tendency of formation of the group because of its frequency along the occurring hereditary. Related conflict and ethnocentrism, can be drawn that the results of the analysis found the substance also major causal relationship. Where, a communal conflict can result from the manifestation of ethnocentrism aspects into forms of behavior conflict. In contrast with the presence of conflict can also strengthen or weaken ethnocentrism.

Evolution of helping and harming in heterogeneous groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, António M M; Gardner, Andy

2013-08-01

Social groups are often composed of individuals who differ in many respects. Theoretical studies on the evolution of helping and harming behaviors have largely focused upon genetic differences between individuals. However, nongenetic variation between group members is widespread in natural populations, and may mediate differences in individuals' social behavior. Here, we develop a framework to study how variation in individual quality mediates the evolution of unconditional and conditional social traits. We investigate the scope for the evolution of social traits that are conditional on the quality of the actor and/or recipients. We find that asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of plastic traits with different individuals expressing helping and harming traits within the same group. In this context, population viscosity can mediate the evolution of social traits, and local competition can promote both helping and harming behaviors. Furthermore, asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of competition-like traits between clonal individuals. Overall, we highlight the importance of asymmetries in individual quality, including differences in reproductive value and the ability to engage in successful social interactions, in mediating the evolution of helping and harming behaviors. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Helping the self help others: self-affirmation increases self-compassion and pro-social behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsay, Emily K; Creswell, J David

2014-01-01

Reflecting on an important personal value in a self-affirmation activity has been shown to improve psychological functioning in a broad range of studies, but the underlying mechanisms for these self-affirmation effects are unknown. Here we provide an initial test of a novel self-compassion account of self-affirmation in two experimental studies. Study 1 shows that an experimental manipulation of self-affirmation (3-min of writing about an important personal value vs. writing about an unimportant value) increases feelings of self-compassion, and these feelings in turn mobilize more pro-social behaviors to a laboratory shelf-collapse incident. Study 2 tests and extends these effects by evaluating whether self-affirmation increases feelings of compassion toward the self (consistent with the self-compassion account) or increases feelings of compassion toward others (an alternative other-directed compassion account), using a validated storytelling behavioral task. Consistent with a self-compassion account, Study 2 demonstrates the predicted self-affirmation by video condition interaction, indicating that self-affirmation participants had greater feelings of self-compassion in response to watching their own storytelling performance (self-compassion) compared to watching a peer's storytelling performance (other-directed compassion). Further, pre-existing levels of trait self-compassion moderated this effect, such that self-affirmation increased self-compassionate responses the most in participants low in trait self-compassion. This work suggests that self-compassion may be a promising mechanism for self-affirmation effects, and that self-compassionate feelings can mobilize pro-social behaviors.

Bankruptcy and Voluntary Liquidation: Evidence for New Firms in East and West Germany after Unification

OpenAIRE

Prantl, Susanne

2003-01-01

Exploiting the unique economic situation after German unification, I investigate how exit decisions deviate between new firms in a transition and a comparatively stable market environment. Two competing exit mechanisms are considered: entrepreneurial self-selection via voluntary liquidation and external selection based on insolvency regulation. Distinguishing between the competing exit modes proves to be crucial in semi-parametric propor- tional hazard-rate estimations. Comparing East and Wes...

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Help Evasion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Persson, Roger; Cleal, Bryan; Jakobsen, Mette Øllgaard

2014-01-01

Objective. To examine the relationship between self-efficacy and not wanting help to change health behaviors. Method. All employees in the Danish police department were invited to respond to an electronic questionnaire. All respondents expressing a desire to change health behaviors in relation to...

Self-Concealment Mediates the Relationship Between Perfectionism and Attitudes Toward Seeking Psychological Help Among Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdollahi, Abbas; Hosseinian, Simin; Beh-Pajooh, Ahmad; Carlbring, Per

2017-01-01

One of the biggest barriers in treating adolescents with mental health problems is their refusing to seek psychological help. This study was designed to examine the relationships between two forms of perfectionism, self-concealment and attitudes toward seeking psychological help and to test the mediating role of self-concealment in the relationship between perfectionism and attitudes toward seeking psychological help among Malaysian high school students. The participants were 475 Malaysian high school students from four high schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Structural equation modelling results indicated that high school students with high levels of socially prescribed perfectionism, high levels of self-concealment, and low levels of self-oriented perfectionism reported negative attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Bootstrapping analysis showed that self-concealment emerged as a significant, full mediator in the link between socially prescribed perfectionism and attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Moderated mediation analysis also examined whether the results generalized across men and women. The results revealed that male students with socially prescribed perfectionism are more likely to engage in self-concealment, which in turn, leads to negative attitudes toward seeking psychological help more than their female counterparts. The results suggested that students high in socially prescribed perfectionism were more likely to engage in self-concealment and be less inclined to seek psychological help.

An Internet-based self-help intervention for people with HIV and depressive symptoms: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

van Luenen, Sanne; Kraaij, Vivian; Spinhoven, Philip; Garnefski, Nadia

2016-03-31

Many people living with HIV suffer from depressive symptoms. In a previous pilot study, self-help cognitive behavioral therapy (in booklet format) was found to be effective in treating depressive symptoms in people with HIV. We developed an online self-help program in Dutch and English (based on the booklet) for people with HIV and depressive symptoms. Besides the main question regarding the effectiveness of the program aimed at lowering depressive symptoms, sub-questions will focus on the moderators of treatment success (for which patients is the program especially beneficial?) and the mechanisms of change underlying the treatment outcome (which mediators affect the outcome of treatment?). In this paper, the protocol of the study will be described. The effectiveness of the program will be investigated by comparing the intervention group with a waiting list-control group in a randomized controlled design, by including a pretest and three post-tests. The self-help program contains four main components: activation, relaxation, changing maladaptive cognitions, and goal attainment. Participants with mild to moderate depressive symptoms will work on the program for 6 to 10 weeks, during which a coach will provide motivational support by telephone once a week. Participants in the control condition will receive weekly minimal support from a coach for 8 weeks, and after the second post-test, they can gain access to the self-help program. Depressive symptoms and possible mediators (e.g., activation, cognitive coping, self-efficacy, and goal adjustment) will be assessed by self-report three times during the intervention/waiting period and at the pretest and first post-test. The proposed study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online self-help intervention for people with HIV and depressive symptoms. If the intervention is shown to be effective, the program will be implemented. Consequently, many patients with HIV could be reached, and their psychological care may be

Helping the self help others: Self-affirmation increases self-compassion and pro-social behaviors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily K Lindsay

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Reflecting on an important personal value in a self-affirmation activity has been shown to improve psychological functioning in a broad range of studies, but the underlying mechanisms for these self-affirmation effects are unknown. Here we provide an initial test of a novel self-compassion account of self-affirmation in two experimental studies. Study 1 shows that an experimental manipulation of self-affirmation (3-minutes of writing about an important personal value versus writing about an unimportant value increases feelings of self-compassion, and these feelings in turn mobilize more pro-social behaviors to a laboratory shelf-collapse incident. Study 2 tests and extends these effects by evaluating whether self-affirmation increases feelings of compassion toward the self (consistent with the self-compassion account or increases feelings of compassion toward others (an alternative other-directed compassion account, using a validated storytelling behavioral task. Consistent with a self-compassion account, Study 2 demonstrates the predicted self-affirmation by video condition interaction, indicating that self-affirmation participants had greater feelings of self-compassion in response to watching their own storytelling performance (self-compassion compared to watching a peer’s storytelling performance (other-directed compassion. Further, pre-existing levels of trait self-compassion moderated this effect, such that self-affirmation increased self-compassionate responses the most in participants low in trait self-compassion. This work suggests that self-compassion may be a promising mechanism for self-affirmation effects, and that self-compassionate feelings can mobilize pro-social behaviors.

Snow Control - An RCT protocol for a web-based self-help therapy to reduce cocaine consumption in problematic cocaine users

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sullivan Robin

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cocaine use has increased in most European countries, including Switzerland, and many states worldwide. The international literature has described treatment models that target the general population. In addition to supplying informative measures at the level of primary and secondary prevention, the literature also offers web-based self-help tools for problematic substance users, which is in line with tertiary prevention. Such programs, however, have been primarily tested on individuals with problematic alcohol and cannabis consumption, but not on cocaine-dependent individuals. Methods/Design This paper presents the protocol of a randomised clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a web-based self-help therapy to reduce cocaine use in problematic cocaine users. The primary outcome is severity of cocaine dependence. Secondary outcome measures include cocaine craving, consumption of cocaine and other substances of abuse in the past month, and changes in depression characteristics. The therapy group will receive a 6-week self-help therapy to reduce cocaine consumption based on methods of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, principles of Motivational Interviewing and self-control practices. The control group will be presented weekly psycho-educative information with a quiz. The predictive validity of participant characteristics on treatment retention and outcome will be explored. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first randomised clinical trial to test the effectiveness of online self-help therapy to reduce or abstain from cocaine use. It will also investigate predictors of outcome and retention. This trial is registered at Current Controlled Trials and is traceable as NTR-ISRCTN93702927.

Effectiveness of TB sensitization initiatives in improving the involvement of self help group members in rural TB control in south India.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Beena; Priscilla Rebecca, B; Dhanalakshmi, A; Rani, S; Deepa Lakshmi, A; Watson, Basilea; Vijayalakshmi, R; Muniyandi, M; Karikalan, N

2016-12-01

The 'End TB strategy' has highlighted the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration and community mobilization for achieving zero TB deaths by 2020. The aim of the study was to develop and test a model TB sensitization programme involving self help groups (SHGs). This experimental study was conducted in two blocks (intervention and control), in Tiruvallur district. The intervention content included short-lecture, musical story telling activity, role play, short film on TB. The impact was compared at baseline, third and sixth months in terms of SHGs' awareness, promotion of awareness, identification and referral of presumptive TB cases and provision of TB treatment. A total of 764 vs 796 SHGs were enrolled in control and intervention groups, respectively. The knowledge attitude, and practice score (lower score indicated a better attitude and practice), from baseline to 6 months was significantly reduced (29 to 24) in the intervention group. Similarly, a significant difference was observed in identification and referral of chest symptomatics in the intervention group at 3 and 6 months. During the 3 month follow-up a significantly higher proportion of SHG members were involved in TB awareness activities in the intervention (623/748 [83.3%]) vs control group (471/728 [64.7%]; p<0.001). Findings from this study highlight the feasibility of involving SHGs through a model TB sensitization program for strengthening TB prevention and control activities. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A review of ethylphenidate in deaths in east and west Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Parks, Claire; McKeown, Denise; Torrance, Hazel J

2015-12-01

known to the authors, this is the first review of post-mortem cases involving the use of ethylphenidate in East and West Scotland. This study can be used as a guide for toxicologists and pathologists when interpreting cases which are positive for ethylphenidate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

User-experiences with a web-based self-help intervention for partners of cancer patients based on acceptance and commitment therapy and self-compassion: a qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadine Köhle

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Partners of cancer patients are the cornerstone of supportive cancer care. They assume different roles and responsibilities that optimally support the patient. Such support is highly demanding, and many partners report (mental health problems. However, many of them do not use professional supportive care themselves. Offering a Web-based self-help intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT and self-compassion could be an important resource to support this group. This qualitative study aimed to examine user-experiences with a Web-based self-help intervention based on ACT and self-compassion among partners of cancer patients. Methods Individual in-depth interviews, about partners’ appreciation of the intervention and lessons learned, were conducted with 14 partners of cancer patients who used the Web-based self-help intervention. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed by three independent coders both deductively and inductively. Results In general, partners appreciated the intervention, however, they also expressed ambivalent feelings towards peer support, the content of the feedback of their counselor, and the ‘tunneled’ structure of the intervention. The majority of the partners reported being more self-compassionate accepting that they experienced negative thoughts and feelings, they reported that they learned to increase the distance between their thoughts and themselves, they indicated being more aware of their personal values, and they thought that they were better able to commit to those values. They also reported other (non-specific helpful processes such as insight and acknowledgement, positivity, the possibility to tell their story, time for themselves, and feeling closer and more connected with their partner (the patient. Conclusions Partners of cancer patients indicated to appreciate the Web-based self-help intervention based on ACT and self-compassion. They felt

Promoting group empowerment and self-reliance through participatory research: a case study of people with physical disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, R; Bhagwanjee, A

1999-07-01

Despite the growing popularity of the empowerment construct among social scientists, relatively few empowerment studies involving groupwork with people with physical disabilities exist. This article accordingly describes and analyses the organic development of the empowerment process within a spinal cord injury self-help group, set against the backdrop of policy imperatives for disability in post-apartheid South Africa. The treatise on the group empowerment process is located within the context of a group evaluation conducted within a participatory research framework. Key variables informing the research approach included: quality of participation, control over resources and decision-making, shift in critical consciousness and understanding, malleability of roles within the group and role of the health professional. Group members assumed ownership of group management and decision-making and shifted from a professionally-led to a peer-led self-help group. Group objectives changed from providing mutual support to community education and outreach activities. The role of the health professional shifted from group facilitator to invited consultant. This case study demonstrates how group participation, promoted by a critically informed therapeutic and research praxis, can unlock the inherent potential for self-reliance and empowerment of socially marginalized collectives. It offers important insights with regard to group process, participatory research and the role of the health professional in creating opportunities for empowerment and self-reliance of people with disability.

East is east and west is west and never the twain shall meet: Work engagement and workaholism across Eastern and Western cultures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hu, Q.; Schaufeli, Wilmar; Taris, Toon; Hessen, Dave; Hakanen, J.J.; Salanova, M.; Shimazu, Akihito

2014-01-01

This article compares the mean levels of work engagement and workaholism across two cultures (East Asia and Western Europe) by using a latent variable approach. Data were collected in Western Europe in the Netherlands (N = 10,162), Spain (N = 3,481), and Finland (N = 3,472) and in East Asia in China

Consumer views on a new holistic screening tool for supportive and palliative-care needs: Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral for Care (SPARC): a survey of self-help support groups in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Philippa; Ahmed, Nisar; Winslow, Michelle; Walters, Stephen J; Collins, Karen; Noble, Bill

2015-08-01

Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral for Care (SPARC) was developed in response to concerns that palliative care may not be reaching all people who could benefit from it. Acceptability of the tool is an important step in developing its future use. To elicit the views of a wide variety of members of consumer and self-help support groups concerned with health care on the relevance, acceptability and the overall perception of using SPARC as an early holistic needs assessment tool in supportive and palliative care. This study was conducted in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire (UK). Ninety-nine consumer and self-help groups were identified from information in the public domain. Thirty-eight groups participated. Packs containing study information and self-complete postal questionnaires were distributed to groups, and they were asked to circulate these to their members. Completed questionnaires were returned in pre-paid envelopes to the research team. 135 questionnaires and feedback forms were returned. The majority of respondents found SPARC easy to understand (93% (120/129; 95% Confidence Interval 87% to 96%) and complete (94% (125/133; 95% CI: 88% to 97%). A minority, 12.2% (16/131), of respondents found questions on SPARC 'too sensitive'. Overall, respondents considered SPARC an acceptable and relevant tool for clinical assessment of supportive and palliative-care needs. Whilst a small minority of people found SPARC difficult to understand (i.e. patients with cognitive impairments), most categories of service user found it relevant. Clinical studies are necessary to establish the clinical utility of SPARC. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Help Evasion

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, Roger; Cleal, Bryan; Jakobsen, Mette Øllgaard; Villadsen, Ebbe; Andersen, Lars L.

2014-01-01

Objective: To examine the relationship between self-efficacy and not wanting help to change health behaviors. Method: All employees in the Danish police department were invited to respond to an electronic questionnaire. All respondents expressing a desire to change health behaviors in relation to smoking ("n" = 845), alcohol…

The effect of a community-based self-help multimodal behavioral intervention in Korean American seniors with high blood pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kim B; Han, Hae-Ra; Huh, Boyun; Nguyen, Tam; Lee, Hochang; Kim, Miyong T

2014-09-01

Great strides have been made in improving heart health in the United States during the last 2 decades, yet these strides have not encompassed many ethnic minority populations. There are significant health disparity gaps stemming from both a paucity of valid research and a lack of culturally sensitive interventions. In particular, many Korean Americans with chronic illnesses encounter difficulty navigating the healthcare system because of limited health literacy. The effect of a multimodal Self-Help Intervention Program on the Control of High Blood Pressure (HBP) was tested in a community-based clinical trial for Korean American seniors. Of 440 seniors enrolled, 369 completed the study (184 in the intervention group and 185 in the control group; mean age = 70.9±5.3 years). The intervention group received 6 weekly educational sessions on HBP management skill building, including health literacy training, followed by telephone counseling and home blood pressure (BP) monitoring for 12 months. Findings support that the Self-Help Intervention Program on the Control of HBP was effective in controlling BP in this ethnic/linguistic minority population. The BP control rates for the intervention and control groups were 49.5% vs. 43.2% at baseline, 58.5% vs. 42.4% at 6 months, 67.9% vs. 52.5% at 12 months, and 54.3% vs. 53.0% at 18 months. Significant changes were observed over time in some psychobehavioral outcomes, including self-efficacy for BP control, medication adherence behavior, HBP knowledge, and depression. The study findings suggest that the multimodal Self-Help Intervention Program on the Control of HBP is effective at promoting optimal HBP control for this ethnic/linguistic minority population. NCT00406614. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2014. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cultural Adaptation of a Cognitive Behavior Therapy Guided Self-Help Program for Mexican American Women with Binge Eating Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Shea, Munyi; Cachelin, Fary; Uribe, Luz; Striegel, Ruth H.; Thompson, Douglas; Wilson, G. Terence

2012-01-01

Data on the compatibility of evidence-based treatment in ethnic minority groups are limited. This study utilized focus group interviews to elicit Mexican American women's (N = 12) feedback on a cognitive behavior therapy guided self-help program for binge eating disorders. Findings revealed 6 themes to be considered during the cultural adaptation…

To Receive from the Rich or the Poor: Effects on the Recipient’s Self Esteem and Subsequent Self-Help Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

A 2 (aid vs. no aid) x 2 (high vs. low resource potential donor) factorial design tested the effects of aid and donor resources on recipient self ...to self - esteem inherent in aid and subsequent self -help is discussed in terms of self - esteem theory. (Modified author abstract)...perceptions and subsequent self -help behavior. The results were characterized by interactions between the two factors. The relationship between threat

Birds from the Old East Slavic settlement Stadnyky 11th century

OpenAIRE

Gorobets, L. V.; Bondarchuk, O. A.; Zarutska, V. V.; Горобець, Л. В.; Бондарчук, О. А.; Заруцька, В. В.

2014-01-01

The work presents the results of the analysis of a species diversity of the Old East Slavic settlement Stadnyky. The majority of hunted birds belong to the group Anseriformes (at least 45 % of the minimum possible number of individuals). Among other groups, Black Grouse is the dominant (8,33 %). Among the remains found there one can name some rare types of the West Polessye: Gavia arctica, Aythya nyroca. We have drawn the conclusions about the significant role of autumn hunting of...

Taking care of business: self-help and sleep medicine in american corporate culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Megan

2004-01-01

This article argues that corporate management in the United States has expanded its scope beyond office walls and encompasses many aspects of workers' daily lives. One new element of corporate training is the micromanagement of sleep; self-help books, newspaper reports, magazine articles, and consulting firms currently advise workers and supervisors on optimizing productivity by cultivating certain sleep habits. Although consultants and self-help books make specific recommendations about sleep, most medical research is inconclusive about sleep's benefits for human performance. Using the ideas of Michel Foucault and Gilles Deleuze as a philosophical backdrop, this article examines the complex and often contradictory links between self-help, medicine, and corporate governance.

Book review of Cristian Nünlist and David Svarin (eds.) Overcoming the East-West Divide: Perspectives on the Role of the OSCE in the Ukraine Crisis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraft van Ermel, Nicolaas

2014-01-01

In 2014 Europe’s security configuration had to deal with a severe crisis. Events in Ukraine led to a situation of civil war in Ukraine and a further development of the East-West Divide between (Western) Europe and Russia. During 2014 most attention was given to international actors like the North

Self-Stigma, Perceived Stigma, and Help-Seeking Communication in People with Mental Illness

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Jen Lee Teh

2014-02-01

Full Text Available People with mental illness (PWMI often internalise negative beliefs (self-stigma or anticipate external sources of stigma (perceived stigma. This study examines how the two types of stigma affect the willingness to communicate for help – such communication is a vital aspect of good patient care and treatment outcome. Seventy-two participants from different ethnic backgrounds who had experienced mental illness responded to an online survey about their level of agreement with statements reflecting self- and perceived stigma and their willingness to disclose to various help sources. Face-to-face interviews with 17 of these respondents provided a deeper understanding of how stigma affected their help-seeking communication. The quantitative results seemed to suggest that self-stigma has a stronger negative correlation with willingness to seek help. Respondents preferred disclosing to friends above family members and health professionals. The results highlight the importance of building resilience to reduce self-stigma and thereby increase help seeking. Given the different ethnic backgrounds of the participants, there emerged some multicultural issues that would seem to contribute to persisting mental illness stigma. These and any cultural differences are discussed.

Online self-help for suicidal thoughts: 3-month follow-up results and participant evaluation

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Bregje A.J. van Spijker

2015-09-01

Conclusions: Effects of online self-help for suicidal thoughts can be maintained for up to three months. Participant evaluation indicated that online self-help for suicidal thoughts is acceptable, but there is also room for improvement.

Challenging emotional prejudice by changing self-concept: priming independent self-construal reduces racial in-group bias in neural responses to other's pain.

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Wang, Chenbo; Wu, Bing; Liu, Yi; Wu, Xinhuai; Han, Shihui

2015-09-01

Humans show stronger empathy for in-group compared with out-group members' suffering and help in-group members more than out-group members. Moreover, the in-group bias in empathy and parochial altruism tend to be more salient in collectivistic than individualistic cultures. This work tested the hypothesis that modifying self-construals, which differentiate between collectivistic and individualistic cultural orientations, affects in-group bias in empathy for perceived own-race vs other-race pain. By scanning adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found stronger neural activities in the mid-cingulate, left insula and supplementary motor area (SMA) in response to racial in-group compared with out-group members' pain after participants had been primed with interdependent self-construals. However, the racial in-group bias in neural responses to others' pain in the left SMA, mid-cingulate cortex and insula was significantly reduced by priming independent self-construals. Our findings suggest that shifting an individual's self-construal leads to changes of his/her racial in-group bias in neural responses to others' suffering. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ukraine’s Geopolitical Position: Between East and West

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Rexhepi Enis H.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses Ukraine’s geopolitical position and argues that Ukraine is slowly gravitating towards West. The paper gives a small hint of approximation process of Ukraine within EU and NATO, and argues how this approximation process is opposed by Russia, who wants Ukraine back to its influence. Occupation off Crimea by Russia violated international order, opening way to unstructured international ties out traditional UN bodies. The Ukraine’s destiny is unclear, Dnieper River may divide country in two, and the West faces biggest security and political threat after WWII.

Performance study on the east-west oriented single-axis tracked panel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Tian Pau

2009-01-01

A theoretical study on the performance of an east-west oriented single-axis tracked panel was originally proposed in this paper. Mathematic expressions applicable for calculating the angle that the tracked panel should rotate by to follow the Sun are derived. The incident angle of sunlight upon the panel as well as the instantaneous increments of solar energy captured by the panel relative to a fixed horizontal surface are then demonstrated graphically. To simulate different operation environments, three kinds of radiation sources will be considered, i.e. the extraterrestrial radiation, global radiation predicted by empirical models under clear sky situation and global radiation observed in Taiwan. Simulation results show that the yearly gains correlate positively with the radiation level, i.e. 21.2%, 13.5% and 7.4% for the extraterrestrial, predicted and observed radiations, respectively, which are far less than those obtained from a north-south oriented single-axis tracked panel. The irradiation increases with the maximum rotation angle of the panel, the benefit of increasing the rotation in overcast environment is not as good as in clear sky, for annual energy collection 45 o is recommended. The irradiation received decreases with latitude, but it has a greater gain in higher latitude zone.

Crisis Group Fellowship Program | CRDI - Centre de recherches ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

In much of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and West Africa, there is a dearth of research, training and employment opportunities in the social sciences, particularly in the area of research and policy analysis on local conflicts. The Crisis Group has long considered establishing a fellowship program in order to train a ...

Guided self-help interventions for mental health disorders in children with neurological conditions: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Sophie; Heyman, Isobel; Coughtrey, Anna; Simmonds, Jess; Varadkar, Sophia; Stephenson, Terence; DeJong, Margaret; Shafran, Roz

2016-11-04

Rates of mental health disorders are significantly greater in children with physical illnesses than in physically well children. Children with neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, are known to have particularly high rates of mental health disorders. Despite this, mental health problems in children with neurological conditions have remained under-recognised and under-treated in clinical settings. Evidence-based guided self-help interventions are efficacious in reducing symptoms of mental health disorders in children, but their efficacy in reducing symptoms of common mental health disorders in children with neurological conditions has not been investigated. We aim to pilot a guided self-help intervention for the treatment of mental health disorders in children with neurological conditions. A pilot randomised controlled trial with 18 patients with neurological conditions and mental health disorders will be conducted. Participants attending specialist neurology clinics at a National UK Children's Hospital will be randomised to receive guided self-help for common mental health disorders or to a 12-week waiting list control. Participants in the treatment group will receive 10 sessions of guided self-help delivered over the telephone. The waiting list control group will receive the intervention after a waiting period of 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure is reduction in symptoms of mental health disorders. Exclusion criteria are limited to those at significant risk of harm to self or others, the presence of primary mental health disorder other than anxiety, depression or disruptive behaviour (e.g. psychosis, eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder) or intellectual disability at a level meaning potential participants would be unable to access the intervention. The study has ethical approval from the Camden and Islington NHS Research Ethics Committee, registration number 14.LO.1353. Results will be disseminated to patients, the wider public, clinicians and

Behavior change through automated e-mails: mediation analysis of self-help strategy use for depressive symptoms.

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Morgan, Amy J; Mackinnon, Andrew J; Jorm, Anthony F

2013-02-01

To evaluate whether automated e-mails promoting effective self-help strategies for depressive symptoms were effective in changing self-help behavior, and whether this improved depression outcomes. 568 adults with sub-threshold depression participated in a randomized controlled trial and provided complete data. A series of 12 e-mails promoting the use of evidence-based self-help strategies was compared with e-mails providing non-directive depression information. Depression symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-9) and use of self-help strategies was assessed at baseline and post-intervention. We hypothesized that those receiving the self-help e-mails would increase their use of evidence-based self-help and this would be associated with improvements in depression. Mediation analyses were conducted using a non-parametric bootstrapping procedure. Total use of the self-help strategies promoted in the e-mails significantly mediated the effect of the intervention on depressive symptoms (B = -0.75, SE = 0.16, 95% CI: -1.06 to -0.48). The direct effect of the intervention on depressive symptoms was much smaller and not significant when the mediation path was included. The majority of the individual strategies also had a significant indirect effect on depressive symptoms. In adults with sub-threshold depression, automated e-mails based on behavior change principles can successfully increase use of self-help strategies, leading to a reduction in depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of social-cognitive versus stage-matched, self-help physical activity interventions at the workplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin-Blake, C Shannon; DeJoy, David M

2006-01-01

To compare the effectiveness of stage-matched vs. social-cognitive physical activity interventions in a work setting. Both interventions were designed as minimal-contact, self-help programs suitable for large-scale application. Randomized trial. Participants were randomized into one of the two intervention groups at baseline; the follow-up assessment was conducted 1 month later. A large, public university in the southeastern region of the United States. Employees from two academic colleges within the participating institution were eligible to participate: 366 employees completed the baseline assessment; 208 of these completed both assessments (baseline and follow-up) and met the compliance criteria. Printed, self-help exercise booklets (12 to 16 pages in length) either (1) matched to the individual's stage of motivational readiness for exercise adoption at baseline or (2) derived from social-cognitive theory but not matched by stage. Standard questionnaires were administered to assess stage of motivational readiness for physical activity; physical activity participation; and exercise-related processes of change, decisional balance, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and goal satisfaction. The two interventions were equally effective in moving participants to higher levels of motivational readiness for regular physical activity. Among participants not already in maintenance at baseline, 34.9% in the stage-matched condition progressed, while 33.9% in the social-cognitive group did so (chi2 = not significant). Analyses of variance showed that the two treatment groups did not differ in terms of physical activity participation, cognitive and behavioral process use, decisional balance, or the other psychological constructs. For both treatment groups, cognitive process use remained high across all stages, while behavioral process use increased at the higher stages. The pros component of decisional balance did not vary across stage, whereas cons decreased significantly

Effectiveness and economic evaluation of self-help educational materials for the prevention of smoking relapse: randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Blyth, Annie; Maskrey, Vivienne; Notley, Caitlin; Barton, Garry R; Brown, Tracey J; Aveyard, Paul; Holland, Richard; Bachmann, Max O; Sutton, Stephen; Leonardi-Bee, Jo; Brandon, Thomas H; Song, Fujian

2015-07-01

Most people who quit smoking successfully for a short period will return to smoking again in 12 months. A previous exploratory meta-analysis indicated that self-help booklets may be effective for smoking relapse prevention in unaided quitters. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a set of self-help educational booklets to prevent smoking relapse in people who had stopped smoking with the aid of behavioural support. This is an open, randomised controlled trial and qualitative process evaluation. Trial participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups, using a simple randomisation process without attempts to stratify by participant characteristics. The participant allocation was 'concealed' because the recruitment of quitters occurred before the random allocation. Short-term quitters were recruited from NHS Stop Smoking Clinics, and self-help educational materials were posted to study participants at home. A total of 1407 carbon monoxide (CO)-validated quitters at 4 weeks after quit date in NHS Stop Smoking Clinics. The trial excluded pregnant women and quitters who were not able to read the educational materials in English. Participants in the experimental group (n = 703) received a set of eight revised Forever Free booklets, and participants in the control group (n = 704) received a single leaflet that is currently given to NHS patients. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted 3 and 12 months after quit date. The primary outcome was prolonged, CO-verified abstinence from months 4 to 12 during which time no more than five cigarettes were smoked. The secondary outcomes included self-reported abstinence during the previous 7 days at 3 and 12 months, CO-verified abstinence at 12 months, costs (NHS and NHS and participant medication costs perspectives) and quality-adjusted life-years. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate effect-modifying variables. A simultaneous qualitative process evaluation was conducted to help

77 FR 71609 - Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) Grant Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-03

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5603-N-89] Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) Grant Monitoring AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD. ACTION... electronic submission of responses. This notice also lists the following information: Title of Proposed: Self...

Self-transcendence in older men attending a prostate cancer support group.

Science.gov (United States)

Chin-A-Loy, S S; Fernsler, J I

1998-10-01

Self-transcendence has been shown to be related to well-being in older adults, women with breast cancer, women with AIDS, gay men with AIDS, and a healthy population. The purpose of this descriptive pilot study was to examine self-transcendence in another high-priority population: older men with prostate cancer. A convenience sample of 23 men, age 60 and older (M = 69), from three prostate cancer support groups completed Reed's Self-Transcendence Scale (STS) and a demographic data form. The men were predominantly white (82.6%), of the Catholic faith (56.5%), married (78.3%), and not working (87.0%). Over half (65.2%) had a college degree or higher; most viewed their health as good (69.6%) or excellent (21.7%); and the majority (56.5%) viewed their prostate cancer as affecting some of their daily activities. These men scored high on the STS (M = 50.07), which was consistent with previous findings in other populations. Findings of this study contribute to Reed's middle-range theory of self-transcendence. The discovery that self-transcendence is relevant to this group of older men with prostate cancer provides a basis for nurses to investigate the phenomenon in this population and help their clients explore the benefits of the self-transcendence resource.

Self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care medical college, West Bengal.

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, I; Bhadury, T

2012-01-01

Self-medication is a widely prevalent practice in India. It assumes a special significance among medical students as they are the future medical practitioners. To assess the pattern of self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students. Tertiary care medical college in West Bengal, India. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among the undergraduate medical students. Out of 500 students of the institute, 482 consented for the study and filled in the supplied questionnaire. Fourteen incomplete questionnaires were excluded and the remaining 468 analyzed. It was found that 267 (57.05%) respondents practiced self-medication. The principal morbidities for seeking self-medication included cough and common cold as reported by 94 students (35.21%) followed by diarrhea (68 students) (25.47%), fever (42 students) (15.73%), headache (40 students) (14.98%) and pain abdomen due to heartburn/ peptic ulcer (23 students) (8.61%). Drugs/ drug groups commonly used for self-medication included antibiotics (31.09%) followed by analgesics (23.21%), antipyretics (17.98%), antiulcer agents (8.99%), cough suppressant (7.87%), multivitamins (6.37%) and antihelminthics (4.49%). Among reasons for seeking self-medication, 126 students (47.19%) felt that their illness was mild while 76 (28.46%) preferred as it is time-saving. About 42 students (15.73%) cited cost-effectiveness as the primary reason while 23 (8.62%) preferred because of urgency. Our study shows that self-medication is widely practiced among students of the institute. In this situation, faculties should create awareness and educate their students regarding advantages and disadvantages of self-medication.

Environmental contaminants, species identifiers and characteristics, and other variables from the east and west US coasts for the National Status and Trends Program (NSTP) from 19840101 to 19880405 (NODC Accession 8900125)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This collection contains 1986-1989 Mussel Watch Data collected under National Status and Trends Program. The samples were collected along the east, west, gulf coast...

Group-level self-definition and self-investment: a hierarchical (multicomponent) model of in-group identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Leach, Colin Wayne; van Zomeren, Martijn; Zebel, Sven; Vliek, Michael L W; Pennekamp, Sjoerd F; Doosje, Bertjan; Ouwerkerk, Jaap W; Spears, Russell

2008-07-01

Recent research shows individuals' identification with in-groups to be psychologically important and socially consequential. However, there is little agreement about how identification should be conceptualized or measured. On the basis of previous work, the authors identified 5 specific components of in-group identification and offered a hierarchical 2-dimensional model within which these components are organized. Studies 1 and 2 used confirmatory factor analysis to validate the proposed model of self-definition (individual self-stereotyping, in-group homogeneity) and self-investment (solidarity, satisfaction, and centrality) dimensions, across 3 different group identities. Studies 3 and 4 demonstrated the construct validity of the 5 components by examining their (concurrent) correlations with established measures of in-group identification. Studies 5-7 demonstrated the predictive and discriminant validity of the 5 components by examining their (prospective) prediction of individuals' orientation to, and emotions about, real intergroup relations. Together, these studies illustrate the conceptual and empirical value of a hierarchical multicomponent model of in-group identification.

Mapping of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in the regions of centre, East and West Cameroon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louis-Albert Tchuem Tchuenté

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH are widely distributed in Cameroon. Although mass drug administration (MDA of mebendazole is implemented nationwide, treatment with praziquantel was so far limited to the three northern regions and few health districts in the southern part of Cameroon, based on previous mapping conducted 25 years ago. To update the disease distribution map and determine where treatment with praziquantel should be extended, mapping surveys were conducted in three of the seven southern regions of Cameroon, i.e. Centre, East and West. METHODOLOGY: Parasitological surveys were conducted in April-May 2010 in selected schools in all 63 health districts of the three targeted regions, using appropriate research methodologies, i.e. Kato-Katz and urine filtration. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The results showed significant variation of schistosomiasis and STH prevalence between schools, villages, districts and regions. Schistosoma mansoni was the most prevalent schistosome species, with an overall prevalence of 5.53%, followed by S. haematobium (1.72% and S. guineensis (0.14%. The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis across the three regions was 7.31% (95% CI: 6.86-7.77%. The prevalence for Ascaris lumbricoides was 11.48 (95% CI: 10.93-12.04%, Trichuris trichiura 18.22% (95% CI: 17.56-18.90% and hookworms 1.55% (95% CI: 1.35-1.78%, with an overall STH prevalence of 24.10% (95% CI: 23.36-24.85% across the three regions. STH was more prevalent in the East region (46.57%; 95% CI: 44.41-48.75% in comparison to the Centre (25.12; 95% CI: 24.10-26.17% and West (10.49%; 95% CI: 9.57-11.51% regions. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In comparison to previous data, the results showed an increase of schistosomiasis transmission in several health districts, whereas there was a significant decline of STH infections. Based on the prevalence data, the continuation of annual or bi-annual MDA for STH is recommended, as well as an

Mapping of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in the regions of centre, East and West Cameroon.

Science.gov (United States)

Tchuem Tchuenté, Louis-Albert; Kamwa Ngassam, Romuald Isaka; Sumo, Laurentine; Ngassam, Pierre; Dongmo Noumedem, Calvine; Nzu, Deguy D'or Luogbou; Dankoni, Esther; Kenfack, Christian Mérimé; Gipwe, Nestor Feussom; Akame, Julie; Tarini, Ann; Zhang, Yaobi; Angwafo, Fru Fobuzski

2012-01-01

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are widely distributed in Cameroon. Although mass drug administration (MDA) of mebendazole is implemented nationwide, treatment with praziquantel was so far limited to the three northern regions and few health districts in the southern part of Cameroon, based on previous mapping conducted 25 years ago. To update the disease distribution map and determine where treatment with praziquantel should be extended, mapping surveys were conducted in three of the seven southern regions of Cameroon, i.e. Centre, East and West. Parasitological surveys were conducted in April-May 2010 in selected schools in all 63 health districts of the three targeted regions, using appropriate research methodologies, i.e. Kato-Katz and urine filtration. The results showed significant variation of schistosomiasis and STH prevalence between schools, villages, districts and regions. Schistosoma mansoni was the most prevalent schistosome species, with an overall prevalence of 5.53%, followed by S. haematobium (1.72%) and S. guineensis (0.14%). The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis across the three regions was 7.31% (95% CI: 6.86-7.77%). The prevalence for Ascaris lumbricoides was 11.48 (95% CI: 10.93-12.04%), Trichuris trichiura 18.22% (95% CI: 17.56-18.90%) and hookworms 1.55% (95% CI: 1.35-1.78%), with an overall STH prevalence of 24.10% (95% CI: 23.36-24.85%) across the three regions. STH was more prevalent in the East region (46.57%; 95% CI: 44.41-48.75%) in comparison to the Centre (25.12; 95% CI: 24.10-26.17%) and West (10.49%; 95% CI: 9.57-11.51%) regions. In comparison to previous data, the results showed an increase of schistosomiasis transmission in several health districts, whereas there was a significant decline of STH infections. Based on the prevalence data, the continuation of annual or bi-annual MDA for STH is recommended, as well as an extension of praziquantel in identified moderate and high risk communities for

Self-perception of women after mastectomy as an ego defence mechanism. Comparison with a group of healthy women.

Science.gov (United States)

Mącik, Dorota; Ziółkowska, Patrycja; Kowalska, Monika

2012-01-01

Analysis of changes in self-perception in post-mastectomy patients and its comparison with self-perception of healthy women. The subjects of this study were 50 women. The main group was post-mastectomy patients involved in the meetings of the Amazons Club (25 women). The reference group consisted of 25 healthy women. The method used in the study was the ACL (Adjective Check List) test, identifying 37 dimensions of self-image. Oncological patients completed a test twice (for current and pre-cancer self-image), and healthy women once - for current self. Both groups were selected similarly in respect of education level for the purpose of ensuring a similar level of insight. Retrospective self-image and the current one in the Amazon women group were highly convergent. Existing differences include a reduced need for achievement and dominance, and a lower level of self-confidence. However, the comparison of current self-images in both groups showed a large discrepancy of the results. The Amazon women assess themselves in a much more negative way. Also, their self-image is self-contradictory in certain characteristics. Mastectomy is a difficult experience requiring one to re-adapt and to accept oneself thereafter. The way of thinking about oneself is a defence mechanism helping to cope. The work with patients programmes must, therefore, focus on identifying their emotions and thoughts, especially on those they do not want to accept because of the perceived pressure from the environment to effectively and quickly deal with this difficult situation. The increasing acceptance of personal limitations may help the affected women to adjust psychologically faster and easier.

The PST Project, Willie Herron's Street Mural Asco East of No West (2011 and the Mural Remix Tour: Power Relations on the Los Angeles Art Scene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Zetterman

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This article departs from the huge art-curating project Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A., 1945-1980, a Getty funded initiative running in Southern California from October 2011 to April 2012 with a collaboration of more than sixty cultural institutions coming together to celebrate the birth of the L.A. art scene. One of the Pacific Standard Time (PST exhibitions was Asco: Elite of the Obscure, A Retrospective, 1972-1987, running from September to December 2011 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA. This was the first retrospective of a conceptual performance group of Chicanos from East Los Angeles, who from the early 1970s to the mid 1980s acted out critical interventions in the politically contested urban space of Los Angles. In conjunction with the Asco retrospective at LACMA, the Getty Foundation co-sponsored a new street mural by the Chicano artist Willie Herron, paying homage to his years in the performance group Asco. The PST exhibition program also included so-called Mural Remix Tours, taking fine art audiences from LACMA to Herron's place-specific new mural in City Terrace in East Los Angeles. This article analyze the inclusion in the PST project of Herron's site-specific mural in City Terrace and the Mural Remix Tours to East Los Angeles with regard to the power relations of fine art and critical subculture, center and periphery, the mainstream and the marginal. As a physical monument dependent on a heavy sense of the past, Herron's new mural, titled Asco: East of No West, transforms the physical and social environment of City Terrace, changing its public space into an official place of memory. At the same time, as an art historical monument officially added to the civic map of Los Angeles, the mural becomes a permanent reminder of the segregation patterns that still exist in the urban space of Los Angeles.

Magnetotelluric investigation of the Vestfold Hills and Rauer Group, East Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Peacock, Jared R.; Selway, Katherine

2016-01-01

The Vestfold Hills and Rauer Group in East Antarctica have contrasting Archean to Neoproterozoic geological histories and are believed to be juxtaposed along a suture zone that now lies beneath the Sørsdal Glacier. Exact location and age of this suture zone are unknown, as is its relationship to regional deformation associated with the amalgamation of East Gondwana. To image the suture zone, magnetotelluric (MT) data were collected in Prydz Bay, East Antarctica, mainly along a profile crossing the Sørsdal Glacier and regions inland of the Vestfold Hills and Rauer Group islands. Time-frequency analysis of the MT time series yielded three important observations: (1) Wind speeds in excess of ∼8 m/s reduce coherence between electric and magnetic fields due to charged wind-blown particles of ice and snow. (2) Estimation of the MT transfer function is best between 1000 and 1400 UT when ionospheric Hall currents enhance the magnetic source field. (3) Nonplanar source field effects were minimal but detectable and removed from estimation of the MT transfer function. Inversions of MT data in 2-D and 3-D produce similar resistivity models, where structures in the preferred 3-D resistivity model correlate strongly with regional magnetic data. The electrically conductive Rauer Group is separated from the less conductive Vestfold Hills by a resistive zone under the Sørsdal Glacier, which is interpreted to be caused by oxidation during suturing. Though a suture zone has been imaged, no time constrains on suturing can be made from the MT data.

Efficacy of a behavioral self-help treatment with or without therapist guidance for co-morbid and primary insomnia -a randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jernelöv Susanna

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cognitive behavioral therapy is treatment of choice for insomnia, but availability is scarce. Self-help can increase availability at low cost, but evidence for its efficacy is limited, especially for the typical insomnia patient with co-morbid problems. We hypothesized that a cognitive behaviorally based self-help book is effective to treat insomnia in individuals, also with co-morbid problems, and that the effect is enhanced by adding brief therapist telephone support. Methods Volunteer sample; 133 media-recruited adults with insomnia. History of sleep difficulties (mean [SD] 11.8 [12.0] years. 92.5% had co-morbid problems (e.g. allergy, pain, and depression. Parallel randomized (block-randomization, n ≥ 21 controlled "open label" trial; three groups-bibliotherapy with (n = 44 and without (n = 45 therapist support, and waiting list control (n = 44. Assessments before and after treatment, and at three-month follow-up. Intervention was six weeks of bibliotherapeutic self-help, with established cognitive behavioral methods including sleep restriction, stimulus control, and cognitive restructuring. Therapist support was a 15-minute structured telephone call scheduled weekly. Main outcome measures were sleep diary data, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Results Intention-to-treat analyses of 133 participants showed significant improvements in both self-help groups from pre to post treatment compared to waiting list. For example, treatment with and without support gave shorter sleep onset latency (improvement minutes [95% Confidence Interval], 35.4 [24.2 to 46.6], and 20.6 [10.6 to 30.6] respectively, and support gave a higher remission rate (defined as ISI score below 8; 61.4%, than bibliotherapy alone (24.4%, p's Conclusions Participants receiving self-help for insomnia benefited markedly. Self-help, especially if therapist-supported, has considerable potential to be as effective as individual treatment at lower cost, also for

Effectiveness of online self-help for suicidal thoughts: results of a randomised controlled trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bregje A J van Spijker

Full Text Available Many people with suicidal thoughts do not receive treatment. The Internet can be used to reach more people in need of support.To test the effectiveness of unguided online self-help to reduce suicidal thoughts.236 adults with mild to moderate suicidal thoughts were randomised to the intervention (n=116 or a waitlist control group (n=120. Assessments took place at baseline, and 2, 4 and 6 weeks later. Primary outcome was suicidal thoughts. Secondary outcomes were depressive symptoms, anxiety, hopelessness, worry, and health status.The intervention group showed a small significant effect in reducing suicidal thoughts (d=0.28. Effects were more pronounced for those with a history of repeated suicide attempts. There was also a significant reduction in worry (d=0.33. All other secondary outcomes showed small but non-significant improvements.Although effect sizes were small, the reach of the internet could enable this intervention to help many people reduce their suicidal thoughts.Netherlands Trial Register NTR1689.

Development and preliminary testing of a web-based, self-help application for disaster-affected families.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuen, Erica K; Gros, Kirstin; Welsh, Kyleen E; McCauley, Jenna; Resnick, Heidi S; Danielson, Carla K; Price, Matthew; Ruggiero, Kenneth J

2016-09-01

Technology-based self-help interventions have the potential to increase access to evidence-based mental healthcare, especially for families affected by natural disasters. However, development of these interventions is a complex process and poses unique challenges. Usability testing, which assesses the ability of individuals to use an application successfully, can have a significant impact on the quality of a self-help intervention. This article describes (a) the development of a novel web-based multi-module self-help intervention for disaster-affected adolescents and their parents and (b) a mixed-methods formal usability study to evaluate user response. A total of 24 adolescents were observed, videotaped, and interviewed as they used the depressed mood component of the self-help intervention. Quantitative results indicated an above-average user experience, and qualitative analysis identified 120 unique usability issues. We discuss the challenges of developing self-help applications, including design considerations and the value of usability testing in technology-based interventions, as well as our plan for widespread dissemination. © The Author(s) 2015.

Fulfilling information needs of environmental groups: the current West Valley experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, W.D.

1986-01-01

This paper addresses the justification for environmental group communications and the options available in formatting such a dialogue. The West Valley program is explained including realized and potential project benefits. The environmental communications program in place at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) was instituted in the throes of a challenging scenario. The site had just been chosen by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate the cleanup of high-level nuclear wastes with a relatively new technology. The former nuclear fuel reprocessing operator had maintained a closed door communications policy. Consequently, the initial reaction of environmental groups to the project was one of suspicion and fear. The WVDP information exchange involves regularly bringing persons to the site, many of whom are antinuclear and initially skeptical of the project. Many have indicated their early concern about the site has been alleviated; furthermore, they are impressed with the purpose of the project and its commitment to safety

Fulfilling information needs of environmental groups: the current West Valley experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffman, W.D.

1986-07-15

This paper addresses the justification for environmental group communications and the options available in formatting such a dialogue. The West Valley program is explained including realized and potential project benefits. The environmental communications program in place at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) was instituted in the throes of a challenging scenario. The site had just been chosen by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate the cleanup of high-level nuclear wastes with a relatively new technology. The former nuclear fuel reprocessing operator had maintained a closed door communications policy. Consequently, the initial reaction of environmental groups to the project was one of suspicion and fear. The WVDP information exchange involves regularly bringing persons to the site, many of whom are antinuclear and initially skeptical of the project. Many have indicated their early concern about the site has been alleviated; furthermore, they are impressed with the purpose of the project and its commitment to safety.

Confidence- and security-building in North-East Asia. Working group I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotton, J.

1991-01-01

In the discussions in Working Group I there were two general preoccupations which prevailed throughout the consideration of questions relating to North-East Asian confidence and security building: how much could North-East Asia learn from the European experience in Confidence Building measures, and could any of the underlying factors- economic, political and social which has moved Europe towards military and security accommodation be seen to work also in the Asia-Pacific region. The problem of North Korea is underlined in view of non acceptance of the IAEA safeguards regime although it had entered into multilateral set of obligations with other signatories by assenting the Non-proliferation Treaty

Geothermal investigations in West Virginia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hendry, R.; Hilfiker, K.; Hodge, D.; Morgan, P.; Swanberg, C.; Shannon, S.S. Jr.

1982-11-01

Deep sedimentary basins and warm-spring systems in West Virginia are potential geothermal resources. A temperature gradient map based on 800 bottom-hole temperatures for West Virginia shows that variations of temperature gradient trend northeasterly, parallel to regional structure. Highest temperature gradient values of about 28/sup 0/C/km occur in east-central West Virginia, and the lowest gradients (18/sup 0/C/km) are found over the Rome Trough. Results from ground-water geochemistry indicate that the warm waters circulate in very shallow aquifers and are subject to seasonal temperature fluctuations. Silica heat-flow data in West Virginia vary from about 0.89 to 1.4 HFU and generally increase towards the west. Bouguer, magnetic, and temperature gradient profiles suggest that an ancient rift transects the state and is the site of several deep sedimentary basins.

50 WOMEN SELF HELP INITIATIVES: A PARADIGMATIC SHIFT IN ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

of significant positive relationship between women self help projects and rural ... portable water, light, good health, basic education, clean environment as well as ... These concerned ... endowed with natural resources like: granite, gmelina, lime stone, rubber, .... conducted in Central Senatorial District of Cross River State.

Isotope geochronology study of the Baiyigou group in west Qinling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Junlong; Dong Yibao; Yuan Haihua; Mao Yunian; Min Yongming

1989-01-01

Rb-Sr isochron and U-Pb zircon dating shows that the Baiyigou Group in western Qinling belongs to Lower Sinian with an age 734+/-63 Ma. The underlying granophyre gravels carry an U-Pb zircon age 1008.9 Ma (Jinning Qrogeny). The overlying silicious rock, i.e. the lower part of the Taiyangding Formation has Rb-Sr isochron age 535+/- 11 Ma. Lithologic characteristics of the Paiyigou Group voleano-sedimentary rock suite are well comparable with the Wusidaqiao Group in West Sichan, both belonging to products of incipient continental rifting environment. An apparent Early Devonian (400 Ma+/-) tectono-magmatic and metamorphic event was the firstly discovered in this area

Proceedings of the regional conference dedicated to photovoltaic self-consumption, Great East Strasbourg 10/10/17

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-10-01

In the sunniest regions of France, like the Great East, the photovoltaic self-consumption market growth is supported by the national tender (450 MW of projects to allocate) and regional aids, the new tariffing order and the new regulatory framework for collective self-consumption. This document brings together the presentations given during the Regional conference dedicated to photovoltaic self-consumption held at Strasbourg (FR) in October 2017: 1 - Conference program; 2 - Introduction (Bruno Flochon - Climaxion Region Grand Est); 3 - Regulatory context (Mathilde Ducatel - DREAL); 4 - Conditions of connection to the Enedis grid (Jean Luc Spaeth, Enedis); 5 - Experience feedback and regional support (Gautier Perrin - Region Grand Est); 6 - National news (Richard Loyen - Enerplan); 7 - Regional companies (Nicolas Randria - GMPV FFB); 8 - Great East Solar Association (Sandrine Bournaison); 9 - Electro-concept of a Supermarket at Wittelsheim (Philippe Soret); 10 - Roof PV generator on the C3 building at Clemessy-Mulhouse (Dominique Bitsch)

Federalism, State Creation and the Minority Ethnic Groups in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nigeria gained independence in 1960 as a tripartite regional federal system which promoted the hegemony of three major ethnic groups (the Yorubas in the west, the Ibos in the east and the Hausa-Fulanis in the north). The regions unfortunately did not form homogeneous ethnic entities as they were made up of myriads of ...

Geoologic controls on the architecture of the Antarctic Ice Sheet's basal interface: New results from West and East Antarctica from long range geophysics (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Young, D. A.; Blankenship, D. D.; Greenbaum, J. S.; Richter, T.; Aitken, A.; Siegert, M. J.; Roberts, J. L.

2013-12-01

The ice-rock interface underlying the Antarctic Ice Sheet was shaped by interactions between underlying gondwanan geology and the overlying ice sheet. The ice sheet now preserves from sedimentary infill an incredibly rugged terrain which now plays a critical role in shaping subglacial hydrology, and thus shape ice sheet behavior. This terrain can by imaged through aerogeophysical means, in particular through ice penetrating radar, while airborne potential fields measurements provide insight into the geological framework that controlled erosion. Over the post IPY era, the density of airborne coverage is only now reaching the point where small scale structure can be identified and placed in context. Of particular importance is understanding the formation of focused erosional valleys, 30-50 km wide, representing now buried subglacial fjords. After initial data from the GIMBLE project in West Antarctica, and five years of sustained long range ICECAP surveys over East Antarctica , we now have a better view of the diversity of these features. The local erosion of these valleys, often cutting through significant topographic barriers, irregularly samples the underlying geology, provided a complex story in the sediment to the Antarctic margin. These valleys now provide the subglacial conduits for significant ice sheet catchments, in particular for subglacial water, including the inland catchments of DeVicq, Thwaites, and Pine Island Glaciers in West Antarctica, and Denman Glacier, Totten Glacier, Byrd Glacier and Cook Ice Shelf in East Antarctica. We find that these features, now sometimes hundreds of kilometers inland of the modern grounding line, often nucleate on or are aligned with structure inherited from the assembly of the Antarctic continent. While many of these features currently host active outlet glaciers or their tributaries, some do not, implying avenues for ice sheet change. In West Antarctica, we find a new deep connection between the coast and interior basin

Translation of Culture-Specific Items in Self-Help Literature: A Study on Domestication and Foreignization Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volga Yılmaz-Gümüş

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The last two decades have witnessed a boom in self-help materials in both global and local markets. This self-help trend, growing rapidly in our modern day, should be an area of interest for Translation Studies as an increasing number of self-help materials have been translated particularly from English every year. Self-help books involve a great deal of references to the material and social culture of the original country. One of the key issues in the translation of self-help books is the choice between foreignizing and domesticating these culture-specific items. This paper aims to discuss the procedures used for the translation of culture-specific items with regard to the particular function that these books assume in the target society. The analysis on the example of Outliers, a self-help book of sorts written by Malcolm Gladwell, has shown that the translator mostly adopted foreignizing strategies in translating the text into Turkish. The study also discusses whether these foreignizing strategies contribute to the fulfillment of target-text function, which is to provide quick-fix remedies to people struggling with modern-day challenges and demands.

The Economic Impact of Terrorism in the Near East: Understanding the Threats Posed by Militant Groups

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-21

terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 researchers have sought to better understand the macroeconomic consequences of terrorism. Despite a...The Economic Impact of Terrorism in the Near East: Understanding the Threats Posed by Militant Groups A Monograph by MAJ Joshua Glonek...SUBTITLE The Economic Impact of Terrorism in the Near East: Understanding the Threats Posed by Militant Groups 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT

The effectiveness of self help technologies for emotional problems in adolescents: a systematic review

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Bower Peter

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adolescence is a transition period that involves physiological, psychological, and social changes. Emotional problems such as symptoms of anxiety and depression may develop due to these changes. Although many of these problems may not meet diagnostic thresholds, they may develop into more severe disorders and may impact on functioning. However, there are barriers that may make it difficult for adolescents to receive help from health professionals for such problems, one of which is the limited availability of formal psychological therapy. One way of increasing access to help for such problems is through self help technology (i.e. delivery of psychological help through information technology or paper based formats. Although there is a significant evidence base concerning self help in adults, the evidence base is much weaker in adolescents. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of self help technology for the treatment of emotional problems in adolescents by conducting a systematic review of randomized and quasi-experimental evidence. Methods Five major electronic databases were searched: Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and CINAHL. In addition, nine journals were handsearched and the reference lists of all studies were examined for any additional studies. Fourteen studies were identified. Effect sizes were calculated across 3 outcome measures: attitude towards self (e.g. self esteem; social cognition (e.g. self efficacy; and emotional symptoms (i.e. depression and anxiety symptoms. Results Meta analysis showed small, non-significant effect size for attitude towards self (ES = -0.14, 95% CI = -0.72 to 0.43, a medium, non-significant effect size for social cognition (ES = -0.49, 95% CI = -1.23 to 0.25 and a medium, non-significant effect size for emotional symptoms (ES = -0.47, 95% CI = -1.00 to 0.07. However, these findings must be considered preliminary, because of the small number of

Predictors of dropout from internet-based self-help cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeung, Wing-Fai; Chung, Ka-Fai; Ho, Fiona Yan-Yee; Ho, Lai-Ming

2015-10-01

Dropout from self-help cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) potentially diminishes therapeutic effect and poses clinical concern. We analyzed the characteristics of subjects who did not complete a 6-week internet-based CBT-I program. Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to identify potential variables and cutoff for predicting dropout among 207 participants with self-report insomnia 3 or more nights per week for at least 3 months randomly assigned to self-help CBT-I with telephone support (n = 103) and self-help CBT-I (n = 104). Seventy-two participants (34.4%) did not complete all 6 sessions, while 42 of the 72 (56.9%) dropped out prior to the fourth session. Significant predictors of non-completion are total sleep time (TST) ≥ 6.82 h, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression score ≥ 9 and Insomnia Severity Index score dropout. Longer TST and less severe insomnia predict dropout in this study of self-help CBT-I, in contrast to shorter TST as a predictor in 2 studies of face-to-face CBT-I, while greater severity of depression predicts dropout in both this study and a study of face-to-face CBT-I. Strategies for minimizing dropout from internet-based CBT-I are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tanker self-help spill recovery systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smedley, J B; Wainwright, J G; Ehman, T K

1991-12-01

An investigation was conducted of the circumstances in which oil spills occur from tankers at sea by analyzing available historical oil spill data. A data base of marine oil spills greater than 134 tonnes occurring from 1974 and June 1990, included in an appendix, was among the information analyzed. The analysis showed that marine oil spills of 5,000 tonnes and greater account for 39.4% of the accidents yet 94.7% of the total spilled quantity; 84% of those spills occur in vessels of 20,000 deadweight tonnes and larger. Of spills over 5,000 tonnes, 78.5% occur outside of harbor or pier areas where spill response equipment may not be readily available. Over 50% of spills are caused by groundings or collisions where the vessel crew might be able to respond in mitigating and controlling the outflow of oil. The review suggested that tanker self-help systems warrant serious consideration. Potential self-help systems are described, ranging from additives such as bioremediation, dispersants, and solidifiers to equipment such as portable pumps, booms, and skimmers. Candidate systems were examined in terms of their safety, ease of operation, practicability, and effectiveness. Their possible performance was then assessed for the case of major marine oil spills that have occurred in Canadian waters. Four systems are identified as potential candidates for further evaluation and possible implementation: internal oil transfer, hydrostatic loading, external oil lightering, and contingency planning. A system design is evaluated and its benefits and possible implementation are outlined, based on integration of the preferred attributes of the above four options. Recommendations for implementation are also provided. 28 refs., 6 figs., 33 tabs.

Improving self-help e-therapy for depression and anxiety among sexual minorities: an analysis of focus groups with lesbians and gay men.

Science.gov (United States)

Rozbroj, Tomas; Lyons, Anthony; Pitts, Marian; Mitchell, Anne; Christensen, Helen

2015-03-11

E-therapies for depression and anxiety rarely account for lesbian and gay users. This is despite lesbians and gay men being at heightened risk of mood disorders and likely to benefit from having access to tailored self-help resources. We sought to determine how e-therapies for depression and anxiety could be improved to address the therapeutic needs of lesbians and gay men. We conducted eight focus groups with lesbians and gay men aged 18 years and older. Focus groups were presented with key modules from the popular e-therapy "MoodGYM". They were asked to evaluate the inclusiveness and relevance of these modules for lesbians and gay men and to think about ways that e-therapies in general could be modified. The focus groups were analyzed qualitatively using a thematic analysis approach to identify major themes. The focus groups indicated that some but not all aspects of MoodGYM were suitable, and suggested ways of improving e-therapies for lesbian and gay users. Suggestions included avoiding language or examples that assumed or implied users were heterosexual, improving inclusiveness by representing non-heterosexual relationships, providing referrals to specialized support services and addressing stigma-related stress, such as "coming out" and experiences of discrimination and harassment. Focus group participants suggested that dedicated e-therapies for lesbians and gay men should be developed or general e-therapies be made more inclusive by using adaptive logic to deliver content appropriate for a user's sexual identity. Findings from this study offer in-depth guidance for developing e-therapies that more effectively address mental health problems among lesbians and gay men.

Self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care medical college, West Bengal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Banerjee

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Self-medication is a widely prevalent practice in India. It assumes a special significance among medical students as they are the future medical practitioners. Aim: To assess the pattern of self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students. Settings and Design: Tertiary care medical college in West Bengal, India. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among the undergraduate medical students. Results: Out of 500 students of the institute, 482 consented for the study and filled in the supplied questionnaire. Fourteen incomplete questionnaires were excluded and the remaining 468 analyzed. It was found that 267 (57.05% respondents practiced self-medication. The principal morbidities for seeking self-medication included cough and common cold as reported by 94 students (35.21% followed by diarrhea (68 students (25.47%, fever (42 students (15.73%, headache (40 students (14.98% and pain abdomen due to heartburn/ peptic ulcer (23 students (8.61%. Drugs/ drug groups commonly used for self-medication included antibiotics (31.09% followed by analgesics (23.21%, antipyretics (17.98%, antiulcer agents (8.99%, cough suppressant (7.87%, multivitamins (6.37% and antihelminthics (4.49%. Among reasons for seeking self-medication, 126 students (47.19% felt that their illness was mild while 76 (28.46% preferred as it is time-saving. About 42 students (15.73% cited cost-effectiveness as the primary reason while 23 (8.62% preferred because of urgency. Conclusion: Our study shows that self-medication is widely practiced among students of the institute. In this situation, faculties should create awareness and educate their students regarding advantages and disadvantages of self-medication.

Efficacy of a Multicomponent Positive Psychology Self-Help Intervention: Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Drossaert, Constance HC; Pieterse, Marcel E; Walburg, Jan A; Bohlmeijer, Ernst T

2015-01-01

Background Positive psychology interventions have been found to enhance well-being and decrease clinical symptomatology. However, it is still unknown how flourishing can also be increased. Although multicomponent interventions seem to be necessary for this purpose, different formats can be used. A cost-effective approach could be a positive psychology-based self-help book with tailored email support to reach large target groups and to prevent dropout. Objective This study will evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive multicomponent self-help intervention with or without email support on well-being and flourishing, and will seek to determine the working mechanisms underlying the intervention. Methods In this 3-armed, parallel, randomized controlled trial, 396 participants with low or moderate levels of well-being and without clinical symptomatology will be randomly assigned to (1) a self-help book condition with weekly email support, (2) a self-help book condition without email support but with a weekly information email, or (3) a waiting list control condition. Online measurements will be assessed at baseline, at post-test (3 months after baseline), and at 6 and 12 months after baseline. Results The primary outcomes are well-being and flourishing (ie, high levels of well-being). Secondary outcomes are the well-being components included in the intervention: positive emotion, use of strengths, optimism, self-compassion, resilience, and positive relations. Other measures include depressive and anxiety symptoms, personality traits, direct medical and non-medical costs, life-events, and client satisfaction. Conclusions This study will add knowledge to the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a multicomponent positive psychology intervention. We will also explore who can benefit most from this intervention. If the intervention is found to be effective, our results will be especially relevant for public mental health services, governments, and primary care. Trial

Kulturelle und strukturelle Faktoren bei der Rückkehr in den Beruf : Ostdeutsche, westdeutsche und ost-west-mobile Mütter im Vergleich (Transition back to work : comparing mothers in eastern Germany, western Germany, and east-west mobile mothers)

OpenAIRE

Grunow, Daniela; Müller, Dana

2012-01-01

"We assess the relative impact of cultural norms and structural conditions on employment interruption patterns of new mothers in reunified Germany, 1992-2009. During this time, East and West Germany share similar family policies, yet, the regions differ markedly with regard to cultural orientations towards working mothers. Our comparison therefore allows drawing conclusions about the relative importance of structural and cultural factors in shaping patterns of individual behaviour. New mother...

International trends in health science librarianship part 14: East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda).

Science.gov (United States)

Gathoni, Nasra; Kamau, Nancy; Nannozi, Judith; Singirankabo, Marcel

2015-06-01

This is the 14th in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the 21st century. This is the second of four articles pertaining to different regions in the African continent. The present issue focuses on countries in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda). The next feature column will investigate trends in West Africa. JM. © 2015 Health Libraries Group.

Lithostratigraphy of the Cretaceous–Paleocene Nuussuaq Group, Nuussuaq Basin, West Greenland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dam, Gregers

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The Nuussuaq Basin is the only exposed Cretaceous–Paleocene sedimentary basin in West Greenland and is one of a complex of linked rift basins stretching from the Labrador Sea to northern Baffin Bay. These basins developed along West Greenland as a result of the opening of the Labrador Sea in Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic times. The Nuussuaq Basin is exposed in West Greenland between 69°N and 72°N on Disko, Nuussuaq, Upernivik Ø, Qeqertarsuaq, Itsaku and Svartenhuk Halvø and has also been recorded in a number of shallow and deep wells in the region. The sediments are assigned to the more than 6 km thick Nuussuaq Group (new which underlies the Palaeogene plateau basalts of the West Greenland Basalt Group. The sediment thickness is best estimated from seismic data; in the western part of the area, seismic and magnetic data suggest that the succession is at least 6 km and possibly as much as 10 km thick. The exposed Albian–Paleocene part of the succession testifies to two main episodes of regional rifting and basin development: an EarlyCretaceous and a Late Cretaceous – Early Paleocene episode prior to the start of sea-floor spreading in mid-Paleocene time. This exposed section includes fan delta, fluviodeltaic, shelfal and deepmarine deposits. The Nuussuaq Group is divided into ten formations, most of which have previously been only briefly described, with the exception of their macrofossil content. In ascending stratigraphic order, the formations are: the Kome Formation, the Slibestensfjeldet Formation (new, the Upernivik Næs Formation, the Atane Formation (including four new members – the Skansen, Ravn Kløft, Kingittoq and Qilakitsoq Members – and one new bed, the Itivnera Bed, the Itilli Formation (new, including four new members: the Anariartorfik, Umiivik, Kussinerujuk and Aaffarsuaq Members, the Kangilia Formation (including the revised Annertuneq Conglomerate Member andthe new Oyster–Ammonite Conglomerate Bed, the

Baseline depression levels do not affect efficacy of cognitive-behavioral self-help treatment for insomnia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lancee, J.; van den Bout, J.; van Straten, A.; Spoormaker, V.I.

2013-01-01

Background: Cognitive-behavioral therapy can effectively treat insomnia (CBT-I). Randomized controlled trials have shown efficacy of self-help CBT-I, but unclear is whether excluding depressive patients boosted treatment effects. Method: We administered unsupported self-help CBT-I to insomnia

Children's intergroup helping: The role of empathy and peer group norms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sierksma, Jellie; Thijs, Jochem; Verkuijten, Maykel

2014-01-01

Two studies examined children's (8- to 13-year-olds) intergroup helping intentions. In Study 1, 856 children indicated their intention to help national in-group or out-group peers in a high need situation and in either a public or private context. Results showed that children's empathic tendencies

High-resolution multibeam bathymetry of East and West Flower Gardens and Stetson Banks, Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, J.V.; Mayer, L.A.; Hughes, Clarke J.E.; Kleiner, A.

1998-01-01

The 1990s have seen rapid advances in seafloor mapping technology. Multibeam sonars are now capable of mapping a wide range of water depths with beams as narrow as 1??, and provide up to a 150?? swath. When these multibeam sonars are coupled with an extremely accurate vehicle motion sensor and very precise navigation, they are capable of producing unprecedented images of the seafloor. This technology was used in December 1997 to map the East and West Flower Gardens and Stetson Banks, Gulf of Mexico. The results from this survey provide the most accurate maps of these areas yet produced and reveal features at submeter resolution never mapped in these areas before. The digital data provide a database that should become the fundamental base maps for all subsequent work in this recently established National Marine Sanctuary.

My face, my heart: cultural differences in integrated bodily self-awareness.

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Maister, Lara; Tsakiris, Manos

2014-01-01

Body-awareness is produced by an integration of both interoceptive and exteroceptive bodily signals. However, previous investigations into cultural differences in bodily self-awareness have only studied these two aspects in isolation. We investigated the interaction between interoceptive and exteroceptive self-processing in East Asian and Western participants. During an interoceptive awareness task, self-face observation improved performance of those with initially low awareness in the Western group, but did not benefit the East Asian participants. These results suggest that the integrated, coherent experience of the body differs between East Asian and Western cultures. For Western participants, viewing one's own face may activate a bodily self-awareness which enhances processing of other bodily information, such as interoceptive signals. Instead, for East Asian individuals, the external appearance of the self may activate higher-level, social aspects of self-identity, reflecting the importance of the sociocultural construct of "face" in East Asian cultures.

Does a pre-treatment diagnostic interview affect the outcome of internet-based self-help for social anxiety disorder? a randomized controlled trial.

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Boettcher, Johanna; Berger, Thomas; Renneberg, Babette

2012-10-01

Numerous studies suggest that Internet-based self-help treatments are effective in treating anxiety disorders. Trials evaluating such interventions differ in their screening procedures and in the amount of clinician contact in the diagnostic assessment phase. The present study evaluates the impact of a pre-treatment diagnostic interview on the outcome of an Internet-based treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). One hundred and nine participants seeking treatment for SAD were randomized to either an interview-group (IG, N = 53) or to a non-interview group (NIG, N = 56). All participants took part in the same 10-week cognitive-behavioural unguided self-help programme. Before receiving access to the programme, participants of the IG underwent a structured diagnostic interview. Participants of the NIG started directly with the programme. Participants in both groups showed significant and substantial improvement on social anxiety measures from pre- to post-assessment (d IG = 1.30-1.63; d NIG = 1.00-1.28) and from pre- to 4-month follow-up assessment (d IG = 1.38-1.87; d NIG = 1.10-1.21). Significant between-groups effects in favour of the IG were found on secondary outcome measures of depression and general distress (d = 0.18-0.42). These findings suggest that Internet-based self-help is effective in treating SAD, whether or not a diagnostic interview is involved. However, the pre-treatment interview seems to facilitate change on secondary outcomes such as depression and general distress.

Experience of Wellness Recovery Action Planning in Self-Help and Mutual Support Groups for People with Lived Experience of Mental Health Difficulties

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Rebekah Pratt

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The main aim of this research was to assess the relevance and impact of wellness recovery action planning (WRAP as a tool for self-management and wellness planning by individuals with mental health problems from pre-existing and newly formed groups, where the possibilities for continued mutual support in the development of WRAPs could be explored. Interviews and focus groups were conducted and pre-post recovery outcome measures completed (Recovery Assessment Scale and Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale. 21 WRAP group participants took part in the research. The WRAP approach, used in groups and delivered by trained facilitators who could also share their lived experience, was very relevant and appeared to have a positive impact on many of the participants. The impact on participants varied from learning more about recovery and developing improved self-awareness to integrating a WRAP approach into daily life. The apparent positive impact of WRAP delivered in the context of mutual support groups indicates that it should be given serious consideration as a unique and worthwhile option for improving mental health. WRAP groups could make a significant contribution to the range of self-management options that are available for improving mental health and well-being.

Study on Frequency content in seismic hazard analysis in West Azarbayjan and East Azarbayjan provinces (Iran)

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Behzadafshar, K.; Abbaszadeh Shahri, A.; Isfandiari, K.

2012-12-01

ABSTRACT: Iran plate is prone to earthquake, occurrence of destructive earthquakes approximately every 5 years certify it. Due to existence of happened great earthquakes and large number of potential seismic sources (active faults) which some of them are responsible for great earthquakes the North-West of Iran which is located in junction of Alborz and Zagros seismotectonic provinces (Mirzaii et al, 1998) is an interesting area for seismologists. Considering to population and existence of large cities like Tabriz, Ardabil and Orumiyeh which play crucial role in industry and economy of Iran, authors decided to focus on study of seismic hazard assessment in these two provinces to achieve ground acceleration in different frequency content and indicate critical frequencies in the studied area. It is important to note that however lots of studies have been done in North -West of Iran, but building code modifications also need frequency content analysis to asses seismic hazard more precisely which has been done in the present study. Furthermore, in previous studies have been applied free download softwares which were provided before 2000 but the most important advantage of this study is applying professional industrial software which has been written in 2009 and provided by authors. This applied software can cover previous software weak points very well such as gridding potential sources, attention to the seismogenic zone and applying attenuation relationships directly. Obtained hazard maps illustrate that maximum accelerations will be experienced in North West to South East direction which increased by frequency reduction from 100 Hz to 10 Hz then decreased by frequency reduce (to 0.25 Hz). Maximum acceleration will be occurred in the basement in 10 HZ frequency content. Keywords: hazard map, Frequency content, seismogenic zone, Iran

Help-seeking behavior among Japanese school students who self-harm: results from a self-report survey of 18,104 adolescents

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Furukawa TA

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Norio Watanabe,1,* Atsushi Nishida,2,* Shinji Shimodera,3 Ken Inoue,4 Norihito Oshima,5 Tsukasa Sasaki,6 Shimpei Inoue,3 Tatsuo Akechi,1 Toshi A Furukawa,7 Yuji Okazaki81Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, 2Department of Schizophrenia Research, Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, Tokyo, 3Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kochi Medical School, Kochi, 4Department Public Health, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, 5Office for Mental Health Support, Division for Counseling and Support, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 6Health Service Center, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 7Department of Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine/School of Public Health, Kyoto, 8Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital, Tokyo, Japan *These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with poor help-seeking among adolescents who self-harm and to explore the resources used for help.Methods: A cross-sectional survey using an anonymous questionnaire was conducted in 47 junior and 30 senior high schools in Japan. Adolescent self-harm was defined as an adolescent who had harmed himself or herself in the previous year, as in previous studies reported in Western countries. Poor help-seeking was defined as not consulting anyone despite reporting current psychological or somatic complaints. Information about sociodemographic and psychological factors possibly associated with help-seeking, such as suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, and psychotic-like experiences, was also collected. Regression analyses were performed to examine associated factors.Results: A total of 18,104 students (8620 aged 12–15 years, 9484 aged 15–18 years, accounting for 93% of all students in the relevant student classes, participated in the study. Two hundred and

Risk of second primary cancers after testicular cancer in East and West Germany: A focus on contralateral testicular cancers

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Rusner, Carsten; Streller, Brigitte; Stegmaier, Christa; Trocchi, Pietro; Kuss, Oliver; McGlynn, Katherine A; Trabert, Britton; Stang, Andreas

2014-01-01

Testicular cancer survival rates improved dramatically after cisplatin-based therapy was introduced in the 1970s. However, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are potentially carcinogenic. The purpose of this study was to estimate the risk of developing second primary cancers including the risk associated with primary histologic type (seminoma and non-seminoma) among testicular cancer survivors in Germany. We identified 16 990 and 1401 cases of testicular cancer in population-based cancer registries of East Germany (1961–1989 and 1996–2008) and Saarland (a federal state in West Germany; 1970–2008), respectively. We estimated the risk of a second primary cancer using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). To determine trends, we plotted model-based estimated annual SIRs. In East Germany, a total of 301 second primary cancers of any location were observed between 1961 and 1989 (SIR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.7–2.1), and 159 cancers (any location) were observed between 1996 and 2008 (SIR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.4–2.0). The SIRs for contralateral testicular cancer were increased in the registries with a range from 6.0 in Saarland to 13.9 in East Germany. The SIR for seminoma, in particular, was higher in East Germany compared to the other registries. We observed constant trends in the model-based SIRs for contralateral testicular cancers. The majority of reported SIRs of other cancer sites including histology-specific risks showed low precisions of estimated effects, likely due to small sample sizes. Testicular cancer patients are at increased risk especially for cancers of the contralateral testis and should receive intensive follow-ups. PMID:24407180

Baseline depression levels do not affect efficacy of cognitive-behavioral self-help treatment for insomnia

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Lancee, J.; van den Bout, J.; van Straten, A.; Spoormaker, V.I.

2013-01-01

Background Cognitive-behavioral therapy can effectively treat insomnia (CBT-I). Randomized controlled trials have shown efficacy of self-help CBT-I, but unclear is whether excluding depressive patients boosted treatment effects. Method We administered unsupported self-help CBT-I to insomnia patients

Phylogeny of bent-toed geckos (Cyrtodactylus) reveals a west to east pattern of diversification.

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Wood, Perry L; Heinicke, Matthew P; Jackman, Todd R; Bauer, Aaron M

2012-12-01

The Asian/Pacific genus Cyrtodactylus is the most diverse and among the most widely distributed genera of geckos, and more species are continually being discovered. Major patterns in the evolutionary history of Cyrtodactylus have remained largely unknown because no published study has broadly sampled across the geographic range and morphological diversity of the genus. We assembled a data set including sequences from one mitochondrial and three nuclear loci for 68 Cyrtodactylus and 20 other gekkotan species to infer phylogenetic relationships within the genus and identify major biogeographic patterns. Our results indicate that Cyrtodactylus is monophyletic, but only if the Indian/Sri Lankan species sometimes recognized as Geckoella are included. Basal divergences divide Cyrtodactylus into three well-supported groups: the single species C. tibetanus, a clade of Myanmar/southern Himalayan species, and a large clade including all other Cyrtodactylus plus Geckoella. Within the largest major clade are several well-supported subclades, with separate subclades being most diverse in Thailand, Eastern Indochina, the Sunda region, the Papuan region, and the Philippines, respectively. The phylogenetic results, along with molecular clock and ancestral area analyses, show Cyrtodactylus to have originated in the circum-Himalayan region just after the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary, with a generally west to east pattern of colonization and diversification progressing through the Cenozoic. Wallacean species are derived from within a Sundaland radiation, the Philippines were colonized from Borneo, and Australia was colonized twice, once via New Guinea and once via the Lesser Sundas. Overall, these results are consistent with past suggestions of a Palearctic origin for Cyrtodactylus, and highlight the key role of geography in diversification of the genus. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional and behavioral problems among adolescent smokers and their help-seeking behavior.

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Muthupalaniappen, Leelavathi; Omar, Juslina; Omar, Khairani; Iryani, Tuti; Hamid, Siti Norain

2012-09-01

We carried out a cross sectional study to detect emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents who smoke and their help-seeking behavior. This study was conducted in Sarawak, East Malaysia, between July and September 2006. Emotional and behavioral problems were measured using the Youth Self-Report (YSR/11-18) questionnaire; help seeking behavior was assessed using a help-seeking questionnaire. Three hundred ninety-nine students participated in the study; the smoking prevalence was 32.8%. The mean scores for emotional and behavioral problems were higher among smokers than non-smokers in all domains (internalizing, p = 0.028; externalizing, p = 0.001; other behavior, p = 0.001). The majority of students who smoked (94.7%) did not seek help from a primary health care provider for their emotional or behavioral problems. Common barriers to help-seeking were: the perception their problems were trivial (60.3%) and the preference to solve problems on their own (45.8%). Our findings suggest adolescent smokers in Sarawak, East Malaysia were more likely to break rules, exhibit aggressive behavior and have somatic complaints than non-smoking adolescents. Adolescent smokers preferred to seek help for their problems from informal sources. Physicians treating adolescents should inquire about smoking habits, emotional and behavioral problems and offer counseling if required.

NORTH-EAST ROMANIA AS A FUTURE SOURCE OF TREES FOR URBAN PAVED ENVIRONMENTS IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE

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SJÖMAN HENRIK

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Trees are an important feature of the urban environment. The problem today lies not in finding a wide range of well-adapted tree species for park environments, but in finding species suitable for urban paved sites. In terms of north-west Europe, it is unlikely that the limited native dendroflora will provide a large variety of tree species with high tolerance to the environmental stresses characterising urban paved sites in the region. However, other regions with a comparable climate but with a rich dendroflora can potentially provide new tree species and genera well-suited to the growing conditions at urban sites in north-west Europe. This paper examines the potential of a geographical area extending over north-east Romania and the Republic of Moldavia to supply suitable tree species for urban paved sites in Central and Northern Europe (CNE. The study involved comparing the temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration and water runoff in the woodland area of Iasi, Romania, with those the current inner-city climate of Copenhagen, Denmark and those predicted for Copenhagen 2100. The latter included urban heat island effects and predicted global climate change. The results revealed similar pattern in summer water deficit and temperature between natural woodlands in Iasi and inner-city environment of Copenhagen today. On the other hand, there is a weak match between Iasi and the future Copenhagen. In order to match the future scenario of Copenhagen with the present situation in Iasi, a greater understanding in a early phase that the solution not only depends on suitable tree species, but also on technical solutions being developed in order to have trees in paved environments in the future. On the basis of precipitation and temperature data, natural woodlands in north-east Romania have the potential to be a source of suitable trees for urban paved environments in the CNE region, even for a future climate if other aspects in the planning of trees

Helpful self-management strategies to cope with enduring depression from the patients' point of view: a concept map study.

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van Grieken, Rosa A; Kirkenier, Anneloes C E; Koeter, Maarten W J; Schene, Aart H

2014-12-13

Despite the development of various self-management programmes that attempt to ameliorate symptoms of patients with chronic major depressive disorder (MDD), little is known about what these patients perceive as helpful in their struggle during daily live. The present study aims to explore what patients believe they can do themselves to cope with enduring MDD besides professional treatment, and which self-management strategies patients perceive as being most helpful to cope with their MDD. We used concept mapping, a method specifically designed for the conceptualisation of a specific subject, in this case patients' point of view (n = 25) on helpful self-management strategies in their coping with enduring MDD. A purposive sample of participants was invited at the Academic Medical Center and through requests on several MDD-patient websites in the Netherlands. Participants generated strategies in focus group discussions which were successively clustered on a two-dimensional concept map by hierarchical cluster analysis. Fifty strategies were perceived as helpful. They were combined into three meta-clusters each comprising two clusters: A focus on the depression (sub clusters: Being aware that my depression needs active coping and Active coping with professional treatment); An active lifestyle (sub clusters: Active self-care, structure and planning and Free time activities) and Participation in everyday social life (sub clusters: Social engagement and Work-related activities). MDD patients believe they can use various strategies to cope with enduring MDD in daily life. Although current developments in e-health occur, patients emphasise on face-to-face treatments and long-term relations, being engaged in social and working life, and involving their family, friends, colleagues and clinicians in their disease management. Our findings may help clinicians to improve their knowledge about what patients consider beneficial to cope with enduring MDD and to incorporate these

Guided self-help cognitive behavioural therapy for depression in primary care: a randomised controlled trial.

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Christopher Williams

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Access to Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT for depression is limited. One solution is CBT self-help books. Trial Objectives: To assess the impact of a guided self-help CBT book (GSH-CBT on mood, compared to treatment as usual (TAU. HYPOTHESES: GSH-CBT will have improved mood and knowledge of the causes and treatment of depression compared to the control receiving TAUGuided self-help will be acceptable to patients and staff. METHODS AND FINDINGS: PARTICIPANTS: Adults attending seven general practices in Glasgow, UK with a BDI-II score of ≥14. 141 randomised to GSH-CBT and 140 to TAU. INTERVENTIONS: RCT comparing 'Overcoming Depression: A Five Areas Approach' book plus 3-4 short face to face support appointments totalling up to 2 hours of guided support, compared with general practitioner TAU. PRIMARY OUTCOME: The BDI (II score at 4 months. Numbers analysed: 281 at baseline, 203 at 4 months (primary outcome, 117 at 12 months. OUTCOME: Mean BDI-II scores were lower in the GSH-CBT group at 4 months by 5.3 points (2.6 to 7.9, p<0.001. At 4 and 12 months there were also significantly higher proportions of participants achieving a 50% reduction in BDI-II in the GSH-CBT arm. The mean support was 2 sessions with 42.7 minutes for session 1, 41.4 minutes for session 2 and 40.2 minutes of support for session 3. Adverse effects/Harms: Significantly less deterioration in mood in GSH-CBT (2.0% compared to 9.8% in the TAU group for BDI-II category change. LIMITATIONS: Weaknesses: Our follow-up rate of 72.2% at 4 months is better than predicted but is poorer at 12 months (41.6%. In the GSH-CBT arm, around 50% of people attended 2 or fewer sessions. 22% failed to take up treatment. CONCLUSIONS: GSH-CBT is substantially more effective than TAU. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN13475030.

77 FR 31830 - Opportunity for Designation in the West Sacramento, CA; Frankfort, IN; Indianapolis, IN; and...

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2012-05-30

... eastern California State line; Bounded on the East by the eastern California State line south to the... lines west to the western California State line; and Bounded on the West by the western California State...; Bounded on the East by the eastern Fulton County line south to State Route 19; State Route 19 south to...

Mapping water availability, cost and projected consumptive use in the eastern United States with comparisons to the west

Science.gov (United States)

Tidwell, Vincent C.; Moreland, Barbie D.; Shaneyfelt, Calvin R.; Kobos, Peter

2018-01-01

The availability of freshwater supplies to meet future demand is a growing concern. Water availability metrics are needed to inform future water development decisions. With the help of water managers, water availability was mapped for over 1300 watersheds throughout the 31 contiguous states in the eastern US complimenting a prior study of the west. The compiled set of water availability data is unique in that it considers multiple sources of water (fresh surface and groundwater, wastewater and brackish groundwater); accommodates institutional controls placed on water use; is accompanied by cost estimates to access, treat and convey each unique source of water; and is compared to projected future growth in consumptive water use to 2030. Although few administrative limits have been set on water availability in the east, water managers have identified 315 fresh surface water and 398 fresh groundwater basins (with 151 overlapping basins) as areas of concern (AOCs) where water supply challenges exist due to drought related concerns, environmental flows, groundwater overdraft, or salt water intrusion. This highlights a difference in management where AOCs are identified in the east which simply require additional permitting, while in the west strict administrative limits are established. Although the east is generally considered ‘water rich’ roughly a quarter of the basins were identified as AOCs; however, this is still in strong contrast to the west where 78% of the surface water basins are operating at or near their administrative limit. Little effort was noted on the part of eastern or western water managers to quantify non-fresh water resources.

Application of Advanced Reservoir Characterization, Simulation, and Production Optimization Strategies to Maximize Recovery in Slope and Basin Clastic Reservoirs, West Texas (Delaware Basin), Class III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, Shirley P.; Flanders, William A.

2001-11-04

The objective of this Class III project was demonstrate that reservoir characterization and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by CO2 flood can increase production from slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico. Phase 1 of the project, reservoir characterization, focused on Geraldine Ford and East Ford fields, which are Delaware Mountain Group fields that produce from the upper Bell Canyon Formation (Ramsey sandstone). The demonstration phase of the project was a CO2 flood conducted in East Ford field, which is operated by Orla Petco, Inc., as the East Ford unit.

Alcohol e-Help: study protocol for a web-based self-help program to reduce alcohol use in adults with drinking patterns considered harmful, hazardous or suggestive of dependence in middle-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaub, Michael P; Tiburcio, Marcela; Martinez, Nora; Ambekar, Atul; Balhara, Yatan Pal Singh; Wenger, Andreas; Monezi Andrade, André Luiz; Padruchny, Dzianis; Osipchik, Sergey; Gehring, Elise; Poznyak, Vladimir; Rekve, Dag; Souza-Formigoni, Maria Lucia Oliveira

2018-02-01

Given the scarcity of alcohol prevention and alcohol use disorder treatments in many low and middle-income countries, the World Health Organization launched an e-health portal on alcohol and health that includes a Web-based self-help program. This paper presents the protocol for a multicentre randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the efficacy of the internet-based self-help intervention to reduce alcohol use. Two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) with follow-up 6 months after randomization. Community samples in middle-income countries. People aged 18+, with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores of 8+ indicating hazardous alcohol consumption. Offer of an internet-based self-help intervention, 'Alcohol e-Health', compared with a 'waiting list' control group. The intervention, adapted from a previous program with evidence of effectiveness in a high-income country, consists of modules to reduce or entirely stop drinking. The primary outcome measure is change in the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score assessed at 6-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes include self-reported the numbers of standard drinks and alcohol-free days in a typical week during the past 6 months, and cessation of harmful or hazardous drinking (AUDIT world-wide is considerable. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

PERFORMANCE OF INTEGRATED CONTRACT AND INDEPENDENT BROILER PRODUCTION IN EAST LOMBOK, WEST NUSA TENGGARA

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B. Indarsih

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of vertical integration and independent poultry producers in East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, during the period July to September 2011. Data was collected from a primary field survey of integrated contract and independent producers. The sample producers were interviewed to collect the required data using a questioner. Supporting data were obtained from the relevant institution, and poultry association. Thirty integrated contract and fourteen independent growers were involved to measure farms performance with references on numerical performance (NP and farmer returns. This study indicates that the NP of integrated contract and independent farms were 315.7 and 317.1, respectively, both was higher than the standard that is 200. Returns for integrated contract farmers were lower than the independent when calculated based on the production cycle when this study was undertaken. Integrated contract farmers were attractive to various types of professions, the graduated people of university or college (43.3% was the most, whilst independent farmers were dominated by senior high school (50% with higher experience which was more than 20 years.

PERFORMANCE OF INTEGRATED CONTRACT AND INDEPENDENT BROILER PRODUCTION IN EAST LOMBOK, WEST NUSA TENGGARA

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B. Indarsih

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of vertical integration and independentpoultry producers in East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, during the period July to September 2011.Data was collected from a primary field survey of integrated contract and independent producers. Thesample producers were interviewed to collect the required data using a questioner. Supporting data wereobtained from the relevant institution, and poultry association. Thirty integrated contract and fourteenindependent growers were involved to measure farm’s performance with references on numericalperformance (NP and farmer’ returns. This study indicates that the NP of integrated contract andindependent farms were 315.7 and 317.1, respectively, both was higher than the standard that is 200.Returns for integrated contract farmers were lower than the independent when calculated based on theproduction cycle when this study was undertaken. Integrated contract farmers were attractive to varioustypes of professions, the graduated people of university or college (43.3% was the most, whilstindependent farmers were dominated by senior high school (50% with higher experience which wasmore than 20 years.

When Do Low Status Groups Help High Status Groups? The Moderating Effects of Ingroup Identification, Audience Group Membership, and Perceived Reputational Benefit

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Chuma Kevin Owuamalam

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Previous research has demonstrated that, when negative metastereotypes are made salient, members of low status groups help members of high status groups in order to improve the reputation of their low status group and its associated social identity. The present research investigated three potential moderators of low status groups’ outgroup helping: ingroup identification, audience group membership, and perceived reputational benefit. In Study 1 (N = 112 we found that members of a low status group (Keele University students were most likely to offer to help raise funds for a high status group (University of Birmingham students when they were high identifiers who had considered a negative metastereotype and believed that their responses would be viewed by an outgroup member. In Study 2 (N = 100 we found a similar effect in an intergroup context that referred to psychology students (low status ingroup and junior doctors (high status outgroup, showing that the effect was limited to people who perceived reputational benefit in helping the outgroup. The practical and social implications of these findings are discussed in relation to intergroup contact and international relations.

Comparison of Six- and Eight-Session Cognitive Guided Self-Help for Bulimia Nervosa

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Furber, Gareth; Steele, Anna; Wade, Tracey D.

2004-01-01

A previous case-series evaluation of a six-session guided self-help (GSH) approach with 15 people with bulimia nervosa (BN) showed significant reductions across all measures, including binge eating, self-induced vomiting, weight concern, shape concern and dietary restraint. However, the reduction of binge eating and self-induced vomiting was…

Internet-delivered or mailed self-help treatment for insomnia?: a randomized waiting-list controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lancee, J.; van den Bout, J.; van Straten, A.; Spoormaker, V.I.

2012-01-01

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing insomnia complaints, but the effects of self-help CBT have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of self-help for insomnia delivered in either electronic or paper-and-pencil format compared to a

Small group learning: effect on item analysis and accuracy of self-assessment of medical students.

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Biswas, Shubho Subrata; Jain, Vaishali; Agrawal, Vandana; Bindra, Maninder

2015-01-01

Small group sessions are regarded as a more active and student-centered approach to learning. Item analysis provides objective evidence of whether such sessions improve comprehension and make the topic easier for students, in addition to assessing the relative benefit of the sessions to good versus poor performers. Self-assessment makes students aware of their deficiencies. Small group sessions can also help students develop the ability to self-assess. This study was carried out to assess the effect of small group sessions on item analysis and students' self-assessment. A total of 21 female and 29 male first year medical students participated in a small group session on topics covered by didactic lectures two weeks earlier. It was preceded and followed by two multiple choice question (MCQ) tests, in which students were asked to self-assess their likely score. The MCQs used were item analyzed in a previous group and were chosen of matching difficulty and discriminatory indices for the pre- and post-tests. The small group session improved the marks of both genders equally, but female performance was better. The session made the items easier; increasing the difficulty index significantly but there was no significant alteration in the discriminatory index. There was overestimation in the self-assessment of both genders, but male overestimation was greater. The session improved the self-assessment of students in terms of expected marks and expectation of passing. Small group session improved the ability of students to self-assess their knowledge and increased the difficulty index of items reflecting students' better performance.

[Gender images in health education: a comparison between East and West Germany (1949-1990)].

Science.gov (United States)

Linek, Jenny; Pfütsch, Pierre

2016-01-01

This essay takes a closer look at the shared traditions as well as separate developments in health education in both German states, based on the circulated gender images. Health education is a rewarding field of investigation because its materials not only convey information on the prevention of sickness or the cultivation of healthy lifestyles; they also--implicitly or explicitly--carry social key messages such as ideas regarding femininities and masculinities or the tasks and functions allocated to women and men within and outside the family. The fact, for instance, that women in East Germany were expected to be part of the labour force as early as the 1950 s, whereas their Western counterparts were expected to stay at home and look after the family, had an effect on health education. The question as to the normative images of femininity and masculinity is therefore at the centre of our inquiry. The sources used are health education publications and popular health magazines from both Germanies. Based on the parameters 'Home and Family', 'Work and Performance', 'Attractiveness and Outer Appearance', the ideas of femininity and masculinity, as portrayed in the health propaganda in East and West, are presented and compared. Analysis of these parameters shows that the gender images, while they coincided in some respects, also evolved in different ways in others, or that entirely different intentions were concealed behind the promotion of similar principles. Many of the guiding images discussed show how the two German states perceived each other. While there were attempts at dissociating from the other state entirely, there were also developments that seem to indicate that they referred to one another to a certain extent.

Photosynthetic pathways and the geographical distribution of grasses in South West Africa/Namibia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, R.P.; Vogel, J.C.; Fuls, A.

1980-01-01

Analysis of floristic lists for South West Africa/Namibia shows that, throughout the territory, more than 95% of the grass species occurring in any given area display the C 4 photosynthetic pathway. Exceptions are areas in the north-east and southwest where between 5% and 18% of the grass species are of the C 3 type. The south-western district of Luderitz falls within the winter rainfall area and it is only here that temperate C 3 genera are found. The C 3 species in the north-east belong to tropical groups. Most of the South West African C 3 grasses grow in specialized habitats and are either hydrophytes or sciophytes. Subdivision of the C 4 grasses into the three subtypes of the C 4 pathway reveals distinctive distributional trends. Malate formers or NADP-me species clearly become more abundant with increasing rainfall, whereas the aspartate formers show the opposite tendency. However, within the aspartate forming group the results show that it is specifically the NAD-me type of species which dominate in areas of very low precipitation, notably in the Namib and pre-Namib areas where rainfall is less than 200 mm/yr. The PEP-ck species form a group intermediate between the malate formers and the NAD-me grasses, especially as far as their water requirements are concerned [af

Photosynthetic pathways and the geographical distribution of grasses in South West Africa/Namibia

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Ellis, R P [Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pretoria (South Africa). Botanical Research Institute; Vogel, J C; Fuls, A [Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria (South Africa). National Physical Research Lab.

1980-07-01

Analysis of floristic lists for South West Africa/Namibia shows that, throughout the territory, more than 95% of the grass species occurring in any given area display the C/sub 4/ photosynthetic pathway. Exceptions are areas in the north-east and southwest where between 5% and 18% of the grass species are of the C/sub 3/ type. The south-western district of Luderitz falls within the winter rainfall area and it is only here that temperate C/sub 3/ genera are found. The C/sub 3/ species in the north-east belong to tropical groups. Most of the South West African C/sub 3/ grasses grow in specialized habitats and are either hydrophytes or sciophytes. Subdivision of the C/sub 4/ grasses into the three subtypes of the C/sub 4/ pathway reveals distinctive distributional trends. Malate formers or NADP-me species clearly become more abundant with increasing rainfall, whereas the aspartate formers show the opposite tendency. However, within the aspartate forming group the results show that it is specifically the NAD-me type of species which dominate in areas of very low precipitation, notably in the Namib and pre-Namib areas where rainfall is less than 200 mm/yr. The PEP-ck species form a group intermediate between the malate formers and the NAD-me grasses, especially as far as their water requirements are concerned.

Outgroup helping as a tool to communicate ingroup warmth.

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van Leeuwen, Esther; Täuber, Susanne

2012-06-01

The authors extend previous research on the effects of metastereotype activation on outgroup helping by examining in more detail the role of group impression management motives and by studying direct helping (i.e., helping the outgroup believed to hold a negative view of the ingroup). Data from three experiments provided full support for the communicative nature of direct outgroup helping by demonstrating that outgroup helping in response to a negative metastereotype was predicted by participants' concern for the image of their ingroup, but not by their self-image concerns. Moreover, group image concerns predicted outgroup helping but not ingroup helping and predicted outgroup helping only when a negative metastereotype was activated, compared with a positive metastereotype, or a (negative or positive) autostereotype. The results also ruled out an alternative explanation in terms of denying the self-relevance of the metastereotype.

The Relationships of Racial Identity and Gender Role Conflict to Self-Esteem of Asian American Undergraduate Men

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Shek, Yen Ling; McEwen, Marylu K.

2012-01-01

This study was conducted using a sample of Asian American male college students (N = 173) from one east coast public, research institution and one west coast public, research institution to explore the relationships of racial identity and gender role conflict with self-esteem. The study employed the People of Color Racial Identity Attitudes Scale,…

The Middle East population puzzle.

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Omran, A R; Roudi, F

1993-07-01

An overview is provided of Middle Eastern countries on the following topics; population change, epidemiological transition theory and 4 patterns of transition in the middle East, transition in causes of death, infant mortality declines, war mortality, fertility, family planning, age and sex composition, ethnicity, educational status, urbanization, labor force, international labor migration, refugees, Jewish immigration, families, marriage patterns, and future growth. The Middle East is geographically defined as Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Gaza and the West Bank, Iran, Turkey, and Israel. The Middle East's population grew very little until 1990 when the population was 43 million. Population was about doubled in the mid-1950s at 80 million. Rapid growth occurred after 1950 with declines in mortality due to widespread disease control and sanitation efforts. Countries are grouped in the following ways: persistent high fertility and declining mortality with low to medium socioeconomic conditions (Jordan, Oman, Syria, Yemen, and the West Bank and Gaza), declining fertility and mortality in intermediate socioeconomic development (Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iran), high fertility and declining mortality in high socioeconomic conditions (Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates), and low fertility and mortality in average socioeconomic conditions (Israel). As birth and death rates decline, there is an accompanying shift from communicable diseases to degenerative diseases and increases in life expectancy; this pattern is reflected in the available data from Egypt, Kuwait, and Israel. High infant and child mortality tends to remain a problem throughout the Middle East, with the exception of Israel and the Gulf States. War casualties are undetermined, yet have not impeded the fastest growing population growth rate in the world. The average fertility is 5 births

Laibach and the NSK: Aestheticising the East/West Nexus in Post-Totalitarian Europe

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Simon Bell

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reflects a study in how the Slovenian art collective the NSK (Neue Slowenische Kunst, and more specifically its sub-group Laibach, interrogate the representation of Central and Eastern European cultural memory in the context of post-Socialism, and operate as a nexus between Eastern Europe and the West. Emerging in the wake of Tito's death and shaped by the break-up of Yugoslavia, the NSK were founded in 1984, in Ljubljana (northern Slovenia.  The NSK is a multi-disciplinary collective primarily comprised of three groups: IRWIN (visual arts, Noordung (theatre, and its most influential delivery system, Laibach (music.  Brought to academic scrutiny in the West by Slavoj Žižek for their subversive strategy of over-identification with the totalitarian spectacle, Laibach are Slovenia’s most famous cultural export, with a global following, and an international and domestic history of controversy. With the strategy of Retrogardism, Laibach and the NSK re-mythologise totalitarian iconography associated with Nazi Kunst and Socialist Realism.  Through this process of re-mythologisation Laibach explore the unfinished narrative of Communism and the legacy of the European traumatic historical in the context of a ‘post-ideological’ age.

Mapping of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis in the Regions of Centre, East and West Cameroon

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Tchuem Tchuenté, Louis-Albert; Kamwa Ngassam, Romuald Isaka; Sumo, Laurentine; Ngassam, Pierre; Dongmo Noumedem, Calvine; Nzu, Deguy D'or Luogbou; Dankoni, Esther; Kenfack, Christian Mérimé; Gipwe, Nestor Feussom; Akame, Julie; Tarini, Ann; Zhang, Yaobi; Angwafo, Fru Fobuzski

2012-01-01

Background Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are widely distributed in Cameroon. Although mass drug administration (MDA) of mebendazole is implemented nationwide, treatment with praziquantel was so far limited to the three northern regions and few health districts in the southern part of Cameroon, based on previous mapping conducted 25 years ago. To update the disease distribution map and determine where treatment with praziquantel should be extended, mapping surveys were conducted in three of the seven southern regions of Cameroon, i.e. Centre, East and West. Methodology Parasitological surveys were conducted in April–May 2010 in selected schools in all 63 health districts of the three targeted regions, using appropriate research methodologies, i.e. Kato-Katz and urine filtration. Principal Findings The results showed significant variation of schistosomiasis and STH prevalence between schools, villages, districts and regions. Schistosoma mansoni was the most prevalent schistosome species, with an overall prevalence of 5.53%, followed by S. haematobium (1.72%) and S. guineensis (0.14%). The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis across the three regions was 7.31% (95% CI: 6.86–7.77%). The prevalence for Ascaris lumbricoides was 11.48 (95% CI: 10.93–12.04%), Trichuris trichiura 18.22% (95% CI: 17.56–18.90%) and hookworms 1.55% (95% CI: 1.35–1.78%), with an overall STH prevalence of 24.10% (95% CI: 23.36–24.85%) across the three regions. STH was more prevalent in the East region (46.57%; 95% CI: 44.41–48.75%) in comparison to the Centre (25.12; 95% CI: 24.10–26.17%) and West (10.49%; 95% CI: 9.57–11.51%) regions. Conclusions/Significance In comparison to previous data, the results showed an increase of schistosomiasis transmission in several health districts, whereas there was a significant decline of STH infections. Based on the prevalence data, the continuation of annual or bi-annual MDA for STH is recommended, as well as an

A randomized controlled trial of a smoking cessation self-help intervention for dual users of tobacco cigarettes and E-cigarettes: Intervention development and research design.

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Meltzer, Lauren R; Simmons, Vani N; Sutton, Steven K; Drobes, David J; Quinn, Gwendolyn P; Meade, Cathy D; Unrod, Marina; Brandon, Karen O; Harrell, Paul T; Eissenberg, Thomas; Bullen, Christopher R; Brandon, Thomas H

2017-09-01

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, also called electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, have been available for over a decade and use has been increasing dramatically. The primary reported reasons for use are to aid smoking cessation or reduction, yet a significant proportion appear to be long-term users of both products ("dual users"). Dual users may be motivated to quit smoking and might benefit from a behavioral intervention for smoking cessation. This paper describes the intervention development, as well as the design, methods, and data analysis plans for an ongoing randomized controlled trial (RCT). Formative research and learner verification were conducted to create a usable, understandable, and acceptable self-help intervention targeting dual users. The efficacy is being tested in an RCT with current dual users (N=2900) recruited nationally and randomized to one of three conditions. The Assessment Only (ASSESS) group only completes assessments. The Generic Self-Help (GENERIC) group receives non-targeted smoking cessation booklets and supplemental materials sent monthly over 18months. The e-cigarette Targeted Self-Help (eTARGET) group receives the newly developed intervention (targeted booklets and supplemental materials) sent over the same period. All participants complete self-report surveys every 3months over 2years. The primary study outcome is self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence. Cost-effectiveness metrics for the GENERIC and eTARGET interventions will also be calculated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Facilitating Settlement at the Arbitration Table: Comparing Views on Settlement Practice Among Arbitration Practitioners in East Asia and the West

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Shahla Ali

2011-10-01

Full Text Available This article presents a cross cultural examination of how international arbitrators in East Asian and Western countries view the goal of settlement in international arbitration. The result of a 115 person survey and 64 follow up interviews shed light on the underlying cultural attitudes and approaches to settlement in international arbitration as practiced in diverse regions. The findings indicate that arbitration practitioner’s perceptions of the frequency of compromise decision in international arbitration demonstrate a high degree of convergence across regions. At the same time, cultural and socio-economic distinctions are reflected in varying arbitrator perceptions regarding the arbitrators’ role in settlement, whether settlement is regarded as a goal in arbitration and the types of efforts made pre-arbitration to settle disputes. In particular, arbitrators working in the East Asian region regard the goal of facilitating voluntary settlement in the context of international arbitration with greater importance and generally make greater efforts pre-arbitration to settle disputes as compared with counterparts in the West.DOWNLOAD THIS PAPER FROM SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1934138

Trade, Strategy and Communications on the Roman North-East Frontier