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Sample records for unwanted thoughts self-focus

  1. Implicit and explicit appraisals of the importance of intrusive thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teachman, Bethany A; Woody, Sheila R; Magee, Joshua C

    2006-06-01

    To evaluate cognitive theories of obsessions, the current study experimentally manipulated appraisals of the importance of intrusive thoughts. Undergraduate students (N = 156) completed measures of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms and beliefs and were primed with a list of commonly reported unwanted thoughts. Participants were then informed that unwanted thoughts are either (1) significant and indicative of their personal values, or (2) meaningless, or participants (3) received no instructions about unwanted thoughts. Participants then completed implicit and explicit measures of self-evaluation and interpretations of their unwanted thoughts. Results indicated that the manipulation shifted implicit appraisals of unwanted thoughts in the expected direction, but not self-evaluations of morality or dangerousness. Interestingly, explicit self-esteem and beliefs about the significance of unwanted thoughts were associated with measures of OCD beliefs, whereas implicit self-evaluations of dangerousness were better predicted by the interaction of pre-existing OCD beliefs with the manipulation. Results are discussed in terms of divergent predictors of implicit and explicit responses to unwanted thoughts.

  2. Appraisal and control of sexual and non-sexual intrusive thoughts in university students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, D A; Purdon, C; Byers, E S

    2000-05-01

    This study examined differences in the appraisal and thought control strategies associated with the perceived control of unwanted sexual and non-sexual intrusive thoughts. Eleven appraisal dimensions, subjective physiological arousal and 10 thought control strategies were measured in 171 university students who were administered the Revised Obsessive Intrusions Inventory-Sex Version, a self-report measure of unwanted intrusive thoughts. Thought-action fusion (TAF) likelihood was a significant unique predictor of the perceived controllability of respondents' most upsetting sexual and non-sexual intrusive thought. Moreover greater subjective physiological arousal was a significant predictor of reduced control over sexual intrusions, whereas worry that one might act on an intrusive thought and greater effort to control the intrusion were significant unique predictors of the control of non-sexual intrusive thoughts. Various thought control strategies were more often used in response to non-sexual than sexual cognitions. The results are discussed in terms of the differential role of various appraisal processes in the control of unwanted sexual and non-sexual thoughts.

  3. Motivation, Intentionality, and Mind Wandering: Implications for Assessments of Task-Unrelated Thought

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seli, Paul; Cheyne, James Allan; Xu, Mengran; Purdon, Christine; Smilek, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    Researchers of mind wandering frequently assume that (a) participants are motivated to do well on the tasks they are given, and (b) task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) that occur during task performance reflect unintentional, unwanted thoughts that occur despite participants' best intentions to maintain task-focus. Given the relatively boring and…

  4. The Effect of Enumeration of Self-Relevant Words on Self-Focused Attention and Repetitive Negative Thoughts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muranaka, Seiji; Sasaki, Jun

    2018-01-01

    Self-focused attention refers to awareness of self-referent, internally generated information. It can be categorized into dysfunctional (i.e., self-rumination) and functional (self-reflection) aspects. According to theory on cognitive resource limitations (e.g., Moreno, 2006), there is a difference in cognitive resource allocation between these two aspects of self-focused attention. We propose a new task, self-relevant word (SRW) enumeration, that can aid in behaviorally identifying individuals’ use of self-rumination and self-reflection. The present study has two purposes: to determine the association between self-focus and SRW enumeration, and to examine the effect of dysfunctional SRW enumeration on repetitive negative thinking. One hundred forty-six undergraduate students participated in this study. They completed a measure of state anxiety twice, before and after imagining a social failure situation. They also completed the SRW enumeration task, Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire, Short Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, and Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire. A correlational analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between self-reflection and the number of SRWs. Furthermore, individuals high in self-reflection had a tendency to pay more attention to problems than did those high in self-rumination. A significant positive correlation was found between self-rumination and the strength of self-relevance of negative SRWs. Through a path analysis, we found a significant positive effect of the self-relevance of negative SRWs on repetitive negative thinking. Notably, however, the model that excluded self-rumination as an explanatory variable showed a better fit to the data than did the model that included it. In summary, SRW enumeration might enable selective and independent detection of the degree of self-reflection and self-rumination, and therefore should be examined in future research in order to design new behavioral procedures. PMID:29896140

  5. The Effect of Enumeration of Self-Relevant Words on Self-Focused Attention and Repetitive Negative Thoughts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seiji Muranaka

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Self-focused attention refers to awareness of self-referent, internally generated information. It can be categorized into dysfunctional (i.e., self-rumination and functional (self-reflection aspects. According to theory on cognitive resource limitations (e.g., Moreno, 2006, there is a difference in cognitive resource allocation between these two aspects of self-focused attention. We propose a new task, self-relevant word (SRW enumeration, that can aid in behaviorally identifying individuals’ use of self-rumination and self-reflection. The present study has two purposes: to determine the association between self-focus and SRW enumeration, and to examine the effect of dysfunctional SRW enumeration on repetitive negative thinking. One hundred forty-six undergraduate students participated in this study. They completed a measure of state anxiety twice, before and after imagining a social failure situation. They also completed the SRW enumeration task, Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire, Short Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, and Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire. A correlational analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between self-reflection and the number of SRWs. Furthermore, individuals high in self-reflection had a tendency to pay more attention to problems than did those high in self-rumination. A significant positive correlation was found between self-rumination and the strength of self-relevance of negative SRWs. Through a path analysis, we found a significant positive effect of the self-relevance of negative SRWs on repetitive negative thinking. Notably, however, the model that excluded self-rumination as an explanatory variable showed a better fit to the data than did the model that included it. In summary, SRW enumeration might enable selective and independent detection of the degree of self-reflection and self-rumination, and therefore should be examined in future research in order to design new behavioral procedures.

  6. Daydream Believer: Rumination, Self-Reflection and the Temporal Focus of Mind Wandering Content.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrimpton, Daisy; McGann, Deborah; Riby, Leigh M

    2017-11-01

    Current research into mind-wandering is beginning to acknowledge that this process is one of heterogeneity. Following on from previous findings highlighting the role of self-focus during mind wandering, the present study aimed to examine individual differences in rumination and self-reflection and the impact such styles of self-focus may have on mind-wandering experiences. Thirty-three participants were required to complete the Sustained Attention Response Task (SART), aimed at inducing mind-wandering episodes, whilst also probing the content of thought in terms of temporal focus. Self-report questionnaires were also administered after the SART to measure dispositional differences in style and beliefs regarding mind-wandering and assessments of individual differences in rumination and self-reflection. Those individuals with reflective self-focus showed a strong positive association with positive and constructive thoughts. Critically, ruminative self-focus was positively associated with a tendency for the mind to wander towards anguished fantasies, failures and aggression, but it was also positively associated with positive and constructive thoughts. Furthermore, while dispositional differences in self-focus showed no relationship with the temporal perspective of thoughts when probed during a cognitive task, performance on the task itself was related to whether participants were thinking about the past, present or future during that activity. Such findings are discussed in line with previous research, and provide a further step towards accounting for the heterogeneous nature of mind-wandering.

  7. 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...

  8. Examining the role of sex in self-injurious thoughts and behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Kathryn R; Millner, Alexander J; Mukerji, Cora E; Nock, Matthew K

    2017-09-28

    Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs), including nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and suicide death exhibit substantial sex differences. Across most countries, men die by suicide more frequently than women; yet, women think about and attempt suicide more frequently than men. Research on sex differences in nonsuicidal self-injury is less developed; however, nonsuicidal self-injury is historically understood as a primarily female phenomenon. This review describes current research on sex differences across SITBs with a focus on factors that moderate these effects, such as age, race, geographic region, and time. Additionally, this review describes factors that may help to explain why sex differences across SITBs exist, including differences in culture, access to lethal suicide methods, rates of mental illness, and utilization of health care. The role of gender, and particularly non-binary gender, is also discussed. Current understanding of these sex differences is described with an eye toward future research on this topic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Self-Reported Thoughts of Self-Harm and Suicide

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Althoff, R.R.; Hudziak, J.J.; Willemsen, G.; Hudziak, V.; Bartels, M.; Boomsma, D.I.

    2012-01-01

    Thoughts of self-harm and suicidal behavior are thought to be influenced by both genetics and environment. Molecular genetic studies are beginning to address the question of which genes may be involved and whether different genes may be expressed in men and women. We examined thoughts of self-harm

  10. The wandering self : Tracking distracting self-generated thought in a cognitively demanding context

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huijser, Stefan; van Vugt, Marieke K; Taatgen, Niels A

    We investigated how self-referential processing (SRP) affected self-generated thought in a complex working memory task (CWM) to test the predictions of a computational cognitive model. This model described self-generated thought as resulting from competition between task- and distracting processes,

  11. Exposure to unwanted intrusions, neutralizing and their effects on self-worth and obsessive-compulsive phenomena.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahern, Claire; Kyrios, Michael; Meyer, Denny

    2015-12-01

    Although there is a growing body of literature to support the importance of understanding self processes in the experience of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), no experimental research has directly examined the relationship between self-construals and phenomena central to OCD. The current study examined the effect that unwanted intrusions and neutralizing responses have on self-worth, distress and urge to neutralize. After listening to repeated audio recordings of idiosyncratic unwanted intrusions, a combined nonclinical and clinical OCD sample were asked to respond with either their chosen neutralizing strategy (experimental) or a refocus counting strategy (control). Each condition comprised of a 12-min responding period (respond) followed by an equivalent non-response period (listen). Participants completed each condition, and were randomly allocated into the condition completed first. Ratings of discomfort, urge to neutralize, and self-worth were measured throughout. Neutralizing and refocussing responses were both associated with decreases in discomfort and higher self-worth. The expected rebound effect for discomfort and urge to neutralize for the listen period after neutralizing was found. Methodological problems lead to missing data, although this was corrected with the use of Multi Level Modelling (MLM) analysis on a combined sample. The small clinical sample meant that comparison between the two populations was not possible. Findings support cognitive accounts that neutralizing is involved in the development and maintenance of OCD, and suggest that neutralizing is a purposeful response aimed to help reinstate self-worth. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Women’s experiences of unwanted pregnancy

    OpenAIRE

    Foroughossadat Mortazavi; Maryam Damghanian; Zahra Mottaghi; Mohammad Shariati

    2012-01-01

    Background: Despite expanded coverage of family planning in Iran, unwanted pregnancy is a common problem. The aim of this study was to explore women’s experiences of unwanted pregnancy in Shahroud public health centers.Methods: Purposive Sampling was conducted by means of focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews and by a semi-constructed questionnaire in this qualitative research. Five (FGDs) with 23 women in third trimester in pregnancy and 4 in-depth interviews with women with...

  13. The default network and self-generated thought: component processes, dynamic control, and clinical relevance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R.; Smallwood, Jonathan; Spreng, R. Nathan

    2014-01-01

    Though only a decade has elapsed since the default network was first emphasized as being a large-scale brain system, recent years have brought great insight into the network’s adaptive functions. A growing theme highlights the default network as playing a key role in internally-directed—or self-generated—thought. Here, we synthesize recent findings from cognitive science, neuroscience, and clinical psychology to focus attention on two emerging topics as current and future directions surrounding the default network. First, we present evidence that self-generated thought is a multi-faceted construct whose component processes are supported by different subsystems within the network. Second, we highlight the dynamic nature of the default network, emphasizing its interaction with executive control systems when regulating aspects of internal thought. We conclude by discussing clinical implications of disruptions to the integrity of the network, and consider disorders when thought content becomes polarized or network interactions become disrupted or imbalanced. PMID:24502540

  14. When do self-discrepancies predict negative emotions? Exploring formal operational thought and abstract reasoning skills as moderators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevens, Erin N; Holmberg, Nicole J; Lovejoy, M Christine; Pittman, Laura D

    2014-01-01

    Individual differences in higher-order cognitive abilities may be an important piece to understanding how and when self-discrepancies lead to negative emotions. In the current study, three measures of reasoning abilities were considered as potential moderators of the relationship between self-discrepancies and depression and anxiety symptoms. Participants (N = 162) completed measures assessing self-discrepancies, depression and anxiety symptoms, and were administered measures examining formal operational thought, and verbal and non-verbal abstract reasoning skills. Both formal operational thought and verbal abstract reasoning were significant moderators of the relationship between actual:ideal discrepancies and depressive symptoms. Discrepancies predicted depressive symptoms for individuals with higher levels of formal operational thought and verbal abstract reasoning skills, but not for those with lower levels. The discussion focuses on the need to consider advanced reasoning skills when examining self-discrepancies.

  15. Singular and combined effects of thought suppression and anxiety induction on frequency of threatening thoughts: An experimental investigation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cougle, J.R.; Smits, J.A.J.; Lee, H.J.; Powers, M.B.; Telch, M.J.

    2005-01-01

    The suppression of unwanted thoughts has been hypothesized to play an important role in the maintenance of clinical disorders such as OCD and PTSD. The present study sought to examine the singular and combined effects of thought suppression instructions and anxiety induction (as induced by an

  16. Predictors of Mental Health Symptoms, Automatic Thoughts, and Self-Esteem Among University Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiçdurmaz, Duygu; İnci, Figen; Karahan, Sevilay

    2017-01-01

    University youth is a risk group regarding mental health, and many mental health problems are frequent in this group. Sociodemographic factors such as level of income and familial factors such as relationship with father are reported to be associated with mental health symptoms, automatic thoughts, and self-esteem. Also, there are interrelations between mental health problems, automatic thoughts, and self-esteem. The extent of predictive effect of each of these variables on automatic thoughts, self-esteem, and mental health symptoms is not known. We aimed to determine the predictive factors of mental health symptoms, automatic thoughts, and self-esteem in university students. Participants were 530 students enrolled at a university in Turkey, during 2014-2015 academic year. Data were collected using the student information form, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Mental health symptoms, self-esteem, perception of the relationship with the father, and level of income as a student significantly predicted automatic thoughts. Automatic thoughts, mental health symptoms, participation in family decisions, and age had significant predictive effects on self-esteem. Finally, automatic thoughts, self-esteem, age, and perception of the relationship with the father had significant predictive effects on mental health symptoms. The predictive factors revealed in our study provide important information to practitioners and researchers by showing the elements that need to be screened for mental health of university students and issues that need to be included in counseling activities.

  17. Thought confidence as a determinant of persuasion: the self-validation hypothesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petty, Richard E; Briñol, Pablo; Tormala, Zakary L

    2002-05-01

    Previous research in the domain of attitude change has described 2 primary dimensions of thinking that impact persuasion processes and outcomes: the extent (amount) of thinking and the direction (valence) of issue-relevant thought. The authors examined the possibility that another, more meta-cognitive aspect of thinking is also important-the degree of confidence people have in their own thoughts. Four studies test the notion that thought confidence affects the extent of persuasion. When positive thoughts dominate in response to a message, increasing confidence in those thoughts increases persuasion, but when negative thoughts dominate, increasing confidence decreases persuasion. In addition, using self-reported and manipulated thought confidence in separate studies, the authors provide evidence that the magnitude of the attitude-thought relationship depends on the confidence people have in their thoughts. Finally, the authors also show that these self-validation effects are most likely in situations that foster high amounts of information processing activity.

  18. Cognitive Defusion versus thought Distraction in the Mitigation of Learned Helplessness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooper, Nic; McHugh, Louise

    2013-01-01

    Recent research suggests that attempting to avoid unwanted psychological events is maladaptive. Contrastingly, cognitive defusion, which is an acceptance-based method for managing unwanted thoughts, may provide a plausible alternative. The current study was designed to compare defusion and experiential avoidance as strategies for coping with…

  19. Estimating the Availability of Potential Homes for Unwanted Horses in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Emily; Dolan, Emily D.; Mohan-Gibbons, Heather; Gramann, Shannon; Slater, Margaret R.

    2017-01-01

    Simple Summary There are approximately 200,000 unwanted horses annually in the United States. Many are shipped to slaughter, enter rescue facilities, or are held on federal lands. This study aimed to estimate a potential number of available homes for unwanted horses in order to examine broadly the viability of pursuing re-homing policies as an option for the thousands of unwanted horses in the U.S. The results of this survey suggest there could be an estimated 1.2 million homes who have both the perceived resources and desire to house an unwanted horse. This number exceeds the approximately 200,000 unwanted horses living each year in the United States. These data suggest that efforts to reduce unwanted horses could involve matching such horses with adoptive homes and enhancing opportunities to keep horses in the homes they already have. Abstract There are approximately 200,000 unwanted horses annually in the United States. This study aimed to better understand the potential homes for horses that need to be re-homed. Using an independent survey company through an Omnibus telephone (land and cell) survey, we interviewed a nationally projectable sample of 3036 adults (using both landline and cellular phone numbers) to learn of their interest and capacity to adopt a horse. Potential adopters with interest in horses with medical and/or behavioral problems and self-assessed perceived capacity to adopt, constituted 0.92% of the total sample. Extrapolating the results of this survey using U.S. Census data, suggests there could be an estimated 1.25 million households who have both the self-reported and perceived resources and desire to house an unwanted horse. This number exceeds the estimated number of unwanted horses living each year in the United States. This study points to opportunities and need to increase communication and support between individuals and organizations that have unwanted horses to facilitate re-homing with people in their community willing to adopt

  20. The Effects Of Self-Esteem on Academic Motivation: The Mediating Role of Automatic Thoughts

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    Cemaliye DIREKTOR

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present study is to investigate the mediational role of automatic thoughts on the association between self-esteem and academic motivation. Differences would be analyzed separated according to gender and faculty studied. Participants of the study are 210 undergraduate students (%42.4, 89 women; %57.6, 121 men selected randomly from counselling and intelligence teaching departments of University in Northern Cyprus. All permissions were taken. In order of the aim of self-esteem were assessed using ‘Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionarie’’. In addition academic motivation was measured by ‘Academic Motivation Scale’ and ‘Automatic Thoughts Inventory’was used in measuring automatic thought levels of the participants. At this study relational screening analysis used, and mediation effect of automatic thoughts were analyzed using Baron and Kenny’s (1986 mediation analysis method. Partial mediation effect of amotivation subscale was proved among self-esteem and negative automatic thought. Evaluating the total effect and direct effect, it is indicated that, the difference is 28% of indirect effect value. Amotivation is related to self esteem and negative automatic thoughts

  1. Examining the Relationship between Food Thought Suppression and Binge Eating Disorder

    OpenAIRE

    Barnes, Rachel D.; Masheb, Robin M.; White, Marney A.; Grilo, Carlos M.

    2013-01-01

    Food thought suppression, or purposely attempting to avoid thoughts of food, is related to a number of unwanted eating- and weight-related consequences, particularly in dieting and obese individuals. Little is known about the possible significance of food thought suppression in clinical samples, particularly obese patients who binge eat. This study examined food thought suppression in 150 obese patients seeking treatment for binge eating disorder (BED). Food thought suppression was not associ...

  2. Correlates of Unwanted Births in Bangladesh: A Study through Path Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Tapan Kumar; Singh, Brijesh P

    2016-01-01

    Unwanted birth is an important public health concern due to its negative association with adverse outcomes of mothers and children as well as socioeconomic development of a country. Although a number of studies have been investigated the determinants of unwanted births through logistic regression analysis, an extensive assessment using path model is lacking. In the current study, we applied path analysis to know the important covariates for unwanted births in Bangladesh. The study used data extracted from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2011. It considered sub-sample consisted of 7,972 women who had given most recent births five years preceding the date of interview or who were currently pregnant at survey time. Correlation analysis was used to find out the significant association with unwanted births. This study provided the factors affecting unwanted births in Bangladesh. The path model was used to determine the direct, indirect and total effects of socio-demographic factors on unwanted births. The result exhibited that more than one-tenth of the recent births were unwanted in Bangladesh. The differentials of unwanted births were women's age, education, age at marriage, religion, socioeconomic status, exposure of mass-media and use of family planning. In correlation analysis, it showed that unwanted births were positively correlated with women age and place of residence and these relationships were significant. On the contrary, unwanted births were inversely significantly correlated with education and social status. The total effects of endogenous variables such as women age, place of residence and use of family planning methods had favorable effect on unwanted births. Policymakers and program planners need to design programs and services carefully to reduce unwanted births in Bangladesh, especially, service should focus on helping those groups of women who were identified in the analysis as being at increased risks of unwanted births- older women

  3. Correlates of Unwanted Births in Bangladesh: A Study through Path Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tapan Kumar Roy

    Full Text Available Unwanted birth is an important public health concern due to its negative association with adverse outcomes of mothers and children as well as socioeconomic development of a country. Although a number of studies have been investigated the determinants of unwanted births through logistic regression analysis, an extensive assessment using path model is lacking. In the current study, we applied path analysis to know the important covariates for unwanted births in Bangladesh.The study used data extracted from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS 2011. It considered sub-sample consisted of 7,972 women who had given most recent births five years preceding the date of interview or who were currently pregnant at survey time. Correlation analysis was used to find out the significant association with unwanted births. This study provided the factors affecting unwanted births in Bangladesh. The path model was used to determine the direct, indirect and total effects of socio-demographic factors on unwanted births.The result exhibited that more than one-tenth of the recent births were unwanted in Bangladesh. The differentials of unwanted births were women's age, education, age at marriage, religion, socioeconomic status, exposure of mass-media and use of family planning. In correlation analysis, it showed that unwanted births were positively correlated with women age and place of residence and these relationships were significant. On the contrary, unwanted births were inversely significantly correlated with education and social status. The total effects of endogenous variables such as women age, place of residence and use of family planning methods had favorable effect on unwanted births.Policymakers and program planners need to design programs and services carefully to reduce unwanted births in Bangladesh, especially, service should focus on helping those groups of women who were identified in the analysis as being at increased risks of unwanted

  4. Procrastination as a Self-Regulation Failure: The Role of Impulsivity and Intrusive Thoughts.

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    Rebetez, Marie My Lien; Rochat, Lucien; Barsics, Catherine; Van der Linden, Martial

    2018-02-01

    Procrastination has been described as the quintessence of self-regulatory failure. This study examines the relationships between this self-regulatory failure and other manifestations of self-regulation problems, namely impulsivity and intrusive thoughts. One hundred and forty-one participants completed questionnaires assessing procrastination, impulsivity (in particular, the urgency and lack of perseverance dimensions), and intrusive thoughts (i.e., rumination and daydreaming). Main results show that urgency mediated the association between rumination and procrastination, whereas rumination did not mediate the relation between urgency and procrastination. Lack of perseverance mediated the association between daydreaming and procrastination, and daydreaming mediated the relation between lack of perseverance and procrastination. This study highlights the role of impulsivity and intrusive thoughts in procrastination, specifies the links between these self-regulation problems, and provides insights into their (potential) underlying mechanisms. It also opens interesting prospects for management strategies for implementing targeted psychological interventions to reduce impulsive manifestations and/or thought control difficulties accompanying procrastination.

  5. Children's Understanding of Self-Focused Humor Styles.

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    James, Lucy Amelia; Fox, Claire Louise

    2016-08-01

    It has been proposed that four main styles of humor exist, two which are thought to be adaptive (affiliative, self-enhancing) and two which are thought to be maladaptive (aggressive, self-defeating). Whilst the existence of these four humor styles has been supported in older children, it is suggested that for younger children, self-enhancing and self-defeating humor may develop at a later point. To investigate this further, the current research involved five semi-structured paired interviews with children aged eight to eleven years to explore the use and understanding of self-enhancing and self-defeating humor in this age group. Findings indicated that use of both self-enhancing and self-defeating humor were apparent in some children, but not all. It therefore seems appropriate that attempts to investigate humor in this age group should aim to include all four styles of humor. The current research also demonstrated the value of paired interviews when carrying out this sort of research with children.

  6. Asthma-specific cognitions, self-focused attention, and fear of negative evaluation in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with childhood-onset asthma.

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    Junghans-Rutelonis, Ashley N; Tackett, Alayna P; Suorsa, Kristina I; Chaney, John M; Mullins, Larry L

    2018-01-01

    The present study examined the impact of asthma-specific thought intrusion (TI) and thought suppression (TS) on two cognitive-affective variables (self-focused attention and fear of negative evaluation) among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with childhood-onset asthma. Participants were 290 AYAs who completed assessment questionnaires and participated in a written exercise electronically. Asthma-TI and TS were reported by participants following participation in a writing assignment. Asthma-TI was associated with increased private, public, and social anxiety self-focused attention, and greater fear of negative evaluation. Interestingly, asthma-TS was not associated with these same outcome variables. Findings suggest illness-specific cognitions are associated with cognitive-affective variables and it may be important to assess for illness-specific intrusive thoughts following asthma-focused medical appointments. Additionally, findings suggest the importance of assessing asthma-TI and TS separately in order to better understand thoughts about health and psychological functioning.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  8. Reasons why undergraduate women comply with unwanted, non-coercive sexual advances: A serial indirect effect model integrating sexual script theory and sexual self-control perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinn-Nilas, Christopher; Kennett, Deborah J

    2018-01-16

    This study explored the predictors of young women's compliance with unwanted sexual activities, integrating the social with the cognitive and behavioral correlates of sexual compliance. In total, 222 young heterosexual women completed measures examining the Sexual Self-Control model, including reasons for consenting, sexual resourcefulness, and compliance with unwanted sex, as well as gender role measures pertaining to sexual script theory, including the sexual double standard, gender role stress, and virginity scripts. An exploratory analysis of serial indirect effects demonstrated that women scoring lower in sexual resourcefulness endorsed higher female gender role stress, which in turn was associated with higher endorsement of reasons for consent, translating into more frequent compliance with unwanted sexual activities. The relationship between one's ability to refuse and their decision to refuse appears quite complex. Understanding one's decision requires consideration of the social aspects of gender role endorsement.

  9. Self-awareness review Part 1: Do you “self-reflect” or “self-ruminate”?

    OpenAIRE

    Morin, Alain

    2002-01-01

    We all spend time analyzing our inner thoughts and feelings; past research looked at this activity as being unitary in nature (i.e., simply focusing on the self), examined how frequently people introspect, and identified the effects of self-focus on behavior. Current studies indicate that people actually engage in two different types of self-analysis: self-reflection (enjoying analyzing the self) and self-rumination (not being able to shut off thoughts about the self),...

  10. The effects of suppressing intrusive thoughts on dream content, dream distress and psychological parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kröner-Borowik, Tana; Gosch, Stefanie; Hansen, Kathrin; Borowik, Benjamin; Schredl, Michael; Steil, Regina

    2013-10-01

    Suppressing unwanted thoughts can lead to an increased occurrence of the suppressed thought in dreams. This is explainable by the ironic control theory, which theorizes why the suppression of thoughts might make them more persistent. The present study examined the influence of thought suppression on dream rebound, dream distress, general psychiatric symptomatology, depression, sleep quality and perceived stress. Thirty healthy participants (good sleepers) were investigated over a period of 1 week. Half were instructed to suppress an unwanted thought 5 min prior to sleep, whereas the other half were allowed to think of anything at all. Dream content was assessed through a dream diary. Independent raters assessed whether or not the dreams were related to the suppressed target thought. The results demonstrated increased target-related dreams and a tendency to have more distressing dreams in the suppression condition. Moreover, the data imply that thought suppression may lead to significantly increased general psychiatric symptomatology. No significant effects were found for the other secondary outcomes. © 2013 European Sleep Research Society.

  11. Negative Intrusive Thoughts and Dissociation as Risk Factors for Self-Harm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batey, Helen; May, Jon; Andrade, Jackie

    2010-01-01

    Relationships between self-harm and vulnerability factors were studied in a general population of 432 participants, of whom 30% reported some experience of self-harm. This group scored higher on dissociation and childhood trauma, had lower self-worth, and reported more negative intrusive thoughts. Among the non-harming group, 10% scored similarly…

  12. Children’s Understanding of Self-Focused Humor Styles

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, Lucy Amelia; Fox, Claire Louise

    2016-01-01

    It has been proposed that four main styles of humor exist, two which are thought to be adaptive (affiliative, self-enhancing) and two which are thought to be maladaptive (aggressive, self-defeating). Whilst the existence of these four humor styles has been supported in older children, it is suggested that for younger children, self-enhancing and self-defeating humor may develop at a later point. To investigate this further, the current research involved five semi-structured paired interviews with children aged eight to eleven years to explore the use and understanding of self-enhancing and self-defeating humor in this age group. Findings indicated that use of both self-enhancing and self-defeating humor were apparent in some children, but not all. It therefore seems appropriate that attempts to investigate humor in this age group should aim to include all four styles of humor. The current research also demonstrated the value of paired interviews when carrying out this sort of research with children. PMID:27547258

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

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mühlmann, Charlotte; Madsen, Trine; Hjorthøj, Carsten

    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...

  14. Predictors of men's sexual response to erotic film stimuli: the role of affect and self-reported thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Cátia; Laja, Pedro; Carvalho, Joana; Quinta Gomes, Ana; Vilarinho, Sandra; Janssen, Erick; Nobre, Pedro J

    2014-11-01

    Both emotions and cognitions seem to play a role in determining sexual arousal. However, no studies to date have tested the effects of self-reported thoughts on subjective sexual arousal and genital response using psychophysiological methods. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of self-reported thoughts and affect during exposure to erotic material in predicting subjective and genital responses in sexually healthy men. Twenty-seven men were presented with two explicit films, and genital responses, subjective sexual arousal, self-reported thoughts, and positive and negative affect were assessed. Men's genital responses, subjective sexual arousal, affective responses, and self-reported thoughts during exposure to sexual stimulus were measured. Regression analyses revealed that genital responses were predicted by self-reported thoughts (explaining 20% of the variance) but not by affect during exposure to erotic films. On the other hand, subjective sexual arousal was significantly predicted by both positive and negative affect (explaining 18% of the variance) and self-reported thoughts (explaining 37% of the variance). Follow-up analyses using the single predictors showed that "sexual arousal thoughts" were the only significant predictor of subjective response (β = 0.64; P < 0.01) and that "distracting/disengaging thoughts" were the best predictor of genital response (β = -0.51; P < 0.05). The findings of this study suggest that both affect and sexual arousal thoughts play an important role in men's subjective sexual response, whereas genital response seems to be better predicted by distracting thoughts. © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

  15. Politically-focused intrusive thoughts and associated ritualistic behaviors in a community sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cepeda, Sandra L; McKay, Dean; Schneider, Sophie C; La Buissonnière-Ariza, Valérie; Egberts, Jolenthe T N E; McIngvale, Elizabeth; Goodman, Wayne K; Storch, Eric A

    2018-05-01

    A significant proportion of the U.S. population report increased stress attributed to the political climate following the controversial 2016 United States (U.S.) Presidential election. The political stressors paired with the growth in news consumption and social media-use could be a potential trigger for obsessive-compulsive-like symptoms specific to politics in some individuals. This study aimed to elucidate the rate of Politically-focused Intrusive Thoughts and associated Ritualistic Behaviors (PITRB), their demographic and clinical correlates, and the degree of association with political ideology. Survey data were collected using the crowdsourcing platform Mechanical Turk. A total of N = 484 individuals completed the survey. Measures of politically-focused intrusive thoughts and ritualistic behaviors, general obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depression, anxiety, anxiety control, worry, and disability were administered, as well as a measure of social and economic conservative affiliation. Results showed that a quarter of the sample (25.2%) had at least one PITRB more than once a day. PITRB was associated with all measures of psychopathology and disability. Finally, anxiety control moderated the relationship between PITRB and both anxiety and depression. No differences in psychopathology were found between major party affiliations. The findings suggest that politically-focused intrusive thoughts and ritualistic behaviors are associated with psychopathology domains in a manner comparable to general obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Unwanted Tattoos

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... to Choose the Best Skin Care Products Unwanted Tattoos Tattoos are no longer considered permanent and irreversible ... and don'ts for tattoos . Why remove a tattoo A variety of social, cultural and physical life ...

  17. Examining the Relationship between Food Thought Suppression and Binge Eating Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnes, Rachel D.; Masheb, Robin M.; White, Marney A.; Grilo, Carlos M.

    2013-01-01

    Food thought suppression, or purposely attempting to avoid thoughts of food, is related to a number of unwanted eating- and weight-related consequences, particularly in dieting and obese individuals. Little is known about the possible significance of food thought suppression in clinical samples, particularly obese patients who binge eat. This study examined food thought suppression in 150 obese patients seeking treatment for binge eating disorder (BED). Food thought suppression was not associated with binge eating frequency or body mass index but was significantly associated with higher current levels of eating disorder psychopathology and variables pertaining to obesity, dieting, and binge eating. PMID:23751246

  18. Cognitive Defusion versus Thought Distraction: A Clinical Rationale, Training, and Experiential Exercise in Altering Psychological Impacts of Negative Self-Referential Thoughts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masuda, Akihiko; Feinstein, Amanda B.; Wendell, Johanna W.; Sheehan, Shawn T.

    2010-01-01

    Using two modes of intervention delivery, the present study compared the effects of a cognitive defusion strategy with a thought distraction strategy on the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts. One mode of intervention delivery consisted of a clinical rationale and training (i.e., Partial condition). The…

  19. Self-reflection and the temporal focus of the wandering mind.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smallwood, Jonathan; Schooler, Jonathan W; Turk, David J; Cunningham, Sheila J; Burns, Phebe; Macrae, C Neil

    2011-12-01

    Current accounts suggest that self-referential thought serves a pivotal function in the human ability to simulate the future during mind-wandering. Using experience sampling, this hypothesis was tested in two studies that explored the extent to which self-reflection impacts both retrospection and prospection during mind-wandering. Study 1 demonstrated that a brief period of self-reflection yielded a prospective bias during mind-wandering such that participants' engaged more frequently in spontaneous future than past thought. In Study 2, individual differences in the strength of self-referential thought - as indexed by the memorial advantage for self rather than other-encoded items - was shown to vary with future thinking during mind-wandering. Together these results confirm that self-reflection is a core component of future thinking during mind-wandering and provide novel evidence that a key function of the autobiographical memory system may be to mentally simulate events in the future. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Unwanted sexual attention at work and long-term sickness absence: a follow-up register-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogh, Annie; Conway, Paul Maurice; Clausen, Thomas; Madsen, Ida Elisabeth Huitfeldt; Burr, Hermann

    2016-07-30

    The current understanding of the relationship between unwanted sexual attention at work and long-term sickness absence (LTSA) is limited for three reasons: 1) the under-researched role of unwanted sexual attention perpetrated by individuals outside the work organization; 2) a widespread use of self-reported measures of sickness absence, with an unclear identification of sickness absence episodes of long duration; 3) the cross-sectional design of most existing studies. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the relationship between self-reported unwanted sexual attention at work and subsequent LTSA (≥3 weeks), stratifying by gender and source of exposure (i.e., colleagues, managers and/or subordinates vs. clients/customers/patients). This prospective study is based on a pooled sample of 14,605 employees from three Danish surveys conducted in 2000, 2004 and 2005, providing a total of 19,366 observations. A single questionnaire-based item was used to assess exposure to unwanted sexual attention. The pooled dataset was merged with Danish register data on LTSA. The risk of first-onset episode of LTSA (up to 18 months after baseline) in connection with unwanted sexual attention was examined using Cox proportional hazards models. We estimated Hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) adjusted for age, influence at work, work pace, occupational group and mode of data collection. We also adjusted for repeated measures from individual respondents by stratifying the Cox models by wave of survey. Unwanted sexual attention from colleagues, managers and/or subordinates predicted LTSA among men (HR 2.66; 95 % CI 1.42-5.00). Among women, an elevated but non-statistically significant risk of LTSA (HR 1.18; 95 % CI 0.65-2.14) was found. Unwanted sexual attention from clients/customers/patients did not predict LTSA, neither among men nor among women. The findings indicate a significantly elevated risk of LTSA, among men only, in relation to

  1. Thought analysis on self-organization theories of MHD plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kondoh, Yoshiomi; Sato, Tetsuya.

    1992-08-01

    A thought analysis on the self-organization theories of dissipative MHD plasma is presented to lead to three groups of theories that lead to the same relaxed state of ∇ x B = λB, in order to find an essential physical picture embedded in the self-organization phenomena due to nonlinear and dissipative processes. The self-organized relaxed state due to the dissipation by the Ohm loss is shown to be formulated generally as the state such that yields the minimum dissipation rate of global auto-and/or cross-correlations between two quantities in j, B, and A for their own instantaneous values of the global correlations. (author)

  2. Brain mechanisms associated with internally directed attention and self-generated thought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benedek, Mathias; Jauk, Emanuel; Beaty, Roger E; Fink, Andreas; Koschutnig, Karl; Neubauer, Aljoscha C

    2016-03-10

    Internal cognition like imagination and prospection require sustained internally directed attention and involve self-generated thought. This fMRI study aimed to disentangle the brain mechanisms associated with attention-specific and task-specific processes during internally directed cognition. The direction of attention was manipulated by either keeping a relevant stimulus visible throughout the task, or by masking it, so that the task had to be performed "in the mind's eye". The level of self-directed thought was additionally varied between a convergent and a divergent thinking task. Internally directed attention was associated with increased activation in the right anterior inferior parietal lobe (aIPL), bilateral lingual gyrus and the cuneus, as well as with extended deactivations of superior parietal and occipital regions representing parts of the dorsal attention network. The right aIPL further showed increased connectivity with occipital regions suggesting an active top-down mechanism for shielding ongoing internal processes from potentially distracting sensory stimulation in terms of perceptual decoupling. Activation of the default network was not related to internally directed attention per se, but rather to a higher level of self-generated thought. The findings hence shed further light on the roles of inferior and superior parietal cortex for internally directed cognition.

  3. Food Thought Suppression: A Matched Comparison of Obese Individuals with and without Binge Eating Disorder

    OpenAIRE

    Barnes, Rachel D.; Masheb, Robin M.; Grilo, Carlos M.

    2011-01-01

    Preliminary studies of non-clinical samples suggest that purposely attempting to avoid thoughts of food, referred to as food thought suppression, is related to a number of unwanted eating- and weight-related consequences, particularly in obese individuals. Despite possible implications for the treatment of obesity and eating disorders, little research has examined food thought suppression in obese individuals with binge eating disorder (BED). This study compared food thought suppression in 60...

  4. Examining the relationship between food thought suppression and binge eating disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnes, Rachel D; Masheb, Robin M; White, Marney A; Grilo, Carlos M

    2013-10-01

    Food thought suppression, or purposely attempting to avoid thoughts of food, is related to a number of unwanted eating- and weight-related consequences, particularly in dieting and obese individuals. Little is known about the possible significance of food thought suppression in clinical samples, particularly obese patients who binge eat. This study examined food thought suppression in 150 obese patients seeking treatment for binge eating disorder (BED). Food thought suppression was not associated with binge eating frequency or body mass index but was significantly associated with higher current levels of eating disorder psychopathology and variables pertaining to obesity, dieting, and binge eating. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Adolescents' Psychological Health and Experiences with Unwanted Sexual Behavior at School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timmerman, Greetje

    2004-01-01

    This paper examines the relationship between experiences with unwanted sexual behavior at school and adolescents' health. Adolescent boys and girls (N = 2,808) participated in a 1998/1999 survey of secondary school students in two regions of The Netherlands. The psychological issues investigated included psychosomatic problems and self-esteem. It…

  6. Unwanted sexual attention at work and long-term sickness absence: a follow-up register-based study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annie Hogh

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The current understanding of the relationship between unwanted sexual attention at work and long-term sickness absence (LTSA is limited for three reasons: 1 the under-researched role of unwanted sexual attention perpetrated by individuals outside the work organization; 2 a widespread use of self-reported measures of sickness absence, with an unclear identification of sickness absence episodes of long duration; 3 the cross-sectional design of most existing studies. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the relationship between self-reported unwanted sexual attention at work and subsequent LTSA (≥3 weeks, stratifying by gender and source of exposure (i.e., colleagues, managers and/or subordinates vs. clients/customers/patients. Methods This prospective study is based on a pooled sample of 14,605 employees from three Danish surveys conducted in 2000, 2004 and 2005, providing a total of 19,366 observations. A single questionnaire-based item was used to assess exposure to unwanted sexual attention. The pooled dataset was merged with Danish register data on LTSA. The risk of first-onset episode of LTSA (up to 18 months after baseline in connection with unwanted sexual attention was examined using Cox proportional hazards models. We estimated Hazard ratios (HR and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI adjusted for age, influence at work, work pace, occupational group and mode of data collection. We also adjusted for repeated measures from individual respondents by stratifying the Cox models by wave of survey. Results Unwanted sexual attention from colleagues, managers and/or subordinates predicted LTSA among men (HR 2.66; 95 % CI 1.42-5.00. Among women, an elevated but non-statistically significant risk of LTSA (HR 1.18; 95 % CI 0.65-2.14 was found. Unwanted sexual attention from clients/customers/patients did not predict LTSA, neither among men nor among women. Conclusions The findings indicate a significantly

  7. Self-focusing in laser produced spark

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakos, J.S.; Foeldes, I.B.

    1983-05-01

    The self-focusing effect appearing in different phases of development of laser produced breakdown plasma in air is investigated. Self-focusing during the ionization process is demonstrated. Thermal self-focusing was observed in the later stage of the plasma development at moderate light intensities. Plasma development was investigated by forward and side scattering of the laser light in the plasma. A crossed beam experiment gave evidence of the thermal mechanism of self-focusing. (author)

  8. An overview of unwanted female hair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blume-Peytavi, U

    2011-12-01

    Unwanted facial hair (UFH) is an important but often overlooked issue, with over 40% of women experiencing some degree of UFH. In the female population a wide spectrum of unwanted hair concerns is represented - from biologically normal but undesirable to excessive unwanted hair with an underlying pathology. While women may seek to manage unwanted hair across their bodies, UFH is a particular concern, due to its negative impact on perceived femininity. There may not always be a direct correlation between degree of severity diagnosed objectively by the physician and level of concern and impact upon the patient. This review discusses the spectrum of facial hair experience and outlines the clinical approach to unwanted hair management including UFH. It highlights the importance of a treatment regimen which should respond to the causation factors and needs of the individual. This will lead to a holistic treatment approach including evaluation of the implementation of emotional coping strategies and on-going support, lifestyle modifications, pharmacological interventions (to address underlying pathologies) and the use of cosmetic hair removal methods as either a stand-alone or adjunct treatment as appropriate to the individual. © 2011 The Author. BJD © 2011 British Association of Dermatologists.

  9. Non-erotic thoughts, attentional focus, and sexual problems in a community sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Andrea L; Purdon, Christine

    2011-04-01

    According to Barlow's model of sexual dysfunction, anxiety in sexual situations leads to attentional focus on sexual performance at the expense of erotic cues, which compromises sexual arousal. This negative experience will enhance anxiety in future sexual situations, and non-erotic thoughts (NETs) relevant to performance will receive attentional priority. Previous research with student samples (Purdon & Holdaway, 2006; Purdon & Watson, 2010) has found that people experience many types of NETs in addition to performance-relevant thoughts, and that, consistent with Barlow's model, the frequency of and anxiety evoked by these thoughts is positively associated with sexual problems. Extending this previous work, the current study found that, in a community sample of women (N = 81) and men (N = 72) in long-term relationships, women were more likely to report body image concerns and external consequences of the sexual activity, while men were more likely to report performance-related concerns. Equally likely among men and women were thoughts about emotional consequences of the sexual activity. Regardless of thought content, experiencing more frequent NETs was associated with more sexual problems in both women and men. Moreover, as per Barlow's model, greater negative affect in anticipation of and during sexual activity predicted greater frequency of NETs and greater anxiety in response to NETs was associated with greater difficulty dismissing the thoughts. However, greater difficulty in refocusing on erotic thoughts during sexual activity uniquely predicted more sexual problems above the frequency and dismissability of NETs. Together, these data support the cognitive interference mechanism implicated by Barlow's causal model of sexual dysfunction and have implications for the treatment of sexual problems.

  10. Thermal self-focusing at oblique incidence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Craxton, R.S.; McCrory, R.L.

    1984-03-01

    Thermal self-focusing at oblique incidence has been investigated in two-dimensional line-focus geometry using the Eulerian hydrodynamics simulation code SAGE. The laser beam interacts with a long-scale-length preformed plasma with an expontial density profiele. Questions to be addressed include: (1) What happens when a self-focusing channel reaches the turning point of the incident rays, and (2) Does the unabsorbed light return in the specular direction or back along the channel. A comparison is also made between thermal self-focusing at normal incidence in cylindrical and line-focus geometries: in cylindrical geometry the self-focusing mechanism is enhanced by the relative ease with which plasma may be expelled from a small cylindrical channel

  11. Older Adults Can Suppress Unwanted Memories When Given an Appropriate Strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    Memory suppression refers to the ability to exclude distracting memories from conscious awareness, and this ability can be assessed with the think/no-think paradigm. Recent research with older adults has provided evidence suggesting both intact and deficient memory suppression. The present studies seek to understand the conditions contributing to older adults’ ability to suppress memories voluntarily. We report 2 experiments indicating that the specificity of the think/no-think task instructions contributes to older adults’ suppression success: When older adults receive open-ended instructions that require them to develop a retrieval suppression strategy on their own, they show diminished memory suppression compared with younger adults. Conversely, when older adults receive focused instructions directing them to a strategy thought to better isolate inhibitory control, they show suppression-induced forgetting similar to that exhibited by younger adults. Younger adults demonstrate memory suppression regardless of the specificity of the instructions given, suggesting that the ability to select a successful suppression strategy spontaneously may be compromised in older adults. If so, this deficit may be associated with diminished control over unwanted memories in naturalistic settings if impeded strategy development reduces the successful deployment of inhibitory control. PMID:25602491

  12. Prediction of Somatization on the Basis of Self-steem, Insomnia and Paranoid Thoughts in University Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farhad Ghadiri Sourman Abadi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Somatization is a somatoform disorder, which medical examinations are not able to explain its reason. In the present research, the role of self-esteem, insomnia, and paranoid thoughts was investigated in somatization disorder. Methods: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted on all students studying at University of Tabriz in the academic year 2014-2015. A total of 270 subjects were selected using stratified random sampling method. In this research, Eysenck Self-Esteem Inventory, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI, Somatization Questionnaire (PHQ-15, and Green et al. Paranoid Thought Scales (GPTS were used. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis tests. Results: Correlation results indicated that somatization disorder has a significant positive relationship with paranoid thoughts and insomnia and a significant negative relationship with self-esteem. Also, based on the results of multiple regression analysis, Insomnia Index had the greatest ability to predict somatization disorder. Conclusion: The findings of this research revealed that factors, such as insomnia, paranoid thoughts, and low self-esteem should be considered in the treatment of somatization disorder.

  13. Predictors of unwanted exposure to online pornography and online sexual solicitation of youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Fong-Ching; Chiu, Chiung-Hui; Miao, Nae-Fang; Chen, Ping-Hung; Lee, Ching-Mei; Chiang, Jeng-Tung

    2016-06-01

    This study examined factors associated with the unwanted exposure to online pornography and unwanted online sexual solicitation victimization and perpetration of youth in Taiwan. A total of 2315 students from 26 high schools were assessed in the 10th grade, with follow-up performed in the 11th grade. Self-administered questionnaires were collected. Multivariate analysis results indicated that higher levels of online game use, pornography media exposure, Internet risk behaviors, depression, and cyberbullying experiences predicted online sexual solicitation victimization, while higher levels of Internet chat room use, pornography media exposure, Internet risk behaviors, cyberbullying experiences, and offline sexual harassment predicted online sexual solicitation perpetration. © The Author(s) 2014.

  14. Noticing the self: Implicit assessment of self-focused attention using word recognition latencies

    OpenAIRE

    Eichstaedt, Dr Jan; Silvia, Dr Paul J.

    2003-01-01

    Self-focused attention is difficult to measure. Two studies developed an implicit measure of self-focus based on word recognition latencies. Self-focused attention activates self-content, so self-focused people should recognize self-relevant words more quickly. Study 1 measured individual-differences in self-focused attention. People scoring high in private self-consciousness recognized self-relevant words more quickly. Study 2 manipulated objective self-awareness with a writing task. People ...

  15. Thermal self-focusing with multiple beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Craxton, R.S.; McCrory, R.L.

    1986-07-01

    Self-focusing in underdense plasmas in the presence of overlapping beams is of interest for multibeam laser-irradiation systems. The hydrodynamics/ray-tracing simulation code SAGE is used to model thermal self-focusing in two-dimensional line-focus geometry with beams incident obliquely at different angles. The conjecture that multiple overlapping beams may suppress self-focusing is investigated for parameters appropriate to reactor-sized targets; in particular, the dependence upon intensity, scale length and pulse width is examined. While the full problem is three-dimensional, insight may be gained from two-dimensional simulations

  16. Rumination, distraction and mindful self-focus: effects on mood, dysfunctional attitudes and cortisol stress response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuehner, C; Huffziger, S; Liebsch, K

    2009-02-01

    Although aggravating effects of rumination on dysfunctional cognitions and endocrine stress responses have been proposed, experimental studies testing these assumptions are lacking. In parallel, mindfulness theory suggests beneficial effects of mindfulness on dysfunctional cognitions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of induced rumination, distraction and mindful self-focus on mood and dysfunctional attitudes and to assess the possible impact of induced rumination on participants' cortisol responses. Sixty university students were subjected to negative mood induction and subsequently randomly assigned to a rumination, distraction or mindful self-focus condition. The latter included statements focusing on self-acceptance and awareness of the breath. Four saliva cortisol samples were selected during the session. Compared to induced rumination, distraction showed a clear beneficial effect on the course of dysphoric mood, whereas a mindful self-focus did not. In contrast to distraction and mindful self-focus, participants induced to ruminate showed significant increases in dysfunctional attitudes from baseline to post-induction. Although rumination was not itself linked to higher cortisol responses, participants scoring high on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II who were induced to ruminate showed a smaller decrease in cortisol levels than those scoring low on the BDI-II. This study indicates that rumination as a dysfunctional mode of cognitive processing is able to maintain depression-linked dysfunctional thought content. Furthermore, our study revealed preliminary indications for a link between induced rumination and the cortisol stress response in vulnerable individuals.

  17. From intrusive to oscillating thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peirce, Anne Griswold

    2007-10-01

    This paper focused on the possibility that intrusive thoughts (ITs) are a form of an evolutionary, adaptive, and complex strategy to prepare for and resolve stressful life events through schema formation. Intrusive thoughts have been studied in relation to individual conditions, such as traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. They have also been documented in the average person experiencing everyday stress. In many descriptions of thought intrusion, it is accompanied by thought suppression. Several theories have been put forth to describe ITs, although none provides a satisfactory explanation as to whether ITs are a normal process, a normal process gone astray, or a sign of pathology. There is also no consistent view of the role that thought suppression plays in the process. I propose that thought intrusion and thought suppression may be better understood by examining them together as a complex and adaptive mechanism capable of escalating in times of need. The ability of a biological mechanism to scale up in times of need is one hallmark of a complex and adaptive system. Other hallmarks of complexity, including self-similarity across scales, sensitivity to initial conditions, presence of feedback loops, and system oscillation, are also discussed in this article. Finally, I propose that thought intrusion and thought suppression are better described together as an oscillatory cycle.

  18. Thought insertion as a self-disturbance: An integration of predictive coding and phenomenological approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philipp Sterzer

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Current theories in the framework of hierarchical predictive coding propose that positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as delusions and hallucinations, arise from an alteration in Bayesian inference, the term inference referring to a process by which learned predictions are used to infer probable causes of sensory data. However, for one particularly striking and frequent symptom of schizophrenia, thought insertion, no plausible account has been proposed in terms of the predictive-coding framework. Here we propose that thought insertion is due to an altered experience of thoughts as coming from nowhere, as is already indicated by the early 20th century phenomenological accounts by the early Heidelberg School of psychiatry. These accounts identified thought insertion as one of the self-disturbances (from German: Ichstörungen of schizophrenia and used mescaline as a model-psychosis in healthy individuals to explore the possible mechanisms. The early Heidelberg School (Gruhle, Mayer-Gross, Beringer first named and defined the self-disturbances, and proposed that thought insertion involves a disruption of the inner connectedness of thoughts and experiences, and a becoming sensory of those thoughts experienced as inserted. This account offers a novel way to integrate the phenomenology of thought insertion with the predictive coding framework. We argue that the altered experience of thoughts may be caused by a reduced precision of context-dependent predictions, relative to sensory precision. According to the principles of Bayesian inference, this reduced precision leads to increased prediction-error signals evoked by the neural activity that encodes thoughts. Thus, in analogy with the prediction-error related aberrant salience of external events that has been proposed previously, internal events such as thoughts (including volitions, emotions and memories can also be associated with increased prediction-error signaling and are thus imbued with

  19. Intrusive thoughts in obsessive-compulsive disorder and eating disorder patients: a differential analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Soriano, Gemma; Roncero, Maria; Perpiñá, Conxa; Belloch, Amparo

    2014-05-01

    The present study aims to compare the unwanted intrusions experienced by obsessive-compulsive (OCD) and eating disorder (ED) patients, their appraisals, and their control strategies and analyse which variables predict the intrusions' disruption and emotional disturbance in each group. Seventy-nine OCD and 177 ED patients completed two equivalent self-reports designed to assess OCD-related and ED-related intrusions, their dysfunctional appraisals, and associated control strategies. OCD and ED patients experienced intrusions with comparable frequency and emotional disturbance, but OCD patients experienced greater disruption. Differences appeared between groups on some appraisals and control strategies. Intolerance to uncertainty (OCD group) and thought importance (ED group) predicted their respective emotional disturbance and disruption. Additionally, control importance (OCD group) and thought-action fusion moral (OCD and ED groups) predicted their emotional disturbance. OCD and ED share the presence of intrusions; however, different variables explain why they are disruptive and emotionally disturbing. Cognitive intrusions require further investigation as a transdiagnostic variable. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

  20. Neural Responses to Heartbeats in the Default Network Encode the Self in Spontaneous Thoughts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babo-Rebelo, Mariana; Richter, Craig G.

    2016-01-01

    The default network (DN) has been consistently associated with self-related cognition, but also to bodily state monitoring and autonomic regulation. We hypothesized that these two seemingly disparate functional roles of the DN are functionally coupled, in line with theories proposing that selfhood is grounded in the neural monitoring of internal organs, such as the heart. We measured with magnetoencephalograhy neural responses evoked by heartbeats while human participants freely mind-wandered. When interrupted by a visual stimulus at random intervals, participants scored the self-relatedness of the interrupted thought. They evaluated their involvement as the first-person perspective subject or agent in the thought (“I”), and on another scale to what degree they were thinking about themselves (“Me”). During the interrupted thought, neural responses to heartbeats in two regions of the DN, the ventral precuneus and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, covaried, respectively, with the “I” and the “Me” dimensions of the self, even at the single-trial level. No covariation between self-relatedness and peripheral autonomic measures (heart rate, heart rate variability, pupil diameter, electrodermal activity, respiration rate, and phase) or alpha power was observed. Our results reveal a direct link between selfhood and neural responses to heartbeats in the DN and thus directly support theories grounding selfhood in the neural monitoring of visceral inputs. More generally, the tight functional coupling between self-related processing and cardiac monitoring observed here implies that, even in the absence of measured changes in peripheral bodily measures, physiological and cognitive functions have to be considered jointly in the DN. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The default network (DN) has been consistently associated with self-processing but also with autonomic regulation. We hypothesized that these two functions could be functionally coupled in the DN, inspired by

  1. Self-focusing relativistic electron streams in plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cox, J.L. Jr.

    1975-01-01

    A relativistic electron stream propagating through a dense plasma induces current and charge densities which determine how the stream can self-focus. Magnetic self-focusing is possible because stream-current neutralization, although extensive, is not complete. Electric self-focusing can occur because the stream charge becomes overneutralized when the net current is smaller than a critical value. Under some circumstances, the latter process can cause the stream to focus into a series of electron bunches

  2. Taking control: Working memory training in overweight individuals increases self-regulation of food intake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houben, Katrijn; Dassen, Fania C M; Jansen, Anita

    2016-10-01

    Working memory (WM) plays a critical role in cognitive control by shielding self-regulatory goals from distraction by desire-related thoughts and emotions. This study examined whether training WM increases self-regulation in overweight participants. It was hypothesized that WM training would decrease psychopathological eating-related thoughts, (over)consumption of food in response to emotions and external cues, food intake and body weight. Overweight participants (n = 50) performed 20-25 sessions of WM training or control/sham training. The dependent measures were self-reported eating-related psychopathology, self-reported emotional/external eating behavior, food intake during a bogus taste test, and body weight, assessed before training, immediately following training, and at one-month follow-up. Relative to control, WM training reduced psychopathological eating-related thoughts and emotional eating (but not external eating). These effects were still present at follow-up, one month later. Food intake and body weight did not show an overall effect of training, though WM training did reduce food intake among highly restrained participants. WM training effectively reduced eating-related thoughts, overeating in response to negative emotions, and food intake among participants with strong dietary restraint goals. Hence, these findings indicate that WM training may strengthen self-regulation by shielding dieting goals from distraction by unwanted eating-related thoughts and emotions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Investigating social consequences of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion in Malawi: the role of stigma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levandowski, Brooke A; Kalilani-Phiri, Linda; Kachale, Fannie; Awah, Paschal; Kangaude, Godfrey; Mhango, Chisale

    2012-09-01

    Malawian women in all sectors of society are suffering from social implications of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion. Unwanted pregnancies occur among women who have limited access to family planning and safe abortion. A legally restrictive setting for safe abortion services leads many women to unsafe abortion, which has consequences for them and their families. In-depth interviews were conducted with 485 Malawian stakeholders belonging to different political and social structures. Interviewees identified the impact of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion to be the greatest on young women. Premarital and extramarital pregnancies were highly stigmatized; stigma directly related to abortion was also found. Community-level discussions need to focus on reduction of stigma. Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. The Self-help Online against Suicidal thoughts (SOS) trial : Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mühlmann, Charlotte; Madsen, Trine; Hjorthøj, Carsten; Kerkhof, Ad; Nordentoft, Merete; Erlangsen, Annette

    2017-01-01

    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

  5. 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.

  6. Effect of Music Tempo on Attentional Focus and Perceived Exertion during Self-selected Paced Walking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Aldo Coelho; Dos Santos Ferreira, Sandro; Alves, Ragami Chaves; Follador, Lucio; DA Silva, Sergio Gregorio

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the influence of music on the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and attentional focus during walking at a self-selected pace. Fifteen overweight and obese women volunteered to participate in the study. They underwent four sessions: the first for incremental maximal test and anthropometric measurement followed by three experimental sessions. After the first session, they were exposed to three 30-minute walking sessions at a self-selected pace in a counterbalanced order: fast-tempo music (FT), medium-tempo music (MT) and no-music control (NM). Borg's RPE Scale and an Attentional Focus Questionnaire were used to measure the perceptual response and attentional focus, respectively. Results showed that the RPE was higher in the no-music control than in the medium-tempo music (12.05 ± 0.6 vs. 10.5 ± 0.5). Furthermore, dissociative attentional focus was greater for both conditions with music in comparison with the no-music control (NM= 39.0 ± 4.1; MT= 48.4 ± 4.1 and FT= 47.9 ± 4.5). The results indicated that the use of music during walking can modulate attentional focus, increasing dissociative thought, and medium-tempo music can reduce the RPE.

  7. Management of multiple sclerosis: the role of coping self-efficacy and self-esteem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikula, Pavol; Nagyova, Iveta; Vitkova, Marianna; Szilasiova, Jarmila

    2018-02-07

    Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) engage in various coping behaviours in order to manage their disease. The aim of this study is to find out if the self-esteem of patients is associated with coping strategies - problem-focused (e.g. making a plan of action when confronted with a problem); emotion focused (e.g. get emotional support from community); and focused on stopping unpleasant emotions and thoughts (e.g. keeping oneself from feeling sad), and if it can enhance or hinder coping efforts in the disease management. We collected data from 155 consecutive MS patients who completed the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSE) and the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSE). Explained variance for problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and coping focused on stopping unpleasant emotions and thoughts was 33, 24, and 31%, respectively. Self-esteem seems to be associated with coping strategies indicating that feelings of self-worth are linked with the ability to handle difficult life situations and can be helpful in chronic disease management.

  8. Negative Effects of Psychological Treatments: An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Negative Effects Questionnaire for Monitoring and Reporting Adverse and Unwanted Events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozental, Alexander; Kottorp, Anders; Boettcher, Johanna; Andersson, Gerhard; Carlbring, Per

    2016-01-01

    Research conducted during the last decades has provided increasing evidence for the use of psychological treatments for a number of psychiatric disorders and somatic complaints. However, by focusing only on the positive outcomes, less attention has been given to the potential of negative effects. Despite indications of deterioration and other adverse and unwanted events during treatment, little is known about their occurrence and characteristics. Hence, in order to facilitate research of negative effects, a new instrument for monitoring and reporting their incidence and impact was developed using a consensus among researchers, self-reports by patients, and a literature review: the Negative Effects Questionnaire. Participants were recruited via a smartphone-delivered self-help treatment for social anxiety disorder and through the media (N = 653). An exploratory factor analysis was performed, resulting in a six-factor solution with 32 items, accounting for 57.64% of the variance. The derived factors were: symptoms, quality, dependency, stigma, hopelessness, and failure. Items related to unpleasant memories, stress, and anxiety were experienced by more than one-third of the participants. Further, increased or novel symptoms, as well as lack of quality in the treatment and therapeutic relationship rendered the highest self-reported negative impact. In addition, the findings were discussed in relation to prior research and other similar instruments of adverse and unwanted events, giving credence to the items that are included. The instrument is presently available in eleven different languages and can be freely downloaded and used from www.neqscale.com.

  9. Self-focusing Past and Present - Fundamentals and Prospects

    CERN Document Server

    Boyd, Robert W

    2007-01-01

    Self-focusing has been an area of active scientific investigation for years. From a practical point of view, self-focusing effects impose a limit on the power that can be transmitted through a material medium. This book presents a comprehensive treatment of this topic and reviews both theoretical and experimental investigations of self-focusing.

  10. [Prevalence and functions of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in a sample of Spanish adolescents assessed in mental health outpatient departments].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díaz de Neira, Mónica; García-Nieto, Rebeca; de León-Martinez, Victoria; Pérez Fominaya, Margarita; Baca-García, Enrique; Carballo, Juan J

    2015-01-01

    Suicidal and self-injurious behaviors in adolescents are a major public health concern. However, the prevalence of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Spanish outpatient adolescents is unknown. A total of 267 adolescents between 11 and 18 year old were recruited from the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatric Services, Jiménez Díaz Foundation (Madrid, Spain) from November 1st 2011 to October 31st 2012. All participants were administered the Spanish version of the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Inventory, which is a structured interview that assesses the presence, frequency, and characteristics of suicidal ideation, suicide plans, suicide gestures, suicide attempts, and non-suicidal self-injury. One-fifth (20.6%) of adolescents reported having had suicidal ideation at least once during their lifetime. Similarly, 2.2% reported suicide plans, 9.4% reported suicide gesture, 4.5% attempted suicide, and 21.7% reported non-suicidal self-injury, at least once during their lifetime. Of the whole sample, 47.6% of adolescents reported at least one of the studied thoughts or behaviors in their lifetime. Among them, 47.2% reported 2 or more of these thoughts or behaviors. Regarding the reported function of each type of thoughts and behaviors examined, most were performed for emotional regulation purposes, except in the case of suicide gestures (performed for the purposes of social reinforcement). The high prevalence and high comorbidity of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, together with the known risk of transition among them, underline the need of a systematic and routine assessment of these thoughts and behaviors in adolescents assessed in mental health departments. Copyright © 2013 SEP y SEPB. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  11. Disposal of unwanted pesticides in Stellenbosch, South Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aqiel Dalvie, Mohamed; Africa, Algernon; London, Leslie

    2006-01-01

    Background: Unwanted pesticides in developing countries are major environmental health threats. This study followed-up a previous audit of unwanted and obsolete pesticides on farms in a rural district of South Africa six years after a National Retrieval Project (NPR) was undertaken. Methods: A descriptive survey of 37 farms that had been in possession of unwanted pesticides in a 1995 survey and a purposive sample of 34 neighbouring farms, was carried out. The survey data included farm details; details of unwanted pesticide stocks, volumes of empty containers and safety and hygiene of pesticide stores. In addition, management was asked if they had been informed about and participated in the 1997 NPR and similarly whether they were aware of the retrieval planned by the African Stockpiles Programme (ASP). Results: Forty (56%) farms were in possession of obsolete pesticides of which 24 (59%) were farms that had unwanted stocks in the previous survey. There were more than 9 tonnes of these pesticides, 50% more than in the previous survey, including 20 chemicals banned, withdrawn or restricted in South Africa or classified as WHO Class I toxicity. Over 2800 kg of pesticides (30%) were not identifiable. None of the farms participated in the NPR, although 47 knew of the initiative. Only six farmers (9%) knew of the ASP initiative. Fifty-nine farms (83%) had empty containers on the premises. Most pesticide stores (67%) had floors contaminated with chemicals. Conclusion: The survey found that despite the NPR, the problem of unwanted pesticides in the study area and probably throughout South Africa has deteriorated. National and international policies should control the problem at source and encourage more sustainable agriculture

  12. Motivation, intentionality, and mind wandering: Implications for assessments of task-unrelated thought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seli, Paul; Cheyne, James Allan; Xu, Mengran; Purdon, Christine; Smilek, Daniel

    2015-09-01

    Researchers of mind wandering frequently assume that (a) participants are motivated to do well on the tasks they are given, and (b) task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) that occur during task performance reflect unintentional, unwanted thoughts that occur despite participants' best intentions to maintain task-focus. Given the relatively boring and tedious nature of most mind-wandering tasks, however, there is the possibility that some participants have little motivation to do well on such tasks, and that this lack of motivation might in turn result in increases specifically in intentional TUTs. In the present study, we explored these possibilities, finding that individuals reporting lower motivation to perform well on a sustained-attention task reported more intentional relative to unintentional TUTs compared with individuals reporting higher motivation. Interestingly, our results indicate that the extent to which participants engage in intentional versus unintentional TUTs does not differentially relate to performance: both types of off-task thought were found to be equally associated with performance decrements. Participants with low levels of task-motivation also engaged in more overall TUTs, however, and this increase in TUTs was associated with greater performance decrements. We discuss these findings in the context of the literature on mind wandering, highlighting the importance of assessing the intentionality of TUTs and motivation to perform well on tasks assessing mind wandering. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. Effect of Music Tempo on Attentional Focus and Perceived Exertion during Self-selected Paced Walking

    Science.gov (United States)

    SILVA, ALDO COELHO; DOS SANTOS FERREIRA, SANDRO; ALVES, RAGAMI CHAVES; FOLLADOR, LUCIO; DA SILVA, SERGIO GREGORIO

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the influence of music on the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and attentional focus during walking at a self-selected pace. Fifteen overweight and obese women volunteered to participate in the study. They underwent four sessions: the first for incremental maximal test and anthropometric measurement followed by three experimental sessions. After the first session, they were exposed to three 30-minute walking sessions at a self-selected pace in a counterbalanced order: fast-tempo music (FT), medium-tempo music (MT) and no-music control (NM). Borg’s RPE Scale and an Attentional Focus Questionnaire were used to measure the perceptual response and attentional focus, respectively. Results showed that the RPE was higher in the no-music control than in the medium-tempo music (12.05 ± 0.6 vs. 10.5 ± 0.5). Furthermore, dissociative attentional focus was greater for both conditions with music in comparison with the no-music control (NM= 39.0 ± 4.1; MT= 48.4 ± 4.1 and FT= 47.9 ± 4.5). The results indicated that the use of music during walking can modulate attentional focus, increasing dissociative thought, and medium-tempo music can reduce the RPE. PMID:27990220

  14. Neuroticism explains unwanted variance in Implicit Association Tests of personality: Possible evidence for an affective valence confound

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monika eFleischhauer

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Meta-analytic data highlight the value of the Implicit Association Test (IAT as an indirect measure of personality. Based on evidence suggesting that confounding factors such as cognitive abilities contribute to the IAT effect, this study provides a first investigation of whether basic personality traits explain unwanted variance in the IAT. In a gender-balanced sample of 204 volunteers, the Big-Five dimensions were assessed via self-report, peer-report, and IAT. By means of structural equation modeling, latent Big-Five personality factors (based on self- and peer-report were estimated and their predictive value for unwanted variance in the IAT was examined. In a first analysis, unwanted variance was defined in the sense of method-specific variance which may result from differences in task demands between the two IAT block conditions and which can be mirrored by the absolute size of the IAT effects. In a second analysis, unwanted variance was examined in a broader sense defined as those systematic variance components in the raw IAT scores that are not explained by the latent implicit personality factors. In contrast to the absolute IAT scores, this also considers biases associated with the direction of IAT effects (i.e., whether they are positive or negative in sign, biases that might result, for example, from the IAT’s stimulus or category features. None of the explicit Big-Five factors was predictive for method-specific variance in the IATs (first analysis. However, when considering unwanted variance that goes beyond pure method-specific variance (second analysis, a substantial effect of neuroticism occurred that may have been driven by the affective valence of IAT attribute categories and the facilitated processing of negative stimuli, typically associated with neuroticism. The findings thus point to the necessity of using attribute category labels and stimuli of similar affective valence in personality IATs to avoid confounding due to

  15. ''Flicker'' in laser-plasma self-focusing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coggeshall, S.V.; Mead, W.C.; Jones, R.D.

    1988-01-01

    Under certain conditions, a new mode of laser-plasma self-focusing can occur which is characterized by a self-sustaining, continual shifting of filament-produced focal spots and a somewhat chaotic redistribution of light at the critical surface. Associated with this phenomenon is the possibility of significant intensity multiplication due to self-focusing. This flickering of laser light is caused by small amplitude, short wavelength ion acoustic waves which are produced near the foci of the filaments and subsequently propagate and convect toward the laser. As these ion fluctuations move toward the laser, they cause further light ray trajectory changes which shift the locations of the foci. New sound waves are launched and the process is self-perpetuated. 7 refs., 5 figs

  16. The Impact of Thought Self-Leadership Education on Graduate Students' Perceptions of Ethics and Cognitive Competencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filipova, Anna A.

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the impact of thought self-leadership education on graduate students' perceptions of ethics and competencies in the execution of cognitive strategies (beliefs and assumptions, self-talk, and mental imagery) in a graduate public administration program's health care administration law course. The results obtained from Wilcoxon…

  17. Negative Effects of Psychological Treatments: An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Negative Effects Questionnaire for Monitoring and Reporting Adverse and Unwanted Events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kottorp, Anders; Boettcher, Johanna; Andersson, Gerhard; Carlbring, Per

    2016-01-01

    Research conducted during the last decades has provided increasing evidence for the use of psychological treatments for a number of psychiatric disorders and somatic complaints. However, by focusing only on the positive outcomes, less attention has been given to the potential of negative effects. Despite indications of deterioration and other adverse and unwanted events during treatment, little is known about their occurrence and characteristics. Hence, in order to facilitate research of negative effects, a new instrument for monitoring and reporting their incidence and impact was developed using a consensus among researchers, self-reports by patients, and a literature review: the Negative Effects Questionnaire. Participants were recruited via a smartphone-delivered self-help treatment for social anxiety disorder and through the media (N = 653). An exploratory factor analysis was performed, resulting in a six-factor solution with 32 items, accounting for 57.64% of the variance. The derived factors were: symptoms, quality, dependency, stigma, hopelessness, and failure. Items related to unpleasant memories, stress, and anxiety were experienced by more than one-third of the participants. Further, increased or novel symptoms, as well as lack of quality in the treatment and therapeutic relationship rendered the highest self-reported negative impact. In addition, the findings were discussed in relation to prior research and other similar instruments of adverse and unwanted events, giving credence to the items that are included. The instrument is presently available in eleven different languages and can be freely downloaded and used from www.neqscale.com. PMID:27331907

  18. Negative Effects of Psychological Treatments: An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Negative Effects Questionnaire for Monitoring and Reporting Adverse and Unwanted Events.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Rozental

    Full Text Available Research conducted during the last decades has provided increasing evidence for the use of psychological treatments for a number of psychiatric disorders and somatic complaints. However, by focusing only on the positive outcomes, less attention has been given to the potential of negative effects. Despite indications of deterioration and other adverse and unwanted events during treatment, little is known about their occurrence and characteristics. Hence, in order to facilitate research of negative effects, a new instrument for monitoring and reporting their incidence and impact was developed using a consensus among researchers, self-reports by patients, and a literature review: the Negative Effects Questionnaire. Participants were recruited via a smartphone-delivered self-help treatment for social anxiety disorder and through the media (N = 653. An exploratory factor analysis was performed, resulting in a six-factor solution with 32 items, accounting for 57.64% of the variance. The derived factors were: symptoms, quality, dependency, stigma, hopelessness, and failure. Items related to unpleasant memories, stress, and anxiety were experienced by more than one-third of the participants. Further, increased or novel symptoms, as well as lack of quality in the treatment and therapeutic relationship rendered the highest self-reported negative impact. In addition, the findings were discussed in relation to prior research and other similar instruments of adverse and unwanted events, giving credence to the items that are included. The instrument is presently available in eleven different languages and can be freely downloaded and used from www.neqscale.com.

  19. On the self-focusing of electric helicons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsintadze, N.L.; El-Ashry, M.Y.; Garuchava, D.P.

    1987-07-01

    The present work is devoted to the investigation of the stationary self-focusing of circularly polarized helicons in a magnetized plasma in the case of ultra-relativistic intensities. It is shown that the larger intensity and effective width at the boundary is the much faster growing self-focusing. (author). 8 refs

  20. Depressive Symptoms and Conversational Self-Focus in Adolescents’ Friendships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz-Mette, Rebecca A.; Rose, Amanda J.

    2015-01-01

    This multi-method, longitudinal study considered the interplay among depressive symptoms, aversive interpersonal behavior, and interpersonal rejection in early and middle adolescents’ friendships. In particular, the study examined a newly identified interpersonal process, conversational self-focus (i.e., the tendency to redirect conversations about problems to focus on the self). Traditional interpersonal theories of depression suggest that individuals with depressive symptoms engage in aversive behaviors (such as conversational self-focus) and are rejected by others. However, in the current study, not all adolescents with depressive symptoms engaged in conversational self-focus and were rejected by friends. Instead, conversational self-focus moderated prospective relations of depressive symptoms and later friendship problems such that only adolescents with depressive symptoms who engaged in conversational self-focus were rejected by friends. These findings are consistent with current conceptualizations of the development of psychopathology that highlight heterogeneity among youth who share similar symptoms and the possibility of multifinality of outcomes. PMID:25640911

  1. Cognitive control processes in paranoia: the impact of threat induction on strategic cognition and self-focused attention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flower, Laura; Newman-Taylor, Katherine; Stopa, Lusia

    2015-01-01

    Current clinical models emphasize certain cognitive processes in the maintenance of distressing paranoia. While a number of these processes have been examined in detail, the role of strategic cognition and self-focused attention remain under-researched. This study examined the deployment of cognitive strategies and self-focused attention in people with non-clinical paranoia. An experimental design was used to examine the impact of a threat activation task on these processes, in participants with high and low non-clinical paranoia. Twenty-eight people were recruited to each group, and completed measures of anxiety, paranoid cognition, strategic cognition and self-focused attention. The threat activation task was effective in increasing anxiety in people with high and low non-clinical paranoia. The high paranoia group experienced more paranoid cognitions following threat activation. This group also reported greater use of thought suppression, punishment and worry, and less use of social control strategies when under threat. No differences were found between the groups on measures of self-focused attention. This study shows that the threat activation task increased anxiety in people with high non-clinical paranoia, leading to increased paranoid thinking. The use of strategic cognition following threat activation varied dependent on level of non-clinical paranoia. If these differences are replicated in clinical groups, the strategies may be implicated in the maintenance of distressing psychosis, and may therefore be a valuable target for therapeutic intervention.

  2. Self-focusing of laser beam crossing a laser plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakos, J.S.; Foeldes, I.B.; Ignacz, P.N.; Soerlei, Zs.

    1983-03-01

    A crossed-beam experiment was performed to clarify the mechanism of self-focusing in a laser produced spark. The plasma was created by one beam and self-focusing was observed in the weak probe beam which crossed the plasma. Experimental results show that the cause of self-focusing is the nonuniform heating mechanism. (author)

  3. Hypo-egoic self-regulation: exercising self-control by diminishing the influence of the self.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leary, Mark R; Adams, Claire E; Tate, Eleanor B

    2006-12-01

    Theory and research dealing with self-regulation have focused primarily on instances of self-regulation that involve high levels of self-reflection and effortful self-control. However, intentionally trying to control one's behavior sometimes reduces the likelihood of achieving one's goals. This article examines the process of hypo-egoic self-regulation in which people relinquish deliberate, conscious control over their own behavior so that they will respond more naturally, spontaneously, or automatically. An examination of spontaneously occurring hypo-egoic states (such as flow, deindividuation, and transcendence) suggests that hypo-egoic states are characterized by lowered self-awareness and/or an increase in concrete and present-focused self-thoughts. In light of this, people may intentionally foster hypo-egoism via two pathways-(a) taking steps to reduce the proportion of time that they are self-aware (such as repeating a behavior until it is automatic or practicing meditation) or (b) increasing the concreteness of their self-thoughts (such as inducing a concrete mindset or practicing mindfulness). In this way, people may deliberately choose to regulate hypo-egoically when effortful control might be detrimental to their performance.

  4. Imbalance of default mode and regulatory networks during externally focused processing in depression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belleau, Emily L.; Taubitz, Lauren E.

    2015-01-01

    Attentional control difficulties likely underlie rumination, a core cognitive vulnerability in major depressive disorder (MDD). Abnormalities in the default mode, executive and salience networks are implicated in both rumination and attentional control difficulties in MDD. In the current study, individuals with MDD (n = 16) and healthy controls (n = 16) completed tasks designed to elicit self-focused (ruminative) and externally-focused thinking during fMRI scanning. The MDD group showed greater default mode network connectivity and less executive and salience network connectivity during the external-focus condition. Contrary to our predictions, there were no differences in connectivity between the groups during the self-focus condition. Thus, it appears that when directed to engage in self-referential thinking, both depressed and non-depressed individuals similarly recruit networks supporting this process. In contrast, when instructed to engage in non-self-focused thought, non-depressed individuals show a pattern of network connectivity indicative of minimized self-referential processing, whereas depressed individuals fail to reallocate neural resources in a manner consistent with effective down regulation of self-focused thought. This is consistent with difficulties in regulating self-focused thinking in order to engage in more goal-directed behavior that is seen in individuals with MDD. PMID:25274576

  5. Self-focused and other-focused resiliency: Plausible mechanisms linking early family adversity to health problems in college women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coleman, Sulamunn R M; Zawadzki, Matthew J; Heron, Kristin E; Vartanian, Lenny R; Smyth, Joshua M

    2016-01-01

    This study examined whether self-focused and other-focused resiliency help explain how early family adversity relates to perceived stress, subjective health, and health behaviors in college women. Female students (N = 795) participated between October 2009 and May 2010. Participants completed self-report measures of early family adversity, self-focused (self-esteem, personal growth initiative) and other-focused (perceived social support, gratitude) resiliency, stress, subjective health, and health behaviors. Using structural equation modeling, self-focused resiliency associated with less stress, better subjective health, more sleep, less smoking, and less weekend alcohol consumption. Other-focused resiliency associated with more exercise, greater stress, and more weekend alcohol consumption. Early family adversity was indirectly related to all health outcomes, except smoking, via self-focused and other-focused resiliency. Self-focused and other-focused resiliency represent plausible mechanisms through which early family adversity relates to stress and health in college women. This highlights areas for future research in disease prevention and management.

  6. A risky boundary: Unwanted sexual behaviour among youth

    OpenAIRE

    Bruijn, Paula de; Burrie, Ingrid; Wel, Frits van

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this research was to explore unwanted sexual behaviour amongs young people. Sexual aggression was operationalized at three levels: ‘‘verbal’’, ‘‘non-verbal/intimidating’’ and ‘‘physically violent’’. A total of 1,700 Dutch adolescents completed a questionnaire that included six clusters of possible determinants of unwanted sexual behaviour: background characteristics, personality characteristics, family environment, school environment, friends and deviant behaviour and sexuality and...

  7. Defensive zeal and the uncertain self: what makes you so sure?

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGregor, Ian; Marigold, Denise C

    2003-11-01

    In Studies 1-3, undergraduates with high self-esteem (HSEs) reacted to personal uncertainty-threats with compensatory conviction about unrelated issues and aspects of the self. In Study 1 HSEs reacted to salience of personal dilemmas with increased implicit conviction about self-definition. In Study 2 they reacted to the same uncertainty-threat with increased explicit conviction about social issues. In Study 3, HSEs (particularly defensive HSEs, i.e., with low implicit self-esteem; C. H. Jordan, S. J. Spencer, & M. P. Zanna, 2003) reacted to uncertainty about a personal relationship with compensatory conviction about social issues. For HSEs in Study 4, expressing convictions about social issues decreased subjective salience of dilemma-related uncertainties that were not related to the social issues. Compensatory conviction is viewed as a mode of repression, akin to reaction formation, that helps keep unwanted thoughts out of awareness.

  8. Excessive or unwanted hair in women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hypertrichosis; Hirsutism; Hair - excessive (women); Excessive hair in women; Hair - women - excessive or unwanted ... Women normally produce low levels of male hormones (androgens). If your body makes too much of this ...

  9. Regulatory focus and generalized trust: the impact of prevention-focused self-regulation on trusting others.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, Johannes; Mayo, Ruth; Greifeneder, Rainer; Pfattheicher, Stefan

    2015-01-01

    The current research suggests that taking self-regulatory mechanisms into account provides insights regarding individuals' responses to threats in social interactions. In general, based on the notion that a prevention-focused orientation of self-regulation is associated with a need for security and a vigilant tendency to avoid losses and other types of negative events we advocate that a prevention-focused orientation, both as a disposition as well as a situationally induced state, lowers generalized trust, thus hindering cooperation within social interactions that entail threats. Specifically, we found that the more individuals' habitual self-regulatory orientation is dominated by a prevention focus, the less likely they are to score high on a self-report measure of generalized trust (Study 1), and to express trust in a trust game paradigm as manifested in lower sums of transferred money (Studies 2 and 3). Similar findings were found when prevention focus was situationally manipulated (Study 4). Finally, one possible factor underlying the impact of prevention-focused self-regulation on generalized trust was demonstrated as individuals with a special sensitivity to negative information were significantly affected by a subtle prevention focus manipulation (versus control condition) in that they reacted with reduced trust in the trust game (Study 5). In sum, the current findings document the crucial relevance of self-regulatory orientations as conceptualized in regulatory focus theory regarding generalized trust and responses to threats within a social interaction. The theoretical and applied implications of the findings are discussed.

  10. Regulatory Focus and Generalized Trust: The Impact of Prevention-focused Self-regulation on Trusting Others

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johannes eKeller

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The current research suggests that taking self-regulatory mechanisms into account provides insights regarding individuals’ responses to threats in social interactions. In general, based on the notion that a prevention-focused orientation of self-regulation is associated with a need for security and a vigilant tendency to avoid losses and other types of negative events we advocate that a prevention-focused orientation, both as a disposition as well as a situationally induced state, lowers generalized trust, thus hindering cooperation within social interactions that entail threats. Specifically, we found that the more individuals’ habitual self-regulatory orientation is dominated by a prevention focus, the less likely they are to score high on a self-report measure of generalized trust (Study 1, and to express trust in a trust game paradigm as manifested in lower sums of transferred money (Studies 2 and 3. Similar findings were found when prevention focus was situationally manipulated (Study 4. Finally, one possible factor underlying the impact of prevention-focused self-regulation on generalized trust was demonstrated as individuals with a special sensitivity to negative information were significantly affected by a subtle prevention focus manipulation (vs. control condition in that they reacted with reduced trust in the trust game (Study 5. In sum, the current findings document the crucial relevance of self-regulatory orientations as conceptualized in regulatory focus theory regarding generalized trust and responses to threats within a social interaction. The theoretical and applied implications of the findings are discussed.

  11. A Penny for Your Thoughts: Dimensions of Thought Content and Relationships with Individual Differences in Emotional Well-Being

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica R Andrews-Hanna

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available A core aspect of human cognition involves overcoming the constraints of the present environment by mentally simulating another time, place, or perspective. Although these self-generated processes confer many benefits, they can come at an important cost, and this cost is greater for some individuals than for others. Here we explore the possibility that the costs and benefits of self-generated thought depend, in part, upon its phenomenological content. To test these hypotheses, we first developed a novel thought sampling paradigm and explored normative ratings of multiple thought content variables (i.e. valence, specificity, self-relevance, etc. across a large sample of young adults. Next, we examined multi-level relationships among these content variables, and used a hierarchical clustering approach to partition self-generated thought into multiple dimensions. Finally, we investigated whether these content dimensions predicted individual differences in the costs and benefits of the experience, assessed with questionnaires measuring emotional health and wellbeing. Individuals who characterized their thoughts as more negative and more personally-significant exhibited scored higher on constructs associated with Depression and Trait Negative Affect, whereas those who characterized their thoughts as less specific scored higher on constructs linked to Rumination. In contrast, individuals who characterized their thoughts as more positive, less personally-significant, and more specific scored higher on constructs linked to improved wellbeing (Mindfulness. Collectively, these findings suggest that the content of people’s inner thoughts can 1 be productively examined, 2 be distilled into several major dimensions, and 3 account for a large portion of variability in their functional outcomes.

  12. Influence of COMT genotype and affective distractors on the processing of self-generated thought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilford, Emma J; Dumontheil, Iroise; Wood, Nicholas W; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

    2015-06-01

    The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme is a major determinant of prefrontal dopamine levels. The Val(158)Met polymorphism affects COMT enzymatic activity and has been associated with variation in executive function and affective processing. This study investigated the effect of COMT genotype on the flexible modulation of the balance between processing self-generated and processing stimulus-oriented information, in the presence or absence of affective distractors. Analyses included 124 healthy adult participants, who were also assessed on standard working memory (WM) tasks. Relative to Val carriers, Met homozygotes made fewer errors when selecting and manipulating self-generated thoughts. This effect was partly accounted for by an association between COMT genotype and visuospatial WM performance. We also observed a complex interaction between the influence of affective distractors, COMT genotype and sex on task accuracy: male, but not female, participants showed a sensitivity to the affective distractors that was dependent on COMT genotype. This was not accounted for by WM performance. This study provides novel evidence of the role of dopaminergic genetic variation on the ability to select and manipulate self-generated thoughts. The results also suggest sexually dimorphic effects of COMT genotype on the influence of affective distractors on executive function. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press.

  13. Is mindfulness-based therapy an effective intervention for obsessive-intrusive thoughts: a case series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkinson-Tough, Megan; Bocci, Laura; Thorne, Kirsty; Herlihy, Jane

    2010-01-01

    Despite the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural interventions in improving the experience of obsessions and compulsions, some people do not benefit from this approach. The present research uses a case series design to establish whether mindfulness-based therapy could benefit those experiencing obsessive-intrusive thoughts by targeting thought-action fusion and thought suppression. Three participants received a relaxation control intervention followed by a six-session mindfulness-based intervention which emphasized daily practice. Following therapy all participants demonstrated reductions in Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale scores to below clinical levels, with two participants maintaining this at follow-up. Qualitative analysis of post-therapy feedback suggested that mindfulness skills such as observation, awareness and acceptance were seen as helpful in managing thought-action fusion and suppression. Despite being limited by small participant numbers, these results suggest that mindfulness may be beneficial to some people experiencing intrusive unwanted thoughts and that further research could establish the possible efficacy of this approach in larger samples. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Self-focusing of whistler waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karpman, V. I.; Kaufman, R. N.; Shagalov, A. G.

    1992-01-01

    The theory of axially symmetric self-focusing of whistler waves, based on the full system of Maxwell equations, is developed. The plasma is described by the magnetohydrodynamic equations including the ponderomotive force from RF field. The nonlinear Schrodinger equations (NSE) for arbitrary azimuthal modes of whistler waves are derived. It is shown that they differ from the NSE for a scalar field; this is connected with an intrinsic angular momentum due to the rotating polarization of whistlers. It is shown that the self-focusing, as described by the NSE, differs in its final stage from the results following the full set of Maxwell equations. The latter gives defocusing after sufficient narrowing of the initial wave beam, due to transformation of the trapped wave into a nontrapped branch which is not contained in the NSE description. The oscillatory character of the defocusing is demonstrated.

  15. Attachment-Focused Psychotherapy and the Wounded Self.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spiegel, Eric B

    2016-07-01

    The concept of the "wounded self" (Wolfe, 2005) offers an integrative theoretical framework for self-wounds and their developmental origins. Alladin (2013, 2014, 2016) integrated hypnotherapy into this model to comprehensively address the unconscious protective mechanisms and maladaptive conscious cognitive strategies of the wounded self. The purpose of this article is to propose how an attachment-focused psychotherapy could be utilized in working with the wounded self. With its emphasis on developmental maturation through the frame of the attachment relationship, attachment theory is well-positioned to offer conceptual and treatment insights in treating the wounded self. E. B. Spiegel's (2016) attunement, representation, and mentalization approach to attachment-focused psychotherapy described how hypnosis can be utilized across attachment processes of attunement, representation, and mentalization toward structural maturation and developmental repair of patients with histories of complex relational trauma. In this article, the attunement, representation, and mentalization attachment approach and associated interventions are further explicated in the treatment of self-wounds in the borderline and narcissistic spectrums of personality organization. These principles of conceptualization and treatment interventions are then applied in a case example.

  16. The relationship of thought suppression and recent rape to disordered eating in emerging adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Brittany; Fischer, Sarah; Stojek, Monika; Becker, Kendra

    2014-02-01

    This study utilizes a prospective design to examine the interaction of recent rape/attempted rape with individual differences in thought suppression on increases in disordered eating symptoms during late adolescence/emerging adulthood. Thought suppression is the attempt to suppress unwanted thoughts. We propose that emerging adult women who have experienced recent rape/attempted rape and tend to use thought suppression as a coping mechanism are at risk for increases in disordered eating. 319 women completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, the Sexual Experiences Survey, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and the White Bear Thought Suppression Inventory in their first month of college and three months later. The experience of recent rape/attempted rape in the three months prior to the assessment accounted for unique variance in disordered eating at Time 2. Levels of thought suppression assessed at Time 1 significantly moderated the influence of recent rape/attempted rape on disordered eating at Time 2. Copyright © 2013 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. The Effect of Automatic Thoughts on Hopelessness: Role of Self-Esteem as a Mediator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cakar, Firdevs Savi

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to test a theoretical model concerning the role of self-esteem as a mediator between university students' automatic thoughts and their levels of hopelessness. The participants consisted of 338 students (197 females (58.3%) and 141 males (41.7%) from various departments at the Celal Bayar University. The research data…

  18. Self-focusing in SF6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ackerhalt, J.R.; Galbraith, H.W.

    1981-01-01

    It is shown by explicit calculation of previously published quasicontinuum model that the molecular susceptibility rapidly approaches zero as higher excited states of the molecule become populated. Hence the overtones of the ν 3 -pumped mode are totally responsible for the self focusing effects in SF 6 . The ν 3 ladder contribution to the susceptibility is calculated. The vibrational model is a classical triply degenerate anharmonic oscillator in the Cartesian basis with the anharmonicity parameters chosen to be consistent with the latest spectroscopic analysis of the 3ν 3 overtone spectrum. The rotational structure is represented by a distribution of these oscillators where the distribution is chosen to correspond to the spectrum of the ν 3 fundamental. Good agreement is found with the 300 0 in self-focusing data of Nowak and Ham at CO 2 P(28), P(20) and P(10) in SF 6

  19. A dual-process model of defense against conscious and unconscious death-related thoughts: an extension of terror management theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pyszczynski, T; Greenberg, J; Solomon, S

    1999-10-01

    Distinct defensive processes are activated by conscious and nonconscious but accessible thoughts of death. Proximal defenses, which entail suppressing death-related thoughts or pushing the problem of death into the distant future by denying one's vulnerability, are rational, threat-focused, and activated when thoughts of death are in current focal attention. Distal terror management defenses, which entail maintaining self-esteem and faith in one's cultural worldview, function to control the potential for anxiety that results from knowing that death is inevitable. These defenses are experiential, are not related to the problem of death in any semantic or logical way, and are increasingly activated as the accessibility of death-related thoughts increases, up to the point at which such thoughts enter consciousness and proximal threat-focused defenses are initiated. Experimental evidence for this analysis is presented.

  20. Self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts and emotional eating in family caregivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacDougall, Megan; Steffen, Ann

    2017-10-01

    Self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts was examined as a predictor of emotional eating by family caregivers of physically and cognitively impaired older adults. Adult women (N = 158) providing healthcare assistance for an older family member completed an online survey about caregiving stressors, depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, and emotional eating. A stress process framework was used as a conceptual model to guide selection of variables predicting emotional eating scores. A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted and the overall model was significant (R 2 = .21, F(4,153) = 10.02, p accounting for IADL, role overload, and depression scores. These findings replicate previous research demonstrating the relationship between managing cognitions about caregiving and behavioral responses to stressors, and point to the importance of addressing cognitive processes in efforts to improve caregiver health behaviors.

  1. Self-harm and its association with internet addiction and internet exposure to suicidal thought in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hui-Ching; Liu, Shen-Ing; Tjung, Jin-Jin; Sun, Fang-Ju; Huang, Hui-Chun; Fang, Chun-Kai

    2017-03-01

    Self-harm (SH) is a risk factor for suicide. We aimed to determine whether internet addiction and internet exposure to confided suicidal ideation are associated with SH in adolescents. This study was a cross-sectional survey of students who self-completed a series of online questionnaires including a sociodemographic information questionnaire, questionnaire for suicidality and SH, Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), multi-dimensional support scale (MDSS), Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES), Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C), and questionnaire for substance abuse. A total of 2479 students completed the questionnaires (response rate = 62.1%). They had a mean age of 15.44 years (range 14-19 years; standard deviation 0.61), and were mostly female (n = 1494; 60.3%). The prevalence of SH within the previous year was 10.1% (n = 250). Among the participants, 17.1% had internet addiction (n = 425) and 3.3% had been exposed to suicidal content on the internet (n = 82). In the hierarchical logistic regression analysis, internet addiction and internet exposure to suicidal thoughts were both significantly related to an increased risk of SH, after controlling for gender, family factors, exposure to suicidal thoughts in the real life, depression, alcohol/tobacco use, concurrent suicidality, and perceived social support. However, the association between internet addiction and SH weakened after adjusting for the level of self-esteem, while internet exposure to suicidal thoughts remained significantly related to an increased risk of SH (odds ratio = 1.96; 95% confidence interval: 1.06-3.64). Online experiences are associated with SH in adolescents. Preventive strategies may include education to increase social awareness, to identify the youths most at risk, and to provide prompt help. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Self-esteem and the quest for felt security: how perceived regard regulates attachment processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, S L; Holmes, J G; Griffin, D W

    2000-03-01

    The authors proposed that personal feelings of self-esteem foster the level of confidence in a partner's regard critical for satisfying attachments. Dating and married couples described themselves, their partners, how they thought their partners saw them, and how they wanted their partners to see them on a variety of interpersonal qualities. The results revealed that low self-esteem individuals dramatically underestimated how positively their partners saw them. Such unwarranted and unwanted insecurities were associated with less generous perceptions of partners and lower relationship well-being. The converse was true for high self-esteem individuals. A longitudinal examination of the dating couples revealed that the vulnerabilities of lows were only exacerbated over time. A dependency regulation model is proposed, wherein felt security in a partner's perceived regard is suggested as a prime mechanism linking self-esteem to relational well-being.

  3. Dissociating medial frontal and posterior cingulate activity during self-reflection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Marcia K; Raye, Carol L; Mitchell, Karen J; Touryan, Sharon R; Greene, Erich J; Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan

    2006-06-01

    Motivationally significant agendas guide perception, thought and behaviour, helping one to define a 'self' and to regulate interactions with the environment. To investigate neural correlates of thinking about such agendas, we asked participants to think about their hopes and aspirations (promotion focus) or their duties and obligations (prevention focus) during functional magnetic resonance imaging and compared these self-reflection conditions with a distraction condition in which participants thought about non-self-relevant items. Self-reflection resulted in greater activity than distraction in dorsomedial frontal/anterior cingulate cortex and posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus, consistent with previous findings of activity in these areas during self-relevant thought. For additional medial areas, we report new evidence of a double dissociation of function between medial prefrontal/anterior cingulate cortex, which showed relatively greater activity to thinking about hopes and aspirations, and posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus, which showed relatively greater activity to thinking about duties and obligations. One possibility is that activity in medial prefrontal cortex is associated with instrumental or agentic self-reflection, whereas posterior medial cortex is associated with experiential self-reflection. Another, not necessarily mutually exclusive, possibility is that medial prefrontal cortex is associated with a more inward-directed focus, while posterior cingulate is associated with a more outward-directed, social or contextual focus.

  4. Prediction of unwanted pregnancies using logistic regression, probit regression and discriminant analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebrahimzadeh, Farzad; Hajizadeh, Ebrahim; Vahabi, Nasim; Almasian, Mohammad; Bakhteyar, Katayoon

    2015-01-01

    Unwanted pregnancy not intended by at least one of the parents has undesirable consequences for the family and the society. In the present study, three classification models were used and compared to predict unwanted pregnancies in an urban population. In this cross-sectional study, 887 pregnant mothers referring to health centers in Khorramabad, Iran, in 2012 were selected by the stratified and cluster sampling; relevant variables were measured and for prediction of unwanted pregnancy, logistic regression, discriminant analysis, and probit regression models and SPSS software version 21 were used. To compare these models, indicators such as sensitivity, specificity, the area under the ROC curve, and the percentage of correct predictions were used. The prevalence of unwanted pregnancies was 25.3%. The logistic and probit regression models indicated that parity and pregnancy spacing, contraceptive methods, household income and number of living male children were related to unwanted pregnancy. The performance of the models based on the area under the ROC curve was 0.735, 0.733, and 0.680 for logistic regression, probit regression, and linear discriminant analysis, respectively. Given the relatively high prevalence of unwanted pregnancies in Khorramabad, it seems necessary to revise family planning programs. Despite the similar accuracy of the models, if the researcher is interested in the interpretability of the results, the use of the logistic regression model is recommended.

  5. Some Thoughts on Self-Disclosure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richards, Arnold

    2018-04-01

    This paper explores the pros and cons of self-disclosure and self revelation in the analyst. It takes as its starting point a paper by Jeffrey Stern that shows a mixed but generally positive outcome of an incident of self-disclosure. The trend in more recent times has been toward somewhat more self-disclosure, with modern analysts' views on a continuum. The author discusses an example from his own practice, in which he delayed self-disclosure for some time, but did reveal facts about himself, and how this had a mostly positive outcome. He concludes by distinguishing self-disclosure that entails stating facts about self from self-revelation, when the analyst tells his feelings about some specifics from his own life or in the patient's disclosure. Such revelation is not likely to be beneficial to the therapeutic alliance in its early stages, but may be of value as the analytic relationship and trust develop over longer time.

  6. Cross-Cultural Comparison of Self-Construal and Well-Being between Japan and South Korea: The Role of Self-Focused and Other-Focused Relational Selves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Joonha; Norasakkunkit, Vinai; Kashima, Yoshi

    2017-01-01

    Relational self, along with individual and collective selves, is a fundamental aspect that makes up self-concept. Proposing its two aspects: self-focused relational self (i.e., perceiving the self as the object of other people's referential awareness or intentionality) and other-focused relational self (i.e., perceiving the self as being attuned and empathetically connected to close others), the current study explored the way the four selves affect well-being in Japan and South Korea, the East Asian cultures that have been assumed to be homogeneously collectivistic in previous psychological literature. Japanese and Korean participants rated a set of well-being and self-related scales. There were visible sample differences within culture by collection method (classroom vs. online) in relative degrees of selves and related constructs, possibly associated with generational differences. Other-focused relational self was greater in the Korean classroom sample than the Japanese counterpart, whereas no difference was found between the online samples. On the other hand, it was consistent between cultures that the two types of relational self showed different associations with social anxiety and self-esteem as expected, and that they predicted well-being in different ways. We discuss implications for the generational differences and their interactions with culture and the importance of separating the two aspects of relational self in the study of self and culture. PMID:28928699

  7. Cross-Cultural Comparison of Self-Construal and Well-Being between Japan and South Korea: The Role of Self-Focused and Other-Focused Relational Selves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joonha Park

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Relational self, along with individual and collective selves, is a fundamental aspect that makes up self-concept. Proposing its two aspects: self-focused relational self (i.e., perceiving the self as the object of other people's referential awareness or intentionality and other-focused relational self (i.e., perceiving the self as being attuned and empathetically connected to close others, the current study explored the way the four selves affect well-being in Japan and South Korea, the East Asian cultures that have been assumed to be homogeneously collectivistic in previous psychological literature. Japanese and Korean participants rated a set of well-being and self-related scales. There were visible sample differences within culture by collection method (classroom vs. online in relative degrees of selves and related constructs, possibly associated with generational differences. Other-focused relational self was greater in the Korean classroom sample than the Japanese counterpart, whereas no difference was found between the online samples. On the other hand, it was consistent between cultures that the two types of relational self showed different associations with social anxiety and self-esteem as expected, and that they predicted well-being in different ways. We discuss implications for the generational differences and their interactions with culture and the importance of separating the two aspects of relational self in the study of self and culture.

  8. Cross-Cultural Comparison of Self-Construal and Well-Being between Japan and South Korea: The Role of Self-Focused and Other-Focused Relational Selves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Joonha; Norasakkunkit, Vinai; Kashima, Yoshi

    2017-01-01

    Relational self, along with individual and collective selves, is a fundamental aspect that makes up self-concept. Proposing its two aspects: self-focused relational self (i.e., perceiving the self as the object of other people's referential awareness or intentionality) and other-focused relational self (i.e., perceiving the self as being attuned and empathetically connected to close others), the current study explored the way the four selves affect well-being in Japan and South Korea, the East Asian cultures that have been assumed to be homogeneously collectivistic in previous psychological literature. Japanese and Korean participants rated a set of well-being and self-related scales. There were visible sample differences within culture by collection method (classroom vs. online) in relative degrees of selves and related constructs, possibly associated with generational differences. Other-focused relational self was greater in the Korean classroom sample than the Japanese counterpart, whereas no difference was found between the online samples. On the other hand, it was consistent between cultures that the two types of relational self showed different associations with social anxiety and self-esteem as expected, and that they predicted well-being in different ways. We discuss implications for the generational differences and their interactions with culture and the importance of separating the two aspects of relational self in the study of self and culture.

  9. Legal Briefing: Unwanted Cesareans and Obstetric Violence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pope, Thaddeus Mason

    2017-01-01

    A capacitated pregnant woman has a nearly unqualified right to refuse a cesarean section. Her right to say "no" takes precedence over clinicians' preferences and even over clinicians' concerns about fetal health. Leading medical societies, human rights organizations, and appellate courts have all endorsed this principle. Nevertheless, clinicians continue to limit reproductive liberty by forcing and coercing women to have unwanted cesareans. This "Legal Briefing" reviews recent court cases involving this type of obstetric violence. I have organized these court cases into the following six categories: 1. Epidemic of Unwanted Cesareans 2. Court-Ordered Cesareans 3. Physician-Coerced Cesareans 4. Physician-Ordered Cesareans 5. Cesareans for Incapacitated Patients 6. Cesareans for Patients in a Vegetative State or Who Are Brain Dead. Copyright 2017 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights reserved.

  10. Manic thinking: independent effects of thought speed and thought content on mood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pronin, Emily; Wegner, Daniel M

    2006-09-01

    This experiment found that the speed of thought affects mood. Thought speed was manipulated via participants' paced reading of statements designed to induce either an elated or a depressed mood. Participants not only experienced more positive mood in response to elation than in response to depression statements, but also experienced an independent increase in positive mood when they had been thinking fast rather than slow--for both elation and depression statements. This effect of thought speed extended beyond mood to other experiences often associated with mania (i.e., feelings of power, feelings of creativity, a heightened sense of energy, and inflated self-esteem or grandiosity).

  11. TuFF3. Self-focusing in underdense ultraviolet laser-produced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, K.; Boswell, B.; Craxton, R.S.; Goldman, L.M.; Richardson, M.C.; Seka, W.; Short, R.W.; Soures, J.M.

    1984-01-01

    Ultraviolet laser-matter interaction processes are of considerable interest to laser fusion. Among these processes, filamentation (or self-focusing) is of particular importance, since it could prevent attainment of the illumination uniformity required for high target compression. In addition self-focusing may complicate the interpretation of target interaction experiments. Self-focusing has been studied experimentally by side-on x-ray pinhole camera photography and backscatter spectrometry. These results are compared with two-dimensional simulations using the hydro code SAGE, which is well suited to model thermal self-focusing (no ponderomotive forces are included in these simulations)

  12. The frequency of involuntary autobiographical memories and future thoughts in relation to daydreaming, emotional distress, and age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berntsen, Dorthe; Rubin, David C; Salgado, Sinue

    2015-11-01

    We introduce a new scale, the Involuntary Autobiographical Memory Inventory (IAMI), for measuring the frequency of involuntary autobiographical memories and involuntary future thoughts. Using the scale in relation to other psychometric and demographic measures provided three important, novel findings. First, the frequency of involuntary and voluntary memories and future thoughts are similarly related to general measures of emotional distress. This challenges the idea that the involuntary mode is uniquely associated with emotional distress. Second, the frequency of involuntary autobiographical remembering does not decline with age, whereas measures of daydreaming, suppression of unwanted thoughts and dissociative experiences all do. Thus, involuntary autobiographical remembering relates differently to aging than daydreaming and other forms of spontaneous and uncontrollable thoughts. Third, unlike involuntary autobiographical remembering, the frequency of future thoughts does decrease with age. This finding underscores the need for examining past and future mental time travel in relation to aging and life span development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Self-trapping and self-focusing of an elliptical laser beam in a collisionless magnetoplasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soni, V S; Nayyar, V P [Punjabi Univ., Patiala (India). Dept. of Physics

    1980-03-14

    The authors have studied the self-trapping and self-focusing-defocusing of an elliptically shaped laser beam in a magnetoplasma. The critical self-trapping power of the beam for the ordinary mode is twice the critical power for the extraordinary mode. On both sides of the critical power required for self-trapping, there are separate values of the critical power for the x-dimension as well as for the y-dimension of the beam. At and above the critical value for the x-dimension, the beam defocuses in both directions while at and below the critical value for the y-dimension, it self-focuses in both directions. Self-trapping is also observed in the case of the ordinary mode at a critical value of the external magnetic field for any power value.

  14. Food thought suppression: a matched comparison of obese individuals with and without binge eating disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnes, Rachel D; Masheb, Robin M; Grilo, Carlos M

    2011-12-01

    Preliminary studies of non-clinical samples suggest that purposely attempting to avoid thoughts of food, referred to as food thought suppression, is related to a number of unwanted eating- and weight-related consequences, particularly in obese individuals. Despite possible implications for the treatment of obesity and eating disorders, little research has examined food thought suppression in obese individuals with binge eating disorder (BED). This study compared food thought suppression in 60 obese patients with BED to an age-, gender-, and body mass index (BMI)-matched group of 59 obese persons who do not binge eat (NBO). In addition, this study examined the associations between food thought suppression and eating disorder psychopathology within the BED and NBO groups and separately by gender. Participants with BED and women endorsed the highest levels of food thought suppression. Food thought suppression was significantly and positively associated with many features of ED psychopathology in NBO women and with eating concerns in men with BED. Among women with BED, higher levels of food thought suppression were associated with higher frequency of binge eating, whereas among men with BED, higher levels of food thought suppression were associated with lower frequency of binge eating. Our findings suggest gender differences in the potential significance of food thought suppression in obese groups with and without co-existing binge eating problems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Observers' focus of attention in the simulation of self-perception.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wegner, D M; Finstuen, K

    1977-01-01

    This research was designed to assess the effects of a manipulation of observers' focus of attention--from a focus on the actor to a focus on the actor's situation--upon observers' attributions of attitude to an actor in a simulation of a forced-compliance cognitive dissonance experiment. Observers induced through empathy instructions to focus attention on the actor's situation inferred less actor attitude positivity than did observers given no specific observational set. In addition, situation-focused observers inferred that the actor's attitude was directly related to reward magnitude, whereas actor-focused observers inferred that the actor's attitude was inversely related to reward magnitude. An extension of self-perception theory, offered as an interpretation of these and other results, suggested that motivation attribution made by actors and observers in dissonance and simulation studies are dependent on focus of attention. The attributions made by actor-focused observers simulate those of objectively self-aware actors and are based upon perceived intrinsic motivation; the attributions of situation-focused observers simulate those of subjectively self-aware actors and are based upon perceived extrinsic motivation.

  16. Self-focusing and Raman scattering of laser pulses in tenuous plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Antonsen, T.M. Jr.; Mora, P.

    1993-01-01

    The propagation and self-focusing of short, intense laser pulses in a tenuous plasma is studied both analytically and numerically. Specifically, pulses of length of the order of a few plasma wavelengths and of intensity, which is large enough for relativistic self-focusing to occur, are considered. Such pulses are of interest in various laser plasma acceleration schemes. It is found that these pulses are likely to be strongly affected by Raman instabilities. Two different regimes of instability, corresponding to large and small scattering angles, are found to be important. Small-angle scattering is perhaps the most severe since it couples strongly with relativistic self-focusing, leading the pulses to acquire significant axial and transverse structure in a time of the order of the self-focusing time. Thus it will be difficult to propagate smooth self-focused pulses through tenuous plasmas for distances longer than the Rayleigh length, except for pulse duration of the order of the plasma period

  17. Experiential self-focus writing as a facilitator of processing an interpersonal hurt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Kelly Yu-Hsin; Wei, Meifen; Russell, Daniel W; Abraham, W Todd

    2012-10-01

    This study examined the effects of experiential self-focus writing on changes in psychological outcomes (i.e., unforgiveness and negative affect) after an interpersonal hurt and the buffering effects of experiential self-focus writing on the association between anger rumination and these psychological outcomes. A sample of 182 college students who had experienced interpersonal hurt were randomly assigned to either the experiential self-focus writing condition, in which participants wrote about their feelings and experiences related to the hurt, or to a control writing condition in which they wrote about a recent neutral event. Latent growth curve analyses indicated that changes in unforgiveness over time did not differ between the experiential self-focus writing and the control writing conditions. However, relative to the control writing condition, negative affect decreased faster during writing and increased more slowly at follow-ups in the experiential self-focus writing condition. The results supported the hypothesis that negative affect resulting from an interpersonal hurt would significantly decrease over time among participants in the experiential self-focus writing group compared with the control group. Implications of experiential self-focus writing for interpersonal hurt and directions for future studies are discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Inhibitors and Facilitators of Unwanted Adolescent Pregnancy in Iran and the World: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farzaneh Rashidi Fakari

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Approximately 16 million adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 years and 1 million teenage girls less than 15 years of age become pregnant worldwide annually, and the majority of these pregnancies are unintended. Unwanted adolescent pregnancy coupled with impaired and inadequate physical and mental health can lead to slow progression of the community and the short- and long-term negative consequences. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the inhibitors and facilitators of unwanted adolescent pregnancy in Iran and across the globe. Method: The current narrative review was conducted using the keywords of "pregnancy", "unwanted", and "adolescent" in both Persian and English articles published from 2000 to 2016. The searched databases included Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, ProQuest, Irandoc, Scientific Information Database (SID, and Magiran. Results: Twenty-nine articles related to the study objectives were selected. Our investigations indicated that the inhibitors of unwanted adolescent pregnancy could be classified into four main categories of abstinence, religious beliefs, adolescent employment program, and parent-adolescent relationship. Further, the facilitators of unwanted adolescent pregnancy were categorized into eight categories of pornography on the Internet and media, peer pressure, lack of knowledge and information, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, adherence to fashion in clothing, economic and income status and family structure. Implications for Practice: The findings of this review revealed that more studies were conducted to explore the facilitators of unwanted adolescent pregnancy in comparison with inhibitors. Shortage of knowledge and information among adolescents plays a major role in unwanted adolescent pregnancy. However, a definitive judgment on the contribution of each factor to unwanted adolescent pregnancy requires further in-depth studies.

  19. Unwanted sexual advances at work: variations by employment arrangement in a sample of working Australians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamontagne, Anthony D; Smith, Peter M; Louie, Amber M; Quinlan, Michael; Shoveller, Jean; Ostry, Aleck S

    2009-04-01

    We tested the hypothesis that the risk of experiencing unwanted sexual advances at work (UWSA) is greater for precariously-employed workers in comparison to those in permanent or continuing employment. A cross-sectional population-based telephone survey was conducted in Victoria (66% response rate, N=1,101). Employment arrangements were analysed using eight differentiated categories, as well as a four-category collapsed measure to address small cell sizes. Self-report of unwanted sexual advances at work was modelled using multiple logistic regression in relation to employment arrangement, controlling for gender, age, and occupational skill level. Forty-seven respondents reported UWSA in our sample (4.3%), mainly among women (37 of 47). Risk of UWSA was higher for younger respondents, but did not vary significantly by occupational skill level or education. In comparison to Permanent Full-Time, three employment arrangements were strongly associated with UWSA after adjustment for age, gender, and occupational skill level: Casual Full-Time OR = 7.2 (95% Confidence Interval 1.7-30.2); Fixed-Term Contract OR = 11.4 (95% CI 3.4-38.8); and Own-Account Self-Employed OR = 3.8 (95% CI 1.2-11.7). In analyses of females only, the magnitude of these associations was further increased. Respondents employed in precarious arrangements were more likely to report being exposed to UWSA, even after adjustment for age and gender. Greater protections from UWSA are likely needed for precariously employed workers.

  20. Views on unwanted effects of leave-on emollients and experiences msurrounding their incidence

    OpenAIRE

    Oakley, Robert; Lawton, Sandra

    2016-01-01

    Background: The mainstay treatment for eczema is leave-on emollients. The aim of this study was to find out more about unwanted effects that have been reported with their use, as little is known due to a lack of formal reporting.\\ud \\ud Aims: To gain a greater understanding of eczema patients’ experiences of unwanted effects such as stinging, what influence unwanted effects had on their therapy, why subsequent variations in leave-on emollient adherence followed and what patients desire in the...

  1. Responsibility, thought-action fusion, and thought suppression in Turkish patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yorulmaz, O; Karanci, A N; Bastug, B; Kisa, C; Goka, E

    2008-03-01

    Although an inflated sense of responsibility, thought-action fusion, and thought suppression are influential factors in cognitive models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), their impact on OCD has generally been demonstrated in samples from Western countries. The aim of the present study is to evaluate these cognitive factors in Turkish patients with OCD, other anxiety disorders, and community controls. Group comparisons showed that responsibility based on self-dangerousness and thought suppression significantly distinguished OCD patients from patients with other anxiety disorders and controls. Moreover, correlation and discriminant function analyses indicated that thought-action fusion in morality and likelihood was also associated with OCD symptoms. The present findings provide support for the international validity and specificity of cognitive factors and model for OCD.

  2. When fit fosters favoring : The role of private self-focus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fransen, Marieke L.; Fennis, Bob M.; Pruyn, Ad Th. H.; Vohs, Kathleen D.

    The present research extends work on the 'the value from fit' principle by showing that regulatory fit effects on persuasion and behavioral compliance are stronger for people high, as opposed to low, in private self-focus. Previous research has shown that people high in private self-focus are

  3. UNWANTED BEHAVIOUR AMONG YOUTH: INFLUENCE OF DIGITAL MEDIA CONSUMPTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mateja Rek

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In many cases of unwanted behaviour that we analysed (for instance in case of cheating on school tests, beating, being bullied, conflicts with parents, gambling, intentionally damaging or destroying property we found a statistically significant effect of the extent of digital media use on incidence of such behaviour. Youth, who are large digital media users, behave in such socially unwanted ways more often compared to smaller media users. A dominant share of youth isn’t involved in violent behaviour or vandalism at all. However, the incidence of violence or vandalism in the large media users group is significantly higher compared to low and medium users group.

  4. Self-focusing and self-defocusing of elliptically shaped Gaussian laser beams in plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nayyar, V P; Soni, V S [Punjabi Univ., Patiala (India). Dept. of Physics

    1979-02-14

    This paper presents a study of the self-focusing and self-defocusing of elliptically shaped Gaussian laser beams in collisional and collisionless plasmas. The non-linear dependence of the dielectric constant inside a collisional plasma is due to inhomogeneous heating of energy carriers and in a collisionless plasma it is due to the ponderomotive force. It is found that the beam gets focused at different points in different planes, exhibiting the effect of astigmatism. In certain power regions considered, the beam either converges or defocuses in both the directions, while in some other regions of the power spectrum one dimension of the beam focuses while the other defocuses. The beam also propagates in an oscillatory waveguide.

  5. Is self-generated thought a means of social problem solving?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruby, Florence J. M.; Smallwood, Jonathan; Sackur, Jerome; Singer, Tania

    2013-01-01

    Appropriate social problem solving constitutes a critical skill for individuals and may rely on processes important for self-generated thought (SGT). The aim of the current study was to investigate the link between SGT and social problem solving. Using the Means-End Problem Solving task (MEPS), we assessed participants' abilities to resolve daily social problems in terms of overall efficiency and number of relevant means they provided to reach the given solution. Participants also performed a non-demanding choice reaction time task (CRT) and a moderately-demanding working memory task (WM) as a context in which to measure their SGT (assessed via thought sampling). We found that although overall SGT was associated with lower MEPS efficiency, it was also associated with higher relevant means, perhaps because both depend on the capacity to generate cognition that is independent from the hear and now. The specific content of SGT did not differentially predict individual differences in social problem solving, suggesting that the relationship may depend on SGT regardless of its content. In addition, we also found that performance at the WM but not the CRT was linked to overall better MEPS performance, suggesting that individuals good at social processing are also distinguished by their capacity to constrain attention to an external task. Our results provide novel evidence that the capacity for SGT is implicated in the process by which solutions to social problems are generated, although optimal problem solving may be achieved by individuals who display a suitable balance between SGT and cognition derived from perceptual input. PMID:24391621

  6. Atypical self-focus effect on interoceptive accuracy in anorexia nervosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Pollatos

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Interoceptive abilities are known to be affected in anorexia nervosa (AN. Previous studies could show that private self-focus can enhance interoceptive accuracy (IAcc in healthy participants. As body dissatisfaction is high in AN, confrontation with bodily features such as the own face might have a directly opposed effect in AN. Whether patients with AN can benefit from self-focus in their IAcc and whether this pattern changes over the time-course of cognitive behavioral therapy was investigated in this study. Methods: 15 patients with AN from the Psychosomatic Clinic in Windach were assessed three times in the time course of a standardized cognitive-behavioral therapy. They were compared to 15 controls, recruited from Ulm University and tested in a comparable setting. Both groups performed the heartbeat perception task assessing interoceptive accuracy (IAcc under two conditions either enhancing (Self or decreasing (Other self-focused attention. Furthermore, body dissatisfaction was assessed by a subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory 2. Results: Patients with AN scored higher in IAcc when watching others’ faces as compared to one’s own face while performing the heartbeat perception task. The opposite pattern was observed in controls. IAcc remained reduced in AN as compared to controls in the time-course of cognitive-behavioral therapy, while body-dissatisfaction improved in AN. High body dissatisfaction was related to poorer IAcc in the Self condition. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that using self-focused attention reduces IAcc in AN while the opposite pattern was observed in controls. Confronting anorexic patients with bodily features might increase body-related avoidance and therefore decrease interoceptive accuracy. The current study introduces a new perspective concerning the role of interoceptive processes in AN and generates further questions regarding the therapeutic utility of methods targeting self-focus in the

  7. Pulse splitting of self-focusing-beams in normally dispersive media

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergé, L.; Juul Rasmussen, J.

    1996-01-01

    The influence of the normal group-velocity dispersion on anisotropic self-focusing beams in nonlinear Kerr media is studied analytically. It is shown that a light pulse self-focusing in the presence of normal dispersion is split up into several small-scale cells preventing a catastrophic collapse....... The theoretical explanation of this splitting process is revealed....

  8. Unwanted Behaviors and Nuisance Behaviors Among Neighbors in a Belgian Community Sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michaux, Emilie; Groenen, Anne; Uzieblo, Katarzyna

    2015-06-30

    Unwanted behaviors between (ex-)intimates have been extensively studied, while those behaviors within other contexts such as neighbors have received much less scientific consideration. Research indicates that residents are likely to encounter problem behaviors from their neighbors. Besides the lack of clarity in the conceptualization of problem behaviors among neighbors, little is known on which types of behaviors characterize neighbor problems. In this study, the occurrence of two types of problem behaviors encountered by neighbors was explored within a Belgian community sample: unwanted behaviors such as threats and neighbor nuisance issues such as noise nuisance. By clearly distinguishing those two types of behaviors, this study aimed at contributing to the conceptualization of neighbor problems. Next, the coping strategies used to deal with the neighbor problems were investigated. Our results indicated that unwanted behaviors were more frequently encountered by residents compared with nuisance problems. Four out of 10 respondents reported both unwanted pursuit behavior and nuisance problems. It was especially unlikely to encounter nuisance problems in isolation of unwanted pursuit behaviors. While different coping styles (avoiding the neighbor, confronting the neighbor, and enlisting help from others) were equally used by the stalked participants, none of them was perceived as being more effective in reducing the stalking behaviors. Strikingly, despite being aware of specialized help services such as community mediation services, only a very small subgroup enlisted this kind of professional help. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Effects of false feedback on affect, cognition, behavior, and postevent processing: the mediating role of self-focused attention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makkar, Steve R; Grisham, Jessica R

    2013-03-01

    Current social phobia models (e.g., Clark & Wells, 1995; Leary & Kowalski, 1995) postulate that socially anxious individuals negatively appraise their anxiety sensations (e.g., sweating, heart racing, blushing) as evidence of poor social performance, and thus fear these anxiety symptoms will be noticed and judged negatively by others. Consequently, they become self-focused and hypervigilant of these sensations and use them to judge how they appear to others. To test this model, high (N=41) and low (N=38) socially anxious participants were shown false physiological feedback regarding an increase or decrease in heart rate prior to and during an impromptu speech task. Relative to participants who observed a false heart rate decrease, those in the increase condition reported higher levels of negative affect, more negative performance appraisals, and more frequent negative ruminative thoughts, and these effects were mediated by an increase in self-focused attention. The unhelpful effects of the physiological feedback were not specific to high socially anxious participants. The results have implications for current cognitive models as well as the treatment of social phobia. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. Unwanted facial hair removal with laser treatment improves quality of life of patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maziar, Ali; Farsi, Nader; Mandegarfard, Manijeh; Babakoohi, Shahab; Gorouhi, Farzam; Dowlati, Yahya; Firooz, Alireza

    2010-02-01

    Unwanted facial hair can have adverse psychological effects on women and reduce their quality of life. To assess the effects of unwanted facial hair removal with laser on improving quality of life. In this study, 70 patients treated for unwanted facial hair by laser were assessed by Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire on admission and 3 months later after three sessions of laser treatment. The DLQI score before treatment was 9.42 +/- 5.99, which was reduced to 3.12 +/- 3.40 after laser treatment (p facial hair removal with laser can improve the quality of life of patients.

  11. Suppressing images of desire: Neural correlates of chocolate-related thoughts in high and low trait chocolate cravers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miedl, Stephan F; Blechert, Jens; Meule, Adrian; Richard, Anna; Wilhelm, Frank H

    2018-03-05

    Chocolate is the most often craved food in Western societies and many individuals try to resist its temptation due to weight concerns. Suppressing chocolate-related thoughts might, however, lead to paradoxical enhancements of these thoughts and this effect might be more pronounced in individuals with frequent chocolate cravings. In the current study, neural and cognitive correlates of chocolate thought suppression were investigated as a function of trait chocolate craving. Specifically, 20 high and 20 low trait chocolate cravers followed suppression vs. free thinking instructions after being exposed to chocolate and neutral images. Enhanced cue reactivity was evident in high trait chocolate cravers in that they reported more chocolate-related thoughts selectively after chocolate images compared to their low trait craving counterparts. This cue reactivity was mirrored neurally by higher activation in the ventral and dorsal striatum, demonstrating enhanced reward system activity. Unexpectedly, high trait chocolate cravers successfully reduced their elevated chocolate thoughts in the suppression condition. This lends support for the use of thought suppression as a means of regulating unwanted thoughts, cravings and imagery. Whether this thought manipulation is able to curb the elevated cue reactivity and the underlying reward sensitivity in chocolate cravers in applied settings remains to be shown. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Self-focusing therapeutic gene delivery with intelligent gene vector swarms: intra-swarm signalling through receptor transgene expression in targeted cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolmachov, Oleg E

    2015-01-01

    Gene delivery in vivo that is tightly focused on the intended target cells is essential to maximize the benefits of gene therapy and to reduce unwanted side-effects. Cell surface markers are immediately available for probing by therapeutic gene vectors and are often used to direct gene transfer with these vectors to specific target cell populations. However, it is not unusual for the choice of available extra-cellular markers to be too scarce to provide a reliable definition of the desired therapeutically relevant set of target cells. Therefore, interrogation of intra-cellular determinants of cell-specificity, such as tissue-specific transcription factors, can be vital in order to provide detailed cell-guiding information to gene vector particles. An important improvement in cell-specific gene delivery can be achieved through auto-buildup in vector homing efficiency using intelligent 'self-focusing' of swarms of vector particles on target cells. Vector self-focusing was previously suggested to rely on the release of diffusible chemo-attractants after a successful target-specific hit by 'scout' vector particles. I hypothesize that intelligent self-focusing behaviour of swarms of cell-targeted therapeutic gene vectors can be accomplished without the employment of difficult-to-use diffusible chemo-attractants, instead relying on the intra-swarm signalling through cells expressing a non-diffusible extra-cellular receptor for the gene vectors. In the proposed model, cell-guiding information is gathered by the 'scout' gene vector particles, which: (1) attach to a variety of cells via a weakly binding (low affinity) receptor; (2) successfully facilitate gene transfer into these cells; (3) query intra-cellular determinants of cell-specificity with their transgene expression control elements and (4) direct the cell-specific biosynthesis of a vector-encoded strongly binding (high affinity) cell-surface receptor. Free members of the vector swarm loaded with therapeutic cargo

  13. The Effects of Self-Focus On Affect and Vertical Jump Performance of NCAA Athletes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas G. Hammond

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Self-focused attention is often associated with a process of evaluation that has implications for affect, motivation and performance. However, this topic has received little attention in elite sport. Thus, the aim of this study was to understand the relationship between self-focused attention, affective responses and physical performance of successfully (n=12 and unsuccessful (n=12 NCAA athletes. Each athlete was presented with a self-focused and other-focused condition. They provided ratings of positive affect and then completed vertical squat jumps after each stimulus condition. Significant interactions were observed between stimulus condition and athlete performance group for all dependent variables. Successful athletes demonstrated significantly more positive affect, and greater jump height and energy output following the self-focused condition. The opposite trend was observed for unsuccessful athletes. These findings highlight the potential for self-focused attention to enhance or detract from sport performance based on the direction of self-discrepancies. Keywords: self-focused attention, self-evaluation, elite athletes, positive affect, athletic performance

  14. A self-focusing mercury jet target

    CERN Document Server

    Johnson, C

    2002-01-01

    Mercury jet production targets have been studied in relation to antiproton production and, more recently, pion production for a neutrino factory. There has always been a temptation to include some self-focusing of the secondaries by passing a current through the mercury jet analogous to the already proven lithium lens. However, skin heating of the mercury causes fast vaporization leading to the development of a gliding discharge along the surface of the jet. This external discharge can, nevertheless, provide some useful focusing of the secondaries in the case of the neutrino factory. The technical complications must not be underestimated.

  15. Critical power for self-focusing of optical beam in absorbing media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Pengfei; Zhang, Lin; Lin, Lie; Zhang, Nan; Wang, Yan; Liu, Weiwei

    2018-04-01

    Self-focusing effects are of central importance for most nonlinear optical effects. The critical power for self-focusing is commonly investigated theoretically without considering a material’s absorption. Although this is practicable for various materials, investigating the critical power for self-focusing in media with non-negligible absorption is also necessary, because this is the situation usually met in practice. In this paper, the simple analytical expressions describing the relationships among incident power, absorption coefficient and focal position are provided by a simple physical model based on the Fermat principle. Expressions for the absorption dependent critical power are also derived; these can play important roles in experimental and applied research on self-focusing-related nonlinear optical phenomena in absorbing media. Numerical results, based on the nonlinear wave equation—and which can predict experimental results perfectly—are also presented, and agree quantitatively with the analytical results proposed in this paper.

  16. Relationship between Unwanted Pregnancy and Health-Related Quality of Life in Pregnant Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Azizi

    2016-06-01

    To determine the relationship between unwanted pregnancy and health-related quality of life in pregnant women. Case-control study. Department of Community Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran, from October 2013 to July 2014. Of the pregnant women who presented to primary healthcare centers of Kermanshah, Iran to receive prenatal care at 6 - 10 weeks of their pregnancy, those with unwanted pregnancy were selected as cases and those with wanted pregnancy were selected as control group. The selection process was done using multi-stage stratified random sampling. Frequency matching was applied to match the two groups. Quality of life was measured by the SF-36 questionnaire and was compared by the t-test. Relationship power between pregnancy type (wanted or unwanted pregnancy) and impairment of quality of life subscales as the outcome was assessed using odds ratio (OR). Frequency distribution of matched variables was not statistically different between the two studied groups. Mean scores of mental component summary and physical component summary as well as eight subscales (physical functioning, role, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health) were lower in the unwanted pregnancy group compared to women with wanted pregnancy (p < 0.001). The highest high impairment odds ratio was highest for the mental component summary (MCS) (OR = 9.19; 95% CI = 5.17- 16.32) and vitality subscale (OR = 5.2; 95% CI = 2.89- 9.33). Mental health of the pregnant women with unwanted pregnancy is affected more than their physical health. Mental health in women with unwanted pregnancy is 9.19 times more likely to be reduced. Among mental health subscales, vitality (energy/fatigue) showed the highest decrease.

  17. COUNTERMEASURE FOR MINIMIZE UNWANTED ALARM OF AUTOMATIC FIRE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hasung Kong

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article investigated the cause of error through survey to building officials for minimizing the unwanted alarm of automatic fire notification and suggested countermeasure for minimizing the unwanted alarm. The main cause of the unwanted alarm is defective fire detector, interlocking with automatic fire detection system, lack in fire safety warden’s ability, worn-out fire detect receiving system. The countermeasure for minimizing unwanted alarm is firstly, tightening up the standard of model approval, Secondly, interlocking with cross-section circuit method fire extinguishing system or realizing automatic fire notification system interlocking with home network, thirdly, tightening up licensing examination of fire safety warden, lastly, it suggested term of use rule of fire detect receiving system.

  18. Self-focusing of electron bunches in a nonlinear plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krasovitskii, V.B.; Osmolovsky, S.I.

    1994-01-01

    The phenomena of self-focusing of previously bunched electron beam in hot nonlinear plasma with the frequency which less than the plasma one is studied. It is established that influence of the Miller's force nonlinearity of the plasma don't leads to self-focusing breaking. However in the case of a dense beam, the appearance strong resonant electric field is followed by the change of the sign of the plasma dielectric constant to positive at the beam axis. But the dielectric constant remain negative at the outer of the beam

  19. A comparison between girls' and boys' experiences of unwanted sexual behaviour in secondary schools

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Timmerman, G

    Background This study examines gender differences (and similarities) in the context, meaning and effects of unwanted sexual behaviour in secondary schools. Purpose First, the study's purpose is exploration of variables that discriminate between girls' and boys' experiences of unwanted sexual

  20. Relationship Between Unwanted Pregnancy And Health-related Quality Of Life In Pregnant Women

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, A.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To determine the relationship between unwanted pregnancy and health-related quality of life in pregnant women. Study Design: Case-control study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Community Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran, from October 2013 to July 2014. Methodology: Of the pregnant women who presented to primary healthcare centers of Kermanshah, Iran to receive prenatal care at 6 - 10 weeks of their pregnancy, those with unwanted pregnancy were selected as cases and those with wanted pregnancy were selected as control group. The selection process was done using multi-stage stratified random sampling. Frequency matching was applied to match the two groups. Quality of life was measured by the SF-36 questionnaire and was compared by the t-test. Relationship power between pregnancy type (wanted or unwanted pregnancy) and impairment of quality of life subscales as the outcome was assessed using odds ratio (OR). Result: Frequency distribution of matched variables was not statistically different between the two studied groups. Mean scores of mental component summary and physical component summary as well as eight subscales (physical functioning, role, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health) were lower in the unwanted pregnancy group compared to women with wanted pregnancy (p < 0.001). The highest high impairment odds ratio was highest for the mental component summary (MCS) (OR = 9.19; 95 percentage CI = 5.17- 16.32) and vitality subscale (OR = 5.2; 95 percentage CI = 2.89- 9.33). Conclusion: Mental health of the pregnant women with unwanted pregnancy is affected more than their physical health. Mental health in women with unwanted pregnancy is 9.19 times more likely to be reduced. Among mental health subscales, vitality (energy/fatigue) showed the highest decrease. (author)

  1. A demographic survey of unwanted horses in Ireland 2005-2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leadon DP

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Irish Horse Industry expanded during the Celtic Tiger boom years, then contracted in the current economic recession. High value horses were traditionally controlled through sale at public auction, private sales and sales to dealers; these are now also being reduced by decreases in production (> 40%, and increases in retirement, re-homing, euthanasia and disposal through Category 2 plants and abattoirs. The absence or banning of horse abattoirs has been shown to have very significant welfare social and economic consequences in the USA. This study described the currently available data on the demographics of unwanted horses in Ireland from 2005 to 2010. Results The majority of horses euthanised by practicing veterinarians are destroyed on medical grounds but the number euthanised at the request of welfare groups and the state, as well as welfare related calls and the number of horses involved in these calls and subsequent visits is increasing reflecting the increasing involvement of the veterinary profession in equine welfare. Welfare groups have limited resources and do not have a tradition of recording data, but they too have reported increasing calls, visits and numbers of horses per visit. Welfare groups provide significant service to equine welfare and the community. Local Authorities report similar trends. Over 300 horses were found dead or required immediate or subsequent euthanasia following welfare group and local authority visits in 2010, which is of national concern. The majority of local authority interfaces with unwanted horses are with urban (60% rather than rural (40% horses. Mortality figures are poor indicators of non-fatal neglect. More horses were admitted into the care of local authorities than welfare groups, reflecting significant state and taxpayer investment in the control of low value horses. Category 2 plants and abattoirs represent a significant state investment in licensing and control in the

  2. Being watched: the effect of social self-focus on interoceptive and exteroceptive somatosensory perception.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durlik, Caroline; Cardini, Flavia; Tsakiris, Manos

    2014-04-01

    We become aware of our bodies interoceptively, by processing signals arising from within the body, and exteroceptively, by processing signals arising on or outside the body. Recent research highlights the importance of the interaction of exteroceptive and interoceptive signals in modulating bodily self-consciousness. The current study investigated the effect of social self-focus, manipulated via a video camera that was facing the participants and that was either switched on or off, on interoceptive sensitivity (using a heartbeat perception task) and on tactile perception (using the Somatic Signal Detection Task (SSDT)). The results indicated a significant effect of self-focus on SSDT performance, but not on interoception. SSDT performance was not moderated by interoceptive sensitivity, although interoceptive sensitivity scores were positively correlated with false alarms, independently of self-focus. Together with previous research, our results suggest that self-focus may exert different effects on body perception depending on its mode (private versus social). While interoception has been previously shown to be enhanced by private self-focus, the current study failed to find an effect of social self-focus on interoceptive sensitivity, instead demonstrating that social self-focus improves exteroceptive somatosensory processing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. A Risky Boundary: Unwanted Sexual Behaviour among Youth

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Bruijn, Paula; Burrie, Ingrid; van Wel, Frits

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this research was to explore unwanted sexual behaviour amongst young people. Sexual aggression was operationalized at three levels: "verbal", "non-verbal/intimidating" and "physically violent". A total of 1,700 Dutch adolescents completed a questionnaire that included six clusters of possible determinants…

  4. Relationship between self-focused attention, mindfulness and distress in individuals with auditory verbal hallucinations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Úbeda-Gómez, J; León-Palacios, M G; Escudero-Pérez, S; Barros-Albarrán, M D; López-Jiménez, A M; Perona-Garcelán, S

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among self-focused attention, mindfulness and distress caused by the voices in psychiatric patients. Fifty-one individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis participated in this study. The Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale (PSYRATS) emotional factor was applied to measure the distress caused by the voices, the Self-Absorption Scale (SAS) was given for measuring the levels of self-focused attention, and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) was used to measure mindfulness. The results showed that distress caused by the voices correlated positively with self-focused attention (private and public) and negatively with mindfulness. A negative correlation was also found between mindfulness and self-focused attention (private and public). Finally, multiple linear regression analysis showed that public self-focus was the only factor predicting distress caused by the voices. Intervention directed at diminishing public self-focused attention and increasing mindfulness could improve distress caused by the voices.

  5. COUNTERMEASURE FOR MINIMIZE UNWANTED ALARM OF AUTOMATIC FIRE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hasung Kong

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article investigated the cause of error through survey to building officials for minimizing the unwanted alarm of automatic fire notification and suggested countermeasure for minimizing the unwanted alarm. The main cause of the unwanted alarm is defective fire detector, interlocking with automatic fire detection system, lack in fire safety warden’s ability, worn-out fire detect receiving system. The countermeasure for minimizing unwanted alarm is firstly, tightening up the standard of model approval, Secondly, interlocking with cross-section circuit method fire extinguishing system or realizing automatic fire notification system interlocking with home network, thirdly, tightening up licensing examination of fire safety warden, lastly, it suggested term of use rule of fire detect receiving system. 

  6. Personal identity and eastern thought

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Correia Carlos João

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to show that the problem of personal identity is a fundamental question of the classical Indian thought. Usually we tend to think that personal identity is a Western philosophical subject, and so we tend to forget the significance of the Self (Atman in Hinduism and even in Buddhism. The author shows how the Indian thought approached the question of personal identity and which was the singular solution outlined in the work consensually attributed to Gotama, the Buddha.

  7. Self-oscillations in cw solid-state ultrashort-pulse-generating lasers with mode locking by self-focusing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalashnikov, V L; Krimer, D O; Mejid, F; Poloiko, I G; Mikhailov, V P

    1999-01-01

    Steady-state and transient regimes of ultrashort pulse generation are studied for cw solid-state lasers with mode locking by self-focusing. It is shown that the control parameter, which governs the nature of lasing, is the relationship between self-phase-modulation and the saturation intensity of an efficient shutter, induced by the Kerr self-focusing. Numerical modelling based on mapping the parameters of a quasi-soliton ultrashort pulse, considered in the aberration-free approximation, yields results in good agreement with experiments. (control of laser radiation parameters)

  8. Wave optical theory for fast self-focusing of laser beams in plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Subbarao, D.; Uma, R.; Ghatak, A.K.; Indian Inst. of Tech., New Delhi. Dept. of Physics)

    1983-01-01

    A theory based on the field and non-linearity expansions in terms of Laguerre-Gauss functions is presented. The theory is useful when very fast self focusing occurs, as in the case of relativistic self focusing. Results for self trapping with a saturable non-linearity are closer to the numerical results than those obtained by any other theory. (author)

  9. Determinants of unwanted pregnancies in India using matched case-control designs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dixit Priyanka

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In India, while the total fertility rate has been declined from 3.39 in 1992–93 to 2.68 in 2005–06, the prevalence of unintended pregnancy is still stagnant over the same period. A review of existing literature shows that within the country, there are variations in fertility preferences between different regions. Also there is a strong argument that the availability of a health facility at the village level plays an important role in reshaping the fertility behavior of women. Keeping in mind the fact that there is no information at the village level (which is the lowest geographical boundary in the recent round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3, the specific objective of this study is to examine the impact of individual and household level variables on unwanted pregnancies without controlling the village level variation. Further, once the village level variation (i.e. unobserved variation has been controlled, it is necessary to study whether there has been any alteration in the contribution of factors from earlier results of without adjusting the village level variation. Methods This paper attempts to examine the associated factors of unwanted pregnancies, without matching the village and after matching the village, by using the matched case–control design. Nationwide data from India’s latest NFHS-3 conducted during 2005–06 was used for the present study. Frequency and pair wise matching has been applied in the present paper and conditional logistic regression analysis was used to work out the models and to find out the factors associated with unwanted pregnancies. Results A major finding of this study was that 1:3 case–control study (without matching the village shows that women belonging to non Hindu/Muslim religion, Scheduled Tribe, women who have experienced child loss and if the previous birth interval is 24 through 36 months were significant predictors of unwanted pregnancy. However, this

  10. Inner Speech and Clarity of Self-Concept in Thought Disorder and Auditory-Verbal Hallucinations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Sousa, Paulo; Sellwood, William; Spray, Amy; Fernyhough, Charles; Bentall, Richard P

    2016-12-01

    Eighty patients and thirty controls were interviewed using one interview that promoted personal disclosure and another about everyday topics. Speech was scored using the Thought, Language and Communication scale (TLC). All participants completed the Self-Concept Clarity Scale (SCCS) and the Varieties of Inner Speech Questionnaire (VISQ). Patients scored lower than comparisons on the SCCS. Low scores were associated the disorganized dimension of TD. Patients also scored significantly higher on condensed and other people in inner speech, but not on dialogical or evaluative inner speech. The poverty of speech dimension of TD was associated with less dialogical inner speech, other people in inner speech, and less evaluative inner speech. Hallucinations were significantly associated with more other people in inner speech and evaluative inner speech. Clarity of self-concept and qualities of inner speech are differentially associated with dimensions of TD. The findings also support inner speech models of hallucinations.

  11. Correation between rumination and reflection in self-focus, and self-efficacy, self-esteem and depression

    OpenAIRE

    Seki, Hiromi; Kodama, Kenichi

    2013-01-01

    The relationships of rumination and reflection with self-focus, se1f-efficacy, self-esteem and depression, as well as gender differences in these relationships were investigated. Results indicated that women ruminated more than men and that men reflected more than women. Moreover, reflection had a negative effect on depression in men, whereas it had no effect on depression in women. Previous research has suggested that reflection does not have an effect in alleviating depression. Results of t...

  12. Multisplitting and collapse of self-focusing anisotropic beams in normal/anomalous dispersive media

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergé, L.; Juul Rasmussen, J.

    1996-01-01

    Three-dimensional self-focusing light pulses in normal and anomalous dispersive media are investigated by means of a waveguide instability analysis, a Lagrangian approach, and a quasi-self-similar analysis. In the case of normal dispersion for which no localized ground state exists, it is shown....... The mechanism underlying this fragmentation process is described in terms of a stretching of the self-focusing beam along its propagation axis. The focal point, where the splitting process develops, is identified. Finally, it is shown that the longitudinal dynamical motions of self-focusing elongated pulses...

  13. Motivated reflection on attitude-inconsistent information: an exploration of the role of fear of invalidity in self-persuasion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarkson, Joshua J; Valente, Matthew J; Leone, Christopher; Tormala, Zakary L

    2013-12-01

    The mere thought effect is defined in part by the tendency of self-reflective thought to heighten the generation of and reflection on attitude-consistent thoughts. By focusing on individuals' fears of invalidity, we explored the possibility that the mere opportunity for thought sometimes motivates reflection on attitude-inconsistent thoughts. Across three experiments, dispositional and situational fear of invalidity was shown to heighten reflection on attitude-inconsistent thoughts. This heightened reflection, in turn, interacted with individuals' thought confidence to determine whether attitude-inconsistent thoughts were assimilated or refuted and consequently whether individuals' attitudes and behavioral intentions depolarized or polarized following a sufficient opportunity for thought, respectively. These findings emphasize the impact of motivational influences on thought reflection and generation, the importance of thought confidence in the assimilation and refutation of self-generated thought, and the dynamic means by which the mere thought bias can impact self-persuasion.

  14. Self-esteem, Self-focused Attention, and the Mediating Role of Fear of Negative Evaluation in College Students With and Without Asthma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junghans-Rutelonis, Ashley N; Suorsa, Kristina I; Tackett, Alayna P; Burkley, Edward; Chaney, John M; Mullins, Larry L

    2015-01-01

    The current study investigated the mediating role of fear of negative evaluation on the relationship between self-focused attention and self-esteem among college students with and without asthma. Young adults with (n = 148) and without (n = 530) childhood-onset asthma were recruited from a college student population. Self-focused attention and fear of negative evaluation measures were completed. Participants also answered questions about inclusion in a social activity. Higher levels of self-focused attention and fear of negative evaluation were associated with lower self-esteem in both groups within the context of social activity participation. Fear of negative evaluation mediated the relationship between self-consciousness and self-esteem. No significant differences were found between groups. Findings indicate significant relationships among self-focused attention, fear of negative evaluation, and self-esteem in the context of social activity participation. Further examination of self-esteem regarding participation in social activities among college students appears warranted.

  15. Self-focusing of a non-Gaussian laser mode in a dense plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nayyar, V.P.

    1978-01-01

    This paper presents a study of the self-focusing of a high-power non-Gaussian laser beam operating in TEM 01 mode in a strongly ionized plasma. The nonlinearity in the dielectric constant is caused by the nonuniform redistribution of carriers due to their inhomogeneous heating by the laser beam having transverse variation of intensity along its wave front. It is found that when the power of the beam exceeds the critical power, focusing effects are observed in the Y direction, whereas divergence of the beam takes place in the X direction. In the reverse case (when P 2 first increases in the Y direction, after penetrating a certain depth it reaches a broadened maxima and then starts decreasing with the distance of propagation inside the medium. The beam continues diverging in the X direction. It has also been found that absorption brings about a reduction in the extent of self-focusing. When the absorption length is less than the self-focusing length appreciable self-focusing does not take place

  16. Self-affirmation attenuates death-thought accessibility after mortality salience, but not among a high post-traumatic stress sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vail, Kenneth E; Morgan, Adrienne; Kahle, Lauren

    2018-01-01

    According to anxiety buffer disruption theory (ABDT), people function effectively in the world, in part, by relying on anxiety-buffer systems to protect against death awareness; however, traumatic experiences can overwhelm and disrupt those anxiety-buffer systems, leaving people unprotected from death awareness and at increased risk for the major symptom clusters of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on that idea, it was hypothesized that (a) when posttraumatic stress symptoms are low, self-affirmation (a known worldview/self-esteem based anxiety-buffer) should prevent mortality reminders from causing increased death-thought accessibility (DTA); but that (b) when posttraumatic stress symptoms are high (indicating anxiety-buffer disruption), self-affirmation should fail to prevent mortality reminders from increasing DTA. To test these hypotheses, participants identified in a general population prescreen assessment as "low posttraumatic-stress symptom" (n = 222) and "high posttraumatic-stress symptom" (n = 210) were reminded of death (vs. control topic), prompted to engage in a self-affirmation (vs. nonself-affirmation) task, and then asked to complete a standard assessment of death-thought accessibility (DTA). The hypotheses were confirmed, revealing that posttraumatic stress symptoms were associated with the ineffectiveness of anxiety-buffer system in protecting against increased death awareness. The present findings support of a foundational concept of ABDT, and point to new insights about the nature of PTSD and its treatment, because failure to manage death awareness is known to cause anxiety and exacerbate anxiety-related disorders (e.g., PTSD). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. Discovering Supervisors' Thought Patterns through Journals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niemeyer, Roger C.; Moon, R. Arden

    This study focused on the thoughts, related schema, and decision-making of student teaching supervisors as they go about their work of supervision. Twelve practicing supervisors were asked to write their thoughts on a three-stage data gathering, circle instrument. These concepts were weighted to reflect the significance each concept had in the…

  18. A risky boundary : Unwanted sexual behaviour among youth

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruijn, Paula de; Burrie, Ingrid; Wel, Frits van

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this research was to explore unwanted sexual behaviour amongs young people. Sexual aggression was operationalized at three levels: ‘‘verbal’’, ‘‘non-verbal/intimidating’’ and ‘‘physically violent’’. A total of 1,700 Dutch adolescents completed a questionnaire that included six clusters of

  19. Inner Speech and Clarity of Self-Concept in Thought Disorder and Auditory-Verbal Hallucinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Sousa, Paulo; Sellwood, William; Spray, Amy; Fernyhough, Charles; Bentall, Richard P.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Eighty patients and thirty controls were interviewed using one interview that promoted personal disclosure and another about everyday topics. Speech was scored using the Thought, Language and Communication scale (TLC). All participants completed the Self-Concept Clarity Scale (SCCS) and the Varieties of Inner Speech Questionnaire (VISQ). Patients scored lower than comparisons on the SCCS. Low scores were associated the disorganized dimension of TD. Patients also scored significantly higher on condensed and other people in inner speech, but not on dialogical or evaluative inner speech. The poverty of speech dimension of TD was associated with less dialogical inner speech, other people in inner speech, and less evaluative inner speech. Hallucinations were significantly associated with more other people in inner speech and evaluative inner speech. Clarity of self-concept and qualities of inner speech are differentially associated with dimensions of TD. The findings also support inner speech models of hallucinations. PMID:27898489

  20. Self-focusing of electromagnetic waves as a result of relativistic electron-mass variation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spatschek, K.H.

    1977-01-01

    Relativistic electron-mass variations due to the presence of intense electromagnetic radiation in the plasma cause a nonlinear refractive index. Using a variational principle the latter is obtained up to fourth order in the electric field amplitude and it is shown that nonlinear effects of the second order lead to self-focusing of a beam of radiation. By nonlinear optics considerations, the self-focusing length of an axially symmetric beam is obtained. Including higher-order dispersive effects it is shown that within the thin-beam approximation the complex electric field envelope obeys a cubic nonlinear Schroedinger equation with an attractive self-consistent potential. The cylindrically symmetric nonlinear Schroedinger equation predicts collapse of the radiation at the self-focusing distance. The nature of the self-focusing singularity is analysed and it is shown that higher-order nonlinearities saturate the amplitude. Then oscillations of the beam radius along the axial direction occur. (author)

  1. The effect of self-distancing on adaptive versus maladaptive self-reflection in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kross, Ethan; Duckworth, Angela; Ayduk, Ozlem; Tsukayama, Eli; Mischel, Walter

    2011-10-01

    Although children and adolescents vary in their chronic tendencies to adaptively versus maladaptively reflect over negative feelings, the psychological mechanisms underlying these different types of self-reflection among youngsters are unknown. We addressed this issue in the present research by examining the role that self-distancing plays in distinguishing adaptive versus maladaptive self-reflection among an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of fifth-grade public schoolchildren. Children were randomly assigned to analyze their feelings surrounding a recent anger-related interpersonal experience from either a self-immersed or self-distanced perspective. They then rated their negative affect and described in writing the stream of thoughts they experienced when they analyzed their feelings. Children's stream-of-thought essays were content analyzed for the presence of recounting statements, reconstruing statements, and blame attributions. Path analyses indicated that children who analyzed their feelings from a self-distanced perspective focused significantly less on recounting the "hot," emotionally arousing features of their memory (i.e., what happened to me?) and relatively more on reconstruing their experience. This shift in thought content--less recounting and more reconstruing--led children in the self-distanced group to blame the other person involved in their recalled experience significantly less, which in turn led them to display significantly lower levels of emotional reactivity. These findings help delineate the psychological mechanisms that distinguish adaptive versus maladaptive forms of self-reflection over anger experiences in children. Their basic findings and clinical implications are discussed.

  2. The pleasures and pains of distinct self-construals: the role of interdependence in regulatory focus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, A Y; Aaker, J L; Gardner, W L

    2000-06-01

    Regulatory focus theory distinguishes between self-regulatory processes that focus on promotion and prevention strategies for goal pursuit. Five studies provide support for the hypothesis that these strategies differ for individuals with distinct self-construals. Specifically, individuals with a dominant independent self-construal were predicted to place more emphasis on promotion-focused information, and those with a dominant interdependent self-construal on prevention-focused information. Support for this hypothesis was obtained for participants who scored high versus low on the Self-Construal Scale, participants who were presented with an independent versus interdependent situation, and participants from a Western versus Eastern culture. The influence of interdependence on regulatory focus was observed in both importance ratings of information and affective responses consistent with promotion or prevention focus.

  3. Self-focusing of optical pulses in media with normal dispersion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergé, L.; Kuznetsov, E.A.; Juul Rasmussen, J.

    1996-01-01

    The self-focusing of ultra short optical pulses in a nonlinear medium with normal (i.e., negative) group-velocity dispersion is investigated. By using a combination of various techniques like virial-type arguments and self-similar transformations, we obtain strong evidence suggesting that a pulse...

  4. Trends in youth reports of sexual solicitations, harassment and unwanted exposure to pornography on the Internet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Kimberly J; Wolak, Janis; Finkelhor, David

    2007-02-01

    This study was designed to track trends in reports of unwanted sexual solicitations, harassment, and unwanted exposure to pornography via the Internet between 2000 and 2005 across various demographic sub-groups of youth. Cross-sectional data was collected in two equivalent national telephone surveys of 1500 Internet users, ages 10 through 17 years. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine whether the percentage of youth reporting specific unwanted Internet experiences had changed in 2005, as compared with 2000. The overall incidence and 5-year trends of reporting unwanted sexual solicitations, harassment, and unwanted exposure to pornography varied by age, gender, race, and household income. In particular, the decline in the percentage of youth reporting sexual solicitations was apparent for both boys and girls, all age groups, but not among minority youth and those living in less affluent households. The increase in harassment among particular sub-groups of youth was largely explained by increases in amount of Internet use over the past five years. The increase in unwanted exposure to pornography was particularly apparent among 10- to 12-year-olds, 16- to 17-year-olds, boys, and White, non-Hispanic youth. The decline in the percentage of youth reporting sexual solicitations may be the effect of education and law enforcement activity on this issue in the intervening years. Targeted prevention efforts for minority youth and those living in less affluent households need to be developed. The rise in unwanted pornography exposure may reflect technological changes such as digital photography, faster Internet connections and computer storage capacities, as well as the more aggressive marketing strategies of pornography merchants.

  5. The co-occurrence of Internet harassment and unwanted sexual solicitation victimization and perpetration: associations with psychosocial indicators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ybarra, Michele L; Espelage, Dorothy L; Mitchell, Kimberly J

    2007-12-01

    Previous research in offline environments suggests that there may be an overlap in bullying and sexual harassment perpetration and victimization; however to what extent this may be true for perpetration and victimization of Internet harassment and unwanted sexual solicitation is unknown. The Growing Up with Media survey is a national cross-sectional online survey of 1,588 youth, 10-15 years old, who have used the Internet at least once in the last 6 months. Cluster analysis was conducted with four scales: Internet harassment perpetration, Internet harassment victimization, unwanted sexual solicitation perpetration, and unwanted sexual solicitation victimization. A four-cluster solution was identified: youth with little to no involvement (n = 1326; 81.7%); perpetrator-victims of Internet harassment (n = 205; 14.3%); victims of both Internet harassment and unwanted sexual solicitation (n = 45; 3.1%); and perpetrator-victims of Internet harassment and unwanted sexual solicitation (n = 12; .9%). Involvement in Internet harassment and unwanted sexual solicitation was associated with concurrent reports of psychosocial problems including substance use; involvement in offline victimization and perpetration of relational, physical, and sexual aggression; delinquent peers; a propensity to respond to stimuli with anger; poor emotional bond with caregivers; and poor caregiver monitoring as compared with youth with little to no involvement. This was especially true for perpetrator-victims of Internet harassment and unwanted sexual solicitation. Findings were replicated using a frequency-based definition of involvement, suggesting that cluster analysis is useful in identifying subgroups of youth and can be used to guide frequency-based definitions, which are easier to implement across study samples. The majority of youth are not frequently involved in Internet harassment or unwanted sexual solicitation either as victims or as perpetrators. Among those who are, however

  6. The effects of self-focus on attentional biases in social anxiety:An ERP study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Judah, Matt R; Grant, DeMond M; Carlisle, Nancy B

    2016-06-01

    Cognitive theories of social anxiety disorder suggest that biased attention plays a key role in maintaining symptoms. These biases include self-focus and attention to socially threatening stimuli in the environment. The goal of this study was to utilize ERPs that are elicited by a change detection task to examine biases in selective attention (i.e., N2pc) and working memory maintenance (i.e., contralateral delay activity; CDA). Additionally, the effect of self-focus was examined using false heart rate feedback. In support of the manipulation, self-focus cues resulted in greater self-reported self-consciousness and task interference, enhanced anterior P2 amplitude and reduced SPN amplitude. Moreover, P2 amplitude for self-focus cues was correlated with reduced task performance for socially anxious subjects only. The difference in P2 amplitude between self-focus and standard cues was correlated with social anxiety independent of depression. As hypothesized, socially anxious participants (n = 20) showed early selection and maintenance of disgust faces relative to neutral faces as indicated by the N2pc and CDA components. Nonanxious controls (n = 22) did not show these biases. During self-focus cues, controls showed marginal evidence of biased selection for disgust faces, whereas socially anxious subjects showed no bias in this condition. Controls showed an ipsilateral delay activity after being cued to attend to one hemifield. Overall, this study supports early and persistent attentional bias for social threat in socially anxious individuals. Furthermore, self-focus may disrupt these biases. These findings and supplementary data are discussed in light of cognitive models of social anxiety disorder, recent empirical findings, and treatment.

  7. Medial cortex activity, self-reflection and depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Marcia K; Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan; Mitchell, Karen J; Levin, Yael

    2009-12-01

    Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated neural activity associated with self-reflection in depressed [current major depressive episode (MDE)] and healthy control participants, focusing on medial cortex areas previously shown to be associated with self-reflection. Both the MDE and healthy control groups showed greater activity in anterior medial cortex (medial frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus) when cued to think about hopes and aspirations compared with duties and obligations, and greater activity in posterior medial cortex (precuneus, posterior cingulate) when cued to think about duties and obligations (Experiment 1). However, the MDE group showed less activity than controls in the same area of medial frontal cortex when self-referential cues were more ambiguous with respect to valence (Experiment 2), and less deactivation in a non-self-referential condition in both experiments. Furthermore, individual differences in rumination were positively correlated with activity in both anterior and posterior medial cortex during non-self-referential conditions. These results provide converging evidence for a dissociation of anterior and posterior medial cortex depending on the focus of self-relevant thought. They also provide neural evidence consistent with behavioral findings that depression is associated with disruption of positively valenced thoughts in response to ambiguous cues, and difficulty disengaging from self-reflection when it is appropriate to do so.

  8. Self-focusing of laser beams in magnetized relativistic electron beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whang, M.H.; Ho, A.Y.; Kuo, S.P.

    1989-01-01

    Recently, there is considerable interest in radiation focusing and optical guiding using the resonant interaction between the radiation field and electron beam. The result of radiation focusing has been shown to play a central role in the practical utilization of the FEL. This result allows the device to use longer interaction length for achieving higher output power. Likewise, the possibility of self-focusing of the laser beam in cyclotron resonance with a relativistic electron beam is also an important issue in the laser acceleration concepts for achieving high-gradient electron acceleration. The effectiveness of the acceleration process relies strongly on whether the laser intensity can be maintained at the desired level throughout the interaction. In this work, the authors study the problem concerning the self-focusing of laser beam in the relativistic electron beams under the cyclotron auto-resonance interaction. They assume that there is no electron density perturbation prohibited from the background magnetic field for the time scale of interest. The nonlinearity responsible for self-focusing process is introduced by the energy dependence of the relativistic mass of electrons. The plasma frequency varies with the electron energy which is proportional to the radiation amplitude. They then examine such a relativistic nonlinear effect on the propagation of a Gaussian beam in the electron beam. A parametric study of the dependence of the laser beam width on the axial position for various electron beam density has been performed

  9. 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…

  10. Registered nurses' thoughts on blended learning in a postgraduate course in cancer care--content analyses of web surveys and a focus group interview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arving, Cecilia; Wadensten, Barbro; Johansson, Birgitta

    2014-06-01

    Purpose of the research was to describe registered nurses' (RNs) (n = 53) thoughts on the blended learning format in a 'specialist nursing programme in cancer care'. The study was conducted in autumn 2007 and 2008. A content analysis of answers to open-ended questions in a web-based questionnaire and a focus group interview were carried out. The analysis revealed that the RNs appreciated blended learning. The web lectures facilitated learning and gave RNs access to the education at any time. However, according to the RNs, knowledge is gained through interaction between RNs and teachers, and this aspect needed to be improved. The RNs also thought that the content of the seminars on campus should focus on evidence-based nursing knowledge and practical skills, not just taught as stable facts and procedures. The result from the present study could help to improve the design and content of advanced nursing courses using a blended learning format.

  11. Dynamics of ponderomotive self-focusing and periodic bursts of stimulated Brillouin backscattering in plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andreev, N.E.; Gorbunov, L.M.; Tarakanov, S.V.; Zykov, A.I.

    1993-01-01

    The space--time evolution of ponderomotive self-focusing of electromagnetic beams in a plasma is investigated. The quasineutral, hydrodynamic plasma response to the ponderomotive force is considered. The set of coupled quasioptic and acoustic equations is solved both analytically and numerically for slab and cylindrical beams. It is shown that the transient process of self-focusing has the form of a nonlinear wave propagating along the beam axis from boundary into the interior of a plasma with velocity considerably higher than the ion-sound velocity. Mutual dynamics of self-focusing and stimulated Brillouin backscattering (SBBS) is computed. It is shown that self-focusing results in the high intensity periodical bursts of SBBS. However, the time average level of scattered radiation is quite low

  12. Objectification of people and thoughts: An attitude change perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briñol, Pablo; Petty, Richard E; Belding, Jennifer

    2017-06-01

    Many objectification phenomena can be understood from a mind-body dualism perspective in which the more people focus on their bodies, the less they focus on their minds. Instead of viewing mind and body in opposition to each other, we advocate for a more reciprocal view in which mind and body work in conjunction. Consistent with an integrated mind-body approach, we begin our review by describing research on embodied persuasion revealing that focusing on our own body can reduce but also increase thinking (elaboration), as well as affecting the use of thoughts in forming evaluations (validation). Next, we extend our integrated view to a new domain and suggest that physical objects can influence thoughts and that one's thoughts can also be objectified. The first portion of this section focuses on research on enclothed cognition revealing that wearing physical objects can operate through the same processes of elaboration (increasing and decreasing thinking) and validation (increasing and decreasing thought usage) as the body. The second portion reveals that thoughts can be understood and treated as if they were physical objects affecting evaluative processes by influencing elaboration and validation processes. The final section provides some practical guidance relevant to campaigns designed to reduce the objectification of women and the infrahumanization of stigmatized groups. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

  13. Self-focusing of a Hermite-cosh Gaussian laser beam in a magnetoplasma with ramp density profile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nanda, Vikas; Kant, Niti; Wani, Manzoor Ahmad

    2013-01-01

    The early and strong self-focusing of a Hermite-cosh-Gaussian laser beam in magnetoplasma in the presence of density ramp has been observed. Focusing and de-focusing nature of the Hermite-cosh-Gaussian laser beam with decentered parameter and magnetic field has been studied, and strong self-focusing is reported. It is investigated that decentered parameter 'b' plays a significant role for the self-focusing of the laser beam and is very sensitive as in case of extraordinary mode. For mode indices, m = 0, 1, 2, and b = 4.00, 3.14, and 2.05, strong self-focusing is observed. Similarly in case of ordinary mode, for m = 0, 1, 2 and b = 4.00, 3.14, 2.049, respectively, strong self-focusing is reported. Further, it is seen that extraordinary mode is more prominent toward self-focusing rather than ordinary mode of propagation. For mode indices m = 0, 1, and 2, diffraction term becomes more dominant over nonlinear term for decentered parameter b=0. For selective higher values of decentered parameter in case of mode indices m=0, 1, and 2, self-focusing effect becomes strong for extraordinary mode. Also increase in the value of magnetic field enhances the self-focusing ability of the laser beam, which is very useful in the applications like the generation of inertial fusion energy driven by lasers, laser driven accelerators, and x-ray lasers

  14. Self-focusing of a Hermite-cosh Gaussian laser beam in a magnetoplasma with ramp density profile

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nanda, Vikas; Kant, Niti; Wani, Manzoor Ahmad [Department of Physics, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 144411, Punjab (India)

    2013-11-15

    The early and strong self-focusing of a Hermite-cosh-Gaussian laser beam in magnetoplasma in the presence of density ramp has been observed. Focusing and de-focusing nature of the Hermite-cosh-Gaussian laser beam with decentered parameter and magnetic field has been studied, and strong self-focusing is reported. It is investigated that decentered parameter 'b' plays a significant role for the self-focusing of the laser beam and is very sensitive as in case of extraordinary mode. For mode indices, m = 0, 1, 2, and b = 4.00, 3.14, and 2.05, strong self-focusing is observed. Similarly in case of ordinary mode, for m = 0, 1, 2 and b = 4.00, 3.14, 2.049, respectively, strong self-focusing is reported. Further, it is seen that extraordinary mode is more prominent toward self-focusing rather than ordinary mode of propagation. For mode indices m = 0, 1, and 2, diffraction term becomes more dominant over nonlinear term for decentered parameter b=0. For selective higher values of decentered parameter in case of mode indices m=0, 1, and 2, self-focusing effect becomes strong for extraordinary mode. Also increase in the value of magnetic field enhances the self-focusing ability of the laser beam, which is very useful in the applications like the generation of inertial fusion energy driven by lasers, laser driven accelerators, and x-ray lasers.

  15. Thought Action Fusion in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

    OpenAIRE

    Þahin ÇÝFTÇÝ; Tacettin KURU

    2013-01-01

    Thought Action Fusion (TAF) is defined as tought and action percieved as equivalent to each other or as an exaggerated power given to idea. With the usage of “Thought Action Fusion Scale” which is created by Shafran (1996), is began to investigate its role in psychopathologies. Researches about the three-component structure which has TAF-Likelihood-Self, TAF-Likelihood-Others, TAF-Moral, are concentrated especially around the obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). TAF alleged includi...

  16. Self-consistent simulation studies of periodically focused intense charged-particle beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, C.; Jameson, R.A.

    1995-01-01

    A self-consistent two-dimensional model is used to investigate intense charged-particle beam propagation through a periodic solenoidal focusing channel, particularly in the regime in which there is a mismatch between the beam and the focusing channel. The present self-consistent studies confirm that mismatched beams exhibit nonlinear resonances and chaotic behavior in the envelope evolution, as predicted by an earlier envelope analysis [C. Chen and R. C. Davidson, Phys. Rev. Lett. 72, 2195 (1994)]. Transient effects due to emittance growth are studied, and halo formation is investigated. The halo size is estimated. The halo characteristics for a periodic focusing channel are found to be qualitatively the same as those for a uniform focusing channel. A threshold condition is obtained numerically for halo formation in mismatched beams in a uniform focusing channel, which indicates that relative envelope mismatch must be kept well below 20% to prevent space-charge-dominated beams from developing halos

  17. Self vs. Other Focus: Predicting Professionalism Remediation of Emergency Medicine Residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thaxton, Robert E; Jones, Woodson S; Hafferty, Fred W; April, Carolyn W; April, Michael D

    2018-01-01

    Unprofessionalism is a major reason for resident dismissal from training. Because of the high stakes involved, residents and educators alike would benefit from information predicting whether they might experience challenges related to this competency. Our objective was to correlate the outcome of professionalism-related remedial actions during residency with the predictor variable of resident response to a standardized interview question: "Why is Medicine important to you?" We conducted a professional development quality improvement (QI) initiative to improve resident education and mentorship by achieving a better understanding of each resident's reasons for valuing a career in medicine. This initiative entailed an interview administered to each resident beginning emergency medicine training at San Antonio Military Medical Center during 2006-2013. The interviews uniformly began with the standardized question "Why is Medicine important to you?" The residency program director documented a free-text summary of each response to this question, the accuracy of which was confirmed by the resident. We analyzed the text of each resident's response after a review of the QI data suggested an association between responses and professionalism actions (retrospective cohort design). Two associate investigators blinded to all interview data, remedial actions, and resident identities categorized each text response as either self-focused (e.g., "I enjoy the challenge") or other-focused (e.g., "I enjoy helping patients"). Additional de-identified data collected included demographics, and expressed personal importance of politics and religion. The primary outcome was a Clinical Competency Committee professionalism remedial action. Of 114 physicians starting residency during 2006-2013, 106 (93.0%) completed the interview. There was good inter-rater reliability in associate investigator categorization of resident responses as either self-focused or other-focused (kappa coefficient 0

  18. Strong self-focusing of a cosh-Gaussian laser beam in collisionless magneto-plasma under plasma density ramp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nanda, Vikas; Kant, Niti

    2014-01-01

    The effect of plasma density ramp on self-focusing of cosh-Gaussian laser beam considering ponderomotive nonlinearity is analyzed using WKB and paraxial approximation. It is noticed that cosh-Gaussian laser beam focused earlier than Gaussian beam. The focusing and de-focusing nature of the cosh-Gaussian laser beam with decentered parameter, intensity parameter, magnetic field, and relative density parameter has been studied and strong self-focusing is reported. It is investigated that decentered parameter “b” plays a significant role for the self-focusing of the laser beam as for b=2.12, strong self-focusing is seen. Further, it is observed that extraordinary mode is more prominent toward self-focusing rather than ordinary mode of propagation. For b=2.12, with the increase in the value of magnetic field self-focusing effect, in case of extraordinary mode, becomes very strong under plasma density ramp. Present study may be very useful in the applications like the generation of inertial fusion energy driven by lasers, laser driven accelerators, and x-ray lasers. Moreover, plasma density ramp plays a vital role to enhance the self-focusing effect

  19. Strong self-focusing of a cosh-Gaussian laser beam in collisionless magneto-plasma under plasma density ramp

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nanda, Vikas; Kant, Niti, E-mail: nitikant@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Lovely Professional University, G. T. Road, Phagwara, Punjab 144411 (India)

    2014-07-15

    The effect of plasma density ramp on self-focusing of cosh-Gaussian laser beam considering ponderomotive nonlinearity is analyzed using WKB and paraxial approximation. It is noticed that cosh-Gaussian laser beam focused earlier than Gaussian beam. The focusing and de-focusing nature of the cosh-Gaussian laser beam with decentered parameter, intensity parameter, magnetic field, and relative density parameter has been studied and strong self-focusing is reported. It is investigated that decentered parameter “b” plays a significant role for the self-focusing of the laser beam as for b=2.12, strong self-focusing is seen. Further, it is observed that extraordinary mode is more prominent toward self-focusing rather than ordinary mode of propagation. For b=2.12, with the increase in the value of magnetic field self-focusing effect, in case of extraordinary mode, becomes very strong under plasma density ramp. Present study may be very useful in the applications like the generation of inertial fusion energy driven by lasers, laser driven accelerators, and x-ray lasers. Moreover, plasma density ramp plays a vital role to enhance the self-focusing effect.

  20. Generation of second-harmonic radiations of a self-focusing laser from a plasma with density-transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kant, Niti; Gupta, Devki Nandan; Suk, Hyyong

    2011-01-01

    A Gaussian laser-beam resonantly generates a second-harmonic wave in a plasma in the presence of a wiggler magnetic-field of suitable period. The self-focusing of the fundamental pulse enhances the intensity of the second-harmonic pulse. An introduction of an upward plasma-density ramp strongly enhances the self-focusing of the fundamental laser pulse. The laser pulse attains a minimum spot size and propagates up to several Rayleigh lengths without divergence. Due to the strong self-focusing of the fundamental laser pulse, the second-harmonic intensity enhances significantly. A considerable enhancement of the intensity of the second-harmonic is observed from the proposed mechanism. -- Highlights: → An upward plasma-density ramp is very important for laser propagation in plasmas. → As the plasma density increases, effect of self-focusing becomes stronger. → We utilize this self-focused laser to generate second-harmonic radiations. → The self-focusing laser enhances the intensity of the second-harmonic pulse.

  1. Generation of second-harmonic radiations of a self-focusing laser from a plasma with density-transition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kant, Niti [Department of Physics, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 144 402, Punjab (India); Gupta, Devki Nandan, E-mail: dngupta@physics.du.ac.in [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007 (India); Suk, Hyyong [Advanced Photonics Research Institute (APRI) and Graduate Program of Photonics and Applied Physics, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500 712 (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-08-15

    A Gaussian laser-beam resonantly generates a second-harmonic wave in a plasma in the presence of a wiggler magnetic-field of suitable period. The self-focusing of the fundamental pulse enhances the intensity of the second-harmonic pulse. An introduction of an upward plasma-density ramp strongly enhances the self-focusing of the fundamental laser pulse. The laser pulse attains a minimum spot size and propagates up to several Rayleigh lengths without divergence. Due to the strong self-focusing of the fundamental laser pulse, the second-harmonic intensity enhances significantly. A considerable enhancement of the intensity of the second-harmonic is observed from the proposed mechanism. -- Highlights: → An upward plasma-density ramp is very important for laser propagation in plasmas. → As the plasma density increases, effect of self-focusing becomes stronger. → We utilize this self-focused laser to generate second-harmonic radiations. → The self-focusing laser enhances the intensity of the second-harmonic pulse.

  2. Enhanced relativistic self-focusing of Hermite-cosh-Gaussian laser beam in plasma under density transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nanda, Vikas; Kant, Niti

    2014-01-01

    Enhanced and early relativistic self-focusing of Hermite-cosh-Gaussian (HChG) beam in the plasmas under density transition has been investigated theoretically using Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin and paraxial ray approximation for mode indices m=0, 1, and 2. The variation of beam width parameter with normalized propagation distance for m=0, 1, and 2 is reported, and it is observed that strong self-focusing occurs as the HChG beam propagates deeper inside the nonlinear medium as spot size shrinks due to highly dense plasmas and the results are presented graphically. A comparative study between self-focusing of HChG beam in the presence and absence of plasmas density transition is reported. The dependency of beam width parameter on the normalized propagation distance for different values of decentered parameter “b” has also been presented graphically. For m=0 and 1, strong self-focusing is reported for b=1.8, and for m=2 and b=1.8, beam gets diffracted. The results obtained indicate the dependency of the self-focusing of the HChG beam on the selected values of decentered parameter. Moreover, proper selection of decentered parameter results strong self-focusing of HChG beam. Stronger self-focusing of laser beam is observed due to the presence of plasma density transition which might be very useful in the applications like the generation of inertial fusion energy driven by lasers, laser driven accelerators, etc

  3. Enhanced relativistic self-focusing of Hermite-cosh-Gaussian laser beam in plasma under density transition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nanda, Vikas; Kant, Niti, E-mail: nitikant@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 144411, Punjab (India)

    2014-04-15

    Enhanced and early relativistic self-focusing of Hermite-cosh-Gaussian (HChG) beam in the plasmas under density transition has been investigated theoretically using Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin and paraxial ray approximation for mode indices m=0, 1, and 2. The variation of beam width parameter with normalized propagation distance for m=0, 1, and 2 is reported, and it is observed that strong self-focusing occurs as the HChG beam propagates deeper inside the nonlinear medium as spot size shrinks due to highly dense plasmas and the results are presented graphically. A comparative study between self-focusing of HChG beam in the presence and absence of plasmas density transition is reported. The dependency of beam width parameter on the normalized propagation distance for different values of decentered parameter “b” has also been presented graphically. For m=0 and 1, strong self-focusing is reported for b=1.8, and for m=2 and b=1.8, beam gets diffracted. The results obtained indicate the dependency of the self-focusing of the HChG beam on the selected values of decentered parameter. Moreover, proper selection of decentered parameter results strong self-focusing of HChG beam. Stronger self-focusing of laser beam is observed due to the presence of plasma density transition which might be very useful in the applications like the generation of inertial fusion energy driven by lasers, laser driven accelerators, etc.

  4. Thought Action Fusion in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sahin CIFTCI

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Thought Action Fusion (TAF is defined as tought and action percieved as equivalent to each other or as an exaggerated power given to idea. With the usage of “Thought Action Fusion Scale” which is created by Shafran (1996, is began to investigate its role in psychopathologies. Researches about the three-component structure which has TAF-Likelihood-Self, TAF-Likelihood-Others, TAF-Moral, are concentrated especially around the obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD. TAF alleged including a certain level also in the normal population, was seen in the relationship with the inflated responsability in OCD, thought suppression and neutralising, was tried to explain the direction of this relationship in the mediationel model framework.

  5. When does self-sacrificial leadership motivate prosocial behavior? It depends on followers' prevention focus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Cremer, David; Mayer, David M; van Dijke, Marius; Bardes, Mary; Schouten, Barbara C

    2009-07-01

    In the present set of studies, the authors examine the idea that self-sacrificial leadership motivates follower prosocial behavior, particularly among followers with a prevention focus. Drawing on the self-sacrificial leadership literature and regulatory focus theory, the authors provide results from 4 studies (1 laboratory and 3 field studies) that support the research hypothesis. Specifically, the relationship between self-sacrificial leadership and prosocial behavior (i.e., cooperation, organizational citizenship behavior) is stronger among followers who are high in prevention focus. Implications for the importance of taking a follower-centered approach to leadership are discussed.

  6. Reduction of sickness absence by an occupational health care management program focusing on self-efficacy and self-management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linden, Michael; Muschalla, Beate; Hansmeier, Thomas; Sandner, Gabriele

    2014-01-01

    The aim of occupational health care management programs (OHMP) is to improve the health status of employees, increase work ability and reduce absence time. This includes better coping abilities, work-related self-efficacy and self-management which are important abilities that should be trained within OHMPs. To study the effectiveness of an OHMP including special interventions to enhance self-efficacy and self-management. Employees from the German Federal Pension Agency. Effects of an OHMP on sickness absence was studied by comparing an intervention group and two control groups. A core feature of the OHMP were group sessions with all members of working teams, focussing on self-efficacy and self management of the individual participant as well as the team as a group (focus groups). Participants in the OHMP were asked for their subjective evaluation of the focus groups. Rates of sickness absence were taken from the routine data of the employer. Participants of the OHMP indicated that they had learned better ways of coping and communication and that they had generated intentions to make changes in their working situation. The rate of sickness absence in the intervention group decreased from 9.26% in the year before the OHMP to 7.93% in the year after the program, while there was in the same time anincrease of 7.9% and 10.7% in the two control groups. The data suggest that OHMP with focus on self-efficacy and self management of individuals and teams are helpful in reducing work absenteeism.

  7. Self-rumination, self-reflection, and depression: self-rumination counteracts the adaptive effect of self-reflection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takano, Keisuke; Tanno, Yoshihiko

    2009-03-01

    Self-focused attention has adaptive and maladaptive aspects: self-reflection and self-rumination [Trapnell, P. D., & Campbell, J. D. (1999). Private self-consciousness and the Five-Factor Model of personality: distinguishing rumination from reflection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 284-304]. Although reflection is thought to be associated with problem solving and the promotion of mental health, previous researches have shown that reflection does not always have an adaptive effect on depression. Authors have examined the causes behind this inconsistency by modeling the relationships among self-reflection, self-rumination, and depression. One hundred and eleven undergraduates (91 men and 20 women) participated in a two-time point assessment with a 3-week interval. Statistical analysis with structural equation modeling showed that self-reflection significantly predicted self-rumination, whereas self-rumination did not predict self-reflection. With regard to depression, self-reflection was associated with a lower level of depression; self-rumination, with a higher level of depression. The total effect of self-reflection on depression was almost zero. This result indicates that self-reflection per se has an adaptive effect, which is canceled out by the maladaptive effect of self-rumination, because reflectors are likely to ruminate and reflect simultaneously.

  8. When does self-sacrificial leadership motivate prosocial behavior? It depends on followers’ prevention focus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Cremer, D.; Mayer, D.M.; van Dijke, M.; Schouten, B.C.; Bardes, M.

    2009-01-01

    In the present set of studies, the authors examine the idea that self-sacrificial leadership motivates follower prosocial behavior, particularly among followers with a prevention focus. Drawing on the self-sacrificial leadership literature and regulatory focus theory, the authors provide results

  9. Evaluation of the National Return of unwanted medicines (RUM) program in Australia: a study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheeler, Amanda J; Spinks, Jean; Bettington, Emilie; Kelly, Fiona

    2017-01-01

    The National Return of Unwanted Medicines (NatRUM) program in Australia is one of the few nationally coordinated, free-to-consumer schemes to dispose of unwanted medicines globally. This scheme has been in operation since 1996, however, little is known about public awareness of the scheme and its effectiveness in reducing unsafe disposal practices. The study objectives are to undertake a review of (1) the current use of the NatRUM scheme by consumers; and (11) to investigate disposal practices and beliefs of the general population. A two-stage, mixed-methods study will be undertaken. Stage One will include a nation-wide audit of a representative sample of unwanted medicine bins, collected by community pharmacies, for incineration. The audit will detail the type and amount of unwanted medicines collected and if they are subsidised on the national formulary (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme). Stage Two will include: (i) a large, representative, general population survey; and (ii) more detailed interviews with a sub-set of this sample, who take five or more medications. Results will quantitatively describe the awareness of the NatRUM scheme, disposal practices and the volume of unwanted medicines stored in the home. It will qualitatively describe beliefs and perceptions about storage and disposal practices. It is anticipated that this study will provide valuable insights about how Australians dispose of unwanted medicines, their awareness of the NatRUM scheme and how the scheme might be strengthened. Results will inform the Federal Department of Health and NatRUM Ltd. Board at a local level, as well as other countries who are yet to develop or implement coordinated disposal schemes. A number of challenges are expected, including ensuring the consistency of medicines terminology during the bin audit and recruiting a representative sample of Australians for the general population survey. Results of this study will be widely disseminated to support the translation of

  10. Dream content and intrusive thoughts in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavallotti, Simone; Casetta, Cecilia; Fanti, Valentina; Gambini, Orsola; Ostinelli, Edoardo G; Ranieri, Rebecca; Vanelli, Irene; D'Agostino, Armando

    2016-10-30

    Although central to any exhaustive theory of human subjectivity, the relationship between dream and waking consciousness remains uncertain. Some findings suggest that dream consciousness can be influenced by severe disorders of thought content. The suppression of unwanted thoughts has been shown to influence dream content in healthy individuals. In order to better define this phenomenon, we evaluated the persistence of obsessive/compulsive themes across the dream and waking cognition of OCD patients and in a control group of healthy subjects. Participants were administered a shortened version of the Thematic Apperception Test to produce a waking fantasy narration, and were trained to keep a dream diary. Dream and waking narrative contents were analyzed in order to recognize obsessive/compulsive themes, and to calculate Mean Dream Obsession/Compulsion (MDO, MDC) and Mean TAT Obsession/Compulsion (MTO, MTC) parameters. No differences were found between the two populations in terms of MDO, MDC, MTO, nor MTC. Density of obsessive and compulsive themes were significantly higher in dream reports than in waking narratives for both groups. No correlation was observed between MDO/MDC scores and Y-BOCS obsession/compulsion scores in the OCD group. These findings strengthen the discontinuity hypothesis, suggesting that ruminative aspects of cognition are somehow interrupted during dream activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. The merits of unconscious thought in rule detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiansheng; Zhu, Yawen; Yang, Yang

    2014-01-01

    According to unconscious thought theory (UTT), unconscious thought is more adept at complex decision-making than is conscious thought. Related research has mainly focused on the complexity of decision-making tasks as determined by the amount of information provided. However, the complexity of the rules generating this information also influences decision making. Therefore, we examined whether unconscious thought facilitates the detection of rules during a complex decision-making task. Participants were presented with two types of letter strings. One type matched a grammatical rule, while the other did not. Participants were then divided into three groups according to whether they made decisions using conscious thought, unconscious thought, or immediate decision. The results demonstrated that the unconscious thought group was more accurate in identifying letter strings that conformed to the grammatical rule than were the conscious thought and immediate decision groups. Moreover, performance of the conscious thought and immediate decision groups was similar. We conclude that unconscious thought facilitates the detection of complex rules, which is consistent with UTT.

  12. The merits of unconscious thought in rule detection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiansheng Li

    Full Text Available According to unconscious thought theory (UTT, unconscious thought is more adept at complex decision-making than is conscious thought. Related research has mainly focused on the complexity of decision-making tasks as determined by the amount of information provided. However, the complexity of the rules generating this information also influences decision making. Therefore, we examined whether unconscious thought facilitates the detection of rules during a complex decision-making task. Participants were presented with two types of letter strings. One type matched a grammatical rule, while the other did not. Participants were then divided into three groups according to whether they made decisions using conscious thought, unconscious thought, or immediate decision. The results demonstrated that the unconscious thought group was more accurate in identifying letter strings that conformed to the grammatical rule than were the conscious thought and immediate decision groups. Moreover, performance of the conscious thought and immediate decision groups was similar. We conclude that unconscious thought facilitates the detection of complex rules, which is consistent with UTT.

  13. Robust structural design against self-excited vibrations

    CERN Document Server

    Spelsberg-Korspeter, Gottfried

    2013-01-01

    This book studies methods for a robust design of rotors against self-excited vibrations. The occurrence of self-excited vibrations in engineering applications if often unwanted and in many cases difficult to model. Thinking of complex systems such as machines with many components and mechanical contacts, it is important to have guidelines for design so that the functionality is robust against small imperfections. This book discusses the question on how to design a structure such that unwanted self-excited vibrations do not occur. It shows theoretically and practically that the old design rule to avoid multiple eigenvalues points toward the right direction and have optimized structures accordingly. This extends results for the well-known flutter problem in which equations of motion with constant coefficients occur to the case of a linear conservative system with arbitrary time periodic perturbations.

  14. Self-focusing of a pulsed electron beam in gases and their ionization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hotta, Hiroshi; Arai, Hidehiko; Tanaka, Ryuichi; Sunaga, Hiromi.

    1982-06-01

    A relativistic high-intensity pulsed electron beam generated from a Febetron 706 was strongly self-focused in two pressure regions, i.e., below and above 5 Torr. The dependence of the electron energy spectrum on pressure and path length in He was at first studied by measuring depth-dose distributions in an aluminum-blue cellophane stack. Then, maximum doses of the depth-dose curves in the dosimeter placed on the beam axis at 10.4 cm from the cell window were measured as functions of pressure in He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, H 2 , D 2 , N 2 , O 2 , N 2 O, CO 2 , SF 6 , CH 4 , C 2 H 2 , C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 3 H 8 , CH 3 F, CHClF 2 , CCl 2 F 2 , He + X, Ar + X, and O 2 + X (X: additive gas). The strong self-focusing at pressure lower than 5 Torr is attributed to space-charge neutralization by positive ions due to escaping of secondary electrons. Therefore, relative total ionization cross sections for beam electrons could be obtained in this region. When the spa ce-charge neutralization time becomes shorter than a rise time of the pulsed beam, secondary electrons are accelerated by a backward electric field E sub(z) induced by the pulsed beam so that the self-focusing declines abruptly due to electron avalanching. The beam is self-focused again gradually with further increasing pressure because of suppression of this avalanching. The avalanching was analyzed self-consistently for He, Ar, H 2 , N 2 , and CH 4 by a computer simulation in the pressure region between 5 and 300 Torr. The present computational results indicate that the larger cose is given by the longer mean ionization time t sub(i) which depends on E sub(z)/p. The value of t sub(i) increases with increasing pressure in the pressure region of gradually-increasing self-focusing. (J.P.N.)

  15. Forewarned is forearmed : Conserving self-control strength to resist social influence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, Loes; Fennis, Bob M.; Pruyn, Ad Th. H.

    2010-01-01

    Recent research has shown that resisting persuasion involves active self-regulation. Resisting an influence attempt consumes self-regulatory resources, and in a state of self-regulatory resource depletion, people become more susceptible to (unwanted) influence attempts. However, the present studies

  16. Scaling up postabortion contraceptive service--results from a study conducted among women having unwanted pregnancies in urban and rural Tanzania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasch, Vibeke; Yambesi, Fortunata; Kipingili, Rose

    2005-01-01

    Tanzania and 42% in rural Tanzania stated that their pregnancy was unwanted. Contraceptive acceptance among women with unwanted pregnancies was high; 93% in urban Tanzania and 71% in rural Tanzania left with a contraceptive method. CONCLUSION: The high proportion of women with unwanted pregnancies in urban...... and rural Tanzania underlines the need of scaling up postabortion contraceptive service....

  17. Self-focused attention and the experience of emotion: attraction, repulsion, elation, and depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheier, M F; Carver, C S

    1977-09-01

    Four experiments were conducted to study the effect of self-focused attention on affective reactions. In addition, the research was also intended to help resolve the controversy over attentional versus arousal explanations of self-awareness research. In Experiment 1, undergraduate men were asked to view and rate slides of nude women in the presence of a mirror or with no mirror. In Experiment 3, subjects were either exposed or not exposed to a mirror and read a set of mood statements which became either increasingly positive or increasingly negative. Experiments 2 and 4 conceptually replicated Experiments 1 and 3 by selecting subjects on the basis of private self-consciousness. In each study, self-focused attention increased the person's responsiveness to his transient affective state. The convergence between mirror-manipulated self-awareness and private self-consciousness was offered as support for an attentional interpretation of the findings. The implications of the research for self-awareness theory are discussed.

  18. Making concrete construals mindful: a novel approach for developing mindfulness and self-compassion to assist weight loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantzios, Michail; Wilson, J C

    2014-01-01

    Research on the usefulness of mindfulness and self-compassion for dieting has focused on meditative practices. However, meditation can be difficult to maintain, especially while dieting. Thus, the present research attempted to induce mindfulness and self-compassion by using food diaries that required the participant to either focus on concrete (i.e. how they are eating) construals or abstract (i.e. why they are eating) construals. The concrete construals were expected to increase mindfulness and self-compassion, as well as decrease avoidance and negative thoughts (which would further aid the development of mindfulness and self-compassion). Study 1 found that mindfulness and self-compassion mediated the inverse relationship of avoidance and negative thoughts with weight loss. Study 2 showed that concrete construal diaries increased mindfulness and self-compassion, decreased avoidance and negative thoughts, and supported weight loss significantly more than the abstract construal diaries. Study 3, then, compared the concrete construal diaries with a mindful self-compassionate meditation programme. There was no difference in weight loss at the end of the intervention, but at a three-month follow-up, the diaries performed better at weight maintenance. Thus, the concrete construal diaries may promote mindfulness and self-compassion and potentially promote long-term weight loss.

  19. Thought Action Fusion in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Þahin ÇÝFTÇÝ

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Thought Action Fusion (TAF is defined as tought and action percieved as equivalent to each other or as an exaggerated power given to idea. With the usage of “Thought Action Fusion Scale” which is created by Shafran (1996, is began to investigate its role in psychopathologies. Researches about the three-component structure which has TAF-Likelihood-Self, TAF-Likelihood-Others, TAF-Moral, are concentrated especially around the obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD. TAF alleged including a certain level also in the normal population, was seen in the relationship with the inflated responsability in OCD, thought suppression and neutralising, was tried to explain the direction of this relationship in the mediationel model framework. [JCBPR 2013; 2(3.000: 138-146

  20. Laser beam induced nanoscale spot through nonlinear “thick” samples: A multi-layer thin lens self-focusing model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Jingsong; Yan, Hui

    2014-01-01

    Self-focusing is a well-researched phenomenon. Nanoscale spots can be achieved through self-focusing, which is an alternative method for achieving high-density data storage, high-resolution light imaging, and maskless nanolithography. Several research groups have observed that self-focusing spots can be reduced to nanoscale levels via incident laser power manipulation. Self-focusing spots can be analyzed by solving the nonlinear Schrödinger equation and the finite difference time domain method. However, both procedures are complex and time-consuming. In the present work, a multi-layer thin-lens self-focusing model that considers diffraction effects and changes of refractive index along the radial and film thickness directions is proposed to analyze the self-focusing behavior and traveling process of light beams intuitively. The self-focusing behaviors of As 2 S 3 are simulated, and results show that a nanoscale self-focusing spot with a radius of about 0.12 μm can be formed at the bottom of nonlinear sample when the incident laser power exceeds 4.25 mW. Our findings are basically consistent with experimental reports and provide a good method for analyzing and understanding the self-focusing process. An appropriate application schematic design is also provided

  1. Self vs. Other Focus: Predicting Professionalism Remediation of Emergency Medicine Residents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert E. Thaxton

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Unprofessionalism is a major reason for resident dismissal from training. Because of the high stakes involved, residents and educators alike would benefit from information predicting whether they might experience challenges related to this competency. Our objective was to correlate the outcome of professionalism-related remedial actions during residency with the predictor variable of resident response to a standardized interview question: “Why is Medicine important to you?” Methods We conducted a professional development quality improvement (QI initiative to improve resident education and mentorship by achieving a better understanding of each resident’s reasons for valuing a career in medicine. This initiative entailed an interview administered to each resident beginning emergency medicine training at San Antonio Military Medical Center during 2006–2013. The interviews uniformly began with the standardized question “Why is Medicine important to you?” The residency program director documented a free-text summary of each response to this question, the accuracy of which was confirmed by the resident. We analyzed the text of each resident’s response after a review of the QI data suggested an association between responses and professionalism actions (retrospective cohort design. Two associate investigators blinded to all interview data, remedial actions, and resident identities categorized each text response as either self-focused (e.g., “I enjoy the challenge” or other-focused (e.g., “I enjoy helping patients”. Additional de-identified data collected included demographics, and expressed personal importance of politics and religion. The primary outcome was a Clinical Competency Committee professionalism remedial action. Results Of 114 physicians starting residency during 2006–2013, 106 (93.0% completed the interview. There was good inter-rater reliability in associate investigator categorization of resident

  2. Design of a self-focusing linear electron accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hddab, S.

    1983-06-01

    In this report we tackle the principal physical and technical problems related to the design of a self-focusing linear electron accelerator. The study of the dynamic phenomena occurring at the entrance to the first resonant cell allows us, by an adequate choice of the longitudinal height of this cell, to avoid the use of an external magnetic focusing coil. Optimization of the ultra high frequency properties of the resonant structure has been achieved by polishing the internal surfaces of the cavities, by adapting a new brazing technique and optimizing the geometry of the cells. A simulation code has been adapted to an interactive use on microcomputer [fr

  3. Goal orientation and work role performance: predicting adaptive and proactive work role performance through self-leadership strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marques-Quinteiro, Pedro; Curral, Luís Alberto

    2012-01-01

    This article explores the relationship between goal orientation, self-leadership dimensions, and adaptive and proactive work role performances. The authors hypothesize that learning orientation, in contrast to performance orientation, positively predicts proactive and adaptive work role performances and that this relationship is mediated by self-leadership behavior-focused strategies. It is posited that self-leadership natural reward strategies and thought pattern strategies are expected to moderate this relationship. Workers (N = 108) from a software company participated in this study. As expected, learning orientation did predict adaptive and proactive work role performance. Moreover, in the relationship between learning orientation and proactive work role performance through self-leadership behavior-focused strategies, a moderated mediation effect was found for self-leadership natural reward and thought pattern strategies. In the end, the authors discuss the results and implications are discussed and future research directions are proposed.

  4. On capillary self-focusing in a microfluidic system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hein, M; Seemann, R [Experimental Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Afkhami, S, E-mail: r.seemann@physik.uni-saarland.de, E-mail: shahriar.afkhami@njit.edu [Department of Mathematical Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102 (United States)

    2016-12-15

    A computational framework is developed to address capillary self-focusing in step emulsification. The microfluidic system consists of a single shallow and wide microchannel that merges into a deep reservoir. A continuum approach coupled with a volume of fluid method is used to model the capillary self-focusing effect. The original governing equations are reduced using the Hele-Shaw approximation. We show that the interface between the two fluids takes the shape of a neck narrowing in the flow direction just before entering the reservoir, in agreement with our experimental observations. Our computational model relies on the assumption that the pressure at the boundary, where the fluid exits into the reservoir, is the uniform pressure in the reservoir. We investigate this hypothesis by comparing the numerical results with experimental data. We conjecture that the pressure boundary condition becomes important when the width of the neck is comparable to the depth of the microchannel. A correction to the exit pressure boundary condition is then proposed, which is determined by comparison with experimental data. We also present the experimental observations and the numerical results of the transitions of breakup regimes. (paper)

  5. Thought Suppression Research Methods: Paradigms, Theories, Methodological Concerns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niczyporuk Aneta

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available It is hard to provide an unequivocal answer to the question of whether or not thought suppression is effective. Two thought suppression paradigms - the “white bear” paradigm and the think/no-think paradigm - give mixed results. Generally, “white bear” experiments indicate that thought suppression is counterproductive, while experiments in the think/no-think paradigm suggest that it is possible to effectively suppress a thought. There are also alternative methods used to study thought suppression, for instance the directed forgetting paradigm or the Stroop task. In the article, I describe the research methods used to explore thought suppression efficacy. I focus on the “white bear” and the think/no-think paradigms and discuss theories proposed to explain the results obtained. I also consider the internal and external validity of the methods used.

  6. Unwanted Sexual Attention in Licensed Venues: Considering LGBTIQ Young Adults’ Experiences and Perceptions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bianca Fileborn

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Sexual violence within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ communities remains largely under-researched and under-theorised. Yet, emerging research suggests that sexual violence is a significant issue within the LGBTIQ communities. Additionally, the occurrence of sexual violence and unwanted sexual attention within specific social and cultural contexts is, for the most part, insufficiently examined. This article draws on research exploring young LGBTIQ adults’ perceptions and experiences of unwanted sexual attention in licensed venues. Firstly, I consider the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of ‘unwanted sexual attention’ as a category of analysis. I then move on to consider participants’ use of licensed venues, the particular significance of pubs and clubs to LGBTIQ young people, and their perceptions and experiences of unwanted sexual attention. Finally, I discuss the implications of these findings for theoretical and conceptual understandings of unwanted sexual attention and sexual violence. En general, se ha investigado y teorizado muy poco sobre la violencia sexual dentro de las comunidades de lesbianas, gays, bisexuales, transgénero / transexuales, intersex y queer (LGBTIQ. Sin embargo, investigaciones recientes sugieren que la violencia sexual es un problema importante en estas comunidades. Además, la incidencia de la violencia sexual y atención sexual no deseada dentro de contextos sociales y culturales específicos no está, en su mayor parte, suficientemente examinada. Este artículo se basa en la investigación de la percepción y experiencias de atención sexual no deseada en locales con licencia para vender alcohol. En primer lugar, se tienen en cuenta los fundamentos teóricos y conceptuales de “atención sexual no deseada” como una categoría de análisis. A continuación, se considera el uso de locales con licencia por parte de los participantes, el significado

  7. Stationary self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in relativistic thermal quantum plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patil, S. D.; Takale, M. V.

    2013-01-01

    In the present paper, we have employed the quantum dielectric response in thermal quantum plasma to model relativistic self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in a plasma. We have presented an extensive parametric investigation of the dependence of beam-width parameter on distance of propagation in relativistic thermal quantum plasma. We have studied the role of Fermi temperature in the phenomenon of self-focusing. It is found that the quantum effects cause much higher oscillations of beam-width parameter and better relativistic focusing of laser beam in thermal quantum plasma in comparison with that in the relativistic cold quantum plasma and classical relativistic plasma. Our computations show more reliable results in comparison to the previous works

  8. Inviting pain? Pain, dualism and embodiment in narratives of self-injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandler, Amy

    2013-06-01

    The role of pain in the practice of self-injury is not straightforward. Existing accounts suggest that self-injury does not cause 'physical' pain, however self-injury is also said to alleviate 'emotional' pain by inflicting 'physical' pain. This article explores these tensions using sociological theories regarding the socio-cultural and subjective nature of pain. Analysis derives from in-depth, life-story interviews carried out in the UK with people who had self-injured. Findings contribute to on-going debates within social science regarding the nature of pain. Participants' narratives about pain and self-injury both drew on and challenged dualistic models of embodiment. I suggest that self-injury offers a unique case on which to extend existing theoretical work, which has tended to focus on pain as an unwanted and uninvited entity. In contrast, accounts of self-injury can feature pain as a central aspect of the practice, voluntarily invited into lived experience. © 2013 The Author. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2013 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Suicidal Thoughts Among Medical Residents with Burnout

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Heijden, Frank; Dillingh, Gea; Bakker, Arnold; Prins, Jelle

    2008-01-01

    Objectives: Recent research showed that medical residents have a high risk for developing burnout. The present study investigates the prevalence of burnout and its relationship with suicidal thoughts among medical residents. Methods: All Dutch medical residents (n = 5126) received a self-report

  10. The effects of state and trait self-focused attention on sexual arousal in sexually functional and dysfunctional women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meston, Cindy M.

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the effects of state self-focused attention on sexual arousal and trait self-consciousness on sexual arousal and function in sexually functional (n = 16) and dysfunctional (n = 16) women. Self-focused attention was induced using a 50% reflectant television screen in one of two counterbalanced sessions during which self-report and physiological sexual responses to erotic films were measured. Self-focused attention significantly decreased vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) responses among sexually functional but not dysfunctional women, and substantially decreased correlations between self-report and VPA measures of sexual arousal. Self-focused attention did not significantly impact subjective sexual arousal in sexually functional or dysfunctional women. Trait private self-consciousness was positively related to sexual desire, orgasm, compatibility, contentment and sexual satisfaction. Public self-consciousness was correlated with sexual pain. The findings are discussed in terms of Masters and Johnson’s [Masters, W. H. & Johnson, V. E. (1970). Human sexual inadequacy. Boston: Little, Brown) concepts of “spectatoring” and “sensate focus.” PMID:15927143

  11. Self-handicapping, excuse making, and counterfactual thinking: consequences for self-esteem and future motivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCrea, Sean M

    2008-08-01

    Researchers interested in counterfactual thinking have often found that upward counterfactual thoughts lead to increased motivation to improve in the future, although at the cost of increased negative affect. The present studies suggest that because upward counterfactual thoughts indicate reasons for a poor performance, they can also serve as excuses. In this case, upward counterfactual thoughts should result in more positive self-esteem and reduced future motivation. Five studies demonstrated these effects in the context of self-handicapping. First, upward counterfactual thinking was increased in the presence of a self-handicap. Second, upward counterfactual thoughts indicating the presence of a self-handicap protected self-esteem following failure. Finally, upward counterfactual thoughts that protect self-esteem reduced preparation for a subsequent performance as well as performance itself. These findings suggest that the consequences of upward counterfactuals for affect and motivation are moderated by the goals of the individual as well as the content of the thoughts. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved

  12. Adolescents' psychological health and experiences with unwanted sexual behavior at school

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Timmerman, G

    2004-01-01

    This paper examines the relationship between experiences with unwanted sexual behavior at school and adolescents' health. Adolescent boys and girls (N = 2,808) participated in a 1998/1999 survey of secondary school students in two regions of The Netherlands. The psychological issues investigated

  13. The effects of power on prosocial outcomes: a self-validation analysis

    OpenAIRE

    DeMarree, Kenneth G.; Petty, Richard E.; Briñol Turnes, Pablo

    2012-01-01

    The present research distinguishes between primary (cognitive) and secondary (metacognitive) processes in the domain of power. Power is a central construct in economic decision making, influencing people’s thoughts and behavior in organizational, political, consumer, and interpersonal contexts. Whereas most research has discussed ways that power can influence primary cognition (e.g., increased self-focused thoughts, heuristic processing), we examine how power can influence secondary cognition...

  14. Factors Affecting Unwanted Pregnancies in Urban Areas of Kohgiloyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province in 2008

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z Tabeshfar

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Unwanted pregnancies and its complications are one of the most important global problems related to mothers. The aim of the present study was to determine the factors affecting unwanted pregnancies in urban areas of the Kohgiloyeh and Boyer Ahmad province. Materials & Methods: In this case – control study conducted at Yasuj University of Medical Sciences in 2008 ,350 women were chosen as the case group, and 700 women as the control group. During the study, data collection forms were completed by each group. Subsequently, the collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 16 by using the logistic regression, univariate, and multivariate analysis. Results: According to the results of univariate analysis, the variables husband’s education in primary school , age of the last child under one, uncertain prevention methods and receiving means of prevention from the private sector revealed that significant differences existed between the two groups (P Value<0/05. Finally, the multivariate analysis beetwen husband education variables, age of the last child , prevention methods, and receiving a contraceptive device, a significant correlation was observed with unwanted pregnancy(P Value<0/05. Conclusion: Results of this study determined that three variables (contraceptive method, the place of obtaining means, and level of her husband education are the most important variables which affect the chance of increasing of unwanted pregnancy in users of contraceptive methods.

  15. Sexual Orientation Disparities in Mistimed and Unwanted Pregnancy Among Adult Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Everett, Bethany G; McCabe, Katharine F; Hughes, Tonda L

    2017-09-01

    Many sexual minority women, regardless of sexual identity, engage in heterosexual behavior across the life course, which provides them opportunities to experience an unintended pregnancy. In addition, sexual minority women are more likely than others to report characteristics that may make them vulnerable to unintended pregnancy. Little research, however, has examined whether the risk of unintended pregnancy is elevated among these women. Using data from the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth, logistic regression models were fitted to examine sexual orientation disparities in mistimed and unwanted pregnancies among 9,807 women aged 20-45; mixed-effects hazard models assessed disparities in the intention status of 5,238 pregnancies among these women by maternal sexual orientation. Compared with heterosexual women reporting only male partners, heterosexual women who have sex with women had higher odds of reporting a mistimed pregnancy (odds ratio, 1.4), and bisexual women had higher odds of reporting an unwanted pregnancy (1.8). When compared with pregnancies reported by heterosexual women with only male partners, those reported by heterosexual women who have sex with women were more likely to be mistimed (hazard ratio, 1.7), and those reported by bisexual and lesbian women were more likely to be unwanted (1.7-4.4). Compared with heterosexuals who have sex with men only, adult sexual minority women are at equal or greater risk of reporting an unintended pregnancy. More research addressing the reproductive health care needs of sexual minority women is needed to develop strategies to improve family planning for this population. Copyright © 2017 by the Guttmacher Institute.

  16. Social connectedness, stressful life events, and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors among young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macrynikola, Natalia; Miranda, Regina; Soffer, Ariella

    2018-01-01

    Preventing self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) is particularly challenging on commuter campuses, given lower social cohesion and higher levels of stress than among traditional college populations. The present study examined the relationship between stressful life events (SLEs) and risk for different forms of SITBs, along with the potential buffering role of social connectedness, in a diverse sample of young adults from a commuter college. Participants were 1712 (81% female; 61% racial/ethnic minority; 20% sexual minority) undergraduate and graduate students from a public commuter college in New York City. Participants completed an anonymous survey that inquired about lifetime and recent (past 12months) history of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), along with social connectedness and lifetime history of SLEs. Lower levels of social connectedness and exposure to a higher number of SLEs were associated with engaging in SITBs in the past year, particularly both suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injury. However, social connectedness did not buffer against the impact of SLEs on SITBs. Data are cross-sectional, limiting conclusions about directionality, and females were overrepresented. Identifying ways to increase social connectedness on diverse commuter campuses may help decrease risk of SITBs. However, it may not buffer against the impact of SLEs on risk of SITBs. Future studies should examine contextual variables (e.g., type and timing of social support) that may play a role in protecting against SITBs, particularly for those with a history of adversity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Meta-cognitions in tourette syndrome, tic disorders, and body-focused repetitive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Kieron; St-Pierre-Delorme, Marie-Ève; Leclerc, Julie; Lavoie, Marc; Blais, Mélodie T

    2014-08-01

    To explore if self-reported presence of thinking about tics or body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs; gests) are direct triggers of tic or gest onset in 3 groups: Tourette syndrome (TS; n =18), persistent chronic tic disorders (TDs; n = 42), and a comparison group with BFRB (n = 36). The 3 groups completed a thinking about tics inventory, listing 22 items derived from clinician consensus that asked whether thoughts always, sometimes, or never exclusively triggered tic onset. Other questionnaires measured mood, perfectionism, impulsivity, premonitory urge, and self-rated tension. Sixty-three participants completed the inventory twice, and the inventory was completed pre- and post-behavioural intervention by a further 54. The ranking of the thoughts reported as likely to trigger tics or gests was positively correlated across TD and BFRB groups. Exploratory principal components analysis of a reduced 12-item set (the thinking about tics inventory) in TS and TD groups revealed that such thoughts could be grouped into 3 separate subscales: thoughts about the interference of tics or gests, thoughts anticipating tics or gests, and thoughts about whether the person has permission to perform the tic or the gest. The 3 sets of subscales showed good and acceptable internal consistency and overall score showed good test-retest reliability, suggesting thoughts about tics or gests are robust and measurable. The subscales correlated with impulsivity, tic or behaviour severity, and ratings of frequency decreased post-behavioural treatment. Thinking about tics or gests is reported as triggering tics or gests in both TD and BFRB, and meta-cognition seems independent of premonitory sensations and relates to distinct clinical characteristics in each clinical group.

  18. Removal of unwanted fluid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subudhi, Sudhakar; Sreenivas, K. R.; Arakeri, Jaywant H.

    2013-01-01

    This work is concerned with the removal of unwanted fluid through the source-sink pair. The source consists of fluid issuing out of a nozzle in the form of a jet and the sink is a pipe that is kept some distance from the source pipe. Of concern is the percentage of source fluid sucked through the sink. The experiments have been carried in a large glass water tank. The source nozzle diameter is 6 mm and the sink pipe diameter is either 10 or 20 mm. The horizontal and vertical separations and angles between these source and sink pipes are adjustable. The flow was visualized using KMnO4 dye, planer laser induced fluorescence and particle streak photographs. To obtain the effectiveness (that is percentage of source fluid entering the sink pipe), titration method is used. The velocity profiles with and without the sink were obtained using particle image velocimetry. The sink flow rate to obtain a certain effectiveness increase dramatically with lateral separation. The sink diameter and the angle between source and the sink axes don't influence effectiveness as much as the lateral separation.

  19. Design of self-correction coils in a superferric dipole magnet

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Design of self-correction coils in a superferric dipole magnet is carried out. By adopting the self-correction coil (SCC) scheme, we can do online correction of unwanted fields inside the magnet aperture during the whole operating cycle irrespective of their origin. The self-correction coils are short-circuited superconducting ...

  20. Unintended and unwanted pregnancy in St. Lucia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denton, A B; Chase, W M; Scott, K

    1994-09-01

    Among 200 mothers interviewed in St. Lucia, 82.5% described their pregnancy as unintended and 44% as unwanted; 80% of women having an intended pregnancy and 94.6% having an unintended pregnancy were unmarried and 18.5% were teenagers. Mothers of unintended pregnancies were significantly younger, were of significantly higher parity and had begun sexual relations at a significantly earlier age than mothers of intended pregnancies; and, unlike mothers of planned pregnancies, their desired interpregnancy interval was significantly longer than the actual interval. These results and the sporadic and ineffective use of contraception in St. Lucia emphasize the need for improvements in fertility regulation in that country.

  1. The Relationship between Self-Leadership and Personality: A Comparison of Hierarchical Factor Structures

    OpenAIRE

    Houghton, Jeffery D.

    2000-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between self-leadership and personality through an analysis and comparison of hierarchical factor structures. More specifically, this study examined the relationships between the self-leadership dimensions of behavior-focused strategies, natural reward strategies, and constructive thought strategies, and the personality dimensions of extraversion, emotional stability, and conscientiousness. The results of the study provide evidence that the self-leadershi...

  2. Self-focusing of nonlinear waves in a relativistic plasma with positive and negative ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mukherjee, Joydeep; Chowdhury, A.R.

    1994-01-01

    The phenomenon of self-focusing of nonlinear waves was analysed in a relativistic plasma consisting of both positive and negative ions, which are assumed to be hot. The effect of the inertia of the relativistic electron is also considered by treating it dynamically. A modified form of reductive perturbation is used to deduce a nonlinear Schroedinger equation describing the purely spatial variation of the nonlinear wave. Self-focusing of the wave can be ascertained by analysing the transversal stability of the solitary wave. It is shown that the zones of stability of the wave may become wider due to the mutual influence of various factors present in the plasma, thus favouring the process of self-focusing. 10 refs., 2 figs

  3. Stuttering Thoughts: Negative Self-Referent Thinking Is Less Sensitive to Aversive Outcomes in People with Higher Levels of Depressive Symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iijima, Yudai; Takano, Keisuke; Boddez, Yannick; Raes, Filip; Tanno, Yoshihiko

    2017-01-01

    Learning theories of depression have proposed that depressive cognitions, such as negative thoughts with reference to oneself, can develop through a reinforcement learning mechanism. This negative self-reference is considered to be positively reinforced by rewarding experiences such as genuine support from others after negative self-disclosure, and negatively reinforced by avoidance of potential aversive situations. The learning account additionally predicts that negative self-reference would be maintained by an inability to adjust one's behavior when negative self-reference no longer leads to such reward. To test this prediction, we designed an adapted version of the reversal-learning task. In this task, participants were reinforced to choose and engage in either negative or positive self-reference by probabilistic economic reward and punishment. Although participants were initially trained to choose negative self-reference, the stimulus-reward contingencies were reversed to prompt a shift toward positive self-reference (Study 1) and a further shift toward negative self-reference (Study 2). Model-based computational analyses showed that depressive symptoms were associated with a low learning rate of negative self-reference, indicating a high level of reward expectancy for negative self-reference even after the contingency reversal. Furthermore, the difficulty in updating outcome predictions of negative self-reference was significantly associated with the extent to which one possesses negative self-images. These results suggest that difficulty in adjusting action-outcome estimates for negative self-reference increases the chance to be faced with negative aspects of self, which may result in depressive symptoms.

  4. Stuttering Thoughts: Negative Self-Referent Thinking Is Less Sensitive to Aversive Outcomes in People with Higher Levels of Depressive Symptoms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yudai Iijima

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Learning theories of depression have proposed that depressive cognitions, such as negative thoughts with reference to oneself, can develop through a reinforcement learning mechanism. This negative self-reference is considered to be positively reinforced by rewarding experiences such as genuine support from others after negative self-disclosure, and negatively reinforced by avoidance of potential aversive situations. The learning account additionally predicts that negative self-reference would be maintained by an inability to adjust one’s behavior when negative self-reference no longer leads to such reward. To test this prediction, we designed an adapted version of the reversal-learning task. In this task, participants were reinforced to choose and engage in either negative or positive self-reference by probabilistic economic reward and punishment. Although participants were initially trained to choose negative self-reference, the stimulus-reward contingencies were reversed to prompt a shift toward positive self-reference (Study 1 and a further shift toward negative self-reference (Study 2. Model-based computational analyses showed that depressive symptoms were associated with a low learning rate of negative self-reference, indicating a high level of reward expectancy for negative self-reference even after the contingency reversal. Furthermore, the difficulty in updating outcome predictions of negative self-reference was significantly associated with the extent to which one possesses negative self-images. These results suggest that difficulty in adjusting action-outcome estimates for negative self-reference increases the chance to be faced with negative aspects of self, which may result in depressive symptoms.

  5. Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ): Translation and Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Automatic Thought Scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nimbi, Filippo Maria; Tripodi, Francesca; Simonelli, Chiara; Nobre, Pedro

    2018-03-01

    The Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ) is a validated and widespread used tool to assess the association among negative automatic thoughts, emotions, and sexual response during sexual activity in men and women. To test the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the SMQ focusing on the Automatic Thoughts subscale (SMQ-AT). After linguistic translation, the psychometric properties (internal consistency, construct, and discriminant validity) were evaluated. 1,051 participants (425 men and 626 women, 776 healthy and 275 clinical groups complaining about sexual problems) participated in the present study. 2 confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the fit of the original factor structures of the SMQ versions. In addition, 2 principal component analyses were performed to highlight 2 new factorial structures that were further validated with confirmatory factor analyses. Cronbach α and composite reliability were used as internal consistency measures and differences between clinical and control groups were run to test the discriminant validity for the male and female versions. The associations with emotions and sexual functioning measures also are reported. Principal component analyses identified 5 factors in the male version: erection concerns thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, age- and body-related thoughts, negative thoughts toward sex, and worries about partner's evaluation and failure anticipation thoughts. In the female version 6 factors were found: sexual abuse thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, low self-body image thoughts, failure and disengagement thoughts, sexual passivity and control, and partner's lack of affection. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the adequacy of the factor structure for men and women. Moreover, the SMQ showed a strong association with emotional response and sexual functioning, differentiating between clinical and control groups. This measure is useful to evaluate patients and design interventions focused on

  6. Problem music and self-harming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    North, Adrian C; Hargreaves, David J

    2006-10-01

    Academics and protest groups have claimed that "problem music" (hard rock, hip hop/rap, & punk) causes self-injurious thoughts/behaviors among fans. In this study we investigated whether the relationship is mediated by self-esteem, delinquency, and conservatism; and whether first exposure to problem music preceded self-injurious thoughts. A liking for problem music was associated with four of the five self-injurious measures, although these significant relationships were weakened (into nonsignificance in the case of two self-injurious measures) when the mediating variables were included. Listening to problem music did not precede self-injurious thoughts. Problem music is associated with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, but this relationship is mediated by other factors and the former does not seem to cause the latter.

  7. Suppression of small-scale self-focusing of high-power laser beams due to their self-filtration during propagation in free space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginzburg, V. N.; Kochetkov, A. A.; Potemkin, A. K.; Khazanov, E. A.

    2018-04-01

    It has been experimentally confirmed that self-cleaning of a laser beam from spatial noise during propagation in free space makes it possible to suppress efficiently the self-focusing instability without applying spatial filters. Measurements of the instability increment by two independent methods have demonstrated quantitative agreement with theory and high efficiency of small-scale self-focusing suppression. This opens new possibilities for using optical elements operating in transmission (frequency doublers, phase plates, beam splitters, polarisers, etc.) in beams with intensities on the order of a few TW cm‑2.

  8. Graphical user interface based computer simulation of self-similar modes of a paraxial slow self-focusing laser beam for saturating plasma nonlinearities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batra, Karuna; Mitra, Sugata; Subbarao, D.; Sharma, R.P.; Uma, R.

    2005-01-01

    The task for the present study is to make an investigation of self-similarity in a self-focusing laser beam both theoretically and numerically using graphical user interface based interactive computer simulation model in MATLAB (matrix laboratory) software in the presence of saturating ponderomotive force based and relativistic electron quiver based plasma nonlinearities. The corresponding eigenvalue problem is solved analytically using the standard eikonal formalism and the underlying dynamics of self-focusing is dictated by the corrected paraxial theory for slow self-focusing. The results are also compared with computer simulation of self-focusing by the direct fast Fourier transform based spectral methods. It is found that the self-similar solution obtained analytically oscillates around the true numerical solution equating it at regular intervals. The simulation results are the main ones although a feasible semianalytical theory under many assumptions is given to understand the process. The self-similar profiles are called as self-organized profiles (not in a strict sense), which are found to be close to Laguerre-Gaussian curves for all the modes, the shape being conserved. This terminology is chosen because it has already been shown from a phase space analysis that the width of an initially Gaussian beam undergoes periodic oscillations that are damped when any absorption is added in the model, i.e., the beam width converges to a constant value. The research paper also tabulates the specific values of the normalized phase shift for solutions decaying to zero at large transverse distances for first three modes which can, however, be extended to higher order modes

  9. Impulsivity and self-harm in adolescence: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lockwood, Joanna; Daley, David; Townsend, Ellen; Sayal, Kapil

    2017-04-01

    Research supports an association between impulsivity and self-harm, yet inconsistencies in methodology across studies have complicated understanding of this relationship. This systematic review examines the association between impulsivity and self-harm in community-based adolescents aged 11-25 years and aims to integrate findings according to differing concepts and methods. Electronic searches of EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, PubMed and The Cochrane Library, and manual searches of reference lists of relevant reviews identified 4496 articles published up to July 2015, of which 28 met inclusion criteria. Twenty-four of the studies reported an association between broadly specified impulsivity and self-harm. However, findings varied according to the conception and measurement of impulsivity and the precision with which self-harm behaviours were specified. Specifically, lifetime non-suicidal self-injury was most consistently associated with mood-based impulsivity-related traits. However, cognitive facets of impulsivity (relating to difficulties maintaining focus or acting without forethought) differentiated current self-harm from past self-harm. These facets also distinguished those with thoughts of self-harm (ideation) from those who acted on thoughts (enaction). The findings suggested that mood-based impulsivity is related to the initiation of self-harm, while cognitive facets of impulsivity are associated with the maintenance of self-harm. In addition, behavioural impulsivity is most relevant to self-harm under conditions of negative affect. Collectively, the findings indicate that distinct impulsivity facets confer unique risks across the life-course of self-harm. From a clinical perspective, the review suggests that interventions focusing on reducing rash reactivity to emotions or improving self-regulation and decision making may offer most benefit in supporting those who self-harm.

  10. Unwanted horses: The role of nonprofit equine rescue and sanctuary organizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holcomb, K E; Stull, C L; Kass, P H

    2010-12-01

    Closure of US equine slaughter facilities in 2007 along with the concomitant economic recession have contributed to a sharp increase in the number of unwanted horses throughout the United States, with estimates totaling 100,000 horses per year. The objective of the study was to obtain comprehensive data regarding nonprofit organizations caring for unwanted horses, along with the characteristics and outcome of horses relinquished to these organizations. Nonprofit organizations that accept relinquished equines were contacted to participate in a 90-question survey. Responding organizations (144 of 326 eligible) in 37 states provided information on 280 cases representative of the 7,990 horses relinquished between 2007 and 2009. Data collected characterized these organizations as being in existence for 6 yr, financially supported through donations and personal funds, dedicated to the care of only 10 to 20 horses on a property of just over 30 acres, and reliant on volunteers for help. Funding was the greatest challenge to continued operation of nonprofit equine organizations, with maintenance costs for the care of a relinquished horse averaging $3,648 per year. Financial hardship, physical inability, or lack of time to care for the horses by owners were the most common reasons for relinquishment, followed by seizure through law enforcement agencies for alleged neglect or abuse. Relinquished horses consisted of mostly light horse breeds (79.3%), with Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses as the most represented breeds. The age of relinquished horses ranged from 3 d to 42 yr old (12.4 ± 0.5 yr). About one-half of the horses entered in the survey were considered unhealthy due to illness, injury, lameness, or poor body condition. For every 4 horses relinquished to a nonprofit organization, only 3 horses were adopted or sold between 2006 and 2009, and many organizations had refused to accept additional horses for lack of resources. The estimated maximum capacity for the 326

  11. Self-focused processing after severe traumatic brain injury: Relationship to neurocognitive functioning and mood symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ownsworth, Tamara; Gooding, Kynan; Beadle, Elizabeth

    2018-05-28

    To investigate the impact of neurocognitive functioning on the self-focused processing styles of rumination and reflection, and the relationship to mood symptoms after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). A cross-sectional design with a between-group component comparing self-focused processing styles and mood symptoms of adults with TBI and age- and gender-matched controls. Fifty-two participants with severe TBI (75% male, M age = 36.56, SD = 12.39) completed cognitive tests of attention, memory, executive functioning and the Awareness Questionnaire, Reflection and Rumination Questionnaire (RRQ), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS - 21). Fifty age- and gender-matched controls completed the RRQ and DASS-21. TBI participants reported significantly greater mood symptoms than controls (p levels of rumination and reflection did not significantly differ. TBI participants high on both reflection and rumination had significantly greater mood symptoms than those with high reflection and low rumination (p levels of rumination and reflection were associated with better working memory and immediate and delayed verbal memory (r = .36-.43, p levels of rumination were also associated with greater verbal fluency, self-awareness, and mood symptoms (r = .36-.70, p processing after severe TBI. Reflection without ruminative tendencies is more adaptive for mental health than reflection with rumination. Individuals with severe TBI report more mood symptoms than non-injured controls but do not differ on self-focused processing. Poorer memory function is related to lower levels of rumination and reflection. Reflection without ruminative tendencies is adaptive for mental health after severe TBI. Individuals with greater self-awareness and ruminative tendencies are at increased risk of mental health problems following severe TBI. Rumination and reflection were assessed using a self-report measure which assumes that people with severe TBI are able to reliably report

  12. [Leadership Experience of Clinical Nurses: Applying Focus Group Interviews].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Byoung Sook; Eo, Yong Sook; Lee, Mi Aie

    2015-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the leadership experience of clinical nurses. During 2014, data were collected using focus group interviews. Three focus group interviews were held with a total of 20 clinical nurses participating. All interviews were recorded as they were spoken and transcribed and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Fifteen categories emerged from the five main themes. 1) Thoughts on the leadership category: to lead others, to cope with problem situations adequately and to serve as a shield against difficulties. 2) Situations requiring leadership: situation that requires correct judgement, coping and situations that need coordination and cooperation. 3-1) Leadership behaviors: other-oriented approach and self-oriented approach. 3-2) Leadership behavior consequences: relevant compensation and unfair termination. 4-1) Facilitators of leadership: confidence and passion for nursing and external support and resources. 4-2) Barriers to leadership: non-supportive organization culture and deficiency in own leadership competencies. 5) Strategies of leadership development: strengthen leadership through self-development and organizational leadership development. In conclusion, the results indicate that it is necessary to enhance clinical nurses' leadership role in healthcare. Enhancement can be achieved through leadership programs focused on enlarging leadership experience, constant self-development, leadership training, and development of leadership competencies suited to the nursing environment.

  13. Nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among sexual minority youth in Ireland during their emerging adult years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Power, Emmet; Coughlan, Helen; Clarke, Mary; Kelleher, Ian; Lynch, Fionnuala; Connor, Dearbhla; Fitzpatrick, Carol; Harley, Michelle; Cannon, Mary

    2016-10-01

    This study aimed to examine whether or not sexual minority youth constitute an at-risk group for nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation or suicide attempts during their emerging adult years. Using data from the Challenging Times Study, a population-based study of psychopathology and suicide in Ireland, analyses were conducted to test the associations between sexual minority status and the odds of any lifetime experience of nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts among Irish youth aged 19-24 years. Sexual minority youth had 6.6-fold (95% CI 1.7-24.7) increased risk of nonsuicidal self-injury, a 5.0-fold (95% CI 1.3-18.3) increased risk of suicidal ideation, a 7.7-fold (95% CI 1.8-32.0) increased risk of suicide intent and a 6.8-fold (95% CI 1.6-27.6) increased risk of a suicide attempt during their lifetime compared to their heterosexual peers. This study shows that emerging adulthood is a period of risk for suicide and nonsuicidal self-injurious behaviour among sexual minority youth. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  14. Regulatory focus and adherence to self-care behaviors among adults with type 2 diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avraham, Rinat; Van Dijk, Dina; Simon-Tuval, Tzahit

    2016-09-01

    The aims of this study were, first, to test the association between regulatory focus of adults with type 2 diabetes and their adherence to two types of self-care behaviors - lifestyle change (e.g. physical activity and diet) and medical care regimens (blood-glucose monitoring, foot care and medication usage). Second, to explore whether a fit between the message framing and patients' regulatory focus would improve their intentions to adhere specifically when the type of behavior fits the patients' regulatory focus as well. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 130 adults with type 2 diabetes who were hospitalized in an academic medical center. The patients completed a set of questionnaires that included their diabetes self-care activities, regulatory focus, self-esteem and demographic, socioeconomic and clinical data. In addition, participants were exposed to either a gain-framed or a loss-framed message, and were then asked to indicate their intention to improve adherence to self-care behaviors. A multivariable linear regression model revealed that promoters reported higher adherence to lifestyle change behaviors than preventers did (B = .60, p = .028). However, no effect of regulatory focus on adherence to medical care regimens was found (B = .46, p = .114). In addition, preventers reported higher intentions to adhere to medical care behaviors when the message framing was congruent with prevention focus (B = 1.16, p = .023). However, promoters did not report higher intentions to adhere to lifestyle behaviors when the message framing was congruent with promotion focus (B = -.16, p = .765). These findings justify the need to develop tailor-made interventions that are adjusted to both patients' regulatory focus and type of health behavior.

  15. Regulatory focus, self-efficacy and outcome expectations as drivers of motivation to consume healthy food products

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tudoran, Ana Alina; Scholderer, Joachim; Brunsø, Karen

    2012-01-01

    In this paper we apply the principle of RegulatoryFocus Theory to investigate the interaction between self-efficacy and outcomeexpectations on individuals’ intentions to adopt health behaviors. The participants, 959 individuals (Survey 1) and 2400 individuals (Survey 2), reported self-efficacy be......In this paper we apply the principle of RegulatoryFocus Theory to investigate the interaction between self-efficacy and outcomeexpectations on individuals’ intentions to adopt health behaviors. The participants, 959 individuals (Survey 1) and 2400 individuals (Survey 2), reported self...

  16. Linear self-focusing of continuous UV laser beam in photo-thermo-refractive glasses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidorov, Alexander I; Gorbyak, Veronika V; Nikonorov, Nikolay V

    2018-03-19

    The experimental and theoretical study of continuous UV laser beam propagation through thick silver-containing photo-thermo-refractive glass is presented. It is shown for the first time that self-action of UV Gaussian beam in glass results in its self-focusing. The observed linear effect is non-reversible and is caused by the transformation of subnanosized charged silver molecular clusters to neutral state under UV laser radiation. Such transformation is accompanied by the increase of molecular clusters polarizability and the refractive index increase in irradiated area. As a result, an extended positive lens is formed in glass bulk. In a theoretical study of linear self-focusing effect, the "aberration-free" approximation was used, taking into account spatial distribution of induced absorption.

  17. [Unwanted adolescent pregnancy and post-partum utilization of contraceptive methods].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Núñez-Urquiza, Rosa María; Hernández-Prado, Bernardo; García-Barrios, Cecilia; González, Dolores; Walker, Dylis

    2003-01-01

    To describe the proportion of unwanted pregnancies among all pregnant adolescents, its association with sociodemographic characteristics, and the use of post-partum contraceptive methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 220 women between 13 and 19 years of age, in two semi-urban municipalities of the State of Morelos, Mexico, interviewed between 1992 and 1994. Women were interviewed at home, six to twelve weeks after their delivery date. Women were asked whether they had wanted their last pregnancy, and about knowledge and use of contraceptive methods after delivery. Adolescent pregnancies accounted for 17% of all births registered in these two municipalities. Among all adolescent mother 22.73% reported that their pregnancy had not been wanted. A positive association was found between the lack of access to health services provided by public medical insurance systems (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social IMSS and Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales para los Trabajadores del Estado ISSSTE) and unwanted pregnancy (adjusted OR = 3.03, 95% CI (1.31, 7.) An association was also found between living in an urban community (adjusted OR = 2.16, 95% CI (1.08, 4.33) and an unwanted pregnancy. Among all adolescent mothers, 91.3% were familiar with "the pill" as a contraceptive method; 84.72% knew about the IUD, and 63.68% knew about the condom. However, only 35% of them were actually using an effective contraceptive method six weeks after delivery. No difference in frequency of contraceptive use was found among the adolescent mothers, according to whether they wanted their last pregnancy. Only 43.39% of mothers who delivered at hospitals or health centers were using an effective contraceptive method. These findings suggest that there is a great potential for family planning programs to target adolescents, and that the use of contraceptive methods after delivery should be promoted among adolescent mothers, especially those lacking access to public medical

  18. The role of poor sleep in the relation between workplace bullying/unwanted sexual attention and long-term sickness absence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Lange, Theis; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Bonde, Jens Peter; Conway, Paul Maurice; Garde, Anne Helene; Høgh, Annie; Kaerlev, Linda; Rugulies, Reiner; Hansen, Åse Marie

    2016-08-01

    While exposure to bullying and unwanted sexual attention was previously found to increase the risk of sickness absence, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Poor sleep can be a consequence of stressful exposures and a cause of poor health, and poor sleep is also a determinant of insufficient recovery. Therefore, the present study investigated whether poor sleep mediates and/or moderates the association between bullying and unwanted sexual attention, on the one hand, and long-term sickness absence (LTSA), on the other hand. We used questionnaire data from 7650 individuals contributing with 15,040 2-year observation periods. Workplace bullying, unwanted sexual attention, disturbed sleep, and difficulties awakening were measured at three time points, and participants were followed in registers to measure the occurrence of LTSA, defined as ≥30 consecutive days of sickness absence during the subsequent 2 years. The odds of LTSA were significantly increased by workplace bullying (OR 1.77; 95 % CI 1.50-2.12) and unwanted sexual attention (OR 1.55; 95 % CI 1.06-2.29). Together, disturbed sleep and difficulties awakening mediated 12.8 % (95 % CI 8.1-19.8) of the association between bullying and long-term sickness absence, and 8.5 % (95 % CI -0.45 to 37.1) of the association between unwanted sexual attention and long-term sickness absence in the fully adjusted model. Neither disturbed sleep nor difficulties awakening moderated these associations. As expected, bullying and unwanted sexual attention were prospectively associated with long-term sickness absence. Only a small part of this association was mediated by poor sleep.

  19. Characteristics of Women with Unwanted Pregnancies and Reasons for Contraceptive Methods Discontination: Sample of Rural Area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Semra Ay

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available AIM: The aim of the study was to explore the prevalence and characteristics of women with unwanted pregnancy in rural area and to examine pregnant women’s contraceptive method preferences, satisfaction with the methods and reason the methods discontinuation. METHOD: This study was carried out in Manisa city rural area between the dates of January and June 2011 in women who agreed to participate in the study. The sample of the research is composed of 239 pregnant women. The research was a descriptive, cross-sectional and field study and the data was collected by using questionnaire which was prepared by researcher. Data was gathered through the face to face interview with the women at their home. Statistical analyses were undertaken using SPSS version 11.5. Descriptive analysis, Pearson’s Chi-square (χ² test, fisher exact test, and t-test were used statistical evaluation. RESULTS: Of the 239 pregnancies, 64 (26.8% were unwanted pregnancies. The mean age of women was respectively 25.0±5.0, and 29.0±5.4 years, for wanted, and unwanted pregnancies. Women with unwanted pregnancies were older, less educated, they had less educated husbands, had low income level, had more pregnancies, deliveries, had less than two years interval between their births. Unwanted pregnancies were observed in women using the coitus interrupts method (%53.1, effective contraceptive methods (%54.3 and not using any method (%16.3 (p<0.05. The most reasons for discontinuation were reported pregnant women as follows: side effects of methods, disapproval for husband, pregnancy occurs using the method, believe for ineffective contraceptive methods. CONCLUSION: In order to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and wanted abortions which reversely affect the women healthy; an appropriate contraception method must be employed. Health care providers should identify women with unwanted pregnancy to understand women's concerns and experiences using contraception. This

  20. On the Self-Focusing of Whistler Waves in a Radial Inhomogeneous Plasma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Balmashnov, A. A.

    1980-01-01

    The process of whistler wave self-focusing is experimentally investigated. It was found that a whistler wave propagating along the plasma column with a density crest excites a longitudinal wave of the same frequency propagating across the external magnetic field. The amplitude modulation of the l......The process of whistler wave self-focusing is experimentally investigated. It was found that a whistler wave propagating along the plasma column with a density crest excites a longitudinal wave of the same frequency propagating across the external magnetic field. The amplitude modulation...... of the latter wave is accompanied by a density modification, which leads to trapping of the whistler wave in a density trough in the center of the plasma column....

  1. Achievement Goal Orientations and Self Handicapping as Mediator and Moderator of the Relationship between Intrinsic Achievement Motivation and Negative Automatic Thoughts in Adolescence Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapikiran, Sahin

    2012-01-01

    The main purpose of this study was to examine the mediator and moderator role of self-handicapping and achievement goal orientations variables on the relationship between negative automatic thoughts intrinsic achievement motivation in high school students. 586 high school students, ranging in age from 14 to 20 (M = 16.08), adolescence students…

  2. Boundaries of regulatory fit: Is it the thought that counts?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leikas, S.; Lindeman, M.; Roininen, K.

    2009-01-01

    The feeling of regulatory fit is thought to arise from the right kind of goal pursuit, but some studies imply that it may be evoked even by lesser involvement in the right kind of strategies. The present experiment explored the minimum of involvement necessary to evoke regulatory fit. Participants...... the same information. Participants in promotion focus reported more positive attitudes in the rich information condition, whereas prevention-focused participants reported more positive attitudes in the accurate information condition. The results showed that regulatory fit can be evoked through mere thought...

  3. On social death: ostracism and the accessibility of death thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, Caroline; Kidd, David C; Castano, Emanuele

    2015-01-01

    Being rejected, excluded, or simply ignored is a painful experience. Ostracism researchers have shown its powerful negative consequences (Williams, 2007), and sociologists have referred to such experiences as social death (Bauman, 1992). Is this is just a metaphor or does being ostracized make death more salient in people's minds? An experiment was conducted in which participants experienced ostracism or inclusion using the Cyberball manipulation, and the accessibility of death-related thoughts was measured via a word-stem completion puzzle. Results showed enhanced death-thought accessibility in the ostracism condition, as well as a negative effect of dispositional self-esteem on the accessibility of death-related thoughts.

  4. Autonomous dynamics in neural networks: the dHAN concept and associative thought processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gros, Claudius

    2007-02-01

    The neural activity of the human brain is dominated by self-sustained activities. External sensory stimuli influence this autonomous activity but they do not drive the brain directly. Most standard artificial neural network models are however input driven and do not show spontaneous activities. It constitutes a challenge to develop organizational principles for controlled, self-sustained activity in artificial neural networks. Here we propose and examine the dHAN concept for autonomous associative thought processes in dense and homogeneous associative networks. An associative thought-process is characterized, within this approach, by a time-series of transient attractors. Each transient state corresponds to a stored information, a memory. The subsequent transient states are characterized by large associative overlaps, which are identical to acquired patterns. Memory states, the acquired patterns, have such a dual functionality. In this approach the self-sustained neural activity has a central functional role. The network acquires a discrimination capability, as external stimuli need to compete with the autonomous activity. Noise in the input is readily filtered-out. Hebbian learning of external patterns occurs coinstantaneous with the ongoing associative thought process. The autonomous dynamics needs a long-term working-point optimization which acquires within the dHAN concept a dual functionality: It stabilizes the time development of the associative thought process and limits runaway synaptic growth, which generically occurs otherwise in neural networks with self-induced activities and Hebbian-type learning rules.

  5. Persuasiveness of Anti-Smoking Messages: Self-Construal and Message Focus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bo; Nan, Xiaoli; Zhao, Xinyan

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of independent vs interdependent self-construal in non-smokers' responses to an anti-smoking message that focuses on either personal or relational consequences of smoking. Design/methodology/approach: Two web-based experimental studies were conducted among US college non-smokers. In the…

  6. "Come on Baby. You Know I Love You": African American Women's Experiences of Communication with Male Partners and Disclosure in the Context of Unwanted Sex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutzmer, Kyle; Ludwig-Barron, Natasha T; Wyatt, Gail E; Hamilton, Alison B; Stockman, Jamila K

    2016-05-01

    We examined African American women's experiences of communication with their male intimate partners a couple of hours before and after an incident of unwanted sex. We also examined women's experiences of disclosure following an incident of unwanted sex. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a community-based sample of sexually active African American women (n = 19) reporting at least one incident of sexual coercion (i.e., being pressured into unwanted sex without consent) by an intimate male partner since the age of 18. Our analysis was guided by "the sexual division of power" from Connell's (1987) theory of gender and power. Data were analyzed inductively by examining the interviews for common themes in the following domains: communication before the unwanted sex, communication after the unwanted sex, and disclosure to others. Men pressured partners for unwanted sex through verbal and non-verbal tactics, ranging from pestering and blunt requests for sex to verbal bullying and violence. Many women responded by clearly saying no. However, many women also described eventually ceasing to resist their partners and engaging in unwanted sex. After the unwanted sex, men actively and passively avoided discussing the incident. Although many women discussed the unwanted sex with family and friends, less women disclosed to trained professionals. In some cases, women did not discuss the incident with anyone at all. These findings indicate that, when addressing sexual violence against women, there is a need to target men as well as the norms of masculinity that underpin physical and sexual violence against women.

  7. Self-focused Motives Undermine the Emotional Rewards of Recalled Prosocial Behavior

    OpenAIRE

    Wiwad, Dylan; Aknin, Lara

    2017-01-01

    Past research has demonstrated that engaging in and reflecting upon past instances of prosocial behavior promote happiness. Yet, people provide help for a myriad of reasons. Do the motives for giving impact its emotional consequences? In three experiments (N > 680), we compared the emotional outcomes of recalling a past instance of prosocial behavior motivated by self-focused and other-focused concerns. Using both between and within subjects designs, we find that recalling an instance of o...

  8. Unwanted pregnancy: The outer boundary of "treatment injury" in the New Zealand accident compensation scheme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tobin, Rosemary

    2015-09-01

    The New Zealand accident compensation scheme has undergone many changes over the years and these changes are reflected in the way unwanted pregnancy claims have been dealt with under the regime. The New Zealand Supreme Court has now confirmed that pregnancy as a result of medical misadventure can be classified as a personal injury under the scheme with the result that the woman patient is entitled to the benefits of the scheme and may not pursue a common law claim against the medical practitioner. This article analyses two recent decisions in the context of consideration of the changing fortunes of the unwanted pregnancy claims.

  9. Validation of the Paranoid Thoughts Scale in Iranian Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karim Abdolmohammadi

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background and Objectives: Considering that paranoid thought has one-dimensional approach, use of long questionnaires has no clinical and research application, therefore use of short questionnaires seems necessary. The Green et al. paranoid thought scale is a short self-assessment tool for assessing paranoid thought in non-clinical and clinical group. This research was conducted to validate this questionnaire in Iranian population. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, 356 students were selected using stratified sampling method and assessed by GPTS and Minnesota multiphasic paranoid inventory (MMPI in 2015. Validity was assessed simultaneously with MMPI testing. Results: The correlation coefficient of GPTS and MMPI scores was α=0.71 and significant (p<0.001. Internal consistency value was estimated to be 0.81 according to Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Conclusion: GPTS is an appropriate and short tool for screening in paranoid thought-related researches. Keywords: Paranoid disorders; Personality tests; Validation studies.

  10. Changing automatic behavior through self-monitoring: Does overt change also imply implicit change?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maas, J.; Hietbrink, L.; Rinck, M.; Keijsers, G.P.J.

    2013-01-01

    Background and objectives Self-monitoring of unwanted behavior is a common component of effective cognitive-behavioral therapy. Self-monitoring has often shown to lead to decreases in undesirable behavior. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of these ‘reactive effects’, we investigated whether

  11. The Relationships among Calling, Religiousness, and Dysfunctional Career Thoughts in Public University Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Stefanie Josephine

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among calling, religiousness, and dysfunctional career thoughts. Though the cognitive processes in the career decision-making process have been a focus of research in recent years, the relationship between career thoughts and calling has only been studied once and career thoughts'…

  12. Assessment of Motivational Cognitions in Diabetes Self-Care: the Motivation Thought Frequency Scales for Glucose Testing, Physical Activity and Healthy Eating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parham, Sophie C; Kavanagh, David J; Gericke, Christian A; King, Neil; May, Jon; Andrade, Jackie

    2017-06-01

    There is a need for improved measurement of motivation for diabetes self-care. The Elaborated Intrusion Theory of Desire offers a coherent framework for understanding and identifying the cognitive-affective events that constitute the subjective experience of motivation and may therefore inform the development of such an instrument. Recent research has shown the resultant Motivation Thought Frequency scale (MTF) to have a stable factor structure (Intensity, Incentives Imagery, Self-Efficacy Imagery, Availability) when applied to physical activity, excessive snacking or alcohol use in the general population. The current study aimed to confirm the four-factor structure of the MTF for glucose testing, physical activity and healthy eating in people with type 2 diabetes. Associations with self-reports of concurrent diabetic self-care behaviours were also examined. Confirmatory factor analyses tested the internal structure, and multiple regressions assessed the scale's relationship with concurrent self-care behaviours. The MTF was completed by 340 adults with type 2 diabetes, and 237 from that sample also reported self-care behaviours. Separate MTFs assessed motivation for glucose testing, physical activity and healthy eating. Self-care was assessed using questions from the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities. The MTF for each goal achieved an acceptable fit on all indices after selected errors within factors were allowed to intercorrelate. Intensity and Self-Efficacy Imagery provided the strongest and most consistent correlations with relevant self-care behaviours. Results provide preliminary support for the MTF in a diabetes sample. Testing of its sensitivity to change and its predictive utility over time is needed.

  13. Self-focusing and its related interactions at very high laser intensities for fast ignition at Osaka University

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, K.A.; Kodama, R.; Izumi, N.; Takahashi, K.; Heya, M.; Fujita, H.; Kato, Y.; Kitagawa, Y.; Mima, K.; Miyanaga, N.; Norimatsu, T.; Sentoku, Y.; Sunahara, A.; Takabe, H.; Yamanaka, T.; Koase, T.; Iwatani, T.; Ohtani, F.; Miyakoshi, T.; Habara, H.; Tanpo, M.; Tohyama, S.; Weber, F.A.; Barbee, T.W.; Dasilva, L.B.; Dasilva, L.B.

    2000-01-01

    At the Institute of Laser Engineering, various type of experiments related to fast ignition were performed with the 12-beam laser system GEKKO XII and the newly added 100 TW beams line. Using both X-ray and UV laser probes, drilling via ponderomotive laser light self-focusing was studied to show drilling well into the overdense plasma over a distance of 100 μm at a self-focused laser intensity of 10 18 W/cm 2 . This type of self-focusing accelerated electrons up to 0.1 to 1 MeV and was also applied to an imploding shell. (authors)

  14. Self-narrative reconstruction in emotion-focused therapy: A preliminary task analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunha, Carla; Mendes, Inês; Ribeiro, António P; Angus, Lynne; Greenberg, Leslie S; Gonçalves, Miguel M

    2017-11-01

    This research explored the consolidation phase of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) for depression and studies-through a task-analysis method-how client-therapist dyads evolved from the exploration of the problem to self-narrative reconstruction. Innovative moments (IMs) were used to situate the process of self-narrative reconstruction within sessions, particularly through reconceptualization and performing change IMs. We contrasted the observation of these occurrences with a rational model of self-narrative reconstruction, previously built. This study presents the rational model and the revised rational-empirical model of the self-narrative reconstruction task in three EFT dyads, suggesting nine steps necessary for task resolution: (1) Explicit recognition of differences in the present and steps in the path of change; (2) Development of a meta-perspective contrast between present self and past self; (3) Amplification of contrast in the self; (4) A positive appreciation of changes is conveyed; (5) Occurrence of feelings of empowerment, competence, and mastery; (6) Reference to difficulties still present; (7) Emphasis on the loss of centrality of the problem; (8) Perception of change as a gradual, developing process; and (9) Reference to projects, experiences of change, or elaboration of new plans. Central aspects of therapist activity in facilitating the client's progression along these nine steps are also elaborated.

  15. Relativistic self-focusing of intense laser beam in thermal collisionless quantum plasma with ramped density profile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Zare

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Propagation of a Gaussian x-ray laser beam has been analyzed in collisionless thermal quantum plasma with considering a ramped density profile. In this density profile due to the increase in the plasma density, an earlier and stronger self-focusing effect is noticed where the beam width oscillates with higher frequency and less amplitude. Moreover, the effect of the density profile slope and the initial plasma density on the laser propagation has been studied. It is found that, by increasing the initial density and the ramp slope, the laser beam focuses faster with less oscillation amplitude, smaller laser spot size and more oscillations. Furthermore, a comparison is made among the laser self-focusing in thermal quantum plasma, cold quantum plasma and classical plasma. It is realized that the laser self-focusing in the quantum plasma becomes stronger in comparison with the classical regime.

  16. Focusing ethnography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Woermann, Niklas

    2018-01-01

    underpinnings of focusing ethnographic research by comparing different schools of thought and suggesting a practice theory-based approach. It argues that many research projects are focused but do not reflect on the process of focusing, describes how to identify focal settings or practices, and introduces......Building theory with ethnography and filmic research increasingly requires focussing on key practices or settings, instead of painting a broad panorama of a culture. But few authors discuss why and how to focus. This article provides a systematic discussion of the theoretical and methodological...

  17. ‘Fit for charity’: the moderating role of private self-focus in the persuasiveness of regulatory fit

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fransen, M.L.; Fennis, B.M.; Vohs, K.D.; Pruyn, A.T.H.

    2009-01-01

    The present research extends work on the ‘the value from fit’ principle by showing that regulatory fit effects on charitable behavior are stronger for consumers high in private self-focus. Based on previous research showing that individuals high in private self-focus are more affected by external

  18. Teaching thoughtful practice: narrative pedagogy in addictions education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandermause, Roxanne K; Townsend, Ryan P

    2010-07-01

    Preparing practitioners for this rapidly changing and demanding health care environment is challenging. A surge in knowledge development and scientific advancement has placed a priority on technical skill and a focus on content driven educational processes that prepare students for evidence-based practice. However, the most difficult health care scenarios require thinking-in-action and thoughtfulness as well as didactic knowledge. It is our contention that interpretive educational methods, like narrative pedagogy, will promote judgment-based practice that includes use of evidence and delivery of thoughtful care. In this article, we describe and interpret a narrative approach to addictions content and teaching thoughtful practice. We present our pedagogical process, including observations and field notes, to show how interpretive pedagogies can be introduced into nursing curricula. By presenting this process, the reader is invited to consider interpretive methods as a way to inspire and habituate thoughtful practice and judgment-based care. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Depressive Thought Content Among Female College Students With Bulimia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brouwers, Mariette

    1988-01-01

    Compared overall depression scores on Beck Depression Inventory between women with and without bulimia and examined differences in specific depression items. Results indicated that bulimics were more depressed than controls and had distorted thoughts regarding body image, self-blame, somatic preoccupation, guilt, and suicidal ideation. (Author/NB)

  20. [Transference Focused Psychotherapy for Borderline-Adolescents in a Day Clinic Treatment Program].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krischer, Maya; Ponton-Rodriguez, Tamara; Gooran, Ghazal Rostami; Bender, Stephan

    2017-07-01

    Transference Focused Psychotherapy for Borderline-Adolescents in a Day Clinic Treatment Program This paper focuses on the concept of transference focused psychotherapy (TFP) modified for juvenile borderline patients. Adolescents with borderline developmental personality disorder (bpd) have an essential deficit in their personality structure that leads to oscillations in their self-esteem and in a "split" perception of the world. They suffer from a variety of symptoms and severe impairments on their own and their families' quality of life. Their fragmented perception of themselves and others make relationships almost unbearable for them. Relationships are mostly marked by severe anxiety of resentment and rejection. For these patients this causes intolerable trouble at school where every day conflicts take place. Self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts often seem the only way out. By now, there is an agreement that an early specialized assessment and treatment is necessary in order to stop the typical consequences of their self-mutilative and dysfunctional behavior. Still, in contrast to adult age, empirical evidence is missing which proves the effectiveness of treating adolescent borderline patients. In this paper we present a research project on the effectiveness of transference focused psychotherapy with adolescent borderline patients (TFP-A) in a day clinic setting, combining TFP with group skills training as known from dialectic behavior therapy (DBT). Furthermore, we give first results on analyzing the effectiveness of our day clinic treatment program based on TFP-A, focusing on improving core symptoms such as affective problems, aggressive behavior against self and others and interpersonal problems.

  1. Unwanted sexual experiences in young men: evidence from a survey of university students in Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehrer, Jocelyn A; Lehrer, Evelyn L; Koss, Mary P

    2013-02-01

    The public health problem of unwanted sexual experiences (USE) in male youths has received little attention. In this study, we examined prevalence of USE, risk factors, contexts, and barriers to disclosure with data from a quantitative survey of students enrolled in General Education courses at a public university in Chile. This study focused on the male sample (N = 466). Approximately 20.4 % of participants reported some form of USE since age 14. Forced sex through physical coercion, forced sex through verbal coercion or while intoxicated, attempted forced sex, and less severe forms of USE were reported by 0.2, 10.1, 1.4, and 8.7 % of participants, respectively. USE before age 14 was reported by 9.4 % of participants and was a significant predictor of USE since age 14 (AOR 6.38, 95 % CI 3.22-12.65, p Chile and elsewhere.

  2. Spectrum of reflected light by self-focusing of light in a laser plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorbunov, L.M.

    1983-01-01

    The spectrum of the radiation reflected by a laser-produced plasma is considered. In this situation, self-focusing occurs and a region of low density (caviton) is formed. It is shown that the process leads to a considerable broadening of the spectrum on the ''red'' side, and to the appearance of a line structure in the spectrum. The results can explain data for the reflected light spectrum [L. M. Gorbunov et al., FIAN Preprint No. 126 (1979)] as being due to the nonstationary self-focusing of light in a laser-produced plasma that has recently been observed [V. L. Artsimovich et al., FIAN Preprint No. 252 (1981); Sov. Phys. Doklady 27, 618 (1982)

  3. An fMRI study of caring vs self-focus during induced compassion and pride.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon-Thomas, Emiliana R; Godzik, Jakub; Castle, Elizabeth; Antonenko, Olga; Ponz, Aurelie; Kogan, Aleksander; Keltner, Dacher J

    2012-08-01

    This study examined neural activation during the experience of compassion, an emotion that orients people toward vulnerable others and prompts caregiving, and pride, a self-focused emotion that signals individual strength and heightened status. Functional magnetic resonance images (fMRI) were acquired as participants viewed 55 s continuous sequences of slides to induce either compassion or pride, presented in alternation with sequences of neutral slides. Emotion self-report data were collected after each slide condition within the fMRI scanner. Compassion induction was associated with activation in the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG), a region that is activated during pain and the perception of others' pain, and that has been implicated in parental nurturance behaviors. Pride induction engaged the posterior medial cortex, a region that has been associated with self-referent processing. Self-reports of compassion experience were correlated with increased activation in a region near the PAG, and in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Self-reports of pride experience, in contrast, were correlated with reduced activation in the IFG and the anterior insula. These results provide preliminary evidence towards understanding the neural correlates of important interpersonal dimensions of compassion and pride. Caring (compassion) and self-focus (pride) may represent core appraisals that differentiate the response profiles of many emotions.

  4. Abortion and Crime: Unwanted Children and Out-of-Wedlock Births

    OpenAIRE

    John R. Lott, Jr.; John Whitley

    2001-01-01

    Abortion may prevent the birth of ''unwanted'' children, who would have relatively small investments in human capital and a higher probability of crime. On the other hand, some research suggests that legalizing abortion increases out-of-wedlock births and single parent families, which implies the opposite impact on investments in human capital and thus crime. The question is: what is the net impact? We find evidence that legalizing abortion increased murder rates by around about 0.5 to 7 perc...

  5. Exploring thought leadership, thought liberation and critical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    It is argued that any discussion of Africa's social and economic development has to take into account the three critical issues that remain pressing constraints for the further advancement of well-being in Africa: thought leadership, thought liberation and critical consciousness. These three 'ingredients' should anchor aspects ...

  6. Unwanted facial hair: affects, effects and solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blume-Peytavi, U; Gieler, U; Hoffmann, R; Lavery, S; Shapiro, J

    2007-01-01

    The following is a review of a satellite symposium held at the EHRS Meeting in June 2006. U.B.P. reminded the audience that unwanted facial hair (UFH) is an important issue; over 40% of the women in the general population have some degree of UFH, and its psychological and psychosocial impact should not be underestimated. The treatment of UFH involves many different disciplines, and the symposium offered the latest thinking in different aspects of the disorder. S.L. outlined the current concepts surrounding polycystic ovarian syndrome, and U.G. addressed the psychological aspects of UFH. J.S. described the current treatment options for UFH, followed by U.B.P.'s evidence-based therapy review. Finally, R.H. reviewed the latest trial results with Trichoscan, a method being investigated for assessing UFH removal. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. Adolescent Admissions to Emergency Departments for Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caterina Zanus

    Full Text Available The objective of the present study was to describe the incidence and the characteristics of Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors (SITBs, among adolescents aged 11-18 admitted, over a two year period, to all the Emergency Departments of a Region of North-eastern Italy through a comprehensive analysis of medical records. A two-step search was performed in the regional ED electronic database. First, we identified the cases that had been clearly diagnosed as SITBs by an Emergency Department physician. Secondly, suspect cases were detected through a keyword search of the database, and the medical records of these cases were hand screened to identify SITBs. The mean annual incidence rate of SITBs was 90 per 100,000 adolescents aged 11-18 years. Events were more frequent in females. Drug poisoning was the most frequently adopted method (54%. In 42% of cases a diagnosis of SITB was not explicitly reported by the physician. In 65% of cases adolescents were discharged within hours of admission. Only 9% of patients started a psychiatric assessment and treatment program during hospital stay. This research confirms the high incidence of SITBs among adolescents and highlights the difficulty in their proper diagnosis and management. Such difficulty is confirmed by the fact that only a few patients, even among those with a clear diagnosis, were sent for psychiatric assessment. Correct identification and management of SITB patients needs to be improved, since SITBs are an important public health problem in adolescence and one of the main risk factors for suicide.

  8. Relation between dependency and two aspects of self-consciousness : Focusing on dyadic relationships in adolescence

    OpenAIRE

    田宮, 沙紀; 岡本, 祐子

    2013-01-01

    In this study, we focused on dyadic relationships in adolescence and examined the dependent appearance for significant other and the relation with two aspects of the self-consciousness. Two aspects of the self-consciousness are public self-consciousness and private self-consciousness. As a result of factor analysis,it was indicated that adolescents have mature and immature dependencies on significant others and dependent anxiety was observed regardless of the object of dependence. Furthermore...

  9. Sexual thoughts: links to testosterone and cortisol in men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldey, Katherine L; van Anders, Sari M

    2012-12-01

    Sexual stimuli increase testosterone (T) or cortisol (C) in males of a variety of species, including humans, and just thinking about sex increases T in women. We investigated whether sexual thoughts change T or C in men and whether hormone measures (baseline, post-activity, and changes) correlate with psychological sexual arousal. We used the Imagined Social Situation Exercise to assess how hormones respond to and correlate with sexual thoughts and arousal relative to three control conditions: neutral, stressful, and positive. A total of 99 men provided a baseline saliva sample, imagined and wrote about a sexual or control situation, and provided a second saliva sample 15 min later. Results indicated that, for participants in the sexual condition, higher baseline and post-activity C corresponded to larger increases in self- reported sexual and autonomic arousal. Although sexual thoughts increased sexual arousal, they did not change T or C compared to control conditions. Our results suggest that sexual thoughts are not sufficient to change T or C in men, but C may facilitate sexual arousal by directing energy towards a sexual situation.

  10. Assessing client self-narrative change in emotion-focused therapy of depression: an intensive single case analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angus, Lynne E; Kagan, Fern

    2013-12-01

    Personality researchers use the term self-narrative to refer to the development of an overall life story that places life events in a temporal sequence and organizes them in accordance to overarching themes. In turn, it is often the case that clients seek out psychotherapy when they can no longer make sense of their life experiences, as a coherent story. Angus and Greenberg (L. Angus and L. Greenberg, 2011, Working with narrative in emotion-focused therapy: Changing stories, healing lives. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press) view the articulation and consolidation of an emotionally integrated self-narrative account as an important part of the therapeutic change process that is essential for sustained change in emotion-focused therapy of depression. The purpose of the present study was to investigate client experiences of change, and self-narrative reconstruction, in the context of one good outcome emotion-focused therapy dyad drawn from the York II Depression Study. Using the Narrative Assessment Interview (NAI) method, client view of self and experiences of change were assessed at three points in time--after session one, at therapy termination, and at 6 months follow-up. Findings emerging from an intensive narrative theme analyses of the NAI transcripts--and 1 key therapy session identified by the client--are reported and evidence for the contributions of narrative and emotion processes to self-narrative change in emotion-focused therapy of depression are discussed. Finally, the implications of assessing clients' experiences of self-narrative change for psychotherapy research and practice are addressed.

  11. Disentangling the relationships among self-reflection, insight, and subjective well-being: the role of dysfunctional attitudes and core self-evaluations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stein, Daniel; Grant, Anthony M

    2014-01-01

    Central to many psychological schools of thought is the notion that self-reflection leads to self-insight which, in turn, leads to enhanced well-being. However, empirical research has found that although self-insight is typically associated with well-being, self-reflection is frequently not associated with self-insight or well-being. Past attempts to understand this conundrum have tended to focus on the role of ruminative self-refection. Using a different approach this study investigates the roles of dysfunctional attitudes and positive core self-evaluations. Using data from 227 participants, two key findings are reported: first, dysfunctional attitudes suppress the relationship between self-reflection and self-insight; and second, positive core self-evaluations mediate the relationship between self-insight and subjective well-being. These two findings imply that a path exists from self-reflection to subjective well-being through self-insight and positive core self-evaluations. This path model was found to be a good fit. Implications for future research and positive psychological practice are discussed.

  12. Emphasising Personal Investment Effects Weight Loss and Hedonic Thoughts about Food after Obesity Surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margaret Husted

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Obesity surgery is the most effective treatment method for the severely obese but does not work for everyone. Indications are that weight-loss success may be related to individuals’ sense of investment in surgery, with failure linked to higher automatic hedonic motivations to consume food and greater susceptibility to food in the environment. A pilot study using an independent experimental design recruited bariatric surgery patients (n=91 via a UK obesity-surgery charity website who were randomly allocated to either the intervention or the control condition. The intervention involved raising the salience of the personal investment made in having weight-loss surgery in an attempt to reduce automatic hedonic thoughts about food and aid weight loss. Data was collected initially with subsequent weight loss measured at 3 months of follow-up. Following the intervention, participants reported significantly reduced hedonic thoughts, increased liking for low-fat foods, reduced liking of high-fat food, and higher self-efficacy for achieving sustained weight loss than controls. By 3 months, this was translated into significant differences in mean weight losses of 6.77 kg for the intervention group and 0.91 kg for control participants. To conclude, a quick simple cost-effective intervention encouraging participants to focus on investment helped weight loss and changed hedonic thoughts about food in bariatric patients.

  13. Kinetic Simulations of the Self-Focusing and Dissipation of Finite-Width Electron Plasma Waves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Winjum, B. J. [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Berger, R. L. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Chapman, T. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Banks, J. W. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Brunner, S. [Federal Inst. of Technology, Lausanne (Switzerland)

    2013-09-01

    Two-dimensional simulations, both Vlasov and particle-in-cell, are presented that show the evolution of the field and electron distribution of finite-width, nonlinear electron plasma waves. The intrinsically intertwined effects of self-focusing and dissipation of field energy caused by electron trapping are studied in simulated systems that are hundreds of wavelengths long in the transverse direction but only one wavelength long and periodic in the propagation direction. From various initial wave states, both the width at focus Δm relative to the initial width Δ0 and the maximum field amplitude at focus are shown to be a function of the growth rate of the transverse modulational instability γTPMI divided by the loss rate of field energy νE to electrons escaping the trapping region. With dissipation included, an amplitude threshold for self-focusing γTPMIE~1 is found that supports the analysis of Rose [Phys. Plasmas 12, 012318 (2005)].

  14. Unwanted effects: Is there a negative side of meditation? A multicentre survey.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ausiàs Cebolla

    Full Text Available Despite the long-term use and evidence-based efficacy of meditation and mindfulness-based interventions, there is still a lack of data about the possible unwanted effects (UEs of these practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of UEs among meditation practitioners, considering moderating factors such as the type, frequency, and lifetime duration of the meditation practices.An online survey was developed and disseminated through several websites, such as Spanish-, English- and Portuguese-language scientific research portals related to mindfulness and meditation. After excluding people who did not answer the survey correctly or completely and those who had less than two months of meditation experience, a total of 342 people participated in the study. However, only 87 reported information about UEs.The majority of the practitioners were women from Spain who were married and had a University education level. Practices were more frequently informal, performed on a daily basis, and followed by focused attention (FA. Among the participants, 25.4% reported UEs, showing that severity varies considerably. The information requested indicated that most of the UEs were transitory and did not lead to discontinuing meditation practice or the need for medical assistance. They were more frequently reported in relation to individual practice, during focused attention meditation, and when practising for more than 20 minutes and alone. The practice of body awareness was associated with UEs to a lesser extent, whereas focused attention was associated more with UEs.This is the first large-scale, multi-cultural study on the UEs of meditation. Despite its limitations, this study suggests that UEs are prevalent and transitory and should be further studied. We recommend the use of standardized questionnaires to assess the UEs of meditation practices.

  15. Unwanted effects: Is there a negative side of meditation? A multicentre survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cebolla, Ausiàs; Demarzo, Marcelo; Martins, Patricia; Soler, Joaquim; Garcia-Campayo, Javier

    2017-01-01

    Despite the long-term use and evidence-based efficacy of meditation and mindfulness-based interventions, there is still a lack of data about the possible unwanted effects (UEs) of these practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of UEs among meditation practitioners, considering moderating factors such as the type, frequency, and lifetime duration of the meditation practices. An online survey was developed and disseminated through several websites, such as Spanish-, English- and Portuguese-language scientific research portals related to mindfulness and meditation. After excluding people who did not answer the survey correctly or completely and those who had less than two months of meditation experience, a total of 342 people participated in the study. However, only 87 reported information about UEs. The majority of the practitioners were women from Spain who were married and had a University education level. Practices were more frequently informal, performed on a daily basis, and followed by focused attention (FA). Among the participants, 25.4% reported UEs, showing that severity varies considerably. The information requested indicated that most of the UEs were transitory and did not lead to discontinuing meditation practice or the need for medical assistance. They were more frequently reported in relation to individual practice, during focused attention meditation, and when practising for more than 20 minutes and alone. The practice of body awareness was associated with UEs to a lesser extent, whereas focused attention was associated more with UEs. This is the first large-scale, multi-cultural study on the UEs of meditation. Despite its limitations, this study suggests that UEs are prevalent and transitory and should be further studied. We recommend the use of standardized questionnaires to assess the UEs of meditation practices.

  16. The role of poor sleep in the relation between workplace bullying/unwanted sexual attention and long-term sickness absence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Lange, Theis

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: While exposure to bullying and unwanted sexual attention was previously found to increase the risk of sickness absence, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Poor sleep can be a consequence of stressful exposures and a cause of poor health, and poor sleep is also a determinant...... of insufficient recovery. Therefore, the present study investigated whether poor sleep mediates and/or moderates the association between bullying and unwanted sexual attention, on the one hand, and long-term sickness absence (LTSA), on the other hand. Methods: We used questionnaire data from 7650 individuals...... contributing with 15,040 2-year observation periods. Workplace bullying, unwanted sexual attention, disturbed sleep, and difficulties awakening were measured at three time points, and participants were followed in registers to measure the occurrence of LTSA, defined as ≥30 consecutive days of sickness absence...

  17. Self-Esteem, Self-Focused Attention, and the Mediating Role of Fear of Negative Evaluation in College Students with and without Asthma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junghans-Rutelonis, Ashley N.; Suorsa, Kristina I.; Tackett, Alayna P.; Burkley, Edward; Chaney, John M.; Mullins, Larry L.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: The current study investigated the mediating role of fear of negative evaluation on the relationship between self-focused attention and self-esteem among college students with and without asthma. Participants: Young adults with (n = 148) and without (n = 530) childhood-onset asthma were recruited from a college student population.…

  18. Christianity and Political Thought

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomassen, Bjørn; Forlenza, Rosario

    2016-01-01

    This article engages with the thought of Augusto Del Noce (1910-1989), the most important Italian Catholic philosopher and political thinker of the twentieth century. The focus is on how Del Noce came to elaborate a Catholic ‘modernity,’ bridging a positive encounter between Catholicism, democracy......, and freedom. This philosophical project had a considerable impact on modern Italian culture and politics. At the theoretical level, the argument is embedded within a larger aim to recognize attempts within Catholic philosophy to articulate an Italian political trajectory that does not simply accept the tale...

  19. Self-focusing in uniaxial gyrotropic media. Qualitative and numerical investigation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karpman, V.I.; Shagalov, A.G.

    1992-01-01

    We consider the self-focusing in uniaxial gyrotropic media at axially symmetric geometry, i.e., when the wave beam and the gyration vector g are parallel to the principal axis. Dissipation is neglected and the nonlinearity is of the Kerr type. It is shown that when g is directed along the wave no...... beam is formed. The results obtained are beyond the theory based on the nonlinear Schrodinger equation....

  20. Unwanted detachment of the Solitaire device during mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castaño, C; Dorado, L; Remollo, S; García-Bermejo, P; Gomis, M; Pérez de la Ossa, N; Millán, M; García-Sort, M R; Hidalgo, C; López-Cancio, E; Cubells, C; Dávalos, A

    2016-01-27

    The use of retrievable stents for endovascular clot retrieval has dramatically improved successful revascularization and clinical outcome in selected patients with acute stroke. To describe the rate and clinical consequences of unwanted spontaneous detachment of these devices during mechanical thrombectomy. We studied 262 consecutive patients treated with the retrievable stent, Solitaire, for acute ischemic stroke between November 2008 and April 2015. Clinical, procedural, and outcome variables were compared between patients with and without unexpected detachment of this device. Detachment was classified as proximal to the stent proximal marker (type A) or distal to the marker (type B). Poor functional outcome was defined as modified Rankin scale score >2 at 90 days. Unwanted detachment occurred in 6/262 (2.3%) cases, four of type A and two of type B. Stent recovery was possible in three patients, all of 'type A', but in none of 'type B'. The number of prior passes was higher in patients with undesired detachment (3 (2-5) vs 2 (1-3), p=0.007). Detachment was associated with higher rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) (33.3% vs 4.3%, p=0.001), poorer outcome (100% vs 54.8%, p=0.028), and higher mortality rate at 90 days (50% vs 17%, p=0.038). Unwanted detachment of a Solitaire is an uncommon complication during mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke and is associated with the clot retrieval attempts, SICH, poor outcome, and higher mortality. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  1. Influence of dispersion stretching of ultrashort UV laser pulse on the critical power for self-focusing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ionin, A. A.; Mokrousova, D. V.; Piterimov, D. A.; Seleznev, L. V.; Sinitsyn, D. V.; Sunchugasheva, E. S.

    2018-04-01

    The critical power for self-focusing in air for ultrashort ultraviolet laser pulses, stretched due to dispersion from 90 to 730 fs, was experimentally measured. It was shown that the pulse duration enhancement due to its propagation in condensed media leads to an almost linear decrease in the critical power for self-focusing. It was also observed that when the pulse peak power exceeds the critical one, the maximum of linear plasma distribution along the ultraviolet laser filament does not shift in the direction opposite to the laser pulse propagation, as observed for infrared laser filaments, but remains at the geometrical focus.

  2. Self-focusing, self modulation and stability properties of laser beam propagating in plasma: A variational approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaur, Ravinder; Gill, Tarsem Singh; Mahajan, Ranju

    2010-01-01

    Laboratory as well as Particle in cell (PIC) simulation experiments reveal the strong flow of energetic electrons co-moving with laser beam in laser plasma interaction. Equation governing the evolution of complex envelope in slowly varying envelope approximation is nonlinear parabolic equation. A Lagrangian for the problem is set up and assuming a trial Gaussian profile, we solve the reduced Lagrangian problem for beam width and curvature. Besides self-focusing and self-modulation of laser beam, we observe that stability properties of such plasma system are studied about equilibrium values using this variational approach. We obtained an eigen value equation, which is cubic in nature and investigated the criterion for stability using Hurwitz conditions for laser beam plasma system.

  3. Thought 2 Talk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hendricks, Vincent F.

    Thought2Talk is a crash course on argument, reasoning and logical method honoring the Swedish poet and Bishop of Lund, Esaias Tegnér, who once said: The words and thoughts of men are born together: To speak obscurely is to think obscurely. In 100 humorous yet erudite pages, Thought2Talk takes the...... the reader through key concepts like statement, argument, validity, fallacy, modality and demonstration.......Thought2Talk is a crash course on argument, reasoning and logical method honoring the Swedish poet and Bishop of Lund, Esaias Tegnér, who once said: The words and thoughts of men are born together: To speak obscurely is to think obscurely. In 100 humorous yet erudite pages, Thought2Talk takes...

  4. Cognitions as mediators in the relationship between self-compassion and affect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arimitsu, Kohki; Hofmann, Stefan G.

    2014-01-01

    Previous studies suggest that self-compassion is related to numerous facets of mental health, but the role of cognitions in this relationship remains unknown. To examine the mediating role of cognitions in the relationship between self-compassion and anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction when controlling for self-esteem in Japanese people, we conducted two studies. Study 1 (N = 231) examined the relationship between self-compassion and affect by modeling negative automatic thoughts as a mediator; Study 2 (N = 233) tested whether positive and negative automatic thoughts meditate this relationship. Results suggested that both self-compassion and self-esteem increased positive automatic thoughts and decreased trait anxiety, whereas only self-esteem increased life satisfaction and decreased depression directly. Positive automatic thoughts increased life satisfaction and decreased depression and trait anxiety, and positive automatic thoughts mediated the relationship between self-compassion and negative affect. These findings suggest that both positive and negative automatic thoughts mediate the relationship between self-compassion and affect in Japanese people. PMID:25395717

  5. Risk factors for unplanned and unwanted teenage pregnancies occurring over two years of follow-up among a cohort of young South African women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christofides, Nicola J; Jewkes, Rachel K; Dunkle, Kristin L; McCarty, Frances; Jama Shai, Nwabisa; Nduna, Mzikazi; Sterk, Claire

    2014-01-01

    Although teenage pregnancies in South Africa have declined, the short and longer term health and social consequences are a potential public health concern. This longitudinal study aimed to describe the range of risk and protective factors for incident unwanted and unplanned pregnancies occurring over 2 years of follow-up among a cohort of adolescent women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It also investigated the relationship between gender inequality and gender-based violence and subsequent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies among the cohort. Teenage girls, aged 15-18 years (n=19), who were volunteer participants in a cluster randomized controlled trial and who had data from at least one follow-up were included in this analysis. To assess risk and protective factors for incident unwanted or unplanned pregnancies, we constructed multivariate polytomous regression models adjusting for sampling clusters as latent variables. Covariates included age, having a pregnancy prior to baseline, education, time between interviews, study intervention arm, contraceptive use, experience of intimate partner violence, belief that the teenage girl and her boyfriend are mutual main partners, and socioeconomic status. Overall, 174 pregnancies occurred over the 2-year follow-up period. Beliefs about relationship control were not associated with unwanted and unplanned pregnancies, nor were experiences of forced first sex or coerced sex under the age of 15. Hormonal contraception was protective against unplanned pregnancies (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.21-0.79); however, using condoms was not protective. Physical abuse (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.05-2.72) was a risk factor for, and having a pregnancy prior to baseline was protective against an unwanted pregnancy (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.07-0.80). Higher socioeconomic status was protective for both unplanned and unwanted pregnancies (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.58-0.83 and OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.64-0.96). Believing that the teenage girl and her boyfriend were mutual main

  6. Risk factors for unplanned and unwanted teenage pregnancies occurring over two years of follow-up among a cohort of young South African women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicola J. Christofides

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Although teenage pregnancies in South Africa have declined, the short and longer term health and social consequences are a potential public health concern. This longitudinal study aimed to describe the range of risk and protective factors for incident unwanted and unplanned pregnancies occurring over 2 years of follow-up among a cohort of adolescent women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It also investigated the relationship between gender inequality and gender-based violence and subsequent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies among the cohort. Objective: Teenage girls, aged 15–18 years (n=19, who were volunteer participants in a cluster randomized controlled trial and who had data from at least one follow-up were included in this analysis. To assess risk and protective factors for incident unwanted or unplanned pregnancies, we constructed multivariate polytomous regression models adjusting for sampling clusters as latent variables. Covariates included age, having a pregnancy prior to baseline, education, time between interviews, study intervention arm, contraceptive use, experience of intimate partner violence, belief that the teenage girl and her boyfriend are mutual main partners, and socioeconomic status. Results: Overall, 174 pregnancies occurred over the 2-year follow-up period. Beliefs about relationship control were not associated with unwanted and unplanned pregnancies, nor were experiences of forced first sex or coerced sex under the age of 15. Hormonal contraception was protective against unplanned pregnancies (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.21–0.79; however, using condoms was not protective. Physical abuse (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.05–2.72 was a risk factor for, and having a pregnancy prior to baseline was protective against an unwanted pregnancy (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.07–0.80. Higher socioeconomic status was protective for both unplanned and unwanted pregnancies (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.58–0.83 and OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.64–0.96. Believing

  7. Propositions toward the development of a psychological theory of thought

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shadrikov, Vladimir D.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Thought is considered a psychological concept associated with an individual’s mental ex- istence. It is apparent that a great deal of research has been focused on thought as an area of study. however, there is no psychological theory of thought which provides an expla- nation for its nature and structural organization. So far, researchers have mainly looked at the ways this concept is expressed, rather than investigating what it actually is. In this study, however, based on studies of the functions of the psyche, mental processes, and the neurophysiological bases of mental activity, thought is identified as a need-emotion- intentional substance existing in the human being’s inner world. In keeping with this understanding of thought, the hypothesis that thought generation is caused by desire and experience (feeling and emotion is put forward. An individual’s thought is linked to his behavior or motivation for activity, and is followed by an emotional experience. The process of thought generation is regarded through the mechanism of behavioral motiva- tion. The primary purpose of this mechanism is to define the qualities of the external objects that serve for need satisfaction and functionality in individuals. The ability to generate thoughts is a feature of thinking related to an individual’s mental ability or frame of mind. From this standpoint, a person’s mentality is considered to be the capacity of the individual to generate thoughts and work through thoughts. It is shown that the abil- ity to generate thoughts and establish relationships within a stream of consciousness is characteristic of human intelligence. Some basic propositions toward a development of a psychological theory of thought are introduced.

  8. Acoustics in Research Facilities--Control of Wanted and Unwanted Sound. Laboratory Design Notes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, Robert B.

    Common and special acoustics problems are discussed in relation to the design and construction of research facilities. Following a brief examination of design criteria for the control of wanted and unwanted sound, the technology for achieving desired results is discussed. Emphasis is given to various design procedures and materials for the control…

  9. Onset timing, thoughts of self-harm, and diagnoses in postpartum women with screen-positive depression findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wisner, Katherine L; Sit, Dorothy K Y; McShea, Mary C; Rizzo, David M; Zoretich, Rebecca A; Hughes, Carolyn L; Eng, Heather F; Luther, James F; Wisniewski, Stephen R; Costantino, Michelle L; Confer, Andrea L; Moses-Kolko, Eydie L; Famy, Christopher S; Hanusa, Barbara H

    2013-05-01

    The period prevalence of depression among women is 21.9% during the first postpartum year; however, questions remain about the value of screening for depression. To screen for depression in postpartum women and evaluate positive screen findings to determine the timing of episode onset, rate and intensity of self-harm ideation, and primary and secondary DSM-IV disorders to inform treatment and policy decisions. Sequential case series of women who recently gave birth. Urban academic women's hospital. During the maternity hospitalization, women were offered screening at 4 to 6 weeks post partum by telephone. Screen-positive women were invited to undergo psychiatric evaluations in their homes. A positive screen finding was an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score of 10 or higher. Self-harm ideation was assessed on EPDS item 10: "The thought of harming myself has occurred to me" (yes, quite often; sometimes; hardly ever; never). Screen-positive women underwent evaluation with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV for Axis I primary and secondary diagnoses. Ten thousand mothers underwent screening, with positive findings in 1396 (14.0%); of these, 826 (59.2%) completed the home visits and 147 (10.5%) completed a telephone diagnostic interview. Screen-positive women were more likely to be younger, African American, publicly insured, single, and less well educated. More episodes began post partum (40.1%), followed by during pregnancy (33.4%) and before pregnancy (26.5%). In this population, 19.3% had self-harm ideation. All mothers with the highest intensity of self-harm ideation were identified with the EPDS score of 10 or higher. The most common primary diagnoses were unipolar depressive disorders (68.5%), and almost two-thirds had comorbid anxiety disorders. A striking 22.6% had bipolar disorders. The most common diagnosis in screen-positive women was major depressive disorder with comorbid generalized anxiety disorder. Strategies to differentiate

  10. Onset Timing, Thoughts of Self-harm, and Diagnoses in Postpartum Women With Screen-Positive Depression Findings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wisner, Katherine L.; Sit, Dorothy K. Y.; McShea, Mary C.; Rizzo, David M.; Zoretich, Rebecca A.; Hughes, Carolyn L.; Eng, Heather F.; Luther, James F.; Wisniewski, Stephen R.; Costantino, Michelle L.; Confer, Andrea L.; Moses-Kolko, Eyclie L.; Famy, Christopher S.; Hanusa, Barbara H.

    2015-01-01

    Importance The period prevalence of depression among women is 21.9% during the first postpartum year; however, questions remain about the value of screening for depression. Objectives To screen for depression in postpartum women and evaluate positive screen findings to determine the timing of episode onset, rate and intensity of self-harm ideation, and primary and secondary DSM-IV disorders to inform treatment and policy decisions. Design Sequential case series of women who recently gave birth. Setting Urban academic women’s hospital. Participants During the maternity hospitalization, women were offered screening at 4 to 6 weeks post parturn by telephone. Screen-positive women were invited to undergo psychiatric evaluations in their homes. Main Outcomes and Measures A positive screen finding was an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score of 10 or higher. Self-harm ideation was assessed on EPDS item 10: “The thought of harming myself has occurred to me” (yes, quite often; sometimes; hardly ever; never). Screen-positive women underwent evaluation with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV for Axis I primary and secondary diagnoses. Results Ten thousand mothers underwent screening, with positive findings in 1396 (14.0%); of these, 826 (59.2%) completed the home visits and 147 (10.5%) completed a telephone diagnostic interview. Screen-positive women were more likely to be younger, African American, publicly insured, single, and less well educated. More episodes began post partum (40.1%), followed by during pregnancy (33.4%) and before pregnancy (26.5%). In this population, 19.3% had self-harm ideation. All mothers with the highest intensity of self-harm ideation were identified with the EPDS score of 10 or higher. The most common primary diagnoses were unipolar depressive disorders (68.5%), and almost two-thirds had co-morbid anxiety disorders. A striking 22.6% had bipolar disorders. Conclusions and Relevance The most common diagnosis in screen

  11. A comparison between unwanted sexual behavior by teachers and by peers in secondary schools

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Timmerman, M.C.

    2002-01-01

    This study explores differences and similarities between sexual harassment of students by teachers and by peers. Respondents were adolescents in 22 secondary schools, randomly selected in 2 regions in the Netherlands. Of the 2808 students 512 (18%) reported unwanted sexual experiences at school in

  12. Eating-related Intrusive Thoughts Inventory: exploring the dimensionality of eating disorder symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perpiñá, Conxa; Roncero, María; Belloch, Amparo; Sánchez-Reales, Sergio

    2011-08-01

    The aims of this study were, first, to examine the structure and validity of the Eating-related Intrusive Thoughts Inventory (INPIAS), a self-report questionnaire designed to assess eating disorders related to intrusive thoughts (EDITs), and second, to explore the existence of a continuum ranging from normal to abnormal thought intrusions related to eating, weight, and shape. Participants were 574 (408 women) nonclinical community individuals. Analyses revealed that EDITs can be clustered into three sets: appearance-dieting, need to exercise, and thoughts-impulses related to eating disorders. EDITs' consequences showed a two-factor structure: emotional consequences/personal meaning and thought-action fusion responsibility; and four factors of strategies: "anxiety," suppression, obsessive-compulsive rituals, and distraction. The sample was then divided according to reported restrained eating. The High dietary restraint group reported a higher frequency of EDITs, whereas differences in the other factors were mediated by depression, anxiety, and obsessionality. The results suggest that eating disorder-related cognitions are experienced by nonclinical individuals, and distributed on a continuum.

  13. More Power, Less SympathyThe Response of IGOs in Western Europe to Unwanted Migration during Economic Crises Compared

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irial Glynn

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This article chronicles the influence of intergovernmental organisations (IGOs over unwanted migration in Western Europe since the 1930s. It pays particular attention to what occurred during times of economic crisis, especially the Great Depression in the 1930s, the recession-hit 1970s and early 1980s, and the current global financial difficulties. The IGOs under consideration are the League of Nations during the 1930s and the European Commission from the 1970s onwards. The European Commission’s ability to influence West European states’ policies on unwanted migration has grown considerably since the League of Nations’ unsuccessful attempts in the 1930s, especially in the lead-up to the current economic crisis. This increase in power has been offset, however, by a decrease in the European Commission’s sympathy as Brussels increasingly regards unwanted migration as a security and justice issue rather than as a social and cultural one in a move that bears close resemblance to the stance of West European states.

  14. Reducing or Eliminating Polysorbate Induced Anaphylaxis and Unwanted Immunogenicity in Biotherapeutics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward Maggio

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The increasing use of biotherapeutics across a growing spectrum of neoplastic, autoimmune, and inflammatory diseases has resulted in a corresponding increase in hypersensitivity reactions. The origins of anaphylaxis are often attributed to undefined intrinsic properties of the biotherapeutic protein itself, ignoring the broader potential negative contributions of functional excipients, in particular polyoxyethylene containing surfactants such as polysorbate 80 and polysorbate 20 (Tween 80 and Tween 20. These surfactants allow biotherapeutics to meet the stringent challenges of extended shelf-life, increased solubility, protein aggregation prevention, reduced administration volume, and satisfactory reconstitution properties in the case of lyophilized biotherapeutics. The potential negative impact of certain functional excipients on product performance characteristics such as anaphylaxis and immunogenicity is often overlooked. While regulatory authorities understandably focus heavily on comparable efficacy in evaluating biosimilars, similar efficacy does not necessarily imply a similar safety profile between the originator and biosimilar products. Both unwanted immunogenicity and anaphylaxis do comprise major components of safety assessment, however, few if any attempts are made to differentiate drug-related from excipient-related anaphylaxis. Replacement of anaphylactogenic and immunogenic functional excipients with equally effective but safer alternatives will allow biotherapeutic developers to differentiate their biotherapeutic, biosimilar, or biobetter from the large number of nearly identical competitor products, simultaneously providing a substantial commercial benefit as well as critical clinical benefits for all concerned – patients, physicians, and third party payers.

  15. Focused attention, open monitoring and automatic self-transcending: Categories to organize meditations from Vedic, Buddhist and Chinese traditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Travis, Fred; Shear, Jonathan

    2010-12-01

    This paper proposes a third meditation-category--automatic self-transcending--to extend the dichotomy of focused attention and open monitoring proposed by Lutz. Automatic self-transcending includes techniques designed to transcend their own activity. This contrasts with focused attention, which keeps attention focused on an object; and open monitoring, which keeps attention involved in the monitoring process. Each category was assigned EEG bands, based on reported brain patterns during mental tasks, and meditations were categorized based on their reported EEG. Focused attention, characterized by beta/gamma activity, included meditations from Tibetan Buddhist, Buddhist, and Chinese traditions. Open monitoring, characterized by theta activity, included meditations from Buddhist, Chinese, and Vedic traditions. Automatic self-transcending, characterized by alpha1 activity, included meditations from Vedic and Chinese traditions. Between categories, the included meditations differed in focus, subject/object relation, and procedures. These findings shed light on the common mistake of averaging meditations together to determine mechanisms or clinical effects. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Unwanted pregnancies and Contraception in Chronic Renal Failure: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Batuhan Özmen

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Pregnancy is a rare condition in patients requiring dialysis with end-stage chronic renal disease (CRD. However successful pregnancies were reported in CRD, patients are encountering with great number of complications and aggressive acceleration\tof CRD by achieving pregnancy. The most crucial topic is unwanted pregnancies of these patients due to high complication rates described in the literature. Thus many authors were discussing safety of contraception in CRD patients requiring dialysis (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and in patients with renal transplant. In this report medical termination of a twenty-two weeks gestational age unwanted pregnancy that was complicated with aggressive hypertension and severe renal insufficiency under\tdialysis in a 38 years-old end-stage CRD patient was reported.

  17. The self in cyberspace. Identity formation in postmodern societies and Jung's Self as an objective psyche.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roesler, Christian

    2008-06-01

    Jung's concept of the Self is compared with current theories of identity formation in post-modern society concerning the question: is the self constituted through experience and cultural influences--as it is argued by current theories in the social sciences--or is it already preformed inside the person, as Jung argues? The impact of communication media on the formation of identity in today's societies is discussed with a focus on internet communication and virtual realities. The resulting types of identities are conceptualized as polycentric which has surprising parallels to Jung's idea of the Self. The epistemology of constructivism and parallels in Jung's thought are demonstrated. Jung's work in this respect often appears contradictory in itself but this can be dealt with by a postmodern approach which accepts a plurality of truths.

  18. An integrative psychotherapist's account of his focus when treating self-critical patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahar, Golan

    2013-09-01

    This article presents the factors on which I focus as an integrative psychotherapist when treating self-critical patients. I first describe my personal version of psychotherapy integration. Drawing principally from Wachtel's cyclical psychodynamic model, I also incorporate existential and neurocognitive elements highlighting patients' future-oriented thinking and goal-directed action. I then relate this integrative model to the vexing clinical problem of self-criticism. Finally, I outline three types of interventions I attempt to implement in each session: (1) Multiple-Selves Analysis (MSA); (2) Behavioral Activation (BA), conceptualized integratively; and (3) use of therapist's presence. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

  19. The Influence of the Self-Regulatory Focus on the Effectiveness of Stop-Smoking Campaigns for Young Smokers

    OpenAIRE

    L. ADAMS; T. FASEUR; M. GEUENS

    2010-01-01

    People’s self-regulatory focus may determine the effectiveness of stop-smoking campaigns. An experiment with 226 young smokers investigated the persuasiveness of different emotional appeals (fear-relief versus sadness-joy) for different self-regulatory foci (prevention versus promotion). A congruency effect emerges for attitude toward the advertisement and behavioral intentions: Young smokers with a promotion focus are more persuaded by sadness-joy than fear-relief campaigns, and the opposite...

  20. Covert Conditioning: Case Studies in Self-Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yager, Geoffrey G.

    The self-management of thoughts and mental images was used in a series of empirical case studies to influence behavior changes. The target behaviors in the cases reported were smoking, overeating, fingernail biting, thinking self-depreciative thoughts, and responding assertively. Self-monitoring, covert positive reinforcement, covert…

  1. Balanced detection for self-mixing interferometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kun; Cavedo, Federico; Pesatori, Alessandro; Zhao, Changming; Norgia, Michele

    2017-01-15

    We propose a new detection scheme for self-mixing interferometry using two photodiodes for implementing a differential acquisition. The method is based on the phase opposition of the self-mixing signal measured between the two laser diode facet outputs. The subtraction of the two outputs implements a sort of balanced detection that improves the signal quality, and allows canceling of unwanted signals due to laser modulation and disturbances on laser supply and transimpedance amplifier. Experimental results demonstrate the benefits of differential acquisition in a system for both absolute distance and displacement-vibration measurement. This Letter provides guidance for the design of self-mixing interferometers using balanced detection.

  2. Ironic processes in the mental control of mood and mood-related thought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wegner, D M; Erber, R; Zanakos, S

    1993-12-01

    The mental control of mood and mood-related thought was investigated. In Experiment 1, Ss reminiscing about a happy or sad event were asked to make their mood positive, were given no instructions, or were asked to make their mood negative. Ss attempting mood control without an imposed cognitive load were successful, whereas those who attempted control while rehearsing a 9-digit number not only failed to control their moods but also showed self-reported mood change opposite the mood they intended to create. In Experiment 2, Ss attempting to control mood-related thoughts under cognitive load showed increased accessibility of those thoughts contrary to the direction of intended control in a Stroop-type color-naming task.

  3. The extent of unwanted infrared photoacoustic signals from polymer sampling tubings exposed to ultraviolet radiation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bicanic, D.; Solyom, A.; Angeli, G.; Wegh, H.; Postumus, M.; Jalink, H.

    1995-01-01

    The extent of unwanted photoacoustic (PA) signals due to volatiles released from various polymer tubing materials [transparent, red and black polyethylene (PE), polymer of tetrafluorethylene (PTFE) and copolymer of tetrafluorethylene and hexafluorethylene (FEP)] when exposed to 245 nm radiation was

  4. "Don't Look Now": The Role of Self-Focus in Sexual Dysfunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiederman, Michael W.

    2001-01-01

    Couples and family counselors may aid in the remedy of sexual dysfunction when it has a cognitive or psychological basis. One important source of sexual dysfunction is cognitive distraction that results from certain forms of self-focus during sexual activity with a partner, a phenomenon sex therapists have labeled spectatoring. Introduces sensate…

  5. Brain mechanisms for loss of awareness of thought and movement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oakley, David A.; Halligan, Peter W.; Mehta, Mitul A.; Deeley, Quinton

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Loss or reduction of awareness is common in neuropsychiatric disorders and culturally influenced dissociative phenomena but the underlying brain mechanisms are poorly understood. fMRI was combined with suggestions for automatic writing in 18 healthy highly hypnotically suggestible individuals in a within-subjects design to determine whether clinical alterations in awareness of thought and movement can be experimentally modelled and studied independently of illness. Subjective ratings of control, ownership, and awareness of thought and movement, and fMRI data were collected following suggestions for thought insertion and alien control of writing movement, with and without loss of awareness. Subjective ratings confirmed that suggestions were effective. At the neural level, our main findings indicated that loss of awareness for both thought and movement during automatic writing was associated with reduced activation in a predominantly left-sided posterior cortical network including BA 7 (superior parietal lobule and precuneus), and posterior cingulate cortex, involved in self-related processing and awareness of the body in space. Reduced activity in posterior parietal cortices may underlie specific clinical and cultural alterations in awareness of thought and movement. Clinically, these findings may assist development of imaging assessments for loss of awareness of psychological origin, and interventions such as neurofeedback. PMID:28338742

  6. "I can be happy even when I lose the game": the influence of chronic regulatory focus and primed self-construal on exergamers' mood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Seung-A Annie

    2010-08-01

    This research explored the effects of priming interdependent self-construals (collective self ) versus independent self-construals (private self ) on exergame players' mood in response to negative performance feedback. An experiment was conducted to test the interaction effects of self-construal priming as a situational factor and game players' chronic regulatory focus as an individual difference factor. To this end, the author leveraged a video-game console (Wii) and an exergame (Dance Dance Revolution) in a controlled, randomized 2 x 2 (experimental priming: interdependent self-construal vs. independent self-construal x game players' chronic promotion regulatory focus: low vs. high) between-subjects factorial design experiment (N = 58). The results of a two-way analysis of variance demonstrated the proposed interaction effect between primed self-construal and game players' chronic regulatory focus on the game players' mood in response to negative performance. The theoretical mechanism underlying the two-way interaction is explicated by regulatory focus and the primed self-construals is explicated by regulatory focus theory and two-basket theory. Practical implications for game developers and theoretical contributions to video-game research are discussed.

  7. Estimation of the workload added on the health system due to unwanted pregnancies and Children born of these pregnancies in kohgiloyeh Boyrahmad province 2010-2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    zebaneh Tabeshfar

    2015-02-01

    Results: An overall 350 unwanted pregnancy cases were identified. Assuming the same unwanted pregnancies in the first half and the second year of 2009 total of 21,140 times the equivalent of 3696 hours of extra work visit were added to the labor working primary health care centers in the city. Conclusion: Unwanted pregnancies resulting in increased staff workload of health centers, and if not provided with sufficient manpower, it may lead to the reduction of maternal and child health care qualities of these centers.

  8. Thought-action fusion and thought suppression in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rassin, E; Diepstraten, P; Merckelbach, H; Muris, P

    2001-07-01

    To examine the significance of thought-action fusion (TAF) and thought suppression tendencies, the present study obtained pre- and post-treatment questionnaire data on these constructs in a sample of OCD patients (n=24) and non-OCD anxiety patients (n=20). Results indicate that TAF and suppression are correlated with severity of psychopathology. Yet, the associations between TAF and psychopathology are not typical for OCD, but do also occur in other anxiety disorders (e.g., panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and social phobia). As well, mean scores on the TAF and thought suppression measures dropped significantly from pre- to post-treatment, indicating that TAF and thought suppression are susceptible to change during psychotherapy.

  9. Density Transition Based Self-Focusing of cosh-Gaussian Laser Beam in Plasma with Linear Absorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kant, Niti; Wani, Manzoor Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    Density transition based self-focusing of cosh-Gaussian laser beam in plasma with linear absorption has been studied. The field distribution in the plasma is expressed in terms of beam width parameter, decentered parameter, and linear absorption coefficient. The differential equation for the beam width parameter is solved by following Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) and paraxial approximation through parabolic wave equation approach. The behaviour of beam width parameter with dimensionless distance of propagation is studied at optimum values of plasma density, decentered parameter and with different absorption levels in the medium. The results reveal that these parameters can affect the self-focusing significantly. (paper)

  10. HALF-FORGOTTEN PERSONALITIES OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT – SILVIO GESELL

    OpenAIRE

    Sirůček Pavel

    2015-01-01

    Silvio Gesell was a  German tradesman, self-educated economist, globetrotter and social reformer with a nonconformist worldview. He is known for his proposals for monetary reform. He is famous for his experiments with interest-free currency. Gesell’s thought inspired a plenty of political and civil movements, and has a few followers even to this day.

  11. HALF-FORGOTTEN PERSONALITIES OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT – SILVIO GESELL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sirůček Pavel

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Silvio Gesell was a  German tradesman, self-educated economist, globetrotter and social reformer with a nonconformist worldview. He is known for his proposals for monetary reform. He is famous for his experiments with interest-free currency. Gesell’s thought inspired a plenty of political and civil movements, and has a few followers even to this day.

  12. Self-focusing and solitonlike structures in materials with competing quadratic and cubic nonlinearities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergé, L.; Bang, O.; Juul Rasmussen, J.

    1997-01-01

    , mutually trapped waves can self-focus until collapse whenever their respective powers exceed some thresholds. On the contrary, coupled waves diffracting in a one-dimensional plane never collapse and may evolve towards stable solitonlike structures. For higher transverse dimension numbers, we investigate...

  13. Self Focusing SIMS: Probing thin film composition in very confined volumes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franquet, Alexis; Douhard, Bastien; Melkonyan, Davit; Favia, Paola; Conard, Thierry; Vandervorst, Wilfried

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • SiGe layers were grown in trenches of various widths (down to 20 nm) on Si substrate and surrounded by SiO 2 films. • Standard SIMS analysis to probe the composition in narrow trenches fails at dimensions less than a micron. • Self Focusing SIMS able to probe thin film composition in very confined volumes (dimension < 20 nm). - Abstract: The continued downscaling of micro and nanoelectronics devices has increased the importance of novel materials and their interfaces very strongly thereby necessitating the availability of adequate metrology and very tight process control as well. For instance, the introduction of materials like SiGe or III-V compounds leads to the need for the determination of the exact composition and thickness of the resulting thin films. Concurrent with this trend, one is faced with layer growth concepts such as aspect ratio trapping, which exploit the reduced dimensionality of the devices. As this leads to films with very different characteristics as compared to their blanket counterparts, characterization now has to be performed on thin films grown in very confined volumes (with dimensions ranging down to less than 10–20 nm) and standard analysis methods like X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, no longer seem applicable due to a lack of spatial resolution. On the other hand, techniques with appropriate spatial resolution like Atom Probe Tomography or Transmission Electron Microscopy are time consuming and suffer from a lack of sensitivity due to their highly localized analysis volume. In this paper, a novel concept termed Self Focusing SIMS, is presented which overcomes the spatial resolution limitations of SIMS without sacrificing the sensitivity. The concept is based on determining the composition of a specific compound using cluster ions which contain the constituents of the compound. Their formation mechanism implies

  14. Electrophysiological Correlates of Performance Monitoring in Children with Tourette Syndrome. A developmental perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Eichele, Heike

    2017-01-01

    Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder with childhood onset, characterized by chronic motor and vocal tics. Typically, tic symptoms attenuate during adolescence in parallel with the emerging self-regulatory control during brain development. The voluntary control over thought and action provides the ability to withhold unwanted behaviour and an association between cognitive control and tic control has been suggested. This attenuation of tic symptoms also suggests that neuroplast...

  15. Internal structures of self-organized relaxed states and self-similar decay phase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kondoh, Yoshiomi

    1992-03-01

    A thought analysis on relaxation due to nonlinear processes is presented to lead to a set of general thoughts applicable to general nonlinear dynamical systems for finding out internal structures of the self-organized relaxed state without using 'invariant'. Three applications of the set of general thoughts to energy relaxations in resistive MHD plasmas, incompressible viscous fluids, and incompressible viscous MHD fluids are shown to lead to the internal structures of the self-organized relaxed states. It is shown that all of the relaxed states in these three dynamical systems are followed by self-similar decay phase without significant change of the spatial structure. The well known relaxed state of ∇ x B = ±λ B is shown to be derived generally in the low β plasma limit. (author)

  16. Emerging role of HPV self-sampling in cervical cancer screening for hard-to-reach women: Focused literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madzima, Tina R; Vahabi, Mandana; Lofters, Aisha

    2017-08-01

    To provide a focused critical review of the literature on the acceptability, feasibility, and uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling among hard-to-reach women. A focused search to obtain relevant literature published in English between 1997 and 2015 was done using PubMed and EMBASE using search terms including HPV self-test or HPV self-sample or HPV kit in combination with acceptability or feasibility . Only studies that focused on never-screened or underscreened populations were included in this review. Human papillomavirus self-sampling was found to be highly acceptable and feasible among these hard-to-reach women across most studies. Mailing of self-sampling kits has been shown to increase participation among hard-to reach women. Some concerns remain regarding adherence to further follow-up among high-risk women with positive test results for HPV after screening. There is a strong body of evidence to support the usefulness of HPV self-sampling in increasing participation of hard-to-reach women in screening programs (level I evidence). Convenience, privacy, ease of use, and, likely, cost-effectiveness of HPV self-sampling are driving forces in its emerging role in cervical cancer screening among hard-to-reach women. Key barriers to participation could be addressed by overcoming disparities in HPV-related knowledge and perceptions about cervical cancer screening. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

  17. STIGLER’S INFLUENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO ECONOMIC THOUGHT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Artidiatun Adji

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyzes George J. Stigler’s influential contributions to economic ideas, specifically on industrial structures, the functioning of markets, the causes and effects of public regulation, the economics of information, and on the development of economic thought. Stigler’s most influential contribution to economic thought came in his work on information theory. Treating information as a valuable commodity, he explained why prices differ for identical goods. From his work, many other theories have been built to explain economic behavior. A considerable number of works on decision making under uncertainty could not have progressed without an understanding of the role of information. His swing of the pendulum in economic regulation constitutes a great turnabout. He started research, known as public choice, which assumes that government policymakers are driven by self-interest rather than pure concern for the public’s welfare. His views have now become those of the mainstream.

  18. Relationship styles of self-focused autonomy, other-focused connection, and mutuality among Mexican American and European American college students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neff, Kristin D; Brabeck, Kalina M; Kearney, Lisa K

    2006-10-01

    The author examined relationship styles of self-focused autonomy (SFA), other-focused connection (OFC), and mutuality among 415 European and Mexican American young adults in 2 U.S. colleges. Mutuality was the most commonly reported style for both ethnic groups, although Mexican American men were more likely than the others to indicate that they had the SFA style. Mexican American participants perceived their fathers' styles as SFA more often than did the others regarding either of their parents' styles. Mutuality was associated with the best mental-health outcomes regardless of gender or ethnicity. The present results indicate that the cultural influences on autonomy and connection are complex and that collectivistic cultural contexts may sometimes promote autonomy concerns in men.

  19. Focus groups for developing a peer mentoring program to improve self-management in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackner, Laura M; Ruff, Jessica M; Vannatta, Kathryn

    2014-10-01

    Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) presents challenges for self-management in many areas. A peer mentoring program may offer advantages over other forms of self-management interventions because youth may be more receptive to learning self-management skills from a peer than from a parent or professional. The purpose of the present study was to identify themes from focus groups to inform development of a peer mentoring program for improving self-management in pediatric IBD. Focus groups were conducted for youth ages 12 to 17, stratified by age (3 groups; n = 14), young adults ages 18 to 20 (1 group; n = 5), and parents of the youth (3 groups; n = 17). Broad questions covered program goals, general program characteristics, mentor/mentee characteristics, and family involvement, and transcriptions were analyzed via directed content analysis, with the a priori codes specified as the broad questions above. Participants identified the primary goals of a program as support, role model, information/education, and fun. They described a program that would include a year-long, 1-on-1 mentor relationship with a peer who has had IBD for at least a year, educational group activities, fun activities that are not focused on IBD, expectations for in-person contact 1 to 2 times per month, and mentor-to-mentor and parent support. Many of the suggestions from the focus groups correspond with research findings associated with successful mentoring programs. Using participants' suggestions and empirically based best practices for mentoring may result in an effective peer mentoring program for improving self-management in youth with IBD.

  20. Ways Of Russian Thought by V.A. Kitaev: to Scholar’s Jubilee

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oleg V. Kuznetsov

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The article is dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Vladimir Kitaev, Doctor of historical sciences, first Dean of the Faculty of History at the Volgograd State University. Today V. Kitaev is a recognized expert on the history of Russian public thought and Professor of the Nizhny Novgorod State University. The article focuses on one of the most important, in the author’s opinion, outcome of long-term V. Kitaev’s studies of the history of Russian public thought of the 19th century – identifying the attempts of synthesis of its main directions: liberal, socialist, conservative. The desire for this synthesis was expressed by representatives of various trends of public thought, who wanted to avoid the revolutionary upheavals. V. Kitaev notes intertwining of both elements of liberalism and conservatism from M. Shcherbatov, who stood at the origins of Russian conservatism. In the pursuit of one of the ideologues of Russian liberalism, K. Kavelin reconciled the assumptions of Slavophilism and Westernism. V. Kitaev rightly saw a reflection of the heterogeneity of its ideological positions, representing a complex set of liberal and conservative elements. Taking into account the political and ideological self-evaluations of B. Chicherin (“guarding” liberalism, V. Kitaev proposed to consider him as a thinker and publicist, liberal-conservative centre left free to drift in the coordinate system. As shown by a scholar, a strong influence of socialist ideas was determined by the position of the liberal Vestnik Evropy (‘Herald of Europe’, the historical justice of which demands to put the formation of social liberalism in Russia in the beginning. The share of Russia is already fallen revolutions “from below” and revolutions “from above”. The Ways of Russian thought by V. Kitaev leads to a synthesis of the best intellectual legacy that we inherited from the nineteenth century. Maybe this is the way to our national reconciliation and unity.

  1. Critical Thinking through Writing: Expressing Scientific Thought and Process in a Deaf Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manjarrez, Leslie

    Within Deaf classrooms there is often a disconnect between academic areas and writing curriculums that develop in both common and academic language, where often classrooms focus solely on writing as a skill rather than as a method for producing language through an academic area. This work focuses on the development of academic language in ASL and English print of science. The curriculum is written to be implemented as a bilingual academic curriculum to support Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in various self contained classroom settings. Lessons are conducted in three Units, A B and C. Unit A focuses on research, thought and writing of preparatory materials in small groups. Unit B is comprised of procedural lessons on conducting x experiments and the evaluation of those experiments through mathematics. Unit C is a group of lessons that ties together Units A and B through writing and peer teaching as a method of concluding the work and presenting information in an effective manner. The success of the project was evaluated on the basis of student work, rubrics, and final works from the students. The results showed promise in aspects of Critical Thinking, writing development, and expression of new concepts in both ASL and English.

  2. Clinical process in an integrative psychotherapy for self-wounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolfe, Barry E

    2013-09-01

    In this article, I will briefly describe the clinical process of an integrative psychotherapy for the healing of self-wounds, including its intended interventions and the variability of their application and outcome. Four specific strategies will be considered, including (a) the role of empathy throughout the course of therapy; (b) exposure therapy as a paradigmatic treatment for the treatment of feared thoughts, behavior, and emotions; (c) focusing and other experiential interventions for eliciting self-wounds; and (d) modification and healing of self-wounds with an individualized array of psychodynamic, experiential, and cognitive-behavioral strategies. In addition, we will briefly consider the impact of transference and countertransference on the trajectory of therapy. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

  3. Does unconscious thought outperform conscious thought on complex decisions? A further examination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Todd J. Thorsteinson

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Two experiments examined the benefits of unconscious thought on complex decisions (Dijksterhuis, 2004. Experiment 1 attempted to replicate and extend past research by examining the effect of providing reasons prior to rating the options. Results indicated no significant differences between the conditions. Experiment 2 attempted to replicate the findings of Dijksterhuis, Bos, Nordgren, and van Baaren (2006 and determine if a memory aid could overcome the limitations of conscious thought on complex tasks. Results revealed that a memory aid improved decisions compared to the conscious thought condition. Participants in the unconscious thought condition did not perform significantly better than did participants in the conscious thought condition.

  4. Dreaming and immanence: rejecting the dogmatic image of thought in science education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazzul, Jesse; Wallace, Maria F. G.; Higgins, Marc

    2018-02-01

    In this article, we, a multivocal-thinking-assemblage, trouble what we feel is the dogmatic image of thought in science education. Beginning with Lars Bang's (Cult Stud Sci Educ, 2017) dramatic and disruptive imagery of the Ouroboros as a means to challenge scientific literacy we explore the importance of dreams, thinking with both virtual and actual entities, and immanent thinking to science education scholarship. Dreaming as movement away from a dogmatic image of thought takes the authors in multiple directions as they attempt to open Deleuzian horizons of difference, immanence, and self-exploration.

  5. Meaning and death-thought accessibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Tongeren, Daryl R; Green, Jeffrey D

    2018-01-01

    Meaning is a central feature in human life, but death can disrupt a sense of meaning. Two experiments tested the hypothesis that meaning in life and meaning in death are distinct types of meaning when mortality is salient and differentially affect death-thought accessibility (DTA). In Experiment 1, imagining a specific scenario in which meaning is preserved beyond death reduced DTA relative to a standard mortality salience prime; moreover, these effects were not due to changes in self-esteem. In Experiment 2, imagining a meaningful life when mortality is salient elicited greater DTA, whereas imagining meaning in death elicited less DTA. Imbuing death with meaning attenuates DTA, whereas meaning in life increases DTA. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

  6. Culture against Itself: Nihilism As An Element in Recent Educational Thought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowers, C. A.

    1985-01-01

    Examines how modern ideals of individualism and critical reflection contribute to beliefs associated with nihilism. Argues that emancipatory views of education foster self-directing individualism and critical thought that contribute to nihilism problem. Concludes that emancipatory approaches should be based on the idea of the individual as a…

  7. Validation of self-reported erythema

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, B; Thieden, E; Lerche, C M

    2013-01-01

    Most epidemiological data of sunburn related to skin cancer have come from self-reporting in diaries and questionnaires. We thought it important to validate the reliability of such data.......Most epidemiological data of sunburn related to skin cancer have come from self-reporting in diaries and questionnaires. We thought it important to validate the reliability of such data....

  8. Correlations between self-handicapping and self-defeating personality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schill, T; Morales, J; Beyler, J; Tatter, T; Swigert, L

    1991-10-01

    In this study scores on Strube's self-handicapping scale were correlated with scores on Schill's self-defeating personality scale. Berglas believes there are subtypes of self-defeating personality and that his concept of self-handicapping should be correlated with the three criteria which represent a self-protective component of self-defeating personality. Some support for Berglas' proposition was found, particularly for men. However, correlations with other components of self-defeating personality suggest the criteria thought to be self-protective may need to be reconsidered.

  9. Film as a "Thoughtful" Medium for Teaching History

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoddard, Jeremy D.

    2012-01-01

    This collective case study of teachers and students in two ninth-grade US history classes examines the role that films can play as a "thoughtful" medium for teaching history. Specifically, the study focuses on the nature and range of authentic intellectual work that students are engaged in with film in the classroom (Newmann, F., B.…

  10. Self-concept and adolescents' refusal of unprotected sex: a test of mediating mechanisms among African American girls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salazar, Laura F; DiClemente, Ralph J; Wingood, Gina M; Crosby, Richard A; Harrington, Kathy; Davies, Susan; Hook, Edward W; Oh, M Kim

    2004-09-01

    During adolescence, girls form self-concepts that facilitate the transition to adulthood. This process may entail engaging in risky sexual behaviors resulting in STD infection and pregnancy. This study assessed the relation between self-concept and unwanted, unprotected sex refusal among 335 African American adolescent girls. The second aim was to determine whether attributes of partner communication about sex would act as a mediating mechanism on this hypothesized relationship. These assessments were made within the context of several theoretical models (social cognitive theory and theory of gender and power). Self-concept was composed of self-esteem, ethnic identity, and body image, whereas attributes of partner communication about sex was conceptualized as frequency of communication, fear of condom use negotiation, and self-efficacy of condom use negotiation. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data. The results showed that self-concept was associated with partner communication attributes about sex, which in turn, was associated with frequency of unprotected sex refusal. The hypothesized mediating role of partner communication was also supported. STD-HIV preventive interventions for this population may be more effective if they target self-concept as opposed to only self-esteem, incorporate an Afrocentric approach, and focus on enhancing several attributes of partner communication about sex.

  11. Thought problems from adolescence to adulthood: measurement invariance and longitudinal heritability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abdellaoui, A.; de Moor, M.H.M.; Geels, L.M.; van Beek, J.H.D.A.; Willemsen, G.; Boomsma, D.I.

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates the longitudinal heritability in Thought Problems (TP) as measured with ten items from the Adult Self Report (ASR). There were ∼9,000 twins, ∼2,000 siblings and ∼3,000 additional family members who participated in the study and who are registered at the Netherlands Twin

  12. Influence of Four-Wave Mixing and Walk-Off on the Self-Focusing of Coupled Waves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergé, L.; Bang, Ole; Krolikowski, W.

    2000-01-01

    Four-wave mixing and walk-off between two optical beams are! investigated For focusing Kerr media. It is shown that four-wave mixing reinforces the self-focusing of mutually trapped waves by lowering their power threshold for collapse, only when their phase mismatch is small. On the contrary, walk......-off inhibits the collapse by detrapping the beams, whose partial centroids experience nonlinear oscillations....

  13. INTERNET ADDICTION, SELF-ESTEEM, AND RELATIONAL PATTERNS IN ADOLESCENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raffaella Perrella

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: We examined the relationships between Internet addiction symptoms, specific relational patterns, and self-esteem in a sample of adolescents. We hypothesized that Internet addiction symptoms were related to low self-esteem, dysfunctional thoughts about the self and the world, and inadequate internalized relational configurations. Method: The sample included 153 adolescents, ranging in age between 14 and 17 years old. All the participants filled questionnaires on internet use/abuse, self-esteem, and object relation models. Results: We found an inverse relationship between self-esteem and Internet addiction scores. We did not find significant associations between problematic Internet use and specific object relation models. Conclusions: It seems appropriate that psychodynamic research on problematic Internet use should focus on variables that may have a negative impact on self-esteem (e.g., real life experiences and that may foster problematic Internet use among adolescents.

  14. Concrete and formal operational thought processes in young adulthood and old age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clayton, V; Overton, W F

    1976-01-01

    A study was conducted to examine the role of concrete and formal operations in a young and old population. In addition, the present study explored the relation between operational thought and Cattell's concept of fluid and crystallized intelligence, as well as the role of differential living arrangements in maintaining operational thought. Eighty females from three age groups (18-20 years, 60-70 years and 70-80 years of age) were tested on a series of Piagetian tasks and indices of fluid and crystallized intelligence. The findings supported the notion that age-related performance differences occur in the area of formal operational thought prior to the time they occur in concrete operational thought. Except for the young sample, the operational tasks were found to be unrelated to fluid intelligence at the age levels represented in this study. Living independently as opposed to living in an old age home did not appear to be a significant factor in maintaining operational thought. Discussion focused on the necessity of identifying those factors which influence the developmental course of formal operational thought across the life span.

  15. True self-alienation positively predicts reports of mindwandering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vess, Matthew; Leal, Stephanie A; Hoeldtke, Russell T; Schlegel, Rebecca J; Hicks, Joshua A

    2016-10-01

    Two studies assessed the relationship between feelings of uncertainty about who one truly is (i.e., true self-alienation) and self-reported task-unrelated thoughts (i.e., mindwandering) during performance tasks. Because true self-alienation is conceptualized as the subjective disconnect between conscious awareness and actual experience, we hypothesized that greater feelings of true self-alienation would positively relate to subjective reports of mindwandering. Two convergent studies supported this hypothesis. Moreover, this relationship could not consistently be accounted for by the independent influence of other aspects of authenticity, negative mood, mindfulness, or broad personality dimensions. These findings suggest that individual differences in true self-alienation are reliably associated with subjective reports of mindwandering. The implications of these findings for the true self-alienation construct, the ways that personality relates to mindwandering, and future research directions focused on curtailing mindwandering and improving performance and achievement are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The relationship between religion and thought-action fusion: use of an in vivo paradigm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berman, Noah C; Abramowitz, Jonathan S; Pardue, Caleb M; Wheaton, Michael G

    2010-07-01

    Research has demonstrated that higher levels of religiosity are positively correlated with thought-action fusion (TAF), a set of cognitive biases found to be associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. However, previous studies have exclusively relied on a nomothetic approach to measuring TAF using a single self-report instrument, the thought-action fusion scale. The current study examined the relationship between religiosity and TAF using an in vivo behaviorally-based assessment in which participants thought about and wrote down thoughts of negative events involving loved ones. Forty-three highly religious Protestant Christians were compared to 30 Atheists/Agnostics on their in vivo ratings of anxiety, estimates of likelihood, and moral wrongness related to the negative thoughts. Results indicated that compared to the non-religious participants, those who were highly religious believed that writing and thinking about the negative events was more morally wrong and increased the likelihood of the event. Results are discussed in terms of the potential relationship between certain religious teachings and TAF-related beliefs about the importance, significance, and influence of thoughts. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Inpatient treatment has no impact on the core thoughts and perceptions in adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fennig, Silvana; Brunstein Klomek, Anat; Shahar, Ben; Sarel-Michnik, Zohar; Hadas, Arie

    2017-06-01

    Examine changes in core perceptions and thoughts during the weight restoration phase of inpatient treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Forty-four adolescents with anorexia nervosa consecutively admitted (2009-2012) to an inpatient paediatric-psychiatric unit specializing in eating disorders. The programme consisted of a complete inpatient intervention combining weight restoration by structured supervised meals with individual and group cognitive-behavioural therapy, parental training/family intervention and educational activities, followed by a half-way day-treatment weight-stabilizing phase and progressive reintroduction to the community. The study focused on changes from hospital admission to discharge in patients' responses to self-report questionnaires on eating disorder symptoms, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. No significant changes in core anorexic thoughts and perceptions as Body dissatisfaction, Drive for thinness, Weight concern and Shape concern were noted. However, a reduction in the general severity of eating disorder symptoms (including Restraint and Eating concern) was observed, mainly related to the treatment structure. Levels of depression significantly decreased but remained within pathological range. We also found a concerning increase in suicidal ideation not correlated with a concomitant increase in depressive symptomatology. Inpatient treatment of anorexia nervosa in adolescents does not significantly modify core anorexic thoughts and perceptions. This may explain the high relapse rates. Changes in core beliefs may be crucial for recovery and prevention of relapse in anorexia nervosa at this critical age. This study may have clinical implications for the development of better treatment strategies to target the gap between disturbed thoughts and distorted perceptions - the core aspects of anorexia nervosa and physical recovery during and after the weight restoration phase. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  18. Hot electron spatial distribution under presence of laser light self-focusing in over-dense plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanimoto, T; Yabuuchi, T; Habara, H; Kondo, K; Kodama, R; Mima, K; Tanaka, K A; Lei, A L

    2008-01-01

    In fast ignition for laser thermonuclear fusion, an ultra intense laser (UIL) pulse irradiates an imploded plasma in order to fast-heat a high-density core with hot electrons generated in laser-plasma interactions. An UIL pulse needs to make plasma channel via laser self-focusing and to propagate through the corona plasma to reach close enough to the core. Hot electrons are used for heating the core. Therefore the propagation of laser light in the high-density plasma region and spatial distribution of hot electron are important in issues in order to study the feasibility of this scheme. We measure the spatial distribution of hot electron when the laser light propagates into the high-density plasma region by self-focusing

  19. Self-Similar Nonlinear Dynamical Solutions for One-Component Nonneutral Plasma in a Time-Dependent Linear Focusing Field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qin, Hong; Davidson, Ronald C.

    2011-01-01

    In a linear trap confining a one-component nonneutral plasma, the external focusing force is a linear function of the configuration coordinates and/or the velocity coordinates. Linear traps include the classical Paul trap and the Penning trap, as well as the newly proposed rotating-radio- frequency traps and the Mobius accelerator. This paper describes a class of self-similar nonlinear solutions of nonneutral plasma in general time-dependent linear focusing devices, with self-consistent electrostatic field. This class of nonlinear solutions includes many known solutions as special cases.

  20. The Role of Affect in Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamokoski, Cynthia A.; Scheel, Karen R.; Rogers, James R.

    2011-01-01

    Risk factors, theoretical explanations, and treatment suggestions for suicidal behaviors have historically focused largely on cognitions, but a more comprehensive picture may be provided by examining the role of affect in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In the current study the link between affect and suicide within the theoretical framework of…

  1. A Self-Interest Analysis of Justice and Tax Compliance: How Distributive Justice Moderates the Effect of Outcome Favorability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verboon, Peter; van Dijke, Marius

    2008-01-01

    Compliance with tax authorities has been studied mainly in the fields of economics and psychology. The focus has respectively been on self-interest motives and justice concerns in tax compliance. We argue that both concerns are less divergent than is often thought. Specifically, we studied the

  2. How do I look? Self-focused attention during a video chat of women with social anxiety (disorder).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vriends, Noortje; Meral, Yasemin; Bargas-Avila, Javier A; Stadler, Christina; Bögels, Susan M

    2017-05-01

    We investigated the role of self-focused attention (SFA) in social anxiety (disorder) in an ecologically valid way. In Experiment 1 high (n = 26) versus low (n = 25) socially anxious single women between 18 and 30 years had a video ("Skype") conversation with an attractive male confederate, while seeing themselves and the confederate on-screen. The conversation was divided in four phases: (I) warm-up, (II) positive (confederate was friendly to the participant), (III) critical (confederate was critical to the participant), and (IV) active (participant was instructed to ask questions to the confederate). Participant's SFA was measured by eye-tracked gaze duration at their own image relative to the confederates' video image and other places at the computer screen. Results show that high socially anxious participants were more self-focused in the critical phase, but less self-focused in the active phase than low socially anxious participants. In Experiment 2 women diagnosed with SAD (n = 32) and controls (n = 30) between 18 and 30 years conducted the same experiment. Compared to controls participants with SAD showed increased SFA across all four phases of the conversation, and SFA predicted increased self-rated anxiety during the conversation. In conclusion, in subclinical social anxiety SFA is high only when the interaction partner is critical, whereas instructions to ask questions to the confederate reduces subclinical socially anxious' SFA, while clinical SAD is characterized by heightened self-focused attention throughout the interaction. Results support theories that social anxiety disorder is maintained by SFA, and imply that interventions that lower SFA may help prevent and treat social anxiety disorder, but that SFA can also be adaptive in certain types of interaction, such as when receiving compliments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Effect of Music Tempo on Attentional Focus and Perceived Exertion during Self-selected Paced Walking

    OpenAIRE

    SILVA, ALDO COELHO; DOS SANTOS FERREIRA, SANDRO; ALVES, RAGAMI CHAVES; FOLLADOR, LUCIO; DA SILVA, SERGIO GREGORIO

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the influence of music on the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and attentional focus during walking at a self-selected pace. Fifteen overweight and obese women volunteered to participate in the study. They underwent four sessions: the first for incremental maximal test and anthropometric measurement followed by three experimental sessions. After the first session, they were exposed to three 30-minute walking sessions at a self-selected pace in a counterbalanced order...

  4. Self-esteem and delusion proneness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warman, Debbie M; Lysaker, Paul H; Luedtke, Brandi; Martin, Joel M

    2010-06-01

    The present study was an examination of global self-esteem and various types of unusual beliefs in a nonclinical population. Individuals with no history of psychotic disorder (N = 121) completed a measure of delusion-proneness and also a measure of self-esteem. Results indicated high delusion prone individuals had lower self-esteem than low delusion prone individuals (p = 0.044). In addition, higher levels of paranoid ideation and suspiciousness were associated with lower self-esteem (p low self-esteem and higher levels of beliefs related to thought disturbances, catastrophic ideation/thought broadcasting, and ideation of reference/influence. The significance of these findings as they relate to theories of delusion formation is discussed.

  5. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: When Unwanted Thoughts or Irresistable Actions Take Over

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... training, can also help you overcome compulsions. For children, mental health professionals can also identify strategies to manage stress and increase support to avoid exacerbating OCD symptoms in school and home settings. For more information on CBT ...

  6. Children and adolescents' self-reported coping strategies during the Southeast Asian Tsunami.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Tine K; Ellestad, Ane; Dyb, Grete

    2013-03-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate how Norwegian children on holiday in Southeast Asia coped when the tsunami hit December 26, 2004. The goal is to understand more about children and adolescents' immediate coping strategies when faced with a life-threatening situation. Acquiring more knowledge on coping strategies at different points in the recovery process can be useful for gaining insight to the relationship between coping and psychological adjustment. Semi-structured interviews of 56 children aged 6-18 years (36 girls and 20 boys) were conducted in their homes approximately 10 months after the tsunami. The interviews were analysed using qualitative methods. Two primary coping strategies were described and labelled as self-soothing thoughts and behavioural strategies. Self-soothing thoughts were divided into five categories: positive thinking; avoidant thinking; rational thoughts; and thoughts on parental competencies and parental protection. Behavioural strategies were divided into six categories: attachment seeking behaviour; distraction behaviour; helping others; seeking information and comfort; and talking. The children's coping responses point to the developmental aspects of coping and how children are dependent upon adults for guidance and protection. In addition, very few youth reported using problem-focused coping strategies that are normally thought of as helpful in the aftermath of trauma, whereas strategies often thought of as not so helpful such as distraction and avoidance, was more predominant. It may be that helpful immediate coping strategies are different from long-term coping strategies, and that coping strategies differ according to the degree of perceived control of the situation. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

  7. Variational analysis of self-focusing of intense ultrashort pulses in gases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arevalo, E.; Becker, A.

    2005-01-01

    By using perturbation theory we derive an expression for the electrical field of a Gaussian laser beam propagating in a gas medium. This expression is used as a trial solution in a variational method to get quasianalytical solutions for the width, intensity, and self-focusing distance. The approximation gives a better agreement with results of numerical simulations for a broad range of values of the input power than previous analytical results available in the literature. The results apply in the case of ultrashort pulses too

  8. Influence of light absorption on relativistic self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in cold quantum plasma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, S. D.; Valkunde, A. T.; Vhanmore, B. D.; Urunkar, T. U.; Gavade, K. M.; Takale, M. V.

    2018-05-01

    When inter particle distance is comparable to the de Broglies wavelength of charged particles, quantum effects in plasmas are unavoidable. We have exploited an influence of light absorption on self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in cold quantum plasma by considering relativistic nonlinearity. Nonlinear differential equation governing beam-width parameter has been established by using parabolic equation approach under paraxial and WKB approximations. The effect of light absorption on variation of beam-width parameter with dimensionless distance of propagation is presented graphically and discussed. It is found that light absorption plays vital role in weakening the relativistic self-focusing of laser beam during propagation in cold quantum plasma and gives reasonably interesting results.

  9. Everyday value conflicts and integrative complexity of thought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myyry, Liisa

    2002-12-01

    This study examined the value pluralism model in everyday value conflicts, and the effect of issue context on complexity of thought. According to the cognitive manager model we hypothesized that respondents would obtain a higher level of integrative complexity on personal issues that on professional and general issues. We also explored the relations of integrative complexity to value priorities, measured by the Schwartz Value Survey, and to emotional empathy. The value pluralism model was not supported by the data collected from 126 university students from social science, business and technology. The cognitive manager model was partially confirmed by data from females but not from males. Concerning value priorities, more complex respondents had higher regard for self-transcendence values, and less complex respondents for self-enhancement values Emotional empathy was also significantly related to complexity score.

  10. Dissecting auditory verbal hallucinations into two components: audibility (Gedankenlautwerden) and alienation (thought insertion).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sommer, Iris E; Selten, Jean-Paul; Diederen, Kelly M; Blom, Jan Dirk

    2010-01-01

    This study proposes a theoretical framework which dissects auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) into 2 essential components: audibility and alienation. Audibility, the perceptual aspect of AVH, may result from a disinhibition of the auditory cortex in response to self-generated speech. In isolation, this aspect leads to audible thoughts: Gedankenlautwerden. The second component is alienation, which is the failure to recognize the content of AVH as self-generated. This failure may be related to the fact that cerebral activity associated with AVH is predominantly present in the speech production area of the right hemisphere. Since normal inner speech is derived from the left speech area, an aberrant source may lead to confusion about the origin of the language fragments. When alienation is not accompanied by audibility, it will result in the experience of thought insertion. The 2 hypothesized components are illustrated using case vignettes. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. When Is Humiliation More Intense? The Role of Audience Laughter and Threats to the Self

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agneta H. Fischer

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available In personal accounts, humiliation is often reported as a very intense, painful, negative emotion. We report two scenario studies in which we explored two factors that may contribute to the intense character of humiliation: (1 unwanted, negative public exposure, and (2 a threat to central aspects of one's identity. Study 1 (N = 115 assessed emotional reactions to a public insult when an audience responded with either laughter or not and when someone from the audience offered support after the insult or no support was offered. Results showed that the intensity of humiliation increased when people laughed after the insult. However, support offered after the insult had no effect on reported humiliation. Study 2 (N = 99 focused on threats to different self-related values and showed stronger reports of humiliation when central self-related values were threatened than when less central self-related values were threatened. Study 2 also replicated the audience-effect from Study 1, but only when central self-related values were threatened and not when less central self-related values were threatened. Limitations of these studies (e.g., the use of scenarios and potential avenues for future research, such as the (long-term consequences of humiliation and humiliation in the context of social media, are discussed.

  12. Self-excitation of microwave oscillations in plasma-assisted slow-wave oscillators by an electron beam with a movable focus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bliokh, Yu. P.; Nusinovich, G. S.; Shkvarunets, A. G.; Carmel, Y.

    2004-10-01

    Plasma-assisted slow-wave oscillators (pasotrons) operate without external magnetic fields, which makes these devices quite compact and lightweight. Beam focusing in pasotrons is provided by ions, which appear in the device due to the impact ionization of a neutral gas by beam electrons. Typically, the ionization time is on the order of the rise time of the beam current. This means that, during the rise of the current, beam focusing by ions becomes stronger. Correspondingly, a beam of electrons, which was initially diverging radially due to the self-electric field, starts to be focused by ions, and this focus moves towards the gun as the ion density increases. This feature makes the self-excitation of electromagnetic (em) oscillations in pasotrons quite different from practically all other microwave sources where em oscillations are excited by a stationary electron beam. The process of self-excitation of em oscillations has been studied both theoretically and experimentally. It is shown that in pasotrons, during the beam current rise the amount of current entering the interaction space and the beam coupling to the em field vary. As a result, the self-excitation can proceed faster than in conventional microwave sources with similar operating parameters such as the operating frequency, cavity quality-factor and the beam current and voltage.

  13. Psychological effects of thought acceleration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pronin, Emily; Jacobs, Elana; Wegner, Daniel M

    2008-10-01

    Six experiments found that manipulations that increase thought speed also yield positive affect. These experiments varied in both the methods used for accelerating thought (i.e., instructions to brainstorm freely, exposure to multiple ideas, encouragement to plagiarize others' ideas, performance of easy cognitive tasks, narration of a silent video in fast-forward, and experimentally controlled reading speed) and the contents of the thoughts that were induced (from thoughts about money-making schemes to thoughts of five-letter words). The results suggested that effects of thought speed on mood are partially rooted in the subjective experience of thought speed. The results also suggested that these effects can be attributed to the joy-enhancing effects of fast thinking (rather than only to the joy-killing effects of slow thinking). This work is inspired by observations of a link between "racing thoughts" and euphoria in cases of clinical mania, and potential implications of that observed link are discussed. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved

  14. Thoughts in flight: automation use and pilots' task-related and task-unrelated thought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casner, Stephen M; Schooler, Jonathan W

    2014-05-01

    The objective was to examine the relationship between cockpit automation use and task-related and task-unrelated thought among airline pilots. Studies find that cockpit automation can sometimes relieve pilots of tedious control tasks and afford them more time to think ahead. Paradoxically, automation has also been shown to lead to lesser awareness. These results prompt the question of what pilots think about while using automation. A total of 18 airline pilots flew a Boeing 747-400 simulator while we recorded which of two levels of automation they used. As they worked, pilots were verbally probed about what they were thinking. Pilots were asked to categorize their thoughts as pertaining to (a) a specific task at hand, (b) higher-level flight-related thoughts (e.g.,planning ahead), or (c) thoughts unrelated to the flight. Pilots' performance was also measured. Pilots reported a smaller percentage of task-at-hand thoughts (27% vs. 50%) and a greater percentage of higher-level flight-related thoughts (56% vs. 29%) when using the higher level of automation. However, when all was going according to plan, using either level of automation, pilots also reported a higher percentage of task-unrelated thoughts (21%) than they did when in the midst of an unsuccessful performance (7%). Task-unrelated thoughts peaked at 25% when pilots were not interacting with the automation. Although cockpit automation may provide pilots with more time to think, it may encourage pilots to reinvest only some of this mental free time in thinking flight-related thoughts. This research informs the design of human-automation systems that more meaningfully engage the human operator.

  15. [Negative bias on self-referent processing in depression: focused on mood congruent effects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tagami, Kyoko

    2002-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate negative bias on self-referent processing in depression, focused on the mood congruent effects in a natural depressed state and an experimentally induced transient depressed mood state. In Experiment 1, autobiographical memories and self-relevant ratings of personality trait words were examined in a natural depressed state or non-depressed state, which were measured by Beck Depression Inventory. Results revealed the mood congruent effects on both tasks. In Experiment 2, the same tasks as Experiment 1 were conducted in a transient depressed mood state or non-depressed mood state, which were induced through listening music. Unlike Experiment 1, there were no effects in both tasks, and a positive bias was observed in both mood states. It was suggested that transient mood state did not bias self-referent processing in depression, and Beck's schema hypothesis was supported.

  16. A Web- and Mobile-Based Map of Mental Health Resources for Postsecondary Students (Thought Spot): Protocol for an Economic Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Amandeep; Isaranuwatchai, Wanrudee; Jaffer, Aliya; Ferguson, Genevieve; Abi-Jaoude, Alexxa; Johnson, Andrew; Hollenberg, Elisa; Wiljer, David

    2018-03-29

    Youth demonstrate a low propensity to seek help for mental health issues and exhibit low use of health services despite the high prevalence of mental health challenges in this population. Research has found that delivering interventions via the internet and mobile devices is an effective way to reach youth. Thought Spot, a Web- and mobile-based map, was developed to help transition-aged youth in postsecondary settings overcome barriers to help-seeking, thereby reducing the economic burden associated with untreated mental health issues. This paper presents the protocol for an economic evaluation that will be conducted in conjunction with a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness and cost of Thought Spot compared with usual care in terms of self-efficacy for mental health help-seeking among postsecondary students. A partially blinded RCT will be conducted to assess the impact of Thought Spot on the self-efficacy of students for mental health help-seeking. Students from 3 postsecondary institutions in Ontario, Canada will be randomly allocated to 1 of 2 intervention groups (resource pamphlet or Thought Spot) for 6 months. The economic evaluation will focus on the perspective of postsecondary institutions or other organizations interested in using Thought Spot. Costs and resources for operating and maintaining the platform will be reported and compared with the costs and resource needs associated with usual care. The primary outcome will be change in help-seeking intentions, measured using the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire. The cost-effectiveness of the intervention will be determined by calculating the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, which will then be compared with willingness to pay. The RCT is scheduled to begin in February 2018 and will run for 6 months, after which the economic evaluation will be completed. We expect to demonstrate that Thought Spot is a cost-effective way to improve help-seeking intentions and encourage help

  17. Early initiation of sexual activity: a risk factor for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV infection, and unwanted pregnancy among university students in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravari Shahrzad

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background To explore any association between the timing of the initiation of sexual activity and sexual behaviors and risks among university students in China. Methods Data were derived from a cross-sectional study on sexual behavior among university students conducted in Ningbo municipality, China, at the end of 2003. Students completed a self-administered, structured questionnaire. Of 1981 sexually active male students, 1908 (96.3% completed the item for timing of the initiation of sexual activity and were included in bivariate trend analyses and multiple logistic regression analyses to compare the association between this timing and sexual behavior and risks. Results Male early sexual initiators had a significantly higher risk profile, including a significantly higher proportion reporting non-regular partners (i.e., casual or commercial partners, multiple partners, diagnosis with a sexually transmitted disease (STD, partner history of pregnancy, partner history of induced abortion, and less condom and oral contraceptive use, compared with late initiators. Multivariate analyses confirmed the increased likelihood of these risks in early initiators versus late initiators, other than partner type during the last year. Conclusion Our results showed that, compared to late initiators, people who initiated sexual activity early engaged in more risky behaviors that could lead to elevated risks of unwanted pregnancies and STDs or human immunodeficiency virus infection. Sex-education strategies should be focused on an earlier age, should include advice on delaying the age of first sexual activity, and should target young people who continue to take sexual risks.

  18. Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, and Self-Transcendence (S-ART: A Framework for Understanding the Neurobiological Mechanisms of Mindfulness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David R. Vago

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Mindfulness - as a state, trait, process, type of meditation, and intervention has proven to be beneficial across a diverse group of psychological disorders as well as for general stress reduction. Yet, there remains a lack of clarity in the operationalization of this construct, and underlying mechanisms. Here, we provide an integrative theoretical framework and systems-based neurobiological model that explains the mechanisms by which mindfulness reduces biases related to self-processing and creates a sustainable healthy mind. Mindfulness is described through systematic mental training that develops meta-awareness (self-awareness, an ability to effectively modulate one’s behavior (self-regulation, and the development of a positive relationship between self and other that transcends self-focused needs and increases prosocial characteristics (self-transcendence. This framework of self-awareness, regulation, and transcendence (S-ART illustrates a method for becoming aware of the conditions that cause (and remove distortions or biases. The development of S-ART through meditation is proposed to modulate self-specifying and narrative self-networks through an integrative fronto-parietal control network. Relevant perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral neuropsychological processes are highlighted, including intention and motivation, attention regulation, emotion regulation, extinction and reconsolidation, prosociality, non-attachment and decentering. The S-ART framework and neurobiological model is based on our growing understanding of the mechanisms for neurocognition, empirical literature, and through dismantling the specific meditation practices thought to cultivate mindfulness. The proposed framework will inform future research in the contemplative sciences and target specific areas for development in the treatment of psychological disorders.

  19. Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vago, David R; Silbersweig, David A

    2012-01-01

    Mindfulness-as a state, trait, process, type of meditation, and intervention has proven to be beneficial across a diverse group of psychological disorders as well as for general stress reduction. Yet, there remains a lack of clarity in the operationalization of this construct, and underlying mechanisms. Here, we provide an integrative theoretical framework and systems-based neurobiological model that explains the mechanisms by which mindfulness reduces biases related to self-processing and creates a sustainable healthy mind. Mindfulness is described through systematic mental training that develops meta-awareness (self-awareness), an ability to effectively modulate one's behavior (self-regulation), and a positive relationship between self and other that transcends self-focused needs and increases prosocial characteristics (self-transcendence). This framework of self-awareness, -regulation, and -transcendence (S-ART) illustrates a method for becoming aware of the conditions that cause (and remove) distortions or biases. The development of S-ART through meditation is proposed to modulate self-specifying and narrative self-networks through an integrative fronto-parietal control network. Relevant perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral neuropsychological processes are highlighted as supporting mechanisms for S-ART, including intention and motivation, attention regulation, emotion regulation, extinction and reconsolidation, prosociality, non-attachment, and decentering. The S-ART framework and neurobiological model is based on our growing understanding of the mechanisms for neurocognition, empirical literature, and through dismantling the specific meditation practices thought to cultivate mindfulness. The proposed framework will inform future research in the contemplative sciences and target specific areas for development in the treatment of psychological disorders.

  20. Stimulated Brillouin scattering reduction induced by self-focusing for a single laser speckle interacting with an expanding plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Masson-Laborde, P. E.; Depierreux, S.; Loiseau, P.; Hüller, S.; Pesme, D.; Labaune, Ch.; Bandulet, H.

    2014-01-01

    The origin of the low level of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) observed in laser-plasma experiments carried out with a single laser speckle is investigated by means of three-dimensional simulations and modeling in the limit when the laser beam power P is well above the critical power for ponderomotive self-focusing We find that the order of magnitude of the time averaged reflectivities, together with the temporal and spatial SBS localization observed in our simulations, are correctly reproduced by our modeling. It is observed that, after a short transient stage, SBS reaches a significant level only (i) as long as the incident laser pulse is increasing in amplitude and (ii) in a single self-focused speckle located in the low-density front part of the plasma. In order to describe self-focusing in an inhomogeneous expanding plasma, we have derived a new Lagrangian density describing this process. Using then a variational approach, our model reproduces the position and the peak intensity of the self-focusing hot spot in the front part of the plasma density profile as well as the local density depletion in this hot spot. The knowledge of these parameters then makes it possible to estimate the spatial amplification of SBS as a function of the laser beam power and consequently to explain the experimentally observed SBS reflectivity, considerably reduced with respect to standard theory in the regime of large laser beam power

  1. Me, Myself, and Money II: Relative Deprivation Predicts Disordered Gambling Severity via Delay Discounting, Especially Among Gamblers Who Have a Financially Focused Self-Concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabri, Nassim; Will Shead, N; Wohl, Michael J A

    2017-12-01

    In the current research, we examined whether the known link between relative deprivation and disordered gambling (via delay discounting; i.e., preferences for immediate smaller rewards relative to delayed larger rewards) is moderated by the extent to which gamblers have a financially focused self-concept. Specifically, we hypothesized that delay discounting would be a strong predictor of disordered gambling among those who base their self-worth on their financial success. To test this moderated-mediation model, a community sample of gamblers (N = 239) completed measures that assessed relative deprivation, delay discounting, financially focused self-concept, and disordered gambling severity. As predicted, people who felt more relative deprivation reported more severe symptoms of disordered gambling and this association was mediated by delay discounting. Importantly, this mediated relationship was moderated by the extent to which participants' self-concept was focused on financial success. Among participants whose self-concept was high in financial focus, greater delay discounting (stemming from relative deprivation) was a strong predictor of disordered gambling. Among people whose self-concept was low in financial focus, delay discounting (stemming from relative deprivation) was a weak predictor of disordered gambling. Thus, the magnitude of the indirect effect of relative deprivation on disordered gambling severity was larger among people with a more financially focused self-concept-an effect mediated by delay discounting. These findings suggest that targeting gamblers' financial focus in prevention and treatment interventions may be instrumental in curtailing the development and maintenance of disordered gambling.

  2. Reduction of unwanted submental fat with ATX-101 (deoxycholic acid), an adipocytolytic injectable treatment: results from a phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled study*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rzany, B; Griffiths, T; Walker, P; Lippert, S; McDiarmid, J; Havlickova, B

    2014-01-01

    Summary Background Unwanted submental fat (SMF) is aesthetically unappealing, but methods of reduction are either invasive or lack evidence for their use. An injectable approach with ATX-101 (deoxycholic acid) is under investigation. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ATX-101 for the reduction of unwanted SMF. Methods In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III study, 363 patients with moderate/severe SMF were randomized to receive ATX-101 (1 or 2 mg cm−2) or placebo injections into their SMF at up to four treatment sessions ∽28 days apart, with a 12-week follow-up. The co-primary efficacy endpoints were the proportions of treatment responders [patients with ≥ 1-point improvement in SMF on the 5-point Clinician-Reported Submental Fat Rating Scale (CR-SMFRS)] and patients satisfied with their face and chin appearance on the Subject Self-Rating Scale (SSRS). Secondary endpoints included skin laxity, calliper measurements and patient-reported outcomes. Adverse events were monitored. Results Significantly more ATX-101 recipients met the primary endpoint criteria vs. placebo: on the clinician scale, 59·2% and 65·3% of patients treated with ATX-101 1 and 2 mg cm−2, respectively, were treatment responders vs. 23·0% for placebo (CR-SMFRS;P < 0·001); on the patient scale, 53·3% and 66·1%, respectively, vs. 28·7%, were satisfied with their face/chin appearance (SSRS;P < 0·001). Calliper measurements showed a significant reduction in SMF (P < 0·001), skin laxity was not worsened and patients reported improvements in the severity and psychological impact of SMF with ATX-101 vs. placebo. Most adverse events were transient and associated with the treatment area. Conclusions ATX-101 was effective and well tolerated for nonsurgical SMF reduction. What's already known about this topic? Unwanted submental fat (SMF) is considered aesthetically unappealing. Liposuction and face-lift are effective treatments for SMF reduction but are

  3. Adaptive photoacoustic imaging using the Mallart-Fink focusing factor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Meng-Lin

    2008-02-01

    Focusing errors caused by sound velocity heterogeneities widen the mainlobe and elevate the sidelobes, thus degrading both spatial and contrast resolutions in photoacoustic imaging. We propose an adaptive array-based photoacoustic imaging technique that uses the Mallart-Fink (MF) focusing factor weighting to reduce the effect of such focusing errors. The definition of the MF focusing factor indicates that the MF focusing factor at the main lobe of the point-spread function is high (close to 1, without speckle noise being present, which is the case in photoacoustic imaging), whereas it is low at the sidelobes. Based on this property, the elevated sidelobes caused by sound velocity heterogeneities in the tissue can be suppressed after being multiplied by the corresponding map of the MF focusing factor on each imaging point; thus the focusing quality can be improved. This technique makes no assumption of sources of focusing errors and directly suppresses the unwanted sidelobe contributions. Numerical experiments with near field phase screen and displaced phase screen models were performed here to verify the proposed adaptive weighting technique. The effect of the signal-to-noise ratio on the MF focusing factor is also discussed.

  4. Numerical simulation and comparison of nonlinear self-focusing based on iteration and ray tracing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaotong; Chen, Hao; Wang, Weiwei; Ruan, Wangchao; Zhang, Luwei; Cen, Zhaofeng

    2017-05-01

    Self-focusing is observed in nonlinear materials owing to the interaction between laser and matter when laser beam propagates. Some of numerical simulation strategies such as the beam propagation method (BPM) based on nonlinear Schrödinger equation and ray tracing method based on Fermat's principle have applied to simulate the self-focusing process. In this paper we present an iteration nonlinear ray tracing method in that the nonlinear material is also cut into massive slices just like the existing approaches, but instead of paraxial approximation and split-step Fourier transform, a large quantity of sampled real rays are traced step by step through the system with changing refractive index and laser intensity by iteration. In this process a smooth treatment is employed to generate a laser density distribution at each slice to decrease the error caused by the under-sampling. The characteristics of this method is that the nonlinear refractive indices of the points on current slice are calculated by iteration so as to solve the problem of unknown parameters in the material caused by the causal relationship between laser intensity and nonlinear refractive index. Compared with the beam propagation method, this algorithm is more suitable for engineering application with lower time complexity, and has the calculation capacity for numerical simulation of self-focusing process in the systems including both of linear and nonlinear optical media. If the sampled rays are traced with their complex amplitudes and light paths or phases, it will be possible to simulate the superposition effects of different beam. At the end of the paper, the advantages and disadvantages of this algorithm are discussed.

  5. Beyond Self-Esteem: Some Neglected Aspects of the Self-Concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Morris

    The purpose of this paper is to call attention to certain important aspects of self-concept which have been largely neglected in behavioral science research literature. Self-concept is defined as the totality of the individual's thoughts and feelings with reference to himself as an object. Three broad areas of self-concept are discussed. The first…

  6. Crisis Thought

    OpenAIRE

    Morris, Edwin Kent

    2016-01-01

    Crisis thought is an idea that gives a name to and accounts for some of the problematics of the sign crisis in political, social, cultural, and economic discourse. Specifically, crisis thought is a discursive formation, a concept used loosely here to refer to an assemblage of signs such as anxiety or fear that evoke or invoke similar, but inaccurate connotations as crisis in political and everyday usage. The general question this study grapples with is why political, social, cultural, and eco...

  7. Man should not let death attain the dominion of his thoughts: An Essay on Subjectivity, Self-Preservation and Immortality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kasper Lysemose

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Mortality seems to have no place in the theories on subjectivity in Kant and Husserl. It is suggested that this entente cordiale is an expression of the shared principle at the heart of their philosophy, i.e. the principle of selfpreservation. Self-preservation is a principle that in a certain sense excludes mortality. It is argued that the primary sense of this exclusion is not theoretical but practical. Kant and Husserl are both endorsing the imperative that man should not let death attain the dominion of his thoughts (cf. Mann 1976, 600. The positive correlate to this is to be found in the demand that man should think of himself as if he was immortal. With special regard to Husserl the predicament that accompanies his relentless attempt to fulfill this demand is described as a sluice through which anthropology threatens to flow into the phenomenological enterprise.

  8. Body image in emerging adults: The protective role of self-compassion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodgers, Rachel F; Franko, Debra L; Donovan, Elizabeth; Cousineau, Tara; Yates, Kayla; McGowan, Kayla; Cook, Elizabeth; Lowy, Alice S

    2017-09-01

    Self-compassion is thought to protect from body image concerns. However, the mechanisms of this effect remain unclear. This study examined three positive dimensions of self-compassion as moderators of the mediated relationship between perceived overweight status, appearance comparison, and appearance esteem. A sample of 232 youth aged 13-18 years, mean=18.36 (SD=1.5) years, reported on appearance esteem, appearance comparison, perceived weight status, and self-compassion dimensions including self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Among boys, mindfulness and common humanity moderated the perceived weight status to appearance comparison pathway of the mediation (ps=.01), such that this relationship was weaker among boys with higher levels of these dimensions of self-compassion. These findings were not replicated among girls. None of the self-compassion dimensions moderated the appearance comparison to appearance esteem pathway. Self-compassion dimensions that decrease the focus on the self may protect against body image concerns among boys. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Comparative analysis of the modified enclosed energy metric for self-focusing holograms from digital lensless holographic microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo, Carlos; Garcia-Sucerquia, Jorge

    2015-06-01

    A comparative analysis of the performance of the modified enclosed energy (MEE) method for self-focusing holograms recorded with digital lensless holographic microscopy is presented. Notwithstanding the MEE analysis previously published, no extended analysis of its performance has been reported. We have tested the MEE in terms of the minimum axial distance allowed between the set of reconstructed holograms to search for the focal plane and the elapsed time to obtain the focused image. These parameters have been compared with those for some of the already reported methods in the literature. The MEE achieves better results in terms of self-focusing quality but at a higher computational cost. Despite its longer processing time, the method remains within a time frame to be technologically attractive. Modeled and experimental holograms have been utilized in this work to perform the comparative study.

  10. The effects of psychoeducation on thought-action fusion, thought suppression, and responsibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marino-Carper, Teresa; Negy, Charles; Burns, Gillian; Lunt, Rachael A

    2010-09-01

    The current study examined the effects of a psychoeducational intervention designed to target thought-action fusion (TAF) on TAF, thought suppression, and responsibility cognitions. 139 undergraduate students (25 male; 114 female) who were relatively high in TAF with respect to their peers served as participants. Immediately following intervention, individuals who had received psychoeducation regarding TAF reported significantly lower morality TAF scores than individuals who had received psychoeducation regarding thoughts in general and individuals in the control group. At the two-week follow-up assessment, the likelihood TAF scores of those who had received psychoeducation regarding TAF were significantly lower than those of the control group. In addition, the group that received psychoeducation regarding TAF was the only group that did not experience a significant increase in thought suppression from baseline to post-intervention, and was also the only group to experience an increase in both frequency of and belief in low-responsibility thoughts from baseline to follow-up. Implications are discussed. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Changes in the self during cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregory, Bree; Peters, Lorna

    2017-03-01

    A consistent feature across cognitive-behavioural models of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is the central role of the self in the emergence and maintenance of the disorder. The strong emphasis placed on the self in these models and related empirical research has also been reflected in evidence-based treatments for the disorder. This systematic review provides an overview of the empirical literature investigating the role of self-related constructs (e.g., self-beliefs, self-images, self-focused attention) proposed in cognitive models of SAD, before examining how these constructs are modified during and following CBT for SAD. Forty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Guided by Stopa's (2009a, b) model of self, most studies examined change in self-related content, followed by change in self-related processing. No study examined change in self-structure. Pre- to post-treatment reductions were observed in self-related thoughts and beliefs, self-esteem, self-schema, self-focused attention, and self-evaluation. Change in self-related constructs predicted and/or mediated social anxiety reduction, however relatively few studies examined this. Papers were limited by small sample sizes, failure to control for depression symptoms, lack of waitlist, and some measurement concerns. Future research directions are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Self-focusing and guiding of short laser pulses in ionizing gases and plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esarey, E.; Sprangle, P.; Krall, J.; Ting, A.

    1997-01-01

    The propagation of intense laser pulses in gases and plasmas is relevant to a wide range of applications, including laser-driven accelerators, laser-plasma channeling, harmonic generation, supercontinuum generation, X-ray lasers, and laser-fusion schemes. Here, several features of intense, short-pulse (≤1 ps) laser propagation in gases undergoing ionization and in plasmas are reviewed, discussed, and analyzed. The wave equations for laser pulse propagation in a gas undergoing ionization and in a plasma are derived. The source-dependent expansion method is discussed, which is a general method for solving the paraxial wave equation with nonlinear source terms. In gases, the propagation of high-power (near the critical power) laser pulses is considered including the effects of diffraction, nonlinear self-focusing, ionization, and plasma generation. Self-guided solutions and the stability of these solutions are discussed. In plasmas, optical guiding by relativistic effects, ponderomotive effects, and preformed density channels is considered. The self-consistent plasma response is discussed, including plasma wave effects and instabilities such as self-modulation. Recent experiments on the guiding of laser pulses in gases and in plasmas are briefly summarized

  13. Concealed Chora in the Thought of Cornelius Castoriadis: A Bastard Comment on Trans-Regional Creation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sean McMorrow

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The chora has proven to be an obscure concept in contemporary philosophy. Cornelius Castoriadis seemed to retreat from the edge of its significance within his work, a significance that is capable of opening up another turn in the labyrinth of his thought. A clear interrogation into the presence of the chora in his thought has, still, yet to be elucidated. This paper proceeds with a notion of the chora defined for the purpose of highlighting its relevance for Castoriadis’thought, taking up his schema trans-regional ontology and imaginary creation, which lean on the anticipation of a self-altering otherness. Locating the chora in Castoriadis’ trans-regionalarchitectonics of being.

  14. Proton emission from resonant laser absorption and self-focusing effects from hydrogenated structures

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Cutroneo, M.; Torrisi, L.; Margarone, Daniele; Picciotto, A.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 272, May (2013), s. 50-54 ISSN 0169-4332 R&D Projects: GA MŠk EE.2.3.20.0087 Grant - others:OP VK 2 LaserGen(XE) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0087 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : resonant absorption * self-focusing * Thomson parabola * spectrometer Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 2.538, year: 2013

  15. Decline of the self-focusing of a pulsed high intensity electron beam owing to gas breakdown

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hotta, H.; Arai, H.

    1977-01-01

    The self-focusing of a pulsed high-intensity electron beam in a gas declines in the intermediate pressure region owing to gas breakdown. The degree of the self-focusing of a beam from a Febetron 706 in monatomic gases increases by increasing the breakdown time (t/sub B/), which is defined as the time when the plasma conductivity becomes 10 mho/cm. Secondary electrons are consumed appreciably in polyatomic gases after t/sub B/ through their reactions with ions and neutral molecules. Therefore, in such gases, the amount of the consumption must be estimated to analyze the self-focusing. For the estimation of the consumption, we must remark that the mean energy of secondary electrons is quite different between before and after t/sub B/ because of the different strength of induced longitudinal electric field. As a result of the numerical analyses, we obtain the equation t/sub B/-t/sub N/ =12/w (α-eta) (t/sub N/ is neutralization time, w is electron drift velocity, α is the first Townsend ionization coefficient, and eta is the electron attachment coefficient). Since eta is usually negligibly small before t/sub B/ and t/sub N/ is also negligibly small above a certain pressure, t/sub B/ is approximately inversely proportional to wα. The t/sub B/ in polyatomic gases, however, must be corrected for the consumption described above

  16. Stereotype threat”: a self-fulfilling prophecy in education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.A. Gulevitch

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The article discusses the phenomenon of “stereotype threat”– the influence of stereotypes on learning and achievement level in members of gender, age and ethnic groups. We analyze overt and covert forms of actualization of such ideas. We describe the basic mechanisms of their action (actualization of social identity, negative emotions, extraneous thoughts, increased self-control, difficulty in learning, reduction of self-efficacy, increased motivation of avoidance, de-identification with the area of activity. We highlight the main ways to reduce the “stereotype threat” focused on social identity (actualization or creating a new identity, stereotypes (from the removal of stereotype stimuli to demonstration of positive behaviors, task (modified instruction and individual human characteristics (higher self-efficacy, learning coping strategies. We note that the knowledge of the “stereotype threat”impact laws can improve learning efficiency.

  17. Children at risk: the association between perceived weight status and suicidal thoughts and attempts in middle school youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whetstone, Lauren M; Morrissey, Susan L; Cummings, Doyle M

    2007-02-01

    Suicide is one of the most common causes of death among young people. A report from the US Surgeon General called for strategies to prevent suicide, including increasing public awareness of suicide and risks factors, and enhancing research to understand risk and protective factors. Weight perception has been linked to depression and poor self-esteem in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived weight status and suicidal thoughts and actions by gender in middle school youth. All public middle school students in 4 eastern North Carolina counties presented, and with parental permission (n = 5174), completed the Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Middle School Questionnaire. The 3 dependent variables were self-reported thinking, planning, and attempting suicide. Bivariate analyses describe suicidal thoughts and actions; multiple logistic regression models examined the relationship between weight description and suicidal thoughts and actions controlling for age, race, household composition, grades on report cards, and parents' education. Significantly more females than males reported thinking (26% vs 19%), planning (12% vs 9%), and attempting (11% vs 8%) suicide. For females, those who perceived themselves as overweight were significantly more likely to report suicidal thoughts and actions; while for males, perceptions of overweight and underweight were significantly associated with suicidal thoughts and actions. Controlling for personal and family characteristics, perceived weight status was significantly associated with suicidal thoughts and actions in middle school boys and girls.

  18. Uniting to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, D

    1994-02-18

    In reading the column of Cal Thomas entitled "Speaking Truth to Power" it becomes clear that the forces aligned against each other on the issue of reproductive choice should work together in order to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. An estimated 400 million women are unable to limit their family size for economic reasons. More are inhibited by social or religious constraints. When family planning (FP) services are available, and the status and education levels of women are raised, abortion rates decrease. This is demonstrated in the Netherlands, where legal abortions and contraception are available. The abortion rate is less than 5/1000 women there, one of the lowest worldwide. Latin America, where abortion is illegal and FP services are lacking, has abortion rates of 30-60/1000. Furthermore, these illegal abortions usually have a tragic effect on the woman's health. Of an estimated 6 million pregnancies annually in the United States, approximately half are unintended. Of these, about 1.6 million are aborted. Of the women in the United States who become pregnant annually, 82% are unmarried, 25% are under 20 years of age, and 33% make less than $11,000 yearly. If industrialized nations made contraceptives and FP services available to the poor worldwide, the quality of life on earth would increase. Human misery, anarchy, and resource depletion would decrease. State and local governments should increase support of domestic FP activities, while the federal government should raise its funding of international FP services. In order to reach the goals set by the 1989 Amsterdam Declaration, which was signed by the US, the annual contribution of the United States needs to be doubled. 4% of the US foreign aid budget, $720 million, is less than 0.1% of its $1.5 trillion budget. This amounts to less than $3 per US citizen.

  19. Analytical investigation on domain of decentered parameter for self-focusing of Hermite-cosh-Gaussian laser beam in collisional plasma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valkunde, Amol T.; Patil, Sandip D.; Vhanmore, Bandopant D.; Urunkar, Trupti U.; Gavade, Kusum M.; Takale, Mansing V.; Fulari, Vijay J.

    2018-03-01

    In the present paper, an analytically investigated domain of decentered parameter and its effect on the self-focusing of Hermit-cosh-Gaussian (HChG) laser beams in a collisional plasma have been studied theoretically. The nonlinearity in the dielectric constant of plasma arising due to the nonuniform heating of carriers along the wavefront of the laser beam has been employed in the present investigation. The nonlinear differential equation of beam width parameter for various laser modes of HChG beam is obtained by following the standard Akhamanov's parabolic equation approach under Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin and paraxial approximations. The analytical treatment has enabled us to define three distinct regions: self-focusing, self-trapping and defocusing, which are presented graphically.

  20. [Intention for self-change across the life span: Focusing on concern about self-change].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chishima, Yuta

    2016-06-01

    The purpose of the present study was to examine intention for self-change across the life span using measures of self-esteem, frequency of self-reflection, and concern about self-change. We hypothesized that: (a) Intention for self-change decreases with age because of increased self-esteem, decreased self-reflection and concern about self-change, and (b) Associations among self-esteem, frequency of self-reflection, and intention for self-change are mediated by concern about self-change. Participants (N = 997; age range, 15 to 69 yrs) completed an internet survey. ANOVA results suggested that intention for self-change, concern about self-change, and frequency of self-reflection decreased with age, and that self-esteem-scores increased with age. Simultaneous analysis of multiple age groups showed that for all groups of low self-esteem and frequent self-reflection promoted intention for self-change and that there were significant mediating effects for concern about self-change. Therefore, these findings supported out research hypotheses.

  1. Mapping the Brain’s Metaphor Circuitry:Is Abstract Thought Metaphorical Thought?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George eLakoff

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available An overview of the basics of metaphorical thought and language from the perspective of Neurocognition, the integrated interdisciplinary study of how conceptual thought and language work in the brain. The paper outlines a theory of metaphor circuitry and discusses how everyday reason makes use of embodied metaphor circuitry.

  2. Random phase plate hot spots and their effect on stimulated Brillouin backscatter and self-focusing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rose, H.A.

    1995-01-01

    Laser hot spots, as determined by Random Phase Plate (RPP) hot spots, control the critical value of the average intensity, I c , at which there is a rapid onset of stimulated scatter in the strongly damped convective regime of three wave parametric instabilities. For the case of stimulated Brillouin backscatter in a long scale length plasma, nascent hot spot ponderomotive self-focusing is shown to reduce the value of I c in the regime of very strongly damped acoustic waves. RPP hot spots have two, intrinsically nonlinear, thresholds for ponderomotive self-focusing. Large intensity amplifications occur in the hot spot neighborhood when the hot spot power exceeds a certain critical power, P c , which is independent of the optic's f number, F. When the second, F-dependent, hot spot power threshold is exceeded, a filament emerges from the far side of the hot spot, whose extent grows erratically in time

  3. Divergent effects of activating thoughts of God on self-regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurin, Kristin; Kay, Aaron C; Fitzsimons, Gráinne M

    2012-01-01

    Despite the cultural ubiquity of ideas and images related to God, relatively little is known about the effects of exposure to God representations on behavior. Specific depictions of God differ across religions, but common to most is that God is (a) an omnipotent, controlling force and (b) an omniscient, all-knowing being. Given these 2 characteristic features, how might exposure to the concept of God influence behavior? Leveraging classic and recent theorizing on self-regulation and social cognition, we predict and test for 2 divergent effects of exposure to notions of God on self-regulatory processes. Specifically, we show that participants reminded of God (vs. neutral or positive concepts) demonstrate both decreased active goal pursuit (Studies 1, 2, and 5) and increased temptation resistance (Studies 3, 4, and 5). These findings provide the first experimental evidence that exposure to God influences goal pursuit and suggest that the ever-present cultural reminders of God can be both burden and benefit for self-regulation.

  4. Focused transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex modulates specific domains of self-regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pripfl, Jürgen; Lamm, Claus

    2015-02-01

    Recent neuroscience theories suggest that different kinds of self-regulation may share a common psychobiological mechanism. However, empirical evidence for a domain general self-regulation mechanism is scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate whether focused anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), facilitating the activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), acts on a domain general self-regulation mechanism and thus modulates both affective and appetitive self-regulation. Twenty smokers participated in this within-subject sham controlled study. Effects of anodal left, anodal right and sham tDCS over the dlPFC on affective picture appraisal and nicotine craving-cue appraisal were assessed. Anodal right tDCS over the dlPFC reduced negative affect in emotion appraisal, but neither modulated regulation of positive emotion appraisal nor of craving appraisal. Anodal left stimulation did not induce any significant effects. The results of our study show that domain specific self-regulation networks are at work in the prefrontal cortex. Focused tDCS modulation of this specific self-regulation network could probably be used during the first phase of nicotine abstinence, during which negative affect might easily result in relapse. These findings have implications for neuroscience models of self-regulation and are of relevance for the development of brain stimulation based treatment methods for neuropsychiatric disorders associated with self-regulation deficits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.

  5. The effects of perspective-taking on prejudice: the moderating role of self-evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galinsky, Adam D; Ku, Gillian

    2004-05-01

    Perspective-taking, by means of creating an overlap between self and other cognitive representations, has been found to effectively decrease stereotyping and ingroup favoritism. In the present investigation, the authors examined the potential moderating role of self-esteem on the effects of perspective-taking on prejudice. In two experiments, it was found that perspective-takers, but not control participants, with temporarily or chronically high self-esteem evaluated an outgroup more positively than perspective-takers with low self-esteem. This finding suggests an irony of perspective-taking: it builds off egocentric biases to improve outgroup evaluations. The discussion focuses on how debiasing intergroup thought is often best accomplished by working through the very processes that produced the bias in the first place.

  6. Popper's Thought Experiment Reinvestigated

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Chris; Dowling, Jonathan

    2012-02-01

    Karl Popper posed an interesting thought experiment in 1934. With it, he meant to question the completeness of quantum mechanics. He claimed that the notion of quantum entanglement leads to absurd scenarios that cannot be true in real life and that an implementation of his thought experiment would not give the results that QM predicts. Unfortunately for Popper, it has taken until recently to perform experiments that test his claims. The results of the experiments do not refute QM as Popper predicted, but neither do they confirm what Popper claimed QM predicted. Kim and Shih implemented Popper's thought experiment in the lab. The results of the experiment are not clear and have instigated many interpretations of the results. The results show some correlation between entangled photons, but not in the way that Popper thought, nor in the way a simple application of QM might predict. A ghost-imaging experiment by Strekalov, et al. sheds light on the physics behind Popper's thought experiment, but does not try to directly test it. I will build the physics of Popper's thought experiment from the ground up and show how the results of both of these experiments agree with each other and the theory of QM, but disprove Popper.

  7. Mood instability and impulsivity as trait predictors of suicidal thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Evyn M; Balbuena, Lloyd; Marwaha, Steven; Baetz, Marilyn; Bowen, Rudy

    2016-12-01

    Impulsivity, the tendency to act quickly without adequate planning or concern for consequences, is a commonly cited risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviour. There are many definitions of impulsivity and how it relates to suicidality is not well understood. Mood instability, which describes frequent fluctuations of mood over time, is a concept related to impulsivity that may help explain this relationship. The purpose of this study was to determine whether impulsivity could predict suicidal thoughts after controlling for mood instability. This study utilized longitudinal data from the 2000 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (N = 2,406). There was a time interval of 18 months between the two waves of the study. Trait impulsivity and mood instability were measured with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate baseline impulsivity and mood instability as predictors of future suicidal thoughts. Impulsivity significantly predicted the presence of suicidal thoughts, but this effect became non-significant with mood instability included in the same model. Impulsivity may be a redundant concept when predicting future suicidal thoughts if mood instability is considered. The significance is that research and therapy focusing on mood instability along with impulsivity may be useful in treating the suicidal patient. Mood instability and impulsivity both predict future suicidal thoughts. Impulsivity does not predict suicidal thoughts after controlling for mood instability. Assessing and treating mood instability could be important aspects of suicide prevention and risk management. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

  8. Effects of planned, mistimed and unwanted pregnancies on the use of prenatal health services in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicountry analysis of Demographic and Health Survey data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amo-Adjei, Joshua; Anamaale Tuoyire, Derek

    2016-12-01

    We analysed the extent of planned, mistimed and unwanted pregnancies and how they predict optimal use of prenatal (timing and number of antenatal) care services in 30 African countries. We pooled data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 30 African countries between 2006 and 2015. We described the extent of mistimed and unwanted pregnancies and further used mixed effects logistic and Poisson regression estimation techniques to examine the impacts of planned, mistimed and unwanted pregnancies on the use of prenatal health services. In total, 73.65% of pregnancies in all countries were planned. Mistimed pregnancy ranged from 7.43% in Burkina Faso to 41.33% in Namibia. Unwanted pregnancies were most common in Swaziland (39.54%) and least common in Niger (0.74%). Timely (first trimester) initiation of ANC was 37% overall in all countries; the multicountry average number of ANC visits was optimal [4.1; 95% CI: 4.1-4.2] but with notable disparities between countries. Overall, mistimed and unwanted pregnancies were strongly associated with late ANC attendance and fewer visits women made in the pooled analysis. Unintended pregnancies are critical risks to achieving improved maternal health in respect of early and optimal ANC coverage for women in Africa. Programmes targeted at advancing coverage of ANC in Africa need to deploy contextually appropriate mechanisms to prevent unintended pregnancies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Facilities & Technology: The Transformation of "Campus." APPA Thought Leaders Series 2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    APPA: Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, 2015

    2015-01-01

    The 2015 Thought Leaders symposium focused on the topic of "Facilities & Technology: The Transformation of 'Campus.'" Educational institutions that master new technologies will have an edge in the increasingly competitive higher education landscape. This report discusses the factors related to integrating technology and the campus…

  10. Regulatory focus, self-efficacy and outcome expectations as drivers of motivation to consume healthy food products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tudoran, Ana Alina; Scholderer, Joachim; Brunsø, Karen

    2012-10-01

    In this paper we apply the principle of Regulatory Focus Theory to investigate the interaction between self-efficacy and outcome expectations on individuals' intentions to adopt health behaviors. The participants, 959 individuals (Survey 1) and 2400 individuals (Survey 2), reported self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations with regard to the consumption of omega-3 supplements and omega-3-enriched food products. We found that the relationship prevention outcome expectations-intention was significantly attenuated at low levels of self-efficacy and strengthened at high levels of self-efficacy, respectively; whereas, the relationship promotion outcome expectations-intention was unaffected by the perceived levels of self-efficacy. The implications suggest that consumers' motivation to adopt healthy food products, such as omega-3 supplements and omega-3 enriched products, should be encouraged by stimulating promotion outcome expectations. However, when a prevention frame is used, the individuals' motivation should be significantly enhanced by self-efficacy beliefs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Don't worry, be angry? Effects of anger on feelings, thoughts, and actions in conflict and negotiation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Kleef, G.A.; Potegal, M.; Stemmler, G.; Spielberger, C.

    2010-01-01

    This chapter reviews research on the role of anger in conflict and negotiation. I focus on three broad classes of dependent variables that I roughly call feelings, thoughts, and actions to refer to (1) affective states and interpersonal sentiments, (2) conscious thought processes, and (3) actual

  12. Laser ablation in CdZnTe crystal due to thermal self-focusing: Secondary phase hydrodynamic expansion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Medvid’, A., E-mail: mychko@latnet.lv [Riga Technical University, 3 Paula Valdena Str., LV-1048 Riga (Latvia); Mychko, A.; Dauksta, E. [Riga Technical University, 3 Paula Valdena Str., LV-1048 Riga (Latvia); Kosyak, V. [Sumy State University, 2, Rymskogo-Korsakova St., 40007 Sumy (Ukraine); Grase, L. [Riga Technical University, 3 Paula Valdena Str., LV-1048 Riga (Latvia)

    2016-06-30

    Highlights: • We found two laser induced threshold intensity for CdZnTe crystal. • The laser beam self-focusing lead to increase of intensity of laser radiation at exit surface. • Laser ablation is a result of Te inclusion hydrodynamic expansion. - Abstract: The present paper deals with the laser ablation in CdZnTe crystal irradiated by pulsed infrared laser. Two values of threshold intensities of the laser ablation were determined, namely of about 8.5 and 6.2 MW/cm{sup 2} for the incident and the rear surfaces, correspondingly. Lower intensity of the laser ablation for the rear surface is explained by thermal self-focusing of the laser beam in the CdZnTe crystal due to heating of Te inclusions with a following hydrodynamic expansion.

  13. Beauty Requires Thought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brielmann, Aenne A; Pelli, Denis G

    2017-05-22

    The experience of beauty is a pleasure, but common sense and philosophy suggest that feeling beauty differs from sensuous pleasures such as eating or sex. Immanuel Kant [1, 2] claimed that experiencing beauty requires thought but that sensuous pleasure can be enjoyed without thought and cannot be beautiful. These venerable hypotheses persist in models of aesthetic processing [3-7] but have never been tested. Here, participants continuously rated the pleasure felt from a nominally beautiful or non-beautiful stimulus and then judged whether they had experienced beauty. The stimuli, which engage various senses, included seeing images, tasting candy, and touching a teddy bear. The observer reported the feelings that the stimulus evoked. The time course of pleasure, across stimuli, is well-fit by a model with one free parameter: pleasure amplitude. Pleasure amplitude increases linearly with the feeling of beauty. To test Kant's claim of a need for thought, we reduce cognitive capacity by adding a "two-back" task to distract the observer's thoughts. The distraction greatly reduces the beauty and pleasure experienced from stimuli that otherwise produce strong pleasure and spares that of less-pleasant stimuli. We also find that strong pleasure is always beautiful, whether produced reliably by beautiful stimuli or just occasionally by sensuous stimuli. In sum, we confirm Kant's claim that only the pleasure associated with feeling beauty requires thought and disprove his claim that sensuous pleasures cannot be beautiful. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. Bodily self: Towards an integrative theory of the self

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Salgado Leyva, Omar sinue

    2012-01-01

    The self generally refers to the feeling that people have of being a single mental presence and individual person, who is the beneficiary of all his actions, experiences and thoughts. Although until few decades ago the study of the self had been carried on by psychology or philosophy, it is in re...

  15. Early maladaptive schemas and social anxiety in adolescents: the mediating role of anxious automatic thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvete, Esther; Orue, Izaskun; Hankin, Benjamin L

    2013-04-01

    Cognitive models state that cognitions are organized hierarchically, so that the underlying schemas affect behavior via more automatic, superficial cognitive processes. This study aimed to demonstrate that early maladaptive schemas predict anxious automatic thoughts, and to show that such automatic thoughts act as mediators between schemas and prospective changes in social anxiety symptoms. The study also examined an alternative reverse model in which schemas acted as mediators between automatic thoughts and social anxiety. A total of 1052 adolescents (499 girls and 553 boys; M(age)=13.43; SD(age)=1.29) completed measures of early maladaptive schemas, socially anxious automatic thoughts, and social anxiety symptoms at Times 1, 2, and 3. The results revealed bidirectional longitudinal relationships among schemas and automatic thoughts that were consistent in content (e.g., the disconnection/rejection schemas and automatic thoughts of negative self-concept). Furthermore, the automatic thoughts of anticipatory negative evaluation by others at Time 2 mediated the relationship between the other-directedness schemas at Time 1 and social anxiety symptoms at Time 3. These findings are consistent with hierarchical cognitive models of social anxiety given that deeper schemas predict more surface-level thoughts. They also support that these more surface-level thoughts contribute to perpetuating schemas. Finally, results show that early maladaptive schemas of the other-directedness domain play a relevant role in the development and maintenance of social anxiety. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. A theory of unconscious thought

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijksterhuis, A.J.; Nordgren, L.F.

    2006-01-01

    We present a theory about human thought named the unconscious-thought theory (UTT). The theory is applicable to decision making, impression formation, attitude formation and change, problem solving, and creativity. It distinguishes between two modes of thought: unconscious and conscious. Unconscious

  17. Formal thought disorder, neuropsychology and insight in schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrera, Alvaro; McKenna, Peter J; Berrios, German E

    2009-01-01

    Information provided by patients with schizophrenia and their respective carers is used to study the descriptive psychopathology and neuropsychology of formal thought disorder (FTD). Relatively intellectually preserved schizophrenia patients (n = 31) exhibiting from no to severe positive FTD completed a self-report scale of FTD, a scale of insight as well as several tests of executive and semantic function. The patients' carers completed another scale of FTD to assess the patients' speech. FTD as self-reported by patients was significantly associated with the synonyms test performance and severity of the reality distortion dimension. FTD as assessed by a clinician and by the patients' carers was significantly associated with executive test performance and performance in a test of associative semantics. Overall insight was significantly associated with severity of the reality distortion dimension and graded naming test performance, but was not associated with self-reported FTD or severity of FTD as assessed by the clinician or carers. The self-reported experience of FTD has different clinical and neuropsychological correlates from those of FTD as assessed by clinicians and carers. The assessment of FTD by patients and carers used along with the clinician's assessment may further the study of this group of symptoms. 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. Aging and repeated thought suppression success.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ann E Lambert

    Full Text Available Intrusive thoughts and attempts to suppress them are common, but while suppression may be effective in the short-term, it can increase thought recurrence in the long-term. Because intentional suppression involves controlled processing, and many aspects of controlled processing decline with age, age differences in thought suppression outcomes may emerge, especially over repeated thought suppression attempts as cognitive resources are expended. Using multilevel modeling, we examined age differences in reactions to thought suppression attempts across four thought suppression sequences in 40 older and 42 younger adults. As expected, age differences were more prevalent during suppression than during free monitoring periods, with younger adults indicating longer, more frequent thought recurrences and greater suppression difficulty. Further, younger adults' thought suppression outcomes changed over time, while trajectories for older adults' were relatively stable. Results are discussed in terms of older adults' reduced thought recurrence, which was potentially afforded by age-related changes in reactive control and distractibility.

  19. Working Memory Capacity, Mind Wandering, and Creative Cognition: An Individual-Differences Investigation into the Benefits of Controlled Versus Spontaneous Thought

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smeekens, Bridget A.; Kane, Michael J.

    2015-01-01

    Should executive control, as indicated by working memory capacity (WMC) and mind-wandering propensity, help or hinder creativity? Sustained and focused attention should help guide a selective search of solution-relevant information in memory and help inhibit uncreative, yet accessible, ideas. However, unfocused attention and daydreaming should allow mental access to more loosely relevant concepts, remotely linked to commonplace solutions. Three individual-differences studies inserted incubation periods into one or two divergent thinking tasks and tested whether WMC (assessed by complex span tasks) and incubation-period mind wandering (assessed as probed reports of task-unrelated thought [TUT]) predicted post-incubation performance. Retrospective self-reports of Openness (Experiment 2) and mind-wandering and daydreaming propensity (Experiment 3) complemented our thought-probe assessments of TUT. WMC did not correlate with creativity in divergent thinking, whereas only the questionnaire measure of daydreaming, but not probed thought reports, weakly predicted creativity; the fact that in-the-moment TUTs did not correlate divergent creativity is especially problematic for claims that mind-wandering processes contribute to creative cognition. Moreover, the fact that WMC tends to strongly predict analytical problem solving and reasoning, but may not correlate with divergent thinking, provides a useful boundary condition for defining WMC’s nomological net. On balance, our data provide no support for either benefits or costs of executive control for at least one component of creativity. PMID:28458764

  20. Self-harm in young adolescents (12-16 years): onset and short-term continuation in a community sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stallard, Paul; Spears, Melissa; Montgomery, Alan A; Phillips, Rhiannon; Sayal, Kapil

    2013-12-02

    To investigate the prevalence of self-harm in young adolescents and factors associated with onset and continuity over a one year period. Prospective longitudinal study. Participants were young adolescents (n = 3964) aged 12-16 years attending 8 secondary schools in the Midlands and South West of England. Over a one year period 27% of young adolescents reported thoughts of self-harm and 15% reported at least one act of self-harm. Of those who self-harmed, less than one in five (18%) had sought help for psychological problems of anxiety or depression. Compared with boys, girls were at increased risk of developing thoughts (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.26-2.06) and acts (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.06-1.84) of self-harm, particularly amongst those girls in school year 9 (aged 13/14, thoughts adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 1.97, 95% CI 1.27-3.04; acts aOR 2.59, 95% CI 1.52-4.41). Of those reporting thoughts of self-harm at baseline, 60% also reported these thoughts at follow-up. Similarly 55% of those who reported an act of self-harm at baseline also reported that they had self-harmed at follow-up. Insecure peer relationships increased the likelihood that boys and girls would develop self-harming behaviours, as did being bullied for boys. Low mood was associated with the development of self-harming thoughts and behaviours for boys and girls, whilst a strong sense of school membership was associated with a reduced risk of developing thoughts of self-harm for boys and increased the likelihood of self-harming thoughts and behaviours ceasing for girls. Self harm in young adolescents is common with one in four reporting self-harming thoughts and one in six engaging in self-harming behaviour over a one year period. Self-harm is already established by 12/13 years of age and for over half of our sample, self-harming thoughts and behaviour persisted over the year. Secure peer and strong school relationships were associated with less self-harm. Few seek help for psychological problems, suggesting a

  1. The effects of thoughts of survival and thoughts of death on recall in the adaptive memory paradigm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klein, Stanley B

    2014-01-01

    In a recent paper Hart and Burns (2012) presented evidence that conditions that prime thoughts of one's mortality benefit recall. Drawing on the conceptual relation between thoughts of death and thoughts of survival, Hart and Burns interpret their findings as suggestive of the possibility that death-related thoughts function in manner similar to survival-related thoughts in enhancing recall. In the present study I draw on evolutionary arguments to question whether a conceptual relation between thoughts of death and thoughts of survival translates into a functional relation. I then present data showing that while death-related thoughts can promote high levels of recall, (a) the level achieved does not match that produced by survival processing and (b) survival and death cognition likely rely on different mechanisms to achieve their effects.

  2. Exploring the thoughts and attentional focus of music students under pressure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oudejans, Raôul R.D.; Spitse, Anne; Kralt, Elmer; Bakker, Frank C.

    2017-01-01

    Musicians often play under circumstances in which pressure may lead to anxiety and performance deterioration. Theories suggest that a drop in performance is due to a shift in focus of attention towards task-irrelevant information. In this study, we asked music students to report what they think and

  3. Study of self-focusing of Non Gaussian laser beam in a plasma with density variation using moment theory approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathak, Nidhi; Kaur, Sukhdeep; Singh, Sukhmander

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, self-focusing/defocusing effects have been studied by taking into account the combined effect of ponder-motive and relativistic non linearity during the laser plasma interaction with density variation. The formulation is based on the numerical analysis of second order nonlinear differential equation for appropriate set of laser and plasma parameters by employing moment theory approach. We found that self-focusing increases with increasing the laser intensity and density variation. The results obtained are valuable in high harmonic generation, inertial confinement fusion and charge particle acceleration.

  4. Idea and Intuition: On the Perceptibility of the Platonic Ideas in the Thought of Arthur Schopenhauer

    OpenAIRE

    Costanzo, Jason

    2009-01-01

    IDEA AND INTUITION On the Perceptibility of the Platonic Ideas in the Thought of Arthur Schopenhauer In this work, I examine the perceptibility of the Platonic Ideas in the thought of Arthur Schopenhauer. The work is divided into four chapters, each focusing and building upon a specific aspect related to this questi on. The first chapter (“Plato and the Primacy of Intellect”) deals with Scho penhauer’s interpretation specific to Platonic thought. I there address the question of why it is tha...

  5. When is a medicine unwanted, how is it disposed, and how might safe disposal be promoted? Insights from the Australian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bettington, Emilie; Spinks, Jean; Kelly, Fiona; Gallardo-Godoy, Alejandra; Nghiem, Son; Wheeler, Amanda J

    2017-12-19

    Objective The aim of the present study was to explore disposal practices of unwanted medicines in a representative sample of Australian adults, compare this with previous household waste surveys and explore awareness of the National Return and Disposal of Unwanted Medicines (RUM) Project. Methods A 10-min online survey was developed, piloted and conducted with an existing research panel of adult individuals. Survey questions recorded demographics, the presence of unwanted medicines in the home, medicine disposal practices and concerns about unwanted medicines. Descriptive statistical analyses and rank-ordered logit regression were conducted. Results Sixty per cent of 4302 respondents reported having unwanted medicines in their household. Medicines were primarily kept just in case they were needed again and one-third of these medicines were expired. Two-thirds of respondents disposed of medicines with the household garbage and approximately one-quarter poured medicines down the drain. Only 17.6% of respondents had heard of the RUM Project, although, once informed, 91.7% stated that they would use it. Respondents ranked the risk of unintended ingestion as the most important public health message for future social marketing campaigns. Conclusions Respondents were largely unaware of the RUM Project, yet were willing to use it once informed. Limited awareness could lead to environmental or public health risks, and targeted information campaigns are needed. What is known about the topic? There is a growing international evidence base on how people dispose of unwanted medicines and the negative consequences, particularly the environmental effects of inappropriate disposal. Although insight into variation in disposal methods is increasing, knowledge of how people perceive risks and awareness of inappropriate disposal methods is more limited. What does this paper add? This study provides evidence of inappropriate medicines disposal and potential stockpiling of medicines in

  6. Faith, religion and feminist thought in sport, leisure and physical education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Benn, Tansin; Pfister, Gertrud Ursula

    2018-01-01

    The focus of this chapter is on the authors’ research into the experiences of Muslim women in sport and physical education. International studies with Muslim women in diverse situations have positioned the authors to reflect on the role that faith, religion and feminist thought have had on enabling...

  7. Effect of self-focusing on resonant third harmonic generation of laser in a rippled density plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaur, Sukhdeep; Sharma, A. K.; Yadav, Sushila

    2010-01-01

    Resonant third harmonic generation by a Gaussian laser beam in a rippled density plasma is studied. The laser ponderomotive force induces second harmonic longitudinal velocity on electrons that couples with the static density ripple to produce a density perturbation at 2ω,2k+q, where ω and k are the frequency and wave number of the laser and q is the ripple wave number of the laser. This density perturbation beats with electron oscillatory velocity at ω,k-vector to produce a nonlinear current driving the third harmonic generation. In the regime of quadratic nonlinearity, the self-focusing of the laser enhances the third harmonic power. However, at higher intensity, plasma density is significantly reduced on the axis, detuning the third harmonic resonance and weakening the harmonic yield. Self-focusing causes enhancement in the efficiency of harmonic generation.

  8. Focus on Formative Feedback communication and self-regulated learning – a study in compulsory schools

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirkegaard, Preben Olund

    This study addresses the conceptual challenge of providing students in compulsory schools with good quality formative feedback to enhance self-regulated learning in social interactions. Resent educational research indicates that social communicative interactions in the classroom, with a focus...... qualitative data from video recorded teaching sessions and student group interviews. Methodologically we are inspired by the ethnographical classroom research method. The empirical basis for studying these aspects is data from two compulsory schools in Denmark. This study is a work in progress. Our findings...... on formative feedback, hold the potential to enhance students learning. Self-regulated learning is highly pertinent and can be seen as one of the most import skills for the 21st century learner. We argue that formative feedbackcommunication in interactions is crucial for students to develop self...

  9. Video Game Violence and the Female Game Player: Self- and Opponent Gender Effects on Presence and Aggressive Thoughts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eastin, Matthew S.

    2006-01-01

    Adding depth and breadth to the general aggression model, this paper presents three experiments that test the relationships among user and opponent gender representation, opponent type, presence, and aggressive thoughts from violent video game play. Studies 1 and 2 suggest that females experience greater presence and more aggressive thoughts from…

  10. Self-Definition in Thought, Action, and Life Path Choices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkins, Sharon Rae

    1996-01-01

    Internally-developed identity and behavior patterns were related to plans, actions, rationales, and life outcomes over 14 years in a sample of 118 women. Self-defining women showed more autonomy in personal relationship and took more initiatives than socially-defined women, who reported more career indecision and more role conflict. (JPS)

  11. Abortion and mental health : A longitudinal study of common mental disorders among women who terminated an unwanted pregnancy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Ditzhuijzen, J.M.

    2017-01-01

    In the last decade there has been renewed interest in the question whether termination of an unwanted pregnancy is linked to subsequent mental health disorders. Most research in this field is characterized by methodological limitations, and conclusions often remain disputable. To offer insight in

  12. Project governance: "Schools of thought"

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michiel Christiaan Bekker

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The terminology, definition and context of project governance have become a focal subject for research and discussions in project management literature. This article reviews literature on the subject of project governance and categorise the arguments into three schools of thought namely the single-firm school, multi-firm school and large capital school. The single-firm school is concerned with governance principles related to internal organisational projects and practice these principles at a technical level. The multi-firm school address the governance principles concerned with two of more organisations participating on a contractual basis on the same project and focus their governance efforts at the technical and strategic level. The large capital school consider projects as temporary organisations, forming their own entity and establishing governance principles at an institutional level. From these schools of thought it can be concluded that the definition of project governance is dependent on the type of project and hierarchical positioning in the organisation. It is also evident that further research is required to incorporate other governance variables and mechanisms such as transaction theory, social networks and agency theory. The development of project governance frameworks should also consider the complexity of projects spanning across international companies, across country borders and incorporating different value systems, legal systems, corporate governance guidelines, religions and business practices.

  13. Depression, automatic thoughts, alexithymia, and assertiveness in patients with tension-type headache.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yücel, Basak; Kora, Kaan; Ozyalçín, Süleyman; Alçalar, Nilüfer; Ozdemir, Ozay; Yücel, Aysen

    2002-03-01

    The role of psychological factors related to headache has long been a focus of investigation. The aim of this study was to evaluate depression, automatic thoughts, alexithymia, and assertiveness in persons with tension-type headache and to compare the results with those from healthy controls. One hundred five subjects with tension-type headache (according to the criteria of the International Headache Society classification) and 70 controls were studied. The Beck Depression Inventory, Automatic Thoughts Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Rathus Assertiveness Schedule were administered to both groups. Sociodemographic variables and headache features were evaluated via a semistructured scale. Compared with healthy controls, the subjects with headache had significantly higher scores on measures of depression, automatic thoughts, and alexithymia and lower scores on assertiveness. Subjects with chronic tension-type headache had higher depression and automatic thoughts scores than those with episodic tension-type headache. These findings suggested that persons with tension-type headache have high depression scores and also may have difficulty with expression of their emotions. Headache frequency appears to influence the likelihood of coexisting depression.

  14. Self-management Experiences of Older Korean Women With Urinary Incontinence: A Descriptive Qualitative Study Using Focus Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sunah; Yeoum, SoonGyo; Kim, Yoonjung; Kwon, Hye Jin

    The purpose of this study was to explore the self-management experiences of Korean women with urinary incontinence (UI). Descriptive, qualitative study using focus groups. Twenty-two community-dwelling women, 65 years and older, participated in 3 focus-group interviews. Participants were recruited from 2 elderly halls and 1 senior welfare center in South Korea. Three focus group interviews comprising 6 to 8 individuals were conducted in a quiet venue at the elderly hall or senior welfare center. Two investigators performed the interviews; one acted as moderator and one as notetaker; interviews began with scripted open-ended questions. All interviews were electronically recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using an inductive thematic approach, data were first analyzed by the first and second authors; and all 4 authors contributed to coding and agreed on final themes. Korean women perceived UI as a loss of dignity, an odor problem, an uncontrollable disease, and a life impairment. Thematic analysis revealed 4 themes regarding the self-management experience of UI: preserving self-respect in the sociocultural environment, deodorizing the smell, keeping the secret of uncontrollability, and adjusting to an impaired life. Women in this study used various daily-living strategies to manage UI, but they mainly implemented strategies to keep UI a secret, including restrictions in activities of daily living. Educational approaches are needed to inform women with UI about more effective management skills.

  15. Exploring Thought Leadership, Thought Liberation and Critical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, 2015 ... peripheral position that the African continent occupies in the global ... Gumede: Exploring Thought Leadership, and Critical Consciousness ... and seemingly incapable of creative endeavours. ...... origin', Journal of Peace Research 9 (2): 105–20.

  16. Psychopathology and Thought Suppression: A Quantitative Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magee, Joshua C.; Harden, K. Paige; Teachman, Bethany A.

    2012-01-01

    Recent theories of psychopathology have suggested that thought suppression intensifies the persistence of intrusive thoughts, and proposed that difficulty with thought suppression may differ between groups with and without psychopathology. The current meta-analytic review evaluates empirical evidence for difficulty with thought suppression as a function of the presence and specific type of psychopathology. Based on theoretical proposals from the psychopathology literature, diagnosed and analogue samples were expected to show greater recurrence of intrusive thoughts during thought suppression attempts than non-clinical samples. However, results showed no overall differences in the recurrence of thoughts due to thought suppression between groups with and without psychopathology. There was, nevertheless, variation in the recurrence of thoughts across different forms of psychopathology, including relatively less recurrence during thought suppression for samples with symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, compared to non-clinical samples. However, these differences were typically small and provided only mixed support for existing theories. Implications for cognitive theories of intrusive thoughts are discussed, including proposed mechanisms underlying thought suppression. PMID:22388007

  17. Self-reflection in cognitive behavioural therapy and supervision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasko, Jan; Mozny, Petr; Novotny, Miroslav; Slepecky, Milos; Vyskocilova, Jana

    2012-12-01

    ability to perceive other people's inner emotions, kindles altruism, and increases attunement to subtle signals indicating what others need or want. Self-reflection may be practised by the therapists themselves using traditional cognitive behavioural therapy techniques, or it may be learned in the course of supervision. If therapists are unable to recognize their own thoughts and feelings, or the effects of their attitudes in a therapeutic situation, then they are helpless against these thoughts and feelings, which may control the therapist's behaviour to the disadvantage of the client and therapist alike. Training and supervision focused on self-reflection are beneficial to both supervisees and their clients. The more experienced the supervisor is, the more self-reflection used in therapy and supervision.

  18. Monitoring, metacognition, and executive function: elucidating the role of self-reflection in the development of self-regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyons, Kristen E; Zelazo, Philip David

    2011-01-01

    While an abundance of research has investigated the development of the automatic and controlled processes through which individuals control their thoughts, emotions, and actions, less research has emphasized the role of the self in self-regulation. This chapter synthesizes four literatures that have examined the mechanisms through which the individual acts in a managerial role, evaluating the current status of the system and initiating regulatory actions as necessary. Taken together, these literatures (on executive function, error monitoring, metacognition, and uncertainty monitoring) suggest that self-reflection plays a critical role in self-regulation, and that developmental improvements in self-reflection (via increasing levels of conscious awareness and enhanced calibration of monitoring systems) may serve as driving forces underlying developmental improvement (and temperamental individual differences) in children's ability to control their thoughts and actions.

  19. An Examination of Social and Psychological Influences on Academic Learning: A Focus on Self-Esteem, Social Relationships, and Personal Interest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phan, Huy P.; Ngu, Bing H.

    2018-01-01

    The present study focused on an examination of both "global" and "domain-specific self-esteems" in secondary mathematics learning. The extent to which self-esteem, in general, would account and explain educational success through "social relationships with teachers" and "peers", and "personal interest…

  20. Relationships between thought-action fusion, thought suppression and obsessive-compulsive symptoms: a structural equation modeling approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rassin, E; Muris, P; Schmidt, H; Merckelbach, H

    2000-09-01

    Research has shown that there are strong similarities in content between the obsessions and compulsions that characterize obsessive-compulsive disorder and nonclinical obsessions and compulsions. However, clinical and nonclinical obsessions and compulsions do differ with respect to characteristics like frequency, intensity, discomfort and elicited resistance. Two separate concepts have been invoked to explain how normal obsessions and compulsions may develop into clinical phenomena. First, it is suggested that thought-action fusion (TAF) contributes to obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Second, thought suppression may intensify obsessive-compulsive symptoms due to its paradoxical effect on intrusive thoughts. Although both phenomena have been found to contribute to obsessive-compulsive symptoms, possible interactions between these two have never been investigated. The current study explored how TAF and thought suppression interact in the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Undergraduate psychology students (N = 173) completed questionnaires pertaining to TAF, thought suppression and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Covariances between the scores on these questionnaires were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling. Results suggest that TAF triggers thought suppression, while thought suppression, in turn, promotes obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

  1. effect of the plasma ion channel on self-focusing of a Gaussian laser pulse in underdense plasma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sh Irani

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available  We have considered the self-focusing of a Gaussian laser pulse in unmagnetized plasma. High-intensity electromagnetic fields cause the variation of electron density in plasma. These changes in the special conditions cause the acceleration of electrons to the higher energy and velocities. Thus the equation of plasma density evolution was obtained considering the electrons ponderomotive force. Then, an equation for the width of laser pulse with a relativistic mass correction term and the effect of ion channel were derived and the propagation of high-intensity laser pulse in an underdense plasma with weak relativistic approximation was investigated. It is shown that the ratio of ion channel radius to spot size could result in different forms of self focusing for the laser pulse in plasma.

  2. Unwanted parenthood: Romanticism and Kant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krstić Predrag

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Over the Romantic reception of Kant, the author attempts to show a relationship between the Romanticism and the Enlightenment. First part of the paper reconstructs the social conditions that created the strange path of transformation of parts of Kant’s teachings in the romantic motifs. The second part follows the theoretical precomposition of Kant’s thought in Fichte and expressly deviation from it in Novalis and Schlegel. Third section presents the key moments of the Romantic critique of the Enlightenment mind, and fourth its ambiguous pracital-political effects. In conclusion, it is suggested that Romanticism tested and testified the transcending of limits of the very freedom for which Kant believed that man becomes worthy of only if it is used in a lawful and purposeful manner.

  3. Basic self-knowledge and transparency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borgoni, Cristina

    2018-01-01

    Cogito -like judgments, a term coined by Burge (1988), comprise thoughts such as, I am now thinking , I [hereby] judge that Los Angeles is at the same latitude as North Africa, or I [hereby] intend to go to the opera tonight. It is widely accepted that we form cogito -like judgments in an authoritative and not merely empirical manner. We have privileged self-knowledge of the mental state that is self-ascribed in a cogito -like judgment. Thus, models of self-knowledge that aim to explain privileged self-knowledge should have the resources to explain the special self-knowledge involved in cogito judgments. My objective in this paper is to examine whether a transparency model of self-knowledge (i.e., models based on Evans ' 1982 remarks) can provide such an explanation: granted that cogito judgments are paradigmatic cases of privileged self-knowledge, does the transparency procedure explain why this is so? The paper advances a negative answer, arguing that the transparency procedure cannot generate the type of thought constitutive of cogito judgments.

  4. Enactment of one-to-many communication may induce self-focused attention that leads to diminished perspective taking: The case of Facebook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Bin Chiou

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Social networking sites (SNSs provide users with an efficient interface for distributing information, such as photos or wall posts, to many others simultaneously. We demonstrated experimentally that this type of indiscriminate one-to-many (i.e., monologue communication may induce self-focused attention and thereby impair perspective taking. The present study used multiple paradigms to explore the link between engaging in online one-to-many communication and a decrease in perspective taking. Experiment 1 revealed that Facebookers who published a personal photo to the public or their friends were less likely to adopt another person's visual perspective than were those in the control group. Experiment 2 showed that Facebookers who engaged in indiscriminate one-to-many wall posting were more likely than those in the control group to rely heavily on their own perspectives. A state of self-focus, as measured by greater Stroop interference in naming the color of self-relevant versus neutral words, mediated the detrimental effect of indiscriminate one-to-many communication on cognitive perspective taking. These findings suggest that indiscriminate one-to-many communication on SNSs may promote public self-focus, leading to self-referential processing when making social judgments. Online monologue communication may be more harmful to perspective taking than previously understood.

  5. Self-reported sexual assault in convicted sex offenders and community men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Widman, Laura; Olson, Michael A; Bolen, Rebecca M

    2013-05-01

    Although self-reported sexual assault perpetrated by men against women has been well documented among college men, less is known about self-reported perpetration among convicted sex offenders and community men. This study provides unique descriptive and comparative information on sexual assaults in these understudied populations. Participants were 40 convicted sex offenders and 49 demographically comparable community men who completed the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES; Abbey, Parkhill, & Koss, 2005; Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987) and other surveys to capture the promiscuous sex and hostile masculinity pathways posited by the confluence model (Malamuth, 2003). We found notably few differences between sex offenders and community men in the rate and severity of sexual assault perpetration and the tactics used to obtain unwanted sexual contact. Specifically, 68% of sex offenders and 59% of community men acknowledged they had perpetrated sexual assault. Both groups used guilt and anger as the most frequent tactics to obtain unwanted sexual activity from their female victims. Consistent with the confluence model, an impersonal orientation toward sexual relationships was associated with sexual assault for both sex offenders and community men. Future directions for research on sexual assault perpetration and violence prevention efforts are discussed in light of these findings.

  6. Suicidal thoughts/acts and clinical correlates in patients with depressive disorders in Asians: results from the REAP-AD study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Seon-Cheol; Lee, Min-Soo; Hahn, Sang Woo; Si, Tian-Mei; Kanba, Shigenobu; Chong, Mian-Yoon; Yoon, Chee Kok; Udomratn, Pichet; Tripathi, Adarsh; Sartorius, Norman; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Maramis, Margarita M; Park, Yong Chon

    2016-12-01

    Using data from the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns for Antidepressants (REAP-AD) study, we aimed to present the rates and clinical correlates of suicidal thoughts/acts in patients recruited from a total of 40 centres in 10 Asian countries/areas: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Data from 1122 patients with depressive disorders in the REAP-AD study were used. The ICD-10 was employed to diagnose depressive episodes and recurrent depressive disorder. The presence or absence of suicidal thoughts/acts and profile of other depressive symptoms was established using the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for depression. Country/area differences in rates of suicidal thoughts/acts were evaluated with the χ2 test. In addition, depressive symptom profiles, other clinical characteristics, and patterns of psychotropic drug prescription in depressed patients with and without suicidal thoughts/acts were compared using analysis of covariance for continuous variables and logistic regression analysis for discrete variables to adjust the effects of covariates. The rates of suicidal thoughts/acts in 10 countries/areas varied from 12.8% in Japan to 36.3% in China. Patients with suicidal thoughts/acts presented more persistent sadness (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=2.64, p<0.001), loss of interest (aOR=2.33, p<0.001), fatigue (aOR=1.58, p<0.001), insomnia (aOR=1.74, p<0.001), poor concentration (aOR=1.88, p<0.001), low self-confidence (aOR=1.78, p<0.001), poor appetite (aOR=2.27, p<0.001), guilt/self-blame (aOR=3.03, p<0.001), and use of mood stabilisers (aOR=1.79, p<0.001) than those without suicidal thoughts/acts. Suicidal thoughts/acts can indicate greater severity of depression, and are associated with a poorer response to antidepressants and increased burden of illness. Hence, suicidal thoughts/acts can provide a clinical index reflecting the clinical status of depressive

  7. Pain, physical functioning, and overeating in obese rheumatoid arthritis patients: do thoughts about pain and eating matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Somers, Tamara J; Wren, Anava A; Blumenthal, James A; Caldwell, David; Huffman, Kim M; Keefe, Francis J

    2014-08-01

    Obese rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have higher levels of pain, disability, and disease activity than do nonobese patients with RA. Patients' health-related thoughts about arthritis and weight may be important to consider in obese patients with RA who face the dual challenge of managing RA and weight. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships of pain catastrophizing, self-efficacy (ie, confidence) for arthritis management and self-efficacy for weight management to important outcomes in obese patients with RA. We expected that after controlling for demographic and medical variables, higher levels of pain catastrophizing and lower levels of confidence would account for significant and unique variance in pain, physical functioning, and overeating. Participants had a diagnosis of RA and a body mass index of 28 kg/m or greater and completed self-report questionnaires assessing pain, physical functioning, overeating, pain catastrophizing, self-efficacy for arthritis management, self-efficacy for weight management, and a 6-minute walk test. Pain catastrophizing, self-efficacy for arthritis, and self-efficacy for weight management were significantly and uniquely related to RA-related outcomes. Pain catastrophizing was a significant independent predictor of pain severity (β = 0.38); self-efficacy for arthritis was a significant independent predictor of self-report physical functioning (β = -0.37) and the 6-minute walk performance (β = 0.44), and self-efficacy for weight management was a significant independent predictor of overeating (β = -0.58). Pain catastrophizing, self-efficacy for arthritis, and self-efficacy for weight management each contributed uniquely to relate to key outcomes in obese patients with RA. Clinicians should consider assessment of thought processes when assessing and intervening with patients who face dual health challenges; unique intervention approaches may be needed for addressing the challenges of arthritis and weight.

  8. The role of self-treatment guidelines in self-management education for adult asthmatics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Palen, Jacobus Adrianus Maria; Klein, J.J.; Zielhuis, G.A.; van Herwaarden, C.L.A.

    1998-01-01

    Guidelines on asthma management have changed considerably in the last two decades. Patient education has gained in popularity and especially asthma self-management training is thought to be essential in the treatment of adult asthma. Since 1989 many researchers have added self-treatment guidelines

  9. The relationship between therapeutic alliance and patient's suicidal thoughts, self-harming behaviours and suicide attempts: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunster-Page, Charlotte; Haddock, Gillian; Wainwright, Laura; Berry, Katherine

    2017-12-01

    Suicidality is a common concern for people with mental health problems. The interpersonal nature of suicidality suggests that therapeutic alliance may be important when working clinically with suicidal patients. This paper is a systematic review of studies investigating the association between alliance and treatment outcome relating to suicidal ideation and behaviours. Systematic searches of PsychINFO, MEDLINE, AMED, EMBASE, Web of Science and CINAHL were completed using words that captured the concepts of alliance and suicidality. Eligible studies: involved participants aged 18-years-old or over; used a validated measure of therapeutic alliance; and reported associations between alliance and suicidality. Abstracts, qualitative studies and articles not written in English were excluded. Twelve studies were included. Findings indicated that alliance is associated with suicidality. Alliance was related to suicidality in eleven of the papers. Self-harming behaviours had the strongest association with patient-rated alliance. Suicide attempts had the weakest association, possibly due to the infrequency of suicide attempts in the studies reviewed. The twelve studies were heterogeneous in terms of the measure of alliance used, method of assessing suicidality, clinical setting and professional-type. This variability limited the degree to which findings could be synthesised. Therapists, care-coordinators and mental health teams should recognise the importance of building a strong therapeutic alliance with suicidal patients. Researchers should use consistent methods of measuring alliance and assessing suicidality in future studies. Clinicians and researchers should note that suicidal thoughts, self-harm and suicide attempts may be related to alliance in different ways and therefore should be assessed as separate constructs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Self-harm in young adolescents (12–16 years): onset and short-term continuation in a community sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background To investigate the prevalence of self-harm in young adolescents and factors associated with onset and continuity over a one year period. Method Prospective longitudinal study. Participants were young adolescents (n = 3964) aged 12–16 years attending 8 secondary schools in the Midlands and South West of England. Results Over a one year period 27% of young adolescents reported thoughts of self-harm and 15% reported at least one act of self-harm. Of those who self-harmed, less than one in five (18%) had sought help for psychological problems of anxiety or depression. Compared with boys, girls were at increased risk of developing thoughts (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.26-2.06) and acts (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.06-1.84) of self-harm, particularly amongst those girls in school year 9 (aged 13/14, thoughts adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 1.97, 95% CI 1.27-3.04; acts aOR 2.59, 95% CI 1.52-4.41). Of those reporting thoughts of self-harm at baseline, 60% also reported these thoughts at follow-up. Similarly 55% of those who reported an act of self-harm at baseline also reported that they had self-harmed at follow-up. Insecure peer relationships increased the likelihood that boys and girls would develop self-harming behaviours, as did being bullied for boys. Low mood was associated with the development of self-harming thoughts and behaviours for boys and girls, whilst a strong sense of school membership was associated with a reduced risk of developing thoughts of self-harm for boys and increased the likelihood of self-harming thoughts and behaviours ceasing for girls. Conclusion Self harm in young adolescents is common with one in four reporting self-harming thoughts and one in six engaging in self-harming behaviour over a one year period. Self-harm is already established by 12/13 years of age and for over half of our sample, self-harming thoughts and behaviour persisted over the year. Secure peer and strong school relationships were associated with less self-harm. Few seek help for

  11. Palaeo-philosophy: Complex and Concept in Archaic Patterns of Thought

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul S. MacDonald

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper argues that efforts to understand historically remote patterns of thought are driven away from their original meaning if the investigation focuses on reconstruction of concepts. It is simply not appropriate to be looking for an archaic concept of soul, name or dream, for example, when considering the earliest documents which attest to their writers’ (and others’ beliefs about certain types of phenomena. Instead, we propose to employ the notion of cognitive complex (as elaborated in the work of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Hallpike in order to investigate some important philosophical themes in Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Iranian, and Ancient Near Eastern documents. Our principal theoretical claim is that archaic thought does not work with concepts but with complexes whose salient features are an over-abundance of properties, an over-production of connections, and weakness in abstraction. The basic level of complex formation may be the most inclusive level at which it is possible to form a mental image. Specific studies are focused on ancient texts which exhibit archaic patterns of thought. In Egyptian texts, “manifestation” (kheperu seems to convey something which all categories of beings are capable of becoming, being and having, assuming and leaving; the “name” (ren was considered to be an essential component of the individual’s survival; symbolic representations, such as images and words, are causally connected to the ‘objects’ the image or word signifies. In ANE records the human etemmu was plainly the corpse or skeleton of the dead person; on the other hand it was also the shadowy, volatile image of what he was during life. In ANE records the baffling idea of the divine me referred to an entire cultural area, an acquisition of civilized life; but at the same time it is also the result of an invention, a divine decision. The complexes involved in these archaic ideas about soul, name and dream are ideas fused with their

  12. Self-awareness moderates the relation between maternal mental state language about desires and children's mental state vocabulary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taumoepeau, Mele; Ruffman, Ted

    2016-04-01

    In this intervention study, we tested the differential effect of talking about children's desires versus talking about others' thoughts and knowledge on children's acquisition of mental state vocabulary for children who did and did not have mirror self-recognition. In a sample of 96 mother-toddler dyads, each mother was randomly assigned a specially constructed, interactive lift-the-flap book to read to her child three times a week for 4 weeks. In the child desire condition the story elicited comments regarding the child's desires, and in the cognitive condition the story elicited the mother's comments about her own thoughts and knowledge while reading the story. Children's mirror self-recognition and mental state vocabulary were assessed at pre- and post-test. Children in the condition that focused on the child's desires showed a significantly greater increase in their mental state vocabulary; however, this effect was moderated by their levels of self-awareness, with children benefitting more from the intervention if they also showed self-recognition at pre-test. We argue that the combination of specific types of maternal talk and children's prior insights facilitates gains in children's mental state vocabulary. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Self-Esteem and Classroom Participation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, Thomas L.; Thomas, M. Duane

    1975-01-01

    According to the subscale of the Coopersmith Inventory specifically related to school self-esteem, college students with low self-esteem (1) say less in class, (2) contribute a smaller portion of their thoughts to class discussion, and (3) sit farther back in the classroom than the students with high self-esteem. (RC)

  14. Attending to "Culture in the Small": A Narrative Analysis of the Role of Play, Thought and Music in Young Children's World-Making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrett, Margaret S.

    2016-01-01

    Whilst the role of interactive play, thought and language in children's development has been acknowledged, less is known of the role of interactive play, thought and "music." Children's early music-making is both generative and performative in nature and provides a means by which they engage with self and others. Their independent…

  15. How Self-Evaluation can make schools more effective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davide Capperucci

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Recent European and North American government policies, implementing new systems of evaluation and accountability, have highlighted the use of performance data to inform judgments about schools and stimulate school improvement. This has led to the implementation of school self-evaluation considered as an effective means to increase school quality and effectiveness. Decentralization of education systems has promoted a broadening of educational evaluation methodologies and a conceptualization of theoretical approaches and research about school effectiveness and improvement.This study presents a self-evaluation model, called the ISSEMod, thought to improve school accountability, combining central control managed by public authorities (external control and the autonomy reserved for schools related to pedagogical, instructional and organizational practices (internal control. Using a sample of 58 Tuscan schools, an empirical and explorative model of school self-evaluation focused on a flexible system of areas and indicators to investigate and analyse school quality, is proposed here.

  16. The Role of Cognitive Factors in Childhood Social Anxiety: Social Threat Thoughts and Social Skills Perception.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Niekerk, Rianne E; Klein, Anke M; Allart-van Dam, Esther; Hudson, Jennifer L; Rinck, Mike; Hutschemaekers, Giel J M; Becker, Eni S

    2017-01-01

    Models of cognitive processing in anxiety disorders state that socially anxious children display several distorted cognitive processes that maintain their anxiety. The present study investigated the role of social threat thoughts and social skills perception in relation to childhood trait and state social anxiety. In total, 141 children varying in their levels of social anxiety performed a short speech task in front of a camera and filled out self-reports about their trait social anxiety, state anxiety, social skills perception and social threat thoughts. Results showed that social threat thoughts mediated the relationship between trait social anxiety and state anxiety after the speech task, even when controlling for baseline state anxiety. Furthermore, we found that children with higher trait anxiety and more social threat thoughts had a lower perception of their social skills, but did not display a social skills deficit. These results provide evidence for the applicability of the cognitive social anxiety model to children.

  17. What do general practitioners think about an online self-regulation programme for health promotion? Focus group interviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plaete, Jolien; Crombez, Geert; DeSmet, Ann; Deveugele, Myriam; Verloigne, Maïté; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

    2015-01-22

    Chronic diseases may be prevented through programmes that promote physical activity and healthy nutrition. Computer-tailoring programmes are effective in changing behaviour in the short- and long-term. An important issue is the implementation of these programmes in general practice. However, there are several barriers that hinder the adoption of eHealth programmes in general practice. This study explored the feasibility of an eHealth programme that was designed, using self-regulation principles. Seven focus group interviews (a total of 62 GPs) were organized to explore GPs' opinions about the feasibility of the eHealth programme for prevention in general practice. At the beginning of each focus group, GPs were informed about the principles of the self-regulation programme 'My Plan'. Open-ended questions were used to assess the opinion of GPs about the content and the use of the programme. The focus groups discussions were audio-taped, transcribed and thematically analysed via NVivo software. The majority of the GPs was positive about the use of self-regulation strategies and about the use of computer-tailored programmes in general practice. There were contradictory results about the delivery mode of the programme. GPs also indicated that the programme might be less suited for patients with a low educational level or for old patients. Overall, GPs are positive about the adoption of self-regulation techniques for health promotion in their practice. However, they raised doubts about the adoption in general practice. This barrier may be addressed (1) by offering various ways to deliver the programme, and (2) by allowing flexibility to match different work flow systems. GPs also believed that the acceptability and usability of the programme was low for patients who are old or with low education. The issues raised by GPs will need to be taken into account when developing and implementing an eHealth programme in general practice.

  18. Psychological characteristics, stressful life events and deliberate self-harm: findings from the Child & Adolescent Self-harm in Europe (CASE) Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madge, Nicola; Hawton, Keith; McMahon, Elaine M; Corcoran, Paul; De Leo, Diego; de Wilde, Erik Jan; Fekete, Sandor; van Heeringen, Kees; Ystgaard, Mette; Arensman, Ella

    2011-10-01

    There is evidence to suggest that both psychological characteristics and stressful life events are contributory factors in deliberate self-harm among young people. These links, and the possibility of a dose-response relationship between self-harm and both psychological health and life events, were investigated in the context of a seven-country school-based study. Over 30,000, mainly 15 and 16 year olds, completed anonymous questionnaires at secondary schools in Belgium, England, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Australia. Pupils were asked to report on thoughts and episodes of self-harm, complete scales on depression and anxiety symptoms, impulsivity and self-esteem and indicate stressful events in their lives. Level and frequency of self-harm was judged according to whether they had thought about harming themselves or reported single or multiple self-harm episodes. Multinomial logistic regression assessed the extent to which psychological characteristics and stressful life events distinguished between adolescents with different self-harm histories. Increased severity of self-harm history was associated with greater depression, anxiety and impulsivity and lower self-esteem and an increased prevalence of all ten life event categories. Female gender, higher impulsivity and experiencing the suicide or self-harm of others, physical or sexual abuse and worries about sexual orientation independently differentiated single-episode self-harmers from adolescents with self-harm thoughts only. Female gender, higher depression, lower self-esteem, experiencing the suicide or self-harm of others, and trouble with the police independently distinguished multiple- from single-episode self-harmers. The findings reinforce the importance of psychological characteristics and stressful life events in adolescent self-harm but nonetheless suggest that some factors are more likely than others to be implicated.

  19. "You've Changed": Low Self-Concept Clarity Predicts Lack of Support for Partner Change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emery, Lydia F; Gardner, Wendi L; Finkel, Eli J; Carswell, Kathleen L

    2018-03-01

    People often pursue self-change, and having a romantic partner who supports these changes increases relationship satisfaction. However, most existing research focuses only on the experience of the person who is changing. What predicts whether people support their partner's change? People with low self-concept clarity resist self-change, so we hypothesized that they would be unsupportive of their partner's changes. People with low self-concept clarity did not support their partner's change (Study 1a), because they thought they would have to change, too (Study 1b). Low self-concept clarity predicted failing to support a partner's change, but not vice versa (Studies 2 and 3), and only for larger changes (Study 3). Not supporting a partner's change predicted decreases in relationship quality for both members of the couple (Studies 2 and 3). This research underscores the role of partners in self-change, suggesting that failing to support a partner's change may stem from self-concept confusion.

  20. Psychometric properties of revised Thought-Action Fusion questionnaire (TAF-R) in an Iranian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pourfaraj, Majid; Mohammadi, Nourallah; Taghavi, Mohammadreza

    2008-12-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of Thought-Action Fusion revised scale (TAF-R; Amir, N., freshman, M., Ramsey, B., Neary, E., & Brigidi, B. (2001). Thought-action fusion in individuals with OCD symptoms. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 765-776) in a sample of 565 (321 female) students of Shiraz university. The results of factor analysis with using varimax rotation yielded eight factors that explained 80% variances of total scale. These factors are labeled: moral TAF, responsibility for positive thoughts, likelihood negative events, likelihood positive events, responsibility for negative thoughts, responsibility for harm avoidance, likelihood harm avoidance and likelihood self, respectively. The reliability coefficients of total scale are calculated by two methods: internal consistency and test-retest, which were 0.81 and 0.61, respectively. Concurrent validity showed that TAF-R scores positively and significantly correlate with responsibility, guilt and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Confirming the expectations, there were people with high obsessive-compulsive symptoms having higher TAF-R scores than those with low symptoms. Moreover, subscales-total correlations showed that the correlations between subscales were low, but subscales correlating with total score of TAF-R were moderated.

  1. Using Exploratory Focus Groups to Inform the Development of Targeted COPD Self-Management Education DVDs for Rural Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Stellefson

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This exploratory study assessed the self-management learning needs, experiences, and perspectives of COPD patients treated at a Certified Federal Rural Health Clinic to inform the development of a COPD self-management DVD. A purposive, homogeneous sample of COPD patients participated in focus group interviews. Data from these interviews were referenced to edit a library of Rvision COPD self-management DVDs into a single condensed DVD containing only the most pertinent self-management topics. Patients reported a lack of knowledge and skill development related to purse lipped breathing, controlled coughing, and stress management; while medication management skills were found to be quite adequate. Engaging rural communities in formal qualitative inquiries to describe COPD specific needs for self-management may lead to future use of educational technologies aimed at improving quality of life for these rural, hard to reach populations.

  2. Positioning of self-assembled InAs quantum dots by focused ion beam implantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mehta, M.

    2007-01-01

    Self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) are envisioned as building blocks for realization of novel nanoelectronic devices, for which the site-selective growth is highly desirable. This thesis presents a successful route toward selective positioning of self-assembled InAs QDs on patterned GaAs surface by combination of in situ focused ion beam (FIB) implantation and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technology. First, a buffer layer of GaAs was grown by MBE before a square array of holes with a pitch of 1-2 μm was fabricated by FIB implantation of Ga and In, ions respectively. Later, an in-situ annealing step followed by InAs deposition was performed. The InAs QDs were preferentially formed in the holes generated by FIB. The influence of ion dose, annealing parameters and InAs amount was investigated in this work. With optimized parameters, more than 50 % single dot occupancy per hole is achieved. Furthermore, the photoluminescence spectra from positioned QDs confirm their good optical quality. (orig.)

  3. On the origins of endogenous thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tillas, Alexandros

    2017-05-01

    Endogenous thoughts are thoughts that we activate in a top-down manner or in the absence of the appropriate stimuli. We use endogenous thoughts to plan or recall past events. In this sense, endogenous thinking is one of the hallmarks of our cognitive lives. In this paper, I investigate how it is that we come to possess endogenous control over our thoughts. Starting from the close relation between language and thinking, I look into speech production-a process motorically controlled by the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Interestingly, IFG is also closely related to silent talking, as well as volition. The connection between IFG and volition is important given that endogenous thoughts are or at least greatly resemble voluntary actions. Against this background, I argue that IFG is key to understanding the origins of conscious endogenous thoughts. Furthermore, I look into goal-directed thinking and show that IFG plays a key role also in unconscious endogenous thinking.

  4. Standardizing terms, definitions and concepts for describing and interpreting unwanted immunogenicity of biopharmaceuticals: recommendations of the Innovative Medicines Initiative ABIRISK consortium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rup, B.; Pallardy, M.; Sikkema, D.; Albert, T.; Allez, M.; Broet, P.; Carini, C.; Creeke, P.; Davidson, J.; de Vries, N. [=Niek; Finco, D.; Fogdell-Hahn, A.; Havrdova, E.; Hincelin-Mery, A.; C Holland, M.; H Jensen, P. E.; Jury, E. C.; Kirby, H.; Kramer, D.; Lacroix-Desmazes, S.; Legrand, J.; Maggi, E.; Maillère, B.; Mariette, X.; Mauri, C.; Mikol, V.; Mulleman, D.; Oldenburg, J.; Paintaud, G.; R Pedersen, C.; Ruperto, N.; Seitz, R.; Spindeldreher, S.; Deisenhammer, F.

    2015-01-01

    Biopharmaceuticals (BPs) represent a rapidly growing class of approved and investigational drug therapies that is contributing significantly to advancing treatment in multiple disease areas, including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, genetic deficiencies and cancer. Unfortunately, unwanted

  5. Bad thoughts: Brazilian women's responses to mothering while experiencing postnatal depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Hudson Pires Oliveira; Sandelowski, Margarete; Gualda, Dulce Maria Rosa

    2014-06-01

    this study explores Brazilian women's experiences of mothering of their infants while experiencing postnatal depression. a cross-language qualitative descriptive design. the sample was composed of 15 women diagnosed with postnatal depression in a psychiatric institute in São Paulo, Brazil. Open-ended interviews were conducted and the data underwent thematic analysis. 13 women worried that harm would come to their infants. Seven of these women self-identified as potential sources of harm, with two women physically hurting their infants. The remaining six women worried about unknown agents, such as disease, hurting their infants. In response to these bad thoughts, women mothered their infants in one of four ways: (1) transferred care, completely delegating this task to family members; (2) shared care, asking family members to share the responsibility; (3) sole care, having to look after their infants by themselves because they had no available family support; (4) and smother care, being hyper-vigilant, constantly watching their infants and not trusting infant care to anyone else. the bad thoughts influenced the women's adaptation to mothering their infants. Health professionals should assess these thoughts early in the postnatal period and the women's mothering responses for the protection of mother and child. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  6. Exploring the thoughts and focus of attention of elite musicians under pressure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buma, L.A.; Bakker, F.C.; Oudejans, R.R.D.

    2015-01-01

    Although musicians often have to perform under high pressure, there is little systematic research into the foci of attention needed to maintain performance in such situations. In the current study, we asked elite musicians to report what they focus on and think about during moments of high pressure,

  7. The thought-action fusion scale: further evidence for its reliability and validity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rassin, E; Merckelbach, H; Muris, P; Schmidt, H

    2001-05-01

    Thought-action fusion (TAF) refers to a set of cognitive biases that are thought to play a role in the development of obsessional phenomena. To measure these biases, R. Shafran, D. S. Thordarson, and S. Rachman (1996; Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 10, 379-391) developed the TAF-scale. They concluded that the TAF-scale possesses adequate psychometric qualities. The current study sought to further explore the reliability and validity of the TAF-scale. Results indicate that the TAF-scale has good internal consistency. TAF-scores correlated with self-reports of obsessional problems. Furthermore, mean scores in a mixed sample of anxiety disordered patients were higher than those in a normal sample. However, temporal consistency was somewhat disappointing. Also, the question remains whether TAF is specific to obsessive-compulsive disorder or taps more pervasive biases that play a role in a variety of disorders.

  8. Thought and Language in Cognitive Science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Destéfano, Mariela

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available In cognitive science, the discussion about the relations between language and thought is very heterogeneous. It involves developments on linguistics, philosophy, psychology, etc. Carruthers and Boucher (1998 identify different criteria that would organize the diversity of positions about language and thought assumed in linguistics, philosophy and psychology. One of them is the constitution thesis (CT, which establishes that language is constitutively involved in thought. In this paper I would like to show some problems of CT in order to understand the relation between language and thought in cognitive science.

  9. The focus factor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nicolaisen, Jeppe; Frandsen, Tove Faber

    2015-01-01

    Introduction. We present a new bibliometric indicator to measure journal specialisation over time, named the focus factor. This new indicator is based on bibliographic coupling and counts the percentage of re-citations given in subsequent years. Method. The applicability of the new indicator....... To validate re-citations as caused by specialisation, other possible causes were measured and correlated (obsolescence, journal self-citations and number of references). Results. The results indicate that the focus factor is capable of distinguishing between general and specialised journals and thus...... effectively measures the intended phenomenon (i.e., journal specialisation). Only weak correlations were found between journal re-citations and obsolescence, journal self-citations, and number of references. Conclusions. The focus factor successfully measures journal specialisation over time. Measures based...

  10. Patient self-management and pharmacist-led patient self-management in Hong Kong: A focus group study from different healthcare professionals' perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wong Eliza LY

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Patient self-management is a key approach to manage non-communicable diseases. A pharmacist-led approach in patient self-management means collaborative care between pharmacists and patients. However, the development of both patient self-management and role of pharmacists is limited in Hong Kong. The objectives of this study are to understand the perspectives of physicians, pharmacists, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM practitioners, and dispensers on self-management of patients with chronic conditions, in addition to exploring the possibilities of developing pharmacist-led patient self-management in Hong Kong. Methods Participants were invited through the University as well as professional networks. Fifty-one participants comprised of physicians, pharmacists, TCM practitioners and dispensers participated in homogenous focus group discussions. Perspectives in patient self-management and pharmacist-led patient self-management were discussed. The discussions were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed accordingly. Results The majority of the participants were in support of patients with stable chronic diseases engaging in self-management. Medication compliance, monitoring of disease parameters and complications, lifestyle modification and identifying situations to seek help from health professionals were generally agreed to be covered in patient self-management. All pharmacists believed that they had extended roles in addition to drug management but the other three professionals believed that pharmacists were drug experts only and could only play an assisting role. Physicians, TCM practitioners, and dispensers were concerned that pharmacist-led patient self-management could be hindered, due to unfamiliarity with the pharmacy profession, the perception of insufficient training in disease management, and lack of trust of patients. Conclusions An effective chronic disease management model should involve patients in stable

  11. Foundational Tests of the Need-Support Model: A Framework for Bridging Regulatory Focus Theory and Self-Determination Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaughn, Leigh Ann

    2017-03-01

    This article introduces the need-support model, which proposes that regulatory focus can affect subjective support for the needs proposed by self-determination theory (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and support of these needs can affect subjective labeling of experiences as promotion-focused and prevention-focused. Three studies tested these hypotheses ( N = 2,114). Study 1 found that people recall more need support in promotion-focused experiences than in prevention-focused experiences, and need support in their day yesterday (with no particular regulatory focus) fell in between. Study 2 found that experiences of higher need support were more likely to be labeled as promotion-focused rather than prevention-focused, and that each need accounted for distinct variance in the labeling of experiences. Study 3 varied regulatory focus within a performance task and found that participants in the promotion condition engaged in need-support inflation, whereas participants in the prevention condition engaged in need-support deflation. Directions for future research are discussed.

  12. Guided wave imaging of oblique reflecting interfaces in pipes using common-source synthetic focusing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Zeqing; Sun, Anyu; Ju, Bing-Feng

    2018-04-01

    Cross-mode-family mode conversion and secondary reflection of guided waves in pipes complicate the processing of guided waves signals, and can cause false detection. In this paper, filters operating in the spectral domain of wavenumber, circumferential order and frequency are designed to suppress the signal components of unwanted mode-family and unwanted traveling direction. Common-source synthetic focusing is used to reconstruct defect images from the guided wave signals. Simulations of the reflections from linear oblique defects and a semicircle defect are separately implemented. Defect images, which are reconstructed from the simulation results under different excitation conditions, are comparatively studied in terms of axial resolution, reflection amplitude, detectable oblique angle and so on. Further, the proposed method is experimentally validated by detecting linear cracks with various oblique angles (10-40°). The proposed method relies on the guided wave signals that are captured during 2-D scanning of a cylindrical area on the pipe. The redundancy of the signals is analyzed to reduce the time-consumption of the scanning process and to enhance the practicability of the proposed method.

  13. Attentional Lapses in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Blank Rather Than Wandering Thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van den Driessche, Charlotte; Bastian, Mikaël; Peyre, Hugo; Stordeur, Coline; Acquaviva, Éric; Bahadori, Sara; Delorme, Richard; Sackur, Jérôme

    2017-10-01

    People with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulties sustaining their attention on external tasks. Such attentional lapses have often been characterized as the simple opposite of external sustained attention, but the different types of attentional lapses, and the subjective experiences to which they correspond, remain unspecified. In this study, we showed that unmedicated children (ages 6-12) with ADHD, when probed during a standard go/no-go task, reported more mind blanking (a mental state characterized by the absence of reportable content) than did control participants. This increase in mind blanking happened at the expense of both focused and wandering thoughts. We also found that methylphenidate reverted the level of mind blanking to baseline (i.e., the level of mind blanking reported by control children without ADHD). However, this restoration led to mind wandering more than to focused attention. In a second experiment, we extended these findings to adults who had subclinical ADHD. These results suggest that executive functions impaired in ADHD are required not only to sustain external attention but also to maintain an internal train of thought.

  14. Can I get me out of my head? Exploring strategies for controlling the self-referential aspects of the mind-wandering state during reading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, Jet G; Wang, Hao-Ting; Schooler, Jonathan; Smallwood, Jonathan

    2017-06-01

    Trying to focus on a piece of text and keep unrelated thoughts at bay can be a surprisingly futile experience. The current study explored the effects of different instructions on participants' capacity to control their mind-wandering and maximize reading comprehension, while reading. Participants were instructed to (a) enhance focus on what was read (external) or (b) enhance meta-awareness of mind-wandering (internal). To understand when these strategies were important, we induced a state of self-focus in half of our participants at the beginning of the experiment. Results replicated the negative association between mind-wandering and comprehension and demonstrated that both internal and external instructions impacted on the efficiency of reading following a period of induced self-focus. Techniques that foster meta-awareness improved task focus but did so at the detriment of reading comprehension, while promoting a deeper engagement while reading improved comprehension with no changes in reported mind-wandering. These data provide insight into how we can control mind-wandering and improve comprehension, and they underline that a state of self-focus is a condition under which they should be employed. Furthermore, these data support component process models that propose that the self-referent mental contents that arise during mind-wandering are distinguishable from those processes that interfere with comprehension.

  15. [An evaluation of some of the relationships between thought-action fusion, attributional styles, and depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piri, Serap; Kabakçi, Elif

    2007-01-01

    Thought-action fusion (TAF) is a cognitive bias presumed to underlie the development of obsessional problems. Two domains of TAF have been identified. The first, TAF-moral, is characterized by the belief that having morally unacceptable thoughts is as bad as actually carrying them out. The second, TAF-likelihood, refers to the belief that certain thoughts cause particular events. The event can be related to one's self (likelihood-self) or to someone else (likelihood-others). The other cognitive variable of the study is attributional style. The theory of attributional styles, in terms of the causes of good and bad events, is taken into account especially in the context of depression and has four dimensions: internality-externality, stability-instability, globality-specifity, and importance-unimportance. The first objective of the present study was to investigate the relationships between TAF, and attributional style, and depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The second objective was to determine the predictors of TAF when the effects of depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms are statistically controlled. The sample consisted of 312 students randomly selected from different departments at Hacettepe University. The Thought-Action Fusion Scale (TAFS), Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered to these students. The correlations among all the subtypes of TAF (TAF-moral, likelihood-self, and likelihood-others), and the global attributions for bad events, BDI, and MOCI were significant. In addition, the correlation between TAF-moral and the importance of the attribution for bad events was significant. TAF-likelihood-others and TAF-likelihood-self were predicted by global attributions for bad events and TAF-moral was predicted by the importance of the attributions for bad events. TAF, and attributional styles, and depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms

  16. Birth of a Canon: The Historiography of Early Republican Educational Thought. Historiographical Essay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moroney, Siobhan

    1999-01-01

    Focuses on Allen O. Hansen's "Liberalism and American Education in the Eighteenth Century" and Frederick Rudolph's "Essays on Education in the Early Republic." Explores the influence of Hansen and Rudolph on other works of educational thought. Contends that a more accurate picture of the early republic is needed. (CMK)

  17. A theoretical and empirical review of the death-thought accessibility concept in terror management research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayes, Joseph; Schimel, Jeff; Arndt, Jamie; Faucher, Erik H

    2010-09-01

    Terror management theory (TMT) highlights the motivational impact of thoughts of death in various aspects of everyday life. Since its inception in 1986, research on TMT has undergone a slight but significant shift from an almost exclusive focus on the manipulation of thoughts of death to a marked increase in studies that measure the accessibility of death-related cognition. Indeed, the number of death-thought accessibility (DTA) studies in the published literature has grown substantially in recent years. In light of this increasing reliance on the DTA concept, the present article is meant to provide a comprehensive theoretical and empirical review of the literature employing this concept. After discussing the roots of DTA, the authors outline the theoretical refinements to TMT that have accompanied significant research findings associated with the DTA concept. Four distinct categories (mortality salience, death association, anxiety-buffer threat, and dispositional) are derived to organize the reviewed DTA studies, and the theoretical implications of each category are discussed. Finally, a number of lingering empirical and theoretical issues in the DTA literature are discussed with the aim of stimulating and focusing future research on DTA specifically and TMT in general.

  18. Self-Focusing and the Talbot Effect in Conformal Transformation Optics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiangyang; Chen, Huanyang; Liu, Hui; Xu, Lin; Sheng, Chong; Zhu, Shining

    2017-07-21

    Transformation optics has been used to propose various novel optical devices. With the help of metamaterials, several intriguing designs, such as invisibility cloaks, have been implemented. However, as the basic units should be much smaller than the working wavelengths to achieve the effective material parameters, and the sizes of devices should be much larger than the wavelengths of illumination to work within the light-ray approximation, it is a big challenge to implement an experimental system that works simultaneously for both geometric optics and wave optics. In this Letter, by using a gradient-index microstructured optical waveguide, we realize a device of conformal transformation optics (CTO) and demonstrate its self-focusing property for geometry optics and the Talbot effect for wave optics. In addition, the Talbot effect in such a system has a potential application to transfer digital information without diffraction. Our findings demonstrate the photon controlling ability of CTO in a feasible experiment system.

  19. Self-Focusing and the Talbot Effect in Conformal Transformation Optics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiangyang; Chen, Huanyang; Liu, Hui; Xu, Lin; Sheng, Chong; Zhu, Shining

    2017-07-01

    Transformation optics has been used to propose various novel optical devices. With the help of metamaterials, several intriguing designs, such as invisibility cloaks, have been implemented. However, as the basic units should be much smaller than the working wavelengths to achieve the effective material parameters, and the sizes of devices should be much larger than the wavelengths of illumination to work within the light-ray approximation, it is a big challenge to implement an experimental system that works simultaneously for both geometric optics and wave optics. In this Letter, by using a gradient-index microstructured optical waveguide, we realize a device of conformal transformation optics (CTO) and demonstrate its self-focusing property for geometry optics and the Talbot effect for wave optics. In addition, the Talbot effect in such a system has a potential application to transfer digital information without diffraction. Our findings demonstrate the photon controlling ability of CTO in a feasible experiment system.

  20. Introduction: Self-Regulation of Learning in Postsecondary Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bembenutty, Hefer

    2011-01-01

    Self-regulation of learning occupies a fundamental place in postsecondary education. "Self-regulation of learning" refers to learners' beliefs about their capability to engage in appropriate actions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in order to pursue valuable academic goals while self-monitoring and self-reflecting on their progress toward goal…

  1. Self-pinch focusing experiments performed on the KALIF accelerator using the Bappl diode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoppe, P.; Nakagawa, Y.; Bauer, W.

    1996-01-01

    Experiments using the B appl diode with a subdivided beam drift section were performed on the KALIF accelerator with the objective to investigate the generation of net currents and their influence on the focusing properties of the extracted proton beam. The generation of net currents up to 50% of the diode current was observed for argon gas pressures below 0.1 mbar in the second drift section. The differences in the time histories of various net current monitors might be related to a radial dependency of the net current densities in the beam. A comparison of the focusing properties investigated in shots with and without current neutralization showed only small differences. No enhancement of the power density related to self-pinch effects was found. However, the possibility of beam propagation over a short vacuum distance allows the use of a backlighter target required for laser absorption spectroscopy. (author). 4 figs., 4 refs

  2. How do I look? Self-focused attention during a video chat of women with social anxiety (disorder)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vriends, N.; Meral, Y.; Bargas-Avila, J.A.; Stadler, C.; Bögels, S.M.

    We investigated the role of self-focused attention (SFA) in social anxiety (disorder) in an ecologically valid way. In Experiment 1 high (n = 26) versus low (n = 25) socially anxious single women between 18 and 30 years had a video (“Skype”) conversation with an attractive male confederate, while

  3. Managing pain in the workplace: a focus group study of challenges, strategies and what matters most to workers with low back pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tveito, Torill Helene; Shaw, William S; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Nicholas, Michael; Wagner, Gregory

    2010-01-01

    Most working adults with low back pain (LBP) continue to work despite pain, but few studies have assessed self-management strategies in this at-work population. The purpose of this study was to identify workplace challenges and self-management strategies reported by workers remaining at work despite recurrent or persistent LBP, to be used as a framework for the development of a workplace group intervention to prevent back disability. Workers with LBP (n = 38) participated in five focus groups, and audio recordings of sessions were analysed to assemble lists of common challenges and coping strategies. A separate analysis provided a general categorisation of major themes. Workplace pain challenges fell within four domains: activity interference, negative self-perceptions, interpersonal challenges and inflexibility of work. Self-management strategies consisted of modifying work activities and routines, reducing pain symptoms, using cognitive strategies and communicating pain effectively. Theme extraction identified six predominant themes: knowing your work setting, talking about pain, being prepared for a bad day, thoughts and emotions, keeping moving and finding leeway. To retain workers with LBP, this qualitative investigation suggests future intervention efforts should focus on worker communication and cognitions related to pain, pacing of work and employer efforts to provide leeway for altered job routines.

  4. Problematizing the world around us and thinking otherwise: an experience of philosophy with children in dialogue with Michel Foucault’s thoughts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Javier Guardado Mendoza

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available During a school cycle of a year we implemented an experience of philosophy with children inspired by the thoughts of Michel Foucault. The objective of our meetings was to foster thought-experiments aimed at problematizing the world around us and thinking otherwise. In the course of our experience, the thoughts of children led to different questions and reflections which we have organized according to five categories in dialogue with the ideas of Foucault: 1 critical thinking, 2 self-criticism, 3 curiosity, 4 relationship with the truth and 5 thinking otherwise. In this paper, we share a part of the expressions that, from our perspective, show how children thought differently about the world that surrounds us, and their own thinking.

  5. Self-statements, locus of control, and depression in predicting self-esteem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philpot, V D; Holliman, W B; Madonna, S

    1995-06-01

    The contributions of frequency of positive and negative self-statements and their ratio, locus of control, and depression in prediction of self-esteem were examined. Volunteers were 145 college students (100 women and 45 men) who were administered the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory-Adult Form, Automatic Thought Questionnaire-Revised, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. Intercorrelations suggested significant relationships among variables. The magnitude of the relationship was strongest between the frequency of negative self-statements and self-esteem. These results are consistent with and lend further support to prior studies of Kendall, et al. and Schwartz and Michaelson.

  6. Neuroimaging of developmental psychopathologies: the importance of self-regulatory and neuroplastic processes in adolescence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spessot, Alexandra L; Plessen, Kerstin J; Peterson, Bradley S

    2004-01-01

    Normal brain maturational and developmental processes, together with plastic reorganization of the brain in response to experiential demands, contribute to the acquisition of improved capacities for self-regulation and impulse control during adolescence. The frontal lobe is a main focus for these......Normal brain maturational and developmental processes, together with plastic reorganization of the brain in response to experiential demands, contribute to the acquisition of improved capacities for self-regulation and impulse control during adolescence. The frontal lobe is a main focus...... for these developmental and plastic processes during the transition from adolescence into adulthood. Tourette syndrome (TS), defined as the chronic presence of motor and vocal tics, has been increasingly conceptualized as a disorder of impaired self-regulatory control. This disordered control is thought to give rise...... to semicompulsory urges to perform the movements that constitute simple tics, complex tics, or compulsions. Neuroimaging studies suggest that the expression of the genetic diathesis to TS is influenced by genetic and nongenetic factors affecting activity-dependent reorganization of neuroregulatory systems, thereby...

  7. Measuring Repeatability of the Focus-variable Lenses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Řezníček

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In the field of photogrammetry, the optical system, usually represented by the glass lens, is used for metric purposes. Therefore, the aberration characteristics of such a lens, inducing deviations from projective imaging, has to be well known. However, the most important property of the metric lens is the stability of its glass and mechanical elements, ensuring long-term reliability of the measured parameters. In case of a focus-variable lens, the repeatability of the lens setup is important as well. Lenses with a fixed focal length are usually considered as “fixed” though, in fact, most of them contain one or more movable glass elements, providing the focusing function. In cases where the lens is not equipped with fixing screws, the repeatability of the calibration parameters should be known. This paper derives simple mathematical formulas that can be used for measuring the repeatability of the focus-variable lenses, and gives a demonstrative example of such measuring. The given procedure has the advantage that only demanded parameters are estimated, hence, no unwanted correlations with the additional parameters exist. The test arrangement enables us to measure each demanded magnification of the optical system, which is important in close-range photogrammetry.

  8. Limits of Thought in the Light of Nature and Divinity. A Return to Ancient Thought or the Quest for the Being of Primordial Thinking in the Later Heidegger

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viktor Okorokov

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Question about the essence of thought itself may be formulated in two ways: is it a manifestation of the existential presence or a habit to considerate a Universe as a representation of its rational core? Among various methods of inquiry of essential nature of thought, I would emphasize a Martin Heidegger’s approach, which was represented in his late papers. I mean, widely accepted in oriental culture but almost forgotten in European intellectual tradition approach which considers thought as luminous and light-bearing logos – the fundamental origin and principle of the Universe. The problem of logos appearance in primordial chaos and discovery of the thought origins, on Heidegger’s opinion, becomes the crucial matter of his “fundamental ontology”. Heidegger is confident that the problem of transformation of primordial chaos into well-ordered (by “logos” Universe was the most significant topic which the ancient philosophers (Anaximander, Heraclitus, and Parmenides were focused on. My research, represented in this article, discovers European philosopher’s acceptation and reception of the ancient interpretation of primordial thought as a “divine light”. My conclusion is that all classical European philosophical ontological theories (since the first philosophers to Plato, Aristotle, post-Aristotelian thinkers, and to the contemporary philosophers may be considered as the different varieties of interpretation of the primordial (given by gods luminous thinking itself and became a simulation of the primordial nature of thought. Another conclusion is, that origins of mentioned above ancient philosophical inquiries on the divine-light essence of primordial thinking, may be found in earlier, than Heidegger thinks, texts composed by Homer, Hesiod, and perhaps even in the religious philosophical texts of the Orient heritage (India, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and other ancient states, created before the sixth century BC.

  9. Predicting the Effectiveness of Work-Focused CBT for Common Mental Disorders: The Influence of Baseline Self-Efficacy, Depression and Anxiety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brenninkmeijer, Veerle; Lagerveld, Suzanne E; Blonk, Roland W B; Schaufeli, Wilmar B; Wijngaards-de Meij, Leoniek D N V

    2018-02-15

    Purpose This study examined who benefits most from a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based intervention that aims to enhance return to work (RTW) among employees who are absent due to common mental disorders (CMDs) (e.g., depression, anxiety, or adjustment disorder). We researched the influence of baseline work-related self-efficacy and mental health (depressive complaints and anxiety) on treatment outcomes of two psychotherapeutic interventions. Methods Using a quasi-experimental design, 12-month follow-up data of 168 employees were collected. Participants either received work-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (W-CBT) that integrated work aspects early into the treatment (n = 89) or regular cognitive behavioural therapy (R-CBT) without a focus on work (n = 79). Results Compared with R-CBT, W-CBT resulted in a faster partial RTW, irrespective of baseline self-efficacy. Among individuals with high self-efficacy, W-CBT also resulted in faster full RTW. The effectiveness of W-CBT on RTW did not depend on baseline depressive complaints or anxiety. The decline of mental health complaints did not differ between the two interventions, nor depended on baseline self-efficacy or mental health. Conclusions Considering the benefits of W-CBT for partial RTW, we recommend this intervention as a preferred method for employees with CMDs, irrespective of baseline self-efficacy, depression and anxiety. For individuals with high baseline self-efficacy, this intervention also results in higher full RTW. For those with low self-efficacy, extra exercises or components may be needed to promote full RTW.

  10. A Technique: Generating Alternative Thoughts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serkan AKKOYUNLU

    2013-04-01

    Conclusion: Generating alternative explanations and balanced thoughts are the end point and important part of therapy work on automatic thoughts. When applied properly and rehearsed as homework between sessions, these methods may lead to improvement in many mental disorders. [JCBPR 2013; 2(1.000: 53-59

  11. How does thought-action fusion relate to responsibility attitudes and thought suppression to aggravate the obsessive-compulsive symptoms?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altın, Müjgan; Gençöz, Tülin

    2011-01-01

    Comprehensive cognitive theories of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) propose that clinical obsessions and compulsions arise from specific sorts of dysfunctional beliefs and appraisals, such as inflated sense of responsibility, thought-action fusion (TAF), and thought suppression. The present study aimed to examine the mediator roles of responsibility and thought suppression between TAF and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Specifically, it aimed to explore the relative effects of TAF factors (i.e. morality and likelihood) on inflated sense of responsibility and on thought suppression to increase the obsessive qualities of intrusions. Two hundred and eighty-three Turkish undergraduate students completed a battery of measures on responsibility, thought suppression, TAF, OC symptoms, and depression. A series of hierarchical regression analyses, where depressive symptoms were controlled for, indicated that TAF-morality and TAF-likelihood follow different paths toward OC symptoms. Although TAF-morality associated with inflated sense of responsibility, TAF-likelihood associated with thought suppression efforts, and in turn these factors increased OC symptoms. These findings provide support for the critical role of sense of responsibility and thought suppression between the relationship of TAF and OC symptoms. Findings were discussed in line with the literature.

  12. Does abortion reduce the mental health risks of unwanted or unintended pregnancy? A re-appraisal of the evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fergusson, David M; Horwood, L John; Boden, Joseph M

    2013-09-01

    There have been debates about the linkages between abortion and mental health. Few reviews have considered the extent to which abortion has therapeutic benefits that mitigate the mental health risks of abortion. The aim of this review was to conduct a re-appraisal of the evidence to examine the research hypothesis that abortion reduces rates of mental health problems in women having unwanted or unintended pregnancy. Analysis of recent reviews (Coleman, 2011; National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2011) identified eight publications reporting 14 adjusted odds ratios (AORs) spanning five outcome domains: anxiety; depression; alcohol misuse; illicit drug use/misuse; and suicidal behaviour. For each outcome, pooled AORs were estimated using a random-effects model. There was consistent evidence to show that abortion was not associated with a reduction in rates of mental health problems (p>0.75). Abortion was associated with small to moderate increases in risks of anxiety (AOR 1.28, 95% CI 0.97-1.70; pabortion has therapeutic effects in reducing the mental health risks of unwanted or unintended pregnancy. There is suggestive evidence that abortion may be associated with small to moderate increases in risks of some mental health problems.

  13. Self-focusing in processes of laser generation of highly-charged and high-energy heavy ions

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Láska, Leoš; Jungwirth, Karel; Krása, Josef; Krouský, Eduard; Pfeifer, Miroslav; Rohlena, Karel; Ullschmied, Jiří; Badziak, J.; Parys, P.; Wolowski, J.; Gammino, S.; Torrisi, L.; Boody, F. P.

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 24, - (2006), s. 175-179 ISSN 0263-0346 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA1010405; GA AV ČR KSK2043105 Grant - others:EU(XE) HPRI-1999-CT-00053; EU(XE) PALS/005; EU(XE) PALS/006 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100523; CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : laser-plasma interactions * non-linear processes * self-focusing Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 3.958, year: 2006

  14. [Pre-verbality in focusing and the need for self check. An attempt at "focusing check"].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masui, T; Ikemi, A; Murayama, S

    1983-06-01

    Though the Focusing process is not entirely non-verbal, in Focusing, careful attention is paid by the Focuser and the Listener to the pre-verbal experiential process. In other words, Focusing involves attending to the felt sense that is not easily expressed in words immediately. Hence, during the process of learning to Focus, the Focusing teacher attempts to communicate the experiences of Focusing to the student which are not easily done by words. Due to such difficulties, the Focusing student may (and quite frequently does) mistake the experiential process in Focusing with other processes. Often, the felt sense can be confused with other phenomena such as "autogenic discharge". Also the Focuser may not stay with the felt sense and drift into "free association" or frequently, certain processes in "meditation" can be confused with Focusing. Therefore, there is a need for a "check" by which the Focusing student can confirm the Focusing experience for himself. For the Focusing student, such a "check" serves not only to confirm the Focusing process, but also an aid to learning Focusing. We will report here a "Focusing Check" which we developed by translating Eugene Gendlin's "Focusing Check" and making several modifications in it so that it will be more understandable to the Japanese. Along with the "Focusing Check" we developed, the authors discuss the need for such a check.

  15. Cognition, imagery and coping among adolescents with social anxiety and phobia: testing the Clark and Wells model in the population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranta, Klaus; Tuomisto, Martti T; Kaltiala-Heino, Riittakerttu; Rantanen, Päivi; Marttunen, Mauri

    2014-01-01

    The Clark and Wells' cognitive model of social phobia suggests that self-focused attention, negative observer-perspective images of oneself and safety behaviours maintain anxiety in subjects with SP. Empirical research among adults supports the model, but limited evidence for it has been obtained in other age groups or in the general population. We examined automatic thoughts, imagery, safety behaviours and general coping of adolescents with social anxiety and phobia. These were elicited by a thought listing procedure in a recalled, distressing social situation. The target variables were compared between adolescents with high versus normal self-reported social anxiety (HSA/NSA) and between adolescents with clinical/subclinical SP (SP/SSP) versus no diagnosis. Adolescents with HSA reported overall negative thoughts, negative observer-perspective images and safety behaviours more frequently than adolescents with NSA. The SP/SSP group displayed the same difference, and clearer, relative to the no diagnosis group, but additionally reported negative thoughts focused more often on self. Minor differences in coping were found between the groups. The study suggests that adolescents with SP already display the negative self-focused cognitions, observer-perspective imagery and behavioural pattern found among adults with SP. Social anxiety associates with observer-perspective imagery and safety behaviours in adolescence. Adolescents with clinical social phobia report frequent negative self-focused thoughts. However, such negative cognitions focused on self do not associate to self-reported social anxiety. The cognitive model of social phobia (Clark & Wells, 1995) is applicable to adolescents. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Orthodox Jewish Thought Leaders' Insights Regarding BRCA Mutations: A Descriptive Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bressler, Toby; Popp, Beth

    2017-04-01

    To examine the factors that influence Orthodox Jewish (OJ) thought leaders' perceptions of genetic counseling and testing for BRCA mutations. The specific aims of this study were to describe (1) OJ thought leaders' views on genetic counseling and testing for BRCA mutation status and (2) insights into this high-risk faith-based minority group and their beliefs about counseling and testing for BRCA mutations. In-depth focus groups and demographic questionnaires were used in this descriptive, qualitative study, which was performed in the cancer center of a 750-bed community teaching hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Participants included 17 OJ thought leaders in a large metropolitan area in the northeastern United States. Four themes emerged that describe the key components of the views of OJ thought leaders regarding genetic counseling and testing for BRCA mutation carriers. There was a high level of concern about cancer, recognition that community norms shift, acknowledgment of the role of the rabbi in medical decision making, and concern about the balance between determinism and personal responsibility in utilizing this health care service. The identification of social contributors to the utilization of genetic counseling and testing, as well as identification of solutions to optimize utilization of BRCA testing, supports the philosophic premise or conceptual model that faith-based leaders are crucial to the promotion of culturally sensitive health care delivery. Incorporating faith-based leaders early in health care strategic planning and implementation can translate into communities better utilizing health-related services.

  17. Disease Management: The Need for a Focus on Broader Self-Management Abilities and Quality of Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieboer, Anna Petra

    2015-01-01

    Abstract The study objective was to investigate long-term effects of disease management programs (DMPs) on (1) health behaviors (smoking, physical exercise); (2) self-management abilities (self-efficacy, investment behavior, initiative taking); and (3) physical and mental quality of life among chronically ill patients. The study also examined whether (changes in) health behaviors and self-management abilities predicted quality of life. Questionnaires were sent to all 5076 patients participating in 18 Dutch DMPs in 2010 (T0; 2676 [53%] respondents). Two years later (T1), questionnaires were sent to 4350 patients still participating in DMPs (1722 [40%] respondents). Structured interviews were held with the 18 DMP project leaders. DMP implementation improved patients' health behavior and physical quality of life, but mental quality of life and self-management abilities declined over time. Changes in patients' investment behavior predicted physical quality of life at T1 (Pmanagement abilities or mental quality of life, highlighting the need to focus on these abilities and overall quality of life. As coproducers of care, patients should be stimulated and enabled to manage their health and quality of life. (Population Health Management 2015;18:246–255) PMID:25607246

  18. Thought and Action in Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rømer, Thomas Aastrup

    2015-01-01

    In much theory there is a tendency to place thought above action, or the opposite, action over thought. The consequence of the first option is that philosophy or scientific evidence gains the upper hand in educational thinking. The consequence of the second view is that pragmatism and relativism become the dominant features. This article discusses…

  19. Reduction of unwanted submental fat with ATX-101 (deoxycholic acid), an adipocytolytic injectable treatment: results from a phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rzany, B; Griffiths, T; Walker, P; Lippert, S; McDiarmid, J; Havlickova, B

    2014-02-01

    Unwanted submental fat (SMF) is aesthetically unappealing, but methods of reduction are either invasive or lack evidence for their use. An injectable approach with ATX-101 (deoxycholic acid) is under investigation. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ATX-101 for the reduction of unwanted SMF. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III study, 363 patients with moderate/severe SMF were randomized to receive ATX-101 (1 or 2 mg cm(-2) ) or placebo injections into their SMF at up to four treatment sessions ~28 days apart, with a 12-week follow-up. The co-primary efficacy endpoints were the proportions of treatment responders [patients with ≥ 1-point improvement in SMF on the 5-point Clinician-Reported Submental Fat Rating Scale (CR-SMFRS)] and patients satisfied with their face and chin appearance on the Subject Self-Rating Scale (SSRS). Secondary endpoints included skin laxity, calliper measurements and patient-reported outcomes. Adverse events were monitored. Significantly more ATX-101 recipients met the primary endpoint criteria vs. placebo: on the clinician scale, 59·2% and 65·3% of patients treated with ATX-101 1 and 2 mg cm(-2) , respectively, were treatment responders vs. 23·0% for placebo (CR-SMFRS; P < 0·001); on the patient scale, 53·3% and 66·1%, respectively, vs. 28·7%, were satisfied with their face/chin appearance (SSRS; P < 0·001). Calliper measurements showed a significant reduction in SMF (P < 0·001), skin laxity was not worsened and patients reported improvements in the severity and psychological impact of SMF with ATX-101 vs. placebo. Most adverse events were transient and associated with the treatment area. ATX-101 was effective and well tolerated for nonsurgical SMF reduction. © 2013 The Authors. British Journal of Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.

  20. Impact of sexual harassment victimization by peers on subsequent adolescent victimization and adjustment: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiodo, Debbie; Wolfe, David A; Crooks, Claire; Hughes, Ray; Jaffe, Peter

    2009-09-01

    To examine gender differences in prevalence and types of sexual harassment victimization experienced in grade 9 and how it contributes to relationship victimization and psychological adjustment 2.5 years later. A total of 1734 students from 23 schools completed self-report surveys at entry to grade 9 and end of grade 11. Self-report data were collected on victimization experiences (sexual harassment, physical dating violence, peer violence, and relational victimization) and adjustment (emotional distress, problem substance use, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, maladaptive dieting, feeling unsafe at school, and perpetration of violent delinquency). Separate analyses by sex were prespecified. Sexual harassment victimization was common among boys (42.4%) and girls (44.1%) in grade 9, with girls reporting more sexual jokes, comments, and unwanted touch than among boys, and with boys reporting more homosexual slurs or receiving unwanted sexual content. For girls, sexual harassment victimization in grade 9 was associated with elevated risk of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, maladaptive dieting, early dating, substance use, and feeling unsafe at school. A similar pattern of risk was found for boys, with the exception of dieting and self-harm behaviors. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) indicated these students were significantly more likely than nonharassed students to report victimization by peers and dating partners 2.5 years later (AOR for boys and girls, respectively; all p harassment (AOR: 2.45; 2.9), physical dating violence (AOR: 2.02; 3.73), and physical peer violence (AOR: 2.75; 2.79). Gr 9 sexual harassment also contributed significantly to emotional distress (AOR: 2.09; 2.24), problem substance use (AOR: 1.79; 2.04), and violent delinquency perpetration (AOR: 2.1; 3.34) 2.5 years later (boys and girls, respectively; all p harassment at the beginning of high school is a strong predictor of future victimization by peers and dating partners for both girls and boys, and

  1. Disease Management: The Need for a Focus on Broader Self-Management Abilities and Quality of Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cramm, Jane Murray; Nieboer, Anna Petra

    2015-08-01

    The study objective was to investigate long-term effects of disease management programs (DMPs) on (1) health behaviors (smoking, physical exercise); (2) self-management abilities (self-efficacy, investment behavior, initiative taking); and (3) physical and mental quality of life among chronically ill patients. The study also examined whether (changes in) health behaviors and self-management abilities predicted quality of life. Questionnaires were sent to all 5076 patients participating in 18 Dutch DMPs in 2010 (T0; 2676 [53%] respondents). Two years later (T1), questionnaires were sent to 4350 patients still participating in DMPs (1722 [40%] respondents). Structured interviews were held with the 18 DMP project leaders. DMP implementation improved patients' health behavior and physical quality of life, but mental quality of life and self-management abilities declined over time. Changes in patients' investment behavior predicted physical quality of life at T1 (Pquality of life at T1. The long-term benefits of these DMPs include successful improvement of chronically ill patients' health behaviors and physical quality of life. However, these programs were not able to improve or maintain broader self-management abilities or mental quality of life, highlighting the need to focus on these abilities and overall quality of life. As coproducers of care, patients should be stimulated and enabled to manage their health and quality of life.

  2. Coping More Effectively Through Rational Self-Counseling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, George W., Jr.

    1981-01-01

    Rational Self-Counseling, a variation of rational-emotive therapy, is a self-help therapeutic technique in which students are encouraged to be responsible for their own behavior and emotions. The primary function of self-counseling is to evaluate whether thoughts are rational. A list of questions which students might ask themselves is presented.…

  3. Optimal conditions for the generation of the third harmonic of focused radiation in a self-interaction regime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulagin, I A; Usmanov, T

    1998-01-01

    A method developed for the analysis of the interaction of wave beams in a self-interaction regime is used to determine the changes in the optimal conditions for third-harmonic generation with changes in the degree of focusing of the fundamental-frequency radiation in isotropic media. Conditions under which a redistribution of the intensities and phases of the interacting wave beams reduces the efficiency of third-harmonic generation are identified. It is shown that, under strong focusing conditions, there may be additional extrema in the dependence of the intensity of the harmonic on the density of the medium. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

  4. Teachers' Self-efficacy Beliefs: The Relationship between Gender ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Faculty of Education and Communication Sciences, College of Technology .... low self-esteem and harbour pessimistic thoughts concerning their ability to ... Thus, teachers' perceived self-efficacy is not an assessment of their skill set, but ...

  5. The Connection between the Thought of Progress and Philosophical Thinking in the West Case Study: Descartes’ Thought System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Mustafa Shahraeeni

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Thought of progress has been considered as one of the presuppositions of the West modernity. Having accepted this idea, we should regard it as one of the bases and foundations of early modern philosophy, and consider Descartes, known as the father of modern philosophy, as having a major role in its formation. There is a strong relationship between the West philosophical thought and the change of the idea of progress to one of the undisputed facts of the west civilization, and this issue can be seen clearly in Descartes thought system better than anywhere else. The present paper intends to show the leading position of Descartes’ thought system in the institutionalization of the concept of progress in the West philosophical system in three main parts: 1. Authority fighting and its relation with Cartesian’s Doubt, 2. The genuineness of the worldly life in Descartes’ thought system, and 3. Establishing the foundation of modern science. This article is based on the modern forerunners’ change of opinion about the philosophy mission in the world. It  makes attempt to demonstrate in order to achieve the thought of progress, some prerequisites are necessary; and these prerequisite, though not exclusively, in their best and most complete form are generally achieved in the West philosophical thought and are particularly accomplished in Descartes’ philosophy.

  6. Factors associated with suicidal thoughts in a large community study of older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Osvaldo P; Draper, Brian; Snowdon, John; Lautenschlager, Nicola T; Pirkis, Jane; Byrne, Gerard; Sim, Moira; Stocks, Nigel; Flicker, Leon; Pfaff, Jon J

    2012-12-01

    Thoughts about death and self-harm in old age have been commonly associated with the presence of depression, but other risk factors may also be important. To determine the independent association between suicidal ideation in later life and demographic, lifestyle, socioeconomic, psychiatric and medical factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted of a community-derived sample of 21 290 adults aged 60-101 years enrolled from Australian primary care practices. We considered that participants endorsing any of the four items of the Depressive Symptom Inventory -Suicidality Subscale were experiencing suicidal thoughts. We used standard procedures to collect demographic, lifestyle, psychosocial and clinical data. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The 2-week prevalence of suicidal ideation was 4.8%. Male gender, higher education, current smoking, living alone, poor social support, no religious practice, financial strain, childhood physical abuse, history of suicide in the family, past depression, current anxiety, depression or comorbid anxiety and depression, past suicide attempt, pain, poor self-perceived health and current use of antidepressants were independently associated with suicidal ideation. Poor social support was associated with a population attributable fraction of 38.0%, followed by history of depression (23.6%), concurrent anxiety and depression (19.7%), prevalent anxiety (15.1%), pain (13.7%) and no religious practice (11.4%). Prevalent and past mood disorders seem to be valid targets for indicated interventions designed to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviour. However, our data indicate that social disconnectedness and stress account for a larger proportion of cases than mood disorders. Should these associations prove to be causal, then interventions that succeeded in addressing these issues would contribute the most to reducing suicidal ideation and, possibly, suicidal behaviour in later life.

  7. Non-erotic thoughts and sexual functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purdon, Christine; Watson, Chris

    2011-10-01

    This study sought to replicate and extend investigations of current models of sexual dysfunction (Barlow, 2002; Janssen, Everaerd, Spiering, & Janssen, 2000) which implicate factors such as spectatoring, failure to use ameliorative strategies, and information processing biases in the development and persistence of sexual difficulties. A sample of 165 (n = 71 men) undergraduates completed measures of sexual dysfunction and relationship satisfaction, and reported on the content and frequency of non-erotic thoughts during sex with a partner (i.e., spectatoring), the emotional impact of non-erotic thoughts, and the strategies used to manage them. They also reported on their main sexual functioning difficulties and the strategies they used to manage those difficulties. Finally, participants were presented with a series of hypothetical sexual scenarios and were asked to report their immediate interpretation of events in the scenario. The content of non-erotic thoughts was similar to previous work (Purdon & Holdaway, 2006), although gender differences in thought content were less pronounced. As in previous research, greater frequency of, and anxiety evoked by, non-erotic thoughts was associated with poorer sexual functioning, but we found that this was over and above relationship satisfaction. Participants both high and low in sexual functioning reported using a variety of strategies to manage their non-erotic thoughts, thought suppression being the least effective, and also used a variety of strategies to manage sexual difficulties. Poorer sexual functioning was associated with more negative interpretations of ambiguous sexual scenarios, but this was mediated by relationship satisfaction. However, positive interpretations were predicted by sexual functioning. Results were discussed in terms of their theoretical and clinical implications.

  8. [Construction of a structural model about male and female adolescents' alienation, depression, and suicidal thoughts].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Eunsook

    2007-06-01

    This study was designed to construct a structural model explaining alienation, depression, and suicidal thoughts in male and female adolescents. Data was collected by questionnairs from 204 male and 208 female students selected randomly in high schools in K city. This study found that depression was significantly affected by alienation, and was indirectly affected through alienation by school attachment, peer relationships, and academic performance. Suicidal thoughts were greatly affected by depression, and were directly and indirectly influenced by alienation. It was confirmed that alienation turned out to be a important mediating variable, while it had a effect significant on depression and suicidal thoughts. Also there were significant differences in affecting factors among male and female students. Intervention strategies for preventing alienation, depression and suicidal thoughts should be different according to gender. In addition, specific nursing intervention plans, including parent education and role training programs, fostering of humanistic and achievement-focused educational environment, peer support programs, and individual counselling, need to be developed and implemented to lessen a feeling of alienation from family and school.

  9. Associated Factors of Suicidal Thoughts in HIV-Positive Individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Dabaghzadeh

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available  Objective: As a first study, suicidal ideation and its correlates have been evaluated in Iranian HIV positive population .  Methods:One hundred and fifty HIV-positive individuals were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS, Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation (PANSI, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI and Somatization subscale of Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL 90 as self- reported questionnaires were used to assess the patients’ anxiety and depression status, suicidal thoughts, sleep quality and physiological factors, respectively . Results:Antiretroviral therapy and efavirenz intake did not show any significant effects on the patients’ suicidal ideation. Anxiety (p<0.001, depression (p<0.001, poor physical activity (P<0.001 and sleep quality (p<0.001 were significantly associated with the patients’ negative suicidal ideation. From the patients’ demographic data, unemployment (p = 0.04, living alone (p = 0.01, and lack of family support (p = 0.01 were correlated with the patients’ negative suicidal thoughts . Conclusion:Although hospitals are the main referral centers for providing care for HIV-positive individuals in Tehran, Iran, conducting a multi-center study with sufficient sample size from different areas of our country that include individuals with different behaviors and cultures is essential to confirm the results of this study.

  10. Low-effort thought promotes political conservatism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eidelman, Scott; Crandall, Christian S; Goodman, Jeffrey A; Blanchar, John C

    2012-06-01

    The authors test the hypothesis that low-effort thought promotes political conservatism. In Study 1, alcohol intoxication was measured among bar patrons; as blood alcohol level increased, so did political conservatism (controlling for sex, education, and political identification). In Study 2, participants under cognitive load reported more conservative attitudes than their no-load counterparts. In Study 3, time pressure increased participants' endorsement of conservative terms. In Study 4, participants considering political terms in a cursory manner endorsed conservative terms more than those asked to cogitate; an indicator of effortful thought (recognition memory) partially mediated the relationship between processing effort and conservatism. Together these data suggest that political conservatism may be a process consequence of low-effort thought; when effortful, deliberate thought is disengaged, endorsement of conservative ideology increases.

  11. Modification of self-concept in patients with a left-ventricular assist device: an initial exploration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcuccilli, Linda; Casida, Jesus; Peters, Rosalind M

    2013-09-01

    To explore how patients with left-ventricular assist devices (LVAD) meet the health-deviation requisite of modifying self-concept to accept this form of treatment and restore normalcy. LVAD are becoming a standard option to improve the quality of life for patients with advanced heart failure. Past research focused on technology issues and survival rates, but limited research has addressed the effect of LVADs on patients' perceptions of self. Orem's theory of self-care provides a framework to investigate how patients manage threats to self-concept to safely live with such a device. Hermeneutic phenomenology based on van Manen's method. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Data saturation was achieved with nine participants (seven men; two women), 31-70 years of age who lived with a LVAD at home for at least three months. Thematic analysis was ongoing, and final themes were consensually validated. Two themes constructed from the data were consistent with the requisite of modifying self-concept. First, Having a LVAD means living. Participants described they 'feel alive again', and they 'had the rest of [their] lives that they didn't have before'. The second theme: A desire to be 'normal' in public, arose from participants descriptions of how the LVAD brought unwanted attention to them and that their appearance was 'shocking' to others. Participants accepted the LVAD as necessary to live making it easier for them to modify their self-concept and accept the changes to their bodies and daily lives. Attaining a sense of normalcy was more difficult in public and required additional lifestyle modifications. Findings advance self-care knowledge in LVAD management and can heighten nurses' awareness about self-concept as a vital component for maintenance of health and well-being. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  12. "Recovery" in bipolar disorder: how can service users be supported through a self-management intervention? A qualitative focus group study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todd, Nicholas J; Jones, Steven H; Lobban, Fiona A

    2012-04-01

    Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic and recurrent affective disorder. Recovery is defined as the process by which people can live fulfilling lives despite experiencing symptoms. To explore how an opportunistically recruited group of service users with BD experience recovery and self-management to understand more about how a service users' recovery may be supported. Twelve service users with BD took part in a series of focus groups. Service users' responses to questions about their personal experiences of self-management and recovery were analysed. Focus groups were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis ([ Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101]) was employed to identify common themes in the data. Four key themes were identified: (1) Recovery is not about being symptom free; (2) Recovery requires taking responsibility for your own wellness; (3) Self-management: building on existing techniques; (4) Overcoming barriers to recovery: negativity, stigma and taboo. Service users with BD have provided further support for the concept of recovery and have suggested a number of ways recovery can be supported. A self-management approach informed by the recovery literature has been proposed as a way to support service users' recovery.

  13. The Role of Confucian Thought in Preservation of Humanity and Reasonableness in the Modern World

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrej Ule

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The article examines the possibility of providing a synthesis of humanness and rationality in the modern world, and considers whether, and how, Chinese philosophical thought in general and Confucian tradition in particular might help us in this endeavour. Chinese philosophical tradition broadly construes rationality as the ability of the human “heart mind” (xin to engage in wise deliberation, clever discussion, and proper conduct carried out in accordance with the highest virtues of the gentleman. This conception is much more in tune with holistic views of reasonableness than with ideas about rationality that have become rooted in the Western philosophical tradition. In the context of Chinese culture, especially Confucianism, reasonableness is firmly associated with distinct forms of argumentation, primarily with those of analogical inference, metaphor use, and paradigmatic behavioural models which cannot be expressed within the framework of logical (deductive or inductive reasoning. By focusing on Mencius’s method of “extending” innate human virtues (humanness, righteousness, dignity, and wisdom from their paradigmatic cases to parallel cases from everyday life, it is possible to get a better insight into the idea of cultivating and practicing reasonableness conceived as a synthesis of humanness and rationality. There seems to be no internal conflict between our self-interests and our morality; on the contrary, actual morality and actual reasonableness emerge against the backdrop of the dynamic interplay between our striving for self-realization and our moral orientation.

  14. [Influence of Nurses' Self-leadership on Individual and Team Members' Work Role Performance].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Se Young; Kim, Eun Kyung; Kim, Byungsoo; Lee, Eunpyo

    2016-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine correlations between nurses' self-leadership and individual work role performance and correlations between self-leadership in nursing units and team members' work role performance. Participants were 202 conveniently selected general nurses from 5 general hospitals in Korea. The study was carried out on 35 nursing units. Data were collected during February 2015 with self-report questionnaires. For factors affecting individual work role performance, self-expectation, self-goal setting, constructive thought, clinical career in the present nursing unit and marital status accounted for 44.0% of proficiency, while self-expectation, self-goal setting, constructive thought, and marital status accounted for 42.3% of adaptivity. Self-expectation, self-goal setting, constructive thought, self-reward, clinical career in the present nursing unit and position accounted for 26.4% of proactivity. In terms of team members' work role performance, self-reward and self-expectation in nursing units explained 29.0% of team members' proficiency. Self-reward and self-expectation in nursing units explained 31.6% of team members' adaptivity, and self-reward in nursing units explained 16.8% of team members' proactivity. The results confirm that nurses' self-leadership affects not only individual self-leadership but also team members' work role performance. Accordingly, to improve nurses' work role performance in nursing units of nursing organizations, improvement in nursing environment based on self-leadership education is necessary and nurses' tasks rearranged so they can appreciate work-autonomy and challenges of work.

  15. Self-compassion moderates the perfectionism and depression link in both adolescence and adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrari, Madeleine; Yap, Keong; Scott, Nicole; Einstein, Danielle A; Ciarrochi, Joseph

    2018-01-01

    Psychological practitioners often seek to directly change the form or frequency of clients' maladaptive perfectionist thoughts, because such thoughts predict future depression. Indirect strategies, such as self-compassion interventions, that seek to change clients' relationships to difficult thoughts, rather than trying to change the thoughts directly could be just as effective. This study aimed to investigate whether self-compassion moderated, or weakened, the relationship between high perfectionism and high depression symptoms in both adolescence and adulthood. The present study utilised anonymous self-report questionnaires to assess maladaptive perfectionism, depression, and self-compassion across two samples covering much of the lifespan. Questionnaires were administered in a high school setting for the adolescent sample (Study 1, Mage = 14.1 years, n = 541), and advertised through university and widely online to attract a convenience sample of adults (Study 2, Mage = 25.22 years, n = 515). Moderation analyses revealed that self-compassion reduced the strength of relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depression in our adolescent Study 1 (β = -.15, p < .001, R2 = .021.) and our adult study 2 (β = -.14, p < .001, R2 = .020). Cross-sectional self-reported data restricts the application of causal conclusions and also relies on accurate self-awareness and willingness to respond to questionnaire openly. The replication of this finding in two samples and across different age-appropriate measures suggests that self-compassion does moderate the link between perfectionism and depression. Self-compassion interventions may be a useful way to undermine the effects of maladaptive perfectionism, but future experimental or intervention research is needed to fully assess this important possibility.

  16. Self-Concept Development in Inclusive Classroom Settings focusing on Children with and without Visual Impairment

    OpenAIRE

    Sarah Wieckert

    2013-01-01

    The encouragement of the development of a realistic self-concept of the children in their classes is an important challenge for school teachers. Children who know about their strengths and weaknesses can work on the competences, which need to be improved, more effectively. This contribution presents a study which focuses on the special time of first-grade when primary school children get to know their new learning environment. In that context a survey takes place in Germany and accompanies ch...

  17. Expand Your Horizon: A programme that improves body image and reduces self-objectification by training women to focus on body functionality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alleva, Jessica M; Martijn, Carolien; Van Breukelen, Gerard J P; Jansen, Anita; Karos, Kai

    2015-09-01

    This study tested Expand Your Horizon, a programme designed to improve body image by training women to focus on the functionality of their body using structured writing assignments. Eighty-one women (Mage=22.77) with a negative body image were randomised to the Expand Your Horizon programme or to an active control programme. Appearance satisfaction, functionality satisfaction, body appreciation, and self-objectification were measured at pretest, posttest, and one-week follow-up. Following the intervention, participants in the Expand Your Horizon programme experienced greater appearance satisfaction, functionality satisfaction, and body appreciation, and lower levels of self-objectification, compared to participants in the control programme. Partial eta-squared effect sizes were of small to medium magnitude. This study is the first to show that focusing on body functionality can improve body image and reduce self-objectification in women with a negative body image. These findings provide support for addressing body functionality in programmes designed to improve body image. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The Self-Leading Customer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Kirsten Bonde

    2012-01-01

    Workshop and how different design elements and activities result in participants´ change in perception and ‘money-behaviour’. An overall perspective moreover explains the MoneyWorkshop in the perspective of Manz & Neck´s ideas about Self-Leadership and Thought-Self Leadership, which led to the idea about the Self...... and emotions and makes them increasingly aware of their preferred personal values related to money. Participation in this workshop made customers increasingly empowered and ‘self-leading’. People even changed their ‘money behaviour’ – now in accordance with their values. The paper explains the Money...

  19. Mental set and creative thought in social conflict : Threat rigidity versus motivated focus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Dreu, Carsten K. W.; Nijstad, Bernard A.

    According to the traditional threat-rigidity reasoning, people in social conflict will be less flexible, less creative, more narrow-minded, and more rigid in their thinking when they adopt a conflict rather than a cooperation mental set. The authors propose and test an alternative, motivated focus

  20. Gut feelings, deliberative thought, and paranoid ideation: A study of experiential and rational reasoning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman, Daniel; Evans, Nicole; Lister, Rachel

    2012-01-01

    Rapid intuitive hunches or gut feelings may be a compelling source of evidence for paranoid ideas. Conversely, a failure to apply effortful analytic thinking may contribute to the persistence of such thoughts. Our main aim was to examine for the first time the associations of persecutory thinking with experiential and rational thinking styles. Five hundred individuals recruited from the general population completed self-report assessments of current persecutory ideation, general reasoning styles and personality traits. Persecutory ideation was independently associated with greater use of experiential reasoning and less use of rational reasoning. The correlations were small. Persecutory ideation was also positively associated with neuroticism and negatively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness. There was no evidence of an interaction between neuroticism and experiential reasoning in the prediction of paranoia, but high experiential reasoning in the context of low rational reasoning was particularly associated with persecutory ideation. Overall, the study provides rare evidence of self-reported general reasoning styles being associated with delusional ideation. Perceived reliance on intuition is associated with paranoid thinking, while perceived reliance on deliberation is associated with fewer such thoughts. The dual process theory of reasoning may provide a framework to contribute to the understanding of paranoid thinking. PMID:22406393