52,118 research outputs found

    Continual exposure to trauma in the emergency services: an investigation into the psychological effects on new recruits

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    The main aim of this study was to investigate the psychological effects of continual exposure to trauma on new recruits to the emergency services. Changes over a three-month period, in which trainee ambulance technicians were continually exposed to trauma, were measured in terms of anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress symptomatology, world assumptions, and perceived social support.Ten trainee ambulance technicians (treatment group) and eight ambulance administration staff (untreated control group) completed baseline measures, whilst the trainees were in training. Post-test measures were then completed after the trainees had been operational for one month and then again at three months. After three months of continual exposure to trauma, the trainees also completed a semi-structured questionnaire to provide qualitative insight into the trainees' experiences.The main findings of the study were as follows: Anxiety levels of the trainee ambulance technicians decreased significantly over the three months. Posttraumatic symptomatology levels also decreased significantly in the trainees between preexposure and three month of continual exposure to trauma. The use of positive reinterpretation and growth as a coping response to trauma increased significantly within the group of trainees. No significant differences were found in the measures of the untreated control group, indicating that the findings from the trainees were likely to be attributable to the effects of continual exposure to trauma. These results werediscussed in terms of the psychological impact that continual exposure to trauma had on the trainees. The strengths and limitations of the study, along with the clinical implications, and recommendations for future research were also presented

    Perceptions of principals as to the degree of implementation and effect of the middle school concept in Louisiana

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    Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century (Carnegie, 1989) contained recommendations for improving middle level education. These recommendations included: (a) creating small communities for learning, (b) teaching a common knowledge core, (c) ensuring success for all students, (d) empowering teachers and administrators, (e) preparing teachers in middle grades, (f) improving academic performance through health and fitness, (g) re-engaging families in the education of adolescents, and (h) connecting schools with communities. The objectives of this study were to determine, according to middle school principals, the extent to which the Carnegie recommendations have been implemented in the public schools of Louisiana that serve students in grades six, seven, and eight. The study also sought to determine if the perceived level of implementation has a positive effect on student achievement as reported by Seghers (1995). Principals of 139 public middle level schools in Louisiana responded to the Middle Level Practices Questionnaire. Statistical analyses utilizing Analysis of Variance revealed significant differences in the perceived level of implementation of Carnegie\u27s recommendations by grade configuration in the Health Promotion subscale and by school setting in the Governance and Decision-Making and Safety and Resources subscales. There were no significant differences by socioeconomic status. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated significant relationships between Iowa Test of Basic Skills and Louisiana Educational Assessment Program index scores and the perceived level of implementation of the Carnegie recommendations in the Ability Grouping subscale. There were no significant relationships between student attendance and suspensions and the perceived level of implementation. A significant relationship between Governance and Decision-Making and student expulsions existed. A significant negative relationship existed between Health Promotion and teacher turnover. Conclusions. (a) Louisiana middle level schools have not fully implemented Carnegie recommendations; (b) school demographics do not make an overall significant difference in the perceived level of implementation; and (c) the implementation of selected components contributes to school and student success. Recommendations. (a) determining the most effective methods of staff development concerning implementation of the Carnegie recommendations; (b) comparing the level of implementation and student and school outcomes in states that have specialized middle level certification and those that do not; and (c) replicating this study utilizing a different survey instrument

    Graduate Students\u27 Perceptions of Academic Integrity Policies, Practices, Observations, Engagement, and Seriousness of Behaviors

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    The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to determine if differences existed between male and female graduate students regarding their perceptions, observations, and practices of academic integrity; and (2) to explore differences among graduate students by program areas regarding their perceptions, observations, and practices of academic integrity. Additionally, this study examined and explored graduate students\u27 responses to open-ended questions pertaining to changes in support of academic integrity and the role students should play in this process. This study was guided by twelve research questions and ten null hypotheses. Bandura\u27s social learning theory which established that patterns of behavior may be learned from observing others\u27 behavior, framed the study. The study included the analysis of an existing data set from a survey research design conducted by the Center for Academic Integrity. Mean scores were calculated for males and females and by program majors related to perceptions, observations, and practices of academic integrity. Nvivo8 was used to qualitatively analyze open-ended questions. Major findings from both quantitative and open-ended data were triangulated to aid in establishing conclusions

    MESSAGE ON THE BOTTLE: COLOURS AND SHAPES OF WINE LABELS

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    Wine consumers rely mainly on the label on the bottle to infer the quality of its content. But there is little empirical research on how colours can be interacted with shapes in the design of wine labels. This study draws from an experiment using data from Spain and shows that there are strong preferences for selected colour-shape combinations in label design. Surprisingly, colour alone does not elicit as strong preferences as certain shapes do, at least when they are assessed irrespectively of the shapes featured in the label. Other combinations, on the other hand, are very resilient, especially those that contain colour hues, such as brown, yellow, black and green, in labels with salient rectangular and hexagonal patterns.wine labels, Marketing,

    TOURNAMENTS, RISK PERCEPTIONS, AND FAIRNESS

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    This paper reports the results of an economic experiment investigating human subjects' preferences for two types of contracts tournaments and fixed performance standard contracts. Willingness to pay data was elicited through an auction and results suggest that subjects prefer fixed performance standard contracts to tournaments. Primary drivers of this result appear to be subjects' perceptions that tournaments are more risky and less fair than fixed performance standard contracts. Surprisingly, measures of the relative profitability of the contracts did not correlate with willingness to pay. Our results can shed light on why agricultural producers express frustration over tournaments and can provide insights on contract and policy design.Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,
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