Expressed Emotion, Mental Health, and Functioning in Families of Children with and without Asthma

Introduction: Expressed emotion (EE), the affective attitudes and behaviors of one toward another, can affect caregivers’ behaviors toward their child. Research examining associations between EE and child/family outcomes is mixed; these associations may be affected by other influences such as the presence of a chronic disease or parent mental health. In this study of families living in an urban area, we examined associations between EE and child outcomes (anxiety/depressive symptoms) and family functioning, with parent anxiety as a covariate. We evaluated child asthma status as a moderator in these associations as the presence of a chronic illness may strengthen the association between EE and child/family outcomes. Methods: 96 children (mean±SD age=8.83±2.03 years, 48.9% female, 92.6% African American; 47 with asthma) and their parents (81.3% annual household income\u3c$25,000) completed an observational study including interviews and questionnaires. Measures included the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC), Children’s Depressive Symptoms Inventory (CDI), Self-Report Family Inventory (SFI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), and Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) coded for EE. To examine study aims, regression analyses were conducted using PROCESS macro version 3.1. Asthma status (yes/no) was examined as a moderator. Results: EE was associated with child anxiety symptoms, child depressive symptoms, and family functioning, controlling for parent anxiety symptoms (F(1,70) =6.74, p=.011; F(1,69) =7.803, p=.007; F(1,68) =8.637, p=.004). Asthma status did not moderate any of the associations. Conclusions: Results suggested that high levels of caregiver EE were associated with child mental health symptoms and family functioning, but asthma status did not moderate associations. It is possible that regardless of additional family demands related to asthma, EE is associated with child mental health and family functioning. Further examination into other systemic stressors that may moderate these associations is warranted, as well as the impact that minimizing parent anxiety might have on overall EE.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/gradposters/1075/thumbnail.jp

Training TV Teachers

The high hope that is being placed in television as an educational medium makes it desirable that we examine the training needed to fit teachers to this medium. Many questions can be asked such as, can only certain persons teach successfully by TV? How long does it take to train a TV teacher? Is a very special kind of training necessary? What are the peculiarities of TV a teacher must recognize? In the past several years, considerable information has accumulated on how to teach by television. Most of this information is empirical but some has resulted from situations involving a fair degree of control and statistical evaluation. Colleges utilizing commercial ·outlets and WOI-TV operating the first educationally owned station have been exploring the possibility of education by TV. The Special Devices Center, Port Washington, L. I., New York has conducted pioneer projects of great value for the purpose of adapting TV to military training

Altered electroretinogram b-wave in a Suffolk sheep experimentally infected with scrapie

TRANSMISSIBLE spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases in which an abnormal isoform of the cellular prion protein (PrPSc) accumulates in tissues of the central nervous system. Accumulation of PrPSc occurs in the retina, a rostral projection of the central nervous system, of both natural and nonnatural host species with TSEs (Foster and others 1999, Spraker and others 2002, Head and others 2003, 2005, Hamir and others 2004, 2005, Kercher and others 2004, Greenlee and others 2006, Hortells and others 2006). In retinas from scrapie-affected sheep, PrPSc accumulation is primarily observed in the inner and outer plexiform layers, and in the ganglion cell layer (Jeffrey and others 2001, Greenlee and others 2006). Recent studies have reported few (Hortells and others 2006) or no (Greenlee and others 2006) histological lesions in the retinas of sheep affected with scrapie. However, morphological changes in specific retinal cell types have been demonstrated (Smith and others 2008). Despite the morphological consequences of retinal PrPSc accumulation in sheep (Barnett and Palmer 1971, Smith and others 2008), the functional impact on the retina of these animals is unknown. In the current study, the effect of TSE on retinal function in a scrapie-infected Suffolk sheep using flash electroretinography was investigated

Retinal function and morphology are altered in cattle infected with the prion disease transmissible mink encephalopathy

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are a group of diseases that result in progressive and invariably fatal neurologic disease in both animals and humans. TSEs are characterized by the accumulation of an abnormal protease-resistant form of the prion protein in the central nervous system. Transmission of infectious TSEs is believed to occur via ingestion of prion protein–contaminated material. This material is also involved in the transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (“mad cow disease”) to humans, which resulted in the variant form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Abnormal prion protein has been reported in the retina of TSE-affected cattle, but despite these observations, the specific effect of abnormal prion protein on retinal morphology and function has not been assessed. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize potential functional and morphologic abnormalities in the retinas of cattle infected with a bovine-adapted isolate of transmissible mink encephalopathy. We used electroretinography and immunohistochemistry to examine retinas from 10 noninoculated and 5 transmissible mink encephalopathy–inoculated adult Holstein steers. Here we show altered retinal function, as evidenced by prolonged implicit time of the electroretinogram b-wave, in transmissible mink encephalopathy–infected cattle before the onset of clinical illness. We also demonstrate disruption of rod bipolar cell synaptic terminals, indicated by decreased immunoreactivity for the alpha isoform of protein kinase C and vesicular glutamate transporter 1, and activation of Müller glia, as evidenced by increased glial fibrillary acidic protein and glutamine synthetase expression, in the retinas of these cattle at the time of euthanasia due to clinical deterioration. This is the first study to identify both functional and morphologic alterations in the retinas of TSE-infected cattle. Our results support future efforts to focus on the retina for the development of new strategies for the diagnosis of TSEs

Using College Students as Peer Leaders in a Tobacco Prevention Program and the Effect on Student Participant Smoking Beliefs and Social Influence Leadership

This study evaluates the effectiveness of using college students as peer leaders in an after-school tobacco prevention program for upper elementary students. Thirty-three students and three counselors participated in a six-week intervention, focusing on social influence and active-learning strategies. The program aimed to improve students\u27 smoking outcome expectancies and their ability to influence peers against tobacco use. Despite following best practices, the study found no significant changes in students\u27 smoking beliefs or observed leadership abilities. These results suggest that while initial anti-tobacco beliefs remained strong, the short duration and structured setting may have limited opportunities for significant behavioral changes. This study highlights the importance of exploring diverse and non-traditional settings for tobacco prevention education and suggests further research with larger samples and varied contexts to better understand the potential impact of peer-led interventions

Using a multi-level tailored design process to develop a customer satisfaction survey for university evaluation

A multi-level procedure is described in order to develop a total quality management survey tool in the field of engineering academia. As a first step a review of available evaluation tools for universities is conducted, resulting in over 150 items used for evaluation purposes. Secondly all dimensions of educational evaluation used in previous research are summarized, resulting in 15 dimensions. In a third step, items are assigned to the dimensions, overlapping items were combined or removed, and item content and dimensions were adjusted to the specific conditions of the target faculty. Fourthly, the resulting twelve dimensions were used in first, investigative interviews in the target population. Results indicate that eleven dimensions sufficiently mapped all aspects of evaluation. After revising the items to improve understanding in a fifth step cognitive pretests were conducted. The final revision resulted in 83 items assigned to eleven dimensions

The relationship of individual comorbid chronic conditions to diabetes care quality.

ObjectiveMultimorbidity affects 26 million persons with diabetes, and care for comorbid chronic conditions may impact diabetes care quality. The aim of this study was to determine which chronic conditions were related to lack of achievement or achievement of diabetes care quality goals to determine potential targets for future interventions.Research design and methodsThis is an exploratory retrospective analysis of electronic health record data for 23 430 adults, aged 18-75, with diabetes who were seen at seven Midwestern US health systems. The main outcome measures were achievement of six diabetes quality metrics in the reporting year, 2011 (glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) control and testing, low-density lipoprotein control and testing, blood pressure control, kidney testing). Explanatory variables were 62 chronic condition indicators. Analyses were adjusted for baseline patient sociodemographic and healthcare utilization factors.ResultsThe 62 chronic conditions varied in their relationships to diabetes care goal achievement for specific care goals. Congestive heart failure was related to lack of achievement of cholesterol management goals. Obesity was related to lack of HbA1c and BP control. Mental health conditions were related to both lack of achievement and achievement of different care goals. Three conditions were related to lack of cholesterol testing, including congestive heart failure and substance-use disorders. Of 17 conditions related to achieving control goals, 16 were related to achieving HbA1c control. One-half of the comorbid conditions did not predict diabetes care quality.ConclusionsFuture interventions could target patients at risk for not achieving diabetes care for specific care goals based on their individual comorbidities

Empirical competence-testing: A psychometric examination of the German version of the Emotional Competence Inventory

The “Emotional Competence Inventory“ (ECI 2.0) by Goleman and Boyatzis assesses emotional intelligence (EI) in organizational context by means of 72 items in 4 clusters (self-awareness, self- management, social awareness, social skills) which at large consist of 18 competencies. Our study examines the psychometric properties of the first German translation of this instrument in two different surveys (N = 236). If all items are included in reliability analysis the ECI is reliable (Cronbach’s Alpha = .90), whereas the reliability of the four sub dimensions is much smaller (Alpha = .62 - .81). For 43 items the corrected item-total correlation with its own scale is higher than correlations with the other three clusters. Convergent validity was examined by using another EI instrument (Wong & Law, 2002). We found a significant correlation between the two instruments (r = .41). The German version of the ECI seems to be quite useful, although the high reliability is achieved by a large number of items. Possibilities of improvement are discussed

Emotional Intelligence and its consequences for occupational and life satisfaction - Emotional Intelligence in the context of irrational beliefs

According to Albert Ellis' theory of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy irrational beliefs (IB) lead to maladaptive emotions. A central component of irrationality is the denial of one's own possibilities to control important aspects of life. A specific IB is that one cannot control and thus cannot avoid certain emotion states. Emotion research considers regulative emotion control a pivotal component of the concept of emotional intelligence (EI). A negative association between IB and EI can thus be theoretically derived from both concepts. Furthermore both should be related to life satisfaction. We examined the relationship between IB and EI using standardized questionnaire instruments and the predictive value of both concepts regarding life satisfaction. We found a significant negative correlation between both conceptions (r = -.21). Life satisfaction and occupational satisfaction are better predicted by IB. R² increases from .04 to .12 when both concepts are incorporated in regression analysis