Testing For Independence of Observations in Animal Movements

Many analyses of animal movements assume that an animal's position at time t + 1 is independent of its position at time t, but no statistical procedure exists to test this assumption with bivariate data. Using empirically derived critical values for the ratio of mean squared distance between successive observations to mean squared distance from the center of activity, we demonstrate a bivariate test of the independence assumption first proposed by Schoener. For cases in which the null hypothesis of independence is rejected, we present a procedure for determining the time interval at which autocorrelation becomes negligible. To illustrate implementation of the test, locational data obtained from a radio-tagged adult female cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) were used. The test can be used to design an efficient sampling schedule for movement studies, and it is also useful in revealing behavioral phenomena such as home range shifting and any tendency of animals to follow prescribed routes in their daily activities. Further, the testmay provide a means of examining how an animal's use of space is affected by its internal clock

The Importance of Statistical Power When Testing for Independence in Animal Movements

No abstract is available for this item

Live Trap Preference Among Grassland Mammals

In two independent studies, small mammals of grassland communities in eastern Kansas, when given a choice, preferred Fitch to Sherman live traps. Except for the harvest mice in the demographic study, the type of preferred trap and magnitude of selection was remarkably comparable, with microtines showing slight, and cricetines strong, preferences overall. The merits of each type of trap are compared, and related to season, weather, prior experience, and trap-associated mortality

Relating Body Size to the Rate of Home Range Use in Mammals

The area occupied or traversed by an animal is a function of the time period considered, but few empirical estimates of the temporal component of home range use are available. We used a statistic called the "time to independence" to make an ecologically meaningful estimate of the amount of time required for an individual to traverse its home range. Data from 23 species of terrestrial mammals indicated the existence of a sizedependent time scale governing the rate of home range use. Foraging mode influenced the rate of home range use; central place foragers traversed their home ranges approximately five times as rapidly as comparably sized noncentral place foragers. Numerous physiological measures of time are related to body mass raised to the V* power. Our results suggest that the time scale governing the rate of space use by mammals is related similarly to body mass. This relationship permits a more critical examination of factors thought to influence home range size, including habitat productivity and social organization

The development of the Slade–Pais Expectations of Childbirth Scale (SPECS) *

Objective: To develop a valid and reliable English language-based scale to measure pregnant women’s expectations of childbirth. Background: During pregnancy, most women think about their forthcoming childbirth, and develop expectations of how they think this experience will be. Women with adverse expectations of childbirth have been found to have more negative actual experiences. Measuring expectations is therefore important. Existing measures are limited in their established psychometric properties. Methods: Items were generated from semi-structured interviews with 18 pregnant women to explore their expectations of their forthcoming childbirth. Content analysis was used to analyse interview data and scale items were developed using the constructs extracted. A population sample of 148 pregnant women completed the initial 85-item version of the Slade–Pais Expectations of Childbirth Scale (SPECS) and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results: Principal components analysis of the SPECS identified six underlying components labelled ‘coping and robustness to pain’, ‘staff and service responsive to needs’, ‘fear’, ‘out of control and embarrassed’, ‘perceptions of partner’s coping’ and ‘positive anticipation of birth’. Items with poor psychometric properties were excluded. A final 50-item version of the SPECS showed acceptable internal reliability and good content and construct validity. Conclusion: The SPECS shows promising psychometric robustness for use both as a research and clinical tool. It can be used as a total score, as a shortened scale focussed only on expectations of self, or as a series of subscales covering all domains

Demographic and clinical characteristics of 1092 consecutive police custody mental health referrals

The 43 police forces in England and Wales have made over 13 million arrests in the last decade. Yet despite this high volume criminal justice system activity, and evidence of substantial health morbidity across the criminal justice pathway, mental health services in police custody have so far only been developed in patches, and the literature in this area is limited. Referrals (n=1092) to a pilot mental health service operating across two police stations in a London borough were examined over an 18-month period in 2012/13. The referred group had high levels of mental health and substance misuse problems (including acute mental illness, intoxication and withdrawal), self-harm, suicide risk and vulnerability, with some important gender differences. Although this work has limitations, the findings are broadly consistent with the small existing literature and they confirm the need for services that are sufficiently resourced to meet the presenting needs

Suicide ideation amongst people referred for mental health assessment in police custody

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of suicide ideation amongst a group of people who had been arrested and taken into police custody, and were then referred to a mental health service operating in the police stations. Design/methodology/approach A referred sample of 888 cases were collected over an 18-month period during 2012/2013. Clinical assessments were conducted using a template in which background information was collected (including information about their previous clinical history, substance misuse, alleged offence, any pre-identified diagnoses, and the response of the service) as part of the standard operating procedure of the service. Data were analysed using a statistical software package. Findings In total, 16.2 per cent (n=144) reported suicide ideation, with women being more likely to report than men. In total, 82.6 per cent of the suicide ideation sample reported a history of self-harm or a suicide attempt. Suicide ideation was also associated with certain diagnostic categories (depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and personality disorder), a history of contact with mental health services, and recent (within 24 hours) consumption of alcohol or drugs. Originality/value This evaluation adds to the limited literature in this area by describing a large sample from a real clinical service. It provides information that can assist with future service designs and it offers support for calls for a standardised health screening process, better safety arrangements for those who have recently used alcohol or drugs (within 24 hours) and integrated service delivery across healthcare domains (i.e. physical healthcare, substance use, and mental health)

Managing the anxiety around Covid-19: one day at a time. Resource pack for activities and support

You may be feeling anxious about Covid-19 or coronavirus and this is to be expected, it is an uncertain time. Almost everyone is worried either about themselves or those close to them. You may find that you experience greater including emotional disturbance, depression, stress, difficulty sleeping, low mood, irritability or anger and these are all normal responses to quarantine. You are also likely experience periods of monotony and boredom, suffer from low mood and motivation, and need to tolerate being in close proximity to a small number of other people, while potentially separated from other friends and family for long periods of time. The scale of the current pandemic might seem overwhelming (adding to our anxiety and fear), and firm information about the future is scarce. People in isolation situations emphasise the importance of staying in the present and not being too distracted by the end point. Instead, they try to break down the task or challenge (in the present case being stuck in isolation) and focus on the most important, achievable, and immediate tasks: what can be done over the next hour, day or week. This guide provides link and information to support you. If you do not have access to the internet, then if you are an AP resident, then you can ask a member of staff if they could download or print it for you