Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety among North Korean refugees: a meta-analysis

Objective Post-traumatic stress disorder is common among North Korean refugees who have fled their country for economic, financial and humanitarian reasons. Co-morbid depression and anxiety are also common among North Korean refugees, due to the difficulties they have faced within their country and during their escape journey. Depression and anxiety complicate treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, and lead to poorer outcomes. Thus, the aim of the present study was to provide a meta-analysis of studies investigating post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety among North Korean refugees. Methods Selected articles were published in English, and included measures of post-traumatic stress, and/or depression and anxiety. 10 studies were included in the depression meta-analysis, and 6 in the anxiety meta-analysis. Results A random-effects model revealed strong, significant associations between post-traumatic stress and depression, r=0.63, 95% CI (0.51, 0.72), p<0.001, z=8.33, and anxiety, r=0.51, 95% CI (0.36, 0.63), p<0.001, z=6.07. The relationships between post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety were higher among adults and those with more than five years outside of North Korea. Conclusion Depression appears to be an important treatment focus for North Korean refugees with post-traumatic stress

The use of higher and lower order perceptual tasks and attention to predict reading disability - the importance of subtypes

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Processing style and social comparison outcomes : assimilation and contrast effects in automatic behaviour and self-evaluation

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The Effects of comparison status and individual differences in social comparison tendencies on the experience of Schadenfreude

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Can you talk and drive safely at the same time? An examination of gender differences in driving performance of young drivers observed whilst conversing with a passenger or on a mobile phone

Crash risk of young drivers is affected by the presence of passengers and by mobile phone use. We asked whether conversing is the primary cause of both these types of distraction for young drivers. Through the use of confederates, we examined the driving performance of young male and female drivers (aged 18-25) on a driving simulator as they conversed either with a “passenger” or with an unexpected “caller” on the driver’s own mobile phone. In another two conditions the driver merely listened to the conversation between two “passengers”, or else they carried a silent “passenger”. Males and females show a quite different pattern of responses to these sources of distraction. As might be expected, the number of driving errors committed by the female drivers increased whilst they were engaged in conversation on their mobile phone, but talking to a passenger produced no more errors than did driving in either of the two non-conversing conditions. In contrast, the male drivers not only made fewer errors whilst talking on the mobile phone than they did whilst conversing with a passenger, they also made fewer errors whilst conversing on the mobile phone than they did in either of the two conditions in which they were not required to talk. Results highlight a need to obtain a better understanding of the apparent gender specificity of some sources of distraction for young drivers with a view to better targeting safety messages to this at-risk group of drivers

Music genre induced driver aggression

Few empirical studies have targeted the links between media delinquency or risk-promoting popular culture (specifically aversive music genres) with negative affective states and aggressive driving. Yet for over a decade, drivers have reported that they commit traffic violations while listening to loud fast-beat aggressive music styles. The current investigation seeks to explore aggressive driving behavior while considering the genre of music background. Most specifically, we look at aversive music styles and songs with violent lyrics. The article outlines the testimonials by drivers ( N = 6,058) from six recent commercially solicited surveys with drivers which demonstrate “proof of concept” for driver aggression subsequent to driving with music accompaniment. Further, the article details a study ( N = 50) employing a driving simulator with 30 paired music exemplars of 4 music genres. Half consisted of songs with hostile aggressive lyrics and half with neutral lyrics—both performed in the same music styles by the same artists. The results demonstrate that energetic music boosted excitement resulting in decreased lateral control, increased excursions from the lane, and an increased tendency to stray onto the hard shoulder. Drivers who were exposed to hostile music with violent content on the other hand demonstrated increased cruising speeds and a higher percentage of time exceeding speed limits. These differential effects of music on drivers can be referred to as either music-generated driver distraction or music genre induced driver aggression

Visual attention in novice drivers : a lack of situation awareness

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Determining fitness to drive for drivers with dementia: A medical practitioner perspective

Currently in Australia medical fitness to drive decisions for people with dementia are largely conducted by front line medical practitioners. Little is known about the processes that these practitioners use to make these decisions, and how current guidelines assist in making determinations about driving capacity. A short survey was completed by 42 practitioners. The results of the survey supported previous findings that practitioners do not feel comfortable with making the decision regarding fitness to drive for people with dementia. Practitioners relied largely on self-report or informant information regarding current driving practices. Although practitioners reported that the level of cognitive functioning was the most important factor in determining safe driving, only 25% of practitioners employed cognitive assessments. Whilst the vast majority of practitioners were aware of the fitness to drive guidelines, over half did not find them to be sufficient in enabling determinations of driving capacity. Due to this, almost all practitioners reported that they believe they have missed cases of unsafe driving in this population with over 85% endorsing the need for a more objective tool. Significantly, over threequarters of practitioners reported that they have never received training on how to make fitness to drive decisions. Given that the current driver licensing system for people with dementia depends on medical fitness to drive reviews, the lack of confidence by practitioners regarding making fitness to drive decisions can have a detrimental impact on both the safety of the individual drivers, but also the community as a whole