Changing preservice teacher students' stereotypes and attitudes and reducing judgment biases concerning students of different family backgrounds: effects of a short intervention

Numerous empirical findings have shown biased judgments of (future) teachers depending on students’ ethnic and social background. Furthermore, research has indicated that (future) teachers’ stereotypes and attitudes differ depending on students’ backgrounds and appear to influence (future) teachers’ judgments. Based on theories of stereotype change, attitude change, and judgment formation, a short intervention was developed to change stereotypes and attitudes and to reduce judgment biases. In an experimental study (within- and between-subject design) with N = 215 preservice teacher students, the effectiveness of the intervention on stereotype change, attitude change, and reduction of judgment distortions was tested. The results showed hypothesized effects of the intervention on stereotypes and attitudes towards students with an immigration background and students with low social status. Furthermore, the intervention showed effects on preservice teacher students’ judgments, especially for low-status students

The striatal dopamine transporter in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenic patients: evaluation by the new SPECT-ligand[99mTc]TRODAT-1

Following the current hypothesis that acute schizophrenic psychotic illness is associated with a triatal ‘hyperdopaminergic state’, presynaptic integrity and dopamine transporter (DAT) density in first-episode, neuroleptic-naive schizophrenic patients was measured by single-photonemission- tomography (SPECT) and compared with that in healthy control subjects. A new SPECT-ligand for assessment of the striatal DAT, the Technetium-99m-labelled tropane TRODAT-1 ([99mTc]TRODAT-1), was used. Ten inpatients suffering from a first acute schizophrenic episode and 10 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects underwent SPECT with [99mTc]TRODAT-1. On the day of SPECT, psychopathological ratings were performed with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Schedule for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). Patients had not previously received any neuroleptic or antidepressant medication. Mean specific TRODAT-1 binding in the striatum did not differ significantly between the patient and the age- and sex-matched control group (1.25 vs. 1.28). Variance was significantly higher in the patient group. The data obtained with the new ligand in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenic patients are in line with the PET results from the group of Laakso et al. in a comparable patient sample. [99mTc]TRODAT-1 seems to be a valuable new SPECTligand in the evaluation of the presynaptic site of the striatal dopaminergic synapse in schizophrenia

Striatal dopamine D2 receptor binding of risperidone in schizophrenic patients as assessed by 123I-iodobenzamide SPECT: a comparative study with olanzapine

The aim of this investigation was to compare the degree of striatal dopamine-(D2) receptor blockade by two atypical antipsychotic drugs, risperidone and olanzapine. The percentage of D2 receptor occupancy during treatment was calculated by comparing the results of 123I-iodobenzamide SPECT with those from healthy control subjects. Twenty inpatients suffering from schizophrenia or schizoaffective psychosis according to DSM IV/ICD-10 criteria were treated with clinically recommended doses of risperidone and compared with 13 inpatients treated with up to 20 mg olanzapine. Neuroleptic dose and D2 receptor blockade correlated strongly for both risperidone (Pearson r = –0.86, p = 0.0001) and olanzapine (Pearson r = –0.77, p = 0.002). There was no significant difference between the D2 receptor occupancy of the two substances when given in the clinically recommended dose range (unpaired t-test, t= –0.112, p=0.911)

Hanford Site environmental data for calendar year 1990 -- Ground water

This report tabulates ground-water radiological and chemical data for calendar year 1990 by the Ground-Water Surveillance Project, reported Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Monitoring, and Operational Monitoring. The Ground-Water Surveillance Project is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory and the RCRA and Operational Monitoring Projects are conducted by the Westinghouse Hanford Company. This document supplements the reports Hanford Site Ground-Water Monitoring for 1990 (Evans et al. 1992) and mental Report for Calendar Year 1990 (Woodruff and Hanf 1991). The data listings provided here were generated from the Hanford Environmental Information System database

Hanford Site environmental data for calendar year 1990 -- Ground water

This report tabulates ground-water radiological and chemical data for calendar year 1990 by the Ground-Water Surveillance Project, reported Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Monitoring, and Operational Monitoring. The Ground-Water Surveillance Project is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory and the RCRA and Operational Monitoring Projects are conducted by the Westinghouse Hanford Company. This document supplements the reports Hanford Site Ground-Water Monitoring for 1990 (Evans et al. 1992) and mental Report for Calendar Year 1990 (Woodruff and Hanf 1991). The data listings provided here were generated from the Hanford Environmental Information System database

Vicious and virtuous relationships between procrastination and emotions: an investigation of the reciprocal relationship between academic procrastination and learning-related anxiety and hope

Although cross-sectional studies depict (negative) emotions as both antecedents and consequences of trait procrastination, longitudinal studies examining reciprocal relationships between procrastination and emotions are scant. Yet, investigating reciprocal relationships between procrastination and emotions within long-term frameworks can shed light on the mechanisms underlying these relationships. Additionally, the role of positive emotions concerning procrastination is largely unattended to in the procrastination–emotion research; albeit, this perspective can inform preventive and intervention measures against procrastination. In the present study, we explored reciprocal associations between trait academic procrastination on the one hand and trait-like learning-related anxiety and hope on the other hand over one semester. Overall, N = 789 students in German universities participated in a three-wave online panel study. Participants responded to questions on academic procrastination as well as learning-related anxiety and hope at the beginning (T1), middle (T2), and end (T3) of the lecture period of the semester in approximately 6-week measurement intervals. A latent cross-lagged panel model was used to test the hypotheses. After accounting for autoregressive effects, our results showed that academic procrastination at T1 positively predicted learning-related anxiety at T2. In contrast, academic procrastination at T1 negatively predicted learning-related hope at T2, which in turn negatively predicted academic procrastination at T3. Our results highlight positive emotions (e.g., hope) as also significant factors for procrastination and suggest them as possible “protective factors” against procrastination. Boosting positive emotions as part of interventions against procrastination could potentially help reduce the tendency to procrastinate

Study satisfaction among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal development and personal-contextual predictors

The COVID-19 pandemic challenges the well-being and academic success of many students. Yet, little is known about students’ study satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, a multilayered construct which accounts for students’ subjective cognitive well-being and academic success. Besides, previous studies on study satisfaction are mostly cross-sectional and hardly consider the distinct subdimensions of this construct. Therefore, our main goal in this study was to shed light on the understudied development of the subdimensions of study satisfaction (i.e., satisfaction with study content, conditions of studying, and coping with study-related stress) in two semesters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, we examined how particular personal (i.e., gender, age, GPA, intrinsic motivation, motivational cost, and academic procrastination) and contextual (i.e., loneliness) factors are related to these subdimensions. We conducted two panel studies with convenience and purposeful samples of university students in Germany (Nstudy1 = 837; Nstudy2 = 719). Participants responded online to questions on each of the subdimensions of study satisfaction at the beginning, middle, and end of each semester but responded to measures of personal and contextual factors only at the beginning of each semester. In both studies, manifest growth curve models indicated a decrease in all subdimensions of study satisfaction as the semester progressed. Generally, gender (male) and intrinsic motivation were positive predictors but age (younger students), motivational cost, and loneliness were negative predictors of different subdimensions of study satisfaction – particularly satisfaction with study content. Overall, motivational costs and loneliness were the most consistent predictors of all subdimensions of study satisfaction across both studies. Our findings provide support for the understanding that study satisfaction could diminish in the face of challenging situations such as in this pandemic. The present study also highlights certain personal and contextual factors that relate to study satisfaction and calls for intensive research into the multidimensional construct of study satisfaction