Balancing Research, Teaching, Clinical Work, and Family: Nine Suggestions for Young Professionals

Balancing multiple professional roles and a family can be demanding. The current paper is a non-evidence based list of informal, anecdotal suggestions for professionals who strive to balance multiple work roles with the demands of raising young children. It is important to note I make no claims that this is an evidence-based method for achieving optimal work-family balance. Rather, I was invited to this conference to discuss my own experiences balancing work and family; this paper reflects that non-scientific aim, and includes a list of nine suggestions that I hope will be helpful to some. I am a licensed clinical psychologist in the United States. My primary position is as an associate professor at a mid-sized university, and my secondary position is as a clinical psychologist in the community. I am married and I have one child, and I recognize that the following suggestions might be most helpful to those who are demographically similar to me. The nine suggestions I propose include: 1) Be a single-tasker, 2) Use daycare hours wisely, 3) Establish parameters for your work email, 4) Outsource the chore you dislike most, 5) Designate a primary parent for discrete periods of time, 6) Play with your children, 7) Take good vacations, 8) Learn to say no, and 9) Attend to your own mental health. Each of these anecdotal suggestions is discussed in turn, and the interested reader is pointed to some empirical articles for further reading

Psychometric Properties of the Primary Care Mental Health Screener for Early Identification of Disruptive Behavior Disorders in 3- to 8-year-old Children

The Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBDs), as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994), are Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and Conduct Disorder (CD). It has been suggested that treatment outcomes for DBDs will be more positive if mental health professionals are able to intervene at the earliest signs of a disorder (Keenan & Wakschlag, 2002). Early intervention is important because of the short-term and life-long difficulties encountered by individuals with childhood psychopathology (Lavigne et al., 1998; Speltz, McClellan, DeKlyen, & Jones, 1999; Stormont, 2000; Borowsky, Mozayeny, & Ireland, 2003; Moffitt & Caspi, 2001). However, it is uncommon for mental health services to be obtained, and when they are obtained it is not typically as part of a family's first line of care (Ringel & Sturm, 2001). It has been proposed that pediatricians and family practitioners, who have frequent, early contact with very young children, may be in the best position to detect early signs of DBDs and other mental health concerns (Huffman & Nichols, 2004). The Primary Care Mental Health Screener (PCMHS; Hartung & Lefler, 2009) may be an appropriate measure if it proves to have adequate reliability and predictive validity. The PCMHS takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, does not require extensive pediatrician or pediatric staff training, covers a wide range of childhood mental health problems, is written at an 8th grade reading level, is DSM-IV-based, and includes items that research has shown may be more appropriate for girls (i.e., relational aggression, Crick & Grotpeter, 1995). The current study measured the internal consistency reliability of the PCMHS, as well as its predictive validity by comparing the results of the PCMHS to a broader, evidence-informed psychological evaluation to ascertain the predictive validity of the PCMHS. The PCMHS was found to have excellent internal consistency reliability for inattention, hyperactivity, and oppositionality, but not for conduct problems. Also, to test for predictive validity, Bayesian analyses were conducted to assess the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive power (NPP), and positive predictive power (PPP) of scores on the PCMHS. Results were mixed. Finally, to test the convergent and discriminant validity of the PCMHS, a multi-trait/multi-method matrix was created to determine the correlations between constructs. Specifically, convergent validity was tested by correlating PCMHS subscale scores with similar constructs from different measures. All correlations were statistically significant. Conversely, discriminant validity was tested by comparing the correlations of similar constructs to the correlations of dissimilar constructs. Results were mixed. Implications, limitations, and future directions for research in primary care mental health screening are discussed.Department of Psycholog

Soluble glycoprotein VI is a predictor of major bleeding in patients with suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

We have shown that patients with suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) have a high incidence of major bleeding. Recent studies have implicated elevated soluble glycoprotein VI (sGPVI) levels as a potential risk factor for bleeding. We sought to determine if elevated sGPVI plasma levels are associated with major bleeding events in patients with suspected HIT. We used a cohort of 310 hospitalized adult patients with suspected HIT who had a blood sample collected at the time HIT was suspected. Plasma sGPVI levels were measured by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were excluded who had received a platelet transfusion within 1 day of sample collection because of the high levels of sGPVI in platelet concentrates. We assessed the association of sGPVI (high vs low) with International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis major bleeding events by multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for other known risk factors for bleeding. Fifty-four patients were excluded due to recent platelet transfusion, leaving 256 patients for analysis. Eighty-nine (34.8%) patients had a major bleeding event. Median sGPVI levels were significantly elevated in patients with major bleeding events compared with those without major bleeding events (49.09 vs 31.93 ng/mL; P \u3c .001). An sGPVI level \u3e43 ng/mL was independently associated with major bleeding after adjustment for critical illness, sepsis, cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, and degree of thrombocytopenia (adjusted odds ratio, 2.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.51-5.23). Our findings suggest that sGPVI is associated with major bleeding in hospitalized patients with suspected HIT. sGPVI may be a novel biomarker to predict bleeding risk in patients with suspected HIT

Perpetrators, victims, bystanders and up standers: cyber bullying in a special school context.

This study offers a multi-dimensional analysis of ‘real world’ cyberbullying between members of a special school community. The purpose of this article is to analyse the social and educational contexts within which interactions of this nature are embedded.The interview both illuminated a number of themes pertinent to the current literature and extended those related to the call for further analysis of the contextual determinants of cyberbullying.The influence of the conditions experienced by the children involved (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)) is discussed and demonstrated. This use of natural observation provides a current and ‘real world’ illustration of teacher perceptions of the complex behaviours and interactions occurring in cyberspace, which hold potential for grave consequences. A hopeful tone is maintained as the potential for selfless upstander behaviour and resolution via the involvement of supportive and knowledgeable pastoral staff is realised in the article’s conclusion.<br/

The impact of personality factors on delay in seeking treatment of acute myocardial infarction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Early hospital arrival and rapid intervention for acute myocardial infarction is essential for a successful outcome. Several studies have been unable to identify explanatory factors that slowed decision time. The present study examines whether personality, psychosocial factors, and coping strategies might explain differences in time delay from onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction to arrival at a hospital emergency room.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Questionnaires on coping strategies, personality dimensions, and depression were completed by 323 patients ages 26 to 70 who had suffered an acute myocardial infarction. Tests measuring stress adaptation were completed by 180 of them. The patients were then categorised into three groups, based on time from onset of symptoms until arrival at hospital, and compared using logistic regression analysis and general linear models.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No correlation could be established between personality factors (i.e., extraversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness) or depressive symptoms and time between onset of symptoms and arrival at hospital. Nor was there any significant relationship between self-reported patient coping strategies and time delay.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We found no significant relationship between personality factors, coping strategies, or depression and time delays in seeking hospital after an acute myocardial infraction.</p

Adolescents' involvement in cyber bullying and perceptions of school: the importance of perceived peer acceptance for female adolescents

Young people are spending increasing amounts of time using digital technology and, as such, are at great risk of being involved in cyber bullying as a victim, bully, or bully/victim. Despite cyber bullying typically occurring outside the school environment, the impact of being involved in cyber bullying is likely to spill over to school. Fully 285 11- to 15-year-olds (125 male and 160 female, M age = 12.19 years, SD = 1.03) completed measures of cyber bullying involvement, self-esteem, trust, perceived peer acceptance, and perceptions of the value of learning and the importance of school. For young women, involvement in cyber bullying as a victim, bully, or bully/victim negatively predicted perceptions of learning and school, and perceived peer acceptance mediated this relationship. The results indicated that involvement in cyber bullying negatively predicted perceived peer acceptance which, in turn, positively predicted perceptions of learning and school. For young men, fulfilling the bully/victim role negatively predicted perceptions of learning and school. Consequently, for young women in particular, involvement in cyber bullying spills over to impact perceptions of learning. The findings of the current study highlight how stressors external to the school environment can adversely impact young women's perceptions of school and also have implications for the development of interventions designed to ameliorate the effects of cyber bullying

Enriched Population of PNS Neurons Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells as a Platform for Studying Peripheral Neuropathies

BACKGROUND: The absence of a suitable cellular model is a major obstacle for the study of peripheral neuropathies. Human embryonic stem cells hold the potential to be differentiated into peripheral neurons which makes them a suitable candidate for this purpose. However, so far the potential of hESC to differentiate into derivatives of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) was not investigated enough and in particular, the few trials conducted resulted in low yields of PNS neurons. Here we describe a novel hESC differentiation method to produce enriched populations of PNS mature neurons. By plating 8 weeks hESC derived neural progenitors (hESC-NPs) on laminin for two weeks in a defined medium, we demonstrate that over 70% of the resulting neurons express PNS markers and 30% of these cells are sensory neurons. METHODS/FINDINGS: Our method shows that the hNPs express neuronal crest lineage markers in a temporal manner, and by plating 8 weeks hESC-NPs into laminin coated dishes these hNPs were promoted to differentiate and give rise to homogeneous PNS neuronal populations, expressing several PNS lineage-specific markers. Importantly, these cultures produced functional neurons with electrophysiological activities typical of mature neurons. Moreover, supporting this physiological capacity implantation of 8 weeks old hESC-NPs into the neural tube of chick embryos also produced human neurons expressing specific PNS markers in vivo in just a few days. Having the enriched PNS differentiation system in hand, we show for the first time in human PNS neurons the expression of IKAP/hELP1 protein, where a splicing mutation on the gene encoding this protein causes the peripheral neuropathy Familial Dysautonomia. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that this differentiation system to produce high numbers of human PNS neurons will be useful for studying PNS related neuropathies and for developing future drug screening applications for these diseases

A Communal Catalogue Reveals Earth\u27s Multiscale Microbial Diversity

Our growing awareness of the microbial world\u27s importance and diversity contrasts starkly with our limited understanding of its fundamental structure. Despite recent advances in DNA sequencing, a lack of standardized protocols and common analytical frameworks impedes comparisons among studies, hindering the development of global inferences about microbial life on Earth. Here we present a meta-analysis of microbial community samples collected by hundreds of researchers for the Earth Microbiome Project. Coordinated protocols and new analytical methods, particularly the use of exact sequences instead of clustered operational taxonomic units, enable bacterial and archaeal ribosomal RNA gene sequences to be followed across multiple studies and allow us to explore patterns of diversity at an unprecedented scale. The result is both a reference database giving global context to DNA sequence data and a framework for incorporating data from future studies, fostering increasingly complete characterization of Earth\u27s microbial diversity