Problem gambling, gambling correlates and health seeking attitudes in a Chinese sample: An empirical evaluation.

There is an increasing consensus that problem gambling (PG) is a serious social issue among the Chinese, but little is known of the factors associated with PG among the Chinese using validated and improved PG measure-ments. This study examined the patterns of PG and the PG predictive ability of variables such as gam-bling-related cognitions, gambling urge, depression, anxiety, stress, and help-seeking attitudes among Chinese individuals living in Taiwan. The participants consisted of 801 Taiwanese Chinese student and community indi-viduals (Mean age = 25.36 years). The prevalence of PG (Problem Gambling Severity Index; PGSI) and patho-logical gambling (South Oaks Gambling Screen; SOGS) are higher in this Taiwanese Chinese sample as com-pared with past prevalence research. Significant differences were found between PGSI groups (i.e., non-PG, low-risk, moderate-risk, and PG) in socio-demographic variables. Erroneous gambling-related cognitions and overall negative psychological states significantly predicted PG. In addition, interaction effects of gender, mediation effects, and the predictive ability of help-seeking attitudes were discussed. The findings of this study have important implications in the understanding of PG among the Chinese. Gambling-related cognitions and negative psychological states are important factors that should be addressed in intervention programs

Capturing Multicellular System Designs Using Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL)

8 Pág.Synthetic biology aims to develop novel biological systems and increase their reproducibility using engineering principles such as standardization and modularization. It is important that these systems can be represented and shared in a standard way to ensure they can be easily understood, reproduced, and utilized by other researchers. The Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) is a data standard for sharing biological designs and information about their implementation and characterization. Previously, this standard has only been used to represent designs in systems where the same design is implemented in every cell; however, there is also much interest in multicellular systems, in which designs involve a mixture of different types of cells with differing genotype and phenotype. Here, we show how the SBOL standard can be used to represent multicellular systems, and, hence, how researchers can better share designs with the community and reliably document intended system functionality.This work was supported in part by NSF Expeditions in Computing Program Award No. 1522074 as part of the Living Computing Project and by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency under Contract No. W911NF-17-2-0098. The views, opinions, and/or findings expressed are of the author(s) and should not be interpreted as representing official views or policies of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. A.G.-M. was supported by the SynBio3D project of the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (No.EP/R019002/1) and the European CSA on biological standardization BIOROBOOST (EU Grant No. 820699)Peer reviewe

LEARN: A multi-centre, cross-sectional evaluation of Urology teaching in UK medical schools

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the status of UK undergraduate urology teaching against the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) Undergraduate Syllabus for Urology. Secondary objectives included evaluating the type and quantity of teaching provided, the reported performance rate of General Medical Council (GMC)-mandated urological procedures, and the proportion of undergraduates considering urology as a career. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LEARN was a national multicentre cross-sectional study. Year 2 to Year 5 medical students and FY1 doctors were invited to complete a survey between 3rd October and 20th December 2020, retrospectively assessing the urology teaching received to date. Results are reported according to the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES). RESULTS: 7,063/8,346 (84.6%) responses from all 39 UK medical schools were included; 1,127/7,063 (16.0%) were from Foundation Year (FY) 1 doctors, who reported that the most frequently taught topics in undergraduate training were on urinary tract infection (96.5%), acute kidney injury (95.9%) and haematuria (94.4%). The most infrequently taught topics were male urinary incontinence (59.4%), male infertility (52.4%) and erectile dysfunction (43.8%). Male and female catheterisation on patients as undergraduates was performed by 92.1% and 73.0% of FY1 doctors respectively, and 16.9% had considered a career in urology. Theory based teaching was mainly prevalent in the early years of medical school, with clinical skills teaching, and clinical placements in the later years of medical school. 20.1% of FY1 doctors reported no undergraduate clinical attachment in urology. CONCLUSION: LEARN is the largest ever evaluation of undergraduate urology teaching. In the UK, teaching seemed satisfactory as evaluated by the BAUS undergraduate syllabus. However, many students report having no clinical attachments in Urology and some newly qualified doctors report never having inserted a catheter, which is a GMC mandated requirement. We recommend a greater emphasis on undergraduate clinical exposure to urology and stricter adherence to GMC mandated procedures

The Relationship between Problem Gambling, Positive Traits, And Negative Antecedents in a Chinese Sample

The aim of the current body of work is to bridge a gap in the literature by providing an evaluation of an integrated model of gambling among the Chinese with the incorporation of both positive and negative antecedents of problem gambling. This thesis made advancements in the assessment of Chinese problem gambling (PG), theoretical model and thus, it is hoped in interventions of PG. Stemming from Chapter 1, which is a comprehensive review of Chinese PG, we acknowledged that there is a lack of empirical research in this area and went on to address some of the questions raised in subsequent chapters. Thus, this thesis aimed to provide psychometric evaluations of two scales that have not been translated and validated in this ethnic group, test the predictive ability of a range of gambling correlated, and finally to test the validity of the cognitive-behavioural component of Sharpe’s (2002) biopsychosocial model of PG in a Chinese sample. The participants consisted of 801 Taiwanese Chinese individuals (Mean age = 25.36 years). Different subsets of this sample were used for statistical analyses in each empirical chapter. Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 aimed to test the validity and reliability of the Chinese translated versions of The Resilience Scale (TRS-C) and The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI-C), respectively. The TRS-C was found to be unstable across different ethnicities (i.e., in Spanish, Russian, and English language versions). Hence, the TRS-C was omitted from empirical analyses in subsequent chapters. Furthermore, further analyses revealed that resilience as measured by TRS-C was not a significant predictor of PG behaviour. The 9-item PGSI-C scale was found to have good psychometric properties and was utilised in subsequent empirical chapters. Chapter 5 aimed to examine the patterns of PG and the predictive ability of variables such as gambling-related cognitions, gambling urge, depression, anxiety, stress, and help-seeking attitudes in predicting Chinese PG. The overall rates of PG (measured with PGSI-C) and pathological gambling (measured with South Oaks Gambling Screen-Chinese version; SOGS-C) are higher in this Taiwanese Chinese sample as compared to participation rates in past prevalence research in other samples. Significant differences were found between PGSI-C groups (i.e., non-PG, low-risk, moderate-risk, and PG) in socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, marital status, and employment status. Erroneous gambling-related cognitions and overall level of depression, anxiety, and stress significantly predicted PG severity. Unique to PG research, Chapter 6 aimed to investigate the predictive ability of the positive psychological dispositions on problem gambling severity, gambling-related cognitions, and gambling urges among Chinese individuals. The positive psychological dispositions examined were curiosity, gratitude, hope, personal growth initiative, and mindfulness. Higher levels of gratitude and hope were found to predict lower PG, gambling-related cognitions, and gambling urges. Meanwhile, higher mindfulness predicted lower PG, but only among Chinese males. However, lower personal growth initiative (PGI) predicted lower PG, gambling-related cognitions, and gambling urges. The nature of the results obtained is further discussed in this chapter. The first in PG literature, Chapter 7 aimed to evaluate the validity of the cognitive-behavioural component of Sharpe’s (2002) biopsychosocial model with a combination of positive and negative factors in predicting PG. Path analyses were conducted to examine model fit. In the proposed framework, gambling-urge mediated the relationship of negative psychological states, hope, gratitude, and personal-growth initiative with gambling-related cognitions. Meanwhile, gambling-related cognitions mediated the relationship between gambling-urge and PG among the Chinese. The results evidenced the importance of gratitude in predicting PG among the Chinese via gambling-urge and gambling-related cognitions. In addition, hope in life (encompassing autonomy in devising plans for life goals and agency in thought processes) was found to have the same predictive pathway as gratitude on PG. Contrary to initial predictions, stronger personal-growth initiative (PGI) predicted higher PG severity, gambling-related cognitions, and gambling urges. The implications of these results in relation to PG literature was further elaborated in this chapter. The implications, strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations are discussed in each chapter and in the final chapter. These studies were unique investigations in both the general and Chinese PG literature. The final chapter (Chapter 8) provided a general discussion of the results obtained in this thesis and present a global overview, strengths, limitations, and direction for future research

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The current status and future direction of self-help treatments for problem gamblers

The self-help treatment (SHT) studies for other psychological problems significantly outweigh those for problem gambling. Currently, very little is published about the application and efficacy of various forms of SHTs for problem gambling. Thus, this paper reviews the self-help literature (using the PsycINFO database — all years up to April 2008) to stimulate further research in this area for problem gambling. The findings show that SHTs in problem gambling are still in their infancy. Although the problem gambling literature has mainly reported on two forms of SHTs with problem gamblers (i.e. use of self-help manuals and audiotapes), the review discuss utilizing a wide range of SHTs with problem gamblers. These include written materials (e.g. self-help books and treatment manuals), audiotapes, videotapes, computer-based SHTs implemented on palmtop computers, desktop computers, via telephone (Interactive Voice Response systems — IVR) or via the Internet and virtual reality applications. These SHTs would suit those problem gamblers who are not accessing professional treatment due to shame, guilt, fear of stigma, privacy concerns or financial difficulties, as well as those living in rural areas or with less severe gambling problems. The review also suggest future protocols for conducting further research in this area with problem gamblers, highlighting a need for a cohesive theory to guide research

Gambling participation and policies in Malaysia

Abstract Regulatory policies for responsible gambling practices in Asia are constantly evolving as the gambling industry and technological landscape change over time. Malaysia makes an interesting case study for a commentary on gambling participation and policies, as this country has a unique dual justice system with religious and ethnic diversity that may impact on the way in which gambling activities are regulated. This regulatory ecosystem has important consequences on behaviour change, treatment approaches and recovery processes involved in gambling disorder. This commentary will discuss evidence for Malaysian gambling antecedents, public policy and socioeconomic impacts of gambling, possible costs and benefits of gambling legalization, and issues pertinent to regulating gambling activities in Malaysia

Treatment of gambling problems in Asia: Comprehensive review and implications for Asian problem gamblers

Much research has been conducted in the treatment of gambling problems. However, very little is reported specifically on treating Asian problem gamblers. Thus, this article reviewed the general problem gambling treatment literature as well as the limited Asian problem gambling treatment literature to provide a discussion of interventions that can be used with Asian problem gamblers. The general literature showed that behavioral, cognitive, and combined cognitive behavioral treatments (CBT) have the most treatment outcome literature and appear to be the most effective in treating gambling problems. Although, pharmacotherapy also looks promising, it may be more suitable for problem gamblers with comorbid mood problems or impulsivity. Research on other forms of treatments also exists (e.g., 12-step and psychodynamic treatment approaches) but are not as robust. Only three studies have reported on the effectiveness of treatment with Asian problem gamblers. The first study is case study. The second study presents data from a treatment program for Asian problem gambling and the last one presents preliminary findings of a telephone delivered treatment program with eight Asian American gamblers. These studies support the general treatment literature in showing that CBT and pharmacotherapy have a role to play in treating Asian problem gamblers. Based on the general and Asian problem gambling treatment literature, a discussion of treatment of Asian problem gamblers is provided including the use of CBT and other forms of treatment, issues to address in treatment, and variables that can assist treatment

Modern Malaysian-based students perceive Southeast Asian jungle environments as places of high risk and discomfort

While the interaction between people and their environments has long been a focus of psychological research, there is need for more understanding of how non-Westerners relate to natural and urban environments, including areas of dense jungle. For this study we conducted focus group discussions with 19 individuals from the urban Southeast Asian city of Kuala Lumpur and 19 individuals from the rural Malaysian state of Terengganu centered on their experiences of both urban and natural environments. Three themes relating to the natural and urban settings' potential to promote a sense of restoration emerged, namely: "risk perception," "comfort," and "place attachment." While individual preferences varied, participants from both settings described a strong sense of dependence on the conveniences of the modern world. Elements from within each environment, sociocultural factors, and the temporal dimension seemed important for determining whether the environment was considered restorative. In this regard, these participants' views of the natural environment seem broadly analogous to those of people living in major Western metropolises such as Chicago, New York City, or London. A new nonlinear approach to understanding restoration in tropical environments is proposed. Key Words: Urban environments - Natural environments - Preference - Restoration - Place attachment - Risk perception - Comfort. © Copyright 2016, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2016

Gratitude, hope, mindfulness and personal-growth initiative: Buffers or risk factors for problem gambling?

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