A gift wrapped in barbed wire: Personal growth among individuals with arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease

Despite the growing interest in the development of personal growth following a health-related adversity such as the diagnosis of a chronic illness, there has been little research investigating the factors that may give rise to personal growth. The objective of the present study was to explore the experience of posttraumatic growth and to identify the factors associated with posttraumatic growth among individuals with arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at two time points spaced six months apart. Using Schaefer and Moos\u27 (1992) model as a theoretical framework, the association of positive outlook, spirituality, social support, stressors, cognitive appraisal variables, and coping strategies was examined among 214 individuals diagnosed with arthritis and 377 individuals diagnosed with IBD. Two structural equation models were estimated for each illness group. For the IBD group, the results showed that positive outlook, stressors, and social support each had an indirect effect on posttraumatic growth, mediated through symptom control beliefs, benefit-finding, and adaptive coping strategies. For the arthritis group, the results showed that positive outlook and stressors had an indirect effect on posttraumatic growth, mediated though benefit-finding and adaptive coping strategies, whereas social support had an indirect effect on posttraumatic growth, mediated through symptom control beliefs and adaptive coping. Importantly, this study highlights the relative roles of positive outlook, stressors, social support, cognitive appraisal variables and coping strategies that may facilitate the experience of posttraumatic growth among individuals facing a non-life threatening chronic illness

Lower adherence to screening mammography guidelines among ethnic minority women in America: a meta-analytic review

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the association between ethnic minority status and receiving a screening mammogram within the past 2 years among American women over 50. METHOD: The findings from 33 studies identified from interdisciplinary research databases (1980 to 2006) were synthesized. Separate pooled analyses compared white non-Hispanics to African Americans (28 outcomes), Hispanics (18 outcomes), and Asian/Pacific Islanders (10 outcomes). RESULTS: Using the random effects model, results showed that African Americans were screened less than white non-Hispanics at a marginal level (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.75, 1.00). Larger and significant discrepancies were observed for Hispanics (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.50, 0.85) and Asian/Pacific Islanders (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.39, 0.99) compared to white non-Hispanics. However, among studies controlling for socioeconomic status, ethnic differences in mammography screening were no longer significant for African Americans (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.71, 1.76), Hispanics (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.64, 1.93), or Asian/Pacific Islanders (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.64, 1.93). Subgroup analyses further showed that geographical region, sampling method, and data collection strategy significantly impacted results. CONCLUSIONS: This study found evidence that ethnic minority-screening mammography differences exist but were impacted by socioeconomic status. Implications for interpreting existing knowledge and future research needs are discussed

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Perceived Barriers to Pursuing a University Education for Persons in Rural Areas

A university education can provide an individual with greater employment options, higher income potential, and improved health and quality of life, yet young persons from rural areas remain less likely to attend university than their urban counterparts. This study explores the perceived personal, social, and cultural factors that might create barriers for young persons from rural areas. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 individuals living in rural areas in Alberta, aged 18 to 23 years, who had not attended university. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, we identified 11 major themes, which were then organized into a conceptual model to illustrate the interacting nature of these factors and their influence on a person’s decision to pursue a university education. An examination of this model and its associated themes may help reveal the possible barriers young persons from rural areas experience when deciding whether or not to attend university.  Une formation universitaire peut permettre aux individus d’avoir un plus grand nombre d’options d’emploi et de meilleurs salaires, en plus d’améliorer leur santé et leur qualité de vie. Malheureusement, les jeunes des milieux ruraux demeurent moins enclins à fréquenter l’université que leurs homologues citadins. Cette étude se penche sur les facteurs personnels et socioculturels perçus qui pourraient ériger des barrières limitant l’accès universitaire aux jeunes adultes des milieux ruraux. Une étude basée sur des entrevues semi-structurées a été réalisée auprès de 17 individus âgés de 18 à 23 ans habitant en milieu rural albertain et n’ayant pas fréquenté l’université. Avec l’analyse interprétative de phénomène, nous avons répertorié 11 thèmes majeurs, que nous avons regroupés en un modèle conceptuel afin d’illustrer la nature des interactions entre ces facteurs et leur influence sur la décision des personnes d’entamer des études universitaires. L’examen du modèle et des thèmes associés pourrait révéler les barrières possibles auxquelles font face les jeunes adultes issus de milieux ruraux lorsque vient le temps de choisir d’étudier ou non à l’université

Wizerunek uczonego w malarstwie holenderskim XVII wieku. Nowa wizja nauki czy refleksja nad ludzką kondycją?

The author gives problem of science in XVIIth century Netherlands painting careful consideration. The article is presentation and classification of various types representations. The erudite exposition of the case includes philosophical, historical, theological and literary references

THE SECURITY OF A MINOR IN MEDIATION PROCEEDINGS ON FAMILY MATTERS

This article attempts to scientifically examine issues related to the safety of a minor participating in family mediation. The main part aims to present the benefits of a minor’s participation in mediation, and to analyze the arguments against this. The study also aims to assess whether Polish regulations regarding family mediation are appropriate and sufficient for adequate protection of the safety and rights of minors in mediation proceedings. Is it necessary and justified for a minor to participate in mediation proceedings to end a family dispute? When making decisions in this regard, not only is the age of the minor important, but also the fact that minors, due to their physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual immaturity, require special protection and treatment. For this reason, the article also describes the role the mediator should play in guaranteeing the minor’s rights, while satisfying their need for security in the family

Personal Values and Innovative Behavior of Employees

Innovations are based on the good ideas of individuals; therefore, it is very important to better understand the role that individuals and their personal characteristics play in innovative initiatives. The aim of the current study was to test the relationships between employees’ personal values and their innovative behavior. It was hypothesized that these relationships are mediated by an employee’s job autonomy. We integrated Schwartz’s basic human values theory with the notion that job autonomy is an important job characteristic that can be redesigned to better fit employees’ preferences. The study results (obtained from 263 employees in different branches) showed that openness to change and self-enhancement values are positively related to job autonomy, whereas conservation and self-transcendence values are negatively related to job autonomy, which confirms that personal values are important in explaining autonomy in the workplace. In addition, employees’ self-enhancement values are positively related to their innovative behavior, while conservation and self-transcendence values are negatively related to innovative behavior. Mediation analysis with a bias-corrected bootstrapping method showed that job autonomy is a significant mediator of the relationships between employees’ personal values (except for openness to change) and their innovative behavior. Our research extends the theory of basic human values, showing that values serve as a personal basis for innovative behavior. Our results also contribute to the innovation research by demonstrating the importance of personal values and job autonomy for innovative behavior in organizations

Gender-role orientation and community policing: Implications for recruiting and selecting more suitable individuals for modern policing.

The present study investigated the relationship between gender-role orientation and proclivity for community policing (CP). University undergraduate students (N = 201) completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BRSI; Bem, 1974) and the Extended Personal Attributes Questionnaire (EPAQ; Spence, Helmreich & Holahan, 1978). They also reviewed descriptions of the law enforcement policing (LEP) and community policing (CP) models, as well as completed surveys that measure (a) attitudes towards CP and LEP, (b) interest in a career in policing under CP and LEP, (c) interest in performing a range of CP and LEP activities, and (d) self-rated ability to perform CP and LEP activities. Using the median-split method, participants were categorized into four gender-role orientation groups: instrumental, expressive, androgynous, and undifferentiated. The results supported the hypotheses that instrumental individuals would be more orientated towards LEP than CP, expressive individuals would be more oriented towards CP than LEP, and androgynous individuals would be oriented towards both LEP and CP. The results were interpreted as suggesting the possibility of selecting police recruits whose gender-role orientations represent a good fit with CP.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2004 .P87. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 43-05, page: 1837. Adviser: Frank Schneider. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2004

When one door closes, another door opens: physician availability and motivations to consult complementary and alternative medicine providers.

The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes, behaviours, and intentions to consult complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers, of health-care consumers living in a region with low physician availability. A survey was completed by a convenience sample of 235 CAM clients and nonconsumers recruited from an underserved urban centre in Canada. Nearly half had experienced difficulties getting an appointment with a physician when needed, and those who had experienced difficulties were more dissatisfied with conventional health care. Most participants (85.1%) indicated that they would consider consulting a CAM provider should they have difficulty getting an appointment with a physician in the future, including nearly 60% of the CAM nonconsumers. Participants who had more experience with CAM, greater perceived control over their symptoms, and were dissatisfied with conventional health care, were more likely to express intentions to use CAM should they experience access difficulties in the future. By situating the motivations for CAM within the context of physician availability our findings highlight the importance of geographical context, or place, for understanding attitudes towards CAM and its utilisation

Personality and Consultations with Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practitioners: A Five-Factor Model Investigation of the Degree of Use and Motives

Objectives: As interest in and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers continues to grow, it is important to understand which characteristics incline people to experiment with and become frequent consumers of CAM practitioners. The purpose of this study was to examine how personality, as assessed by the five-factor model, was related to the breadth, frequency, and types of provider-based CAM use. Relationships between the personality factors (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism) and motives for consulting CAM providers were also explored. Methods: A convenience sample of 184 current CAM clients recruited through the offices of 12 conventional medicine and 17 CAM practitioners completed a survey package including measures of health status, CAM use, personality, and motivations for using CAM. Results: Only Openness and Agreeableness were consistently linked to different dimensions of CAM use, with each associated with consultations with CAM practitioners, and homeopaths and naturopaths in particular. After controlling for sociodemographic and health status variables in the stepwise multiple regressions, Openness was associated with the variety of CAM providers tried, whereas Agreeableness was linked to both the breadth and frequency of CAM consultations. Holistic and proactive health motivations were associated with both personality factors, and Agreeableness was also associated with motives reflecting a desire for shared decision-making. Conclusions: Findings indicate that individuals who are open and agreeable, as described by the five-factor model of personality, consult CAM practitioners to a greater extent. The motives involved suggest a congruency between CAM and their own perspectives regarding health and patient–provider interactions, which may have implications for understanding treatment adherence and outcomes

Consumer decision factors for initial and long-term use of complementary and alternative medicine

Guided by the conceptual framework of the consumer decision-making model, the present study compared the factors associated with initial and long-term use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers. A survey was completed by 239 people recruited from the offices of physicians and CAM practitioners. Conventional medicine clients (n = 54), new or infrequent clients (n = 73), and established CAM clients (n = 112) were compared to identify the decision factors for initial and long-term CAM use. Consistent with the components of this model, we found support for the roles of external influences (age, social recommendations), decision process factors (symptom severity, egalitarian provider preference), and post-decision factors (dissatisfaction with conventional care) depending on whether the pattern of CAM use was new or infrequent or established. Overall, this study provides preliminary support for the utility of the consumer decision-making model as an integrative framework for understanding the roles of correlates of CAM use. © SAGE Publications, Inc. 2008