Self-Efficacy of Beginning Counselors to Counsel Clients in Crisis

Crisis situations are becoming more and more prevalent in our society today, and as a result, counselors should be aware of the overarching effects of various crisis situations and how they can affect their clients. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of preparedness on beginning counselors’ levels of self-efficacy and their perceived abilities to handle crisis interventions. A purposeful sample of master’s-level counseling students, enrolled in a Crises Intervention Preparation course for Mental Health Responders, were administered the Counselor’s Self-Efficacy Scale to assess their levels of self-efficacy. Findings indicated that counseling students who studied theoretical strategies for approaching various crises, assessed the realities associated with their prospective client base, and tentatively planned flexible intervention models felt confident in their abilities to make effective decisions for supporting clients during crisis situations

Self-Efficacy of Beginning Counselors to Counsel Clients in Crisis

Crisis situations are becoming more and more prevalent in our society today, and as a result, counselors should be aware of the overarching effects of various crisis situations and how they can affect their clients. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of preparedness on beginning counselors’ levels of self-efficacy and their perceived abilities to handle crisis interventions. A purposeful sample of master’s-level counseling students, enrolled in a Crises Intervention Preparation course for Mental Health Responders, were administered the Counselor’s Self-Efficacy Scale to assess their levels of self-efficacy. Findings indicated that counseling students who studied theoretical strategies for approaching various crises, assessed the realities associated with their prospective client base, and tentatively planned flexible intervention models felt confident in their abilities to make effective decisions for supporting clients during crisis situations

Job Travel and Work Experiences of Women Employed in the Cooperative Extension Service

A sample of 53 Extension professionals from three western states responded to questionnaires about the challenges and rewards of work travel related to work identity, commitment and satisfaction, and job burnout. Most women identified positive and negative experiences in their jobs, but generally enjoyed the travel aspect of their work. Although burnout is evident, women also experienced a positive effect from balancing many responsibilities at once. Positive aspects of work most distinguished stressed from happy work travelers. Extension women are strongly committed to work in spite of job hardships and tiring demands. Implications for workplace policies and administrators are addressed

Diverse pathways in retirement transitions : influences of family, work, wealth, and health

Shaped by life course and feminist perspectives, this study investigated the influence of finances, human capital, health, family situations, and work factors on two different retirement transitions among married and partnered men and women. Because women and men arrive at retirement under different life circumstances, logistic regression analyses were conducted separately by gender. Respondents were drawn from Waves 1—4 of the biennial, longitudinal Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) and included individuals who retired between Waves 1 and 2 (1992—1994), Waves 2 and 3 (1994-1996),. and Waves 3 and 4 (1996—1998). Retirees (n = 1,275) transitioned from the labor force at Time 1 to either a partial or complete retirement at Time 2. Results indicated that, relative to partially retired men, completely retired men had higher earnings at their job, worked for larger companies, were more likely labor union members, were covered in pension plans, started pension incomes at Time 2, had health insurance that continued in retirement, likely covered partners in their health plan, were older, were in poorer health, and had provided 400+ hours of care to a grandchild in the last year. Relative to completely retired men, partially retired men had more wealth, were more likely receiving health insurance coverage from their partners' health plan, had partners who were working for pay at Time 2, had fewer years at their last job, retired earlier than planned, and perceived their last jobs as important. Relative to partially retired women, completely retired women were more likely covered in pension plans, had health insurance that continued in retirement, were more likely labor union members, were White, were older, were in poorer health, and had grandchildren in the home at the time of retirement. Relative to completely retired women, partially retired women had partners who were working for pay at Time 2, retired earlier than planned, and were providing financial support to another individual. Results suggest that partial retirement is a possible solution for workers trying to negotiate a labor force exit while keeping financial and health benefits. Implications and future directions were explored

Gender differences in the accuracy of dietary assessment methods to measure energy intake in adults:protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction Diet is an important modifiable risk factor for many chronic diseases. Measurement of dietary intake usually relies on self-report, subject to multiple biases. There is a need to understand gender differences in the self-report of dietary intake and the implications of any differences in targeting nutrition interventions. Literature in this area is limited and it is currently unknown whether self-report dietary assessment methods are equally accurate for women and men. The aim of this systematic review is to determine whether there are differences by gender in reporting energy intake compared with a reference measure of total energy expenditure. Methods and analysis A comprehensive search of published original research studies will be performed in MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane library. Original research studies will be included if they were conducted in free-living/unhospitalised adults and included a measure for both women and men of (a) self-reported energy intake and (b) total energy expenditure by doubly labelled water. One author will conduct the electronic database searches, two authors will independently screen studies, conduct a quality appraisal of the included studies using standardised tools and extract data. If further information is needed, then study authors will be contacted. If appropriate, a random-effects meta-analysis will be conducted, with inverse probability weighting, to quantify differences in the mean difference in agreement between reported energy intake and measured energy expenditure between women and men, by self-report assessment method. Subgroup analyses will be conducted by participant factors, geographical factors and study quality. Ethics and dissemination All data used will be from published primary research studies or deidentified results provided at the discretion of any study authors that we contact. We will submit our findings to a peer-reviewed scientific journal and will disseminate results through presentations at international scientific conferences. PROSPERO registration number CRD42019131715

Explorations, Vol. 3, No. 3

Cover: Artwork by Marcia Spencer, University of Maine art student. Articles include: Characterization of Normal and Carcinogen Induced Neoplastic Cells of Teleost Origin, by Tim Lyden Attitutdes and Opinions of Maine Dairy Farmers, by John Muth and James Leiby Background: the quest for the eighteen month oyster, by Kevin Scully The Quest for the Eighteen Month Oyster, by Kevin Scully Measurement of Surface Tension of Kraft Black Liquor, by Jayalakshmi Jaya Krishnagopalan From the former student, by Jayalakshmi Krishnagopalan From the faculty advisor, by Ivar H. Stockel Aquatic Fungal Decomposers in Two Adjacent Maine Lakes of Different Acidity, by Peter Wagner Studies on a New Mouse Mutation, by Luanne L. Peters Opportunities for Students: Maine Agricultural Experiment Station Research Programs, by Mark W. Anderson Experimental Embryogenesis in Red Pine, by Judy C. Gates The V-Notched Lobster in Maine, by Cheryl Waltz Undernutrition in a Pediatric Population, by Paula Quatromoni From the Advisor Archaeology of the Central Maine Coast, by Douglas Kellogg Marketing Strategies for Computer Consultants in Small Business, by Kimberly Dagher Our Cover Artist From the Advisor, by James Lineha

Clinical Significance of Bronchodilator Responsiveness Evaluated by Forced Vital Capacity in COPD: SPIROMICS Cohort Analysis.

ObjectiveBronchodilator responsiveness (BDR) is prevalent in COPD, but its clinical implications remain unclear. We explored the significance of BDR, defined by post-bronchodilator change in FEV1 (BDRFEV1) as a measure reflecting the change in flow and in FVC (BDRFVC) reflecting the change in volume.MethodsWe analyzed 2974 participants from a multicenter observational study designed to identify varying COPD phenotypes (SPIROMICS). We evaluated the association of BDR with baseline clinical characteristics, rate of prospective exacerbations and mortality using negative binomial regression and Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsA majority of COPD participants exhibited BDR (52.7%). BDRFEV1 occurred more often in earlier stages of COPD, while BDRFVC occurred more frequently in more advanced disease. When defined by increases in either FEV1 or FVC, BDR was associated with a self-reported history of asthma, but not with blood eosinophil counts. BDRFVC was more prevalent in subjects with greater emphysema and small airway disease on CT. In a univariate analysis, BDRFVC was associated with increased exacerbations and mortality, although no significance was found in a model adjusted for post-bronchodilator FEV1.ConclusionWith advanced airflow obstruction in COPD, BDRFVC is more prevalent in comparison to BDRFEV1 and correlates with the extent of emphysema and degree of small airway disease. Since these associations appear to be related to the impairment of FEV1, BDRFVC itself does not define a distinct phenotype nor can it be more predictive of outcomes, but it can offer additional insights into the pathophysiologic mechanism in advanced COPD.Clinical trials registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01969344T4

Priority Setting for Occupational Cancer Prevention

Background: Selecting priority occupational carcinogens is important for cancer prevention efforts; however, standardized selection methods are not available. The objective of this paper was to describe the methods used by CAREX Canada in 2015 to establish priorities for preventing occupational cancer, with a focus on exposure estimation and descriptive profiles. Methods: Four criteria were used in an expert assessment process to guide carcinogen prioritization: (1) the likelihood of presence and/or use in Canadian workplaces; (2) toxicity of the substance (strength of evidence for carcinogenicity and other health effects); (3) feasibility of producing a carcinogen profile and/or an occupational estimate; and (4) special interest from the public/scientific community. Carcinogens were ranked as high, medium or low priority based on specific conditions regarding these criteria, and stakeholder input was incorporated. Priorities were set separately for the creation of new carcinogen profiles and for new occupational exposure estimates. Results: Overall, 246 agents were reviewed for inclusion in the occupational priorities list. For carcinogen profile generation, 103 were prioritized (11 high, 33 medium, and 59 low priority), and 36 carcinogens were deemed priorities for occupational exposure estimation (13 high, 17 medium, and 6 low priority). Conclusion: Prioritizing and ranking occupational carcinogens is required for a variety o

Innate immune activation by inhaled lipopolysaccharide, independent of oxidative stress, exacerbates silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice

Acute exacerbations of pulmonary fibrosis are characterized by rapid decrements in lung function. Environmental factors that may contribute to acute exacerbations remain poorly understood. We have previously demonstrated that exposure to inhaled lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces expression of genes associated with fibrosis. To address whether exposure to LPS could exacerbate fibrosis, we exposed male C57BL/6 mice to crystalline silica, or vehicle, followed 28 days later by LPS or saline inhalation. We observed that mice receiving both silica and LPS had significantly more total inflammatory cells, more whole lung lavage MCP-1, MIP-2, KC and IL-1β, more evidence of oxidative stress and more total lung hydroxyproline than mice receiving either LPS alone, or silica alone. Blocking oxidative stress with N-acetylcysteine attenuated whole lung inflammation but had no effect on total lung hydroxyproline. These observations suggest that exposure to innate immune stimuli, such as LPS in the environment, may exacerbate stable pulmonary fibrosis via mechanisms that are independent of inflammation and oxidative stress. © 2012 Brass et al

Machine learning uncovers the most robust self-report predictors of relationship quality across 43 longitudinal couples studies

Given the powerful implications of relationship quality for health and well-being, a central mission of relationship science is explaining why some romantic relationships thrive more than others. This large-scale project used machine learning (i.e., Random Forests) to 1) quantify the extent to which relationship quality is predictable and 2) identify which constructs reliably predict relationship quality. Across 43 dyadic longitudinal datasets from 29 laboratories, the top relationship-specific predictors of relationship quality were perceived-partner commitment, appreciation, sexual satisfaction, perceived-partner satisfaction, and conflict. The top individual-difference predictors were life satisfaction, negative affect, depression, attachment avoidance, and attachment anxiety. Overall, relationship-specific variables predicted up to 45% of variance at baseline, and up to 18% of variance at the end of each study. Individual differences also performed well (21% and 12%, respectively). Actor-reported variables (i.e., own relationship-specific and individual-difference variables) predicted two to four times more variance than partner-reported variables (i.e., the partner’s ratings on those variables). Importantly, individual differences and partner reports had no predictive effects beyond actor-reported relationship-specific variables alone. These findings imply that the sum of all individual differences and partner experiences exert their influence on relationship quality via a person’s own relationship-specific experiences, and effects due to moderation by individual differences and moderation by partner-reports may be quite small. Finally, relationship-quality change (i.e., increases or decreases in relationship quality over the course of a study) was largely unpredictable from any combination of self-report variables. This collective effort should guide future models of relationships