Using Comics to Destigmatize Burn-Out and Depression: An Experimental Investigation

Comics bieten ein vielversprechendes, aber bislang kaum genutztes Potenzial für die Kommunikation von Gesundheitsinformationen. Über die Wirkung von Comics bei der Aufklärung über psychische Erkrankungen wie Depressionen oder Burnout ist wenig bekannt. Depressionen werden von Laien oft als Burnout bezeichnet, was zu einer geringeren Stigmatisierung der Betroffenen, aber auch zu einer Verharmlosung depressiver Symptome führen kann. In der vorliegenden Studie (N = 1.201) wurde untersucht, wie das Geschlecht des Fallbeispiels und zusätzliche Sachinformationen in Comics die Stigmatisierung der Rezipierenden gegenüber Betroffenen beeinflussen und welche Rolle kognitive Prozesse dabei spielen. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen die destigmatisierende Wirkung des Burnout-Labels im Vergleich zu einem Depressions-Label. Die beobachteten Effekte sind jedoch von geschlechtsspezifischen Wahrnehmungen und in gewissem Maße von kognitiven Prozessen bei der Bildung stigmatisierender Einstellungen abhängig. Implikationen für die strategische Anti-Stigma- und Gesundheitskommunikation werden diskutiert.Comics are considered a promising, but often neglected medium for health information. However, little is known about the effects of comics providing health information about mental illnesses like depression or burn-out. Depression is often labeled by laypersons as burn-out, which can lead to reduced stigmatization of affected individuals, but likewise to a trivialization of depressive symptoms. The present study (N = 1,201) examined how the depiction of mental illness labels, exemplar's sex, and additional factual information in comics influences recipients' stigma-related perceptions about affected individuals and which role cognitive processes play in this regard. Results confirm the stigma-reducing effect of the burn-out label compared to a depression label. The observed effects, however, rely on sex-specific perceptions and, to some extent, on cognitive processes for the formation of stigmatizing attitudes. Implications for strategic anti-stigma and health communication are discussed

The Offline Software Framework of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory is designed to unveil the nature and the origins of the highest energy cosmic rays. The large and geographically dispersed collaboration of physicists and the wide-ranging collection of simulation and reconstruction tasks pose some special challenges for the offline analysis software. We have designed and implemented a general purpose framework which allows collaborators to contribute algorithms and sequencing instructions to build up the variety of applications they require. The framework includes machinery to manage these user codes, to organize the abundance of user-contributed configuration files, to facilitate multi-format file handling, and to provide access to event and time-dependent detector information which can reside in various data sources. A number of utilities are also provided, including a novel geometry package which allows manipulation of abstract geometrical objects independent of coordinate system choice. The framework is implemented in C++, and takes advantage of object oriented design and common open source tools, while keeping the user side simple enough for C++ novices to learn in a reasonable time. The distribution system incorporates unit and acceptance testing in order to support rapid development of both the core framework and contributed user code.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, presented at IEEE NSS/MIC, 23-29 October 2005, Puerto Ric

Applying the mixed-blessings model and labeling theory to stigma in inclusive education: an experimental study of student and trainee teachers’ perceptions of pupils with ADHD, DLD, and intellectual disability

Institutional and individual stigmatization represent major barriers that prevent children with disabilities from accessing education. It can be presumed that children with disabilities are labeled as such even in inclusive educational settings and that teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education and children with disabilities play a crucial role in this context. Against this background, the present study aims to (a) apply and conceptualize the mixed-blessings model in the context of stigma-related reactions to children’s disability labels in inclusive education and (b) shed light on the causal attributions of teachers that underlie stigma-related attitudes toward children with various disabilities. A 3 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 online experiment examined the ways in which disability-specific causes and symptoms, the type of disability in question, the children’s sex, and efficacy cues regarding educational efforts affect future teachers’ attitudes toward and expectations of inclusive education as well as their social distance toward children with disabilities. The participants in this experiment were N = 605 German student and trainee teachers representing different types of teaching professions. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that, in particular, the cause attributed to the disability, the depicted type of disability and the probability of learning success led to changes in attitudes. Respondents’ teaching self-efficacy and their status as students or trainees emerged as moderators of the effect of pupils’ type of disability. As a result, teacher education and training as well as communication regarding pupils with disabilities require a high degree of sensitivity to disability-specific and efficacy-related cues to prevent (accidental) professional or institutional stigmatization

Verleiht Flügel? Wirkung von Warnhinweisen auf Energydrink-Dosen

Warnhinweise auf Lebensmittelverpackungen sind eine vergleichsweise kostengünstige und aufmerksamkeitsstarke Möglichkeit, um die gesundheitlichen Risiken des Konsums aufzuzeigen. Von welchen Aspekten es abhängt, ob und in welchem Ausmaß Warnhinweise intendierte sowie unbeabsichtigte Effekte hervorrufen, ist bislang weitgehend unbekannt. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Wirkung von Warnhinweisen auf Energydrink-Dosen und damit bei einem Produkt, das bislang ohne einen auffälligen Warnhinweis bezüglich möglicher gesundheitlicher Risiken aufgrund des hohen Koffein- und Zuckergehalts verkauft wird. In einem 2×2-Online-Experiment (plus Kontrollgruppe) sahen 222 Teilnehmende eine randomisiert zugeteilte fiktive Energydrink-Getränkedose. Experimentell variiert waren das Vorhandensein vs. Fehlen eines Warnhinweises, dessen farbliche Darstellung und das darauf thematisierte Gesundheitsrisiko. Die Befunde zeigen, dass der initiale Kontakt mit Warnhinweisen bei Rezipierenden Widerstand (Reaktanz) auslöst, aber nicht notwendigerweise die beabsichtigten gesundheitsförderlichen Einstellungs- oder Verhaltensintentionen. Die Wirkung des Warnhinweises war unabhängig von der Farbgebung, die thematisierte Konsequenz Übergewicht bewirkte jedoch einen geringeren intendierten Konsum als die Konsequenz Herzprobleme. Limitationen und Implikationen zum Einsatz von Warnhinweisen werden diskutiert.Health warnings on food packaging are a relatively inexpensive and eye-catching way of highlighting the health risks of consumption. The aspects that determine whether and to what extent warnings have intended and unintended effects are still largely unknown. The present study investigates the effect of warning labels on cans of energy drinks, a product that is sold without directly visible warnings of potential health risks due to its high caffeine and sugar content. In a 2×2 online experiment (plus control group), 222 participants saw a randomly assigned fictitious energy drink can. The experiment varied the presence or absence of a warning label, the color of the label and the health risk addressed on the label. The results show that initial exposure to warnings elicits reactance in recipients, but not necessarily the intended health-promoting attitudinal or behavioural intentions. The effect of the warning was independent of color, but the suggested health consequence obesity led to lower intended consumption than the suggested health consequence heart problems. Limitations and implications of the use of warnings are discussed

Direct and long-range action of a DPP morphogen gradient.

During development of the Drosophila wing, the decapentaplegic (dpp) gene is expressed in a stripe of cells along the anteroposterior compartment boundary and gives rise to a secreted protein that exerts a long-range organizing influence on both compartments. Using clones of cells that express DPP, or in which DPP receptor activity has been constitutively activated or abolished, we show that DPP acts directly and at long range on responding cells, rather than by proxy through the short-range induction of other signaling molecules. Further, we show that two genes, optomotor-blind and spalt are transcriptionally activated at different distances from DPP-secreting cells and provide evidence that these genes respond to different threshold concentrations of DPP protein. We propose that DPP acts as a gradient morphogen during wing development

Nicht-intendierte Fallbeispiel-Effekte in der Gesundheitskommunikation: Negative Emotionen und Stigmatisierung im Kontext der Pränataldiagnostik

In der Gesundheitskommunikation werden Fallbeispiele eingesetzt, um Aufmerksamkeit für Gesundheitsbotschaften zu fördern und Gesundheitsverhalten zu beeinflussen. Das gesundheitsbezogene Thema der Pränataldiagnostik ist eng mit anderen kontroversen Themen wie Schwangerschaftsabbrüchen verknüpft und insbesondere mit der Genommutation Trisomie 21 assoziiert. In der vorliegenden Studie wird untersucht, inwiefern Fallbeispiele im Kontext der Pränataldiagnostik nicht-intendierte Effekte wie negative Emotionen und generalisierte Stigmatisierung von Menschen mit Trisomie 21 auslösen. In einem 2 x 2 x 3-Online-Experiment lasen 958 Teilnehmende einen randomisiert zugeteilten Medienbericht über Pränataldiagnostik, der durch das Fallbeispiel einer schwangeren Frau gerahmt wurde. Die Fallbeispiele wurden hinsichtlich des Alters, des Familienstandes und der Vorerfahrungen mit Trisomie 21 manipuliert. Darstellungen von älteren und alleinstehenden Frauen sowie die Kombination vermeintlich "ungünstiger" Schwangerschaftsbedingungen riefen vermehrt negative Emotionen hervor. Die generalisierte Stigmatisierung von Menschen mit Trisomie 21 wurde durch das Alter des Fallbeispiels direkt beeinflusst. Ferner zeigte sich ein signifikanter Effekt des Geschlechts der Teilnehmenden auf die negativen emotionalen Reaktionen und die generalisierte Stigmatisierung von Menschen mit Trisomie 21. Implikationen zur Vermeidung nicht-intendierter Fallbeispieleffekte im Kontext der Pränataldiagnostik werden diskutiert.Exemplars are frequently used to increase attention for health messages and to influence health behavior. The topic prenatal diagnosis is closely linked to other controversial topics such as abortion and is particularly associated with the genomic mutation trisomy 21. The present study investigates the extent to which exemplars in the context of prenatal diagnosis trigger unintended effects such as negative emotions and generalized stigmatization of people with trisomy 21. In a 2 x 2 x 3 online experiment, 958 participants read a randomly assigned media report about prenatal diagnosis which featured an exemplar of a pregnant woman. Exemplars were manipulated regarding the exemplar's age, marital status, and previous experience with trisomy 21. Depictions of older and single women, as well as the combination of supposedly unfavorable pregnancy conditions increased recipients' negative emotions. Generalized stigmatization of people with trisomy 21 was directly influenced by the exemplar’s age. Participants' sex had a significant influence on negative emotional reactions and generalized stigmatization towards people with trisomy 21. Implications for the prevention of unintended exemplar effects in the context of prenatal diagnosis are discussed

Neutrino production through hadronic cascades in AGN accretion disks

We consider the production of neutrinos in active galactic nuclei (AGN) through hadronic cascades. The initial, high energy nucleons are accelerated in a source above the accretion disk around the central black hole. From the source, the particles diffuse back to the disk and initiate hadronic cascades. The observable output from the cascade are electromagnetic radiation and neutrinos. We use the observed diffuse background X-ray luminosity, which presumably results {}from this process, to predict the diffuse neutrino flux close to existing limits from the Frejus experiment. The resulting neutrino spectrum is $E^{-2}$ down to the \GeV region. We discuss modifications of this scenario which reduce the predicted neutrino flux.Comment: 12 Pages, LaTeX, TK 92 0

csal1 Is Controlled by a Combination of FGF and Wnt Signals in Developing Limb Buds

While some of the signaling molecules that govern establishment of the limb axis have been characterized, little is known about the downstream effector genes that interpret these signals. In Drosophila, the spalt gene is involved in cell fate determination and pattern formation in different tissues. We have cloned a chick homologue of Drosophila spalt, which we have termed csal1, and this study focuses on the regulation of csal1 expression in the limb bud. csal1 is expressed in limb buds from HH 17 to 26, in both the apical ectodermal ridge and the distal mesenchyme. Signals from the apical ridge are essential for csal1 expression, while the dorsal ectoderm is required for csal1 expression at a distance from the ridge. Our data indicate that both FGF and Wnt signals are required for the regulation of csal1 expression in the limb. Mutations in the human homologue of csal1, termed Hsal1/SALL1, result in a condition known as Townes–Brocks syndrome (TBS), which is characterized by preaxial polydactyly. The developmental expression of csal1 together with the digit phenotype in TBS patients suggests that csal1 may play a role in some aspects of distal patterning