A Critical Examination of the Environmental Mastery Scale

The Psychological well being Inventory (PWBI) is a multidimensional instrument that has enjoyed widespread use in a variety of research initiatives, from small-scale studies to national surveys. Recent empirical investigation of the measure has raised questions about its validity. This study examines the factorial validity of the Environmental Mastery Scale of the PWBI, a construct that receives much attention in mental health research. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis did not support the unidimensional factor structure of the measure. Correlated uniqueness models were also examined, which did not reveal evidence of a method effect. There are problems with the measure at the item level, which also raises significant questions about the underlying theory of its parent measure.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/61157/1/EMS.pd

The effects of behavioral treatment and fasting on eating behaviors and weight loss: A case study

Stimulus control procedures, nutritional advice, programmed snacks, and suggestions for the alteration of eating rate were incorporated into the treatment of a 34-year-old female. Instructional phases were followed by an 8-week “proteinsparing fast” which the subject undertook against the advice of the therapist. Direct observation, self-monitoring, and weight data were obtained throughout the course of treatment and during four probes across 6 months of follow-up. Instructional control of several eating behaviors was demonstrated, and these behavioral gains were unaffected by the period of fasting. Behavior changes also were paralleled by moderate weekly weight losses. Implications for future research and cautions about the protein-sparing fast are discussed