Effect of maternal panic disorder on mother-child interaction and relation to child anxiety and child self-efficacy

To determine whether mothers with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia interacted differently with their children than normal control mothers, 86 mothers and their adolescents (aged between 13 and 23 years) were observed during a structured play situation. Maternal as well as adolescent anxiety status was assessed according to a structured diagnostic interview. Results showed that mothers with panic disorder/agoraphobia showed more verbal control, were more criticizing and less sensitive during mother-child interaction than mothers without current mental disorders. Moreover, more conflicts were observed between mother and child dyadic interactions when the mother suffered from panic disorder. The comparison of parenting behaviors among anxious and non-anxious children did not reveal any significant differences. These findings support an association between parental over-control and rejection and maternal but not child anxiety and suggest that particularly mother anxiety status is an important determinant of parenting behavior. Finally, an association was found between children’s perceived self-efficacy, parental control and child anxiety symptoms

Investigating the relationship between competence and patient outcome with CBT

Little is understood about the relationship between therapist competence and the outcome of patients treated for common mental health disorders. Understanding the relationship between competence and patient outcome is of fundamental importance to the dissemination and implementation of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The current study extends existing literature by exploring the relationship between CBT competence and patient outcome in routine clinical practice within the framework of the British Government’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme. Participants comprised 43 therapists treating 1247 patients over a training period of one year. Results found little support of a general association between CBT competence and patient outcome; however significantly more patients of the most competent therapists demonstrated a reliable improvement in their symptoms of anxiety than would be expected by chance alone, and fewer experienced no reliable change. Conversely, significantly more patients treated by the least competent therapists experienced a reliable deterioration in their symptoms than would be expected. The implications of these results for the dissemination and implementation of CBT are discussed

Anisotropy in Metals Processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion: Elastic and plastic anisotropy in static and dynamic mechanical loading

This thesis is addressed to engineers and researchers working with powder bed fusion (PBF) additive manufacturing (AM) and provides insight into anisotropic mechanical properties for metals subjected to static and dynamic loading. Three common AM materials are investigated; Inconel 718, AlSi10Mg, and maraging steel grade 300. The thesis highlights the need to account for anisotropy when performing finite element analysis and provides methodology for determining anisotropic material models. The focus is on PBF metals subjected to appropriate heat treatments commonly used in the industry. In the case of static loading the focus is on anisotropy caused by either preferred crystallographic orientation or alignment of inclusions, defects, or particles in the microstructure. In the case of dynamic loading, the focus has been on the contribution of surface roughness on fatigue life reduction. The objective is to determine robust anisotropic material models in an efficient way. Digital image correlation (DIC) in combination with tensile testing is used to investigate the strain fields on rectangular tensile specimens in uniaxial tension. This is complimented with microstructural evaluation with scanning electron microscopy and fractography with both optical and electron microscopy. For dynamic loading, a combination of experimental results and numerical results are analysed to benchmark build orientations in an effort to maximise fatigue life. The main scientific contributions are presented in the form of six peer-reviewed articles published in international journals. The main contributions are summarized as: • A method for determining anisotropic elastic constants using DIC and an optimisation algorithm in Matlab. • A significant reduction of anisotropy in AlSi10Mg by elevating the process temperature in the PBF process. • A description of how the melt pool boundaries causes anisotropy, and how this can be reduced by proper heat treatment. • A methodology for benchmarking the fatigue life of AM components based on simple surface roughness measurements and numerical analysis. • A methodology and software suite that can optimise part orientation in the PBF build chamber to maximise fatigue life. • A novel fatigue test specimen that experimentally captures the effect of asbuilt surface roughness on fatigue life. The contributions in this thesis can be applied by researchers and engineers when designing parts for manufacturing with AM. Anisotropic elastic constants can be used directly in finite element analysis to optimise design for AM. Future work can be done to improve the models for fatigue life estimation. The methodology for benchmarking orientations based on surface roughness are only valid when fatigue initiation stems from the as-built surface. Experimental fatigue data gathered with the novel test specimen can be used to further improve this methodology

Lönsamhetsstyrning med ABC i ett tillväxtföretag

Företag i expansionsfas kommer vid något tillfälle till en kritisk nivå där system, strukturer och verktyg för kontroll och styrning inte är tillräckliga under nya förutsättningar. Ett omvandlingstryck sätts på dem och det är väsentligt att företag anpassar sig. Hässleholmsföretaget P&L vände sig till Handelshögskolan vid Göteborgs Universitet med följande problem: Företaget är i kraftig tillväxt med ökande försäljning och vinster. Marginalen är hög på rörelsen som helhet, dock vet man inte hur den ser ut för olika produkter och kunder. Kunskap om lönsamhet på detaljnivå behövs för att styra företaget mot fortsatt höga vinster och för att kunna fortsätta expandera. Den här bristen på information för lönsamhetsstyrningen har sin förklaring i ett behov av en utökad och formaliserad ekonomifunktion med bättre kapacitet för hantering av ekonomisk information samt verktyg för strategiska beslut. Till det sistnämnda utvecklar författarna en aktivitetsbaserad produktkalkyleringsmodell (ABC-kalkyl). Modellen ska ha potential att visa produkter och kunders anspråk på företagets resurser, det vill säga visa orsakslogiska kostnader och samband i resultat för dessa kalkylobjekt. Kostnader kan sedan ställas mot intäkter för att ge en lönsamhetsbild på detaljnivå. ABC som kalkylmetod förespråkas som ett verktyg för strategiska beslut. P&L kan med anpassning och ett nytt verktyg i form av en ABC modell, skapa förutsättningar för enkelhet, tillfredsställande information och förutsättningar för fortsatt tillväxt och lönsamhet