Name
Professor
Course
Date
Sexual Harassment Essay Outline
I. Introduction
A. Background
1. Despite ongoing public campaigns designed to prevent sexual harassment,
this destructive behavior continues to be a widespread issue in the United
States. Sexual harassment is particularly rampant on college campuses,
where 62% of female students and 61% of male students report having
been victims of this form of mistreatment, according to the AAUW
Educational Foundation. Most of the harassment is noncontact, but about
one-third of students are victims of physical harassment.
B. Thesis Statement
1. Although mass media and news outlets alike tend to shy away from the
sexual harassment problem occuring across our campuses nationwide,
universities are failing to protect their students from sexual harassment
resulting in mental health damage of both males and females in all parts of
the nation
II. Body
A. Sexual Harassment Amongst Both Genders
1. Female Sexual Harassment In Comparison
a) Statistics Regarding Harassment Committed Against
b) General Concerns Over Safety Amongst Females
2. Male Sexual Harassment In Comparison
a) Statistics Regarding Harassment Committed Against
b) Lack of Awareness That Men Can Also Experience Harassment
On College Campuses
B. Sexual Harassment Being Neglected Nationwide
1. Lack of Media Coverage & Lack of Awareness
a) Disregard Of A Widespread Issue Going On In Our Nation
b) People Not Taking Sexual Harassment Seriously/Not Being Aware
of It
2. Lack of Knowledge Regarding Universities Legal Duty to Protect
Students
a) Title XI Law of 1972
b) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
C. Sexual Harassment’s Effect on Students Experiencing It
1. Short Term Mental Effects
a) People Disregarding and Neglecting People Who Claim Sexual
Harassment Can Cause Them Insecurity and Hopelessness
b) People Tend To Blame Themselves For Being Harrassed
2. Long Term Mental Effects
a) Depression and Inability To Trust Others
b) Can Lead To Drastic Effects Like Turning To Drugs Or
Committing Suicide, It is Afterall A Form Of Bullying
III. Conclusion
A. The failure of our nations awarness and our universities inability to abide to the
law by protecting our students has resulted in many students being permanently
damaged from sexual harassment
B. We the people of the United States have gone through all the proper legal
measures in order to guarantee the youths safety when attending college
universities; yet these laws along with their $60,000 tuitions do not seem to be
enough motivation for these universities to abide to the law. Does a student need
to be found dead in the middle of the campus in order to get the message across?
Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire
Review of The Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire by MICHAEL G. KAVAN, Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Associate Professor of Family Medicine, Creighton University Sch ...
The Mental Health Educational Initiative is an interactive program that utilizes a combination of formal and non-formal learning to provide a multidisciplinary group of health care providers with a unique model for the understanding, identification, and management of actual vs. perceived risk for suicidal ideation and related adverse events.
This is the fourth in a series of 4 podcasts & transcripts presented by David Neubauer, M.D.
Associate Professor
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Rates and Predictors of Suicidal Ideation During the FirstYe.docxaudeleypearl
Rates and Predictors of Suicidal Ideation During the First
Year After Traumatic Brain Injury
Jessica L. Mackelprang, PhD, Charles H. Bombardier, PhD, Jesse R. Fann, MD, MPH, Nancy R. Temkin, PhD,
Jason K. Barber, MS, and Sureyya S. Dikmen, PhD
Suicide is a major public health problem among
the 1.7 million people who sustain traumatic
brain injury (TBI) each year in the United
States.1 People with a history of TBI in both
civilian and military populations are 1.55 to
4.05 times more likely to die by suicide than
the general population.2---5 In a study of
Australian outpatients with a history of TBI,
the majority of whom had no preinjury history
of suicide attempts, suicide attempts were
reported by 17.4% (30 of 172) of the sample
over a 5-year period.6 Nearly half of the
individuals who attempted suicide had made
multiple attempts.6,7 The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention recently called for
investigations of individual-level risk and
protective factors for self-directed violence
among people with TBI as an important com-
ponent of improving long-term outcomes.8
Rates of suicidal ideation (SI) after TBI
have been found to exceed 20% in some
studies6,9---14; however, in a recent systematic
review of SI and behavior after TBI, Bahraini
et al. highlighted the paucity of research in
this area.15 They concluded that additional
research is needed to determine the prevalence
of SI and behavior after brain injury, as well as
to ascertain patient-level factors that may be
associated with increased suicide risk. Studies
examining whether injury severity predicts
post-TBI suicidality have yielded inconclusive
findings.6,13,16,17 In perhaps the most thorough
study on this topic to date, Tsaousides et al.12
surveyed 356 community-dwelling adults with
a self-reported history of TBI and found that
preinjury substance abuse was the only corre-
late of current SI. Risk factors for SI after TBI
have been underinvestigated. Research in this
area has been limited by reliance on retro-
spective reporting and self-reported history of
TBI,12,18---20 with only a few studies including
objective indicators of TBI severity.6 Most
studies have involved cross-sectional designs
and have included participants whose time
since injury varied from several months to
many years.12,21 Finally, because most existing
studies have included relatively small, poten-
tially biased samples21 recruited from outpa-
tient clinics or TBI survivor programs,6,7,12 they
may not be representative of the population of
people who sustain TBI.
Given these gaps in the existing literature,
our objectives were (1) to investigate rates of SI
during the first year after complicated mild to
severe TBI in a representative sample of adults
who had been admitted to a level I trauma
center and (2) to investigate whether demo-
graphic characteristics, preinjury psychiatric
history, or injury-related factors predicted SI.
METHODS
This study was part of the recruitment phase
of a clinical trial ...
1PAGE 21. What is the question the authors are asking .docxfelicidaddinwoodie
1
PAGE
2
1. What is the question the authors are asking?
They asked about a reduction in judgmental biases regarding the cost and probability associated with adverse social events as they are presumed as being mechanisms for the treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Also, the authors poised on the changes in judgmental biases as mechanisms to explain cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder. On top of that, they stated that methodological limitations extant studies highlight the possibility that rather than causing symptom relief, a significant reduction in judgmental biases tends to be consequences of it or correlate. Considerably, they expected cost bias at mid-treatment to be a predictor of the treatment outcome.
2. Why do the authors believe this question is important?
According to the authors, this question was relevant as methodological limitations of present studies reflect on the possibility that instead of causing symptom belief, a significant reduction in judgmental biases can be consequences or correlated to it. Additionally, they ought to ascertain the judgment bias between treated and non-treated participants. Significantly, this was important as they had to determine the impact of pre and post changes in cost and probability of the treatment outcomes. But, probability bias at mid-treatment was a predictor of the treatment outcome contrary to the cost bias at mid-treatment that could not be identified as a significant predictor of the treatment outcome.
3. How do they try to answer this question?
They conducted a study to evaluate the significant changes in judgmental bias as aspects of cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorders. To do this, they conducted a study using information from two treatment studies; an uncontrolled trial observing amygdala activity as a response to VRE (Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy) with the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging and a randomized control trial that compared Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy with Exposure Group Therapy for SAD. A total of 86 individuals who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for the diagnosis of non-generalized (n=46) and generalized (n=40) SAD participated. After completing eight weeks of the treatment protocol, the participants who identified public speaking as their most fearsome social situation were included. The SCID (Structured clinical interview for the DSM-IV) was used to ascertain diagnostic and eligibility status on Axis 1 conditions within substance abuse, mood and anxiety disorder modules. The social anxiety measures were measured with the use of BFNE (Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation), a self-reporting questioner that examined the degree to which persons fear to be assessed by other across different social settings. Additionally, the OPQ (Outcome Probability Questionnaire) self-reporting questionnaire was used to evaluate individual’s estimate on the probability that adverse, threatening events will occur at t ...
The Mental Health Educational Initiative is an interactive program that utilizes a combination of formal and non-formal learning to provide a multidisciplinary group of health care providers with a unique model for the understanding, identification, and management of actual vs. perceived risk for suicidal ideation and related adverse events.
This is the third in a series of 4 podcasts & transcripts presented by David Neubauer, M.D.
Associate Professor
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
The Mental Health Educational Initiative is an interactive program that utilizes a combination of formal and non-formal learning to provide a multidisciplinary group of health care providers with a unique model for the understanding, identification, and management of actual vs. perceived risk for suicidal ideation and related adverse events.
This is the fourth in a series of 4 podcasts & transcripts presented by David Neubauer, M.D.
Associate Professor
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Rates and Predictors of Suicidal Ideation During the FirstYe.docxaudeleypearl
Rates and Predictors of Suicidal Ideation During the First
Year After Traumatic Brain Injury
Jessica L. Mackelprang, PhD, Charles H. Bombardier, PhD, Jesse R. Fann, MD, MPH, Nancy R. Temkin, PhD,
Jason K. Barber, MS, and Sureyya S. Dikmen, PhD
Suicide is a major public health problem among
the 1.7 million people who sustain traumatic
brain injury (TBI) each year in the United
States.1 People with a history of TBI in both
civilian and military populations are 1.55 to
4.05 times more likely to die by suicide than
the general population.2---5 In a study of
Australian outpatients with a history of TBI,
the majority of whom had no preinjury history
of suicide attempts, suicide attempts were
reported by 17.4% (30 of 172) of the sample
over a 5-year period.6 Nearly half of the
individuals who attempted suicide had made
multiple attempts.6,7 The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention recently called for
investigations of individual-level risk and
protective factors for self-directed violence
among people with TBI as an important com-
ponent of improving long-term outcomes.8
Rates of suicidal ideation (SI) after TBI
have been found to exceed 20% in some
studies6,9---14; however, in a recent systematic
review of SI and behavior after TBI, Bahraini
et al. highlighted the paucity of research in
this area.15 They concluded that additional
research is needed to determine the prevalence
of SI and behavior after brain injury, as well as
to ascertain patient-level factors that may be
associated with increased suicide risk. Studies
examining whether injury severity predicts
post-TBI suicidality have yielded inconclusive
findings.6,13,16,17 In perhaps the most thorough
study on this topic to date, Tsaousides et al.12
surveyed 356 community-dwelling adults with
a self-reported history of TBI and found that
preinjury substance abuse was the only corre-
late of current SI. Risk factors for SI after TBI
have been underinvestigated. Research in this
area has been limited by reliance on retro-
spective reporting and self-reported history of
TBI,12,18---20 with only a few studies including
objective indicators of TBI severity.6 Most
studies have involved cross-sectional designs
and have included participants whose time
since injury varied from several months to
many years.12,21 Finally, because most existing
studies have included relatively small, poten-
tially biased samples21 recruited from outpa-
tient clinics or TBI survivor programs,6,7,12 they
may not be representative of the population of
people who sustain TBI.
Given these gaps in the existing literature,
our objectives were (1) to investigate rates of SI
during the first year after complicated mild to
severe TBI in a representative sample of adults
who had been admitted to a level I trauma
center and (2) to investigate whether demo-
graphic characteristics, preinjury psychiatric
history, or injury-related factors predicted SI.
METHODS
This study was part of the recruitment phase
of a clinical trial ...
1PAGE 21. What is the question the authors are asking .docxfelicidaddinwoodie
1
PAGE
2
1. What is the question the authors are asking?
They asked about a reduction in judgmental biases regarding the cost and probability associated with adverse social events as they are presumed as being mechanisms for the treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Also, the authors poised on the changes in judgmental biases as mechanisms to explain cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder. On top of that, they stated that methodological limitations extant studies highlight the possibility that rather than causing symptom relief, a significant reduction in judgmental biases tends to be consequences of it or correlate. Considerably, they expected cost bias at mid-treatment to be a predictor of the treatment outcome.
2. Why do the authors believe this question is important?
According to the authors, this question was relevant as methodological limitations of present studies reflect on the possibility that instead of causing symptom belief, a significant reduction in judgmental biases can be consequences or correlated to it. Additionally, they ought to ascertain the judgment bias between treated and non-treated participants. Significantly, this was important as they had to determine the impact of pre and post changes in cost and probability of the treatment outcomes. But, probability bias at mid-treatment was a predictor of the treatment outcome contrary to the cost bias at mid-treatment that could not be identified as a significant predictor of the treatment outcome.
3. How do they try to answer this question?
They conducted a study to evaluate the significant changes in judgmental bias as aspects of cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorders. To do this, they conducted a study using information from two treatment studies; an uncontrolled trial observing amygdala activity as a response to VRE (Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy) with the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging and a randomized control trial that compared Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy with Exposure Group Therapy for SAD. A total of 86 individuals who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for the diagnosis of non-generalized (n=46) and generalized (n=40) SAD participated. After completing eight weeks of the treatment protocol, the participants who identified public speaking as their most fearsome social situation were included. The SCID (Structured clinical interview for the DSM-IV) was used to ascertain diagnostic and eligibility status on Axis 1 conditions within substance abuse, mood and anxiety disorder modules. The social anxiety measures were measured with the use of BFNE (Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation), a self-reporting questioner that examined the degree to which persons fear to be assessed by other across different social settings. Additionally, the OPQ (Outcome Probability Questionnaire) self-reporting questionnaire was used to evaluate individual’s estimate on the probability that adverse, threatening events will occur at t ...
The Mental Health Educational Initiative is an interactive program that utilizes a combination of formal and non-formal learning to provide a multidisciplinary group of health care providers with a unique model for the understanding, identification, and management of actual vs. perceived risk for suicidal ideation and related adverse events.
This is the third in a series of 4 podcasts & transcripts presented by David Neubauer, M.D.
Associate Professor
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
TitleABC123 Version X1Running head PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSES.docxherthalearmont
Title
ABC/123 Version X
1
Running head: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET
1
Psychological Assessment Worksheet
Kimberly H. Morgan
PSYCH 655/ Integrative Capstone: Psychology Past and Present
Deirdre A. Teaford, Ph.D.
November 14, 2016
University of Phoenix MaterialAssessment Worksheet
Using the Mental Measurements Yearbook, identify three measures of the constructs you are studying for your research question
1. What is your research question?
My research question will be does an individual diagnosed with schizophrenia who develops an addiction have an increased risk of becoming a serial killer? In particularly, are there any ecological influences that transpire in drug stimulated (mind altering), schizophrenic serial killers? If as a result, what aspects are involved?
2. Write a testablehypothesis for your research question.
The testable hypothesis All serial killers that are also schizophrenic can change their social environment which would include mind altering drugs. This should align with the research question and should clearly state exactly what (and the direction) you believe will happen in your research. For example, Patients with schizophrenia who develop addictions are more likely to become serial killers.
3. What constructs is your research question investigating?
The constructs that are going to be used in my research question consist of negative surroundings such as environments with drug abuse
, and observing the mental and physical effects
of a person that may be subjected to these negative environments and how it correlates to their growth of becoming a serial killer.
4. Using the Mental Measurements Yearbook, provide the following information for three measures of the constructs:
a. What is the test? Include the name and authors.
The first test is by way of Mark Shriver and Claudia Wright and is the Personal Experience Inventory for Adults.
The next test is by Tony Cellucci and Glenn Gelman and will be Inventory of Drug- Taking Situations.
The third test will be one by Allen Hess and Janet Smith and the title is Interview intended for the Retrospective Assessment of the Onset and Course of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses.
b. How is the test used? Include the target population, how the test is administered, and what information it provides.
· In the Personal Experience Inventory for Adults it is intended to gain material about an individual’s abuse predicaments. The test is given out to persons 19 years of age and up
.
· In Inventory of Drug-Taking Situations it is designed to measure people and summarize thorough situations in which one has consumed drugs within the year. The target population is drug users.
· In the Interview for the Retrospective Assessment of the Onset and Course of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses it is designed to evaluate signs and communal growth in schizophrenic individuals. The target population is adults who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia
.
c. What is known about the te ...
ADVANCED NURSING RESEARCH
1
ADVANCED NURSING RESEARCH 2
Evidence Based Practice Grant Proposal
Table of Contents
31.Purpose
42.Background
5Research objectives
6Theoretical framework
63.EBP Model
74.Proposed Change
85.Outcomes
86.Evaluation Plan
97.Dissemination Plan
9Tools to be Used
9Peer review tools for the proposal
11Grant Request
11Proposed Tasks
11Task 1: Case study- Reviewing existing literature on stigma around mental health complications
11Task 2: Interviewing clinicians that have dealt with the study topic
12Task 3: Interviewing patients of mental health
12Schedule
13Budget
148.Appendices
14a.Informed Consent
19Certificate of Consent
19Signature or Date
21b.Literature Matrix
32c.Tools and equipment to be used
34References
Grant Proposal-Assessing the role of stigma towards mental health patients in help seeking
Study problem
There are several studies that have shown that stigmatization towards mental health patients have been present throughout history and even despite the evolution in modern medicine and advanced treatment. For example, Verhaeghe et al., (2014), captures in a publication in reference to a study that he conducted that stigmatization towards mental health patients has been there even as early is in the 18th Century. People were hesitant to interact with people termed or perceived to have mental health conditions.
Stigmatization has resulted from the belief that those with mental problem are aggressive and dangerous creating a social distance (Szeto et al., 2017). Also, mental health-related stigma has become of major concern as it creates crucial barriers to access treatment and quality care since it not only influences the behaviour of the patients but also the attitude of the providers hence impacting help-seeking. Timmermann, Uhrenfeldt and Birkelund (2014), have identified stigma as a barrier that is of significance to care or help seeking while the extent to which it still remains a barrier have not been reviewed deeply. Therefore, this study will assess the role contributed by stigma in help seeking in depth. 1. Purpose
The intention of the research study is to review the association between stigma, mental illness and help seeking in order to formulate ways in which the stigma that is around mental health is done away with to enable as many people suffering from mental health complications to seek medical help.2. Background
Mental health is crucial in every stage of life. It is defined as the state of psychological well-being whereby the individual realizes a satisfactory integration instinctual drive acceptable to both oneself and his or her social setting (Ritchie & Roser, 2018). The status of mental health influences physical health, relationships, and most importantly day-to-day life. Mental health problems arise when there is a ...
ABSTRACT- Background: The occurrence of psychiatric disorders is more in the prisoners than in general population. Co-morbidity is seen to be an important and complex entity in clinical assessment of mental state competence (diminished mental capacity, temporary insanity and insanity) in the offenders at the time of the offence. It has a great role in determining all possible options in future treatment of violent offenders. Aim: This research article is focused on the co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses and the treatment outcomes in the mentally ill prisoners referred to the tertiary care mental health facility. Materials and Method: Total 100 mentally ill prisoners referred to the tertiary care psychiatric hospital during the study period (Jan 2015 - Dec 2015) was the sample size. It was a prospective study and the sampling method was of the purposive type. Results: Besides their primary diagnosis, the referred prisoners had more than one co-morbid psychiatric diagnosis in 46% of the cases. The most frequent co-occurring conditions were learning disabilities, personality disorders, and substance use disorders. The outcomes for the psychiatric conditions were positive as patients responded well to the line of management. Conclusion: The study provides valuable data to understand the mental health needs and the treatment gaps in this population so as to plan adequate services to tackle these issues. Key-words- Mentally ill prisoners, Psychiatric co-morbidities, Treatment outcomes, Substance use disorders, Personality disorders
Seminar1240 www.thelancet.com Vol 387 March 19, 2016.docxtcarolyn
Seminar
1240 www.thelancet.com Vol 387 March 19, 2016
Attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder
Anita Thapar, Miriam Cooper
Attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder with a prevalence
of 1·4–3·0%. It is more common in boys than girls. Comorbidity with childhood-onset neurodevelopmental
disorders and psychiatric disorders is substantial. ADHD is highly heritable and multifactorial; multiple genes and
non-inherited factors contribute to the disorder. Prenatal and perinatal factors have been implicated as risks, but
defi nite causes remain unknown. Most guidelines recommend a stepwise approach to treatment, beginning with
non-drug interventions and then moving to pharmacological treatment in those most severely aff ected. Randomised
controlled trials show short-term benefi ts of stimulant medication and atomoxetine. Meta-analyses of blinded trials
of non-drug treatments have not yet proven the effi cacy of such interventions. Longitudinal studies of ADHD show
heightened risk of multiple mental health and social diffi culties as well as premature mortality in adult life.
Introduction
Attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a
childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder char ac-
terised by developmentally inappropriate and impairing
inattention, motor hyperactivity, and impulsivity, with
diffi culties often continuing into adulthood. In this
Seminar, we aim to update and inform early career
clinicians on issues relevant to clinical practice and
discuss some controversies and misunderstandings.
Defi nitions of ADHD
ADHD is a diagnostic category in the American
Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV)1 and
the more recent DSM-5.2 The broadly equivalent
diagnosis used predominantly in Europe is hyperkinetic
disorder, which is defi ned in WHO’s International
Classifi cation of Diseases (10th edition; ICD-10).3 This
defi nition captures a more severely aff ected group of
individuals, since reported prevalence of hyperkinetic
disorder is lower than that of DSM-IV ADHD, even
within the same population.4 Key diagnostic criteria are
listed in the panel. DSM-5 has longer symptom
descriptors than those used in DSM-IV; these descriptors
also capture how symptoms can manifest in older
adolescents and adults. DSM-IV distinguished between
inattentive, hyperactive–impulsive, and combined sub-
types of ADHD; a diagnosis of the combined subtype
required the presence of symptoms across the domains
of inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity. However,
ADHD subtypes are not stable across time,5 and DSM-5
has de-emphasised their distinctions. ICD-10 does not
distinguish subtypes; symptoms need to be present from
the three separate domains of inattention, hyperactivity,
and impulsivity for a diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder.
The diagnosis of ADHD or hyperkinetic disorder also
requires the pre.
ADVANCED NURSING RESEARCH
1
ADVANCED NURSING RESEARCH 2
Evidence Based Practice Grant Proposal
Table of Contents
3
4
5
6
6
7
8
8
9
9
9
11
11
11
11
12
12
13
14
14
19
19
21
32
34
Grant Proposal-Assessing the role of stigma towards mental health patients in help seeking
Study problem
There are several studies that have shown that stigmatization towards mental health patients have been present throughout history and even despite the evolution in modern medicine and advanced treatment. For example, Verhaeghe et al., (2014), captures in a publication in reference to a study that he conducted that stigmatization towards mental health patients has been there even as early is in the 18th Century. People were hesitant to interact with people termed or perceived to have mental health conditions.
Stigmatization has resulted from the belief that those with mental problem are aggressive and dangerous creating a social distance (Szeto et al., 2017). Also, mental health-related stigma has become of major concern as it creates crucial barriers to access treatment and quality care since it not only influences the behaviour of the patients but also the attitude of the providers hence impacting help-seeking. Timmermann, Uhrenfeldt and Birkelund (2014), have identified stigma as a barrier that is of significance to care or help seeking while the extent to which it still remains a barrier have not been reviewed deeply. Therefore, this study will assess the role contributed by stigma in help seeking in depth. 1. Purpose
The intention of the research study is to review the association between stigma, mental illness and help seeking in order to formulate ways in which the stigma that is around mental health is done away with to enable as many people suffering from mental health complications to seek medical help.2. Background
Mental health is crucial in every stage of life. It is defined as the state of psychological well-being whereby the individual realizes a satisfactory integration instinctual drive acceptable to both oneself and his or her social setting (Ritchie & Roser, 2018). The status of mental health influences physical health, relationships, and most importantly day-to-day life. Mental health problems arise when there is a disruption in mental well-being.
The risk factors to mental health problems are not limited and therefore everyone is entitled to the problem irrespective of gender, economic status, and ethnic group. For example, data shows that in America one out of five individuals experience mental health problems annually; with mental disorders being recognized as the leading cause of disability not only in the United States but also globally (Ritchie & Roser, 2018). Mental health disorders are seen to be complex and of many forms such as anxiety, mood, and schizophren.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 2
Decision Tree: Personality Disorders
Frank Jones
Sam’s University
Nurs 3333: PMHNP Role IV
Dr. Joe Mark
October 20 , 2010
Running head: DECISION TREE 1
DECISION TREE 6
Decision Tree: Personality Disorders
As described by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2013), ‘‘personality disorder is an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the individual’s culture, is pervasive and inflexible, has an onset in adolescence or early adulthood, is stable over time, and leads to distress or impairment’’. There are different types of personality disorders classified into three clusters. Cluster A individuals are described as the odd or eccentric, cluster B as the dramatic, emotional, or erratic and cluster C as the anxious or fearful. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the case study of a young woman with personality disorder. This paper will explore threes decisions relating to differential diagnosis, psychotherapy and psychopharmacology based on the presented clinical manifestations.
Decision One
The clinical manifestation presented in the case study are indicative of more than one personality disorder, specifically borderline personality disorder (BPD) and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Patients exhibits a fear of abandonment which aligns with BPD. The patient mentioned an interpersonal relationship involvement which she exhibited idolization for the man of her interest, and now is devaluing the man. This is also evident in BPD as outlined by diagnostic criteria set forth by the APA (2013).
My diagnosis for this patient is ASPD, because the client exhibits clinical manifestations of ASPD than BPD. One of the reasons that led me to the diagnosis of ASPD is the client’s lack of remorse. The client stole from a friend, instead of being sorry, client’s blames friend instead. Client exhibits lack of respect for social norm and failure to comply with the law as evidenced by more than one record of arrest. The client fails to upholding financial obligation and is deceitful. Client shows irresponsibility evidenced by inability to keep a job. These presentations are evident in clients with ASPD as outlined in the DSM-5.
The two personality disorders which are classified as cluster B personality disorders by the APA (2013) have clinical manifestations which overlap, thus needs to be ruled out as differential diagnoses for each other. As described on the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, BPD and ASD have similar features of impulsivity, aggression and manipulative behaviors, which client exhibits in the case study. The differing manifes ...
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating diffe...robinsonayot
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating differential diagnoses 4th edition - Copy.pdf
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating differential diagnoses 4th edition - Copy.pdf
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating diffe...robinsonayot
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating differential diagnoses 5th edition.pdf
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating differential diagnoses 5th edition.pdf
Screening Youth for Suicide Risk inMedical SettingsTime to.docxWilheminaRossi174
Screening Youth for Suicide Risk in
Medical Settings
Time to Ask Questions
Lisa M. Horowitz, PhD, MPH, Jeffrey A. Bridge, PhD, Maryland Pao, MD, Edwin D. Boudreaux, PhD
From the Intra
of Mental He
Pediatric Prac
dren’s Hospit
Columbus, Oh
ment of Psyc
(Boudreaux),
Massachusetts
Address co
Institute of Me
5362, Bethesda
0749-3797/
http://dx.do
S170 Am J
This paper focuses on the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Research Prioritization
Task Force’s Aspirational Goal 2 (screening for suicide risk) as it pertains specifically to children,
adolescents, and young adults. Two assumptions are forwarded: (1) strategies for screening youth for
suicide risk need to be tailored developmentally; and (2) we must use instruments that were created
and tested specifically for suicide risk detection and developed specifically for youth. Recommen-
dations for shifting the current paradigm include universal suicide screening for youth in medical
settings with validated instruments.
(Am J Prev Med 2014;47(3S2):S170–S175) Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Journal of
Preventive Medicine
Introduction
Suicide remains a leading cause of death for youth
worldwide.1 Screening for risk of suicide and
suicidal behavior is an important and necessary
first step toward suicide prevention in young people.
Implementing effective screening programs involves
targeting high-risk populations in favorable settings.2
Medical settings have been designated as key venues to
screen for suicide risk and are therefore the focus of this
article.
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
(Action Alliance) developed 12 Aspirational Goals as a
way of structuring a suicide prevention research agenda
aimed at decreasing suicides in the U.S. by 40% over the
next decade. Aspirational Goal 2 pertains to screening for
suicide risk: “to determine the degree of suicide risk
among individuals in diverse populations and in diverse
settings through feasible and effective screening and
assessment approaches.”3
As an adjunct to a separate article in this supplement
that proposes a paradigm shift for suicide screening
mural Research Program (Horowitz, Pao), National Institute
alth, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland; Center for Innovation in
tice (Bridge), The Research Institute at Nationwide Chil-
al and The Ohio State University College of Medicine,
io; and the Department of Emergency Medicine, Depart-
hiatry, and Department of Quantitative Health Sciences
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester,
rrespondence to: Lisa M. Horowitz, PhD, MPH, National
ntal Health, Clinical Research Center, Building 10, Room 6-
MD 20892. E-mail: [email protected]
$36.00
i.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2014.06.002
Prev Med 2014;47(3S2):S170–S175 Published by E
instrument development and research aligned with this
Aspirational Goal,4 this paper focuses on suicide screen-
ing as it pertains specifically to children, adolescents, and
young adults. The aims of this paper are to desc.
Most women experience their closest friendships with those of th.docxroushhsiu
Most women experience their closest friendships with those of the same sex. Men have suffered more of a stigma in terms of sharing deep bonds with other men. Open affection and connection is not actively encouraged among men. Recent changes in society might impact this, especially with the advent of the meterosexual male. “The meterosexual male is less interested in blood lines, traditions, family, class, gender, than in choosing who they want to be and who they want to be with” (Vernon, 2010, p. 204).
In this week’s reading material, the following philosophers discuss their views on this topic: Simone de Beauvoir, Thomas Aquinas, MacIntyre, Friedman, Hunt, and Foucault. Make sure to incorporate their views as you answer each discussion question. Think about how their views may be similar or different from your own. In at least 250 words total, please answer each of the following, drawing upon your reading materials and your personal insight:
To what extent do you think women still have a better opportunity to forge deeper friendships than men? What needs to change to level the friendship playing field for men, if anything?
How is the role of the meterosexual man helping to forge a new pathway for male friendships?
.
Morgan and Dunn JD have hired you to assist with a case involvin.docxroushhsiu
Morgan and Dunn JD have hired you to assist with a case involving domestic abuse. The evidence is contained on a password-protected laptop that the plaintiff (the wife) indicates will show a pattern of abuse. You have to decide what equipment and software to purchase to assist with the case and safely extract the data from the laptop.
.
More Related Content
Similar to Name Professor Course Date Sexual Harassment .docx
TitleABC123 Version X1Running head PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSES.docxherthalearmont
Title
ABC/123 Version X
1
Running head: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET
1
Psychological Assessment Worksheet
Kimberly H. Morgan
PSYCH 655/ Integrative Capstone: Psychology Past and Present
Deirdre A. Teaford, Ph.D.
November 14, 2016
University of Phoenix MaterialAssessment Worksheet
Using the Mental Measurements Yearbook, identify three measures of the constructs you are studying for your research question
1. What is your research question?
My research question will be does an individual diagnosed with schizophrenia who develops an addiction have an increased risk of becoming a serial killer? In particularly, are there any ecological influences that transpire in drug stimulated (mind altering), schizophrenic serial killers? If as a result, what aspects are involved?
2. Write a testablehypothesis for your research question.
The testable hypothesis All serial killers that are also schizophrenic can change their social environment which would include mind altering drugs. This should align with the research question and should clearly state exactly what (and the direction) you believe will happen in your research. For example, Patients with schizophrenia who develop addictions are more likely to become serial killers.
3. What constructs is your research question investigating?
The constructs that are going to be used in my research question consist of negative surroundings such as environments with drug abuse
, and observing the mental and physical effects
of a person that may be subjected to these negative environments and how it correlates to their growth of becoming a serial killer.
4. Using the Mental Measurements Yearbook, provide the following information for three measures of the constructs:
a. What is the test? Include the name and authors.
The first test is by way of Mark Shriver and Claudia Wright and is the Personal Experience Inventory for Adults.
The next test is by Tony Cellucci and Glenn Gelman and will be Inventory of Drug- Taking Situations.
The third test will be one by Allen Hess and Janet Smith and the title is Interview intended for the Retrospective Assessment of the Onset and Course of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses.
b. How is the test used? Include the target population, how the test is administered, and what information it provides.
· In the Personal Experience Inventory for Adults it is intended to gain material about an individual’s abuse predicaments. The test is given out to persons 19 years of age and up
.
· In Inventory of Drug-Taking Situations it is designed to measure people and summarize thorough situations in which one has consumed drugs within the year. The target population is drug users.
· In the Interview for the Retrospective Assessment of the Onset and Course of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses it is designed to evaluate signs and communal growth in schizophrenic individuals. The target population is adults who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia
.
c. What is known about the te ...
ADVANCED NURSING RESEARCH
1
ADVANCED NURSING RESEARCH 2
Evidence Based Practice Grant Proposal
Table of Contents
31.Purpose
42.Background
5Research objectives
6Theoretical framework
63.EBP Model
74.Proposed Change
85.Outcomes
86.Evaluation Plan
97.Dissemination Plan
9Tools to be Used
9Peer review tools for the proposal
11Grant Request
11Proposed Tasks
11Task 1: Case study- Reviewing existing literature on stigma around mental health complications
11Task 2: Interviewing clinicians that have dealt with the study topic
12Task 3: Interviewing patients of mental health
12Schedule
13Budget
148.Appendices
14a.Informed Consent
19Certificate of Consent
19Signature or Date
21b.Literature Matrix
32c.Tools and equipment to be used
34References
Grant Proposal-Assessing the role of stigma towards mental health patients in help seeking
Study problem
There are several studies that have shown that stigmatization towards mental health patients have been present throughout history and even despite the evolution in modern medicine and advanced treatment. For example, Verhaeghe et al., (2014), captures in a publication in reference to a study that he conducted that stigmatization towards mental health patients has been there even as early is in the 18th Century. People were hesitant to interact with people termed or perceived to have mental health conditions.
Stigmatization has resulted from the belief that those with mental problem are aggressive and dangerous creating a social distance (Szeto et al., 2017). Also, mental health-related stigma has become of major concern as it creates crucial barriers to access treatment and quality care since it not only influences the behaviour of the patients but also the attitude of the providers hence impacting help-seeking. Timmermann, Uhrenfeldt and Birkelund (2014), have identified stigma as a barrier that is of significance to care or help seeking while the extent to which it still remains a barrier have not been reviewed deeply. Therefore, this study will assess the role contributed by stigma in help seeking in depth. 1. Purpose
The intention of the research study is to review the association between stigma, mental illness and help seeking in order to formulate ways in which the stigma that is around mental health is done away with to enable as many people suffering from mental health complications to seek medical help.2. Background
Mental health is crucial in every stage of life. It is defined as the state of psychological well-being whereby the individual realizes a satisfactory integration instinctual drive acceptable to both oneself and his or her social setting (Ritchie & Roser, 2018). The status of mental health influences physical health, relationships, and most importantly day-to-day life. Mental health problems arise when there is a ...
ABSTRACT- Background: The occurrence of psychiatric disorders is more in the prisoners than in general population. Co-morbidity is seen to be an important and complex entity in clinical assessment of mental state competence (diminished mental capacity, temporary insanity and insanity) in the offenders at the time of the offence. It has a great role in determining all possible options in future treatment of violent offenders. Aim: This research article is focused on the co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses and the treatment outcomes in the mentally ill prisoners referred to the tertiary care mental health facility. Materials and Method: Total 100 mentally ill prisoners referred to the tertiary care psychiatric hospital during the study period (Jan 2015 - Dec 2015) was the sample size. It was a prospective study and the sampling method was of the purposive type. Results: Besides their primary diagnosis, the referred prisoners had more than one co-morbid psychiatric diagnosis in 46% of the cases. The most frequent co-occurring conditions were learning disabilities, personality disorders, and substance use disorders. The outcomes for the psychiatric conditions were positive as patients responded well to the line of management. Conclusion: The study provides valuable data to understand the mental health needs and the treatment gaps in this population so as to plan adequate services to tackle these issues. Key-words- Mentally ill prisoners, Psychiatric co-morbidities, Treatment outcomes, Substance use disorders, Personality disorders
Seminar1240 www.thelancet.com Vol 387 March 19, 2016.docxtcarolyn
Seminar
1240 www.thelancet.com Vol 387 March 19, 2016
Attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder
Anita Thapar, Miriam Cooper
Attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder with a prevalence
of 1·4–3·0%. It is more common in boys than girls. Comorbidity with childhood-onset neurodevelopmental
disorders and psychiatric disorders is substantial. ADHD is highly heritable and multifactorial; multiple genes and
non-inherited factors contribute to the disorder. Prenatal and perinatal factors have been implicated as risks, but
defi nite causes remain unknown. Most guidelines recommend a stepwise approach to treatment, beginning with
non-drug interventions and then moving to pharmacological treatment in those most severely aff ected. Randomised
controlled trials show short-term benefi ts of stimulant medication and atomoxetine. Meta-analyses of blinded trials
of non-drug treatments have not yet proven the effi cacy of such interventions. Longitudinal studies of ADHD show
heightened risk of multiple mental health and social diffi culties as well as premature mortality in adult life.
Introduction
Attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a
childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder char ac-
terised by developmentally inappropriate and impairing
inattention, motor hyperactivity, and impulsivity, with
diffi culties often continuing into adulthood. In this
Seminar, we aim to update and inform early career
clinicians on issues relevant to clinical practice and
discuss some controversies and misunderstandings.
Defi nitions of ADHD
ADHD is a diagnostic category in the American
Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV)1 and
the more recent DSM-5.2 The broadly equivalent
diagnosis used predominantly in Europe is hyperkinetic
disorder, which is defi ned in WHO’s International
Classifi cation of Diseases (10th edition; ICD-10).3 This
defi nition captures a more severely aff ected group of
individuals, since reported prevalence of hyperkinetic
disorder is lower than that of DSM-IV ADHD, even
within the same population.4 Key diagnostic criteria are
listed in the panel. DSM-5 has longer symptom
descriptors than those used in DSM-IV; these descriptors
also capture how symptoms can manifest in older
adolescents and adults. DSM-IV distinguished between
inattentive, hyperactive–impulsive, and combined sub-
types of ADHD; a diagnosis of the combined subtype
required the presence of symptoms across the domains
of inattention and hyperactivity–impulsivity. However,
ADHD subtypes are not stable across time,5 and DSM-5
has de-emphasised their distinctions. ICD-10 does not
distinguish subtypes; symptoms need to be present from
the three separate domains of inattention, hyperactivity,
and impulsivity for a diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder.
The diagnosis of ADHD or hyperkinetic disorder also
requires the pre.
ADVANCED NURSING RESEARCH
1
ADVANCED NURSING RESEARCH 2
Evidence Based Practice Grant Proposal
Table of Contents
3
4
5
6
6
7
8
8
9
9
9
11
11
11
11
12
12
13
14
14
19
19
21
32
34
Grant Proposal-Assessing the role of stigma towards mental health patients in help seeking
Study problem
There are several studies that have shown that stigmatization towards mental health patients have been present throughout history and even despite the evolution in modern medicine and advanced treatment. For example, Verhaeghe et al., (2014), captures in a publication in reference to a study that he conducted that stigmatization towards mental health patients has been there even as early is in the 18th Century. People were hesitant to interact with people termed or perceived to have mental health conditions.
Stigmatization has resulted from the belief that those with mental problem are aggressive and dangerous creating a social distance (Szeto et al., 2017). Also, mental health-related stigma has become of major concern as it creates crucial barriers to access treatment and quality care since it not only influences the behaviour of the patients but also the attitude of the providers hence impacting help-seeking. Timmermann, Uhrenfeldt and Birkelund (2014), have identified stigma as a barrier that is of significance to care or help seeking while the extent to which it still remains a barrier have not been reviewed deeply. Therefore, this study will assess the role contributed by stigma in help seeking in depth. 1. Purpose
The intention of the research study is to review the association between stigma, mental illness and help seeking in order to formulate ways in which the stigma that is around mental health is done away with to enable as many people suffering from mental health complications to seek medical help.2. Background
Mental health is crucial in every stage of life. It is defined as the state of psychological well-being whereby the individual realizes a satisfactory integration instinctual drive acceptable to both oneself and his or her social setting (Ritchie & Roser, 2018). The status of mental health influences physical health, relationships, and most importantly day-to-day life. Mental health problems arise when there is a disruption in mental well-being.
The risk factors to mental health problems are not limited and therefore everyone is entitled to the problem irrespective of gender, economic status, and ethnic group. For example, data shows that in America one out of five individuals experience mental health problems annually; with mental disorders being recognized as the leading cause of disability not only in the United States but also globally (Ritchie & Roser, 2018). Mental health disorders are seen to be complex and of many forms such as anxiety, mood, and schizophren.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 2
Decision Tree: Personality Disorders
Frank Jones
Sam’s University
Nurs 3333: PMHNP Role IV
Dr. Joe Mark
October 20 , 2010
Running head: DECISION TREE 1
DECISION TREE 6
Decision Tree: Personality Disorders
As described by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2013), ‘‘personality disorder is an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the individual’s culture, is pervasive and inflexible, has an onset in adolescence or early adulthood, is stable over time, and leads to distress or impairment’’. There are different types of personality disorders classified into three clusters. Cluster A individuals are described as the odd or eccentric, cluster B as the dramatic, emotional, or erratic and cluster C as the anxious or fearful. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the case study of a young woman with personality disorder. This paper will explore threes decisions relating to differential diagnosis, psychotherapy and psychopharmacology based on the presented clinical manifestations.
Decision One
The clinical manifestation presented in the case study are indicative of more than one personality disorder, specifically borderline personality disorder (BPD) and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Patients exhibits a fear of abandonment which aligns with BPD. The patient mentioned an interpersonal relationship involvement which she exhibited idolization for the man of her interest, and now is devaluing the man. This is also evident in BPD as outlined by diagnostic criteria set forth by the APA (2013).
My diagnosis for this patient is ASPD, because the client exhibits clinical manifestations of ASPD than BPD. One of the reasons that led me to the diagnosis of ASPD is the client’s lack of remorse. The client stole from a friend, instead of being sorry, client’s blames friend instead. Client exhibits lack of respect for social norm and failure to comply with the law as evidenced by more than one record of arrest. The client fails to upholding financial obligation and is deceitful. Client shows irresponsibility evidenced by inability to keep a job. These presentations are evident in clients with ASPD as outlined in the DSM-5.
The two personality disorders which are classified as cluster B personality disorders by the APA (2013) have clinical manifestations which overlap, thus needs to be ruled out as differential diagnoses for each other. As described on the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, BPD and ASD have similar features of impulsivity, aggression and manipulative behaviors, which client exhibits in the case study. The differing manifes ...
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating diffe...robinsonayot
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating differential diagnoses 4th edition - Copy.pdf
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating differential diagnoses 4th edition - Copy.pdf
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating diffe...robinsonayot
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating differential diagnoses 5th edition.pdf
Test bank for advanced assessment interpreting findings and formulating differential diagnoses 5th edition.pdf
Screening Youth for Suicide Risk inMedical SettingsTime to.docxWilheminaRossi174
Screening Youth for Suicide Risk in
Medical Settings
Time to Ask Questions
Lisa M. Horowitz, PhD, MPH, Jeffrey A. Bridge, PhD, Maryland Pao, MD, Edwin D. Boudreaux, PhD
From the Intra
of Mental He
Pediatric Prac
dren’s Hospit
Columbus, Oh
ment of Psyc
(Boudreaux),
Massachusetts
Address co
Institute of Me
5362, Bethesda
0749-3797/
http://dx.do
S170 Am J
This paper focuses on the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Research Prioritization
Task Force’s Aspirational Goal 2 (screening for suicide risk) as it pertains specifically to children,
adolescents, and young adults. Two assumptions are forwarded: (1) strategies for screening youth for
suicide risk need to be tailored developmentally; and (2) we must use instruments that were created
and tested specifically for suicide risk detection and developed specifically for youth. Recommen-
dations for shifting the current paradigm include universal suicide screening for youth in medical
settings with validated instruments.
(Am J Prev Med 2014;47(3S2):S170–S175) Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Journal of
Preventive Medicine
Introduction
Suicide remains a leading cause of death for youth
worldwide.1 Screening for risk of suicide and
suicidal behavior is an important and necessary
first step toward suicide prevention in young people.
Implementing effective screening programs involves
targeting high-risk populations in favorable settings.2
Medical settings have been designated as key venues to
screen for suicide risk and are therefore the focus of this
article.
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
(Action Alliance) developed 12 Aspirational Goals as a
way of structuring a suicide prevention research agenda
aimed at decreasing suicides in the U.S. by 40% over the
next decade. Aspirational Goal 2 pertains to screening for
suicide risk: “to determine the degree of suicide risk
among individuals in diverse populations and in diverse
settings through feasible and effective screening and
assessment approaches.”3
As an adjunct to a separate article in this supplement
that proposes a paradigm shift for suicide screening
mural Research Program (Horowitz, Pao), National Institute
alth, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland; Center for Innovation in
tice (Bridge), The Research Institute at Nationwide Chil-
al and The Ohio State University College of Medicine,
io; and the Department of Emergency Medicine, Depart-
hiatry, and Department of Quantitative Health Sciences
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester,
rrespondence to: Lisa M. Horowitz, PhD, MPH, National
ntal Health, Clinical Research Center, Building 10, Room 6-
MD 20892. E-mail: [email protected]
$36.00
i.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2014.06.002
Prev Med 2014;47(3S2):S170–S175 Published by E
instrument development and research aligned with this
Aspirational Goal,4 this paper focuses on suicide screen-
ing as it pertains specifically to children, adolescents, and
young adults. The aims of this paper are to desc.
Similar to Name Professor Course Date Sexual Harassment .docx (20)
Most women experience their closest friendships with those of th.docxroushhsiu
Most women experience their closest friendships with those of the same sex. Men have suffered more of a stigma in terms of sharing deep bonds with other men. Open affection and connection is not actively encouraged among men. Recent changes in society might impact this, especially with the advent of the meterosexual male. “The meterosexual male is less interested in blood lines, traditions, family, class, gender, than in choosing who they want to be and who they want to be with” (Vernon, 2010, p. 204).
In this week’s reading material, the following philosophers discuss their views on this topic: Simone de Beauvoir, Thomas Aquinas, MacIntyre, Friedman, Hunt, and Foucault. Make sure to incorporate their views as you answer each discussion question. Think about how their views may be similar or different from your own. In at least 250 words total, please answer each of the following, drawing upon your reading materials and your personal insight:
To what extent do you think women still have a better opportunity to forge deeper friendships than men? What needs to change to level the friendship playing field for men, if anything?
How is the role of the meterosexual man helping to forge a new pathway for male friendships?
.
Morgan and Dunn JD have hired you to assist with a case involvin.docxroushhsiu
Morgan and Dunn JD have hired you to assist with a case involving domestic abuse. The evidence is contained on a password-protected laptop that the plaintiff (the wife) indicates will show a pattern of abuse. You have to decide what equipment and software to purchase to assist with the case and safely extract the data from the laptop.
.
Mortality rates vary between the Hispanic community and the gene.docxroushhsiu
Mortality rates vary between the Hispanic community and the general population. Discuss the leading causes of death and illness among Hispanic Americans and the options the Advanced Practice Nurse has to overcome the disparity of healthcare for this population.
The post should be a minimum of 200 words, scholarly written, APA7 formatted, and referenced. Free of plagiarism and gramatical errors. A minimum of 2 references is required (other than your text).
.
Moreno Industries has adopted the following production budget for th.docxroushhsiu
Moreno Industries has adopted the following production budget for the first 4 months of 2013.
Month Units Month Units
January 10,000 March 5,000
February 8,000 April 4,000
Each unit requires 3 pounds of raw materials costing $2 per pound. On December 31, 2012, the ending raw materials inventory was 9,000 pounds. Management wants to have a raw materials inventory at the end of the month equal to 30% of next month's production requirements.
Complete the direct materials purchases budget by month for the first quarter.
.
Most people have a blend of leadership styles that they use. Some le.docxroushhsiu
Most people have a blend of leadership styles that they use. Some leaders are more flexible in applying a wide range of leadership styles, whereas others are more consistent and generally use just one or two preferred behaviors. Consider if two strong individuals begin a new company and discuss the following:
If two diverse individuals, each having a different leadership style, were tasked with effectively co-leading an organization, what potential conflicts might occur between these different leadership styles?
How will their personal leadership styles influence the organizational culture?
How would you recommend that these two leaders work together most effectively?
.
Moral rights as opposed to legal rights are not dependent on a polit.docxroushhsiu
Moral rights as opposed to legal rights are not dependent on a political system for their legitimacy. This is the category of rights that all human air--breathers, as opposed to non-human air-breathers--- should be afforded to them by virtue of their having intrinsic value and not only instrumental value. These rights, or entitlements, are supported by various ethical theories when for instance the Universalism thesis under Utilitarianism requires that all persons' (women's and men's) interests be considered in the calculations of Hedonistic options available. Kantianism insists that all Unverbalizable maxims be respectful of the rights of all persons to be treated with dignity and respect--which includes freedom of choice. Virtue ethics, more modernly, does not distinguish basic "good " character traits of excellence such as integrity, good judgment, role identity--not as a woman or a man in any given role but, the ability to fulfill the duties of that role within a community by a member of either sex---, holism--the ability to habitually practice the other virtues in an integrative manner while recognizing the importance of other persons to the community and vise versa. The various Justice theories do not relegate justice based on sex, just on relevant differences based on ability, endeavor, contribution, etc.
Do current generatons ( including current businesses) owe a duty to future generations to produce products and conduct business in an environmentally sustainable manner so that future generations are assured of inheriting a livable planet( one on which reasonable persons would want to live); even if it means that current generations must sacrifice many preferences in current lifestyles? Why or why not?
First define environmental sustainability (hint: the U.N. has a good definition). Also, the term "future generations" includes all of the yet to be borne, not those that are younger than you but are breathing.
Use the following for your analysis:
1. Kohlberg’s Moral Development Model;
2. The Kew Garden Principles; or Dr. Laura’s Three Prerequisites for Assigning Moral Credit or Culpability;
3. At least two appropriate Ethical Theories
4. Moral Imagination;
5. Moral Courage;
6. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Model;
7. A CSR Model; Needs to be a current CSR model not just the definition
8. The relevant Law or Legal Theory;
9. Any other applicable course concepts from previous or current assigned reading or research
10. Sample paper is just that a sample it doesn't pertain to this topic for analysis
11 additional help
RIGHTS THEORIES
MORAL RIGHTS
Moral rights as opposed to legal rights are not dependant on a political system for their legitimacy. This is the category of rights that all human air--breathers, as opposed to non-human air-breathers--- should be afforded to them by virtue of their having intrinsic value and not only instrumental value. These rights, or.
Montasari, R., & Hill, R. (2019). Next-Generation Digital Forens.docxroushhsiu
Montasari, R., & Hill, R. (2019). Next-Generation Digital Forensics: Challenges and Future Paradigms.
2019 IEEE 12th International Conference on Global Security, Safety and Sustainability (ICGS3), Global Security, Safety and Sustainability (ICGS3)
, 205.
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICGS3.2019.8688020
Sahinoglu, M., Stockton, S., Barclay, R. M., & Morton, S. (2016). Metrics Based Risk Assessment and Management of Digital Forensics.
Defense Acquisition Research Journal: A Publication of the Defense Acquisition University, 23
(2), 152–177.
https://doi.org/10.22594/dau.16-748.23.02
Nnoli, H. Lindskog, D, Zavarsky, P., Aghili, S., & Ruhl, R. (2012). The Governance of Corporate Forensics Using COBIT, NIST and Increased Automated Forensic Approaches,
2012 International Conference on Privacy, Security, Risk and Trust and 2012 International Conference on Social Computing, Amsterdam
, 734-741.
After reading articles expand on investigation and of digital forensic analysis and investigations. Organizations, especially those in the public, health and educational areas are bound by legal and statutory requirements to protect data and private information, therefore digital forensics analysis will be very beneficial when security breaches do occur. Using this weeks readings and your own research, discuss digital forensics and how it could be used in a risk management program.
Please make your initial post and two response posts substantive. A substantive post will do at least two of the following:
Ask an interesting, thoughtful question pertaining to the topic
Answer a question (in detail) posted by another student or the instructor
Provide extensive additional information on the topic
Explain, define, or analyze the topic in detail
Share an applicable personal experience
Provide an outside source that applies to the topic, along with additional information about the topic or the source (please cite properly in APA 7)
Make an argument concerning the topic.
.
Module Outcome You will be able to describe the historical force.docxroushhsiu
Module Outcome: You will be able to describe the historical forces that have influenced the intersection of race and family in the United States.
Course Outcome: You will be able to describe the historical forces that have influenced the intersection of race and family in the United States.
General Education Competency:
You will have used critical thinking to analyze problems and make logical decisions.
You will be able to demonstrate socialization skills that support cultural awareness and a global perspective.
You will be able to communicate effectively using the conventions of American Standard English in professional and academic environments
What practices did the US government engage in to force Native Americans to assimilate to American culture? What were their motivations? Does this trend continue? Explain. How might this affect the Native American culture in the eyes of Native Americans and non-indigenous Americans alike? Explain.
For a top score, you must respond constructively to at least two other students. More extensive participation will be noted. All of your postings should be spread over three different days.
Introduction: This assignment will assist in your gaining a better understanding of the theoretical perspectives in Sociology
This assignment fulfills/supports
Module Outcome: You will be able to how structural functionalism, conflict perspectives, and symbolic interactionism work together to help us get a more complete view of reality.
Course Outcome: You will be able to recognize and apply the basic sociological terms vital to the understanding of sociology and the major theoretical paradigms to an analysis of social institutions, social structures, and societal issues.
General Education Competency
You will be able to communicate effectively using the conventions of American Standard English in professional and academic environments.
You will be able to demonstrate socialization skills that support cultural awareness and a global perspective.
Demonstrate computer literacy
The Assignment: DF #2 - Theoretical Perspectives
Find a newspaper article, online or physical paper, and identify the structural functionalist, social conflict, and symbolic interctionist view of the social issue that is discussed in the article. Think about how each of these perspectives view society. You can get this from your reading of the text. For example, structural functionalists view society as social harmony with a high degree of social order with the institutions meeting their manifest and latent functions, all for the good of society, compared to conflict theorists, which view society as an arena of social inequality; dominant and subordinate groups, competing for scarce resources. In comparison, a symbolic interactinist may view society based upon symbolic meaning, labeling and social construction and the interaction with others in society.
Prompt:
Write at least one paragraph summarizing your .
Molière believed that the duty of comedy is to correct human vices b.docxroushhsiu
Molière believed that the duty of comedy is to correct human vices by exposing them and mocking them to absurd extreme. He also believed that human behavior should be governed by reason and moderation. In
Tartuffe
, he presents characters who engage in extremely negative behavior driven by passion or emotion rather than reason or common sense. Identify two or three characters who fall into this category and discuss their specific extremely negative behaviors, the consequences of their actions and what that means to you.
.
Module One Making Budgetary DecisionsDirectionsBased on the i.docxroushhsiu
Module One Making Budgetary Decisions
Directions:
Based on the information in the text and the goals and objectives that you have established for the City Bradley Recycling Department, please respond to the following questions in a Word document.
1. Which one of the budgets (line-item, program, performance) best describes what the recycle department does? Explain your answer.
2. Which one of the budgets gives the director of the department/agency, the mayor, and the legislative body, the most discretion/latitude in making decisions about the agency and why? Think about the roles of these persons prior to answering the questions. The response for each entity should be explained separately i.e. Line-Item, Program, Performance).
Rubric Grading you must meet criteria within the 100-90%
PAD 3204 MODULE 1 SUNDAY ASSIGNMENT
PAD 3204 MODULE 1
Criteria
Ratings
Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeUse of data and assumptions
100.0 pts
You successfully incorporate all assumptions and data from the assignment and include information about average salaries gleaned from the district report card; no apparent errors.
85.0 pts
You incorporate most, if not all, assumptions and data from the assignment and include information about average salaries gleaned from the district report card; one or two minor errors.
75.0 pts
You incorporate some assumptions and data from the assignment and include information about average salaries gleaned from the district report card; a few major errors and omissions.
65.0 pts
You incorporate few, if any, assumptions and data from the assignment; many errors and omissions.
100.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOverall presentation
100.0 pts
Your discussion of the budget process and individual budget lines is set forth in a clear, thoughtful manner. It is well-written and insightful (writing demonstrates a sophisticated clarity, conciseness, and correctness); includes thorough details and relevant data and information; and is extremely well-organized.
85.0 pts
Your discussion of the budget process and individual budget lines is set forth in a thoughtful manner. It is well-written (writing is accomplished in terms of clarity and conciseness and contains only a few errors); includes sufficient details and relevant data and information; and is well-organized.
65.0 pts
Your discussion of the budget process and individual budget lines is carelessly written (writing lacks clarity or conciseness and contains numerous errors); gives insufficient detail and relevant data and information; and lacks organization.
25.0 pts
Your discussion of the budget process and individual budget lines is poorly written (writing is unfocused, rambling, or contains serious errors); lacks detail and relevant data and information; and is poorly organized.
100.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeTURNITIN ORIGINALITY SCORE
100.0 pts
<11%
80.0 pts
11% - 15%
70.0 pts
16% - 20%
60.0 pts
21% - 25%
50.0 pts
26% - 30%
.
Monitoring Data and Quality ImprovementAnswer one of two que.docxroushhsiu
Monitoring Data and Quality Improvement
Answer one of two questions below:
Describe and support the use of monitoring in evaluating an organization or the status of a condition as an evaluation tool.
What is the value of collecting, documenting, and monitoring data over time?
Discuss how the lack of monitoring impacts the evaluation of a market based decision? Cite and reference your resources.
Explain how health care organizations use quality improvement techniques to guide decision making? Discuss the challenges organizations encounter in applying quality improvement techniques to guide decision making. Cite and reference your resources.
.
Monitoring Global Supply Chains† Jodi L. Short Prof.docxroushhsiu
Monitoring Global Supply Chains†
Jodi L. Short*
Professor of Law
University of California
Hastings College of the Law
San Francisco, California,
U.S.A
[email protected]
Michael W. Toffel
Professor of Business
Administration
Harvard Business School
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A
[email protected]
Andrea R. Hugill
Doctoral Candidate
Harvard Business School
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A
[email protected]
Version: July 6, 2015
Forthcoming in Strategic Management Journal
Research Summary
Firms seeking to avoid reputational spillovers that can arise from dangerous, illegal, and
unethical behavior at supply chain factories are increasingly relying on private social auditors to
provide strategic information about suppliers’ conduct. But little is known about what influences
auditors’ ability to identify and report problems. Our analysis of nearly 17,000 supplier audits
reveals that auditors report fewer violations when individual auditors have audited the factory
before, when audit teams are less experienced or less trained, when audit teams are all-male, and
when audits are paid for by the audited supplier. This first comprehensive and systematic
analysis of supply chain monitoring identifies previously overlooked transaction costs and
suggests strategies to develop governance structures to mitigate reputational risks by reducing
information asymmetries in supply chains.
Managerial Summary
Firms reliant on supply chains to manufacture their goods risk reputational harm if the working
conditions in those factories are revealed to be dangerous, illegal, or otherwise problematic.
While firms are increasingly relying on private-sector ‘social auditors’ to assess factory
conditions, little has been known about the accuracy of those assessments. We analyzed nearly
17,000 code-of-conduct audits conducted at nearly 6,000 suppliers around the world. We found
that audits yield fewer violations when the audit team has been at that particular supplier before,
when audit teams are less experienced or less trained, when audit teams are all-male, and when
the audits were paid for by the supplier instead of by the buyer. We describe implications for
firms relying on social auditors and for auditing firms.
Keywords
monitoring, transaction cost economics, auditing, supply chains, corporate social responsibility
† We gratefully acknowledge the research assistance of Melissa Ouellet as well as that of Chris Allen, John Galvin,
Erika McCaffrey, and Christine Rivera. Xiang Ao, Max Bazerman, Shane Greenstein, Jeffrey Macher, Andrew
Marder, Justin McCrary, Morris Ratner, Bill Simpson, and Veronica Villena provided helpful comments. Harvard
Business School’s Division of Research and Faculty Development provided financial support.
* Correspondence to Jodi L. Short, UC Hastings College of the Law, 200 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA,
94102, .
Morality Relativism & the Concerns it RaisesI want to g.docxroushhsiu
Morality Relativism & the Concerns it Raises
“I want to give moral relativism the good spanking it deserves.”
Peter Kreef philosophy professor, Boston College
Does “relativism” need a spanking?2005 new Pope Benedict warned of the “onslaught of moral relativism”He “has characterized it as the major evil. Some observers believe he is taking a stance in the tense cultural wars in the United States.” (NPR radio, 2005)Mormons agree: “moral relativism/militant atheism”Culture wars?
*
Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4618049
Defining the Terms: RelativismMoral relativism: morality is purely culturalMoral differences & disagreements are irreconcilableFor example, Inuit Eskimos practice infanticide: one woman had borne 20 children but killed 10 at birth.Eskimos also practice euthanasia: when the elderly become too feeble to travel, they’re left to freeze.Hence, there’s no one universal moral truth for all times, places, peoples and culturesThe only possible good is toleration & mutual respect of pluralistic values
*
James Rachels, “The Challenge of Cultural Relativism” (Fifty Readings, 2nd Ed.), 397.
Defining the Terms: AbsolutismMoral absolutism: there are clear moral truths to govern all ethical issues regardless of situation.Immoral to accept the justifiability of two conflicting positions on any given ethical issueFor example: with this position, it would be unacceptable for Bush (pro-life) to say Eskimo infanticide practices are understandable and permissible among EskimosOr if polygamy or underage marriage is wrong, it is wrong everywhere and at all times.But what is “underage marriage”?
Moral Absolutism and Human KnowledgeName some fields of human knowledge where we deal with facts and have made great progress.Scientific theory must deal with hard dataNo science that claims absolute knowledge;Fallibility is the hallmark of scienceBut fallibility does not mean all theories are equal.Why should ethics be any different?If moral truths are not absolute, why should that prove that all moral values are equal?We can measure progress in science but what about ethics?
Illogic of Extreme Moral RelativismIn extreme relativism, no one can rightly pass judgment on others’ values/social practicesConsider Afghan Taliban Culture & Values:Ban on women's work outside the homeBan on women's presence in radio or televisionBan on women at schools or universitiesEthic of absolute relativism is self-contradictory:If I pass judgment on others for passing any judgment, am I not passing judgment on others?
Relativism with Norms Normative relativism: while cultural values clearly differ, nevertheless there are some general purposes shared by all moral codes.A socially accepted way of regulating conflicts of interests in society to preserve that people and culture with rules shaped by situations to that end. A socially accepted way of regulating conflicts of interests within an individual that can’t be equally satisfied a.
Module 9 content You will perform a history of a cardiac pro.docxroushhsiu
Module 9 content
You will perform a history of a cardiac problem that your instructor has provided you or one that you have experienced, and you will perform a cardiac assessment. You will document your subjective and objective findings, identify actual or potential risks, and submit this in a Word document to the dropbox provided.
.
Module Assessment 4: TANM ApplicationsBUS2 190
Last name, First name (Section X)
Last name, First name (Section X)
Last name, First name (Section X)
Last name, First name (Section X)
[Please replace “X” with Section 7, 8, or 9. Delete this before submitting]
PROBLEM A: Casper Geriatric Center (16 pts)
1. Is this a minimization or maximization problem? Explain.
2. Is this a balanced or unbalanced problem? Explain.
3. What is the total capacity of Stations 10J and 6G?
4. What is the total demand for Sections A,C,E and F?
5. What is the value of your optimal solution?
6. In your optimal solution, to which sections and how many trays to each of these sections should location 2L deliver?
7. Where will Section D get its meals? How many from each Station?
8. Aside from the obvious deliveries from the factory to warehouses or warehouses to stores, identify and discuss 2 more scenarios on how the transportation model can be used.
Problem B: Good Stuffing Sausage Company (16 pts)
1. Is this a minimal spanning or shortest route problem? Explain.
2. Explain the differences between minimal spanning and shortest route problems. Give an example where each type of modeling can be used.
3. How many branches are there in this network?
4. How many hours will it take to drive through Nodes 2-4-8? Explain.
5. Which arc takes the longest time to travel?
6. Korina thinks the best route is 1-5-6-10. Do you agree with her? Why or why not?
7. What is the value of your optimal solution?
8. What are the nodes included in your optimal solution?
Problem C: 9-31: NASA Missions ( 13 points)
(Hint – your answers in questions 1, 2 and 3 should be a schedule on which mission specialist should be scheduled to which flight. Provide your explanations for your answers) 13 points
1. Who should be assigned to which flight to maximize ratings?
Name of Mission Specialist
Mission Date
Total Rating:
2. NASA has just been notified that Anderson is getting married in February and has been granted a highly sought publicity tour in Europe that month. (He intends to take his wife and let the trip double as a honeymoon.) How does this change the final schedule? Explain.
Name of Mission Specialist
Mission Date
Total Rating:
Explanation:
3. Certo has complained that he was rated incorrectly on his January missions. Both ratings should be 10s, he claims to the chief, who agrees and re-computes the schedule. Do any changes occur over the schedule set in Question 2? Why or why not?
Name of Mission Specialist
Mission Date
Total Rating:
Explanation:
4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this approach to scheduling?
Science Laboratory Format
Writers in the field of biology must consider not only the form but the style of writing in biology papers.
As in all fields, there are conventions to follow or typical style formats of the discipline.
Writing in the sciences is concise, yet pr.
Module Assignment Clinical Decision Support SystemsLearning Outcome.docxroushhsiu
Module Assignment: Clinical Decision Support SystemsLearning Outcomes:
Identify trends in nursing that impact the use of Informatics.
Explore the use of informatics in nursing research and how clinical decision support systems impact nursing care.
Analyze leadership and collaborative practice strategies that foster mutual respect and shared decision making.
Questions:
Part 1) Think if a nursing diagnosis that interests you. Then, conduct an internet search using your chosen nursing diagnosis as the search topic. Locate at least three internet resources that pertain to your topic, then review the sites and write a three or four sentence summary of each that includes the following:
Appropriateness of content
Reliability of content (sources cited within site, anecdotal vs. evidence-based practice)
Links included within the website.
Part 2) Locate three internet-based Cancer screening tools that could be included in an HER, such as EPIC or Connect Care
In your own words, how will clinical decision support systems improve outcomes for a patient diagnosed with cancer?
What would be the benefits of including reminders for cancer screening for healthcare providers and to patients (such as the sepsis screening tool that pops up in EPIC or Connect Care)
Rubric
See attached below for instructions detail and Assignment Grading Rubric
.
MONTCLAIR UNIVERSITY
LAWS 362: LEGAL WRITING
MIDTERM EXAM (April 1, 2020)
(8 Pages: You may add extra sheets to wrote on as necessary)
NAME:………………………………………………………………………………………..
SIGNATURE:……………………………………………/ DATE …………………………………..
EXAM PART 1: (20 points)
I) You are working as a law clerk for a New Jersey law firm. Your senior partner is preparing a trial brief on a case which is currently pending before a New Jersey state trial court in Essex County and asks you to research an issue of law for the brief. Your research reveals relevant information from the 10 sources below. After each item, indicate whether the authority is either (1) PRIMARY; (2) PERSUAUSIVE or (3) SECONDARY authority.
A) A published decision from the New Jersey Supreme Court : .
B) A published decision from a Hudson New Jersey trial court : .
C) A 2018 law review article in the Rutgers Law Journal: .
D)A decision from a federal district court in New Jersey .
E) A published decision from the New York Supreme Court: .
F) A Dissenting opinion from the New Jersey Supreme Court: .
G) A published decision from the Minnesota appellate court: .
H) A Concurring opinion from the New Jersey Supreme Court: .
I) A published decision from the New Jersey Appellate Division: .
J) A 2018 article authored by a retired New Jersey Supreme Court Justice and published in the
New Jersey Law Journal: .
EXAM PART 2: (20 Points)
( BRIEFING A CASE )
II) Please read the case (previously provide) of Van Brunt v. Van Brunt and prepare a concise case brief addressing the following 6 points :
1) Identify the Holding:
2) Identify the Issues:
3) Identify the Rule(s) that is/are the subject of the decision :
4) Identify the Key Relevant Facts:
5) Identify the Disposition of the Case:
6) Identify in Logical Detail the Reasons and Policies Behind the Decision:
EXAM PART 3: 20 Points
( BRIEFING A STATUTE )
Please read the following excerpt from the accompanying following New Jersey landlord tenant statute regarding secu.
MODULE 8You will perform a history of a respiratory problem th.docxroushhsiu
MODULE 8
You will perform a history of a respiratory problem that either your instructor has provided you or one that you have experienced and perform a respiratory assessment. You will document your subjective and objective findings, identify actual or potential risks, and submit this in a Word document to the dropbox provided.
.
Most organizations, including hospitals, adopt both Mission and Visi.docxroushhsiu
Most organizations, including hospitals, adopt both Mission and Vision Statements. Both can usually be found posted prominently on the wall, and on the organization's website.
What is the difference between a Mission Statement and a Vision Statement? Why would both statements be important as it relates to strategic planning? Are they important in achieving a competitive advanatgae?
Be specific. Thoroughly explain your response.
.
More like this Abstract TranslateFull Text Translate.docxroushhsiu
More like this
Abstract Translate
Full Text Translate
International law is in a period of transition. After World War
II, but especially since the 1980s, human rights expanded to
almost every corner of international law. In doing so, they
changed core features of international law itself, including
the definition of sovereignty and the sources of international
legal rules. But what has been called the "age of human
rights" is over, at leastfor now. Whether measured in terms of
the increasing number of authoritarian governments, the
decline in international human rights enforcement
architecture such as the Responsibility to Protect and the
Alien Tort Statute, the growing power of China and Russia
over the content of international law, or the rising of
nationalism and populism, international human rights law is
in retreat. The decline offers an opportunity to consider how
human rights changed, or purported to change, international
law and how international law as a whole can be made more
effective in a post-human rights era. This Article is the first to
argue that international human rights law as a whole-
whatever its much disputed benefits for human rights
themselves-appears to have expanded and changed
international law in ways that have made it weaker, less likely
to generate compliance, and more likely to produce
interstate friction and conflict. The debate around
international law and human rights should be reframed to
consider these costs and to evaluate whether international
law, including the work of the United Nations, should focus
on a stronger, more limited core of international legal norms
that protects international peace and security, not human
rights. Human rights could be advanced through domestic
and regional legal systems, through the the development of
non-binding international norms, and through iterative
processes of international reporting and monitoring-a model
not unlike the Paris Climate Agreement.
MoreK
0:00 /0:00
HeadnoteHeadnote
Abstract
International law is in a period of transition. After World War
II, but especially since the 1980s, human rights expanded to
almost every corner of international law. In doing so, they
changed core features of international law itself, including
the definition of sovereignty and the sources of international
legal rules. But what has been called the "age of human
rights" is over, at leastfor now. Whether measured in terms of
the increasing number of authoritarian governments, the
decline in international human rights enforcement
architecture such as the Responsibility to Protect and the
Alien Tort Statute, the growing power of China and Russia
over the content of international law, or the rising of
nationalism and populism, international human rights law is
in retreat.
The decline offers an opportunity to consider how human
rights changed, or purported to change, international law and
how international law as a whole can be mad.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
Name Professor Course Date Sexual Harassment .docx
1. Name
Professor
Course
Date
Sexual Harassment Essay Outline
I. Introduction
A. Background
1. Despite ongoing public campaigns designed to prevent sexual
harassment,
this destructive behavior continues to be a widespread issue in
the United
States. Sexual harassment is particularly rampant on college
campuses,
where 62% of female students and 61% of male students report
having
been victims of this form of mistreatment, according to the
AAUW
Educational Foundation. Most of the harassment is noncontact,
but about
one-third of students are victims of physical harassment.
B. Thesis Statement
1. Although mass media and news outlets alike tend to shy away
from the
sexual harassment problem occuring across our campuses
nationwide,
universities are failing to protect their students from sexual
2. harassment
resulting in mental health damage of both males and females in
all parts of
the nation
II. Body
A. Sexual Harassment Amongst Both Genders
1. Female Sexual Harassment In Comparison
a) Statistics Regarding Harassment Committed Against
b) General Concerns Over Safety Amongst Females
2. Male Sexual Harassment In Comparison
a) Statistics Regarding Harassment Committed Against
b) Lack of Awareness That Men Can Also Experience
Harassment
On College Campuses
B. Sexual Harassment Being Neglected Nationwide
1. Lack of Media Coverage & Lack of Awareness
a) Disregard Of A Widespread Issue Going On In Our Nation
b) People Not Taking Sexual Harassment Seriously/Not Being
Aware
of It
2. Lack of Knowledge Regarding Universities Legal Duty to
Protect
Students
a) Title XI Law of 1972
b) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
C. Sexual Harassment’s Effect on Students Experiencing It
3. 1. Short Term Mental Effects
a) People Disregarding and Neglecting People Who Claim
Sexual
Harassment Can Cause Them Insecurity and Hopelessness
b) People Tend To Blame Themselves For Being Harrassed
2. Long Term Mental Effects
a) Depression and Inability To Trust Others
b) Can Lead To Drastic Effects Like Turning To Drugs Or
Committing Suicide, It is Afterall A Form Of Bullying
III. Conclusion
A. The failure of our nations awarness and our universities
inability to abide to the
law by protecting our students has resulted in many students
being permanently
damaged from sexual harassment
B. We the people of the United States have gone through all the
proper legal
measures in order to guarantee the youths safety when attending
college
universities; yet these laws along with their $60,000 tuitions do
not seem to be
enough motivation for these universities to abide to the law.
Does a student need
to be found dead in the middle of the campus in order to get the
message across?
Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire
Review of The Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire
by MICHAEL G. KAVAN, Associate Dean for Student Affairs
4. and Associate Professor of Family Medicine, Creighton
University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE:
DESCRIPTION. The Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening
Questionnaire (PDSQ) is a self-report instrument designed to
screen for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric
Association, 1994) Axis I disorders that are most commonly
seen in medical and outpatient mental health settings. It is
designed to be completed by individuals 18 years of age and
older prior to their initial diagnostic interview. The PDSQ
covers 13 Axis I areas including Major Depressive Disorder,
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Bulimia/Binge-Eating Disorder,
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Psychosis,
Agoraphobia, Social Phobia, Alcohol Abuse/Dependence, Drug
Abuse/Dependence, Generalized Anxiety Disorder,
Somatization Disorder, and Hypochondriasis. It also provides a
PDSQ Total score, which acts as a global measure of
psychopathology.
According to the manual, the PDSQ is designed to be used in
"any clinical or research setting where screening for psychiatric
disorders is of interest" (manual, p. 2). It may be administered
and scored by any appropriately trained and supervised
technician; however, clinical interpretation should only be
undertaken by a professional with appropriate psychometric and
clinical training.
The PDSQ consists of 125 items in which respondents are
requested to answer yes or no to each test booklet question
according to "how you have been acting, feeling, or thinking"
during the past 2 weeks or 6 months, depending on the symptom
cluster. Typical administration time is between 15 and 20
minutes. Scoring is completed by hand and entails counting the
number of yes responses on each PDSQ subscale and entering
that number in the space provided on the accompanying
summary sheet. Subscale scores are then compared to cutoff
scores to determine whether follow-up interviewing is
indicated. In addition, the scorer is to circle critical items to
5. which the respondent answered "yes." All subscale scores are
then summed in order to obtain a PDSQ Total raw score.
Finally, the PDSQ Total raw score is transferred to a PDSQ
Score Conversion table that converts the total score into a T-
score. On the back side of the summary sheet is a table that
includes diagnosis percentages of persons who endorsed each
item and either qualified or failed to qualify for a subscale
diagnosis. An accompanying CD provides follow-up interview
guides for all 13 disorders. These may be printed and then used
to gather additional diagnostic information regarding these
syndromes.
As noted previously, scores from the PDSQ are then used to
facilitate the initial diagnostic evaluation. The author notes that
"results should be verified whenever possible against all
available information, including the results of patient
interviews, clinical history, professional consultations, service
agency records, and the results of additional psychological
tests" (manual, p. 11).
DEVELOPMENT. The PDSQ was developed to be a relatively
brief, self-administered questionnaire for the assessment of
various DSM-IV Axis I disorders in psychiatric patients.
Development of the measure began over 10 years ago with an
instrument entitled the SCREENER, which was originally
designed to screen for psychiatric disorders in primary care
settings and later in outpatient mental health settings. Following
subscale revisions, the SCREENER became a 102-item version
of the PDSQ. Through additional modifications the PDSQ took
its present form as a scale of 125 items.
TECHNICAL. The author stresses the importance of patients
being able to understand any self-administered instrument. As
such, readability studies of the initial version of the PDSQ were
conducted and ranged from a 5.8 grade level (Flesch-Kincaid
method) to a 9.2 grade level (Bermuth formula). Additional
understandability studies using psychiatric outpatients
demonstrated that PDSQ items were "written at a level that most
individuals ... would understand" (manual, p. 27). The author
6. acknowledges that one-third of the sample patients were college
graduates and only 5% of the sample patients had less than a
high school diploma.
Initial and replication studies were conducted to estimate
internal consistency and test-retest reliability on 112- and 139-
item versions of the PDSQ. Samples were large, but dominated
by white, married or single, and educated females. Internal
consistency values (Cronbach alpha) for the initial study on 732
psychiatric outpatients ranged from .73 (Somatization Disorder)
to .95 (Drug Abuse/Dependence), whereas a replication study
involving 994 psychiatric outpatients found internal consistency
estimates to range from .66 (Psychosis and Somatization
Disorder) to .94 (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). Test-retest
reliability coefficients on a subsample of these patients ranged
from .66 (Bulimia/Binge-Eating Disorder) to .98 (Drug
Abuse/Dependence) for the initial study (mean interval of 4.8
days) and from .61 (Mania/Hypomania) to .93 (Drug
Abuse/Dependence) in the replication study (mean interval of
1.6 days).
The author reports that 27 of the 112 items did not achieve a
minimum endorsement base rate of 5% during the initial study
and were not used to determine test-retest reliability. Eighty-
three of the 85 remaining items had a Cohen's kappa coefficient,
which corrects for chance levels of agreement, between .67 and
.92. In the replication study, only two items were excluded in
the test-retest reliability study. Cohen's kappa for the remaining
items ranged from .50 to .83. Although there is some
disagreement regarding the interpretation of kappa, Spitzer,
Fleiss, and Endicott (1978) suggest that values greater than .75
demonstrate good reliability, values between .50 and .75
suggest fair reliability, and values below .50 connote poor
reliability. In the initial study, 7 subscales (Major Depressive
Disorder, Dysthymic Disorder, Bulimia/Binge-Eating Disorder,
Mania/Hypomania, Agoraphobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder,
and Hypochondriasis) would be considered to have fair
reliability and 7 (PTSD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic
7. Disorder, Psychosis, Social Phobia, Alcohol Abuse/Dependence,
and Somatization Disorder) would be considered to have good
reliability (1 subscale did not meet the base rate standard). In
the replication study, 14 subscales would be considered to have
fair reliability and 1 (Drug Abuse/Dependence) would be
considered to have good reliability.
To document discriminant and convergent validity, corrected
item/subscale total correlation coefficients were calculated
between each item and subscale. The mean of the correlations
between each subscale item and that subscale's total score were
compared to the mean of correlations between each subscale
item and the other 14 subscale scores. The author points out that
in 90.2% of the calculations the item/parent-subscale
correlation was higher than each of the item/other-subscale
correlations. A similar pattern emerged from the replication
study with 97.1% of items having a higher correlation with their
parent subscale. Data are not provided on correlations between
each subscale mean and other individual subscales within the
PDSQ.
The PDSQ subscales were also compared to "other measures of
the same construct versus measures of different constructs"
(manual, pp. 31-32). In all instances, the PDSQ subscale scores
were significantly correlated with measures of similar
syndromes. In addition, correlations were higher between scales
assessing the same symptom domain than scales assessing other
symptom domains. Interpretation is somewhat clouded by the
manual's lack of clarity regarding the nature of these measures.
Finally, criterion validity was documented by comparing the
scores of respondents with and without a particular DSM-IV
diagnosis. In both the initial and replication studies, the average
PDSQ score was significantly higher for those with versus those
without the disorder (the only exception was Mania-Hypomania,
which was subsequently dropped from the PDSQ).
Cutoff scores are provided based on a study of 630 psychiatric
outpatients who were interviewed with the Structured Clinical
Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID; First, Spitzer,
8. Gibbon, & Williams, 1997). Based on results from this study
and the fact that the PDSQ is intended to be used as an aid for
conducting an initial diagnostic evaluation, the author has
recommended a cutoff score resulting in diagnostic sensitivity
of 90%. These cutoff scores are provided on the PDSQ
Summary Sheet. In addition, a table within the manual includes
cutoff scores, sensitivity, negative and positive predictive
values, and separate columns estimating the rates of occurrence
among psychiatric patients and the general population-the latter
being based on information obtained from the DSM-IV.
Limited data are provided within the manual on the PDSQ Total
Score. The author states that it is the only norm-referenced
score in the instrument. The Total Score is expressed as a
standard T-score and is a means for "comparing the patient's
level of symptom endorsement with that of the average patient
seen for intake in a clinical psychiatric outpatient setting"
(manual, p. 11). Apparently, it provides a "rough measure of the
overall level of psychopathology and consequent dysfunction
that a patient reports" (manual, p. 11). However, the author
states that it is only loosely related to the distress a patient may
be experiencing and it should not be used as an index of
severity.
COMMENTARY. The purpose of the PDSQ is to screen for
DSM-IV Axis I disorders that are most commonly seen in
outpatient mental health settings. With any measure such as
this, the real question is: Is it accurate and does it improve
efficiency? In regard to accuracy, the PDSQ has respectable
internal consistency and test-retest reliability. In addition,
convergent and discriminate validity studies demonstrate that
PDSQ items are correlated more strongly with their parent
subscale than with other subscales within the PDSQ. Also, the
PDSQ items were more strongly correlated with other measures
of the same construct versus measures of different constructs;
although the manual is somewhat unclear as to the nature of
these "measures." Finally, it appears as though the PDSQ has
decent sensitivity and specificity and does well at identifying
9. both principal and comorbid disorders. A problem, however, is
that the PDSQ has no validity indices, thereby allowing patients
to misrepresent themselves on the instrument. Any
interpretation should, therefore, be done cautiously and with
corroborating information.
In regard to the question of efficiency, the author admits that
this, as well as the issue of accuracy, remain empirical
questions. Despite the lack of supportive data within the
manual, the PDSQ does appear to readily guide the interview
toward symptom areas requiring more detailed assessment. In
and of itself, this should streamline the diagnostic interview.
Potential PDSQ users are cautioned about several other areas.
The first relates to the samples used in studying the PDSQ.
Although numbers are typically adequate, the generalizability of
findings are somewhat limited by rather homogeneous (i.e.,
mostly white, female, married/single, and well-educated
patients) samples used within the various studies. Finally, users
of the PDSQ are reminded of the fairly high reading level
necessary for self-administration and the lack of validity indices
within the instrument.
SUMMARY. The author should be commended for developing a
self-report screening measure that is relatively easy to
administer and score and has acceptable evidence of reliability
and validity. As noted by the authors, the PDSQ "is not a
substitute for a diagnostic interview .... There are no special
questions on the PDSQ that allow it to detect psychopathology
that otherwise would go undetected during a clinical evaluation"
(Zimmerman, 2003, p. 284). Nonetheless, the PDSQ will likely
guide clinicians toward those areas of clinical concern that need
additional assessment. In doing this, the PDSQ should serve its
intended purpose of increased clinical diagnostic accuracy and
efficiency. Additional studies will need to be completed to
determine the overall impact of the PDSQ on these issues and
whether it leads to improved treatment outcome.
REVIEWER'S REFERENCES
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and
10. statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington,
DC: Author.
First, M. B., Spitzer, R. L., Gibbon, M., & Williams, J. B. W.
(1997). Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV Axis I
Disorders (SCID). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric
Association.
Spitzer, R. L., Fleiss, J. L., & Endicott, J. (1978). Problems of
classification: Reliability and validity. In M. A. Lipton, A.
DiMarco, & K. Killam (Eds.), Psychopharmacology: A
generation of progress (pp. 857-869). New York: Raven.
Zimmerman, M. (2003). What should the standard of care for
psychiatric diagnostic evaluations be? Journal of Nervous and
Mental Disease, 191, 281-286.
Review of The Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire
by SEAN P. REILLEY, Assistant Professor of Psychology,
Morehead State University, Morehead, KY:
DESCRIPTION. The Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening
Questionnaire (PDSQ) consists of 125 items (111 numbered
items, 2 with multiple parts) that tap symptoms of several DSM-
IV Axis I disorders commonly seen in outpatient settings. The
PDSQ can be completed on-site in as little as 20 minutes or at
home in advance of an appointment. Respondents use one of
three time frames (past 2 weeks, past 6 months, lifetime
recollection) to specify the presence ("Yes") or absence ("No")
of symptoms. Responses can be rapidly handsummed into raw
subscale scores and converted to t-scores by clinicians and
appropriately trained staff. The inventory yields a total score
and 13 subscale scores, denoted in brackets, which tap mood
[Major Depressive Disorder], anxiety [Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder,
Agoraphobia, Social Phobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder],
eating [Bulimia/Binge-Eating Disorder], somatoform
[Somatization Disorder, Hypochondriasis], substance
abuse/dependence problems [Alcohol Abuse/Dependence, Drug
Abuse/Dependence], and psychotic [Psychosis] symptoms.
11. Summary sheets assist with identification of 45 possible critical
items and comparison of subscale scores with recommended
clinical cutting scores. A compact disc containing follow-up
interview guides with prompts related to DSM-IV criteria is
available from the test publisher for each subscale.
DEVELOPMENT. The PDSQ is an atheoretical inventory. Items
were written to reflect symptom criteria for DSM-IV Axis I
disorders most common in epidemiological surveys and in
published research articles. Most items adequately represent the
DSM-IV nosology except those comprising the Alcohol and
Substance Abuse/Dependence and the Psychosis subscales. The
former reflect abuse/dependence symptoms broader than those
required by the DSM-IV, whereas the latter assess critical
symptoms of several nonspecific psychotic disorders. During
the item revision process, 89% of items successfully passed four
criteria established by the developer. The addition of new and
revised items was not successful in meeting five additional
subscale retention criteria for: Anorexia Nervosa, Body
Dysmorphic Disorder, Mania/Hypomania, Dysthymic Disorder,
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Psychosis, Somatization, and
Hypochondriasis subscales. The latter four subscales were
retained, however, partially based on adequate diagnostic
performance with outpatient clinical groups, but could benefit
from further modification. The 13 subscales comprising the
current version of the PDSQ contain uneven item distributions
ranging from 5 to 22 items. This, in addition to a lack of items
to assess response bias, raises concern. Namely, endorsement of
a single transparent item for some subscales is sufficient to
exceed the clinical screening criterion, which could potentially
lower their positive predictive power. The developers do offer
practical suggestions for detecting response bias using the
PDSQ Total score. However, this indicant is norm referenced
and not criterion referenced like subscale scores. Thus, prior to
acceptance, bias detection procedures using the PDSQ Total
score need empirical validation with clinical groups.
TECHNICAL. Multiple, adult, medical, and psychiatric
12. outpatient samples, of at least four hundred individuals (over
3,000 combined) per sample, were used to standardize the
PDSQ. Although certainly commendable, these data are
predominantly from Caucasian (range 85 to 94%) high school
graduates (89 to 94%) living in Providence, RI. The impact of
gender on PDSQ norms is not reported, despite women
outnumbering men by a 2:1 ratio in all standardization samples.
Because several DSM-IV syndromes tapped by the inventory
show marked gender differences (e.g., Major Depressive
Disorder), gender impact studies are needed. Perhaps more
salient is the need for a broader and more representative
normative sample to improve the generalizability of the PDSQ
for diverse populations including rural, multi-ethnic, and
geriatric adults, as well as those with lower education and/or
socioeconomic status.
Readability analyses using the Flesch-Kincaid and Bermuth
methods indicate PDSQ items range from fifth to ninth grade
reading levels. Studies employing simpler forced-choice
procedures (Understand/Don't Understand) suggest greater than
95% of adults with a high school degree or equivalency
understood all PDSQ items. Despite these initial data, no
minimum level of reading skill is recommended in the manual.
Reliability estimates are reported for previous PDSQ versions
that include items and subscales not found on the present
version. Extrapolating from these data, the Cronbach alpha
coefficients of subscales common to the current PDSQ are
adequate (.66) to excellent (.94). To date, internal consistency
estimates have been used to estimate the latent variables
comprising the PDSQ. No attempts are reported to validate its
primary factor structure. This could be accomplished using
advanced modeling procedures such as confirmatory factor
analysis or structural equation modeling. Test-retest estimates
for approximately a week are borderline adequate (kappa = .56)
to excellent (kappa = .98) at the item level, and slightly higher
at the subscale level (rs ranging .72 to .93). Studies involving
longer test-retest durations are needed to bolster initial data,
13. given the longer temporal requirements of several DSM-IV
syndromes (e.g., Major Depression; 2 weeks, PTSD; 4 weeks)
tapped by the PDSQ.
Data concerning convergent and discriminant validity of the
PDSQ are based on initial outpatient (n = 732) and replication
samples (n = 994) using multiple methods. Across studies, the
mean corrected item-parent PDSQ subscale correlations (rs
ranging .42 to .85) are significantly higher than 90% of those
afforded by item-other PDSQ subscale relations (rs ranging .15
to .35). Subscale-specific correlations with externally
recognized instruments are modest (r = .25) to very good (r =
.77), and higher than those afforded by nonspecific PDSQ
subscales (rs ranging .15 to .35). Thus, initial internal and
external comparisons of PDSQ subscales suggest appropriate
convergence and discriminant validity. Adequate criterion
validity is initially examined by showing significantly higher
diagnosis-specific PDSQ subscale scores (e.g., Major
Depressive Disorder) among outpatient groups with the
corresponding DSM-IV disorder than for those without the
disorder. Absent from the manual, however, are comparisons of
non-diagnosis-specific PDSQ scores between outpatient groups.
Inclusion of these data could further bolster the criterion
validity evidence of the PDSQ.
The initial sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative
predictive power of PDSQ cutting scores for primary DSM-IV
diagnoses are based on a single sample of psychiatric
outpatients (n = 630). Subscale sensitivity is generally adequate
(75%) to very good (100%) in this sample with less variability
noted for rates of specificity (range 83 to 100%). The developer
recommends a sensitivity level of 90% for establishing cutting
scores for clinical practice. However, four subscales, Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder (89%), Psychosis (75%), and both Alcohol
(85%) and Drug (85%) Abuse/Dependence, fail to reach this
sensitivity level. Using the most liberal cutoff scores, positive
predictive values range considerably (18 to 100%), whereas
negative predictive values are high and fairly consistent (97 to
14. 100%). Seven subscales yield positive predictive values below
60%, which, in part, may be due to low base rates of disorders
tapped by Bulimia/Binge Eating Disorder, Somatization
Disorder, Hypochondriasis, and Psychosis subscales. However,
as noted, Drug Abuse/Dependence and Psychosis subscales
provide less than an adequate mapping of the DSM-IV
nosology, which may negatively impact their predictive ability.
Finally, the differential validity evidence of all PSDQ cutting
scores needs to be clarified for gender and diversity
considerations.
COMMENTARY. The PDSQ appears to be a potentially
valuable screening instrument for common DSM-IV Axis I
disorders in outpatient settings. Several issues need to be
addressed in order to firmly anchor the psychometrics and
generalizability of the PDSQ. First, a more representative
standardization sample needs to be collected using the current
version of the PDSQ. In that sample, gender and diversity
contributions to PDSQ scores need clarifying and a minimum
reading level should be established. Second, response bias
needs to be addressed either by inclusion of new items or
additional studies designed to empirically validate bias
detection techniques using the PDSQ Total Score. Third, factor
analysis or structural equation modeling is needed to adequately
assess the overall PDSQ factor structure and to address less
than adequate homogeneity in several subscales. Fourth, longer
test-retest studies are needed to bridge the existing stability of
several subscales with specific temporal requirements of several
selected DSM-IV disorders. Finally, the positive predictive
power of Psychosis, Bulimia/Binge Eating Disorder,
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Somatization Disorder,
Hypochondriasis, and Alcohol and Drug Abuse/Dependence
subscales needs to be improved.
SUMMARY. The developer, to his credit, has produced a
potentially valuable screening instrument, and one of the first
that directly incorporates the DSM-IV nosology for common
Axis I disorders. Significant care was taken in initial studies to
15. evaluate PDSQ items and subscales using multiple reliability
and validity indices. In order for this instrument to become a
gold standard, a more representative standardization sample is
needed. Careful, continued validation work will also be required
to solidify the PDSQ factor structure, to enhance the
homogeneity and test-retest reliability of specific subscales, and
to improve their positive predictive power. As a whole, this
inventory is recommended for screening purposes with an eye to
its current limitations.
Firestone Assessment of Self-Destructive Thoughts
Review of the Firestone Assessment of Self-Destructive
Thoughts by WILLIAM E. MARTIN, JR., Professor of
Educational Psychology, Northern Arizona University,
Flagstaff, AZ:
The Firestone Assessment of Self-Destructive Thoughts (FAST)
is designed to measure the "Continuum of Negative Thought
Patterns" as they relate to a client's level of self-destructive
potential or suicidality. The authors recommend the FAST to be
used for screening, diagnosis, treatment progress, treatment
outcome, research, and therapy. The FAST is theoretically
grounded in what the authors refer to as the "concept of the
voice," which refers to negative thoughts and attitudes that are
said to be at the core of maladaptive behavior.
The FAST consists of 84 items that provide self-report
information from a respondent on how frequently he or she is
experiencing various negative thoughts directed toward himself
or herself. Four "composites" and 11 linked "continuum levels"
comprise the FAST. One composite is named Self-Defeating and
has five continuum levels (Self-Depreciation, Self-Denial,
Cynical Attitudes, Isolation, and Self-Contempt). Addictions is
another composite with addictions listed as its continuum level.
A third composite is Self-Annihilating with four continuum
levels (Hopelessness, Giving Up, Self-Harm, Suicide Plans, and
Suicide Injunctions). The last composite is Suicide Intent and
no continuum levels are identified.
16. ADMINISTRATION, SCORING, AND INTERPRETATION.
The FAST instrument is a seven-page perforated, self-carbon
form used for responding to items, scoring responses, and
graphing the results. T scores are derived for the 11 continuum
levels, four composites, and for the total score. Percentiles and
90% confidence interval bands also are available for use. The T
scores are plotted on the T-Score profile graph, which has
shaded partitions that indicate if the T scores fall within a
nonclinical range, equivocal range, or clinical ranges that
include elevated and extremely elevated.
The normative sample for the FAST was a clinical sample of
outpatient clients undergoing psychotherapy. A T score of 50 on
any scale represents the average performance of an individual
who was in outpatient treatment with no suicide ideation from
the normative sample. The nonclinical range is a T score
between 20 and 41 whereas the equivocal range is 42-48. The
two clinical ranges are elevated (42-59) and extremely elevated
(60+). Any score that falls above the equivocal range is treated
with concern and anyone scoring in the extremely elevated
range on levels 7-11, the Self-Annihilating Composite, the
Suicide Intent Composite, or the Total score should be
immediately assessed for suicide potential.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCALES. The items for the FAST
were derived from actual statements of 21 clinical outpatients
who were receiving "voice therapy" in groups. Nine of the
outpatients had a previous history of serious suicide attempts
and the others exhibited less severe self-defeating behaviors
including self-denial, isolation, substance abuse, and eating
disorders. The list of items was further refined from a study
conducted to select those factors that significantly discriminated
between suicide attempters and nonattempters. Then items were
retained or deleted based upon their psychometric relationship
to hypothesized constructs, resulting in the current 84-item
version of the FAST.
RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY. Cronbach's alpha reliability
coefficients ranging from .76 to .91 (Mdn = .84) are reported
17. for the 11 level scores. Standard errors of measurement and
90% confidence intervals also are provided. However, sample
sizes and descriptions are not provided for these measures.
Test-retest reliability coefficients (1-266 days) ranged from .63-
.94 (M = .82) using a sample (N = 131) of nonclinical,
psychotherapy outpatients, and psychiatric inpatients.
Content validity of the FAST was investigated using a Guttman
Scalogram Analysis resulting in a coefficient of reproducibility
of .91 and a coefficient of scalability of .66. FAST Total Scores
were correlated with the Suicide Ideation subscale of the
Suicide Probability Scale (r = .72) as indicators of convergent
validity. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using
579 outpatients resulting in a 3-factor solution (Self-
Annihilating, Self-Defeating, and Addictions), which provided
support for construct validity. Evidence for criterion-related
validity was demonstrated from studies showing how FAST
scores were able to discriminate inpatient and outpatient
ideators from nonideators and to identify individuals who made
prior suicide attempts.
SUMMARY. The authors have put forth empirical evidence that
supports the psychometric properties of the FAST. However,
continuing studies are needed, especially related to the
effectiveness of the FAST in diagnosing and predicting
chemical addictive behavior. Furthermore, the construct validity
of scores from the FAST needs further consideration. First, the
items for the FAST were generated from a small (N = 21)
somewhat restricted focus group of persons receiving "voice
therapy." Second, the FAST is closely anchored to a theoretical
orientation known as "concept of the voice" in which additional
studies are needed to validate.
Overall, the FAST is a measure worth considering for
professionals working with individuals who have exhibited self-
destructive potential or suicidality. However, I encourage
professionals to study the theoretical orientation underlying the
FAST and determine if it is congruent with their own
expectations for clinical outcomes prior to extensive use of the
18. instrument.
Review of the Firestone Assessment of Self-Destructive
Thoughts by ROBERT C. REINEHR, Professor of Psychology,
Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX:
The Firestone Assessment of Self-Destructive Thoughts (FAST)
is a self-report questionnaire intended to provide clinicians with
a tool for the assessment of a patient's suicide potential.
Respondents are asked to endorse how frequently they are
experiencing various negative thoughts directed toward
themselves. The items were derived from the actual statements
of clinical outpatients who were members of therapy groups in
which the techniques of Voice Therapy were used.
Voice Therapy is a technique developed by the senior test
author as a means of giving language to the negative thought
processes that influence self-limiting, self-destructive behaviors
and lifestyles. The FAST includes items intended to assess each
of 11 levels of a Continuum of Negative Thought Patterns.
Items were assigned to levels based on the judgments of
advanced graduate students and psychologists with training in
Voice Therapy.
In the standardization process, the FAST was administered to a
sample of 478 clients who were currently receiving outpatient
psychotherapy and who did not have any current (within the last
month) suicide ideation, suicide threats, or suicide attempts.
Standard scores were calculated for the Total Score, for four
composite scores derived by factor analysis and other statistical
procedures, and for each of the 11 levels of negative thought
patterns.
Estimates of internal consistency are based on a single sample,
the size of which is not reported in the manual. They range from
.76 to .97, with the majority falling between .81 and .88. Test-
retest reliability estimates are reported for three samples with
intervals from 28-266 days in one study and 1-31 days in
another: psychiatric inpatients (n = 28), psychotherapy
outpatients (n = 68), and nonclinical college students (n = 35).
19. Reliabilities for the various levels of the negative-thought
continuum range from .63 to .94, with the higher coefficients
generally being found among the nonclinical respondents. Test-
retest reliability estimates for the various composite scores and
for the total score are somewhat higher, ranging from .79 to .94.
As an indication of construct validity, FAST scores were
compared to scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI),
the Beck Suicide Inventory (BSI), and the Suicide Probability
Scale (SPS). The FAST Total score had its highest correlations
with the BDI (.73), the BSI (.72), and the Suicide Ideations
subscale of the SPS (.76). The composite scores and the various
level scores had lower correlations with the subscales of the
Beck instruments or the SPS.
The FAST was administered to groups of inpatients and
outpatients with various diagnoses including Adjustment
Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Depression,
Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Substance Abuse, and
to a nonclinical sample of 172 college students. Each of the
clinical groups was further subdivided into suicide Ideators and
Nonideators. Ideators had higher average FAST Total scores
than did Nonideators and clinical groups had higher average
FAST Total scores than did the nonclinical group. Information
is provided in the manual with respect to the relationships
between the various FAST subscales and the diagnostic groups
and subgroups.
SUMMARY. In general, it would appear that the FAST is
similar in many ways to other depression and suicide
inventories. Total Scores tend to be higher for respondents in
diagnostic groups than for nonclinical respondents, and within
diagnostic groups, Suicide Ideators score more highly than do
Nonideators.
Within the limits of these findings, the FAST may be useful to
clinicians as an indication of how a given respondent's answers
compare to those of various diagnostic groups. It might also be
possible to use the scale as a clinical tool for the evaluation of
change during therapy, although use as a psychometric
20. instrument is not justified on the basis of the evidence presented
in the manual.
Overeating Questionnaire
Review of the Overeating Questionnaire by JAMES P.
DONNELLY, Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling,
School & Educational Psychology, University at Buffalo,
Amherst, NY:
DESCRIPTION. The Overeating Questionnaire (OQ) is an 80-
item self-report measure of attitudes and behaviors related to
obesity. In the test manual, the authors indicated that the OQ
was developed to meet a growing need for a comprehensive
measure useful in the treatment of obesity, especially in
individualized treatment planning. They also noted that the wide
age range covered by the norms for the measure meets the
increasing need for assessment of children and adolescents in
weight-loss programs. Users are advised that the test is not
intended to be used in diagnosis of eating disorders such as
anorexia or more general mental health issues like depression.
The measure includes two validity scales (Inconsistent
Responding and Defensiveness) as well as 10 clinically oriented
scales. The six clinical scales specifically related to eating
include: Overeating, Undereating, Craving, Expectations about
Eating, Rationalizations, and Motivation to Lose Weight. The
remaining four clinical scales address more general health-
related issues thought to be central to weight loss treatment,
including Health Habits, Body Image, Social Isolation, and
Affective Disturbance. The measure also includes 14 items
related to patient identity, demographics, weight, and general
health behavior.
The OQ can be completed via paper form or computer, and can
be administered by a technician. Interpretation of results, which
include raw scores, normalized T scores, percentiles, and a
graphic profile plot, should be done by a professional with
competence in psychometrics sufficient to be able to read and
understand the test manual. Time for test completion is said to
21. average about 20 minutes and requires a fourth-grade reading
level. The paper or "autoscore" version is printed on a cleverly
designed form that integrates all items, scoring instructions and
worksheet, and a scoring page (or "profile sheet") that includes
raw score, percentile, and T score equivalents. Hand scoring on
the worksheet is facilitated by a combination of arrows, boxes,
and shading, which makes the computation of raw scale scores
relatively quick and easy. The profiling of scores facilitates
efficient visual identification of relative strengths and
vulnerabilities, but is not intended for classification of subtypes
of test takers. The computer version of the test was not
available for this review; however, the manual provides a
description and a sample report.
DEVELOPMENT. The development process appears to have
generally followed accepted scale development practices (e.g.,
DeVellis, 2003), though some irregularities in the manual report
cause concern. Item development and evaluation included two
sequences of literature review, data collection, and item and
scale analysis. No specific theory was cited. Following an
initial literature review, 140 items thought to be related to
overeating and responsiveness to weight loss interventions were
written. Constructs represented in this item set included
attitudes toward weight, food, eating, and self-image. Items
reflecting defensiveness and general psychosocial functioning
were also included. The initial item set was studied in a sample
of convenience in a university medical school setting (no other
description of the participants or their number is given). Based
on examination of correlations, 129 items were retained,
supplemented by an additional 59 new items generated from
feedback from the pilot sample and additional literature review.
The second item set was evaluated based on responses of 140
nursing students. The manual notes that the scale structure
based on the new data was generally similar to the original set
with two minor exceptions, yet no specifics on how scale
structure was studied are given. For final inclusion, an item had
to correlate at least .30 with its intended scale, and had to show
22. discrimination of at least .10 greater correlation with its own
versus any other scale. In addition, final decisions were made
with regard to item readability and content uniqueness, resulting
in the final 80-item set.
As noted, there are two validity scales, Inconsistent Responding
Index (INC) and Defensiveness (DEF). The INC scale includes
15 pairs of items with correlations of .5 or greater in the
standardization sample. The scale is scored by counting all of
the item pairs in which the response differed by at least 2 scale
points. The test authors computed the average INC score for 200
randomly generated scores to provide an interpretive guide vis-
à-vis the probability that an INC score reflects random
responding. For example, an INC score of 5 is associated with a
71% likelihood that the scale was completed randomly. The
Defensiveness scale includes seven items representing idealized
self-evaluations (e.g., "I am always happy"). Relatively less
information is provided on this scale, except that T scores above
60 are said to suggest caution in interpretation and reassurance
for anyone completing the scale in the context of treatment.
TECHNICAL.
Standardization. The standardization sample of 1,788 was
recruited nationally from schools and community settings. A
table of breakdowns by gender, age, race/ethnicity, education,
and region are provided with national proportions for each
variable for comparison, with the exception of age (perhaps
because the categories used for the test were not comparable to
U.S. Census records, though no explanation is given). Overall,
as the test authors noted, the sample resembles national data
with some underrepresentation of males and some minority
groups. The sample data were then transformed to normalized T
scores, which were the basis for both the examination of
subgroup differences and for the clinical scoring procedures.
The analysis of subgroups involved inspection of means with
interpretation of differences guided by a general statement
regarding effect sizes (.1-.3 = small, .3-.5 = moderate, greater
than .5 = large). The use of effect sizes as an interpretive guide
23. is laudable, but more specific reference to the meaningfulness
of these numbers in the context of obesity research and
treatment would be a significant improvement. For example,
some of the subscales may represent attitudes and behaviors that
are more difficult to change in treatment than others; some
scales may be more stable following treatment than others; and
some may be more highly correlated with other treatment
outcomes such as Body Mass Index, any of which would
significantly affect interpretation. We can hope that future
research provides such data. Nevertheless, the tables indicate
that most of the subgroup mean differences are less than the 3
T-score points the authors suggest is the upper limit of a small
effect. The differences beyond this level are noted in text, and
further research is acknowledged as important in these
instances. The overall conclusion that the subgroup differences
are minimal simplifies the matter of scoring and interpretation
because the T-score norms essentially become a "one size fits
all" scoring protocol, a trade of simplicity for specificity that
may be welcomed in the clinical setting on purely practical
grounds, but cannot be said to reflect strong evidence-based
assessment at this point in time.
Reliability. Reliability data for the OQ are presented in terms of
internal consistency for the standardization sample, and 1-week
test-retest reliability for a separate group. The coefficient alpha
estimates for the 10 clinical scales and the Defensiveness scale
show evidence of strong internal consistency, with a range of
.79 to .88 across the subscales for the full sample. Interestingly,
the test authors separately examined internal consistency for the
68 children aged 9 or 10 in the sample. For this group, one scale
(Health Habits) dipped below .70 (to .66), but otherwise the
reliability estimates remained reasonably strong (range = .72-
.88). In the same table, the authors also provided corrected
median item-total correlations for the items in each scale, along
with ranges for these estimates. Again, the evidence points
toward desirable internal consistency. The 1-week test-retest
data are also strong if we merely examine the range of the
24. estimates (.64-.94), but is much more limited when taking into
account the small number in this sample (n = 24), the fact that
no information is given about the sample, and the absence of
any theoretical or other comment on why this interval was
chosen or whether the constructs measured by the scales should
be stable over this interval.
Validity. The manual reports evidence of construct validity that
reflects internal and external validity characteristics of the
scales. The internal validity report includes tables of scale
intercorrelations as well as the results of a principal components
analysis on the standardization sample. The external validity
data include correlations with a number of other scales and
variables chosen to reflect plausible relationships that would
provide convergent and divergent validity evidence.
The table of intercorrelations and the accompanying interpretive
text are consistent with previously described internal structure
of the measure. The principal components analysis was
conducted separately for seven scales measuring vulnerabilities
(e.g., Overeating) and the remaining three measuring strengths
(e.g., Motivation to Lose Weight). The table reporting this
analysis includes only the component loadings. No other
information on important details of the analysis that should
typically be reported is given (e.g., rotation, extraction criteria,
eigenvalues) (Henson & Roberts, 2006). The authors noted that
the loadings are generally consistent with indicated scales,
though, for example, two clearly distinct but adjoining
components are combined in a single scale.
Additional construct validity data are presented in the form of
correlational studies further examining the relationship of OQ
scales to person characteristics such as BMI in the
standardization sample, and a small sample (N = 50) study of
OQ correlations with five previously established self-report
measures of related constructs (e.g., eating, self-concept,
stress). In addition, a study of Piers-Harris Self-Concept and
OQ scores for 268 of the "youngsters" from the standardization
sample was mentioned (no other information is given on this
25. subsample). The authors' conclusion that the overall pattern is
consistent with expectations given the nature of the OQ scale
constructs is quite global but not unreasonable.
COMMENTARY. Strengths of the OQ include the efficiency of
a single instrument for virtually anyone who might be seen in
treatment, ease of administration and scoring, attention to
response style, inclusion of specific eating and more general
health behaviors, a reasonably large standardization sample of
children and adults, internal consistency reliability, face
validity, and some evidence of construct validity. The question
of to what extent the standardization sample resembles the
likely clinical population is not directly addressed. A case could
be made that the sample is, in fact, a good comparison one
because a large proportion of the U.S. population is overweight
and at some point may seek professional assistance. The use of
effect sizes in interpretation is commendable, but should
eventually be more specifically associated with clinical data in
the intended population in future versions of the scale. In
addition, some details of the measure development process are
missing from the manual (e.g., minimal reporting of the pilot
samples, few details of the principal-components analysis).
SUMMARY. The OQ is a relatively new measure attempting to
address a major health issue with a comprehensive and efficient
set of scales intended for use in individualized treatment of
overeating. The test manual sets a relatively circumscribed goal
of aiding in individual treatment planning, but that process must
be undertaken without the benefit of any predictive data. The
OQ ambitiously attempts to provide a single measure for
children through older adults with a single set of norms. In
providing a user-friendly format and some good psychometric
evidence, it is potentially useful in the expressed goal of aiding
in treatment planning. Further research is needed to enhance the
clinician's ability to confidently employ the measure, especially
in understanding the relationship of scores and profile patterns
to treatment process and outcome.
REVIEWER'S REFERENCES
26. DeVellis, R. F. (2003). Scale development. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Henson, R. K., & Roberts, J. K. (2006). Use of exploratory
factor analysis in published research: Some common errors and
some comment on improved practice. Educational and
Psychological Measurement, 66, 393-416.
Review of the Overeating Questionnaire by SANDRA D.
HAYNES, Dean, School of Professional Studies, Metropolitan
State College of Denver, Denver, CO:
DESCRIPTION. The Overeating Questionnaire is an 80-item
self-report questionnaire designed to measure key habits,
thoughts, and attitudes related to obesity in order to establish
individualized weight loss programs. Such an instrument is rare
as tests of eating behavior are typically geared toward anorexia
nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The paper-and-pencil version of
the questionnaire can be administered individually or in a group
and takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. The
administration time for the PC version is similar but, as
suggested, administration is accomplished using computer
keyboard and mouse. After completing identifying information
including age, gender, education, and race/ethnicity, examinees
are asked to answer questions in Part I regarding height,
historical weight and eating patterns, use of alcohol and drugs,
health problems, and perceptions of weight in self and others.
Part II consists of a list of 80 statements that the examinee is
asked to rate with regard to agreement on a 5-point scale: Not at
all (0), A little bit (1), Moderately (2), Quite a lot (3), and
Extremely (4). Care should be taken to ensure that clients
respond to all statements on the questionnaire. If an item has
been left blank and an answer cannot be obtained from the
client, the median score for that item is used in scoring. No
written instructions are given to the client regarding the
correction of responses made in error. The sample scoring sheet
shows errors being crossed out. Verbal instruction should be
given.
27. Scoring is manual using the paper-and-pencil AutoScore(tm)
form or computerized using the PC version. Using the
AutoScore(tm) form, responses are automatically transferred to
an easy score worksheet. Raw scores for each question are
transferred to a box under the appropriate scale heading.
Numbers from columns representing each of 11 scales are then
summed and transferred to the profile sheet. The profile sheet
contains corresponding normalized T-scores and percentiles,
and provides a graphic representation of results. Scores greater
than or equal to 60T are considered high; greater than or equal
to 70T are very high. Scores less than or equal to 40T are
considered low. A 12th score, the Inconsistent Responding
Index (INC), is calculated by finding the differences between 15
INC similar item pairs.
Remarkably little attention is paid to the computerized scoring
in the text of the manual. (It is described in an appendix.) Using
this method, the client uses a computer to complete the
questionnaire. Scoring is quicker and multiple tests can be
scored at the same time. An interpretive report is automatically
produced. Even so, care should be taken to ensure accuracy of
the report.
As mentioned, 12 scores are generated from the questionnaire.
Of the 12 scores, 2 are validity scores. These are Inconsistent
Responding (INC) and Defensiveness (DEF). Using INC, an
inconsistency is noted if the difference between the paired items
is greater than or equal to 2. There is no absolute cutoff score
for a high INC score. An INC of 5 or more indicates a 71%
probability of random or careless responding. Clients should be
queried about their distractibility during test taking. The results
of the INC score should be discussed in the interpretative
report. The DEF score corresponding to items is indicative of an
idealized self. If the DEF score is elevated, accuracy of
responding to the questionnaire as a whole is questionable.
Of the 10 remaining scores, 6 of the scores are classified under
the category Eating-Related Habits and Attitudes. This cluster
of scores identifies positive and negative habits and attitudes
28. that enhance or interfere with maintenance of healthy body
weight. These scores are: Overeating (OVER), Undereating
(UNDER), Craving (CRAV), Expectations About Eating (EXP),
Rationalizations (RAT), and Motivation to Lose Weight (MOT).
The 4 remaining scales are classified as General Health Habits
and Psychosocial Functioning. These scores are: Health Habits
(HEAL), Body Image (BODY), Social Isolation (SOCIS), and
Affective Disturbance (AFF). This cluster of scores identifies
positive and negative aspects of the environment that enhance
or interfere with the maintenance of healthy body weight. Taken
together, these scores are designed to help the clinician and
client develop an effective, personalized weight reduction plan.
DEVELOPMENT. The OQ was formulated after extensive
literature review, creation of an initial item pool of 140 items,
and modification of the item pools and scales in two pilot tests.
The initial items were related to attitudes toward weight, food
and eating, self-image, and defensive response. Related
questions were placed into different scales as they were
identified in the pilot testing process. The 80-item questionnaire
was derived from an intercorrelation evaluation of "fit" within
the scales and from feedback from respondents. The INC score
was incorporated after the final 80 questions were decided upon
by correlation of item pairs. Pairs with a correlation of .50 or
higher in the standardization sample were included in the
sample. Readability was taken into consideration and the
reading level for the final form is fourth grade.
TECHNICAL.
Standardization. A standardization sample of 1,788 individuals
ranging in age from 9 to 98 from public, nonclinical settings
(such as public schools) was used to standardize the OQ. Males,
persons of color, and those with less education were somewhat
underrepresented. Nonetheless, the authors examined
differences among gender, ethnicity, age, education, and region
of the United States. Standard scores held relatively true for
these demographic variables. The authors are well aware of the
need to continue their research in the area of differences among
29. individuals from various demographic backgrounds.
Reliability. Estimates of internal consistency (coefficient
alpha), item-to-scale correlations, and test-retest reliability
were examined. All measures of reliability indicate that the OQ
is a reliable measure. Specific values are generally acceptable
to high with an internal consistency median value of .82 (.77 for
respondents aged 9-10), item to scale correlations median value
of .55, and test-retest correlation median value of .88. The first
two estimates of reliability were conducted using the entire
standardization sample. Test-retest reliability used a subgroup
of 24 individuals aged 27-64 with a 1-week interval between
testing. Further investigation of test-retest reliability is
warranted given the small sample size and short retest interval.
Validity. Construct and discriminate validity measures were
used to assess the validity of the OQ. Construct validity was
evaluated in three ways: interscale correlations, a factor
analysis showing the relationships among responses given to
test items, and correlations between a scale and other measures
of a similar characteristic. The first two measures showed
strong evidence that the OQ scales measure unique although
sometimes related constructs. The third measure indicated good
correlation with other measures of similar characteristics and
good negative correlation with other measures of opposite
characteristics.
Discriminate validity was assessed in two ways. First, three
subgroups from the standardization sample who indicated in one
of three ways they were overweight were compared to the
overall sample. As expected, individual scores from these
groups differed significantly from those without weight
problems on most scales. However, females scored differently
on more scales than did males. Such a finding underscores the
need for further research into gender and other demographic
differences in scoring. Second, the standardization sample was
compared to a group of individuals who were in treatment for
mood disorders. All of these individuals were overweight. All
but three scores were above average for this group as compared
30. to the standardization group.
COMMENTARY. The major strength of the OQ is its
measurement of the key habits, thoughts, and attitudes related to
obesity in order to establish individualized weight loss
programs. Thus, not only does the questionnaire focus on an
important, yet often neglected area of eating disorders-obesity-
it appears that it may be a useful instrument in the development
of personalized weight loss programs. The efficacy of the latter
claim needs further research, however. Administration and
scoring are straightforward and the ability to administer the OQ
to individuals or to a group is a plus.
The manual is well organized and is easy to read. Psychometric
concepts are explained prior to giving the specific measures of
the OQ and were well evaluated. More supporting interpretive
comments would make the test more useful in clinical
situations.
SUMMARY. The OQ appears to be a well-researched measure
of factors that influence obesity. More research is needed in the
efficacy of the instrument in establishing effective treatment
protocols.
Personal Experience Inventory for Adults
Review of the Personal Experience Inventory for Adults by
MARK D. SHRIVER, Assistant Professor, University of
Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE:
The stated purpose of the Personal Experience Inventory for
Adults (PEI-A) is to function as "a comprehensive, standardized
self-report inventory to assist in problem identification,
treatment referral, and individualized planning associated with
addressing the abuse of alcohol and other drugs by adults" (p.
3). It is designed to yield "comprehensive information about an
individual's substance abuse patterns and problems [and] . .
.also helps to identify the psycho-social difficulties of the
referred individual" (p. 3). The PEI-A is developed from, and an
extension of, the PEI (1989) which is a self-report measure of
drug and alcohol use for adolescents ages 12 to 18 (see Mental
31. Measurements Yearbook (1992) 11:284 for reviews by Tony
Toneatto and Jalie A. Tucker).
The manual states that the PEI-A "was designed primarily as a
clinical descriptive tool for use by addiction professionals" and
that it "is intended to supplement a comprehensive assessment
process" (p. 5). Specifically, the PEI-A was developed to
measure the following characteristics:
1. The presence of the psychological, physiological, and
behavioral signs of alcohol and other drug abuse and
dependence.
2. The nature and style of drug use (e.g., consequences,
personal effects, and setting).
3. The onset, duration, and frequency of use for each of the
major drug categories.
4. The characteristics of psychosocial functioning, especially
factors identified as precipitating or maintaining drug
involvement and expected to be relevant to treatment goals.
5. The existence of behavioral or mental problems that may
accompany drug use (e.g., sexual abuse or co-addiction).
6. The sources of invalid response tendencies (e.g., "faking
bad," "faking good," inattention, or random responding).
The appropriate use of any measure for its intended purposes is
dependent on its sample representation, reliability, and validity.
This information is reviewed respective to the PEI-A's stated
purposes described above.
TEST ADMINISTRATION. The manual provides easy-to-read
instructions on test administration, which will assist with
increasing standardization of the administration. The manual
states that the reading level of the measure is approximately
sixth grade (p. 7), and the test may be read to clients with lower
reading abilities. No discussion is presented, however,
regarding whether this type of administration occurred during
norming of the test, or how this type of administration may
affect the reliability or validity of the self-report measure, as
the examiner is directly involved with administration, which
runs counter to one of the intended goals for test development
32. (p. 29).
The test is scored by computer, either through a mail-in service,
a FAX service, or by computer disk. The mail-in service
typically requires approximately 3-5 working days to return
scores (p. 75). This may be too long in some clinical settings.
Interpretations of each scale are provided in the computer-
generated report.
TEST DEVELOPMENT. The content of the PEI-A is largely
derived from the PEI. A panel of experts is reported to have
examined the items on the PEI and made changes where
necessary to adapt the items to an adult population. The panel
of experts was composed of "Groups of researchers and drug
treatment service providers" (p. 30), but no further indication is
provided in the manual about who these individuals are, where
they are from, and what respective experience/expertise they
have in item/test development. Item selection and scale
development proceeded on a "rational basis" (p. 30). In addition
to the PEI, a drug use frequency checklist adapted from
adolescent and adult national survey instruments was
incorporated into the drug consumption section of the PEI-A.
The initial items and scales of the PEI-A were examined with a
sample of 300 drug clinic subjects (150 males, 150 females) for
internal scale consistency (alpha coefficients) and interscale
correlations. Correlations between Problem Severity Scales
"were somewhat higher than desired for scales intended to
contribute substantial unique and reliable information about the
respondent, ranging from .55 to .92" (p. 33). Alpha correlations
of individual scales were good, typically within the .75 to .93
range (pp. 32-33). Following examination of the correlations on
this initial sample of subjects "only minor adjustments in item
assignment" were made in scales (p. 33).
The content of the Problem Severity Scales is described as
"multidimensional, oriented around signs and symptoms of drug
abuse and dependence, and not anchored in any single
theoretical model" (p. 30). Review of the items on the measure
suggests that the content appears appropriate for the purposes
33. listed above. Review of the empirical evidence for sample
comparisons, reliability, and validity will help determine if
items originally developed for adolescents and refined for
adults based on unknown expert opinion are truly valid for
adults.
The test items were not analyzed statistically for possible bias.
The test was examined for differences in internal consistency
across gender and race, and significant differences were not
found; however, predictive validity and differential decision
making across gender and race have not yet been examined.
Differences in primary language of the subjects was not
discussed and it is difficult to determine how language (i.e., not
primarily English) might affect responses (written or oral) on
the PEI-A.
SAMPLES FOR TEST VALIDATION AND NORMING. Three
samples were chosen for test norming: 895 drug clinic clients
from Minnesota, Illinois, Washington, California, Missouri, and
Ontario, although specific numbers from each state are not
provided; 410 criminal offenders, most from Minnesota; and
690 nonclinical participants, all from Minnesota. All sample
subjects were volunteers. No discussion is provided in the
manual regarding the possible impact on client self-report due
to the sample selection process, and whether valid interpretation
of the results can be made with individuals who may be tested
under some type of coercion such as for court-ordered
treatment. Sample demographic information is provided in the
manual regarding mean age, age range, gender, minority,
percent in prior treatment, marital status, employment status,
and education (p. 36).
Scores from the measure are compared with the drug clinic
sample in the form of T scores; however, score comparisons (T
scores) are also provided at the end of the computerized report
for the nonclinic sample. Given the restricted geographic
sampling of the nonclinic group, it is difficult to determine if
this comparison provides useful information for individuals who
are not from Minnesota. It is also unclear if the nonclinic
34. sample participated by mail as described on page 35 of the
manual or through group testing as described on page 36 of the
manual. Both contexts for test taking are somewhat different
from the typical administration (e.g., individualized, in drug
clinic) described in the manual and may limit score
interpretations even further.
The drug clinic sample is described in terms of two groups:
outpatient and residential treatment. Only 37.5% of the
outpatient drug clinic sample is female (approximately 188).
Only 36.3% of the residential drug clinic sample is female
(approximately 143). Separate T scores are provided for male
and female samples (p. 36). Only approximately 113 members
of the outpatient drug clinic sample are of an ethnic minority
status, and approximately 68 members of the residential drug
clinic sample are of an ethnic minority status. Minority is not
defined further (e.g., African American, Hispanic, Native
American), although it is conceivable that minority status may
differentially impact drug use. In addition, although the gender
representation may be an accurate reflection of general
population drug use, the small sample size for females limits
normative comparisons. Reported drug use patterns may also
differ by gender.
Information is not provided on whether the norm groups come
from rural or urban settings. A rural or urban context may
impact drug use (i.e., availability of drugs). Also, specific
numbers are not provided relative to the geographic regions
from which the drug clinic samples originate, and as indicated
by the authors (p. 36), geographic region may impact reported
drug use (i.e., higher cocaine use in California and Washington
reported relative to Midwest states and Ontario).
In summary, caution is advised in using the PEI-A with females,
minorities, and individuals from geographic regions other than
those sampled. In addition, the comparison with nonclinic
population may not be useful for individuals outside of
Minnesota. The test norms appear to be useful for comparing
Caucasian males with possible drug use history with the drug
35. clinic sample.
RELIABILITY. Internal consistency reliabilities are provided
(coefficient alpha) for the entire sample and provided for male,
female, white, and minority samples (pp. 37-41). In addition,
test-retest reliabilities are presented for one week and for one
month using the drug clinic sample, although there was some
intervening treatment between pre- and posttest scores (pp. 42-
43). Only reliabilities for the drug clinic and nonclinic samples
will be discussed as these represent the primary comparative
groups for examinees.
Coefficient alphas are generally good for the Problem Severity
Scales (median .89 range .72 to .94) and the Psychosocial
Scales (median .81 range .67 to .91). The coefficient alphas are
low for the Validity Scales (median .63 range .58 to .77) (p.
37). The authors claim the validity reliability estimates compare
favorably with other instruments, and this may be true;
however, these values are just acceptable given the use to be
made of these scores.
Median test-retest reliabilities at one week (70 individual) were
as follows: Problem Severity scales .71 (.60 to .88),
Psychosocial scales .66 (.55 to .87), and Validity Indices .52
(.40 to .57). One-month test-retest reliabilities were lower as
expected given intervening treatment (pp. 42-43). Given that
some subjects were provided intervening treatment in the one-
week test-retest group also, it can reasonably be said that test-
retest reliability has not been adequately examined and no
conclusions can be drawn regarding temporal stability of the
test. This makes it less useful pre- and post-treatment as it is
difficult to determine if changes in scores are due to treatment
or lack of score stability. This is in conflict with the authors'
conclusions, however, that scores can be compared pre- and
posttreatment (p. 43).
In summary, the internal consistency estimates of the Problem
Severity Scales and the Psychosocial Scales range from good to
acceptable. More research is definitely needed on the stability
of the test scores (test-retest) before conclusions can be drawn
36. regarding the test's usefulness pre- and posttreatment.
VALIDITY. One potential use of this instrument is to determine
appropriate treatment options for individuals. Drug clinic
subjects (N = 251) were classified into three referral categories:
no treatment, outpatient treatment, and residential treatment
based on clinical staff ratings. Mean scores on the PEI-A
Problem Severity Scales were examined and expected
differences in scores were found for the three groups (p. 46).
Future researchers, however, may want to look at the
contribution the PEI-A provides above and beyond other
information used in making referral decisions. In other words,
are these mean score differences useful? Also, significant
differences in mean scores according to sample group
membership (nonclinical, drug clinic, and criminal offender)
were also found (p. 46). Again, an empirical examination as to
how this information contributes as part of a comprehensive
assessment would be useful.
Seven of the Problem Screens were compared with staff ratings
to determine sensitivity and specificity of the screens,
essentially the degree of agreement regarding the existence of
problems (p. 48). For the total sample, there were significant
correlations (p<.05) for agreement between the PEI-A and
staff ratings for negative ratings (i.e., individual not identified
with having problem), but not for positive ratings (i.e.,
individual identified as having problem) (p. 49).
The Validity Indices were found to correlated as expected with
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Validity
scales (p. 48).
To assess the construct validity of the scale, correlations with
tests purported to measure similar constructs were examined.
Moderate correlations were found between the Problem Severity
Basic Scales scores and the Alcohol Dependence Scale (.41-.66;
p. 44; ADS; Horn, Skinner, Wanberg, & Foster, 1982). In
addition, correlations are also provided for Problem Severity
Scale scores and the Drug Use Frequency Checklist; however,
the Drug Use Frequency Checklist is actually part of the PEI-A
37. so the usefulness of this information for construct validity is
weakened. The Psychosocial Scales of the PEI-A were found to
correlate significantly with MMPI scales, suggesting the
psychosocial Scales are measuring psychopathology to some
extent (p. 45), but there does not appear to be much
differentiation between the PEI-A scales as all but Rejecting
Convention and Spiritual Isolation correlate highly with each of
the MMPI scales. Finally, information is provided that "select"
PEI-A scales (p. 45) correlate significantly with a Significant
Other Questionnaire. However, the Significant Other
Questionnaire is also developed from PEI-A items, which again
attenuates the meaningfulness of this relationship.
In summary, the validity evidence presented in the manual does
not appear to address specifically the intended
purposes/applications of the test noted above. The content looks
good, but much more empirical research is needed on the
validity of this instrument specifically related to the
applications for which it is intended. Future research should
address whether this instrument contributes significantly (above
and beyond other information in a comprehensive assessment)
to decision making involved in assessing and treating
individuals with alcohol and drug use problems.
SUMMARY. The PEI-A may be most useful for examining
alcohol and drug use in white males who are compared with a
drug clinic sample. Results of this test are intended to tell the
clinician whether an individual is similar to individuals in the
drug clinic sample and to provide some information on the
impact of drugs on the individual's life. Caution is urged in
using the PEI-A with females and minorities given the small
sample sizes. Geographic region and urban-rural differences
may also impact reports of drug use and should be considered
by the test user. In addition, this test may not be useful for
individuals whose primary language is not English. The use of
the nonclinic scores for comparisons is questionable for
individuals outside Minnesota. Estimates of the internal
consistency reliability of the scales and content appear good.
38. Additional research on test-retest reliability is needed. More
research on the validity of the PEI-A as part of a comprehensive
assessment is needed. The PEI-A looks promising, but users are
encouraged to heed the test author's statement that this test
should only be used as part of comprehensive assessment.
REVIEWER'S REFERENCES
Horn, J. L., Skinner, H. A., Wanberg, K., & Foster, F. M.
(1982). Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS). Toronto: Addiction
Research Foundation.
Toneatto, T. (1992). [Review of the Personal Experience
Inventory.] In J. J. Kramer & J. C. Conoley (Eds.), The eleventh
mental measurements yearbook (pp. 660-661). Lincoln, NE:
Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.
Tucker, J. A. (1992). [Review of the Personal Experience
Inventory.] In J. J. Kramer & J. C. Conoley (Eds.), The eleventh
mental measurements yearbook (pp. 661-663). Lincoln, NE:
Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.
Review of the Personal Experience Inventory for Adults by
CLAUDIA R. WRIGHT, Professor of Educational Psychology,
California State University, Long Beach, CA:
The Personal Experience Inventory for Adults (PEI-A) is a
standardized self-report instrument for use by service providers
in the substance abuse treatment field to assess patterns of
abuse and related problems in adult clients (age 19 or older).
The two-part, 270-item PEI-A is made up of 10 problem
severity scales and 11 psychosocial scales, 5 validity indicators,
and 10 problem screens; it parallels in content and form the
two-part, 300-item Personal Experience Inventory (PEI; 11:284)
developed for use with adolescents (age 18 or younger). A
broad theoretical framework, influenced by Alcoholics
Anonymous, social learning, and psychiatric models, underlies
the development of both inventories. The manual presents a
thorough treatment of test development, standardization, and
validation procedures along with clear test administration and
computer-scoring guidelines and useful strategies for score
39. interpretation. The inventory is written at a sixth-grade reading
level. No provisions are made for non-English-speaking test
takers.
NORMING PROCEDURES. Norm tables were constructed
separately for males and females in two standardization samples
(clinical and nonclinical). Normative data were obtained
primarily from Midwestern Whites, raising concerns about the
generalizability of score interpretations to clients classified as
nonwhite. Demographic information presented in the PEI-A
manual indicates that 20% of the clinical sample (n = 895) was
classified as minority. Clinic respondents attended outpatient
and residential Alcoholics Anonymous-based programs at 12
sites (located in 3 midwestern and 2 western states and 1
Canadian province). No rationale was provided for site
selection. A total of 690 Minnesota residents comprised the
nonclinical sample; 11% were classified as minority. A sample
of 410 criminal offenders (77% were male; 68% of the sample
was nonwhite) was used to provide data for some validation
analyses.
Caution is warranted in applying the PEI-A norms to members
of nonwhite groups in either clinical or nonclinical settings. The
test developer is to be commended for briefly acknowledging
this limitation. Sampling that includes more regions, broader
ethnic representation, and types of treatment program sites is
essential.
RELIABILITY. For 1,995 respondents, median Cronbach alphas
were (a) Problem Severity Scales = .89 (range: .81-.93); (b)
Psychosocial Scales = .80 (range: .75-.88); and (c) three of the
five Validity Indicators = .70 (range: .65-.73). When
subsamples were broken out by gender, ethnicity (white or
minority), and setting (nonclinical, drug clinic, or criminal
offender), patterns of reliability estimates were comparable to
those obtained with the total sample. One-week (n = 58; .42-.78,
mdn = .69) and one-month (n = 49; .39-.72, mdn = .52) stability
indexes for problem screens were lower than desired due to
respondents' exposure to treatment programs during the test-
40. retest intervals.
CONTENT VALIDATION. Common content validation
procedures were followed. Researchers and treatment providers
rated PEI items intended for inclusion in the PEI-A with respect
to clinical relevance and importance to adult substance abuse.
Based upon rater feedback, minor item modifications were
made.
CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY. Concurrent validity
evidence for the PEI-A was provided by data comparisons
examining the effects on scale scores of (a) treatment history
for substance abuse among drug clinic clients (no sample size
reported); (b) referral recommendation (no treatment,
outpatient, or residential) (N = 251); (c) setting (nonclinical,
drug clinic, or criminal offender) (N = 1,978); and (d) DSM-III-
R (American Psychiatric Association, 1987) diagnosis of abuse
or dependence upon alcohol or drugs (N = 244). The observed
group differences obtained from scores on the 10 Problem
Severity Scales supported the view that individuals referred to
treatment settings (outpatient or residential) had greater
problems with higher substance use, dependence, and related
consequences of usage compared to those for whom no drug
treatment was recommended. The 11 Psychosocial Scales fared
less well in distinguishing among the three groups with only
three scales (Negative Self-Image, Deviant Behavior, and Peer
Drug Use) yielding statistically significant differences. In a
separate analysis, scores obtained from a nonclinical subsample
(n = 687) were significantly lower on each of the 21 scales (all
p < .01) when compared with those from drug clinic (n =
887) and offender (n = 404) groups. For the DSM-III-R
Diagnosis comparison, clients identified as dependent on
alcohol or drugs had significantly higher scores on the 5 Basic
Scales when compared to those classified as abusing these
substances.
Although the measure is purportedly used to assist in treatment
referral, no predictive validity information was presented
linking referral decisions based upon standing on the PEI-A
41. scales and outcome success.
CONSTRUCT VALIDITY. Only modest to moderate levels of
construct validity evidence were presented based on correlations
between PEI-A Problem Severity Basic scale scores and
performance on the Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS; Horn,
Skinner, Wanberg, & Foster, 1982) and the PEI-A Drug Use
Frequency Checklist. Moderate coefficients were obtained for a
sample of 89 clients indicating that the 5 Basic Scale scores
were somewhat related to ADS scores (.52-.63, mdn = .59) and
Checklist scores (.41-.66; mdn = .55). For a sample of 213
clinic respondents, correlations among the 11 PEI-A
Psychosocial Scales and 9 Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory (MMPI) Scales yielded 62 out of 99 possible
coefficients ranging from .20-.69, mdn = .38 (all p < .001)
indicating, for the most part, only modest levels of shared
variance (4% to 48% explained, mdn = 14%). Moderate
coefficients (above the median) were associated with PEI-A
scales that deal with personal adjustment issues (e.g., Negative
Self-Image, Psychological Disturbance, Social Isolation, and
Absence of Goals). PEI-A scale scores dealing with personal
values and environmental influences (e.g., Rejecting
Convention and Spiritual Isolation) yielded negligible
correlations with the MMPI. PEI-A and MMPI validity
indicators also were moderately correlated.
Inspection of intercorrelations among the 10 Problem Severity
Scales revealed moderate to strong coefficients posing a
multicollinearity problem. It is evident from data reported in the
manual that the statistical contribution of unique variance to
score interpretation associated with each of the 5 Clinical
Scales adds little or no unique information (rxys ranged from
.04 to .09, mdn = .05). This outcome was consistent with that
reported for the same 10 scales of the PEI. The 5 Clinical Scales
were retained "because users have found these scales helpful"
(manual, p. 33). The retention of redundant scales requires more
detailed explanation than that provided in the manual. For
future research and test development purposes, targeting items
42. from scales that contribute unique information for provider
applications and removing redundant items would strengthen
this section of the inventory.
Intercorrelations among the Psychosocial Scales revealed
patterns of coefficients more distinctive of a multidimensional
scale (as intended) with proportions of unique variance ranging
from .18 to .57 (mdn = .29). However, lower reliability
estimates and the inability of these scales to distinguish
between referral groups is of concern.
SUMMARY. The Personal Experience Inventory for Adults
(PEI-A) offers a beginning point to the service provider for
assessment. Most PEI-A scale scores demonstrate adequate
levels of reliability and distinguish between clinical and
nonclinical groups. Current norms may be too restrictive for
some settings. Based upon validity evidence provided, caution
is warranted in all testing with use of scores from the Clinical
Scales, which are redundant with the Basic Scales and with
scores from the Psychosocial Scales, which have shown only
low to moderate relationships with related constructs. PEI-A
computer-generated recommendations for individual clients
should be considered in light of these limitations and decisions
made in conjunction with other measures.
REVIEWER'S REFERENCES
Horn, J. L., Skinner, H. A., Wanberg, K., & Foster, F. M.
(1982). Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS). Toronto: Addiction
Research Foundation.
American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagnostic and
statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington,
DC: Author.
Article
Measurement and Evaluation in
Counseling and Development
44. from levels and quality of social interactions
with peers to the availability and assimilation
of coping behaviors through access to the
Internet (Briere & Gil, 1998; Favazza, 1996;
Gratz, 2001; Gratz, Conrad, & Roemer, 2002;
Muehlenkamp & Guiterrez, 2004; Nock &
Prinstein, 2005; Ross & Heath, 2002). Statis-
tics on the incidence of self-injury can be
unreliable, underestimating the true incidence
of self-injury. The reality is that many inci-
dents will be dealt with by the individual, in
private, and will never reach the attention of
medical services or mental health profession-
als (McAllister, 2003). Recently, there has
been a surge in the literature related to defin-
ing and explaining the behavior (Gratz, 2006).
Conversely, very little is known about the
assessment of self-injury, and therefore, a gap
exists between understanding the behavior and
implementing focused counseling interventions
and treatment (White Kress, 2003). The
purpose of this article is to provide readers
with knowledge about the difficulties related
to accurately evaluating self-injury and the
history of self-injury assessments, while also
introducing a comprehensive two-tiered
app roach to assessing self-injury, emphasiz-
ing a holistic perspective.
Review of Self-Injury
Assessments
The development of inventories to evaluate
self-injury began in the early 1990s and con-
tinues today. As the conceptualizations and
definitions of self-injury have evolved, so too
45. has the focus of the assessments tailored for
its evaluation. Although the newer scales appear
to assess the behaviors and attitudes associated
1Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
2East Tennessee State University, Johnson City,
Tennessee, USA
3Hunter College, New York City, New York, USA
Corresponding Author:
Laurie M. Craigen, PhD, LPC, Old Dominion University,
110 Education Building, Norfolk, VA 23529 USA
Email: [email protected]
4 Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development
43(1)
with self-injury, many have not been through
the rigorous testing necessary to fully evaluate
their efficacy, reliability, and validity. Thus, when
selecting and administering assessments, it is
necessary for counselors to understand the evolv-
ing nature and continuing development of the
instrument they select for evaluating self-injury.
In the following section, a brief overview of
the inventories available for assessing self-
injurious behaviors is provided (see Table 1).
Self-Injury Trauma Scale (SITS)
One of the first inventories to be developed
for the assessment of self-injurious behaviors
is the SITS created by Iwata, Pace, and Kissel
(1990). It was created to evaluate the extent of
tissue damage caused by self-injury. This inven-
46. tory examines categories including location,
type, number, and severity of the tissue damage
as well as a summary evaluation of severity and
current risk for continued self-injury. SITS
defines its typical use in terms of quantifying
tissue damage directly. It also permits differ-
entiation of self-injury according to topography,
location of the injury on the body, type of injury,
number of injuries, and estimates of severity
through evaluation of the injuries themselves.
Test-retest reliability was reported at r = .68
(Iwata et al., 1990). This assessment was later
used to evaluate self-injury in conjunction
with physical pain as based on the proposition
that the experience and expression of pain is
somehow different among those individuals who
self-injure, therefore leading to the acceptabil-
ity and tolerability of self-injury as a behavior
(Symons & Danov, 2005).
The SITS was later used in a study to
det ermine the effects of a psychopharmacologi-
cal treatment on those with intellectual
disabilities who engaged in self-injury. In this
study, the SITS inventory was found to be reli-
able when used in conjunction with the
Non-Communication Children’s Pain Check-
list–Revised (NCCPC-R) in recognizing and
tracking self-injury from the perspective of an
outside observer—in this case, the parent
(McDonough, Hillery, & Kennedy, 2000). No
specific data were reported related to concurrent
validity beyond the statement that “the mean
NCCPC-R score was 20.1 for time intervals
scored with self-injurious behavior (SIB) and
47. 2.5 for time intervals scored without SIB” (p.
474) as indicated by the SITS. The initial evalu-
ation of the inventor’s efficacy and subsequent
usage found the scale to be a reliable method for
collecting data on surface tissue damage caused
by self-injury. However, the use of this scale
might not be practical for counselors but could
be useful for professionals who intervene with
the physical consequences of self-injury, such as
school nursing staff or medical professionals.
Self-Harm Inventory (SHI)
The SHI was developed by Sansone, Wiederman,
and Sansone (1998) in the context of screen-
ing for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
It was the belief of the instrument developers
that BPD exists on a continuum in which self-
injury is the most severe manifestation of self-
sabotaging behaviors. With regard to the uses
of the SHI, self-harm is defined as the deliber-
ate, direct destruction of body tissue without
conscious suicidal intent but results in injury
severe enough for tissue damage to occur. The
SHI assesses frequency, severity, duration, and
type of self-injurious behavior. The SHI was
found to be highly related to the Diagnostic
Interview for Borderlines (DIB) at a correla-
tion of r = .76 and the Personality Diagnostic
Questionnaire–Revised at r = .71 with regard
to non-psychotic adults (Sansone et al., 1998).
The developers of this inventory also showed
that the SHI was able to predict the diagnosis
of BPD as based on its convergent validity. This
inventory is made up of 22 items that were
selected due to their correlation with the DIB,
48. and each question begins with the phrase, “Have
you ever on purpose, or intentionally . . . ,” and
respondents were asked to give a “yes” or
“no” answer (Sansone, Songer, Douglas, &
Sellbom, 2006, p. 976). The final score is a
simple summation of the items endorsed by
the client. In developing and testing the mea-
sure, it showed acceptable levels of clinical
accuracy as a measure for the diagnosis of
BPD by assessing a pattern of self-destructive
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6 Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development
43(1)
behaviors (Sansone, Whitecare, Meier, & Murry,
2001). Additionally, the SHI has been shown to
have an acceptable level of internal consistency
with Cronbach’s α = .80 (Sansone et al., 2006).
The developers have stated that the inventory
could help clinicians identify and distinguish
high-lethality and low-lethality self-injury.
Self-Injury Questionnaire (SIQ)
The SIQ was developed by Alexander (1999)
and later evaluated by Santa Mina, Gallop,
and Links (2006). This inventory was created
to evaluate and differentiate the intentions behind
self-injurious behaviors as based on a history
88. of childhood physical and/or sexual abuse. The
questionnaire was developed using a guiding
definition of self-injury as simply self-destructive
behaviors without the intent to die. Preliminary
findings of the initial research study that used
the SIQ showed good face validity and ade-
quate test-retest reliability in nonclinical
populati ons. Test-rest reliability over a 2-week
period of the behavioral items ranged from
r = .29 to r = 1.0, with a total correlation of
test-retest of r = .91 (Alexander, 1999). A sep-
arate study also revealed similar results for
the SIQ in acute populations, with the addi-
tion of statistical analysis resulting in findings
of high internal consistency of the total scale
(α = .83; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]) and an
adequate Cronbach’s alpha for each subscale
(α = .72 to .77) (Santa Mina et al., 2006).
Convergent validity analyses were also con-
ducted by Santa Mina et al. (2006) between
the SIQ and the Suicide Intent Scale (SIS), the
Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI II), and the
Self-Inflicted Injury Severity Form (SIISF).
The convergent validity between the SIQ and
the scales was reported to be r = –.37 with
regard to the factor of stimulation and the SIS,
r = .23 with regard to the affect regulation
factor of the SIQ as compared to the BDI II,
and r = –.25 with regard to the dissociation
factor of the SIQ and the SIISF. The SIQ is a
30-item self-report instrument conceptualized
from developments in trauma research. This
questionnaire measures the intent of self-injury
through evaluation methods across various
89. subscales, including body alterations, indirect
self-injury, failure to care for oneself, and
overt self-injury. The SIQ measures the func-
tions, types, and frequency of self-injuring
behaviors in association with a trauma history.
Questions on the SIQ related to agreement to
engagement in behaviors such as tattooing
and the frequency and number of self-injurious
acts related to these behaviors. Following each
behavioral item, if agreement was stated, par-
ticipants were then asked to circle further
items related to the reason contributing to the
behavior. At the time of this publication, this
inventory was yet to be tested in a clinical
setting; therefore, its efficacy with regard to
counseling is unclear and needs to be tested
further.
Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI)
The DSHI was developed using an integrated
definition of self-injury in order to help pro-
vide a clear foundation for the instrument, given
that previous assessments lacked consensus
in definition (Gratz, 2001). It is based on the
notion that self-harm is the deliberate, direct
destruction of body tissue without conscious
suicidal intent but results in injury severe enough
for tissue damage to occur (Fliege et al., 2006).
This measure evaluates various features of self-
injury, including frequency, severity, duration,
and types of self-injurious behaviors. The
inventory consists of 17 items that are behav-
iorally based and reliant on self-report. The
DSHI has been found to be reliable and valid
for assessing self-injury and past suicidal
beh aviors (Gratz, 2006; Gratz & Chapman,
90. 2007; Gratz et al., 2002; Lundh, Karim, &
Quilisch, 2007), with adequate internal reliabil-
ity at α = .62 (Fliege et al., 2006) and adequate
test-retest reliability during a 2- to 4-week
period of φ= .68 (p = .001) (Gratz, 2001). In
the study by Gratz (2001), adequate construct,
convergent, and discriminant reliability was
also found. This assessment is in wide use,
and its brief length lends itself to application
in clinical and outpatient settings. This assess-
ment could be useful in mental health as well
as school settings to determine the need,
Craigen et al. 7
immediacy, and level of intervention needed
with regard to a client or student presenting
self-injurious behaviors.
Suicide Attempt Self-Injury
Interview (SASII)
The SASII was designed to evaluate factors
involved in what the authors referred to as
“nonfatal suicide attempts and intentional self-
injury” (Linehan, Comtois, Brown, Heard, &
Wagner, 2006, p. 304). This measure, once
referred to as the Parasuicide History Inven-
tory, was developed to better understand the
methods involved in self-injury—the motiva-
tions, consequences, ritual, and impulsivity of
the act itself. Its validity and reliability mea-
sures were taken using an inpatient population.
In defining suicidal behavior, this instrument
includes all general definitions pertaining to
