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A worrying number of psychological findings are not replicable. Diagnoses of the causes of this "replication crisis," and recommendations to address it, have nearly exclusively focused on methods of data collection, analysis, and reporting. We argue that a further cause of poor replicability is the often weak logical link between theories and their empirical tests. We propose a distinction between discovery-oriented and theory-testing research. In discovery-oriented research, theories do not strongly imply hypotheses by which they can be tested, but rather define a search space for the discovery of effects that would support them. Failures to find these effects do not question the theory. This endeavor necessarily engenders a high risk of Type I errors-that is, publication of findings that will not replicate. Theory-testing research, by contrast, relies on theories that strongly imply hypotheses, such that disconfirmation of the hypothesis provides evidence against the theory. Theory-testing research engenders a smaller risk of Type I errors. A strong link between theories and hypotheses is best achieved by formalizing theories as computational models. We critically revisit recommendations for addressing the "replication crisis," including the proposal to distinguish exploratory from confirmatory research, and the preregistration of hypotheses and analysis plans.

The TRACK-II program is a multi-site, community-based randomized controlled trial evaluating an intervention to assist mothers living with HIV (MLH) in disclosing their HIV status to their young children. Many participants-both mothers and children-reported significant depression and/or suicidal ideation, a phenomenon that presented ethical challenges. This article focuses on participants at one site (Atlanta). Through the vignette of "Jordan," we describe ethical challenges that may arise when faced with the responsibility of maximizing participants' safety while maintaining the boundaries of the researcher role. Guided by community psychology values, our team has taken measures within our role as researchers to empower and protect children and mothers endorsing suicidal ideation. For example, we have relied on relationships with community-based organizations and AIDS service organizations to connect HIV-affected families to mental health services. Furthermore, we have expanded our system of documentation to follow-up adequately with families at risk, and we track family resources to promote a strengths-based framework. We have solicited families' feedback about their supports and needs to understand how we may best serve them by connecting them to the resources they report needing most and empowering them to care for themselves., (© Society for Community Research and Action 2017.)

In this issue, Bollen and Diamantopoulos (2017) defend causal-formative indicators against several common criticisms leveled by scholars who oppose their use. In doing so, the authors make several convincing assertions: Constructs exist independently from their measures; theory determines whether indicators cause or measure latent variables; and reflective and causal-formative indicators are both subject to interpretational confounding. However, despite being a well-reasoned, comprehensive defense of causal-formative indicators, no single article can address all of the issues associated with this debate. Thus, Bollen and Diamantopoulos leave a few fundamental issues unresolved. For example, how can researchers establish the reliability of indicators that may include measurement error? Moreover, how should researchers interpret disturbance terms that capture sources of influence related to both the empirical definition of the latent variable and to the theoretical definition of the construct? Relatedly, how should researchers reconcile the requirement for a census of causal-formative indicators with the knowledge that indicators are likely missing from the empirically estimated latent variable? This commentary develops 6 related research questions to draw attention to these fundamental issues, and to call for future research that can lead to the development of theory to guide the use of causal-formative indicators. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).)

Drawing on data gathered in the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, this study examined internal and external locus of control, self-esteem, neuroticism, perceived health status, uniqueness, and somatic amplification as correlates of dietary supplement use. With sex, race, and age measures also included in the study, bivariate analyses showed greater supplement use among women and older respondents as well as those scoring higher on internal locus of control, self-esteem, perceived health status, and somatic amplification. Regression analyses identified sex and internal locus of control as the strongest predictors. Interactions between age and external locus of control also emerged.

Approaches to discourse analysis in educational research tend to operate within the boundaries of particular video-based research traditions. We examine four of these traditions that are especially relevant to the learning sciences--conversation analysis, discursive psychology, interaction analysis, and video-cued ethnography--and instead of assuming that they are incommensurate, we examine their interconnections and areas of synthesis to make space for methodological innovations. In looking for unforeseen or de-emphasized points of synergy, we consider four approaches to each tradition: (1) making claims about internal processes; (2) inviting research participants to reflect on the video records; (3) formulating conjectures about the video data; and (4) noticing and documenting patterns. We examine the above approaches in the context of a research-practice partnership between educational researchers and a non-profit organization focused on outdoor family play, focusing in particular on autonomy-supportive parenting. Through this methodological reflection, we raise a number of novel considerations regarding how video-based educational researchers can understand what is relevant to the participants, engage with data selection, and formulate claims about recognizable phenomena in the data. We conclude by discussing problems of practice in video-based educational research that this mixed-tradition approach can address.

Engaging and motivating students in undergraduate statistics courses can be enhanced by using topical peer-reviewed publications for analyses as part of course assignments. Given the popularity of on-campus therapy dog stress-reduction programs, this topic fosters buy-in from students whilst providing information regarding the importance of mental health and well-being as it impacts learning. This article describes how instructors can use a study on the benefits of human-dog interactions to teach students about study design, data collection and ethics, and hypothesis testing. The data and research questions are accessible to students without requiring detailed subject-area knowledge. Students can think carefully about how to collect and analyze data from a randomized controlled trial with two-sample hypothesis tests. Instructors can use these data for short in-class examples or longer assignments and assessments, and throughout this article, we suggest activities and discussion questions. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.

Background: Online crowdsourcing platforms, such as Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), have become popular alternatives to the ubiquitous student samples used in psychology research. r/SampleSize, an alternative pool on the website Reddit, allows for online participant recruitment without compulsory or immediate payment, making it potentially useful for students, research trainees, and course instructors. Objective: The current study sought to assess the viability of using r/SampleSize as a participant pool by comparing its data characteristics to MTurk and existing lab samples. Method: Two hundred and fifty-six MTurk workers and 277 r/SampleSize participants completed identical questionnaires on demographics, participation motivations, and standard psychology scales. Results: Participants recruited through r/SampleSize reported diverse ages, education levels, income, and employment, although White ethnic background and US residence were predominant. r/SampleSize participants were more internally motivated than MTurk to participate in research and had greater need for cognition but did not differ significantly in altruism or motivation to gain self-knowledge. r/SampleSize data reliability and quality were comparable to MTurk and lab samples across most analyses. Teaching Implications: r/SampleSize can be used to recruit relatively large and diverse samples for undergraduate research projects with minimal setup, labor, and cost. Conclusion: The findings suggest that r/SampleSize is a diverse and viable participant pool.

Aim: Create a record of the role given to members of the psychological professions in CPDPN Centers (multidisciplinary prenatal diagnosis). After more than 10 years in operation, describe the work methods of the different centers and their members, evaluate the possible diversity of practices and clarify the scope of interventions used by psychologists with patients and members of the CPDPN., Method: A descriptive survey consisting of 71 questions sent to psychologists, paediatricians and psychiatrists involved with the 48 CPDPN Centers in France. The main parameters studied are the means used by the CPDPN and their organization in the field of psychology, pre-medical counseling for the termination of pregnancy (IMG), conditions of hospitalization and post-IMG counseling., Results: The survey revealed a high-level of homogeneous practices in the French CPDPN Centers between members of the medical and psychological professions, through joint consultations, ethical committees or specific case meetings for complex fetal pathologies., Conclusions and Perspectives: This study has established a working relationship between members of the psychological professions working in the French CPDPN Centers and has led to the creation of a listing/directory, which facilitates the exchange of information. Video-conferencing is currently being considered in order to share respective practices., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Current developments in the statistics community suggest that modern statistics education should be structured holistically, that is, by allowing students to work with real data and to answer concrete statistical questions, but also by educating them about alternative frameworks, such as Bayesian inference. In this article, we describe how we incorporated such a holistic structure in a Bayesian research project on ordered binomial probabilities. The project was conducted with a group of three undergraduate psychology students who had basic knowledge of Bayesian statistics and programming, but lacked formal mathematical training. The research project aimed to (1) convey the basic mathematical concepts of Bayesian inference; (2) have students experience the entire empirical cycle including collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and (3) teach students open science practices.

Background: Little is known about how psychologists working in cancer care centres communicate clinical information to other members of the multidisciplinary team or what information is communicated., Purpose: This study surveyed Australian cancer care psychologists regarding their communication practices and their views on barriers to and facilitators of effective inter-disciplinary communication., Methods: Psychologists were invited to complete an online survey containing purpose-designed items that addressed study aims., Results: Forty-four psychologists completed the survey. Psychologists' most common method of recording initial consultations was in patient medical records, with 69 % of respondents recording notes in either most of the time or all of the time. Twenty-two percent of psychologists said they did not regularly feedback the results of an initial assessment to a referrer and more than 40 % used verbal and e-mail communication to do so., Conclusions: This study provides data that will assist in the development of guidelines for inter-professional communication between psychologists and other members of the cancer care team.

For the first time in history, it is possible to study human behavior on great scale and in fine detail simultaneously. Online services and ubiquitous computational devices, such as smartphones and modern cars, record our everyday activity. The resulting Big Data offers unprecedented opportunities for tracking and analyzing behavior. This paper hypothesizes the applicability and impact of Big Data technologies in the context of psychometrics both for research and clinical applications. It first outlines the state of the art, including the severe shortcomings with respect to quality and quantity of the resulting data. It then presents a technological vision, comprised of (i) numerous data sources such as mobile devices and sensors, (ii) a central data store, and (iii) an analytical platform, employing techniques from data mining and machine learning. To further illustrate the dramatic benefits of the proposed methodologies, the paper then outlines two current projects, logging and analyzing smartphone usage. One such study attempts to thereby quantify severity of major depression dynamically; the other investigates (mobile) Internet Addiction. Finally, the paper addresses some of the ethical issues inherent to Big Data technologies. In summary, the proposed approach is about to induce the single biggest methodological shift since the beginning of psychology or psychiatry. The resulting range of applications will dramatically shape the daily routines of researches and medical practitioners alike. Indeed, transferring techniques from computer science to psychiatry and psychology is about to establish Psycho-Informatics, an entire research direction of its own., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The existing missing data literature does not provide a clear prescription for estimating interaction effects with missing data, particularly when the interaction involves a pair of continuous variables. In this article, we describe maximum likelihood and multiple imputation procedures for this common analysis problem. We outline 3 latent variable model specifications for interaction analyses with missing data. These models apply procedures from the latent variable interaction literature to analyses with a single indicator per construct (e.g., a regression analysis with scale scores). We also discuss multiple imputation for interaction effects, emphasizing an approach that applies standard imputation procedures to the product of 2 raw score predictors. We thoroughly describe the process of probing interaction effects with maximum likelihood and multiple imputation. For both missing data handling techniques, we outline centering and transformation strategies that researchers can implement in popular software packages, and we use a series of real data analyses to illustrate these methods. Finally, we use computer simulations to evaluate the performance of the proposed techniques., ((c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.)

In this article I define and describe the current state of internationalization in psychology. Internationalization refers here to the approach in which existing or new psychological theories, methods, procedures, or data across cultures are synthesized so as to create a more culture-informed, inclusive, and globally applicable science and profession. This approach is essential to advance psychology beyond its Euro-American context of development and to achieve a more global applicability of its theories and professional procedures. Internationalization already has led to a better integration of cultural aspects in various psychological theories, to more insight into how to deal with methodological aspects of intact group comparisons (such as bias and equivalence), and to the development of guidelines in areas such as test development, test adaptations, ethics codes, and Internet testing. I review systemic and scientific climate factors in psychology that thwart the progress of internationalization, and conclude by suggesting methods of enhancing internationalization, which is essential for developing a truly universal psychology.

Objective: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is safe and effective for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders. Despite being a well-known treatment method among health care professionals, lay people generally have a negative opinion of ECT. The present study aimed to examine knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT among medical students, psychology students, and the general public. Psychology students were included because they are among the important groups in mental health care in Turkey., Materials and Methods: A Likert-type questionnaire was administered to fifth-year medical students (n = 28), master of science and doctor of philosophy clinical psychology students (n = 35), and a sample of the general public (n = 26). The questionnaire included questions about the general principles of and indications for ECT, and sources of knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT., Results: The medical students were the most knowledgeable about ECT, as expected. The medical students also had a more positive attitude toward ECT than the other 2 groups. More psychology students had negative attitudes on some aspects than general public sample, despite being more knowledgeable., Conclusions: Medical school theoretical and practical training in ECT played an important role in increasing the level of knowledge of and decreasing the prevalence of negative attitudes toward ECT among the medical students; similar training for psychology students is required to achieve similar results.

Objectives: We assessed whether multiple psychosocial factors are additive in their relationship to sexual risk behavior and self-reported HIV status (i.e., can be characterized as a syndemic) among young transgender women and the relationship of indicators of social marginalization to psychosocial factors., Methods: Participants (n = 151) were aged 15 to 24 years and lived in Chicago or Los Angeles. We collected data on psychosocial factors (low self-esteem, polysubstance use, victimization related to transgender identity, and intimate partner violence) and social marginalization indicators (history of commercial sex work, homelessness, and incarceration) through an interviewer-administered survey., Results: Syndemic factors were positively and additively related to sexual risk behavior and self-reported HIV infection. In addition, our syndemic index was significantly related to 2 indicators of social marginalization: a history of sex work and previous incarceration., Conclusions: These findings provide evidence for a syndemic of co-occurring psychosocial and health problems in young transgender women, taking place in a context of social marginalization.

Cases of clear scientific misconduct have received significant media attention recently, but less flagrantly questionable research practices may be more prevalent and, ultimately, more damaging to the academic enterprise. Using an anonymous elicitation format supplemented by incentives for honest reporting, we surveyed over 2,000 psychologists about their involvement in questionable research practices. The impact of truth-telling incentives on self-admissions of questionable research practices was positive, and this impact was greater for practices that respondents judged to be less defensible. Combining three different estimation methods, we found that the percentage of respondents who have engaged in questionable practices was surprisingly high. This finding suggests that some questionable practices may constitute the prevailing research norm.

Professional knowledge about Alzheimer's disease (AD) is essential in order to provide appropriate care for those suffering from this progressive and fatal condition. The optimizing of service provision to these patients and their families should also involve mental health professionals including clinical psychologists. In the present study, members of the Norwegian Psychological Association working in clinical practice were invited to participate in a web-based survey measuring knowledge about AD and related disorders. Questions regarding age, gender, accreditation as clinical specialist, age group of typical patients, and experience with patients suffering from dementia were asked in addition to the administration of the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS). ADKS consists of 30 true/false items covering risk factors, assessment and diagnosis, symptoms, course, life impact, care giving, and treatment and management. A total of 956 clinical psychologists participated, yielding a response rate of 50.9%. The average mean performance score on the ADKS was 24.10 (SD = 2.5, range 15-30). Kuder-Richardson coefficient of reliability on the ADKS was 0.98. Multiple regression analysis showed that being indirectly exposed to dementia in older family members through their own patients, together with a self-reported knowledge of one's performance on the ADKS, significantly explained high scores on the ADKS. With reservations based on study limitations, it is concluded that the knowledge of AD in Norwegian clinical psychologists is fairly good. An obvious challenge is how to strengthen this knowledge both in our professional training programs in psychology as well as among those working in applied clinical settings.

Objective: To evaluate ecological model predictions of cross-level interactions among psychosocial and environmental correlates of physical activity in 719 community-dwelling older adults in the Baltimore, Maryland and Seattle, Washington areas during 2005-2008., Method: Walkability, access to parks and recreation facilities and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) minutes per week (min/week) were measured objectively. Neighborhood aesthetics, walking facilities, social support, self-efficacy, barriers and transportation and leisure walking min/week were self-reported., Results: Walkability interacted with social support in explaining total MVPA (B=13.71) and with social support (B=7.90), self-efficacy (B=7.66) and barriers (B=-8.26) in explaining walking for transportation. Aesthetics interacted with barriers in explaining total MVPA (B=-12.20) and walking facilities interacted with self-efficacy in explaining walking for leisure (B=-10.88; Ps<.05). Summarizing across the interactions, living in a supportive environment (vs. unsupportive) was related to 30-59 more min/week of physical activity for participants with more positive psychosocial attributes, but only 0-28 more min/week for participants with less positive psychosocial attributes., Conclusion: Results supported synergistic interactions between built environment and psychosocial factors in explaining physical activity among older adults. Findings suggest multilevel interventions may be most effective in increasing physical activity., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Psychosocial risks are now largely acknowledged throughout Europe as important challenges in occupational health and safety. However, there appear to be wide gaps in perception between experts and the general population on the nature and the relevance of psychosocial risks that have a potential impact on policy development and implementation in this area., Methods: This study investigated the level of knowledge among European stakeholders, of legislation on occupational safety and health, focusing particularly on psychosocial risk factors. 75 members of employers' associations, trade unions and government institutions from 21 countries in the European Union (EU) participated in the study. In addition, to further elaborate the findings of the survey, focus groups were organised during a 2-day stakeholder workshop., Results: The level of application of European Directive 89/391 for the assessment and management of psychosocial risks and work-related stress was largely reported by the stakeholders as inadequate. This opinion was more marked in the new EU27 countries than the older EU15, and the difference was significant as regards the impact of the Directive on the assessment and management of psychosocial risks. Overall, psychosocial risks and work-related stress were reported to be important occupational health and safety concerns; however there were important differences among stakeholders in different countries., Conclusions: Despite the development of knowledge and activities on both the policy and practice levels in recent years, further work is still needed to harmonize stakeholder perceptions in this area in the various EU member states., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The authors surveyed 21 editors and reviewers from major psychology journals to identify and describe the statistical and design errors they encounter most often and to get their advice regarding prevention of these problems. Content analysis of the text responses revealed themes in 3 major areas: (a) problems with research design and reporting (e.g., lack of an a priori power analysis, lack of congruence between research questions and study design/analysis, failure to adequately describe statistical procedures); (b) inappropriate data analysis (e.g., improper use of analysis of variance, too many statistical tests without adjustments, inadequate strategy for addressing missing data); and (c) misinterpretation of results. If researchers attended to these common methodological and analytic issues, the scientific quality of manuscripts submitted to high-impact psychology journals might be significantly improved.

Many theoretical constructs of interest to psychologists are multidimensional and derive from the integration of several input variables. We show that input variables that are measured on ordinal scales cannot be combined to produce a stable weakly ordered output variable that allows trading off the input variables. Instead a partial order is obtained in which the amount of ordering depends on the number and nature of the input variables and the relationship between them. However, if trade-offs are excluded, it is still possible to obtain a weak order using lexicographic ordering of the input variables. An implication is that psychological processes that integrate information from different input variables and that produce consistent output require that the input variables be measured on more than ordinal scales. A further implication is that the level of measurement of the input variables affects the kind of psychological model that can be applied to the process., (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.)

Aim: To identify and prioritize the key research questions in psycho-oncology in order to guide the development of large multicenter clinically relevant studies., Methods: All members of the Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group (n = 295) were invited to participate in an online survey and 180 responded (response rate = 61%). Participants rated eight priority research areas identified from a previous focus group study on a five-point scale, and ranked their top four priority areas. Within the four ranked research areas, participants selected the three most important specific research questions., Results: The highest rated research priority areas were distress identification (23.3%), survivorship (22.7%), and distress management (15.3%), followed by issues relating to health services (9.7%) and carers (8.0%). Interventions were commonly nominated among the most important research questions within each priority area. The single most important research question identified by 44% of the sample was to "Determine the most acceptable, reliable and valid screening tool to be administered routinely at diagnosis and at other key transition points to identify distress and psychosocial needs"., Conclusion: This is the first Australian study to explore research priorities in psycho-oncology, and the first international study to explore these issues in depth. To ensure that the research effort is strategic, clinically relevant and cost-effective, clear priorities need to be established. The results of this survey will enable limited resources to focus on key research questions of direct clinical benefit.

A substantial proportion of therapists will at some point in their professional life experience the loss of a patient to suicide. Our aims were to assess how therapists react to patient's suicide over time and which factors contribute to the reaction. One third of the therapists, mostly women, suffer from severe distress. The impact is not different for therapists in institutional settings and therapists in private practice. The item "overall distress" immediately after the suicide predicts emotional reactions and changes in behavior. Our data suggest that identifying the severely distressed subgroup could be done using a visual analogue scale for overall distress. As a consequence, more specific and intensified help could be provided to these individuals.

In this empirical, mixed methods study, we explored test feedback training, supervision, and practice among psychologists, focusing specifically on how feedback is provided to clients and whether feedback skills are taught in graduate programs. Based on a 48.5% return rate, this national survey of clinical, counseling, and school psychologists' suggests psychologists provide test feedback to clients but inconsistently. Most respondents, 91.7%, indicated they give verbal feedback at least some of the time, whereas 35% do so every time. However, 2.8% indicated they never give feedback. A negative correlation exists for clinical psychologists between years since graduation and providing verbal feedback. Of particular interest, approximately one third of respondents indicated predoctoral coursework, practica, and internship were of little-to-no help in preparing them to provide feedback. Also, feedback training in predoctoral coursework, practica, and internship was not correlated to actually providing feedback. There was, however, a significant correlation between postdoctoral training and providing feedback. Consistent with existing ethical exceptions, the most frequent reason for not providing feedback was using assessments in forensic settings. Individuals who indicated their training was not helpful cited "trial and error" and self-instruction as ways in which they learned feedback skills. We discuss implications and suggestions for feedback training, research, and practice.

Objectives: At present, Bipolar Disorders are considered a real public health problem. There is an agreement that it is a priority to solve the existent flaws as regards the certainty of a correct and timely diagnosis of these disorders. This paper report the results of a pilot experience in workshops of training in the detection of Bipolar Disorders aimed at psychologists and primary health agents., Method: A survey was carried out before and after the training sessions with the aim of measuring prior knowledge about bipolar disorders and thus evaluating the impact of the training workshops., Results: 227 people completed the surveys. The results showed a scarce knowledge about these disorders, even among those professionals who acknowledged having bipolar patients in treatment and who had interest in being trained. On the other hand, these surveys revealed significant changes in their knowledge of bipolar disorders., Conclusion: This pilot experience suggests that with low cost events such as the organized workshops it would be possible to increase the ability of timely detection of bipolar disorders in the key agents of the health system. Reducing frequents delays and mistakes in the diagnosis of these disorders which would determine a significant reduction in their morbid impact.

The aim of this study was to determine the meaning of selected social-demographic factors, such as: gender, place of resident, education, level of knowledge about health and life orientation in modifying the behaviours related to health among university students.The study was conducted among 521 students of two major universities of the South-Eastern Region of Poland. The survey was conducted by means of a diagnostic survey with the use of the Inventory of Health-Related Behaviuor (Zygfryd Juczynski?s IZ ), A. Antonovsky?s Sense of Coherence Questionnaire SOC-29 and the original questionnaire, including socio-demographic variable, as well as a test of statements considering the assessment of the level of knowledge about health. Methods of descriptive statistics, such as: mean, standard deviation, median, upper and lower quartile, and highest and lowest value, methods of analysis of variance, the chi-square test, correlation and linear regression and Spearman?s rank correlation coefficient, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, and backward stepwise regression were used for statistical analysis. The study showed that almost a half of respondents (48.9 percent) were characterized by a low intensity of pro-health behaviour, and among 38.4 percent it was on an average level. Gender was a factor that differentiated the intensity of health-related behaviour - women indicated a higher level of these behaviours. Almost half of the studied group (48.6 percent) was characterized by a low level of knowledge about health. The major meaning among studied factors influencing health-related behaviour in the regression model had the level of sense of coherence, gender and material status.

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that clinicians rely more on clinical judgment than on research findings. We hypothesized that psychologists in practice might be more open to adopting empirically supported treatments (ESTs) if outcome results were presented with a case study. Psychologists in private practice (N=742) were randomly assigned to receive a research review of data from randomized controlled trials of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) and medication for bulimia, a case study of CBT for a fictional patient with bulimia, or both. Results indicated that the inclusion of case examples renders ESTs more compelling and interests clinicians in gaining training. Despite these participants' training in statistics, the inclusion of the statistical information had no influence on attitudes or training willingness beyond that of the anecdotal case information.

The goal of any empirical science is to pursue the construction of a cumulative base of knowledge upon which the future of the science may be built. However, there is mixed evidence that the science of psychology can accurately be characterized by such a cumulative progression. Indeed, some argue that the development of a truly cumulative psychological science is not possible with the current paradigms of hypothesis testing in single-study designs. The author explores this controversy as a framework to introduce the 6 articles that make up this special issue on the integration of data and empirical findings across multiple studies. The author proposes that the methods and techniques described in this set of articles can significantly propel researchers forward in their ongoing quest to build a cumulative psychological science., ((PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).)

Pregnancy is a critical time window for evaluating weight gain on subsequent risk for obesity among women of childbearing age. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, and fetal health locus of control (FHLC) beliefs were significant risk factors for adequacy of gestational weight gain (GWG) when maternal sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviors were considered. A total of 1,605 women were prospectively followed from < or =20 weeks' gestation through delivery. Participants completed standard self-report questionnaires. Adequacy of GWG was expressed as the ratio of observed/expected weight gain based on Institute of Medicine recommendations. Multivariate ANOVA models were conducted and generalized linear models were performed to calculate risk ratios. Higher depressive symptoms reported throughout pregnancy were significantly associated with higher adequacy ratios. Stronger beliefs in chance in determining fetal health predicted inadequate relative to adequate GWG and was positively associated with larger GWG ratios overall. Several relationships were attenuated when adjusted for covariates. The relationship between psychosocial status and adequacy of GWG is significantly impacted by maternal sociodemographic factors and health practices engaged in during pregnancy. Women who tend to believe that external factors primarily determine fetal health appear to be more vulnerable to nonadherence to clinical GWG guidelines. These results have important implications for targeting prevention and intervention efforts for improving maternal and fetal outcomes secondary to GWG patterns.

Objective: to identify socio-psychological predictors of mortality during a 20-year follow-up period among people aged 65 to <85 and 85+ at baseline interview., Study Design and Setting: elderly people living at home in East London and mid-Essex, who responded to surveys of successful survival in older age in the late 1980s; their mortality was traced through the National Health Central Registry., Results: adjusted analyses show that, as expected, the hazard rate for mortality over a 20-year follow-up was reduced for younger respondents and increased for less functionally able respondents. The hazard ratio for males was almost one and a half times that of females. The hazard rate was also reduced with each categorical increase in life satisfaction and was consistently reduced for those who undertook crafts, social visiting and activities regularly. There was some variation by age and sex., Conclusion: the results show that social participation is associated with lower risks of death, particularly among people aged 65 to <85, and that life satisfaction is also protective, particularly among females and people aged 85+, even when health status and socio-demographic circumstances are controlled. The study thus provides support for the hypothesised influence of social participation and subjective well-being on survival in older age.

Objective: To assess attitudes towards personal ageing among Australian psychologists., Methods: Six hundred and four practising psychologists were surveyed using the Reactions to Ageing Questionnaire (RAQ). Potential predictors of attitudes to ageing, such as age, gender and number of years in clinical practice were examined, together with the amount and quality of contact with older family members and older friends. Measures related to the training of psychologists were also of interest., Results: The strongest significant predictors of attitudes to ageing were respondents' age and positive attitudes towards conducting therapy with older clients. Contact and training variables were not associated with scores on the RAQ., Conclusion: These results highlight age as a contributing factor in attitude formation.

Purpose: We estimated the prevalence of symptoms suggestive of painful bladder syndrome defined as pain increasing as the bladder fills and/or pain relieved by urination for at least 3 months, and its association with sociodemographics (gender, age, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status), lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity) and psychosocial variables (sexual, physical, emotional abuse experienced as a child or as an adult, worry, trouble paying for basics, depression)., Materials and Methods: The data used come from the Boston Area Community Health Survey, an epidemiological study of 5,506 randomly selected adults 30 to 79 years old of 3 race/ethnic groups (black, Hispanic, white)., Results: The overall prevalence of symptoms suggestive of painful bladder syndrome was 2% (1.3% in men and 2.6% in women) with increased prevalence in middle-aged adults and those of lower socioeconomic status. Symptoms suggestive of painful bladder syndrome were more common in those who experienced abuse, in those who were worried about someone close to them and in those who were having trouble paying for basics. This pattern held even after adjusting for depression., Conclusions: Painful bladder syndrome is associated with a number of lifestyle and psychosocial correlates. This suggests that the treatment of patients with painful bladder syndrome (physical symptoms) may benefit from a multifaceted approach of combining medical, psychological and cognitive treatment.

This study compares the clinical relevance and utility of five dimensional diagnostic systems for personality disorders that have been proposed for the forthcoming edition of DSM (DSM-V): (1) a criteria counting model based on current DSM-IV diagnostic criteria; (2) a prototype matching model based on current DSM-IV diagnostic criteria; (3) a prototype matching model based on the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure (SWAP); (4) the Five Factor Model; and (5) Cloninger's Psychobiological Model. A random national sample of psychiatrists and psychologists applied all 5 diagnostic systems to a patient in their care and rated the clinical utility of each system. The SWAP Prototype Matching and DSM-IV Prototype Matching models were judged most clinically useful and relevant. The Five Factor Model and Cloninger's Psychobiological Model were judged least useful. The prototype matching systems most faithfully capture the personality syndromes seen in clinical practice, and permit rich descriptions of diagnostic constructs without a proportionate increase in user effort. A prototype matching approach to personality diagnosis deserves consideration for DSM-V.

This study examines the role of income in a psychosocial resource impairment model that explains partner violence and distress. Using data from a nationally representative sample, we test whether psychosocial resources of social support and self-esteem operate differently in four income groups (poor, "working"-poor, middle and upper-income). Structural equation modeling shows that among women considered working-poor, low self-esteem is relevant for the process through which violence becomes linked to distress. Women of upper-income appear distinct with negative interactions serving as sole mediator of violence and distress. Other findings indicate impaired support may mediate the violence and distress relation for women, regardless of income. Overall, income partially moderates the impact of partner violence on distress, suggesting social contexts should be considered when examining the effects of violence.

Objective: Little is known about the types of physical activity (PA) in which adolescent girls participate. Understanding this, along with examining specific psychosocial correlates of PA, may help guide the development of effective interventions to prevent the decline in PA in female youth., Methods: 2791 sixth grade girls participating in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls from six geographical locations completed surveys assessing participation in sports teams and activity classes/lessons in and out of school, self-efficacy for PA, PA enjoyment, physical education (PE) enjoyment, and perceived school climate for girls' PA (data collection: January-May 2003). Correlates of girls' participation in structured PA and sociodemographic differences were explored., Results: 89.5% of girls participated in structured PA: 39% at school and 86% outside of school. Across race/ethnicity, most reported activities were basketball (44%), cheerleading/dance (41%), and swimming (39%). Controlling for socioeconomic status, geographical location, and race/ethnicity, girls with a higher self-efficacy (OR=3.44, CI=1.72-6.92) and higher enjoyment of PE class (OR=1.97, CI=1.25-3.120) were more likely to participate in structured PA. PA enjoyment and perceived school climate for girls' PA were not associated with participation in structured PA., Conclusion: Interventions that increase self-efficacy and enjoyment of PE could result in greater participation in structured PA and higher overall PA levels among adolescent girls.

Collection and analysis of students' writing samples on a large scale is a part of the research agenda of the emerging writing analytics community that promises to deliver an unprecedented insight into characteristics of student writing. Yet with a large scale often comes variability of contexts in which the samples were produced--different institutions, different purposes of writing, different author demographics, to name just a few possible dimensions of variation. What are the implications of such variation for the ability of automated methods to create indices/features based on the writing samples that would be valid and meaningful? This paper presents a case study in system generalization. Building on a system developed to assess the expression of "utility value" (a social-psychology-based construct) in essays written by first-year biology students at one postsecondary institution, we vary data parameters and observe system performance. From the point of view of social psychology, all these variants represent the same underlying construct (i.e., utility value), and it is thus very tempting to think that an automatically produced "utility-value" score could provide a meaningful analytic, consistently, on a large collection of essays. However, findings from this research show that there are challenges: Some variations are easier to deal with than others, and some components of the automated system generalize better than others. The findings are then discussed both in the context of the case study and more generally.

The purpose of this research is to provide information about the state of psychotherapy in Argentina, as well as to study some variables involved in psychologists' evaluation of psychotherapy. A survey of 14 items was elaborated ad-hoc for this purpose, and administered to 226 psychologists from all over the country by mail and, in some cases, personally. Results suggest that the predisposition to apply techniques from different frameworks is associated with the amount of experience and with the perception of a bias concerning other theoretical focuses, although it is not related to the evaluation of the state of psychotherapy. On the other hand, in the view of psychologists, personal aspects of the therapeutic relationship are believed to be the most important factor in patients' change and effective progress.

Advances in medical treatment for childhood cancer have resulted in dramatically increased survival rates and a growing population of long-term survivors. Until recently, researchers reported primarily negative psychosocial sequelae of childhood cancer. Emergent conceptual frameworks propose that the assumption of pathology or long-term deficits in functioning might obscure an understanding of the full range of outcomes. Using qualitative interview data (N = 50), the authors explore how cancer can lead to positive psychosocial outcomes, including thriving. The findings suggest that processes of coping, meaning making, and psychospiritual growth are intimately related to long-term psychosocial well-being. The results suggest that in the aftermath of a trauma such as childhood cancer, many outcomes are possible, including thriving.

Psychosocial oncology has become an important part of oncological care in many countries, but few international comparisons of the establishment of psychosocial oncology have been undertaken to date. This survey was conducted to establish the current conditions in which psychosocial oncology is implemented with reference to medical care, research, education and training. A semistructured questionnaire was sent to as many as four psychosocial oncology experts from 64 countries. Information was returned by 45 experts from 38 countries. As a relatively new discipline, psychosocial oncology is understood to be an integral part of oncology care, but has only been fully integrated in a few countries at present. In contrast, there are a large number of evidence-based interventions available for cancer patients and their families. Improvements are necessary in the transfer of empirical results into clinical practice, and in the development of guidelines to ensure adequate psychosocial care for oncology patients.

Purpose: To introduce some features of the perspective of discursive psychology that may be useful for studying interaction in a range of medical settings., Overview: Discursive psychology considers the way psychological words and displays play a practical part in the activities that are performed in particular settings. It offers a way of understanding the role of psychological issues that is distinct from, and is sometimes obscured by, traditional social cognitive approaches. The approach is illustrated by the example of crying on a child protection helpline. The way crying is built from different elements, the way these elements are organised, and the way they are receipted are all highlighted. Crying is both performing and potentially disrupting actions. The virtues of high quality transcription, and of understanding the way crying is situated in the turn organisations of conversation, are demonstrated., Evaluation: Discursive psychology involves particular ways of considering reliability and validity. The broader potential for such an approach in medical settings is discussed.

Psychologists are ethically obligated to obtain informed consent to psychotherapy "as early as is feasible" (American Psychological Association, 2002, p.1072). However, the range of topics to be addressed includes both information that may be immediately and uniformly applicable to most clients via policy or rule, as well as information that is not immediately presentable because it varies widely across clients or emerges over time. In this study, licensed psychologists were surveyed regarding the earliest feasible point at which they could provide information regarding specific aspects of psychotherapy. Results indicate that, although psychologists believe that they are capable of presenting some information, such as payment and confidentiality policies, at the outset, they believe that a discussion of more substantive issues, such as psychotherapy duration, goals, orientation, and activities, can take place only after some therapy has transpired. Implications are discussed regarding the process and event models of informed consent.

This article considers the development of a global training curriculum and qualification in professional psychology, with particular emphasis on the Combined-Integrated (C-I) model. The C-I model exposes professional psychology trainees to two or more of the practice areas (i.e., clinical, counseling, school/educational). The authors argue that the C-I approach is one that is well suited to the development of a global training curriculum due to its emphasis on broadly training psychologists as well as its respect for diversity and integration of various theoretical and professional orientations. A survey of training programs in 16 countries/regions on six continents found significant variation in training, minimal qualifications, and roles of the professional psychologist. The authors recommend that an international group of psychologists develop a regionally flexible, but common, training curriculum and qualification that would include a five- to six-year competency-based qualification. Ways in which the C-I training model may serve to integrate and globalize professional psychology are discussed., (Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

There is growing attention to the importance of violence risk communication, and emerging empirical evidence of how evaluating clinicians who conduct risk assessments communicate their conclusions about the risk of violence toward others. The present study addressed the perceived value of different forms of risk communication through a national survey of practicing psychologists (N = 1,000). Responses were received from a total of 256 participants, who responded to eight vignettes in which three factors relevant to risk communication were systematically varied in a 2 x 2 x 2 within-subjects design, counterbalanced for order: (i) risk model (prediction oriented versus management oriented), (ii) risk level (high risk versus low risk), and (iii) risk factors (static versus dynamic). Participants were asked to rate the value of six styles of risk communication for each of eight vignettes. The most highly valued style of risk communication involved identifying risk factors applicable to the individual, and specifying interventions to reduce risk. These results were consistent with findings from several previous studies in this area, and reflect an emerging trend in preferences for style and context of risk communication of violence., (Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

ABBP Diplomates in forensic psychology were surveyed to identify lists of "suggested readings" for their field. The return rate was 28% of 162 total Diplomates. Four of 117 books and five of 56 journals met the inclusion criterion of being endorsed by > or = 25% of the respondents. The present survey provides a preliminary reading guide for undergraduate and graduate students.

I collected information on the effects of ethical concerns on research questions asked and methods used by psychological researchers. Faculty researchers described the advantages and disadvantages of ethical concerns on their specialized areas and provided case examples of the effects of institutional review board actions on their research questions and methods. I offer several suggestions for using this information to increase students' ethical awareness and understanding in research methods courses.

Therapeutic reactivity among psychology trainees (N=68) was ascertained by their response to 10 clinical vignettes depicting clients with HIV who are sexually active with uninformed partners. This construct accounts for the relative change in decisions to maintain the confidentiality of clients who acknowledge safe versus unsafe sexual behavior. As anticipated, an analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect for safety and a significant 3-way interaction (Sexual Orientation X Safety X Gender). Subsequent analyses revealed that trainees exhibit the highest level of therapeutic reactivity toward heterosexual male clients, and the lowest reactive stance toward heterosexual female clients. Although the decisional pattern evidenced toward heterosexuals seems congruent with epidemiological estimates of risk, the decisions toward lesbians and gay males appear more likely a function of bias. The ethical implications of these findings are discussed.

Purpose: Competence in the psychosocial aspects of medical care is necessary for primary care physicians to function effectively. This study investigated the psychosocial training internal medicine and family practice residents receive in U.S. programs., Methods: In 1996, program directors of all U.S. internal medicine (IM) and family practice (FP) residency programs were surveyed regarding the format, content, and quantity of psychosocial training provided in their programs, their opinions on topics related to psychosocial training, and demographics of their programs., Results: The response rate was 61%. Ninety-nine percent of FP and 62% of IM program directors reported requiring at least one psychosocial training experience. Family practice programs required an average of 352 hours (SD +/- 175; range 27-2,664) of psychosocial training compared with 118 hours (SD +/- 272; range 0-1,050) for IM programs. Most IM and FP program directors expected residents to achieve at least basic competency in virtually all psychosocial topic areas; however, FP programs provided a greater range of psychosocial experiences. FP program directors most often identified psychologists and IM program directors most often identified internists as providing the most psychosocial training in their programs. Both IM and FP program directors considered lack of curricular time to be the main obstacle to development of psychosocial training., Conclusion: Residents' competence in psychosocial areas is important to both IM and FP program directors. However, content and time devoted to psychosocial training vary considerably both within and between program types.

Regulatory boards in psychology and other mental health professions are in key positions to address workforce supply issues. Board data provide real time estimates of the growth within the health professions they regulate. The authors recommend that periodic tallies of the psychology workforce be undertaken through surveys of psychology boards. This will require that boards adopt efficient and standard methods for tracking licensees. Better data from boards would provide longitudinal and cross-jurisdictional comparisons that may enhance efforts to balance supply and demand in the professional workforce and the distribution of psychologists.

A PC's clock, which has a precision in error of +/- 1 microsecond, was developed. However, the level of precision in a psychological experiment depends on the keyboard characteristic, if we use it. The author measured reaction time (RT) and interresponse time (IRT) using the PC's clock and, in parallel, measured true time with an external universal counter. Next, the time difference between the PC's time count and the true time value was analyzed. When using a keyboard as a reaction panel, both a constant time delay and an error variance were found in measuring the RT. The frequency distribution of this difference in time value had a uniform distribution with the width of 6 ms. In the IRT time measurement, no time delay was found, and the frequency distribution of the difference in time value was triangular. The range of the triangle distribution was twice as large as that of the uniform distribution. We can estimate the standard deviations of both distributions through the relation of "sigma/R = k" if we get a range of uniform distribution.