Physical characteristics of microplastic particles and potential for global atmospheric transport: A meta-analysis.

Recent interest in microplastic pollution of natural environments has brought forth samples which confirm the pollutant's omnipresence in a variety of ecosystems. This includes locations furthest removed from human activity. Atmospheric transport and deposition are suspected as the primary transport pathway to these remote locations. The factors most influential on participation in atmospheric transport are yet to be determined. This meta-analysis aims to identify patterns that exist between physical characteristics of microplastic particles and their potential for atmospheric transport. Our review addresses the following questions: Which characteristics of microplastic particles promote atmospheric transport and deposition into remote regions, and how significant are these factors in determining distance transported from their sources? This article analyzes commonly reported physical attributes-- shape, polymer composition and color-- from studies in urban and remote areas. The analysis of 68 studies, composed of data from 2078 samples, shows higher occurrence of microplastic particles in remote samples with fiber shapes, polyester compositions, and red, blue, and transparent colors. This meta-analysis is the first to identify patterns between physical properties of microplastic particles and extent of their participation in atmospheric transport to global remote locations.

Variance Decomposition of the Continuous Assessment of Interpersonal Dynamics (CAID) system: Assessing sources of influence and reliability of observations of parent-teen interactions.

The Continuous Assessment of Interpersonal Dynamics (CAID) is an observational tool that measures warmth and dominance dynamics in real time and is sensitive to individual, dyadic, and contextual influences. Parent-adolescent interpersonal dynamics, which conceptually map onto parenting styles, are an integral part of positive adolescent adjustment and protect against risky outcomes. The current study's goal was to test the degree to which sources of influence on CAID data observed in a previous study of married couples generalize to a sample of parent-adolescent dyads. We examined data from ten raters who rated moment-to-moment warmth and dominance using CAID in a sample of 61 parent-adolescent dyads (N = 122) who were largely non-Hispanic White (62%) or African American (30%) based on parent report (adolescent M age = 14; 57% female). Dyads interacted in four different discussion segments (situations). We applied Generalizability Theory to delineate several sources of variance in CAID parameters and estimated within and between-person reliability. Results revealed a number of different influences, including the person, kinsperson (adolescent versus parent), dyad, rater, situation, and interactions among these factors, on ratings of parent-adolescent interpersonal behavior. These results largely replicate results from married couples, suggesting that the factors that influence ratings of interpersonal interactions largely generalize across sample types.

A variance decomposition of the Continuous Assessment of Interpersonal Dynamics.

The Continuous Assessment of Interpersonal Dynamics (CAID) is an observational coding method that enables continuous tracking of warmth and dominance in both members of a dyad as an interaction unfolds. Research using this tool has revealed dynamic patterns relevant to psychopathology and psychotherapy, suggesting considerable potential for clinical assessment and research. However, CAID data are sensitive to a variety of person and situational factors, and the way that these factors combine to influence CAID data is poorly understood. We examined data from 10 raters using CAID to assess moment-to-moment warmth and dominance in opposite-sex married dyads (N = 137 couples) interacting in four distinct situations. Using Generalizability Theory methods, we decomposed sources of variance in CAID data and estimated multiple forms of between- and within-person reliability. Results revealed how spouses' moment-to-moment behaviors varied as a function of person, sex, dyad, rater, situation, and relevant interactions between these factors. Based on these results, we provided guidelines for interpreting CAID data at different levels of aggregation in clinical research and practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).