Phenomenology of bibliotherapy in modifying teacher punitiveness.

The authors examined the phenomenology of bibliotherapy and its effects in changing preservice teachers' punitive attitudes toward children. Participants (N = 29) were enrolled in a university course (Introduction to Emotional Disturbance). Five books by Torey Hayden, autobiographical accounts of teaching and building relationships with students with emotional and behavioral disorders, were read and discussed within the framework of group bibliotherapy. Participants completed a self-report rating form measuring their tendency toward punitiveness during the first and last weeks of the 15-week semester. Participants also completed a questionnaire measuring the bibliotherapeutic impact of reading Hayden's texts, and they kept journals about the experience of reading Hayden. Comparison of the group's pre- and post-measures on punitiveness showed a small, albeit significant decrease in punitiveness; decreased punitiveness was associated with the therapeutic impact of reading Hayden. Phenomenological analysis of the participants' journal entries revealed that the structure of the experience of reading Hayden was one of identification with the protagonist, leading to emotional and cognitive learning.

Sleepiness and driving: the experience of U.K. car drivers.

This paper presents the results of a postal questionnaire survey of just over 4600 male drivers aimed at exploring the relationship between accidents and daytime sleepiness. Drivers in this survey provided details of the accidents they had experienced in the last 3 years, and identified those factors they thought had contributed to their accidents. In addition to the normal demographic and exposure variables, drivers completed the Epworth scale measuring daytime sleepiness. Drivers also reported whether they had felt close to falling asleep whilst driving during the past 12 months and whether the car they drove most was privately or company owned. The analysis of this data has identified the characteristics of tiredness-related accidents. The probability of feeling close to falling asleep at the wheel has been related to demographic variables and the Epworth score using a logistic model. Drivers reported that ca 7% of accident involvements were associated with tiredness (ca 9-10% of accidents). The accident liability of the drivers has been evaluated using a multivariate statistical model; for some drivers, accident liability is shown to be sensitive to daytime sleepiness.

Sleepiness and driving: the experience of heavy goods vehicle drivers in the UK.

An interview survey of 996 heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers was undertaken. It was designed to investigate the relationship between HGV drivers' accidents, daytime sleepiness (measured using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and other relevant physical characteristics. The drivers were sampled randomly at motorway service areas. The average age was 41.4 y (SD 10.5), they drove an average of 69700 miles annually (SD 36120), and their average score on the Epworth daytime sleepiness scale was 5.65 (SD 3.31). They reported an average accident liability of 0.26 accidents in a 3-y recall period. Drivers who reported snoring regularly whilst sleeping at night or who were obese or who had a noticeably large collar size had higher accident liabilities than those not exhibiting these characteristics. Accident liability increased with increasing scores on the Epworth daytime sleepiness scale. These findings suggest that further investigation of the mechanisms behind the higher accident rates of some categories of HGV drivers would be justified in the interests of road safety.

Sleepiness and driving: the experience of UK car drivers.

A postal questionnaire survey aimed at exploring the relationship between accidents and daytime sleepiness was sent to 9000 male drivers of which 4621 (51.3%) responded (mean age 47.7, SD 17.1). Drivers provided details of the accidents they had experienced in the last 3 y, and identified those factors, including tiredness, they thought contributed to the accident. In addition, drivers completed the Epworth scale measuring daytime sleepiness and reported whether they had felt close to falling asleep whilst driving during the past 12 mo. Analysis of the data showed that 29% of drivers had felt close to falling asleep at the wheel in the last 12 mo, the probability of which depended on Epworth score, age, occupational group, annual mileage, the proportion of time spent driving on motorways and in built-up areas, how long the driver is prepared to drive before taking a break, and whether the driver is driving a company car or not. Overall, about 7% of accident 'involvements' were associated with tiredness (representing 9-10% of accidents)-a figure which is higher on motorways than on rural roads or built-up roads and higher still in the early hours of the morning. Accident rates of company car drivers and/or those who have felt close to falling asleep at the wheel in the last year are shown to be associated with daytime sleepiness. For example, a company car driver who has felt close to falling asleep at the wheel in the last 12 mo and who scores highly on the Epworth scale has an accident liability which is 70% higher than a similar driver who scores zero on the Epworth scale. Snoring every night increases accident liability by about 30%.

Accident modelling and economic evaluation.

This paper summarizes contributions to the IDBRA workshop made by Votey, Krupp and Jones-Lee. Votey set out the basic principles of costs and benefits as applied to accident control measures and discussed the various elements of effective economic analysis. Krupp presented information relating to the determination of the costs of injury accidents in the Federal Republic of Germany, and Jones-Lee discussed in more general terms the principle ways in which accident costs might be determined. The final section draws some general conclusions relating to the workshop as a whole.