Spiritual high vs high on spirits: is religiosity related to adolescent alcohol and drug abuse?

This study investigated relationships between alcohol and drug abuse by adolescents and frequency of religious service attendance in the south-east United States. Data obtained from surveys of 217 adolescents, age 12-19 years, was analysed. The adolescents included participants from both clinical and non-clinical settings. Results from both groups showed that, as attendance at religious services increased, alcohol and drug abuse decreased. Spirituality is a concept that warrants further study to determine if its inclusion in treatment programs could enhance recovery or drastically reduce recidivism.

Methylphenidate effects on EEG, behavior, and performance in boys with ADHD.

The psychophysiologic and behavioral effects of methylphenidate were assessed in boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder between the ages of 9 and 11 years. The effects of methylphenidate on the EEG during baseline and cognitive tasks were evaluated using spectral analysis. Both subjective (rating scales) and objective (continuous performance) measures were administered and analyzed in conjunction with the electrophysiologic data. Although methylphenidate induced regional changes in the EEG under certain task-specific conditions, it had no global effects. Behavioral and performance measures improved with methylphenidate.

Self-fulfilling prophecy and hypnotic response are not the same thing.

The authors used the "bogus-item" methodology originally used by C. Wickless and I. Kirsch (1989) to examine the effects of response expectancy manipulations on subjects' subsequently measured hypnotizability scores. The results of the first experiment failed to replicate Wickless and Kirsch's (1989) findings that surreptitious confirmation of suggested items (the bogus-item manipulation) leads to higher scores on subsequently measured hypnotic responsiveness. The second experiment tested if, in fact, response expectancies were enhanced by the bogus-item manipulation, and the manipulation's effect on behavioral and subjective responsiveness to hypnosis was reexamined. A significant increase was found in response expectancies as a result of the bogus item expectancy manipulation, but again no evidence that this manipulation led to increased hypnotic responsiveness was found. Hypnotic responsiveness may not be as reactive to expectancy manipulations as previously claimed, and it is suggested that the notion of hypnotic responsiveness as a trait-like ability is viable.

Teaching with entertainment films: an empathetic focus.

In an effort to bridge the gap in learning in the affective domain, nurse educators must understand and develop meaningful teaching strategies. Specific strategies designed to facilitate cognitive understanding of the affective response can be found in entertainment films. The findings of this study suggest that the use of entertainment films with guidance is effective in teaching empathetic responses. The continued study of the complex phenomenon in developing an understanding of the many variables that comprise not only the experience of empathy, but also the transference of the experience into helping interventions.

Gender and age variations in the self-image of Jamaican adolescents.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationships among gender, age, and self-image of adolescents attending three secondary schools in Jamaica. The relatively few studies that have been done regarding self-perceptions of these youth are not only dated but have utilized a unidimensional conceptualization of the self. The Offer Self-Image Questionnaire which employs a multidimensional construct of the self was administered to a sample of 174 Jamaican adolescents ranging in age from 14 to 18 years (M = 15.90 years, SD = 1.21). Results revealed statistically significant effects for both gender and age. Gender was found to be significant on one self-image dimension: Morals, while age differences were evident on six dimensions: Social Relationships, Morals, Sexual Attitudes, Mastery of the External World, Vocational and Educational Goals, and Emotional Health. The results in some instances were contrary to those of past research. Discussion focused on cultural socialization and other factors affecting youth in Jamaican society.

Evaluation of a behavioral audiometry simulator for teaching visual reinforcement audiometry.

Eight audiology students with little or no visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) experience each performed a VRA test on an infant. Four of the students received approximately 5 hours of behavioral audiometry simulator (BAS) training, and 1 week later, after the first VRA test, all eight students tested a second infant. Student performance was rated by three audiologists who were experienced in performing VRA with infants. The performance of the group that received BAS training improved significantly while the performance of the control group did not. Among the students who received BAS training, those who improved the most during stimulated testing also showed the greatest improvement in VRA with real infants.

Proliferation of the MAC-T bovine mammary epithelial cell line in the presence of mammary secretion whey proteins.

Development of the MAC-T bovine mammary epithelial cell line by stable transfection with simian virus-40 large T-antigen should greatly assist study of possible intrinsic (local) and extrinsic (systemic) factors regulating bovine mammary epithelial cell development, differentiation, and function. This study evaluated the influence of mammary secretion whey proteins alpha-lactalbumin (ALA), beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), lactoferrin (LF), transferrin (TF) and serum albumin (SA) on MAC-T cell proliferation in the absence and presence of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Concentration of whey proteins in culture ranged from 0 to 625 micrograms/ml. MAC-T cell proliferation in the absence of FBS was significantly lower than in the presence of 10% FBS. Alpha-lactalbumin and LF significantly decreased MAC-T proliferation in both the absence and presence of 10% FBS. Transferrin significantly increased MAC-T cell proliferation only in the absence of FBS. There were no significant differences in MAC-T cell proliferation cultured in the presence of BLG or SA. These experiments illustrate the potential usefulness of MAC-T cells for the study of factors involved in mammary cell proliferation. Results identified ALA, LF and TF as possible intrinsic factors associated with regulation of mammary epithelial cell proliferation.

Quantitative analysis of EEG in boys with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder: controlled study with clinical implications.

Sixteen-channel topographic brain mapping of electroencephalograms of 25 right-handed males, 9-12 years of age, with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder revealed increased theta (4-7.75 Hz) and decreased beta 1 (12.75-21 Hz) when compared with 27 controls matched for age and grade level. The differences were greater when patients were tested for reading and drawing skills, but were decreased when they were at rest during visual fixation. Although the differences in patients with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder were generalized, increased theta was more prominent in frontal regions, while beta 1 was significantly decreased in temporal regions. Principal component analysis was used to combine the variables into 2 components which accounted for 82% of the total variance. A discriminant function analysis using these components was able to predict group membership for attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder patients 80% of the time and 74% for controls. These findings support the use of topographic electroencephalography for further elucidation of the neurophysiology of attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder.