Carleton University

About: Carleton University is a education organization based out in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 15852 authors who have published 39650 publications receiving 1106610 citations.

The Risk–Need–Responsivity Model of Assessment and Human Service in Prevention and Corrections: Crime-Prevention Jurisprudence

Abstract: The general personality and social psychology underlying the Risk–Need–Responsivity (RNR) model of rehabilitation recognizes the importance of the personal, interpersonal, and relatively automatic sources of control over human behaviour as well as the power of cognitive-social-learning approaches to interpersonal influence in many social settings. In terms of both prediction and intervention, the RNR model has impressive but limited research support and is widely implemented, albeit with mixed support in routine correctional practice. This article suggests that RNR and the psychology that underlies it may also assist justice agencies and the courts through crime-prevention jurisprudence (CPJ). Always in the context of ethical, legal, just, and otherwise normative interventions, the first task is to help keep low-risk cases low risk and not interfere with existing strengths. The second task is to identify moderate and higher-risk cases and arrange crime-prevention activities consistent with ethical, legal,...

Emotional attachments in abusive relationships: a test of traumatic bonding theory.

Abstract: An empirical test of traumatic bonding theory, the notion that strong emotional attachments are formed by intermittent abuse, is reported. In-depth assessments (interviews plus questionnaires) were conducted on 75 women who had recently left abusive relationships (50 where physical violence had occurred). The study found support for the effect of relationship dynamic factors such as extremity of intermittent maltreatment and power differentials on long-term felt attachment for a former partner, experienced trauma symptoms, and self-esteem, immediately after separation from an abusive partner and again after a six month interim. All three of these measures were significantly intercorrelated within each time period. Each measure at Time 1 correlated significantly with each corresponding measure at Time 2. After six months attachment had decreased by about 27%. Relationship variables (total abuse, intermittency of abuse and power differentials) accounted for 55% of the variance in the attachment measure at Time 2 indicating prolonged effects of abuse suffered in the relationship.

On the approximation of the generalized-Κ distribution by a gamma distribution for modeling composite fading channels

Abstract: In wireless channels, multipath fading and shadowing occur simultaneously leading to the phenomenon referred to as composite fading. The use of the Nakagami probability density function (PDF) to model multipath fading and the Gamma PDF to model shadowing has led to the generalized-K model for composite fading. However, further derivations using the generalized K PDF are quite involved due to the computational and analytical difficulties associated with the arising special functions. In this paper, the approximation of the generalized-K PDF by a Gamma PDF using the moment matching method is explored. Subsequently, an adjustable form of the expressions obtained by matching the first two positive moments, to overcome the arising numerical and/or analytical limitations of higher order moment matching, is proposed. The optimal values of the adjustment factor for different integer and non-integer values of the multipath fading and shadowing parameters are given. Moreover, the approach introduced in this paper can be used to well-approximate the distribution of the sum of independent generalized-K random variables by a gamma distribution; the need for such results arises in various emerging distributed communication technologies and systems such as coordinated multipoint transmission and reception schemes including distributed antenna systems and cooperative relay networks.

Comparison of pixel-and object-based classification in land cover change mapping

Abstract: Land use/land cover (LULC) change occurs when humans alter the landscape, and this leads to increasing loss, fragmentation and spatial simplification of habitat. Many fields of study require monitoring of LULC change at a variety of scales. LULC change assessment is dependent upon high-quality input data, most often from remote sensing-derived products such as thematic maps. This research compares pixel-and object-based classifications of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data for mapping and analysis of LULC change in the mixed land use region of eastern Ontario for the period 1995-2005. For single date thematic maps of 10 LULC classes, quantitative and visual analyses showed no significant accuracy difference between the two methods. The object-based method produced thematic maps with more uniform and meaningful LULC objects, but it suffered from absorption of small rare classes into larger objects and the incapability of spatial parameters (e.g. object shape) to contribute to class discrimination. Despite the similar map accuracies produced by the two methods, temporal change maps produced using post-classification comparison (PCC) and analysed using intensive visual analysis of errors of omission and commission revealed that the object-based maps depicted change more accurately than maximum likelihood classification (MLC)-derived change maps.

Validity of self-report screening for overweight and obesity: Evidence from the Canadian Community Health Survey

Abstract: Objective: Community health surveys often collect self-report data on body height and weight for the purposes of calculating the Body Mass Index (BMI) and identifying cases of overweight and obesity. The aim of the study was to test the validity of this method and to describe age and gender trends in self-report bias in height, weight, and BMI. Methods: This population survey included 4,615 adolescents and adults from across Canada who were interviewed and then measured in their homes. Overweight and obesity were identified using self-reports and cut points in BMI. Results: Self-reports correlated highly with body measurements but on average, selfreported height was 0.88 cm greater than measured height, self-reported weight was 2.33 kg less than measured weight, and BMI derived from self-reports was 1.16 lower than BMI derived from measurements. Consequently, self-reports yielded lower rates of overweight (31.87%) and obesity (15.32%) than measurements (33.67% and 22.92%, respectively). The magnitude and variability of self-report bias in BMI were related to female gender, older age, and the presence of overweight or obesity. Discussion: Comparison of self-reported and measured height and weight indicated that most survey respondents under-reported weight and over-reported height. Intentional or not, these biases were compounded in the BMI formula and affected the accuracy of selfreports as a tool for identifying weight problems. Self-reports may be easier to collect than body measurements but should not be used exclusively as an obesity surveillance tool.