Concordia University

About: Concordia University is a education organization based out in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Context (language use) & Control theory. The organization has 13565 authors who have published 31084 publications receiving 783525 citations. The organization is also known as: Sir George Williams University & Loyola College, Montreal.

Intolerance of Uncertainty and Information Processing: Evidence of Biased Recall and Interpretations

Abstract: Research suggests that intolerance of uncertainty is a cognitive process involved in excessive worry and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Although previous studies indicate that intolerance of uncertainty and excessive worry are highly and specifically related, the question of how intolerance of uncertainty might lead to worry has yet to be empirically examined. This paper presents two studies investigating intolerance of uncertainty and information processing. Study 1 used an incidental learning task to examine the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and the recall of stimuli denoting uncertainty. The results showed that participants high in intolerance of uncertainty, relative to those low in intolerance of uncertainty, recalled a higher proportion of words denoting uncertainty. Study 2 investigated whether intolerance of uncertainty would be associated with threatening interpretations of ambiguous information. The results showed that participants high in intolerance of uncertainty reported more concern about ambiguous situations than did participants with low levels of intolerance of uncertainty. In addition, the tendency to make threatening interpretations of ambiguous situations was more highly related to intolerance of uncertainty than to worry, anxiety, or depression. Taken together, these findings suggest that intolerance of uncertainty is associated with information processing biases that may be involved in the etiology of excessive worry and GAD.

Do you see what I see? Weight status misperception and exposure to obesity among children and adolescents.

Abstract: Obesity prevention in childhood is important. However, changing children's lifestyle behaviors to reduce overweight is a substantial challenge. Accurately perceiving oneself as overweight/obese has been linked to greater motivation to change lifestyle behaviors. Children and adolescents may be less likely to perceive themselves as overweight/obese if they are exposed to overweight/obese people in their immediate environments. This study examined whether youth who are exposed to overweight parents and schoolmates were more likely to misperceive their own weight status. The Quebec Child and Adolescent Health and Social Survey was a provincially representative, school-based survey of children and adolescents conducted between January and May 1999. 3665 children and adolescents (age 9, n=1267; age 13, n=1186; age 16, n=1212) from 178 schools. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 17.5, 20.6 and 22.2 kg/m2, respectively. The misperception score was calculated as the standardized difference between self-perception of weight status (Stunkard Body Rating Scale) and actual BMI (from measured height and weight). Exposure to obesity was based on parent and schoolmate BMI. Overweight and obese youth were significantly more likely to misperceive their weight compared with non-overweight youth (P<0.001). Multilevel modeling indicated that greater parent and schoolmate BMI were significantly associated with greater misperception (underestimation) of weight status among children and adolescents. Children and adolescents who live in environments in which people they see on a daily basis, such as parents and schoolmates, are overweight/obese may develop inaccurate perceptions of what constitutes appropriate weight status. Targeting misperception may facilitate the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors and improve the effectiveness of obesity prevention interventions.

Brief Report: Intolerance of Uncertainty, Worry, and Depression

Abstract: This study examined the strength and specificity of the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and worry with regards to depression in a nonclinical sample. The hypotheses were the following: (1) IU would be more highly and specifically related to worry than to depression; and (2) worry would be more highly and specifically related to IU than to dysfunctional attitudes (a cognitive process involved in depression). Two-hundred and forty (240) undergraduate students completed self-report questionnaires that assessed worry, intolerance of uncertainty, depression, and dysfunctional attitudes. Both hypotheses were confirmed: IU was more highly (although not significantly) and specifically related to worry than to depression; and worry was more highly and specifically related to IU than to dysfunctional attitudes. The findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical and clinical implications.

Photoassisted Degradation of Dye Pollutants. 8. Irreversible Degradation of Alizarin Red under Visible Light Radiation in Air-Equilibrated Aqueous TiO2 Dispersions

Abstract: Alizarin red undergoes rapid photoassisted decomposition in air-equilibrated aqueous TiO2 dispersions under visible light radiation (λ > 420 nm). Proton NMR, chemical oxygen demand (CODCr), UV−visible, IR, GC−MS, and spin-trapping ESR spectroscopic techniques were employed to obtain details of the photodegradation of alizarin red. Peroxides and carbonyl species are the first intermediates observed during the process. The major component of the peroxides produced is H2O2, and no organoperoxides were detected. We have also confirmed that in addition to CO2 and to smaller carbonyl species the principal intermediate produced is phthalic acid, which is unable to degrade further because it does not absorb the actinic visible light radiation (λ > 420 nm). The photodegradation kinetics are discussed in terms of the Langmuir−Hinshelwood model, a case of saturation type kinetics. A mechanism for the photoassisted degradation of alizarin red mediated by TiO2 particles under visible light radiation is proposed.