Showing papers by "Nova Southeastern University published in 1994"

Interaction between the Subtropical and Equatorial Ocean Circulations: The Subtropical Cell

Abstract: Three versions of a 2 1/2-layer ocean model are used to study the subtropical cell (STC), a shallow, meridionalcirculation cell consisting of subtropical subduetion, equatorward advection of cool subsurface water into thetropics, upwelling at the equator, and poleward advection of warm surface water back to midlatitudes. Thethree versions are a steady-state analytic model, a numerical model with constant layer temperatures, and anumerical model with variable layer temperatures and active thermodynamics. Two different pammeterizationsof mixed-layer processes are utilized to determine how water moves between the lwo layers. In the simplerparameterization, entrainment and detrainment rates, we and wd, are specified so that the upper-layer thicknessh1 relaxes back to an externally prescribed thickness; in the other, they are related to the surface heat flux Q.in both versions detrainment is cut off at the latitude yd = 18° to prevent subduction from occurring in thetropics. Solutions are obtained in ...

A conceptual model of adaptation to retirement among athletes

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to provide a new conceptualization of athletic retirement that incorporates prior considerations within and outside the sports domain. Drawing on previous theoretical work both within and outside of sport and current empirical research in the area, the present conceptualization offers a five-step model that examines adaptation to athletic retirement through its entire developmental course: (1) identify the causal factors that initiate the retirement process; (2) specify the factors related to adaptation to retirement; (3) describe the available resources that will affect the response to retirement; (4) indicate the quality of the adaptation to retirement; and (5) discuss the treatment issues for distressful reactions to retirement.

The influence of ethical fit on employee satisfaction, commitment and turnover

Abstract: This study examines the influence of ethical fit on employee attitudes and intentions to turnover. The results of this investigation provides support for the conjecture that ethical work climate is an important variable in the study of person-organization fit. Ethical fit was found to be significantly related to turnover intentions, continuance commitment, and affective commitment, but not to job satisfaction. Results are discussed in regard to some of the affective and cognitive distinctions among satisfaction, commitment, and behavioral intentions.

Youth Drug Abuse Treatment: A Controlled Outcome Study

Abstract: Twenty-six youth received six months of treatment (mean of 15 sessions) after random assignment to either a supportive counseling program or to a newly designed behavioral treatment. The behavioral program included several procedures to restucture family and peer relations and to control urges. Drug use was measured by urinalysis, supplemented by family report and self-report. The results showed that during the last month, 9% of youth receiving supportive counseling were abstinent vs. 73% of youth receiving the new behavioral treatment. A greater reduction of drug use was also apparent when measured in terms of urinalysis data alone, days per month of drug use, or overall number of months of abstinence. Improved functioning of youths in the behavioral program was evidenced by significantly greater school/work attendance, improved youth- and partent-relationship satisfaction ratings, improved conduct ratings, decreased depression, and decreased frequency of alcohol use as compared to youth in the supportiv...

Parameterization of the Cool Skin of the Ocean and of the Air-Ocean Gas Transfer on the Basis of Modeling Surface Renewal

Abstract: Heat and gas transport in molecular sublayers at the air-sea interface is governed by similar laws. A model of renewal type based on the physics of molecular sublayers allows the derivation of a parameterization of the temperature difference across the cool skin of the ocean and of the coefficient of the direct air-sea gas transfer. The surface Richardson number controls the transition from convective instability to wind-induced instability (“rollers” on breaking wavelets) and the Keulegan number controls the transition from the regime of rollers to long-wave breaking. A critical value of the surface Richardson number and of a nondimensional constant can be evaluated by comparing the parameterizations of the cool skin with field data. The critical value of the Keulegan number is determined from the wind speed at which long-wave breaking appears. The parameterizations have been compared with cool skin data obtained from campaigns in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean, while the gas transf...

The development of a clinical rating scale for the McMaster model of family functioning.

Abstract: This article describes the development and validation of the McMaster Clinical Rating Scale (MCRS). The MCRS is a 7-item scale designed to be completed by a trained rater after completion of an in-depth interview of the family. We present data from four new studies and review previously published articles concerning the reliability, validity, and clinical utility of the MCRS. Adequate interrater reliability and rater stability were obtained. The MCRS was found to correlate significantly with the self-report Family Assessment Device and to discriminate between families in different phases of a depressive disorder.

Emotional processing in vocal and written expression of feelings about traumatic experiences

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare vocal and written expression of feeling about interpersonal traumatic and trivial events in 20-min sessions over a 4-day period. Similar emotional processing was produced by vocal and written expression of feeling about traumatic events. The painfulness of the topic decreased steadily over the 4 days. At the end, both groups felt better about their topics and themselves and also reported positive cognitive changes. A content analysis of the sessions suggested greater overt expression of emotion and related changes in the vocal condition. Finally, there was an upsurge in negative emotion after each session of either vocal or written expression. These results suggest that previous findings that psychotherapy ameliorated this negative mood upsurge could not be attributed to the vocal character of psychotherapy.

A multidimensional model of momentum in sports

Abstract: The goal of the present paper is to provide a theoretical formulation of momentum in sports that articulates the processes involved in the development of momentum. Momentum is presently defined as: a positive or negative change in cognition, physiology, affect, and behavior caused by a precipitating event or series of events that will result in a shift in performance. The present model proposes a series of changes, termed the “momentum chain”, that result in the development of momentum: (a) precipitating event or events, (b) change in cognition, affect, and physiology, (c) change in behavior, (d) the resulting increase or decrease in performance consistent with the above changes, (e) a contiguous and opposing change in the previous factors on the part of the opponent (for sports with head-to-head competition), and (f) a resultant change in the immediate outcome. A preliminary investigation of the first stage of the model examining the relationship between precipitating events and changes in compe...

Battered women's cognitive schemata

Abstract: This study examined battered women's cognitive schema in relation to their cognitions about violence (i.e., the “meaning” attached to the violence), post-traumatic reactions to violence, and sexual victimization histories. Seventy-two battered women seeking help from an outpatient family violence clinic were subjects. The meaning of the violence (e.g., expectations of recurrent violence and of severe/lethal violence, causal attribution) was found to explain variance in cognitive schemata about SAFETY, SELF, AND OTHER (McCann and Pearlman, 1990a). All measures of cognitive schemata were significantly related to various global and specific measures of posttraumatic stress (GSI, MMPI-PTSD, IES). No differences were found for cognitive schemata based on histories of sexual victimization. Results point to the importance of assessing the impact of traumatic experiences on core cognitive beliefs as a component in the constellation of post-traumatic sequelae.

Behavioral and pharmacological treatments for tic and habit disorders: a review.

Abstract: Children with tic and habit disorders are often seen by pediatricians, psychologists, or psychiatrists for evaluation and treatment. Current knowledge of the treatment-outcome research in these areas can serve as an important guide in the evaluation and treatment planning process. This article reviews the behavior therapy and pharmacological treatment of motor and vocal tic disorders, self-destructive oral habits, trichotillomania (hair pulling), onychophagia (nail biting), and thumb sucking. The research evidence indicates that all of these disorders can be effectively treated with behavioral or pharmacological approaches.

A survey of treatments for post-concussion syndrome

Abstract: A survey of the members of the National Academy of Neuropsychology and the International Neuropsychological Society was conducted on current treatment approaches for post-concussion syndrome The interventions that were found useful most frequently included education about the effects of head injury, reassurance that the symptoms are part of the normal recovery process, and support in coping with reactions to the symptoms Graded resumption of activity, antidepressant medication, and cognitive restructuring were also regarded as useful The relationships between type of treatment, factors contributing to the syndrome, ratings of treatment effectiveness, and duration of treatment were discussed

Mothers in Prison: Meeting the Prerequisite Conditions for Permanency Planning

Abstract: Permanency planning rests on the premise that children need to feel a sense of human connectedness and confidence in the stability and continuity of their family and that it is preferable that the family of origin serve as the primary vehicle for meeting these needs (Laird, 1979). Accordingly, when children are in foster care, caseworkers are expected to make concerted efforts to sustain family ties and encourage family reunification. This approach is affirmed by the requirements of P.L. 96-272, the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, which calls for caseworkers to make diligent efforts to either achieve family reunification or provide children with alternatives that promise permanence. The law calls for the development of a case plan shortly after a child is placed in care and parental involvement in the development and implementation of that plan. Also mandated are periodic case reviews to monitor progress. Whether a child should remain in foster care, return home, or be freed for adoption receives serious consideration during these reviews. Parental involvement in these reviews is expected as well. This article examines permanency planning difficulties that arise when the natural mother is in prison. The article examines the presence of prerequisite conditions deemed necessary for the mother's involvement in case planning activities and court review proceedings. The prerequisite conditions include the means of maintaining regular contact between mothers and their children's caseworkers, continual discussion of the intent and contents of the children's case plans, and the purpose and outcome of each review proceeding. A significant number of incarcerated women have children in foster care (Barry, 1985a, 1985b; Fessler, 1991; Henriques, 1982; McGowan & Blumenthal, 1978), but there is limited information about such cases. Studies by McGowan and Blumenthal, Henriques, Gaudin (1984), and Barry suggest that contact between caseworkers and mothers is strained and infrequent and that mothers are confused about their legal status and responsibilities. There is less information about permanency planning activities with incarcerated mothers, partly because the number of foster care cases involving incarcerated mothers has, until recently, been small. The female prisoner population has been increasing dramatically, however, and it is becoming increasingly common for caseworkers to encounter such cases. The number of female prisoners has increased fivefold in less than 20 years, from about 6,000 in 1972 to more than 32,000 in 1989 (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1989). It has been estimated that between 70 percent and 80 percent of the women in prisons in the United States are mothers and that 8 percent to 10 percent of their children are in foster care (Barry, 1985b; Fessler, 1991; McGowan & Blumenthal, 1976, 1978). When a mother is in prison, her ability to be included in permanency planning activities is limited. Three types of activities can facilitate her involvement, however, and constitute the prerequisite conditions necessary for the mother's involvement in case planning: (1) correspondence between caseworkers and mothers, (2) telephone calls between caseworkers and mothers, and (3) notification of mothers of upcoming court hearings. These three activities enable incarcerated mothers and their children's caseworkers to jointly identify desirable living situations for the children and to pursue agreed-on goals. The experience of implementing P.L. 96-272 in the case of incarcerated mothers has not been studied. The results from this study are therefore useful in contributing to an understanding of the difficulties encountered when working with this client population. Method During the fall and winter of 1988-89, 53 mothers in four New York State prisons became the focus of investigation. The study did not include incarcerated fathers because their imprisonment is less likely to threaten the continuity of children's living arrangements. …

Traumatic responses among battered women who kill

Abstract: This study compared levels of violence, social support, and post-traumatic stress between battered women charged with a violent crime against an abusive partner and those seeking help from a mental health clinic. Results indicated that forensic battered women were more likely than clinical battered women to report experiencing severe violence, including sexual abuse, in their relationships. Women in the forensic sample also reported less social support and greater post-traumatic stress than women in the clinical sample. However, when social support and level of violence were accounted for, levels of general post-traumatic stress indicators (MMPI-PTSD, CR-PTSD, GSI) were no longer different between groups, although levels of specific post-traumatic stress indicators (intrusion, avoidance) remained higher for battered women in the forensic sample. Implications for understanding battered women's response to violence and their post-traumatic reactions to it are discussed.

Family therapists' response to aids: an examination of attitudes, knowledge, and contact*

Abstract: As the number of individuals and families impacted by AIDS continue to multiply, family therapists will increasingly be asked to become engaged in the challenge of caring for those affected. To date, little has been written in family therpy journals regarding the response of family therapists to this crisis. This paper represents an initial attempt to examine the atitudes of clinical members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy toward AIDS and persons with AIDS. Included in the study are data regarding the therapists' contact with persons with AIDS, gays, and lesbians, and the impact of such contact on attitudes. Implications for future research, training, and treatment of those affected by AIDS are also provided.

Clinical Cutoffs for the Beck Depression Inventory and the Geriatric Depression Scale with Older Adult Psychiatric Outpatients

Abstract: The present study developed new clinical cutoffs for the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) with 59 older adult psychiatric outpatients. Maximum discrimination of a current major depressive episode resulted, with cutoff scores of 22 for the BDI and 16 for the GDS. Specifically, the following validity scores emerged for the BDI: sensitivity, 64%; specificity, 73%; positive predictive power, 75%; negative predictive power, 61%; and hit rate 68%. For the GDS the validity scores were as follows: sensitivity, 79%; specificity, 69%; positive predictive power, 77%; negative predictive power, 72%; and hit rate, 75%. Combined BDI and GDS scores did not result in improved prediction of a current major depressive episode as compared to the GDS alone. These results support the notion that the BDI and GDS are valid quick screening instruments in discriminating a current major depressive episode for older adult psychiatric outpatients.

Cognitive Distortions and Adolescent Affective Disorder Validity of the CNCEQ in an Inpatient Sample

Abstract: Despite a proliferation of recent research examining childhood and adolescent depression, the area still lags behind the adult depression field, particularly in the investigation of cognitive correlates of affective psychopathology. To advance cognitive research with youth, the Children's Negative Cognitive Error Questionnaire (CNCEQ) was developed to provide a measure of cognitive distortions or errors in children and adolescents. Yet, few studies have employed the CNCEQ and no evidence exists supporting the validity of its four component cognitive error scales. The purpose of the present study was to examine the construct validity of the CNCEQ and its constituent scales through the use of factor analysis and criterion-group comparisons. Groups of adolescent psychiatric inpatients, diagnosed as affective or disruptive disordered, completed the CNCEQ following admission. Results failed to support the implicit four-factor structure of the CNCEQ, instead suggesting the appropriateness of a single-factor solution labeled "negative thinking." Despite no diagnostic group differences on the CNCEQ total or other scale scores, affective disordered patients evinced more cognitive errors on the Overgeneralizing scale. Findings suggest that the CNCEQ in its current stage of development holds promise, yet requires refinement to produce a valid measure of cognitive functioning in youth.

A Trace Inequality for Unitary Matrices

Abstract: (1994). A Trace Inequality for Unitary Matrices. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 101, No. 5, pp. 453-455.

Decade-Scale Trend in Sea Water Salinity Revealed Through δ18O Analysis of Montastraea annularis Annual Growth Bands

Abstract: Stable oxygen isotope ratios (1)180) of coral skeletons are influenced by ambient water temperature and by the oxygen isotope ratio in the surrounding sea water, which, in turn, is linked to evaporation (salinity) and precipitation To investigate this relationship more thoroughly, we collected hourly temperature data from the Hen and Chickens Reef in the Florida Keys between 1975 and 1988 and compared them to'the 1)180 of Montastraea annularis skeleton that grew during the same interval To ensure that we obtained the correct oxygen isotopic range in the skeleton we typically sampled the coral at a resolution of 20-30 samples in 1 year; in 1 year we sampled the coral at a resolution of 70 samples·year-' Despite our high-resolution sampling, we were unable to obtain the full temperature-induced 1)180 range in the skeleton Our data suggest that, during the summer, evaporation causes isotopic enrichment in the water, partially masking the temperature-induced signal Our data also show that oxygen isotopic composition of seawater at the reef has increased since 1981 This increase indicates that salinity has increased slightly during the past decade, perhaps as a result of increased evaporation in waters of Florida Bay and the Keys This phenomenon is probably not caused by a decrease in the outflow of freshwater into Florida Bay from the Everglades but may be related to the measured deficit in precipitation that has occurred over the past decade Corals incorporate tracers of sea water chemistry and environmental conditions into their skeletons that are characteristic of the time of skeletal growth As early as the 1930's, Ma (1933, 1937) described cyclical patterns of coral skeletal growth related to environmental fluctuations These cycles were not easily viewed directly, but Knutson et al (1972) discovered that X-radiography revealed skeletal density banding in several Pacific species By comparing autoradiographs of the skeleton which revealed the radionuclide signature produced by atomic weapons testing with the density bands, they determined that the banding faithfully records calendar years Known age of bomb tests and density band counts indicated the bands were annual During the two decades since this publication, a variety of methods have demonstrated that many massive corals produce density variations that are annual Methods have included analysis for radioactive decay (Dodge and Thompson, 1974), skeletal staining (Stearn et aI, 1977), dated marks on the skeleton (Macintyre and Smith, 1974), sequential collection (Hudson et aI, 1976) and incorporation of tracers (Noshkin et aI, 1975) with characteristic time histories One particularly useful tracer in coral skeletons is the ratio of the two common oxygen isotopes, \80 and 160, measured as a ratio relative to a standard and expressed as 0180 or delta 180 in units of parts per thousand (per mille) In water, McCrea (1950), Epstein et al (1953), and O'Neil et al (1969) demonstrated that the 0\80 content of :inorganically precipitated calcium carbonate is determined by the 0\80 of the water from which it precipitates and the temperature of precipitation For the temperature range in which corals live, this relation is nearly linear Weber and Woodhead (1972) found that for many species of corals, the relation between 0\80cora\ and temperature was similar to that of O'Neil and others (1969) with a species dependent, negative offset The relation can be expressed as: