University of Haifa

About: University of Haifa is a education organization based out in Haifa, Israel. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 7558 authors who have published 27141 publications receiving 711629 citations. The organization is also known as: Haifa University & Universiṭat Ḥefah.

Pathways between internalized stigma and outcomes related to recovery in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Abstract: Objective: The mechanisms by which internalized stigma affects outcomes related to recovery among people with severe mental illness have yet to be explicitly studied. This study empirically evaluated a model for how internalized stigma affects important outcomes related to recovery. Methods: A total of 102 persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders completed measures of internalized stigma, awareness of mental illness, psychiatric symptoms, self-esteem, hopefulness, and coping. Path analyses tested a predicted model and an alternative model for the relationships between the variables. Results: Results from model 1 supported the view that internalized stigma increases avoidant coping, active social avoidance, and depressive symptoms and that these relationships are mediated by the impact of internalized stigma on hope and self-esteem. Results from model 2 replicated significant relationships from model 1 but also supported the hypothesis that positive symptoms may influence hope and self-esteem. Conclusions: Findings from two models supported the hypothesis that internalized stigma affects hope and selfesteem, leading to negative outcomes related to recovery. It is recommended that interventions be developed and tested to address the important effects of internalized stigma on recovery. (Psychiatric Services 59:1437–1442, 2008)

The Information Value of Bond Ratings

Abstract: We test whether bond ratings contain pricing-relevant information by examining security price reactions to Moody’s refinement of its rating system, which was not accompanied by any fundamental change in issuers’ risks, was not preceded by any announcement, and was carried simultaneously for all bonds. We find that rating information does not affect firm value, but that debt value increases ~decreases! and equity value falls ~rises! when Moody’s announces better- ~worse-! thanexpected ratings. We also find that when Moody’s announces better- ~worse-! thanexpected ratings, the volatilities implied by prices of options on the fine-rated issuers’ shares decline ~rise!. VIRTUALLY ALL LARGE CORPORATE BOND ISSUES are rated by at least one rating agency. These ratings are costly: $25,000 for issues of up to $500 million and half a basis point of the issued amount for issues exceeding $500 million. Interestingly, although bonds are rated whether the issuer pays for the rating or not, about 98 percent of the issuers choose to pay to have their bonds rated. Why do corporations pay for ratings? Perhaps to gain better ratings. However, this is inconsistent with raters’ income being so crucially dependent on their reputation. Alternatively, paying for ratings may allow firms to incorporate inside information into the assigned ratings without disclosing specific details to the public at large. Publicly revealing inside information might benefit competitors or subject insiders to lawsuits should the projections not materialize, whereas rating agencies can incorporate privately disclosed information into the ratings that they assign without fully revealing it. Indeed, during the rating process, corporations provide raters with detailed inside information ~e.g., five-year forecasts and pro-forma statements, internal reports!. 1