NUI Maynooth Eprint Archive
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Posttraumatic stress disorder among older adults: A differential item functioning analysis of PTSD in ICD-11 and DSM–5.
No full textObjective: Distinct models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are outlined in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) and the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Limited data exists about the validity of these models among older adults. This study examines the probable prevalence rates of PTSD in older adults; the factorial validity of both models; and symptom-endorsement bias across sex. Method: Using a nationally representative (United States) sample (n = 5,366) of older adults aged 60 years and older, alternative PTSD factor models were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and item bias was assessed using differential item functioning (DIF) analysis. PTSD was measured without the functional impairment criterion, likely resulting in inflated prevalence rates. Results: DSM–5 (9.5%) PTSD prevalence was significantly higher than ICD-11 (8.7%). Women were more likely to meet criteria for DSM–5 (OR = 1.79) and ICD-11 (OR = 1.38) PTSD. CFA results showed that both models of PTSD had excellent fit. Four DSM–5 symptoms demonstrated DIF, with females more likely to endorse three symptoms (B1: “unwanted memories”; B4: “feeling upset”; and E6: “sleep problems”) and males more likely to endorse one symptom (E2: “reckless or self-destructive behavior”). No DIF was present for the 6 ICD-11 symptoms. Conclusion: Both PTSD models perform well among older adults, although there is evidence of DIF in the DSM–5 model. A considerable proportion of older adults met diagnostic requirements for PTSD, thus highlighting the importance of trauma-related research among older adult populations
COVID-19 as social disability: the opportunity of social empathy for empowerment
No full textCOVID-19 has conferred new experiential knowledge on society and a rare opportunity to better understand the social model of disability and to improve the lives of persons with disabilities.
The COVID-19 experience may offer contextual knowledge of the prepandemic lives of persons with disabilities and foster greater social awareness, responsibility and opportunities for change towards a more inclusive society.
Information, family and social relationships, health protection and healthcare, education, transport and employment should be accessible for all groups of the population. The means must be developed and deployed to ensure equity – the deployment of resources so that people with different types of needs have the same opportunities for living good lives in inclusive communities.
We have learnt from COVID-19 that inclusive healthcare and universal access should be the new normal, that its provision as a social good is both unifying and empowering for society as a whole
Challenges of inclusion: a qualitative study exploring barriers and pathways to inclusion of persons with mental disabilities in technical and vocational education and training programmes in East Africa
No full textPurpose: To explore barriers and pathways to the inclusion of persons with mental and intellectual disabilities in technical and vocational education and training programmes in four East African countries, in order to pave the way to greater inclusion.
Materials and methods: An explorative, qualitative study including 10 in-depth interviews and a group discussion was conducted with coordinators of different programmes in four East African countries. Two independent researchers coded the interviews inductively using Atlas.ti. The underlying framework used is the culture, structure, and practice model.
Results: Barriers and pathways to inclusion were found in the three interrelated components of the model. They are mutually reinforcing and are thus not independent of one another. Barriers regarding culture include negative attitudes towards persons with mental illnesses, structural barriers relate to exclusion from primary school, rigid curricula and untrained teachers and unclear policies. Culture and structure hence severely hinder a practice of including persons with mental disabilities in technical and vocational education and training programmes. Pathways suggested are aiming for a clearer policy, more flexible curricula, improved teacher training and more inclusive attitudes.
Conclusions: In order to overcome the identified complex barriers, systemic changes are necessary. Suggested pathways for programme coordinators serve as a starting point.
Implications for rehabilitation:
Clear and up-to-date information on mental disability is required to engender societal participation; especially that of stakeholders in technical and vocational education and training programmes.
Affirmative action and policy implementations of national and international human rights legislations are required to address the challenges of enrolment in technical and vocational education and training programmes.
Disability organisations and government should adopt a more open and strengths-based attitude, tailor-made curricula, specific teacher training as well as clearer policies to ensure better inclusion of persons with mental disabilities in technical and vocational education and training programmes
The Effect of a Food Addiction Explanation Model for Weight Control and Obesity on Weight Stigma
No full textThere is increasing scientific and public support for the notion that some foods may be addictive, and that poor weight control and obesity may, for some people, stem from having a food addiction. However, it remains unclear how a food addiction model (FAM) explanation for obesity and weight control will affect weight stigma. In two experiments (N = 530 and N = 690), we tested the effect of a food addiction explanation for obesity and weight control on weight stigma. In Experiment 1, participants who received a FAM explanation for weight control and obesity reported lower weight stigma scores (e.g., less dislike of ‘fat people’, and lower personal willpower blame) than those receiving an explanation emphasizing diet and exercise (F(4,525) = 7.675, p = 0.006; and F(4,525) = 5.393, p = 0.021, respectively). In Experiment 2, there was a significant group difference for the dislike of ‘fat people’ stigma measure (F(5,684) = 5.157, p = 0.006), but not for personal willpower weight stigma (F(5,684) = 0.217, p = 0.81). Participants receiving the diet and exercise explanation had greater dislike of ‘fat people’ than those in the FAM explanation and control group (p values 0.05). The FAM explanation for weight control and obesity did not increase weight stigma and resulted in lower stigma than the diet and exercise explanation that attributes obesity to personal control. The results highlight the importance of health messaging about the causes of obesity and the need for communications that do not exacerbate weight stigm
Deus qui humanae substantiae dignitatem : A Latin Liturgical Source Contributing to the Conceptualization History of Human Dignity
No full textThis article explores the history of the prayer Deus qui humanae substantiae dignitatem as a contribution to the conceptualization history of human dignity. It is argued that the prayer can be traced back to pre-Carolingian times, that it forms part of an early tradition of reflection on human dignity, and that it was adapted to use at the offertory, such that an association was made between human dignity and the holy exchange of gifts. In this way, the prayer significantly shaped the Christian concept of human dignity as the holy ‘place’ of commerce with God
The Interaction of Functional Predictors and the Mechanical Predictor Perseveration in a Variationist Analysis of Caribbean Spanish Heritage Speaker Subject Pronoun Expression
No full textSubject pronoun expression (SPE) in Spanish has been widely studied across monolingual and bilingual varieties, showing a consistent effect of functional predictors. In recent papers, the role of the mechanical predictor priming, or perseveration, has been the source of debate. Additionally, little is known about the interaction of perseveration and significant functional predictors (e.g., grammatical person). In this paper, we expand on previous research by examining first-person singular (1sg) and third-person singular (3sg) data from sociolinguistic interviews with Spanish–English bilinguals from Florida to explore the possible difference in priming in deictic vs. referential subjects. The results from a mixed-effects variable rule analysis only offered clear evidence of priming in 1sg. We hypothesize that this result could be due to either surprisal (1sg overt pronominal subjects are rarer in the corpus that 3sg overt pronominal subjects) or to 3sg involving reference-tracking and perseveration only being evident in contexts where the subject form does not signal for pragmatic content
Racism and media, in a moment of crisis and opportunity
No full textThis article provides the author's reply to the four book responses by Dreher, Georgiou, James and Saha. The discussion focuses on how their analytical engagement with the book's treatment of the ambivalences of digital media culture raise pertinent questions for focusing on anti-racism in media work and practices. It does so while reflecting on the extraordinary conditions of antiracist protest and revolt during which it was written in June 2020
Some novel aspects of the positive linear observer problem: Differential privacy and optimal l1 sensitivity
No full textWe present several results concerning the l1 sensitivity, a crucial parameter for differential privacy, of a positive linear observer. Specifically, for compartmental systems we derive explicit analytic expressions for positive observers that minimize a bound for the l1 sensitivity. Results are given for single-output systems and classes of multiple-output systems. For single-output general positive systems, we characterize the optimal l1 sensitivity bound of a positive observer with given convergence rate. We also make some initial observations on sensitivity for more general classes of positive observers
Understanding satellite-derived bathymetry using Sentinel 2 imagery and spatial prediction models
No full textABSTRACT
Optical satellite data is an efficient and complementary method to hydrographic surveys for
deriving bathymetry in shallow coastal waters. Empirical approaches (in particular, the models
of Stumpf and Lyzenga) provide a practical methodology to derive bathymetric information
from remote sensing. Recent studies, however, have focused on enhancing the performance
of such empirical approaches by extending them via spatial information. In this study, the
relationship between multibeam depth and Sentinel-2 image bands was analyzed in an
optically complex environment using the spatial predictor of kriging with an external drift
(KED), where its external drift component was estimated: a) by a ratio of log-transformed
bands based on Stumpf’s model (KED_S) and b) by a log-linear transform based on Lyzenga’s
model (KED_L). Through the calibration of KED models, the study objectives were: 1) to better
understand the empirical relationship between Sentinel-2 multispectral satellite reflectance
and depth, 2) to test the robustness of KED to derive bathymetry in a multitemporal series of
Sentinel-2 images and multibeam data, and 3) to compare the performance of KED against
the existing non-spatial models described by Stumpf et al. and Lyzenga. Results showed that
KED could improve prediction accuracy with a decrease in RMSE of 89% and 88%, and an
increase in R2 of 27% and 14%, over the Stumpf and Lyzenga models, respectively. The
decrease in RMSE provides a worthwhile improvement in accuracy, where results showed
effective prediction of depth up to 6 m. However, the presence of higher concentrations of
suspended materials, especially river plumes, can reduce this threshold to 4 m. As would be
expected, prediction accuracy could be improved through the removal of outliers, which were
mainly located in the channel of the river, areas influenced by the river plume, abrupt
topography, but also very shallow areas close to the shoreline. These areas have been
identified as conflictive zones where satellite-derived bathymetry can be compromised
Intergenerational social mobility predicts midlife well-being: Prospective evidence from two large British cohorts
No full textRationale: It is often assumed that experiencing an upward shift in social position from one
generation to the next will bring happiness, yet empirical evidence for this is limited.
Objective: We provide a large-scale test of the relationship between intergenerational
mobility and midlife life satisfaction using data from two prospective UK studies (N =
20,948).
Method: Intergenerational mobility was modelled as a formative construct gauging the extent
to which individuals moved up or down the social hierarchy compared to their parents, on a
continuum ranging from high levels of downward mobility to high levels of upward mobility.
Results: An intergenerational increase in social mobility, captured by greater educational
attainment, social status, and home size than one’s parents was positively associated with life
satisfaction at age 42 in both cohorts. Mediation analyses revealed that almost half of this
relationship was explained by better self-reported health and fewer perceived financial
difficulties amongst the upwardly mobile.
Conclusion: This study provides evidence that enhanced satisfaction with life may be a key
outcome of intergenerational increases in social status