167 research outputs found
Consciousness
No full textEdited by Irving B. Weiner, Donald K. Freedheim, John A. Schinka, and Wayne F. Velice
The relation between item format and the structure of the Eysenck Personality Inventory
No full textA Likert seven-choice response format for personality
inventories allows finer distinctions by subjects
than the traditional two-choice format. The
Eysenck Personality Inventory was employed in the
present study to test the hypothesis that use of the
expanded format would result in a clearer and
more accurate indication of test structure. The subjects,
volunteers in a psychology course, took the
standard two-choice version of the EPI and a seven-choice
version one week apart, with the order
counter-balanced. A principal components analysis
with a varimax rotation yielded two components for
the two-choice format, clearly identifiable as
Eysenck’s "Neuroticism" and "Extraversion" which
together accounted for 18% of the variance. The
seven-choice version resulted in six components accounting
for 46% of the variance. The expanded
format suggested inadequacies in the structure of
the EPI, defined the factor structure more clearly,
and explained a greater proportion of the variance.
It thus demonstrated the apparent advantages of
the multiple-response format for scale construction.Velicer, Wayne F.; Stevenson, John F.. (1978). The relation between item format and the structure of the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/99284
The benefits and challenges of multiple health behavior change in research and in practice
No full textObjective: The major chronic diseases are caused by multiple risks, yet the science of multiple health behavior change (MHBC) is at an early stage, and factors that facilitate or impede scientists\u27 involvement in MHBC research are unknown. Benefits and challenges of MHBC interventions were investigated to strengthen researchers\u27 commitment and prepare them for challenges.
Method: An online anonymous survey was e-mailed to listservs of the Society of Behavioral Medicine between May 2006 and 2007. Respondents (N = 69) were 83% female; 94% held a doctoral degree; 64% were psychologists, 24% were in public health; and 83% targeted MHBC in their work.
Results: A sample majority rated 23 of the 24 benefits, but only 1 of 31 challenge items, as very to extremely important. Those engaged in MHBC rated the total benefits significantly higher than respondents focused on single behaviors, F(1,69) = 4.21, p \u3c .05, and rated the benefits significantly higher than the challenges: paired t(57) = 7.50, p \u3c .001. The two groups did not differ in ratings of challenges.
Conclusion: It appears that individuals focused solely on single behaviors do not fully appreciate the benefits that impress MHBC researchers; it is not that substantial barriers are holding them back. Benefits of MHBC interventions need emphasizing more broadly to advance this research area
Using the transtheoretical model for population-based approaches to health promotion and disease prevention
No full textUsing the Transtheoretical Model for Population-based Approaches to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention - Wayne F. Velicer, James O. Prochask, Joseph L. Fava, Joseph S. Rossi, Colleen A. Redding, Robert G. Laforge, Mark L. Robbins - Homeostasis 40, 5, 2000 - Health behaviors (tobacco use, diet, physical inactivity, risky sexual practices, and other health behaviors) account for approximately 50% of all premature mortality. There is growing evidence that the behavioral determinants of disease can be successfully modified. Advances in our understanding of human behavior change are critical to developing successful interventions. The Transtheoretical Model has served as the conceptual basis for developing successful interventions. The central organizing construct of the model is the Stages of Change. The model also includes a series of independent variables, the Processes of Change, and a series of outcome measures, including the Decisional Balance and the Temptation scales. Applications from smoking cessation illustrate how the model can be used to guide recruitment, intervention design, feedback, and outcome assessment. Successful intervention must combine high recruitment rates with effective interventions in order to produce behavior change at the population level
Item format and the structure of the Personal Orientation Inventory
No full textTwo versions of the Personal Orientation Inventory
were administered to 317 subjects. One version employed
the standard two-choice response format. The
other version used a six-choice response format. The
purpose of this study was (1) to determine if a multiple-
response format resulted in improved psychometric
properties, (2) to compare the component structure of
the two versions, and (3) to compare the empirically
derived scales with the theoretically defined scales.
The results showed a slight improvement for the multiple-
response format, but with poorly defined component
patterns. The change in format resulted in a
change in component structure. The components derived
from both versions did not correspond to the
theoretical scales. An analysis indicated that the only
well-defined component from either response format
could be interpreted as measuring social desirability
responding rather than measuring content. A follow-up
questionnaire indicated greater subject acceptance of
the six-choice version.Velicer, Wayne F.; DiClemente, Carlo C.; Corriveau, Donald P.. (1984). Item format and the structure of the Personal Orientation Inventory. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/101956
Methods of quantifying change in multiple risk factor interventions
No full textObjective: Risky behaviors such as smoking, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity, and poor diet are detrimental to health, costly, and often co-occur. Greater efforts are being targeted at changing multiple risk behaviors to more comprehensively address the health needs of individuals and populations. With increased interest in multiple risk factor interventions, the field will need ways to conceptualize the issue of overall behavior change. Method: Analyzing data from over 8000 participants in four multibehavioral interventions, we present five different methods for quantifying and reporting changes in multiple risk behaviors.
Results: The methods are: (a) the traditional approach of reporting changes in individual risk behaviors; (b) creating a combined statistical index of overall behavior change, standardizing scores across behaviors on different metrics; (c) using a behavioral index; (d) calculating an overall impact factor; and (e) using overarching outcome measures such as quality of life, related biometrics, or cost outcomes. We discuss the methods\u27 interpretations, strengths, and limitations.
Conclusion: Given the lack of consensus in the field on how to examine change in multiple risk behaviors, we recommend researchers employ and compare multiple methods in their publications. A dialogue is needed to work toward developing a consensus for optimal ways of conceptualizing and reporting changes in multibehavioral interventions
Integrating population smoking cessation policies and programs
No full textThis series of eight studies demonstrates that population cessation programs can produce important impacts on smoking cessation for purposes of disease prevention and disease management. These studies also suggest that increased impacts for chronic disease control can be produced by programs that intervene on multiple behavioral risks. Such intervention programs could also increase support for tobacco control policies. Stages of change and support for tobacco control policies: To assess population support for tobacco control policies, our center developed a Smoking Policy Inventory that reliably and validly assesses support for five types of tobacco control policies: (1) education, (2) controlling youth access, (3) increasing taxes, (4) advertising bans, and (5) smoking bans. One study that looked at six nations found support for tobacco control policies decreased as the policies became more restrictive. In each of the six nations, support for each type of tobacco control policy increased across the stages of change, with the least support among smokers in the precontemplation stage and the most support among former smokers in the maintenance stage. These data suggest that population cessation programs that help smokers progress through the stages of change could also increase support for different types of tobacco control policies. A reciprocal relationship could be generated in which cessation programs increase support for tobacco control policies, and tobacco control policies could help smokers succeed in cessation programs. In a 2000 National Cancer Institute (NCI) report on population smoking cessation, considerable concern was raised that population cessation rates did not increase in the U.S. during the 1990s, even though the application of tobacco control policies and programs increased dramatically. No improvements in cessation rates were found across any demographic group or type of smoker. There was no improvement in cessation rates in older or younger smokers, African American or non-Latino white smokers, smokers with higher or lower levels of education and income, or in heavier or lighter smokers. To increase the nation\u27s cessation rates, NCI\u27s report recommended that states and communities should increase the frequency, intensity, and/or quality of current tobacco control strategies. The NCI report discovered one other alternative, an individually tailored cessation innovation that has . . . the potential to provide assistance to the general population of smokers. Interventions based on computer driven algorithms that tailor the intervention and counseling provided to the individual smoker have been developed. Our research suggests that not only could these tailored interventions provide assistance to the general population of smokers, they could also increase support for a broad range of tobacco control policies. As smokers progressed through the stages of change, their support for policies such as increased taxes and counter advertising could increase. They could appreciate how increased taxes could also increase their motivation to quit smoking. They could recognize how counter advertising could help them resist temptations to keep smoking. They could support smoking bans in public places as a strategy that could increase their smoke-free choices, when they are struggling to stay free from smoking. Increased availability of population cessation programs tailored to the needs of individual smokers and increased support for tobacco control policies have the potential to produce a synergy that could increase cessation rates across a variety of population groups. Research to test these hypotheses is currently under review. Future policies and programs: Here is an example of how national policy makers can progress toward programs designed to increase population impacts. The senior author had the honor of advising the Prime Minister of Great Britain on smoking cessation programs to prevent cancer and other chronic diseases. The author reported that there are smoking cessation programs available that could reduce smoking prevalence by 20% in two years, even though smoking has decreased in the United States by only about 2% in 12 years. The Prime Minister asked two key questions: (1) Are these cessation programs based on research with small samples that won\u27t generalize to the real world? and, (2)Are these cessation programs so intensive that few smokers will participate? Here is the leader of a nation asking the most important empirical and practical questions: (1) Are these programs based on clinical trials with small, select samples? and (2) Are these programs that might have adequate efficacy but poor impacts? If policy makers and program sponsors continue to ask such tough questions, they can help raise the standard for health behavioral change theory, research, practice, and policy. The research reviewed here leads to the recommendation that policy makers support chronic disease programs that shift their primary emphasis: from clinical trials to population trials, from efficacy outcomes to population impacts, from reactive recruitment to proactive recruitment, from action-oriented interventions to stage-matched interventions, from clinician interventions to computer-based interventions, from interventions for a single behavior to interventions for multiple behaviors, and from policies that coerce change to programs that generate support for policy change. By shifting our emphasis to population-based interventions, we can build a more effective integration between population smoking cessation policies and programs
An expert system intervention for smoking cessation
No full textThe Pathways to Change system (PTC) is an expert system intervention for smoking cessation. Assessments are performed either by mail or by a telephone interview and each smoker receives a three- to four-page report that provides individualized recommendations matched to the individual\u27s needs and readiness-to-change. The Transtheoretical Model of Change provides the theoretical basis for the expert system. Four different studies have demonstrated the efficacy of this intervention in a general population, with cessation rates of 22 to 26%. Furthermore, the difference between the groups was larger at each follow-up assessment point, indicating that the effects of the treatment increased long after the end of treatment. The studies involved two proactively recruited samples, demonstrating that a large proportion (85.3% and 82.5%) of the population of smokers could be successfully recruited into a smoking cessation program. Expert system interventions have the potential to have an extremely high impact on a total population of smokers. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd
Cluster subtypes appropriate for preventing postpartum smoking relapse
No full textObjective: While the majority of women quit smoking either before or during pregnancy, 60 to 80% relapse in the postpartum period. The objective of this research was to examine postpartum women who quit smoking during their pregnancies and to determine the predictive factors for relapse in the postpartum period by identifying different subgroups that predict risk of relapse.
Method: One hundred forty four postpartum women who were abstinent at the time of delivery were recruited. Data regarding the Acquisition Stage of Change, Decisional Balance and Situational Temptations to Smoke were assessed in the immediate postpartum period. Based on their intention to remain abstinent, 121 women identified in the acquisition-Precontemplation (aPC) group comprised the study sample. Smoking status was assessed again at 2 months postpartum.
Results: A cluster analysis was performed to idenitfy subgroups of the acquisition-Precontemplation (aPC) group. Four subgroups were identified and were labeled Most Protected, Ambivalent, Risk Denial, and High Risk. Logistic regression was performed to establish external validity of the clusters. The clusters and exclusive breastfeeding were the only statistically significant variables associated with relapse at 2 months postpartum.
Conclusions: The results confirmed the clusters identified in previous prevention research with both adolescents and postpartum women, The cluster profiles can serve to guide the development of a tailored intervention program
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