Attrition from an internet-based psychological intervention for erectile dysfunction : who is likely to drop out?

The current study evaluated the dropout rate from an internet-based treatment program for erectile dysfunction (ED), and determined reasons for attrition from this program. Only 12 of 40 treatment group men and 19 of 20 control group men completed the post-test measures. Reasons for the men being excluded or dropping out of the study are discussed. These reasons included medical conditions that contributed to their ED, the man's partner not being interested in participating in the program, a lack of motivation from the man, or the time commitment being too demanding.

Association between weight perception and psychological distress

Background: Obesity is a well-known cause of cardiovascular disease burden and premature death, but effects on depressive symptoms remain equivocal. Depressive symptoms may be more common among the obese individuals who perceive themselves as overweight, rather than those who perceive themselves as having an acceptable weight. Our aim was to determine whether weight status and weight perceptions are independently associated with psychological distress.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Australian National Health Survey 2004–2005 (N=17 253). All variables were collected by self-report. Adjusted multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to generate prevalence odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for medium (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) scores of 20–29) and high (K10 scores of 30–50) psychological distress (compared with K10 scores of 10–19 as the reference) associated with weight status (standard body mass index (BMI) cutoffs for underweight, overweight and obesity vs normal weight), weight perception (perceived underweight and overweight vs acceptable weight) and weight misperception (incorrect with BMI vs correct with BMI) adjusting for numerous important covariates.

Results: Overweight and underweight perception increased the odds of medium (40 and 50%) and high (50 and 120%) psychological distress, whereas weight status and weight misperception were not associated with psychological distress in adjusted analysis. Gender, alcohol consumed per week and post-school education were not significant covariates (at P<0.10 level).

Conclusions: Overweight and underweight perception rather than weight status or weight misperception are significant risk factors associated with medium and high psychological distress prevalence and effects appear to be uniform for men and women. Well-designed prospective studies are still needed to determine whether weight perceptions cause psychological distress, and if so, whether symptoms are significantly reduced following effective intervention.

Police stress : the role of psychological contract and perceptions of fairness

Purpose – The overall purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which breaches in psychological contracts and perceptions of organizational fairness account for variations in job stress experienced by operational police officers (as measured by psychological distress and employee performance), after controlling for the variance associated with more established job stressors (i.e. job demands, job control and social support).

Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on data collected through a self-report survey involving operational members of a large Australian police force (n=582).

Findings – Results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicate that vast majority of explained variance in psychological distress and extra-role performance is attributed to the additive effects of demand, control, and support. Furthermore, only one of the social exchange dimensions (interpersonal fairness) is predictive of either target variable.

Research limitations/implications – The limitations that need to be taken into account are the cross-sectional nature of the study design and the focus on a single police service.

Practical implications – Despite the generally weak support for the social exchange variables, there are signs that dimensions of justice (particularly interpersonal justice) should be included in future police-stress investigations. The results also suggest that job characteristics such as job demand, job control and social support should be taken into account when developing strategies to prevent and/or reduce chronic job stress in policing services.

Originality/value – This is one of the first studies to examine the relationships between psychological contract breach, perceptions of fairness and police stress.

Influence of an adventure learning program, using group adventure initiative tasks, on participant self-esteem

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of an adventure learning program, based on participation in group adventure initiative tasks (GAITs), on participant self-esteem and, further, to examine any associated gender differences in the dependent variable. The study took place within the framework of the 'Group Dynamics in Action' unit offered at the University of South Australia, Underdale Campus, in semester 2, 1994. The course included participation in group adventure initiative tasks, the identification and examination of group dynamic processes, the investigation of individual roles within the small group and the review of these processes in the group setting. The program also included an experience on a high ropes course. Both quantitative and qualitative data was gathered to gain insight into gender differences and their relationship to the dependent variable and also to provide insight into any discrepancy in outcomes between males and females with regard to participation in group adventure initiative tasks. The sample set of participants was drawn from undergraduate students studying at the University of South Australia in the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), Bachelor of Education (Secondary Physical Education Teaching) and Bachelor of Applied Science (Exercise and Sport Science) courses. Subjects were assigned to either experimental or control conditions and the experimental group were then randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. Sixty one (N = 61) male and female subjects were tested pre and post-treatment period. Psychological tests included the Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith 1981) and an adaptation of Coopersmith's Behaviour Rating Form (Coopersmith 1967). Qualitative data was gathered using Kuhn's Twenty Statements Test (Kuhn and McPartland 1954), a self-esteem questionnaire, observations made by the researcher and other staff about subjects interactions and from weekly journals kept by subjects throughout the treatment. The duration of the treatment period was 14 weeks consisting of 14, 2 hour seminars.

Employee psychological contracts

This thesis concerns the psychological contracts of employees. A psychological contract is an employee’s perception that: 1) an employer has certain obligations to them, and 2) in return, they have obligations as employees. A psychological contract is therefore a set of subjectively perceived reciprocal obligations. The psychological foundations of this construct are linked with cognitive schemas and social exchange theories. While the concept of psychological contracts was first proposed in the early 1960s, it has only been operationalised for empirical study in the last decade. The purpose of the thesis was to increase the understanding of the content and structure of employee psychological contracts and their links with career cognitions. The specific aims of the thesis were to: 1) examine the relational-transactional dimensions of psychological contracts, 2) develop a comprehensive set of workplace obligations for use with employees, 3) consider alternative dimensions of employee psychological contracts, 4) demonstrate reciprocity between obligations, and 5) determine whether psychological contracts directly affect career cognitions. The thesis contains four quantitative studies. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires that contained both established and new measures. Most participants were employees from a large insurance company, government vocational services or educational institutions. The analyses included canonical correlation, factor analysis, development of measurement models and structural analysis. The findings did not strongly support a distinction between relational and transactional obligations. Instead, a five-factor model of psychological contracts emerged from an expanded set of workplace obligations when it was used with two separate employee samples. This model demonstrated reciprocal relationships between the dimensions of employee and employer obligations. It was also found that alternative dimensions of the psychological contract have a direct influence on organisational commitment and career satisfaction. The thesis supports several general conclusions about the nature of employee psychological contracts, appropriate measures and future research. General workplace obligations that apply across different workplaces can be found, and these should continue to be refined. Such workplace obligations group in meaningful ways, and they can be usefully studied in terms of employer support and employee attitudes to work, rather than in terms of relational and transactional dimensions. Furthermore, this thesis shows that reciprocity in psychological contracts can be demonstrated by correlations between dimensions of employee and employer obligations. The measure used for studying reciprocity was new, and it requires further work. However, this measure is as reliable and valid as any currently available. Measurement is the single most urgent issue facing researchers. Finally, this thesis provides sufficient empirical evidence to support the claim that psychological contracts are an important variable for the understanding of careers.

Psychological impact of DAFNE training in adults with Type 1 diabetes

This thesis investigated the psychological impact of an education intervention, Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE), in adults with type 1 diabetes. The results demonstrated that the education programme improved participants' subjective wellbeing, self-efficacy and reduced diabetes-related distress compared to a comparison group that engaged in usual care. The portfolio examined the use of mindfulness-based strategies, in particular Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in four case studies which illustrated that the impact of the therapy is directly related to the the willingness of the client to engage in the practices.

Evaluation of an internet-based psychological intervention for the treatment of erectile dysfunction

Recent research on the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) has focused on medical interventions, in particular oral medications. The current study examined the effectiveness of an internet-based psychological intervention for this condition. In total, 31 men (12 in treatment group, 19 in control group) completed the program. The results demonstrated that men who completed the program reported improved erectile functioning and sexual relationship satisfaction and quality. The implications of these findings for the treatment of ED are discussed.

A study of hydrogen bonding in concentrated diol/water solutions by proton NMR correlations with glass formation

Solute/water interactions in a series of diol solutions have been investigated by ¹H NMR. Strong hydrogen bonding between water and alcohols that are more basic than water is thought to result in lower chemical shifts of water protons compared to the case of pure water. This is attributed to a greater degree of covalent character in the hydrogen bonding between water and the more basic diols. The inductive effect of the methyl group and longer chain alkyls is observed to increase basicity in ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and 2,3-butanediol solutions. A correlation between the glass-forming ability of the diol solutions and the stronger hydrogen-bonding solutes (i.e., stronger bases) is developed, with 2,3-butanediol best promoting glass formation at the lowest concentrations.

Psychological profiling of Tasmanian police officers using the COPS

This thesis examined selection processes for police candidates, and the impact of police work on well-being. Results revealed that policing impacts negatively on psychological well-being over time, and that many aspects of the stereotypic 'police personality' are not a result of selection processes, but develop over time in the role.

Psychological responses to acute resistance exercise in men and women who are obese

The purpose of the study was to investigate the psychological response to the very first session of resistance exercise on positive well-being (PWB), psychological distress (PD), and perception of fatigue in untrained men and women who are obese. Forty-five (male = 22, female = 23) untrained, middle-aged volunteers (mean ± SEM, 51.0 ± 1.0; range, 40-69 years) participated in the study. Participants were divided into 4 groups according to sex and obesity level (i.e., men who are obese, men who are nonobese, women who are obese, women who are nonobese). The threshold for obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥94 cm for men and 80 cm for women. Measures included body composition, aerobic power, muscle strength, and quality of life (Short Form 36, SF-36). Before and after resistance exercise, participants completed the Subjective Exercise Experience Scale (SEES). Paired sample t-tests were used to assess changes in SEES scores within group pre- and post-exercise and repeated-measures analysis of variance were used to assess changes in SEES scores between groups. Exercise increased the perception of PWB in both women who are obese and nonobese, without changes in PD or fatigue. In women, the change in PWB after exercise was negatively correlated with most scales of the SF-36, particularly with the mental health dimension (r = -0.55, p < 0.01). No significant changes in PWB, PD, or fatigue were found in men who are obese. Acute resistance exercise improved PWB in women who are obese and nonobese and those with lower self-perceived quality of life scores at the start improved the most. In addition, resistance exercise did not increase feelings of distress in either women or men who are obese.

Reducing psychological distress and obesity in Australian farmers by promoting physical activity

Background: Studies have confirmed that the rate of mental illness is no higher in rural Australians than that of urban Australians. However, the rate of poor mental health outcomes, and in particular suicide, is significantly raised in rural populations. This is thought to be due to lack of early diagnosis, health service access, the distance-decay effect, poor physical health determinants and access to firearms. Research conducted by the National Centre for Farmer Health between 2004 and 2009 reveals that there is a correlation between obesity and psychological distress among the farming community where suicide rates are recognised as high. Chronic stress overstimulates the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis that is associated with abdominal obesity. Increasing physical activity may block negative thoughts, increase social contact, positively influence brain chemistry and improve both physical and mental health. This paper describes the design of the Farming Fit study that aims to identify the effect of physical activity on psychological distress, obesity and health behaviours such as diet patterns and smoking in farm men and women.
Methods/Design: For this quasi-experimental (convenience sample) control-intervention study, overweight (Body Mass Index ≥25 kg/m2) farm men and women will be recruited from Sustainable Farm Families™ (SFF) programs held across Victoria, Australia. Baseline demographic data, health data, depression anxiety stress scale (DASS) scores, dietary information, physical activity data, anthropometric data, blood pressure and biochemical analysis of plasma and salivary cortisol levels will be collected. The intervention group will receive an exercise program and regular phone coaching in order to increase their physical activity. Analysis will evaluate the impact of the intervention by longitudinal data (baseline and post intervention) comparison of intervention and control groups.
Discussion: This study is designed to examine the effect of physical activity on psychological health and other comorbidities such as obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension and dyslipidaemia within a high-risk cohort. The outcomes of this research will be relevant to further research and service delivery programs, in particular those tailored to rural communities.

Evolutionary specialization of a tryptophan indole group for transition-state stabilization by eukaryotic transglutaminases

Covalent posttranslational protein modifications by eukaryotic transglutaminases proceed by a kinetic pathway of acylation and deacylation. Ammonia is released as the acylenzyme is formed, whereas the cross-linked product is released later in the deacylation step. Superposition of the active sites of transglutaminase type 2 (TG2) and the structurally related cysteine protease, papain, indicates that in the formation of tetrahedral intermediates, the backbone nitrogen of the catalytic Cys-277 and the N_Ɛ1 nitrogen of Trp-241 of TG2 could contribute to transition-state stabilization. The importance of this Trp-241 side chain was demonstrated by examining the kinetics of dansylcadaverine incorporation into a model peptide. Although substitution of the Trp-241 side chain with Ala or Gly had only a small effect on the Michaelis constant K_m (1.5-fold increase), it caused a >300-fold lowering of the catalytic rate constant k_cat. The wild-type and mutant TG2-catalyzed release of ammonia showed kinetics similar to the kinetics for the formation of cross-linked product, indicating that transitionstate stabilization in the acylation step was rate-limiting. In papain, a Gln residue is at the position of TG2-Trp-241. The conservation of Trp-241 in all eukaryotic transglutaminases and the finding that W241Q-TG2 had a much lower k_cat than wild-type enzyme suggest evolutionary specialization in the use of the indole group. This notion is further supported by the observation that transitionstate- stabilizing side chains of Tyr and His that operate in some serine and metalloproteases only partially substituted for Trp.

New material of coral fossils in Lower Devonian, Daerdong formation of Xainza, Tibet

The system described in the part of the coral fossils collected from Xainza area, northern Lower Devonian Dahl East group. Wrinkles coral genera and 5 species (including a new species Hunanaxonia xizangensis sp nov.) And two undetermined species; bedplate coral-shaped coral 4 4 species, including two new species the (Pachycanalicula sparcula sp nov. Paraheliolites zakangensis sp nov.) these coral fossil discovery will help to further understanding of the Early Devonian corals fauna symbiotic combination, evolution, and coral paleobiogeographic flora.

The effectiveness of an internet-based psychological treatment program for female sexual dysfunction

Introduction.  There has been limited evaluation of the effectiveness of psychological interventions for female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Furthermore, none of these studies have evaluated the effectiveness of these programs delivered over the Internet.

Aim.  The current study evaluated an Internet-based psychological treatment program for FSD. Revive consisted of three well-established and validated treatment components: communication skills training, sensate focus exercises, and regular contact with a therapist.

Main Outcome Measures.  Outcome measures included: the Female Sexual Function Index; the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale; the Sexual Function Scale; and the Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships.

Methods.  In total, 39 women (17 in treatment group and 22 in control group) completed the program. The mean age for the treatment group was 34.91 (standard deviation [SD] = 10.27) and 33.30 years (SD = 9.34) for the control group.

Results.  The results demonstrated that women who completed treatment reported improved sexual and relationship functioning in comparison with those who received no treatment.

Conclusions.  These findings highlight the suitability of the Internet for providing psychological treatment for FSD and for targeting the individual and relationship factors often associated with these disorders.