Examination of a multi-factorial model of body-related experiences during pregnancy : the relationships among physical symptoms, sleep quality, depression, self-esteem, and negative body attitudes

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate relationships among women's body attitudes, physical symptoms, self-esteem, depression, and sleep quality during pregnancy. Pregnant women (N = 215) at 15–25 weeks gestation completed a questionnaire including four body image subscales assessing self-reported feeling fat, attractiveness, strength/fitness, and salience of weight and shape. Women reported on 29 pregnancy-related physical complaints, and completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. In regressions, controlling for retrospective reports of body image, more frequent and intense physical symptoms were related to viewing the self as less strong/fit, and to poorer sleep quality and more depressive symptoms. In a multi-factorial model extending previous research, paths were found from sleep quality to depressive symptoms to self-esteem; self-esteem was found to be a mediator associated with lower scores on feeling fat and salience of weight and shape, and on higher perceived attractiveness.

Are individual differences in temperament of relevance to Gibson's theory of affordances?

The ambitious scope, complexity, and difficulty of Gibson’s project in proposing the theory of affordances are captured nicely by the words of Gibson’s biographer, Ed Reed:
“Gibson was convinced that the theory of affordances, in
conjunction with the concepts of information, persistence, and
change, would enable him to transcend the ancient debate between
subjectivity and objectivity and to resolve the mind-body problem. …
[H]e was offering a new approach to problems of psychology, one
that he believed would not sink in the morass that have engulfed
previous psychologies.” (Reed, 1988, p. 280).
These characteristics of the theory of affordances are further evidenced in the debates about the nature of affordances presented in the suite of papers in Ecological Psychology, Volume 12(1). In this paper we propose an elaboration of the notion of affordance by suggesting that those persisting individual differences in behaviour described as temperamental differences (e.g., differences on a dimension of temperament anchored at one end by behaviour described as ‘outgoingness’ and at the other by behaviour described as ‘avoidance’) can be integrated into the theory of affordances. We argue that such integration is consistent with Gibson’s project as reflected in Reed’s words, and as part of our argument, draw parallels between the integration of temperament with the theory of affordances and the way in which individual differences in body dimensions are incorporated in the theory. We also outline some empirical tests of our proposition.

Methodological problem with comparing increases in different measures of body weight

Background A number of studies have compared proportional increases over time in waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI). However this method is flawed. Here, we explain why comparisons of WC and BMI must take into account the relationship between them. We used data from two cross-sectional US surveys (NHANES 1988-94 and 2005-06), and calculated the percentage change in the average BMI and the average WC between the two surveys, comparing the results with a regression analysis of changes in WC relative to BMI.

Findings The crude percentage change in BMI (5.8%) was marginally greater than for WC (5.1%). But these percentages cannot be directly compared, as the relationship between the measures is described by a regression equation with an intercept term that does not equal zero. The coefficient of time from the regression equation will determine whether or not WC is on average larger for a given BMI at the second compared with the first time point.

Conclusion Differences in the percentage change in WC and the percentage change in BMI cannot be usefully directly compared. Comparisons of increases in the two measures must account for the relationship between them as described by the regression equation.

Comparisons of the two-body abrasive wear behaviour of four different ferrous microstructures with similar hardness levels

The abrasive wear resistance of four distinct metallurgical steel microstructures - bainite, pearlite, martensite and tempered martensite, with similar hardness levels was investigated. A pin-on-disc tribometer was used to simulate the two-body abrasive condition (i.e. the metallic surface abrading against the silicon carbide abrasive particles) and evaluate the specific wear rate of the microstructures. Each microstructure had a unique response towards the abrasion behaviour and this was largely evident in the friction curve. However, the multi-phase microstructures (i.e. bainite and pearlite) demonstrated better abrasion resistance than the single-phase microstructures (i.e. martensite and tempered martensite). Abrasion induced microstructural changes at the deformed surfaces were studied using sub-surface and topographical techniques. The properties of these layers (i.e. surface profile measurements) determined the amount of material loss for each microstructure. These were directly linked to the single-wear track analysis that highlighted a marked difference in their mode of material removal. Ploughing and wedge formation modes were dominant in the case of bainite and pearlite microstructures, whereas the cutting mode could be attributed to the higher material loss in the single-phase microstructures. The combination of brittle and ductile phases in the multi-phase microstructure matrix could be one of the driving factors for their superior abrasion resistance.

The mythical properties of police body-worn cameras: A solution in the search of a problem

Over the past few years, Australian police agencies have begun to enthusiastically introduce body-worn cameras on police personnel. These devices are now either implemented or under trial across the country. There is also an emergent ‘surveillance consensus’ (Hempel and Töpfer 2009) concerning their use amongst Australian police. While more detailed empirical examination of information flows that shape this surveillance consensus is warranted, this contribution to the debate seeks to draw from policing scholarship to critically explore the intersections between the rationalizations for body-worn cameras and the broader policing scholarship. More directly, body-worn cameras cannot be understood in narrow instrumental terms, but must be located within the broader literature on governing police and the law and order politics that surrounds many contemporary police and criminal justice reforms (Cox 2015; Gregg and Wilson 2015). I begin with a summary of the introduction of body-worn cameras in Australia. The article then identifies five problems body-worn cameras purportedly address and provides a brief case summary indicating how current ‘privacy protections’ fail to establish real limits to the collection, use, and dissemination of images from body-worn cameras.

The impact of physical disability on body esteem

The current study investigated the impact of physical disability on body esteem. A total of 35 people (18 males and 17 females) with physical disabilities between 19 to 60 years (mean = 38 years, SD = 10), participated in focus groups where they discussed their feelings about how their disability affected their body esteem. They also responded to a series of questions that were designed to examine disability-specific issues in body esteem using a four point Likert-type scale. The data demonstrated that the body esteem of the participants was commonly affected by physical disability. It also suggested that feedback from the social environment is a likely mediator of body esteem. Suggestions for future research and implications for clinicians are discussed.

The relationship between lower body strength and obstructed gait in community-dwelling older adults

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between lower body strength of community-dwelling older adults and the time to negotiate obstructed gait tasks.

DESIGN: A correlational study.

SETTING: The Biomechanics Laboratory, Deakin University, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-nine women and 16 men aged 62 to 88 were recruited using advertisements placed in local newspapers. The participants were independent community dwellers, healthy and functionally mobile.

MEASUREMENTS: Maximal isometric strength of the knee extensors and dynamic strength of the hip extensors, hip flexors, hip adductors, hip abductors, knee extensors, knee flexors, and ankle plantar flexors were assessed. The times to negotiate four obstructed gait tasks at three progressively challenging levels on an obstacle course and to complete the course were recorded. The relationship between strength and the crossing times was explored using linear regression models.

RESULTS: Significant associations between the seven strength measures and the times to negotiate each gait task and to walk the entire course at each level were obtained (r = -0.38 to -0.55; P < .05). In addition, the percentage of the variance explained by strength (R2), consistently increased as a function of the progressively challenging level. This increase was particularly marked for the stepping over task (R2 = 19.3%,25.0%, and 27.2%, for levels 1, 2, and 3, respectively) and the raised surface condition (R2 = 17.1%,21.1%, and 30.8%, for levels 1,2, and 3, respectively) .

CONCLUSION: The findings of the study showed that strength is a critical requirement for obstructed locomotion. That the magnitude of the association increased as a function of the challenging levels suggests that intervention programs aimed at improving strength would potentially be effective in helping community-dwelling older adults negotiate environmental gait challenges.

Development and validation of the physical disability sexual and body esteem scale

The Physical Disability Sexual and Body Esteem (PDSBE) scale was developed to assess respondents' capacity to feel positive about their sexuality and their body while living with a physical impairment. The current paper presents four studies that were conducted to develop and assess the psychometric properties of the 10 item PDSBE scale. The first study was an exploratory factor analysis involving 348 participants with physical disabilities. The factors were: Sexual Esteem, Attractiveness to Others, and Body Esteem. The second study was a confirmatory factor analysis, with a total of 338 participants. This analysis confirmed the factor structure established in study 1. The third study revealed good test-retest reliability on a total of 47 participants with physical disabilities. The final study was conducted with 748 participants with physical disabilities and showed that the PDSBE had high reliability and good convergent and divergent validity. Mean scores showed that women scored significantly higher than men on the total PDSBE scale and on the Sexual Esteem and Attractiveness to Others subscales. Future applications for the PDSBE scale are discussed.

Psychometric evaluation of the body change inventory: an assessment instrument for adolescent boys and girls

A new instrument, the Body Change Inventory, was developed to provide an assessment of body change strategies that are used by both adolescent girls and boys. The novel aspect of this instrument is that it evaluates strategies to increase body size and increase muscle size, as well strategies to decrease body size. Independent samples of adolescent girls and boys aged between 11 and 17 years (N=1732) participated in four studies. The revised instrument consisted of three body change scales—Strategies to Decrease Body Size, Strategies to Increase Body Size, and Strategies to Increase Muscle Size. The studies demonstrated content validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and concurrent and discriminant validity for the new scales. The new scales provide a valuable addition in the literature for assessing three global body change strategies among adolescent girls and boys. They are needed in order to examine further the normative development of different kinds of body change strategies and how these may lead to behavioural problems such as disordered eating, exercise dependence, and steroid use.

Social comparisons and negative affect as indicators of problem eating and muscle preoccupation among children

The present study examined the utilization of social comparison practices and the role of negative affect in predicting body dissatisfaction, problem eating, and muscle preoccupation among young children. Participants were 236 children aged between 8 and 10 years. Children's eating, exercising, and muscle concerns were examined using a modified version of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT), which included additional items pertaining to muscle bulk and exercising. Consistent with past findings, body mass index (BMI) was found to be the sole unique indicator of body dissatisfaction for both boys and girls. Utilization of social comparison practices with adults was the main unique indicator of the modified ChEAT factors for boys, while BMI was the main unique indicator of the modified ChEAT factors for girls. In addition, negative affect was associated with binging, food preoccupation, and social pressure to eat for boys and dieting and muscle preoccupation for girls. Findings are discussed in relation to previous studies with adolescents and adults.

Body image and physical disability - personal perspectives

The current study used qualitative methodology to investigate the body image concerns of people with physical disabilities. Three males and four females aged between 22 and 50 years, in Melbourne, Australia, participated in the study. Three participants were heterosexual, two were homosexual and two described their sexual identity as predominantly heterosexual but ‘bicurious’. The data were gathered through individual interviews of approximately 2 h duration, where participants responded to a set of predetermined open-ended questions. The study found that bodily impairment had a negative influence on the participants’ psychological experiences, feelings and attitudes toward their own bodies. The impact of feedback from the social environment was highlighted, and there was evidence suggesting that individuals gradually adjust to their different bodies and increasingly accept their disabilities over time.

Direct current electric potential in an anisotropic half-space with vertical contact containing a conductive 3D body

Detailed studies of anomalous conductors in otherwise homogeneous media have been modelled. Vertical contacts form common geometries in galvanic studies when describing geological formations with different electrical conductivities on either side. However, previous studies of vertical discontinuities have been mainly concerned with isotropic environments. In this paper, we deal with the effect on the electric potentials, such as mise-`a-la-masse anomalies, due to a conductor near a vertical contact between two anisotropic regions. We also demonstrate the interactive effects when the conductive body is placed across the vertical contact. This problem is normally very difficult to solve by the traditional numerical methods. The integral equations for the electric potential in anisotropic half-spaces are established. Green’s function is obtained using the reflection and transmission image method in which five images are needed to fit the boundary conditions on the vertical interface and the air-earth surface. The effects of the anisotropy of the environments and the conductive body on the electric potential are illustrated with the aid of several numerical examples.

Understanding problem solving in requirements engineering : debating creativity with IS practitioners

RE is well-recognised as a creative problem solving activity by the systems development community. However, while substantial research has been conducted and knowledge gained about creativity in the general psychology of problem solving, creativity as it applies to RE remains a relatively unexplored area - one that has neither been comprehensively studied, nor highly recognised, as a research topic of importance. This paper attempts to address the above mentioned gap by presenting findings from a recent focus group study of creativity in RE as perceived by a group of RE practitioners. We provide a conceptual framework for understanding creativity in RE, which may be of use to requirements engineers attempting to enable more creative approaches and results, as well as adding to the existing, limited body of research in this area.

Problem of precision missile guidance: LQR and H‡ control frameworks

Addressed here is the precision missile guidance problem where the successful intercept criterion has been defined in terms of both minimizing the miss distance and controlling the missile body attitude with respect to the target at the terminal point. We show that the H∞ control theory, when suitably modified, provides an effective framework for the precision missile guidance problem. The existence of feedback controllers (guidance laws) is investigated for the case of finite horizon and non-zero initial conditions. Both state feedback and output feedback implementations are explored.