The effects of benefit finding on athletes’ quality of adjustment to career termination

Retirement from elite sports requires athletes to cope with adjustments on an occupational, financial, physical, social or emotional level. Research on critical life events (e.g., Filipp & Aymanns, 2010) suggests that benefit finding, defined as “the process of deriving positive growth from adversity” (Cassidy et al., 2014), may have a positive impact on this transition. The present study examined the effects of benefit finding on the quality of adjustment to career termination in the short, middle and long term. Former Swiss elite athletes (N = 290) completed a written survey collecting information on a) their emotional reaction to career termination, b) the amount of adjustment in various respects, c) situational characteristics of their career termination, d) the duration and quality of the transition, and e) their subjective well-being. Using Latent Variable Modelling, finding benefit in career termination was found to have both a direct and an indirect effect on long-term well-being (γ=.18). It predicts favorable emotional reactions to career termination (γ = .53) and less adjustment (γ = -.38) which in turn shortens the transition duration (β = -.15 and β = .55, respectively) and quality (β = -.15), and finally augments well-being (β = .41). The data suggest that a focus on benefit finding in both crisis-prevention and crisis-coping interventions may prove useful to prevent crisis transitions.

How the Euro divides the union: the effect of economic adjustment on support for democracy in Europe

As often pointed out in the literature on the European debt crisis, the policy programme of austerity and internal devaluation imposed on countries in the Eurozone's periphery exhibits a lack of democratic legitimacy. This article analyses the consequences these developments have for democratic support at both the European and national levels. We show that through the policies of economic adjustment, a majority of citizens in crisis countries has become ‘detached’ from their democratic political system. By cutting loose the Eurozone's periphery from the rest of Europe in terms of democratic legitimacy, the Euro has divided the union, instead of uniting it as foreseen by its architects. Our results are based on aggregated Eurobarometer surveys conducted in 28 European Union (EU) member states between 2002 and 2014. We employ quantitative time-series cross-sectional regression analyses. Moreover, we estimate the causal effect of economic adjustment in a comparative case study of four cases using the synthetic control method.

Adjustment Disorders Are Uniquely Suited for eHealth Interventions: Concept and Case Study

Background: Adjustment disorders (also known as mental distress in response to a stressor) are among the most frequently diagnosed mental disorders in psychiatry and clinical psychology worldwide. They are also commonly diagnosed in clients engaging in deliberate self-harm and in those consulting general practitioners. However, their reputation in research-oriented mental health remains weak since they are largely underresearched. This may change when the International Statistical Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11) by the World Health Organization is introduced, including a new conceptualization of adjustment disorders as a stress-response disorder with positively defined core symptoms. Objective: This paper provides an overview of evidence-based interventions for adjustment disorders. Methods: We reviewed the new ICD-11 concept of adjustment disorder and discuss the the rationale and case study of an unguided self-help protocol for burglary victims with adjustment disorder, and its possible implementation as an eHealth intervention. Results: Overall, the treatment with the self-help manual reduced symptoms of adjustment disorder, namely preoccupation and failure to adapt, as well as symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusions: E-mental health options are considered uniquely suited for offering early intervention after the experiences of stressful life events that potentially trigger adjustment disorders.

Perception of co-speech gestures in aphasic patients: A visual exploration study during the observation of dyadic conversations

Background: Co-speech gestures are part of nonverbal communication during conversations. They either support the verbal message or provide the interlocutor with additional information. Furthermore, they prompt as nonverbal cues the cooperative process of turn taking. In the present study, we investigated the influence of co-speech gestures on the perception of dyadic dialogue in aphasic patients. In particular, we analysed the impact of co-speech gestures on gaze direction (towards speaker or listener) and fixation of body parts. We hypothesized that aphasic patients, who are restricted in verbal comprehension, adapt their visual exploration strategies. Methods: Sixteen aphasic patients and 23 healthy control subjects participated in the study. Visual exploration behaviour was measured by means of a contact-free infrared eye-tracker while subjects were watching videos depicting spontaneous dialogues between two individuals. Cumulative fixation duration and mean fixation duration were calculated for the factors co-speech gesture (present and absent), gaze direction (to the speaker or to the listener), and region of interest (ROI), including hands, face, and body. Results: Both aphasic patients and healthy controls mainly fixated the speaker’s face. We found a significant co-speech gesture x ROI interaction, indicating that the presence of a co-speech gesture encouraged subjects to look at the speaker. Further, there was a significant gaze direction x ROI x group interaction revealing that aphasic patients showed reduced cumulative fixation duration on the speaker’s face compared to healthy controls. Conclusion: Co-speech gestures guide the observer’s attention towards the speaker, the source of semantic input. It is discussed whether an underlying semantic processing deficit or a deficit to integrate audio-visual information may cause aphasic patients to explore less the speaker’s face. Keywords: Gestures, visual exploration, dialogue, aphasia, apraxia, eye movements

Peer Acceptance and Friendship as Predictors of Early Adolescents' Adjustment Across the Middle School Transition

This study examines several aspects of adolescents' pretransition peer relationships as predictors of their adjustment to middle school. Participants were 365 students (175 boys; 99% Caucasian) involved in the Time 1 (the spring of fifth grade) and Time 2 (the fall of sixth grade) assessments. Adolescents completed measures that assessed peer acceptance, number of friends, the quality of a specific mutual friendship, loneliness, depression, self-esteem, and involvement in school. Academic achievement and absentee data were obtained from student files. Regression analyses indicated that the pretransition peer variables predicted posttransition loneliness, self-esteem, school involvement, and academic achievement. The patterns of prediction varied slightly for each adjustment variable, with the most robust relationship being between peer acceptance and achievement. Results of repeated-measures MANOVAs indicated no differential changes in adjustment across time by gender. Implications for including a peer component in programs that prepare students for the middle school transition are discussed.

Consumption asymmetry and the stock market: New evidence through a threshold adjustment model

This paper investigates whether stock market wealth affects real consumption asymmetrically through a threshold adjustment model. The empirical findings for the US show that wealth produces an asymmetric effect on real consumption, with negative 'news' affecting consumption less than positive 'news.' Thus, policy makers may want to focus more attention on preventing asset 'bubbles' than on responding to negative asset shocks.

Table to accompany Religion and Spirituality in Adjustment Following Bereavement: An Integrative Review

This table accompanies the article entitled "Religion and Spirituality in Adjustment Following Bereavement: An Integrative Review," (Wortmann & Park, 2008). The table summarizes the results of published studies that contain a quantitative assessment of religion and an adjustment outcome in bereaved participants. Fields include author(s)'s last name, publication year, sample characteristics, independent religious/spiritual variable, adjustment variable, results, and study design.

RELATIONS AMONG REMEMBERED PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE AND BEHAVIORAL CONTROL IN CHILDHOOD, ADULTS' CURRENT PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT, AND CAREER INDECISIVENESS

This study tested the hypothesis that career indecisiveness among men tends to be associated with different levels of self-reported psychological adjustment and with different remembrances of parental (maternal and paternal) acceptance and behavioral control in childhood from those of women. One hundred twenty-six respondents ages 17 through 54 (M = 23.7 years, SD = 8.21 years) participated in this study. Thirty-seven where males; 90 were females. Measures used in this study included the Career Decision Scale, the Adult version of the Parental Acceptance-Rejection/Control Questionnaire for mothers and for fathers, and the Adult version of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire. Both men and women remembered their mothers as well as their fathers as being loving in childhood. Additionally, men and women remembered both parents as being moderately behaviorally controlling in childhood. Finally, both men and women reported a fair level of psychological maladjustment. And on average, both men and women were fairly indecisive about their careers. Results of analyses supported the hypothesis in that career indecisiveness among women but not men was significantly correlated with remembered maternal and paternal acceptance in childhood, as well as with self-reported psychological adjustment and age. However, only women’s self-reported psychological adjustment made a significant and unique contribution to variations in their reports of career indecisiveness. None of the predictor variables were significantly associated with career indecisiveness among men.

THE DISCHARGED PSYCHIATRIC PATIENT: POST-HOSPITAL ADJUSTMENT AND FACTORS AFFECTING REHOSPITALIZATION

Discharged psychiatric patients were studied six months post-discharge to determine those demographic, social and clinical characteristics affecting positive or negative adjustment and the degree to which the use of mental health services and medication compliance mediated the effects. With the exception of those with primary or secondary diagnoses of OBS, substance abuse or mental retardation, sixty-three psychiatric subjects between the ages of eighteen and sixty-four were chosen from all admissions into the hospital and interviewed six months after discharge using a specially designed questionnaire.^ The subjects' adjustment to community living was found to be marginal. Although not engaged in destructive activities, over half were living with their family members who supported them financially and emotionally. Most were unemployed and had been so for a long time. Others worked sporadically and frequently changed residences. Most did have substantial social ties with extended family and with friends with whom they interacted regularly, but one-fourth were socially isolated. Almost three-quarters continued to obtain regular mental health services after discharge and followed medication instructions under the supervision of their physician. The use of mental health services after discharge and the use of medication did not appear to affect the subjects' community adaption or their rate of rehospitalization.^ Forty percent of those discharged were rehospitalized by the end of the follow-up period. Four levels of risk of rehospitalization emerged. The highest risk was associated with a history of five or more prior hospitalizations, living alone, and social isolation. One third or more of the subjects expressed a need for more counseling, leisure time activities, case-manager assistance, vocational guidance, supervised housing, and placement into a transitional residential treatment program.^ Recommendations were made to enhance the ability to predict recidivism, to develop interorganizational casework management programs linking the patient and family to the community mental health system and to create computerized tracking and monitoring programs that systematically report patient treatment regimen and progress cross-sectionally and longitudinally. ^

Longitudinal dyadic data analysis of stroke survivors and their spousal caregivers

Approximately 795,000 new and recurrent strokes occur each year. Because of the resulting functional impairment, stroke survivors are often discharged into the care of a family caregiver, most often their spouse. This dissertation explored the effect that mutuality, a measure of the perceived positive aspects of the caregiving relationship, had on the stress and depression of 159 stroke survivors and their spousal caregivers over the first 12 months post discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Specifically, cross-lagged regression was utilized to investigate the dyadic, longitudinal relationship between caregiver and stroke survivor mutuality and caregiver and stroke survivor stress over time. Longitudinal meditational analysis was employed to examine the mediating effect of mutuality on the dyads’ perception of family function and caregiver and stroke survivor depression over time.^ Caregivers’ mutuality was found to be associated with their own stress over time but not the stress of the stroke survivor. Caregivers who had higher mutuality scores over the 12 months of the study had lower perceived stress. Additionally, a partner effect of stress for the stroke survivor but not the caregiver was found, indicating that stroke survivors’ stress over time was associated with caregivers’ stress but caregivers’ stress over time was not significantly associated with the stress of the stroke survivor.^ This dissertation did not find mutuality to mediate the relationship between caregivers’ and stroke survivors’ perception of family function at baseline and their own or their partners’ depression at 12 months as hypothesized. However, caregivers who perceived healthier family functioning at baseline and stroke survivors who had higher perceived mutuality at 12 months had lower depression at one year post discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Additionally, caregiver mutuality at 6 months, but not at baseline or 12 months, was found to be inversely related to caregiver depression at 12 months.^ These findings highlight the interpersonal nature of stress in the context of caregiving, especially among spousal relationships. Thus, health professionals should encourage caregivers and stroke survivors to focus on the positive aspects of the caregiving relationship in order to mitigate stress and depression. ^

Adjustment methods of national input-output tables for harmonized and consistent multi-regional input-output databases

Despite the fact that input–output (IO) tables form a central part of the System of National Accounts, each individual country's national IO table exhibits more or less different features and characteristics, reflecting the country's socioeconomic idiosyncrasies. Consequently, the compilers of a multi-regional input–output table (MRIOT) are advised to thoroughly examine the conceptual as well as methodological differences among countries in the estimation of basic statistics for national IO tables and, if necessary, to carry out pre-adjustment of these tables into a common format prior to the MRIOT compilation. The objective of this study is to provide a practical guide for harmonizing national IO tables to construct a consistent MRIOT, referring to the adjustment practices used by the Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO (IDE-JETRO) in compiling the Asian International Input–Output Table.

Laser Shock Micro-Forming as an Emerging Technique for Microsystems Shaping and Adjustment

Continuous and long-pulse lasers have been extensively used for the forming of metal sheets for macroscopic mechanical applications. However, for the manufacturing of Micro-Mechanical Systems (MMS), the applicability of such type of lasers is limited by the long relaxation time of the thermal fields responsible for the forming phenomena. As a consequence, the final sheet deformation state is attained only after a certain time, what makes the generated internal residual stress fields more dependent on ambient conditions and might difficult the subsequent assembly process. The use of short pulse (ns) lasers provides a suitable parameter matching for the laser forming of an important range of sheet components used in MEMS. The short interaction time scale required for the predominantly mechanic (shock) induction of deformation residual stresses allows the successful processing of components in a medium range of miniaturization (particularly important according to its frequent use in such systems). In the present paper, Laser Shock Micro-Forming (LSμF) is presented as an emerging technique for Microsystems parts shaping and adjustment along with a discussion on its physical foundations and practical implementation possibilities developed by the authors.