The Development of an Internet-Based Treatment for Problem Gamblers and Concerned Significant Others: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Problem gambling creates significant harm for the gambler and for concerned significant others (CSOs). While several studies have investigated the effects of individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for problem gambling, less is known about the effects of involving CSOs in treatment. Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) has shown promising results when working with substance use disorders by involving both the user and a CSO. This pilot study investigated BCT for problem gambling, as well as the feasibility of performing a larger scale randomized controlled trial. 36 participants, 18 gamblers and 18 CSOs, were randomized to either BCT or individual CBT for the gambler. Both interventions were Internet-delivered self-help interventions with therapist support. Both groups of gamblers improved on all outcome measures, but there were no differences between the groups. The CSOs in the BCT group lowered their scores on anxiety and depression more than the CSOs of those randomized to the individual CBT group did. The implications of the results and the feasibility of the trial are discussed.     

Prediction in multilevel generalized linear models

Summary.  We discuss prediction of random effects and of expected responses in multilevel generalized linear models. Prediction of random effects is useful for instance in small area estimation and disease mapping, effectiveness studies and model diagnostics. Prediction of expected responses is useful for planning, model interpretation and diagnostics. For prediction of random effects, we concentrate on empirical Bayes prediction and discuss three different kinds of standard errors; the posterior standard deviation and the marginal prediction error standard deviation (comparative standard errors) and the marginal sampling standard deviation (diagnostic standard error). Analytical expressions are available only for linear models and are provided in an appendix . For other multilevel generalized linear models we present approximations and suggest using parametric bootstrapping to obtain standard errors. We also discuss prediction of expectations of responses or probabilities for a new unit in a hypothetical cluster, or in a new (randomly sampled) cluster or in an existing cluster. The methods are implemented in gllamm and illustrated by applying them to survey data on reading proficiency of children nested in schools. Simulations are used to assess the performance of various predictions and associated standard errors for logistic random-intercept models under a range of conditions.     

Resource Immobility and Sustained Performance: A Systematic Assessment of How Immobility Has Been Considered in Empirical Resource‐based Studies

The core notion of the resource‐based view (RBV) is that the possession of certain resources can result in superior performance and, in order for this performance to be sustained, these resources cannot be perfectly mobile. Whereas previous reviews have mainly focused on the relationship between resources and temporary performance, no studies have systematically analyzed the extent to which empirical RBV studies have specifically considered immobility of resources. By analyzing a sample of 218 empirical RBV studies, the authors found that 17% of the studies directly measured some dimension of immobility (by, for example, actually measuring the level of social complexity, unique history, tacitness or tradability). Fewer than 2% of the studies measured the outcome of resource immobility, i.e. sustained performance differences. Based on these results, this paper discusses the consequences of overlooking this key dimension of the RBV (i.e. immobility) and suggests that, and discusses how, future research should consider resource immobility to a greater extent.     

The Sexual Possible Selves and Strategies of First-Semester College Students: What Do They Hope for and Fear and How Do They Plan to Get There?

The purpose of this study was to expand research on emerging adult sexuality by examining first-semester college students’ (N = 282) possible selves and strategies related to sex, and by considering whether these varied by demographic characteristics. Students were first asked to describe what they expected and feared regarding sex and sexuality in the coming year and were then asked to articulate strategies for achieving goals and avoiding fears. Content analysis of participants’ responses to open-ended questions revealed that expected possible selves commonly discussed included abstinence, interpersonal relationships, physical/sexual health, and exploration. Fears commonly discussed included reputation, risk-taking behaviors, and rape/assault. Categorical comparisons indicated abstinence and interpersonal relationships were the most prominent foci of expected sexual possible selves (SPS) and strategies, and physical/sexual health was the most prominent focus of feared SPS and strategies. Chi-square analyses indicated significant variations in SPS, feared selves, and strategies based on sex, intercourse experience, and relationship type. Binomial logistic regression analyses indicated religiosity differences in the SPS and strategies of abstinence, explore/experiment, physical/sexual health, interpersonal relationship, and risk-taking behaviors. Implications for research and sexual health education for college-based populations are discussed.     

Supply chain management resources,capabilities and execution

This paper identifies inter- and intra-organisational management resources that determine the level of execution of inter-firm alliance supply chain management (SCM). By drawing on network and resource-based view theories, a conceptual model proposes the effects of SCM resources and capabilities as influencing factors on SCM execution. The model was tested using survey data from studies conducted in two European supply chain environments. Variance-based structural equation modelling confirmed the hypothesised hierarchical order of three proposed antecedents: internal SCM resources affect joint SCM resources, which in turn influence collaborative SCM-related processes and finally SCM execution. An importance-performance analysis for both settings shows that providing and investing in internal SCM resources should be a priority when aiming to increase SCM execution. The theoretical contribution of this paper lies in confirming that the improvement of SCM execution follows a clear pathway featuring internal supply chain resources as one of the main drivers. The practical implications of this research include the development of a prioritisation list of measures that elevate SCM execution in the two country settings.     

Ethnicity, Marginalisation and Mental Illness in Hawaii

This study examines the characteristics, treatment and care of severely and persistently mentally ill patients at Hawaii's largest public sector psychiatric facility, Hawaii State Hospital. The implications of this information are then discussed, in terms of treatment and care. Consistent with previous studies, the 88 patients included in this study were most often male, less than 40 years of age, with a high school education or less, and hospitalized under a penal code. More remarkable variations were revealed, however, when patients were grouped according to ethnicity and racial origin. For example, patients from marginalised groups had a significantly higher likelihood of violence than patients from more politically, economically and socially powerful groups in Hawaii. The findings of this research challenge health care providers in general, and nurses in particular, to combine social advocacy with clinical expertise to ensure that patients receive effective and complete treatment and care.     

Multilevel modelling of complex survey data

Summary.  Multilevel modelling is sometimes used for data from complex surveys involving multistage sampling, unequal sampling probabilities and stratification. We consider generalized linear mixed models and particularly the case of dichotomous responses. A pseudolikelihood approach for accommodating inverse probability weights in multilevel models with an arbitrary number of levels is implemented by using adaptive quadrature. A sandwich estimator is used to obtain standard errors that account for stratification and clustering. When level 1 weights are used that vary between elementary units in clusters, the scaling of the weights becomes important. We point out that not only variance components but also regression coefficients can be severely biased when the response is dichotomous. The pseudolikelihood methodology is applied to complex survey data on reading proficiency from the American sample of the 'Program for international student assessment' 2000 study, using the Stata program gllamm which can estimate a wide range of multilevel and latent variable models. Performance of pseudo-maximum-likelihood with different methods for handling level 1 weights is investigated in a Monte Carlo experiment. Pseudo-maximum-likelihood estimators of (conditional) regression coefficients perform well for large cluster sizes but are biased for small cluster sizes. In contrast, estimators of marginal effects perform well in both situations. We conclude that caution must be exercised in pseudo-maximum-likelihood estimation for small cluster sizes when level 1 weights are used.     

Students with disabilities participating in mainstream schools: policies that promote and limit teacher and therapist cooperation

This paper examines participatory arrangements for students with physical disabilities in mainstream education, cooperation between teachers and therapists to ensure that these arrangements are efficient and the organizational prerequisites for such cooperation. The study comprises data obtained from 14 'groups', with each group consisting of a student with physical disabilities aged 9-19 years, their main teacher and the relevant therapists from the local habilitation centre. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field observations and a review of relevant documents, including legislation. The results reveal a lack of cooperation between teacher and therapist which results in students with disabilities receiving suboptimal participatory arrangements in school. Differences in the perspectives of the teachers and therapists and in the way they act and perceive their responsibilities were anchored in institutional and societal documents and the distribution of resources. The implications for students with disabilities are discussed.     

Stiff surprise on stiffness: an incident in product development in an alliance setting

An incident that occurred in a product development project is analyzed to see how participants cope differently with surprising situations. Variety in coping generates cognitive dissonance in the project team, which means that the situation not only is complex for the individual team member but that it is difficult to trace, here and now, causal chains on a collective level. The situation is aggravated if the problem occurs in an alliance setting, as more consultation is required to trace deviations from the expected and reach agreements on solutions. Furthermore, if the alliance is between companies in the car industry, with its articulated brand values, coping with surprises can be extremely stressful, with time schedules and budgets under pressure. This analysis was made possible by the authors being permitted to video-film project management meetings and project members responding, individually, to the playback of a video sequence from a meeting they attended with the attached question “What is going on here?”     

Which fathers use their rights? Swedish fathers who take parental leave

This research project focuses on fathers who have taken a relatively large share of the total parental leave period available to families in Sweden. Based on a questionnaire to fathers who took at least 120 days of leave in Gothenburg between 1992 and 1999, identified through official records, the study found that most of these fathers were the main caregivers of their children during their leave period. Some fathers, though, reported that they had not been the main caregivers during the leave period. Immigrant fathers were well represented in the sample. Comparison with Swedish-born fathers revealed high levels of unemployment among the partners of the immigrant fathers: most of the partners of Swedish-born fathers were earning in 1999. Swedish-born fathers were also more likely to report doing more of other domestic tasks, in addition to childcare, while on leave. This may be related to more mothers with Swedish-born partners working during the time when fathers were taking leave. The majority of fathers in both groups reported the relationship with their child as the main reason for taking leave. Éste proyecto de investigación se trata de hombres que han tomado relativamente una gran parte del periodo total de permiso laboral (baja por maternidad/paternidad) a disposición de familias en Suecia. Se administro un cuestionario a padres que tomaron más de 120 días de baja en Goteborg entre 1992 y 1999, según archivos oficiales. Resultados indican que gran parte de estos padres daban la mayoría del cuidado a los niños durante su periodo de permiso. Sin embargo, unos 15 por ciento dijeron que habían tomado o insuficiente o ningún permiso, o que no eran el cuidador principal. Padres inmigrantes estaban bien representados en la muestra. Había altos niveles de desempleo entre las parejas de los padres inmigrantes: en cambio, todas las parejas de los padres nacidos en Suecia ganaban en 1999. Padres nativos suecos informaron con más frecuencia que hacían maés de las tareas domesticas, además de cuidar a los niños durante el periodo de permiso. Es posible que éste resultado se vincula con el hecho de que más madres con parejas nacidos en Suecia trabajaban fuera de casa mientras los padres tomaban permiso laboral. La mayoría de los padres de ambos grupos dijeron que la relación con su hijo fue el motivo más importante por tomar permiso laboral.