INCOME UNCERTAINTY and THE ONSET OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION

Income uncertainty contributes substantially to explaining the fall in consumption that marks the onset of the Great Depression. Consistent estimates of the variance of income measure income uncertainty from 1921-30 and are produced using a linear moment model. This series provides a statistical link between the large erratic swings in income uncertainty after September 1929 and the Great Crash in the stock market. Comparison of the behavior of income uncertainty in the 1920s to the pre-World War I and post-World War II eras suggests that the experience after the Great Crash was historically unique.     

War-related mental health problems of today's veterans: new clinical awareness

1. Veterans of the military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan may have been exposed to significant psychological stressors, resulting in mental and emotional disorders. 2. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by symptoms in three domains: reexperiencing the trauma, avoiding stimuli associated with the trauma, and symptoms of increased autonomic arousal. 3. Treatment of PTSD often requires both psychological and pharmacological interventions. 4. In addition to PTSD, other mental disorders may be precipitated or worsened by exposure to combat, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, and substance abuse.     

Eating disorders in graduate students: exploring the SCOFF questionnaire as a simple screening tool

The results of several studies have established the validity of the SCOFF questionnaire (a 5-question screening tool for eating disorders), but researchers need to explore further replicability using the US version in the graduate school population. In this study, the authors asked 335 graduate students attending the Northwestern student health clinic on the Chicago campus to complete a written survey anonymously. A total of 305 (91%) patients completed the survey. The sensitivity and specificity for the SCOFF was 53.3% and 93.2%, respectively. This produced a PPV (the proportion who tested positive on the screen and actually had an eating disorder) of 66.7% and an NPV (the proportion of those who tested negative on the screen and actually did not have an eating disorder) of 88.7%. More than 80% of respondents were dissatisfied with their shape and weight, with over one third having a moderate to severe body image disturbance. The SCOFF is an easy instrument to administer that health care providers can use to screen for eating disorders in the primary care setting.     

Proportional quota weighted voting system hierarchies

We investigate achievable and unachievable hierarchies in weighted voting systems where the quota is a proportion of the total weight. This extends work of Bean et al. (Theory Dec 65:285–302, 2007) where simple majority achievable hierarchies were characterized. In particular we resolve the question of which hierarchies are possible with common quota rules other than simple majority, such as 2/3-majority or 3/4-majority, and offer a conjecture about proportional quota achievable hierarchies in general.     

Stuck in a Loop: Individual and System Barriers for Job Seekers With Disabilities

Research conducted within Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) and Workforce Investment Act of 1998 systems indicates pervasive issues hindering program effectiveness for job seekers with disabilities. This population frequently experiences employment barriers beyond those of able‐bodied job seekers, including significantly lower self‐esteem. Service providers need and want information about disability but do not know how to obtain it. Program staff and job seekers with disabilities get stuck in a loop wherein each questions their ability and neither feels empowered to make meaningful changes to improve outcomes. Career counselors may need to expand their role to be more culturally relevant for these clients.