Do the DSM-5 diagnostic revisions affect the psychometric properties of the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen?

Several significant changes in the diagnostic criteria for gambling disorder occurred with the newest revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The changes aim to simplify and streamline the diagnosis without compromising its validity. Yet many of the tools used to screen and diagnose the disorder are based upon the prior fourth edition of the DSM, and it is unclear how they perform with the revised diagnostic criteria. The aim of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of a common pathological gambling screen, the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS; Gebauer, LaBrie, & Shaffer, 2010), in the context of DSM-5 criteria within a help-seeking sample. Gamblers calling a helpline (N = 2750) completed a semi-structured interview assessing DSM-IV past-year pathological gambling criteria with a trained clinician. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and differences by sex were examined. The BBGS had high sensitivity as well as positive and negative predictive values. In light of the revisions made to the diagnostic criteria in DSM-5, the BBGS remains a psychometrically supported instrument for gambling disorder.     

Depressive Symptoms among Former Spousal Caregivers: Comparing Stressors,Resources, and Circumstances of Caregiving Cessation among Older Husbands and Wives

Little research focuses on the mental health of caregivers (CGs) who stop providing care to their community-dwelling spouse. We examine depressive symptoms of former primary CG spouses who stopped caregiving over a two-year follow-up period when the care recipient (CR): (1) no longer has functional problems; (2) continues having functional problems; or (3) dies. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (2000–2014), we located 2,370 couples who were both 50+ at baseline and where one partner provided help with ADL and/or IADL limitations but did not do so two years later. OLS regressions stratified by gender indicated that both male and female former spousal CGs whose CR died had significantly more depressive symptoms than those who ceased caregiving when their spouse did or did not still have functional problems. Former wife CGs who were older and whose husbands had more baseline ADLs had fewer follow-up depressive symptoms; wife CGs whose husbands had a nursing home stay had more depressive symptoms. Former husband CGs who had provided longer monthly hours of care had fewer follow-up symptoms. Findings underscore the importance of targeting mental and physical health services to both former caregiving husbands and wives, especially after spousal death.     

Ambiguity of gender identity fantasies and aspects of normality and pathology in hypopituitary dwarfism and Turner's syndrome: Three cases

Three cases of short stature females are presented, two with, gonadal dysgenesis and one with hypopituitarism, all about the same age, social class, and intelligence. One of the subjects with gonadal dysgenesis was normally functional; the other depressed, but she became functional after psychotherapy. The patient with hypopituitarism was poorly adapted and failed to change on brief effort at psychotherapy, discontinuing treatment. Evidence is drawn from transference and observational material that disturbances in the mother‐child relationship may lead to persistence of unreasonable wishes to grow physically. This leads to a split in the ego which prevents adaptation to small stature because it is not acceptable to the patient. In the case which was successfully treated, it is shown that the acceptance of the defective self led to restoration of ego functions adaptive to small stature.     

The Couples Life Story Approach: A Dyadic Intervention for Dementia

This article describes an approach for working with individuals who have dementia, along with their spouses or partners. The 5-week intervention focuses on helping couples communicate, reminisce about the story of their relationship, find photographs and mementoes from their past, and develop a book that incorporates these mementoes. This clinical approach highlights the strengths and the resilience of couples and adds to the limited repertoire of dyadic interventions for dementia care which are currently available. Preliminary findings from 24 couples are presented, including the intervention's feasibility and acceptability.     

The Earned Income Tax Credit and Rural Families: Differences Between Non-participants and Participants

Differences between rural low-income mothers who were non-participants and participants in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) were examined. About one-third (35%) of the 224 eligible mothers in a multi-state USDA study, Rural Families Speak, did not claim the tax credit. The EITC non-participants were more likely to be Hispanic, be less educated, have larger families, perceive their income as being inadequate, live in more rural counties, and possess little understanding of the EITC. Participating mothers were more likely to be single, food secure, and satisfied with life. Analysis of qualitative data revealed that the mothers had many misconceptions about the EITC. These findings assist in formulating policies and outreach efforts that may increase rural low-income families’ EITC participation.     

Effects of targets and aggregation on the propagation of error in mortality forecasts

"Official forecasts of mortality depend on assumptions about target values for the future rates of decline in mortality rates. Smooth functions connect the jump-off (base-year) mortality to the level implied by the targets. Three alternative sets of targets are assumed, leading to high, middle, and low forecasts. We show that this process can be closely modeled using simple linear statistical models. These explicit models allow us to analyze the error structure of the forecasts. We show that the current assumption of perfect correlation between errors in different ages, at different forecast years, and for different causes of death, is erroneous. An alternative correlation structure is suggested, and we show how its parameters can be estimated from the past data. The effect of the level of aggregation on the accuracy of mortality forecasts is considered." The geographical focus is on the United States. (SUMMARY IN FRE)     

Consideration of future consequences and unprotected anal intercourse among men who have sex with men

This study of men who have sex with men (MSM) examined whether tendencies to consider the future consequences of one's actions were associated with sexual behaviors that place oneself at risk for HIV infection. A total of 339 HIV-negative MSM responded to the Consideration of Future Consequences Scale (CFC; Strathman et al., 1994) and to questions about their anal intercourse practices in the past year. In bivariate analyses, men with a stronger future orientation were less likely to engage in anal intercourse unprotected by a condom (p < .05). Multivariate analyses revealed that CFC accounted for significant variance in three of four measures of unprotected anal sex after statistically controlling for demographic covariates (education, income, ethnicity, age). CFC was a better predictor of sexual behavior and accounted for more unique variance than any of the demographic factors. Additional research is needed to confirm that CFC is an antecedent of behavior and to examine the feasibility and efficacy of focusing on CFC in HIV prevention interventions.     

Age,Trend, and Cohort Effects in a Macro Model of Canadian Expenditure Patterns

A quadratic almost ideal demand system allowing for age, cohort, and trend effects is developed at the macro level. The model is estimated by maximum likelihood, using a three-tier iterative/search method applied to pooled 1961–1992 time series for five regions of Canada and six categories of expenditure. Hypothesis tests indicate support for the model specification. Elasticities are compared with those reported in other studies, with special attention to food. Effects of demographic and trend variables on elasticities and expenditure shares are investigated. An overall conclusion is that such effects can be very important in a macro demand system.     

Using Theraplay in shelter settings with mothers & children who have experienced violence in the home

This article describes a group program for women and children exposed to violence in the home. The program is primarily based on Theraplay, an attachment-based intervention approach for working with both adults and children who have a variety of emotional and behavioral difficulties. The theoretical and research bases, as well as the guiding principles of Theraplay, will be outlined and discussed, and the rationale for its application to a shelter setting will be highlighted. Finally, the benefits of and challenges to implementing such a program and the implications for practice and further evaluation will be explored.