Body Image Development and Sexual Satisfaction: A Prospective Study From Adolescence to Adulthood

The aim of the current study was to explore whether developmental trajectories of body satisfaction from adolescence to young adulthood predicted measures of sexual satisfaction in young adulthood, even when controlling for important covariates such as gender, weight development, relationship status, mental health, and frequency of sexual intercourse and masturbation. Data were collected from a population-based prospective cohort of Norwegian adolescents (n = 2,587) over a period of 13 years in four waves (1992, 1994, 1999, and 2005; mean age = 14.9 in 1992, 57.3% women). Latent growth curves were estimated for body satisfaction and body mass index (BMI). Men reported higher sexual satisfaction, sexual activity, baseline body satisfaction, and BMI than women. The developmental trajectories revealed a slight increase in body satisfaction and BMI from adolescence to young adulthood in both genders. Moreover, structural equation models showed that baseline body satisfaction in both genders predicted sexual satisfaction as a young adult, independent of relationship status and frequency of sexual activity. Neither the development of BMI nor of body satisfaction predicted sexual satisfaction. The results elucidate the vital role of body satisfaction in sexual satisfaction in adults and the importance of addressing body dissatisfaction in childhood.     

How the psychosocial work environment of motor vehicle mechanics may influence coping with musculoskeletal symptoms

A number of studies have shown that musculoskeletal symptoms are related to the physical and psychosocial work environments. Workers with musculoskeletal symptoms are often advised to cope by such measures as changing working technique, using lifting equipment and discussing health and environmental problems with supervisors and colleagues. Intervention studies at the individual level, however, have shown that such advice has limited effects in reducing the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. The hypothesis for this study was that negative social and organizational factors may prevent workers from implementing such coping strategies. All 103 motor vehicle mechanics surveyed in 12 different garages responded to a questionnaire on coping with musculoskeletal symptoms and the psychosocial work environment. Positive and significant relationships were shown between how mechanics coped with their musculoskeletal symptoms and such psychosocial factors as work demands, social support, control, manager's involvement in health and safety work, and whether the garages had regular meetings between management and workers. Achieving positive results from preventive work through back schools and other ergonomic interventions seems to require that an organization with positive attitudes towards health and safety work be created before such interventions are implemented.     

Confiding About Problems in Marriage and Long‐Term Committed Relationships: A National Study

This study examined confiding patterns in a national sample of 1000 U.S. adults aged 25–70 to inform the development of an educational program for confidants, called Marital First Responders. Results showed that 73% of U.S. adults have been a confidant to someone with a problem in a marriage or long‐term committed relationship. The most common confiding relationship was between friends, followed by siblings. Confidants reported a wide range of problems brought to them, ranging from everyday complaints to serious issues such as infidelity and divorce. Confiders identified the most and least helpful responses. Findings suggest that naturally occurring confiding relationships have considerable potential to be the first level of help for troubled couple relationships.     

Livability of Urban Public Spaces in Northern Swedish Cities: The Case of Umeå

This study explores how winter conditions are taken into accountin urban planning in the city of Umeå in northern Sweden. Snowand harsh winter conditions are to some extent considered in urban planning in most northern towns in Sweden. Besides that, snow and ice could also be elements in the city attracting people and contribute to the design of public spaces. Current plans and interviews with planners were complemented with participatory observations. The results show that public spaces designed for both winter and summer seasons are preferred.     

Values Reflected in the Human Development Index

The Human Development Index (HDI) implicitly defines ``human development' and ranks countries accordingly. To elucidate the HDI's meaning of ``human development,' the paper examines the sensitivity of the HDI to changes in its components, namely social indicators of education, longevity and standard of living. The HDI is next compared with two alternatives, the Life Quality Index (LQI) and a Time Allocation Index (TAI) developed in this paper from the HDI's components. Also considered is the likely uncertainly in the HDI and what it means for HDI rankings.It is concluded that the HDI's weighting of the gross domestic product is in good agreement with peoples' preferences as revealed in the LQI and the TAI; further, that the HDI places many times greater weight on education than is indicated by peoples' allocation of time in developed countries. Literacy is accorded very high weight in the HDI, but its measure is unreliable. The HDI ranking of highly developed nations is so close and so uncertain that it is meaningless.     

Doing a good job badly Mind-sets in family therapy

This paper reports on a case in which family therapy was one of the approaches attempting to resolve an eating disorder in the second-born of twins, the youngest in an intact family of four children. The case is described in its referral, agency and chronological contexts. The initial referral suggested that there was no physical cause for the presenting problem, and advocated an investigation of family dynamics. Some evidence which seemed to support the dysfunctional family formulation was provided, and various hypotheses regarding family disturbance were pursued in therapy. These hypotheses were, on the surface, supported by systemic observations. When a rare pancreatic tumour which was underlying the eating disorder was diagnosed many months after the brief and unsuccessful interventions, ‘confirmation bias’, resistance and neutrality became important issues for the therapists to consider. The role of these processes in this case is discussed.     

Will it never end? The narratives of incest victims on the termination of sexual abuse

The aim of this study is to investigate how child sexual abuse is terminated. This study attempts to gain insight into how people exposed to incest narrate the termination of the incest relationship. Seven women and one man were recruited from the Incest Support Centre and from snowballing for a 1-2-hour-long in-depth interview using a narrative approach. The subjects' narratives varied according to how they perceived their own role in the termination process, their relationship with the offender, and how well they remembered the stage of termination. A common feature of the narratives was that the feeling of being a victim lasted after the abuse stopped. In this respect, the lack of support from family, friends, and healthcare personnel and the psychological power exercised by the offender were important issues in the narratives. It is suggested that the termination process is affected by the victims' ability to regulate influence and mentalization. Furthermore, a transfer of cultural meanings from the social environment to the individual must have taken place. Future research should focus on the significance of the termination process in terms of psychological functioning and the construction of self and identity.     

Attitudes and Stereotypes Regarding Older Women and HIV Risk

Persons aged 50 years and over will soon disproportionately represent the future of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is estimated that by 2015 older adults will represent 50% of persons living with HIV in the United States. Despite the HIV/AIDS growing population among older adults, attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes toward older adults that exist in general society have affected HIV prevention, education, and care. Specifically, ageist attitudes about the sexuality of older adults in general and older women in particular, low clinical HIV suspicion among healthcare providers, lack of knowledge about risk among older women, and differentials in power related to negotiating sexual practices all lead to heightened concerns for the prevention, identification, and treatment of HIV disease in mature women. This article examines common attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes that exist within general society as well as health and social service providers that place older women at a disadvantage when it comes to HIV prevention, education, and treatment.     

Evaluating research misconduct policies at major research universities: A pilot study

This pilot study evaluates the accessibility and usefulness of the research misconduct (RM) policies at the top-25 universities as ranked by NIH and NSF grant awards. Measuring accessibility demonstrates how readily-available policies are to the people they affect. Evaluating the range of policy content indicates whether policies and procedures on research misconduct are “useful” as opposed to merely “minimal” (Rhoades, 2003 Rhoades, L. J. Policies and Procedures: Minimal or Useful. Presentation to the introductory workshop for institutional research integrity officers. University of Connecticut Health Center.  [Google Scholar]). On average, it took five clicks to get from a university's home page to its RM policies. Only nine policies were accessed within three or fewer clicks. Policy information was coded into categories comprising a total of 20 topic areas, which were then grouped into five content domains. The policies reveal a broad range of usefulness. Some provide relevant details on almost every topic area, while others leave most questions unanswered. Three of the 20 topic areas are almost universally covered in the policies analyzed. In contrast, five other topic areas average less than half of the information which could have been included. These policies, from elite U.S. research universities, may serve as role models; as such they should perhaps be held to the highest standards. If the message sent by a policy lacks clarity and precision, it should be revised to include an appropriate level of detail.