Psychopathology in pathological gamblers seeking treatment

High rates of psychiatric symptoms have been reported in pathological gamblers. This study of psychiatric comorbidity in pathological gamblers is the first to use structured psychiatric interviews assessing DSM-III-R Axis I and II disorders. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM III-R (SCID-P, SCID-II) was administered to 40 (25 male, 15 male) pathological gamblers seeking outpatient treatment in Minnesota for gambling, and 64 (41 male, 23 female) controls. High lifetime rates of Axis I (92%) but not Axis II (25%) psychopathology were found in pathological gamblers as compared to controls. No differences between male and female gamblers were found in rates of affective, substance use or personality disorders. Females had higher rates of anxiety disorders and histories of physical/sexual abuse. Possible associations between psychiatric disorders and pathological gambling are discussed along with gambler typologies and implications for future research.The authors wish to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of: Gary Christenson, M.D., Carol Peterson, Ph.D., William Meller, M.D., Thomas Mackenzie, M.D.     

THE DETERMINANTS AND STRUCTURE OF IMPORT SUBSTITUTION

In Latin America, import substitution is a synonym for industrialization. Influences having an effect on this process range from the capacity to import (a supply influence) to the output-induced demand for import substitutes in production. Relative prices, changed through the exchange rate, may also switch demand from imports to import substitutes. A time-series “test” using measures of these three variables showed that the sectoral capacity to import was the most important determinant of the pattern and variation in Argentine import substitution (1951–65). Left unanswered was the relative influence that world-market conditions, home consumption of exportables, or factor movements to industry may have had on import capacity. With a mean R² of only .42, it is clear that influences other than the three used have played a role in determining Argentine import substitution. Using measures of backward (demanding) and forward (supplying) linkages, we sought to identify “key” import-substitute sectors in the industrialization process. According to Hirschman, if these sectors expand rapidly and bottlenecks are created, greater than “normal” profit opportunities may occur. The result would be that more private savings may be mobilized and investment decisions made more obvious. Although no such key sectors could be identified, this result is partly dependent on the degree of input-output aggregation, which, for Argentine data, is substantial.     

Social responsibility goal perception

The intent of this study is to distinguish areas of difference in the perception of organizational goals among managers, hourly workers, and graduate business students. The managers were chosen to represent the present point of view of management, while the hourly workers were selected to be indicative of labor's viewpoint toward the goal selection of organizations. Students were chosen because they represent the potential transfusion into management. The tool used to solicit these responses was a questionnaire composed of twenty questions, with each question divided into two parts. The first part examined the way the individual perceived the achievement level of the organization (‘is’), and the other half represented the level that the individual aspired for the organization to achieve in the future (‘should be’). These two parts were quantified using a Likert scale ranging from 1 (of no importance) to 5 (of extremely high importance). The results indicate the similarities and differences between each of these three groups in terms of present perceptions and future expectations of these goals.