Writing organization/romancing fictocriticism

A provocation?…?the minds of my generation of organizational theorists are haunted by the spectre of scientific discourse, shoehorned into dry genres, bullied by audit regimes that try to wring the passion out of thought. Without gaiety, the science that calls us has no exuberance, it cannot dance. What are the possibilities for writing about organizations that allows the heart's instincts to be followed, the vast possibilities of expression to be explored and enjoyed? I explore this through a form of writing known as fictocriticism – a writing engaged in genre-bending as a literary and theoretical engagement with existence and selfhood. Why import this term into organization studies? Might fictocriticism have some value to ‘us’ who locate ourselves here? I am engaging in a form of romance; a courtship of ideas from elsewhere. What might result from this union is not clear, but it offers hope, excitement and promise.     

Cognitive distortions predict future gambling involvement

Disordered gambling is best conceptualized as a continuum of severity. Previous research has demonstrated the utility of studying individuals at all points of this spectrum. The sequence of the development of gambling problems and change in gambling involvement along this continuum of severity is not well understood. The present study examined the interplay between cognitive distortions and gambling involvement in a population sample recruited in Alberta, Canada. Data from 1372 participants over 4 assessment waves (5 years) were used to generate a 2-factor latent structure using gambling fallacies and gambling involvement measurements. Structural equation modelling showed that cognitive distortions more strongly predicted future gambling involvement than the reverse relationship, using the comparative fit index (CFI) and the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) to assess the models. In addition, cognitive distortions declined over time, whereas gambling involvement remained stable. The results of the study suggest that focusing primarily on cognitive mechanisms in public health initiatives for gambling disorders may be a more effective strategy than focusing on behavioural solutions.     

Sexual Beliefs and Sexual Functioning: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Distraction

Dysfunctional sexual beliefs are vulnerability factors for sexual dysfunction. This cross-sectional study aimed to test the mediating role of cognitive distraction on the relationship between dysfunctional sexual beliefs about sexual functioning shared by men and women and sexual function. The authors used a sample of 421 cisgender heterosexual participants involved in a monogamous relationship. The hypothesized mediation model was tested using a bootstrapped cross product of coefficients approach. Results showed a significant negative, indirect effect between dysfunctional sexual beliefs and women's sexual function through cognitive distraction. The discussion of this study highlights the importance of cognitive factors in sexual functioning.     

Joint Modelling of Survival and Longitudinal Data with Informative Observation Times

In this paper, we consider the joint modelling of survival and longitudinal data with informative observation time points. The survival model and the longitudinal model are linked via random effects, for which no distribution assumption is required under our estimation approach. The estimator is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal. The proposed estimator and its estimated covariance matrix can be easily calculated. Simulation studies and an application to a primary biliary cirrhosis study are also provided.     

Anticipated Ethics and Regulatory Challenges in PCORnet: The National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network

PCORnet, the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network, seeks to establish a robust national health data network for patient-centered comparative effectiveness research. This article reports the results of a PCORnet survey designed to identify the ethics and regulatory challenges anticipated in network implementation. A 12-item online survey was developed by leadership of the PCORnet Ethics and Regulatory Task Force; responses were collected from the 29 PCORnet networks. The most pressing ethics issues identified related to informed consent, patient engagement, privacy and confidentiality, and data sharing. High priority regulatory issues included IRB coordination, privacy and confidentiality, informed consent, and data sharing. Over 150 IRBs and five different approaches to managing multisite IRB review were identified within PCORnet. Further empirical and scholarly work, as well as practical and policy guidance, is essential if important initiatives that rely on comparative effectiveness research are to move forward.     

The cost‐effectiveness of UK parenting programmes for preventing children's behaviour problems – a review of the evidence

Parenting programmes are widely used in the UK, promoted in policy documents as a cost‐effective way for children's services to address behaviour problems and thereby the longer‐term costs associated with conduct disorders, particularly antisocial behaviour and criminality. To explore whether these programmes are a cost‐effective component of family intervention, this paper examines evidence from cost‐effectiveness studies based on randomized controlled trials, modelling studies estimating longer‐term costs and outcomes, and studies estimating costs of UK parenting programmes, including evidence from routine practice. Findings indicate that parenting programmes have the potential to be cost‐saving in the long term; however, gaps in the evidence include: lack of follow‐up of families who drop out of programmes, absence of control groups in longer‐term follow‐ups, and little information about costs and effects of programmes in routine practice. The size of savings resulting from implementation of effective parenting programmes will depend on the extent to which families likely to be most costly to society attend and experience lasting benefit.     

Rank repeated measures analysis of covariance

When analyzing a response variable at the presence of both factors and covariates, with potentially correlated responses and violated assumptions of the normal residual or the linear relationship between the response and the covariates, rank-based tests can be an option for inferential procedures instead of the parametric repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models. This article derives a rank-based method for multi-way ANCOVA models with correlated responses. The generalized estimating equations (GEE) technique is employed to construct the proposed rank tests. Asymptotic properties of the proposed tests are derived. Simulation studies confirmed the performance of the proposed tests.     

What can we learn from twin studies? A comprehensive evaluation of the equal environments assumption

Twin studies are a major source of information about genetic effects on behavior, but they depend on a controversial assumption known as the equal environments assumption (EEA): that similarity in co-twins’ environments is not predictive of similarity in co-twin outcomes. Although evidence has largely supported the EEA, critics have claimed that environmental similarity has not been measured well, and most studies of the EEA have focused on outcomes related to health and psychology. This article addresses these limitations through (1) a reanalysis of data from the most cited study of the EEA, Loehlin and Nichols (1976), using better measures, and through (2) an analysis of nationally representative twin data from MIDUS using more comprehensive controls on a wider variety of outcomes than previous studies. Results support a middle ground position; it is likely that the EEA is not strictly valid for most outcomes, but the resulting bias is likely modest.     

Pathways and transitions of gamblers over two years

Moderate-risk and problem gamblers represent 1.4% and 0.4% of the Québec population, respectively. Research on gamblers’ trajectories has been hampered by methodological shortcomings leading to heterogeneous results. The present research was conducted in the Province of Québec with a representative sample of adult gamblers and aims to explore how gamblers change over time according to the severity of their gambling problems. Using a 2-year follow-up prospective design (3 waves), 179 gamblers selected from a representative survey were divided into the 4 PGSI (Problem Gambling Severity Index) categories. Beyond the decreasing trend in PGSI scores detected within the overall sample using a linear growth model, our analyses revealed that moderate-risk gamblers are heterogeneous in their composition and evolution, comprising stable moderate-risk, recent cases and former problem gamblers. Over three waves, one-third of moderate-risk gamblers improved, one-third remained stable and one-third became problem gamblers. The subgroups transitioning in and out of the moderate-risk category differed in terms of reported changes in gambling behaviours and consequences. Problem gamblers remain vulnerable over time, being at risk of experiencing chronic problems. Results highlight the necessity of subgroup-specific prevention programmes and treatment services that address both the non-linearity of risky gambling and the chronicity of problem gambling.