eHealth recruitment challenges

Little is known about effective eHealth recruitment methods. This paper presents recruitment challenges associated with enrolling African-American girls aged 8–10 years in an eHealth obesity prevention program, their effect on the recruitment plan, and potential implications for eHealth research.Although the initial recruitment strategy was literature-informed, it failed to enroll the desired number of girls within a reasonable time period. Therefore, the recruitment strategy was reformulated to incorporate principles of social marketing and traditional marketing techniques. The resulting plan included both targeted, highly specific strategies (e.g., selected churches), and more broad-based approaches (e.g., media exposure, mass mailings, radio advertisements).The revised plan enabled recruitment goals to be attained. Media appeared to be particularly effective at reaching the intended audience. Future research should identify the most effective recruitment strategies for reaching potential eHealth audiences.     

Why we are bored: towards a sociological approach to boredom

Abstract

The experience of boredom is strongly connected to our well-being. It can be a powerful driver toward a meaningful life and a great source of creativity. However, it can also pose a severe risk to our health. In recognition of its importance, in recent years, more and more researchers have begun to investigate the topic of boredom. However, while the psychological factors influencing boredom have been studied extensively, its social conditions are still poorly understood. The article aims to fill this research gap by providing a synthesized literature review of explicitly sociologically-inclined boredom research as well as implicit sociological ideas in the interdisciplinary field of boredom studies. On the basis of this data, we argue that boredom is not an interpersonal state, but a social emotion which is influenced by (1) cultural and (2) organizational norms/rules, (3) the individual’s position in the social structure, and (4) interaction processes.     

Sharp bounds for the mean of the total time on test for distributions with increasing generalized failure rate

The results of this paper are the continuation of the research presented by Bieniek [Optimal bounds for the mean of the total time on test for distributions with decreasing generalized failure rate. Statistics. 2016;50:1206–1220]. We consider the remaining total time on test after a given failure in a life test experiment. We derive sharp upper bounds on the mean of the total time on test optimal in the class of distributions with increasing generalized failure rate with respect to generalized Pareto distributions. Specific results are obtained for distributions with increasing density and increasing failure rate. We also provide exemplary numerical values of the obtained bounds and we compare them with the corresponding bounds for distributions with decreasing generalized failure rate.     

Multi-couple reflecting team: preliminary report

The aim of therapeutic help in marital crisis is to break the vicious circle of mutual hurtful accusations. The method that the authors present below involves a group of couples working within a closed cycle of meetings. In the course of successive group meetings, the various couples act as reflecting teams (RTs) for each other. This achieves two objectives: the couple recounting their crisis receives nonthreatening feedback, which helps them to implement positive changes and break out of the self-perpetuating destructive interaction. In addition, the couples acting as the RT learn nonjudgmental, nontheorizing and affirmative communication.     

Bounds for Expectations of Differences of Generalized Order Statistics Based on General and Life Distributions

Let X _? ^(r), r ≥ 1, denote generalized order statistics based on an arbitrary distribution function F with finite pth absolute moment for some 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞. We present sharp upper bounds on E(X _? ^(s) ? X _? ^(r)), 1 ≤ r < s, for F being either general or life distribution. The bounds are expressed in various scale units generated by pth central absolute or raw moments of F, respectively. The distributions achieving the bounds are specified.     

A NOTE ON CHARACTERIZATIONS OF DISTRIBUTIONS BY REGRESSIONS OF NON-ADJACENT GENERALIZED ORDER STATISTICS

We investigate the problem of characterizations of distributions by regressions of generalized order statistics (GOSs) based on a continuous distribution function F . We show that F is uniquely determined if the regressions of a GOS given two other consecutive GOSs are known.     

Optimal bounds on the bias of quasimidranges

We derive sharp upper and lower bounds on expectations of sample quasimidranges, that is, arithmetic means of two fixed order statistics of the sample, expressed in various scale units. They can be considered as the bounds on the bias of estimating unknown mean of the parent distribution by the above statistics. While determining the appropriate projection, we consider two new auxiliary functions whose usage provides analytical conditions determining the form of corresponding greatest convex minorant. The results are illustrated with numerical examples.     

Uniqueness of characterization of absolutely continuous distributions by regressions of generalized order statistics

We provide a new approach to the problem of the unique identification of distributions with a continuous density by a single regression function of order statistics or record values or, more generally, generalized order statistics. Using their Markov property we show that the characterization is unique if and only if the corresponding system of differential equations has the unique solution. This result is new even in the particular case of ordinary order statistics. This approach provides a new proof of characterization of power, exponential and Pareto distributions by linearity of corresponding regression. It also yields new examples of characterizations of distributions.