Amount Of Additional Variance Research Articles

The Influence of Perfectionism, Self-Esteem and Resilience on Young People’s Mental Health

ABSTRACT The current study explored whether maladaptive perfectionism and low self-esteem constituted reliable risk factors of student mental illness, as well as determining whether resilience moderates these predictive relationships. 434 University undergraduate students were recruited. Depression and anxiety were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7). Perfectionism, self-esteem and resilience were analyzed in relation to the PHQ9 and GAD-7 scores via a regression analysis. Perfectionism discrepancy, self-esteem and resilience all significantly predicted depression and anxiety. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed a statistically significant amount of additional variance to be explained by resilience for depression and anxiety, than for perfectionism and self-esteem alone. Maladaptive perfectionism and low self-esteem predispose an individual to depression and anxiety, though resilience may act as a protective factor against development of mental illness.

Examining the Relationship Between Mindfulness and Multicultural Counseling Competencies in Counselor Trainees

This exploratory study examined the relationship between mindfulness and multicultural counseling competencies (MCC) in counselor trainees. One hundred fifty-seven masters and doctoral students in counseling and therapy-related fields completed a survey containing the Multicultural Counseling Inventory (MCI), Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II). Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated between scales and subscales of the MCC, mindfulness, and acceptance. A hierarchical regression was used to examine the association of mindfulness and mindfulness practices (the total length of mindfulness practice and the duration of weekly mindfulness practice) on MCC along with multicultural training (number of multicultural counseling courses and practica completed) and demographic factors. The results of the study showed that mindfulness and MCC were positively and strongly correlated (r = .48, p < .01). Moreover, all mindfulness facets were positively and significantly correlated with MCC and majority of its subscales. The results suggested that individuals who believed themselves to be more mindful in their daily lives (especially those who reported observing and describing their experiences without automatically reacting) also tended to think of themselves as more multiculturally competent. In addition, mindfulness and mindfulness practices contributed a significant amount of additional variance on MCC and its subscales above and beyond the multicultural training and demographic variables. Study limitations and directions for future research were discussed.

Contributions of Academic Language, Perspective Taking, and Complex Reasoning to Deep Reading Comprehension

ABSTRACTDeep reading comprehension refers to the process required to succeed at tasks defined by the Common Core State Literacy Standards, as well as to achieve proficiency on the more challenging reading tasks in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) framework. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that three skill domains not frequently attended to in instruction or in theories of reading comprehension—academic language, perspective taking, and complex reasoning—predict outcomes on an assessment of deep reading comprehension. The Global Integrated Scenario-based Assessment (GISA; O'Reilly, Weeks, Sabatini, Halderman, & Steinberg, 2014) is designed to reflect students' abilities to evaluate texts, integrate information from an array of texts, and use textual evidence to formulate a position, all features of deep reading comprehension. We tested the role of academic language, perspective taking, and complex reasoning in explaining variance in end-of-year GISA scores, controlling for beginning-of-year scores and student demographics. All three predictors explained small, but significant, amounts of additional variance. We suggest that these three skill domains deserve greater attention in theories of reading comprehension and in instruction.

The role of general and specific stressors in the health and well-being of call centre operators

The call centre industry has developed a reputation for generating a highly stressful work environment with high absenteeism and turnover rates. Research has identified role ambiguity, role conflict, role overload, and work-family conflict as common stressors in other settings. Call centre research has additionally identified performance monitoring, job design and job opportunities as call centre specific stressors. This study investigated the impact of the identified stressors on burnout, somatic symptomology, and turnover intent among 126 call centre representatives (CCRs) from 11 call centres in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses found that the common organizational stressors significantly explained between 10% and 53% of the variance in somatic symptomology, burnout (all 3 dimensions) and turnover intent. An additional amount of variance, between 6% and 22% in each of these dependent measures was significantly accounted for by the grouped call centre specific stressors. Overall, common organizational stressors and call centre specific stressors both significantly and independently contributed to burnout, somatic symptomology and turnover intent. These findings are discussed in relation to previous research, and suggestions for improved practice within call centres to safeguard the well-being of workers and for future research are provided.

Emotion Dysregulation and Psychopathology: the Case of Personality Disorders Not Otherwise Specified

Introduction Emotion dysregulation and impulsivity are considered an hallmark of personality pathology (Livesley & Jang, 2000), even though research has mainly regarded Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD; e.g., Linehan, 1993). Recently, some scholars proposed that facets of emotion dysregulation and impulsivity are likely to be associated with different PD traits across all clusters (Garofalo et al., 2014; Sarkar & Adshead, 2006), highlighting significant association with all PDs included in the DSM-5 (APA, 2013). Objectives We sought to expand extant research exploring whether also PDs not included in the DSM nosography, yet clinically relevant and suggested for future research, were associated with facets of emotion dysregulation. Aims In a community sample, we tested the unique associations between facets of emotion dysregulation and impulsivity with traits of 3 PDs Not Otherwise Specified: Sadistic PD, Depressive PD, and Passive-aggressive PD. Methods We recruited 399 community-dwelling participants (mean age= 37.91; 56.6% male). They were administered the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11, Patton et al., 1995) and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III; Millon, 2006). Results Multiple regression analyses showed that different facets of emotion dysregulation were associated with all PD traits considered. Further, impulsivity accounted for a significant amount of additional variance in Sadistic and Passive-aggressive features above and beyond emotion dysregulation. Conclusions Emotion dysregulation and impulsivity seemed to confirm their role as relevant features of personality pathology across different forms of PDs.

한국인 영어교사의 교사효능감에 영향을 미치는 관련 변인 탐색*

The present study explores the relationship between teacher-efficacy and selected teacher variables, such as teachers’ demographic variables, self-efficacy, English proficiency, and teacher training experiences, of Korean English teachers. The study employed four questionnaires including Sherer et al.’s (1982) General Self-Efficacy Scale, Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk-Hoy’s (2001) Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale, Chacon’s (2002) Self-Reported English Proficiency Scale, and background information. The participants of the study were 120 Korean English teachers. The main findings of the study indicate that the participants’ standardized English proficiency scores exerted no significant influence on their teacher-efficacy. Yet, the teachers’ self-assessed English proficiency levels accounted for a significant amount of additional variance of their teacher-efficacy after controlling the variance explained by their self-efficacy, suggesting the significant impact of teachers’ positive assessment of their own English proficiency on their teacher-efficacy, regardless of their actual English proficiency. The study results also suggest that teachers’ professional training experiences generally contribute to their teacher-efficacy. Discussions and suggestions for future research are provided.

Two tests of approach-iron golf skill and their ability to predict tournament performance

The aim of this study was to investigate the convergent and predictive validity of two skill tests that examine the ability of golfers to hit accurate approach-iron shots. Twenty-four high-level golfers (handicap = 2.6 ± 1.7) performed the Nine-Ball Skills Test (assesses the ability to shape/control ball trajectory with high accuracy) and the Approach-Iron Skill Test (assesses the ability to hit straight shots from varying distances with high accuracy). Participants then completed at least eight rounds of tournament golf over the following 90 days and reported an indicator of approach-iron accuracy (per cent error index). A moderate correlation (r = 0.50, P < 0.05) was noted between scores for both tests. Generalised estimating equations, using two covariates (lie of the ball and distance to hole), were used to determine model fit and the amount of variance explained for tournament per cent error index. Results showed that the Approach-Iron Skill Test was the slightly stronger predictor of on-course per cent error index. With both test scores considered together, a minimal amount of additional variance was explained. These findings suggest that either of the tests used individually or combined may be used to predict tournament approach iron performance in high-level golfers.

Satisfaction with Relationship Status: Development of a New Scale and the Role in Predicting Well-Being

To develop a generic instrument assessing satisfaction with relationship status, and to examine the role of status satisfaction in explaining life satisfaction and distress beyond marital status. In two studies, we first examined the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Relationship Status Scale (ReSta). Subsequently, regression analyses were used to test the predictive value of ReSta for life satisfaction and distress after controlling for sociodemographic variables and a perceived lack of social support. An economic five-item scale was constructed, cross-validated, and showed very high reliability. In both studies, higher ReSta-scores predicted higher satisfaction with life and lower distress, explaining considerable amounts of additional variance (18–29 %) after controlling for sociodemographic variables (i.e. gender, age, and education), marital status, and also after taking a perceived lack of social support into account. Hence, being satisfied with one’s current relationship status (either having a partner or not) seems to be more important in explaining broader well-being constructs (such as life satisfaction and distress), as compared to considering marital status alone. ReSta is the first analog scale enabling comparisons between partnered and single individuals and adds explanatory value beyond marital status and other factors in predicting life satisfaction and distress.

Can Sudden, Severe Emotional Loss Be a Traumatic Stressor?

Aspects of the stressor criterion for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been controversial since its inception, and the theoretical or empirical reasons for decisions about it have not been clear. To investigate whether sudden events involving severe emotional loss have the potential to precipitate PTSD, we assessed exposure to Criterion A stressors, sudden abandonment, sudden move or loss of home, and symptoms of PTSD and dissociation in a community sample of 427 adults. In regression analyses, models that included a severe emotional loss stressor accounted for a significant amount of additional variance in PTSD and dissociation symptoms beyond that accounted for by a model including only Criterion A stressors. The findings suggest that limiting Criterion A1 to events involving actual or threatened death or injury may be overly restrictive. Future research is needed to replicate these findings in a clinical sample and to prospectively examine the conditional probability of PTSD following these events.

Age of Onset and Neuropsychological Functioning in Alcohol Dependent Inpatients

Differences in clinical characteristics between early and late onset alcohol dependent patients have been examined intensively, but little is known about the differences in neuropsychological functioning between these patient groups. Clinical characteristics and neuropsychological functions of inpatients with early onset and late onset alcohol dependence are therefore investigated in this study. Ninety-three abstinent alcohol dependent inpatients meeting a current diagnosis of DSM-IV alcohol dependence were divided into early onset alcohol dependent patients (EOA; ≤25 years; n = 36) and late onset alcohol dependent patients (LOA; >25 years; n = 57). Patients using psychoactive medication and patients dependent on other substances than alcohol (and nicotine) were excluded. A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was administered. EOA reported higher trait impulsivity, antisocial traits, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-related traits and exhibited an impulsive reflection style, especially in a high-risk context, compared with LOA. Against expectations, EOA performed significantly better on measures of planning, cognitive control, visual memory, and delayed recognition memory than LOA, whereas no significant group differences occurred on measures of delay discounting, digit span, and attention. Better Stroop interference, better visual memory, and a more impulsive reflection style was predictive of an early age of onset, and explained a significant and additional amount of variance (18.8%) on top of the clinical characteristics, together explaining 53.4% of the variance. Both clinical characteristics and neuropsychological variables contributed independently to the age of onset of problematic alcohol use. Results indicate that especially an impulsive reflection style, besides higher trait impulsivity, may be the core feature of early onset alcohol dependence. However, the contribution of the neuropsychological variables is complex and more research is needed to clarify the role of psychiatric comorbidity and poly-substance abuse in an unselected sample of alcohol dependent patients.

Exploring the impact of sleep‐related impairments on the perceived general health and retention intent of an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) sample

PurposeLittle research has been done in studying the impact of sleep‐related impairments on the perceived health and retention intent of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) workers. This paper aims to fill some of the gaps.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a time‐lagged research design to test the impact of three sleep impairments measured in 2005, i.e. sleepiness, relationship difficulty due to sleepiness, and general activity difficulty due to sleepiness, on perceived general health measured in 2006 and 2007, and 2007 intent to leave the EMS profession. Background and work‐related variables, also measured in 2005, were controlled for. A total of 288 complete data EMS repeat‐respondents constituted the study sample across the three years. Although this was only a very small percentage of the total number of respondents, this sample was found to be demographically representative of the incomplete data respondents.FindingsThe three‐sleep impairment variable set had a collective significant additional impact for explaining both years of subsequent perceived health and retention intent, beyond the controlled‐for background and work‐related variable sets. The perceived general health variable set explained a small but unique amount of additional variance in retention intent beyond the controlled for background, work‐related and sleep impairment variable sets.Originality/valuePeople's lives can depend on the quick and efficient reactions of EMS workers. There has been little prior research studying the impact of sleep impairments on health and retention outcomes using an EMS sample. The results seem promising enough to suggest continued study of the impact of sleep‐related impairments on work outcomes for EMS personnel, and other samples sharing common work stresses.

Smaller, Scale-Free Gene Networks Increase Quantitative Trait Heritability and Result in Faster Population Recovery

One of the goals of biology is to bridge levels of organization. Recent technological advances are enabling us to span from genetic sequence to traits, and then from traits to ecological dynamics. The quantitative genetics parameter heritability describes how quickly a trait can evolve, and in turn describes how quickly a population can recover from an environmental change. Here I propose that we can link the details of the genetic architecture of a quantitative trait—i.e., the number of underlying genes and their relationships in a network—to population recovery rates by way of heritability. I test this hypothesis using a set of agent-based models in which individuals possess one of two network topologies or a linear genotype-phenotype map, 16–256 genes underlying the trait, and a variety of mutation and recombination rates and degrees of environmental change. I find that the network architectures introduce extensive directional epistasis that systematically hides and reveals additive genetic variance and affects heritability: network size, topology, and recombination explain 81% of the variance in average heritability in a stable environment. Network size and topology, the width of the fitness function, pre-change additive variance, and certain interactions account for ∼75% of the variance in population recovery times after a sudden environmental change. These results suggest that not only the amount of additive variance, but importantly the number of loci across which it is distributed, is important in regulating the rate at which a trait can evolve and populations can recover. Taken in conjunction with previous research focused on differences in degree of network connectivity, these results provide a set of theoretical expectations and testable hypotheses for biologists working to span levels of organization from the genotype to the phenotype, and from the phenotype to the environment.

Replication of twelve association studies for Huntington’s disease residual age of onset in large Venezuelan kindreds

Background: The major determinant of age of onset in Huntington’s disease is the length of the causative triplet CAG repeat. Significant variance remains, however, in residual age of onset even...

Habitat distribution models, spatial autocorrelation, functional traits and dispersal capacity of alpine plant species

We evaluate the potential influence of disturbance on the predictability of alpine plant species distribution from equilibrium-based habitat distribution models. Firstly, abun- dance data of 71 plant species were correlated with a compre- hensive set of environmental variables using ordinal regres- sion models. Subsequently, the residual spatial autocorrelation (at distances of 40 to 320 m) in these models was explored. The additional amount of variance explained by spatial struc- turing was compared with a set of functional traits assumed to confer advantages in disturbed or undisturbed habitats. We found significant residual spatial autocorrelation in the habitat models of most of the species that were analysed. The amount of this autocorrelation was positively correlated with the dis- persal capacity of the species, levelling off with increasing spatial scale. Both trends indicate that dispersal and coloniza- tion processes, whose frequency is enhanced by disturbance, influence the distribution of many alpine plant species. Since habitat distribution models commonly ignore such spatial processes they miss an important driver of local- to landscape- scale plant distribution.

Incremental validity of the MMPI-A content scales in a residential treatment facility.

The current study explores the incremental validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A) content scales. Participants were 335 adolescents (250 boys and 85 girls) between the ages of 13 and 18 who were receiving mental health services from a residential treatment facility. Regression analyses were conducted to identify the amount of additional variance accounted for by the content scales over the clinical scales in predicting scores on a clinician rating form of psychological symptomatology. Several of the MMPI-A content scales demonstrated significant incremental validity above the clinical scales in predicting clinician ratings of adolescents' behavior and personality characteristics. The clinical scales also demonstrated incremental validity in reference to the content scales, indicating then that the two sets of scales provide complementary information. Magnitude of the additional criterion variance predicted was modest.

Visual-Temporal Processing in Reading-Disabled and Normal Twins.

Percent contrast thresholds for the detection of 1 or 8 cycle/degree sinusoidalgratings flickering in counter-phase at 1 or 10Hz were evaluated in 356 8–19 year old twinsand their school-age siblings. 107 of the twinshad a school history of reading disability.Subjects adjusted contrast levels to thresholdfrom above and below in a total of 32 trialsover about 12 minutes. Internal reliability foreach of the 4 stimulus conditions was 0.8, andeach stimulus condition was similarlycorrelated at 0.2–0.3 with several measuresof reading and phonological processing,suggesting modest relations with readingdeficits for both parvocellular (sustained) andmagnocellular (transient) visual processes. Thevariance in the word-reading measure that wasrelated to visual contrast thresholds waslargely shared with full-scale IQ, although IQand reading each also accounted for small(1%) but statistically significant amounts ofadditional independent variance in contrastthresholds. Word reading and nonword readingalso accounted for largely overlapping variancein contrast thresholds, but with a small (1%)amount of independent variance for nonwordreading. A behavioral-genetic analysis of themonozygotic and dizygotic twin correlationsindicated no significant genetic influence onindividual differences in contrast-thresholdlevels.

Predicting Intended and Self-perceived Sugar Restriction among Tanzanian Students using the Theory of Planned Behavior

This study examines the applicability and sufficiency of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in predicting intention and self-perceived behavior with respect to avoiding between-meal intake of sugared snacks and drinks. One thousand one hundred and twenty-three Tanzanian students (mean age 26.4 years) completed self-administered questionnaires designed to measure the components of the TPB during May-July, 1999. Self-perceived sugar consumption was obtained in a subsample of respondents (n = 228) four weeks later. The TPB provided a significant prediction of intention (R(2)= 0.44), with attitude (= 0.25), subjective norms (= 0.28) and perceived behavioral control (= 0.35) significant, and subsequent behavior (R(2) = 0.15, with intention (= 0.25) and perceived behavioral control (= 0.18) significant. Frequency of past behavior explained a significant, albeit small, amount of additional variance in intention (1 percent) and behavior (4 percent). The results indicate that the TPB is applicable to the prediction of food choice-related intention and behavior among young adult students living in a non-occidental setting.

Social interaction skills and theory of mind in young children.

Two studies explored relations between peer social skills and theory of mind in young children. In Study 1, a global teacher rating of social skills with peers, performance on a traditional false-belief task, a standardized assessment of auditory language comprehension, and a time sampling of amount of speech with peers were obtained. Positive, but moderate, zero-order correlations were observed between the false-belief measure and social skills, and false belief accounted for a significant amount of additional variance in social skills after covarying age and the 2 measures of language. Study 2 replicated the findings of Study 1 by using a larger sample and a standardized teacher questionnaire. The results are discussed with regard to the critical role of a mentalistic theory of behavior for human social interactions.

Employee Responses to Performance Feedback from the Task

A large body of research has examined the effects of feedback on work attitudes and behaviors. However, the role of individual differences in feedback-response relations has not been as thoroughly examined. In this field study, the moderating effects of global self-esteem (SE) on the relationship between performance feedback from the task and several work attitudes and behaviors were examined. As predicted, SE interacted with the frequency of performance feedback from the task to account for significant amounts of additional variance in job performance, general job satisfaction, absenteeism, and job search intentions. Specifically, low SEs had lower performance, absenteeism, and job search intentions than high SEs in relation to frequent performance feedback from the task. High SEs reported greater job satisfaction than low SEs in response to frequent task-derived performance feedback. The discussion centers on the implications the findings have for future research and for human resource management.

Quantitative Genetics of Behavioral and Physiological Response to Permethrin in Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Insects may survive insecticide applications by physiological mechanisms that permit tolerance of an acquired dose or behavioral mechanisms that reduce the dose acquired. We investigated the genetic basis of physiological and behavioral responses to the pyrethroid permethrin within four diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), populations with different average levels of tolerance. Using a half-sib design, variance components and heritabilities of the two characters and the genetic correlation between them were calculated for each population. In all four populations, additive genetic variances and heritabilities for physiological tolerance to permethrin were highly significant. In contrast, heritabilities for behavioral avoidance of permethrin were low and significant in only one population, although additive genetic variances were similar to those for tolerance. The phenotypic and genetic correlations between these two characters varied among the populations from essentially zero to strongly significant. All correlations were negative in form, with behaviorally responsive families tending to be less physiologically tolerant and unresponsive families tending to be more physiologically tolerant. The magnitude of the correlation was related to the amount of additive variation in the population ; significant correlations between physiological tolerance and behavioral avoidance occurred in populations with relatively high levels of additive variation for both characters. Implications for the evolution of insecticide resistance and applications for resistance management are discussed, as are parallels with oviposition preference-larval performance studies.