Alan Feingold

Gender differences in personality: A meta-analysis.

Four meta-analyses were conducted to examine gender differences in personality in the literature (1958-1992) and in normative data for well-known personality inventories (1940-1992). Males were found to be more assertive and had slightly higher self-esteem than females. Females were higher than males in extraversion, anxiety, trust, and, especially, tender-mindedness (e.g., nurturance). There were no noteworthy sex differences in social anxiety, impulsiveness, activity, ideas (e.g., reflectiveness), locus of control, and orderliness. Gender differences in personality traits were generally constant across ages, years of data collection, educational levels, and nations.

Good-looking people are not what we think

Meta-analysis was used to examine findings in 2 related areas: experimental research on the physical attractiveness stereotype and correlational studies of characteristics associated with physical attractiveness

Gender Differences in Body Image Are Increasing

It has been speculated that the prevalence of eating disorders in women has risen because of increases in womens body dissatisfaction. We conducted a meta-analysis of gender differences in attractiveness and body image using 222 studies from the past 50 years. The analysis shows dramatic increases in the numbers of women among individuals who have poor body image. Moreover, these trends were found across multiple conceptualizations of body image, including self-judgments of physical attractiveness.

Sex Differences in Variability in Intellectual Abilities: A New Look at an Old Controversy

Contemporary research on sex differences in intellectual abilities has focused on male-female differences in average performance, implicitly assuming homogeneity of variance. To examine the validity of that assumption, this article examined sex differences in variability on the national norms of several standardized test batteries. Males were consistently more variable than females in quantitative reasoning, spatial visualization, spelling, and general knowledge. Because these sex differences in variability were coupled with corresponding sex differences in means, it was demonstrated that sex differences in variability and sex differences in central tendency have to be considered together to form correct conclusions about the magnitude of cognitive gender differences.

A placebo controlled trial of bupropion for smoking cessation in schizophrenia

BACKGROUND Schizophrenic patients have high rates of cigarette smoking compared with the general population. We compared sustained-release (SR) bupropion with placebo for smoking cessation in patients with schizophrenic disorders. We also examined how antipsychotic class predicts smoking cessation outcomes with bupropion. METHODS Thirty-two subjects meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and nicotine dependence were randomized to bupropion SR (BUP, 300 mg/day) or placebo (PLA). Outcomes included treatment retention, smoking abstinence rates, expired breath carbon monoxide (CO) levels, psychotic symptoms, and medication side effects. RESULTS Bupropion significantly increased trial endpoint 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence rates compared with placebo [BUP, 8/16 (50.0%), PLA, 2/16 (12.5%); chi(2) = 5.24, df = 1, p <.05], and reduced CO levels during the trial [Medication x Time interaction; Z = 3.09, p <.01]. Positive schizophrenia symptoms were not altered by BUP, but negative symptoms were significantly reduced. Atypical antipsychotic drug treatment enhanced smoking cessation responses to BUP. Major side effects were dry mouth, gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, and insomnia. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that 1) BUP enhances smoking abstinence rates compared with PLA in nicotine-dependent schizophrenic smokers; 2) BUP is well-tolerated and safe for use in these patients; and 3) atypical antipsychotics may enhance smoking cessation outcomes with BUP.

Matching for attractiveness in romantic partners and same-sex friends: A meta-analysis and theoretical critique.

Seventeen studies of similarity in physical attractiveness between members of romantic couples or pairs of same-sex friends, employing 34 independent samples of dyads, were retrieved. Meta-analysis found the interpartner correlation for attractiveness to be higher for romantic couples than for pairs of friends. For couples, the correlations were homogeneous across 27 samples, with an average correlation of .39 (.49 after correction for attenuation). For pairs of friends, variations among correlations were found but were explained by gender of dyad: the matching effect was obtained only with men. Romantic partners were also similar in their self-ratings of attractiveness. These findings were related to contemporary theories of relationship formation.

Gender Differences in Variability in Intellectual Abilities: A Cross-Cultural Perspective.

A cross-cultural quantitative review of contemporary findings of gender differences in variability in verbal, mathematical, and spatial abilities was conducted to assess the generalizability of U.S. findings that (a) males are more variable than females in mathematical and spatial abilities, and (b) the sexes are equally variable in verbal ability. No consistent gender differences (variance ratios) were found across countries in any of the three broad ability domains. Instead, males were more variable than females in some nations and females were more variable than males in other nations. Thus, the well-established U.S. findings of consistently greater male variability in mathematical and spatial abilities were not invariant across cultures and nations.

A Placebo-Controlled Trial of Bupropion Combined with Nicotine Patch for Smoking Cessation in Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND Individuals with schizophrenia smoke at higher rates (58%-88%) than the general population (approximately 22%), and have difficulty quitting. We determined whether the combination of sustained-release (SR) bupropion (BUP) with the transdermal nicotine patch (TNP) was well-tolerated and superior to placebo (PLO)+TNP for smoking cessation in schizophrenia. METHODS A 10-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of BUP (300 mg/day) in combination with TNP (21 mg/24h) for 58 outpatient smokers with schizophrenia was conducted. Primary outcome measures were continuous smoking abstinence in the last 4 weeks of the trial (Days 43-70) and 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 6 months post-target quit date (TQD) (week 26). RESULTS Smokers assigned to the BUP+TNP group (n = 29) were more likely to achieve continuous smoking abstinence (8/29, 27.6%) than the PLO+TNP group (n = 29, 1/29, 3.4%) [Fishers Exact Test, p < .05]; at 6-months post-TQD, 4/29 (13.8%) versus 0/29 (0.0%) achieved 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence (p = .11). Neither bupropion SR nor smoking abstinence significantly altered the positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The combination was well-tolerated in smokers with schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS Combination therapy with bupropion SR+TNP versus placebo+TNP is well-tolerated and significantly improved short-term smoking abstinence in smokers with schizophrenia.

Desipramine and contingency management for cocaine and opiate dependence in buprenorphine maintained patients

Co-dependence on opiates and cocaine occurs in about 60% of patients entering methadone treatment and has a poor prognosis. However, we recently found that desipramine (DMI) could be combined with buprenorphine to significantly reduce combined opiate and cocaine use among these dually dependent patients. Furthermore, contingency management (CM) has been quite potent in reducing cocaine abuse during methadone maintenance. To test the efficacy of combining CM with these medications we designed a 12-week, randomized, double blind, four cell trial evaluating DMI (150 mg/day) or placebo plus CM or a non-contingent voucher control in 160 cocaine abusers maintained on buprenorphine (median 16 mg daily). Cocaine-free and combined opiate and cocaine-free urines increased more rapidly over time in those treated with either DMI or CM, and those receiving both interventions had more drug-free urines (50%) than the other three treatment groups (25-29%). Self reported opiate and cocaine use and depressive and opioid withdrawal symptoms showed no differences among the groups and symptom levels did not correlate with urine toxicology results. Lower DMI plasma levels (average 125 ng/ml) were associated with greater cocaine-free urines. DMI and CM had independent and additive effects in facilitating cocaine-free urines in buprenorphine maintained patients. The antidepressant appeared to enhance responsiveness to CM reinforcement.

Comorbid major depressive disorder as a prognostic factor in cocaine-abusing buprenorphine-maintained patients treated with desipramine and contingency management

Depression is common among patients who abuse both opiates and cocaine, and its treatment has had mixed success. This study compares buprenorphine‐maintained patients with lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD, N = 53) with those never depressed (ND, N = 96) on cocaine and opiate‐free urines during a 12‐week outpatient double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized clinical trial. The 149 subjects were assigned to four groups: 1) desipramine (DMI) + contingency management (CM); 2) DMI + noncontingency management (NCM); 3) placebo + CM; and 4) placebo + NCM. Depression assessments included Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Inventory, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV interview for diagnosis of lifetime MDD. Urine toxicologies were performed thrice weekly and the CES‐D was performed monthly. The MDD group had a larger proportion of females (45% vs 21%, P = 0.02) and were more likely to be married (13.2% vs 7.3%, P = 0.02) than the ND group. Treatment retention did not vary by depression status. Hierarchical Linear Modeling found that depressive symptoms decreased comparably across the four treatment groups. Although participation in CM improved drug‐free urines more for patients with MDD than for the ND group (Z = 2.44, P = 0.01), treatment with DMI was significantly more efficacious for the ND group than for the MDD group (Z = −2.89, P = 0.003). These results suggest that patients with MDD may respond better to behavioral treatments such as CM than to desipramine plus buprenorphine. The ND cocaine‐abusing, opiate‐dependent patients may be more responsive to the anticraving effects of DMI.