David J. Gustafson

Pre-post Tiananmen square: Changing values of Chinese managers

Foreign investment and Western business interests in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) have accelerated rapidly in recent years. When Western and Chinese managers are brought together in new enterprises, they must understand how to accommodate cultural differences in behaviour and often must adapt to unfamiliar value systems. This study examines the apparent evolution in work values among young Chinese managers in Shanghai over a 2 1/2-year period that spans the June 1989 Tiananmen Square incident. The findings suggest a growing spirit of “Chinese-style” individualism and also provide some indication that more Western ways of thinking are being adopted by these young Chinese managers. These changes are discussed in terms of their implications for Westerners doing business in China.

The impact of managerial values on decision-making behaviour: A comparison of the United States and Hong Kong

This study addresses cross-national value differences and how values held by managers influence their decision-making behaviour. A two-by-two research design was used to examine values held by practising managers and future business leaders in the United States and Hong Kong. Machiavellianism, locus of control, intolerance of ambiguity, and dogmatism were the measures used to assess these values. Social desirability scores were used as covariants to help control for cultural differences. The findings indicate that differences exist to affect decision-making behaviour. Consequently, managers in both environments must make adaptations to accommodate the values of those involved in transnational businesses.

Do Expatriates Change Their Behavior to Fit a Foreign Culture? A Study of American Expatriates’ Strategies of Upward Influence

This research investigates the differences in Eastern and Western culture regarding strategies of upward influence, and the degree to which foreign culture behavioral tactics are adopted by expatriates.

Integrative cognitive-behavioral and spiritual counseling for rural dementia caregivers with depression.

OBJECTIVE Discuss initial evaluation of a program for training faith community nurses (FCNs) to conduct cognitive-behavioral and spiritual counseling (CBSC) for rural dementia caregivers (CGs), and present 2 case studies on the use of CBSC for treating depression in this population. STUDY DESIGN Pre-post evaluation of the effectiveness of CBSC training and a case study analysis of the effectiveness of CBSC on CG problem improvement and depression. OUTCOME MEASURES For FCN training, we used the FCN Counseling Comfort Scale, FCN Counseling Efficacy Scale, and the FCN Counseling Workshop Satisfaction Survey. The Problem Severity Scale and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were used in the case studies. RESULTS Significant post-training increases in FCN counseling comfort and perceived counseling efficacy were obtained. Case study findings provided evidence of substantial improvement in caregiving problems and reductions in depression. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary outcomes of FCN training and CBSC for dementia CGs were promising. However, replication across the sample is required to evaluate the overall effectiveness of CBSC for reducing CG depression. Specific competencies and ethical considerations in supervising this form of intervention are also addressed.

Signal onset and task variables in auditory evoked potentials.

Two auditory evoked potential studies were run to determine the effects of stimulus rise times on amplitude of N1-P2 onset and offset potentials. Onset potentials were reduced with increased onset durations. No consistent relationship was found in N1-P2 offset potentials as a function of stimulus rise time. The effects of listening tasks and stimulus duration were also examined.

Survey of psychologists’ telebehavioral health practices: Technology use, ethical issues, and training needs.

As telecommunication technologies have become more widely available and affordable, opportunities for psychologists to engage in telebehavioral health (TBH) have expanded greatly. A national sample of 164 professional psychologists completed a 28-item survey focusing on (a) current and anticipated use of telecommunication technologies in delivering TBH services, (b) types of telecommunication modalities currently used in clinical practice, (c) ethical and legal/regulatory concerns related to delivery of TBH services, and (d) educational and training needs for TBH practice. Associations between demographic factors (i.e., age, gender, practice setting, practice region, and years since completion of highest academic degree) and responses on survey items were examined. In descending order, the technologies most commonly used by psychologists were: landline telephone, mobile telephone, e-mail, and videoconferencing. A lower proportion of psychologists working in public settings used landline telephones, mobile telephones, or e-mail to deliver TBH than that of psychologists engaged in independent practice. In regard to respondents’ age, the proportion of psychologists delivering TBH collapsed across technologies was substantially higher among respondents 37 years of age or older compared with that of 36-year-olds or younger. Respondents also noted several ethical/legal barriers in providing TBH services, particularly managing emergencies, licensure requirements, and uncertainties about security, as well as confidentiality, Health Insurance Portability and Account Act (HIPAA) compliance, and malpractice insurance coverage. Overall, a substantial discrepancy was noted between psychologists’ positive appraisals of TBH and actual implementation, underscoring the ongoing barriers in the adoption of telehealth technologies in practice. Future directions addressed the need for training and education in TBH best practices.