Elizabeth W. Cotter

Current Trends in Retirement: Implications for Career Counseling and Vocational Psychology.

This article provides an overview of emerging trends in retirement, examines demographic trends in the labor force, and provides practical recommendations for working with older workers across cultures (e.g., women and racial/ethnic minorities, and among others). Increasingly, older workers in the United States remain in the workforce for reasons related to financial security, health care, and personal fulfillment. Although retirement trends have become more complex, there is limited empirical literature addressing this issue and the research available does not attend to the needs of a diverse workforce. Therefore, implications for training, practice, advocacy, and research with regard to working with older workers across cultures (e.g., women and racial/ethnic minorities, among others) are provided.

Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q): norms for Black women.

The current study provides Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) norms for Black undergraduate women (N=395). EDE-Q subscale scores, clinical cutoffs, and disordered eating behavior were compared with previously published norms for primarily White undergraduate and community samples. The current sample endorsed mean EDE-Q scores similar to those of White females recruited from the community. Regarding clinical cutoffs, Black women in the current sample were most similar to White college women. Despite similar EDE-Q scores, the current sample endorsed significantly less binge eating and compensatory behaviors than White undergraduate or community women. Outcomes suggest that increased eating- and weight-related concerns among Black undergraduate women might not be associated with disordered eating behavior. Similarly, results suggest that the validity of EDE-Q cutoffs is lower in samples of Black women compared with samples of White women. Additional research is needed to enhance understanding of eating disorder risk factors for Black college women.

Parent skills training to enhance weight loss in overweight children: Evaluation of NOURISH

OBJECTIVE Although there is general agreement that parents should be involved in pediatric obesity treatment, few studies have investigated the effectiveness of interventions that target parents exclusively. Moreover, the effectiveness of this approach has not been adequately assessed with racially diverse families, particularly African Americans(AA), a group at high risk for elevated Body Mass Index (BMI). METHODS NOURISH (Nourishing Our Understanding of Role modeling to Improve Support and Health) is a culturally-sensitive parenting intervention targeting overweight (AA) children (ages 6-11; MBMI = 98.0%ile). Families (N = 84; 61% AA, 37% White) were randomly assigned to NOURISH or a control group. RESULTS NOURISH families significantly improved on child BMI from pre- to post-testing after adjustment for random effects, baseline BMI, and child race. NOURISH parents were very satisfied with the intervention and would recommend it to other parents; 91% strongly or moderately agreed that NOURISH helped them eat in a healthier manner. CONCLUSIONS These pilot data suggest that NOURISH is acceptable and, with refinement, offers promise for reducing pediatric BMI. Outcomes, lessons learned, and parent feedback will inform a larger randomized controlled trial.

Examining Burnout and Engagement in Layoff Survivors: The Role of Personal Strengths.

This study investigates burnout and work engagement in layoff survivors. Layoff survivors are defined as individuals who remain working at organizations that have recently had layoffs. Job demands (job insecurity and work overload) and job and personal resources (social support, optimism, career adaptability, and career management self-efficacy) are examined as predictors of burnout and engagement. The sample consists of 203 adults currently working at organizations that downsized within the past year. As hypothesized, job demands had positive relationships with burnout, while social support, optimism, and career management self-efficacy had positive relationships with engagement. Contrary to hypotheses, career adaptability was not positively related to engagement. Engagement also mediated the relationships between several resources and burnout. This study makes a unique contribution to the literature, as little research has examined personal strengths of layoff survivors, in addition to job characteristics.

BMI and depressive symptoms: the role of media pressures.

Obese and overweight individuals experience higher risk for depression and emotional distress. One factor that may contribute to depression in obese or overweight individuals is exposure to unrealistic images in the media. Indeed, overall media consumption is associated with body image dissatisfaction in adolescents and young adults. Despite these compelling links, prior work has not examined the mediating effect of media pressures on the link between BMI and depression. In the present study, young adults (N = 743) completed an online survey assessing demographic information, perceived pressure from the media to conform to a certain body standard, and symptoms of depression. Structural equation modeling analyses indicated a direct effect of BMI on media pressure, a direct effect of media pressure on depressive symptoms, and an indirect effect of BMI on depressive symptoms mediated by media pressures. Findings indicate that higher BMI levels are associated with greater depressive symptoms when there is greater perceived media pressure on body image. Results suggest the need for clinicians to assess media consumption and perceived pressure to conform to physical appearance standards in individuals who are obese or overweight as well as individuals at risk for eating disorders.

An Investigation of Body Appreciation, Ethnic Identity, and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Black Women:

Positive body image, such as body appreciation or acceptance, has gone largely unexamined in women of color in comparison with more pathological body attitudes. In an effort to promote and extend positive body image research, this study examined the reliability and validity of the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) in Black college women, as well as the relation between ethnic identity and body appreciation. Participants were 228 Black college women (M age = 19.89, SD = 4.57). The relation between BAS scores and measures of appearance evaluation, self-esteem, Western beauty ideal internalization, eating disordered behavior, and teasing was examined to investigate convergent and divergent validity. Results supported the construct validity of this measure. Similar to previous research, a confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional factor structure. Ethnic identity was moderately, positively associated with body appreciation. Western beauty ideal internalization mediated the relation between ethnic identity and eating, weight, and shape concerns. Overall, findings support the use of the BAS with Black college women.

Career and Retirement Theories: Relevance for Older Workers Across Cultures

This article reviews selected career development theories and theories specifically focused on retirement, with an emphasis on their application to retirement decisions and vocational behavior in multicultural populations. Theories are evaluated based on whether (a) retirement was considered a stage of working life, (b) work satisfaction, motivation, and other work variables at retirement age were addressed, (c) work choices at retirement age were included, and (d) cultural and other minority status issues were either directly considered in the work–retirement decision or if the model could be reasonably applied to retirement across cultures. We provide specific recommendations for research and practice with the aim of helping practitioners and scholars conceptualize the current concerns older adults face in their working lives and during retirement planning.

Body checking and body image avoidance: Construct validity and norms for college women

The current study explored the prevalence of body checking and body image avoidance behaviors in a large sample of undergraduate women (N=1011). The factor structures of two relevant measures, the Body Checking Questionnaire and the Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire, were compared with factor structures proposed by the development studies. Subscales are described, and the influence of race on responses examined. Results suggest these scales are valid in White and African American samples with a modified factor structure. Findings can inform clinical and research use of these measures, although additional experimental research is needed.

A Qualitative Examination of Health Barriers and Facilitators Among African American Mothers in a Subsidized Housing Community

Although African American families are at particular risk for obesity and its associated health comorbidities, few interventions have directly targeted low-income members of this group living in subsidized public housing. Using a consensual qualitative research approach, we conducted 11 interviews with African American mothers living in two public housing communities to enhance understanding of their perceived barriers and facilitators to health. Five primary domains emerged, including barriers (access, financial, personal, and neighborhood concerns), resources (personal and community), current behaviors (diet, physical activity, and program participation), definition of health (mental well-being, physical well-being, and health behaviors), and needs/interests in programming (health behavior-specific programs, non–health-related programs, child-focused programming, and qualities of programs and their leaders). Results demonstrate the complex interaction among social, environmental, and personal factors on health behaviors for this priority population, and highlight the need for community members’ involvement in the development of community-based obesity prevention programming.

Missing and discrepant data on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q): Quantity, quality, and implications.

The aim of this study was to examine relations among missing and discrepant data on the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q; Fairburn & Beglin, 1994) and individual demographic factors and eating disorder symptoms. Data from 3968 men and women collected in five independent studies were examined. Descriptive statistics were used to detect the quantity of missing and discrepant data, as well as independent samples t-tests and chi-square analyses to examine group differences between participants with and without missing or discrepant data. Results indicated significant differences in data completeness by participant race/ethnicity and severity of eating disorder symptoms. White participants were most likely to provide complete survey responses, and Asian American participants were least likely to provide complete survey responses. Participants with incomplete surveys reported greater eating disorder symptoms and behaviors compared with those with complete surveys. Similarly, those with discrepant responses to behavioral items reported greater eating disorder symptoms and behaviors compared with those with congruent responses. Practical implications and recommendations for reducing and addressing incomplete data on the EDE-Q are discussed.