James J. Jupp

ENDEMIC GOITRE IN CENTRAL CHINA CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE IODINE INTAKE

Thyroid status was examined in children from two villages in central China where the iodine concentrations in drinking water were 462.5 and 54 micrograms/l. Goitres were present in 65% (n = 120) and 15.4% (n = 51), respectively. All children in both groups were clinically euthyroid and neurologically normal. Growth measurements and intellectual performance were similar in the two groups. Children from the high-iodine village had a lower mean serum triiodothyronine and higher serum free thyroxine and serum thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations than the children from the control village. 2 cases of overt hypothyroidism were detected in the high-iodine village.Thyroid status was examined in children from two villages in central China where the iodine concentrations in drinking water were 462.5 and 54 µg/1. Goitres were present in 65% (n = 120) and 15.4% (n=51), respectively. All children in both groups were clinically euthyroid and neurologically normal. Growth measurements and intellectual performance were similar in the two groups. Children from the high-iodine village had a lower mean serum triiodothyronine and higher serum free thyroxine and serum thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations than the children from the control village. 2 cases of

Body Percept Change in Obese Females after Weight Reduction Therapy.

Video-image representations of body size were measured on a television monitor that was modified to give a display continuum that ranged from 50% under- to 50% over-estimation of objective size. Sixty-eight females who were undergoing weight reduction counseling were measured before and after treatment. All Ss judged themselves to be significantly more obese than they actually were, with a tendency for errors to be greatest among the more obese Ss. After therapy, more realistic estimates of their physiques ensued. A drop-out rate of 23% was recorded; the drop-outs saw themselves as significantly more obese than those who graduated from the program.

Self-concept changes in shy, Socially isolated adolescents following social skills training emphasising role plays

Abstract This study compared two social skills training programmes for shy-isolated adolescents. The investigation employed a test-retest quasi experimental design with a no contact contrast group. One programme used a traditional discussion-activities approach, the other used psychodramatic role-plays. There were significant changes in social behaviours following both interventions. There was a significant positive change in self-concept following the role-play intervention. These self-concept changes were significantly correlated with behavioural changes. Results are discussed.

Burn-out in student counsellors

Abstract This study investigated the relations among perceived work stress, sources of support and reported levels of distress and burn-out of men and women who have been employed for shorter and longer periods as Technical & Further Education (TAFE) counsellors. Stress, types of support, with one exception, and symptoms reported by men and women were not significantly different. Length of time spent counselling influenced level of burn-out but not level of distress. Distress and burn-out were significantly positively correlated. Levels of work stress were significantly correlated with distress and burn-out but the effect was strongest for burn-out. There were low but significant correlations between some sources of support and work stress and burn-out. Results are discussed in terms of the extent to which they support the uniqueness of burn-out in helping professions and the action of support on work stress to reduce burn-out.

Opinions about the forensic use of hypnosis

Two hundred and three undergraduate subjects were administered a 10-item questionnaire that assessed opinions about the forensic use of hypnosis. Findings indicated subjects considered (a) hypnosis could enhance accurate memory, (b) the hypnotist should be a psychiatrist or psychologist (rather than a police officer), (c) hypnotically obtained information should be verified by independent physical evidence, and (d) hypnosis should not be used simply as part of an attempt to convict someone of a crime. The opinions expressed by subjects are discussed in terms of their consistency with scientific knowledge and legal opinion.

The Discriminate Validity of the Lifestyle Satisfaction Scale (LSS) for the Assessment of Australian Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.

The Lifestyle Satisfaction Scale (LSS) of Heal, Novak, and Chadsey-Rusch (1981) has been designed to assess the “life” satisfaction of persons with intellectual disabilities. In American samples, satisfaction scores from LSS are significantly influenced by types of accommodation (representing variations in level of restriction in lifestyle) of respondents (Heal & Chadsey-Rusch, 1985). This study attempted to replicate this result in an Australian context (ie, with respect to the LSS responses of people with intellectual disability living in three different locations). These locations were taken to represent variations in lifestyle likely to significantly influence satisfaction with residence, friends, general lifestyle and services. Some predicted significant main effects of location on LSS were obtained. These results were taken as support for the discriminate validity of LSS. How location influenced satisfaction and how satisfaction was moderated by factors other than location are discussed.

An Exploratory Study of the Intellectual Functioning of Neurological and Myxoedematous Cretins in China

Two small samples of subjects, from an iodine deficient area in China, displaying typical features of neurological and myxoedematous cretinism, were assessed using a combination of the Ruth Griffiths Development Scales and the Hiskey Nebraska Test of Learning Ability. an opportunistic sample of subjects, reasonably assumed to be intellectually and physically normal was used for comparison purposes. Results showed the neurological group scored significantly lower on this instrument than the myxoedematous group. Subjects in the comparison sample tested within the average range for Western norms. The level of intellectual capacity was found to vary with neurological and morphological signs.

Flying Apart: Separation Distress in Female Flight Attendants

This study investigated the effects of relatively short separations from partners on the distress of female flight attendants during overseas tours of duty. In the study, the distress of separated attendants was compared with the distress of two other subsamples of otherwise demographically equivalent attendants who were either unattached or travelled with their partners. Changes in distress were compared across time phases, which for the experimental sample represented partner accessibility, anticipatory separation, separation, and reunion. The effects on distress of personality, attachment (assessed in terms of remembered aspects of parental care and protection), and marital adjustment were examined. Results provided reasonably strong evidence for the existence of separation distress, which was not related with other variables assessed. The results are discussed in relation to findings from other investigations about separation, anticipatory separation, and reunion distress in adults.

Intercorrelations among General Arousability, Emerging and Current Sexual Desire, and Severity of Sexual Dysfunction in Women:

Intercorrelations among general trait arousability, emerging sexual desire, current sexual desire, lack of sexual desire perceived as a problem, and sexual dysfunction were assessed in 65 women currently involved in marital or de facto heterosexual relationships. The Stimulus Screening Test was used to measure general arousability and the Assessment of Sexual Function and Dysfunction Questionnaire was used to measure emerging sexual desire, current sexual desire, lack of sexual desire, and sexual dysfunction. Analysis showed that arousability was positively associated with current levels of sexual desire which was negatively associated with sexual dysfunction. There was a curvilinear relationship between arousability and sexual dysfunction, with women experiencing both high and low levels of arousability being more likely to score higher on measures of sexual dysfunction than those experiencing medium levels of arousal. The possible implications of these results are discussed.

A further empirical evaluation of neurolinguistic primary representational systems (PRS)

Abstract Neurolinguistic programmers claim that individuals have preferred (primary) representational systems. These may be auditory, visual or kinesthetic and determine how a person views/deals with the world. Systems can be identified by observation of eye movements. In workshops programmers demonstrated strong associations between eye movements following questioning and types of questions and eye movement categories (assumed to identify systems) and other assessments of systems. Studies have evaluated these ‘workshop’ associations and found little support for their general occurrence. In these studies, it is possible that eye movements following questioning were influenced by artifacts which influence predicted association between these and other variables. An attempt was made to exclude these artifacts in this study. Except for subjects who had attended neurolinguistic workshops, results supported those obtained elsewhere. Possibly, associations in workshops occur as a result of expectational-contextu...