Jenifer J. Thomas

Making Sense of the Atmospheric Science Gender Gap: Do Female and Male Graduate Students Have Different Career Motives, Goals, and Challenges?.

ABSTRACT There is a persisting gap in the participation of women in atmospheric science (ATS), particularly at the higher levels of ATS education and occupations. This gap raises questions about ATS womens career motives, plans, and challenges relative to mens. To explore these questions, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 female and male ATS graduate students. Both women and men described their ATS choice as the result of random events—though both also mentioned memories of childhood severe weather experiences, as well as interest and confidence in math and science, as critical milestones in their path to ATS. Both women and men also commented on the impact of hands-on, ATS-related research, including field experiences as well as the positive influence of models and mentors on their ATS educational choice and persistence. However, for women, experiences with mentors included instances of neglectful and undermining behavior. Women and men also differed with regard to career goals, with women emphasizing service and social impact, and men emphasizing employability. Finally, women and men anticipated different career obstacles, with women focusing on family, and men focusing on financial responsibilities. The findings of this study suggest that ATS women and men may have similar early motives for ATS career choice but different experiences once they enter ATS. ATS women and men may also differ in terms of career goals and perceived obstacles. Many themes surrounding ATS womens experiences in this study are similar to themes that have emerged in studies of women in other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. At the same time, this study also generated information and questions specific to the ATS experience, affirming the importance of examining STEM womens issues by discipline.

The Emotional and Functional Impact of the Type of Tinnitus Sensation

One to three percent of individuals with tinnitus experience significant reduction in quality of life. Factors that contribute to distress include personality variables, intolerance to loud noises, external locus of control, and pre-existing anxiety. Characteristics of tinnitus itself, such as perceived loudness, can also cause functional impairment. It is unknown whether different tinnitus sensations have various effects on either emotional or functional impairment, which can reduce quality of life. While audiological tests can determine pitch and loudness of tinnitus, questionnaires also can be easily used to assess subjective characteristics of tinnitus. In this study, 370 participants, recruited via email from a national tinnitus organization, completed online surveys that assessed tinnitus-related distress and provided qualitative descriptions of their tinnitus sensation. Self-reports of tinnitus sensation were rated by five independent coders, with excellent agreement. Individuals who reported a combination of tinnitus sensations were found to experience significantly more functional impairment and avoidant behavior. Future research should utilize more sophisticated approaches to categorize individuals’ tinnitus sensation and to examine associated emotional and functional differences. Providers should appropriately refer patients for tinnitus management and empirically-supported therapies aimed at reducing tinnitus related distress and functional impairment.

Use of the Implicit Association Test for the Measurement of Tinnitus-Related Distress

PURPOSE A priming stimulus activates and increases an association with the target stimulus. The goal of this research was to investigate whether current tinnitus measures are susceptible to increased error due to priming and, if so, to examine the feasibility of using the Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) for an alternative measurement of tinnitus-related distress. METHOD Participants completed 2 tinnitus-related questionnaires and the IAT online. RESULTS Although participants with tinnitus did not view sound-related words as significantly more negative and IAT scores did not predict scores on the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (Newman, Jacobson, & Spitzer, 1996), priming did affect negative implicit attitudes toward sound-related words. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of these results, it is suggested that current tinnitus measures may be susceptible to priming error and that future studies should continue to pursue how the IAT can be utilized in the measure of tinnitus-related distress. Moreover, researchers should develop overt-behavioral measurements that can assess the validity of a tinnitus IAT.

Acceptance Mediates the Relationship Between Tinnitus-Related Cognitions and Anxiety Sensitivity.

PURPOSE Negative cognitions related to tinnitus sensation have been previously shown to affect the level of emotional distress. Anxiety sensitivity is another psychological factor that influences individuals to more closely monitor their own bodily sensations, resulting in increased negative cognitions and negative emotional responses among tinnitus patients. However, increasing acceptance of tinnitus sensation may attenuate emotional distress. The goal of this research was to investigate the relationship between negative tinnitus-related cognitions, acceptance, and anxiety sensitivity. METHOD Two hundred sixty-seven participants completed online measures of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (Newman, Jacobson, & Spitzer, 1996), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (Hayes, Follette, & Linehan, 2004), and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (Taylor et al., 2007). RESULTS Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that acceptance fully mediated the relationship between negative tinnitus-related cognitions and anxiety sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of these results, it is suggested that practitioners improve acceptance of tinnitus sensation, duration, and intensity. More research is warranted on the clinical techniques to improve acceptance.

Living With Type 2 Diabetes in San Jose Tecoh, Yucatan, Mexico: A Phenomenological Study:

Introduction: Understanding the psychosocial aspects that accompany and influence type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become increasingly important for culturally appropriate health care in Mexico. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experience of individuals’ with T2DM in Merida, Yucatan. Method: A phenomenological method guided data collection and analysis. Patients in San Jose Tecoh, diagnosed with T2DM for at least 5 years, were interviewed. Results: Eight (six female, two male) patients described their lived experience. Individuals discussed knowledge of the disease (e.g., care, beliefs about origin, consequences, type, symptoms) and changes arising from diagnosis (e.g., emotional, dietary, physiological, lifestyle and self-care, economic). Discussion: The Mayan–Yucatecan cultural perceptions of factors that influence physical health are unique to this region. Nurses can facilitate improvement in T2DM health outcomes through providing information and encouraging self-care. Our results emphasize the importance of considering T2DM in terms of differences between and within culture.

Self-Concept in the Context of Diabetes Prevention: Development of the Lifestyle Health-Related Self-Concept Questionnaire

Purpose: Understanding psychosocial factors in the context of lifestyle change is important to recognize distinctions in type 2 diabetes prevention behaviors. A relatively stable psychosocial feature, such as health-related self-concept (HRSC), may indicate factors that promote or repress positive health behaviors. The present study created a questionnaire specific to lifestyle change activities by modifying the Generalized Health-Related Self-Concept Questionnaire (G-HRSC). Design: A modified lifestyle health-related self-concept (Lifestyle-HRSC) questionnaire was developed through creation of new items, context expert review of new items, and small and large sample test of new items. Participants: 101 college students completed the Lifestyle-HRSC. Analysis: Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (0.64) and Bartlett sphericity tests (χ2 = 6350.7 [df = 3081], P < .01) indicated the sample met criteria for factor analysis. Principle component factor analysis was performed using varimax rotation with Kaiser normalization. Results: Six factors were revealed: nutrition, social support, avoiding diabetes, physical activity, problem solving, and challenges related to being healthy. Item analysis was conducted to remove correlated and conceptually redundant items and to create the 31-item final questionnaire. Conclusion: The Lifestyle-HRSC provides additional knowledge regarding the relationship between self-concept and health as well as insights into the role of psychosocial factors in the context of diabetes prevention.

Do words matter? health care providers’ use of the term prediabetes

Communication of risk is not solely the transfer of information; it is an interaction and exchange of ideas between concerned individuals. Health care provider communication about type 2 diabetes risk status may influence individual participation in behaviours that prevent or delay the disease, which is concerning from a public health perspective. The term prediabetes is used to convey risk status and little is known about how health care providers view or use the term. In this article, we describe health care provider use and perceptions of the term prediabetes drawing on data from interviews conducted between August and November 2011 of 15 health care providers practicing in Southeast Wyoming and Northern Colorado USA. We used a grounded theory research design to guide data collection and analysis and in the interviews invited providers to describe their use and perception of the term prediabetes. We found that providers’ use of the term ‘prediabetes’ depended on their view of the term’s meaning (e.g. whether patients were likely to understand or be confused by it) and impact (in terms of motivating patients to mitigate risk). We found there were differences in providers’ perceptions of the negative and positive associations of the term and this influenced whether or not they used it. These findings are not surprising given the lack of consensus over definitions and diagnosis criteria for prediabetes. Given this lack of agreement, there are difficulties about the use of the term prediabetes and its use should take place within effective risk communication. Health care providers must consider essential aspects of risk communication in order to enable individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes to mitigate the risk and by doing so reduce incidence and prevalence rates of the disease.

The Combined Influence of Psychosocial Factors on Illness Behavior Among Women

Distinctions in illness behavior for women, such as use of health services, may result from gender-specific biological risks for disease but could also be explained by the relationships among social, psychological, and behavioral factors. The purpose of this study was to determine if illness behavior in women might be related to associations among social support satisfaction, perceived health status, coping skills, and perceived stress. Data were collected November–December 2005 from 205 female college students through self-report using questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used to test relationships among psychosocial factors. The final model revealed associations between psychosocial factors and illness behavior for women along two paths. First, high perceived stress and poor perceived health status were associated with more reported illness behavior. Second, greater use of total coping skills, greater social support satisfaction, and good perceived health status were associated with less reported illness behavior. Consideration of multiple health-related factors may provide a more complete picture of how psychosocial factors are related to illness behavior for women. Specifically, interactions among stress, coping, social support, and perceived health status may be important to women’s health. Our results suggest that interventions should focus on skill-building and strategies to improve self-perception of health.

Development of a revised generalized health-related self-concept inventory.

OBJECTIVES To replicate and validate the GHRSC-76, as well as to develop and validate an abbreviated version. METHODS An online survey was completed by 276 undergraduate students. Principal components and multiple regression analyses were used to replicate and validate the measure. RESULTS Health-protective motivation, vulnerability, and health-risky habits dimensions were predictive of symptom report. A 25-item inventory was created (R-GHRSC) and similar results were found. CONCLUSIONS Three dimensions of GHRSC were related to symptom report in this study but further research is needed to explore the relationship between GHRSC and health behavior.