Raymond Fleming

Natural Disaster and Technological Catastrophe

Against the backdrop of ever-expanding technological systems, the effects of accidents or breakdowns in human-made technology are examined and contrasted with those of natural disasters. A number of differences are identified, and research on these forms of cataclysmic events is reviewed. These data, as well as this analysis, suggest that technological catastrophes are more likely to have long-term effects, to affect people beyond the point of impact, and to pose different types of threat than are natural disasters.

The role of cigarettes in the initiation and progression of early substance use

This study examined progression in substance use from initiation to eventual regular use and provided information on a number of levels. Cigarette use was shown to fall on a cumulative (Guttman) scale of use with other drugs (e.g., marijuana, beer, liquor, stimulants or depressants). Also, cigarettes were the drug with the youngest mean age of onset which would still fall on a Guttman scale with other drugs shown to scale in previous research. Finally, it was shown that having tried only cigarettes or marijuana made one significantly more likely to be using other drugs two years later.

Behavioral and Biochemical Effects of Job Loss and Unemployment Stress

Previous research on the effects of unemployment has focused upon both anticipation of job loss and long-term unemployment, typically using self-report and some biochemical measures of response to unemployment stress. The present study was concerned with behavioral and biochemical responses to unemployment. It was also designed to examine a somewhat different time course of unemployment than has been used in previous work. Results indicated that stress accompanies unemployment; looking at people who had been unemployed for up to four months, those who had been unemployed for greater lengths of time performed more poorly on a behavioral task and exhibited higher levels of urinary norepinephrine and epinephrine than did persons unemployed for shorter time periods or subjects who were employed.

Shoulder symptoms and function in geriatric patients.

Background and Purpose:Musculoskeletal problems, including shoulder pain, are common in the general population and are often cited as reasons for physician visits. Although many risk factors for shoulder pain are postulated, the effects of shoulder pain on functional level and perceived quality of life are poorly characterized in older adults. In this study, we set out to determine the prevalence and impact of shoulder symptoms and dysfunction in an older adult veteran population. Methods:A chart review, cross-sectional survey, and examination were performed. A sample of 93 individuals, aged 60 years or older, was recruited from a primary clinic outpatient waiting room at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Patients were asked about shoulder symptoms and self-assessed health and completed the Stanford Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire. A series of 3 shoulder maneuvers was used to assess shoulder mobility and pain. The presence of diabetes and statin use was documented. A more thorough chart review was performed on individuals who reported shoulder pain and disability. Results:Severe shoulder pain was common in the study group, reported by 31% of all participants. Functional limitation measured by the Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire and answering “yes” to greater difficulty performing daily tasks was associated with reduced internal rotation, which was present in almost 36% of all participants. Symptoms were often bilateral. No statistically significant risk factors emerged in this small sample, but suggestive trends were apparent. Interestingly, few patients reported discussing these problems with their providers, and shoulder-related problems were documented in only 10% of corresponding problem lists of symptomatic patients. Conclusions:With an aging population, the high prevalence of shoulder pain may have considerable impact on public health. It will become increasingly important to define risk factors, delineate etiologies, and devise new management strategies for patients with symptomatic shoulder disease.

Exoneration Reduces Adult Conflict's Effects on Preschoolers' Cognitions, Behavioral Distress, and Physiology.

In this experiment, the authors investigated the influence of exoneration from blame on childrens overt behavioral distress and physiological reactivity following the presentation of overheard adult conflict. The participants were 48 children (48-71 months of age) and their mothers. Through random assignment, the authors presented 16 children with statements that exonerated them from an overheard disagreement between two adults, did not address 16 during a similar disagreement, and presented 16 with a neutral discussion of difficulties. Exonerated children responded with less distress than did nonaddressed children, but did not differ from children presented the neutral discussion, except for overt behavioral distress. Nonaddressed children most often blamed themselves for the argument. Exonerating statements may protect children from attributional error and resultant physiological arousal during adult conflict.

Heart rate variability and generalized anxiety disorder during laboratory-induced worry and aversive imagery

BACKGROUND To date only a few published studies have examined the effect of disorder-relevant stressors on heart rate variability (HRV) in participants meeting a clinical diagnosis of GAD, with conflicting results. The primary aim of this study was to determine if GAD is associated with lower HRV at rest, and whether vagal regulation during task varies by type (i.e., baseline, anticipation, imagery, or worry). METHODS This study investigated resting cardiac vagal tone and vagal regulation in a sample of 40 participants with or without a validated diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). High-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) was used to index cardiac vagal activity. RESULTS GAD was associated with vagal withdrawal during both imagery and worry inductions, but no group differences in resting vagal tone or worry were observed. LIMITATIONS Methodological limitations include inherent limits to generalizability of laboratory-based findings; specifically worry induction and cardiac reactivity to lab-based stressors. CONCLUSIONS The results support the notion that GAD is associated with vagal withdrawal during active bouts of idiographic worry and imagery, and question the assumption that GAD is associated with low resting vagal tone. In light of polyvagal theory these findings provide additional support for the presence of emotion regulation deficits in GAD, and identify specific ANS processes that underlie GAD.

Perceptions of Accident Foreseeability and Stress and Coping During the Evacuation Period of Technological Disaster

The public depends on experts to manage risks of technologies and to prevent or warn of a possible mishap. Perceptions of experts’ ability to predict accidents were investigated in evacuees and controls during the threat of explosion from the derailment of a train carrying liquid propane. Evacuees showed elevated stress response levels compared to controls across psychological, behavioral, and physiological modalities. Perceptions of transportation accident foreseeability moderated physiological stress for evacuees, with stronger perceptions of accident predictability associated with lower stress hormone levels. Perceptions of transportation accident foreseeability also were associated with a reactance-style response to the disaster and problem-solving coping style in evacuees. Perceptions associated with greater secondary predictability moderated the physiological stress effects of the accident on evacuees during the acute phase of the disaster and furthermore, was associated with more efforts to regain control through more active coping.

Effect of U-Pace Instruction on Academic Success, Learning, and Perceptions in Younger and Older Undergraduates

ABSTRACT A randomized controlled trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of U-Pace instruction for older undergraduates, ages 25 and older, and younger undergraduates, ages 18 to 24. Additionally, change in learner perceptions across the semester, an outcome not reported in the literature on U-Pace instruction, was investigated. In both younger and older undergraduates U-Pace instruction produced greater learning, greater academic success, and sustained or improved students’ perceptions of themselves as learners compared with Face-to-Face instruction. The findings provide strong support for the efficacy of U-Pace instruction in younger and older students and highlight a possible mechanism underlying U-Pace instruction’s effects on learning and academic success.

Attenuating Physiological Arousal Through the Manipulation of Simple Hand Movements

The current study tests whether manipulating simple motor movements can regulate one’s physiological reactivity to negative images. Healthy college age participants were randomly assigned to no tapping, steady tapping, or slow tapping conditions and viewed two sets of 15 negative images from the international affective picture system. Participants viewed the first image set without manipulation. During the second image set, they were instructed to tap at a steady pace, a slow pace or not at all. Steady tapping suppressed the vagal component of the cardiovascular defense response, and produced a significant increase in respiration rate and skin conductance level (SCL). Slow tapping suppressed the sympathetic and enhanced the vagal components of the cardiovascular defensive response, and produced a decrease in heart rate, SCL and skin conductance responses to negative images. Results suggest that manipulating simple motor movements is an effective way to both up-regulate and more importantly, down-regulate one’s physiological response to negative affective images. Manipulation of slow and simple motor movements may be an effective means to attenuate autonomic arousal.