Sheila H. Chiffriller

Body Art (Body Piercing and Tattooing) among Undergraduate University Students: “Then and Now”

PURPOSE To survey the prevalence of body art and incidence of medical complications among university students comparing results in 2001 and 2006. METHODS Students reported body piercings and tattoos and occurrence of medical complications. RESULTS Prevalence of body piercing was 51% and tattooing 22%. Piercing medical complication incidence was 19%. No tattooing medical complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS Body art is prevalent among undergraduate university students, with prevalence essentially unchanged during two consecutive 5-year samples. Medical complications occur frequently among those with piercings.

College Students' Motivations for Money and Subjective Well-Being

Previous research indicates that, while making money is important to college students, it is negatively correlated with subjective well-being. This study asked 157 undergraduate business and psychology students about the importance of making money, their motives for doing so, and several dimensions of subjective well-being: satisfaction with life, self-actualization, and mood/affect. Making money remains very important to college students. Being motivated to make money was not globally related to subjective well-being, but wanting to make money to help others, to feel secure, and to feel proud of oneself were predictive of happiness or subjective well-being. Motives such as comparing oneself favorably to others, spending impulsively, and overcoming self-doubt were not correlated with subjective well-being. Business students appeared more motivated to make money than other students and also to have more negative affect.

Understanding a New Typology of Batterers: Implications for Treatment

Abstract This article reviews early theories of the phenomenology of battering as well as more recent empirical research on batterer personality and behavioral characteristics. These studies yielded inconsistent findings. Most recently, Chiffriller and Hennessy (Chiffriller, 2002; Chiffriller & Hennessy, in press) conducted an extensive study that attempted to expand and correct for the methodological limitations of previous research. Cluster analysis yielded five distinct profiles of men who batter women. Based on the behavioral and personality characteristics that defined each cluster, the following five labels were chosen: (a) pathological batterers, (b) sexually violent batterers, (c) generally violent batterers, and (d) psychologically violent batterers, and (e) family-only batterers. These five profiles, and the implications for understanding battering and developing appropriate interventions, are discussed.

Working memory capacity among collegiate student athletes: Effects of sport-related head contacts, concussions, and working memory demands

Objective: To measure working memory capacity among a cohort of collegiate athletes and to compare results between athletes competing in head-contact-prone sports with those not subject to repeated head contacts. A secondary objective was to determine the effect of sport-related concussion on working memory capacity. Design: Ambidirectional cohort study. Setting: Athletics department at an American university. Participants: Student athletes competing in various sports. Interventions: None. Main outcome measurement: Automated operation span test scores. Results: Working memory capacity is not impaired in student athletes who participate in head-contact-prone sports or in student athletes with a history of diagnosed concussion, even those who are multiconcussed. Our results suggest that athletes competing in sports that impose significant working memory loading score higher on the automated operation span test than do other athletes. Conclusions: Further research is required to determine the value of measuring working memory capacity in acutely concussed, symptomatic athletes.

An Empirically Generated Typology of Men Who Batter

Abstract The goal of this research was to determine whether profiles of men who batter their female intimate partners differ significantly according to their attachment style, violent and nonviolent conflict resolution tactics, psychopathology, jealousy, and alcoholism. The sample consisted of 201 men enrolled in domestic violence programs. The design was a self-report survey consisting of the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ); Conflict Tactic Scales, Revised (CTS2); Basic Personality Inventory (BPI); Multidimensional Jealousy Scale (MJS); and Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST). Cluster analysis was used to classify subjects based on the similarity of their behavioral and personality profiles. Post-hoc analyses were computed to assess significant differences in terms of cluster-determining as well as demographic variables. Cluster analysis yielded five discernable clusters: pathological, sexually violent, generally violent, psychologically violent, and family-only. Comparisons to previously identified typologies, implications, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Male Batterer Profiles: Support for an Empirically Generated Typology.

Abstract Domestic violence is an issue that affects different sides of society; numerous studies have shown that it is a problem that is increasing. This study used a discriminant analysis to identify those scales that might be more effective at predicting group membership among batterer types: pathological batterers, sexually violent batterers, generally violent batterers, psychological violent batterers and family-only batterers. The purpose of this study was to measure batterer behaviors and how the batterer types differ in terms of attachment styles, conflict resolution, psychopathology, jealousy, and alcohol abuse.