A Within-Individual Examination of the Predictors of Gun Carrying During Adolescence and Young Adulthood Among Young Men

Although prior studies have identified several risk factors for gun carrying, no prior longitudinal studies have examined a comprehensive set of explanatory factors together in within-individual change models or examined whether the predictors of gun carrying change across adolescence and early young adulthood. The present study fills these gaps by examining the predictive utility of several risk factors for gun carrying, and by examining whether any of the associations vary by age. The sample included 1216 young men who were arrested for the first time during adolescence (approximately 15 years old) and interviewed regularly for 5 years (until approximately 20 years old) after the first arrest. The outcome was youth-self-reported gun carrying and the risk factors included several variables consistent with various explanations for gun carrying (psychosocial maturity deficits; antisocial behavioral style; socialization; victimization). Research questions were addressed with fixed effects dynamic panel models (within-individual change models). Results showed that the most robust predictors of gun carrying were increased exposure to guns and gun-related violence and increased engagement in other antisocial and illegal behavior. The results emphasize the specific etiology of gun carrying and the potential social contagion effect of gun-related events. Overall, the study points to the need for prevention and intervention programs to specifically target the reduction of the real and perceived prevalence of gun-related events in young men’s lives.

Cross-cultural adaptation, validity and reliability of the Chinese Version of Miller Behavioral Style Scale

Background Health education basing on patients’ information-seeking styles can improve the effectiveness of health education and patients’ health outcomes. The Miller Behavioral Style Scale (MBSS) is widely used to identify individual’s information-seeking styles, but the Chinese version is lacking. The study aim was to translate and culturally adapt the MBSS into Chinese version and test the content validity, construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the Chinese version of MBSS (C-MBSS). Methods The forward-back-translation procedure was adopted in the translation of the MBSS. Content validity was assessed in a panel of experts. In a sample of 1343 individuals including patients, patients’ caregivers, university students, and medical staff, reliability and construct validity were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and factor analysis. The measurement invariance across samples was tested using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA). Floor and ceiling effects were checked. Results The C-MBSS achieved conceptual and semantic equivalence with the original scale. The item-level content validity index (I-CVI) of each item ranged from 0.78 to 1, and the averaging scale-level content validity index (S-CVI/ Ave) was 0.95. The exploratory factor analysis resulted in 2-factor assumption for each hypothetical threat-evoking scenario. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good fit between theoretical model and data, which provided confirmatory evidence for the second-order factor structure of 2-factor solution (Monitoring and Blunting). The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the Monitoring and Blunting sub-scales of the C-MBSS were 0.75 and 0.62 respectively. MGCFA results supported the measurement invariance for the Monitoring sub-scale of the C-MBSS across samples. No floor or ceiling effects occurred. Conclusions This study indicates that the C-MBSS has good content and construct validity. The Monitoring sub-scale of the C-MBSS had acceptable internal consistency reliability while the Blunting sub-scale had unsatisfactory one, which suggest that the Monitoring sub-scale of the C-MBSS can be used to identify individuals’ information-seeking styles in Chinese contexts across different populations.

Cross-cultural Adaptation, Validity and Reliability of the Chinese Version of Miller Behavioral Style Scale

Background: Health education basing on patients’ information-seeking styles can improve the effectiveness of health education and patients’ health outcomes. The Miller Behavioral Style Scale (MBSS) is widely used to identify individual’s information-seeking styles, but the Chinese version is lacking. The study aim was to translate and culturally adapt the MBSS into Chinese version and test the content validity, construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the Chinese version of MBSS (C-MBSS).Methods: The forward-back-translation procedure was adopted in the translation of the MBSS. Content validity was assessed in a panel of experts. In a sample of 1343 individuals including patients, patients’ caregivers, university students, and medical staff, reliability and construct validity were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and factor analysis. The measurement invariance across samples was tested using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA). Floor and ceiling effects were checked.Results: The C-MBSS achieved conceptual and semantic equivalence with the original scale. The item-level content validity index (I-CVI) of each item ranged from 0.78 to 1, and the averaging scale-level content validity index (S-CVI/ Ave) was 0.95. The exploratory factor analysis resulted in 2-factor assumption for each hypothetical threat-evoking scenario. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good fit between theoretical model and data, which provided confirmatory evidence for the second-order factor structure of 2-factor solution (Monitoring and Blunting). The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the Monitoring and Blunting sub-scales of the C-MBSS were 0.75 and 0.62 respectively. MGCFA results supported the measurement invariance for the Monitoring sub-scale of the C-MBSS across samples. No floor or ceiling effects occurred. Conclusions: This study indicates that the C-MBSS has good content and construct validity. The Monitoring sub-scale of the C-MBSS had acceptable internal consistency reliability while the Blunting sub-scale had unsatisfactory one, which suggest that the Monitoring sub-scale of the C-MBSS can be used to identify individuals’ information-seeking styles in Chinese contexts across different populations.

EFFECTIVENESS OF INFORMATION PAMPHLET REGARDING LIVER BIOPSY ON ANXIETY AMONG PATIENTS UNDERGOING LIVER BIOPSY

Background: Providing information to the patients before liver biopsy level of patient during procedure.To reduce the anxiety level, coping used as an procedure may decrease the level of anxiety and can improve tolerance alternatives. There are two types of coping present: Monitoring coping style- Individuals who seek information in response to stressful situation and Blunting coping style- Individuals who avoids informationin response to stressful situation. Methods: Convenient sampling was used to enroll 80 patients, randomly assigned to Experimental and Comparison group based on Randomized days using Hospital Anxiety and Depression-sub scale and Miller-Behavioral Style Scale. Results:Out of 40 subjects 24 were monitors and 16 were blunters in the Experimental group and in the Comparison group 25 were monitors and 15 were blunters. There was significant difference found between mean anxiety score of experimental group (6.9) and comparison group (9.03) at t value = 7.557 and p = 0.01. Anxiety of Monitors was significantly less in Experimental group as compared to Comparison group (p value 0.041) at 0.041. Conclusion:Information Pamphlet was found to be effective in decreasing the anxiety of patients undergoing Liver Biopsy.

Psychosomatic Behavior Style of Patients With Syphilis in Connection With Their Psychological Defenses

The article presents the results of the clinical and psychological study of the styles of psychosomatic behavior and psychological defenses. Patients with confirmed diagnosis of syphilis (30 people) took part in the research. The following methods were used: questionnaire “Lifestyle index” by R. Plutchik, H. Kellerman and H. R. Conte; questionnaire of psychosomatic behavior styles by V. М. Byzova, A. E. Loviagina, E. I. Perikova; “Individually typological questionnaire” by L. N. Sobchik; the projective technique “Drawing of a Man”. The patients of the selected group demonstrate the predominance of cognitive and behavioral styles of psychosomatic behavior and such psychological defenses as projection, denial, rationalization. Types of connections that were determined between styles of psychosomatic behavior and psychological defenses: the direct connection of the cognitive (r=0.317, P<0.05) and behavioral (r=0.657, P<0.01) styles of psychosomatic response with rationalization; moderate positive connection between the behavioral style of psychosomatic behavior and repression (r=0.380, P<0.05) as well as regression (r=0.398, P<0.05); reverse connection (r= −0.327, P<0.05) between the emotional style of psychosomatic behavior and displacement.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Validity and Reliability of The Chinese Version of Miller Behavioral Style Scale

Background: Health education basing on patients’ information-seeking style can improve the effect of health education and patients’ health outcomes. The Miller Behavioral Style Scale(C-MBSS) is widely used, but the Chinese version is lacking. The study aim was to test the reliability and validity of C-MBSS.Methods: The forward-back-translation procedure was adopted in the translation of the MBSS. Content validity was assessed in a panel of experts. In a sample of 1343 individuals including patients, patients’ caregivers, university students, and medical staff, reliability and construct validity were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and factor analysis.Results: The C-MBSS achieved conceptual and semantic equivalence with the original scale. The item-level content validity index (I-CVI) of each item ranged from 0.78 to 1, and the averaging scale-level content validity index (S-CVI/ Ave) was 0.95. Thecronbach`s alpha coefficient for the scale and sub-scales were over 0.6. The exploratory factor analysis resulted in 2-factor assumption for each hypothetical threat-evoking scenario. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good fit between theoretical model and data, which provided confirmatory evidence for the second-order factor structure of 2-factor solution (Monitoring and Blunting).Conclusions: This study verified the reliability and validity of the C-MBSS and indicated that the C-MBSS can be used to identify individual`s information-seeking style in Chinese population.

Validation and Reliability of the Chinese Version of the Miller Behavioral Style Scale

Objectives: To test the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Miller Behavioral Style Scale(C-MBSS).Methods: The forward-back-translation procedure was adopted in the translation of the Miller Behavioral Style Scale. Content validity was assessed in a panel of experts. In a sample of 1343 individuals, reliability and construct validity were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and factor analysis. For exploratory factor analysis, parallel analysis was used to decide number of factors, principal axis factoring and direct oblimin rotation method were used to select factor. For confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling was established to verify the extracted factor structure.Results: The C-MBSS achieved conceptual and semantic equivalence with the original scale. The item content validity index(I-CVI) of each item ranged from 0.78 to 1, and the averaging scale content validity index(S-CVI/ Ave) was 0.95. The cronbach`s alpha coefficient for the scale and sub-scales were over 0.6. The exploratory factor analysis resulted in 2-factor assumption for each hypothetical threat-evoking scenario. Confirmatory factor analysis provided confirmatory evidence for the second-order factor structure of 2-factor solution (Monitoring and Blunting) and demonstrated a good fit between theoretical model and data. Conclusions: This study verified the psychometric properties of the C-MBSS and indicated that the C-MBSS can be used to identify individual`s information-seeking style in Chinese population. With the use of the C-MBSS, health care professionals in China can deliver health education based on patients’ information-seeking behavior, which can improve the effect of health education and patients’ health outcomes.