Social Withdrawal and Social Surrogacy in Emerging Adulthood

Journal of Youth and Adolescence - Shyness has been well established as a hindrance to social adjustment and may be problematic for emerging adults attending university, given the high social...     

State Weakness in Perspective: Strong Politico-Economic Networks in Georgia's Energy Sector

Taking the case of Georgia, this article considers the role of politico-economic networks in weakening the energy sector in a post-Soviet state. It is hypothesised that incentives, from financial gain to the provision of goods and services, encourage a multitude of actors to create an alternative system to the state. It concludes that in a weak state, networks have replaced legitimate channels of communication and no amount of foreign financial or technical assistance can make up for the lack of will among the stakeholders to develop an efficient energy system.     

Cannabinoid concentrations in hair from documented cannabis users

Fifty-three head hair specimens were collected from 38 males with a history of cannabis use documented by questionnaire, urinalysis and controlled, double blind administration of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in an institutional review board approved protocol. The subjects completed a questionnaire indicating daily cannabis use (N=18) or non-daily use, i.e. one to five cannabis cigarettes per week (N=20). Drug use was also documented by a positive cannabinoid urinalysis, a hair specimen was collected from each subject and they were admitted to a closed research unit. Additional hair specimens were collected following smoking of two 2.7% THC cigarettes (N=13) or multiple oral doses totaling 116 mg THC (N=2). Cannabinoid concentrations in all hair specimens were determined by ELISA and GCMSMS. Pre- and post-dose detection rates did not differ statistically, therefore, all 53 specimens were considered as one group for further comparisons. Nineteen specimens (36%) had no detectable THC or 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (THCCOOH) at the GCMSMS limits of quantification (LOQ) of 1.0 and 0.1 pg/mg hair, respectively. Two specimens (3.8%) had measurable THC only, 14 (26%) THCCOOH only, and 18 (34%) both cannabinoids. Detection rates were significantly different (p<0.05, Fishers' exact test) between daily cannabis users (85%) and non-daily users (52%). There was no difference in detection rates between African-American and Caucasian subjects (p>0.3, Fisher's exact test). For specimens with detectable cannabinoids, concentrations ranged from 3.4 to >100 pg THC/mg and 0.10 to 7.3 pg THCCOOH/mg hair. THC and THCCOOH concentrations were positively correlated (r=0.38, p<0.01, Pearson's product moment correlation). Using an immunoassay cutoff concentration of 5 pg THC equiv./mg hair, 83% of specimens that screened positive were confirmed by GCMSMS at a cutoff concentration of 0.1 pg THCCOOH/mg hair.     

Will pay for performance be worth the price to medical providers? A look at pay for performance and its legal implications for providers

This article explores the legal implications of pay for performance programs from the perspective of healthcare providers. The author provides an informative background on the emergence of pay for performance programs and examines the structure and operation of these programs. She then explores the liability issues of health plans and managed care organizations and delves into evidentiary issues related to pay for performance information. Her article concludes with some practical suggestions for providers in preparing for an expansion of these quality initiatives.     

Binge eating in anorexia nervosa predicts later onset of substance use disorder: A ten-year prospective,longitudinal follow-up of 95 adolescents

The cooccurrence of binge eating and increased alcohol intake and substance abuse has been reported in clinical and community epidemiological samples. To further investigate the nature and causes of this comorbidity, we examined the 10-year prospective, longitudinal course of illness in 95 nonsubstance abusing adolescents hospitalized for treatment of anorexia nervosa. Survival analysis with Cox regression was used to quantitate the cumulative risk of developing substance use disorder (SUD) as a function of patterns of binge eating vs. dietary restraint within this cohort. Subjects who were binge eating at the time of intake were robustly distinguished from restrictors, having increased risk of SUD as well as greater likelihood of having at least one first-degree relative with SUD. The findings suggest binge eating that develops in the underweight stage of anorexia nervosa may reflect developmental, biological, and genetic risk processes shared in common with SUD.Received Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. Research interests include the etiology, course, and treatment of eating disorders, and the natural history and treatment of juvenile mood disorders.Received R.N. from Rush-Presbyterian Hospital. Research interests are in the area of adolescent mental health treatment and the treatment of anorexia nervosa.Received R.N. from Northeastern Univeristy. Research interest is the inpatient psychiatric treatment of adolescents.Received R.N. from the University of Windsor and her M.N. from UCLA. Research interest is the outcome studies of treatment effectiveness in adolescent and adult psychiatry.     

Long-term effects of participation in the Baltimore City drug treatment court: Results from an experimental study

This study uses an experimental design comparing 235 offenders assigned either to drug treatment court or treatment as usual. It extends prior analyses of this study sample to examine whether differences observed between drug treatment court subjects and control subjects at one and two years after the start of the program persist after three years, when many of the subjects had ceased active treatment. Further, it extends earlier analyses that showed that the quantity of drug treatment court services received was related to lower recidivism rates by using an instrumental variables approach to handle the endogeneity problem that sometimes arises when subjects self-select into different levels of service. Results show a sustained treatment effect on recidivism, controlling for time at risk. This effect is not limited to the period during which services are delivered. Rather, it persists even after participation in the drug court program ceases. Results also show that the recidivism is lowest among subjects who participate at higher levels in certified drug treatment, status hearings, and drug testing. These positive findings are tempered with findings that more than three-fourths of clients are re-arrested within three years, regardless of participation in the drug treatment court, and that drug treatment court cases spend approximately the same number of days incarcerated as do control cases. Implications for strengthening drug treatment courts are discussed.     

Perceptions of Police Among Hispanic Immigrants of Mexican Origin in the Southeast United States

Studies have repeatedly shown that members of minority groups are likely to hold less favorable perceptions of the police than their white counterparts. Relying on a unique sample of nearly 70 Hispanic immigrants, this study expands current knowledge on correlates of Hispanics’ perceptions of police. Overall, findings of this study indicate Hispanic immigrants of Mexican descent generally hold favorable views of the police. Results also suggest, however, that those who came to the US through illegal channels are significantly less likely to hold positive perceptions of police than those who relocated through legal channels. Furthermore, a preliminary analysis to assess the level of understanding that Hispanic immigrants have of police, including their role and function in American society, was conducted. Findings indicate there is a high level of misunderstanding concerning police services among this population. Based on our results, we discuss policy implications and future directions for research.     

An Examination of the Effects of Personal and Workplace Variables on Correctional Staff Perceptions of Safety

American Journal of Criminal Justice - Research on victimization has progressed dramatically over the last four decades. This research has identified important individual and contextual predictors...     

Conflict Avoidance and Political Participation

Previous explanations of mass participation have often focused on sociodemographic characteristics to the neglect of social psychological factors. This study takes a new path in thinking about the role of psychological factors in participation. Specifically, we hypothesize that individual propensities regarding conflict will influence the likelihood of participating in political affairs. We develop more specific expectations for how the avenue of participation interacts with individual propensities toward conflict to influence participation. Using secondary analysis of the Citizen Participation Study (CPS), we show that conflict avoidance is significantly and inversely related to participation in some kinds of activities, consistent with our expectations. Thus, both individual propensities and the political context influence participation. This study provides a new understanding of which individuals participate in political affairs and which avenues they choose. This suggests a need to reconsider the role of psychological factors in models of participation.