A Prospective Study of Adolescents' Peer Support: Gender Differences and the Influence of Parental Relationships

This longitudinal study investigates parent and child predictors of adolescents' perceived social support from peers. Adolescents (285) and their parents filled out surveys when students were 11 and 15 years of age. Parent reports of their own social support and child reports of parental support to them, depression, and self-esteem were used as predictors of adolescents' peer social support. Path analyses revealed functional dissimilarity in the predictive model, for boys and girls. For boys and girls, the amount of spousal support parents' reported impacted the amount of parent to child support that children reported. For boys, this relationship impacted their perceptions of peer support indirectly through depression. However, for girls, parents' own supportive relationships directly impacted both their self-esteem and depression, above and beyond parent to child support, which then impacted girls' peer social support.     

Telephone crisis intervention skills: a simulated caller paradigm

Counseling skills were evaluated in a telephone counseling service for Vietnam veterans. Thirty simulated crisis calls were made to telephone counselors by experienced clinical psychologists. The counselors' responses were rated on dimensions that indexed general counseling skills, knowledge of veteran needs, and provision of appropriate advice. Whereas the majority of callers demonstrated adequate counseling skills, many lacked knowledge of veterans' posttraumatic stress, common veteran terminology, and the nature of veterans' experiences. The findings suggest that telephone counseling services that target specific populations should employ comprehensive training to ensure that counselors possess adequate and relevant knowledge about callers and their presenting problems. The simulated caller paradigm appears to be an effective paradigm for training and evaluation of telephone counselors.     

Index

Other Index

Index     

Case report of accidental stab wound to the heart

A 33 year-old Polish field-worker was found by his colleagues kneeling in front of his trailer, with a bloody stab wound in the heart region. In spite of prompt surgical intervention, the man died from his injury a few hours later. Upon examination of the dead man's trailer a blood-smeared vegetable-knife was found in the sink, and on the floor, a pullover with a slit-like cut. On the wall hung a jacket on a hook with a cut in the inner surface of the left breast pocket but not in the outside layer. The examination of the clothes, the autopsy and a reconstruction of the sequence of events led to the following conclusion: The knife had been placed into the breast pocket of the jacket with the tip facing downwards. As the man put down a sack of potatoes, the knife hooked into a pre-existing gap in the sack and was driven into the chest cavity by the pressure weight of the heavy sack.     

Distribution of morphine and morphine glucuronides in body tissue and fluids--postmortem findings in brief survival

An intoxication following administration of morphine, tramadol and atracurium in a suicide case is reported. The route of administration and the amount of the particular drug were known from the investigation of the death scene and the findings of the postmortem examination. Tramadol was present in the gastric contents as well as in blood, liver, kidney and brain samples, whereas the drug could not be detected in muscle. All body fluids and tissues investigated contained morphine as well as its 3- and 6-glucuronides with the exception of muscle tissue. The concentrations of morphine and its glucuronide metabolites were determined by LC/MS following solid phase extraction. Interestingly, the concentration of M6G in brain, liver and kidney were close to the concentration of M3G in the particular tissue. This phenomenon might be explained by a preferential hydrolysis of M3G or by a preferential formation of M6G postmortem. Measurement of morphine and M6G in femoral blood and cerebrospinal fluid may be a useful indicator in rapid deaths.     

Physical and chemical evidence remaining after the explosion of large improvised bombs. Part 1: firings of ammonium nitrate/sugar and urea nitrate

Recent criminal acts in the United Kingdom, United States and other countries have demonstrated the dangers to public safety from the criminal use of improvised explosives on a large scale. Four sets of trials were carried out over four years, partly in collaboration with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, involving the firing of large bombs, mostly fertilizer based. The principal objectives of the firings were to measure the physical effects of the explosions upon objects representative of those that would be found at a real bomb scene and to recover any chemical traces deposited on these objects. The results are intended for use as an aid in determining the approximate size and type of an explosive employed in a terrorist attack. This paper describes the background behind the trials, the procedures for preparation of witness materials and charges, and the collection and analysis of physical and chemical evidence.     

A review of crane deaths in Jefferson County, Alabama

Cranes are machines used to move heavy objects. Cranes are operated by crane operators, usually working in conjunction with an assistant guiding the movements of the crane from his vantage point outside the crane. Few jurisdictions require that crane operators be either licensed or certified. We conducted a retrospective study of those dying of crane-related injuries in our jurisdiction during the 16 years from 1981 to 1996. All ten decedents were male, and the manner of each death was accidental. Neither ethanol nor drugs of abuse were detected in any case. Eight of the ten decedents died due to blunt force injuries, one due to mechanical asphyxia, and one due to thermal burns. Investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) led to fines ranging from $80 to $2700 in six of the ten cases. Nationwide, electrocution is the most common cause of crane-related death, but no crane-related death in Jefferson County was caused by electrocution in our study. The absence of electrocutions was due to the planned, routine suspension of power to electrical lines in the vicinity of a crane during the crane's operation, a practice saving an estimated seven lives. Nevertheless, human error or lack of planning was still responsible for most of the deaths in our study. In addition to careful planning and adherence to safety standards established by planning, we recommend the mandatory licensure and certification of professional crane operators and the assessment of larger fines by OSHA for safety standard violations.     

Detection and correction of a migration anomaly on a 310 genetic analyzer

During STR analysis on the 310 Genetic Analyzer, retarded migration of GS500ROX size standards and alleles in some samples was observed. The contribution of reagents, capillary and performance optimized polymer POP 4 to the observed anomaly was experimentally eliminated. Variation in electrophoresis temperature between 55 degrees C and 65 degrees C did not alter the rate of migration of GX500ROX size standard and sample alleles. An eroded connector for the cathode mounted on the heat plate assembly caused the abnormal migration. Hence, it is important to verify the mobility of all fragments in the size standard for each sample to avoid any erroneous allele calls by the automated data analysis software.     

Elderly sexual offenders admitted to a maximum-security forensic hospital

The purpose of the study was to determine the clinical and demographic characteristics of elderly sexual offenders at a maximum-security forensic hospital. Charts of male elderly patients charged with sexual offenses were reviewed to obtain clinical and demographic data. The majority of sexual offenders had mood or psychotic disorders. Almost one third had a history of violent or assaultive behavior. 57% had significant medical history. A history of violence and sexual assaultive behavior may be risk factors for future sexual offenses.