Naval Postgraduate School Aims at Real-World Defense Problems

Proceedings Feb 2005: 80-1

Economic deprivation, maternal depression, parenting and children's cognitive and emotional development in early childhood

This study uses data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study to examine the extent to which economic circumstances in infancy and mother's mental well-being are associated with children's cognitive development and behaviour problems at age 3 years, and what part parenting behaviours and attitudes play in mediating these factors. The analyses derived from Structural Equation Modelling show that economic deprivation and maternal depression separately and collectively diminish the cognitive and emotional well-being of children, and part of this diminution emanates from less nurturing and engaged parenting by those with less economic and emotional resources

Development and Validation of the Career Competencies Indicators (CCI)

This paper describes the development and validation of the Career Competencies Indicator (CCI); a 43-item measure to assess career competencies. Following an extensive literature review, a comprehensive item generation process involving consultation with subject matter experts, a pilot study and a factor analytic study on a large sample yielded a seven factor structure; goal setting and career planning, self-knowledge, job-performance, career-related skills, knowledge of (office) politics, career guidance and networking, and feedback seeking and self-presentation. Coefficient alpha reliabilities of the seven dimensions ranged from .93 to .81. Convergent validity was established by showing below chance similarity between CCI sub-scales, and discrminant validity between the CCI sub-scales and the big five personality scales. The results also suggested criterion-related validity of the CCI, since career competencies were found to jointly predict objective and subjective career success

Public views on principles for health care priority setting: findings of a European cross-country study using Q methodology

International audienc

The initial measurement structure of the Home Drinking Assessment Scale (HDAS)

Aims: To evaluate the initial psychometric properties of a novel Home Drinking Assessment Scale (HDAS). Participants: Five-hundred and twenty-five (58% female) participants recruited from the internet address book of an English University. This also included a sub-sample (6%) recruited from Twitter and Facebook contacts. Design and methods: Internet-based survey analysed using a two-stage factor analysis protocol and internal consistency(IC) assessment. Findings: A power calculation was made on the basis of pilot data and this established that 317 interviewees were required to test the reliability of the HDAS. The items comprising the HDAS were found to offer the best fit to data when they comprised two-subscales: (1) emotional reasons for home drinking (5-items) and (2) practical reasons for home drinking (3-items). Subscale 1 was also found to have acceptable IC whereas subscale 2 exhibited sub-optimal IC characteristics. Conclusions: This initial study indicates that the HDAS has promise as a measure of the individuals' rationale for home drinking. Subscale 1, may usefully be used in future research whereas the IC characteristics of subscale 2 suggests that further development is required, including the evaluation of additional items

Are interventions supporting separated parents father inclusive? Insights and challenges from a review of programme implementation and impact

This paper reviews divorce-related parenting programmes, assessing the extent to which fathers are included and whether father inclusion influences outcomes. The paper also discusses limitations of the research evidence and implications for future intervention and evaluation design. Thirteen programmes met the criteria in the review period 2005–2012 but only four had been evaluated using randomized control trials or with independent measures from mothers and fathers. Analysis of these four programmes shows modest evidence of reduced couple-conflict, improved coparenting and some evidence of improved child outcomes. Key issues raised are the need for improving the quantity and quality of demographic data about fathers; the importance of incorporating analysis by gender of parent into evaluation design and the value of developing and routinely using father-related indicators to measure programme impact on men’s parenting, fathering and co-parental relationships

The influence of community factors on the engagement of residents in place promotion: Empirical evidence from an Italian heritage site

The engagement of community residents in place promotion is increasingly recognized as desirable for ensuring effective and reliable communication with tourists. The study investigated the effects of community factors on residents' engagement in the promotion of an Italian heritage site. Community commitment, environmental attitudes, and perceptions of the effectiveness of existing place marketing communications were found to be decisive in influencing residents' engagement in the promotion of the Amalfi Coast. The paper helps to shed light on collaboration in place promotion, thus enriching the debate on the ambassadorship role of residents and suggesting useful insights for policy makers/destination management organization

Systematic review of patient-reported outcome measures in patients with varicose veins.

BACKGROUND: Varicose veins can affect quality of life. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide a direct report from the patient about the impact of the disease without interpretation from clinicians or anyone else. The aim of this study was to examine the quality of the psychometric evidence for PROMs used in patients with varicose veins. METHODS: A systematic review was undertaken to identify studies that reported the psychometric properties of generic and disease-specific PROMs in patients with varicose veins. Literature searches were conducted in databases including MEDLINE, up to July 2016. The psychometric criteria used to assess these studies were adapted from published recommendations in accordance with US Food and Drug Administration guidance. RESULTS: Nine studies were included which reported on aspects of the development and/or validation of one generic (36-Item Short Form Health Survey, SF-36®) and three disease-specific (Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire, AVVQ; Varicose Veins Symptoms Questionnaire, VVSymQ®; Specific Quality-of-life and Outcome Response - Venous, SQOR-V) PROMs. The evidence from included studies provided data to support the construct validity, test-retest reliability and responsiveness of the AVVQ. However, its content validity, including weighting of the AVVQ questions, was biased and based on the opinion of clinicians, and the instrument had poor acceptability. VVSymQ® displayed good responsiveness and acceptability rates. SF-36® was considered to have satisfactory responsiveness and internal consistency. CONCLUSION: There is a scarcity of psychometric evidence for PROMs used in patients with varicose veins. These data suggest that AVVQ and SF-36® are the most rigorously evaluated PROMs in patients with varicose veins

Social Integration and the Mental Health of Black Adolescents

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106936/1/cdev12182.pd

Pathways to Prevention: Improving Nonresident African American Fathers' Parenting Skills and Behaviors to Reduce Sons' Aggression

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/102680/1/cdev12127.pd