We examined the relationship between collective self-esteem (i.e., the value one places on being part of a collective group), acculturation, and alcohol-related consequences in a sample of 442 Asian ...American young adults. We found that membership self-esteem and public collective self-esteem interacted with acculturation such that low levels of both predicted greater rates of consequences. Participants with lower acculturation and greater private collective self-esteem experienced more alcohol consequences. This study suggests that differential aspects of collective self-esteem may serve as protective or risk factors for Asian American young adults depending on degree of acculturation.
Alcohol use and related problems among Asian Americans (AAs) may result from an interplay of culture, genetics, stress, and historic experience. Adequately examining these factors and their ...relationships requires a theory-based, culturally-relevant model. The stress and coping model of substance use (Wills & Shiffman, 1985) is a promising framework for examining the etiologies of alcohol use. This study evaluated this classic model and a culturally-relevant model among treatment-seeking AAs with alcohol use disorders. We hypothesized that adding culturally-relevant predictors (i.e. acculturative stress, family conflicts, somatic symptoms, avoidance and detachment coping style) to the classic stress and coping model would enhance the predictability of the classic model. Participants (N = 92) were recruited from a community mental health agency and the majority of participants were foreign-born males with low socioeconomic status, who sought treatment due to a legal mandate. Path analyses with Maximum Likelihood estimation were used. The lack of association between alcohol use and related problems speaks to the role of culture in perceptions of alcohol use related problems, and the importance of prevention research for AAs. Findings offer implications on etiology, course of illness, consequences, and expectations for treatment.
Relationships among full constructs of the transtheoretical model using a sample of 121 adults with mild intellectual disabilities in Taiwan were examined. Self-reports of stages of change and ...transtheoretical model psychosocial measures were gathered through interviews. Although MANCOVA revealed that behavioral processes of change, cognitive processes of change, self-efficacy, and perceived pros increased across stages, we did not find a clear linear pattern of association. Direct discriminant function analysis indicated that the most important predictors of stages of change were behavioral processes, cognitive processes, and self-efficacy. The overall stage of change classification accuracy using transtheoretical model psychosocial constructs was 56.2%. Psychosocial measures specifically developed for this population should be further explored.
Distress tolerance refers to the degree to which an individual is able to withstand negative psychological and/or physical states. Empirical literature has indicated that lower distress tolerance is ...associated with a number of negative alcohol and drug (AOD) use outcomes and psychopathology. Mindfulness meditation focuses on enhancing affect regulation, and may be particularly beneficial for individuals with lower distress tolerance. This secondary analysis tested whether distress tolerance for negative psychological states moderated treatment effects on AOD outcomes in an initial efficacy trial of mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP). It was hypothesized that participants with lower distress tolerance would report fewer AOD use days over the 4-month follow-up if they received MBRP versus treatment as usual (TAU). Participants ( N =168) in the parent RCT were recruited from a private, nonprofit agency providing inpatient and outpatient care for individuals with AOD-use disorders. Assessments of 60-day frequency of AOD use, as measured by the Timeline Followback, were conducted at baseline, immediately postintervention, and 2 months and 4 months following the intervention. Distress tolerance, as measured by the Distress Tolerance Scale, was assessed at baseline. Findings confirmed the hypothesized time x treatment x distress tolerance interaction, and thereby indicated that participants with lower distress tolerance who received MBRP treatment versus TAU experienced a greater curvilinear decrease in AOD use days during the follow-up. Findings suggest that distress tolerance is a clinically relevant client characteristic to consider in matching participants to aftercare treatment and that MBRP may be particularly helpful for individuals with lower distress tolerance.
The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the applicability of the full Transtheoretical Model (TTM) to the regular leisure-time physical activity of adults with mild intellectual disabilities ...(MID) using a national sample of 121 Taiwanese adults with MID. The findings indicated that the concurrent validity of the Stage of Change scale using pedometer readings and the Bouchard 3-Day Physical Activity Records was not confirmed. This may be due to (a) the possible confounding effect of work-related physical activity, as the majority of participants were recruited from manual worksites; (b) the limitations of the selected physical activity measures that did not permit the distinction between work-related and leisure-time related physical activities; (c) the reliability and recording fidelity of the two selected physical activity measures; and (d) the inapplicability of the Stage of Change to describe physical activity behavior of Taiwanese adults with MID. The findings also revealed that the theorized pattern of association between the Stage of Change and the TTM psychosocial constructs were partially supported. Behavioral Processes of Change, Cognitive Processes of Change, and Self-Efficacy were important Stage of Change predictors, while Behavioral Processes of Change and Self-Efficacy were important psychosocial indicators of moderate and vigorous physical activity. This was the first study to examine the application of the Stages of Change to regular leisure-time physical activity for adults with MID, a unique and understudied population group, using the full TTM construct. Caution should be taken when generalizing these findings to adults with MID in other countries, other Taiwanese populations, or Taiwanese adults with moderate or more severe intellectual disabilities. Further investigations of the concurrent validity of the Stage of Change scale to regular leisure-time physical activity for this population are needed.
The primary purpose of this study was to survey the behavior management techniques used by general physical educators in secondary schools in Taiwan to manage inappropriate student behaviors. The ...secondary purpose of this study was to determine the perceived influence of demographic variables (age, vender, educational background, educational coursework, and teaching experience) and context variables (school level and class size) in managing inappropriate student behaviors. Participants were 309 public junior high school and high school full-time general physical educators in Taiwan. The findings of ANOVA indicated that three punishment techniques (i.e., time out, contacting parents, pushing or shoving disruptive student, and corporal punishment) and ogle prevention technique (i.e., modify environment to change class atmosphere) used by teachers for mild, moderate, and severe conditions were significantly different. In addition, the results of the ANOVA revealed significant differences on the use of modifying the environment to change the class atmosphere as a technique between venders; the use of reinforcing the well behaved student and ignoring the disruptive student and shaping techniques between junior high school and high school: and the use of systematically rewarding groups for positive behavior, planned ignoring, and simple praising techniques between four class size groups (<20, 21–30, 31–50, >50).
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