Distance learning project--information skills training: supporting flexible trainees in psychiatry

This one-year project was designed to investigate the skills training needs of a group of 12 specialist registrars in psychiatry working as flexible trainees (part time) in the NHS. They had expressed concerns about their lack of information technology skills at training assessment seminars. A part-time project officer, was appointed to support the group giving information skills training to each flexible trainee on an individual basis, through a series of home visits. The project officer worked under the supervision of the London Library & Information Development Unit (LLIDU) from a home base, to identify with the insular feelings expressed by the project group. Project funding purchased a laptop computer with modem and a printer for each participant to use during the project. The training covered: basic search skills and developing search strategy techniques using quality filters particularly in relation to the MEDLINE database; how to search the Cochrane Library and PubMed and exploiting Internet information resources. The group asked for help with word processing and presentation software use. These needs were met in a series of half-day workshops. Experience and insight gained during the project will feed into future planning of information skills training for larger numbers of flexible trainees.     

The concepts of individual, self, and group in Japanese National, Japanese-American, and European-American samples: a semantic differential analysis

This study empirically investigated variations in the semantic/affective construction of the concepts of “individual”, “self”, and “group” in individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Data were collected on the semantic differential ratings for these concepts among 110 Japanese National (JN), 110 Japanese-American (JA), and 110 European-American (EA) university students. Compared to the other two samples, the JN sample rated the concept of “individual” as weaker and more fast, the concept of “self” as more fast, and the concept of “group” as more strong and more slow. It also was revealed that the JA sample’s ratings of the three concepts tended to fall between the JN and EA samples’ ratings. Altogether, the findings offer further evidence that the individualism-collectivism distinction has psychological implications and predictive power.     

The red thread and the white kimono: Japanese women, omote and ura

A portrait of modern Japanese middle class urban woman is presented from a dual perspective: Omote, public outside self, and Ura, private inside self. An almost Stereotypic outward submissive presentation is correlated with a special inner strength commanded as the Japanese woman satisfactorily fulfills the role of home manager. This strength is understood to be a particular characteristic of Japanese women which supports the existence of the well known “psychology of dependence.” Data from interviews with 30–50 year old Japanese women, collected over a four year period, is placed within the historical context of women 's traditional role in Japan.     

Ante-natal problems and health care in abusing families

This paper will describe the work and observations of a Health Visitor attached to the Manchester Special Unit of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. It will indicate areas of work, vulnerability of some parents, personal comments from mothers and suggest ways in which families could be helped in the future.Early in 1976 the Manchester Area Health Authority agreed to second a Health Visitor to the Special Unit for a period of 2 years in order to give intensive health visiting support to Unit families.Having read the very strong evidence which has been produced by various researchers (Hyman, 1976; Lynch, 1975; Rose and colleagues, 1974; Skinner and Castle, 1969) indicating that a poor obstetric and neo-natal history are key factors in child abuse, it was decided at an early stage to concentrate mainly on those of our mothers who were pregnant.Although this has remained the main priority it has been possible to be effective in other fields of work. Bearing in mind the work done by Margaret Lynch, indicating the importance of health problems in the first year of life, each family has been looked at to see if there was an ill-health factor contributing to the stress and where this was the case, advice and help were given to have these problems alleviated. What has also been looked at is whether closer Social Worker/Health Visitor co-operation enhances the quality of care which can be given to Unit families.     

Factors related to third grade achievement: Self-perception,classroom composition,sex, and race

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between self-perception and academic achievement among third grade black and white disadvantaged school children. Race, sex, IQ, self-perception, and student's perceptions of their teacher's perceptions were examined as sources of variance in academic achievement. Data from one-hundred-sixteen students were analyzed by means of stepwise multiple regression. Results suggest that self-perceptions account for more variance in academic achievement for students who are of the same sex and race as the teacher than for those who are not. Self-perceptions of black students in all black classrooms account for more variance in respect to achievement than do self-perceptions of black students in integrated classrooms.