Crimmigrating Narratives: Examining Third-Party Observations of US Detained Immigration Court.

Examining what we call "crimmigrating narratives," we show that US immigration court criminalizes non-citizens, cements forms of social control, and dispenses punishment in a non-punitive legal setting. Building on theories of crimmigration and a sociology of narrative, we code, categorize, and describe third-party observations of detained immigration court hearings conducted in Fort Snelling, Minnesota, from July 2018 to June 2019. We identify and investigate structural factors of three key crimmigrating narratives in the courtroom: one based on threats (stories of the non-citizen's criminal history and perceived danger to society), a second involving deservingness (stories of the non-citizen's social ties, hardship, and belonging in the United States), and a third pertaining to their status as "impossible subjects" (stories rendering non-citizens "illegal," categorically excludable, and contradictory to the law). Findings demonstrate that the courts' prioritization of these three narratives disconnects detainees from their own socially organized experience and prevents them from fully engaging in the immigration court process. In closing, we discuss the potential implications of crimmigrating narratives for the US immigration legal system and non-citizen status.

Systemic Versus Topical Corticosteroids in the Treatment of DRESS: A Retrospective Cohort Study Followed by a Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a severe systemic drug hypersensitivity syndrome with significant risks of mortality and long-term sequelae. Management is challenging; whilst systemic corticosteroids are generally regarded as standard of care, there is a suggestion that topical corticosteroids may be a safe alternative. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of patients with DRESS treated with systemic corticosteroids and topical corticosteroids in an academic medical center. METHODS: The medical records of patients diagnosed with DRESS at the Singapore General Hospital between 2009 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. A secondary systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to further clarify the outcomes. RESULTS: Out of 94 patients with DRESS, 41 (44%) were treated with topical corticosteroids and 53 (56%) were treated with systemic corticosteroids. Patients receiving systemic corticosteroids were more likely to develop infective complications (32.1 vs 12.2%, p = 0.02). One-month and 12-month mortality, length of hospital stay, flares of DRESS, and viral reactivation were similar between the two groups. In our meta-analysis (six studies, n = 292), there were no significant differences in mortality or length of stay between patients treated with systemic or topical corticosteroids. LIMITATIONS: This study was a non-controlled retrospective cohort study and the allocation of treatment may have been influenced by the severity of disease. Results of the secondary meta-analysis are limited by the quality of included studies. CONCLUSIONS: Topical corticosteroids may be a safe and efficacious alternative to systemic corticosteroids in the treatment of mild-to-moderate DRESS. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration CRD42021285691.

Is the myth of left-wing authoritarianism itself a myth?

Is left-wing authoritarianism (LWA) closer to a myth or a reality? Twelve studies test the empirical existence and theoretical relevance of LWA. Study 1 reveals that both conservative and liberal Americans identify a large number of left-wing authoritarians in their lives. In Study 2, participants explicitly rate items from a recently-developed LWA measure as valid measurements of authoritarianism. Studies 3-11 show that persons who score high on this same LWA scale possess the traits associated with models of authoritarianism: LWA is positively related to threat sensitivity across multiple areas, including general ecological threats (Study 3), COVID disease threat (Study 4), Belief in a Dangerous World (Study 5), and Trump threat (Study 6). Further, high-LWA persons show more support for restrictive political correctness norms (Study 7), rate African-Americans and Jews more negatively (Studies 8-9), and show more cognitive rigidity (Studies 10 and 11). These effects hold when controlling for political ideology and when looking only within liberals, and further are similar in magnitude to comparable effects for right-wing authoritarianism. Study 12 uses the World Values Survey to provide cross-cultural evidence of Left-Wing Authoritarianism around the globe. Taken in total, this large array of triangulating evidence from 12 studies comprised of over 8,000 participants from the U.S. and over 66,000 participants world-wide strongly suggests that left-wing authoritarianism is much closer to a reality than a myth.

Why are conservatives less concerned about the coronavirus (COVID-19) than liberals? Comparing political, experiential, and partisan messaging explanations.

Given research revealing conservatives are more sensitive to disease threat, it is curious that U.S. conservatives were less concerned than liberals with the COVID-19 pandemic. Across four studies that spanned almost ten months throughout the pandemic, we evaluated three potential reasons why conservatives were less concerned: (1) Motivated Political reasons (conservatives held COVID-specific political beliefs that motivated them to reduce concern), (2) Experiential reasons (conservatives were less directly affected by the outbreak than liberals), and (3) Conservative Messaging reasons (differential exposure to/trust in partisan conservative messaging). All four studies consistently showed evidence that political (and not experiential or partisan messaging) reasons more strongly mediated conservatives' lack of concern for COVID-19. Additional analyses further suggested that while they did not serve as strong mediators, experiential factors provided a boundary condition for the conservatism➔perceived threat relationship. These data on over 3000 participants are consistent with a new model of the ideology-disease outbreak interface that can be applied to both the ongoing pandemic and future disease outbreaks.

Multiple forms of mass anxiety in coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Heightened public anxiety was observed at the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study enriches scholarly understanding of this mass response by investigating both generic and pandemic-specific anxiety that explain preventive health behavior. METHODS: In our two-phase, mixed-methods study, pandemic-specific anxiety items elicited during the qualitative phase from March 2-8, 2020 were then tested in the quantitative phase from March 16-22, 2020. Eligible participants were U.S. or U.K. residents aged 18-65. RESULTS: Of the 1,400 participants, 52% met the criteria for moderate to severe anxiety. In addition to anxiety over possible personal COVID-19 infection, participants were also anxious about others' health, others' reactions (e.g., panic-buying, discrimination), societal problems (e.g., economic slowdown, healthcare system breakdown), and personal finances. The positive association between generic anxiety and hygiene practice frequency was explained by two interpersonal-oriented forms of pandemic-specific anxiety: anxiety over others' health (b = 0•0040, 95% CI: 0•0031-0•0050) and others' reactions (0•0031, 0•0021-0•0042). LIMITATIONS: The study was conducted with participants from developed countries at an early stage of the pandemic, and the results were not necessarily generalizable to developing countries or other stages of the pandemic. Also, hygiene practices was the sole behavior of interest, and the findings may differ for other behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The new findings indicate the importance of adopting a nuanced approach that unveils the multifaceted nature of anxiety using a mixed-methods design. Individuals from COVID-19-affected regions experience pandemic-specific anxiety due to concerns related to not only personal but also interpersonal-oriented issues.

Perceived structural vulnerabilities among detained noncitizen immigrants in Minnesota.

Across several decades there has been an unprecedented increase in immigration enforcement including detention and deportation. Immigration detention profoundly impacts those experiencing detention and their family members. An emerging area of research has found that immigrants experience a number of challenges which constrain and limit their decisions, choices, and options for security and integration in the United States due to social, political and structural determinants. These determinants lead to greater structural vulnerabilities among immigrants. The purpose of the current study was to illuminate the perceived vulnerabilities of detained noncitizen immigrants as they are raised and described while attending case hearings at the Bloomington, Minnesota immigration court. Through conducting a thematic analysis of notes derived from third party immigration court observers, three areas of perceived vulnerability were identified. These perceived vulnerabilities include 1) migration and motivations to migrate, 2) structural vulnerabilities (e.g., discrimination, financial insecurity, social ties and family support, stable or fixed residence, English language proficiency, health and mental health) in the US, and 3) challenges in navigating immigration detention. These findings demonstrate that noncitizen immigrants who are undergoing immigration detention are experiencing multiple intersecting vulnerabilities which profoundly impact their lives. Collaborative efforts across sectors are needed to work towards comprehensive immigration reforms including both short-term and long-term solutions to address pressing issues for noncitizens undergoing immigration detention.

Prevalence of social media addiction across 32 nations: Meta-analysis with subgroup analysis of classification schemes and cultural values.

In the cyber era, people interact with others not only face-to-face but also through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Social media addiction has emerged as a problem of global concern, with researchers all over the world conducting studies to evaluate how pervasive the problem is. However, the prevalence rates of social media addiction reported in the literature vary dramatically. The present meta-analysis aimed to systematically synthesize the extant research on social media addiction prevalence. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were conducted to investigate whether the prevalence rates would differ by classification schemes, cultural values, and demographic factors. The meta-analysis involved 63 independent samples with 34,798 respondents from 32 nations spanning seven world regions. The random-effects meta-analytic findings revealed variations in prevalence among studies adopting distinct classification schemes. The pooled prevalence estimate was 5% (95% CI: 3%-7%) for studies adopting monothetic or strict monothetic classifications. A higher pooled prevalence estimate (13%; 95% CI: 8%-19%) was found for studies adopting a cutoff for severe level or strict polythetic classifications, and that estimate was even higher (25%; 95% CI: 21%-29%) for studies adopting a cutoff for moderate level or polythetic classifications. Moreover, cross-cultural comparisons revealed the pooled prevalence estimate obtained in collectivist nations (31%; 95% CI: 26%-36%) to be twofold higher than that obtained in individualist nations (14%; 95% CI: 9%-19%). This meta-analysis indicates that both the classification scheme used and cultural factors should be considered when interpreting the prevalence findings on social media addiction.

In Search of the Cognitively Complex Person: Is There a Meaningful Trait Component of Cognitive Complexity?

Researchers have long assumed that complex thinking is determined by both situational factors and stable, trait-based differences. However, although situational influences on complexity have been discussed at length in the literature, there is still no comprehensive integration of evidence regarding the theorized trait component of cognitive complexity. To fill this gap, we evaluate the degree that cognitive complexity is attributable to trait variance. Specifically, we review two domains of evidence pertaining to (a) the generalizability of individuals' complex thinking across domains and the temporal stability of individuals' complex thinking and (b) the relationship of complex thinking with conceptually related traits. Cumulatively, the literature suggests that persons' cognitive complexity at any point in time results partially from a stable and generalizable trait component that accounts for a small-to-moderate amount of variance. It further suggests that cognitively complex persons are characterized by chronic trait-based differences in motivation and ability to think complexly.

Identity leadership is manifested via integrative complexity: Comment on Haslam et al. (2019).

Haslam, Reicher, and Van Bavel (2019) convincingly argued that experimenters in the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE) influenced prisoners via identity-based communication. However, Haslam et al. focused on direct mechanisms of identity communication. In our comment, we discuss a less direct-but potentially equally important-communication mechanism by which leaders in the SPE may have influenced followers: integrative complexity. This consideration of integrative complexity not only bolsters the basic point of Haslam et al.'s article also provides new avenues for understanding the mechanisms by which leader identity processes work in cases like the SPE. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Socio-ecological influences on political ideology.

Individuals' political ideologies influence almost every aspect of life. But where do political ideologies come from? In this article, we discuss new research on socio-ecological influences on political ideology. This emerging body of work reveals that the presence of ecological stressors (including disease, harsh climates, frontier topography, wildfires, and earthquakes) tends to produce politically conservative people who prefer hierarchy and authoritarianism. Current research further suggests two mechanisms by which these natural ecologies influence political ideology: Threat and relational mobility. We close by distinguishing two different ideological components: Ideological conservatism (identification with specific conservative beliefs) and status quo conservatism (preference for the existing system, regardless of its specific content). Recent research suggests that these two ideological components, while empirically related, should be more explicitly separated in future work that evaluates socio-ecological influences on political ideology.

Incidence of thromboembolic and bleeding events in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: An Asian multicenter retrospective cohort study in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Real-world effectiveness and safety of antithrombotics in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients in Singapore has not been thoroughly studied. HYPOTHESIS: Users of various antithrombotics experience a significantly different risk of stroke and major bleed compared with warfarin users. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients age ≥ 21 years newly diagnosed with NVAF between July 2012 and September 2015. Using electronic medical records, data on patients' demographics, antithrombotics prescribed, and CHA2 DS2 -VASc and HAS-BLED risk factors were collected. Patients were followed for 1 year from diagnosis for the primary effectiveness and safety endpoints of incident stroke or systemic embolism and major bleed, respectively. The secondary safety endpoint was overall bleed. Hazard ratios (HR) were determined from Cox regression. RESULTS: Of 743 patients included, 224 were on warfarin, 156 on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), 277 on single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT), 28 on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), and 58 on no therapy. Mean age (±SD) was 68.7 ± 13.0 years. Compared with warfarin users, SAPT (adjusted [adj.] HR: 3.70, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-11.3) and DAPT users (adj. HR: 10.1, 95% CI: 1.51-67.2) were more likely to develop thromboembolic outcomes. Also, DOAC users (adj. HR: 0.304, 95% CI: 0.158-0.585), SAPT users (adj. HR: 0.142, 95% CI: 0.0680-0.295), and DAPT users (adj. HR: 0.112, 95% CI: 0.0146-0.857) were less likely to experience any bleed compared with warfarin users. CONCLUSIONS: SAPT and DAPT are less effective than warfarin in NVAF patients. DOACs may be considered in view of lower risk of overall bleed.