Enhancing conflict negotiation strategies of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder using video modeling.

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have particular difficulty in negotiating conflict. A randomized control trial (RCT) was carried out to determine whether the negotiation strategies of adolescents with ASD would be enhanced via a 6-week intervention based on a video modeling application. Adolescents with ASD, aged 12-18 years, were randomly divided into an intervention group (n = 36) and a non-treatment control group (n = 25). Participants' negotiating strategies prior to and following the intervention were measured using the Five Factor Negotiation Scale (FFNS; Nakkula & Nikitopoulos, 1999) and the ConflicTalk questionnaire (Kimsey & Fuller, 2003). The results suggest that video modeling is an effective intervention for improving and maintaining conflict negotiation strategies of adolescents with ASD.

AIDS and chemical dependency: prevention needs of adolescents.

Prevention of adult AIDS cases should begin during childhood and adolescence, taking into account such issues as personal vulnerability, perceived control, and behavioral change. High-risk sexual and drug using behaviors in adolescents should be viewed within a developmental perspective, focusing on cognitive development (Piaget), psychosocial development (Erikson), and moral development in males (Kohlberg), females (Gilligan), and children (Damon). Public health educators have emphasized the high-risk behaviors of unsafe sex and needle sharing, with considerably less attention given to the role of alcohol and other drug intoxication in the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus. Adolescents are often uncomfortable discussing sexual matters with their partners. Therefore, alcohol or other drugs may be used to reduce sexual anxiety. Such drug use prior to sexual activity may impair judgment, and risks may be taken that might not have been taken in a more sober condition.

AIDS prevention in low-incidence areas.

AIDS has been largely described as a problem of major urban areas. However, states in which there is a low incidence of AIDS are dealing with issues from somewhat different perspectives than high-incidence states. The terms "low incidence" and "high incidence" can be misleading: If one state compares its AIDS cases to another state, the comparison may indeed show a comparatively low incidence of AIDS. However, if the comparison is made with other diseases within the same state, a quite different picture may emerge. In low-incidence states, some individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may seek medical care from physicians who have more experience in treating AIDS cases, both because of a perception of better medical care and less stigmatization. Although the numbers may be relatively small, the number of HIV/AIDS patients seeking care in large metropolitan areas may add to the health care burden already being seen in some parts of the country.

Can consumers understand managed care report cards?

Research has not adequately assessed the effect of education, ethnicity, and culture on the ability of consumers to read and understand HMO report cards. Data on those three issues suggest that large segments of the population do not have the reading proficiency to understand and use current report cards. Without incorporating such factors, reports cards will not achieve broad use within the general population, but will only meet the needs of those consumers whose values are consistent with those of the report card developers.

Adolescent drug abuse and the development of behavior.

Extensive research has revealed that illicit drug use often commences during adolescence, a critical period of physical and psychological development, and it is my intent to selectively focus upon some of the potentially significant interactions between illicit drug abuse and the development of behavior during the adolescent period.

Bias in drug abuse survey research.

An analysis of the drug abuse literature indicated that significant biases may affect the existing data. First, the lack of standardization in survey research leads to problems of reliability, validity, and objectivity in drug abuse measurement. Second, the "demand characteristics" of the survey situation may cause the subject to bias his responses in a particular direction, depending on his interaction with and his interpretations of the survey conditions. Third, both overt and covert biases of the researcher may significantly affect the outcome of the survey. Fourth, limitations of the survey method itself (e.g., the source of the survey data, difficulties in obtaining random samples, conclusions overemphasizing student drug use, limitations of the sample survey as a measurement device) seriously restrict our understanding of drug abuse phenomena.

Alcohol and marijuana consumption among undergraduate polydrug users.

Of 365 undergraduates surveyed, 42% admitted to polydrug use. The rank order of drugs used was: alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, hallucinogens, barbiturates, amphetamines, cocaine, opiates, and inhalants. Forty-four percent used one drug combination, 25% used 2 to 3 combinations, 17% used 4 to 7 combinations, with 14% using 8 to 14 combinations. Nealry 85% used alcohol plus marijuana, with nearly one-third combining alcohol or marijuana with barbiturates, hallucinogens, or amphetamines. Alcohol appeared to be first drug used; however, it was not abandoned when marijuana use began-both drugs simply used concurrently, and new drugs were incorporated into the existing patterns of drug use. Interpretations of polydrug use are limited by difficulties in assessing drug use, as well as inconsistencies in the chemical composition of illicit drugs.

Health maintenance organization report cards: communication strategies versus consumer abilities.

Consumers have a hard time understanding health maintenance organization (HMO) report cards. Current HMO report cards do not consider three psychological factors that affect consumers' ability to use the report card: working memory (the ability to simultaneously retain and manipulate information), cognitive complexity of the card (the number of criteria that must be integrated to make a decision), and consumers' thinking abilities (ranging from concrete to abstract). Because working memory and thinking skills decline with age, older consumers may find it particularly difficult to interpret government-sponsored report cards.

Reliability and validity of adolescent self-reported drug use in a family-based study: a methodological report.

Given the sensitive topic of drug abuse and the private nature of the family, researchers must overcome a number of methodological obstacles when studying drug abuse and the family. The purpose of this study was to determine whether adolescents would provide honest and accurate answers to drug use questions in the context of their homes with their families participating in the same survey. Although there is no direct objective validation of the self-report measures used in this study, evidence from the analysis of the survey data suggests that adolescent self-reports are, in most cases, reliable and valid, and that the setting in which respondents complete questionnaires does not, in general, result in systematic reporting bias.