Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1985.

published_or_final_version / Language Studies / Master / Master of Arts

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1985. / Also available in print.

The present study investigated discrepancy between reports of depressive symptoms of 36 psychogeriatric patients and their family informants. It also examined factors potentially affecting this discrepancy such as selected characteristics of the patients and their informants, the type of measure assessing depression, and the type of depressive symptoms being assessed. The 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and the Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS) were completed by the patient, and the informant version of both the GDS-15 and CUDOS were completed by their informant. A sizable discrepancy was found between patient and informant reports of depressive symptomatology; informants reported significantly more symptoms than patients themselves. The discrepancy in reports was greater on the GDS-15 than on the CUDOS. Multiple regression analyses revealed that both patient‟s gender and type of setting (inpatient vs. day hospital) significantly influenced the discrepancy. The highest kappa agreement was obtained on items related to feelings of worthlessness and life satisfaction on the GDS-15, and suicidal ideation and intent on the CUDOS. The study‟s strengths and limitations, implications for clinical practice and research, and directions for future research are discussed.

Although teacher and parent informants often are used to gather information regarding adolescents* emotional and behavioral functioning, research has suggested that agreement among these raters and adolescents* self-ratings tends to be low to moderate. Given that friends typically play an important role in the lives of adolescents, the present study sought to determine the relative agreement amongst adolescent self-reports and those of their friends as well as factors that might impact this agreement. In particular, a sample of 207 culturally diverse high school students were matched based on perceived friendship closeness and asked to provide ratings of their own emotional and behavioral problems as well as that of an identified friend. Additionally, adolescents provided information regarding their friendship quality, previous exposure to psychopathology in others, and social competence as well as their endorsements for etiological attributions for friends* behavior. Results revealed that adolescent self-ratings and those of their friends demonstrate high levels of agreement for both internalizing and externalizing problems. Further, raters* emotional and behavioral problems were related inconsistently to rating agreement, whereas friendship quality and other rater characteristics (i.e., previous exposure, social competence) did not demonstrate a relationship. Additionally, friends tended to provide explanations for behavior problems that varied according to the type of behavior observed. Specifically, adolescents were more likely to provide explanations that were external in nature for internalizing symptoms, whereas explanations for externalizing symptoms were both internal and external. Overall, this study provided additional support for the utility of friend informants when ratings of adolescents* emotional and behavioral problems are needed.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2001. / Title from title page screen, viewed April 6, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Ron Strickland (chair), Gerald Savage, Sophia McClennen, Doug Hesse. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-199) and abstract. Also available in print.

No description available.

Victimization and rejection by peers leads to and exacerbates behavior problems in children and adolescents. Given the implications of problematic peer relations for adolescents who experience behavior problems, the present study examined factors that may be related to how adolescents perceive peers who exhibit such problems. Specifically, the present study examined the relationship of adolescent peer informants’ socioeconomic status, their prior exposure to psychopathology, their own social competence, and their own behavior problems to their perceptions of peer internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, their liking of individuals who exhibit such problems, and their attributions for the etiology of such problems when portrayed by fictitious adolescents of the same age. In particular, adolescents were asked to rate a set of vignettes that portray internalizing and externalizing behavior problems that are seen commonly in peers and to complete a set of brief questionnaires. Results revealed that adolescents are able to accurately detect the presence of both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in vignette characters. Additionally, vignette characters who display behavior problems received significantly lower liking ratings. Finally, although adolescents endorsed both internal and external etiological factors, ratings were related to the gender of the depicted vignette character and the nature of the portrayed behavior problems. Participants’ own externalizing problems, social competence, and previous exposure to behavior problems in others related uniquely to adolescents’ perceptions of the vignette characters. Overall, this study provided additional evidence that, although peers can serve as valuable informants, they also tended to reject adolescents who display behavior problems.

No description available.

Climate change is not only a natural phenomenon, but also a global social issue. Many studies try to explore the mechanisms behind climate change and the consequences of climate change, and provide information for developing the measures to mitigate or adapt to it. For example, the IPCC reviews and assesses climate-change-related scientific information produced worldwide, thus aiming to support decision-making from a scientific perspective. However, though various international and regional climate change policies are developed to combat climate change, yet the implementation of climate change policies need to be further improved, especially requiring active public engagement in taking actions on climate change. The policies regarding saving energy and reducing emissions are closely related to people’s daily life, which requires the public actively change their consumption habits and lifestyle. China, as the biggest GHG emitter, is stressed to reduce its emissions during previous climate negotiations. This thesis emphasizes the severity of climate change in China through reviewing relevant studies and visualizing China’s future climate change, which meanwhile points out the necessity of addressing climate change in China. In addition, China’s climate change policies and the achievements thereof is critically reviewed, which reveals the existing problems and difficulties of policy implementation, and thereby emphasizes the importance of public engagement in implementing climate change policy. Moreover, 26 informants have been interviewed through China’s biggest social media – Tencent QQ, through which informants’ perceptions of climate change, expressed attitudes to and reported actions of addressing climate change is analysed. Furthermore, barriers to informants’ engagement with climate change is exposed. Accordingly, this thesis discusses several suggestions for enhancing public engagement with climate change.