When seeking information, children expect informants to provide information that is congruent with their knowledge and to use conventional labels. Violations of these linguistic expectations influence their behaviour and perceptions, as they are less likely to seek information from informants with a history of inaccuracy or of violation of conversational form (Eskritt et al., 2008; Koenig & Harris, 2005) and perceive unreliable informants as “silly” (Brosseau-Liard & Birch, 2010). I explored whether violations of linguistic expectations influence children’s perceptions of knowledgeability and helpfulness and whether these characteristics predict children’s information seeking. Forty 5-year-olds observed a farmer and a car mechanic label objects for a foreign child. The objects were associated with one of the two informants, rendering one as the expert, and the other as the non-expert. The informants labelled the familiarization objects by stating either the object’s color or its super ordinate category. During test trials, children selected one of the two informants to label novel objects that were either related or unrelated to either one’s domain of expertise (i.e. novel animals, tools or odd objects). Finally, children rated informant’s knowledge of the familiarization objects and their willingness to help the foreign child. Results show that children perceive an informant who provided the super ordinate category as more helpful and somewhat more knowledgeable than one who provides the colour. When labelling objects related to the informants’ domain of expertise, children rely on expertise to seek information. For unrelated novel objects, a trend suggests that perceptions of the expert’s knowledge influence decision making. These results provide new factors underlying children’s information seeking. / Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2010-09-29 11:43:23.22

Epidemiologic studies have found that approximately one third of individuals will experience either alcohol abuse or dependence during their lifetime. However, only a minority will seek help or perceive a need for help. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a longitudinal investigation of the predictors of new onset perceived need for care and help-seeking in individuals with a lifetime alcohol use disorder who have no prior history of perceived need or help-seeking. Methods: Data were drawn from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; n=34,653), a 3-year longitudinal nationally representative survey of the United States population. Results: Respondents with an incidence of perceived need and help-seeking were more likely to be male, younger, less educated, and black. Those who sought help and perceived a need for help were more likely to have a concurrent Axis I or II disorder after controlling for sociodemographic differences and social, legal, economic problems. They also had very high odds of having a persistent alcohol use disorder (OR=4.68) and experiencing social or legal problems related to their alcohol use after controlling for sociodemographics and psychiatric comorbidity (AOR’s from 5.59-38.42). Conclusion: Individuals with a history of having no perceived need for care or help-seeking may represent a unique group among those with an alcohol use disorder. Psychiatric comorbidity and social or legal problems related to alcohol use were both independent predictors of perceived need and help-seeking.

Researchers have found that youths react in a variety of ways when faced with a bullying incident in their schools (Kochenderfer-Ladd, 2004). Despite being aware of the negative consequences of being victimized and holding generally negative attitudes towards bullying, youths tend to show reluctance to seek help from an adult or to intervene in defense of their victimized peer (Hawkins, Pepler, & Craig, 2001; Newman, Murray, & Lussier, 2001). Given the importance of the aforementioned behaviours in reducing bullying in schools, two studies were designed to examine the determinants of victim help seeking and bystander intervening behaviours in young people using Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB: Ajzen, 1991). In Study 1, I examined the full TPB model using short-term longitudinal data collected from a sample of 609 secondary school students. To further examine the utility of the TPB model and to determine the impact of school climate on the model, in Study 2 I examined cross-sectional data collected from 113 middle school students. In Study 1, multiple regression analyses and path analyses indicated that the TPB model significantly predicted student’s intentions to intervene on behalf a bullied peer and their actual self-reported intervention behaviour. The results for help seeking intentions and behaviours were mixed, with the TPB variables significantly predicting victim help seeking intentions but not self-reported behaviour. In Study 2, the TPB model significantly predicted both help seeking and intervention intentions. Additionally, the TPB variables of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control significantly mediated the relationship between school climate and victim help seeking and bystander intervention intentions. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for methodology, theory, and policy.

Epidemiologic studies have found that approximately one third of individuals will experience either alcohol abuse or dependence during their lifetime. However, only a minority will seek help or perceive a need for help. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a longitudinal investigation of the predictors of new onset perceived need for care and help-seeking in individuals with a lifetime alcohol use disorder who have no prior history of perceived need or help-seeking. Methods: Data were drawn from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; n=34,653), a 3-year longitudinal nationally representative survey of the United States population. Results: Respondents with an incidence of perceived need and help-seeking were more likely to be male, younger, less educated, and black. Those who sought help and perceived a need for help were more likely to have a concurrent Axis I or II disorder after controlling for sociodemographic differences and social, legal, economic problems. They also had very high odds of having a persistent alcohol use disorder (OR=4.68) and experiencing social or legal problems related to their alcohol use after controlling for sociodemographics and psychiatric comorbidity (AOR’s from 5.59-38.42). Conclusion: Individuals with a history of having no perceived need for care or help-seeking may represent a unique group among those with an alcohol use disorder. Psychiatric comorbidity and social or legal problems related to alcohol use were both independent predictors of perceived need and help-seeking.

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Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Computer Science. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-145). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss &rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR11812

Researchers have found that youths react in a variety of ways when faced with a bullying incident in their schools (Kochenderfer-Ladd, 2004). Despite being aware of the negative consequences of being victimized and holding generally negative attitudes towards bullying, youths tend to show reluctance to seek help from an adult or to intervene in defense of their victimized peer (Hawkins, Pepler, & Craig, 2001; Newman, Murray, & Lussier, 2001). Given the importance of the aforementioned behaviours in reducing bullying in schools, two studies were designed to examine the determinants of victim help seeking and bystander intervening behaviours in young people using Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB: Ajzen, 1991). In Study 1, I examined the full TPB model using short-term longitudinal data collected from a sample of 609 secondary school students. To further examine the utility of the TPB model and to determine the impact of school climate on the model, in Study 2 I examined cross-sectional data collected from 113 middle school students. In Study 1, multiple regression analyses and path analyses indicated that the TPB model significantly predicted student’s intentions to intervene on behalf a bullied peer and their actual self-reported intervention behaviour. The results for help seeking intentions and behaviours were mixed, with the TPB variables significantly predicting victim help seeking intentions but not self-reported behaviour. In Study 2, the TPB model significantly predicted both help seeking and intervention intentions. Additionally, the TPB variables of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control significantly mediated the relationship between school climate and victim help seeking and bystander intervention intentions. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for methodology, theory, and policy.

Yes / In this paper we explored three areas: decision making and information seeking, the relationship between information seeking and uncertainty, and the role of expertise in influencing information use. This was undertaken in the context of a qualitative study into decision making in the initial stages of emergency response to major incidents. The research took an interpretive approach in which activity theory is used as an analytical framework. The research provides further evidence that the context of the activity and individual differences influence the choice of decision mode and associated information behavior. We also established that information is often not used to resolve uncertainty in decision making and indeed information is often sought and used after the decision is made to justify the decision. Finally, we point to the significance of both expertise and confidence in understanding information behavior. The contribution of the research to existing theoretical frameworks is discussed and a modified version of Wilson's problem-solving model is proposed.

Diabetes is a psychologically demanding disease with a major impact on a patient’s quality and quantity of life. The outcome of diabetes is highly dependent on the self-care activities of the person with diabetes. Depression is common among people with diabetes, complicating this self-management and thereby increasing the risk of developing diabetes-related complications. Despite depression’s specific relevance to diabetes and the serious impact it has on the disease, it is estimated that only one third of people with both diabetes and major depression are recognized and appropriately treated for both disorders. The aim of this thesis therefore was to investigate the interrelationship between depression and diabetes and evaluate methods of improving recognition rates and access treatment within a health care setting. Routine screening for depression using standardised depression screening instruments has been recommended for all adults in primary care to improve the low recognition rates of depression in this population. The aim of Study 1 was therefore to compare the effectiveness of four commonly used depression screening instruments (CES-D, HADS, DMI, SCAD) in identifying depression in a diabetes sample. This research was important as little previous research had investigated the efficacy of these depression screening measures within this specialist group and an evaluation of their comparative performance had not yet been conducted. 150 patients with diabetes receiving care at the endocrinology outpatient clinics of two major public hospitals in Brisbane, Australia completed a battery of questionnaires and were also involved in a structured clinical interview (CIDI-SF) to establish a criterion standard. Results indicated that three of the screening measures (CES-D, HADS, DMI-10) could be considered reliable predictors of depression in this sample. There was however evidence that the CES-D could be considered the preferred measure as it had the best ability to discriminate between depression and non-depression, it showed reasonable sensitivity, high specificity, and it was able to stand alone as a predictor of major depression with its predictive ability not improved with the inclusion of diabetes symptoms. Study two of this thesis investigated the demographic, medical, and psychosocial correlates of depression in patients with diabetes. This research was important as information about risk profiles can help improve rates of diagnosis and treatment and may provide a method by which screening can be more focused and cost effective. 1069 hospital outpatient patients with diabetes were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires to accomplish this aim. The results found that co-morbid depression in patients with diabetes was associated with type-1 diabetes, younger age, poor glycaemic control, insulin treatment, co-morbid medical illness, increased diabetes symptoms, lack of a partner, lower income, stressful life events, low social support, and poor quality of life. Of particular interest was the finding that the inclusion of psychosocial predictors reduced the predictive ability of many demographic and medical factors. Study three of this thesis investigated the impact of a depression screening and feedback procedure on a patient’s level of depression, glucose control, and quality of life. While routine screening for depression has recently been recommended for all patients with diabetes, no previous research had been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this approach on treatment and patients outcomes. 164 patients with diabetes who were found to be depressed in study 2 were involved in a randomised controlled trial which compared patients who received feedback regarding their depression status with those patients who did not receive any feedback. The results found high rates of depression in this sample and suggested that screening for depression and providing feedback to patients regarding the outcomes of screening had beneficial effects on depression at six months but not on glycaemic control or quality of life. The final study in this thesis attempted to investigate the help seeking behaviours of patients following feedback and to identify barriers to seeking care. 82 participants who received feedback regarding their depression status in study 3 were contacted for a structured telephone interview. Results indicated that only 52.44% of depressed diabetes patients followed the recommended advice and sought help for their depression. Of the patients that did not seek help, several barriers to seeking care were reported. Overall, the results indicated that attitudes relating to the severity of the disorder and the need for treatment were more salient barriers for participants in this study than logistical issues, stigma, or current levels of depression.

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