One of the most common pairs of co-occurring psychological disorders in children and adolescents is anxiety and depression. This high frequency of co-occurrence has led to research examining the structure of anxiety and depression, specifically the shared and unique aspects of these syndromes. The tripartite model accounts for the overlap between the disorders by suggesting that they are related because they share the feature of negative affect or general psychological distress. The model further proposes that they can be differentiated by their unique features of physiological hyperarousal (anxiety) and low positive affect (depression). Factor analytic research has shown that anxious symptoms and depressive symptoms can be structurally distinguished and research on the tripartite model has suggested their conceptual distinction. However, research has not shown that anxiety and depression cluster as distinct symptoms in samples of youth. The current study used cluster analysis to examine the grouping of individuals based on their levels of anxiety and depression. It was hypothesized that four groups would emerge-- anxiety only, depression only, comorbid anxiety and depression, and low/no symptoms. Further analyses using the tripartite model variables provided support of the accurate classification of individuals and this model was shown to be a useful tool in differentiating anxious symptoms from depressive symptoms. Exploratory analyses regarding developmental differences in the structure of anxiety and depression provided mixed support.

Many studies investigating the validity of the Tripartite model of affect in children have been supportive of the model. However, few studies have examined if older and younger children structure affect similarly. The current study used confirmatory factor analytic techniques (SEM) to test the validity of the tripartite model in two developmentally distinct populations of children (third and sixth grade). Confirmatory factor analytic methods examined one-factor, two-factor correlated, and two-factor uncorrelated models. Furthermore, the pattern of correlations between positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), and dependent measures of anxiety and depression was calculated. The results indicated the two-factor correlated and two-factor uncorrelated models demonstrated adequate fit across samples. However, in the younger sample the correlation between NA and PA was larger and statistically significant compared to the older sample, thus supporting the hypothesis that older and younger children structure affect differently. Limitations of the study and clinical/developmental implications are discussed.

A large body of literature exists to show that childhood anxiety and depression are significantly interrelated, both at the disorder and the symptom level. Clark and Watson (1991) proposed that a tripartite model could account for the observed relations between anxiety and depression. The tripartite model holds that while anxiety and depression share a substantial component of general affective distress or negative affectivity (NA), they can be meaningfully differentiated on the basis of specific symptoms. Anhedonia, or low positive affect (PA), is seen as specific to depression, and physiological arousal (PH), or somatic tension, is seen as unique to anxiety. The studies presented in this thesis were designed to investigate the tripartite model of anxiety and depression in children and youth. Although previous studies provide some support for the validity of the tripartite model in children, they have not systematically examined the generalisability of the model across the developmental spectrum. Where age differences have been explored, there is some evidence to suggest that anxiety and depression show greater differentiation across development. Therefore, the first study sought to test unitary, dual, and tripartite models of anxiety and depression in a cross-sectional design, using three distinct age cohorts of non-referred children and youth recruited from grade 3 (mean age 7.74 years), grade 6 (mean age 10.59 years), and grade 9 (mean age 13.52 years). A confirmatory factor analytic strategy was used with selected items from the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale and the Children’s Depression Inventory. The study found little evidence to support the idea of increasing differentiation with age. All models provided a moderate fit to the data, although analyses indicated that a correlated three-factor tripartite model was the preferred model in all age cohorts. These results suggest that the tripartite model may be a clinically useful tool in differentiating between depressive and anxious symptoms and disorders in children of all ages. The second study then sought to examine the predictive utility of the tripartite model, using a subsample of participants from the first study. In line with the tripartite theory, it was anticipated that the dimensions of NA and PA would predict concurrent and future symptoms of hopelessness (depression). Further, it was expected that the dimensions of NA and PH would predict concurrent and future symptoms of panic (anxiety). Self-report symptoms of hopelessness and panic were measured at baseline and again 12 months later. Results revealed some consistencies and inconsistencies with respect to the predictions of the model. In accordance with predictions, results indicated that NA and PA were significant predictors of concurrent symptoms of hopelessness for grade 3 and grade 6 students, but not for grade 9 students. In addition, NA and PH were significant predictors of concurrent symptoms of panic for grade 6 students, but not for grade 3 or grade 9 students. The tripartite dimensions of NA and PA predicted future hopelessness symptoms for grade 6 students only, however the NA and PH dimensions did not predict future symptoms of panic for any students. Methodology of the study is examined in interpreting the obtained results, and limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

The impact of deceased tissue donation and transplantation is far-reaching; however, little is known about the public’s attitudes towards tissue donation. Siminoff, Traino, and Gordon (2010) found that families’ attitudes towards tissue donation were a significant predictor of consent; specifically, families that were initially favorable towards tissue donation were more likely to donate their loved ones tissues than families that were initially unfavorable towards tissue donation. Using a qualitative coding approach and the Tripartite Model of Attitude Structure (affective, behavioral, and cognitive attitude components) as a conceptual framework, families’ expressed attitudes toward tissue donation were extracted from N=240 audiorecordings of past tissue donation requests from 16 different OPOs. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with N=14 Tissue Requesters from LifeNet Health in Virginia Beach, Virginia about their perceptions of families’ attitudes. Together, 14 attitude domains and 34 subdomains were derived from the families’ expressed attitudes. Several multivariate analyses were performed. After controlling for time spent discussing tissue donation and confusion between tissues and organs, affective attitudes were significantly different among three FDM initial response groups (favorable, unsure, and unfavorable). Further, the attitude domains “donation invokes positive emotion” and “pro-donation behaviors” were the best discriminators of FDM groups. Suggestions for educational interventions were discussed.

The current project involved three studies designed to examine which characteristics of persuasive communications change condom use attitudes. Study 1 investigated the effect of message type (affective versus cognitive) and source (male versus female) on attitude change among a sample of African American women attending college. In Study 1 (N = 146), the affective message and female source produced the most positive change in condom use attitudes. Study 2 examined whether message type and source were associated with favorable condom attitudes in a community sample and whether these findings differed from a college sample. Twenty-seven women participated in group discussions and completed measures of attitudes and intentions. Similar to Study 1, the pattern of means in Study 2 showed the affective message delivered by the female source resulted in the most positive condom use attitude change. These results were not significant likely due to the small sample. Focus groups were also conducted to better understand the types of condom use messages African American women find effective. Several themes emerged: condom used primarily for pregnancy prevention; negative condom use attitudes; communicating messages through internet, TV, and radio; creating fun, catchy, and informative messages; using celebrities and peers to deliver messages; and increasing the frequency of messages to equal importance of topic. The third study assessed the effectiveness of an attitude change pilot intervention that was based on the results of Studies 1 and 2. The study used a 2 (intervention vs. control) X 3 (pretest, posttest, follow-up) mixed factorial design to examine whether women’s attitudes changed after a pilot session and whether the change persisted over time. African American women (N = 115) were recruited through Craigslist and community agencies. There were no significant differences across time for the intervention and the control group. Reasons for the lack of an effect in Study 3 are discussed. Taken together, these studies provide evidence that, under certain conditions an affective message delivered by a female source can change attitudes toward using condoms. The results of these studies could potentially enhance existing interventions by renewing a focus on changing attitudes as well as behavior.

The Stress and Coping Cyclical Amplification Model of Perfectionism in Illness posits, that in the context of a chronic illness, both perfectionistic strivings and concerns contribute to poor health outcomes. Similarly, person-centred models, such as the tripartite model of perfectionism, claim that high levels of both perfectionism concerns and strivings reflect an “unhealthy” perfectionism that takes a toll on well-being. To date there are few comparative tests of these models for physical and mental health outcomes in healthy versus chronically ill individuals. The aim of the current study was to investigate the implications of perfectionism for health by testing how within-person combinations of perfectionism varied in relation to health outcomes, and between fibromyalgia patients (n = 89) and healthy controls (n = 123). Supporting both models, within-person combinations of high perfectionistic strivings and concerns were associated with high stress and poor mental and physical health compared to other within-person combinations. These links were more robust for fibromyalgia patients compared to controls, and stress mediated the association with physical health outcomes only for the fibromyalgia patients. Findings support the value of taking a person-centred approach for understanding how perfectionistic strivings contributes to poor health in the context of chronic illness.

I undersökningen har en intervjustudie gjorts med syftet att beskriva verksamma svensklärares attityder till grannspråksundervisning. Två frågeställningar utgör utgångspunkt för studien och utreder lärarnas uppfattningar om grannspråksundervisningens möjligheter, svårigheter, och relevans. Fem svensklärare som är verksamma på gymnasiet intervjuades individuellt i semistrukturerade intervjuer. Materialet transkriberades och analyserades sedan utifrån en fenomenografisk analysmodell. Resultatet visar att de intervjuade lärarna upplever att det finns många möjligheter i grannspråksundervisningen och de aspekter som har påvisats är: varierade undervisningsmetoder, vikten av språkens gemensamma grund, grannspråken i allmänbildande syfte, språksociala frågor som utgångspunkt för undervisningen och kombination med andra delar av det centrala innehållet och kunskapskraven. Lärarna uttrycker likväl att det finns svårigheter i undervisningen och identifierade aspekter är: låg motivation hos elever, otillräcklig utbildning och marginaliserad tidsåtgång till momentet. Samtliga lärare uppfattar ämnesområdet som relevant med utgångspunkt i styrdokumenten. De motiverar även relevansen genom att framhäva den kulturella och språkliga gemenskapen, allmänbildningsaspekten och vikten av arbetet med språksociala frågor. Studien bidrar med ämnesdidaktiska implikationer som förhoppningsvis kan öka medvetenheten hos lärare om utvecklingsaspekter inom området. Problematiska aspekter har visserligen funnits i lärarnas undervisning men den underliggande problematiken finns i styrdokumentens förhållning till språkpolitiska dokument.

Theory and evidence suggests that person-centred models may be especially relevant for elucidating the role of perfectionism in health and well-being in those with chronic health conditions. This may be particularly true for conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), in which perfectionism is known to play a prominent role in health outcomes. Yet to date no research has taken a person-centred approach to examine how within-person combinations of perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns are linked to vulnerability for poor health in CFS. The current study compared matched samples of people with CFS and healthy controls (N = 163 each) on measures of stress, depression, and health problems. Consistent with the Stress and Coping Cyclical Amplification Model of Perfectionism in Illness and the tripartite model of perfectionism, within-person combinations of high perfectionistic concerns and strivings had the poorest health profile compared to other within-person combinations, but only among those with CFS. In addition, the perfectionism was indirectly associated with health through stress in those with CFS only. Findings add to a growing evidence base on the utility of person-centred models for understanding the health risks of perfectionism in the context of chronic illness.

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