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Biomedical subjects

M Crago

Publications and source records attributed to M Crago.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Using an exercise-based instrument to detect signs of an eating disorder.

The study employed an innovative exercise-based instrument to identify individuals at risk for eating disorder (ED). The Exercise Orientation Questionnaire (EOQ), a reliable and valid instrument, was used to compare 80 ED patients, 74 obese patients, 99 elite runners, and 214 controls from a previous study. Runners resembled ED patients in scoring high on total EOQ and exercise intensity but differed in that the athletes scored low on self-loathing (SLSS), a sub-scale of the EOQ. SLSS scores clearly distinguished clinical (ED, obese) from non-clinical groups, while other sub-scales (self-control, weight loss, and identity) did not. The study suggests that it is feasible to detect ED risk through assessment of exercise attitudes and behaviors. The SLSS subscale of the EOQ can differentiate clinical from non-clinical groups and anorexic patients from healthy individuals with body mass index within the anorexic range. The SLSS could provide a theoretical bridge between compulsive athleticism and ED.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Tense and temporality: a comparison between children learning a second language and children with SLI.

This study compares the morphosyntax of children with SLI to the morphosyntax of children acquiring a second language (L2) to determine whether the optional infinitive phenomenon (M. Rice, K. Wexler, & P. Cleave, 1995; K. Wexler, 1994) is evident in both learner groups and to what extent cross-learner similarities exist. We analyzed spontaneous production data from French-speaking children with SLI, English-speaking L2 learners of French, and French-speaking controls, all approximately 7 years old. We examined the children's use of tense morphology, temporal adverbials, agreement morphology, and distributional contingencies associated with finiteness. Our findings indicate that the use of morphosyntax by children with SLI and by L2 children has significant similarities, although certain specific differences exist. Both the children with SLI and the L2 children demonstrate optional infinitive effects in their language use. These results have theoretical and clinical relevance. First, they suggest that the characterization of the optional infinitive phenomenon in normal development as a consequence of very early neurological change may be too restrictive. Our data appear to indicate that the mechanism underlying the optional infinitive phenomenon extends to normal (second) language learning after the primary acquisition years. Second, they indicate that tense-marking difficulty may not be an adequate clinical marker of SLI when comparing children with impairment to both monolingual and bilingual peers. A more specific clinical marker would be more effective in diagnosing disordered populations in a multilingual context.

Child↗
PubMed2000

The reflecting team: an innovative approach for teaching clinical skills to family practice residents.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This paper provides a description and evaluation of the reflecting team approach as a teaching method for family practice residents. We have used the reflecting team approach in our longitudinal behavioral health program for 6 years. Our purpose in using this approach is to 1) teach listening and interviewing skills, 2) teach systems-oriented psychosocial interventions, and 3) provide behavioral health consultations for patients. METHODS: A five-item, self-administered, open-ended questionnaire evaluating the reflecting team approach was administered to a sample of family practice residents. RESULTS: Completed questionnaires were received from 18 of the 22 family practice residents participating in the longitudinal behavioral health program (a response rate of 82%). Responses to the questionnaire items indicated that the residents understood the purpose of the reflecting team approach and felt that they had acquired a variety of clinical skills from the approach, including listening and interviewing skills, positive reframing of patients' problems, how to give positive feedback to promote behavioral change, and increased knowledge of psychosocial assessment procedures and treatment methods. CONCLUSIONS: The residents' responses to the questionnaire items indicated that they perceived the reflecting team approach to be a practical and useful method for learning a variety of clinical skills.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Development and evaluation of the McKnight Risk Factor Survey for assessing potential risk and protective factors for disordered eating in preadolescent and adolescent girls.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development, test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and convergent validity of the McKnight Risk Factor Survey-III (MRFS-III). The MRFS-III was designed to assess a number of potential risk and protective factors for the development of disordered eating in preadolescent and adolescent girls. METHOD: Several versions of the MRFS were pilot tested before the MRFS-III was administered to a sample of 651 4th through 12th- grade girls to establish its psychometric properties. RESULTS: Most of the test-retest reliability coefficients of individual items on the MRFS-III were r > .40. Alpha coefficients for each risk and protective factor domain on the MRFS-III were also computed. The majority of these coefficients were r > .60. High convergent validity coefficients were obtained for specific items on the MRFS-III and measures of self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) and weight concerns (Weight Concerns Scale). CONCLUSIONS: The test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and convergent validity of the MRFS-III suggest that it is a useful new instrument to assess potential risk and protective factors for the development of disordered eating in preadolescent and adolescent girls.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Attachment style and weight concerns in preadolescent and adolescent girls.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between attachment style and weight concerns, a major risk factor for eating disorders, in preadolescent and adolescent girls. METHOD: Three hundred and five female elementary and middle school students completed measures of attachment style and weight concerns. RESULTS: Insecurely attached subjects reported higher weight concerns than did securely attached subjects. A greater proportion of insecurely attached subjects obtained "at risk" weight concerns scores than securely attached subjects. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that attachment style may play an important role in the development of weight concerns, which, in turn, have been shown to be associated with the onset of eating disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Factors associated with weight concerns in adolescent girls.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association of weight concerns with potential risk factors for the development of eating disorders. METHOD: A self-report survey was given to 103 elementary (Grades 4 and 5) and 420 middle (Grades 6-8) school students in Arizona and California. Of these, 78 elementary and 333 middle school students provided complete data and were used in the analyses. RESULTS: In a multivariate stepwise regression analysis, the importance that peers put on weight and eating was most strongly related to weight concerns in the elementary school girls, accounting for 34% of the variance after adjusting for site differences. Trying to look like girls/women on TV and in magazines as well as body mass index (BMI) entered the final model that accounted for 57% of the variance in weight concerns. In middle school, the importance that peers place on weight and eating was also the strongest predictor accounting for 33% of the variance followed by confidence, BMI, trying to look like girls/women on TV and in magazines, and being teased about weight. Together these variables accounted for 55% of the variance. DISCUSSION: Prevention programs aimed at reducing weight concerns need to address these factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Eating disturbances among American minority groups: a review.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper was to review the research literature related to eating behaviors and disturbances among American minority groups. METHOD: A computer-based literature search was conducted to locate articles pertaining to this topic. RESULTS: This review indicates that, compared to Caucasian females, eating disturbances are equally common among Hispanic females, more frequent among Native Americans, and less frequent among Black and Asian American females. Risk factors for eating disorders (EDs) are greater among minority females who are younger, heavier, better educated, and more identified with White, middle-class values. DISCUSSION: Further studies of EDs among American minority groups are needed, especially studies that are longitudinal and developmental in nature and that focus more specifically on the effects of racism in the development of EDs.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1995

The spectrum of eating disturbances.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper was to review and summarize the research literature on the spectrum of eating disturbances. METHOD: Literature was searched using a computer data base to identify recent articles related to the prevalence and occurrence of disturbed eating patterns as well as full and partial syndrome eating disorders (EDs). RESULTS: This review indicates that the prevalence of partial syndrome EDs in nonclinical populations is at least twice that of full syndrome EDs, and that there is a progression in some individuals from less to more severe disturbances in eating behavior. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest the need for careful, scientific evaluation of risk factors for EDs in both children and adults. A longitudinal research program in progress is described which aims to identify the risk factors for EDs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Eating attitudes and weight preoccupation among female high school students in Japan.

Eating disorder tendencies in 197 eleventh grade Japanese girls were examined to ascertain whether or not the reported correlates of eating disorder tendencies in North America would be replicated in Japan. The 26-item Eating Attitudes Test was administered along with a set of supplementary questions. As hypothesized, higher levels of eating disturbances were found in the students who: (1) perceived themselves as being overweight, (2) had been encouraged to diet, (3) reported engaging in frequent conversations with their mother about food and dieting. Implications for future cross-cultural research are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Comparing obligatory to nonobligatory runners.

This study compares "obligatory" runners (runners who continue to run despite clear physical injury or contraindications) to nonobligatory runners. Both groups scored within the normal range on most psychological test indices. The two groups had more similarities than differences. The obligatory runners did present more significant elevations of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory scales than did the nonobligatory runners. Based on their responses to the semistructured interview, the obligatory runners were significantly more concerned and rigid about weight control than the nonobligatory runners and the obligatory runners were more likely to prefer being alone. Obligatory runners were more preoccupied with their bodies and reported more positive changes in self-concept and a greater sense of control over their lives since they had begun to run. Female runners reported more satisfaction with and more positive effects from running than did male runners. Strenuous exertion is known to increase prolactin in male and female runners. Clinical research studies suggest that an increase in prolactin is associated with an obsessive preoccupation with diet and/or exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Clinical features of eating disorders and individual psychological functioning.

Relationships between the clinical features of eating disorders and individual psychological functioning were investigated in a population of 114 eating-disordered females, which consisted of 63 bulimics, 9 anorexics, 7 bulimic anorexics, 23 with eating disorders not otherwise specified, and 12 with indications of an eating disorder, but without sufficient data for further differential diagnosis. No significant differences in psychological functioning were found when diagnosis was used to classify the subjects into groups, but significant differences did emerge when subjects were classified by specific clinical features. Among the clinical features associated with greater psychopathology were: low body weight, frequent weight fluctuations, amenorrhea of longer duration, purging via laxatives, frequent exercising, and more frequent binges of longer duration.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

Family dysfunction in normal weight bulimic and bulimic anorexic families.

A group of 24 normal weight bulimics and 13 bulimic anorexics were compared with each other and a normal control group (n = 41) on two self-report measures of family functioning (Family Environment Scale and Family Dynamics Survey). The two bulimic groups perceived their families as more dysfunctional than did the normal control group on the dimensions of cohesion, expressiveness, conflict, recreational orientation, emotional support, communication, and need for counseling. There were few significant differences in the family perceptions of the two bulimic groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Body weight and bulimia as discriminators of psychological characteristics among anorexic, bulimic, and obese women.

Bulimic women from underweight (n = 20), normal-weight (n = 31), and overweight (n = 22) categories were compared with restrictor anorexics (n = 20), normal controls (n = 31), and obese subjects (n = 22). Each subject was administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, the Internal-External Locus of Control Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Semantic Differential Potency Scale. Bulimic women in all 3 weight categories exhibited greater psychopathology, more external locus of control, lower self-esteem, and lower sense of personal effectiveness than nonbulimic women at similar weight levels. The highest psychopathology, lowest self-esteem, and most external locus of control were found among the underweight bulimic women. Significant differences between bulimic women of different weight levels suggest the need for some modification of treatment approaches depending on the bulimic women's weight level.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Typical patterns in atypical anorexia nervosa.

Only a few published accounts describe atypical anorexia nervosa. To provide more information about this eating-disorder subtype, 15 patients (12 females, 3 males) with atypical anorexia nervosa were studied. In general, the 12 female patients were characterized by 1) older age at onset and presentation, 2) recurring bouts of depression, 3) numerous somatic complaints, 4) unmet dependency needs, and 5) little evidence of distortion in body image. The three male patients were characterized by a younger age at onset compared to the females, and in many ways they resembled young female anorexics or bulimic anorexics.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Differences between more and less effective psychotherapists: a study of select therapist variables.

This study examined differences between more and less effective trainee psychotherapists. Therapists were assigned to one of two groups depending on whether the preponderance of their patients' changes in symptomatology indicated more or less improvement over the course of therapy. Therapist variables included emotional adjustment, relationship skills, eliciting patient involvement, credibility, directiveness, and theoretical orientation. Less effective therapists were revealed to have lower levels of empathic understanding, to rate their patients as more involved in treatment, and to rate themselves as more supportive than the more effective therapists. Less effective therapists also valued comfort and stimulation significantly more and valued intellectual goals significantly less than did more effective therapists.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Drawings by child victims of incest.

Art is an expression of the child's inner reality. Drawings by child victims of incest might be expected to differ from drawings by other children presenting at a child psychiatry clinic. This study compares drawings by child victims of incest with drawings by children referred to the University of Arizona Child Psychiatry Clinic for nonsexual issues. Each drawing was rated on 15 dimensions, including sexualization of the figure, degree of dependency, quality of ego defenses, and adequacy of impulse control. Child victims of incest were judged to have more poorly developed impulse controls and a defensive structure which emphasized repression. These children were also significantly more variable than their counterparts in the degree to which they expressed sexual features in the drawings, but were less variable in their rated maturity and in the rated adequacy of their ability to use sublimation as a defense against anxiety.

Adaptation, Psychological↗