Biomedical subjects

Penelope A Hasking

Publications and source records attributed to Penelope A Hasking.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Reinforcement sensitivity, coping, and delinquent behaviour in adolescents.

Since 1964, the relationship between personality and criminal behaviour has been extensively studied. However, studies, which have examined the Eysenckian dimensions of extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism have produced mixed results. Gray's [Gray, J. A. (1970). The psychophysiological basis of introversion-extroversion. Behavior Research and Therapy, 8, 249-266] Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory provides an alternative conceptualisation of the role of personality in criminal behaviour, and has generally produced more consistent findings. This study aimed to examine the relationship between reinforcement sensitivity and delinquent behaviour in a sample of 259 adolescents, and to examine the role that coping strategies play in this relationship. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that use of problem solving mediated the relationship between reward sensitivity and delinquent behaviour, while use of non-productive coping strategies moderated the relationship between BAS drive and delinquency. Consequently, it was suggested that coping skills training could be an effective early intervention for delinquent behaviour.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2006

Validation of the Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire--Revised in an Adolescent Sample (DRSEQ-RA).

Adolescent drinking is a significant issue yet valid psychometric tools designed for this group are scarce. The Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire--Revised Adolescent Version (DRSEQ-RA) is designed to assess an individual's belief in their ability to resist drinking alcohol. The original DRSEQ-R consists of three factors reflecting social pressure refusal self-efficacy, opportunistic refusal self-efficacy and emotional relief refusal self-efficacy. A large sample of 2020 adolescents aged between 12 and 19 years completed the DRSEQ and measures of alcohol consumption in small groups. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the three factor structure was confirmed. All three factors were negatively correlated with both frequency and volume of alcohol consumption. Drinkers reported lower drinking refusal self-efficacy than non-drinkers. Taken together, these results suggest that the adolescent version of the Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (DRSEQ-RA) is a reliable and valid measure of drinking refusal self-efficacy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Alcohol expectancies, self-efficacy and coping in an alcohol-dependent sample.

This study expanded earlier work conducted by this laboratory by examining the independent and interactive effects of avoidant coping strategies, positive and negative alcohol expectancies and self-efficacy, in predicting volume and frequency of alcohol consumption in a sample dependent on alcohol (n=296). Coping strategies were found to be salient predictors of frequency of drinking, while venting emotion interacted with negative expectancies to predict both volume and frequency of drinking. Venting emotion was also found to interact with drinking refusal self-efficacy in predicting volume of alcohol consumed. These interactions are discussed in terms of the cognitive and behavioural mechanisms thought to underlie drinking behaviour.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2005

Drinking refusal self-efficacy questionnaire-revised (DRSEQ-R): a new factor structure with confirmatory factor analysis.

The drinking refusal self-efficacy questionnaire (DRSEQ) assesses a person's belief in their ability to resist alcohol. The DRSEQ is a sound psychometric instrument based on exploratory factor analyses, but has not been subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. In total 2773 participants were used to confirm the factor structure of the DRSEQ. Initial analyses revealed that the original structure was not confirmed in the current study. Subsequent analyses resulted in a revised factor structure (DRSEQ-R) being confirmed in community, student and clinical samples. The DRSEQ-R was also found to have good construct and concurrent validity. The factor structure of the DRSEQ-R is more stable than the original structure of the DRSEQ and the revised scale has considerable potential in future alcohol-related research.

Adult↗