Biomedical subjects

S M Dees

Publications and source records attributed to S M Dees.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Downward Spiral: a pedagogical game depicting the dangers of substance abuse.

We have developed a pedagogical game called Downward Spiral that illuminates the dangers associated with continued drug use (including alcohol). The game provides facts, quotes, and episodic consequences that can adversely affect each player's mental and physical health, social support, and financial/legal situation over the course of the game. The conceptual and empirical foundations of the game (both a college prevention version and substance abuse treatment version) are discussed. Pilot studies with college students and residents at a substance abuse treatment facility for probationers indicate that Downward Spiral is engaging, informative, and thought provoking. Plans for examining the impact of this game as a preventive technique (for the college setting) and as an approach to increasing motivation for substance abuse treatment are described.

Counseling↗

PubMed1993

Using scripted cooperation to communicate information about the consequences of alcohol and cocaine use.

Fifty-two participants from undergraduate psychology classes at a private university were asked to study, either cooperatively or individually, information dealing with the consequences of using alcohol and cocaine. Objectives were to (a) determine the effect of cooperative study on recall, (b) assess personal reactions to the information presented, and (c) assess the effect of individual differences. Findings indicate that cooperative study can facilitate both recall of information as well as degree of understanding and confidence in dealing with persons using alcohol/cocaine; that the materials used were received positively; and that verbal ability may play a subtle role in college students' responses to alcohol/cocaine information.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Using knowledge maps and scripted cooperation to inform college students about patterns of behavior related to recurring abuse of alcohol.

Objectives of this study were to determine the effectiveness of using a specific information format--graphic representations called knowledge maps--and an information processing strategy--scripted cooperation--in teaching college students about behavior patterns that underlie recurring abuse of alcohol. Participants in this three-session, 6-hour study were 111 Texas Christian University students recruited from undergraduate psychology classes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two materials format conditions (map vs. text format) and to one of two processing strategy conditions (individual processing vs. scripted interaction with a partner). Results indicate that map format facilitated recall of the pattern information; processing with a partner appeared to enhance perception of the multidimensional nature of behavior that supports alcohol use.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Using conceptual matrices, knowledge maps, and scripted cooperation to improve personal management strategies.

Research in the area of substance abuse suggests that ineffective personal management strategies appear to be a major factor in abuse behavior. In this study, fifty-seven students in an intermediate level psychology class were provided with three tools previously found to enhance academic learning strategies--knowledge maps, scripted peer cooperation, and conceptual matrices--as a means of understanding and improving personal management strategies. Student ratings of the value of these activities were significantly higher than an average or moderate response. Individual differences appear to be an important consideration in predicting participants' perceptions of the value of this approach. Those who felt they had control of whatever happens to them, and those who perceived problems as impactful and had strong desires to change recurring problem situations, had the most positive reactions to the types of activities used in this study.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Phantom feet on digital radionuclide images and other scary computer tales.

Malfunction of a computer-assisted digital gamma camera is reported. Despite what appeared to be adequate acceptance testing, an error in the system gave rise to switching of images and identification text. A suggestion is made for using a hot marker, which would avoid the potential error of misinterpretation of patient images.

Aged↗

PubMed1983

Acid-citrate-dextrose compared with heparin in the preparation of in vivo/in vitro technetium-99m red blood cells.

Red blood cells labeled in vivo/in vitro with Tc-99m (Tc-99m RBC) were prepared in a series of 21 patients and two normal volunteers. In each subject both heparin and acid-citrate-dextrose (ACD) solutions were used to label tandem blood samples. The immediate preinjection binding efficiency (BE) was then determined. In each of the 23 studies, the ACD preparation yielded superior BE. The average BE was 93.47% (+/- 3.78) with ACD and 87.23% (+/- 4.29) with heparin. With the ACD method the effect of carrier Tc-99 may be as great as a 24% reduction in BE observed when initial eluates from long-ingrowth-time generators were used. Improved image quality with minimal renal and urinary-bladder activity results with ACD labeling. It is concluded that the use of ACD results in superior RBC labeling with less nontarget activity relative to heparin and is preferred over heparin for preparing in vivo/in vitro Tc-99m RBC.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Using schematic organizers to help college students organize personal concepts and behavior related to alcohol and cocaine use.

The intent of this study was to assess the perceived effectiveness of using two types of schematic, graphic organizers--"maps" and "conceptual matrices"--to organize personal understanding of alcohol and cocaine behavior patterns and knowledge about reasons for and consequences of alcohol and cocaine use. Participants in this three-session, 6-hour study were 111 students from a private, southwestern university who were recruited from undergraduate psychology classes. Participants were randomly assigned to either "schema" (matrix/map) or "nonschema" (essay) conditions. The dependent measure, perceived usefulness of an activity, was defined in terms of three factors (use for personal insights, motivational aspects of an activity, and use for counseling purposes) and was assessed through a series of four postactivity questionnaires. Verbal ability was found to play an important role: map organizers for alcohol experiences were perceived as more useful than essay writing by below-median verbal ability participants. For organizing personal knowledge of reasons and consequences, essay writing was perceived as more useful. Possible trends were noted with respect to personality factors.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ethnicity and the effects of mapping-enhanced drug abuse counseling.

It was hypothesized that node-link mapping a tool for visually representing client issues during drug abuse counseling, would reduce communication barriers between counselors and their African American and Mexican American clients. Three hundred twenty daily opioid users participated in methadone maintenance treatment programs in three cities for 6 months or longer following random assignments to mapping-enhanced or standard counseling. Clients in the mapping condition had fewer drug-positive urines (with respect to opiates and cocaine), missed fewer scheduled counseling sessions, and were rated more positively by their counselors on rapport, motivation, and self-confidence during the first 6 months of treatment. Significant interactions involving ethnicity and counseling condition suggested that mapping is more effective for African Americans and Mexican Americans than for Whites. The use of mapping appears to help reduce cultural, racial, and class communication barriers by providing a visual supplement and a common language that enhances counselor-client interchanges.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A visual representation system for drug abuse counselors.

Node-link mapping is a technique that consists of drawing spatial-verbal displays to visually represent interrelationships between ideas, feelings, facts, and experiences. These multirelational maps are drawn during ongoing counseling sessions to represent a variety of personal and nonpersonal topics. This article provides an overview of this technique, including rationale, related and supporting research, and an example of its use during counseling. In addition, this article describes the potential impacts of mapping and comments on practical considerations related to the effective use of this tool in drug abuse counseling.

Audiovisual Aids↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mapping-enhanced drug abuse counseling: urinalysis results in the first year of methadone treatment.

Urinalysis (UA) tests for opiates and cocaine were obtained over a 12-month period for a total of 155 long-term clients who participated in treatment in one of three urban methadone centers. At admission, clients were randomly assigned to "node-link mapping" (n = 82) or "standard" (n = 73) counseling treatment. Node-link mapping is a strategy for visually representing interrelationships between clients' ideas, feelings, and experiences. These multirelational maps are developed (usually by counselors) during individual and group counseling sessions to clarify clients' issues and problems. The results revealed that (a) mapping clients had significantly fewer opiate-positive UAs during months 2-6 of treatment and (b) session attendance was a significant predictor of cocaine-positive UAs over months 2-12 for mapping clients.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The use of node-link mapping in drug abuse counseling: the role of attentional factors.

This study extends previous research on the use of node-link mapping during counseling by addressing the effect that this visual representation technique has on clients with attentional problems. Participants were 13 counselors in a methadone treatment program and their 93 opioid-addicted clients who had been in treatment for more than three months. Both counselors and clients were randomly assigned to mapping-enhanced or standard counseling. Based on a self-report measure assessing attention-related problems of clients, they were categorized as having either adequate or poor levels of attentional stamina and attentional control. Consistent with previous findings, clients in mapping-enhanced counseling had lower percentages of urine samples that were positive for cocaine or heroin. In addition, results suggest that mapping has greater benefits in terms of session attendance and program perception for clients with poor attentional stamina.

Adult↗