Papers by Michael Cunningham
Children and Youth Services Review, Oct 1, 2021
Abstract Introduction This paper describes implementation results as part of a larger three-arm, ... more Abstract Introduction This paper describes implementation results as part of a larger three-arm, cluster randomized controlled trial that compared two curriculum interventions to prevent teen pregnancy with a control condition. The intervention of focus is an enhanced version of Reducing the Risk to Prevent Pregnancy, STD and HIV ( Kirby et al., 1991 , Langley et al., 2015 ), which is a comprehensive sex education program appropriate for youth ages 14–19. Method In order to standardize the delivery of this teen pregnancy prevention education curriculum to high-risk youth across 39 presentations, in 23 different community-based organizations, by dyads involving 16 facilitators, researchers utilized two implementation frameworks to guide program delivery and developed several fidelity measurement tools to assess adherence, dosage, quality of intervention delivery, participant responsiveness, and program differentiation. Results These efforts resulted in high fidelity to the curriculum. There also were high levels of youth engagement as indicated both by self-reports and observed by facilitators who created cohesive groups. Results also found that training quality, alliance with facilitators and group cohesion positively impacted attitude change and gains in knowledge. Discussion Issues related to balancing adherence to evidence-based curricula and being responsive to youth needs are discussed.
Prehospital Emergency Care, Aug 23, 2018
Objective: To understand how family members view the ways Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and ot... more Objective: To understand how family members view the ways Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and other first responders interact with distressed family members during an intervention involving a recent or impending pediatric death. Methods: In depth interviews with 11 grieving parents of young children and survey results from 4 additional grieving parents of adult children were conducted as part of a larger study on effective ways for EMS providers to interact with distressed family members during a pediatric death in the field. The responses were analyzed using qualitative content analyses. Results: Family reactions to the crisis and the professional response by first responders were critical to family coping and getting necessary support. There were several critical competencies identified to help the family cope including: (1) that first responders provide excellent and expeditious care with seamless coordination, (2) allowing family to witness the resuscitation including the attempts to save the child's life, and (3) providing ongoing communication. Whether the child is removed from the scene or not, keeping the family apprised of what is happening and why is critical. Giving tangible forms of support by calling friends, family, and clergy, along with allowing the family time with the child after death, giving emotional support, and follow-up gestures all help families cope. Conclusion: The study generated hypothetical ways for first responders to interact with distressed family members during an OOH pediatric death.
Journal of Research in Personality, Jun 1, 1991
ABSTRACT
American Journal of Public Health, Sep 1, 2016
Objectives. To test the efficacy of Reducing the Risk (RTR) and Love Notes (LN) on reducing risky... more Objectives. To test the efficacy of Reducing the Risk (RTR) and Love Notes (LN) on reducing risky sexual behavior among youths yet to experience or cause a pregnancy.Methods. The four dependent variables were ever had sex, condom use, birth control use, and number of sexual partners at 3- and 6-month follow-up in a 3-arm cluster randomized controlled trial of 1448 impoverished youths, aged 14 to 19 years, in 23 community-based organizations in Louisville, Kentucky, from September 2011 through March 2014.Results. At 3 and 6 months, compared with the control condition, youths in RTR reported fewer sexual partners and greater use of birth control. At 6 months, LN participants reported greater use of birth control and condoms, fewer sexual partners, and were less likely to have ever had sex compared with the control condition.Conclusions. We provided additional evidence for the continued efficacy of RTR and the first rigorous study of LN, which embeds sex education into a larger curriculum on healthy relationships and violence prevention.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1995
The consistency of physical attractiveness ratings across cultural groups was examined. In Study ... more The consistency of physical attractiveness ratings across cultural groups was examined. In Study 1, recently arrived native Asian and Hispanic students and White Americans rated the attractiveness of Asian, Hispanic, Black, and White photographed women. The mean correlation between groups in attractiveness ratings was r = .93. Asians, Hispanics, and Whites were equally influenced by many facial features', but Asians were less influenced by some sexual maturity and expressive features. In Study 2, Taiwanese attractiveness ratings correlated with prior Asian, Hispanic, and American ratings, mean r = .91. Supporting Study 1, the Taiwanese also were less positively influenced by certain sexual maturity and expressive features. Exposure to Western media did not influence attractiveness ratings in either study. In Study 3, Black and White American men rated the attractiveness of Black female facial photos and body types. Mean facial attractiveness ratings were highly correlated (r = .94), but as predicted Blacks and Whites varied in judging bodies. Popular writers often suggest that ethnic groups have different standards for judging attractiveness (Ackerman, 1990; Wolf, 1991). Cultural variations in self-care ideals and grooming elaborations, such as body shape, scarification, and ornamentation (Feinman & Gill, 1978; Ford & Beach, 1951; Liggett, 1974) and changes across Western history in desired body weight, cosmetics, hair color, and apparel style (Banner, 1983; Jackson, 1992), illustrate the relativity of some aspects of beauty. In this context, Darwin's (1871) observation that "It is certainly not true that there is in the mind of man any universal standard of beauty with respect to the human body" (p. 666) seems quite reasonable. Yet, in contrast to his views about bodies, Darwin (1871) did not exclude the possibility of consistency in facial attractiveness judgments: Mr. Winwood Reade. .. who has had ample opportunities for observation. .. with the Negroes of... Africa. .. who have
APA PsycNET Our Apologies! - The following features are not available with your current Browser c... more APA PsycNET Our Apologies! - The following features are not available with your current Browser configuration. - alerts user that their session is about to expire - display, print, save, export, and email selected records - get My ...
Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, Dec 1, 1995
... both the gender-role stereotypes of the help giver and the support activation behaviors of th... more ... both the gender-role stereotypes of the help giver and the support activation behaviors of the support seeker would influence the interactive coping pro-cess ... Barbee & Cunningham, 1995) lead us to predict, therefore, that problem-and emotion-focused approach behaviors ...
Annals of the International Communication Association, 1995
This review covers four major topics. First, the authors discuss previous studies on social suppo... more This review covers four major topics. First, the authors discuss previous studies on social support that document the content of supportive communications. Next, the discussion turns to the development and validation of the Interactive Coping Behavior Coding System and its converse, the Support Activation Behavior Coding System. A third focus is research stemming from sensitive interaction systems theory, which makes predictions, based on numerous variables, concerning whether an interaction will be ameliorative or harmful. The final section presents findings on the effects of interactive coping variables on relationship maintenance.
This paper discusses issues pertaining to the recruitment and hiring of dual-career academic coup... more This paper discusses issues pertaining to the recruitment and hiring of dual-career academic couples by universities and psychology departments. Studies have shown that both husbands and wives in dual psychologist couples are more productive in number of publications, paper presentations, and grants awarded than their single counterparts, yet many universities are re.Luctant to hire academic couples because of psychological resistance, small group dynamics, and salf-esteem maintenance issues. University issues may include reactance, exploitative bargaining, and fear of precedence. Exploitative bargaining-offering part-time or adjunct appointment to a spouse (usually a wife)-is often an issue which can result in a dissatisfied spouse inducing her partner to leave. Universities also fear that hiring a spouse will lead to an avalanche of requests for all spouses, both academic and nonacademic, to be hired by the university. Departmental issues include discrimination against couples by others in the department; fears of recruitment committees about the adequate differentiation of partners in publication credits, evaluation, and tenure review; and fear of the loss of both partners if one or the other accepts a new position. Small group dynamics at the departmental level include concern about couples forming power blocs or conversely the fears that disruptions in the marriage will adversely affect departmental politics. Finally, the old guard faculty is likely to have fears about disrupting the status quo. (TE) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Springer eBooks, 1997
Much of the research in our laboratory has focused on the positive aspects of human interaction, ... more Much of the research in our laboratory has focused on the positive aspects of human interaction, such as attraction (Cunningham, Roberts, Barbee, & Druen, 1995), partner selection strategies (Druen, 1995), helpfulness (Cunningham, Shaffer, Barbee, Wolfe, & Kelley, 1990), honesty (Cunningham, Wong, & Barbee, 1994), and socially supportive cheering-up behaviors (Barbee & Cunningham, 1995). Yet, there may be limits to what can be learned about relationship dynamics by focusing solely on the determinants of prosocial actions.
Elsevier eBooks, 1996
Publisher Summary This chapter examines the role of emotion before, during, and after a supportiv... more Publisher Summary This chapter examines the role of emotion before, during, and after a supportive interaction takes place. The chapter also examines the role that emotions play in a potential supporter's willingness and ability to give effective support, and in their response to their partner's reaction to their supportive attempts. A distressed person's tactics for activating social support may be either direct and unambiguous about the desire for help, or indirect and ambiguous about whether help is being sought. Direct support seeking behaviors may be verbal, by asking for help, which includes talking about the problem in a factual manner, telling the supporter about the problem, giving details of the problem, and disclosing what has been done so far about the problem. Direct support seeking also may involve nonverbal communication such as showing distress about the problem through crying or using other direct behaviors such as eye contact with furrowed brow. Indirect support-seeking behaviors, by contrast, are more subtle and less informative. An interactive coping episode generally begins with a problem, and with a support seeker who communicates the need for assistance. The nature of the problem, the temperament of the support seeker, and past supportive interactions with the partner can affect the intensity of the anxiety, anger, sadness, or embarrassment that is to be dealt with in the interaction. These emotions stem from either the nature of the problem or the anticipation of the potential supporter's reaction.
Family Relations
ObjectiveIn this research, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) tested the efficacy of two teen pr... more ObjectiveIn this research, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) tested the efficacy of two teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) curricula, Reducing the Risk and Love Notes, compared with a group of adolescents in a control condition, on primary pregnancy prevention among youth at high‐risk for teen pregnancy. A secondary purpose was to examine two potential mediators, negative beliefs about teen pregnancy and intentions to follow the sequence of completing education, marrying or establishing a committed relationship, and then having children.BackgroundTeen pregnancy rates for racial/ethnic minority youth in the United States are disproportionately high compared with White youth. Given the positive view of children in these populations and the drive for youth to form peer relationships and explore their sexuality, meeting these cultural and developmental needs within TPP may be critical.MethodsThe study examined the number of reported pregnancies across the first year after the interventio...
Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 2021
Abstract The COVID-19 Behavioral Health Mindset inventory (CVBHM) was designed to protect consume... more Abstract The COVID-19 Behavioral Health Mindset inventory (CVBHM) was designed to protect consumers and workers by assessing biosafety risk through acceptance of responsibility for the protection of oneself and others, social distancing, and adhering to prevention measures. The 30-item inventory was evaluated in two surveys of 1,455 (Time 1) and 431 respondents (Time 2). The CVBHM has strong internal consistency (T1 α = .90, T2 α = .88), test-retest reliability (r = .84) and predictive validity with the criterion of wearing a facemask (T1 β = .64, T2 β= .60). The CVBHM was a stronger predictor of safe behavior than other individual differences, although employment status, vocational interest, personality, and demographics were related. There was a drop in CVBHM scores over the study period, with predictable exceptions.
Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2018
The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of a statewide intervention (BSW level Title IV... more The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of a statewide intervention (BSW level Title IV-E Program) on both the workers' intent to leave the job and their actual exit from a state administered public child welfare agency. Employees completed an extensive survey including scales assessing individual, team, and organizational variables that might impact turnover. Results show that more Title IV-E graduates stay with the agency than do regular hires and leave at a slower rate. Different variables impact intent to leave compared to actual exit and vary across type of employee. Implications for the workforce are discussed.
Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors, Jan 18, 2016
To understand effective ways for EMS providers to interact with distressed family members during ... more To understand effective ways for EMS providers to interact with distressed family members during a field intervention involving a recent or impending out-of-hospital (OOH) pediatric death. Eight focus groups with 98 EMS providers were conducted in urban and rural settings between November 2013 and March 2014. Sixty-eight providers also completed a short questionnaire about a specific event including demographics. Seventy-eight percent of providers were males, 13% were either African American or Hispanic, and the average number of years in EMS was 16 years. They were asked how team members managed the family during the response to a dying child, what was most helpful for families whose child suddenly and unexpectedly was dead in the OOH setting, and what follow up efforts with the family were effective. The professional response by the EMS team was critical to family coping and getting necessary support. There were several critical competencies identified to help the family cope incl...
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 2011
This report examines issues associated with the selection of a Chief of Police. A review of the l... more This report examines issues associated with the selection of a Chief of Police. A review of the literature indicates minimal progress in specifying appropriate objective selection procedures for the Police Chief. This is attributable to a research focus on broad leadership styles, rather than specific competencies, and an inattention to the unique needs of individual jurisdictions. As a potential alternative, a hiring process model is offered that includes a systematic job analysis within the given jurisdiction, and the use of a reliable and well-validated instrument to assess job candidates' leadership potential and skills. This approach is illustrated by a case study of a medium-size city that followed the recommended procedures to make a hiring decision that has been sustained across more than a year's time, and which appears to be working out. The uses of testing results to help the Chief of Police to enhance personal capabilities within the new position also are discussed.
Basic and Applied Social Psychology, Mar 4, 2021
Abstract The COVID-19 Behavioral Health Mindset inventory (CVBHM) was designed to protect consume... more Abstract The COVID-19 Behavioral Health Mindset inventory (CVBHM) was designed to protect consumers and workers by assessing biosafety risk through acceptance of responsibility for the protection of oneself and others, social distancing, and adhering to prevention measures. The 30-item inventory was evaluated in two surveys of 1,455 (Time 1) and 431 respondents (Time 2). The CVBHM has strong internal consistency (T1 α = .90, T2 α = .88), test-retest reliability (r = .84) and predictive validity with the criterion of wearing a facemask (T1 β = .64, T2 β= .60). The CVBHM was a stronger predictor of safe behavior than other individual differences, although employment status, vocational interest, personality, and demographics were related. There was a drop in CVBHM scores over the study period, with predictable exceptions.
Frontiers in Psychology
Three studies were conducted to explore the psychological determinants of COVID-deterrent behavio... more Three studies were conducted to explore the psychological determinants of COVID-deterrent behaviors. In Study 1, using data collected and analyzed both before and after the release of COVID-19 vaccines, mask-wearing, other preventative behaviors like social distancing, and vaccination intentions were positively related to assessments of the Coronavirus Behavioral Health Mindset (CVBHM); belief in the credibility of science; progressive political orientation; less use of repressive and more use of sensitization coping; and the attribution of COVID-19 safety to effort rather than ability, powerful forces, fate, or luck. In Study 2, favorable COVID-19 vaccination intentions were related to greater willingness to work, lower emotional distress, and greater customer experience mindset. Study 3 examined the personality and motives of individuals who volunteered to help deliver COVID-19 inoculations to the local community. The vaccine-giving volunteers, especially those with prosocial moti...
Children and Youth Services Review, 2021
Abstract Introduction This paper describes implementation results as part of a larger three-arm, ... more Abstract Introduction This paper describes implementation results as part of a larger three-arm, cluster randomized controlled trial that compared two curriculum interventions to prevent teen pregnancy with a control condition. The intervention of focus is an enhanced version of Reducing the Risk to Prevent Pregnancy, STD and HIV ( Kirby et al., 1991 , Langley et al., 2015 ), which is a comprehensive sex education program appropriate for youth ages 14–19. Method In order to standardize the delivery of this teen pregnancy prevention education curriculum to high-risk youth across 39 presentations, in 23 different community-based organizations, by dyads involving 16 facilitators, researchers utilized two implementation frameworks to guide program delivery and developed several fidelity measurement tools to assess adherence, dosage, quality of intervention delivery, participant responsiveness, and program differentiation. Results These efforts resulted in high fidelity to the curriculum. There also were high levels of youth engagement as indicated both by self-reports and observed by facilitators who created cohesive groups. Results also found that training quality, alliance with facilitators and group cohesion positively impacted attitude change and gains in knowledge. Discussion Issues related to balancing adherence to evidence-based curricula and being responsive to youth needs are discussed.
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Papers by Michael Cunningham