Communication

On May 31, 2010, the Israeli Defense Forces met with the Free Gaza Flotilla off the coast of theGaza strip. The incident resulted in nine causalities. The purpose of this study was to explore
Israel’s use of digital diplomacy during this incident. The “thick description” required in this case study was encouraged by the work of Yin (2009), Mitchell (2009), Der Derian (2009) and
Guillaume (2010). Using Bakhtin as a developmental tool for the case study, this case expands the research on a nation-state’s identity management through digital diplomacy. Further, it explored the destruction and rebuilding of the online Israeli identity during the Free Gaza Flotilla of May 2010. Future research in political grammars and political dialectics is encouraged.

This study sought to identify specific variables which appear to predict acceptance of a long distance, multi-canipus form of computer-mediated education. Results indicate that initial acceptance of the medium as an alternative to face-to-face interaction is best predicted by how well CMC added to the courses in which the students were enrolled. Later CMC acceptance is best predicted by (1) initial CMC acceptance, (2) how well CMC added to the course, and (3) initial level of CMC inhibition.

Culturally diverse therapists are important to mental health professions in regards to reaching the needs of culturally diverse clients. Census projections predict that the United States will continue to evolve into an ethnically diverse country with minority populations increasing dramatically. The field of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) has increased its efforts to recruit more diversity to graduate programs in order to the meet the demands of the changing population. Unfortunately, minority populations are increasing faster than the field's ability to recruit more diversity. A number of studies have been performed in order to explore strategies to recruit more diversity. However, very few studies have actually sampled minority students. The purpose of this paper is to present factors that influence cultural diversity recruitment in COAMFTE-accredited Doctoral and Master's programs based on survey questions posed to MFT 298 graduate students with a minority sample of 63. Descriptive statistics are used to present data on factors that contribute to student recruitment. Open-ended questions were also analyzed and compared with descriptive results. Strategies to improve cultural diversity recruitment are explored.

Due to an increasing trend among states to cut higher education funds, many universities are relying more on private donations and federal funding to keep programs afloat. Scholarship productivity in general has become an integral factor in terms of universities granting tenure to faculty, allocating resources, and supporting program goals due to the fact that more research in a particular area tends to increase the likelihood that one will obtain funding from federal, state, and private sources. In the past, ranking systems have also been used to evaluate programs. However, most ranking systems use methodologies that do not quantify research productivity or evaluate factors that match current university trends. The purpose of this article is to explore current scholarship productivity trends among COAMFTE-accredited doctoral programs through the use of several evaluation methods. Specifically, productivity was examined in regard to the following areas: (a) family therapy journal publications; (b) family science journal publications; (c) historic journal publication trends; and (d) recent journal publication trends. Current trends in higher education have led public and private universities to reexamine how they evaluate productivity in the domain of research and scholarship. Specifically, lack of public funds coming from state governments has led public universities to rely more on private donations and federal funding to keep their programs viable (Lee & Clery, 2004). Private universities equally have pressures to produce more research based on the current trend for universities to receive more prestige and notice due to research. Thus, as universities hire new faculty, make decisions about granting tenure, and allocate resources, more emphasis is being placed on publishing productivity, especially in terms of areas that will aid in obtaining federal funding and gaining national recognition. In 2002, Crane, Wampler, Sprenkle, Sandberg, and Hovestadt made some keen observations about the current status of research in MFT: Yes, we all do MFT research, but those whose degree and training are from COA-MFTE-accredited programs are rarely, if ever, recognized by other family therapy researchers as representing a separate and legitimate profession. We have faced the profession versus practice issue on the clinical side, and it is time we face it on the research side as well. (p. 77)

Thirty faculty in randomly selected Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) programs representing four geographical regions of the United States were asked to respond to a survey that included seven brief vignettes depicting gatekeeping and remediation challenges supervisors may face when working with therapists-in-training. Research participants were asked to select from among a range of 17 response options and were also asked to provide a rationale for the selection of their responses. The response rate for the mailed survey was 34%. Telephone interviews were conducted with three respondents who had provided especially detailed responses to the open-ended portions of the mailed survey and who also volunteered to be questioned regarding how supervision decisions are made. Results support the conclusion that COAMFTE faculty take their gatekeeping function seriously as they balance commitments to multiple stakeholders. When presented with hypothetical ''bare-bones'' vignettes, the supervisors in our study consistently recommended talking with the student in order to more fully understand the context of the student's performance problem before deciding how to proceed. Supervisors recommended a variety of remediation efforts, but reserved the most severe consequences, such as probation, dismissal, and filing an ethics complaint, for the vignette involving dishonesty and lack of personal integrity. Supervisors in marriage and family therapy programs are faced with balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders, including clients, student therapists, the training program, the profession, and the public at large. In addition to assessing academic performance, supervisors must assess students' personal characteristics as they relate to professional practice, allegiance to ethical standards, and clinical skills (Brady, Guy, & Norcross, 1995; Lumadue & Duffey, 1999). Supervisors must assess how much oversight each student therapist needs, must recognize failure to meet program standards, and once identified, must decide how to address deficits. The options for responding can be placed on a continuum running from mild, such as having a conversation with the supervisee, to severe, such as filing an ethics report or dismissal from the training program. The research reported here provides insight into the process underlying the decisions

Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) over the past twenty years have increased their visibility by using their clinical skills and a systemic framework in other areas outside of therapy (i.e., business, school, medicine). Many of these individuals have pioneered roads of systems theory application through a creative process. Traditional creativity research has focused mainly on individual factors. However, Csikszentmihalyi's theories of flow and creativity have offered important insight on the systemic nature of the creative process. Recently, research regarding intrinsic motivation and group creativity has provided more insight on how Csikszentmihalyi's theory could be further developed. Furthermore, applying an ecological systems theory framework to his current model provides additional levels of influence to be examined in regards to maximizing creative potential in individuals and groups. Using deductive and inductive methodologies, an ecological systems theory of creativity is presented providing a framework for studying how MFTs that have successfully entered into non-traditional realms of systemic application go through the creative process of entering into their endeavors. Interviews with successful MFTs applying skills in non-traditional areas of applications were conducted using a modified phenomenological approach. Creative processes were outlined based on themes and patterns that emerged during the analysis. Implications of these findings are made regarding how to improve creativity in MFTs at the individual, academic, and professional field levels. In addition, implications are made regarding how to improve student recruitment and maximize potential in MFT trainees. Finally, implications regarding the maximization of productivity in university settings and applying systemic creativity to business, school, government, and education settings are presented.

According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 24 million Americans live with type 2 diabetes, and clinical data project that this figure will increase 165% from 2000 to 2050. Thus, there is a pressing need to understand not only the physiological and medical needs, but also the psychological demands associated with the illness. Even though uncertainty has been explicated in various other illness contexts and potentially shapes the experience of type 2 diabetes, very little attention has been paid to the nature of uncertainty in this context. The present study examines the nature of uncertainty through qualitative interviews with 49 individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Using grounded theory methods, various themes emerged relative to the sources of uncertainty. These themes are discussed in light of their potential extension of health communication theory and application to intervention and educational programs for individuals living with type 2 diabetes.

This study tests a comprehensive model linking Grey’s Anatomy viewing and perceived realism of this program with organ donation knowledge, barriers—including medical mistrust, disgust, bodily integrity, and superstition—and subsequent organ donation attitudes. In addition to testing the hypothesized structural model, ethnic differences were examined by way of (a) the multigroup method to test for differences in path coefficients, (b) multivariate analysis of variance to examine differences among the study variables, and (c) ␣2 tests to assess differences in organ donation registrations among African Americans (n ␣ 200), Caucasians (n ␣ 200), and Latinos (n ␣ 200). Support for the overall structural model was found and various differences emerged among the African American, Caucasian, and Latino sample across study variables.The results from this research are discussed with an emphasis on the theoretical and practical implications.

The purpose of this study was to analyze television ads in the truth® campaign using the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) as a framework. Among the ads (n = 86) ana- lyzed, results revealed a heavy reliance on severity messages, modest attention to susceptibility messages, and no inclusion of recommended response messages in the form of self-efficacy and response efficacy. The reliance on emphasizing the health threat, without incorporating recommended response messages, is discussed with respect to the likelihood of galvaniz- ing maladaptive responses such as psychological reactance, denial, and defensive avoidance resulting from exposure to these ads. Additionally, the unintended outcomes for secondary audiences including but not limited to stigma are considered. Implications and suggestions for practitioners and theorists are explored.

We applied the Health Belief Model (HBM) to better understand perceptions of organ donation among African American, Hispanic, and White high school students. We conducted 14 focus groups with 18-year-old students to identify strategies to reach this audience when promoting the First-Person Consent Registry (FPCR) for organ donation.We found that African American, Hispanic, and White high school students are largely unaware of the need for organ donors, and are unfamiliar with how to join the FPCR. Participants identified more barriers to joining the FPCR than benefits. Two aspects of self-efficacy emerged related to joining the FPCR: decisional and task efficacy. Overall, few differences were found with respect to organ donation myths across the three ethnic groups.The results are discussed, with an emphasis on how the findings compare and contrast with previous organ donation research.We focus on message design and dissemination strategies for practitioners targeting 18-year-old high school students with organ donation promotional materials.

Cialdini’s (1984) principles of influence were employed to inform the decision-making pro- cess with respect to using condoms during casual sex. In the current study, focus groups (n = 9) were conducted to understand the relationship between the six principles of influence (authority, consistency, liking, reciprocity, scarcity, and social proof) and condom use in casual sex relationships. Results revealed that authority, consistency, and social proof were endorsed often as influencing condom use. Gender differences in the endorsement of the principles were also observed. The results speak to how these principles of influence aide the condom deci- sion-making process during these often spontaneous sexual encounters and are discussed with an emphasis on the theoretical and practical implications for using these principles in future health campaigns.

Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to examine differences among bodily integrity, disgust, medical mistrust, and superstition among African Americans, Caucasians, and Latinos; females and males; and registered organ donors and non-registered potential donors. Methods: A random digit dialing phone survey was utilized to garner information pertaining to organ donation beliefs among African American (n ¼ 200), Caucasian (n ¼ 200), and Latino (n ¼ 200) Chicago residents. More specifically, participants responded to measures of bodily integrity, disgust, medical mistrust, and superstition, organ donor registration status, among others. Results: The results indicated that African American and Latino participants were less likely to be registered organ donors than Caucasians (p < .001). In general, females maintained fewer barriers than males with respect to bodily integrity (p < .05), disgust (p ¼ .01), and superstition (p ¼ .01). With respect to organ donation barriers, bodily integrity (p < .0001) emerged as a central concern among those surveyed. Conclusion: This study highlights the significance of audience segmentation when promoting posthumous organ and tissue donation. Specifically, the results stress the importance of constructing distinct messages to non-registered potential donors compared to messages delivered to registered donors. Moreover, different barriers surfaced among females and males as well as among African American, Caucasian, and Latino residents. It is clear that a one size fits all approach will likely not work when promoting organ and tissue donation.

This investigation sought to advance the extended parallel process model in important ways by testing associations among the strengths of efficacy and threat appeals with fear as well as two outcomes of fear-control processing, psychological reactance and message minimization. Within the context of print ads admonishing against noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and the fictitious Trepidosis virus, partial support was found for the additive model with no support for the multiplicative model. High efficacy appeals mitigated freedom threat perceptions across both contexts. Fear was positively associated with both freedom threat perceptions within the NIHL context and favorable attitudes for both NIHL and Trepidosis virus contexts. In line with psychological reactance theory, a freedom threat was positively associated with psychological reactance. Reactance, in turn, was positively associated with message minimization. The models supported reactance preceding message minimization across both message contexts. Both the theoretical and practical implications are discussed with an emphasis on future research opportunities within the fear-appeal literature.

've got mail! An examination of a statewide direct-mail marketing campaign to promote deceased organ donor registrations. Abstract: Background: This study extends previous direct-mail campaigns by evaluating the effectiveness of a marketing campaign promoting organ donation message strategies from the vantage point of organ donors, organ recipients, individuals on the waiting list, or a combination of these three frames. Methods: Illinois residents were randomly assigned to one of four organ donation brochures disseminated via U.S. postal mail. Registrations occurred via the Internet and U.S. postal mail. Results: Individuals register at a greater rate following exposure to the combination framed message compared to organ donor, organ recipient, and waiting list narratives. The campaign revealed that individuals are more likely to register via U.S. postal mail than the Internet. Conclusion: Direct-mail marketing efforts were shown to be an effective approach to promote organ and tissue donation registrations. The results demonstrated a preference for the combination framed brochure. The results are discussed with an emphasis on the practical implications of utilizing direct-mail marketing efforts to promote organ donation among young adults.

The purpose of this study is to examine psychological reactance in response to graphic cigarette warning labels and to strengthen and expand on the current literature by using validated measures. Young adults (N = 435) were randomly assigned to a cigarette package featuring a graphic image or a package featuring no image. Utilizing both structural equation modeling and multivariate analyses, the results indicate that graphic warning labels are associated with freedom threat perceptions directly and reactance indirectly. In addition, exposure to graphic cigarette warning labels resulted in higher freedom threat perceptions, negative cognitions, and source domineeringness. Our results are considered with an emphasis on the theoretical and practical implications for policy makers.

Fear appeals have long been one tool in the communication discipline's strategy to inform the public about health behaviors and conditions. More specifically, one fear appeal framework, the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), has received the lion's share of scholarly attention in the past few decades. However, this project posits that by increasing the public's perception of a health behavior's threat and efficacy (the two prominent components of the EPPM), that secondary audiences (those who do not participate in the specific health behavior) may create or maintain stigma and other negative attitudes toward primary audiences (those who do engage in the particular behavior). This research explores the relationships between threat, efficacy, stigma, perceived responsibility for one's behavior and health outcomes, and discrimination via messages on two similar topics: smoking and vaping (using electronic cigarettes).