Christopher Hartney - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Christopher Hartney

Sydney Studies in Religion, Sep 19, 2008

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 1997

Following an environmental chemical exposure to Catacarb from a refinery, seventy medical clinic ... more Following an environmental chemical exposure to Catacarb from a refinery, seventy medical clinic patients who complained of memory problems and were subsequently referred for neuropsychological assessments completed the Rey 15-Item Visual Memory Test, Memory Assessment Scales (MAS), and MMPI-2. Of 59 participants remaining after appropriate exclusions (56% female, 66% White, mean age = 43.9 years, 68% at least some college), 43% were found to have visual memory impairment based on the MAS scores. Scores for the Rey total mean = 13.3, SD = 2.3; Rey rows mean = 4.3, SD = 0.9; MAS Visual Memory mean = 94, SD = 7.7; MMPI-2 Validity scale scores: L-scale mean T---56.5, SD = 10.3; MMPI-2 F-scale mean T = 60.9, SD = 12.9, and K-scale mean T = 47.4, SD = 9.3. Reported correlations are adjusted for ethnicity and education. The Rey total and Rey rows correlated with the MAS Visual Memory Index (r = 0.39, p = .004 and r = 0.35, p = .001). MAS Visual Recognition Distractors correlated with MAS Visual Memory (r = 0.52, p = .0001), and the Rey total (r = 0.32, p = .017) but not the Rey rows. The Rey total correlated highly with Rey rows (r = 0.85, p = .0001). The Rey rows correlated with the MMPI-2 L-scale (r = 0.34, p = .01), but did not correlated with the F nor K scales. A Factor Analysis using Varimax rotation produced two factors, the first suggesting a Mental Concentration component and the second a Visual Memory component. These results suggest this cohort did not malinger poor performance on the tests and that there is a strong relationships between visual memory and performance on the Rey.

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 1996

Abstracts of 15th Annual Meeting 371 ranged as low as 24% for patients with MMSE scores > 24 and ... more Abstracts of 15th Annual Meeting 371 ranged as low as 24% for patients with MMSE scores > 24 and using a cutoff of seven. Burke et al. (1991) have recommended only using the GDS-SF when MMSE > 24 and optimizing sensitivity by using a cutoff of five. In our sample, this resulted in 35% sensitivity and 79% specificity. McGivney et al. (1994) have recommended using the GDS only when MMSE scores are at least 15 for nursing home patients. In this study, the GDS-SF performed best among cognitively impaired patients using a cutoff of seven even when including patients with MMSE scores < 15.

Journal of Religion and Violence, 2013

Alternative Spirituality and Religion Review, 2014

NeuroToxicology, 2003

Production of 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC) has increased and exposure to it has been reported to prod... more Production of 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC) has increased and exposure to it has been reported to produce adverse effects in animals and CNS effects in humans. A group of 221 EDC exposed hazardous clean-up workers incurred chronic exposure to EDC without protective equipment. A clinical history and the following tests were administered: the WHO Adult Environmental Neurobehavioral Test Battery (AENTB), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III), Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-III); WRAT 3 Reading, Cancellation H, Trail Making, Stroop, Rey Osterreith, Animal Naming, COWAT, TOMM, Rey 15, Lanthony d-15 Color Vision, and Vistech Contrast Sensitivity. Mood and symptoms were assessed with the SCL90-R, BDI, BAI and IES. The clinical neuropsychological evaluation of these workers indicates lower neuropsychological functioning in the domains of processing speed; attention; cognitive flexibility; motor coordination and speed; verbal memory; verbal fluency; and visuo-spatial abilities. These workers also showed disturbed mood and impaired vision. Dose/response relationships between exposure to EDC and test scores are shown.

Journal of Contemporary Religion, 2014

“The author takes his readers on a magical world tour of tangible things that were once - and in ... more “The author takes his readers on a magical world tour of tangible things that were once - and in some cases still are - used in a huge variety of religious settings. With a cosmopolitan lightness of touch, Paine demonstrates the radical instability of such things, even once they have found their way into museums. They do not have a single meaning or use, but are almost infinitely adaptable. Above all, he deftly shows that the "distinction between ‘religious' and ‘mundane' is a curious modern Western idea, incomprehensible to most people at most times." No other book introduces readers more engagingly to the puzzles surrounding how museums address the sacred realm worldwide.” – Ivan Gaskell, Professor of Cultural History and of Museum Studies, Bard Graduate Center, New York City

INDUSTRIAL HEALTH, 2002

An epidemiological health study compared the health status of residents of a town exposed to an a... more An epidemiological health study compared the health status of residents of a town exposed to an accidental Catacarb chemical release from an adjacent oil refinery, with the health status of demographically similar residents of an unexposed town in the region. Few studies of Catacarb's effects on humans exist; however, animal studies have shown it to be a respiratory, gastro-intestinal, dermatological and visual irritant. As part of the study, health questionnaires assessing pre-and post exposure symptoms, illnesses and medication use were mailed to residents in both towns. Medication use is sometimes reported to be a more objective and reliable measure of health outcomes 1) . The current paper compared medication use of exposed and unexposed residents. Significant increases after exposure were found in the use of the following medications: antacid, asthma medication, cough and cold medication, eye medication, headache medication and sleep medication. These increases were consistent with reported symptoms, albeit of greater magnitude; no increase in medication use for other illnesses was reported. Medication use in this sample was consistent with patients' report of symptoms and may be a better measure of outcome. Fig. 1. Odds ratios by town for increased or worsening symptom, illness and medication use.

Environmental Research, 1997

The purpose of this survey was to assess the health status of community residents exposed to a 16... more The purpose of this survey was to assess the health status of community residents exposed to a 16-day release of Catacarb from a nearby refinery and to document the prevalence rates of symptoms and illnesses of this town. The health status of the exposed residents was compared to that of unexposed residents of a demographically similar control town. An epidemiologic study design was used and questionnaires were mailed to all households in both towns. Response rate was 43%. Household cluster effects, gender, education, and race were controlled in the analysis. Questionnaire health data reveal increased reporting of symptoms in the exposed, specifically headaches, respiratory, visual, gastrointestinal, and dermatologic with odds ratios ranging between 1.3 and 3. Exposure relationships with increased symptoms and worsening of illnesses was found.

Crime & Delinquency, 2009

Beginning in the late 1980s, the number of girls entering the juvenile justice system increased d... more Beginning in the late 1980s, the number of girls entering the juvenile justice system increased dramatically. Although historically girls had entered the justice system with status offenses, recent examinations suggest a sharp rise in the number of girls charged with more serious crimes. Researchers and policy makers have increasingly acknowledged the need for a gender-specific approach, which has prompted the

Judicature, 2010

Executive Summary In his incisive essay of 1975, The Extravagance of Imprisonment, thenNCCD Pres... more Executive Summary In his incisive essay of 1975, The Extravagance of Imprisonment, thenNCCD President Milton Rector eloquently articulated a central position of the organization: there are far more cost-effective and humane responses to nonserious crime than ...

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 1998

Neuropsychological assessments were performed on 70 patients referred after a Catacarb chemical r... more Neuropsychological assessments were performed on 70 patients referred after a Catacarb chemical release in a Northern California town. After appropriate exclusions, the 59 patients used in the final analysis were mostly White (66%), with 56% having some college level education. They were administered the: Wechsler ) scales in addition to a health questionnaire and symptom checklist. Results indicate impaired scores on mnestic function and information processing when compared to normative data, and the MAS norms (Williams, 1991). MMPI-2, BSI, BDI, POMS, and IES results indicate significant elevations on scales of depression, anxiety, anger, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The more brief tests of affect and mood appear sufficiently sensitive in measuring the dysphoric mood in group research studies. Clinical diagnoses using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria indicate a prevalence of 54% PTSD and 64% Amnestic or Cognitive disturbance. New onset of dermatological, respiratory, visual, and gastrointestinal symptoms and illnesses are consistent with the chemical exposure, the PTSD may be in reaction to it, and Amnestic/Cognitive disturbance, from both an organic and functional etiology.

International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 2003

This study compares the neuropsychological function, emotional status, visual function, and illne... more This study compares the neuropsychological function, emotional status, visual function, and illness prevalence of 76 former and current chemical industry welders primarily involved in steel welding, and exposed to welding fumes for an average of 24.9 years with that of 42 unexposed, non-welder controls. Health and occupational history questionnaires were administered, as were the neuropsychological tests included in the World Health Organization Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery, Luria Motor Test, and selected tests from the WAIS-III, and WMS-III. Emotional status tests included the BSI, POMS, BAI, and BDI, and vision tests included the Snellen near visual acuity, Lanthony d-15 color vision, Vistech Contrast Sensitivity, and Schirmer strips. While welders and controls performed similarly on tests of verbal skills, verbal retention, and auditory span, welders performed worse than controls on tests of verbal learning, working memory, cognitive flexibility, visuomotor processing speed, and motor efficiency. Welders had poorer color vision and emotional status, and increased prevalence of illnesses and psychiatric symptoms. The increased symptoms in welders were related to decreased scores on tasks measuring verbal learning, visuomotor abilities, visuospatial abilities, and information processing, and motor efficiency. Within the group of welders, the number of hours welding was negatively related to scores on verbal learning, auditory span, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and motor efficiency.