A procedural theory of eye movements in doing arithmetic

A procedural theory of eye movement that accounts for main features of the stochastic behavior of eye-fixation durations and direction of movement of saccades in the process of solving arithmetic exercises of addition and subtraction is presented. The best-fitting distribution of fixation durations with a relatively simple theoretical justification consists of a mixture of an exponential distribution and the convolution of two exponential distributions. The eye movements themselves were found to approximate a random walk that fits rather closely in both adult and juvenile subjects the motion postulated by the normative algorithm ordinarily taught in schools. Certain structural features of addition and subtraction exercises, such as the number of columns, the presence or absence of a carry or a borrow, are well known to affect their difficulty. In this study, regressions on such structural variables were found to account for only a relatively small part of the variation in eye-fixation durations.     

In‐basket Validity: A systematic review

In‐baskets are high‐fidelity simulations often used to predict performance in a variety of jobs including law enforcement, clerical, and managerial occupations. They measure constructs not typically assessed by other simulations (e.g., administrative and managerial skills, and procedural and declarative job knowledge). We compiled the largest known database (k = 31; N = 3,958) to address the criterion‐related validity of in‐baskets and possible moderators. Moderators included features of the in‐basket: content (generic vs. job specific) and scoring approach (objective vs. subjective) and features of the validity studies: design (concurrent vs. predictive) and source (published vs. unpublished). Sensitivity analyses assessed how robust the results were to the influence of various biases. Results showed that the operational criterion‐related validity of in‐baskets was sufficiently high to justify their use in high‐stakes settings. Moderator analyses provided useful guidance for developers and users regarding content and scoring.     

Treatment-resistant depression: A systematic review of systematic reviews

The objective of this research study was to assess pharmacological, somatic and/or psychological treatments in adults with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder who have not responded to at least one course of antidepressant medication. We conducted a systematic review to identify systematic scientific reviews and meta-analyses on treatment-resistant depression (TRD) published until February 2012. Of the sixty studies selected, sixteen met the inclusion criteria and were therefore included in the review. We considered eight main themes, including the definition of TRD, long-term results, and different treatment strategies, including so-called somatic therapies. Based on the review, the definition of TRD should be standardized in order to achieve a shared conceptualization of this disorder. This would allow a better understanding among clinicians and researchers in the field, promoting a homogeneous research methodology and thus leading to more reliable and comparable results. This essential conceptual clarification would also have a positive impact on patients with TRD, their families, and social and health systems.     

A systematic review of sexual satisfaction

The present theoretical study is a systematic review of research publications in which sexual satisfaction was the dependent variable. After conducting a literature search in major electronic databases and following a selection process, we provide a summary of the main findings of 197 scientific papers published between 1979 and 2012. The review revealed the complexity and importance of sexual satisfaction, which was associated with the following variables and factors: a) individual variables such as socio-demographic and psychological characteristics as well as physical and psychological health status; b) variables associated with intimate relationships and sexual response; c) factors related to social support and family relationships; and d) cultural beliefs and values such as religion. In conclusion, we observed that sexual satisfaction is a key factor in individuals’ sexual health and overall well-being. However, despite its importance, there is a lack of theoretical models combining the most important factors to explain sexual satisfaction.     

Quantifying the effects of the differential outcomes procedure in humans: A systematic review and a meta‐analysis

We present a systematic review and a meta‐analysis comparing the differential outcomes procedure to a nondifferential outcomes procedure among clinical and nonclinical populations. Sixty distinct experiments were included in the systematic review, 43 of which were included in the meta‐analysis. We calculated pooled effect sizes for accuracy (overall accuracy, test accuracy, transfer accuracy) and acquisition outcomes (latency, errors, and trials to mastery). The meta‐analysis revealed significant medium‐to‐large effect sizes for all three accuracy measures (pooled effect size range, 0.57 to 1.30). We found relatively greater effect sizes among clinical populations (effect size = 1.04). The single‐subject experimental literature included in the systematic review was consistent with the findings from the group studies, demonstrating improvements in accuracy and speed of learning for the majority of participants. Moderator and subgroup analyses suggest that discrimination difficulty may induce relatively larger differential outcomes effects. The results indicate that the differential outcomes procedure can be a valuable addition to reinforcement‐based interventions.     

A systematic review of psychoneuroimmunology-based interventions

Psychoneuroimmunology-based interventions are used to attenuated disease progression and/or side effects of pharmacological treatment. This systematic review evaluates the different therapeutic and/or clinical psychoneuroimmunology-based interventions associated to both psychological, neuroendocrine and immunological variables. The review was conducted for all English, Portuguese and Spanish language articles published between 2005 and 2015. Independent investigators analyzed 42 studies concerning human psychoneuroimmunology-based interventions. Decreased levels of cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine (stress-related hormones) were associated to interventions like yoga, meditation, tai chi, acupuncture, mindfulness, religious/spiritual practices, cognitive behavior therapy, coping and physical exercises. Moreover, those interventions were also associated to reductions in inflammatory processes and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in cancer, HIV, depression, anxiety, wound healing, sleep disorder, cardiovascular diseases and fibromyalgia. Despite the associations between PNI variables and clinical/therapeutic interventions, only one study evidenced significant effects on a disease progression.     

A dynamic view of cultural influence: A review

Static models of culture's influence have given way to a dynamic view, which identifies not only differences across cultures in people's judgments and decisions, but also the situations and conditions in which these differences do or do not appear. Theory and evidence developed from a cognitive psychological perspective underlie this dynamic approach, including research emerging from the “dynamic constructivist” and “situated cognition” models. In the present review, we focus on findings that confirm the utility of this cognitively oriented approach, and briefly discuss the advantages and complementary nature of the “social collective” and neuroscience approaches to understanding culture.     

A systematic review and meta‐analysis of tertiary interventions in clinical burnout

Clinical burnout is one of the leading causes of work absenteeism in high‐ and middle‐income countries. There is hence a great need for the identification of effective intervention strategies to increase return‐to‐work (RTW) in this population. This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of tertiary interventions for individuals with clinically significant burnout on RTW and psychological symptoms of exhaustion, depression and anxiety. Four electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, PsychINFO, PubMed and CINAHL Plus) were searched in April 2016 for randomized and non‐randomized controlled trials of tertiary interventions in clinical burnout. Article screening and data extraction were conducted independently by two reviewers. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated with random‐effects meta‐analyses. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria. There was some evidence of publication bias. Included trials were of variable methodological quality. A significant effect of tertiary interventions compared with treatment as usual or wait‐list controls on time until RTW was found, HR = 4.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.15–9.45; however, considerable heterogeneity was detected. The effect of tertiary interventions on full RTW was not significant, OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 0.59–2.98. No significant effects on psychological symptoms of exhaustion, depression or anxiety were observed. In conclusion, tertiary interventions for individuals with clinically significant burnout may be effective in facilitating RTW. Successful interventions incorporated advice from labor experts and enabled patients to initiate a workplace dialogue with their employers.     

Greeting skills: A systematic review of the literature

Individuals with disabilities often demonstrate difficulty in social communication skills such as greetings. Studies have shown that deficits in greetings may negatively affect social interactions and vocational opportunities. Therefore, previous research has evaluated a variety of teaching procedures to increase greetings for individuals with disabilities with varying efficacy. This review of the literature provides an overview of studies to date in which greetings were taught to individuals with intellectual disabilities. A variety of teaching procedures were identified, and implications of those procedures are discussed. Results suggest that multiple teaching procedures may be effective; however, component analyses, further replication, and modified generalization procedures are necessary. Implications for future researchers include identifying a technological definition of greetings and evaluating effective teaching procedures and generalization strategies. Implications for practitioners include teaching one greeting type at a time, limiting the number of social skills taught simultaneously, identification of effective teaching procedures and generalization considerations.