An islet of social ability in Asperger Syndrome: judging social attributes from faces

We asked adults with Asperger Syndrome to judge pictorial stimuli in terms of certain social stereotypes to evaluate to what extent they have access to this type of social knowledge. Sixteen adults with Asperger Syndrome and 24 controls, matched for age and intelligence, were presented with sets of faces, bodies and objects, which had to be rated on a 7-point scale in terms of trustworthiness, attractiveness, social status, and age, or, in the case of objects, price. Despite impaired performance on two important aspects of social cognition (second-order mentalizing and face recognition) the social judgements of the individuals with Asperger Syndrome were just as competent and consistent as those of their matched controls, with only one exception: there was a trend for them to be less able to judge the attractiveness of faces if they were the same sex. We explain this difference in terms of a weakness in mentalizing, specifically the ability to take a different point of view: While all other stereotypic attributions could be made from an egocentric point of view, judging the attractiveness of faces of one's own sex requires taking the perspective of someone of the opposite sex, a challenge for people with mentalizing problems. We conclude that individuals with Asperger Syndrome show preserved aspects of social knowledge, as revealed in the attribution of stereotypes to pictures of people. These findings suggest that there are dissociable subcomponents to social cognition and that not all of these are compromised in Asperger Syndrome.     

Full-Spectrum Parenting

A parent of two teenagers diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome describes daily life with them and their neurotypical sibling.     

Dissociation between cognitive and affective empathy in youth with Asperger Syndrome

Autism spectrum conditions, among them Asperger Syndrome (AS), are generally described as entailing deficits in “cognitive empathy” or “theory of mind”. People with AS tend to have difficulties recognizing emotions, although the extent of these difficulties is still unclear. This study aimed to assess empathic profile in youth with AS (N = 38) and controls matched on age, sex and IQ. The study aimed to test if a dissociation between cognitive and affective empathy exists in AS. The study also aimed to explore emotion recognition in people with AS, and how it relates to emotional valence (positive, negative, and neutral emotions). The AS group scored lower than controls on cognitive empathy but scored within the average range on affective empathy. A deficit in emotion recognition was found in the AS group for positive emotions. These results confirm earlier findings in cognitive empathy and provide new insight about emotion recognition abilities in this population.     

Occupational mobility as measured by Holland's theory of career selection

This study examined the occupational mobility of men ages 45–59 as measured by Holland's theory of career selection and its relationship to men in the work force. Stability was discussed in two distinct ways: (1) stability within a job, and (2) stability in the kind of work a man does over a career. In his research Holland concluded that Realistic and Investigative personality types would change personality type less often and have more stable job choices in comparison to other personality types. The results of this study supported these findings to some extent, but also concluded that stability in a personality type was strongly influenced by the number of jobs available in a particular personality type and the structure of the labor market demand. In addition the results showed that psychological concepts seem to be more important in changing jobs than in selecting initial jobs.     

Asperger syndrome: How does it relate to non‐verbal learning disability?

The syndrome of non‐verbal learning disabilities (NLD) is associated with prominent non‐verbal deficits such as reduced perceptual and spatial abilities, against a background of relatively intact verbal abilities. Asperger syndrome is one of the several developmental disorders for which Byron Rourke has claimed that almost all the signs and symptoms of NLD are present. This study investigated the claim utilizing a battery of neuropsychological tests that were found to be sensitive to NLD in the original learning disordered populations used to describe the syndrome. Children aged between 8 and 14 were recruited to form two groups: (1) children with Asperger syndrome (N=14) and (2) normal healthy schoolchildren (N=20). By contrast to the main principle outlined in the NLD model, children with Asperger syndrome did not display a relative difficulty with spatial‐ or problem‐solving tasks; indeed, they displayed significantly higher performance on some non‐verbal tasks in comparison with verbal tasks. It was only in relation to their high levels of psychosocial and interpersonal difficulties, which are also predicted on the basis of their psychiatric diagnosis, that the children with Asperger syndrome were clearly consistent with the NLD model in this study. These results raise questions about the relevance of the syndrome of NLD for children with Asperger syndrome.     

3~5岁幼儿职业声望垂直空间、大小双重隐喻发展

为探讨3~5岁幼儿职业声望认知及职业声望垂直空间、大小双重隐喻的发展规律,研究采用将高声望职业人物和低声望职业人物图片放置垂直空间的上方/下方和大/小的人物剪影图片的任务操作。通过2个实验及综合分析结果发现：3岁幼儿职业声望隐喻理解能力开始萌芽,高职业声望为“上”的正极概念隐喻开始出现; 4岁幼儿职业声望隐喻理解能力得到发展,已形成高职业声望为“上”、“大”,低职业声望为“下”、“小”的双重隐喻能力; 5岁幼儿职业声望的双重隐喻能力进一步加强。研究揭示：3~5岁幼儿对职业声望的隐喻加工存在正极优势。幼儿对职业声望的垂直空间和大小双重隐喻理解能力的发展不同步,职业声望的垂直空间隐喻发展优于大小隐喻。     

Chapter 6. Greater Satisfaction with Post-Injury Male Gender Roles

ABSTRACT

Shaken Baby Syndrome is a serious form of child abuse, involving infants under the age of six months. Deliberately shaking an infant is often associated with frustration or anger, particularly when an infant will not stop crying. The shaking results in numerous initial and long-term consequences for the developing infant. In its most severe form Shaken Baby Syndrome results in the death of the infant. A case study detailing the clinical findings and treatment of a six-month-old infant with Shaken Baby Syndrome who received inpatient occupational therapy services is presented.     

An Occupational Therapy Support Service for University Students With Asperger's Syndrome (AS)

Students with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) face challenges, within third-level education, related to the person, environment, and occupation. This study describes an occupational therapy (OT) service that aims to enhance the interplay between the person (i.e., the student) and his/her occupation within a given context (i.e., college environment). A chart review and Student Satisfaction Survey was used to identify the demographics, concerns, and goals of the students using it. It was found that goals and concerns shift according to students' stage in college and recommends that services employ a student-centered, flexible approach responsive to the particular concerns of these students.     

幼儿教师职业压力、心理资本和职业认同对职业幸福感的影响机制

为探索幼儿教师职业压力、心理资本和职业认同对职业幸福感的影响机制,随机选取川渝两地幼儿教师328名,用幼儿教师工作压力源问卷(KTOSQ)、幼儿教师职业认同问卷(KTPIQ)、教师心理资本问卷(TPCQ)和幼儿教师职业幸福感量表(KTOWBS)进行调查.结果表明:(1)幼儿教师职业压力是风险性因素,降低其职业幸福感.心理资本是保护性因素,提高其职业幸福感,且心理资本的保护作用主要表现为直接效应;(2)幼儿教师职业认同在职业压力和心理资本对职业幸福感的影响中起完全中介作用.以上研究结果对保护和提高幼儿教师职业幸福感具有重要理论价值和实践意义.     

Creative Occupational Therapist: It's About the Client Using Focus Groups to Explore Creativity in Occupational Therapy

Although creativity is an important aspect of occupational therapy theory and practice, there have been few studies that would explore this concept in the context of the occupational therapy process. This was the first qualitative study of creativity in occupational therapy in Slovenia. It was conducted as part of a larger mixed-methods study and included 22 experienced occupational therapists who participated in four focus groups. The focus of the study was on the exploration of different factors that could contribute to creativity and creative strategies in occupational therapy, in either a positive or a negative way. Since occupational therapy promotes a client-centered therapy approach, the role of the client as the motivating factor was of particular interest to our study. Six factors that can influence the creativity of occupational therapists emerged from the qualitative analysis (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). While the client was identified as the key factor, the potential of other factors was also recognized. This qualitative study increased the understanding of the concept of creativity and creative behavior in occupational therapy, and also provided empirical material that formed the basis for the development of a questionnaire on creativity in occupational therapy.     

Occupational Therapy in a Community-Based Prevention Program

Occupational Therapists have shifted their practice base from a primarily medical model to one involving many different services within the community. Members of this discipline as well as those of the entire health-care field have discovered that preventionj based programs better anticipate and meet consumer needs. The community program described here serves 3, 4, and 5-year -old socio-culturally disadvantaged preschoolers. The program occurs weekly in a local library and includes the librarian's story hour and special activities designed and implemented by the occupational therapists. By observing each child's behavior, occupational therapists can compare normal growth and development with a particular population. The design and delivery of such programs is influenced by many factors including, but not limited to, financing, community values and institutions, and the occupational therapist's understanding of prevention. Increased understanding, as well as the potential application, of occupational therapy's contribution to the prevention of health related problems are further enhanced by the utilization of this program as a field training site for occupational therapy students.     

幼儿教师胜任力和职业压力对职业幸福感的影响:职业认同和职业倦怠的作用

为探索幼儿教师胜任力、职业压力、职业认同以及职业倦怠对职业幸福感的影响机制,选取四川、重庆、西藏、贵州和北京五地幼儿教师326名,用幼儿教师职业幸福感量表、幼儿教师胜任力问卷、幼儿教师工作压力源问卷、幼儿教师职业认同问卷和教师职业倦怠量表进行调查。结果表明：（1）控制学校性质、每月收入、教师教龄和年龄影响后,幼儿教师职业认同是胜任力提升职业幸福感的中介。（2）幼儿教师职业倦怠和职业认同是职业压力降低职业幸福感的中介,具体包括职业倦怠和职业认同的单独中介效应以及职业倦怠--职业认同的链式中介效应三条路径。（3）幼儿教师胜任力缓解职业压力对职业倦怠的影响;职业压力放大胜任力对职业认同的影响。以上研究结果拓展了职业幸福感的JD-R模型,并对提升幼儿教师职业幸福感具有重要价值。     

Ministry with the Confused Elderly

Clergy and lay visitors often encounter the confused elderly, yet most seem to find it difficult to understand the relevance of their ministry to such persons. Many confused seniors have been active participants in their church or synagogue and have significant faith experiences. However, once they become confused, they are often seen as disruptive in services of worship and unreachable with the current tools of ministry. Thus, older adults who have Organic Brain Syndrome often become disenfranchised from the active life of their religious congregation. This article will summarize the findings of a study that culminated in the development of a model approach to ministry that combines the concepts of sensory stimulation, reality orientation, and worship to provide a focal point for ministry with the confused elderly. Once learned, this technique can be used successfully by anyone who is comfortable with leading worship. It can be applied in many settings, but is particularly useful in long-term care institutions.     

The Role of Occupational Characteristics and Occupational Imbalance in Explaining Well-being

One of the key factors for promoting well-being lies in balancing one’s daily life occupations and the nature of these occupations. Occupation refers to a group of everyday life goal-directed activities which may be associated to any life domain, not necessarily work, such as leisure, education, or self-care. Yet it is not clear what constitutes occupational imbalance, and its association to other factors has not been examined systematically. This study proposed and tested a theoretical model for specifying the structural relationships between occupational imbalance, occupational characteristics, personality and well-being. 288 working adults completed the following questionnaires: Inter-goal Relations Questionnaire (occupational imbalance), Personal Projects Analysis (occupational characteristics), the Big Five Inventory (personality traits) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (well-being). Twenty-five models were tested using structural equation modeling. All the models fit the data well. Occupational characteristics, with the exception of stress, served as significant mediators between personality and well-being, yet occupational imbalance did not play a significant role across all models. Our findings provide substantial support for the importance of occupation to well-being, however occupational imbalance is still an elusive concept that requires further investigation theoretically and empirically.     

An Integrative Review of School-Based Mental Health Interventions for Elementary Students: Implications for Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy for children and youth experiencing mental health conditions is often overlooked in current school-based services, as the traditional role within the system is often limited to physical health issues. The purpose of this integrative review is to investigate current psychosocial interventions within school settings to understand the effects of services provided and to determine potential roles for school-based occupational therapists. The findings of this review support occupational therapists in facilitating interventions that target mental health in school settings. Psychotherapy presented the strongest evidence for reducing psychosocial symptoms in school settings.     

The Provision of Assistive Technology by Occupational Therapists Who Practice in Mental Health

The purpose of this study is to determine what assistive technology devices occupational therapists working in mental health settings use with their clients. Based on the literature, the authors expected that no tech and low tech assistive technology solutions are being used with clients in these settings even though high technology options are available for people with mental illness who have co-existing cognitive disabilities. The findings of the study reveal that indeed no tech and low tech interventions are most often used. Implications for professional development educational programs and further research are suggested.     

A Participant Observer of Occupational Therapy

This paper outlines the observations and experiences of a clinical psychologist who viewed occupational therapy from the perspective of educating occupational therapy students and who, prior to this experience, had relatively little contact with or understanding of occupational therapy. These observations result from the first year of experiences of being an assistant professor in a department of occupational therapy. This paper describes the strengths and weaknesses of occupational therapy as a profession and occupational therapy education as viewed by the author. Observations focus on the therapeutic use of activities in groups, research, supervision, and the issues related to raising the requirements for entry into the profession. The advantages and disadvantages of employing a full-time faculty member trained outside the profession of occupational therapy are also discussed.     

The Occupational Information Network: An Updated Dictionary of Occupational Titles

All of the articles in this issue demonstrate the richness of military research being conducted in the area of occupational analysis. Several of them also present findings and observations that have implications for the utility of an important occupational database currently being developed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Labor. This database is called the Occupational Information Network (O*Net; Peterson, Mumford, Borman, Jeanneret, & Fleishman, 1995) and is intended to supplant the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.     

An Analysis of the Effects of Occupational Variables on Child bearing Intentions

Recent studies have indicated that the relationship between family size and occupational variables (e.g., work status, occupation, total number of years worked, career decisions) may be influenced by a number of different variables. The present study uses Fishbein's Theory of Reasoned Action to analyze the effects of different occupational variables on the beliefs, attitudes, and subjective norms that underlie intentions to have a child (within the next 3 years). Consistent with the theory, occupational variables were significantly related to childbearing intentions only if they were related to attitudes toward having a child and subjective norms. Furthermore, these latter relationships were themselves dependent upon relations between the occupational variables and underlying beliefs, evaluations, and motivations to comply. As expected, different occupational variables influenced intentions in different ways. Thus, Fishbein's theory allows a means for identifying the loci of effects of occupational variables on childbearing intentions. Finally, the two components of the model were sufficient to predict childbearing intentions; in general, occupational variables did not contribute to prediction of childbearing intentions over and above childbearing attitudes and subjective norms.