Players’ Gender and Male Referees’ Decisions About Aggression in French Soccer: A Preliminary Study

The aim of this study was to examine (a) aggression displayed by players and (b) referees decisions about these behaviors as a function of the gender of the players in French soccer. Twenty-six games (13 for women and 13 for men) were videotaped. Instrumental aggressive acts and referees decisions were then observed. The findings indicated a significant effect of gender on instrumental aggression and referees decisions related to these behaviors. Male players displayed more instrumental aggressive acts than female players did. Nevertheless, relative to the total number of aggressive acts displayed, referees penalized women more than men. Gender stereotypes might be a relevant explanation for these results, as soccer is generally perceived as a masculine-type sport, particularly in France, and aggression as a masculine characteristic.     

Effectiveness of a Parent Training Program for Improving Children’s Social Behavior

We tested the efficacy of a social skills training program for the parents of school-aged children experiencing socio-emotional problems. Participating families (N = 42) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: parent social skills training; parent plus parallel child social skills training; or no-treatment control. The two treatment groups did not differ on any of the outcome measures. Treatment was associated with improvements in parent and child social skills knowledge, parent social problem solving, and child emotional functioning. In follow-up analyses examining mechanisms of change, parental attendance and change in child social skills knowledge predicted response to treatment. Overall, our results highlight the utility of engaging parents as primary participants in the treatment of children’s socio-emotional problems and suggest methods for maximizing the impact of such an intervention.     

Commentary on “A Multi-Component Social Skills Training Program for Pre-Adolescent Girls with Few Friends”

In a recent paper, Chertock and Bornstein questioned the efficacy of covert modeling techniques for reducing children's dental fears. Their arguments were based on the findings that (a) there was no statistically significant difference between any of four different covert modeling treatment groups and a no model control group, and (b) children in all groups, including the no model control, were less fearful at the second assessment than at the first. These authors interpret their data as being inconsistent with covert modeling research using adults, and suggest that "mere exposure" to fear-evoking stimuli may be as effective as covert modeling. The present paper offers a conceptual and methodological critique of the paper by Chertock and Bornstein, points to specific flaws in their study (e.g., appropriateness of sample, adequacy of design and analysis, limited statistical power), and questions the validity of their findings.     

The Effect of an Ethical Decision-Making Training on Young Athletes’ Attitudes Toward Doping

This article examines whether a training program in ethical decision making can change young athletes’ doping attitudes. Fifty-two young elite athletes were randomly assigned to either an ethical decision-making training group or a standard-knowledge-based educational program group. Another 17 young elite athletes were recruited for no-treatment control purposes. The ethical decision-making training comprised six 30-min online sessions in which the participants had to work through 18 ethical dilemmas related to doping. The standard-knowledge-based educational program was also conducted in six online sessions of comparable length to that of the ethical training. A short version of the Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale was administered to measure the effects of the trainings on doping attitude. Prior to as well as after the intervention, the mean doping attitude scores of the young athletes were low to very low, indicating vehement rejections of doping. The results of our experiment showed that the ethical training led to an attenuation of these rejections. No intervention effect was found in the standard education group. The observed slight increase in the doping attitude score could be an indication that the ethical decision-making training was successful in breaking up the athletes’ stereotypical style of reasoning about doping.     

Examining Parents’ Preferences for Group Parent Training for ADHD When Individual Parent Training is Unavailable

Parent training programs are considered well-established interventions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children as they reduce behavioral impairment, but limited parent engagement decreases service effectiveness. We used a discrete choice experiment to examine how parent preferences for group vs. individual format might influence their participation in Parent training. Parents (N?=?260) seeking mental health services for children with elevated symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Ontario, Canada were participants. They preferred Individual parent training in another study and completed a discrete choice experiment composed of 30 choice tasks measuring Parent training format preference. In this paper, parents’ preferences for alternatives to Individual Parent training, specifically Group Parent training and Minimal Information options, were estimated. Specifically, this study asked “if first choice is unavailable, what is the second choice?” This question is important as many clinics may not be able to offer both group and individual therapy given state funding cuts for youth mental health services. Simulations predicted that 85.8?% of parents who initially preferred Individual Parent training would switch to Group Parent training that included step-by-step solutions to children’s emotional and behavior problems, and the possibility of feeling informed and confident. The remaining 14.2?% of parents preferred Minimal Information; these parents preferred internet services offered conveniently and timely. Findings highlight consideration of less appealing factors that families might trade for more desirable service elements in a cost-restrictive environment.     

Should We Have Children? A Decision-Making Group for Couples

The authors designed and conducted a group for couples deciding whether to have children or remain childfree. Four couples participated in various group exercises and activities. The group experience was positive for most members; in relation to this decision they gained an understanding of their own needs and attitudes, of their spouses' positions, and of the issues involved. Outcomes varied: One couple decided to wait to make the decision, two decided to have children later, and one decided to probably remain childfree.     

More Power to the Executive? A Preliminary Test of CBT Plus Executive Skills Training for Treatment of Late-Life GAD

One hypothesized reason for the lower rates of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) response among older as compared to younger anxiety patients is that they are more likely to show age-related deficits in executive skills, which are complex cognitive skills involved in the regulation of negative affect. Following an 8-week baseline period, this pilot study tested CBT augmented with an executive skills training program, Attention Process Training II (Sohlberg et al., 2001, Sohlberg and Mateer, 2001) against standard CBT in a small sample of 8 older adults with generalized anxiety disorder (comorbidity allowed) and low scores on executive skills tests. Those who received the augmented version (CBT/APT) evidenced more improvement on executive skills and a weekly process measure of worry than those who received CBT. All of the participants in CBT/APT, as compared to half the participants in CBT, met criteria for response, and more in CBT/APT met criteria for high endstate functioning at posttreatment and follow-up. It may be fruitful to test the intervention in a larger sample, and to continue to investigate the role of executive skills in CBT outcome and anxiety treatment.     

Does Teaching Problem-Solving Skills Matter? An Evaluation of Problem-Solving Skills Training for the Treatment of Social and Behavioral Problems in Children

Problem-solving skills training (PSST) has been proposed as a potentially effective addition to behavioral parent training (PT). However, it is not clear whether PSST specifically increases the benefits provided by PT. In this study, PT + PSST was compared to PT + nondirective therapy in a sample of 26 families. All parents received PT. Following this, children received PSST or nondirective therapy. Outcomes included measures of child behavior problems, social skills, and parent stress at posttherapy and a 6-week follow-up. Children in both groups improved over time with few differences between groups.     

Effects of Training Method and Word Order on Adults’ Acquisition of Miniature Linguistic Systems

The Psychological Record - Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of training method, English vs. non-English syntax, and number of training items on the learning of two-word...     

Soccer Hooliganism in Iran: A Test of Agnew’s General Strain Theory

Fan aggression (verbal and physical) at sporting events is seemingly becoming increasingly more prevalent, so much so that that one form has been coined as “soccer hooliganism.” Although an emergent area of social and criminological inquiry, few studies have attempted to predict or explain this behavior through a theoretical lens. The present study applies Agnew’s general strain theory to self-reported data on Iranian soccer fans’ verbal and physically aggressive behaviors. The results of both hierarchical multiple regression analyses and structural equation modeling reveal solid support for Agnew’s theory. As expected, strains are both directly and indirectly (via negative affect) associated with fan aggression. Moreover, the effects of strain on fan aggression are also conditioned by both self-control and social support, but less so by criminal peer associations. Finally, although the data support Agnew’s theory with regard to deviant fan aggression, they do not support his theory with regard to conventional coping strategies; conventional coping is inversely associated with strain.     

A Critical Analysis of Blaustein’s Polemic Against Husserl’s Method

Husserl Studies - The aim of the article is to define and investigate an interpretative framework for the philosophy of Leopold Blaustein, a student of Twardowski in Lwów (Lvov, Lviv) and...     

Let’s Open the Decision-Making Umbrella: A Framework for Conceptualizing and Assessing Features of Impaired Decision Making in Addiction

Neuropsychology Review - Decision-making impairments play a pivotal role in the emergence and maintenance of addictive disorders. However, a sound conceptualization of decision making as an...     

A Randomized Trial of Attention Training for Generalized Social Phobia: Does Attention Training Change Social Behavior?

The use of attention training protocols for the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD) is undergoing increased examination. Initial investigations were positive but more recent investigations have been less supportive of the treatment paradigm. One significant limitation of current investigations is overreliance on self-report. In this investigation, we expanded on initial investigations by using a multimodal assessment of patient functioning (i.e., including behavioral assessment). Patients with a primary diagnosis of SAD (n = 31) were randomly assigned to eight sessions of attention training (n = 15) or placebo/control (n = 16). Participants were assessed at pre- and posttreatment via self- and clinician-report of social anxiety as well as anxious and behavioral response to two in vivo social interactions. Results revealed no differences between groups at posttreatment for all study outcome variables, suggesting a lack of effect for the attention training condition. The results are concordant with recent investigations finding a lack of support for the use of attention training as an efficacious treatment for patients with SAD.     

In situ Training for Increasing Head Start After-Care Teachers’ Use of Praise

This study tested the effects of the direct behavioral consultation in situ training procedure for increasing Head Start teachers’ praise during an after-school program. Participants included four Head Start teachers in one Head Start center. A multiple baseline design across teachers was employed to test the effects of in situ training on teachers’ praise rate. Maintenance of the training procedure was evaluated 1 week following termination of training and again at 1-month follow-up. Results indicated that all teachers delivered praise below the expected rate (i.e., 1 praise statement per minute) during baseline, and in situ training resulted in an immediate and substantial increase in praise for all four teachers. Three of four teachers maintained increased praise during the maintenance phase and again at 1-month follow-up. One teacher’s praise decelerated during maintenance, and that teacher received additional in situ training. However, for that teacher, praise rate again decelerated following the second in situ training phase, and additional consultation procedures were necessary for increasing praise rate. Results are discussed in terms of the consultation research and applied practice.     

Are Ethics Training Programs Improving? A Meta-Analytic Review of Past and Present Ethics Instruction in the Sciences

Given the growing public concern and attention placed on cases of research misconduct, government agencies and research institutions have increased their efforts to develop and improve ethics education programs for scientists. The present study sought to assess the impact of these increased efforts by sampling empirical studies published since the year 2000. Studies published prior to 2000 examined in other meta-analytic work were also included to provide a baseline for assessing gains in ethics training effectiveness over time. In total, this quantitative review consisted of 66 empirical studies, 106 ethics courses, 150 effect sizes, and 10,069 training participants. Overall, the findings indicated that ethics instruction resulted in sizable benefits to participants and has improved considerably within the last decade. A number of specific findings also emerged regarding moderators of instructional effectiveness. Recommendations are discussed for improving the development, delivery, and evaluation of ethics instruction in the sciences.     

Connecting Information with Scientific Method: Darwin’s Significance for Epistemology

Theories of epistemology make reference—via the perspective of an observer—to the structure of information transfer, which generates reality, of which the observer himself forms a part. It can be shown that any epistemological approach which implies the participation of tautological structural elements in the information transfer necessarily leads to an antinomy. Nevertheless, since the time of Aristotle the paradigm of mathematics—and thus tautological structure—has always been a hidden ingredient in the various concepts of knowledge acquisition or general theories of information transfer. We hold that Darwin’s Evolutionary Theory is the first scientific theory which consistently presupposes a non-tautological structure for the information transfer and, at the same time, keeps it strictly distinct from the tautological metric of scientific observation. The consequences of this technique—namely the dissociation of information from intentionality—have not yet been fully drawn.