Diagnosing PTSD: Lessons From Neuropsychology

Problematic diagnostic issues related to neurocognitive conditions have been well documented in research using neuropsychological instruments. However, due to the nature of differing assessment methods, these issues have not been as clearly established in the diagnostic assessment of psychiatric disorders that rely on self-report. Nonetheless, they appear relevant. This article summarizes diagnostic-related lessons learned based on clinical neuropsychological research and how they are applicable to the practice of diagnosing psychiatric conditions, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in particular. Ignoring these lessons raises serious risk for misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatment and services, and iatrogenic illness.     

Multicultural Counseling Competencies: Lessons From Assessment

This article addresses multicultural counseling competencies from the perspective of quantitative assessment. A conceptual review of the current measures identifies 4 relevant issues: (a) diverse factor structures, (b) the working definition of multicultural awareness, (c) test takers' frame of reference, and (d) the implications of an inclusive definition of culture for assessment. Este artículo se dirige aconsejar las capacidades multiculturales de la perspectiva de la evaluación cuantitativa. La revisión conceptual de las medidas actuales identifica 4 asuntos pertinentes: (a) factor de estruturas diversas, (b) preparaciones de la definición del conocimiento multiculturales, (c) tomadores de examenes marco de referencia, y (d) las implicaciones de una definición inclusiva de la cultura para la evaluación.     

Understanding Teasing: Lessons From Children With Autism

Teasing requires the ability to understand intention, nonliteral communication, pretense, and social context. Children with autism experience difficulty with such skills, and consequently, are expected to have difficulty with teasing. To better understand teasing concepts and behaviors, children with autism, their parents, and age and Verbal-IQ-matched comparison children and parents described concepts and experiences of teasing and engaged in a parent–child teasing interaction. The teasing of children with autism was less playful and provocative and focused less on social norms than that of comparison children. Similarly, parents of children with autism teased in less playful ways. Scores on a theory of mind task accounted for several of the observed differences. Discussion focused on the importance of understanding social context and playful behavior during teasing.     

Hand Gesture and Mathematics Learning: Lessons From an Avatar

A beneficial effect of gesture on learning has been demonstrated in multiple domains, including mathematics, science, and foreign language vocabulary. However, because gesture is known to co‐vary with other non‐verbal behaviors, including eye gaze and prosody along with face, lip, and body movements, it is possible the beneficial effect of gesture is instead attributable to these other behaviors. We used a computer‐generated animated pedagogical agent to control both verbal and non‐verbal behavior. Children viewed lessons on mathematical equivalence in which an avatar either gestured or did not gesture, while eye gaze, head position, and lip movements remained identical across gesture conditions. Children who observed the gesturing avatar learned more, and they solved problems more quickly. Moreover, those children who learned were more likely to transfer and generalize their knowledge. These findings provide converging evidence that gesture facilitates math learning, and they reveal the potential for using technology to study non‐verbal behavior in controlled experiments.     

Training and Supervising Counselors: Lessons Learned From Deliberate Psychological Education

A psychological education curriculum package designed to stimulate growth in three target areas (psychologival development, mastery of skills, and understanding concepts) was piloted with 18 in-service counselors and teachers. Although significant gains were achieved in counseling skills and moral reasoning, shifts in ego and conceptual level failed to reach statistical significance. Bernier considers these results in light of developmental and cognitive theory and discusses implications for training and supervision. He presents a case for viewing counselor education within a developmental perspective.     

Resiliency and Recovery: Lessons From the Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina

Separated by continents and cultures, survivors of the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina share a common bond in their extreme trauma and ensuing struggles. The authors discuss and illustrate core ideas based on the commonalities derived from the experiences of women survivors of these two disasters. Separados tanto por continentes como culturas, los supervivientes del tsunami asiático y el huracán Katrina comparten el vínculo común de su enorme trauma y las dificultades subsiguientes. Los autores discuten e ilustran las ideas fundamentals basándose en las similitudes derivadas a partir de las experiencias de las mujeres que sobrevivieron a ambos desastres.     

Crisis Intervention With Survivors of Natural Disaster: Lessons From Hurricane Andrew

Crisis intervention has typically been conceptualized as seeking a return of clients to a state of equilibrium. Our work with Hurricane Andrew survivors in south Florida, as part of the Disaster Mental Health Services team of the American Red Cross, has led us to appreciate the importance of several further considerations. In our work, we developed a proactive approach, attempting to recognize and extend clients' preexisting strengths. We offer a number of pragmatic interventions, focusing particularly on children's issues and we draw attention to sensitive multicultural issues.