A review and critique of honesty test research

This paper reviews and critiques research pertaining to the three most commonly used honesty tests. Honesty tests, sometimes called integrity tests, purportedly predict theft by employees. Secondary analyses were performed to remove the effect of faking good from validity coefficients with various self-report criteria, and to supplement other analyses. The honesty tests were found to have: (a) virtually no foundation in personality or attitude theory, (b) a corrected average correlation of 0.08 with objective indices of theft (95′/0 confidence interval: 0.03 < r < 0.14), (c) a Taylor-Russell utility of approximately 1% above base rate of success, and (d) a false positive rate of 0.44 if only nontrivial thefts are considered. The honesty tests reviewed are of such marginal validity (less than 1% of the criterion variance accounted for) that their continued use in preemployment settings is seriously questioned. The comparability of these review results with those of other reviewers is discussed along with the social and legal implications of honesty testing.     

Minor physical anomalies and obstetrical complications: Their relationship to hyperactive,psychoneurotic, and normal children and their families

Hyperactive, psychoneurotic, and normal control boys and their families were examined for minor physical anomalies (MPA). The results revealed that the hyperactive boys and their families had more MPA than the combined group of psychoneurotic and normal control children and their families. There were no differences in the mean number of MPA within families. Hyperactive probands also had more pre- and perinatal complications than the combined proband group. Furthermore, it was quite evident that the combination of numerous obstetrical complications and a high number of MPA significantly increased the probability of a child being diagnosed as hyperactive. The results are discussed in relation to the genetic transmission of MPA and the use of MPA as high risk indicators.     

A physical critique of physical causation

The conserved quantities theory of causation (CQTC) attempts to use physics as the basis for an account of causation. However, a closer examination of the physics involved in CQTC reveals several critical failures. Some of the conserved quantities in physics cannot be used to distinguish causal interactions. Other conserved quantities cannot always be the properties of fields or particles. Finally, CQCT does not account for causal interactions that are static. I would like to thank Fred Kronz, Cory Juhl, Joshua Dever, and two anonymous referees for their many helpful suggestions and comments.     

Catecholamines in predatory behavior: A review and critique

A variety of strategies have been employed in assessing the role of catecholamines (CA) in predatory behavior; the results of these various approaches are reviewed. While it remains difficult to ascribe a single biologically significant role to CA at this time, this may at least in part reflect measurement considerations, problems in the widely varying experimental models, pharmacologic side effects, and failures to categorically distinguish the differing contributions of individual CA systems in the control of predation. The potential role of such factors in determining the outcome of an experiment are reviewed and possible functional contributions of CA systems are suggested.     

Interpersonal psychotherapy: A review and multicultural critique

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a therapeutic approach focusing on the role of interpersonal dynamics in creating psychological difficulties that may be particularly relevant to the field of counselling psychology. IPT’s development within randomized controlled trials in the 1970s resulted in a strong empirical foundation without a cohesive theory. Regardless, theorists have since created a theoretical framework for IPT, which has received empirical support. Counselling psychologists have contributed to this research base and may have unique expertise to enhance IPT. Specifically, counselling psychologists can help integrate multicultural and diversity perspectives into IPT with the goal of creating a more culturally competent approach. For example, several aspects of IPT can be expanded to reflect these perspectives, such as integrating cultural sensitivity, cultural knowledge, cultural empathy, and cultural guidance. The authors conclude that IPT is a well-researched and effective treatment approach that holds potential for continued development within counselling psychology.     

The triadic model as applied to the treatment of conduct-disordered children: A review and critique

Conduct-disordered behaviour in children has long been recognised as an area of particular concern for counsellors, clinical and educational psychologists and other professionals, especially given its widespread incidence and poor long-term prognosis. In response to this concern, one recent development in the field has been the use of an applied social learning theory approach, utilising a triadic model of intervention. Such a model, rather than working directly with the child, firmly locates the parent or other caregiver as the agent of change. This paper reviews critically the work which has been carried out under the broad rubric of the triadic model, addressing specifcally the short- and longer-term efficacy of such interventions. In addition, certain shortcomings and limitations in existing practice are identifed. It is argued that, in order to optimise the effectiveness of interventions, this will in many instances require a consideration of and work on parental well-being and self-esteem, the role of family dynamics and the influence of the social context.     

School barricaded captive-taking: A literature review and critique

Although schools are among the safest places for children and youth, they are the occasional site of violent behavior. One form of violence is the barricaded-hostage event. In this article, the authors review the research literature pertaining to these events. Specifically, studies examining the impact on direct and indirect victims, and responders to these events, are presented and critiqued. Recommendations for future research are also made, followed by a summary and conclusions.     

Attributions in marriage: review and critique

The prevailing behavioral account of marriage must be expanded to include covert processes. This article therefore examines the attributions or explanations that spouses make for marital events. A review indicates that dissatisfied spouses, compared with satisfied spouses, make attributions for the partner's behavior that cast it in a negative light. Experimental, clinical outcome, and longitudinal data suggest further that attributions may influence marital satisfaction. Rival hypotheses for these findings are examined. Because continued empirical development in this domain depends on conceptual progress, a framework is presented that integrates attributions, behavior, and marital satisfaction. This framework points to several topics that require systematic study, and specific hypotheses are offered for research on these topics. It is concluded that the promising start made toward understanding marital attributions holds considerable potential for enriching behavioral conceptions of marriage.     

The cultural approach of ethnopsychiatry: A review and critique

Ethnopsychiatrists have consistently maintained that the perceptions, inclinations, and behavior of mentally ill persons are never a simple reflection of their illness: the mentally ill tend to behave in some ways in some cultural contexts and in other ways in others. This pathoplasticity shows, we are told, that abnormality is, primarily, the manifestation of a phenotype, not a genotype. Hence, any diagnosis and treatment of the affected individual must be grounded in some knowledge of the environment within which he or she functions. Postulating the existence of such an intimate and harmonious connection between psychopathology and social conditions, however, overlooks a pivotal distinction: while it is true that local norms and values can and do affect most neurotic presentations, those same standards have at best a marginal influence on psychotic reactions. Some pathogenic features are so overwhelming that they will be expressed in any environment. Accordingly, I conclude, we shall have progressed significantly in our understanding of the nature of mental disorders once we begin to associate neuroses with culture and psychoses with biology.     

The theory of psychological reversals: A review and critique

The main elements in the new theory of psychological reversals are examined. One application of the theory, in the crisis-counselling field, is explored to illustrate its practical implications. A number of problems associated with the recent development of the theory are identified.     

The working mother: A critique of the research

This article provides a critique of the research on the working mother. Three major areas of research are reviewed: (1) the effects of maternal employment on preschoolers; (2) the working mother and school age children; and (3) working mothers, identity development, and life satisfaction. It was concluded that the research on maternal employment provided very few definitive answers regarding the effects of a mother's working on her family, children, and herself. Guidelines for conducting future research on maternal employment are presented.     

Sexual coercion in lesbian and gay relationships: A review and critique

Sexual coercion, or pressure to engage in unwanted sexual behavior, has been a popular research topic for social scientists interested in heterosexual relationships. Only recently have researchers turned their attention to lesbian and gay couples. Several research studies are reviewed to assess rates, causes, and effects of sexual coercion in lesbian and gay relationships. Several methodological issues that limit usefulness of findings on homosexual sexual coercion are discussed as well as reasons why social scientists have been reluctant to investigate sexual coercion in lesbian and gay relationships.     

Measurement of creativity: review and critique

Presently available criteria of creativity are reviewed and classified into ten categories: tests of divergent thinking, attitude and interest inventories, personality inventories, biographical inventories, teacher nominations, peer nominations, supervisor ratings, judgments of products, eminence and self-reported creative activities and achievements. These techniques for measuring creativity are then criticized in terms of their reliability, discriminant validity, dimensionality and convergent validity. It is concluded that an inventory of self-reported creative activities and accomplishments is the most defensible technique for selecting creative individuals.     

Relationship of fundamental movement skills and physical activity in children and adolescents: A systematic review

ObjectivesThis systematic review provides an overview of research elucidating the relationship between fundamental movement skills (FMS) and physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents.DesignSystematic review.MethodProspective studies were identified from searches in Cochrane Library, BioMed Central, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), PubMed, Scirus and SciVerse Science Direct from 2000 through 2013. We screened the titles and abstracts for eligibility, rated the methodological quality of the studies, and extracted data.ResultsWe identified 23 studies meeting our relevancy criteria. The quality score of the studies ranged from 44% to 89%. Overall relationships between FMS and PA or relationships specific for gender and skill were identified in several studies. The variety of methods for assessing PA and FMS make the comparison of study results difficult. We found strong evidence from cross-sectional studies for a positive relationship between FMS and organized physical activities. Motor skill competency was only of low predictive value for the physical activity level in adults.ConclusionsThe results of this review suggest that a cause–effect relationship between FMS and PA is suspected but has not been demonstrated yet. The identification of a causal relationship appears very important to ensure feasibility of practical implementation. This could provide aids for decision making for teachers and coaches, but also for therapists' decision guidance to create training, lessons and therapy adequate to the target group.     

Family therapy supervision: A review and critique of the literature

This article reviews literature related to family therapy supervision which appeared in major journals between 1980 and August, 1985. The authors conclude that the level of theoretical inquiry and research regarding family therapy supervision has not kept pace with broader developments in theory and practice in the field. A selected review of clinical supervision literature from allied disciplines is included to provide an impetus for the family therapy field.     

A review of psychophysiological research with hyperkinetic children

A number of studies have appeared which focus on the issue of whether hyperactive children are psychophysiologically different from normal children and what impact the stimulant drugs may have on psychophysiological characteristics of these children. The present paper reviews these studies under the type of measures that were employed. In general, the results suggest that hyperactive children are probably not under- or overaroused in their resting levels of autonomic functions, although some children may display resting cortical underarousal. However, the findings of studies on the impact of stimulation on autonomic or central functions intimate that some hyperactive children are probably underreactive to environmental stimulation, or are "underarousable." Indeed, where differences between hyperactive and normal children are found in such evoked-response studies, they are consistently in this direction of "underarousability." Results for the effects of stimulant drugs suggest that these drugs energize or increase the "arousal" of these children and enhance the impact of stimulation on the nervous system. The implications of these results for current theories of hyperactivity and for future research are discussed.     

Physical activity participation and physical aggression in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundAggressive behaviour is a substantial behavioural problem in children and adolescents. This review systematically summarises the current evidence on the relationship between physical activity participation and aggressive behaviour and quantifies the effects of physical activity interventions on aggression in children and adolescents.MethodsStudies were identified through a search of five electronic databases (PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Web of Science) with combinations of three groups of keywords. Two independent reviewers screened and extracted data from the individual studies. The reporting quality and publication bias were assessed. The relationship between physical activity participation and aggressive behaviour was systematically summarized. Data (effect sizes) were pooled to investigate the effects of physical activity interventions on aggressive behaviour. A moderator meta-analysis was performed to identify potential moderators of the effects of physical activity interventions on aggressive behaviour.ResultsNineteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The relationship between physical activity participation and aggressive behaviour was mixed. A significant reduction in aggressive behaviour was observed after physical activity interventions (k = 8, SMD = −0.53, 95% CI [−0.27, −0.79], p < 0.001). The moderator meta-analysis showed that physical activity interventions involving team-based physical activity had greater effects than those involving individual-based physical activity (β = 0.42, SE = 0.18, p = 0.02). In addition, interventions involving physical activity alone were more effective in reducing aggressive behaviour than those that combined physical activity with other activities such as a philosophy course (β = −0.63, SE = 0.11, p < 0.001).ConclusionThe current meta-analysis presents evidence for the effect of physical activity interventions on aggressive behaviour in children and adolescents. Physical activity–only interventions involving team-based physical activity might be used for preventing or reducing aggressive behaviour in children and adolescents. Possible mechanisms, methodological strengths and weaknesses, implications, and suggestions for future studies were discussed.