Sibling Teenage Pregnancy and Clinic-Referred Girls’ Condom Use: The Protective Role of Maternal Monitoring

Younger sisters of teenage parents have elevated rates of engaging in unprotected sex. This may result from changes in parenting behavior after a sibling becomes pregnant or impregnates a partner, and be particularly pronounced for girls seeking mental health treatment. The current study examines condom use over time in 211 African-American girls recruited from outpatient psychiatric clinics. Findings indicate that having a sibling with a teenage pregnancy history predicts less consistent condom use 2 years later. After accounting for earlier condom use and mental health problems, maternal monitoring moderates condom use such that for girls with a sibling with a pregnancy history, more vigilant maternal monitoring is associated with increased condom use, while for girls with no sibling pregnancy history, maternal monitoring is unrelated to adolescents’ condom use 2 years later. Findings suggest that targeted interventions to increase maternal monitoring of high-risk teens may be beneficial for girls with a sibling history of teenage pregnancy.     

Remarks on method for MMPI-Rorschach studies

An impressionistic list of methodological considerations that may be of consequence in Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)-Rorschach studies is presented. These include the potential effects of the multidimensionality of the basic clinical MMPI scales in comparison studies, issues of deception and response style in such studies, and the rote of theory in guiding the selection of variables in the search for MMPI-Rorschach correspondences. The recently established necessity of controls for the total number of Rorschach responses provides the basis for suggestions for further controls in MMPI-Rorschach studies, including those for level of distress and for the minimization/exaggeration of psychopathology. An effort is made to contrast these two instruments in terms borrowed from information theory as a way of illuminating their complementary aspects, and suggesting means by which each may contribute to an enhanced understanding of the other.     

Book reviews

SILVERSTEIN, A. (Ed.). Human Communication: Theoretical Explorations. Chichester, John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 1975. £ 7.00.

NEWTON, G. and Riesen, A. H. (Eds.). Advances in Psychobiology. Vol. 2. New York: john Wiley & Sons. 1974. Pp 330. £ 12.00

FELDMAN,C. F. et at. The Development of Adaptive Intelligence. San Francisco: Jossey Boss. 1974. Pp. 142 £ 8.75

YARROW, L. J.,Rubinstein, J. L. and Pedersen, F. A. Infant and Environment. New York: Halstead Press. 1974. Pp255. £ 8.65

FREEDMAN, D. G. Human Infancy: an Evolutionary Perpective. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 1974. Pp. 212. £ 7.00

FOSS, B. (Ed.0. New Perspectives in Child Development. Harmondsworth: Penguin Education. 1974. Pp. 265. £ 1.00

LEWIS, M. and Rosenblum, L. (Eds.). The Origins of Behaviour,vol. 2, The Origins of fear. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 1975. £ 9.70

PIAGET, J. and Inhelder, B. The Origin of the Idea of Chance in Children. London: Routledge & kegan Paul. 1975. Pp. 249. £ 5.25

INHELDER, B. Sinclair,H. and Bovet, M. Learning and the Development of Cognition. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. 1974. Pp308. £ 4.95.

PEILL, E. J. Invention and Discovery of Reality. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. 1975. Pp. 203. £ 6.50

ALCOCK, J. Animal Behaviour: An evolutionary approach. Sunderland, Mass.: sinauer Associaters. 1975. Pp547. £ 6.60

GREGORY, R. L. Concepts and Mechanisms of Perception. duckworth & Co. Ltd. 1974. Ppxi+669. £ 18.00

MANIS, M. An Introduction to Cognitive Psychology. Belmont: Broks/Cole. 1971. Pp. vii+318. £ 4.75

KOGAN, A. B. (Ed.). Current Problems in Neurocybernetics. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons 1975. Pp. 147. £ 8.35     

Friend or foe: A brief examination of the ethics of corporate sponsored research at universities

In his paper entitled “Ethics and the Funding of Research and Development at Universities”¹ Spier examines some of the potential problems of the relationship between 1) corporate sponsors of research and 2) the universities (and faculty) that receive that funding. Citing “He who pays the piper, calls the tune,” Spier suggests that a better way of funding research would be to “set up a dedicated publicly sponsored research establishment” with the stated goal of achieving particular technical or engineering objectives. (Spier cited the successful Animal Virus Research of the UK as an example). Spier states that researchers at these establishments are “not subjected to the triple requirement to teach, research and administer as are university members, so they do not have to face the same ethical challenges of the academics.” This paper will examine the stated dangers of public/corporate research partnerships and whether the proposed alternative shares equally troubling ethical issues.     

Mixture Modeling Methods for the Assessment of Normal and Abnormal Personality,Part II: Longitudinal Models

Studying personality and its pathology as it changes, develops, or remains stable over time offers exciting insight into the nature of individual differences. Researchers interested in examining personal characteristics over time have a number of time-honored analytic approaches at their disposal. In recent years there have also been considerable advances in person-oriented analytic approaches, particularly longitudinal mixture models. In this methodological primer we focus on mixture modeling approaches to the study of normative and individual change in the form of growth mixture models and ipsative change in the form of latent transition analysis. We describe the conceptual underpinnings of each of these models, outline approaches for their implementation, and provide accessible examples for researchers studying personality and its assessment.     

Mechanisms of verbal memory impairment in four neurodevelopmental disorders

Profiles of verbal learning and memory performance were compared for typically developing children and for four developmental disorders characterized by different patterns of language functioning: specific language impairment, early focal brain damage, Williams Syndrome, and Down Syndrome. A list-learning task was used that allowed a detailed examination of the process of verbal learning, recall, and recognition (California Verbal Learning Test--Children's Version). Distinct patterns of performance characterized the four disorders. These patterns were consistent with the language deficits typically seen in the disorders, with the exception of a dissociation seen in Williams Syndrome.     

A Quality of Life Survey of Individuals with Urinary Incontinence Who Visit a Self-Help Website: Implications for those Seeking Healthcare Information

Urinary Incontinence (UI) affects 200 million people worldwide with annual direct costs in the US alone estimated at $16.3 billion. Those with UI have reported a decrease in general quality of life with symptoms of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor body image, and social stigmatization. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of collecting self-reported quality of life data in a self-selected sample of individuals who visited a website providing information, education, and management suggestions regarding UI. Participants included 374 individuals with UI who responded to a solicitation for enrollment in a “Continence Comprehensive Health and Life Assessment” survey posted on The Simon Foundation for Continence website (www.simonfoundation.org). Types of problems and events associated with UI, including social connectivity and quality of life, are discussed along with limitations of the study and implications for future research. Given that 13.01 % of respondents had not spoken to a healthcare provider about their UI symptoms, 24.73 % had never seen a healthcare professional who “specializes in bladder problems,” and 75 % said they were not currently using any active approach to managing symptoms, use of such information is discussed in terms of how to construct internet healthcare information to maximize seeking appropriate healthcare services and preparing internet-based information regarding incontinence diagnosis and treatment.     

EFFECTS OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN DEVELOPING COMPETENT READERS IN FIRST GRADE

Software that teaches users to sing in tune and in rhythm while providing real-time pitch tracking was used in a study of struggling middle school readers. The software, Carry-a-Tune (CAT) was originally developed to improve singing; however, since it involves a repeated reading format, we used it to determine its effect on comprehension and reading achievement. Twenty-four students in grades 7 and 8 utilized the software program for 30 minutes, three times a week for 9 weeks. A matched control group of 24 students had a different reading experience during the same time period. The mean pretest instructional reading level for both groups was fourth grade. The mean instructional level scores for the treatment group improved significantly (7 months during the 9-week study). The matched control group students did not experience gains. Sustainability data from assessment 4 months after the study's conclusion indicated treatment students gained another 6 months. This placed them solidly in mid-fifth grade for instructional reading level. The control students, again, evidenced no significant gains.