Mental health assessment of infants,toddlers, and preschoolers in a service program and a treatment outcome research program

This article describes the mental health assessment in preparation for treatment conducted in two University-based clinical programs that offer dyadic child-parent psychotherapy as the treatment modality. The Infant-Parent Program is a mental health program serving children between birth and 3 years of age and their families when the parent-child relationship is jeopardized by risk factors in the parent, child, or family circumstances. The Child Trauma Research Project is an intervention outcome research program serving preschool- aged children and their mothers when the child witnessed domestic violence. The programs share a similar assessment approach emphasizing the importance of a working alliance, spontaneous parental reports, and observation of child-parent interaction in a variety of settings. However, their different functions in terms of clinical service and research dictate appropriate modifications in their respective assessment procedures. The two assessment protocols and their rationale will be described in the context of the clinical and research goals of the programs. © 1997 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health     

The Protective Effect of Neighbourhood Collective Efficacy On Family Violence and Youth Antisocial Behaviour in Two South Korean Prospective Longitudinal Cohorts

Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology - Neighbourhood collective efficacy has been proposed as a protective factor against family violence and youth antisocial behaviour. However, little...     

Ovarian steroids enhance object recognition in naturally cycling and ovariectomized, hormone-primed rats

Learning and memory processes may be influenced by fluctuations in steroid hormones, such as estrogens and progestins. In this study, we have used an animal model to investigate the effects of endogenous fluctuations in ovarian steroids in intact female rats and effects of administration of ovarian steroids to ovariectomized rats for non-spatial, working memory using the object recognition task. Performance in this task relies on cortical and hippocampal function. As such, serum, cortical, and hippocampal concentrations of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), and P4's metabolite, 5alpha-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one (3alpha,5alpha-THP), were measured by radioimmunoassay. Experiment 1: Rats in behavioral estrus, compared to those in diestrus or estrus, spent a greater percentage of time exploring a novel object concomitant with increases in serum E2, P4, and 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels. Regression analyses revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between E2 levels in the hippocampus and 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels in the hippocampus and cortex and performance in this task. Experiment 2: Administration of E2 and/or P4 immediately post-training increased the percentage of time spent exploring the novel object and produced levels of E2, P4, and 3alpha,5alpha-THP akin to that of rats in behavioral estrus. Experiment 3: Post-training administration of selective estrogen receptor modulators, including 17beta-E2, propyl pyrazole triol, and diarylpropionitrile increased the percentage of time spent exploring the novel object compared to vehicle-administration. Experiment 4: Post-training P4 or 3alpha,5alpha-THP administration, compared to vehicle, increased the percentage of time spent exploring the novel object and produced P4 and/or 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels within the physiological range typically observed for rats in behavioral estrus. Experiment 5: If post-training administration of E2 and/or P4 was delayed one hour, no enhancement in object recognition was observed. Together, these results suggest that E2 and progestins can have mnemonic effects through actions in the cortex and/or hippocampus.     

An item gains and losses analysis of false memories suggests critical items receive more item-specific processing than list items

In a repeated testing paradigm, list items receiving item-specific processing are more likely to be recovered across successive tests (item gains), whereas items receiving relational processing are likely to be forgotten progressively less on successive tests. Moreover, analysis of cumulative-recall curves has shown that item-specific processing produces a slower, but steadier rate of recall than relational processing. The authors relied on these findings to determine the type of processing that both list items and critical lures receive in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott false memory procedure. The first 2 experiments revealed that critical lures produced more item gains, but only the list items resulted in a decrease in item losses across successive tests. The critical lures also produced slower but steadier cumulative recall. In Experiments 3 and 4, the critical items were physically presented during study, which resulted in the lures producing progressively fewer losses across successive tests. The authors concluded that critical items receive more item-specific processing than list items but that unless they are presented in the list, they do not become part of participants' organized retrieval scheme.     

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) conceal visual and auditory information from others

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) competed with a human for food. The human sat inside a booth, with 1 piece of food to her left and 1 to her right, which she could retract from her chimpanzee competitor's reach as needed. In Experiment 1, chimpanzees could approach either side of the booth unseen but then had to reach through 1 of 2 tunnels (1 clear, 1 opaque) for the food. In Experiment 2, both tunnels were clear and the human was looking away, but 1 of the tunnels made a loud noise when it was opened. Chimpanzees preferentially reached through the opaque tunnel in the first study and the silent tunnel in the second, successfully concealing their taking of the food from the human competitor in both cases. These results suggest that chimpanzees can, in some circumstances, actively manipulate the visual and auditory perception of others by concealing information from them.     

Counselor Sex Role Orientation,Flexibility, and Working Alliance Formation

The authors examined the hypothesized relationship among counselor androgyny, counselor flexibility, and the establishment of client-rated working alliances. In Study 1, 41 counseling students completed the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI; Bem, 1981a) and the Counselor Behavior Analysis Inventory (Gabbard, Howard, & Dunfee, 1986). Contrary to the hypothesis, there was no relationship between androgyny and counseling flexibility. In Study 2, 42 counseling students completed the BSRI and videotaped counseling sessions with a recruited client. Analyses revealed a significant relationship between counselor flexibility and client ratings of working alliance, but no relationship between counselor androgyny and counselor flexibility. Research and clinical implications are discussed.     

Middle Response Functioning in Likert-responses to Personality Items

Two studies examined whether the middle response option in graphic rating scales indicates a moderate standing on a trait/item, or rather a “dumping ground” for unsure or non-applicable (N/A) responses. Study One identified middle response-option dysfunction. Study Two indicated that respondents use the middle response option as an N/A proxy, even under implicit ‘skip if you do not know’ instructional sets. Although middle response category ‘misuse’ did not adversely affect reliability and validity in these studies, it is recommended that assessment developers (especially in on-line administration contexts) regularly include an N/A response option when administering graphic rating scales.

Gender Differences in Video Game Characters’ Roles, Appearances, and Attire as Portrayed in Video Game Magazines

Video game characters have the potential to shape players’ perceptions of gender roles. Through social comparison processes, players learn societal expectations of appearances, behaviors and roles. Forty-nine articles were coded from current U.S. gaming magazines, resulting in 115 coded characters. This content analysis of video game magazine articles investigated how characters are portrayed, focusing on gender differences. Males were more likely to be heroes and main characters, use more weapons, have more abilities, and were more muscular and powerful. Females were more often supplemental characters, more attractive, sexy, and innocent, and also wore more revealing clothing. Understanding these video game messages is an important first step in understanding the effects games and magazines may have on behavior and attitudes.