Reduced Reliance on Optimal Facial Information for Identity Recognition in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Previous research into face processing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has revealed atypical biases toward particular facial information during identity recognition. Specifically, a focus on features (or high spatial frequencies [HSFs]) has been reported for both face and nonface processing in ASD. The current study investigated the development of spatial frequency biases in face recognition in children and adolescents with and without ASD, using nonverbal mental age to assess changes in biases over developmental time. Using this measure, the control group showed a gradual specialization over time toward middle spatial frequencies (MSFs), which are thought to provide the optimal information for face recognition in adults. By contrast, individuals with ASD did not show a bias to one spatial frequency band at any stage of development. These data suggest that the “midband bias” emerges through increasing face-specific experience and that atypical face recognition performance may be related to reduced specialization toward optimal spatial frequencies in ASD.     

Reality television and the muscular male ideal

Although researchers have examined the negative effects of viewing reality television (RTV) on women's body image, this research has not been extended to men. Exploring the extent to which RTV depicts men who embody the muscular ideal may enhance our understanding of the potential influence of this media genre. We explored the extent to which RTV depicted men who embodied the muscular ideal using a quantitative content analysis. Based on binomial tests, the primary male cast members of programs airing on networks popular among young adult men during the Fall 2009 broadcast season were more muscular, with lower levels of body fat, than average U.S. men. The chest-to-waist and shoulder-to-waist ratios of these cast members did not differ as a function of program type (i.e., reality drama, endurance, and romance). Young men who view RTV programs included in the present study would be exposed to an unrepresentative muscular ideal.     

Number-of-translation norms for Dutch—English translation pairs: A new tool for examining language production

We collected number-of-translation norms on 562 Dutch-English translation pairs from several previous studies of cross-language processing. Participants were highly proficient Dutch—English bilinguals. Form and semantic similarity ratings were collected on the 1,003 possible translation pairs. Approximately 40% of the translations were rated as being similar across languages with respect to spelling/sound (i.e., they were cognates). Approximately 45% of the translations were rated as being highly semantically similar across languages. At least 25% of the words in each direction of translation had more than one translation. The form similarity ratings were found to be highly reliable even when obtained with different bilinguals and modified rating procedures. Number of translations and meaning factors significantly predicted the semantic similarity of translation pairs. In future research, these norms may be used to determine the number of translations of words to control for or study this factor. These norms are available at http://www.talkbank.org/norms/tokowicz/.     

Age-associated memory impairment—pathological memory decline or normal aging?

The aim of the study was to determine whether the memory capacity of individuals with age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) over a period of approximately 3½ years declines more, if at all, than the memory capacity of persons without AAMI. Four computerized and three non-computerized memory tests, a naming test, and a test of visuo-motor speed were administered twice. Two estimates of intellectual capacity were made, one at the first examination and the other 3½ years later. One person in the AAMI group (n=44) developed vascular dementia. The group of AAMI subjects did less well on two of the seven memory tests after 3½ years than they did initially; the control group (n=18) had lower scores on one memory test at follow-up than they had previously. The data suggest that the memory capacity of subjects with AAMI is not pathologically impaired. The general intellectual level significantly influences whether an individual with memory complaints will be classified AAMI or not. People with high intelligence are less likely than people with lower intellectual capacity to fulfill the AAMI criteria. This suggests that AAMI lacks in construct validity.     

Choice as an Intervention to Improve Behavior: A Review of the Literature

In recent years, choice making has been evaluated as an intervention for people with disabilities. This review examines applied research during the past two decades using choice as a distinct intervention or as part of an intervention package. Fourteen studies published between 1975 and 1996 were identified that implemented choice as an intervention to increase or decrease a target behavior. These studies applied choice-making in the following three broad areas: (a) vocational or domestic activities; (b) academic activities; and (c) leisure, recreational, or social activities. All of the studies indicated that choice-making procedures resulted in behavioral improvements with some, if not all of the participants.     

How Couple- and Parenting-Focused Programs Affect Child Behavioral Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The significance of enhancing parenting skills to reduce child maladjustment is well-established and supports the important role of evidence-based parenting programs. However, the notion that parenting should be the exclusive focus for enhancing child behavior is necessarily limiting. Evidence is growing that relationship-oriented treatments may be another powerful approach to improve child adjustment, albeit the underlying effects in couple- versus parenting-focused programs have been subject to limited study. The aim of this RCT was to compare the treatment effects of (1) a couple-focused program (the Couples Coping Enhancement Training) to (2) a parenting training (Triple P) and (3) a control group on children’s behavioral problems in 150 couples. The parents’ perceptions of relationship quality, parenting behavior, and child’s behavioral problems were assessed by means of questionnaires completed prior to and 2 weeks after the end of the treatment. Multi-group path analyses revealed that in mothers’ perception the couple-focused program reduced child behavioral problems by enhancing the relationship quality whereas improved parenting mediated the benefits in the parenting training. In fathers’ evaluations the couple-focused program reduced dysfunctional parenting which largely accounted for the benefits in child adjustment. The dearth of research on child outcomes in couple-focused intervention studies is a striking gap that should be overcome. It is a promising field because of its evident potential to foster the health of many children.     

Relationship Between Time in Residential Treatment and Youth Outcomes: Results from a Cross-Site 5-Year Analysis

There is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of residential treatment centers (RTCs) due to scrutiny around use of this service that is viewed as costly, restrictive, and has resulted in mixed outcome results for youth. Discrepancies exist in residential literature regarding the amount of time in treatment that is optimal for having a positive effect on youth outcomes. This study used archival data to examine the relationship between time in treatment and youth’s improvement in functioning and restrictiveness of living environment in a cross-site evaluation of a large sample of youth (N = 716) who discharged from RTCs over a 5 year time period. Researchers aimed to identify an ideal time in treatment that is beneficial for youth and to add to the practice-based evidence for the effectiveness of RTCs. Results of segmented regression analyses indicate a non-linear relationship that showed a longer time in treatment predicts improvement in overall functioning and restrictiveness of living environment during the first 6 months of treatment. However there is no relationship between time in treatment and outcome variables between 6 and 10 months, and a negative relationship exists between longer time in treatment and outcome variables after 10 months in treatment. Practical implications of results can be used to inform advocacy efforts, discharge planning, and return on investment calculations.     

Do Children’s Attributions Mediate the Link Between Parental Conditional Regard and Child Depression and Emotion?

Both parental conditional regard for academics and depressogenic attributions are related to detrimental psychological outcomes for children. Here we examine associations among parental conditional negative regard, child depressogenic attributions, child depressive symptoms, and emotion reactivity in children between the ages of 8 and 12, as well as whether children’s self-reported and behavioral attributions for negative events mediate associations between parental conditional negative regard for academics with children’s depressive symptoms and emotion reactivity. In Study 1 (N?=?108, M _age ?=?9.73, 50 male), children’s self-reported attributions for hypothetical events mediated the link between parental conditional negative regard and child depressive symptoms. In Study 2 (N?=?104, M _age ?=?10.28, 54 male), children attempted an impossible puzzle task while their skin conductance level was monitored, after which they completed an interview that was coded for spontaneous attributions for failure. Children’s spontaneous attributions mediated the link between parental conditional negative regard and child emotion reactivity, but not depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that children’s attributions may be a mechanism through which parental conditional negative regard is related to children’s depressive symptoms and emotion reactivity during a performance challenge. These results have implications for developmental models of depression risk and potential areas for clinical interventions with both children and their parents.     

Borderland-Jugendliche

The process of identity formation as a central task of adolescence is difficult and fragile but even more so in adolescents with a migration background. Confronted with adverse experiences, cultural peculiarities of the country of origin can aggravate the second individuation phase of the adolescent, superimposed by a third phase caused by migration (Blos, Ahktar). With three case reports of mentally disturbed adolescents from different migration backgrounds, some specific dangers of such borderland adolescents are presented. All three cases have something in common: the importance of the glorified militant ideologies of the country of origin influencing the mental disorder of the adolescent in a special way such as a suitable target of narcissistic self-aggrandizement. The dangers of diagnostic colonization of alien symptoms and reactivation of elements of the Nazi past into the present with offender-victim constellations triggered by alienation are pointed out and discussed. The inability to draw borderlines between reality and fantasy and transmissive and deposed conflicts are described.