Exaggerated attention blink response in prisoners with externalizing

The diverse phenotypic expressions of disinhibitory psychopathology are believed to reflect a common latent predisposing variable: externalizing. While deficiencies in executive functioning (i.e., cognitive/inhibitory control, working memory) and affective hyper-reactivity are commonly associated with externalizing, there is also evidence that externalizing is related to anomalous allocation of attention. In this study, we administered an attention blink task to a sample of male prisoners and assessed externalizing using the Impulsive–Antisociality scale (Benning, Patrick, Hicks, Blonigen, & Krueger, 2003). Individuals with high Impulsive–Antisociality displayed a significantly steeper attention blink (i.e., less accurate identification of a second target) than individuals with low Impulsive–Antisociality. Results provide new evidence that externalizers over-allocate attention to salient information and suggest a novel conceptualization of their disinhibitory psychopathology.     

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: Predictors of Treatment Outcome in a Quasi-Naturalistic Setting

We examined the outcomes of individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD) in a sample of 93 adults seeking treatment in a university outpatient clinic specializing in CBT for SAD. Treatment followed the structure of a manual, but number of sessions varied according to client needs. After approximately 20 weeks of therapy, patients’ social anxiety had decreased and their quality of life had increased. Patients with more severe SAD or comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) at pretreatment demonstrated higher levels of social anxiety averaged across pre- and posttreatment. However, clinician-rated severity of SAD, comorbid MDD, or comorbid generalized anxiety disorder did not predict treatment outcome. Higher pretreatment scores on measures of safety behaviors and cognitive distortions were associated with higher social anxiety averaged across pre- and posttreatment and predicted greater decreases from pre- to posttreatment on multiple social anxiety outcome measures. We found no predictors of change in quality of life. Those with high levels of safety behaviors and distorted cognitions may benefit more from CBT, perhaps due to its emphasis on targeting avoidance through exposure and changing distorted thinking patterns through cognitive restructuring methods. Our study lends support to the body of research suggesting that manualized CBT interventions can be applied flexibly in clinical settings with promising outcomes for patients over a relatively short course of therapy.     

An Internal Performance Assessment of CancerGene Connect: An Electronic Tool to Streamline,Measure and Improve the Genetic Counseling Process

CancerGene Connect (CGC) is a web-based program that combines the collection of family and medical history, cancer risk assessment, psychosocial assessment, report templates, a result tracking system, and a patient follow up system. The performance of CGC was assessed in several ways: pre-appointment completion data analyzed for demographic and health variables; a time study to assess overall time per case and to compare the data entry by the genetic counselor compared to the patient, and a measured quality assessment of the program via observation and interview of patients. Prior to their appointment, 52.3 % of 2,414 patients completed the online patient questionnaire section of CGC. There were significant differences in completion rates among racial and ethnic groups. County hospital patients were less likely to complete the questionnaire than insured patients (p?p?CGC. CGC reduces genetic counselor time by approximately 14–46 % compared to average time per case using traditional risk assessment and documentation methods previously reported. All surveyed users felt the questionnaire was easy to understand. CGC is an effective tool that streamlines workflow, and provides a standardized data collection tool that can be used to evaluate and improve the genetic counseling process.     

Parental Knowledge/Monitoring and Depressive Symptoms During Adolescence: Protective Factor or Spurious Association?

Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology - Parental knowledge/monitoring is negatively associated with adolescents’ depressive symptoms, suggesting monitoring could be a target for...     

Evaluating the generalizability of a fear deficit in psychopathic African American offenders

Laboratory studies of psychopathy have yielded an impressive array of etiologically relevant findings. To date, however, attempts to demonstrate the generalizability of these findings to African American psychopathic offenders have been largely unsuccessful. The fear deficit has long been regarded as the hallmark of psychopathy, yet the generalizability of this association to African American offenders has not been systematically evaluated. In this study, we used an instructed fear paradigm and fear-potentiated startle to assess this deficit and the factors that moderate its expression in African American offenders. Furthermore, we conceptualized psychopathy using both a unitary and a two-factor model, and we assessed the constructs with both interview-based and self-report measures. Regardless of assessment strategy, results provided no evidence that psychopathy relates to fear deficits in African American offenders. Further research is needed to clarify whether the emotion deficits associated with psychopathy in European American offenders are applicable to African American offenders.