The basis for choice reaction time slowing in Alzheimer's disease

Slowed reaction time has been suggested as an early feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the basis for this slowing has not been established. Patients with mild AD were compared with controls on a choice reaction time task, both cued (CCRT) and uncued (CRT). Initial and 1-year followup data were analyzed both as mean reaction times and as parameters of a fitted two-component quantitative model (the ex-Gaussian model). Slowing of CRT proved to be a sensitive test for AD. Slowing was due to changes in both the sensory/motor and the decisional components of the CRT model. However, these changes were found in both AD and slower, older controls. The modeling of CRT in AD is discussed.     

Case study: Research with brain-dead children

The esophageal obturator airway (EOA) is a device used throughout the United States to facilitate artificial respiration of critically ill patients who are not hospitalized. Its use is restricted to persons who are over 15 years old because obturators for children are not available. A protocol submitted to an institutional review board (IRB) intended to develop EOAs suitable for use in children. The investigators proposed to perform preliminary testing of these devices on children who had sustained irreversible loss of brain function (“brain death”). In its review of this protocol, the IRB had to confront several vexing questions.     

Positive killing and the irreversibly unconscious patient

Various arguments have been given against positive euthanasia, but little attention has been given to the question of whether these arguments are uniformly effective in all contexts. There appears to be a range of cases, involving non-voluntary killing of irreversibly unconscious patients, in which these arguments do not succeed. Various reasons have been given in support of positive killing in such cases. It can be argued that there is a range of cases for which a policy of allowing positive killing is morally required. However, currently there are legal obstacles to implementing such a policy.     

Stress,strain, and hardiness as predictors of adaptation in farm and ranch families

We examined the relationship between potential family vulnerability factors (stressor and strains), manifestations of maladaptation (family discord and distress), family strengths (hardiness), and measures of bonadaptation (quality of life) as reported by 188 men and women representing 100 Idaho farm and ranch families. Family strains, and stressors unique to farming and ranching, were positively associated with family discord and distress but negatively associated with hardiness and quality of life. Greater family hardiness as reported by both wives and husbands was positively correlated with their perceptions of family quality of life. The results have implications for mental health professionals and family life educators whose goal is to help farm and ranch families manage stress more effectively, increase hardiness, and enhance their overall quality of life.     

A comparison of “traditional” and “atypical” workers: Demographic,behavioral, and attitudinal differences

Differences among full-time (n=1066), part-time (n=132), and moonlighting employees (n=153) in a variety of occupations were examined. Moonlighters as compared to full-timers were younger, more frequently male, perceived less educational fit with their main jobs, and were primary wage earners. Full-timers as compared to part-timers were more frequently male, married, and primary wage earners. Part-timers had the greatest turnover, but no differences were detected for other withdrawal behaviors. Part-timers were more satisified with working conditions but were less satisfied with extrinsic rewards and life in general. Moonlighters expressed a stronger work ethic and placed less importance on working conditions.A version of this paper was presented at the 1991 Meetings of the Southwest Division of the Academy of Management in Houston, TX.     

Performance asymmetries and coupling dynamics in the acquisition of multifrequency bimanual coordination

Sixteen right-handed participants without formal musical training performed a rhythmic multifrequency coordination task for several hours over a one-week period. Two groups were studied with respect to the assignment of hand to frequency: 1L:2R, in which the preferred right hand performed the higher frequency, and 2L:1R in which the non-preferred left hand performed the higher frequency. Performance asymmetries in terms of relative phase stability were initially expected and confirmed. The 1L:2R pattern was more stable than 2L:1R. It has been suggested that performance asymmetries result from asymmetrical coupling between the limbs as influenced by handedness. This study examined whether the acquisition of 2L:1R, the less stable of the two patterns, required the formation of asymmetrical coupling such that the faster hand would exert a greater forcing on the slower hand than vice versa, a supposition put forth in many studies of bimanual polyrhythmic tapping. The present data provide quantitative evidence that, in terms of stability (as quantified by relative phase uniformity, transition pathways, and lead-lag relations), handedness asymmetries, as well as acquired asymmetries, can be captured by low-dimensional dynamics consisting of symmetric and asymmetric coupling terms. Received: 18 November 1996 / Accepted: 6 May 1997     

How honest do counsellors dare to be in the supervisory relationship?: An exploratory study

A study was conducted to investigate the extent to which psychodynamic counsellors feel able to disclose sensitive issues in supervision. Ninety-six counsellors in supervision responded to a questionnaire that asked about supervision arrangements, the supervisory working alliance, and the likelihood of disclosing issues such as erotic feelings towards clients and discomfort with the supervisor. Results showed that supervisees were likely to disclose more in individual rather than in collective supervision, when their supervisor was someone whom they themselves had chosen rather than had allocated to them, and when they were supervised independently of the setting in which they counselled rather than in-house. There was a positive correlation between the quality of the supervisory working alliance as experienced by the supervisee and the extent of his or her disclosure. Implications of counsellors feeling inhibited from disclosing particular issues in supervision, and the impact on the quality of their work with clients, are discussed.