Correction of a Technical Error in the Golf Swing: Error Amplification Versus Direct Instruction

Performance errors drive motor learning for many tasks. The authors' aim was to determine which of two strategies, method of amplification of error (MAE) or direct instruction (DI), would be more beneficial for error correction during a full golfing swing with a driver. Thirty-four golfers were randomly assigned to one of three training conditions (MAE, DI, and control). Participants were tested in a practice session in which each golfer performed 7 pretraining trials, 6 training-intervention trials, and 7 posttraining trials; and a retention test after 1 week. An optoeletronic motion capture system was used to measure the kinematic parameters of each golfer's performance. Results showed that MAE is an effective strategy for correcting the technical errors leading to a rapid improvement in performance. These findings could have practical implications for sport psychology and physical education because, while practice is obviously necessary for improving learning, the efficacy of the learning process is essential in enhancing learners' motivation and sport enjoyment.     

Campus Responses to Dating Violence and Sexual Assault: Information from University Representatives

Universities have an obligation to provide student victims with services that are easily accessible. This study focused on the provision of sexual assault and dating violence services of large, public 4-year institutions, as reported by university representatives. The sample included security officers from 45 universities who completed phone interviews between February and May 2013. Phone interviews consisted of 15 open-ended questions. The findings point to highly variable practices and services offered across campuses. The services most frequently reported by university representatives include counseling and police services. The findings also suggest that public 4-year institutions not only offer varied levels of services, but such services might not be readily available to student victims. Although many representatives identified underserved groups and suggestions for improvement, a sizable portion did not acknowledge any. Further, university representatives did not distinguish between services provided for dating violence and sexual assault.     

Testing the effects of end-goal during reach-to-grasp movements in Parkinson’s disease

Previous evidence suggests that hand shaping during reaching is modulated by the presence and the nature of the end-goal following object’s grasp. Here we test whether such modulation is maintained in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Six participants with PD and six healthy participants took part in the study. Participants were requested to reach towards a bottle filled with water, and then: (1) grasp it without performing any subsequent action; (2) grasp it and place it accurately on a target area; (3) grasp it and pour its contents within a container. The results showed that participants shaped their hand differently depending on the presence or absence of an action following object’s grasp. However, the request to perform an action after grasp determined a modulation of hand kinematics which was delayed for PD than for control participants. Further, whereas for control participants the nature of the end-goal determined a modulation of hand shaping, for PD patients such modulation was not evident. Data are discussed in terms of the role played by basal ganglia in implementing anticipatory mechanisms for the control of manipulative activities. We contend that in PD patients these mechanisms are not totally compromised, but their implementation depends on the action information that has to be anticipated.     

Psychophysiological reactivity to sleep-related emotional stimuli in primary insomnia

The present study examined psychophysiological reactivity to emotional stimuli related and non-related to sleep in people with primary insomnia (PPI) and in good sleepers (GS). Twenty-one PPI and 18 GS were presented with five blocks of neutral, negative, positive, sleep-related negative and sleep-related positive pictures. During the presentation of the pictures, facial electromyography (EMG) of the corrugator and the zygomatic muscles, heart rate (HR) and cardiac vagal tone (CVT) were recorded. Subjective ratings of the stimuli were also collected. We found that only PPI exhibited greater inhibition of the corrugator activity in response to sleep-related positive stimuli compared to the other blocks of stimuli. Furthermore, PPI rated the sleep-related negative stimuli as more unpleasant and arousing and showed higher CVT in response to all stimuli as compared to GS. Results were interpreted as indicating that PPI exhibit craving for sleep-related positive stimuli, and also hyper-arousability in response to sleep-related negative stimuli, as compared to GS. Our results suggest that psychological treatment of insomnia could benefit by the inclusion of strategies dealing with emotional processes linked with sleep processes.     

Prevalence and Correlates of Posttraumatic Stress and Postpartum Depression in Parents of Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in mothers and fathers, and postpartum depression (PPD) in mothers, of infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). 86 mothers and 41 fathers completed measures of ASD and of parent perception of infant medical severity 3–5 days after the infant’s NICU admission (T1), and measures of PTSD and PPD 30 days later (T2). 35% of mothers and 24% of fathers met ASD diagnostic criteria at T1, and 15% of mothers and 8% of fathers met PTSD diagnostic criteria at T2. PTSD symptom severity was correlated with concurrent stressors and family history of anxiety and depression. Rates of ASD/PTSD in parents of hospitalized infants are consistent with rates in other acute illness and injury populations, suggesting relevance of traumatic stress in characterizing parent experience during and after the NICU.     

Kangaroo mother care and mother‐premature infant dyadic interaction

The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological impact of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) on mother‐infant bonding in cases of premature delivery. Examined variables were mother‐infant relationships, maternal anxiety levels, and infant interactive signals. The KMC method requires that babies be undressed and held upright between their mother's breasts for a minimum of 1 hr a day, from birth until they are discharged from hospital. The present study examined 40 premature infants and their mothers, with 21 dyads experiencing KMC and 19 receiving traditional care (TC). Maternal emotional stress was assessed with the Parent Stress Index‐Short Form questionnaire (Abidin, 1990), and mother‐newborn interactive style was assessed with the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale (Barnard, 1975). Results revealed a better mother‐infant interactive style, a significant decrease in maternal emotional stress, and better infant ability to make requests and respond to parental interactive style in the KMC group.     

Caregiver burden and family functioning in different neurological diseases

Aim of this study is to examine caregiver burden and family functioning in different neurological conditions. Forty-two primary caregivers of patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementia (AD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) were administered scales for the evaluation of caregiver burden (CBI) and family functioning (FACES IV). Caregiver burden was overall high, with caregivers of patients with ALS and ABI having exceeded the CBI cut-off score for possible burn-out. The average scores of caregivers of patients with AD or other dementia and PD were close to the cut-off score, whereas those of caregivers of patients with MS were significantly lower than the others. Family cohesion, family satisfaction and the quality of family communication were associated with reduced levels of caregiver burden, whereas disengagement was associated with a higher burden. The data from the present study confirm that caregiver burden is a relevant issue in the context of neurological diseases, especially for those causing higher degrees of impairment. Significant correlations with family functioning emerged as well, highlighting the importance of studying and treating caregiver burden within the context of family relations.