Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Structure of Adult ADHD Symptoms

Previous research has examined the factor structure of ADHD symptoms in adults using confirmatory factor analysis and there is mixed support for two-factor, three-factor, or more complex bifactor models. The current study re-examines these factor structures on the basis of not only overall model fit, but also criteria such as chi-square difference tests, invariance, reliability, and validity. Three datasets were pooled to form a total sample of 430 adults (50% female). Participants completed questionnaires assessing their ADHD symptoms, education, psychopathology, and parenting (the latter as validity variables). Although the bifactor models demonstrated the best fit, the reliability and construct replicability of specific factors in these models was poor. The three-factor model had good fit and demonstrated good reliability, validity, construct replicability, and some invariance across gender and dataset. Our results replicate previous studies that find superior fit for bifactor models. However, the superior statistical fit may reflect only the increased complexity of these models. The more parsimonious three-factor model may demonstrate stronger validity and clinical utility.     

Motion and the affection argument

In the Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science, Kant presents an argument for the centrality of <motion> to our concept <matter>. This argument has long been considered either irredeemably obscure or otherwise defective. In this paper I provide an interpretation which defends the argument’s validity and clarifies the sense in which it aims to show that <motion> is fundamental to our conception of matter.     

Pathological Dissociation and Its Relationships with Aggression and Delinquency in a College Student Sample in Hong Kong

Pathological dissociation is widely regarded as a cross-culturally occurring condition related to trauma and adversity and is an important construct in the mental health field. Yet, the frequency of pathological dissociation in both clinical and nonclinical populations in Hong Kong remains unknown. In addition, the relationship of pathological dissociation with aggression and delinquency requires further investigation. To investigate these relationships, we administered the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon (DES-T), the 5-item Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ-5), selected sections from the Self-Report Version of the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (SR-DDIS), the Reactive–Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), and a delinquent behaviors checklist to 177 college students in Hong Kong. The findings suggest that pathological dissociation is not as rare as it is traditionally believed to be in Hong Kong. In our sample, 4.52% of the participants may have a DSM-5 dissociative disorder (including other specified dissociative disorder) while 9.60% met the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Our findings indicate that the RPQ total score and delinquency may be more characteristic of BPD than of pathological dissociation. In addition, while reactive aggression was related to pathological dissociation and BPD symptoms in both genders, proactive aggression was related to pathological dissociation and BPD symptoms only in females. Although the findings of this study are preliminary and the results should be interpreted with caution, the study provides the first data regarding pathological dissociation and its relationship with aggression and delinquency in Hong Kong. Some implications for research and practice are highlighted. Further investigation of pathological dissociation in Hong Kong is necessary. In addition, more studies are essential to further examine the relationships between pathological dissociation, aggression, and delinquency in both clinical and nonclinical populations.     

Frege on Syntax,Ontology, and Truth's Pride of Place

Frege's strict alignment between his syntactic and ontological categories is not, as is commonly assumed, some kind of a philosophical thesis. There is no thesis that proper names refer only to objects, say, or that what refers to an object is a proper name. Rather, the alignment of categories is internal to Frege's conception of what syntax and ontology are. To understand this, we need to recognise the pride of place Frege assigns within his theorising to the notion of truth. For both language and the world, the Fregean categories are logical categories, categories, that is, of truth. The elaboration of this point makes clear the incoherence of supposing that they might not align.     

Family well-being is valued more than personal well-being: A four-country study

Well-being is recognized as a fundamental human goal and a universal human aspiration. However, some cross-country studies suggest that the desirability of the most often studied concept of well-being—personal life satisfaction—varies across countries, and we know little about the desirability of other types of well-being. Extending this novel area of research, we argue that focusing on the family (as compared to the individual) as the subject of well-being may be another important distinction in how well-being is conceptualized and valued. With data collected in four countries that tend to occupy different positions in rankings of personal life satisfaction (i.e., Canada, Colombia, Japan, and Poland), we document that, irrespective of cultural context, family well-being is valued over personal well-being. These findings suggest that policy makers and scientists may need to pay more attention to family well-being than they currently do.

     

Parenting Cognition and Affective Outcomes Following Parent Management Training: A Systematic Review

Parent management training (PMT) is considered the gold standard in the treatment of child behavior problems. The secondary effects of these interventions, particularly on parent well-being, are infrequently studied, despite evidence that parents of children with behavior problems often experience personal difficulties. This narrative review examined the affective and parenting cognition outcomes of PMT for mothers and fathers of children ages 2–13 years, across 48 controlled treatment studies. Substantial support was found for reductions in parenting stress, and increases in perceived parenting competence following PMT. Evidence indicated fewer improvements in domains more distal from parenting, including parent depressive symptoms and marital relationship dysfunction. A number of studies suggested parent gender as a moderator of parent outcomes of PMT; however, the underrepresentation of fathers in existing research limits conclusions in this regard. Avenues for future research are highlighted to address current gaps in the literature, and to further our understanding of the ways in which both children and parents may benefit from PMT.