Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, Depression, and Self- and Other-Assessments of Social Competence: A Developmental Study

This study examined whether others (i.e., teachers and parents) and self-appraisals of social competence mediated the relationship between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and depression. To determine whether age moderated the effects of the mediation, the total sample was divided into younger (under 9) and older (at or above 9 years) age levels. The total sample (age range 6.6 to 11.7 years) was primarily male (194 boys and 52 females) and consisted of 148 children diagnosed with ADHD and 98 community controls. Three central findings were derived from this study. First, there was a strong relationship between ADHD (with and without comorbid ODD/CD) and depression in both younger and older aged children. Among younger children with ADHD, there was no differential influence on the level of depression depending on whether or not ADHD was comorbid with ODD/CD; in contrast, with older children, comorbid ODD/CD had higher levels of depression than was the case for children with ADHD that did not display such comorbidity. Second, with younger children approximately half of the relationship between ADHD (with and without comorbid ODD/CD) and depression was exclusively mediated by others appraisal of social competence. Third, a more complex relationship between ADHD and depression emerged during the later part of the childhood years. As such, the relationship between ADHD, others appraisals of social competence, and depression was further mediated by self-appraisals of social competence. Findings are discussed in terms of developmental theory and theoretical models of childhood depression.Rick Ostrander and David S. Crystal contributed equally to this article, and the order of authorship was determined by a coin toss.     

Independence and separability of volume and mass in the size-weight illusion

Numerous size-weight illusion models were classified in the present article according to general recognition theory (Ashby & Townsend, 1986), wherein the illusion results from a lack of perceptual separability, perceptual independence, decisional separability, or a combination of the three. These options were tested in two experiments in which a feature-complete factorial design and multidimensional signal detection analysis were used (Kadlec & Townsend, 1992a, 1992b). With haptic touch alone, the illusion was associated with a lack of perceptual and decisional separability. When the participant viewed the stimulus in his or her hand, the illusion was associated only with a lack of decisional separability. Visual input appeared to improve the discrimination of mass, leaving only the response bias due to expectation.     

On the association of field dependence-independence with personality, learning style, and social-political attitudes among adolescents

This study examined the relationship between scores on field dependence and field independence and sensory learning preference, cognitive learning style, personality, interpersonal trust, attributions of responsibility for solving social problems, and attitudes regarding citizenship among youth. Participants were 72 private school students in Grades 6 through 12 (26 girls, 46 boys; M age: 15.2 yr., SD=1.9). When controlling for grade and sex, field independence (measured by Group Embedded Figures Test scores) was associated with Intuitive Thinking personality, Concrete lobal learning style, and rejection of individual responsibility for social problems, relative to governmental and community responsibility. Associations with other aspects of learning style fell short of significance. No association was found with generalized trust or citizenship attitudes. Reassessment of these variables with a larger sample should be undertaken.     

Representation of time in time-place learning

Ordinal, interval, and circadian mechanisms of solving a time-place task were tested. Rats searched for food twice in the morning and once in the afternoon (Group AB-C, n = 5) or once in the morning and twice in the afternoon (Group A-BC, n = 5) in a box with four food troughs. The location of the food depended on the time of day in a 12:12-h light:dark cycle. Acquisition was documented by food-site inspections at the correct locations prior to food availability. On nonrewarded probes, the time of the middle search (B) was shifted late (for Group AB-C) or early (for Group A-BC). The rats visited Location B at chance, contrary to an ordinal mechanism. When the posttesting meal and light-dark transitions were omitted, the rats visited correct locations with impaired performance but at above-chance levels on nonrewarded probes. The results are consistent with interval and circadian representations of time.     

First Impressions After Various Types of Deception: Less Favorable Following Expectancy Violation

This experiment involving 96 undergraduates tested whether the expectancy-violation model could explain how different types of discovered verbal deception influence first impressions. A female confederate responded to a participant's question about her weight with a lie, true, secretive, or technically true (i.e., equivocal) statement. The confederate who lied or kept her weight a secret was less well liked, was seen as less moral, was less likely to be recommended as a dating partner, and made a worse overall impression than one who told the truth or equivocated. Violation of expectations for an honest answer mediated the relation between type of deception and both liking and recommendation as a dating partner. Thus, violating people's expectations for an honest answer can cause one to be seen in a less favorable light.     

African Americans and Mathematics Outcomes on National Assessment of Educational Progress: Parental and Individual Influences

This study investigated within group differences between African American female and male students who participated in the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics assessment. Using results from participating states, we compare average scale scores of African American students based on home regulatory environment and interest in mathematics. Results indicated that African American male students who discussed studies 2–3 times a week scored higher than African American female students who discussed studies every day. In three states (Connecticut, Florida, and New Jersey), African American males who never or hardly ever discussed studies at home scored higher than African American males who never or hardly ever discussed studies at home in the state of Arkansas. In two states (Florida and New Jersey), African American males who discussed studies every few weeks scored higher than African American males who discussed studies every few weeks in Arkansas. In four states (Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey), the overall scale scores of African American males was higher than those of African American males in Arkansas. As a result of the findings, we present practical implications for parents of African American students.     

Relationship Between Religiosity and Conduct Problems Among African American and Caucasian Adolescents

This study investigated the relationship between religiosity and conduct problems in a racially diverse sample of high school aged adolescents (ages 13–19) who attended public schools in a large metropolitan area. The results of the study found racial and gender differences in religiosity: African American adolescents were more likely to attend church, describe themselves as very religious and use Collaborative and Deferring religious coping styles; they were less likely to use Self-Directing religious coping styles when compared to Caucasian adolescents. Females were more likely to be involved in church activities, use a Collaborative religious coping style and tended to be less likely to use a Self-Directing religious coping style when compared to males. The results of multiple regression analyses, after controlling for race, gender, and self-reported religiousness found that Self-Directing and Deferring religious coping styles were risk factors for conduct problems; there was no relationship between Collaborative religious coping and conduct problems. The findings from the study provide additional support for the importance of considering religiosity, race and gender when examining mental health outcomes in adolescents and have implications for the development of mental health interventions for adolescents.     

Prospective risk factors for subsequent exposure to potentially traumatic events

Abstract

In a sample of 1528 college students, we examined (1) whether several risk factors prospectively predicted exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) over a 2-month period and (2) whether dependent events (i.e., those more likely to depend upon one's behavior or characteristics) and independent events were predicted by different risk factors. Logistic regression analyses indicated that overall subsequent PTE exposure was higher for women, those with more previous PTEs, and those who engaged in more binge drinking. Female gender and previous PTE exposure also predicted exposure to independent events. Subsequent dependent PTE exposure was predicted by more previous PTEs and binge drinking, and was somewhat higher in ethnic minority students. Implications for prevention efforts are discussed.     

Examining Compulsive Sexual Behavior and Psychopathology Among a Sample of Postdeployment U.S. Male and Female Military Veterans

Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is defined as difficulties in controlling inappropriate or excessive sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors that cause subjective distress or impairment in important areas of daily functioning. Using data from a baseline telephone interview, we examined the prevalence of CSB in a convenience sample of 820 postdeployed U.S. military male and female veterans and investigated correlates of CSB with sociodemographics and other mental health and sexual history characteristics. More men (13.8%) than women (4.3%) endorsed CSB-related symptoms. Given the limited sample size of women reporting CSB, correlational analyses were conducted only with men. After adjusting for significant sociodemographics, results indicated that gambling, suicidality, and sexually transmitted infections were significantly associated with male CSB. Current results suggest that CSB may be prevalent among U.S. military veterans post deployment and associated with significant negative health indices in men. CSB warrants attention regarding screening and intervention.