Interpersonal communication in the health professions: A focus on training

The field of Health Psychology has enjoyed a prodigious growth over the past 15 years. The interpersonal dynamic of the practitioner-patient relationship is one of the areas which has been illuminated thereby accentuating its contribution to effective levels of health care. This paper examines the concepts of interpersonal communication and communication skill. The contribution of skilful communication by health workers to the success with which they discharge their professional duties is considered and present standards of practice critically assessed. Specific areas of inadequacy are identified and possible causative factors postulated. Amongst such factors would appear to be a relative neglect of the interpersonal dimension of the work of the health practitioner during training. A case is made for increased attention being devoted to promoting this facet of professional competence. The major thrust of the paper develops this theme by elaborating a systematic and structured framework for instruction, Communication Skills Training, as an approach to promoting interpersonal efficiency in the health care context.     

Determinism and locality in quantum systems

Models of the EPR-Bohm experiment usually consider just two times, an initial time, and the time of measurement. Within such analyses, it has been argued that locality is equivalent to determinism, given the strict correlations of quantum mechanics. However, an analysis based on such models is only a preliminary to an analysis based on a complete dynamical model. The latter analysis is carried out, and it is shown that, given certain definitions of locality and determinism for completely dynamical models, locality implies, but is not implied by, determinism. Further, it is suggested that a local deterministic model has not been ruled out by Bell's theorem. It is suggested that such a model could naturally deny the independence of initial complete states from the settings of the apparatuses (a crucial assumption in the derivation of Bell's inequality).     

The central tendency effect in stimulus generalization: Effects of establishing a “preexperimental” frame of reference

An experiment was performed to test the hypothesis that in a voluntary generalization task subjects encode the training stimulus (TS) in relation to the adaptation-level (AL) prevailing at the time of TS presentation. If so, then during a subsequent generalization test the point of maximal generalized responding should bear this same relationship to the AL of the generalization test series. To test this hypothesis, three major groups of subjects (n = 80) were given preexposures with dim lights (low preexperimental AL group), bright lights (high preexperimental AL group), or no preexposure (control group). Next, half of each group was exposed to a TS and a subsequent generalization (recognition) test including this brightness and four others. The other half of each group was exposed to the same TS and subsequent generalization stimuli, but their task was to rate the stimuli on a 7-point bright-dim scale. This provided AL measures which could be correlated with generalization performance in the comparable generalization groups. The preexposure condition was successful in producing the expected low or high preexperimental ALs, as reflected in different ratings of the TS when it was presented. Furthermore, these effects persisted throughout testing, as evidenced in ALs (i.e., rating scale midpoints) which reflected the preexposure condition. Finally, the difference between the point of maximal generalized responding and the AL of the generalization test series was highly and significantly correlated with the difference between the original rating of the TS and scale midpoint. This supports the maj or experimental hypothesis of the study.     

Some effects on generalization gradients of tandem schedules

The relationship between training conditions and stimulus generalization gradients was examined using tandem schedules of reinforcement. Schedules were selected so that frequency of reinforcement and rate of responding were varied somewhat independently of each other. A peak-shift in the generalization gradient was obtained when extinction had been associated with one of the stimuli. No comparable peak shift was obtained when there were equal response rates in the training stimuli even with dissimilar frequencies of reinforcement. The data imply that response rates at the end of training, rather than reinforcement frequency per se, determine the characteristics of the generalization gradient.     

Study Preregistration: An Evaluation of a Method for Transparent Reporting

Study preregistration promotes transparency in scientific research by making a clear distinction between a priori and post hoc procedures or analyses. Management and applied psychology have not embraced preregistration in the way other closely related social science fields have. There may be concerns that preregistration does not add value and prevents exploratory data analyses. Using a mixed-method approach, in Study 1, we compared published preregistered samples against published non-preregistered samples. We found that preregistration effectively facilitated more transparent reporting based on criteria (i.e., confirmed hypotheses and a priori analysis plans). Moreover, consistent with concerns that the published literature contains elevated type I error rates, preregistered samples had fewer statistically significant results (48%) than non-preregistered samples (66%). To learn about the perceived advantages, disadvantages, and misconceptions of study preregistration, in Study 2, we surveyed authors of preregistered studies and authors who had never preregistered a study. Participants in both samples had positive inclinations towards preregistration yet expressed concerns about the process. We conclude with a review of best practices for management and applied psychology stakeholders.

     

Construct validity of Wechsler factor scores.

The construct validity of the Verbal Comprehension. Perceptual Organization, and Freedom from Distractibility factor scores was examined in a sample of school-aged referred children. Examination of correlations between factor scores and neuropsychological and achievement tests generally supported the construct validity of the factors. The Verbal Comprehension factor was associated with verbal, quantitative, and concept-formation abilities. The Perceptual Organization factor was related to nonverbal concept formation, tactual performance, and visual attention. The Freedom from Distractibility factor demonstrated a complex pattern of correlations and appeared to reflect a range of abilities including quantitative, language, attentional, and concept formation.     

Reducing overselective stimulus control with differential observing responses

Overselective stimulus control refers to discriminative control in which the number of controlling stimuli is too limited for effective behavior. Experiment 1 included 22 special‐education students who exhibited overselective stimulus control on a two‐sample delayed matching task. An intervention added a compound identity matching opportunity within the sample observation period of the matching trials. The compound matching functioned as a differential observing response (DOR) in that high accuracy verified observation and discrimination of both sample stimuli. Nineteen participants learned to perform the DOR and two‐sample delayed matching accuracy increased substantially for 16 of them. When the DOR was completely withdrawn after 10 sessions, accuracy declined. In Experiment 2, a more gradual withdrawal of DOR requirements showed that highly accurate performance could be maintained with the DOR on only a proportion of trials for most participants. The results show that DOR training may lead to a general improvement in observing behavior.     

Childhood Adversity and the Continued Exposure to Trauma and Violence Among Adolescent Gang Members

This study investigates interfaith groups from across the United States to understand how these religious settings may serve as mediating structures to facilitate individual political action. Based on a multilevel modeling analysis with 169 individuals from 25 interfaith groups, we found that core activities of the group, such as group members sharing community information (e.g., announcing upcoming events, political meetings, community issues) or sharing religious information (e.g., educating members about their religion) positively and negatively predicted individual political action as a result of group participation, respectively. Moreover, a sense that the interfaith group served as a community to work for local change, but not trust within the group, predicted political action as a result of group participation. However, this effect for a sense the group served as a community to work for local change was stronger and more positive as the degree of community information sharing in the group increased. These results show that a core activity of sharing community information may enhance the ability of a group to mediate political action. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential role of interfaith groups to mediate political action, and show the importance of considering both individual and group characteristics when understanding these religious settings. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.