Testing different types of genotype-environment correlation: an extended children-of-twins model

This study presents an extended children-of-twins model, which allowed the authors to test the direction of the association between parenting and child adjustment. Three mechanisms were examined: direct phenotypic influence of parenting on child behavior (controlling for both parental and child genotype), passive genotype-environment correlation, and evocative genotype-environment correlation. This model was tested with Monte Carlo simulations. The authors generated data sets consisting of 1,000 twin parent pairs together with their children and 1,000 twin children pairs together with their parents. These simulated data sets were then used to estimate the model, and the procedure was repeated 1,000 times. The simulation results showed that this model recovered the true values of parameters with high precision. The model was also applied to an observed data set to analyze, as a first example, the association between maternal emotional overinvolvement and child internalizing problems. The results showed that this association was best explained by evocative genotype-environment correlation.     

Genetic and environmental influences on mothering of adolescents: a comparison of two samples

This study examined 2 samples of adolescents and mothers using a child-based design (Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development [NEAD] project, N = 395 families) and a parent-based design (Twin Moms [TM] project, N = 236 twin family pairs) to compare genetic and environmental influences on mothering. For both samples, the same measures of positivity, negativity, control, and monitoring were used. The use of matched child-based and parent-based samples enabled passive and nonpassive genotype-environment (GE) correlations to be approximated, providing information about process. Passive GE correlations were suggested for mother's positivity and monitoring. For mother's negativity and control, primarily nonpassive GE correlations were suggested. In several cases, both types of GE correlation were indicated. Finally, observer ratings of negativity and monitoring were influenced only by environmental factors.     

Disordered Eating in Women's Gymnastics: Perspectives of Athletes,Coaches, Parents,and Judges

This study examined the knowledge base and perspectives of current and retired gymnasts, parents, coaches and judges with respect to disordered eating in gymnasts. Surveys were designed for this study and included open-ended questions, Likert scales, and checklists. The results indicated that various discrepancies existed between the groups' reports. For example, the retired gymnasts reported more eating disorders and negative views of their experiences than did the current gymnasts. The coaches attributed the use of unhealthy weight control practices to other coaches but not to themselves. Gymnasts who received disparaging comments about their bodies or instructions to lose weight had significantly more disordered eating patterns than those who had not received such comments. The importance of one's social environment on eating and weight control practices is emphasized. Every group recommended further education about nutrition, adolescent development, body image, and psychological well-being. Limitations and future recommendations are addressed.     

Conceptualizing cultural and gendered identities in psychological therapies

This paper addresses implications for psychological therapies and practices of recognizing the varieties of ways ‘race' and gender intersect and impact on therapeutic relationships. We illustrate how ‘race' and gender have either eluded analysis or been treated in oversimplified ways that disallow their interchange and varieties of forms, and impoverish the recognition and process of therapeutic change. Debates about ‘race' and gender in psychotherapy are situated within more general discussions about theorizing whiteness as a normalized cultural absence. This is used to inform how ethnic minorities in Britain, and specifically minority women, have been represented in (and omitted from) the psychiatric and psychotherapeutic literature. Common claims about cultural specificity (or its converse, universality) in psychological therapies, the grounds on which they are offered and their discursive consequences are evaluated. The case is made for therapy as an inevitably intercultural enterprise, while also cautioning against some prevalent misconceptions of intercultural approaches. The final substantive section develops the conceptual arguments proposed in relation to debates about culturally relevant and appropriate models in psychological therapies, including a critical commentary on the uses of gender, cultural and racial ‘matching'. Finally, implications for the training and practices of mental health professionals are discussed.     

Does suppressing the thought of a self-relevant stigma affect interpersonal interaction?

In the current study, we examined the effects of women's suppressing negative gender stereotypes while interacting with a male confederate. Compared with control participants, those who suppressed negative thoughts about women's ability experienced less self-confidence, lower self-esteem, and were more nonverbally submissive during the interaction, particularly if they were high in stigma consciousness (Pinel, 1999). These findings illustrate the negative intra- and interpersonal consequences of stigma suppression.     

Specificity effects in training and transfer of speeded responses

In 3 experiments, participants, on signal, moved a cursor from a central position to 1 of 8 numerically labeled locations on the circumference of a clock face. Movements were controlled by a mouse in 1 of 4 conditions: vertical reversal, horizontal reversal, combined reversals, or normal (i.e., no reversals). Participants were trained in 1, 2, or 3 of these conditions and were tested 1 week later with either the same or a different condition. There were improvements across training and perfect retention across the delay. There was little or no transfer, however, even when training involved combined reversals or multiple conditions. These results illustrate severe specificity of training and are interpreted in terms of acquired inhibition of normal responses.     

Resistance to the impact of interruptions during multitasking by healthy adults and dysexecutive patients

Two experiments (one with healthy adult volunteers and the other with controls and dysexecutive patients) assessed the impact of interruptions on a novel test of multitasking. The test involved switching repeatedly between four tasks (block construction, bead threading, paper folding, alphabetical searching) over a 10 min period. In Experiment 1, there were four groups of 20 healthy participants. One group attempted multitasking with no interruption, a second group was interrupted early in the test, a third group late in the test and a fourth group was interrupted both early and late. Interruption involved carrying out a fifth, unexpected task for a period of 1 min before returning to the four main tasks. There was no difference in multitasking performance between the groups. In Experiment 2 the participants were seven dysexecutive patients and 14 age-matched controls. A repeated measures approach was employed to assess the impact of two interruptions (early and late) for both groups. Contrary to predictions, the patients as well as controls were resistant to the effects of interruptions, despite their clearly impaired multitasking performance. These results suggest that the ability to deal with interruptions may be separable from the ability to organise and execute multiple tasks within a limited time frame.     

Further psychometric support for the Sensation Seeking Scale--Form V

In this study, we investigated the psychometric properties of the Sensation Seeking Scale-V (SSS-V; Zuckerman, Eysenck, & Eysenck, 1978). Participants were 498 undergraduate students at a public university. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the SSS-V four-factor structure. In addition, the internal consistency was high and the convergent validity of the SSS-V was supported. These findings replicate research supporting the construct validity and reliability of the SSS-V in a nonclinical college sample.