Pilot Evaluation of Outcomes of Combined Parent-Child Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy for Families at Risk for Child Physical Abuse

Child physical abuse (CPA) is not only a highly prevalent public health problem, but it has been associated with a wide range of debilitating psychosocial sequelae that may develop during childhood and persist into adulthood. This paper outlines a treatment model, Combined Parent-Child Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CPC-CBT), that addresses the complex needs of the parent who engages in physically abusive behavior and the traumatized child. This pilot program was conducted to examine the feasibility of a CBT group approach that incorporates the child into the offending parent's treatment. It highlights the use of gradual exposure, developing a trauma narrative and abuse clarification to address PTSD symptoms in children. Parent components include motivational interviewing and consequence review, cognitive and behavioral anger-control strategies, and the examination of parent-child interactions to assist parents in modulating their emotions, remaining calm, and using effective problem-solving during child-rearing situations. Pilot data examining pre- to posttreatment changes for parents and children participating in the 16-week group treatment program are presented. Participants were 12 caregivers, ages 25 to 54, and their 21 children, ages 4 to 14, who were referred for the treatment of issues related to CPA. About 48% of participating parents were referred for substantiated CPA against their children, while the other parents were deemed to be at-risk for CPA. Both parents and children reported significant pre- to posttreatment reductions in the use of physical punishment. Results also demonstrated pre- to posttreatment improvements in parental anger toward their children, and consistent parenting as well as children's posttraumatic stress symptoms and behavioral problems. Clinical and research implications for these preliminary findings are discussed.     

Brain mechanisms associated with background monitoring of the environment for potentially significant sensory events

Background monitoring is a necessary prerequisite to detect unexpected changes in the environment, while being involved in a primary task. Here, we used fMRI to investigate the neural mechanisms that underlie adaptive goal-directed behavior in a cued task switching paradigm during real response conflict or, more generally, when expectations on the repetitive features of the environment were violated. Unexpected changes in sensory stimulus attributes in the currently unattended stimulus dimension thereby led to activations in a bilateral network comprising inferior lateral frontal, intraparietal, and posterior medial frontal brain regions, independent of whether these attributes elicited a factual response conflict or not. This fronto-parietal network may thus play an important role in adaptive responding to potentially significant events outside the current focus of attention.     

Connectionism and dynamic systems: are they really different?

We propose that connectionism and dynamic systems theory are strong contenders for a general theory of development that holds true whatever the content domain. We illustrate, through our own career narratives, the origins of these theories in motor and language development. We situate connectionism and dynamic systems among other classic and contemporary theories and conclude that, although there are meaningful differences, these differences pale in relation to the shared assumptions about the fundamental processes and mechanisms of change.     

Developmental changes in death anxiety in childhood

A sample of 49 children divided into three age groups (3–4 years, 7–8 years, and 10–11 years) responded to a pictorial derivation of Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC). Three pictures were used as stimuli, in addition to words, for the measure of death anxiety. The intensity measure was the response to six Hebrew mood adjectives as the child chose one of seven schematic face drawings ranging from positive to negative expressions. Reliabilities were comporable to the longer versions of the Hebrew STAIC with older children. Findings indicated significant differences in anxiety scores between the age groups, with older subjects showing higher levels of anxiety. The advantage of a single measure of death anxiety appropriate for a wide age range is discussed, as well as the implication for a developmental pattern of death anxiety.     

Separateness and connectedness: Differences between the genders

The theme of separateness and connectedness plays a central role in many schools of psychological thought. While traditional theories, such as those of Mahler in 1975 and Winnicot in 1965, conceptualize a universal development of separateness and connectedness, a number of recent theories such as those of Choderow in 1978, Gilligan in 1982, Frankenstein in 1966, Bakan in 1966, and Gutmann in 1965, propose gender differences such that males are more separated and females are more connected. The present study examined the hypothesis that men are more separated (as measured by self—other differentiation and independence) and women are more connected (as measured by empathy and desire for intimacy). Thirty men and 30 women (Israelis of western origin) responded to self-report questionnaires. Males and females were found to differ with regard to all four variables examined, such that men are more differentiated and independent, and women are more empathic and desire higher intimacy. These results are consistent with those theories that propose that males are more separate and females are more connected. The results are relevant as to the nature of the constructs themselves. The relationships between the variables defining separateness and connectedness suggest that these constructs are complex and multifaceted.This paper is based on an M.A. thesis written by the first author and supervised by the second and Dan Davis.     

Factors related to marriage and career plans in unmarried women

Career and marriage plans of female unmarried undergraduates were examined and systematically related to other variables. All respondents indicated their plans for a career, marriage, and children. In addition, they completed the Personality Research Form, a standardized personality measure that assesses traits relevant to functioning in a variety of situations. Results showed that while the majority of respondents planned on having a career and family, their priority was the family. Career commitment, as measured by perceived importance of career, was a significant predictor of the woman's educational, career, and family plans. The more respondents aspired to the full-time career model, the less traditionally feminine were their personalities.Grateful acknowledgment is made to the Canada Council for its financial support through grant #410-77-0241.Formerly a psychology student and is presently studying law.     

ELEVATION OF VOICE VOLUME IN YOUNG DEVELOPMENT ALLY DELAYED CHILDREN VIA AN OPERANT SHAPING PROCEDURE

Unusually low voice volume was identified by teachers as a significant impediment to the academic and social progress of two preschool students. A simple operant shaping procedure was conducted by teachers to increase voice volume using a voice-activated apparatus with attractive visual display. Setting generalization of volume increases to the classroom was achieved and maintained at one- and four-month follow-ups.     

Perception of facial expressions

Three studies examined the nature of the contributions of each hemisphere to the processing of facial expressions and facial identity. A pair of faces, the members of which differed in either expression or identity, were presented to the right or left field. Subjects were required to compare the members of the pair to each other (experiments 1 and 2) or to a previously presented sample (experiment 3). The results revealed that both face and expression perception show an LVF superiority although the two tasks could be differentiated in terms of overall processing time and the interaction of laterality differences with sex. No clear-cut differences in laterality emerged for processing of positive and negative expressions.     

Self-Perception and Deceptive Behavior: The Uniqueness of Feminine Males

The present study investigated the relationshipbetween deception and selfperception of traditionallymasculine and feminine characteristics. In the firststage of the study, 730 fifth and sixth graders (377 boys and 353 girls), all Jewish Israelis,completed an adapted form of the BSRI (Bem, 1974). Inthe second stage of the study, 154 boys were given threetypes of questionnaires, one consisting of questions dealing with traditionally masculine topics,the second with traditionally feminine topics, and thethird with neutral topics. Since most of the questionswere very difficult, participants faced failure, but were given an opportunity to deceive andpretend to know more than they really did. It was found,as predicted, that cross-sex males, i.e., those whoself-endorse a large amount of traditionally feminine characteristics and a small amount oftraditionally masculine characteristics, were a uniquegroup. They were the only group who deceived more on thegender-inconsistent than gender-consistent task. The other gender role groups deceived more on thegender-consistent task than on the gender-inconsistenttask, or equally on both tasks. The results arediscussed within the context of the debate over themeaning of self-endorsement of masculine and femininetraits.