Higher Order Factor Structure of the WISC-IV in a Clinical Neuropsychological Sample

A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted examining the higher order factor structure of the WISC-IV scores for 344 children who participated in neuropsychological evaluations at a large children's hospital. The WISC-IV factor structure mirrored that of the standardization sample. The second order general intelligence factor (g) accounted for the largest proportion of variance in the first-order latent factors and in the individual subtests, especially for the working memory index. The first-order processing speed factor exhibited the most unique variance beyond the influence of g. The results suggest that clinicians should not ignore the contribution of g when interpreting the first-order factors.     

Do Functional Behavioral Assessments Improve Intervention Effectiveness for Students Diagnosed with ADHD? A Single-Subject Meta-Analysis

The primary purpose of this quantitative synthesis of single-subject research was to investigate the relative effectiveness of function-based and non-function-based behavioral interventions for students diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In addition, associations between various participant, assessment, and intervention characteristics were investigated. Eighty-two studies incorporating a total of 168 participants were included. Because no single effect size metric has garnered absolute support to date, three different effect size metrics were calculated: the standard mean difference, percent exceeding the median baseline phase, and improvement rate difference. Overall, function-based interventions were associated with significantly larger effects than non-function-based interventions. Interventions based on the functional analysis manipulations were also associated with larger effects. Limitations, directions for future research, and implications for practice are discussed.     

Sex Selection Technology: A Prediction of Its Use and Effect

We surveyed 281 undergraduates to assess their sexual preference for a firstborn child and their willingness to use sex selection technology. Results indicated overall preference for a boy among these respondents whether or not they indicated a willingness to use reproductive technology. Black women reported a greater willingness to use technology than did White women (p < .05), and older respondents (p < .10) also reported a greater intention to use the technology. Catholics were less willing to use technology than all other religious sects (p < .05). Of the 51 respondents who indicated their willingness to use technology, 73% preferred sons (p < .01). This finding held across sex, race, religion, age, and income levels. Support for the women's movement was unrelated to either preference or projected use of sex selection technology.     

The Effect of Strenuous and Exhaustive Exercise on Learning

In view of reported effects of strenuous and exhaustive exercise on CNS activity, it was hypothesized that “fatiguing” exercise may influence learning retroactively as predicted by consolidation theory. Prelimary findings from two animal experiments are reported followed by a discussion of implications for future research.     

Understanding Strengths in Relation to Complex Trauma and Mental Health Symptoms within Child Welfare

Strengths can have a potent effect in mitigating the impact of trauma on mental health needs and functioning. Yet, evidence is limited on the role that strengths may have in ameliorating trauma-related or mental health symptoms over time. Providing a comprehensive assessment that includes strengths, as well as needs, is an important step in making appropriate service recommendations for youth in child welfare. This study assessed 7,483 children and adolescents entering an intensive stabilization program through the Illinois child welfare system. The interaction of individual, child strengths in relation to complex trauma exposure, traumatic stress symptoms, risk behaviors, and other mental health needs were examined. Results indicated strengths are relatively stable over time and inversely associated with several negative outcomes, including risk behaviors (?.32, p?<?.001), emotional/ behavioral needs (?.33, p?<?.001) and overall functioning (?.47, p?<?.001). Traumatic stress symptoms were also related to increases in these negative outcomes. Overall, strengths had a buffering effect on traumatic stress symptoms and outcomes over time. The role of strengths in relation to traumatic stress symptoms, however, was less consistent. Youth with histories of complex trauma exposure had significantly fewer useable strengths than youth without this exposure. However, strengths improved for both youth with and without complex trauma exposure over the course of stabilization services. These findings suggest that early identification and development of child strengths can mitigate risk-taking behaviors, mental health, and functional difficulties among youth in the child welfare system. Implications for more targeted trauma-informed and strengths-based assessment, and treatment/service planning are discussed.     

The relationship of post-event processing to self-evaluation of performance in social anxiety

Socially anxious and control participants engaged in a social interaction with a confederate and then wrote about themselves or the other person (i.e., self-focused post-event processing [SF-PEP] vs. other-focused post-event processing [OF-PEP]) and completed several questionnaires. One week later, participants completed measures concerning their evaluation of their performance in the social interaction and the degree to which they engaged in post-event processing (PEP) during the week. Socially anxious individuals evaluated their performance in the social interaction more poorly than control participants, both immediately after and 1 week later. Socially anxious individuals assigned to the SF-PEP condition displayed fewer positive feelings about their performance compared to the socially anxious individuals in the OF-PEP condition as well as controls in either condition. Also, the trait tendency to engage in PEP moderated the effect of social anxiety on participants' evaluation of their performance in the interaction, such that high socially anxious individuals with high trait PEP scores evaluated themselves in the interaction more negatively at the later assessment. These results suggest that PEP and other self-evaluative processes may perpetuate the cycle of social anxiety.     

Donor payoffs and other-regarding preferences in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)

Helping others at no cost to oneself is a simple way to demonstrate other-regarding preferences. Yet, primates exhibit mixed results for other-regarding preferences: chimpanzees and tamarins do not show these effects, whereas capuchin monkeys and marmosets preferentially give food to others. One factor of relevance to this no-cost food donation is the payoff to the donor. Though donors always receive the same payoffs regardless of their choice, previous work varies in whether they receive either a food reward or no food reward. Here, I tested cotton-top tamarins in a preferential giving task. Subjects could choose from two tools, one of which delivered food to a partner in an adjacent cage and the other of which delivered food to an empty cage. Thus, subjects could preferentially give or withhold food from a partner. I varied whether subjects received food payoffs, whether a partner was present or absent, and whether the partner was a non-cagemate or the subject’s mate. Results showed that the subjects’ overall motivation to pull either tool declined when they did not receive any food. Additionally, they did not preferentially donate or withhold food, regardless of their own payoff or their relationship with the partner. Thus, cotton-top tamarins do not take advantage of cost-free food giving, either when they might gain in the future (mates) or when they have no opportunity for future interactions (non-cagemates).