Monitoring–blunting coping styles and cognitive symptoms of dental fear

The present study investigates whether monitoring (i.e. vigilant) and blunting (i.e. avoidant) coping styles are associated with cognitive symptoms of dental fear. Results show that monitoring is positively related to the frequency and believability of negative thoughts about dental treatment, and negatively with the ability to control such thoughts. The opposite pattern is found for blunting. That is, blunting correlates negatively with the frequency and believability of negative thoughts, whereas a positive association emerges with cognitive control. These findings are in line with the Monitoring Process Model which proposes that ‘monitors’ (compared to ‘blunters’) generally show greater distress and arousal because of the way in which they cognitively elaborate threat.     

Marked referential communicative behaviours,but no differentiation of the “knowledge state” of humans in untrained pet dogs versus 1-year-old infants

The study examines whether untrained dogs and infants take their caregiver’s visual experience into account when communicating with them. Fifteen adult dogs and 15 one-year-old infants were brought into play with their caregivers with one of their own toys. The caregiver gave the toy to the experimenter, who, in different conditions, placed it either above or under one of two containers, with both the infant or dog and the caregiver witnessing the positioning; in a third condition, the caregiver left the room before the toy was placed under one of the two containers and later returned. Afterwards, for each condition, the caregiver asked the participant to indicate the location of the toy. Neither dogs nor infants—untrained to the use of the partner’s knowledge state—showed much difference of behaviour between the three conditions. However, dogs showed more persistence for most behaviours (gaze at the owner, gaze at the toy and gaze alternation) and conditions, suggesting that the situation made more demands on dogs’ communicative behaviours than on those of infants. When all deictic behaviours of infants (arm points towards the toy and gaze at the toy) were taken into account, dogs and infants did not differ. Phylogeny, early experience and ontogeny may all play a role in the ways that both species communicate with adult humans.     

Issues to consider in the differential diagnosis of normal childhood nonfluencies and stuttering

Historically more attention has been focused on the adult stutterer than on the young stutterer. This article discusses three key issues in the differential diagnosis of normal childhood nonfluencies and childhood stuttering. The three issues are (1) whether early childhood disfluencies are heterogeneous or homogeneous phenomena, (2) whether the relationship between normal childhood nonfluencies and early stuttering is continuous or dichotomous, and (3) whether normal nonfluencies and stuttering differ quantitatively or qualitatively. Theoretical research as well as clinical implications of these issues are discussed.