Factor analysis of the frontal systems behavior scale (FrSBe)

The Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe), formerly called the Frontal Lobe Personality Scale (FLOPS), is a brief behavior rating scale with demonstrated validity for the assessment of behavior disturbances associated with damage to the frontal-subcortical brain circuits. The authors report an exploratory principal factor analysis of the FrSBe-Family Version in a sample including 324 neurological patients and research participants, of which about 63% were diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases (Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases). The three-factor solution accounted for a modest level of variance (41%) and confirmed a factor structure consistent with the three subscales proposed on the theoretical basis of the frontal systems. Most items (83%)from the FrSBe subscales of Apathy, Disinhibition, and Executive Dysfunction loaded saliently on three corresponding factors. The FrSBe factor structure supports its utility for assessing both the severity of the three frontal syndromes in aggregate and separately.     

Attribution processes in mother-adolescent conflict

Attributions reported by 115 mothers and 122 adolescents were examined as they related to family conflict. Subjects completed measures of parent-adolescent conflict (Issues Checklist, Conflict Behavior Questionnaire) and the Mother-Adolescent Attribution Questionnaire. The results revealed that parent-adolescent conflict correlated with mothers' and teenagers' negative attributions. Specifically, self-reported conflict was positively correlated with mothers' and teenagers' beliefs that one another's negative behavior was intentional, selfishly motivated, and blameworthy.     

The flexible boundaried group: format, techniques, and patients' perceptions

The model of a flexible boundaried group was developed to manage the problem of irregular group attendance of chronic mentally ill patients. The central element in the model enables patients to determine, within limits, the frequency with which they will attend sessions. Review of attendance records and patient interviews from one flexible group suggest that members adhere to their contractual agreement and are accepting of irregular attenders. This finding has been supported by experiences in three additional groups composed of chronically ill individuals. These groups, comprised of regular, core attenders and peripheral members, become cohesive and form a viable therapeutic treatment structure.     

What's in a name: what analyst and patient call each other

Awkward moments often arise between patient and analyst involving the question, "What do we call each other?" The manner in which the dyad address each other contains material central to the patient's inner life. Names, like dreams, deserve a privileged status as providing a royal road into the paradoxical analytic relationship and the unconscious conflicts that feed it. Whether an analyst addresses the patient formally, informally, or not at all, awareness of the issues surrounding names is important.     

Gender differences in temperament: a meta-analysis

The authors used meta-analytical techniques to estimate the magnitude of gender differences in mean level and variability of 35 dimensions and 3 factors of temperament in children ages 3 months to 13 years. Effortful control showed a large difference favoring girls and the dimensions within that factor (e.g., inhibitory control: d = -.41, perceptual sensitivity: d = -0.38) showed moderate gender differences favoring girls, consistent with boys' greater incidence of externalizing disorders. Surgency showed a difference favoring boys, as did some of the dimensions within that factor (e.g., activity: d = 0.33, high-intensity pleasure: d = 0.30), consistent with boys' greater involvement in active rough-and-tumble play. Negative affectivity showed negligible gender differences.     

Not well known, used little and needed: Canadian chaplains' experiences of published spiritual assessment tools

What are Canadian chaplains' experiences of published assessment tools? Utilizing a quantitative and qualitative methodology with multiple investigators and theoretical triangulation, this article reports the results of a survey of chaplains in the Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education (CAPPE) and interview results of 15 chaplains in three focus groups. Findings indicated that published spiritual assessment tools are not well know, used little, criticized for being reductionistic and not fitting the clinical situation. Participants noted, however, that spiritual assessment is needed for spiritual care. Thirty percent reported the development of their own tools (not published) and three published tools were mentioned by 50% and more. Discussion, limitations of the research, and suggestions for education, practice, and future research are offered.     

Effects of neocortical ectopias and environmental enrichment on Hebb-Williams maze learning in BXSB mice

Approximately 40-60% of BXSB mice have neocortical ectopias, a developmental anomaly characterized by migration of neurons into the neuron-sparse layer I of cortex. Previous studies have shown that ectopic BXSB mice have superior reference, but inferior working, memory on spatial tasks. Female BXSB mice were housed either in an enriched environment or in standard cages at weaning. Subsequently, these animals were tested on four of the Hebb-Williams mazes in a water-based version of this maze. Theoretically, two of the maze configurations placed greater emphasis on reference memory to find the goal, whereas the other two favored working memory. Ectopics reared in standard housing conditions were better than nonectopics on mazes that favored the use of reference memory, but poorer on mazes that favored working memory. In contrast, subjects raised in the enriched environment showed no ectopia differences. A comparison of enriched and standard housing conditions found that the enriched animals had better reference memory but poorer working memory. The latter effect may be because the enriched environment, although more stimulating, did not change in time or space; and other researchers have shown that daily replacement of stimuli in complex environments is correlated with better working memory.     

Rapid acquisition of choice and timing in pigeons

Pigeons were trained on a concurrent-chains procedure in which the initial link associated with the shorter terminal-link delay to food changed unpredictably across sessions. In the minimal-variation condition, delays were always 10 s and 20 s, whereas in the maximal-variation condition delays were generated pseudorandomly for each session. On some terminal links, food was withheld to obtain measures of temporal control. Measures of choice (log initial-link response ratios) and timing (start and stop times on no-food trials) showed temporal control and stabilized within the 1st half of each session. In the maximal-variation condition, choice was a nonlinear function of the log delay ratio, consistent with a categorical discrimination but contrary to models based on the matching law. Residuals from separate regressions of log response and log start and stop time ratios on log delay ratios were positively correlated. Overall, results support cognitive models that assume that initial-link choice is based on an all-or-none decision process, and that choice and timing are mediated by a common representation of delay.     

New Directions in the Study of Gender Similarities and Differences

ABSTRACT— I review new trends in research on the psychology of gender. The gender similarities hypothesis holds that males and females are similar on most, but not all, psychological variables. Gender is not only an individual-difference or person variable but also a stimulus variable. Emerging approaches to cross-national measurement of constructs such as gender equality provide new insights into patterns of gender differences and similarities across cultures. Current neuroscience approaches emphasize neural plasticity and provide the opportunity to study neural correlates of males' and females' differential experiences.