Recasts in parents' language to their school-age children who stutter: a preliminary study

Language samples collected from 13 school-age children diagnosed as stutterers (CWS) in conversation with a parent and a similar corpus of data collected from a matched control group of 13 normally-fluent children (CWNS) were analyzed for the quality and quantity of recast usage in the parents' language. Recasts, a frequently studied type of child-directed language (CDL) pattern hypothesized to increase the length and complexity of young children's expressive language, have not been studied typically in older children's conversations with parents nor have they been studied in the CDL of parents of CWS. Comparisons of these samples revealed that both groups of parents were frequent users of imitations, as well as simple and complex type recasts. Indeed, the rank order of recast types used was identical for the two groups of caregivers. When parents' conversations with the CWS were analyzed further, it was noted that they were not more likely to focus on stuttered utterances as the utterances on which to base their recasts (i.e., "platform utterances") than on the child's fluently-produced utterances. These results suggest there is one additional conversation parameter for which there are evident similarities in the CDL used by parents of CWS and CWNS. Clinical implications gleaned from this preliminary study are discussed, as are suggestions for future study. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: The reader will learn about and be able to describe (1) the role of recasts in young children's language development; (2) the types of recasts that were observed in the conversations of parents of CWS and CWNS; and (3) the similarities observed in the recasts produced by parents of CWS and CWNS.     

Beyond junctions: nonlocal form constraints on motion interpretation

Because of the aperture problem, local motion measurements must be combined across space. However, not all motions should be combined. Some arise from distinct objects and should be segregated, and some are due to occlusion and should be discounted because they are spurious. Humans have little difficulty ignoring spurious motions at occlusions and correctly integrating object motion, and are evidently making use of form information to do so. There is a large body of theoretical and empirical evidence supporting the importance of form processes involving junctions in the way motion is integrated. To assess the role of more complex form analysis, we manipulated nonlocal form cues that could be varied independently of local junctions. Using variants on diamond and plaid stimuli used in previous studies, we found that manipulations distant from the junctions themselves could cause large changes in motion interpretation. Nonlocal information often overrides the integration decisions that would be expected from local cues. The mechanisms implicated appear to involve surface segmentation, amodal completion, and depth ordering.     

Neuroimaging of declarative memory in schizophrenia

The past three decades have seen tremendous growth in our understanding of the cerebral underpinnings of schizophrenia. including the neural correlates of the cognitive impairment seen in this syndrome. In this article we review the role that structural and functional neuroimaging has played in elucidating the cerebral basis for the declarative memory deficits associated with schizophrenia. Memory impairment in schizophrenia appears to involve abnormal connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and three regions important in normal learning and memory: the hippocampus, thalamus, and cerebellum.     

Distress and Internalized Homophobia Among Lesbian Women Treated for Early Stage Breast Cancer

A convenience sample of 57 lesbian women who had been recruited for a study of adjustment to breast cancer completed measures of internalized homophobia, degree of disclosure of sexual orientation, social support, self-esteem, and distress. Consistent with our prediction, internalized homophobia related to greater distress. Contrary to our prediction, disclosure did not relate to lower distress. Path models were consistent with the position that internalized homophobia promotes distress through lower self-esteem and perceived unavailability of social support. However, the data were also consistent with a model in which low self-esteem leads to internalized homophobia by way of elevated distress. Internalized homophobia also related inversely to utilization of health care resources. Our discussion centers on the need for more information regarding this understudied population.     

Face processing in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)

Current research on face processing in primates has focused on a few species, mostly macaques and chimpanzees; to date, only one New World monkey, the squirrel monkey, has been tested. We explored face processing, and the inversion effect in particular, in a New World primate species, the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus). In phase 1 of our study, we trained subjects to discriminate between two faces and two scrambled faces; we then presented the tamarins with a series of novel probes in order to determine the features underlying classification. Results showed that the tamarins relied on the external contour of the face for discrimination more than the internal features and their configuration. Statistical analyses revealed no differences in accuracy or response times to upright versus inverted stimuli, and thus no inversion effect. In phase 2, we provided subjects with additional training on the face versus scrambled face discrimination task in order to focus their attention on the configuration of the internal features. Accuracy data revealed individual differences in how tamarins classified these stimuli, even though each subject was trained in the same way. In phase 3, we tested for generalization to a new set of face stimuli, as well as for the capacity to show an inversion effect. For one subject who attended to the configuration of internal features, we found significant evidence of generalization, but no evidence for an inversion effect. Electronic Publication     

Conundrums in a theory of disturbed dreaming: comment on Levin and Nielsen (2007)

Levin and Nielsen (2007) presented a review of research emphasizing dreams whose content is distressing. With some broad conclusions about factors important in the understanding of distressing dreams as a springboard, the authors offered potential explanatory mechanisms for distressing dreams that range from brain structures to personality variables, drawing heavily on findings about posttraumatic stress disorder. Though a reasonable case is made for elements of the argument, implications from one perspective are not always considered in making the argument for others, issues that follow logically from certain assertions are not discussed, and certain assumptions appear unjustified. Definitional or phenomenological presentations are not always consistent, making it difficult to determine the real nature of the variables being offered and to get a clear sense of the boundaries of the model.     

Practical aspects of the use of radio telemetry in the behavioral sciences

This is a practical guide for the technologically unsophisticated behavioral researcher who wishes to use voice radio telemetry (RTel). Points discussed include how to determine suitability of RTel for a project, selection of consultants, suitable locales for RTel, costs, ethical/legal issues, and operating procedures.     

Postdoctoral education and training for clinical service providers in health psychology

It was recommended by the 1983 National Working Conference on Education and Training in Health Psychology (Stone, 1983) that 2 years of postdoctoral education and training be mandated for future licensed health service providers in health psychology. The background for requiring this postdoctoral training, a model for education, criteria for developing programs, issues of funding, and a rationale for accepting this mandate are presented. Highlighted are the stable and consistent growth of health psychology, the need to expand the period of clinical training to meet the many advances in the field, and the challenges that exist for the fully trained clinical health service provider.