Psychological adjustment of children in the pretransplant phase of bone marrow transplantation: Relationships with parent distress,parent stress,and child coping

Families of 22 children preparing to undergo bone marrow transplantation (BMT) provided information concerning parent-reported major negative life stress, child coping strategies, parental psychological symptomatology, and child adjustment. Immediately prior to BMT, children and families are confronted with multiple stresses which challenge the child's coping and strain the parents' ability to assist the child with coping. Hence, stress, parental adjustment (distress), and child coping may be important factors affecting the child's overall psychological adjustment. Results showed that 15–25% of children and parents experienced clinically significant levels of psychological distress. Parent and child psychological distress were closely related. Major negative life stresses experienced by the parent and use of avoidant coping by the child significantly predicted child adjustment problems in the pretransplant period. Coping skills interventions targeting avoidant coping and management of parental stress/distress may reduce child psychosocial risk prior to BMT.     

Effects of alternating set for speed or accuracy on response time,accuracy and confidence in a unidimensional discrimination task

Three approaches to a theoretical analysis of confidence judgments are considered: one linking confidence to the number of sensory observations, one based on a distinction between ‘state’ and ‘process’ factors, and a ‘balance of evidence’ hypothesis developed from an accumulator model of discrimination. An experiment is described in which observers were asked to decide which of two parallel lines was the longer, and to rate their confidence in each judgment. Each observer's set for speed or accuracy was manipulated over successive blocks of trials, and effects on response time, accuracy, and confidence were examined. Under an accuracy set, observers produced a higher percentage of correct responses, had longer response times, and made more confident judgments than under a set for speed. Within both speed and accuracy blocks, however, confidence ratings were inversely related to response time. The data on response accuracy, time, and confidence indicate certain deficiencies in either of the first two approaches, but were well accounted for by the third.     

Obscenity: Its frequency and context of usage as compared in males,nonfeminist females,and feminist females

The intention of this study was to determine, by the use of the Semantic Differential, male and female attitudes toward obscene language and the frequency of usage in both groups. In order to accurately assess if the feminist movement has any bearing on these attitudes, a third group of subjects was involved, females who are active members of feminist organizations. The male and female profiles of attitudes toward all three obscene words used in this study (shit, fuck, and bastard) support previous research in that, overall, women were found to react more strongly to obscene language than men.     

Beliefs about the meaning and measurement of intelligence: a cross‐cultural comparison of American,British and Malaysian undergraduates

This study examined lay beliefs about intelligence cross‐culturally using a questionnaire based on an expert summary of what is known about intelligence. Two hundred and thirty five university undergraduates in Malaysia, 347 undergraduates in Britain and 137 undergraduates in the US rated for agreement 30 items about the nature, measurement, between‐group differences and practical importance of intelligence. An exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors: (1) stability, reliability and validity of intelligence tests; (2) practical importance of intelligence and (3) source and stability of within‐group intelligence. While the overall factor structure did not vary a great deal between groups, there were significant cross‐cultural differences on the mean scores for Factors 1–3. Explanations for cross‐cultural differences in implicit theories of intelligences are considered, and limitations of the study discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bilingual Language Mixing: Why Do Bilinguals Code-Switch?

Bilingual speakers often code-switch from one language to another, especially when both languages are used in the environment. This article explores the potential theoretical explanations for this language behavior, the costs and benefits associated with language switching, and the role of language dominance in the direction of the switch. In short, code switching follows functional and grammatical principles and is a complex, rule-governed phenomenon. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the psycholinguistics of code switching, research is needed to examine the cognitive mechanisms underlying the bilingual's ability to integrate and separate two languages during the communicative process.     

Borderline Personality Traits are Associated with Poor Clinical and Psychosocial Functioning in Delinquent Boys

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is positively associated with antisocial behavior in adolescent boys and might increase clinical and social problems. Delinquent boys (most with multiple felony adjudications; n = 239) in a residential facility who were high in number of BPD traits (assessed via the Borderline Tendency scale of the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory) were compared to 1,197 control offenders in the same facility while controlling for antisocial PD traits. As expected, offenders high in BPD traits had more suicidal behavior and psychopathology features and worse peer and family relations than control offenders and were higher in rates of childhood sexual and physical abuse than controls. Groups did not differ in criminal history. Results suggest that BPD traits are associated with significant problems in functioning and these traits should be identified to help curb associated problems.     

Adolescent psychopathy features: 6-year temporal stability and the prediction of externalizing symptoms during the transition to adulthood

This study investigated the 6-year stability and predictive validity of adolescent psychopathy features during the transition to young adulthood. It represents one of the longest outcome studies of youth psychopathy to date, and therefore addresses a primary criticism of the research area (i.e., lack of demonstrated associations between child and adult psychopathy features). Recruited participants were 475 males enrolled in the Minnesota Twin and Family Study who had completed a research-based measure of psychopathy features consisting of separate emotional detachment (or affective) and antisocial tendencies (or behavioral) subscales. These psychopathy features and various externalizing symptoms (i.e., conduct problems, impulsivity, and substance use disorder) were assessed through rating scales and structured diagnostic interview at an intake assessment (ages 16-18) and 6-year follow-up. Consistent with prediction, adolescent psychopathy features displayed moderate stability across the transition from adolescence to adulthood [intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) = 0.40-0.41]. The antisocial tendencies subscale was uniquely related to most externalizing symptoms both in adolescence and in adulthood, whereas the emotional detachment subscale showed appropriate discriminant validity in its lack of association with externalizing symptoms. These findings suggest that psychopathy features are relatively stable from adolescence to adulthood and provide possible insights into the development and maintenance of externalizing difficulties during the adult transition.     

When I think of you, I feel more confident about me: The relational self and self-confidence

Although much research has demonstrated the existence of relationship specific relational selves, the effects of those selves on feelings about the overall self-concept are unknown. The current research proposed that level of relational interdependent self-construal moderates the relationship between the activation of close relationship partners and self-confidence. The first study examined self-construal as a naturally occurring personality variable, whereas the second study manipulated self-construal. Both studies supported the hypothesis that those greater in relational interdependence experience greater self-confidence when close others are salient whereas those lower in relational interdependence experience lower self-confidence. The implications of the findings and linkages to past research are discussed.