Mortality Salience Decreases Social Exploration When People Experience Metacognitive Ease Generating Examples of Cultural Value Adherence

In the present research, we integrated terror management theory with work on metacognitive fluency to examine how mortality concerns affect social exploration motives. We hypothesized that mortality salience would decrease desire to explore novel social interactions only when the feeling of being valued by culturally relevant others was secure. Participants (N = 328) reflected on death or physical pain, then generated 3 (metacognitive-ease) or 12 (metacognitive-difficulty) examples of past behaviors that their peers valued (vs. neutral behaviors). Metacognitive fluency was expected to enhance feelings that existing social bonds were secure. Finally, we assessed participants’ desire to explore novel social interactions. Death thoughts decreased participants’ desire to explore novel social interactions when they experienced “ease” generating examples of culturally valued behavior.     

Research report — Beguiled by Bayes: a re-analysis of Mossman and Hart's estimates of malingering

Bayes' theorem has been successfully applied to clinical decision making in circumstances where the prevalence rate is both stable and well established. An attempt by Mossman and Hart (1996) to apply Bayes' theorem to malingering is critically examined. When marked fluctuations in the base rates of malingering (both within and across settings) are considered, this model appears to have little clinical utility. For the sake of illustration, Mossman and Hart data were reanalyzed, taking into account the pronounced variation in base rates. Within a 90% confidence level, the estimates of malingering for many scores extended the full range from 0% to 100%. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Who Is Referred to Mental Health Services in the Juvenile Justice System?

We describe the mental health referral rate among youth in a correction facility, examine how sociodemographic and criminal history characteristics relate to referral, and explore how these variables and diagnostic class differ by referral source. Data were abstracted from case records. The referral rate was low (6%). Non-Latino youth, repeat offenders, and violent offenders were more likely to be referred compared to all detained youth. Referral source also varied by violent offense history and diagnosis type. Future studies examining access to mental health services should take into account a detained youth's sociodemographic, criminal history, and clinical characteristics.     

Theoretical Grounding: The “Missing Link” in Suicide Research

This article discusses the strengths and limitations of the current pragmatic focus of research in suicidology and presents an argument for theoretical grounding as a precursor for continued advancement in this area. An existential‐constructivist framework of “meaning creation” is presented as a theoretical heuristic for understanding suicide. This formulation focuses on the basic human quest for meaning and connectedness as the underlying motivations for individual constructions of reality. Finally, the model outlines general areas of challenge and stress that may provide pathways to suicide and provides a general discussion of the implications of the model for research and practice.     

Psychological Correlates of Anorexic and Bulimic Symptomatology

Few studies examining the relationship between eating disorders and personality have been theoretically derived; thus, findings have been equivocal. From a theoretical and empirical perspective (S. Orbach, 1986; R. L. Rogers & T. A. Petrie, 1997; G. J. Williams et al., 1994), this study investigated the connection between eating disorder symptomatology and several psychological correlates—obsessiveness, dependency, overcontrolled hostility, assertiveness, locus of control, and self‐esteem. Regression analyses indicated that obsessiveness and 2 factors of dependency accounted for 21% of the variance in a measure of anorexic attitudes and behaviors. One factor of dependency and obsessiveness accounted for 20% of the variance in a measure of bulimic symptomatology.     

Dimensions of Incompetency: A Factor Analytic Study of the Georgia Court Competency Test

The Georgia Court Competency Test (GCCT) was developed to systematically evaluate knowledge and skills needed to be competent to stand trial. Previous research has identified three factors measured by the GCCT: General Legal Knowledge, Courtroom Layout, and Specific Legal Knowledge. In this study, 125 mentally disordered offenders were examined using the GCCT. Confirmatory factor analysis failed to confirm the previously identified model. As a result, the authors advocate modifying the clinical use of the GCCT. Specifically, they suggest employing the GCCT as a checklist to identify potential deficits requiring more comprehensive evaluation.     

A taxometric analysis of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV): further evidence of dimensionality

A taxometric analysis of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV; S. D. Hart, D. N. Cox, & R. D. Hare, 1995) was performed on a group of 2,250 male and female forensic/psychiatric patients and jail/prison inmates. The 4 PCL:SV facet scores (Interpersonal, Affective, Impulsive Lifestyle, Antisocial Behavior) served as indicators in this study, and the data were analyzed with 3 principal taxometric procedures--mean above minus below a cut, maximum eigenvalue, and latent mode factor analysis. The results show evidence of dimensional structure on the PCL:SV in the full sample as well as in all 8 subsamples (men, women, Whites, Blacks, hospital patients, jail/prison inmates, file review with an interview, file review without an interview). These findings corroborate recent taxometric research on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (R. D. Hare, 1991, 2003) in which results have been largely dimensional in nature. It is concluded that scores on the PCL:SV differ quantitatively as points on a dimension (high vs. low psychopathy) rather than partitioning into qualitatively distinct categories of behavior (psychopath vs. nonpsychopath).     

Perception of the stereokinetic illusion by the common marmoset (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Callithrix jacchus</Emphasis>)

Stereokinetic illusions have never been investigated in non-human primates, nor in other mammalian species. These illusions consist in the perception of a 3D solid object when certain 2D stimuli are rotated slowly in the plane perpendicular to the line of sight. The ability to perceive the stereokinetic illusion was investigated in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Four adult marmosets were trained to discriminate between a solid cylinder and a solid cone for food reward. Once learning criterion was reached, the marmosets were tested in sets of eight probe trials in which the two solid objects used at training were replaced by two rotating 2D stimuli. Only one of these stimuli produced, at least to the human observer, the stereokinetic illusion corresponding to the solid object previously reinforced. At test, the general behaviour and the total time spent by the marmosets observing each stimulus were recorded. The subjects stayed longer near the stimulus producing the stereokinetic illusion corresponding to the solid object reinforced at training than they did near the illusion corresponding to the previously non-rewarded stimulus. Hence, the common marmosets behaved as if they could perceive stereokinetic illusions.     

Gaze behavior and affect at 6 months: predicting clinical outcomes and language development in typically developing infants and infants at risk for autism

This paper presents follow‐up longitudinal data to research that previously suggested the possibility of abnormal gaze behavior marked by decreased eye contact in a subgroup of 6‐month‐old infants at risk for autism ( Merin, Young, Ozonoff & Rogers, 2007 ). Using eye‐tracking data and behavioral data recorded during a live mother–infant interaction involving the still‐face procedure, the predictive utility of gaze behavior and affective behaviors at 6 months was examined using diagnostic outcome data obtained longitudinally over the following 18 months. Results revealed that none of the infants previously identified as showing lower rates of eye contact had any signs of autism at outcome. In contrast, three infants who were diagnosed with autism demonstrated consistent gaze to the eye region and typical affective responses at 6 months. Individual differences in face scanning and affective responsivity during the live interaction were not related to any continuous measures of symptom frequency or symptom severity. In contrast, results of growth curve models for language development revealed significant relationships between face scanning and expressive language. Greater amounts of fixation to the mother's mouth during live interaction predicted higher levels of expressive language at outcome and greater rates of growth. These findings suggest that although gaze behavior at 6 months may not provide early markers for autism as initially conceived, gaze to the mouth in particular may be useful in predicting individual differences in language development.