Memory Impairment in Elderly Individuals With a Mildly Elevated Serum TSH: The Role of Processing Resources,Depression and Cerebrovascular Disease

This study examined whether a mild elevation in serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) in normal older individuals was associated with a cognitive impairment. Participants consisted of 15 individuals with a high- TSH level and 82 with a normal TSH. The high-TSH group performed significantly worse than the normal- TSH group on tests of immediate and delayed verbal recall and on the Mini-Mental State Exam. This decrement was not due to group differences in processing resources nor was it explained by comorbid cerebrovascular disease, depression or anticholinergic drug usage. These results suggest that undetected mild thyroid dysfunction may contribute to the cognitive decrements found in older adults.     

Internal attention to features in visual short-term memory guides object learning

Attending to objects in the world affects how we perceive and remember them. What are the consequences of attending to an object in mind? In particular, how does reporting the features of a recently seen object guide visual learning? In three experiments, observers were presented with abstract shapes in a particular color, orientation, and location. After viewing each object, observers were cued to report one feature from visual short-term memory (VSTM). In a subsequent test, observers were cued to report features of the same objects from visual long-term memory (VLTM). We tested whether reporting a feature from VSTM: (1) enhances VLTM for just that feature (practice-benefit hypothesis), (2) enhances VLTM for all features (object-based hypothesis), or (3) simultaneously enhances VLTM for that feature and suppresses VLTM for unreported features (feature-competition hypothesis). The results provided support for the feature-competition hypothesis, whereby the representation of an object in VLTM was biased towards features reported from VSTM and away from unreported features (Experiment 1). This bias could not be explained by the amount of sensory exposure or response learning (Experiment 2) and was amplified by the reporting of multiple features (Experiment 3). Taken together, these results suggest that selective internal attention induces competitive dynamics among features during visual learning, flexibly tuning object representations to align with prior mnemonic goals.     

Development of a Children's Version of the SCORE Index of Family Function and Change

The Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation (SCORE) Index of Family Function and Change is a recently developed outcome measure. It was designed to be acceptable to adults and children aged 12 and over. Thus far no research has been conducted using the SCORE in children under the age of 12. The aim of this study was to pilot a children's version of the SCORE. An existing 29‐item version of the SCORE was completed by a sample of seven children aged 8–10. Time was allowed for group discussion with the children. Feedback from this stage of the study was used to develop a draft version of the SCORE for children. An expert panel of clinicians and researchers were also consulted. A pilot version of the Child SCORE was administered to 80 children aged 7–10 in an inner London primary school. Thirty‐five children also completed the measure for a second time, 1 week later. Findings suggested that the Child SCORE was acceptable to children in the 8–11 age range. Values for internal reliability and test–retest reliability were good. The Child SCORE appears to be a promising instrument. Further research is required to confirm its acceptability to clinical populations, and to demonstrate sensitivity to change.     

Cigarette Smoking in Young Adults: Childhood and Adolescent Personality,Familial, and Peer Antecedents

Three models (independent, interdependent, and mediational) were hypothesized in this study, to examine the interrelation of personality, family, and peer determinants and their effects on tobacco use by young adults. Mothers were first interviewed about their children when they were between the ages of 1 and 10 years old. Three subsequent interviews were conducted with the children when they reached adolescence and young adulthood. Results show support for the mediational model. In accordance with family interactional framework conceptions, there was a sequence in patterning: from parenting during early adolescence; to personality and peer factors, extending to smoking in late adolescence; and culminating in smoking in adulthood. With a developmental approach, a number of psychosocial measures were related in both younger and older children. Nevertheless, some interesting developmental differences emerged. The findings suggest at least four possible targets for therapeutic or preventive intervention: the parent, the child, the adolescent, and the peer group.     

Depressive Mood in Female College Students: Father-Daughter Interactional Patterns

The interrelationship of sets of father and daughter factors in explaining depressive mood in normal female adolescents was examined. Separate questionnaires were given to 403 college students and their fathers. A mediational model was found, in which two sets of paternal variables were related to the daughter personality set, which in turn was related to her depressive mood. In addition, protective personality attributes of the daughter served both to offset the impact of paternal risk factors and to further strengthen paternal protective factors to reduce frequency of depressive mood. Comparisons are made with an earlier study of sons' depressive mood (Brook, Brook, Whiteman, & Gordon, 1983).     

The compression block technique

Remembering the distance or end-location of an interpolated movement interfered equally with the retention of criterion movement end-location. Interpolated distances were recalled less well than interpolated locations. These results were interpreted as evidence of capacity interference rather than structural interference with a visual/kinesthetic integrated store.     

Individuality and Contextual Influences on Drug Dependence: A 15-Year Prospective Longitudinal Study of Adolescents From Harlem

In this 15-year longitudinal study the authors investigated individual and contextual factors that predispose adolescents from a disadvantaged urban area to drug dependence in adulthood. Adolescents were recruited from schools serving East Harlem in New York City. Of the 838 participants followed to adulthood, 59% were women, 55% were African American, and 45% were Puerto Rican. Self-report data were obtained on externalizing and internalizing problems, substance use, and contextual influences across adolescence and young adulthood. Drug dependence was assessed in adulthood. Multivariate logistic regressions of drug dependence were performed on the whole sample and separately by gender. Each of the domains was associated with adult drug dependence. Although mean gender differences were found, most associations of risk factors with drug dependence did not vary significantly by gender. Treating externalizing and internalizing problems, reducing substance use, and providing coping skills for adverse contextual influences in adolescence and young adulthood may reduce the likelihood of becoming drug dependent in adulthood.     

Follow-up Validation of Rorschach Tempo and Color Use Indicators of Schizophrenia

Two to five year psychiatric follow-ups through a case register of original cross-validating samples for some Rorschach tempo and color use indicators of schizophrenia found subsequent diagnosis of schizophrenia associated (a) beyond the .001 level with certain deviations from normative tempo and (b) beyond the .01 level with presence of pure C or two or more of the following: 1–2 CF, Sum C 1.5–3.0, CF without C. Combined classification by the tempo and color variables was accurate in 90% of schizophrenic and 80% of nonschizophrenic cases manifesting neither or both variables. These findings, occurring within a population of psychiatric patients referred for testing, recommend the clinical utility of the variables.     

Approaches to the study of media and religion: Notes from the Editors of the Journal of Media and Religion with recommendations for future research

As the Journal of Media and Religion (JMR) begins its seventh year, the editors pause to reflect on research directions and make recommendations for future research. Based on studies in JMR and other sources, three research approaches are identified: (1) The Proliferation of Mediated Religion, or the idea that media are creating multiple places of worship beyond the physical walls of traditional congregations, (2) Religious Audiences as Interpretive Communities, where shared interpretations of popular media content are increasingly important in understanding religious groups, and (3) Media Criticism drawing on the cultural aspects of religion in critiquing media genres and texts.

A dominant theme across the three approaches is that individuals are increasingly willing to have religious experiences through media of popular culture. The numinous is recommended as an integrative concept to facilitate research of new forms of mediated religion.