Phenotypic profiles of language-impaired children based on genetic/family history

Although etiological influences in developmental language impairment (dysphasia) are not well defined, a significant increase of family aggregation for the disorder has been reported. We report data from a large cohort of language-impaired (LI) children participating in the San Diego longitudinal study in which we examined whether children with or without positive family histories show different phenotypic profiles. Due to the longitudinal design of the study, questions pertaining to change over time are also addressed. Second, a subgroup of the most impaired children were reevaluated to obtain additional information pertaining to family history and phenotypic outcome. Approximately 70% of the LI children met criteria for inclusion as family history positive, with fathers reporting a history of language or learning problems one and a half to two times as frequently as mothers. LI children with or without a positive family history were not significantly different on language skills or IQ. However, subjects having a positive family history for developmental language/learning problems were significantly lower in socioeconomic status and were rated by parents and teachers as having more attention-related behavior problems than their family history negative counterparts. Similarly, family history positive LI children performed more poorly on standardized academic tests as well as on tests of auditory processing and attention.     

Effects of perspective taking on courtroom decisions

Four experiments examined the hypothesis that perspective taking with a defendant would lead to greater empathy, which would mediate lowered perceptions of culpability, with lowered culpability mediating a lower probability of guilt and recidivism. Experiments 1 and 2 established that perspective taking leads to a lower probability of guilty verdicts and recidivism, mediated by a decreased perception of the defendant's culpability. Experiment 2 showed that it does so by increasing empathy. Experiment 3 showed that perspective taking also heightens the perception of culpability through increased empathy for the victim. Experiment 4 showed that decreased culpability is in part driven by leniency, which is also a function of empathy. We tie our findings into other research investigating links between empathy and perspective taking.     

The Neutralization and Denial of Sexual Violence in College Party Subcultures

Heavy drinking and sexual assault are prevalent among college students who attend parties hosted by fraternities and athletic teams, and accusations often produce victim blaming and disbelief. We provide a symbolic interactionist explanation of how subculturally held sentiments shape students’ perceptions. We find that fraternity or athletic team party attendees (but not those who drink in other settings) are more likely than abstainers to hold stereotypical definitions of rape, rate sexual assault as less likely, and are less likely to acknowledge an assault as rape. This study offers a potential mechanism—meanings transmitted and sustained within subcultures—for explaining the denial of rape among students who attend parties hosted by fraternities or athletic teams.     

The Effect of Emotion on Visual Attention to Information and Decision Making in the Context of Informed Consent Process for Clinical Trials

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of emotion on visual information processing and decision making in the context of informed consent. Researchers are ethically obligated to ensure informed consent in clinical trials; however, many volunteers have unrealistic expectations about the value of an experimental therapy. Moreover, suboptimal participation rates for clinical trials may be partially attributable to perceptions that ethical obligations to volunteers are not met. This study examines whether discrete negative emotions (fear, anger, and sadness) differentially influence information processing, visual attention, and decisions in the context of clinical trial informed consent. Community participants completed a standard emotion induction (or control) and then read an actual consent form from a clinical trial while eye movements were tracked. Fear and anger produced the most prominently different patterns of systematic processing and visual attention, such that fear induced longer fixations to information presented, whereas anger induced shorter fixations. Moreover, among women only, fear increased decisions to participate, compared with anger and neutral emotion. Examinations of associations between eye‐tracking variables and self‐reported outcomes indicated that for angry participants only, less systematic processing was associated with greater decisions to participate. Negative emotions of any kind decreased accurate perceptions of trial benefit. These patterns suggest a complex interplay among emotion, processing style, and decision making. Future research is necessary to further probe these effects among potential clinical trial volunteers. Published 2016. This article is a U.S Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Discriminated Functional Communication for Attention: Evaluating Fixed and Varied Durations of Reinforcer Availability

Discriminated functional communication (DFC) training has been used to teach children to attend to naturally occurring discriminative stimuli when manding for attention. In this study, the participant was taught to only mand for attention during experimenter non‐busy periods. The participant could only discriminate busy and non‐busy activities during more naturalistic varied reinforcer availability periods following prior exposure to a fixed duration of availability. These data suggest that DFC may first have to be taught under more predictable conditions prior to transitioning to more naturalistic conditions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trait mindfulness and work–family balance among working parents: The mediating effects of vitality and sleep quality

The present study investigates the relationship between trait mindfulness and work–family balance among a sample of working parents. Sleep quality and vitality are tested as mediators of this relationship. Results indicate that those with greater mindfulness report greater work–family balance, better sleep quality, and greater vitality. As expected, the relationship between mindfulness and work–family balance was mediated by sleep quality and vitality. Results support the usefulness of further examination of the benefits of mindfulness in the work–family context.     

Cognitive mechanisms linking low trait positive affect to depressive symptoms: A prospective diary study

Low trait positive affect represents an affective vulnerability to depression, but little research has examined mechanisms linking low trait positive affect to depressive symptoms. The current study investigated whether the cognitive strategies of dampening and positive rumination mediated the prospective association between low trait positive affect and depressive symptoms. Participants were 209 undergraduate students who participated in an eight-week online study. Depressive symptoms and trait temperament were assessed at baseline, followed by seven weekly questionnaires which assessed cognitive strategies in response to weekly events and weekly depressive symptoms. Data were analysed using multilevel modelling following the mediation approach proposed by Nezlek. Results indicated that low trait positive affect significantly predicted less positive rumination but not greater dampening in response to weekly positive events. Less positive rumination in response to weekly positive events partially mediated the association between low trait positive affect and greater depressive symptoms across the study.     

Low-Cut Shirts and High-Heeled Shoes: Increased Sexualization Across Time in Magazine Depictions of Girls

Theory and past research predict an increase in the sexualization of girls in United States culture. We used content analysis to examine change in the number of sexualizing characteristics (e.g., low cut shirts, high-heeled shoes) and childlike characteristics (e.g., polka-dot print, Mary-Jane style shoes) present in depictions of girls across time in the magazines Seventeen (N?=?1649 images from issues in selected issues from 1971 through 2011) and Girls’ Life (N?=?763 images from selected issues from 1994 to 2011). One-way ANOVAS revealed increases in the total number of sexualizing characteristics across time in both magazines. In particular, depictions of low-cut tops and tight fitting clothing increased in both magazines. There was also a decrease in the number of childlike characteristics in Girls’ Life across time. Possible reasons for increased sexualization as well as possible consequences are discussed.     

Cognitive Neurorehabilitation of HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorders: A Qualitative Review and Call to Action

Despite significant advances in the virologic management of HIV infection over the last two decades, effective treatments for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remain elusive. While pharmacological interventions have yielded some success in improving neurocognitive outcomes in HIV, there is a dearth of rigorous studies examining the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation for remediating HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment. This qualitative review summarizes and critiques the emerging literature on cognitive and behavioral treatments for HAND, which provides many reasons for optimism, but also has major limitations that underscore the scope of the work that lies ahead. Considering the notable real-world consequences of HAND, the development, validation, and clinical deployment of cognitive neurorehabilitation interventions tailored to the needs of persons living with HIV infection is a priority for clinical neuroAIDS investigators. In describing potential future directions for this endeavor, particular attention was paid to the application of cognitive neuropsychological principles in developing theory-driven approaches to managing HAND, improving everyday functioning, and enhancing HIV health outcomes.     

Work–Family Conflict and Flexible Work Arrangements: Deconstructing Flexibility

Workplace flexibility has been a topic of considerable interest to researchers, practitioners, and public policy advocates as a tool to help individuals manage work and family roles. In this study, meta‐analysis is used to clarify what is known about the relationship between flexible work arrangements and work–family conflict by deconstructing the flexibility construct. We found that the direction of work–family conflict (work interference with family vs. family interference with work) and the specific form of flexibility (flextime vs. flexplace; use vs. availability) make a difference in the effects found. Overall, the significant effects were small in magnitude.