An Evaluation of the Relative Effectiveness of Function-Based Consequent and Antecedent Interventions in a Preschool Setting

Although there is substantial functional behavioral assessment (FBA) literature suggesting that function-based interventions are effective for improving problem behavior, only a limited number of studies have examined the effectiveness of function-based antecedent versus consequent interventions. Additionally, although there has been a recent increase in the number of studies conducted in the K–12 school setting, only a limited number of studies have included children in the preschool setting. The present study extends existing literature by examining the effectiveness of function-based antecedent versus consequent interventions for reducing problem behavior and increasing appropriately engaged behavior for preschool children without cognitive disabilities. Following an FBA of 4 children, the effectiveness of a function-based antecedent (i.e., noncontingent reinforcement [NCR]) was compared with a function-based consequent (i.e., differential reinforcement of alternative behavior [DRA]) intervention using an alternating treatments design. Results indicated that both function-based NCR and DRA were effective for decreasing problem behavior and increasing appropriately engaged behavior, with function-based NCR being more effective than DRA for 2 of 4 participants.     

Processing Speed Predicts Behavioral Treatment Outcomes in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predominantly Inattentive Type

Neuropsychological functioning underlies behavioral symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with all forms of ADHD are vulnerable to working memory deficits and children presenting with the inattentive form of ADHD (ADHD-I) appear particularly vulnerable to processing speed deficits. As ADHD-I is the most common form of ADHD presented by children in community settings, it is important to consider how treatment interventions for children with ADHD-I may be affected by deficits in processing speed and working memory. We utilize data collected from 199 children with ADHD-I, aged 7 to 11 years, who participated in a randomized clinical trial of a psychosocial-behavioral intervention. Our aims are first to determine whether processing speed or working memory predict treatment outcomes in ADHD-I symptom severity, and second whether they moderate treatment effects on ADHD-I symptom severity. Results of linear regression analyses reveal that baseline processing speed significantly predicts posttreatment ADHD-I symptom severity when controlling for baseline ADHD-I symptom severity, such that better processing speed is associated with greater symptom improvement. However, predictive effects of working memory and moderation effects of both working memory and processing speed are not supported in the present study. We discuss study limitations and implications of the relation between processing speed and treatment benefits from psychosocial treatments for children with ADHD-I.     

The ego depletion effect on undergraduate university students: A systematic review

For most, the transition from high school to university marks the simultaneous transition from adolescence into emerging adulthood. Many studies have discussed the degradation of health throughout this time period and identified the increased chance of this cohort engaging in risky or unhealthy behavior. Ego depletion may provide a useful tool for beginning the exploration of this transition and its challenges. This systematic review intends to identify the studies over the last 5 years that have focused on the effect of ego depletion on cognitive and emotional variables with university students. The systematic search resulted in 48 studies from which to draw data and revealed that undergraduate university students are susceptible to the ego depletion effect (92% significant), and that it pervades across wide variety of cognitive and emotional variables such as self-control, prospective memory, and anxiety. These studies could yield suggestions for future planning of advisor–student relationships, peer-to-peer assistance programs, and many other useful avenues for easing the early years of university.     

Effects of Tootling on Classwide and Individual Disruptive and Academically Engaged Behavior of Lower‐Elementary Students

The current study was designed to replicate and extend the literature on the effectiveness of a classroom intervention known as Tootling, a strategy that encourages and prompts students to report instances of their peers' positive behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of the Tootling intervention on decreasing classwide and individual target students' disruptive behavior as well as increasing classwide and individual target students' academic engagement in lower elementary, general education classrooms using a criterion number of tootles that could reasonably be attained daily, thus potentially allowing more immediate and frequent access to reinforcement. Participants included second and third graders and their teachers in three classrooms in two Southeastern elementary schools. An ABAB withdrawal design was used in the three classrooms, along with a multiple baseline element across two of the classrooms, to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Results demonstrated decreases in disruptive behaviors and increases in academically engaged behaviors during intervention phases as compared to baseline and withdrawal phases in all classrooms. Effect sizes were moderate to large for all comparisons. Limitations of the present study, directions for future research, and implications for practice are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The ironic effect of guessing: increased false memory for mediated lists in younger and older adults

Younger and older adults studied lists of words directly (e.g., creek, water) or indirectly (e.g., beaver, faucet) related to a nonpresented critical lure (CL; e.g., river). Indirect (i.e., mediated) lists presented items that were only related to CLs through nonpresented mediators (i.e., directly related items). Following study, participants completed a condition-specific task, math, a recall test with or without a warning about the CL, or tried to guess the CL. On a final recognition test, warnings (vs. math and recall without warning) decreased false recognition for direct lists, and guessing increased mediated false recognition (an ironic effect of guessing) in both age groups. The observed age-invariance of the ironic effect of guessing suggests that processes involved in mediated false memory are preserved in aging and confirms the effect is largely due to activation in semantic networks during encoding and to the strengthening of these networks during the interpolated tasks.     

Body Dysmorphic Symptoms,Functional Impairment,and Depression: The Role of Appearance-Based Teasing

Body dysmorphic disorder is associated with elevated social and occupational impairment and comorbid depression, but research on risk factors for body dysmorphic symptoms and associated outcomes is limited. Appearance-based teasing may be a potential risk factor. To examine the specificity of this factor, the authors assessed self-reported appearance-based teasing, body dysmorphic, and obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, functional impairment (i.e., social, occupational, family impairment), and depression in a nonclinical sample of undergraduates. As hypothesized, appearance-based teasing was positively correlated with body dysmorphic symptoms. The correlation between teasing and body dysmorphic symptoms was stronger than that between teasing and obsessive-compulsive symptom severity. Last, body dysmorphic symptom severity and appearance-based teasing interacted in predicting functional impairment and depression. Specifically, appearance-based teasing was positively associated with depression and functional impairment only in those with elevated body dysmorphic symptoms. When a similar moderation was tested with obsessive-compulsive, in place of body dysmorphic, symptom severity, the interaction was nonsignificant. Findings support theory that appearance-based teasing is a specific risk factor for body dysmorphic symptoms and associated functional impairment.     

Evaluation of increasing antecedent specificity in goal statements on adherence to positive behavior‐management strategies

We evaluated the impact of antecedent specificity in goal statements on adherence to positive behavior‐management strategies. Teaching staff were recruited from 2 different school settings where there were routine expectations to use behavior‐specific praise in the classroom, but adherence was poor. In a concurrent multiple baseline design, the use of behavior‐specific praise by 4 participants was found to be unaffected by goal statements that increasingly specified the behavior to be used and the conditions under which the behavior should occur. However, adherence by 3 of the 4 participants did change when goal statements included teacher‐specified frequencies with which the behavior should occur. Results were systematically replicated in a second study in which, in a concurrent multiple baseline design, 3 participants showed marked increases in adherence when goal statements specified the target behavior, the conditions under which it should occur, and the frequency with which it should occur.