Working memory and behavioral inhibition in boys with ADHD: An experimental examination of competing models

Working memory (WM) and behavioral inhibition impairments have garnered significant attention as candidate core features, endophenotypes, and/or associated neurocognitive deficits of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The relationship between ADHD-related WM and inhibition deficits remains relatively unclear, however, with inferences about the constructs’ directional relationship stemming predominantly from correlational research. The current study utilized a dual-task paradigm to experimentally examine the relationship between ADHD-related WM and behavioral inhibition deficits. A total of 31 boys (15 ADHD and 16 typically developing [TD]) aged 8–12 years completed WM (1-back and 2-back), behavioral inhibition (stop-signal task [SST]), and dual-condition (1-back/SST and 2-back/SST) experimental tasks. Children with ADHD exhibited significant, large-magnitude WM deficits for the 1-back condition but were not significantly different from children in the TD group for the 2-back, 1-back/SST, and 2-back/SST conditions. Children with ADHD also exhibited significant inhibition deficits for the SST, 1-back/SST, and 2-back/SST conditions, but the within-group effect was not significant. The findings suggest that ADHD-related stop-signal demands are upstream, or compete for, resources involved in controlled-focused attention and/or other central executive (CE), WM processes.     

Extreme Values of Maternal Serum Analytes in Second Trimester Screening: Looking Beyond Trisomy and NTD’s

Second trimester maternal serum screening can identify high risk pregnancies and fetuses at risk for birth defects (in addition to those in the standard interpretation). The purpose of this study was to quantify such risks to improve counseling. We compared outcomes of 692 pregnancies that had abnormal levels of at least one analyte with a cohort of 713 pregnancies with normal analytes. Increased risks include: demise with high AFP and low uE3; intrauterine growth restriction with high AFP, high and low hCG, and low uE3; placental abnormalities with high AFP; fetal stress with high AFP and high hCG. Birth defects are increased with high AFP, high hCG, and low hCG. When two or more analytes are abnormal, 46% have a poor outcome. Abnormal levels of maternal serum analytes provide information in addition to the risks for neural tube defects, Down syndrome, and trisomy 18. This information is important for counseling and pregnancy management.     

Mechanisms linking height to early child development among infants and preschoolers in rural India

Stunting has been negatively associated with children's development. We examined the range of height by testing hypotheses: (a) height is positively associated with children's development, with associations moderated by inflammation and (b) home environments characterized by nurturance and early learning opportunities is positively associated with children's development over time and attenuate associations with height. Data included 513 infants (mean age 8.6 months) and 316 preschoolers (mean age 36.6 months) in rural India from a randomized controlled trial of multiple micronutrient powders (MNPs). Measures included height (height‐for‐age z‐scores based on WHO standards), inflammation (C‐reactive protein concentration >5 mg/L), nurturance (HOME Inventory), child development (Mullens Scales of Early Learning), and inhibitory control (preschoolers). Linear mixed effects models accounting for repeated measures, clustering, and confounders were used to assess associations between height and child development over time (infants: enrollment, 6 and 12 months; preschoolers: enrollment and 8 months). Moderating effects of inflammation and nurturance were tested with interaction terms. Among infants and preschoolers, height and nurturance were positively associated with all domains of child development over time, with the exception of inhibitory control. Among preschoolers, in the presence of inflammation, height was not associated with child development. Among infants, but not preschoolers, a nurturant home environment attenuated significant associations between height with fine motor and receptive language development. The mechanisms associated with children's development over time are multifactorial and include direct and indirect associations among nutrition, health, and the home environment, as supported by the Nurturing Care Framework.     

Functional analysis and treatment of self‐injurious feather plucking in a black vulture (Coragyps atratus)

The etiology and maintenance of self‐injurious feather plucking (FP) have been attributed to biological and environmental processes, yet a definitive solution has not been found. The current study investigated the application of a functional analysis and function‐based treatment to reduce the FP of a black vulture (Coragyps atratus). FP was found to be maintained by positive reinforcement in the form of contingent attention. A treatment consisting of noncontingent reinforcement decreased FP, and levels of FP remained low during schedule thinning. The current study further demonstrates the validity of function‐based assessment and treatment with captive animals.     

Factors That Predict Premature Termination Among Mexican-American Children in Outpatient Psychotherapy

The role of demographic variables, acculturation, and therapy attitudes and expectations in predicting treatment dropout for Mexican-American families who presented for mental health treatment for a young child at a community mental health center was examined. Univariate analyses indicated that less educated parents who felt that they should be able to overcome their child's mental health problems on their own, and who felt that emotional and behavioral problems should be handled by increasing discipline were more likely to terminate prematurely. In addition, parents who perceived more barriers to treatment and expected their child to recover quickly were more likely to drop out of treatment after attending just one session. Measures of household income, acculturation, therapist–client ethnic match, perceptions of stigma, and expectations of therapist directiveness were not related to treatment dropout. When multivariate analyses were examined, parental education, perceived barriers to treatment, and belief in increased discipline remained significant predictors of treatment dropout, and client–therapist ethnic match became a significant predictor of dropout. Results are discussed in terms of implications for culturally-sensitive interventions.     

The role of attachment and cognitive inhibition in children's memory and suggestibility for a stressful event

There has been increasing interest in children's abilities to report memories of and resist misleading suggestions about distressing events. Individual differences among children and their parents may provide important insight into principles that govern children's eyewitness memory and suggestibility for such experiences. In the present study, 51 children between the ages of 3 and 7 years were interviewed about an inoculation after a delay of approximately 2 weeks. Results indicated that parents' attachment Avoidance was associated with children's distress during the inoculation. Parental attachment Anxiety and the interaction between parental Avoidance and children's stress predicted children's memory for the inoculation. Cognitive inhibition was also a significant predictor of children's memory errors and suggestibility. Theoretical implications concerning effects of stress and individual differences on children's eyewitness memory and suggestibility are discussed.     

Using the picture exchange communication system (PECS) with children with autism: assessment of PECS acquisition,speech, social-communicative behavior,and problem behavior

The picture exchange communication system (PECS) is an augmentative communication system frequently used with children with autism (Bondy & Frost, 1994; Siegel, 2000; Yamall, 2000). Despite its common clinical use, no well-controlled empirical investigations have been conducted to test the effectiveness of PECS. Using a multiple baseline design, the present study examined the acquisition of PECS with 3 children with autism. In addition, the study examined the effects of PECS training on the emergence of speech in play and academic settings. Ancillary measures of social-communicative behaviors and problem behaviors were recorded. Results indicated that all 3 children met the learning criterion for PECS and showed concomitant increases in verbal speech. Ancillary gains were associated with increases in social-communicative behaviors and decreases in problem behaviors. The results are discussed in terms of the provision of empirical support for PECS as well as the concomitant positive side effects of its use.     

Contents Volume 53

Volume Contents

Contents Volume 53     

The self-composing brain: towards a glial-neuronal brain theory

A brain model is proposed which describes its structural organization and the related functions as compartments organized in time and space. On a molecular level the negative feedback loops of clock-controlled genes are interpreted as compartments. This spatio-temporal operational principle may also work on the cellular level as glial-neuronal interactions, wherein glia have a spatio-temporal boundary setting function. The synchronization of the multi-compartmental operations of the brain is compared to the harmonization in a symphony and appears as an integrated behavior of the whole organism, defined as modes of behavior. For explanation of the principle of harmonization, an example from Schubert's Symphony No. 8 has been chosen. While harmonization refers to the synchronization of diverse systems, it seems appropriate to select the brain of a composer and the structure of musical composition as a paradigm towards a glial-neuronal brain theory. Finally, some limitations of experimental brain research are discussed and robotics are proposed as a promising alternative.     

"I couldn't have seen it coming": the impact of negative self-relevant outcomes on retrospections about foreseeability

We examined a phenomenon related to hindsight bias, specifically, retrospective judgements about the foreseeability of an outcome. We predicted that negative, self-relevant outcomes would be judged as less foreseeable by the recipient of the outcome than by others, unlike either positive outcomes or outcomes that are not self-relevant. In the context of a "stock market decision-making game", the hypothetical stock selected by one of two players showed an extreme increase or decrease. As predicted, the player who received an extreme negative outcome reported that this outcome was less foreseeable than did the opponent and an observer, for whom the outcome was less self-relevant. For no other kind of outcome was there a difference between the recipient of an outcome, the opponent, and the observer. The findings have several implications, including the possibility that hindsight bias should be considered as a special case of retrospective foreseeability.