A Genetic Counselor’s Guide to Using Next-Generation Sequencing in Clinical Practice

Advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and rapid reductions in cost have increased the use of such technologies in research and clinical practice. However, many barriers exist to translating NGS for routine clinical use, including issues related to the interpretation of results, and the potential to find results that are secondary or incidental to the specific application of NGS. Nonetheless, NGS has become sufficiently affordable to be offered by several clinical laboratories, and increasingly it is becoming an attractive and viable option for clinicians and patients. This article reviews current NGS technologies, highlighting the information genetic counselors need to know to make informed-decisions about utilizing NGS in the clinic, and underscoring the impact of this new testing modality on the practice of genetic counseling.     

Implementing Group Prenatal Counseling for Expanded Noninvasive Screening Options

Recently, practices have begun integrating cell-free DNA-based noninvasive prenatal screening as a screening option for a variety of genetic conditions. According to the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the integration of cfDNA screening into clinical prenatal practice may "significantly shift the paradigm of prenatal testing and screening for all women." The purpose of this study was to determine whether group information sessions can feasibly serve as an alternative to extended one-on-one genetic counseling for the increasing number of women making decisions about prenatal testing and screening. This study assessed the effect of group genetic information sessions coupled with abbreviated counseling on pregnant women’s knowledge about and attitudes toward prenatal testing and screening.     

Criminal Victimization,Depressive Symptoms,and Behavioral Avoidance Coping in Late Adulthood: The Conditioning Role of Strong Familial Ties

This study examined the association criminal victimization has with two mental health outcomes (i.e., depressive symptoms and behavioral avoidance coping) among older adults. This study also tested whether strong familial ties condition the harmful results of victimization. This study used cross-sectional survey data from interviews conducted in Arizona and Florida with individuals 60 years and older (N?=?2000). Linear regression was used to test the hypotheses. Victims reported higher depressive symptoms and greater behavioral avoidance coping. The link between victimization and depression was weaker among participants with strong attachments to their spouse and to their children. Strong spousal ties also diminished the link between criminal victimization and behavioral avoidance coping. These findings are consistent with research conducted at earlier stages of the life course. Practitioners should work with older crime victims to identify interventions that provide the types of support found in strong familial relationships.     

What do the experts know? Calibration,precision, and the wisdom of crowds among forensic handwriting experts

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review - Forensic handwriting examiners currently testify to the origin of questioned handwriting for legal purposes. However, forensic scientists are increasingly being...     

A Meta-Analysis of Universal School-Based Prevention Programs for Anxiety and Depression in Children

Anxiety and depression are among the most common mental health issues experienced in childhood. Implementing school-based prevention programs during childhood, rather than adolescence, is thought to provide better mental health outcomes. The present meta-analysis aimed to investigate the efficacy of universal school-based prevention programs that target both anxiety and depression in children (aged 13 years or below), and examine three moderators (i.e., program type, primary target of program, and number of sessions) on prevention effects. PsycINFO, PubMED, and Google Scholar were systematically searched for relevant articles published up to and including January 2018. Fourteen randomised controlled trials, consisting of 5970 children, met eligibility criteria. Prevention programs led to significantly fewer depressive symptoms at post-program (g?=?0.172) and at long-term follow-up periods (g?=?0.180), but not at short-term follow-up. Programs were not found to prevent anxiety symptoms across any time point. Considerable heterogeneity was observed for all effects. Program type and length were found to moderate the relationship between prevention program and outcomes. Prevention programs were effective in preventing depressive symptoms at post-program and long-term follow-up, while no significant preventative effect on anxiety symptoms was observed. The FRIENDS Program and programs which contained a greater number of sessions showed beneficial effects on anxiety and depressive symptoms. Universal programs aimed at preventing both anxiety and depression in children are limited. Future research should investigate the long-term evaluation of school-based prevention programs for anxiety and depression in children.     

The tripartite model of fear in children with specific phobias: assessing concordance and discordance using the behavioral approach test

Lang’s tripartite model posits that three main components characterize a fear response: physiological arousal, cognitive (subjective) distress, and behavioral avoidance. These components may occur in tandem with one another (concordance) or they may vary independently (discordance). The behavioral approach test (BAT) has been used to simultaneously examine the three components of the fear response. In the present study, 73 clinic-referred children and adolescents with a specific phobia participated in a phobia-specific BAT. Results revealed an overall pattern of concordance: correlation analyses revealed the three indices were significantly related to one another in the predicted directions. However, considerable variation was noted such that some children were concordant across the response components while others were not. More specifically, based on levels of physiological arousal and subjective distress, two concordant groups (high arousal–high distress, low arousal–low distress) and one discordant (high arousal–low distress or low arousal–high distress) group of youth were identified. These concordant and discordant groups were then compared on the percentage of behavioral steps completed on the BAT. Analyses revealed that the low arousal–low distress group completed a significantly greater percentage of steps than the high arousal–high distress group, and a marginally greater percentage of steps than the discordant group. Potential group differences associated with age, gender, phobia severity, and phobia type were also explored and no significant differences were detected. Implications for theory and treatment are discussed.     

Exotic Dance Research: A Review of the Literature from 1970 to 2008

This article presents the process and findings of a review of the empirical research literature on exotic dance/dancers in the United States and Canada from 1970 to 2008. We present research methods represented in this sample, as well as the main purposes of these studies, the deployment of theory in exotic dance research, and the visibility of researcher subjectivities. Over time researchers have gradually moved from micro-level analysis with singular explanations toward multi-dimensional and contextual understandings of exotic dance/dancers. Contemporary researchers are less grounded in deviance, pathology, or victimization. We conclude with a discussion and a series of recommendations for future research.     

Personality,Motivation, and Internet Gaming Disorder: Conceptualizing the Gamer

Using a group correlational design and path analysis, the authors examined the relationships among personality, motivation, and internet gaming disorder (IGD). Findings showed that significant predictors of IGD included male gender, neurotic and introverted personality traits, and motivation related to achievement.     

How I see me depends on how I see we: the role of attachment style in social comparison

The self-concept is a social, flexible construct that shifts in response to the salience of a relationship partner. Three related experiments found that the tendency to pursue closeness in relationships (as measured by attachment style) served as a moderator of the shift. Specifically, individuals who avoid closeness in relationships became less similar to salient friends via contrast effects, whereas those who pursued closeness in relationships became more similar to salient friends via assimilation effects. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the nature of the self-concept and the importance of friendships.