Cognitive architectures: Research issues and challenges

In this paper, we examine the motivations for research on cognitive architectures and review some candidates that have been explored in the literature. After this, we consider the capabilities that a cognitive architecture should support, some properties that it should exhibit related to representation, organization, performance, and learning, and some criteria for evaluating such architectures at the systems level. In closing, we discuss some open issues that should drive future research in this important area.     

Adolescents in Transition to Adulthood: Parental Support, Relationship Satisfaction, and Post-transition Adjustment

The transition from high school is a pivotal period for intergenerational relations, as the asymmetry characterizing pre-transition relations with parents is reconfigured. Changes in adolescent–parent relations across this transition have potentially important implications for post-transition adjustment. A prospective study was conducted with an ethnically diverse sample that included adolescents who were not college-bound. Maternal, but not paternal, relations improved across the transition from high school to adult life. Changes in support from both mothers and fathers were associated with changes in relationship satisfaction and changes in satisfaction predicted post-transition adjustment. The results verify the importance of parental support to the quality of relational bonds between young adults and their parents. They also affirm the significance of these bonds for post-transition adjustment.     

The flexible application of a manualized treatment for PTSD symptoms and functional impairment related to the 9/11 World Trade Center attack

The purpose of this treatment effectiveness study was to evaluate the flexible application of a manualized cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for PTSD and related symptoms in survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Treatment delivery ranged from 12 to 25 sessions; therapist experience ranged from no prior training to extensive training in CBT; and training and supervision of clinicians in the treatment manual was considerably less than that required in a randomized clinical trial (RCT). Paired t-tests demonstrated significant pre-post reductions in symptoms of PTSD and depression for the flexible application of the treatment. A benchmarking analysis revealed that the moderate-to-large effect sizes found for these variables were similar to those obtained in an RCT of the same treatment. Furthermore, effect sizes on measures of outcomes particularly relevant to this population of mass violence survivors such as functional impairment, use of alcohol and drugs to cope, and use of social support to cope, were also medium to large.     

Exploring the Relationships Between Racial/Cultural Identity and Ego Identity Among African Americans and Mexican Americans

Relationships between collective identity and ego identity were examined among 299 African American and Mexican American university students. Participants completed scales measuring racial or cultural identity and ego identity. Regression analyses indicated that ego identity was significantly related to racial identity for African Americans and cultural identity for Mexican Americans.     

A metaphor analysis in treatments of depression: Metaphor as a marker of change

This paper examines the use of ‘burden' metaphors relating to the experience of depression in one good and one poor outcome process-experiential short-term psychotherapy dyad. Burden-metaphors are meaningful as they appear to characterize the way these clients experience the course of their depressions (e.g. Korman & Angus, 1995). Understanding how these experiences are dealt with in productive therapies, as compared to less-productive treatments, can aid in therapist training and in developing therapeutic programmes for depressed clients. The Experiencing Scale (Klein et al., 1970) and the Narrative Process Coding System (Angus et al., 1996) are used to examine the processes at play when burden-metaphors are used in the good and the poor therapy. Results indicate that, in the good outcome dyad, metaphors of ‘being burdened' were transformed into metaphors of ‘unloading the burden' over the course of the therapy, while there was no transformation evident in the poor-outcome dyad. The good outcome therapy tended to have a higher level of experiencing when discussing burden-metaphors, in comparison with the poor-outcome therapy. Furthermore, the successful dyad tended to more often use internal narrative sequences (as identified by the NPCS) in the exploraiton of metaphoric expression.     

A Structural Analysis of the Impact of MMPI-2 on MMPI-1

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-1 (MMPI-1) items modified for Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) are presented in pairs to illustrate modifications. MMPI-1 items deleted from MMPI-2 are presented, grouped by categories. Frequencies of items remaining in MMPI-2 for the following special scales are presented: Harris and Lingoes subscales of the clinical scales (Harris & Lingoes, 1955/1968); Wiggins Content scales (Wiggins, 1966); Tryon, Stein, and Chu (TSC) cluster scales (Stein, 1968; Tryon, 1966); Indiana Rational scales (Levitt, 1989); and selected other special scales. Frequencies of MMPI-1 items in the MMPI-2 validity and content scales are also presented, k is concluded that most of the special scales developed for MMPI-1 remain relatively intact in MMPI-2.     

The Role for Occupational Therapists in Community Mobility Training for People With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Symptoms and behaviors of Autism Spectrum Disorders can challenge community mobility, thus hindering independence and participation in occupation. Community mobility, also called travel training, helps people make journeys safely using public transportation, enabling engagement in activities/services otherwise unavailable. Yet, few articles have been written about this topic for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The purpose of the authors in this article is to: (1) explain the need for travel training with people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders; (2) describe specific travel training assessments; (3) review literature on travel training programs; and (4) define a role for occupational therapy in travel training with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders.