EARLY AND CURRENT READING AND SPELLING PRACTICES OF GIFTED SPELLERS

This study continued investigating the early reading and spelling experiences as well as the spelling practices of the finalists in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee, specifically the 1987 spellers who were considered gifted spellers. Two open-ended questionnaires were used: one for the parents of the spellers and one for the spellers. A follow-up telephone interview was conducted with a random sample of respondents. Results indicated that gifted spellers showed an early interest in language arts activities with 86% of the parents reporting that their children could read prior to formal schooling. The spellers considered themselves avid readers and indicated sophisticated metacognitive awareness whether reading or spelling. Results that suggested the spellers passed through developmental spelling stages far earlier than average children and relied on visual memory strategies, word meanings, and saying/writing words to master the orthography replicated findings from an earlier study.     

Behavioral Strategies to Minimize Procedural Distress During In-Office Pediatric Tympanostomy Tube Placement Without Sedation or Restraint

Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings - The purpose of this study was to evaluate behavioral strategies to minimize procedural distress associated with in-office tympanostomy tube...     

Suicide Ideation in Female Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma: The Trauma Source Matters

Female veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST) are at elevated suicide risk, yet knowledge is limited regarding correlates of suicide ideation (SI) in this population. MST is associated with a higher risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relative to other trauma types; however, no studies have examined whether experiencing SI differs based on the source of PTSD symptoms (MST‐related, non–MST‐related). Female service members/veterans (SM/Vs; n = 311) who screened positive for MST and reported exposure to a Criterion A event completed an online survey assessing self‐reported demographics, PTSD, depression, the source of their PTSD symptoms, and SI. Ninety‐one (29.3%) reported experiencing current SI, and 223 (71.7%) identified MST as the source of their current PTSD symptoms. Participants who identified MST as the source of their PTSD symptoms were over two times more likely to report SI, compared to those who described non–MST‐related events as the source of their PTSD symptoms. Compared to those who reported the source of their PTSD symptoms as combat‐/deployment‐related, those who identified MST as the source were at least three times as likely to report current SI. Results underscore the importance of efforts to address MST‐related PTSD symptoms when working with female SM/Vs.     

As the Lights Fade: A Grounded Theory of Male Professional Athletes’ Decision-Making and Transition to Retirement

Retirement can be particularly challenging for professional athletes, given their commitment and identification with their sport. The purpose of this study was to examine how American male professional athletes make the decision to retire and how that decision process affects transition in retirement. The researchers used constructivist grounded theory to analyze personal accounts from professional athletes who wrote about retirement, and a model on the decision-making and transition process of retirement was developed. The findings show that athletes struggle in retirement, but by relying on their social support, they can accept the conclusion of their career as a professional athlete.