Factors Related to Outcome in a School-based Intensive Mental Health Program: An Examination of Nonresponders

We examined factors related to treatment responders (n = 35) and nonresponders (n = 16) in a group of 51 children admitted to the Intensive Mental Health Program (IMHP). Children’s response to treatment was coded based on their functioning at intake and discharge using total CAFAS scores. Demographic variables, length of treatment, number of diagnoses and medications, and history of physical/emotional abuse or neglect did not significantly distinguish between responders and nonresponders. Nonresponders were more likely to present with a history of suspected or confirmed sexual abuse, internalizing diagnoses, or comorbid internalizing and externalizing diagnoses. Although the small sample size may limit interpretations, our findings indicate treatment programs need augmentation when children with serious emotional disturbances (SED) may be at risk for not responding to interventions.     

Infants' discrimination of happy and sad music

Infants can detect information specifying affect in infant- and adult-directed speech, familiar and unfamiliar facial expressions, and in point-light displays of facial expressions. We examined 3-, 5-, 7-, and 9-month-olds' discrimination of musical excerpts judged by adults and preschoolers as happy and sad. In Experiment 1, using an infant-controlled habituation procedure, 3-, 5-, 7-, and 9-month-olds heard three musical excerpts that were rated as either happy or sad. Following habituation, infants were presented with two new musical excerpts from the other affect group. Nine-month-olds discriminated the musical excerpts rated as affectively different. Five- and seven-month-olds discriminated the happy and sad excerpts when they were habituated to sad excerpts but not when they were habituated to happy excerpts. Three-month-olds showed no evidence of discriminating the sad and happy excerpts. In Experiment 2, 5-, 7-, and 9-month-olds were presented with two new musical excerpts from the same affective group as the habituation excerpts. At no age did infants discriminate these novel, yet affectively similar, musical excerpts. In Experiment 3, we examined 5-, 7-, and 9-month-olds' discrimination of individual excerpts rated as affectively similar. Only the 9-month-olds discriminated the affectively similar individual excerpts. Results are discussed in terms of infants' ability to discriminate affect across a variety of events and its relevance for later social-communicative development.     

A thematic analysis of attributions to others for the origins and ongoing nature of pain in community pain sufferers

Research suggests that pain sufferers can attribute their pain to others. However, this work is scarce, lacking in detail and does not focus on any particular time during the pain experience. To understand how these attributions operate in pain, this study sought to examine as an exclusive focus the types, context of, and rationale for attributions made to others for the origins and ongoing nature of pain. A community pain sample was voluntarily recruited into the study to gain a comprehensive understanding of these attributions and minimise potential group-specific bias. Sixty-two participants were interviewed using semi-structured questions about cause, responsibility and blame for pain. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis. Attributions to others emerged across interview questions. Acquaintances, professionals and strangers were implicated in pain onset for reasons including negligence, accident and attack. Few additional attributions were made for pain now. Those made were mostly to medical professionals for perceived poor treatment of an original pain condition encompassing issues related to compliance, diagnosis and treatment and searching for alternative pain solutions. This research provides insight into the social context in which pain attributions to others are reported, and provides the basis for research into largely untapped areas including the implications particular attributions have for adjustment to pain and relationships with others.     

Effects of a computer-assisted language intervention in a rural Nevada center

A computer-assisted language intervention, Fast ForWord-Language (FFW-L), was tested at a rural Nevada center in a group of children (Grades 2-12) referred by parents and teachers to assess enhancement of language skills. Given conflicting results from previous studies, language scores were measured using Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Third Edition (CELF-3) before and after the FFW-L intervention. 58 children's CELF-3 postintervention scores were adjusted for age-specific expected changes and compared with pretest scores. Adjusted scores increased in both receptive and expressive domains of the CELF-3. Children with prior diagnoses of language and/or learning impairment did not differ from other referrals on adjusted CELF-3 adjusted gain scores after treatment. Thus the Fast ForWord-Language intervention may benefit a much broader group of children referred by parents and teachers for language or reading problems.     

The Temporally Extended Self: The Relation of Past and Future Selves to Current Identity,Motivation, and Goal Pursuit

People's current identity is constructed not only in the present moment but also by looking back to past selves and forward to future selves. In this article, we review research on the temporally extended self, with a focus on recent work informed by temporal self‐appraisal theory. People often recall the past and imagine the future in ways that contribute to a favorable current identity. Subjective temporal distance (how near or distant a point in time feels) plays a powerful role in determining temporal self‐appraisals. In turn, people's judgments of subjective distance can shift when considering temporal selves with good or bad implications for current identity. We will describe research exploring the complex interconnections between past, present, and future identity. In addition, we consider some of the unique implications that people's constructions of future selves might have for their plans and goals, and how predicted selves might influence goal‐pursuit motivation and behavior.     

Career exploration in adolescents: The role of anxiety, attachment, and parenting style

The aim of the study was to examine the role of parent-adolescent attachment, adolescent anxiety and parenting style in the career exploration process and in career satisfaction. Three kinds of anxiety were considered: general trait anxiety, fear of failing in one’s career and fear of disappointing one’s parents. The participants were 283 French high school students on the threshold of one of the most important school transitions. The results varied by gender. For girls, general anxiety and neglectful style were negatively related to career exploration; secure attachment and fear of failing were positively related to it. For boys, fear of disappointing parents was positively related to career exploration. Attachment to parents, authoritative style, general anxiety, and fear of failing were related to some career exploration satisfaction scores, though differently for boys and girls. The differences between boys and girls in the roles played by anxiety, attachment and parenting style are discussed.     

Perceptions of and satisfaction with retirement: a comparison of six European union countries

The main aim of this study was to assess perceptions of and satisfaction with retirement among 1,686 recently retired people from 6 European Union countries. The authors compared their responses to a set of questions taken from the Retirement Satisfaction Inventory (F. J. Floyd et al., 1992). The first significant result was that Belgian, British, Finnish, French, and Spanish retirees all expressed very similar assessments of life satisfaction, whereas Portuguese retirees expressed a lower level of satisfaction. The 2nd result was that the major determinants of overall satisfaction in the 6 countries were (a) health and resources and (b) anticipated satisfaction. Finally, the data revealed that cultural background only accounted for a limited amount of variance in overall satisfaction with retirement.     

Intrusive memories and rumination in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder: a phenomenological comparison

The aim of the study was to investigate the phenomenological differences between intrusive memories and rumination in PTSD. The study population consisted of 31 patients with PTSD referred for cognitive behavioural therapy to specialist services. A semi-structured interview was used to examine the characteristics of the most prominent intrusive memory and rumination. Intrusive memories were predominantly sensory experiences of short duration, whereas rumination was predominantly a thought process of longer duration. Shame was associated more with rumination than with intrusive memories. Anxiety, helplessness, numbness, and threat were greater at the time of the trauma than when experiencing the intrusive memory. In contrast, feelings like anger and sadness were greater when experiencing intrusive memories than at the time of the event. The distinction between intrusive memories and rumination is of clinical importance as intrusive memories usually decrease with imaginal reliving of the trauma, whereas rumination may require different therapeutic strategies, such as rumination-focused or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.     

The Relations of Effortful Control and Impulsivity to Children's Sympathy: A Longitudinal Study

The relations of children's (n = 214 at Time 1; M age = 6 years at Time 1) dispositional sympathy to adult-reported and behavioral measures of effortful control (EC) and impulsivity were examined in a longitudinal study including five assessments, each two years apart. Especially for boys, relatively high levels of EC and growth in EC were related to high sympathy. Teacher-reported impulsivity was generally modestly negatively related to measures of teacher-reported sympathy for boys, and a decline in impulsivity was linked to boys’ sympathy. Some findings suggested a positive association between impulsivity and children's self-reported sympathy. EC, especially when reported by teachers, was more often a unique predictor of sympathy than was impulsivity. Results generally support the argument that sympathetic individuals, especially boys, are high in EC and that EC is a more consistent predictor of sympathy than impulsivity.