Pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia and affective disorders: Behavioral assessment of psychiatric medications

Objectively defined, publicly observable ward behaviors (body activity, extremity activity, scanning, social interaction, proximity, participation, laughing/smiling, and idiosyncratic behavior) emitted by psychiatric inpatients with either schizophrenic or affective disorders were time sampled both before and during the administration of psychiatric medications (neuroleptics, tricyclics, and lithium). The data indicate that the primary effects of the pharmacological interventions are confined to activity measures and symptoms rather than social behaviors. The implications of these results for treatment protocols are discussed in terms of interactions between pharmacological and psychosocial interventions. In addition, rates of behavior during treatment were related to baseline rates via a log-log function of negative slope, a result that is consistent with data derived from the infrahuman laboratories. Taken together the results provide support for attempts to relate preclinical and clinical psychopharmacology and suggest that behavioral assessment can be applied profitably to drug effects in clinical situations.These investigations were supported in part by State of Illinois Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Grants RD836-13 and RD622-02 to the first author. The cooperation of the Illinois State Psychiatric Institute staff is gratefully acknowledged. Assistance in data collection was provided by S. Sussman and K. Mueser.     

The utilization of visual information in the control of rapid sequential aiming movements.

Two experiments were conducted to examine the role of vision in the execution of a movement sequence. Experiment 1 investigated whether individual components of a sequential movement are controlled together or separately. Participants executed a rapid aiming movement to two targets in sequence. A full vision condition was compared to a condition in which vision was eliminated while in contact with the first target. The size of the first target was constant, while the second target size was varied. Target size had an influence on movement time and peak velocity to the first target. Vision condition and target size did not affect the time spent on the first target. These results suggest that preparation of the second movement is completed before the first movement is terminated. Experiment 2 examined when this preparation occurred. A full vision condition was compared to a condition in which vision was occluded during the flight phase of the first movement. Movement initiation times were shorter when vision was continually available. Total movement time was reduced with vision in two-target condition, but not in a control one-target condition. The time spent on the first target was greater when vision was not available during the first movement component. The results indicate that vision prior to movement onset can be used to formulate a movement plan to both targets in the sequence [Fischman & Reeve (1992).     

Visual Perception in Japanese Rock Garden Design

We present an investigation into the relation between design principles in Japanese gardens, and their associated perceptual effects. This leads to the realization that a set of design principles described in a Japanese gardening text by Shingen (1466), shows many parallels to the visual effects of perceptual grouping, studied by the Gestalt school of psychology. Guidelines for composition of rock clusters closely relate to perception of visual figure. Garden design elements are arranged into patterns that simplify figure-ground segmentation, while seemingly balancing the visual salience of subparts and the global arrangement. Visual ‘ground’ is analyzed via medial axis transformation (MAT), often associated with shape perception in humans. MAT analysis reveals implicit structure in the visual ground of a quintessential rock garden design. The MAT structure enables formal comparison of structure of figure and ground. They share some aesthetic qualities, with interesting differences. Both contain naturalistic asymmetric, self-similar, branching structures. While the branching pattern of the ground converges towards the viewer, that of the figure converges in the opposite direction.     

Opinion leadership in a computer‐mediated environment

This paper investigates the characteristics of opinion leaders within the computer‐mediated environment, analyses the differences between online opinion leaders and online non‐leaders and examines the implications of opinion leadership theory for e‐commerce. This study finds that opinion leaders in computer‐mediated environments possess significantly higher levels of enduring involvement, innovativeness, exploratory behaviour and self‐perceived knowledge than non‐leaders. Online opinion leaders also possess greater computer skills, have used the internet for a longer period of time and use the internet more frequently for longer sessions than non‐leaders. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inferring Social Disposition by Sound and Surface Appearance in Infancy

Adults automatically infer a person’s social disposition and future behavior based on the many properties they observe about how they look and sound. The goal of the current study is to explore the developmental origins of this bias. We tested whether 12-month-old infants automatically infer a character’s social disposition (e.g., whether they are likely to “help” or “hinder” another character’s goal) based on the sounds and visual features those characters display. Infants were habituated to 2 characters, 1 that possessed more positive properties (e.g., a soft, fluffy appearance and a happy-sounding laugh) or more negative properties (e.g., a sharp, pointy appearance and a deep, ominous laugh). During test trials, we observed that infants looked longer at events that involved characters engaging in social actions toward another that were inconsistent rather than consistent with the valence of how they looked and sounded during habituation. Two control conditions support the interpretation that infants’ responses were based on an inferred causal relationship between a character’s features and its disposition rather than on some noncausal associations between the positive and negative valences of the characteristics and actions. Together, these studies suggest that infants are biased to connect an agent’s audiovisual features to their social behavior.     

Genes Determine Stability and the Environment Determines Change in Cognitive Ability During 35 Years of Adulthood

ABSTRACT— Previous research has demonstrated stability of cognitive ability and marked heritability during adulthood, but questions remain about the extent to which genetic factors account for this stability. We conducted a 35-year longitudinal assessment of general cognitive ability using the Armed Forces Qualification Test administered to 7,232 male twins in early adulthood and readministered to a subset of 1,237 twins during late middle age. The proportion of variance in cognitive functioning explained by genetic factors was .49 in young adulthood and .57 in late middle age. The correlation between the two administrations was .74 with a genetic correlation of 1.0, indicating that the same genetic influences operated at both times. Genetic factors were primarily responsible for stability, and nonshared environmental factors were primarily responsible for change. The genetic factors influencing cognition may change across other eras, but the same genetic influences are operating from early adulthood to late middle age.     

Reliability of the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths-Mental Health (CANS-MH) Scale

We examined the interrater reliability of the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths-Mental Health (CANS-MH) scale among researchers and between researchers and clinicians. All children presenting to a treatment facility for either protective or mental health needs were eligible to be included in the study. As part of standard assessment procedure, all children entering the facility were described by caseworkers using the CANS-MH. A random sample of 60 cases was selected and researchers made retrospective assessments using the CANS-MH based on chart review. Results of the interrater reliability support previous findings that the CANS-MH is a reliable measure of clinical and psychosocial needs and strengths. Results also suggest that ratings on the CANS-MH based on medical record abstraction by researchers relate to ratings performed by clinical staff, demonstrating the clinical and research utility of the CANS-MH. The CANS-MH can be used reliably to assess the type and severity of problem presentation, risk behaviors, functioning, care intensity and organization, caregiver capacity and strengths among children with protective and mental health needs. In addition, items of the CANS-MH appear to be reliable supporting the use of these items individually. Findings are relevant to the ongoing delivery of clinical services, monitoring of quality assurance, and outcomes.     

Minority Stress and Same‐Sex Relationship Satisfaction: The Role of Concealment Motivation

Most lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people want a stable, satisfying romantic relationship. Although many of the predictors of relationship outcomes are similar to those of heterosexual couples, same‐sex couples face some additional challenges associated with minority stress that also impact upon relationship quality. Here, we investigate the association between minority stressors and relationship quality in a sample of 363 adults (M age = 30.37, SD = 10.78) currently in a same‐sex romantic relationship. Internalized homophobia and difficulties accepting one's LGB identity were each negatively associated with relationship satisfaction via heightened concealment motivation. We also examined the protective role of identity affirmation on relationship quality, finding a direct positive relationship between the two variables. Minority stressors were negatively associated with couple relationship satisfaction via heightened concealment motivation. The finding that identity affirmation directly predicted increased couple satisfaction also highlights the important role of protective factors in same‐sex couple relationships.