Can psychiatry residents be attracted to analytic training? A survey of five residency programs

In the face of fewer psychiatrist applicants for psychoanalytic training, determining the interest of current psychiatric residents in psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychiatry is a pressing concern. To gauge this interest, an anonymous online survey was sent to residents from five psychiatry residency programs in the Midwest and South. Seventy-five residents responded, for a return rate of 42%. The data suggest that residents value psychoanalytic concepts and most plan to incorporate the practice of psychodynamic psychotherapy into their careers after graduation; however, residents have little confidence in their level of skill and the adequacy of their training. While 46% express interest in further psychodynamic psychotherapy training, only 22% express interest in psychoanalytic training. Most cite the cost and time involved as reasons they would not pursue further training. This study demonstrates that psychiatric residents have strong interest in and respect for psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. The data suggest that psychiatric residents are a viable pool of applicants for psychoanalytic training, especially if barriers to training can be reduced and creative ways for psychoanalysts to engage residents can be fostered.     

Choice biases in delayed matching-to-sample duration with pigeons: Manipulations of ITI and delayillumination

Two experiments investigated the effects of similarity between intertrial interval (ITI) and delay illumation on the choose-short effect. Different groups of pigeons learned to match 'short' (2 s) and 'long' (6 or 8 s) food samples to green and red test stimuli in a matchingto-sample procedure with a 5-s training delay.Subsequent 10- and 20-s delay tests revealed choose-short effects if the ITI and delay were both illuminated (i.e., group ON-ON), if the ITI and delay were both dark (i.e., group OFF-OFF), and if the ITI was illuminated and the delay was dark (i.e., group ON-OFF). In addition, either a choose-short effect or a chooselong effect was observed if the ITI was dark and the delay was illuminated (i.e., group OFFON). Results are incompatible with the confusion/instructionalfailure viewof the choose-short effect.     

Looking for Trouble: Preventive Genomic Sequencing in the General Population and the Role of Patient Choice

Advances in genomics have led to calls for developing population-based preventive genomic sequencing (PGS) programs with the goal of identifying genetic health risks in adults without known risk factors. One critical issue for minimizing the harms and maximizing the benefits of PGS is determining the kind and degree of control individuals should have over the generation, use, and handling of their genomic information. In this article we examine whether PGS programs should offer individuals the opportunity to selectively opt out of the sequencing or analysis of specific genomic conditions (the menu approach) or whether PGS should be implemented using an all-or-nothing panel approach. We conclude that any responsible scale-up of PGS will require a menu approach that may seem impractical to some, but that draws its justification from a rich mix of normative, legal, and practical considerations.     

A review of reading motivation scales

Reading motivation is a critical contributor to reading achievement and has the potential to influence its development. Educators, researchers, and evaluators need to select the best reading motivation scales for their research and classroom. The goals of this review were to identify a set of reading motivation student self-report scales used in research, examine the development and psychometric properties of each reading motivation scale, and compare scales on availability, reliability, age range, and motivation constructs measured. This article summarizes 16 current reading motivation scales. Findings suggest the need for more research regarding the multidimensionality of reading motivation and measures that could span early childhood to adolescence.     

Development and Evaluation of a Decision Aid for BRCA Carriers with Breast Cancer

BRCA+ breast cancer patients face high risk for a second breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Helping these women decide among risk-reducing options requires effectively conveying complex, emotionally-laden, information. To support their decision-making needs, we developed a web-based decision aid (DA) as an adjunct to genetic counseling. Phase 1 used focus groups to determine decision-making needs. These findings and the Ottawa Decision Support Framework guided the DA development. Phase 2 involved nine focus groups of four stakeholder types (BRCA+ breast cancer patients, breast cancer advocates, and genetics and oncology professionals) to evaluate the DA's decision-making utility, information content, visual display, and implementation. Overall, feedback was very favorable about the DA, especially a values and preferences ranking-exercise and an output page displaying personalized responses. Stakeholders were divided as to whether the DA should be offered at-home versus only in a clinical setting. This well-received DA will be further tested to determine accessibility and effectiveness.     

Finding the best angle: pigeons (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Columba livia</Emphasis>) weight angular information more heavily than relative wall length in an open-field geometry task

Pigeons were trained to locate food in two geometrically equivalent corners of a parallelogram-shaped enclosure. Both the angular amplitude of the corners and the length of the walls alone were sufficient for successfully completing the task. Following training, birds were tested in three separate conditions that manipulated the geometric information available. During tests in both a rectangular-shaped enclosure that preserved the wall length information but not the angular amplitude, and a rhombus-shaped enclosure that did the opposite, pigeons located their goal corners with a high degree of accuracy, indicating an ability to use both types of geometric information in isolation. This result is consistent with prior research with domestic chicks. However, in a conflict test in a reverse parallelogram-shaped enclosure, in which the correct angular location was paired with an incorrect wall length location, birds showed a preference for the correct angular location. This suggests that pigeons weight angles more heavily than wall lengths in this type of navigation task, which differs from findings in a similar task conducted with the domestic chick. Results in the conflict test also suggest that pigeons did not use the principal axis as their main strategy of small-scale navigation.