Intrusive Imagery Experiences in a High Dysmorphic Concern Population

Intrusive imagery may be an important factor in cognitive-behavioural models of body image. Some research has examined the role of imagery within body image disorders; however, little is known about the association between intrusive imagery and body image concern in the general population. The aims of the present study were threefold: 1) to document the content and contexts of intrusive appearance-related images experienced by individuals high in dysmorphic concern, 2) to investigate the relationship between dysmorphic concern and appearance-related imagery, and 3) to investigate the relationships between dysmorphic concern and image suppression. Sixty-five (55 female) undergraduates participated in semi-structured interviews on imagery. Intrusive appearance-related images were common, and mostly involved negative self-imagery and/or images of other people showing disgust toward the individual. Many of the images occurred within social contexts, and depicted present and future selves in undesirable terms and past or ideal selves in desirable terms. There was no relationship between dysmorphic concern and the quality or frequency of intrusive appearance-related images. Importantly, attempts to suppress imagery predicted dysmorphic concern, controlling for general psychopathology.     

Attitudes towards cancer as a function of experience with the disease: A test of three models

Abstract

The present study develops and tests three models that can account for the relationship between cancer attitudes and experience with the disease. Individuals were classified according to the extent of their experience with cancer: personal experience, familial experience and minimal experience. In three studies, each using a different sample and different method of attitude measurement, it was found that those with personal cancer experience held the most positive attitudes towards cancer, while those with familial cancer experience held the most negative attitudes. These findings are consistent with the predictions of the proposed dual process model. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of understanding the impact that cancer attitudes have on the physical and emotional management of the disease.     

Executive Functions in Preschool Children Born Preterm: Application of Cognitive Neuroscience Paradigms

Although children born preterm are at risk for neuropsychological impairments at school age and adolescence, including difficulties with visual motor integration, spatial/constructional skills, attention, arithmetic, and nonverbal executive functions, specific neuropsychological outcome has not been investigated adequately in preschoolers. Application of cognitive neuroscience tasks offers the opportunity to characterize early executive functions in young children born preterm. In a preliminary sample of 29 preschool children born preterm (M birth gestational age = 32.4 weeks), executive function outcome was compared to that of fullterm controls by contrasting performance on two prototypic delayed-response-type paradigms, Delayed Alternation and Spatial Reversal. Preschoolers born preterm correctly retrieved the reward on fewer trials on Delayed Alternation than did matched controls. Furthermore, preschool children born preterm used problem-solving strategies that included more perseverative errors than controls. These preliminary findings highlight the utility of cognitive neuroscience paradigms to understand neuropsychological outcome in preschool children born preterm and suggest areas of developmental vulnerability that may include dorsolateral prefrontal circuits.     

Left-Right Differences on Timed Motor Examination in Children

Age-related change in the difference between left- and right-side speed on motor examination may be an important indicator of maturation. Cortical maturation and myelination of the corpus callosum are considered to be related to increased bilateral skill and speed on timed motor tasks. We compared left minus right foot, hand, and finger speed differences using the Revised Physical and Neurological Assessment for Subtle Signs (PANESS; Denckla, 1985 Denckla, M. B. 1985. Revised neurological examination for subtle signs. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 21: 773–779. [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]); examining 130 typically developing right-handed children (65 boys, 65 girls) ages 7–14. Timed tasks included right and left sets of 20 toe taps, 10 toe-heel alternation sequences, 20 hand pats, 10 hand pronate-supinate sets, 20 finger taps, and 5 sequences of each finger-to-thumb apposition. For each individual, six difference scores between left- and right-sided speeded performances of timed motor tasks were analyzed. Left-right differences decreased significantly with age on toe tapping, heel-toe alternations, hand pronation-supination, finger repetition, and finger sequencing. There were significant gender effects for heel-toe sequences (boys showing a greater left-right difference than girls), and a significant interaction between age and gender for hand pronation-supination, such that the magnitude of the left-right difference was similar for younger, compared with older girls, while the difference was significantly larger for younger, compared to older boys. Speed of performing right and left timed motor tasks equalizes with development; for some tasks, the equalization occurs earlier in girls than in boys.     

The Gendered Expressions of Self-Control: Manifestations of Noncriminal Deviance Among Females

The present study explores the relationships between Gottfredson and Hirschi's (1990 Gottfredson , Michael R. and Hirschi , Travis . 1990 . A General Theory of Crime . Stanford , CA : Stanford University Press . [Google Scholar]) concept of low self-control and two forms of deviance more common among females than males, borderline personality characteristics and eating disorders. Ordinary least squares regression models revealed that self-control was significantly associated with both borderline personality characteristics and eating disorder symptoms among a sample of 161 female undergraduates. The findings of the present study highlight the potential utility in expanding our focus of the effects of low self-control beyond traditional analogous behaviors, especially when attempting to understand female behavior.     

Capturing the Child’s Perspective: A Review of Self-Report Measures used with Children

Recent policy extends the patient-professional collaboration in making health care decisions to children. As a result, the development of self-reporting measures allowing children to express their concerns is growing. A literature review identified 33 self-report measures for children among a range of disciplines. While these tools allow children to be part of the rehabilitation process, the information obtained does not seem to capture what matters to children. This is particularly true for children with mental illness whose views are often ignored. More research is needed on clinical approaches that access the unique experiences of children with mental illness.     

Personality characteristics and state mood influence individual deck selections on the Iowa Gambling Task

The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is commonly used to assess risky decision making in clinical and non-clinical populations, and negative mood and various personality characteristics have been shown to affect the number of advantageous and disadvantageous selections on this task. Recent research has suggested that IGT data should be analyzed at the individual deck level due to differences in frequency and magnitude of losses, and the present study examined how personality characteristics and state mood may affect deck level selections on this task. Participants were 91 undergraduate students (38 male) who completed measures of impulsivity and sensation seeking, behavioral activation and inhibition, state mood, and the computerized IGT. Results indicated that negative mood, drive, impulsivity, and sensation seeking were all positively correlated with Deck B selections, but negatively correlated with Deck D selections. No differences emerged in correlations between Decks A and B or Decks A and D. Results indicate that mood and personality characteristics differentially relate to selections from the individual decks on the IGT. Results have implications for the assessment of decision making, as personality and fluctuations in state-dependent mood could mimic pathological risk-taking if analysis is conducted on the combined decks.     

Alternative Methodologies in Research Literature Review: Links Between Clinical Work and MFT Effectiveness

Traditionally, "good outcome research" has referred to laboratory-based, controlled studies that report the efficacy of a given treatment on a specific population. Although useful and needed in the struggle to establish MFTs as accepted mental health service providers, this type of research does not address whether MFT is effective in "real world" settings. In order to highlight the clinical and professional relevance of existing effectiveness research, this article reviews 15 years of clinical research in three major family therapy journals. The results suggest that 1) MFT effectiveness is under-represented in major review articles, 2) clinicians can use a variety of methodologies to establish the effectiveness of their work, and 3) more research is needed that investigates how and why MFT works in "real world" settings. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

When Implicitly and Explicitly Measured Racial Attitudes Align: The Roles of Social Desirability and Thoughtful Responding

This set of studies compares the effects of choice among partners versus assignment to partner in an outcome-dependent context. In both studies, White participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions. In the first condition participants were assigned to a White partner, in a second condition they were assigned to a Black partner, and in a third condition they were given a choice between a Black and a White partner. Regardless of condition, all participants read essentially equivalent information about the targets. Results showed that participants given a choice generally preferred the White partner (especially if they held negative attitudes toward Blacks in general) and, rated her more favorably, whereas those assigned to a partner tended to rate their assigned partner more favorably regardless of race. Those given a choice of partner also construed their chosen partner more positively and rated her as more similar to themselves. In contrast, however, those assigned to a partner tended not to construe their partners in these ways. Results were discussed in terms of motivated reasoning theory.