The effects of limited and intensive school psychologist-teacher consultation

Effects of two modes of school psychological consultation were examined against four main outcomes: (1) changes in teacher understanding of the child, (2) the direction of the changes in teacher understanding of the child, (3) teacher satisfaction with consultation, and (4) teacher follow-through on psychologist's recommendations. The two consultative modes were differentiated by the amount of time and by the length and elaboration of the psychological report. Eight school psychologists alternated in acting out the different consultative modes, plus a control condition, with a total of 120 teachers who had referred children. Data were obtained through paper and pencil questionnaires completed pre- and postconsultation by teacher and psychologist. The results strongly supported the intensive over the limited consultation, and any consultation over no consultation.     

Parallel and competing operations in visual and memory search

Two adjacent probe letters exposed at variable asynchrony are searched for the presence of one target letter drawn from a set of one, three, or five memorized targets. Latency of decision was longer at 70-msec ISI than at 150, 300, and 500, except that at 300-msec ISI there was also an elevated response lateney to a target when it occurred as the first of two probes. Models of search through successive probes must be qualified to accommodate these divergences from monotonicity. Interference between near-simultaneous inputs may account for the longer lateney at 70-msee ISI, and competition for processing capacity by operations at different processing stages could be involved in the effeet at 300-msec ISI. 1972, Psychonomic Society, Inc., Austin, Texas     

Coping Activities in Solitary Confinement of U.S. Navy POWs in Vietnam1

A questionnaire was developed and administered to 137 Navy aviators, who were repatriated prisoners of war (RPWs) from North Vietnam, to investigate the usefulness of specific “time-killing” activities or adaptational strategies for coping with extensive periods of solitary confimement during captivity. Factor analysis of the usefulness scores resulted in the derivation of four factors accounting for 32% of the variance: (1) Captor-Captive Relationship, (2) Reliving the Past, (3) Repetitive Behavior, and (4) Self-development Activities. Factor 1 coping activities were rated as most useful, and Factor 3 as least useful. Factor 2 activities were used by most RPWs during the first few weeks in solitary, while Factor 4 activities were not used until later. In addition, the usefulness of all four factors increased significantly over time. The results were discussed in terms of the personality characteristics of aviators, and theoretical formulations emphasizing the individual's need for optimal stimulation.     

A subset selection technique for scoring items on a multiple choice test

On a multiple-choice test in which each item hask alternative responses, the test taker is permitted to choose any subset which he believes contains the one correct answer. A scoring system is devised that depends on the size of the subset and on whether or not the correct answer is eliminated. The mean and variance of the score per item are obtained. Methods are derived for determining the total number of items that should be included on the test so that the average score on all items can be regarded as a good measure of the subject's knowledge. Efficiency comparisons between conventional and the subset selection scoring procedures are made. The analogous problem ofr > 1 correct answers for each item (withr fixed and known) is also considered.The authors are grateful to M. Aitkin, C. Coombs, F. Lord, and the reviewers for their comments and suggestions.     

On being imitated: Effects on models and observers

Forty first- and second-grade children were imitated by an adult confederate and not imitated by a second adult confederate. For each child exposed to the above treatment, another child observed the imitation and nonimitation. It was found that children tended to be attracted to the confederate who imitated them. More importantly, although the observers were not imitated, they also were attracted to the imitating confederate. The two groups did not differ significantly in subsequent imitation of the two confederates. The results, which were conceptualized within the framework of vicarious reinforcement, have methodological implications for research on the effects of being imitated.     

Suicide Attempt Self-Injury Interview (SASII): development, reliability, and validity of a scale to assess suicide attempts and intentional self-injury

The authors describe the development of the Suicide Attempt Self-Injury Interview (SASII), an instrument designed to assess the factors involved in nonfatal suicide attempts and intentional self-injury. Using 4 cohorts of participants, authors generated SASII items and evaluated them with factor and content analyses and internal consistency statistics. The final measure was assessed for reliability and validity with collateral measures. The SASII assesses variables related to method, lethality and impulsivity of the act, likelihood of rescue, suicide intent or ambivalence and other motivations, consequences, and habitual self-injury. The SASII was found to have very good interrater reliability and adequate validity.