The effect of stimulus delivery technique on perceived intensity functions for taste stimuli: Implications for fMRI studies

Classic psychophysical studies have provided significant information on the psychophysical functions for taste stimuli. With the advent of fMRI, studies are being conducted that provide insight into central processing of gustation in humans. However, fMRI experiments impose physical limitations on stimulus delivery. In the present study, we compared psychophysical functions relating perceived intensity to concentration, derived from previous studies that used the traditional sip-and-spit and dorsal flow delivery techniques, to psychophysical functions generated in this study using a simulated stimulus delivery technique (SSDT). The SSDT delivered minute quantities of taste stimuli to the dorsal surface of the tongue, just as in an fMRI scanner. As was hypothesized, the results indicated that slopes of intensity functions were dependent on the type of stimulus delivery technique. The SSDT resulted in slopes that were more similar to those generated by dorsal flow than by sip-andspit stimulus delivery techniques, suggesting the importance of considering the influence of stimulus delivery on psychophysical response in designing and interpreting experiments.     

Establishing Derived Manding for Specific Amounts with Three Children: An Attempt at Synthesizing Skinner’s Verbal Behavior with Relational Frame Theory

The Psychological Record - Participants were 2 typically developing children, aged 9 and 10 years, and 1 child, aged 4 years, with a reported severe speech delay. Five specific mand functions were...     

The consequences of effortful emotion regulation when processing distressing material: A comparison of suppression and acceptance

The present study investigated the consequences of different forms of emotion regulation. Eighty nine healthy participants viewed a distressing video of the aftermath of road traffic accidents under either suppression (of both felt and expressed affect), acceptance, or no-regulation control instructions and the immediate and longer-term consequences on emotion, mood, and memory were examined. Suppression (relative to control) led to reduced subjective experience of fear when viewing the video, but did not alter electrodermal (EDA) or heart rate (HR) response. Subsequently, suppression led to a less marked subjective emotional reaction to positive but not negative emotional images, reduced free recall memory of the video, and a greater likelihood of experiencing zero intrusions of the video's content. Acceptance (relative to control) had no impact when viewing the video, was associated with a less marked increase in EDA activity in the 5 min period immediately after viewing the video, a more marked HR deceleration and EDA response to both positive and negative images, and elevated negative affect at one week follow-up. These findings suggest, contrary to the current clinical zeitgeist, that emotion suppression can successfully lead to an ongoing down-regulation of emotion and memory, whereas acceptance may elevate subsequent emotionality.     

DERIVED MORE‐LESS RELATIONAL MANDS IN CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM

In Experiment 1, more and less relations were trained for arbitrary Stimuli A1 and A2 with 3 children with autism. The following conditional discriminations were then trained: A1‐B1, A2‐B2, B1‐C1, B2‐C2. In subsequent tests, participants showed derived more‐less mands (mand with C1 for more and mand with C2 for less). A training procedure reversed the B‐C conditional discriminations, and participants then showed derived reversed more—less mands (mand with C1 for less, C2 for more). Baseline B‐C relations were retrained, and participants subsequently demonstrated a return to the original derived manding. A second experiment with 1 prior participant and 1 naive participant removed a possible confounding effect. Establishing derived manding may be an advantageous component when teaching a mand repertoire in applied settings.     

The Effectiveness of Family History Questionnaires in Cancer Genetic Counseling

The number of individuals receiving genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome has steadily risen. To triage patients for genetic counseling and to help reduce the amount of time needed by a genetic counselor in direct patient contact, many clinics have implemented the use of family history questionnaires. Although such questionnaires are widely used, scant literature exists evaluating their effectiveness. This article explores the extent to which family history questionnaires are being used in Ontario and addresses the utility of such questionnaires in one familial cancer clinic. By comparing the pedigrees created from questionnaires to those updated during genetic counseling, the accuracy and effectiveness of the questionnaires was explored. Of 121 families recruited into the study, 12% acquired changes to their pedigree that led to a revised probability estimate for having a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation and 5% acquired changes that altered their eligibility for genetic testing. No statistically significant difference existed between the eligibility for genetic testing prior to and post counseling. This suggests that family history questionnaires can be effective at obtaining a family history and accurately assessing eligibility for genetic testing. Based on the variables that were significantly associated with a change in probability estimate, we further present recommendations for improving the clarity of such questionnaires and therefore the ease of use by patients.     

Sensitization and habituation regulate reinforcer effectiveness

We argue that sensitization and habituation occur to the sensory properties of reinforcers when those reinforcers are presented repeatedly or for a prolonged time. Sensitization increases, and habituation decreases, the ability of a reinforcer to control behavior. Supporting this argument, the rate of operant responding changes systematically within experimental sessions even when the programmed rate of reinforcement is held constant across the session. These within-session changes in operant responding are produced by repeated delivery of the reinforcer, and their empirical characteristics correspond to the characteristics of behavior undergoing sensitization and habituation. Two characteristics of habituation (dishabituation, stimulus specificity) are particularly useful in separating habituation from alternative explanations. Arguing that habituation occurs to reinforcers expands the domain of habituation. The argument implies that habituation occurs to biologically important, not just to neutral, stimuli. The argument also implies that habituation may be observed in “voluntary” (operant), not just in reflexive, behavior. Expanding the domain of habituation has important implications for understanding operant and classical conditioning. Habituation may also contribute to the regulation of motivated behaviors. Habituation provides a more accurate and a less cumbersome explanation for motivated behaviors than homeostasis. Habituation also has some surprising, and easily testable, implications for the control of motivated behaviors.     

Intensive Family-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Applications for Treatment of Medication Partial- or Nonresponders

Serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are both effective treatments for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Despite recommendations that youth with OCD be treated with CBT alone or together with serotonin reuptake inhibitor medication, many youth are treated with medication alone or with non-CBT psychotherapy initially. Although effective, symptom remission with medication alone is rare (e.g., only 21.4% of youth achieved remission with sertraline in the Pediatric OCD Treatment Study, 2004) and residual symptoms often remain (e.g., 58% of subjects in the March et al. [1998] sertraline trial were not considered treatment responders). This paper reviews the literature on the efficacy of CBT for pediatric OCD, particularly as it relates to the treatment of youth with prior inadequate response to medication. It also describes an intensive, family-based CBT program for children and adolescents with OCD and support for its efficacy among those with prior partial- or nonresponse to medication. Finally, we present a case study of an adolescent girl with OCD who participated in the intensive treatment program after having limited benefit from medication and non-CBT psychotherapy and experienced a favorable response.     

Enhancing treatment for school-age children who stutter II. Reducing bullying through role-playing and self-disclosure

This paper describes several treatment strategies that clinicians can use to help children who stutter who are experiencing bullying and other negative reactions from their peers. Specific strategies include problem-solving activities designed to help the child develop appropriate responses to bullying and a classroom presentation designed to educate peers about stuttering. To facilitate clinicians' application of these techniques, the strategies are presented in the context of a case study involving a 9-year-old boy who participated in a comprehensive treatment program for stuttering. Following treatment, the child exhibited an increased ability to respond to bullying experiences in a constructive fashion. In addition, negative comments by the child's peers diminished following the classroom presentation. Findings suggest that clinicians can help children overcome bullying and other negative reactions associated with stuttering through a number of well-supported treatment strategies that can be applied in a variety of clinical settings. Educational objectives: After reading this article, participants will be able to: (1) define bullying and teasing and explain the difference between the two experiences; (2) describe two strategies for helping children who stutter successfully manage bullying experiences at school and in other settings; and (3) explain two strategies for educating children about stuttering and about bullying.     

Enhancing treatment for school-age children who stutter I. Reducing negative reactions through desensitization and cognitive restructuring

This paper describes several treatment strategies that clinicians can use to address negative affective, behavioral, and cognitive reactions that school-age children who stutter may experience as part of their disorder. Specific strategies include desensitization to stuttering, cognitive restructuring, self-acceptance, purposeful self-disclosure, and a combination of both fluency enhancing and stuttering modification approaches. To facilitate clinicians' application of these techniques, the strategies are presented in the context of a case study involving a 9-year-old boy who participated in a comprehensive treatment program for stuttering. Following treatment, the child exhibited improved communication attitudes and a reduced frequency and severity of stuttering, combined with reduced concern about stuttering, as indicated through formal and informal assessments. Findings suggest that clinicians can help children overcome the negative reactions associated with stuttering through a number of treatment strategies that can be applied in a variety of clinical settings. Educational objectives: After reading this article, participants will be able to: (1) define desensitization and cognitive restructuring and provide two arguments in favor of using these strategies in treatment for school-age children who stutter; (2) describe two treatment strategies for helping school-age children achieve desensitization through stuttering therapy; (3) describe two treatment strategies for helping school-age children engage in cognitive restructuring in the context of therapy.