Structural model of acculturation attitudes and related psychosocial variables: Empirical evidence in native Spaniards

This work falls within the framework of the study of acculturation processes of natives and immigrants. Its goal is to test an explanatory multi‐group model of natives' acculturation attitudes as a function of diverse psychosocial variables: Prejudice and natives' appraisal of their own culture (in a direct way) and inter‐group contact and perceived inter‐group similarity (in an indirect way). Participants were 499 Spaniards surveyed for their attitude towards Romanian immigrants and 493 towards Ecuadorian immigrants. The indicators used took into account three socio‐cultural spheres: peripheral, intermediate and central areas. This multi‐group model shows an adequate fit to the data.     

The effects of age and emotional valence on recognition memory: An ex‐Gaussian components analysis

The aim of this work was to study the effects of valence and age on visual image recognition memory. The International Affective Picture System (IAPS) battery was used, and response time data were analyzed using analysis of variance, as well as an ex‐Gaussian fit method. Older participants were slower and more variable in their reaction times. Response times were longer for negative valence pictures, however this was statistically significant only for young participants. This suggests that negative emotional valence has a strong effect on recognition memory in young but not in old participants. The τ parameter, often related to attention in the literature, was smaller for young than old participants in an ex‐Gaussian fit. Differences on the τ parameter might suggest poorer attentional performance in old participants.     

Measurement Invariance of the Adolescent Quality of Life-Mental Health Scale (AQOL-MHS) across Gender,Age and Treatment Context

The Adolescent Quality of Life-Mental Health Scale (AQOL-MHS) was designed to measure quality of life in clinical samples of Latino adolescents aged 12–18 years, but has also been used in community samples. The original measure included three factors: Emotional Regulation (ER), Self-Concept (SC) and Social Context (SoC). The goals of this study are to replicate the factor structure using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), shorten the instrument and test the degree of measurement invariance across gender, age, and type of sample. Participants for the analyses (N?=?354) came from two populations in the San Juan Metropolitan Area: (1) adolescents from randomly selected households, using a multi-stage probability sampling design (n?=?295), and (2) adolescents receiving treatment at mental health clinics (n?=?59). We first carried out a conceptual item analysis for item reduction purposes and then assessed dimensional, configural, metric and scalar invariance for each factor using the Mplus software system. The original 3-factor structure was replicated with comparable model fit in each treatment context. Metric invariance was attained for all three scales across groups. Either full or partial scalar invariance was also observed with DIF in a total of 6 items. Invariance testing supports the use of the abridged 21 item version of the AQOL-MHS to compare diverse individuals with little bias using observed scores, but for refined estimates the ideal scoring will be from a latent variable model.     

Appropriating Video Surveillance for Art and Environmental Awareness: Experiences from ARTiVIS

Arts, Real-Time Video and Interactivity for Sustainability (ARTiVIS) is an ongoing collaborative research project investigating how real-time video, DIY surveillance technologies and sensor data can be used as a tool for environmental awareness, activism and artistic explorations. The project consists of a series of digital contexts for aesthetic contemplation of nature and civic engagement, aiming to foster awareness and empowerment of local populations through DIY surveillance. At the core of the ARTIVIS efforts are a series of interactive installations (namely B-Wind!, Hug@tree and Play with Fire), that make use of surveillance technologies and real-time video as raw material to promote environmental awareness through the emotion generated by real-time connections with nature. Throughout the project development, the surveillance concept has been shifting from the use of surveillance technology in a centralized platform, to the idea of veillance with distributed peer-to-peer networks that can be used for science and environmental monitoring. In this paper we present the history of the ARTiVIS project, related and inspiring work, describe ongoing research work and explore the present and future challenges of appropriating surveillance technology for artistic, educational and civic engagement purposes.     

Neuro-feedback intervention efficacy for treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study explored practitioners perceptions of a neuro-feedback intervention in treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder’s (ASD). Informants were a convenience sample of ten South African neuro-feedback practitioners registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). The data on their views on neuro-feedback treatment efficacy, with children with ASD, were collected by means of semi-structured in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis of the data suggest practitioners to perceive neuro-feedback treatment to enhance the social, mood, behaviour, academic life, and family functioning of children with ASD. Additionally, the practitioners perceived neuro-feedback treatment to assist in reducing anxiety among children with ASD.     

Phone coaching in Dialectical Behavior Therapy: frequency and relationship to client variables

Telephone coaching is a treatment mode in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that is designed to help clients generalize skills, prevent suicidal behaviors, and repair therapeutic ruptures. To date, phone coaching has received scant empirical investigation. The aims of this study were to (1) describe patterns in frequency of telephone calls and text messaging in DBT and (2) investigate whether demographic factors, baseline severity, suicidal behaviors, and therapeutic alliance are associated with phone and text frequency. Participants were 51 adults (35 treatment completers) with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in a six-month comprehensive DBT treatment program. Phone coaching frequency was documented by therapist weekly session notes. The average number of contacts per month was 2.55 (SD = 4.49). Four of the 35 treatment completers comprised 56% of the contacts. Having a recent history of suicidal behaviors, degree of severity at baseline, or the strength of the therapeutic alliance was not associated with phone coaching use. However, lower income was significantly associated with a higher frequency of phone coaching use. These preliminary results can help clinicians and administrators make informed decisions on how to better provide phone coaching and clarify the degree of effort involved in providing this service to clients with BPD.     

Autism: Hard to Switch from Details to the Whole

It has long been proposed that individuals with autism exhibit a superior processing of details at the expense of an impaired global processing. This theory has received some empirical support, but results are mixed. In this research we have studied local and global processing in ASD and Typically Developing children, with an adaptation of the Navon task, designed to measure congruency effects between local and global stimuli and switching cost between local and global tasks. ASD children showed preserved global processing; however, compared to Typically Developing children, they exhibited more facilitation from congruent local stimuli when they performed the global task. In addition, children with ASD had more switching cost than Typically Developing children only when they switched from the local to the global task, reflecting a specific difficulty to disengage from local stimuli. Together, results suggest that ASD is characterized by a tendency to process local details, they benefit from the processing of local stimuli at the expense of increasing cost to disengage from local stimuli when global processing is needed. Thus, this work demonstrates experimentally the advantages and disadvantages of the increased local processing in children with ASD.     

Reduction of Pain Sensitivity after Somatosensory Therapy in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often present with somatosensory dysfunction including an abnormal reactivity to tactile stimuli and altered pain perception. A therapy based on somatosensory stimuli has shown effectiveness in reducing pain sensitivity among adults with cerebral palsy. The present study aims at exploring the influence of somatosensory therapy on somatosensory parameters in children with ASD. Children with high-functioning ASD were randomly assigned to either the intervention (n?=?29) or the control group (n?=?30). The intervention group received a somatosensory therapy consisting of four types of exercises (touch, proprioception, vibration, stereognosis). Somatosensory function (pressure pain thresholds, tactile thresholds, stereognosis, proprioception) was assessed before and immediately after the therapy. Children in the intervention group showed a significant reduction of pain sensitivity and increase of tactile sensitivity after treatment, whereas children in the control group displayed increased pain sensitivity in the absence of changes of tactile sensitivity. No changes were observed for proprioception or stereognosis. The repetitive somatosensory stimulation therapy led to a decrease of pain sensitivity and an increase of tactile sensitivity. These findings may have important research and clinical implications, as promoting early tactile interventions in children with ASD may lead to a more adequate development of somatosensory processing and less somatosensory abnormalities upon adult life.