The evidence for a temporal processing deficit linked to dyslexia: A review

The existence of a phonemic deficit that is predictive of, and probably causal to, many cases of reading difficulty is well established. Tallal (1984) has suggested that this phonemic deficit is in fact a symptom of an underlying auditory temporal processing deficit. Our purpose in this paper is to evaluate the plausibility of this hypothesis. The various components that might constitute sequential (or temporal) processing are described. Our review of the literature reveals considerable evidence for a deficit in dyslexics in stimulus individuation tasks (e.g., gap detection) and temporal order judgments in both the auditory and visual modalities. The possibility that a general temporal processing deficit is associated with dyslexia, as suggested by Tallal (1984), is explored, and possible etiologies for such a deficit are discussed. The possibility of a causal link between temporal processing deficits and some reading disabilities is demonstrated, and converging evidence from morphological studies is reviewed. It is concluded that a temporal processing deficit does appear to be present in many developmental dyslexics, and strategies are suggested for further research aimed at evaluating the hypothesis that this deficit may be the root cause of a number of cases of dyslexia itself.     

Against a role for attentional disengagement in the gap effect: A friendly amendment to Tam and Stelmach (1993)

Saccadic reaction time (RT) is reduced when the fixation point is removed shortly before target onset. Although Tam and Stelmach (1993) argued that thisgap effect could not be explained solely by the idea that fixation offset disengaged visual attention and preferred an explanation based on disengagement of the oculomotor system, they felt that they could not rule out a hybrid model in which both oculomotorand attentional disengagement contribute to the gap effect. Our analysis of the dual response experiment (Experiment 4), upon which this hybrid model was based, shows that manual and saccadic responses were likely compromised by a grouping or delay strategy and that subjects may not have been attending as instructed. On these grounds, we argue that Tam and Stelmach (1993), like Kingstone and Klein (1990; 1993a) provide no evidence that attentional disengagement contributes to the gap effect. An alternative proposal (Klein & Kingstone, 1993), that motor preparation and oculomotor disengagement combine additively to produce the gap effect, is consistent with the data from Tam and Stelmach’s Experiments 1–3, is similar to the explanation that they prefer, and has been strongly supported when directly tested (Kingstone, Klein, & Taylor, 1994).     

Ethical aspects of the university-industry interface

Following an examination of the missions of industry and the university there is a comparison of the ‘wish-lists’ of industry and the university. These ‘wish-lists’ have both similarities and differences. Some of the differences are expressed in a further section on the kinds of interactions that neither institution wants from the other. In the canonical university, the culture values features such as openness, individuality and the de-emphasis of monetary matters, whereas in the archetypal industry the prevailing ethos tends towards secrecy, teamwork and financial advancement. When two such cultures are juxtaposed under conditions where the survival of the university is dependent, in part, on receiving funds from industry, there is a danger of an erosion of academic standards as the university becomes more oriented to service the needs of industry as opposed to the development of its students and its independent scholastic and research activities. Industry, however, is in a position to derive benefit from the interaction without incurring an equivalent cost. These issues are discussed and some recommendations are made to improve the ethical nature of the interaction.     

AN EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF FACILITATED COMMUNICATION

We evaluated the authorship of messages produced through facilitated communication by 7 adults with moderate or severe mental retardation and their facilitators. The clients had been reported to be communicating fluently through facilitated communication. We controlled the facilitators' access to information to be communicated in two evaluation formats, naming pictures and describing activities. In both formats we conducted three conditions: (a) the facilitator and client had access to the same information, (b) the facilitator did not have access to the picture or activity, and (c) the facilitator was given false information about the picture or activity. The results showed that the clients typed the correct answer only when the facilitator had access to the same information, never typed the correct answer when the facilitator had no information or false information, and typed the picture or activity presented to the facilitator when it was different from the one experienced by the client. These results provide unequivocal evidence for facilitator control of typing during facilitated communication.     

Sensitivity analysis in factor analysis: Difference between using covariance and correlation matrices

Influence curves of some parameters under various methods of factor analysis have been given in the literature. These influence curves depend on the influence curves for either the covariance or the correlation matrix used in the analysis. The differences between the influence curves based on the covariance and the correlation matrices are derived in this paper. Simple formulas for the differences of the influence curves, based on the two matrices, for the unique variance matrix, factor loadings and some other parameter are obtained under scale-invariant estimation methods, though the influence curves themselves are in complex forms.The authors are most grateful to the referees, the Associate Editor, the Editor and Raymond Lam for helpful suggestions for improving the clarity of the paper.     

APPLYING BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS TO CLINICAL PROBLEMS: REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF HABIT REVERSAL

This article provides a review and analysis of habit reversal, a multicomponent procedure developed by Azrin and Nunn (1973, 1974) for the treatment of nervous habits, tics, and stuttering. The article starts with a discussion of the behaviors treated with habit reversal, behavioral covariation among habits, and functional analysis and assessment of habits. Research on habit reversal and simplified versions of the procedure is then described. Next the article discusses the limitations of habit reversal and the evidence for its generality. The article concludes with an analysis of the behavioral processes involved in habit reversal and suggestions for future research.     

Cognitive Processing and Self-Report of Lateral Preference

Our knowledge of the human brain has increased more during the past 40 years than at any other time in history. Of particular interest have been the findings of a correspondence between cognitive functions and individual structures of the brain. Similar from a gross anatomical point of view, the hemispheres of the brain have been shown to serve specialized cognitive functions. This work offers an overview of the cognitive aspects of cerebral lateralization as a context for considering this issue, followed by a review of specific self-report techniques in the appraisal of lateral preference.     

Direct assessment of quality of care in secure residential treatment facilities for criminal offenders with intellectual disabilities

Direct assessment was used to evaluate quality of care in 2 secure residential treatment facilities for criminal offenders with intellectual disabilities. This population and type of setting have not been previously studied in this context. Observations were conducted of environmental condition, resident condition, resident activity, and staff member activity at various times of day over a period of 3 weeks in Facility 1 and 2 days in Facility 2. An additional analysis was conducted to determine the optimal number of observations needed to obtain a representative sample. Results indicated high levels of quality in terms of environmental condition and resident condition in both facilities. Data on resident and staff activities were more variable but generally consistent with previous research. Implications for the optimal number of observations are discussed, as well as limitations and future directions for research.     

Pathological Dissociation and Its Relationships with Aggression and Delinquency in a College Student Sample in Hong Kong

Pathological dissociation is widely regarded as a cross-culturally occurring condition related to trauma and adversity and is an important construct in the mental health field. Yet, the frequency of pathological dissociation in both clinical and nonclinical populations in Hong Kong remains unknown. In addition, the relationship of pathological dissociation with aggression and delinquency requires further investigation. To investigate these relationships, we administered the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon (DES-T), the 5-item Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ-5), selected sections from the Self-Report Version of the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (SR-DDIS), the Reactive–Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), and a delinquent behaviors checklist to 177 college students in Hong Kong. The findings suggest that pathological dissociation is not as rare as it is traditionally believed to be in Hong Kong. In our sample, 4.52% of the participants may have a DSM-5 dissociative disorder (including other specified dissociative disorder) while 9.60% met the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Our findings indicate that the RPQ total score and delinquency may be more characteristic of BPD than of pathological dissociation. In addition, while reactive aggression was related to pathological dissociation and BPD symptoms in both genders, proactive aggression was related to pathological dissociation and BPD symptoms only in females. Although the findings of this study are preliminary and the results should be interpreted with caution, the study provides the first data regarding pathological dissociation and its relationship with aggression and delinquency in Hong Kong. Some implications for research and practice are highlighted. Further investigation of pathological dissociation in Hong Kong is necessary. In addition, more studies are essential to further examine the relationships between pathological dissociation, aggression, and delinquency in both clinical and nonclinical populations.