Comparative Investigation of Adolescents’ Generalized Pliance and Psychological Inflexibility across Cultural Contexts

The Psychological Record - Generalized pliance is a pattern of rule-governed behavior characterized by having social approval as the main source of reinforcement. Recent research has found that...     

Coach–Athlete Perceived Congruence Between Actual and Desired Emotions in Karate Competition and Training

Coaches can help athletes regulate emotions but would benefit from tools that help them accurately perceive athletes' emotions. In the present study, we investigated the use of video-recorded performances to compare 3 martial artists' ratings of desired and actual emotions with their coach's ratings. Results show how desired emotions progressively fluctuated throughout competition. Furthermore, desired and actual emotions differed between training and performance contexts. Finally, we report correlations between performance and perceived congruence in desired and actual emotions. Cumulatively, results offer support for the video-assisted recall of emotions as an intervention tool in developing emotion regulation abilities.     

Evaluation of the Good Behavior Game with a child with fetal alcohol syndrome in a small‐group context

We evaluated the Good Behavior Game (GBG) on levels of disruptive behavior of a 4‐year‐old boy with fetal alcohol syndrome during small‐group reading time. We also compared the effectiveness of and preference for choice of a reward to a surprise reward for winning the GBG. Results showed that the GBG was effective to decrease disruptive behavior to similar levels as peers in the group. We did not observe a difference in the effectiveness of the GBG with a choice of reward compared to a surprise reward, but the participant preferred having a choice of reward. We discuss the potential benefit of utilizing the GBG to reduce disruptive behavior during small‐group learning instruction for individual students with disabilities and to aid in the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms.     

Recovery and replication of internalizing and externalizing dimensions within the personality assessment inventory

In this study, we examined the internal structure of 13 Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991, 2007) scales in a corrections sample (N = 1,099). Previous findings regarding the PAI internal structure have been somewhat inconsistent. We investigated the utility of a 2-dimensional model comprised of internalization and externalization to organize the 11 PAI clinical scales and 2 additional scales, Suicidal Ideation and Aggression. We randomly divided the sample, and a factor analysis revealed a 2-dimensional model representing internalization and externalization. Confirmatory factor analyses conducted with an independent subsample revealed acceptable fit when the model was revised to include correlated error terms between mood and anxiety disorder scales. The revised model exhibited acceptable fit when cross-validated, had better fit than a 1-dimension model, and demonstrated preliminary construct validity in relation to extratest variables.     

Can Constructive Thinking Predict Decision Making?

We assume that executive function constitutes an integrated set of cognitive processes that mediate working memory, planning, inhibition, flexibility, and decision making. Despite the acknowledged theoretical connection between executive function processes and emotional intelligence, such relationships have rarely been investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential relationship between constructive thinking, conceived as a component of emotional intelligence, and executive function, as indexed by various existing neuropsychological and experimental instruments. We used the Constructive Thinking Inventory as a measure of emotional intelligence. We found that some constructive thinking subscales were able to predict distinct executive function variables. Emotional Coping, Categorical Thinking, and Esoteric Thinking subscales explained performance on various measures of executive function. Thus, we conclude that intervention programs designed to train a specific component of emotional intelligence, namely constructive thinking, could also facilitate performance in executive function processes, and vice versa. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Factores psicosociales y cáncer: una revisión crítica

Resumen

Se presenta en este artículo una introducción al campo de estudio de las relaciones entre factores psicosociales y neoplasia, enmarcándolo dentro de la medicina conductual y desde un enfoque interdisciplinar. A continuación se discute el papel que pueden desempeñar las variables psicosociales (estrés) en la vulnerabilidad del ser humano a la enfermedad en general a través de su acción sobre el sistema inmune. En el apartado III se realiza una revisión crítica en la investigación en la que se ha intentado delimitar la influencia de factores psicosociales en la aparición y pronóstico del cáncer, en animales (cáncer experimental) y en el ser humano. Se discute por último el papel de los mediadores biológicos propuestos como más importantes hasta el momento en la literatura del área (sistemas neuroendocrino e inmune). De esta revisión se desprende que los resultados de la investigación, aunque su- gerentes no son definitivos, ni tampoco están claros los mecanismos biológicos a través de los cuales se puede producir la influencia. Después de analizar algunas de las deficiencias metodológicas más importantes de los trabajos realizados, creemos que en enfoque más adecuado para poner a prueba la hipótesis de que los factores psicosociales afectan al desarrollo del cáncer debería ser longitudinal, utilizando grandes muestras y estudiando variables psicosociales y biomédicas conjuntamente.     

Inhibitory processes, working memory, phonological awareness, naming speed, and early arithmetic achievement

This study identified the cognitive processes that underlie the individual differences in early mathematical performance in elementary school children. Taking into account the Baddeley framework multicomponent model, the inhibitory processes, working memory, phonological awareness, and naming speed are considered to be related to early math learning. To examine this relationship, we compared the performance of a total of 424 typically developing middle-class children, aged between 4 and 7 years in a battery of cognitive and early numeric tests: The Utrecht Early Numeracy Test, the Rapid Automatized Naming Test, Spanish version of the Stroop task, the Numeracy Interference Test, Digit Span test, and Phonological Knowledge Test. The mean age of the participants was 72.21 months (sd = 14.8), and 48.6% were male and 51.4% were female. The results demonstrated that children performing worst on central executive, phonological processing, and inhibitory processes showed lower results in early mathematical tasks measured by The Utrecht Early Numeracy Test. Results supported the notion that the executive system is an important predictor of children's mathematical performance.