Comorbidity of Hyperactivity-Impulsivity-Inattention and Conduct Problems: Risk Factors in Social, Affective, and Academic Domains

Children showing a comorbid behavior pattern of hyperactivity-impulsivity-inattention and conduct problems (HIA + CP) were contrasted to children having only an internalizing and externalizing behavior pattern (I + E) and matched controls. Children displaying the HIA + CP behavior pattern were at greater risk on a number of outcome measures in social and academic domains beginning in Grade 3 and continuing into Grade 4. The most marked differences among the three groups were found on peer measures of rejection and friendship and teacher ratings of social skills. On average, almost two-thirds of the HIA + CP group were rejected by their peers compared to one-third of the I + E group and only 12.5% controls. Over 70% of the HIA + CP group had no reciprocated friendships from Grade 3 to Grade 4 compared to less than half of the I + E group and approximately one-fourth of controls. Contrary to much theorizing in the literature, the HIA + CP and I + E groups showed average levels of academic self-concept and did not differ from controls in on measures of social self-concept and academic self-concept and general self-esteem. These findings were interpreted in light of positive illusory biases and the established link between aggressive behavior and egotism. The current article offers partial support for Lynam's (1996) notion of the fledgling psychopath.     

Body Image and Self-Esteem: A Comparison of African-American and Caucasian Women

The purpose of this study was to assess howwomen's perceptions of themselves and their bodies varyby race/ethnicity and class. One hundred and fourteenfemale students (45 African-American, 69 Caucasian) from two Connecticut community colleges weresurveyed. We predicted that African-American women willreport higher levels of self-esteem and a more positivebody image than Caucasian women. These predictions were supported. Also as predicted,African-American women report possessing more masculinetraits and that men of their race tend less to preferthin, small figured women. Controlling for theseprotective factors substantially reduces therelationship between race/ethnicity and self-concept.African-American women's racial identity and exposure tothe dominant culture did not relate to self-conceptmeasures.     

Development of a Certificate Training Curriculum for Domestic Violence Counseling

This article describes a specialty training curriculum for domestic violence intervention and delineates an entry level domestic violence counseling certificate training program. Designed For a university's continuing education department, the curriculum was developed to meet statewide training requirements for perpetrator intervention providers.     

A Comparison of Computer-Assisted Psychotherapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Groups

This study is the first independent, randomized controlled study in a clinical setting of a computer-assisted therapy program (Therapeutic Learning Program; TLP) developed to permit individualized therapy in a group setting. This software differs from other computer-assisted approaches in that targets for change are chosen by the patient rather than determined by the software. TLP was compared to a standard cognitive-behavioral treatment in 109 patients with 6-month follow-up. Although both treatments were associated with a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression at posttreatment and follow-up, no differences were found between treatments with respect to patient-rated satisfaction and effectiveness, clinician ratings of improvement, and scores on measures of anxiety and depression. At treatment midpoint patients tended to give more neutral ratings of satisfaction and treatment effectiveness of the TLP treatment, perhaps suspending judgment about this more novel treatment until its completion. It is concluded that at least one form of computer-assisted psychotherapy is as effective and acceptable to patients in a clinical setting as standard short-term cognitive-behavioral therapy conducted by experienced clinicians.     

Analysis of systems influencing renal hemodynamics and sodium excretion. I. Biochemical systems theory

In this article we present a new methodology—Biochemical Systems Theory and Analysis—as an alternative to traditional parametric statistical procedures for investigating differences between risk groups in a population. We review the systems theory and how it can be used to represent a model of processes influencing renal hemodynamics and sodium (Na⁺) excretion. We also discuss the potential for new measures of the biology of common diseases that can emerge from a synergism between systems theory and population-based statistical approaches. This work was supported in part by grants from the Public Health Service, RO1-HL30428, R01-HL39107 and General Clinical Research Center Grant RR0585.     

Interpersonal problem-solving skills training with aggressive young children

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an interpersonal problem-solving training program with aggressive young children. There were 13 children in the experimental group and 11 children in the contact control group. Both experimental and contact control group children were evaluated at pretest, posttest, and follow-up on the Behavioral Interpersonal Problem Solving Test (BIPS). Experimental group subjects were exposed to the interpersonal problem-solving skills training program for 50 training sessions. The contact control group participated in reading-story sessions during the same time period. Results and discussion reflect the efficacy of the training procedure and the nature of the change in interpersonal problem-solving behavior in aggressive young children.     

A SOCIAL ECOLOGY OF HYPERACTIVE BOYS: MEDICATION EFFECTS IN STRUCTURED CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS

Hyperactive boys on methlyphenidate (Ritalin), hyperactive boys on placebo, and comparison boys were observed in quasi-naturalistic classroom settings. Ambient stimulation (quiet versus noisy conditions) and source of regulation (self-paced versus other-paced activities) were varied in a 2 × 2 design. Compared to their peers, hyperactive boys on placebo showed lower rates of task attention and higher rates of gross motor movement, regular and negative verbalization, noise-making, physical contact, social initiation, disruption, and acts that were perceived as energetic, inappropriate, or unexpected. Self-paced activities resulted in increased rates of verbalization, social initiation, and high-energy episodes. High ambient noise levels reduced task attention and increased the rates of many other behaviors including verbalization, physical contact, gross motor movement, and high-energy acts. Medication-by-situation interactions emerged for both classroom dimensions, with hyperactive boys on placebo being readily distinguishable from their peers under some classroom conditions and indistinguishable under other conditions. Moderate relationships were found between teacher ratings and many individual behavior categories. Discussion focused on (a) the merits and limitations of a social ecological research perspective, and (b) the implications of these findings for the design of intervention strategies.     

Effects of Anticipated Interaction,Sex, and Homosexual Stereotypes on First Impressions1

The effects of anticipated interaction on liking were examined, with the person being evaluated sometimes being presented as a member of a negatively stereotyped group. The stereotype studied was that associated with male homosexuals. The standard effect of anticipated interaction causing increased liking was obtained when females rated either a homosexual or a non- homosexual male and when males rated a nonhomosexual male. When males anticipated interacting with a homosexual male, however, they rated him less favorably than did males who did not anticipate interacting with him. It was also found that both males and females liked the stimulus person less and attributed stereotypic traits to him more when he was homosexual than when he was not. These latter effects were stronger for males than for females.     

Cognitive correlates of the Type A Coronary-Prone Behavior Pattern

The present study investigated the relationship between the Type A Coronary-Prone Behavior Pattern and two measures of self-relevant cognitions: Ellis's (1962) irrational beliefs, and private and public self-consciousness (Fenigstein, Scheier, & Buss, 1975). The Type A pattern was found consistently to be negatively correlated with a belief in the value of avoiding problems and responsibilities. For males, the Type A pattern was also correlated with irrational beliefs about self-standards for achievement and perfectionism. For females, the Type A pattern was correlated with private self-consciousness and beliefs involving overreaction to frustration and anxious overconcern about potential problems. The results are discussed in terms of the relationship of these cognitive variables to the behavioral components of the Type A pattern and the implications of such relationships for potential cognitive interventions.The authors wish to thank Allison Baker and Jim Pendleton for their help in conducting the study.