Aberrant neural mediation of verbal fluency in autism spectrum disorders

Objective

Contrasts of verbal fluency and automatic speech provide an opportunity to evaluate the neural underpinnings of generativity and flexibility in autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Method

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to contrast brain activity in high functioning ASD (n = 17, mean verbal IQ = 117) and neurotypical (NT; n = 20, mean verbal IQ = 112) adolescent and young adult males (12–23 years). Participants responded to three word generation conditions: automatic speech (reciting months), category fluency, and letter fluency.

Results

Our paradigm closely mirrored behavioral fluency tasks by requiring overt, free recall word generation while controlling for differences in verbal output between the groups and systematically increasing the task demand. The ASD group showed reduced neural response compared to the NT participants during fluency tasks in multiple regions of left anterior and posterior cortices, and sub-cortical structures. Six of these regions fell in cortico-striatal circuits previously linked to repetitive behaviors (Langen, Durston, Kas, van Engeland, & Staal, 2011), and activity in two of them (putamen and thalamus) was negatively correlated with autism repetitive behavior symptoms in the ASD group. In addition, response in left inferior frontal gyrus was differentially modulated in the ASD, relative to the NT, group as a function of task demand.

Conclusions

These data indicate a specific, atypical brain response in ASD to demanding generativity tasks that may have relevance to repetitive behavior symptoms in ASD as well as to difficulties generating original verbal responses.     

CHRM2, parental monitoring, and adolescent externalizing behavior: evidence for gene-environment interaction

Psychologists, with their long-standing tradition of studying mechanistic processes, can make important contributions to further characterizing the risk associated with genes identified as influencing risk for psychiatric disorders. We report one such effort with respect to CHRM2, which codes for the cholinergic muscarinic 2 receptor and was of interest originally for its association with alcohol dependence. We tested for association between CHRM2 and prospectively measured externalizing behavior in a longitudinal, community-based sample of adolescents, as well as for moderation of this association by parental monitoring. We found evidence for an interaction in which the association between the genotype and externalizing behavior was stronger in environments with lower parental monitoring. There was also suggestion of a crossover effect, in which the genotype associated with the highest levels of externalizing behavior under low parental monitoring had the lowest levels of externalizing behavior at the extreme high end of parental monitoring. The difficulties involved in distinguishing mechanisms of gene-environment interaction are discussed.     

Birth cohort change in the vocational interests of female and male college students

The purpose of this research was to investigate the extent to which vocational interests have changed across birth cohorts of college students to better understand how socio-cultural factors may have an impact on career development. Using meta-analytic data collection methods, dissertations and journal articles presenting interests scores representing Holland's RIASEC typology from the Strong Interest Inventory and Strong Campbell interest inventory were gathered. With samples spanning a time period from 1976 to 2004, relations between cohort year and interests were examined with weighted regressions. A salient aspect of our results was an increase in the Enterprising interests of females and decrease in the Realistic and Investigative interests of males. This finding, along with a reduction in differences between female and male Investigative, Enterprising, and Conventional interests from earlier to more recent cohorts parallels movement of American culture toward egalitarian views of gender and provides evidence for the effect of sociocultural factors on interests.     

Promoting adolescent sense of coherence: Testing models of risk,protection, and resiliency

Sense of coherence (SOC) is a dispositional trait that has been linked to well‐being in a broad range of populations and contexts. Little is known, however, about the factors associated with SOC development and maintenance across the lifespan. Conceptualized as a condition of resiliency, SOC in adolescents was explored via measures of risk and protection as reported on by 8th and 10th grade students (N = 1619). Employing cumulative indexes of protection and risk, analyses focused on testing four models of resiliency. Further, the relative and cumulative effects of protection and risk were explored across ecological domains. Analyses revealed support for the compensatory model of resiliency for males and females, while the challenge model also was supported for females. Analyses also revealed that protection and risk influencing SOC emerge at multiple domains for males and females. In addition, protective factors present at multiple domains were related to higher SOC while risk factors present at multiple domains were related to lower SOC regardless of gender. Results suggest a resiliency framework that considers multiple ecological domains is useful for understanding SOC in adolescents. Implications for additional research are presented. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relationships with Parents, Spousal Reciprocity, and Psychological Distress in Middle-Age Adults

Data from 301 middle-age couples were employed to investigate links between their recalled parents’ parenting styles and perceptions of reciprocity with their parents, as well as their current perceptions of spousal reciprocity, on their psychological distress. The research extends Baumrind’s theory of childhood parenting styles and Youniss’ theory of late adolescents’ perceived reciprocity to a developmental model for middle-age psychological distress. Differential effects were found according to the gender of both the offspring and the parent. There were significant positive findings only if the opposite-sex parent was perceived as authoritative, and significant negative findings if the same-sex parent was perceived as authoritarian. Regression models indicated mediated, integrated relationships (through maternal and spousal reciprocity) for females, but no mediations were found for males. Significantly more variance in emotional distress was explained by spousal reciprocity than by the parent related variables, and for the men than for the women.     

White Racial Identity Attitudes and the Ego Defense Mechanisms Used by White Counselor Trainees in Racially Provocative Counseling Situations

This exploratory study examined the relationship between racial identity attitudes and the use of ego defense mechanisms by White counselor trainees during cross‐racial counseling and supervision dyads. The sample consisted of 145 White counselor trainees enrolled in both master's and doctoral programs at 2 small private universities located in the northeastern United States. Results indicated that White counselor trainees at less mature statuses of racial identity attitudes relied on more primitive ego defenses to manage the anxiety experienced during racially provocative counseling and supervision dyads. Implications for counseling and counselor training are discussed in the context of the study's findings.     

A Revision of the Multicultural Counseling Awareness Scale

This article reports the results of 2 studies designed to test and revise the Multicultural Counseling Awareness Scale (J. G. Ponterotto et al., 1996). Collective results support the 2‐factor extraction (Knowledge and Awareness) as the best fit model and provide initial indices of validity and internal consistency reliability for the newly titled Multicultural Counseling Knowledge and Awareness Scale. Este artículo informa los resultados de 2 estudios diseñados para probar y revisar la Escala de Conciencia de Consejería Multicultural (J. G. Ponterotto et al., 1996). Los resultados colectivos sostienen la extracción de 2 factures (el Conocimiento y la Conciencia) como el mejor modelo y proporcionan los índices iniciales de validez y fiabilidad de la consistencia interna para la nuevamente titulada Escala de Conocimiento y Conciencia de Consejería Multicultural.     

Exploring Community Mobilization in Northern Quebec: Motivators,Challenges, and Resilience in Action

Nunavimmiut (people of the land) are the Indigenous peoples of the northern peninsula of the province of Quebec. Communities of Nunavik and its regional organizations have been making concerted efforts in implementing community‐based strategies to support family wellbeing. These community strategies are grounded in many of the values underpinning community psychology: favoring empowerment‐oriented approaches, fostering community capacity, and transforming organizational cultures to allow for new modes of interaction, as well as new policies and practices that are grounded in community and culture. Despite the growing support and expectation for community mobilization, there is still very little research on the processes and challenges to such mobilization. In this study, we explored the unique challenges and facilitators to community endeavors in northern Quebec in order to better understand the complex dynamics and the strengths that Inuit build upon. We first used a focused ethnographic approach in the context of a 5‐year community mobilization project in Nunavik. We then conducted 12 individual interviews and two small group interviews with Inuit working on community‐based wellbeing‐oriented mobilization projects in four additional communities. Results expose how sociogeographical realities and colonialism influence the process of community mobilization. They also highlight the values and motivational factors that lead community members to move beyond these influences.