In-home cognitive training with older married couples: individual versus collaborative learning

Research has demonstrated that older adults' cognitive performance can be enhanced via formal intervention, as well as more informal intervention including collaboration or working with a partner. The current study investigated the effects of an inductive reasoning training program adapted for in-home use among older adults assigned to individual training (n = 30), collaborative training (n = 34), or a no-treatment control group (n = 34). The training consisted of 10 sessions, and all participants completed a pretest followed by a post-test 6 weeks later. Findings suggest that older adults could effectively "train themselves" without the guidance of a formal instructor. The results, however, did not indicate immediate added benefit in reasoning performance for collaborative versus individual training using the current reasoning program.     

Suicide and African American teenagers: risk factors and coping mechanisms

In this study we investigated whether locus of control, hopelessness, and depression were primary risk factors for suicide ideation and attempts in African American youth, and whether congruency between locus of control and religious coping style reduced suicide risk. The sample consisted of 176 African American high school students (115 females; 61 males). Multiple and logistic regression were used to determine relationships among study variables. Depression was found to mediate the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal behaviors. External locus of control led to greater risk for hopelessness and depression, with a trend in the predicted direction for suicide attempts. Religious coping style alone was not always associated with reduction of risk of suicidal behaviors, yet some evidence suggests that congruency between locus of control and religious coping style reduces risk. Results provide additional support for suicide interventions to target depressive symptoms. Results also highlight the importance of examining the role of culturally salient variables such as fatalism and religious coping style when developing intervention programs for suicide.     

When the heat is on: romantic partner responses influence distress in socially anxious women

This study provided a preliminary test of whether socially anxious women and their partners would show more negative social support behavior, especially among those with low relationship satisfaction, and whether this would increase the distress of the socially anxious women. Women with (n=22) and without (n=23) heightened social anxiety were observed interacting with their partners under a social-evaluative threat and support behaviors were coded. Unexpectedly, no differences were found between socially and non-socially anxious women and their partners. Although relationship satisfaction influenced this process, it was the more satisfied women who showed more negative behavior. Additionally, the more positive behaviors the partner exhibited, the greater was the distress reported by socially anxious women, particularly among women whose partners reported high relationship satisfaction. Implications for how these findings might expand theories on interpersonal processes in social anxiety are discussed.     

Anxiety sensitivity taxonicity across gender among youth

The present investigation comparatively evaluated the latent class structure and parameters of anxiety sensitivity (AS) among female and male youth using the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index. Participants were 4462 adolescents (2189 females) in grades 7-12 (M(age)=15.6 years). Consistent with prediction, taxometric analyses indicated the latent structure of AS was taxonic in both males and females, demonstrating the taxonic latent structure of AS is similarly observed across gender. Also consistent with prediction, the base rate of the AS taxon differed between genders -- higher for females (12%) compared to males (7%). These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the study of AS and panic vulnerability among youth.     

The effects of the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH23390 on memory reconsolidation following reminder-activated retrieval in day-old chicks

This series of experiments examined the involvement of the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist, SCH23390, on memory reconsolidation following reminder-activated retrieval. Day-old male New HampshirexWhite Leghorn chicks were trained on a single trial passive avoidance task. A dose of 0.5 mg/kg of SCH23390 was administered subcutaneously 5 min before reminder trials, which were presented at 30, 60, and 90 min following training. Memory deficits were observed when reminder trials were presented at 30 and 60 min following training, but not when a reminder was presented at 90 min. No effect on memory retention was observed when reminder trials were not presented, suggesting that reconsolidation mechanisms were both contingent on the presentation of the reminder and independent of the consolidation process. Following a reminder presented at 60 min post-training, deficits in memory retention emerged between 45 and 60 min. The deficit was prolonged, lasting for up until 48 h after reminder presentation. The results indicate an important role for the D1 receptor in reconsolidation processes.     

Gender and gender-role categorization of emergent leaders: A critical review and comprehensive analysis

The influences of gender and gender role on emergent leadership in initially leaderless groups were examined. Subjects were multi-ethnic, multi-racial domestic and international M.B.A. students engaged in gender-neutral group projects throughout the term. The BSRI was administered near the beginning of the term and leader emergence measures were collected at the end of the term after many weeks of group interaction. Using leader emergence measures which allowed for the possibility of multiple group leaders, both masculine and androgynous group members emerged as leaders. In groups with one sole leader, masculine types were more likely to be nominated as the single leader than any other gender-role type. There were no gender effects on any measure of leader emergence.     

Causal Attributions, Depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Victims of Crime

The major purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between causal attributions and symptomatology in victims of crime. Fifty-one subjects who had not been crime victims and 120 subjects who had been crime victims participated in the study and were assessed for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Subjects also completed two attributional questionnaires. The potential differences in symptomatology among victims of a single crime, multiple crimes, and nonvictims were investigated. Results did not indicate differences in depression and PTSD based on single vs. multiple victimization, although differences between victims and nonvictims were found. Results using the Causal Dimension Scale (CDS; Peterson et al., 1982) indicated significant differences in the causal attributions of victims and nonvictims. On the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ; Russell, 1982), group comparisons among nonvictims, PTSD victims, depression victims, both depression and PTSD victims, and victims with low symptoms did not yield significant results. However, regression analyses indicated that several subscales of both the CDS and ASQ were found to be moderate predictors of symptomatology. Implications for future research are discussed.     

AN INNOVATION IN THE PREPARATION OF COUNSELOR SUPERVISORS

Employment Service counselor supervisors were prepared at Indiana University under a contract with the Indiana State Bureau of Employment Security. Our campus program was a combination of didactic and practicum courses. The off campus program consisted of visitation by faculty members to the local offices of the enrollees and involved consulting with the office staff as well as the enrollee. Reaction to the program by total office staffs was favorable.