Implicit sequence learning in deaf children with cochlear implants

Deaf children with cochlear implants (CIs) represent an intriguing opportunity to study neurocognitive plasticity and reorganization when sound is introduced following a period of auditory deprivation early in development. Although it is common to consider deafness as affecting hearing alone, it may be the case that auditory deprivation leads to more global changes in neurocognitive function. In this paper, we investigate implicit sequence learning abilities in deaf children with CIs using a novel task that measured learning through improvement to immediate serial recall for statistically consistent visual sequences. The results demonstrated two key findings. First, the deaf children with CIs showed disturbances in their visual sequence learning abilities relative to the typically developing normal-hearing children. Second, sequence learning was significantly correlated with a standardized measure of language outcome in the CI children. These findings suggest that a period of auditory deprivation has secondary effects related to general sequencing deficits, and that disturbances in sequence learning may at least partially explain why some deaf children still struggle with language following cochlear implantation.     

Establishing an Alcohol and Other Drug Assessment and Intervention Program Within an On‐Site Counselor Education Research and Training Clinic

The authors describe the Substance Information Program, a university alcohol and other drug (AOD) assessment and intervention program. The Substance Information Program is housed in a counseling department's on‐site training and research clinic and gives counselors‐in‐training an opportunity to gain practical addictions training.     

The role of atypical antipsychotics in glucose/insulin dysregulation and the evolving role of the psychiatrist in a new era of drug treatment options

This article examines the issue of atypical antipsychotics, glucose/insulin, and other metabolic derangements (ie, metabolic syndrome), including a general introduction to the health concerns of our patients, a review of the literature, possible mechanisms of antipsychotic induced glucose dysregulation, monitoring approaches, and management and prevention of metabolic syndrome. Literature review leads to mechanism hypotheses and risk estimations, leading to guidelines for monitoring and treatment. The patient population suffers from a higher degree of baseline metabolic dysregulation resulting in cardiovascular disease through components of the metabolic syndrome, and this risk increases with administration of atypical antipsychotic medication at different rates, depending on both drug and patient risk factors. The growing knowledge of mechanisms behind drug induced glucose/insulin and other metabolic dysregulation, as well as advances in pharmacogenomics, will help refine drug selection and monitoring for adverse, life-threatening metabolic effects.     

Evaluating the success of Caucasian fathers in guiding adolescents

The purpose of this study was to identify guidance strengths and learning needs of fathers of adolescents. Perceptions of two generations were used to determine how well fathers perform as parents and realms of knowledge they have yet to acquire. The Parent Success Indicator, a 60-item Likert-type instrument, was administered to 126 Caucasian fathers and 185 adolescents. Significant differences obtained between generations for the total inventory, some scales, and many items. The amount of time spent together had the greatest influence on how both generations evaluated father success. Findings are discussed in terms of developing a curriculum to enhance the success of fathers.     

The treatment of sexual dysfunction: Some theoretical considerations

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy -     

Psychoanalytic supervision of the difficult patient

Control cases from the broad group of non-neurotic but potentially analyzable patients appear with increasing frequency. The intense, complex transferences they develop place great stress on the psychoanalytic relationship and evoke marked countertransference reactions in psychoanalytic candidates, which reverberate within the supervisory relationship. Through application of a case study method, common themes emerge in the candidate-supervisor dyad: idealization of the supervisor and of classical technique, identification with the patient, parallel process enactments, difficulty maintaining the analytic frame, and the importance of concurrent training analysis. Classical supervisory techniques must be adapted to the "difficult" (non-neurotic) control case. Complex countertransference issues must be carefully addressed while maintaining the teach/treat boundary.     

Changes in middle latency auditory evoked potentials during meditation

In the present study of middle latency auditory evoked potentials during Brahmakumaris Raja Yoga meditation there was a decrease in the peak latency of the Na wave (a negative wave between 14 and 19 msec.) during meditation. Since the neural generator of this wave lies at the midbrain-thalamic level, from the results one can infer that the meditation reduces conduction time at this level.     

Nine Months of Multicomponent Behavioral Treatment for ADHD and Effectiveness of MTA Fading Procedures

We examined 9-month data from the 14-month NIMH Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (the MTA) as a further check on the relative effect of medication (MedMgt) and behavioral treatment (Beh) for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) while Beh was still being delivered at greater intensity than at 14-month endpoint, and conversely as a check on the efficacy of the MTA behavioral generalization/maintenance procedures. Intention-to-treat analysis at 9 months showed essentially the same results as at 14 months, after Beh had been completely faded; MedMgt and the combination (Comb) of medication and Beh were significantly superior to Beh and community care (CC) for ADHD and oppositional-defiant (ODD) symptoms, with mixed results for social skills and internalizing symptoms. All treatment-group differences examined as changes in slopes from 9 to 14 months were nonsignificant (we found general improvement for all groups). Slopes from baseline to 9 months correlated highly (r > .74, p < .0001) with slopes from baseline to 14 months for all groups. The time function from baseline to 14 months showed a significant linear, but not quadratic, trend for the main outcome measure (a composite of parent- and teacher-rated ADHD and ODD symptoms) for all groups. Findings suggest that in contrast to the hypothesized deterioration in the relative benefit of Beh between 9 and 14 months (after completion of fading), the MTA Beh generalization and maintenance procedures implemented through 9 months apparently yielded continuing improvement through 14 months, with preservation of the relative position of Beh compared to other treatment strategies.     

Misusing church brands: problems with the ownership and management of denominational brand imagery in the United Methodist Church

Trademarked images frequently play an important role in helping contemporary religious institutions establish and maintain a visual identity for their brands. But, these images and the subsequent decision to protect them legally also signify a clash of opinions on authority, theology and rights of ownership. Thus, disputes about trademarked images within religious communities are more than mere negotiations over who can and cannot use a particular symbol, but are ultimately conflicts that end up demarcating the boundaries of institutional membership and revealing a religious body’s (often unquestioned) allegiance to market-based principles. This article explores a case study regarding the United Methodist Church’s ‘Cross and Flame’ insigne, and investigates how tensions over the logo’s proper use uncover implicit statements about the denomination’s position on free market competition in a religious marketplace.