Identifiability of Diagnostic Classification Models

Diagnostic classification models (DCMs) are important statistical tools in cognitive diagnosis. In this paper, we consider the issue of their identifiability. In particular, we focus on one basic and popular model, the DINA model. We propose sufficient and necessary conditions under which the model parameters are identifiable from the data. The consequences, in terms of the consistency of parameter estimates, of fulfilling or failing to fulfill these conditions are illustrated via simulation. The results can be easily extended to the DINO model through the duality of the DINA and DINO models. Moreover, the proposed theoretical framework could be applied to study the identifiability issue of other DCMs.     

Collectives’ and individuals’ obligations: a parity argument

Individuals have various kinds of obligations: keep promises, don’t cause harm, return benefits received from injustices, be partial to loved ones, help the needy and so on. How does this work for group agents? There are two questions here. The first is whether groups can bear the same kinds of obligations as individuals. The second is whether groups’ pro tanto obligations plug into what they all-things-considered ought to do to the same degree that individuals’ pro tanto obligations plug into what they all-things-considered ought to do. We argue for parity on both counts.     

A Qualitative Study of Feminist Multicultural Trainees’ Social Justice Development

Social justice–oriented development was examined by recruiting practicum trainees from a site selected for its unique emphasis on feminist multiculturalism and social justice. The grounded theory design triangulated multiple data from 20 female participants. Analysis yielded an empirical model of how core experiences contributed to 3 types of growth: (a) doing your own work, (b) honoring your voice and others’ voices, and (c) challenging power to create systemic change. Counseling, supervision, and training implications are provided.     

Impulsivity and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: Examining the Role of Affect Manipulation

The assessment of impulsivity is complicated by the construct’s multi-faceted nature and poor correspondence between self-report and behavioral measures. These complications extend to populations anecdotally described as impulsive, including individuals who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Research suggests that self-injurers report impulsivity, primarily negative urgency. Thus, negative affect may be an important prerequisite for increased impulsive behaviors. The present laboratory study examined self-report impulsivity differences between individuals with and without a history of NSSI and if self-injurers demonstrated behavioral impulsivity when experiencing negative affect. Undergraduates with (N?=?54) and without (N?=?61) a history of NSSI participated in a two-part laboratory-based study that investigated the role of affect manipulation in impulsivity and NSSI. Participants were randomly assigned to either a negative or a neutral-relaxing mood induction. Participants completed self-report measures of impulsivity, NSSI, and negative affect. A behavioral measure of impulsivity was administered during Session 1 (prior to a mood induction task) and again during Session 2 (following a mood induction task) to determine whether affect had an effect on behavioral impulsivity task performance. Self-injurers reported higher negative urgency and lack of perseverance but did not display impulsivity on the behavioral task, even under conditions of negative affect.     

Personality profiles of effective leadership performance in assessment centers

Most research examining the relationship between effective leadership and personality has focused on individual personality traits. However, profiles of personality traits more fully describe individuals, and these profiles may be important as they relate to leadership. This study used latent class analysis to examine how personality traits combine and interact to form subpopulations of leaders and how these subpopulations relate to performance criteria. Using a sample of 2,461 executive-level leaders, six personality profiles were identified: Unpredictable Leaders with Low Diligence (7.3%); Conscientious, Backend Leaders (3.6%); Unpredictable Leaders (8.6%); Creative Communicators (20.8%); Power Players (32.4%); and Protocol Followers (27.1%). One profile performed well on all criteria in an assessment center; remaining profiles exhibited strengths and weaknesses across criteria. Implications and future directions for research are highlighted.     

Correlates of Youths' Fears of Victimization1

This study investigated the role that depression, deviant behaviors, and exposure to violence may play in youths' fears of victimization. In-school youth (ages 11 to 20 years) completed an anonymous, self-administered health behavior questionnaire that measured a variety of psychosocial variables. Included in the questionnaire were items concerning fears of personal victimization, demographics, depression, deviant behaviors, and previous exposure to violence. Logistic regressions revealed that gender, grade, ethnicity, depression, and previous exposure to violence were significantly associated with high fears of victimization. The implications of this study for future research into children's fears and for prevention programs are discussed.     

ACCURACY AND DISTORTION IN MEMORY FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADES

Abstract— The relation between accuracy and distortion of autobiographical memory content was examined by verifying 3,220 high school grades recalled by 99 college students. Accuracy of recall declined monotonically with letter grade, from 89% for grades of A to 29% for grades of D. The positive correlation between achievement and accuracy of recall is attributed to more frequent rehearsals of affectively positive content and to greater accuracy of reconstructive inferences based on homogeneous, generic memories. Most errors inflated the verified grade, and the degree of asymmetry of the error distribution is used as an index of the degree of distortion. Distortions are attributed to reconstructions in a positive, emotionally gratifying direction. Contrary to expectation, the percentage of accurate recall and the degree of asymmetry of the error distribution were uncorrelated. This finding indicates that the process of distortion does not cause forgetting of the veridical content Rather, distortion reflects bias in reconstructive inferences that occur after the veridical content has been forgotten for other reasons     

THE EFFECTS OF MEAL SCHEDULE AND QUANTITY ON PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR

We present 2 case examples that illustrate the effects of meal schedule and quantity on displays of problematic behavior. In the first example, self-injury displayed by a toddler with severe developmental delays was maintained by parent attention, but only when he was satiated for food. When he was food deprived, self-injury decreased but did not appear to be differentiated across low or high social conditions. In the second example, crying and self-injury displayed by an elementary-aged girl with severe disabilities were correlated: Both behaviors were associated with food quantity, and neither behavior was responsive to social stimuli. These results replicate and extend previous findings demonstrating that meal schedule or food quantity can affect problematic behavior. In the present studies, brief functional analyses of aberrant behavior provided useful information for interpreting distinct patterns of behavior displayed by each child. We discuss these results in terms of the concept of establishing operations.     

Hermeneutic listening: An approach to understanding in multicultural conversations

Listening is crucial to reaching multicultural understanding. Borrowing from the work of Hans-Georg Gadamer we develop a hermeneutics of listening. To listen we must risk our prejudices, but these prejudices constitute our very identity. In this paper we attempt to answer the question, “Why Listen?” if listening is such a potentially dangerous activity.