A review of methods in the study of attention in autism

Atypical attention, while not a diagnostic feature, is common in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The study of these atypicalities has recently gained in both quantity and quality, due in part to an increased focus on attentional atypicalities as one of the earliest signs of ASD in infancy. A range of attentional processes and components have been investigated, and the methods used are varied, from Posner-type paradigms, to the more recent use of eye-movement recording and change-detection techniques. This methodological complexity is one factor in the production of conflicting evidence on the topic of attention in ASD. This review uses a focus on methodology to clarify the literature to date and provide a resource for researchers wishing to study attention in ASD. Other factors that have contributed to the current discrepancies in findings are discussed, particularly the role of individual and group differences within the population of people with ASD.     

Book reviews

Women as Teachers and Disciples in Traditional and New Religions. Elizabeth Puttick & Peter B. Clarke, eds., 1993 Lampeter: Edwin Mellen Press 146 pp., £48.24 ISBN 0–7734–9346–8

Vrouwen in de wereldgodsdiensten. Teksten, tradities en recente on‐twikkelingen [Women in the World Religions: Texts, Traditions and Recent Developments]. Catherine Cornille, 1994 Rotterdam: Lemniscaat 183 pp., Belgian francs 570.00 ISBN 90–6069–933–5

Shadow of Spirit: Postmodernism and Religion. Philippa Berry & Andrew Wernick, eds., 1992 London: Routledge 274 pp., £35.00 hb and £12.99 pb ISBN 0–415–06638–7 and 06639–5

Political Islam, a special volume of the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences. Charles Butterworth & I. William Zartman, eds., 1992 London: Sage 232 pp., US$17.00 £14.95 ISBN 0–8039–4687–2

The Sociology of Sacred Texts. Jon Davies & Isabel Wollaston, 1993 Sheffield: Sheffield University Press 195 pp., £35.00 ISBN 1–85075–404–7

A Generation of Seekers: The Spiritual Journeys of the Baby Boom Generation. Wade Clark Roof, 1993 New York: Harper Collins Publishers, Harper, San Francisco US$12.00 Aus$24.95 ISBN 006–066–9640

The American Encounter with Buddhism 1844–1912. Victorian Culture and the Limits of Dissent. Thomas A. Tweed, 1992 Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press xxiv + 242 pp., US$29.95(h/b) ISBN 025–336–0994

Visions of Reality: What Fundamentalist Schools Teach. Albert J. Menendez, 1993 Buffalo, New York: Prometheus Books 152 pp., £12.50 ISBN 0–87975–802–3     

The Efficacy of Child Parent Relationship Therapy for Adoptive Families: A Replication Study

This randomized controlled replication study examined the effectiveness of child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) with 49 adoptive families. Statistically significant improvement and large treatment effects for child behavior problems, parent–child relationship stress, and parents' empathic interactions with their children indicated the effectiveness of CPRT over treatment as usual. Findings confirm Carnes‐Holt and Bratton's ( 2014 ) results and provide strong support for CPRT as a responsive intervention for adoptive families.     

Incorporating reflection into computing classes: models and challenges

Literature has shown that the use of reflective practice is one way to assist students to understand and adjust to the expectations demanded by higher education. However, the implementation of reflective practice within the classroom can be challenging especially more so for the science, technology, engineering and mathematics discipline. It is often the case that reflective exercises are incorporated into the classrooms without further thought beyond the assignment of a reflective journal and students are asked to reflect without being taught how. This paper reviews existing models of reflection and discusses its application to the field of computing education particularly in the design of class activities to train students to reflect. Existing literature on how reflective activities are incorporated into assessments and classroom activities for different purposes are also reviewed to determine factors that contribute to its successful implementation in the classroom.