Development of the concept of family in elementary school children

Two studies were conducted to examine the relation of age, gender, and family structure to children's understanding of the concept of family. In Study 1,387 children in Grades 1 through 6 were asked to classify various groupings of individuals as constituting or not constituting a family. Results showed both age and gender differences in children's conceptions of families: Younger children, especially boys, generally used concrete, absolute criteria for defining a family; younger girls were similar to older children in that they were more likely to employ abstract, relational criteria for family definition. Results also showed that children's own family structure was not related to their family definitions. In Study 2, 64 children from the original sample were given a measure of cognitive ability to examine whether differences in cognitive development or differences in socialization were a likely source of younger girls' more advanced understanding. Gender differences in cognitive ability did not emerge, suggesting that the gender effects in Study 1 reflected differences in the socialization of boys and girls. Implications of the findings for understanding children's reactions to family disruption are discussed.     

Workers' compensation for law enforcement related post traumatic stress disorder

The questions of how Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) manifests itself among police officers and their eligibility to receive workers' compensation for PTSD are explored. The nature of the police officer's occupation, the prevalence of stress-related disorders among police personnel, and the relationship of the police personality to the dynamics of the way stress is manifested are considered. The extent to which workers' compensation statutes in various states cover mental injuries is also examined, and the variables that may affect the outcome of an officer's receiving compensation for PTSD are discussed. Finally, implications for mental health professionals who testify as expert witnesses in cases dealing with police stress, as well as those who work in the assessment and treatment ofpolice personnel, are explored.     

Reading skill and the use of orthographic knowledge by Mature Readers

Summary Butler and Hains (1979) found individual differences in the effect of word length on RT in word naming and lexical-decision tasks; subjects scoring high on a vocabulary test were much less affected by word length than subjects with low scores. The present study attempted to determine whether such differences could be due to differences in the use of intraword structure, since word recognition has been linked, both empirically (Mason, 1978; Scheerer-Neumann, 1981) and theoretically (Mewhort & Campbell, 1981) to the use of orthographic redundancy. In Experiment 1, subjects were shown tachistoscopically presented letter strings varying in approximation to English. High vocabulary subjects were more capable of capitalizing on the redundancy with the higher-order approximations. Experiment 2 then established that performance on the vocabulary test was correlated with reading skill, measured by the Nelson-Denny Reading Test, and that skilled readers were more sensitive to the syllable structure in words. In the experiment, subjects were shown eight-letter words presented as three separate word units which either matched or violated syllable boundaries in the word. Skilled readers were more sensitive to the difference between syllable and nonsyllable units than were less skilled readers. The results obtained by Butler and Hains appear to reflect differences in reading skill and the efficiency of letter sequence parsing prior to word recognition.     

Some differences between phonetic and auditory modes of perception

When third-formant transitions are appropriately incorporated into an acoustic syllable, they provide critical support for the phonetic percepts we call [d] and [g], but when presented in isolation they are perceived as time-varying ‘chirps’. In the present experiment, both modes of perception were made available simultaneously by presenting the third-format transitions to one ear and the remainder of the acoustic syllable to the other. On the speech side of this duplex percept, where the transitions supported the perception of stop-vowel syllables, perception was categorical and influenced by the presence of a preposed [al] or [ar]. On the nonspeech side, where the same transitions were heard as ‘chirps’, perception was continuous and free of influence from the preposed syllables. As both differences occurred under conditions in which the acoustic input was constant, we should suppose that they reflect the different properties of auditory and phonetic modes of perception.     

Issues in treatment efficacy research with alcoholics.

A variety of therapeutic strategies have been used in the treatment of alcoholic patients. Within this context, behavioral techniques have been widely employed with varying degree of effectiveness. This paper attempts to explore theoretically 2 widely used behavioral therapeutic methods, systematic desensitization and covert sensitization, along with traditional insight-oriented therapy. Possible merits and limitations of applying these treatment approaches to alcoholic patients are explored.     

Converting an electronic calculator into a combination stopwatch-calculator

A method for adding electronic stopwatch capabilities to a calculator is described. An integrated circuit (NE555) is used for a time base. The circuit drives an opto-isolator or light-emitting diode that operates a photocell. The opto-isolator or photocell substitutes for a switch closure to increment the calculator in .10-sec intervals.     

Developmental aspects of categorized recall in a West African Society

Studies are reported among West African populations on the relationship between preferred mode of organization of categorizable material and use of organization in recall. Various child and adult groups differed in the types of organization they imposed on the material in a sorting task, with those exposed to school and modernizing influences showing a preference for taxonomic organization. All subjects, however, used their own form of organization to order their subsequent recall of the material, supporting the idea that organizing processes in recall are universal.     

Sex differences in preadolescent self-disclosure

Both amount and content of self-disclosure may vary with sex role. Both adult and preadolescent females have been reported as engaging in greater amounts of self-disclosure than males; the present study attempted to replicate these findings with preadolescents, and to investigate sex differences in the content of self-disclosure. A self-disclosure questionnaire covering a wide range of subjects was administered to 307 urban children. The sex difference on the total number of items revealed to a friend closely approached significance, with girls showing greater disclosure. When only intimate content items were examined, the sex difference reached clear significance. Content analysis showed that girls were more willing to reveal items related to emotionality, anxiety, and dependence.     

Use of a “balance-sheet” procedure to improve the quality of personal decision making: A field experiment with college applicants

This study tested the effectiveness of a “balance-sheet” or tallying procedure used to induce high school seniors to think carefully about considerations relevant to their choice of college. Students who were exposed to the balance-sheet procedure three months before their choice of college were compared with a control group six weeks after making their decision. In comparison with control subjects, students administered the balance-sheet procedure tended (though the findings were not always significant at the 0.05 level) (1) to select a wider array of alternatives in formulating the decision, (2) to take into account more self-related and fewer social considerations, (3) to express less regret and report less concern about their choice following the decision, and (4) were less interested in receiving supportive, dissonance-reducing information. The balance-sheet procedure appears to make salient the importance of the decision, helps clarify the merits of the choice alternatives, and stimulates a search for feasible alternatives.     

Counselling breast cancer patients: A specialist nurse service

The evaluation of a specialist nurse-counselling service is described. Forty newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, treated by mastectomy, were randomised to receive either routine care or routine care plus counselling by a nurse. Psychological morbidity was assessed at one week, 3 months and 12 months postoperatively to determine the efficacy of this service. Comparisons between the groups indicated that counselled patients were significantly less depressed at 3 months postoperatively and reported more beliefs in personal control over health. At 12 months postoperatively there were no significant differences between the groups. Although both groups continued to adjust throughout the year following surgery, this adjustment occurred more rapidly if patients were counselled. The results suggest that a nurse-counselling service can be of value in helping to reduce the amount of distress experienced as a result of the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.