Internal consistency reliability of the Francis Scale of Attitude toward Alcohol among adolescents in Northern Ireland

The Francis Scale of Attitude toward Alcohol was completed by 324 adolescents (M= 17.1 yr., SD=3.6) in Northern Ireland to examine reliability of the measure among this age group. These data support its internal consistency (.89) and suggest that the Francis Scale of Attitude toward Alcohol is psychometrically appropriate for use among this age group.     

Development of upper limb proprioceptive accuracy in children and adolescents

This study was designed to determine differences in the proprioceptively guided movements of children (8-10 years) and adolescents (16-18 years). Participants were blindfolded and asked to actively match passively determined target positions of the elbow joint under three matching conditions. Overall, children were less accurate than adolescents in all matching tasks and utilized different kinematic strategies for making the matching movements. Specifically, children made larger absolute errors and utilized matching movements which, compared to adolescents, were of shorter duration and less irregular in terms of their velocity profiles. An assessment of limb asymmetry was also performed revealing a non-dominant arm matching advantage but only for children and only in the task requiring interhemispheric transfer of a memory-based model of limb position. The proprioceptive differences observed in this study are likely the result of experience-driven refinement in the utilization of somatosensory feedback throughout childhood and into adolescence.     

Sexual victimization in relation to perceptions of risk: mediation, generalization, and temporal stability

There is evidence that personal experience with trauma is associated with increases in both personal and comparative risk perception. This study investigates this relation in terms of sexual victimization among women, focusing on three potential mediators: perceived control over sexual assault, perceived similarity to a typical sexual assault victim, and psychological distress. Mediational analyses were investigated using structural equation modeling. Although victimization experience was not related to comparative risk perception, it was associated with greater personal risk perception. This relation was mediated by perceived similarity to a typical sexual assault victim. Prospective analyses indicated that personal risk perception does change in response to sexual victimization but also indicated that heightened risk perception may be an accurate assessment of risk that actually precedes victimization experience. Implications for the meaning of perceived similarity and perceptions of risk for sexual assault victims are discussed.     

Antecedents and reactions to health-related social control

A model of the antecedents and reactions to health-related social control is proposed. This model suggests health behavior characteristics, including type, frequency, and severity of consequences, are social control antecedents. Social control is then thought to elicit better health behavior and emotions. Attributions to explain social control are proposed to effect emotional reactions and behavior. Undergraduates read hypothetical scenarios to test the proposed model. Study 1 found that health-compromising behaviors and behaviors with more severe consequences elicited more social control. Study 2 found that, compared to negative tactics, positive social control tactics elicited more behavior change, and compared to social/appearance concerns, attributions to health elicited positive emotions. Attributions did not moderate the impact of social control on emotions or behavior.     

Coantagonism of glutamate receptors and nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptors disrupts fear conditioning and latent inhibition of fear conditioning

The present study investigated the hypothesis that both nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptors (nAChRs) and glutamate receptors (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate receptors (AMPARs) and N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDARs)) are involved in fear conditioning, and may modulate similar processes. The effects of the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine administered alone, the AMPAR antagonist NBQX administered alone, and the NMDAR antagonist MK-801 administered alone on cued fear conditioning, contextual fear conditioning, and latent inhibition of cued fear conditioning were examined. In addition, the effects of coadministration of either mecamylamine and NBQX or mecamylamine and MK-801 on these behaviors were examined. Consistent with previous studies, neither mecamylamine nor NBQX administered alone disrupted any of the tasks. However, coadministration of mecamylamine and NBQX disrupted both contextual fear conditioning and latent inhibition of cued fear conditioning. In addition, coadministration of mecamylamine with a dose of MK-801 subthreshold for disrupting either task disrupted both contextual fear conditioning and latent inhibition of cued fear conditioning. Coadministration of mecamylamine and NBQX, and coadministration of mecamylamine with a dose of MK-801 subthreshold for disrupting fear conditioning had little effect on cued fear conditioning. These results suggest that nAChRs and glutamate receptors may support similar processes mediating acquisition of contextual fear conditioning and latent inhibition of fear conditioning.     

Missing sights: consequences for visual cognitive development

The effects of early-onset blindness on the development of the visual system have been explained traditionally by the stabilization of transient connections through Hebbian competition. Although many of the findings from congenital cataract and congenital blindness are consistent with that view, there is inconsistent evidence from studies of visual cognition in children treated for visual deprivation from cataract, case reports of recovery of vision in adults, and studies of visual reorganization after late-onset blindness. Collectively, the data from congenital cataract and congenital blindness indicate that early visual experience sets up the infrastructure for later learning involving both the dorsal ("where") and ventral ("what") streams. Nevertheless, there is surprising residual plasticity in adulthood that can be revealed if vision is lost either temporarily or permanently. This has important implications for understanding the role of early visual experience in shaping visual cognitive development.     

Genetic Cancer Risk Assessment and Counseling: Recommendations of the National Society of Genetic Counselors

These cancer genetic counseling recommendations describe the medical, psychosocial, and ethical ramifications of identifying at-risk individuals through cancer risk assessment with or without genetic testing. They were developed by members of the Practice Issues Subcommittee of the National Society of Genetic Counselors Cancer Genetic Counseling Special Interest Group. The information contained in this document is derived from extensive review of the current literature on cancer genetic risk assessment and counseling as well as the personal expertise of genetic counselors specializing in cancer genetics. The recommendations are intended to provide information about the process of genetic counseling and risk assessment for hereditary cancer disorders rather than specific information about individual syndromes. Key components include the intake (medical and family histories), psychosocial assessment (assessment of risk perception), cancer risk assessment (determination and communication of risk), molecular testing for hereditary cancer syndromes (regulations, informed consent, and counseling process), and follow-up considerations. These recommendations should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of management, nor does use of such recommendations guarantee a particular outcome. These recommendations do not displace a health care provider's professional judgment based on the clinical circumstances of a client.     

Environmental complexity and central nervous system development and function

Environmental restriction or deprivation early in development can induce social, cognitive, affective, and motor abnormalities similar to those associated with autism. Conversely, rearing animals in larger, more complex environments results in enhanced brain structure and function, including increased brain weight, dendritic branching, neurogenesis, gene expression, and improved learning and memory. Moreover, in animal models of CNS insult (e.g., gene deletion), a more complex environment has attenuated or prevented the sequelae of the insult. Of relevance is the prevention of seizures and attenuation of their neuropathological sequelae as a consequence of exposure to a more complex environment. Relatively little attention, however, has been given to the issue of sensitive periods associated with such effects, the relative importance of social versus inanimate stimulation, or the unique contribution of exercise. Our studies have examined the effects of environmental complexity on the development of the restricted, repetitive behavior commonly observed in individuals with autism. In this model, a more complex environment substantially attenuates the development of the spontaneous and persistent stereotypies observed in deer mice reared in standard laboratory cages. Our findings support a sensitive period for such effects and suggest that early enrichment may have persistent neuroprotective effects after the animal is returned to a standard cage environment. Attenuation or prevention of repetitive behavior by environmental complexity was associated with increased neuronal metabolic activity, increased dendritic spine density, and elevated neurotrophin (BDNF) levels in brain regions that are part of cortical-basal ganglia circuitry. These effects were not observed in limbic areas such as the hippocampus.     

Australian lawyers' views on competency issues in older adults

Lawyers are often called upon by their older clients to draft contracts, make up wills or powers of attorney, or provide other forms of legal advice or service. With the increasing numbers of older people in the population, the numbers of older clients for legal practitioners is likely to increase. Older people are also at increased risk for impaired cognitive processes that can affect their ability to make reasoned judgements in civil contracts and other legal arrangements. Here we report on the results of a survey of 302 Australian solicitors as to their experience and practices in determining the capacity of older clients to make legal decisions. The responses, reflecting a 20.7% return rate, showed a wide range of experience in conducting capacity assessments, with a mean of 15.7 years (SD = 10.59). There was a very wide range of practices in determining capacity with no consensus. The most frequent form of questions older clients were asked related to personal and family history. Less than one-quarter asked for the rationale of the decision: the most appropriate form of question in the literature. The results suggest a need for further training of solicitors in the assessment of the capacity of older clients to make legal decisions.