IMPROVING CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR IN MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN THROUGH CORRESPONDENCE TRAINING

Except for a few studies, most research investigating correspondence training procedures has been more analogue in nature. The purpose of the present set of studies was to examine whether a “say-do” correspondence training technique could be used with children in special education classes to improve classroom behavior. The specific behaviors targeted for change included: out-of-seat behavior (Experiment 1), sitting posture (Experiment 2), and on-task behavior (Experiment 3). The say-do procedure used in Experiment 1 resembled that of previous studies, whereas that in Experiment 2 was more elaborate in the specificity of verbal statements required from the children and the feedback given them. The training procedure in Experiment 3 used a format similar to the say-do approach, but stressed visual rather than verbal cuing because it was used with nonverbal children. All three studies used single-subject designs and examined maintenance and/or generalization questions. Experiments 2 and 3 also evaluated whether concomitant changes in performance on academic tasks occurred. The results of the three studies provide strong evidence that correspondence training can be effectively used with educationally handicapped children. Moreover, the successful modification of the “say-do” to a “show-do” procedure in Experiment 3 points out the flexibility of the correspondence training approach.     

The ontogeny of defensive reactions in the rat: Influence of the monoamine transmission systems

The effects of neonatal treatment of rats with the neurotoxins 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine and 6-hydroxydopamine on the ontogeny of the ultra sound vocalization and the immobility response were studied. The 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine treated rats showed reduced strength of both reactions indicating involvement of the serotonin system in their ontogeny. This hypothesis was supported by experiments with depletion of serotonin by para-chlorophenylalanine followed by replenishment with 5-hydroxytryptophan. The 6-hydroxydopamine treated rats showed normal defensive reactions, but displayed hyperactivity from their second week of age. The role of the dopamine system in the defensive reactions was studied by variations of the dopamine activity level by traditional tools: depletion by α-methyl-tyrosin followed by replenishment by l -DOPA; stimulation or inhibition of the dopamine receptors by apomorphine or haloperidol. The results suggested an inhibitory function of the dopamine system in both defensive reactions, antagonistic to that of the serotonin system.     

Response deprivation and reinforcement in applied settings: A preliminary analysis

First-grade children engaged in seatwork behaviors under reinforcement schedules established according to the Premack Principle and the Response Deprivation Hypothesis. Across two experiments, schedules were presented to the children in a counter-balanced fashion which fulfilled the conditions of one, both, or neither of the hypotheses. Duration of on-task math and coloring in Experiment 1 and on-task math and reading in Experiment 2 were the dependent variables. A modified ABA-type withdrawal design, including a condition to control for the noncontingent effects of a schedule, indicated an increase of on-task instrumental responding only in those schedules where the condition of response deprivation was present but not where it was absent, regardless of the probability differential between the instrumental and contingent responses. These results were consistent with laboratory findings supporting the necessity of response deprivation for producing the reinforcement effect in single response, instrumental schedules. However, the results of the control procedure were equivocal so the contribution of the contingent relationship between the responses to the increases in instrumental behavior could not be determined. Nevertheless, these results provided tentative support for the Response Deprivation Hypothesis as a new approach to establishing reinforcement schedules while indicating the need for further research in this area. The possible advantages of this technique for applied use were identified and discussed.     

Psychopathology in epilepsy. The role of psychology in altering paradigms of research, treatment, and prevention.

This article offers a brief review of the literature examining epilepsy and abnormal behavior. The generally accepted concept of epilepsy as a high psychiatric risk disorder is reexamined in light of research that has investigated the influence of selection bias. A conceptual model that organizes the known or postulated risk variables (neurological, psychosocial, and medication) is presented, with emphasis on psychology's potential contribution.     

Parent training for young Norwegian children with ODD and CD problems: Predictors and mediators of treatment outcome

Participants were 121 children, aged 4–8 years referred for conduct problems, and their mothers. A parent training intervention was implemented in two outpatient clinics in Norway. Treatment responders were defined as children scoring below a cut-off on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory, a score below an optimal cut-off for children in day-care and school as reported by teachers, in addition to a 30% reduction or greater in observed negative parenting. Self-reported parenting practices were explored as potential mediators. The results of logistic regression analyses showed that high levels of maternal stress, clinical levels of ADHD, and being a girl predicted a poorer outcome in conduct problems at home, while pretreatment clinical levels of ADHD predicted a poorer outcome as perceived by the teachers. Harsh and inconsistent parental disciplining emerged as significant partial mediators of changes in conduct problems, highlighting the importance of altering parenting practices to modify young children's conduct problems.     

Clinician competencies: Strengths and limitations for work with transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) clients

Individuals who identify as transgender or gender nonconforming (TGNC) face a number of health disparities compared to individuals who identify as cisgender (those who self-identify with the sex they were assigned at birth). For example, TGNC individuals experience heightened rates of clinical depression, anxiety, general psychological distress, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. Despite these troubling disparities, many TGNC individuals report hesitance to seek mental health services due to concerns regarding culturally insensitive or even overtly discriminatory services from providers. In addition to decreasing service utilization among TGNC populations, discriminatory services impair intervention effectiveness even when TGNC individuals persist in seeking mental health services. The American Psychological Association (APA) and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) provide guidelines for culturally competent work with TGNC clients; however, research indicates a profound lack of TGNC-specific training and resources among mental health care providers. To address this gap, the present investigation utilized a mixed-method design to assess training experiences, understanding of terminology, and TGNC competence among mental health care providers at various training levels. Participants were current mental health clinicians across the United States. Implications for improving reported and demonstrated weaknesses are discussed.     

When all COVID breaks loose: Examining determinants of working parents' job performance during a crisis

As governments mandated organization and school closures due to COVID-19, working parents involuntarily found themselves trying to balance both work and child educational responsibilities from home while still endeavoring to remain productive at work. As such, we integrate the crisis management literature with boundary theory and the work–home resources model to propose and test a process model to better understand how abrupt shifts to remote work and school closures impact working parents' job performance during a crisis. Using data collected across four time periods beginning at the time when most states had issued “safer at home” orders, we examine a serial mediation model and find, consistent with predictions, that early experiences of boundary violations and job insecurity impact work–family balance self-efficacy, which in turn drives future job performance by way of its effects on working parents' subjective well-being. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.     

Clergy Affairs: Emotional Investment,Longevity of Relationship and Affair Partners

While there has been a growing body of research on clergy infidelity behavior (Blackmon, 1984; Muck, 1988; Thoburn & Balswick, 1999), factors predicting infidelity (Blackmon, 1984; Steinke, 1989; Thoburn & Balswick, 1994) and attitudes related to clergy infidelity (Steinke, 1989; Thoburn & Balswick, 1999), little research has been done identifying the nature of clergy sexual misconduct relationships. Research with a multi-denominational group of male Protestant ministers examined a) whether clergy affairs are of short or long duration, b) the kinds of persons that clergy have affairs with i.e. counselees, church members, church staff, friends, strangers or prostitutes, c) whether there was an emotional quality to the affair, and d) the potential impact that marital dissatisfaction might have on the clergy affair.