Curriculum-based measures of writing across grade levels

This study compared the technical adequacy of curriculum-based measures in written expression across diverse grade levels. Students (n = 484) completed two narrative writing samples in response to story starters. Samples were scored for the number of words written (TW), the number of correct word sequences (CWS), and the number of correct minus incorrect word sequences (CWS-ICWS). Alternate-form reliability and criterion-related validity coefficients of the curriculum-based measures were examined to determine differences between the coefficients according to grade level.Results indicated moderate to strong alternate-form reliability coefficients and variable criterion-related validity coefficients. The data from this study support the need for curriculum-based measures of writing to become more complex as students age and become more skilled.     

Individual differences in learning the affective value of others under minimal conditions

This paper provides the first demonstration that people can learn about the positive and negative value of other people (e.g., neutral faces) under minimal learning conditions, with stable individual differences in this learning. In four studies, participants viewed neutral faces paired with sentences describing positive, negative or neutral behaviors on either two (Study 1) or four (Studies 2, 3, and 4) occasions. Participants were later asked to judge the valence of the faces alone. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that learning does occur under minimal conditions. Study 3 and 4 further demonstrated that the degree of learning was moderated by Extraversion. Finally, Study 4 demonstrated that initial learning persisted over a period of 2 days. Implications for affective processing and person perception are discussed.     

Examining mixed unknown distributions (mud)

A function, written in R, for testing whether the distribution of responses in one condition can be considered a combination of the distributions from two other conditions is described. The important aspect of this function is that it does not make any assumptions about the shape of the distributions. It is based o nthe Kolmogorov-Smirnov D statistic. The function also allows the user to test more specific and, hence, more statistically powerful hypotheses. One hypothesis, that the mixture does not capture the middle third of the distribution, is included as a built-in option, and code is provided so that other alternatives can easily be run. A power analysis reveals that the function is most likely to detect a difference between the combined conditions' distribution and the other distribution when the center of the other distribution is near the midpoint of the two original distributions. Critical p values are estimated for each set of distributions, using bootstrap methods. An example from human memory research, exploring the blending hypothesis of the misinformation effect, is used for illustrative purposes.     

Theory-of-mind development influences suggestibility and source monitoring

According to the mental-state reasoning model of suggestibility, 2 components of theory of mind mediate reductions in suggestibility across the preschool years. The authors examined whether theory-of-mind performance may be legitimately separated into 2 components and explored the memory processes underlying the associations between theory of mind and suggestibility, independent of verbal ability. Children 3 to 6 years old completed 6 theory-of-mind tasks and a postevent misinformation procedure. Contrary to the model's prediction, a single latent theory-of-mind factor emerged, suggesting a single-component rather than a dual-component conceptualization of theory-of-mind performance. This factor provided statistical justification for computing a single composite theory-of-mind score. Improvements in theory of mind predicted reductions in suggestibility, independent of verbal ability (Study 1, n = 72). Furthermore, once attribution biases were controlled (Study 2, n = 45), there was also a positive relationship between theory of mind and source memory, but not recognition performance. The findings suggest a substantial, and possibly causal, association between theory-of-mind development and resistance to suggestion, driven specifically by improvements in source monitoring.     

Trajectories of Change in a Group Behavioral Activation Treatment for Severe,Recurrent Depression

Depression is a common and costly problem. Behavioral Activation (BA) is an effective treatment for depression when delivered 1:1, but group treatments often do not perform as well as 1:1 treatments. One way to begin to understand how group treatments perform is to assess the process of change during treatment. This study examined trajectories of change across 10-session group BA for individuals with severe, chronic, or recurrent forms of depression. We also tested whether individuals who had associated sudden gains or depression spikes had better outcomes than those who did not have these change patterns. We examined psychological and sociodemographic predictors of the patterns of change. Participants were 104 individuals who met diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder and participated in one of 10 BA groups, provided over a 2-year period. A linear, but not quadratic or cubic, rate of change fit the data and the effect size for the change in mood symptoms from baseline to posttreatment was large, Cohen’s d = 1.25. Although 34% (26 of the 77 who provided outcome data) of individuals had a sudden gain and 10% (7/77) had a depression spike, neither sudden gains nor depression spikes predicted posttreatment outcomes. None of the demographic or psychological factors (rumination, behavioral activation) predicted the pattern of change. These results suggest that although group BA may help to reduce depressive symptoms in individuals with severe, recurrent, and/or chronic forms of depression, the overall linear pattern of change is different from quadratic patterns of change reported for 1:1 BA.