Shared and distinct cue utilization for metacognitive judgements during reasoning and memorisation

Metacognitive research is dominated by meta-memory studies; meta-reasoning research is nascent. Accessibility – the number of associations for a stimulus – is a reliable heuristic cue for Feeling of Knowing when answering knowledge questions. We used a similar cue, subjective accessibility, for exposing commonalities and differences between meta-reasoning and meta-memory. In Experiment 1, participants faced solvable Compound Remote Associate problems mixed with unsolvable random word triads. We collected initial Judgement of Solvability (iJOS), final JOS (fJOS) and confidence. Experiment 2 focused on confidence, controlling for potential interactions among judgements. In Experiment 3, the participants memorised the same triads and rated Ease of Learning and Judgement of Learning. sAccessibility was associated with all judgements. Notably, it reliably predicted memory judgements and confidence in the provided solutions. However, it was unreliable for judging solvability (iJOS and fJOS). The findings highlight the importance of studying meta-reasoning for exposing the biasing factors in reasoning processes and for getting a broad perspective on metacognitive processes.     

The Contribution of Maternal ADHD Symptomatology,Maternal DAT1, and Home Atmosphere to Child ADHD Symptomatology at 7 Years of Age

Children of mothers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have an increased genetic and environmental risk for ADHD. The unique and interactive contributions of a maternal dopamine receptor gene (DAT1), maternal ADHD symptoms (hyperactive- impulsive, inattentive), and home atmosphere to the prediction of ADHD symptoms (hyperactive- impulsive, inattentive) in 7- year-old boys (N = 96) were examined using data from a longitudinal study of familial risk for ADHD. During the first 6 months of the study, mothers and their spouses completed a questionnaire about the mother’s ADHD symptoms. Home atmosphere questionnaire data were collected 4 years later. At the 7-year assessment, mothers reported on their child’s ADHD symptoms. Negative home atmosphere was significantly associated with child hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive symptoms. Maternal inattentive symptoms were significantly correlated with both child symptom dimensions. Regression models, with child genotype and maternal education controlled, showed main effects for maternal inattentive symptoms, maternal DAT1 10/10 genotype, and home atmosphere in the prediction of child inattentive symptoms. Only home atmosphere predicted child hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. There was a significant home atmosphere x maternal hyperactive-impulsive symptoms interaction in the prediction of child hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. Boys with higher levels of symptoms came from homes characterized by higher levels of negative atmosphere and had mothers with higher levels of hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. There was also a trend (p = 0.075) for a maternal DAT1 x home atmosphere interaction. Boys with higher levels of inattentive symptoms came from homes with higher levels of negative atmosphere and had mothers with the homozygous 10/10 genotype. The maternal heterozygous 9/10 genotype did not predict child symptoms.     

Comorbidity of Personality Disorders and Somatization Disorder: A Meta-analytic Review

Meta-analysis of studies assessing the comorbidity of somatization disorder (SD) with one or more personality disorders (PDs) revealed that-contrary to the assertions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition, text revision)-SD co-occurs with the majority of Axis II PDs. Although comorbidity effect sizes (rs) linking SD with paranoid PD and obsessive-compulsive PD were small, effect sizes for antisocial, borderline, narcissistic, histrionic, avoidant, and dependent PD yielded rs about or above 0.20. Comorbidity information in future versions of the DSM should be revised to reflect the greater number of PDs empirically linked with SD.

Social consequences of personality disorders: probability and timing of marriage and probability of marital disruption

The associations between DSM-IV personality disorders and probability of marriage, early marriage, and marital disruption were evaluated among people that participated in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, which is a nationally representative face-to-face survey of 43,093 respondents, 18 years and older. Participants completed a structured interview for the diagnosis of seven personality disorders, and provided information about the occurrence and timing of marriage and marital disruption. Results suggest that personality disorders were associated with decreased probability of marriage, increased probability of early marriage, and increased probability of marital disruption. These findings suggest that personality disorders have substantial consequences for the probability and timing of marriage and probability of marital disruption.     

Effectiveness of virtual reality for pediatric pain distraction during i.v. placement.

The objective of this study was to test the efficacy and suitability of virtual reality (VR) as a pain distraction for pediatric intravenous (i.v.) placement. Twenty children (12 boys, 8 girls) requiring i.v. placement for a magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography (MRI/CT) scan were randomly assigned to two conditions: (1) VR distraction using Street Luge (5DT), presented via a head-mounted display, or (2) standard of care (topical anesthetic) with no distraction. Children, their parents, and nurses completed self-report questionnaires that assessed numerous health-related outcomes. Responses from the Faces Pain Scale-Revised indicated a fourfold increase in affective pain within the control condition; by contrast, no significant differences were detected within the VR condition. Significant associations between multiple measures of anticipatory anxiety, affective pain, i.v. pain intensity, and measures of past procedural pain provided support for the complex interplay of a multimodal assessment of pain perception. There was also a sufficient amount of evidence supporting the efficacy of Street Luge as a pediatric pain distraction tool during i.v. placement: an adequate level of presence, no simulator sickness, and significantly more child-, parent-, and nurse-reported satisfaction with pain management. VR pain distraction was positively endorsed by all reporters and is a promising tool for decreasing pain, and anxiety in children undergoing acute medical interventions. However, further research with larger sample sizes and other routine medical procedures is warranted.     

Regional brain catecholamines and memory: effects of footshock, amygdala implantation, and stimulation

Previous findings have revealed a correlation between post-training release of whole brain norepinephrine (NE) and later retention performance. The present experiment examined changes after a training footshock in NE levels, as well as the levels of the major central NE metabolite, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), dopamine (DA), and epinephrine (EPI) in eight brain regions. Brain levels of these amines and the metabolite were assessed 10 min after training in a one-trial inhibitory (passive) avoidance task. The results indicate that NE levels decreased significantly in neocortex, neostriatum, hypothalamus, frontal pole, septum, and brainstem, but not in hippocampus or thalamus. The decreases in NE levels were generally accompanied by increases in MHPG; the MHPG/NE ratio increased significantly in all areas in which decreases in NE were observed. DA levels decreased in neostriatum and increased in neocortex and brainstem. Epinephrine levels decreased only in the brainstem sample. Thus, the effects of training on NE are widespread, probably reflecting the release of the amine in most brain regions. Such findings are consistent with the view that posttraining release of brain NE may modulate the storage of new information in many brain regions. One especially potent treatment for modulating memory storage is electrical stimulation of the amygdala. Therefore, we also examined the effects of amygdala implantation and stimulation on brain catecholamine levels to determine whether such changes might be correlated with the effects of amygdala stimulation on memory. The results indicate that electrode implantation into the amygdala results in pervasive changes in NE levels in most brain regions tested. Against this modified baseline, the results of training and electrical stimulation were region specific and very difficult to interpret. The major conclusion which can be derived from this portion of the experiment is that the amygdala damage produced by electrode implantation produces a brain which is substantially different from that of intact animals.