Visual slow brain potentials in children with attention deficit disorder

Using a two-stimulus reaction time paradigm, with two separate reward conditions (contingent and noncontingent), we compared slow wave brain potentials (ERPs) in 144 children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and 30 normal control children. This article reviews the findings during the 900 msec visual warning stimulus. As we had expected, based on ERP work of Forth and Hare (1989) and Raine, Venables and Williams (1990), and on previous work from our own laboratory, the group differences were found in the negative slow wave portions of the ERP complex during the contingent reward condition but not during the noncontingent condition. Aggressive hyperactive subjects with attention deficit disorder (ADDHA) were discriminated from nonaggressive subjects (including control subjects) during the contingent reward condition in the following ways: (1) greater fronto-central negativity (640–900 msec slow wave) and (2) greater right parietal than left parietal negativity (430–750 msec slow wave). All ADD subgroups, when compared to control (CONTR) subjects, showed greater slow wave negativity (700–900 msec) at the midline occipital electrode site during the contingent reward condition. This could be explained in part as an IQ effect on ERPs reflecting the IQ difference between the ADD subgroups and the controls. These slow wave findings seem to relate to attentional problems of these children. They are discussed in terms of a psychobiological model of inhibition/disinhibition and appetitive activation.     

Event-related brain potentials elicited by rhyming and non-rhyming pictures differentiate subgroups of reading disabled adolescents

Event-related brain potentials were recorded while disabled adolescent subjects read and judged whether two sequentially presented pictures had names that rhymed. Subjects with relatively good phonetic skills displayed an N400 priming effect, i.e., a significant reduction in the amplitude of the negative peak, occurring approximately 400 msec post-stimulus, for pictures with names that rhymed with preceding pictures as compared with pictures that had names that did not rhyme with the prime. No such effect was evident for subjects with relatively poor phonetic skills. This lack of an N400 priming effect provides evidence for a reduction in neural capacity and/or activation during phonological processing in the subjects with poor phonological skills. Demonstrating the N400 priming effect to be stronger in one group of reading disabled subjects, compared to another, supports the position that specific subtypes of reading disability exist. In addition to the stronger N400 priming effect, the phonetically stronger group also exhibited an enhanced negativity, from 700 to 1,000 msec after target stimulus onset, compared to phonetically inferior subjects. This finding replicates earlier work and possibly reflects a higher level of confidence in the group with better phonetic skills.     

Depression and coping in candidates for kidney transplantation: Racial and ethnic differences

Subjects were 288 adolescents and adults with end-stage renal disease who were candidates for kidney transplantation, a group identified at risk for noncompliance. The purpose was to examine racial and ethnic variations in coping—variables that may underlie noncompliance and impact upon health outcome. Secondarily, the relationship between depression and particular styles of coping was investigated. Race/Ethnicity was divided into three categories: Black/Non-Hispanic, White/Non-Hispanic, and Hispanic. Coping and depression were assessed using the COPE and Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. Results indicated that Hispanic and Black subjects were more likely to use maladaptive styles of coping and less likely to use adaptive coping than were White subjects and that Black subjects reported more physical symptoms of depression. These findings point to possible mechanisms underlying the occurrence of noncompliance and resulting poorer health outcome for individuals of different racial and ethnic groups.     

A reexamination of sex differences in job preferences

Previous research has found conflicting answers to the question of whether males and females share similar preferences for various job characteristics. It is difficult to determine if the different findings are due to the different populations sampled, the various methodologies employed, or to a real change in the phenomenon itself. This study essentially replicates earlier work by having 130 male and 84 female college students rate the importance of 10 job characteristics for both themselves and members of the opposite sex. Both sexes rated motivators as important, but females also placed importance on the hygienes. Males tended to underestimate the importance of the motivators for females, while females overestimated the importance of hygienes for males. The subject's sex could be predicted by both the importance for self and importance for opposite sex ratings, contrary to the earlier study. The difference in results and interpretation was shown to be due to the type of analyses used. Additionally, it was found that females' job preferences were related to their mothers' educational achievement.     

The job climate for women in traditionally male blue-collar occupations

Rapid growth has been observed in recent years in the number of women entering traditionally male blue-collar occupations, yet researchers have paid little attention to this pioneering group. The present study undertook a comparison of the job conditions of two groups of nontraditional women workers, tradeswomen (N=71), and transit workers (N=151); a third group, school secretaries (N=389), was studied as a comparison group of traditionally female workers. Results from a 16-page mail questionnaire revealed that women in traditionally male occupations encountered significantly more adverse working conditions than did their traditional counterparts, and, in addition, reported significantly less satisfaction and more stress at work. Tradeswomen were the most likely to experience sexual harassment and sex discrimination, and black tradeswomen to experience race discrimination. The degree of job satisfaction expressed by the secretaries was unexpected, since most evidence suggests that clerical workers lack autonomy, and encounter boredom and routinization on the job. These findings are discussed in terms of gender segregation and the need to focus future research efforts on specific occupational groups in order to make appropriate policy recommendations as well as to provide help for women in these jobs.This research was supported by grants from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Grant No. 1 RO1 OH02162-01A1) and the College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University. The authors wish to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of Patty Lambert, Ming Qi Wang, Mary Harmon, Joseph Vasey, Gina Jay, Darrell Harvey, and Haleh Rastegary.     

Washing, drying, and anointing in adult humans (Homo sapiens): commonalities with grooming sequences in rodents.

Very few behavioral patterns generalize across human and nonhuman species. We describe washing, drying, and anointing sequences in humans (Homo sapiens) that may have analogies with other species. The rank ordering of washing, drying, and anointing body parts was obtained over 3 successive days for 37 men and 60 women. Variation in rank ordering of body parts was nonrandom, and a cephalocaudal progression was evident for each behavior. Reliability of the behaviors as well as the correlations across rankings were highly significant, which indicates a generalized cephalocaudal progression for all 3 behaviors. Women's anointing was most variable, which suggests a more specific function. The cephalocaudal action pattern described for humans is similar to that for Mongolian gerbils and laboratory rats. Cross-species functions, such as these, may add to our understanding of common developmental and learning processes.     

A systemic belief approach to epileptic seizures: A case of being spellbound

A systemic treatment approach, namely systemic belief therapy, has been found to be useful when dealing with families constraining beliefs when experiencing physical health problems. Two interventions which facilitate the altering of constraining beliefs are the externalization of physical symptoms and therapeutic letters. Epileptic seizures are examined in the context of the interaction between families and health care professionals. A case example is presented which highlights the use of this systemic approach to assist a young couple in challenging their beliefs about their ability to control and monitor epileptic seizures.     

Psychometric properties of attitudinal measures of behavioral treatment in geriatric settings

Internal consistency of two forms of the Geriatric Treatment Acceptability Survey (GTAS) and the Attitudes toward Behavior Analysis Scale (ABAS), a global measure of attitudes toward behavior modification, was evaluated. Alpha coefficients regarding treatment acceptability ratings for GTAS Form H were: (a) wandering 0.94; (b) hoarding 0.96; (c) disruptive behavior 0.92; (d) property destruction 0.95; and (e) aggression 0.94. Internal consistency for Form NH was: (a) wandering 0.96; (b) hoarding 0.97; (c) disruptive behavior 0.96; (d) property destruction 0.97; and (e) aggression 0.76. Internal consistency of the ABAS resulted in alpha coefficients of 0.90 (total score); 0.87 (ethics and humaneness); and 0.76 (use). These measures appear useful in assessing older adults, nursing home patients' and geriatric nursing staffs' global and specific attitudes regarding the use of behavioral treatments with older adults. Further research is needed to establish psychometric constructs assessed by the instruments and sensitivity to detecting change in attitudes based on educational or clinical interventions.     

Standardized classroom management program: Social validation and replication studies in Utah and Oregon

A comprehensive validation study was conducted of the Program for Academic Survival Skills (PASS), a consultant-based, teacher-mediated program for student classroom behavior. The study addressed questions related to: (a) brief consultant training, (b) subsequent teacher training by consultants using PASS manuals, (c) contrasts between PASS experimental teachers and students and equivalent controls on measures of teacher management skills, student classroom behavior, teacher ratings of student problem behaviors, and academic achievement, (d) reported satisfaction of participants, and (e) replication of effects across two separate school sites. Results indicated that in both sites significant effects were noted in favor of the PASS experimental group for (a) teacher approval, (b) student appropriate classroom behavior, and (c) four categories of student inappropriate behavior. Program satisfaction ratings of students, teachers, and consultants were uniformly positive, and continued use of the program was reported a year later. Discussion focused upon issues of cost-effectiveness, differential site effects, and the relationship between appropriate classroom behavior and academic achievement.     

Beyond Words: Influence of Nonverbal Behavior of Female Job Applicants in the Employment Interview

Three experiments studied the influence on hiring decisions of the nonverbal communication of female job applicants. The first experiment found ratings of the applicants' subtle cues to be significant predictors of the hiring decisions made by college-student judges. Professional employment interviewers served as judges in the second study to cross-validate the first experiment. The third study measured the relative contributions of work histories and nonverbal behavior to hiring decisions. Regardless of the work history preceding the applicant, nonverbal style had a statistically significant effect on hiring decisions.