Video-based assessment of interpersonal problem solving skills in patients with schizophrenia, their siblings and non-psychiatric controls

The aim of this study was to analyze social functioning in patients with schizophrenia and their biological relatives with a Swedish version of the video-based vignette test Assessment of Interpersonal Problem Solving Skills (AIPSS). In a new video production with simulated "real life" situations we tested the ability to receive, process and send social information in 25 individuals with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia, 20 siblings to patients with schizophrenia and 25 randomly selected non-psychiatric controls. The test proved to have good validity and interrater reliability. After controlling for positive or negative symptoms, patients had poor performance especially in acting out solutions leading to effective problem solving. Siblings generally did not differ from controls, but showed some deficiencies in non-verbal language. To conclude, AIPSS is appropriate for use in a Swedish-speaking context and might be useful in research on vulnerability indicators and in assessment of treatment interventions.     

Focus on clinical psychology postgraduate training: Taking the curriculum into the next decade

Abstract: Clinical psychology, like many applied disciplines, often suffers from a lack of congruence between best‐practice in terms of pedagogy and evidence‐based practice and the actual structure and content of training programs. A small but growing international literature addresses such issues. A small group of researchers from five Australian Universities, led by a team at the University of Queensland, has received grant money over two years to examine and offer constructive strategies for revising and revitalising the clinical psychology training curriculum in Australia, with reference to international pedagogy and training standards.     

The effect of verb semantic class and verb frequency (entrenchment) on children's and adults' graded judgements of argument-structure overgeneralization errors

Participants (aged 5-6 yrs, 9-10 yrs and adults) rated (using a five-point scale) grammatical (intransitive) and overgeneralized (transitive causative)(1) uses of a high frequency, low frequency and novel intransitive verb from each of three semantic classes [Pinker, S. (1989a). Learnability and cognition: The acquisition of argument structure. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press]: "directed motion" (fall, tumble), "going out of existence" (disappear, vanish) and "semivoluntary expression of emotion" (laugh, giggle). In support of Pinker's semantic verb class hypothesis, participants' preference for grammatical over overgeneralized uses of novel (and English) verbs increased between 5-6 yrs and 9-10 yrs, and was greatest for the latter class, which is associated with the lowest degree of direct external causation (the prototypical meaning of the transitive causative construction). In support of Braine and Brooks's [Braine, M.D.S., & Brooks, P.J. (1995). Verb argument strucure and the problem of avoiding an overgeneral grammar. In M. Tomasello & W. E. Merriman (Eds.), Beyond names for things: Young children's acquisition of verbs (pp. 352-376). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum] entrenchment hypothesis, all participants showed the greatest preference for grammatical over ungrammatical uses of high frequency verbs, with this preference smaller for low frequency verbs, and smaller again for novel verbs. We conclude that both the formation of semantic verb classes and entrenchment play a role in children's retreat from argument-structure overgeneralization errors.     

数学能力与问句位置对小学生数学结构不良应用题表征的影响

对小学四年级高低数学能力学生各40名,呈现问句前置和问句后置两种形式的结构不良应用题,探讨两种被试在问句前置时对应用题的内在表征形式倾向.结果发现,两种被试在问句前置时阅读条件句的总时间比问句后置时显著降低,解题时间显著降低,但高能力被试阅读有关条件句的时间在总阅读时间中的比例显著增高,解答成绩显著提高,而低能力被试相关时间比反而显著下降、解答成绩没有显著提高.这表明,高能力被试建构问题模型与情境模型,而低能力被试只建构问题模型.     

Four noble truths based problem solving: a therapeutic view

This paper presents the application of the four noble truths based problem solving (FNTBPS) approach to supplement the contemporary and traditional Thai Theravada Buddhism literature on psychological healing. This paper outlines the core concept of FNTBPS, its key components and application, using an illustrated case example of Tom (????), a 50-year-old Thai man facing psychological problems due to his worsening eyesight. Lastly, this paper outlines the therapeutic implications of how an understanding of psychological healing via the knowledge of FNTBPS can be used for case formulation and treatment planning.     

Effects of delayed time‐out on problem behavior of preschool children

Time‐out is a common negative punishment procedure in home and school settings. Although prior studies have shown time‐out is effective, more research is needed on its effects when implementation is imperfect. We evaluated delays to time‐out with 4 preschool children who engaged in some combination of aggression, property destruction, and rule breaking. Target behavior decreased for all subjects exposed to delayed time‐out, with 3 of 4 subjects displaying low levels of target behavior even when time‐out was delayed by 90‐120 s. These data suggest delayed time‐out might be effective in situations in which a caregiver or teacher cannot implement time‐out immediately.     

Effects of Group Training in Problem‐Solving Style on Future Problem‐Solving Performance

Seventy‐five participants from one suburban high school formed 21 teams with 3–4 members each for the Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI). Students were selected to participate in either the regular FPSPI or an enhanced FPSPI, where multiple group training activities grounded in problem‐solving style were incorporated into a 9‐week treatment period. An ANCOVA procedure was used to examine the difference in team responses to a creative problem‐solving scenario for members of each group, after accounting for initial differences in creative problem‐solving performance, years of experience in FPSPI, and creative thinking related to fluency, flexibility, and originality. The ANCOVA resulted in a significant difference in problem‐solving performance in favor of students in the treatment group (F(1, 57) = 8.21, p = .006, partial eta squared = .126, medium), while there were no significant differences in years of experience or creativity scores. This result led researchers to conclude that students in both groups had equivalent creative ability and that participation in the group activities emphasizing problem‐solving style significantly contributed to creative performance.     

父亲、母亲抚养压力在母亲抑郁和学龄前儿童内外部问题行为间的链式中介作用

研究旨在探讨父亲和母亲的抚养压力在母亲抑郁与学龄前儿童内、外部问题行为间的作用。以北京市某区75所幼儿园的2222名3~5岁在园幼儿及其父母为被试,采用《流调中心抑郁量表》、《抚养压力量表》、《学龄前儿童问题行为问卷》分别对母亲抑郁、父母抚养压力及儿童问题行为进行测查,结果发现：（1）母亲抑郁可以正向预测儿童的内、外部问题行为;（2）母亲抑郁对儿童内部问题行为的作用被"母亲抚养压力"、"母亲抚养压力-父亲抚养压力"两条路径部分中介;（3）母亲抑郁对儿童外部问题行为的作用被"母亲抚养压力"、"母亲抚养压力-父亲抚养压力"两条路径完全中介。综上,研究揭示了母亲抚养压力、父亲抚养压力在母亲抑郁和学龄前儿童内、外部问题行为间的链式中介作用。     

父母婚姻质量、协同教养对青少年问题行为的影响:同时或者滞后溢出?

采用父母婚姻质量、协同教养和SDQ问卷,对416名初中生进行6个月的追踪测试,考察父母婚姻质量与协同教养之间的溢出效应及其对青少年问题行为的影响。结果发现：（1）父母婚姻质量与协同教养之间不仅存在同时溢出效应,而且存在滞后溢出效应;（2）在同一时间段内,父亲婚姻质量通过父亲团结性协同教养对青少年问题行为具有负向预测作用;（3）母亲婚姻质量不仅在同一时间段内,而且在不同时间段内通过母亲的冲突性、贬低性协同教养对青少年问题行为具有正向预测作用。因此,父母婚姻质量通过协同教养对青少年问题行为起着长期的、重要的影响。     

门诊性病患者的心理问题、产生原因及对应处置决策研究

研究门诊性病患者因承受巨大心理压力而引起的心理健康问题,剖析产生的原因,制定科学的对应处置决策,因人而异地使用药物种类,给予相应的心理治疗,创造良好的就医环境,使患者病痛解除,心理压力释放,身心恢复健康。