Phonological complexity in school-aged children who stutter and exhibit a language disorder

PurposeThe Index of Phonological Complexity and the Word Complexity Measure are two measures of the phonological complexity of a word. Other phonological measures such as phonological neighborhood density have been used to compare stuttered versus fluent words. It appears that in preschoolers who stutter, the length and complexity of the utterance is more influential than the phonetic features of the stuttered word. The present hypothesis was that in school-age children who stutter, stuttered words would be more phonologically complex than fluent words, when the length and complexity of the utterance containing them is comparable. School-age speakers who stutter were hypothesized to differ from those with a concomitant language disorder.MethodsSixteen speakers, six females and ten males (M age = 12;3; Range = 7;7 to 19;5) available from an online database, were divided into eight who had a concomitant language disorder (S + LD) and eight age- and sex-matched speakers who did not (S-Only).ResultsWhen all stuttered content words were identified, S + LD speakers produced more repetitions, and S-Only speakers produced more inaudible sound prolongations. When stuttered content words were matched to fluent content words and when talker groups were combined, stuttered words were significantly (p ≤ 0.01) higher in both the Index of Phonological Complexity and the Word Complexity Measure and lower in density (“sparser”) than fluent words.ConclusionsResults corroborate those of previous researchers. Future research directions are suggested, such as cross-sectional designs to evaluate developmental patterns of phonological complexity and stuttering plus language disordered connections.Educational objectives: The reader will be able to: (a) Define and describe phonological complexity; (b) Define phonological neighborhood density and summarize the literature on the topic; (c) Describe the Index of Phonological Complexity (IPC) for a given word; (d) Describe the Word Complexity Measure (WCM) for a given word; (e) Summarize two findings from the current study and describe how each relates to studies of phonological complexity and fluency disorders.     

The effect of early life stress on the cognitive phenotype of children with an extra X chromosome (47,XXY/47,XXX)

Studies on gene–environment interactions suggest that some individuals may be more susceptible to life adversities than others due to their genetic profile. This study assesses whether or not children with an extra X chromosome are more vulnerable to the negative impact of early life stress on cognitive functioning than typically-developing children.

A total of 50 children with an extra X chromosome and 103 non-clinical controls aged 9 to 18 years participated in the study. Cognitive functioning in domains of language, social cognition and executive functioning were assessed. Early life stress was measured with the Questionnaire of Life Events. High levels of early life stress were found to be associated with compromised executive functioning in the areas of mental flexibility and inhibitory control, irrespective of group membership. In contrast, the children with an extra X chromosome were found to be disproportionally vulnerable to deficits in social cognition on top of executive dysfunction, as compared to typically-developing children. Within the extra X group the number of negative life events is significantly correlated with more problems in inhibition, mental flexibility and social cognition. It is concluded that children with an extra X chromosome are vulnerable to adverse life events, with social cognition being particularly impacted in addition to the negative effects on executive functioning. The findings that developmental outcome is codependent on early environmental factors in genetically vulnerable children also underscores opportunities for training and support to positively influence the course of development.     

Executive functioning and its relation to ASD and ADHD symptomatology in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome*

Children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS; velo-cardio-facial-syndrome) are at risk for the developmental disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, the relation between executive functioning (EF) and the severity of ADHD and ASD symptoms is examined, since EF is known to be important in relation to emotional and behavioral problems. The participants consist of 58 children (38 females) with a mean age of 13.5 years (SD 2.6). Standardized assessment was used to evaluate the severity of ASD and ADHD symptomatology. The major aspects of EF, i.e., cognitive flexibility, inhibition, sustained attention, distractibility, working memory and reaction speed, were evaluated. The profile of EF in 22q11DS was found to be characterized by weaker performance compared to the norms on all subdomains of EF. Poor cognitive flexibility and inhibition, as well as high distractibility, were found to be related to more severe ASD symptoms, while poor quality of sustained attention and high distractibility were found to be related to more severe ADHD symptoms. It is concluded that children with 22q11DS experience impairments in EF, and that the degree of impairment on specific EF subdomains is related to the severity of ASD and/or ADHD symptomatology. These results may help in defining the mediating role of neurocognitive dysfunctions in the development of social and behavioral problems in 22q11DS.     

A Review of Occupation-Based Life Skills Interventions for Adults with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Adults with neurodevelopmental disorders are at a higher risk for poverty, unemployment, and difficulties in relationships. Instrumental activities of daily living deficits often go unaddressed and minimal research has explored interventions to address them. The purpose of this study was to synthesize findings about occupation-based life skills interventions for adults with neurodevelopmental disorders. Ten articles met inclusion criteria and the American Occupational Therapy Association level of evidence and quality ratings were identified. Results indicate that occupation-based life skills interventions effectively address limitations experienced by adults with neurodevelopmental disorders but the overall quantity and quality of evidence-based interventions are lacking.     

Does the Method of Content Delivery Matter? Randomized Controlled Comparison of an Internet-Based Intervention for Eating Disorder Symptoms With and Without Interactive Functionality

Despite their potential as a scalable, cost-effective intervention format, self-guided Internet-based interventions for eating disorder (ED) symptoms continue to be associated with suboptimal rates of adherence and retention. Improving this may depend on the design of an Internet intervention and its method of content delivery, with interactive programs expected to be more engaging than static, text-based programs. However, causal evidence for the added benefits of interactive functionality is lacking. We conducted a randomized controlled comparison of an Internet-based intervention for ED symptoms with and without interactive functionality. Participants were randomized to a 4-week interactive (n = 148) or static (n = 145) version of an Internet-based, cognitive-behavioral program. The interactive version included diverse multimedia content delivery channels (video tutorials, graphics, written text), a smartphone app allowing users to complete the required homework exercises digitally (quizzes, symptom tracking, self-assessments), and progress monitoring features. The static version delivered identical intervention content but only via written text, and contained none of those interactive features. Dropout rates were high overall (58%), but were significantly—yet slightly—lower for the interactive (51%) compared to the static intervention (65%). There were no significant differences in adherence rates and symptom-level improvements between the two conditions. Adding basic interactive functionality to a digital intervention may help with study retention. However, present findings challenge prior speculations that interactive features are crucial for enhancing user engagement and symptom improvement.     

Parent Training Adapted to the Needs of Children With Callous–Unemotional Traits: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Callous–unemotional (CU) traits designate a distinct subgroup of children with early-starting, stable, and aggressive conduct problems. Critically, traditional parenting interventions often fail to normalize conduct problems among this subgroup. The aim of this study was to test whether parent–child interaction therapy (PCIT) adapted to target distinct deficits associated with CU traits (PCIT-CU) produced superior outcomes relative to standard PCIT. In this proof-of-concept trial, 43 families with a 3- to 7-year-old child (M age = 4.84 years, SD = 1.12, 84% male) with clinically significant conduct problems and elevated CU traits were randomized to receive standard PCIT (n = 21) or PCIT-CU (n = 22) at an urban university-based research clinic. Families completed five assessments measuring child conduct problems, CU traits, and empathy. Parents in both conditions reported good treatment acceptability and significantly improved conduct problems and CU traits during active treatment, with no between-group differences. However, linear mixed-effects models showed treatment gains in conduct problems deteriorated for children in standard PCIT relative to those in PCIT-CU during the 3-month follow-up period (ds = 0.4–0.7). PCIT-CU shows promise for sustaining improvements in conduct problems for young children with conduct problems and CU traits, but requires continued follow-up and refinement.     

Behavioral adaptations of human drivers interacting with automated vehicles

Advancements in technology are bringing automated vehicles (AVs) closer to wider deployment. However, in the early phases of their deployment, AVs will coexist and frequently interact with human-driven vehicles (HDVs). These interactions might lead to changes in the driving behavior of HDVs. A field test was conducted in the Netherlands with 18 participants focusing on gap acceptance, car-following, and overtaking behaviors to understand such behavioral adaptations. The participants were asked to drive their vehicles in a controlled environment, interacting with an HDV and a Wizard of Oz AV. The effects of positive and negative information regarding AV behavior on the participants’ driving behavior and their trust in AVs were also studied. The results show that human drivers adopted significantly smaller critical gaps when interacting with the approaching AV as compared to when interacting with the approaching HDV. Drivers also maintained a significantly shorter headway after overtaking the AV in comparison to overtaking the HDV. Positive information about the behavior of the AV led to closer interactions in comparison to HDVs. Additionally, drivers showed higher trust in the interacting AV when they were provided with positive information regarding the AV in comparison to scenarios where no information was provided. These findings suggest the potential exploitation of AV technology by HDV drivers.     

A meta-analytic approach to the association between inhibitory control and parent-reported behavioral adjustment in typically-developing children: Differentiating externalizing and internalizing behavior problems

Impairments in inhibitory control (IC) are traditionally seen as a vital aspect in the emergence and course of maladaptive behavior across early childhood. However, it is currently unclear whether this view applies to both the externalizing and internalizing domain of parent-reported behavioral adjustment. Furthermore, past (meta-analytic) developmental research and theory characterizing this association have largely neglected the vast heterogeneity of IC measures and conceptualizations. The present meta-analyses examined the association of IC with parent-reported externalizing (N = 3160, 21 studies) and internalizing (N = 1758, 12 studies) behavior problems, assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), in non-clinical populations of children aged 2–8 years. They further investigated the moderating effects of a priori IC categorization, according to a recently proposed two-factor model of IC (“Strength/Endurance” account, Simpson & Carroll, 2019). In line with previous research in the clinical domain, the current results corroborate the notion of a robust, but small association between IC and externalizing behavior problems (r = ?0.11) in early childhood. However, although frequently proposed in the literature, no significant linear association could be identified with internalizing behavior problems. Furthermore, in both meta-analyses, no significant moderating effects of IC categorization could be revealed. These findings enhance our knowledge about the cognitive underpinnings of early-emerging maladaptive behavior, indicating that different subtypes of IC are statistically related with externalizing, but not internalizing behavior problems. Overall, the small association of IC ability with behavior problems in non-clinical populations provokes broader questions about the role of IC in behavioral adjustment.     

Associations between personality and driving behavior are mediated by mind-wandering tendency: A cross-national comparison of Australian and Italian drivers

ObjectiveThis study examined the associations between personality traits (i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) and aberrant driving behaviors in a sample of Australian and Italian drivers by investigating the mediation effect of mind-wandering (MW) tendency.BackgroundAlthough unsafe driving behaviors are influenced by both a driver’s MW tendency and personality traits, the potential interaction between these variables and their association with aberrant driving behaviors has not been previously investigated.MethodNine-hundred and four active drivers (n = 452 Australians, n = 452 Italians) completed an online survey related to their self-reported personality traits, driving behaviors, and MW tendency.ResultsA multi-group path analysis showed that MW tendency significantly mediated the effects of neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness on aberrant driving behavior with invariances across nationality groups.ConclusionThese results suggest that the association between personality traits and aberrant driving behaviors is partially explained by a driver’s MW tendency while driving. Further research is needed to understand these relationships using objective measures of MW while driving (e.g., the probe-caught method). The findings of this study suggest that the assessment of personality traits may have important implications for inattentive and distracted driving and fitness-to-drive evaluation purposes.