The Adolescent Behavior Checklist: Validation Using Structured Diagnostic Interviews

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the discriminant validity of scores from the Adolescent Behavior Checklist (ABC), a self-report measure of ADHD symptomatology for adolescents ages 11–17 years. Validity was assessed through correlational, univariate, and discriminant function analyses using three groups: (1) adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, (2) adolescents currently experiencing a mood and/or anxiety disorder, and (3) adolescents with no major psychological disorder. Convergent and divergent validity of the ABC factor scores was demonstrated through correlational results with (1) parent and adolescent report of ADHD symptoms during structured psychiatric interviews and (2) scores on questionnaires measuring related and nonrelated constructs. Univariate analyses indicated that the ADHD group obtained significantly higher scores than did the nonclinical adolescents across all ABC factors. Additionally, the ADHD group scored significantly higher than did the psychiatric controls on the following ABC factors: Conduct Problems, Impulsivity/Hyperactivity, and Social Problems. Results from discriminant analyses supported the reliability of ABC scores in correctly classifying participants into groups. Compared to the Youth Self-Report, the ABC was found to be somewhat better at classifying when used in a multiinformant discriminant analysis. Therefore, overall results from the current study suggest that the ABC is a valid and useful self-report screening measure for ADHD symptoms and related difficulties.     

An investigation of the theoretical content of physical activity brochures

New evidence-based physical activity (PA) guidelines and recommendations for constructing messages supplementing the guidelines have been put forth. As well, recent reviews have identified theoretical constructs that hold promise as targets for intervention: self-regulation, outcome expectancies and self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine the integration of messages targeting self-regulation, self-efficacy and outcome expectancies in existing physical activity brochures. Twenty-two PA brochures from Canadian and American National Health Organizations were assessed for their use self-efficacy, self-regulatory processes and outcome expectancies. Brochures were analyzed line-by-line using a modified version of the validated Content Analysis Approach to Theory-Specified Persuasive Educational Communication (CAATSPEC; Abraham, Southby, Quandte, Krahé, & van der Sluijs, 2007). Two independent raters coded a third of the brochures (n = 7). Inter-rater reliability was acceptable for 17 of the 20 categories (rs > .79). Discrepancies in all categories were discussed and agreement was reached. The remaining brochures were coded by one of the two raters. Usage of the three key theoretical constructs accounted for only 36.43% of brochure content (20.23% self-efficacy, 10.40% outcome expectancies, 5.80% self-regulation). Brochures lacked the use of a variety of theoretical strategies, specifically goal-setting, planning and verbal persuasion and rarely highlighted the affective benefits of physical activity. In the future brochures should aim to place increased emphasis on self-regulation, self-efficacy, and affective outcome expectancies.     

Predictive coding: an account of the mirror neuron system

Is it possible to understand the intentions of other people by simply observing their actions? Many believe that this ability is made possible by the brain’s mirror neuron system through its direct link between action and observation. However, precisely how intentions can be inferred through action observation has provoked much debate. Here we suggest that the function of the mirror system can be understood within a predictive coding framework that appeals to the statistical approach known as empirical Bayes. Within this scheme the most likely cause of an observed action can be inferred by minimizing the prediction error at all levels of the cortical hierarchy that are engaged during action observation. This account identifies a precise role for the mirror system in our ability to infer intentions from actions and provides the outline of the underlying computational mechanisms.     

Physiological and Behavioral Regulation in Two-Year-Old Children with Aggressive/Destructive Behavior Problems

A sample of 99 two-year-old children was selected on the basis of parents' responses to two administrations of the Child Behavior Checklist for two- to three-year-olds. Forty-nine of these children displayed symptoms of aggressive/destructive (externalizing) problems that were in the borderline clinical range (labelled high risk) and 50 children displayed few such symptoms (low risk). The children were assessed in a series of laboratory procedures that were intended to be emotionally and behaviorally challenging, during which time heart rate was recorded and behavior was observed. To assess physiological regulation, resting measures of heart period and respiratory sinus arrythmia (RSA), and heart period change and RSA suppression were derived from these procedures. To assess emotional and behavioral regulation, children's affect and on-task versus types of off-task behaviors were measured. Results indicated that children in the high-risk group did not differ from children in the low-risk group on the resting measure of heart period. Boys displayed lower heart rate than did girls, regardless of risk group. However, boys in the low-risk group differed from boys in the high-risk group in terms of resting measures of RSA. Children in the high-risk group did display significantly and consistently lower RSA suppression (physiological regulation) during the challenging situations than did the children in the low-risk group. High-risk children displayed more negative affect and dysregulated emotion regulation behaviors than did the low risk children. These findings are discussed in terms of the development of behavioral and emotional regulation that underlie adaptive versus maladaptive behavior.     

A comparative analysis of the validity of several approaches to the scoring of the behavior of the preterm infant

A group of very low birthweight preterm infants (mean WEIGHT = 1193.6 g; mean gestational AGE = 31.1 weeks) were examined with the PREMIE. The PREMIE is a modification of the scoring system of the full term Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment (BNBAS) examination for use with preterm infants. Infants were assessed during the acute phase of cardio-respiratory illness (mean AGE = 7 days) and during the recovery phase (mean AGE = 22 days). Many modifications in procedure were required. Several analyses were performed to assess the redundancy and the comparative validity of the scoring systems of the PREMIE, the BNBAS, and the BNBAS + (the BNBAS plus a set of five additional preterm items). Results indicated that the three scoring systems were highly redundant, that they were equally related to physiologic and clinical variables, and that they were similar in their sensitivity to behavioral change and stability. Overall the results offered little in the way of differentiating among these three scoring systems with this group of infants, raising doubts about the need to use the PREMIE or other scoring systems like it for many research purposes.     

Motivation,ability, and exam performance: Tests of hypotheses of cultural difference and task difficulty

In a series of three experiments, prediction of exam performance from information about motivation and ability of students was studied. The factorial plot of the Motivation × Ability effect on predicted performance always yielded the parallelism pattern with subjects from both the student and nonstudent populations. Results agreed with the hypothesis of cultural difference between America and India. Manipulation of difficulty of exam did not alter the parallelism pattern, contrary to the specification of the hypothesis of task difficulty. Difficulty of exam affected only the origin of the response scale. Implications of results were discussed for the two tested hypotheses as well as for a new hypothesis of nature of task.     

Habituation at home

Habituation to mother's face in naturally occurring en face social interactions and to a single object in naturally occurring solitary play was studied in American and Japanese infants. Habituation was observed in both conditions in both samples, and home habituation data paralleled analogous laboratory habituation data both quantitatively and qualitatively.     

Semantic integration in children's reconstruction of narrative sequences

Preschool to fourth grade subjects were required to reconstruct a previously seen logical sequence by selecting old items from a set containing actually seen events and two types of new items, those consistent or inconsistent with the ordered sequence of the story. Older children were more efficient at adopting a consistent choice strategy, at rejecting inconsistent items and at retaining the end-anchor items of the story. When performance on the old anchor items was excluded, however, all grades had difficulty distinguishing the new-consistent items from the actually experienced old items. It is suggested that memory for logical narrative sequences involves the retention of the gist or theme in an integrated unified representation of the meaning rather than a series of discrete events. Further, the underlying processes of integration and inference are stable across ages.     

Required relaxation: a method of inhibiting agitative-disruptive behavior of retardates

Institutionalized retardates frequently exhibit agitative-disruptive behavior. Recent experiments have shown that overcorrective training in specific types of behavior can inhibit inappropriate behavior. A procedure was developed in which overcorrective practice in relaxation was given to each of eight adult retardates for their disruptions. The agitated resident was required to spend a fixed period of time in relaxation in his own bed upon each occurrence of agitation. This overcorrective relaxation resulted in a rapid, enduring and almost complete reduction in such behavior as self-injury, threats, physical aggression, screaming, crying, cursing and tantrums. Ward attendants strongly preferred the required relaxation procedure to the time-out technique and other inhibition procedures they had used. The procedure appears to be about as effective as alternative techniques and to have the advantages of ease of implementation and acceptability by ward staff and retardates as a ‘reasonable’ reaction to agitation.