Spatial-simultaneous working memory and selective interference in Down syndrome

Several studies have suggested that individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have impairments in some aspects of the visuospatial domain. It has been reported that they are particularly impaired in the spatial-simultaneous working memory (WM) even in advantageous conditions such as when information is grouped to form a configuration. This study aimed to assess the performance of individuals with DS carrying out a spatial-simultaneous WM task in single and dual selective interference conditions in order to better explore the characteristics of their impairment in this area.

Groups of individuals with DS and mentally age-matched typically developing (TD) children were asked to carry out a spatial-simultaneous WM task in a single- and in two dual-task conditions. In the single condition, the participants were required to recall an increasing number of positions of red squares presented simultaneously in a matrix. In the dual-task conditions, together with the spatial-simultaneous WM task, the participants were asked to carry out an articulatory suppression task or a tapping task.

As has already been shown in other studies, individuals with DS were found to be impaired in carrying out a spatial-simultaneous WM task and showed a worse performance with respect to the TD group in both the conditions.

These findings indicate that individuals with DS use the same coding modality as TD children of the same mental age. Just as the TD children, they performed lower in the dual- than in the single-task condition and there was no difference between the verbal and visuospatial conditions.     

Empowering Parents: The Use of the Parent as Researcher Paradigm in Early Intervention

Whilst family-focussed models of service delivery are proving more effective in early intervention, it is the parents who ultimately carry the burden of responsibility. They often evolve their own strategies for coping with difficulties and solving problems within a family context. Through case study analysis, I report on some of the key outcomes of early intervention for families of very young children with disabilities. The analysis challenges traditional definitions of the family and suggests a recontextualisation of this concept. Similarly parental perceptions of the style of early intervention services are contrasted with those models reported to be effective by professionals. In striving for optimal effectiveness in early intervention, the unique knowledge and understanding of parents is pivotal, and ways are suggested of objectively collecting and collating that knowledge to inform practice and identify important research questions. This case study analysis has led to the evolution of the parent as researcher paradigm, and the implications for the practical implementation of this model will be considered.     

Follow-up survey of pregnancies with diagnoses of chromosomal abnormality

A small clinical survey was undertaken at East Carolina University School of Medicine to examine the factors which influenced the decisions of five families to continue pregnancies after a chromosomal abnormality was detected. Little has been published concerning the psychosocial effects after continuing pregnancies in which the fetus was diagnosed with a chromosome abnormality by amniocentesis. In order to identify the factors that influenced their decisions, an interview with each couple was undertaken using a 25-part questionnaire. This paper addresses the method of interviewing, case material, and background concerning each couple and the summary of the results.     

Differences in visual orienting between persons with Down or fragile X syndrome

The voluntary and reflexive orienting abilities of persons with Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome, at average MA levels of approximately 4 and 7 years, were compared with an RT task. Reflexive orienting abilities appeared to develop in accordance with MA for the participants with Down syndrome but not for those with fragile X syndrome. However, both groups showed delayed voluntary orienting. The group differences in reflexive orienting at the low MA level reinforce the practice of separating etiologies and highlight the contribution of rudimentary attentional processes in the study of individuals with mental retardation.     

Prevalence and treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and co-morbid severe health anxiety

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a debilitating condition that affects 0.2–0.4% of the population. Health focussed anxiety is common across medical conditions, and may be relevant in CFS/ME. This study sought to identify the prevalence and impact of health anxiety (HA) in CFS/ME and evaluate the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for HA in CFS/ME. Cross-sectional questionnaire methods and case-series design were used to achieve study aims. Analysis indicated that 41.9% of the CFS/ME clinic sample experienced threshold levels of health anxiety, which was associated with elevated symptom severity across several dimensions. Stepwise multiple regression indicated physical functioning and depression accounted for 23.8% of variance in fatigue; depression, fatigue and HA, accounted for 32.9% of variance in physical functioning. Large effect sizes and clinically significant changes were generated in the treatment study. HA is common in CFS/ME and likely to exacerbate fatigue and physical functioning. This study identifies HA as an important target for treatment, trial findings should be further replicated on a larger scale.     

心理理论视角下的Asperger综合症、精神分裂症和孤独症

心理理论是儿童社会认知发展研究的重要课题,文章对心理理论研究在临床实践中的应用进行综述,详细介绍了Asperger综合症,精神分裂症,孤独症（自闭症）中心理理论的研究,并对以后的研究提出建议。     

The relationships among verbal short-term memory, phonological awareness, and new word learning: evidence from typical development and Down syndrome

This study examined the correlates of new word learning in a sample of 64 typically developing children between 5 and 8 years of age and a group of 22 teenagers and young adults with Down syndrome. Verbal short-term memory and phonological awareness skills were assessed to determine whether learning new words involved accurately representing phonological information in memory. Results showed a relationship between verbal short-term memory measures and typically developing individuals’ ability to learn the phonological form of novel words but not their ability to learn the physical referent of new words. Similarly, individuals with Down syndrome showed impaired verbal short-term memory and impaired form but not referent learning. Together, these findings specify the circumstances in which an accurate phonological representation within short-term memory is required for new word learning.     

Expression des états mentaux chez les enfants atteints du Syndrome de Williams : analyse d'interactions collaboratives mère-enfant

People affected by Williams syndrome (WS), a rare genetic disease, are characterized by a personality noted for its “hypersociability” along with relatively spared language in the face of significant cognitive deficit. Our research focuses on the intersection of two domains by examining linguistic markers of this sociability: how do children with WS perform in a collaborative interaction? Do they express mental states, how and what kind? And do they answer to the mental states expressed by others? We present data from three matched groups of 12 each: children with WS, children with Down syndrome (DS) and control group (CO) in a task in which the mother and child interacted in a standardized collaborative situation with a social stake (a precise aim to reach). The children with WS had comparable difficulties to those with DS in the interaction: they produced fewer turns and fewer utterances than controls. Children with WS produced more expressive mental states than either the DS or CO group. The WS children had more difficulties cooperating than did either the DS or CO children: the unrealized requests by the children are more numerous in the WS group. Thus in a collaborative interaction, the children with WS present a unique profile: difficulty in maintaining and participating in the interaction contrasting with a facility in expressing mental states about feelings and emotions.