Accept Yourself! A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Self-Acceptance-Based Treatment for Large-Bodied Women With Depression

A pilot parallel randomized controlled trial compared a self-acceptance, non-weight-loss intervention, Accept Yourself! (AY), to a weight loss program, Weight Watchers (WW), in order to provide preliminary safety, feasibility, and efficacy data in preparation for a definitive RCT of AY as an intervention to enhance the mental and physical health of larger-bodied women with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Adult women with MDD and a Body Mass Index ≥30 were eligible. Nineteen women were randomized by random number table into AY (n = 9) or WW (n = 10). Intake, pretreatment, posttreatment, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up assessments occurred at a rural academic medical center. Primary outcomes included depression severity and cardiovascular fitness. Chi-square and t-tests assessed attrition and participant preferences for treatment; other analyses used intention-to-treat, linear mixed-effects models for repeated measures, including all participants’ available data. Both groups improved in self-reported, F(5, 43.81) = 7.45, p < .001, partial η² = .38, and blinded-clinician-rated depression, F(6, 62.03) = 10.41, p < .001, partial η² = .5. AY was superior to WW in self-reported depression, F(5, 43.81) = 2.72, p = .03, partial η² = .11. Neither group improved in fitness. Eating disorder symptoms and weight gain worsened in WW. AY appeared safe, feasible, and offered initial evidence of efficacy for depression; it should be investigated in a definitive RCT, with modifications to increase potency. WW may not be suitable as a comparator intervention for AY because of risk to participants.     

Dysfunctional implications of narrow window theory: variability in the intuitive assessment of correlation

Narrow Window theory, suggested by Y. Kareev ten years ago, has so far focused on one central implication of the limited capacity of working memory on intuitive correlation estimation, namely, overestimation of the distal population correlation. This paper points to additional and perhaps more dramatic implications due to the large dispersion of intuitive estimates: (a) large estimation errors, possibly causing overestimation of negligible rhos, misses of strong rhos, and distorted hierarchies of the rhos between different pairs of variables; and (b) large interpersonal differences in the estimation of any given rho and highly incongruent hierarchies of estimated correlations between different pairs of variables. These implications impede both individuals' adaptation to the empirical world and communication among themselves.     

Single and double alternation learning in rats: The role of set size and correction

In many experiments, rats have evidenced extreme difficulty mastering alternation patterns. In three experiments, we explored rats’ ability to learn double alternation patterns and possible reasons behind their past difficulties with such patterns. In Experiment 1, rats learned single and double alternation patterns. In the second and third experiment, we explored the role of correction and interference from stimulus set size on rats’ learning of double alternation patterns. Our results showed that rats easily learned both single and double alternation patterns and that stimulus set size had no noticeable effect on learning double alternation patterns. Findings additionally evidenced that correction played an important role in rats’ learning double alternation patterns.     

Identifying Variables Responsible for Data not Missing at Random

When data are not missing at random (NMAR), maximum likelihood (ML) procedure will not generate consistent parameter estimates unless the missing data mechanism is correctly modeled. Understanding NMAR mechanism in a data set would allow one to better use the ML methodology. A survey or questionnaire may contain many items; certain items may be responsible for NMAR values in other items. The paper develops statistical procedures to identify the responsible items. By comparing ML estimates (MLE), statistics are developed to test whether the MLEs are changed when excluding items. The items that cause a significant change of the MLEs are responsible for the NMAR mechanism. Normal distribution is used for obtaining the MLEs; a sandwich-type covariance matrix is used to account for distribution violations. The class of nonnormal distributions within which the procedure is valid is provided. Both saturated and structural models are considered. Effect sizes are also defined and studied. The results indicate that more missing data in a sample does not necessarily imply more significant test statistics due to smaller effect sizes. Knowing the true population means and covariances or the parameter values in structural equation models may not make things easier either. The research was supported by NSF grant DMS04-37167, the James McKeen Cattell Fund.     

When the mental number line involves a delay: the writing of numbers by children of different arithmetical abilities

Our study focused on number transcoding in children. It investigated how 9-year-olds with and without arithmetical disabilities wrote Arabic digits after they had heard them as number words. Planning time before writing each digit was registered. Analyses revealed that the two groups differed not only in arithmetical abilities but also in verbal and reading abilities. Children with arithmetical disabilities were overall slower in planning Arabic digits than were control children with normal arithmetical abilities. In addition, they showed a number size effect for numbers smaller than 10, suggesting a semantically mediated route in number processing. Control children did not need more planning time for large numbers (e.g., 8) than for small numbers (e.g., 3), suggesting a direct nonsemantic route. For both two- and three-digit numbers, both groups of children showed a number size effect, although the effect was smaller each time for control children. The presence of the stronger number size effect for children with arithmetical disabilities was seen as a delay in the development of quick and direct transcoding. The relation between transcoding problems and arithmetical disabilities is discussed. A defect in the linking of numerical symbols to analog numerical representations is proposed as an explanation for the transcoding problems found in some children.     

Brief experimental analysis of early reading interventions

The purpose of this study was to investigate how brief experimental analyses (BEAs) could be used to identify effective interventions for Kindergartners (2 girls and 2 boys, 5 years and 7-10 months old) with low performance and/or growth slope in letter sound fluency (LSF). Interventions were tested within a multielement design with brief mini-reversals until an intervention yielding at least 20% improvement on a specific subskill measure or a curriculum-based measure of LSF was identified. BEA-identified interventions were implemented one-on-one for 5 to 9 weeks. A multiple-baseline design across participants showed large intervention effects (average adjusted d = 2.4) on general outcome measures, supporting treatment validity of BEAs. Findings extend the BEA literature to younger participants, early reading interventions, and early reading measures.     

Horse (Equus caballus) whinnies: a source of social information

Many animal species that rely mainly on calls to communicate produce individual acoustic structures, but we wondered whether individuals of species better known as visual communicants, with small vocal repertoires, would also exhibit individual distinctiveness in calls. Moreover, theoretical advances concerning the evolution of social intelligence are usually based on primate species data, but relatively little is known about the social cognitive capacities of non-primate mammals. However, some non-primate species demonstrate auditory recognition of social categories and possess mental representation of their social network. Horses (Equus caballus) form stable social networks and although they display a large range of visual signals, they also use long-distance whinny calls to maintain contact. Here, we investigated the potential existence of individual acoustic signatures in whinny calls and the ability of horses to discriminate by ear individuals varying in their degree of familiarity. Our analysis of the acoustic structure of whinnies of 30 adult domestic horses (ten stallions, ten geldings, ten mares) revealed that some of the frequency and temporal parameters carried reliable information about the caller’s sex, body size and identity. However, no correlations with age were found. Playback experiments evaluated the behavioural significance of this variability. Twelve horses heard either control white noise or whinnies emitted by group members, familiar neighbours or unfamiliar horses. While control sounds did not induce any particular response, horses discriminated the social category of the callers and reacted with a sound-specific behaviour (vigilance and attraction varied with familiarity). Our results support the existence of social knowledge in horses and suggest a process of vocal coding/decoding of information.     

数量化维度特征搜索的影响因素探索

有关数量化维度特征搜索的研究表明 ,目标搜索斜率 (反应时间对呈现项目数量函数的斜率 )是由目标与干扰子之间的差异决定的 ,然而以往研究中其差异的值取决于具体的实验条件。根据韦伯定律 ,笔者推测 ,目标搜索斜率应由目标与干扰子之间的相对差异 (C)决定 ,C为目标值 (T)与干扰子值 (D)的差值与该干扰子值的比值。当C值对应相等时 ,不同几何形状刺激的目标搜索斜率应无差异。为此笔者分别采用圆 (实验一 )和三角形 (实验二 )进行实验研究。实验结果支持了上述假设 ,并发现目标大于干扰子时的目标搜索斜率对C值的函数是单调递减函数     

固定位置区域提示下视觉注意范围等级的ERP研究

研究视觉空间注意中注意范围的脑内时程的动态变化。被试为 14名青年人 ,使用固定位置的、3种不同直径的线圈作为注意范围的区域性提示 ,祛除空间定位因素的影响 ,记录反应时和事件相关电位 (ERP)数据。结果显示 :提示范围由小到中等时 ,反应时延长 ,而由中等到大范围时 ,反应时缩短 ;提示物和靶刺激诱发ERP的早成分 (N1、P1)不受提示范围大小的调节 ,而其P2、N2的波幅与潜伏期均明显受到提示范围大小的影响。这些结果说明 :①视觉注意诱发的P1、N1成分 ,主要与空间定位信息的加工相关 ;②提示物诱发的P2、N2成分与注意范围相关 ;③在视觉信息加工过程中 ,空间位置的信息要早于其它信息被加工 ,支持视觉信息串行加工观点     

A Statistical Interpretive Method for Neuropsychological Test Data

The accurate interpretation of large numbers of neuropsychological tests within a flexible battery approach is a difficult and sometimes controversial process. We present a statistically based method of interpretation (Rohling's Interpretive Method or RIM) and evaluation of neuropsychological data that allows for varying numbers of tests along a varying number of cognitive domains, yet remains psychometrically based. This method requires informed clinical judgment in that the level of confidence for tests, cognitive domains, and global indices are used as the backdrop for interpretive decisions. Specific procedures for use are presented in a systematic, detailed fashion to allow the interested reader to replicate the method. Two case examples are presented: a straightforward case of cerebrovascular insult and a more complicated case of mixed etiology. Examples include a variety of different neuropsychological tests commonly used in a flexible battery approach. A discussion of the practicality, ease of use, and potential limitations of this method are further presented.