Behavioral assessment of impulsivity: a comparison of children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

We conducted a brief computer-based assessment involving choices of concurrently presented arithmetic problems associated with competing reinforcer dimensions to assess impulsivity (choices controlled primarily by reinforcer immediacy) as well as the relative influence of other dimensions (reinforcer rate, quality, and response effort), with 58 children. Results were compared for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who were and were not receiving medication, and with typically developing children without ADHD. Within-subject and between-groups analyses of the ordinal influence of each of the reinforcer dimensions were conducted using both time- and response-allocation measures. In general, the choices of children with ADHD were most influenced by reinforcer immediacy and quality and least by rate and effort, suggesting impulsivity. The choices of children in the non-ADHD group were most influenced by reinforcer quality, and the influence of immediacy relative to the other dimensions was not statistically significant. Results are discussed with respect to the implications for assessment and treatment of ADHD.     

Evaluation of Five Procedures for Classification of Participants’ Fear Levels

The present study evaluated the ability of 5 different fear classification procedures to discriminate between 3 fear levels and to correlate with 6 commonly used dependent measures of fear. A standardized fear assessment procedure was administered on 2 separate trials to 71 women participants. Following the completion of the assessment trials, the participants data were scored and regrouped according to 5 fear classification procedures (behavioral, self-report, skin conductance level, skin response amplitude, and heart rate). This design permitted each procedure to be evaluated to the same target stimulus and at the same point in time. The classifications of participants on the basis of behavior and skin conductance response were found to be most effective selection procedures with self-report, skin conductance level, and heart rate being the least. Reliability of the findings was assessed by a test–retest procedure.     

Changing Gender Norms for Alcohol Consumption: Social Drinking and Lowered Inhibitions at Bachelorette Parties

In this research, we examined the role of alcohol as both substance and symbol at bachelorette parties. The bachelorette party is characterized by ritualized embarrassment of the bride and by sexualized games, both of which are made easier by heavy alcohol consumption. As there are few occasions when it is considered socially acceptable for women to drink, the bachelorette party provides a unique opportunity to explore womens social drinking and public drunkenness. Based on interviews with 51 women we found that drinking seemed to add to the fun of bachelorette parties and that group alcohol consumption appeared to increase social solidarity as women at bachelorette parties bonded over their shared experience. Finally, women relied on alcohol to lower inhibitions so that they were able to feel justified in engaging in deviant behavior. Womens use of alcohol in this ritual challenges existing gender norms and conceptions of masculinity and femininity.     

Construct validity of a personality assessment game in a simulated selection situation and the moderating roles of the ability to identify criteria and dispositional insight

There is scant research on the validity of personality assessment games in selection situations. Therefore, in two experimental simulated selection studies, the construct validity of an assessment game developed to assess honesty-humility was tested. Both studies found no differences between a control condition and a simulated selection condition on honesty-humility game scores. Moreover, convergent and discriminant validity with self-reported personality were not affected by the manipulation. We obtained mixed evidence that individual differences in dispositional insight and the ability to identify criteria influenced the validity of the game. As the validity of the personality assessment game was not significantly affected in the simulated selection context, our findings may imply that well-designed personality assessment games can be used for high-stakes selection assessments.     

WEIRDness abounds! Sample characteristics,restricted variance,and why they matter for international selection and assessment research

There is increasing awareness that reliance on samples from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic (WEIRD) countries may have skewed our view of human phenomena. Nowhere is this more true than in international selection and assessment (ISA) research. In the present paper, we describe a way of understanding the impact of WEIRDness on ISA phenomena: restricted variance (RV). The WEIRDness problem is usually one of cross level interactions in which a country-level variable (e.g., individualism/collectivism) might moderate the relationship between two individual-level variables. RV can help to see not only where such cross level interactions might exist, but also provide a specific, mathematical reason for their existence. We use several examples from IJSA and related sources to illustrate the role of RV in ISA-based WEIRDness.     

Interviewing to detect omission lies

Interviewees sometimes deliberately omit reporting some information. Such omission lies differ from other lies because all the information interviewees present may be entirely truthful. Truth tellers and lie tellers carried out a mission. Truth tellers reported the entire mission truthfully. Lie tellers were also entirely truthful but left out one element of the mission. In truth tellers' statements, only the parts that lie tellers were also asked to recall were analysed. Interviews were carried out via the Cognitive Credibility Assessment, Reality Interview, or standard interview protocol. Dependent variables were the details, complications and verifiable sources interviewees reported. A questionnaire measured three deception strategies: ‘Tell it all’, ‘keep it simple’ or ‘paying attention to demeanour’. Lie tellers reported fewer details, complications and verifiable sources than truth tellers and reporting these variables was negatively correlated with the ‘keep it simple’ and ‘demeanour’ strategies. The type of interview protocol did not affect the results.     

A pragmatic trial evaluating the effectiveness of web versus live training in functional behavior assessment and interventions among special educators

This study adopted a pragmatic trial with randomization to investigate the relative effectiveness of web versus live training on special educators' competence and perceived skills in functional behavior assessments (FBA) and behavior interventions. Pragmatic trials seek to determine the effectiveness of an intervention in a real-world setting to ensure better application and generalizability in routine practice conditions. The live training group received an in-person workshop delivered in a lecture format via powerpoint slides. The web training group received asynchronous online instruction via a secure website. The same training content was delivered to both groups. Participants were randomly assigned across both instructional modalities and completed two pre- and post-test measures. Results indicated that participants (N = 104) in both groups showed a significant increase in theoretical competence of FBA and behavior interventions post training. Only participants in the live workshop group reported a significant increase in perceived skill scores. When comparing outcomes across groups, the live training group gained significantly more theoretical competence in FBA and behavior interventions than that in the web training group. These results shed light on the practical implications of online platforms for professional development among in-service teachers in behavior management for schools with children having disabilities and challenging behavior.     

Evaluating parent-implemented behavioral skills training for teaching firearm safety skills

Research shows that behavioral skills training (BST) and in situ training (IST) are effective interventions for teaching safety skills to children. In addition, the efficiency of these interventions can be increased when parents, teachers, or peers are taught to implement them. The purpose of this study was to replicate Novotny et al. (2020) and evaluate a web-based program for teaching parents to conduct BST to teach safety skills to prevent gunplay. We randomly assigned 18 children to the parent-conducted BST group or a control group and evaluated the intervention in a posttest only control group design. Children in the control group or treatment group who did not score a three in the in situ assessment (do not touch, get away, and tell an adult) received IST from their parents and were assessed again. Results showed that safety skill scores were statistically significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant increase in safety skills scores following IST for children who received it.     

Continuous assessment of Peter Senge's learning organization model for improving the quality of Christian higher education in Indonesia

This paper briefly discusses Peter Senge's Continuous Assessment Learning Organization Model for Quality Improvement, and describes how it is implemented in improving the quality of education by Christian Religious Colleges in Indonesia. The main conclusion of this paper is that Christian Religious Colleges in Indonesia must develop an organizational culture where continuous assessment for quality improvement is part of everyday practice in schools. To achieve this, it is proposed that schools should become learning communities based on Peter Senge's Learning Organization model. While this paper is not based on research, the main implication is that every school should seek creative ways to implement Peter Senge's Continuous Assessment Learning Organization Model for Quality Improvement according to its culture and spirituality. A second implication is a Christian learning organization should be a prayer-defined organization. Every activity, every decision should be informed by prayer and be done in prayer, seeking the will of God, his approval, and his glory. Prayer should play a key role in any assessment. This conceptual paper is original as it explores the fit of applying Peter Senge's Continuous Assessment Learning Organization Model with seeking the will of God, his approval, and his glory for quality improvement in Christian Religious Colleges in Indonesia.