Perceived teasing experiences in body dysmorphic disorder

Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) are excessively concerned about imagined or slight defects in their appearance (e.g., asymmetrical facial features). Cognitive-behavioral models of BDD propose that several factors, including dysfunctional appearance-related beliefs and life experiences, such as teasing, contribute to the avoidance behaviors or rituals (e.g., mirror checking, grooming) characteristic of BDD. Previous research has demonstrated an association between perceived teasing and body dissatisfaction. In the current study, we examined whether individuals with BDD (n = 16) report to have been teased more often than do mentally healthy controls (n = 17). The group comprising individuals with BDD reported more appearance- and competency-related teasing than did control participants. This study provides preliminary evidence for the association between perceived teasing and BDD.     

信息保持、短时存贮与执行控制的脑模型

工作记忆的脑机制是认知神经科学研究的重要问题。研究者在分析大量脑成像研究数据的基础上,创建了许多解释工作记忆神经基础的模型。Smith和Jonides发展了工作记忆成分结构模型和贮存与执行加工分离模型。Postle和D’Esposito建构了工作记忆相对表征混合模型,D’Esposito, Postle和Rypma阐述了工作记忆加工阶段动态模型。Fletcher和Henson提出工作记忆额叶分区整合理论。该文通过对上述模型或理论的评价,总结了工作记忆脑成像研究中存在的问题,展望了该研究领域的发展趋势。     

LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP OF ECHOLALIA AND QUESTION ANSWERING

A long-term follow-up of echolalia and correct question answering was conducted for 6 subjects from three previously published studies. The follow-up periods ranged from 26 to 57 months. In a training site follow-up, subjects were exposed to baseline/posttraining conditions in which the original trainer and/or a novel person(s) presented trained and untrained questions. Four subjects displayed echolalia below baseline levels, and another did so in some assessments. Overall, echolalia was lower than in baseline in 80.6% of the follow-ups. Five subjects displayed correct responding above baseline levels. No clear differences were noted in correct responding or echolalia between the trainer and novel-person presentations or between trained and untrained questions. In a follow-up in a natural environment conducted by a novel person, lower than baseline levels of echolalia were displayed by 3 subjects; 2 subjects displayed lower than baseline levels in some assessments. Two subjects consistently displayed correct responding above baseline, and 3 did so occasionally. Issues related to the study of maintenance are discussed.     

AN INSTITUTIONAL STAFF TRAINING AND SELF-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPING MULTIPLE SELF-CARE SKILLS IN SEVERELY/PROFOUNDLY RETARDED INDIVIDUALS

Although considerable attention has been given to the development of institutional staff training and management programs, the generalized effects of such programs on staff and resident behavior have seldom been examined. This study evaluated a program for teaching institutional staff behavioral training and self-management skills during self-care teaching sessions with severely and profoundly retarded residents. Following baseline observations in three self-care situations (toothbrushing, haircombing, handwashing), four direct care staff were sequentially taught to use verbal instruction, physical guidance, and contingent reinforcement in the toothbrushing program. During maintenance, staff were simultaneously taught to record, graph, and evaluate resident and their own behavior in the toothbrushing sessions. Staff were taught use of the training and self-management skills through a sequence of written instructions, videotaped and live modeling, rehearsal, and videotaped feedback. Observer presence and experimenter supervision were gradually decreased during the maintenance condition. Results indicated that during training and maintenance staff: (a) learned to use the training skills appropriately and consistently in the example situation (toothbrushing); (b) applied the skills in the generalization situations (haircombing and handwashing); and thereafter (c) maintained consistent and appropriate use of the skills with infrequent supervision. In addition, important changes in retarded residents' independent self-care responding occurred as staff training skills developed. Results are discussed in terms of their implication for future research and continued development of effective staff training and management programs.     

Evaluation of home-based programs for teaching personal safety skills to children

We evaluated the efficacy of a commercially available program, the Red Flag, Green Flag Prevention Book, used by parents to teach their children personal safety skills. Children's knowledge and skills regarding the prevention of sexual abuse and abduction were assessed prior to, during, and after training. In one group, training consisted of parents using the prevention book to train their children. Parents of children in the second group used the prevention book with added instructions. Children who did not achieve criterion performance after training with the prevention book received behavioral skills training provided by the experimenter. All children acquired safety skills following behavioral skills training. Follow-up probes 2 months later showed skill maintenance among the older children. Parents reported satisfaction with the procedures and no signs of behavioral or emotional problems following the follow-up probe.     

SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT AS AN INTERVENTION PACKAGE: A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF FUNCTIONAL VARIABLES

In this two-experiment investigation, the long-term (at least 6 months) employment of 51 moderately mentally retarded clients who were placed into 64 supported employment positions was first evaluated relative to 10 training and posttraining components that comprised a supported employment training package. In Experiment 1, chi-square analyses were used to identify three components that differentiated successful (employed for at least 6 months) from unsuccessful clients. In Experiment 2, 4 successful clients were further evaluated in a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design to determine whether the three variables identified during the group analysis (client advocate, collateral behavior, and follow-up plan) were included in the training packages. These results are discussed in terms of the need to establish better the functional variables of supported employment training programs.     

MOTIVATING AUTISTIC CHILDREN THROUGH STIMULUS VARIATION

This study evaluated the differential effectiveness of two methods of presenting discrimination tasks when teaching autistic children. In a constant task condition, the common method of presenting a single task throughout a session was used. In a varied task condition, the same task was interspersed with a variety of other tasks from the children's clinic curricula. Results showed declining trends in correct responding during the constant task condition, with substantially improved and stable responding during the varied task condition. In addition, naive observers judged the children to be more enthusiastic, interested, happier, and better behaved during the varied task sessions. These results suggest that “boredom” may be a particularly important variable to control in the treatment of autistic children, and that particular care may be necessary when defining criteria for task acquisition. The results are discussed in relation to the literature on increased responsivity to stimulus novelty and variation.     

EXPANDING THE IMPACT OF BEHAVIORAL STAFF MANAGEMENT: A LARGE-SCALE,LONG-TERM APPLICATION IN SCHOOLS SERVING SEVERELY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS

Experimental evaluations of behavioral staff management procedures usually have been limited to relatively small-scale demonstration studies. We evaluated a large-scale, long-term application of a staff management program designed to improve the functional utility of educational services for severely handicapped persons. The intervention, involving a brief in-service program followed by supervisory prompts and feedback, was implemented by three principals in four schools involving 21 classrooms. Implementation of the management procedures was consistently accompanied by increases in student involvement in functional educational tasks in each classroom. Further, the improved services continued throughout a 2-year follow-up period. Staff responses to a questionnaire indicated a high degree of staff acceptance of the management program. Results are discussed in terms of expanding the use of behavioral supervisory procedures from experimental demonstrations to actual adoption by existing human service agencies.     

Test–retest reliability of an emotion maintenance task

Research on working memory has suggested domain-specific components for visual, verbal, and spatial information, and more recently for emotion. Affective working memory has been proposed as the set of processes involved in the maintenance of emotions to guide behaviour. The current study examined the reliability of an emotion maintenance/affective working memory task over two experimental sessions separated by one week. Subjective accuracy based on individual ratings was found to correlate over time and was highest for negatively valenced pictures. Results suggest that this paradigm is a reliable measure of emotion maintenance, underscoring the utility of this measure as an assessment tool for normative and clinical populations.     

New Digital Technologies: A Kairos for Catholic Education in Rwanda

ABSTRACT

While the Catholic Church in Rwanda endeavors to revitalize Catholic Education, the Government of Rwanda is trying to leverage the use of digital technologies to raise access, improve the quality, and strengthen the relevance of education and training to the labor market. The purpose of this article is therefore to explore and assess the value and potentially constructive educational benefits offered by digital technologies in Catholic schools. The Catholic Church is one of the key educational development partners of the Government of Rwanda. Approximately 41% of students attend Catholic schools in Rwanda. The article scrutinizes some ethical concerns associated with the emergence of digital technologies in schools. Then it critically analyzes the position of the Catholic Church vis-à-vis digital technologies and sheds some light on their ethical and responsible use in Catholic schools. Consequently, the article suggests some actions that may be undertaken by the Catholic Church in order to assist the youth to make an informed choice among a diverse range of options offered by digital technologies in a way that aligns with the Catholic social teaching and tradition.