Psycho-Social Functioning in an Individual with Gender Identity Disorder

An adult transsexual male with presenting complaints of substance dependence was taken up for the study at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Past history covering substance use and transsexualism was followed by psychological assessment comprising of Verbal Adult Intelligence Scale, Draw-A-Person Test, Sentence Completion Test, The Adjustment Inventory and Rorschach Psychodiagnostics. The patient presented with interpersonal difficulties and distress owing to substance use. He reported being personally comfortable with his transsexual status and sought help for sex reassignment surgery. The study directs attention towards the fact that individuals with GID are at a risk for healthy adjustment with respect to their socio- cultural set up and in coping with situations. Hence, detailed assessment of distress related to GID, the social milieu leading to acceptance/isolation of the person and co-morbid conditions (if any) is productive.     

Determination of glass-forming ability of Ge1− x Sn x Se2.5 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) alloys using differential scanning calorimetry

The glass-forming ability of Ge_{1? x} Sn _x Se_2.5 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) alloys was studied using differential scanning calorimetry. Samples were scanned at different heating rates under non-isothermal conditions. Various simple quantitative methods were employed to assess the stability of the glassy materials in the above-mentioned system. All of these methods are based on characteristic temperatures, such as the glass-transition temperature, T _g, the onset-of-crystallization temperature, T _c, and the peak crystallization temperature, T _p. A crystallization rate factor, K, has also been used as a measure of the thermal stability of the glasses. It was found that Ge_0.7Sn_0.3Se_2.5 was the least stable among all the samples.     

Creativity Under Concurrent and Sequential Task Conditions

Two experiments were conducted to investigate creativity for realistic divergent thinking problems, under concurrent and sequential task conditions (CTC and STC, respectively). Creativity was judged on divergence, novelty, appropriateness, and fluency of solutions. Results of Experiment I revealed that creativity was significantly higher under CTC than under STC. Embedded Figures Test was employed to rule out a possible alternative explanation that better performance under CTC is due to difference in creative potential between individuals participating under the two task conditions. Experiment II employed a control group to investigate whether difference in creative performance under the two conditions is due to a facilitation effect or a distraction effect, as compared to the control condition. Results showed a significant distraction effect under STC, and indicated, though not significant, a facilitation effect under CTC. Findings are understood in light of the associative theories of creativity, which highlight the role of attentional mechanisms in the creative process. Some indexes for measuring creative performance on realistic divergent thinking tasks are validated against conventional measures.     

Within-subject covariation between depression- and anxiety-related affect

Studies find a strong positive relationship between the affective components of anxiety and depression. However, most research thus far has examined the between-person correlations among these constructs, while ignoring how changes in these two types of affect covary over time within a person. Within-person correlations could differ meaningfully from how anxiety- and depression-related affect relate across individuals. Further, individuals may differ in terms of how highly these constructs covary over time. The current study aimed to (1) compare between- and within-person correlations between anxious and depressive affect, (2) examine lagged effects between anxious and depressive affect over time, (3) test whether individuals differ in their within-person correlations between these two types of affect, and (4) examine whether the mean level of affective intensity moderated these individual differences. These questions were explored using college undergraduates (N?=?50) who rated their depression- and anxiety- related affect six times a day for two weeks. A higher average correlation was observed between anxious and depressive affect in between-person compared to within-person analyses. Significant bidirectional lagged effects were observed between these constructs. Individuals with higher average levels of anxious affect experienced stronger within-person correlations between anxious and depressive affect.     

Benchmarking Treatment Response in Tourette’s Disorder: A Psychometric Evaluation and Signal Detection Analysis of the Parent Tic Questionnaire

This study assessed the psychometric properties of a parent-reported tic severity measure, the Parent Tic Questionnaire (PTQ), and used the scale to establish guidelines for delineating clinically significant tic treatment response. Participants were 126 children ages 9 to 17 who participated in a randomized controlled trial of Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). Tic severity was assessed using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), Hopkins Motor/Vocal Tic Scale (HMVTS) and PTQ; positive treatment response was defined by a score of 1 (very much improved) or 2 (much improved) on the Clinical Global Impressions – Improvement (CGI-I) scale. Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlations (ICC) assessed internal consistency and test-retest reliability, with correlations evaluating validity. Receiver- and Quality-Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses assessed the efficiency of percent and raw-reduction cutoffs associated with positive treatment response. The PTQ demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.80 to 0.86), excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = .84 to .89), good convergent validity with the YGTSS and HM/VTS, and good discriminant validity from hyperactive, obsessive-compulsive, and externalizing (i.e., aggression and rule-breaking) symptoms. A 55% reduction and 10-point decrease in PTQ Total score were optimal for defining positive treatment response. Findings help standardize tic assessment and provide clinicians with greater clarity in determining clinically meaningful tic symptom change during treatment.     

Effect of failure/success feedback and the moderating influence of personality on reward motivation

While motivation to pursue goals is often assumed to be a trait-like characteristic, it is influenced by a variety of situational factors. In particular, recent experiences of success or failure, as well as cognitive responses to these outcomes, may shape subsequent willingness to expend effort for future rewards. To date, however, these effects have not been explicitly tested. In the present study, 131 healthy individuals received either failure or success feedback on a cognitive task. They were then instructed to either ruminate or distract themselves from their emotions. Finally, they completed the Effort Expenditure for Rewards Task, a laboratory measure of reward motivation. Results indicate that participants who received failure feedback relied more strongly on the reward magnitude when choosing whether to exert greater effort to obtain larger rewards, though this effect only held under conditions of significant uncertainty about whether the effort would be rewarded. Further, participants with high levels of trait inhibition were less responsive to reward value and probability when choosing whether to expend greater effort, results that echo past studies of effort-based decision-making in psychological disorders.     

Psychometric Properties of a Spanish Translation of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale – Parent Version

The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale – Parent Version (RCADS-P) is a parent-report questionnaire that assesses dimensions of DSM anxiety and depressive disorders in youths. Previous studies have found that the RCADS-P possesses clinical utility and strong psychometric properties in both clinic- and school-based populations. To increase applicability of the measure to a greater proportion of the individuals accessing mental health services, the present study sought to develop and examine the psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the RCADS-P. As completed by parents of 85 publicly referred children and adolescents, the RCADS-P demonstrated good internal consistency and convergent, discriminant, and divergent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis also supported a six-factor model consistent with the measure’s six subscales: separation anxiety disorder, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and major depressive disorder. A secondary aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of a shortened, 25-item version of the Spanish translation of the RCADS-P, which also evidenced favorable psychometric properties. Findings provide support for the Spanish version of the RCADS-P as an efficient and informative parent-report measure of youths' internalizing behaviors.     

Thermal stability and glass-forming ability of Se80− x Te20Ag x (x = 0, 3, 5, 7 and 9) chalcogenide glasses

The thermal stability and glass-forming ability (GFA) of Se_{80? x} Te₂₀Ag _x (x?=?0,?3,?5,?7 and 9) chalcogenide glasses have been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC runs have been taken at five different heating rates (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50?K/min) under non-isothermal condition. The thermal stability and GFA are monitored through determination of the temperature difference ΔT?=?T _c???T _g, where T _c is the onset crystallization temperature, T _g is the glass transition temperature, H ^l is the stability parameter, ΔH _c is the enthalpy released during crystallization and F _i is the fragility index. The activation energy of crystallization E _c and crystallization rate factor K have also been determined as indicators of the thermal stability of the above-mentioned samples. It is found that Se₇₁Te₂₀Ag₉ is the most stable among all the samples of the series.     

Feasibility,acceptability and future adaptation of the Chinese translated Behavioural activation (C-BA) treatment for depression: A pilot study

Background: Although depression is prevalent among Chinese international students (CIS), only 4% of CIS seek treatment. Behavioural activation (BA) has been suggested as a culturally sensitive treatment for depression that has the potential to meet the clinical needs of CIS. The current pilot study tested the feasibility, acceptability and themes for future cultural adaptations of a Chinese translated BA treatment (C-BA) among CIS. Methods: Six CIS with elevated depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI ≥ 14) completed a six-session individual C-BA treatment and assessments at pre- and post-treatment and a 1-month follow-up. Primary outcome measures included treatment feasibility, acceptability and qualitative interview data informing future adaption of C-BA. Exploratory analyses examined group changes in depressive symptoms over time and clinically significant symptom changes on individual levels. Results: All participants found the treatment to be highly feasible and culturally acceptable, and were highly engaged in the treatment. Themes of future cultural adaptions were generated from the qualitative interviews. Significant decreases in depressive symptoms were observed at a one1-month post-treatment follow-up assessment. Conclusions: Preliminary evidence suggests that C-BA has the potential to be a culturally sensitive treatment for depression among CIS. CIS demonstrated openness to psychotherapy and high treatment engagement.