Cognitive and behavioral characteristics of physically abused children.

Compared 11 physically abused males (aged 3 yrs 11 mo to 5 yrs 8 mo) on the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) and the Wide Range Achievement Test with 10 nonabused males matched on age, family income, and maternal age and education. In addition, behavioral observations of their performance on a persistence task were coded. Significant differences were found on the Verbal and Memory Scales and the General Cognitive Index of the MSCA. No behavioral differences were noted. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive and behavioral treatments of agoraphobia: Clinical, behavioral, and psychophysiological outcomes.

39 severe and chronic agoraphobics with panic attacks, diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) criteria, were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 cognitive-behavioral treatments: paradoxical intention (PI), graduated exposure (GE), or progressive deep muscle relaxation training (RT). Treatment consisted of 12 2-hr weekly sessions conducted by experienced therapists whose treatment integrity was objectively monitored. All 31 23–63 yr old Ss who completed the program received an extensive rationale emphasizing self-directed exposure and programmed practice in addition to their primary treatment. A comprehensive assessment battery consisting of clinical ratings of severity, phobia, anxiety, depression, and panic, as well as direct measures of behavioral, psychophysiological, and cognitive response systems was administered at pre-, mid- (6 wks), and posttreatment (12 wks) and at 3-mo follow-up. Analyses revealed significant improvement for all Ss. GE and RT tended to evoke more rapid effects. At follow-up, GE and RT evidenced the greatest potency and stability, as compared with PI. The GE condition experienced twice the drop-out rate of PI and RT. The phenomenon of synchrony appeared to be associated with overall improvement at 12 wks and follow-up. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genetic diagnosis of Williams syndrome

Williams syndrome is a complex developmental disorder. The major cardiovascular component of Williams syndrome is supravalvular aortic stenosis, a progressive disease that may need surgical repair. Williams syndrome is associated with heterozygous microdeletion in the chromosomal region 7q11.23 encompassing the elastin gene. We have identified a new, highly informative tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism within the human elastin gene. This marker together with other, previously described elastin gene markers was used to show deletion of the elastin gene in nine sporadic Williams syndrome patients from Hungary. Application of polymorphisms within and flanking the elastin gene on chromosome 7 provides a fast, polymerase chain reaction based method for mutational analysis of Williams syndrome patients.     

Low MSAFP levels and Williams syndrome

Williams syndrome (WS) is associated with a deletion of the elastin gene in over 90% of cases. We report maternal serum alpha feto-protein (MSAFP) levels in 5 women whose fetuses were later diagnosed as having WS. MSAFP levels ranged from 0.5-0.8 multiples of the median (MOM). Although further confirmation is necessary, it appears that MSAFP levels are lower than the median in WS. This apparent association has implications for counselling women following maternal serum screening.     

Blirtatiousness: Cognitive, behavioral, and physiological consequences of rapid responding.

The Brief Loquaciousness and Interpersonal Responsiveness Test (BLIRT) measures the extent to which people respond to others quickly and effusively. The BLIRT displays desirable psychometric properties and distinguishes people who should theoretically score high (e.g., car salespersons) from those who should score low (e.g., librarians). Scores on the scale predict (a) the amount and rapidity of people's verbal responses in an unstructured interaction, (b) how likable and competent people's classmates perceive them to be early in the semester, (c) how quickly people respond to an obnoxious cell-phone user and how physiologically aroused they become, and (d) how quickly and emphatically people respond to a series of personal insults as well as their degree of physiological arousal. Converging evidence indicates that blirtatiousness is unique in its ability to amplify people's qualities, making these qualities more readily observable to perceivers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patient-therapist interdependence: Cognitive and behavioral.

Each of 7 patients saw each of 4 therapists twice. After each session, therapists rated how they thought the patient and therapists should behave during psychotherapy. In addition, these patient and therapist behaviors were independently rated from tapes of the meetings. A balanced 4 * 7 design was utilized. Behavior rating data indicate that therapists are more influenced by patients than patients are by therapists. Comparisons of questionnaire and behavior rating data indicate that differences among therapists are more evident in how therapists think than in how they or patients behave. Implications for understanding the different roles of the psychotherapist are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive and behavioral distancing from the poor.

The author argues that distancing is the dominant response to poor people on the part of those who are not poor and that distancing, separation, exclusion, and devaluing operationally define discrimination. Such responses, together with stereotypes and prejudice, define classism. The article focuses on classism in the United States. Classism is examined in the context of theoretical propositions about the moral exclusion of stigmatized others and is illustrated by cognitive distancing, institutional distancing (in education, housing, health care, legal assistance, politics, and public policy), and interpersonal distancing. The adoption of the Resolution on Poverty and Socioeconomic Status by the American Psychological Association Council of Representatives in August 2000 is cited as an important step in the direction of eliminating the invisibility of low-income persons in psychological research and theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive and behavioral therapy for musical-performance anxiety.

Compared the efficiency of cognitive-behavioral therapy, emphasizing self-instruction and attention-focusing techniques, with behavior rehearsal and with a waiting-list control in the treatment of debilitating musical-performance anxiety. Ss were 53 pianists (aged 12–53 yrs old) who experienced extreme anxiety in performing situations. Therapy sessions were conducted over a 3-wk period; Ss met 3 times in small groups for 1?–2 hrs and also completed homework assignments. Self-report (e.g., Subjective Stress Scale, Expectations of Personal Efficacy Scale for Musicians), behavioral, and physiological indexes of anxiety were collected at baseline, treatment termination, and follow-up intervals. Multivariate analyses indicated that both the cognitive-behavioral therapy and behavior-rehearsal programs were effective in reducing musical-performance anxiety in comparison to the control condition at the follow-up assessment, although there were no differences among groups at treatment termination. Cognitive therapy was more effective than the behavior-rehearsal program on several measures. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acute and chronic low back pain: Cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions.

Despite strong suppositions concerning differences between patients suffering acute and chronic low back pain, relatively few data-based comparisons have been made. In this study, affective, cognitive, behavioral, and demographic contrasts were conducted. Chronic patients were divided into those who demonstrated signs and symptoms that were either congruent or incongruent with underlying anatomical and physiological principles. Low SES, compensation claims, use of opiate analgesics, greater disability, catastrophizing cognitions, stronger emotionality, and passive coping were more characteristic of both acute and chronic incongruent patients than chronic congruent patients. A relatively stereotyped, spontaneous facial expression of pain was observed in all groups when responding to painful movements during a physical examination. The similarities between acute and chronic incongruent patients have implications for the assessment and treatment of low back pain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Descriptive, theoretical, and behavioral characteristics of subdoctoral school psychologists.

Reports an analysis of theoretical and behavioral characteristics of a group of applicants and enrollees to an advanced National Defense Education Act Institute held for school psychologists in 1967. Data collected are discussed in relationship to the training, background, theoretical orientation preferences, work load and time allocation to alternate school psychology activities, and behavioral characteristics of applicants and enrollees. Findings suggest that theoretical orientation does appear to effect dimensions of school psychology practice. Factor analyses and step-wise regressions were completed on both paper-pencil measures and observational data obtained from video tape analysis. Results suggest that school psychologists have been recruited for the most part from the ranks of teachers and counselors within the public school setting. Traditional and novel predictors and multiple criteria are discussed in relationship to the emergence of a task-oriented social-learning model for school psychology training and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Metacarpophalangeal pattern profile analysis in Williams syndrome

Autoantibodies to SSA/Ro and SSB/La antigens may have a pathogenic role in photosensitive skin disease and congenital complete heart block. Since salivary glands are the major target organ in Sjogren's syndrome (SS) we wondered whether these autoantibodies are present in saliva and may be involved in the sicca syndrome. Whole saliva and serum were collected from 15 patients with SS. Elisa analysis disclosed that 8 of the patients had anti-SSA/Ro antibodies, while 6 of them also had anti-SSB/La antibodies. Studies of immunoglobulin classes showed that the sera contained mainly IgG and IgM anti-SSA/Ro or SSB/La antibodies. One serum also contained IgA antibodies. Analysis of the saliva showed that in all positive samples IgG and IgA classes were present, while none of them contained IgM. Elisa and immunoblot analysis of sera and saliva from SLE patients without the sicca syndrome disclosed that both fluids contained anti-Sm antibodies. These findings suggest that the presence of anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies in saliva is not a unique phenomenon, characterizing the sicca syndrome. Therefore, their role in the pathogenicity of the Sjogren's syndrome has to be elucidated.     

Cognitive, behavioral, and family factors in the differentiation of depressive and anxiety disorders during childhood.

Contribution of cognitive, behavioral, and family environment variables to the differentiation of depressive and anxiety disorders in children was explored. 59 children from Grades 4–7 (14 diagnosed with a depressive disorder, 16 diagnosed with depressive and anxiety disorders, 11 diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and 18 nondisturbed controls) completed measures of the depressive cognitive triad, depressive cognitions, social skills, family environment, and maladaptive family messages. Results of a stepwise discriminant function analysis indicated that 2 discriminant functions composed of 7 variables from the cognitive, behavioral, and family environment domains accounted for 91% of the between-groups variance. Results suggest that depressive disorders can be distinguished from anxiety disorders on the basis of ratings of cognition, social skills, and family environment. Implications for existing research and a model of depression during childhood are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive behavioral interventions for adolescents with cystic fibrosis

Examined the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral intervention to help adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) cope with daily stressors. Five youths were referred for the therapy by medical staff because of perceived problems with anxiety or coping. Treatment impact was assessed on measures of coping, anxiety, perceptions of functional disability, and parental reports of behavior. A multiple baseline design across subjects was used. Reductions in anxiety, a decrease in maladaptive coping efforts with CF-related problems, and an increase in positive coping with CF-related problems were obtained. Youths also reported a decrease in functional disability due to CF after the initiation of the intervention. Follow-up assessment indicated that most youths maintained gains in anxiety and perceived functional disability, but not coping efforts. Results suggest that cognitive behavioral treatment is a viable intervention for anxious youths with CF.     

Complex adaptive systems in the behavioral and social sciences.

This article examines applications of complexity theory within the behavioral and social sciences. Specific attention is given to the fundamental characteristics of complex adaptive systems (CAS)—such as individuals, groups, and societies—including the underlying structure of CAS, the internal dynamics of evolving CAS, and how CAS respond to their environment. Examples drawn from psychology, sociology, economics, and political science include attitude formation, majority-minority relations, social networks, family systems, psychotherapy, norm formation, organizational development, coalition formation, economic instabilities, urban development, the electoral process, political transitions, international relations, social movements, drug policy, and criminal behavior. The discussion also addresses the obstacles to implementing the CAS perspective in the behavioral and social sciences and implications for research methodology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive, clinical, and functional characteristics of verbally superior schizophrenia patients.

The existence of small numbers of schizophrenia patients with superior ability in specific cognitive domains is implied by meta-analytic evidence as well as by occasional empirical reports. The authors identified 25 patients with superior (i.e., ≥90th percentile) ability on the Vocabulary subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 3rd edition (Wechsler, 1997). These cognitively advantaged patients were compared with 22 healthy participants performing at the superior level and with 126 schizophrenia patients and 50 healthy participants scoring below the superior range. Verbally superior schizophrenia patients and verbally superior healthy participants had similar cognitive profiles and life skills performance, but diverged markedly in terms of independent "real-world" functioning. Verbally superior patients significantly outperformed more typical patients in other aspects of cognitive performance, life skills, and support requirements. However, severity of positive and negative symptoms was equivalent in the patient groups. Detailed biobehavioral study of cognitively exceptional patients may offer new insights into mechanisms mediating psychotic disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive moderators of the relationship between behavioral intentions and behavior.

A prospective study associating prior behavioral intentions with subsequent actual behaviors explored whether locus-of-control expectancies and values on the outcome of the behavior would influence the relationship between behavioral intentions and behavior. Survey questionnaires were mailed to 115 15–68 yr old prospective adult female patients at a weight reduction clinic immediately prior to their beginning treatment; 79 respondents completed the 6-wk program. The strength of the relationship between initial behavioral intentions and actual behavior was influenced both by expectancies for control of weight loss and by values relevant to weight reduction. Weight-locus-of-control internals with high outcome values for physical appearance or health were significantly more likely than externals with high outcome values to translate their intentions to lose weight into successful actions. More generally, it may be the case that among individuals who believe that certain behaviors lead to highly valued outcomes, internals are more likely than externals to perform those behaviors. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social-cognitive and behavioral characteristics of peer-rejected boys.

Identified 13 rejected and 13 popular 3rd- and 4th-grade boys using sociometric nomination measures. Playground observations and interview assessments of social problem solving were administered during the winter and spring. Rejected Ss both exhibited and received more aversive behavior than popular Ss. Although no status differences in the overall rate of interaction were found, rejected Ss exhibited more onlooker behavior and solitary play than the popular ones. No differences in the frequency of alternative solutions to hypothetical social problems were found between status groups. The solutions of rejected Ss were, however, less effective and more aggressive than those of populars. Chosen solutions of rejected Ss were also more likely to be ineffective and aggressive than those of populars. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)