A longitudinal study of form–function relations in a mother's questions and her child's responses.

The relationship between semantic and syntactic aspects of linguistic form and conversational meaning was assessed in a longitudinal study of a mother's questions to her daughter from age 6 mo to 2? yrs. The number of questions accounted for by statistically reliable form–function pairings was significantly greater in the early stages of the child's language acquisition (through R. Brown's, 1973, Stage I) than in later stages (Stages III–V). During the 1-word stage and early Stage I the child was more likely to produce a correct verbal response to questions within semantic form–function pairings than to questions of the same form or function outside the pairings. Heightened incidence of correct response to questions in syntactic form–function pairings appeared to be largely due to the frequency of correctly answered requests for labels. After early Stage I, form–function relations did not affect the probability of the child's correct verbal responses. Implications of the role of the linguistic environment in early language acquisition are discussed in terms of various ways of characterizing form–function relations. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The mother's psychophysiological reactions to contrasting affective expressions by her own and an unfamiliar infant.

Investigated mothers' autonomic reactions to their own infants' emotional states. 17 mothers of 5-mo-olds viewed 2 landscape scenes and 4 types of videotaped segments depicting their own baby and an unfamiliar baby smiling or crying. Each episode was presented for 3 consecutive 10-sec trials, and order of stimulation was varied systematically. Initial presentations of Ss' own infants evoked cardiac acceleration and large skin conductance responses (SCRs), whereas cardiac deceleration and smaller SCRs were evoked by the unfamiliar infant crying. Episodes displaying the strange infant smiling and landscapes yielded nonsignificant trends toward cardiac deceleration and still smaller SCRs. Results indicate that mothers react with excitement to images of their own child and with patterns characteristic of environmental intake or orientation when viewing unfamiliar infants. Because parent–child relations are considered transactional, physiological indices of maternal responsiveness to infant behaviors are useful as potential predictors of developmental outcome. Hence, it is concluded that the findings that mothers display differential physiological reactions to their own and unfamiliar infants are especially promising. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors influencing receptivity to ex-mental-patients.

"The tendency of large employers to be more receptive toward disabled workers is in keeping with earlier findings, as is the higher receptivity of manufacturing over service industries." The study tended to support the use of mailed questionnaires in preliminary studies as not qualitatively different from those assessed by face-to-face interviews. The study "suggested that the receptivity of employers may represent a fairly stable frame of reference, which may profitably be considered in planning programs for the vocational rehabilitation of the ex-mental-patient." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The nature of the mother's absence and the infant's response to brief separations.

During a brief play period away from the mother, the responses of 40 10-mo-old infants were observed as a function of 2 factors: first, whether the mother or the infant initiated the separation and, second, whether the mother was visible during the separation. When the mother was visible in another room the infant was content to stay and play longer than when she was out of sight. Whether the infant left the mother or was left by her had no effects. In all conditions, distress away from the mother was rare. Results show that separation distress is not inevitable and suggest that manipulations of separation situations may elucidate the interplay between exploratory and attachment responses. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors influencing readmission to hospital. I. Tetraplegia

Tetraplegia produces exceptionally severe physical impairment causing disability which demands almost total dependence on others for the activities of daily living but there is no impairment of mental function. The tetraplegic is, therefore, capable of influencing his environment and those features of it which may lead to the need for readmission to hospital. Of the factors studied relating to readmission to hospital, only age and occupational status of the patient at the time of his paralysis are of significance.     

Societal reactions to a child's death by suicide.

80 14–67 yr olds responded to newspaper accounts of a 10-yr-old girl who died either from a bone marrow disease, an automobile accident, a drug overdose, or by hanging. The child and her family were perceived as most disturbed and her parents as most blameworthy in the case of suicide. Results are consistent with the view that parents of children who kill themselves experience stress from external sources as well as internal grief. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Writing a wrong: Factors influencing the overprescription of antidepressants to youth.

Recently observed reductions in the use of antidepressant medication in youth come after a period that many have characterized as being marked by excessive reliance on such agents. The Food and Drug Administration advisory first issued in 2004 clearly influenced this change in clinical practice; however, other factors such as public and expert opinion, medicolegal considerations, and the behavior of pharmaceutical manufacturers also have had some effect. Some have speculated that a reduction in antidepressant use in youth is related to observed increases in suicide rates for this population. Although there has been an increase in the rate of adolescent suicide since 2003, such increases have also been seen in other age and demographic groups. The association between suicide rates and antidepressant use in adolescents or other groups is unclear, and is likely more correlational than causal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When mom's sick: changes in a mother's role and in the family after her diagnosis of cancer

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to compare the pharmacokinetic parameters of ibuprofen administered as a suspension, chewable tablet, or tablet in children with cystic fibrosis and to determine the optimal blood sampling times for measuring ibuprofen peak concentrations. STUDY DESIGN: A single oral 20 mg/kg dose of ibuprofen was administered, and blood samples were obtained at 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, 240, and 360 minutes after the dose was administered. Peak plasma concentration (Cmax ), time to peak concentration (Tmax ), and other pharmacokinetic parameters were determined and compared (analysis of variance and analysis of covariance). RESULTS: Thirty-eight children were included (22, 4, and 12 in the suspension, chewable tablet, and tablet groups, respectively). Tmax was the only parameter for which statistical differences were noted (suspension vs tablet, P 相似文献   

Factors influencing disciplinary judgments.

Studied the influence of individual and organizational factors on disciplinary judgment, using disciplinary exercise administered to 222 undergraduate business students. In 4 separate discipline cases, the severity of organizational consequences for a rule infraction and various characteristics of the offenders were manipulated. When the same rule violation resulted in severe compared to mild organizational consequences, greater personal responsibility was attributed to the offender and harsher disciplinary measures were recommended. Offender characteristics such as status, talent, performance, and compensation equity also influenced disciplinary judgments. Results are discussed in terms of current theories of attribution and in terms of practical considerations regarding fair and consistent administration of discipline. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors influencing rapport in hypnosis.

The phenomenon of countering expresses the tendency of some highly susceptible Ss to favor the intent of the hypnotist when placed in a conflict situation where social influences of another kind dictate an alternative response. The present research explored the parameters of this objective index of involvement with the hypnotist to investigate the special relevance of rapport processes to the hypnotic setting. Rapport was manipulated in 5 different experiments with highly susceptible Ss (Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A), varying either the warmth or genuineness of the hypnotist. It was predicted from transference theorizing that countering would decrease in the negative context and increase in the positive one. Results confirm predictions for highly susceptible Ss tested in the former context but not the latter. In the negative setting, Ss were inhibited in their rate of countering, but maintained their previous level of response to the hypnotist when rapport was facilitated. Results highlight the relevance of interpersonal processes to theorizing about hypnosis. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preventive intervention following a child's death.

Developed a family-focused, manualized intervention program to prevent the development of psychopathology and maladaptation in the aftermath of the death of a child. The intervention was intended to enhance the ability of family members to provide each other with effective mutual support after the loss of a child. The initial phase of the intervention involved sharing memories of the loss event. The middle phase involved sharing the feelings that accompany the full recognition of the loss, and the end stage involved contemplation of moving forward in a planned manner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vaginal adenosis. Factors influencing detection in a colposcopic evaluation

In a colposcopic evaluation of DES-related genital abnormalities, biopsy-proven adenosis was detected in the vaginal walls or hood in 84.5% of 220 women. Patient selection (DES history only vs prior examination) did not significantly influence the detection rate for adenosis. However, the detection rate of adenosis in the vaginal walls showed highly significant correlations with the presence of cervical ectopy and/or hood and with the colposcopic appearance of the area biopsied. Using colposcopy, the columnar pattern had a diagnostic accuracy of 94.4%; mosaic pattern, 85.5%; and white appearance, 68.0%. Differences in the histologic features of mucosal surface glandular tissue, squamous metaplasia, and nonglycogenated squamous mucosa were related to specific colposcopic patterns and helped to account for the variation in the accuracy of the three appearances in detecting adenosis. Biopsy specimens of the hood were not necessary to achieve a high yield of adenosis although we obtained evidence that the hood contains microscopic features typical of vaginal adenosis. Epithelial atypicality in the vagina (moderate squamous cell dysplasia) was demonstrated in only 1 patient.     

Network representation of a child's dinosaur knowledge.

A 4-yr-old male's knowledge of 40 dinosaurs was elicited from 2 tasks. The data gathered from these knowledge-production protocols were used to map 2 interrelated semantic networks of dinosaurs, viewed as concept nodes connected by links. The 2 mappings corresponded to 2 sets of dinosaurs (20 each), partitioned on the basis of external criteria: mother's subjective judgment of the S's knowledge of each dinosaur and the frequency of mention in the S's dinosaur books. Comparisons of the structure of the 2 mappings were based on 3 attributes: (a) number of links, (b) strength of links, and (c) the internal cohesion of the network in terms of higher-order groupings and specific patterns of interlinkages. The validity of the differential structures of the 2 mappings was verified by the corresponding differential memory performance. The better structured set of dinosaurs was more easily remembered and retained by the S over a year than the less structured set of dinosaurs. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Degree of client disclosure as a function of past disclosure, counselor disclosure, and counselor facilitativeness.

Examined the relationship between a client's past disclosure rate, specific situational variables, and client disclosure rate in counseling. College students receiving individual counseling services (36 male and 64 female) served as Ss. Each S received 2 questionnaires that contained 3 forms of the Jourard Self-Disclosure Questionnaire and a revised form of the Relationship Questionnaire. Results do not provide total support for any 1 theory of self-disclosure in counseling. A client's past tendency to self-disclose was significantly related to present tendency to self-disclose in the counseling relationship; however, present disclosure rate was also strongly related to certain situational variables, including client perception of counselor self-disclosure and counselor facilitativeness. The relationship between client perception of counselor facilitativeness and client perception of both client and counselor self-disclosure appears to occur through the client's perception of the counselor as warm and empathic, not through perception of the counselor as genuine. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dropping a college course: Factors influencing students' withdrawal decisions.

An open-ended survey was used to construct questionnaires for assessing student, instructor, course, and situational variables thought to be relevant to course withdrawal. A total of 204 university students who had dropped one or more courses provided usable responses to questions about courses they dropped and courses they continued. Factor analyses yielded 8 dimensions that were congruent for 2 subsamples. Discriminant analyses identified 3 dimensions that provided differentiation between dropped and continued courses. Those 3 factors were Satisfaction with Student Performance, Motivation, and Impressions of Instructor. The probability of a student's persisting in a course was viewed as a function of confidence that he or she could handle the course material, perceptions of the relevance of the course to his or her needs, and impression of how likable and helpful the instructor was. Implications for advisors and instructors and the relationship of withdrawal to course selection are discussed. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors influencing rule discovery in children.

Reports on 2 studies using the Esper paradigm to determine development of rule application and discovery capabilities. This paradigm employs both learning and generalization phases. In Exp I with 48 3rd and 4th graders, it was determined that Ss could learn and generalize when rule and structure were provided, but there was little evidence of rule discovery. In Exp II with 48 different 3rd and 4th graders, memory and attention manipulations were added. Both manipulations facilitated learning, but only attention facilitated rule discovery. In both studies 4th graders performed better than 3rd graders on generalization but not learning. The relationship between performance on the Esper and Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices (given to all Ss), although inconsistent, when covaried out removed the significant grade but not experimental effects. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multimodal behavioral treatment of a child's eliminative disturbance.

Multimodal behavior therapy focuses on 7 interrelated and interactive modalities of human functioning: behavior, affect, sensation, imagery, cognition, interpersonal relationships, and drugs. The approach advocates the systematic application of relevant therapeutic interventions to those modalities that are dysfunctional. A case example of a 46-mo-old boy illustrates the application of multimodal behavior therapy to a child's eliminative disturbance. The therapist addressed the avoidance characteristics of the disturbance first; interventions to improve interpersonal aspects of the problem were added gradually. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors influencing the success of applied research.

Conducted an intensive follow-up of 10 projects rated by the National Institute of Mental Health as very high or relatively low in successfully reaching their objectives or suitable modifications thereof, in writing clear and complete reports suitable for replication, and in disseminating findings. Key personnel associated with each project completed a comprehensive interview schedule concerning idea development, project design, funding, research, development and dissemination of findings, and utilization of findings. Profiles of the successful and less successful projects were then formulated. The successful projects showed high levels of communication and involvement with the individuals involved in research and practice. The principle investigator designed and devoted his full time to the project. Potential consumers were involved and informed of project development, processes, and findings. Higher levels of dissemination and utilization of findings resulted. The less successful projects, while calm during the early stages of idea development, design, and funding, developed difficulties during research associated with limited and ineffective communication among the researchers and between researchers and practitioners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The narrative reconstructions of incest survivors.

Comments on the research questions raised by E. F. Loftus (see record 1993-37888-001) in relation to patients' recovery of repressed memories of sexual abuse in psychotherapy. Some of Loftus's concerns are amplified and expanded upon with regard to particular clinical practices. It is asserted that, at present, accurate accounts cannot be distinguished from those shaped by subsequent contextual cues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)