Executive and managerial assessment: Value for the money?

Highlights key considerations that should be addressed by consulting psychologists to demonstrate the value of assessment services that they provide to clients. Executive and managerial assessment (EMA) is done in a variety of contexts, at multiple levels, and for multiple purposes. In order to demonstrate the value of EMA, it is suggested that consultants present a 2-part framework of evidence to decision makers. First, they should present the results of utility analysis, using the very best parameter estimates available. Second, they should present a detailed linkage of essential job tasks to required knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs). Then, KSAOs should be linked to instruments of prediction back to essential job tasks. Value is therefore demonstrated in 2 ways: in financial terms as well as by presenting construct-oriented evidence of validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral effects of centrally administered arginine vasopressin in the rat fetus.

Arginine–8 vasopressin (AVP) was administered to rat fetuses on Embryonic Day 20 via intracisternal (IC), intrahemispheric (IH), or intrathecal (IT) injection. The IC administration of AVP promoted a 4-fold increase in motor activity, including the uncommon patterns of mouthing, licking, and facial wiping. The IH injection of AVP had little effect on fetal behavior, but IT injection resulted in pronounced increases in fetal activity, including mouthing, licking, and wiping. The IT administration of a V? antagonist blocked AVP effects, whereas IH injection potentiated AVP-induced changes in fetal behavior. The IC blockade of V? receptors suppressed facial wiping to a chemosensory fluid (lemon) and reduced oral grasping of an artificial nipple, whereas IH injection of the V? antagonist promoted facial wiping responses and increased grasping of the nipple. These data suggest that AVP may play a role in the development of responsiveness to stimuli encountered in the context of suckling. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral effects of milk in the rat fetus.

Intraoral infusion of milk to the rat fetus promoted changes in behavior (mouth and rearlimb movements), reduced responsiveness to perioral cutaneous stimulation, and resulted in expression of a fetal stretch response. Milk also altered the temporal organization of fetal movements over periods up to 30 min. The orosensory characteristics of milk, in the absence of ingestion, was sufficient to evoke these behavioral effects. Reduced responsiveness to a perioral stimulus had a rapid onset (     

Optimal allocation of assessment time in randomized pretest-posttest designs.

The widely used pretest–posttest design traditionally consists of a pretest and a posttest of equal lengths. However, greater statistical power can usually be achieved by using a posttest that is somewhat longer than the pretest. This article provides a method for calculating the optimal allocation of pretest and posttest assessment units so as to maximize power and presents the accompanying reduction in required sample size for a range of parameter values. When insufficient information is available to estimate the optimal location precisely, the effects of allocating 75% of the assessment units to the posttest are evaluated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex stereotyping in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins..

Comments on the article by S. T. Fiske et al (see record 1992-07509-001) praising the American Psychological Association's (APA's) amicus brief intended to inform the Supreme Court of current scientific thinking regarding gender stereotyping. A balanced perspective, it is argued, should include both research supporting an argument and findings that are inconsistent with that argument. The APA brief gave no indication of contradictory findings. Moreover, review of the research cited indicates that more than half of the studies do not support the argument for which they were cited. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family preservation using multisystemic therapy: An effective alternative to incarcerating serious juvenile offenders.

Multisystemic therapy (MST) delivered through a community mental health center was compared with usual services delivered by a Department of Youth Services in the treatment of 84 serious juvenile offenders and their multiproblem families. Offenders were assigned randomly to treatment conditions. Pretreatment and posttreatment assessment batteries evaluating family relations, peer relations, symptomatology, social competence, and self-reported delinquency were completed by the youth and a parent, and archival records were searched at 59 wks postreferral to obtain data on rearrest and incarceration. In comparison with youths who received usual services, youths who received MST had fewer arrests and self-reported offenses and spent an average of 10 fewer weeks incarcerated. In addition, families in the MST condition reported increased family cohesion and decreased youth aggression in peer relations. The relative effectiveness of MST was neither moderated by demographic characteristics nor mediated by psychosocial variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reactor modelling for electrochemical processes

This paper presents a relatively straightforward approach to the modelling of electrochemical reactors operated in batch or continuous modes. The models are based on ideal flow assumptions of either well-mixed or plug flow and incorporate reaction rate models based on electrochemical kinetics and mass transport at one electrode. General characteristics of the reactor models are described, particularly with regard to the need for good mass transport in metal recovery applications. An example is given on the use of the model in the recovery of a heavy metal (Cd²⁺) from an acidified solution containing Cd(II) and Fe(III) ions. The reaction rate model is based on experimental data.