"Factor structure of the BASC-2 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Student Form": Correction to Dowdy et al. (2011).

Reports an error in "Factor structure of the BASC–2 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Student Form" by E. Dowdy, et al. (Psychological Assessment. np). There was an omission in the author note. The author note should have included a disclosure as follows, “Randy W. Kamphaus wishes to disclose a potential conflict of interest in that he receives a portion of royalties on net sales of BESS.” (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2011-04578-001.) The BASC–2 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS) Student Form (Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2007) is a recently developed youth self-report rating scale designed to identify students at risk for behavioral and emotional problems. The BESS Student Form was derived from the Behavior Assessment System for Children—Second Edition Self-Report of Personality (BASC–2 SRP; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004) using principal component analytic procedures and theoretical considerations. Using 3 samples, the authors conducted exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) to understand the underlying factor structure of the BESS Student Form. The results of the EFA suggested that the SRP contained a 4-factor (i.e., Personal Adjustment, Inattention/Hyperactivity, Internalizing, School Problems) emergent structure, which was supported by CFA in 2 additional samples. Practical and research implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therelations between cluster indexes of risk and promotion and the problem behaviors of 6- and 7- year old children from economically disadvantaged families.

This study examined the relations between alternative explanations of poverty cofactors and promotion processes and teacher reports of the problem behaviors of 6- and 7-yr old children from economically disadvantaged families (N?=?159). The results showed that single index representations of risk and promotion variables predicted child aggressive behaviors but not child anxious/depressed behaviors. An addictive model of individual risk indicators performed similarly. Similar indexes representing clusters of parent adjustment variables and family instability variables, however, differentially predicted aggressive and anxious/depressed behaviors, respectively. The results suggest the importance of promotion processes and representing environmental adversity at varying levels of specificity for children from economically disadvantaged families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences in self-esteem: A meta-analysis.

Two analyses were conducted to examine gender differences in global self-esteem. In Analysis I, a computerized literature search yielded 216 effect sizes, representing the testing of 97,121 respondents. The overall effect size was 0.21, a small difference favoring males. A significant quadratic effect of age indicated that the largest effect emerged in late adolescence (d?=?0.33). In Analysis II, gender differences were examined using 3 large, nationally representative data sets from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). All of the NCES effect sizes, which collectively summarize the responses of approximately 48,000 young Americans, indicated higher male self-esteem (ds ranged from 0.04 to 0.24). Taken together, the 2 analyses provide evidence that males score higher on standard measures of global self-esteem than females, but the difference is small. Potential reasons for the small yet consistent effect size are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Gernsheim Collection

This article focuses on the photographs of public sculptures used on belle époque picture postcards of Brussels. The subject is approached from two perspectives. Firstly, we analyse the conventions of in situ photography of public sculpture in light of the genre’s reliance on painterly and photographic traditions, as well as its adoption of visual strategies derived from amateur and snapshot photography. Secondly, we explore the role of the photographic mise-en-scène of picture postcards in constructing an ideological as well as visual perspective on public monuments and the cityscape. The in situ photography of urban statues for picture postcards can be regarded as a photographic genre at the intersection of documentary art reproduction practices and amateur photography of the city. Moreover, the picture postcards discussed in this essay confirm and propagate dominant discourses on the monument and the cityscape, even if at the same time such visions were challenged. In the case of Brussels, the postcards demonstrate a preference for a monumental, impressive cityscape, worthy of representing the Belgian nation and capable of legitimising it through views of sculpture as a grand art, serving the worship of grands hommes.     

Family ties in tough times: How young adults and their parents view the U.S. economic crisis.

The present intergenerational study examined the perceived impact of the recent U.S. economic crisis on a sample of 68 young adult–parent dyads. The relative contribution of perceived economic pressure, reports of adult child–parent relationship quality, and concerns about the economic future in accounting for variation in self-reports of psychological distress for adult children and their middle-aged parents were examined. Parents' concerns about their children's economic future accounted for variation in their reports of anxiety and depressed mood above and beyond that of perceived economic pressures and their views of the parent–child relationship. In contrast, for young adults, reports of personal economic pressure were generally related to self-reported anxiety and depressed mood. Implications of findings for research and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cardiovascular concomitants in ultrasound production during cold exposure in infant rats.

Two experiments explored the cardiovascular consequences of extreme cold exposure and their relationship with ultrasound production in infant rats. Experiment 1 addressed the thermoregulatory and cardiovascular concomitants of ultrasound production during cold exposure in rats pretreated with saline or the ganglionic blocker chlorisondamine (5 mg/kg). For both groups, emission of ultrasound was associated with hypothermia and bradycardia. Experiment 2 explored whether the hypothermia experienced by pups in Experiment 1 is associated with increased blood viscosity, which is an important factor affecting venous return to the heart. Blood viscosity increased significantly as temperature decreased from 38°C to 22°C. These experiments suggest that, during extreme cold exposure, decreased cardiac output and increased blood viscosity combine to diminish venous return. The authors have hypothesized that pups respond to decreased return by recruiting the abdominal compression reaction, a physiological maneuver that propels blood back to the heart, resulting in emission of ultrasound as an acoustic by-product. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Automated Nucleic Acid Purification for Large Samples

Advancements in the fields of genomic screening, molecular pathology and clinical research have resulted in a major increase in the demand for high quality DNA and RNA. This escalating demand has resulted in a sample preparation bottleneck and an emphasis on the development of new technologies to automate the purification process. Gentra has developed the AUTOPURE LS™ nucleic acid purification instrument, a platform capable of high-throughput sample purification from large samples, such as 10 mL whole blood. This article presents data showing the equivalency of DNA purified using manual and automated processing.     

Expository Text Comprehension in the Primary Grade Classroom.

This study investigates the effectiveness of an instructional program designed to teach 2nd graders how to comprehend compare-contrast expository text. Along with introducing new content (animal classification), the program emphasizes text structure via clue words, a sequence of questions, and a graphic organizer, and via the close analysis of specially constructed exemplar paragraphs. The authors compared the program with (a) more traditional instruction that focused only on the new content and (b) a no instruction control; 128 7- and 8-year-olds participated. Classroom teachers provided the instruction. The program improved students' ability to comprehend compare-contrast texts. Students were able to demonstrate transfer to uninstructed compare-contrast texts though not to text structures other than compare-contrast. Moreover, the text structure instruction did not detract from their ability to learn new content. The results provide evidence, heretofore lacking, that explicit instruction in comprehension is feasible and effective as early as the 2nd grade. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cardiovascular reactivity during social and nonsocial stressors: Do children's personal goals and expressive skills matter?

The relationships between social competence and cardiovascular reactivity were evaluated in 180 children (ages 8-17; 52% female; 53% Caucasian). Participants performed a social task (Social Competence Interview [SCI]) and 2 nonsocial tasks while reactivity measures were obtained. Social competence was coded from SCI audiotapes. Among adolescents, higher scores on the Acceptance-Affiliation subscale were associated with increased heart rate (HR) and blood pressures and with decreased HR variability during the SCI. Among boys, greater Acceptance-Affiliation scores were associated with increased vascular reactivity during the SCI. During the nonsocial tasks, higher Self-Defensiveness and Expressiveness scores were associated with increased cardiac output and stroke volume among African American children. Personal strivings and expressive skills do matter for understanding cardiovascular responses in children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)