Trial-Based Functional Analysis and Functional Communication Training in an Early Childhood Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Joseph M.; Bloom, Sarah E.; Irvin, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Problem behavior is common in early childhood special education classrooms. Functional communication training (FCT; Carr & Durand, 1985) may reduce problem behavior but requires identification of its function. The trial-based functional analysis (FA) is a method that can be used to identify problem behavior function in schools. We conducted…

Functional Analyses and Treatment of Precursor Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Najdowski, Adel C.; Wallace, Michele D.; Ellsworth, Carrie L.; MacAleese, Alicia N.; Cleveland, Jackie

2008-01-01

Functional analysis has been demonstrated to be an effective method to identify environmental variables that maintain problem behavior. However, there are cases when conducting functional analyses of severe problem behavior may be contraindicated. The current study applied functional analysis procedures to a class of behavior that preceded severe…

Functional Communication Training: A Contemporary Behavior Analytic Intervention for Problem Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durand, V. Mark; Merges, Eileen

2001-01-01

This article describes functional communication training (FCT) with students who have autism. FCT involves teaching alternative communication strategies to replace problem behaviors. The article reviews the conditions under which this intervention is successful and compares the method with other behavioral approaches. It concludes that functional…

The effects of differential negative reinforcement of other behavior and noncontingent escape on compliance.

PubMed Central

Kodak, Tiffany; Miltenberger, Raymond G; Romaniuk, Cathryn

2003-01-01

The present study evaluated the effects of noncontingent escape and differential negative reinforcement of other behavior in reducing problem behaviors and increasing compliance in 2 children with disabilities. Results showed that both methods reduced problem behavior and increased compliance for both children. PMID:14596581

The effects of differential negative reinforcement of other behavior and noncontingent escape on compliance.

PubMed

Kodak, Tiffany; Miltenberger, Raymond G; Romaniuk, Cathryn

2003-01-01

The present study evaluated the effects of noncontingent escape and differential negative reinforcement of other behavior in reducing problem behaviors and increasing compliance in 2 children with disabilities. Results showed that both methods reduced problem behavior and increased compliance for both children.

Behavior analytic approaches to problem behavior in intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Hagopian, Louis P; Gregory, Meagan K

2016-03-01

The purpose of the current review is to summarize recent behavior analytic research on problem behavior in individuals with intellectual disabilities. We have focused our review on studies published from 2013 to 2015, but also included earlier studies that were relevant. Behavior analytic research on problem behavior continues to focus on the use and refinement of functional behavioral assessment procedures and function-based interventions. During the review period, a number of studies reported on procedures aimed at making functional analysis procedures more time efficient. Behavioral interventions continue to evolve, and there were several larger scale clinical studies reporting on multiple individuals. There was increased attention on the part of behavioral researchers to develop statistical methods for analysis of within subject data and continued efforts to aggregate findings across studies through evaluative reviews and meta-analyses. Findings support continued utility of functional analysis for guiding individualized interventions and for classifying problem behavior. Modifications designed to make functional analysis more efficient relative to the standard method of functional analysis were reported; however, these require further validation. Larger scale studies on behavioral assessment and treatment procedures provided additional empirical support for effectiveness of these approaches and their sustainability outside controlled clinical settings.

Behaviorism: part of the problem or part of the solution.

PubMed Central

Holland, J G

1978-01-01

The form frequently taken by behavior-modification programs is analyzed in terms of the parent science, Behaviorism. Whereas Behaviorism assumes that behavior is the result of contingencies, and that lasting behavior change involves changing the contingencies that give rise to and support the behavior, most behavior-modification programs merely arrange special contingencies in a special environment to eliminate the "problem" behavior. Even when the problem behavior is as widespread as alcoholism and crime, behavior modifiers focus on "fixing" the alcoholic and the criminal, not on changing the societal contingencies that prevail outside the therapeutic environment and continue to produce alcoholics and criminals. The contingencies that shape this method of dealing with behavioral problems are also analyzed, and this analysis leads to a criticism of the current social structure as a behavior control system. Although applied behaviorists have frequently focused on fixing individuals, the science of Behaviorism provides the means to analyze the structures, the system, and the forms of societal control that produce the "problems". PMID:649524

[Effects of family cohesion and adaptability on behavioral problems in preschool children].

PubMed

Wang, Yan-Ni; Xue, Hong-Li; Chen, Qian

2016-05-01

To investigate the effects of family cohesion and adaptability on behavioral problems in preschool children. The stratified cluster multistage sampling method was used to perform a questionnaire survey in the parents of 1 284 children aged 3-6 years in the urban area of Lanzhou, China. The general status questionnaire, Conners Child Behavior Checklist (Parent Symptom Question), and Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale, Second edition, Chinese version (FACESII-CV) were used to investigate behavioral problems and family cohesion and adaptability. The overall detection rate of behavioral problems in preschool children was 17.13%. The children with different types of family cohesion had different detection rates of behavioral problems, and those with free-type family cohesion showed the highest detection rate of behavioral problems (40.2%). The children with different types of family adaptability also had different detection rates of behavioral problems, and those with stiffness type showed the highest detection rate of behavioral problems (25.1%). The behavioral problems in preschool children were negatively correlated with family cohesion and adaptability. During the growth of preschool children, family cohesion and adaptability have certain effects on the mental development of preschool children.

Callous-unemotional behavior and early-childhood onset of behavior problems: the role of parental harshness and warmth

PubMed Central

Waller, Rebecca; Gardner, Frances; Shaw, Daniel S.; Dishion, Thomas J.; Wilson, Melvin N.; Hyde, Luke W.

2014-01-01

Objective Youth with callous unemotional (CU) behavior are at risk of developing more severe forms of aggressive and antisocial behavior. Previous cross-sectional studies suggest that associations between parenting and conduct problems are less strong when children or adolescents have high levels of CU behavior, implying lower malleability of behavior compared to low-CU children. The current study extends previous findings by examining the moderating role of CU behavior on associations between parenting and behavior problems in a very young sample, both concurrently and longitudinally, and using a variety of measurement methods. Methods Data were collected from a multi-ethnic, high-risk sample at ages 2–4 (N = 364; 49% female). Parent-reported CU behavior was assessed at age 3 using a previously validated measure (Hyde et al., 2013). Parental harshness was coded from observations of parent-child interactions and parental warmth was coded from five-minute speech samples. Results In this large and young sample, CU behavior moderated cross-sectional correlations between parent-reported and observed warmth and child behavior problems. However, in cross-sectional and longitudinal models testing parental harshness, and longitudinal models testing warmth, there was no moderation by CU behavior. Conclusions The findings are in line with recent literature suggesting parental warmth may be important to child behavior problems at high levels of CU behavior. In general, however, the results of this study contrast with much of the extant literature and suggest that in young children, affective aspects of parenting appear to be related to emerging behavior problems, regardless of the presence of early CU behavior. PMID:24661288

A comparison of procedures for unpairing conditioned reflexive motivating operations.

PubMed

Kettering, Tracy L; Neef, Nancy A; Kelley, Michael E; Heward, William L

2018-03-01

This study compared the effectiveness of two procedures to reduce behavior evoked by a reflexive conditioned motivating operation (CMO-R). Task demands were shown to evoke escape-maintained problem behavior for 4 students with disabilities. Alternative communication responses were taught as an appropriate method to request escape and this treatment combined with extinction for problem behavior led to decreases in problem behavior for all students. A beeping timer was then arranged to temporally precede the task demand to create a CMO-R that evoked communication responses. When data showed that the sound of the timer was functioning as a CMO-R, two methods to reduce behavior evoked by a CMO-R-extinction unpairing and noncontingent unpairing-were evaluated. Results indicated that noncontingent unpairing was an effective method to reduce the evocative effects of the CMO-R. Extinction produced unsystematic effects across participants. Results are discussed in terms of abolishing CMOs and the implications of CMOs. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

The Effects of Sleep Problems on the Trajectory of Antisocial Behavior from Adolescence through Early Adulthood in Taiwan: Family Functioning as a Moderator

PubMed Central

Chang, Ling-Yin; Wu, Chi-Chen; Lin, Linen Nymphas; Yen, Lee-Lan; Chang, Hsing-Yi

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine the longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and development of antisocial behavior from adolescence through young adulthood, and to investigate whether family functioning moderates the association being examined. Potential sex differences were also explored. Methods: A total of 2,491 adolescents participated in a prospective study spanning 2009 through 2014 in northern Taiwan. Measures included sleep problems, family functioning (parental support, family interaction, and family conflict), antisocial behavior, and other individual characteristics (sex, age, parental education, family economic stress, depressive symptoms, and stressful life events). Random coefficient growth models were used to test study hypotheses. Results: Sleep problems were significantly and positively associated with antisocial behavior (B = 0.088 and 0.038 for males and females, respectively). Sex differences further emerged in the moderating effects of family functioning. Among males, those with high family interaction had a weaker association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior; among females, the examined association was weaker in those with high parental support. For both sexes, the association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior was stronger for those with high family conflict. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the robust link between sleep problems and adolescent antisocial behavior over time. We also show for the first time that the association depends on family functioning. Prevention methods and treatment of sleep problems in youths that incorporate family functioning may yield significant benefits for decreasing antisocial behavior. Sex-specific intervention and prevention approaches should also be considered. Citation: Chang LY, Wu CC, Lin LN, Yen LL, Chang HY. The effects of sleep problems on the trajectory of antisocial behavior from adolescence through early adulthood in Taiwan: family functioning as a moderator. SLEEP 2016;39(7):1441–1449. PMID:27166239

Anger Coping Method and Skill Training for Chinese Children with Physically Aggressive Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fung, Annis L. C.; Tsang, Sandra K. M.

2007-01-01

Aggression hinders development in the child and creates numerous problems in the family, school and community. An indigenous Anger Coping Training program for Chinese children with aggressive behavior and their parents aimed to help reactively aggressive children in increasing anger coping methods and enhancing problem-solving abilities. This…

An evaluation of three methods of saying "no" to avoid an escalating response class hierarchy.

PubMed

Mace, F Charles; Pratt, Jamie L; Prager, Kevin L; Pritchard, Duncan

2011-01-01

We evaluated the effects of three different methods of denying access to requested high-preference activities on escalating problem behavior. Functional analysis and response class hierarchy (RCH) assessment results indicated that 4 topographies of problem behaviors displayed by a 13-year-old boy with high-functioning autism constituted an RCH maintained by positive (tangible) reinforcement. Identification of the RCH comprised the baseline phase, during which computer access was denied by saying "no" and providing an explanation for the restriction. Two alternative methods of saying "no" were then evaluated. These methods included (a) denying computer access while providing an opportunity to engage in an alternative preferred activity and (b) denying immediate computer access by arranging a contingency between completion of a low-preference task and subsequent computer access. Results indicated that a hierarchy of problem behavior may be identified in the context of denying access to a preferred activity and that it may be possible to prevent occurrences of escalating problem behavior by either presenting alternative options or arranging contingencies when saying "no" to a child's requests.

Comparison of Behavioral and Sexual Problems between Intellectually Disabled and Normal Adolescent Boys during Puberty in Yazd, Iran

PubMed Central

Akrami, Leila; Davudi, Maryam

2014-01-01

Objective: To compare sexual and behavioral puberty problems between intellectually disabled (ID) and normal boys in Yazd, Iran. Methods: In the present study, 65 intellectually disabled and 65 normal boys were included. The Child Behavior Check List (CBCL) was used to investigate behavioral problems. In order to study sexual problems, a questionnaire that was designed by the researchers was applie. Results: Anxiety, depression, social problems, attention problems, aggressiveness, and sexual problems were more frequent in intellectually disabled boys than in normal boys. On the other hand, regarding somatic complaints, withdrawal, thought problems, internalizing, delinquent behavior, and externalizing there was no difference between the two groups. Conclusion: Behavioral and sexual problems are more common in adolescent boys with intellectual disability (ID) than in normal boys during the puberty period. Therefore, puberty is an important period for intellectually disabled boys and their families; this should be taken into consideration by psychologists and clinicians. PMID:25053959

Daily Hassles, Mother-child Relationship, and Behavior Problems in Muslim Arab American Adolescents in Immigrant Families

PubMed Central

Aroian, Karen J.; Templin, Thomas N.; Hough, Edythe S.

2016-01-01

Objective This longitudinal study examines reciprocal and dynamic relations among daily hassles, the mother-child relationship, and adolescent behavior problems and whether the relations differed by socio-demographic variables. Methods Three waves of data about adolescent daily hassles, quality of the mother-child relationship, and adolescent behavior problems were collected from 454 Arab Muslim adolescents and their immigrant mothers over a three-year period. Cross-lagged structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine reciprocal relations among the study variables. Results Relations between the mother-child relationship and adolescent behavior problems were reciprocal, with a poor mother-child relationship contributing to greater behavior problems and behavior problems contributing to a decline in the quality of the mother-child relationship. Relations involving daily hassles were unidirectional: A better mother-child relationship contributed to fewer daily hassles and behavior problems contributed to more daily hassles but daily hassles did not contribute to more behavior problems. Father’s education was the only socio-demographic variable that was significant: Adolescents with more highly educated fathers had a better mother-child relationship and fewer behavioral problems. Conclusions Findings suggest that Arab American Muslim adolescents with behavior problems are differentially exposed to daily hassles but daily hassles are not the best point of intervention. Bidirectional relations between the mother-child relationship and adolescent behavior problems suggest intervening to improve the mother-child relationship and manage symptoms of adolescent behavior problems. PMID:27055003

Validity and Reliability of the "Behavior Problems Inventory," the "Aberrant Behavior Checklist," and the "Repetitive Behavior Scale--Revised" among Infants and Toddlers at Risk for Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities: A Multi-Method Assessment Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojahn, Johannes; Schroeder, Stephen R.; Mayo-Ortega, Liliana; Oyama-Ganiko, Rosao; LeBlanc, Judith; Marquis, Janet; Berke, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Reliable and valid assessment of aberrant behaviors is essential in empirically verifying prevention and intervention for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). Few instruments exist which assess behavior problems in infants. The current longitudinal study examined the performance of three behavior-rating scales for…

The association between parent worry and young children's social-emotional functioning.

PubMed

Weitzman, Carol Cohen; Edmonds, Diana; Davagnino, Judith; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret

2011-11-01

: Behavioral health problems are reported to affect as many as 24% of children younger than 4 years. Screening within primary care settings remains low. Brief, inexpensive methods to identify children are needed. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which parent worry about their children's behavior and development is associated with social-emotional problems. : In this cross-sectional study, 378 Spanish and English speaking mothers of 12- to 48-month-old, underserved children were surveyed before a well-child visit with the Brief Infant-Toddler Social-Emotional Assessment. This is a parent-report measure that was scored to identify clinically significant (CS) social-emotional problems (≥85th percentile) and at-risk (AR) problems (75th-84th percentile). Parents rated their worry about their children's behavior and social-emotional development on 3 questions. : A total of 42.1% of children had AR or CS problems or low social competence, with 19.8% of these children having CS problems. Overall, 30.4% of parents expressed worry about social-emotional/behavioral issues. A total of 19.9% of parents expressed worry despite having rated their child's behavior in the normal range on the Brief Infant-Toddler Social-Emotional Assessment. Worry was significantly associated with having either AR or CS problems. However, worry significantly distinguished the CS group, but not the AR group, from the normal group. Parent worry regarding behavior and social-emotional development approached adequate sensitivity (66.7%) to identify children CS problems with specificity being 78.6%. Parent worry, however, was not adequately sensitive in detecting AR problems. Ethnic differences indicated that the sensitivity and specificity of worry to detect CS behavior and social-emotional problems were excellent in Hispanic families, but sensitivity was poor in African-American ones. Among parents with low educational attainment, sensitivity to detect CS behavior and social-emotional problems was excellent. : Parent worry regarding social-emotional/behavioral issues may be a useful adjunct to developmental surveillance, as it identifies children with the most significant behavioral and social-emotional problems. However, as a screening method to identify all young children with social-emotional problems, parent worry does not currently achieve acceptable classification.

Defining neighborhood boundaries in studies of spatial dependence in child behavior problems

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to extend the analysis of neighborhood effects on child behavioral outcomes in two ways: (1) by examining the geographic extent of the relationship between child behavior and neighborhood physical conditions independent of standard administrative boundaries such as census tracts or block groups and (2) by examining the relationship and geographic extent of geographic peers’ behavior and individual child behavior. Methods The study neighborhood was a low income, ethnic minority neighborhood of approximately 20,000 residents in a large city in the southwestern United States. Observational data were collected for 11,552 parcels and 1,778 face blocks in the neighborhood over a five week period. Data on child behavior problems were collected from the parents of 261 school-age children (81% African American, 14% Latino) living in the neighborhood. Spatial analysis methods were used to examine the spatial dependence of child behavior problems in relation to physical conditions in the neighborhood for areas surrounding the child’s home ranging from a radius of 50 meters to a radius of 1000 meters. Likewise, the spatial dependence of child behavior problems in relation to the behavior problems of neighborhood peers was examined for areas ranging from a radius 255 meters to a radius of 600 meters around the child’s home. Finally, we examined the joint influence of neighborhood physical conditions and geographic peers. Results Poor conditions of the physical environment of the neighborhood were related to more behavioral problems, and the geographic extent of the physical environment that mattered was an area with a radius between 400 and 800 meters surrounding the child’s home. In addition, the average level of behavior problems of neighborhood peers within 255 meters of the child’s home was also positively associated with child behavior problems. Furthermore, these effects were independent of one another. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that using flexible geographies in the study of neighborhood effects can provide important insights into spatial influences on health outcomes. With regards to child behavioral outcomes, specifically, these findings support the importance of addressing the physical and social environment when planning community-level interventions to reduce child behavior problems. PMID:23642001

An Evaluation of Three Methods of Saying "No" to Avoid an Escalating Response Class Hierarchy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mace, F. Charles; Pratt, Jamie L.; Prager, Kevin L.; Pritchard, Duncan

2011-01-01

We evaluated the effects of three different methods of denying access to requested high-preference activities on escalating problem behavior. Functional analysis and response class hierarchy (RCH) assessment results indicated that 4 topographies of problem behaviors displayed by a 13-year-old boy with high-functioning autism constituted an RCH…

SOS! Help for Parents: A Practical Guide for Handling Common Everyday Behavior Problems [With Video Leader's Guide].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Lynn

This book provides parents with guidance for handling a variety of common behavior problems based on the behavioral approach to child rearing and discipline. This approach suggests that good and bad behavior are both learned and can be changed, and proposes specific methods, skills, procedures, and strategies for parents to use in getting improved…

A 20 year review of punishment and alternative methods to treat problem behaviors in developmentally delayed persons.

PubMed

Matson, J L; Taras, M E

1989-01-01

Relevant journals were reviewed (n = 23) for a 20 year period (1967 to 1987) to assess the status of treatments for severe behavior problems of developmentally delayed persons. A hand search of journals was made; 382 studies were identified. Procedures were analyzed by problem behaviors treated, side effects reported, whether the procedure involved painful stimuli, nonpainful stimuli, food satiation, positive procedures, extinction or combinations of methods. The number of studies reported yearly was also plotted. The implication of these data for federal and state policy makers and for treatment programs dealing with difficult to treat clients is discussed.

The Genetic Etiology of Inhibitory Control and Behavior Problems at 24 Months of Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagne, Jeffrey R.; Saudino, Kimberly J.; Asherson, Philip

2011-01-01

Background: To investigate links between inhibitory control (IC) and behavior problems in early childhood, as well as genetic and environmental covariances between these two constructs. Methods: Parent and laboratory ratings of IC and parent ratings of externalizing and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder behaviors were administered at 24…

The Link between Food Ingested and Problem Behavior: Fact or Fallacy?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pescara-Kovach, Lisa A.; Alexander, Kristi

1994-01-01

Past and current research on the effects of foods ingested and food allergies on hyperactivity and other behavior problems are examined in this article. It is argued that evidence supporting a link between diet and behavior is lacking. Methods for correcting widespread public misconceptions on this subject are also discussed. (Author/PB)

Solving Discipline Problems: Strategies for Classroom Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfgang, Charles H.; Glickman, Carl D.

This book provides classroom teachers with a variety of discipline models, techniques, methods, and constructs designed to enable them to move beyond a singular approach in handling classroom behavior problems. The book first discusses the Teacher Behavior Continuum (TBC) which shows the teacher the context of his or her own general behavior with…

Three Measures of Family Problem Solving Behavior: A Procedural Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nickerson, Mark; And Others

The procedural details of three measures of family problem-solving behavior are presented. These measures are used to code videotapes that are recorded when family members discuss and try to solve a family problem that they consider important. The measures were developed to accompany methods for training parents and their preadolescent and…

Relative contributions of three descriptive methods: implications for behavioral assessment.

PubMed

Pence, Sacha T; Roscoe, Eileen M; Bourret, Jason C; Ahearn, William H

2009-01-01

This study compared the outcomes of three descriptive analysis methods-the ABC method, the conditional probability method, and the conditional and background probability method-to each other and to the results obtained from functional analyses. Six individuals who had been diagnosed with developmental delays and exhibited problem behavior participated. Functional analyses indicated that participants' problem behavior was maintained by social positive reinforcement (n = 2), social negative reinforcement (n = 2), or automatic reinforcement (n = 2). Results showed that for all but 1 participant, descriptive analysis outcomes were similar across methods. In addition, for all but 1 participant, the descriptive analysis outcome differed substantially from the functional analysis outcome. This supports the general finding that descriptive analysis is a poor means of determining functional relations.

A Multi-Method Examination of Negative Behaviors during Couples Interactions and Problem Drinking Trajectories

PubMed Central

Fairbairn, Catharine E.; Cranford, James A.

2016-01-01

Models of alcohol use disorder (AUD) are increasingly conceptualizing social and relationship factors as being critical to the understanding of problem drinking. Close relationships involving conflict have been a particular research focus, and partners’ expressions of negative emotion are theorized to impact drinking among those with AUD. While it has long been presumed that behaviors during couples interactions influence drinking—and this assumption has informed many modern treatments for AUD—this hypothesis has not been directly tested. We bring multiple methods to bear on this question, combining laboratory based behavioral-observation with a longitudinal design. Forty-eight individuals with AUD (probands), together with their partners, completed a laboratory-based conflict interaction. Their behavior was coded with the Rapid Marital Interaction Coding System. Longitudinal follow-ups of drinking behaviors were completed at 6 and 12 months. Results showed that, above and beyond the proband’s own behaviors, partner negative behaviors moderated probands’ drinking trajectories, with drinkers whose partners displayed higher levels of hostility at baseline reporting slower declines in frequency of a) drinking, b) heavy episodic drinking, and c) alcohol problems over time and higher levels of drinking, heavy episodic drinking, and alcohol problems at follow-up. Results emphasize the importance of considering close relationships in the study of AUD and further indicate the utility of combining multiple methods in alcohol research. PMID:27362489

Emotional Disturbance

MedlinePlus

... body of research exists regarding methods of providing students with positive behavioral support (PBS) in the school environment, so that problem behaviors are minimized and positive, appropriate behaviors are ...

Shopping Problems among High School Students

PubMed Central

Grant, Jon E.; Potenza, Marc N.; Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra; Cavallo, Dana A.; Desai, Rani A.

2010-01-01

Background Although shopping behavior among adolescents is normal, for some the shopping becomes problematic. An assessment of adolescent shopping behavior along a continuum of severity and its relationship to other behaviors and health issues is incompletely understood. Methods A large sample of high school students (n=3999) was examined using a self-report survey with 153 questions concerning demographic characteristics, shopping behaviors, other health behaviors including substance use, and functioning variables such as grades and violent behavior. Results The overall prevalence of problem shopping was 3.5% (95%CI: 2.93–4.07). Regular smoking, marijuana and other drug use, sadness and hopelessness, and antisocial behaviors (e.g., fighting, carrying weapons) were associated with problem shopping behavior in both boys and girls. Heavy alcohol use was significantly associated with problem shopping only in girls. Conclusion Problem shopping appears fairly common among high school students and is associated with symptoms of depression and a range of potentially addictive and antisocial behaviors. Significant distress and diminished behavioral control suggest that excessive shopping may often have significant associated morbidity. Additional research is needed to develop specific prevention and treatment strategies for adolescents who report problems with shopping. PMID:21497217

Behavioral Problems among Children Whose Mothers Are Abused by an Intimate Partner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kernic, Mary A.; Wolf, Marsha E.; Holt, Victoria L.; McKnight, Barbara; Huebner, Colleen E.; Rivara, Frederick P.

2003-01-01

Objectives: To determine the association between children's exposure to maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) and behavior problems as measured by the parent report version of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Methods: The study population was comprised of 167 2- to 17-year-old children of Seattle women with police-reported or court-reported…

Schools and Emotional and Behavioral Problems: A Comparison of School-Going and Homeschooled Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guterman, Oz; Neuman, Ari

2017-01-01

Much attention has been focused recently on the deepening crisis in the education system. Researchers have attributed these problems to the school environment. One method for examining this claim is to compare specific emotional and behavior problems among children who attend schools and children who do not. This study examined three aspects of…

On The Behavior of Subgradient Projections Methods for Convex Feasibility Problems in Euclidean Spaces

PubMed Central

Butnariu, Dan; Censor, Yair; Gurfil, Pini; Hadar, Ethan

2010-01-01

We study some methods of subgradient projections for solving a convex feasibility problem with general (not necessarily hyperplanes or half-spaces) convex sets in the inconsistent case and propose a strategy that controls the relaxation parameters in a specific self-adapting manner. This strategy leaves enough user-flexibility but gives a mathematical guarantee for the algorithm’s behavior in the inconsistent case. We present numerical results of computational experiments that illustrate the computational advantage of the new method. PMID:20182556

On The Behavior of Subgradient Projections Methods for Convex Feasibility Problems in Euclidean Spaces.

PubMed

Butnariu, Dan; Censor, Yair; Gurfil, Pini; Hadar, Ethan

2008-07-03

We study some methods of subgradient projections for solving a convex feasibility problem with general (not necessarily hyperplanes or half-spaces) convex sets in the inconsistent case and propose a strategy that controls the relaxation parameters in a specific self-adapting manner. This strategy leaves enough user-flexibility but gives a mathematical guarantee for the algorithm's behavior in the inconsistent case. We present numerical results of computational experiments that illustrate the computational advantage of the new method.

Evaluation of the Family Climate Created by the Management of Behavioral Problems, from the Perspective of the Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantero-García, María; Alonso-Tapia, Jesús

2017-01-01

Introduction: Though different intervention patterns that parents use to employ for managing children behavior problems are known, it is not known whether they interact and how, configuring what can be considered as the family climate generated by the way in which children's behavior is managed (FCBM). Method: In this study, we developed a…

Long-Term Effects of Interparental Violence and Child Physical Maltreatment Experiences on PTSD and Behavior Problems: A National Survey of Taiwanese College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, April Chiung-Tao

2009-01-01

Objectives: This study investigated the joint long-term impact of witnessing interparental violence and experiencing child physical maltreatment on young adults' trauma symptoms and behavior problems. It also explored Chinese traditional beliefs as a possible contributor to young adults' trauma and behavior. Methods: This study used self-reporting…

Analysis of Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Children Highlights the Role of Genotype × Environment Interaction.

PubMed

Molenaar, Dylan; Middeldorp, Christel; van Beijsterveldt, Toos; Boomsma, Dorret I

2015-01-01

This study tested for Genotype × Environment (G × E) interaction on behavioral and emotional problems in children using new methods that do not require identification of candidate genes or environments, can distinguish between interaction with shared and unique environment, and are insensitive to scale effects. Parental ratings of problem behavior from 14,755 twin pairs (5.3 years, SD = 0.22) indicated G × E interaction on emotional liability, social isolation, aggression, attention problems, dependency, anxiety, and physical coordination. Environmental influences increased in children who were genetically more predisposed to problem behavior, with ~20% of the variance due to G × E interaction (8% for anxiety to 37% for attention problems). Ignoring G × E interaction does not greatly bias heritability estimates, but it does offer a comprehensive model of the etiology for childhood problems. © 2015 The Authors. Child Development © 2015 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Estimating the "impact" of out-of-home placement on child well-being: approaching the problem of selection bias.

PubMed

Berger, Lawrence M; Bruch, Sarah K; Johnson, Elizabeth I; James, Sigrid; Rubin, David

2009-01-01

This study used data on 2,453 children aged 4-17 from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being and 5 analytic methods that adjust for selection factors to estimate the impact of out-of-home placement on children's cognitive skills and behavior problems. Methods included ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions and residualized change, simple change, difference-in-difference, and fixed effects models. Models were estimated using the full sample and a matched sample generated by propensity scoring. Although results from the unmatched OLS and residualized change models suggested that out-of-home placement is associated with increased child behavior problems, estimates from models that more rigorously adjust for selection bias indicated that placement has little effect on children's cognitive skills or behavior problems.

Serious Emotional and Behavioral Problems and Mental Health Contacts in American and British Children and Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mojtabai, Ramin

2006-01-01

Objective: To compare prevalence of serious emotional and behavioral problems and mental health contacts for these problems among American and British children and adolescents. Method: Data on children and adolescents ages 5 to 16 years were drawn from the 2004 U.S. National Health Interview Survey (response rate = 79.4%) and the 2004 survey of…

SOS! Ayuda para Padres: Una Guia Practica para Manejar Problemas de Conducta Comunes y Corrientes. (SOS! Help for Parents: A Practical Guide for Handling Common Everyday Behavior Problems.) Leader's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Lynn

This Spanish-language version of "SOS" provides parents with guidance for handling a variety of common behavior problems based on the behavior approach to child rearing and discipline. This approach suggests that good and bad behavior are both learned and can be changed, and proposes specific methods, skills, procedures, and strategies…

Valuation of Child Behavioral Problems from the Perspective of US Adults

PubMed Central

Craig, Benjamin M.; Brown, Derek S.; Reeve, Bryce B.

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To assess preferences between child behavioral problems and estimate their value on a quality-adjusted life year (QALYs) scale. METHODS Respondents, age 18 or older, drawn from a nationally representative panel between August 2012 and February 2013 completed a series of paired comparisons, each involving a choice between 2 different behavioral problems described using the Behavioral Problems Index (BPI), a 28-item instrument with 6 domains (Anxious/Depressed, Headstrong, Hyperactive, Immature Dependency, Anti-social, and Peer Conflict/Social Withdrawal). Each behavioral problem lasted 1 or 2 years for an unnamed child, age 7 or 10 years, with no suggested relationship to the respondent. Generalized linear model analyses estimated the value of each problem on a QALY scale, considering its duration and child’s age. RESULTS Among 5207 eligible respondents, 4155 (80%) completed all questions. Across the 6 domains, problems relating to antisocial behavior were the least preferred, particularly the items related to cheating, lying, bullying, and cruelty to others. CONCLUSIONS The findings are the first to produce a preference-based summary measure of child behavioral problems on a QALY scale. The results may inform both clinical practice and resource allocation decisions by enhancing our understanding of difficult tradeoffs in how adults view child behavioral problems. Understanding US values also promotes national health surveillance by complementing conventional measures of surveillance, survival, and diagnoses. PMID:26209476

Effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on Child Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Waasdorp, Tracy E.; Leaf, Philip J.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a universal prevention strategy currently implemented in >16 000 schools across the United States. SWPBIS intends to reduce students’ behavior problems by altering staff behaviors and developing systems and supports to meet children’s behavioral needs. The current study reports intervention effects on child behaviors and adjustment from an effectiveness trial of SWPBIS. METHODS: The sample of 12 344 elementary school children was 52.9% male, 45.1% African American, and 46.1% Caucasian. Approximately 49% received free or reduced-priced meals, and 12.9% received special education services at baseline. The trial used a group randomized controlled effectiveness design implemented in 37 elementary schools. Multilevel analyses were conducted on teachers’ ratings of children’s behavior problems, concentration problems, social-emotional functioning, prosocial behavior, office discipline referrals, and suspensions at 5 time points over the course of 4 school years. RESULTS: The multilevel results indicated significant effects of SWPBIS on children’s behavior problems, concentration problems, social-emotional functioning, and prosocial behavior. Children in SWPBIS schools also were 33% less likely to receive an office discipline referral than those in the comparison schools. The effects tended to be strongest among children who were first exposed to SWPBIS in kindergarten. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide support for the hypothesized reduction in behavior problems and improvements in prosocial behavior and effective emotion regulation after training in SWPBIS. The SWPBIS framework appears to be a promising approach for reducing problems and promoting adjustment among elementary school children. PMID:23071207

Association Between Perceived Discrimination and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Problem Behaviors Among Preadolescent Youths

PubMed Central

Elliott, Marc N.; Kanouse, David E.; Klein, David J.; Davies, Susan L.; Cuccaro, Paula M.; Banspach, Stephen W.; Peskin, Melissa F.; Schuster, Mark A.

2013-01-01

Objectives. We examined the contribution of perceived racial/ethnic discrimination to disparities in problem behaviors among preadolescent Black, Latino, and White youths. Methods. We used cross-sectional data from Healthy Passages, a 3-community study of 5119 fifth graders and their parents from August 2004 through September 2006 in Birmingham, Alabama; Los Angeles County, California; and Houston, Texas. We used multivariate regressions to examine the relationships of perceived racial/ethnic discrimination and race/ethnicity to problem behaviors. We used values from these regressions to calculate the percentage of disparities in problem behaviors associated with the discrimination effect. Results. In multivariate models, perceived discrimination was associated with greater problem behaviors among Black and Latino youths. Compared with Whites, Blacks were significantly more likely to report problem behaviors, whereas Latinos were significantly less likely (a “reverse disparity”). When we set Blacks’ and Latinos’ discrimination experiences to zero, the adjusted disparity between Blacks and Whites was reduced by an estimated one third to two thirds; the reverse adjusted disparity favoring Latinos widened by about one fifth to one half. Conclusions. Eliminating discrimination could considerably reduce mental health issues, including problem behaviors, among Black and Latino youths. PMID:23597387

Applied Behavior Analysis and Statistical Process Control?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, B. L.

1995-01-01

Incorporating statistical process control (SPC) methods into applied behavior analysis is discussed. It is claimed that SPC methods would likely reduce applied behavior analysts' intimate contacts with problems and would likely yield poor treatment and research decisions. Cases and data presented by Pfadt and Wheeler (1995) are cited as examples.…

An improved procedure for integrated behavioral z-scoring illustrated with modified Hole Board behavior of male inbred laboratory mice.

PubMed

Labots, M Maaike; Laarakker, M C Marijke; Schetters, D Dustin; Arndt, S S Saskia; van Lith, H A Hein

2018-01-01

Guilloux et al. introduced: integrated behavioral z-scoring, a method for behavioral phenotyping of mice. Using this method multiple ethological variables can be combined to show an overall description of a certain behavioral dimension or motivational system. However, a problem may occur when the control group used for the calculation has a standard deviation of zero or when no control group is present to act as a reference group. In order to solve these problems, an improved procedure is suggested: taking the pooled data as reference. For this purpose a behavioral study with male mice from three inbred strains was carried out. The integrated behavioral z-scoring methodology was applied, thereby taking five different reference group options. The outcome regarding statistical significance and practical importance was compared. Significant effects and effect sizes were influenced by the choice of the reference group. In some cases it was impossible to use a certain population and condition, because one or more behavioral variables in question had a standard deviation of zero. Based on the improved method, male mice from the three inbred strains differed regarding activity and anxiety. Taking the method described by Guilloux et al. as basis, the present procedure improved the generalizability to all types of experimental designs in animal behavioral research. To solve the aforementioned problems and to avoid getting the diagnosis of data manipulation, the pooled data (combining the data from all experimental groups in a study) as reference option is recommended. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drawing simulation by static implicit analysis with the artificial damping method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oide, K.; Mihara, Y.; Kobayashi, T.; Takizawa, H.; Amaishi, T.; Umezu, Y.

2016-08-01

Wrinkling during draw is typically a local instability problem. When the structural instability is localized, there will be a local transfer of strain energy from one part of the structure to neighboring parts, and global solution methods, which is typically represented by the arc length method, may not work. So, this type of problems has to be solved either dynamically or with the artificial damping. On the other hand, the essential nature of the buckling behavior can be regarded as a static problem, even though it may be possible to raise some side issues due to the inertia effect. In this study, we traced the local buckling behavior of anisotropic elasto-plastic thin shells in Numisheet2014 BM4 using the artificial damping method.

Effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) among Chinese Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Cynthia; Tsang, Sandra; Heung, Kitty; Yiu, Ivan

2009-01-01

Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) among Chinese parents and children in Hong Kong with significant behavior problems. Method: The participants (intervention group, 48; comparison group, 62) completed questionnaires on child behavior problems and parenting stress before and after…

Executive Control and Dimensions of Problem Behaviors in Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espy, Kimberly Andrews; Sheffield, Tiffany D.; Wiebe, Sandra A.; Clark, Caron A. C.; Moehr, Matthew J.

2011-01-01

Background: Despite the widespread recognition of the importance of executive control (EC) in externalizing psychopathology, the relation between EC and problem behavior has not been well characterized, particularly in typically developing preschoolers. Method: Using the sample, battery of laboratory tasks, and latent variable modeling methods…

[Relations between problems on sleeping and suicidal behaviors in middle school students].

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Wan, Yuhui; Sun, Ying; Tao, Fangbiao

2014-02-01

To understand the epidemiological characteristics and possible associations between sleeping problems and suicidal behaviors among middle school students. A total of 13 817 middle school students were selected in Shenyang,Xinxiang, Chongqing and Guangzhou cities and cluster sampling method was used. Questionnaires would include information on demographics, quality of sleep, psychopathological status and suicidal behaviors. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index (PSQI) and Adolescent Multidimensional Sub-health Questionnaire (MSQA) were used to assess the quality of sleep and psychosomatic symptoms, respectively. Rates on sleeping problems and suicidal behaviors were compared in students with specific characteristics. Effects related to sleeping problems and suicidal behaviors were analyzed, using the multivariate logistic regression model. The overall prevalence of problems related to sleeping among middle school students was 26.5%. 28.2% of the girls and 35.2% of senior students reported as having more sleeping problems. Rates on suicide related ideation, planning and attempts were 16.6%, 9.6% and 4.7% , respectively. Girls reported more suicide ideation than boys. However, no gender differences were found in suicide planning or attempted suicide. It also suggested that the incidence of the suicidal behavior among students with sleeping problems was significantly higher than students without sleeping problems. Data from Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that sleeping problems appeared as independent risk factors on suicidal behavior. Higher PSQI scores seemed coincide with the increased risk of suicidal behaviors. Students having sleeping time less than 5 hours per day showed higher risk of suicidal behaviors. Problems on sleeping seemed a strong risk factor for suicidal behaviors among middle school students. Improvement on the quality of sleep and reasonable arrangement of sleeping time could help prevent related suicidal behaviors among middle school students.

Health Risk Behavior in Foster Youth

PubMed Central

Gramkowski, Bridget; Kools, Susan; Paul, Steven; Boyer, Cherrie; Monasterio, Erica; Robbins, Nancy

2010-01-01

Problem Adolescent health problems are predominantly caused by risk behavior. Foster adolescents have disproportionately poor health; therefore identification of risk behavior is critical. Method A secondary analysis of data from a larger study investigated the health risk behavior of 56 foster youth using the CHIP-AE. Findings Foster youth had some increased risk behavior. Younger adolescents and those in kinship care had less risky behavior. Youth had more risk behavior when: in group homes, parental death, histories of physical or emotional abuse, or history of attempted suicide. Conclusions These results point to areas of strength and vulnerability in foster youth. PMID:19490278

Adult Outcomes of Childhood Dysregulation: A 14-Year Follow-up Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Althoff, Robert R.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Rettew, David C.; Hudziak, James J.; van der Ende, Jan

2010-01-01

Objective: Using a general population sample, the adult outcomes of children who presented with severe problems with self-regulation defined as being concurrently rated highly on attention problems, aggressive behavior, and anxious-depression on the Child Behavior Checklist-Dysregulation Profile (CBCL-DP) were examined. Method: Two thousand…

Early Vocabulary Delay and Behavioral/Emotional Problems in Early Childhood: The Generation R Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henrichs, Jens; Rescorla, Leslie; Donkersloot, Cootje; Schenk, Jacqueline J.; Raat, Hein; Jaddoe, Vincent W. V.; Hofman, Albert; Verhulst, Frank C.; Tiemeier, Henning

2013-01-01

Purpose: The authors tested associations between (a) parent-reported temporary vs. persistent vocabulary delay and (b) parent-reported behavioral/emotional problems in a sample of 5,497 young Dutch children participating in a prospective population-based study. Method: Mothers completed the MacArthur Communicative Development…

Social Skills, Problem Behaviors and Classroom Management in Inclusive Preschool Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karakaya, Esra G.; Tufan, Mumin

2018-01-01

This study aimed to determine preschool teachers' classroom management skills and investigate the relationships between teachers' classroom management skills and inclusion students' social skills and problem behaviors. Relational screening model was used as the research method. Study group consisted of 42 pre-school teachers working in Kocaeli…

Five roles for using theory and evidence in the design and testing of behavior change interventions.

PubMed

Bartholomew, L Kay; Mullen, Patricia Dolan

2011-01-01

The prevailing wisdom in the field of health-related behavior change is that well-designed and effective interventions are guided by theory. Using the framework of intervention mapping, we describe and provide examples of how investigators can effectively select and use theory to design, test, and report interventions. We propose five roles for theory and evidence about theories: a) identification of behavior and determinants of behavior related to a specified health problem (i.e., the logic model of the problem); b) explication of a causal model that includes theoretical constructs for producing change in the behavior of interest (i.e., the logic model of change); c) selection of intervention methods and delivery of practical applications to achieve changes in health behavior; d) evaluation of the resulting intervention including theoretical mediating variables; and e) reporting of the active ingredients of the intervention together with the evaluation results. In problem-driven applied behavioral or social science, researchers use one or multiple theories, empiric evidence, and new research, both to assess a problem and to solve or prevent a problem. Furthermore, the theories for description of the problem may differ from the theories for its solution. In an applied approach, the main focus is on solving problems regarding health behavior change and improvement of health outcomes, and the criteria for success are formulated in terms of the problem rather than the theory. Resulting contributions to theory development may be quite useful, but they are peripheral to the problem-solving process.

Evaluation of Undergraduate Geologists' Problem Solving and Cognition during Field Exams Using a Mixed Methods Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balliet, Russell N.

2012-01-01

Understanding how geologists conduct fieldwork through analysis of problem solving has significant potential impact on field instruction methods. Recent progress has been made in this area but the problem solving behaviors displayed by geologists during fieldwork and the associated underlying cognition remains poorly understood. We present…

Callous-unemotional behavior and early-childhood onset of behavior problems: the role of parental harshness and warmth.

PubMed

Waller, Rebecca; Gardner, Frances; Shaw, Daniel S; Dishion, Thomas J; Wilson, Melvin N; Hyde, Luke W

2015-01-01

Youth with callous-unemotional (CU) behavior are at risk of developing more severe forms of aggressive and antisocial behavior. Previous cross-sectional studies suggest that associations between parenting and conduct problems are less strong when children or adolescents have high levels of CU behavior, implying lower malleability of behavior compared to low-CU children. The current study extends previous findings by examining the moderating role of CU behavior on associations between parenting and behavior problems in a very young sample, both concurrently and longitudinally, and using a variety of measurement methods. Data were collected from a multi-ethnic, high-risk sample at ages 2 to 4 (N = 364; 49% female). Parent-reported CU behavior was assessed at age 3 using a previously validated measure (Hyde et al., 2013 ). Parental harshness was coded from observations of parent-child interactions and parental warmth was coded from 5-min speech samples. In this large and young sample, CU behavior moderated cross-sectional correlations between parent-reported and observed warmth and child behavior problems. However, in cross-sectional and longitudinal models testing parental harshness, and longitudinal models testing warmth, there was no moderation by CU behavior. The findings are in line with recent literature suggesting parental warmth may be important to child behavior problems at high levels of CU behavior. In general, however, the results of this study contrast with much of the extant literature and suggest that in young children, affective aspects of parenting appear to be related to emerging behavior problems, regardless of the presence of early CU behavior.

RELATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THREE DESCRIPTIVE METHODS: IMPLICATIONS FOR BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT

PubMed Central

Pence, Sacha T; Roscoe, Eileen M; Bourret, Jason C; Ahearn, William H

2009-01-01

This study compared the outcomes of three descriptive analysis methods—the ABC method, the conditional probability method, and the conditional and background probability method—to each other and to the results obtained from functional analyses. Six individuals who had been diagnosed with developmental delays and exhibited problem behavior participated. Functional analyses indicated that participants' problem behavior was maintained by social positive reinforcement (n  =  2), social negative reinforcement (n  =  2), or automatic reinforcement (n  =  2). Results showed that for all but 1 participant, descriptive analysis outcomes were similar across methods. In addition, for all but 1 participant, the descriptive analysis outcome differed substantially from the functional analysis outcome. This supports the general finding that descriptive analysis is a poor means of determining functional relations. PMID:19949536

A numerical analysis of contact and limit-point behavior in a class of problems of finite elastic deformation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Endo, T.; Oden, J. T.; Becker, E. B.; Miller, T.

1984-01-01

Finite element methods for the analysis of bifurcations, limit-point behavior, and unilateral frictionless contact of elastic bodies undergoing finite deformation are presented. Particular attention is given to the development and application of Riks-type algorithms for the analysis of limit points and exterior penalty methods for handling the unilateral constraints. Applications focus on the problem of finite axisymmetric deformations, snap-through, and inflation of thick rubber spherical shells.

Behavior problems, foster home integration, and evidence-based behavioral interventions: What predicts adoption of foster children?

PubMed Central

Leathers, Sonya J.; Spielfogel, Jill E.; Gleeson, James P.; Rolock, Nancy

2015-01-01

Objectives Adoption is particularly important for foster children with special mental health needs who are unable to return home, as adoption increases parental support often critically needed by youth with mental health issues. Unfortunately, significant behavior problems frequently inhibit foster parents from adopting, and little is known about factors that predict adoption when a child has behavior problems. Previous research suggests that foster parent behavioral training could potentially increase rates of successful adoptions for pre-school-aged foster children with behavior problems (Fisher, Kim, & Pears, 2009), but this has not been previously tested in older samples. In older children, effective treatment of behavior problems might also increase adoption by reducing the interference of behavior problems and strengthening the child’s foster home integration. This pilot study focused on this question by testing associations between behavior problems, foster home integration, an evidence-based foster parent intervention, and adoption likelihood. Methods This study used an intent-to-treat design to compare foster home integration and adoption likelihood for 31 foster children with histories of abuse and neglect whose foster parents received a foster behavioral parenting intervention (see Chamberlain, 2003) or usual services. Random effect regression analyses were used to estimate outcomes across four time points. Results As expected, externalizing behavior problems had a negative effect on both integration and adoption, and foster home integration had an independent positive effect on adoption. Internalizing behavior problems (e.g., depression/anxiety) were not related to adoption or integration. However, the intervention did not have a direct effect on either foster home integration or adoption despite its positive effect on behavior problems. Conclusions Results from this preliminary study provide further evidence of the negative effect of externalizing behavior problems on adoption. Its findings also suggest that foster home integration is an important dimension of foster home adaptation that appears particularly relevant to chances for adoption. While behavior problems appear to weaken foster home integration, integration is also an independent predictor of adoption likelihood. If these results are replicated in a larger study, consideration of foster home integration in case planning and future intervention studies focused on increasing permanency could potentially improve outcomes for foster children with behavior problems. PMID:26617425

From childhood adversity to problem behaviors: Role of psychological and structural social integration.

PubMed

Chao, Lo-Hsin; Tsai, Meng-Che; Liang, Ya-Lun; Strong, Carol; Lin, Chung-Ying

2018-01-01

Childhood adversity (CA) is associated with problem behaviors in adolescence, but the mediators, that is, those factors that help build resilience and prevent some children who experience CA from engaging in problem behaviors, await more exploration, including social integration. The aim of this study was to identify the association between CA and adolescent problem behaviors, and to further examine the mediating role of social integration distinctly as psychological and structural integration. Data used were from the Taiwan Education Panel Survey, a core panel of 4,261 students (age 13) surveyed in 2001 and followed for three more waves until age 18. For psychological integration, an average score was calculated to represent adolescents' feelings about their school. Structural integration was constructed using several items about adolescents' school and extracurricular activities. We used structural equation modeling with the diagonally weighted least squares method to examine the effect of CA on the primary outcome: adolescent problem behaviors via social integration. The hypothesized structural equation model specifying the path from CA to adolescent problem behavior had good fit. Respondents with one CA were indirectly linked to problem behaviors via psychological but not structural integration (e.g. the level of participation in school and non-school activities). On mediation analysis, psychological integration significantly mediated the paths from one CA to all six problem behaviors (all P < 0.05). The presence of only one CA was indirectly associated with problem behavior via psychological integration; two or more CA were not associated with significant paths to problem behaviors. The contribution of social integration is crucial to an adolescent's development from CA to problem behaviors. To form supportive social relationships to achieve better health, we suggest that those adolescents who have been exposed to CA should be helped to join more teams and take part in more activities, thereby increasing their opportunities for social interaction, and improving their communication skills. © 2017 Japan Pediatric Society.

The Relationship between Frequency of Family Dinner and Adolescent Problem Behaviors after Adjusting for Other Family Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sen, Bisakha

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine the association between frequency of family dinners (FFD) and selected problem behaviors for adolescents after adjusting for family connectedness, parental awareness, other family activities, and other potentially confounding factors. Methods: Data are drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997. The primary…

Trauma Resilience among Youth in Substitute Care Demonstrating Sexual Behavior Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leon, Scott C.; Ragsdale, Brian; Miller, Steven A.; Spacarelli, Steven

2008-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the relationship between several proposed protective factors and trauma symptoms among highly vulnerable youth in the child welfare system. Methods: Participants were 142 youth identified with a sexual behavior problem and their caregivers. Two waves of data were collected for each…

Anger/Frustration, Task Persistence, and Conduct Problems in Childhood: A Behavioral Genetic Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Petrill, Stephen A.; Thompson, Lee A.

2007-01-01

Background: Individual differences in conduct problems arise in part from proneness to anger/frustration and poor self-regulation of behavior. However, the genetic and environmental etiology of these connections is not known. Method: Using a twin design, we examined genetic and environmental covariation underlying the well-documented correlations…

Shared and Nonshared Symptoms in Youth-Onset Psychosis and ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karatekin, Canan; White, Tonya; Bingham, Christopher

2010-01-01

Objective: We compared ratings of behavior and attention problems between youth-onset psychosis and ADHD, two disorders in which attentional impairments play a key role, and examined the effect of psychostimulant use on age of onset in psychosis. Method: Parent and teacher ratings of behavioral problems and ADHD symptoms were collected using the…

Strengthening Causal Estimates for Links Between Spanking and Children's Externalizing Behavior Problems.

PubMed

Gershoff, Elizabeth T; Sattler, Kierra M P; Ansari, Arya

2018-01-01

Establishing causal links when experiments are not feasible is an important challenge for psychology researchers. The question of whether parents' spanking causes children's externalizing behavior problems poses such a challenge because randomized experiments of spanking are unethical, and correlational studies cannot rule out potential selection factors. This study used propensity score matching based on the lifetime prevalence and recent incidence of spanking in a large and nationally representative sample ( N = 12,112) as well as lagged dependent variables to get as close to causal estimates outside an experiment as possible. Whether children were spanked at the age of 5 years predicted increases in externalizing behavior problems by ages 6 and 8, even after the groups based on spanking prevalence or incidence were matched on a range of sociodemographic, family, and cultural characteristics and children's initial behavior problems. These statistically rigorous methods yield the conclusion that spanking predicts a deterioration of children's externalizing behavior over time.

Associations between poor health and school-related behavior problems at the child and family levels: a cross-sectional study of migrant children and adolescents in southwest urban China.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing-Jing; Li, Ning-Xiu; Liu, Chao-Jie

2010-06-01

Due to urbanization in China, the numbers of migrant children and adolescents in urban environments have increased. Previous studies have indicated that children and adolescents are more likely to suffer from health problems and poor school achievement. The present study identified associations between poor health and school-related behavior problems (ie, learning attitudes and learning disabilities [LL], antisocial behavior and risk behavior [AR], and social adaptation and role function [SR]) at the child and family levels. A cross-sectional design was used. Seven hundred and eighty-one participants were recruited in inclusive settings. Correlational analysis was conducted to assess the associations between demographic variables and the primary study variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine which study factors were the strongest predictors of general health problems. School-aged migrants who had poorer health tended to be more likely to suffer from school-related behavior problems. Poor health was also found to hinder scholastic achievement in migrant children and adolescents through a higher prevalence of school-related behavior problems, including negative learning attitudes and learning disabilities, antisocial behavior and risk behavior, and social maladjustment. Health risk factors included inappropriate parental education methods, fewer classmates, and less social support. Health and individual risk factors should be explored further to determine their causal role in migrant children and adolescents with school-related behavior problems. These results have implications for future school health education for these students.

Numerical analysis of a main crack interactions with micro-defects/inhomogeneities using two-scale generalized/extended finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malekan, Mohammad; Barros, Felício B.

2017-12-01

Generalized or extended finite element method (G/XFEM) models the crack by enriching functions of partition of unity type with discontinuous functions that represent well the physical behavior of the problem. However, this enrichment functions are not available for all problem types. Thus, one can use numerically-built (global-local) enrichment functions to have a better approximate procedure. This paper investigates the effects of micro-defects/inhomogeneities on a main crack behavior by modeling the micro-defects/inhomogeneities in the local problem using a two-scale G/XFEM. The global-local enrichment functions are influenced by the micro-defects/inhomogeneities from the local problem and thus change the approximate solution of the global problem with the main crack. This approach is presented in detail by solving three different linear elastic fracture mechanics problems for different cases: two plane stress and a Reissner-Mindlin plate problems. The numerical results obtained with the two-scale G/XFEM are compared with the reference solutions from the analytical, numerical solution using standard G/XFEM method and ABAQUS as well, and from the literature.

Early Callous-Unemotional Behavior, Theory-of-mind, and a Fearful/Inhibited Temperament Predict Externalizing Problems in Middle and Late Childhood

PubMed Central

Song, Ju-Hyun; Waller, Rebecca; Hyde, Luke W.; Olson, Sheryl L.

2016-01-01

Childhood externalizing problems are more likely to be severe and persistent when combined with high levels of callous-unemotional (CU) behavior. A handful of recent studies have shown that CU behavior can also be reliably measured in the early preschool years, which may help to identify young children who are less likely to desist from early externalizing behaviors. The current study extends previous literature by examining the role of CU behavior in very early childhood in the prediction of externalizing problems in both middle and late childhood, and tests whether other relevant child characteristics, including Theory-of-Mind (ToM) and fearful/inhibited temperament moderate these pathways. Multi-method data, including parent reports of child CU behavior and fearful/inhibited temperament, observations of ToM, and teacher-reported externalizing problems were drawn from a prospective, longitudinal study of children assessed at ages 3, 6, and 10 (N=241; 48% female). Results demonstrated that high levels of CU behavior predicted externalizing problems at ages 6 and 10 over and above the effect of earlier externalizing problems at age 3, but that these main effects were qualified by two interactions. High CU behavior was related to higher levels of externalizing problems specifically for children with low ToM and a low fearful/inhibited temperament. The results show that a multitude of child characteristics likely interact across development to increase or buffer risk for child externalizing problems. These findings can inform the development of targeted early prevention and intervention for children with high CU behavior. PMID:26582182

Early Callous-Unemotional Behavior, Theory-of-Mind, and a Fearful/Inhibited Temperament Predict Externalizing Problems in Middle and Late Childhood.

PubMed

Song, Ju-Hyun; Waller, Rebecca; Hyde, Luke W; Olson, Sheryl L

2016-08-01

Childhood externalizing problems are more likely to be severe and persistent when combined with high levels of callous-unemotional (CU) behavior. A handful of recent studies have shown that CU behavior can also be reliably measured in the early preschool years, which may help to identify young children who are less likely to desist from early externalizing behaviors. The current study extends previous literature by examining the role of CU behavior in very early childhood in the prediction of externalizing problems in both middle and late childhood, and tests whether other relevant child characteristics, including Theory-of-Mind (ToM) and fearful/inhibited temperament moderate these pathways. Multi-method data, including parent reports of child CU behavior and fearful/inhibited temperament, observations of ToM, and teacher-reported externalizing problems were drawn from a prospective, longitudinal study of children assessed at ages 3, 6, and 10 (N = 241; 48 % female). Results demonstrated that high levels of CU behavior predicted externalizing problems at ages 6 and 10 over and above the effect of earlier externalizing problems at age 3, but that these main effects were qualified by two interactions. High CU behavior was related to higher levels of externalizing problems specifically for children with low ToM and a low fearful/inhibited temperament. The results show that a multitude of child characteristics likely interact across development to increase or buffer risk for child externalizing problems. These findings can inform the development of targeted early prevention and intervention for children with high CU behavior.

Possible Solutions as a Concept in Behavior Change Interventions.

PubMed

Mahoney, Diane E

2018-04-24

Nurses are uniquely positioned to implement behavior change interventions. Yet, nursing interventions have traditionally resulted from nurses problem-solving rather than allowing the patient to self-generate possible solutions for attaining specific health outcomes. The purpose of this review is to clarify the meaning of possible solutions in behavior change interventions. Walker and Avant's method on concept analysis serves as the framework for examination of the possible solutions. Possible solutions can be defined as continuous strategies initiated by patients and families to overcome existing health problems. As nurses engage in behavior change interventions, supporting patients and families in problem-solving will optimize health outcomes and transform clinical practice. © 2018 NANDA International, Inc.

Machine learning methods applied on dental fear and behavior management problems in children.

PubMed

Klingberg, G; Sillén, R; Norén, J G

1999-08-01

The etiologies of dental fear and dental behavior management problems in children were investigated in a database of information on 2,257 Swedish children 4-6 and 9-11 years old. The analyses were performed using computerized inductive techniques within the field of artificial intelligence. The database held information regarding dental fear levels and behavior management problems, which were defined as outcomes, i.e. dependent variables. The attributes, i.e. independent variables, included data on dental health and dental treatments, information about parental dental fear, general anxiety, socioeconomic variables, etc. The data contained both numerical and discrete variables. The analyses were performed using an inductive analysis program (XpertRule Analyser, Attar Software Ltd, Lancashire, UK) that presents the results in a hierarchic diagram called a knowledge tree. The importance of the different attributes is represented by their position in this diagram. The results show that inductive methods are well suited for analyzing multifactorial and complex relationships in large data sets, and are thus a useful complement to multivariate statistical techniques. The knowledge trees for the two outcomes, dental fear and behavior management problems, were very different from each other, suggesting that the two phenomena are not equivalent. Dental fear was found to be more related to non-dental variables, whereas dental behavior management problems seemed connected to dental variables.

Relationship between Family Adaptability, Cohesion and Adolescent Problem Behaviors: Curvilinearity of Circumplex Model

PubMed Central

Joh, Ju Youn; Kim, Sun; Park, Jun Li

2013-01-01

Background The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES) III using the circumplex model has been widely used in investigating family function. However, the criticism of the curvilinear hypothesis of the circumplex model has always been from an empirical point of view. This study examined the relationship between adolescent adaptability, cohesion, and adolescent problem behaviors, and especially testing the consistency of the curvilinear hypotheses with FACES III. Methods We used the data from 398 adolescent participants who were in middle school. A self-reported questionnaire was used to evaluate the FACES III and Youth Self Report. Results According to the level of family adaptability, significant differences were evident in internalizing problems (P = 0.014). But, in externalizing problems, the results were not significant (P = 0.305). Also, according to the level of family cohesion, significant differences were in internalizing problems (P = 0.002) and externalizing problems (P = 0.004). Conclusion The relationship between the dimensions of adaptability, cohesion and adolescent problem behaviors was not curvilinear. In other words, adolescents with high adaptability and high cohesion showed low problem behaviors. PMID:23730484

A Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Chronic Maltreatment on Children's Behavioral and Emotional Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ethier, L.S.; Lemelin, J.P.; Lacharite, C.

2004-01-01

Objective: The aim of the present longitudinal study was to examine the links between chronicity of maltreatment and child behavioral and emotional problems. Method: Forty-nine maltreated children (32 victims of continuous, or chronic, maltreatment; 17 victims of transitory maltreatment) and their mothers were evaluated in their homes three times…

Parenting Behavior as Mediator and Moderator of the Association between Marital Problems and Adolescent Maladjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cui, Ming; Conger, Rand D.

2008-01-01

The present study examines the mediating and moderating effects of parenting behavior on the relation between marital problems and adolescent maladjustment. Extending earlier studies by using a prospective, longitudinal research design and multi-informant methods, this study of 451 adolescents and their families from the Iowa Youth and Families…

Externalizing Behavior Problems and Cigarette Smoking as Predictors of Cannabis Use: The TRAILS Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korhonen, Tellervo; van Leeuwen, Andrea Prince; Reijneveld, Sijmen A.; Ormel, Johan; Verhulst, Frank C.; Huizink, Anja C.

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine externalizing behavior problems and cigarette smoking as predictors of subsequent cannabis use. Method: Dutch adolescents (N = 1,606; 854 girls and 752 boys) from the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS) ongoing longitudinal study were examined at baseline (ages 10-12 [T1]) and at two follow-up assessments…

The Role of Family Experiences and ADHD in the Early Development of Oppositional Defiant Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvey, Elizabeth A.; Metcalfe, Lindsay A.; Herbert, Sharonne D.; Fanton, John H.

2011-01-01

Objective: The present study examined the role of family experiences in the early development and maintenance of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms in preschool-age children with behavior problems. Method: Participants were 199 3-year-old children with behavior problems who took part in 4 annual child and family assessments. Results:…

The Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on Depression: The Role of Problem-Solving Appraisal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Szu-Yu; Jordan, Catheleen; Thompson, Sanna

2006-01-01

Objective: Many studies have confirmed the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment for depression. However, the mechanism of CBT for depression reduction is still not well understood. This study explored the mechanism of CBT from the perspective of individuals' problem-solving appraisal. Method: A one-group pretest-posttest…

Executive Function and Behavioral Problems in Students with Visual Impairments at Mainstream and Special Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heyl, Vera; Hintermair, Manfred

2015-01-01

Introduction: In this study, executive function of school-aged children with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) is examined in the context of behavioral problems and communicative competence. Methods: Teachers assessed the executive function of a sample of 226 visually impaired students from mainstream schools and…

Predicting Depression, Social Phobia, and Violence in Early Adulthood from Childhood Behavior Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, W. Alex; Kosterman, Rick; Hawkins, J. David; Herrenkohl, Todd I.; Lengua, Liliana J.; McCauley, Elizabeth

2004-01-01

Objective: This study examined childhood behavior problems at ages 10 and 11 years as predictors of young adult depression, social phobia, and violence at age 21 years. Method: Data were collected as part of the Seattle Social Development Project, a longitudinal study of 808 elementary school students from high-crime neighborhoods of Seattle.…

Heart Rate and Treatment Effect in Children with Disruptive Behavior Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stadler, Christina; Grasmann, Dorte; Fegert, Jorg M.; Holtmann, Martin; Poustka, Fritz; Schmeck, Klaus

2008-01-01

Objective: To examine whether children with disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs; hyperkinetic conduct disorder, conduct disorder, hyperkinetic disorder) characterized by low heart rate profit less from an intensive cognitive behavioral intervention aimed at reducing impulsive, oppositional and aggressive behavior problems. Method: Basal heart rate…

Automatically Detect and Track Multiple Fish Swimming in Shallow Water with Frequent Occlusion

PubMed Central

Qian, Zhi-Ming; Cheng, Xi En; Chen, Yan Qiu

2014-01-01

Due to its universality, swarm behavior in nature attracts much attention of scientists from many fields. Fish schools are examples of biological communities that demonstrate swarm behavior. The detection and tracking of fish in a school are of important significance for the quantitative research on swarm behavior. However, different from other biological communities, there are three problems in the detection and tracking of fish school, that is, variable appearances, complex motion and frequent occlusion. To solve these problems, we propose an effective method of fish detection and tracking. In this method, first, the fish head region is positioned through extremum detection and ellipse fitting; second, The Kalman filtering and feature matching are used to track the target in complex motion; finally, according to the feature information obtained by the detection and tracking, the tracking problems caused by frequent occlusion are processed through trajectory linking. We apply this method to track swimming fish school of different densities. The experimental results show that the proposed method is both accurate and reliable. PMID:25207811

The Delaware Function Rater: A Method of Quantifying Classroom Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaynor, John F.; Gaynor, Mary F.

Developed was a student behavior rating system for use by teachers in identifying and assessing behavior problems and as an aid in classroom management. A time coding instrument was used, with behavior expressed as relative frequencies of a hierarchy of four mutually exclusive, exhaustive categories of behavior--relevent, unproductive, disruptive,…

Problem Behaviors among Israeli Undergraduate Students: Applying Jessor’s Problem Behavior Theory among Young Adult Students

PubMed Central

Korn, Liat; Shaked, Yael; Fogel-Grinvald, Haya

2014-01-01

Purpose: The current study tested the applicability of Jessor’s problem behavior theory (PBT) in Ariel University. Methods: A structured, self-reported, anonymous questionnaire was administered to undergraduate students. The final study sample included 1,360 participants (882 females and 478 males, mean age 25, SD = 2.9, range = 17). Results: Findings indicated that the PBT was replicated in this sample. As shown from the hierarchal linear regression model, religiosity and high-academic achievements were found to be strong and significant protective factors that reduce risk behaviors. Among young and religious students, the personal vulnerability has almost no impact on involvement in risk behaviors. Conclusion: The PBT finds empirical support in this young adult undergraduate Israeli sample. PMID:25566519

Methods Used by Pre-Service Nigeria Certificate in Education Teachers in Solving Quantitative Problems in Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danjuma, Ibrahim Mohammed

2011-01-01

This paper reports part of the results of research on chemical problem solving behavior of pre-service teachers in Plateau and Northeastern states of Nigeria. Specifically, it examines and describes the methods used by 204 pre-service teachers in solving quantitative problems from four topics in chemistry. Namely, gas laws; electrolysis;…

Contingency contracting with school problems

PubMed Central

Cantrell, Robert P.; Cantrell, Mary Lynn; Huddleston, Clifton M.; Wooldridge, Ralph L.

1969-01-01

Contingency contracting procedures used in managing problems with school-age children involved analyzing teacher and/or parental reports of behavior problem situations, isolating the most probable contingencies then in effect, the range of reinforcers presently available, and the ways in which they were obtained. The authors prepared written contracts delineating remediative changes in reinforcement contingencies. These contracts specified ways in which the child could obtain existing individualized reinforcers contingent upon approximations to desired appropriate behaviors chosen as incompatible with the referral problem behaviors. Contract procedures were administered by the natural contingency managers, parents and/or teachers, who kept daily records of contracted behaviors and reinforcers. These records were sent to the authors and provided feedback on the progress of the case. Initial results of this procedure have been sufficiently encouraging to warrant recommending an experimental analysis of contingency contracting as a clinical method. PMID:16795222

Behavioral ecology of captive species: using behavioral adaptations to assess and enhance welfare of nonhuman zoo animals.

PubMed

Koene, Paul

2013-01-01

This project aimed to estimate a species' adaptations in nature and in captivity, assess welfare, suggest environmental changes, and find species characteristics that underlie welfare problems in nonhuman animals in the zoo. First, the current status of zoo animal welfare assessment was reviewed, and the behavioral ecology approach was outlined. In this approach, databases of species characteristics were developed using (a) literature of natural behavior and (b) captive behavior. Species characteristics were grouped in 8 functional behavioral ecological fitness-related categories: space, time, metabolic, safety, reproductive, comfort, social, and information adaptations. Assessments of the strength of behavioral adaptations in relation to environmental demands were made based on the results available from the literature. The databases with literature at the species level were coupled with databases of (c) behavioral observations and (d) welfare assessments under captive conditions. Observation and welfare assessment methods were adapted from the animal on the farm realm and applied to zoo species. It was expected that the comparison of the repertoire of behaviors in natural and captive environments would highlight welfare problems, provide solutions to welfare problems by environmental changes, and identify species characteristics underlying zoo animal welfare problems.

Girls’ childhood trajectories of disruptive behavior predict adjustment problems in early adolescence

PubMed Central

van der Molen, Elsa; Blokland, Arjan A. J.; Hipwell, Alison E.; Vermeiren, Robert R.J.M.; Doreleijers, Theo A.H.; Loeber, Rolf

2014-01-01

Background It is widely recognized that early onset of disruptive behavior is linked to a variety of detrimental outcomes in males later in life. In contrast, little is known about the association between girls’ childhood trajectories of disruptive behavior and adjustment problems in early adolescence. Methods The current study used 9 waves of data from the ongoing Pittsburgh Girls Study. A semi-parametric group based model was used to identify trajectories of disruptive behavior in 1,513 girls from age 6 to 12 years. Adjustment problems were characterized by depression, self-harm, PTSD, substance use, interpersonal aggression, sexual behavior, affiliation with delinquent peers, and academic achievement at ages 13 and 14. Results Three trajectories of childhood disruptive behavior were identified: low, medium, and high. Girls in the high group were at increased risk for depression, self-harm, PTSD, illegal substance use, interpersonal aggression, early and risky sexual behavior, and lower academic achievement. The likelihood of multiple adjustment problems increased with trajectories reflecting higher levels of disruptive behavior. Conclusion Girls following the high childhood trajectory of disruptive behavior require early intervention programs to prevent multiple, adverse outcomes in adolescence and further escalation in adulthood. PMID:25302849

The Effects of Sleep Problems on the Trajectory of Antisocial Behavior from Adolescence through Early Adulthood in Taiwan: Family Functioning as a Moderator.

PubMed

Chang, Ling-Yin; Wu, Chi-Chen; Lin, Linen Nymphas; Yen, Lee-Lan; Chang, Hsing-Yi

2016-07-01

To examine the longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and development of antisocial behavior from adolescence through young adulthood, and to investigate whether family functioning moderates the association being examined. Potential sex differences were also explored. A total of 2,491 adolescents participated in a prospective study spanning 2009 through 2014 in northern Taiwan. Measures included sleep problems, family functioning (parental support, family interaction, and family conflict), antisocial behavior, and other individual characteristics (sex, age, parental education, family economic stress, depressive symptoms, and stressful life events). Random coefficient growth models were used to test study hypotheses. Sleep problems were significantly and positively associated with antisocial behavior (B = 0.088 and 0.038 for males and females, respectively). Sex differences further emerged in the moderating effects of family functioning. Among males, those with high family interaction had a weaker association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior; among females, the examined association was weaker in those with high parental support. For both sexes, the association between sleep problems and antisocial behavior was stronger for those with high family conflict. Our findings highlight the robust link between sleep problems and adolescent antisocial behavior over time. We also show for the first time that the association depends on family functioning. Prevention methods and treatment of sleep problems in youths that incorporate family functioning may yield significant benefits for decreasing antisocial behavior. Sex-specific intervention and prevention approaches should also be considered. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Training Students with Behavioral Problems to Recruit Teacher Praise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markelz, Andrew; Riden, Benjamin; Rizzo, Karen

2018-01-01

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders exhibit high levels of inappropriate behaviors. Although many teachers are aware of the benefits of teacher praise, its use in classrooms remains low. Training students to recruit praise is a method to counter suppressing contingencies and increase praise rates for desired classroom behaviors. With…

Efficient and accurate two-scale FE-FFT-based prediction of the effective material behavior of elasto-viscoplastic polycrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kochmann, Julian; Wulfinghoff, Stephan; Ehle, Lisa; Mayer, Joachim; Svendsen, Bob; Reese, Stefanie

2018-06-01

Recently, two-scale FE-FFT-based methods (e.g., Spahn et al. in Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 268:871-883, 2014; Kochmann et al. in Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 305:89-110, 2016) have been proposed to predict the microscopic and overall mechanical behavior of heterogeneous materials. The purpose of this work is the extension to elasto-viscoplastic polycrystals, efficient and robust Fourier solvers and the prediction of micromechanical fields during macroscopic deformation processes. Assuming scale separation, the macroscopic problem is solved using the finite element method. The solution of the microscopic problem, which is embedded as a periodic unit cell (UC) in each macroscopic integration point, is found by employing fast Fourier transforms, fixed-point and Newton-Krylov methods. The overall material behavior is defined by the mean UC response. In order to ensure spatially converged micromechanical fields as well as feasible overall CPU times, an efficient but simple solution strategy for two-scale simulations is proposed. As an example, the constitutive behavior of 42CrMo4 steel is predicted during macroscopic three-point bending tests.

Efficient and accurate two-scale FE-FFT-based prediction of the effective material behavior of elasto-viscoplastic polycrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kochmann, Julian; Wulfinghoff, Stephan; Ehle, Lisa; Mayer, Joachim; Svendsen, Bob; Reese, Stefanie

2017-09-01

Recently, two-scale FE-FFT-based methods (e.g., Spahn et al. in Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 268:871-883, 2014; Kochmann et al. in Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 305:89-110, 2016) have been proposed to predict the microscopic and overall mechanical behavior of heterogeneous materials. The purpose of this work is the extension to elasto-viscoplastic polycrystals, efficient and robust Fourier solvers and the prediction of micromechanical fields during macroscopic deformation processes. Assuming scale separation, the macroscopic problem is solved using the finite element method. The solution of the microscopic problem, which is embedded as a periodic unit cell (UC) in each macroscopic integration point, is found by employing fast Fourier transforms, fixed-point and Newton-Krylov methods. The overall material behavior is defined by the mean UC response. In order to ensure spatially converged micromechanical fields as well as feasible overall CPU times, an efficient but simple solution strategy for two-scale simulations is proposed. As an example, the constitutive behavior of 42CrMo4 steel is predicted during macroscopic three-point bending tests.

A Cross-Lagged Evaluation of Eating Disorder Symptomatology and Substance-Use Problems*

PubMed Central

Dunn, Erin C.; Neighbors, Clayton; Fossos, Nicole; Larimer, Mary E.

2009-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to conduct a temporal examination of the associations among disordered eating behaviors, substance use, and use-related negative consequences in female college students—a population at high risk for developing eating and substance-use disorders. Method: Participants completed assessments of disordered eating behaviors, alcohol and drug use, and use-related negative consequences. Results: Results support previous research suggesting that disordered eating behaviors are more strongly associated with alcohol- and substance-related problems rather than use per se. With respect to temporal precedence, results indicated that binge eating preceded alcohol-use problems, but a bidirectional relationship was found for vomiting. With regard to drug problems, laxatives use preceded drug problems, whereas drug problems preceded fasting. These associations were not better accounted for by pre-existing eating or substance-use problems or psychiatric distress (e.g., depression, anxiety). Conclusions: This study further supports the importance of assessing consequences, in addition to use patterns, when examining substance use in individuals demonstrating threshold and subthreshold eating-disordered behaviors. PMID:19118399

Alexithymia predicts loss chasing for people at risk for problem gambling.

PubMed

Bibby, Peter A; Ross, Katherine E

2017-12-01

Background and aims The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between alexithymia and loss-chasing behavior in people at risk and not at risk for problem gambling. Methods An opportunity sample of 58 (50 males and 8 females) participants completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). They then completed the Cambridge Gambling Task from which a measure of loss-chasing behavior was derived. Results Alexithymia and problem gambling risk were significantly positively correlated. Subgroups of non-alexithymic and at or near caseness for alexithymia by low risk and at risk for problem gambling were identified. The results show a clear difference for loss-chasing behavior for the two alexithymia conditions, but there was no evidence that low and at-risk problem gamblers were more likely to loss chase. The emotion-processing components of the TAS-20 were shown to correlate with loss chasing. Discussion and conclusion These findings suggest that loss-chasing behavior may be particularly prevalent in a subgroup of problem gamblers those who are high in alexithymia.

Predictors of Co-Occurring Risk Behavior Trajectories among Economically Disadvantaged African American Youth: Contextual and Individual Factors

PubMed Central

Sterrett, Emma M.; Dymnicki, Allison B.; Henry, David; Byck, Gayle; Bolland, John; Mustanski, Brian

2014-01-01

Purpose African American youth, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, evidence high rates of negative outcomes associated with three problem behaviors, conduct problems, risky sexual behavior, and substance use. This study used a contextually-tailored version of Problem Behavior Theory (PBT) to examine predictors of the simultaneous development of problem behaviors in this specific cultural group. Methods Socio-contextual and individual variables representing four PBT predictor categories, controls protection, support protection, models risk, and vulnerability risk, were examined as predictors of co-occurring problem behaviors among economically disadvantaged African American adolescents (n = 949). Specifically, the likelihood of following three classes of multiple problem behavior trajectories spanning ages 12 to 18, labeled the “early experimenters,” “increasing high risk-takers,” and “adolescent-limited” classes, as opposed to a “normative” class was examined. Results Among other findings, controls protection in the form of a more stringent household curfew at age 12 was related to a lower likelihood of being in the “early experimenters” and “increasing high risk-takers” classes. Conversely, vulnerability risk manifested as stronger attitudes of violence inevitability was associated with a higher likelihood of being in the “early experimenters” class. However, the PBT category of support protection was not associated with risk trajectory class. More distal neighborhood-level manifestations of PBT categories also did not predict co-occurring behavior problems. Conclusion Guided by an incorporation of contextually-salient processes into PBT, prevention programs aiming to decrease co-occurring problem behaviors among low-income African American adolescents would do well to target both proximal systems and psychological constructs related to perceived security throughout adolescence. PMID:24755141

Defining neighborhood boundaries in studies of spatial dependence in child behavior problems.

PubMed

Caughy, Margaret O'Brien; Leonard, Tammy; Beron, Kurt; Murdoch, James

2013-05-03

The purpose of this study was to extend the analysis of neighborhood effects on child behavioral outcomes in two ways: (1) by examining the geographic extent of the relationship between child behavior and neighborhood physical conditions independent of standard administrative boundaries such as census tracts or block groups and (2) by examining the relationship and geographic extent of geographic peers' behavior and individual child behavior. The study neighborhood was a low income, ethnic minority neighborhood of approximately 20,000 residents in a large city in the southwestern United States. Observational data were collected for 11,552 parcels and 1,778 face blocks in the neighborhood over a five week period. Data on child behavior problems were collected from the parents of 261 school-age children (81% African American, 14% Latino) living in the neighborhood. Spatial analysis methods were used to examine the spatial dependence of child behavior problems in relation to physical conditions in the neighborhood for areas surrounding the child's home ranging from a radius of 50 meters to a radius of 1000 meters. Likewise, the spatial dependence of child behavior problems in relation to the behavior problems of neighborhood peers was examined for areas ranging from a radius 255 meters to a radius of 600 meters around the child's home. Finally, we examined the joint influence of neighborhood physical conditions and geographic peers. Poor conditions of the physical environment of the neighborhood were related to more behavioral problems, and the geographic extent of the physical environment that mattered was an area with a radius between 400 and 800 meters surrounding the child's home. In addition, the average level of behavior problems of neighborhood peers within 255 meters of the child's home was also positively associated with child behavior problems. Furthermore, these effects were independent of one another. These findings demonstrate that using flexible geographies in the study of neighborhood effects can provide important insights into spatial influences on health outcomes. With regards to child behavioral outcomes, specifically, these findings support the importance of addressing the physical and social environment when planning community-level interventions to reduce child behavior problems.

Incorporating Problem-Based Learning in Physical Education Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hushman, Glenn; Napper-Owen, Gloria

2011-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an educational method that identifies a problem as a context for student learning. Critical-thinking skills, deductive reasoning, knowledge, and behaviors are developed as students learn how theory can be applied to practical settings. Problem-based learning encourages self-direction, lifelong learning, and sharing…

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Familias Unidas for Hispanic Adolescents With Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Pantin, Hilda; Prado, Guillermo; Lopez, Barbara; Huang, Shi; Tapia, Maria I.; Schwartz, Seth J.; Sabillon, Eduardo; Brown, C. Hendricks; Branchini, Jennifer

2009-01-01

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Familias Unidas, a Hispanic-specific, parent-centered intervention, in preventing/reducing adolescent substance use, unsafe sexual behavior, and externalizing disorders. Methods A total of 213 8th grade Hispanic adolescents with behavior problems and their primary caregivers were assigned randomly to one of two conditions: Familias Unidas or Community Control. Participants were assessed at baseline and at 6, 18, and 30 months post baseline. Results Results showed that, relative to a Community Control condition, Familias Unidas was efficacious in preventing or reducing externalizing disorders, preventing and reducing substance use, and in reducing unsafe sexual behavior. The effects of Familias Unidas on these outcomes were partially mediated by improvements in family functioning. Conclusions These findings suggest that parent-centered intervention is an efficacious strategy for preventing/reducing specific health risk behaviors in Hispanic adolescents with behavior problems. PMID:19834053

Preventing Behavior Problems among Elementary Schoolchildren: Impact of a Universal School-Based Program in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Lin; Yufeng, Wang; Agho, Kingsley; Jacobs, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Background: To evaluate the effect on problem behaviors of a universal school-based prevention curriculum of third grade students. Methods: Six regular classes in 1 elementary school were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 208) or control (n = 209) group. A 13-session program was offered to students in the intervention group. The Achenbach…

Garden Counseling Groups and Self-Esteem: A Mixed Methods Study with Children with Emotional and Behavioral Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swank, Jacqueline M.; Shin, Sang Min

2015-01-01

This research study focused on the use of a garden group counseling intervention to address the self-esteem of children with emotional and behavioral problems. The researchers found higher self-esteem among participants (N = 31) following the gardening group. Additionally, participants discussed feeling calm and happy and learning to working…

Clinician and Parent Perspectives on Parent and Family Contextual Factors that Impact Community Mental Health Services for Children with Behavior Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker-Ericzen, Mary J.; Jenkins, Melissa M.; Brookman-Frazee, Lauren

2010-01-01

The present study employed qualitative methods to examine multiple stakeholder perspectives regarding the role of parent and family contextual factors on community child mental health treatment for children with behavior problems. Findings suggest agreement between clinicians and parents on the number, types and importance of parent and family…

The impact of training problem-solving skills on self-esteem and behavioral adjustment in teenage girls who have irresponsible parents or no parents.

PubMed

Shahgholy Ghahfarokhi, F; Moradi, N; Alborzkouh, P; Radmehr, S; Zainali, M

2015-01-01

Proper psychological interventions are of great importance because they help enhancing psychological and public health in adolescents with irresponsible parents or no parents. The current research aimed to examine the impact of training problem-solving experiment on self-esteem and behavioral adjustment in teenage girls with irresponsible parents or no parents. Methodology: The approach of the present research was a semi-test via a post-test-pre-test model and a check team. Hence, in Tehran, 40 girls with irresponsible parents or no parents were chosen by using the Convenience modeling, and they were classified into 2 teams: control and experiment. Both groups were pre-tested by using a demography questionnaire, Rosenberg's self-esteem scale, and a behavioral adjustment questionnaire. Afterwards, both groups were post-tested, and the obtained data were examined by using inferential and descriptive methods through SPSS 21. Findings: Findings indicated that the training problem-solving skills significantly increased the self-esteem and the behavioral adjustment in teenage girls with irresponsible parents or no parents (P < 0/ 001). Conclusion: The conclusion of this research was that training problem-solving methods greatly helps endangered people such as teenage girls with irresponsible parents or no parents, because these methods are highly efficient especially when they are performed in groups, as they are cheap and accepted by different people.

The impact of training problem-solving skills on self-esteem and behavioral adjustment in teenage girls who have irresponsible parents or no parents

PubMed Central

Shahgholy Ghahfarokhi, F; Moradi, N; Alborzkouh, P; Radmehr, S; Zainali, M

2015-01-01

Proper psychological interventions are of great importance because they help enhancing psychological and public health in adolescents with irresponsible parents or no parents. The current research aimed to examine the impact of training problem-solving experiment on self-esteem and behavioral adjustment in teenage girls with irresponsible parents or no parents. Methodology: The approach of the present research was a semi-test via a post-test-pre-test model and a check team. Hence, in Tehran, 40 girls with irresponsible parents or no parents were chosen by using the Convenience modeling, and they were classified into 2 teams: control and experiment. Both groups were pre-tested by using a demography questionnaire, Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale, and a behavioral adjustment questionnaire. Afterwards, both groups were post-tested, and the obtained data were examined by using inferential and descriptive methods through SPSS 21. Findings: Findings indicated that the training problem-solving skills significantly increased the self-esteem and the behavioral adjustment in teenage girls with irresponsible parents or no parents (P < 0/ 001). Conclusion: The conclusion of this research was that training problem-solving methods greatly helps endangered people such as teenage girls with irresponsible parents or no parents, because these methods are highly efficient especially when they are performed in groups, as they are cheap and accepted by different people. PMID:28316718

Geometrically derived difference formulae for the numerical integration of trajectory problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcleod, R. J. Y.; Sanz-Serna, J. M.

1981-01-01

The term 'trajectory problem' is taken to include problems that can arise, for instance, in connection with contour plotting, or in the application of continuation methods, or during phase-plane analysis. Geometrical techniques are used to construct difference methods for these problems to produce in turn explicit and implicit circularly exact formulae. Based on these formulae, a predictor-corrector method is derived which, when compared with a closely related standard method, shows improved performance. It is found that this latter method produces spurious limit cycles, and this behavior is partly analyzed. Finally, a simple variable-step algorithm is constructed and tested.

System for solving diagnosis and hitting set problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vatan, Farrokh (Inventor); Fijany, Amir (Inventor)

2007-01-01

The diagnosis problem arises when a system's actual behavior contradicts the expected behavior, thereby exhibiting symptoms (a collection of conflict sets). System diagnosis is then the task of identifying faulty components that are responsible for anomalous behavior. To solve the diagnosis problem, the present invention describes a method for finding the minimal set of faulty components (minimal diagnosis set) that explain the conflict sets. The method includes acts of creating a matrix of the collection of conflict sets, and then creating nodes from the matrix such that each node is a node in a search tree. A determination is made as to whether each node is a leaf node or has any children nodes. If any given node has children nodes, then the node is split until all nodes are leaf nodes. Information gathered from the leaf nodes is used to determine the minimal diagnosis set.

Social Orientation: Problem Behavior and Motivations Toward Interpersonal Problem Solving Among High Risk Adolescents

PubMed Central

Kuperminc, Gabriel P.; Allen, Joseph P.

2006-01-01

A model of problematic adolescent behavior that expands current theories of social skill deficits in delinquent behavior to consider both social skills and orientation toward the use of adaptive skills was examined in an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of 113 male and female adolescents. Adolescents were selected on the basis of moderate to serious risk for difficulties in social adaptation in order to focus on the population of youth most likely to be targeted by prevention efforts. Structural equation modeling was used to examine cross-sectional data using multiple informants (adolescents, peers, and parents) and multiple methods (performance test and self-report). Adolescent social orientation, as reflected in perceived problem solving effectiveness, identification with adult prosocial values, and self-efficacy expectations, exhibited a direct association to delinquent behavior and an indirect association to drug involvement mediated by demonstrated success in using problem solving skills. Results suggest that the utility of social skill theories of adolescent problem behaviors for informing preventive and remedial interventions can be enhanced by expanding them to consider adolescents’ orientation toward using the skills they may already possess. PMID:16929380

Effects of Adenotonsillectomy on Parent-Reported Behavior in Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

PubMed Central

Thomas, Nina Hattiangadi; Xanthopoulos, Melissa S.; Kim, Ji Young; Shults, Justine; Escobar, Emma; Giordani, Bruno; Hodges, Elise; Chervin, Ronald D.; Paruthi, Shalini; Rosen, Carol L.; Taylor, Gerry H.; Arens, Raanan; Katz, Eliot S.; Beebe, Dean W.; Redline, Susan; Radcliffe, Jerilynn

2017-01-01

Abstract Objectives: The childhood obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with behavioral abnormalities. Studies on the effects of OSAS treatment on behavior are conflicting, with few studies using a randomized design. Further, studies may be confounded by the inclusion of behavioral outcome measures directly related to sleep. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of adenotonsillectomy on behavior in children with OSAS. We hypothesized that surgery would improve behavioral ratings, even when sleep symptom items were excluded from the analysis. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) data, with and without exclusion of sleep-specific items, from the Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial (CHAT). CBCL was completed by caregivers of 380 children (7.0+1.4 [range 5–9] years) with OSAS randomized to early adenotonsillectomy (eAT) versus 7 months of watchful waiting with supportive care (WWSC). Results: There was a high prevalence of behavioral problems at baseline; 16.6% of children had a Total Problems score in the clinically abnormal range. At follow-up, there were significant improvements in Total Problems (p < .001), Internalizing Behaviors (p = .04), Somatic Complaints (p = .01), and Thought Problems (p = .01) in eAT vs. WWSC participants. When specific sleep-related question items were removed from the analysis, eAT showed an overall improvement in Total (p = .02) and Other (p = .01) problems. Black children had less improvement in behavior following eAT than white children, but this difference attenuated when sleep-related items were excluded. Conclusions: This large, randomized trial showed that adenotonsillectomy for OSAS improved parent-rated behavioral problems, even when sleep-specific behavioral issues were excluded from the analysis. PMID:28199697

Cognitive Delay and Behavior Problems Prior to School Age

PubMed Central

Palta, Mari; Kotelchuck, Milton; Poehlmann, Julie; Witt, Whitney P.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between cognitive delay (CD) and behavior problems between ages 9 months and 5 years, while adjusting for covariates related to CD. METHODS: Data were from 4 waves of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (n = 8000). Children were classified as typically developing (TD) or as having resolved, newly developed, or persistent CD between 9 and 24 months, based on scores from the Bayley Short Form-Research Edition below or above the 10th percentile. Child behavior was measured by using the Infant/Toddler Symptom Checklist (ages 9 and 24 months) and the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (ages 4 and 5 years); children in the top 10th percentile were considered to have a behavior problem. Hierarchical linear modeling estimated the effect of CD status on children’s behavioral trajectories, adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: CD resolved for 80.3% of children between 9 and 24 months. Behavior problems at 24 months were detected in 19.3%, 21.8%, and 35.5% of children with resolved, newly developed, and persistent CD, respectively, versus 13.0% of TD children. Behavior problems increased among children with CD over time, and more so among children with persistent CD. By age 5, children with persistent CD had behavior scores moderately (0.59 SD) higher than TD children. CONCLUSIONS: Behavior problems among children with CD are slightly higher at 9 months, clearly evident by 24 months, and increase as children move toward school age. Efforts to promote the earliest identification, evaluation, and service referral may be necessary to improve outcomes for these children. PMID:25113290

Self-Reported Alcohol and Drug Problems Among Internal Medicine Outpatients: Relationships With Criminal Behavior

PubMed Central

Lam, Charlene; Wiederman, Michael W.

2011-01-01

Objective: Previous research indicates relationships between alcohol/substance misuse and criminal behavior, but past studies have restricted investigations to atypical samples and/or utilized limited assessments of illegal behavior. In the present study, we explored relationships between alcohol/drug problems and charges for 27 criminal behaviors in a primary care sample. Method: Participants were a cross-sectional sample of 376 consecutive men and women, aged 18 years or older, being seen for nonemergent medical care at an outpatient internal medicine clinic staffed predominantly by residents and located in a midsized, midwestern city in October 2010. Using a self-report survey methodology, we examined relationships between alcohol and drug problems (“Have you ever had a problem with alcohol?” and “Have you ever had a problem with drugs?”) and 27 illegal behaviors as delineated by the categories used by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. Results: Men with alcohol or drug problems statistically exhibited the greatest number of charges for different forms of illegal behavior (P < .001). These charges were directly related to alcohol/drug misuse (eg, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs) and otherwise (eg, aggravated assault, simple assault, gambling, larceny-theft). Conclusions: In primary care settings, men with alcohol/drug problems may also have a history of illegal behaviors—a finding that is relevant in terms of social and legal implications. PMID:22454803

Physically Abused Women’s Experiences of Sexual Victimization and their Children’s Disruptive Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Spiller, Laura C.; Jouriles, Ernest N.; McDonald, Renee; Skopp, Nancy A.

2012-01-01

Objective Despite the substantial co-occurrence of women’s experiences of physical and sexual violence, very little is known about their separate and combined effects on child functioning. The present study examines whether sexual victimization experienced by physically abused women is associated with their children’s disruptive behavior problems, after controlling for mothers’ physical victimization and parent to child aggression. It also tests the hypothesis that maternal distress mediates the association between women’s sexual victimization and their children’s disruptive behavior problems. Method The sample includes 449 mothers and their children (4–8 years) who were recruited while residing in domestic violence shelters. Mothers reported on their experiences of physical and sexual victimization over the past year and their current symptoms of psychological distress. Trained diagnosticians interviewed mothers about their children’s disruptive behavior problems. Results Approximately 75% of the women reported experiences of sexual victimization. Physically abused women’s experiences of sexual victimization correlated positively with their children’s disruptive behavior problems and their own psychological distress. The results of path analyses indicated that maternal psychological distress mediates the relation between women’s experiences of sexual victimization and their children’s disruptive behavior problems. Conclusions This research suggests that physically abused women’s experiences of sexual victimization are important for understanding their children’s disruptive behavior problems. Additionally, this research provides further evidence that maternal psychological distress is important for understanding how intimate partner violence might influence children. PMID:23166861

Aggression and Tantrums in Children with Autism: A Review of Behavioral Treatments and Maintaining Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny

2009-01-01

Aggression and tantrums are common co-occurring problems with autism. Fortunately, positive developments in the treatment of these challenging and stigmatizing behaviors have been made recently with psychologically-based interventions. Evidence-based methods employ behavior modification, which is also often described as applied behavior analysis…

Questions about Behavioral Function (QABF): Adaptation and Validation of the Spanish Version

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simo-Pinatella, David; Alomar-Kurz, Elisabeth; Font-Roura, Josep; Gine, Climent; Matson, Johnny L.; Cifre, Ignacio

2013-01-01

People with intellectual disabilities (ID) often engage in problem behaviors, such as verbal or physical aggression, property destruction, or self-injury. These behaviors become a challenge for the families and for professionals. Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is a method used to identify variables that influence or maintain challenging…

Parental training and externalizing behaviors of children with severe hearing loss.

PubMed

Movallali, Guita; Amiri, Mohsen; Nesayan, Abas; Assady Gandomani, Roghaye

2017-01-01

Background: Externalizing behavior in deaf children causes many psychological problems for their parents. Aggression and rule breaking behaviors in children with severe hearing loss may cause psychological problems in parents and in managing children's behavior. Consequently, the present study aimed at investigating the effect of parental behavioral training of mothers on reducing the externalized behaviors (aggression and rule breaking behavior) of their 9- to 10- year old children with severe hearing loss. Methods: This was an experimental study with pretest, posttest, and a control group. The research population included all students with severe hearing loss and their mothers. Thus, 30 mothers whose children had the most severe hearing loss were selected as our main sample among 80 mothers who had completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Then, they were placed into the experimental (n=15) and control groups (n=15) after being matched based on age, educational level, and socioeconomic status. The research tool was Child Behavior Checklist-Persian Version. The parental behavior training was provided for the experimental group in nine 90- minute sessions. Results: The results of the present study indicated the effectiveness of experimental treatment on decreasing the aggressive behaviors of children of mothers in the experimental group compared to mothers of the control group (p=0.001). Moreover, the results revealed a decrease in rule breaking behaviors (p= 0.007) in children of mothers of the experimental group compared to mothers of the control group. Conclusion: Parents' behavioral training is important in decreasing the aggressive and offensive behaviors in children with severe hearing loss who are at risk of behavioral problems. Furthermore, some research has highlighted the necessity of such trainings for parents of these children. Thus, the present study, emphasizing the importance of childhood problems, found that mothers' behavioral training could prevent behavioral problems of school-aged children with hearing loss and reduce the recurrence of such problems.

The Dementia Services Mini-Screen: A Simple Method to Identify Patients and Caregivers Needing Enhanced Dementia Care Services

PubMed Central

Borson, Soo; Scanlan, James M.; Sadak, Tatiana; Lessig, Mary; Vitaliano, Peter

2014-01-01

Objective The National Alzheimer’s Plan calls for targeted health system change to improve outcomes for persons with dementia and their family caregivers. We explored whether dementia-specific service needs and gaps could be predicted from simple information that can be readily acquired in routine medical care settings. Method Primary family caregivers for cognitively impaired older adults (n=215) were asked about current stress, challenging patient behaviors, and prior-year needs and gaps in 16 medical and psychosocial services. Demographic data, caregiver stress, and patient clinical features were evaluated in regression analyses to identify unique predictors of service needs and gaps. Results Caregiver stress and patient behavior problems together accounted for an average of 24% of the whole-sample variance in total needs and gaps. Across all analyses, including total, medical, and psychosocial services needs and gaps, all other variables combined (comorbid chronic disease, dementia severity, age, caregiver relationship, and residence) accounted for an accounted for a mean of 3%, with no variable yielding more than 4% in any equation. We combined stress and behavior problem indicators into a simple screen. In early/mild dementia dyads (n=111) typical in primary care settings, the screen identified gaps in total and psychosocial care in 84% and 77%, respectively, of those with high stress/high behavior problems vs. 25% and 23%, respectively, of those with low stress/low behavior problems. Medical care gaps were dramatically higher in high stress/high behavior problem dyads (66%) than all others (12%). Conclusion A simple tool (likely completed in 1–2 minutes) which combines caregiver stress and patient behavior problems, the Dementia Services Mini-Screen, could help clinicians rapidly identify high need, high gap dyads. Health care systems could use it to estimate population needs for targeted dementia services and facilitate their development. PMID:24315560

Perception of Health Problems Among Competitive Runners

PubMed Central

Jelvegård, Sara; Timpka, Toomas; Bargoria, Victor; Gauffin, Håkan; Jacobsson, Jenny

2016-01-01

Background: Approximately 2 of every 3 competitive runners sustain at least 1 health problem each season. Most of these problems are nontraumatic injuries with gradual onset. The main known risk indicator for sustaining a new running-related injury episode is a history of a previous injury, suggesting that behavioral habits are part of the causal mechanisms. Purpose: Identification of elements associated with purposeful interpretations of body perceptions and balanced behavioral responses may supply vital information for prevention of health problems in runners. This study set out to explore competitive runners’ cognitive appraisals of perceived symptoms on injury and illness and how these appraisals are transformed into behavior. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The study population consisted of Swedish middle- and long-distance runners from the national top 15 list. Qualitative research methods were used to categorize interview data and perform a thematic analysis. The categories resulting from the analysis were used to construct an explanatory model. Results: Saturation of the thematic classification required that data from 8 male and 6 female runners (age range, 20-36 years) were collected. Symptoms interpreted to be caused by illness or injury with a sudden onset were found to lead to immediate action and changes to training and competition programs (activity pacing). In contrast, perceptions interpreted to be due to injuries with gradual onset led to varied behavioral reactions. These behavioral responses were planned with regard to short-term consequences and were characterized by indifference and neglect of long-term implications, consistent with an overactivity behavioral pattern. The latter pattern was consistent with a psychological adaptation to stimuli that is presented progressively to the athlete. Conclusion: Competitive runners appraise whether a health problem requires immediate withdrawal from training based on whether the problem is interpreted as an illness and/or has a sudden onset. The ensuing behaviors follow 2 distinct patterns that can be termed “activity pacing” and “overactivity.” PMID:28210643

Functional analysis and treatment of problem behavior evoked by noise.

PubMed Central

McCord, B E; Iwata, B A; Galensky, T L; Ellingson, S A; Thomson, R J

2001-01-01

We conducted a four-part investigation to develop methods for assessing and treating problem behavior evoked by noise. In Phase 1, 7 participants with developmental disabilities who were described as being hypersensitive to specific noises were exposed to a series of noises under controlled conditions. Results for 2 of the participants verified that noise was apparently an aversive event. In Phase 2, results of functional analyses indicated that these 2 participants' problem behaviors were maintained by escape from noise. In Phase 3, preference assessments were conducted to identify reinforcers that might be used during treatment. Finally, in Phase 4, the 2 participants' problem behaviors were successfully treated with extinction, stimulus fading, and a differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior (DRO) contingency (only 1 participant required DRO). Treatment effects for both participants generalized to their home environments and were maintained during a follow-up assessment. Procedures and results were discussed in terms of their relevance to the systematic assessment of noise as an establishing operation (EO) and, more generally, to the identification of idiosyncratic EO influences on behavior. PMID:11800184

Cellular automatons applied to gas dynamic problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Long, Lyle N.; Coopersmith, Robert M.; Mclachlan, B. G.

1987-01-01

This paper compares the results of a relatively new computational fluid dynamics method, cellular automatons, with experimental data and analytical results. This technique has been shown to qualitatively predict fluidlike behavior; however, there have been few published comparisons with experiment or other theories. Comparisons are made for a one-dimensional supersonic piston problem, Stokes first problem, and the flow past a normal flat plate. These comparisons are used to assess the ability of the method to accurately model fluid dynamic behavior and to point out its limitations. Reasonable results were obtained for all three test cases, but the fundamental limitations of cellular automatons are numerous. It may be misleading, at this time, to say that cellular automatons are a computationally efficient technique. Other methods, based on continuum or kinetic theory, would also be very efficient if as little of the physics were included.

Self-Efficacy Is Associated with Less Burden and More Gains from Behavioral Problems of Alzheimer's Disease in Hong Kong Chinese Caregivers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Sheung-Tak; Lam, Linda C. W.; Kwok, Timothy; Ng, Natalie S. S.; Fung, Ada W. T.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To test the effects of different self-efficacy beliefs on caregiver appraisals and depressive symptoms. We hypothesized that self-efficacy has a direct effect on depression while moderating the effects of behavioral problems on both negative (i.e., burden) and positive (i.e., uplifting) appraisals. Design and Methods: Ninety-nine Chinese…

A Comparison of Problem Behavior Profiles in Turkish Children with AD/HD and Non-AD/HD Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozdemir, Selda

2010-01-01

Introduction: There is an increasing number of studies describing the symptoms of ADHD among school-age children in western cultures. Yet, studies on children with ADHD living in non-western cultures are limited. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare problem behavior profiles of Turkish children with AD/HD and non-AD/HD children. Method:…

Implementation of equivalent domain integral method in the two-dimensional analysis of mixed mode problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raju, I. S.; Shivakumar, K. N.

1989-01-01

An equivalent domain integral (EDI) method for calculating J-intergrals for two-dimensional cracked elastic bodies is presented. The details of the method and its implementation are presented for isoparametric elements. The total and product integrals consist of the sum of an area of domain integral and line integrals on the crack faces. The line integrals vanish only when the crack faces are traction free and the loading is either pure mode 1 or pure mode 2 or a combination of both with only the square-root singular term in the stress field. The EDI method gave accurate values of the J-integrals for two mode I and two mixed mode problems. Numerical studies showed that domains consisting of one layer of elements are sufficient to obtain accurate J-integral values. Two procedures for separating the individual modes from the domain integrals are presented. The procedure that uses the symmetric and antisymmetric components of the stress and displacement fields to calculate the individual modes gave accurate values of the integrals for all problems analyzed. The EDI method when applied to a problem of an interface crack in two different materials showed that the mode 1 and mode 2 components are domain dependent while the total integral is not. This behavior is caused by the presence of the oscillatory part of the singularity in bimaterial crack problems. The EDI method, thus, shows behavior similar to the virtual crack closure method for bimaterial problems.

Distinguishing between Positive and Negative Social Bonding in Problem Drinking among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zullig, Keith J.; Young, Michael; Hussain, Mohammad

2010-01-01

Background: To reduce problem drinking, interventions must be directed toward those factors associated with problem drinking. Purpose: This study examined how perceptions of the role of alcohol related to problem drinking among a convenience sample of 301 college students. Methods: Fifteen items concerned with drinking behavior or perceptions…

Prediction of the Possibility a Right-Turn Driving Behavior at Intersection Leads to an Accident by Detecting Deviation of the Situation from Usual when the Behavior is Observed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Toshinori; Yamada, Keiichi

Deviation of driving behavior from usual could be a sign of human error that increases the risk of traffic accidents. This paper proposes a novel method for predicting the possibility a driving behavior leads to an accident from the information on the driving behavior and the situation. In a previous work, a method of predicting the possibility by detecting the deviation of driving behavior from usual one in that situation has been proposed. In contrast, the method proposed in this paper predicts the possibility by detecting the deviation of the situation from usual one when the behavior is observed. An advantage of the proposed method is the number of the required models is independent of the variety of the situations. The method was applied to a problem of predicting accidents by right-turn driving behavior at an intersection, and the performance of the method was evaluated by experiments on a driving simulator.

Problem and pro-social behavior among Nigerian children with intellectual disability: the implication for developing policy for school based mental health programs

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background School based mental health programs are absent in most educational institutions for intellectually disabled children and adolescents in Nigeria and co-morbid behavioral problems often complicate intellectual disability in children and adolescents receiving special education instructions. Little is known about prevalence and pattern of behavioral problems existing co-morbidly among sub-Saharan African children with intellectual disability. This study assessed the prevalence and pattern of behavioral problems among Nigerian children with intellectual disability and also the associated factors. Method Teachers' rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to screen for behavioral problems among children with intellectual disability in a special education facility in south eastern Nigeria. Socio-demographic questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic information of the children. Results A total of forty four (44) children with intellectual disability were involved in the study. Twenty one (47.7%) of the children were classified as having behavioral problems in the borderline and abnormal categories on total difficulties clinical scale of SDQ using the cut-off point recommended by Goodman. Mild mental retardation as compared to moderate, severe and profound retardation was associated with highest total difficulties mean score. Males were more likely to exhibit conduct and hyperactivity behavioral problems compared to the females. The inter-clinical scales correlations of teachers' rated SDQ in the studied population also showed good internal consistency (Cronbach Alpha = 0.63). Conclusion Significant behavioral problems occur co-morbidly among Nigerian children with intellectual disability receiving special education instructions and this could impact negatively on educational learning and other areas of functioning. There is an urgent need for establishing school-based mental health program and appropriate screening measure in this environment. These would afford early identification of intellectually disabled children with behavioral problems and appropriate referral for clinical evaluation and interventions. The need to focus policy making attention on hidden burden of intellectual disability in sub-Saharan African children is essential. PMID:20465841

Influences of Tobacco Advertising Exposure and Conduct Problems on Smoking Behaviors Among Adolescent Males and Females

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction: Adolescents with conduct problems are more likely to smoke, and tobacco advertising exposure may exacerbate this risk. Males’ excess risk for conduct problems and females’ susceptibility to advertising suggest gender-specific pathways to smoking. We investigated the associations between gender, conduct problems, and lifetime smoking and adolescents’ exposure to tobacco advertising, and we examined prospective relationships with smoking behaviors. Methods: Adolescents completed baseline (2001–2004; n = 541) and 5-year follow-up (2007–2009; n =320) interviews for a family study of smoking risk. Baseline interviews assessed conduct problems and tobacco advertising exposure; smoking behavior was assessed at both timepoints. Generalized linear models analyzed gender differences in the relationship between conduct problems, advertising exposure, and smoking behavior at baseline and longitudinally. Results: At baseline, among males, conduct problems were associated with greater advertising exposure independent of demographics and lifetime smoking. Among females at baseline, conduct problems were associated with greater advertising exposure only among never-smokers after adjusting for demographics. In longitudinal analyses, baseline advertising exposure predicted subsequent smoking initiation (i.e., smoking their first cigarette between baseline and follow-up) for females but not for males. Baseline conduct problems predicted current (i.e., daily or weekly) smoking at follow-up for all adolescents in adjusted models. Conclusions: The findings of this study reinforce that conduct problems are a strong predictor of subsequent current smoking for all adolescents and reveal important differences between adolescent males and females in the relationship between conduct problems, tobacco advertising behavior, and smoking behavior. The findings suggest gender-specific preventive interventions targeting advertising exposure may be warranted. PMID:24590388

Self-reported sleep patterns, sleep problems, and behavioral problems among school children aged 8–11 years

PubMed Central

Hoedlmoser, K.; Kloesch, G.; Wiater, A.; Schabus, M.

2012-01-01

Objectives Investigation of sleep patterns, sleep problems, and behavioral problems in 8- to 11-year-old children. Methods A total of 330 children (age: M=9.52; SD=0.56; range=8–11 years; 47.3% girls) in the 4th grade of elementary school in Salzburg (Austria) completed a self-report questionnaire (80 items) to survey sleep patterns, sleep problems, and behavioral problems. Results Children aged 8–11 years slept approximately 10 h and 13 min on school days (SD=47 min) as well as on weekends (SD=81 min); girls slept significantly longer on weekends than boys. Most common self-reported sleep problems were dryness of the mouth (26.6%), sleep onset delay (21.9%), bedtime resistance (20.3%), and restless legs (19.4%). There was a significant association between watching TV as well as playing computer games prior to sleep with frightful dreams. Daytime sleepiness indicated by difficulty waking up (33.4%) and having a hard time getting out of bed (28.5%) was also very prominent. However, children in Salzburg seemed to be less tired during school (6.6%) or when doing homework (4.8%) compared to other nationalities. Behavioral problems (e.g., emotional symptoms, hyperactivity and inattention, conduct problems, peer problems) and daytime sleepiness were both significantly associated with sleep problems: the more sleep problems reported, the worse behavioral problems and daytime sleepiness were. Moreover, we could show that sharing the bed with a pet was also related to sleep problems. Conclusions Self-reported sleep problems among 8- to 11-year-old children are very common. There is a strong relationship between sleep disorders and behavioral problems. Routine screening and diagnosis as well as treatment of sleep disorders in school children should, therefore, be established in the future. PMID:23162377

Early Fathering as a Predictor of Later Psychosocial Functioning Among Preschool Children with Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Herbert, Sharonne D.; Harvey, Elizabeth A.; Lugo-Candelas, Claudia I.; Breaux, Rosanna P.

2015-01-01

Objective The present study examined the role of early fathering in subsequent trajectories of social emotional and academic functioning of preschool children with behavior problems. Method Participants were 128 preschool-aged children (73 boys, 55 girls) with behavior problems whose biological fathers took part in a longitudinal study. Children were 3 years of age at the beginning of the study and were assessed annually for 3 years. Results Early paternal depressive symptoms predicted many aspects of children’s outcome 3 years later, including externalizing and internalizing problems, social skills deficits, and lower cognitive and academic functioning, and predicted changes in children’s externalizing, internalizing, and social problems across the preschool years. Paternal socioeconomic status (SES) also consistently predicted children’s later functioning across these domains. Furthermore, self-reported paternal attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and laxness, as well as observed frequent commands were associated with later externalizing problems in children. Paternal depressive symptoms and laxness mediated the relation between paternal ADHD symptoms and child functioning. Conclusions Results suggest that aspects of early father functioning play an important role in the psychosocial, cognitive, and academic development of preschool-aged children with behavior problems. PMID:23269560

Combined Patterns of Risk for Problem and Obesogenic Behaviors in Adolescents: A Latent Class Analysis Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleary, Sasha A.

2017-01-01

Background: Several studies have used latent class analyses to explore obesogenic behaviors and substance use in adolescents independently. We explored a variety of health risks jointly to identify distinct patterns of risk behaviors among adolescents. Methods: Latent class models were estimated using Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System…

Measurement Properties of Indirect Assessment Methods for Functional Behavioral Assessment: A Review of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Floyd, Randy G.; Phaneuf, Robin L.; Wilczynski, Susan M.

2005-01-01

Indirect assessment instruments used during functional behavioral assessment, such as rating scales, interviews, and self-report instruments, represent the least intrusive techniques for acquiring information about the function of problem behavior. This article provides criteria for examining the measurement properties of these instruments…

A Review of Functional Analysis Methods Conducted in Public School Classroom Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Blair P.; Weaver, Emily S.; Staubitz, Johanna L.

2016-01-01

The use of functional behavior assessments (FBAs) to address problem behavior in classroom settings has increased as a result of education legislation and long-standing evidence supporting function-based interventions. Although functional analysis remains the standard for identifying behavior--environment functional relations, this component is…

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy with Troubled Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zionts, Paul; Zionts, Laura

1997-01-01

Based on the early work of Albert Ellis, seeks to identify and challenge irrational beliefs that underlie behavior problems. Outlines concepts and methods of Rational Emotive Behavior Theory and describes the application both in counseling and as a mental health curriculum for troubled children and youth. Offers classroom techniques. (RJM)

University Students' Eating Behaviors: An Exploration of Influencers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Linda; Blotnicky, Karen

2016-01-01

Problem: There is evidence that university students have poor eating behaviors that can lead to short and long term negative health effects. Understanding the influences on eating behaviors will aid universities and health agencies in developing effective healthy eating promotion strategies. Purpose and Method: To determine the impact of a range…

Patterns of behavior in online homework for introductory physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fredericks, Colin

Student activity in online homework was obtained from courses in physics in 2003 and 2005. This data was analyzed through a variety of methods, including principal component analysis, Pearson's r correlation, and comparison to performance measures such as detailed exam scores. Through this analysis it was determined which measured homework behaviors were associated with high exam scores and course grades. It was also determined that homework problems requiring analysis can have an impact on certain types of exam problems where traditional homework does not. Suggestions are given for future research and possible use of these methods in other contexts.

Increase in child behavior problems among urban Brazilian 4-year olds: 1993 and 2004 Pelotas birth cohorts

PubMed Central

Matijasevich, Alicia; Murray, Elizabeth; Stein, Alan; Anselmi, Luciana; Menezes, Ana M; Santos, Iná S; Barros, Aluísio JD; Gigante, Denise P; Barros, Fernando C; Victora, Cesar G

2014-01-01

Background There are an increasing number of reports on time trends in child and adolescent psychological problems but none from low- and middle-income countries, and very few covering the preschool period. The aim was to investigate changes in preschool behavioral/emotional problems in two birth cohorts from a middle-income country born 11 years apart. Methods We analyzed data from the 1993 and 2004 Pelotas birth cohort studies from Brazil. A subsample of 4-year olds from the 1993 cohort (634) and all 4-year olds from the 2004 cohort (3750) were assessed for behavioral/emotional problems through maternal report using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Response rates in these two population-based cohorts were above 90%. Results We found a significant increase in CBCL total problems, internalizing and externalizing mean scores over the 11-year period. For 1993 and 2004 Pelotas cohorts, respectively, CBCL mean values (SE) total problems scores were 27.9 (0.8) and 34.7 (0.3); for internalizing scores, 5.7 (0.2) and 6.3 (0.1) and for externalizing scores, 12.4 (0.4) and 15.5 (0.1). After adjusting for confounding variables, the largest increase from 1993 to 2004 was identified in the aggressive behavior syndrome score (Cohen's d = .50), followed by the externalizing problem score (Cohen's d = .40) and CBCL total problem score (Cohen's d = .36), respectively. The rise in child psychological problems was more marked in children from families with fewer assets and with less educated mothers. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence for a substantial increase in preschool behavioral problems among children in Brazil over an 11-year period. PMID:24735354

Do Parenting and the Home Environment, Maternal Depression, Neighborhood, and Chronic Poverty Affect Child Behavioral Problems Differently in Different Racial-Ethnic Groups?

PubMed Central

Pachter, Lee M.; Auinger, Peggy; Palmer, Ray; Weitzman, Michael

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the processes through which parenting practices, maternal depression, neighborhood, and chronic poverty affect child behavioral problems are similar or different in minority and nonminority children in the United States. METHODS Data from 884 white, 538 black, and 404 Latino families with children who were 6 to 9 years of age in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth were analyzed. The outcome, child behavioral problems, was measured using the Behavior Problems Index externalizing and internalizing subscales. The effects of chronic poverty, neighborhood, maternal depression, and parenting on the outcome were analyzed using multigroup structural equation modeling. RESULTS Chronic poverty affected child behavioral problems indirectly through the other variables, and parenting practices had direct effects in each racial/ethnic group. The effects of maternal depression were partially mediated through parenting in the white and Latino samples but were direct and unmediated through parenting practices in the black sample. Neighborhood effects were present in the white and black samples but were not significant for the Latino sample. CONCLUSIONS Chronic poverty, neighborhood, maternal depression, and parenting practices have effects on child behavioral problems in white, black, and Latino children, but the processes and mechanisms through which they exert their effects differ among the groups. The differences may be related to social stratification mechanisms as well as sociocultural differences in family and childrearing practices. PMID:16585331

The Role of Parent Psychopathology in the Development of Preschool Children with Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Breaux, Rosanna P.; Harvey, Elizabeth A.; Lugo-Candelas, Claudia I.

2013-01-01

Objective The present study examined associations between early parental self-reported psychopathology symptoms and the later behavioral, emotional, and social functioning of preschool children with behavior problems. Method Mothers and fathers of preschoolers with behavior problems (N = 132; 55 girls and 77 boys) completed parent psychopathology questionnaires when children were 3 years old and completed measures of children’s externalizing, internalizing, and social problems annually from age 3 to age 6. The sample included 61% European American, 16% Latino (predominantly Puerto Rican), 10% African American, and 13% multi-ethnic children. Results Every dimension of mothers’ and fathers’ psychopathology symptoms when children were 3 years old was associated with their own reports of children’s externalizing and internalizing problems 3 years later. Several dimensions of maternal psychopathology symptoms at age 3 were associated with mother-reported social skills 3 years later. However, the relation between many dimensions of psychopathology symptoms and child outcome appears to be accounted for by co-occurring psychopathology symptoms. Only maternal ADHD and Cluster A symptoms, and paternal ADHD and depression/anxiety symptoms emerged as unique predictors of child functioning. Conclusions These findings suggest that most types of mothers’ and fathers’ self-reported psychopathology symptoms may play a role in the prognosis of behavioral, social, and emotional outcomes of preschoolers with behavior problems, but that co-occurring symptoms need to be considered. PMID:24116918

Young Children's Behavioral Inhibition Mediates the Association between Maternal Negative Affectivity and Internalizing Problems: Observations, Parent-Report, and Moderation of Associations by Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Haolei; Gagne, Jeffrey Robert

2018-01-01

Employing a multi-method approach, we investigated observed and parent-rated child behavioral inhibition (BI) and maternal reports of their own negative affectivity (NA) as predictors of young children's internalizing problems. Participants were 201 children who were siblings between 2.5 and 5.5 years of age (mean = 3.86, standard deviation =…

No Genetic Influence for Childhood Behavior Problems From DNA Analysis

PubMed Central

Trzaskowski, Maciej; Dale, Philip S.; Plomin, Robert

2013-01-01

Objective Twin studies of behavior problems in childhood point to substantial genetic influence. It is now possible to estimate genetic influence using DNA alone in samples of unrelated individuals, not relying on family-based designs such as twins. A linear mixed model, which incorporates DNA microarray data, has confirmed twin results by showing substantial genetic influence for diverse traits in adults. Here we present direct comparisons between twin and DNA heritability estimates for childhood behavior problems as rated by parents, teachers, and children themselves. Method Behavior problem data from 2,500 UK-representative 12-year-old twin pairs were used in twin analyses; DNA analyses were based on 1 member of the twin pair with genotype data for 1.7 million DNA markers. Diverse behavior problems were assessed, including autistic, depressive, and hyperactive symptoms. Genetic influence from DNA was estimated using genome-wide complex trait analysis (GCTA), and the twin estimates of heritability were based on standard twin model fitting. Results Behavior problems in childhood—whether rated by parents, teachers, or children themselves—show no significant genetic influence using GCTA, even though twin study estimates of heritability are substantial in the same sample, and even though both GCTA and twin study estimates of genetic influence are substantial for cognitive and anthropometric traits. Conclusions We suggest that this new type of “missing heritability,” that is, the gap between GCTA and twin study estimates for behavior problems in childhood, is due to nonadditive genetic influence, which will make it more difficult to identify genes responsible for heritability. PMID:24074471

Aggression and Rule-breaking: Heritability and stability of antisocial behavior problems in childhood and adolescence

PubMed Central

Niv, Sharon; Tuvblad, Catherine; Raine, Adrian; Baker, Laura A.

2013-01-01

Purpose This twin study examined the structure of genetic and environmental influences on aggression and rule-breaking in order to examine change and stability across the span of childhood to mid-adolescence. Methods Behavioral assessments were conducted at two time points: age 9–10 years and 14–15 years. Using behavioral genetics biometric modeling, the longitudinal structure of influences was investigated. Results Aggression and rule-breaking were found to be influenced by a latent common factor of antisocial behavior (ASB) within each wave of data collection. The childhood-age common factor of ASB was influenced by 41% genetics, 40% shared environment and 19% nonshared environment. In adolescence, 41% of influences on the common factor were novel and entirely genetic, while the remainder of influences were stable across time. Additionally, both aggression and rule-breaking within each wave were found to have unique influences not common across subscales or across waves, highlighting specificity of influences on different problem behaviors at both ages. Conclusions This research sheds light on the commonality of influences on etiology of different forms of antisocial behavior, and suggests future directions for research into intervention for antisocial behavior problems in youth, such as investigation of adolescence-specific environmental influences on the development of antisocial behavior problems. PMID:24347737

A Comparison of Descriptive and Functional Analyses of Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior.

PubMed

Borrero, Carrie S W; England, Jennie D; Sarcia, Ben; Woods, Julia N

2016-12-01

In recent years, rather than being used to assess the potential function of a response, descriptive assessment methods have been applied to evaluate potential consequences or contingencies for problem behavior (Borrero, Woods, Borrero, Masler, & Lesser in Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43 , 71-88. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2010.43-71, 2010) or to assist with designing baseline conditions to approximate caregiver behavior (Casey et al. in Behavior Modification, 33 , 537-558. doi: 10.1177/0145445509341457, 2009). It has been shown that descriptive assessments of some forms of problem behavior (e.g., self-injury, aggression) are not good indicators of behavioral function and should not be used exclusively when conducting functional behavior assessments (Thompson & Iwata in Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40 , 333-338. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2007.56.06/epdf, 2007). However, the extent to which descriptive assessments of inappropriate mealtime behavior can predict behavioral function is not yet clear. We conducted descriptive assessments of inappropriate mealtime behavior and compared the results to functional analyses for ten children with severe food refusal. Results showed that, for 71 % of participants, the descriptive and functional analyses matched. These results suggest that the correspondence between descriptive and functional analyses, at least for inappropriate mealtime behavior, may be higher than that for other forms of problem behavior.

Students' Problem Solving Approaches for Developing Geologic Models in the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balliet, Russell N.; Riggs, Eric M.; Maltese, Adam V.

2015-01-01

Understanding how geologists conduct fieldwork through analysis of problem solving has significant potential impact on field instruction methods within geology and other science fields. Recent work has highlighted many aspects of fieldwork, but the problem solving behaviors displayed by geologists during fieldwork and the associated cognitive…

Low-cycle fatigue testing methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lieurade, H. P.

1978-01-01

The good design of highly stressed mechanical components requires accurate knowledge of the service behavior of materials. The main methods for solving the problems of designers are: determination of the mechanical properties of the material after cyclic stabilization; plotting of resistance to plastic deformation curves; effect of temperature on the life on low cycle fatigue; and simulation of notched parts behavior.

Is Executive Cognitive Function Associated with Youth Gambling?

PubMed Central

Brodsky, Nancy L.; Brown, Caitlin A.; McKenna, Kathleen A.; Giannetta, Joan M.; Yang, Wei; Romer, Daniel; Hurt, Hallam

2011-01-01

Our objectives for this report were to identify trajectories of youth gambling behavior, and to examine their relation to executive cognitive function (ECF) and associated problem behaviors. Philadelphia school children, enrolled at ages 10–12 years (n = 387; 49% male), completed three annual assessments of risk behaviors, ECF, impulsivity, problem behaviors and demographics. Across ages 10–15 years, using methods from Nagin et al., two groups were identified: Early Gamblers (n = 111) initiated early and continued in later assessments, and Later Gamblers (n = 276) initiated at later ages and gambled less. Betting money on cards and sports were the most frequently reported gambling behaviors. Using gambling group as outcome, final backward selection logistic regression model showed Early Gamblers are more likely male (P = 0.001), report more active coping (P = 0.042), impulsive behaviors (P ≤ 0.008), and have friends who gamble (P = 0.001). Groups were similar in ECF, parental monitoring, marital status, SES, and race. Early Gamblers had higher incidence of problem behaviors and drug use (all P ≤ 0.006). Two gambling groups were identified in early adolescence with Early Gamblers showing higher levels of impulsivity and comorbid problems but similar levels of ECF compared to Late Gamblers. As more gambling groups are identified through later adolescence, ECF may emerge as a relevant precursor of problem gambling at this later time. PMID:21698342

Is executive cognitive function associated with youth gambling?

PubMed

Betancourt, Laura M; Brodsky, Nancy L; Brown, Caitlin A; McKenna, Kathleen A; Giannetta, Joan M; Yang, Wei; Romer, Daniel; Hurt, Hallam

2012-06-01

Our objectives for this report were to identify trajectories of youth gambling behavior, and to examine their relation to executive cognitive function (ECF) and associated problem behaviors. Philadelphia school children, enrolled at ages 10-12 years (n = 387; 49% male), completed three annual assessments of risk behaviors, ECF, impulsivity, problem behaviors and demographics. Across ages 10-15 years, using methods from Nagin et al., two groups were identified: Early Gamblers (n = 111) initiated early and continued in later assessments, and Later Gamblers (n = 276) initiated at later ages and gambled less. Betting money on cards and sports were the most frequently reported gambling behaviors. Using gambling group as outcome, final backward selection logistic regression model showed Early Gamblers are more likely male (P = 0.001), report more active coping (P = 0.042), impulsive behaviors (P ≤ 0.008), and have friends who gamble (P = 0.001). Groups were similar in ECF, parental monitoring, marital status, SES, and race. Early Gamblers had higher incidence of problem behaviors and drug use (all P ≤ 0.006). Two gambling groups were identified in early adolescence with Early Gamblers showing higher levels of impulsivity and comorbid problems but similar levels of ECF compared to Late Gamblers. As more gambling groups are identified through later adolescence, ECF may emerge as a relevant precursor of problem gambling at this later time.

Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies.

PubMed

Podsakoff, Philip M; MacKenzie, Scott B; Lee, Jeong-Yeon; Podsakoff, Nathan P

2003-10-01

Interest in the problem of method biases has a long history in the behavioral sciences. Despite this, a comprehensive summary of the potential sources of method biases and how to control for them does not exist. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine the extent to which method biases influence behavioral research results, identify potential sources of method biases, discuss the cognitive processes through which method biases influence responses to measures, evaluate the many different procedural and statistical techniques that can be used to control method biases, and provide recommendations for how to select appropriate procedural and statistical remedies for different types of research settings.

Treatment Effects of a Primary Care Intervention on Parenting Behaviors: Sometimes It's Relative.

PubMed

Shaffer, Anne; Lindhiem, Oliver; Kolko, David

2017-04-01

The goal of this brief report is to demonstrate the utility of quantifying parental discipline practices as relative frequencies in measuring changes in parenting behavior and relations to child behavior following intervention. We explored comparisons across methodological approaches of assessing parenting behavior via absolute and relative frequencies in measuring improvements in parent-reported disciplinary practices (increases in positive parenting practices in response to child behavior; decreases in inconsistent discipline and use of corporal punishment) and child behavior problems. The current study was conducted as part of a larger clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of a collaborative care intervention for behavior problems, ADHD, and anxiety in pediatric primary care practices (Doctor Office Collaborative Care; DOCC). Participants were 321 parent-child dyads (M child age = 8.00, 65 % male children) from eight pediatric practices that were cluster randomized to DOCC or enhanced usual care (EUC). Parents reported on their own discipline behaviors and child behavior problems. While treatment-related decreases in negative parenting were found using both the absolute and relative frequencies of parenting behaviors, results were different for positive parenting behaviors, which showed decreases when measured as absolute frequencies but increases when measured as relative frequencies. In addition, positive parenting was negatively correlated with child behavior problems when using relative frequencies, but not absolute frequencies, and relative frequencies of positive parenting mediated relations between treatment condition and outcomes. Our findings indicate that the methods used to measure treatment-related change warrant careful consideration.

Comparison of Artificial Compressibility Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiris, Cetin; Housman, Jeffrey; Kwak, Dochan

2004-01-01

Various artificial compressibility methods for calculating the three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are compared. Each method is described and numerical solutions to test problems are conducted. A comparison based on convergence behavior, accuracy, and robustness is given.

Study on monostable and bistable reaction-diffusion equations by iteration of travelling wave maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Taishan; Chen, Yuming

2017-12-01

In this paper, based on the iterative properties of travelling wave maps, we develop a new method to obtain spreading speeds and asymptotic propagation for monostable and bistable reaction-diffusion equations. Precisely, for Dirichlet problems of monostable reaction-diffusion equations on the half line, by making links between travelling wave maps and integral operators associated with the Dirichlet diffusion kernel (the latter is NOT invariant under translation), we obtain some iteration properties of the Dirichlet diffusion and some a priori estimates on nontrivial solutions of Dirichlet problems under travelling wave transformation. We then provide the asymptotic behavior of nontrivial solutions in the space-time region for Dirichlet problems. These enable us to develop a unified method to obtain results on heterogeneous steady states, travelling waves, spreading speeds, and asymptotic spreading behavior for Dirichlet problem of monostable reaction-diffusion equations on R+ as well as of monostable/bistable reaction-diffusion equations on R.

Relations of Positive and Negative Expressivity and Effortful Control to Kindergarteners’ Student-Teacher Relationship, Academic Engagement, and Externalizing Problems at School

PubMed Central

Diaz, Anjolii; Eisenberg, Nancy; Valiente, Carlos; VanSchyndel, Sarah; Spinrad, Tracy L.; Berger, Rebecca; Hernandez, Maciel M.; Silva, Kassondra M.; Southworth, Jody

2015-01-01

The current study examined the role of naturally-occurring negative and positive emotion expressivity in kindergarten and children’s effortful control (EC) on their relationships with teachers, academic engagement, and problems behaviors in school. Further, the potential moderating role of EC on these important school outcomes was assessed. Emotion and engagement were observed at school. EC was assessed by multiple methods. Teachers reported on their student–teacher relationships and student’s externalizing behaviors. Children’s emotion expressivity and EC were related to engagement and relationships with teachers as well as behavioral problems at school. Children low in EC may be particularly vulnerable to the poor outcomes associated with relatively intense emotion expressivity as they struggle to manage their emotions and behaviors in the classroom. PMID:28584388

Implications of different methods for specifying classroom composition of externalizing behavior and its relationship to social–emotional outcomes

PubMed Central

Yudron, Monica; Jones, Stephanie M.; Raver, C. Cybele

2016-01-01

In this paper, we examine common methods for using individual-level data to represent classroom composition by examining exemplary studies that thoughtfully incorporate such measures. Building on these studies, and using data from the Chicago School Readiness Project (CSRP), this paper examines theoretical and analytical implications of a set of different transformations of individual ratings of child externalizing behaviors in order to examine and compare the influence of these representations of classroom composition on Kindergarten internalizing behaviors, social competence, and attention/impulsivity problems. Results indicate that each Kindergarten outcome is influenced by distinct aspects of classroom composition of externalizing behaviors. Kindergarten internalizing behaviors are positively associated with the proportion of children in the Head Start classroom who started with externalizing scores above the 75th percentile regardless of the average value of externalizing behaviors in the classroom. In contrast, Kindergarten social competence is predicted by three aspects of the classroom distribution of externalizing behaviors in the fall of Head Start—the classroom mean, standard deviation, and skew. Finally, Kindergarten attention/impulsivity problems were not associated with any aspect of classroom composition of externalizing behavior examined in this paper. PMID:28275289

The Relations among Maternal Health Status, Parenting Stress, and Child Behavior Problems in Low-Income, Ethnic-Minority Families

PubMed Central

BeLue, Rhonda; Halgunseth, Linda C.; Abiero, Beatrice; Bediako, Phylicia

2015-01-01

Objectives Minimal attention has been given to understanding parenting stress among low-income, ethnically diverse mothers of children with conduct problems. Maternal health and parenting hassles may serve as important risk factors for parenting stress. This study examined whether parenting hassles moderated the relations between maternal physical and mental health and parenting stress in a sample of low-income, ethnically diverse mothers of children with behavioral problems. Methods The sample included 177 low-income Black, Latina, and White mothers of kindergartners with behavior problems. PATH analysis was employed to assess the associations between maternal mental and physical health and parenting stress, as well as the moderating role of parenting hassles in this cross-sectional study. Results After adjusting for covariates, we found that parenting hassles mediates the relationship between social support and parenting stress as well as maternal health and parenting stress. Conclusion Findings suggest that promoting coping resources for daily parenting hassles and supporting the physical and mental health of minority mothers may have important implications for parenting children with high behavior problems. PMID:26863556

Honey Bees Inspired Optimization Method: The Bees Algorithm.

PubMed

Yuce, Baris; Packianather, Michael S; Mastrocinque, Ernesto; Pham, Duc Truong; Lambiase, Alfredo

2013-11-06

Optimization algorithms are search methods where the goal is to find an optimal solution to a problem, in order to satisfy one or more objective functions, possibly subject to a set of constraints. Studies of social animals and social insects have resulted in a number of computational models of swarm intelligence. Within these swarms their collective behavior is usually very complex. The collective behavior of a swarm of social organisms emerges from the behaviors of the individuals of that swarm. Researchers have developed computational optimization methods based on biology such as Genetic Algorithms, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Ant Colony. The aim of this paper is to describe an optimization algorithm called the Bees Algorithm, inspired from the natural foraging behavior of honey bees, to find the optimal solution. The algorithm performs both an exploitative neighborhood search combined with random explorative search. In this paper, after an explanation of the natural foraging behavior of honey bees, the basic Bees Algorithm and its improved versions are described and are implemented in order to optimize several benchmark functions, and the results are compared with those obtained with different optimization algorithms. The results show that the Bees Algorithm offering some advantage over other optimization methods according to the nature of the problem.

Family Counseling Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levant, Ronald F., ed.

1983-01-01

Describes programs for family counseling which use psychological-educational and skills training methods to remediate individual and family problems or enhance family life. The six articles discuss client-centered skills training, behavioral approaches, cognitive behavioral marital therapy, Adlerian parent education, and couple communication. (JAC)

Difficult Temperament Moderates Links between Maternal Responsiveness and Children’s Compliance and Behavior Problems in Low-Income Families

PubMed Central

Kochanska, Grazyna; Kim, Sanghag

2012-01-01

Background Research has shown that interactions between young children’s temperament and the quality of care they receive predict the emergence of positive and negative socioemotional developmental outcomes. This multi-method study addresses such interactions, using observed and mother-rated measures of difficult temperament, children’s committed, self-regulated compliance and externalizing problems, and mothers’ responsiveness in a low-income sample. Methods In 186 30-month-old children, difficult temperament was observed in the laboratory (as poor effortful control and high anger proneness), and rated by mothers. Mothers’ responsiveness was observed in lengthy naturalistic interactions at 30 and 33 months. At 40 months, children’s committed compliance and externalizing behavior problems were assessed using observations and several well-established maternal report instruments. Results Parallel significant interactions between child difficult temperament and maternal responsiveness were found across both observed and mother-rated measures of temperament. For difficult children, responsiveness had a significant effect such that those children were more compliant and had fewer externalizing problems when they received responsive care, but were less compliant and had more behavior problems when they received unresponsive care. For children with easy temperaments, maternal responsiveness and developmental outcomes were unrelated. All significant interactions reflected the diathesis-stress model. There was no evidence of differential susceptibility, perhaps due to the pervasive stress present in the ecology of the studied families. Conclusions Those findings add to the growing body of evidence that for temperamentally difficult children, unresponsive parenting exacerbates risks for behavior problems, but responsive parenting can effectively buffer risks conferred by temperament. PMID:23057713

A Study of the Correlation between Computer Games and Adolescent Behavioral Problems

PubMed Central

Shokouhi-Moqhaddam, Solmaz; Khezri-Moghadam, Noshiravan; Javanmard, Zeinab; Sarmadi-Ansar, Hassan; Aminaee, Mehran; Shokouhi-Moqhaddam, Majid; Zivari-Rahman, Mahmoud

2013-01-01

Background Today, due to developing communicative technologies, computer games and other audio-visual media as social phenomena, are very attractive and have a great effect on children and adolescents. The increasing popularity of these games among children and adolescents results in the public uncertainties about plausible harmful effects of these games. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between computer games and behavioral problems on male guidance school students. Methods This was a descriptive-correlative study on 384 randomly chosen male guidance school students. They were asked to answer the researcher's questionnaire about computer games and Achenbach’s Youth Self-Report (YSR). Findings The Results of this study indicated that there was about 95% direct significant correlation between the amount of playing games among adolescents and anxiety/depression, withdrawn/depression, rule-breaking behaviors, aggression, and social problems. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between the amount of computer game usage and physical complaints, thinking problems, and attention problems. In addition, there was a significant correlation between the students’ place of living and their parents’ job, and using computer games. Conclusion Computer games lead to anxiety, depression, withdrawal, rule-breaking behavior, aggression, and social problems in adolescents. PMID:24494157

Serious physical fighting and gambling-related attitudes and behaviors in adolescents

PubMed Central

Slavin, Melissa; Pilver, Corey E.; Hoff, Rani A.; Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra; Steinberg, Marvin A.; Rugle, Loreen; Potenza, Marc N.

2013-01-01

Background and aims: Physical fighting and gambling are common risk behaviors among adolescents. Prior studies have found associations among these behaviors in adolescents but have not examined systematically the health and gambling correlates of problem-gambling severity amongst youth stratified by fight involvement. Methods: Survey data were used from 2,276 Connecticut high school adolescents regarding their physical fight involvement, gambling behaviors and perceptions, and health and functioning. Gambling perceptions and correlates of problem-gambling severity were examined in fighting and non-fighting adolescents. Results: Gambling perceptions were more permissive and at-risk/problem gambling was more frequent amongst adolescents reporting serious fights versus those denying serious fights. A stronger relationship between problem-gambling severity and regular smoking was observed for adolescents involved in fights. Discussion and conclusions: The more permissive gambling attitudes and heavier gambling associated with serious fights in high school students suggest that youth who engage in physical fights warrant enhanced prevention efforts related to gambling. The stronger relationship between tobacco smoking and problem-gambling severity amongst youth engaging in serious fights suggest that fighting youth who smoke might warrant particular screening for gambling problems and subsequent interventions. PMID:24294502

Management and Elimination of Secondary Student Tardy Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Douglas A.

2013-01-01

This mixed methods study design explored the contributing factors to chronic tardiness, tardy behavior, and the impact on the secondary student. School tardiness is a growing problem and has been on a steady upward trend, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education. Tardiness and tardy behavior are consistently influencing the educational…

Verbal Bullying Changes among Students Following an Educational Intervention Using the Integrated Model for Behavior Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naidoo, Saloshni; Satorius, Benn K.; de Vries, Hein; Taylor, Myra

2016-01-01

Background: Bullying behavior in schools can lead to psychosocial problems. School-based interventions are important in raising student awareness, developing their skills and in planning to reduce bullying behavior. Methods: A randomized controlled trial, using a school-based educational intervention to reduce verbal bullying, was conducted among…

Cutoffs, Norms, and Patterns of Problem Behaviors in Children with an ASD on the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT-Part 3)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojahn, Johannes; Matson, Johnny L.; Mahan, Sara; Fodstad, Jill C.; Knight, Cheryl; Sevin, Jay A.; Sharp, Brenda

2009-01-01

Challenging behaviors are common and persistent in persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Best practices dictate that symptoms of ASD and these co-occurring problems be identified and then treated at the earliest possible age. Having said this, there has been a dearth of available assessment methods to make sure identifications in infants…

Dynamical behavior for the three-dimensional generalized Hasegawa-Mima equations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang Ruifeng; Guo Boling; Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, P.O. Box 8009, Beijing 100088

2007-01-15

The long time behavior of solution of the three-dimensional generalized Hasegawa-Mima [Phys. Fluids 21, 87 (1978)] equations with dissipation term is considered. The global attractor problem of the three-dimensional generalized Hasegawa-Mima equations with periodic boundary condition was studied. Applying the method of uniform a priori estimates, the existence of global attractor of this problem was proven, and also the dimensions of the global attractor are estimated.

Behavioral management in children with intellectual disabilities in a resource-poor setting in Barwani, India

PubMed Central

Lakhan, Ram

2014-01-01

Background: Management of behavioral problems in children with intellectual disabilities (ID) is a great concern in resource-poor areas in India. This study attempted to analyze the efficacy of behavioral intervention provided in resource-poor settings. Objective: This study was aimed to examine the outcome of behavioral management provided to children with ID in a poor rural region in India. Materials and Methods: We analyzed data from 104 children between 3 and 18 years old who received interventions for behavioral problems in a clinical or a community setting. The behavioral assessment scale for Indian children with mental retardation (BASIC-MR) was used to quantify the study subjects’ behavioral problems before and after we applied behavioral management techniques (baseline and post-intervention, respectively). The baseline and post-intervention scores were analyzed using the following statistical techniques: Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test for the efficacy of intervention; χ2 for group differences. Results: The study demonstrated behavioral improvements across all behavior domains (P < 0.05). Levels of improvement varied for children with different severities of ID (P = 0.001), between children who did and did not have multiple disabilities (P = 0.011). Conclusion: The outcome of this behavioral management study suggests that behavioral intervention can be effectively provided to children with ID in poor areas. PMID:24574557

Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Participatory Modeling to Elicit Behavioral Drivers in Environmental Dilemmas: the Case of Air Pollution in Talca, Chile.

PubMed

Meinherz, Franziska; Videira, Nuno

2018-04-10

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the exploration of environmental modeling methods based on the elicitation of stakeholders' mental models. This aim is motivated by the necessity to understand the dilemmas and behavioral rationales of individuals for supporting the management of environmental problems. The methodology developed for this paper integrates qualitative and quantitative methods by deploying focus groups for the elicitation of the behavioral rationales of the target population, and grounded theory to code the information gained in the focus groups and to guide the development of a dynamic simulation model. The approach is applied to a case of urban air pollution caused by residential heating with wood in central Chile. The results show how the households' behavior interrelates with the governmental management strategies and provide valuable and novel insights into potential challenges to the implementation of policies to manage the local air pollution problem. The experience further shows that the developed participatory modeling approach allows to overcome some of the issues currently encountered in the elicitation of individuals' behavioral rationales and in the quantification of qualitative information.

Commentary on: Are we overpathologizing everyday life? A tenable blueprint for behavioral addiction research

PubMed Central

Kardefelt-Winther, Daniel

2015-01-01

Background and Aims This commentary is written in response to a paper by Billieux, Schimmenti, Khazaal, Maurage and Hereen (2015) published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions. Methods It supports and extends the arguments by Billieux, Schimmenti et al. (2015): that the study of behavioral addictions too often rests on atheoretical and confirmatory research approaches. This tends to lead to theories that lack specificity and a neglect of the underlying processes that might explain why repetitive problem behaviors occur. Results In this commentary I extend the arguments by Billieux, Schimmenti et al. (2015) and argue that such research approaches might take us further away from conceptualizing psychiatric diagnoses that can be properly validated, which is already a problem in the field. Furthermore, I discuss whether the empirical support for conceptualizing repetitive problem behaviors as addictions might rest on research practices that have been methodologically biased to produce a result congruent with the proposal that substance addictions and behavioral addictions share similar traits. Conclusions I conclude by presenting a number of ways of going forward, chief of which is the proposal that we might wish to go beyond a priori assumptions of addiction in favor of identifying the essential problem manifestations for each new potential behavioral addiction. PMID:26551896

Malnutrition at Age 3 Years and Externalizing Behavior Problems at Ages 8, 11, and 17 Years

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianghong; Raine, Adrian; Venables, Peter H.; Mednick, Sarnoff A.

2006-01-01

Objective Poor nutrition is thought to predispose to externalizing behavior problems, but to date there appear to have been no prospective longitudinal studies testing this hypothesis. This study assessed whether 1) poor nutrition at age 3 years predisposes to antisocial behavior at ages 8, 11, and 17 years, 2) such relationships are independent of psychosocial adversity, and 3) IQ mediates the relationship between nutrition and externalizing behavior problems. Method The participants were drawn from a birth cohort (N=1,795) in whom signs of malnutrition were assessed at age 3 years, cognitive measures were assessed at ages 3 and 11 years, and antisocial, aggressive, and hyperactive behavior was assessed at ages 8, 11, and 17 years. Results In relation to comparison subjects (N=1,206), the children with malnutrition signs at age 3 years (N=353) were more aggressive or hyperactive at age 8 years, had more externalizing problems at age 11, and had greater conduct disorder and excessive motor activity at age 17. The results were independent of psychosocial adversity and were not moderated by gender. There was a dose-response relationship between degree of malnutrition and degree of externalizing behavior at ages 8 and 17. Low IQ mediated the link between malnutrition and externalizing behavior at ages 8 and 11. Conclusions These results indicate that malnutrition predisposes to neurocognitive deficits, which in turn predispose to persistent externalizing behavior problems throughout childhood and adolescence. The findings suggest that reducing early malnutrition may help reduce later antisocial and aggressive behavior. PMID:15514400

Two Magnets and a Ball Bearing: A Simple Demonstration of the Methods of Images.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poon, W. C. K.

2003-01-01

Investigates the behavior of a bar magnet with a steel ball bearing on one pole as it approaches another bar magnet. Maps the problem onto electrostatics and explains observations based on the behavior of point charges near an isolated, uncharged sphere. Offers a simple demonstration of the method of images in electrostatics. (Author/NB)

An Investigation of Maternal Emotion Socialization Behaviors, Children's Self-Perceptions, and Social Problem-Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozkan, Hurside Kubra; Aksoy, Ayse Belgin

2017-01-01

Purpose: The present study aims to investigate maternal emotion socialization, children's self-perception, and social problem-solving skills. In addition, this study describes the association between the levels of children's self-perception and social problem-solving skills. Research Methods: This is a quantitative study adopting a relational…

Differential geometric methods in system theory.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brockett, R. W.

1971-01-01

Discussion of certain problems in system theory which have been or might be solved using some basic concepts from differential geometry. The problems considered involve differential equations, controllability, optimal control, qualitative behavior, stochastic processes, and bilinear systems. The main goal is to extend the essentials of linear theory to some nonlinear classes of problems.

Epidemiology of Attention Problems among Turkish Children and Adolescents: A National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erol, Nese; Simsek, Zeynep; Oner, Ozgur; Munir, Kerim

2008-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the epidemiology of attention problems using parent, teacher, and youth informants among a nationally representative Turkish sample. Method: The children and adolescents, 4 to 18 years old, were selected from a random household survey. Attention problems derived from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (N = 4,488), Teacher…

Mental health problems of Iranian female adolescents and its association with pubertal development: a nationwide study.

PubMed

Rabbani, Ali; Mahmoudi-Gharaei, Javad; Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Motlagh, Mohammad Esmaeil; Mohammad, Kazem; Ardalan, Gelayol; Maftoon, Farzaneh; Shahryari, Safiyeh; Khodaei, Shahnaz; Sotoudeh, Aria; Ziaaldini, Hassan; Kamali, Kobra; Motaghian, Molouk

2012-01-01

Mental health problems including emotional and behavioral problems during puberty may be under influence of different risk factors including cultures, living in urban or rural areas and ethnic factors which may vary between different countries. The main aim of this study is to investigate the profile of emotional and behavioral problems and the role of factors such as age, stage of puberty, ethnicity, rurality and living in urban area, as risk factors in Iranian girls. As a part of a large national study we evaluated the emotional and behavioral problems in different stages of puberty in a community sample of Iranian adolescent girls from public schools that were selected by clustered random sampling method. In all subjects, demographic characteristics, and pubertal stages were measured. Emotional and behavioral problems were evaluated using Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The associations of age, pubertal development indices, socioeconomic and demographic factors with the behavioral problems were assessed. A total number of 4576 students enrolled the study and responded to the questions. The mean age of participants was 13.83 ± 2.19 years. The mean total score of difficulties in participants was 14.34 ± 5.81. According to these results 813 (17.8%) adolescents had total problem scores higher than Goodman's cutoff points and the most frequent problem domain was conduct problems (20.5%). According to the results the most related variable with the total difficulty score of SDQ were ethnicity, residency in urban areas and development of menstrual cycle respectively. The results of this study showed that the most correlated factors with mental health problems in Iranian girls during puberty are ethnicity, urbanity and development of menstrual cycle.

A robust component mode synthesis method for stochastic damped vibroacoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Quang Hung; Ouisse, Morvan; Bouhaddi, Noureddine

2010-01-01

In order to reduce vibrations or sound levels in industrial vibroacoustic problems, the low-cost and efficient way consists in introducing visco- and poro-elastic materials either on the structure or on cavity walls. Depending on the frequency range of interest, several numerical approaches can be used to estimate the behavior of the coupled problem. In the context of low frequency applications related to acoustic cavities with surrounding vibrating structures, the finite elements method (FEM) is one of the most efficient techniques. Nevertheless, industrial problems lead to large FE models which are time-consuming in updating or optimization processes. A classical way to reduce calculation time is the component mode synthesis (CMS) method, whose classical formulation is not always efficient to predict dynamical behavior of structures including visco-elastic and/or poro-elastic patches. Then, to ensure an efficient prediction, the fluid and structural bases used for the model reduction need to be updated as a result of changes in a parametric optimization procedure. For complex models, this leads to prohibitive numerical costs in the optimization phase or for management and propagation of uncertainties in the stochastic vibroacoustic problem. In this paper, the formulation of an alternative CMS method is proposed and compared to classical ( u, p) CMS method: the Ritz basis is completed with static residuals associated to visco-elastic and poro-elastic behaviors. This basis is also enriched by the static response of residual forces due to structural modifications, resulting in a so-called robust basis, also adapted to Monte Carlo simulations for uncertainties propagation using reduced models.

The Role of Infant Sleep in Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma

PubMed Central

Hairston, Ilana S.; Waxler, Ellen; Seng, Julia S.; Fezzey, Amanda G.; Rosenblum, Katherine L.; Muzik, Maria

2011-01-01

Introduction: Children of parents who experienced trauma often present emotional and behavioral problems, a phenomenon named inter-generational transmission of trauma (IGTT). Combined with antenatal factors, parenting and the home environment contribute to the development and maintenance of sleep problems in children. In turn, infant sleep difficulty predicts behavioral and emotional problems later in life. The aim of this study was to investigate whether infant sleep problems predict early behavioral problems indicative of IGTT. Methods: 184 first-time mothers (ages 18–47) participated. N = 83 had a history of childhood abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD+); 38 women reported childhood abuse but did not meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD (PTSD−); and the control group (N = 63) had neither a history of abuse nor psychopathology (CON). Depression, anxiety, and sleep difficulty were assessed in the mothers at 4 months postpartum. Infant sleep was assessed using the Child Behavior Sleep Questionnaire (CSHQ). Outcome measures included the Parent Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) at 4 months and the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL) at 18 months. Results: Infants of PTSD+ mothers scored higher on the CSHQ and had more separation anxiety around bedtime than PTSD− and CON, and the severity of their symptoms was correlated with the degree of sleep disturbance. Maternal postpartum depression symptoms mediated impaired mother-infant bonding, while infant sleep disturbance contributed independently to impaired bonding. Mother-infant bonding at 4 months predicted more behavioral problems at 18 months. Conclusions: Infant sleep difficulties and maternal mood play independent roles in infant-mother bonding disturbance, which in turn predicts behavioral problems at 18 months. Citation: Hairston IS; Waxler E; Seng JS; Fezzey AG; Rosenblum KL; Muzik M. The role of infant sleep in intergenerational transmission of trauma. SLEEP 2011;34(10):1373-1383. PMID:21966069

Analysis of Braking Behavior of Train Drivers to Detect Unusual Driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marumo, Yoshitaka; Tsunashima, Hitoshi; Kojima, Takashi; Hasegawa, Yasushi

The safety devices for train systems are activated in emergency situations when a risk becomes obvious, and the emergency brake is applied. If such systems are faulty, the drivers' operating errors may cause immediate accidents. So it is necessary to evaluate potential risks by detecting improper driving behavior before overt risks appear. This study analyzes the driving behavior of train drivers using a train-driving simulator. We focus on braking behavior when approaching a station. Two methods for detecting unusual braking operation are examined by giving drivers mental calculation problems as a mental workload. The first is a method monitoring the driver's brake handle operation, and the second is a method measuring vehicle deceleration. These methods make it possible to detect unusual driving.

A method for identifying satiation versus extinction effects under noncontingent reinforcement schedules.

PubMed

Kahng, S W; Iwata, B A; Thompson, R H; Hanley, G P

2000-01-01

We evaluated one method for determining whether response suppression under noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) is a function of satiation or extinction. Three individuals with developmental disabilities who engaged in self-injurious behavior (SIB) or aggression participated. Results of functional analyses indicated that their problem behavior was maintained by social-positive reinforcement. NCR procedures, individualized for each participant, were implemented in a multiple baseline across subjects design and were associated with decreases in all participants' problem behavior. Identification of the mechanism by which NCR produced these effects was based on examination of cumulative records showing response patterns during and immediately following each NCR session. Satiation during NCR should lead to a temporary increase in responding during the post-NCR (extinction) period due to a transition from the availability to the unavailability of reinforcement (satiation to deprivation). Alternatively, extinction during NCR should reveal no increase in responding during the extinction period because the contingency for the problem behavior would remain unchanged and the transition from satiation to deprivation conditions would be irrelevant. Results suggested that the operative mechanisms of NCR were idiosyncratic across the 3 participants and appeared to change during treatment for 1 of the participants.

Problem Behavior, Victimization, and Soda Intake in High School Students

PubMed Central

Park, Sohyun; Blanck, Heidi M.; Sherry, Bettylou; Foti, Kathryn

2015-01-01

Objective To examine associations of problem behaviors and victimization with nondiet soda intake among a national sample of 16,188 US high school students. Methods We used the 2009 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The outcome measure was daily nondiet soda intake. Results Smoking, having any sex partners, not always wearing a seat belt, being bullied/threatened/injured on school property, and being physically hurt by their boyfriend/girlfriend were significantly associated with daily nondiet soda intake after adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and weight status. Conclusions Our findings suggest a need to examine why nondiet soda intake is associated with these behaviors to understand potential mechanisms. PMID:23985188

Psychosocial Treatment Efficacy for Disruptive Behavior Problems in Very Young Children: A Meta-Analytic Examination

PubMed Central

Comer, Jonathan S.; Chow, Candice; Chan, Priscilla T.; Cooper-Vince, Christine; Wilson, Lianna A.S.

2012-01-01

Objective Service use trends showing increased off-label prescribing in very young children and reduced psychotherapy use raise concerns about quality of care for early disruptive behavior problems. Meta-analysis can empirically clarify best practices and guide clinical decision making by providing a quantitative synthesis of a body of literature, identifying the magnitude of overall effects across studies, and determining systematic factors associated with effect variations. Method We used random-effects meta-analytic procedures to empirically evaluate the overall effect of psychosocial treatments on early disruptive behavior problems, as well as potential moderators of treatment response. Thirty-six controlled trials, evaluating 3,042 children, met selection criteria (mean sample age, 4.7 years; 72.0% male; 33.1% minority youth). Results Psychosocial treatments collectively demonstrated a large and sustained effect on early disruptive behavior problems (Hedges’ g = 0.82), with the largest effects associated with behavioral treatments (Hedges’ g = 0.88), samples with higher proportions of older and male youth, and comparisons against treatment as usual (Hedges’ g = 1.17). Across trials, effects were largest for general externalizing problems (Hedges’ g =0.90) and problems of oppositionality and noncompliance (Hedges’ g = 0.76), and were weakest, relatively speaking, for problems of impulsivity and hyperactivity (Hedges’ g = 0.61). Conclusions In the absence of controlled trials evaluating psychotropic interventions, findings provide robust quantitative support that psychosocial treatments should constitute first-line treatment for early disruptive behavior problems. Against a backdrop of concerning trends in the availability and use of supported interventions, findings underscore the urgency of improving dissemination efforts for supported psychosocial treatment options, and removing systematic barriers to psychosocial care for affected youth. PMID:23265631

Co-occurring substance-related and behavioral addiction problems: A person-centered, lay epidemiology approach.

PubMed

Konkolÿ Thege, Barna; Hodgins, David C; Wild, T Cameron

2016-12-01

Background and aims The aims of this study were (a) to describe the prevalence of single versus multiple addiction problems in a large representative sample and (b) to identify distinct subgroups of people experiencing substance-related and behavioral addiction problems. Methods A random sample of 6,000 respondents from Alberta, Canada, completed survey items assessing self-attributed problems experienced in the past year with four substances (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and cocaine) and six behaviors (gambling, eating, shopping, sex, video gaming, and work). Hierarchical cluster analyses were used to classify patterns of co-occurring addiction problems on an analytic subsample of 2,728 respondents (1,696 women and 1032 men; M age  = 45.1 years, SD age  = 13.5 years) who reported problems with one or more of the addictive behaviors in the previous year. Results In the total sample, 49.2% of the respondents reported zero, 29.8% reported one, 13.1% reported two, and 7.9% reported three or more addiction problems in the previous year. Cluster-analytic results suggested a 7-group solution. Members of most clusters were characterized by multiple addiction problems; the average number of past year addictive behaviors in cluster members ranged between 1 (Cluster II: excessive eating only) and 2.5 (Cluster VII: excessive video game playing with the frequent co-occurrence of smoking, excessive eating and work). Discussion and conclusions Our findings replicate previous results indicating that about half of the adult population struggles with at least one excessive behavior in a given year; however, our analyses revealed a higher number of co-occurring addiction clusters than typically found in previous studies.

Co-occurring substance-related and behavioral addiction problems: A person-centered, lay epidemiology approach

PubMed Central

Konkolÿ Thege, Barna; Hodgins, David C.; Wild, T. Cameron

2016-01-01

Background and aims The aims of this study were (a) to describe the prevalence of single versus multiple addiction problems in a large representative sample and (b) to identify distinct subgroups of people experiencing substance-related and behavioral addiction problems. Methods A random sample of 6,000 respondents from Alberta, Canada, completed survey items assessing self-attributed problems experienced in the past year with four substances (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and cocaine) and six behaviors (gambling, eating, shopping, sex, video gaming, and work). Hierarchical cluster analyses were used to classify patterns of co-occurring addiction problems on an analytic subsample of 2,728 respondents (1,696 women and 1032 men; Mage = 45.1 years, SDage = 13.5 years) who reported problems with one or more of the addictive behaviors in the previous year. Results In the total sample, 49.2% of the respondents reported zero, 29.8% reported one, 13.1% reported two, and 7.9% reported three or more addiction problems in the previous year. Cluster-analytic results suggested a 7-group solution. Members of most clusters were characterized by multiple addiction problems; the average number of past year addictive behaviors in cluster members ranged between 1 (Cluster II: excessive eating only) and 2.5 (Cluster VII: excessive video game playing with the frequent co-occurrence of smoking, excessive eating and work). Discussion and conclusions Our findings replicate previous results indicating that about half of the adult population struggles with at least one excessive behavior in a given year; however, our analyses revealed a higher number of co-occurring addiction clusters than typically found in previous studies. PMID:27829288

Parenting of Men with Co-Occurring Intimate Partner Violence and Substance Abuse

PubMed Central

Stover, Carla Smith; Easton, Caroline; McMahon, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

Objective No studies to date have compared parenting behaviors of men with co-occurring intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance abuse (SA) with community controls. This study was designed to document mediators of differences in parenting behavior of fathers and the emotional-behavioral problems of their children for men with co-occurring SA and IPV. Method The self-reported parenting (negative, positive and co-parenting behaviors) and the child emotional-behavioral problems of 43 fathers with children aged 2 to 6 years with a recent history of SA + IPV were compared to a sample of 43 community control fathers with the same socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Fathers completed measures on their parenting behavior with a target child, co-parenting behavior with the child’s mother, emotion regulation, romantic attachment, psychiatric symptoms, and the behavior of the target child. Results Men with co-occurring SA + IPV had significantly less positive co-parenting and more negative parenting behaviors than community control fathers. Negative parenting and co-parenting were mediated by the fathers’ avoidant attachment problems. SA + IPV fathers also reported more emotional and behavioral problems in their children. These poor child outcome differences between groups were mediated by the negative parenting behaviors of the fathers. Conclusions These results suggest areas of potential focus in interventions with fathers who have co-occurring SA + IPV issues. Focus on attachment difficulties with his co-parent, which may include affect regulation, coping with emotions, and communication skills training related to co-parenting, may yield significant changes in parenting behaviors and ultimately child functioning. PMID:23422845

Health Risk Behaviors and Mental Health Problems as Mediators of the Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Adult Health

PubMed Central

Walker, John R.; Naimark, Barbara

2009-01-01

Objectives. We examined the relationship between childhood abuse and adult health risk behaviors, and we explored whether adult health risk behaviors or mental health problems mediated the relationship between childhood abuse and adult health problems and health care utilization. Methods. We used logistic regression to analyze data from the Mental Health Supplement of the Ontario Health Survey, a representative population sample (N = 8116) of respondents aged 15 to 64 years. Results. We found relationships between childhood sexual abuse and smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16, 1.99), alcohol problems (OR = 2.44; 95% CI = 1.74, 3.44), obesity (OR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.14, 2.27), having more than 1 sexual partner in the previous year (OR = 2.34; 95% CI = 1.44, 3.80), and mental health problems (OR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.78. 2.87). We also found relationships between these factors (with the exception of obesity) and childhood physical abuse. Mediation analysis suggested that health risk behaviors and particularly mental health problems are partial mediators of the relationship between childhood abuse and adult health. Conclusions. Public health approaches that aim to decrease child abuse by supporting positive parent–child relationships, reducing the development of health risk behaviors, and addressing children's mental health are likely to improve long-term population health. PMID:18703446

Proceedings of the Conference on Environmental Toxicology (11th), 18-20 November 1980, Dayton, OH

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

here to enrich your own understanding, to infuse new ideas and, I believe, ultimately to develop practical solutions to the problem of ensuring human...behavioral batteries evaluate the development of various reflexes and complex behaviors and usually include time of appearance of developmental landmarks...that there has been tremendous effort expended in the development of research methods for use with rats. I also see a number of problems and I’m

The assessment of recalled parental rearing behavior and its relationship to life satisfaction and interpersonal problems: a general population study

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Parental rearing behavior is a significant etiological factor for the vulnerability of psychopathology and has been an issue of clinical research for a long time. For this scope instruments are important who asses economically recalled parental rearing behavior in a clinical practice. Therefore, a short German instrument for the assessment of the recalled parental rearing behavior Fragebogen zum erinnerten elterlichen Erziehungsverhalten (FEE) was psychometrically evaluated [Recalled Parental Rearing Behavior]. Methods This questionnaire was evaluated in a representative population sample (N = 2.948) in Germany which included 44.2% male and 55.8% female persons with a mean age of M = 47.35 (SD = 17.10, range = 18–92). For the content evaluation of the FEE the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (FLZ) and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) was filled out by the participants. Results The FEE scales yielded a good to satisfactory internal consistency and split-half reliability. Its three factors (rejection/punishment, emotional warmth, control/overprotection) correlated positively with most of the areas of life satisfaction. Furthermore, positive associations between interpersonal problems and parental rejection and control could be identified. Conclusion The FEE is a short, reliable and valid instrument that can be applied in the clinical practice. In addition, the data proved an association between recalled parental rearing behavior, life satisfaction and interpersonal problems conform to the literature. Finally, specific problems with the retrospective assessment of parental rearing behavior were addressed as well. PMID:19267894

Generating Phenotypical Erroneous Human Behavior to Evaluate Human-automation Interaction Using Model Checking

PubMed Central

Bolton, Matthew L.; Bass, Ellen J.; Siminiceanu, Radu I.

2012-01-01

Breakdowns in complex systems often occur as a result of system elements interacting in unanticipated ways. In systems with human operators, human-automation interaction associated with both normative and erroneous human behavior can contribute to such failures. Model-driven design and analysis techniques provide engineers with formal methods tools and techniques capable of evaluating how human behavior can contribute to system failures. This paper presents a novel method for automatically generating task analytic models encompassing both normative and erroneous human behavior from normative task models. The generated erroneous behavior is capable of replicating Hollnagel’s zero-order phenotypes of erroneous action for omissions, jumps, repetitions, and intrusions. Multiple phenotypical acts can occur in sequence, thus allowing for the generation of higher order phenotypes. The task behavior model pattern capable of generating erroneous behavior can be integrated into a formal system model so that system safety properties can be formally verified with a model checker. This allows analysts to prove that a human-automation interactive system (as represented by the model) will or will not satisfy safety properties with both normative and generated erroneous human behavior. We present benchmarks related to the size of the statespace and verification time of models to show how the erroneous human behavior generation process scales. We demonstrate the method with a case study: the operation of a radiation therapy machine. A potential problem resulting from a generated erroneous human action is discovered. A design intervention is presented which prevents this problem from occurring. We discuss how our method could be used to evaluate larger applications and recommend future paths of development. PMID:23105914

Sexual Behaviors of College Freshmen and the Need for University-Based Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyatt, Tammy; Oswalt, Sara

2014-01-01

Problem: College life offers several challenges for students, particularly freshmen who often find themselves in an unsupervised environment with multiple opportunities to engage in a variety of risk behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the sexual behaviors of college freshmen enrolled at a U.S. Hispanic Serving Institution. Method:…

Iterative repair for scheduling and rescheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zweben, Monte; Davis, Eugene; Deale, Michael

1991-01-01

An iterative repair search method is described called constraint based simulated annealing. Simulated annealing is a hill climbing search technique capable of escaping local minima. The utility of the constraint based framework is shown by comparing search performance with and without the constraint framework on a suite of randomly generated problems. Results are also shown of applying the technique to the NASA Space Shuttle ground processing problem. These experiments show that the search methods scales to complex, real world problems and reflects interesting anytime behavior.

Indoor Tanning and Problem Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagdasarov, Zhanna; Banerjee, Smita; Greene, Kathryn; Campo, Shelly

2008-01-01

Objective: The authors examined factors predicting college students' use of tanning beds. Participants and Methods: Undergraduate students (N = 745) at a large Northeastern university participated in the study by answering a survey measuring tanning behavior and other psychosocial variables, including sensation seeking, self-esteem, tanning image…

Validity and reliability of the Behavior Problems Inventory, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist, and the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised among infants and toddlers at risk for intellectual or developmental disabilities: a multi-method assessment approach.

PubMed

Rojahn, Johannes; Schroeder, Stephen R; Mayo-Ortega, Liliana; Oyama-Ganiko, Rosao; LeBlanc, Judith; Marquis, Janet; Berke, Elizabeth

2013-05-01

Reliable and valid assessment of aberrant behaviors is essential in empirically verifying prevention and intervention for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). Few instruments exist which assess behavior problems in infants. The current longitudinal study examined the performance of three behavior-rating scales for individuals with IDD that have been proven psychometrically sound in older populations: the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01), and the Repetitive Behavior Scale - Revised (RBS-R). Data were analyzed for 180 between six and 36 months old children at risk for IDD. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α) across the subscales of the three instruments was variable. Test-retest reliability of the three BPI-01 subscales ranged from .68 to .77 for frequency ratings and from .65 to .80 for severity ratings (intraclass correlation coefficients). Using a multitrait-multimethod matrix approach high levels of convergent and discriminant validity across the three instruments was found. As anticipated, there was considerable overlap in the information produced by the three instruments; however, each behavior-rating instrument also contributed unique information. Our findings support using all three scales in conjunction if possible. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Study of Intelligent Vehicle Navigation Path Based on Behavior Coordination of Particle Swarm.

PubMed

Han, Gaining; Fu, Weiping; Wang, Wen

2016-01-01

In the behavior dynamics model, behavior competition leads to the shock problem of the intelligent vehicle navigation path, because of the simultaneous occurrence of the time-variant target behavior and obstacle avoidance behavior. Considering the safety and real-time of intelligent vehicle, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is proposed to solve these problems for the optimization of weight coefficients of the heading angle and the path velocity. Firstly, according to the behavior dynamics model, the fitness function is defined concerning the intelligent vehicle driving characteristics, the distance between intelligent vehicle and obstacle, and distance of intelligent vehicle and target. Secondly, behavior coordination parameters that minimize the fitness function are obtained by particle swarm optimization algorithms. Finally, the simulation results show that the optimization method and its fitness function can improve the perturbations of the vehicle planning path and real-time and reliability.

The Study of Intelligent Vehicle Navigation Path Based on Behavior Coordination of Particle Swarm

PubMed Central

Han, Gaining; Fu, Weiping; Wang, Wen

2016-01-01

In the behavior dynamics model, behavior competition leads to the shock problem of the intelligent vehicle navigation path, because of the simultaneous occurrence of the time-variant target behavior and obstacle avoidance behavior. Considering the safety and real-time of intelligent vehicle, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is proposed to solve these problems for the optimization of weight coefficients of the heading angle and the path velocity. Firstly, according to the behavior dynamics model, the fitness function is defined concerning the intelligent vehicle driving characteristics, the distance between intelligent vehicle and obstacle, and distance of intelligent vehicle and target. Secondly, behavior coordination parameters that minimize the fitness function are obtained by particle swarm optimization algorithms. Finally, the simulation results show that the optimization method and its fitness function can improve the perturbations of the vehicle planning path and real-time and reliability. PMID:26880881

Crowd motion segmentation and behavior recognition fusing streak flow and collectiveness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Mingliang; Jiang, Jun; Shen, Jin; Zou, Guofeng; Fu, Guixia

2018-04-01

Crowd motion segmentation and crowd behavior recognition are two hot issues in computer vision. A number of methods have been proposed to tackle these two problems. Among the methods, flow dynamics is utilized to model the crowd motion, with little consideration of collective property. Moreover, the traditional crowd behavior recognition methods treat the local feature and dynamic feature separately and overlook the interconnection of topological and dynamical heterogeneity in complex crowd processes. A crowd motion segmentation method and a crowd behavior recognition method are proposed based on streak flow and crowd collectiveness. The streak flow is adopted to reveal the dynamical property of crowd motion, and the collectiveness is incorporated to reveal the structure property. Experimental results show that the proposed methods improve the crowd motion segmentation accuracy and the crowd recognition rates compared with the state-of-the-art methods.

Beyond Assertiveness Training: A Problem-Solving Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Nancy A.

1979-01-01

Assertiveness training models show shortcomings in those situations where assertiveness results in stalemates or conflicts, or both. Deadlocks may occur when antagonists demonstrate appropriate assertive behavior. Conflict management using problem-solving skills allows individuals to learn appropriate methods of dealing with conflictual or…

Pre-Service Teacher Scientific Behavior: Comparative Study of Paired Science Project Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulunuz, Mizrap; Tapan Broutin, Menekse Seden; Bulunuz, Nermin

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: University students usually lack the skills to rigorously define a multi-dimensional real-life problem and its limitations in an explicit, clear and testable way, which prevents them from forming a reliable method, obtaining relevant results and making balanced judgments to solve a problem. Purpose of the Study: The study…

A Randomized Trial of Brief Interventions for Problem and Pathological Gamblers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petry, Nancy M.; Weinstock, Jeremiah; Ledgerwood, David M.; Morasco, Benjamin

2008-01-01

Limited research exists regarding methods for reducing problem gambling. Problem gamblers (N = 180) were randomly assigned to assessment only control, 10 min of brief advice, 1 session of motivational enhancement therapy (MET), or 1 session of MET plus 3 sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Gambling was assessed at baseline, at 6 weeks, and…

Linking Executive Function and Peer Problems from Early Childhood Through Middle Adolescence.

PubMed

Holmes, Christopher J; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen; Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2016-01-01

Peer interactions and executive function play central roles in the development of healthy children, as peer problems have been indicative of lower cognitive competencies such as self-regulatory behavior and poor executive function has been indicative of problem behaviors and social dysfunction. However, few studies have focused on the relation between peer interactions and executive function and the underlying mechanisms that may create this link. Using a national sample (n = 1164, 48.6% female) from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD), we analyzed executive function and peer problems (including victimization and rejection) across three waves within each domain (executive function or peer problems), beginning in early childhood and ending in middle adolescence. Executive function was measured as a multi-method, multi-informant composite including reports from parents on the Children's Behavior Questionnaire and Child Behavior Checklist and child's performance on behavioral tasks including the Continuous Performance Task, Woodcock-Johnson, Tower of Hanoi, Operation Span Task, Stroop, and Tower of London. Peer problems were measured as a multi-informant composite including self, teacher, and afterschool caregiver reports on multiple peer-relationship scales. Using a cross-lagged design, our Structural Equation Modeling findings suggested that experiencing peer problems contributed to lower executive function later in childhood and better executive function reduced the likelihood of experiencing peer problems later in childhood and middle adolescence, although these relations weakened as a child moves into adolescence. The results highlight that peer relationships are involved in the development of strengths and deficits in executive function and vice versa.

Linking Executive Function and Peer Problems from Early Childhood through Middle Adolescence

PubMed Central

Holmes, Christopher J.; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen; Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2015-01-01

Peer interactions and executive function play central roles in the development of healthy children, as peer problems have been indicative of lower cognitive competencies such as self-regulatory behavior and poor executive function has been indicative of problem behaviors and social dysfunction. However, few studies have focused on the relation between peer interactions and executive function and the underlying mechanisms that may create this link. Using a national sample (n = 1,164, 48.6% female) from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD), we analyzed executive function and peer problems (including victimization and rejection) across three waves within each domain (executive function or peer problems), beginning in early childhood and ending in middle adolescence. Executive function was measured as a multi-method, multi-informant composite including reports from parents on the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire and Child Behavior Checklist and child’s performance on behavioral tasks including the Continuous Performance Task, Woodcock-Johnson, Tower of Hanoi, Operation Span Task, Stroop, and Tower of London. Peer problems were measured as a multi-informant composite including self, teacher, and after school caregiver reports on multiple peer-relationship scales. Using a cross-lagged design, our Structural Equation Modeling findings suggested that experiencing peer problems contributed to lower executive function later in childhood and better executive function reduced the likelihood of experiencing peer problems later in childhood and middle adolescence, although these relations weakened as a child moves into adolescence. The results highlight that peer relationships are involved in the development of strengths and deficits in executive function and vice versa. PMID:26096194

Relative Contributions of Three Descriptive Methods: Implications for Behavioral Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pence, Sacha T.; Roscoe, Eileen M.; Bourret, Jason C.; Ahearn, William H.

2009-01-01

This study compared the outcomes of three descriptive analysis methods--the ABC method, the conditional probability method, and the conditional and background probability method--to each other and to the results obtained from functional analyses. Six individuals who had been diagnosed with developmental delays and exhibited problem behavior…

Cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnotic relaxation to treat sleep problems in an adolescent with diabetes.

PubMed

Perfect, Michelle M; Elkins, Gary R

2010-11-01

Inadequate sleep among adolescents frequently contributes to obesity and reduced academic performance, along with symptoms of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and attention deficits. The etiological bases of sleep quality has been associated with both stress and sleep habits. These problems tend to be especially important for adolescents with diabetes as the effects of poor sleep complicate health outcomes. This case example concerns a 14-year-old adolescent girl with a history of type I diabetes and stress-related sleep difficulties. Treatment included cognitive-behavioral methods and hypnotic relaxation therapy. Results of this case example and other controlled research suggest that hypnotic relaxation therapy is well accepted, results in good compliance, and serves as a useful adjunctive to cognitive-behavioral intervention for sleep problems. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prenatal drug exposure, behavioral problems and drug experimentation among African American urban adolescents

PubMed Central

Wang, Yan; Buckingham-Howes, Stacy; Nair, Prasanna; Zhu, Shijun; Magder, Larry; Black, Maureen M.

2014-01-01

Purpose To examine how prenatal heroin/cocaine exposure (PDE) and behavioral problems relate to adolescent drug experimentation. Methods The sample included African American adolescents (mean age=14.2 yr, SD=1.2) with PDE (n=73) and a non-exposed community comparison (n=61). PDE status was determined at delivery through toxicology analysis and maternal-report. Internalizing/externalizing problems were assessed during adolescence with the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition. Drug experimentation was assessed by adolescent-report and urine analysis. Logistic regression evaluated the likelihood of drug experimentation related to PDE and behavioral problems, adjusting for age, gender, prenatal tobacco/alcohol exposure, perceived peer drug use and caregiver drug use. Interaction terms examined gender modification. Results 67 (50%) used drugs. 25 (19%) used tobacco/alcohol only and 42 (31%) used marijuana/illegal drugs. 94 (70%) perceived peer drug use. PDE significantly increased the risk of tobacco/alcohol experimentation (OR=3.07, 95% CI: 1.09–8.66, p=0.034), but not after covariate adjustment (aOR=1.31, 95% CI: 0.39–4.36, p>0.05). PDE was not related to overall or marijuana/illegal drug experimentation. The likelihood of overall drug experimentation was doubled per Standard Deviation (SD) increase in externalizing problems (aOR=2.28, 95% CI: 1.33–3.91, p=0.003) and, among girls, 2.82 times greater (aOR=2.82, 95% CI: 1.34–5.94, p=0.006) per SD increase in internalizing problems. Age and perceived peer drug use were significant covariates. Conclusions Drug experimentation was relatively common (50%), especially in the context of externalizing problems, internalizing problems (girls only), age, and perceived peer drug use. Findings support Problem Behavior Theory and suggest that adolescent drug prevention address behavioral problems and promote prosocial peer groups. PMID:24768161

The risks for late adolescence of early adolescent marijuana use.

PubMed Central

Brook, J S; Balka, E B; Whiteman, M

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the relation of early adolescent marijuana use to late adolescent problem behaviors, drug-related attitudes, drug problems, and sibling and peer problem behavior. METHODS: African American (n = 627) and Puerto Rican (n = 555) youths completed questionnaires in their classrooms initially and were individually interviewed 5 years later. Logistic regression analysis estimated increases in the risk of behaviors or attitudes in late adolescence associated with more frequent marijuana use in early adolescence. RESULTS: Early adolescent marijuana use increased the risk in late adolescence of not graduating from high school; delinquency; having multiple sexual partners; not always using condoms; perceiving drugs as not harmful; having problems with cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana; and having more friends who exhibit deviant behavior. These relations were maintained with controls for age, sex, ethnicity, and, when available, earlier psychosocial measures. CONCLUSIONS: Early adolescent marijuana use is related to later adolescent problems that limit the acquisition of skills necessary for employment and heighten the risks of contracting HIV and abusing legal and illegal substances. Hence, assessments of and treatments for adolescent marijuana use need to be incorporated in clinical practice. PMID:10511838

[Discipline styles and co-morbid disorders of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a longitudinal study].

PubMed

Colomer-Diago, Carla; Berenguer-Forner, Carmen; Tárraga-Mínguez, Raúl; Miranda-Casas, Ana

2014-02-24

Problems in cognitive functioning, social and educational development of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) continue to be present in adolescence and adulthood. Although the literature shows a significant relationship between the use of dysfunctional discipline methods and severity in the course of ADHD, follow-up studies have been rare. To analyze parenting style and ADHD symptomatology assessed in childhood (time 1) to predict the oppositional behavior and cognitive problems in early adolescence (time 2), and to study, depending on the use of dysfunctional parenting style, the course of oppositional behavior and cognitive problems. Forty-five children with ADHD-combined presentation were assessed in two different moments: time 1 (ages: 6-13) and time 2 (ages: 8-16). Oppositionism and cognitive problems in the follow-up were predicted by dysfunctional discipline styles and ADHD severity (assessed in time 1). Oppositional behavior increased between time 1 and time 2 in children with a dysfunctional parenting, whereas a decrease on oppositional symptoms was observed in the functional parenting group (time x discipline interaction effect). Dysfunctional parenting practices in childhood predicted cognitive and behavioral problems associated in adolescence. The findings have implications for the planning of interventions.

Social problem solving among depressed adolescents is enhanced by structured psychotherapies

PubMed Central

Dietz, Laura J.; Marshal, Michael P.; Burton, Chad M.; Bridge, Jeffrey A.; Birmaher, Boris; Kolko, David; Duffy, Jamira N.; Brent, David A.

2014-01-01

Objective Changes in adolescent interpersonal behavior before and after an acute course of psychotherapy were investigated as outcomes and mediators of remission status in a previously described treatment study of depressed adolescents. Maternal depressive symptoms were examined as moderators of the association between psychotherapy condition and changes in adolescents’ interpersonal behavior. Method Adolescents (n = 63, mean age = 15.6 years, 77.8% female, 84.1% Caucasian) engaged in videotaped interactions with their mothers before randomization to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), systemic behavior family therapy (SBFT), or nondirective supportive therapy (NST), and after 12–16 weeks of treatment. Adolescent involvement, problem solving and dyadic conflict were examined. Results Improvements in adolescent problem solving were significantly associated with CBT and SBFT. Maternal depressive symptoms moderated the effect of CBT, but not SBFT, on adolescents’ problem solving; adolescents experienced increases in problem solving only when their mothers had low or moderate levels of depressive symptoms. Improvements in adolescents’ problem solving were associated with higher rates of remission across treatment conditions, but there were no significant indirect effects of SBFT on remission status through problem solving. Exploratory analyses revealed a significant indirect effect of CBT on remission status through changes in adolescent problem solving, but only when maternal depressive symptoms at study entry were low. Conclusions Findings provide preliminary support for problem solving as an active treatment component of structured psychotherapies for depressed adolescents and suggest one Pathway by which maternal depression may disrupt treatment efficacy for depressed adolescents treated with CBT. PMID:24491077

Preterm Infants Who Are Prone to Distress: Differential Effects of Parenting on 36-month Behavioral and Cognitive Outcomes

PubMed Central

Poehlmann, Julie; Hane, Amanda; Burnson, Cynthia; Maleck, Sarah; Hamburger, Elizabeth; Shah, Prachi E.

2012-01-01

Background The differential susceptibility (DS) model suggests that temperamentally prone-to-distress infants may exhibit adverse outcomes in negative environments but optimal outcomes in positive environments. This study explored temperament, parenting, and 36-month cognition and behavior in preterm infants using the DS model. We hypothesized that temperamentally prone to distress preterm infants would exhibit more optimal cognition and fewer behavior problems when early parenting was positive; and less optimal cognition and more behavior problems when early parenting was less positive. Methods Participants included 109 preterm infants (gestation < 37 weeks) and their mothers. We assessed neonatal risk and basal vagal tone in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU); infant temperament and parenting interactions at 9 months postterm; and child behavior and cognitive skills at 36 months postterm. Hierarchical regression analyses tested study hypotheses. Results Temperamentally prone-to-distress infants exhibited more externalizing problems if they experienced more critical parenting at 9 months (β= -.20, p<0.05) but fewer externalizing problems with more positive parenting. Similarly, variations in maternal positive affect (β= .25, p< .01) and intrusive behaviors (β= .23, p< .05) at 9 months predicted 36-month cognition at high but not at low levels of infant temperamental distress. Higher basal vagal tone predicted fewer externalizing problems (β= -.19, p< .05). Conclusions Early parenting behaviors relate to later behavior and development in preterm infants who are temperamentally prone to distress, and neonatal basal vagal tone predicts subsequent externalizing behaviors. These findings suggest that both biological reactivity and quality of caregiving are important predictors for later outcomes in preterm infants and may be considered as foci for developmental surveillance and interventions. PMID:22582942

W. Edwards Deming, quality analysis, and total behavior management.

PubMed

Saunders, R R; Saunders, J L

1994-01-01

During the past 10 years, the inclusion of the word "quality" in descriptions of production methods, management approaches, educational systems, service system changes, and so forth, has grown exponentially. It appears that no new approach to any problem is likely to be given much consideration today without overt acknowledgment that some improvement in quality must be the outcome. The origins of the importance of quality are primarily rooted in the awakening recognition of the influence of W. Edwards Deming in the post-World War II restoration of Japanese industry. We provide a brief overview of Deming's approach to modernizing management methods and discuss recent criticisms from the field of organizational behavior management that his approach lacks emphasis on the role of reinforcement. We offer a different analysis of Deming's approach and relate its evolution to the contingencies of reinforcement for the behavior of consulting. We also provide an example of problem solving with Deming's approach in a social service setting familiar to many behavior analysts.

Piping benchmark problems. Volume 1. Dynamic analysis uniform support motion response spectrum method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bezler, P.; Hartzman, M.; Reich, M.

1980-08-01

A set of benchmark problems and solutions have been developed for verifying the adequacy of computer programs used for dynamic analysis and design of nuclear piping systems by the Response Spectrum Method. The problems range from simple to complex configurations which are assumed to experience linear elastic behavior. The dynamic loading is represented by uniform support motion, assumed to be induced by seismic excitation in three spatial directions. The solutions consist of frequencies, participation factors, nodal displacement components and internal force and moment components. Solutions to associated anchor point motion static problems are not included.

Gravity inversion of a fault by Particle swarm optimization (PSO).

PubMed

Toushmalani, Reza

2013-01-01

Particle swarm optimization is a heuristic global optimization method and also an optimization algorithm, which is based on swarm intelligence. It comes from the research on the bird and fish flock movement behavior. In this paper we introduce and use this method in gravity inverse problem. We discuss the solution for the inverse problem of determining the shape of a fault whose gravity anomaly is known. Application of the proposed algorithm to this problem has proven its capability to deal with difficult optimization problems. The technique proved to work efficiently when tested to a number of models.

Error behavior of multistep methods applied to unstable differential systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. L.

1977-01-01

The problem of modeling a dynamic system described by a system of ordinary differential equations which has unstable components for limited periods of time is discussed. It is shown that the global error in a multistep numerical method is the solution to a difference equation initial value problem, and the approximate solution is given for several popular multistep integration formulas. Inspection of the solution leads to the formulation of four criteria for integrators appropriate to unstable problems. A sample problem is solved numerically using three popular formulas and two different stepsizes to illustrate the appropriateness of the criteria.

Influences to ADHD Problem Recognition: Mixed-Method Investigation and Recommendations to Reduce Disparities for Latino Youth.

PubMed

Haack, Lauren M; Meza, Jocelyn; Jiang, Yuanyuan; Araujo, Eva Jimenez; Pfiffner, Linda

2018-05-16

ADHD problem recognition serves as the first step of help seeking for ethnic minority families, such as Latinos, who underutilize ADHD services. The current mixed-method study explores underlying factors influencing recognition of ADHD problems in a sample of 159 school-aged youth. Parent-teacher informant discrepancy results suggest that parent ethnicity, problem domain, and child age influence ADHD problem recognition. Emerging themes from semi-structured qualitative interviews/focus groups conducted with eighteen Spanish-speaking Latino parents receiving school-based services for attention and behavior concerns support a range of recognized ADHD problems, beliefs about causes, and reactions to ADHD identification. Findings provide recommendations for reducing disparities in ADHD problem recognition and subsequent help seeking.

Mathematical modeling of shell configurations made of homogeneous and composite materials experiencing intensive short actions and large displacements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairnasov, K. Z.

2018-04-01

The paper presents a mathematical model for solving the problem of behavior of shell configurations under the action of static and dynamic impacts. The problem is solved in geometrically nonlinear statement with regard to the finite element method. The composite structures with different material layers are considered. The obtained equations are used to study the behavior of shell configurations under the action of dynamic loads. The results agree well with the experimental data.

Can Targeted Intervention Mitigate Early Emotional and Behavioral Problems?: Generating Robust Evidence within Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Doyle, Orla; McGlanaghy, Edel; O’Farrelly, Christine; Tremblay, Richard E.

2016-01-01

This study examined the impact of a targeted Irish early intervention program on children’s emotional and behavioral development using multiple methods to test the robustness of the results. Data on 164 Preparing for Life participants who were randomly assigned into an intervention group, involving home visits from pregnancy onwards, or a control group, was used to test the impact of the intervention on Child Behavior Checklist scores at 24-months. Using inverse probability weighting to account for differential attrition, permutation testing to address small sample size, and quantile regression to characterize the distributional impact of the intervention, we found that the few treatment effects were largely concentrated among boys most at risk of developing emotional and behavioral problems. The average treatment effect identified a 13% reduction in the likelihood of falling into the borderline clinical threshold for Total Problems. The interaction and subgroup analysis found that this main effect was driven by boys. The distributional analysis identified a 10-point reduction in the Externalizing Problems score for boys at the 90th percentile. No effects were observed for girls or for the continuous measures of Total, Internalizing, and Externalizing problems. These findings suggest that the impact of this prenatally commencing home visiting program may be limited to boys experiencing the most difficulties. Further adoption of the statistical methods applied here may help to improve the internal validity of randomized controlled trials and contribute to the field of evaluation science more generally. Trial Registration: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN04631728 PMID:27253184

Self reported behavioral and emotional difficulties in relation to dentition status among school going children of Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad, India.

PubMed

Srilatha, Adepu; Doshi, Dolar; Reddy, Madupu Padma; Kulkarni, Suhas; Reddy, Bandari Srikanth

2016-01-01

Oral health has strong biological, psychological, and social projections, which influence the quality of life. Thus, developing a common vision and a comprehensive approach to address children's social, emotional, and behavioral health needs is an integral part of the child and adolescent's overall health. To assess and compare the behavior and emotional difficulties among 15-year-olds and to correlate it with their dentition status based on gender. Study Settings and Design: A cross-sectional questionnaire study among 15-year-old schoolgoing children in six private schools in Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad, India. The behavior and emotional difficulties were assessed using self-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The dentition status was recorded by the criteria given by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Basic Oral Health Survey Assessment Form (1997). Independent Student's t-test was used for comparison among the variables. Correlation between scales of SDQ and dentition status was done using Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient method. Girls reported more emotional problems and good prosocial behavior and males had more conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, and total difficulty problems. Total decayed-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) and decayed component were significantly and positively correlated with total difficulty, emotional symptom, and conduct problems scale while missing component was correlated with the hyperactivity scale and filled component with prosocial behavior. DMFT and its components showed an association with all scales of SDQ except for peer problem scale. Thus, the oral health of children was significantly influenced by behavioral and emotional difficulties; so, changes in the mental health status will affect the oral health of children.

Effect on Behavior Problems of Teen Online Problem-Solving for Adolescent Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Walz, Nicolay C.; Carey, JoAnne; McMullen, Kendra M.; Cass, Jennifer; Mark, Erin; Yeates, Keith Owen

2011-01-01

PURPOSE: To report the results of a randomized clinical trial of teen online problem-solving (TOPS) meant to improve behavioral outcomes of adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: A randomized clinical trial was conducted to compare the efficacy of TOPS with access to Internet resources in teenagers with TBI in improving parent and self-reported behavior problems and parent-teen conflicts. Participants included 41 adolescents aged 11 to 18 years (range: 11.47–17.90 years) who had sustained a moderate-to-severe TBI between 3 and 19 months earlier. Teens in the TOPS group received 10 to 14 online sessions that provided training in problem-solving, communication skills, and self-regulation. Outcomes were assessed before treatment and at a follow-up assessment an average of 8 months later. Groups were compared on follow-up scores after we controlled for pretreatment levels. Injury severity and socioeconomic status were examined as potential moderators of treatment efficacy. RESULTS: Forty-one participants provided consent and completed baseline assessments, and follow-up assessments were completed for 35 participants (16 TOPS, 19 Internet resource comparison). The TOPS group reported significantly less parent-teen conflict at follow-up than did the Internet-resource-comparison group. Improvements in teen behavior after TOPS were moderated by injury severity; there were greater improvements in the teens' internalizing symptoms after TOPS among adolescents with severe TBI. Family socioeconomic status also moderated the efficacy of TOPS in improving behavior problems reported by both parents and teens, although the nature of the moderation effects varied. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that TOPS contributes to improvements in parent-teen conflict generally and parent and self-reported teen behavior problems for certain subsets of participants. PMID:21890828

Treatment for Youth in Short-Term Care Facilities: The Impact of a Comprehensive Behavior Management Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurley, Kristin Duppong; Ingram, Stephanie; Czyz, J. Douglas; Juliano, Nicholas; Wilson, Evelyn

2006-01-01

We describe a comprehensive program to train emergency shelter staff in effective methods for dealing with youth who have behavioral and emotional problems; assess the degree to which staff implemented the treatment approach; measure the impact of the intervention on shelter-wide incidents such as out-of-control behavior, runaways, and violence…

Driving Behavior among Different Groups of Iranian Drivers Based on Driver Coping Styles

PubMed Central

Lotfi, Saeid; Yazdanirad, Saeid; Pourabdiyan, Siyamak; Hassanzadeh, Akbar; Lotfi, Aliakbar

2017-01-01

Background: This study aimed to assess driving behavior of Iranian drivers based on their coping styles (problem-oriented, emotion-oriented, and avoiding). Methods: This study was conducted on 610 drivers divided into four different groups. The drivers’ behaviors and coping styles were evaluated using driver behavior questionnaire (DBQ) and coping inventory for stressful situations. Results: The results showed a significant difference among the three coping styles regarding the mean scores of DBQ dimensions (P < 0.001). In addition, the emotion-oriented drivers obtained higher mean scores compared to those with other coping styles. Conclusions: It can be concluded that emotion-oriented drivers were more susceptible to crashes compared to those with problem-solving and avoidance coping styles. PMID:28757929

AN EVALUATION OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN QUALITY OF ATTENTION AND NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT WITH CHILDREN WHO DISPLAY ESCAPE-MAINTAINED PROBLEM BEHAVIOR

PubMed Central

Gardner, Andrew W; Wacker, David P; Boelter, Eric W

2009-01-01

The choice-making behavior of 2 typically developing children who engaged in problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement was evaluated within a concurrent-operants assessment that varied the quality of attention across free-play and demand conditions. The results demonstrated that it was possible to bias responding towards academic demands for both participants by providing high-quality attention, despite the continuous availability of negative reinforcement. The current study extended brief clinical methods with typically developing children and demonstrated how different qualities of attention provided across concurrent schedules could bias responding. PMID:19949522

Complex network problems in physics, computer science and biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cojocaru, Radu Ionut

There is a close relation between physics and mathematics and the exchange of ideas between these two sciences are well established. However until few years ago there was no such a close relation between physics and computer science. Even more, only recently biologists started to use methods and tools from statistical physics in order to study the behavior of complex system. In this thesis we concentrate on applying and analyzing several methods borrowed from computer science to biology and also we use methods from statistical physics in solving hard problems from computer science. In recent years physicists have been interested in studying the behavior of complex networks. Physics is an experimental science in which theoretical predictions are compared to experiments. In this definition, the term prediction plays a very important role: although the system is complex, it is still possible to get predictions for its behavior, but these predictions are of a probabilistic nature. Spin glasses, lattice gases or the Potts model are a few examples of complex systems in physics. Spin glasses and many frustrated antiferromagnets map exactly to computer science problems in the NP-hard class defined in Chapter 1. In Chapter 1 we discuss a common result from artificial intelligence (AI) which shows that there are some problems which are NP-complete, with the implication that these problems are difficult to solve. We introduce a few well known hard problems from computer science (Satisfiability, Coloring, Vertex Cover together with Maximum Independent Set and Number Partitioning) and then discuss their mapping to problems from physics. In Chapter 2 we provide a short review of combinatorial optimization algorithms and their applications to ground state problems in disordered systems. We discuss the cavity method initially developed for studying the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model of spin glasses. We extend this model to the study of a specific case of spin glass on the Bethe lattice at zero temperature and then we apply this formalism to the K-SAT problem defined in Chapter 1. The phase transition which physicists study often corresponds to a change in the computational complexity of the corresponding computer science problem. Chapter 3 presents phase transitions which are specific to the problems discussed in Chapter 1 and also known results for the K-SAT problem. We discuss the replica method and experimental evidences of replica symmetry breaking. The physics approach to hard problems is based on replica methods which are difficult to understand. In Chapter 4 we develop novel methods for studying hard problems using methods similar to the message passing techniques that were discussed in Chapter 2. Although we concentrated on the symmetric case, cavity methods show promise for generalizing our methods to the un-symmetric case. As has been highlighted by John Hopfield, several key features of biological systems are not shared by physical systems. Although living entities follow the laws of physics and chemistry, the fact that organisms adapt and reproduce introduces an essential ingredient that is missing in the physical sciences. In order to extract information from networks many algorithm have been developed. In Chapter 5 we apply polynomial algorithms like minimum spanning tree in order to study and construct gene regulatory networks from experimental data. As future work we propose the use of algorithms like min-cut/max-flow and Dijkstra for understanding key properties of these networks.

Early Initiation of Alcohol Drinking, Cigarette Smoking, and Sexual Intercourse Linked to Suicidal Ideation and Attempts: Findings from the 2006 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyun-Sun

2010-01-01

Purpose This study examined the association between early initiation of problem behaviors (alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, and sexual intercourse) and suicidal behaviors (suicidal ideation and suicide attempts), and explored the effect of concurrent participation in these problem behaviors on suicidal behaviors among Korean adolescent males and females. Materials and Methods Data were obtained from the 2006 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative sample of middle and high school students (32,417 males and 31,467 females) in grades seven through twelve. Bivariate and multivariate logistic analyses were conducted. Several important covariates, such as age, family living structure, household economic status, academic performance, current alcohol drinking, current cigarette smoking, current butane gas or glue sniffing, perceived body weight, unhealthy weight control behaviors, subjective sleep evaluation, and depressed mood were included in the analyses. Results Both male and female preteen initiators of each problem behavior were at greater risk for suicidal behaviors than non-initiators, even after controlling for covariates. More numerous concurrent problematic behaviors were correlated with greater likelihood of seriously considering or attempting suicide among both males and females. This pattern was more clearly observed in preteen than in teen initiators although the former and latter were engaged in the same frequency of problem behavior. Conclusion Early initiation of alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, and sexual intercourse, particularly among preteens, represented an important predictor of later suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in both genders. Thus, early preventive intervention programs should be developed and may reduce the potential risks for subsequent suicidal behaviors. PMID:20046509

EEG Markers for Attention Deficit Disorder: Pharmacological and Neurofeedback Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterman, M. Barry

2000-01-01

Examined contribution of EEG findings in the classification and treatment of attention deficit and related behavioral problems in children. Found that quantitative EEG methods disclosed patterns of abnormality in children with ADD, suggested improved guidelines for pharmacological treatment, and introduced neurofeedback, a behavioral treatment for…

An Experiment in Teaching Human Ethology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, S. A.

1977-01-01

Students of ethology are often confused about the validity of arguments based on comparisons of animal and human behavior. The problem can be dealt with purely theoretically or through observational or experimental studies of human behavior. Some results of using these two methods are described and discussed. (Author/MA)

Problem-based Learning Behavior: The Impact of Differences in Problem-Based Learning Style and Activity on Students' Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Til, Cita T.; And Others

Problem-based learning (PBL) as a new instructional method is becoming increasingly popular. PBL is hypothesized to have a number of advantages for learning because it applies insights from cognitive learning theory and it fosters a lifelong learning strategy. As in all learning programs there are individual differences between students. This…

Defining the developmental parameters of temper loss in early childhood: implications for developmental psychopathology

PubMed Central

Wakschlag, Lauren S.; Choi, Seung W.; Carter, Alice S.; Hullsiek, Heide; Burns, James; McCarthy, Kimberly; Leibenluft, Ellen; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J.

2013-01-01

Background Temper modulation problems are both a hallmark of early childhood and a common mental health concern. Thus, characterizing specific behavioral manifestations of temper loss along a dimension from normative misbehaviors to clinically significant problems is an important step toward identifying clinical thresholds. Methods Parent-reported patterns of temper loss were delineated in a diverse community sample of preschoolers (n = 1,490). A developmentally sensitive questionnaire, the Multidimensional Assessment of Preschool Disruptive Behavior (MAP-DB), was used to assess temper loss in terms of tantrum features and anger regulation. Specific aims were: (a) document the normative distribution of temper loss in preschoolers from normative misbehaviors to clinically concerning temper loss behaviors, and test for sociodemographic differences; (b) use Item Response Theory (IRT) to model a Temper Loss dimension; and (c) examine associations of temper loss and concurrent emotional and behavioral problems. Results Across sociodemographic subgroups, a unidimensional Temper Loss model fit the data well. Nearly all (83.7%) preschoolers had tantrums sometimes but only 8.6% had daily tantrums. Normative misbehaviors occurred more frequently than clinically concerning temper loss behaviors. Milder behaviors tended to reflect frustration in expectable contexts, whereas clinically concerning problem indicators were unpredictable, prolonged, and/or destructive. In multivariate models, Temper Loss was associated with emotional and behavioral problems. Conclusions Parent reports on a developmentally informed questionnaire, administered to a large and diverse sample, distinguished normative and problematic manifestations of preschool temper loss. A developmental, dimensional approach shows promise for elucidating the boundaries between normative early childhood temper loss and emergent psychopathology. PMID:22928674

A Psychoneuroimmunologic Examination of Cumulative Perinatal Steroid Exposures and Preterm Infant Behavioral Follow-Up

PubMed Central

Purdy, Isabell B.; Smith, Lynne; Wiley, Dorothy; Badr, Lina

2014-01-01

Purpose This study’s aim was to explore relationships between preterm infant behavioral outcomes and maternal/infant glucocorticoid (dexamethasone [DEX]) treatments using a psychoneuroimmunologic approach. Research questions were (a) do relationships exist between infant cumulative perinatal steroid (PNS) exposure and child behavioral problems? and (b) do maternal/infant characteristics (e.g., immune markers and biophysiologic stressors) influence these relationships? Methods The convenience sample comprised 45 mother–child dyads in which the children (mean age 8 years ± 2.3) had been born at a mean postconceptional age of 28 weeks (± 4.2). We used the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to assess behavior, the Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB) to score stress at birth, and retrospective record review to identify additional perinatal factors (PNS dosage, sepsis, and maternal and infant complete blood counts near delivery). Results Children were dichotomized into high (> 0.2mg/kg; n = 20) versus low–no (≤ 0.2 mg/kg; n = 25) PNS exposure groups. Significant relationships existed between CBCL Total Problems score and sepsis, PNS exposure, timing of initial PNS, and infant length percentile at discharge. Competence problems were significantly associated with PNS, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infant length percentile, CRIB score, sepsis, retinopathy of prematurity, hearing deficit, and immunity markers (i.e., maternal lymphocyte percentage and infant band/seg ratio). Children in the higher PNS group exhibited more behavioral problems (e.g., withdrawn, attention, conduct, social, and rule breaking problems), but there were no significant differences. The findings are reassuring regarding long-term effects of this PNS dose on preterm infant behavioral outcomes. PMID:21900308

[Eyberg inventory of child behavior. Standardization of the Spanish version and its usefulness in ambulatory pediatrics].

PubMed

García-Tornel Florensa, S; Calzada, E J; Eyberg, S M; Mas Alguacil, J C; Vilamala Serra, C; Baraza Mendoza, C; Villena Collado, H; González García, M; Calvo Hernández, M; Trinxant Doménech, A

1998-05-01

Taking into account the high prevalence of behavioral problems in the pediatric outpatient clinic, a need for a useful and easy to administer tool for the evaluation of this problem arises. The psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version of the Eyberg Behavioral Child Inventory (EBCI), [in Spanish Inventario de Eyberg para el Comportamiento de Niño (IECN)], a 36-item questionnaire were established. The ECBI inventory/questionnaire was translated into Spanish. The basis of the ECBI is the evaluation of the child's behavior through the parents' answers to the questionnaire. Healthy children between 2 and 12 years of age were included and were taken from pediatric outpatient clinics from urban and suburban areas of Barcelona and from our hospital's own ambulatory clinic. The final sample included 518 subjects. The mean score on the intensity scale was 96.8 and on the problem scale 3.9. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.73 and the test-retest had an r of 0.89 (p < 0.001) for the intensity scale and r = 0.93 (p < 0.001) for the problem scale. Interrater reliability for the intensity scale was r = 0.58 (p < 0.001) and r = 0.32 (p < 0.001) for the problem scale. Concurrent validity between both scales was r = 0.343 (p < 0.001). The IECN is a useful and easy tool to apply in the pediatrician's office as a method for early detection of behavior problems.

Modeling of aerodynamic heat flux and thermoelastic behavior of nose caps of hypersonic vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persova, Marina G.; Soloveichik, Yury G.; Belov, Vasiliy K.; Kiselev, Dmitry S.; Vagin, Denis V.; Domnikov, Petr A.; Patrushev, Ilya I.; Kurskiy, Denis N.

2017-07-01

In this paper, the problem of numerical modeling of thermoelastic behavior of nose caps of hypersonic vehicles at different angles of attack is considered. 3D finite element modeling is performed by solving the coupled heat and elastic problems taking into account thermal and mechanical properties variations with temperature. A special method for calculating the aerodynamic heat flux entering the nose cap from its surface is proposed. This method is characterized by very low computational costs and allows calculating the aerodynamic heat flux at different values of the Mach number and angles of attack which may vary during the aerodynamic heating. The numerical results obtained by the proposed approach are compared with the numerical results and experimental data obtained by other authors. The developed approach has been used for studying the impact of the angle of attack on the thermoelastic behavior of nose caps main components.

Adolescent Assertiveness: Problems and Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reece, Randi S.; Wilborn, Bobbie L.

1980-01-01

Assertiveness training programs in the school setting provide a method to work with students with behavior problems. When students can manage their environments more effectively, they view the educational experience more positively and find that their present world and their transition to the adult world proceeds more productively. (Author)

Perturbation solutions of combustion instability problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Googerdy, A.; Peddieson, J., Jr.; Ventrice, M.

1979-01-01

A method involving approximate modal analysis using the Galerkin method followed by an approximate solution of the resulting modal-amplitude equations by the two-variable perturbation method (method of multiple scales) is applied to two problems of pressure-sensitive nonlinear combustion instability in liquid-fuel rocket motors. One problem exhibits self-coupled instability while the other exhibits mode-coupled instability. In both cases it is possible to carry out the entire linear stability analysis and significant portions of the nonlinear stability analysis in closed form. In the problem of self-coupled instability the nonlinear stability boundary and approximate forms of the limit-cycle amplitudes and growth and decay rates are determined in closed form while the exact limit-cycle amplitudes and growth and decay rates are found numerically. In the problem of mode-coupled instability the limit-cycle amplitudes are found in closed form while the growth and decay rates are found numerically. The behavior of the solutions found by the perturbation method are in agreement with solutions obtained using complex numerical methods.

Fast immersed interface Poisson solver for 3D unbounded problems around arbitrary geometries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillis, T.; Winckelmans, G.; Chatelain, P.

2018-02-01

We present a fast and efficient Fourier-based solver for the Poisson problem around an arbitrary geometry in an unbounded 3D domain. This solver merges two rewarding approaches, the lattice Green's function method and the immersed interface method, using the Sherman-Morrison-Woodbury decomposition formula. The method is intended to be second order up to the boundary. This is verified on two potential flow benchmarks. We also further analyse the iterative process and the convergence behavior of the proposed algorithm. The method is applicable to a wide range of problems involving a Poisson equation around inner bodies, which goes well beyond the present validation on potential flows.

Four Methods for Analyzing Partial Interval Recording Data, with Application to Single-Case Research.

PubMed

Pustejovsky, James E; Swan, Daniel M

2015-01-01

Partial interval recording (PIR) is a procedure for collecting measurements during direct observation of behavior. It is used in several areas of educational and psychological research, particularly in connection with single-case research. Measurements collected using partial interval recording suffer from construct invalidity because they are not readily interpretable in terms of the underlying characteristics of the behavior. Using an alternating renewal process model for the behavior under observation, we demonstrate that ignoring the construct invalidity of PIR data can produce misleading inferences, such as inferring that an intervention reduces the prevalence of an undesirable behavior when in fact it has the opposite effect. We then propose four different methods for analyzing PIR summary measurements, each of which can be used to draw inferences about interpretable behavioral parameters. We demonstrate the methods by applying them to data from two single-case studies of problem behavior.

What Ever Happened To The ‘Cool’ Kids? Long-Term Sequelae Of Early Adolescent Pseudomature Behavior

PubMed Central

Allen, Joseph P.; Schad, Megan M.; Oudekerk, Barbara; Chango, Joanna

2014-01-01

Pseudomature behavior—ranging from minor delinquency to precocious romantic involvement—is widely viewed as a nearly normative feature of adolescence. When such behavior occurs early in adolescence, however, it was hypothesized to reflect a misguided overemphasis upon impressing peers and was considered likely to predict long-term adjustment problems. In a multi-method, multi-reporter study following a community sample of 184 adolescents from age 13 to 23, early adolescent pseudomature behavior was linked cross-sectionally to a heightened desire for peer popularity and to short-term success with peers. Longitudinal results, however, supported the study’s central hypothesis: Early adolescent pseudomature behavior predicted long-term difficulties in close relationships, as well as significant problems with alcohol and substance use, and elevated levels of criminal behavior. PMID:24919537

On asymptotic behavior and energy distribution for some one-dimensional non-parabolic diffusion problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seonghak; Yan, Baisheng

2018-06-01

We study some non-parabolic diffusion problems in one space dimension, where the diffusion flux exhibits forward and backward nature of the Perona–Malik, Höllig or non-Fourier type. Classical weak solutions to such problems are constructed in a way to capture some expected and unexpected properties, including anomalous asymptotic behaviors and energy dissipation or allocation. Specific properties of solutions will depend on the type of the diffusion flux, but the primary method of our study relies on reformulating diffusion equations involved as an inhomogeneous partial differential inclusion and on constructing solutions from the differential inclusion by a combination of the convex integration and Baire’s category methods. In doing so, we introduce the appropriate notion of subsolutions of the partial differential inclusion and their transition gauge, which plays a pivotal role in dealing with some specific features of the constructed weak solutions.

Explicit finite-difference simulation of optical integrated devices on massive parallel computers.

PubMed

Sterkenburgh, T; Michels, R M; Dress, P; Franke, H

1997-02-20

An explicit method for the numerical simulation of optical integrated circuits by means of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is presented. This method, based on an explicit solution of Maxwell's equations, is well established in microwave technology. Although the simulation areas are small, we verified the behavior of three interesting problems, especially nonparaxial problems, with typical aspects of integrated optical devices. Because numerical losses are within acceptable limits, we suggest the use of the FDTD method to achieve promising quantitative simulation results.

Psychosocial Risk Factors Associated with Internet Addiction in Korea

PubMed Central

Lee, Ju Young; Shin, Kyoung Min; Cho, Sun-Mi

2014-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of Internet addiction in middle school students and to identify associated psychosocial risk factors and depression. Methods This study was part of a larger epidemiological study on childhood psychiatric disorders conducted in Osan, a city of Republic of Korea. We used IAS for internet addiction, K-YSR for subjects' emotional and behavioral problems and K-CDI for depressive symptoms. We used the data of n=1217 completed cases. We put on independent variables, which are sex, age, smoking and alcohol experiences, economic status, age of first Internet use, K-YSR and K-CDI score. Results The subjects consisted of addicted users (2.38%), over users (36.89%) and normal Internet users (60.72%). Attention problems, sex, delinquent problems, K-CDI scores, thought problems, age and aggressive behavior were predictable variables of internet addiction. Age of initial Internet use negatively predicted Internet addiction. Conclusion This result showed similar to other researches about sociodemographic, emotional or behavioral factors related to internet addiction. Generally, subjects with more severe internet addiction had more emotional or behavioral problems. It means that they already have had various difficulties when we found internet addiction of adolescents. Therefore it is necessary to evaluate whether the subjects have any emotional or behavioral troubles and to intervene to prevent internet addiction. PMID:25395968

A meta-heuristic method for solving scheduling problem: crow search algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhi, Antono; Santosa, Budi; Siswanto, Nurhadi

2018-04-01

Scheduling is one of the most important processes in an industry both in manufacturingand services. The scheduling process is the process of selecting resources to perform an operation on tasks. Resources can be machines, peoples, tasks, jobs or operations.. The selection of optimum sequence of jobs from a permutation is an essential issue in every research in scheduling problem. Optimum sequence becomes optimum solution to resolve scheduling problem. Scheduling problem becomes NP-hard problem since the number of job in the sequence is more than normal number can be processed by exact algorithm. In order to obtain optimum results, it needs a method with capability to solve complex scheduling problems in an acceptable time. Meta-heuristic is a method usually used to solve scheduling problem. The recently published method called Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) is adopted in this research to solve scheduling problem. CSA is an evolutionary meta-heuristic method which is based on the behavior in flocks of crow. The calculation result of CSA for solving scheduling problem is compared with other algorithms. From the comparison, it is found that CSA has better performance in term of optimum solution and time calculation than other algorithms.

Early Adversity and Learning: Implications for Typical and Atypical Behavioral Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Jamie L.; van den Bos, Wouter; Roeber, Barbara J.; Rudolph, Karen D.; Davidson, Richard J.; Pollak, Seth D.

2017-01-01

Background: Children who experience early adversity often develop emotion regulatory problems, but little is known about the mechanisms that mediate this relation. We tested whether general associative learning processes contribute to associations between adversity, in the form of child maltreatment, and negative behavioral outcomes. Methods:…

Cyberbullying Behaviors among Female College Students: Witnessing, Perpetration, and Victimization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selkie, Ellen M.; Kota, Rajitha; Moreno, Megan

2016-01-01

Problem: Cyberbullying is common among adolescents, and emerging studies also describe this phenomenon in college students. Less is known about specific cyberbullying behaviors and roles in cyberbullying incidents experienced by college females. Methods: 249 female students from 4 colleges completed online surveys assessing involvement in 11…

Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Problems. Fifth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bos, Candace S.; Vaughn, Sharon

This book provides information about general approaches to learning and teaching, offering descriptions of methods and procedures and focusing on classroom and behavior management, consultation, and working with parents and professionals. The 12 chapters include: (1) "The Teaching-Learning Process" (e.g., characteristics of students with…

Wellness-Based Group Counseling with Elementary Students in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perepiczka, Michelle

2009-01-01

Students in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs) have a variety of behavior problems. School counselors in DAEPs have the opportunity to address emotional, academic, social, and behavioral concerns of these students. Counselors may use the strengths-based wellness paradigm as an alternative method of addressing students' holistic…

Treating Comorbid Anxiety and Aggression in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Karyn; Hunt, Caroline; Heriot, Sandra

2007-01-01

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention that targeted both anxious and aggressive behaviors in children with anxiety disorders and comorbid aggression by parent report. Method: The effects of a cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention targeting comorbid anxiety and aggression problems were compared…

Co-Occurring Psychosocial Problems and HIV Risk Among Women Attending Drinking Venues in a South African Township: A Syndemic Approach

PubMed Central

Pitpitan, Eileen V.; Kalichman, Seth C.; Eaton, Lisa A.; Cain, Demetria; Sikkema, Kathleen J.; Watt, Melissa H.; Skinner, Donald; Pieterse, Desiree

2012-01-01

Background In South Africa, women comprise the majority of HIV infections. Syndemics, or co-occurring epidemics and risk factors, have been applied to understanding HIV risk among marginalized groups. Purpose To apply the syndemic framework to examine psychosocial problems that co-occur among women attending drinking venues in South Africa, and to test how the co-occurrence of these problems may exacerbate risk for HIV infection. Method 560 women from a Cape Town township provided data on multiple psychosocial problems, including food insufficiency, depression, abuse experiences, problem drinking, and sexual behaviors. Results Bivariate associations among the syndemic factors showed a high degree of co-occurrence and regression analyses showed an additive effect of psychosocial problems on HIV risk behaviors. Conclusions These results demonstrate the utility of a syndemic framework to understand co-occurring psychosocial problems among women in South Africa. HIV prevention interventions should consider the compounding effects of psychosocial problems among women. PMID:23054944

A Comparative Investigation of the Efficiency of Two Classroom Observational Methods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kissel, Mary Ann

The problem of this study was to determine whether Method A is a more efficient observational method for obtaining activity type behaviors in an individualized classroom than Method B. Method A requires the observer to record the activities of the entire class at given intervals while Method B requires only the activities of selected individuals…

P1 Nonconforming Finite Element Method for the Solution of Radiation Transport Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kang, Kab S.

2002-01-01

The simulation of radiation transport in the optically thick flux-limited diffusion regime has been identified as one of the most time-consuming tasks within large simulation codes. Due to multimaterial complex geometry, the radiation transport system must often be solved on unstructured grids. In this paper, we investigate the behavior and the benefits of the unstructured P(sub 1) nonconforming finite element method, which has proven to be flexible and effective on related transport problems, in solving unsteady implicit nonlinear radiation diffusion problems using Newton and Picard linearization methods. Key words. nonconforrning finite elements, radiation transport, inexact Newton linearization, multigrid preconditioning

Parental Attributions for the Behavior Problems of Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Hartley, Sigan L.; Schaidle, Emily M.; Burnson, Cynthia F.

2014-01-01

Objective The authors examined parental attributions for child behavior problems in 63 married couples of children and adolescents (aged 3–20 years) with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Both child-referent attributions (i.e., beliefs about causes related to the child or adolescent) and parent-referent attributions (i.e., beliefs about causes related to the parent) were examined along the dimensions of locus, stability, and controllability. Parent and child/adolescent factors related to parental attributions were identified, and the associations between parental attributions and parenting burden were explored. Method Mothers and fathers independently completed self-reported measures of parental attributions, parenting burden, and child behavior problems. Couples jointly reported on their son or daughter’s severity of autism symptoms, intellectual disability status, age, and gender. Results Parents tended to attribute the behavior problems of their child/adolescent with an ASD to characteristics that were not only internal to and stable in the child/adolescent but also controllable by the child/adolescent. Mothers were more likely to attribute their son or daughter’s behavior problems to characteristics that were less internal to and less stable in the child/adolescent with an ASD than were fathers. In addition, parents with a higher level of symptoms of the broader autism phenotype, parents of younger children, and parents of children/adolescents with intellectual disability, a higher severity of autism symptoms, and a higher severity of overall behavior problems were more likely to attribute their son or daughter’s behavior problems to characteristics that were more internal to and stable in the child/adolescent and factors that were less controllable by the child/adolescent. Parental attributions were related to parents’ level of parenting burden. Implications Findings have implications for designing appropriate interventions and services for families of children and adolescents with ASDs. PMID:24217029

The Effect of Parenting Stress on Child Behavior Problems in High-Risk Children with Prenatal Drug Exposure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagner, Daniel M.; Sheinkopf, Stephen J.; Miller-Loncar, Cynthia; LaGasse, Linda L.; Lester, Barry M.; Liu, Jing; Bauer, Charles R.; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta; Das, Abhik

2009-01-01

Objective: To examine the relationship between early parenting stress and later child behavior in a high-risk sample and measure the effect of drug exposure on the relationship between parenting stress and child behavior. Methods: A subset of child-caregiver dyads (n = 607) were selected from the Maternal Lifestyle Study (MLS), which is a large…

Defining the Developmental Parameters of Temper Loss in Early Childhood: Implications for Developmental Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wakschlag, Lauren S.; Choi, Seung W.; Carter, Alice S.; Hullsiek, Heide; Burns, James; McCarthy, Kimberly; Leibenluft, Ellen; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J.

2012-01-01

Background: Temper modulation problems are both a hallmark of early childhood and a common mental health concern. Thus, characterizing specific behavioral manifestations of temper loss along a dimension from normative misbehaviors to clinically significant problems is an important step toward identifying clinical thresholds. Methods:…

A Performance-Based Method of Student Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, G. E.; And Others

1976-01-01

The Problem Oriented Medical Record (which allows practical definition of the behavioral terms thoroughness, reliability, sound analytical sense, and efficiency as they apply to the identification and management of patient problems) provides a vehicle to use in performance based type evaluation. A test-run use of the record is reported. (JT)

Attitudes to body weight, weight gain and eating behavior in pregnancy.

PubMed

Abraham, S; King, W; Llewellyn-Jones, D

1994-12-01

The eating behavior and attitudes to body weight of 100 healthy women were studied 3 days after the birth of their first child. During pregnancy women 'watch their weight' and use a range of methods of weight control which include cigarette smoking and inducing vomiting. During pregnancy 41 women reported weight control problems and 20 women considered their weight and eating problems to be greater than at any previous time. Picking was the most common unwanted behavior. Binge eating was experienced by 44 women, nine of whom reported it to be a 'severe' problem. Although women were ambivalent about being weighed at each antenatal visit, 81 recommended weighing once each month. The women held differing opinions on the effects of breastfeeding on body weight and on the need for nutritional supplements during pregnancy. Women reporting 'disordered eating' were more likely to have antenatal complications and give birth to low birthweight babies. The results suggest good obstetric care should include a history of the woman's eating behavior and body weight.

Persistence and resistance to extinction in the domestic dog: Basic research and applications to canine training.

PubMed

Hall, Nathaniel J

2017-08-01

This review summarizes the research investigating behavioral persistence and resistance to extinction in the dog. The first part of this paper reviews Behavioral Momentum Theory and its applications to Applied Behavior Analysis and training of pet dogs with persistent behavioral problems. I also highlight how research on Behavioral Momentum Theory can be applied to the training of detection dogs in an attempt to enhance detection performance in the presence of behavioral disruptors common in operational settings. In the second part of this review, I highlight more basic research on behavioral persistence with dogs, and how breed differences and experiences with humans as alternative sources of reinforcement can influence dogs' resistance to extinction of a target behavior. Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavior Momentum Theory have important applications for behavioral treatments to reduce the persistence of problem behavior in dogs and for the development of enhanced training methods that enhance the persistence of working dogs. Dogs can also be leveraged as natural models of stereotypic behavior and for exploring individual differences in behavioral persistence by evaluating breed and environmental variables associated with differences in canine persistance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient numerical method for solving Cauchy problem for the Gamma equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koleva, Miglena N.

2011-12-01

In this work we consider Cauchy problem for the so called Gamma equation, derived by transforming the fully nonlinear Black-Scholes equation for option price into a quasilinear parabolic equation for the second derivative (Greek) Γ = VSS of the option price V. We develop an efficient numerical method for solving the model problem concerning different volatility terms. Using suitable change of variables the problem is transformed on finite interval, keeping original behavior of the solution at the infinity. Then we construct Picard-Newton algorithm with adaptive mesh step in time, which can be applied also in the case of non-differentiable functions. Results of numerical simulations are given.

The Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Oriented Psycho Education Program on Dealing with Loneliness: An Online Psychological Counseling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatlilioglu, Kasim

2013-01-01

Loneliness is a very common problem which incorporates many disorders. The inadequacy of services to treat this problem makes it necessary to develop new treatment methods. For this purpose, it was aimed to test the effect of online psychological counseling on dealing with loneliness problem in this research. The research includes the study with…

The role of community health nurses in behavioral modification of parents of children with behavioral disorders in primary schools in Isfahan.

PubMed

Dehaghani, Abdollah Rezaei; Ershadi, Kobra; Pahlavanzadeh, Saeid; Ahmadi, Sayed Ahmad

2010-01-01

Mental health is of great importance in childhood and the foundation of personality of every individual is laid during this period. Moreover, behavioral problems are common in children, and a lot of the individual, familial, and social disorders originate from the fact that these problems are not treated at the right time. More important is that the behavioral problems of children are rooted in the behavior and upbringing of parents. Therefore, we carried out the present study to investigate the role of community health nurses in modifying the behavior of parents whose children have behavioral problems. This research was a pre- and post-training quasi-experimental study. The study was carried out with the participation of the parents of 44 first-grade primary school children with reported behavioral problems. The instrument used in the study was a self-made questionnaire. The data was analyzed by SPSS software, using descriptive and inferential statistical methods (t-test and repeated ANOVA). The mean scores of parents' behavior before, immediately after, and one month after training exhibited a significant difference in both fathers and mothers (p = 0.04 in fathers and p < 0.001 in mothers). Moreover, the mean scores of mothers before and immediately after training and also before and one month after training showed a significant difference (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). However, the mean scores of mothers immediately after and one month after training were not significantly different (p=0.53). Furthermore, the mean scores of fathers before and immediately after training and also before and one month after training were significantly different (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). But, the mean scores of fathers immediately after and one month after training did not show a significant difference (p = 0.33). Since the group training of parents led to a change in their behavior towards children, it is advisable to prepare and implement such programs.

A Mindfulness-Based Intervention Pilot Feasibility Study for Elementary School Students With Severe Learning Difficulties: Effects on Internalized and Externalized Symptoms From an Emotional Regulation Perspective

PubMed Central

Malboeuf-Hurtubise, Catherine; Lacourse, Eric; Taylor, Geneviève; Joussemet, Mireille; Ben Amor, Leila

2016-01-01

Objective. Students with severe learning disabilities often show signs of anxiety, depression, and problem behaviors such as inattention and conduct problems. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in school settings constitute a promising option to alleviate these co-occurring symptoms. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the impact of an MBI on symptoms and behaviors of elementary school students with severe learning disabilities. Method. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The sample comprised 14 students aged 9 to 12 years with special education needs. Both student-report and teacher-report of the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition were used. Results. Repeated-measures analyses of variance revealed a significant impact of the MBI on symptoms and behaviors such as anxiety, depression, inattention, aggression, and conduct problems. Effect sizes for all variables were considered large (partial η2 = .31-.61). Conclusion. These preliminary results indicate that MBIs can reduce the frequency of symptoms and problem behaviors often found in children with learning disabilities in elementary schools. Further multiple baseline experimental trials with a long-term follow-up are warranted to establish more robustly the effect of MBIs for children with learning disabilities.

Simulating propagation of coherent light in random media using the Fredholm type integral equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraszewski, Maciej; Pluciński, Jerzy

2017-06-01

Studying propagation of light in random scattering materials is important for both basic and applied research. Such studies often require usage of numerical method for simulating behavior of light beams in random media. However, if such simulations require consideration of coherence properties of light, they may become a complex numerical problems. There are well established methods for simulating multiple scattering of light (e.g. Radiative Transfer Theory and Monte Carlo methods) but they do not treat coherence properties of light directly. Some variations of these methods allows to predict behavior of coherent light but only for an averaged realization of the scattering medium. This limits their application in studying many physical phenomena connected to a specific distribution of scattering particles (e.g. laser speckle). In general, numerical simulation of coherent light propagation in a specific realization of random medium is a time- and memory-consuming problem. The goal of the presented research was to develop new efficient method for solving this problem. The method, presented in our earlier works, is based on solving the Fredholm type integral equation, which describes multiple light scattering process. This equation can be discretized and solved numerically using various algorithms e.g. by direct solving the corresponding linear equations system, as well as by using iterative or Monte Carlo solvers. Here we present recent development of this method including its comparison with well-known analytical results and a finite-difference type simulations. We also present extension of the method for problems of multiple scattering of a polarized light on large spherical particles that joins presented mathematical formalism with Mie theory.

Observable indicators and behaviors for the identification of problem gamblers in venue environments

PubMed Central

Delfabbro, Paul; Thomas, Anna

2016-01-01

Background and aims In many jurisdictions, where gambling services are provided, regulatory codes require gambling operators to apply a duty of care toward patrons. A common feature of these provisions is some expectation that venue staff identify and assist patrons who might be experiencing problems with their gambling. The effectiveness of such measures is, however, predicated on the assumption that there are reliable and observable indicators that might be used to allow problem gamblers to be distinguished from other gamblers. Methods In this study, we consolidate the findings from two large Australian studies (n = 505 and n = 680) of regular gamblers that were designed to identify reliable and useful indicators for identifying problem gambling in venues. Results It was found that problem gamblers are much more likely to report potentially visible emotional reactions, unusual social behaviors, and very intense or frenetic gambling behavior. Discussion and conclusions This study shows that there are a range of indicators that could potentially be used to identify people experiencing problems in venues, but that decisions are most likely to be accurate if based on an accumulation of a diverse range of indicators. PMID:27670713

The Risk Behaviors and Mental Health of Detained Adolescents: A Controlled, Prospective Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Zhou, Zhenhua; Xiong, Hongyan; Jia, Ran; Yang, Guoyu; Guo, Tianyou; Meng, Zhaoyou; Huang, Guangyu; Zhang, Yao

2012-01-01

Background To assess the behavioral risk factors and mental health needs of adolescents in juvenile detention centers (JDC). Method A total of 238 boys aged 12–17 years was surveyed who had been admitted to a detention center and compared them with boys from the community (n = 238) matched for sex and age. We assessed behavioral risk factors and mental health problems by using the Youth Risk Behavior Survey questionnaire (YRBS) and the Youth Self-Report questionnaire (YSR). Results Young offenders had significantly higher YRBS scores than controls for drug use (odds ratio (OR) 5.16, 95% CI 2.27–7.84), sexual intercourse (OR, 2.51; 95% CI 1.55–2.90), irregular diet (4.78, 2.11–7.51), suicide attempts (1.96, 1.32–5.85), and physical fighting behavior (3.49, 1.60–7.07), but not for tobacco use, alcohol use, and high–risk cycling. Young offenders at the time of admission (6.61, 2.58–15.2), at 6 months (3.12, 1.81–10.1), and at 12 months (5.29, 1.98–13.3) reported statistically higher levels of total mental health problems than adolescents in a community sample. Conclusions Young offenders have a high rate of mental and behavioral disorders. In the detention period, aggressive behavior, self–destructive/identity, and externalizing of problems improved while withdrawn, anxious or depressed, and internalizing of problems worsened. PMID:22629367

Predicting the Problem Behavior in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karaman, Neslihan G.

2013-01-01

Problem statement: Problem behavior theory describes both protective factors and risk factors to explain adolescent problem behaviors, such as delinquency, alcohol use, and reckless driving. The theory holds that problem behaviors involving risky behavior are used by adolescents as a means to gain peer acceptance and respect. Problem behaviors…

Children with behavioral problems and motor problems have a worse neurological condition than children with behavioral problems only.

PubMed

Peters, Lieke H J; Maathuis, Carel G B; Hadders-Algra, Mijna

2014-12-01

Some evidence suggests that children with specific behavioral problems are at risk for motor problems. It is unclear whether neurological condition plays a role in the propensity of children with behavioral problems to develop motor problems. To examine the relation between behavioral problems, motor performance and neurological condition in school-aged children. Cross-sectional study. 174 children (95 boys) receiving mainstream education and 106 children (82 boys) receiving special education aged 6 to 13 years (mean 9 y 7 m, SD 1 y 10 m). Behavior was assessed with questionnaires: the parental Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher's Report Form (TRF). Motor performance was assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). MABC-scores ≥5th percentile were considered as age-adequate and scores <5th percentile indicated definite motor problems. Neurological condition was assessed in terms of Minor Neurological Dysfunction (MND). The majority of specific behavioral problems were associated with definite motor problems, except somatic complaints and rule breaking behavior. Children with externalizing problems, according to the CBCL or TRF, and motor problems had more often MND than children with externalizing problems only. The same holds true for internalizing problems according to the CBCL. The present study demonstrated that various forms of behavioral problems were associated with motor problems. Especially children with motor and behavioral problems showed MND. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adolescent Pathways to Co-Occurring Problem Behavior: The Effects of Peer Delinquency and Peer Substance Use

PubMed Central

Monahan, Kathryn C.; Rhew, Isaac C.; Hawkins, J. David; Brown, Eric C.

2013-01-01

Delinquency and substance use are more likely to co-occur in adolescence compared to earlier and later developmental periods. The present study examined developmental pathways to co-occurring problem behavior from 6th-10th grade (N=2,002), testing how peer delinquency and substance use were linked to transitioning between abstaining, delinquency, substance use, and co-occurring problem behavior. Developmentally, most youth transition from abstinence to delinquent behavior, and then escalate to co-occurring problem behavior. Once co-occurring problem behavior onsets, remitting to single problem behavior or abstinence is unlikely. The impact of peers on problem behavior are domain specific when individuals transition from abstaining to a single problem behavior, but are more general with respect to escalation of and desistance from problem behavior. PMID:25506186

Early Parental Positive Behavior Support and Childhood Adjustment: Addressing Enduring Questions with New Methods

PubMed Central

Waller, Rebecca; Gardner, Frances; Dishion, Thomas; Sitnick, Stephanie L.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Winter, Charlotte E.; Wilson, Melvin

2016-01-01

A large literature provides strong empirical support for the influence of parenting on child outcomes. The current study addresses enduring research questions testing the importance of early parenting behavior to children’s adjustment. Specifically, we developed and tested a novel multi-method observational measure of parental positive behavior support at age 2. Next, we tested whether early parental positive behavior support was related to child adjustment at school age, within a multi-agent and multi-method measurement approach and design. Observational and parent-reported data from mother–child dyads (N = 731; 49 percent female) were collected from a high-risk sample at age 2. Follow-up data were collected via teacher report and child assessment at age 7.5. The results supported combining three different observational methods to assess positive behavior support at age 2 within a latent factor. Further, parents’ observed positive behavior support at age 2 predicted multiple types of teacher-reported and child-assessed problem behavior and competencies at 7.5 years old. Results supported the validity and predictive capability of a multi-method observational measure of parenting and the importance of a continued focus on the early years within preventive interventions. PMID:26997757

Early Parental Positive Behavior Support and Childhood Adjustment: Addressing Enduring Questions with New Methods.

PubMed

Waller, Rebecca; Gardner, Frances; Dishion, Thomas; Sitnick, Stephanie L; Shaw, Daniel S; Winter, Charlotte E; Wilson, Melvin

2015-05-01

A large literature provides strong empirical support for the influence of parenting on child outcomes. The current study addresses enduring research questions testing the importance of early parenting behavior to children's adjustment. Specifically, we developed and tested a novel multi-method observational measure of parental positive behavior support at age 2. Next, we tested whether early parental positive behavior support was related to child adjustment at school age, within a multi-agent and multi-method measurement approach and design. Observational and parent-reported data from mother-child dyads (N = 731; 49 percent female) were collected from a high-risk sample at age 2. Follow-up data were collected via teacher report and child assessment at age 7.5. The results supported combining three different observational methods to assess positive behavior support at age 2 within a latent factor. Further, parents' observed positive behavior support at age 2 predicted multiple types of teacher-reported and child-assessed problem behavior and competencies at 7.5 years old. Results supported the validity and predictive capability of a multi-method observational measure of parenting and the importance of a continued focus on the early years within preventive interventions.

Effect of Maternal Depression on Child Behavior: A Sensitive Period?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagner, Daniel M.; Pettit, Jeremy W.; Lewinsohn, Peter M.; Seeley, John R.

2010-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of maternal depression during the child's first year of life (i.e., sensitive period) on subsequent behavior problems. Method: Participants were 175 mothers participating in the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project (OADP) who met lifetime diagnostic criteria for major depressive…

Three-Month Study of College Student Disordered Gambling Using the Transtheoretical Model: Findings and Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Ryan J.; Usdan, Stuart; Turner, Lori

2012-01-01

Problem: It has been suggested that gambling-related research more closely examine vulnerable population segments. Research indicates that college students are particularly vulnerable to experiencing disordered gambling behavior. Methods: We examined the gambling behavior and gambling-related Transtheoretical Model (TTM) construct (i.e., stage of…

Mindfulness Training for Parents and Their Children with ADHD Increases the Children's Compliance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Nirbhay N.; Singh, Ashvind N.; Lancioni, Giulio E.; Singh, Judy; Winton, Alan S. W.; Adkins, Angela D.

2010-01-01

Children with ADHD are often non-compliant with parental instructions. Various methods have been used to reduce problem behaviors in these children, with medication and manipulation of behavioral contingencies being the most prevalent. An objection often raised by parents is that these management strategies require them to impose external control…

The Impact of Weight Perception on the Health Behaviors of College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborn, Jessica; Naquin, Mildred; Gillan, Wynn; Bowers, Ashley

2016-01-01

Background: Obesity has links to numerous health problems. Having an accurate perception of one's own weight is an important aspect of maintaining an appropriate weight. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among perceived body weight, actual body weight, body satisfaction, and selected health behaviors. Methods: The…

Disentangling the stochastic behavior of complex time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anvari, Mehrnaz; Tabar, M. Reza Rahimi; Peinke, Joachim; Lehnertz, Klaus

2016-10-01

Complex systems involving a large number of degrees of freedom, generally exhibit non-stationary dynamics, which can result in either continuous or discontinuous sample paths of the corresponding time series. The latter sample paths may be caused by discontinuous events - or jumps - with some distributed amplitudes, and disentangling effects caused by such jumps from effects caused by normal diffusion processes is a main problem for a detailed understanding of stochastic dynamics of complex systems. Here we introduce a non-parametric method to address this general problem. By means of a stochastic dynamical jump-diffusion modelling, we separate deterministic drift terms from different stochastic behaviors, namely diffusive and jumpy ones, and show that all of the unknown functions and coefficients of this modelling can be derived directly from measured time series. We demonstrate appli- cability of our method to empirical observations by a data-driven inference of the deterministic drift term and of the diffusive and jumpy behavior in brain dynamics from ten epilepsy patients. Particularly these different stochastic behaviors provide extra information that can be regarded valuable for diagnostic purposes.

Adolescents’ Use of Care for Behavioral and Emotional Problems: Types, Trends, and Determinants

PubMed Central

Reijneveld, Sijmen A.; Wiegersma, P. Auke; Ormel, Johan; Verhulst, Frank C.; Vollebergh, Wilma A. M.; Jansen, Danielle E. M. C.

2014-01-01

Objective While adolescents use various types of care for behavioral and emotional problems, evidence on age trends and determinants per type is scarce. We aimed to assess use of care by adolescents because of behavioral and emotional problems, overall and by type, and its determinants, for ages 10–19 years. Methods We obtained longitudinal data on 2,230 adolescents during ages 10–19 from four measurements regarding use of general care and specialized care (youth social care and mental healthcare) in the preceding 6 months, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Youth Self-Report, and child and family characteristics. We analyzed data by multilevel logistic regression. Results Overall rates of use increased from 20.1% at age 10/11 to 32.2% at age 19: general care was used most. At age 10/11 use was higher among boys, at age 19 among girls. Use of general care increased for both genders, whereas use of specialized care increased among girls but decreased among boys. This differential change was associated with CBCL externalizing and internalizing problems, school problems, family socioeconomic status, and parental divorce. Preceding CBCL problems predicted more use: most for mental health care and least for general care. Moreover, general care was used more frequently by low and medium socioeconomic status families, with odds ratios (95%-confidence intervals): 1.52 (1.23;1.88) and 1.40 (1.17;1.67); youth social care in case of parental divorce, 2.07 (1.36;3.17); and of special education, 2.66 (1.78;3.95); and mental healthcare in case of special education, 2.66 (1.60;4.51). Discussion Adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems use general care most frequently. Overall use increases with age. Determinants of use vary per type. PMID:24699408

Spatio-temporal Event Classification using Time-series Kernel based Structured Sparsity

PubMed Central

Jeni, László A.; Lőrincz, András; Szabó, Zoltán; Cohn, Jeffrey F.; Kanade, Takeo

2016-01-01

In many behavioral domains, such as facial expression and gesture, sparse structure is prevalent. This sparsity would be well suited for event detection but for one problem. Features typically are confounded by alignment error in space and time. As a consequence, high-dimensional representations such as SIFT and Gabor features have been favored despite their much greater computational cost and potential loss of information. We propose a Kernel Structured Sparsity (KSS) method that can handle both the temporal alignment problem and the structured sparse reconstruction within a common framework, and it can rely on simple features. We characterize spatio-temporal events as time-series of motion patterns and by utilizing time-series kernels we apply standard structured-sparse coding techniques to tackle this important problem. We evaluated the KSS method using both gesture and facial expression datasets that include spontaneous behavior and differ in degree of difficulty and type of ground truth coding. KSS outperformed both sparse and non-sparse methods that utilize complex image features and their temporal extensions. In the case of early facial event classification KSS had 10% higher accuracy as measured by F1 score over kernel SVM methods1. PMID:27830214

Incremental Validity and Informant Effect from a Multi-Method Perspective: Assessing Relations between Parental Acceptance and Children’s Behavioral Problems

PubMed Central

Izquierdo-Sotorrío, Eva; Holgado-Tello, Francisco P.; Carrasco, Miguel Á.

2016-01-01

This study examines the relationships between perceived parental acceptance and children’s behavioral problems (externalizing and internalizing) from a multi-informant perspective. Using mothers, fathers, and children as sources of information, we explore the informant effect and incremental validity. The sample was composed of 681 participants (227 children, 227 fathers, and 227 mothers). Children’s (40% boys) ages ranged from 9 to 17 years (M = 12.52, SD = 1.81). Parents and children completed both the Parental Acceptance Rejection/Control Questionnaire (PARQ/Control) and the check list of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA). Statistical analyses were based on the correlated uniqueness multitrait-multimethod matrix (model MTMM) by structural equations and different hierarchical regression analyses. Results showed a significant informant effect and a different incremental validity related to which combination of sources was considered. A multi-informant perspective rather than a single one increased the predictive value. Our results suggest that mother–father or child–father combinations seem to be the best way to optimize the multi-informant method in order to predict children’s behavioral problems based on perceived parental acceptance. PMID:27242582

Incremental Validity and Informant Effect from a Multi-Method Perspective: Assessing Relations between Parental Acceptance and Children's Behavioral Problems.

PubMed

Izquierdo-Sotorrío, Eva; Holgado-Tello, Francisco P; Carrasco, Miguel Á

2016-01-01

This study examines the relationships between perceived parental acceptance and children's behavioral problems (externalizing and internalizing) from a multi-informant perspective. Using mothers, fathers, and children as sources of information, we explore the informant effect and incremental validity. The sample was composed of 681 participants (227 children, 227 fathers, and 227 mothers). Children's (40% boys) ages ranged from 9 to 17 years (M = 12.52, SD = 1.81). Parents and children completed both the Parental Acceptance Rejection/Control Questionnaire (PARQ/Control) and the check list of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA). Statistical analyses were based on the correlated uniqueness multitrait-multimethod matrix (model MTMM) by structural equations and different hierarchical regression analyses. Results showed a significant informant effect and a different incremental validity related to which combination of sources was considered. A multi-informant perspective rather than a single one increased the predictive value. Our results suggest that mother-father or child-father combinations seem to be the best way to optimize the multi-informant method in order to predict children's behavioral problems based on perceived parental acceptance.

Concordance among Physical Educators', Teachers', and Parents' Perceptions of Attention Problems in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Efstratopoulou, Maria; Simons, Johan; Janssen, Rianne

2013-01-01

Objective: The study examined the concordance among rating sources on attention problems of elementary school-aged children. Method: A randomly selected sample ("N" = 841) of children was rated by the physical educators, the teachers, and the parents, using the Attention Scales of the Motor Behavior Checklist (MBC), the Teacher Report…

"Do You Know What You're Doing?" College Students' Experiences with Male Condoms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarber, William L.; Graham, Cynthia A.; Sanders, Stephanie A.; Crosby, Richard A.; Butler, Scott M.; Hartzell, Rose M.

2007-01-01

Background: Although quantitative assessment of male condom use errors and problems has received increased research attention, few studies have qualitatively examined this sexual health behavior. Purpose: This study examined problems of male condom use as experienced by college men and women at a large, public Midwestern university. Methods:…

Gene-by-Preschool Interaction on the Development of Early Externalizing Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker-Drob, Elliot M.; Harden, K. Paige

2013-01-01

Background: Preschool involves an array of new social experiences that may impact the development of early externalizing behavior problems over the transition to grade school. Methods: Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of over 600 pairs of US twins, we tested whether the genetic and environmental influences on…

Emotional and Behavioural Problems in Children with Visual Impairment, Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alimovic, S.

2013-01-01

Background: Children with multiple impairments have more complex developmental problems than children with a single impairment. Method: We compared children, aged 4 to 11 years, with intellectual disability (ID) and visual impairment to children with single ID, single visual impairment and typical development on "Child Behavior Check…

Parent training plus contingency management for substance abusing families: A Complier Average Causal Effects (CACE) analysis*

PubMed Central

Stanger, Catherine; Ryan, Stacy R.; Fu, Hongyun; Budney, Alan J.

2011-01-01

Background Children of substance abusers are at risk for behavioral/emotional problems. To improve outcomes for these children, we developed and tested an intervention that integrated a novel contingency management (CM) program designed to enhance compliance with an empirically-validated parent training curriculum. CM provided incentives for daily monitoring of parenting and child behavior, completion of home practice assignments, and session attendance. Methods Forty-seven mothers with substance abuse or dependence were randomly assigned to parent training + incentives (PTI) or parent training without incentives (PT). Children were 55% male, ages 2-7 years. Results Homework completion and session attendance did not differ between PTI and PT mothers, but PTI mothers had higher rates of daily monitoring. PTI children had larger reductions in child externalizing problems in all models. Complier Average Causal Effects (CACE) analyses showed additional significant effects of PTI on child internalizing problems, parent problems and parenting. These effects were not significant in standard Intent-to-Treat analyses. Conclusion Results suggest our incentive program may offer a method for boosting outcomes. PMID:21466925

A radial basis function Galerkin method for inhomogeneous nonlocal diffusion

DOE PAGES

Lehoucq, Richard B.; Rowe, Stephen T.

2016-02-01

We introduce a discretization for a nonlocal diffusion problem using a localized basis of radial basis functions. The stiffness matrix entries are assembled by a special quadrature routine unique to the localized basis. Combining the quadrature method with the localized basis produces a well-conditioned, sparse, symmetric positive definite stiffness matrix. We demonstrate that both the continuum and discrete problems are well-posed and present numerical results for the convergence behavior of the radial basis function method. As a result, we explore approximating the solution to anisotropic differential equations by solving anisotropic nonlocal integral equations using the radial basis function method.

GASOLINE: Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

N-Body Shop

2017-10-01

Gasoline solves the equations of gravity and hydrodynamics in astrophysical problems, including simulations of planets, stars, and galaxies. It uses an SPH method that features correct mixing behavior in multiphase fluids and minimal artificial viscosity. This method is identical to the SPH method used in the ChaNGa code (ascl:1105.005), allowing users to extend results to problems requiring >100,000 cores. Gasoline uses a fast, memory-efficient O(N log N) KD-Tree to solve Poisson's Equation for gravity and avoids artificial viscosity in non-shocking compressive flows.

A parameter control method in reinforcement learning to rapidly follow unexpected environmental changes.

PubMed

Murakoshi, Kazushi; Mizuno, Junya

2004-11-01

In order to rapidly follow unexpected environmental changes, we propose a parameter control method in reinforcement learning that changes each of learning parameters in appropriate directions. We determine each appropriate direction on the basis of relationships between behaviors and neuromodulators by considering an emergency as a key word. Computer experiments show that the agents using our proposed method could rapidly respond to unexpected environmental changes, not depending on either two reinforcement learning algorithms (Q-learning and actor-critic (AC) architecture) or two learning problems (discontinuous and continuous state-action problems).

Analysis and Development of Finite Element Methods for the Study of Nonlinear Thermomechanical Behavior of Structural Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oden, J. Tinsley

1995-01-01

Underintegrated methods are investigated with respect to their stability and convergence properties. The focus was on identifying regions where they work and regions where techniques such as hourglass viscosity and hourglass control can be used. Results obtained show that underintegrated methods typically lead to finite element stiffness with spurious modes in the solution. However, problems exist (scalar elliptic boundary value problems) where underintegrated with hourglass control yield convergent solutions. Also, stress averaging in underintegrated stiffness calculations does not necessarily lead to stable or convergent stress states.

Functional Analysis of Precursors for Serious Problem Behavior and Related Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langdon, Nancy A.; Carr, Edward G.; Owen-DeSchryver, Jamie S.

2008-01-01

Precursor behaviors are innocuous behaviors that reliably precede the occurrence of problem behavior. Intervention efforts applied to precursors might prevent the occurrence of severe problem behavior. We examined the relationship between precursor behavior and problem behavior in three individuals with developmental disabilities. First, a…

A Monte-Carlo game theoretic approach for Multi-Criteria Decision Making under uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madani, Kaveh; Lund, Jay R.

2011-05-01

Game theory provides a useful framework for studying Multi-Criteria Decision Making problems. This paper suggests modeling Multi-Criteria Decision Making problems as strategic games and solving them using non-cooperative game theory concepts. The suggested method can be used to prescribe non-dominated solutions and also can be used as a method to predict the outcome of a decision making problem. Non-cooperative stability definitions for solving the games allow consideration of non-cooperative behaviors, often neglected by other methods which assume perfect cooperation among decision makers. To deal with the uncertainty in input variables a Monte-Carlo Game Theory (MCGT) approach is suggested which maps the stochastic problem into many deterministic strategic games. The games are solved using non-cooperative stability definitions and the results include possible effects of uncertainty in input variables on outcomes. The method can handle multi-criteria multi-decision-maker problems with uncertainty. The suggested method does not require criteria weighting, developing a compound decision objective, and accurate quantitative (cardinal) information as it simplifies the decision analysis by solving problems based on qualitative (ordinal) information, reducing the computational burden substantially. The MCGT method is applied to analyze California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta problem. The suggested method provides insights, identifies non-dominated alternatives, and predicts likely decision outcomes.

Screening for suicidal ideation in children with epilepsy.

PubMed

Jones, Jana E; Siddarth, Prabha; Gurbani, Suresh; Shields, W Donald; Caplan, Rochelle

2013-12-01

Given the FDA's warning regarding the potential connection between suicidal behavior and antiepileptic drugs, this study examined methods by which to detect suicidal ideation in children with epilepsy. It compared the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve for identifying children with suicidal behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and a structured psychiatric interview. Parent-completed CBCLs provided behavioral problem scores on 177 children with epilepsy, aged 5-16years. Psychiatric diagnoses were made based on separate child and parent structured psychiatric interviews about the child. The children answered questions on suicidal behaviors during the interview. A clinically elevated score in the CBCL Total Problems scale and having more than one psychiatric diagnosis, irrespective of the type of diagnosis, were significant predictors and correctly classified children with suicidal ideation in 79% of the cases based on the CBCL and 80% of the cases with more than one psychiatric diagnosis. These findings indicate that elevated CBCL Total Problems scores, a commonly used instrument, can screen and identify risk for suicidal behavior in children with epilepsy. Additionally, irrespective of diagnosis, if a child with epilepsy has more than one psychiatric diagnosis, further assessment of suicidal behavior is warranted. Importantly, the results underscore the utility of having parents complete a questionnaire in the waiting room in order to identify children with epilepsy at risk for suicidal behavior. © 2013.

Probabilistic Seeking Prediction in P2P VoD Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weiwei; Xu, Tianyin; Gao, Yang; Lu, Sanglu

In P2P VoD streaming systems, user behavior modeling is critical to help optimise user experience as well as system throughput. However, it still remains a challenging task due to the dynamic characteristics of user viewing behavior. In this paper, we consider the problem of user seeking prediction which is to predict the user's next seeking position so that the system can proactively make response. We present a novel method for solving this problem. In our method, frequent sequential patterns mining is first performed to extract abstract states which are not overlapped and cover the whole video file altogether. After mapping the raw training dataset to state transitions according to the abstract states, we use a simpel probabilistic contingency table to build the prediction model. We design an experiment on the synthetic P2P VoD dataset. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.

A direct method for the solution of unsteady two-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghia, K. N.; Osswald, G. A.; Ghia, U.

1983-01-01

The unsteady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are formulated in terms of vorticity and stream function in generalized curvilinear orthogonal coordinates to facilitiate analysis of flow configurations with general geometries. The numerical method developed solves the conservative form of the transport equation using the alternating-direction implicit method, whereas the stream-function equation is solved by direct block Gaussian elimination. The method is applied to a model problem of flow over a back-step in a doubly infinite channel, using clustered conformal coordinates. One-dimensional stretching functions, dependent on the Reynolds number and the asymptotic behavior of the flow, are used to provide suitable grid distribution in the separation and reattachment regions, as well as in the inflow and outflow regions. The optimum grid distribution selected attempts to honor the multiple length scales of the separated-flow model problem. The asymptotic behavior of the finite-differenced transport equation near infinity is examined and the numerical method is carefully developed so as to lead to spatially second-order accurate wiggle-free solutions, i.e., with minimum dispersive error. Results have been obtained in the entire laminar range for the backstep channel and are in good agreement with the available experimental data for this flow problem.

Maternal attitudinal inflexibility: longitudinal relations with mother-infant disrupted interaction and childhood hostile-aggressive behavior problems.

PubMed

Najmi, Sadia; Bureau, Jean-Francois; Chen, Diyu; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

2009-12-01

: The Personal Attitude Scale (PAS; Hooley, 2000) is a method that is under development for identifying individuals high in Expressed Emotion based on personality traits of inflexibility, intolerance, and norm-forming. In the current study, the goal was to measure the association between this maternal attitudinal inflexibility, early hostile or disrupted mother-infant interactions, and hostile-aggressive behavior problems in the child. In a prospective longitudinal study of 76 low-income mothers and their infants, it was predicted that maternal PAS scores, assessed at child age 20, would be related to difficulties in early observed mother-infant interaction and to hostile-aggressive behavioral difficulties in the child. Results indicated that maternal difficulties in interacting with the infant in the laboratory were associated with maternal PAS scores assessed 20 years later. Hostile-aggressive behavior problems in the child at age five were also predictive of PAS scores of mothers. However, contrary to prediction, these behavior problems did not mediate the association between mother-infant interaction difficulties and maternal PAS scores, indicating that the child's hostile-aggressive behavior problems did not produce the link between quality of early interaction and later maternal attitudinal inflexibility. The current results validate the PAS against observable mother-child interactions and child hostile-aggressive behavior problems and indicate the importance of future work investigating the maternal attitudes that are associated with, and may potentially precede, parent-infant interactive difficulties. These findings regarding the inflexible attitudes of mothers whose interactions with their infants are also disrupted have important clinical implications. First, once the stability of the PAS has been established, this measure may offer a valuable screening tool for the prenatal identification of parents at risk for difficult interactions with their children. Second, it suggests routes for more cognitive interventions around helping less flexible parents shift perspectives to better take account of their child's outlooks and needs.

Using functional assessment to treat behavior problems of deaf and hard of hearing children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Zane, Thomas; Carlson, Mark; Estep, David; Quinn, Mike

2014-01-01

A defining feature of autism spectrum disorders is atypical behaviors, e.g., stereotypy, noncompliance, rituals, and aggression. Deaf and hard of hearing individuals with autism present a greater challenge because of additional issues related to their hearing status. One conceptualization of problem behavior is that it serves a communication function, i.e., the person has learned that certain misbehaviors may be reinforced in some way. The present article describes "functional behavior assessment," a group of state-of-the-art methodologies that allow a caregiver to determine the cause of the behavior, so that treatment--based on that cause--will be more effective. Different methods of functional assessment are described, along with a step-by-step implementation sequence. The results of a functional assessment should lead to more effective programming, resulting in quicker elimination of the behavioral concerns, and allow the person to gain access to greater independence and more reinforcement.

Caregiver preference for reinforcement-based interventions for problem behavior maintained by positive reinforcement.

PubMed

Gabor, Anne M; Fritz, Jennifer N; Roath, Christopher T; Rothe, Brittany R; Gourley, Denise A

2016-06-01

Social validity of behavioral interventions typically is assessed with indirect methods or by determining preferences of the individuals who receive treatment, and direct observation of caregiver preference rarely is described. In this study, preferences of 5 caregivers were determined via a concurrent-chains procedure. Caregivers were neurotypical, and children had been diagnosed with developmental disabilities and engaged in problem behavior maintained by positive reinforcement. Caregivers were taught to implement noncontingent reinforcement (NCR), differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA), and differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), and the caregivers selected interventions to implement during sessions with the child after they had demonstrated proficiency in implementing the interventions. Three caregivers preferred DRA, 1 caregiver preferred differential reinforcement procedures, and 1 caregiver did not exhibit a preference. Direct observation of implementation in concurrent-chains procedures may allow the identification of interventions that are implemented with sufficient integrity and preferred by caregivers. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

[Play therapy in social work with children].

PubMed

Dvarionas, Dziugas

2002-01-01

This article introduces the results of scientific research performed in 1995-1997 in Kaunas primary school with 1st and 2nd grade children exhibiting behavioral disorders. Play therapy, a quite novel method in the country, seeks better improvement and an achievement of a better relationship for disadvantaged children in educational process. Play group counseling, or play media counseling, is shown as an important method in working with early primary grade children, especially those who present behavioral problems in the classroom. Another important aspect of group play therapy is the concentrated relationship with the counselor. Primary school children, especially those who are disadvantaged respond more to warmth than to praise for being right and doing well. Data analysis allow us to assume that behavioral difficulties of primary school children are connected with a low rate of self-esteem and dissatisfaction with their vital activities. Main conclusions to correspond with hypothesis held for the research are: a) children exhibiting behavioral problems are less active in educational process; b) by means of systematic use of play group counseling method in school, problematic children are able to solve their difficulties and to optimize their academic improvement; c) there is a complementary relationship between child's self-esteem and his/her satisfaction with his/her vital activity.

Prevalence of behavioral problems and related family functioning among middle school students in an eastern city of China.

PubMed

Ma, Xiquan; Yao, Yuhong; Zhao, Xudong

2013-03-01

This study was carried out to explore the prevalence of behavioral problems among adolescents in junior high school as well as their families' levels of function or dysfunction that contribute to children's behavioral problems in Mainland China. One thousand, four hundred and seventy-six adolescents (ages 12-17 years) and their families participated in the study. Parents completed a self-administered questionnaire consisting of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Family Assessment Device (FAD) and a number of demographic questions. Student's t-tests, chi-square tests and stepwise multiple regression models were performed to examine the variables. The estimated prevalence of behavioral problems was 10.5% based on the cutoff point for behavioral problems according to the CBCL. Behavioral problems identified by the CBCL occurred differently at various developmental stages (F = 10.06, P = 0.007). The study showed that inappropriate affective responsiveness, poor affective involvement and low ability of problem solving in the family were significantly associated with increased risk for externalizing behavior problems and total behavior problems of boys. Inappropriate affective responsiveness and poor communication in the family were significantly associated with increased risk for internalizing problems for boys. Poorly established patterns of family behavior were important factors contributing to the development of externalizing behavior problems, internalizing behavior problems and total behavior problems for girls'. The present findings suggest that functional levels of family are associated with the adolescent's mental health, and that specific family dynamics may influence the development of behavioral problems among adolescents in China. Copyright © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

A Large-Particle Monte Carlo Code for Simulating Non-Linear High-Energy Processes Near Compact Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stern, Boris E.; Svensson, Roland; Begelman, Mitchell C.; Sikora, Marek

1995-01-01

High-energy radiation processes in compact cosmic objects are often expected to have a strongly non-linear behavior. Such behavior is shown, for example, by electron-positron pair cascades and the time evolution of relativistic proton distributions in dense radiation fields. Three independent techniques have been developed to simulate these non-linear problems: the kinetic equation approach; the phase-space density (PSD) Monte Carlo method; and the large-particle (LP) Monte Carlo method. In this paper, we present the latest version of the LP method and compare it with the other methods. The efficiency of the method in treating geometrically complex problems is illustrated by showing results of simulations of 1D, 2D and 3D systems. The method is shown to be powerful enough to treat non-spherical geometries, including such effects as bulk motion of the background plasma, reflection of radiation from cold matter, and anisotropic distributions of radiating particles. It can therefore be applied to simulate high-energy processes in such astrophysical systems as accretion discs with coronae, relativistic jets, pulsar magnetospheres and gamma-ray bursts.

Modeling and prediction of human word search behavior in interactive machine translation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Duo; Yu, Bai; Ma, Bin; Ye, Na

2017-12-01

As a kind of computer aided translation method, Interactive Machine Translation technology reduced manual translation repetitive and mechanical operation through a variety of methods, so as to get the translation efficiency, and played an important role in the practical application of the translation work. In this paper, we regarded the behavior of users' frequently searching for words in the translation process as the research object, and transformed the behavior to the translation selection problem under the current translation. The paper presented a prediction model, which is a comprehensive utilization of alignment model, translation model and language model of the searching words behavior. It achieved a highly accurate prediction of searching words behavior, and reduced the switching of mouse and keyboard operations in the users' translation process.

Community based study of sleep bruxism during early childhood

PubMed Central

Insana, Salvatore P.; Gozal, David; McNeil, Daniel W.; Montgomery-Downs, Hawley E.

2012-01-01

Objectives The aims for this study were to determine the prevalence of sleep-bruxism among young children, explore child behavior problems that may be associated with sleep-bruxism, and identify relations among sleep-bruxism, health problems, and neurocognitive performance. Methods The current study was a retrospective analysis of parent report surveys, and behavioral and neurocognitive assessments. Parents of 1953 preschool and 2888 first grade children indicated their child’s frequency of bruxism during sleep. A subsample of preschool children (n = 249) had additional behavioral, as well as neurocognitive assessments. Among the subsample, parents also reported on their child’s health, and completed the Child Behavioral Checklist; children were administered the Differential Ability Scales, and Pre-Reading Abilities subtests of the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment. Results 36.8% of preschoolers and 49.6% of first graders were reported to brux ≥ 1 time per week. Among the preschool subsample, bruxing was independently associated with increased internalizing behaviors (β = .17). Bruxism was also associated with increased health problems (β = .19), and increased health problems were associated with decreased neurocognitive performance (β = .22). Conclusions The prevalence of sleep-bruxism was high. A dynamic and potentially clinically relevant relation exists among sleep-bruxism, internalizing behaviors, health, and neurocognition. Pediatric sleep-bruxism may serve as a sentinel marker for possible adverse health conditions, and signal a need for early intervention. These results support the need for an interdisciplinary approach to pediatric sleep medicine, dentistry, and psychology. PMID:23219144

Perinatal Phosphatidylcholine Supplementation and Early Childhood Behavior Problems: Evidence for CHRNA7 Moderation

PubMed Central

Ross, Randal G.; Hunter, Sharon K.; Hoffman, M. Camille; McCarthy, Lizbeth; Chambers, Betsey M.; Law, Amanda J.; Leonard, Sherry; Zerbe, Gary O.; Freedman, Robert

2018-01-01

Objective α7-Nicotinic receptors are involved in the final maturation of GABA inhibitory synapses before birth. Choline at levels found in the amniotic fluid is an agonist at α7-nicotinic receptors. The authors conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled trial to assess whether high-dose oral phosphatidylcholine supplementation during pregnancy to increase maternal amniotic fluid choline levels would enhance fetal development of cerebral inhibition and, as a result, decrease childhood behavior problems associated with later mental illness. Method The authors previously reported that newborns in the phosphatidylcholine treatment group have increased suppression of the cerebral evoked response to repeated auditory stimuli. In this follow-up, they report parental assessments of the children’s behavior at 40 months of age, using the Child Behavior Checklist. Results At 40 months, parent ratings of children in the phosphatidylcholine group (N=23) indicated fewer attention problems and less social withdrawal compared with the placebo group (N=26). The improvement is comparable in magnitude to similar deficits at this age associated with later schizophrenia. The children’s behavior is moderated by CHRNA7 variants associated with later mental illness and is related to their enhanced cerebral inhibition as newborns. Conclusions CHRNA7, the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene, has been associated with schizophrenia, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Maternal phosphatidylcholine treatment may, by increasing activation of the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, alter the development of behavior problems in early childhood that can presage later mental illness. PMID:26651393

Maximizing beneficence and autonomy. Ethical support for the use of nonpharmacological methods for managing dental anxiety.

PubMed

Donate-Bartfield, Evelyn; Spellecy, Ryan; Shane, Nicholas J

2010-01-01

This article examines advantages associated with nonpharmacological behavioral management techniques and suggests that there are benefits to their use (such as achieving a more lasting solution to the problem of dental anxiety) that are not realized with medication-based interventions. Analyses that use Kantian and existential viewpoints for exploring the use of medication versus behavioral interventions for managing life problems yield parallel conclusions: there are advantages gained by using behavioral interventions that are not always associated with medication-based interventions. These analyses, taken together with an understanding of the psychology of dental anxiety management, suggest that using nonpharmacological techniques for the management of dental anxiety can maximize adherence to the ethical principles of beneficence and patient autonomy. The authors discuss the barriers that make nonpharmacological interventions for anxiety management difficult for dentists to routinely use, and suggest that additional training in these methods and increased collaboration with mental health professionals are needed for dentists.

A comparison of in-class learner engagement across lecture, problem-based learning, and team learning using the STROBE classroom observation tool.

PubMed

Kelly, P Adam; Haidet, Paul; Schneider, Virginia; Searle, Nancy; Seidel, Charles L; Richards, Boyd F

2005-01-01

Having recently introduced team learning into the preclinical medical curriculum, evidence of the relative impact of this instructional method on in-class learner engagement was sought. To compare patterns of engagement behaviors among learners in class sessions across 3 distinct instructional methods: lecture, problem-based learning (PBL), and team learning. Trained observers used the STROBE classroom observation tool to measure learner engagement in 7 lecture, 4 PBL, and 3 team learning classrooms over a 12-month period. Proportions of different types of engagement behaviors were compared using chi-square. In PBL and team learning, the amount of learner-to-learner engagement was similar and much greater than in lecture, where most engagement was of the learner-to-instructor and self-engagement types. Also, learner-to-instructor engagement appeared greater in team learning than in PBL. Observed engagement behaviors confirm the potential of team learning to foster engagement similar to PBL, but with greater faculty input.

[Knowledge of Emotion Regulation Strategies, Problem Behavior, and Prosocial Behavior in Preschool Age].

PubMed

Gust, Nicole; Koglin, Ute; Petermann, Franz

2015-01-01

The present study examines the relation between knowledge of emotion regulation strategies and social behavior in preschoolers. Knowledge of emotion regulation strategies of 210 children (mean age 55 months) was assessed. Teachers rated children's social behavior with SDQ. Linear regression analysis examined how knowledge of emotion regulation strategies influenced social behavior of children. Significant effects of gender on SDQ scales "prosocial behavior", "hyperactivity", "behavior problems", and SDQ total problem scale were identified. Age was a significant predictor of SDQ scales "prosocial behavior", "hyperactivity", "problems with peers" and SDQ total problem scale. Knowledge of emotion regulation strategies predicted SDQ total problem scores. Results suggest that deficits in knowledge of emotion regulation strategies are linked with increased problem behavior.

Anxiety, attention problems, hyperactivity, and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist in fragile X syndrome.

PubMed

Wheeler, Anne; Raspa, Melissa; Bann, Carla; Bishop, Ellen; Hessl, David; Sacco, Pat; Bailey, Donald B

2014-01-01

Behavior problems are a common challenge for individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and constitute the primary clinical outcome domain in trials testing new FXS medications. However, little is known about the relationship between caregiver-reported behavior problems and co-occurring conditions such as anxiety and attention problems. In this study, 350 caregivers, each with at least one son or daughter with full-mutation FXS, rated one of their children with FXS using the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community Version (ABC-C); the Anxiety subscale of the Anxiety, Depression, and Mood Scale; and the Attention/Hyperactivity Items from the Symptom Inventories. In addition to examining family consequences of these behaviors, this study also sought to replicate psychometric findings for the ABC-C in FXS, to provide greater confidence for its use in clinical trials with this population. Psychometric properties and baseline ratings of problem behavior were consistent with other recent studies, further establishing the profile of problem behavior in FXS. Cross-sectional analyses suggest that selected dimensions of problem behavior, anxiety, and hyperactivity are age related; thus, age should serve as an important control in any studies of problem behavior in FXS. Measures of anxiety, attention, and hyperactivity were highly associated with behavior problems, suggesting that these factors at least coincide with problem behavior. However, these problems generally did not add substantially to variance in caregiver burden predicted by elevated behavior problems. The results provide further evidence of the incidence of problem behaviors and co-occurring conditions in FXS and the impact of these behaviors on the family. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

When an event sparks behavior change: an introduction to the sentinel event method of dynamic model building and its application to emergency medicine.

PubMed

Boudreaux, Edwin D; Bock, Beth; O'Hea, Erin

2012-03-01

Experiencing a negative consequence related to one's health behavior, like a medical problem leading to an emergency department (ED) visit, can promote behavior change, giving rise to the popular concept of the "teachable moment." However, the mechanisms of action underlying this process of change have received scant attention. In particular, most existing health behavior theories are limited in explaining why such events can inspire short-term change in some and long-term change in others. Expanding on recommendations published in the 2009 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference on public health in emergency medicine (EM), we propose a new method for developing conceptual models that explain how negative events, like medical emergencies, influence behavior change, called the Sentinel Event Method. The method itself is atheoretical; instead, it defines steps to guide investigations that seek to relate specific consequences or events to specific health behaviors. This method can be used to adapt existing health behavior theories to study the event-behavior change relationship or to guide formulation of completely new conceptual models. This paper presents the tenets underlying the Sentinel Event Method, describes the steps comprising the process, and illustrates its application to EM through an example of a cardiac-related ED visit and tobacco use. © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Informant Agreement for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Intellectual Disability: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratis, Elizabeth A.; Lecavalier, Luc

2015-01-01

This study investigated informant agreement on emotional and behavior problems and social skills in youth with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability using meta-analytic methods. Forty-nine studies were included, consisting of 107 effect sizes. The mean weighted effect size across all raters and all behaviors was 0.36, reflecting…

Effects of Risperidone and Parent Training on Adaptive Functioning in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders and Serious Behavioral Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scahill, Lawrence; McDougle, Christopher J.; Aman, Michael G.; Johnson, Cynthia; Handen, Benjamin; Bearss, Karen; Dziura, James; Butter, Eric; Swiezy, Naomi G.; Arnold, L. Eugene; Stigler, Kimberly A.; Sukhodolsky, Denis D.; Lecavalier, Luc; Pozdol, Stacie L.; Nikolov, Roumen; Hollway, Jill A.; Korzekwa, Patricia; Gavaletz, Allison; Kohn, Arlene E.; Koenig, Kathleen; Grinnon, Stacie; Mulick, James A.; Yu, Sunkyung; Vitiello, Benedetto

2012-01-01

Objective: Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) have social interaction deficits, delayed communication, and repetitive behaviors as well as impairments in adaptive functioning. Many children actually show a decline in adaptive skills compared with age mates over time. Method: This 24-week, three-site, controlled clinical trial…

Problem Behavior and Romantic Relationships: Assortative Mating, Behavior Contagion, and Desistance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhule-Louie, Dana M.; McMahon, Robert J.

2007-01-01

Antisocial behavior and substance misuse are forms of problem behavior demonstrating considerable continuity over time. Accordingly, problem behavior influences interpersonal contexts across the life course, which may result in the replication of coercive interactions and a problem behavior lifestyle within romantic relationships. Furthermore,…

Effects of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure on Early Sexual Behavior: Gender Difference in Externalizing Behavior as a Mediator

PubMed Central

Min, Meeyoung O.; Minnes, Sonia; Lang, Adelaide; Yoon, Susan; Singer, Lynn T.

2015-01-01

Background Prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) is associated with increased risk for externalizing behavior problems; childhood externalizing behavior problems are linked with subsequent early sexual behavior. The present study examined the effects of PCE on early sexual initiation (sexual intercourse prior to age 15) and whether externalizing behavior in preadolescence mediated the relationship. Methods Three hundred fifty-four (180 PCE and 174 non-cocaine exposed; 192 girls, 142 boys), primarily African-American, low socioeconomic status, 15-year old adolescents participated in a prospective longitudinal study. Adolescents’ sexual behavior was assessed at 15 years using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Externalizing behavior was assessed at 12 years using the Youth Self-Report. Results Logistic regression models indicated that adolescents with PCE (n=69, 38%) were 2.2 times more likely (95% CI= 1.2 – 4.1, p < .01) to engage in early sexual intercourse than non-exposed peers (n=49, 28%) controlling for covariates. This relationship was fully mediated by self-reported externalizing behavior in girls but not in boys, suggesting childhood externalizing behavior as a gender moderated mediator. Blood lead level during preschool years was also related to a greater likelihood of early sexual intercourse (OR=2.6, 95% CI=1.4 – 4.7, p < .002). Greater parental monitoring decreased the likelihood of early sexual intercourse, while violence exposure increased the risk. Conclusions PCE is related to early sexual intercourse, and externalizing behavior problems mediate PCE effects in female adolescents. Interventions targeting externalizing behavior may reduce early sexual initiation and thereby reduce HIV risk behaviors and early, unplanned pregnancy in girls with PCE. PMID:26088698

A latent class analysis of underage problem drinking: evidence from a community sample of 16-20 year olds.

PubMed

Reboussin, Beth A; Song, Eun-Young; Shrestha, Anshu; Lohman, Kurt K; Wolfson, Mark

2006-07-27

The aim of this paper is to shed light on the nature of underage problem drinking by using an empirically based method to characterize the variation in patterns of drinking in a community sample of underage drinkers. A total of 4056 16-20-year-old current drinkers from 212 communities in the US were surveyed by telephone as part of the National Evaluation of the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Program. Latent class models were used to create homogenous groups of drinkers with similar drinking patterns defined by multiple indicators of drinking behaviors and alcohol-related problems. Two types of underage problem drinkers were identified; risky drinkers (30%) and regular drinkers (27%). The most prominent behaviors among both types of underage problem drinkers were binge drinking and getting drunk. Being male, other drug use, early onset drinking and beliefs about friends drinking and getting drunk were all associated with an increased risk of being a problem drinker after adjustment for other factors. Beliefs that most friends drink and current marijuana use were the strongest predictors of both risky problem drinking (OR=4.0; 95% CI=3.1, 5.1 and OR=4.0; 95% CI=2.8, 5.6, respectively) and regular problem drinking (OR=10.8; 95% CI=7.0, 16.7 and OR=10.2; 95% CI=6.9, 15.2). Young adulthood (ages 18-20) was significantly associated with regular problem drinking but not risky problem drinking. The belief that most friends get drunk weekly was the strongest discriminator of risky and regular problem drinking patterns (OR=5.3; 95% CI=3.9, 7.1). These findings suggest that underage problem drinking is most strongly characterized by heavy drinking behaviors which can emerge in late adolescence and underscores its association with perceptions regarding friends drinking behaviors and illicit drug use.

A latent class analysis of underage problem drinking: Evidence from a community sample of 16−20 year olds

PubMed Central

Reboussin, Beth A.; Song, Eun-Young; Shrestha, Anshu; Lohman, Kurt K.; Wolfson, Mark

2008-01-01

The aim of this paper is to shed light on the nature of underage problem drinking by using an empirically based method to characterize the variation in patterns of drinking in a community sample of underage drinkers. A total of 4056 16−20-year-old current drinkers from 212 communities in the US were surveyed by telephone as part of the National Evaluation of the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Program. Latent class models were used to create homogenous groups of drinkers with similar drinking patterns defined by multiple indicators of drinking behaviors and alcohol-related problems. Two types of underage problem drinkers were identified; risky drinkers (30%) and regular drinkers (27%). The most prominent behaviors among both types of underage problem drinkers were binge drinking and getting drunk. Being male, other drug use, early onset drinking and beliefs about friends drinking and getting drunk were all associated with an increased risk of being a problem drinker after adjustment for other factors. Beliefs that most friends drink and current marijuana use were the strongest predictors of both risky problem drinking (OR = 4.0; 95% CI = 3.1, 5.1 and OR = 4.0; 95% CI = 2.8, 5.6, respectively) and regular problem drinking (OR = 10.8; 95% CI = 7.0, 16.7 and OR = 10.2; 95% CI = 6.9, 15.2). Young adulthood (ages 18−20) was significantly associated with regular problem drinking but not risky problem drinking. The belief that most friends get drunk weekly was the strongest discriminator of risky and regular problem drinking patterns (OR = 5.3; 95% CI = 3.9, 7.1). These findings suggest that underage problem drinking is most strongly characterized by heavy drinking behaviors which can emerge in late adolescence and underscores its association with perceptions regarding friends drinking behaviors and illicit drug use. PMID:16359829

Effects of family interaction on the child's behavior in single-parent or reconstructed families.

PubMed

Taanila, Anja; Laitinen, Elina; Moilanen, Irma; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta

2002-01-01

The effects of the family interaction on children's behavior were studied in single-parent or reconstructed families (N = 63) in a white population in Finland. The focus was on the spousal and the parent-child interaction. Teachers assessed children's behavior and parents were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed qualitatively using the grounded-theory method. The boundary ambiguity theory developed by Pauline Boss was used to examine the interaction in the families. About two fifths of the parents reported that their spousal interaction was good, family boundaries were clear, and the children were taken care of together. Another two fifths interacted only because of the child and family boundaries were ambiguous. In 14 families the involvement of the noncustodial parent was both physically and psychologically low. The physically close but psychologically distant parent-child interaction seemed to affect the child's behavior detrimentally, whereas children with physically and psychologically close interaction with their parents showed less behavioral problems. The children with behavioral problems were more likely to have problems with both parents. They were also more likely to have a stepparent with whom they had conflicts. In conclusion, a good interaction between the parents and clarified family boundaries protect children's mental health after their parents' divorce or separation.

Clinical management of poor adherence to CPAP: motivational enhancement.

PubMed

Aloia, Mark S; Arnedt, J Todd; Riggs, Raine L; Hecht, Jacki; Borrelli, Belinda

2004-01-01

Adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients with sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) is poor. Previous studies have attempted to identify specific barriers to treatment, but none has identified the sole cause for the problem. We outline a behavioral approach to the problem of CPAP adherence that is based on the theories of the transtheoretical model and social cognitive theory. We used these theories to guide the development of an intervention based on the methods of motivational interviewing. We present our motivational enhancement therapy for CPAP (ME-CPAP) here, with some brief pilot data to show its efficacy. Finally, we outline some strengths and weaknesses of taking a behavior change approach to the problem of poor CPAP adherence.

Behavior problems among young children in low-income urban day care centers.

PubMed

Gross, D; Sambrook, A; Fogg, L

1999-02-01

The purposes of this study were to describe: (a) the frequency and correlates of behavior problems among a sample of 2- and 3-year-old children from low-income families as seen by their parents and day care teachers, (b) the degree to which parents and teachers agree about the children's behavior problems in their respective contexts, and (c) family characteristics that distinguish toddlers with behavior problems both at home and at day care from the rest of the sample. Parents of 133 toddlers from 10 Chicago day care centers completed measures of child behavior problems, child behavioral intensity, parenting self-efficacy, discipline strategies, and stress. Children's day care teachers also completed a measure of child behavior problems. Parent-reported behavior problems were associated with higher child behavioral intensity, greater parent stress, lower self-efficacy, and discipline strategies characterized by irritability, coercion, and inconsistency. Parent and teacher ratings on child behavior were correlated for boys' behavior problems only. Parents reported more child behavior problems than teachers. Approximately 8% of the children were rated as having behavior problems at home and at day care. Although most of the children are functioning well, many of these parents and toddlers are engaged in highly stressful and coercive relationships.

The effects of preference assessment type on problem behavior.

PubMed

Tung, Sara Beth; Donaldson, Jeanne M; Kahng, SungWoo

2017-10-01

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who engage in problem behavior maintained by access to tangibles may exhibit more problem behavior during certain preference assessments. We compared three common preference assessments to determine which resulted in fewer problem behaviors. The paired stimulus and multiple-stimulus without replacement assessments produced higher rates of problem behavior than the free operant (FO) assessment, suggesting that the FO assessment may be the most appropriate assessment for individuals who engage in problem behavior maintained by access to tangibles. © 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

A tutorial description of an interior point method and its applications to security-constrained economic dispatch

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vargas, L.S.; Quintana, V.H.; Vannelli, A.

This paper deals with the use of Successive Linear Programming (SLP) for the solution of the Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) problem. The authors tutorially describe an Interior Point Method (IPM) for the solution of Linear Programming (LP) problems, discussing important implementation issues that really make this method far superior to the simplex method. A study of the convergence of the SLP technique and a practical criterion to avoid oscillatory behavior in the iteration process are also proposed. A comparison of the proposed method with an efficient simplex code (MINOS) is carried out by solving SCED problems on two standard IEEEmore » systems. The results show that the interior point technique is reliable, accurate and more than two times faster than the simplex algorithm.« less

The Solution of Large Time-Dependent Problems Using Reduced Coordinates.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

numerical intergration schemes for dynamic problems, the algorithm known as Newmark’s Method. The behavior of the Newmark scheme, as well as the basic...T’he horizontal displacements at the mid-height and the bottom of the buildin- are shown in f igure 4. 13. The solution history illustrated is for a

Children's Problems Predict Adults' "DSM-IV" Disorders across 24 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reef, Joni; van Meurs, Inge; Verhulst, Frank C.; van der Ende, Jan

2010-01-01

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine continuities of a broad range of psychopathology from childhood into middle adulthood in a general population sample across a 24-year follow-up. Method: In 1983, parent ratings of children's problems were collected with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in a general population sample of 2,076…

The Treatment of Food Selectivity and Other Feeding Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Fodstad, Jill C.

2009-01-01

Food selectivity and other feeding problems are endemic in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Additionally, many of the challenging behaviors which fall into this category are idiosyncratic to ASD. A technology is beginning to emerge regarding methods to lessen and effectively treat these issues which, if unchecked, can result in poor…

The Impact of Inattention and Emotional Problems on Cognitive Control in Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sorensen, Lin; Plessen, Kerstin J.; Lundervold, Astri J.

2012-01-01

Objective: The present study investigated the predictive value of parent/teacher reports of inattention and emotional problems on cognitive control function in 241 children in primary school. Method: Cognitive control was measured by functions of set-shifting and working memory as assessed by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function…

A Survey of School Psychologists' Application of the Problem-Solving Model to Counseling Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Rebecca

2012-01-01

Given the current focus on student outcomes, use of the problem-solving model to plan interventions is one method by which school psychologists can hold themselves accountable for implementing counseling interventions that have a positive impact on student behavioral outcomes and mental health. This study surveyed school psychologists about their…

Problems and Procedures in Planning a Situation Based Video Test on Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masonis, Edward J.

This paper briefly outlines some problems one must solve when developing a video-based test to evaluate what a teacher knows about learning and instruction. Consideration is given to the effect the use of videotapes of actual classroom behavior have on test planning. Two methods of incorporating such situational material into the test…

Infant-Mother Attachment and the Growth of Externalizing Problems across the Primary-School Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasco Fearon, R. M.; Belsky, Jay

2011-01-01

Background: Some contend that attachment insecurity increases risk for the development of externalizing behavior problems in children. Method: Latent-growth curve analyses were applied to data on 1,364 children from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care to evaluate the association between early attachment and teacher-rated externalizing problems…

Adolescent Temperament: Childhood Problem Precursors and Problem Behavior Correlates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windle, Michael

Interrelations between childhood behavior problems and adolescent temperament, and between adolescent temperament and problem behaviors, were studied. A sample of 311 adolescents with an average age of 15.7 years completed self-report measures regarding behavior problems before age 13, temperament, alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems,…

Positive affect: phenotypic and etiologic associations with prosocial behaviors and internalizing problems in toddlers

PubMed Central

Wang, Manjie; Saudino, Kimberly J.

2015-01-01

Despite evidence for the associations of positive affect to prosocial behaviors and internalizing problems, relatively little is known about the underlying etiology. The sample comprised over 300 twin pairs at age 3. Positive affect, prosocial behaviors, and internalizing problems were assessed using the Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire (Goldsmith, 1996), the Revised Rutter Parent Scale for Preschool Children (Hogg et al., 1997), and the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 1.5–5 (Achenbach, 1991), respectively. Positive affect correlated positively with prosocial behaviors, and negatively with internalizing problems. Prosocial behaviors were negatively associated with internalizing problems. The relations of positive affect to prosocial behaviors and internalizing problems were due to environmental effects (shared and non-shared). In contrast, the link between prosocial behaviors and internalizing problems was entirely explained by genetic effects. The current study has moved beyond prior emphasis on negative affect and elucidated the less understood etiology underlying the associations between positive affect, prosocial behaviors, and internalizing problems. This study could guide the development of programs for promoting prosocial behaviors and alleviating internalizing problems in children. PMID:25914668

Positive affect: phenotypic and etiologic associations with prosocial behaviors and internalizing problems in toddlers.

PubMed

Wang, Manjie; Saudino, Kimberly J

2015-01-01

Despite evidence for the associations of positive affect to prosocial behaviors and internalizing problems, relatively little is known about the underlying etiology. The sample comprised over 300 twin pairs at age 3. Positive affect, prosocial behaviors, and internalizing problems were assessed using the Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire (Goldsmith, 1996), the Revised Rutter Parent Scale for Preschool Children (Hogg et al., 1997), and the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 1.5-5 (Achenbach, 1991), respectively. Positive affect correlated positively with prosocial behaviors, and negatively with internalizing problems. Prosocial behaviors were negatively associated with internalizing problems. The relations of positive affect to prosocial behaviors and internalizing problems were due to environmental effects (shared and non-shared). In contrast, the link between prosocial behaviors and internalizing problems was entirely explained by genetic effects. The current study has moved beyond prior emphasis on negative affect and elucidated the less understood etiology underlying the associations between positive affect, prosocial behaviors, and internalizing problems. This study could guide the development of programs for promoting prosocial behaviors and alleviating internalizing problems in children.

The Drift toward Problem Behavior during the Transition to Adolescence: The Contributions of Youth Disclosure, Parenting, and Older Siblings.

PubMed

Low, Sabina; Snyder, James; Shortt, Joann Wu

2012-03-01

Prospective associations of mothers' parenting processes, youth disclosure and youth problem behavior were examined in a longitudinal design following 244 adolescent sibling dyads over a three year period. For both siblings, authoritative parenting was positively associated with youth disclosure and negatively related to problem behavior, and coercive parenting was negatively associated with youth disclosure and positively related to problem behavior. When the influence of older sibling problem behavior on younger sibling problem behavior was modeled, younger sibling disclosure accounted for the relationship of maternal parenting processes to problem behavior. Findings indicate the important role of sibling influence in the development of problem behavior, contextualizing the relative roles of maternal parenting and youth disclosure in the transmission of risk.

The Drift toward Problem Behavior during the Transition to Adolescence: The Contributions of Youth Disclosure, Parenting, and Older Siblings

PubMed Central

Low, Sabina; Snyder, James; Shortt, Joann Wu

2013-01-01

Prospective associations of mothers’ parenting processes, youth disclosure and youth problem behavior were examined in a longitudinal design following 244 adolescent sibling dyads over a three year period. For both siblings, authoritative parenting was positively associated with youth disclosure and negatively related to problem behavior, and coercive parenting was negatively associated with youth disclosure and positively related to problem behavior. When the influence of older sibling problem behavior on younger sibling problem behavior was modeled, younger sibling disclosure accounted for the relationship of maternal parenting processes to problem behavior. Findings indicate the important role of sibling influence in the development of problem behavior, contextualizing the relative roles of maternal parenting and youth disclosure in the transmission of risk. PMID:23667299

Neighborhood Ethnic Diversity and Behavioral and Emotional Problems in 3 Year Olds: Results from the Generation R Study

PubMed Central

Flink, Ilse J. E.; Prins, Rick G.; Mackenbach, Johan J. P.; Jaddoe, Vincent W.; Hofman, Albert; Verhulst, Frank C.; Tiemeier, Henning; Raat, Hein

2013-01-01

Background Studies suggest that neighborhood ethnic diversity may be important when it comes to understanding ethnic inequalities in mental health. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether neighborhood ethnic diversity moderated the association between the ethnic minority status and child behavioral and emotional problems. Methods We included 3076 preschoolers participating in the Generation R Study, a birth cohort study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. At child age 3-years, parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1,5-5). Individual-level data, assessed with questionnaires, was combined with neighborhood-level data. Multi-level logistic regression models predicted the Odds Ratios for the CBCL total problems score as a function of maternal ethnic background and neighborhood ethnic diversity, computed with the Racial Diversity Index and categorized into tertiles. Interaction on the additive scale was assessed using Relative Access Risk due to Interaction. Results Being from an ethnic minority was associated with child behavioral and emotional problems in unadjusted (OR 2.76, 95% CI 1.88–4.04) and adjusted models (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.79–3.92). Residing in a high diversity neighborhood was associated with child behavioral and emotional problems in unadjusted (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.13–3.64) but not in adjusted models (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.51–1.57). When stratifying by the three levels of neighborhood ethnic diversity, ethnic inequalities in behavioral and emotional problems were greatest in low diversity neighborhoods (OR 5.24, 95%CI 2.47–11.14), smaller in high diversity neighborhoods (OR 3.15, 95% CI 1.66–5.99) and smallest in medium diversity neighborhoods (OR 1.59, 95% CI 0.90–2.82). Tests for interaction (when comparing medium to low diversity neighborhoods) trended towards negative on both the additive and multiplicative scale for the maternal-report (RERI: −3.22, 95% CI −0.70–0.59; Ratio of ORs: 0.30, 95% CI 0.12–0.76). Conclusion This study suggests that ethnic inequalities in child behavioral and emotional problems may be greatest in ethnically homogeneous neighborhoods. PMID:23967068

Behavior Problems among Cocaine Exposed Children: Role of Physiological Regulation and Parenting

PubMed Central

Finger, Brent; Schuetze, Pamela; Eiden, Rina D.

2014-01-01

This study examined interrelations between prenatal cocaine exposure, child autonomic regulation, parenting behavior and child sex on parent-reported behavior problems at 36 months of age. We hypothesized that respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA)1 at 13 months of age would mediate the relation between cocaine exposure and behavior problems. We also hypothesized that child sex, maternal negative affect, and maternal sensitivity observed at 13 months of age would moderate the relation between RSA and behavior problems. Results revealed that cocaine exposure predicted low baseline RSA and low RSA withdrawal during a negative affect task. Low baseline RSA, in turn, predicted fewer behavior problems offering support for an indirect association between cocaine exposure and behavior problems. The association between baseline RSA and behavior problems was further moderated by maternal negative affect such that high baseline RSA was more strongly related to behavior problems under conditions of high compared to low maternal negative affect. Results also revealed a near significant trend for baseline RSA to be more strongly related to behavior problems among boys than girls. These findings highlight several possible pathways toward behavior problems among cocaine exposed children. PMID:24480789

Social Problem Solving and Depressive Symptoms Over Time: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy, Brief Supportive Psychotherapy, and Pharmacotherapy

PubMed Central

Klein, Daniel N.; Leon, Andrew C.; Li, Chunshan; D’Zurilla, Thomas J.; Black, Sarah R.; Vivian, Dina; Dowling, Frank; Arnow, Bruce A.; Manber, Rachel; Markowitz, John C.; Kocsis, James H.

2011-01-01

Objective Depression is associated with poor social problem-solving, and psychotherapies that focus on problem-solving skills are efficacious in treating depression. We examined the associations between treatment, social problem solving, and depression in a randomized clinical trial testing the efficacy of psychotherapy augmentation for chronically depressed patients who failed to fully respond to an initial trial of pharmacotherapy (Kocsis et al., 2009). Method Participants with chronic depression (n = 491) received Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), which emphasizes interpersonal problem-solving, plus medication; Brief Supportive Psychotherapy (BSP) plus medication; or medication alone for 12 weeks. Results CBASP plus pharmacotherapy was associated with significantly greater improvement in social problem solving than BSP plus pharmacotherapy, and a trend for greater improvement in problem solving than pharmacotherapy alone. In addition, change in social problem solving predicted subsequent change in depressive symptoms over time. However, the magnitude of the associations between changes in social problem solving and subsequent depressive symptoms did not differ across treatment conditions. Conclusions It does not appear that improved social problem solving is a mechanism that uniquely distinguishes CBASP from other treatment approaches. PMID:21500885

Prospective Analysis of Behavioral Economic Predictors of Stable Moderation Drinking Among Problem Drinkers Attempting Natural Recovery

PubMed Central

Tucker, Jalie A.; Cheong, JeeWon; Chandler, Susan D.; Lambert, Brice H.; Pietrzak, Brittney; Kwok, Heather; Davies, Susan L.

2016-01-01

Background As interventions have expanded beyond clinical treatment to include brief interventions for persons with less severe alcohol problems, predicting who can achieve stable moderation drinking has gained importance. Recent behavioral economic (BE) research on natural recovery has shown that active problem drinkers who allocate their monetary expenditures on alcohol and saving for the future over longer time horizons tend to have better subsequent recovery outcomes, including maintenance of stable moderation drinking. The present study compared the predictive utility of this money-based “Alcohol-Savings Discretionary Expenditure” (ASDE) index with multiple BE analogue measures of behavioral impulsivity and self-control, which have seldom been investigated together, to predict outcomes of natural recovery attempts. Methods Community-dwelling problem drinkers, enrolled shortly after stopping abusive drinking without treatment, were followed prospectively for up to a year (N = 175 [75.4% male], M age = 50.65 years). They completed baseline assessments of pre-resolution drinking practices and problems; analogue behavioral choice tasks (Delay Discounting, Melioration-Maximization, and Alcohol Purchase Tasks); and a Timeline Followback interview including expenditures on alcohol compared to voluntary savings (ASDE index) during the pre-resolution year. Results Multinomial logistic regression models showed that, among the BE measures, only the ASDE index predicted stable moderation drinking compared to stable abstinence or unstable resolutions involving relapse. As hypothesized, stable moderation was associated with more balanced pre-resolution allocations to drinking and savings (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.02 ∼ 3.08, p < .05), suggesting it is associated with longer term behavior regulation processes than abstinence. Conclusions The ASDE's unique predictive utility may rest on its comprehensive representation of contextual elements to support this patterning of behavioral allocation. Stable low risk drinking, but not abstinence, requires such regulatory processes. PMID:27775161

Temperament in infancy and behavioral and emotional problems at age 5.5: The EDEN mother-child cohort

PubMed Central

Abulizi, Xian; Pryor, Laura; Michel, Grégory; Melchior, Maria

2017-01-01

Objective Early temperamental characteristics may influence children’s developmental pathways and predict future psychopathology. However, the environmental context may also shape or interact with infant temperament and indirectly contribute to increased vulnerability to adverse developmental outcomes. The aim of the present study is to explore the long-term contribution of temperamental traits at twelve months of age to the presence of emotional and behavioral problems later in childhood, and whether this association varies with the child’s sex, parental separation, family socioeconomic status and maternal depression. Method 1184 mother-child pairs from the EDEN mother-child birth cohort study based in France (2003–2011), were followed from 24–28 weeks of pregnancy to the child’s fifth birthday. Infant temperament at 12 months was assessed with the Emotionality Activity and Sociability (EAS) questionnaire and behavior at 5.5 years was assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results Emotional temperament in infancy predicts children’s overall behavioral scores (β = 1.16, p<0.001), emotional difficulties (β = 0.30, p<0.001), conduct problems (β = 0.51, p<0.001) and symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention (β = 0.31, p = 0.01) at 5.5 years. Infants’ active temperament predicts later conduct problems (β = 0.30, p = 0.02), while shyness predicts later emotional problems (β = 0.22, p = 0.04). The association between the child’s temperament in infancy and later behavior did not vary with children’s own or family characteristics. Conclusion An emotional temperament in infancy is associated with higher levels of emotional and behavioral difficulties at the age of 5.5 years. Children who show high emotionality early on may require early prevention and intervention efforts to divert possible adverse developmental pathways. PMID:28199415

Childhood or Adolescent Parental Divorce/Separation, Parental History of Alcohol Problems, and Offspring Lifetime Alcohol Dependence

PubMed Central

Thompson, Ronald G.; Lizardi, Dana; Keyes, Katherine M.; Hasin, Deborah S.

2013-01-01

Background This study examined whether the experiences of childhood or adolescent parental divorce/separation and parental alcohol problems affected the likelihood of offspring DSM-IV lifetime alcohol dependence, controlling for parental history of drug, depression, and antisocial behavior problems. Method Data were drawn from the 2001–2002 National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a nationally representative United States survey of 43,093 civilian non-institutionalized participants aged 18 and older, interviewed in person. Logistic regression models were used to calculate the main and interaction effects of childhood or adolescent parental divorce/separation and parental history of alcohol problems on offspring lifetime alcohol dependence, after adjusting for parental history of drug, depression, and antisocial behavior problems. Results Childhood or adolescent parental divorce/separation and parental history of alcohol problems were significantly related to offspring lifetime alcohol dependence, after adjusting for parental history of drug, depression, and antisocial behavior problems. Experiencing parental divorce/separation during childhood, even in the absence of parental history of alcohol problems, remained a significant predictor of lifetime alcohol dependence. Experiencing both childhood or adolescent parental divorce/separation and parental alcohol problems had a significantly stronger impact on the risk for DSM-IV alcohol dependence than the risk incurred by either parental risk factor alone. Conclusions Further research is needed to better identify the factors that increase the risk for lifetime alcohol dependence among those who experience childhood or adolescent parental divorce/separation. PMID:18757141

Behavioral health needs and problem recognition by older adults receiving home-based aging services.

PubMed

Gum, Amber M; Petkus, Andrew; McDougal, Sarah J; Present, Melanie; King-Kallimanis, Bellinda; Schonfeld, Lawrence

2009-04-01

Older adults' recognition of a behavioral health need is one of the strongest predictors of their use of behavioral health services. Thus, study aims were to examine behavioral health problems in a sample of older adults receiving home-based aging services, their recognition of behavioral health problems, and covariates of problem recognition. The study design was cross-sectional. Older adults (n = 141) receiving home-based aging services completed interviews that included: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV; Brief Symptom Inventory-18; attitudinal scales of stigma, expectations regarding aging, and thought suppression; behavioral health treatment experience; and questions about recognition of behavioral health problems. Thirty (21.9%) participants received an Axis I diagnosis (depressive, anxiety, or substance); another 17 (12.1%) were diagnosed with an adjustment disorder. Participants were more likely to recognize having a problem if they had an Axis I diagnosis, more distress on the BSI-18, family member or friend with a behavioral health problem, and greater thought suppression. In logistic regression, participants who identified a family member or friend with a behavioral health problem were more likely to identify having a behavioral health problem themselves. Findings suggest that older adults receiving home-based aging services who recognize behavioral health problems are more likely to have a psychiatric diagnosis or be experiencing significant distress, and they are more familiar with behavioral health problems in others. This familiarity may facilitate treatment planning; thus, older adults with behavioral health problems who do not report familiarity of problems in others likely require additional education. (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reflections on some early events related to behavior analysis of child development

PubMed Central

Bijou, Sidney W.

1996-01-01

A series of events related to the early application of behavioral principles to child behavior and development is described. The events began in the 1930s at Columbia University with a solicited letter from John B. Watson suggesting a master's degree thesis problem, and continued through the 1950s and 1960s at the University of Washington. Specifically, these happenings resulted in (a) research demonstrating that Skinner's laboratory method for studying nonhuman organisms could be profitably applied to the laboratory study of young normal children; (b) a demonstration that by successive approximations, a normal child can be operantly conditioned to respond to an arbitrary situation; (c) research showing that the effects of simple schedules of reinforcement obtained with nonhuman organisms could be duplicated in young normal and retarded children; (d) the demonstration that Skinner's operant laboratory method could be adapted to study young children in field situations; (e) research showing that operant principles can be successfully applied to the treatment of a young autistic boy with a serious visual handicap; (f) laboratory studies showing that mothers can be trained to treat their own young children who have behavior problems; (g) an in-home study demonstrating that a mother can treat her own child who has behavior problems; (h) a demonstration that operant principles can be applied effectively to teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic to children with retardation; and (i) publication of a book, Child Development: A Systematic and Empirical Theory, in collaboration with Donald M. Baer, by Prentice Hall in their Century Psychological Series. PMID:22478239

The development of a systemic school-based intervention: Marte Meo and coordination meetings.

PubMed

Axberg, Ulf; Hansson, Kjell; Broberg, Anders G; Wirtberg, Ingegerd

2006-09-01

Antisocial behavior is often persistent, and in addition to causing suffering to children and their families, it also poses considerable costs for society. Children who display externalizing behavior in their early years run a high risk of having severe problems later in life. There is a need for treatment methods that may be used in various settings because these children constitute a group that is hard to reach with conventional treatment methods. In addition, the dropout rate from ordinary treatment is often high. In the present study, a systemic school-based model for early detection and intervention among 4-12-year-old children who displayed externalizing behavior problems was developed and examined in a nonrandomized study in the county of Skaraborg in Sweden. The intervention was collaborative and included a combination of the Marte Meo model and coordination meetings based on systemic theory and practice. Treatment effects in the group who had received the intervention were compared with a group who had received treatment as usual in their ordinary school setting. Assessments were carried out before, and 2 years after, the intervention. For the intervention group (N = 33), there was a significant decrease in the children's reported symptoms in school and in the home. No decrease in externalizing behavior was found in the comparison group (N = 16). There were no dropouts in the intervention group after the intervention had begun. The results are promising; the study demonstrates that it is possible to work effectively with many children who display externalizing behavior problems in a nonclinical setting.

Electronic behavior of highly correlated metals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reich, A.

1988-10-01

This thesis addresses the question of the strongly interacting many-body problem: that is, systems where the interparticle correlations are so strong as to defy perturbative approaches. These subtle correlations occur in narrow band materials, such as the lanthanides and actinides, wherein the f-electrons are so localized that a variety of new phenomena, including intermediate-valence and heavy-fermionic behavior, may occur. As well, one has the alloying problem, where local interactions are paramount in determining the overall behavior. The technique employed in dealing with these systems is the Small Cluster method, wherein the full many-body Hamiltonian for a small grouping of atoms,more » coupled with periodic boundary conditions, is solved exactly. This is tantamount to solving a bulk crystal at the high points of symmetry in the Brillouin Zone. The mathematical overhead is further reduced by employing the full space group and spin symmetries. By its very nature, the Small Cluster method is well able to handle short-range interactions, as well as the combinatorial complexity of the many-body problem, on an equal footing. The nature of long-range order and phase transition behavior cannot be incorporated, but sometimes clues as to their origin can be discerned. The calculations presented include: a two-band Anderson model for an intermediate-valence system, wherein photoemission and fluctuation behavior is examined; a single-band Hubbard model for a ternary alloy system, such as copper-silver-gold; and a Hubbard model for a heavy- fermion system, wherein Fermi surface, transport, magnetic and superconducting properties are discussed. 148 refs., 31 figs., 24 tabs.« less

Toward an Explanation of Age Trends in Problem Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osgood, D. Wayne

Problem behavior may be defined as behavior that is socially defined as a problem, a source of concern, or as undesirable by the norms of conventional society and the institutions of adult authority, and its occurrence usually elicits some kind of social control response. Key elements of problem behavior are: (1) problem behaviors are rare until…

Sexual behavior of adolescent students in Chandigarh and their perceptions regarding family life education

PubMed Central

Kumar, Dinesh; Goel, Naveen Krishan; Bakshi, Ravleen Kaur; Sharma, Manoj Kumar; Ghosh, Abhik K.

2017-01-01

Background: With rapidly changing lifestyle and exposure to the Internet and mass media, lifestyle and sexual behavior of adolescent students are also changing rapidly. Objectives: To investigate the sexual behavior of adolescent students and to study misconceptions prevailing among them. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1022 adolescent students aged 14–19 years as a part of an Indian Council of Medical Research sponsored survey. Sexual behavior explored by interview method. Logistic regression analysis for finding correlates. Results: Intimate friendship was reported by 19.2% respondents. The sexual behavior included 89% exposure to sex-related material, 74.7% were aware of sexual intercourse. Awareness regarding at least one contraceptive was found among 95.5% (94.5% of condoms and 67.2% of emergency contraception). About 6% respondents reported some sex-related problems and 2.5% of all respondents consulted some doctors for these problems. Awareness of HIV/AIDS was quite high (about 99%), and 96.4% of them were of the opinion that it is spread through sexual intercourse. Knowledge regarding transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through sexual contact was found among 89.2% respondents. Avoidance/abstinence from sex (84.7%), faithful to one partner (81.7), and use of barrier methods (90.3%) was main reported preventive measures for STI's. About 33% want that the discussion about sex should be open and frank, and 69.4% showed the need of sex education in the schools mostly by doctors. Conclusions: Sexual behavior of adolescent students is changing, and awareness about sex acts is also increasing. There is likelihood of indulging in risky behavior by adolescents. Family life education was felt necessary mainly by qualified medical staff. PMID:29302554

Profiles of observed infant anger predict preschool behavior problems: Moderation by life stress

PubMed Central

Brooker, Rebecca J.; Buss, Kristin A.; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Aksan, Nazan; Davidson, Richard J.; Goldsmith, H. Hill

2014-01-01

Using both traditional composites and novel profiles of anger, we examined associations between infant anger and preschool behavior problems in a large, longitudinal data set (N = 966). We also tested the role of life stress as a moderator of the link between early anger and the development of behavior problems. Although traditional measures of anger were largely unrelated to later behavior problems, profiles of anger that dissociated typical from atypical development predicted behavior problems during preschool. Moreover, the relation between infant anger profiles and preschool behavior problems was moderated such that, when early life stress was low, infants with atypical profiles of early anger showed more preschool behavior problems than did infants with normative anger profiles. However, when early life stress was high, infants with atypical and normative profiles of infant anger did not differ in preschool behavior problems. We conclude that a discrete emotions approach including latent profile analysis is useful for elucidating biological and environmental developmental pathways to early problem behaviors. PMID:25151247

[A prospective cohort study on the relationship between maternal prenatal depressive symptoms and children's behavioral problems at 2 years old].

PubMed

Li, F; Tian, Y P; Liu, X M; Xia, R L; Jin, L M; Sun, X W; Song, X X; Yuan, W; Liang, H

2018-04-10

Objective: To explore the associations between maternal and prenatal depressive symptoms and children's behavioral problems at 2 years old. Methods: In the present study, a total of 491 mother-child pairs were selected from the Shanghai-Minhang Birth Cohort Study (S-MBCS) which was conducted in Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Minhang District in Shanghai between April and December, 2012. Data from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies on Depression was gathered to assess the maternal depressive symptoms in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, as well as at 6 months and 12 months postpartum. Neurodevelopment at 2 years was assessed, using the Child Behavior Checklist. We used generalized linear models with a log-link function and a Binomial distribution to estimate the risk ratios ( RR s) and 95% CI s, on children's behavioral problems at 2 years of age. Sensitivity analyses were performed among participants without postpartum depressive symptoms. Results: After adjustment on factors as maternal age, gestation week, average monthly income per person, parental education and children's gender etc ., maternal depression in second trimester of pregnancy was found associated with higher risk of both developing emotional ( RR =2.61, 95% CI : 1.36-4.99) and internalizing problems ( RR =1.94, 95% CI : 1.22-3.08). However, maternal depression in third trimester was found to be associated with higher risks of developing emotional ( RR =6.46, 95% CI : 3.09-13.53), withdrawn ( RR =2.42, 95% CI : 1.16-5.02), aggressive ( RR =2.93, 95% CI : 1.45-5.94), internalizing ( RR =1.79, 95% CI : 1.01-3.16) or externalizing problems ( RR =2.56, 95% CI :1.49-4.42). In sensitivity analysis, antenatal maternal depression was found positively associated with children's emotional, internalizing and externalizing problems and the differences all statistically significant. Conclusions: Maternal depression during pregnancy might increase the risks of children's behavioral problems. In order to decrease the incidence of children's behavioral problems and promoting both maternal and child health status, monitoring program regarding maternal mental health care should be strengthened.

Daily hassles, mother-child relationship, and behavior problems in Muslim Arab American adolescents in immigrant families.

PubMed

Aroian, Karen J; Templin, Thomas N; Hough, Edythe S

2016-10-01

This longitudinal study examines reciprocal and dynamic relations among daily hassles, the mother-child relationship, and adolescent behavior problems and whether the relations differed by sociodemographic variables. Three waves of data about adolescent daily hassles, quality of the mother-child relationship, and adolescent behavior problems were collected from 454 Arab Muslim adolescents and their immigrant mothers over a 3-year period. Cross-lagged structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine reciprocal relations among the study variables. Relations between the mother-child relationship and adolescent behavior problems were reciprocal, with a poor mother-child relationship contributing to greater behavior problems and behavior problems contributing to a decline in the quality of the mother-child relationship. Relations involving daily hassles were unidirectional: A better mother-child relationship contributed to fewer daily hassles and behavior problems contributed to more daily hassles but daily hassles did not contribute to more behavior problems. Father's education was the only sociodemographic variable that was significant: Adolescents with more highly educated fathers had a better mother-child relationship and fewer behavioral problems. Findings suggest that Arab American Muslim adolescents with behavior problems are differentially exposed to daily hassles but daily hassles are not the best point of intervention. Bidirectional relations between the mother-child relationship and adolescent behavior problems suggest intervening to improve the mother-child relationship and manage symptoms of adolescent behavior problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Directive sources in acoustic discrete-time domain simulations based on directivity diagrams.

PubMed

Escolano, José; López, José J; Pueo, Basilio

2007-06-01

Discrete-time domain methods provide a simple and flexible way to solve initial boundary value problems. With regard to the sources in such methods, only monopoles or dipoles can be considered. However, in many problems such as room acoustics, the radiation of realistic sources is directional-dependent and their directivity patterns have a clear influence on the total sound field. In this letter, a method to synthesize the directivity of sources is proposed, especially in cases where the knowledge is only based on discrete values of the directivity diagram. Some examples have been carried out in order to show the behavior and accuracy of the proposed method.

Noncontingent reinforcement without extinction plus differential reinforcement of alternative behavior during treatment of problem behavior.

PubMed

Fritz, Jennifer N; Jackson, Lynsey M; Stiefler, Nicole A; Wimberly, Barbara S; Richardson, Amy R

2017-07-01

The effects of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) without extinction during treatment of problem behavior maintained by social positive reinforcement were evaluated for five individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. A continuous NCR schedule was gradually thinned to a fixed-time 5-min schedule. If problem behavior increased during NCR schedule thinning, a continuous NCR schedule was reinstated and NCR schedule thinning was repeated with differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) included. Results showed an immediate decrease in all participants' problem behavior during continuous NCR, and problem behavior maintained at low levels during NCR schedule thinning for three participants. Problem behavior increased and maintained at higher rates during NCR schedule thinning for two other participants; however, the addition of DRA to the intervention resulted in decreased problem behavior and increased mands. © 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Factors predicting Behavior Management Problems during Initial Dental Examination in Children Aged 2 to 8 Years

PubMed Central

Kumar, Dipanshu; Anand, Ashish; Mittal, Vipula; Singh, Aparna; Aggarwal, Nidhi

2017-01-01

Aim The aim of the present study was to identify the various background variables and its influence on behavior management problems (BMP) in children. Materials and methods The study included 165 children aged 2 to 8 years. During the initial dental visit, an experienced operator obtained each child’s background variables from accompanying guardians using a standardized questionnaire. Children’s dental behavior was rated by Frankel behavior rating scale. The behavior was then analyzed in relation to the answers of the questionnaire, and a logistic regression model was used to determine the power of the variables, separately or combined, to predict BMP. Results The logistic regression analysis considering differences in background variables between children with negative or positive behavior. Four variables turned out to be as predictors: Age, the guardian’s expectation of the child’s behavior at the dental examination, the child’s anxiety when meeting unfamiliar people, and the presence and absence of toothache. Conclusion The present study concluded that by means of simple questionnaire BMP in children may be expected if one of these attributes is found. Clinical significance Information on the origin of dental fear and uncooperative behavior in a child patient prior to treatment process may help the pediatric dentist plan appropriate behavior management and treatment strategy. How to cite this article Sharma A, Kumar D, Anand A, Mittal V, Singh A, Aggarwal N. Factors predicting Behavior Management Problems during Initial Dental Examination in Children Aged 2 to 8 Years. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(1):5-9. PMID:28377646

Women and AIDS-Related Concerns

PubMed Central

Cochran, Susan D.; Mays, Vickie M.

2014-01-01

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has important implications for the practice of psychology. As the epidemic continues, the role of behavior change and psychosocial factors in the spread and transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections assumes increasing significance. Psychologists, as behavior change experts, have a special and challenging role to play in educating the public, particularly women, about AIDS. This article examines AIDS- and HIV-related concerns in women with a focus on the personal dilemmas for the practicing psychologist, problems in health behavior advocacy, and methods and pitfalls in modifying sexual behaviors. PMID:2930055

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Willard, Victoria W.; Conklin, Heather M.; Boop, Frederick A.

Purpose: The standard of care for pediatric patients with ependymoma involves postoperative radiation therapy. Prior research suggests that conformal radiation therapy (CRT) is associated with relative sparing of cognitive and academic functioning, but little is known about the effect of CRT on emotional and behavioral functioning. Methods and Materials: A total of 113 patients with pediatric ependymoma underwent CRT using photons as part of their enrollment on an institutional trial. Patients completed annual evaluations of neurocognitive functioning during the first 5 years after CRT. Emotional and behavioral functioning was assessed via the Child Behavior Checklist. Results: Before CRT, emotional and behavioralmore » functioning were commensurate with those of the normative population and within normal limits. After 5 years, means remained within normal limits but were significantly below the normative mean. Linear mixed models revealed a significant increase in attention problems over time. These problems were associated with age at diagnosis/CRT, tumor location, and extent of resection. A higher-than-expected incidence of school problems was present at all assessment points after baseline. Conclusions: The use of photon CRT for ependymoma is associated with relatively stable emotional and behavioral functioning during the first 5 years after treatment. The exception is an increase in attention problems. Results suggest that intervening earlier in the survivorship period—during the first year posttreatment—may be beneficial.« less

Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and comorbid psychiatric and behavioral problems among primary school students in western Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

AlZaben, Faten N.; Sehlo, Mohammad G.; Alghamdi, Waleed A.; Tayeb, Haythum O.; Khalifa, Doaa A.; Mira, Abdulrahman T.; Alshuaibi, Abdulaziz M.; Alguthmi, Mosab A.; Derham, Ahmad A.; Koenig, Harold G.

2018-01-01

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), subtypes of ADHD, and psychiatric, academic, and behavioral comorbidity in public primary school students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. A simple random sample of 6 primary government schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was identified (3 male, 3 female), and a random sample of classes in each of grades 1-6 were selected. Between July and November 2016, teachers in these classes were asked to complete the Vanderbilt ADHD scale on all students in their classes. Results: A total of 929 students were screened. The overall prevalence of ADHD was 5% (5.3% in girls, 4.7% in boys). The most prevalent subtype of ADHD was combined type (2.7%), followed by hyperactive type (1.2%), and inattentive type (1.1%). The highest prevalence of ADHD overall was in grade 3 (7.1%) and the lowest prevalence in grade 6 (3.4%). Among students with ADHD, prevalence of comorbid psychiatric, academic, and behavioral problems was widespread (56.5% oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder, 54.4% impaired academic performance, 44.4% classroom behavioral problems, 41.3% depression/anxiety). Comorbid problems were especially prevalent in combined ADHD subtype and in boys. Conclusions: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is common in primary school children in Jeddah, and is associated with widespread psychiatric, academic, and behavioral problems, especially in boys. These findings have implications for the diagnosis and treatment of this serious neurobehavioral disorder. PMID:29332109

Evaluation of a school-based educational program to prevent adolescents’ problem behaviors

PubMed Central

Eslami, Ahmad Ali; Ghofranipour, Fazlollah; Bonab, Bagher Ghobari; Zadeh, Davood Shojaei; Shokravi, Farkhondeh Amin; Tabatabaie, Mahmoud Ghazi

2015-01-01

Background: Many researchers believe that adolescents’ problem behaviors are indicators of a deficiency in social skills. This study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a prevention program on reducing problem behaviors in male adolescents. Materials and Methods: In a preposttest design with randomized control group, 49 students received social skills training (SST). Follow-up assessment of outcomes took place 5 months post baseline. The SST program was administered over the course of 10 weeks (10 sessions of 1 h). The main tools were multiple problem behaviors index (MPBI) and Social Skills Rating System – student form (SSRS-S). The control group (57 students) did not receive any intervention. Intervention effects were evaluated with t-test, univariate ANCOVA, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Significant difference between groups founded on SSRS at posttest (t = 2.5, P = 0.014) by univariate ANCOVA. In addition, the findings indicated that variation trend of mean scores of SSRS in the intervention group was significant (F = 225.3, P < 0.0001). The intervention group reported Lower levels of MPBI at posttest and follow-up compared to the control group. Significant difference between the two groups did not achieved on MPBI scores in the posttest after adjusting for the pretest scores; however, this difference was significant at the follow up (F = 5.3, P = 0.020). Conclusion: The results suggest that SST was effective in improving social competence and preventing problem behaviors among male adolescent. Future researches must be examined the role of peer and family. PMID:25884000

Predicting problem behaviors with multiple expectancies: expanding expectancy-value theory.

PubMed

Borders, Ashley; Earleywine, Mitchell; Huey, Stanley J

2004-01-01

Expectancy-value theory emphasizes the importance of outcome expectancies for behavioral decisions, but most tests of the theory focus on a single behavior and a single expectancy. However, the matching law suggests that individuals consider expected outcomes for both the target behavior and alternative behaviors when making decisions. In this study, we expanded expectancy-value theory to evaluate the contributions of two competing expectancies to adolescent behavior problems. One hundred twenty-one high school students completed measures of behavior problems, expectancies for both acting out and academic effort, and perceived academic competence. Students' self-reported behavior problems covaried mostly with perceived competence and academic expectancies and only nominally with problem behavior expectancies. We suggest that behavior problems may result from students perceiving a lack of valued or feasible alternative behaviors, such as studying. We discuss implications for interventions and suggest that future research continue to investigate the contribution of alternative expectancies to behavioral decisions.

Development of Condensing Mesh Method for Corner Domain at Numerical Simulation Magnetic System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perepelkin, E.; Tarelkin, A.; Polyakova, R.; Kovalenko, A.

2018-05-01

A magnetostatic problem arises in searching for the distribution of the magnetic field generated by magnet systems of many physics research facilities, e.g., accelerators. The domain in which the boundaryvalue problem is solved often has a piecewise smooth boundary. In this case, numerical calculations of the problem require the consideration of the solution behavior in the corner domain. In this work we obtained the upper estimation of the magnetic field growth and propose a method of condensing the differential grid near the corner domain of vacuum in case of 3-dimensional space based on this estimation. An example of calculating a real model problem for SDP NICA in the domain containing a corner point is given.

A standard methodology for the analysis, recording, and control of verbal behavior

PubMed Central

Drash, Philip W.; Tudor, Roger M.

1991-01-01

Lack of a standard methodology has been one of the major obstacles preventing advancement of behavior analytic research in verbal behavior. This article presents a standard method for the analysis, recording, and control of verbal behavior that overcomes several major methodological problems that have hindered operant research in verbal behavior. The system divides all verbal behavior into four functional response classes, correct, error, no response, and inappropriate behavior, from which all vocal responses of a subject may be classified and consequated. The effects of contingencies of reinforcement on verbal operants within each category are made immediately visible to the researcher as changes in frequency of response. Incorporating frequency of response within each category as the unit of response allows both rate and probability of verbal response to be utilized as basic dependent variables. This method makes it possible to record and consequate verbal behavior in essentially the same way as any other operant response. It may also facilitate an experimental investigation of Skinner's verbal response categories. PMID:22477629

Innovations in the Teaching of Behavioral Sciences in the Preclinical Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mack, Kevin

2005-01-01

Objective: In problem-based learning curricula, cases are usually clustered into identified themes or organ systems. While this method of aggregating cases presents clear advantages in terms of resource alignment and student focus, an alternative "hidden cluster" approach provides rich opportunities for content integration. Method: The author…

Learning Innovative Maternal Instinct: Activity Designing Semantic Factors of Alcohol Modification in Rural Communities of Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yodmongkol, Pitipong; Jaimung, Thunyaporn; Chakpitak, Nopasit; Sureephong, Pradorn

2014-01-01

At present, Thailand is confronting a serious problem of alcohol drinking behavior which needs to be solved urgently. This research aimed to identify the semantic factors on alcohol drinking behavior and to use maternal instinct driving for housewives as village health volunteers in rural communities, Thailand. Two methods were implemented as the…

The Effects of Cognitive--Behavioral Therapy on Trait Anger and Paranoid Ideation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez-Prendes, A. Antonio; Jozefowicz-Simbeni, Debra M. Hernandez

2009-01-01

Objective: This study evaluates a cognitive-behavioral anger treatment approach to reduce anger and paranoid ideation on men (n = 32) in treatment for anger problems and compares levels of paranoid ideation with a sample of men ( n = 27) who sought mental health treatment for non-anger issues. Method: A pre- and posttest design is used to evaluate…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the PKBS-2 Subscales for Assessing Social Skills and Behavioral Problems in Preschool Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Maria; Benitez, Juan L.; Pichardo, M. Carmen; Fernandez, Eduardo; Justicia, Fernando; Garcia, Trinidad; Garcia-Berben, Ana; Justicia, Ana; Alba, Guadalupe

2010-01-01

Introduction: Different research studies point out the importance of social competence as a protective factor against antisocial behavior. They likewise alert us of the importance of having valid, reliable instruments that measure these constructs in early childhood. Method: The objective of this research is to validate the subscales of the…

Methamphetamine Use and Sexual Risk Behavior among High School Students in Cape Town, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pluddemann, Andreas; Flisher, Alan J.; McKetin, Rebecca; Parry, Charles D.; Lombard, Carl J.

2012-01-01

Objective: To investigate whether methamphetamine use is associated with sexual risk behavior among adolescents. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 1,561 male and female high school students in Cape Town (mean age 14.9 years) was conducted using items from the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT) HIV Risk Scale. Results:…

Impact of Family Abuse on Running Away, Deviance, and Street Victimization among Homeless Rural and Urban Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thrane, Lisa E.; Hoyt, Danny R.; Whitbeck, Les B.; Yoder, Kevin A.

2006-01-01

Problem: Various demographic and familial risk factors have been linked to runaway behavior. To date, there has not been a systematic investigation of the impact of size of community on runaway behavior. This study will compare runaways from smaller cities and rural areas to their urban counterparts. Methods: A convenience sample of 602…

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder with Integrated Techniques from Emotion-Focused and Interpersonal Therapies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Michelle G.; Castonguay, Louis G.; Borkovec, Thomas D.; Fisher, Aaron J.; Boswell, James F.; Szkodny, Lauren E.; Nordberg, Samuel S.

2011-01-01

Objective: Recent models suggest that generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms may be maintained by emotional processing avoidance and interpersonal problems. Method: This is the first randomized controlled trial to test directly whether cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) could be augmented with the addition of a module targeting interpersonal…

Exploring the Relation of Harsh Parental Discipline with Child Emotional and Behavioral Problems by Using Multiple Informants. The Generation R Study

PubMed Central

Mackenbach, Joreintje D.; Ringoot, Ank P.; van der Ende, Jan; Verhulst, Frank C.; Jaddoe, Vincent W. V.; Hofman, Albert; Jansen, Pauline W.; Tiemeier, Henning W.

2014-01-01

Parental harsh disciplining, like corporal punishment, has consistently been associated with adverse mental health outcomes in children. It remains a challenge to accurately assess the consequences of harsh discipline, as researchers and clinicians generally rely on parent report of young children's problem behaviors. If parents rate their parenting styles and their child's behavior this may bias results. The use of child self-report on problem behaviors is not common but may provide extra information about the relation of harsh parental discipline and problem behavior. We examined the independent contribution of young children's self-report above parental report of emotional and behavioral problems in a study of maternal and paternal harsh discipline in a birth cohort. Maternal and paternal harsh discipline predicted both parent reported behavioral and parent reported emotional problems, but only child reported behavioral problems. Associations were not explained by pre-existing behavioral problems at age 3. Importantly, the association with child reported outcomes was independent from parent reported problem behavior. These results suggest that young children's self-reports of behavioral problems provide unique information on the effects of harsh parental discipline. Inclusion of child self-reports can therefore help estimate the effects of harsh parental discipline more accurately. PMID:25120014

Exploring the relation of harsh parental discipline with child emotional and behavioral problems by using multiple informants. The generation R study.

PubMed

Mackenbach, Joreintje D; Ringoot, Ank P; van der Ende, Jan; Verhulst, Frank C; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Hofman, Albert; Jansen, Pauline W; Tiemeier, Henning W

2014-01-01

Parental harsh disciplining, like corporal punishment, has consistently been associated with adverse mental health outcomes in children. It remains a challenge to accurately assess the consequences of harsh discipline, as researchers and clinicians generally rely on parent report of young children's problem behaviors. If parents rate their parenting styles and their child's behavior this may bias results. The use of child self-report on problem behaviors is not common but may provide extra information about the relation of harsh parental discipline and problem behavior. We examined the independent contribution of young children's self-report above parental report of emotional and behavioral problems in a study of maternal and paternal harsh discipline in a birth cohort. Maternal and paternal harsh discipline predicted both parent reported behavioral and parent reported emotional problems, but only child reported behavioral problems. Associations were not explained by pre-existing behavioral problems at age 3. Importantly, the association with child reported outcomes was independent from parent reported problem behavior. These results suggest that young children's self-reports of behavioral problems provide unique information on the effects of harsh parental discipline. Inclusion of child self-reports can therefore help estimate the effects of harsh parental discipline more accurately.

Drivers’ Visual Behavior-Guided RRT Motion Planner for Autonomous On-Road Driving

PubMed Central

Du, Mingbo; Mei, Tao; Liang, Huawei; Chen, Jiajia; Huang, Rulin; Zhao, Pan

2016-01-01

This paper describes a real-time motion planner based on the drivers’ visual behavior-guided rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) approach, which is applicable to on-road driving of autonomous vehicles. The primary novelty is in the use of the guidance of drivers’ visual search behavior in the framework of RRT motion planner. RRT is an incremental sampling-based method that is widely used to solve the robotic motion planning problems. However, RRT is often unreliable in a number of practical applications such as autonomous vehicles used for on-road driving because of the unnatural trajectory, useless sampling, and slow exploration. To address these problems, we present an interesting RRT algorithm that introduces an effective guided sampling strategy based on the drivers’ visual search behavior on road and a continuous-curvature smooth method based on B-spline. The proposed algorithm is implemented on a real autonomous vehicle and verified against several different traffic scenarios. A large number of the experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm is feasible and efficient for on-road autonomous driving. Furthermore, the comparative test and statistical analyses illustrate that its excellent performance is superior to other previous algorithms. PMID:26784203

Drivers' Visual Behavior-Guided RRT Motion Planner for Autonomous On-Road Driving.

PubMed

Du, Mingbo; Mei, Tao; Liang, Huawei; Chen, Jiajia; Huang, Rulin; Zhao, Pan

2016-01-15

This paper describes a real-time motion planner based on the drivers' visual behavior-guided rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) approach, which is applicable to on-road driving of autonomous vehicles. The primary novelty is in the use of the guidance of drivers' visual search behavior in the framework of RRT motion planner. RRT is an incremental sampling-based method that is widely used to solve the robotic motion planning problems. However, RRT is often unreliable in a number of practical applications such as autonomous vehicles used for on-road driving because of the unnatural trajectory, useless sampling, and slow exploration. To address these problems, we present an interesting RRT algorithm that introduces an effective guided sampling strategy based on the drivers' visual search behavior on road and a continuous-curvature smooth method based on B-spline. The proposed algorithm is implemented on a real autonomous vehicle and verified against several different traffic scenarios. A large number of the experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm is feasible and efficient for on-road autonomous driving. Furthermore, the comparative test and statistical analyses illustrate that its excellent performance is superior to other previous algorithms.

Can We Fix This? Parent-Child Repair Processes and Preschoolers' Regulatory Skills.

PubMed

Kemp, Christine J; Lunkenheimer, Erika; Albrecht, Erin C; Chen, Deborah

2016-10-01

The repair of difficult parent-child interactions is a marker of healthy functioning in infancy, but less is known about repair processes during early childhood. We used dynamic systems methods to investigate dyadic repair in mothers and their 3-year-old children ( N = 96) and its prediction of children's emotion regulation and behavior problems at a four-month follow-up. Mothers and children completed free play and challenging puzzle tasks. Repair was operationalized as the conditional probability of moving into a dyadic adaptive behavior region after individual or dyadic maladaptive behavior (e.g., child noncompliance, parental criticism). Overall, dyads repaired approximately half their maladaptive behaviors. A greater likelihood of repair during the puzzle task predicted better child emotion regulation and fewer behavior problems in preschool. Results suggest dyadic repair is an important process in early childhood and provide further evidence for the connection between parent-child coregulation and children's developing regulatory capacities. Implications for family-based interventions are discussed.

Teaching at the edge of knowledge: Non-equilibrium statistical physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmittmann, Beate

2007-03-01

As physicists become increasingly interested in biological problems, we frequently find ourselves confronted with complex open systems, involving many interacting constituents and characterized by non-vanishing fluxes of mass or energy. Faced with the task of predicting macroscopic behaviors from microscopic information for these non-equilibrium systems, the familiar Gibbs-Boltzmann framework fails. The development of a comprehensive theoretical characterization of non-equilibrium behavior is one of the key challenges of modern condensed matter physics. In its absence, several approaches have been developed, from master equations to thermostatted molecular dynamics, which provide key insights into the rich and often surprising phenomenology of systems far from equilibrium. In my talk, I will address some of these methods, selecting those that are most relevant for a broad range of interdisciplinary problems from biology to traffic, finance, and sociology. The ``portability'' of these methods makes them valuable for graduate students from a variety of disciplines. To illustrate how different methods can complement each other when probing a problem from, e.g., the life sciences, I will discuss some recent attempts at modeling translation, i.e., the process by which the genetic information encoded on an mRNA is translated into the corresponding protein.

Trajectories and the influencing factors of behavior problems in preschool children: a longitudinal study in Guangzhou, China.

PubMed

Bao, Peng; Jing, Jin; Jin, Yu; Hu, Xumin; Liu, Buyun; Hu, Min

2016-06-01

Since child mental health problem was a global health issue, many researchers in western countries has focused on the trajectory of it to provide evidence for prevention programs. We designed this study to determine the trajectories of children's behavior problems, and to explore the effect of parent predictors on children's behavior problems in Guangzhou, China. Children (N = 1480) for this longitudinal, population-based survey, were recruited from eight regular kindergartens (October, 2010) across four districts in Guangzhou. Repeated measurement design analysis was used to compare the variation in behavioral problems by gender, only child status, and temperament. Logistic regression was applied to analyze the effect of parents' risks (maternal depression, parenting style) on the change in child problem behaviors. The scores of behavior problems (externalizing, emotional, social communication problems) were stable during the entire preschool period by gender and child number. Children with difficult temperament exhibited more problem behaviors than children with easy temperament in the early years, and the misbehaviors declined significantly over time. Moreover, maternal depression and the increase in excessive interference/over protective or punishing parenting strategies resulted in an increase in child behavior problems. There was no difference between the only-child status and child with siblings in the trajectory of problem behaviors. Parent factors were significant predictions of trajectory of child behavior problem during preschool age.

Prevalence and Risk Markers of Behavior Problems among Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: A Total Population Study in Orebro County, Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundqvist, Lars-Olov

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of behavior problems among people with administratively defined intellectual disability (ID) and identify possible risk markers for behavior problems using the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI). Sixty-two percent of the ID population (n = 915) had a behavior problem (self-injurious,…

Solving the problem of negative populations in approximate accelerated stochastic simulations using the representative reaction approach.

PubMed

Kadam, Shantanu; Vanka, Kumar

2013-02-15

Methods based on the stochastic formulation of chemical kinetics have the potential to accurately reproduce the dynamical behavior of various biochemical systems of interest. However, the computational expense makes them impractical for the study of real systems. Attempts to render these methods practical have led to the development of accelerated methods, where the reaction numbers are modeled by Poisson random numbers. However, for certain systems, such methods give rise to physically unrealistic negative numbers for species populations. The methods which make use of binomial variables, in place of Poisson random numbers, have since become popular, and have been partially successful in addressing this problem. In this manuscript, the development of two new computational methods, based on the representative reaction approach (RRA), has been discussed. The new methods endeavor to solve the problem of negative numbers, by making use of tools like the stochastic simulation algorithm and the binomial method, in conjunction with the RRA. It is found that these newly developed methods perform better than other binomial methods used for stochastic simulations, in resolving the problem of negative populations. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Relationship between Parental Knowledge and Monitoring and Child and Adolescent Conduct Problems: A 10-Year Update

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Racz, Sarah Jensen; McMahon, Robert J.

2011-01-01

Inadequate parental monitoring is widely recognized as a risk factor for the development of child and adolescent conduct problems. However, previous studies examining parental monitoring have largely measured parental knowledge and not the active methods used by parents to track the activities and behavior of their children. The seminal work of…

An Investigation of an Evaluation Method and Retraining Procedures for Emotionally Handicapped Children with Cognitive-Motor Deficits. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubin, Eli Z.; And Others

To assess the effects of specialized retraining of cognitive, perceptual, and motor (CPM) deficits, a battery of tests was prepared and used with 200 behaviorally maladjusted and 200 problem-free children. The composite score indicated that 40% of the maladjusted group manifested major dysfunction whereas none of the problem-free group…

Assessment of Trauma History and Trauma-Related Problems in Ethnic Minority Child Populations: An INFORMED Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Arellano, Michael A.; Danielson, Carla Kmett

2008-01-01

Youth who experience traumatic events are at risk for a range of negative outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, depression, substance use, and health risk behaviors. It is important to identify valid methods to assess individuals for exposure to traumatic events, as well as the types of problems or symptoms…

Diagnostic Performance of the CBCL-Attention Problem Scale as a Screening Measure in a Sample of Brazilian Children with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lampert, T. L.; Polanczyk, G.; Tramontina, S.; Mardini, V.; Rohde, L. A.

2004-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the Attention Problem Scale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL-APS) for the screening of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in a sample of Brazilian children and adolescents. Methods: The CBCL-APS was given to 763 children and adolescents. Child psychiatrists using DSM-IV…

Help-Seeking Process of Parents for Psychopathology in Youth with Moderate to Borderline Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douma, Jolanda C. H.; Dekker, Marielle C.; De Ruiter, Karen P.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Koot, Hans M.

2006-01-01

Objective: To study the help-seeking process of parents for emotional or behavioral problems in their child with borderline to moderate intellectual disabilities. Method: In 2003, in a special education-based sample of 522 youths (ages 10-18 years, response = 77.9%), we studied the parents' perception of their child's problems, their subsequent…

The direct effects of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity on peer problems and mediating roles of prosocial and conduct problem behaviors in a community sample of children.

PubMed

Andrade, Brendan F; Tannock, Rosemary

2013-11-01

This study tested whether children's symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were associated with peer problems and whether these associations were mediated by conduct problems and prosocial behaviors. A community sample of 500 children, including 245 boys and 255 girls, who ranged in age from 6 to 9 years (M = 7.6, SD = 0.91) were recruited. Teachers' report of children's inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, conduct problems, prosocial behaviors, and peer problems was collected. Symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were significantly positively associated with peer problems. Conduct problems were associated with more peer problems and prosocial behaviors with less peer problems. Conduct problems and prosocial behaviors partially mediated the association between hyperactivity/impulsivity and peer problems and fully mediated the inattention-peer problems association. Findings show that prosocial behaviors and conduct problems are important variables that account for some of the negative impact of symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity on peer functioning.

Clusters of Behaviors and Beliefs Predicting Adolescent Depression: Implications for Prevention

PubMed Central

Paunesku, David; Ellis, Justin; Fogel, Joshua; Kuwabara, Sachiko A; Gollan, Jackie; Gladstone, Tracy; Reinecke, Mark; Van Voorhees, Benjamin W.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE Risk factors for various disorders are known to cluster. However, the factor structure for behaviors and beliefs predicting depressive disorder in adolescents is not known. Knowledge of this structure can facilitate prevention planning. METHODS We used the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (AddHealth) data set to conduct an exploratory factor analysis to identify clusters of behaviors/experiences predicting the onset of major depressive disorder (MDD) at 1-year follow-up (N=4,791). RESULTS Four factors were identified: family/interpersonal relations, self-emancipation, avoidant problem solving/low self-worth, and religious activity. Strong family/interpersonal relations were the most significantly protective against depression at one year follow-up. Avoidant problem solving/low self-worth was not predictive of MDD on its own, but significantly amplified the risks associated with delinquency. CONCLUSION Depression prevention interventions should consider giving family relationships a more central role in their efforts. Programs teaching problem solving skills may be most appropriate for reducing MDD risk in delinquent youth. PMID:20502621

Does Early Childhood Callous-Unemotional Behavior Uniquely Predict Behavior Problems or Callous-Unemotional Behavior in Late Childhood?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waller, Rebecca; Dishion, Thomas J.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Gardner, Frances; Wilson, Melvin N.; Hyde, Luke W.

2016-01-01

Callous-unemotional (CU) behavior has been linked to behavior problems in children and adolescents. However, few studies have examined whether CU behavior in "early childhood" predicts behavior problems or CU behavior in "late childhood". This study examined whether indicators of CU behavior at ages 2-4 predicted aggression,…

A Numerical Comparison of Barrier and Modified Barrier Methods for Large-Scale Bound-Constrained Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nash, Stephen G.; Polyak, R.; Sofer, Ariela

1994-01-01

When a classical barrier method is applied to the solution of a nonlinear programming problem with inequality constraints, the Hessian matrix of the barrier function becomes increasingly ill-conditioned as the solution is approached. As a result, it may be desirable to consider alternative numerical algorithms. We compare the performance of two methods motivated by barrier functions. The first is a stabilized form of the classical barrier method, where a numerically stable approximation to the Newton direction is used when the barrier parameter is small. The second is a modified barrier method where a barrier function is applied to a shifted form of the problem, and the resulting barrier terms are scaled by estimates of the optimal Lagrange multipliers. The condition number of the Hessian matrix of the resulting modified barrier function remains bounded as the solution to the constrained optimization problem is approached. Both of these techniques can be used in the context of a truncated-Newton method, and hence can be applied to large problems, as well as on parallel computers. In this paper, both techniques are applied to problems with bound constraints and we compare their practical behavior.

Control strategies for systems with limited actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcopoli, Vincent R.; Phillips, Stephen M.

1994-01-01

This work investigates the effects of actuator saturation in multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) control systems. The adverse system behavior introduced by the saturation nonlinearity is viewed here as resulting from two mechanisms: controller windup - a problem caused by the discrepancy between the limited actuator commands and the corresponding control signals, and directionality - the problem of how to use nonlimited actuators when a limited condition exists. The tracking mode and Hanus methods are two common strategies for dealing with the windup problem. It is seen that while these methods alleviate windup, performance problems remain due to plant directionality. Though high gain conventional antiwindup as well as more general linear methods have the potential to address both windup and directionality, no systematic design method for these schemes has emerged; most approaches used in practice are application driven. An alternative method of addressing the directionality problem is presented which involves the introduction of a control direction preserving nonlinearity to the Hanus antiwindup system. A nonlinearity is subsequently proposed which reduces the conservation inherent in the former direction-preserving approach, improving performance. The concept of multivariable sensitivity is seen to play a key role in the success of the new method.

Numerical methods for coupled fracture problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viesca, Robert C.; Garagash, Dmitry I.

2018-04-01

We consider numerical solutions in which the linear elastic response to an opening- or sliding-mode fracture couples with one or more processes. Classic examples of such problems include traction-free cracks leading to stress singularities or cracks with cohesive-zone strength requirements leading to non-singular stress distributions. These classical problems have characteristic square-root asymptotic behavior for stress, relative displacement, or their derivatives. Prior work has shown that such asymptotics lead to a natural quadrature of the singular integrals at roots of Chebyhsev polynomials of the first, second, third, or fourth kind. We show that such quadratures lead to convenient techniques for interpolation, differentiation, and integration, with the potential for spectral accuracy. We further show that these techniques, with slight amendment, may continue to be used for non-classical problems which lack the classical asymptotic behavior. We consider solutions to example problems of both the classical and non-classical variety (e.g., fluid-driven opening-mode fracture and fault shear rupture driven by thermal weakening), with comparisons to analytical solutions or asymptotes, where available.

Familial clustering of epilepsy and behavioral disorders: Evidence for a shared genetic basis

PubMed Central

Hesdorffer, Dale C.; Caplan, Rochelle; Berg, Anne T.

2011-01-01

Purpose To examine whether family history of unprovoked seizures is associated with behavioral disorders in epilepsy probands, thereby supporting the hypothesis of shared underlying genetic susceptibility to these disorders. Methods We conducted an analysis of the 308 probands with childhood onset epilepsy from the Connecticut Study of Epilepsy with information on first degree family history of unprovoked seizures and of febrile seizures whose parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at the 9-year follow-up. Clinical cut-offs for CBCL problem and DSM-Oriented scales were examined. The association between first degree family history of unprovoked seizure and behavioral disorders was assessed separately in uncomplicated and complicated epilepsy and separately for first degree family history of febrile seizures. A subanalysis, accounting for the tendency for behavioral disorders to run in families, adjusted for siblings with the same disorder as the proband. Prevalence ratios were used to describe the associations. Key findings In probands with uncomplicated epilepsy, first degree family history of unprovoked seizure was significantly associated with clinical cut-offs for Total Problems and Internalizing Disorders. Among Internalizing Disorders, clinical cut-offs for Withdrawn/Depressed, and DSM-Oriented scales for Affective Disorder and Anxiety Disorder were significantly associated with family history of unprovoked seizures. Clinical cut-offs for Aggressive Behavior and Delinquent Behavior, and DSM-Oriented scales for Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder were significantly associated with family history of unprovoked seizure. Adjustment for siblings with the same disorder revealed significant associations for the relationship between first degree family history of unprovoked seizure and Total Problems and Agressive Behavior in probands with uncomplicated epilepsy; marginally significant results were seen for Internalizing Disorder, Withdrawn/Depressed and Anxiety Disorder. There was no association between family history of unprovoked seizure and behavioral problems in probands with complicated epilepsy. First degree family history of febrile seizure was not associated with behavioral problems in probands with uncomplicated or in those with complicated epilepsy. Significance Increased occurrence of behavioral disorders in probands with uncomplicated epilepsy and first degree family history of unprovoked seizure suggests familial clustering of these disorders. This supports the idea that behavioral disorders may be another manifestation of the underlying pathophysiology involved in epilepsy or closely related to it. PMID:22191626

The Design of WORKER'S Behavior Analysis Method in Workplace Using Indoor Positioning Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabata, K.; Konno, H.; Nakajima, M.

2016-06-01

This study presents a method for analyzing workers' behavior using indoor positioning technology and field test in the workplace. Recently, various indoor positioning methods, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), visible light communication, Japan's indoor messaging system, ultra-wide band (UWB), and pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR), have been investigated. The development of these technologies allows tracking of movement of both people and/or goods in indoor spaces, people and/or goods behavior analysis is expected as one of the key technologies for operation optimization. However, when we use these technologies for human tracking, there are some problem as follows. 1) Many cases need to use dedicated facilities (e.g. UWB). 2) When we use smartphone as sensing device, battery depletion is one of the big problem (especially using PDR). 3) the accuracy is instability for tracking (e.g. Wi-Fi). Based on these matters, in this study we designed and developed an indoor positioning system using BLE positioning. And, we adopted smartphone for business use as sensing device, developed a smartphone application runs on android OS. Moreover, we conducted the field test of developed system at Itoki Corporation's ITOKI Tokyo Innovation Center, SYNQA, office (Tokyo, Japan). Over 40 workers participated in this field test, and worker tracking log data were collected for 6 weeks. We analyzed the characteristics of the workers' behavior using this log data as a prototyping.

Cross-national comparison of Middle Eastern university students: help-seeking behaviors, attitudes toward helping professionals, and cultural beliefs about mental health problems.

PubMed

Al-Krenawi, Alean; Graham, John R; Al-Bedah, Eman A; Kadri, Hafni Mahmud; Sehwail, Mahmud A

2009-02-01

This study is the first to use identical data collection processes and instruments in Egypt, Kuwait, Palestine, and Israeli Arab communities regarding help-seeking behaviors and attitudes towards perceived cultural beliefs about mental health problems. Data is based on a survey sample of 716, undergraduate students in the 4 countries, 61% female and 39% male. Results indicate that respondents within the various countries, based on nationality, gender and level of education, vary in terms of recognition of personal need, beliefs about mental health problems (i.e. stigmatization), and the use of traditional healing methods versus modern approaches to psychiatric therapy. The conclusion discusses differences between our respondents' expectations and prevailing mental health service provision and delivery.

Parent-child communication and psychological adjustment in children with a brain tumor.

PubMed

Adduci, Annarita; Jankovic, Momcilo; Strazzer, Sandra; Massimino, Maura; Clerici, Carlo; Poggi, Geraldina

2012-08-01

Internalizing problems, anxiety, depression, withdrawal, and consequent social problems are frequently observed in children with brain tumors. The objective of this work is to describe the relationship between these psychological problems and the type of parent-child communication established about the disease. A group of 64 children surviving a brain tumor (aged 4-18 years) underwent psychological assessment by means of parent reports on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). A semi-structured interview with each child and their parents enabled us to classify the method of communication regarding the disease as "avoidance," "ineffective," and "effective." Demographic, clinical, and functional data relating to the disease were also collected. A significant relationship between the onset of Internalizing problems, withdrawal, anxiety-depression, and social problems and the presence of avoidance or ineffective communication about the disease was observed (P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.01, respectively). These psychological problems did not prove to be associated to demographic or clinical variables; however, they were found to be related to the children's residual functional problems. By contrast, the method of communication proved to be unrelated to clinical or functional variables, but it was associated to demographic variables such as sex and age at assessment. Effective (complete, truthful, consistent, comprehensible, gradual and continuous, and tailored) communication to the child about his/her condition proved to be associated with a better psychological outcome. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Attributions for Problem Behavior as Described by Turkish Teachers of Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erbas, Dilek; Turan, Yasemin; Aslan, Yesim Gulec; Dunlap, Glen

2010-01-01

The purpose of this survey study was to determine Turkish teachers' attributions of problem behaviors. The participants' (special education teachers) attributions of problem behaviors varied with some teachers showing agreement with a behavioral perspective while others attributed the occurrence of problem behaviors to other factors (e.g., poor…

ANTECEDENT VERSUS CONSEQUENT EVENTS AS PREDICTORS OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR

PubMed Central

Camp, Erin M; Iwata, Brian A; Hammond, Jennifer L; Bloom, Sarah E

2009-01-01

Comparisons of results from descriptive and functional analyses of problem behavior generally have shown poor correspondence. Most descriptive analyses have focused on relations between consequent events and behavior, and it has been noted that attention is a common consequence for problem behavior even though it may not be a functional reinforcer. Because attention may be prescribed simply as a means of stopping serious problem behavior, it is possible that naturally occurring antecedent events (establishing operations) might be better predictors of problem behavior than consequences. We conducted descriptive and functional analyses of the problem behaviors of 7 participants. Conditional probabilities based on combined antecedent and consequent events showed correspondence with the functional analysis data for 4 of the 7 participants, but antecedent events were no better than consequent events in identifying the function of problem behavior. PMID:19949538

Youth Aggressive/Disruptive Behavior Trajectories and subsequent Gambling among Urban Male Youth

PubMed Central

Martins, Silvia S.; Liu, Weiwei; Hedden, Sarra L.; Goldweber, Asha; Storr, Carla L.; Derevensky, Jeffrey L.; Stinchfield, Randy; Ialongo, Nicholas S.; Petras, Hanno

2013-01-01

Objective This study examines the association between aggressive/disruptive behavior development in two distinct developmental periods, childhood (i.e., grades 1–3) and early adolescence (i.e., grades 6–10) and subsequent gambling behavior in late adolescence up to age 20. Method The sample consists of 310 urban males of predominately minority and low socioeconomic status followed from first grade to late adolescence. Separate general growth mixture models (GGMM) were estimated to explore the heterogeneity in aggressive/disruptive behavior development in the above-mentioned two time periods. Results Three distinct behavior trajectories were identified for each time period: a chronic high, a moderate increasing and a low increasing class for childhood, and a chronic high, a moderate increasing followed by decreasing and a low stable class for early adolescence. There was no association between childhood behavior trajectories and gambling involvement. Males with a moderate behavior trajectory in adolescence where two times more likely to gamble compared to those in the low stable class (OR=1.89, 95% CI=1.11, 3.24). Those with chronic high trajectories during either childhood or early adolescence (OR=2.60, 95% CI=1.06, 6.38; OR=3.19, 95% CI=1.18, 8.64, respectively) were more likely to be at-risk/problem gamblers than those in the low class. Conclusions Aggressive/disruptive behavior development in childhood and early adolescence is associated with gambling and gambling problems in late adolescence among urban male youth. Preventing childhood and youth aggressive/disruptive behavior may be effective to prevent youth problem gambling. PMID:23410188

Age of first arrest varies by gambling status in a cohort of young adults

PubMed Central

Martins, Silvia S.; Lee, Grace P.; Santaella, Julian; Liu, Weiwei; Ialongo, Nicholas S.; Storr, Carla L.

2015-01-01

Background and objectives To describe the association between social and problem gambling and first criminal arrest by age 23 in a cohort of urban, mainly African-American youth. Methods: Data for this study was derived from several annual interviews being completed on a community sample of 617 participants during late adolescence until age 23. Information on gambling status, engagement in deviant behaviors, illegal drug use, and arrest history were collected through yearly interviews. Analysis was carried out using Nelson-Aalen cumulative hazard models and simple and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Results More problem gamblers had been arrested before age 23 than social gamblers and non-gamblers, i.e. 65% of problem gamblers were arrested before age 23, compared to 38% of social gamblers and 24% non-gamblers. Social gambling was only significantly associated with the hazard of first arrest by age 23 in the unadjusted model (HR: 1.6, p<.001), but not after adjustment for covariates (HR: 1.1, p=0.47). Problem gambling was significantly associated with the hazard of first arrest by age 23 years in the unadjusted (HR: 3.6,p<.001) and adjusted models (HR:1.6, p=0.05). Conclusions and Scientific Significance Problem gambling was significantly associated with earlier age of being arrested. Dilution effects after adjustment for several deviant behaviors and illegal drug use by age 17 suggest that youth exposed to certain common factors may result in engagement in multiple risky behaviors, including problem gambling. Studies are needed to investigate the developmental pathways that lead to these combined behaviors among youth. PMID:24628694

How coping styles, cognitive distortions, and attachment predict problem gambling among adolescents and young adults.

PubMed

Calado, Filipa; Alexandre, Joana; Griffiths, Mark D

2017-12-01

Background and aims Recent research suggests that youth problem gambling is associated with several factors, but little is known how these factors might influence or interact each other in predicting this behavior. Consequently, this is the first study to examine the mediation effect of coping styles in the relationship between attachment to parental figures and problem gambling. Methods A total of 988 adolescents and emerging adults were recruited to participate. The first set of analyses tested the adequacy of a model comprising biological, cognitive, and family variables in predicting youth problem gambling. The second set of analyses explored the relationship between family and individual variables in problem gambling behavior. Results The results of the first set of analyses demonstrated that the individual factors of gender, cognitive distortions, and coping styles showed a significant predictive effect on youth problematic gambling, and the family factors of attachment and family structure did not reveal a significant influence on this behavior. The results of the second set of analyses demonstrated that the attachment dimension of angry distress exerted a more indirect influence on problematic gambling, through emotion-focused coping style. Discussion This study revealed that some family variables can have a more indirect effect on youth gambling behavior and provided some insights in how some factors interact in predicting problem gambling. Conclusion These findings suggest that youth gambling is a multifaceted phenomenon, and that the indirect effects of family variables are important in estimating the complex social forces that might influence adolescent decisions to gamble.

Are Borderline Personality Symptoms Associated With Compulsive Sexual Behaviors Among Women in Treatment for Substance Use Disorders? An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Elmquist, JoAnna; Shorey, Ryan C.; Anderson, Scott; Stuart, Gregory L.

2016-01-01

Objective Extant literature has documented a significant relationship between borderline symptoms and substance use disorders. As supported in past work, there is a significant theoretical relationship between borderline symptoms and compulsive sexual behaviors because both disorders share common underlying behaviors and traits. There is no known research that has examined the empirical relationship between borderline symptoms and compulsive sexual behaviors in a population with substance use disorders. To fill this important gap in the literature, this relationship was examined in the current study. Method Medical records from 120 women admitted to a private, residential treatment program for substance use disorders were reviewed for the current study. Results Hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that borderline symptoms were significantly associated with compulsive sexual behaviors after controlling for alcohol use and problems, drug use and problems, age, and positive impression management. Conclusion Results from this study provide potentially important research and clinical implications, which could ultimately aid treatment and reduce relapse. However, continued research is needed to further examine the relationship between symptoms and compulsive sexual behaviors. PMID:27059090

Extrapolation techniques applied to matrix methods in neutron diffusion problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccready, Robert R

1956-01-01

A general matrix method is developed for the solution of characteristic-value problems of the type arising in many physical applications. The scheme employed is essentially that of Gauss and Seidel with appropriate modifications needed to make it applicable to characteristic-value problems. An iterative procedure produces a sequence of estimates to the answer; and extrapolation techniques, based upon previous behavior of iterants, are utilized in speeding convergence. Theoretically sound limits are placed on the magnitude of the extrapolation that may be tolerated. This matrix method is applied to the problem of finding criticality and neutron fluxes in a nuclear reactor with control rods. The two-dimensional finite-difference approximation to the two-group neutron fluxes in a nuclear reactor with control rods. The two-dimensional finite-difference approximation to the two-group neutron-diffusion equations is treated. Results for this example are indicated.

Family Functioning and Predictors of Runaway Behavior Among At-Risk Youth

PubMed Central

Holliday, Stephanie Brooks; Edelen, Maria Orlando; Tucker, Joan S.

2016-01-01

Purpose Adolescent runaway behavior is associated with a host of negative outcomes in young adulthood. Therefore, it is important to understand the factors that predict running away in youth. Methods Longitudinal data from 111 at-risk families were used to identify proximal predictors of runaway behavior over a 12-week period. On average, youth were 14.96 years old, and 45% were female. Ten percent of youth ran away during the 12-week follow-up period. Results In bivariate analyses, running away was predicted by poorer youth- and parent-rated family functioning, past runaway behavior, and other problem behaviors (e.g., substance use, delinquency), but not poorer perceived academic functioning. Results of a hierarchical logistic regression revealed a relationship between youth-rated family functioning and runaway behavior. However, this effect became non-significant after accounting for past runaway behavior and other problem behaviors, both of which remained significant predictors in the multivariable model. Conclusion These findings suggest that youth who run away may be engaged in a more pervasive pattern of problematic behavior, and that screening and prevention programs need to address the cycle of adolescent defiant behavior associated with running away. Recommendations for clinical practice with this at-risk population are discussed. PMID:28496291

Preliminary investigation into application of problem-based learning in the practical teaching of diagnostics

PubMed Central

Rui, Zeng; Rong-Zheng, Yue; Hong-Yu, Qiu; Jing, Zeng; Xue-Hong, Wan; Chuan, Zuo

2015-01-01

Background Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach based on problems. Specifically, it is a student-centered, problem-oriented teaching method that is conducted through group discussions. The aim of our study is to explore the effects of PBL in diagnostic teaching for Chinese medical students. Methods A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted. Eighty junior clinical medical students were randomly divided into two groups. Forty students were allocated to a PBL group and another 40 students were allocated to a control group using the traditional teaching method. Their scores in the practice skills examination, ability to write and analyze medical records, and results on the stage test and behavior observation scale were compared. A questionnaire was administered in the PBL group after class. Results There were no significant differences in scores for writing medical records, content of interviewing, physical examination skills, and stage test between the two groups. However, compared with the control group, the PBL group had significantly higher scores on case analysis, interviewing skills, and behavioral observation scales. Conclusion The questionnaire survey revealed that PBL could improve interest in learning, cultivate an ability to study independently, improve communication and analytical skills, and good team cooperation spirit. However, there were some shortcomings in systematization of imparting knowledge. PBL has an obvious advantage in teaching with regard to diagnostic practice. PMID:25848334

Emotional and behavioral problems among adolescent smokers and their help-seeking behavior.

PubMed

Muthupalaniappen, Leelavathi; Omar, Juslina; Omar, Khairani; Iryani, Tuti; Hamid, Siti Norain

2012-09-01

We carried out a cross sectional study to detect emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents who smoke and their help-seeking behavior. This study was conducted in Sarawak, East Malaysia, between July and September 2006. Emotional and behavioral problems were measured using the Youth Self-Report (YSR/11-18) questionnaire; help seeking behavior was assessed using a help-seeking questionnaire. Three hundred ninety-nine students participated in the study; the smoking prevalence was 32.8%. The mean scores for emotional and behavioral problems were higher among smokers than non-smokers in all domains (internalizing, p = 0.028; externalizing, p = 0.001; other behavior, p = 0.001). The majority of students who smoked (94.7%) did not seek help from a primary health care provider for their emotional or behavioral problems. Common barriers to help-seeking were: the perception their problems were trivial (60.3%) and the preference to solve problems on their own (45.8%). Our findings suggest adolescent smokers in Sarawak, East Malaysia were more likely to break rules, exhibit aggressive behavior and have somatic complaints than non-smoking adolescents. Adolescent smokers preferred to seek help for their problems from informal sources. Physicians treating adolescents should inquire about smoking habits, emotional and behavioral problems and offer counseling if required.

Parenting approaches and digital technology use of preschool age children in a Chinese community

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Young children are using digital technology (DT) devices anytime and anywhere, especially with the invention of smart phones and the replacement of desktop computers with digital tablets. Although research has shown that parents play an important role in fostering and supporting preschoolers’ developing maturity and decisions about DT use, and in protecting them from potential risk due to excessive DT exposure, there have been limited studies conducted in Hong Kong focusing on parent-child DT use. This study had three objectives: 1) to explore parental use of DTs with their preschool children; 2) to identify the DT content that associated with child behavioral problems; and 3) to investigate the relationships between approaches adopted by parents to control children’s DT use and related preschooler behavioral problems. Methods This exploratory quantitative study was conducted in Hong Kong with 202 parents or guardians of preschool children between the ages of 3 and 6 attending kindergarten. The questionnaire was focused on four aspects, including 1) participants’ demographics; 2) pattern of DT use; 3) parenting approach to manage the child’s DT use; and 4) child behavioral and health problems related to DT use. Multiple regression analysis was adopted as the main data analysis method for identifying the DT or parental approach-related predictors of the preschooler behavioral problems. Results In the multiple linear regression model, the ‘restrictive approach score’ was the only predictor among the three parental approaches (B:1.66, 95% CI: [0.21, 3.11], p < 0.05). Moreover, the viewing of antisocial behavior cartoons by children also significantly increased the tendency of children to have behavioral problem (B:3.84, 95% CI: [1.66, 6.02], p < 0.01). Conclusions Since preschool children’s cognitive and functional abilities are still in the developmental stage, parents play a crucial role in fostering appropriate and safe DT use. It is suggested that parents practice a combination of restrictive, instructive and co-using approaches, rather than a predominately restrictive approach, to facilitate their child’s growth and development. Further studies are needed to explore the parent-child relationship and parents’ self-efficacy when managing the parent-child DT use, to develop strategies to guide children in healthy DT use. PMID:24887105

Patterns of Home and School Behavior Problems in Rural and Urban Settings

PubMed Central

Hope, Timothy L; Bierman, Karen L

2009-01-01

This study examined the cross-situational patterns of behavior problems shown by children in rural and urban communities at school entry. Behavior problems exhibited in home settings were not expected to vary significantly across urban and rural settings. In contrast, it was anticipated that child behavior at school would be heavily influenced by the increased exposure to aggressive models and deviant peer support experienced by children in urban as compared to rural schools, leading to higher rates of school conduct problems for children in urban settings. Statistical comparisons of the patterns of behavior problems shown by representative samples of 89 rural and 221 urban children provided support for these hypotheses, as significant rural-urban differences emerged in school and not in home settings. Cross-situational patterns of behavior problems also varied across setting, with home-only patterns of problems characterizing more children at the rural site and school-only, patterns of behavior problems characterizing more children at the urban sites. In addition, whereas externalizing behavior was the primary school problem exhibited by urban children, rural children displayed significantly higher rates of internalizing problems at school. The implications of these results are discussed for developmental models of behavior problems and for preventive interventions. PMID:19834584

[Influence and Change of Self-Directedness in Dialectical Behavior Therapy].

PubMed

Bernheim, Dorothee; Becker, Mathias; Gander, Manuela; Lischke, Alexander; Mentel, Renate; Buchheim, Anna; Freyberger, Harald J

2017-07-01

Objective Investigate influence and change of self-directedness (SD) in Dialectical-Behavior Therapy (DBT) for 26 female outpatients with borderline personality disorder (BPS). Method Variance analyses are used to evaluate psychopathology and interpersonal problems in 2 subgroups (low vs. high SD) with questionnaires at 3 measuring times over the period of 1 year. Results Low SD was associated with higher psychopathology, more interpersonal problems and lower symptomreduction. Over time of intervention the SD of all patients improved significantly. Conclusion DBT strengthens the SD of patients with BPD. A screening of SD before intervention, and systematic support should be considered. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Behavior problems, foster home integration, and evidence-based behavioral interventions: What predicts adoption of foster children?

PubMed

Leathers, Sonya J; Spielfogel, Jill E; Gleeson, James P; Rolock, Nancy

2012-05-01

Adoption is particularly important for foster children with special mental health needs who are unable to return home, as adoption increases parental support often critically needed by youth with mental health issues. Unfortunately, significant behavior problems frequently inhibit foster parents from adopting, and little is known about factors that predict adoption when a child has behavior problems. Previous research suggests that foster parent behavioral training could potentially increase rates of successful adoptions for pre-school-aged foster children with behavior problems (Fisher, Kim, & Pears, 2009), but this has not been previously tested in older samples. In older children, effective treatment of behavior problems might also increase adoption by reducing the interference of behavior problems and strengthening the child's foster home integration. This pilot study focused on this question by testing associations between behavior problems, foster home integration, an evidence-based foster parent intervention, and adoption likelihood. This study used an intent-to-treat design to compare foster home integration and adoption likelihood for 31 foster children with histories of abuse and neglect whose foster parents received a foster behavioral parenting intervention (see Chamberlain, 2003) or usual services. Random effect regression analyses were used to estimate outcomes across four time points. As expected, externalizing behavior problems had a negative effect on both integration and adoption, and foster home integration had an independent positive effect on adoption. Internalizing behavior problems (e.g., depression/anxiety) were not related to adoption or integration. However, the intervention did not have a direct effect on either foster home integration or adoption despite its positive effect on behavior problems. Results from this preliminary study provide further evidence of the negative effect of externalizing behavior problems on adoption. Its findings also suggest that foster home integration is an important dimension of foster home adaptation that appears particularly relevant to chances for adoption. While behavior problems appear to weaken foster home integration, integration is also an independent predictor of adoption likelihood. If these results are replicated in a larger study, consideration of foster home integration in case planning and future intervention studies focused on increasing permanency could potentially improve outcomes for foster children with behavior problems.

Motivational Factors Underlying Problem Solving: Comparing Wolf and Dog Puppies' Explorative and Neophobic Behaviors at 5, 6, and 8 Weeks of Age.

PubMed

Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Virányi, Zsófia; Kubinyi, Enikő; Range, Friederike

2017-01-01

Background: Wolves have been shown to be better in independent problem-solving tasks than dogs, however it is unclear whether cognitive or motivational factors underlie such differences. In a number of species problem solving has been linked to both persistence in exploration and neophobia, suggesting both these aspects may underlie dog-wolf differences in problem solving. Indeed adult wolves have been shown to be more likely to approach a novel object and more persistent in their investigation of it, but also slower in making contact with it and more fearful of it than dogs. Methods: In the current study we investigated potential differences in equally-raised dogs' and wolves' explorative and neophobic behaviors in a novel environment and with novel objects at 5, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Results: Results showed that wolves were more persistent in exploring both the environment and the objects than dogs, and this was the case at all ages. There were no differences in the frequency of fear-related behaviors and time spent in proximity to humans. Stress-related behaviors were similarly expressed at 5 and 6 weeks, although wolves showed a higher frequency of such behaviors at 8 weeks. Discussion: Overall, results with puppies confirm those with adult animals: wolves appear to be more explorative than dogs. Such motivational differences need to be taken into account when comparing dogs and wolves in cognitive tasks.

Motivational Factors Underlying Problem Solving: Comparing Wolf and Dog Puppies' Explorative and Neophobic Behaviors at 5, 6, and 8 Weeks of Age

PubMed Central

Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Virányi, Zsófia; Kubinyi, Enikő; Range, Friederike

2017-01-01

Background: Wolves have been shown to be better in independent problem-solving tasks than dogs, however it is unclear whether cognitive or motivational factors underlie such differences. In a number of species problem solving has been linked to both persistence in exploration and neophobia, suggesting both these aspects may underlie dog-wolf differences in problem solving. Indeed adult wolves have been shown to be more likely to approach a novel object and more persistent in their investigation of it, but also slower in making contact with it and more fearful of it than dogs. Methods: In the current study we investigated potential differences in equally-raised dogs' and wolves' explorative and neophobic behaviors in a novel environment and with novel objects at 5, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Results: Results showed that wolves were more persistent in exploring both the environment and the objects than dogs, and this was the case at all ages. There were no differences in the frequency of fear-related behaviors and time spent in proximity to humans. Stress-related behaviors were similarly expressed at 5 and 6 weeks, although wolves showed a higher frequency of such behaviors at 8 weeks. Discussion: Overall, results with puppies confirm those with adult animals: wolves appear to be more explorative than dogs. Such motivational differences need to be taken into account when comparing dogs and wolves in cognitive tasks. PMID:28232814

Does Competence Mediate the Associations between Puberty and Internalizing or Externalizing Problems in Adolescent Girls

PubMed Central

Negriff, Sonya; Hillman, Jennifer, B.; Dorn, Lorah D.

2011-01-01

Purpose To examine separate mediational models linking a) menarcheal status or b) pubertal timing to internalizing and externalizing problems through competence. Method Cross-sectional analyses of 262 adolescent girls (11–17 years; M=14.93, SD=2.17) enrolled in a longitudinal study examining the association of psychological functioning and smoking with reproductive and bone health. Measures of menarcheal status (pre/post), pubertal timing (early, on-time, or late), internalizing and externalizing behavior, and perceived competence (parent and adolescent report) were obtained. Structural Equation Modeling was used for analyses. Results Perceived competence was found to fully mediate the association between menarcheal status and parent report of internalizing and externalizing problems. For adolescent report, there was a full mediation effect for internalizing problems but a partial mediation effect for externalizing problems. Being menarcheal was related to lower competence which was related to higher internalizing and externalizing problems. Models including pubertal timing were not significant. Conclusions Perceived competence is important in understanding the associations between menarcheal status and internalizing and externalizing problems. Interventions targeting competence, particularly in post-menarcheal girls, may reduce or prevent problem behaviors. PMID:21939864

Asthma management simulation for children: translating theory, methods, and strategies to effect behavior change.

PubMed

Shegog, Ross; Bartholomew, L Kay; Gold, Robert S; Pierrel, Elaine; Parcel, Guy S; Sockrider, Marianna M; Czyzewski, Danita I; Fernandez, Maria E; Berlin, Nina J; Abramson, Stuart

2006-01-01

Translating behavioral theories, models, and strategies to guide the development and structure of computer-based health applications is well recognized, although a continued challenge for program developers. A stepped approach to translate behavioral theory in the design of simulations to teach chronic disease management to children is described. This includes the translation steps to: 1) define target behaviors and their determinants, 2) identify theoretical methods to optimize behavioral change, and 3) choose educational strategies to effectively apply these methods and combine these into a cohesive computer-based simulation for health education. Asthma is used to exemplify a chronic health management problem and a computer-based asthma management simulation (Watch, Discover, Think and Act) that has been evaluated and shown to effect asthma self-management in children is used to exemplify the application of theory to practice. Impact and outcome evaluation studies have indicated the effectiveness of these steps in providing increased rigor and accountability, suggesting their utility for educators and developers seeking to apply simulations to enhance self-management behaviors in patients.

Advances in Behavioral Laboratory Methods that Inform Tobacco Regulatory Science: A TCORS Working Group Special Issue

PubMed Central

Wright, M. Jerry; Valentine, Gerald

2017-01-01

Objective The 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (TCA) created unprecented enabling conditions for establishing national regulatory policy that reduces the burden of public health and societal problems associated with tobacco product use. The Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), created by the FDA to implement the TCA, developed a first-of-its-kind FDA/National Institutes of Health (NIH) collaborative program to fund Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science (TCORS). Methods To assist the TCORS with addressing research priorites, working groups (WGs) comprised of FDA-CTP liasions and TCORS investigators were formed. Under the direction of the Center for Evaluation and Coordination of Trainin and Research (CECTR), the TCORS WGs seek to develop tangible work products in their respective areas of focus. Results The focus of the behavioral pharmacology WG evolved from publishing a narrow paper on behavioral methods in electronic cigarette research to a collection of papers on advances in behavioral laboratory methods that may inform tobacco regulatory science. Conclusion This Special Issue contains articles that address all of the CTP research priorities and demonstrates how advances in behavioral laboratory methods made by TCORS investigators can inform FDA efforst to regulate tobacco products. PMID:29152546

Video gaming and gaming addiction in transgender people: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Arcelus, Jon; Bouman, Walter Pierre; Jones, Bethany Alice; Richards, Christina; Jimenez-Murcia, Susana; Griffiths, Mark D

2017-03-01

Background There is anecdotal clinical evidence that transgender people use the online world - such as forums and online video gaming - for the purpose of experiencing their gender identity in a safe, non-threatening, non-alienating, non-stigmatizing, and non-critical environment. Aims To describe gaming behavior, degree of problematic gaming behavior and associated factors with problematic gaming in a comparatively large group of transgender people accessing transgender health services. Methods Every individual referred to a national transgender health service in the United Kingdom during a 12-month period was invited to complete a series of questionnaires to measure gaming behavior, interpersonal functioning, severity of autistic features, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Results A total of 245 people agreed to participate in the study with 154 (62.9%) describing themselves as current gamers. Gaming behavior in the transgender population attending transgender health services was prevalent, but less than 1% of them presented with clinical scores for Internet Gaming Disorder, with no differences according to gender. Problematic gaming behavior was associated with general interpersonal problems, depression, and young age. Discussion and conclusions Transgender people who engage in problematic gaming behavior are younger, and present with high interpersonal problems, and depression, which can affect a successful transition. In view of the high levels of gaming activity in this population games that are designed to address these psychological problems may be well received by transgender people.

Video gaming and gaming addiction in transgender people: An exploratory study

PubMed Central

Arcelus, Jon; Bouman, Walter Pierre; Jones, Bethany Alice; Richards, Christina; Jimenez-Murcia, Susana; Griffiths, Mark D.

2017-01-01

Background There is anecdotal clinical evidence that transgender people use the online world – such as forums and online video gaming – for the purpose of experiencing their gender identity in a safe, non-threatening, non-alienating, non-stigmatizing, and non-critical environment. Aims To describe gaming behavior, degree of problematic gaming behavior and associated factors with problematic gaming in a comparatively large group of transgender people accessing transgender health services. Methods Every individual referred to a national transgender health service in the United Kingdom during a 12-month period was invited to complete a series of questionnaires to measure gaming behavior, interpersonal functioning, severity of autistic features, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Results A total of 245 people agreed to participate in the study with 154 (62.9%) describing themselves as current gamers. Gaming behavior in the transgender population attending transgender health services was prevalent, but less than 1% of them presented with clinical scores for Internet Gaming Disorder, with no differences according to gender. Problematic gaming behavior was associated with general interpersonal problems, depression, and young age. Discussion and conclusions Transgender people who engage in problematic gaming behavior are younger, and present with high interpersonal problems, and depression, which can affect a successful transition. In view of the high levels of gaming activity in this population games that are designed to address these psychological problems may be well received by transgender people. PMID:28198637

Precincts and Prospects in the Use of Focus Groups in Social and Behavioral Science Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sagoe, Dominic

2012-01-01

Over the past few years, the focus group method has assumed a very important role as a method for collecting qualitative data in social and behavioural science research. This article elucidates theoretical and practical problems and prospects associated with the use of focus groups as a qualitative research method in social and behavioural science…

The Analysis of Likert Scales Using State Multipoles: An Application of Quantum Methods to Behavioral Sciences Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camparo, James; Camparo, Lorinda B.

2013-01-01

Though ubiquitous, Likert scaling's traditional mode of analysis is often unable to uncover all of the valid information in a data set. Here, the authors discuss a solution to this problem based on methodology developed by quantum physicists: the state multipole method. The authors demonstrate the relative ease and value of this method by…

Perceptions of Chronicity and Recovery among Youth in Treatment for Substance Use Problems

PubMed Central

Gonzales, Rachel; Anglin, M. Douglas; Beattie, Rebecca; Ong, Chris Angelo; Glik, Deborah C.

2012-01-01

Purpose To explore how youth contextualize substance use problems and recovery, in general and for themselves, in relation to the commonly accepted chronicity framework. Methods Fourteen focus groups were conducted with 118 youth in substance abuse treatment settings (aged 12-24; 78.3% male; 66.1% Latino) located throughout diverse areas of Los Angeles County. Transcribed qualitative focus group data were analyzed for major substance use and recovery themes. Results Most (80%) youth do not accept a chronicity framework that conceptualizes substance use problems as recurring and constituting a life-long illness. Most (65%) view substance use problems as a function of poor behavioral choices or a developmental/social lifestyle phase. Youth perceptions of recovery tend to parallel this view, as most define recovery to mean having an improved or changed lifestyle that is achieved through making better behavioral choices (67%) and exerting personal control over one's behavior (57%) through willpower, confidence, or discipline. Other recovery themes identified by youth were substance use related (47%), wellness or well-being related (43%) and therapeutic or treatment related (14%). Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of considering youth perceptions about substance use chronicity and recovery in making improvements and promoting new developments in clinical and recovery support approaches to better meet the needs of youth with substance use problems. Findings are discussed under a theoretical context of behavior change to provide insights for the treatment and recovery communities. PMID:22824444

Behavior problems and placement change in a national child welfare sample: a prospective study.

PubMed

Aarons, Gregory A; James, Sigrid; Monn, Amy R; Raghavan, Ramesh; Wells, Rebecca S; Leslie, Laurel K

2010-01-01

There is ongoing debate regarding the impact of youth behavior problems on placement change in child welfare compared to the impact of placement change on behavior problems. Existing studies provide support for both perspectives. The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the relations of behavior problems and placement change in a nationally representative sample of youths in the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. The sample consisted of 500 youths in the child welfare system with out-of-home placements over the course of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being study. We used a prospective cross-lag design and path analysis to examine reciprocal effects of behavior problems and placement change, testing an overall model and models examining effects of age and gender. In the overall model, out of a total of eight path coefficients, behavior problems significantly predicted placement changes for three paths and placement change predicted behavior problems for one path. Internalizing and externalizing behavior problems at baseline predicted placement change between baseline and 18 months. Behavior problems at an older age and externalizing behavior at 18 months appear to confer an increased risk of placement change. Of note, among female subjects, placement changes later in the study predicted subsequent internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. In keeping with recommendations from a number of professional bodies, we suggest that initial and ongoing screening for internalizing and externalizing behavior problems be instituted as part of standard practice for youths entering or transitioning in the child welfare system.

Alternative Attitude Commanding and Control for Precise Spacecraft Landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Gurkirpal

2004-01-01

A report proposes an alternative method of control for precision landing on a remote planet. In the traditional method, the attitude of a spacecraft is required to track a commanded translational acceleration vector, which is generated at each time step by solving a two-point boundary value problem. No requirement of continuity is imposed on the acceleration. The translational acceleration does not necessarily vary smoothly. Tracking of a non-smooth acceleration causes the vehicle attitude to exhibit undesirable transients and poor pointing stability behavior. In the alternative method, the two-point boundary value problem is not solved at each time step. A smooth reference position profile is computed. The profile is recomputed only when the control errors get sufficiently large. The nominal attitude is still required to track the smooth reference acceleration command. A steering logic is proposed that controls the position and velocity errors about the reference profile by perturbing the attitude slightly about the nominal attitude. The overall pointing behavior is therefore smooth, greatly reducing the degree of pointing instability.

School readiness among children with behavior problems at entrance into kindergarten: results from a US national study.

PubMed

Montes, Guillermo; Lotyczewski, Bohdan S; Halterman, Jill S; Hightower, Alan D

2012-03-01

The impact of behavior problems on kindergarten readiness is not known. Our objective was to estimate the association between behavior problems and kindergarten readiness on a US national sample. In the US educational system, kindergarten is a natural point of entry into formal schooling at age 5 because fewer than half of the children enter kindergarten with prior formal preschool education. Parents of 1,200 children who were scheduled to enter kindergarten for the first time and were members of the Harris Interactive online national panel were surveyed. We defined behavior problems as an affirmative response to the question, "Has your child ever had behavior problems?" We validated this against attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis, scores on a reliable socioemotional scale, and child's receipt of early intervention services. We used linear, tobit, and logistic regression analyses to estimate the association between having behavior problems and scores in reliable scales of motor, play, speech and language, and school skills and an overall kindergarten readiness indicator. The sample included 176 children with behavior problems for a national prevalence of 14% (confidence interval, 11.5-17.5). Children with behavior problems were more likely to be male and live in households with lower income and parental education. We found that children with behavior problems entered kindergarten with lower speech and language, motor, play, and school skills, even after controlling for demographics and region. Delays were 0.6-1 SD below scores of comparable children without behavior problems. Parents of children with behavior problems were 5.2 times more likely to report their child was not ready for kindergarten. Childhood behavior problems are associated with substantial delays in motor, language, play, school, and socioemotional skills before entrance into kindergarten. Early screening and intervention is recommended.

Psychosocial Profile and Quality of Life in Children With Type 1 Narcolepsy: A Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Rocca, Francesca Letizia; Finotti, Elena; Pizza, Fabio; Ingravallo, Francesca; Gatta, Michela; Bruni, Oliviero; Plazzi, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To investigate behavioral aspects and quality of life in children and adolescents with type 1 narcolepsy (NT1). Methods: We performed a case-control study comparing 29 patients with NT1 versus sex- and age-matched patients with idiopathic epilepsy (n = 39) and healthy controls (n = 39). Behavior and quality of life were evaluated by self-administered questionnaires (Child Behavior Checklist, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory). Patient groups were contrasted and scale results were correlated with clinical and polysomnographic parameters, and cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin-1 levels. Results: Young patients with NT1 showed increased internalizing problems associated with aggressive behavior. Emotional profile in patients with NT1 positively correlated with age at onset, diagnostic delay, and subjective sleepiness, whereas treatment and disease duration were associated with fewer behavioral problems (attention problems, aggressive behavior, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Psychosocial health domains of pediatric NT1 were worse than in healthy controls, whereas the physical health domains were comparable. Conclusions: Young NT1 patients show a discrete pattern of altered behavioral, thought, and mood profile in comparison with healthy controls and with idiopathic epilepsy patients thus suggesting a direct link with sleepiness. Further studies investigating behavior in patients with idiopathic hypersomnia or type 2 narcolepsy are needed to disentangle the role of REM sleep dysfunction and hypocretin deficiency in psychiatric disorders. Symptoms of withdrawal, depression, somatic complaints, thought problems, and aggressiveness were common, NT1 children perceived lower school competencies than healthy children, and their parents also reported worse psychosocial health. Our data suggest that early effective treatment and disease self-awareness should be promoted in NT1 children for their positive effect on behavior and psychosocial health. Citation: Rocca FL, Finotti E, Pizza F, Ingravallo F, Gatta M, Bruni O, Plazzi G. Psychosocial profile and quality of life in children with type 1 narcolepsy: a case-control study. SLEEP 2016;39(7):1389–1398. PMID:27166243

Impact of Behavioral Inhibition and Parenting Style on Internalizing and Externalizing Problems from Early Childhood through Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Lela Rankin; Degnan, Kathryn A.; Perez-Edgar, Koraly E.; Henderson, Heather A.; Rubin, Kenneth H.; Pine, Daniel S.; Steinberg, Laurence; Fox, Nathan A.

2009-01-01

Behavioral inhibition (BI) is characterized by a pattern of extreme social reticence, risk for internalizing behavior problems, and possible protection against externalizing behavior problems. Parenting style may also contribute to these associations between BI and behavior problems (BP). A sample of 113 children was assessed for BI in the…

Structural Equivalence of Involvement in Problem Behavior by Adolescents across Racial Groups Using Multiple Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, James H.; And Others

1996-01-01

Problem behavior theory predicts that adolescent problem behaviors are manifestations of a single behavioral syndrome. This study tested the validity of the theory across racial groups. Results indicate that multiple pathways are necessary to account for the problem behaviors and they support previous research indicating system response bias in…

Unhealthy behaviors in adolescents: multibehavioral associations with psychosocial problems.

PubMed

Busch, Vincent; De Leeuw, Johannes Robertus Josephus

2014-06-01

Several unhealthy behaviors are associated with psychosocial health in adolescents. Previous studies have shown that different adolescent health behaviors cluster, and, in order to understand these associations, it is important to investigate the relations between individual behaviors and psychosocial problems. This study addressed the research question "Are adolescent health behaviors associated with psychosocial problems, and to what extent do certain health behaviors confound the relations between other health behaviors and psychosocial problems in adolescents?" Self-reported questionnaire data on a broad range of health behaviors and demographics were collected from 2,690 high school students in the Netherlands in September 2012. After adjustment for demographic characteristics, nearly all unhealthy behaviors were found to be significantly associated with psychosocial problems. However, after correction for confounding by other behaviors, psychosocial problems were associated with fewer behaviors, namely compulsive internet use and videogame playing, smoking, cannabis use, and being bullied. These associations differed in boys and girls. In multibehavioral analyses adjusted for behavioral clustering, which can cause considerable interbehavioral confounding, several behaviors were associated with psychosocial problems in adolescents. This approach to behavior analysis provides a better insight into behaviors and psychosocial health, and the specific associations identified can be utilized when designing effective prevention programs, such as health-promoting school interventions.

The Use of Ethnographic Methods in Educational Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Stephen

1977-01-01

By treating a school as a subculture, the Center for New Schools hopes to use the techniques of anthropology to elucidate behavioral problems which may be keeping school members from achieving their goals. (JC)

Dyadic flexibility and positive affect in parent–child coregulation and the development of child behavior problems

PubMed Central

LUNKENHEIMER, ERIKA S.; OLSON, SHERYL L.; HOLLENSTEIN, TOM; SAMEROFF, ARNOLD J.; WINTER, CHARLOTTE

2018-01-01

Parent–child dyadic rigidity and negative affect contribute to children’s higher levels of externalizing problems. The present longitudinal study examined whether the opposite constructs of dyadic flexibility and positive affect predicted lower levels of externalizing behavior problems across the early childhood period. Mother–child (N = 163) and father–child (n = 94) dyads engaged in a challenging block design task at home when children were 3 years old. Dynamic systems methods were used to derive dyadic positive affect and three indicators of dyadic flexibility (range, dispersion, and transitions) from observational coding. We hypothesized that the interaction between dyadic flexibility and positive affect would predict lower levels of externalizing problems at age 5.5 years as rated by mothers and teachers, controlling for stability in externalizing problems, task time, child gender, and the child’s effortful control. The hypothesis was supported in predicting teacher ratings of child externalizing from both mother–child and father–child interactions. There were also differential main effects for mothers and fathers: mother–child flexibility was detrimental and father–child flexibility was beneficial for child outcomes. Results support the inclusion of adaptive and dynamic parent–child coregulation processes in the study of children’s early disruptive behavior. PMID:23786697

Psychological maltreatment, emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents: The mediating role of resilience and self-esteem.

PubMed

Arslan, Gökmen

2016-02-01

In this study, structural equation modeling was used to examine the mediating role of resilience and self-esteem in the relationships between psychological maltreatment-emotional problems and psychological maltreatment-behavioral problems in adolescents. Participants were 937 adolescents from different high schools in Turkey. The sample included 502 female (53.6%) and 435 male (46.4%) students, 14-19 years old (mean age=16.51, SD=1.15). Results indicated that psychological maltreatment was negatively correlated with resilience and self-esteem, and positively correlated with behavioral problems and emotional problems. Resilience and self-esteem also predicted behavioral problems and emotional problems. Finally, psychological maltreatment predicted emotional and behavioral problems mediated by resilience and self-esteem. Resilience and self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between psychological maltreatment-behavioral and psychological maltreatment-emotional problems in adolescents. Thus, resilience and self-esteem appear to play a protective role in emotional problems and behavioral problems in psychologically maltreated individuals. Implications are discussed and suggestions for psychological counselors and other mental health professionals are presented. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TEMPERAMENT, FAMILY ENVIRONMENT, AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN WITH NEW-ONSET SEIZURES

PubMed Central

Baum, Katherine T.; Byars, Anna W.; deGrauw, Ton J.; Johnson, Cynthia S.; Perkins, Susan M.; Dunn, David W.; Bates, John E.; Austin, Joan K.

2007-01-01

Children with epilepsy, even those with new-onset seizures, exhibit relatively high rates of behavior problems. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among early temperament, family adaptive resources, and behavior problems in children with new-onset seizures. Our major goal was to test whether family adaptive resources moderated the relationship between early temperament dimensions and current behavior problems in 287 children with new-onset seizures. Two of the three temperament dimensions (difficultness and resistance to control) were positively correlated with total, internalizing, and externalizing behavior problems (all p < 0.0001). The third temperament dimension, unadaptability, was positively correlated with total and internalizing problems (p < 0.01). Family adaptive resources moderated the relationships between temperament and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems at school. Children with a difficult early temperament who live in a family environment with low family mastery are at the greatest risk for behavior problems. PMID:17267291

Trajectories of Problem Behavior among Mexican-Origin Adolescent Mothers

PubMed Central

Toomey, Russell B.; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Jahromi, Laudan B.

2014-01-01

Engagement in problem behaviors during adolescence has important implications for academic achievement and psychosocial well-being. The current study examined engagement in problem behavior across the transition from pregnancy to parenthood among a sample of 204 Mexican-origin adolescent mothers (ages 15-18 years; Mage = 16.8 at Time 1) to better understand the behaviors in which this sample engaged and how engagement changed over this period of transition. Descriptively, this sample engaged in relatively low levels of problem behaviors. Frequently endorsed problem behaviors included missing school or work without an excuse, lying or disobeying parents, and engagement in dangerous behaviors for a thrill; notably, substance use was not a frequently endorsed behavior until the final waves of the study, when most of the mothers were of legal age for these behaviors. Further, latent growth curve modeling revealed a non-linear pattern of change in problem behaviors, such that engagement decreased substantially from the third trimester of pregnancy to 36 months postpartum, but then leveled off between 36 and 48 months postpartum. Findings suggest a need for future research to better understand how engagement in problem behaviors changes pre- to post-pregnancy, and how to best support the decrease in problem behaviors once a pregnancy has been detected. PMID:25893152

Lifetime Paid Work and Mental Health Problems among Poor Urban 9-to-13-Year-Old Children in Brazil

PubMed Central

Pires, Ivens H.; Paula, Cristiane S.

2013-01-01

Objective. To verify if emotional/behavioral problems are associated with lifetime paid work in poor urban children, when taking into account other potential correlates. Methods. Cross-sectional study focused on 9-to-13-year-old children (n = 212). In a probabilistic sample of clusters of eligible households (women 15–49 years and son/daughter <18 years), one mother-child pair was randomly selected per household (n = 813; response rate = 82.4%). CBCL/6-18 identified child emotional/behavioral problems. Potential correlates include child gender and age, socioeconomic status/SES, maternal education, parental working status, and family social isolation, among others. Multivariate analysis examined the relationship between emotional/behavioral problems and lifetime paid work in the presence of significant correlates. Findings. All work activities were non-harmful (e.g., selling fruits, helping parents at their small business, and baby sitting). Children with lower SES and socially isolated were more involved in paid work than less disadvantaged peers. Children ever exposed to paid work were four times more likely to present anxiety/depression symptoms at a clinical level compared to non-exposed children. Multivariate modeling identified three independent correlates: child pure internalizing problems, social isolation, and low SES. Conclusion. There is an association between lifetime exposure to exclusively non-harmful paid work activities and pure internalizing problems even when considering SES variability and family social isolation. PMID:24302872

Protective factors associated with fewer multiple problem behaviors among homeless/runaway youth.

PubMed

Lightfoot, Marguerita; Stein, Judith A; Tevendale, Heather; Preston, Kathleen

2011-01-01

Although homeless youth exhibit numerous problem behaviors, protective factors that can be targeted and modified by prevention programs to decrease the likelihood of involvement in risky behaviors are less apparent. The current study tested a model of protective factors for multiple problem behavior in a sample of 474 homeless youth (42% girls; 83% minority) ages 12 to 24 years. Higher levels of problem solving and planning skills were strongly related to lower levels of multiple problem behaviors in homeless youth, suggesting both the positive impact of preexisting personal assets of these youth and important programmatic targets for further building their resilience and decreasing problem behaviors. Indirect relationships between the background factors of self-esteem and social support and multiple problem behaviors were significantly mediated through protective skills. The model suggests that helping youth enhance their skills in goal setting, decision making, and self-reliant coping could lessen a variety of problem behaviors commonly found among homeless youth.

Protective Factors Associated with Fewer Multiple Problem Behaviors Among Homeless/Runaway Youth

PubMed Central

Lightfoot, Marguerita; Stein, Judith A.; Tevendale, Heather; Preston, Kathleen

2015-01-01

Although homeless youth exhibit numerous problem behaviors, protective factors that can be targeted and modified by prevention programs to decrease the likelihood of involvement in risky behaviors are less apparent. The current study tested a model of protective factors for multiple problem behavior in a sample of 474 homeless youth (42% girls; 83% minority) ages 12 to 24 years. Higher levels of problem solving and planning skills were strongly related to lower levels of multiple problem behaviors in homeless youth, suggesting both the positive impact of preexisting personal assets of these youth and important programmatic targets for further building their resilience and decreasing problem behaviors. Indirect relationships between the background factors of self-esteem and social support and multiple problem behaviors were significantly mediated through protective skills. The model suggests that helping youth enhance their skills in goal setting, decision making, and self-reliant coping could lessen a variety of problem behaviors commonly found among homeless youth. PMID:22023279

Suspending in School Suspension?: Is ISS a Valid Means of Disciplinary Action to Reduce Negative Student Behaviors?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahynes, Leron M.

2015-01-01

This paper explored whether or not In School Suspensions (ISS) is effective in reducing student behavioral problems. Research was conducted with 6-8th grade students in a rural middle school in the upstate of South Carolina for the purposes of determining if ISS, in its current design a viable and effective method to reduce negative student…

Montessori-based activities among persons with late-stage dementia: Evaluation of mental and behavioral health outcomes.

PubMed

Wilks, Scott E; Boyd, P August; Bates, Samantha M; Cain, Daphne S; Geiger, Jennifer R

2017-01-01

Objectives Literature regarding Montessori-based activities with older adults with dementia is fairly common with early stages of dementia. Conversely, research on said activities with individuals experiencing late-stage dementia is limited because of logistical difficulties in sampling and data collection. Given the need to understand risks and benefits of treatments for individuals with late-stage dementia, specifically regarding their mental and behavioral health, this study sought to evaluate the effects of a Montessori-based activity program implemented in a long-term care facility. Method Utilizing an interrupted time series design, trained staff completed observation-based measures for 43 residents with late-stage dementia at three intervals over six months. Empirical measures assessed mental health (anxiety, psychological well-being, quality of life) and behavioral health (problem behaviors, social engagement, capacity for activities of daily living). Results Group differences were observed via repeated measures ANOVA and paired-samples t-tests. The aggregate, longitudinal results-from baseline to final data interval-for the psychological and behavioral health measures were as follows: problem behaviors diminished though not significantly; social engagement decreased significantly; capacities for activities of daily living decreased significantly; quality of life increased slightly but not significantly; anxiety decreased slightly but not significantly; and psychological well-being significantly decreased. Conclusion Improvements observed for quality of life and problem behaviors may yield promise for Montessori-based activities and related health care practices. The rapid physiological and cognitive deterioration from late-stage dementia should be considered when interpreting these results.

The PBL-Evaluator: A Web-Based Tool for Assessment in Tutorials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaves, John F.; Chaves, John A.; Lantz, Marilyn S.

1998-01-01

Describes design and use of the PBL Evaluator, a computer-based method of evaluating dental students' clinical problem-solving skills. Analysis of Indiana University students' self-, peer, and tutor ratings for one iteration of a course in critical thinking and professional behavior shows differences in these ratings. The method is found useful…

Transactional relations between caregiving stress, executive functioning, and problem behavior from early childhood to early adolescence

PubMed Central

LaGasse, Linda L.; Conradt, Elisabeth; Karalunas, Sarah L.; Dansereau, Lynne M.; Butner, Jonathan E.; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta; Bauer, Charles R.; Whitaker, Toni M.; Lester, Barry M.

2016-01-01

Developmental psychopathologists face the difficult task of identifying the environmental conditions that may contribute to early childhood behavior problems. Highly stressed caregivers can exacerbate behavior problems, while children with behavior problems may make parenting more difficult and increase caregiver stress. Unknown is: (1) how these transactions originate, (2) whether they persist over time to contribute to the development of problem behavior and (3) what role resilience factors, such as child executive functioning, may play in mitigating the development of problem behavior. In the present study, transactional relations between caregiving stress, executive functioning, and behavior problems were examined in a sample of 1,388 children with prenatal drug exposures at three developmental time points: early childhood (birth-age 5), middle childhood (ages 6 to 9), and early adolescence (ages 10 to 13). Transactional relations differed between caregiving stress and internalizing versus externalizing behavior. Targeting executive functioning in evidence-based interventions for children with prenatal substance exposure who present with internalizing problems and treating caregiving psychopathology, depression, and parenting stress in early childhood may be particularly important for children presenting with internalizing behavior. PMID:27427803

Adolescent cigarette smoking: health-related behavior or normative transgression?

PubMed

Turbin, M S; Jessor, R; Costa, F M

2000-09-01

Relations among measures of adolescent behavior were examined to determine whether cigarette smoking fits into a structure of problem behaviors-behaviors that involve normative transgression-or a structure of health-related behaviors, or both. In an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of 1782 male and female high school adolescents, four first-order problem behavior latent variables-sexual intercourse experience, alcohol abuse, illicit drug use, and delinquency-were established and together were shown to reflect a second-order latent variable of problem behavior. Four first-order latent variables of health-related behaviors-unhealthy dietary habits, sedentary behavior, unsafe behavior, and poor dental hygiene-were also established and together were shown to reflect a second-order latent variable of health-compromising behavior. The structure of relations among those latent variables was modeled. Cigarette smoking had a significant and substantial loading only on the problem-behavior latent variable; its loading on the health-compromising behavior latent variable was essentially zero. Adolescent cigarette smoking relates strongly and directly to problem behaviors and only indirectly, if at all, to health-compromising behaviors. Interventions to prevent or reduce adolescent smoking should attend more to factors that influence problem behaviors.

Behavior in children with Prader-Willi syndrome before and during growth hormone treatment: a randomized controlled trial and 8-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Lo, Sin T; Siemensma, Elbrich P C; Festen, Dederieke A M; Collin, Philippe J L; Hokken-Koelega, Anita C S

2015-09-01

Information on behavior of children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and the effect of growth hormone (GH) treatment is scarce. Parents report less problem behavior during GH treatment. Forty-two pre-pubertal children, aged 3.5-14 years were studied in a randomized controlled GH trial (RCT) during 2 years, followed by a longitudinal study during 8 years of GH treatment. Behavior was measured annually by the Developmental Behavior Checklist for children with intellectual disability (DBC) and a Dutch questionnaire to evaluate social behavioral problems in children, the Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire (CSBQ). Problem behavior measured by the DBC in children with PWS was similar compared to peers with comparable intellectual disability. Scores on 'Social disabilities' subscale were however significantly higher compared to the DBC total score (p < 0.01). A lower IQ was associated with more self-absorbed behavior, more communication problems and more problem behavior in general. Problem behavior measured by the CSBQ was similar compared to peers with a comparable intellectual disability, but children with PWS scored significantly higher on the 'Not tuned', 'Understanding', and 'Stereotyped' subscales than the CSBQ total score (p < 0.05 for all subscales and p = 0.001 for the 'Not tuned'-subscale). There were no significant effects of GH treatment during the RCT and 8 years of GH treatment. Children with PWS showed similar problem behavior as a reference population with a comparable intellectual disability. Social problems were the most pronounced within-problem behavior in PWS. In contrast to our expectations and parents reports, our study shows no improvement but also no deterioration of behavioral problems in children with PWS during long-term GH treatment.

Peer rejection in childhood, involvement with antisocial peers in early adolescence, and the development of externalizing behavior problems

PubMed Central

Laird, Robert D.; Jordan, Kristi Y.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Pettit, Gregory S.; Bates, John E.

2009-01-01

A longitudinal, prospective design was used to examine the roles of peer rejection in middle childhood and antisocial peer involvement in early adolescence in the development of adolescent externalizing behavior problems. Both early starter and late starter pathways were considered. Classroom sociometric interviews from ages 6 through 9 years, adolescent reports of peers' behavior at age 13 years, and parent, teacher, and adolescent self-reports of externalizing behavior problems from age 5 through 14 years were available for 400 adolescents. Results indicate that experiencing peer rejection in elementary school and greater involvement with antisocial peers in early adolescence are correlated but that these peer relationship experiences may represent two different pathways to adolescent externalizing behavior problems. Peer rejection experiences, but not involvement with antisocial peers, predict later externalizing behavior problems when controlling for stability in externalizing behavior. Externalizing problems were most common when rejection was experienced repeatedly. Early externalizing problems did not appear to moderate the relation between peer rejection and later problem behavior. Discussion highlights multiple pathways connecting externalizing behavior problems from early childhood through adolescence with peer relationship experiences in middle childhood and early adolescence. PMID:11393650

Parent Psychological Functioning and Communication Predict Externalizing Behavior Problems After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Raj, Stacey P.; Cassedy, Amy; Taylor, H. Gerry; Stancin, Terry; Brown, Tanya M.; Kirkwood, Michael W.

2014-01-01

Objective Adolescents sustaining traumatic brain injury (TBI) show increased prevalence of behavior problems. This study investigated the associations of parent mental health, family functioning, and parent–adolescent interaction with adolescent externalizing behavior problems in the initial months after TBI, and examined whether injury severity moderated these associations. Methods 117 parent–adolescent dyads completed measures of family functioning, adolescent behavior, and parent mental health an average of 108 days post-TBI. Dyads also engaged in a 10-min video-recorded problem-solving activity coded for parent behavior and tone of interaction. Results Overall, higher ratings of effective parent communication were associated with fewer externalizing behavior problems, whereas poorer caregiver psychological functioning was associated with greater adolescent externalizing behaviors. Results failed to reveal moderating effects of TBI severity on the relationship between socio-environmental factors and behavior problems. Conclusions Interventions targeting parent communication and/or improving caregiver psychological health may ameliorate potential externalizing behavior problems after adolescent TBI. PMID:24065551

Solving phase appearance/disappearance two-phase flow problems with high resolution staggered grid and fully implicit schemes by the Jacobian-free Newton–Krylov Method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zou, Ling; Zhao, Haihua; Zhang, Hongbin

2016-04-01

The phase appearance/disappearance issue presents serious numerical challenges in two-phase flow simulations. Many existing reactor safety analysis codes use different kinds of treatments for the phase appearance/disappearance problem. However, to our best knowledge, there are no fully satisfactory solutions. Additionally, the majority of the existing reactor system analysis codes were developed using low-order numerical schemes in both space and time. In many situations, it is desirable to use high-resolution spatial discretization and fully implicit time integration schemes to reduce numerical errors. In this work, we adapted a high-resolution spatial discretization scheme on staggered grid mesh and fully implicit time integrationmore » methods (such as BDF1 and BDF2) to solve the two-phase flow problems. The discretized nonlinear system was solved by the Jacobian-free Newton Krylov (JFNK) method, which does not require the derivation and implementation of analytical Jacobian matrix. These methods were tested with a few two-phase flow problems with phase appearance/disappearance phenomena considered, such as a linear advection problem, an oscillating manometer problem, and a sedimentation problem. The JFNK method demonstrated extremely robust and stable behaviors in solving the two-phase flow problems with phase appearance/disappearance. No special treatments such as water level tracking or void fraction limiting were used. High-resolution spatial discretization and second- order fully implicit method also demonstrated their capabilities in significantly reducing numerical errors.« less

Behavior problems in children at time of first recognized seizure and changes over the following 3 years.

PubMed

Austin, J K; Perkins, S M; Johnson, C S; Fastenau, P S; Byars, A W; deGrauw, T J; Dunn, D W

2011-08-01

The purposes of this 36-month study of children with first recognized seizures were: (1) to describe baseline differences in behavior problems between children with and without prior unrecognized seizures; (2) to identify differences over time in behavior problems between children with seizures and their healthy siblings; (3) to identify the proportions of children with seizures and healthy siblings who were consistently at risk for behavior problems for 36 months; and (4) to identify risk factors for behavior problems 36 months following the first recognized seizure. Risk factors explored included demographic (child age and gender, caregiver education), neuropsychological (IQ, processing speed), seizure (epileptic syndrome, use of antiepileptic drug, seizure recurrence), and family (family mastery, satisfaction with family relationships, parent response) variables. Participants were 300 children aged 6 through 14 years with a first recognized seizure and 196 healthy siblings. Data were collected from medical records, structured interviews, self-report questionnaires, and neuropsychological testing. Behavior problems were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist and the Teacher's Report Form. Data analyses included descriptive statistics and linear mixed models. Children with prior unrecognized seizures were at higher risk for behavior problems at baseline. As a group, children with seizures showed a steady reduction in behavior problems over time. Children with seizures were found to have significantly more behavior problems than their siblings over time, and significantly more children with seizures (11.3%) than siblings (4.6%) had consistent behavior problems over time. Key risk factors for child behavior problems based on both caregivers and teachers were: less caregiver education, slower initial processing speed, slowing of processing speed over the first 36 months, and a number of family variables including lower levels of family mastery or child satisfaction with family relationships, lower parent support of the child's autonomy, and lower parent confidence in their ability to discipline their child. Children with new-onset seizures who are otherwise developing normally have higher rates of behavior problems than their healthy siblings; however, behavior problems are not consistently in the at-risk range in most children during the first 3 years after seizure onset. When children show behavior problems, family variables that might be targeted include family mastery, parent support of child autonomy, and parents' confidence in their ability to handle their children's behavior.

Factors Related to Successful Engineering Team Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nowaczyk, Ronald H.; Zang, Thomas A.

1998-01-01

The perceptions of a sample of 49 engineers and scientists from NASA Langley Research Center toward engineering design teams were evaluated. The respondents rated 60 team behaviors in terms of their relative importance for team success. They also completed a profile of their own perceptions of their strengths and weaknesses as team members. Behaviors related to team success are discussed in terms of those involving the organizational culture and commitment to the team and those dealing with internal team dynamics. The latter behaviors included the level and extent of debate and discussion regarding methods for completing the team task and the efficient use of team time to explore and discuss methodologies critical to the problem. Successful engineering teams may find their greatest challenges occurring during the early stages of their existence. In contrast to the prototypical business team, members on an engineering design share expertise and knowledge which allows them to deal with task issues sooner. However, discipline differences among team members can lead to conflicts regarding the best method or approach to solving the engineering problem.

A two-dimensional approach to relationship conflict: meta-analytic findings.

PubMed

Woodin, Erica M

2011-06-01

This meta-analysis of 64 studies (5,071 couples) used a metacoding system to categorize observed couple conflict behaviors into categories differing in terms of valence (positive to negative) and intensity (high to low) and resulting in five behavioral categories: hostility, distress, withdrawal, problem solving, and intimacy. Aggregate effect sizes indicated that women were somewhat more likely to display hostility, distress, and intimacy during conflict, whereas men were somewhat more likely to display withdrawal and problem solving. Gender differences were of a small magnitude. For both men and women, hostility was robustly associated with lower relationship satisfaction (medium effect), distress and withdrawal were somewhat associated (small effect), and intimacy and problem solving were both closely associated with relationship satisfaction (medium effect). Effect sizes were moderated in several cases by study characteristics including year of publication, developmental period of the sample, recruitment design, duration of observed conflict, method used to induce conflict, and type of coding system used. Findings from this meta-analysis suggest that high-intensity conflict behaviors of both a positive and negative nature are important correlates of relationship satisfaction and underscore the relatively small gender differences in many conflict behaviors. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Parenting Stress in CHARGE Syndrome and the Relationship with Child Characteristics.

PubMed

Wulffaert, Josette; Scholte, Evert M; Dijkxhoorn, Yvette M; Bergman, Jorieke E H; van Ravenswaaij-Arts, Conny M A; van Berckelaer-Onnes, Ina A

2009-08-01

This study investigates the parental perception of stress related to the upbringing of children with CHARGE syndrome and its association with behavioral and physical child characteristics. Parents of 22 children completed the Nijmegen Parenting Stress Index-Short, Developmental Behavior Checklist, and Dutch Vineland Screener 0-12 and reported their child's problems with hearing, vision and ability to speak. Parenting stress was high in 59% of the subjects. Behavioral problems on the depression, autism, self-absorbed and disruptive behavior scales correlated positively with parenting stress. A non-significant trend was found, namely higher stress among the parents of non-speaking children. No associations were found with other child characteristics, i.e. level of adaptive functioning and intellectual disability, auditory and visual problems, deafblindness, gender, and age. Raising a child with CHARGE syndrome is stressful; professional support is therefore essential for this population. More research into other possible influencing characteristics is needed to improve family-oriented interventions. Since CHARGE is a rare syndrome, closer international collaboration is needed, not only to expand the group of study subjects to increase statistical power, but also to harmonize research designs and measurement methods to improve the validity, the reliability, and the generalization of the findings.

Self-Reported Risk and Delinquent Behavior and Problem Behavioral Intention in Hong Kong Adolescents: The Role of Moral Competence and Spirituality

PubMed Central

Shek, Daniel T. L.; Zhu, Xiaoqin

2018-01-01

Based on the six-wave data collected from Grade 7 to Grade 12 students (N = 3,328 at Wave 1), this pioneer study examined the development of problem behaviors (risk and delinquent behavior and problem behavioral intention) and the predictors (moral competence and spirituality) among adolescents in Hong Kong. Individual growth curve models revealed that while risk and delinquent behavior accelerated and then slowed down in the high school years, adolescent problem behavioral intention slightly accelerated over time. After controlling the background socio-demographic factors, moral competence and spirituality were negatively associated with risk and delinquent behavior as well as problem behavioral intention across all waves as predicted. Regarding the rate of change in the outcome measures, while the initial level of spirituality was positively linked to the growth rate of risk and delinquent behavior, the initial level of moral competence was negatively associated with the growth rate of problem behavioral intention. The theoretical and practical implications of the present findings are discussed with reference to the role of moral competence and spirituality in the development of adolescent problem behavior. PMID:29651269

Self-Reported Risk and Delinquent Behavior and Problem Behavioral Intention in Hong Kong Adolescents: The Role of Moral Competence and Spirituality.

PubMed

Shek, Daniel T L; Zhu, Xiaoqin

2018-01-01

Based on the six-wave data collected from Grade 7 to Grade 12 students ( N = 3,328 at Wave 1), this pioneer study examined the development of problem behaviors (risk and delinquent behavior and problem behavioral intention) and the predictors (moral competence and spirituality) among adolescents in Hong Kong. Individual growth curve models revealed that while risk and delinquent behavior accelerated and then slowed down in the high school years, adolescent problem behavioral intention slightly accelerated over time. After controlling the background socio-demographic factors, moral competence and spirituality were negatively associated with risk and delinquent behavior as well as problem behavioral intention across all waves as predicted. Regarding the rate of change in the outcome measures, while the initial level of spirituality was positively linked to the growth rate of risk and delinquent behavior, the initial level of moral competence was negatively associated with the growth rate of problem behavioral intention. The theoretical and practical implications of the present findings are discussed with reference to the role of moral competence and spirituality in the development of adolescent problem behavior.

Mediator or moderator? The role of mindfulness in the association between child behavior problems and parental stress.

PubMed

Chan, Tim Oi; Lam, Shui-Fong

2017-11-01

Raising a child with intellectual disability (ID) may be stressful for parents. Previous studies have suggested the mediating role of mindfulness in the association between child behavior problems and parental stress. The present study examined whether this mediating role is a result of parents' self-report bias. It also explored whether mindfulness has a moderating role instead when child behavior problems are reported by teachers. In a questionnaire survey, 271 Chinese parents of children with ID in 6 Hong Kong special schools reported their levels of stress and mindfulness, as well as their children's behavior problems. The latter was also reported by teachers. When child behavior problems were reported by parents, parental mindfulness was a mediator between child behavior problems and parental stress. In contrast, when child behavior problems were reported by teachers, parental mindfulness was a moderator between child behavior problems and parental stress. The mediation role of mindfulness maybe an artifact of measurement. The findings provide an encouraging message that parenting a child with ID and behavior problems does not necessarily mean more stress among all parents. Parents with a high level of mindfulness may experience less stress than those with a low level of mindfulness. Parents of children with intellectual disability (ID) tend to report high psychological stress. Previous self-report studies have identified mindfulness as a mediator in the association between child behavior problems and parental stress. The present study differs from previous studies by including third-party's reports. It has contributed to the existing body of knowledge in two respects. First, it examined whether the mediation effect resulted from parent self-report bias. Second, it tested an alternative hypothesis of the moderation effect by using teachers' reports to measure child behavior problems. The results showed that when child behavior problems were measured by parents' reports, parental mindfulness was a mediator between child behavior problems and parental stress. The more the parents reported that their children had behavior problems, the less they reported being mindful, which in turn the more stressful they were. However, when child behavior problems were measured by teachers' reports, parental mindfulness was a moderator instead, moderating the association between child behavior problems and parental stress. The association was ameliorated when parents reported high levels of mindfulness. These findings reveal another possible role of mindfulness and shed light on the support for parents of children with ID. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parsing protection and risk for problem behavior versus pro-social behavior among US and Chinese adolescents.

PubMed

Jessor, Richard; Turbin, Mark S

2014-07-01

This study investigates the different roles played by protective factors and risk factors-and by particular protective and risk factors-when the concern is with accounting for adolescent problem behavior than when the concern is with accounting for adolescent pro-social behavior. The protective and risk factor literature on adolescent problem behavior reveals considerable conceptual and operational ambiguity; an aim of the present study was to advance understanding in this domain of inquiry by providing a systematic conceptualization of protection and risk and of their measurement. Within the systematic framework of Problem Behavior Theory, four protective and four risk factors are assessed in a cross-national study of both problem behavior and pro-social behavior involving large adolescent samples in China (N = 1,368) and the US (N = 1,087), in grades 9, 10, and 11; females 56 %, US; 50 %, China. The findings reveal quite different roles for protection and risk, and for particular protective and risk factors, when the outcome criterion is problem behavior than when it is pro-social behavior. The protective factor, Controls Protection, which engages rule and regulations and sanctions in the adolescent's ecology, emerges as most important in influencing problem behavior, but it plays a relatively minor role in relationship to pro-social behavior. By contrast, Models Protection, the presence of pro-social models in the adolescent's ecology, and Support Protection, the presence of interest and care in that same ecology, have no significant relationship to problem behavior variation, but they are both the major predictors of variation in pro-social behavior. The findings are robust across the samples from the two very diverse societies. These results suggest that greater attention be given to protection in problem behavior research and that a more nuanced perspective is needed about the roles that particular protective and risk factors play in reducing problem behavior and in promoting pro-social behavior.

Family Maltreatment, Substance Problems, and Suicidality: Randomized Prevention Effectiveness Trial

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-01

yelling, or spanking . The 1-2-3 Magic videotape demonstrates positive and negative parenting strategies, as well as methods of self-control and...Participation also decreases parents’ use of spanking and reduces child conduct problems (for reviews, see Webster-Stratton, 2001; Webster-Stratton...child from becoming spoiled, and less likely to report actually spanking or slapping their babies (Riley, 1997). Self- reported parenting behavior

Acting out of Habits - Can Theatre of the Oppressed Promote Change? Boal's Theatre Methods in Relation to Bourdieu's Concept of Habitus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osterlind, Eva

2008-01-01

Habits make everyday life manageable, but can also become obstacles and cause problems. The tendency to repeat old patterns of behavior is a common problem for individuals and for society as a whole. Unreflexive habitual actions constitute an important aspect of social reproduction. In this article, two questions are addressed: Why is change so…

A variational theorem for creep with applications to plates and columns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, J Lyell, Jr; Mccomb, Harvey G , Jr; Schlechte, Floyd R

1958-01-01

A variational theorem is presented for a body undergoing creep. Solutions to problems of the creep behavior of plates, columns, beams, and shells can be obtained by means of the direct methods of the calculus of variations in conjunction with the stated theorem. The application of the theorem is illustrated for plates and columns by the solution of two sample problems.

The Impact of Problem-Based Learning on the Information Behavior and Literacy of Veterinary Medicine Students at University College Dublin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodd, Lorna

2007-01-01

Research was conducted on the impact of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on the information seeking and literacy of veterinary students at University College Dublin. Data were collected using both quantitative and qualitative methods from students, academics and the librarian. Results showed that PBL has a significant impact on how students find and…

Self-Reports on Mental Health Problems of Youth with Moderate to Borderline Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douma, Jolanda C. H.; Dekker, Marielle C.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Koot, Hans M.

2006-01-01

Objective: To determine the extent to which the Youth Self-Report (YSR) can be used to assess emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Method: In 2003, 281 11- to 18-year-olds with IDs (IQ greater than or equal to 48) completed the YSR in an interview, and in 1993, 1,047 non-ID adolescents completed…

Behavioral flexibility and problem solving in an invasive bird.

PubMed

Logan, Corina J

2016-01-01

Behavioral flexibility is considered an important trait for adapting to environmental change, but it is unclear what it is, how it works, and whether it is a problem solving ability. I investigated behavioral flexibility and problem solving experimentally in great-tailed grackles, an invasive bird species and thus a likely candidate for possessing behavioral flexibility. Grackles demonstrated behavioral flexibility in two contexts, the Aesop's Fable paradigm and a color association test. Contrary to predictions, behavioral flexibility did not correlate across contexts. Four out of 6 grackles exhibited efficient problem solving abilities, but problem solving efficiency did not appear to be directly linked with behavioral flexibility. Problem solving speed also did not significantly correlate with reversal learning scores, indicating that faster learners were not the most flexible. These results reveal how little we know about behavioral flexibility, and provide an immense opportunity for future research to explore how individuals and species can use behavior to react to changing environments.

The Formation of the Urban Environment in the West Siberian Oil and Gas Region: Problems and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, N. V.; Speranskaya, N. I.; Shabatura, L. N.; Iatsevich, O. E.

2016-10-01

The article deals with the problems faced by the person in relation to the culture of creating a sustainable urban environment. The urban environment is seen as space of human existence, influencing its spiritual and physical health. All the experts involved in the urban environment, think about the culture of its formation, unfortunately, only from a departmental point of view. Differently organized human environment inevitably affects behavior, emotional state of a man, his perception and understanding of space. The cultural heritage of society fits in the space of an artificial environment created by a man, and determines the behavior of people.For the solution of problems of formation of the urban environment, it is necessary to apply a set of interrelated technical, social, environmental, aesthetic and other measures. In this capacity, landscape design as a set of methods has to build a sustainable urban environment to ensure harmonious living.Current trends, methods, and techniques of landscape design are to create sustainable environment for a person - creative, spiritual, comfortable, attractive, safe, harmonious.

Model-based elastography: a survey of approaches to the inverse elasticity problem

PubMed Central

Doyley, M M

2012-01-01

Elastography is emerging as an imaging modality that can distinguish normal versus diseased tissues via their biomechanical properties. This article reviews current approaches to elastography in three areas — quasi-static, harmonic, and transient — and describes inversion schemes for each elastographic imaging approach. Approaches include: first-order approximation methods; direct and iterative inversion schemes for linear elastic; isotropic materials; and advanced reconstruction methods for recovering parameters that characterize complex mechanical behavior. The paper’s objective is to document efforts to develop elastography within the framework of solving an inverse problem, so that elastography may provide reliable estimates of shear modulus and other mechanical parameters. We discuss issues that must be addressed if model-based elastography is to become the prevailing approach to quasi-static, harmonic, and transient elastography: (1) developing practical techniques to transform the ill-posed problem with a well-posed one; (2) devising better forward models to capture the transient behavior of soft tissue; and (3) developing better test procedures to evaluate the performance of modulus elastograms. PMID:22222839

A Comparative Study of Behavior Problems among Left-Behind Children, Migrant Children and Local Children.

PubMed

Hu, Hongwei; Gao, Jiamin; Jiang, Haochen; Jiang, Haixia; Guo, Shaoyun; Chen, Kun; Jin, Kaili; Qi, Yingying

2018-04-01

This study aims to estimate the prevalence of behavioral problems among left-behind children, migrant children and local children in China, and to compare the risks of behavioral problems among the three types of children. Data on 4479 children aged 6-16 used in this study were from a survey conducted in China in 2017. The school-age version of the Children Behavior Checklist was used to measure children's behavioral problems. Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and logistic regressions were conducted. The prevalence of behavioral problems was 18.80% and 13.59% for left-behind children and migrant children, respectively, both of which were higher than that of local children. Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustments for individual and environmental variables, the likelihood of total, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems for left-behind children and migrant children were higher than those for local children; left-behind children had a higher likelihood of internalizing problems than externalizing problems, while migrant children had a higher prevalence of externalizing problems. Left-behind children had a higher prevalence of each specific syndrome than migrant and local children. Both individual and environmental factors were associated with child behavioral problems, and family migration may contribute to the increased risks. Left-behind and migrant children were more vulnerable than local children to behavioral problems.

A Comparative Study of Behavior Problems among Left-Behind Children, Migrant Children and Local Children

PubMed Central

Hu, Hongwei; Gao, Jiamin; Jiang, Haochen; Jiang, Haixia; Guo, Shaoyun; Chen, Kun; Jin, Kaili; Qi, Yingying

2018-01-01

This study aims to estimate the prevalence of behavioral problems among left-behind children, migrant children and local children in China, and to compare the risks of behavioral problems among the three types of children. Data on 4479 children aged 6–16 used in this study were from a survey conducted in China in 2017. The school-age version of the Children Behavior Checklist was used to measure children’s behavioral problems. Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and logistic regressions were conducted. The prevalence of behavioral problems was 18.80% and 13.59% for left-behind children and migrant children, respectively, both of which were higher than that of local children. Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustments for individual and environmental variables, the likelihood of total, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems for left-behind children and migrant children were higher than those for local children; left-behind children had a higher likelihood of internalizing problems than externalizing problems, while migrant children had a higher prevalence of externalizing problems. Left-behind children had a higher prevalence of each specific syndrome than migrant and local children. Both individual and environmental factors were associated with child behavioral problems, and family migration may contribute to the increased risks. Left-behind and migrant children were more vulnerable than local children to behavioral problems. PMID:29614783

Does Preschool Self-Regulation Predict Later Behavior Problems in General or Specific Problem Behaviors?

PubMed

Lonigan, Christopher J; Spiegel, Jamie A; Goodrich, J Marc; Morris, Brittany M; Osborne, Colleen M; Lerner, Matthew D; Phillips, Beth M

2017-11-01

Findings from prior research have consistently indicated significant associations between self-regulation and externalizing behaviors. Significant associations have also been reported between children's language skills and both externalizing behaviors and self-regulation. Few studies to date, however, have examined these relations longitudinally, simultaneously, or with respect to unique clusters of externalizing problems. The current study examined the influence of preschool self-regulation on general and specific externalizing behavior problems in early elementary school and whether these relations were independent of associations between language, self-regulation, and externalizing behaviors in a sample of 815 children (44% female). Additionally, given a general pattern of sex differences in the presentations of externalizing behavior problems, self-regulation, and language skills, sex differences for these associations were examined. Results indicated unique relations of preschool self-regulation and language with both general externalizing behavior problems and specific problems of inattention. In general, self-regulation was a stronger longitudinal correlate of externalizing behavior for boys than it was for girls, and language was a stronger longitudinal predictor of hyperactive/impulsive behavior for girls than it was for boys.

Which behavioral, emotional and school problems in middle-childhood predict early sexual behavior?

PubMed

Parkes, Alison; Waylen, Andrea; Sayal, Kapil; Heron, Jon; Henderson, Marion; Wight, Daniel; Macleod, John

2014-04-01

Mental health and school adjustment problems are thought to distinguish early sexual behavior from normative timing (16-18 years), but little is known about how early sexual behavior originates from these problems in middle-childhood. Existing studies do not allow for co-occurring problems, differences in onset and persistence, and there is no information on middle-childhood school adjustment in relationship to early sexual activity. This study examined associations between several middle-childhood problems and early sexual behavior, using a subsample (N = 4,739, 53 % female, 98 % white, mean age 15 years 6 months) from a birth cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Adolescents provided information at age 15 on early sexual behavior (oral sex and/or intercourse) and sexual risk-taking, and at age 13 on prior risk involvement (sexual behavior, antisocial behavior and substance use). Information on hyperactivity/inattention, conduct problems, depressive symptoms, peer relationship problems, school dislike and school performance was collected in middle-childhood at Time 1 (6-8 years) and Time 2 (10-11 years). In agreement with previous research, conduct problems predicted early sexual behavior, although this was found only for persistent early problems. In addition, Time 2 school dislike predicted early sexual behavior, while peer relationship problems were protective. Persistent early school dislike further characterized higher-risk groups (early sexual behavior preceded by age 13 risk, or accompanied by higher sexual risk-taking). The study establishes middle-childhood school dislike as a novel risk factor for early sexual behavior and higher-risk groups, and the importance of persistent conduct problems. Implications for the identification of children at risk and targeted intervention are discussed, as well as suggestions for further research.

Prenatal and Childhood Traffic-Related Air Pollution Exposure and Childhood Executive Function and Behavior

PubMed Central

Harris, Maria H.; Gold, Diane R.; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L.; Melly, Steven J.; Zanobetti, Antonella; Coull, Brent A.; Schwartz, Joel D.; Gryparis, Alexandros; Kloog, Itai; Koutrakis, Petros; Bellinger, David C.; Belfort, Mandy B.; Webster, Thomas F.; White, Roberta F.; Sagiv, Sharon K.; Oken, Emily

2016-01-01

Background Traffic-related air pollution exposure may influence brain development and function and thus be related to neurobehavioral problems in children, but little is known about windows of susceptibility. Aims Examine associations of gestational and childhood exposure to traffic-related pollution with executive function and behavior problems in children. Methods We studied associations of pre- and postnatal pollution exposures with neurobehavioral outcomes in 1,212 children in the Project Viva pre-birth cohort followed to mid-childhood (median age 7.7 years). Parents and classroom teachers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using validated spatiotemporal models, we estimated exposure to black carbon (BC) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the third trimester of pregnancy, from birth to 3 years, from birth to 6 years, and in the year before behavioral ratings. We also measured residential distance to major roadways and near-residence traffic density at birth and in mid-childhood. We estimated associations of BC, PM2.5, and other traffic exposure measures with BRIEF and SDQ scores, adjusted for potential confounders. Results Higher childhood BC exposure was associated with higher teacher-rated BRIEF Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI) scores, indicating greater problems: 1.0 points (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0, 2.1) per interquartile range (IQR) increase in birth-age 6 BC, and 1.7 points (95% CI: 0.6, 2.8) for BC in the year prior to behavioral ratings. Mid-childhood residential traffic density was also associated with BRI score (0.6, 95% CI: 0.1, 1.1). Birth-age 3 BC was not associated with BRIEF or SDQ scores. Third trimester BC exposure was not associated with teacher-rated BRI scores (−0.2, 95% CI: −1.1, 0.8), and predicted lower scores (fewer problems) on the BRIEF Metacognition Index (−1.2, 95% CI: −2.2, −0.2) and SDQ total difficulties (−0.9, 95% CI: −1.4, −0.4). PM2.5 exposure was associated with teacher-rated BRIEF and SDQ scores in minimally adjusted models but associations attenuated with covariate adjustment. None of the parent-rated outcomes suggested adverse effects of greater pollution exposure at any time point. Conclusions Children with higher mid-childhood exposure to BC and greater near-residence traffic density in mid-childhood had greater problems with behavioral regulation as assessed by classroom teachers, but not as assessed by parents. Prenatal and early childhood exposure to traffic-related pollution did not predict greater executive function or behavior problems; third trimester BC was associated with lower scores (representing fewer problems) on measures of metacognition and behavioral problems. PMID:27350569

Pubertal Timing as a Potential Mediator of Adoption Effects on Problem Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooker, Rebecca J.; Berenbaum, Sheri A.; Bricker, Josh; Corley, Robin P.; Wadsworth, Sally A.

2012-01-01

Adopted children show more problem behaviors than nonadopted children. Given that internationally adopted individuals show earlier puberty than nonadopted individuals, and early puberty is associated with problem behaviors in nonadopted youth, we analyzed data from adopted domestic adoptees to determine whether problem behaviors could be explained…

Behavioral Problems in the Classroom and Underlying Language Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tommerdahl, Jodi; Semingson, Peggy

2013-01-01

Dealing with the behavioral problems of students is one of many dimensions of most educators' and schools' requirements. While research has repeatedly shown that a large number of children with behavior problems have underlying, unrecognized language difficulties, few schools have implemented programs where children with problem behavior are…

Toddlers with Early Behavioral Problems at Higher Family Demographic Risk Benefit the Most from Maternal Emotion Talk.

PubMed

Brophy-Herb, Holly E; Bocknek, Erika London; Vallotton, Claire D; Stansbury, Kathy E; Senehi, Neda; Dalimonte-Merckling, Danielle; Lee, Young-Eun

2015-09-01

To test the hypothesis that toddlers at highest risk for behavioral problems from the most economically vulnerable families will benefit most from maternal talk about emotions. This study included 89 toddlers and mothers from low-income families. Behavioral problems were rated at 2 time points by masters-level trained Early Head Start home visiting specialists. Maternal emotion talk was coded from a wordless book-sharing task. Coding focused on mothers' emotion bridging, which included labeling emotions, explaining the context of emotions, noting the behavioral cues of emotions, and linking emotions to toddlers' own experiences. Maternal demographic risk reflected a composite score of 5 risk factors. A significant 3-way interaction between Time 1 toddler behavior problems, maternal emotion talk, and maternal demographic risk (p = .001) and examination of slope difference tests revealed that when maternal demographic risk was greater, more maternal emotion talk buffered associations between earlier and later behavior problems. Greater demographic risk and lower maternal emotion talk intensified Time 1 behavior problems as a predictor of Time 2 behavior problems. The model explained 54% of the variance in toddlers' Time 2 behavior problems. Analyses controlled for maternal warmth to better examine the unique contributions of emotion bridging to toddlers' behaviors. Toddlers at highest risk, those with more early behavioral problems from higher demographic-risk families, benefit the most from mothers' emotion talk. Informing parents about the use of emotion talk may be a cost-effective, simple strategy to support at-risk toddlers' social-emotional development and reduce behavioral problems.

Correlates of frequent gambling and gambling-related chasing behaviors in individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Yakovenko, Igor; Fortgang, Rebecca; Prentice, Jennifer; Hoff, Rani A; Potenza, Marc N

2018-05-23

Background and aims Published research on the relationship between disordered gambling and schizophrenia is limited. However, existing data suggest that individuals with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder may have a high prevalence of co-occurring disordered gambling. As such, effective strategies for screening and assessing gambling-related problems in individuals with psychosis are needed. The goal of this study was to explore the correlates of increased gambling frequency and chasing behavior, a hallmark feature of gambling disorder, in a sample of individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders. Methods Data from 336 participants who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were used to examine differences between non-gamblers, infrequent gamblers, frequent gamblers who do not report chasing, and frequent gamblers who report chasing on a variety of associated features and symptoms of schizophrenia and disordered gambling. Results and discussion The results of the study support the conclusion that chasing behavior in individuals with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder lies on a continuum of severity, with more frequent gamblers endorsing greater chasing. Chasing was also associated with indicators of lower functioning across co-occurring disorders, such as greater problems with alcohol and drugs, greater gambling involvement, and a family history of gambling problems. The findings from the study suggest the utility of screening for chasing behavior as a brief and efficient strategy for assessing risk of gambling problems in individuals with psychotic-spectrum disorders.

New Dandelion Algorithm Optimizes Extreme Learning Machine for Biomedical Classification Problems

PubMed Central

Li, Xiguang; Zhao, Liang; Gong, Changqing; Liu, Xiaojing

2017-01-01

Inspired by the behavior of dandelion sowing, a new novel swarm intelligence algorithm, namely, dandelion algorithm (DA), is proposed for global optimization of complex functions in this paper. In DA, the dandelion population will be divided into two subpopulations, and different subpopulations will undergo different sowing behaviors. Moreover, another sowing method is designed to jump out of local optimum. In order to demonstrate the validation of DA, we compare the proposed algorithm with other existing algorithms, including bat algorithm, particle swarm optimization, and enhanced fireworks algorithm. Simulations show that the proposed algorithm seems much superior to other algorithms. At the same time, the proposed algorithm can be applied to optimize extreme learning machine (ELM) for biomedical classification problems, and the effect is considerable. At last, we use different fusion methods to form different fusion classifiers, and the fusion classifiers can achieve higher accuracy and better stability to some extent. PMID:29085425

Solid-perforated panel layout optimization by topology optimization based on unified transfer matrix.

PubMed

Kim, Yoon Jae; Kim, Yoon Young

2010-10-01

This paper presents a numerical method for the optimization of the sequencing of solid panels, perforated panels and air gaps and their respective thickness for maximizing sound transmission loss and/or absorption. For the optimization, a method based on the topology optimization formulation is proposed. It is difficult to employ only the commonly-used material interpolation technique because the involved layers exhibit fundamentally different acoustic behavior. Thus, an optimization method formulation using a so-called unified transfer matrix is newly proposed. The key idea is to form elements of the transfer matrix such that interpolated elements by the layer design variables can be those of air, perforated and solid panel layers. The problem related to the interpolation is addressed and bench mark-type problems such as sound transmission or absorption maximization problems are solved to check the efficiency of the developed method.

Multigrid methods for isogeometric discretization

PubMed Central

Gahalaut, K.P.S.; Kraus, J.K.; Tomar, S.K.

2013-01-01

We present (geometric) multigrid methods for isogeometric discretization of scalar second order elliptic problems. The smoothing property of the relaxation method, and the approximation property of the intergrid transfer operators are analyzed. These properties, when used in the framework of classical multigrid theory, imply uniform convergence of two-grid and multigrid methods. Supporting numerical results are provided for the smoothing property, the approximation property, convergence factor and iterations count for V-, W- and F-cycles, and the linear dependence of V-cycle convergence on the smoothing steps. For two dimensions, numerical results include the problems with variable coefficients, simple multi-patch geometry, a quarter annulus, and the dependence of convergence behavior on refinement levels ℓ, whereas for three dimensions, only the constant coefficient problem in a unit cube is considered. The numerical results are complete up to polynomial order p=4, and for C0 and Cp-1 smoothness. PMID:24511168

Predicting Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior in Kindergarten: Examining the Buffering Role of Early Social Support

PubMed Central

Heberle, Amy E.; Krill, Sarah C.; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J.; Carter, Alice S.

2014-01-01

Objective This study tested an ecological model predicting children’s behavior problems in kindergarten from risk and protective factors (parent psychological distress, parenting behavior, and social support) during early childhood. Method Study participants were 1161 socio-demographically diverse mother-child pairs who participated in a longitudinal birth cohort study. The predictor variables were collected at two separate time points and based on parent reports; children were an average of two years old at Time 1 and three years old at Time 2. The outcome measures were collected when children reached Kindergarten and were six years old on average. Results Our results show that early maternal psychological distress, mediated by sub-optimal parenting behavior, predicts children’s externalizing and internalizing behaviors in kindergarten. Moreover, early social support buffers the relations between psychological distress and later sub-optimal parenting behaviors and between sub-optimal parenting behavior and later depressive/withdrawn behavior. Conclusions Our findings have several implications for early intervention and prevention efforts. Of note, informal social support appears to play an important protective role in the development of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, weakening the link between psychological distress and less optimal parenting behavior and between sub-optimal parenting behavior and children’s withdrawal/depression symptoms. Increasing social support may be a productive goal for family and community-level intervention. PMID:24697587

Influence of Classroom and School Climate on Teacher Perceptions of Student Problem Behavior

PubMed Central

O’Brennan, Lindsey M.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.; Furlong, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Reducing student problem behavior remains a leading concern for school staff, as disruptive and aggressive behavior interferes with student achievement and the school climate. However, the multi-systemic nature of schools makes it difficult for researchers and practitioners to identify factors influencing to students’ behavior. The current study examined student problem behavior through an ecological lens by taking into account individual (e.g., gender, ethnicity, prosocial behavior), classroom (e.g., class size, average classroom behavior), and school-level factors (e.g., location, school climate). Using data from 37 elementary schools, 467 classrooms, and 8,750 students, a series of hierarchical linear models was tested. Multilevel analyses revealed that while individual student characteristics had the largest influence on problem behavior, average prosocial behavior and concentration problems of students within the classroom, as well as teacher perceptions of the school climate significantly related to how students behaved. These findings support the use of classroom-based intervention programs to reduce student problem behavior. PMID:25346779

Maternal Antisocial Behavior, Parenting Practices, and Behavior Problems in Boys at Risk for Antisocial Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehrensaft, Miriam K.; Wasserman, Gail A.; Verdelli, Lena; Greenwald, Steven; Miller, Laurie S.; Davies, Mark

2003-01-01

We investigated the independent contributions of maternal history of antisocial behavior and parenting practices to the worsening course of sons' behavior problems in a sample of young urban boys at risk for antisocial behavior. Mothers reported on boys' behavior problems at baseline and one year later, as well as on their own history of…

Infant malnutrition predicts conduct problems in adolescents

PubMed Central

Galler, Janina R.; Bryce, Cyralene P.; Waber, Deborah P.; Hock, Rebecca S.; Harrison, Robert; Eaglesfield, G. David; Fitzmaurice, Garret

2013-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of conduct problems in a well-documented sample of Barbadian adolescents malnourished as infants and a demographic comparison group and to determine the extent to which cognitive impairment and environmental factors account for this association. Methods Behavioral symptoms were assessed using a 76-item self-report scale in 56 Barbadian youth (11–17 years of age) with histories of protein–energy malnutrition (PEM) limited to the first year of life and 60 healthy classmates. Group comparisons were carried out by longitudinal and cross-sectional multiple regression analyses at 3 time points in childhood and adolescence. Results Self-reported conduct problems were more prevalent among previously malnourished youth (P < 0.01). Childhood IQ and home environmental circumstances partially mediated the association with malnutrition. Teacher-reported classroom behaviors at earlier ages were significantly correlated with youth conduct problems, confirming the continuity of conduct problems through childhood and adolescence. Discussion Self-reported conduct problems are elevated in children and adolescents with histories of early childhood malnutrition. Later vulnerability to increased conduct problems appears to be mediated by the more proximal neurobehavioral effects of the malnutrition on cognitive function and by adverse conditions in the early home environment. PMID:22584048

Mild Cognitive Impairment in Early Life and Mental Health Problems in Adulthood

PubMed Central

Chen, Chuan-Yu; Lawlor, John P.; Duggan, Anne K.; Hardy, Janet B.; Eaton, William W.

2006-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the extent to which borderline mental retardation and mental retardation at preschool ages are related to emotional and behavioral problems in young adulthood. We also explored early risk factors for having mental health problems as a young adult that might be related to preschool differences in cognitive ability. Methods. We used data from a cohort of births studied in the Johns Hopkins Collaborative Perinatal Study and followed up in the Pathways to Adulthood Study. Preschool cognitive functioning was assessed at 4 years of age. Individual characteristics, psychosocial factors, and mental problems were prospectively evaluated from birth through young adulthood. Results. Children with subaverage cognitive abilities were more likely to develop mental health problems than their counterparts with IQs above 80. Inadequate family interactions were shown to increase 2- to 4-fold the risk of emotional or behavioral problems among children with borderline mental retardation. Conclusions. Subaverage cognitive functioning in early life increases later risk of mental health problems. Future research may help to delineate possible impediments faced at different developmental stages and guide changes in supportive services to better address the needs of children with borderline mental retardation. PMID:17008572

Asynchronous machine rotor speed estimation using a tabulated numerical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Huu Phuc; De Miras, Jérôme; Charara, Ali; Eltabach, Mario; Bonnet, Stéphane

2017-12-01

This paper proposes a new method to estimate the rotor speed of the asynchronous machine by looking at the estimation problem as a nonlinear optimal control problem. The behavior of the nonlinear plant model is approximated off-line as a prediction map using a numerical one-step time discretization obtained from simulations. At each time-step, the speed of the induction machine is selected satisfying the dynamic fitting problem between the plant output and the predicted output, leading the system to adopt its dynamical behavior. Thanks to the limitation of the prediction horizon to a single time-step, the execution time of the algorithm can be completely bounded. It can thus easily be implemented and embedded into a real-time system to observe the speed of the real induction motor. Simulation results show the performance and robustness of the proposed estimator.

Belief Propagation Algorithm for Portfolio Optimization Problems

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The typical behavior of optimal solutions to portfolio optimization problems with absolute deviation and expected shortfall models using replica analysis was pioneeringly estimated by S. Ciliberti et al. [Eur. Phys. B. 57, 175 (2007)]; however, they have not yet developed an approximate derivation method for finding the optimal portfolio with respect to a given return set. In this study, an approximation algorithm based on belief propagation for the portfolio optimization problem is presented using the Bethe free energy formalism, and the consistency of the numerical experimental results of the proposed algorithm with those of replica analysis is confirmed. Furthermore, the conjecture of H. Konno and H. Yamazaki, that the optimal solutions with the absolute deviation model and with the mean-variance model have the same typical behavior, is verified using replica analysis and the belief propagation algorithm. PMID:26305462

Belief Propagation Algorithm for Portfolio Optimization Problems.

PubMed

Shinzato, Takashi; Yasuda, Muneki

2015-01-01

The typical behavior of optimal solutions to portfolio optimization problems with absolute deviation and expected shortfall models using replica analysis was pioneeringly estimated by S. Ciliberti et al. [Eur. Phys. B. 57, 175 (2007)]; however, they have not yet developed an approximate derivation method for finding the optimal portfolio with respect to a given return set. In this study, an approximation algorithm based on belief propagation for the portfolio optimization problem is presented using the Bethe free energy formalism, and the consistency of the numerical experimental results of the proposed algorithm with those of replica analysis is confirmed. Furthermore, the conjecture of H. Konno and H. Yamazaki, that the optimal solutions with the absolute deviation model and with the mean-variance model have the same typical behavior, is verified using replica analysis and the belief propagation algorithm.

Sound attenuation and preferred music in the treatment of problem behavior maintained by escape from noise.

PubMed

Kettering, Tracy L; Fisher, Wayne W; Kelley, Michael E; LaRue, Robert H

2018-06-06

We examined the extent to which different sounds functioned as motivating operations (MO) that evoked problem behavior during a functional analysis for two participants. Results suggested that escape from loud noises reinforced the problem behavior for one participant and escape from arguing reinforced problem behavior for the other participant. Noncontingent delivery of preferred music through sound-attenuating headphones decreased problem behavior without the use of extinction for both participants. We discuss the results in terms of the abolishing effects of the intervention. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Impact of behavioral inhibition and parenting style on internalizing and externalizing problems from early childhood through adolescence.

PubMed

Williams, Lela Rankin; Degnan, Kathryn A; Perez-Edgar, Koraly E; Henderson, Heather A; Rubin, Kenneth H; Pine, Daniel S; Steinberg, Laurence; Fox, Nathan A

2009-11-01

Behavioral inhibition (BI) is characterized by a pattern of extreme social reticence, risk for internalizing behavior problems, and possible protection against externalizing behavior problems. Parenting style may also contribute to these associations between BI and behavior problems (BP). A sample of 113 children was assessed for BI in the laboratory at 14 and 24 months of age, self-report of maternal parenting style at 7 years of age, and maternal report of child internalizing and externalizing BP at 4, 7, and 15 years. Internalizing problems at age 4 were greatest among behaviorally inhibited children who also were exposed to permissive parenting. Furthermore, greater authoritative parenting was associated with less of an increase in internalizing behavior problems over time and greater authoritarian parenting was associated with a steeper decline in externalizing problems. Results highlight the importance of considering child and environmental factors in longitudinal patterns of BP across childhood and adolescence.

The Trajectories of Adolescents’ Perceptions of School Climate, Deviant Peer Affiliation, and Behavioral Problems During the Middle School Years

PubMed Central

Wang, Ming-Te; Dishion, Thomas J.

2012-01-01

This longitudinal study examined trajectories of change in adolescents’ perceptions of four dimensions of school climate (academic support, behavior management, teacher social support, peer social support) and the effects of such trajectories on adolescent problem behaviors. We also tested whether school climate moderated the associations between deviant peer affiliation and adolescent problem behaviors. The 1,030 participating adolescents from 8 schools were followed from 6th through 8th grades (54% female; 76% European American). Findings indicated that all the dimensions of school climate declined and behavioral problems and deviant peer affiliation increased. Declines in each of the dimensions were associated with increases in behavioral problems. The prediction of problem behavior from peer affiliation was moderated by adolescents’ perceptions of school climate. PMID:22822296

Behavior and adaptive functioning in adolescents with Down syndrome: specifying targets for intervention

PubMed Central

Jacola, Lisa M.; Hickey, Francis; Howe, Steven R.; Esbensen, Anna; Shear, Paula K.

2016-01-01

Background Research suggests that adolescents with Down syndrome experience increased behavior problems as compared to age matched peers; however, few studies have examined how these problems relate to adaptive functioning. The primary aim of this study was to characterize behavior in a sample of adolescents with Down syndrome using two widely-used caregiver reports: the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, 2nd Edition (BASC-2) and Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL). The clinical utility of the BASC-2 as a measure of behavior and adaptive functioning in adolescents with Down syndrome was also examined. Methods Fifty-two adolescents with Down syndrome between the ages of 12 and 18 (24 males) completed the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 4th Edition (PPVT-IV) as an estimate of cognitive ability. Caregivers completed the BASC-2 and the CBCL for each participant. Results A significant proportion of the sample was reported to demonstrate behavior problems, particularly related to attention and social participation. The profile of adaptive function was variable, with caregivers most frequently rating impairment in skills related to activities of daily living and functional communication. Caregiver ratings did not differ by gender and were not related to age or estimated cognitive ability. Caregiver ratings of attention problems on the BASC-2 accounted for a significant proportion of variance in Activities of Daily Living (Adj R2 = 0.30), Leadership (Adj R2 = 0.30) Functional Communication (Adj R2 = 0.28, Adaptability (Adj R2 = 0.29), and Social Skills (Adj R2 = 0.17). Higher frequencies of symptoms related to social withdrawal added incremental predictive validity for Functional Communication, Leadership, and Social Skills. Convergent validity between the CBCL and BASC-2 was poor when compared with expectations based on the normative sample. Conclusion Our results confirm and extend previous findings by describing relationships between specific behavior problems and targeted areas of adaptive function. Findings are novel in that they provide information about the clinical utility of the BASC-2 as a measure of behavior and adaptive skills in adolescents with Down syndrome. The improved specification of behavior and adaptive functioning will facilitate the design of targeted intervention, thus improving functional outcomes and overall quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. PMID:28539987

Reducing Child Problem Behaviors and Improving Teacher-Child Interactions and Relationships: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Best in Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutherland, Kevin S.; Conroy, Maureen A.; Algina, James; Ladwig, Crystal; Jesse, Gabriel; Gyure, Maria

2018-01-01

Research has consistently linked early problem behavior with later adjustment problems, including antisocial behavior, learning problems and risk for the development of emotional/behavioral disorders (EBDs). Researchers have focused upon developing effective intervention programs for young children who arrive in preschool exhibiting chronic…

Descriptive Analysis of Epileptic Seizures and Problem Behavior in Adults with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Celeste; Yoder, Paul J.; Kennedy, Craig H.

2006-01-01

We studied possible relations between seizures and problem behavior in 3 adults with developmental disabilities. Each person was observed for between 56 and 92 days to record occurrences of seizures and problem behavior. Results of our descriptive analysis indicated an association between seizures and problem behavior for each participant. For…

Menstrual Discomfort as a Biological Setting Event for Severe Problem Behavior: Assessment and Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Edward G.; Smith, Christopher E.; Giacin, Theresa A.; Whelan, Bernadette M.; Pancari, Joseph

2003-01-01

A study investigated menstrual discomfort as a factor in severe problem behavior in four women with developmental disabilities and identified as having increased behavior problems at the time of menses. A multicomponent strategy, addressing both biological context and the psychosocial context (task demands), reduced problem behavior to near-zero…

Behavioral problems in children with epilepsy in rural Kenya

PubMed Central

Kariuki, Symon M.; Abubakar, Amina; Holding, Penny A.; Mung'ala-Odera, Victor; Chengo, Eddie; Kihara, Michael; Neville, Brian G.; Newton, Charles R.J.C.

2012-01-01

The aims of this study were to record behavioral problems in children with epilepsy (CWE), compare the prevalence with that reported among healthy children without epilepsy, and investigate the risk factors. A child behavioral questionnaire for parents comprising 15 items was administered to the main caregiver of 108 CWE and 108 controls matched for age in Kilifi, Kenya. CWE had a higher mean score for reported behavioral problems than controls (6.9 vs 4.9, t = 4.7, P < 0.001). CWE with active epilepsy also recorded more behavioral problems than those with inactive epilepsy (8.2 vs 6.2, t = − 2.9, P = 0.005). A significantly greater proportion of CWE (49% vs 26% of controls) were reported to have behavioral problems. Active epilepsy, cognitive impairment, and focal seizures were the most significant independent covariates of behavioral problems. Behavioral problems in African CWE are common and need to be taken into consideration in planning comprehensive clinical services in this region. PMID:22119107

Traffic-Related Air Pollution, Noise at School, and Behavioral Problems in Barcelona Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Forns, Joan; Dadvand, Payam; Foraster, Maria; Alvarez-Pedrerol, Mar; Rivas, Ioar; López-Vicente, Mònica; Suades-Gonzalez, Elisabet; Garcia-Esteban, Raquel; Esnaola, Mikel; Cirach, Marta; Grellier, James; Basagaña, Xavier; Querol, Xavier; Guxens, Mònica; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.; Sunyer, Jordi

2015-01-01

Background: The available evidence of the effects of air pollution and noise on behavioral development is limited, and it overlooks exposure at schools, where children spend a considerable amount of time. Objective: We aimed to investigate the associations of exposure to traffic-related air pollutants (TRAPs) and noise at school on behavioral development of schoolchildren. Methods: We evaluated children 7–11 years of age in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) during 2012–2013 within the BREATHE project. Indoor and outdoor concentrations of elemental carbon (EC), black carbon (BC), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were measured at schools in two separate 1-week campaigns. In one campaign we also measured noise levels inside classrooms. Parents filled out the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) to assess child behavioral development, while teachers completed the attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder criteria of the DSM-IV (ADHD-DSM-IV) list to assess specific ADHD symptomatology. Negative binomial mixed-effects models were used to estimate associations between the exposures and behavioral development scores. Results: Interquartile range (IQR) increases in indoor and outdoor EC, BC, and NO2 concentrations were positively associated with SDQ total difficulties scores (suggesting more frequent behavioral problems) in adjusted multivariate models, whereas noise was significantly associated with ADHD-DSM-IV scores. Conclusion: In our study population of 7- to 11-year-old children residing in Barcelona, exposure to TRAPs at school was associated with increased behavioral problems in schoolchildren. Noise exposure at school was associated with more ADHD symptoms. Citation: Forns J, Dadvand P, Foraster M, Alvarez-Pedrerol M, Rivas I, López-Vicente M, Suades-Gonzalez E, Garcia-Esteban R, Esnaola M, Cirach M, Grellier J, Basagaña X, Querol X, Guxens M, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Sunyer J. 2016. Traffic-related air pollution, noise at school, and behavioral problems in Barcelona schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study. Environ Health Perspect 124:529–535; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409449 PMID:26241036

Availability of Behavioral Health Treatment for Women in Prison

PubMed Central

Blitz, Cynthia L.; Wolff, Nancy; Paap, Kris

2010-01-01

Objectives This study examined whether women with behavioral health needs are more likely to receive treatment for these problems in prison or in the community and to what extent prison disrupts or establishes involvement in treatment for these women. Methods Data were collected in August 2004 as part of a population survey of female inmates in the only state correctional facility for women in New Jersey. Results A total of 908 women were surveyed. Fifty-six percent of the women surveyed reported needing behavioral health treatment before incarceration, but only 62 percent of this group reported receiving such treatment in the community. The rate at which treatment matched need within this population before incarceration varied by type of treatment needed: it was the highest (58 percent) for women who needed treatment for mental health problems, lower (52 percent) for those who needed substance abuse treatment, and lowest (44 percent) for those who needed treatment for comorbid mental health and substance abuse problems. In comparison, the rate of match between need for and receipt of treatment in prison was higher for all three types of behavioral health treatment (78 percent, 57 percent, and 65 percent, respectively). Additionally, the findings suggest that prison did not disrupt the type of behavioral health treatment that inmates had previously received in the community. Conclusions At least in New Jersey, prison appears to improve access to behavioral health treatment among female inmates. Although this conclusion is consistent with the rehabilitation goals of incarceration, it also suggests that some women may have been able to avoid prison if treatment had been provided in the community, especially for substance-related problems. PMID:16524993

Implications of Middle School Behavior Problems for High School Graduation and Employment Outcomes of Young Adults: Estimation of a Recursive Model.

PubMed

Karakus, Mustafa C; Salkever, David S; Slade, Eric P; Ialongo, Nicholas; Stuart, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

The potentially serious adverse impacts of behavior problems during adolescence on employment outcomes in adulthood provide a key economic rationale for early intervention programs. However, the extent to which lower educational attainment accounts for the total impact of adolescent behavior problems on later employment remains unclear As an initial step in exploring this issue, we specify and estimate a recursive bivariate probit model that 1) relates middle school behavior problems to high school graduation and 2) models later employment in young adulthood as a function of these behavior problems and of high school graduation. Our model thus allows for both a direct effect of behavior problems on later employment as well as an indirect effect that operates via graduation from high school. Our empirical results, based on analysis of data from the NELS, suggest that the direct effects of externalizing behavior problems on later employment are not significant but that these problems have important indirect effects operating through high school graduation.

Behavioral problems and parenting style among Taiwanese children with autism and their siblings.

PubMed

Gau, Susan Shur-Fen; Chou, Miao-Churn; Lee, Ju-Chin; Wong, Ching-Ching; Chou, Wen-Jiun; Chen, Ming-Fang; Soong, Wei-Tsuen; Wu, Yu-Yu

2010-02-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the behavioral problems and parenting style among children with autism and their siblings in an ethnic Chinese population. A total of 151 children with DSM-IV autistic disorder, aged 3-12, 134 siblings without autism, and 113 normally developing controls were recruited. Both parents reported their parenting styles and psychological status and mothers also reported children's behavioral problems. Children with autism had significantly more severe behavioral problems and obtained less affection and more overprotection and authoritarian controlling from their parents than the other two groups. Compared to the controls, unaffected siblings showed some behavioral problems, and obtained less maternal care. Withdrawal and attention, social, and thought problems were the most associated behavioral syndromes to distinguish children with autism from those without. In addition to children with autism, who have a wide range of behavioral problems and impaired parent-child interactions, their siblings may be at risk for such problems.

Resurgence: The Unintended Maintenance of Problem Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ringdahl, Joel E.; St. Peter, Claire

2017-01-01

Researchers, teachers, practitioners, and parents are often concerned with how to program for and achieve the maintenance of appropriate behavior. The unintended maintenance of problem behavior is less often evaluated. This article describes a behavioral phenomenon, resurgence, that may result in the unintended maintenance of problem behavior.…

Does neighborhood social capital buffer the effects of maternal depression on adolescent behavior problems?

PubMed

Delany-Brumsey, Ayesha; Mays, Vickie M; Cochran, Susan D

2014-06-01

Neighborhood characteristics have been shown to impact child well-being. However, it remains unclear how these factors combine with family characteristics to influence child development. The current study helps develop that understanding by investigating how neighborhoods directly impact child and adolescent behavior problems as well as moderate the influence of family characteristics on behavior. Using multilevel linear models, we examined the relationship among neighborhood conditions (poverty and social capital) and maternal depression on child and adolescent behavior problems. The sample included 741 children, age 5–11, and 564 adolescents, age 12–17. Outcomes were internalizing (e.g. anxious/depressed) and externalizing (e.g. aggressive/hyperactive) behavior problems. Neighborhood poverty and maternal depression were both positively associated with behavior problems for children and adolescents. However, while neighborhood social capital was not directly associated with behavior problems, the interaction of social capital and maternal depression was significantly related to behavior problems for adolescents. This interaction showed that living in neighborhoods with higher levels of social capital attenuated the relationship between maternal depression and adolescent behavior problems and confirmed the expectation that raising healthy well-adjusted children depends not only on the family, but also the context in which the family lives.

Empirical Flutter Prediction Method.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-05

been used in this way to discover species or subspecies of animals, and to discover different types of voter or comsumer requiring different persuasions...respect to behavior or performance or response variables. Once this were done, corresponding clusters might be sought among descriptive or predictive or...jump in a response. The first sort of usage does not apply to the flutter prediction problem. Here the types of behavior are the different kinds of

The effects of family, school, and classroom ecologies on changes in children's social competence and emotional and behavioral problems in first grade.

PubMed

Hoglund, Wendy L; Leadbeater, Bonnie J

2004-07-01

This study tested the independent and interactive influences of classroom (concentrations of peer prosocial behaviors and victimization), family (household moves, mothers' education), and school (proportion of students receiving income assistance) ecologies on changes in children's social competence (e.g., interpersonal skills, leadership abilities), emotional problems (e.g., anxious, withdrawn behaviors), and behavioral problems (e.g., disruptiveness, aggressiveness) in first grade. Higher classroom concentrations of prosocial behaviors and victimization predicted increases in social competence, and greater school disadvantage predicted decreases. Multiple household moves and greater school disadvantage predicted increases in behavioral problems. Multiple household moves and low levels of mothers' education predicted increases in emotional problems for children in classrooms with few prosocial behaviors. Greater school disadvantage predicted increases in emotional problems for children in classrooms with low prosocial behaviors and high victimization. Policy implications of these findings are considered. Copyright 2004 APA, all rights reserved

Biological Risk for the Development of Problem Behavior in Adolescence: Integrating Insights from Behavioral Genetics and Neuroscience.

PubMed

Harden, K Paige; Mann, Frank D

2015-12-01

Adolescence is a time of increasing engagement in a variety of problem behaviors, including substance use and delinquency. Genetic risk for problem behavior increases over adolescence, is mediated partially by individual differences in sensation seeking, and is exacerbated by involvement with deviant peers. In this article, we describe how findings from behavioral genetic research on problem behavior intersect with research from developmental neuroscience. In particular, the incentive-processing system, including the ventral striatum, responds increasingly to rewards in adolescence, particularly in peer contexts. This developmental shift may be influenced by hormonal changes at puberty. Individual differences in the structure and function of reward-responsive brain regions may be intermediary phenotypes that mediate adolescents' genetic risk for problem behavior. The study of problem behavior can be enriched by interdisciplinary research that integrates measures of brain structure and function into genetically informed studies.

Functional Behavioral Assessment for a Boy with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Problem Behavior: A Case Study from Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theodoridou, Zoe; Koutsoklenis, Athanasios

2013-01-01

This article focuses on the application of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to design a positive behavior intervention (PBI) for a boy with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who encounters serious difficulties at the mainstream school because of behavioral problems and physical limitations. After the definition of problem behavior and its…

[Regulation of Positive and Negative Emotions as Mediator between Maternal Emotion Socialization and Child Problem Behavior].

PubMed

Fäsche, Anika; Gunzenhauser, Catherine; Friedlmeier, Wolfgang; von Suchodoletz, Antje

2015-01-01

The present study investigated five to six year old children's ability to regulate negative and positive emotions in relation to psychosocial problem behavior (N=53). It was explored, whether mothers' supportive and nonsupportive strategies of emotion socialization influence children's problem behavior by shaping their emotion regulation ability. Mothers reported on children's emotion regulation and internalizing and externalizing problem behavior via questionnaire, and were interviewed about their preferences for socialization strategies in response to children's expression of negative affect. Results showed that children with more adaptive expression of adequate positive emotions had less internalizing behavior problems. When children showed more control of inadequate negative emotions, children were less internalizing as well as externalizing in their behavior. Furthermore, results indicated indirect relations of mothers' socialization strategies with children's problem behavior. Control of inadequate negative emotions mediated the link between non-supportive strategies on externalizing problem behavior. Results suggest that emotion regulatory processes should be part of interventions to reduce the development of problematic behavior in young children. Parents should be trained in dealing with children's emotions in a constructive way.

Parasympathetic reactivity and disruptive behavior problems in young children during interactions with their mothers and other adults: A preliminary investigation

PubMed Central

Cooper-Vince, Christine E.; DeSerisy, Mariah; Cornacchio, Danielle; Sanchez, Amanda; McLaughlin, Katie A.; Comer, Jonathan S.

2017-01-01

Parasympathetic nervous system influences on cardiac functions—commonly indexed via respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA)—are central to self-regulation. RSA suppression during challenging emotional and cognitive tasks is often associated with better emotional and behavioral functioning in preschoolers. However, the links between RSA suppression and child behavior across various challenging interpersonal contexts remains unclear. The present study experimentally evaluated the relationship between child RSA reactivity to adult (mother vs. study staff) direction and disruptive behavior problems in children ages 3–8 with varying levels of disruptive behavior problems (N=43). Reduced RSA suppression in the context of mothers’ play-based direction was associated with more severe child behavior problems. In contrast, RSA suppression in the context of staff play-based direction was not associated with behavior problems. Findings suggest that the association between RSA suppression and child behavior problems may vary by social context (i.e., mother vs. other adult direction-givers). Findings are discussed in regard to RSA as an indicator of autonomic self-regulation that has relevance to child disruptive behavior problems. PMID:28261792

Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate and Pyrethroid Pesticides and Behavioral Problems in Canadian Children

PubMed Central

Oulhote, Youssef

2013-01-01

Background: Exposure to organophosphate pesticides has been associated with neurobehavioral deficits in children, although data on low levels of exposure experienced by the general population are sparse. Pyrethroids are insecticides rapidly gaining popularity, and epidemiological evidence on their potential effects is lacking. Objective: We examined the association between exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides, indicated by urinary metabolites, and parentally reported behavioral problems in children. Methods: We used data on children 6–11 years of age from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2007–2009). We used logistic regressions to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for high scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which may indicate behavioral problems, in association with concentrations of pyrethroid and organophosphate metabolites in the urine of 779 children, adjusting for covariates (sex, age, race/ethnicity, income, parental education, blood lead levels, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and others). Results: At least one urinary metabolite for organophosphates was detected in 91% of children, and for pyrethroids in 97% of children. Organophosphate metabolites were not significantly associated with high SDQ scores. The pyrethroid metabolite cis-DCCA [3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylycyclopropane carboxylic acid] was significantly associated with high scores for total difficulties on the SDQ (OR for a 10-fold increase = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.1, 3.6), and there was a nonsignificant association with trans-DCCA (OR = 1.6; 95% CI: 0.9, 3.0). Conclusion: In contrast with previous studies, we did not observe an association between exposure to organophosphate pesticides and behavioral scores in children. However, some pyrethroid urinary metabolites were associated with a high level of parent-reported behavioral problems. Longitudinal studies should be conducted on the potential risks of pyrethroids. Citation: Oulhote Y, Bouchard MF. 2013. Urinary metabolites of organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides and behavioral problems in Canadian children. Environ Health Perspect 121:1378–1384; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1306667 PMID:24149046

Attention problems and pathological gaming: resolving the 'chicken and egg' in a prospective analysis.

PubMed

Ferguson, Christopher J; Ceranoglu, T Atilla

2014-03-01

Pathological gaming (PG) behaviors are behaviors which interfere with other life responsibilities. Continued debate exists regarding whether symptoms of PG behaviors are a unique phenomenon or arise from other mental health problems, including attention problems. Development of attention problems and occurrence of pathological gaming in 144 adolescents were followed during a 1-year prospective analysis. Teens and their parents reported on pathological gaming behaviors, attention problems, and current grade point average, as well as several social variables. Results were analyzed using regression and path analysis. Attention problems tended to precede pathological gaming behaviors, but the inverse was not true. Attention problems but not pathological gaming predicted lower GPA 1 year later. Current results suggest that pathological gaming arises from attention problems, but not the inverse. These results suggest that pathological gaming behaviors are symptomatic of underlying attention related mental health issues, rather than a unique phenomenon.

Perceived support in sibling relationships and adolescent adjustment.

PubMed

Branje, Susan J T; van Lieshout, Cornelis F M; van Aken, Marcel A G; Haselager, Gerbert J T

2004-11-01

Siblings may support each other, but also reveal fierce rivalry and mutual aggression. Supportive sibling relationships have been linked to the development of psychosocial competence of children. In the present longitudinal study, we will focus on the development of perceived support in sibling dyads and on the influence of sibling support and sibling problem behavior on psychosocial adjustment in adolescence. In a three-wave longitudinal sample of 285 Dutch families with two adolescent children (11- to 15-year-olds), these two siblings judged the support perceived from each other. In addition, they themselves and their parents judged their internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. The relation of sibling support and sibling problem behavior with internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors was examined while controlling for support from parents and friends and, over time, controlling for the autoregressive effects of problem behavior. Support perceived from a sibling is mostly negatively related to externalizing problems; sibling problem behavior is strongly related to internalizing problems. Differential developmental trajectories of adolescents' adjustment are associated with siblings' support and problem behavior. The results indicate that adolescents' relationships with both older and younger siblings are characterized by modeling processes.

An observation tool for instructor and student behaviors to measure in-class learner engagement: a validation study

PubMed Central

Alimoglu, Mustafa K.; Sarac, Didar B.; Alparslan, Derya; Karakas, Ayse A.; Altintas, Levent

2014-01-01

Background Efforts are made to enhance in-class learner engagement because it stimulates and enhances learning. However, it is not easy to quantify learner engagement. This study aimed to develop and validate an observation tool for instructor and student behaviors to determine and compare in-class learner engagement levels in four different class types delivered by the same instructor. Methods Observer pairs observed instructor and student behaviors during lectures in large class (LLC, n=2) with third-year medical students, lectures in small class (LSC, n=6) and case-based teaching sessions (CBT, n=4) with fifth-year students, and problem-based learning (PBL) sessions (~7 hours) with second-year students. The observation tool was a revised form of STROBE, an instrument for recording behaviors of an instructor and four randomly selected students as snapshots for 5-min cycles. Instructor and student behaviors were scored 1–5 on this tool named ‘in-class engagement measure (IEM)’. The IEM scores were parallel to the degree of behavior's contribution to active student engagement, so higher scores were associated with more in-class learner engagement. Additionally, the number of questions asked by the instructor and students were recorded. A total of 203 5-min observations were performed (LLC 20, LSC 85, CBT 50, and PBL 48). Results Interobserver agreement on instructor and student behaviors was 93.7% (κ=0.87) and 80.6% (κ=0.71), respectively. Higher median IEM scores were found in student-centered and problem-oriented methods such as CBT and PBL. A moderate correlation was found between instructor and student behaviors (r=0.689). Conclusions This study provides some evidence for validity of the IEM scores as a measure of student engagement in different class types. PMID:25308966

Deficiency of Self-Efficacy in Problem-Solving as a Contributory Factor in Family Instability: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Pourmovahed, Zahra; Mazloomy Mahmoodabad, Seyed Saied; Zareei Mahmoodabadi, Hassan; Tavangar, Hossein; Yassini Ardekani, Seyed Mojtaba; Vaezi, Ali Akbar

2018-01-01

Objective: Problem-solving ability is one of the most important means of family stability that enables the families to understand their roles, functions, and performances. Self-efficacy deficiency in problem-solving runs through many families. This qualitative study was conducted to investigate and describe how couples solve problems in their families. Method: This study was conducted to detect couples' self-efficacy deficiency in problem-solving using purposive sampling method. Several deep semi-structured interviews based on McMaster model and observations were conducted by nine family therapists and psychiatrists on four couples (eight persons) living in Yazd (Iran).The interviews were performed, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. The analysis was interpreted through directed content analysis methods. Results: Families in Yazd (Iran) made some attempts to solve their problems, but their efforts were not enough, and thus they suffered from self-efficacy deficiency, which included 8 categories. The main theme distilled from the data of 17 participants was self-efficacy deficiency, which included the following categories: avoidance, insolvency, interference from others, ineffective self-treatment, behavioral problems, stubbornness, superficiality, and denial. Conclusion: It is of paramount importance to identify self-efficacy deficiency in families and promote problem- solving programs to increase family stability. In the present study, the main deficiencies in problem-solving were detected.

Qualitative Analysis of Dietary Behaviors in Picture Book Fiction for 4- to 8-Year-Olds.

PubMed

Matvienko, Oksana

2016-10-01

Picture books may facilitate parents' efforts to decrease pickiness and other undesirable food habits in children. This study conducted a content analysis of dietary behaviors and feeding strategies featured in fictional picture books compared with those discussed in the research literature. Several databases were searched for fictional picture books about dietary behavior, published between 2000 and 2016, accessible in the US, available in print format, and designated for 4- to 8-year-olds. Messages about dietary behavior in picture book fiction. Stories were systematically coded using holistic, data-driven, and evaluation coding methods. The final set of codes was examined for themes and patterns. Of the 104 books, 50% featured a specific eating behavior, 21% lifestyle/eating patterns, 20% food-related sensations and emotions, and 9% table manners. Books about dietary behaviors are abundant but the topic coverage is unbalanced. Problem behaviors portrayed in books overlap those discussed in the research literature. However, problem-solving strategies and actions do not align with those endorsed by nutrition professionals. Messages vary in their complexity (in terms of their plot and/or language), ranging from clear and direct to vague, sophisticated, unresolved, conflicting, or controversial. Recommendations for practitioners are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.