Comparisons of the peabody picture vocabulary test and the McCarthy Sclaes of Children's Abilities with a sample of autistic children

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities were administered to eight autistic children. A correlated t-test and Pearson product correlations were calculated between the scores of the two tests in a within-subjects desgin. The Peabody correlated significantly with the McCarthy General Cognitive Index, Verbal Scale, perceptual Scale, and Memory Scale. A significant difference between the means of the two tests was found, with the Peabody yielding lower scores. The importance of multiskilled testing for the cognitive assessment of autistic children was discussed.     

Achievement and school behavior among children with epilepsy

The school-related behavior of 15 epileptic children (7 boys and 8 girls) whose average age was approximately 10 years was compared with that of matched groups of diabetic and healthy children. Data were derived from the Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale, the Multidimensional Measure of Children's Perception of Control, and the Rochester Adaptive Behavior Inventory. The epileptic children were found to be more likely to attribute the success or failure of their school performance to unknown sources of control, and to hold less positive feelings about school and about their own self-worth within the school setting than were their diabetic or healthy peers. The implications of these findings are discussed, and recommendations for remediation are offered.     

Validity and reliability of a 6-a-side small-sided game as an indicator of match-related physical performance in elite youth Brazilian soccer players

ABSTRACT

The aims of this study were: (i) to compare the external and internal load during a 6-a-side small-sided game (6v6-SSG) according to age-group; (ii) to relate these parameters between the 6v6-SSG and official matches; and (iii) to test the reliability of the 6v6-SSG. A total of 51 Brazilian youth soccer players participated in this study (U11 [n = 16]; U13 [n = 10]; U15 [n = 9]; U17 [n = 8]; U20 [n = 8]). Three experiments were conducted. Experiment A: fifty-one U11 to U20 players were submitted to 6v6-SSGs (n = 10 games; two for each age-group). Experiment B: thirty-two players were randomized to also play official matches (n = 6 matches). Experiment C: thirty-five youth players played the 6v6-SSG twice for test and retest reliability analysis. External load was obtained using Global Positioning Systems and the internal load parameter was calculated through mean heart rate. Statistical approaches showed progressive increases in all parameters according to categories (U11< U13< U15< U17< U20; p < 0.05; ES = 0.42?23.68). Even controlling for chronological age, all parameters showed likely to almost certain correlations between 6v6-SSG and official matches (r = 0.25?0.92). Collectively, the proposed protocol indicates good reliability (CV% = 2.0?12.6; TE% = 2.3?2.7%; ICC = 0.78?0.90). This research suggests that the 6v6-SSG is an alternative tool to indicate match-related physical performance in youth soccer players.     

Reducing statistics anxiety and academic procrastination among Israeli students: A pilot program

Many college students consider statistical courses as frightening and demanding, yielding high anxiety and low competence, and correlating with maladaptive academic behaviors and low achievement. With undergraduate students, the present pre-post study compared a supportive online teaching program utilizing mandatory statistical exercises (n = 37) with a no intervention, optional exercise statistics class (n = 32). We evaluated whether our statistics teaching intervention decreased test anxiety and academic procrastination and increased academic self-efficacy and academic achievements. Results indicated a decrease in academic procrastination and test anxiety at course end for intervention group and an increase in test anxiety for control group. At the end of the course intervention group reported higher academic self-efficacy and achievements. Teaching statistics using mandatory supportive activities might contribute to more positive psychological outcomes (eg, higher academic self-efficacy and lower academic procrastination) and higher academic achievements.     

Correlation between self-reported recovery and central sensitization in whiplash patients

BackgroundCentral sensitization has been associated with chronic pain in whiplash patients.MethodsConsecutive whiplash patients were assessed at 3 months post-whiplash injury with the brachial plexus provocation test (BPPT) as a sign of central sensitization. Self-reported recovery was assessed by the response to the question ‘Do you feel you have recovered fully from your accident injuries?’ResultsSixty-nine subjects (32 males, 37 females, age 37.5 ± 13.0 years (mean ± SD), range 18–71) were included. Of these, 34 reported a lack of recovery, and 35 reported recovery at 3 months post-injury. The mean BPPT elbow extension (from 180°) was 41.5 ± 23.0°, and the mean VAS score for the BPPT was 2.2 ± 1.2 (out of 10). Those who reported recovery had a mean BPPT elbow extension angle of 25.1 ± 15.8 while those who did not report recovery had a mean BPPT angle of 58.4 ± 15.9 (P < 0.05). The visual analogue scale (VAS) score for recovered subjects was 1.8 ± 1.1 and 2.7 ± 1.1 (P < 0.05) for non-recovered. There was a moderate correlation between self-reported recovery and BPPT elbow extension angle (?0.44) and a lower correlation between self-reported recovery and VAS score (?0.30).ConclusionSelf-reported recovery correlates well with a lower likelihood of signs of central sensitization.     

Development of a symptom expectation questionnaire for minor head injury

Background and objective  

Expectations and beliefs are important predictors of outcome following minor head injury. In this paper, the primary purpose is to develop a simple symptom expectation questionnaire for minor head injury for use in future research studies.     

Face Detection and the Development of Own‐Species Bias in Infant Macaques

In visually complex environments, numerous items compete for attention. Infants may exhibit attentional efficiency—privileged detection, attention capture, and holding—for face‐like stimuli. However, it remains unknown when these biases develop and what role, if any, experience plays in this emerging skill. Here, nursery‐reared infant macaques' (Macaca mulatta; n = 10) attention to faces in 10‐item arrays of nonfaces was measured using eye tracking. With limited face experience, 3‐week‐old monkeys were more likely to detect faces and looked longer at faces compared to nonfaces, suggesting a robust face detection system. By 3 months, after peer exposure, infants looked faster to conspecific faces but not heterospecific faces, suggesting an own‐species bias in face attention capture, consistent with perceptual attunement.     

THE ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF ACADEMIC EXCUSE-MAKING: Examining Individual Differences in Procrastination

Students from two colleges (n = 546) differing in admission selectivity completed measures of academic procrastination and excuses. Procrastination was higher among students at the selective college than students at the nonselective college. Academic procrastination was motivated by task aversiveness for students at the selective college and by fear of task failure and fear of social disapproval for students at the nonselective college. At the nonselective college only, procrastinators compared to nonprocrastinators reported more often using both legitimate and fraudulent excuses in college and during the current semester. Participants reported that excuses were self-generated for the purpose of gaining more assignment time and that most instructors did not require proof for excuses. The characteristics of courses and instructors likely to promote excuse-making by both procrastinators and nonprocrastinators also were examined. These results reflect the need by administrators and personnel to consider individual and situational differences when implementing student-centered intervention programs.     

Web‐based versus paper‐based data collection for the evaluation of teaching activity: empirical evidence from a case study

The collection of teaching evaluation questionnaires in the traditional paper‐and‐pencil format is a costly and time‐consuming process and yet it is a common assessment practice in many university systems. web‐based data collection would reduce costs and significantly increase the efficiency of the overall evaluation process in numerous ways. Results for both types of surveys are reported from two years of progressive introduction of the web‐based survey by the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. In the first year, two faculties representing scientific and humanistic fields were selected for a web‐based survey. In the second year, eight out of 12 faculties took part in the web survey. This data collection strategy allowed for responses from non‐attending students and facilitated a comparison of attitudes between attending and non‐attending students.