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Social competence is needed for interaction among peers, teachers, and families in order for children to be successful in school. Children enter school with various levels of social competence. Social skills training is an effective method for building social skills; however, many programs fail to generalize these skills across settings and time. This study investigated the effects of a social skills training intervention for first and second grade students with emotional and behavioral problems. The intervention blended direct instruction, role-plays, and children's literature, with peers supporting both the acquisition and generalization of the social skills through positive peer reporting (PPR) in other school settings. Results indicate that four students, with or at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorder, in the first and second grade, produced an increased rate of the acquisition and generalization of the skills, How to Follow Directions, How to Ignore Distractions, and How to Ask for Help across various settings with the support of the social skills instruction paired with PPR. This demonstrates that elements of bibliotherapy paired with positive peer reporting may be effective in increasing the acquisition and generalization of social skills across multiple settings.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of the Precision Request as a behavior intervention on the compliance behavior of students in a self-contained class for students with emotional-behavioral disorders. The Precision Request is an intervention commonly used by teachers to decrease noncompliance. The study took place in an elementary school behavior unit classroom. The participants included one special education teacher and the eight students in his class. A single subject reversal design was used to track student percentage of compliance, latency to compliance, as well as teacher use of praise and reductive consequences as part of the Precision Request intervention. The results indicated that the Precision Request produced a decrease in noncompliance among the students. However, it did not produce a meaningful change in latency to compliance. The introduction of the Precision Request also resulted in an increase in the teacher's use of praise, but no meaningful change in the use of reductive consequences. More research is needed to establish the active components of the intervention and the generality of the intervention effects.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / This study examined the relationship between parental monitoring and parent-adolescent communication, respectively, and sexual risk-taking behaviours. Participants consisted of 197 grade 11 and 12 learners at Bankuna High School and D. Z. J. Mthebule Secondary School in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality. The learners’ ages ranged from 15 years to 25 years. Sexual risk-taking behaviours was determined by assessing adolescents’ use of condoms, and drugs or alcohol, prior to sexual intercourse. The results indicated a statistically significant relationship between parental monitoring and the adolescents’ sexual risk-taking behaviours. However, no association was found between parent-adolescent communication and sexual risk-taking behaviours. Furthermore, the results showed that gender, socio-economic status, family structure and functioning did not play any significant role in the relationship between parental monitoring and parent-adolescent communication respectively, and sexual risk-taking behaviours.

The academic underachievement of children and adolescents diagnosed with conduct disorder is well established in the literature. However, no study to date has explored the contributions of personal and contextual variables to specific areas of academic functioning in this population. In this study measures of basic reading, reading comprehension, mathematics reasoning, and numerical operations were assessed using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) in 63 participants with childhood onset (CO) conduct disorder and 27 participants with adolescent onset (AO) conduct disorder. Participants were enrolled in a residential treatment facility between 1998 and 2002 at the time of evaluation. A series of ANCOVAs were conducted to evaluate how verbal IQ, onset subtype, comorbid ADHD, and residence location (urban versus nonurban) influenced each academic area. Only verbal IQ was significantly related to all academic areas. After adjusting for the variance explained by verbal IQ, comorbid ADHD did not significantly influence academic scores. After controlling for verbal IQ, participants with either CO or an urban residence were found to have significantly weaker scores in basic reading. Urban residents with CO had significantly weaker performance in mathematical reasoning. Numerical operations scores were the weakest among the four academic areas for both onset groups, and verbal IQ explained a relatively small portion of the variance. Overall, a larger portion of the variance in academic scores was explained among the AO group than the CO group, suggesting subtler complexities among the CO population that are yet unknown. This study highlights the heterogeneity among the conduct disorder population and variation in academic risk by demographic markers. If these results replicate across studies, they may represent a more parsimonious organization of patterns of characteristics that will provide treatment utility for clinical work and educational intervention beyond what is currently used.

Orientadores: Marilisa Mantovani Guerreiro, Li Li Min / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T18:25:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Guimaraes_CatarinaAbraao_D.pdf: 3293678 bytes, checksum: efdaa42e5d8ec57bd2569a01eced701d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Em adultos, a epilepsia de lobo temporal (ELT), por envolver muitas vezes o sistema hipocampal, é usualmente acompanhada de déficits de memória. Na infância, a ELT apresenta ampla diversidade clínica, eletrencefalográfica e etiológica. Por isso, muitos aspectos não estão definidos, especialmente os tipos de alterações cognitivas e comportamentais que as crianças podem apresentar (Artigos 1 e 2). Na tentativa de esclarecer alguns desses aspectos, este estudo teve como objetivo geral delinear o perfil neuropsicológico de crianças com ELT sintomática. Para isso, artigos com objetivos específicos foram desenvolvidos visando: identificar e descrever os distúrbios comportamentais e problemas de aprendizagem (Artigos 3, 4 e 5) e as alterações neuropsicológicas específicas (Artigos 6, 7 e 8); verificar separadamente a influência da etiologia, da lateralidade da lesão, da idade de início das crises, da duração da epilepsia, do número de medicações antiepilépticas, da freqüência de crises, de história de crise febril e estado de mal epiléptico nos processos de memória (Artigo 8); e correlacionar os dados aos achados de RM (Artigo 9). Foram avaliadas crianças com ELT do HC-UNICAMP e/ou do HC-USP, as quais foram submetidas a ampla bateria de avaliação neuropsicológica, avaliação clínica, exame neurológico, estudo neurofisiológico (EEGs e video-EEG) e exames de imagem (RM). Os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que em crianças com ELT sintomáticas: distúrbios de comportamento e problemas de aprendizagem escolar podem estar presentes, mesmo na ausência de déficit cognitivo global; há alta freqüência de TDAH; além de déficits de memória, há comprometimentos de outras funções neuropsicológicas: atenção, linguagem, praxia construtiva e funções executivas; quanto mais cedo o início da epilepsia, pior o armazenamento da informação verbal; lesões mesiais correlacionam-se a prejuízos de memória no processo de armazenamento das informações, enquanto lesões neocorticais correlacionam-se a problemas na recuperação das informações; além da lesão temporal evidenciada na RM de rotina, existe redução da concentração de substância cinzenta em regiões extra-temporais, incluindo o córtex frontal e parietal, que podem justificar as alterações neuropsicológicas e comportamentais encontradas; epilepsia e as alterações cognitivas/comportamentais são resultantes de um substrato anátomo-funcional difusamente comprometido / Abstract: In adults, temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) usually involves hipocampal system with consequent memory deficit. In childhood, TLE presents wide clinical, eletrencephalographic and etiologic diversity. Therefore, many aspects are not yet defined, particularly the types of cognitive and behavior disturbances (Articles 1 and 2). To clarify some of these issues, the aim of this study was to delineate the neuropsychological profile of children with symptomatic TLE. Several researches with specific objectives have been developed aiming at: to identify and to describe the behavior and learning disabilities (Articles 3, 4 and 5) and the specific neuropsychological disturbances (Articles 6, 7 and 8); to verify the influence of the etiology, the laterality of the injury, the age of the seizure onset, the duration of the epilepsy, the number of antiepileptic medication, the seizure frequency, history of febrile seizures and status epilepticus in the neuropsychological functions (Article 8); and, to correlate the data of the MRI findings with neuropsychology findings (Article 9). Children with TLE of the HC-UNICAMP and/or the HC-USP were evaluated, who underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, clinical evaluation, neurological examination, neurophysiology study (EEGs and video-EEG) and neuroimaging studies (MRI). The results allowed us to conclude that in children with symptomatic TLE: problems of behavior and learning disabilities are present, even in the absence of overall cognitive deficit; there is a high frequency of ADHD; besides memory deficits, other neuropsychological disturbances may be found such as attention, language, constructive praxis and executive function; the earlier onset of epilepsy, the worse verbal storage; mesial lesions correlate with an impairment in memory storage while neocortical temporal lesions correlate with retrieval disturbance; reduction of the gray matter concentration, besides the temporal lesion, is found in extra-temporal regions, including the frontal and parietal cortex, that can justify neuropsychological and behavioral disturbance findings; epilepsy and the cognitive/behavior disturbances result of a damaged neural network / Doutorado / Ciencias Biomedicas / Doutor em Ciências Médicas

Purpose: Due to the neurological aspects of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and the sensitivity of eye movements to neurological issues, eye tracking has the potential to be an objective biomarker with higher accuracy in diagnosis than current clinical standards. Currently when PD is diagnosed clinically, there is an accuracy of 74% when diagnosed by a general practitioner and 82% when diagnosed by a movement disorder specialist. This study was designed to: 1. Assess eye movements as a potential biomarker for Parkinson’s Disease. 2. Determine if eye movements can distinguish between Parkinson’s Disease and commonly confounded movement disorders with parkinsonian symptoms. 3. Determine if the eye movements of Rapid Eye Movement Behavior Disorder (RBD) patients who will likely convert to PD are distinguishable from healthy controls and if RBD patients have eye movements with similar features to PD. Methods: The eye movements of 160 subjects (43 healthy controls, 63 PD, 31 REM Behavior Disorder, and 22 Other Parkinsonisms) were recorded at 500 Hz and analyzed. Each subject performed five eye tracking tasks that included reflexive saccades, inhibition of reflexive saccades, predictive saccades, and reading. Based on an analysis of selected eye movement measurement parameters, a multivariable logistic regression model was developed that compared: PD vs. Control, PD vs. “Other”, PD vs RBD, and Control vs RBD. The resulting predictive model was then assessed for accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Results: After screening, the most statistically significant predictors that were included in the final multivariate model were: Site, Sex, Age, Age squared, UPDRS Score, mean absolute fixation velocity (Horizontal Step Task), saccadic duration, average saccadic velocity, and mean fixation velocity (Predictive Task). The model predicted with an accuracy of: 92% for Controls, 88% for PD, 86% for RBD, and 68% for Other Parkinsonisms. The model was best at distinguishing between PD and Other Parkinsomisms with an accuracy of 89% and RBD and Controls with an accuracy of 88%. Conclusion: This research found that specific combinations of eye tracking parameters from simple tasks can be used to distinguish between PD and commonly confounded movement disorders with parkinsonism symptoms. The model’s ability to distinguish between groups indicates that in a confirmatory study we should have relatively high accuracy in discriminating between groups. This model is able to accurately distinguish Controls from RBDs, however due to an insufficient number of follow-up visits to date, the current study is unable to confirm if the RBDs tested will convert to PD. With such high error rates in diagnosing PD clinically, this model is a potentially beneficial and could serve as an easy screening tool to add to the suite of diagnostic tests and improve clinician’s ability to diagnose accurately.

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the feasibility of a treatment for hypersexual disorder (HD) by calculating and reporting the results with pre-collected data from a research project at ANOVA/Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset. The treatment was a cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) developed for HD administered in a 7-session group setting with a sample of HD-diagnosed women (n = 16). Feasibility was explored through symptom change of hypersexuality, sexual compulsivity, psychological distress, and depression. Symptom change in relationship to treatment attendance was also explored. In this thesis, the results are considered in a broader context, discussing theoretical issues concerning women’s sexuality in relation to hypersexual problems and medicalization of hypersexual behaviors.   The treatment was shown to be feasible. Significant decrease was found on all measures. Attendance rate significantly correlated with a decrease in depressive symptoms, but not on other measures. Women’s sexuality might differ from men’s, but the treatment, which was first evaluated for men, is still feasible for women. Treatment for hypersexual problems in women and hypersexual problems in women in general have been understudied, which makes this study an important contribution to the research field. Further treatment studies could potentially investigate whether specific alterations based on gender and sexual orientation could be needed for further development of the treatment. There are issues concerning medicalization of hypersexual behaviors which should be considered when addressing the phenomenon, such as the influence of moral and cultural factors on the understanding of hypersexuality. Still, there is need for treatment for hypersexual behaviors experienced as problematic, and having these problems addressed within the medical and scientific field has potential for being beneficial and is preferred to having them left to alternative, unregulated health care providers.

Les anomalies sensorielles jouent un rôle central dans les Troubles du Spectre Autistique comme en témoigne leur apparition récente dans les critères diagnostiques de l'autisme (DSM-5, APA, 2013). Il existe toutefois très peu d'outils permettant de les évaluer et qui soient validés en français et adaptés aux adultes avec autisme. Cette recherche vise à (1) créer un nouvel outil, l'ESAA : Evaluation Sensorielle de l'Adulte avec Autisme, (2) réaliser les études de validation psychométriques de celui-ci auprès d'un groupe clinique d'adultes avec autisme, (3) étudier de façon différentielle les profils sensoriels des adultes avec autisme et dégager d'éventuelles dominantes pathologiques de la sensorialité, (4) étudier le lien entre l'intensité des troubles sensoriels et les troubles du comportement. L'échantillon de l'étude est constitué de 118 adultes présentant un autisme modéré à sévère avec retard mental associé, accueillies en institutions médico-sociales ou en structures sanitaires, qui sont partenaires cliniciens de la recherche. La mesure de la réactivité sensorielle de l'adulte avec autisme est effectuée à l'aide de l'ESAA. L'intensité de la réactivité sensorielle est évaluée pour chacune des modalités sensorielles. Les troubles du comportement sont évalués à l'aide de l'EPOCAA : Echelle d'Evaluation pour l'Observation des Comportements-problèmes d'Adultes avec Autisme (Recordon-Gaboriaud & Granier-Deferre, ECPA, 2012). L'échelle permet de déterminer un degré de sévérité des troubles et une typologie comportementale. Les résultats mettent en évidence les qualités métrologiques de l'échelle ESAA, des profils sensoriels différenciés et des réactivités sensorielles dominantes chez les participants. Des corrélations sont observées entre les caractéristiques des sujets et la sévérité des perturbations sensorielles de l'échantillon. Enfin, pour un sous-échantillon de l'étude (n=27), les résultats montrent également des corrélations entre la sévérité des anomalies sensorielles et la sévérité des troubles du comportement ainsi que des liens spécifiques entre les modalités sensorielles affectées et les typologies comportementales des sujets. Ces résultats permettent d'affirmer que ce nouvel outil est pertinent pour identifier les troubles de la réactivité sensorielle des personnes adultes avec autisme et retard mental et qu'il pourrait contribuer (1) à améliorer les connaissances cliniques des adultes avec autisme (2) à mieux analyser et prendre en compte les spécificités sensorielles dans l'accompagnement de ces personnes (3) à aménager un environnement adapté à leurs réactivités sensorielles. / Sensorial anomalies is a major cause of disorders in the autistic spectrum as shown by their importance in diagnostic criteria of autism (DSM-5, 5, APA, 2013). There exist, however, only few validated tools that can evaluate them. This thesis aims at (1) creating a new tool, ESAA: sensorial evaluation of the adult with autism, (2) performing psychometric experiments on adult with autism that validate it, (3) classifying sensorial profiles of adults with autism and identifying potential pathological predominances of sensory, (4) evaluating the relation between the sensorial anomaly intensity and the behavior disorder. The sample of this investigation comprises 118 adults with moderate to severe autism and backwardness who were in medico-social or sanitary partner institutes. ESAA measures the sensorial reactivity of adult with autism. The intensity of sensorial reactivity is captured for each of the sensorial modalities. Behavior disorders are evaluated using EPOCAA: an evaluation scale for behavior disorders observation of adults with autism (Recordon-Gaboriaud & Granier-Deferre, ECPA, 2012). This scale allows to identify a severity level of the disorders and a behavioral typology. Results show the accuracy of the ESAA scale, distinct sensorial profiles and predominant sensorial reactivity of the considered sample. We observe correlations between subject characteristics and the severity of sensorial anomalies of the individuals. Finally, for a subset of the sample (n=27), results also indicate correlations between the severity of sensorial anomaly and the severity of behavior disorder, and between the affected sensorial modalities and the behavioral typology of the individuals. These results allow us to conclude that this new tool is useful to capture the sensorial reactivity disorders of adults with autism and backwardness and that it could contribute to (1) improve clinical knowledge of adults with autism, (2) better analyze and take into account sensorial characteristics of these individuals and (3) setup an environment tuned to their sensorial reactivity.

Students with disabilities, some with emotional and behavior disorders, are included in almost all elementary music classes. Students with emotional behavior disorders are one of the greatest challenges for teachers. To be effective, teachers must develop strategies and inclusive practices specifically geared towards intervention. With the quantity of students served and only limited class time with students, the music teacher is often unaware of the unique needs of specific special learners. Music teacher preparation has been inadequate in training teachers for inclusion. Elementary music educators rarely have outside support to deal with classroom challenges as they serve students with disabilities and at-risk students. Music teacher training is focused on content, not behavior management. This study examined the perceptions of randomly selected elementary music educators who were members of MENC: The National Association for Music Education regarding their preparedness to effectively manage five areas of severe behavior often exhibited by students with emotional behavior disorders: withdrawal, impulsivity, argumentative behavior, aggression towards peers, and aggression towards the teacher. The researcher devised a 39 item online survey instrument based on supporting literature. The survey was given to randomly selected participants. Two hundred sixty-nine elementary music educators from across the United States completed the survey providing information on incidence frequency, preparedness, training in behavior management, and the amount of behavior support available. Elementary music teachers felt prepared to handle impulsivity (58.2%), and argumentative behavior (55.7%). They were not prepared for withdrawal (50.8%), aggression towards peers (50.9%), and least prepared to handle aggression towards the teacher (58.1%).Over 94% of the music teachers had adult assistance less than 25% of the time and 45.9% never had adult assistance with included classes. More than 74% of the teachers indicated that they have adult assistance with self-contained special education classes less than 25% of the time and 35.7% never having adult assistance with those classes. Forty-six point two percent of the music teachers had no behavior specialist available or were unaware if one was available. Only 3.7% of the respondents felt they had all the support they needed. Thirty-six point one percent of the music teachers had no crisis plan in case of an eruption of severe behavior in their classes.