Syntactically ambiguous sentences offer an insight into how sentences generally are processed, by examining how readers recognise and reanalyse the ambiguity. However, it is only more recently that the comprehension product of syntactic analysis has been adequately tested, demonstrating that ambiguities are not always fully processed. This work has led to the good-enough approach to language processing and comprehension (e.g., Ferreira & Patson, 2007), which argues that sentence processing is merely good enough for the current task, and that our comprehension may not exactly match the content of what has been read. The work presented in this thesis set out to examine what it means for syntactic ambiguity processing to be good enough, by monitoring patterns of eye movements as people read sentences containing a temporary syntactic ambiguity. Comprehension questions probed the extent to which the syntactic ambiguity had been resolved. Across six experiments, it was demonstrated that both online sentence processing and comprehension are influenced by the presence of an extrinsic memory load, the presence or absence of comprehension questions, the length of texts being read, and the age of participants. Eye movement patterns were more superficial if the task permitted it; similarly, syntactic ambiguities were misinterpreted more commonly as the task demands increased. The results support a good-enough, adaptive sentence processing system, where initial misinterpretations can linger in the product of syntactic analysis, and which is affected by task demands and individual differences.

<div> <div> <div> <p>Past parent-child attachment studies mainly focused on behavioral exchanges during the early years without exploring the role played by verbal exchanges. During the transition to early childhood, developing cognitive and language abilities provide a new window to examine the influence of mother-led verbal communication skills about attachment-related events, and whether those skills contribute to child attachment security. This study investigates maternal verbal communication skills (i.e., co-construction skills), their relationships with maternal sensitivity and child attachment security, and whether maternal co-construction skills add unique information to the prediction of child security, above and beyond any contributions of maternal sensitivity at 2-3 years of age. Fifty-four mother-child dyads participated in the current study. Maternal co-construction skills were assessed via a joint storytelling task; transcriptions were created and then coded using a set of three scales. Maternal sensitivity and attachment security were assessed using the Maternal Behavior with Preschoolers Q-set (MBPQS) and Attachment Q-set (AQS), respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to address the questions posed. Results indicated that maternal co-construction is not related with maternal sensitivity, though some maternal co-constructive abilities were associated with sensitivity; maternal co- construction was not a significant correlate of child attachment security at 2-3 years of age. Overall, results from this current study extend those of former research on maternal verbal co- construction skills and their relationship with mother-child attachment relationships, demonstrating that maternal language input may not start to play an important role in secure base behavior (i.e., security) until children are older. However, the association between some maternal co-construction skills and maternal sensitivity revealed the potential importance of language communication in mother-child attachment relationship. Verbal abilities were argued to be an important part in parent-child relationships and may influences child attachment longitudinally not concurrently at the beginning of early childhood.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Emotional child abuse is recognised as the unifying construct of child abuse (Brassard & Gelardo, 1987). Defining emotional child abuse (ECA) is an area of debate in the literature and a widely recognised definition has yet to be developed. There is general agreement on the definition of resilience with most making reference to adapting and coping well in the face of adversity. Recent research has questioned the implied unidimensionality of the term. A research study was designed with several aims: to explore how ECA is defined by professionals working in the area of child abuse, and by members of the general public; to develop an understanding of the nature of ECA from adults who self-identified as having experienced ECA; and, to examine the ways in which these adults coped, and dealt with ECA and its effects. Further aims of the research following from these were to develop a definition of ECA, and to identify implications for practice for those working in the area of ECA. Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969, 1988; Crittenden & Ainsworth, 1989) was the theoretical base for the research. The literature on resilience was reviewed with a particular focus on ECA. Consistent findings in the literature on the cost of resiliency in the area of emotional well-being and functioning were explored and used to critically examine the clinical utility of the term. Two surveys were developed, one for distribution to all the professionals working in the area of child abuse in statutory agencies in Auckland; and one for distribution to a sample of adults living in the greater Auckland area. Comparison of the conceptual and specific categories derived from the definitions of ECA provided by the professional group (N=l8l) and the lay group (N=142) indicated considerable agreement. Differences between the groups on the relative frequency of use of the categories were explained and directions for future research were suggested. Concurrence between the findings of this study and others on developing a definition of ECA supported the existence of ECA as a separate and consistent form of child maltreatment. Adults who saw themselves as having experienced ECA were identified through the general public and professional surveys (N=30). They were individually interviewed using a semi-structured format about the nature of the ECA they had experienced and how they had coped with it as a child, adolescent, and adult. The interviews, and relevant material from the surveys, were analysed using a Grounded Theory approach. The themes that emerged from the material on the nature of ECA were grouped into four areas: the nature of ECA; the effects of ECA; the context of ECA; and, disclosure of ECA. The themes that emerged on how participants coped and dealt with the ECA they had experienced revealed a range of coping strategies and changes in these across the broad developmental stages of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. An important distinction that emerged was that between coping with the ECA and dealing with it. The cost of coping was a prominent theme and concurred with findings in the literature. The implications for practice and directions for future research generated by these findings are discussed. A theoretical definition developed from the research findings is presented and applied to specific examples from the research.

Emotional child abuse is recognised as the unifying construct of child abuse (Brassard & Gelardo, 1987). Defining emotional child abuse (ECA) is an area of debate in the literature and a widely recognised definition has yet to be developed. There is general agreement on the definition of resilience with most making reference to adapting and coping well in the face of adversity. Recent research has questioned the implied unidimensionality of the term. A research study was designed with several aims: to explore how ECA is defined by professionals working in the area of child abuse, and by members of the general public; to develop an understanding of the nature of ECA from adults who self-identified as having experienced ECA; and, to examine the ways in which these adults coped, and dealt with ECA and its effects. Further aims of the research following from these were to develop a definition of ECA, and to identify implications for practice for those working in the area of ECA. Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969, 1988; Crittenden & Ainsworth, 1989) was the theoretical base for the research. The literature on resilience was reviewed with a particular focus on ECA. Consistent findings in the literature on the cost of resiliency in the area of emotional well-being and functioning were explored and used to critically examine the clinical utility of the term. Two surveys were developed, one for distribution to all the professionals working in the area of child abuse in statutory agencies in Auckland; and one for distribution to a sample of adults living in the greater Auckland area. Comparison of the conceptual and specific categories derived from the definitions of ECA provided by the professional group (N=l8l) and the lay group (N=142) indicated considerable agreement. Differences between the groups on the relative frequency of use of the categories were explained and directions for future research were suggested. Concurrence between the findings of this study and others on developing a definition of ECA supported the existence of ECA as a separate and consistent form of child maltreatment. Adults who saw themselves as having experienced ECA were identified through the general public and professional surveys (N=30). They were individually interviewed using a semi-structured format about the nature of the ECA they had experienced and how they had coped with it as a child, adolescent, and adult. The interviews, and relevant material from the surveys, were analysed using a Grounded Theory approach. The themes that emerged from the material on the nature of ECA were grouped into four areas: the nature of ECA; the effects of ECA; the context of ECA; and, disclosure of ECA. The themes that emerged on how participants coped and dealt with the ECA they had experienced revealed a range of coping strategies and changes in these across the broad developmental stages of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. An important distinction that emerged was that between coping with the ECA and dealing with it. The cost of coping was a prominent theme and concurred with findings in the literature. The implications for practice and directions for future research generated by these findings are discussed. A theoretical definition developed from the research findings is presented and applied to specific examples from the research.

Emotional child abuse is recognised as the unifying construct of child abuse (Brassard & Gelardo, 1987). Defining emotional child abuse (ECA) is an area of debate in the literature and a widely recognised definition has yet to be developed. There is general agreement on the definition of resilience with most making reference to adapting and coping well in the face of adversity. Recent research has questioned the implied unidimensionality of the term. A research study was designed with several aims: to explore how ECA is defined by professionals working in the area of child abuse, and by members of the general public; to develop an understanding of the nature of ECA from adults who self-identified as having experienced ECA; and, to examine the ways in which these adults coped, and dealt with ECA and its effects. Further aims of the research following from these were to develop a definition of ECA, and to identify implications for practice for those working in the area of ECA. Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969, 1988; Crittenden & Ainsworth, 1989) was the theoretical base for the research. The literature on resilience was reviewed with a particular focus on ECA. Consistent findings in the literature on the cost of resiliency in the area of emotional well-being and functioning were explored and used to critically examine the clinical utility of the term. Two surveys were developed, one for distribution to all the professionals working in the area of child abuse in statutory agencies in Auckland; and one for distribution to a sample of adults living in the greater Auckland area. Comparison of the conceptual and specific categories derived from the definitions of ECA provided by the professional group (N=l8l) and the lay group (N=142) indicated considerable agreement. Differences between the groups on the relative frequency of use of the categories were explained and directions for future research were suggested. Concurrence between the findings of this study and others on developing a definition of ECA supported the existence of ECA as a separate and consistent form of child maltreatment. Adults who saw themselves as having experienced ECA were identified through the general public and professional surveys (N=30). They were individually interviewed using a semi-structured format about the nature of the ECA they had experienced and how they had coped with it as a child, adolescent, and adult. The interviews, and relevant material from the surveys, were analysed using a Grounded Theory approach. The themes that emerged from the material on the nature of ECA were grouped into four areas: the nature of ECA; the effects of ECA; the context of ECA; and, disclosure of ECA. The themes that emerged on how participants coped and dealt with the ECA they had experienced revealed a range of coping strategies and changes in these across the broad developmental stages of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. An important distinction that emerged was that between coping with the ECA and dealing with it. The cost of coping was a prominent theme and concurred with findings in the literature. The implications for practice and directions for future research generated by these findings are discussed. A theoretical definition developed from the research findings is presented and applied to specific examples from the research.

Emotional child abuse is recognised as the unifying construct of child abuse (Brassard & Gelardo, 1987). Defining emotional child abuse (ECA) is an area of debate in the literature and a widely recognised definition has yet to be developed. There is general agreement on the definition of resilience with most making reference to adapting and coping well in the face of adversity. Recent research has questioned the implied unidimensionality of the term. A research study was designed with several aims: to explore how ECA is defined by professionals working in the area of child abuse, and by members of the general public; to develop an understanding of the nature of ECA from adults who self-identified as having experienced ECA; and, to examine the ways in which these adults coped, and dealt with ECA and its effects. Further aims of the research following from these were to develop a definition of ECA, and to identify implications for practice for those working in the area of ECA. Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969, 1988; Crittenden & Ainsworth, 1989) was the theoretical base for the research. The literature on resilience was reviewed with a particular focus on ECA. Consistent findings in the literature on the cost of resiliency in the area of emotional well-being and functioning were explored and used to critically examine the clinical utility of the term. Two surveys were developed, one for distribution to all the professionals working in the area of child abuse in statutory agencies in Auckland; and one for distribution to a sample of adults living in the greater Auckland area. Comparison of the conceptual and specific categories derived from the definitions of ECA provided by the professional group (N=l8l) and the lay group (N=142) indicated considerable agreement. Differences between the groups on the relative frequency of use of the categories were explained and directions for future research were suggested. Concurrence between the findings of this study and others on developing a definition of ECA supported the existence of ECA as a separate and consistent form of child maltreatment. Adults who saw themselves as having experienced ECA were identified through the general public and professional surveys (N=30). They were individually interviewed using a semi-structured format about the nature of the ECA they had experienced and how they had coped with it as a child, adolescent, and adult. The interviews, and relevant material from the surveys, were analysed using a Grounded Theory approach. The themes that emerged from the material on the nature of ECA were grouped into four areas: the nature of ECA; the effects of ECA; the context of ECA; and, disclosure of ECA. The themes that emerged on how participants coped and dealt with the ECA they had experienced revealed a range of coping strategies and changes in these across the broad developmental stages of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. An important distinction that emerged was that between coping with the ECA and dealing with it. The cost of coping was a prominent theme and concurred with findings in the literature. The implications for practice and directions for future research generated by these findings are discussed. A theoretical definition developed from the research findings is presented and applied to specific examples from the research.

The nursing profession is pivotal to the delivery of healthcare services within the UK National Health Service (NHS). However, studies have shown that an increasing number of older nurses are leaving the NHS as a result of the physical and cognitive demands of the nursing job. In particular, a growing body of literature suggests that ward nurses are at risk of sustaining work-related injuries due to the demands of their job. Responding to these challenges, the aim of this PhD research project was to develop a framework to support NHS ward nurses in the ward environment, by exploring how the architectural design features of NHS hospital wards could be improved to create a better fit between ward nurses and their work environment, by applying the Person-Environment Fit theory. The Nursing Tasks and Environmental Assessment Framework (NTEA Framework) consists of two components. The Nursing Tasks Demand Matrix (NTDM), which provides a nuanced understanding of nursing tasks on wards and the Ward Environment Assessment Tool (WEAT), which is used to conduct Post-Occupancy Evaluation of hospital wards. The two together forms the NTEA Framework, which offers a holistic approach to improving nurses’ quality of life in the workplace. The NTEA Framework may be used by facilities managers, human resource managers, occupational health advisors, ward managers and the NHS management, for refurbishments decisions, in drafting nurses’ job descriptions, to perform occupation health screening and for the assessment of the adequacy of NHS healthcare estates for ward nurses. The NTEA Framework is also a benchmarking information tool that could inform design of healthcare facilities.

Cannabis (and its main psychoactive component, THC) is one of the most widely-used drugs in the world, and recent expansion of its legal status has made it available in a variety of formulations and at a potency unrivaled in history. While its medicinal properties are gaining scientific support, so too is its potential to lead to abuse and dependence. Both initiation of cannabis use and frequent cannabis use are most prevalent in adolescence, and compared to adults, cannabis use by adolescents is associated with a greater likelihood of developing cannabis dependence and cannabis use disorder. Given the ethical limitations surrounding research that provides cannabis to non-users or non-adults, animal models of drug use can be valuable tools for the study of causes and consequences related to drug use, as well as allowing for investigating brain mechanisms underlying these factors. However, only recently have models in which animals reliably use cannabis (THC) at levels above its respective vehicle and at levels which produce consistent behavioral and physiological effects become available, and in no case has age-related differences in this use been examined. Thus, one goal of the current study was to directly compare the self-administration of edible THC (a route of administration used by humans and a formulation increasing in popularity) between adolescent and adult mice.<br><div> Adolescents also appear to be differentially sensitive to various effects of several classes of drugs, and they have been shown to be less sensitive to the aversive effects of cannabis, thereby putting them at greater risk for elevated and continued use. Evidence also suggests that, in addition to the risk associated with adolescent cannabis use, having initial positive subjective experiences resulting from its use is a strong predictor of subsequent cannabis dependence. Thus, the second goal of the current study was to use the place conditioning paradigm to examine the reward- (or aversion-) inducing properties of THC in adolescent and adult C57BL/6J mice, using both the traditional experimenter-administered THC (via injection) as well as edible THC self-administration.</div><div> Prior to initiating these THC studies, sensitivity of the place conditioning procedure to age-related differences in drug-induced reward was validated using cocaine, yielding locomotor stimulation in both ages and a decreased sensitivity to cocaine’s rewarding properties in adolescent mice. When provided limited access to edible THC dough in doses ranging from 0.0 to 6.0 mg/kg, mice showed a dose-dependent reduction in consumption across access sessions, and this reduction was more rapid in adult mice at the highest doses, suggesting that adolescent mice might have been less sensitive to its aversive properties. These same mice, as well as a separate group of mice receiving injection (also 0.0 to 6.0 mg/kg THC), were given place conditioning sessions, alternating between THC dough and control dough or THC injection and vehicle injection, for 6 days per week and were tested once per week across a total of 3 weeks. Mice conditioned using edible THC showed a neutral response (neither reward nor aversion) at all doses. However, mice conditioned using injected THC showed a conditioned place aversion to the highest dose, which was more pronounced in adult mice. Interestingly, in mice self-administering edible THC, the dose of THC consumed was related to the outcome of place conditioning, such that a conditioned place preference was observed for adult mice which shifted their consumption of 3.0 mg/kg edible THC downward relative to those mice with full consumption of 3.0 mg/kg, and for adolescent mice which had the highest degree of consumption of 6.0 mg/kg edible THC relative to those mice with the lowest consumption of 6.0 mg/kg. Furthermore, initial place preference outcomes at the individual level at test 1 predicted subsequent doses of edible THC consumed, suggesting mice adjust their self-administration of edible THC based on the subjective experience it produces. Besides its impact in place conditioning, THC also had differential effects on body weight and locomotor activity based on age and route of administration. Collectively, this project demonstrates that adolescent mice are less sensitive to the hedonic properties of both cocaine and THC, and that differences in edible THC self-administration between ages, and between individuals within an age, are likely related the subjective experience of its rewarding and aversive properties.</div>

<p>  </p> <p>Latinx adolescents from immigrant families often face more challenges than their peers due to simultaneously navigating the demands of two cultures. Many Latinx children are expected to contribute to the household in multiple ways, such as engagement in tasks like filial responsibility, which can impact their development. Filial responsibility is composed of three dimensions 1) instrumental caregiving (e.g., cleaning, translating, and paying bills), 2) emotional caregiving (e.g., providing emotional support to the family), and 3) perceived unfairness (i.e., feelings about whether caregiving tasks are fair). The present study aimed to examine the dimensions of filial responsibility and their relations to internalizing and externalizing problems in Latinx youth and whether perceived unfairness acted as a mediator. Participants were 176 Latinx youth (<em>M</em>age = 15.51 years, 66% female). Our SEM model demonstrated that filial responsibility (instrumental and emotional caregiving) did not have a mediating effect on perceived unfairness in youth adjustment.  Evidence was found for filial responsibility (emotional and instrumental caregiving) being differentially related to youth adjustment directly over time. Instrumental caregiving at T1 negatively predicted internalizing behaviors at T2, while T1 emotional caregiving positively predicted both internalizing and externalizing behaviors at T2 (controlling for prior youth adjustment). Results demonstrate the importance of independently examining the impact of instrumental and emotional caregiving on youth adjustment. Future studies should assess the impact of caregiving tasks on other youth outcomes such as academic success. </p>

The glymphatic system (GS) is primarily a neural waste clearance system that relies on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to transport neuronal byproducts and nutrients. Studies demonstrate that sleep facilitates movement within the GS to clear metabolites and maintain cerebral homeostasis. However, functions of the GS during sleep and its implications have predominantly been examined in animals, clinical/at-risk, and ageing populations. Our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying GS during sleep in typically developing human infants is limited. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between GS imbalance (characterized by extra-axial CSF [EA-CSF] from MRI structural images) and sleep problems in early development. Data from 75 infants were obtained from the Baby Connectome Project. Sleep was indexed with the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. Multilevel models were utilized to explore the associations of EA-CSF volumes and EA-CSF/total cerebral volume (TCV) ratios with age and sleep. We replicated previous findings on lower TCV and overall CSF volumes in infants with dysregulated sleep compared to infants with regulated sleep. Results also demonstrated a decline in EA-CSF/TCV ratios from 9 to 34 months of age (b = -0.0005, <i>t</i> = -2.19, <i>p</i> = .032). Sleep problems were not associated with differential developmental trajectories of EA-CSF volumes or EA-CSF/TCV ratios. Findings from the present study do not support sleep problems as a mechanism through which CSF disbursement within the GS is altered. Although elevated EA-CSF is associated with developmental and neurodegenerative pathology, in early typical development, its links with sleep dysregulation are not robust.