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Children with language impairment (LI) have notable social problems (Brinton & Fujiki, 2004). Research has shown that children with LI often have deficits in working memory (Kirchner & Klatsky, 1985; Stark, Poppen, & May, 1987). The relationship between working memory and social behaviors has not been clearly defined. This study examined this relationship in children with LI and typical age-matched peers by asking participants to repeat nine nonwords and correlating these results with social behaviors as rated by teachers. The Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (TBRS; Hart and Robinson, 1996) was used to compare social behaviors of 19 school-age children with LI to 19 age-matched peers with typically developing language skills. Social behaviors were divided into two categories, withdrawal and sociability. One subtype of withdrawal (reticence) and two subtypes of sociability (prosocial and likeability) were examined. Nonword repetition is a culturally nonbiased measurement of the ability to form phonological representation of nonwords in working memory (Edwards & Lahey, 1998). A modified version of Edwards and Lahey's nonword repetition task was used to assess working memory. Teachers rated children with LI as demonstrating higher levels of reticence and lower levels of both types of sociability than typical children. Children with LI performed poorer on the nonword repetition task at all syllable lengths (3-syllable, 4-syllable, and 5 syllable). Analyses of covariance were performed, including all participants, to identify if there were significant relationships between social behaviors and working memory. The results indicated that working memory was a significant factor for reticence, likeability, and prosocial behaviors. Regression analyses indicated that nonword repetition scores were significant predictors of reticence, accounting for 28% of the variance, likeability, accounting for 18% of the variance, and prosocial behaviors, accounting for 11% of the variance. As working memory increased, reticence decreased and both likeability and prosocial skills increased. Further analyses showed that only likeability was significantly influenced by language group and gender. Group specific analyses indicated that likeability was predicted by working memory for typical peers but not for children with LI. Working memory was also a stronger predictor of likeability for males than females.

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No description available.

Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 1 out of 10,000 females worldwide. Mutations of the X-linked MECP2 gene encoding methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) accounts for >90% of RTT cases. People with RTT and mice with Mecp2 disruption show autonomic dysfunction, especially life-threatening breathing disorders, which involves defects in brainstem neurons for breathing controls, including neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC). Accumulating evidence obtained from Mecp2−/Y mice suggests that imbalanced excitation/inhibition or the impaired synaptic communications in central neurons plays a major role. LC neurons in Mecp2−/Ymice are hyperexcited, attributable to the deficiency in GABA synaptic inhibition. Several previous studies indicate that augmenting synaptic GABA receptors (GABARs) leads to a relief of RTT-like symptoms in mice. The extrasynaptic GABARs located outside synaptic cleft, which have the capability to produce sustained inhibition, and may be a potential therapeutic target for the rebalance of excitation/inhibition in RTT. In contrast to the rich information of the synaptic GABARs in RTT research, however, whether Mecp2 gene disruption affects the extrasynaptic GABARs remains unclear. In this study, we show evidence that the extrasynaptic GABAR mediated tonic inhibition of LC neurons was enhanced in Mecp2−/Ymice, which seems attributable to the augmented δ subunit expression. Low-dose THIP exposure, an agonist specific to δ subunit containing extrasynaptic GABARs, extended the lifespan, alleviated breathing abnormalities, enhanced motor function, and improved social behaviors of Mecp2−/Ymice. Such beneficial effects were associated with stabilization of brainstem neuronal hyperexcitability, including neurons in the LC and the mesencephalic trigeminal V nucleus (Me5), and improvement of norepinephrine (NE) biosynthesis. Such phenomena were found in symptomatic Mecp2+/− (sMecp2+/−) female mice model as well, in which the THIP exposure alleviated the hyperexcitability of both LC and Me5 neurons to a similar level as their counterparts in Mecp2−/Y mice, and improved breathing function. In identified LC neurons of sMecp2+/− mice, the hyperexcitability appeared to be determined by both MeCP2 expression and their environmental cues. In conclusion, intervention to extrasynaptic GABAAR by chronic treatment with THIP might be a therapeutic approach to RTT-like symptoms in both Mecp2−/Y and Mecp2+/− mice models and perhaps in people with RTT as well.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T14:21:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana Monica Parente Lemos Rodrigues.pdf: 440164 bytes, checksum: e68bbb7bd994b2d9e0860dca477129af (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-05-04 / The present study had the following aim to verify the effectiveness and efficacy of the principles of Behavior Analysis by the comprehension of antisocial behavior of children in risk situation, that participate in a program to prevent juvenile delinquency in a non-governmental organization, in the city of Goiânia. The participants were six educators of both sexes that received informations and training about the basic concepts of the Applied Behavoir Analysis to intervene in the anti-social behaviors presented by seventy kids that participated in different pedagogic workshops of the institution. There were selected three anti-social behaviors (physical aggression, verbal aggression and to disobedience) to suffer intervention. For the control of the procedures, type AB Delineation was used succeeded by follow up. The delineation began with the data collection in the Base Line phase and later it was initiated the Intervention phase, in which procedures of positive reinforcement, were used to increase the adequated behaviors, including the system of cards as immediate reinforcement, time-out and extinction to weaken the inadequated behaviors. The results showed that the Intervention was effective in the reduction of the anti-social behaviors when compared to the Base Line phases. The results were discussed in terms of the applied methodology of the effects reached and the corroboration of the data with the theory. / O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a eficácia dos princípios da análise do comportamento a partir da redução dos comportamentos antisociais de crianças em situação de risco, que são atendidas em uma instituição não governamental na cidade de Goiânia. Os participantes foram seis educadores de ambos os sexos que receberam informações e treinamento sobre os conceitos básicos da Análise Aplicada do Comportamento para intervir nos comportamentos anti-sociais apresentados por 70 crianças que participavam das diferentes oficinas pedagógicas da instituição. Foram selecionados três comportamentos anti-sociais (agressão física, agressão verbal e desobediência) para sofrerem intervenção. Para o controle dos procedimentos foi utilizado o Delineamento do tipo AB seguido de Follow-up. O delineamento foi iniciado com a coleta de dados na fase Linha de Base e em seguida, foi iniciada a fase de Intervenção, onde foram utilizados procedimentos de reforçamento positivo para aumentar os comportamentos adequados incluindo um sistema de fichas como reforço imediato e, time-out e extinção para enfraquecer os comportamentos inadequados. Os resultados demonstraram que a Intervenção foi efetiva na redução dos comportamentos anti-sociais quando comparados às fases de Linha de Base. Os resultados foram discutidos em termos da metodologia aplicada, dos efeitos alcançados e da corroboração dos dados com a teoria.

A solution is needed to counteract violent news, Internet, and other negative media images and management behaviors in the workplace, in order to boost engagement and prosocial behaviors at work. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the attitudes of working professionals toward prosocial behaviors and employee engagement in the workplace as affected by transpersonal Hollywood films. An organization's ability to survive is directly related to empowerment and innovation. Classic films provide a gateway for transpersonal experiences that could change behavior and thoughts. Peterson and Seligman's transformational typology involving 6 character virtues and 24 strengths was the basis for coding 8 positive films that were viewed by participants. Data collection consisted of 2 in-depth interviews, 8 written film questionnaires, and an exit interview from a criterion-based, purposeful sample of 10 adult working nonmanagerial professionals living in Los Angeles, employed in any industry except the entertainment industry. Six to 10 participants, according to researchers, are an appropriate number for saturation. The most prevalent strengths mentioned were social intelligence and perspective, followed by integrity, hope and open-mindedness. Frequent phrases that corresponded to the 6 virtue categories were wisdom/knowledge and humanity. The results revealed that positive films could be a boon for industrial/organizational issues involving recruitment, training, motivation, and prosocial behaviors. The use of positive transpersonal Hollywood films in human capital development could lead to positive social change in the workplace by reducing worker sick days and promoting a happier workforce with increased innovation and productivity.

L’objectif de ce travail porte sur l’évaluation des comportements sociaux non-verbauxdans la pathologie schizophrénique. Pour cela, nous avons utilisé la Motor-Affective-Social-Scale (Trémeau et al., 2008) dans le but d’évaluer les gestes co-verbaux qui accompagnent lediscours (sourires et gestes des mains spontanés et expression faciale volontaire), ainsi que leparadigme expérimental des pendules (Schmidt & O’Brien, 1997) permettant d’évaluer lastabilité des coordinations motrices interpersonnelles (CMI). Nos études 1 & 2 démontrentque la schizophrénie induit une réduction significative des gestes co-verbaux, ainsi qu’unediminution de la stabilité des CMI. Nos études 3 & 4 mettent en évidence que la diminutionde la stabilité des CMI dans la schizophrénie est également présente chez les apparentés depremier degré et ce, en dehors de toute influence de l’âge chronologique. Ces résultatssuggèrent que les déficits de CMI pourraient être considérés comme de potentiels phénotypesintermédiaires de la schizophrénie. Enfin, les études 5 & 6 suggèrent qu’il est possible defavoriser la production des comportements sociaux non-verbaux ainsi que de favoriser lastabilité des CMI chez les patients en utilisant une tâche expérimentale d’amorçage socialnon-conscient. Ces travaux ont permis de compléter les connaissances théoriques, de mettreen lumière l’importance des comportements moteurs, de mettre en évidence un nouveaumarqueur phénotypique et d’explorer une nouvelle voie de prise en charge des troubles dufonctionnement social dans la schizophrénie. / The aim of this work was to assess the social motor behaviors in schizophrenia. In ourexperimental situations, we used the Motor-Affective-Social-Scale (Trémeau et al., 2008) toassess the social motor behaviors (spontaneous smiles and hand gestures and voluntary facialexpression) and the hand-held pendulum task (Schmidt & O’Brien, 1997) to assess theinterpersonal social motor coordination. In studies 1 & 2, we showed a social behaviorsreduction and interpersonal social motor coordination impairment in schizophrenia. In studies3 & 4, we showed that first degree-relatives of schizophrenia patients have a similarinterpersonal social motor impairment. These results suggested that interpersonal social motorcoordination could be a potential intermediate phenotype of schizophrenia. Finally, thesestudies 5 & 6 showed that the social motor behaviors, including interpersonal social motorcoordination, could be significantly promoted using pro-social priming effect. In conclusion,this dissertation allowed us to better understand the schizophrenia disorder, to demonstrate thenecessity of taking into account the motor dimensions in mental disorders with socialinteraction deficits, to suggest that intentional interpersonal coordination impairments mightbe a potential motor intermediate phenotype of schizophrenia and to propose a newrehabilitation protocol to improving the social functioning in schizophrenia.

Although most research has focused on adults, studies indicate that children also experience detrimental psychological effects as the result of natural disasters. The purpose of the present study was to determine if the tornado which struck Wichita Falls,, Texas, on April 10, 1979, had any negative effects on the academic performance or social behavior of school children. Three groups of students were studied: (a) victims of the tornado who suffered a significant loss, (b) observers of the disaster who did not suffer a significant loss, and (c) newcomers who arrived after the disaster. Achievement test scores, grades, and attendance over a 4-year period were studied. The overall results do not indicate significant differences among the three groups.

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