Behavior analysts often work with families from diverse cultural backgrounds. Ideally, behavior analysts and families interact in ways that are responsive to the family's culture and valued outcomes. The data indicate that most behavior analysts, however, come from one dominant cultural group. This is a proposal for training program and evaluation method to support culturally responsive professional-family interactions. This proposed study is designed to be conducted via Zoom-- a cloud-based video conferencing service. A pre-post treatment design is proposed to assess the effects of the training. Hypothetical data were generated to consider the range of effects such a program might have on trainee responses to written/live scenarios. Responses in the observation protocol included written descriptions, empathetic statements, perspective taking statements, and non-verbal behaviors. Overall, the program was designed using evidence-based procedures and is likely to support behavior analysts in training and in practice to improve their interactions with families and become more culturally responsive to groups of people that are from the non-dominant culture.

Background There appears to be clear evidence of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia which is wide ranging and relatively stable throughout the illness. Both cognitive impairment and treatment response have been argued to be highly relevant in risk assessment and management of offenders. However, there does not appear to be any research in this area on mentally disordered offenders. It is on this basis that this study attempts to determine the impact of cognitive impairment on treatment responsivity in mentally disordered offenders. Method A cohort quantitative research design was used and the data were obtained via the administration of neuropsychological assessments and self-report measures. Neuropsychological data on attention, executive functioning, memory and IQ were matched with treatment gain scores for 114 male mentally disordered offenders. The participants were further matched according to the group treatments they had participated in resulting in five different groups. Results Univariate and bivariate analyses were used to explore the relationship between cognitive predictor variables and treatment gain scores. Variables that were significantly associated with treatment gain scores were further investigated using multiple regression analyses. Results indicated that for each group, cognitive variables such as attention and memory were significantly predictive of treatment gain scores. Conclusion The results indicate the need to consider cognitive impairment constructs such as attention, executive functioning, memory and IQ when determining appropriate interventions for mentally disorders offenders. Doing so may improve treatment responsivity and have a consequent impact on risk management and recidivism. The research limitations are discussed in relation to the methodology used, and clinical implications and directions for future research are explored.

Though it is well established that mental illness is not a primary risk factor for criminal justice involvement, the relationship between mental illness and criminal risk with justice-involved persons with mental illness is not well understood (Bonta, et al., 1998; Morgan, et al., 2010; Skeem, et al., 2014). Specifically, psychopathology has not been understood at different levels of criminal risk. Using the Five-Level Risk and Needs System for criminal risk (Hanson, et al., 2017), the current study aimed to identify mean differences between different domains of psychopathology (i.e., internalizing, externalizing, and psychotic psychopathology) across five levels of criminal risk. Data were collected from 360 participants who were recruited from a southwestern state’s correctional department. Demographic variables such as age, years of education, relationship status, index offense, and mental health diagnoses (i.e., personality disorder, schizophrenia, substance use) were used to assess each participant’s level of criminal risk. The Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking (PICTS; Walters, 1995) was used to as an estimated measure of recidivism. Only three of the five risk levels were identified in this sample (Levels II, III, and IV). To create the three psychopathology domains, raw scores from the relevant Million Clinical Multiaxial Inventory- III (MCMI- III; Million, et al., 1994) scales were used. For example, the internalizing domain was developed from the Schizoid, Avoidant, Depressive, Masochistic, Schizotypal, Borderline, Anxiety, Somatoform, Dysthymia, Post-traumatic, Thought Disorder, and Major Depressive scales. Although the initial plan was to examine differences by gender (i.e., evaluate males and females separately), the analysis was limited to the full sample and included gender as a covariate due to a small sample size within each risk level. Additionally, only three levels of risk were identified in the current sample (i.e., Levels II-IV). A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to assess mean differences in internalizing, externalizing, and psychotic psychopathology across three levels of criminal risk in the full sample of justice-involved individuals while controlling for gender. No statistically significant differences in domain scores were found across risk levels, indicating that internalizing, externalizing, and psychotic types of psychopathologies present similarly across criminal risk levels. Results of this study suggest that internalizing, externalizing, and psychotic types of psychopathology would likely benefit from similar treatment dosages regardless of the individual’s criminal risk level.

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between parental responsivity and language outcomes after a 24-session language intervention in a sample of 62 toddlers with significant developmental delays and fewer than 10 spoken words. The data for this secondary analysis were taken from a longitudinal study that evaluated language outcomes after augmented or spoken language intervention (Romski et al., 2010). Instances of parental responsivity increased from pre-intervention to post-intervention and directive behaviors decreased slightly across all intervention groups. The results suggest a relationship between parental responsivity and expressive language outcomes in children with developmental delay who use augmentative and alternative communication. These findings support the role of parents as social partners in language interventions.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between length of punishment and the two common groupings of types of punishment. Further, the influence of length of punishment on guilt responsivity will be examined.

Research supports rehabilitative programming addressing youths’ risk to reoffend, criminogenic needs and responsivity factors with the goal of reducing reoffending. However, the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) framework takes a ‘gender neutral’ approach that critics assert overlooks the unique needs of females. It remains largely unknown whether matching treatment to RNR needs is as effective for female youth as it has been shown to be for male youth. Comparative analyses of 39 male and 37 female justice system-involved youth indicate that across RNR categories, females and males were similar in quality and quantity of needs, and had them met through probation services at a similar rate. However, while the RNR assessment tool predicted risk for recidivism equally well, the matching of services to RNR needs appears to be far more potent in reducing recidivism for boys than girls, suggesting a moderating effect of sex on the relationship between RNR matched treatment and re-offending.

Research supports rehabilitative programming addressing youths’ risk to reoffend, criminogenic needs and responsivity factors with the goal of reducing reoffending. However, the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) framework takes a ‘gender neutral’ approach that critics assert overlooks the unique needs of females. It remains largely unknown whether matching treatment to RNR needs is as effective for female youth as it has been shown to be for male youth. Comparative analyses of 39 male and 37 female justice system-involved youth indicate that across RNR categories, females and males were similar in quality and quantity of needs, and had them met through probation services at a similar rate. However, while the RNR assessment tool predicted risk for recidivism equally well, the matching of services to RNR needs appears to be far more potent in reducing recidivism for boys than girls, suggesting a moderating effect of sex on the relationship between RNR matched treatment and re-offending.

BACKGROUND: Sensory over-responsivity (SOR) is a type of Sensory Modulation Disorder (SMD), where the individual has an over-responsive behavioural reaction to non-harmful or non-threatening sensory stimulation, which is out of proportion to the stimulus. SOR can negatively impact a child’s engagement and performance in their daily life. SOR is frequently diagnosed by occupational therapists, and deep pressure is an important facet of the treatment of SOR by occupational therapists. Prior research (Alberts &amp; Ronca, 2012) indicates that the component of pressure in the vaginal birth process aids the infant’s neurophysiological adaption to extra-uterine life. This component is absent in elective caesarean section births. This study therefore set out to determine whether method of birth could be associated with SOR, as well as investigating demographic and other variables linked to SOR. It was hypothesised that there would be a higher prevalence of SOR in children aged 3-5 years born by elective caesarean section compared to those born by vaginal birth. The study objectives were: • To establish a profile (demographic and variables linked to SOR) of participants (mother-child dyads) by birth method group (CS or vaginal delivery) • To determine the prevalence of SOR by birth method • To establish if there is a statistically significant difference in SOR and birth method • To establish which variables (for example birth weight, jaundice, birth complications) are associated with SOR METHOD: A quantitative, descriptive, analytical study was conducted with a sample of 91 children between the ages of 3 years 0 months and 4 years 11 months. Children across various language, cultural and socio-economic groups were recruited and allocated to two groups based on their method of birth - vaginal delivery and elective caesarean section. Caregivers of each child completed the Short Sensory Profile 2 (SSP2) questionnaire as well as a demographic information questionnaire. The scores for SOR were calculated for each participant, and prevalence of SOR between the two birth method groups was compared. Demographic variables were tested for significance between the two groups. The variables showing a significant difference were further analysed to determine any association with SOR. RESULTS: There were 91 participants, 58 in the VB group and 33 in the CS group. Mothers in the VB group gave birth at a younger age (U = 499.0, p < .001), were of a lower income level (chi-square = 11.49, df = 2, p = .003) and more likely to be single (Fishers exact p (2-tailed) = .037). The children in the VB group were of a greater gestational age (U = 472.5, p = .001), had a shorter time period before the first breastfeed (U = 478.0, p = .006), and had fewer sleeping difficulties (Fishers exact p (2-tailed) = .003). The prevalence of SOR for the total sample was 22%. There was a significant association in SOR prevalence and birth method (Fishers exact p (2-tailed) = .034), with greater prevalence in the VB group (29%) as opposed to the elective CS group (9%). There were statistically significant associations between SOR and maternal age (U = 380.5, p = .004), marital status (Fishers exact p (2-tailed) = .003) and time after birth to the first breastfeed (U = 394.5, p = .049). CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant difference in SOR between the two birth method groups, with higher prevalence in the VB group. This was thought to be linked to cultural and language challenges associated with the use of the SSP2, and the impact of low socio-economic circumstances on child development and the ability to regulate sensory input. Recommendations include developing and validating a culturally appropriate sensory profile questionnaire, available in the most common official languages to facilitate the accurate assessment of sensory modulation of all children living in South Africa. In addition, there is a need to test the birth method hypothesis in demographically balanced groups.

No description available.

No description available.