bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nurses and Nutraceuticals
Authors: Sand-Jecklin Kari , Badzek Laurie
Published: November 2003

Increasing use of herbal products by the American public should prompt nurses to routinely address herbal use during patient interactions. However,whether nurses possess the knowledge required to discuss risks and benefits of herbal use with patients is unknown. This study was undertaken to investigate registered nurses’ knowledge about and use of five common herbal products: ginkgo,St. John’s wort, ginseng, garlic,and echinacea. One hundred forty-nine (30%) of 500 randomly selected nurses responded to a mailed questionnaire addressing the frequency of use,purpose,side effects,and interactions of the above products. Most respondents had neither used nor suggested use of the products. Respondents were relatively unfamiliar with product characteristics,although somewhat more familiar with purpose than with side effects or interactions. No knowledge differences were identified according to practice area or number of years in practice,but differences were noted according to educational level and use of specific products.
‘Body Art’ and Social Status: Cutting, Tattooing and Piercing from a Feminist Perspective
Authors: Jeffreys Sheila
Published: November 2003

This article analyses the developing industry of body modification, in which cutting, tattooing and piercing are carried out in studios for profit. It seeks to offer a feminist understanding of this industry which places it on a continuum of harmful cultural practices that include self-mutilation in private, transsexual surgery, cosmetic surgery and other harmful western beauty practices. The ideology created by industry practitioners, that ‘body modification’ replicates the spiritual practices of other cultures, reclaims the body, or is transgressive, is supported by the use of postmodern feminist theory. These ideas are criticized here. On the contrary, it will be suggested that such harmful cultural practices of self-mutilation are sought, or carried out on, those groups who occupy a despised social status, such as women, lesbians and gay men, disabled people and women and men who have suffered sexual abuse in childhood or adulthood.
Dialogical Management of Morality in Domestic Violence Counselling
Authors: Kurri Katja , Wahlström Jarl
Published: November 2003

Moral issues have rarely been an explicit topic when family violence has been discussed in psychological literature. This article contributes to this topic through a detailed analysis of the transcripts of a counselling session on domestic violence, with special emphasis placed on how complex issues of morality are dialogically managed by the participants. It is shown that the morality of counselling is not explicit, but is constructed by various cautious and indirect conversational devices. In the analysed conversation it was possible for the counsellor to ‘prescribe’ a normative morality only if this was done indirectly and discreetly. The function of these various delicate discursive techniques was to avoid attributing to the client the notion of ‘weak agency’, which was regarded as morally undesirable. We argue that on a global level the discursive techniques in use functioned to reinstate the institution of counselling as a liberal practice that respects the client’s autonomy. It is argued that the morality of counselling is constructed so as to preserve the moral agency of a client, while at the same time ‘prescribing’ the ideal of a ‘good life’. The analysis draws attention to how the counsellor manages the tension between the notions of a good life, as constructed by normative and public ethics, and, on the other hand, the consideration of the client’s right to make her own decisions in her personal life, as advocated in recent discussions in the field of counselling on domestic violence. The implications for good practice are discussed.
`Class Acts': Educational Involvement and Psycho-Sociological Class Processes
Authors: Reay Diane
Published: November 2003

This article draws on the accounts of mothers of primary school children in Britain in order to explore the influence of social class in women's lives. It examines psycho-sociological class processes and their formative impact on female subjectivity through a focus on data from a study of mothers' involvement in their children's schooling. These processes become very apparent when mothers talk about their children's schooling, revealing emotive intimacies of class that impact on both their attitudes and their actions. The article concludes that we need to develop approaches in which psychological and sociological understandings are woven together to reveal the complex strands that make up class in contemporary society.
Negotiating Hegemonic Masculinity: Imaginary Positions and Psycho-Discursive Practices
Authors: Wetherell Margaret , Edley Nigel
Published: November 2003

In this article we provide a critical analysis of the concept of hegemonic masculinity. We argue that although this concept embodies important theoretical insights, it is insufficiently developed as it stands to enable us to understand how men position themselves as gendered beings. In particular it offers a vague and imprecise account of the social psychological reproduction of male identities. We outline an alternative critical discursive psychology of masculinity. Drawing on data from interviews with a sample of men from a range of ages and from diverse occupational backgrounds, we delineate three distinctive, yet related, procedures or psycho-discursive practices, through which men construct themselves as masculine. The political implications of these discursive practices, as well as the broader implications of treating the psychological process of identification as a form of discursive accomplishment, are also discussed.
The Relationships of Body Image, Feminism and Sexual Orientation in College Women
Authors: Ojerholm Amy J. , Rothblum Esther D.
Published: November 2003

In this study, 409 undergraduate women completed surveys about their own body image, feminism and sexual orientation as well as their attitudes about others, that is, attitudes about weight in others, attitudes about feminism and attitudes about lesbians and gay men. There was a significant relationship between the three external measures of fat attitudes, attitudes towards feminism and attitudes towards lesbians and gay men, and it is argued that each of these three variables reflects some degree of political liberalism. We also found that the relationship between own identity and attitudes towards others was significant for feminism and sexual orientation, but non-significant for own body image and attitudes about fatness in others. Thus, the results of this study imply that fat people as a group have still not formed the kind of political or social cohesiveness that has been so advantageous to other oppressed groups, such as women or gay men and lesbians.
Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the Spatial Filtering Properties of a Number of Concentric Annular Strain Sensors
Authors: Kidner M. R. F. , Batton Brad , Johnson M. E.
Published: October 2003

As an extension to the work done on shaped sensors as spatial filters in one dimension, spatial filtering in two dimensions is considered. The spatial windowing function of disc shaped and annular strain sensors are derived. Experimental results are shown to validate the model. A numerical method for combining annular sensors is then presented. It is shown that low and band pass sensors can be created with relatively few annular elements if the evanescent field is not significant at the sensor. Theoretical and experimental results are presented as well as design criteria. Limitations due to spatial sampling, anisotropic properties of strain sensitive materials and the effect of evanescent and in-plane structural waves are discussed.
An Equivalent Circuit Model for Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites and their Performance Improvement by a Clay-Based Polymer Nano-Composite Technique
Authors: Paquette Jason W. , Kim Kwang J. , Nam Jae-Do , Tak Yong S.
Published: October 2003

Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC) is a new class of polymeric material exhibiting large strain with inherent soft actuation. The observed motion characteristics of an IPMC subjected to an electric field is highly nonlinear. This is believed to be due primarily to the particle electrodes on the IPMC surface, which is inherently both capacitive and resistive due to particle separation and density. Knowing that the value of resistivity and capacity can be manipulated by the number of metal platings applied to the IPMC, the force response of an IPMC when subjected to an imposed electric field is due to the interaction of an array of capacitors and resistors along with ionic migration. In this effort we attempt to incorporate a capacitive and resistive model into the linear irreversible thermodynamic model. The advantages of using such a model are (i) the possible dynamic predictability of the material itself in connection with capacitive responses; and (ii) the realization of capacitive and resistive effect arising from the particle electrodes and the base polymer, respectively. The behavior of the proposed model can explain typical experimentally obtained values well. Also, an experimental effort to improve the properties of the base polymer was carried out by a novel nanocomposite technique. The experiment results on the current/voltage (I/V) curves indicate that the starting material of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) can be optimized to create effective polymer actuators.
Piezoceramic Telescopic Actuator Quasi-Static Experimental Characterization
Authors: Alexander Paul W. , Brei Diann
Published: October 2003

Piezoceramic telescopic actuators capitalize upon an internally-leveraged amplification technique consisting of interconnected concentric, cascaded cylinders that telescope out when activated. The building-block nature of the telescopic design makes it an efficient, densely packed actuator that yields high work output for a given volume. As with any actuator, once fabricated, there are factors that lead to losses in performance that are not captured in most predictive models. To identify these and gain insight into the overall device behavior, this paper presents an experimental investigation of the quasi-static force-deflection performance. For a broader perspective, three unique telescopic prototypes were fabricated and experimentally tested, each manufactured using different techniques, materials, and geometries. As expected, discrepancies between the experimental and modeled behavior were observed. Therefore, to accurately predict the observed behavior of this architecture, a full three-dimensional numerical model was constructed for each prototype and was used to revise a previously derived analytical model accounting for the complex actuator behavior observed in the experiments and improving the characterization of the loss mechanisms in the telescopic actuation architecture.
Size and Frequency of Defects in Silicon MEMS
Authors: Lavan David A. , Boyce B. L. , Buchheit T. E.
Published: October 2003

Mechanical testing of thin films for MEMS has progressed from a developmental stage to a point where validated techniques are used to study the behavior of devices and materials at a very fine scale. Tensile data covering a range of sizes and test techniques have been analyzed to examine the distribution of defects that would be responsible for the observed fracture strengths. For each sample, a critical defect size was calculated based on a published fracture toughness and a half-circular surface crack fracture toughness model. For polysilicon produced using the SUMMiT V process in the period 1998-1999, the calculated mean defect size was 115 nm. For polysilicon produced using the MUMPS process, the calculated mean defect size was 389 nm.
Exploring Employee Outcomes of Organizational Restructuring
Authors: Probst Tahira M.
Published: November 2003

Previous research on the effects of organizational restructuring has primarily been conducted using self-report cross-sectional data. These forms of data are vulnerable to several threats to both internal and external validity. Using a Solomon four-group design, this study examined the effects of an organizational restructuring while simultaneously testing for the effects of pretesting, history, and interactions between pretesting and the organizational restructuring. Results suggest the organizational restructuring had consistent negative effects on employee levels of job security, organizational commitment, perceptions of time pressure, psychological well-being, and turnover intentions. Effects on job satisfaction, physical health, and perceptions of role ambiguity were less consistently noted. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed and directions for future research are proposed.
Note: Comparison of Colour Techniques to Measure Chocolate Fat Bloom
Authors: Kumara B. , Jinap S. , Man Y. B. Che , Yusoff M. S.A.
Published: October 2003

A combination of digital camera, computer and graphic software can provide a less expensive and more versatile technique to determine the changes of colour on chocolate's surface in fat bloom assessment compared to instrumental colour measurement. Both techniques were applied and compared to measure the colour profiles at various locations on the surface of bloomed chocolates. Pearson correlation coefficients and sample paired t-test on whiteness index (WI) and L*a*b* values were calculated. The value of WI of chocolate samples from instrumental technique was in the range of 35.8-44.3 with a coefficient of variance (CV) ranging from 0.0 to 0.9%. Meanwhile, digital image technique gave a WI value ranging from 35.1 to 45.1 with a CV from 0.1 to 14.2%, respectively. A highly significant correlation was found for the means of WI (R21/4 0.821) and L* (R2 1/4 0.788) values between instrumental and digital image technique. b* value of digital image also had significant correlation with the instrumental data (R21/4 0.756). However, there were significantly different measurements in the values obtained (p<0.001) by both techniques. Thus, b* as well as a* values could not be used as a colour indicator in this study. The results suggested that though the digital image provided good measurement of WI and L*, the colour measurements of digital image were less precise as compared to the instrumental technique, therefore results from the digital image should be interpreted with caution.
Comparative Effects of the Fat Extracted from Raw and Fried Sardines Upon Rat Growth and Zinc Bioavailability
Authors: Pérez-Granados A. M. , Vaquero M. P. , Navarro M. P.
Published: October 2003

Three diets containing 8% olive oil, fresh sardine (Clupea pilchardus) oil and oil from sardines fried in olive oil were prepared. After in vitro digestion, soluble (dialysed and non-dialysed) and insoluble zinc fractions were determined. Fresh sardine oil and oil from sardines fried in olive oil provided more dialysed zinc and less insoluble zinc than 8% olive oil. Three groups of growing rats consumed the diets for 28 days. Food intake and body weight values of rats fed 8% olive oil were significantly higher than those fed fresh sardine oil and slightly lower than those fed oil from sardines fried in olive oil. Animals fed fresh sardine oil exhibited the lowest apparent zinc retention during days 5-12, but absorption efficiency increased during days 21-28 and all groups had similar final zinc absorption and retention values. Animals fed oil from sardines fried in olive oil displayed higher (days 5-12) or similar (days 21-28) apparent zinc absorption and retention values than rats fed 8% olive oil and fresh sardine oil. Hepatic zinc concentrations were higher in rats fed oil from sardines fried in olive oil than fed fresh sardine oil, while all groups showed similar spleenic concentrations. Zinc accumulation in skin was significantly higher in animals fed fresh sardine oil than in those fed oil from sardines fried in olive oil, and their total erythrocyte zinc concentrations were also higher than in rats fed oil from sardines fried in olive oil or on 8% olive oil. In conclusion, a diet high in raw sardine fatty acids can cause excessive zinc accumulation in skin and erythrocytes. However, these negative effects of sardine oil disappear after frying in olive oil.
Influence of Feeds and Rearing System on the Productive Performances and the Chemical and Fatty Acid Composition of Hare Meat
Authors: Vicenti A. , Ragni M. , di Summa A. , Marsico G. , Vonghia G.
Published: October 2003

Hare meat from animals differently reared and fed were analysed to compare the influence of different rearing techniques, different energy levels of feeds and gender on the productive performances of hares, and on the quantitative characteristics and chemical and fatty acid profile of the meat. The effects of diet and gender did not produce important differences in productive performances and on the quantitative and qualitative parameters under consideration. Statistically significant differences were found depending on rearing techniques. Those differences for the hares reared in cages referred to better productive performances which favoured fleshier carcasses and a higher accumulation of fat. The acid composition depended on the rearing conditions, which affected the motor activity of the animals and therefore the consumption and the deposit of determined lipid fractions.
Systematic Analysis Model on Combined Heat and Water Transfer Using Water Potential Based on Thermodynamics
Authors: Ozaki Akihito
Published: October 2003

A thermodynamic energy “water potential” based on the principles of chemical potential of an element of mixed gas is defined as the driving force of gaseous phase water transfer. Adhesive power or “capillary action” and a portion of the water potential, is confirmed as the driving force of liquid phase water transfer. A numerical model of combined heat and water transfer using the water potential is introduced and influences of forces such as gravity and pressure on water transfer are incorporated from the viewpoint of thermodynamics. A way to estimate diffusivities of gaseous and liquid phase water through porous materials and the thermodynamic relations between such diffusivities and the potential are also shown. Accuracy of the numerical model is demonstrated through a comparison between calculation and experiment for different temperature gradients and water content in a porous material.
Teachersí Value Orientations and Their Compatibility with the National Curriculum for Physical Education
Authors: Curtner-Smith Matthew D. , Meek Geoffrey A.
Published: October 2003

The purpose of this study was to describe a sample of English physical education teachers’ value orientations for curricular decision making and to assess their compatibility with the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE). In addition, the impact of gender, experience and activity background on teachers’ value orientations was examined. The revised Value Orientation Inventory was used to collect data from 64 teachers working in the south-west of England. Descriptive statistics were computed for each of five value orientations. The numbers and percentages of teachers who demonstrated high, neutral and low priorities for each value orientation were also computed. One-way analysis of variance tests was used to make comparisonsbetween the scores for gender, experience and activity background groups. Product–moment correlation coefficients were computed to determine the relationships between value orientations. Results indicated that this sample of teachers had a number of different priorities other than teaching the subject matter of physical education. This finding suggested that the focus of recent NCPE policy texts may not be compatible with the values of many teachers. There were no significant differences based on gender or experience. Teachers with a traditional activity background placed a higher priority on social responsibility, while teachers with a non-traditional or eclectic activity background placed a higher priority on learning process. In addition, correlational data suggested that teachers with high priorities for self-actualization and socialresponsibility may find it particularly difficult to deliver NCPE in congruence with the latestofficial policy.
Folk Psychology, Neuroscience and Explanation in Physical Education
Authors: Reid Andrew
Published: October 2003

The traditional practices of physical educationists presuppose a framework of concepts and assumptions which is generally consistent with the common-sense or folkpsychological point of view. It might be supposed that this will in time be superseded by a revised conceptual framework, based on developments in neuroscience. This paper explores the possible relations between the folk and neuroscientific standpoints in terms of their explanatory adequacy for physical education. Four main positions are considered: conceptual dualism, eliminative materialism, reductivism and non-reductive physicalism. It is proposed that only the last of these has any real philosophical plausibility, and that a fundamental constraint on any adequate conceptual framework for physical education must be its capacity to reflect the intrinsic normativity of curricular physical activities.These considerations rule out the prospect of a radical paradigm shift in the theory of physical education.
Burning the Book: A Biographical Study of a Pedagogically Inspired Identity Crisis in Physical Education
Authors: DevÌs-DevÌs Josè , Sparkes Andrew C.
Published: October 2003

This paper focuses upon a fateful moment in the life of a Spanish student of physical education called Guillem (a pseudonym) in which the reading of a particular text as part of his course requirements instigated a powerful identity crisis. Biographical data are provided to contextualize the crisis and the impact it had on the life of this student. Next, the strategies used by Guillem to resolve his identity crisis are considered and the problems of self-change are highlighted. Finally, attention is given to the implications of this case for those who seek to engage in critical forms of pedagogy.
The Validity of the Diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder (Child and Adolescent Criteria)
Authors: Wilson Ian , Griffin Chris , Wren Bernadette
Published: November 2003

This article looks at the diagnosis of gender identity disorder (child and adolescent criteria) as used in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV). It considers how gender identity disorder came to be in the fourth edition, and explores some of the problematic aspects of the DSM-IV criteria. The authors argue that research has focused on cross-gender behaviours and gender role, and consequently muddled issues of pathology. In particular, that this has served to pressurize boys to conform to traditional gender and heterosexual roles. The authors suggest that the pathology accompanying gender identity dysphoria should be the focus of the clinical work rather than treating gender role behaviour. It is proposed that the model of atypical gender identity organization, is able to account for the diverse factors that may be contributing to a discordant gender identity, without labelling what may be a normal developmental pathway as pathological.
Children with ADHD Transferring to Secondary Schools: Potential Difficulties and Solutions
Authors: Thompson Anne E. , Morgan Carole , Urquhart Irene
Published: November 2003

We describe some of the difficulties commonly faced by children with attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during the transition from primary to secondary school. Some difficulties arise because the more exacting academic and environmental demands of secondary schools exacerbate symptoms of ADHD or unmask associated difficulties. Other problems may be related to the practical problems of taking psychostimulants in schools. In addition, all children of this age group are slowly mastering the developmental tasks of pre-adolescence, and some children with ADHD find this particularly challenging. Typical interventions offered by our multidisciplinary Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) team for these school-based difficulties are described. These are usually coordinated by the members of the Education Directorate’s Emotional and Behavioural Support Service who are based in CAMHS. Close working between health practitioners and school staff in this way is well received by families and teachers, and contributes to the holistic management of children with ADHD at this important stage of their lives.
Parenting Late-Placed Children: The Development of New Relationships and the Challenge of Behavioural Problems
Authors: Rushton Alan , Mayes Deborah , Dance Cherilyn , Quinton David
Published: November 2003

This article reports on the development of new relationships and the presence of behavioural and emotional problems in a study of 61 five- to nine-year-old children placed from care with the intention of permanence in new, unrelated families during middle childhood. When interviewed, new parents reported that 73% of the children had formed an attached relationship with one or both parents by the end of their first year in placement. The children who were not regarded as attached showed more behavioural and emotional problems and overactive/restless behaviour, and were also more likely to have been actively rejected by their birth parents. More detailed aspects of possible difficulties in the new parent/child relationships were investigated by means of a parent-completed questionnaire which explored the children’s expression of feelings. The non-attached children had many more difficulties in communicating their feelings and in specific interactions with their new parents by the end of the first year of placement. The new parents of these children tended to find it difficult to relate to them in a warm, responsive manner early in the placement and this worsened by the end of the year. There was considerable overlap between behavioural and relationship problems, suggesting the need to promote the quality of the relationship between children and their new parents as well as to reduce the level of behavioural problems in the children. Implications for post-placement support and intervention are discussed.
Thinking about and Managing Contact in Permanent Placements: The Differences and Similarities between Adoptive Parents and Foster Carers
Authors: Neil Elsbeth , Beek Mary , Schofield Gillian
Published: November 2003

Children permanently separated from their birth families have to manage life-long issues of attachment, identity and loss. This article focuses on the issue of post- placement contact and discusses the qualities of foster carers and adopters that can best help children negotiate such issues when contact occurs. Two linked research studies provide data on young adopted children, and children in middle childhood placed in long-term foster care. Almost all foster children were found to be having frequent face-to-face contact, compared with only a small minority of adopted children. However, face-to-face contact was found to be more straightforward in the adoptive families, largely because such young children had less complex relationships with their birth relatives and easier relationships with their new parents. Adopters were centrally involved in contact meetings and able to act autonomously, whereas the experience of foster carers was much more varied, with some feeling excluded from decision-making. In both placement types, sensitive and empathic thinking and accepting values of foster carers and adopters were vital in helping children use contact meetings to make sense of their membership of two families. When such parental attributes were present, a wide range of contact arrangements could be successful.
Psychological Disorder in Adolescents and Adults with Asperger Syndrome
Authors: Tantam Digby
Published: November 2003

The distress and disability caused by Asperger syndrome are a consequence of the core syndrome itself, and any neurological or physical disorders which may be associated with it. Distress and disability are also influenced, to a much greater degree than has previously been recognized, by the personal reactions of the sufferer and the social reactions of those around him or her. One important type of personal reaction is the development of a psychological disorder secondary to Asperger syndrome. There is growing evidence that these reactions are commoner and more severe than has been thought previously. They include affective disorders, anxiety-related disorders and conduct disorders. Their manifestations may be altered by the presence of Asperger syndrome. Treatment usually involves a combination of psycho- education, social change, psychotropic medication and counselling.
The Prevalence of Anxiety and Mood Problems among Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome
Authors: Kim Joseph A. , Szatmari Peter , Bryson Susan E. , Streiner David L. , Wilson Freda J.
Published: November 2003

The objective of this study was to report on the prevalence and correlates of anxiety and mood problems among 9- to 14- year-old children with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism. Children who received a diagnosis of autism ( n 40) or AS ( n 19) on a diagnostic interview when they were 4 to 6 years of age were administered a battery of cognitive and behavioural measures. Families were contacted roughly 6 years later (at mean age of 12 years) and assessed for evidence of psychiatric problems including mood and anxiety disorders. Compared with a sample of 1751 community children, AS and autistic children demonstrated a greater rate of anxiety and depression problems. These problems had a significant impact on their overall adaptation. There were, however, no differences in the number of anxiety and mood problems between the AS and autistic children within this high-functioning cohort. The number of psychiatric problems was not correlated with early autistic symptoms but was predicted to a small extent by early verbal/non-verbal IQ discrepancy scores. These data indicate that high-functioning PDD children are at greater risk for mood and anxiety problems than the general population but the correlates and risk factors for these comorbid problems remain unclear.
Greek Teachers’ Perceptions of Autism and Implications for Educational Practice
Authors: Mavropoulou Sophia , Padeliadu Susana
Published: November 2003

The general aim of this study was to examine perceptions about autism in regular education ( n35) and special education ( n29) teachers attending the second year of their in-service training. Data were collected through a series of written questions covering four areas of interest (general information, aetiology, behavioural characteristics, treatment). The analysis of findings revealed some confusion in regard to the causes of the syndrome in both groups of teachers. However, special education teachers were more likely to identify correctly the specific characteristics of autism. Regular and special education teachers also identified different instructional priorities in the treatment of autism. The practical implications of these findings for in-service training are discussed.
Abnormal Attention in Autism Shown by Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials
Authors: Belmonte Matthew
Published: November 2003

This study examined brain electrical responses as a physiological measure of speed and specificity of attentional shifting in eight adult males with autism. Subjects were required to shift attention between rapidly flashed targets alternating between left and right visual hemifields. When targets were separated by less than 700 ms, steady- state brain electrical response in both hemispheres was augmented and background EEG decreased for rightward shifts as compared with leftward shifts. At longer separations, persons with autism showed no modulation of background EEG, and high variability in steady-state response. These results contrast with those in normal controls, where in each hemisphere separately steady-state response increased and background EEG descreased for shifts directed contralaterally to that hemisphere. Group differences were significant at p < 0.04 for the steady-state response and p < 0.0001 for the background EEG. Lack of hemispherically independent modulation in autism may reflect the operation of a non-specific mechanism of sensory gating.
Visual Perception and Asperger Syndrome: Central Coherence Deficit or Hierarchization Deficit?
Authors: Rodgers Jacqui
Published: November 2003

The performance of eight adults diagnosed with Asperger syndrome was compared with the performance of a control group of adults on a range of perceptual tasks (the Block Design Task, the Embedded Figures Task, the Hierarchical Stimuli Task and the Impossible Figures Task). The tasks were selected in an attempt to test two models of perceptual deficit suggested to account for the pattern of perceptual performance typically associated with autistic spectrum disorders: the central coherence deficit model and the hierarchization deficit model. The aim of the investigation was to determine whether either model was appropriate as an explanation of perceptual skills amongst people with Asperger syndrome. Tentative support for the hierarchization deficit model was demonstrated.
How High-Functioning Children with Autism Understand Real and Deceptive Emotion
Authors: Dennis Maureen , Lockyer Linda , Lazenby Anne L.
Published: November 2003

Autism is associated with problems in understanding and expressing emotion. We compared the ability of eight high- functioning children with autism (i.e. those with IQ scores ≥ 70) and eight age- and gender-matched controls with similar oral language development, to understand the facial expression of real and deceptive emotion. Children with autism had limited understanding of socially derived emotion. Although they could relate emotions to standard facial expressions, they were less able than controls to indicate the real emotions story characters feel, the deceptive emotions they express in the face, or the social reasons prompting a deceptive facial expression. For high- function children with autism, facial expressions may function as lexical codes but not as forms of social communication that modify beliefs.
‘Here’s the Weavery Looming Up’
Authors: Werth Abigail , Perkins Michael , Boucher Jill
Published: November 2003

A case study of Grace, a 29-year-old woman with high- functioning autism, is presented. Grace is unusual for a person with autism in that she produces a great deal of humorous and creative word play. She is also unusual in that she writes and then audio-records ‘letters’ to her family, and produces copious cartoon-like drawings which she annotates, with the result that multiple examples of her humour are available in permanent form. We present examples of Grace’s use of puns, jokes, neologisms, ‘portmanteau’ words, irreverent humour, irony, sarcasm and word play based on her obsessional interests. The examples are used to illustrate the forms and content of Grace’s humour, and are discussed in relation to current theories of autism and of normal humour.
Using Tests of False Belief with Children with Autism: How Valid and Reliable are they?
Authors: Grant Cathy M. , Grayson Andy , Boucher Jill
Published: November 2003

Twenty-two children with autism were given four tests of false belief understanding: the Sally-Anne task, two variants of the deceptive box task, and the three boxes task. The overall consistency of the children’s performance was high, 77 percent of the participants either passing or failing all of the tasks. The convergent validity (across-task consistency) of the deceptive box and the three boxes paradigms was high, and the convergent validity of the three boxes and Sally-Anne tasks was also acceptable. However, a weaker level of convergent validity was found for the deceptive box and Sally-Anne tasks, suggesting that these paradigms test slightly different aspects of cognition. The reliability (within-child consistency) of the children’s performances across two versions of the deceptive box task was high. These findings are discussed in terms of their practical implications for practitioners and researchers.
Treatment of Sleep Problems in a 5-Year-Old Boy with Autism Using Behavioural Principles
Authors: Weiskop Sophie , Matthews Jan , Richdale Amanda
Published: November 2003

This article presents a case study which is part of a larger project on sleep problems in children with autism. The successful treatment of sleep problems (night settling, night waking, and co-sleeping) in a boy of 5 years 4 months with autism is described. The intervention was based on behavioural principles and involved the parents attending an individually-run parent training programme. The programme consisted of an interview, three weekly training sessions and a review session. The parents learned how to use a bedtime routine, reinforcement, effective instructions, partner support strategies and extinction procedures. Once the techniques were implemented, the child learned how to settle himself to bed and how to sleep alone for the entire night. For this child, the results of the sleep programme were clinically significant as measured by a scale of goal achievement, and were maintained at a 3 month and a 12 month follow-up.
The Link Between Autism and Skills such as Engineering, Maths, Physics and Computing
Authors: Wheelwright Sally , Baron-Cohen Simon
Published: November 2003

In the first edition of this journal, we published a paper reporting that fathers and grandfathers of children with autism were over-represented in the field of engineering (Baron-Cohen et al., 1997). This result was interpreted as providing supporting evidence for the folk-psychology/folk-physics theory of autism. After carrying out further analyses on the same data, Jarrold and Routh (1998) found that fathers of children with autism were also over-represented in accountancy and science. They suggested that these results could either provide additional support for the folk-psychology/folk-physics theory or be accounted for by an over-representation of professionals amongst the fathers of children with autism. Here we present evidence that engineers are still over-represented among fathers of children with autism, even taking into account the professional bias.
Predicting Spoken Language Level in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Stone Wendy L. , Yoder Paul J.
Published: November 2003

Thirty-five children who received an autism spectrum diagnosis at the age of 2 years (24 with autism, 11 with PDD-NOS) were re-evaluated 2 years later to examine factors related to the development of spoken language. Child variables (play level, motor imitation ability and joint attention) and environmental variables (socioeconomic status and hours of speech/language therapy between ages 2 and 3) were used to predict an aggregate measure of language outcome at age 4. After controlling for age 2 language skills, the only significant predictors were motor imitation and number of hours of sther speech/language therapy. Implications of these results for understanding the early developmental course of autism spectrum disorders and the effects of intervention are discussed.
Do Children with Autism Learn to Read more Readily by Computer Assisted Instruction or Traditional Book Methods?
Authors: Williams Christine , Wright Barry , Callaghan Gillian , Coughlan Brian
Published: November 2003

The study evaluates the progress of eight children aged 3-5 years with autism attending a specialist teaching unit in their development of reading skills in two conditions: computer instructed learning and book based learning. The authors developed a direct observation schedule to monitor autistic behaviours using computerized techniques. The children were matched by age, severity of autistic symptomatology and number of spoken words. They were initially randomly allocated to the computer or book condition and crossed over at 10 weeks. All of the children spent more time on task in the computer condition than in the book condition. By the end of the study after computer assisted learning, five of the eight children could reliably identify at least three words. It was found that children with autism spent more time on reading material when they accessed it through a computer and were less resistant to its use.
Human Beings, Animals and Inanimate Objects
Authors: Celani Giorgio
Published: November 2003

An experimental strategy based on the ‘sorting by preference’ approach was used to obtain information about the nature of the autistic syndrome. Twelve participants with autism (mean age 11:9 years), 12 with Down’s syndrome (mean age 11:5 years) and 12 typically developing children (mean age 6:2 years) were matched on gender (M:F 9:3) and on verbal mental age. In a forced choice procedure they had to choose between: human beings or inanimate objects ( relatedness condition); animals or inanimate objects ( animate condition); drawings of a child handling a thing or of the same child in contact with another person ( interpersonal relationship condition); pleasant or unpleasant situations without living beings ( control condition). The performances of the groups differed only on the relatedness condition and on the interpersonal relationship condition. The results are discussed in the context of the social difficulties experienced by individuals with autism.
Prevalence of Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
Authors: Fombonne Eric
Published: November 2003

The prevalence of childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) is unknown. In this study, 32 epidemiological surveys of autism and pervasive developmental disorders published in English language journals since 1966 were reviewed. Four surveys yielded estimates for CDD ranging from 1.1 to 6.4 per 100,000 subjects. A pooled estimate across these four surveys is 1.7 per 100,000 (95 percent Confidence Interval: 0.6-3.8 per 100,000). The conclusion is that CDD is very rare and its prevalence is 60 times less than that for autistic disorder, assuming a prevalence of 10 per 10,000 for autism. If a rate of 30 per 10,000 is taken for all PDDs, only one child out of 175 children with a PDD diagnosis would, on average, meet criteria for CDD.
Early Intervention System for Preschool Children with Autism in the Community
Authors: Honda Hideo , Shimizu Yasuo
Published: November 2003

The article reports on DISCOVERY, a conceptual model for a clinical system of early detection and early intervention in cases of autism that has been implemented in Yokohama, Japan. The minimal requirements for this system are subsystems dealing with detection, diagnosis and intervention. Specific issues involving early diagnosis that complicate the design of the system are the seemingly contradictory considerations of early versus precise diagnosis, the undifferentiated recognition of a child’s disorder on the part of the parents, and the difficulty of establishing cooperative working relationships among related facilities. To overcome these issues, an ‘interface’ linking consecutive subsystems is emphasized in the DISCOVERY model. A clinical system based on this model has been developed in Yokohama. This system not only benefits clinical performance, but will also add significantly to research on autism.
Psychosocial Functioning in a Group of Swedish Adults with Asperger Syndrome or High- Functioning Autism
Authors: Engström I. , Ekström L. , Emilsson B.
Published: November 2003

This study reports on psychosocial functioning in Swedish adults with Asperger syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA). A systematically selected sample of patients and relatives was interviewed concerning their psychosocial situation. The majority was living independently. All persons but one were unemployed. None was married and none had children. Only a few had some kind of partner. Most persons needed a high level of public and/or private support. The overall adjustment was rated good in 12 percent, fair in 75 percent and poor in 12 percent. Adult persons with AS/HFA have extensive need for support from their families and/or society. This information is important in order to provide adequate interventions that are in accordance with the expressed needs of the individuals themselves.
Mortality and Causes of Death in Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Authors: Isager Torben , Mouridsen Svend E. , Rich Bente
Published: November 2003

In the present study, we rediagnosed and followed a clinical sample of 341 children with related pervasive developmental disorders for an average of 24 years (current mean age of 31 years; range 14-48 years). Twelve patients had died. For the whole group crude mortality was 3.5 percent (95 percent Confidence Interval 1.8-6.1 percent). The standardized mortality ratio was 1.9 (95 percent Confidence Interval 1.0-3.4). For the diagnostic subgroups crude mortality was: infantile autism 3.4 percent, autistic-like conditions 3.4 percent, borderline childhood psychosis 2.5 percent and disintegrative psychosis 15.4 percent. Mortality was related to intelligence in a U-shaped fashion, with both severe retardation and normal intelligence being associated with a relatively high risk of death. The distribution between natural causes and unnatural causes of death (accidents, suicide) resembled the pattern seen in a background population of adolescents and younger adults. Five of the 12 deaths were related to epilepsy.
Does Autism Cluster Geographically? A Research Note
Authors: Baron-Cohen Simon , Saunders Kim , Chakrabarti Suniti
Published: November 2003

We report an apparent cluster of seven cases of autism spectrum disorder in a network of a few streets in the UK. Clusters do not easily fit the dominant genetic theory of autism. Whilst this could in principle represent the effect of an environmental pathogen, we consider an alternative interpretation: that autism spectrum conditions may be so much more common than was previously thought that finding seven cases in an area of a few streets is not necessarily higher than one would expect from chance. We conclude by highlighting the need for an agewise epidemiological study of autism spectrum conditions, since this cluster is only higher than expected when compared with expected rates for under-5s rather than under-18s.
β-Casomorphin Induces Fos-Like Immunoreactivity in Discrete Brain Regions Relevant to Schizophrenia and Autism
Authors: Sun Zhongjie , Cade J. Robert , Fregly Melvin J. , Privette R. Malcolm
Published: November 2003

The induction of Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) was used to determine the brain localization affected by b-casomorphin-7 (b-CM7). Peripheral administration of human b-CM7 at different doses (5, 10 and 30 mg/kg, IV for 1 hour) to rats induced moderate to strong FLI in discrete brain regions including the nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen, ventral tegmental and median raphe nucleus, and orbitofrontal, prefrontal, parietal, temporal, occipital and entorhinal cortex. All of the above areas have been shown to be altered either functionally or anatomically in patients with schizophrenia, and most have been shown to be functionally abnormal in autism. Some of these brain areas are originators or components of dopaminergic, serotoninergic and GABA-ergic pathways, suggesting that b-CM7 can affect the function of all of these systems. The role of some other affected areas in emotional and motivated behavior, social adaptation, hallucinations and delusions suggests that b-CM7, which was found in high concentration in the CSF, blood and urine of patients with either schizophrenia or autism, may be relevant to schizophrenia and autism. Induction of FLI in the above brain areas by a moderate dose (10 mg/kg) of b-CM7 was attenuated significantly, or blocked, by pretreatment with naloxone (2 mg/kg, IP). It is concluded that human b-CM7 can cross the blood-brain barrier, activate opioid receptors and affect brain regions similar to those affected by schizophrenia and autism.