Daniel Houlihan

Sensation Seeking and Trait Anxiety in Hang-Glider Pilots and Golfers

Sensation seeking and trait anxiety in hang-glider pilots and golfers were investigated using Zuckermans Sensation Seeking Scale Form V (SSS Form V) and the trait portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y. A large scale mail survey was implemented. Hang-glider pilots (n = 170) scored significantly higher than golfers (n = 90) on each of the four subscales of the SSS Form V and Total Sensation Seeking. No significant difference in trait anxiety level between the two groups was found.

A Review of Behavioral Treatments used for Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a genetic disorder resulting in hyperuricemia, choreoathetosis, mental retardation, and self-mutilation. The most salient feature of this disorder is the self-injurious behavior (SIB). Although the utility of behavioral interventions with SIB has been well documented, behavioral interventions with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome have been limited in number and long-term success. This article reviews the behavioral treatments that have been used in treating individuals with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of these methods. Suggestions for future directions in the use of behavioral interventions for controlling SIB in Lesch-Nyhan syndrome are provided.

Command Use and Compliance in Staff Communication With Elderly Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities

Verbal communication between nursing assistants and individuals with dementia can be challenging, particularly during hands-on caregiving tasks. Although there are many aspects of verbal communication that can affect the quality of an interaction, one potentially important communication variable is the types of commands issued by nursing assistants when they need a resident to complete a task. The purpose of this study was to examine the kinds of commands used by nursing care staff when they interact with patients with dementia during activities of daily living. Commands were categorized according to their feasibility/specificity as well as form. An additional goal of this study was to measure compliance and noncompliance rates associated with the various categories of commands. Results indicate that alpha commands (clear, concise, and feasible) account for higher compliance and less noncompliance compared with beta commands (ambiguous, interrupted, and not feasible). In addition, commands that are stated directly, that clarify a previous command, and that are repeated exactly produce better compliance. It is concluded that training nursing staff to change the types of commands they provide during caregiving tasks may reduce distress experienced by both staff and residents.

The role of behavior analysis in the rehabilitation of persons with dementia.

With the rapidly aging population, it is expected that increases in cases of dementia will double over the next 20 years. Currently, there is no cure for diseases such as Alzheimers disease or frontotemporal dementia (FTD) that cause progressive dementia, and only a few pharmacological interventions that slow the progression of the decline exist. Given that there is no cure available, a rehabilitation approach that emphasizes maintaining existing abilities and removing excess disability (as opposed to emphasizing cure or recovery) for as long as possible is warranted. The current paper proposes that nonpharmacological rehabilitation efforts need to target 5 broad areas/targets: memory enhancement, altering social contingencies and communication styles, improving self-care skills, the arrangement of physical environments to maintain and improve functioning, and increasing physical fitness/physical activity. The purpose of this paper is to review specific behaviorally oriented interventions that target these 5 areas and show promise for inclusion in comprehensive rehabilitation efforts for individuals with dementia.

The Good Behavior Game: A classroom-behavior intervention effective across cultures

Few classroom behavioral interventions have been thoroughly studied using culturally and linguistically diverse populations, international student populations, or those from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Yet, having such tools for school psychologists and teachers is critical for behavior management in the classroom. One important exception is the Good Behavior Game, which has been extensively studied both in the United States and international settings. Because this intervention is based on well-tested principles of behavior theory, it has proven to be a useful tool across cultural, linguistic, socio-economic traditions, with long lasting positive longitudinal behavior change. This article presents a review of the literature on the Good Behavior Game as it applies to international and diverse student populations.

Predictors of employee resistance to supervisors' requests

Abstract There have been few studies of either noncompliance with, or complaints about, supervisory requests. Consequently, little is known about the personality and attitude variables related to complying or complaining. The authors examined this issue among 306 part-time employees from a wide variety of organizations in the United States. They completed Hongs Psychological Reactance Scale (S.-M. Hong, 1992, 1994; S.-M. Hong & S. Page, 1989), Personnel Decisions, Inc. (PDI) Employment Inventory (1986, 1993), J. R. Hackman and G. R. Oldhams (1980) Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, and a questionnaire developed for this study to measure compliance and complaint. Scale scores for PDI performance, gender, scale scores for satisfaction with coworkers, and scale scores for satisfaction with supervisors were the best predictors of self-reports of compliance with supervisory requests. The score for trait reactance was the best predictor of self-reports of complaints about supervisory requests. Job satisfaction w...

Dubowitz syndrome: a review and implications for cognitive, behavioral, and psychological features.

Dubowitz syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by micorcephaly, short stature, abnormal faces, and mild to severe mental retardation. Growth retardation occurs both intrauterine and postnatal. Behavioral characteristics include hyperactivity, short attention span, and aggressiveness. Behavior problems include difficulty feeding, sleep disturbance, and bedwetting. Individuals with the disorder have displayed shyness, fear of crowds, and dislike of loud noises. A high-pitched or hoarse voice is common. Deficits have been found in speech and language skills, reasoning and memory skills, self-help skills, and psychomotor functioning. Ocular, dental, cutaneous, skeletal, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, immunological, and hematological medical difficulties have been noted. Approximately 148 cases have been described in the literature. The cause of the disorder remains unknown, however, research suggests genetic origin. Past research emphasizes physical characteristics and medical complications. There is a lack of cognitive, behavioral, and psychological information available regarding the disorder. This article presents a review of the literature and provides assessment and treatment implications for the cognitive, behavioral, and psychological aspects of Dubowitz syndrome. Keywords Dubowitz; Syndrome; Autosomal; Recessive

Predictors of Behavior and Level of Life Satisfaction of Children and Adolescents After a Major Tornado

ABSTRACT Data were collected on students in Grades 3 to 12 regarding their reactions to a major F4 tornado, which caused damage to their town in southern Minnesota. The purpose of this study was to examine some of the factors (i.e., level of exposure to the disaster, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and home relocation) that may help predict behavioral problems and life satisfaction after a major tornado. The disruption of relocating to a new home after the tornado was associated with higher levels of internalizing behavior problems for children in Grades 3 to 6 and higher levels of externalizing behavior problems for adolescents in Grades 7 to 12. Increased exposure to the tornado was significantly associated with high levels of life satisfaction. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

An Assessment of Membership Benefits in the Al-Anon Program

Although widely utilized as a source of treatment for family members of alcoholics, the Al-Anon program has not been studied regarding its effectiveness. This study attempted to empirically assess presumed benefits reported by 77 members of Al-Anon programs in Southern Minnesota. To test hypotheses regarding levels of self-esteem and marital adjustment, correlational statistics were used to compare length of membership to results from the Tennessee Self-concept Scale and Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test. Although significant relationships were found between both self-esteem and marital adjustment regarding increased length of membership, confounds and methodological difficulties reduced the impact of these findings.

Preliminary report: An application of the Good Behavior Game in the developing nation of Belize

Educating children on a global level is a dynamic process where policy, procedure and guideline changes can leave teachers searching for new programs to resolve new challenges. This brief report shows a successful application of the Good Behavior Game in a school in the country of Belize following a significant change in policy regarding acceptable practices in addressing school-based behavioral challenges.