Elaine Walker

Symptoms associated with suicidal behavior in childhood and adolescence

In adulthood, depression is often accompanied by suicidal ideation or behavior. As a result, depression in adults is generally viewed as a sign of risk for suicide. However, according to a number of researchers, suicidal behavior in children and adolescents differs markedly from that in adulthood. Differences have been noted in frequency, gender distribution, and associated symptoms. This study examined age and gender differences in symptoms accompanying suicidal gestures and ideation in black children, aged 11–18, referred for psychiatric treatment. Results indicated that a difference exists in the types of symptoms associated with suicidal ideation as opposed to suicidal acts, and that these differences vary, depending on the age and gender of the child. Moreover, the findings indicate that depressed mood and other “internalized” symptoms are more common among disturbed children who manifest suicidal behavior than among those who do not.

Positive and Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Attentional Performance Correlates

Attentional impairment has been hypothesized to be associated with negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The present study examined the relation between attentional performance and positive and negative symptoms in both schizophrenic and manic patients. The results showed that deficits on the distraction conditions of a digit-span task were greatest in positive-symptom schizophrenics. Regression analyses revealed that only certain positive symptoms were related to digit-span scores; specifically, ratings of positive-thought disorder were inversely associated with performance for both schizophrenics and manics. The findings are discussed in light of their implications for conceptualizing the symptom categories and their laboratory correlates.

Identification and reporting of child maltreatment by Head Start personnel: Attitudes and experiences.

A two-part questionnaire was administered to 143 Head Start personnel in order to determine how personal characteristics of the Head Start workers and the characteristics of the families they serve, affect the identification and reporting of child maltreatment. Of additional interest was whether some forms of maltreatment, once identified, would be more likely to be reported than other forms of maltreatment. The results support the efficacy of educational programs in child maltreatment for increasing the identification and reporting of maltreatment by workers. They also indicate that there are complex interactions between certain characteristics of the reporter (e.g., educational level) and prior training in maltreatment identification. Finally, neglect, although more frequently identified by the workers, appears to be least likely of all forms of maltreatment to be reported to official sources. Results are discussed in light of their implications for future research and practical application.

Semantic priming effects for stimuli presented to the right and left visual fields

Studies that have addressed the possibility of hemispheric differences in semantic priming effects have yielded contradictory results. This paper reports the findings of two experiments intended to shed greater light on the issue of hemispheric differences in semantic priming. Experiment 1 used a hemiretinal paradigm and examined manual response latency and response accuracy to four types of word pairs; categorically related, syntactically related, unrelated, and pairs containing a nonword member. Experiment 2 examined the effects of unrecognized, disambiguating flank words on verbal responses to a centrally presented homograph. Experiment 1 yielded no significant visual field differences in magnitude of priming effects when response latency served as the dependent measure, although categorical relatedness facilitated response accuracy for left but not right visual field stimuli. In experiment 2, the disambiguating words had a significant effect on meaning interpretation of the homographs that was independent of visual field of presentation. Taken together, the results of these studies are interpreted as indicating that semantic aspects of linguistic input are automatically processed and can influence the content and latency of subsequent responses, whether presented to the left or right visual field.

The effect of lateral visual fixation on response latency to verbal and spatial questions

The results of several studies have suggested a relationship between lateral eye movements and contralateral hemispheric activation or ipsilateral inhibition. The present study investigated the effects of lateral and central eye fixation on response latency to verbal and spatial questions. Response latencies for verbal questions were significantly longer when subjects fixated to the left or centrally, as compared to the right. On spatial questions, response latencies were significantly longer in the right fixation condition than in the other conditions. The results indicate that visual fixation ipsilateral to hemispheric activation is related to slower problem solving, and suggest that eye movements during cognitive activity may have functional significance.

Environmental factors related to schizophrenia in psychophysiologically labile high-risk males.

Previous research indicates that certain parameters of electrodermal functioning are related to schizophrenia and risk for schizophrenia. This study investigated childhood environmental factors in two subgroups of high-risk males (offspring of schizophrenic mothers): those who showed patterns of electrodermal lability in childhood and later became schizophrenic, and a matched subgroup who showed similar patterns of electrodermal functioning but did not become schizophrenic. The variables examined were parental absence, institutionalization of the child, and quality of the home and neighborhood. The schizophrenic group had experienced significantly more paternal absence during the 2nd year of life. The schizophrenic subjects also experienced significantly more childhood institutionalization, particularly in the 1st and 6th through 10th years of life. The quality of home and neighborhood and maternal absence did not distinguish the two groups. The findings are interpreted as indicating the importance of paternal presence in ameliorating the disruptive effects of the schizophrenic mother on vulnerable male offspring.