Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Does Increasing Biology Teacher Knowledge of Evolution and the Nature of Science Lead to Greater Preference for the Teaching of Evolution in Schools

This study investigated whether or not an increase in secondary science teacher knowledge about evolution and the nature of science gained from completing a graduate-level evolution course was associated with greater preference for the teaching of evolution in schools. Forty-four precertified secondary biology teachers participated in a 14-week intervention designed to address documented misconceptions identified by a precourse instrument. The course produced statistically significant gains in teacher knowledge of evolution and the nature of science and a significant decrease in misconceptions about evolution and natural selection. Nevertheless, teachers’ postcourse preference positions remained unchanged; the majority of science teachers still preferred that antievolutionary ideas be taught in school.

Peer Victimization, Depression, and Suicidiality in Adolescents

The association between specific types of peer victimization with depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among adolescents was examined. A self-report survey was completed by 2,342 high-school students. Regression analyses indicated that frequent exposure to all types of peer victimization was related to high risk of depression, ideation, and attempts compared to students not victimized. Infrequent victimization was also related to increased risk, particularly among females. The more types of victimization the higher the risk for depression and suicidality among both genders. Specific types of peer victimization are a potential risk factor for adolescent depression and suicidality. It is important to assess depression and suicidality among victimized students in order to develop appropriate intervention methods.

Burnout–depression overlap: A review

Whether burnout is a form of depression or a distinct phenomenon is an object of controversy. The aim of the present article was to provide an up-to-date review of the literature dedicated to the question of burnout-depression overlap. A systematic literature search was carried out in PubMed, PsycINFO, and IngentaConnect. A total of 92 studies were identified as informing the issue of burnout-depression overlap. The current state of the art suggests that the distinction between burnout and depression is conceptually fragile. It is notably unclear how the state of burnout (i.e., the end stage of the burnout process) is conceived to differ from clinical depression. Empirically, evidence for the distinctiveness of the burnout phenomenon has been inconsistent, with the most recent studies casting doubt on that distinctiveness. The absence of consensual diagnostic criteria for burnout and burnout researchs insufficient consideration of the heterogeneity of depressive disorders constitute major obstacles to the resolution of the raised issue. In conclusion, the epistemic status of the seminal, field-dominating definition of burnout is questioned. It is suggested that systematic clinical observation should be given a central place in future research on burnout-depression overlap.

Distorted Maternal Mental Representations and Atypical Behavior in a Clinical Sample of Violence-Exposed Mothers and Their Toddlers

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine whether maternal violence-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), reflective functioning (RF), and/or quality of mental representations of her child predicts maternal behavior within a referred sample of mothers exposed to interpersonal violence and their children (aged 8–50 months). Method: A total of 41 dyads completed 2 videotaped visits including measures of maternal mental representations and behavior. Results: Negative and distorted maternal mental representations predicted atypical behavior (Cohens d > 1.0). Although maternal PTSD and RF impacted mental representations, no significant relationships were found between PTSD, RF, and overall atypical caregiving behavior. Severity of maternal PTSD was, however, positively correlated with the avoidant caregiving behavior subscale. Conclusions: Maternal mental representations of her child are useful risk indicators that mark dysregulation of trauma-associated emotions in the caregiver.

A longitudinal study of occupational stressors and depressive symptoms in first-year female teachers

Abstract Three cross-sectional studies (Finlay-Jones, 1986; Hammen & deMayo, 1982; Schonfeld, 1990) at best suggest that veteran teachers are at some risk for experiencing above-average levels of psychological distress. The paper advances three reasons for the view that longitudinal studies with newly appointed teachers provide a better means with which to examine the link between working conditions and psychological distress: (1) the comparative weakness of cross-sectional studies in distinguishing among causal hypotheses; (2) the relative absence in veteran teacher samples of individuals who quit in response to adverse school conditions; (3) the need to control preemployment symptoms. A longitudinal study involving 255 newly appointed female teachers showed that job conditions were related to postemployment depressive symptoms independently of preemployment symptoms and other risk factors. Regression and LISREL analyses revealed that the effects of working conditions on symptoms are relatively immediate. Moreover, other analyses suggested that there may be positive mental health effects, in relation to preemployment levels, associated with teaching in “benign” school environments. Suggestions for future progress in teacher-stress research include the use of neutral self-reports (Kasl, 1987; Schonfeld, 1990) to assess school conditions and a greater reliance on standardized instruments to measure independent and dependent variables.

Ten-year consistency in neurological test performance of children without focal neurological deficit.

To assess ‘soft‐sign’ persistence and its correlates outside a referred sample, 159 members of a local birth cohort of the United States National Collaborative Perinatal Project were traced and their performance on six neurological test scales was measured at age 17 by examiners blind to their status at age seven. A comparison group was also formed, who had been ‘sign’‐free at age seven. On four of the six tests (dysdiadochokinesis, mirror movements, dysgraphesthesia and motor slowness) index boys did significantly worse than the comparison boys; by contrast, index girls scored significantly worse than comparisons only on motor slowness.

Is it time to consider the "burnout syndrome" a distinct illness?

The “burnout syndrome” has been defined as a combination of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment caused by chronic occupational stress. Although there has been increasing medical interest in burnout over the last decades, it is argued in this paper that the syndrome cannot be elevated to the status of diagnostic category, based on (1) an analysis of the genesis of the burnout construct, (2) a review of the latest literature on burnout-depression overlap, (3) a questioning of the three-dimensional structure of the burnout syndrome, and (4) a critical examination of the notion that burnout is singularized by its job-related character. It turns out that the burnout construct is built on a fragile foundation, both from a clinical and a theoretical standpoint. The current state of science suggests that burnout is a form of depression rather than a differentiated type of pathology. The inclusion of burnout in future disorder classifications is therefore unwarranted. The focus of public health policies dedicated to the management of “burnout” should not be narrowed to the three definitional components of the syndrome but consider its depressive core.

Minor physical anomalies: modifiers of environmental risks for psychiatric impairment?

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that minor physical anomalies (MPAs) modify an adolescents vulnerability to environmental risk factors for psychopathology. METHOD One hundred eighteen unreferred male adolescents who had been evaluated as 7-year-olds received a comprehensive neuropsychiatric evaluation. The evaluation included standardized assessments of environmental risk factors for psychiatric impairment, neurological signs, IQ, MPAs, and psychiatric impairment. The relationship between psychiatric status and environmental risk was examined as a function of the MPA profile. RESULTS There was a significant interaction between MPAs and environmental risk in predicting psychiatric status. Environmental risk was more predictive of psychiatric impairment at age 17 in subjects with high scores on the MPA scale than in subjects with low scores on the scale. This relationship was particularly apparent in subjects with conduct disorder. MPAs also exhibited relationships with two childhood factors, neurological soft signs and Verbal IQ, that had been shown to predict adolescent psychopathology in prior reports on this cohort. CONCLUSIONS MPAs may contribute to psychiatric impairment by influencing an individuals vulnerability to environmental risk factors for psychopathology. These suggestive findings are consistent with an emerging body of literature examining the role of biopsychosocial interactions in psychiatric disorders.

Short research paper: An updated look at depressive symptoms and job satisfaction in first-year women teachers

This report updates a longitudinal study (Schonfeld, 1992) of the effects of working conditions on newly appointed women teachers. The update included a later graduating cohort and additional outcome measures. Moreover, women who were not fully exposed to work stressors (e.g. part-time work, change of schools) were now excluded from the analyses. Among the 184 teachers, work environment measures were more highly correlated with future depressive symptoms, self-esteem, job satisfaction, and motivation to teach than with pre-employment counterparts of the outcomes. Regression analyses underlined the effects of the work environment on each outcome. Serious problems with depressive symptoms and job satisfaction among teachers exposed to the most adverse work environments were found.

Prediction of intellectual deficits in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Possible predictors of reported lower cognitive functioning in irradiated children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were investigated. Thirty-four subjects, 5–14 years old, with ALL in continuous complete remission and without evidence of current or past central nervous system disease, were examined 9–110 months after diagnosis, using standard measures of intelligence and academic achievement. Subjects with a history of post-irradiation somnolence syndrome were significantly older at diagnosis than nonsomnolent subjects. Intelligence (IQ) was found to be unrelated to history of somnolence syndrome. IQ and achievement were unrelated to age at irradiation, irradiation-examination interval, and radiation dosages. The strongest predictor of IQ by far is parental social class. The importance of controlling for social class differences when searching for treatment effects on IQ and achievement is stressed. J Dev Behav Pediatr 9:122–128, 1988. Index terms: lymphoblastic leukemia, cranial irradiation, somnolence syndrome, intelligence, achievement.