Laurel Bornholt

A cognitive remediation programme for adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Objective: This is the first systematic examination of the efficacy of a cognitive remediation programme (CRP) for management of adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The CRP was designed to target problems commonly associated with adult ADHD, namely, attention problems, poor motivation, poor organizational skills, impulsivity, reduced anger control and low self-esteem. Method: In a randomized, controlled trial, a representative sample of adults with ADHD (some medicated, some not) were assigned to either a CRP (n = 22) or a waiting list control (n = 21). The CRP was delivered in an intensive format with eight two-hour, weekly sessions with support people who acted as coaches, and participant workbooks with homework exercises. Results: Participants who completed the CRP reported reduced ADHD symptomatology (effect size (d) = 1.4), improved organizational skills (d = 1.2) and reduced levels of anger (d = 0.5). Clinically significant improvements in ADHD symptomatology (d = 1.4) and organizational skills (d = 1.3) were maintained one year after the intervention. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the CRP provides a practical way of enhancing daily functioning for adults with ADHD.

Influences of Gender Stereotypes on Adolescents’ Perceptions of Their Own Achievement

This study of Australian students’ perceptions of achievement argues for flexibility in gender stereotypes, varying with the frame of reference, and the multidimensionality of self-concepts. Students in the first 4 years of high school (N = 663) completed tests and questionnaires about mathematics and English. The systematic patterns of their responses depended on contrasting subject domains and the specific or general nature of aspects of their achievement. Gender differences in how well students thought they performed were at odds with similar performances on standardized tests. Two sources of gender stereotypes explain complex interactions of gender and subject domain for interrelated aspects of achievement—a tendency by males to overestimate specific task performance across domains, and traditional gender stereotypes about “natural talent” for females in English and for males in mathematics. The broad implications for ways we think about mathematics and gender require an understanding of discrete notions of ability and performance, and an acknowledgment of students’ flexible self-categorizations.

An international study of the gendered nature of academic work: Some cross-cultural explorations

This study explores the gendered nature of academic work based onthe Carnegie Foundation‘s International Survey of the Academic Profession.Characterisation of related yet discrete aspects of academic work describescommonalities between men and women, and in particular, highlights theaspects that discriminate between them. Responses by men and women fromAustralia, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, Sweden, UK and USA wereanalysed within following themes: working conditions; professionalactivities of teaching, research, and service; issues of governance andmanagement, and the international dimensions of academic work.

Career Development of Academics: Cross-cultural and Lifespan Factors

This study takes a lifespan perspective on academic career development across several countries, in examining contributions to aspects of academic work in terms of gender, age groups, and years of experience in higher education. The study was based on the recent International Survey of the Academic Profession (Altbach, 1996). Findings suggest common themes regarding attitudes and activities within the gendered context of academic work that vary from one country to another and among working conditions, activities of teaching, research and service, issues of governance and management, and international dimensions of academic work. A general model is then described of activities and attitudes that constitute academic work. These findings are discussed in terms of strategies for career development that optimise the academic in a context.

Attributions About Achievement and Intentions About Further Study in Social Context

This project examined sources and consequences of attributions for achievement for boys and girls at co-ed (N = 663) and single-sex schools (N = 697). Overall attributions emphasised long and short term effort, over other personal (ability, liking) and social reasons (parents, teachers) or feeling good or bad on the day. Attributions were substantially similar for girls and boys, with particular variations in attributions to effort and ability at co-ed and not single-sex schools. Results suggested an illusory glow for boys more than girls in attributions to ability and effort for doing well in Mathematics and English, and traditional gender stereotyping in attributions to poor ability for not doing well in Mathematics. Results showed weak associations between attributions about effort and ability with intentions for Mathematics and English courses in senior high school. Findings suggest further research about personal and social sources of attributions in co-ed schools, and question the practical significance of attributions for achievement motivation.

SYSTEMS: School-Years Screening Test for the Evaluation of Mental Status.

This paper introduces the School-Years Screening Test for Evaluation of Mental Status (SYSTEMS). It was designed to be used by neurologists, pediatricians, and other health professionals assessing children with suspected cognitive problems or changes. SYSTEMS was initially based on the adult Mini-Mental State Examination developed by Folstein, Folstein, and McHugh in 1975. SYSTEMS is a 7- to 12-minute, one-on-one interview test containing 46 items for use in children between 5 and 12 years of age. Although a full diagnosis cannot be made, the results do provide an indication of whether to send a child for further detailed cognitive assessment. The development of SYSTEMS comprised seven studies with a total of 1207 children involved from Sydney primary schools and neurology clinics of the New Childrens Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. All children were administered the SYSTEMS. Some of the children also were administered the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, 4th edition, or the Differential Ability Scales. Results showed that the SYSTEMS was internally consistent, unbiased by sex, socioeconomic indicators, or language groups; discriminated well by age; and strongly correlated (r = 0.88) with mental age. No significant differences in results obtained by two trained administrators were evident and no indication of apparent practice effect was found. The SYSTEMS was found to have desirable levels of sensitivity (83% and 92%), specificity (76% and 95%), and likelihood ratio for cognitive impairment (3.63 and 17.5) when compared with neurologic judgments and the Differential Ability Scales, respectively. (J Child Neurol 1999; 14:772-780).

Brief cognitive screening and self concepts for children with low intellectual functioning

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the use of brief assessments for children with low intellectual functioning. METHODS Assessments used the SYSTEMS cognitive screening test and ASK-KIDS self-concept inventory. Participants were children recruited through the hospital and special education classes (N = 39). RESULTS Results showed that cognitive screening accurately classified children, and their scores correlated closely with full cognitive assessment and achievement. Most children could respond to the self-concept inventory, scales were internally consistent, and profiles were similar to those for children in the normative sample. CONCLUSIONS Findings support the use of brief assessments of cognitive functioning and self concepts, and suggest further studies with children in clinical settings.

Test Reliability and Stability of Children's Cognitive Functioning

This study addresses the test reliability of a screening test and stability of childrens cognitive functioning. Children aged 5 to 8 years in western Sydney were assessed on three occasions. The first assessment provided a baseline, with the second assessment at 2-, 4-, or 12-week intervals. The final assessment was 4 weeks later. Indicators of reliability and stability suggested that a distinction can be made between test reliability and the phenomenon (cognitive functioning) stability. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the School-Years Screening Test for the Evaluation of Mental Status (SYSTEMS). The findings have implications for indicators of reliability and stability of cognitive assessments in developmental research and clinical practice. (J Child Neurol 2003; 18: 5—11).

Cognitive screening for young children: development and diversity in learning contexts.

SYSTEMS is a screening tool of general cognitive functioning for school-aged children that entails cognitive manipulation and information skills. Our aim was to extend the test for 4- and 5-year-old children at preschool to estimate theoretical starting points in typical cognitive profiles, which are critical in the early years. Participants (N = 1164, girls/boys, 50%) were 4 to 11 years old (mean 7.9, SD 2.2) at preschools and schools in diverse socioeconomic areas of Sydney, Australia. Childrens responses created the normative database, and the parameters were derived from curve estimation and regression procedures. The results suggest that cognitive screening is reliable and valid for younger and older children and show a nonlinear relation of childrens test scores with age, which is characteristic of rapid change for younger children. The characteristic curve with the best fit to the data had a theoretical starting point before school age, at around 3 years of age. The findings are discussed in light of alternative models and the clinical and educational applications. (J Child Neurol 2004; 19:313-317).

A model of children's cognitive functioning & cognitive self‐concepts

Abstract This project proposes a ‘feed forward’ skill developmental model of cognitive assessment in relation to cognitive self‐concepts for children over initial short intervals of time. Study 1 was a cross‐sectional design with 5 to 11 year old children (N = 186). Study 2 was a longitudinal design with 5 to 8 year old children (N = 135). In one‐to‐one sessions, children completed the SYSTEMS School‐Years Screening Test for the Evaluation of Mental Status (Ouvrier, Hendy, Bornholt & Black, 1999, 2000) and ASK‐KIDS self‐concepts inventory (Bornholt, 1996) extended to cognitive activities (Black, 2001, Black & Bornholt, 2000). Study 1 showed that childrens self‐concepts and test scores were unrelated. Study 2 confirmed that performance and self‐concepts are separate aspects, and showed that over initial brief intervals of time cognitive assessments feed forward to subsequent self‐concepts. Findings have implications for assessment and early interventions in clinical and educational settings.