MaryLouise E. Kerwin

Changes in modern psychology: A citation analysis of the Kuhnian displacement thesis

Many psychologists believe a Kuhnian revolution—a competitive event between incommensurate paradigms in which a winner displaces losers after chaotic upheaval— has occurred in psychology. Cognitive psychology is said to be displacing behavioral psychology and psychoanalysis, but few published data support this thesis. Social science citation records from the leading journals in cognitive psychology, behavioral psychology, and psychoanalysis between 1979 and 1988 were analyzed. Results show an increasing trend for cognitive psychology but also high citation rates with no downward trends for behavioral psychology. Citation rates for psychoanalysis are not as high, but indications of decline are marginal. These findings do not support the Kuhnian displacement thesis on changes in modern psychology.

Parental Report of Eating Problems and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children With Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Parents of children of 89 children with pervasive developmental disorder were surveyed about their childs eating, gastrointestinal symptoms, and behavior problems. Results revealed potentially interesting relationships among self-injurious behavior, pica, feeding problems, and gastrointestinal symptoms in this population. Although over 60% of children were reported to have strong food preferences, only 6.7% of parents reported that their child had a feeding problem. Most children exhibited high rates of pica and self-injurious behavior that affected the familys quality of life. Some children experienced at least one symptom of gastrointestinal distress weekly, and bowel problems appeared to be related to some aspects of feeding. Although methodological issues limit these data, future research should focus on further relations among these factors in this population.

Feeding Disorder of Infancy or Early Childhood: How Often Is It Seen in Feeding Programs?

To date, there is little consensus in the literature on defining childhood feeding disorders. The definition of feeding disorder of infancy and early childhood included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision [DSM–IV–TR]) assumed the disorder is due to a nonorganic etiology. The goal of this study was to examine the prevalence of feeding disorder of infancy and early childhood as defined by the DSM–IV–TR in a sample of 234 children referred to a feeding program. The results showed only 19 of these children met the DSM–IV–TR definition. The implications of this finding are discussed.

Using guided compliance versus time out to promote child compliance: A preliminary comparative analysis in an analogue context

Children referred to child management clinics frequently exhibit noncompliance with adult requests. Using a counterbalanced ABAC design, the authors examined the relative efficacy of guided compliance versus time out as a method of promoting child adherence to adult requests. Time out effected larger increases in percentage compliance among four of five participating children.

A Faith-Based Intervention for Cocaine-Dependent Black Women

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to obtain preliminary data on the effectiveness of a faith-based treatment adjunct for cocaine-using homeless mothers in residential treatment. The Bridges intervention utilizes various Black church communities to provide culturally-relevant group activities and individual mentoring from volunteers. Eighteen women who were recent treatment admissions were randomly assigned to receive Standard Treatment plus Bridges or Standard Treatment with an Attention Control. Participants were assessed at intake and three and six months after intake. Bridges treatment resulted in significantly better treatment retention (75% vs. 20% at six months) than standard residential treatment alone. In addition, Bridges produced superior outcomes at the six month followup assessment on a secondary measure of cocaine abstinence. Creating a community of social support through Black churches appears feasible and promising, and may be a cost-effective means of providing longer-term post-treatment support for cocaine-addicted women.

An ABAC Comparison of Two Intensive Interventions for Food Refusal

An ABAC comparison of two treatment packages for food refusal, physical guidance and nonremoval of the spoon, was conducted with two children with limited food acceptance. Both of these treatment packages included prevention of escape from presented food. Subsequent to baseline, one of the two treatment packages was implemented for each child. The treatment packages were implemented ABAC for one child and ACAB for the other child. Once the percentage of bites accepted had increased to at least 75% with the initial exposure to a treatment package, that treatment was withdrawn with a subsequent exposure to the second treatment package. The results indicated that both treatment packages were effective in establishing food acceptance. Also, initial exposure to either of the two treatment packages facilitated acquisition of food acceptance during the second exposure. Parental preference of the treatment package may have been influenced by the order of exposure to the treatment conditions.

What Can Parents Do? A Review of State Laws Regarding Decision Making for Adolescent Drug Abuse and Mental Health Treatment

This study examined U.S. state laws regarding parental and adolescent decision making for substance use and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment. State statutes for requiring parental consent favored mental health over drug abuse treatment and inpatient over outpatient modalities. Parental consent was sufficient in 53% to 61% of the states for inpatient treatment, but only for 39% to 46% of the states for outpatient treatment. State laws favored the rights of minors to access drug treatment without parental consent, and to do so at a younger age than for mental health treatment. Implications for how these laws may impact parents seeking help for their children are discussed.

Evaluation of a computer-based instructional package about eating disorders

Abstract This study examined the effect of a computer-based instruction package on college students’ knowledge about eating disorders, and how level of active participation during instruction influenced learning and satisfaction. Interactivity (the amount the participant actively responded to the computer-based instructional program) varied in three conditions: 0%, 50%, and 100%. Overall, the instructional package increased knowledge about eating disorders, and the 100% condition resulted in worse performance than 0% or 50% condition, and the 50% interactivity condition was worse than 0%. Participants in the interactive conditions reported being less satisfied with aspects of the instruction. The effects of interactivity, a unique aspect of computer-based instruction, are not as simple and direct as might be expected.

Developing Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) for Parents of Treatment-Resistant Adolescents

We describe a project focused on training parents to facilitate their treatment-resistant adolescent’s treatment entry and to manage their child after entry into community-based treatment. Controlled studies show that Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) is a unilateral treatment that fosters treatment entry of adults; however, there are no controlled trials for parents with a substance-abusing child. We examined the behavioral parent training literature to guide us in tailoring CRAFT for parents of adolescents. We discuss adaptations to CRAFT, outcomes and experiences gained from a brief pilot of the revised CRAFT program, and the future directions of this work.

The relationship between food refusal and self-injurious behavior : a case study

Food refusal and self-injurious behavior often co-occur in children with developmental disabilities and mental retardation. The subject of the case study was a 3-yr-old boy with food refusal, self-injurious behavior and developmental delay. Using an alternating treatment design, positive reinforcement for acceptance combined with either nonremoval of the spoon or guidance for refusal increased food acceptance and resulted in a decrease in self-injurious behavior despite not being targeted. Although the contingencies for acceptance, refusal and self-injurious behavior remained constant, self-injurious behavior increased with an increase in grams consumed. A combined treatment of positive reinforcement for acceptance, guidance for refusal, position change and gastrojejunal feedings resulted in a decrease in self-injurious behavior and an increase in grams consumed.