Neil Kirby

Sequential Effects in Two-Choice Reaction Time: Automatic Facilitation or Subjective Expectancy?.

A repetition effect is said to occur in a two-choice reaction time (RT) task when the RT for a repeated signal or response is faster than the RT for a new signal or response. An alternation effect is said to occur when the RT for a new signal or response is faster than for a repeated signal or response. A change from a repetition effect to an alternation effect was found across three response-stimulus intervals ranging from 50 msec to 2,000 msec. An analysis was also carried out of the higher-order sequential effects. Differences were found between those obtained from a repetition effect and those obtained from an alternation effect, suggesting that different factors operate in producing them. Two further experiments examined the roles of subjective expectancy and an automatic facilitation in determining these effects. Results suggested that while subjective expectancy operates at all response-stimulus intervals, an automatic facilitation operates only at short intervals.

Measures of timed performance and intelligence

The question of an association between IQ and measures of timed performance derived from inspection time and reaction time was examined in a sample of 182 adults and by reanalyzing data involving 48 adults from a previously published study. Multiple regression analysis found that measures of timed performance accounted for as much as 25% of IQ variance in the normal population, but that the inclusion of borderline and mildly retarded subjects resulted in much higher correlation coefficients because of the markedly less efficient performance of these persons in tasks of this kind. This outcome raised doubts about the validity of combining data from retarded and nonretarded subjects. Results ran counter to claims that tasks of the kind used are largely uninfluenced by cognitive variables, so that findings are not necessarily explained satisfactorily in terms of a mental speed factor. It was concluded that these measures of timed performance do not, at this time, provide a basis from which a reliable culture-fair measure of intelligence might be devised.

Relationships between happiness and personality

This study investigated relationships between measures of happiness and personality, using multiple regression and a range of personality measures. Three happiness measures, the Oxford Happiness Inventory, the Personal State Questionnaire (version 5), and the Life Orientation Test produced a multiple R of 0.381 with Psychoticism as the dependent variable. Multiple R values around 0.65 were obtained when the happiness measures were predicted from personality variables. Extraversion and Neuroticism were the main predictors as has been previously found.

THE JOB SATISFACTION AND/OR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING OF YOUNG ADULTS WITH AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND NONDISABLED YOUNG ADULTS IN EITHER SHELTERED EMPLOYMENT, COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT OR UNEMPLOYMENT

The job satisfaction and/or psychological well being of young adults with an intellectual disability who were either competitively employed, employed in a sheltered workshop or unemployed were examined and compared with the job satisfaction and/or psychological well being of nondisabled young adults who were competitively employed or unemployed.Administration of a questionnaire to these young adults found that: (a)For both those with an intellectual disability and the nondisabled, competitive employment was a more positive alternative than unemployment in terms of psychological well being.(b)Those with an intellectual disability generally had lower psychological well being in comparison to the nondisabled regardless of whether they were employed or unemployed.(c)For those with an intellectual disability, competitive employment was a more positive alternative to sheltered employment in terms of job satisfaction but not in terms of psychological well being.(d)For those with an intellectual disability, self ...

Family quality of life of Australian families with a member with an intellectual/developmental disability

BACKGROUND Family quality of life (FQOL) is a recent concept in intellectual/developmental disability research. Outcomes for the family are important to the provision of services because families, rather than institutions, are increasingly considered the primary support unit. This article presents Australian findings using the international Family Quality of Life Survey: Main Caregivers of People with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (FQOLS-2006). METHOD Forty-two South Australian main caregivers of people with an intellectual/developmental disability were interviewed using the FQOLS-2006. The FQOL domains assessed were Health of the Family, Financial Well-being, Family Relationships, Support from Other People, Support from Disability-Related Services, Influence of Values, Careers, Leisure and Recreation, and Community Interaction. Domains were measured in terms of Importance, Opportunities, Attainment, Initiative, Stability and Satisfaction. The FQOLS-2006 asked about the familys practical and emotional Support from Other People together, whereas the current study separated the constructs of practical and emotional support. Questions pertaining to FQOL in the past were also added, in order to gain a broader picture of present FQOL. RESULTS Results indicated that families considered all the FQOL domains to be important. However, Health, Family Relationships and Financial Well-being were regarded as slightly more important than Practical and Emotional Support from Others. The attainment of Family Relationships, Health, Values, and Leisure and Recreation were rated as quite a bit, but Practical Support from Other People was only rated as a little. Families were generally satisfied with all FQOL domains, but they were satisfied with their Family Relationships and they were neither satisfied or dissatisfied with their Financial Well-being. Results also indicated that there was a need to distinguish between the provision of practical and emotional support from others, because the attainment of emotional support was rated at a slightly higher level than practical support. CONCLUSIONS The FQOLS-2006 provided a comprehensive measure of FQOL, which, with some additional modifications, could be used to better inform service provisions and ultimately enhance the quality of life of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families.

Support needs and adaptive behaviors.

We used a prepublication version of the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS), the Adaptive Behavior Scale-Residential and Community, and the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning to examine the relationship between support needs and adaptive behavior for 80 people with intellectual disabilities. Dimensionality of the SIS Support Needs Scale (Section 1) was examined in reference to the three areas of conceptual, social, and practical skills reported by the American Association on Mental Retardation as comprising the adaptive behavior construct. Factor analysis of the adaptive behavior subscales and SIS Support Need Scale offered support for measurement of a common underlying construct. When considered in terms of the three adaptive behavior skill areas, this construct related predominantly to conceptual skills.

Residential satisfaction of persons with an intellectual disability living in an institution or in the community

Young adults with an intellectual disability who were resident either in a residential institution or who had moved into independent community accommodation from that institution were interviewed in order to measure how satisfield they were with their lives. All of these people were working at the same large sheltered workshop. Interviews assessed satisfaction with residence, leisure, work, interpersonal relationships, financial position, training and skills. Self esteem and locus of control were also assessed. The only significant differences between the two groups were in their residential satisfaction where those in the institution were more satisfied with their social life while those in the community were more satisfied with their autonomy. There were no significant differences between the two groups in their self esteem or locus of control scores. Those who had moved into the community indicated that they liked living there more than they had in the institution and similarly, those in the institutio...

Antarctica: A study of person – culture fit

Abstract This study explored the concept of person – culture fit for men and women working in remote and isolated Australian Antarctic stations. Person – culture fit was assessed in terms of the congruence between perceived Antarctic station values and ideal organisational values. In particular, the study investigated the extent to which congruence between perceived Antarctic station values and ideal organisational values was related to individual attitudes and job outcomes, including, job satisfaction, perceived group cohesion and subjective fit. Participants were 117 men and women who participated in Australian Antarctic expeditions between 1950 and 2000. The results showed that person – culture fit was related to job satisfaction and group cohesion. Person – culture fit and demographic characteristics such as age and gender were also related to subjective fit with Antarctic station culture.

Construct and criterion validities of the Service Need Assessment Profile (SNAP): A measure of support for people with disabilities

Abstract Background The Service Need Assessment Profile (SNAP) measures individual functional needs in areas of daily living. It produces a support profile, detailing the time allocations for staff support to assist in each area of need. The Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) is a support needs assessment scale designed to provide an objective measure of a persons need for support in medical, behavioural, and life activities. SIS can be used for individualised support planning, clinical judgements regarding support needs, resource allocation and financial planning. The Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP) assesses adaptive and maladaptive behaviours and gathers additional information to determine type and amount of special assistance that people with disabilities need. Method This study evaluated the construct and criterion validities of SNAP in relation to the SIS and ICAP, using assessment data from 114 individuals with a range of disabilities and levels of severity. Results Construct and criterion validities were supported for the SNAP by high correlations with SIS, ICAP, and staff estimates of support needs and by its capacity to discriminate between sub‐groups in expected ways. Conclusions The results provide support for the use of SNAP as a support needs instrument.

A Comparison of Two Family Quality of Life Measures: An Australian Study

Family Quality of Life (FQOL) research partly stemmed from government policies in the 1970s promoting deinstitutionalization, resulting in increasing numbers of families becoming responsible for the primary care and support of their relative with an intellectual disability. Research has indicated that families have not necessarily been prepared for the duration and intensity of this care, leading to added demands on disability services to provide such families with support. Consequently, there has grown a need to evaluate FQOL. This chapter describes two internationally developed FQOL survey measures; the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale (Beach Center on Disability, 2003) and the international Family Quality of Life Survey: Main caregivers of people with intellectual disabilities (I. Brown et al., 2006), and discusses their concurrent use within Australia. Both surveys made use of similar FQOL domains associated with Emotional, Material, and Physical Well-Being; Family Relationships; and Disability Services, but there are also some differences throughout the scales. While both surveys resulted in relatively comprehensive FQOL data, some components relevant to FQOL were included in one survey but not the other, such as “Transportation,” “Parenting,” and “Influence of Values.” In addition, while both surveys used the measurement concepts Importance and Satisfaction, the International Survey also measured Opportunities, Initiative, Attainment, and Stability. The evaluation of these two instruments carried out in the present study supports the importance of measuring FQOL using mixed-methods in an interview format where possible, and it also provides suggestions for how these measures could be improved to better identify what makes up a life of quality for these families as well as the support needed to improve the QOL of families who have a member with a intellectual disability.