Rachel Dryer

The predictors of distress in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract Background It is well recognised that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience clinically significant levels of stress and depression. This study examined which ASD characteristic best predicted parental distress. Method Parents of 109 children aged between 4 and 12 (M age = 7.89, SD = 2.43) completed self-report measures of anxiety, depression, stress, and parenting-specific stress. They also completed rating scales regarding their childs ASD characteristics. Results This study found that the childs behavioural and emotional impairments predicted the parents’ overall levels of distress (i.e., stress/tension, anxiety, and depression), but not the stress associated with parenting. Instead, the childs social impairment severity was found to predict parenting-specific stress. Conclusion This study highlights the pervasive influence of ASD symptomatology on the mental wellbeing of the parents and the importance of assisting parents to cope with the behavioural and social impairments of their child.

Pregnancy anxiety: A systematic review of current scales

BACKGROUND Depression in pregnancy is a serious health issue; however, anxiety in pregnancy, with a reported higher prevalence, may also be a serious issue. Anxiety symptoms in pregnancy can relate to several anxiety types, such as general anxiety, anxiety disorders, and pregnancy-related anxiety (PrA), anxiety characterised by pregnancy specific fears and worries. Awareness of these distinctions however, is not always widespread. Both general anxiety and PrA are associated with maternal negative outcomes (e.g. increased nausea) however; PrA is more often associated with negative outcomes for the child (e.g. preterm birth). Furthermore, PrA is potentially a risk factor for postnatal depression with assessment of PrA potentially affording important intervention opportunities. Currently several different instruments are used for PrA however their psychometric properties are unclear. To our knowledge a review of current instruments and their psychometric properties is lacking, this paper aims to fill that gap. METHODS Studies, which assessed PrA, published between 1983 and 2013 in peer-reviewed journals, were identified. RESULTS Sixty studies were identified after applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, and classified as: pregnancy-related anxiety specific, scales for other constructs, sub scales of another instrument and general anxiety scales. Each scales strengths and limitations were discussed. LIMITATIONS Our findings may be limited by restricting our review to peer-reviewed journals. This was done however as we sought to identify scales with good psychometric properties. CONCLUSIONS Currently no scales are available for pregnancy-related anxiety with sound theoretical and psychometric properties. Clinically the need for such a scale is highlighted by the potential intervention opportunities this may afford. Future research should be directed towards the development of such a scale.

Implicit theories of the characteristics and causes of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder held by parents and professionals in the psychological, educational, medical and allied health fields

Current best practice guidelines advocate a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, no research has yet examined whether parents and professionals share common beliefs about ADHD. This study examined the implicit beliefs about the characteristics and causes of ADHD held by parents and professionals in the psychological, educational, medical, and allied health fields. A total of 670 participants rated 46 characteristics and 29 causal explanations for ADHD. Principal component analyses identified five characteristic factors and six causal factors. There was a high degree of concordance between the groups in their beliefs about the characteristics and causes of ADHD. However, several important differences were also found. The implications of the overlap and differences between professional and nonprofessional groups, and the scientific literature are considered.

The Balance Model of Dyslexia and Remedial Training An Evaluative Study

The aim of this study was to test the validity of Bakkers (1983, 1990) theory and treatment paradigm of dyslexia. Twenty-one children (mean age = 9.9 years) categorized as P-type dyslexics (showing accurate but slow and fragmented reading) and 19 children (mean age = 9.7 years) categorized as L-type dyslexics (fast but inaccurate readers) were presented with hemisphere-specific stimulation (HSS) and hemisphere-alluding stimulation (HAS). HSS was produced by presenting words to either the left or the right visual half-field, or to the left or right hand of the participant. HAS training was achieved through the presentation of either semantically /phonetically demanding or perceptually demanding text. Participants were given either a treatment program that was specifically designed for their particular dyslexia subtype, or a program that had been deliberately chosen to be inconsistent with their subtype. Contrary to predictions, participants made gains on all of the reading measures, regardless of the type of treatment given. On the basis of these findings it is suggested that treatment gains made are due to nonspecific training effects and not to the specific nature of Bakkers remedial strategies.

Parental and Professional Beliefs on the Treatment and Management of ADHD

Objective: This study examined parental and professional beliefs about the efficacy of various treatment strategies for ADHD. Method: Parents of children with and without ADHD and seven medical and nonmedical professional groups (N = 673) completed a questionnaire examining their beliefs about the efficacy of various treatment regimes. Results: Principle component analysis identified four factors—school-based interventions, medical and allied health interventions, parent interventions, and nontraditional interventions. Although there were some group differences in the level of endorsement for these factors, there was a high degree of concordance between the groups. The school-based interventions factor was the most highly endorsed, whereas the nontraditional interventions factor was the least endorsed by the sample as a whole. Conclusion: The results suggest that the low level of interdisciplinary interaction that has been reported in the literature is not due to differences in beliefs about the efficacy of various treatment strategies for ADHD.

Academic Achievement Performance of University Students with Disability: Exploring the Influence of Non-academic Factors

Abstract This study examined whether: (1) the non-academic constructs of psychological well-being, motivation to learn and quality of life (QOL) explained the variance in the academic achievement of students with disability; and (2) students with a mental health disability (MHD) differed from students with other disability on academic achievement and on the aforementioned non-academic constructs. Eighty-three students with disability were administered the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, the World Health Organisation QOL questionnaire, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Grade-point average was used as the measure of academic achievement. The results showed that measures of social relationships and self-efficacy were significant explanatory variables that could clarify the variance in academic achievement. Secondly, students with MHD differed from students with other disabilities on measures of psychological health, physical health, and social relationships. The findings have consequences for learning services provided to students with disability. It highlights the importance of examining the influence of disability type on student’s cognitive and behavioural dimensions such as their motivation to learn, engagement, persistence and academic attainment.

The Role of Sociocultural Influences on Symptoms of Muscle Dysmorphia and Eating Disorders in Men, and the Mediating Effects of Perfectionism

This study examined the mediating role of self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism in the relationship between sociocultural influences (i.e., media, peer, and teasing) and symptoms of muscle dysmorphia (MD) and eating disorders (ED). A nonclinical sample of males (N = 158, Mage = 26.94, SD = 5.50) completed measures of perfectionism, MD, body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimia. Susceptibility to appearance-based messages from the media, their peers, and family was also measured. Analyses confirmed the partial mediating role of self-oriented perfectionism only for drive for thinness. In contrast, socially prescribed perfectionism was found to be a partial mediator between all three sociocultural variables and measures of both MD and ED; except for those between peer influence and body dissatisfaction, and teasing and bulimia symptomatology. These two relationships were fully mediated by socially prescribed perfectionism. Results suggest that vulnerability to MD and ED depend on pre-existing perfectionistic attitudes, particularly that of socially prescribed perfectionism.

Re-examining pregnancy-related anxiety: A replication study

BACKGROUND Recognition of pregnancy-related anxiety as a distinct anxiety is supported by evidence differentiating it from general anxiety and depression. Adverse associations with pregnancy-related anxiety further support this distinction. An influential study by Huizink et al. (2004), demonstrated that anxiety and depression contribute little to the variance of pregnancy-related anxiety, yet this study has not been replicated. Further, addressing limitations of the original study will provide further clarity to the findings. METHODS Participants (N=1209), were recruited online and completed three scales: pregnancy-related anxiety, general anxiety and depression. Multiple regression assessed the unique contribution of general anxiety and depression (predictors) to pregnancy-related anxiety scores (criterion) for each trimester. RESULTS Across pregnancy, general anxiety and depression explained only 2-23% of the variance in the pregnancy-related anxiety scores. Anxiety and depression showed small unique contributions for some trimesters and specific areas of concern, ranging from 2 to 11%. Comparisons to the original Huizink study showed most results were comparable. CONCLUSIONS The methodology and more detailed analyses employed addressed noted limitations of the Huizink study. Findings that the contribution of general anxiety and depression to the variance in pregnancy-related anxiety scores was low, supports previous conclusions that pregnancy-related anxiety is a discrete anxiety type. Recognition of this unique anxiety (associated with many deleterious outcomes) may provide opportunity for prenatal screening/early intervention, potentially resulting in improved pregnancy outcomes. Limitations include no exclusion of women deemed as high-risk pregnancy and the pregnancy-related anxiety scale limited in its ability to fully assess this anxiety type.

The pregnancy-related anxiety scale: A validity examination using Rasch analysis

BACKGROUND Pregnancy-related anxiety is increasingly recognised as a common condition that is associated with many deleterious outcomes for both the mother and infant (e.g., preterm birth, postnatal depression). Limitations in the psychometric properties and/or breadth of existing scales for pregnancy-related anxiety highlight the need for a psychometrically sound measure to facilitate effective screening and possible early interventions. The recently developed Pregnancy-related Anxiety Scale (PrAS) was evaluated using Rasch analysis to explore how the scales psychometric properties could be fine-tuned. METHOD A sample of 497 pregnant women completed the PrAS. Data were subjected to Rasch analysis, and the resulting scale structure examined using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. RESULTS After minor modifications, the Rasch model with 33-items and 8-factors demonstrated good fit, unidimensionality and excellent targeting and internal consistency. Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed the final structure, and Cronbachs alpha demonstrated excellent reliability. LIMITATIONS The use of the same sample for all analyses was a potential limitation due to the possibility of sample-specific influences. CONCLUSIONS The Rasch analysis further supports the internal construct validity of the PrAS. Ordinal to interval score conversions provide added precision to the analysis of the PrAS scores. The Rasch results, together with previous validation evidence, point to the PrAS as a comprehensive and psychometrically sound screening scale for pregnancy-related anxiety. The PrAS offers clinicians the ability to screen for pregnancy-related anxiety. The subscales provide additional insights into a womans pregnancy-related anxiety and her specific areas of concern, enabling more targeted interventions.

Cross-cultural examination of beliefs about the causes of bulimia nervosa among Australian and Japanese females

OBJECTIVE To identify similarities and differences in beliefs about the causes of Bulimia Nervosa (BN) held by Asian (Japanese) women and Western (Australian) women, and hence, to examine the applicability of belief models of eating disorders (ED) across different cultures. METHOD Four hundred three Japanese and 256 Australian female university students (aged 17-35 years) completed a questionnaire that gauged beliefs about the causes of BN. RESULTS Among the Australian women, the four-component structure of perceived causes (dieting and eating practices, family dynamics, socio-cultural pressure, and psychological vulnerability) found in Dryer et al. (2012) was replicated. Among the Japanese women, however, a three-component structure (without the psychological vulnerability component) was obtained. The groups also differed in the causal component they most strongly endorsed, that being socio-cultural pressure for the Australian women, and dieting and eating practices for the Japanese women. DISCUSSION The Japanese participants were found to endorse three out of the four Western-based causal explanations for BN, but the relative importance they placed on those explanations differed from that of the Australian participants. Further research is needed, particularly to establish whether Japanese women simply fail to see psychological vulnerability as a viable cause of BN, or there are in fact cultural differences in the extent to which such vulnerability causes BN.