Tricia Vause

Experimental Studies of Psychological Interventions With Athletes in Competitions Why So Few

During the past three decades, behavioral practitioners have been applying techniques to improve the performance of athletes. To what extent are interventions, designed to improve the directly and reliably measured performance of athletes in competitions, based on experimental demonstrations of efficacy? That is the question addressed by this review. All issues of three behavioral journals and seven sport psychology journals, from 1972 through 2002, were examined for articles that addressed the above question. Fifteen articles were found that met the inclusion criteria, yielding an average of only one published study every 2 years. This article reviews those articles, discusses reasons for the dearth of research in this area, and makes recommendations for much needed future research.

The hierarchical relationship between several visual and auditory discriminations and three verbal operants among individuals with developmental disabilities.

This study examined the relationship between performance on the Assessment of Basic Leaming Abilities test (ABLA), two auditory matching tasks, and a test of echoics, tacts, and mands with persons with developmental disabilities. It was found that discrimination skill (visual, auditory-visual, and auditoryauditory discriminations) was a better predictor of performance on verbal operant assessments than level of functioning based on diagnosis. The results showed high test-retest reliability for the test of verbal operants and no hierarchical relationship was found among the three verbal operants. The results suggest that the ABLA Level 6 might be a possible bridging task for teaching echoics, tacts, and mands. Further research is needed to ascertain the relation between the auditory matching tasks and the verbal operants.

Teaching Equivalence Relations to Individuals with Minimal Verbal Repertoires: Are Visual and Auditory-Visual Discriminations Predictive of Stimulus Equivalence?

The relationship between language, performance on the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) test, and stimulus equivalence was examined. Five participants with minimal verbal repertoires were studied; 3 who passed up to ABLA Level 4, a visual quasi-identity discrimination and 2 who passed ABLA Level 6, an auditory-visual non identity discrimination. Only the latter 2 participants demonstrated positive equivalence test outcomes similar to previous studies (Brady … McLean, 2000; Carr, Wilkinson, Blackman, … Mcllvane, 2000). The results suggest that well-developed language skills are not necessary to demonstrate positive outcomes on equivalence tests among three 3-member stimulus classes, and that visual and auditory discriminations as measured by the ABLA test may be prerequisite for the learning of equivalence relations.

Visual--Visual Nonidentity Matching Assessment: A Worthwhile Addition to the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities Test.

The Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities test (ABLA) is a useful tool for choosing appropriate training tasks for persons with developmental disabilities. This test assesses the ease or difficulty with which persons are able to learn six hierarchically positioned discrimination tasks. A visual-visual nonidentity matching prototype task was examined to assess its (a). relation to the ABLA hierarchy, (b). predictive validity, and (c). test-retest reliability. Results from 23 participants with developmental disabilities suggest that visual-visual nonidentity matching is a worthwhile addition to the ABLA test and is positioned in the ABLA hierarchy above Level 4 (visual-visual identity matching) and below Level 6 (auditory-visual discrimination). The prototype visual-visual nonidentity matching task also demonstrated high predictive validity and test-retest reliability.

Preliminary Randomized Trial of Function-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to Treat Obsessive Compulsive Behavior in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience obsessions and/or compulsions that are similar to those specified in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, little research exists on effective interventions for OCD-like behaviors (referred to as OCBs) in ASD. In a preliminary randomized controlled trial (RCT; N = 14), a manualized function-based cognitive-behavior therapy (Fb-CBT) consisting of traditional CBT components (psychoeducation and mapping, cognitive-behavioral skills training, exposure, and response prevention) as well as function-based behavioral assessment and intervention significantly decreased OCBs in 8- to 12-year-old children with ASD at post-treatment and 5-month follow-up. This multi-component treatment shows considerable promise, and a larger RCT is needed to further validate and expand these findings.

Effects of Group Functional Behavior-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior in a Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder

ABSTRACT Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often present with comorbid Obsessive Compulsive Behaviors (OCBs), but little research exists on effective intervention for OCBs. Using a single-case experimental design, this study highlights the efficacy of a Group Functional Behavior-based Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (Fb-CBT) to reduce OCBs in an 11-year-old youth with ASD. Tailored to the individual needs of this youth, Fb-CBT included traditional CBT components (e.g., psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral skills training, and exposure and response prevention) coupled with functional behavior assessment and intervention. Time-series parent report data and standardized measures showed clinically significant decreases in OCBs, an increase in psychosocial functioning, and high consumer satisfaction.

A Comparison of a Novel Application of Hierarchical Linear Modeling and Nonparametric Analysis for Single-Subject Designs.

Behavioral researchers commonly use single-subject experimental designs to evaluate treatment effects. Several methods of data analysis are used, each with its own set of methodological strengths and limitations. Visual inspection is a common method to assess variability, level, and trend both within and between conditions. To quantify treatment outcomes for particular participants, researchers use nonparametric indices such as percentage of nonoverlapping data points (PND) and percentage of data points exceeding the median (PEM). Increasing attention has been directed to parametric methods for analyzing single-subject time series data analysis, including the estimation of individual growth curves and related functions via hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). The present study compares and contrasts the use of PND, PEM, and HLM for estimating individual treatment effects. The example in question utilized a clinical data set involving 36 obsessive–compulsive behaviors across 17 participants. The specific implementation of the HLM model is discussed in detail to illustrate applicability to single-subject designs. Strengths and weaknesses of each method are discussed, including the accessibility of PEM–PND and the robust and sensitive indices provided by the individual growth-curve model. Overall, consistent effects for the treatment phase were demonstrated, with moderate agreement among methods. This application also shows how treatment effects can be modeled and provides 1 example of how individual differences in treatment can be characterized across participants within a study. In this case, the treatment appeared equally effective across the age range of participants, with age not being correlated with individual estimates of treatment response.

Comparison of a Web-Based Teaching Tool and Traditional Didactic Learning for In Vitro Fertilization Patients: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE The objective of this prospective RCT was to compare the efficacy of a web-based teaching tool to traditional didactic teaching in IVF patients. METHODS Forty women undergoing their first IVF cycle were randomly allocated to an interactive web-based teaching session or a nurse-led didactic teaching session. The primary outcome measure was participant knowledge regarding the IVF process, risks, and logistics assessed before and after the respective teaching session. Secondary outcomes included patient stress, assessed before and after the respective teaching session, and patient satisfaction, assessed following the respective teaching session and on the day of embryo transfer (following implementation of the teaching protocol). RESULTS Both groups demonstrated similar and significant improvements in knowledge and stress after exposure to their respective teaching sessions. The web-based group was significantly more satisfied than the didactic teaching group. Web-based teaching was also shown to be equally effective for participants of high versus low income and education status for knowledge, stress, and satisfaction. CONCLUSION This study provides preliminary support for the use of web-based teaching as an equally effective tool for increasing knowledge and reducing stress compared to traditional didactic teaching in IVF patients, with the added benefit of increased patient satisfaction.