Imitation of nonwords by hearing‐impaired children with cochlear implants: segmental analyses

The phonological processing skills of 24 pre‐lingually deaf 8‐ and 9‐year‐old experienced cochlear implant users were measured using a nonword repetition task. The children heard recordings of 20 nonwords and were asked to repeat each pattern as accurately as possible. Detailed segmental analyses of the consonants in the children's imitation responses were carried out. Overall, 39% of the consonants were imitated correctly. Coronals were produced correctly more often than labials or dorsals. There was no difference in the proportion of correctly reproduced stops, fricatives, nasals, and liquids, or voiced and voiceless consonants. Although nonword repetition performance was not correlated with the children's demographic characteristics, the nonword repetition scores were strongly correlated with other measures of the component processes required for the immediate reproduction of a novel sound pattern: spoken word recognition, language comprehension, working memory, and speech production.     

The relationship of actual height loss with health-seeking behaviors and risk factors in perimenopausal and menopausal women

PURPOSE: To explore whether there is a difference in the perceived height and actual height in the perimenopausal or menopausal woman and discover the difference's effect on osteoporosis health-seeking preventive behaviors and risk factor awareness. DATA SOURCES: Sixty-three perimenopausal and menopausal women, aged 45-70 years, who presented at three Midwestern clinics for their annual physical exam. Data were collected with The Osteoporosis Questionnaire, which included the Osteoporosis Risk Questionnaire, Health-O-Meter height measuring stick, tape measure with inch-rule for arm span measurements, and balance scale for weight. CONCLUSIONS: There were a significant relationship between actual height loss and osteoporosis risk factors (r = 0.41595, p = 0.0007) and a trend for a relationship between adjusted height loss and osteoporosis risk factors (r = 0.2407, p = 0.0574). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Due to the great expense of current testing for bone mass density loss, the results of this study may help clinicians more readily identify markers for increased risk of osteoporosis through simple height measurements and osteoporosis risk factor assessments during annual visits.     

Combining neuroimaging and behavior to discriminate children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder with and without prenatal alcohol exposure

Brain Imaging and Behavior - In many patients, ostensible idiopathic attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may actually stem from covert prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), a...     

Using Interpretation Bias Modification to Reduce Anger in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study

Difficulty controlling anger is the most commonly reported reintegration concern among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One of the mechanisms associated with problematic anger is a tendency to interpret ambiguous interpersonal situations as hostile, known as the hostile interpretation bias (HIB). A computer-based interpretation bias modification (IBM) intervention has been shown to successfully reduce HIB and anger but has not been tested in veterans with PTSD. The current study was a pilot trial of this IBM intervention modified to address problematic anger among veterans with PTSD. Veterans with PTSD and a high level of anger (N = 7) completed eight sessions of IBM treatment over the course of 4 weeks. Participants completed self-report questionnaires at pre- and posttreatment assessment visits, as well as a treatment acceptability interview at posttreatment. Veterans experienced large reductions in hostile interpretation bias and anger from pre- to posttreatment, ds = 1.03–1.96, although these estimates may be unstable due to the small sample size. The feasibility for recruitment, retention, and treatment completion were high. Questionnaire and interview data demonstrated that most participants were satisfied with the treatment and found it helpful and easy to use. Overall, IBM for anger was feasible and acceptable to veterans with PTSD and was associated with reductions in hostile interpretations and self-reported anger outcomes. Further research examining this approach is warranted.