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Full-Text Articles in Psychology

48. Valence, Implicated Actor, And Children's Acquiescence To False Suggestions, Kyndra C. Cleveland, Jodi A. Quas, Thomas D. Lyon Dec 2015

48. Valence, Implicated Actor, And Children's Acquiescence To False Suggestions, Kyndra C. Cleveland, Jodi A. Quas, Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

Although adverse effects of suggestive interviewing on children's accuracy are well documented, it remains unclear as to whether these effects vary depending on the valence of and the actor implicated in suggestions. In this study, 124 3-8-year-olds participated in a classroom activity and were later questioned about positive and negative false details. The interviewer provided positive reinforcement when children acquiesced to suggestions and negative feedback when they did not. Following reinforcement or feedback, young children were comparably suggestible for positive and negative details. With age, resistance to suggestions about negative details merged first, followed by resistance to suggestions about positive …


A Humanistic Approach To Understanding Child Consumer Socialization In Us Homes, Lucy Atkinson, Michelle R. Nelson, Mark A. Rademacher Dec 2015

A Humanistic Approach To Understanding Child Consumer Socialization In Us Homes, Lucy Atkinson, Michelle R. Nelson, Mark A. Rademacher

Mark A. Rademacher

We present findings from a qualitative, multisite, multi-method, longitudinal study of parents and their preschool-aged children that explores the intersections of marketing influences in the home and in the larger outside world of children. Findings indicate that preschoolers represent complicated and nuanced “consumers in training” beyond predictions based on their “perceptual stage of development.” Specifically, our data revealed interesting ways in which marketing and consumer culture can foster a number of pro-social consumer outcomes (e.g., charity, gift-giving, financial literacy). We also noted an emerging understanding by preschoolers of the social meanings of goods for identity construction and product evaluation. Finally, …


46. Wrongful Acquittals Of Sexual Abuse., Thomas D. Lyon, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Kelly Mcwilliams Nov 2015

46. Wrongful Acquittals Of Sexual Abuse., Thomas D. Lyon, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Kelly Mcwilliams

Thomas D. Lyon

Ross Cheit’s book The Witch-Hunt Narrative highlights the difficulties of prosecuting child sexual abuse. Drawing examples from a single case, Alex A., we examine the ways in which false acquittals of sexual abuse are likely to occur. First, prosecutors tend to question children in ways that undermine their productivity and credibility. Second, prosecutors have difficulty in explaining to juries the dynamics of sexual abuse and disclosure, making children’s acquiescence to abuse and their failure to disclose when abuse first occurs incredible. Third, attorneys undermine children’s credibility by pushing them to provide difficult to estimate temporal and numerical information. A postscript …


The Productivity Of Wh- Prompts In Child Forensic Interviews, Elizabeth C, Ahern, Samantha J. Andrews, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Thomas D. Lyon Nov 2015

The Productivity Of Wh- Prompts In Child Forensic Interviews, Elizabeth C, Ahern, Samantha J. Andrews, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

Child witnesses are often asked wh- prompts (what, how, why, who, when, where) in forensic interviews. However, little research has examined the ways in which children respond to different wh- prompts and no previous research has investigated productivity differences among wh- prompts in investigative interviews. This study examined the use and productivity of wh- prompts in 95 transcripts of 4- to 13-year-olds alleging sexual abuse in child investigative interviews. What-how questions about actions elicited the most productive responses during both the rapport building and substantive phases. Future research and practitioner training should consider distinguishing among different wh- prompts.


45. The Productivity Of Wh- Prompts In Child Forensic Interviews., Elizabeth C, Ahern, Samantha J. Andrews, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Thomas D. Lyon Nov 2015

45. The Productivity Of Wh- Prompts In Child Forensic Interviews., Elizabeth C, Ahern, Samantha J. Andrews, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

Child witnesses are often asked wh- prompts (what, how, why, who, when, where) in forensic interviews. However, little research has examined the ways in which children respond to different wh- prompts and no previous research has investigated productivity differences among wh- prompts in investigative interviews. This study examined the use and productivity of wh- prompts in 95 transcripts of 4- to 13-year-olds alleging sexual abuse in child investigative interviews. What-how questions about actions elicited the most productive responses during both the rapport building and substantive phases. Future research and practitioner training should consider distinguishing among different wh- prompts.


Differences In The Prevalence, Severity And Symptom Profiles Of Depression In Boys And Adolescents With An Autism Spectrum Disorder Versus Normally Developing Controls, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley Oct 2015

Differences In The Prevalence, Severity And Symptom Profiles Of Depression In Boys And Adolescents With An Autism Spectrum Disorder Versus Normally Developing Controls, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley

Vicki Bitsika

The prevalence, severity and symptom profiles for major depressive disorder (MDD) were compared in samples of boys and adolescents with and without an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Self-reports were obtained on the Depression subscale of the Child and Adolescent Symptoms Inventory (CASI-D) with 70 ASD and 50 non-ASD male participants between the ages of 8 and 18 from Queensland, Australia who were matched for age and IQ. Results indicated that the ASD participants had significantly higher total CASI-D scores, a greater proportion of participants who qualified for a diagnosis of MDD, and over 50% higher scores for 8 of the …


Eight-Month Test-Retest Agreement In Morning Salivary Cortisol, Self- And Parent-Rated Anxiety In Boys With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, Linda Agnew, Nicholas Andronicos Oct 2015

Eight-Month Test-Retest Agreement In Morning Salivary Cortisol, Self- And Parent-Rated Anxiety In Boys With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, Linda Agnew, Nicholas Andronicos

Vicki Bitsika

The agreement over time in morning salivary cortisol concentrations and also self- and parent-rated anxiety was investigated in a sample of 16 boys with an ASD. Cortisol and anxiety data were collected eight months apart. Results indicated that there were significant correlations between each pair of measures from the two occasions, suggesting that cortisol concentrations and anxiety did not vary much at all over that time, challenging the assumption that cortisol needs to be measured over multiple days to obtain reliable data from children with an ASD. Implications for research into the ways these children respond to chronic stressors are …


Agreement Between Self- Vs Parent-Ratings Of General Anxiety Disorder Symptoms And Salivary Cortisol In Boys With An Asd, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley, Nicholas Andronicos, Linda Agnew Oct 2015

Agreement Between Self- Vs Parent-Ratings Of General Anxiety Disorder Symptoms And Salivary Cortisol In Boys With An Asd, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley, Nicholas Andronicos, Linda Agnew

Vicki Bitsika

To determine the relative validity of parent-assessed and self-assessed symptoms of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in boys with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 140 boys with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) were assessed for GAD by their parents and by themselves, and gave a sample of cortisol during the afternoon of these assessments. There were significant differences between self-assessments and parents’ assessments for the total GAD score and on four of the eight individual GAD symptoms. Using cortisol concentrations as a validation index, the two key GAD items were most validly assessed via boys’ self-ratings. Key GAD symptoms in boys …


Parent-Student Data Collection: Does It Matter Who Participates? Examining Perceptions Of Social/Financial Support And Family Environment, Karin Bartoszuk, James E. Deal Sep 2015

Parent-Student Data Collection: Does It Matter Who Participates? Examining Perceptions Of Social/Financial Support And Family Environment, Karin Bartoszuk, James E. Deal

Karin Bartoszuk

The intent of this exploratory study is to examine similarities and differences regarding perceived social and financial support, and the perception of family environment between students whose parents participated in the survey and students whose parents did not participate.




Attributional Styles Of Aggressive Boys And Their Mothers, Laura Bickett, Richard Milich, Ronald Brown Aug 2015

Attributional Styles Of Aggressive Boys And Their Mothers, Laura Bickett, Richard Milich, Ronald Brown

Ronald Brown

To determine if mothers of aggressive boys have the same propensity as their sons to infer hostile intentions in ambiguous interpersonal situations, 50 mothers of aggressive and nonaggressive boys were each asked to interpret hypothetical situations involving themselves with their child, their partner, and a peer as well as hypothetical situations involving their child in interaction with classmates and teachers. Their sons also were each requested to interpret hypothetical situations involving themselves with their mother, a teacher, and a classmate. The results indicated that mothers of aggressive boys do share the propensity to infer hostility in ambiguous situations and may, …


Prevalence And Correlates Of Firesetting Behaviours Among Offending And Non-Offending Youth, Bruce Watt, Kerry Geritz, Tasneem Hasan, Scott Harden, Rebekah Doley Aug 2015

Prevalence And Correlates Of Firesetting Behaviours Among Offending And Non-Offending Youth, Bruce Watt, Kerry Geritz, Tasneem Hasan, Scott Harden, Rebekah Doley

Rebekah Doley

Purpose: Adolescents represent a disproportionate number of firesetters relative to their adult counterparts. There is limited understanding, however, in the differing rates of firelighting behaviours between subgroups of youth. Method: Utilizing the recently developed Youth Fire Behaviours and Interests Scale, the differences in firesetting behaviours between adolescents adjudicated as offenders and non-offenders were evaluated. The associations for firesetting behaviours with antisocial behaviours and callous-unemotional traits (CUT) were examined utilizing items from the Antisocial Process Screening Device and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Participants were recruited across south-east Queensland; young offenders on community orders or in a youth detention centre (n …


Prevalence And Correlates Of Firesetting Behaviours Among Offending And Non-Offending Youth, Bruce Watt, Kerry Geritz, Tasneem Hasan, Scott Harden, Rebekah Doley Aug 2015

Prevalence And Correlates Of Firesetting Behaviours Among Offending And Non-Offending Youth, Bruce Watt, Kerry Geritz, Tasneem Hasan, Scott Harden, Rebekah Doley

Bruce Watt

Purpose: Adolescents represent a disproportionate number of firesetters relative to their adult counterparts. There is limited understanding, however, in the differing rates of firelighting behaviours between subgroups of youth. Method: Utilizing the recently developed Youth Fire Behaviours and Interests Scale, the differences in firesetting behaviours between adolescents adjudicated as offenders and non-offenders were evaluated. The associations for firesetting behaviours with antisocial behaviours and callous-unemotional traits (CUT) were examined utilizing items from the Antisocial Process Screening Device and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Participants were recruited across south-east Queensland; young offenders on community orders or in a youth detention centre (n …


44. The Effects Of Question Repetition On Responses When Prosecutors And Defense Attorneys Question Children Alleging Sexual Abuse In Court, Samantha J. Andrews, Michael E. Lamb, Thomas D. Lyon Aug 2015

44. The Effects Of Question Repetition On Responses When Prosecutors And Defense Attorneys Question Children Alleging Sexual Abuse In Court, Samantha J. Andrews, Michael E. Lamb, Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

This study examined the effects of repeated questions (n=12,169) on 6- to 12-year-olds’ testimony in child sexual abuse cases. We examined transcripts of direct- and cross-examinations of 120 children, categorizing how attorneys asked repeated questions in-court and how children responded. Defense attorneys repeated more questions (33.6% of total questions asked) than prosecutors (17.8%) and repeated questions using more suggestive prompts (38% of their repeated questions) than prosecutors (15%). In response, children typically repeated or elaborated on their answers and seldom contradicted themselves. Self-contradictions were most often elicited by suggestive and option-posing prompts posed by either type of attorney. Child age …


The Influence Of Gender, Age, Psychological Resilience And Family Interaction Factors Upon Anxiety And Depression In Non-Autism Spectrum Disorder Siblings Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley, Rebecca Mailli Jul 2015

The Influence Of Gender, Age, Psychological Resilience And Family Interaction Factors Upon Anxiety And Depression In Non-Autism Spectrum Disorder Siblings Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley, Rebecca Mailli

Vicki Bitsika

The influence of gender, age, Psychological resilience and family interaction factors upon generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) was investigated in 75 non-autism spectrum disorder (NASD) siblings who had a brother or sister with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). GAD and MDD were much more prevalent than in comparable age group samples, and adolescent females had the highest MDD rates. Several Psychological resilience skills were significantly associated with lower GAD and MDD, particularly being able to recognise mistakes in their thinking (for children) and being able to remain in control of their anger (for adolescents). Suggestions are …


Understanding, Experiences, And Reactions To Bullying Experiences In Boys With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley Jul 2015

Understanding, Experiences, And Reactions To Bullying Experiences In Boys With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley

Vicki Bitsika

Most previous studies of bullying in young people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have relied on data from adults’ rather than the person with an ASD themselves, thus limiting our understanding of the bullying experience from the child’s perspective. To investigate this issue, 48 high-functioning boys with an ASD, and their mothers, completed an online questionnaire about various aspects of bullying. There were some minor discrepancies between mothers’ and their sons’ reported frequency of bullying. Boys demonstrated an understanding of the behaviour that constitutes bullying that was consistent with the wider literature, enhancing the validity of their responses about …


43. The Effects Of The Putative Confession And Parent Suggestion On Children's Disclosure Of A Minor Transgression. Legal And Criminological Psychology, Elizabeth B. Rush, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Jodi A. Quas, Thomas D. Lyon Jul 2015

43. The Effects Of The Putative Confession And Parent Suggestion On Children's Disclosure Of A Minor Transgression. Legal And Criminological Psychology, Elizabeth B. Rush, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Jodi A. Quas, Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

Purpose: This study examined the effects of the putative confession (telling the child that an adult “told me everything that happened and he wants you to tell the truth”) on children’s disclosure of a minor transgression after questioning by their parents. Methods: Children (N = 188; 4 – 7-year-olds) played with a confederate, and while doing so, for half of the children, toys broke. Parents then questioned their children about what occurred, and half of the parents were given additional scripted suggestive questions. Finally, children completed a mock forensic investigative interview. Results: Children given the putative confession were 1.6 times …


10. Ohio V. Clark: Brief Of Amicus Curiae American Professional Society On The Abuse Of Children In Support Of Petitioner., Jeremy A. Lawrence, Daniel B. Levin, Kevin L. Brady, Maria Jhai, Thomas D. Lyon Jul 2015

10. Ohio V. Clark: Brief Of Amicus Curiae American Professional Society On The Abuse Of Children In Support Of Petitioner., Jeremy A. Lawrence, Daniel B. Levin, Kevin L. Brady, Maria Jhai, Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

“Testimonial” statements are inadmissible against criminal defendants under the Confrontation Clause unless the declarant was subject to cross-examination. Statements are testimonial if the primary purpose of the speaker and the interrogator was to create an out-of-court substitute for trial testimony. Ohio v. Clark (2015) considered whether a 3-year-old’s disclosure of abuse to his teacher is testimonial. This brief surveyed case law, statutory law, and psychological and criminological research in arguing that it is not. First, young children do not appreciate that their disclosures may be used at trial, because they do not fully understand the legal system. Furthermore, many children …


42. Repeated Self And Peer-Review Leads To Continuous Improvement In Child Interviewing, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Thomas D. Lyon Jun 2015

42. Repeated Self And Peer-Review Leads To Continuous Improvement In Child Interviewing, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

The present study examined whether a training model that focuses on consistent exposure to protocol procedure, self-evaluation, and intensive peer-review sessions could improve interviewers’ ability to adhere to best practices. Law students (N = 19) interviewed 5- to 10-year-old children on a weekly basis as part of a semester-long forensic child interviewing class. They transcribed their interviews, and participated in one-hour self and peer-reviews. The proportion of each question type was calculated (option-posing, Wh-, and open-invitations) within each interview for each interviewer. Across ten weeks of interviews, interviewers consistently improved their performance, decreasing the proportion of option-posing questions by 31% …


Female Sexual-Offenders: Personality Pathology As A Mediator Of The Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse History And Sexual Abuse Perpetration Against Others, Kelly Ann Christopher, Catherine J. Lutz-Zois, Amanda R. Reinhardt May 2015

Female Sexual-Offenders: Personality Pathology As A Mediator Of The Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse History And Sexual Abuse Perpetration Against Others, Kelly Ann Christopher, Catherine J. Lutz-Zois, Amanda R. Reinhardt

Catherine Lutz Zois

Objective: The goal was to examine, in an all-female sample, possible mechanisms for the relationship between a history of childhood sexual abuse and the likelihood of perpetrating sexual abuse as an adult. It was hypothesized that Borderline and Antisocial Personality Disorder tendencies would mediate the relationship between these two forms of abuse. Method: One hundred forty two female participants (61 sex-offenders and 81 non-sex offenders) were recruited from a women’s prison in the Midwest. The participants completed measures that included a childhood history of sexual abuse, socially desirable responding, primary and secondary psychopathy, and Borderline Personality Disorder tendencies. Results: Participants …


41. Do Prosecutors Use Interview Instructions Or Build Rapport With Child Witnesses?, Elizabeth C, Ahern, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Thomas D. Lyon May 2015

41. Do Prosecutors Use Interview Instructions Or Build Rapport With Child Witnesses?, Elizabeth C, Ahern, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

This study examined the quality of interview instructions and rapport-building provided by prosecutors to 168 5- to 12-year-old children testifying in child sexual abuse cases, preceding explicit questions about abuse allegations. Prosecutors failed to effectively administer key interview instructions, build rapport, or rely on open-ended narrative producing prompts during this early stage of questioning. Moreover, prosecutors often directed children’s attention to the defendant early in the testimony. The productivity of different types of wh- questions varied, with what/how questions focusing on actions being particularly productive. The lack of instructions, poor quality rapport-building, and closed-ended questioning suggest that children may not …


Empowering Young Children: Multi-Method Exploration Of Young Children’S Preference For Natural Or Manufactured Elements In Outdoor Preschool Settings, Zahra Zamani Apr 2015

Empowering Young Children: Multi-Method Exploration Of Young Children’S Preference For Natural Or Manufactured Elements In Outdoor Preschool Settings, Zahra Zamani

Zahra Zamani

When designing play environments for children, it is critical to understand children’s accounts of their experiences rather than making inferences based on observations or parental report. However, limited data is available on the views of young children. Further, few studies have focused on understanding young children’s perspective on enjoyable cognitive play opportunities via different elements in outdoor settings. Emphasizing on the value of hearing children’s voices, this study combined drawings, photo preferences, and interview methods to understand the perspectives of 22 four- to five-year-old children. These children were enrolled in a preschool with a manufactured, mixed, and natural outdoor play …


Raising Narcissists: What Over-Approving Parents Can Learn From Philippians 2, A. Thornhill Mar 2015

Raising Narcissists: What Over-Approving Parents Can Learn From Philippians 2, A. Thornhill

A. Chadwick Thornhill

No abstract provided.


The Development Of Sex Category Representation In Infancy: Matching Of Faces And Bodies, Alyson J. Chroust, Ashley Kangas, Nicole Zieber, Ramesh S. Bhatt Feb 2015

The Development Of Sex Category Representation In Infancy: Matching Of Faces And Bodies, Alyson J. Chroust, Ashley Kangas, Nicole Zieber, Ramesh S. Bhatt

Alyson J. Chroust

Sex is a significant social category, and adults derive information about it from both faces and bodies. Research indicates that young infants process sex category information in faces. However, no prior study has examined whether infants derive sex categories from bodies and match faces and bodies in terms of sex. In the current study, 5-month-olds exhibited a preference between sex congruent (face and body of the same sex) versus sex-incongruent (face and body belonging to different genders) images. In contrast, 3.5-month-olds failed to exhibit a preference. Thus, 5-month-olds process sex information from bodies and match it to facial information. However, …


Childhood Adversity, Adult Homelessness And The Intergenerational Transmission Of Risk: A Population-Representative Study Of Individuals In Households With Children, J J. Cutuli, Ann Elizabeth Montgomer, Michelle Evans-Chase, Dennis P. Culhane Jan 2015

Childhood Adversity, Adult Homelessness And The Intergenerational Transmission Of Risk: A Population-Representative Study Of Individuals In Households With Children, J J. Cutuli, Ann Elizabeth Montgomer, Michelle Evans-Chase, Dennis P. Culhane

Dennis P. Culhane

This study tested for associations between childhood adversity, adult homelessness and contexts of developmental risk in households with children. Data were drawn from the 2010 Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, representative of the population of Washington State residents. Considering adults in households with children, those who experienced higher levels of childhood adversity were more likely to have experienced homelessness in adulthood. Meanwhile, a 10-factor index of cumulative developmental risk was independently associated with childhood adversity and with adult homelessness. Adult homelessness appears to represent a circumstance through which past childhood adversities are brought forward and associated with contexts …