ABSTRACT
This study aimed to investigate how visual-spatial ability predicted academic achievement through arithmetic and reading abilities. Four hundred and ninety-nine Chinese children aged from 10.1 to 11.2 years were recruited and measured visual-spatial, arithmetic, and reading abilities. Their mathematical and Chinese language academic achievements were collected for two consecutive school years, respectively, during the same year as cognitive tests and 1 year after the cognitive tests. Correlation analysis indicated that visual-spatial, arithmetic, and reading abilities and academic achievements were significantly correlated with each other. The structural equation modelling analyses showed that there were two paths from visual-spatial ability to academic achievement: a major path mediated by arithmetic ability and a minor serial mediation path from visual-spatial ability to arithmetic ability to reading ability, then to academic achievement. Results shed light on the importance of visual-spatial ability in education.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#The conduct of a medical interview is a challenging skill, even for the most qualified physicians. Since a training is needed toacquire the necessary skills to conduct an interview with a patient, we compared role-play with standardized patients (SP) training and aconventional lecture for the acquisition of communications skills in undergraduate medical students. @*Methods@#An entire promotion of third year undergraduate medical students, who never received any lessons about communicationsskills, were randomized into 4 arms: 1) SP 2 months before the testing of medical communications skills (SP); 2) conventional lecture 2months before the testing (CL); 3) two control groups (CG) without any intervention, tested either at the beginning of the study or twomonths later. Students were blindly assessed by trained physicians with a modified 17-items Calgary-Cambridge scale. @*Results@#388 students (98.7%) participated. SP performed better than CL, with significant statistical differences regarding 5 skills: theuse of open and closed questions, encouraging patient responses, inviting the patient to clarify the missing items, encouraging of the patient’semotions, and managing the time and the conduct of the interview. The SP group specifically improved communications skills betweenthe SP training and testing sessions regarding 2 skills: the use of open and closed questions and encouraging patient responses. Noimprovements in communications skills were observed in CG between the two time points, ruling out a possible time effect. @*Conclusion@#Role-play with standardized patients appears more efficient than conventional lecture to acquire communication skills inundergraduate medical students. Psychiatry Investig 2020;17(4):299-305
ABSTRACT
Diabetes insipidus is known to be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. In this case report, we present a child suffering from a central diabetes insipidus (DI) and an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The DI was due to a mutation on the vasopressin gene, impairing its secretion. We discuss the effects of this impairment on the central nervous system and how it might be linked to ADHD symptoms.
