Working memory span tasks: Group administration and omitting accuracy criterion do not change metric characteristics.

The study examined the psychometric characteristics of three automated working memory span tasks: operational, reading, and symmetry span task, administered in groups of participants. For each task, the metric characteristics of six scoring procedures were evaluated: partial, absolute, partial non-weighted, absolute non-weighted, partial weighted, and absolute weighted scoring. Metric characteristics of all measures were compared across two parallel analyses: with and without application of a typical 85% accuracy criterion on the processing component of the tasks. The study demonstrates that the group administration of span tasks does not compromise their psychometric characteristics. All the tasks had an adequate internal consistency with Cronbach's αs equal to or above .70; the exception being all types of the symmetry span task absolute scores with α values close to .60. Furthermore, all tasks have satisfactory convergent construct validity as well as criterion validity estimated in relation to measures of fluid intelligence. Omitting the 85% accuracy criterion on the processing component of the span tasks did not impair their psychometric properties. Thus, it is recommended that researchers discard this accuracy criterion as a criterion for filtering the results for further statistical analyses.

In vitro fluoride release from a different kind of conventional and resin modified glass-ionomer cements.

Fluoride release is important characteristic of glass-ionomer cements. Quantity of fluoride ions released from the glass-ionomer cements has major importance in definition of their biological activity. The objectives of this study were to define the quantity of fluoride ions released from the experimental glass-ionomer cements and to define the effect of fluoride ions released from the experimental glass-ionomer cements on their cytotoxicity. Concentrations of the fluoride ions released in the evaluated glass-ionomer cements were measured indirectly, by the fluoride-selective WTW, F500 electrode potential, combined with reference R503/D electrode. Statistical analyses of F-ion concentrations released by all glass-ionomers evaluated at two time points, after 8 and after 24 hours, show statistically higher fluoride releases from RMGICs: Vitrebond, Fuji II LC and Fuji Plus, when compared to conventional glass-ionomer cements: Fuji Triage, Fuji IX GP Fast and Ketac Silver, both after 8 and after 24 hours. Correlation coefficient between concentrations of fluoride ion released by evaluated glass-ionomer cements and cytotoxic response of UMR-106 osteoblast cell-line are relatively high, but do not reach levels of biological significance. Correlation between concentrations of fluoride ion released and cytotoxic response of NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cell line after 8 hours is high, positive and statistically significant for conventional GICs, Fuji Triage and Fuji IX GP Fast, and RMGIC, Fuji II LC. Statistically significant Correlation coefficient between concentrations of fluoride ion released and cytotoxic response of NIH3T3 cell line after 24 hours is defined for RMGIC Fuji II LC only.

The relationship of Eysenck´s Giant Three with fluid and crystallized intelligence and learning potential among adolescents / A relação dos Três Gigantes de Eysenck com inteligência fluida e cristalizada e potencial de aprendizagem entre adolescentes / Relación de los Tres Gigantes de Eysenck con la inteligencia cristalizada y fluida, y el potencial de aprendizaje entre adolescentes

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship of Eysenck´s Giant Three with Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence and Learning Potential among adolescents. A total of 205 students of the sixth grade (50,44% male) of five elementary schools participated in the research. The average age of the participants was M = 12.56 (SD = 0.61). Fluid intelligence was measured by Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices and Cattell's free-culture test, crystallized intelligence was measured by the Mill Hill Vocabulary Scale and Learning potential was measured by Learning Potential Assessment, (EPA-2). Personality traits were measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Junior. The results are consistent with the findings of other studies in which moderate correlations between personality traits and intelligence have been established. Psychoticism, Extraversion and Lay scale are related to fluid and crystallized intelligence measurements. The correlation between personality traits and learning potential is lower in comparison with the correlations between personality traits and fluid and crystallized intelligence. The results gained in our research are partly in accordance with Chamorro-Premuzic and Furnham's (2005) two-level conceptual framework. Namely, we are prone to interpret Extraversion as personality trait that, except for being related to intelligence test performance, has a long-term effect on intelligence development, prior through sociability and activity. (AU)

O objetivo do estudo foi explorar a relação entre os Três Gigantes de Eysenck e inteligência fluida e cristalizada e potencial de aprendizagem entre adolescentes. Um total de 205 alunos da sexta série (50,44% do sexo masculino) de cinco escolas de ensino fundamental participou da pesquisa. A idade média dos participantes foi de 12,56 (DP = 0,61). A inteligência fluida foi medida pelo teste das Matrizes Progressivas de Raven e pelo Cattell's free-culture test, a inteligência cristalizada foi medida pela Escala de Vocabulário Mill Hill, e o potencial de aprendizagem foi medido pela Avaliação do Potencial de Aprendizagem, (EPA-2). Os traços de personalidade foram medidos pelo Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Os resultados obtidos são consistentes com os resultados de outros estudos, nos quais correlações moderadas entre traços de personalidade e inteligência têm sido estabelecidas. Psicoticismo, Extroversão e escala Lay estão relacionados com medidas de inteligência fluida e cristalizada. A correlação entre traços de personalidade e potencial de aprendizagem é menor em comparação com as correlações entre traços de personalidade e inteligência fluida e cristalizada. Os resultados obtidos em nossa pesquisa estão parcialmente de acordo com o quadro de dois níveis conceituais de Chamorro-Premuzic e Furnham (2005). Ou seja, estamos propensos a interpretar Extroversão como traço de personalidade que, exceto se for relacionado com desempenho em teste de inteligência, tem um efeito a longo prazo no desenvolvimento da inteligência, previamente através da sociabilidade e da atividade. Os resultados de nossa pesquisa argumentam a favor da suposição de que o método de teste dinâmico de inteligência diminui a correlação entre traços de personalidade e habilidades intelectuais, definidos como potencial de aprendizagem. (AU)

El objetivo del estudio fue explorar la relación de los Tres Gigantes de Eysenck con la inteligencia fluida y cristalizada y potencial de aprendizaje entre los adolescentes. Un total de 205 estudiantes del sexto grado (50,44% hombres), de cinco escuelas primarias participaron en la investigación. El promedio de edad de los participantes fue de M = 12,56 (SD = 0,61). La inteligencia fluida fue medida por las Matrices Progresivas Estándar de Raven y por el Cattell's free-culture test, la inteligencia cristalizada fue medida mediante la Escala de Vocabulario Mill Hill, y potencial de aprendizaje se midió por la Evaluación del Potencial de Aprendizaje, (EPA-2). Los rasgos de personalidad fueron medidos por el Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Los resultados obtenidos son consistentes con los hallazgos de otros estudios, en los cuales las correlaciones moderadas entre los rasgos de personalidad y la inteligencia han sido establecidas. Psicoticismo, extraversión y escala Lay están relacionados con el fluido y medidas de inteligencia cristalizada. La correlación entre los rasgos de la personalidad y el potencial de aprendizaje es menor en comparación con las correlaciones entre rasgos de personalidad y la inteligencia fluida y la cristalizada. Los resultados obtenidos en nuestra investigación están, en parte, de acuerdo con el marco de dos niveles conceptuales de Chamorro-Premuzic y Furnham (2005), marco conceptual de dos niveles. Es decir, somos propensos a interpretar la extroversión como rasgo de personalidad que, salvo si es relacionado con el desempeño en la prueba de inteligencia, tiene un efecto a largo plazo en el desarrollo de la inteligencia, previo, a través de la sociabilidad y la actividad. (AU)

Unpacking trauma exposure risk factors and differential pathways of influence: predicting postwar mental distress in Bosnian adolescents.

Methods are needed for quantifying the potency and differential effects of risk factors to identify at-risk groups for theory building and intervention. Traditional methods for constructing war exposure measures are poorly suited to "unpack" differential relations between specific types of exposure and specific outcomes. This study of 881 Bosnian adolescents compared both common factor-effect indicator (using exploratory factor analysis) versus composite causal-indicator methods for "unpacking" dimensions of war exposure and their respective paths to postwar adjustment outcomes. The composite method better supported theory building and most intervention applications, showing how multitiered interventions can enhance treatment effectiveness and efficiency in war settings. Used together, the methods may unpack the elements and differential effects of "caravans" of risk and promotive factors that co-occur across development.

Effectiveness of a school-based group psychotherapy program for war-exposed adolescents: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the comparative effectiveness of a classroom-based psychoeducation and skills intervention (tier 1) and a school-based trauma- and grief-focused group treatment (tier 2) of a three-tiered mental health program for adolescents exposed to severe war-related trauma, traumatic bereavement, and postwar adversity. METHOD: A total of 127 war-exposed and predominantly ethnic Muslim secondary school students attending 10 schools in central Bosnia who reported severe symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or maladaptive grief and significant impairment in school or relationships were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions. These included either an active-treatment comparison condition (tier 1), consisting of a classroom-based psychoeducation and skills intervention alone (n = 61, 66% girls, mean age 16.0 years, SD 1.13) or a treatment condition composed of both the classroom-based intervention and a 17-session manual-based group therapy intervention (tier 2), trauma and grief component therapy for adolescents (n = 66, 63% girls, mean age 15.9 years, SD 1.11). Both interventions were implemented throughout the school year. Distressed students who were excluded from the study due to acute risk for harm (n = 9) were referred for community-based mental health services (tier 3). RESULTS: Program effectiveness was measured via reductions in symptoms of PTSD, depression, and maladaptive grief assessed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 4-month follow-up. Analysis of mean-level treatment effects showed significant pre- to posttreatment and posttreatment to 4-month follow-up reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms in both the treatment and comparison conditions. Significant pre- to posttreatment reductions in maladaptive grief reactions were found only in the treatment condition. Analyzed at the individual case level, the percentages of students in the treatment condition who reported significant (p <.05) pre- to posttreatment reductions in PTSD symptoms (58% at posttreatment, 81% at 4-month follow-up) compare favorably to those reported in controlled treatment efficacy trials, whereas the percentages who reported significant reductions in depression symptoms (23% at posttreatment, 61% at follow-up) are comparable to, or higher than, those found in community treatment settings. Lower but substantial percentages of significant symptom reduction were found for PTSD (33% at posttreatment, 48% at follow-up) and depression symptoms (13% at posttreatment; 47% at follow-up) in students in the comparison condition. The odds of significant symptom reduction were higher for PTSD symptoms at both posttreatment and 4-month follow-up and for maladaptive grief at posttreatment (no follow-up was conducted on maladaptive grief). Rates of significantly worsened cases were generally rare in both the treatment and comparison conditions. CONCLUSIONS: A three-tiered, integrative mental health program composed of schoolwide dissemination of psychoeducation and coping skills (tier 1), specialized trauma- and grief-focused intervention for severely traumatized and traumatically bereaved youths (tier 2), and referral of youths at acute risk for community-based mental health services (tier 3) constitutes an effective and efficient method for promoting adolescent recovery in postwar settings.