Friday, June 29, 2012

Research byte: Practice effects on neuropsych and IQ measures: Meta-analysis




Click on images to enlarge








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Research byte: Rate or fluency measures of math measure abilities different from non-speeded math measures

Interesting study that suggests that math fluency is a unique ability in mathematics and simply examining measures of math rate or fluency are not good proxies for estimating general level of math skills (unspeeded math calculation or applied problems). Math fluency is important ability to measure and understand on its own. Click on image to enlarge




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Research byte: Reading comprehension interventions--research synthesis




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Research byte: Math disabilities and math fact retrieval deficits

David Geary does some of the best research in the world on mathematics and math related disorders. Here is yet another piece of good research. Click on image to enlarge.



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Another Flynn Effect study: Impact on LD diagnosis

This article will be added to the Flynn Effect Archive Project when it is updated next. Click on image to enlarge.


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Research byte: CHC cognitive abilities and math ach in LD college students




Very interesting study by Dr. Briley Proctor on the relations between CHC cognitive abilities and math achievement in LD university students. The results, in general, are very consistent with the referenced McGrew & Wendling CHC-->ACH research synthesis (2010). The article references that review as "in press." The actual published review can be found here.






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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Recent literature of interest: 5 weeks behind...here are three weeks worth





Three weeks worth of "IQs Corner Recent Literature of Interest" is now available here, here and here. I have gotten way behind.

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The IM Professional Conference Schedule Has Just Been Released!




My next speaking gig. 

IM Conference Registration & Schedule

 

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE JUST RELEASED!
Join us for this one and a half day Conference with stimulating courses presented by IM Providers and Leading Research partners.
 
Learn how other professionals are utilizing the IM System in their practice, creative ways to modify IM to suit your patient's needs and research underway. You do not need to be certified to attend this Conference, although we are offering a certification course at the same location on Friday, 10/26/12 from 7:45 am to 5:15 pm.
IM Professional Conference 2012 – Schedule
October 26, 2012
5:30 – 6:30pm Registration Check-In
Cocktail Mixer & Hors D'oeuvres

October 27, 2012
7:00 – 8:00am Late Registrations & Check-In
Continental Breakfast
GENERAL SESSION
8:00 – 8:30 Opening Remarks
Matthew Wukasch, CEO
GENERAL SESSION
8:30 – 9:00 The Joy and Grief of IM Training: Words from a Survivor.
Brad & Lori Schmidt
GENERAL SESSION
9:00 – 10:30 Keynote Address: I think…therefore IM
Kevin McGrew, PhD
Break & Poster Session
10:30 – 10:45 Using Traditional and Nontraditional Ways to Keep Children Motivated During IM Sessions  Wendy Harron, OTR/L
  Room A Room B
10:45 – 11:45 Picking up the Slack: Using IM-Home to Help 'At-Risk' Middle and High School Students Patients with Alzheimer's Improve Using Interactive Metronome
Mary Jones, OTR/L, LMT, CIMT Carol Lampe MA, Sped
Certified Behavior Specialist
Clinical Director - Brain Development
Centers                                                Randee VanNess, MS
Psychotherapist
CEO- Brain Development Centers
11:45 – 1:00 Lunch
GENERAL SESSION
1:00 – 2:30 Immediate Effects of Interactive Metronome on Cognition and Electrocortical Functioning in Recovery from Blast Related Traumatic Brain Injury
Lonnie Nelson, PhD
  Room A Room B
2:30 – 3:30 Advanced IM for Pediatrics: Practical and Innovative Techniques to Take Your IM Practice to the Next Level IM and Fall Prevention: An Interdisciplinary Approach
Dillen Hartley, OTR/L Dara Coburn, MS, CCC-SLP & April Christopherson, OTR/L
Break & Poster Session
3:30 – 3:45 From Special Ed to Honor Roll  Mary Jane Martin, MEd                
GENERAL SESSION
3:45 – 4:45 Delivering the IM System (IM Pro & IM-Home) with Clinical Success 
Sherry Hardy, MEd & April Christopherson, OTR/L
Poster Session
4:45 – 5:00 Ensuring Profitability & Success with IM-Home Reid Christopherson
5:30 – 6:30 Cocktail Hour
6:30 – 8:00 Dinner

October 28, 2012
7:00 – 8:00am Check-In
Continental Breakfast
GENERAL SESSION
8:00 – 9:00 An Effective Model of Large-Scale IM System Delivery: A Collaborative Effort Between Hardy Brain Training and Boys & Girls Club of America
Sherry Hardy, MEd
Break & Poster Session
9:00 – 9:15 IM Resolved My PTSD Dana Merritt, CCC-SLP
  Room A Room B
9:00 – 10:00 Family Communication: What to Expect During IM Training A Compilation of Research Results on the Positive Effects of the Interactive Metronome Working with Post CVA Clients
April Christopherson, OTR/L Leonard Trullijo, PhD
  Room A Room B
10:15 – 11:15 Beating Dyslexia: Get in Sync Use of IM with Degenerative Disorders of the Central Nervous System - and Beyond…
Barbara Fuoco-McCooley, MA, CCC-SLP Mary Jones, OTR/L, LMT, CIMT
GENERAL SESSION
11:15 – 12:15 Ask the Experts – Question & Answer Period with Conference Presenters 
April Christopherson, OTR/L
Barbara Fuoco-McCooley, MA, CCC-SLP
Brad Schmidt, BS, OT Graduate Student
Carol Lampe MA, Sped
Dara Coburn, MS, CCC-SLP
Dillen Hartley, OTR/L
Kevin McGrew, PhD
Leonard Trullijo, PhD
Lonnie Nelson, PhD
Lori Schmidt, Educator
Mary Jones, OTR/L, LMT, CIMT
Sherry Hardy, MEd
GENERAL SESSION
12:15 – 12:30 Closing Remarks
Post-Test
CEUs
1.15 ASHA CEUs (11.5 contact hours)
1.1 AOTA CEUs (11 contact hours)
1.1 BOC CEUs (11 contact hours)

PRICE
Individual price on or before August 31: $347
Individual price after August 31: $397
Group price (2+) on or before August 31: $327
Group price (2+) after August 31: $377


Register before August 31, 2012 to receive the registration discounts!

 









Article: How Music Benefits The Brain




The technology hub of the Mind Hub--typical day :)

Right left brain myth@PsychToday, 6/28/12 9:30 AM

Psychology Today (@PsychToday)
6/28/12 9:30 AM
RT @ResearchDigest: Why the left-brain right-brain myth will probably never die. From the @PsychToday Brain Myths blog: ow.ly/bRQlJ



EF skills predict success@CreativityPost, 6/22/12 11:27 AM

The Creativity Post (@CreativityPost)
6/22/12 11:27 AM
Executive Function Skills Predict Children's Success in Life and in School huff.to/MlGng3 via @HuffPostEdu



Brain based spelling machine @sciam, 6/28/12 11:30 AM

Scientific American (@sciam)
6/28/12 11:30 AM
New Brain-Machine Spelling Device Could Help the Paralyzed Communicate bit.ly/N0OBtE



Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Article about Working Memory Training in Psychology Today

Posted: June 27th, 2012 - An article was published in March on psychologytoday.com about working memory training. The article is titled "Training Working Memory: Why and How" and discussed several recent studies, along with various training programs including Cogmed.








Monday, June 25, 2012

Article: Computer analysis of EEG patterns suggests a potential diagnostic test for autism


Computer analysis of EEG patterns suggests a potential diagnostic test for autism
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/computer-analysis-of-eeg-patterns-suggests-a-potential-diagnostic-test-for-autism-2012-06-25

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Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, Vol. 41, Issue 4 - New Issue Alert



Monday, June 25

Dear Valued Customer,
We are pleased to deliver your requested table of contents alert for Journal of Psycholinguistic Research. Volume 41 Number 4 is now available on SpringerLink

Register for Springer's email services providing you with info on the latest books in your field. ... More!
In this issue:
Perceptual Processing of Mandarin Nasals by L1 and L2 Mandarin Speakers
Yi-hsiu Lai
Abstract    Full text PDF

Evidence for a Non-Lexical Influence on Children's Auditory Repetition of Familiar Words
Mary-Jane Budd, J. Richard Hanley & Nazbanou Nozari
Abstract    Full text PDF

Effects of Orthography on Speech Production in Chinese
Qingfang Zhang & Markus F. Damian
Abstract    Full text PDF

Prosodic Awareness Skills and Literacy Acquisition in Spanish
Sylvia Defior, Nicolás Gutiérrez-Palma & María José Cano-Marín
Abstract    Full text PDF

Implicit Knowledge of Grammatical Gender in Preschool Children
Carmen Belacchi & Roberto Cubelli
Abstract    Full text PDF

Neural Correlates of Bridging Inferences and Coherence Processing
Sung-il Kim, Misun Yoon, Wonsik Kim, Sunyoung Lee & Eunjoo Kang
Abstract    Full text PDF
Do you want to publish your article in this journal?
Please visit the homepage of Journal of Psycholinguistic Research for full details on:
   - aims and scope
   - editorial policy
   - article submission

Impact Factor: 0.509 (2010)*
* Journal Citation Reports®, Thomson Reuters
Read the most downloaded articles
Anyone can access the most downloaded articles of this journal for free. 






Article: Neuropsych practice resources II: Consumer-focused psychological assessment


Neuropsych practice resources II: Consumer-focused psychological assessment
http://neuropsychbookworm.blogspot.com/2012/06/neuropsych-practice-resources-ii.html

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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

How Aerobic Exercise Affects Your Brain



This is a guest blog post by the folks over at What Are Nootropics?  As per usual, guest posts are posted "as is" and do not necessarily reflect the endorsement by Kevin McGrew or this blog.


Worldwide, people engage in aerobic exercise on a daily basis. The majority of these people are trying to lose weight and strengthen their hearts. An improved basal metabolic rate and cardiovascular fitness are the most commonly known benefits associated with aerobic exercise. But how many people have thought about the ways aerobic exercise affects their brain? Probably not many. 

Aerobic exercise affects your brain?

Research in recent years has shown that aerobic exercise effects our brain in three distinct ways. If you don't have the motivation to engage in regular aerobic exercise, hopefully you will have found it by the time you are finished reading this post.

Aerobic exercise increases levels of the protein brain-derived nootropic factor (BDNF).  1 The BDNF protein plays an important role in our brain's ability to create new neurons, a process called neurogenesis. BDNF also improves the survivability of new neurons after they have been created. The process of neurogenesis takes place in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory formation. Interestingly, one study showed that aerobic exercise increased hippocampal volume by 2% and effectively reversed age related loss in volume by 2 years. 2 If you want your brain to be at its sharpest, you need to be exercising on a regular basis. This is especially important as you age.

Higher levels of BDNF isn't the only way aerobic exercise improves cognitive function. As stated earlier, it is common knowledge that aerobic exercise strengthens your heart, but many people are aware of the link that exists between heart health and brain health? You heart is responsible for pumping blood to your brain. Blood contains oxygen and glucose, which your brain uses as fuel to carry out all of its functions. Think of your heart as the battery which powers your brain. By strengthening that battery, you can improve cognitive function across the board. 3

Aerobic exercise does more than improve cognitive abilities.

Aerobic exercise effects the levels of one very important neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters are what your brain cells use to communicate with each other. Different neurotransmitters have different functions. There is a neurotransmitter for learning, memory, attention, energy, appetite, mood, etc. Aerobic exercise increases release of the neurotransmitter serotonin. 

Serotonin's most prevalent function is its ability to regulate mood. Many people who are chronically depressed have abnormally low levels of serotonin. Consequently, most anti-depressants work by inhibiting the breakdown of serotonin. Simply put, the more serotonin in your brain, the better you feel. Aerobic exercise is a completely natural way to increases serotonin levels in the brain. 4 This is why aerobic exercise is such an effective stress reliever.

In fact, some marathon runners actually become addicted to the activity. The engage in such strenuous amounts of aerobic exercise, they experience what is called a "runner's high." 5 Many have the desire to run longer and longer distances simply to achieve a greater high.  Will you experience a "runner high"? Not likely, but you will elevate your serotonin levels and find you are in a better mood on a day-to-day basis.

Are there other ways to achieve these effects?

The cheapest and safest way to improve cognitive abilities and boost mood is to exercise for one hour, at least three days a week. However, there are other ways. Using nootropics such as lion's mane mushroom can also increase neurogenesis. Piracetam, on the other hand, improves cerebral blood flow. Personally, I would not even think about nootropics until you are doing everything else you can to improve cognitive function, and aerobic exercise is the single best place to start!

Resources

1. Running is the neurogenic and neurotrophic stimulus in environmental enrichment http://learnmem.cshlp.org/content/18/9/605.abstract
2. Exercise training increases size and hippocampus and improves memory: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/01/25/1015950108.abstract

3. Cardiovascular fitness is associated with cognition in young adulthood: http://www.pnas.org/content/106/49/20906.full.pdf

4. Abstract, How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077351/

5. ABC News, Exercise Addicts Can Blame Their Brains: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MensHealthNews/story?id=8430744

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Annual Intelligence Conference: ISIR 2012




Registration and call for papers for the annual International Society for Intelligence Scholars (ISIR) is now open. Click here to go to ISIR home page where links to this info is available.



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www.themindhub.com

Professional ethics and standards for assessment practices in Atkins MR/ID cases

Psychological assessment is serious business. This is particularly true in the life-or-death nature of Atkins MR/ID death penalty cases. The two primary relevant codes of ethics and standards are briefly summarized below. This summary does not include similar codes/standards that have been promulgated and are relevant to psychology specialties (e.g, forensic psychology; neuropsychology; school psychology; etc.). Professionals are responsible for knowing and following specialty specific codes and guidelines.

This is a summary of key assessment related principles and standards and is not intended to serve as a comprehensive single source to guide professional behavior
.

Psychological testing and test score interpretation in general, and IQ testing in the current context of diagnosing MR/ID in an Atkins setting in particular, are serious professional activities with enormous potential positive and negative consequences for the individual being tested (AERA, APA, NCME, 1999). Aside from the guidelines specified in 11th edition of Intellectual Disability: Definition, Classification, and System of Supports (AAIDD, 2010), detailed professional codes of ethics and standards for developing psychological tests, selecting psychological tests, testing and test score interpretation have been promulgated by the relevant professional governing bodies. As set forth in the codes and standards (a select key set) described below, test users have a number of responsibilities to ensure that inferences drawn from test scores are valid and are based on existing scientific evidence.

The “gold standard” set of standards for the development, use and interpretation of psychological and education tests is the American Educational Research Association (AERA), American Psychological Association (APA), and National Council on Measurement (NCME), Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (1999: a revision of these standards is in progress; typically called the Joint Test Standards). As prescribed in the Joint Test Standards, test users have a number of responsibilities to ensure that inferences drawn from test scores are valid. These include (emphasis via italics added):

Standard 1.4: If a test is used in a way that has not been validated, it is incumbent on the user to justify the new use, collecting new evidence if necessary.

Standard 11.15: Test users should be alert to potential misinterpretations of test scores and to possible unintended consequences of test use; users should take steps to minimize or avoid foreseeable misinterpretations and unintended negative consequences.

The American Psychological Association (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2010 Amendments) also sets forth important ethical principles governing the administration and interpretation of psychological assessment instruments. Principles relevant to assessment and diagnosis include (emphasis via italics added):

9.01 Bases for Assessments:

(a) Psychologists base the opinions contained in their recommendations, reports, and diagnostic or evaluative statements, including forensic testimony, on information and techniques sufficient to substantiate their findings.

9.02 Use of Assessments:

(a) Psychologists administer, adapt, score, interpret, or use assessment techniques, interviews, tests, or instruments in a manner and for purposes that are appropriate in light of the research on or evidence of the usefulness and proper application of the techniques.

(b) Psychologists use assessment instruments whose validity and reliability have been established for use with members of the population tested. When such validity or reliability has not been established, psychologists describe the strengths and limitations of test results and interpretation.

9.06 Interpreting Assessment Results:

When interpreting assessment results, including automated interpretations, psychologists take into account the purpose of the assessment as well as the various test factors, test-taking abilities, and other characteristics of the person being assessed, such as situational, personal, linguistic, and cultural differences, that might affect psychologists' judgments or reduce the accuracy of their interpretations. They indicate any significant limitations of their interpretations.

9.08 Obsolete Tests and Outdated Test Results:

Psychologists do not base their assessment or intervention decisions or recommendations on data or test results that are outdated for the current purpose.

(b) Psychologists do not base such decisions or recommendations on tests and measures that are obsolete and not useful for the current purpose.

Collectively, the Joint Test Standards and APA code of ethics prescribe that assessment professionals (a) use contemporary instruments and procedures, (b) base their test interpretations on scientific evidence supporting the reliability and validity of their interpretations, (c) be aware of the strengths and limitations of the assessment procedures they use, (d) document any limitations in the instruments used and scores provided that bear on their interpretation of results, (e) only interpret scores for purposes for which they have been validated, (f) be aware of, and take necessary steps to minimize, unintended negative consequences of their testing and test interpretation for individuals, particularly in high stakes settings, (g) and follow the assessment related principles and standards articulated in the Joint Test Standards and APA code of ethics.

Inherent in these principles and standards is the understanding that psychologists, when faced with discrepant test data, attempt to explain and hypothesize possible reasons for the divergent results based on scientific evidence and accepted professional standards. The Joint Test Standards in particular make it clear that psychologists must be aware of the basic psychometric characteristics, strengths and limitations of the assessment tools they use and apply that knowledge in their subsequent interpretation and presentation of conclusions in written or oral communication.



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www.themindhub.com

Article: Senators Urge Move Away From 'Mental Retardation'


Senators Urge Move Away From 'Mental Retardation'
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2012/06/19/senators-away-mental-retardation/15870/

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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Applied Neuropsychology: Child - Read the First Issue Online





Psychology Press

Full Access to Applied Neuropsychology: Adult's Brand New Sister Journal

Edited by Arthur MacNeill Horton Jr. in response to the overwhelming recent success of his journal Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, its new sister journal Applied Neuropsychology: Child
publishes clinical neuropsychological articles concerning assessment, brain functioning and neuroimaging, neuropsychological treatment, and rehabilitation of children and adolescents.

The first issue is available to read online right now. Click the links below to jump straight to the full text of the article:

PsycCRITIQUES - Volume 57, Issue 23 is now available online




June 13, 2012
Volume 57, Issue 23


Book Reviews
1. APA Educational Psychology Handbook
Authors: Karen R. Harris, Steve Graham, and Tim Urdan (Eds.-in-Chief)
Reviewers: Susan Catapano and Candace Thompson

2. Normality Does Not Equal Mental Health: The Need to Look Elsewhere for Standards of Good Psychological Health
Author: Steven James Bartlett
Reviewer: Alejandra Suarez

The Pathology of Man: A Study of Human Evil
Author: Steven James Bartlett
Reviewer: Alejandra Suarez

3. The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Individual Differences
Authors: Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Sophie von Stumm, and Adrian Furnham (Eds.)
Reviewers: Robert M. Arkin and Robert Agler

4. Hypochondriasis and Health Anxiety
Authors: Jonathan S. Abramowitz and Autumn E. Braddock
Reviewer: Randi McCabe

5. So Much, So Fast, So Little Time: Coming to Terms With Rapid Change and Its Consequences
Author: Michael St. Clair
Reviewer: Hartmut Rosa

6. Trouble in Mind: An Unorthodox Introduction to Psychiatry
Author: Dean F. MacKinnon
Reviewers: Chad Sylvester and Barry A. Hong

7. Counseling People of African Ancestry
Author: Elias Mpofu (Ed.)
Reviewer: Phillip D. Johnson

8. Dementia
Author: Patrick McNamara (Ed.)
Reviewers: Antonio E. Puente and Antonio N. Puente

9. Masculine Shame: From Succubus to the Eternal Feminine
Author: Mary Y. Ayers
Reviewer: Edward J. Tejirian

Film Review
10. The Hunger Games
Director: Gary Ross
Reviewer: Christopher J. Ferguson



European Journal of Psychological Assessment - Volume 28, Issue 3


European Journal of Psychological Assessment Volume 28, Issue 3,

Perceptual and cognitive assessment.
Page 161-163
Schweizer, Karl; Neubauer, Aljoscha C.

Measuring working memory capacity with automated complex span tasks.
Page 164-171
Redick, Thomas S.; Broadway, James M.; Meier, Matt E.; Kuriakose, Princy S.; Unsworth, Nash; Kane, Michael J.; Engle, Randall W.


The web version of the Exchange Test: Description and psychometric properties.
Page 181-189
Schreiner, Michael; Altmeyer, Michael; Schweizer, Karl

Perceptual underconfidence: A conceptual illusion?
Page 190-200
Stankov, Lazar; Pallier, Gerry; Danthiir, Vanessa; Morony, Suzanne

Detection of sex differential item functioning in the Cornell Critical Thinking Test.
Page 201-207
French, Brian F.; Hand, Brian; Therrien, William J.; Valdivia Vazquez, Juan Antonio

Combining cognitive and personality measures of impulse control in the assessment of childhood ADHD.
Page 208-215
Rauch, Wolfgang A.; Gold, Andreas; Schmitt, Kathrin

Assessment of processing capacity: Reasoning in Latin square tasks in a population of managers.
Page 216-226
Birney, Damian P.; Bowman, David B.; Beckmann, Jens F.; Seah, Yuan Zhi

Measurement of metacognitive knowledge of self, task, and strategies in mathematics.
Page 227-239
Efklides, Anastasia; Vlachopoulos, Symeon P.

How much do we know about our own cognitive control? Self-report and performance measures of executive functions.
Page 240-247
Nęcka, Edward; Lech, Bogumiła; Sobczyk, Natalia; Śmieja, Magdalena