1,286 research outputs found

    Phonophobia Mediates the Relationship Between the Myelinated Vagus and Selective Mutism

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    When active, the myelinated vagus (the tenth cranial nerve) acts as a brake that inhibits sympathetic activity by reducing heart rate and blood pressure, and thus allows for social engagement by redirecting metabolic resources. Among those with selective mutism (SM), a disorder characterized by an inability to speak in certain situations, the vagal brake is dysregulated. One consequence of this is a weakening of the middle-ear acoustic reflex (MEAR), which helps clarify human voices and filters out low-frequency background noise, including the speaker’s own voice. I tested a proposed etiological model of SM and comorbid social anxiety disorder (SAD) by investigating the relationship between MEAR dysfunction and phonophobia (fear of one’s own voice), which were hypothesized to be positively correlated. A nonclinical sample of Bard undergraduate students was recruited. MEARs were assessed using a tympanometer and a signal-to-noise ratio hearing test; phonophobia was gauged by comparing transient anxiety levels before and after reading neutral words aloud. Analyses revealed no reliable correlation between MEAR dysfunction and phonophobia. I suggest an alternative explanation that incorporates a possible compensatory mechanism for unfiltered auditory information. These findings have implications for our understanding of the impact of the vagus nerve on the auditory system, as well as our conceptualization and treatment of SM, which is currently addressed with pharmacological interventions better suited to SAD than SM

    Celebrating Faculty Accomplishment 2013

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    https://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/celebratingfaculty/1001/thumbnail.jp

    Finding A Voice: Exploring the Biographical Narratives of Adults with Selective Mutism

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    This research explores the lived experiences of adults with selective mutism using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Existing literature has typically positioned selective mutism as a disorder of childhood and as a result little is known about the difficulties faced by individuals who continue to experience the effects of selective mutism throughout adolescence and adulthood. This research seeks to gain an understanding of the phenomenology of selective mutism as a lived experience and to allow participant's voices to be heard. In-depth narrative interviews were conducted with six individuals who had continued to experience selective mutism throughout their adult life. Data from my own experience of suffering from SM were also included. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify five essential themes. These findings provide an insight into the embodied experience of selective mutism, the process of sense making in which individuals engage to negotiate their identities and the effects of social isolation. Furthermore this research explores the experiences of therapy and help seeking which were important topics within participant narratives. This research encourages a thoughtful reflection on the lives of those whose realities have been profoundly affected by selective mutism. This research and the exploratory nature of phenomenological inquiry will hopefully encourage further investigations into selective mutism as it exists beyond childhood

    Jefferson Digital Commons quarterly report: October-December 2018

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    This quarterly report includes: Articles Dissertations From the Archives Grand Rounds and Lectures Industrial Design Capstones Journals and Newsletters LabArchives Launch Masters of Public Health Capstones Posters Reports Videos What People are Saying About the Jefferson Digital Common

    McNair Research Journal - Summer 2015

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    Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the McNair Scholars Program Table of Contents Biography of Dr. Ronald E. McNair Statements: Dr. Neal J. Smatresk, UNLV President Dr. Juanita P. Fain, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. William W. Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Retention and Outreach Mr. Keith Rogers, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach McNair Scholars Institute Staf

    Parental Age at Conception: An Examination of Risk Factors Related to Autism Severity and Comorbid Psychopathology

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    Many researchers have cited the continuing increase in the prevalence of autism worldwide and have speculated on the potential causes of that increase. One theory that suggests at least a contributory effect is the general trend for parents to have children at later ages. Previous research has begun to examine the relationship between advanced parental age at conception and the incidence of autism and have noted strong relationships between advanced parental age and other developmental disabilities. The purpose of this study was to not only confirm the relationship between advanced parental age and autism risk but to extend that knowledge to the association between parental age and severity of autism symptoms as well as comorbid psychopathology. The current study included 252 participants between the ages of 2-17 years of age and their parents. It was found that paternal age and child’s gender were both significant predictors of an autism diagnosis in this clinical sample. Males were found to have an odds ratio of 4.17 (95% Confidence Interval, 2.06-8.44) when compared to females. While the effect was not as large for paternal age, the predictive power was found to be statistically significant (odds ratio = 1.06; 95% Confidence Interval, 1.00-1.12). Child’s gender and paternal age were also found to be significant predictors of autism severity; however, paternal age was not found to be a significant predictor of comorbid symptoms. Interestingly, maternal age was not found to be a significant predictor of autism risk, severity, or comorbid psychopathology in this sample. Possible explanations for this finding and other findings are discussed, as well as future directions for research in this area
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