Could time detect a faking-good attitude? A study with the MMPI-2-RF

Background and Purpose: Research on the relationship between response latency (RL) and faking in self-administered testing scenarios have generated contradictory findings. We explored this relationship further, aiming to add further insight into the reliability of self-report measures. We compared RLs and T-scores on the MMPI-2-RF (validity and restructured clinical [RC] scales) in four experimental groups. Our hypotheses were that: the Fake-Good Speeded group would obtain a different completion time; show higher RLs than the Honesty Speeded Group in the validity scales; show higher T-Scores in the L-r and K-r scales and lower T-scores in the F-r and RC scales; and show higher levels of tension and fatigue. Finally, the impact of the speeded condition in malingering was assessed. Materials and Methods: The sample was comprised of 135 subjects (M = 26.64; SD = 1.88 years old), all of whom were graduates (having completed at least 17 years of instruction), male, and Caucasian. Subjects were randomly assigned to four groups: Honesty Speeded, Fake-Good Speeded, Honesty Un-Speeded, and Fake-Good Un-Speeded. A software version of the MMPI-2-RF and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were administered. To test the hypotheses, MANOVAs and binomial logistic regressions were run. Results: Significant differences were found between the four groups, and particularly between the Honest and Fake-Good groups in terms of test completion time and the L-r and K-r scales. The speeded condition increased T-scores in the L-r and K-r scales but decreased T-scores in some of the RC scales. The Fake groups also scored higher on the VAS Tension subscale. Completion times for the first and second parts of the MMPI-2-RF and T-scores for the K-r scale seemed to predict malingering. Conclusion: The speeded condition seemed to bring out the malingerers. Limitations include the sample size and gender bias

Orientarsi per crescere. Riflessioni su un percorso di orientamento al futuro

The article presents the experience of a training and orientation carried out in a lower secondary school. The overall objective of the project was carried out to assist and support the students of the third class in their choice for secondary school degree, within a structured “action path” for the orientation can evaluate and support the individual’s ability to choose, his motivations and aspirations, as well as to develop its transversal skills. The path of the results were evaluated through analysis and quantitative tools, but also with the support of qualitative analysis methods

Effect of different diets on the development, mortality, survival, food uptake and fecundity of Tupiocoris cucurbitaceus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Several Miridae (Hemiptera) species have been identified as useful predators for biological control of the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). There is interest in determining the effects of different diets on Tupiocoris cucurbitaceus (Spinola) (Hemiptera: Miridae) in order to facilitate their breeding and use in biological control. Given that mirids can be both phytophagous and zoophytophagous, the developmental time, mortality, survival, feeding and fecundity of this species on tomato and tobacco leaves with and without the addition of T. vaporariorum or Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs were studied. To determine embryonic duration, T. cucurbitaceus was allowed to oviposit on tobacco plants for 24 h at 26 °C, 83% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 h L:D. The time of onset of the first instar nymphs was recorded. Subsequently, these nymphs fed on different diets on 9 cm × 1.5 cm plates under the same environmental conditions. Results showed that diet influences the duration of development in T. cucurbitaceus, with nymphal stadia being shorter and the adult stadium being longer when fed prey than when not fed prey. With the addition of prey, nymphal mortality was generally lower and adult survival was higher. The high consumption of T. vaporariorum eggs by T. cucurbitaceus suggests the need for subsequent studies on the latter for inclusion of this species in biological control programs in greenhouses

Indicators to distinguish symptom accentuators from symptom producers in individuals with a diagnosed adjustment disorder: A pilot study on inconsistency subtypes using SIMS and MMPI-2-RF

In the context of legal damage evaluations, evaluees may exaggerate or simulate symptoms in an attempt to obtain greater economic compensation. To date, practitioners and researchers have focused on detecting malingering behavior as an exclusively unitary construct. However, we argue that there are two types of inconsistent behavior that speak to possible malingering—accentuating (i.e., exaggerating symptoms that are actually experienced) and simulating (i.e., fabricating symptoms entirely)—each with its own unique attributes; thus, it is necessary to distinguish between them. The aim of the present study was to identify objective indicators to differentiate symptom accentuators from symptom producers and consistent participants. We analyzed the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology scales and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form validity scales of 132 individuals with a diagnosed adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood who had undergone assessment for psychiatric/psychological damage. The results indicated that the SIMS Total Score, Neurologic Impairment and Low Intelligence scales and the MMPI-2-RF Infrequent Responses (F-r) and Response Bias (RBS) scales successfully discriminated among symptom accentuators, symptom producers, and consistent participants. Machine learning analysis was used to identify the most efficient parameter for classifying these three groups, recognizing the SIMS Total Score as the best indicator

Use of the Parents Preference Test in Child Custody Evaluations: Preliminary Development of Conforming Parenting Index

The Parents Preference Test (PPT) is a graphical test comprised of 24 easy to understand images of daily family life, which is widely used in forensic assessments of parenting skills. Nevertheless, the PPT lacks validity scales to detect participants’ attitudes toward the test; this is an important oversight, as the tendency to demonstrate faking-good parenting behaviors is common in child custody litigants. Study 1 aimed at identifying the differences in PPT responses between a normative/control group (N = 110) and a sample of parents undergoing a psychological evaluation of parenting ability (N = 99). Chi-square goodness of fit tests showed significant differences in answer preferences between groups in 11 vignettes (almost half of the total PPT items). Study 2 aimed at developing an index to detect faking-good behaviors. On the 11 vignettes in which significant differences in answer preferences were found in Study 1, the alternatives chosen with the highest frequency by the forensic group were added to an index called the “Conforming Parenting Index” (CPI). The area under the curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for a sample of 58 participants who completed the PPT under both standard and faking-good instructions demonstrated good classification accuracy (AUC= .813)

Abundance and phenology of predatory arthropods in soybean: preliminary analysis

Los artrópodos son organismos que se han adaptado a múltiples ecosistemas, incluyendo los agroecosistemas. La soja es un agroecosistema que ha sufrido una gran expansión y también la fauna acompañante. El conocimiento de esta fauna es escaso en Uruguay, fundamentalmente la de artrópodos depredadores, agentes de control biológico conservativo. En este trabajo se evaluó la fauna de depredadores de suelo en etapas fenológicas de germinación, primer nudo, floración, y llenado de grano. Se recolectó la fauna mediante trampas pitfall a lo largo y ancho del cultivo, y en zonas aledañas, con vegetación natural. Las familias predominantes fueron Lycosidae (Araneae), Carabidae (Coleoptera) y Formicidae (Hymenoptera). En general los índices de diversidad mostraron menores valores en la etapa de llenado de grano. Se encontró una interacción significativa entre el orden y la abundancia de artrópodos con una dominancia consistente de las arañas a lo largo de la mayoría de etapas fenológicas. En general, estos resultados preliminares, coinciden con otros estudios realizados a nivel regional. Se deberán muestrear otros sitios en diferentes zonas del país para evaluar si se mantiene la tendencia encontrada. Además, es necesario evaluar la eficacia de los depredadores encontrados sobre insectos-plaga de soja.Arthropods are organisms that have been able to adapt to multiple ecosystems, including agroecosystems. Soybean is an agroecosystem that has undergone great expansion and also the accompanying fauna. The knowledge of this fauna is scarce in Uruguay, mainly for native predatory arthropods, agents of conservative biological control. In the present work, the fauna of soil predators is evaluated in the phenological stages of germination, first node, flowering, and grain filling. The fauna was collected by pitfall traps throughout the crop, and in surrounding areas, with natural vegetation. The predominant families were Lycosidae (Araneae), Carabidae (Coleoptera) and Formicidae (Hymenoptera). The diversity varied across phenological stages, being lower in the grain filling stage. We also found a significant interaction between the phenological stage, and arthropod order abundance, where spiders were one of the most abundant groups. Overall,these preliminary results agree with other studies carried out in soybean and other crops. Other sites in different areas of the country should be sampled to assess whether the trend found is maintained. Furthermore, it is necessary to evaluate together with the abundance the predatory efficacy of the groups in soybean insects-plague

L’adattamento psicologico alla diagnosi di diabete di tipo 2.

SUMMARY Psychological adjustment to type 2 diabetes Objective. Based upon the literature of the past ten years, this study analyzes the initial phase of psychological adjustment after a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, with the goal of providing useful guidelines to diabetologists in supporting their patients from the very first moment of clinical work. The study identifies five functional areas that characterize this adjustment: anxiety, depression, locus of control, self-esteem and self-efficacy. Method. Using a battery of psychometric tests, we assessed the psychological condition in a sample of 42 subjects with type 2 diabetes, comparing with a control sample of 420 subjects, without diabetes. Results. The initial psychological adjustment after six months from diagnosis, seems characterized by decreased tone of mood and self-efficacy, without anxious symptoms. The subjects seem to develop a fatalistic attitude or a strong external entrustment, showing inclination to underestimate the disease’s reality and to seek external dependence that could affect the path towards an adequate and effective self-management. Conclusions. The authors discuss the findings emerged and possible directions for a smoother working relationship between diabetologists and their patients

MANUALE DI PSICOLOGIA CLINICA E PSICOPATOLOGIA

La psicologia clinica è disciplina da tempo ampiamente rappresentata nell’ambito dell’offerta didattica dei corsi di laurea di medicina e delle professioni sanitarie e costituisce da sempre una direttrice fondamentale all’interno dei corsi di laurea in psicologia. A medici, infermieri e tecnici, nei vari indirizzi della riabilitazione, sono sempre più richieste competenze psicologiche, integrate con quelle specifiche delle singole professioni, affinché la loro applicazione concorra ad una tranquilla ed efficace collaborazione con le persone in difficoltà per il recupero ed il miglioramento del loro stato di salute. La psicologia clinica è anche disciplina integrata con la psichiatria e, in tale contesto, ha costituito nella storia, importanti fondamenti teorici e sviluppato determinanti forme di intervento, sia sul versante diagnostico che terapeutico. Questo lavoro presenta contenuti, rivolti agli studenti, essenziali al percorso formativo che dalla psicologia clinica si collega con la psicopatologia, insieme ad informazioni e aggiornamenti che speriamo risulteranno utili anche ai professionisti che già operano nel campo della salute. Il volume è articolato in tre parti: nella prima sono definite alcune fondamentali premesse teoriche riguardanti la metodologia della ricerca scientifica, gli studi sull’intelligenza e l’apprendimento e la psicologia della personalità, scelte in base a criteri di maggiore utilità per l’attività clinica in area sanitaria; sempre in questa parte ci si addentra quindi negli specifici contesti di base relativi alla valutazione e alla terapia psicologica. Nella seconda parte sono trattati aspetti applicativi, a carattere teorico pratico, connessi al rapporto con il paziente: abilità comunicative, counseling medico e colloquio di motivazione, educazione terapeutica e assistenza al malato grave, tutto questo seguito da informazioni finalizzate alla comprensione e alla prevenzione del fenomeno del burnout per gli stessi operatori. Nella terza parte temi di psicologia e psicopatologia sono rivolti alla comprensione essenziale delle principali forme di disturbo mentale dell’età adulta e, tra queste, dei disturbi della personalità; al termine, un capitolo molto articolato e completo di assistenza infermieristica completa il testo, considerando l’importanza della formazione in questo ambito e la contemporanea scarsità di manuali su questo argomento attualmente disponibili. È nostro auspicio che la diffusione di questo manuale, oltre a risultare utile sul piano didattico come supporto ai numerosi corsi universitari di psicologia clinica, a partire da quelli svolti nelle facoltà di Medicina, rimandi nel tempo feedback critici, indispensabili al lavoro di correzione ed integrazione del testo per una successiva edizione