Temperament and character correlates of neuropsychological performance

We investigate the association between temperament and character dimensions, on the one hand,and computerised neuropsychological test performance, on the other hand. Temperament and character dimensions were operationalised as scores on the subscales of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), a 240-item measure that is based on the psychobiological theory of personality. Neuropsychological outcomes were measured on six computerised tests of executive functioning and abstract reasoning from the University of Pennsylvania Computerised Neuropsychological Test Battery (PennCNP). The executive and abstract reasoning tasks included a test of Motor Praxis (MPRAXIS), the Penn Abstraction, Inhibition and Working Memory Task (AIM), the Letter-N-Back (LNB2), the Penn Conditional Exclusion Task (PCET), the Penn Short Logical Reasoning Task (SPVRT) and the Short Raven s Progressive Matrices (SRAVEN). Results from this exploratory study yielded significant associations between neuropsychological performance and temperament and character traits. The temperament traits of Harm Avoidance and Reward Dependencewere positively correlated with reaction time on the AIM and the SPVRT. The character dimension of Self-Transcendence was significantly associated with performance accuracy on the AIM and the temperament dimension of Novelty Seeking was inversely related to performance accuracy on the LNB2. These results confirm the importance of addressing the temperament and character correlates of neuropsychological performance in both clinical and non-clinical studies

Methods of Suicide by Women in Ireland 1980-2009

Irish female methods of suicide from 1980 till 2009 were investigated in order to determine the likelihood of the method of suicide as determined by decade as well as the age at death. Secondary data analysis was conducted on the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF) dataset. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compare methods of suicide using odds ratios. Log-linear analysis was conducted in order to investigate possible interactions between the variables. A stepwise backward elimination procedure determined the most parsimonious model to account for the observed frequencies. Follow-up chi-square analyses were conducted on the three-way interaction in order to separately assess possible interactions of decade and age on method of suicide. Findings showed that the odds of hanging increased over time in comparison to overdosing and drowning. Interaction effects are present between all three variables and there is a significant association between age and decade for hanging but not so for overdosing or drowning. It is concluded that hanging is a method which is indeed increasing over time for women in Ireland

Gambling and psychosocial correlates

Dr Raegan Murphy highlights some of the work that she and colleagues have been doing in the area of gambling over the past 4 years. The team of researchers include Drs Amanda Roberts (University of Lincoln, UK), Stephen Sharman (University of East London, UK), Jason Landon (Gambling and Addictions Research Centre Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, New Zealand), John Turner (University of East London, UK), Sean Cowlishaw (University of Melbourne, Australia), Stephanie Meleck (National Problem Gambling Clinic, UK), Henrietta Bowden-Jones (Imperial College, UK), Robert King (University College Cork, Ireland), Jeremy Coid (Queen Mary University of London, UK) and Katie Palmer du Preez (Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Dynamic assessment precursors: Soviet ideology and Vygotsky

Dynamic assessment’s history stretches back to antiquity but its formal beginnings are more recent. The dynamic assessment movement, inspired largely by the works of Binet, Vygotsky and Feuerstein, has coalesced into a mightier movement precipitating a testing renaissance in some circles. Forerunners of dynamic assessment often credit the works of Vygotsky but similarly do not credit the socio-political times during which he worked. This article seeks to extract what is considered pertinent to Vygotsky’s theoretical work: the times in which he lived and how he successfully managed to negotiate for himself a path around the constraints of the day. In order to more fully appreciate the trajectory that dynamic assessment has subsequently followed during the last seventy years it is deemed a worthwhile effort to return to the historical record of Soviet Psychology and investigate how dynamic assessment managed to become grounded in psychological science due largely to socio-historical influences. In order to fully comprehend the dynamic assessment movement a similar comprehension of the movement’s history is sought. How and why Vygotsky theorized the way he did has as much to do with his own initial thoughts as it did with the reigning political ideology then current in the Soviet Union

A Review of South African research in the field of dynamic assessment

Dynamic assessment, which is often characterised by the learning potential approach across the world and in South Africa, is receiving more and more attention from educators and research practitioners alike. The nature of dynamic assessment lends itself to application in areas where prior dependence on static (traditional) forms of psychometric assessment can no longer be sustained as viable options towards assessment. A main focus area within dynamic assessment is the field of tertiary selections and admissions. More research is needed in this field in South Africa and in order to progress within the field in this country in terms of designing, developing, norming and implementing dynamic assessment tests/batteries, previous research has to be investigated in detail in order to understand the areas which need attention and improvement more fully. In addition, it is not only the negative aspects which need to be investigated but also the success with which many studies have been greeted which needs to be looked at. Investigating the status of South African research into the field of dynamic assessment offers the interested practitioner a platform from which to view results that have emanated from this country in the past fifteen years. Past reliance on static measures meant that product-based assessment made no allowance for the detection and measurement of potential within individuals. It is not the contention of this study to state unequivocally that all disadvantaged students possess equal potential, but that a large pool of learners with potential are often passed over during selection for admission. In order to address these and similar issues, new tests will have to be developed but these can only be developed once past and current research is properly assessed. This is the aim of the present study. There is no document yet available on the status of dynamic assessment in South Africa which pays close attention to the research details of various findings within this field. The main findings indicate that although the field is still being researched today, there has been a decrease in the number of studies as well as a concomitant decrease in the implementation of dynamic research efforts. The reasons cited are lack of time, costs, inefficiencies and also confusion as to what dynamic assessment entails. There is, as yet, no consistent definition of dynamic assessment in South Africa, which makes it all the harder to entrench dynamic assessment as a methodology and implement it on as wide a scale as possible. Most research efforts in this field in South Africa presently comprise Master's and Doctoral studies and are, for the most part, efforts emanating from a handful of tertiary institutions. Some past research efforts have been successful but have since been disbanded, whereas there has been a growing awareness of the usefulness of dynamic assessment but it is not being implemented for the reasons stated above. This study investigates these results. Dynamic assessment is most certainly a prudent and effective partial solution to the issue of assessment in South Africa and can no longer be ignored. Yet, with cautious interpretation of the results, researchers and practitioners in the field will be better able to arrive at a more informed opinion of the advances in the field when allowed to scour past and present research.Thesis (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2003.Psychologyunrestricte

Rising tides and leaky boats - quite an old phenomenon

When investigating intelligence test score data (commonly referred to as IQ scores) since the 1900s we see that these scores have increased over time. This temporal secular upward trend has been greeted with some amount of positive enthusiasm. The concurrent up- and downward movement of intelligence markers have left us wondering what is going on in intelligence test score data and by implication, our brains

Revisiting core issues in dynamic assessment

Dynamic assessment is currently poised at a juncture at which theoretical and practical assessment resolutions are necessitated. Such issues concern theoretical approaches towards  psycho-educational assessment.  In order to partially explore these basic assessment approaches, a questionnaire was delivered via electronic mail to one hundred internationally, currently active dynamic assessment researchers and practitioners. The findings from the responses formed the basis for an informal content analysis, which was conducted utilising themes as primary meaning unit and word counts as secondary meaning unit of analyses. The one common and uniting feature about the current research in this area is the broad range of theoretical approaches towards assessment and the current lack of unanimity across types of approaches. Responses showed that varied theoretical frameworks are employed in dynamic assessments which do not necessarily cohere with other traditional approaches. It is contended that an exploratory revisiting of core assessment approaches would assist in positioning practitioners’ and researchers’ theoretical approaches in future assessments

Introduction to psychological assessment in the South African context

The article reviews the book "Introduction to Psychological Assessment in the South African context," edited by C. Foxcroft and G. Roodt

A review of South African research in the field of dynamic assessment

Dynamic assessment, which is often characterised by the learning potential approach across the world and in South Africa, is receiving more attention from educators and research practitioners alike. When compared to the status of international research, local dynamic assessment research can still be regarded as being in its infancy. A selection of studies conducted within this domain was analysed and the results carefully assessed in terms of positive and negative findings to serve as an indication of the trends that this discipline may face in South Africa. The main findings indicate that although the field is still being researched today, there has been a decrease in the number of studies as well as a concomitant decrease in the implementation of dynamic research efforts. The reasons cited are a lack of time, costs, inefficiencies and also confusion as to what dynamic assessment entails. There is, as yet, no consistent definition of dynamic assessment in South Africa, which makes it all the harder to entrench dynamic assessment as a methodology and implement it on as wide a scale as possible