Revisiting the picture-superiority effect in symbolic comparisons: Do pictures provide privileged access

In 4 experiments, symbolic comparisons were investigated to test semantic-memory retrieval accounts espousing processing advantages for picture over word stimuli. In Experiment 1, participants judged pairs of animal names or pictures by responding to questions probing concrete or abstract attributes (texture or size, ferocity or intelligence). Per pair, attributes were salient or nonsalient concerning their prerated relevance to animals being compared. Distance (near or far) between attribute magnitudes was also varied. Pictures did not significantly speed responding relative to words across all other variables. Advantages were found for far attribute magnitudes (i.e., the distance effect) and salient attributes. The distance effect was much less for salient than nonsalient concrete-attribute comparisons. These results were consistently found in additional experiments with increased statistical power to detect modality effects. Our findings argue against dual-coding and some common-code accounts of conceptual attribute processing, urging reexamination of the assumption that pictures confer privileged access to long-term knowledge. A central assumption that has apparently become accepted in theorizing about semantic-memory activation and retrieval of knowledge is that pictorial stimuli more readily contact semanti

Old Dogs and New Skills: How Clinician Characteristics Relate to Motivational Interviewing Skills Before, During, and After Training

Objective: The relationships between the occupational, educational, and verbal-cognitive characteristics of health care professionals and their motivational interviewing (MI) skills before, during, and after training were investigated. Method: Fifty-eight community-based addiction clinicians (M = 42.1 years, SD = 10.0; 66% Female) were assessed prior to enrolling in a 2-day MI training workshop and being randomized to one of three post-workshop supervision programs: live supervision via tele-conferencing (TCS), standard tape-based supervision (Tape), or workshop training alone. Audiotaped sessions with clients were rated for MI skillfulness with the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) coding system v 2.0 at pre-workshop and 1, 8, and 20 weeks post-workshop. Correlation coefficients and generalized linear models were used to test the relationships between clinician characteristics and MI skill at each assessment point. Results: Baseline MI skill levels were the most robust predictors of pre-and post-supervision performances. Clinician characteristics were associated with MI Spirit and reflective listening skill throughout training and moderated the effect of post-workshop supervision method on MI skill. TCS, which provided immediate feedback during practice sessions, was most effective for increasing MI Spirit and reflective listening among clinicians with no graduate degree and stronger vocabulary performances. Tape supervision was more effective for increasing these skills among clinicians with a graduate degree. Further, TCS and Tape were most likely to enhance MI Spirit among clinicians with low average to average verbal and abstract reasoning performances. Conclusions: Clinician attributes influence the effectiveness of methods used to promote the acquisition of evidence-based practices among community-based practitioners

Providing Live Supervision Via Teleconferencing Improves Acquisition of Motivational Interviewing Skills After Workshop Attendance

Teleconferencing Supervision is a method for training community-based substance abuse clinicians in Motivational Interviewing (MI). Following a 2-day workshop, 13 clinicians received live supervision via telephone during 5 counseling sessions conducted at their community treatment facilities. Clinicians were assessed for skill level at post-workshop, at post-training, and 3 months later; learning was assessed using the MI Treatment Integrity instrument. All summary scores and therapist behavior frequency counts improved by post-training or by the 3 month follow-up, although some gains were not statistically significant. Teleconferencing Supervision may help facilitate the proficient use of MI community clinicians following workshop instruction