Home Chaos and Self-Regulation: Moderating Role of Gender between Home Chaos and Effortful Control

Objective: To explore the relationship between home chaos and Self-regulation (effortful control) among young children including other dimensions of temperament (Surgency and Negative affect). Place and Duration of the Study: The study was conducted from January 2015 to September 2016 in Rawalpindi. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive correlational study. The sample consisted of 100 children (3-7 years) and their mothers. The sample was selected from different private and government schools. For children who were less than 4 years, the mothers were contacted at their homes directly. A purposive sampling technique was used to collect data. To assess temperament and home chaos Children’s Behavior Questionnaire Very Short Form (CBQ) and Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale (CHAOS)-Urdu Version were used respectively. To collect demographic information for sample selection according to sampling criteria the forms were sent to parents through children. Results: The results showed significant negative association between home chaos and children’s effortful control (ꞅ = -.21*, p<.05), non-significant positive association between home chaos, negative affect(ꞅ = .06, p>.05)  and surgency (ꞅ = -.16, p>.05).. Home chaos was also found to be a significant predictor of effort among children. In addition, it was found that gender moderated the relation between home chaos and effortful control. Boys get affected more than girls and show poor effortful control in chaotic homes [t (96) = 2.39, p<.05]. Conclusion: Home chaos is a significant predictor of effortful control, one dimension of temperament among young children. Boys showed fewer self-regulation skills in chaotic homes as compared to their counterparts

A review of techniques for detection of movement intention using movement-related cortical potentials

The movement-related cortical potential (MRCP) is a low-frequency negative shift in the electroencephalography (EEG) recording that takes place about 2 seconds prior to voluntary movement production. MRCP replicates the cortical processes employed in planning and preparation of movement. In this study, we recapitulate the features such as signal’s acquisition, processing, and enhancement and different electrode montages used for EEG data recoding from different studies that used MRCPs to predict the upcoming real or imaginary movement. An authentic identification of human movement intention, accompanying the knowledge of the limb engaged in the performance and its direction of movement, has a potential implication in the control of external devices. This information could be helpful in development of a proficient patient-driven rehabilitation tool based on brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Such a BCI paradigm with shorter response time appears more natural to the amputees and can also induce plasticity in brain. Along with different training schedules, this can lead to restoration of motor control in stroke patients

Translation and Psychometric properties of Children Behavior Questionnaire-Very short form: Gender differences on Temperament

Objective: 1- To translate Children’s Behavior Questionnaire-very short (CBQ) form in Urdu language and to establish its psychometric properties. 2- To study gender differences on subscales of CBQ. Material and Methods: The study was conducted with 279 mothers (working and non-working) and their children (3-7 years) in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. CBQ-very short form was translated into Urdu language as per standard procedure1. Translated scale was given to mothers and available fathers to rate their children on temperament. To establish cross language validation 13 mothers were given both original English CBQ-very short form and translated version with the gap of two months. To study gender differences on three dimensions of temperament between boys and girls (boys = 138, girls = 141) one way ANOVA was run. Results: Results indicated high Cronbach’s alpha reliability α = .80 (total) and .61to .81 for its subscales, high to satisfactory cross language validation (test retest reliability) r =.64* to .86** (p < .05 & .01), and high inter-rater reliability between fathers and mothers r = .38* to .82** (p < .05 & .01). The item total correlations of subscales were also satisfactory.  Finding showed that Urdu version of CBQ is highly reliable and valid to be used with Pakistani Children (3-8 years). In addition we found significant gender differences on effortful control, girls being high on effortful control as compared to boys. Conclusion: The study revealed CBQ-very short form- Urdu version as reliable and consistent measure of children’s temperament (3-7years) in Pakistani culture. Findings also support earlier evidence that girls show higher score on effortful control as compared to their counterparts. Key Words: CBQ, Temperament, gender differences, Urdu version

Translation and Psychometric properties of Children Behavior Questionnaire-Very short form: Gender differences on Temperament

Objective: 1- To translate Children’s Behavior Questionnaire-very short (CBQ) form in Urdu language and to establish its psychometric properties. 2- To study gender differences on subscales of CBQ. Material and Methods: The study was conducted with 279 mothers (working and non-working) and their children (3-7 years) in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. CBQ-very short form was translated into Urdu language as per standard procedure1. Translated scale was given to mothers and available fathers to rate their children on temperament. To establish cross language validation 13 mothers were given both original English CBQ-very short form and translated version with the gap of two months. To study gender differences on three dimensions of temperament between boys and girls (boys = 138, girls = 141) one way ANOVA was run. Results: Results indicated high Cronbach’s alpha reliability α = .80 (total) and .61to .81 for its subscales, high to satisfactory cross language validation (test retest reliability) r =.64* to .86** (p < .05 & .01), and high inter-rater reliability between fathers and mothers r = .38* to .82** (p < .05 & .01). The item total correlations of subscales were also satisfactory.  Finding showed that Urdu version of CBQ is highly reliable and valid to be used with Pakistani Children (3-8 years). In addition we found significant gender differences on effortful control, girls being high on effortful control as compared to boys. Conclusion: The study revealed CBQ-very short form- Urdu version as reliable and consistent measure of children’s temperament (3-7years) in Pakistani culture. Findings also support earlier evidence that girls show higher score on effortful control as compared to their counterparts. Key Words: CBQ, Temperament, gender differences, Urdu version

サイショウヘイキンニジョウベーストARモデルニヨルリアルタイムデノノウハシンドウイソウノヨソクトノウナミイソウニモトヅクシカクシゲキ

博士（工学）東京農工大

Time-Series Prediction of the Oscillatory Phase of EEG Signals Using the Least Mean Square Algorithm-Based AR Model

Neural oscillations are vital for the functioning of a central nervous system because they assist in brain communication across a huge network of neurons. Alpha frequency oscillations are believed to depict idling or inhibition of task-irrelevant cortical activities. However, recent studies on alpha oscillations (particularly alpha phase) hypothesize that they have an active and direct role in the mechanisms of attention and working memory. To understand the role of alpha oscillations in several cognitive processes, accurate estimations of phase, amplitude, and frequency are required. Herein, we propose an approach for time-series forward prediction by comparing an autoregressive (AR) model and an adaptive method (least mean square (LMS)-based AR model). This study tested both methods for two prediction lengths of data. Our results indicate that for shorter data segments (prediction of 128 ms), the AR model outperforms the LMS-based AR model, while for longer prediction lengths (256 ms), the LMS- based AR model surpasses the AR model. LMS with low computational cost can aid in electroencephalography (EEG) phase prediction (alpha oscillations) in basic research to reveal the functional role of the oscillatory phase as well as for applications for brain-computer interfaces

Real-Time Implementation of EEG Oscillatory Phase-Informed Visual Stimulation Using a Least Mean Square-Based AR Model

It is a technically challenging problem to assess the instantaneous brain state using electroencephalography (EEG) in a real-time closed-loop setup because the prediction of future signals is required to define the current state, such as the instantaneous phase and amplitude. To accomplish this in real-time, a conventional Yule–Walker (YW)-based autoregressive (AR) model has been used. However, the brain state-dependent real-time implementation of a closed-loop system employing an adaptive method has not yet been explored. Our primary purpose was to investigate whether time-series forward prediction using an adaptive least mean square (LMS)-based AR model would be implementable in a real-time closed-loop system or not. EEG state-dependent triggers synchronized with the EEG peaks and troughs of alpha oscillations in both an open-eyes resting state and a visual task. For the resting and visual conditions, statistical results showed that the proposed method succeeded in giving triggers at a specific phase of EEG oscillations for all participants. These individual results showed that the LMS-based AR model was successfully implemented in a real-time closed-loop system targeting specific phases of alpha oscillations and can be used as an adaptive alternative to the conventional and machine-learning approaches with a low computational load