In the present work, we investigate the hypothesis that failures of task-related executive control that occur during episodes of mind wandering are associated with an increase in extraneous movements (fidgeting). In 2 studies, we assessed mind wandering using thought probes while participants performed the metronome response task (MRT), which…

The development of a usability evaluation method for educational systems or applications, called the self-report-based sequential analysis, is described herein. The method aims to extend the current practice by proposing self-report-based sequential analysis as a new usability method, which integrates the advantages of self-report in survey…

Prosocial behavior in early childhood is a precursor to later adaptive social functioning. This investigation leveraged mother-reported, physiological, and observational data to examine children's prosocial development from age 2 to age 4 (N = 125). Maternal emotion socialization (ES) strategies and children's parasympathetic regulation have each…

This study examines the efficacy of a manualized parent-assisted social skills intervention in comparison with a matched Delayed Treatment Control group to improve friendship quality and social skills among teens 13-17 years of age with autism spectrum disorders. Targeted skills included conversational skills, peer entry and exiting skills,…

Sensory processing (SP) difficulties have been reported in as many as 95% of children with autism, however, empirical research examining the existence of specific patterns of SP difficulties within this population is scarce. Furthermore, little attention has been given to examining the relationship between SP and either the core symptoms or…

In recent years there has been increasing interest in the phenomena of "gaming the system," where a learner attempts to succeed in an educational environment by exploiting properties of the system's help and feedback rather than by attempting to learn the material. Developing environments that respond constructively and effectively to…

The purpose of this study is to examine the underlying construct of overexcitabilities (OEs) and to identify individual- and family-level factors that may explain gifted students' patterns of OEs. Data are collected from a convenience sample of identified gifted students (N = 143) and their parents (N = 161) using a Likert-type questionnaire, the…

Adolescent perceptions of the impact of illness were measured through the administration of an original questionnaire to 345 healthy adolescents and 168 adolescents (mean age of both groups, 15) with diabetes mellitus, cystic fibrosis, cancer, and cardiac, renal, or rheumatologic diseases. Journal availability: C. V. Mosby Co; 11830 Westline…

The hypothesis was advanced that questionnaire measures of Psychoticism (P) may represent an estimate of randomness in responding, rather than reflecting reactions to item contents. Results showed P did not correlate with measures of random. (Author)