Abstracts

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication and the presence of stereotyped behaviors. To examine neural correlates associated with ASD, brain activation during direct versus averted gaze was compared in individuals with autism and matched controls using Magnetoencephalography (MEG). Based on purported deficits in theory of mind in ASD, differences in amplitude of activation within the prefrontal cortex and the superior temporal sulcus (STS) region are hypothesized to occur using the direct versus averted gaze paradigm. Higher amplitudes in ASD subjects are expected to occur in right averted gaze versus left averted gaze, given a visually dominant left hemisphere. Brain activity was analyzed with MR-FOCUSS, a current density technique (Moran et al., 2005). Given the greater autonomic response associated with direct versus averted gaze, those cortical regions with limbic connections are likely to show greater differences between ASD and the controls.

This study examined differences in social integration of children with congenital neurodevelopmental conditions (ND), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and physical impairment (PI), compared to neurotypicals (TD). One hundred and forty-three children (ND=51, TBI=14, PI=18, TD=60), ages 6-12, were examined. Friendship characteristics and quality were investigated with measures of social networks, social behaviors, and friendship attributes, including the Social Network Inventory for Children, Child Version; Friendship Quality Questionnaire, Revised; and Personality Inventory for Children, Second Edition. MANOVA for friendship characteristics revealed a significant main effect for Group; Wilks' Lambda=0.740, F=2.37 (18, 379.495), p=.001. Post hoc analyses showed significant differences between children in the ND and TD groups but not in TBI or PI. Among children with different types of disabilities, there are significant differences in friendship characteristics but not in friendship quality. Findings support the need for continued emphasis on programs that support the social development of children with disabilities.

While many measures are available for assessing Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders (SCID-II) remains the gold standard for use in personality disorder research. A second diagnostic tool based on the DSM-IV criteria for BPD, the Personality Disorder Inventory-IV (PDI-IV) is a semi-structured interview that has received less attention from researchers, despite its merits as a measure of BPD. A previously conducted analysis of undergraduate interview data suggested that the PDI-IV is a reliable and valid measure of BPD, although more students met criteria for a BPD diagnosis using the PDI-IV than with the SCID-II. However, it should be noted that the prevalence rate of BPD in this undergraduate sample was lower than reported elsewhere (Trull, 1995). Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the PDI-IV in a clinical population. Participants consisted of outpatients recruited from a university psychology clinic, an outpatient hospital treatment facility, and a community mental health clinic. Individuals were interviewed using the BPD sections of both the PDI-IV and the SCID-II and completed measures of object relations, affective lability and intensity, anxiety, depression, and impulsivity for use in construct validation. Results suggested that the BPD scores from the PDI-IV were correlated with the construct validation measures in ways that were expected. Additionally, PDI-IV scores had good convergent validity with the scores on the SCID-II. This suggests that the PDI-IV is a valid measure of BPD in clinical outpatients.

This study examined the relationship between high-risk sexual behavior, aggressive sexual behavior, aberrant sexual experiences, family environment, parental monitoring, delinquency, and peer relatedness. Participants were 384 Eastern Michigan University students completing the Comprehensive Sexual Experience Survey (CSES), an online questionnaire. As hypothesized, high-risk and aggressive sexual behavior positively correlated with aberrant sexual experiences and delinquency. Also as expected, high-risk and aggressive sexual behaviors negatively correlated with parental monitoring. Peer relatedness was not significantly correlated to high-risk or aggressive sexual behavior. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that family environment and aberrant sexual experiences were significant predictors of aggressive sexual behavior in males. Aberrant sexual experiences and delinquency accounted for significant variance in levels of high-risk sexual behavior for both males and females. Participants reported unwanted sexual experiences as well as age at initiation of a full spectrum of sexual behaviors. Notable gender differences were reported at each level of analysis.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is common on college campuses, but little is known about its association with physical and mental health care utilization. We estimated relative risk of past year mental and physical health care utilization as a function of BED alone and in combination with other psychiatric comorbidity (binge drinking, cigarette smoking, anxiety, and depression). The sample, which included 8,597 college students drawn from 15 colleges and universities, was 58.9% female and 62.2% Caucasian, with the majority (63.5%) in the 18-22 year old range. Results of logistic regression analyses indicated that BED alone conferred a nearly two-fold risk for past year use of psychological services and also significantly increased the likelihood of seeing a health care provider in the past year. Future research should evaluate whether prevention efforts targeting binge eating may reduce demand on typically strained campus resources available to address students' physical and mental health needs.

This study sought to investigate whether two types of narcissism common in the clinical literature, grandiose (overt) and hypersensitive (covert), could be empirically detected. A large sample (n = 927) of clinical and nonclinical undergraduate and graduate students completed two measures of the aforementioned constructs: the NPI (Raskin & Hall, 1981) and the HSNS (Hendin & Cheek, 1997). Confirmatory factor analysis did not yield good fit statistics for a one-factor solution, though a slightly better two-factor model was obtained. Latent class cluster analysis detected four distinct groupings of individuals based on relatively high and low scores for both types of narcissism. Pearson correlations of both measures with a measure of hope and agency indicated that the NPI was positively correlated with social behavior, religion, academic achievement, and athletic achievement, which was not the case for the HSNS. These findings support the utility of the overt and covert constructs, although pathological narcissism may be more complex than just these two dimensions.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by symptomatology similar to bulimia nervosa, though there is an absence of compensatory behavior. BED may precede the onset of bulimia. Interpersonal sensitivity (IPS) is linked to bulimia, but there is a lack of literature on its relation to BED. One hundred and ninety-eight undergraduates completed an online survey assessing weight, eating habits, alcohol use, depression, self-harm, and IPS. The sample is 83.2% female, with a mean age of 21.2 years. BED criteria were met by 5.8% of participants, consistent with previous studies. It was hypothesized that participants who scored highly on self-consciousness and fear of negative evaluation measures would be more likely to have both BED and depression. Results showed that high scores on only fear of negative evaluation were significantly associated with BED and depression. Results suggest that fear of negative evaluation may be an important focus of treatment for BED as well as bulimia.

This study will examine the possibility that the experience of abuse during childhood interferes with a woman's ability to recognize others' emotions, in particular, infants' emotions. It is speculated that childhood maltreatment disrupts an individual's recognition of one's own emotional experiences, as well as other people's emotional experiences. As women transition into motherhood, it is possible that this type of history impairs a mother's ability to form an attachment to her infant, in part based on detachment and/or distorted perceptions of the infant. One hundred and twenty female participants were enrolled in the study during their third trimester of pregnancy. Women were interviewed during the third trimester, when their infants were 3 months old, and when their infants were 1 year old. Measures assessing maternal mental health, quality of relationships with participants' parents during childhood, and maternal perceptions of infant emotions based on infant facial expressions will be examined.

High rates of substance abuse treatment admissions have been observed among post-bariatric surgery patients. It is unknown, however, whether substance use problems typically precede, co-occur, or arise subsequent to bariatric surgery. To advance our understanding of this phenomenon, we conducted chart reviews on 73 post-bariatric surgery admissions to inpatient substance abuse treatment. The majority sought treatment primarily for alcohol (62.3%), an additional 9.4% for alcohol plus another drug, 13.2% opiates, 7.5% benzodiazepines, and 7.6% other. Among alcohol users, 61.9% engaged in heavy use prior to their bariatric surgery. Relative to those admitted for other addictions, those with alcohol dependence were more likely to have had heavy substance use prior to surgery (65% of alcohol dependent cases vs. 30.8% of non-alcohol dependent cases reported onset of heavy use of some type of drug/alcohol prior to the surgery, p<.05). Greater pre-surgical screening of substance use and educating patients about post-surgical risks is warranted.

This presentation attempts to understand Border Patrol identity construction through the lens of 'dirty work.' I first offer a brief history of Border Patrol and argue that Border Patrol agents perform 'dirty work,' negatively marking some BP activities and those who perform them. Next, I focus on the ways BP agents construct their identity, one of Rescuer as opposed to Enforcer, in response to their conflicted position and the institutionalization of this identity by Border Patrol. Such an analysis sheds light not only on the U.S. Border Patrol and the organization's self-perceptions but also on public perceptions of Border Patrol and the ways these perceptions shape Border Patrol's self-image. Furthermore, an examination of Border Patrol 'culture,' the social facts that shape Border Patrol identity, and some inherent conflicts of border patrolling together facilitate a critical analysis of Border Patrol mandates, methods, and missions.

Over the past two decades, there has been an outgrowth of atrocities in Africa related to or directly involving private militias, rebel groups, or other paramilitary organizations. Historically, these conflicts and the ultimate objectives of militias and other opposition groups are either unclear or notoriously complex, sometimes involving disputes dating back to the colonial period. My research aims are to detail the events that brought about the violence so as to give the reader a complete portrait of the history leading up to the atrocity itself and finally its consequences. The goals of this paper are to (1) describe events in detail involving civil/private militias as involved in gross human rights violations and/or international conflicts,; (2) explain through historical chronology the cultural, political, and social conditions that led to the formation of individual militia; and (3) to explore the conditions in which these militias and ideologies were born.

This presentation explores the history of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia and the ensuing violence against its civilian women. The objective of this paper is to examine the international sexual crimes that took place during the Balkan conflict. A brief history and explanation of wartime rape is discussed, as well as the international criminal and humanitarian laws that were involved in the legal processing of the former Yugoslavian war crimes. In particular, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was developed, and it specifically addressed rape as a tool of war, which allowed for the prosecution of those individuals responsible for the wartime rape. By labeling collective wartime rape as a war crime against women, the ICTY was also first to carry out such an unprecedented endorsement.

Child soldiers have participated in some of the greatest atrocities our world has experienced. Some of these children have been abducted from their families and were forced to engage in hazardous activities. To gain their obedience, their capturers subject them to horrific acts of violence. Conversely, other children were not coerced to join their state's army or militia and voluntarily participated in committing gross violations of human abuse. An area of debate is how international law or tribunals should deal with child soldiers. Should child soldiers be prosecuted and/or required to pay reparation for their crimes? Or should child soldiers be reintegrated into society? This presentation is based upon a review of competent literature and will provide an overview of the forced/non-forced recruitment methods for child soldiers, explore the application of international law and treaties related to child soldiers, and outline recommendations for reintegration of child.

This presentation is a literary examination of Stephenie Meyer's bestselling book, Twilight, in the context of teen-dating violence. In order to change public attitudes on teen-dating violence, one must challenge current media trends in which abusive dynamics become normalized or glamorized. Although Twilight has become a pop culture phenomenon, there has been criticism that the main character's relationship possesses elements of abuse. This research project explores the relationship between the story's two protagonists, Bella and Edward, and examines how their relationship advocates teen-dating violence. A summary of the literature on teen-dating violence as well as the internalization of media by teens will be discussed. Finally, using the Domestic Abuse Intervention Program's Teen Power and Control Wheel, examples taken from Twilight will be discussed in detail as to why Bella and Edward's interactions embody an abusive nature and how readers become desensitized to abuse because of it.

African American female adolescents are bombarded with discourses that define their sexual behavior. These dichotomous scripts insinuate that they are either asexual or oversexualized and fail to leave room for behavioral diversity. When acquaintance rape is attempted or actually occurs, African American females are often cognitively and linguistically ill-equipped to recognize that an assault has actually taken place because these discourses deny females the ability to delineate their sexuality for themselves. The initiation of dialogue during adolescence can counter conflicting notions of sexuality, as it is understood interpersonally and institutionally. Using the feminist methodological approach of dialogic consciousness-raising will dismantle erroneous sexual scripts and thus transform confusing discourses about black female sexuality. Dialogue will engender a sense of sexual empowerment among African American females that will dissemble the years of silence and control that has been mandated by a larger American society.

The 2008 election presented a unique challenge for members of the media, with more women and people of color running for election and viewed in a serious manner than in the past. The media had an obligation to give equal coverage to all candidates; instead, journalists consistently covered Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin with demeaning sexist coverage, dehumanizing both candidates through objectification. The misogynistic coverage of the female front-runners contributed to their failed campaigns, but both women conveyed gender differently in an attempt to become elected. Additionally, Palin in many ways contributed to her sexist portrayal of extreme 'femininity' as a maternal force and an object of desire. Clinton's and Palin's gender performances represent a classic double bind: because they were women fighting for a traditionally male position, they had to make decisions about their gender performance in an attempt to avoid being automatically discounted for not being the 'correct' gender.

This presentation examines the construction of masculinity and femininity through control of a woman's reproductive rights. It examines the aspects of socially constructed gender roles that allow and perhaps encourage various forms of abuse against women, including control of reproduction. Control over female reproductive rights is in accordance with the expectations of the masculine gender role, as the role demands action and aggression. At the same time, the use of reproductive control is a means to force adherence to the female gender role, enforcing femininity and ensuring passivity. Reproductive control can manifest in various forms but is often overlooked as a method of domestic abuse. This presentation intends to highlight this type of abusive behavior while illustrating that it is a linear extension of masculine and feminine gender roles.

Human trafficking is one of the oldest crimes in history, and recent economic and societal changes have contributed to a rapid expansion of this problem. Trafficking of women and children for sex is a form of modern-day slavery that threatens the lives of millions of people around the world. The United States is one of the largest destination countries for traffickers. The government has only recently begun to adopt legislation to combat the problem, and political bickering and jurisdictional conflicts have delayed possible solutions. The recent U.S. efforts to eliminate sex trafficking have had positive results, but efficacy of those policies pales in comparison to those adopted by other countries. Further recommendations are discussed.

The analytical comparison of the incidence of HIV as a leading cause of death concerning race and gender was based on the question: 'What does the incidence of HIV as a leading cause of death look like over time for African American women in comparison to African American men, White men, and White women?' Using the Center for Disease Control and Prevention annual death charts from 1987 to 2005, the study graphed the raw numbers of HIV deaths and the ranking of HIV as a number one cause of death for these demographic groups ages 25-34 and 35-44. It appeared as though gender was the primary factor when looking at the raw numbers' graphs. However, the ranking of HIV deaths' graphs illustrated that race was the primary factor which revealed that African American women ages 25-34 have the highest incidence of HIV as the leading cause of death over time.

This research explores the perspectives of non-native English-speaking English language learners and native English-speaking pre-service teachers of English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) on a proposed pronunciation syllabus. This controversial syllabus for speakers of English as an International Language emphasizes intelligibility (being understood) over native-like pronunciation. It teaches only the most important elements of English phonology that contribute to intelligibility with other NNS while omitting other elements of English phonology that are difficult to master and only marginally contribute to intelligibility. This research reveals perspectives of both target groups and gives further insight into how these views may affect the trends of classroom teaching going forward.