Using Agent-Based Modeling to Examine Risk for COVID-19 Infection in Custodial Settings.

Research on pandemics in institutional settings often assumes that all human interactions within a jail pose similar viral transmission risks. We developed an agent-based model (ABM) called Simulation Applications for Forecasting Effective Responses in Corrections (SAFER-C™) to simulate nine scenarios of possible interactions and virus transmission among incarcerated individuals and jail staff and tested this assumption. We found that resumption of high-contact activities has a greater impact on the number of infections, while out-of-cell group sizes and initial vaccination rates had lower impact. This work emphasizes the importance of understanding and modeling human interactions in confinement facilities, as well as understanding, responding to, and limiting the mechanism of viral transmission in jails. Insights from ABMs provide correctional administrators with realistic options for managing responses.

A Psychometric Network Analysis of CHC Intelligence Measures: Implications for Research, Theory, and Interpretation of Broad CHC Scores "Beyond g".

For over a century, the structure of intelligence has been dominated by factor analytic methods that presume tests are indicators of latent entities (e.g., general intelligence or g). Recently, psychometric network methods and theories (e.g., process overlap theory; dynamic mutualism) have provided alternatives to g-centric factor models. However, few studies have investigated contemporary cognitive measures using network methods. We apply a Gaussian graphical network model to the age 9-19 standardization sample of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability-Fourth Edition. Results support the primary broad abilities from the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory and suggest that the working memory-attentional control complex may be central to understanding a CHC network model of intelligence. Supplementary multidimensional scaling analyses indicate the existence of possible higher-order dimensions (PPIK; triadic theory; System I-II cognitive processing) as well as separate learning and retrieval aspects of long-term memory. Overall, the network approach offers a viable alternative to factor models with a g-centric bias (i.e., bifactor models) that have led to erroneous conclusions regarding the utility of broad CHC scores in test interpretation beyond the full-scale IQ, g.

Long-term effects of a resilience-based intervention on mental health of children affected by parental HIV in China: Testing the mediation effects of emotion regulation and coping.

Resilience-based interventions have been suggested to improve mental health among children affected by parental HIV. Very few studies, however, have explicitly tested the mechanisms of change underlying the effects of resilience-based interventions on mental health among this group of children. The present study utilized a cluster randomized controlled trial to determine the effects of the Child-Caregiver-Advocacy Resilience (ChildCARE) intervention on mental health for children affected by parental HIV. Specifically, we examined the effects of the intervention on three mental health outcomes (i.e., depressive symptoms, school anxiety, loneliness) and whether emotion regulation and coping played mediating roles in the intervention's effectiveness. Child-caregiver dyads (N = 790) were randomly assigned by clusters to three intervention groups and a control group. Children reported on mental health outcomes for 36 months at 6-month intervals. Latent growth curve models showed that there were no direct impacts of the ChildCARE intervention on changes in mental health outcomes beyond 18-month follow-up. Mediation analyses showed that the ChildCARE intervention yielded significant improvements in positive coping, but not negative coping or emotion regulation at 18 months. Emotion regulation, positive coping, and negative coping were consistently associated with the intercepts (i.e., mean at 18 months) of mental health outcomes. Negative coping also significantly predicted the rates of change of mental health outcomes over time. Findings provide important implications for future resilience-based intervention development and highlight the promise of interventions that aim to strengthen emotion regulation and coping skills to improve mental health for children affected by parental HIV.

QEEG coherence patterns related to mathematics ability in children.

The current study investigates the utility of resting-state EEG coherence values in predicting standardized math scores in children. Quantitative EEG and standardized academic achievement analyses were performed on 60 school-aged children. Analyses assessing intrahemispheric coherence at rest were conducted across the sample of participants and several coherence networks were extracted and compared to standardized math achievement values. Specifically, networks that included Brodmann area 40 (a brain region involved in the cognitive processes responsible for mathematics performance) and whose coherence values were significantly correlated with standardized math scores were examined. Results indicate a total of four coherence networks, two in each hemisphere, that have utility in predicting general math skills in children. In addition to BA 40, these coherence networks include BAs in the right temporal lobe, right frontoparietal lobe, left superior temporal lobe, and the left medial prefrontal cortex. These findings address the current dearth of research on the neurological connectivity patterns that are foundational for mathematics abilities in children. Further, these results lay a foundation for the supplementary use of EEG in the assessment and identification practices surrounding math learning disabilities in children and additionally provide a neurocognitive framework upon which intervention research may be targeted.

A Qualitative Examination of How Somali Young Adults Think About and Understand Violence in Their Communities.

Violence prevention efforts must take into consideration the potentially stigmatizing labels associated with violence, and how youth perceive different types of violence in their communities. Somali communities and individuals in North America have at times been labeled as at-risk for violence, with two notable examples being gang violence and ideologically motivated violence, or violent radicalization. Little is known, however, about how the youth themselves think about and understand these types of violence in their communities. In this article, we seek to answer the following questions: How do Somali immigrants think about violence in their communities, and the stigma related to this violence? and What are the implications of these perceptions/beliefs for violence prevention? Data are drawn from two qualitative studies conducted as part of an ongoing community-based participatory research (CBPR) collaboration between academic partners and Somali communities in three cities in North America. Study 1 consists of nine focus groups (n = 36, male only), and Study 2 consists of in-depth interviews (n = 40, male and female). All participants are Somali young adults living in North America. Overall, radicalization to violence is seen as a remote and irrelevant issue in the Somali community. Participants distance themselves from the idea of radicalization to violence and from those who participate in radical acts or held such beliefs. In contrast, gang involvement is characterized as a major problem for Somali communities, and a product of the marginalization associated with being a refugee in Canada or the United States. Findings suggest that prevention efforts focused on gangs are more likely to be acceptable to communities than those focused on violent extremism.

Neurocognitive correlates of persisting concussion symptoms in youth.

Many patients that experience a concussion have impairing symptoms that persist beyond typical recovery timeframes. Concussion symptoms often remit within a month, but persisting impairments are difficult to characterize and attribute to concussion given the poorly defined diagnostic criteria of post-concussion syndrome and inadequate understanding of the cognitive symptoms associated with this condition. The current study aims to clarify the cognitive profiles of school-aged concussion patients (n = 21; N = 36; 64% male) that have persisting symptoms to improve the clinical identification methods for this condition. Logistic regression was used to explore the importance of cognitive processing speed and working memory for identifying patients with persisting concussion symptoms (PCS). Additional exploratory analyses were conducted to clarify cognitive domains that may be impacted by having PCS. Findings indicate processing speed and working memory abilities alone are not adequate to identify patients with PCS. Further, measures of processing speed, fluid reasoning, working memory, and long-term retrieval together were found to be necessary to identify those who had a prior concussion with PCS. These findings indicate clinical neuropsychological batteries must include measures of these four cognitive domains when assessing school-aged patients with chronic symptoms that extend beyond three months following injury.

Examining the Link Between Childhood Physical Abuse and Risk for Violent Victimization in Youth and Young Adulthood in China.

This study examines the association between childhood physical abuse and an increased risk for violent victimization in youth and young adulthood in China. It further assesses if this relationship is mediated by an individual's routine activities. Data used in this study were collected from more than 2,000 individuals of school-based samples in Changzhi, a city of over 3 million people in Northern China. Drawing from a survey that captures childhood physical abuse, violent victimization, and routine activities, this study uses negative binominal regression to examine the relationships between childhood physical abuse, routine activities, and violent victimization among Chinese youth and young adults. We find that individuals who were physically abused in childhood were at a greater risk for violent victimization in youth and young adulthood, and that an individual's routine activities (e.g., drinking) partially mediated this relationship. The findings from this study suggest that routine activity theory provides a useful framework for explaining the link between childhood physical abuse and risk for violent victimization in the Chinese context. Furthermore, our findings stress the importance of future research to look more closely at childhood experiences when studying future behaviors. In addition, our findings challenge beliefs held among Chinese parents about the acceptability of physical punishment to discipline children. These findings can be used to shape programs that create awareness of acceptable parenting practices in China.

QEEG correlates of cognitive processing speed in children and adolescents with traumatic brain injuries.

Both quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) and cognitive measures have been used to understand the underlying brain changes that occur in individuals after experiencing a traumatic brain injury, however, research exploring the relationship between qEEG patterns and cognitive test performance is scarcely studied in school-aged populations. The purpose of the present study was to explore first, the neuropsychological and academic deficits in young individuals with TBI; and second, the underlying relationship between qEEG patterns and cognitive test performance. Analyses included 21 school-aged participants whom have experienced a recent TBI and 15 school-aged participants whom have never experienced a TBI. Mean subtest and composite scores were compared and regression analyses were used to determine whether alpha band and beta band qEEG coherence values predicted processing speed measures. Results suggest that young individuals who experienced a recent TBI exhibit general deficits in cognition and academic skills beyond what would be expected in the general population. Further, beta band coherence with the frontal brain regions significantly predicted processing speed scores, providing evidence of a relationship between qEEG patterns and processing speed. This outlines a relatively inexpensive method for utilizing neural connectivity to verify cognitive deficits for school-aged individuals with a recent TBI.

ADHD in University Settings: Predictive Validity of Quantitative EEG Coherence.

PURPOSE: Research has demonstrated distinct patterns of electroencephalography (EEG) coherence with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children; however, few studies have examined coherence measures in adults with ADHD. Further, specific research examining EEG coherence within the subgroup of young adults in post-secondary education is absent from the literature. METHODS: The current study investigated the utility of quantitative EEG in predicting ADHD behavioral symptoms in 35 college students with a documented ADHD diagnosis and 35 control students. RESULTS: Increased interhemispheric frontal beta-wave coherence was found in individuals with ADHD. Logistic regression of principle components of quantitative EEG coherence metrics predicted ADHD group membership. CONCLUSIONS: Suggestions for improving ADHD identification in college populations using quantitative EEG are discussed.

The imprisonment-extremism nexus: Continuity and change in activism and radicalism intentions in a longitudinal study of prisoner reentry.

There is considerable speculation that prisons are a breeding ground for radicalization. These concerns take on added significance in the era of mass incarceration in the United States, where 1.5 million people are held in state or federal prisons and around 600,000 people are released from prison annually. Prior research relies primarily on the speculation of prison officials, media representations, and/or cross-sectional designs to understand the imprisonment-extremism nexus. We develop a tripartite theoretical model to examine continuity and change in activism and radicalism intentions upon leaving prison. We test these models using data from a large probability sample of prisoners (N = 802) in Texas interviewed in the week preceding their release from prison and then reinterviewed 10 months later using a validated scale of activism and radicalism intentions. We arrive at three primary conclusions. First, levels of activism decline upon reentry to the community (d = -0.30, p < .01), while levels of radicalism largely remain unchanged (d = -0.08, p = .28). What is learned and practiced in prison appears to quickly lose its vitality on the street. Second, salient groups and organizations fell in importance after leaving prison, including country, race/ethnicity, and religion, suggesting former prisoners are occupied by other endeavors. Finally, while we identify few correlates of changes in extremist intentions, higher levels of legal cynicism in prison were associated with increases in both activism and radicalism intentions after release from prison. Efforts designed to improve legal orientations could lessen intentions to support non-violent and violent extremist actions. These results point to an imprisonment-extremism nexus that is diminished largely by the realities of prisoner reentry.

What if They Are All High-Risk for Attrition? Correlates of Retention in a Longitudinal Study of Reentry from Prison.

Longitudinal data are essential to research in criminology and criminal justice. Despite attrition's implications for validity, understanding its sources is underexplored empirically. We examine the correlates of retention using covariates organized into domains of prediction, prevention, and projection. Data from the LoneStar Project, a three-wave longitudinal reentry study of 802 males recently released from prisoners in Texas, were analyzed to examine the correlates of proximal, distal, and any study retention. The best correlates of study retention are prevention techniques used by researchers to reduce attrition. In contrast, only a few covariates traditionally associated with attrition and no covariates used for attrition projection were related to retention. What researchers do matters more for retention than the characteristics of individuals they are trying to retain. The findings underscore how researchers can improve study retention in longitudinal research while also correcting for non-random attrition in current longitudinal data sources.

Healthcare-associated infections studies project: An American Journal of Infection Control and National Healthcare Safety Network data quality collaboration: Location mapping.

This case study is part of a series centered on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) health care-associated infection (HAI) surveillance definitions. This specific case study focuses on appropriately mapping locations within an NHSN-enrolled facility. The intent of the case study series is to foster standardized application of the NHSN HAI surveillance definitions among IPs and encourage accurate determination of HAI events. An online survey link is provided where participants may confidentially answer questions related to the case study and receive immediate feedback in the form of correct answers and explanations and rationales. Details of the case study, answers, and explanations have been reviewed and approved by NHSN staff. We hope that participants take advantage of this educational offering and thereby gain a greater understanding of NHSN HAI surveillance definitions.

Acuerdo intercalificadores intragrupo en el Test Gestáltico Visomotor de Bender, segunda versión (Bender - II) / Within-group inter-rater agreement for the Bender Gestalt Visualmomor Test, second version (Bender - II)

La presente investigación evalúa el acuerdo intercalificadores del Test Gestáltico Visomotor de Bender, segunda versión (Bender - II). Esta nueva versión ha mostrado propiedades psicométricas satisfactorias en la muestra de estandarización y en posteriores estudios anglosajones, pero no hay referencias sobre sus propiedades en población hispanos. Los participantes de este estudio fueron 173 niños preescolares entre cuatro y cinco años de edad; los calificadores fueron estudiantes de psicología. Para evaluar la consistencia y el acuerdo entre los calificadores, se aplicaron coeficientes de correlación Pearson, así como correlaciones intraclase (modelo 2). Se calcularon estos coeficientes para la muestra total y para el grupo superior e inferior de rendimiento visomotor, aplicando un ajuste por restricción del rango. Los resultados indican elevadas confiabilidades y acuerdo entre calificadores en la muestra total; pero en los grupos inferior y superior de rendimiento, estos fueron variables y algunos bajos, interaccionando con la edad. Estos resultados ocurrieron para los puntajes de "copia" y de "recuerdo". Se discute el efecto de la variabilidad entre calificadores, especialmente su impacto en las decisiones clínicas sobre desempeños bajos y altos.

The present research evaluates the agreement inter-scorers for the Bender Gestalt Test Bender, 2nd version (Bender - II). This new version has shown satisfactory psychometric properties in the sample for standardization, and in further studies English samples, but no references in Hispanic population. The participants in this study were 173 preschool children between 4 and 5 years of age; the scorers were students of psychology. To evaluate the internal consistency and agreement inter-raters, we applied Pearson correlation coefficients and intraclass correlations (model 2). These coefficients were calculated for the total sample and for the upper and lower group sample in visual-motor performance, but with adjustment by the restriction of range. The results for the Copy and Remember scores indicate high internal consistency and agreement between raters in the total sample, but low and variable in the lower and upper groups, interacting with age. We discuss the effect of inter-rater variability, especially its impact on clinical decisions about low and high performance.

Resting state signatures of domain and demand-specific working memory performance.

Working memory (WM) is one of the key constructs in understanding higher-level cognition. We examined whether patterns of activity in the resting state of individual subjects are correlated with their off-line working and short-term memory capabilities. Participants completed a resting-state fMRI scan and off-line working and short-term memory (STM) tests with both verbal and visual materials. We calculated fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF) from the resting state data, and also computed connectivity between seeds placed in frontal and parietal lobes. Correlating fALFF values with behavioral measures showed that the fALFF values in a widespread fronto-parietal network during rest were positively correlated with a combined memory measure. In addition, STM showed a significant correlation with fALFF within the right angular gyrus and left middle occipital gyrus, whereas WM was correlated with fALFF values within the right IPS and left dorsomedial cerebellar cortex. Furthermore, verbal and visuospatial memory capacities were associated with dissociable patterns of low-frequency fluctuations. Seed-based connectivity showed correlations with the verbal WM measure in the left hemisphere, and with the visual WM measure in the right hemisphere. These findings contribute to our understanding of how differences in spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations at rest are correlated with differences in cognitive performance.

Higher-order factor structures for the WISC-IV: implications for neuropsychological test interpretation.

Factor-analytic studies support a hierarchical four-factor model for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) with a prominent general, third-order factor. However, there is substantial disagreement on which type of higher-order model best fits the data and how different models should guide test interpretation in clinical practice, with many studies concluding interpretation should primarily be focused on general indicators of intelligence. We performed a series of confirmatory factor analyses with the WISC-IV standardization sample (N = 2,200, ages 6-16 years) to examine model fit and reexamined models used to support test interpretation at the general level. Consistent with previous research, bifactor models were difficult to identify; however, compared with bifactor and hierarchical models, the correlated factors model with no general higher-order factor provided the best fit to the data. Results from this study support the basic four-factor model specified in the WISC-IV technical manual, with test interpretation primarily focused at the factor level, rather than the general level suggested in previous studies.

Development and evaluation of an online, multicomponent working memory battery.

Research has demonstrated strong connections among working memory (WM), higher-level cognition, and academic achievement. Despite the importance of WM, currently available WM tests have practical limitations and lack comprehensive coverage of multiple WM components. The Working Memory Battery (WOMBAT) includes nine subtests measuring multiple content domains and processing demands, in accordance with contemporary WM theoretical frameworks. The current study evaluated the WOMBAT factor structure and identified misfitting items using confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch modeling with scores from 125 adolescents and 177 adults (N = 302). Overall, results indicated the WOMBAT measures separate Verbal, Static Visual-Spatial, and Dynamic Visual-Spatial dimensions, and that more than 98% of items contribute to measurement of those dimensions. This provides support for the theoretical organization of WM into three distinct content domains in the WOMBAT. Misfitting items were identified using infit and outfit indices for further review to improve reliability and stability. Results also demonstrated adequate person separation and Rasch person reliability and item reliability. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency coefficients suggest adequate reliability for early-stage research, but further refinement is needed before the WOMBAT can be used for individual decision making. Implications for future test development and research on the WM construct are provided.

From 'What the F#@% is a Facebook?' to 'Who Doesn't Use Facebook?': The role of criminal lifestyles in the adoption and use of the Internet.

Concerns about a digital divide persist and recent calls have been made for understanding how lifestyles influence Internet adoption and use. Online criminal behaviors have drawn attention from law enforcement, but diffusion of innovation theory suggests higher propensities for crime, particularly street crime, reduces the likelihood of Internet use. Drawing from this theory and research on the role of street criminal lifestyles on technology adoption, this study examined patterns of Internet use among a sample of 585 individuals at-risk for and involved in street crime. Results from our logistic and negative binomial regression analyses lead to two general conclusions: (1) compared to research on the general population, similar predictors and lower rates of Internet participation and usage are observed, and (2) mixed evidence suggests participation in criminal lifestyles contributes to digital inequality. The results support a theory of technological diffusion to marginalized populations. We conclude by discussing the expansion of technology, digital inequality, and crime.

Condom use during sexual assault.

This study examines questions about forced unprotected sex. Study objectives include assessing the prevalence of condom use in sexual assault and improving our understanding of the correlates of condom use in sexual assault. We analyze 841 sexual assault complaints reported to three law enforcement agencies. Descriptive data are used to assess the prevalence of condom use in sexual assault and to examine the contextual factors associated with condom use in sexual assault. We conduct logistic regression analysis to examine motivations for condom use during sexual assault. Condom use prevalence rates across the sites range from 11.7% to 15.6%. Few differences exist across jurisdictions regarding the correlates of condom use. Condom use during sexual assault appears to be motivated by three contextual factors. Younger suspects and suspects who use a weapon during assaults are more likely to use a condom. The suspect's use of alcohol is negatively related to condom use. The low rates of condom use found in this study, coupled with the dangers of unprotected sexual contact, suggest that public health efforts must address the needs of victims of sexual assault more carefully.

Estimating base rates of impairment in neuropsychological test batteries: a comparison of quantitative models.

Neuropsychologists frequently rely on a battery of neuropsychological tests which are normally distributed to determine impaired functioning. The statistical likelihood of Type I error in clinical decision-making is in part determined by the base rate of normative individuals obtaining atypical performance on neuropsychological tests. Base rates are most accurately obtained by co-normed measures, but this is rarely accomplished in neuropsychological testing. Several statistical methods have been proposed to estimate base rates for tests that are not co-normed. This study compared two statistical approaches (binomial and Monte Carlo models) used to estimate the base rates for flexible test batteries. The two approaches were compared against empirically derived base rates for a multitest co-normed battery of cognitive measures. Estimates were compared across a variety of conditions including age and different α levels (N =3,356). Monte Carlo R(2) estimates ranged from .980 to .997 across five different age groups, indicating a good fit. In contrast, the binomial model fit estimates ranged from 0.387 to 0.646. Results confirm that the binomial model is insufficient for estimating base rates because it does not take into account correlations among measures in a multitest battery. Although the Monte Carlo model produced more accurate results, minor biases occurred that are likely due to skewess and kurtosis of test variables. Implications for future research and applied practice are discussed.

Uncertainty monitoring by young children in a computerized task.

Adult humans show sophisticated metacognitive abilities, including the ability to monitor uncertainty. Unfortunately, most measures of uncertainty monitoring are limited to use with adults due to their general complexity and dependence on explicit verbalization. However, recent research with nonhuman animals has successfully developed measures of uncertainty monitoring that are simple and do not require explicit verbalization. The purpose of this study was to investigate metacognition in young children using uncertainty monitoring tests developed for nonhumans. Children judged whether stimuli were more pink or blue-stimuli nearest the pink-blue midpoint were the most uncertain and the most difficult to classify. Children also had an option to acknowledge difficulty and gain the necessary information for correct classification. As predicted, children most often asked for help on the most difficult stimuli. This result confirms that some metacognitive abilities appear early in cognitive development. The tasks of animal metacognition research clearly have substantial utility for exploring the early developmental roots of human metacognition.