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Biomedical subjects

E Zigler

Publications and source records attributed to E Zigler.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Age at first hospitalization and premorbid social competence in schizophrenia and affective disorder.

Paranoid schizophrenics were found to be more similar to affective disordered patients than to other types of schizophrenics on age at first hospitalization and premorbid social competence. These findings support an earlier formulation of paranoid schizophrenia as a reflection of underlying affective disorder rather than as a subtype of schizophrenia. In addition, in all the diagnostic groups, women were found to be older than men at first hospitalization.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Probability learning and Piagetian probability conceptions in children 5 to 12 years old.

This study focused on the relations between performance on a three-choice probability-learning task and conceptions of probability as outlined by Piaget concerning mixture, normal distribution, random selection, odds estimation, and permutations. The probability-learning task and four Piagetian tasks were administered randomly to 100 male and 100 female, middle SES, average IQ children in three age groups (5 to 6, 8 to 9, and 11 to 12 years old) from different schools. Half the children were from Middle Eastern backgrounds, and half were from European or American backgrounds. As predicted, developmental level of probability thinking was related to performance on the probability-learning task. The more advanced the child's probability thinking, the higher his or her level of maximization and hypothesis formulation and testing and the lower his or her level of systematically patterned responses. The results suggest that the probability-learning and Piagetian tasks assess similar cognitive skills and that performance on the probability-learning task reflects a variety of probability concepts.

Child↗
PubMed1988

Issues in the classification of mental retardation: differentiating among organic etiologies.

Many researchers of mental retardation fail to take etiological differences into account, although the value of distinguishing between organic and familial mental retardation has long been discussed. The argument is made that even the two-group approach needs to be extended so that groups with different organic etiologies are studied separately. Taking etiological distinctions into account will allow for more precise research and a better understanding of mental retardation. Evidence for the utility of differentiating retarded persons by etiology is provided by a research review showing examples of behavioral differences between organically retarded groups. It is concluded that such differentiation also has clear implications for intervention.

Child↗
PubMed1988

The medical and social science basis for a national infant care leave policy.

In a review of work in psychology, psychiatry, neonatology, and sociology, the birth or adoption of an infant emerges as a sensitive period in which parents need time for role adaptation. Evidence points to the need for job-protected leave without financial loss so that parents can meet the material and emotional needs of their family in general, and the developmental needs of their new infant in particular, during the early postpartum period.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1987

The definition and classification of mental retardation.

Problems with current definitions of mental retardation were recognized. Classification systems based on the behavioral capabilities of retarded persons were criticized since there are so many noncognitive determinants of performance. It was proposed that mental retardation be defined solely by IQ scores at least 2 SDs below the population mean. This suggestion was predicated on the view that the behavioral sciences currently have no better way to assess intellectual functioning. Etiology was seen as such a significant predictor of group differences that the organic, familial, and undifferentiated categories would be used in classification. Social adaptation and expected performance were seen as correlates of class membership rather than defining features of retardation, since they have no reliable method of measurement. Problems of labeling were discussed, but the practice was deemed useful if it leads to beneficial services and interventions.

Child↗
PubMed1986

Effects of types of institutionalization on responsiveness to social reinforcement, wariness, and outerdirectedness among low-MA residents.

The ways in which institutional factors and psychological characteristics of residents interact to determine the behavioral effects of institutionalization were investigated. Two large and five small institutions were rated on resident management practices, aide attitudes, and demographic variables, such as size and cost per resident. Resident variables included preinstitutional deprivation, CA, MA, IQ, and length of institutionalization. The institution and resident variables were used in an attempt to predict three aspects of behavior: responsiveness to social reinforcement, wariness, and outerdirectedness. Of the predictor variables, only MA was related to all three. As in earlier research, institutional variables were not predictive of the behaviors examined.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Developmental correlates of age at first hospitalization in nonschizophrenic psychiatric patients.

Age at first hospitalization, premorbid social competence, and developmental categorizations of symptomatology were examined in 228 male and 220 female patients in three diagnostic categories: major affective disorder, neuroses, and personality disorder. High social competence patients were older at first hospitalization than low competence individuals. Younger first admission patients showed more symptoms in the action category and in the role orientation of turning against others. Older patients more frequently displayed symptoms of the thought variety and of turning against the self. Gender differences in age at first hospitalization were not found. With respect to all developmental variables examined, the results suggest that a broader view of prognosis proposed in research with schizophrenic patients is applicable to nonschizophrenic groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Effects of different living settings on the performance of mentally retarded individuals.

Motivation for adult attention and support, wariness, and expectancy of success over a 2-year period were assessed for 58 mentally retarded individuals residing in either large central institutions, regional centers, or group homes. Males were found to be more responsive to social reinforcement than were females in all living settings. Wariness was found to increase over time in the large central institutions, whereas it decreased in the smaller settings. Individuals with greater preinstitutional social deprivation had a lower expectancy of success. In addition, over the 2-year period, the expectancy of success of individuals from high-deprived backgrounds remained low, whereas it increased for individuals from less socially deprived preinstitutional backgrounds.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Curiosity and demographic factors as determinants of children's probability-learning strategies.

Children's curiosity, gender, activity level, and socioeconomic status (SES) were related to their performance on a partially reinforced discrimination-learning task. The 38 boys and 37 girls were in the first grade and were all white. Three factors of curiosity (manipulatory, conceptual, and about the complex) were assessed. Performance on the learning task was scored for the number of correct responses (maximizing) and for the frequency of three-step sequences reflecting variability, systematic patterning, and perseveration. In general, the three curiosity factors related negatively to maximizing and perseveration and positively to variability. (The same effects were found for activity level.) Systematic patterning related positively to one curiosity type and negatively to another. Girls used less maximizing and more systematic patterning than boys. The response choices of girls were affected more by differences in conceptual curiosity and those of boys by differences in curiosity about the complex. Activity level was unrelated to gender but differed with SES. The findings demonstrate the role of different curiosity factors in shaping response sequences and suggest some reasons for children's choice of probability-learning strategies.

Child↗
PubMed1984

On the definition and classification of mental retardation.

A classification system of mental retardation was proposed based on etiology and IQs at least 2 SDs below the population mean. Social competence and performance capabilities of individuals with subaverage IQs were removed from definitional status and given prominence as correlates of class membership. The reliance on IQs to define mental retardation was predicated on the view that the behavioral sciences currently have no better measure of intellectual functioning, although promising efforts continue. The proclivity to avoid using the label "mentally retarded" was seen as ill-conducive to the betterment of knowledge in the field and detrimental to unlabeled individuals who are denied access to beneficial services.

Adolescent↗