This study examined the relationships between gender, borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms, emotion dysregulation, and suicidal ideation. Emotion dysregulation was examined as a potential mediator in the relationship between BPD symptoms and suicidal ideation. The moderating role of gender in these relationships was also explored. Participants were a community sample of 101 adults experiencing BPD symptomatology. Assessments were completed at baseline, 6-months, and 12-months, and included diagnostic interviews as well as questionnaires on symptomatology and suicidality. Emotion dysregulation did not mediate the BPD symptom-suicidal ideation relationship when examining the full sample. The nonacceptance of emotional responses and lack of emotional clarity dimensions of emotion dysregulation emerged as significant mediators among females only. Impulsiveness was a significant mediator among males only. The results of this study provide insight into gender differences in mechanisms contributing to suicidal ideation among individuals with BPD symptoms and highlights potential gender-specific treatment targets.

M.A.

Child exposure to domestic violence (DV) is a recognized form of child maltreatment. In Ontario, more cases are referred to child protection as a result of concerns of DV than for any other form of maltreatment. Child protection workers often do not understand the dynamics of DV and are not well equipped with the tools or knowledge to refer families to appropriate interventions. We examined the efficacy of professional training to improve worker responses to mothers who have experienced DV and fathers who have perpetrated DV. Findings revealed marked differences in workers' capacity and self-efficacy for conceptualizing the risks and needs of mothers and fathers. Professional training resulted in improvements to worker's conceptualization of mothers' risk and needs as they intersected with DV, not fathers'. Results will help lay the groundwork for future studies aimed at improving workers' knowledge and response to families in circumstances of DV.

M.A.

Childhood Disruptive Behaviour Disorders (DBD) are a robust predictor of delinquency, academic failure, social difficulties, and persistent mental health disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Children with DBDs represent a highly heterogeneous group and the present study aimed to distill heterogeneity by identifying data-driven subgroups based on key dimensions of psychopathology and neuropsychological abilities. Data from children 6 – 12 years (n = 143), referred to a clinic for children with DBDs, were analyzed using Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to determine classes (i.e., subgroups) based on measures of children’s callous-unemotional (CU) traits, emotion regulation, and objective Executive Function (EF) task performance. Classes were compared on parent- and teacher-rated level of functional impairment, social functioning, and conduct problems. Classes with elevated levels of CU traits and poor selective attention had the highest conduct problems and impairment. This research may inform more refined assessment processes and future treatment innovation for children with DBDs.

M.A.

The recurrent nature of major depressive disorder exacts a hefty toll on society. It is thus important to understand what experiences lead to better outcomes post treatment. The present study examined the relationship between individual differences in stress-linked affect regulation and clinical symptoms in remitted depressed patients after the completion of group cognitive behaviour therapy or mindfulness based cognitive therapy. The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) was used to capture the daily experience of 47 remitted depressed patients (mean age = 37.40, SD = 10.93; 72% women) over a one-year follow-up. While negative affect was found to significantly predict depressive symptoms over the year, the frequency of formal homework practice reduced the impact of stress on negative affect, providing protective benefit. Additionally, experience of positive affect dampened the amount of dysfunctional thinking activated under high moments of stress. This research indicates the benefits of formal homework practice during prophylactic treatment.

M.A.

Using a qualitative, exploratory design and drawing on interpretivist, postcolonial, and decolonizing frameworks, this study sought to comprehend the perceptions of justice system personnel and Aboriginal service users about Aboriginal-specific, community-based justice programming and to better understand the factors that influence successful referral and access to these programs within community-sentencing and probation contexts. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants (youth court judges, crown attorneys, youth court workers, youth probation officers, service providers, and Aboriginal service users) and thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes. Results indicate that there is strong support for Aboriginal-specific, community-based programming within the youth justice community. However, barriers to matching Aboriginal service users with Aboriginal programming are numerous and include poor communication between mainstream and Aboriginal justice partners and inconsistency in Aboriginal-specific program offerings, among others. Findings are also discussed in reference to the Risk-Need-Responsivity framework.

M.A.

2018-02-28 00:00:00

The current research examined the role of different cognitive functions as well as the role of English language proficiency in the arithmetic performance of 91 Grade 5 Native English Speakers (EL1) and 172 Grade 5 English Language Learners (ELL). Cognitive profiles of normally achieving (NA) children and children at-risk (AR) for a mathematics learning disability (MLD) were examined in each language group. Findings revealed that nonverbal reasoning, working memory, and processing speed significantly predict Grade 5 arithmetic performance, regardless of language background. English language proficiency did not predict arithmetic performance in either language group. Children at-risk for MLD exhibited similar cognitive profiles and processing deficits regardless of language group. Results suggest that English language proficiency does not place ELL children at a greater risk for poor achievement in arithmetic. Implications for the assessment and diagnosis of MLD in children who are learning English as a second language are discussed.

M.A.

2018-03-22 00:00:00

Currently, few intervention programs for maltreating fathers exist and even fewer of them have been evaluated for effectiveness. The current study examined the effectiveness of a community-based group treatment program for domestically violent and child abusing fathers by looking at reliability, magnitude, and clinical significance of changes in variables associated with maltreatment risk mechanisms in a group of 98 participants. The intervention was found to be largely successful in producing statistically significant changes in fathers’ overreactivity to children’s misbehaviour, ability to co-parent with children’s mothers, and their ability to prioritize their children’s needs. However, a closer look at individual change (using measures of clinical significance), showed variability in fathers’ responses to treatment, with some men making changes across measures and some remaining in the clinically concerning range despite treatment efforts. The implications of these findings for intervention and maltreatment prevention are discussed.

MAST

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness characterized by emotion dysregulation. Symptoms related to emotion are thought to contribute to difficulties in perceiving emotional expressions. Individuals with BPD and demographically matched healthy controls completed a task assessing the recognition of happy, sad, and neutral facial expressions at two intensities. Patients with BPD demonstrated comparable performance on the recognition of very happy and very sad facial expression but were significantly less accurate on neutral expressions. Patients with BPD were also significantly worse in recognizing mildly happy facial expressions, however the severity of current depressive symptoms intervened this relationship. There was evidence that perceptual biases within BPD are unique from mood-congruent biases typically found in major depressive disorder. The findings advance research on the topic of emotion perception in BPD and suggest important new lines of investigation that may be useful for delineating the nature of emotion dysregulation in BPD.

MAST

There has been increasing interest in the area of transracial adoption over the past decade, as there has recently been an increase in the number of Caucasian couples parenting non-Caucasian children (Lindsey, 2012). Although much research has been conducted regarding transracial adoption, very few studies have spoken directly with transracial adoptees. The present study addressed this gap in the literature through conducting interviews with eight transracially-adopted individuals. Interviews addressed adoptees' lived experiences, with a focus on the importance of relationships in the adoptees' lives. Data was analyzed using grounded theory and results demonstrated the crucial importance of relationships in transracial adoptees' lives. Additionally, it was found that a sense of understanding is paramount for transracial adoptees in these relationships. The insights gained from this study regarding the importance of open, understanding relationships can eventually be used by mental health professionals to aid adoptees and multicultural individuals.

M.A.

Peer relationships encompass an important developmental context for young girls’ understanding of normative social behavior and appearances. In early adolescence, concern for peer acceptance intensifies, as do the rigid standards peers regulate and command for physical appearance. Pressure to conform to group norms of attractiveness leaves girls vulnerable to reduced self-esteem and body dissatisfaction. Based on the life history narratives of 10 pre- and post-pubertal girls of diverse backgrounds, experiences with peers as they relate to pressures and resistances towards appearance conformity are documented through a prospective design. Results support the presence of two highly integrated domains of the peer environment which promote the pervasiveness of appearance-related pressure and body-consciousness for girls transitioning into adolescence: the evaluative external gaze and concerns for peer acceptance. Protective factors are discussed in the context of girls’ friendships and their ability to distance themselves from peer appearance pressure.

MAST

The current study was designed to investigate the effect of concussion on verbal learning and memory performance in youth hockey players. Concussed participants completed the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) prior to the start of the hockey season. Following recovery from concussion, six males (10-12 years), with one sustaining two concussions, completed a follow-up assessment. A difference score was calculated for five RAVLT index scores. Each instance of concussion was matched to two controls on age, gender, and testing protocol in order to control for the confounding influences of repeated testing sessions. Independent-samples t-tests revealed a trend towards a significant decrease in change scores for the concussed participants on the Delayed Recall Trial of the RAVLT. These results suggest that long-term verbal memory may be negatively affected by concussion; however, future studies are needed with larger sample sizes and additional follow-up points in order to better understand the impact.

MAST

Negative affect and emotions such as anger and anxiety, are risk factors related to sexual offending (Howells, Day, & Wright, 2004; Serran & Marshall, 2006). Consequently, most sexual offender treatment programs teach offenders how to cope with situations that produce negative emotionality (Pithers et al., 1989; Marshall, Marshall, Serran, 2006). A review of mindfulness meditation, a positive therapeutic approach, has demonstrated utility in improving emotional management skills (Baer, 2003), however meditation has yet to be considered as a treatment for sexual offenders. The present study is a pilot attempt at exploring the feasibility of using meditation in working with sexual offenders. Results show that participants were receptive to meditation, thought it may be beneficial, and were able to concentrate and relax during an experiential session. The potential benefits of mindfulness for improving emotional management in sexual offenders will be discussed and directions for future research will be explored.

MAST

Literature addressing Canada’s immigrant professionals has primarily focused on the negative aspects of life-career transition. Research themes have centered on discouraging features of migration such as barriers, discrimination, underemployment and unemployment. Surprisingly few studies have explored how, in spite of personal and environmental barriers, some new Canadians have found they have flourished in their new country. The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experiences of a group of immigrant professionals who believe they have successfully transitioned in the life-career domains. Using a grounded theory approach, 20 individuals were interviewed about their experiences. Analysis revealed that a combination of internal and external factors contributed or hindered their life-career trajectories. Meaning making, social support and behavioural coping emerged as primary coping strategies. Issues with language and accreditation emerged as significant barriers to life-career development. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

MAST

This study examined parenting stress among parents of adolescents with ADHD. The sample comprised 45 adolescents (26 ADHD; 19 Comparison) age 13 to 18 and their parents. The Stress Index for Parents of Adolescents was completed by both mothers and fathers of participating youth. Parents of adolescents with ADHD reported more stress than parents of adolescents without ADHD. Mothers of adolescents with ADHD experience higher levels of stress in all areas. Fathers of adolescents with ADHD experience more total stress and more stress in the Adolescent and Adolescent-Parent Relationship domains. Maternal inattention and adolescent externalizing behaviour mediated the relationship between ADHD status and maternal parenting stress, and ADHD status and adolescent externalizing behaviour were found to predict paternal parenting stress. The results of this study provide strong support for the need to provide parents of adolescents with ADHD with interventions designed to reduce or help them cope with parenting stress.

MAST

An online survey investigated variables that are related to grief, guilt and loneliness following companion animal loss. Variables of interest were: relationship, species, time since death, type of death, attachment, social support, and demographic variables. Female and male participants over eighteen (n = 85) who had lost a companion animal within the last six months completed the survey. Individuals who classified their pets as good companions reported significantly less grief relative to those who considered their pets to be their children (p < 0.001) and best friends (p = 0.001). Those who labeled their animal as “my child” had significantly higher attachment scores when compared to those who labeled their pet as “a good companion” (p = 0.012). Older age was predictive of significantly lower grief, situational guilt, and loneliness. High grief participants considered their pets to be their children and reported the highest state guilt, loneliness and attachment scores.

MAST

This study examines the childhood and social experiences of 10 women with trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling) and the various pathways that led them to the discovery of trichotillomania. Trichotillomania is a chronic and devastating condition that affects a significant number of women, which has long-term consequences that can be debilitating and psychologically and emotionally scarring. The 10 women participated in semi-structured interviews during which they were asked to describe their childhood and social experiences. This is the first study that has attempted to understand childhood and social experiences from the perspective of women living with trichotillomania. Utilizing a grounded theory approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1998), the interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed. A model, based on the core category, The Road to Discovering Trichotillomania: The Issue of Control, was developed to reflect the experiences of these women. The model is constructed on five major themes: Looking Back: How It All Began; Childhood Environment; Relationship Between Specific Experiences and the Discovery of Hair Pulling; The Role of Hair Pulling; and The Journey of Hair Pulling. The women identified the events (both internal and external) that precipitated the first episode of hair pulling. The underlying theme of these events was the perception that things were out of their control. The discovery of trichotillomania came about as a result of the women’s attempts to regain control of their experiences and environment. The findings of this study make an important contribution to the current literature on trichotillomania by attempting to understand the complexities of the factors involved in the discovery of this condition. In presenting the lived experiences of these 10 women, this study moves the discussion beyond the pathology and towards a richer understanding of trichotillomania. The study’s limitations, implications for future research, and final thoughts are also discussed.

PhD

This dissertation consists of two studies that investigated predictors of parenting stress as they relate to child ADHD. Two main questions were explored: what is the magnitude of the association between child ADHD and parenting stress, and what are the parent and contextual predictors of parenting stress? In Study 1, meta-analyses were conducted on the association between parenting stress and ADHD. Predictors comprising child, parent, and contextual factors, and methodological and demographic moderators of the relationship between parenting stress and ADHD were examined. Findings from 44 studies were included. In Study 2, I examined parent and contextual (parental ADHD symptoms, parental education, social support, and marital status) predictors of parent domain parenting stress (parental distress) as a function of teacher-reported child ADHD symptoms. Results confirmed that parents of children with ADHD experience more parenting stress than parents of nonclinical control children, and that severity of child ADHD symptoms are associated with parenting stress. Child oppositionality was only predictive of parental distress when reported by parents (not teachers). A post-hoc analysis in Study 2 showed that child factors did not predict parental distress over and above parent and contextual factors. In Study 1, children’s co-occurring conduct problems and parental depressive symptomatology predicted parenting stress. Little difference in parenting stress was found between mothers and fathers, but lower parenting stress levels were found in samples with higher proportions of girls. Parental ADHD symptomatology was the strongest predictor of parental distress considered in Study 2. Social support was inversely related to parental distress in Study 2, whereas parental age and education were unrelated to parental distress. In Study 2, marital status was significantly correlated with parental distress, but was not a significant predictor in the regression. Marital quality was not a significant predictor of parenting stress in Study 1. The large effects observed for parent level predictors suggests that parent factors (i.e., ADHD and depressive symptoms) are critically important in parenting stress and play a primary role in the experience of elevated parenting stress. Future research should give greater consideration to factors outside of the child in increasing parenting stress.

PhD

Children with autism often display oppositionality and severe disruptive behaviour in relation to academic tasks and other parental requests. Social deficits also represent a core symptom of this disorder. As a means of treating the challenging behaviours of these children, Ducharme and Drain (2004) evaluated a proactive, non-aversive intervention, errorless academic compliance training that was focused on building child tolerance to challenging demands. In this study, the four children demonstrated impressive improvements in child compliance to academic requests throughout and following treatment. Substantial generalization to untrained academic and non-academic requests also occurred. The current study replicated the intervention used in Ducharme and Drain (2004) with a larger sample of children with autism (eight) to further substantiate the efficacy of the approach and to examine potential covariant change in child social behaviours as a result of the intervention. In a multiple baseline across subjects design, parents implemented errorless academic compliance training with their children. During baseline, they delivered various academic and household requests to determine the probability of compliance for each request. We then developed a hierarchy of academic requests ranging from high probability (i.e., Level 1) to low probability (i.e., Level 4). At the beginning of treatment, parents delivered academic requests from Level 1 and provided praise and reinforcement for compliant child responses. Children were gradually introduced to increasingly more challenging requests from subsequent probability levels and rewarded for compliance to these requests. During both baseline and treatment, we also measured aspects of child social behaviour during sessions in which parents engaged in activities with their children. Participant children demonstrated high levels of compliance throughout and following treatment, as well as generalized cooperation to untrained academic and general household requests that were not the focus of treatment. Parents reported covariant behavioural improvements (i.e., reduced problematic behaviour and positive social gains), particularly for children exhibiting more core deficits of autism. Treatment gains were maintained up to 6 months following treatment. Errorless academic compliance training appears to hold considerable potential for improving the learning and social opportunities of children with autism.

PhD

The present investigation examined a sample of 64 offenders treated at the Regional Treatment Centre (Ontario) Sex Offender Treatment Program (RTCSOTP) and a sample of 55 untreated sexual offenders from the Ontario region of Correctional Service of Canada. Groups were matched on age at index offence, Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) score and type of sexual offender. The Rapid Risk Assessment of Sexual Offence Recidivism Scale was scored on all participants. Recidivism, based upon officially recorded charges and conviction data, was the primary dependent measure. Results indicated that both treated participants and control participants, including those with high PCL-R scores, evidenced low sexual recidivism rates. Based on a survival analysis using time to recidivism as the dependent variable, no differences were found between treated and untreated sexual offenders. The need to consider a wider range of treatment outcome measures and the benefits of using dynamic methods of risk assessment are highlighted.

MAST

The current study evaluated the impact of a 20-week mindfulness training program on executive function, internalizing and externalizing behaviour, and social skills in a clinical sample of adolescent boys with learning disabilities (LD). Mindfulness Martial Arts (MMA) is a manualized group treatment program incorporating elements of mindfulness meditation, cognitive behavioural therapy, and mixed martial arts. Sixty-five boys (ages 12 – 18) with LD were assigned to the MMA or waitlist control group (WL). Adolescents and their parents completed standardized questionnaires before and after training. Analysis of adolescents with distinct clinical profiles showed promising effects. Compared to the WL group, MMA participants with co-occurring ADHD improved on parent-rated externalizing behaviour, oppositional defiant problems, and conduct problems. Boys with elevated hyperactive/impulsive symptomotology improved on parent-rated social problems and monitoring skills. Boys with elevated anxiety reported decreased anxiety. MMA shows promise as an alternative treatment option for youth with LD and co-occurring difficulties.

MAST

Many researchers have pointed out the difficulties teachers face with managing student oppositional behaviour in the classroom. Most pre-service teacher education programs emphasize the curriculum content and the planning of lessons to the exclusion of specialized training in classroom management approaches. This oversight has led to inadequate classroom management skills in many teachers and can result in low teacher self-efficacy and high rates of stress and burnout. Many commonly employed strategies used by teachers to manage problem behaviour focus on reductive consequences that can have a range of negative side effects. Other strategies may be proactive and effective, but are often too complicated and impractical for regular use. In this paper we propose a “keystone” approach to classroom management that may be more efficient and effective for teachers to use in the classroom. With this approach, teachers focus on a circumscribed set of specific classroom skills that have the potential to produce widespread improvement in child outcomes. Empirical support for this approach is discussed.

MAST

Research in developmental psychopathology has advanced our understanding of emotional dysregulation underlying children’s behavioural problems and their association with maternal depression. Neurophysiological measures may further clarify these relations. The ERN (error-related negativity) is an event-related potential commonly used to assess self-monitoring, with large amplitudes reflecting internalizing and small amplitudes reflecting externalizing symptoms. The present study investigated the effect of ERN amplitude on the relation between maternal depression and internalizing and externalizing problems in a sample of children referred for aggressive behaviour. ERN amplitudes were recorded while 50 children (8-10 years of age) engaged in a go/no-go emotion induction task. Results indicated an association between high ERN amplitudes and internalizing behaviour and between small ERN amplitudes and externalizing behaviours for children with depressed mothers. These findings suggest that the degree of self-monitoring (indexed by ERN amplitude) moderates the relation between maternal depression and psychopathological outcomes in children.

MAST

This study examined parent-adolescent conflict and the attributions for conflict. Adolescent participants (29 ADHD; 22 Comparison) aged 13-17 and their mothers and fathers completed questionnaires. Adolescents with ADHD have conflicts over more issues with their parents according to self and parent report. Adolescents who believed that the conflict occurred in many contexts and that their parents were responsible for that conflict reported that they had conflict over more issues. Attributions were not predictive of conflict according to mother report. ADHD status moderated attributions in predicting father reported conflict. Among fathers who believed that conflicts were their son or daughter’s responsibility, fathers of youth with ADHD were less likely to report more issues involving conflicts than fathers of youth without ADHD. Conversely, among fathers who believed conflict was pervasive across contexts and time, having a son or daughter with ADHD was associated with more issues involving conflict.

MAST

The present study examined the frequency and risk factors associated with experiencing victimization by peers and bullying others in adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Sixty-four males and females (ages 13-18) and their parents and teachers completed standardized questionnaires. Adolescents with ADHD were more likely to report increased levels having experienced victimization by peers and participation in bullying others. Parent reports of victimization by peers and bullying others did not differ between adolescents with and without ADHD. Among adolescents with ADHD, those who had experienced victimization by peers perceived lower levels of social support and had increased levels of parent-reported peer relation difficulties. Bullying others was not associated with perceptions of social support or parent-reported peer relation problems. Individual factors such as internalizing problems and oppositionality were not significantly associated with experiencing victimization by peers or bullying others. Implications for future research and clinical assessment are discussed.

MAST

Research supports rehabilitative programming addressing youths’ risk to reoffend, criminogenic needs and responsivity factors with the goal of reducing reoffending. However, the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) framework takes a ‘gender neutral’ approach that critics assert overlooks the unique needs of females. It remains largely unknown whether matching treatment to RNR needs is as effective for female youth as it has been shown to be for male youth. Comparative analyses of 39 male and 37 female justice system-involved youth indicate that across RNR categories, females and males were similar in quality and quantity of needs, and had them met through probation services at a similar rate. However, while the RNR assessment tool predicted risk for recidivism equally well, the matching of services to RNR needs appears to be far more potent in reducing recidivism for boys than girls, suggesting a moderating effect of sex on the relationship between RNR matched treatment and re-offending.

MAST

The purpose of this study was to document the perspectives and experiences of five Indigenous Elders on the potential for Indigenous and Western healing paradigms and practices to be integrated in mental health service delivery for Indigenous peoples. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were held with each participant, and a narrative analysis was used to generate research themes and findings. Results indicated that all five Elders perceived a potential for Indigenous and Western approaches and practitioners to work collaboratively together in the future, and Elders reported varying levels of experience with integrated healthcare delivery. However, all five Elders identified numerous issues requiring attention and steps to be taken prior to integrated practice taking place. These included the need to reclaim Indigenous knowledge, an acceptance and respect for Indigenous knowledge and practices by the Western healthcare system, and the need for increased and formalized education related to Indigenous knowledge and healing approaches.

MAST

Although childhood maltreatment has been established as a risk factor for the development of problematic gambling, there are significant omissions in the literature regarding the investigation of mediating mechanisms underlying this etiological relationship. The purpose of the current study was to examine altered self-capacities (i.e., relationship difficulties, identity disturbances, and affect dysregulation) and gambling motives as mediating mechanisms underlying the link between childhood maltreatment and gambling, in a sample of emerging adults recruited from the community. It was hypothesized that childhood maltreatment would lead to impairments in the aforementioned self-capacities, which would subsequently predict greater endorsement of gambling motives. In turn, gambling motives were hypothesized to predict increased gambling frequency and gambling problems. The results revealed a pattern wherein altered self-capacities mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and gambling motives. However, gambling motives were not observed to mediate the relationship between altered self-capacities and gambling frequency or gambling problems.

MAST

Previous research has explored the impact on individuals following hate crime victimization, including prevalence estimates in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual (LGBT) community. Past research, however, has been limited in its scope when exploring the impact of the hate crime event on the overall mental health of the survivor often examining only one measure of functioning. The current project aims to fill this gap by analyzing measures of posttraumatic symptoms, depression, stress and dissociation, collected on a sample of 30 LGBT individuals who have experienced hate crime victimization. In addition to clinical features, this study also analysed identity, openness about LGBT identity and coping behaviours. Results indicated that social support, identity and coping impact recovery from hate crime victimization. The effect of these factors differed over time (within one month of the hate crime) and up to as much as five years later (within the month of the interview).

MAST

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a common form of intractable epilepsy that can be treated with surgical resection of the epileptogenic medial temporal lobe tissue, specifically the hippocampus. This resection can lead to a variable degree of memory deficit and considerable research has been directed at identifying predictors of these deficits. This thesis explores the relationship between structural predictors and functional predictors in TLE. I looked at fMRI activation asymmetry produced by a scene encoding task as well as volume asymmetry ratios within the hippocampus and the relationship of these predictors to memory performance in patients with TLE. Mediation analysis was performed according to Baron and Kenny (1986) and showed that fMRI activation asymmetry mediated the relationship between volume asymmetry and memory asymmetry in patients with TLE. This suggests that activation asymmetry may be a preferred variable for assessing functional adequacy in the medial temporal region.

MAST

Impaired social interaction is one of the hallmarks of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Emotional faces are arguably the most critical visual emotional stimuli and the ability to perceive, recognize, and interpret emotions is central to social interaction and communication as well as healthy development. There is however, a paucity of studies devoted to neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying emotional face processing in adolescents with ASD. Through an implicit emotional face processing task completed in the MEG, we examined spatiotemporal differences in neural activation during angry and happy emotional face processing. Results suggest atypical frontal involvement in ASD adolescents during angry and happy face processing. In particular, orbitofrontal activation in participants with ASD was found to be delayed but greater in amplitude, relative to controls.

MAST