Higher order language impairments can predict the transition of ultrahigh risk state to psychosis—An empirical study

Author(s):  
Agnieszka Pawełczyk ◽  
Emilia Łojek ◽  
Natalia Żurner ◽  
Magdalena Kotlicka‐Antczak ◽  
Tomasz Pawełczyk
2021 ◽  
pp. 001112872110077
Author(s):  
Stavroola A. S. Anderson ◽  
David J. Hawes ◽  
Pamela C. Snow

Research has implicated oral language deficits as risk factors for antisocial behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between higher order language skills and youth offending through a risk, promotive and risk-based protective factor paradigm. In a sample of adolescent males ( n = 130; 13 to 20 years; 62% youth offenders) skills in understanding ambiguity, making inferences, and understanding figurative language were demonstrated to have risk and promotive effects in association with youth offending. Figurative language also met criteria for having risk-based protective effects for youth at high offending risk due to poor nonverbal skills. Conceptualization of higher order language skills through this paradigm promotes a broader frame of reference for considering theoretical models and practical interventions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Ramayah ◽  
Lo May-Chiun ◽  
Sarminah Samad ◽  
Noor Hazlina Ahmad ◽  
Hasliza Abdul Halim

This paper is an empirical study that highlights the usage of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system among individual users.  Questionnaire survey was carried out with measures gleaned from the literature. In this study we have proposed and tested a hierarchical reflective model of quality unlike other studies. The results support the higher order hierarchical reflective model tested using the Partial least Squares (PLS) software of SmartPLS. We further found support for all the hypotheses developed. Quality was a significant predictor of continuance intention and satisfaction. Satisfaction also drives continuance intention and mediates the effect of quality on the continuance intention relationship. Implications of the findings are further explored.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-378
Author(s):  
Esti Zaduqisti ◽  
Ali Mashuri ◽  
Amat Zuhri ◽  
Tri Astutik Haryati ◽  
Miftahul Ula

Islamic moderateness is said to be one of the key factors that contribute to the promotion of peace in Muslim societies. We present an empirical study conducted in Indonesia ( N = 299) that assessed Islamic political moderateness and examined its role in explaining Muslims’ tolerance towards non-Muslims, as well as the first group’s support for making reconciliation with the latter group. We found as hypothesised that Islamic political moderateness was a positive predictor of outgroup tolerance, because of the role it had in positively predicting the sense of national identity as a higher order identity vis-à-vis Islamic identity (i.e. higher order nested identity). Outgroup tolerance positively predicted and, in turn, fully mediated the positive association between Islamic political moderateness and Muslims’ reconciliatory tendencies, including feelings of collective guilt and shame, intergroup trust and perspective-taking, intergroup cooperation, willingness to apologise, as well as support for intergroup empowerment and reparative actions. These findings suggest the benefit of Islamic political moderateness to drive Muslims to appreciate the existence of non-Muslims. We discuss these empirical findings in terms of theoretical implications, research limitations and practical implications.


2015 ◽  
pp. 257
Author(s):  
Udo Klein ◽  
Wolfgang Sternefeld

A major argument for syntactic reconstruction is based on the well-known fact that semantic reconstruction by beta-reduction is possible only if the term to be substituted for a variable does not contain any variable that would become bound as a result of substitution. This way, we derive a theoretical argument for syntactic reconstruction. However, syntactic reconstruction is not without its problems, simply because the surface form and the reconstructed form may still differ with respect to other syntactic, semantic, and information theoretic properties. This is particularly troublesome for minimalist theories which do not allow for multiple levels of representation. In this paper we propose a technique that might help to overcome these difficulties (ie. the limitation imposed by beta-reduction on semantic reconstruction) by defining a translation function T for expressions of a predicate logic L0 with lambda-abstraction into expressions of a higher-order language L1, with the desirable property that the translation of a formula in L0 is equivalent with the translation of its unrestricted reduction. In linguistic applications this will facilitate the binding of a pronoun without presupposing c-command. We will sketch a formal proof showing that unrestricted beta-reduction is a property of the target expressions in L1, the translations of L0 under T.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1092-1092
Author(s):  
V Green ◽  
V Culotta ◽  
M Blackwell

Abstract Objective This case study examined the neurodevelopmental profile associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). CDH is primarily linked to chromosomal abnormality and results in pulmonary hypoplasia and significant respiratory difficulties. CDH occurs in 1 in 2,500 live births in the United States. More severe cases require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and surgical hernia repair. Survivors are at risk of pulmonary hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders, structural brain abnormalities, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Past studies suggested early ECMO and surgical repair are associated with greater subsequent impairment. Method A 16-year-old male with a history of CDH presented for neuropsychological evaluation. History is remarkable for ECMO, surgical repair, pulmonary hypertension, and gastrostomy tube. Results Assessment revealed significant neurodevelopmental deficits impacting multiple domains including cognitive reasoning, visual construction, verbal memory, and executive functioning. Decoding and underlying phonemic awareness were preserved, while reading comprehension and applied math were significantly impaired, suggesting significant weaknesses in higher-order language. Social intent was strong despite weak social cognition. Elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression were evident. Conclusions CDH carries significant morbidity secondary to compromised respiratory functions and long-term pulmonary hypertension. Neurodevelopmental deficits are strongly associated with CDH and merit early detection, intervention, and follow-up. This case study illustrates the global neurodevelopmental difficulties in CDH requiring ECMO and surgical repair. This study illustrates escalating difficulties navigating academic and social demands as the need for higher order language and social cognition increase through adolescence. Serial neuropsychological assessments may be useful in facilitating and adapting interventions, assessing progress, detecting behavioral health symptoms, and contributing to optimal outcomes in CDH.


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Emami ◽  
Benjamin T Dunkley ◽  
Robyn Westmacott ◽  
Amanda Robertson ◽  
Pradeep Krishnan ◽  
...  

Introduction: Neonatal arterial ischemic stroke (NAIS) is a common form of pediatric stroke often affecting classical language areas in the brain’s left hemisphere. While children with NAIS can acquire basic language skills, adolescence typically reveals the emergence of deficits in higher-order language, such as syntactic language. The reorganization of functional and structural brain networks may provide insight into later-emerging language outcomes and serve as a biomarker in prognostication. Methods: A cross-sectional study of eight children with unilateral NAIS (5F; 12.3±3.3 years) and seven neurotypical children (2F; 13.4±2.7 years) was conducted. Participants listened to syntactically correct and incorrect sentences while magnetoencephalography was recorded, and task-related functional connectivity in the time window and frequency band of interest was determined. Structural connectivity between brain regions was investigated using DTI tractography, and language outcomes were assessed using neuropsychological tests. Results: An analysis of the syntactic language network (4-7 Hz, 1.2-1.4s) indicated that unlike the typical correlation between left-lateralized functional connectivity and language skill ( p <0.01), good outcome in patients is correlated with bilateral frontal connectivity (p<0.01). Furthermore, patients exhibit a significant reduction in structural connectivity between the left and right supplementary motor area, compared with controls ( p =0.007), and the bilateral structural connectivity of this region is positively correlated with measures of working memory and information processing ( p =0.036). Conclusions: The preliminary results suggest that reorganization of functional networks towards bilateral connectivity may support language outcome following early stroke. The supplementary motor area’s role in coordination of interhemispheric functions and in information processing may position it as a key structural region in supporting the compensatory reorganization of functional networks underlying language. Ultimately, measures of functional and structural networks may be used as a prognostic tool for language development in pediatric stroke in order to improve long-term outcomes.


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