Differences In Initial Levels Research Articles

Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Breast, Gastrointestinal, Gynecological, or Lung Cancer.

Individuals who undergo chemotherapy for cancer are at elevated risk of developing depressive symptoms, yet substantial interindividual variation exists in trajectories of these symptoms. To examine interindividual variations in trajectories of depressive symptoms during 2 cycles of chemotherapy and to evaluate associations between demographic and clinical characteristics, symptom severity scores, psychological adjustment characteristics (eg, stress and coping), and initial levels and trajectories of depressive symptoms. Patients (n = 1323) diagnosed with breast, gynecologic, lung, or gastrointestinal cancer completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale 6 times, over 2 cycles of chemotherapy. At enrollment, patients provided demographic information and completed a broad range of symptom, stress, and coping measures. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to identify characteristics associated with initial levels and trajectories of depressive symptoms. Interindividual differences in initial levels of depressive symptoms were associated with marital status, functional status, level of comorbidity, chemotherapy toxicity, sleep disturbance, morning fatigue, cognitive function, global and cancer-related stress, and coping characteristics (ie, sense of coherence, venting, behavioral disengagement, and self-blame). Interindividual differences in depression trajectories were associated with education, cancer type, chemotherapy toxicity, sleep disturbance, evening energy, evening fatigue, cognitive function, global and cancer-related stress, and self-blame. We present new findings concerning the trajectories and predictors of depressive symptoms during chemotherapy. Modifiable risk factors (eg, stress and coping) are important targets for intervening to address depressive symptoms in oncology patients.

Anxiety in a COVID-19 school year context: three-way longitudinal study on Slovenian adolescent sample

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives We investigated the trajectories of anxiety, general anxiety and more specifically COVID-19 anxiety in the period of school closure in Slovenia using a longitudinal design with three time points: at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the school year. Design and Methods We have used data from a representative adolescent sample for Slovenia (n = 1233) and two anxiety scales: the LAOM Anxiety Scale and the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale. The findings from latent growth curve models show a significant difference in initial levels and a decrease in both types of anxiety as well as an interaction effect between the initial level and the rate of change of COVID-19 anxiety. In addition to investigating the change in time, we were interested in covariates. Results and Conclusions The findings show significant effects of: (a) gender, school level and academic achievement on initial levels of COVID-19 anxiety; (b) gender and school level on initial levels of anxiety; (c) gender on the rate of change in anxiety; (d) academic achievement on the rate of change in COVID-19 anxiety; and, additionally, (e) the significant but different role that school belongingness plays in anxiety and in particular COVID-19 anxiety.

Changes in evidence-based practice self-efficacy among nursing students and the impact of clinical competencies: Longitudinal descriptive study

IntroductionEvidence-based practice (EBP) is essential to ensure patient safety and improve the quality of nursing care. Nursing students' self-efficacy in employing EBP is crucial for the formation of a culture of EBP in healthcare organizations. ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the changes in nursing students' self-efficacy in employing EBP and the extent to which clinical performance affects these changes. MethodsThis study was a longitudinal descriptive study. Participants were nursing students who had received education on EBP theory and had clinical practice experience. Convenience sampling was used to select nursing students in their third year of study at a nursing college located in the southern region of Korea in 2020. The researcher measured EBP self-efficacy and clinical competence using an online survey tool at three time points (second semester of third year, first semester of fourth year, and second semester of fourth year). Multilevel modeling was used to identify factors affecting changes in EBP self-efficacy. ResultsThe results showed that nursing students' EBP self-efficacy increased over time. Nursing leadership (p = .022), nursing skills (p = .028), communication (p < .001), and nursing process (p = .003) were significant factors that affected the changes in EBP self-efficacy. Individual differences in initial levels and change rates were still observed. ConclusionSystematic education on EBP theory and practical training should be provided to nursing students from the beginning of their studies to graduation to deepen their EBP and clinical competence.

Trajectories of Drug Use and Depressive Symptoms among Latinx Youth and Sexual Minority Youth.

Drug use and depression co-occur and disproportionately affect Latinx sexual minority youth relative to their heterosexual Latinx peers. However, heterogeneity in co-occurring patterns of drug use and depressive symptoms is unknown. The objective of the current study was to identify patterns of drug use and depressive symptom trajectories and examine how these patterns varied between Latinx sexual minority youth and Latinx non-sexual minority youth. Latent class trajectory analysis identified distinct patterns of drug use and depressive symptom trajectories among 231 Latinx adolescents (Latinx sexual minority youth: n = 46, 21.4%; Latinx non-sexual minority youth: n = 169, 78.6%). After identifying class mean trajectories, we examined differences in mean trajectories across groups. A 3-class model was selected as the optimal class trajectory model for both groups, yet classes and trajectories differed. There were differences in initial levels of depression and drug use trajectories between both groups, as well as differences in patterns of drug use trajectories between both groups in two of the three classes. Given the variation in trajectory patterns, there is a need for practitioners to consider the unique needs of both groups to inform the development of preventive interventions for these two populations.

Teacher Preparation Programs and Graduates’ Growth in Instructional Effectiveness

Many prior studies have explored average differences in initial levels of teaching effectiveness among graduates from different teacher preparation programs (TPPs) and the features of preparation that predict these differences. We focus on another important dimension of effectiveness—how graduates from different TPPs improve over time. Examining all graduates from Tennessee TPPs from 2010 to 2018, we find meaningful differences between TPPs in both initial level and early-career growth in teaching effectiveness. We also find that different TPP features explain part of these differences. Yet the features that correlate with initial teaching effectiveness are not the same features that correlate with growth. This article informs policy decisions around TPP evaluation and identifies new directions for future research in TPP effectiveness.

Risk factors for worse anxiety trajectories among patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy

Patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer often experience heightened anxiety. While receipt of chemotherapy occurs over multiple cycles, limited research has examined anxiety longitudinally. The purposes of this study, in a large sample of patients with breast, gynecological, gastrointestinal, or lung cancer, were to evaluate, over the course of two cycles of chemotherapy, for inter-individual differences in the trajectories of anxiety and identify associations between demographic, clinical, symptom, and psychological adjustment characteristics and initial levels and trajectories of anxiety. Patients with breast, gynecologic, lung, or gastrointestinal cancer (n = 1323) were assessed with the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) six times over two cycles of chemotherapy. At enrollment, patients completed self-report instruments assessing demographic, symptom, stress, and coping characteristics. We used hierarchical linear modeling to identify risk factors associated with initial levels and trajectories of state anxiety. Inter-individual differences in initial levels of anxiety were associated with functional status, sleep disturbance, morning fatigue, cognitive function, global and cancer-specific stress, resilience, and several coping characteristics (i.e., sense of coherence, acceptance, using emotional support, self-distraction, denial, venting, and self-blame). Demographic and clinical characteristics associated with interindividual differences in anxiety trajectories were age, employment status, and MAX-2 score. This study provides novel data on the course and predictors of anxiety during two cycles of chemotherapy among a large sample of patients with varied cancer types. Further research focused on risk factors for heightened levels of anxiety during chemotherapy may help point toward more effective interventions for this commonly experienced symptom.

Incremental theories of emotion across time: Temporal dynamics and correlates of change.

Accumulating research points to the importance of incremental theories of emotion. Yet, little is known about whether these beliefs change in adulthood across long time spans, and if so, whether such changes are prospectively linked to emotion regulation outcomes. In the present investigation, we tested how incremental theories of emotion change during college, and whether such changes are linked to emotion regulation practices. We followed 394 undergraduates as they entered and ultimately graduated from college. Focusing on the temporal dynamics of incremental theories of emotion, we found that they were somewhat stable, and their mean-level increased over time. Focusing on the correlates of such changes, we found that students who during college came to believe that emotions (but not intelligence) are more controllable, ended up using more cognitive reappraisal (but not expressive suppression) at the end of college. Similarly, students who during college came to use cognitive reappraisal (but not expressive suppression) more frequently, ended up believing that emotion (but not intelligence) is more controllable at the end of college. This pattern could not be explained by differences in initial levels or by differences in underlying affective experiences. We discuss potential implications of these findings for understanding the interplay between beliefs and emotion regulation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Depression trajectories among women undergoing chemotherapy.

e24144 Background: Depressive symptoms are common among women undergoing chemotherapy (CTX) for breast or gynecological cancer. Many studies have examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms (usually at the beginning or end of CTX). However, given that CTX unfolds over a number of cycles, there is a need to better understand patterns of change in depressive symptoms over the course of treatment, and to identify factors that may predispose individuals to worse symptom trajectories. The purpose of this study, among women who underwent CTX for breast or gynecological cancer, was to evaluate for interindividual differences in depressive symptoms over the course of two cycles of CTX, and to identify characteristics associated with both initial levels (i.e., at the beginning of the study) and trajectories of depressive symptoms. Methods: Patients undergoing CTX for breast (n = 530) or gynecologic (n = 233) cancer completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) questionnaire six times over two treatment cycles. Patient-reported measures were used to assess demographic, clinical, symptom, stress, and coping characteristics at enrollment. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), we evaluated characteristics associated with initial levels and trajectories of depressive symptoms. Results: One demographic (marital status) and two clinical (number of comorbidities, functional status) characteristics predicted interindividual differences in initial levels of depressive symptoms. One demographic (education) and one clinical (MAX-2 score, a CTX toxicity metric) characteristic were associated with interindividual differences in depressive symptom trajectories. Several symptom characteristics predicted interindividual differences in initial levels (i.e., morning fatigue), trajectories (i.e., initial level of depression), or both initial levels and trajectories (i.e., sleep disturbance, attentional function) of depressive symptoms. Two stress-related variables (i.e., perceived stress, cancer-related distress) predicted interindividual differences in both initial levels and trajectories of depressive symptoms. Several coping variables predicted interindividual differences in initial levels (i.e., behavioral disengagement), trajectories (i.e., venting), or both initial levels and trajectories (i.e., self-blame) of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The range of demographic, clinical, symptom, stress and coping characteristics associated with interindividual differences in depressive symptoms underscores the importance of evaluating risk and protective factors. These factors may serve as useful markers for both screening and intervention to address depressive symptoms during CTX.

Online dilemma discussions as a method of enhancing moral reasoning among health and social care graduate students

Dilemma discussions have been proven to be one of the most effective methods to enhance students’ moral reasoning in ethics education. Dilemma discussions are increasingly arranged online, but research on the topic has remained sparse, especially in the context of continuing professional education. The aim of the present paper was to develop a method of dilemma discussions for professional ethics. The method was based on asynchronous discussions in small groups. Health and social care students raised work-related dilemmas from their experiences and discussed them in terms of professional values, ethical guidelines and theories. Participants in this quasi-experimental study were 87 first-term graduate students at a Finnish university of applied sciences. Health and social care students in two consecutive ethics courses constituted two experiment groups, whereas health and social care students and business students in other programmes served as control groups. Students filled in a Defining Issues Test (DIT2) at the beginning of their studies and three months apart. Statically significant increase in moral reasoning was evidenced for experiment group 2, when discussion groups were purportedly composed to maximise differences in initial levels of moral reasoning. Findings suggest that online dilemma discussions can advance students’ moral reasoning development, especially when students’ exposure to higher-level arguments is ensured through complementary means, such as instructions, examples and plenary discussions. Online real-life dilemma discussions may also serve other important goals of ethics education, especially acquiring ethical concepts, and they can promote other components of ethical decision making: ethical sensitivity and motivation, and acquisition of implementation skills.

Objective and subjective psychosocial outcomes in adults with autism spectrum disorder: A 6-year longitudinal study.

Research has shown lower rates of employment and independent living in adults with autism. Many of these findings are based on cross-sectional studies, predominantly involving male participants. In a 6-year longitudinal study, we examined determinants of psychosocial outcomes in 917 adults with autism spectrum disorder (425 men, 492 women, mean age 43.5 years). Most were diagnosed in adulthood and had (above) average intellectual abilities. Via a yearly online survey, participants’ objective psychosocial functioning (based on employment, independent living and friendship) and subjective well-being were assessed. Averaged across the five waves of the study, 86% of the sample showed a fair to very good level of objective psychosocial functioning. Objective psychosocial functioning and subjective well-being were positively correlated, and both improved over time. Lower intellectual ability, more autism traits, co-occurring psychiatric conditions and younger age predicted poorer objective outcomes. More autism traits and co-occurring psychiatric conditions predicted lower subjective well-being. There were no gender differences in initial levels of, or changes in, objective and subjective outcomes over time. This study has identified important risk/protective factors for psychosocial outcomes across early and middle adulthood. In general, the findings offer a more positive outlook for adults with autism and average to high intellectual abilities.Lay abstractPrevious research has shown that relatively few adults with autism have a paid job or live on their own. However, outcomes also vary a lot and may depend on many different factors. In this study, we examined the level of functioning and happiness of 917 adults with autism (425 men and 492 women) aged 18–65 years. Most of them were of average to high intellectual ability. Over 6 years, we measured whether they had a paid job, close friendships and lived on their own (i.e. their objective functioning). We also measured how happy they felt. Objectively, most autistic adults did fairly to very well. Those with better objective outcomes (e.g. those with paid work) also tended to be happier. Most adults improved in objective functioning and happiness over 6 years. Participants with a lower intellectual ability, more autism traits, mental health problems and younger age had poorer objective outcomes. Participants with more autism traits and mental health problems were less happy. Autistic men and women functioned at similar levels and were equally happy. We found important factors that predict a better (or worse) outcome for autistic adults. Overall, compared with some previous research, our findings give a more positive picture of the outcomes for autistic adults with average to high intellectual abilities.

A longitudinal study using latent curve models of groups with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

BackgroundThis study explores how mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) develop over time. New methodthis study involves a new application of latent curve models (LCM) to examine the development trajectory of a healthy, MCI, and AD groups on a series of clinical and neural measures. Multiple-group latent curve models were used to compare the parameters of the trajectories across groups. ResultsLCM results showed that a linear functional form of growth was adequate for all the clinical and neural measures. Positive and significant differences in initial levels were seen across groups on all of the clinical and neural measures. In all groups, the following measures increased slightly, or considerably, over time: Clinical Dementia Rating, Alzheimer’s disease Cognitive Assessment, and Montreal Assessment Test for Dementia. In contrast, a slight or a greatly decreasing trajectory was observed on the following measures: Fluorodeoxyglucose, Mini-Mental State Exam, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test as well as Hippocampus, Fusiform and Entorhinal Cortex volume measures. However, a constant mean trajectory was seen on Cognition Self Report Memory and languages scores. Comparision with existing methodsthere are no prior studies that applied LCM on large AD datasets. Conclusionscognitive decline occurs in the cognitively normal (CN), MCI, and AD groups but at different rates. Further, some important cognitive, neural, and clinical variables that (a) best differentiate between CN, MCI, and AD as well as (b) differentially change over time in MCI and AD, which may explain disease progression.

Loneliness, Social Anxiety Symptoms, and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: Longitudinal Distinctiveness and Correlated Change.

Loneliness, social anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms are internalizing problems that are highly intertwined and often co-occur during adolescence. This overlap and co-occurrence raises the question whether three different labels are used for the same underlying phenomenon. The present study adopts a comprehensive approach to this issue by investigating the development of the three phenomena simultaneously. Specifically, this study aimed to investigate (1) the developmental trend for all three internalizing problems separately, (2) whether they are best described by a single developmental trend, (3) how they co-develop across adolescence, and (4) gender differences in this co-development. The analyses were run in three three-wave longitudinal samples of adolescents with one-year intervals in order to verify the robustness of the findings. Sample 1 (roughly ages 15, 16, and 17) comprised 549 adolescents (63% girls), and Samples 2 and 3 (roughly ages 13, 14, and 15) comprised 811 adolescents (46% girls) and 1101 adolescents (52% girls), respectively. Latent growth curve modeling for the three phenomena separately showed either small increases or stable patterns. A comparison of a Multiple Indicator Latent Growth Model (MILGM) with a Parallel Process Latent Growth Curve Modeling (PPLGCM) showed that the three internalizing problems followed unique, but related, developmental trends across adolescence. The intercepts of the three phenomena were positively correlated with one another in all samples and increases in loneliness were associated consistently with increases in social anxiety symptoms. Only in Sample 3 evidence was found for a similar association between loneliness and depressive symptoms and between social anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms. Except for differences in initial levels, gender differences in the development of the three problems were limited. Overall, the results of the present study clearly indicate that the three internalizing problems are longitudinally distinct from one another, but co-develop across adolescence.

Young Adults' Short-Term Trajectories of Moderate Physical Activity: Relations With Self-Evaluation Processes.

Young adults face numerous barriers that can undermine their engagement in healthy behaviors. For example, young adults on average experience disproportionally large declines in physical activity (PA) participation compared to other demographic groups. Self-evaluation processes may help explain these declines. This study investigated young adults’ weekly trajectories of moderate physical activity, exploring self-evaluation processes, including self-efficacy and shame as time-varying covariates. A total of 71 young adults (Mage = 21.25, SD = 1.18; 55% male) reported moderate physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and anticipated shame toward exercise once a week for 5 weeks. Latent growth curve models showed that a linear slope fit these data better than alternative models. Parameters of the linear model revealed that these young adults reported engaging in 40 min of moderate PA approximately 3 days per week. However, there were physical activity differences in initial levels and rates of change. Exercise self-efficacy consistently predicted physical activity in a positive direction and with a small-to-medium magnitude. Anticipated shame was an inconsistent predictor of physical activity, showing a negative direction and small magnitude at time one and on average across the 5 weeks. These findings highlight considerable variability in young adults’ short-term trajectories of physical activity and underscore both positive and negative processes of exercise related self-evaluations. Future physical activity interventions targeting young adults should incorporate strategies that enhance self-efficacy (e.g., mastery experiences) and reduce feelings of shame (e.g., attribution training).

Caring for Grandchildren and Grandparents’ Physical and Mental Health Changes

Using the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging Waves 1–5, we examined how the transition and duration of grandchild care influenced the health of grandparents. The participants in this study were 5870 KLoSA grandparents who had one or more grandchildren. Using latent class analysis grandparents were classified into four groups: provided continuous grandchild care, initiated grandchild care, stopped grandchild care, and did not engage in grandchild care. Using growth curve modeling analysis the differences in initial level and changes over time in health of these four groups of grandparents were analyzed. The primary results were that the initial physical and mental health status of these four groups of grandparents were different. Grandparents who reported a lower level of physical pain were more likely to initiate grandchild care, whereas grandparents who reported increased pain over time were more likely to stop providing grandchild care. Subjective health of grandparents who took care of their grandchildren increased when they stopped caring for their grandchildren. These results indicated that whether or not grandparents provided care to their grandchild appears to be determined by the initial health of grandparents. However, there was little difference in the changes in physical and mental over time between the grandchild care classes.

Elaborating on premature adolescent autonomy: Linking variation in daily family processes to developmental risk.

This study revisits the premature autonomy model by examining parents' use of positive behavior support (PBS) practices on a daily timescale to better understand underlying processes in developmental changes in family disengagement and the implications for adolescent problem behavior and substance use. This study included 151 9th and 10th grade adolescents (61.5% female) and their caregivers, who participated in a baseline assessment, a 21-day daily diary burst, and a 1-year follow-up assessment. Four key findings emerged: (a) on days when parents used more PBS, adolescents felt more close and connected to their caregivers; (b) adolescents who exhibited a larger-magnitude of change in connectedness with caregivers in relation to variation in positive parenting (termed fragile connectedness) were at higher risk for antisocial behavior, deviant peer involvement, and substance use one year later; (c) individual differences in initial levels of antisocial behavior and effortful control accounted for between-person variation in fragile connectedness; and (d) day-level adolescent anger and parent-adolescent conflict predicted within-family variation in parents' use of PBS. Implications for the premature autonomy model and intervention science are discussed.

In-hospital opioid consumption, but not pain intensity scores, predicts 6-month levels of pain catastrophizing following hepatic resection: A trajectory analysis.

The study aims were to model acute pain intensity and opioid consumption trajectories up to 72hr after open hepatic resection, identify predictors of trajectory membership and examine the association between trajectory memberships and 6-month pain and psychological outcomes. This is a long-term analysis of a published randomized controlled trial on the impact of medial open transversus abdominis plane catheters on post-operative outcomes. A total of 152 patients (89 males; mean age 63.0 [range: 54-72]) completed questionnaires on pain and related characteristics pre-operatively and 6months post-operatively. Total opioid use was recorded several times over a 72-hr period while self-reported pain intensity scores were collected multiple times until hospital discharge. Analyses were carried out using growth mixture modelling, logistic regression and general linear models. Both pain intensity and opioid consumption showed that a four-trajectory model best fits the data. Patients in the lowest opioid consumption trajectory were more likely to be classified in the constant mild pain intensity trajectory. Age and baseline levels of anxiety significantly predicted opioid trajectory membership while baseline depressive symptoms significantly predicted pain intensity trajectory membership. Patients in the two highest opioid consumption trajectories reported significantly higher levels of pain catastrophizing at 6months compared to patients in the other 3 trajectories (all p<0.05). High consumption of opioids after surgery is associated with higher levels of pain catastrophizing 6months later. Identification of patients within these trajectories may lead to the development of early interventions targeted to high risk individuals. Differences in initial levels of opioid consumption and rates of change in opioid consumption shortly after surgery can help predict long-term psychological responses to pain. Identifying key characteristics associated with initial opioid consumption can lead to the development of cost-effective early interventions targeted to high risk individuals.

A validity argument for progress testing: Examining the relation between growth trajectories obtained by progress tests and national licensing examinations using a latent growth curve approach

Background: Progress testing is a longitudinal assessment that aims at tracking students' development of knowledge. This approach is used in many medical schools internationally. Although progress tests are longitudinal in nature, and their focus and use of developmental aspects is a key advantage, individual students’ learning trajectories themselves play, to date, only a minor role in the use of the information obtained through progress testing.Methods: We investigate in how far between-person differences in initial levels of performance and within-person rate of growth can be regarded as distinct components of students’ development and analyze the extent to which these two components are related to performances on national licensing examinations using a latent growth curve model.Results: Both, higher initial levels of performances and steepness of growth are positively related to long-term outcomes as measured by performance on national licensing examinations. We interpret these findings as evidence for progress tests’ suitability to monitor students’ growth of knowledge across the course of medical training.Conclusions: This study indicates that individual development as obtained by formative progress tests is related to performance in high-stakes assessments. Future studies may put more focus on the use of between-persons differences in growth of knowledge.

Mass Refugee Inflow and Long-Run Prosperity: Lessons from the Greek Population Resettlement

This paper investigates the long-term consequences of mass refugee inflow on economic development by examining the effect of the first large-scale population resettlement in modern history. After the Greco-Turkish war of 1919–1922, 1.2 million Greek Orthodox were forcibly resettled from Turkey to Greece, increasing the Greek population by more than 20% within a few months. We build a novel geocoded dataset locating settlements of refugees across the universe of more than four thousand Greek municipalities that existed in Greece in 1920. Exploiting the spatial variation in the resettlement location, we find that localities with a greater share of refugees in 1923 have today higher earnings, higher levels of household wealth, greater educational attainment, as well as larger financial and manufacturing sectors. These results hold when comparing spatially contiguous municipalities with identical geographical features and are not driven by pre-settlement differences in initial level of development across localities. The long-run beneficial effects appear to arise from agglomeration economies generated by the large increase in the workforce, occupational specialization, as well as by new industrial know-hows brought by refugees, which fostered early industrialization and economic growth.

Trajectories of mothers’ emotional availability: relations with infant temperament in predicting attachment security

ABSTRACTThe present study examined observations of parenting quality (mothers’ emotional availability – EA) during infant bedtimes at 4 points across the infants’ first year, assessing relations between levels and trajectories of EA and infant attachment at 12 months and the role of infant temperament in moderating these associations. The sample (N = 128) was predominantly Euro-American (82.5%) and at low socioeconomic risk. Latent growth curve modeling with latent basis coefficients indicated substantial individual differences in initial levels and slopes in EA trajectories across the first year. Both levels of maternal EA and EA trajectories across the first year predicted 12-month infant attachment security. Although maternal EA tended to decrease across the first year in the full sample, EA trajectories that showed a “bounce-back” between 6 and 12 months, suggesting more successful maternal adaptation to an expanding infant developmental repertoire, predicted greater infant security at 12 months. In addition, linkages between latent EA trajectories and 12-month attachment were moderated by 3-month infant temperamental reactivity and regulation. These findings indicate that infant attachment security is sensitive to both static and dynamic aspects of parenting quality across the first year, and that infant temperament can interact with both in predicting infant attachment.

Change in Cognitive Abilities in Older Latinos.

The aim of this study was to compare patterns of cognitive decline in older Latinos and non-Latinos. At annual intervals for a mean of 5.7 years, older Latino (n=104) and non-Latino (n=104) persons of equivalent age, education, and race completed a battery of 17 cognitive tests from which previously established composite measures of episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, perceptual speed, and visuospatial ability were derived. In analyses adjusted for age, sex, and education, performance declined over time in each cognitive domain, but there were no ethnic group differences in initial level of function or annual rate of decline. There was evidence of retest learning following the baseline evaluation, but neither the magnitude nor duration of the effect was related to Latino ethnicity, and eliminating the first two evaluations, during which much of retest learning occurred, did not affect ethnic group comparisons. Compared to the non-Latino group, the Latino group had more diabetes (38.5% vs. 25.0; χ2[1]=4.4; p=.037), fewer histories of smoking (24.0% vs. 39.4%, χ2[1]=5.7; p=.017), and lower childhood household socioeconomic level (-0.410 vs. -0.045, t[185.0]=3.1; p=.002), but controlling for these factors did not affect results. Trajectories of cognitive aging in different abilities are similar in Latino and non-Latino individuals of equivalent age, education, and race. (JINS, 2016, 22, 58-65).