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    The development of self monitoring of behaviour by delinquent girls in residential care : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1981) Watson, John Charles
    The use of the methods of applied behaviour analysis to provide the basis of treatment programmes for delinquent youth has expanded over the past decade. These techniques appear to be adaptable to a wide variety of residential and community based settings. The token economy probably enjoys the widest use of all the programme alternatives. It has been found however, that when token programmes have been withdrawn, the maintenance of the behaviour change typically deteriorates. In an attempt to overcome this, self evaluation procedures can be an effective aid in maintaining behaviour after reinforcement contingencies have been withdrawn. This thesis reports on the introduction of behavioural self evaluation into a token programme with delinquent girls in a residential setting. In order to develop an accurate behavioural self evaluation and reporting procedure which established and maintained appropriate levels of behaviour, a matching procedure initially with contingent points for both accuracy of matching and behavioural performance was used. Girls rapidly learned to accurately assess their behaviour and maintain both assessments and behaviour at criterion levels. The matching procedure was withdrawn after criteria levels of 80 percent accuracy were maintained. Random checks that followed revealed accuracy and behavioural performance were maintained during periods of contingent reinforcement, and for a short period after reinforcement was withdrawn.
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    Development of systematic behavioural observation to quantify ongoing cognitive activity limitations after brain injury : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Psychology at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2010) Lewis, Mark
    One of the goals of cognitive rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury is to help people perform everyday tasks. However, options for the rigorous assessment of everyday cognitive effectiveness after rehabilitation are limited. Performance on neuropsychological tests is only moderately correlated with everyday functioning, while previous measures of everyday functioning include only fairly general estimates of overall cognitive functioning. The aim of the current study was to develop an ecologically valid measure that captured a number of subdomains of executive functioning, using systematic behavioural observation of an everyday task. The initial phase of the research involved identifying an everyday task that was sufficiently complex to ensure that executive functioning was utilised in the completion of the task. Participants with traumatic brain injury were then asked to prepare chocolate brownies, using a recipe provided, and a hot drink. Participants were allowed to use any compensatory strategy to help complete the task. Participant performance was directly observed by an examiner and videotaped for subsequent inter-rater reliability. Two independent raters assessed nine components of executive functioning. During this phase, the examiner manuals were modified improving inter-rater reliability. The final version of the measure was then trialled with participants with and without traumatic brain injury. Final inter-rater reliability indicated the approach had merit. Significant and moderate correlations were found between traditional measures of executive functioning and the everyday task. This study employed systematic behavioural observation to obtain fine-grained information regarding a person’s cognitive functioning. With further development, this approach may prove useful for targeting and monitoring specific functional difficulties during cognitive rehabilitation.
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    Detection of behavioural and cognitive dysfunction in mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA affected dogs : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Veterinary Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2009) Erceg, Vicki Heather
    This study investigated whether behavioural and cognitive dysfunction caused by mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IIIA can be detected early in affected dogs’ lives, and to describe the behaviours of these dogs. No other scientific papers have been published on this topic and the population of dogs examined in this study are the only MPS IIIA affected dog colony available worldwide for study. Three main tests were performed on the population of MPS IIIA affected dogs. Physical behavioural assessment tests were performed at six and eight weeks of age and from twenty weeks of age a cognitive function task was taught and then tested to measure the dogs’ performance. A previously validated questionnaire, the canine behavioural assessment and research questionnaire (C-BARQ), was completed at three, six and twelve months of age. The researchers in these studies were blinded to the MPS IIIA status of the dogs examined. The behaviours shown by the MPS IIIA puppies at six and eight weeks of age were not significantly different from the behaviours of the unaffected puppies. This finding supported the research of other MPS IIIA studies and suggests that clinical behavioural changes do not occur at such a young age. The behaviours shown by the MPS IIIA affected puppies appeared to be normal puppy behaviours similar to those described in previous research on puppies. The C-BARQ measured the behaviours shown by the MPS IIIA affected and unaffected dogs. Most of the MPS IIIA affected dogs’ behaviours were not significantly different from the unaffected dogs’ behaviours, but MPS IIIA affected dogs did retrieve significantly more than unaffected dogs at three months of age, and were less distractible at twelve months of age. It would be worth investigating these findings further to decide whether it suggests a subtle alteration in brain functioning. The cognitive function test showed a significant decrease in the success of the MPS IIIA affected dogs in the final maze test. This is the first study on dogs affected with MPS IIIA to find a decline in cognitive function before the occurrence of cerebellar clinical signs and this new knowledge may lead to future developments measuring therapy response and disease progression. The T-shaped maze testing may be valuable in future research on cognitive function in dogs with other diseases such as epilepsy. Thus this thesis provides valuable information on canine MPS IIIA and provides a foundation for future disease investigations.