Combating neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease requires research to figure out what methods can best increase language and motor skills for affected individuals. Speech-language pathologists at University of Washington developed a hypothesis about how to improve learning and retention of speech and motor tasks by only administering feedback every trial, every fifth trial, or every tenth trial. A statistical analysis showed that speech and motor skills are learned best at different intervals. More importantly, the research shows that individuals with Parkinson’s Disease learn speech and language skills at unique feedback schedules, compared to others. 

Researchers examined the relationship between current same-sex marriage legislation  and the psychological well being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual (LGBT) individuals.  The results indicated that LGBT individuals living in states that are more restrictive of LGBT rights experience significantly more psychological stress and local stigma than individuals living in states with more progressive LGBT legislation.

The Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) was a species on the verge of extinction in the 1930s. While populations are currently on the rise, a significant amount of research has been done to further understand ways to best improve their brooding success. In a study performed at the University of Manitoba, researchers found that optimal success for prairie chickens requires a triangulation between mating ground, nesting ground, and feeding ground. 

It’s generally accepted that married couples who hold sexist beliefs (stereotyping of social roles based on gender) are less satisfied. However, with benevolent sexism (sexism that takes subtle and positive forms) women may not be aware that their partner also maintains hostile attitudes as well. Hostile and benevolent behaviors from men are potentially co-existing forms of sexism, and men may not be consciously aware that their acting the role of protector and provider might result in feelings of entitlement and dominance. As such, both men and women may be unaware of the contribution of these attitudes and behaviors to marital distress. We investigated whether or not marital satisfaction for women was negatively impacted by men who engaged in behaviors that were benevolently sexist.  

Many large technical and mechanical companies are anticipating an exodus of company-important knowledge through 2020, as waves of professionals from the baby-boomer generation retire. How can companies best retain company-important information in this wave of baby boom retirees? A survey analysis at commercial airline giant indicated the optimal way to distribute resources between departments to maximize employee retention and keep important company knowledge in-house. 

Non-profits are always looking for ways to make their services more effective. Working with researchers from the UK, we analyzed data from a dog adoption center to see if giving dogs experimental toy “enrichment” balls decreased anxious symptoms and made dogs more appealing to prospective rescuers. We found that dogs that received enrichment toys were more active, less anxious, and were adopted faster than dogs without such benefits. (Note: all the dogs from this study however eventually found happy homes!)

Prevalence rates for Cesarean deliveries range as high as 90% in some South American hospitals, despite the World Health Organization claiming any rate above 15% as being too frequent – a topic which has attracted considerable attention recently. We helped analyze data from a Brazilian sample of hospitals investigating which factors most influence a woman’s decision to have Cesarean delivery. While booming economies have allowed many women the freedom to have the surgery by choice, many studies have shown the procedure puts a mother and child at unnecessary risk. 

Intervention programs that seek to help children with Autism often begin with parents. An effective strategy to best manage symptoms and help ensure proper development requires parents to understand how to effectively communicate and socialize with their children. This can often require steps of different training exercise that start at basics and advance to more complex forms of play and communication. We worked with researchers at University of Pittsburgh to understand how well parents understood and performed the exercises in different steps related to positive developmental behaviors in children with Autism. 

Companies have a strong incentive to understand what ratings/metrics can best predict job performance. Looking at multinational data and using hierarchical linear modeling, we investigated how country, manager, and position affect the variables associated with job performance. For example, does strong manager rapport mediate the relationship between competence and performance in Eastern and Western companies? We found that in some countries this was the case, while in others it was not. 

Transitioning back to civilian life after serving in the military is often very difficult. Until recently though, there had been a lack of information that assessed how those who served in different military eras need different types of assistance with re-integration. Working with data from the Department of Veteran Affairs, we looked at multiple military eras (from Vietnam to the Iraq war) and analyzed factors that best predict successful reintegration back into civilian life. Using this information, researchers were better able to understand how to allocate resources to address the specific issues that matter most. 

Working with researchers in Japan, we helped test data from a study seeking to find new ways to teach ESL to students abroad. Comparing data from typical feedback sources (teachers), we looked at the effects of receiving feedback exclusively from one’s own peers. Using multivariate analysis techniques, we investigated the combined outcomes relating to students’ grammar, vocabulary, and writing content. Our results showed that students significantly increased their vocabulary and grammar, but that content performance was non-significant when controlling for these related outcomes. 

Dementia is often referred to as a “family disease.” Some preliminary research on secondary caregivers indicates that family caregivers providing care for the same relative with dementia have different subjective experiences. Here we tested the hypothesis that primary and secondary caregivers have different subjective experiences using a dyadic-structural equation model (the Actor-Partner Independence Model). The findings indicated that secondary caregivers experienced more depression and burden when controlling for other covariants. Using this information, we hypothesized new ways for families to cope with the stress of dementia. 

Recent research has argued that Muslim Americans might utilize mental health services less because of cultural attitudes relating to psychotherapy and mental health-seeking behavior. Looking at a sample of self-identifying Muslims and Muslim Americans living in the United States, we tested whether perceptions of of stigma and help-seeking behavior differed across cultures. We also investigated whether this effect was moderated by age or duration of time spent in the United States. Using these findings, we proposed new ways of reducing perceptions of stigma and increasing well-being among those who experience social barriers to obtaining mental health services.