Dr. Vanessa R Rainey

Sensory processing differences can significantly impact workplace experiences, particularly for neurodivergent individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Despite growing awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace, the role of sensory processing in work engagement remains underexplored. This study investigated the relationships between ASD traits, ADHD symptoms, sensory processing patterns (i.e., sensory sensitivity, sensory avoiding, low registration, and sensation seeking), and the three subfacets of work engagement: vigor, dedication, and absorption. Findings revealed that ASD and ADHD traits were significantly associated with work engagement, with the most pronounced effects observed in vigor. Sensory sensitivity and sensation avoiding were linked to reduced work engagement, while sensation seeking was associated with increased work engagement. Additionally, sensation seeking emerged as a stronger predictor of vigor than ASD traits related to social skill difficulties, while sensory sensitivity was associated with lower vigor, suggesting that sensory preferences may play a role in sustaining energy at work. For inattentiveness symptoms, sensory processing factors contributed more to predicting the work engagement outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of workplace accommodations that support different sensory needs, such as flexible workspaces that allow for both sensory stimulation and regulation. By shifting the focus from diagnostic categories to individualized sensory preferences, organizations can foster more engaging work environments for neurodivergent employees.

People with ADHD often have issues with sensory processing where they are either over or under-responsive to environmental stimuli (Kamath et al., 2020). Many theories suggest that problems with executive functioning play a role (e.g., Fabio et al., 2024; Dang et al., 2022; Icer et al., 2019). Yet, questions on where the origin of sensory processing differences in people with ADHD begin and how sensory processing is related to executive functioning still remain. Visual evoked potentials can reliably indicate response to sensory information in the cortex. The AASP is a measure that assigns scores to participants based on their patterns of sensory processing (low registration, sensory sensitivity, sensory seeking, sensory avoiding; Brown &Dunn, 2002). Our ongoing study found that people with ADHD had amplitudes that were significantly different from controls and were strongly and negatively correlated with high scores of low-registration on the AASP. These differences were in response to stimuli presented before the level of cognitive awareness. We would like to expand these findings by developing a procedure to examine the differences at the level of cognitive awareness.

Greater attention to active and collaborative learning makes inclusion of all students worth examining in the changing higher education landscape. The overarching goal of the present study was to identify specific sensory stimulation patterns in the college classroom that may present obstacles for students with sensory processing challenges, particularly when students are faced with taxing sensory environments. We explored the links between sensory processing thresholds in a sample of college students enrolled in General Psychology courses and the number of reported classroom challenges related to their sensory thresholds and executive functioning. In classroom contexts, students who were very sensitive to environmental stimuli were most negatively influenced by participation in small group discussions, listening to side chatter in the classroom that distracted from the main discussion, and speaking in front of others when unprepared. This was also accompanied by decreases in attention and emotional regulation. In light of these findings, we recommend using principles of universal design to create a more inclusive and supportive atmosphere. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Parental postpartum depression may be a risk factor for children’s early language development. However, previous empirical findings have been inconclusive regarding these relations. Moreover, previous reviews of this topic have summarized across measures of language. The purpose of the present systematic review was to summarize and synthesize the relations between parental postpartum depression and children’s language development while treating language as a multidimensional construct and while considering the nature of parental depression. We identified empirical articles in the PsycInfo®/ProQuest database (8/15/2023) and through additional strategies. Articles were screened and considered eligible for inclusion based on several criteria. Twenty-six studies were included in the present systematic review. Included articles were evaluated for risk bias using a tool produced by Glod and colleagues (2015) and adapted for the present study. Findings were organized by the aspect of language (i.e., receptive, expressive) and the nature of parents’ depression (timing, status, chronicity). Varying levels of support were found for the assertion that parental depression is related to children’s receptive and expressive language. Significant relations are more likely to be found later in early childhood indicating a delayed effect of parental postpartum depression. Further, there was inconclusive support concerning the role of depression status and depression chronicity in relation to children’s language development. Additional work is needed to clarify these relations. Directions for future work are recommended that would explore mediating mechanisms, the role of fathers’ depression and how other aspects of parental mental health play a role in these relations. As a limitation, the scope of the present systematic review excluded studies of older children and studies of more general language development that are relevant to informing future work.

Purpose: A chaotic home environment, marked by disorganization, noise and a lack of routine, has negative associations with language development, social competence and executive functioning. This study aims to investigate the mediating effect of chaotic homes on adaptive behaviors, or behaviors that allow independent functioning, in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical (NT) children. Children with ASD have difficulties with adaptive functioning in their environment, and identifying factors in the home that may exacerbate these behaviors will help in understanding the larger family dynamics that may affect behavior.

Design/methodology/approach: In total, 251 primary caregivers completed questionnaires about their children’s adaptive behavior and the structure of the home environment.

Findings: The results of a mediation analysis found a significant indirect effect of ASD status leading to lower adaptive behaviors through home chaos. This suggests those with ASD experienced more household chaos than NT children, which influenced their lower adaptive behavior scores.

Originality/value: This research provides insights into the complex relationship between the home environment and child behavior in children with ASD.

Background
Both mothers and fathers are at risk for experiencing postpartum depressive symptoms shortly after the birth of a child. Previous studies suggest mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms to be interrelated. This study examined bidirectional relations between mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms across four years postpartum.

Methods
Longitudinal data for this study were collected across five waves from 485 mothers and 359 fathers of infants when infants were on average 6 months-old until children were 54 months-old (1-year lags). Mothers and fathers reported on their depressive symptoms using the Center for the Epidemiological Studies Short Depression Scale (CES-D 10). A random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RICLPM) was specified to examine the bidirectional relations between mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms over time.

Results
At the between-person level, mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms were positively associated. At the within-person level, unique carry-over effects were found for mothers and fathers in that when reporting higher depressive symptoms than their trait levels, they were more likely to report higher depressive symptoms one year later. Moreover, intermittent cross-lagged effects were observed from mothers' depressive symptoms to fathers' depressive symptoms during toddlerhood.

Limitations
The sample was not racially or structurally diverse thereby limiting the generalizations of the findings.

Conclusions
After the birth of a child, mothers and fathers are at risk for experiencing chronic depressive symptoms which can have implications for individual, couple and child health. Mothers' depressive symptoms are related to fathers' depressive symptoms over time.

College students with sensory issues particularly with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are greater challenged in the classroom environment.
Sensory issues are associated with increased distractions and obstacles to learning in the classroom. As well, this includes executive functioning abilities and adaptive functioning.
This study investigates the effects of sensory issues that are not usually discussed in the classroom or with accommodations; including different sensory profiles, through the Adolescent / Adult Sensory Profile (i.e., Low Responsivity, Sensation Seeking, Sensory Sensitivity, and Sensation Avoiding).

Summative assessment practices reveal whether students ultimately are successful in learning what we teach. In this chapter, we explore current insights about what summative practices reveal about effective teaching and learning in psychology’s international contexts. We define summative practices and distinguish summative strategies from formative approaches, followed by discussing administrative concerns that help determine summative design choices. We offer exemplars at both the course and program levels to optimize gains from assessment for students and teachers alike. We identify the psychometric factors that influence the quality and success of summative designs. We close with an exploration of emerging contemporary issues and some “lessons learned” to optimize gains using summative assessment in psychology contexts.

Previous research studying language brokers (i.e. children/adolescents who translate for family members) has indicated some positive correlations between frequent language brokering and gains in cognitive development, although little of this research has been conducted on language brokers during the university/higher education years. At the same time, there is evidence documenting elevated levels of depression and anxiety in brokers who translate frequently, which may undermine positive cognitive developments. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of accumulated brokering frequency on academic motivation and learning strategies in United States university students, while accounting for psychological health symptoms. Greater brokering experience uniquely predicted increases in academic motivation and learning strategies. In particular, these relations were driven by greater value components (i.e. intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientation, task value understanding) and cognitive and metacognitive strategy use. This suggests greater self-regulated learning abilities in the university setting for language brokers with more translation experience. The brokers’ reported psychological health symptoms did not interact with these positive correlations. Overall, these findings help to more directly understand the context of the language broker in higher academia and the impact on cognitive outcomes during this important transition into adulthood.

Maternal depression and anxiety are potential risk factors to children's language environments and development. Though existing work has examined relations between these constructs, further work is needed accounting for both depression and anxiety and using more direct measures of the home language environment and children's language development. We examined 265 mother-infant dyads (49.6% female, Mage = 17.03 months) from a large city in the Western United States to explore the relations between self-reports of maternal depression and anxiety and observational indices of the home language environment and expressive language as captured by Language Environment Analysis (LENA) and parent-reported language comprehension and production. Results revealed maternal depressive symptoms to be negatively associated with home language environment and expressive language indices. Maternal anxiety symptoms were found to be negatively associated with children's parent-reported language production. These findings provide further evidence that maternal mental health modulates children's home language environments and expressive language.