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This study explored the efficacy of 1 actigraphy (ACT) brand, at different analytic settings, for use to administer the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT). Forty-one first-time postpartum mother and father participants were administered the MSLT with concurrent ACT. To identify ACT sleep onset latency (SOL), ACT signals were interpreted with iterations of different “wake threshold value” (WTV) and “immobile minutes for sleep onset” value (IMV) settings. The different iterations of ACT–SOL values were compared to MSLT–SOL values. The WTV settings did not affect ACT–SOL, but the ACT–SOL and MSLT–SOL significantly differed at each ACT–IMV setting. ACT consistently identified SOL too soon; however, future research, along with technological innovation, may identify a viable methodology to conduct an ambulatory MSLT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separate research areas indicate that sleep quality, mood, and relationship satisfaction decline among couples during the postpartum period. Furthermore, accurate partner perceptions are associated with positive relationship qualities. In this study, 21 first-time postpartum mother–father dyads, contributed 1 week of continuous wrist actigraphy along with concurrent subjective Palm Pilot monitoring to provide objective and subjective sleep measures. Parents also reported on their own as well as their perception of their partners’ sleep, mood, and relationship satisfaction. Greater objectively measured total sleep time was associated with greater relationship satisfaction. Mothers (a) underestimated fathers’ self-reported frequency of nocturnal awakenings, as well as (b) relationship satisfaction, and (c) overestimated fathers’ self-reported sleep quality. Fathers (a) underestimated mothers’ self-reported duration of wake at night, as well as (b) sleep quality, and (c) overestimated mothers’ self-reported mood disturbance. Preventative measures that target sleep and improvement in perception of partner's experiences could be used to buffer against decreases in relationship satisfaction among new parents. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article presents updates related to the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP). The 32nd Annual National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology will be held at the TradeWinds Island Grand Hotel in Saint Pete Beach, Florida on January 3-6, 2010. Jeffrey S. Nevid of St. John's University was one of the members approved in August 2009 as a new Fellow of the STP. The annual membership drive of the Graduate Student Teaching Association led to 274 new graduate students with 141 renewals. In 2008, the society's Fund For Excellence received 10,000 U.S. dollars in donations.