Divergences in American psychiatry during the Depression: somatic psychiatry, community mental hygiene, and social reconstruction

The differences between somatic psychiatrists and mental hygienists, already apparent earlier, became much more pronounced during the Depression years, partly as a consequence of their different perspectives on this social crisis. Somatic psychiatrists, emboldened by the apparent success of new medical treatment methods, reasserted the central position of the mental hospital within psychiatry, attempted to improve the discipline's position within medicine, and promoted basic research. Mental hygienists, following the ideal of prevention, proposed far-reaching programs of community mental hygiene to alleviate widespread mental distress. A small group of mental hygienists embraced socialism and advocated measures of radical social reconstruction.     

Career transitions within organizations: an exploratory study of work, nonwork, and coping strategies

This paper examines career transitions within organizations. An integrative model was developed and evaluated which views career transitions as a stress-coping process influenced by work and nonwork factors. Data supported the model in that individuals experiencing a large number of personal life transitions were more likely to adopt a symptom-management coping strategy (as contrasted with a situation-focused strategy) for dealing with job stress during the transition. However, neither the magnitude of the career transition nor intervening role variables in the model contributed to explanation of the career transition process. Major career transitions were associated with major transitions in personal life and data suggested that a career transition could act as a "trigger" event for personal life instability. Implications of both supportive and disconfirming findings are discussed. Future directions are suggested for research on careers and for career management in organizations.     

Linking social axioms with indicators of positive interpersonal, social and environmental functioning in Iran: an exploratory study

Social axioms are people's general beliefs about how the world functions and always involve the relationship between two conceptual entities. Social axioms have been proposed as a construct that can be useful in helping researchers interpret cultures and explain people's behaviors in different cultural contexts. Despite the growth of studies on social axioms in various countries, no effort has been made so far to investigate specifically the relation between social axioms and indicators of interpersonal, social, and environmental functioning. To fill this gap, this exploratory study sought to examine the relation between social axioms and a set of variables indicating positive interpersonal, social, and environmental functioning (namely, gratitude, connectedness to nature, social participation, perspective-taking, and empathic concern) in a sample of 303 Iranian university students. Findings showed that reward for application, religiosity, and social complexity significantly predicted gratitude when sex was controlled for. Social complexity and reward for application significantly contributed to explaining the variance in connectedness to nature over and above sex. Social cynicism and social complexity also predicted perspective-taking significantly after controlling for sex. Social axioms were not successful in predicting social participation and empathic concern. Overall, it is possible to conclude that the findings support the utility of social axioms in predicting interpersonal, social, and environmental functioning. That is, generalized beliefs about oneself, the social and physical environment, or the spiritual world are associated with individuals' interpersonal, social, and environmental functioning in this Iranian sample.     

Functional neuroimaging in neurology and psychiatry

How can functional neuroimaging be applied to clinical neurology and psychiatry? This article reviews selected contributions of functional neuroimaging to the clinical neurosciences. We review selected technical aspects of positron emission tomography, single photon emission tomography, and functional magnetic resonance imaging with a focus on the relative strengths and weaknesses of these techniques. Consumers of functional neuroimaging research are encouraged to consider the limitations of imaging techniques and theoretical pitfalls of cognitive task design when interpreting results of functional imaging studies. Then, we selectively review the contributions of functional neuroimaging to neurology and psychiatry, including the areas of epilepsy, stroke, chronic pain, schizophrenia, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Future directions of functional neuroimaging research are offered, with the emphasis that the best conclusions are informed by a convergence of research from functional neuroimaging, neurophysiological, and lesion studies.     

Taking breaks from work: an exploratory inquiry

Two studies concerned with taking breaks from either mental or physical work are presented. In the first study, a questionnaire was given to 101 students in which they answered questions about their own break taking and that of others. They also completed a time management questionnaire and scales about procrastination, self-esteem, and work overload. In the second study, 17 students kept detailed diaries of their daily break-taking behavior over a 6-week period. Results are discussed in terms of the types of reasons given for taking breaks and the possible discrepancies between such reasons and the actual activities engaged in during breaks.     

Intentions to work during terminal illness: an exploratory study of antecedent conditions

Facing a terminal illness is an unimaginably difficult experience, yet many individuals intend to work despite their prognosis. However, research has not systematically examined the potential antecedents underlying such intentions. Using behavioral intention theory as an underlying framework, this study hypothesized that reasons for working (intrinsic and extrinsic), the will to live, disability severity, accessibility of travel, and age would predict intentions to work during terminal illness. A representative sample of medically diagnosed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's disease) patients with a mean life expectancy of approximately 3 years participated (mean age=57.8 years). Controlling for length of diagnosis, employment status, and demographic variables, results indicated that intrinsic reasons were particularly strong predictors of intentions, followed by age, disability severity, and accessibility of travel. Exploratory findings also indicated that behavioral intentions were positively related to future employment status, consistent with past theory. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).     

Hemisphericity style, sex, and torque: an exploratory study

A sample of 139 male and 218 female college students were given the Preference Questionnaire and a torque test to assess (a) whether subjects who prefer a left hemisphericity style would show a higher incidence of torque than those who prefer a right hemisphericity style and (b) whether men would yield a higher incidence of torque than women. The first hypothesis received limited support. Men with a left hemisphericity style yielded a higher incidence of torque than men with a right style, however, the difference was only marginally significant.     

Menstruation and suicide: an exploratory study

Previous research has reported mixed findings on the effect of the menstrual cycle on suicidal behavior. The contribution of menstruation to completed suicide is also controversial, though the studies are very limited and have not been carefully designed. To explore the relationship, 217 autopsies on completed suicides were performed, matched to a control group at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. The results show that 54.46% of people who died by suicide were menstruating (results excluded pregnancies), compared to 6.75% of the control group. Menstruation in those who completed suicide, compared to a control group, appeared to have an association with suicide. More research is warranted.     

Effects of structured social interaction with geriatric mentally retarded clients: an exploratory study

In this study, using an observation-based inferred self-concept (social competency measure), I examined a structured program of client-staff interaction reinforcing self- and environmental awareness in institutionalized geriatric mentally retarded clients. Results indicate significant improvement over successive sessions. Subjects in structured interaction had a more positive self-concept in the post-treatment period when compared either to pretreatment baseline or to a control group that had not been in structured interaction with staff. Results support the use of structured interaction--which serves as a reinforcer for improved functioning--to increase staff contact with clients.     

Social networks, support, and coping: an exploratory study.

This paper reports a study that investigated the areas of stress, support, and coping, using the structural model of the social network. The social network model is borrowed from sociology and anthropology and is used to describe and quantify not only an individual's immediate family but also all of those with whom the individual has regular contact. By comparing the networks of a sample of "normal" and schizophrenic males, it was possible to identify differences in their relationships to their social networks, in the make-up of the networks themselves, and in the coping styles and recent histories of the subjects. The results suggest, first, that the network model can be used to investigate the larger social system with which individuals interact and, second, that it may be a valuable approach to the expansion of family research.     

Factors influencing work readiness of graduates: An exploratory study

This study aimed to determine the factors that influenced the work readiness of graduate and post-graduate social sciences students. An ex post facto design study was undertaken with 183 participant students from Makerere University, Uganda (n=73) and the University of Venda, South Africa (n=110) (females=58%; age range 20–40 years). They completed the Genos Emotional Intelligence (EI) Inventory, a Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-24), an Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) as well as a Work Readiness Scale (WRS). Regression analyses were conducted to predict work readiness, with emotional intelligence (EI), psychological capital (PsyCap) and sense of coherence (SOC). Results revealed EI and PsyCap to strongly predict work readiness.