Which Competencies Are Most Important for Creative Expression?

In a follow-up to a previously published study (Epstein, Schmidt, & Warfel, 2008 Epstein , R. , Schmidt , S. M. , & Warfel , R. ( 2008 ). Measuring and training creativity competencies: Validation of a new test . Creativity Research Journal , 20 , 7 – 12 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), an ethnically-diverse sample of 13,578 people in 47 countries (mainly the United States and Canada) took an online test that measures 4 trainable competencies that have been shown to enhance creative expression in individuals. The new study confirmed that the test has high internal-consistency reliability and reasonably strong predictive validity. Competency scores were good predictors of self-reported frequency of creative expression and moderately good predictors of life satisfaction and professional success. Scores were also substantially higher for people who had had creativity training, and more training was associated with higher scores. Small but statistically significant differences in scores were found for gender (women outscoring men) and race/ethnicity. Of the 4 competencies examined, capturing (preserves new ideas as they occur) proved to be the best predictor of self-reported creative expression, followed by challenging (takes on difficult tasks), broadening (expands one's skills and knowledge), and surrounding (arranges stimulating physical and social environments).     

Are Genetic Counselors and the Social Service System for People with Intellectual Disability Reaching Rapprochement?

Recent advances in syndromic identification have resulted in genetic counselors providing services to increasing numbers of people with intellectual disability (ID) and their families. However, from the standpoint of professionals who support people with ID, genetic counselors are on the periphery of the extensive ID social service system. Reasons for this, based on a review of historical circumstances, definitional differences funding and a divergence of approaches, are critically presented and discussed. A model is offered that would allow for a closer working relationship and an integrated team approach that includes genetic counselors.     

Taking People as They Are?

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Are Children with Disabilities “Special Gifts”? Mothers' Views

This interview study of mothers of children with congenital disabilities examines the prevalence of and reactions to certain quasi-theological explanations for the disabling condition.     

Sudden Gains: How Important Are They During Exposure and Response Prevention for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Symptom reduction over the course of cognitive-behavioral therapy is not always distributed evenly across sessions. Some individuals experience a sudden gain, defined as a large, rapid, and stable decrease in symptoms during treatment. Although research documents a link between sudden gains and treatment for depression and anxiety, findings in the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) treatment are mixed. The present study investigated the relationship between sudden gains and treatment outcome in 44 adults with OCD and addressed limitations of previous studies by measuring OCD symptoms dimensionally and comparing individuals who experience sudden gains to those who experience gradual gains of similar magnitude. Sudden gains were observed among 27% of participants, with highest rates among individuals with primary contamination symptoms. Participants who experienced a sudden gain had greater OCD symptom reductions at posttreatment (but not at follow-up), and this difference did not persist after controlling for gain magnitude. Thus, the importance of sudden gains during OCD treatment may be limited. Findings are discussed in light of inhibitory learning models of cognitive-behavioral therapy.     

How Many People Are Exposed to Suicide? Not Six

It has long been stated that six people are left behind following every suicide. Despite a lack of empirical evidence, this has been extensively cited for over 30 years. Using data from a random‐digit dial survey, a more accurate number of people exposed to each suicide is calculated. A sample of 1,736 adults included 812 lifetime suicide‐exposed respondents who reported age and number of exposures. Each suicide resulted in 135 people exposed (knew the person). Each suicide affects a large circle of people, who may be in need of clinician services or support following exposure.     

Employment Roles of College Graduates: How Important Are They?

For this study, the qualification data of 217 business majors at a large state university were collected just before graduation. The respondents' roles were evaluated prior to graduation and they were recontacted 3 months later to determine employment status and job satisfaction. Discriminant analysis of 187 responses was used to determine the relative impact of the various factors studied.     

Gender Gap in School Science: Are Single-Sex Schools Important?

This paper compares science subject choices and science-related career plans of Australian adolescents in single-sex and coeducational schools. Data from the nationally representative Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth collected from students who were 15 years of age in 2009 show that, in all schools, boys are overrepresented in physical science courses and careers, while girls are overrepresented in life science. It appears that students in all-girls schools are more likely to take physical science subjects and are keener on careers in physics, computing or engineering than their counterparts in coeducational schools. However, multi-level logit regressions reveal that most apparent differences between students in single-sex and coeducational schools are brought about by differentials in academic achievement, parental characteristics, student’s science self-concept, study time and availability of qualified teachers. The only differences remaining after introducing control variables are the higher propensity of boys in single-sex schools to plan a life science career and the marginally lower propensity of girls in girls-only schools to study life science subjects. Thus, single-sex schooling fosters few non-traditional choices of science specialization. The paper discusses the likely consequences of gender segregation in science and a limited potential of single-sex schools to reduce them. The results of the current analysis are contrasted with a comparable study conducted in Australia a decade ago to illustrate the persistence of the gender gap in science field choices.     

Does Parental Relational Aggression Interact with Parental Psychological Control in the Prediction of Youth Relational Aggression?

In a sample of 117 youth and their parents, the associations between parental relational aggression, psychological control, youth gender, and youth relational aggression were examined. Boys with parents high on relational aggression and psychological control reported more relational aggression than boys with parents high on relational aggression and low on psychological control. Girls with parents low on relational aggression and high on psychological control reported more relational aggression than girls with parents low on relational aggression and psychological control. Results indicate youth may learn to use relational aggression from their parents, and have implications for intervention with relationally aggressive youth.     

What Are Gay Men for?

Abstract

The question asked in the title is one that Mark Vernon takes from Michael Vasey's own writings on sexuality. Vernon notes that Vasey presents a clearly constructavist account of sexuality in which the nature and meaning of homosexuality will change with historical and social circumstances. This raises the question of what gay men might be for in contemporary society. In order to explore this question Vernon looks at the literature on friendship, drawing on the work of Aristotle and others. He aims to show that the kind of friendship experienced by and shown to others through gay men, is of a particular, perhaps disturbing, kind. It is from this position that Vernon answers Vasey's question by suggesting that gay men may be able to offer a prophetic message to contemporary society about the nature of friendship beyond, and within, the family structures of society.     

Relational Learning in Pigeons?

Two experiments investigated whether discrimination learning and transposition by pigeons were facilitated by the opportunity to compare rectangles differing in luminance or stars differing in number of vertices. In Experiment 1, one group was trained with stimuli from the same dimension appearing simultaneously on each trial, but for a second group such stimuli appeared on separate trials. The opportunity to compare stimuli from the same dimension on a single trial facilitated the learning of the luminance discrimination but not of the stars discrimination. Such comparison also resulted in greater luminance but not greater stars transposition. Using a different training procedure, Experiment 2 confirmed that the opportunity for comparison facilitated a luminance discrimination. The results for the star discrimination are entirely consistent with 'absolute' theories of discrimination learning; but the results for the luminance discrimination suggest some kind of 'relational' learning. Given the difference between the star and luminance discriminations, a low-level, sensory theory of relational learning seems most consistent with the data.     

Psychological Support for Children with Diabetes: Are the Guidelines Being Met?

The significant role of psychosocial factors in the management of type 1 diabetes in youth has been well documented. The International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) therefore published the Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines for psychological care of young patients. However, it is unclear if and how these guidelines are being implemented. A questionnaire was created to assess implementation of the guidelines and directed to physicians through the ISPAD listserve via a web-based survey. One hundred fifty-five participants from 47 countries completed the survey. Ninety-six percent of respondents reported that they work in a team with other professionals, and 95 % of teams discuss psychological difficulties associated with diabetes management. Seventy-two percent of respondents reported having “easy access” to a mental health specialist (MHS). In 56 % of practice settings, the MHS is considered to be part of the team; 43 % participate in routine clinic visits and 26 % see all patients. Seventy percent screen for psychological problems and 57 % assess family functioning. Psychosocial or behavioral interventions addressing psychosocial and regimen adherence difficulties are offered by 79 % of teams. Psychological care is available for many children with diabetes worldwide. Yet, nearly 30 % of teams do not have access to a MHS. More training in the recognition of psychosocial problems and counseling skills is warranted. More advocacy is needed to increase availability and utilization of psychological services in routine diabetes care.     

Are Religious People More Prosocial? A Quasi-Experimental Study with Madrasah Pupils in a Rural Community in India

Using quasi-experimental data, this article examines the relationship between religiosity and prosocial behavior. In contrast to previous studies that identify religious people by how often they attend religious services or by their self-reported religiosity, this study compares the behavior of highly devout students who are preparing to enter the clergy to the behavior of other students in a public goods game and in the dictator game. The results show that religious students were significantly more cooperative in the public goods game and significantly more generous in the dictator game than other students.     

Are animal models predictive for humans?

It is one of the central aims of the philosophy of science to elucidate the meanings of scientific terms and also to think critically about their application. The focus of this essay is the scientific term predict and whether there is credible evidence that animal models, especially in toxicology and pathophysiology, can be used to predict human outcomes. Whether animals can be used to predict human response to drugs and other chemicals is apparently a contentious issue. However, when one empirically analyzes animal models using scientific tools they fall far short of being able to predict human responses. This is not surprising considering what we have learned from fields such evolutionary and developmental biology, gene regulation and expression, epigenetics, complexity theory, and comparative genomics.