Minimally Abnormal Models In Some Adaptive Logics

In an adaptive logic APL, based on a (monotonic) non-standardlogic PL the consequences of can be defined in terms ofa selection of the PL-models of . An important property ofthe adaptive logics ACLuN1, ACLuN2, ACLuNs1, andACLuNs2 logics is proved: whenever a model is not selected, this isjustified in terms of a selected model (Strong Reassurance). Theproperty fails for Priest's LP ^m because its way of measuring thedegree of abnormality of a model is incoherent – correcting thisdelivers the property.     

Nonverbal Interactional Behavior in the Families of Persons with Schizophrenic and Bipolar Disorders

Whereas verbal interactional behaviors have been repeatedly found to distinguish the families of persons with and without major psychiatric disorders, there has been comparatively little examination of the discriminative value of nonverbal interactional behaviors. We developed the Nonverbal Interactional Coding System to measure “affiliative” and “distancing” nonverbal behaviors in 18 schizophrenic and 18 bipolar patients and their parents during 10-minute interactions conducted during a posthospital period. Bipolar patients and their parents displayed affiliative nonverbal behaviors (“illustrator gestures” or “prosocial behaviors”) for longer durations than schizophrenic patients and their parents. In contrast, parents of schizophrenic patients displayed distancing nonverbal behaviors (looking away) for longer durations than those of bipolar patients. The nonverbal interactional data added to the statistical strength of patients’ and parents’ verbal interactional data in distinguishing between these diagnostic groups. Nonverbal interactional behaviors are important variables to consider in interventions aimed at improving the communication skills of families coping with psychiatric disorders.     

Living in with Normal Families

Connie Hansen participated in my project, “Methodology for Studying Family Interaction,” in the mid 1960s. One of the purposes of that project was to compare several groups of families, including “normals.” Connie suggested that it might provide a rich source of data if she were to “live in” with a few of the “normal” families and observe them day to day on their own territory. (A year or so before, Dr. Jules Henry had given a talk to the MRI staff about living-in with “schizogenic” families, and I believe that Connie had discussed her idea with him.) Connie was an experienced family therapist — she was one of Virginia Satir's first students — and a most perceptive observer. She lived with three “normal” families for a week each during 1966–67; she was excited by the wealth of material and exhausted by the experience. She tried to develop a group of central themes from her data and gave me a preliminary draft of a paper in 1969. It clearly contained a number of important observations about the complexities and subtleties of family systems and some beginning attempts at conceptualization. She struggled for years to clarify and elaborate on her material. Several times she sent me portions and fragments of new drafts, each with additional insights, but she was never satisfied with her efforts. It seems a fitting tribute to Connie — she died early in 1979 — to attempt to put together her various drafts. We wanted to publish this very important material in a readable form and yet still preserve the immediateness, enthusiasm, and vividness of her observations. I hope, that if she were to read it, she would not be overly critical of this final draft. JULES RISKIN, M.D. It is a special privilege for me to participate in this posthumous publication of Connie Hansen's unique contribution to the further knowledge of family interaction. She died before the material could be published. I feel particular gratitude to the young woman who entered my first training program in 1961 at the Mental Research Institute. This was a time when such training seemed “far out” and was regarded as “probably only a fad.” She was willing to face the risks inherent to her professional standing by choosing to do this training. It was this same courage together with her imagination and curiosity and her willingness to document her experience without judging it that resulted in the article now being published. Farewell, Connie, and thank you for your presence in my life. VIRGINIA M.SATIR     

Short-Term Stability of Task-Generated,Interactional Patterns in Families of Schizophrenic Patients

Both researchers and therapists who study schizophrenia make inferences about enduring family roles from observed patterns of interactional talking behavior within families. Evidence regarding the stability of these patterns is rarely investigated. The present study examined the short-term stability of intrafamilial speech patterns (who talks to whom) across two consecutive discussions. The sample was composed of families containing a recent-onset, adult schizophrenic patient. All discussions involved two biological parents and a young adult patient (N = 28 ). Families were classified into one of three interactional role-structure categories based on the intrafamilial speech patterns in two 10-minute discussions obtained in the same session. In addition, the affective style ( 4 ) of the content of the discussions was coded. The results indicated that intrafamilial speech patterns were relatively stable across two discussions despite variations in the focus of the problem discussed. Further, when one parent was predominant in the discussion, a higher rate of negative affective statements was observed than when both parents were equal participants. The results provide further support for the use of discussion tasks in generating meaningful family interaction data.     

Developmental Pragmatics in Normal and Abnormal Children

We propose a critical review of current theories of developmental pragmatics. The underlying assumption is that such a theory ought to account for both normal and abnormal development. From a clinical point of view, we are concerned with the effects of brain damage on the emergence of pragmatic competence. In particular, the paper deals with direct speech acts, indirect speech acts, irony, and deceit in children with head injury, closed head injury, hydrocephalus, focal brain damage, and autism. Since no single theory covers systematically the emergence of pragmatic capacity in normal children, it is not surprising that we have not found a systematic account of deficits in the communicative performance of brain injured children. In our view, the challenge for a pragmatic theory is the determination of the normal developmental pattern within which different pragmatic phenomena may find a precise role. Such a framework of normal behavior would then permit the systematic study of abnormal pragmatic development.     

Addressing Cultural Variables in Parent Training Programs With Latino Families

There has recently been increased attention given to understanding how cultural variables may have an impact on the efficacy of treatments with Latino families seeking psychological services. Within parent training programs, understanding the extent to which culture can affect parenting practices is vital to providing quality care. The focus of this article is to discuss how different cultural variables such as respeto, personalismo, machismo, marianismo, and acculturation can impact the efficacy of parent training programs for Latino families. Recommendations for addressing these cultural variables in parent training programs are provided.     

Some Aspects of Loneliness in Families

Although awareness of the harmful effects of loneliness has increased in recent years, lonely persons continue to be viewed as family outsiders or nonfamily. Beginning with the general-systems concept of loneliness as having a healthy, adaptive function in families, this article explores the family context of different degrees of loneliness. It assumes that prolonged loneliness (in addition to its meaning for the individual system) is a manifestation of certain kinds of family processes. Five such processes involved in the prolonging of loneliness are suggested: unresolved grief, pathological certainty, synchronicity, family expansion, and parental abdication.     

Some Structural Variables in Auditory Projective Testing

This study explored perceived pleasantness of auditory projective stimuli as related to three aspects of the projective response; emotional tone, RT and length of stories. Thirty blind and 30 sighted males, comparable in age and intelligence, told stories in response to eight selected auditory stimuli and rated them for pleasantness. Emotional tone varied significantly with pleasantness for 5 out of 8 sounds. Pleasantness was not significantly related to story length nor to RT, except for the sound of weeping. Blind Ss told longer stories than the sighted. Apparent consistent individual differences in response to the auditory projective method were observed. This technique seems useful in the study of personality, perception and cognition of sighted and blind persons.     

Interactional Complexity and Communication

This paper draws attention to an oversimplification that we believe has been frequently made in the analysis of interpersonal communication. This happens when one uses interpersonal communication models that do not match the interactional complexity of the system under observation. The aim of the paper is to present some conceptual parameters (Territoriality, Temporality, Duality) of an N-adic model of communication in the effort to match the interactional complexity of the N-person games. In other words, if we accept the so-called "systems" approach, we need communication models that allow us to observe different levels of interactional complexity. The observer (the therapist) may decide on which level to take up his or her stance with reference to the particular case at hand and the goals in studying it.     

Comparison of Schizophrenic Patients' Families and Normal Families in China,Using Chinese Versions of FACES-II and the Family Environment Scales

The lack of measures that systematically evaluate the characteristics and functioning of Chinese families is hindering the development of appropriate family interventions for schizophrenia in China. We assessed the reliability and validity of revised and adapted Chinese versions (CV) of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES-II-CV) and the Family Environment Scales (FES-CV) and administered these instruments to 120 respondents from families with a schizophrenic member and 126 respondents from control families. The psychometric properties of the FACES-II-CV and of the FES-CV Cohesion, Conflict, Intellectual-Cultural Orientation, and Active-Recreational Orientation scales are satisfactory, so they are appropriate for use in China; the remaining six FES-CV scales require further culturally appropriate revision. Compared to control families, families with schizophrenic patients in China have higher conflict, lower cohesion, poor adaptability, and are less likely to be involved in intellectual and recreational activities. These differences remained significant after adjusting for family and respondent characteristics.     

Some Variables in the Blue (Red) Phenomenon

The relation between spontaneous color choices and ratings of the prototypicality, conspicuousness, and pleasantness of colors was studied in a sample of Dutch college students. Pleasantness, not prototypicality or conspicuousness, determined the four most frequent spontaneous choices—red, blue, green, and purple. Subjects considered blue the most pleasant of the 12 colors studied, which suggests a pleasantness explanation for the “blue phenomenon” found in some countries. The predominance of red as a spontaneous choice replicated the results of previous studies in the Netherlands. Red also was rated highest in prototypicality but was not rated higher by red choosers than by choosers of other colors, so that a simple prototypicality explanation was rejected. Further analysis showed that the predominance of red as the spontaneous choice of Dutch subjects can be explained by an interaction between prototypicality and pleasantness: Subjects tended to choose red when they rated it highly on both variables.     

Liminality in Language Use: Some Thoughts on Interactional Analysis from a Dialogical Perspective

This essay traces my engagement with Michèle Grossen’s ideas of a dialogical perspective on interaction analysis (Grossen Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 1–22, 2009) and highlights a process account of self in interaction. Firstly I draw on Turner’s concept of liminality with respect to the transformative, temporal significance in interaction. Secondly I explored further the conversation analytic concepts such as formulation and reformulation as a viable analytical tool for a dialogical perspective. Lastly, I addressed the issue of interaction in institutional settings, in particular with interactional asymmetries of interaction, whilst relativising the I-position dialogical perspective. I explore insights from social anthropology as well as revisiting conversation analysis and discursive psychology, concluding that a promising direction would be sought through a cross-fertilisation between dialogism and other sibling perspectives concerning language use, communication, social action and discourse- and narrative-based analyses.     

Some Normal Extensions of K4.3

This paper proves the finite model property and the finite axiomatizability of a class of normal modal logics extending K4.3. The frames for these logics are those for K4.3, in each of which every point has a bounded number of irreflexive successors if it is after an infinite ascending chain of (not necessarily distinct) points.     

Viktor Frankl and Interactional Group Therapy

Although Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy concepts have been described as a basis for support groups and for small sharing groups, they have seldom been reported in the literature as a basis for the practice of interpersonal group psychotherapy. In this article the author overviews and outlines the treatment elements and dynamics of a Logotherapy approach to interpersonal group therapy. Clinical material is provided to give a flavor of the described treatment approach.