Ethical Issues in Observational Family Research

Ethical issues raised by the increasing reliance on observational technology in family research are discussed. The tensions between scientific advancement and participant welfare are highlighted by delineating the process of observational research and the nature of the relationship between family scientists and the families they study. Guidelines are proposed for ethical decision making regarding potential child abuse, suicidality, informed consent, confidentiality, and debriefing.     

Methodological Issues in Treatment Research for Anxiety Disorders in Youth

This article identifies and addresses three methodological domains relevant to the treatment of anxiety disorders in youth: (a) procedural matters, (b) the assessment of anxious distress, and (c) the analysis of treatment-produced change. Procedural topics include the need to manualize treatment, have diversity among participants and comparability of the duration of treatment and control conditions, and control for medication status. Multiple-method measurement issues include child and parent reports, observations, and structured interviewing. Our examination of change issues considers comorbidity, analyzing the intent-to-treat sample, treatment spillover, and clinical as well as statistical significance. Problems are identified and potential ameliorative strategies are offered.     

Methodological Issues in Psychology of Religion Research in the Chinese Context

The present study investigates methodological issues in psychology of religion in Mainland China. Beginning with an overview of Western and Eastern scholars’ representative views on methodological issues relative to psychology of religion, this essay then analyzes the distinctive Chinese cultural background in terms of influences exerted by mainstream ideology, opportunities provided by the goal of building a harmonious society, and the real demand for the development of psychology of religion. Finally, this study puts forward several methodological strategies for constructing a Chinese psychology of religion including advanced theoretical research to strengthen the basis of research methods in Chinese psychology of religion; understanding more precisely the basis of constructing localized methods with Chinese features; and encouraging exploration on diversification and promotion of methodological innovation for psychology of religion in China.     

论家系遗传学研究中的伦理问题

在家系遗传学研究中,尊重个人同意是首要原则,家族同意是个人同意的有益补充.家族成员间的利益冲突导致了基因保密权与知情权的冲突,保护个人基因隐私的同时需兼顾其他成员的利益.利益分配应平等惠及家族所有成员.在当前形势下,立法保护与提高基因技术水平尚需时日,可行方法是建设家系资源库并规范管理.     

Research With the Draw-A-Person Test: Conceptual and Methodological Issues

A number of methodological, statistical, and conceptual problems are inherent in research with the Draw-A-Person Test (DAP). These difficulties invalidate the theoretical position that an individual's gender-role identification is reflected in the sex of the figure drawn. The complexity of these problems affects the evaluation of the DAP and illustrates the need for multiple approaches to its interpretation.     

Personality in Cultural Context: Methodological Issues

Methodological issues in cultural and cross-cultural personality research are described. A taxonomy of these studies is presented, based on whether a study is exploratory or tests hypotheses, and whether or not contextual information is measured. Core methodological issues are bias and equivalence: a taxonomy and a brief overview of statistical procedures to examine equivalence are presented, with a focus on procedures for assessing structural equivalence (i.e., similarity of meaning of an instrument across cultures). Examples are given of studies in which cultural and cross-cultural approaches, often seen as antithetical, have been fruitfully integrated. Finally, multilevel models are described in which personality characteristics are examined at individual and cultural level.     

Attention in Children: Conceptual and Methodological Issues

This commentary discusses conceptual and methodological issues in the assessment of attention in children. The five articles in this special issue are important advances in the study of attention in children with brain-related disorders. They provide important guidelines for future studies in this area: specification of the underlying model of attention, selection of tasks according to the model, and the use of multiple tasks in well-defined clinical populations.     

Operationalizing Family Resilience: A Methodological Strategy

This article explores several research design and analysis strategies for examining family resilience, and presents a strategy argued to reflect the process-oriented nature of this construct. We advocate a quantitative, longitudinal strategy, sensitive to both the context of a family and the unique stressor being examined. Our strategy was tested with longitudinal data, assessing transitions relating to the birth of a first child. Challenges connected with this model are presented, as well as clinical implications and directions for future research. Identifying differing resilience trajectories which families exhibit in response to stress may aid in identifying factors instrumental in shaping those trajectories.     

Methodological Issues in the Assessment of Traumatic Events1

Three sets of challenges in assessing traumatic events are discussed: Understanding the sequelae of such events and their implications for the timing of longitudinal data collection; obtaining information on the objective severity of such crises for the individuals affected; and determining the social and environmental context in which such extreme situations occur. Given the complexity of events that ensue from a traumatic experience and the need to understand their mental health consequences, a semistructured approach to measurement is recommended.     

Sequential Patterning in Family Interaction: A Methodological Note

Participation rates have traditionally been used to indicate certain aspects of family and group structure. A recently reported indicator is the predictability of sequences of speakers in ongoing interaction; investigators have assumed that the greater the predictability the greater the rigidity, organization or structure of the group. We have examined one method, reported by Haley, for analyzing participation sequences and have shown that findings from the sequential analysis mix the effects of aggregate participation rates with the clustering of participation in time. We suggest an alternate method for measuring the predictability of sequences of speeches that can be more clearly interpreted and that, in combination with other measures, can provide findings which are more complex and more directly relevant to theories of family organization.     

Methodological Problems in Attitude Research

Abstract

Young, K., Personality and Problems of Adjustment. New York: Crofts, 1940. Pp. 868. Reviewed by Louise Bates Ames.     

积极效应研究的几个方法学问题

社会情绪选择理论从时间知觉和动机的角度推论老年人的情绪加工有积极效应; 即与年轻人相比, 老年人更偏向于加工积极刺激而回避消极刺激。但是, 关于积极效应的实证研究有诸多不一致之处。分析近年相关研究的设计细节, 验证积极效应的研究多采用年轻和老年两个年龄组的对照, 而采用3个以上年龄组被试的研究结果不一致; 积极效应在东方文化下的应用研究结论也不一致; 多样化的情绪刺激、情绪分类和刺激呈现方式是各研究结论差异的重要原因, 而且积极效应研究应区分“情绪偏向”和“情绪效应”两种年龄组评价方式。因此, 今后研究需要尽可能地扩大年龄范围以确认积极效应出现时间、加强跨文化、跨地区比较以验证积极效应的普适性, 并提高研究中所用刺激材料的生态效度, 深入探索积极效应的普遍性与神经机制。     

A Methodological Study of a Measure of Family Cohesion

Olson, Bell, and Portner ( 11 ) have recently developed a measure of family adaptability and cohesion (The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales). This study is a critical evaluation of the construction of the cohesion subscale of this instrument. Included is a partial replication of the original work of Olson et al. ( 11 ). Some problems with this subscale and its construction are pointed out, and a subset of the original items is presented and discussed. Some implications of these results for the conceptualization of the nature of family cohesion are also discussed.     

中西医结合研究未来发展的方法学思考

中医科学化是中西医结合研究的重要任务.然而,50多年试图从物质的角度阐释中医理论的研究,并没有拉近中医和科学的距离.对科学的误读可能是其原因之一.通过不断的实践,实现自我纠错,是科学的核心价值观.因此,运用西医建立的临床论证方法,实现对中医理论的去伪存真,应是中西医结合研究的发展方向.     

基于反应时的人格内隐测量及其方法学的思考

人格测量的热点已经转向内隐层面,以反应时为基础的内隐人格测量方法不断推陈出新,如多因素特质内隐联结测验、个人化内隐联结测验、内隐联结程序、单目标词内隐联结测验等,它们从不同侧面丰富了内隐人格测量的方法,深化了内隐人格的理论建构。但新的问题也不断出现,如内隐测量的表征是无意识的吗？内隐测量能避免社会赞许性等动机的影响吗？内隐测量的表征是高度稳定的吗？内隐测量是过程纯净的吗？内隐人格测量可以防止作伪吗？文章回顾了内隐人格测量的相关理论及有关的研究,对这些问题进行了初步的思考