A group‐randomized evaluation of a theatre‐based sexual abuse prevention programme for primary school children in Germany

The study reports a group‐randomized trial of a theatre‐based intervention to prevent sexual abuse targeting first and second grade primary school children in Germany. A sample of 148 first and second graders saw a live performance of a play designed to promote skills in dealing with abuse‐prone interactions with adults, watched a recording of the play on DVD or were assigned to a no intervention control group. Both the live performance and the DVD groups showed significant increases in the target variables (distinguishing good/bad touch and secrets, getting help, rejecting unwanted touch) from baseline to post‐intervention and a follow‐up after 2 weeks, while the control group did not show changes. The live performance and DVD groups participated in a further follow‐up 30 weeks post‐intervention, which showed sustained effects of the intervention. The findings indicate that with appropriately culture‐sensitive measures, sexual abuse prevention programmes can have sustainable effects with young primary school children. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Changes in personality in pre‐ and post‐dialectical behaviour therapy borderline personality disorder groups: A question of self‐control

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is an evidence‐based therapy for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Past research has identified behavioural changes indicating improved functioning for people who undergo DBT. To date, however, there has been little research investigating the underlying mechanism of change. The present study utilised a between‐subjects design and self‐report questionnaires of Self‐Control and the five factor model of personality and drew participants from a metropolitan DBT program. We found that pre‐treatment participants were significantly lower on Self‐Control, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness when compared to both the post‐treatment assessment and the norms for each questionnaire. Neuroticism was significantly higher both before and after treatment when compared to the norms. These findings suggest that Self‐Control may play a role in both the presentation of this disorder and the effect of DBT. High levels of Neuroticism lend weight to the Linehan biosocial model of BPD development.     

Tele‐analysis: the use of media technology in psychotherapy and its impact on the therapeutic relationship

A growing number of approaches in psychotherapy make use of internet‐ and other media‐based interactions. This paper discusses the impact on the therapist‐client relationship of using media technology and gives an overview of the current state of the debate. It is suggested that the technical conditions of internet‐based interactions produce new forms of social relationships that differ significantly from face‐to‐face‐interactions and that unconscious, nonverbal cues get lost. Research on the therapeutic interaction making use of ‘discourse linguistic’ methods is presented. The loss of nonverbal cues has implications for psychotherapy in general and especially for the treatment of patients who have difficulties relying on a secure therapeutic relationship. Emotional security in interactional relationships is transmitted to a much greater extent by nonverbal cues than by verbal content; psychoanalytic methods are specialized to refer to this level of interaction. Two alternative scenarios are discussed based on the psychoanalytic theories of Winnicott and Lacan: the risk of an illusionary, idealized image of the other and the possibility that cyberspace can be used for psychological development as a transitional space.