Changing age patterns of U.S. male and female suicide rates, 1934-1983

Changes in the age patterns of U.S. male and female suicide rates from 1934 to 1983 are examined, using official suicide data. Among whites, the age patterns of male and female suicide rates have become less concordant since about 1960. In contrast, the age patterns of nonwhite male and female suicide rates have become more concordant since the mid-1950s. A review of sociological theories of suicide identifies problems in accounting for such changes--problems stemming in part from what has been a theoretical emphasis on cross-sectional relations.     

A demographic analysis of suicide among U.S. Navy personnel

Age-, sex-, race-, and employment-adjusted standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for sailors committing suicide between 1990 and 1996 and compared with adjusted SMRs for civilians. Cluster analyses were conducted on annual rates from 1983 through 1995 to examine differences between comparison groups across time and location. Results showed fewer than expected suicides for Caucasian and African American males and a somewhat higher than expected suicide rate among other ethnic group males and among Caucasian women. The suicide rate showed an increase during the study period, with some evidence toward a clustering effect in time and space.     

Tracking a movement: U.S. milestones in suicide prevention

Suicidology and suicide prevention are relatively new fields of study in the United States, but they have made significant progress since their beginnings. This study aimed to identify the most impactful theories in the history of science and suicidology and the most impactful events in the suicide prevention movement. These theories and events were identified through expert nomination. The most impactful theories were those of Shneidman, Durkheim, and Joiner. The most impactful events included the opening of the first suicide prevention center and hotline, the founding of the American Association of Suicidology, and national publications (e.g., National Strategy for Suicide Prevention).     

U.S. Employment Service: First 50 Years, 1933–1983

This article reviews some of the landmarks and trends during the first 50 years of the U.S. Employment Service. It was originally written as the introductory chapter of a longer paper, “The Occupational Information Needs and Functions of the Employment Security-Job Service,” which was submitted at the request of the Occupational Coordinating Council, Washington, D.C., March 1980. The purpose of the chapter was to describe the role and functions of the Employment Service and to show how the service could become more relevant during an age of computerized employment service operations involving highspeed electronic communications and retrieval systems. Under the Reagan administration, much of the federal-state employment service has been systematically dismantled. The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) has been repealed and with it, large parts of the research, development, and counseling capacities have been wiped out. Only the great “supply side” depression of 1980–1983 saved the entire system from being demolished.     

An analysis of U.S. parachuting fatalities: 2000-2004

Between 2000 and 2004, 125 recreational parachuting fatalities were reported in the USA. Each was categorized using a previously reported taxonomy. While patterns of skydiving fatality were largely unchanged since the last such analysis of fatalities from 1993-1999, some variations were noted. As in previous analyses, most of the recent skydiving fatalities were the direct result of human error. Some examples of commonplace human error fatalities were turning low to the ground resulting in a hard landing, accidentally colliding with other skydivers resulting in entangled parachutes, and failure to deploy the reserve parachute correctly in the event of malfunctioning main parachute.     

Attitudes toward suicide: a comparison of Canadian and U.S. college students

The Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) was administered to two samples (n = 100 each) of college students, one from Canada and one from the United States. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated substantial intergroup differences, but no sex differences. Univariate analyses indicated significant differences on 8 of the 15 SOQ factors, suggesting that Canadian college students perceive suicide as part of everyday life, not to be explained by recourse to religious, personality, or psychopathological constructs. The results are discussed in terms of six themes present in the suicide literature: motivation, acceptability, religion, impulsivity, recidivism, and misconceptions. Speculation is also provided regarding why such differences (despite considerable similarities) might exist.     

Characterological psychology and German political economy in the Weimar period (1919-1933)

In the mid-1920s, applied (and theoretical) psychologists in many countries turned from studying elementary abilities to studying character or personality. This article examines this shift within the offices of the German labor administration, which aimed to place all German youths in appropriate jobs. Contrary to recent works on the history of psychology, which have emphasized the importance of cultural context, this article explains the turn to characterology in terms of German industry's evolving production strategies. As German companies developed a niche in flexible production, they came to value the highly skilled worker, who needed such character qualities as reliability, diligence, and conscientiousness. The article thus argues that historical analyses of applied, and perhaps even theoretical, psychology should also consider political economy as a potentially important context.     

The great escape: World War II, neo-freudianism, and the origins of U.S. psychocultural analysis

Psychocultural analysis stands as a signal accomplishment of the 1930s U.S. assimilation of European refugee-intellectuals. Scholars in the U.S. had been moving toward a kind of psychocultural analysis well in advance of the Great Migration--the U.S. was not an intellectual vacuum or wasteland--nevertheless, it was through their interdisciplinary collaboration, fueled by the specter of war, that these international peers stimulated one of the most wide-ranging, dynamic, and productive exchanges of ideas of the century. Through the lens of Erich Fromm's Escape from Freedom, this article explores psychoculturalism's emergence in the interstices between cultures, nations, ideas, and disciplines--between Europeans and Americans, psychoanalysts and social scientists.     

美国经济: 现状分析、走势研判及影响预测

根据美国目前的实际经济状况和美国经济进入衰退期的几个特征 ,以及反恐怖斗争等特殊因素 ,我们认为 ,可以把美国的此次经济衰退看成是一种经济体系的战略性调整。这种调整既是美国经济周期性发展的必然结果 ,也是进行反恐怖斗争等特殊需要使然 ,在调整期内 ,经济低速增长甚至负增长 ,呈衰退疲软状 ;调整的持续时间将长达 3- 5年。而美国个人消费的萎缩、美元强势地位的动摇以及美国政府干预经济的强化等新动向将对美国经济乃至整个世界经济都将产生深远的影响。对此 ,中国应及早作出有效的因应对策     

Psychology in the public sector: addressing the psychological effects of combat in the U.S. Navy

The response of military psychology in times of war or other great public crises may presage the success of the profession in less perilous times. The ability of public-sector psychologists to provide assistance and improve the common welfare during conflict or turmoil is generally followed by an increased demand for psychological services. This likely reflects the success of the psychological response during those crises, and it underscores the fact that psychological consequences of war or disaster require both immediate clinical attention and long-term policy development. The U.S. Navy serves as a model for public-sector psychological service provision. A brief history of Navy psychology is provided, followed by an examination of how Navy psychologists are responding to the issues raised by the current conflict in the Middle East and the problems associated with stigma in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.     

浅析基督教对美国废奴和民权运动的推动作用

已往对美国的废奴运动的研究,大都是从美国北方资本主义工商业的蓬勃发展和落后的南方大量使用奴隶的种植园经济之间的矛盾展开的.当然,研究者也肯定了黑人的觉醒和斗争以及进步白人反对奴隶制的行动.     

Development of infant prehension handedness: A longitudinal analysis during the 6- to 14-month age period

Handedness is a developmental phenomenon that becomes distinctively identifiable during infancy. Although infant hand-use preferences sometimes have been reported as unstable, other evidence demonstrates that infant hand-use preference for apprehending objects can be reliably assessed during the second half of the infant's first year of life. The current study provides further insight into the stability of prehension preferences. We modeled individual and group level patterns of prehension handedness during the period from 6 to 14 months of age. We examined the developmental trajectories for prehension handedness in relation to the sampling rate at which preferences are assessed. The results revealed interesting developmental changes in prehension handedness that can only be identified when using monthly sampling intervals. We conclude that using non-linear multilevel models of infant handedness with monthly sampling intervals permit us to accurately capture the developmental changes in manual skills that occur during this period of infancy.     

The Coping Paradox: Work,Stress, and Coping in the U.S. Army

The military environment has unique stressors. This study investigates the types of stressors, appraisals, and coping responses of U.S. soldiers and their leaders. A qualitative analysis of interviews indicates that the traditional coping buffers of social drinking and seeking social support from fellow soldiers, family, and leaders can potentially serve as sources of stress. While this paradox may be a result of the unique types of stressors in the military work environment, these results should direct researchers to better understand individuals' perceptions and appraisals of stress, with a focus on the meaning of stress, given contextual factors inherent in the workplace. The findings are discussed in relation to the literature on the impact of stress on physical and psychological health.     

Preventing suicide through improved training in suicide risk assessment and care: an American Association of Suicidology Task Force report addressing serious gaps in U.S. mental health training

There are twice as many suicides as homicides in the United States, and the suicide rate is rising. Suicides increased 12% between 1999 and 2009. Mental health professionals often treat suicidal patients, and suicide occurs even among patients who are seeking treatment or are currently in treatment. Despite these facts, training of most mental health professionals in the assessment and management of suicidal patients is surprisingly limited. The extant literature regarding the frequency with which mental health professionals encounter suicidal patients is reviewed, as is the prevalence of training in suicide risk assessment and management. Most importantly, six recommendations are made to address the longstanding insufficient training within the mental health professions regarding the assessment and management of suicidal patients.     

Characteristics and VA health care utilization of U.S. Veterans who completed suicide in Oregon between 2000 and 2005

Oregon Violent Death Reporting System data were linked with Veterans Affairs (VA) administrative data to identify and describe veterans who completed suicide in Oregon from 2000 to 2005 (n = 968), and to describe their VA health care utilization in the year prior to death. Twenty-two percent had received health care in the VA system. Of these, 57% did not have mental health diagnoses and 58% had not seen mental health professionals. A larger proportion of those who accessed care were VA-enrolled and received service-connected disability benefits. Fifty-five veterans were hospitalized during the year prior to death. Of these, 33% completed suicide within 30 days of a hospitalization. Further development of suicide prevention strategies for veterans in the community, including general medical treatment settings, is indicated.