Father-daughter incest: An overview

The problem of father-daughter incest is discussed from the perspectives of the offender, mother, victim, and family. The literature is reviewed for areas of consensus and disagreement. Conclusions describe the state of the art of current knowledge and suggest areas for research and theory development.     

Decisional comprehensiveness and firm performance: towards a more complete understanding

Organizational prosperity and even survival can be threatened unless strategic decisions are made through an effective process. But what does an effective decision‐making process look like? Analysts and executives have struggled over the years to answer this question. Recently, however, empirical research has produced a consistent answer for one of the most fundamental aspects of strategic decision‐making: comprehensiveness. This recent work suggests that higher levels of comprehensiveness are positive for firms facing turbulent conditions but are irrelevant for firms facing stable conditions. While this consistency would seem to be positive, it presents a puzzle: Why are comprehensiveness and performance unrelated in stable environments? In such environments, problems generally believed to plague comprehensive decision‐making are less severe. The theory building and empirical results of the present research suggest a solution to the puzzle: comprehensiveness and performance exhibit a relationship more complex than previous studies have been designed to detect. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The familial menage-a-trois: Mother-daughter sexuality and father-daughter incest

It is proposed that poorly integrated sexual feelings between mother and daughter are frequent early precursors of later incestuous interactions between father and daughter. Father-daughter molestation may be seen as an enactment of erotic urges and fantasies between mother and daughter that find origin in pre-Oedipal, mother-child qualities of relatedness. The familial menage-a-trois is an intrapsychic and interpersonal compromise for mother and daughter between a more deeply disturbed and a more fully severed internal and external bond; it allows both partners enough distance from their dissociated feelings to feel safe, enough proximity to feel vicariously connected, and enough libidinization to maintain an alliance with the exciting object.     

Treatment of incest and pedophilic offenders: A pilot study

Twenty-nine incest and 22 heterosexual pedophilic offenders, under sentence, participated in a study of therapeutic outcome. Results showed the two groups were remarkably similar in their pretreatment level of psychosocial functioning. However, pedophiles had a significantly higher recidivism rate than incestuous men. Incest offenders, on the whole, changed most relative to single or married pedophiles. Pedophiles appeared more treatment resistant in dealing with their disturbed family relations, verbal hostility, irritability, and feelings of anger that, in part, underlie their sexual anomaly. At follow-up 36 months later, only 2 incest and 4 pedophilic men had recidivated. The discussion links these findings with earlier research and proposes a multimodal, group-oriented approach to treating sex offenders.     

Space and holding: Beginning pastoral counseling with incest victims

A case study of an adult victim of incest is considered in terms of space and holding, relying especially on the work of D. W. Winnicott. Reference is made to the effects of sexual abuse as reported in the literature. The situation is considered theologically in terms of evil and rage, holding, and character and faithfulness. Reference is made to Scripture and to character ethics. The pastoral counselor's own character is understood to be his/her primary resource in the therapy process.     

Evaluating comprehensiveness in personality systems: The California Q-Set and the five-factor model

The analysis of natural language trait names and questionnaire scales has suggested that the five factors of Neuroticism, Extroversion, Openness, Agreeable-ness, and Conscientiousness constitute an adequate taxonomy of personality An alternative approach to comprehensive personality assessment based on clinical judgments is given by the California Q-Set (CQS, Block, 1961) When self-Q-sorts from 403 adult men and women were factored, the five factors closely resembled those found in adjectives, and showed convergent and discriminant validity against self-reports and peer- and spouse-ratings on measures of the five-factor model Results were replicated when interviewer Q-sort ratings were examined for a subset of subjects These findings strongly support the claim to comprehensiveness of the five-factor model     

Eclecticism, integration and comprehensiveness in counselling theory and practice

A trend toward eclecticism and integration amongst counsellors and others is described. This is mainly prompted by the demands of practice. Eclecticism emphasises 'borrowing freely from various sources' while integration emphasises 'combining parts into a whole'. Integration can be either horizontal, within a theoretical position, or vertical, between theoretical positions. Four models of eclecticism and integration are presented: single theoretical position; supermarket eclectic; eclectic theory-integrative practice; and integrative theory and practice. Neither eclecticism nor integration guarantees comprehensiveness. Some dimensions of a comprehensive theoretical position are described. The lack of a sound, comprehensive and integrative theoretical position, focused on the developmental needs and problems of living of the vast majority of people, has negative implications for both counselling and counsellor training.     

Experimental and Behavioral Approaches to Alcoholism: Kongressrapport

Hypochondriasis is highly prevalent in medical settings, has detrimental effects for affected individuals, and is associated with high societal costs. Although cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of hypochondriasis, it is not widely available because of a lack of properly trained therapists. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate therapy forms that require less therapist time. The authors investigated the effect and economic impact of group CBT delivered in a psychiatric setting among 24 people with hypochondriasis. A within-group design with prolonged baseline was used, and all participants received 10 weeks of group-based treatment. The primary outcome measures were the Health Anxiety Inventory and the Illness Attitude Scales. Results indicate significant improvement on both measures at posttreatment and 6-month follow-up (Cohen's d = 1.03–1.72). Medical and nonmedical costs were substantially lowered. The authors conclude that group-based CBT delivered in a psychiatric setting is an effective and potentially highly cost-effective treatment for hypochondriasis.     

Alcoholism: etiologies proposed and therapeutic approaches tried

Alcohol, probably the most popular mood-altering drug, has frightening consequences when abused. Genetic factors and sociocultural influences contribute to alcoholic behavior. Study of endocrines, neurotransmitters, and neuropeptides may reveal biological markers to help identify those at risk for alcoholism. Drinking patterns are often based on the expectation of alcohol's mood-altering quality. The focus of treatment has expanded to include not only drinking behavior but also emotional, social, and vocational adjustment. Controlled drinking has proved effective for some, so that complete abstinence is no longer the sole goal of therapy. Behavioral, martial, group and individual, outpatient and inpatient therapy, and drugs as adjuncts, all help some alcoholics, but none is a cure for all. Answers still lag behind questions but researchers have registered some advances that challenge therapists to enlarge therapeutic approaches to fit the multifaceted picture of alcoholism.     

Alcoholism: A conflict of models

Adherents to the traditional model of alcoholism explain alcoholic behavior as a consequence of alcoholism. Alcoholism is identified as an unseen, unmeasured entity inherent in alcoholics. This concept parallels the thinking of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton, who believed in an unseen, unmeasurable creator behind the physical world. These traditional approaches contrast with the emergent model of alcoholism and twentieth-century scientific thought. Emergent scientific model adherents explain alcoholic behavior without resort to unseen factors. Since the traditional and emergent scientific models begin with different assumptions, model adherents experience communication difficulties. Future developments with determine which model will dominate the field of alcohol studies and treatment.