Generalized Quantum Theory: Overview and Latest Developments

The main formal structures of generalized quantum theory are summarized. Recent progress has sharpened some of the concepts, in particular the notion of an observable, the action of an observable on states (putting more emphasis on the role of proposition observables), and the concept of generalized entanglement. Furthermore, the active role of the observer in the structure of observables and the partitioning of systems is emphasized.     

On Understanding Worship in School Part Two: On worship and educating

This article continues a discussion begun in Part One. Together they re-examine the central thesis of Professor John Hull's (1975) book, School Worship, An Obituary, that the practice of worship in school is inappropriate. He attempted to establish his thesis through the analysis of the concept of education and of the concept of worship, and thus to show their essential incompatibility. Part One reviewed what an incompatibility might mean in the school context. After all, many diverse activities are pursued during the school day that, practically speaking, could not be done simultaneously in the same room. His thesis must be taken in the stronger form that, theoretically, the sense of education and the sense of worship are such that the two activities together are conceptually incoherent. The earlier article also reviewed his analysis of the concept of education. It questioned his definition and showed that it hinged on some of the dubious assumptions of an evidentialist philosophy. A better view of understanding and pedagogy might actually require the practise of worship in school. If it is the intention of our society to communicate the substance of religious life to the young, training them in worship may be the best, if not the only, way to do this. The features of education that Hull has identified have been selected for their rhetorical force. They appear to challenge what are assumed to be essential features of worship. Whether they do so in fact will depend on one's understanding of worship, but in what follows, his key assumptions about worship are put to the test and found wanting. Part Two, therefore, investigates Hull's understanding of worship. It finds that he believes a prior unconditional commitment to the belief 'God exists' is of the essence of worship. For him, it is this commitment that puts it at odds with education which he believes must scrutinise everything. The arguments against Hull here are designed to show that he is mistaken in his understanding of worship. Practices do not develop on the formation of belief systems first. Furthermore, religiously speaking, worship actually embraces a radical questioning. Finally, his assumption that there is a logical incompatibility in having an unconditional commitment and in embracing the practice of radical questioning is tested against the figure of Socrates. In the life of Socrates one can see how piety and educational practice belong together in such a way that one is the expression of the other. It is concluded that the nature of education and worship are at stake. These may have changed in such a way that they can no longer be pursued together. But there was a time when education flowered into worship, and worship found its substance in education. Hull's case concerning their intrinsic conceptual incoherence through philosophical analysis does not succeed. He has only shown us how our world has changed, and that, not necessarily for the better.     

On Understanding Worship in School. Part One: on schooling and education

As worship in school is currently a topic of public debate, it may be useful to re‐examine one of the influential books on the subject,School Worship, an Obituary, by Professor J.M. Hull, published in 1975. I shall argue that it was mistaken in important respects. His case for the abolition of worship in schools was made on essentially philosophical grounds. He sought not just to make the weak point that it is increasingly difficult to overcome many of the practical obstacles, but to make the stronger claim that the practice is conceptually incoherent. This is what makes his position a philosophical one and, as such, subject to philosophical scrutiny. One of the factors that appears to influence Hull's position is his conception of philosophy. Despite his careful analysis of the concepts of education and worship, at a critical point his account seems to rely on a form of philosophical evidential‐ism. In opposition to Hull, I take the view that this is a mistake. A more consistent, philosophical approach of conceptual clarification would have shown that there are various forms of education and that, in at least one case, it not only makes sense to worship as a part of the educational process, but that worship is of its essence as its motivation, substance and goal. The implication of this conclusion is that politicians are not intellectually confused in insisting on a form of education in which worship has an integral role. Whether it is practicable, socially desirable and politically reasonable in an increasingly secular and religiously plural society is quite another matter. Given the current state of society, one might conclude that the government should take a more pluralistic approach through its legislation. The government is there to serve a variety of communities and interests. One might reasonably argue that if the state‐school system is genuinely to serve this plural society there should be more scope for incorporating into the education system a diversity of practice. There might then be different schools with distinctive concepts of education, consistent with the needs and aspirations of the diverse communities and interests. In this part of the article I shall look particularly at the way in which schooling might accommodate a variety of activities and raise the question as to why worship might not be one of them. Hull's answer seems to hinge on the definition of worship and on the definition of education. The former I shall examine in Part Two, but here I shall seek to identify and examine that feature of education that Hull claims would exclude worship in school.     

Postpartum Depression: An Overview

Occurring in about 12% of postpartum women, postpartum depression has been the focus of considerable research. Variables that have been correlated with postpartum depression range from biological causes, to lack of social support, to relationship with husband, to attributional styles, to psychodynamic explanations. There is a need for a more circumscribed operational definition of the syndrome and norming of depression measures. It is also important to assess each person individually and to design interventions that focus on particular contributive factors.     

Observed-Score Equating: An Overview

In this paper, an overview of the observed-score equating (OSE) process is provided from the perspective of a unifying equating framework (von Davier in von Davier (Ed.), Statistical models for test equating, scaling, and linking, Springer, New York, pp. 1–17, 2011b). The framework includes all OSE approaches. Issues related to the test, common items, and sampling designs and their relationship to measurement and equating are discussed. Challenges to the equating process, model assumptions, and approaches to equating evaluation are also presented. The equating process is illustrated step-by-step with a real data example from a licensure test.     

Michael Balint: An Overview

Balint's important work extended over a period of 40 years in two directions; firstly the development of individual sexuality, and secondly, the development of object relationships, together with their relationship to psychoanalytical technique. He introduced the concept of primary love and was one of the pioneers in the thinking of the interdependence of mother and infant. He extended Ferenczi's work on therapeutic regression, introducing the concepts, among others, of benign and malignant regression, the basic fault, and the states of ocnophilia and philobatism. His applied psychoanalytic work is world famous, particularly the Balint groups for general practitioners and similar groups for marital therapists, social workers, and psychosexual counselors.     

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice in Mental Health Service Settings: An Overview of Developments in Implementation Theory and Research

Twenty years after Sobell’s (1996) influential call to integrate advances in behavior therapy into clinical settings, significant progress has been made in implementation science. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of implementation research findings and highlight recent findings that can inform efforts to bridge the gap between research and practice in mental health service settings. Key findings are summarized, organized according to levels of influence described in two implementation frameworks: The Exploration, Planning, Implementation, and Sustainment Framework (EPIS; Aarons et al., 2011) and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR; Damschroder et al., 2009). Important levels of influence to consider when implementing new treatments include the outer context, inner context, characteristics of the individual, and characteristics of the innovation. Research on strategies to prepare clinicians to deliver evidence-based psychosocial treatments (EBPTs) and to address contextual barriers to implementation at each level is described, with discussion of implications for the implementation of EBPTs and next steps for research.     

The Employability Inventory: An Overview

the background, development, content and validation of the Employability Inventory, an instrument designed to assess knowledge of job seeking, job retention, and job success. Usefulness of the inventory in both counseling and education.     

Herbaceuticals: An Overview for Counselors

As more and more people are using unregulated herbaceuticals worldwide, counselors need to be alert to the types of herbs clients may be taking; the effects, side effects, and drug interactions associated with different herbaceuticals; and the ethical implications of treating a client who is taking herbaceuticals. This article provides an overview of the psychological, physiological, cultural, and legal issues associated with herbaceuticals and introduces some of the emerging ethical issues.     

Counseling Mexican American Seniors: An Overview

This article examines assessment and counseling techniques that correspond to the sociocultural framework of Mexican American seniors. Acculturation, familial, and adaptation themes are delineated for ensuring appropriate interventions. Case vignettes elucidate these perspectives.