Preventing depression: A review of cognitive-behavioral and family interventions

Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders. It is associated with tremendous costs in terms of suffering, decrease in productivity, and loss of life. For many individuals, depression is a disorder that will recur throughout life. Recent findings suggest that the prevalence of depression is on the rise, particularly in young people. Clearly, depression prevention is an important goal. Can depression be prevented? In this article we review research on interventions designed to prevent episodes and symptoms of unipolar depression in adults and children. Our review focuses specifically on cognitive-behavioral and family interventions. We discuss what researchers have learned about the prevention of depression and conclude with recommendations for future investigations.     

Masculinity and Self‐Esteem in Israeli Jewish Professional Women 1

The literature suggests that while women experience unique challenges with self‐esteem and self‐acceptance, Jewish professional women in Israel face additional challenges in balancing majority culture values, ethnic traditions, and the socio‐historical‐political context of the country. The present study investigated differences in masculinity, femininity, locus of control, self‐esteem, and self‐acceptance among Israeli Jewish and other professional women, including professional women scientists. Masculinity scores were significantly lower for Israeli Jewish women, and self‐acceptance scores were significantly lower for Israeli Jewish women than for the group of professional women.     

Achieving congruence between employee interests and county jobs: a win‐win proposition

Assisting employees to explore internal job switches rather than leaving an organization is a positive measure aimed at enhancing employee retention and job satisfaction. This article describes how a municipal county government used J. L. Holland's (1992) occupational classification system to help employees achieve congruence between their interests and their job requirements.     

A Review of Mortality Research on Clergy and Other Religious Professionals

An exhaustive literature search was undertaken to find studies on mortality rates among clergy. A total of twelve studies, published between 1959 and 2000, were identified that examined mortality among American and European clergy. All but one of the reports found lower all-cause death rates for clergy compared to the people in general population of similar age. Protestant ministers consistently were found to have more than a 25% mortality advantage in various studies. Catholic nuns had a mortality advantage of roughly 20%–25%, whereas the mortality advantage of Catholic priests was just over 10%. Possible factors contributing to the lower death rates of clergy are discussed.     

Contemporary Environmental Ethics From Metaethics to Public Philosophy

In the past thirty years environmental ethics has emerged as one of the most vibrant and exciting areas of applied philosophy. Several journals and hundreds of books testify to its growing importance inside and outside philosophical circles. But with all of this scholarly output, it is arguably the case that environmental ethics is not living up to its promise of providing a philosophical contribution to the resolution of environmental problems. This article surveys the current state of the field and offers an alternative path for the future development of environmental ethics toward a more publicly engaged model of applied philosophy.     

White Racism and Suboptimal Psychological Functioning Among White Americans: Implications for Counseling and Prejudice Prevention

This study examined the causal relationships between anxiety, racism, and self‐esteem in a sample of White graduate and undergraduate students (N = 169). The results indicated that level of anxiety had a direct effect on anti‐Black attitudes, which, in turn, had a direct effect on self‐esteem. Implications for counseling interventions aimed at preventing prejudice among Whites are discussed. Este estudio examinó las relaciones causales entre la ansiedad, el racismo, y el auto‐estima en un grupo de estudiantes graduados y estudiantes de bachillerato Blancos (N = 169). Los resultados indicaron que el nivel de ansiedad tuvo un efecto directo en las actitudes anti‐Negras, que en torno tuvo un efecto directo en el auto‐estima. Las implicaciones para las intervenciones de consejería dirigidas a prevenir el prejuicio entre los Blancos son discutidas.     

Dystonien

A fruitless debate as to whether dystonias are an organic or psychogenic condition has dominated the scientific approach to psychiatric issues in dystonias. E.g., spasmodic torticollis (ST) was once considered “neurotic”, whereas today rather the notion of reactive psychiatric disorders in ST prevails. In our review current clinical and etiological findings in this area are presented focussed on spasmodic torticollis in order to discuss the extent and quality of psychiatric comorbidity as well as the interaction between psychological and somatic factors. Finally, typical clinical cases are presented and discussed within a multidimensional psychotherapeutic and a psychoanalytically-oriented treatment approach.     

A tempest, a birth, and death: Freud, Jung, and Shakespeare’sPericles

This essay applies a Freudian psychoanalytic and Jungian archetypal narrative analysis to Shakespeare’s first and oft-criticized romance. The author argues that key structural and thematic elements ofPericles are best illuminated when viewed through a psychological interpretative lens, and that the play is best comprehended when examined in the context of its associative, rather than linear, richness. Masculinity and femininity, central themes of the narrative, are explored both in relation to the Oedipal complex and psychological individuation.Pericles also provides an excellent basis to examine key differences between Freud’s and Jung’s approach, particularly Jung’s widening of the primarily sexual psychoanalytic approach to encompass broader archetypal meaning.