Emotion regulation difficulties in anorexia nervosa: Relationship to self-perceived sensory sensitivity

Changes in sensation (e.g., prickly skin) are crucial constituents of emotional experience, and the intensity of perceived changes has been linked to emotional intensity and dysregulation. The current study examined the relationship between sensory sensitivity and emotion regulation among adults with anorexia nervosa (AN), a disorder characterised by disturbance in the experience of the body. Twenty-one individuals with AN, 20 individuals with AN who were weight–restored, and 23 typical controls completed self-report measures of sensory sensitivity and emotion regulation. AN participants reported heightened sensory sensitivity and greater difficulty regulating emotions relative to controls. Self-perceived sensory sensitivity was associated with greater emotion dysregulation. Weight-restored AN participants reported greater ability to regulate emotions than their currently underweight counterparts, despite heightened sensitivity. Findings suggest that hypersensitivity may be a persisting feature in AN, and that weight restoration may involve improved ability to cope with sensation.     

Interpreting Dreams: Joseph, Freud and the Judaic Tradition

This essay focuses upon the biblical texts concerning Joseph, in order to review the moral, cultural, and historical differences in approaches to dreams.     

Long-term effects of intensive treatment for a client with both a cluttering and stuttering disorder

This study presents data on the effects of an intensive smooth speech treatment program for stuttering on the speech and psychological status of a man, aged 21 years who stuttered and who was also diagnosed as a clutterer (S 29). Stuttering was mild to moderate (7% syllables stuttered) (%SS) and consisted mostly of rapid repetitions with an occasional block. The client had stuttered since the age of 5 years. Initial rate could not be determined with accuracy due to its irregularity and speed, but was estimated to be between 260 to 300 syllables per minute (SPM). Speech was also characterized by irregular quick bursts that were often unintelligible. There was no evidence of abnormal psychological traits. However, a higher than normal level of negative communication attitudes was evidenced. An intensive 3-week smooth speech program designed to reduce and control stuttering was initiated. It was believed the training, which involved rate control, would control the cluttering symptoms as well. After successful completion of the program, stuttering was greatly reduced, and the gains were maintained after 10 months. Speech rate was reduced to normal levels and was also maintained at the 10-month follow-up. Negative attitudes to communication, furthermore, were greatly reduced both in the short- and long-term. Consequently the cluttering symptoms after treatment were minimal. This case study suggests that an intensive treatment for stuttering, which contains rate control, can also be a successful treatment for cluttering, at least for those who also stutter.     

Looking as a Measure of Attraction1

Byrne's reinforcement theory of attraction is almost exclusively based upon studies that use the Interpersonal Judgment Scale (IJS) as their measure of attraction. The present study used Byrne's general experimental procedure but employed an unobtrusive “looking” measure of attraction as well as the more familiar IJS measure. The degree of attitude similarity between women subjects and a female stranger was not significantly related to the IJS measure of attraction but was significantly related to the proportion of looking time measure (p < .01). This was true for both subjects who verbalized and did not verbalize awareness of the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent measures of the study.     

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES FOR YOUTH

Youth unemployment has remained a social and economic problem for over a quarter of a century. Experience in the U.S. Employment Service and in schools and other agencies in the community indicates that special advocates, i.e., youth employment specialists, are needed to work with youth and employers if young people are to get their full share of the job opportunities and are to achieve maximum utilization of their talents as new entrants into the labor market.     

A demonstration of auto-shaping with monkeys

The Brown-Jenkins auto-shaping procedure for pigeons was found applicable to monkeys. Repeated pairings of lighted keys with reinforcement generated key-pressing behavior. The animals rapidly learned a simultaneous light-dark discrimination. The topographies of key-pressing and magazine behavior differed; the food tray was not illuminated.