Certain Effects of Mescaline and Lysergic Acid on Psychological Functions

An experiment was performed to determine whether or not changes in field dependence could be obtained under laboratory-produced stress conditions: i.e., body rotation. Two treatments and one control group were employed. Subjects in the first group were given the Rod and Frame Test; and, after a delay, they were spun and retested immediately after rotation (immediate-test group). Subjects in another group were given the Rod and Frame Test, were rotated ; and given the Rod and Frame Test after a delay of 10 minutes (delay-test group). Subjects in the control group were given the Rod and Frame Test and then given the Rod and Frame Test after a 15-minute delay. Subjects in both the immediate-test group and control group showed a decrease in field dependence, with the immediate-test group showing a slightly greater decrease than did the control group. Subjects in the delay-test group did not show a decrease in field dependence. Contrary to expectation, in no case was there a mean increase in field dependence. The results indicate the possibility of a normal decrease in field dependence with readministration of the Rod and Frame Test after a short lapse of time.     

Understanding and Assisting Couples Affected by an Eating Disorder

This article reviews the existing literature on heterosexual intimate relationships in which the female partner has an eating disorder. These couples often have trouble in a number of areas, including communication, sexual functioning, relational boundaries, and emotional health. Not only do these problems contribute to lower rates of relational satisfaction but they also affect a woman's chances for recovery. An understanding of this literature can inform family therapy practice. Recommendations are offered for those who provide counseling to these couples.     

False Memories for an Analogue Trauma: Does Thought Suppression Help or Hinder Memory Accuracy?

In the current study, we investigated whether suppression can produce an amplified memory for a traumatic experience. Participants viewed a distressing film depicting a multi‐fatality car accident. We broke the film down into several short clips, some of which were removed. After viewing the film, we instructed participants to (i) suppress and monitor film‐related thoughts, (ii) think freely and monitor film‐related thoughts or (iii) just think freely. Twenty‐four hours later, participants completed a recognition test. Memory distortion was comparable across conditions; however, suppression and monitoring of trauma‐related thoughts removed the typical bias to falsely remember the most critical and traumatic clips of the film over the least critical clips. Our data suggest that suppression may be effective in reducing trauma‐related cognitions and, therefore, does not predict a more ‘amplified’ memory for trauma. Instead, suppression and thought monitoring encourage an unbiased, although inaccurate, memory for trauma.Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Remembering the names of unfamiliar animals: keywords as keys to their kingdom

Three experiments were conducted in which the face – name mnemonic technique was applied to learning the names of unfamiliar animals. In all three experiments, mnemonically instructed students outperformed ‘own best method’ controls on animal name‐recognition tests when prompted by the animals' pictures. In addition, mnemonic students remembered more animal names than did controls when they were shown previously unseen variations of the studied animals (Experiments 2 and 3). The present results illustrate the effectiveness of associative mnemonic strategies in facilitating people's memory for unfamiliar pictorial stimuli in both their original and varied representations. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Alpha-1 Association Genetic Counseling Program: An Innovative Approach to Service

In an era of specialty medicine, genetic counselors are becoming increasingly focused in their service provision. The Alpha-1 Association Genetic Counseling Program, established in September 2007, specializes in confidential toll-free genetic counseling provided by a certified genetic counselor for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency, a co-dominant condition associated with lung and/or liver disease. The program received more than 600 callers in its first 2 years. Sixty-seven percent of new callers were family members, carriers, or health professionals. The number of callers increased between the first 2 years, with the greatest increases being family members and health professionals. Testing options and explanation of results encompassed 60% of initial reasons for calls. Seventy-two percent of referrals came from family and friends, test result letters, and the Alpha-1 Association. Between year 1 and 2 family member referrals showed the largest increase. This disease-specific genetic counseling program provides a model that may be useful for other rare disease communities.     

Rethinking safety behaviors in insomnia: examining the perceived utility of sleep-related safety behaviors

Harvey's cognitive model of insomnia (2002a) proposes that sleep-related safety behaviors play a central role in the maintenance of insomnia because such maladaptive coping strategies are thought to reinforce threat-based appraisals of the likelihood and consequences of poor sleep. Research to date has assessed the frequency of safety behavior use in those with insomnia only; however, in addition to the frequency of occurrence, the function of safety behaviors (i.e., a belief that they will prevent a feared outcome from occurring), may be an important consideration. The purpose of this study was to examine sleep-related safety behaviors based on an expanded theoretical understanding of such behaviors across psychological disorders; that is, by examining both their frequency and perceived utility. Undergraduate students (N = 376) completed an online survey about their sleep, mood, and use of sleep-related safety behaviors. Insomnia severity was associated with a greater perceived need to use safety behaviors (i.e., utility) but not with frequency of safety behavior use. Higher perceived utility of safety behaviors was also associated with unhelpful beliefs about sleep, fear and avoidance of fatigue, and both general and sleep-specific helplessness. These results suggest that these behaviors and the associated underlying maladaptive beliefs may be important targets in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. The current study extends the existing literature and refines the concept of safety behaviors in insomnia to include both the function and frequency of these behaviors.