Symptoms of depression,relational quality,and loneliness in dating relationships

This study tested the hypothesis that symptoms of depression are negatively related to relational quality, which in turn is negatively related to feelings of loneliness among members of dating couples. Potential sex differences in the magnitude of association between depressive symptoms and relational quality, and potential emotional contagion of depressive symptoms within dyads, were also explored. One hundred and one dating couples completed the Oral History Interview along with other measures of relational quality, depressive symptoms, and loneliness. Results for both males and females indicated that depressive symptoms were negatively associated with relational quality and that relational quality was negatively associated with loneliness. The association between symptoms of depression and poor relational quality was similar for females and males. There was no evidence suggestive of emotional contagion in these dating couples. Implications of these findings and their potential limitations are discussed.     

Using the analysis of covariance to increase the power of priming experiments.

Although priming paradigms are widely used in cognitive psychology, the statistical analyses typically applied to priming data may not be optimal. Conceiving of priming paradigms as change-from-baseline designs suggests that the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), using baseline performance as the covariate, is a more efficient (i.e., powerful) analysis. Specifically, ANCOVA provides more powerful tests of 1) the presence of priming and 2) between-group differences in priming. In addition, for within-subject designs with multiple baseline conditions, ANCOVA may increase the power of within-subjects effects. Efficiency gains are demonstrated with a re-analysis of priming datasets from implicit memory research. It is suggested that similar gains may be realized in other areas of priming research. Important assumptions of this procedure, which must be evaluated for the appropriate application of ANCOVA, are discussed.     

The prevention of depressive symptoms in rural Australian women

Two interventions aimed at preventing depressive symptoms in women living in Western Australian rural communities were evaluated against a no‐intervention control condition. The standard intervention was based upon traditional cognitive‐behaviour treatments for depression; the experimental intervention was based upon prevention strategies derived from the learned helplessness model of depression (e.g. Peterson, Maier, & Seligman, 1993 ). Seventy‐six women were randomly assigned to either the standard or the experimental group, and a further 20 women formed a no‐intervention control group. The standard group showed a reduction in depressive symptoms at post‐test, but no effects at 6‐week or 6‐month follow‐ups. In contrast, a reduction in depressive symptoms did not appear for the experimental group until the 6‐week follow‐up at which time a less depressive attributional style was also evident; these effects were even more pronounced at the 6‐month follow‐up. The no‐intervention control group showed no changes across time. It is argued that these results support the applicability of prevention strategies based on the learned helplessness model to this population. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Personality, personal model beliefs, and self-care in adolescents and young adults with Type 1 diabetes.

This study compared 3 models of association between personality, personal model beliefs, and self-care in a cross-sectional design. These models were as follows: (a) Emotional stability determines self-care indirectly through personal model beliefs, and conscientiousness is a direct predictor of self-care; (b) emotional stability determines self-care indirectly through personal model beliefs, and conscientiousness moderates the association between beliefs and self-care; (c) both emotional stability and conscientiousness determine self-care indirectly through personal model beliefs. Participants (N = 358, aged 12-30 years) with Type 1 diabetes completed measures of personality, personal model beliefs, and self-care. Structural equation modeling indicated that Model C was the best fit to the data.     

Book Reviews

A dler G erhard (Ed.). Success and failure in analysis. The Proceedings of the Fifth International Congress for Analytical Psychology
Confrontation in psychotherapy. A dler , G erald and M yerson , P aul G. (Eds.)
K han , M. M asud R. The privacy of the self
M ilgram , S tanley : Obedience to authority
S tein , R obert . Incest and human love
S zasz , T homas S. The ethics of psychoanalysis
Ideology and insanity
The second sin     

The school psychologist as a source of power and influence

This essay reviews the historical role of the school psychologist and examines his impact on educational systems. Past influences of the school psychologist in effecting understanding and acceptance of individual differences of children are examined in relationship to the contemporary need to relate this knowledge to appropriate educational planning for a culturally diverse school population.