THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FEMININE GENDER ROLE STRESS, BODY IMAGE, AND EATING DISORDERS

The Feminine Gender Role Stress (FGRS) scale was used in two studies to determine whether eating disorders could be linked to the cognitive tendency among women to appraise specific situations as highly stressful because of rigid adherence to the traditional feminine gender role. Study 1 showed the FGRS scale could distinguish eating disorders from other psychiatric disorders in an inpatient setting and from normal college women. This suggests that women who have eating disorders report higher than usual levels of stress as a result of rigid adherence to the traditional feminine gender role. Study 2 looked at cardiovascular reactivity to a "feminine" (i.e., body image threat) and a control stressor and determined the FGRS scale could predict which women are threatened by feminine stressors. Results from these studies suggest feminine gender role stress may be the missing link between cultural values of femininity and vulnerability for eating disorders.     

Child-related attributions of hostile intent and harsh discipline: Moderating effects of anger

Two studies tested whether attributions of hostile intent (AHI) and anger for ambiguous child behaviors uniquely predict parents’ harsh verbal discipline (HVD) and harsh physical discipline (HPD) or whether AHI only predicts harsh discipline when AHI occurs in conjunction with anger, as suggested by the Integrated Cognitive Model of general aggression (Wilkowski & Robinson, 2010, J. Pers., 78, 9–38). Replicating previous studies, the expected positive bivariate relationships between AHI, anger, HVD, and HPD were found in Study 1 (N = 493). However, when AHI, anger, and the AHI by anger interaction were considered simultaneously, patterns of prediction varied by discipline type. For HVD, high levels of AHI, high levels of anger, and the AHI by anger interaction (at high levels of AHI and anger) each were significant predictors. For HPD, low levels of AHI, high levels of anger, and the AHI by anger interaction (at high levels of AHI and anger) were significant predictors, suggesting a possible suppressor effect for AHI. These results were replicated in Study 2 ( N = 503). Thus, there was support for the contention that AHI only predicts harsh discipline when AHI occurs in conjunction with anger with respect to HPD but this was not the case for HVD. Since AHI suppressor effects were observed for HPD in two large sample studies, variables that may account for the AHI suppressor effects and the need for testing more complex interactive predictive models of harsh parenting behaviors are discussed.     

Tymieniecka,Anna-Teresa and Evandro Agazzi,eds., Life: Interpretation and the Sense of Illness within the Human Condition: Medicine and Philosophy in Dialogue

Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics -     

Paul Preston: Mother Father Deaf: Living Between Sound and Silence

Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics -     

Supportive and interpretative interventions in fostering mentalisation during counselling

ABSTRACT

This work analysed which profiles of counsellors’ supportive and interpretative actions emerged in two group counselling interventions designed to promote mentalisation in underachieving university students. The Psychodynamic Intervention Rating Scale was used to analyse this and the level of depth of defence interpretations. Two outcome measures were administered to analyse student mentalisation and their academic achievements. Process findings showed that supportive actions were used for the most part in both counselling interventions; however, only one group improved in terms of mentalisation and academic performance. In the good-outcome group, there were more defence interpretations, especially during the early sessions, and with a deeper level of elaboration. The innovative relevance of these findings and their implications for practice among counsellors are discussed.     

Demographic,Clinical, and Service Utilization Factors Associated with Suicide‐Related Visits among Alaska Native and American Indian Adults

Alaska Native and American Indian people (AN/AIs) are disproportionately affected by suicide. Within a large AN/AI health service organization, demographic, clinical, and service utilization factors were compared between those with a suicide‐related health visit and those without. Cases had higher odds of a behavioral health diagnosis, treatment for an injury, behavioral health specialty care visits, and opioid medication dispensation in the year prior to a suicide‐related visit compared to gender‐, age‐, and residence‐ (urban versus rural) matched controls. Odds of a suicide‐related visit were lower among those with private insurance and those with non‐primary care ambulatory clinic visits.