Academic success in adolescence: Relationships among verbal IQ,social support and emotional intelligence

The objective of this study was to examine, by gender, whether emotional intelligence (EI), peer social support, and/or family social support partially mediated the influence of verbal IQ on Grade 10 grade point average (GPA) for 192 students (96 male, 96 female). For male students, EI and peer social support predicted GPA and EI mediated the association between verbal IQ and GPA. For female students, EI, peer social support, and family support predicted GPA but did not mediate the association between verbal IQ and GPA. This study further examined whether subscales of EI (intrapersonal, interpersonal, adaptability, and stress management abilities), peer social support and family social support (emotional, socialising, practical, financial, and advice) added to the prediction of GPA after verbal IQ, gender, and socioeconomic status were controlled. Adaptability, stress management and practical family social support each added to the explanation of variability. None of the peer social support subscales predicted additional variance in GPA.     

Development of ASB 1: The development of antisocial behaviour in adolescents and young adults

A substantial proportion of adolescent antisocial behaviour (ASB) research has focused on identifying the chronic offender; comparatively little research has investigated developmental patterns among the general adolescent population, who account for a large proportion of ASB participation. A modified version of the Mak Self‐Report Behaviour Scale was administered to 233 (relatively advantaged) community adolescents (aged 9–17), and 193 young adults (aged 18–25). Not available in previous instruments, in addition to prevalence rates, the Adolescent ASB Scale (AASBS) accurately identifies specifically when adolescents enter, exit, and peak in their ASB participation. An earlier age of ASB participation was associated with greater frequency, severity and duration. The most noteworthy finding was a mid‐adolescent peak in ASB participation, which was shorter and more dramatic for girls. These findings provide knowledge critical for informing future research into causal explanations for the temporary and dramatic increase in adolescent ASB, and for developing more effective intervention practices with mainstream youth.     

Stress and depression of facing death: Investigation of psychological symptoms in patients with mesothelioma

Cancer often results in psychological impairment, and lung cancer has been associated with greater morbidity and higher levels of psychological distress than any other form. Chronic exposure to asbestos is a significant risk factor for development of lung cancer, called mesothelioma. Few have studied the psychological consequences of chronic asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. This study investigated stress and depression symptoms in 49 men (M = 51.1 years, SD = 6.0) diagnosed with mesothelioma. Participants completed traumatic stress, depression and general psychological health questionnaires. All participants reported significant levels of traumatic stress symptoms, which was associated with increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, somatic complaints and social dysfunction. The results provide important suggestions for clinicians treating such terminally ill patients.     

The Australian Psychology Workforce 3: A national profile of psychologists in salaried employment or in independent private practice

A detailed analysis of the different sectors of the psychology workforce was conducted as part of the National Psychology Workforce Survey: Independent Private Practice (IPP), Employed in Public Sector (EPuS) and Employed in Private Sector (EPrS). A total of 11,897 psychologists responded to the workforce survey, a response rate of 48%. Of these 8,086 were fully registered and currently working in a psychology role. Sectors were compared on a range of practice characteristics and differences were explored using a series of ANOVAs and post‐hoc analyses. Results of analyses revealed qualitative differences between the three sectors. Strategies for maintaining the employed workforce were also collected and are reported to be as much about increasing work satisfaction and support for professional and development opportunities as about salary.     

Measurement of ability emotional intelligence: Results for two new tests

Emotional intelligence (EI) has attracted considerable interest amongst both individual differences researchers and those in other areas of psychology who are interested in how EI relates to criteria such as well‐being and career success. Both trait (self‐report) and ability EI measures have been developed; the focus of this paper is on ability EI. The associations of two new ability EI tests with psychometric intelligence, emotion perception, and the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso EI test (MSCEIT) were examined. The new EI tests were the Situational Test of Emotion Management (STEM) and the Situational Test of Emotional Understanding (STEU). Only the STEU and the MSCEIT Understanding Emotions branch were significantly correlated with psychometric intelligence, suggesting that only understanding emotions can be regarded as a candidate new intelligence component. These understanding emotions tests were also positively correlated with emotion perception tests, and STEM and STEU scores were positively correlated with MSCEIT total score and most branch scores. Neither the STEM nor the STEU were significantly correlated with trait EI tests, confirming the distinctness of trait and ability EI. Taking the present results as a starting‐point, approaches to the development of new ability EI tests and models of EI are suggested.     

Predicting children's word‐reading accuracy for common English words: The effect of word transparency and complexity

The effects of printed word frequency and transparency measures on single word reading accuracy were examined in 105 six‐year‐old children. The results indicated that it may be necessary to re‐appraise notions of orthography‐to‐phonology correspondences for children of this age. The influence of orthographic neighbourhood size appeared to derive from word frequency and graphemic complexity. The results also indicated that sonograph frequency was more predictive of reading accuracy than the GPC rules and weighted correspondences currently embodied in dual route and connectionist models of skilled reading.     

Psychopharmakotherapie der Essstörungen

Es gibt eine Reihe von Studien zur Pharmakotherapie der Essst?rungen. Empfehlungen für die pharmakologische Behandlung von Essst?rungen (Anorexia nervosa (AN), Bulimia nervosa (BN), Binge Eating Disorder (BED)), basierend auf der verfügbaren Literatur, werden vorgestellt: Für AN gibt es Hinweise, dass eine ,,Zinksupplementierung“ oder der Einsatz von atypischen Antipsychotika hilfreich sein kann. Für BN zeigen die Studien positive Ergebnisse hinsichtlich des Einsatzes von Antidepressiva, insbesondere für Fluvoxamin und Fluoxetin. Auch für das Antiepilektum Topiramat gibt es positive Studienergebnisse. Bei BED k?nnen bestimmte Antidepressiva und Antiepileptika erfolgreich eingesetzt werden. Jedoch wird weitere Forschung für die Verbesserung der Behandlung von Essst?rungen ben?tigt. Speziell für Anorexia nervosa besteht ein Bedarf für weitere pharmakologische Behandlungsstrategien.     

Medikamentöse Therapieoptionen bei sekundär progredienter Multipler Sklerose

Anders als bei Patienten mit schubf?rmiger Multipler Sklerose, insbesondere jenen, die erst kurze Zeit erkrankt sind, sind unsere therapeutischen M?glichkeiten für Patienten mit sekund?r chronisch progredienter Multipler Sklerose leider noch immer nicht ausreichend. Dies bedeutet erstens, dass wir unsere zur Verfügung stehenden Therapien frühzeitig im Verlauf der Erkrankung einsetzen müssen, um überhaupt erst einen übergang in eine sekund?re Progredienz zu verhindern. Andererseits kann man, wenn ein Patient bereits in der sekund?r progredienten Phase ist, durch sorgf?ltig überlegten Einsatz Krankheitsmodifizierender medikament?ser Therapien, symptomatischer Therapien und Rehabilitation eine lange Stabilisierung der Multiplen Sklerose bei guter Lebensqualit?t erreichen.     

Krankheitsverhalten als Überlebensstrategie

Somatoforme St?rungen stellen in den westlichen Industriegesellschaften ein erhebliches Problem für Behandlung, Begutachtung und Sozialversicherungswesen dar. Anders als bei sch?rfer umschriebenen psychiatrischen Krankheitsbildern, deren klinisches Erscheinungsbild gut bekannt und deren St?rungswert unbestritten ist, erfolgt hier die Symptompr?sentation durch verbale, mimische und gestische Darstellung. Insofern k?nnen sowohl Form als auch Schweregrad der Beschwerden durch willentliche Einflu?nahme gestaltet werden, was die M?glichkeit der Zweckgerichtetheit aufgrund sekund?rer Motivbildung zumindest mit einschlie?t.