Moderating Effects of Mothers' Attribution on the Relationships Between Their Affect and Parenting Behaviors and Children's Aggressive Behaviors

We examined Bugental's (1987) transactional model in the context of the relationships between aggressive children and their mothers. Based on Bugental's model, it was hypothesized that mothers who possessed the attributional style of low self-control and high child-control over hypothetical child care failure were more likely to manifest negative affect and negative parenting behaviors toward their child, only when their child is aggressive. Children's aggressive behavior was assessed via mothers' and teachers' ratings. Sixty-six children and their mothers served as subjects. Our results provided support for mothers' negative affect when using teachers' rating of children's aggressive behaviors only. Possible explanations for the differential results obtained using mothers' and teachers' ratings of children's aggressive behaviors were discussed.     

Is `God exists' a `hinge proposition' of religious belief?

International Journal for Philosophy of Religion -     

A REVIEW OF COCAINE ABUSE: BEHAVIOR,PHARMACOLOGY, AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS,EDITED BY S. T. HIGGINS AND J. L. KATZ

This book comprises 17 chapters that deal with a variety of topics related to cocaine and its abuse. Several of the chapters are excellent, and the book in its totality contains a wealth of information. These are major strengths. On the down side, some important topics are ignored, the relevance of several chapters to cocaine abuse is not apparent, and the various chapters are not well integrated. We recommend Cocaine Abuse as a reference volume for scientists with specific training in the areas that it covers. But we do not recommend it for cover‐to‐cover reading as an overview of cocaine abuse.     

Evidence-based practice in family therapy and systemic consultationChild-focused problems

Evidence for the effectiveness of family therapy and family-based interventions from critical literature reviews and controlled trials is considered for families with children and adolescents who present with various difficulties. The evidence supports the effectiveness of family therapy as an effective treatment either alone or as part of a multimodal or multisystemic treatment programme for child abuse and neglect, conduct problems, emotional problems and psychosomatic problems. Implications for practice, training and continuing professional development in the field of family therapy are discussed.     

The Beavers, McMaster and Circumplex clinical rating scales: a study of their sensitivity, specificity and discriminant validity

To assess the sensitivity and specificity of clinical rating scales from the Beavers, McMaster and Circumplex models of family functioning videotapes of sixty families engaging in a standardized family task interview were rated using the three rating scales. The sixty families included twenty containing a child with an emotional disorder, twenty containing a child with a mixed disorder of emotions and conduct, and twenty in which none of the children presented with clinically significant difficulties. The three rating scales accurately classified 85-90% of normal controls, 70-90% of cases containing a child with a mixed disorder of emotions and conduct, and 55-65% of families containing a child with an emotional disorder. On the rating scales, the Beavers and McMaster models showed particularly high levels of sensitivity in detecting clinical cases, whereas the Circumplex rating scale was particularly good at classifying non-clinical cases accurately.     

Social cognitive predictors of prosocial behavior toward same and alternate race children among white pre-schoolers

Social cognitive predictors of 36 White preschoolers' (18 boys, 18 girls) tendencies to say they would act prosocially toward White and African-American children were examined. White preschoolers completed measures of their tendency to engage in prosocial behaviors directed toward White and African-American children, positive racial beliefs about White and African-American persons, and race schematicity. Consistent with previous research examining prosocial behavior in preschoolers, girls were more likely than boys to say they would act prosocially. White preschoolers' age in months did not correlate significantly with their tendencies to engage in prosocial behaviors toward White children. However, age in months was negatively correlated with White preschoolers' inclinations to direct prosocial behaviors toward African-American children. Consistent with an emerging literature concerning the role of social cognitive factors in young children's race schema development, White preschoolers' race schematicity was significantly predictive of their tendencies to say they would engage in prosocial behaviors toward African-American children. Patterns of results partially replicate previous prosocial behavior research, and demonstrate the importance of social cognitive variables on young children's prosocial behaviors. This research was undertaken as part of a graduate program in psychology at the University of Wyoming by the first author under the direction of the second author. The authors express gratitude to Karen Bartsch, Ph.D., and Bernita Quoss, Ph.D., and Jesse Barber, Sylvia Jones, and Nicole Martin of the University of Wyoming and to Nancy Eisenberg, Ph.D., of Arizona State University.     

Confucian Ethics and the Critique of Ideology

The debate between Hans-Georg Gadamer and Jürgen Habermas provides a fresh perspective from which Confucian philosophy may be approached. In this paper, focusing on the Lunyu (Analects), I argue that the sayings of Confucius reflect an essentially 'conservative' orientation, finding in tradition a reservoir of insight and truth. There is a critical dimension to it in that ethical reflection and self-cultivation would enable the individual to challenge particular claims of tradition. However, can self-cultivation transcend tradition as a whole and enable the individual to effect radical change? Following the strategy of Habermas' critique of Gadamer, what happens if tradition is systemically corrupt? In this discussion, rather than taking tradition generally I will focus on the concept of ritual (li) to suggest how the Lunyu seeks to crystallise the wisdom of the past into an ethical guide. The conclusion I draw is in the main a Gadamerian one. Committed to a critical appropriation of tradition, Confucian philosophy seeks ethical renewal from within, on the premise that through incremental change self-cultivation can make a real difference in the quest for moral excellence.