The interpersonal expression of perfection: perfectionistic self-presentation and psychological distress

A concept involving the interpersonal expression of perfection, perfectionistic self-presentation, is introduced. It is argued that perfectionistic self-presentation is a maladaptive self-presentational style composed of three facets: perfectionistic self-promotion (i.e., proclaiming and displaying one's perfection), nondisplay of imperfection (i.e., concealing and avoiding behavioral demonstrations of one's imperfection), and nondisclosure of imperfection (i.e., evading and avoiding verbal admissions of one's imperfection). Several studies involving diverse samples demonstrate that perfectionistic self-presentation is a valid and reliable construct and a consistent factor in personal and interpersonal psychological distress. It is argued that the need to promote one's perfection or the desire to conceal one's imperfection involves self-esteem regulation in the interpersonal context.     

Sex differences in righting from supine to prone in rats (Rattus norvegicus): a masculinized skeletomusculature is not required

Previous research has shown that sex differences exist in the composition of lateral movements (E. F. Field, I. Q. Whishaw, & S. M. Pellis, 1996, 1997a, 1997b; see also records 1996-06132-009, 1997-05322-015, and 1997-04722-005). An unresolved question is whether sex differences are present in other movements, such as rotation around the longitudinal axis, and whether this difference is dependent on a feminine or masculine skeletomusculature. Female rats (Rattus norvegicus) first rotate their forequarters and then their hindquarters in the same direction. Male rats exhibit rotation of the hindquarters counter to the direction of forequarter rotation. Males with the testicular feminized mutation, who have a feminized skeletomusculature and masculinized central nervous system, are similar to male controls. This study provides evidence that sex differences in movement integration are not restricted to the lateral plane, are not solely due to sex differences in skeletomusculature, and thus are likely mediated by the central nervous system.     

Ukrainian Application of the Children's Somatization Inventory: Psychometric Properties and Associations With Internalizing Symptoms

This paper examines the psychometric properties of the Children's Somatization Inventory (CSI) in 600 10–12-year old children in Kyiv, Ukraine, replicating and extending the original findings from a sample in Nashville, Tennessee (J. Garber et al. 1991). The Kyiv children had significantly lower CSI total scores and reported significantly fewer symptoms than the American children. The Kyiv mothers, however, reported significantly more somatization symptoms in their children than did the American mothers. A factor analysis of the children's data yielded four similar factors encompassing pseudoneurologic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and pain/weakness symptoms. Consistent with the findings from the Nashville study, the CSI was significantly related to the children's self-reports of health and depressive and anxiety symptoms and to maternal reports of child depression and anxiety symptoms. In addition, although more children with the highest CSI scores (25+) reported various illness experiences than those with 0–1 symptoms, no differences were found in the school absentee records. Thus, the results were congruent with the findings of the Nashville study, indicating that the CSI reliably measured somatization in this Ukrainian sample.     

Student mental health. Part 2: the main study and reflection of significant issues

The difficulties faced by students and the contributory stressors include developmental issues. A number of factors appear to be the precipitators of stress but despite various suggestions from researchers in other countries there is little evidence in the UK of a comprehensive plan to ameliorate student mental health. It was the aim of this study to identify the factors perceived as stressors by students, find the extzent to which the stressors affect the students and identify a possible remedial strategy. The samples involved students from a wide variety of disciplines and included 40 students in a pilot study and a further 210 students in the main study. The pilot study led to a comprehensive list of potential stressors being drawn up for the main study. Most of these were assessed in a Problem Questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire and the Glasgow Symptom Checklist. Emotional liability was significant and this was often accompanied by self-destructive thoughts. Student services appeared to be underused even when students felt suicidal. Students need more specialized and prolonged help both in the form of increased counselling facilities which include a Mental Health Service and also mentoring schemes.     

Student mental health: the case studies

University life can precipitate a chain of unfortunate reactions. Stressors and the effects which stress can have on an individual could vary considerably. There are a number of theories of stress. The case studies were an attempt to study in detail the specific stressors and problems suffered by 16 students from the Professions Allied to Medicine. They were part of a larger sample of 45 and previous to that an original sample of 210. Students were tested and retested after an 18-month period using a number of measures. The results showed no definitive pattern but resulted in a volume of information from which conclusions may be drawn. On the whole, coping resources were poor. There was a high level of physiological and psychological symptoms to the point of ‘caseness’ in the GHQ30. There was no association between stress levels and coping nor personalities and emotional indications. Entrance qualifications and final examination results were closely related. What enabled those students with abnormally high clinically indicated psychiatric profiles to complete the course with such outstanding academic results? Answers may lie in theories of activation, motivation, arousal and inhibition illustrated in a model of student mental health.     

Effects of cognitive-behavioural therapy on anxiety,depression and condom use in people with HIV in Mexico City: a pilot study

Anxiety and depression in people living with HIV (PLWH) are negatively associated with healthy sexual behaviours. We pilot-tested a Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-based intervention to reduce anxiety and depression, aimed to increase serostatus disclosure to sexual partners, quality of sexual life (QoSL) and condom use. The study had a single-case experimental design (AB) with follow-up measures. Eleven PLWH with moderate/severe anxiety/depression received six-module CBT intervention delivered in ten one-hour individual weekly sessions. Anxiety, depression, consistent/correct condom use and QoSL were measured. Depression and anxiety decreased after the intervention (depression baseline [BL] Mdn = 21, final [F] Mdn = 3, z = -2.934, p = .003; anxiety BL Mdn = 30, F Mdn = 4, z = -2.941, p = .003). QoSL improved (BL Mdn = 28, F Mdn = 13, z = -2.625, p = .009), along with participants’ ability to use condoms (57.14 vs.100, z = -2.937, p = .003). Effect size was large, changes were maintained at follow-up measurements. The CBT intervention had positive effects in reducing anxiety and depression, which could facilitate the acquisition of healthy sexual behaviours. Further studies are important to clarify the benefits of targeting emotional variables to improve wellbeing and prevention behaviours in PLWH.