The Psychometric Properties of the Personality Assessment Inventory-Short Form (PAI-SF) in Inpatient Forensic and Civil Samples

Research focusing on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) has increased substantially over the past decade. However, there has been relatively little focus on the PAI short-form (PAISF). The current study evaluated the psychometric characteristics of the PAI-SF clinical scales using participants admitted to a large northeastern hospital under forensic (N?=?178) and civil (N?=?320) statutes. Results indicate that the internal consistency of the PAI-SF clinical scales is adequate for both the Forensic (range of alphas: 0.74 to 0.88) and Civil (0.79 to 0.91) samples, and assumptions of item-scale convergence and divergence were generally met with some exceptions. Finally, the PAI-SF exhibited strong agreement with the full-form PAI scores overall, and at the upper extreme (T?≥?70) of the distributions for both samples. The results are discussed in terms of how they extend prior research on the PAI-SF.     

Two kinds of naturalism in ethics

What are the conditions on a successful naturalistic account of moral properties? In this paper I discuss one such condition: the possibility of moral concepts playing a role in good empirical theories on a par with those of the natural and social sciences. I argue that Peter Railton’s influential account of moral rightness fails to meet this condition, and thus is only viable in the hands of a naturalist who doesn’t insist on it. This conclusion generalises to all versions of naturalism that give a significant role to a dispositional characterisation of moral properties. I also argue, however, that the epistemological and semantic motivations behind naturalism are consistent with a version of naturalism that doesn’t insist on the explanatory condition. The conclusion is that those naturalists who are attracted to accounts of moral properties such as Railton’s would do better not to insist on this\break condition.     

Ethnic enclaves and the dynamics of social identity on the college campus: the good, the bad, and the ugly

The effects of membership in ethnic organizations and fraternities and sororities on intergroup attitudes were examined using a 5-wave panel study at a major, multiethnic university. The results showed that these effects were similar for both minority and White students. Membership in ethnic student organizations for minorities and Greek organizations for Whites was anteceded by the degree of one's ethnic identity, and the effects of membership in these groups were similar, although not identical, for both White and minority students. These effects included an increased sense of ethnic victimization and a decreased sense of common identity and social inclusiveness. Consistent with social identity theory, at least a portion of these effects were mediated by social identity among both White and minority students.     

Perceived discrimination in the context of multiple group memberships

This study examined the joint impact of gender and ethnicity on expectations of general discrimination against oneself and one's group. According to the double–jeopardy hypothesis, women of color will expect to experience more general discrimination than men of color, White women, and White men because they belong to both a low–status ethnic group and a low–status gender group. Alternatively, the ethnic–prominence hypothesis predicts that ethnic–minority women will not differ from ethnic–minority men in their expectations of general discrimination because these expectations will be influenced more by perceptions of ethnic discrimination, which they share with men of color, than by perceptions of gender discrimination. All results were consistent with the ethnic–prominence hypothesis rather than the double–jeopardy hypothesis.     

The Interpersonal Basis of Stereotype-Relevant Self-Views

ABSTRACT Recent research examining the interpersonal basis of self-stereotyping is considered from the perspective of Cognitive–Affective Personality System (CAPS) theory. The reviewed work shows that individuals tend to see themselves in a stereotypic manner when interacting with someone who engenders affiliative motivation and is thought to hold stereotypic views of their group. Evidence suggesting that this context-dependent self-stereotyping is extended temporally through future psychologically similar interactions and the invocation of significant others thought to endorse stereotypes is also discussed. These findings and the theoretical framework that stimulated them strongly resonate with the notion of if … then contingencies of the self articulated in CAPS theory. The implications of each viewpoint for the other are discussed.     

The SF-36 Among Cambodian and Vietnamese Refugees: An Examination of Psychometric Properties

Among traumatized Cambodian (N=90) and Vietnamese (N=94) refugees attending a psychiatric clinic, the study examined the validity and psychometric properties of the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), a measure of self-perceived mental and physical health. In both patient samples, all eight SF-36 scales displayed excellent internal consistency (item-scale correlations and Cronbach's α). But, similar to other studies of Asian samples, (a) the Vitality (VT) scale did not separate from the Mental Health (MH) and General Health (GH) scales, as evidenced by item-scale and interscale correlations, and (b) the VT scale loaded as strongly (Vietnamese sample) or more strongly (Cambodian sample) than the MH scale on the so-called Mental Factor in a two-factor solution of the eight scales (with the GH scale also loading heavily on the same factor).     

Back in the mirrored room: the enduring relevance of discursive practice

This article seeks to re‐engage a conversation regarding the importance of acknowledging the discursive content of the therapeutic process. Hare‐Mustin's (1994) article argued that psychotherapy is involved in the generation of values and norms, and thus requires ethical sensibilities. Her analysis recognized how particular socio‐cultural forces go unnoticed and suggested that unless therapists recognize their participation in discursive practices, they may unwittingly collude with and reinforce harmful cultural practices. The goal of this article is to revisit the ‘mirrored room’ so that family therapists can more deliberately evaluate their participation in cultural practices that impact on their work with clients. This article begins with a review of contemporary efforts to grapple with the issues Hare‐Mustin presented, and maintains that even contemporary approaches that assert a commitment to postmodern understandings remain incomplete without an analysis of discourse. The article then outlines the conceptual tools within discursive practice that advance the initial motivation of these contemporary efforts.