Attachment, borderline personality, and romantic relationship dysfunction

Previous studies have implicated attachment and disturbances in romantic relationships as important indicators for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The current research extends our current knowledge by examining the specific associations among attachment, romantic relationship dysfunction, and BPD, above and beyond the contribution of emotional distress and nonromantic interpersonal functioning in two distinct samples. Study 1 comprised a community sample of women (N = 58) aged 25-36. Study 2 consisted of a psychiatric sample (N = 138) aged 21-60. Results from both Study 1 and Study 2 demonstrated that (1) attachment was specifically related to BPD symptoms and romantic dysfunction, (2) BPD symptoms were specifically associated with romantic dysfunction, and (3) the association between attachment and romantic dysfunction was statistically mediated by BPD symptoms. The findings support specific associations among attachment, BPD symptoms, and romantic dysfunction.     

The God‐Shaped Hole: Addictive Disorders and the Search for Perfection

Clients with addictive disorders who have an internalized need for perfection benefit from an integration of spirituality into counseling treatment. This article provides a review of the literature, offers a spiritual approach for working with clients who struggle with addiction and perfectionism, and provides a case study to demonstrate the effectiveness of the integration of spirituality and counseling.     

Social Support in the Workplace and Training Transfer: A longitudinal analysis

Training transfer is crucial for workplace effectiveness, yet some of its social support antecedents are not well investigated. We examine the extent to which two forms of social support (from the organization and the supervisor) predict training transfer and propose several related processes explaining these influences. First, social support enhances training self‐efficacy, increases trainees' mastery (learning) goal orientation, and their motivation to transfer. In turn, we propose that these individual factors are positively related to training‐related cognitions. We test and confirm our model in a longitudinal study based on a sample of 111 employees. The results contribute to a better understanding of organization‐ and supervisor‐based social support as predictors of transfer, and clarify several important related mechanisms.     

Bringing the Social into Genetics: The Psychosocial Genetics Risk Assessment and Management Framework (PG-RAM)

As increasing numbers of people are identified at risk for multi-factorial diseases, questions of how to assess, communicate and manage genetic risk will be critical from health services and policy perspectives. However, there is currently no evidence-based genetic risk assessment and management framework to assist policy makers, clinicians and other stakeholders. A comprehensive psychosocial framework for risk assessment and management has been developed in the context of security hazards or threats. In an adaptation of that model, we present the Psychosocial Genetics Risk Assessment and Management framework (PG-RAM). It offers principles to enhance the integration of evidence-based best practices into genetics health services, as well as to identify issues, knowledge and gaps. The framework identifies the core elements of the situation, effects, population and interventions, all spanning several phases of genetic disorders. The framework provides an excellent starting point for knowledge syntheses in the context of genetic risk and could serve as the conceptual basis for practical tool development to guide healthcare professionals and decision makers in preparing for and responding to the psychosocial aspects of genetic risk.     

Crisis in Context Theory: An Ecological Model

This article outlines a theory for understanding the impact of a crisis on individuals and organizations. Crisis in context theory (CCT) is grounded in an ecological model and based on literature in the field of crisis intervention and on personal experiences of the authors. A graphic representation denotes key components and premises of CCT, while a proposed formula summarizes the theory. Recommendations for future research are also included.     

Learning procedures: the role of working memory in multimedia learning experiences

The ubiquitous label ‘some assembly required’ signals the appearance of instructions for assembly procedures. These instructions come in various formats, some of which may be more effective than others. Previous research has demonstrated advantages for multimedia as compared to single‐format presentations. The current study sought to outline the cognitive processes contributing to this advantage. Specifically, two experiments examined the working memory and source monitoring processes involved with remembering procedural instructions presented in three different formats. Participants learned procedural instructions while undertaking one of a variety of selective interference tasks targeting working memory subcomponents. Results, while supporting a multimedia advantage for learning, demonstrated selective working memory subsystem involvement with different instruction formats. Further, despite the multimedia advantage, participants often misremembered multimedia presentations as picture‐based ones. These results provide further insight into the cognitive processes that underlie comprehension and memory for multimedia experiences. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cigarette Smoking, Anxiety, and Depression

This review provides a detailed analysis of anxiety and depression as they relate to each stage of the cigarette smoking cycle: initiation, maintenance, and cessation with an emphasis on nicotine withdrawal. An analysis of the literature confirms that cigarette smoking is highly comorbid with anxiety disorders and clinical depression, and that this relationship appears to be moderated by factors such as age of the smoker, type of disorder, and level of nicotine dependence. Studies also offer evidence to suggest a relationship between smoking and both subclinical anxiety and depression. Research findings have not revealed whether common factors influence the development of anxiety, depression, and smoking, whether anxiety and depression lead to smoking, or whether the reverse is true. Nevertheless, a current understanding of the links among smoking, anxiety, and depression confirms current prevention and cessation techniques, as well as suggests new directions for research and clinical practice.     

A TEST OF OBJECTIFICATION THEORY WITH LESBIAN WOMEN

This study extends research on objectification theory as it applies to eating disorder symptomatology by examining whether its tenets generalize to women identifying as lesbian. Lesbian women ( N = 181) and a comparison sample of heterosexual women ( N = 196) completed measures of objectification theory constructs (interpersonal sexual objectification, body surveillance, body shame, interoceptive awareness, disordered eating). The model of objectification theory was tested separately for lesbian and heterosexual participants. Path analyses revealed that this model provided a poor fit to the data for the lesbian sample, whereas it provided an excellent fit to the data for the heterosexual sample. Based on the data from the lesbian participants, an exploratory model was evaluated. Overall, findings suggested that the interrelationships among the objectification theory constructs were different and more complex for the lesbian participants than for the heterosexual participants.     

Relationships between Sabbath Observance and Mental,Physical, and Spiritual Health in Clergy

Pastoral Psychology - Keeping the Sabbath, that is, setting a day apart for rest and spiritual rejuvenation, has been related to better mental health and less stress in cross-sectional studies....