Memorable Experiences in Therapeutic Assessment: Inviting the Patient's Perspective Following a Pretreatment Randomized Controlled Trial

Accumulating evidence documents the efficacy of Therapeutic Assessment (TA) in terms of symptom reduction and other outcomes, but only minimal data speak to the patient's perspective of what is memorable, or potentially important, about this intervention. In line with the humanistic and phenomenological philosophy of TA, we solicited patient input by asking personality disorder (PD) patients who participated in a recent randomized controlled trial (De Saeger et al., 2014 De Saeger, H., Kamphuis, J. H., Finn, S. E., Verheul, R., Smith, J. D., van Busschbach, J. J. V., … Horn, E. (2014). Therapeutic Assessment promotes treatment readiness but does not affect symptom change in patients with personality disorders: Findings from a randomized clinical trial. Psychological Assessment, 26, 474–483. doi:10.1037/a0035667[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) about their experiences. We report on 10 PD patients who were administered semistructured interviews designed to assess an in-depth perspective of undergoing TA. Our methodological approach can be described as phenomenological and integrative, approximating guidelines provided by the Consensual Qualitative Research paradigm (Hill, 2012 Hill, C. E. (Ed.). (2012). Consensual qualitative research: A practical resource for investigating social science phenomena. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. [Google Scholar]). Four core content domains emerged from the transcribed and coded interview protocols: (a) relationship aspects, (b) new insight into personal dynamics, (c) sense of empowerment, and (d) validation of self. Novel experiences were mostly of a relational nature, and pertained to feeling of being treated like an equal and essential partner in a highly individualized venture. Research and clinical implications of these patient reports of TA participation are discussed.     

Well-being vocabulary in media language: An analysis of changing word usage in Norwegian newspapers

Well-being is a widely discussed topic in research, policy, and media. This study was aimed at examining usage patterns of core terminology related to well-being in Norwegian newspapers during the past two decades. Specifically, we investigated occurrence across time of 39 words describing well-being facets from four theoretical perspectives: affective approaches, cognitive or life satisfaction approaches, eudaimonic and humanistic approaches, and character strengths. Four major newspapers were selected in order to capture sociocultural and regional variation. Evidence of significant changes in usage frequency was detected for about half of the search terms. Affective words showed variable trends, while usage of words referring to satisfaction declined. The most notable magnitude of change concerned the increase in eudaimonic words related to mastery, motivation, and self-development. Findings suggest that core vocabulary of well-being belongs to a changeable field of linguistic practice. Implications for positive psychology are proposed.     

The Sensitivity of the CPI Good Impression Scale for Detecting ‘Faking Good’ among Norwegian Students and Job Applicants

This study assessed the sensitivity of the California Psychological Inventory's Good Impression scale in the detection of ‘faking good’ in Norway. The original development of the scale was replicated using Norwegian students (N = 248). Paired sample T‐tests revealed significant differences for 31 of the 40 items when scores from normal test conditions were contrasted with scores obtained under `fake good' instructions. Further, job applicants (N = 494) scored significantly higher on the Good Impression scale than students. Comparisons of mean scale scores between Norwegian and US student samples suggested that the Norwegian students displayed a more modest self‐presentation. The Commonality Scale of the CPI was employed to investigate differences in scale usage between these two cultures. The analyses suggested that the differences in the Good Impression scale observed between these two cultures could not be explained by differences in acquiescence tendencies. Results suggest that the Good Impression scale is able to capture response distortion in Norwegian personnel selection situations, but modification of some items is needed.     

Parenting and psychosocial development of IVF children: Review of the research literature

When in vitro fertilization is performed, the transition to parenthood takes place in a special way. Many hypotheses have been formulated about the possible (mainly negative) effects that this method of conception may have on the parent–child relationship and the child’s psychosocial development. Since the early 1990s, various studies have been carried out to investigate these assumptions. Overall, few significant differences have been found in the parent–child relationship and psychosocial development of children in IVF families and non-IVF families. Some of the studies have even determined that IVF parents experienced the relationship with the child more positively. A limited number of results indicate a more negative view of parenting in IVF families, especially in terms of allowing for autonomy and feelings of child vulnerability. In one particular study, indications were found for an increased incidence of behavioral and emotional problems in IVF children. Potential explanations for these findings (including methodological issues) and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Distress in couples coping with cancer: a meta-analysis and critical review of role and gender effects

Research concerning distress in couples coping with cancer was integrated using meta-analysis and narrative critical appraisal. Individual levels of distress were determined more by gender than by the role of being the person with cancer versus that person's partner. That is, women reported consistently more distress than men regardless of their role (standardized mean difference = 0.31). The association between patient and partner distress within couples was only moderate (r = .29) but is sufficient to warrant further consideration of the notion that these couples react as an emotional system rather than as individuals. It is noteworthy that this association is not moderated by gender. With a general lack of comparison groups, the question of how much distress can be ascribed to the cancer experience cannot be answered decisively; elevations in distress are probably modest. We critically discuss these results, identify important unanswered questions, and indicate directions for future research. Attention needs to be directed toward factors other than cancer as direct influences of distress in these couples and to mediators and moderators of the cancer experience.     

That’s what task sets are for: shielding against irrelevant information

Goal-directed behavior requires the cognitive system to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information. The authors show that task sets help to shield the system from irrelevant information. Participants had to respond to eight different colored word stimuli under different instruction conditions. They either had to learn the stimulus-response mappings (SR condition), to use one task set (1 TS condition) or to use two different task sets (2 TS condition). In the 2 TS and the SR conditions, participants showed response repetition effects (interaction of color repetition x response repetition), indicating that participants processed the color of the words. Importantly, the 1 TS condition did not show such an interaction. Overall, the results provide evidence for the shielding function of task sets. This benefit turns into costs in classical task switching paradigms. From this perspective, switch costs can be interpreted as the consequence of successful shielding on the previous task.     

Prenatal attachment in future parents of twins

The present study aims at contributing to a better understanding of prenatal attachment in parents expecting twins. In particular, the relationship between prenatal attachment (measured with the Questionnaire for Antenatal Emotional Attachment) and three other psychosocial factors—the parents' psychosocial well-being and the quality of the marital relationship (respectively assessed with the General Health Questionnaire and the Relational Interactional Satisfaction Scale) and the presence of older children in the family—was investigated in both future mothers and fathers at 27 weeks of gestation. Multiple regression analysis revealed no significant relationship between the intensity of prenatal attachment and either of the three variables. For the mothers, a significant positive relationship was found between the quality of attachment on the one hand and psychosocial well-being and quality of the marital relationship on the other hand. For the fathers, the quality of attachment was only significantly predicted by the quality of the marital relationship. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Understanding Satisfaction: An Analysis of the Meaning Potential of the Word “Satisfaction” in Everyday Norwegian Language

Satisfaction with life is often considered to be a component of or a synonym for subjective well-being. However, the meaning of “satisfaction” is rarely discussed in the scientific literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning potential of the Norwegian term for satisfaction (tilfredshet). A conceptual analysis was conducted based on the qualitative responses of 276 Norwegian adults to the question “What is satisfaction for you?” Based on principles of thematic analysis, text data units were examined to develop a framework of recurrent themes and superordinate categories. The analysis demonstrated that the word “satisfaction” in everyday Norwegian language does not unequivocally point toward a unitary, clear-cut affective or evaluative phenomenon. Instead, its meaning potential was found to include material, physiological and interpersonal conditions, activities, internal psychological states, and circumstances and contexts of well-being, connected by temporal and causal assumptions. In addition to hedonic understandings, eudaimonic and processual conceptualizations of satisfaction were identified. Findings support a conceptual co-existence of satisfaction as satisficing (conditions evaluated as good enough) and as more optimal fulfilment (conditions evaluated as good). Further qualitative studies of conceptual understanding across cultural contexts and languages are recommended.     

Psychometric properties of the Highly Sensitive Child scale across developmental stage,gender, and country

Adolescents differ in their degree of Environmental Sensitivity, that is, the ability to perceive and process information about their environment. The present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Highly Sensitive Child scale (HSC), a self-report measure of Environmental Sensitivity, in two Belgian and UK samples with a total of 3056 adolescents. First, the factor structure, internal consistency, dimensionality, and construct validity of the HSC scale were examined. Second, measurement invariance of the HSC scale across developmental stage, gender, and country was tested. Results supported a bifactor model with a general sensitivity factor and three group factors: Ease of Excitation (EOE), Low Sensory Threshold (LST), and Aesthetic Sensitivity (AES). Cronbach’s alpha and McDonalds’s (hierarchical) omega indicated that the HSC scale is a reliable measure of Environmental Sensitivity, except for AES. Furthermore, AES was associated with different personality traits than EOE and LST. Second, the HSC scale was partially measurement invariant across developmental stage, gender, and country. The results provide important insights in the psychometrics of a first measurement of Environmental Sensitivity in early to late adolescents. Implications for further research are discussed.