Feminist Movements and Their Constitution as Political Subjects

In these passages I would like to reflect about the need for structured forms of organization and struggle in feminist movements. I try to point out the importance for feminist movements of increasingly opening up to forms of interrelation with other social forces in order to construct democracy.     

The Deceiving Mirror. Altered Body Perception and Alexithymia in a Group of Sports Adolescents and Adults

Recent literature emphasizes an altered perception of the body in subjects practicing sport to pursue an ideal body image. Sometimes such bodily misperception is associated with the inability to recognize and express emotions, and addiction to sport. This research investigates the relationship between body image and alexithymia in a group of 363 sportive adolescents and adults, including 78 males and 285 females, aged 11 to 68?years. Participants completed the Anamnestic Data Questionnaire, Body Uneasseness Test, and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Results highlight differences between adolescents and adults, especially about externally oriented thinking, concern for body image, and compulsive self-monitoring.     

Thoughts of Self‐Harm and Help‐Seeking Behavior among Youth in the Community

The association between thoughts of self‐harm and help‐seeking among youth with symptoms of depression was examined. Data were drawn from the Health Behavior of School‐aged Children Study (n = 15, 686), a nationally representative sample of youth in the United States. Analyses focused on comparing help‐seeking behaviors among youth with and without thoughts of deliberate self‐harm (DSH) when depressed. Depressed youth with thoughts of DSH exhibited different patterns of help‐seeking than those without. Both groups most frequently sought help from friends and parents. However, adolescents with thoughts of DSH were statistically more likely than youth without to seek help from friends (DSH: 69.9%; no DSH: 57.8%; AOR = 1.46), but less likely to seek help from parents (DSH: 53.7%; no DSH: 73.1%; AOR = 0.47). Youth with DSH were more likely to seek help from school officials (AOR = 1.05), health professionals (AOR: 1.83), or a counselor (AOR = 1.93) compared with those without thoughts of DSH who were more likely to seek help from a sibling (AOR: 0.77) or other relatives (AOR: 0.78). Results may help inform programs to improve identification of youth at risk of self‐harm in community and school settings.     

Adolescents Exposed to Suicidal Behavior of Others: Prevalence of Self‐Harm and Associated Psychological,Lifestyle, and Life Event Factors

Exposure to suicidal behavior of others was examined among 3,881 Irish adolescents in the Child and Adolescent Self‐harm in Europe (CASE) study. One third of the sample had been exposed to suicidal behavior, and exposed adolescents were eight times more likely to also report own self‐harm. Exposed adolescents shared many risk factors with those reporting own self‐harm. Those reporting both exposure and own self‐harm presented the most maladaptive profile on psychological, life event, and lifestyle domains, but neither anxiety nor depression distinguished this group. Exposed adolescents are burdened by a wide range of risk factors and in need of support.     

Family discussion group therapy for major depression: a brief systemic multi‐family group intervention for hospitalized patients and their family members

This paper describes a brief systemic multi‐family group intervention for hospitalized patients with major depression and their family members. The presented treatment integrates elements of systemic therapy, social constructionist and narrative concepts and the family systems‐illness model. It has further adapted a specific multi‐family group format combining marital group sessions and family group sessions. Similarities and differences with other family interventions for depression are discussed. The therapeutic foundations and goals, the organization, and the therapeutic process are explained. A number of clinical vignettes are presented to illustrate the treatment procedure. Although the first clinical impressions about the usefulness of the family discussion group intervention are promising, the efficacy of the treatment awaits the completion of a clinical trial that is currently underway.