Falling From Grace: Understanding an Ethical Sanctioning Experience

Although an ethical sanction is viewed as an incredibly stressful event for professional counselors, the experience of being sanctioned is not well known. This article provides an overview of the sanctioning process, a discussion of professional silence, and a case example of a sanctioning experience for a counselor. The sanctioning experience is described in a 3‐stage response sequence and is illustrated with journal entries from a sanctioned counselor. Response interventions for each stage are suggested, and implications for the counseling profession are offered.     

Chinese Christians in America: Attachment to God,Stress, and Well‐Being

This study examined whether attachment to God moderated the relation between perceived stress and well‐being (i.e., life satisfaction and positive affect) among 183 Chinese Christian international students and immigrants. Results showed significant main effects of (a) perceived stress on life satisfaction and (b) secure attachment to God and avoidant attachment to God on life satisfaction and positive affect. There was a significant interaction of perceived stress and avoidant attachment to God on life satisfaction. Specifically, high avoidant attachment to God exacerbated the association between perceived stress and life satisfaction, whereas low avoidant attachment to God buffered the association between perceived stress and life satisfaction.     

Perceptions of driver distraction among teenage drivers

Teenage drivers have been shown to have some of the highest crash risks. Crash data provide some insights on factors related to crash likelihood, but rarely capture all issues that can arise from driver distraction. The goal of this study was to assess teenage drivers’ opinions and perceptions of driver distraction. A survey of 1893 Iowa teenagers was conducted to determine and compare the frequency of engagement in distracting activities while driving to their opinions of what they actually consider to be distractions. A cluster analysis was conducted based on their indicated engagement in distracting activities with three groups emerging and classified as INFREQUENT, MODERATE, and FREQUENT engagers. Across all cluster groups, the majority (over 80%) indicated that they considered text messaging to be a distracting task. However, those clustered as FREQUENT engagers still reported a high level of texting while driving even though they considered this task to be distracting. A binary logistic regression model (adjusted for miles driven and license type) showed that FREQUENT and MODERATE engagers were more likely to be involved in a crash when compared to INFREQUENT engagers. The study demonstrates that not all teenagers place themselves at risk. There are subgroups of teenage drivers that often engage in activities they know are distracting, potentially putting themselves in danger. However, this is not the case for all teenage drivers and it is important to target interventions appropriately as well as foster a culture of safety both in schools and at home.     

Detrimental psychological outcomes associated with pubertal timing in adolescent boys

Though often discussed as a discrete event, puberty comprises one segment of a larger developmental continuum and is notable for rapid transformation across a multitude of domains. While an earlier timing of puberty relative to peers stands as one of the most well-replicated antecedents of adolescent difficulties for girls, findings have been less consistent for boys’ development. The current review synthesizes the research on pubertal timing and psychosocial development in adolescent boys. Results are evaluated in the context of three theoretical perspectives by which precocious development is believed to affect the emergence of adverse outcomes: biological, psychosocial and selection.     

Family Impact Analysis of Section?6 (Sexual Transmission) of the Kenya HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Act No. 14 of 2006

We have analyzed the impact of Section 6 of The Kenya HIV and AIDS Prevention Act on Kenyan families and especially within marriage. In 2006 Kenya passed two bills into law: The Kenya HIV and AIDS Prevention Act and The Sexual Offences Act. The latter addresses sexual offenses including rape, incest and other acts of sexual violence and relates to the Prevention Act in that HIV infection may be transmitted during a sexual offense. Section 6 of the Prevention Act focuses on the sensitive issue of secondary and tertiary transmission of HIV. Although protection is accorded to individuals living with HIV, this section of the law places responsibility on this group to reduce infections among positive individuals as well as the spread of infection between spouses {when only one partner is positive} by criminalizing recklessness leading to HIV infection. By asking questions proposed in the family impact analysis such as, does the law enhance family stability, and commitment or does it acknowledge diverse family forms, interdependence and target vulnerable groups, the framework allows us to examine the impact of Section 6 of the law on families. Under the FIA framework, the ability of The Prevention Act to enhance family functions, promote wellbeing, marital stability, commitment and responsibility is considered while taking into account the contextual realities in Kenya.     

Volume contents and author index for Volume 10, 2009

Although there are very few published studies on the issue, there is much anecdotal evidence that, despite all its undisputed benefits, meditation practice can have psychologically deleterious effects. In this paper I will describe a body-based model for understanding trauma, the Trauma Resiliency model, and suggest it might be a helpful tool in anticipating, preventing and/or mitigating these effects. I will argue that Buddhist traditions are replete with frameworks, tools and techniques for addressing some of the psychological pitfalls highlighted. However, some of these methods may have been ‘lost in translation’ as Buddhist meditation training has been adapted for a Western audience. I will make the case that, somewhat ironically, in operational terms some of the secular modalities for teaching mindfulness (such as MBSR) may be psychologically ‘safer’ than those offered in a (Western) Buddhist context. I will call for further inquiry about how to mitigate and protect against psychological harms in Buddhist meditation training.     

An Evaluation of Two Types of Cognitive Intervention in the Management of Chronic Tinnitus

Abstract

Fifty-four subjects with chronic distressing tinnitus were randomly allocated to one of four experimental treatment conditions: (1) attention control and imagery training (AC1); (2) cognitive restructuring (CR); (3) combined attention control and imagery training plus cognitive restructuring (ACI + CR); and (4) a waiting list control (WLC). Significant overall improvements were found on measures of distress associated with tinnitus, and on a number of other measures of cognition and coping strategies. These improvements were maintained at the six-month follow-up. Relative to the WLC, the three treatment conditions (combined) were associated with improvements in tinnitus-related distress, reductions in tinnitus-related dysfunctional cognitions and an increase in the frequency of use of coping strategies. There was a significant effect in favour of the ACI group compared to the CR group on the measure of irrational beliefs. The analyses also revealed that the combined treatment condition (ACI + CR) showed significantly greater improvement on a measure of psychological distress and achieved a higher clinical response rate compared to the two single treatments. There were significant improvements from pretreatment to follow-up on some measures, although the mean scores revealed that some of the gains had been lost at this stage on the main measure of tinnitus-related distress. There were no significant group X time effects for any of the dependent variables at the six-month follow-up. The results were interpreted as supporting the practice of combining the two cognitive approaches.     

Parental Depression and Economic Disadvantage: The Role of Parenting in Associations with Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in Children and Adolescents

This study examined the effects of parental depression symptoms, economic disadvantage, and parenting behaviors in 180 children and adolescents of depressed parents (ages 9–15 years-old). Analyses revealed that while parental depression symptoms, economic disadvantage, and disrupted parenting behaviors were related to children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms, disrupted parenting (e.g., intrusive, neglectful parenting) accounted for the association of parental depressive symptoms and economic disadvantage with children’s symptoms. This study provides evidence that disrupted parenting may be a common or shared process through which both parental depression and economic disadvantage are associated with children’s internalizing and externalizing problems.