Exploring definitions of bullying among personality disordered patients in a maximum‐secure hospital

The current study explored the perceptions of staff and patients concerning how patient‐to‐patient bullying should be defined and what behaviours it should include. Participants were randomly selected from the Personality Disorder Unit of a maximum secure hospital. A total of sixty interviews were conducted (30 staff and 30 patients). Problems in attempting to utilise definitions of bullying developed for use in other contexts, i.e., schools, were identified. Patients and staff presented with similar views about how it should be defined: both felt that aggression did not have to be repeated or severe in order to be classed as bullying, that bullying could be accidental, that the power imbalance between perpetrator and victim was not always explicit and, finally, that victims could provoke bullies unintentionally. Indirect (i.e. covert) forms of aggression were less likely to be considered bullying than direct (i.e. overt) forms. A number of differences were found between staff and patients regarding how bullying was conceptualised. Staff were more likely than patients to hold the belief that some patients liked being bullied, and appeared to acknowledge a broader definition of bullying than patients, accounting for a wider range of aggressive behaviours. A number of similarities between the current study and previous prison‐based research were found. The implications of these findings for current research and the value in attending to prison‐based research are highlighted. Aggr. Behav. 00:000–000, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Association between measures of aggression and bullying among juvenile and young offenders

This study addresses the relationship between aggression and behaviors indicative of bullying in a sample of incarcerated male juvenile and young offenders. The study also addresses whether or not offenders who bully others and/or are bullied themselves can be identified by the type of aggression that they report. Ninety‐five juvenile and 196 young offenders completed a self‐report behavioral checklist (DIPC: Direct and Indirect Prisoner Behavior Checklist) that addressed their experience of and involvement in behaviors indicative of bullying. They also completed the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ), a measure of physical and verbal aggression, anger and hostility. Four categories of offenders were identified from the DIPC ‐ pure bullies, pure victims, those who were both bullies and victims (bully/victims), and those not‐involved in bullying behavior. As predicted, behaviors measured on the DIPC that were indicative of ‘bullying others’ correlated positively with scores on the AQ. There was no indication, however, that physical AQ and physical bullying on the DIPC were the same constructs. There was a closer association between verbal AQ scores and verbal bullying on the DIPC. Bullies and bully/victims reported higher levels of physical and verbal aggression, and bully/victims reported higher levels of hostility and anger, than the other categories. It is concluded that although there are similarities between the AQ and the DIPC, there is no evidence that they are measuring the same type of aggression, although different groups involved in bullying can be partly distinguished by their scores on the AQ. Aggr. Behav. 30:29–42, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Nature,extent, and causes of bullying among personality‐disordered patients in a high‐secure hospital

The present study explored the perceptions and experiences of the nature, extent and causes of bullying among personality‐disordered patients, with a subsidiary aim of exploring differences in perceptions between staff and patients. The sample was selected from the Personality Disorder Unit of a high secure hospital. The total sample consisted of 60 participants, 30 patients and 30 staff. Participants engaged in a semi‐structured interview based on that developed by Brookes [1993] and modified by Ireland and Archer [1996] and Ireland [2002a]. The interview assessed their perceptions and experiences of patient‐to‐patient bullying. One fifth of patients and staff reported that they had seen a patient being bullied in the previous week. One‐fifth of patients reported that they had been bullied in the previous week and less than one tenth reported that they had bullied others. The most frequent types of bullying reported were theft‐related, verbal abuse, being made to do chores, physical assaults and intimidation. One fifth of the sample reported that sexual abuse took place. Victims were generally perceived to be ‘easy targets’ that were vulnerable, either physically or emotionally. Staff identified a wider range of victim types than patients. The results highlight how patient‐to‐patient bullying does occur and is an important issue worthy of further research. A number of similarities were found between the current findings and those of prison‐based research suggesting that both hospitals and prisons share a number of environmental similarities that help to explain why bullying takes placed in secure forensic settings. Aggr. Behav. 30:229–242, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Parent‐completed screening for social emotional problems in young children: The effects of risk/disability status and gender on performance

Results of psychometric studies on the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social Emotional (ASQ:SE), a parent‐completed screening tool for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, are described. The ability of the ASQ:SE to distinguish risk and disabilities groups, and the relationship of gender and ASQ:SE scores were examined. No/low risk, at risk, developmental disabilities, and social emotional disability groups were significantly different at all eight age intervals (i.e., 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48, and 60 months). Significant differences were found between males and females at the 30‐, 36‐, 48‐, and 60‐month age intervals. These data support the ASQ:SE as a valid screening test to assist in early identification of social and emotional problems in young children. ©2004 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.     

Using the Developmental Counseling and Therapy Model to Work With a Client in Spiritual Bypass: Some Preliminary Considerations

At a time when attention to spirituality within the counseling profession is unparalleled, 1 potential problem is that clients who engage in spiritual bypass will be supported in this dysfunctional pattern by their counselor. The purpose of this article is to define and describe spiritual bypass and to discuss the use of the developmental counseling and therapy model to assess and intervene with a client who is in spiritual bypass.     

Evidence‐Based Effective Practices With Older Adults

Older persons constitute an increasingly large population with significant mental health challenges. The authors review outcome research for both diagnosable conditions and late‐life transitions as a basis for evidence‐based practice with this population. Implications for clinical practice in professional counseling, counselor education and supervision, and research are considered.     

Exploring the Public Understanding of Basic Genetic Concepts

It is predicted that the rapid acquisition of new genetic knowledge and related applications during the next decade will have significant implications for virtually all members of society. Currently, most people get exposed to information about genes and genetics only through stories publicized in the media. We sought to understand how individuals in the general population used and understood the concepts of “genetics” and “genes.” During in-depth one-on-one telephone interviews with adults in the United States, we asked questions exploring their basic understanding of these terms, as well as their belief as to the location of genes in the human body. A wide range of responses was received. Despite conversational familiarity with genetic terminology, many noted frustration or were hesitant when trying to answer these questions. In addition, some responses reflected a lack of understanding about basic genetic science that may have significant implications for broader public education measures in genetic literacy, genetic counseling, public health practices, and even routine health care.