When virtual contact is all you need: Subtle reminders of Facebook preempt social‐contact restoration after exclusion

In the Internet age, people who feel alone can use online social media to restore a sense of social connectedness. In the present experiment, participants were either excluded or included in Cyberball, a virtual ball‐tossing game. Afterwards, a Facebook icon or a control icon (Flash Player) was shown on the margin of a computer screen during a filler task. In the control condition, excluded (vs. included) participants subsequently expressed greater interest in social contact. This response to exclusion was absent after the subtle exposure to the Facebook icon. The effect of icon presentation was moderated by relational Facebook use: The interest in further social contact after exclusion was particularly low in participants who reported employing Facebook to maintain relationships to a greater (vs. lower) extent. In sum, our findings suggest that Facebook can dispense with compensatory affiliation attempts after exclusion, especially in more socially minded Facebook users. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

PREDICTORS OF SELF‐REPORTED GAINS IN A RELATIONSHIP‐BASED HOME‐VISITING PROJECT FOR MOTHERS AFTER CHILDBIRTH

We assessed mothers’ self‐reported gains from a postpartum home‐visiting (HV) project in which home visitors are volunteer mothers from the community. Hypotheses were that gains are positively related to (a) mothers’ felt‐closeness with their home visitor, (b) mothers’ level of sociodemographic risk, and (c) the home visitors’ preproject training in support services for families or children (Professionalism). One hundred sixty‐four clients returned written evaluations of the HV project. Items assessing gains were reduced to two factors: Improved Well‐Being (“Self”) and Improved Infant Care (“Infant”). Repeated measures general linear models, with Gains (Self, Infant) as the repeated measure, and multiple regression analyses evaluated the hypotheses. Across the sample, gains on both factors were moderate, although gain scores were higher regarding Self than for Infant. Results show that (a) Mothers’ felt‐closeness with their volunteer was strongly related to mothers’ gains; (b) high‐risk mothers gained more from the project than did mothers of lower risk, particularly regarding Infant Care; and (c) mothers visited by volunteers who were professionals reported more substantial gains than did mothers visited by volunteers who were not professionals. Findings can help explain variance in mothers’ gains from such projects and could be useful in improving their efficacy.     

Efficacy of the Wilbarger Therapressure Program™ to Modulate Arousal in Women with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study Using Salivary Cortisol and Behavioral Measures

This pilot study assesses the efficacy of using the Wilbarger Therapressure Program? to modulate the arousal and influence the sensory symptoms seen in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder. Salivary cortisol and behavioral measures were used in this single subject design study of four women with post-traumatic stress disorder. Significant positive changes were seen in three of the four the women. The exception was one woman whose post-traumatic stress disorder resulted from blast injuries.     

Looking Beyond Linear: A Closer Examination of the Relationship Between Wisdom and Wellbeing

Journal of Happiness Studies - There has been some controversy about the relationship between wisdom and constructs of the well-being complex. Some wisdom researchers argue that the ability to...     

German students’ current choice of profession in the field of psychotherapy

The psychoanalytic societies in Germany as in many other countries are concerned by a decline in the number of candidates for full psychoanalytic training. While this situation is partly attributable to changes both in society and in educational and healthcare systems, it is questionable whether psychoanalytic training institutions have yet found adequate responses to it. Under the banner of ‘evidence‐based treatment’, behaviour therapy has come to be widely disseminated, with major implications for the teaching of different psychotherapy paradigms at universities. To investigate the determinants of this trend in the specific German situation, a large‐scale, multi‐method exploratory study supported by IPA's DPPT programme was undertaken, focusing on the reasons given by a population (N = 679) of German psychology, medical, and education students for embarking on training in psychoanalysis or behaviour therapy. The results suggest that behaviour therapy is more compatible with the prevailing scientific understanding and with current societal and cultural trends, owing in part to inadequacies or bias in university teaching of the various paradigms of psychotherapy. While most of the psychology students expressed a preference for behavioural training, the psychotherapy option proved less attractive for their counterparts in the fields of medicine and education. Semi‐standardized qualitative interviews were used to gain a deeper understanding of the students’ decisions for or against training in a specific paradigm, and led to the identification of seven decision‐making prototypes. Possible reasons for the students’ decisions are discussed, and concrete proposals and recommendations are presented.     

Treatment of Maternal Depression With In-Home Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Augmented by a Parenting Enhancement: A Case Report

Depression is prevalent among mothers who participate in home visitation programs. This case study describes In-Home Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (IH-CBT), an empirically based treatment for depressed mothers that is strongly integrated with ongoing home visitation. The use of a Parenting Enhancement for Maternal Depression (PEMD) module was added to address parenting difficulties in a depressed mother. This case describes issues and challenges encountered in delivering treatment in the home with low-income, depressed mothers. Issues involving engagement, adaptation to the setting, responding to the unique needs of low-income mothers, and partnership with concurrent home visiting to optimize outcomes are considered. Long-term follow-up (18 months after the end of treatment) permits examination of sustainability of gains. Implications for treating this high-risk population are discussed.     

Does Bullying Affect Work-to-Private-Life Interference? Testing the Mediating Role of Resilience

Objectives. The present study, using the conservation of resources theory as a theoretical framework, aims to establish whether work-related bullying is associated with the development of two different types of work-to-private-life interference, i.e., time based and strain based. The study also aims to test whether these relationships are mediated by resilience. Method. In total, 333 nurses filled out a self-report questionnaire. Data analyses were performed by using structural equation model. Results. Results confirmed the hypothesized model: work-related bullying is associated with both strain-based and time-based work-to-private-life interferences. The bootstrap test indicated the presence of an indirect effect of bullying on both types of work-to-private-life interference via resilience. Originality/Value. The present study contributes to improve the understanding on the mechanisms linking work-related bullying and worker well-being, by providing evidence for the mediating role of resilience between bullying and both time-based and strain-based work–life interferences. Practical implications. The present study suggests that the intervention programs, in order to be effectiveness in sustaining work–life balance among nurses, should take into great account the social climate in the organizational context, e.g., the quality of the social climate with particular reference to the bullying prevention.     

Reconstructing Their Lives: A Longitudinal,Qualitative Analysis of the Transition to Biological Childlessness for Infertile Couples

A 3‐year, longitudinal study was conducted to determine how infertile couples make the transition to biological childlessness after medical treatment fails. Four in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 37 couples at 10‐month intervals beginning within 2 months after they stopped trying to conceive. Phenomenological analysis of these data indicated progressive adaptation by the participants to their biological childlessness over time, with greater overall life satisfaction being most apparent for those who were successful in creating their families through adoption.     

Promoting Positive Adaptation in Adult Survivors of Natural Disasters

This article integrates the guidelines of American Red Cross and the Psychological First Aid: Field Operations Guide (Brymer et al., 2006) with adult development theories to demonstrate the promotion of adaptive functioning in adults after a disaster. Case examples and recommendations for counselors working in disaster situations are included.