Mindfulness and other Buddhist-derived interventions in correctional settings: A systematic review

Interest into the rehabilitative utility of Buddhist-derived interventions (BDIs) for incarcerated populations has been growing. The present paper systematically reviews the evidence for BDIs in correctional settings. Five databases were systematically searched. Controlled intervention studies of BDIs that utilized incarcerated samples were included. Jadad scoring was used to evaluate methodological quality. PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis) guidelines were followed. The initial search yielded 85 papers, but only eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The eight eligible studies comprised two mindfulness studies, four vipassana meditation studies, and two studies utilizing other BDIs. Intervention participants demonstrated significant improvements across five key criminogenic variables: (i) negative affect, (ii) substance use (and related attitudes), (iii) anger and hostility, (iv) relaxation capacity, and (v) self-esteem and optimism. There were a number of major quality issues. It is concluded that BDIs may be feasible and effective rehabilitative interventions for incarcerated populations. However, if the potential suitability and efficacy of BDIs for prisoner populations is to be evaluated in earnest, it is essential that methodological rigor is substantially improved. Studies that can overcome the ethical issues relating to randomization in correctional settings and employ robust randomized controlled trial designs are favored.     

From “It's Not Me” to “It Was Me,After All”: A Case Presentation of a Patient Diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder

In cases of extreme childhood trauma associated with abuse and neglect, one's sense of self is seriously compromised. Attachment patterns, symptoms, defensive operations, and character formation will differ depending upon the level of interference and impingement. When repeated trauma occurs in early childhood, the dissociative response may become the first line of defense for the person to rely upon. In its most severe form, patients are diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). This paper addresses the case of a woman diagnosed with DID. It describes the restoration of a cohesive sense of self from the eight parts of a dissociated and fragmented self in the course of therapy. The clinical case material presented is that of the child part of her, known as Lucy. Her treatment resulted in the integration of the “it's not me!” self to the patient's knowledge that “it was me, after all.”     

COLUMBINE: A COMMENTARY

A "poemtage" was created to express my thoughts and feelings about the massacre that took place at Columbine High School, Littleton, Colorado, on April 20, 1999. The story behind the creation of this poemtage is shared.     

Factores familiares en la recaída de pacientes esquizofrénicos

Resumen

Nuestro estudio de la atmósfera emocional de los hogares de los pacientes esquizofrénicos en California del Sur ha replicado los descubrimientos británicos en relación con la influencia del ambiente familiar sobre el curso de la esquizofrenia. Como en los estudios británicos, las críticas y la implicación emocional excesiva de un familiar clave para el paciente en el momento de su ingreso constituyen el mejor predictor aislado de recaída sintomática en los nueve meses posteriores al alta hospitalaria. Al igual que en los resultados británicos, la asociación entre la emoción expresada de los familiares y la recaída fue independiente de todas las demas variables investigadas. Los resultados transculturales sobre los efectos preventivos de la medicación sugieren que los clínicos deben considerar la atmósfera emocional del hogar, a la hora de explicar los fracasos de la medicación.     

The relation between social sharing and the duration of emotional experience

People often socially share their emotions to regulate them. Two-mode theory of social sharing states that cognitive sharing will contribute to emotional recovery, whereas socio-affective sharing will only temporarily alleviate emotional distress. Previous studies supporting this theory, measured emotional recovery in terms of residual emotional intensity. Until now, another important time-dynamic aspect of emotions, emotion duration, has been largely ignored. In two experience sampling studies we addressed this gap. In Study 1, participants reported on the duration of anger, fear, and sadness episodes; additionally time-varying information on the occurrence and mode of sharing was collected. This study revealed that sharing led to a shortening in emotion duration, in particular when it was socio-affective in nature. In Study 2 we investigated whether this result could be interpreted in terms of our measure of duration primarily reflecting emotional relief rather than recovery. In this study, the same method as in Study 1 was used; additionally, residual emotional intensity was measured three days after emotion onset. Study 2 largely replicated the findings from Study 1. Furthermore, duration appeared to be empirically distinct from residual intensity. Finally, no relation between sharing and residual intensity was found, even when considering the sharing mode.     

AN ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS' CALIBRATION OF COMPREHENSION AND CALIBRATION OF PERFORMANCE USING MULTIPLE MEASURES

In the present study we examined students' ability to judge comprehension of text material (before actually taking a test) as well as ability to judge comprehension performance on text material (after taking a test). We examined each of these two abilities, termed calibration of comprehension and calibration of performance, by using multiple measures rather than just one as has traditionally been done in the literature. We also examined the role of students' self-assessed monitoring ability and self-image presentation in calibration skills. Results indicated that students were able to calibrate comprehension and performance although calibration levels were low, especially for calibration of comprehension. Students who calibrated comprehension well also tended to calibrate performance well. Several measures used to examine calibration of comprehension were consistent predictors ofperformance as were both quantitative and qualitative measures of calibration of performance. Students' calibration accuracy remained stable across measures and assessment conditions. Although students' self-assessed ability was not related to their actual calibration skills, self-image presentation was related to students'self-assessments and to theirability to calibrate performance. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Teaching and Learning in High School Reading Classes: Perspectives of Teachers and Students

This qualitative study investigated high school reading programs and participants focusing on the insider perspectives of teachers and their students. The study occurred in two sites, one in a Southern state and the other in an Eastern state. The participants, five high school reading teachers and two to three students in each of their reading classes, were interviewed individually by the researchers. Interview questions focused on reader identity, reading habits, reader strategies, content area reading, and the reading program. Findings indicate a disparity between teachers' and students' understanding about reading, variability in instruction, and need for engaged learning.     

METACOGNITIVE PROCESSES: TEACHING STRATEGIES IN LITERACY EDUCATION COURSES

This study chronicles 10 undergraduate university students and their understanding and application of metacognition and executive control in reading. Students from two undergraduate reading classes from two different states received intensive instruction in metacognitive strategies which highlighted metacognition and executive control in the reading process. To document their understanding and application, students engaged in: 1) think-aloud analyses; 2) sharing of metacognition journals of their outside reading habits; and 3) developing metacognitive strategies. Additionally, the university students tutored young readers in order to apply their knowledge of activities learned in class and they kept a journal for all sessions. Finally, the university students responded to a case study that recommended reading activities and diagnostic teaching strategies for the young reader profiled in the case study. Results from the above data sources indicated that while university students understood and applied metacognitive strategies in their personal reading and were aware of these strategies that made them strategic readers, they applied little of these strategies to the tutoring and case study situations. These students appeared to operate under two definitions of the reading process witnessed through what they did and what they attempted to teach their tutees.     

Students’ Metacomprehension Knowledge: Components that Predict Comprehension Performance

In the present study, we assessed students’ metacomprehension knowledge and examined the components of knowledge most related to comprehension of expository texts. We used the Revised Metacomprehension Scale (RMCS) to investigate the relations between students’ metacomprehension knowledge and comprehension performance. Students who evaluated and regulated their understanding by using explanatory strategies (adjusting to difficult material and identifying and making connections across main points) performed better on a comprehension test than those who relied on the use of external aids. Use of explanatory strategies was positively related to comprehension performance, particularly for students with poorer evaluation and regulation skills. Results suggest that the RMCS is effective at assessing students’ ability to both evaluate and regulate their understanding and can help identify effective strategies for increasing comprehension performance.