Uneven Profiles: Language Minority Learners' Word Reading, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension Skills

English reading comprehension skill development was examined in a group of 87 native Spanish-speakers developing English literacy skills, followed from fourth through fifth grade. Specifically, the effects of Spanish (L1) and English (L2) oral language and word reading skills on reading comprehension were investigated. The participants showed average word reading skills and below average comprehension skills, influenced by low oral language skills. Structural equation modeling confirmed that L2 oral language skills had a large, significant effect on L2 reading comprehension, whereas students' word-level reading skills, whether in L1 or L2, were not significantly related to English reading comprehension in three of four models fitted. The results converge with findings from studies with monolinguals demonstrating the influence of oral language on reading comprehension outcomes, and extend these findings by showing that, for language minority learners, L2 oral language exerts a stronger influence than word reading in models of L2 reading.     

The waiting room as boundary and bridge between self-States and unformulated experience

For both patient and analyst, the waiting room serves containing and expressive functions. The waiting room may serve as both a boundary between the analytic couple and a bridge to engagement. At times it can provide a means of titrating the intensity and duration of the affects activated by immersion in the analytic process: it can also serve to extend the boundaries of the analytic frame by providing a holding environment to facilitate metabolizing the impact of comings and goings. It also may be viewed as a membrane between self-states through which oscillating facets of dissociated or unformulated experience are enacted. Clinical material from the analysis of an adolescent girl illustrates these ideas.     

How Group Analysis Cures: An Exploration of Narcissistic Rage in Group Treatment

This paper addresses the use of group analysis in treating individuals for whom chronic narcissistic rage is a prominent feature of their character. Such individuals are often especially suspicious of participating in group experiences, as their sensitivity to slight and circumscribed empathy for others often leaves them vulnerable to being attacked and ostracized in groups. Their history often reveals experiences in which they were either the scapegoat of the family or of the playground, often both. Such individuals, however, may also long for inclusion and acceptance, and thus participation in a therapeutic group may be a particularly important part of their continued development. An extended clinical vignette illustrates how such work occurs within a therapeutic group using a self-psychological model. Narcissistic rage as manifested within the group-as-a-whole or groupself is also examined.     

Reflections on Preparing the Group Leader for an Analytic Perspective

Preparation of group therapists for an analytic perspective involves awareness of unconscious processes at the group and individual levels. The adequately prepared group leader should have familiarity with dream interpretation and group-as-a-whole transferences. Training in the use of long-term treatment methods is useful whether or not the practitioner uses these methods in actual practice. The ideal training program would include didactic seminars, weekly supervision, the experience of conducting a long-term (at least two years) therapy group, as well as personal analytic group therapy. Previous individual analytic therapy is also encouraged.     

Psychological skills and mindfulness training effects on the psychological wellbeing of undergraduate music students: An exploratory study

This study explored the efficacy of psychological skills and mindfulness training intervention on the psychological wellbeing of undergraduate music students. Participants were undergraduate music students (n = 36) from the Department of Music at a South African university, 21 of whom were elected to take the psychological skills and mindfulness training intervention. Data on their self-reported psychological wellbeing, psychological skills, mindfulness and performance anxiety levels were collected pre-and post-intervention. The analysis applied non-parametric procedures to determine changes in students’ psychological wellbeing after the seven-week intervention programme. Findings suggest improvements in psychological wellbeing, psychological skills, mindfulness and performance anxiety with training. Psychological skills and mindfulness training may have benefits to the psychological wellbeing of music students.     

BRCA1 testing and informed consent in a woman with mild retardation

Cancer predisposition testing can pose complex genetic counseling issues. This casereport discusses whether it is appropriate to provide BRCA1 testing to a woman withlimited intellectual capacity and documented psychological distress. This case is one ofseveral cancer counseling cases presented to our Genetic Counseling Supervision Groupover the past three and a half years. The Supervision Group provided valuable feedback and supportto proceed with this challenging case.