AUTISM TREATMENTS IN PRINT: MEDIA'S COVERAGE OF SCIENTIFICALLY SUPPORTED AND ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

Professionals, celebrities, and media frequently suggest to parents the possible treatment options for their children with autism. Some treatment recommendations advocate for scientifically supported treatments whereas others suggest novel, untested interventions, or potentially ineffective or harmful treatments. The current study examined the print media's coverage of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and non‐scientifically supported autism treatments. Over the last 10 years, print media have increasingly published articles referring to autism treatments with little scientific support and a decreased coverage of ABA. Print media's positive statements about non‐scientifically supported treatments also increased over the last decade, whereas positive statements about ABA decreased. ABA received two times as many positive comments as negative; however, non‐scientifically supported treatments as a group received four times as many positive comments as negative. These results could contribute to parents' decisions to implement treatments for their children with autism. To contribute to future positive perception of ABA, we provided suggestions for the dissemination of information to increase positive reporting of ABA in print media. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fear as a Mediator for the Relationship Between Child Sexual Abuse and Victimization of Relationship Violence

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has been identified as a predictor for dating violence victimization; however, the mechanism for this relationship is unexplored. The current study examined whether fearful dating experiences may help explain the relationship between CSA and dating violence victimization. Participants (N =?327 college women) completed self-report measures of CSA, fearful dating experiences, and dating violence. In a mediational model test, CSA was found to be positively associated with fear in dating relationships and with dating violence victimization, fear was associated with dating violence victimization, and the effect of CSA on dating violence victimization scores was reduced after controlling for fear. A Sobel's test showed that fear partially mediated the relationship between CSA and current dating violence victimization.     

Effects of Abusive Parenting,Caretaker Arrests,and Deviant Behavior on Dating Violence Among Homeless Young Adults

Although dating violence is widespread among young adult homeless populations, its risk factors are poorly understood by scholars. To address this gap, this study uses a social learning theory to examine the effects of abusive parenting and caretaker arrests on dating violence among 172 homeless young adults. Results from path analyses revealed that child physical abuse and caretaker arrests were positively associated with engaging in a greater number of school fights, which, in turn, was strongly and positively correlated with participating in more deviant subsistence strategies (e.g., stealing) since being on the street. Young people who participated in a greater number of delinquent acts were more likely to report higher levels of dating violence. Study results highlight the extent of social learning within the lives of homeless young adults, which is evident prior to their leaving home and while they are on the street.     

Locus of control as a mediator of the association between attachment and children’s mental health

Locus of control—the expectation that one is in control of one’s outcomes in life—is linked to well-being. The authors explored one of the possible antecedents of locus of control such as secure children’s attachment. The hypothesis was that locus of control acts as a mediator of the association between children’s attachment and their mental health, in terms of depression, anxiety (internalizing problems), and aggression (externalizing problems). Participants were 206 children with ages ranging from 8 to 14 years. The authors obtained data from teachers as well as by self-report. Structural equations modelling yielded significant results for both a direct path from insecure attachment to internalizing problems and an indirect pathway in which locus of control functions as a mediating variable between children’s attachment and internalizing problems. Although the data were consistent with the mediated pathway with regard to internalizing problems, different findings emerged for aggression. Insecure attachment was a significant predictor of aggressive behavior, while locus of control was not a mediator between attachment and aggressive behavior. The authors’ findings confirm the mediating role of the locus of control between attachment and internalizing problems, but not between attachment and externalizing ones.     

Surviving Incarceration: Two Prison-Based Peer Programs Build Communities of Support for Female Offenders

Both men and women adopt various roles in the inmate subculture to survive the pains of imprisonment. It is assumed that one reason females feel the pains of imprisonment more harshly than males is because of the difficulty in being separated from their family and children. To ameliorate the pains of separation, female inmates re-create their lost family in prison. Recent works have found that the nature of America's female prison “pseudo family” may be evolving, and correspondingly, diminishing in importance. Since one's associates in prison can affect institutional adjustment, being associated with a supportive social network can prevent periods of maladjustment. This exploratory study, based on the narratives of 49 female offenders, examined the effects of two HIV prison-based peer programs on inmate peers in New York State and its unique ability to help these female offenders cope with the pains of incarceration. The author found that such programs provided leadership, support, and guidance for female offenders, and not only created a prosocial environment, but fashioned an entire community. This community continued outside of the prison walls, provided women with emotional support, and subsequently resulted in increased levels of institutional and post-release success. The use of prison-based peer programs creates a positive, conventionally oriented alternative to the traditional female pseudo family and poses significant implications for rehabilitation and reentry initiatives.     

Consistency in individual and family theoretical orientation from assessment to therapy: Its impact on the effectiveness of therapy

Abstract

The effect of consistency in theoretical orientation, whether individual or family, from assessment to therapy on the effectiveness of psychotherapy was examined in archival data. All identified patients (N=131) were ages 5-18 and comprised four groups according to the orientation of their assessment and therapy: the individual-individual (n=49) and family-family (n=49) groups and the individual-family (n=21) and family-individual (n=12) groups. Theoretical consistency was positively associated with therapy duration and participation, as well as with outcome. This association was attributable to the significant relation between family assessment prior to family therapy and the dependent variables of continuation in therapy, percent of sessions attended, nature of termination, and percent of missed sessions. Results support the theoretical position of family therapists that family assessment is the assessment method of choice.     

Children's perceptions and comforting strategies to infant crying: Relations to age,sex, and empathy‐related responding

This study aimed to examine child characteristics associated with the understanding of and responses to infant crying. Seven hundred and twenty‐four 1st to 7th grade children (383 boys, 341 girls) were shown a picture depicting a crying infant, whereupon they were asked to generate the potential causes for infant crying along with the action responses that they might utilize to assist a crying baby. Self‐reports of children's empathy‐related responding were also obtained. As hypothesized, an age‐related increase in the number, variety, and quality for causes for infant crying and strategies to help a crying infant were observed. Girls generated a higher mean number and variety of causes compared to boys. For older children (grades 4–7), dimensions of empathy‐related responding, namely sympathy and perspective taking, were significantly associated with the number and variety of causes for infant crying and caregiving strategies. The findings support the conclusion for a developmental progression of understanding of facial expressions of infant crying across middle childhood.     

Gambling counselling in Australia: focus on cognitive counselling techniques

A number of specialised counselling services are now available to assist individuals who experience difficulties as a result of problem gambling behaviour. Clinicians within these services may utilise one or a number of counselling approaches depending on their own preferences and their assessment of the counselling style suitable for use with particular clients. The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first is to describe the range of specialised gambling counselling services now available in Australia. The second aim is to provide clinicians in the field with a range of practical cognitive counselling strategies that may be used to good effect to assist clients to reassess their attitudes towards and thoughts about gambling.