Relative absence of neuropsychological deficit in patients with low grade astrocytomas

Given the current accuracy and precision of modern brain imaging technology, there is presumed to be little utility in neuropsychological assessment procedures in patients with brain tumors. The primary exposure of many clinical neuropsychologists to patients with brain tumors is during their training, in the form of didactic classroom activities, such as reviewing the brain tumor cases of early investigators in the field. Historically, these brain tumors were the more aggressive and destructive tumors, such as grade III and IV astrocytomas, that could be identified with pre CT and pre MRI technology. With current imaging technology, low grade tumors that might previously have gone undiagnosed for years can be detected and patients followed over time. This series of cases represents documentation of the very unique neuropsychological status of patients with relatively slow growing, infiltrative brain tumors classified as grade II astrocytomas. The potential relevance of neuropsychological assessment for such cases is discussed.     

Children's use of defense mechanisms in reaction to displeasure caused by others

Two groups of children (mean ages = 7–0 and 10–1) were presented with eight video vignettes depicting unpleasant child-related situations. The child's defensive reaction was evaluated by means of an open-ended free response and by choice of one of four response alternatives: turning against the object, turning against the self, projection, and reversal. Sex- and age-related differences were predicted, and found in the younger age group: Boys chose turning against the object more often than did girls, who chose reversal more often than did boys.     

Gender identity: affected by social change?

To determine whether social changes in attitudes toward the role of men and women have influenced gender identity measures, 60 male and female college students were assessed using both a Thematic Apperception Test measure (May's, 1966, Deprivation/Enhancement measure) and a self-report measure (Bem's, 1974, Sex Role Identity [BSRI]), both of which were developed more than 20 years ago. Although some recent research has found the BSRI to no longer differentiate between men and women (Twenge, 1997; Wilcox & Francis, 1997), this study found significant gender differences for both gender identity measures.1     

Judgement of control revisited: Are the depressed realistic or pessimistic?

The study, firstly, examined the depressive realism postulate in relation to control judgments. A group of depressed and nondepressed undergraduates were exposed to a total of six judgement of control tasks (from 0% control tio 100% control). Depressed and nondepressed subjects did not differ in their control judgements. Secondlym, an attempt is made to classify subjects on the basis of these six judgements of control tasks as optimisticm, realistic and pessimistic in perceived control judgements.It was found that pessimistic rather than realistic subjects, had higher depressive symptomatology. Lastly, pessimism about control predicted the depressive symptomatology as assessed three months later. The results are discussed in relation to the phenomenon of depressive realism and the hopelessness theory of depression.     

Parental coping with their child's death

The impact of the death of 19 children form malignancy on subsequent patterns of parental coping was evaluated in a retrospective study of 33 Dutch parents, who had been bereaved for 19 months on average. Parents who had lost older children were compared with those who had lost younger ones on the Utrecht Coping List, which has been compared with a Dutch norm group. Coping styles of the bereaved parents differed significantly from those of the norm group. These differences were associated with the poorer mental health of the bereaved group as a whole. Parents of older children coped less well than those of younger ones.     

Subject Competence and Minimization of the Bystander Effect

While performing a drawing task, either alone or in the presence of an observer, high- and low-competent subjects heard a workman fall off a ladder in an adjoining room. As expected, high-competent subjects (Registered Nurses) who witnessed the emergency with another bystander helped as frequently as subjects who witnessed the emergency alone; low-competent subjects (general students) evidenced the familiar bystander effect. Responses to the post-emergency questionnaire indicated that at the time of the emergency both high- and low-competent subjects felt strongly that they should do something to help the workman. The minimization of the bystander effect for the high-competent subjects was mediated by confidence in their ability to help the workman and in knowing what steps to take to help. Discussion focused on the role of subject competency in bystander intervention, effective debriefing, and the subjects' positive reactions to participating in a bystander experiment.     

Coping and Defense Mechanisms: What's the Difference?

Defense mechanisms and coping strategies are discussed as two different types of adaptational processes. They may be clearly differentiated on the basis of the psychological processes involved, but not on the basis of their relation to outcome measures. Criteria that critically differentiate between defense and coping processes include the conscious/unconscious status and the intentional/nonintentional nature of the processes. Criteria based on the dispositional or situational status of the process, and on the conceptualization of the processes as hierarchical, are found to be more a matter of emphasis than of critical difference. A criterion that attempts to differentiate between defense and coping processes on the basis of their relation to psychological or physical health is found to be without support once the bias in self-report outcome measures is recognized.     

Attitudes towards marital counselling and the Family Law Act (1996) in a British Asian community

People of South Asian origin represent one of the largest ethnic minority population in Britain. However, research into the marital beliefs and attitudes towards relationship dissolution of British South Asians has tended to conflate together different South Asian groups of different religious and geographic origins. This study focused on one large religious group originating from one region (Hindus from Gujarat) resident in one large British town. 70 married couples participated in detailed interviews describing their attitudes to the use of formal and informal support counselling services available in times of marital crisis, and their response to the provisions of the new Family Law Act (1996) in Britain. Findings indicate that, whilst most British Hindu-Gujaratis are willing in principle to use counselling services to save a failing marriage, there are age, occupational and caste differences in knowledge of, and attitudes towards, counselling provision. Furthermore, there were important reservations across the sample about the location of services and the ethnic background of the counsellor employed.     

Towards assessing the therapeutic value of Rogers's core conditions

Despite the considerable research generated by Roger's hypothesis that the only factor responsible for therapeutic effectiveness is the degree to which the patient perceives the therapist as being unconditionally accepting, empathic and congruent, an adequate test of the causal nature of this proposition has not as yet been carried out. Consequently, the therapeutic value of these core conditions remains unknown. The way in which the causal nature of this hypothesis should be investigated is discussed, pointing out mistaken proposals made by earlier reviewers and drawing attention to the ethical and practical difficulties which manipulation of the core conditions may entail. In the absence of stronger support for the therapeutic role of the core conditions, it is argued that it may be preferable to initially explore the causal nature and relative strengths of their effects by conducting a more naturalistic panel study in which both the core conditions and therapeutic outcome are assessed at two or more points in the course of therapy. The most appropriate statistical techniques for analysing such panel data are outlined.