Psychotherapist Diagnosis of Premenstrual Syndrome

The authors examined the ability of psychotherapists to diagnose premenstrual syndrome (PMS). They developed two case vignettes that were identical except that symptoms were described as cyclical in one and noncyclical in the other. Participants were asked to provide selected demographic information and requested to make a diagnosis, to indicate the clinical feature in which they made the diagnosis, and to select a treatment they would recommend for treating the case. The results indicated that most therapists can distinguish a PMS case from a non-PMS case based on the cyclical versus noncyclical feature. The number of psychotherapists who misdiagnosed the case, however, is seen as cause for concern.     

Assessing and Constructing a Meaningful System: Systemic Perspective in a College Counseling Center

The author describes an application of family systems therapy to treatment in a college counseling center. This approach organizes treatment around the “meaningful system” rather than the family system and includes nonfamily significant others in treatment. Using the Brief Therapy model of the Mental Research Institute, the author addresses special considerations in providing systemic treatment in a college counseling center, assessment and construction of a meaningful system, and specific working procedures. Two case illustrations are provided.     

COMING HOME TO THE ARCTIC COLD: ANTECEDENTS TO FINNISH EXPATRIATE AND SPOUSE REPATRIATION ADJUSTMENT

Building on repatriation adjustment research for U.S. managers and spouses, this study is one of the first to identify potential cross-cultural differences by assessing these processes theoretically and empirically in a non-U.S. sample. Focusing on Finnish expatriates and spouses, this study examined anticipatory and in-country variables related to work, interaction, and general repatriation adjustment. Specifically, time overseas, time since returning home, role discretion, and role clarity were significant correlates of Finnish repatriates' work adjustment. Time overseas, culture novelty, and social status correlated significantly with repatriates' adjustment to interacting with home country nationals. Time overseas and time back home correlated significantly with repatriate' general adjustment. For Finnish repatriates' spouses, time back home, culture novelty, and housing conditions correlated significantly with adjustment to interacting with home country nationals. For spouses' general adjustment, time overseas, time back home, culture novelty, and housing conditions were significant correlates. Implications of these findings for researchers and practitioners are explored.
Coming back home was more difficult than going abroad because I had expected changes when going overseas. During repatriation it was real culture shock! I felt like an alien in my own country. Surprisingly, I was totally unprepared for the long, harsh, cold, dark Arctic winter. My attitudes had changed so much that it was difficult to understand Finnish customs. Old friends had moved, had children, or just vanished. Others were interested in our experiences, but only sort of. Most simply could not understand our overseas experience or just envied our way of life. (Finnish Spouse returning from Australia)     

Identity Development and Worldview: Toward an Optimal Conceptualization

Positive self-identity is not easily attained in this culture. This premise is supported by the pervasive number of “-isms” (e.g., racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism) and their adverse impact on those who are defined as inferior by the dominant way of perceiving. Examination of the conceptual system that predisposes people to these “-isms” concludes that (a) it is the nature of the conceptual system that is inherently oppressive and (b) all who adhere to this conceptual system have a difficult time developing and maintaining a positive identity. This article postulates a new way of describing the identity development process under oppression using optimal theory (Myers, 1988). From this optimal worldview, oppression is perceived as self-alienating and yielding a fragmented sense of self, based upon devaluation by self and others. Therefore, identity development is a process of integrating and expanding one's sense of self. Optimal theory provides a new inclusive model of identity development, which is described, along with its applications for counseling practice. No es facíl obtener una identidad positiva de uno mismo en esta cultura. Esta premisa se apoya en la gran cantidad de “-ismos” (e.g., racismo, sexismo, heterosexismo, “edadismo”) y los impactos adversos en la gente que sería definida como inferior por la manera dominante de percibirlo. La conclusión de un examen del sistema conceptual que predispone a las personas a estos “-ismos” es que (a) la naturaleza del sistema conceptual es inheréntemente opresivo, y (b) todos aquellos que se adhieran a este sistema conceptual tendrán dificultades con el desarrollo y mantemiento de una identidad positiva. Este artículo postula una nueva manera de describir el proceso del desarrolo de la identidad bajo opresión utilizando la teoría óptima (Myers, 1.988). Desde esta visión universal óptima, se ve a la opresión como autoalienación y creadora de un sentido fragmentado del yo, basado en la devaluación por uno mismo y por los demás. Por tanto, el desarrollo de la indentidad es un proceso de integración y amplificación de la percepción de uno mismo. Esta óptima teoría nos da un modelo inclusive nuevo del desarrollo de identidad, lo cual se describe, junta con sus aplicacions para la práctica de consejería.     

Family Rituals

Family rituals, consisting of celebrations, traditions, and patterned family interactions, are defined and illustrated in this paper. The power of ritual practice in families is explained by three underlying processes — transformation, communication, and stabilization — concepts whose roots lie in anthropology and ethology. We propose that all families struggle with finding a suitable role for rituals in their collective lives but their actual achievement varies greatly. Commitment to ritual and adaptability of ritual practice throughout the family life cycle are important considerations. The utility of these concepts in the assessment and treatment of families is discussed.     

Should I Brag? Nature and Impact of Positive and Boastful Disclosures for Women and Men

What is the nature of a “positive” disclosure versus a “boastful” one? How are those who use these different types of disclosures differentially construed? A set of three studies was designed to investigate three general issues. Study 1 asked respondents to rate characters who disclosed in a boastful, positive, or negative fashion. Boasters and positive disclosers were viewed as more competent than negative disclosers, negative and positive disclosers were viewed as more socially sensitive than boasters, and positive disclosers were best liked. In Study 2, the gender of the target disclosing positively or boastfully was manipulated. Compared to the boaster, the positive discloser was rated as more socially involved and feminine (less masculine) but less competent. Polarized judgments were made by both genders. Study 3 had individuals generate “boasts” and “positive statements.” The few gender differences that emerged suggest that although females’ bragging strategies may be less extreme or extensive, it is only when gender information is known that the brags of men and women are differentially construed. The present work suggests that men and women, as perceivers, may differentially activate cognitive structures (involving social involvement and femininity, on one hand, and competence and masculinity, on the other) when evaluating men versus women. The nature of the communication itself (boasts being perceived as more masculine and positive disclosures as more feminine) may exacerbate such differential activation in the construction of “mental models” of another's communication.     

Writing and Publishing Books in Counseling: A Survey of Authors

This article presents data and ideas from 74 authors who published books in the field of counseling. The process of writing and publishing books is reviewed, and information is provided on typical timetables, book contracts, and remuneration. Suggestions are provided for selecting publishers and obtaining and negotiating contracts. Authors were generally very satisfied with the experience of writing a book.     

The Evolutionary Nature of Counseling and Values

The purpose of this qualitative research study is to discover the evolutionary nature of Counseling and Values, the professional journal of the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling. The authors used 4 recorded telephone interviews conducted with previous editors of the journal over the last 25 years as the principal source of data. Findings suggest that the evolutionary nature of the journal is characterized by a dynamic tension among 6 interrelated categories of influence. Implications of this research suggest the need for increased collaborative participation in support of professional journals between institutions and sponsoring associations and between diversity in readership and the professional forces that influence publication decision, as well as an increased openness between professional associations and the society that they serve.