Testing Multicultural Robustness of the Child Behavior Checklist in a National Epidemiological Sample in Uruguay

Comparisons of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores from 31 societies (Rescorla et al. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 15:13–142 2007) supported the instrument’s multicultural robustness, but none of these societies was in South America. The present study tested the multicultural robustness of the 2001 CBCL using data from a national epidemiological survey in Uruguay. Participants were 1,374 6- to 11-year-olds recruited through 65 schools nationwide; 1,098 (80%) had received no mental health or special education services in the past year (non-referred group), whereas 276 (referred group) had been referred for mental health services, had repeated ≥2 grades, or had significant developmental disabilities. Mean item ratings, factor structure, and scale internal consistencies were very similar to findings reported by Rescorla et al. (Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 15:13–142 2007) and Ivanova et al. (Journal of Clinical Child and Adoloescent Psychology 36: 405–417 2007). Children from low SES school environments obtained higher problem scores, especially in the referred group. Gender, age, and referral status effects paralleled those in the U.S. Non-referred children obtained somewhat higher mean problem scores in Uruguay than in the U.S., but mean score differences between non-referred and referred children were smaller in Uruguay than the U.S. Findings supporting the CBCL’s multicultural robustness in a South American country extend the generalizability of findings reported by Rescorla et al. (Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 15:13–142 2007) for 31 societies.     

Age and gender moderate the effects of localized muscle fatigue on lower extremity joint torques used during quiet stance

This study examined the effects of localized muscle fatigue, age, and gender on lower extremity joint torques used during quiet stance. Thirty-two participants performed exercises designed to fatigue the ankle plantarflexors, knee extensors, torso extensors, or shoulder flexors. Body kinematics and ground reaction forces were obtained both before and after the exercises, and joint torques were derived via inverse dynamics. Single joint fatigue affected torque variability at all lower extremity joints, with similar changes for both age groups. Males and females exhibited increased ankle torque variability after different tasks, with males showing more variability after ankle fatigue and females after shoulder and lumbar fatigue. Correlations between peak torques and torque variability differed between males and females and between age groups in certain cases. The results of this study suggested that both age and gender moderate the effects of fatigue on postural control and should be considered when developing strategies to prevent occupational falls.     

Subliminal mere exposure and explicit and implicit positive affective responses

Research suggests that repeated subliminal exposure to environmental stimuli enhances positive affective responses. To date, this research has primarily concentrated on the effects of repeated exposure on explicit measures of positive affect (PA). However, recent research suggests that repeated subliminal presentations may increase implicit PA as well. The present study tested this hypothesis. Participants were either subliminally primed with repeated presentations of the same stimuli or only exposed to each stimulus one time. Results confirmed predictions showing that repeated exposure to the same stimuli increased both explicit and implicit PA. Implications for the role of explicit and implicit PA in attitudinal judgements are discussed.     

Age differences in affective forecasting and experienced emotion surrounding the 2008 US presidential election

In everyday life, people frequently make decisions based on tacit or explicit forecasts about the emotional consequences associated with the possible choices. We investigated age differences in such forecasts and their accuracy by surveying voters about their expected and, subsequently, their actual emotional responses to the 2008 US presidential election. A sample of 762 Democratic and Republican voters aged 20 to 80 years participated in a web-based study; 346 could be re-contacted two days after the election. Older adults forecasted lower increases in high-arousal emotions (e.g., excitement after winning; anger after losing) and larger increases in low-arousal emotions (e.g., sluggishness after losing) than younger adults. Age differences in actual responses to the election were consistent with forecasts, albeit less pervasive. Additionally, among supporters of the winning candidate, but not among supporters of the losing candidate, forecasting accuracy was enhanced with age, suggesting a positivity effect in affective forecasting. These results add to emerging findings about the role of valence and arousal in emotional ageing and demonstrate age differences in affective forecasting about a real-world event with an emotionally charged outcome.     

Research in Counseling: A 10‐Year Review to Inform Practice

This study reviewed 4,457 articles from 1998 to 2007 in American Counseling Association division‐affiliated journals to identify research articles published in counseling; 1,139 articles (25.6%) were quantitatively research based. The authors provide details related to quantitative research publications, including individual journal contribution to the research base, focus areas for research, and independent and dependent variables highlighted by researchers. One summary finding was that only 6% of counseling research articles explored effectiveness of counseling interventions.     

Psychometric Properties and Administration Measurement Invariance of Social Phobia Symptom Measures: Paper-Pencil vs. Internet Administrations

The psychometric properties of the online versions of assessment instruments for phobias and related symptoms were compared to those of paper-pencil versions. The examined measures were the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and Social Phobia Scale (SPS). Students (n = 514) completed the instruments either in a paper-pencil in lab condition or an online at home condition. Means of the measures were largely equivalent between the two groups. Factor structures of the measures support construct validity of the two versions of the questionnaires. The coefficient alphas for the measures were reasonably high, ranging between .91 and .93 for both groups. Correlations between the measures were similar across groups. Overall, adequate psychometric properties of the online versions of the instruments were demonstrated, however, neither of the social phobia measures demonstrated measurement invariance between the two assessment modalities.     

New Sexism in Couple Therapy: A Discursive Analysis

The persistence of gender inequality in postindustrial societies is puzzling in light of a plethora of changes that destabilize it, including shifts in economy, legislation, and the proliferation of feminist politics. In family relations, such persistence manifests as a disconnect between couples aspiring to be more egalitarian yet continuing to enact traditional gender roles and hierarchies. There is an emerging consensus that gender inequality persists because of people's continued reliance on sexist ideology or gendered assumptions that constitute women as innately distinct from and inferior to men. Sexist ideology changes its form to accommodate to changing socio‐economic conditions. Contemporary forms of sexism are old ways of legitimizing male power articulated in new and creative ways, often by incorporating feminist arguments. To effectively recognize and address “new sexism,” scholars and practitioners require new, innovative research frameworks. Our objective in writing this article is two‐fold. First, we seek to advance discursive (i.e., focused on language in use) approaches to the study of sexism. Second, we present the results of a discursive analysis of “new” sexist discourse in the context of couple therapy. The study provides preliminary evidence that, despite endorsing egalitarian norms, couples studied continue to rely on gender binaries and remain entrenched in old‐fashioned patterns of gender inequality. Implications of these results for the practice of couple therapy and for future research are discussed.     

Marked: Tattoo as an Expression of Psyche

Tattoo is a practice that is thousands of years old, appearing in virtually every corner of the world. Since the rise and expansion of organized nation states, it has often been subject to negative judgments, identified with a primitive cultural level, low social status, or even criminality. This article provides a brief overview of the history of tattoo, identifying associated cultural complexes and considering factors in the contemporary resurgence of tattoo's popularity. Against this backdrop, a qualitative study of a group of contemporary tattoo wearers is presented. Selected tattoos are reproduced and examined in detail from a psychological perspective, along with the wearers' own accounts of their motivations and experiences. From these accounts emerge five basic themes: self-empowerment, identification with a group, memorialization, “a message to oneself,” and the transformation of pain into beauty. Broader consideration is then given to different levels of meaning that a tattoo may carry for the wearer, working from examples of a particular motif often chosen: that of birds. Previous authors have pathologized wearers as masochistic, due to the pain involved in receiving a tattoo. Others tend to view tattoo as purely ornamental in function. The purpose of this article is to balance the picture by remaining open to tattoo as an expression of psyche. The emerging story is one in which choosing, receiving, and wearing a tattoo can be part of living a symbolic life.     

Neighborhood Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Theory‐Informed Analysis Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling

Due to high prevalence rates and deleterious effects on individuals, families, and communities, intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem. Because IPV occurs in the context of communities and neighborhoods, research must examine the broader environment in addition to individual‐level factors to successfully facilitate behavior change. Drawing from the Social Determinants of Health framework and Social Disorganization Theory, neighborhood predictors of IPV were tested using hierarchical linear modeling. Results indicated that concentrated disadvantage and female‐to‐male partner violence were robust predictors of women's IPV victimization. Implications for theory, practice, and policy, and future research are discussed.