Factors Related to Mentor Reports of Mentoring Functions Provided: Gender and Relational Characteristics

In this study we examined the relationship between mentor gender, protégé gender, mentorship characteristics (e.g., mentorship type, mentorship duration, mentor experience), and mentoring functions provided as reported by mentors. Drawing on research regarding diversified mentorships and interpersonal relationships, we proposed that mentoring effectiveness would vary as a function of the gender of the mentorship participants and the characteristics of the relationship. As hypothesized, several interesting gender differences emerged from the data. Male mentors reported providing more career mentoring to their protégés, whereas female mentors reported providing more psychosocial mentoring. Contrary to expectations, mentors in informal mentorships did not report providing more mentoring than did mentors in formal mentorships. The findings demonstrate the importance of examining mentoring from the perspective of the mentor.     

Managerial Support for Dual-Career Relocation Dilemmas

This study examined managerial decision making in the context of a dual-career relocation dilemma. Specifically, 143 managers and professionals responded to a memo contained in an in-basket simulation exercise that involved a dual-career employee relocation and corresponding request for spouse employment assistance. Competing theoretical predictions were tested with regard to managerial support for this dual-career work-family situation as a function of the gender of the employee. Findings indicated that managers offered more extensive assistance to the spouse of a female employee than to the spouse of a male employee. A content analysis of decision-makers' responses indicated a wide range of specific responses, with offering multiple forms of assistance being most common (27%), followed by delegating the issue to human resources (22%). The results are discussed in terms of implications for future research on managerial support for work-family and employee mobility. Practical suggestions are outlined.     

Does Writing About Suicidal Thoughts and Feelings Reduce Them?

To assess whether writing with cognitive change or exposure instructions reduces depression or suicidality, 121 undergraduates screened for suicidality wrote for 20 minutes on 4 days over 2 weeks. They were randomly assigned to reinterpret or to write and rewrite traumatic events/emotions, or to write about innocuous topics. The three groups (N = 98) who completed pre-, post-, and 6-week follow-up were not different on suicidality or depression. All subjects reported fewer automatic negative thoughts over the 2 weeks; they also reported higher self-regard but more health center visits at follow-up. Suicidal thoughts may be more resistant than physical health to writing interventions.     

GIV CARE: A Group Intervention to Reduce Accommodation Among Relatives of Individuals With Fear-Based Disorders

Fear-based disorders (FBDs) occur in an interpersonal context as relatives (e.g., partners, parents) often accommodate symptoms. Symptom accommodation, which is ubiquitous and reinforces FBD behavior, is associated with increased FBD symptom severity and interferes with treatment. Accordingly, reducing accommodation represents a crucial aim for intervention. We describe a brief, manualized group intervention to decrease symptom accommodation and caregiver burden among cohabitating relatives of individuals with FBDs. The intervention is the first to date that (a) jointly includes parents and partners to target symptom accommodation, and (b) uses a transdiagnostic group treatment approach. We also provide preliminary empirical support for this group-based intervention among adult relatives (N = 20) that participated in the five weekly intervention sessions and completed assessments at baseline, posttreatment, and 1-month follow-up (1MFU). Preliminary results suggest that the group intervention is feasible and acceptable. Completers (n = 18) exhibited significant reductions in symptom accommodation and self-reported burden between baseline and 1MFU. The discussion identifies study limitations and future directions.     

Associations among body dissatisfaction,gender, and three latent profiles of religiosity

Body dissatisfaction is a too-common issue for young women in the US. Body dissatisfaction is a rising issue with young men too, although their average body dissatisfaction remains lower than young women’s. Religiosity has been negatively linked to body dissatisfaction for women, but the relation for men is unclear. The current study (N?=?5104) built upon a previous latent profile analysis of a large, diverse sample of US. college students Multi-Site University Study of Identity and Culture (MUSIC). We examined whether body dissatisfaction scores were related to three religious classes, when depressive symptoms were controlled for, and whether gender moderated that potential relation. Body dissatisfaction scores were significantly related to religious class. Gender had a main effect although not a moderating effect: men had better body dissatisfaction than women did, and their religious class similarly affected their body dissatisfaction scores. Religiosity appears important for emerging adult men’s body dissatisfaction, like for emerging adult women.     

Mediation models of implicit theories and achievement goals predict planning and withdrawal after failure

Dweck posits that implicit theories of intelligence provide a meaning system that organizes goal-based patterns of response in achievement situations. Goals of increasing competence or demonstrating competence provide purposes for engaging in achievement tasks and frameworks for interpreting and responding to outcomes. Despite suggestions that within an implicit theory framework, attributions and emotions should mediate associations between goals and post-failure responses, such models have rarely been explicitly tested. We obtained questionnaire data from college students (N = 261) on implicit theories, goals, and attributions, as well as emotions and behavior after a hypothetical failure. Path analysis showed that learning goal and effort attribution mediated the association between incremental theory and post-failure intention to plan remedial action. Theory-consistent indirect effects that predicted intention to withdraw were also identified. Findings provide support for Dweck’s theory and extend our understanding of the roles of goals, attributions, and emotions in explaining responses to achievement setbacks.     

The phenomenology of self-reported body dysmorphic disorder by proxy

Body dysmorphic disorder by proxy (BDDBP), a preoccupation with a perceived defect in another person's appearance may represent a variant of BDD. However, BDDBP has received little empirical attention. We present here the phenomenology of 11 individuals with self-reported BDDBP. Participants completed an internet-based survey that assessed symptoms, psychosocial impact, and treatment history. Participants (8 females, 3 males) reported preoccupation with a wide array of individuals (e.g., spouse, stranger). Body parts of concern most commonly involved the face and head. Most participants spent several (e.g., 3–8) hours per day preoccupied by perceived defects in the person of concern (POC). All participants engaged in rituals to try to alleviate distress or improve the POC's appearance. Most avoided social/occupational activities, including contact with the POC. The impact of BDDBP was profound, particularly on relationships. Findings may help elucidate diagnostic criteria, course, and treatment.     

The Influence of Separation from the Mother on Children's Emotional Responses

This study concerns the relationship between alienation and the identity and role crisis in late adolescence. Two hundred and ninety adolescents (18-21 years) divided into age/sex and vocational role commitment groups were given the DJ Scale of Alienation: Self-Social Satisfaction (6). Two indexes were obtained: (a) Alienation (measured by Powerlessness and Self-Abasement) and (b) Self-Dissatisfaction (a measure of psychological disequilibrium). Powerlessness and Self-Abasement were not age/sex differentiated, whereas dissatisfaction-with-self for these attitudes was related to group differences. Young males were self-dissatisfied with their powerless status, and young females with their self-abasing attitudes. Findings were discussed in terms of the resolution of the psychological crisis and the end of the adolescent moratorium.