Naturalism,fallibilism, and the a priori

This paper argues that a priori justification is, in principle, compatible with naturalism—if the a priori is understood in a way that is free of the inessential properties that, historically, have been associated with the concept. I argue that empirical indefeasibility is essential to the primary notion of the a priori; however, the indefeasibility requirement should be interpreted in such a way that we can be fallibilist about apriori-justified claims. This fallibilist notion of the a priori accords with the naturalist’s commitment to scientific methodology in that it allows for apriori-justified claims to be sensitive to further conceptual developments and the expansion of evidence. The fallibilist apriorist allows that an a priori claim is revisable in only a purely epistemic sense. This modal claim is weaker than what is required for a revisability thesis to establish empiricism, so fallibilist apriorism represents a distinct position.

Violence Exposure and PTSD: The Role of English Language Fluency in Latino Youth

Although Latinos have been a rapidly growing population in the US, little is known about how mental health symptoms may present in Latino children especially in the context of those living in poverty and exposed to violence. We explored the level of violence exposure and trauma symptoms in Latino youth and the relationship of these factors with English language fluency. During 2000–2002, 1,601, Latino students from seven middle schools participated in a school-based screening to identify students with exposure to community violence and symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The students completed a self-report instrument, in either Spanish or English, that combined a modified version of the Life Events Scale and the Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS). Bivariate analyses and multivariate regression models showed that youth with higher English language fluency reported greater violence exposure and PTSD symptoms than those with lower fluency. No difference was found in functioning by English language fluency. English language fluency appears to be related to violence exposure and PTSD symptoms in these Latino youth. We discuss the importance of school-based programs especially designed to serve Latino students of varying English language fluency.     

Serving Clients With Hearing Loss: Best Practices in Mental Health Counseling

This article examines the risk factors and characteristics of clients with hearing loss, including inequitable access to education and mental health care services, financial barriers, communication problems, and societal discrimination. Culturally specific counseling approaches and techniques for mental health counselors serving clients with hearing loss are presented, with a focus on building counselor competency and client employment skills. The use of interpreters in therapeutic settings is also discussed.     

Audience effects on food caching in grey squirrels (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sciurus carolinensis</Emphasis>): evidence for pilferage avoidance strategies

If food pilferage has been a reliable selection pressure on food caching animals, those animals should have evolved the ability to protect their caches from pilferers. Evidence that animals protect their caches would support the argument that pilferage has been an important adaptive challenge. We observed naturally caching Eastern grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in order to determine whether they used any evasive tactics in order to deter conspecific and heterospecific pilferage. We found that grey squirrels used evasive tactics when they had a conspecific audience, but not when they had a heterospecific (corvid) audience. When other squirrels were present, grey squirrels spaced their caches farther apart and preferentially cached when oriented with their backs to other squirrels, but no such effect was found when birds were present. Our data provide the first evidence that caching mammals are sensitive to the risk of pilferage posed by an audience of conspecifics, and that they utilise evasive tactics that should help to minimise cache loss. We discuss our results in relation to recent theory of reciprocal pilferage and compare them to behaviours shown by caching birds.     

Sharing <Emphasis Type="Italic">GJB2</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">GJB6</Emphasis> Genetic Test Information with Family Members

Although GJB2/GJB6 genetic testing for non-syndromic hearing loss is available, there is no information regarding sharing of test results with family members. A qualitative study was conducted to elucidate if, how, and why parents of a child with hearing loss share GJB2/GJB6 test results with relatives. Parents whose child had testing (n = 7 positive, n = 4 negative, n = 1 inconclusive results) participated in a semi-structured interview and responses were analyzed using qualitative methods. All participants shared the test result with at least one relative, but selective non-disclosure also was observed. Reasons for, and reactions to, sharing were diverse and differed as a function of test result. In comparing the results from this study to published literature, similarities and differences were identified with regards to disclosure of genetic test results for hearing loss versus other conditions. Differences suggest that hearing loss may have unique attributes that influence responses to genetic test information. Further research is needed to replicate these findings.     

Emotional valence and arousal interact in attentional control

ABSTRACT— A recent study demonstrated that observers' ability to identify targets in a rapid visual sequence was enhanced when they simultaneously listened to happy music. In the study reported here, we examined how the emotion-attention relationship is influenced by changes in both mood valence (negative vs. positive) and arousal (low vs. high). We used a standard induction procedure to generate calm, happy, sad, and anxious moods in participants. Results for an attentional blink task showed no differences in first-target accuracy, but second-target accuracy was highest for participants with low arousal and negative affect (sad), lowest for those with strong arousal and negative affect (anxious), and intermediate for those with positive affect regardless of their arousal (calm, happy). We discuss implications of this valence-arousal interaction for the control of visual attention.     

I Know That my Redeemer Lives: Relational Perspectives on Trauma, Dissociation, and Faith

This paper focuses the lens of multiplicity on patients’ religious experience in relation to the psychic realities of early or pervasive trauma, where dissociation is not just a normal means of self-regulation, but becomes an entrenched structuring mechanism through which the trauma survivor experiences every relationship, including any relationship to God. What might God or faith look like from the perspective of the traumatized self? This paper considers issues of multiplicity and dissociation as they affect the processing of religious or spiritual experience, with a few brief clinical illustrations, and offers a reading of the biblical book of Job as a metaphor for the inner world of the survivor of early trauma.     

Extending parasite-stress theory to variation in human mate preferences

In this commentary we suggest that Fincher & Thornhill's (F&T's) parasite-stress theory of social behaviors and attitudes can be extended to mating behaviors and preferences. We discuss evidence from prior correlational and experimental studies that support this claim. We also reanalyze data from two of those studies using F&T's new parasite stress measures.     

A randomized controlled trial of internet-based therapy in depression

Depression is among the most prevalent disorders worldwide. In view of numerous treatment barriers, internet-based interventions are increasingly adopted to “treat the untreated”. The present trial (registered as NCT01401296) was conducted over the internet and aimed to assess the efficacy of an online self-help program for depression (Deprexis). In random order, participants with elevated depression symptoms received program access or were allocated to a wait-list control condition. After eight weeks, participants were invited to take part in an online re-assessment. To compensate for common problems of online studies, such as low completion rates and unclear diagnostic status, reminders and incentives were used, and clinical diagnoses were externally confirmed in a subgroup of 29% of participants. Relative to the wait-list group, program users experienced significant symptom decline on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; primary outcome), the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS), the Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). Compared to wait-list participants, symptom decline was especially pronounced among those with moderate symptoms at baseline as well as those not currently consulting a therapist. Completion (82%) and re-test reliability of the instruments (r = .72–.87) were good. The results of this trial suggest that online treatment can be beneficial for people with depression, particularly for those with moderate symptoms.