Assessment of Repeated Relational Patterns for Individual Cases Using the SASB-Based Intrex Questionnaire

Repeated interpersonal patterns are central to case conceptualization and treatment planning in interpersonal and attachment-based approaches to therapy. In this study, raters (133 college students, 165 inpatients) provided data on the Intrex questionnaire (Benjamin, 2000 Benjamin, L. S. 2000. Intrex user's manual, Salt Lake City: University of Utah.  [Google Scholar]) about self-treatment, relationship with a significant other, and remembered interactions with parents in childhood. Within-subject profiles were inspected for precise behavioral matches conforming to 3 “copy process” (CP) patterns: identification (behaving like an important other), recapitulation (behaving as if the other person is still present and in charge), and introjection (treating the self the way another did). We observed CP evidence in most individual ratings. Consistent with expectation, nonclinical raters tended to copy a securely attached pattern of affiliation, low hostility, and moderate degrees of enmeshment and differentiation. Only patients copied maladaptive behavior at greater than base rate expectation. We discuss implications and provide recommendations for use of Intrex in individual assessment of CP.     

Paranoia and Power Anxiety

Several previous studies of paranoid schizophrenia have provided only scattered support for Freud's notion that homosexual wishes and fears are the root of the difficulty. The present study was designed as a partial test of the broader theory that paranoid schizophrenia in men involves severe anxiety over aggression or assertion. The subjects were men and women in three categories: paranoid schizophrenic, nonparanoid schizophrenic, and people without any history of psychiatric trouble. Using a set of TAT cards portraying various situations of anger and aggression, it was found, as predicted, that paranoid schizophrenic men, and only paranoid schizophrenic men, show a defensive response. These findings are discussed in the context of traditional gender roles and other evidence about the paranoid style.     

Representational momentum in children born preterm and at term

The term representational momentum (RM) refers to the idea that our memory representations for moving objects incorporate information about movement – a fact that can lead us to make errors when judging an object’s location (the RM effect). In this study, we explored the RM effect in a sample of children born very prematurely and a sample born at term. Because preterm children are known to be at risk for problems with motion perception, we anticipated that they would show a weaker or absent RM effect. This prediction was confirmed. In addition, we found that, in both samples of children, 5–6 year olds showed a reduced RM effect compared to 7–9 year olds. These results demonstrate that the ability to represent motion information in memory shows continued development over this age range, and may help to elucidate factors contributing to problems with fine and gross motor planning and execution that have been observed in the preterm population. We propose that problems affecting the formation, maintenance, or use of predictive models, or motion extrapolation skills, may have cascading effects on the development of other abilities.     

Copy and recall performance of 6-8-year-old children after standard vs. Step-by-step administration of the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure.

The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF; Rey 1941; Osterrieth, 1944) is frequently used in the neuropsychological assessment of children and adults. The present study was designed, in part, to examine the impact of providing organizational scaffolding to young children being tested with the ROCF. To this end, 6-, 7-, and 8-year-old children were administered the test either in the standard fashion, or using a format in which the 18 key elements of the figure were introduced sequentially. Participants included 132 children who were randomly assigned to the standard or step-by-step administration groups. Significantly higher accuracy and organization scores for both copy and recall were seen with the step-by-step format than with the standard format, even though children in the step-by-step condition took less time to execute their drawings. Retention of encoded information was not affected by age or testing format. The fact that 6-year-olds in the step-by-step condition performed as well as, or better than, 8-year-olds in the standard condition suggests that the primary problem young children experience with the ROCF lies with organizational strategy formation. Advantages of using the Step-by-step ROCF in clinical practice are discussed.     

The effects of confederate influence and confidence on the accuracy of crime judgements

Building on recent work which has investigated social influences on memory and remembering, the present experiment examined the effects of social pressure and confederate confidence on the accuracy and confidence of eyewitnesses. Sixty undergraduate participants watched a video of a staged mugging and then answered questions about the video out loud in the presence of either one or three confederates who had also watched the film with them. Unbeknownst to the participant, the confederate(s) always gave incorrect responses to four out of the eight questions. Participants and confederates were also asked to give confidence scores out loud for each of their answers. Again, unbeknownst to the participant, the confederate(s) always expressed either high or low confidence scores for the incorrect information, depending on condition. Participants gave fewer correct answers, and were less confident, in the presence of three, as opposed to one, confederates. Participants were also more confident, yet no more accurate, when the confederate(s) gave high, as opposed to low, confidence scores. Thus the presumed independence of evidence given by multiple witnesses cannot be safely assumed.     

Relationship between Anxiety Sensitivity subscales and social fears

This study examined the relationship between social fears and the three subscales of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) in a non‐clinical, student sample. In particular, the unique variance that the three ASI factors accounted for in social scrutiny fears, social interaction fears, and fear during a social challenge was investigated. Anxiety Sensitivity–Social Concern (AS‐Social Concern) was hypothesised to account for a significant proportion of the variance in social fears compared to the other two subscales. Seventy one university students completed a series of psychological‐based questionnaires and participated in a social challenge (videotaped speech task). Contrary to prediction, AS‐Social Concern did not account for a unique proportion of the variance in social fears, but AS‐Physical Concern and AS‐Mental Concern did account for unique variance in social fears. Results are interpreted in light of recent findings on the structure of ASI.     

The impact of death on the family system

The impact of death on the family system creates a structural void that requires homeostatic adjustments. This paper describes bereavement adjustments in the family system. The author proposes that a family member may be stuck in one of the phases of grieving, which contributes to the homeostatic utilization of one or more of these adjustments. These homeostatic adjustments provide a matrix for abortive grief which may have transgenerational consequences. The author further proposes two stages of grieving in addition to those given by Bowlby (1979, pp. 82–83) and Parkes (1972); that of transformation and actualization. The family system or family-community system may hinder or help the bereaved family grieve, or make the homeostatic adjustment. Judeo-Christian values and rituals are described as relevant to this process.     

Modification of Delinquent Behavior1

A matched subjects design was employed to assess the effectiveness of an experimental program for the reduction of delinquent behavior in adolescent boys on probation. Youngsters in the experimental group (N= 19) were invited to participate in a series of small group sessions designed on the basis of principles drawn from the theory and research of social psychology. Control group delinquents (N= 19) were not informed of this project and continued their previous association with the probation office. The group experiences arranged for the experimental participants encouraged free and open discussion of their previous delinquent activities, future behavioral intentions, personal values, and life goals. It was found that participants developed high attraction toward the group and involvement in its activities. Frequency of subsequent delinquent behavior was found to be significantly reduced for experimental group participants as compared with their matched controls. In a followup interview 9 months after the last group meeting, it was found that experimental group members showed significantly more internal responses on a modified version of the Rotter I-E scale than did the control subjects.     

Bereavement counselling in Uganda and Northern Ireland: a comparison

Therapeutic interventions for bereavement in Northern Ireland and in the Sub-Saharan African country of Uganda are compared. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Ugandan (n?=?18) and Northern Irish (n?=?20) therapists. These were thematically analysed. The findings focused on: the counselling context, the characteristics of counsellors, the characteristics of clients and counselling practices. Whilst there were many similarities in practice, core differences arose from the demands of these regions’ predominately collectivist or individualist settings. Findings suggest that counselling interventions require adjustment to reflect cultural practices where there is less emphasis on an individualised ego, and where bereavement responses must concur with social norms.