The Influences of Parent and Peer Attachment on Bullying

Individuals with secure attachments to parents and peers are less likely to be bullies and victims of bullying. The current study examined the interplay between gender, parent attachment, and peer attachment as factors related to roles (bullying involvement, defending a victim, and outsider) during bullying. One-hundred forty-eight adolescents (M age?=?15.68) completed surveys about parent and peer attachment and roles during bullying. Findings indicated that females were less likely than males to be involved in bullying and were more likely than males to defend a victim or be an outsider (ps?<?.05). Greater attachment security to parents and peers was associated with less involvement in bullying and greater defending of victims (ps?<?.05). Additionally, a significant three-way interaction demonstrated that greater peer attachment security predicted less bullying involvement for those with lower parent attachment security (p?<?.05), but not for those with higher parent attachment security (p?>?.05). However, this was only true for males (p?<?.01). These results indicate that having a secure attachment to peers may be a potential protective factor against bullying involvement for males with insecure attachments to parents. Future research should examine the possible mechanisms involved in the association between attachment and bullying, such as empathy, aggression, or social information processing.     

Building on the indigenous: theory and method of marriage therapy in contemporary Eastern and Western Africa

This paper highlights the distinctive approach to marriage therapy in use by therapists in two regions of Africa. It illustrates that marital therapy in these two regions is based on role theory framework and follows, in its execution, the pattern of the judicial trial model. It traces adaptations made by contemporary marriage therapists to ensure that while building their present practices on this essentially indigenous/court-room trial model, they are able to remain open to outside influences from other models of marriage.     

The Anxiety Sensitivity Index–3: Analyses of Dimensions,Reliability Estimates,and Correlates in Nonclinical Samples

Body image and self-steering behavior in a group of 40 African hospitalized paraplegics and two control groups of non-hospitalized Ss were investigated using the DAP and the PUTCO African TAT. It was hypothesized that the paraplegics would demonstrate a body image characterized by significant pathology and would have a higher loading on the passive-submission dimension than a control group of Ss. The results failed to substantiate the research hypotheses. Instead, the findings suggest that both groups were characterized by a field-dependent perceptual framework associated with indefinite body image boundaries and a lack of self-steering behavior. These findings are accounted for in terms of a developmental cultural interpretation.     

The Social Phobia and Social Interaction Anxiety Scales: Evaluation of Psychometric Properties

The present investigations examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of two new self-report measures of social phobia, the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and the Social Phobia Scale (SPS). A confirmatory factor analysis in Study I provided support for the fit of a two-factor model of the SIAS and SPS. Internal consistency estimates were high for the original two scales with a sample of 200 undergraduates. Also, using an item parceling procedure, the obtained internal consistency reliability indices for each parcel were acceptable. Results of the CFA in Study II provided support for the factorial stability of the model identified in Study I. Furthermore, multisample analyses showed invariant patterns for factor loadings and factor correlations across 138 men and 272 women. Gender differences were not observed in the mean SIAS and SPS scale and item scores. Both scales correlated negatively and significantly with measures of social desirability. Concurrent validity was established for the scales. The SPS was less specific than the SIAS to symptoms of social phobia.     

The beck anxiety inventory: Psychometric properties in a community population

This study presents data on the norms and psychometric properties of the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), using a sample of 225 community adult volunteers. Maximum-likelihood confirmatory factor analyses of previously published models of the BAI: a two-factor model and a five-factor model, showed that the fit of each model was unacceptable. Also, the fit of the single-factor model was poor. Exploratory principal-components analyses with varimax and oblique rotations suggested four BAI components within this sample. Satisfactory levels of reliability were established for the BAI subscales. Finally, the relations between the BAI total and subscale scores and a related measure of anxiety and with another self-report measure of psychological distress were examined.This paper was presented at the 27th Annual Convention of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Atlanta, Georgia, November 1993.     

Narrative in psychotherapy theory,practice, and research: A critical review

This paper offers a critical review of narrative approaches to therapy, in terms of theory, practice and research. It proposes that narrative approaches currently lack a theory that explains adequately how the reworking of narratives brings about changes and how a client's various narratives are integrated. Research approaches to the study of narrative in therapy are at an early stage. A review of current research into narrative approaches to therapy is presented, and suggestions are offered for further research.     

Memory and Narrative Healing Processes in HIV Counseling: A View from Africa

The AIDS pandemic in Africa has wreaked pain on millions of people, particularly the youth. Beyond physical symptoms, the disease destroys the emotional and psychological well-being of its victims and their families. Although psychotherapists are desperately needed, most of those in Africa have not been given sufficient training in HIV counseling. In addition, access to specific models of healing for those traumatized by the news of infection with HIV disease is hardly available. Memory healing processes, which are essential in grief work in Africa, can be combined with ritual theory within a narrative framework to provide a model for bringing healing to clients traumatized by the news of HIV infection. Augustine Nwoye, Ph.D., is presently Associate Professor, and formerly Chairman, Department of Psychology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. A first version of the paper was presented as a Keynote Address at the International Conference in Durban, South Africa, organized by the South African Association of Marital and Family Therapy, May 2004. I thank Dr. Frida Rundell, the then President of the Association, for her invitation and hospitality.     

Appropriateness of the Multi-Attitude Suicide Tendency Scale for non-White individuals

Analyses of data collected from 480 university students (approximately 56% White and 44% Black) challenge the utility of the Multi-Attitude Suicide Tendency Scale (MAST) for use with individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds. This size sample allowed for an examination of the psychometric properties and cultural relevance of the MAST for non-Whites. Correlations between scores on the MAST, suicide, and depression measures were in the expected directions for Whites but not for Blacks or Latinos. The White sample data fit the four-factor model of the MAST, but the model required several modifications to fit the data from the Black sample. Verification of the cultural relevance of the MAST and a revision of the scale are recommended to improve its usefulness.     

Counseling utilization by ethnic minority college students

Although multicultural awareness in counseling has risen substantially in the last decade, little research has examined counseling utilization and outcomes for ethnic minorities on university campuses. A sample of 1,166 African American, Asian American, Caucasian, and Latino help-seeking university students from over 40 universities nationwide filled out the Outcome Questionnaire 45 (OQ45) at the first and last therapy sessions. Caucasian students attended significantly more sessions than all other groups. Greatest distress was found at intake in Asian American students, followed by Latino, African American, and Caucasian students. All groups appeared to benefit from therapy, as noted by a decrease in symptomatology, but none of the groups met the criteria for clinically significant change for the OQ45. Implications for therapists working with minority clients are discussed.