Infantile omnipotence and grandiosity

A distinction is made between infantile omnipotence and grandiosity. The retention of the former is considered necessary for health and the latter is considered pathological. The former is described as feeling comfortable though it can also be perceived both subjectively and objectively as irrational. The latter is viewed as ultimately distressing, though it can be subjectively experienced as necessary. Grandiosity is seen as a defense against repressed omnipotence. The repression of omnipotence appears to be caused by parents who are threatened by its power. Ways of making the distinction between omnipotence and grandiosity are discussed. Means of treatment and clinical examples are given.     

Religion and health in Mexican Americans

The relationship between religion and health was investigated using data from a three-generation study of mexican Americans. Two measures of religion—religious institution attendance and self-rated religiosity—were correlated with a number of functional health indicators, including self-rated health, activity restriction owing to health, bed disability days, physician utilization, worry over health, a physical symptoms scale, and a depression scale. In addition, prevalence rates were calculated for several major chronic diseases. Many significant associations obtained, as well as an inverse relationship between self-rated religiosity and hypertension. These findings are interpreted in light of the literature on religious attendance and health and on religion and aging.This research was supportive by Grant No. AG04170 of the National Institute on Aging. The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Laura Ray in teh programming phase of the data analysis.     

Controlling puff volume without disrupting smoking topography

In studies of the behavioral and physiological effects of cigarette smoking, it is of critical importance to keep the dose of nicotine as constant as possible. This is difficult with smoking, because when the nicotine delivery of a cigarette is increased or reduced, smokers tend to compensate by modifying their smoke intake. In a laboratory study, it is relatively easy to control the number of cigarettes and the number of puffs taken, but it is more difficult to control the volume of each puff. Various procedures have been developed to control puff volume, but they have a disadvantage of disrupting the normal topography of smoking. We have developed an apparatus for delivering fixed volumes of smoke that has given consistent tar and nicotine values needed in studies of the behavioral and physiological effects of cigarette smoking. This method has the distinct advantage of allowing the subject to inhale the smoke in a normal fashion, with a draw resistance comparable to that of a cigarette. The device is inexpensive and easy to make.     

Ethnic Identity, Legitimizing Ideologies, and Social Status: A Matter of Ideological Asymmetry

This paper examines the ideological asymmetry hypothesis with respect tothe interface between legitimizing ideologies and psychological attachment to one's ethnic group. The ideological asymmetry hypothesis suggests that hierarchy-enhancing legitimizing ideologies should be positively associated with ingroup attachment among high-status groups, but that among low-status groups these associations should be either less positive in magnitude (isotropic asymmetry) relative to high-status groups or negative in direction (anisotropic asymmetry). The opposite pattern should be found with respect to the interface between hierarchy-attenuating legitimizing ideologies and ingroup attachment: Among high-status groups these associations should be negative, but among low-status groups these associations should be either less negative in magnitude (isotropic asymmetry) relative to high-status groups or positive in direction (anisotropic asymmetry). The presence of isotropic versus anisotropic asymmetry is hypothesized to depend on the degree of disparity in status between the groups being compared: Wider status gaps should tend toward anisotropic asymmetries. The relationships between legitimizing ideologies and ingroup attachment were compared for (1) relatively high-status ethnic groups (European and Asian Americans) versus relatively low-status ethnic groups (Latinos and African Americans) in the United States, (2) the higher-status Jewish ethnic group (Ashkenazim) versus the lower-status Jewish ethnic group (Mizrachim) in Israel, and (3) the high-status Israeli Jews versus the low-status Israeli Arabs. The data were largely consistent with the ideological asymmetry hypothesis. The implications of these findings are discussed within the theoretical frameworks of social dominance theory and other approaches to intergroup relations.     

The Effect of Intracouple Coping Concordance on Psychological and Marital Distress in Infertility Patients

The effect of intracouple coping concordance on psychological and marital distress was examined in a sample of 46 couples undergoing different stages of infertility treatment. Results indicate that the effect of coping similarity within couples is dependent on both the type of coping examined and the stage of the stressor. Specifically, for women the use of high levels of task-oriented coping by their partners and themselves is associated with the highest level of marital satisfaction. The findings also indicate that the use of high emotion-oriented coping by both partners is associated with the most psychological distress for men. Finally, the results show that marital satisfaction among women undergoing late stage treatment is highest in couples where the males are using low levels of emotion-oriented coping. Interestingly, the least satisfaction for women is evident when the woman is using less emotion-oriented coping while her partner is using more, rather than when both partners are using more emotion-oriented coping strategies. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Education and Training of Children's Mental Health Professionals: The Existing and Potential Role of Schools of Public Health

Since the early 1980s, increasing attention has been devoted in the literature to the conceptualization, development, and implementation of integrated and comprehensive mental health systems of care for children and adolescents. In establishing this new children's mental health paradigm of community-based systems of care, there are presently very few well-trained professionals and leaders focused on collaborative (including interagency) initiatives in the delivery of children's mental health services. Nevertheless, the field of public health offers an interdisciplinary setting for the education and training of individuals in children's mental health services. This national survey of all 27 accredited schools of public health in the United States and Puerto Rico examined the existing capacity for and potential to expand educational and training opportunities in the organization, financing, and delivery of children's mental health services.