Proneness to psychosis and selection of objects of visual attention: individual differences in visual marking

Deficits in early visual attention and perceptual organisation have frequently been shown to associate with both poor pre-morbid schizophrenia and those at a greater putative risk of psychosis. The nature of the deficit is unclear. The present study investigated the relationship between speed of visual marking and proneness to psychosis. 20 males and 20 females completed several tasks assessing speed of selection and de-selection of visual objects. As predicted, negative schizotypy was associated with poorer marking in males, but socially desirable responding potentially confounded this result. In addition, impulsive non-conformity swas associated with poorer visual marking, more prominently in females. These results are discussed in relation to possible mechanisms by which psychosis-proneness and impulsivity may restrict the top–down influences operating on early visual attention.     

The Moral Deliberations of 15 Clergy on Suicide and Assisted Death: A Qualitative Study

Given the relationship between moral objections to suicide, physician-assisted suicide (PAS), and euthanasia and religion, it is important to understand under what conditions clergy have moral objections to suicide, ending futile medical treatment, PAS, and euthanasia. This study used thematic analysis to explore the moral deliberations of 15 clergy and the right- and wrong-making properties of nine death and dying scenarios. Fifteen Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant clergy completed semi-structured interviews. Data analysis generated eight themes: sanctity of life, preservation of the natural course of life, pastoral care, support of the faith community, referral to professional services, end-of-life decision in community, consultation with medical professionals, and a shift to a hopeful narrative. Respondents consistently endorsed the priority of pastoral care, demonstrating a deep concern for the well-being of suffering congregants. In conclusion, respondents were consistent in the application of eight themes to end-of-life scenarios but differed in their approach to the removal of a feeding tube and being present for a PAS death. Every respondent objected to suicide.     

Meaning as a coping resource: Experiences of nursing students

This exploratory study examined conceptions of meaning as a coping resource among nursing students. A qualitative approach was used to explore the lived experiences of 13 nursing students (female = 85%; age range = 18–22 years). Four conceptions of meaning emerged from the qualitative analysis, namely occupational stress as an avenue to meaning, compassion satisfaction, relational meaning, and meaning through spirituality. The findings indicate that various conceptions of meaning could assist nursing students in enhancing coping abilities.     

Personal growth initiative: Relation to Hedonia and Eudaimonia happiness among South African university students

This study examined the relationship between personal growth initiative (PGI) and hedonic and eudaimonic happiness among a sample of South African university students (N = 235; mean age = 20.38, SD = 1.55; female = 61.70%). Students completed measures on personal growth initiative, hedonic happiness, and eudaimonic happiness. Regression analysis indicated personal growth initiative to positively predict students’ reported scores on hedonic and eudaimonic measures. The findings underscore the importance of PGI among student populations in advancing well-being among university students. It is proposed that higher education student development and support services should tap into PGI as a resource for enhancing student self-directed change and happiness.     

How the brain processes causal inferences in text

Abstract— Theoretical models of text processing, such as the construction-integration framework, pose fundamental questions about causal inference making that are not easily addressed by behavioral studies. In particular, a common result is that causal relatedness has a different effect on text reading times than on memory for the text: Whereas reading times increase linearly as causal relatedness decreases, memory for the text is best for events that are related by a moderate degree of causal relatedness and is poorer for events with low and high relatedness. Our functional magnetic resonance imaging study of the processing of two-sentence passages that varied in their degree of causal relatedness suggests that the inference process can be analyzed into two components, generation and integration, that are subserved by two large-scale cortical networks (a reasoning system in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the right-hemisphere language areas). These two cortical networks, which are distinguishable from the classical left-hemisphere language areas, approximately correspond to the two functional relations observed in the behavioral results.     

Factor structure of the Preschool Personality Questionnaire in Iran

This study is of Triandis's pseudoetic variety, not a cross-cultural study per se. The Preschool Personality Questionnaire which was standardized in the SA and partially standardized in Colombia was administered to 600 preschool children in Iran. Data from the entire sample were analyzed by both principal components, maximum likelihood, and alpha factor analyses. 14 factors were derived. Odd and even records were likewise factored. Six of the first seven factors were found and matched from odd to even cases. At least five of the total sample factors were judged by inspection to match similar dimensions in the USA. Factor scores for children in the standardizing sample were created by postmultiplying the raw score matrix by the 14-factor "reduced" factor structure matrix. These raw factor scores were then converted to STEN scores. Utilizing the entire sample factor structure matrix, factor scores and sten scores were derived for each of the 4-, 5-, and 6-yr.-old groups. By use of the norms based on this sample of Iranian children, further experiments can be carried out to investigate development of preschool children and other variables in Iran similar to those studied in the West.