Intuition, Affect, and Peculiar Beliefs

Research with college students has found that intuitive thinking (e.g., using hunches to ascribe meaning to experiences) and positive affect interactively predict ideas of reference and odd/magical beliefs. We investigated whether these results would generalize to a diverse community sample of adults that included individuals with elevated levels of peculiar perceptions and beliefs. We measured positive and negative affect and intuitive thinking through questionnaires, and peculiar beliefs (i.e., ideas of reference and odd/magical beliefs) through structured clinical interviews. We found that peculiar beliefs were associated with intuitive thinking and negative affect, but not positive affect. Furthermore, in no instance did the interaction of affect and intuitive thinking predict peculiar beliefs. These results suggest that there are important differences in the factors that contribute to peculiar beliefs between college students and clinically meaningful samples.     

Determining the number of factors to retain in an exploratory factor analysis using comparison data of known factorial structure

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is used routinely in the development and validation of assessment instruments. One of the most significant challenges when one is performing EFA is determining how many factors to retain. Parallel analysis (PA) is an effective stopping rule that compares the eigenvalues of randomly generated data with those for the actual data. PA takes into account sampling error, and at present it is widely considered the best available method. We introduce a variant of PA that goes even further by reproducing the observed correlation matrix rather than generating random data. Comparison data (CD) with known factorial structure are first generated using 1 factor, and then the number of factors is increased until the reproduction of the observed eigenvalues fails to improve significantly. We evaluated the performance of PA, CD with known factorial structure, and 7 other techniques in a simulation study spanning a wide range of challenging data conditions. In terms of accuracy and robustness across data conditions, the CD technique outperformed all other methods, including a nontrivial superiority to PA. We provide program code to implement the CD technique, which requires no more specialized knowledge or skills than performing PA.     

Genetic Information,Non-Discrimination,and Privacy Protections in Genetic Counseling Practice

The passage of the Genetic Information Non Discrimination Act (GINA) was hailed as a pivotal achievement that was expected to calm the fears of both patients and research participants about the potential misuse of genetic information. However, 6 years later, patient and provider awareness of legal protections at both the federal and state level remains discouragingly low, thereby, limiting their potential effectiveness. The increasing demand for genetic testing will expand the number of individuals and families who could benefit from obtaining accurate information about the privacy and anti-discriminatory protections that GINA and other laws extend. In this paper we describe legal protections that are applicable to individuals seeking genetic counseling, review the literature on patient and provider fears of genetic discrimination and examine their awareness and understandings of existing laws, and summarize how genetic counselors currently discuss genetic discrimination. We then present three genetic counseling cases to illustrate issues of genetic discrimination and provide relevant information on applicable legal protections. Genetic counselors have an unprecedented opportunity, as well as the professional responsibility, to disseminate accurate knowledge about existing legal protections to their patients. They can strengthen their effectiveness in this role by achieving a greater knowledge of current protections including being able to identify specific steps that can help protect genetic information.     

Affect Intensity Contributes to Perfectionistic Self-presentation in Adolescents Beyond Perfectionism

Perfectionistic self-presentation in adolescents is associated with psychological maladjustment and distress. Yet, no study so far has investigated what personality characteristics contribute to perfectionistic self-presentation in adolescence. Using a cross-sectional correlational design with 119 adolescents aged 11–16 years, this study investigated how perfectionism (self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism) and affect intensity (positive affectivity, negative intensity, and negative reactivity) predicted individual differences in three modes of perfectionistic self-presentation: perfectionistic self-promotion, nondisplay of imperfection, and nondisclosure of imperfection. Results showed a unique prediction pattern for all three modes of perfectionistic self-presentation. Moreover, affect intensity contributed to perfectionistic self-presentation beyond perfectionism in two of the three modes. Perfectionistic self-promotion was predicted by high self-oriented perfectionism, high socially prescribed perfectionism, high positive affectivity, and low negative reactivity. In contrast, nondisplay of imperfection was predicted by high self-oriented perfectionism, high negative reactivity, and low positive affectivity. Nondisclosure of perfectionism was predicted by high socially prescribed perfectionism only. The findings suggest that affect intensity is a personality characteristic contributing to perfectionistic self-presentation in adolescence beyond perfectionism.     

Inconsistent parenting and anxiety in the child

Abstract

This study has examined children's estimates of dental anxiety and pain before and after a standard dental treatment session consisting of a local analgesic and drilling procedures. A method of assessing intensity of pain while receiving dental treatment was devised, and measures of the child's uncooperativeness and the dentist's supportive behaviour including treatment time was collected. Results showed that there was an immediate reduction in dental anxiety following exposure to dental procedures for those children referred because of their previous uncooperativeness. The reduction in anxiety was not attributed to supportive behaviour of the dentist. Children referred as unco-operative recorded higher pain intensity to comparison children.     

Chronometric Analysis of the Posturo-Kinetic Programming of Voluntary Movement

Posturo-kinetic programming was investigated in a simple reaction time paradigm. Standing subjects performed voluntary upper limb elevations under three conditions differing by the importance of their destabilizing effect on the initial balance. Three indexes were considered: the reaction time (RT) corresponding to delay between the response signal (RS) and the onset of the upper limb acceleration at wrist level (Aw); the motor latency (ML) corresponding to delay between RS and onset of the earlier of the two accelerations at shank level (As) which was previously shown to indicate the onset of postural adjustments; and the postural anticipation (PA) corresponding to the delay between the onset of the earliest As and the onset of Aw. The results showed that the RT varied in relation to parameters of the forthcoming movement. RT variations were essentially due to differences in the PA. It appeared that the ML depended on cognitive factors while the PA depended on biomechanical ones. It is concluded that ML corresponds to the “true” reaction time while PA covers the earliest part of the motor response.     

Transference in Gerontologic Group Psychotherapy: Studies in Gerontologic Human Relations IV

For a number of reasons, we decided to bring three long-term, open-ended psychodynamic therapy groups to termination. We examine the process that began with the announcement of the change to a time-limited format, and concluded with the termination of the group. The transition had a powerful impact on the members and the group-as-a-whole. The therapists used supervision to deal with the intensity of the group process and the countertransference demands posed by the transition. Groups facing a similar change due to economic pressures may benefit from these observations.     

MCMI-II Scoring: Weighted and Unweighted Algorithms

This brief report examines the relationship between the scale scores derived through weighted and unweighted item scoring on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCMI-II). The inventories of 356 subjects across three Samples were scored using weighted and unweighted algorithms. Correlations between the weighted and unweighted MCMI-II scales were found to approach unity. This casts doubt on whether the weighting system has substantial effect on the profiles that are generated or on reducing interscale correlations.     

Distinctive Personality Profiles of the Interpersonal Style Inventory

To identify a few homogeneous subgroups with distinct personality profiles, the Interpersonal Style Inventory (ISI) was administered to two samples, each composed of 100 university undergraduates. Ward's hierarchical algorithm and the buildup nonhierarchical cluster analytic program was applied to measures of profile similarity among members of each sample. Of the six clusters that were isolated in the first sample, five were matched at significant levels across the two methods. In the second sample, six clusters were matched across clustering procedures at significant levels. Comparisons across samples disclosed five good matches between clusters generated by the Ward hierarchical algorithm, but only one for the nonhierarchical analytic procedures, These results indicate that most IS1 personality profiles can be classified into five or six categories for purposes of interpretation or prediction.