Psychosocial predictors of chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Sri Lankan tsunami survivors

This study aimed to determine whether psychological factors associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) identified in Western samples generalize to low Social-Economical-Status (SES) populations in an underdeveloped Asian country. The study included 113 survivors of the 2004-tsunami on the south coast of Sri Lanka, recruited from 4 preschools and 10 villages for displaced persons. With logistic regressions the relations between interview-based PTSD diagnosis and psychological factors were assessed, controlling for putative confounders. Fifteen months post-trauma the prevalence of PTSD was 52.2%. Multivariate analyses indicated that negative interpretation of tsunami-memories was significantly (P < 0.005) related to PTSD. Of the putative confounders, gender and (non-replaced) lost work equipment were related to current PTSD (P < 0.05). The results indicate that the relation between negative interpretation of trauma memories and PTSD is quite universal, suggesting that interventions focusing on this factor may be important in treatment of tsunami survivors who are suffering from chronic PTSD.     

Individuals high in neuroticism are not more reactive to adverse events

Numerous studies have related neuroticism to negative emotional outcomes of adverse life events, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. However, the nature of the relationship between neuroticism and post-trauma symptoms is unclear. The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine whether individuals high in neuroticism, relative to low neuroticism individuals, show a larger increase in symptoms after an adverse event. A sample of infantry troops completed questionnaires before deployment to Iraq (n = 214) and about five months (n = 170; 76%) thereafter. The findings showed that, after controlling for an indicator of trauma severity, (a) higher neuroticism individuals reported more PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, and somatic problems after negative events, and (b) these relationships disappeared after controlling for pre-trauma symptoms. There were no significant differences between individuals high and low in neuroticism in the increase in symptoms from pre to post-trauma. This suggests that individuals high in neuroticism are not more reactive to adverse events.     

Has the feminist movement influenced adolescent sex role attitudes? A reassessment after a quarter century

The attitudes of adolescents toward sex role stereotyping in 1956 were compared with the attitudes of youth in 1982. Contrary to our prediction, sex role stereotyping was not significantly less in 1982 than in 1956. Boys emphasized both sex role differentiation, and the symbols of male dominance and female subordination, more than girls did. However, girls showed significantly less dissatisfaction with being a girl in 1982 than girls did in 1956. It may be that the basic power relationships of gender had not altered by 1982 but that the self-image of girls had improved.We wish to express our appreciation to the superintendent and to the teachers who generously assisted us.     

Personality types and motivational characteristics of academics versus professionals in industry in the same occupational discipline

The present study suggests that individuals belonging to different job categories—academics versus professionals in industry—differ in personality types and in motivational characteristics even though they are of the same occupational discipline. Subjects were 49 academics and 45 professionals in industry of two disciplines: engineering and management sciences. Holland's 6 personality types and 18 motivational characteristics measured in terms of Vroom's expectancy theory of motivation were used as the discriminant variables. Results indicate that academics are discriminated from professionals in industry by scoring significantly higher on the Artistic type and significantly lower on the Enterprising type even when the discipline is controlled. The distinction between the two groups is much deeper when motivational factors are examined: Academics are motivated by the opportunity for scientific contribution, for autonomy, and for the high status attained in their job. By contrast, professionals in industry are highly motivated by the opportunity for exercising power.     

Excusing Economic Envy: On Injustice and Impotence

From the Ancient Greeks, through medieval Christian doctrine, and into the modern age, philosophers have long held envy to be irrational, a position that increasingly accompanies the political view that envy is not a justification for redistributing material goods. After defining the features of envy, and considering two arguments in favour of its irrationality, this article opposes the dominant philosophical and political consensus. It does so by deploying Rawls's much‐ignored concept of ‘excusable envy’ to identify a form of envy that is not imprudent and does not mis‐describe. With this work completed, the article then argues – no doubt controversially – that excusable envy constitutes good grounds for redistribution or inequality‐mitigation. In so doing, the article throws light on the moral significance of certain forms of uncivil disobedience, and also offers a new vocabulary for popular ‘politics of envy’ debates, which are yet to acknowledge the role of social institutions in reproducing envy‐excusing economic inequalities.     

Beyond the Primal Addiction: Food,Sex, Gambling,Internet, Shopping and Work,edited by Nina Savelle-Rocklin and Salman Akhtar,Routledge, Abingdon and New York, 2019, 192 pp.

The American Journal of Psychoanalysis -     

Transactive memory in decision-making teams: implications for team effectiveness

The transactive memory system (TMS) construct is one of the most extended theoretical approaches to understand the role of cognitive processes at group level in the effectiveness of work teams. This study examined the relationships among TMS, performance, satisfaction and functional communication in decision-making teams. 40 four-person teams were asked to suppose they were expert consulting teams advising a fictitious organization on how to solve a problem with their employees. Results showed a mediating effect of TMS on the relationships between functional communication, perceived team performance and satisfaction. Contrary to our expectations, TMSs were not related to performance as evaluated by external raters. These findings suggest the importance of team communication in the formation of TMSs, as well as their implications for the effectiveness of decision-making teams.