An Evaluation of Postvention Following Adolescent Suicide

This study sought to evaluate postvention provided to two schools following student suicides. A risk index for suicidal behavior among exposed adolescents was devised. The index clearly differentiated high (n = 272) and low (n = 534) scorers on a range of outcome variables. While two-thirds of students attending postvention counselling had two or more putative risk factors for suicidal behavior, a further 231 uncounselled students had similar risk scores. Counselled students (n = 63) did not differ from matched controls (n = 63) at 8-month follow-up on a range of outcome variables. Measures to improve future postvention are discussed.     

Accountability amplifies the status quo effect when change creates victims

This study assesses the impact of accountability, the status quo, and anticipated costs and benefits on judgement of the acceptability of a drug in the US pharmaceuticals market. Several effects are documented: (1) subjects were more accepting of a drug, the lower the anticipated risks of side effects and the greater the anticipated benefits; (2) subjects were especially unwilling to accept risk when the drug was not yet on the market and when they felt accountable for their decisions; (3) accountable subjects confronted by an off-the-market drug that posed moderate or high risk were also especially likely to procrastinate, to buckpass, and to think in integratively complex ways about the problem, notwithstanding the fact that many more lives would be saved than lost. We explain these results by positing that perceptual-cognitive processes (loss aversion) and political processes (blame avoidance) mutually reinforce each other when decision makers are accountable for choices that raise the possibility of changing the status quo in ways that impose losses on identifiable constituencies. We conclude by commenting on the complex normative issues that arise in labelling response tendencies as biases. Choices that look irrational within one ethical or political framework sometimes appear quite reasonable with another.     

Shaping the Field of Theology and Science: A Critique of Nancey Murphy

Nancey Murphy is a key second-generation figure in the field of religion and science. Through a variety of responsibilities, some of which are reviewed here, she has worked as a discipline builder over the last fifteen years. After trying to convey the general spirit of Murphy's work, the author focuses on five areas where readers might resist her conclusions, including her "postmodern" theory of scientific (and religious) knowledge and truth, her treatment of theology and science as "separate but equal," and her defense of physicalism.     

Escaping Homelessness: The Influences of Self-Efficacy and Time Perspective on Coping With Homelessness1

This study explored whether self-efficacy and time perspective of homeless adults (N= 82) living in a shelter affected their coping strategies related to obtaining housing and employment. Participants with high self-efficacy searched more for housing and employment and stayed at the shelter for a shorter duration, whereas participants with low self-efficacy were more likely to request an extension of their stay at the shelter. Those high on future orientation had shorter durations of homelessness and were more likely to enroll in school and to report gaining positive benefits from their predicament, whereas those with a high present orientation had more avoidant coping strategies. Despite the predictive power of self-efficacy and future orientation of proactive search behaviors, there were no predictors of obtaining stable housing, which is a scarce resource in the area. However, a high present orientation predicted obtaining temporary housing. A present temporal perspective may be adaptive in finding short-term solutions to an unstable situation, such as homelessness. The role of time perspective in crisis situations is discussed, as well as the severe environmental constraints on the exercise of personal control over reality dictated by social, economic, and political forces.     

The effects of a programme of training in structured group counselling

This study examined the effects of a programmes of experiential training in structured group counselling, based on the approach of Sheldon Rose. Participants were 32 undergraduate and graduate students, divided into three groups, who participated in the group work as part of a course in Core Counseling skills. The groups met for two hours per week for eight weeks. At the end of each exercise the participants completed a 12-item questionnaire giving their evalution and experience of the exercise they had just finished. The questionnaires were initially factors analysed and produced three main factg43ors, labelled task orientation, cohesion and conflict. Factor scores were used for all subsequent analyses. A series of one-way analyses of variance showed how the groups reacted to the different exercises, and discriminant analysis was used to determine how the climate and method of the individual groups could be differentially characterised in terms of the questionnaire factors. It was concluded that the membership of structured groups may be a major determinant of the group climate and experience.     

The psychological assessment of Catholic clergy and religious referred for residential treatment

This study describes the psychological problems of a group of Catholic clergy and religious who were referred for residential treatment. Psychological test data were obtained from 29 men and 13 women ranging in age from 29 to 64. The main tests used were the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, and Exner's Comprehensive System approach to the Rorschach Inkblot Test. A consistent constellation of problems was found; an intellectualized orientation along with naive defensiveness and difficulty in the handling of emotions. The men did not respond in a stereotypically masculine way and 30% were found to be confused or distressed about their sexual orientation. The longstanding nature of the problems suggests that the need for help could have been identified with thorough evaluations at the seminary or novitiate level and so prevented some of the disruption that led to the referrals.