Management of religious issues in family therapy

Social scientists have long emphasized the reciprocal relationship between family and religion in society. Yet the family therapy literature is virtually devoid of consideration of religious variables in family life and function. Four major psychosocial aspects of religion in family life are discussed: sacralization, coalitions with the supernatural, religious conflict as a projection of family conflict, and family conflict as a projection of religious conflict. Clinical issues presented include: family therapy in religious and secular contexts, family religious expectations and transference, therapist religious countertransferences, religious identification in family therapy, and family therapy in different degrees of congruence or difference in religious orientation between the family and the therapist. The family therapist must learn how to correctly interpret and appropriately respond to religious issues as they appear in family life and family therapy.     

Logit models and logistic regressions for social networks: III. Valued relations

This paper generalizes thep* model for dichotomous social network data (Wasserman & Pattison, 1996) to the polytomous case. The generalization is achieved by transforming valued social networks into three-way binary arrays. This data transformation requires a modification of the Hammersley-Clifford theorem that underpins thep* class of models. We demonstrate that, provided that certain (non-observed) data patterns are excluded from consideration, a suitable version of the theorem can be developed. We also show that the approach amounts to a model for multiple logits derived from a pseudo-likelihood function. Estimation within this model is analogous to the separate fitting of multinomial baseline logits, except that the Hammersley-Clifford theorem requires the equating of certain parameters across logits. The paper describes how to convert a valued network into a data array suitable for fitting the model and provides some illustrative empirical examples.This research was supported by grants from the Australian Research Council, the National Science Foundation (#SBR96-30754), and the National Institute of Health (#PHS-1RO1-39829-01).     

Psychiatry and religion circa 1978: Analysis of a decade,part I

Prior tensions between science and religion have dissolved and coalesced into new alliances based on ideology and philosophy. This general cultural pattern is reflected in the realignment of interests and interactions between psychiatry and religion. There are increasing numbers of mental health professionals with devout religious commitments and involvement in religiously oriented mental health activities; while clergy have developed new organizational structures to reflect many diverse mental health interests, including pastoral counseling, community mental health chaplains, hospital chaplains, and expanded parish ministries. Clinical and research literature has continued to rapidly proliferate, while a unique genre of pastoral care and counseling literature has emerged. A decade ago there was hope for an amicable alliance between specialists in psychiatry and in religion. That irenic quest has shifted into overlapping goals and roles, with tensions between those engaged in universalistic norms and those seeking to develop particularistic norms.Dr. Pattison is Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Social Science, Social Ecology; Acting Chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine; Deputy Director, Training, Consultation, Education Division, Orange County Department of Mental Health. His address is UCI Medical Center, 101 So. The City Dr., Orange, Ca. 92668. Part II of this article will be published inPastoral Psychology, Volume 27, No. 2.     

Patterns of knowledge in children's addition

Patterns of conceptual and procedural knowledge of addition were examined in 5- to 8-year-olds (N = 80). Conceptual knowledge was measured by assessing children's responses to problems in which addends were reordered or decomposed and recombined. Problems were presented using abstract symbols, numbers, and physical objects. Children were more successful in noticing that addends had been reordered rather than decomposed and in noticing the decomposition of addends presented with objects rather than with symbols. Distinct profiles of procedural competence were derived from an analysis of children's problem-solving accuracy and strategies. Profiles were associated with patterns of conceptual knowledge and with age, although age and conceptual knowledge were not related. Findings highlight the usefulness of identifying profiles of procedural and conceptual knowledge for understanding the development of children's knowledge of addition.     

Something in the way she moves: biological motion,body shape,and attractiveness in women

Most previous research into the attractiveness of women’s bodies has relied on static stimuli such as line-drawings or photographs, particularly focusing on the role of body-mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). However, real attractiveness judgments are invariably made on moving bodies, and movement may contain important information about attractiveness. We measured the importance of movement in attractiveness judgments by using motion-capture to isolate dynamic cues from 37 female walkers, and compare ratings of 75 participants made on these, static photographs, and the original videos. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both dynamic and static cues were important in the attractiveness of women’s bodies. Furthermore, BMI and WHR predicted attractiveness, but BMI was more important in dynamic rather than static cues, while WHR was important for both static and dynamic cues. These findings suggest that movement plays a crucial part in the attractiveness of female bodies and cannot be ignored in studies of human mate choice. Furthermore, dynamic and static cues may contain differential information related to female body shape, which further research should attempt to elucidate.     

Making a difference for young people with learning disabilities: A model for inclusive counselling practice

The prevalence of mental health problems in young people with learning disabilities and the disability rights movement provide the background to this paper. The aims are to investigate the inclusivity of counselling; gain insight into inclusive practices; and put forward a model for inclusive counselling practice. Mixed methodology provides quantitative and qualitative data through a survey of counsellors (n = 396) and a series of semi‐structured interviews (n = 15). The results produce six indicators of inclusive counselling, which are used to build a model for inclusive counselling practice: proactive approach to inclusion; focus on building relationships; operationalising equal opportunities policies; inclusive initial assessments; adopting flexible and creative approaches to counselling; and training and awareness raising. The implications for research and practice are to acknowledge the exclusive nature of the profession and address the issue of inclusion through training, professional development and further research in the field. The model for inclusive counselling practice is put forward as a tool for auditing existing counselling provision and as guidance for counsellors and policy makers in increasing inclustion of young people with learning disabilities in mainstream counselling.     

Hope Against Hope in Cancer at the End of Life

Hope has many facets to it in the context of cancer. This article outlines an instrumental case study for a patient with aggressive lymphoma who rapidly deteriorated to the point of dying. How her and her family’s hope was managed is outlined here from various perspectives. Interviews were carried out with the patient’s family, medical consultant-in-charge (attending physician) and nurses caring for her at the end of life. The findings outline the transition from hope for cure to hope for a good death and the role that the patient and family’s Christian hope played in this. Religiosity and spirituality of hope in terms of Christian hope is explored from the theological perspective. Practical aspects of care in the face of changing hope are discussed. Conclusions are drawn about reframing hope in a changing clinical situation with reference to theories of hope. The importance of acknowledging hope, coping, spirituality and religiosity, especially at end of life, is emphasised.