The effects of intrafamily threats on therapy

Family members often threaten one another during the course of therapy. Such intrafamily threats can cause anxiety for the therapist and disrupt treatment. Examples of commonly encountered threats are given and their management discussed.     

The Impact of Parental Suicide on Child and Adolescent Offspring

Child and adolescent survivors of parental suicide experience two stressful events simultaneously: (1) the loss of a primary caregiver, and (2) suicidal death of a significant person. These youths are thought to be at increased risk for mental health problems, but a systematic review of studies on these survivors has not yet been conducted. A comprehensive search for published literature identified nine studies. The existent studies provided modest yet inconsistent evidence on the impact of parental suicide on offspring psychiatric and psychosocial outcomes. More methodologically rigorous research is needed to inform and guide postvention efforts for these survivors.     

Recent Suicidal Ideation Among Patients in an Inner City Emergency Department

The rates and associated features of suicidal ideation among 5,641 patients seeking routine, nonsuicide related care in an inner‐city emergency department were examined. Approximately 8% of patients seeking routine care in the emergency department reported some form of suicidal ideation within the past 2 weeks. Suicidal ideation was common in individuals who were single with poorer mental health, had higher depression, and had received some drug or alcohol treatment in the past 3 months or had used cocaine or marijuana in the past 30 days. Improved screening procedures could help to identify routine care patients who are at risk for suicide.     

Morningness-eveningness and sleep habits among adolescents: age and gender differences

Previous research has indicated the need to use large samples in different cultural contexts in order to clarify age and gender differences on morningness-eveningness and sleep habits. The goal of our research was to study the relationship between morningness-eveningness and sleep habits in a large sample of 2,649 adolescents between 12 and 16 years. The Morningness- Eveningness Scale for Children and an adaptation of the School Sleep Habits Survey measures were used. Results indicated a greater tendency toward eveningness with age and higher eveningness in 13- and 14-year-old girls. Older adolescents claimed later rising time on weekends, later bedtime and shorter sleep length, and greater social jetlag, weekend rise time delay, and weekend bedtime delay. Girls reported earlier rising time on weekdays, later rising time on weekends, longer sleep length on weekends, and greater social jetlag and weekend rising time delay. Lastly, evening oriented adolescents claimed later rising time and bedtime, shorter sleep length on weekdays but longer sleep duration on weekends, and greater social jetlag, weekend rising time delay, and weekend bedtime delay.     

Hacia una estructuración teórica de la Psicología Diferencial

RESUMEN

Los autores enmarcan en sus coordenadas temporales y teóricas la obra de Royce y Powell, analizando en profundidad sus implicaciones. Consideran que el análisis estadístico multivariado, especialmente factorial, que la psicología diferencial ha adoptado desde hace algunos años resulta particularmente adecuado a la hora de desglosar inductivamente los contenidos y datos de la realidad. Sugieren que Royce y Powell presentan la esencia del nuevo enfoque, recogiendo aportaciones de la Teoría de la Información y de la Teoría General de Sistemas. Destacan, entre otras cuestiones, que la Teoría multifactorial-sistemática incluya el concepto de tipo, enfatice tanto las derivaciones cognitivas como afectivas y posibilite una evaluación comprehensiva de la persona en función de los perfiles en cada uno de los subsistemas. Sin embargo, encuentran susceptible de discusión el recurrir a un modelo jerárquico para estructurar el supra-sistema (la personalidad) y cada sub-sistema. Los autores consideran que la psicología diferencial, a través de estructuraciones como la de Royce y Powell, muestra que la validez ecológica nunca ha estado al margen de sus objetivos y presupuestos, y terminan afirmando que esta disciplina sintoniza con los nuevos paradigmas en psicología fiel a sus métodos y herramientas, pero abierta a desafíos tanto teóricos como empíricos.