Standards for the Reporting of Genetic Counseling Interventions in Research and Other Studies (GCIRS): an NSGC Task Force Report

As the demand for evidence to support the value of genetic counseling increases, it is critical that reporting of genetic counseling interventions in research and other types of studies (e.g. process improvement or service evaluation studies) adopt greater rigor. As in other areas of healthcare, the appraisal, synthesis, and translation of research findings into genetic counseling practice are likely to be improved if clear specifications of genetic counseling interventions are reported when studies involving genetic counseling are published. To help improve reporting practices, the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) convened a task force in 2015 to develop consensus standards for the reporting of genetic counseling interventions. Following review by the NSGC Board of Directors, the NSGC Practice Guidelines Committee and the editorial board of the Journal of Genetic Counseling, 23 items across 8 domains were proposed as standards for the reporting of genetic counseling interventions in the published literature (GCIRS: Genetic Counseling Intervention Reporting Standards). The authors recommend adoption of these standards by authors and journals when reporting studies involving genetic counseling interventions.     

Using Case Documentation to Strengthen Counselor Trainees' Case Conceptualization Skills

A format for organizing case notes is presented that could increase counselor trainees' case conceptualization skills. The STIPS format of case note writing consists of 5 major sections, including documenting clients' current Signs and symptoms, Topics discussed in counseling, counseling Interventions used, clients' Progress and counselors' continuing plan for treatment, and finally, any Special issues of importance regarding clients (e.g., suicidality). The structure and design of this STIPS format is intended to enhance trainees' ability to acquire relevant facts about clients, better understand clients' presenting problems, better monitor counseling processes, and better evaluate and adjust treatment interventions.     

Effect of Exposure to an American Indian Mascot on the Tendency to Stereotype a Different Minority Group

Numerous findings have documented the adverse effects of stereotypes on those negatively portrayed by the stereotypes. Less is known about the ramifications of stereotype exposure on those who are not the objects of the stereotypic depictions. Two studies examined the effect of exposure to an American Indian sports mascot on the stereotype endorsement of a different minority group. Study 1 used an unobtrusive prime, while Study 2 used a more engaged prime. Study 2 also investigated the effect among those unfamiliar with the controversy regarding American Indian sports mascots. Results from both studies show that participants primed with an American Indian sports mascot increased their stereotyping of a different ethnic minority group.     

Expectations about the short-term functional role played by defensive behavior in interpersonal interactions

Based on the theory of interpersonal defense (Westerman, 1998, Westerman, 2005 and Westerman and Steen, 2005), an interpersonal conceptualization of defense processes, we conducted a set of studies to investigate (a) implicit lay beliefs (i.e., implicit beliefs widely held by people in our culture) about the effects of defensive behavior on short-term interaction events, and (b) individual differences in implicit beliefs about the costs and benefits of defensive behavior and their relation to behaving defensively. In these studies, participants imagined themselves in several interpersonal situations presented in a paper-and-pencil protocol and responded to questions about what they expected would happen after they behaved defensively or nondefensively. As predicted, results indicated that, according to participants’ implicit lay beliefs, defensive behavior as compared to nondefensive behavior makes short-term clear-cut feared occurrences less likely, reduces the likelihood of clear-cut wished-for short-term outcomes, and affects how these outcomes will be experienced when they do take place. Also, findings indicated that there was an inverse association between self-reports of behaving defensively and the extent to which participants appreciated the short-term costs of defensive behavior. Alternative models for explaining this association are considered, including the idea that expectations minimizing the costs of defensive behavior develop because they support previously established, emotionally charged interpersonal behavior patterns.     

La personalidad ¿paradigma o sistema?

Resumen

El tema de la personalidad, en su sentido lato, es retomado en este artículo para proceder a justificar comprensivamente su utilización en Psicología Multivariada, tanto teórica como aplicada.

Tras definir la personalidad como paradigma de configuración y pronóstico (a partir de los repertorios y predisposiciones comportamentales reincidentes), se establecen ocho axiomas básicos que sustentan cualquier investigación con metodologías multifactoriales. Asimismo se perfila el marco disciplinar que conecta la Teoría Multidimensional de la Personalidad con otras áreas y logros experimentales en Psicología General.

Finalmente se apuntan los ejes re-interpretativos de la personalidad a la luz de las aportaciones de la Teoría General de Sistemas, entendiéndola como supra-sistema dinámico de transformación e integración del individuo en su medio. Así los rasgos, más que constructos hipotéticos, son considerados focos moduladores de influencia, direccionabilidad y ajuste.     

Las técnicas multivariadas de análisis y predicción en psicología del trabajo

RESUMEN

En este trabajo se delinean los modelos teóricos, así como algunos de los procedimientos empíricos que permitirán un enfoque científico-profesional en el amplio cúmulo de tareas que suele absorber y ocupar al psicólogo del trabajo. Todo ello centrándose en un criterio clave, tanto en la órbita pública como privada, y que desde sus inciertos orígenes ha guiado los esfuerzos, observaciones y constataciones de los psicólogos diferenciales: el rendimiento a través de los logros. En otros contextos se alude a este criterio, como si de una novedad psicológica se tratara, con un término tan rebuscado como sugestivo: “validez ecológica”.     

Cambios cuantitativos en la evolución estructural de la inteligencia

Resumen

Durante el período de estabilidad factorial de EGB (cuarto, sexto y octavo), se analizaron los cambios cuantitativos en los tres factores encontrados: Visualización Estática, Visualización Dinámica y Razonamiento Abstracto (Prieto y Vega, 1979). Las puntuaciones Factoriales de los diferentes grupos con una estructura Factorial idéntica se trataron por medio de un Análisis de varianza. Se encontraron tendencias lineales y cuadráticas significativas. Se analiza la relación entre cambio cuantitativo y cambio cualitativo desde diferentes contextos teóricos.     

The role of instructions in the variability of sex-related differences in multiple-choice tests

When both experts and lay people interpret data on sex-related differences, they usually forget that the instruments for data collection might be provoking such differences. This experiment, carried out on 240 participants, focused on the effects of four instruction/scoring conditions on sex effect size in two computerized tests — vocabulary and mental rotation, for which sex-related differences had been shown to be, respectively, small (favoring females) and large (favoring males). Given the caution which seems to characterize female performance, our general hypothesis predicted that, under instructions encouraging guessing, effect sizes favoring males would augment and effect sizes favoring females would diminish. The opposite results were expected under instructions discouraging guessing. Some supporting evidence was found.