The Relation of Weight Stigmatization to Psychological Adjustment1

This study investigated weight stigmatization as a predictor of adjustment in samples of 100 undergraduates and 99 bariatric patients. Coping strategies (emotion‐focused coping, problem‐focused coping, disengagement coping) were tested as moderators of this relation. Weight stigmatization predicted depression, anxiety, and antisocial behavior when controlling for the effects of stressful life events. Problem‐focused coping weakened the association between weight stigmatization and depression. Emotion‐focused coping augmented the relation between weight stigmatization and antisocial behavior. The results support weight stigmatization as a meaningful predictor of adjustment difficulties. Engendering a problem‐focused coping style over an emotion‐focused coping style might benefit patients reporting weight stigmatization. Further work is necessary to understand what specific elements of these coping styles impact adjustment.     

Experimental Evidence that Theistic-Religious Body Affirmations Improve Women's Body Image

We examined in a random-assignment, pretest-posttest design whether college women's body image would improve after reading religious and spiritual affirmations about their bodies. The sample was predominantly white and Christian. In a pretest, women completed measures of religiosity and body esteem (how they felt about their weight and appearance) and were then assigned via matched random assignment to three different groups for a treatment and posttest one week later. In the Religious group, women read affirmations with a theistic and Christian-based tone that emphasized God's love and acceptance of their bodies; in the Spiritual group, women read body affirmations with a more positive secular tone and no mention of God; Control group women read random statements about campus issues. After reading the affirmations, women then viewed photos of "thin ideal" fashion models to activate body image concerns. Women next completed the posttest body esteem measures. Women in the Religious group increased significantly compared to Control women (who declined) in how they felt about their appearance and looks. Women in the Spiritual condition improved marginally compared to the Control condition.     

Coparenting dynamics: Mothers' and fathers' differential support and involvement

This study utilizes the actor–partner interdependence model to examine mothers' and fathers' support of their partner and involvement in parental decision making during coparenting interactions in relation to cooperative and competitive coparenting in a sample of 125 first‐time parents with a 24‐month‐old child. Fathers showed greater instances of support for their partner than did mothers, and mothers demonstrated higher levels of involvement in parenting decisions than did fathers. Mothers' higher support of fathers' parenting was related negatively to competitive coparenting and positively to fathers' involvement. Fathers' higher support of mothers and higher involvement in parenting decisions was related to higher cooperative coparenting. Implications for family intervention and future research are discussed.     

Childhood trauma and psychosis: Review of the evidence and directions for psychological interventions

There is controversy over whether childhood trauma (CT) is a causal risk factor for psychosis. The aim of this study was to provide psychologists with a brief overview of the research into relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis and directions for psychological interventions. It details six of the highest quality studies in the area and tentatively concludes from these that there is evidence for a relationship between CT and psychosis. Hallucinations and delusions have been implicated as important factors in the relationship between CT and psychotic disorder and these are discussed, along with post‐traumatic intrusions and schemas, which have been conceptualised as part of the psychological mechanisms whereby CT confers a risk for psychosis. The development of psychological interventions for people with psychosis who have experienced CT is in its infancy but has been based on evidence‐based cognitive behavioural interventions in psychosis and post‐traumatic stress disorder. A formulation‐based approach is described in this paper, along with a case study.     

INTRODUCTION—RE‐THINKING DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE

In this Introduction to “Re‐thinking Dionsyius the Areopagite” it is first explained that the volume sets out to illuminate the contemporary interest in “apophaticism” by close comparison with the original project of the CD. However, given the elusiveness and generativity of the Dionysian tradition, this can only be done adequately by also providing a road‐map of the many historic interpretations of the Dionysian corpus, both East and West. Three constellating themes in the volume are then outlined: 1. The (admittedly divisive) importance of Dionysius for the regeneration of both Roman Catholic and Orthodox contemporary theology, in latter‐day riposte to Kantianism; 2. The significance of Dionysius for suggesting a fluid, post‐modern vision of the self; and 3. The importance of a possible re‐reading of Dionysius's impact on both Lutheran and Tridentine spirituality in the era of early modernity.