Hypermentalizing in Borderline Personality Disorder: A Model and Data

Interpersonal difficulties are a widely accepted characteristic of borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, the results of empirical findings of deficits in social-cognitive abilities that may underlie interpersonal difficulties in this population have been mixed. In this paper, we review the literature on social-cognitive impairment in BPD by organizing studies based on patterns of positive and negative of findings. We provide a new model of mentalizing impairment in BPD by integrating findings into one framework that suggests hypermentalizing as the core feature of social-cognitive impairment in BPD. We review data in support of a hypermentalizing model of BPD and situate this data in the broader context of current work on hypermentalizing.     

Deliberating Risks Under Uncertainty: Experience, Trust, and Attitudes in a Swiss Nanotechnology Stakeholder Discussion Group

Scientific knowledge has not stabilized in the current, early, phase of research and development of nanotechnologies creating a challenge to ‘upstream’ public engagement. Nevertheless, the idea that the public should be involved in deliberative discussions and assessments of emerging technologies at this early stage is widely shared among governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders. Many forums for public debate including focus groups, and citizen juries, have thus been organized to explore public opinions on nanotechnologies in a variety of countries over the past few years. In Switzerland the Centre for Technology Assessment (TA-Swiss) organized such a citizen panel in fall 2006. Drawing from an ethnographic study of this panel called ‘publifocus on nanotechnologies, health, and environment’ this paper looks at the ways members of a stakeholder group deal with the epistemic uncertainty in their deliberation of nanotechnologies. By exploring the statements of the participants in the stakeholder discussion group, this paper reconstructs the narratives that constitute the epistemic foundations of the participants’ evaluations of nanotechnologies.

Psychological interventions for infertile patients: a review of existing research and A new comprehensive approach

The usefulness of psychological support for infertile patients has been highlighted in the literature over the past number of years. This article provides a review of existing research on psychological interventions for infertile patients, and presents the Fertility Group Intervention as an example of the application of existing research. There is clear empirical evidence of high levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and distress among infertile patients undergoing assisted reproductive treatment (ART). Infertile patients need and require increased psychological support. Various studies indicate the efficacy of psychological interventions for infertile patients with respect to their mental health and, in part, pregnancy rates. However, many such studies exhibit methodological problems. Therefore, in future research, additional studies of high‐quality design are needed to achieve more definitive answers on the efficacy and indication of psychological interventions for infertile patients. Currently, the Fertility Group Intervention represents a comprehensive therapeutic approach integrating established empirical and theoretical approaches with the aim of helping infertile patients – particularly those undergoing ART – cope with distress related to their infertility and medical treatment. This article further outlines the therapeutic background and structures, treatment goals, practical implications, and feasibility of the Fertility Group Intervention.     

Evaluation of the PAI–A Anxiety and Depression Scales: Evidence of Construct Validity

Against the background of a dearth of studies examining the properties of the scale scores of the Personality Assessment Inventory–Adolescent (PAI–A; Morey, 2007), this study was conducted to evaluate evidence of construct validity for the Anxiety (ANX) and Depression (DEP) scales of the PAI–A. Convergent and discriminant validity of the ANX and DEP scale scores were investigated using a sample of adolescents admitted to the adolescent program of a private tertiary care inpatient treatment facility. Multiple methods assessing anxious and depressive symptomology and diagnoses were included. Construct validity of the ANX and DEP scales was mostly supported. Advantages of using the PAI–A for the assessment of anxiety and depression were discussed.     

Is an outgroup member in need a friend indeed? Personal and task‐oriented contact as predictors of intergroup prosocial behavior

Intergroup contact, particularly close personal contact, has been shown to improve intergroup relations, mainly by reducing negative attitudes and emotions toward outgroups. We argue that contact can also increase intergroup prosocial behavior. More specifically, we predict that different forms of contact will differentially impact on prosocial behavior directed at individual outgroup members and outgroups as a whole. Data of two studies (N₁ = 264, N₂ = 185), conducted with workgroups in two organizations, show that personal contact is a better predictor of prosocial behavior directed at individual outgroup members, whereas task‐oriented contact is a better predictor of prosocial behavior directed at an outgroup as a whole. Additionally, Study 2 provides evidence that empathy mediates the path from personal contact to individual‐directed prosocial behavior, whereas reward (but not cost) considerations mediate the path from task‐oriented contact to outgroup‐directed prosocial behavior. Implications for research on intergroup contact and prosocial behavior are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Personal Sovereignty and Our Moral Rights to Non‐Interference

In this article, I defend the inviolability approach to solving the paradox of deontology against a criticism raised by Michael Otsuka. The paradox of deontology revolves around the question whether it should always be permissible to infringe someone's right to non‐interference when this would serve to minimize the overall number of comparable rights infringements that occur. According to the inviolability approach, rights to non‐interference protect and give expression to our personal sovereignty, which is not advanced through the minimization of rights infringements. This seems to dissolve the paradox. Otsuka, however, contends that the proposed solution relies on too narrow an understanding of personal sovereignty. He argues that there is an enforceability dimension to personal sovereignty that would seem to undermine the inviolability approach. While I agree with Otsuka that enforceability is an important aspect of personal sovereignty, I argue that properly construed, the enforceability dimension of personal sovereignty does not undermine the inviolability approach.