A neglected triangle: Grandmother,mother, and daughter

This paper reports on exploratory research and therapeutic work with a neglected but highly important family triangle, the grandmother-mother-daughter triangle. Some characteristic relationships are described from a clinical sample of 18 daughters for whom such a triangle was important. The triangle may signal both problems and strengths for therapy and the daughters.     

Individual Difference Correlates of the Experience of Sexual Harassment Among Female University Students1

Individuals often report experiences that conform to objective definitions of sexual harassment, but rarely report the subjective perception that they have been sexually harassed. The present research proposed that individual difference factors may mediate this commonly observed discrepancy. It was hypothesized that erotophobia, sexual inexperience, youth, sex role traditionality, repressing defensive style, and need for social approval have a weak inhibitory effect on reports of objectively defined experiences of sexual harassment, but a strong inhibitory effect on subjective perceptions that one has been sexually harassed. Results showed that individual difference factors including erotophobia, repressing defenses, and need for social approval were associated with fewer reported objective experiences of sexual harassment, while the base rate of subjective perception that one had been sexually harassed was very low, and this subjective perception was generally unassociated with individual difference factors. Discussion focuses on individual difference characteristics and motivation to ignore or to fail to report objective experiences of sexual harassment, and on suggestions for further research into the very high base rate of objectively defined experiences of sexual harassment and the very low base rate of perceived sexual harassment.     

Sensitivity to aversive events in depression: Antecedent,concomitant, or consequent?

This study tested whether sensitivity to aversive events is a concomitant versus antecedent/consequent of depression. Twenty currently depressed subjects, twenty subjects with remitted depression, and twenty control subjects completed psychophysiological and learning tasks involving aversive components. Both currently depressed and remitted subjects, when compared to control subjects, exhibited greater decreases in skin resistance response reactions to negative social scenes and a greater sensitivity to extinction in the learning condition involving an aversive component. The fact that the responses of remitted subjects were very similar to those of currently depressed subjects on both tasks is consistent with the view that sensitivity to aversive events is an antecedent or consequent of depression, as opposed to being only a concomitant. The results also provide some support for the passive avoidance model of depression.This study was based on portions of a doctoral dissertation by the first author, with the second author as chairperson, at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.This research was aided by a Grant-in-Aid of Research to the first author from Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, an award from the Jill Shelby Memorial Fund to the first author, and support from National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH17071, awarded to C. R. Snyder.Portions of this paper were presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, August 1989, and at the meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Washington, DC, November, 1989.     

Nurse psychologists: A unique group within health psychology

Since the mid-1980s commonalities between nursing and psychology have been explored, with subsequent establishment of a Nursing and Health Psychology Committee within the American Psychological Association's Division 38. A survey was undertaken to study this little-known, unique cadre of individuals with dual preparation in both nursing and psychology. Participants were queried regarding their educational preparations in both disciplines, current employment, theoretical and/or research interests, and current projects. Results of the survey provide information about the characteristics of this group. Dual preparation appears to offer certain advantages for the practice of health psychology.     

Homeostatic interactions: a longitudinal study of biological, psychosocial and family variables in children with cystic fibrosis

A two-Year longitudinal study of thirty-five children used data gathered from pulmonary function tests, clinical measurements and standardized tests of depression, self-esteem and family environment to illustrate homeostatic interactions among biological and psychosocial adaptation to cystic fibrosis. Despite physical deterioration over the course of the study, children with cystic fibrosis reported lower depression and higher self-esteem than population norms, and improvements in psychological functioning. Decline in biological indicators of health was associated with increases on an index based on Family Environmental Scales (FES), subscales of cohesion, expressiveness and organization, and maintenance of high self-esteem and low depression. Presence of additional major life stressors was associated with deterioration in pulmonary function, higher levels of depression and poorer scores on the FES. These findings suggest that homeostatic interactions between children's health status and family functioning may moderate the physical and psychological sequelae of cystic fibrosis.     

Coping and sensitivity to aversive events

To test further the sensitivity to aversive events hypothesis, males and females varying in level of depressed mood listened to positive, negative, and neutral social scenes while psychophysiological measurements were obtained. In addition, the relations among response styles, coping strategies, and psychological adjustment were examined. Results indicated that only dysphoric females responded in ways consistent with the sensitivity hypothesis, exhibiting greater electrodermal responses to negative social scenes compared to nondysphoric females. No differences in psychophysiological sensitivity were found between dysphoric and nondysphoric males. Dysphoric students engaged in more ruminative type responses in reaction to their depressed mood and reported using more avoidant coping strategies in response to stress. In particular, females utilized more ruminative strategies in response to a depressed mood and more emotion-focused coping strategies in response to stressful events in general. The implications for these results are discussed within a diathesis-stress framework.     

Factors Influencing Managerial Disclosure of AIDS Health Information to Coworkers

This research investigates the importance of legal concerns over lawsuits, fear of AIDS in the workplace, and gender as factors influencing a manager's decision to disclose AIDS health information to coworkers. Data was obtained from questionnaires administered to managers employed in service, manufacturing, and government organizations. Findings indicate that both fear of AIDS in the workplace and concern over lawsuits exhibited a significant relationship with the likelihood of sharing AIDS health information and gender was found to moderate the relationship between likelihood of sharing AIDS health information, and fear of AIDS in the workplace. Male managers exhibited a higher level of fear of AIDS than female managers and did female managers, were found to be somewhat less likely than male managers to share AIDS health information with coworkers. Study findings, suggestions for future research, and implications are discussed.     

Effects of consent form information on self-disclosure

When researchers encounter preexisting psychological distress in participants, ethical codes provide little guidance on how to balance issues of beneficence and autonomy. Although researchers may inform participants what will occur given responses indicating distress, this information may lead to biased self-reports. This important issue was addressed in this study by manipulating consent form information regarding the type of psychopathology to be assessed and various levels of possible follow-up. In comparing responses on self-report measures of anxiety, depression, and general psychological distress, men who believed depression was the focus of the study reported fewer symptoms of depression and less trait anxiety as intrusiveness of experimenter follow-up increased. These results are discussed within the framework of socialization theory. Given that half of the sample did not correctly answer questions regarding information contained in the consent form, guidelines to improve consent form comprehension are offered.