What Facilitates or Impedes Family Communication Following Genetic Testing for Cancer Risk? A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis of Primary Qualitative Research

To systematically review and meta-synthesise primary qualitative research findings regarding family communication following genetic testing of cancer risk, in order to inform development of effective interventions. Systematic searches of CINAHL, Embase, Medline, British Nursing Index and PsycINFO databases were undertaken and relevant studies identified using strict criteria. The selected primary qualitative studies were appraised for quality and relevance by three independent researchers and then synthesized using a “Framework” approach. Fourteen (4.3%) studies met the inclusion criteria. The following factors influenced family communication following genetic testing for late-onset hereditary cancer: the informant’s feelings about informing relatives about genetic testing; the perceived relevance of the information to other family members and their anticipated reactions; the “closeness” of relationships within the family; family rules and patterns (e.g., who is best placed to share information with whom); finding the right time and level of disclosure; and the supportive role of heath care professionals. The themes identified in this review could provide practitioners with a useful framework for discussing family communication with those undergoing genetic testing. This framework focuses on helping health care professionals to facilitate family communication. The next step will be the development of an intervention to directly support people in talking to their relatives.     

Reconceiving the field: Infant mental health,intersectionality, and reproductive justice

The field of infant mental health is conventionally comprised of professional discourses including developmental science, psychology, and psychiatry, among others, and involves spheres of practice as wide-ranging as pediatrics, maternal/child health, early intervention, early care and education, and child welfare. The World Association of Infant Mental Health [WAIMH] put out its position paper on the rights of infants in 2014 (amended in March 2016) in recognition of the human rights implications of professional understanding of infants’ unique, yet universal, developmental capacities and needs. This article links the policy issues outlined in the WAIMH position paper with critical issues in the field of reproductive justice, extending the reach of WAIMH's call to action on behalf of infants’ rights, and pointing the way toward potent alliances among interconnected movements. Connecting the dots among economic injustice, race-based health disparities, and gender inequities, the article demonstrates that it is not possible to safeguard infant mental health unless we make reproductive justice a reality.     

Judging credibility: Can spaced lessons help students think more critically online?

Despite the prevalence of the spacing effect in the psychological literature, the impact of lesson timing has not yet been fully explored in real classrooms. The current study examined whether spacing could improve long‐term retention of both factual and critical thinking curriculum‐based teaching materials for children. Students 9 to 12 years old were taught to judge the credibility of websites in either three consecutive days of lessons or one lesson per week. Thirty‐five days after the final lesson, students were tested on factual knowledge and applied their knowledge to evaluating a new website. Students in the spaced condition remembered more facts from the lessons and were better able to explain their website ratings than students in the massed group.     

The Inner World of the Genetic Counselor

The external experience of genetic counselors reflects and is processed in their personal inner worlds. A small window into that private interior is opened here revealing the strengths and frailties, vulnerabilities and sensitivities professionals bring to bear in their work. The relational, human interplay—between counselor and colleagues, counselor and clients, counselors in their nonprofessional roles relative to others—is the primary focus of the interior experience.     

Toward an Analysis of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Event from the Holistic, Developmental, Systems-Oriented Perspective

The holistic, developmental, systems-oriented perspective, an extension of some aspects of the theoretical perspective of Heinz Werner and his associates, is briefly characterized with respect to its assumptions, methodological approach, and its analysis of a variety of research on critical person-in-environment transitions. The theoretical perspective is applied in an analysis of the far-reaching critical person-in-environment transition that began with the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001.     

The Influence of Thought Suppression and Cognitive Load on Intrusions and Memory Processes Following an Analogue Stressor

Ironic Process Theory and the role of thought suppression have been used in part to explain the phenomenon of intrusive memories in various disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder. How thought suppression interacts with other cognitive processes believed to be instrumental in the development of traumatic intrusive memory is unclear. In an analogue study, thought suppression and cognitive processing was manipulated in 4 experimental groups after participants (n = 80) viewed a trauma film. The impact of suppression was examined in relation to self-reported intrusive experiences as well as via more objective methods (word stem and dot probe tasks) to assess potential preferential encoding of negative material. Cognitive load appeared to undermine thought suppression ability, with these participants experiencing more intrusions over the week relative to participants in all other conditions. This group also showed greater priming to negative film-related words, and both suppression groups demonstrated enhanced memory for film-related content on recognition testing. Thought suppression mediated the relationship between negative interpretations of initial intrusions and later intrusions experienced over the week. The findings are discussed in the context of ironic process theory and cognitive models of posttraumatic stress.     

Modifying law enforcement training simulators for use in basic research

Several approaches to using simulation as a method for teaching good judgment in the use of firearms by law enforcement officers and military personnel were investigated for their potential applications to research: the GAMMA Live Fire Video Training System, the FireArms Training Systems Simulator (FATS), and the Judgment Under Stress Training (JUST) simulator. Each instrument uses real-time, computer-controlled, life-sized projected video images of scenarios that may or may not present a threat, and handguns that fire real or simulated ammunition. The subjects respond to a sequence of “shoot/no-shoot” judgment scenarios resulting in data on judgment, reaction time, and accuracy. The JUST simulator was found to be more easily modifiable in capturing data on performance at microanalytic levels. Although true interactive simulations are not feasible with this system, this was not seen as a hindrance to its usefulness for research.     

Psychological Aspects of Genetic Counseling. IX. Teaching and Counseling

The goals, philosophies, and procedures of the teaching and counseling approaches to genetic counseling are differentiated and compared. The teaching approach, inherited from academic practitioners earlier in this century, appears to remain the dominant form of contemporary practice. With the introduction of more nonphysician professionals, attempts are being made to combine a teaching model with counseling procedures. The goals of the two models are conspicuously different; one attempts to end up with an educated counselee whereas the other hopes to leave the latter psychologically more autonomous and functional. Both models have strengths and limitations. The teaching model is essentially a form of health education, not counseling, and, with some exceptions, tends to fulfill its goals. The strategy of teaching, however, tends to undermine the psychological self-directedness of counselees and thus interferes with the processes they need to draw on to make autonomous decisions. The strength of the counseling model is in helping counselees reach decisions and deal with the personal meaning of information. However, applying this model makes huge demands on the professional. Greater attention needs to be given by training programs to the pedagogical and counseling skills genetic counselors may need in their professional work.     

A procedural note on the measurement of broad dispositions

This article deals with the selection of items in a self-report test that measures a broad trait. There is an inherent conflict between selecting items that maximize internal consistency and ones that contribute to breadth. Alternative procedures, including criterion keying, combining homogeneous subscales, and construction of scales with divergent items with modest relations to the whole scale scores, were discussed. Although not included among recommended procedures by modern test theory, the latter approach has much to recommend it under appropriate circumstances. The discussion of psychometric principles was generalized to the person-situation debate.