How university members see the pastoral role of the academic

An enquiry into how students and staff at one English university perceived personal tutoring arrangements and the role of personal supervisors is reported. Following a discussion of the principles and problems of personal tutoring in higher education, the setting and the research method are briefly outlined. Survey results are presented, and the commentary focuses on convergences and divergences between the two groups' expectations, conceptions and evaluations. Reasons for student criticism of supervisors, especially in the field of personal counselling and pastoral care, are discussed and related to the existing organisational structure and dominant institutional values. It is nevertheless concluded that the pastoral role of the academic could be made viable, and a possible recasting is proposed.     

Hierarchical simulation: Two case studies of stuttering modification using systematic desensitization

The use of behavior therapy techniques to alleviate stuttering is being extensively applied. Two cases illustrating hierarchical simulation are presented. In the first, a technique incorporating systematic desensitization and reciprocal inhibition was used to reduce the stuttering behavior of a 13-year-old boy while speaking in a classroom situation. The procedure involved the use of color slides to simulate speaking before an actual classroom as an adjunct to systematic desensitization and reciprocal inhibition. Results indicated a reduction in classroom stuttering as reported by the client and his teacher. In the second case, a 5-year-old boy used forceful muscular activity as being reciprocal to anxiety. This procedure involved the use of videotapes to hierarchically simulate anxiety producing classroom situations. Measures of stuttering indicated a mean reduction of 18%. One year after therapy indicated stuttering had been eliminated.     

Attention training normalises combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder effects on emotional Stroop performance using lexically matched word lists

We examined two groups of combat veterans, one with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (n?=?27) and another without PTSD (n?=?16), using an emotional Stroop task (EST) with word lists matched across a series of lexical variables (e.g. length, frequency, neighbourhood size, etc.). Participants with PTSD exhibited a strong EST effect (longer colour-naming latencies for combat-relevant words as compared to neutral words). Veterans without PTSD produced no such effect, t?p?>?.37. Participants with PTSD then completed eight sessions of attention training (Attention Control Training or Attention Bias Modification Training) with a dot-probe task utilising threatening and neutral faces. After training, participants—especially those undergoing Attention Control Training—no longer produced longer colour-naming latencies for combat-related words as compared to other words, indicating normalised attention allocation processes after treatment.     

Where’s the GPS? navigating treatment with co-existing problems. A reflective journey amongst graduate practitioners

This paper examines reflective portfolios of graduate students studying co-existing problems (CEP) within an alcohol and drug studies programme in New Zealand. The methodology employs Todd’s principles of treating co-existing disorders (culture, management, engagement, assessment, integrated care, well-being and management). The metaphor, a GPS, is employed in the title to describe how Todd’s principles are used as a GPS to help navigate the murky waters of working with this specialised client population. The principles, allocated as themes within the portfolios, highlight how these principles are reflected upon within their workplace. Culture and engagement principles were the most endorsed themes within the portfolios. The reflective portfolios also allowed us to reflect upon the ongoing process of curriculum development for this specialised client population.     

Using message framing to promote acceptance of the human papillomavirus vaccine.

OBJECTIVE: Use of message framing for encouraging vaccination, an increasingly common preventive health behavior, has received little empirical investigation. The authors examined the relative effectiveness of gain-versus loss-framed messages in promoting acceptance of a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV)-a virus responsible for virtually all cases of cervical cancer. DESIGN: Undergraduate women (N = 121) were randomly assigned to read a booklet describing the benefits of receiving (gain-framed message) or the costs of not receiving (loss-framed message) a prophylactic HPV vaccine. After reading the booklet, participants indicated their intent to obtain the HPV vaccine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: A 5-item composite representing intentions to obtain the HPV vaccine. RESULTS: The effect of message framing on HPV vaccine acceptance was moderated by risky sexual behavior and approach avoidance motivation. A loss-framed message led to greater HPV vaccination intentions than a gain framed message but only among participants who had multiple sexual partners and participants who infrequently used condoms. The loss-frame advantage was also observed among participants high in avoidance motivation. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight characteristics of the message recipient that may affect the success of framed messages promoting vaccine acceptance. This study has practical implications for the development of health communications promoting vaccination.     

Prophecy Channels and Prophetic Modalities: A Comparison of Revelation in The Family International and the LDS Church

The underlying assumption of this article is that prophetic statements composed for publication in religious organizations as the word of God are, in some form and to some degree, socially constructed. We expand on this assumption by comparing and contrasting The Family International and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints—both of which are organized around belief in ongoing prophecy and revelation. Derived from our comparative analysis of these two religious groups, we formulate a prophecy typology that specifies (1) the channels through which revelations are proclaimed (a designated individual or group of collaborators) and (2) the modality of prophetic statements attributed to a divine source (inspirational or oracular). Based on this typology we conclude by proposing a set of hypotheses for guiding further studies in the social construction of prophecy.     

The experiences of therapists using a new client‐centred psychometric instrument,PSYCHLOPS (Psychological Outcome Profiles)

PSYCHLOPS (‘Psychological Outcome Profiles’) is a newly developed client‐generated psychometric instrument which can be used as an outcome measure. Uniquely, it asks clients to state their own problems, in their own words. As part of its validation, we used it alongside an existing measure, CORE‐OM (‘Clinical Outcomes Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure’). Based on a qualitative methodology, we report here on the first‐hand experiences of four therapists using both instruments. The key themes that emerged from therapists’ responses were feasibility, validity and usefulness. Both questionnaires were perceived as complementing each other, the qualitative information from PSYCHLOPS balancing the quantitative information from CORE‐OM and that both could contribute to the therapist‐client interaction. The key features of PSYCHLOPS are likely to prove attractive to therapists and should increase acceptance and uptake of outcome measures.     

Facilitating Spiritual Meaning‐Making for the Individual With a Diagnosis of a Terminal Illness

Despite increasing acknowledgment of the importance of addressing the spiritual dimension in the therapeutic process, there is still limited energy devoted to fostering in counselors the awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to facilitate the spiritual well‐being of their clients. This deficit is most dramatically felt when working with individuals who are diagnosed with a terminal illness. In this article, counselors are encouraged to recognize the value of incorporating the spiritual domain in their work and are offered some strategies that can be used to promote meaning‐making when working with clients with limited life expectancy. The use of rituals and expressive activities is highlighted.