Development through interruptions and reparations – A case study of a dual challenging psychotherapy

The aim of this study was to understand how relational difficulties in psychotherapy may be handled to represent possibilities for change. Temporary interruptions and subsequent reestablishment of contact were chosen as the strategic focus in one severely challenging case of long term psychodynamic psychotherapy where outcome was known to be good. Interruptions and reestablishments were conceptualised by how the informants gave meaning to them. The choice of focus represented a strategic selection of events in the course of therapy where the regulation of the alliance by the therapist as well as by the patient was at stake. A detailed case record was studied and interviews with patient and therapist were conducted. A hermeneutical-phenomenological approach was used to analyse the material. The narrative dimension was important in structuring and interpreting the data. It was shown how important relational difficulties, such as mutual incompatible expectations and demands was handled both on a structural and interpersonal level, and some important steps and hallmarks of the healing process was identified. Close inspection of the course of events in psychotherapies is seen as a promising method for bringing a better understanding of how change processes unfold.     

Feeling accepted: A phenomenological exploration of adolescent patients’ experiences of the relational qualities that enable them to express themselves freely

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore adolescent psychotherapy patients’ experiences of the relational qualities that make it possible for them to express themselves freely and to continue their self-consolidation.Design: An interview-based study using thematic analysis based on hermeneutical–phenomenological epistemology.Methods: Semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews with 14 adolescents.Results: The adolescents’ experiences were clustered around five themes: (1) receiving full and genuine attention; (2) not having to take care of and responsibility for the therapist; (3) being accepted and valued; (4) the therapist staying with them through emotionally painful moments; and (5) the therapist facilitating openness by sharing.Conclusions: The results from the current study suggest that there are particular ways that therapists can relate to adolescent patients which would make them feel more able to express themselves freely and that create an atmosphere which facilitates the consolidation of the adolescents’ sense of self.     

Effects of hearing and vision impairments on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment

Many standardized measures of cognition include items that must be seen or heard. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon to overlook the possible effects of sensory impairment(s) on test scores. In the current study, we investigated whether sensory impairments could affect performance on a widely used screening tool, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Three hundred and one older adults (mean age = 71 years) completed the MoCA and also hearing and vision tests. Half of the participants had normal hearing and vision, 38% impaired hearing, 5% impaired vision, and 7% had dual-sensory impairment. More participants with normal sensory acuity passed the MoCA compared to those with sensory loss, even after modifying scores to adjust for sensory factors. The results suggest that cognitive abilities may be underestimated if sensory problems are not considered and that people with sensory loss are at greater risk of cognitive decline.     

Acts of Remembering: Relationship in Feminist Therapy

This article is an act of remembering. In the first part of this article, the author remembers and reflects upon her own journey of being and becoming a feminist, healer and clinical psychologist in training. She then shares some of the most meaningful lessons on 1) the therapeutic alliance, 2) transference and countertransference, 3) the nature of change, and 4) cultural competence that she has learned from her sister of the heart relationship with the brilliant spirit and work of Black lesbian, feminist, warrior poet, and activist, Audre Lorde. In each of these lessons the author reflects on her efforts to translate her conceptual or applied practice as a feminist student therapist. It is her hope to invite exploration of new bridges and paths by which other feminist psychologists may connect more deeply and meaningfully to our work both professionally and personally. The author closes with some reflections on the path ahead for feminist psychology.     

Faceting of a rough solid–liquid interface of a metal induced by forced convection

The solid–liquid interface of metallic systems of small entropy of fusion is characterized by a rough interface and dendritic morphology. In contrast, systems of high entropy of fusion like semimetals and semiconductors show smooth interfaces and facetted interfaces. The present work demonstrates that, in an undercooled melt of a metal–metalloid alloy Ni₂B of intermediate entropy of fusion, a transition from a rough to a smooth interface is induced by forced convection of the melt. Electrostatic levitation is used to container-less undercool droplets in a quiescent state with no convection while electromagnetic levitation (EML) is used to undercool droplets with forced convection. The growth velocity of the solid phase is monitored as a function of undercooling by a high-speed video camera. The data are analysed within dendrite growth theory. In the case of EML, a transition from a rough to a smooth interface is indicated during dendrite growth in the undercooled melt. This is confirmed by facetted microstructures of samples solidified upon undercooling by EML. Hopper-like crystals are formed like in non-metals as bismuth, halite and ice.     

The Effects of Object Weight on the Kinematics of Prehension

The purpose of these experiments was to determine the effects of object weight and condition of weight presentation on the kinematics of human prehension. Subjects performed reaching and grasping movements to metal dowels whose visible characteristics were similar but whose weight varied (20, 55, 150, 410 g). Movements were performed under two conditions of weight presentation, random (weight unknown) and blocked (weight known). Three-dimensional movements of the thumb, index finger, and wrist were recorded, using a WATSMART system to obtain information regarding the grasp and transport components. The results of the first experiment indicated that object weight and condition of presentation affected the temporal and kinematic measures for both the grasp and transport components. In conjunction with the results of a second experiment, in which time in contact with the dowel was measured, it was shown that the free-motion phase of prehension (i.e., up to object contact) was invariant over the different conditions, however. The changes were observed in the finger-object interaction phase (when subjects applied forces after contact with the dowel), prior to lift-off. These results were interpreted as indicating (a) object weight does not influence the planning and execution of the free-motion phase of prehension and (b) there are at least two motor control phases involved in prehension, one for making contact with the object and the other for finger-object interaction. The changing contributions of visual, kinesthetic, and haptic information during these two phases is discussed.     

Parkinson’s disease disrupts both automatic and controlled processing of action verbs

The problem of how word meaning is processed in the brain has been a topic of intense investigation in cognitive neuroscience. While considerable correlational evidence exists for the involvement of sensory-motor systems in conceptual processing, it is still unclear whether they play a causal role. We investigated this issue by comparing the performance of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) with that of age-matched controls when processing action and abstract verbs. To examine the effects of task demands, we used tasks in which semantic demands were either implicit (lexical decision and priming) or explicit (semantic similarity judgment). In both tasks, PD patients’ performance was selectively impaired for action verbs (relative to controls), indicating that the motor system plays a more central role in the processing of action verbs than in the processing of abstract verbs. These results argue for a causal role of sensory-motor systems in semantic processing.     

Rebuild or Relocate? Resilience and Postdisaster Decision‐Making After Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy struck the east coast of the United States on October 29, 2012, devastating communities in its path. In the aftermath, New York implemented a home buyout program designed to facilitate the permanent relocation of residents out of areas considered to be at risk for future hazards. While home buyout programs are becoming popular as policy tools for disaster mitigation, little is known about what factors influence homeowners to participate in or reject these programs. This study used mixed methods to assess the relationship between community resilience and the relocation decision in two heavily damaged communities in which the majority of residents made different decisions regarding whether or not to pursue a buyout. The sample was composed of residents from Oakwood Beach and Rockaway Park, both working‐class communities in New York City, who participated via a community survey (N = 133) and/or in‐depth interviews (N = 28). Results suggested that community resilience moderated the relationship between community of residence and the buyout decision, leading to opposite responses on the buyout decision. Contextual community factors, including the history of natural disasters, local cultural norms, and sense of place, were instrumental in explaining these different responses. Implications for disaster policy are discussed.     

Gambling Habits of Athletes and Nonathletes Classified as Disordered Gamblers

The objective of the present study was to determine the forms of gambling that were the most prevalent in those having problems with their gambling. High-risk individuals who were experiencing difficulties with their gambling were examined. Specifically, the gambling behaviors of current athletes, former athletes, and nonathletes were investigated. Only members of these 3 groups with elevated scores on the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) were tested. Specifically, only those classified as disordered gamblers (SOGS score ≥ 3) were recruited. Among these individuals with high SOGS scores, former athletes were more likely to participate in skill-based forms of gambling such as sports gambling and poker card playing, whereas nonathletes were more likely to partake in gambling games that were based predominately on chance factors. Also, former athletes were more likely to wager on the sport they had once played. Findings suggest that a competitive spirit may lead athletes to involvement in skill-based forms of gambling. While other explanations were considered, preliminary indicators support this view.