Building Alliances with (In)Voluntary Clients: A Study Focused on Therapists’ Observable Behaviors

This study aimed to compare therapists’ observable behaviors to promote alliances with involuntary and voluntary clients during brief family therapy. The therapists’ contributions to fostering alliances were rated in sessions 1 and 4 using videotapes of 29 families who were observed in brief therapy. Using the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances, trained raters searched for specific therapist behaviors that contributed to or detracted from the four alliance dimensions: engagement in the therapeutic process, an emotional connection with the therapist, safety within the therapeutic system, and a shared sense of purpose within the family. The results showed that when working with involuntary clients, therapists presented more behaviors to foster the clients’ engagement and to promote a shared sense of purpose within the family. However, in the fourth session, the therapists in both groups contributed to the alliance in similar ways. The results are discussed in terms of (a) the therapists’ alliance‐building behaviors, (b) the specificities of each client group, and (c) the implications for clinical practice, training, and research.     

Influence of Different Sitting Positions on Healthy Infants' Reaching Movements

The authors analyze the influence of different sitting positions (ring and flexion) on the reaching performance (spatiotemporal variables) of full-term infants 6 and 7 months old. In addition, they correlated level of trunk control, measured by the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control, with performance during reaching. The different sitting positions only influenced the reaching movements of 6-month-old infants, who showed the best performance in the ring position. However, this influence was observed only for the trunk displacement, deceleration time, movement units, straightness index and mean velocity. In contrast, there was no influence of positions on 7-month-old infants’ reaching performance. Regarding the correlations, it was observed that infants with more level of trunk control showed a better performance when reaching, regardless of position and the age assessed.     

Empathy is Associated with Meaning of Life and Mental Health Treatment but not Religiosity Among Brazilian Medical Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of spirituality, religiosity, personal beliefs, and previous contact with health issues on the level of empathy in medical students. Jefferson Scale of Empathy—Student Version, WHOQOL-Spirituality, Religiousness and Personal Beliefs, and Duke University Religion Index were applied to 285 Brazilian medical students. The findings suggest that meaning of life and previous mental health treatment but not Religiosity were positively related to empathy. We suggest that more attention should be given for prevention and treatment of mental health issues, and further studies are needed to understand and replicate these findings.     

Are Pseudonyms Ethical in (Science) Publishing? Neuroskeptic as a Case Study

Science and Engineering Ethics - The blogosphere is full of personalities with masks, or pseudonyms. Although not a desired state of public communication, one could excuse the use of pseudonyms in...     

Latinas and Postpartum Depression: Role of Partner Relationship,Additional Children,and Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding, additional children, and partner relationship predicted postpartum depression among 59 Latinas who had an infant who was 6 months old or younger. The most powerful predictor was conflict with partner. Counselors working with Latinas experiencing postpartum depression should explore the partner relationship, particularly relationship conflict. El amamantamiento, los otros hijos, y la relación de pareja pronosticaron la depresión postparto en 59 mujeres latinas que tenían un hijo de 6 meses de edad o menos. El factor de pronóstico más fuerte fue el conflicto con su pareja. Los consejeros que trabajen con mujeres latinas con depresión postparto deberían explorar la relación de pareja, sobre todo los conflictos en la relación.     

Representations of Family Practices, Belief in Sex Differences, and Sexism

Two hundred twenty-one adults and young adults answered one of three versions of a questionnaire of opinion scales, which induced a comparison between three pairs of targets (husband and wife; husband and home helper; wife and home helper). After they evaluated the targets’ contributions to family work, participants judged whether the contributions were fair and satisfactory. Then participants’ degree of belief in sex differences and level of sexism were measured. Results show that spouses’ contributions are only judged satisfactory when wife was compared with home helper; male respondents’ reported that they believed more strongly in sex differences when husband and wife were compared; men’s and women’s level of benevolent sexism did not differ when husband was compared with home helper.