Tsunami and Theology

This essay attempts first to understand some aspects of public reactions in Norway and Scandinavia to the tsunami catastrophe in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. Secondly, it takes this understanding as a hermeneutical resource for reading the Book of Job. As a biblical scholar, I can only hope that the cultural analysis in the first part is not too aberrant to be considered relevant, at least in its major line of reasoning. My hope for the second part would be that it makes a case for developing additional paradigms for doing biblical studies.     

The Impact of Exposure to Internet-Based Information About the Rorschach and the MMPI–2 on Psychiatric Outpatients’ Ability to Simulate Mentally Healthy Test Performance

To examine the impact of Internet-based information about how to simulate being mentally healthy on the Rorschach (Exner, 2003) and the MMPI–2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989), 87 psychiatric outpatients completed the tests under 4 conditions: uncoached and Internet-coached outpatients under faking healthy instructions (faking patients and Internet-faking patients) and patients and nonpatients under standard instructions (standard patients and standard nonpatients). On the Rorschach, faking patients and Internet-faking patients did not manage to portray healthy test performance and, like standard patients, revealed a significantly greater number of perceptual and cognitive disturbances than standard nonpatients. Faking patients scored in the psychopathological direction on most variables. Internet-faking patients produced constricted protocols with significantly higher F% (57%) and lower use of provoking and aggressive contents than the other groups. On the MMPI–2, faking patients and Internet-faking patients were able to conceal symptoms and, like standard nonpatients, scored in the normal range on the clinical scales. The validity scale L successfully detected the faking patients and the Internet-faking patients, whereas the F scale only distinguished the Internet-faking patients and K only the faking patients. We conclude that Internet-based information could threaten test validity.     

The Associations Between Intensive Residential Couple Therapy and Change in a Three-Year Follow-Up Period

This Norwegian couple therapy effectiveness therapy study explored the course and prediction of relationships between depressive symptoms, interpersonal problems, and dyadic adjustment during residential treatment and over a 3-year post-treatment period (N = 117). All measures indicated significant improvement (p < .001) between admission and discharge (effect sizes .25 to .67), and improvement was maintained at 3-year follow-up. The proportion of recovered patients during treatment was stable at follow-up. Finding that initial levels of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) predicted dyadic adjustment change in the follow-up period, we discuss how such interpersonal problems may influence the course of couple therapy.     

The control of responsiveness in ADHD by catecholamines: evidence for dopaminergic, noradrenergic and interactive roles

We explore the neurobiological bases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from the viewpoint of the neurochemistry and psychopharmacology of the catecholamine-based behavioural systems. The contributions of dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) neurotransmission to the motor and cognitive symptoms of ADHD (e.g. hyperactivity, variable and impulsive responses) are studied in rodent and primate models. These models represent elements of the behavioural units observed in subjects with ADHD clinically, or in laboratory settings (e.g. locomotion, changed sensitivity/responsivity to novelty/reinforcement and measures of executive processing). In particular, the models selected emphasize traits that are strongly influenced by mesocorticolimbic DA in the spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and the Naples high excitability (NHE) rat lines. In this context, the mode of action of methylphenidate treatment is discussed. We also describe current views on the altered control by mesolimbic catecholamines of appropriate and inappropriate goal-directed behaviour, and the tolerance or intolerance of delayed reinforcement in ADHD children and animal models. Recent insights into the previously underestimated role of the NA system in the control of mesocortical DA function, and the frontal role in processing information are elaborated.     

The role of objective health indicators and neuroticism in perceived health and psychological well-being among patients with chronic heart failure

A total of 119 clinically stable patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure (34 females, 85 males) were recruited from an outpatient hospital practice to explore the role of objective health indicators and neuroticism in subjective health (physical limitations) and psychological well-being. Patients were grouped according to the New York Heart Association functional class criteria (NYHA: indicator of functional status) and proatrial natriuretic factor (proANF), a cardiac hormone that maintains normal fluid balance and vascular resistance. Scores on these two objective indicators of disease severity were generally unrelated to psychological measures, whereas neuroticism scores (EPQ-N) were significantly correlated with indicators of subjective health (perceived disease-related physical limitations) and psychological well-being (depression, general life-satisfaction). Significant interactions between proANF and neuroticism appear due to low physical limitation score among subjects with elevated level of proANF and low scores on neuroticism. High physical limitation was reported by subjects with high level of proANF as well as high scores on neuroticism. Moreover, a marginal significant interaction between NYHA and EPQ-N scores in relation to severity of depression was detected by analyses from two-way ANOVA. Gender differences were due to higher proANF scores in males than females, whereas females scored higher than males on EPQ-N, perceived physical limitation and depression. Results from path analyses supported an indirect effect of neuroticism via perceived physical limitation for males. Possible mechanisms involved in these relations are discussed.     

Impacts of school-wide positive behaviour support: Results from National Longitudinal Register Data

Problem behaviour in schools may have detrimental effects both on students' well-being and academic achievement. A large literature has consistently found that school-wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS) successfully addresses social and behavioural problems. In this paper, we used population-wide longitudinal register data for all Norwegian primary schools and a difference-in-difference (DiD) design to evaluate effects of SWPBS on a number of primary and secondary outcomes, including indicators of externalising behaviour, school well-being, pull-out instruction, and academic achievement. Indications of reduced classroom noise were found. No other effects were detected. Analyses revealed important differences in outcomes between the intervention and control schools, independent of the implementation of SWPBS, and that a credible design like DiD is essential to handle such school differences.     

Feedback in Couple and Family Therapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) is recommended as a psychotherapy procedure to serve as clinical feedback in order to improve client treatment outcomes. ROM can work as a warning signal to the therapist if the client shows signs of no change or deterioration. This study has investigated whether any difference in outcome could be detected between those clients in couple and family therapy who used the Systemic Therapy Inventory of Change (STIC) feedback system (ROM condition) versus those who were offered treatment without the use of STIC (“treatment as usual” or TAU condition). A sample of 328 adults seeking couple and family therapy in Norway was randomly assigned to ROM versus TAU conditions. Outcome measures were The Outcome Questionnaire–45 and The Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale. The results demonstrated no significant differences in outcomes between the ROM and TAU. Possible explanations of this result related to design and implementation issues are discussed.     

The relationships between negative life events, perceived support in the school environment and depressive symptoms among Norwegian senior high school students: a prospective study

The present study prospectively explored the main and interactive effect of negative life events and social support from teachers and classroom peers on depressive symptoms in a sample of 198 (111 females, 87 males) students in a Norwegian senior high school. In the longitudinal multivariate analyses, self-reported depressive symptom levels at time-point two (T₂) were predicted by initial levels of depressive symptomatology, teacher support, and gender. Support from classroom peers at time-point one (T₁) was not associated with symptoms of depression at (T₂). Multivariate cross-sectional analysis also detected a significant positive association between negative life events and depressive symptoms. Finally, results suggest that perceived teacher support may buffer against negative life events leading to symptoms of depression.