The cultural grounding of personal relationship: Friendship in North American and West African worlds

This study considers how different constructions of self and social reality influence the experience of relationship. Reflecting the relational interdependence of West African worlds, the authors hypothesized and observed that Ghanaian participants were significantly more likely than U.S.A. participants (ns = 50 each) to advocate caution toward friends and to emphasize practical assistance in friendship. Reflecting the atomistic independence of North American worlds, the authors hypothesized and observed that U.S.A. participants were significantly more likely than Ghanaian participants to indicate a large friendship network; to emphasize companionship, particularly relative to Ghanaian women; and to emphasize emotional support, particularly relative to Ghanaian nonstudents. Results suggest that friendship is not a universal form; instead, it takes different forms in different cultural worlds.     

Eye remember you: the effects of gaze direction on face recognition in children and adults

Children and adults were tested on a forced‐choice face recognition task in which the direction of eye gaze was manipulated over the course of the initial presentation and subsequent test phase of the experiment. To establish the effects of gaze direction on the encoding process, participants were presented with to‐be‐studied faces displaying either direct or deviated gaze (i.e. encoding manipulation). At test, all the faces depicted persons with their eyes closed. To investigate the effects of gaze direction on the efficiency of the retrieval process, a second condition (i.e. retrieval manipulation) was run in which target faces were presented initially with eyes closed and tested with either direct or deviated gaze. The results revealed the encoding advantages enjoyed by faces with direct gaze was present for both children and adults. Faces with direct gaze were also recognized better than faces with deviated gaze at retrieval, although this effect was most pronounced for adults. Finally, the advantage for direct gaze over deviated gaze at encoding was greater than the advantage for direct gaze over deviated gaze at retrieval. We consider the theoretical implications of these findings.     

Self‐Injurious Behaviors: Assessment and Diagnosis

This article examines the diagnosis and assessment of self‐injurious behaviors. A classification model for conceptualizing self‐injury is discussed, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) diagnoses associated with self‐injury are addressed. Assessment questions and issues to consider when assessing clients who self‐injure are provided.     

A Gender Analysis of Theories of Coping with Stress

In this article, various feminist theories are used to critique selected psychological theories of coping with stress, a reformulated coping theory is outlined, and recommendations for future research are made. To date, theories of coping often portray women as less able copers than the samples of men with whom they are compared. A reformulated theory, based on different women's experiences, explicitly examines the role of social forces (sexism, racism) and access to power as variables in the coping process rather than solely focusing on the individual. Selected examples of research that contribute to such a revision are given. Revised theories and methodologies will encourage the more accurate appraisal of women's coping abilities and generate information vital to the creation of more inclusive and representative theories of coping.     

Unilateral Facial Contractions Produce Mood Effects on Social Cognitive Judgements

Abstract

This study demonstrates that left and right unilateral facial contractions have similar effects on the expression of ethnic stereotypes as do negative and positive moods induced by more conventional means. Subjects who con tracted the left side of their face (negative mood inducer) were more likely to express negative stereotypes of ethnic groups than were subjects who contracted the right side of their face (positive mood inducer). This parallels previous findings obtained using two standard mood inductions: the Veltens mood induction procedure; and a musical mood induction procedure. Given that unilateral facial contractions manipulate mood without cognitive involvement, this mood induction may have advantages over previously used procedures, the effects of which are subject to cognitive mediation explanations. In addition, these results suggest that, at least for the expression of ethnic stereotypes, mood's influence on cognition does not depend on a cognitive component of mood induction.     

A pragmatic approach to measuring adherence in treatment delivery in psychotherapy

ABSTRACT

Measuring therapists’ adherence to treatment manuals is recommended for evaluating treatment integrity, yet ways to do this are poorly defined, time consuming, and costly. The aims of the study were to develop a Therapy Component Checklist (TCC) to measure adherence to manualised CBT; to test its application in research and clinical practice; to determine its validity; and consider its cost benefits. We conducted a randomised trial in 230 people with cancer evaluating effectiveness of CBT for depression. In this, therapists delivered manualised treatment. Experts agreed on key components of therapy and therapists were asked to record these after therapy sessions by ticking a TCC. Inter-rater reliability was tested using an independent rater. Therapists delivered 543 CBT sessions. TCCs were completed in 293, of which 39 were assessed by the independent rater. Self-reported TCC data suggested close adherence to the manual. Prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted kappa scores suggested substantial agreement, (>0.60) in 38 out of 46 items. Self-rating of adherence saved around £96 per rating. In conclusion the TCC provides a quick and cost effective way of evaluating the components of therapy delivered. This approach could be applied to other psychological treatments and may help with linking therapeutic interventions with outcome.