The economics of paradox: a response to armour-garb

‘Those ice cubes melted because by melting total entropy increased and entropy increase has a very high objective chance.’ What role does the chance in this explanation play? I argue that it contributes to the explanation by entailing that the melting was almost necessary, and defend the claim that the fact that some event was almost necessary can, in the right circumstances, constitute a causal explanation of that event.     

Evaluation of dominance‐based ordinal multiple regression for variables with few categories

Dominance‐based ordinal multiple regression (DOR) is designed to answer ordinal questions about relationships among ordinal variables. Only one parameter per predictor is estimated, and the number of parameters is constant for any number of outcome levels. The majority of existing simulation evaluations of DOR use predictors that are continuous or ordinal with many categories, so the performance of the method is not well understood for ordinal variables with few categories. This research evaluates DOR in simulations using three‐category ordinal variables for the outcome and predictors, with a comparison to the cumulative logits proportional odds model (POC). Although ordinary least squares (OLS) regression is inapplicable for theoretical reasons, it was also included in the simulations because of its popularity in the social sciences. Most simulation outcomes indicated that DOR performs well for variables with few categories, and is preferable to the POC for smaller samples and when the proportional odds assumption is violated. Nevertheless, confidence interval coverage for DOR was not flawless and possibilities for improvement are suggested.     

Maternal Executive Functioning and Scaffolding in Families of Children with and without Parent-Reported ADHD

Parental scaffolding robustly predicts child developmental outcomes, including improved self-regulation and peer relationships and fewer externalizing behaviors. However, few studies have examined parental characteristics associated with a parent’s ability to scaffold. Executive functioning (EF) may be an important individual difference factor associated with maternal scaffolding that has yet to be examined empirically. Scaffolding may be particularly important for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) symptoms due to their core difficulties with inattention, disorganization, EF, and self-regulation, their need for greater parental structure, and higher-than-average rates of parental EF deficits. Yet, little research has examined child ADHD in relation to parental scaffolding. This cross-sectional study examined: (1) the association between maternal EF (as measured by the Hotel Test, Barkley’s Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale, and Digit Span) and observed scaffolding, (2) the association between parent-reported child ADHD/DBD symptoms and scaffolding, and (3) the interaction between child ADHD/DBD symptoms and maternal EF in predicting scaffolding. In a sample of 84 mothers and their 5–10 year-old biological children (62% male) with and without parent-reported ADHD, we found that maternal EF, as measured by Digit Span and the Hotel Test, predicted observed maternal scaffolding. However, child ADHD/DBD symptoms did not significantly predict maternal scaffolding controlling for child age, maternal education, and maternal EF, nor did the interaction of maternal EF and parent-reported child ADHD/DBD symptoms. Working memory and task shifting may be key components of parental EF that could be targeted in interventions to improve parental scaffolding.     

The internal world of the juvenile sex offender

This paper explores the consequences of the therapist's two successive pregnancies on a female patient. The second pregnancy was felt to be particularly difficult and disturbing. One of the central reasons was that after the patient's birth, the mother had a disabled child, followed by a stillbirth and soon after that the father left to marry another woman. Using Freud's concept of deferred action I will argue that my second pregnancy revised these earlier traumatic experiences.

The patient seemed to have incorporated and identified with a damaged maternal object that at the time of the original trauma was left husbandless, depressed and suffering from panic attacks. Although the therapist's healthy pregnancies seemed to reassure temporarily, it was difficult for the patient to hold onto a view of a helpful and productive therapist, one separate from this damaged internal mother. This was particularly so during and after the second pregnancy, where there was a marked absence of an idea of a third object, a father or a husband, who could help the patient deal with this pregnancy, her only escape was to retreat and act out.

The acting out was in part identification with a fleeing father and in part a defence against the absence of such a third object, so that it was used as a way of avoiding claustrophobic feelings of being trapped with the damaged mother. Her feelings of triumph then produced much guilt, and impeded reparation.

Another important issue that two successive pregnancies bring, are feelings of guilt in the therapist for exposing the patient to two major disruptions. In this patient's case it exacerbated the internal reality of a damaged maternal figure.     

The relationship between psychopathy and the Full Range Leadership Model

While emerging research suggests psychopathic traits and leadership behaviors may be linked, this proposition requires further empirical investigation. This study aims to examine the relationship between psychopathic traits and the Full Range Leadership Model which includes transformational, transactional, and passive leadership styles. Using a cross-sectional design, survey data was collected from 115 students who reported having management experience. Measures included the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-Revised. A four-factor structure of psychopathy positively correlated with passive leadership behavior, namely passive-management-by-exception and laissez-faire, but negatively correlated with individual consideration. This study addresses a research need, and is one of the first to empirically examine the relationship between psychopathic traits and the Full Range Leadership Model. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Predicting Improvement in Depression Across Therapies Using Indicators of Romantic Relationship Functioning: A Preliminary Investigation

The purpose of this preliminary study is to expand research on the effects of relational processes on depression treatment outcomes. We tested whether initiator tendency, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and marital satisfaction predicted improvement in depression for women with Major Depressive Disorder enrolled in a depression treatment clinical trial (n = 17). We found that higher baseline levels of partner initiator tendency resulted in less change in depression (worse outcomes), regardless of treatment type; higher baseline levels of attachment avoidance predicted better depression outcomes in treatment. Initiator tendency is discussed as a critical romantic relationship factor for depression treatment outcomes.