Psychometric Testing of the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale Among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study

This study provided the first examination of the psychometric properties of the 6-item Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale (DSES) in a large African American sample, the Jackson Heart Study (JHS). The JHS included measures of spiritual (DSES) and religious practices. Internal reliability, dimensionality, fit indices, and correlation were assessed. DSES scores reflected frequent daily spiritual experiences (12.84 ± 4.72) and reliability scores were high (α = 0.85; 95% CI 0.84–0.86). The DSES loaded on a single factor, with significant goodness-of-fit scores (RMSEA = 0.094, P < 0.01). Moderate significant correlations were noted among DSES items. Our findings confirm that the 6-item DSES had excellent psychometric properties in this sample.     

Noncompetition Agreements: How Informed Are Counselors?

A noncompetition agreement is a contract between employer and employee prohibiting the practice of a trade or profession for a specified time or within a specified region upon an employee's leaving an employer's hire (A. Valiulis, 1985). The authors assessed American Mental Health Counselor Association members' knowledge of the legal bases for these contracts and their agreement with the legal opinions and also assessed the degree of similarity and dissimilarity between members' knowledge of and agreement with the legal opinions. Results showed that counselors are better prepared to look after the welfare of their clients than their own employment interests. Implications for counselor training are discussed.     

Behaviorism: Are reports of its death exaggerated?

Despite reports that behaviorism is dead or dying, examination of the data indicates otherwise. The opinions of psychology historians, the number of professional associations devoted to behaviorism, and the increasing number of behavioral publications all support the conclusion that behaviorism is vital and growing.     

Hearing test for a profoundly retarded human subject

A profoundly retarded 28-yr.-old female was trained to avoid an aversive but harmless shock to the foot by withdrawing the foot upon presentation of a visual cue. She was later unable to learn to avoid the shock consistently upon presentation of an auditory cue, confirming the ward staff's contention that she had a hearing disability. The audiometric technique using negative reinforcement bridges the problems of (1) difficulty in finding positive reinforcers for patients of low functioning and (2) satiation which may result from the continued use of positive reinforcers. The use of aversive stimuli raises ethical concerns. The growing trend in research is that aversive stimuli are permissible for individuals for whom positive techniques have not been effective and when used by trained professionals under careful review.     

Case vignette: child abuse or acceptable cultural norms -- child psychiatrist's response; ethical issues in culturally relevant interventions; cultural contexts

Three families from the nation of the Gambia have become socially acquainted in the greater Metropolis area where they have relocated from their native country. All three families have preadolescent daughters. None of the girls has as yet undergone the ritual "female circumcision" commonly practiced in their native country. Five of the six parents think it would be a good idea to hold such a ritual ceremony in Metropolis next month. The sixth parent is uneasy about the procedure and wonders if it is appropriate anyway. The parent comes to talk with you, a physician or mental health professional, about this. The parent describes concerns about the procedure and the practice in general, but notes that some groups in the United States do "similar things," referring to the ritual circumcision of Jewish boys at 8 days of age. The parent adds that if the procedure is not possible in the United States, it could be done in the Gambia when the family returns there on holiday. Discussants were asked for their opinions regarding advice to the parent's ethical obligations (especially in the case of mandated reporting of suspected child abuse).