《公羊传》“以义解经”的意图探析

一般史家眼中的《春秋》是一部简单的历史著作,可公羊家视阈中的《春秋》却是蕴涵“微言大义”的经学宝典。《公羊传》“以义解经”,以为“义”之所在可从作者意图、文本意图和读者意图来窥探。一方面《公羊传》有还原倾向,旨在探求作者意图和文本意图,表现为尊圣宗经原道;另一方面又有生成倾向,多“非常异义可怪之论”,旨在阐述自己的政治、历史、道德理想。     

Adolescent Conduct Problems and Bulimic Tendencies: Study of an Emotional Distress Hypothesis

Prior research has documented an association between adolescent conduct problems and bulimic tendencies. However, there is limited theoretical modeling to explain this association, and prior studies have generally failed to assess for potential mediating variables of impulsivity, anxiety, and depression. The current study assessed these mediating variables in further exploring for unique associations between adolescent conduct problems and bulimic tendencies. A non-referred adolescent sample was assessed for bulimic tendencies, conduct problems, impulsivity, anxiety, and depression using a multi-informant assessment battery including parent, teacher, and self-report measures. There was a significant bivariate association between conduct problems and bulimic tendencies, r = 0.29, p < 0.01. However, this association was fully mediated by anxiety and depression symptoms. This suggests that emotional distress could be a primary factor linking adolescent conduct problems and bulimic tendencies. Implications include the potential for more regular screening of youth with conduct problems for associated eating disturbances.

Strategic Maneuvering with the Intention of the Legislator in the Justification of Judicial Decisions

The author gives an analysis of the strategic manoeuvring in the justification of legal decisions from a pragma-dialectical perspective by showing how a judge tries to reconcile dialectical and rhetorical aims. On the basis of an analysis and evaluation of the argumentation given by the US Supreme Court in the famous Holy Trinity case, it is shown how in a case in which the judge wants to make an exception to a legal rule for the concrete case tries to meet the dialectical reasonableness norm by seeing to it that his standpoint is sufficiently defended according to the requirements of the burden of proof of a judge in a rational critical discussion and how he tries at the same time to be rhetorically convincing for the legal audience by presenting the decision as a choice that is in line with the argumentation schemes and starting points that can be considered as accepted by the legal community in the US and by the US community as a whole.

Computerised cognitive‐behaviour therapy (cCBT) and older people: A pilot study to determine factors that influence willingness to engage with cCBT

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore whether older people with depression and/or anxiety were potentially willing to engage with computerised cognitive‐behaviour therapy (cCBT). Method: A short questionnaire was sent to 60 service users aged 65+ who were identified as having anxiety and/or depression. Results: There was a 63.3% response rate for the questionnaire. Almost half of the respondents said they would be interested in using cCBT, and would be willing to learn the necessary computer skills. Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that older people with anxiety and/or depression may be willing to engage with cCBT. However, a number of important factors are highlighted that would need to be considered in deciding whether to develop access to cCBT for older people.     

Group-as-a-whole interpretations in short-term group psychotherapy

The usefulness of therapists making group-as-a-whole interpretations in long-term group therapy was actively debated in the 1960s and 1970s. Advantages and disadvantages were delineated. An often-cited survey study of therapy groups that had emphasized group-as-a-whole interpretations found that many patients were dissatisfied with the therapist’s technique and the outcome of therapy. Although group-as-a-whole concepts subsequently became a part of the theory of many orientations of group therapy, there has appeared to be reluctance among many therapists to make group-as-a-whole interpretations, especially in short-term group therapies. Contrary to this tendency, an argument is made and a case illustration presented, which advocate the use of group-as-a-whole interpretations in short-term group therapies.     

Feasibility and Acceptability of Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretation as an Adjunctive Treatment for OCD and Related Disorders: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Cognitive models implicate interpretation bias in the development and maintenance of obsessive compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs), and research supports Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretation (CBM-I) in targeting this mechanism. However, prior studies in OCRDs have been limited to nonclinical populations, adolescents, and adults in a laboratory setting. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of CBM-I as an adjunctive intervention during intensive/residential treatment (IRT) for adults with OCRDs. We modified a lab-based CBM-I training for adults seeking IRT for OCRDs, and conducted a feasibility trial (N = 4) and subsequent pilot RCT; participants (N = 31) were randomized to receive CBM-I or psychoeducation. Benchmarks were met for feasibility, acceptability, and target engagement. From pre- to post-intervention, the CBM-I group showed a large effect for change in interpretation bias (d = .90), whereas this effect was trivial (d = .06) for psychoeducation. This was the first study to evaluate CBM-I in naturalistic treatment for adults seeking IRT for OCRDs. Findings support the feasibility and acceptability of CBM-I in this novel sample and setting. A larger scale RCT is needed to determine whether CBM-I can enhance OCRD treatment response.     

A Randomized Test of Interpretation Bias Modification for Perfectionism Versus Guided Visualization Relaxation Among High Perfectionistic Undergraduate Students

Clinical perfectionism contributes to the onset and maintenance of multiple psychological concerns. We conducted a randomized, longitudinal test of the efficacy of a web-based intervention for perfectionism (specifically, cognitive bias modification, interpretation retraining; CBM-I), compared to an active treatment comparison condition (specifically, guided visualization relaxation training) for reducing perfectionism and related psychopathology. College students (N = 167) with elevated perfectionism were randomized to one of the two study conditions and were asked to complete their assigned intervention twice weekly for 4 weeks. Participants completed measures of perfectionism and psychological symptoms at baseline, 2 weeks (midway through the intervention period), 4 weeks (at the conclusion of the intervention period), and 8 weeks (1 month follow-up). CBM-I was rated as acceptable overall, though relaxation training was rated slightly more favorably. CBM-I outperformed relaxation training on improving perfectionism-relevant interpretation biases (i.e., increasing nonperfectionistic interpretations and decreasing perfectionistic interpretations), though with small effect sizes and inconsistency across study timepoints. Self-reported perfectionism showed small decreases across time in both intervention conditions. Support was found for a key hypothesized mechanism of CBM-I, such that randomization to CBM-I had a longitudinal, indirect effect on decreasing psychopathology symptom scores through improving perfectionism-relevant interpretation biases. However, in light of small effect sizes, the present study failed to provide compelling evidence that CBM-I for perfectionism contributes meaningfully to the treatment of perfectionism.     

TOMM Performances and Self-Reported Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

The Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) is the most frequently used symptom validity test (SVT) by neuropsychologists and appears to be robust in the context of a number of neurological and psychiatric conditions. The current study cross-validated and extended prior research by examining the relation between scores on self-report measures of depression and anxiety, independently and combined, and scores on the TOMM in an outpatient neuropsychology clinic. A total of 262 files were reviewed, 67 of which contained complete data on the TOMM, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results show that scores on self-report inventories of depression and anxiety are not significantly related to scores on the TOMM, cross-validating previous research. Extending prior research, current analyses demonstrate that TOMM scores are not significantly influenced by the combined relation of self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety. Findings support the utility of the TOMM with patients reporting affective disturbances.     

Anxiety Sensitivity Moderates Relations Among Tobacco Smoking,Panic Attack Symptoms,and Bodily Complaints in Adolescents

The present study evaluated associations among smoking and anxiety sensitivity (fear of anxiety and anxiety related sensations) in predicting panic attack symptomatology, somatic complaints, and depressive symptomatology in a community sample of adolescents (ages 12 to 17 years; N=206). As predicted, the combination of high levels of anxiety sensitivity and being a current smoker predicted panic symptomatology and somatic complaints, but not depressive symptomatology. These findings suggest anxiety sensitivity may moderate the relation between smoking and prototypical panic psychopathology variables (panic attacks and somatic complaints) even after controlling for gender and negative affectivity, and that these associations are specific to panic-relevant processes. The primary implication of the study findings is that there may be segments of the adolescent population who are at relatively greater risk for panic-related problems by virtue of individual differences in AS and smoking status.

Jumping to interpretations: social anxiety disorder and the identification of emotional facial expressions

A small body of research suggests that socially anxious individuals show biases in interpreting the facial expressions of others. The current study included a clinically anxious sample in a speeded emotional card-sorting task in two conditions (baseline and threat) to investigate several hypothesized biases in interpretation. Following the threat manipulation, participants with generalized social anxiety disorders (GSADs) sorted angry cards with greater accuracy, but also evidenced a greater rate of neutral cards misclassified as angry, as compared to nonanxious controls. The controls showed the opposite pattern, sorting neutral cards with greater accuracy but also misclassifying a greater proportion of angry cards as neutral, as compared to GSADs. These effects were accounted for primarily by low-intensity angry cards. Results are consistent with previous studies showing a negative interpretive bias, and can be applied to the improvement of clinical interventions.