Islamophobia and the therapeutic dialogue: Some reflections

In the atmosphere of fear and controversy that surrounds Muslims at this moment in time it is hardly surprising that they feel unable to voice their fears and concerns openly. Added to this is the fact that Muslims already underutilize mental health services (Patel et al., 2000 Patel, N, Bennett, E, Dennis, M, Dosanjh, N, Matitani, A, Miller, A and Nadirshaw, Z. 2000. Clinical Psychology: ‘Race’ and ‘Culture’: A training manual, Leicester: The British Psychological Society.  [Google Scholar]). In the counselling arena four distinct aspects of the counselling relationship are affected. First, the therapeutic alliance, second, the socio-political context in which counselling occurs, third, the awareness of personal characteristics and competencies that facilitate multicultural counselling and, finally, the training requirements of multicultural counsellors. This paper seeks to consider each of these aspects of the therapeutic encounter with regard to Muslim clients.     

中小学生师生关系发展特征研究

本研究从学生角度去探讨中小学师生关系在亲密性、主动性和合作性等方面的特点。研究结果表明：师生关系亲密性总体呈随年级升高下降的趋势,女生在师生关系亲密性上得分比男生高;师生关系主动性总体随年级升高而降低,年级X性别的交互作用在中小学都很明提;师生关系合作性总体随年级升高而降低,年级X性别的交互作用最明显出现在小四至初二阶段;师生关系的亲密性、合作性和主动性三方面并非平均发展,合作性表现最高,主动性表现最低,亲密性居中。     

体育专业大学生网络心理特点研究

目的:探讨体育专业大学生网络心理的特点。方法:采用自编大学生网络心理问卷,对某省236名体育专业大学生和331名非体育专业大学生的网络心理进行调查和比较。结果:(1)体育专业大学生网络喜好程度显著低于非体育专业大学生。(2)体育专业大学生对网络依恋程度低于非体育专业大学生。(3)体育专业大学生对网络人际交往依赖程度低于非体育专业大学生。(4)体育专业大学生在上网目的性上表现为"学习需要"等,非体育专业大学生上网是为了"寻求自信"等。     

The Impact of Demographic Characteristics on Health-related Quality of Life Profile of Malaysian Epilepsy Population

The possibilities of adverse drug reactions and disease-related psychosocial implications have led to the current emphasis on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessment in epilepsy. The main objective of this study was to determine the impact of various demographic characteristics i.e. gender, age, marital status, ethnic origin, religion, and employment status on HRQoL profiles in Malaysian epilepsy patients. Patients with epilepsy were recruited from ten public hospitals in Sabah, Malaysia. Upon written consents, they completed the Malay Quality of Life In Epilepsy-30 (QOLIE-30) instrument which assesses Seizure Worry, Overall QoL, Emotional Well-Being, Energy/Fatigue, Cognitive Functioning, Medication Effects and Social Functioning. An Overall Score was generated to represent a summarised HRQoL score. Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were both carried out using SPSS 14 for (1) all patients and (2) patients possessing Poor QoL (Overall Score < median) and Good QoL (Overall Score ≥ median). One-hundred-and-thirteen patients participated in the study. The respondents ranged from 18–76 years with a mean age of 31 years. Majority were Kadazandusuns (n = 46; 40.7%) and many were unmarried (n = 68; 60.2%), Muslims (n = 50; 44.2%) and unemployed (n = 54; 47.8%). Age was the most significant factor across all patients (B = −0.372, t = −2.238, p = 0.027), regardless of Poor or Good QoL level. Older patients (>56 years) fared the worst in many HRQoL areas. Those with Poor QoL were mostly affected by marital status (widowed/divorced) and ethnic origin (Kadazandusun/Chinese). Religion (Buddhism/Hinduism) emerged as the most prominent HRQoL predictor for patients experiencing Good QoL and being Chinese too played a role. These outcomes indicate that specific demographic characteristics are influential in determining the HRQoL of epilepsy patients. Consequently, healthcare professionals could utilise such information in planning the best treatment and care by considering both the medical and psychosocial impacts towards patients. This paper was part of a research project and majority of its components had been presented at the 7th Conference On International Society For Quality Of Life Studies (ISQoLS) 2006, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, 17–20 July 2006.     

Intensity and memory characteristics of near-death experiences

Memories of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) seem to be very detailed and stable over time. At present, there is still no satisfactory explanation for the NDEs’ rich phenomenology. Here we compared phenomenological characteristics of NDE memories with the reported experience’s intensity. We included 152 individuals with a self-reported “classical” NDE (i.e. occurring in life-threatening conditions). All participants completed a mailed questionnaire that included a measure of phenomenological characteristics of memories (the Memory Characteristics Questionnaire; MCQ) and a measure of NDE’s intensity (the Greyson NDE scale). Greyson NDE scale total score was positively correlated with MCQ total score, suggesting that participants who described more intense NDEs also reported more phenomenological memory characteristics of NDE. Using MCQ items, our study also showed that NDE’s intensity is associated in particular with sensory details, personal importance and reactivation frequency variables.     

临床医生要理解与实践医学的目的

针对医疗进入市场后,一些临床医生对医学的特征与属性认识不足,医学的行为与目的产生矛盾,提出了医生的人文精神就体现在医疗过程的言行之中。在中国目前的卫生状况下,实现医学的目的,医生们可以有所作为,有所贡献。     

Rejection sensitivity as a mediator of the relationship between experienced rejection and borderline characteristics

Experiences of rejection in childhood play an important role in the etiology of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Additionally, individuals who report borderline symptoms report high levels of rejection sensitivity. The current study aimed to disentangle the relationship between experiences of rejection, rejection sensitivity and borderline characteristics. Therefore, we retrospectively assessed experiences of parental and peer rejection, collected data of self-reported rejection sensitivity and social support and prospectively investigated borderline characteristics in a sample of 193 students. Results indicated that rejection sensitivity fully mediated the previously significant relationship between experiences of parental rejection and borderline characteristics, whereas peer rejection maintained a significant effect on borderline traits. Social support was identified as a protective factor. Results indicated a crucial role of rejection sensitivity in borderline symptomatology.     

Impulsivity mediates the association between borderline personality pathology and body mass index

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with obesity, a major risk factor for a number of chronic illnesses (e.g., cardiovascular disease). We examined whether impulsivity and affective instability mediate the association between BPD pathology and body mass index (BMI). Participants were a community sample of adults ages 55–64 and their informants. The Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality measured BPD symptoms and the Revised NEO Personality Inventory measured self- and informant-report impulsivity and affective instability. Mediation analyses demonstrated that only higher self-report impulsivity significantly mediated the association between greater BPD pathology and higher BMI. A subsequent model revealed that higher scores on the impulsiveness (lack of inhibitory control) and deliberation (planning) facets of impulsivity mediated the BPD–BMI association, with impulsiveness exerting a stronger mediation effect than deliberation. Obesity interventions that improve inhibitory control may be most effective for individuals with BPD pathology.     

Analyse Préliminaire des Qualités Psychométriques d’une Version Française du Work Design Questionnaire

The Work Design Questionnaire (Morgeson & Humphrey, 2006) assesses numerous work characteristics. The present research was designed to assess the psychometric properties of a French version of this tool (i.e., WDQ-F) through the following analyses: confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, and nomological validity with work satisfaction, engagement and burnout. In Studies 1 and 2, results of confirmatory factor analyses showed that the fit indices for the 21-dimension model were poor and that seven items displayed low factor loadings. In Study 2, results showed that a reduced version of the WDQ-F (71 items) demonstrated better psychometric properties than the 77-item version of the questionnaire. In addition, correlation analyses provided support for the nomological validity of the WDQ-F.     

表情信息特征变化对自闭症儿童面孔视觉扫描的影响

实验以眼动追踪技术为手段,考察自闭症儿童对不同信息特征表情图片的视觉扫描特征,探讨自闭症表情加工的机制。结果发现：1、看真人表情时,自闭症儿童对高兴、悲伤的整脸扫描时间无显著差异,均高于愤怒和恐惧,对愤怒的整脸扫描时间高于恐惧;2、看真人表情时自闭症儿童对高兴、悲伤表情的眼睛区域和嘴巴区域扫描时间无差异,对恐惧和愤怒的嘴巴区域扫描时间显著多于眼睛区域;3、信息特征削弱对自闭症儿童面孔表情视觉扫描产生了影响,随着削弱程度的增加,自闭症儿童对表情图片的嘴巴区域扫描时间增加,对眼睛区域的扫描时间减少。根据实验结果,认为自闭症儿童对表情的加工主要受到表情信息特征的影响,随着信息特征的变化,会对视觉注意进行调整,以获得对表情的充分加工。