Islamic Legal and Ethical Views on Organ Transplantation and Donation

In Islam, one of the core beliefs is in the life of the hereafter. At the end of time and all that exists, all human beings will be resurrected (in their bodies and souls) and will face the Day of Judgment. Even their body parts or organs will stand witness against them. Furthermore, in Islamic law, every action or thing is categorized either as legitimate or prohibited. This article explores ethico‐legal opinions on the issues of organ donation and transplantation in the light of these essential Islamic beliefs.     

Thoughts of an Old Therapist About the Impact of Age on Her Clinical Work

This article deals with the impact of old age on the clinician as well as on the patients and families. The factors which seem to play an important role are: (a) The personal events in the clinician's life; (b) The changes which took place in the profession; (c) The life histories of the individuals and families which influenced the author's work as well as how her age affected families and the individuals. Several case illustrations are given to demonstrate the author's ideas. It is the author's hope that her experiences will encourage older therapists to continue in their practice.     

Flow Versus Life Satisfaction: A Projective Use of Cartoons to Illustrate the Difference Between the Evaluation Approach and the Intrinsic Motivation Approach to Subjective Quality of Life

In this paper, differences between life satisfaction and intrinsic motivation (flow) are addressed. Theories are presented on evaluation, flow and openness to experience. Data from a Norwegian panel study are analyzed by means of structural equation modeling. Young adults (n = 264) participated in a projective study with cartoon frames showing Donald Duck in challenging situations. Measures of satisfaction with life and the personality trait of openness to experience were added to the analysis. Subjects scoring high on openness rated Donald Duck's feelings as positive. A slightly opposing tendency was found for persons scoring high on satisfaction with life. The results are discussed with reference to the philosophical distinction between hedonism and eudaemonia.     

论准生命--寻找剖析生命伦理疑难问题的"奥卡姆剃刀"

提出并讨论准生命的基本概念及其正常演进和异常演进;分析生命和准生命的本质区别;认为准生命理论完整地描述了生命的客现过程,提示认识生命问题要分清生命和准生命的界限、分清生命和生命现象的差异、分清正常演进的准生命和异常演进的准生命的区别;说明准生命理论为解决诸如脑死亡、“植物状态”和重残儿的处置、生育控制、干细胞研究、安乐死的实施和克隆人的伦理问题提供了的新理念。     

The personality-related implications of Stroop performance: Stress-contingent self-control in daily life

People with higher levels of executive control, relative to low levels, should be more capable of responding to the problems and stressors of their lives, yet we know very little concerning this lab-to-life interface. Two studies (total N = 254) sought to speak to questions of this type using the Stroop task, a classic measure of executive control. Individual differences in Stroop costs were assessed in the laboratory, following which the same people completed daily diary protocols for two weeks. Consistent with neurocognitive theories of executive control, both studies found that people capable of overriding the Stroop effect tended to recruit self-control in response to the stressful circumstances of their lives. By contrast, people with high Stroop costs did not exhibit this problem-focused form of recruitment. The findings extend our knowledge of individual differences in executive control and the manner in which they operate in daily life.     

Self-efficacy and quality of life in adults who stutter

PurposeSelf-efficacy has emerged as a potential predictor of quality of life for adults who stutter. Research has focused primarily on the positive relationship self-efficacy has to treatment outcomes, but little is known about the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life for adults who stutter. The purpose of this mixed- methods study is to determine the predictive value of self-efficacy and its relationship to quality of life for adults who stutter.MethodThe Self-Efficacy Scale for Adult Stutterers and the Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience with Stuttering were administered to 39 adults who stutter, aged 18– 77. Percentage of syllables stuttered was calculated from a conversational speech sample as a measure of stuttered speech frequency. Qualitative interviews with semi-structured probes were conducted with 10 adults and analyzed using thematic analysis to explore the lived experience of adults who stutter.ResultsSelf-efficacy emerged as a strong positive predictor of quality of life for adults living with a stuttered speech disorder. Stuttered speech frequency was a moderate negative predictor of self-efficacy. Major qualitative themes identified from the interviews with the participants were: encumbrance, self-concept, confidence, acceptance, life-long journey, treatment, and support.ConclusionResults provide clarity on the predictive value of self-efficacy and its relationship to quality of life and stuttered speech frequency. Findings highlight that the unique life experiences of adults who stutter require a multidimensional approach to the assessment and treatment of stuttered speech disorders.     

Ecological validity of the German Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency – 2nd Edition

The diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is based on poor motor coordination in the absence of other neurological disorders. In order to identify the presence of movement difficulties, a standardised motor assessment is recommended to determine the extent of movement problems which may contribute to deficits in daily task performance. A German version of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition (German BOT-2) was recently published. This study aimed to determine the ecological validity of the German BOT-2 by considering the relationship between assessment of fundamental motor skills with the BOT-2 and performance of everyday motor activities as evaluated by parents. This study used data obtained from the German BOT-2 standardisation study (n = 1.177). Subtests were compared with theoretically corresponding tasks via parental ratings of overall fine and gross motor abilities and performance in six typical motor activities. Non-parametric Jonckheere Terpstra test was used to identify differences in ordered contrasts. Subtests reflecting ‘Strength’, ‘Running Speed and Agility’, ‘Upper-Limb Coordination’, ‘Balance’, and ‘Fine Motor Precision’ were associated with parental evaluation of gross motor skills (p < 0.001). The subtest ‘Fine Motor Integration’ significantly correlated with parental ratings of females’ fine motor skills. Parental ratings of males’ fine motor skills were associated with three further subtests. Regarding everyday motor activities, the first three fine motor BOT-2 subtests were associated with parent evaluations of drawing, writing and arts and crafts (p < 0.001). Gross motor subtests of ‘Bilateral Coordination’ and ‘Balance’ showed no relationship to bike riding or performance in sports. Subtests of ‘Upper-Limb Coordination’ and ‘Strength’ showed significant correlations with sports, ball games and cycling. The results of this study suggest that the closer the proximity in the nature of the motor skills assessed in the German BOT-2 to daily motor tasks, the stronger the relationship between the clinical test and parental report of everyday performance of their child. The body functions tested in the German BOT-2, and hypothesized to underpin certain skills, were not automatically relevant for specific activities undertaken by German children. Future research should investigate the relationships of the various BOT-2 constructs for diagnosis of DCD.     

The relationship between momentary emotions and well-being across European Americans,Hispanic Americans,and Asian Americans

Cultural differences in the emphasis on positive and negative emotions suggest that the impact of these emotions on well-being may differ across cultural contexts. The present study utilised a momentary sampling method to capture average momentary emotional experiences. We found that for participants from cultural contexts that foster positive emotions (European Americans and Hispanic Americans), average momentary positive emotions predicted well-being better than average momentary negative emotions. In contrast, average momentary negative emotions were more strongly associated with well-being measures for Asian Americans, the group from a cultural context that emphasises monitoring of negative emotions. Furthermore, we found that acculturation to American culture moderated the association between average momentary positive emotions and well-being for Asian Americans. These findings suggest the importance of culture in studying the impact of daily emotional experiences on well-being.     

生命史权衡的内在机制:动机控制策略的中介作用

本研究基于生命史理论框架,通过整合生命史理论以及毕生发展动机理论的研究,进一步探索并验证生命史权衡的内在机制:动机控制策略(而非控制感)的中介效应。研究1采取问卷调查的方法,选取Mini-K量表以及首要–次级控制优化量表,结果表明,最优化策略、选择性首要控制以及选择性次级控制均发挥中介作用。研究2采用实验法,针对性地验证暴露在负性环境线索中的个体的最优化策略是否起中介作用,结果表明,最优化策略中介童年社会经济地位和延迟满足的关系。     

Pick up the baby (or dire consequences will ensue)!

Abstract

Decades of psychoanalytic developmental studies on children one year of age and under point to the need for maternal soothing when the infant is crying. Contrary to behavioral theorists who recommend letting the infant “cry it out,” data from analytically informed researchers of very different orientations converge on the conclusion that rocking, feeding, and/or verbal soothing by the mothering figure are requisite to set the stage for good mental health during the rest of the child’s development.