Calendar interviewing: a mixed methods device for a biographical approach to migration

Biographical interviews are used in life stories research to elicit narratives on retrospective views of the self and the social world. Life calendars are used in life course research to collect standardized data in various domains of individual lives. Both instruments deal with autobiographical memory, which is a critical aspect for data quality and accuracy. This article presents a mixed methods use of life calendars and life stories for researching on migration called the Calendar Interviewing Device (CID). The CID consists of a life calendar for characterizing trajectories and collecting life stories through open-ended interviews. An analysis of 12 interviews examines the features of this particular research device, namely its flexibility on adapting to different interviewees, the strategies they used for recalling events and locating them in time, and the richness of the data obtained with the CID.     

Motivational enhancement treatment in outpatient addiction centers: A multisite randomized trial

Background/Objectives: Motivational Enhancement Treatment in Spanish (METS) is a brief intervention aimed at resolving patient ambivalence towards behavior change that has demonstrated efficacy in substance use disorder treatment to reduce use and increase treatment engagement in different populations. In order to have evidence for its implementation in Mexico, a multi-site, randomized, two-arm, controlled clinical trial was conducted at three outpatient addiction treatment centers in the country to compare the effect of METS with Counseling as Usual (CAU). Method: One hundred and twenty patients were randomized to receive three sessions of METS (n = 54) or CAU (n = 66) during the first four weeks of treatment and were assessed during the following 12 weeks. Primary outcome measures were self-reported days of substance use and of treatment services utilization, which were tested using Generalized Estimating Equations. Results: Results associated both conditions with significant changes in substance use over, whereas there were no differences between conditions in substance use or in service utilization. Conclusions: Findings do not support the hypothesis that METS is more effective than CAU, but suggest that brief interventions at treatment initiation may improve patient outcomes.     

团体音乐辅导提高地震灾区初中生心理弹性的研究

目的：考查团体音乐辅导对提高地震灾区初中生心理弹性的效果。方法：选取心理弹性较低的地震灾区初中生22名,随机分入干预组和控制组,对干预组进行团体音乐辅导。结果：后测结果表明,与控制组相比,干预组被试的心理弹性及其相关因素指标均有显著改善;两个月后的回访结果显示,干预组被试得分与后测无显著差异,仍显著优于前测。结论：团体音乐辅导能够有效地提高地震灾区初中生的心理弹性水平,并具有一定的长效性。     

群体规模与领导行为对群体组织公民行为的影响

以37个工作群体中的501位员工为对象,探讨群体规模与领导行为对群体组织公民行为的影响。运用多层验证性因子分析技术对调查数据进行了检验,并在此基础上进行了最优尺度回归和偏最小二乘回归分析。结果表明,群体规模越大,群体组织公民行为的水平越低。领导的个人品德和团队维系行为对群体组织公民行为具有显著的正向影响作用,而领导的工作绩效行为对群体组织公民行为的影响作用不显著。     

Reduced ADHD symptoms in adults with ADHD after structured skills training group: results from a randomized controlled trial

Objective

Feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) -based method developed in Germany were evaluated in a Swedish outpatient psychiatric context.

Method

Fifty-one adults with ADHD on stable medical treatment or on no medication were randomized to the DBT-based skills training (n = 26) or a parallel loosely structured discussion group (n = 25). Self-rating scales were administered before randomization and after the treatment.

Results

Feasibility and participant satisfaction were good in both groups while skills training was perceived as more logical and effective for ADHD-related problems. The analyses of the individuals who completed the treatment and remained stable with regard to medication (n = 19 in skills training; n = 18 in control group) showed a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms in the skills training group, but not in the control group. No reduction of comorbidity was observed in any of the groups.

Conclusions

The treatment was feasible in an outpatient psychiatric context, well tolerated, and significantly reduced ADHD symptoms in on-treatment individuals who remained stable regarding medication status.     

Group cognitive-behavioral therapy for hoarding disorder: an open trial

Although cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) appears to be a promising treatment approach for hoarding disorder, treatment to date has been quite labor intensive. The goal of this study, therefore, was to assess the potential effectiveness of group CBT for hoarding, without home visits by the clinician. Forty-five individuals with hoarding disorder enrolled in either a 16 or 20 session program of group CBT; 30 (67%) completed treatment. Using mixed-effects models to account for missing data, we report data from 35 (78%) participants who provided enough data for analysis. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in hoarding symptoms, as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety, and quality of life. Improvements in hoarding symptoms were comparable to two published clinical trials on individual CBT for hoarding disorder. Results of this study suggest that group CBT for hoarding, without home discarding sessions by the clinician, may be an effective treatment option with the potential advantage of increasing treatment access by reducing clinician burden and cost of treatment.     

The marriage checkup: increasing access to marital health care

Despite the ongoing prevalence of marital distress, very few couples seek therapy. Researchers and clinicians have increasingly been calling for innovative interventions that can reach a larger number of untreated couples. Based on a motivational marital health model, the Marriage Checkup (MC) was designed to attract couples who are unlikely to seek traditional tertiary therapy. The objective of the MC is to promote marital health for as broad a population of couples as possible, much like regular physical health checkups. This first paper from the largest MC study to date examines whether the MC engaged previously unreached couples who might benefit from intervention. Interview and survey data suggested that the MC attracted couples across the distress continuum and was perceived by couples as more accessible than traditional therapy. Notably, the MC attracted a substantial number of couples who had not previously participated in marital interventions. The motivational health checkup model appeared to encourage a broad range of couples who might not have otherwise sought relationship services to deliberately take care of their marital health. Clinical implications are discussed.     

The role of system-justification motivation, group status and system threat in directing support for hate crimes legislation

We examine factors that explain variability in attitudes toward hate crimes legislation. We find that one's posture toward the current social system directs the conditions under which characteristics of hate crimes exert the most influence. System-justification motivation is negatively related to support for hate crimes legislation (Studies 1-3). This relation is partially mediated by perceptions of harm from hate crimes. Specifically, when hate crimes target low-status groups, system-justification motivation is negatively related to perceived harm and support for hate crimes legislation. Attitudes are unaffected when high-status groups are targeted. The status of the group targeted, perceptions of hate crimes as representative of the status quo, and temporarily enhanced feelings of system threat moderate this relation (Studies 2-4).     

Deviant but desirable: Group variability and evaluation of atypical group members

Two studies investigated how group variability affects reactions to atypical group members. In Study 1 (N = 65) we manipulated group variability and found that an atypical group member was evaluated more positively when the group was heterogeneous than when the group was homogeneous. In Study 2 (N = 276) we also manipulated group value and found a significant interaction whereby an atypical group member was evaluated more positively when the group was homogeneous and group members valued heterogeneity, but was evaluated more negatively when the group was heterogeneous and group members valued homogeneity. The results suggest that deviant or atypical members will not inevitably be rejected by the group, but rather that reactions to deviance are shaped and guided by the dynamic relationship between how the group is perceived by its members and their ideological beliefs about what is good for the group.