Self-reported reflective functioning and father–child interactions in a sample of fathers who have used intimate partner violence

Reflective functioning (RF) has been found to be associated with mother–child interactions, but less is known about the association of fathers’ self and child-focused RF and father–child relationships.  Fathers who have histories of intimate partner violence (IPV) are known to have poor RF, which may impact their father–child interactions.  The current study was designed to examine how types of RF are associated with father–child relationships.  Pretreatment assessments and recorded, coded father–child play interactions were used to examine associations among fathers’ history of adverse childhood experiences (ACES), RF and coded father-child play interactions in a sample of 47 fathers with a history of IPV use in the last 6 months with their coparent.  Fathers’ ACES and their child's mental states (CM) were associated with father-child dyadic play interactions.  Fathers with greater ACES and higher scores on CM had the most dyadic tension and constriction during play interactions.  Those with high ACES but low CM had scores similar to those with low ACES and low CM.  These results indicate that fathers who have used IPV and have a history of significant adversity may benefit from interventions to increase their child-focused RF and further improve their interactions with their children.     

A Randomized Comparison of Two Psychosocial Interventions on Family Functioning in Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder

Impairments in family functioning are associated with more severe depressive and manic symptoms, earlier recurrences, and more suicidal behaviors in early-onset bipolar disorder. This study examined whether family-focused treatment for adolescents (FFT-A) with BD I or II disorder led to greater increases in family cohesion and adaptability and decreases in conflict over 2 years compared to a briefer psychoeducational treatment (enhanced care, EC). Participants were 144 adolescents (mean age: 15.6 ± 1.4 years) with BD I or II with a mood episode in the previous 3 months. Adolescents and parents were randomized to either FFT-A (21 sessions) or EC (three sessions). Patients received guideline-based pharmacotherapy throughout the 2-year study. Trajectories of adolescent- and parent-rated family cohesion, adaptability, and conflict were analyzed over 2 years. FFT-A had greater effects on adolescent-rated family cohesion compared to EC over 2 years. Participants in FFT-A and EC reported similar improvements in family conflict across the 2 years. In the FFT-A group, low-conflict families had greater adolescent-rated family cohesion throughout the study compared to high-conflict families. High-conflict families in both treatment groups tended to show larger reductions in conflict over 2 years than low-conflict families. Family psychoeducation and skills training may improve family cohesion in the early stages of BD. Measuring levels of family conflict at the start of treatment may inform treatment responsiveness among those receiving FFT-A.     

Comparing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Systemic Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial (SOPHO-CBT/ST)

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to pilot the newly developed manualized and monitored systemic therapy (ST) for social anxiety disorder (SAD), as compared to manualized and monitored cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). We conducted a prospective multicenter, assessor-blind pilot RCT on 38 outpatients (ICD F40.1; Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID); Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, LSAS-SR >30). The primary outcome was level of social anxiety (LSAS-SR) at the end of treatment. A total of 252 persons were screened, and 38 patients were randomized and started therapy (CBT: 20 patients; ST: 18 patients; age: M = 36 years, SD = 14). Within-group, simple-effect intent-to-treat analyses (ITT) showed significant reduction in LSAS-SR (CBT:d = 1.04; ST:d = 1.67), while ITT mixed-design ANOVA demonstrated the advantage of ST (d = 0.81). Per-protocol analyses supported these results. Remission based on reliable change indices also demonstrated significant difference (LSAS-SR: 15% in CBT; 39% in ST;h: 0.550), supported by blind diagnosticians’ ratings of those who completed therapy (SCID; 45% in CBT, 78% in ST,p = .083). No adverse events were reported. CBT and ST both reduced social anxiety, supporting patient improvement with the newly developed ST for SAD; this has yet to be verified in a subsequent confirmatory RCT.     

项目功能差异在跨文化人格问卷分析中的应用

利用IRT的等级模型调查了中日两组被试关于SHIBA简易人格量表中“环境敏感性”的项目功能差异(DIF)的现状。研究发现：（1）量表中DIF的项目比例大(3/4);（2）DIF与项目内容、阈值有关而与区分度大小关系不大;（3）DIF项目间的日方特征曲线较之中方有较强的整合性。该研究利用DIF研究结果对跨文化的人格比较作了新尝试。最后提出了关于深化DIF研究的新课题     

Looking into the One‐way Mirror: A Pilot Study on the Impact of Reflecting Teams on Family Members

Reflecting Teams (RTs) are an internationally recognized clinical consultation methodology, first developed by Tom Andersen in 1985. Over the last three decades, family therapists around the world have used RTs to enhance treatment. However, this innovation to family therapy practice is not well‐standardized nor evaluated. The pilot study described in this article is an attempt to expand on the previous studies on RTs, and quantitatively examines RTs conducted with family therapy participants at a university medical center psychiatric institute. Preliminary analyses indicate that after participating in a single RT, family members may feel more hopeful, believe they can better support each other in times of stress, have more confidence in working together, and resolve conflicts. Additionally, the analyses suggest that family members may feel better understood and have more ideas about how to have a conversation with their family members, even though, after the RT, they may not view their family differently. These preliminary results suggest that further studies should explore the influence of RTs on family functioning.     

Preliminary exploration of secondhand smoke exposure in youth with Sickle Cell Disease: biochemical verification,pulmonary functioning,and health care utilization

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHSe) can compound an already challenging set of health problems for youth with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Exposure to electronic cigarettes may also impact SCD symptomology and respiratory functioning. This study built on these previous findings by a) utilizing two objective measures of SHSe, salivary cotinine and exhaled carbon monoxide and b) examining the association of SHSe with emergency department utilization, physician-reported sickle cell crises, and pulmonary functioning. Caregivers (N = 31 dyads; M_age = 37.6 years; SD = 8.5 years) of youth with SCD (M_age = 9.0 years; SD = 4.5 years) completed self-report measures of tobacco/nicotine use. Youth provided a saliva sample to assess cotinine levels, and performed pulmonary function tests. Dyads provided breath samples for measurement of eCO. A chart review was conducted to obtain medical history and utilization. Majority of youth (88%) were exposed to SHS via salivary cotinine. Interestingly, no significant associations were observed between youth cotinine levels and emergency department utilization, physician-reported sickle cell crises, or pulmonary functioning. Present findings indicate a need to assess for SHSe using objective assessment measures. Future research should investigate which specific factors contribute to increase SHSe/SHVe in youth with SCD.     

PATERNAL AND MATERNAL REFLECTIVE FUNCTIONING IN THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PEEL CHILD HEALTH STUDY

While past research on the care of infants has been mostly with mothers, in recent times there has been a renewed attention to the father–infant relationship. This study examined differences between mother and father parental reflective functioning (PRF) or parental mentalizing; that is, the parental capacity to reason about their own and their children's behaviors by taking into consideration intentional mental states. Data were collected from 120 couples with a 1‐year‐old child who were participants in the West Australian Peel Child Health Study. Parental mentalizing was assessed using the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ; Luyten, Mayes, Nijssens, & Fonagy, 2017 ). Results showed that mother and father mentalizing with their children was independent and that mothers scored slightly higher levels of mentalizing than did fathers. Paternal mentalizing was weakly associated with family income and father education, and was more strongly associated with family functioning than with maternal mentalizing. Implications for theorizing on PRF and fatherhood more generally are discussed.     

Can learning potential in schizophrenia be assessed with the standard CVLT‐II? An exploratory study

This study examined the potential of using the regular administration of a common neuropsychological test, the CVLT-II, to assess learning potential in schizophrenia. Based on List A trial 1 performance and the learning slope, a schizophrenia sample was divided into three learning potential groups (non-learners, learners and high-achievers) that differed in the use of learning strategies. High-achievers utilized more semantic clustering than learners and non-learners, and non-learners were less consistent in words recalled than the other two groups. This standard administration approach is a promising, time-saving alternative to the modified tests of learning potential used so far.     

Community,Context, and Coping: How Social Connections Influence Coping and Well-Being for Military Members and Their Spouses

Military members and their spouses (n = 223 families) were selected from an Active Duty Army installation and assessed with regard to their connections with the military community, their levels of coping with military culture demands, and their reports of individual (depression and life satisfaction) and family well-being. Guided by the contextual model of family stress and the social organization theory of action and change, results from a structural equation model indicated that military community connections, for both military members and their civilian spouses, were related to coping with the military culture and its demands, which in turn was related to both individual and family well-being. Unique actor and partner effects also emerged where both active duty military members' and their civilian spouses' perceptions of military community connections influenced the civilian spouses' satisfaction with military life, but only the active duty military members' community connections influenced their military-specific coping. Additionally, the associations between military-specific coping and individual and family well-being only had actor effects. When examined within the context of important military culture elements, namely rank and extent of military transitions (deployment and relocation), these core findings linking communities to coping and well-being were unchanged. Implications for theory, future research, and practice are shared.     

LP方法及其与三种常用DIF检测方法的比较

本研究基于项目反应理论,提出了一种检验力高且犯Ⅰ类错误率小的检测DIF的新方法：LP法（Likelihood Procedure）,且以2PLM下对题目进行DIF检验为例介绍此法。本文通过与MH方法、Lord卡方检验法和Raju面积测量法三种常用的检验DIF的方法比较研究LP法的有效性,同时探讨样本容量、测验长度、目标组和参照组能力分布的差异、DIF值大小等相关因素对LP法有效性可能产生的影响。通过模拟研究,得到以下结论：(1)LP法比MH法及Lord卡方法更灵敏且更稳健;(2) LP法比Raju面积测量法更合理;(3)LP法的检验力随着被试样本容量或DIF值的增大而增大;（4）当参照组与目标组的能力无差异时,LP法在各种条件下的检验力比参照组与目标组的能力有差异时的检验力高;（5）LP法对一致性DIF和非一致性DIF都有良好的检验力,且LP法对一致性DIF的检验力比对非一致性DIF的检验力高。LP法可以简便的扩展并运用到多维度、多级评分项目上。