Linking Genes and Political Orientations: Testing the Cognitive Ability as Mediator Hypothesis

Recent research has demonstrated that genetic differences explain a sizeable fraction of the variance in political orientations, but little is known about the pathways through which genes might affect political preferences. In this article, we use a uniquely assembled dataset of almost 1,000 Swedish male twin pairs containing detailed information on cognitive ability and political attitudes in order to further examine the genetic and environmental causes of political orientations. Our study makes three distinct contributions to our understanding of the etiology of political orientations: (1) we report heritability estimates across different dimensions of political ideology; (2) we show that cognitive ability and political orientations are related; and (3) we provide evidence consistent with the hypothesis that cognitive ability mediates part of the genetic influence on political orientations. These findings provide important clues about the nature of the complex pathways from molecular genetic variation to political orientations.     

Multiple facets of women’s relational orientation and their role in the relationship formation process

Over three decades of theory and research has sought to highlight the notion of relational orientation as central to women’s well-being. While researchers have extensively examined the negative outcomes of women’s relational orientation, relations with positive outcomes has gone little explored and largely assumed as present. The purpose of the current study is to examine social competence and satisfaction associated with women’s relational orientation. Previously unacquainted female participants (N = 160) completed measures of relational orientation, a dyadic interaction task, and were then asked to evaluate the quality of the interaction. Results supported a mitigation (versus trade-off) model in which facets of women’s relational orientation are differentially related to relationship competence and satisfaction. Structural equation modelling was used to examine overall fit along with specific actor and partner effects. Specific results are interpreted within the mitigation model of relational orientation, contributing to our understanding of women’s well-being.     

基于客体工作记忆内容的保持对时间判断的影响

本研究通过操作工作记忆内容的有效性,探讨了记忆内容的保持对时间判断的影响。采用不规则的客体作为实验材料,使时间任务中的刺激与工作记忆内容匹配或不匹配。实验1采用工作记忆和时间判断的双任务范式,要求被试首先记忆一个客体,然后在每个试次的最后判断测试刺激是否与记忆项相同。在延迟阶段,被试判断连续出现的两个刺激的时距哪个更长（或更短）。实验2中,要求被试忽略第一个刺激,仅完成时间判断任务。结果发现,相比单任务的计时,双任务条件下,工作记忆内容的保持延长了时间判断的时间。而且,在记忆匹配和知觉匹配条件下,匹配刺激呈现的时间越长,正确率越低,反应时越长。这说明记忆内容的保持增加了决策的难度,工作记忆内容对时间判断的可能是由记忆内容引起的注意定向造成的。     

Exploring Perceived Social Support from Peer Facilitators in an HIV Treatment Adherence Intervention for African American Patients: A Content Analysis of Participant Perspectives

HIV treatment adherence interventions increasingly rely on peer facilitators to promote treatment adherence and improve patient retention, yet little is known about how participants perceive the role performed by peer facilitators. The present study examined participant perceptions in terms of the social support from peer facilitators in a hospital‐based intervention in Chicago. Content analysis was conducted with reference to four types of social support (instrumental, informational, emotional and affiliational) on exit interviews with 11 participants enrolled in the intervention that targeted African‐American patients living with HIV/AIDS. We examined how the type of social support perceived by participants was related to their self‐reported behaviours in three domains: adherence, sexual safety and general coping. Our analysis revealed that most participants perceived informational and emotional support from their peer facilitators, followed by instrumental support. Affiliational support was the least frequently perceived type of social support. We found that perceived informational support from peer facilitators with regard to adherence had greater impact and credibility amongst participants than the same type of support from medical providers. Informational support was cited most frequently with regard to influencing adherence and sexual safety behaviours, whereas perceived emotional support was cited primarily with helping participants cope with HIV. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Selecting the Right Tool For the Job

There are competing ethical concerns when it comes to designing any clinical research study. Clinical trials of possible treatments for Ebola virus are no exception. If anything, the competing ethical concerns are exacerbated in trying to find answers to a deadly, rapidly spreading, infectious disease. The primary goal of current research is to identify experimental therapies that can cure Ebola or cure it with reasonable probability in infected individuals. Pursuit of that goal must be methodologically sound, practical and consistent with prevailing norms governing human subjects research. Some maintain that only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a placebo or standard-of-care arm can meet these conditions. We maintain that there are alternative trial designs that can do so as well and that sometimes these are preferable to RCTs.     

Ebola,Team Communication,and Shame: But Shame on Whom?

Examined as an isolated situation, and through the lens of a rare and feared disease, Mr. Duncan's case seems ripe for second-guessing the physicians and nurses who cared for him. But viewed from the perspective of what we know about errors and team communication, his case is all too common. Nearly 440,000 patient deaths in the U.S. each year may be attributable to medical errors. Breakdowns in communication among health care teams contribute in the majority of these errors. The culture of health care does not seem to foster functional, effective communication between and among professionals. Why? And more importantly, why do we not do something about it?     

Weighing the Evidence: Empirical Assessment and Ethical Implications of Conversion Therapy

The American Psychological Association's (APA's) as well as other professional organizations' (e.g., American Psychiatric Association) removal of homosexuality as a mental disorder represented a paradigmatic shift in thinking about exual orientation. Since then, APA (2000) American Psychiatric Association. 2000. Position statement on attempts to change sexual orientation (conversion and reparative therapies).. American Journal of Psychiatry, 157: 1719–1721. [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] disseminated guidelines for working with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients, and a variety of scholars and researchers alike have advocated affirmative therapeutic interventions with LGB individuals. Despite these efforts, the controversy over treating individuals with LGB orientations using nonaffirmative techniques continues. In this discussion, the limited evidence regarding the efficacy and effects of conversion therapy is surveyed, particularly in the context of empirically supported treatment criteria summarized by Division 12 (clinical psychology) of the APA. Authors then consider the resulting ethical considerations in performing conversion therapy and propose alternative uses of affirmative therapy on the basis of ethical standards defined by APA. Finally, options for treating LGB individuals who are coming to terms with their sexual orientations are discussed.     

RECENT TRENDS IN RESPONSE TO CHILD VICTIMIZATION

Abstract

This chapter serves as an introduction to the many roles of health care professionalsin the assessment, care, and treatment of child victimization. It concentrates on those professionals caring for the physical health of victims of child abuse and neglect, although there are many similarities between child maltreatment and other family violence victims. In reviewing the health impact of maltreatment and the historical contributions of health care professionals, it discusses the roles that health care disciplines play in clinical care, training, research, and advocacy and their interaction with the community's child welfare, legal, and criminal justice systems.     

Evaluating the Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Neglect,Interpersonal Hostile-Dominance,and Aggression in Psychiatric Hospitals

This study examined whether interpersonal hostile-dominance (HD) mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and aggression in 200 psychiatric inpatients (M age = 38.32 years, 66% male). Childhood emotional (50.5%), physical (42.0%), and sexual (42.0%) abuse, and emotional (46.5%) and physical (41.0%) neglect of moderate to extreme severity was reported. More severe emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and physical neglect in childhood were associated with higher HD. Higher levels of HD and all forms of childhood abuse and neglect were associated with aggression; HD mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and physical neglect and aggression. Findings highlight the high prevalence of childhood trauma in adult psychiatric inpatients. Further, childhood trauma contributes to HD, which increases the risk of aggression.