Effects of Group Functional Behavior-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior in a Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often present with comorbid Obsessive Compulsive Behaviors (OCBs), but little research exists on effective intervention for OCBs. Using a single-case experimental design, this study highlights the efficacy of a Group Functional Behavior-based Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (Fb-CBT) to reduce OCBs in an 11-year-old youth with ASD. Tailored to the individual needs of this youth, Fb-CBT included traditional CBT components (e.g., psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral skills training, and exposure and response prevention) coupled with functional behavior assessment and intervention. Time-series parent report data and standardized measures showed clinically significant decreases in OCBs, an increase in psychosocial functioning, and high consumer satisfaction.     

Training of practitioners and beliefs about family skills in family-based prevention programmes

To ensure close adherence to the contents of a family-based cognitive-behavioural programme, and maintain a high standard of quality in its implementation, it is important that practitioners’ attitudes and beliefs regarding family skills coincide with those of the programme. This paper describes and analyses (observed) potential changes in these beliefs, after training courses held prior to the application of a prevention programme for families: the Family Competence Programme. A questionnaire was devised to examine practitioners’ beliefs regarding family skills; and completed both before and after the training course. The results point to significant changes in family dynamics, realistic expectations and active listening. Thus, it can be demonstrated that preliminary training courses promote practitioner attitudes and beliefs which are more coherent with a subsequent programme’s approach.     

Eating disorders from parent to child: Mothers’ perceptions of transgenerational effect

Primary prevention focuses on the reduction of risk factors. Children of mothers with an eating disorder are a proven “at risk” group, because children internalise their experiences. Prevention in the field of eating disorders has as yet only addressed children of seven or eight upwards and only in school‐based programs which did not incorporate mothers. This project targeted mothers with an eating disorder who had children under the age of thirteen. The hypothesis is that if these mothers can be encouraged to change damaging behaviour that their children are likely to model, we can attempt to break the cycle of dysfunction. This is a qualitative and quantitive research project, carried out with standardised measures and semi‐structured interviews before and after a nineteen week therapy group, with six and twelve month follow ups. The group consisted of eight mothers. This paper describes the group and provides a case study of one participant. The initial analysis suggests that the support of a therapeutic group allowed this mother enough space for reflection. She became aware of her dysfunctional behaviour and was able to begin to understand the underlying reasons behind it. This led to an improvement in her own Eating Disorder (ED) and she was subsequently able to make change in her responses to her children's needs.     

全球流感大流行与共建和谐社会

科学家预测:新一轮流感大流行不可避免。通过总结历史教训,分析目前可能引起流感大流行的原因,展开预防流感大流行与共建和谐社会关系的讨论。     

预防为主——防止禽流感的决策

对传染病的处理,根据几千年历史的共视,近半个世纪的科学进步,传染病的变迁,特别是今年突发传染病的暴发;以及传染病本身的三个特点即病原、传播途径及易感者等,预防为主应该是首要决策。目前引起全球震惊的禽流感,由于病原易变,同时野禽感染导致污染源不好控制,病禽感染人的病死率竟高达50%。从病原、病源及治疗方面都很棘手,未知数不少,治疗缺少现成的经验。因此防禽流感、人流感及治疗方面均要掌握预防为主的决策主体,无病有防,有病早发现,早治疗,既防播散又防加重病情,还要防止不合理施治造成不良反应及二重感染。     

Sexual Ethics Training in Seminary: Preparing Students to Manage Feelings of Sexual Attraction

Pastoral Psychology - Sexual boundary violations by clergy have received heightened media attention in recent years with far reaching implications for the long-term well-being of the Church as an...     

Incarcerated Mothers: Mutual Support Groups Aimed at Reducing Substance Abuse Relapse and Recidivism

Interventions to reduce relapse and recidivism for the increasing number of mothers incarcerated for illicit drug use are needed to prevent maternal/child separation and high public expenditures. This paper describes mutual support groups for women inmates aimed at strengthening family coping skills, especially communication, anger management, and parenting skills. Qualitative data collected during the group sessions indicated that the healing support of shared experiences, stories, poetry, and staying in the present were identified as spiritually uplifting. Problem solving and improved family interactions constituted additional themes extracted from the qualitative data. Future plans include including quantitative outcome measures of success.     

Clinical Validation of the Swedish Version of the Quality of Life Inventory in Crime Victims with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and a Nonclinical Sample

The Swedish version of the Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI) was cross-culturally validated with a crime victim sample (N = 53) with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a nonclinical group (N = 100) with no lifetime and current psychiatric disorder from the general population in the Stockholm county of Sweden. The QOLI showed excellent internal consistencies in the clinical and the nonclinical sample. In addition, PTSD participants displayed a significantly lower self-perceived quality of life in 13 out of 16 domains of life than the nonclinical individuals. Furthermore, the QOLI was inversely correlated with interview and self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Overall, the results support the utility of the Swedish QOLI version as a potentially useful measure of self-perceived quality of life in Swedish clinical and nonclinical samples. The results are discussed in relation to the Swedish cross-cultural validation of the QOLI, methodological limitations and future directions.     

Race, Culture, and Ethnicity: Implications for a Community Intervention

We present an overview of research on African American families and emphasize in this discussion limitations of approaches used in the past to study African American families. We also discuss and identify challenges for designing and implementing community, family-based programs targeting competence-promoting behaviors in African American families. In addition, we attempt to accomplish the following objectives: (1) identify themes in studies of African American families, including bias in prior research; (2) discuss ways in which prior approaches and conceptual models guiding studies of African Americans have created challenges for the development and implementation of community-based intervention and research programs; and (3) present the Parents Matter! Program as an example of a community-based prevention effort that attempted to overcome many of the challenges created by prior research efforts.