Patient preference as a predictor of outcomes in a pilot trial of person-centred counselling versus low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy for persistent sub-threshold and mild depression

The aim of this analysis was to explore whether pre-treatment intervention preferences were related to outcomes for patients with persistent sub-threshold and mild depression who received one of two treatment types. Thirty-six patients took part in a two-arm, parallel group, pilot randomized controlled trial that compared short term (3 month and 6 month) outcomes of person-centred counselling (PCC) compared with low-intensity, CBT-based guided self-help (LICBT). Patient preferences for the two interventions were assessed at baseline assessment, and analysed as two independent linear variables (pro-PCC, pro-LICBT). Eight out of 30 interactions between baseline treatment preferences and treatment type were found to be significant at the p < .05 level. All were in the predicted direction, with patients who showed a stronger preference for a treatment achieving better outcomes in that treatment compared with the alternative. However, pro-LICBT was a stronger predictor of outcomes than pro-PCC. The findings provide preliminary support that treatment preferences should be taken into account when providing interventions for patients with persistent sub-threshold and mild depression. It is recommended that further research analyses preferences for different treatment types as independent variables, and examines preferences for format of treatment (e.g. guided self-help vs. face-to-face).     

Muslim Experiential Religiousness in Pakistan: Meaning in Life,General Well-Being and gender differences

This study examined relationships of Muslim spirituality with positive psychology in Pakistan. In a sample of 200 university students and community members, the spirituality of Muslim Experiential Religiousness displayed direct linkages with Meaning in Life and General Well-Being subscales. Muslim Experiential Religiousness also correlated positively with single-item assessments of the Intrinsic, Extrinsic Personal, and Extrinsic Social Religious Orientations and explained the relationships of these religious motivations with General Life Satisfaction. Women scored higher than men on Muslim Experiential Religiousness, but at least some linkages of Muslim spirituality with positive psychology were more robust in men. As in other recent investigations, these data confirmed Muslim Experiential Religiousness as a valid index of Muslim spirituality beyond the Iranian cultural context in which it was developed.     

Outreach and Exclusion: Jewish Denominational Marketing in the Early 20th Century

How do religious denominations select potential adherents? Previous literature indicates that market niches direct this decision, yet few studies examine how religious groups determine their niche. Analyzing annual reports and periodicals of Reform and Conservative Jewish organizations from 1910 to 1955, I find that the two denominations responded differently to the mass influx of Jewish immigrants at the turn of the 20th century. Compared to the Conservative organization, which openly welcomed new immigrants, the Reform organization actively chose not to recruit them. Reform statements make it clear that this decision was a result of how working‐class, Eastern European immigrants threatened their American‐centered organizational identity. This finding suggests that religious institutions carefully consider their organizational identity based on nativity, ethnicity, and social class when determining whom to include in their market niche.     

Content analysis of food advertising strategies and ethical implications on South African television

The study aimed to investigate strategies and ethical implications of food advertising in South African television. The sample included 343 food advertisements recorded over two weeks and 224 hours from two major South African TV channels. Results indicate 45 products of food advertisements. Fast food, restaurant and convenience food type had the highest number of products (17), followed by “beverage, drink and juice” (6), and “candy and sweets” group (6). Conceptual consumption (people are as interested in consuming ideas, information, and concepts as they are physically consuming things) was used as the main strategy (76.2%) for advertising food, while only 7% focused on physical consumption (fiber, energy and vitality). The majority of food advertisement used human models (78.5%), adults only (38%) and about half used both sexes. White models were used twice as often as Black models. Other advertisement strategies included claims to having fun (majority), being perceived of a higher status, acquiring a superior of products and adding social worth to the quality of person who consume the products. A few claims related to the physical benefit to the consumer, such as high fibre, whole grain, and weight loss.     

Using Criminalization and Due Process to Reduce Scientific Misconduct

The issue of how to best minimize scientific misconduct remains a controversial topic among bioethicists, professors, policymakers, and attorneys. This paper suggests that harsher criminal sanctions against misconduct, better protections for whistleblowers, and the creation of due process standards for misconduct investigations are urgently needed. Although the causes of misconduct and estimates of problem remain varied, the literature suggests that scientific misconduct—fraud, fabrication, and plagiarism of scientific research—continues to damage public health and trust in science. Providing stricter criminal statutes against misconduct is necessary to motivate whistleblowers and deter wrongdoers, and the provision of basic due process protections is necessary for ensuring a fair and balanced misconduct investigation.     

Psychology of Dreams

Abstract

This article describes the essential aspects of a creative, experiential course in dream interpretation for psychology and counseling students. Such a course offers counselor educators an opportunity to develop basic interviewing and advanced processing techniques in their students while facilitating greater self-exploration and improved relational functioning. The authors measured students' self-reported change in their overall functioning and satisfaction with self, others, and their future. Finally, practicing counselors may find the techniques outlined in this article useful in their own work with clients.     

Is how it is said important? The association between quality of therapist interventions and client processing

This study examined the association between the quality of therapist interventions and client in‐session processing using the York Therapist Process Measure (YTPM; Toukmanian and Armstrong, 1998). The instrument's three dimensions — attunement, tentativeness and meaning exploration — were tested separately for their impact on clients' manner of processing and depth of experiencing. For each of the 20 mild‐moderately depressed clients, treated in short‐term experiential therapy, a high and a low client‐process segment was isolated from a session that was judged by an experienced therapist to manifest the greatest amount of “good therapy moments”. Therapist interventions within these segments were then rated on the YTPM. Results revealed significant differences in the quality of therapist interventions between high and low segments. Attunement and tentativeness were associated significantly with greater complexity in manner of processing, and meaning exploration with greater depth in experiencing. The implications of these findings for psychotherapy research and practice are discussed.     

On the robustness and the direction of the effect of cause‐related marketing

Two experiments are presented in this paper that explore the effect of cause‐related marketing (CRM) on product choice. To allow evaluation of the effect of experience and the role of individual differences, the experiments used a repeated choice setting. The results of Experiment 1 showed that the effect of CRM was stable over time. However, the direction of the effect was sensitive to the value of the product. CRM served as an equaliser: it helped disadvantaged alternatives and reduced the attractiveness of superior alternatives. Experiment 2 showed that the effect of CRM decreased but did not disappear in an easy choice task. These findings are summarised in a simple model and discussed in terms of their potential marketing applications. Copyright © 2003 Henry Stewart Publications.