Killing the dead: evolution of melancholic identifications underlying suicide attempts in adolescence

Psychic processes underlying suicidal behaviours during adolescence and their evolution are explored. A longitudinal study was conducted of thirty adolescent patients hospitalised following a suicide attempt. Clinical interviews were used combined with the Rorschach Test and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) a few days after the suicide attempt and one year later. Results initially showed common forms of psychic adjustment: melancholic identifications were linked to an excessive dependence on objects. One year later, these forms of psychic adjustment changed: for many adolescents, the melancholic identifications shifted and self-image improved. The emergence of representations of murder fantasies immediately after the suicidal behaviour allowed a possible transformation of violence into symbolisation. A case study illustrates these psychic changes.     

Premature twins on a neonatal intensive care unit

This paper presents observations of boy and girl twins on a neonatal intensive care unit, following them through from 10 days old to return home. The observer hypothesizes about the experience of the twins as they progress, based on detailed notes of their actions. The preoccupations of the parents are incorporated, as are reactions and interventions of staff. The place and possible functions of such observation by a child psychotherapist attached to such a unit are elaborated in the concluding section.     

Forging Community Links to Address Abuse in Lesbian Relationships

Abstract

This study is a comprehensive review of lesbian domestic abuse in the psychological, sociological, legal, and social work literature. Planning intervention and prevention strategies is discussed in light of what is known and what remains to be known. A strong argument is made to turn attention away from the elusive tasks of documenting prevalence and incidence characteristics, and forge the community links needed to develop effective intervention and prevention strategies.     

Continuous Access to Competing Stimulation as Intervention for Self-Injurious Skin Picking in a Child with Autism

Children with autism frequently display self-injurious behavior (SIB), but skin picking—a less severe topography of SIB—has not been the focus of much clinical research. The present study evaluated a home-based intervention that was implemented with a 9-year-old girl who had autism and picked her fingers with resulting tissue damage. The intervention allowed the girl to hold and manipulate preferred objects during play and leisure activities. Evaluated in an ABAB reversal design, intervention essentially eliminated skin picking. Clinical and research implications are discussed.     

The Effects of Parent Training and Ritalin on the Parent-Child Interactions of Hyperactive Boys

Using a multiple baseline across subjects design, the present study assessed the effects of parent training alone and combined with methylphenidate on the social interactions of three mothers with their hyperactive boys. Two mothers received instruction in child behavior management while their sons remained off medication. Subsequently, these boys returned to medication to evaluate whether the drug further enhanced the effects of parent training. The third child received the drug treatment first and then remained on medication while his mother underwent the same parent training program. Results indicated that both treatments alone decreased the amount of commands given by the mother as well as parent ratings of deviant child behavior in the home, but produced variable improvements in child compliance to commands. More reliable improvements in child compliance to commands. More reliable improvements from each treatment occurred in the duration of compliance per command. the combination of treatments failed to produce any further improvements in mother-child interactions than that achieved by either treatment alone. Contrary to earlier research, only parent training resulted in increases in the mothers' use of positive attention following child compliance.     

Children of Color and Parental Incarceration: Implications for Research,Theory, and Practice

Practical information about culturally appropriate interventions with children of incarcerated parents (CIPs) of color and their families is notably sparse. This study uses a cultural–ecological perspective to contextualize individual, family, and legal issues inherent in many intervention programs for CIPs of color. The authors highlight demographic trends, review research limitations, and discuss ways that therapeutic models can help counselors address their clients' needs. Recommendations are provided for future interventions with this underserved population. La información práctica sobre intervenciones culturalmente apropiadas con hijos de personas de color encarceladas (CIPs) por sus siglas en inglés y sus familias es notablemente escasa. Este estudio usa una perspectiva cultural‐ecológica para contextualizar los asuntos individuales, familiares y legales inherentes a muchos programas de intervención para CIPs. Los autores destacan las tendencias demográficas, las limitaciones en la investigación de reseñas, y discuten formas en las que los modelos terapéuticos pueden ayudar a los consejeros a abordar las necesidades de sus clientes. Se proporcionan recomendaciones para intervenciones futuras con esta población desatendida.     

The effects of a positive health priming intervention on somatic complaints

Somatic complaints are common and form a major burden. Previous studies suggested that such complaints might be increased by ‘illness-related memory’, for example due to worries about health. In this ambulatory study we tested whether we could decrease somatic complaints through enhancing the activation of health-related memory by a ‘positive health’-priming intervention. Forty-three students were randomly assigned to the ‘positive health’-group or a control group. Using online measures, participants reported negative affect (NA) and somatic complaints for a period of six days, while each morning performing the priming task. The intervention caused a decrease in somatic complaints but only for participants with low trait NA or low somatosensory amplification. These findings seem to suggest that priming or other interventions directed at activating positive health memory might reduce health complaints, but only in certain subgroups.     

Issues in training clinical health psychologists

The author describes general issues in the training of clinical health psychologists and provides an overview of specific content needed in core health psychology and clinical health psychology assessment and intervention. Special attention is given to training in professional, personal, ethical and legal issues of practice.     

Psychological intervention with couples coping with breast cancer: A systematic review

Objective: Information about psychological intervention with couples coping with breast cancer is not well-disseminated. This can be explained, at least in part, by the absence of knowledge about the efficacy of this kind of intervention. The aim of the present systematic review is to identify and describe psychological interventions for couples coping with breast cancer and evaluate their efficacy.

Design: Studies identified by a searching multiple literature databases related to health and psychology between 1975 and 2013. Rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria were utilised.

Results: Of 129 abstracts, 13 were extracted for further analysis and a final ten studies were deemed eligible for inclusion. Data were extracted from each study regarding study sample characteristics, design, results and methodological limitations. The results obtained were mixed in regard to efficacy, although the overwhelming majority of studies (eight studies) found benefits for both women and their partners in some dimensions, such as quality of life, psychological distress, relationship functioning and physical symptoms associated with cancer.

Conclusion: Psychological interventions for couples coping with breast cancer appear to be effective for both women and their partners. However, further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of couple-based interventions and, to identify for whom and how they are more effective.