Convergent Evidence for Basic Motivational Dimensions

Subjects (N = 217) rated the attractiveness of 56 general goals and then completed 3 theory-based tests of personality or motivation. Two goal factors—labeled Social-Economic Status and Competitive Achievement—seemed to reflect two broad domains of status-seeking motivation, and two other factors—labeled Growth Orientation and Interpersonal Security—pointed to separate domains of cooperative motivation. Thus, there was confirmation for the widespread assumption of two primary types of interpersonal motivation (solidarity and status) in our culture but also for important distinctions within each type. Canonical and direct correlations with the theoretically-grounded measures strongly supported that interpretation of the factors. Meaningful relationships between factors obtained from the questionnaire and the more rationally-based test scores indicated convergence in mappings of motivational space.     

Functions of Clinical Psychological Service in California Juvenile and Adult Courts

Subjects provided free responses to six concepts representing varying degrees of involvement. Responses were obtained from each subject under normal and negative affect conditions. Group data were used. Under negative affect conditions, significant correlations were found between concept involvement and type/token ratio (TTR), tokens per type, response variation index (RVI), and total types. Correlations were in the direction of increased redundancy as involvement decreased and, conversely, increased response variation as involvement increased. These relationships held only under negative affect conditions. Implications were discussed for the problems of communication under negative affect conditions and the assessment of individuals’ internal states from verbal behavior. Finally, a sociolinguistic view of the “language community” concept was offered.     

The Application of Family Systems Theory to Organizational Consultation: A Content Analysis

A content analysis was performed on 43 articles published between 1970 and 1998 discerned as relating family systems theory (FST) frameworks and constructs to organizational consultation. Frameworks and constructs were coded and then investigated in relation to four independent variables: type of organization, decade of article publication, gender, and educational training of author. Results indicate that the use of FST frameworks and constructs vary depending upon the characteristics of the organization, time period, and consultant. Results highlight specific FST frameworks and constructs most common in organizational consultation.     

Discrepant Alcohol Use,Conflict, and Couples Satisfaction in a Community Sample

Abstract

Discrepant alcohol use between partners has been shown to impact couples’ relationship functioning, emphasizing couples therapists’ need for careful assessment and informed treatment. This study recruited 514 participants from online crowdsourcing platforms to participate in an online survey. Participants were predominantly male (62.4%), heterosexual (76.1%), and Caucasian (47.6%). Ages ranged from 18 to 65 years and mean age was 33. Results indicated a negative association between couple satisfaction and both alcohol-related conflict and discrepant alcohol consumption. Being female combined with higher levels of alcohol discrepancies and couple satisfaction predicted increased alcohol-related conflict.     

Systemic Reflecting Team Training: Perceptions and Experiences of South African Educational Psychologists

Abstract

There is limited research on the application of systemic family therapy in developing countries. This qualitative study explored the perceptions and experiences of 12 educational psychologists and a family therapy trainer, who have worked within a systemic reflecting team using Tom Andersen’s method of training and supervision. The semi-structured interview findings suggested positive perceptions of systemic intervention, despite various challenges experienced in its implementation within the South African context. The educational psychologists identified their reflecting team experiences as being beneficial for both their professional development and current practices. Future research which investigates the reflecting team process in action is recommended.     

The embodied analyst: from Freud and Reich to relationality

This paper presents the impact of clinical supervision on once-weekly psychoanalytically-informed training psychotherapy. The development of Oedipus complex theory is presented, culminating in Britton's work on the triangular space that opens up by working through the complex. The geometry of psychic space is described to highlight the importance of supervision, especially when training in therapy. The theme of spiders and cobwebs emerging from the clinical material provides a powerful metaphor for the tensions in psychic space. In the course of this training, the trainee therapist was at times less able to benefit fully from supervision, and thus the third position partially collapsed. Vignettes from anonymised clinical work are presented in the three ‘phases’ of this therapeutic process, illustrating the impact of the presence – and relative absence – of supervision.     

Parenting Wisely: Parent Training via CD-ROM with an Australian Sample

The effectiveness of a parenting program was examined with an Australian sample regarding improved parent knowledge, parental sense of competence, and child behavior. One hundred and sixteen parents and their children were randomly assigned to three conditions: a two-session group based intervention, a two-session self-administered individual intervention, or to a waitlist control group. Across both treatment modalities results reveal a significant increase in parental satisfaction, efficacy, and a reduction in child problem behavior. Improvements were maintained at 3-months follow-up. Results indicate the individual self-administered format enhanced treatment gains relative to the group format.     

Development and Validation of the Children's Assertiveness Inventory

The development and validation of the Children's Assertiveness Inventory are reported. Psychometric properties of the scale are detailed for the normal samples of grade school children and one sample of socially withdrawn children. Initial analyses indicate that the scale possesses high test-retest reliability and acceptable stability over time. Further, it adequately discriminates between normal and withdrawn samples, has acceptable convergent and discriminant validity, and possesses a meaningful factor structure. The potential research and clinical utility of the scale is discussed, and important social and developmental issues affecting the expression of assertiveness in children are addressed.     

Evaluating the Acceptability of Four Versions of a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program

Fifty-nine college students used a modified version of the Treatment Evaluation Inventory-Short Form to evaluate the acceptability of four versions of a sexual abuse prevention program for 10-year-old children. The four versions include an information-based training approach or a behavioral skills training (BST) approach with a focus on strangers or known individuals as perpetrators of sexual abuse. A significant effect was found for both training method and type of perpetrator, with information-based approaches involving strangers as perpetrators rated the most acceptable. These results suggest that college students were most comfortable with sexual abuse prevention training programs for 10-year-olds when the programs did not involve an active rehearsal component and when the program focused on abuse perpetrated by a stranger rather than a known individual.     

Differences in Self-Report Among Incest Family Members

A questionnaire study was conducted among incest families to study their perceptions of social background factors, how long the incest relationship lasted, who was involved, the history of incest in the family, emotional and psychological factors, and the consequences of the incest for the family. It was hypothesized that incest offenders, their spouses and incest victims all tend to report the above in a manner that reflect positively upon their own role in the incest relationship. The results showed clear differences in the reposts of the three groups. The paper concludes that such differences in perceptions must be incorporated in family therapy strategies as well as in our knowledge base of incest families.