REVEREND ROBOT: AUTOMATION AND CLERGY

Digital technology, including artificial intelligence, is having a dramatic impact on the professions of medicine, law, journalism, finance, and others. Some suggest that clergy will also be affected. We describe recent progress in designing artificially intelligent systems, suggesting that this is possible, perhaps even likely. We investigate ways in which technology currently is affecting ministry and outline some plausible scenarios in which digital systems could supplement or supplant clergy in some areas, specifically preaching and pastoral care. We also raise some theological issues raised by the use of digital systems in ministry.     

Measuring Care and Justice Moral Orientation: Italian Adaptation and Revision of the MMO-2 Scale

This study presents the Italian adaptation of the Measure of Moral Orientation, second revision (MMO-2). Based on Carol Gilligan’s theory of the Ethics of Care, the MMO-2 was designed to measure two complementary moral stances, namely, Care and Justice. For this study, questionnaire responses from 683 university students were assessed against an Italian-adapted MMO-2 scale. Data were analyzed through exploratory structural equation modeling first as separate scenarios and then as a single model. The final model comprises 4 intercorrelated pairs of latent variables and shows highly satisfactory goodness of fit indices with moderate construct validity and reliability. Strengths, limitations, and directions for the future developments of the MMO-2 are discussed.     

Concurrent operant preference assessment to identify social consequences to decrease task latency for adolescents with dual diagnosis

Identifying effective reinforcers to use to increase desired behaviors is essential to the success of an intervention. Conducting preference assessments is a proven method for identification of effective reinforcers. In the current study, reinforcers were identified to decrease the latency of initiation of daily living skills such as laundry, showering, and chores in five individuals with dual diagnoses. A Concurrent Operant Preference Assessment measuring response allocation to social stimuli was completed with each individual to determine preferred consequence to increase task compliance. Results showed that all five participants decreased latency to initiate daily tasks once treatment was implemented compared with that during the baseline phase. These results were perceived as socially acceptable by staff, and the improvement was maintained 2 weeks beyond the completion of treatment.     

Les remèdes du droit aux souffrances de la personne malade

Can law eliminate suffering? For a long time, the suffering has been only compensated. Indeed, the compensation of the physical and moral sufferings was allowed. But can law remove suffering? In fact, the French national law provides humans and technical means so as to eliminate pains. Now the law states that people's suffering justifies medical care and treatments.     

Enhancing the language development of toddlers in foster care by promoting foster parents’ sensitivity: Results from a randomized controlled trial

Young children in foster care are at increased risk for problematic language development, making early intervention a critical tool in enhancing these children's foundational language abilities. This study examined the efficacy of an early preventative intervention, Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐up for Toddlers (ABC‐T), in improving the receptive vocabulary abilities of toddlers placed in foster care. All the children had been removed from their biological parents’ care and placed into foster care. When children were between 24 and 36 months old, foster parents were contacted by research staff and consented to participate. Parents were randomly assigned using a random number generator to receive either ABC‐T (n = 45), which aimed to promote sensitive parenting for children who have experienced early adversity, or a control intervention (n = 43). Foster children's receptive vocabulary skills were assessed post‐intervention using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Third Edition, when children were between 36 and 60 months old. Children whose foster parents received ABC‐T demonstrated more advanced receptive vocabulary abilities than children whose foster parents received the control intervention. The positive effect of ABC‐T on foster children's receptive vocabulary was mediated by increases in foster parents’ sensitivity during parent–child interactions. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01261806.     

Trauma-Informed Knowledge and Practices in School Psychology: A Pilot Study and Review

Growing acknowledgement that adverse childhood experiences are widespread and can threaten healthy development has led to advocacy for schools to systematically incorporate trauma-sensitive practices and policies. While the background and training of school psychologists would seem to make them the ideal professionals to lead such work, little is known regarding their preparedness to engage in these school-based practices. The current pilot study examines the experiences, education and training, confidence and competence, current and desired roles, and perceived barriers and supports of school psychology trainers, trainees, and practitioners to engage in trauma-informed practices within schools. Results indicated that high majorities reported scant knowledge or competencies across domains of professional practice considered essential to trauma-informed care delivery. Findings and implications are discussed.     

Socrates’ Humaneness: What His Last Words Meant

Confucius emphasises the importance of humaneness (ren 仁) and rites (li 禮). Socrates, on the other hand, is often interpreted as a person who places far more importance on rational thinking, even to the exclusion of natural human feelings, especially on the ground of his attitude towards the sorrow of his wife and friends on his last day as described in Plato’s Phaedo. Through clarifying two long-time riddles in this dialogue—namely, “What did Socrates mean by his last words, requesting Crito to offer a cock to Asclepius?” and “Was Plato really absent from the prison on Socrates’ last day, due to illness, as is mentioned by Phaedo?”—this paper argues that Socrates kept in mind the best interest of his wife and friends even at the moment of his death, and that his humane attitude is expressed in his last words, which were not only an expression of gratitude for Plato’s recovery from a critical illness but also an exhortation to his friends to continue their care of the soul.     

The relation of modelling and the perception of parental care with adolescent smoking: a cross-sectional study

The smoking of tobacco among adolescents is due to several influential factors, both individual and social. The present study aimed at comparing the effects of different variables on adolescent cigarette smoking, specifically, peer and parent modelling, self-regulatory efficacy, and parental degree of care as perceived by the adolescent. Data were collected by means of a self-report questionnaire administered to a sample of 229 secondary school students aged between 15 and 20 years (mean = 16.69, SD = 1.14). To test the influence of different variables, we performed a binary logistic regression analysis. Results indicated that the father is a key figure in that his care and affection can prevent adolescents from becoming a smoker and his modelling is a risk factor. The significant influence of friends was also confirmed and indicated that peer modelling is a strong predictor of adolescent cigarette smoking. Finally, the results revealed that self-regulatory efficacy is a relevant psychological variable capable of preventing smoking initiation during adolescence.     

Bullying in youth sport training: A nationwide exploratory and descriptive research in Portugal

We describe and analyse the incidence and nature of bullying behaviours in male adolescent athletes (n = 1458), from 9 different sports, and 97 sport clubs, across Portugal. We collected information about the prevalence of roles in bullying, types of bullying, the frequency and duration of episodes, the location and activities in which they occur, the number of athletes involved, the feelings of those involved, communication of victims and bullies about their involvement in bullying episodes, the reasons ascribed, coping strategies and victim support sources. Altogether about 10% of athletes reported having been victimized, 11% participated in bullying episodes as bullies, and 35% as bystanders. Bullying episodes were usually characterized by low frequency and low duration and were most frequently verbal bullying inside the sport club. However, when episodes became repeated and with long duration,this tended to generalize to multiple types of bullying (especially verbal and social) and multiple places where episodes occurred, in sport clubs and also in competition. We conclude that bullying in youth sport training is an important topic; there is a need for both prevention and early broadly based intervention which involves coaches, peers and family.