Follow-up effects of social comparison information on the quality of life of cancer patients: The moderating role of social comparison orientation

Objective: To examine how social comparison orientation (SCO) moderates the effects of three types of social comparison information on the global quality of life of cancer patients 2 weeks and 3 months later. Design: Cancer patients (n?=?226) were provided with social comparison information just prior to undergoing radiation therapy, using audiotapes. Each participant was confronted with one of three tapes: (1) focusing on procedural aspects, (2) focusing on emotional reactions and (3) focusing on coping strategies. Main outcome measures: Quality of life as measured with the Cantril self-anchoring scale [Cantril, H. (1965). The pattern of human concerns. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press]. Results: With increasing SCO, a lower quality of life was reported after listening to the emotion tape, while a higher quality of life was reported after listening to the coping tape. These effects were found 2 weeks as well as 3 months after the radiation therapy had ended. Conclusion: Social comparison information may have longitudinal effects on quality of life, but these effects are to an important extent dependent on the nature of the information and individual differences in SCO.     

高凝状态肿瘤患者抗凝联合化疗的临床观察

观察伴高凝状态恶性肿瘤患者抗凝联合化疗的临床疗效.观察组68例,给予一线标准方案化疗,同时给予低分子肝素钙6 000U,1次/d,皮下注射,阿司匹林100mg口服,1次/d,21d为1个周期,共2个周期.对照组56例,给予一线标准方案化疗.结果显示,治疗组和对照组有效率分别为23.69％和19.44％,两组比较,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);治疗组和对照组生存状态评分(KPS)改善率分别为64.71％和35.39％,两组比较,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).治疗组出现了纤维蛋白原(Fbg)、组织因子(TF)和D-二聚体(D-D)含量的降低,与对照组相比差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).从而得出伴高凝状态恶性肿瘤患者进行抗凝联合化疗,临床疗效较好,同时可以降低血液高凝状态和血栓形成的风险.     

A Commentary on 'Exploring the Nature of Human Resource Developers' Expertise"

Previous research has shown that organizational identification (OI) of leaders is positively related to employee OI and, in turn, linked to positive behaviours of employees towards the organization. In the present study, we argue that leader OI does not only affect variables at the employee level but, through its influence on employees, also contributes to important customer outcomes (i.e., customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and customer recommendations). Drawing on self-concept based theories of leadership effectiveness and insights from service linkage research, the present article proposes that OI plays an important role in these influence processes. Additionally, the article delineates the behavioural and psychological variables that intervene employee OI and customer outcomes. More specifically, we suggest that leader OI is positively related to follower OI, which results in customer-oriented service behaviour. Customer orientation, in turn, should positively affect customers' identification with the organization and, ultimately, result in customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and customer recommendations. Results of a multilevel field study using data from leaders, employees, and customers provide support for our theoretical model.     

Think crisis–think female: Further evidence

Many studies have demonstrated that interpersonally oriented leadership abilities such as being empathetic, supporting work relationships, or explicitly stating an interest in helping others are particularly relevant in crisis contexts. Since these leadership abilities coincide with stereotypically feminine roles and traits, it has been proposed that a “think crisis–think female” association may exist (Ryan, Haslam, Hersby, & Bongiorno, 2011). In a field study (N = 301 workers and managers) we examined this association and identified two relevant factors that may hinder the acceptance of female leaders and stereotypically feminine characteristics in crisis management: instrumental (male) leadership role models and sexist attitudes. In doing so, we provide new insights into the “think crisis–think female” relationship and illustrate the potential implications of this occurrence for gender studies and for research into work and organizational psychology.     

How to get radical creative ideas into a leader’s mind? Leader’s achievement goals and subordinates’ voice of creative ideas

In the present research we investigated when and why leaders tend to oppose or adopt radical creative ideas voiced by their subordinates. In a field study (Study 1, N = 127) we showed that leaders’ performance goals were positively related to their tendency to oppose radical creative ideas, whereas leaders’ mastery goals were positively related to their tendency to adopt them. We replicated these findings in an experimental study (Study 2, N = 90), in which we showed that performance goal leaders were more likely to oppose radical creative ideas voiced by their subordinates than mastery goal leaders, whereas mastery goal leaders were more likely to adopt those ideas than performance goal leaders. In Study 2, we further showed that the effects of leaders’ achievement goals on their oppose and adopt responses were mediated by the leaders’ interest in exploration. Finally, in Study 3 (N = 91), we experimentally demonstrated that oppose and adopt responses of performance goal leaders, rather than mastery goal leaders, were sensitive to the behavioural mode by which subordinates voiced their radical creative ideas. That is, performance goal leaders were less likely to oppose and more likely to adopt radical creative ideas when subordinates voiced them in a considerate mode rather than an aggressive mode.     

The development of therapeutic attitudes during and after psychotherapy training

The aim of this study was to explore changes in psychotherapeutic attitudes of students during training in psychodynamic psychotherapy and the first few years after it. Forty-six students were asked to answer a therapeutic identity questionnaire at three times during training and at one time after it. Twenty-one students completed the questionnaire on all four occasions. The questionnaire assessed attitudes on nine scales relating to beliefs about curative elements in psychotherapy, therapeutic style, and basic assumptions about psychotherapy and human nature. At the beginning of training, students had a clear psychoanalytical orientation, similar to that of their supervisors. From the last year of training, after supervision had ended, and continuing during the post-training period, students distanced themselves from the psychoanalytical orientation and their supervisors toward a more eclectic position. This development may reflect the formation of an autonomous therapeutic identity.     

The relationship between Quest religious orientation,forgiveness, and mental health

Little is known about how religious orientation, specifically Quest, relates to forgiveness. In addition, research on the relationship between Quest and psychological distress has yielded conflicting findings, possibly because previous studies have conceptualised Quest as a unidimensional construct. This study investigated how Quest and its recently recognised dimensions related to forgiveness and psychological distress. Participants (N?=?242) were undergraduates from a Midwestern Catholic university. They completed measures of Quest, forgiveness, and psychological distress. Results suggested that certain dimensions of Quest were better predictors of forgiveness (e.g., Tentativeness, Exploration, and Moralistic Interpretation) and distress (e.g., Change, Religious Angst, and Existential Motives). Importantly, results revealed that the same dimensions that were positively related to distress were negatively related to forgiveness. Further, the relationship between Quest and forgiveness was moderated by the perceived tolerance/open-mindedness level of the offender; it seems that individuals with a questing nature are less forgiving when the offender is perceived as less tolerant.     

Mania precipitated by meditation: A case report and literature review

People attending various spirituality and self-development conferences outside the framework of organised religious groups (N = 204) were compared to norms from the general population and to members of New Religious Movements (NRMs) on the following measures: attachment to parents in childhood, adult attachment, need for closure, need for cognition, openness to experience, and quest religious orientation. Results indicated that these people, in comparison to the general population, share with NRM members similar cognitive (need for closure) and affective (insecure attachment in childhood) needs that seem to be addressed by spirituality. However, in comparison to NRM members, participants scored higher on measures reflecting self-growth, that is openness to experience and quest religious orientation, and lower on need for closure. These findings may be interpreted as indicating a desire to seek spirituality but to preserve autonomy. These people were called free-lance spiritual seekers.     

Therapeutic attitudes and practice patterns among psychotherapy trainees in Germany

Aim: This study aims to explore if and how values and attitudes from trainees of different psychotherapeutic schools vary during training. Another aim has been to evaluate the extent of their therapeutic self-confidence during training. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 171 trainees in German institutes with different theoretical orientations (Psychoanalysis – PA, Psychodynamic Therapy – PT and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – CBT) participated. Results are reported for two questionnaires: Therapeutic-Attitudes-Candidate-Version (ThAT-CV) and Work-Involvement-Scales (WIS). Results: Therapeutic attitudes showed significant differences between trainees with different theoretical orientations but no significant difference between different levels of training within the same school. Whereas the PA and CBT trainees endorsed contrasting attitude profiles, the PT group displayed less differentiated attitudes in between those contrasts. Most trainees experienced their psychotherapeutic practice as challenging, and Stressful Involvement in therapy sessions was lower with more years in training. Female trainees reported more Healing Involvement and felt more competent in general than their male colleagues. Self-reported competence was higher the more congruent the trainees’ attitudes with their school's theoretical orientation. Conclusions: The ThAT-CV discriminates significantly between trainees of different therapeutic schools. Our sample demonstrates high identification with attitudes belonging to their theoretical orientation. This may account for high ratings of self-reported therapeutic competence. Attitudes seem to be formed before training and change little thereafter. Less differentiated attitudes may explain PT-trainees’ higher levels of Stressful Involvement.     

The Lazarus Project: a longitudinal study of spiritual transformation among substance abusers

This is a longitudinal study of spiritual transformation at the Lazarus Project (LP), a 12-month Pentecostal-Charismatic residency program for substance abuse. In 2006, we began administering to residents an assessment protocol consisting of psychological (depression, self-esteem, psychopathology, Big 5 personality markers) and religiosity (fundamentalism, religious orientation, spiritual well-being, mysticism) measures. Assessments were at: (T1) induction; (T2) six months; (T3) graduation; and (T4) one-year post-graduation. We also assessed a membership group from the sponsoring church using the same protocol. Analyses found that general change in graduate scores occurred from T1 to T2 and persisted to T3 and T4. Comparative analyses found that LP graduate score patterns generally agreed with those of LP dropouts at T1, but diverged at T2, becoming more similar to score patterns of church members. Using all measures, a regression analysis found that the personality marker of (less) openness was the most powerful predictor of resident dropout. The preliminary findings suggest that, among chronic substance abusers, the LP helps to facilitate conversion as a form of spiritual transformation that persists at least one-year post-graduation.