Randomized Control Trial of Teaching Recovery Techniques in Rural Occupied Palestine: Effect on Adolescent Dissociation

This study assessed the effect of a cognitive behavioral group intervention, Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT), for adolescents with high levels of posttraumatic stress (n = 154), from villages in occupied Palestine. A randomized control trial involved standardized measures to assess war stressors, posttraumatic stress, depression, and dissociation. Program fidelity was measured by presenter and observer ratings and program delivery cost was calculated per adolescent. High levels of traumatic exposure, dissociation, and posttraumatic stress were found. In comparison to a wait list group (n = 75), TRT adolescents reported significantly fewer posttraumatic stress symptoms postintervention. Depression and dissociation remained stable for TRT adolescents, but worsened for those on the wait list. Given the high returns and low costs, this cost–benefit analysis makes a clear case for TRT to be delivered throughout the West Bank. Longitudinal evaluation is needed to assess adolescent traumatization and the impact of TRT within a context of ongoing violence.     

When east meets west: reflections on the use of Buddhist mindfulness practice in mindfulness-based interventions

The Western mental health profession has included Buddhist practices in its clinical applications, and Buddhisms’ contribution to mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) could be considered as one of its main inputs. However, MBIs appear to depart in some key ways from their Buddhist origins whereby it may reduce its psychotherapeutic value and affect the accurate dissemination of the Buddhas’ teachings. This paper reflects on some of these departures, by firstly discussing the term mindfulness, which, as used in the MBIs, has a more restrictive meaning than that meant by the Buddha. Secondly, this paper discusses the usefulness of MBI therapists being knowledgeable in a range of meditation techniques, rather than in only a few. And thirdly, this paper discusses the usefulness of MBI therapists having a personal mindfulness practice of ones’ own, and concludes by suggesting that an explicit acknowledgement of the Buddha in the formation of the MBIs be considered.     

Strengths use and work engagement: a weekly diary study

The present study among 65 civil engineers investigates the impact of organizational support for strengths use on weekly work engagement and proactive behaviour. Positive psychology postulates that strengths use makes people feel authentic and efficacious. We argue that employees use these positive psychological states as resources that fuel work engagement and proactive work behaviour. Participants completed a general questionnaire regarding strengths use support, and a weekly quantitative diary questionnaire regarding their strengths use, self-efficacy, work engagement, and proactive behaviour over a period of five consecutive workweeks. In line with the hypotheses, the results of multilevel structural equation analyses showed that organizational strengths use support was positively related to weekly strengths use. Furthermore, the results indicated that weekly strengths use was positively related to weekly work engagement and proactive behaviour, through weekly self-efficacy (sequential mediation). Although strengths use support contributed indirectly to work engagement (mediated by strengths use and self-efficacy), there was no significant indirect relationship with proactive behaviour. Our study indicates that strengths use is associated with employees’ levels of self-efficacy, work engagement, and proactive behaviour and that organizations can help employees to use their strengths more often by giving them the opportunity to do what they are good at.     

Secondary task engagement and vehicle automation – Comparing the effects of different automation levels in an on-road experiment

Recent and upcoming advances in vehicle automation are likely to change the role of the driver from one of actively controlling a vehicle to one of monitoring the behaviour of an assistant system and the traffic environment. A growing body of literature suggests that one possible side effect of an increase in the degree of vehicle automation is the tendency of drivers to become more heavily involved in secondary tasks while the vehicle is in motion. However, these studies have mainly been conducted in strictly controlled research environments, such as driving simulators and test tracks, and have mainly involved either low levels of automation (i.e., automation of longitudinal control by Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)) or Highly automated driving (i.e., automation of both longitudinal and lateral control without the need for continuous monitoring). This study aims to replicate these effects during an on-road experiment in everyday traffic and to extend previous findings to an intermediate level of automation, in which both longitudinal and lateral control are automated but the driver must still monitor the traffic environment continuously (so-called Partial automation). N = 32 participants of different age groups and different levels of familiarity with ACC drove in rush-hour traffic on a highway segment. They were assisted by ACC, ACC with steering assistance (ACC+SA), or not at all. The results show that while subjective and objective driving safety were not influenced by the degree of automation, drivers who were already familiar with ACC increased the frequency of interactions with an in-vehicle secondary task in both assisted drives. However, participants generally rated performing the secondary task as less effortful when being assisted, regardless of the automation level (ACC vs. ACC+SA). The results of this on-road experiment thus validate previous findings from more-controlled research environments and extend them to Partially automated driving.     

Strengths use and deficit improvement: The relationship with engagement and fit with study course amongst first-year students

This study sought to test a model of students’ proactive behaviour to use their strengths and improve their deficits and how this relates with their self-reported perceptions of their fit with a study course and engagement. Participants were 692 first-year students from a higher education institution in South Africa (females=60.3%; blacks=71.3%; mean age=19.71; SD=1.93). They completed measures of strengths use, deficit improvement, perceptions of fit with a study course and engagement. Structural equation modelling was utilised to examine the relationship between students’ strengths use and deficit improvement, perceptions of fit with a study course and student engagement. In addition, the bootstrapping method was used to identify possible mediating effects of fit with a study course. The results indicated that only deficit improvement showed a significant relationship with engagement. Perceptions of fit with a study course mediated the relationship between students’ strengths use and deficit improvement.     

Psychological availability and work engagement: The moderating role of sex and race

This study sought to determine the relationship of sex and race as moderators of psychological availability on work engagement in various South African organisations. Participants were 1 059 employees predominantly from the corporate sector in Gauteng province (females = 61%, blacks = 36%). Cross-sectional survey data were collected from the employees using the Psychological Conditions Scale and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Moderated hierarchical regression analyses tested the prediction of work engagement from psychological availability, while controlling for the sex and race of employees. Psychological availability increased the level of work engagement for both men and women, the relationship, however, was stronger for women as compared to men. White employees were less work engaged compared to other race group members. Psychological availability was higher for the black, Indian, and coloured employees compared to white employees. The results confirmed the positive relationship of psychological availability on work engagement, and that sex and race differences exist for employees in a developing country.     

Sense of Competence and Beliefs About Parental Roles in Mothers and Fathers as Predictors of Coparenting and Child Engagement in Mother–Father–Infant Triadic Interactions

The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which a sense of competence and beliefs about parental roles in mothers and fathers influence coparenting and child engagement in triadic interactions during the first 2 years of the child's life, after other influential variables such as marital satisfaction and postpartum depression have been controlled for. The sample constituted 69 mother–father–infant families, whose sense of competence, beliefs in parental roles, postpartum depression, and marital satisfaction were assessed in our laboratory at 3, 9, and 18 months with self‐reported questionnaires. Coparenting support and conflict and child engagement were assessed with the Lausanne Trilogue Play. Results show that (i) predictors of coparenting and child engagement are not the same at each time point; (ii) a sense of competence in mothers is positively linked with coparenting support, particularly at 3 months, whereas in fathers, it is negatively linked with support, particularly at 18 months; (iii) discrepancies between mothers and fathers in beliefs about the importance of the mother's role is the main predictor of coparenting conflict at 18 months; and (iv) paternal beliefs about the importance of the father's and mother's roles are the main predictor of child engagement at 18 months. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

“More Life,Not Less”: Using Narrative Therapy With Older Adults With Bipolar Disorder

Counselors who work with older adults with bipolar disorder are in a unique position to help them navigate their challenges. Older adults with bipolar disorder have lived decades with mental illness and also face the regular aging process. Narrative therapy provides counselors with a framework to deal with these issues.     

Clinical Application of the Couple Adaptation to Traumatic Stress (CATS) Model: A Pragmatic Framework for Working With Traumatized Couples

ABSTRACT

The authors attempt to apply knowledge of traumatization to clinical practice with couple dyads. Elaborating on the Couple Adaptation to Traumatic Stress (CATS) Model (Nelson Goff & Smith, 2005), the authors have worked to bridge the gap between a general understanding of trauma's impact on the couple relationship and couples' treatment. This article facilitates the application of the CATS Model to clinical work with couples impacted by trauma. Incorporating Herman's (1997) traumatic process with the original CATS Model, the authors created a more specific, clinically useful framework for clinicians. The goal of the current article is to provide clinicians with a pragmatic illustration articulating a clinical framework for understanding and treating posttraumaumitc symptoms and processes within the couple relationship. The main implication is that clinicians will be able to conduct effectively guided systemic therapy with distressed couples necessary to generate progress in the treatment of symptomatology and couple functioning of trauma survivors and their partners.