Assessing knowledge-intensive work environment: General versus situation-specific instruments

The aim of the present study is to examine to what extent general and situation-specific work environment instruments capture the salient work characteristics in a knowledge-intensive context. We conducted qualitative open-ended interviews with 30 employees (24 men and six women) from a Norwegian university department. The information from the interviews was content-analysed and coded on the scales of five work environment instruments; two general instruments (the General Nordic Questionnaire for Psychological and Social Factors at Work [QPSNordic] and the Job Diagnostic Survey [JDS]) and three situation-specific instruments (Assessing the climate for creativity [KEYS], Situational Outlook Questionnaire [SOQ], and the Organizational Climate Measure [OCM]). The results showed that situation-specific work environment instruments covered significantly more statements about the work environment than the general instruments. More statements could be categorized on the organization and individual levels, compared to group and leadership levels. The situation-specific instruments covered more statements than general instruments at the organization level. These statements were mainly related to the organizational context, social and relational characteristics, and encouragement of creativity and organizational impediments to creativity. The findings support the value of situation-specific instruments for assessing the work environment in knowledge-intensive organizations.     

Reanalysis of the Grønnerød (2003) Rorschach temporal stability meta-analysis data set

I reanalyzed the Gr?nner?d (2003) Rorschach temporal stability meta-analysis data with a theoretically driven hierarchical regression analysis. I also examined the intrarater reliability of initial coding decisions and verified their consistency. In the new regression analyses, retest period strengthened its influence on stability, whereas methodological factors showed a tendency toward influence. The new results are more in line with the results from Gr?nner?d's (2004) psychotherapy change meta-analysis results.     

Psychopathic and nonpsychopathic violent offenders on the rorschach: discriminative features and comparisons with schizophrenic inpatient and university student samples

We examined discriminant and convergent validity of theoretically relevant Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS) variables (Exner, 2003) and Meloy and Gacono's (1992) aggression variables in distinguishing between imprisoned violent offenders (VO) who were psychopathic (P-VO) and nonpsychopathic (NP-VO) under psychiatric treatment, schizophrenic inpatients (ISs), and university students (USs). A total of 7 of 12 variables discriminated significantly between P-VO and NP-VO, which suggests more aggressive, cognitive, and interpersonal disturbances among P-VO. We also found significant differences between VOs, ISs, and USs. Logistic regression analyses revealed that AgPast accumulated incrementally in the classification of P-VO versus NP-VO, and AgC accumulated incrementally in the classification of VO versus IS when entered after CS variables. The findings support the view that psychopathy is a distinctive form of antisocial personality disorder (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) organized at a more severe pathological level.     

The Wartegg Zeichen Test: a literature overview and a meta-analysis of reliability and validity

All available studies on the Wartegg Zeichen Test (WZT; Wartegg, 1939) were collected and evaluated through a literature overview and a meta-analysis. The literature overview shows that the history of the WZT reflects the geographical and language-based processes of marginalization where relatively isolated traditions have lived and vanished in different parts of the world. The meta-analytic review indicates a high average interscorer reliability of rw = .74 and high validity effect size for studies with clear hypotheses of rw = .33. Although the results were strong, we conclude that the WZT research has not been able to establish cumulative knowledge of the method because of the isolation of research traditions.     

Young adults' reactions to gay and lesbian peers who became suicidal following "coming out" to their parents

Rates of nonfatal suicidal behavior among gay and lesbian youth surpass those recorded among their heterosexual peers. A frequently cited precipitant of gay and lesbian nonfatal suicidal behavior is the turmoil associated with coming out to one's family. This study investigated young adults' attitudes toward peers who engaged in suicidal behavior after coming out and being rejected by their parents, and compared them with attitudes toward persons who had become suicidal in response to other stressors (a physical illness, a relationship loss, or an academic failure). Our goal was to explore whether young persons hold beliefs that may encourage lesbian and gay suicidal behavior. We found that gays and lesbians who engaged in suicidal behavior following coming out were not viewed in particularly forgiving or empathic ways, as was the case for persons who became suicidal following an incurable illness. All suicidal persons were perceived as relatively feminine. At the same time, suicidal males were rated as more masculine if they engaged in suicidal behavior because of an academic failure or a physical illness, while suicidal females were viewed as more masculine only if their suicidal behavior followed an academic failure. Finally, we found that both respondent sex and respondent gender-identity influenced evaluations of suicidal persons. Building on these findings, future research should explore attitudes toward the permissibility of a suicidal decision by lesbian and gay persons.     

Rorschach assessment of changes following psychotherapy: a meta-analytic review

I examined Rorschach assessment of personality changes following psychotherapy. I conducted a comprehensive literature search to find all studies using the Rorschach method at least twice for the same participant in connection with psychotherapy. I conducted meta-analyses for 38 samples, and I performed regression analyses to identify moderating factors. Across all Rorschach scores, the total weighted sample effect size was r = .26, and nearly half the variables obtained effect sizes higher than .30. Several moderating factors were found. Most important, effect sizes increased with longer and more intensive therapy. More concern for interscorer reliability was associated with larger effect sizes, whereas a higher degree of scorer blinding was associated with smaller effect size magnitudes. Predicted levels of change based on the regression models indicated substantial increases in effect size with longer therapies. The data indicate that many elements in the Rorschach are valid indicators of change despite the poor reputation the method has acquired within psychotherapy research.     

Identification With a Violent and Sadistic Aggressor: A Rorschach Study of Criminal Debt Collectors

This study examined personality functioning in a group of 27 incarcerated criminal debt collectors as assessed by the Rorschach Inkblot Method (RIM; Rorschach, 1921/1942) and the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL–R; Hare, 2003 Hare, R. D. (2003). Manual for the Hare Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (2nd ed.). Toronto, ON, Canada: Multi-Health Systems. [Google Scholar]). To explore whether these individuals represent a distinct subgroup within the violent offender population, we compared them to a group of incarcerated homicide offenders (n = 23) without a previous history of significant violence and a group who had committed less serious violent crimes (n = 21). Results revealed significantly more Rorschach indicators of past trauma (Trauma Content Index), aggressive urges (Aggressive Potential) and identification (Aggressive Content) among the debt collectors than the 2 other groups. In addition, debt collectors displayed significantly more interpersonal interest (Sum Human content), and significantly higher scores on the PCL–R. Our findings suggest that the debt collector might be viewed as a hostile variant of psychopathy.     

Rorschach Variables and Big Five Scales as Predictors of Military Training Completion: A Replication Study of the Selection of Candidates to the Naval Special Forces in Norway

Thirty-nine undergraduate male college students drew five figures — an automobile, a clothed male, a clothed female, a nude male, a nude female — while a continuous record of their GSR activation was obtained. Analysis of GSR data showed that activation differed significantly from the relatively neutral but equally difficult drawing (i.e., the automobile). Nude figure drawings differed significantly in GSR activation from clothed figure drawings. GSR responses of largest amplitude showed significant shifts from the largest responses occurring to secondary sexual bodily areas in the clothed drawings to primary sexual areas in the nude drawings. Only the clothed male and the nude male drawings differed significantly between groups judged different in psychosexual adjustment.     

Attitudes and Beliefs About Suicidal Behavior When Coming Out Is the Precipitant of the Suicidal Behavior

Young persons who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) have higher rates of nonfatal suicidal behavior than their heterosexual peers. It has been suggested that suicidal behavior may be a painful but unavoidable rite of passage for LGB youths at the coming out stage. Could this mean that suicidal behavior is considered understandable and even permissible behavior for LGB youths at this stage? In this study we explored reactions to a suicidal decision when coming out was the precipitant of the suicidal act. Specifically, we compared attitudes toward a suicidal decision after coming out and being rejected by one's parents with attitudes toward a suicidal decision after experiencing other stressors (i.e., a physical illness, a relationship loss, or an academic failure). Contrary to expectation, the decision to engage in suicidal behavior following coming out was not viewed in relatively accepting terms. Rather, it was perceived as unsound and weak. As in previous studies, physical illness was singled out as a relatively understandable motivation for suicidal behavior. In addition, we found that androgynous persons viewed the suicidal decision as more unsound than other gender-identity types, independent of precipitant. Given similar evidence from other studies, future research might explore the role of androgyny in the protection against suicidal behavior.