Zum Stand der forensischen und forensisch-psychiatrischen Nachsorge in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Daten aus der sog. Pfingstabfrage 2013)

In 2007 forensic aftercare was integrated into the German Penal Code as part of legal supervision. Since then a large and growing number of patients have been supervised by forensic psychiatric aftercare units throughout Germany. Due to the federal system in Germany the system of forensic aftercare has developed differently in the 16 federal states. The number of patients looked after varies widely and the implementation of several legal norms also differs from state to state. This article gives an overview of the situation of forensic aftercare in the different German federal states and presents some specific characteristics of the development.     

Symbols Amid Xenophobic Policies

Symbols are a vital part of our everyday lives. We see them in our homes, in our workplaces, and in our communities. Symbols offer certain measures of beauty and comfort, predictability and reassurance. In times and settings of conflict, however, symbols do much more than that. Symbols can provide meaning for heartfelt convictions and direction for future actions. This article examines symbols used in a time and setting of very real conflict between church and state, particularly as such a conflict centered upon parochial education. The time is immediately before, during, and immediately after World War I. The state under study is Nebraska, as its citizens and officials competed with Lutheran denominations for the loyalty of resident parents and children.     

Expressions of positive emotion in photographs,personality, and later-life marital and health outcomes

A previous study of females at an elite liberal arts college found that the degree of positive emotion expressed in persons’ college yearbook photos was correlated with personality, marital, and health outcomes decades later in life. We examine whether the same pattern is observed among respondents in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, using high school yearbook photographs and outcome measures obtained mostly when respondents were in their fifties. Despite some seeming advantages of our design, we were unable, with a few exceptions, to replicate the findings of the previous study. Possible explanations for this divergence in findings are discussed, including differences in measurement, the sample, and the photographic occasion itself.     

The antecedents of aggressive behavior among men with schizophrenia: a prospective investigation of patients in community treatment

The association between psychotic symptoms and violence is unclear, due in part to methodological features of investigations that have examined this question, and in part to the fact that the association likely differs by disorder and treatment conditions. Using data from The Comparative Study of the Prevention of Crime and Violence by Mentally Ill Persons, we examined 128 men with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder discharged from general and forensic psychiatric hospitals in Canada, Finland, Germany, and Sweden. The association between symptoms and aggressive behavior was studied during two 6 month periods when the patients lived in the community. Severe positive and negative symptoms of psychosis, depression, and anxiety were measured at the beginning of each of the 6 month periods. In addition, at the beginning of the second 6 month period changes in symptoms in the previous period were indexed. Aggressive behavior was measured in each 6 month period by reports from patients and from collaterals. During the first 6 months post-discharge, after controlling for the presence of antisocial personality disorder or PCL score and past diagnoses of alcohol/drug abuse/dependence, the presence of a severe positive symptom significantly increased the risk of aggressive behavior. During the second 6 month period, after controlling for antisocial personality disorder or PCL score and self-reported alcohol/drug use, the presence of a severe positive symptom, a TCO symptom, and an increase in TCO symptoms significantly increased the risk of aggressive behavior. Neither depot medications nor obligatory community treatment reduced the risk of aggressive behavior after controlling for the presence of a severe positive symptom and/or TCO symptoms. These findings suggest that, among men with schizophrenia being treated in the community, the presence of severe psychotic symptoms and the development of TCO symptoms are antecedents of aggressive behavior.     

Mindeststandards forensischer Nachsorge

In 2007 forensic aftercare was integrated into the German Penal Code as part of legal supervision. Since then a large and growing number of patients have been supervised by forensic psychiatric aftercare units throughout Germany. Forensic psychiatric aftercare appears to be very successful as measured by the relapse rates in delinquency. Nevertheless, only very little has been considered about which standards have contributed to and are indispensable for this success. This article presents the quality criteria which are the basis for a successful aftercare and outlines the minimum standards for the equipment and therapeutic approach and in combination with this forms the framework for an appropriate reporting system.     

Depression,Quantified Medication Adherence,and Quality of Life in Renal Transplant Candidates and Recipients

Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings - Like patients with many chronic illnesses, ESRD patients experience psychological challenges with greater incidence of depression and reduced...     

Sensemaking during organizational entry: Changes in newcomer information seeking and the relationship with psychological contract fulfilment

In this study, insight is given into the temporal nature of psychological contract‐related information seeking during organizational entry, by examining how the frequency of information seeking changes across the first year of employment for a sample of 280 newcomers. We examined the pattern of changes in the frequency of information seeking from four sources (supervisor, co‐workers, mentors, and other newcomers) and about two content dimensions of the psychological contract (organizational inducements and employee contributions). We also investigated if information‐seeking behaviours were related to the evaluation of the psychological contract and whether these relationships changed over time. The data were analysed using Latent Growth Modelling. The results indicated that information seeking about the psychological contract decreases significantly over the first year of employment, with the exception of information seeking from supervisors, indicating that for different targets of information different information seeking patterns exist. Employees seek more information on organizational inducements than on employee contributions. We found a positive association between information seeking during the initial weeks after entry and evaluations of psychological contract fulfilment after 3 months, but changes in information seeking after this initial period were not associated with changes in psychological contract fulfilment. Finally, we found that younger newcomers engaged more frequently in information seeking from co‐workers and other new hires compared to older newcomers. Implications for theories on psychological contract formation and future research are discussed.     

Three aspects of self-disclosure as they relate to quality of adjustment

Subjects completed two measures of actual self-disclosure (one for intimacy of self-presentation and one for inwardness of self-presentation)and a self-report of past self-disclosure. and California Psychological Inventory. For both sexes the two measures of actual disclosure correlated positively but neither instrument related positively to the self-report measure. Females disclosed more than males on both measures of actual disclosure. Quadratic, inverted-U relationships were hypothesized for the self-disclosure and CPI scales, but by and large they were not found. Linear associations were noted, the major ones being a positive pattern of correlations between the inwardness of actual disclosure and measures of flexible autonomy, responsibility and socialization for the males, a negative set of relations between the intimacy of actual disclosure and scales indicative of good interpersonal adjustment for the females, and a positive relationship between the self-report measure and scales indicative of social poise, extraversion and socialization for both sexes.