Pathways to Problems – The Evolution of 'Pathology'

This paper describes a qualitative research study which compared accounts from interviews with families where difficulties had evolved into serious problems with those where an escalation into pathology has been avoided. These accounts confirm that family life is commonly seen to be problematic and stressful, particularly during transitional stages. Specifically, it appears that it is not simply the severity of the initial stresses and problems that distinguishes families, but the meanings that these evoke and the corresponding patterns of responses, especially the 'attempted solutions' that are set in motion. These responses, fuelled by external interventions, can launch families along pathological pathways. It is suggested that the meanings ascribed to difficulties and the ensuing responses are predominantly shaped and constrained by three factors: the dominant societally shared discourses of mental health and distress; the emotional resources and attachments of family members; and systemic interpersonal processes. Some therapeutic implications, especially the importance of assisting families to resist pathologizing processes are indicated.     

Integration of visuospatial information encoded from different viewpoints

Two experiments investigated whether separate sets of objects viewed in the same environment but from different views were encoded as a single integrated representation or maintained as distinct representations. Participants viewed two circular layouts of objects that were placed around them in a round (Experiment 1) or a square (Experiment 2) room and were later tested on perspective-taking trials requiring retrieval of either one layout (within-layout trials) or both layouts (between-layout trials). Results from Experiment 1 indicated that participants did not integrate the two layouts into a single representation. Imagined perspective taking was more efficient on within- than on between-layout trials. Furthermore, performance for within-layout trials was best from the perspective that each layout was studied. Results from Experiment 2 indicated that the stable environmental reference frame provided by the square room caused many, but not all, participants to integrate all locations within a common representation. Participants who integrated performed equally well for within-layout and between-layout judgments and also represented both layouts using a common reference frame. Overall, these findings highlight the flexibility of organizing information in spatial memory.     

Validity and reliability of the Greek version of the Multisource Assessment of Social Competence Scale

The aim of this study was to adapt the Multisource Assessment of Social Competence Scale to the Greek language. The validity and reliability of the scale were examined in three studies with 209, 192, and 147 sixth-grade students, respectively. The subscale structure of the Multisource Assessment of Social Competence Scale was supported through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The hypothesized two main dimensions, Prosocial and Antisocial behavior, were divided into two factors, Cooperating skills and Empathy for Prosocial behavior and Quick-temperedness and Disruptiveness for Antisocial behavior. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were high. Additionally, correlations between each factor and social desirability scores were nonsignificant. The resultant model of the present study is a behavior rating scale that should be considered a reliable choice for assessing Greek middle school students' social skills.     

Integrating spatial information across experiences

The current study examined the potential influence of existing spatial knowledge on the coding of new spatial information. In the Main experiment, participants learned the locations of five objects before completing a perspective-taking task. Subsequently, they studied the same five objects and five additional objects from a new location before completing a second perspective-taking task. Task performance following the first learning phase was best from perspectives aligned with the learning view. However, following the second learning phase, performance was best from the perspective aligned with the second view. A supplementary manipulation increased the salience of the initial view through environmental structure as well as the number of objects present. Results indicated that the initial learning view was preferred throughout the experiment. The role of assimilation and accommodation mechanisms in spatial memory, and the conditions under which they occur, are discussed.     

A prologue to nostalgia: savouring creates nostalgic memories that foster optimism

How are nostalgic memories created? We considered savouring as one process involved in the genesis of nostalgia. Whereas nostalgia refers to an emotional reflection upon past experiences, savouring is a process in which individuals deeply attend to and consciously capture a present experience for subsequent reflection. Thus, having savoured an experience may increase the likelihood that it will later be reflected upon nostalgically. Additionally, to examine how cognitive and emotional processes are linked across time, we tested whether nostalgia for a previously savoured experience predicts optimism for the future. Retrospective reports of having savoured a positive event were associated with greater nostalgia for the event (Study 1). Retrospective reports of savouring a time period (college) were associated with greater nostalgia for that time period when participants were in a setting (alumni reunion event) that prompted thoughts of the time period (Study 2). Savouring an experience predicted nostalgia for the experience 4–9 months later (Study 3). Additionally, nostalgia was associated with greater optimism (Studies 2-3). Thus, savouring provides a foundation for nostalgic memories and an ensuing optimism.     

The revised perceived locus of causality in physical education scale: Psychometric evaluation among youth

Objectives

Given instances of less than optimal internal consistency levels of the Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC) scale when applied to school-based physical education (PE), the aim of the study was to examine the psychometrics of a revised PLOC instrument for use in PE.

Design

A cross-sectional study in which self-report data on behavioral regulations, perceived autonomy support by the PE teacher, and subjective vitality were collected from 1729 students in relation to their PE participation at the elementary school (5th and 6th grade), middle school, and high school levels, including boys and girls.

Results

The revised instrument (PLOC-R) demonstrated satisfactory levels of internal consistency; a sound factor structure; evidence in support of a simplex-like structure; configural, metric, strong, and strict measurement invariance across boys and girls, students who participate or not in out-of-school sport activities, and across the three school grade levels; and nomological validity.

Conclusions

Initial evidence has emerged in favor of the PLOC-R as a scale appropriate for use with 5th and 6th grade elementary, middle school, and high school students to measure the degree of self-determined motivation for participation in compulsory school-based physical education classes.     

Religious Coping and Cancer: Proposing an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Approach

A cancer diagnosis is one of the most difficult diagnoses for any person to receive and cope with. Numerous individuals turn to religion or their spiritual beliefs to find meaning through the process of coping with such a serious illness. Therefore, in recent years research on religious coping has received increased attention. The aim of the present paper is to examine the area of religious coping, along with its dimensions and ways to assess it, as it relates to cancer. Moreover, this paper presents a relatively new approach to the psychological treatment of individuals with cancer. Namely, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a spiritually and religiously sensitive treatment. This approach aims to first explore a person's values (including spiritual and religious values), to subsequently help the person accept any experience that the person has no control over in light of these values, and to then commit and take actions consistent with these values. Recent evidence providing initial support for this approach is discussed. Finally, a case example is presented to illustrate how ACT may be carried out to address religious coping in outpatient clinical practice with cancer patients.     

Locating targets from imagined perspectives: comparing labelling with pointing responses

Participants in two experiments adopted imagined perspectives in a perceptually available spatial scene and located targets by using either verbal terms (labelling) or arrows (pointing). Results revealed that performance was faster and more accurate for labelling than for pointing and more so when the adopted perspectives were misaligned with the physical orientation of the participant. This finding was obtained even when an orientation cue allowed participants to adopt the imagined perspective in advance of target presentation. A third experiment replicated these findings using traditional pointing and verbal responding. We argue that performance from misaligned perspectives in perspective-taking tasks suffers due to reference frame conflicts and that these conflicts are more pronounced with pointing and other manual responses that rely more on the reference frame of the physical body.     

Acute Stress Disorder in Greek Cypriots Visiting the Occupied Areas

Following 30 years of war-driven displacement, in 2003 Cypriots were allowed to visit the occupied areas. The present study investigates whether visiting the occupied areas under peaceful conditions could be a traumatic experience potentially leading to Acute Stress Disorder (ASD). Of the 163 participants who completed self-report questionnaires measuring ASD, depression, anxiety, social support, and stress, 138 visited the occupied areas; out of these, 31 met criteria for ASD, 14 reported experiencing symptoms for over a month and 13 continued to experience symptoms at the time of data collection. Results suggest that visiting the occupied areas may constitute a traumatic experience.