Factor analytic structure of theScale to Asses World View

This article reports on the factor structure of theScale to Assess World View ^(c) (SAWV). Alpha reliabilities for the factors are presented. Gender differences in world views are also explored to understand how men and women in this sample viewed the world. Recommendations for client assessment, therapy, education and training, and scale revision are discussed. The research reported here is based on a paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, August 17, 1992.     

Perception of and concern about sociocultural change and general psychopathology in Saudi Arabian university students

This study presents data on 280 Saudi Arabian university students regarding their perception of and concern about sociocultural changes in their society and compares their scores on these variables with their responses on psychopathology measures. Subjects wee administered an interview schedule evaluating perception of and concern (upset or not upset) about sociocultural changes, the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (Zuckerman & Lubin, 1965), the Depression Symptomatology Scale (Schwab, 1974; Schwab, Holzer, Warheit, & Schwab, 1981), and the Symptom Inventory, a measure devised for this study. The results showed that (a) substantial numbers of subjects were aware of the social and cultural transformations in Saudi Arabia, (b) depressive and psychopathological symptoms were reported by extremely higher proportions of Saudis than usually reported in other societies, and (c) higher levels of concern about sociocultural changes obtained the lowest depression scores, indicating that those not upset by social transformation were generally not depressed.     

Group therapy for refugees and torture survivors: treatment model innovations

The paper discusses varieties of group therapies with refugees and torture survivors and the logic behind enhancing traditional group therapies to fit the unique experiences of refugees and torture survivors. It discusses some lessons learned from practice and from empirical research and some recommended adaptations. Finally, it discusses the Center for Torture and Trauma Survivors' therapy group model for torture survivors and describes two of its variants: The Bashal group for African and Somali women and the Bhutanese multi-family therapy group. Group therapies, in this model, extend to community healing. One of the essential and innovative features of the model is that it focuses not only on treating individual psychopathology but also extends to community healing by promoting the development of social clubs and organizations that promote the values and culture of the graduates of the therapy group and the continuation of social support. New graduates from the group join the club and become part of the social advocacy process and of group and community support and healing. This model adds an ecological dimension to the traditional group therapy.     

Using generalizability theory to estimate the relative effect of class size and number of items on the dependability of student ratings of instruction

Previous research on the effect of class size on student ratings of instruction has primarily investigated the effect of class size on the favorableness of these ratings rather than its effect on their reliability (dependability). A few studies have used "generalizability theory" to demonstrate the relative effect of class size on the dependability of student ratings of instruction. The purpose of the present study was to test the validity of the findings of these studies in a different cultural setting using a different student ratings questionnaire. Using a random-effect analysis of variance to estimate the variance components for a design in which students were nested within classes and crossed with items, it was found that the variance component for class size was appreciably larger than that for items. At least 20 students were needed to obtain a generalizability coefficient for relative decisions of .70 or more. Increasing the number of students has a greater effect on generalizability coefficients than increasing the number of items.     

Scrupulosity and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: The Cognitive Perspective in Islamic Sources

A moral/religious subtype of obsessive compulsive disorder has been termed as scrupulosity by mental health professionals. Since ultimate feared consequence in scrupulous individuals is religious or moral in nature, it also presents interesting and difficult issue for religious authorities. This article focuses on various aspects of scrupulosity that have until now been poorly conceptualized in Islamic world and provides a conceptual cognitive framework and analysis of scrupulosity according to Islamic sources.     

The Simple View of Reading Model in the Transparent and Deep Versions of Arabic Orthography

Several studies have tested the validity of the simple view of reading model by examining various degrees of orthographic depth. This study aims to validate this model in both transparent and deep versions of Arabic. In addition, the contribution of the basic components of decoding and listening comprehension to reading comprehension in the transparent and deep versions was tested. In total, 460 typical Arabic-speaking children in the first and second grade participated in this study. A moderate degree of explained variance was found in both versions, and the contribution of decoding and listening comprehension was influenced by transparency and by the grade level of the reader. The results are discussed in relation to previous findings in the field and the unique characteristics of the Arabic language.     

Does Bullying Victimization Suppress IQ? The Effects of Bullying Victimization on IQ in Iraqi and African American Adolescents: A Traumatology Perspective

This study explored the effects of bullying victimization (BV), as a Type II traumatic stressor, on intelligence quotient (IQ), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and complex PTSD symptoms. Participants were 390 African American and Iraqi refugee adolescents. Measures of BV, cumulative life trauma, PTSD, discrimination, and IQ were administered. Correlational, multilevel regression, and path analyses were conducted. BV, independent of cumulative trauma, and discrimination were found to have significant direct effects on increased PTSD symptoms and significant direct and indirect negative effects on perceptual reasoning, processing speed, and working memory. BV was also associated with increases in the discrepancy between perceptual reasoning and verbal comprehension. The implications of these results for the prevention and treatment of bullying victims are discussed.     

Tri-parent Baby Technology and Preservation of Lineage: An Analysis from the Perspective of Maqasid al-Shari’ah Based Islamic Bioethics

Science and Engineering Ethics - Tri-parent baby technology is an assisted reproductive treatment which aims to minimize or eliminate maternal inheritance of mutated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The...     

A Threatened Identity: The Mental Health Status of Syrian Refugees in Egypt and Its Etiology

This study utilized the development-based trauma framework on identity traumas to study the cumulative effects of trauma on the identities of Syrian refugees. Participants included 196 Syrian refugees residing in Cairo, Egypt (Mean age = 35.99, SD = 11.05). The rate of post-traumatic stress disorder was 33.5%, and the rate of depression was around 30%; the level of comorbidity was high with a high rate of suicidal plans or attempts (13.7%). Analyses indicated that existential annihilation anxieties, moderated by identity salience, mediated the effects of cumulative trauma on mental health. The results confirmed the utility and validity of the identity trauma model and provided evidence of the dire mental health needs of Syrian refugees.