INTERVENÇÕES DE PSICÓLOGOS NAS UNIDADES BÁSICAS DE SAÚDE DO GRANDE ABC

Este trabalho tem como objetivo fazer um levantamento das intervenções que são realizadas pelos psicólogos que atuam nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS) do Grande ABC, bem como traçar um perfil destes profissionais. Pretendeu-se fazer na Região do Grande ABC este levantamento, baseando-se na tradição que a Psicologia tem de pesquisar-se como profissão, nos últimos trinta anos. A análise dos dados da pesquisa se deu através de quatro categorias levantadas a partir das mudanças que o exercício da profissão nas UBS requer: 1) do âmbito do atendimento, do individual para o coletivo; 2) do atendimento em consultório para instituição pública; 3) do enfoque do trabalho, do curativo para o preventivo; 4) da área de atuação, da saúde mental para a psicologia da saúde. Os resultados apresentados são oriundos de trinta e oito entrevistas realizadas com psicólogos das UBS s da Região do Grande ABC, no decorrer do ano de 2002, que trazem as dificuldades para o desenvolvimento das atividades. Dentre elas, destaca-se as de ordem política, econômica e social, que independem do desejo dos profissionais. Além destas, constatou-se dificuldades frente à formação profissional e à compreensão do papel e da função do psicólogo nas UBS s.

INTERVENÇÕES DE PSICÓLOGOS NAS UNIDADES BÁSICAS DE SAÚDE DO GRANDE ABC

Este trabalho tem como objetivo fazer um levantamento das intervenções que são realizadas pelos psicólogos que atuam nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS) do Grande ABC, bem como traçar um perfil destes profissionais. Pretendeu-se fazer na Região do Grande ABC este levantamento, baseando-se na tradição que a Psicologia tem de pesquisar-se como profissão, nos últimos trinta anos. A análise dos dados da pesquisa se deu através de quatro categorias levantadas a partir das mudanças que o exercício da profissão nas UBS requer: 1) do âmbito do atendimento, do individual para o coletivo; 2) do atendimento em consultório para instituição pública; 3) do enfoque do trabalho, do curativo para o preventivo; 4) da área de atuação, da saúde mental para a psicologia da saúde. Os resultados apresentados são oriundos de trinta e oito entrevistas realizadas com psicólogos das UBS s da Região do Grande ABC, no decorrer do ano de 2002, que trazem as dificuldades para o desenvolvimento das atividades. Dentre elas, destaca-se as de ordem política, econômica e social, que independem do desejo dos profissionais. Além destas, constatou-se dificuldades frente à formação profissional e à compreensão do papel e da função do psicólogo nas UBS s.

To be(long) or not to be(long):social identification in organizational contexts

In the past few years, ideas of Social Identity Theory and Self-Categorization Theory have been successfully applied to the organizational domain. In this article, the authors provide an overview of these recent developments and present a concept of social identification in organizational contexts, based on these theories. The assumptions of this framework are that (a) social identification in organizational contexts is a multifaceted concept consisting of different dimensions and foci (or targets), (b) higher levels of identification are related to higher productivity and more positive work-related attitudes, and (c) identification is a very flexible concept that is linked to the situational context. The authors present the results of a series of field and laboratory studies in which the proposed relationships are analyzed and, in the main, confirmed. Copyright © 2006 Heldref Publications.

University ranking as social exclusion

In this article we explore the dual role of global university rankings in the creation of a new, knowledge-identified, transnational capitalist class and in facilitating new forms of social exclusion.We examine how and why the practice of ranking universities has become widely defined by national and international organisations as an important instrument of political and economic policy. We consider how the development of university rankings into a global business combining social research, marketing and public relations, as a tangible policy tool that narrowly redefines the social purposes of higher education itself. Finally, it looks at how the influence of rankings on national funding for teaching and research constrains wider public debate about the meaning of ‘good’ and meaningful education in the UK and other national contexts, particularly by shifting the debate away from democratic publics upward into the elite networked institutions of global capital. We conclude by arguing that, rather than regarding world university rankings as a means to establish criteria of educational value, the practice may be understood as an exclusionary one that furthers the alignment of higher education with neoliberal rationalities at both national and global levels.

Online interviewing in psychology: reflections on the process

The internet is used across a range of disciplines to conduct qualitative research and qualitative psychologists are increasingly turning to the internet as a medium for conducting interviews. In this article we explore the first author’s experience of conducting synchronous online interviews using instant messaging or ‘chat’ software. We highlight the costs and benefits of conducting online interviews and reflect on the development of a rapport with participants within this medium. In particular, we consider how researchers can attempt to make online interviewing less abrupt and more conversational, how researchers can demonstrate ‘listening’ and how insider/outsider status of the interviewer effects interaction within online interviews.

The future's bright: celebrating its achievements and preparing for the challenges ahead in IPA research

Commentary

Embedding reflexivity within experiential qualitative psychology

In this article, it is argued that reflexivity is integral to experiential qualitative research in psychology. Reflexivity has been defined in many ways. Woolgar’s continuum of reflexivity though provides a useful gauge by which to judge whether a researcher is involved in simple reflection or reflexivity. The article demonstrates the benefits of adopting a reflexive attitude by presenting “challenge-to-competency.” The author’s encounter with Sarah will help illustrate the role of reflexivity both in data generation and in interpretative analysis. To close, it is proposed that reflexivity as hermeneutic reflection, with its grounding in hermeneutics and phenomenology, is a useful construct for guiding our engagement in reflexivity in experiential qualitative research.

Qualitative psychology at M level: a dialogue between learner and teacher

There are now more postgraduate programmes that include qualitative methods in psychology than ever before. This poses problems for teaching qualitative methods at M level because we still lack consistency in what qualitative methods are taught at the undergraduate level. Although the British Psychological Society requires accredited undergraduate programmes to include qualitative methods, we hear very different stories from colleagues across the UK about provision and quality. In this article, we present a dialogue between learner and teacher about our own experiences of qualitative methods in psychology at M level. We report our own learning experiences of qualitative methods at the undergraduate level, reflect on current methods of teaching at M level, and consider ways of moving forward. As well as focusing specifically on current practice at our institution, our discussions also branch out into wider issues around the fundamental characteristics of qualitative methods, pragmatically and philosophically, as well as our own accounts of what we enjoy most about using qualitative methods in psychology.

Environmental quality in residential areas : a social survey approach to improvement priorities

The research is concerned with the measurement of residents' evaluations of the environmental quality of residential areas. The research reflects the increased attention being given to residents' values in planning decisions affecting the residential environment. The work was undertaken in co-operation with a local authority which was in the process of revising its housing strategy, and in particular the priorities for improvement action. The study critically examines the existing evidence on environmental values and their relationship to the environment and points to a number of methodological and conceptual deficiencies. The research strategy developed on the basis of the research review was constrained by the need to keep any survey methods simple so that they could easily be repeated, when necessary, by the sponsoring authority. A basic perception model was assumed, and a social survey carried out to measure residents' responses to different environmental conditions. The data was only assumed to have ordinal properties, necessitating the extensive use of non-parametric statistics. Residents' expressions of satisfaction with the component elements of the environment (ranging from convenience to upkeep and privacy) were successfully related to 'objective' measures of the environment. However the survey evidence did not justify the use of the 'objective' variables as environmental standards. A method of using the social survey data directly as an aid to decision-making is discussed. Alternative models of the derivation of overall satisfaction with the environment are tested, and the values implied by the additive model compared with residents' preferences as measured directly in the survey. Residents' overall satisfactions with the residential environment were most closely related to their satisfactions with the "Appearance" and the "Reputation" of their areas. By contrast the most important directly measured preference was "Friendliness of area". The differences point to the need to define concepts used in social research clearly in operational terms, and to take care in the use of values 'measured' by different methods.

The role of interpersonal functioning in the maintenance of eating psychopathology:a systematic review and testable model

This review aims to systematically evaluate the empirical literature relating to the interpersonal functioning of those with eating disorder psychopathology and presents a preliminary model to help the formulation of patients' problems. Following a thorough literature search, 35 papers were included in this systematic review. The vast majority of studies indicate a strong association between eating psychopathology and certain maladaptive personality traits. The origins of social anxiety and poor social support that have been described as maintaining eating disorders appear to differ according to diagnostic groups. Interpersonal difficulties in people with restrictive behaviors such as anorexia appear to be related to the avoidance of expressing feelings to others and to giving priority to other people's feeling over their own. While interpersonal difficulties in patients with bulimia nervosa appear to be more related to interpersonal distrust and negative interaction and conflict with others. These concepts are presented in a preliminary model of interpersonal functioning in the eating disorders. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

The role of working memory in compulsive checking and OCD:a systematic classification of 58 experimental findings

Despite the large body of research regarding the role of memory in OCD, the results are described as mixed at best (Hermans et al., 2008). For example, inconsistent findings have been reported with respect to basic capacity, intact verbal, and generally affected visuospatial memory. We suggest that this is due to the traditional pursuit of OCD memory impairment as one of the general capacity and/or domain specificity (visuospatial vs. verbal). In contrast, we conclude from our experiments (i.e., Harkin & Kessler, 2009, 2011; Harkin, Rutherford, & Kessler, 2011) and recent literature (e.g., Greisberg & McKay, 2003) that OCD memory impairment is secondary to executive dysfunction, and more specifically we identify three common factors (EBL: Executive-functioning efficiency, Binding complexity, and memory Load) that we generalize to 58 experimental findings from 46 OCD memory studies. As a result we explain otherwise inconsistent research – e.g., intact vs. deficient verbal memory – that are difficult to reconcile within a capacity or domain specific perspective. We conclude by discussing the relationship between our account and others', which in most cases is complementary rather than contradictory.

Mothering and ‘insider’ dilemmas:feminist sociologists in the research process

This paper is about care, insider positions and mothering within feminist research. We ask questions about how honest, ethical and caring can we really be in placing the self into the research process as mothers ourselves. Should we leave out aspects of the research that do not fit neatly and how ethical can we claim to be if we do? Moreover, should difficult differences, secrets and silences that emerge from the research process and research stories that might 'out' us as failures be excluded from research outcomes so as to claim legitimate research? We consider the use of a feminist methods as crucial in the reciprocal and relational understanding of personal enquiry. Mothers invest significant emotional capital in their families and we explore the blurring of the interpersonal and intrapersonal when sharing mothering experiences common to both participant and researcher. Indeed participants can identify themselves within the process as 'friends' of the researcher. We both have familiarity within our respective research that has led to mutual understanding of having insider positions. Crucially individuals' realities are a vital component of the qualitative paradigm and that 'insider' research remains a necessary, albeit messy vehicle in social research. As it is we consider a growing body of literature which marks out and endorses a feminist ethics of care. All of which critique established ways of thinking about ethics, morality, security, citizenship and care. It provides alternatives in mapping private and public aspects of social life as it operates at a theoretical level, but importantly for this paper also at the level of practical application.

Anxiety sensitivity in children and the development of panic and anxiety in adolescents: A prospective study

Research with adult samples has identified a cognitive risk factor for the development of panic and other anxiety disorders in the concept of anxiety sensitivity. The research to date on anxiety sensitivity in children, using the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI), suggests that the CASI may help to garner knowledge regarding the development of anxiety sensitivity and also help to understand the development of panic attacks, panic disorder and other anxiety disorders in youth. To examine the development of anxiety sensitivity and its relation to panic in youth, data were collected on 44 children in 1998 who were administered the CASI in 1991. Results indicated that children whose CASI scores increased from Time 1 to Time 2 were significantly more likely to report experiencing panic attacks than children whose CASI scores decreased from Time 1 to Time 2. Specifically, 64% (9/14) of children whose CASI scores increased from Time 1 to Time 2 reported having one or more panic attacks versus 36% (5/14) reported having none. Moreover, 72% (21/29) of children whose CASI scores decreased from Time 1 to Time 2 reported no panic attacks. These results suggest that childhood may be the time when anxiety sensitivity as a risk factor for panic and panic disorder is developing. Results are discussed in terms of their relevance for understanding the development of panic and the need for further research to determine the generalizability of these findings in larger samples of children followed over different time spans. ^