Clinical Implications for Working with Gay Men A Self Psychological Treatment Approach.

Specific training for conducting psychotherapy with gay men is limited for psychologists, particularly when using a Self Psychology theoretical orientation (Robertson, 1996). In fact, psychologists often are faced with conflicting and contradictory points of view that mirror society's condemnation of homosexuality (Robertson, 1996). This paper is written from a self-psychological perspective to address the lack of a constructive body of literature that explains the unique treatment needs which impact gay men. Estimates of the prevalence of male homosexuality have generated considerable debate. A common assumption is that there are homosexual and non-homosexual men. However, scientists have long been aware that sexual responsiveness to others of the same sex, like most human traits, is continuously distributed in the population (Michaels, 1996). Still the presumption exists that such traits are stable within each man over time (Michaels, 1996). Conflating same-sex sexual experiences with a categorization of the man as homosexual is problematic, in that defining sexuality solely on the basis of experience excludes people who fantasize about sex with others of the same sex but never have sexual contact. Thus, most modern conceptions of sexual orientation consider personal identification, sexual behavior, and sexual fantasy (McWhirter, Sanders & Reinisch, 1990). Gay men's mental health can only be understood in the context of homosexuality throughout history, since religious and moral objections to sexual attraction between men have existed for centuries. Men who desired other men were regarded as sinful and depraved if not ill or abnormal, and same sex contacts were not distinguished from lewd behaviors (Weeks, 1989). Although most people, regardless of sexual orientation, have experienced some feelings of personal rejection, rarely do heterosexuals become targets for disapproval based on the nature of their attractions and behaviors relative to the same and to the other sex. For lesbians, bisexuals, and gay men, however, homosexuality becomes the focus of aspects of themselves that make them feel hated and hateful (Isay, 1989). While gay men and lesbians are often considered together because of the same-sex nature of their relationships and the similar issues that they may experience in their treatment within society, there are many issues where they might be best studied separately. Issues involving with health, parenthood, sexuality and perceived roles and status in society, for example, are often related more to gender than to any shared concept of a 'gay and lesbian community'. Many issues surrounding lesbians and lesbian culture will have more to do with women's issues, and some issues involving with gay men will have more to do with the gay male subculture and with masculinity. The author of this paper has limited experience in working with lesbian and bisexual individuals, and although it is likely that some of the concepts articulated in this paper could translate to working with lesbian and bisexual individuals, further research is indicated to examine the beneficence of utilizing a Self Psychological orientation in psychotherapy with lesbian women and bisexual individuals. This paper presents an overview of the literature including historical treatments of homosexuality, the history of Self Psychology, key principles in Self Psychology, research on Self Psychology, identity development models for gay men, and Self Psychological perspectives on identity development related to gay men. The literature review is followed by a section on treatment implications for psychologists seeking to treat gay men, including case vignettes based on work from my own practice. I have preserved the anonymity of clients by changing demographics, and rearranging and combining presenting issues and historical backgrounds among the case examples.

The Relationship Between Feminine Gender Norm Conformity and Purpose and Meaning in Life Among Female College Students.

This study explores the relationship between conformity to traditional feminine gender norms and meaning and purpose in life among female college students. Based on previous research findings that show a negative correlation between specific traditional feminine gender norm conformity factors and psychological well-being, we posited that participants with higher levels of traditional gender norm conformity will experience a lower sense of meaning and purpose in life. Self-report data was obtained from 338 female undergraduate college students using the Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory (CFNI) and the Purpose in Life Test (PIL). A standard multiple regression assessed the accuracy of eight feminine norms in predicting purpose and meaning in life. Results partially supported the hypothesis, with Modesty as the most significant contributor to meaning and purpose. Inconsistent with our hypothesis, participants who endorsed high scores on Nice in Relationships, Involvement with Children, Sexual Fidelity, and Domestic, scored higher on the PIL.

Women and Performance in Corporate America

Women and Performance in Corporate America The glass ceiling has been shattered. Women like Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo.; Angela Braly, the CEO of Wellpoint; and Patricia Woertz, the CEO of Archer Daniels Midland, are proof that women can achieve top leadership positions in corporate America. However, the scarcity of female leaders occupying the top ranks of corporate America, and the significant wage gap between men and women, suggest that there are significant complications along the path toward success for women in the corporate world.The data show that a disproportionately small number of women are making it to top leadership positions in corporate America. According to the US Department of Labor, in 2007 women accounted for 46% of the total work force, and 51 % of all workers in management, professional, and related occupations. Women outnumbered men in occupations including financial managers, human resource managers, education administrators, medical and health service managers, accountants and auditors, budget analysts, and property, real estate, and social and community association managers (US Department of Labor, 2007). However, women hold only 15.2% of board director positions, 15.7% of corporate officer positions, and 6.2% of top earner positions (Catalyst, 2009b). Additionally, according to a 2008 Corporate Library survey, only 2.6% of Fortune 500 companies currently have female CEOs (as cited in Jones, 2009).The data also show that women earn less than men in the work force. The US Department of Labor found that women working full time in 2007 made only 80% of the salaries of men (US Department of Labor, 2008). Studies designed to control for factors other than gender have not been able to account for the wage gap between men and women (Eagly & Carli, 2007, US Government Accountability Office, 2003). Even among CEO's of fortune 500 companies, female CEO's make only 85% of the salaries of male CEO's (Jones, 2009).

Recovery from Pediatric Brain Injury: A Preliminary Comparison of Longitudinal Data on Psychological Symptomology and Mental Health Treatment

Objective: To document the course of psychological symptomology, mental health treatment, and unmet psychological needs using caregiver reports in the first 18 months following pediatric brain injury (BI). Method: Participants included 28 children (aged 1-18 years) who were hospitalized at a children's hospital's rehabilitation unit. Caregiver reports of children's psychological symptoms, receipt of mental health treatment, and unmet psychological needs were assessed at one month, six months, 12 months, and 18 months post-BI. Results: Caregivers reported a general increase in psychological symptoms and receipt of mental health treatment over the 18 months following BI; however, there was a substantial gap between the high rate of reported symptoms and low rate of reported treatment. Across all four follow-up time points there were substantial unmet psychological needs (at least 60% of sample). Conclusions: Findings suggest that there are substantial unmet psychological needs among children during the first 18 months after BI. Barriers to mental health treatment for this population need to be addressed.

Just Need Some Satisfaction: Examining the Relationship between Passion for Exercise and the Basic Psychological Needs

Individuals often pursue activities for which they are passionate about, and this passion is operationalized as being harmonious (an autonomous desireto engage in the activity) or obsessive (a controlled desire to engage in the activity) in nature (Vallerand et al., 2003). With regard to harmonious passion, Vallerand et al. (2003) suggests that it is fostered in environments that nurture innate needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The purpose of the present study was to explore the nature of the passion-basic psychological needs (competence, autonomy, relatedness) relationship. Kinesiology students (N = 917; Mage = 18.54 SD = 1.66) completed the Passion Scale (Vallerand et al., 2003) and the Psychological Need Satisfaction in Exercise Scale (Wilson et al., 2006). Results from the SEM path analysis indicated that harmonious passion was positively related to competence (SPE = .43) and relatedness (SPE = .43) and obsessive passion was negatively related to autonomy (SPE = -.18)(CFI = .90, RMSEA = .07, SRMR = .07). Implications for exercise participation/enjoyment are discussed.

Caesarean Birth vs. Vaginal Delivery: Effects upon Maternal Satisfaction, Maternal Confidence and Maternal Perception of the Newborn Behaviour

In order to test the hypothesis that caesarean birth has negative consequences upon newly mothers’ satisfaction and perceptions, women delivering by caesarean birth (WCB) were compared with women delivering by vaginal birth (WVB). Subjects: 180 newly mothers; 93 WCB and 87 WVB. Instruments: A Socio-Demographic Questionnaire developed for this research, the Childbirth Perceptions Questionnaire and the Mother and Baby Scales. Results: WCB had significantly lower scores in perceptions of baby as alert/responsive and nearly significant lower scores for baby as alert during feeds. WVB showed a significantly higher level of satisfaction with delivery and conduct during labour, as also had significantly lower scores for perceptions of baby as irritable during feeds and for lack of confidence in feeds. After controlling for the kind of anesthesia received in labour, three conclusions must be taken into account: 1) between WCB with regional anaesthesia and WCB with general anaesthesia there is only one significant difference, with the former having higher scores for perception of baby as alert during feeds; 2) between WVB with regional anaesthesia and WVB with no anaesthesia there are only two significant differences, with the former having higher scores for lack of confidence in feeding and having lower scores for global confidence; 3) between WCB with regional anaesthesia and WVB with regional anaesthesia four significant differences emerge, with the former having a lower level of satisfaction with delivery and conduct in labour and having lower scores for perception of baby as alert responsive, and also having higher scores of perception of baby as irritable in feeds and higher scores for lack of confidence in feeding. Data seem compatible with the hypothesis that caesarean birth has some negative consequences upon mothers’ satisfaction and perceptions and, for this reason, psychological surveys should constitute a routine procedure in maternity hospitals, especially when newly mothers pertain to families affected by risks of psychological or social nature.

Advice to a mother on the management of her children : and on the treatment on the moment of some of [sic] their more pressing illnesses and accidents /

Includes index.

Maternity and Child Welfare

Organ of the National Council for Maternity and Child Welfare, 1921-Mar.1930 (Central Council for Infant and Child Welfare, 1921-Feb.1929)

Adolescents' willingness to seek psychological help: Promoting and preventing factors

Although a relatively high percentage of Australian adolescents experience mental health problems, many disturbed adolescents do not receive the help they require, and only a small proportion of adolescents seek professional psychological help. The present study examined adolescents' willingness to seek help and investigated factors that promote and prevent adolescents from seeking help for a mental illness from both formal and informal sources. Secondary school students (254 in number) from schools in Brisbane, Australia completed a questionnaire that examined the relationship between demographic and psychological variables, attitudes toward mental illness, and willingness to seek help for a mental illness. Results suggest that adolescents with greater adaptive functioning, fewer perceived barriers to help seeking, and higher psychological distress were more willing to seek help from formal and informal sources for a mental illness. Greater social support also predicted willingness to seek help from informal sources. Although attitudes toward mental illness did not influence willingness to seek help, less stigmatising attitudes were related to higher knowledge of mental illness, being female, and higher levels of social support. Implications for the present study focus on enhancing the ability of mental health interventions to increase adolescents' willingness to seek psychological help.