Effects of parenting experiences and early maladaptive schemas on adjustment to atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is a psychosomatic chronic skin condition. Onset of the condition usually occurs in early life. Some people however, do develop it much later. Even though studies have demonstrated high levels of psychological disturbance and maladjustment among most people with AD, some others still do not, suggesting that a certain level of variability exists in the way people adjust to their skin condition. The goal of the present study was to identify the factors that determine adjustment to AD and account for this variability. Existing studies on this topic have considered factors such as: age of onset of the condition, demographic characteristics, disease severity and visibility, cognitive representations of illness and condition appraisals. Most of these studies however are limited in the explanations that they offer. Drawing upon the schema theory model of personality development and psychopathology, the present study proposes that adjustment to AD is mediated by personality-level structures (self-schemas) that have their origins in early experiences. Design: A cross-sectional design was employed with three groups: a) patients with an early onset of atopic dermatitis (n = 130), b) patients with a late onset (n = 76) and c) people with no chronic medical condition (n = 74). Method: All groups completed the Young Parenting Inventory- Revised, and the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3. The two atopic dermatitis groups also completed the Adjustment to Chronic Skin Disease Questionnaire. Results suggest that: a) people with an early and a late onset of atopic dermatitis were presented with a certain schematic profile that differentiated them from participants in the control groups; b) a certain pattern of early parenting experiences was linked to the development of this schematic profile and c) this schematic profile predicted high levels of dysfunctional coping and difficulties in adjustment. Findings have a clear relevance to the practice of Counselling Psychology. Limitations of the study and clinical implications are discussed

Regulating secure software development : analysing the potential regulatory solutions for the lack of security in software

The security of our informational infra­structure is still relatively poor. Huge investments have been made and even the regulators have taken information security seriously. Majority of current efforts both at the operational and the regulatory level, however, address only symptoms of an underlying problem: the insecurity of the software products - the salient components of most information and software systems. Secure software development has gained momentum during the past couple of years and improvements have been made. By analysing the incentives for secure software development, it is argued in this study that without appropriate regulatory intervention the level of security will not improve to meet the needs of the network society as a whole. Beside information security in general, secure software development has to be raised as an important public policy if we wish to achieve a more secure network society and to maintain trust for information products and systems in commerce. Efficacious regulatory measures are desperately needed to change the current practices. This study analyses two of the most attractive alternatives, software product liability and disclosure of vulnerability information, and makes suggestions for their improvement

The Products Liability Crisis: Modest Proposals For Legislative Reform

This article will attempt to identify some of the sources of the problems which are adversely affecting the system of products liability litigation and will offer proposals for reform within the framework of the law of products liability

Artificial Intelligence and civil liability

This study – commissioned by the Policy Department C at the request of the Committee on Legal Affairs – analyses the notion of AI-technologies and the applicable legal framework for civil liability. It demonstrates how technology regulation should be technologyspecific, and presents a Risk Management Approach, where the party who is best capable of controlling and managing a technology-related risk is held strictly liable, as a single entry point for litigation. It then applies such approach to four case-studies, to elaborate recommendations