Classification of adults with problematic internet experiences: Linking internet and conventional problems from a clinical perspective.

Abstract This article utilizes data from clinical reports of 929 adults to examine whether various problematic Internet experiences are distinctly different from or extensions of conventional problems. A TwoStep Cluster Analysis identified three mutually exclusive groups of adults, those with (1) online relationship problems and victimization; (2) online and offline problems; and (3) marital discord. Results suggest some initial support for the idea that problematic Internet experiences are often extensions of experiences and behaviors that pre-date the Internet. However, the Internet may be introducing some qualitatively new dimensions - such as an increased severity, an increased frequency, or unique dynamics - that require new responses or interventions

Online mental health treatment: Concerns and considerations

Concerns and considerations have emerged as mental health professionals contemplate the provision of mental health treatment over the Internet. This paper identifies perceptions of online mental health treatment among a national sample of 2,098 social workers, psychologists, and other professionals. These professionals were unlikely to provide online mental health treatment, although some used the Internet as an adjunct to clinical practice. They noted specific concerns related to the provision of mental health treatment online, including confidentiality of client information and liability issues. We explore these issues and discuss implications for professionals who provide mental health treatment

Online homework is not significantly associated with course enjoyment

The purpose of this research was to discover if using online homework contributes to an overall higher enjoyment of the Introductory Psychology class, given that other factors are held constant. Students who used the online homework PsychPortlal for the Introductory Psychology 202 class would rate the “overall enjoyment of the psychology 202 class” higher than those students who didn’t used PsychPortal as a practice tool for the class

Multiple-Choice Testing to Teach Scientific Reasoning and Prepare Psychology Students for MCAT2015

Poster accepted for the 26th annual Association for Psychological Science convention. San Francisco, CA.Keywords: Test Preparation, Scientific Reasoning, Multiple-Choice Testing, MCAT2015, Psychology Student

A Brief Report on Predicting Self-Harm: Is It Gender or Abuse that Matters?

Self-harm, which consists of non-suicidal self-injury and attempted suicide, is a public health problem that is not well understood. There is conflicting evidence on the role of gender in predicting self-harm. Abuse history also is a potentially relevant factor to explore, as it is related to both gender and self-harm. In the current study, we hypothesized that abuse history, as opposed to gender, would predict self-harm. Three hundred ninety-seven undergraduates completed a self-report survey that assessed abuse history, non-suicidal self-injury, and attempted suicide. The results suggested that abuse history predicted non-suicidal self-injury and attempted suicide. These findings can inform clinical interventions, as they reinforce the importance of including abuse history in the conceptualizations and treatment of self-harm.Keywords: non-suicidal self-injury, suicidality, cumulative trauma, self-injury, self-harm, attempted suicide, abuse, gende

Examining Dissociation in Maltreated Preschool Children

The purpose of this study is to examine dissociation in a population of preschool-age foster children with documented cases of maltreatment. Data were collected from participants in the Early Intervention Foster Care program (EIFC), a randomized efficacy trial based on the empirically evaluated Multidimensional Specialized Foster Care program. Dissociative symptoms were assessed using three subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) that have been previously published in the trauma literature. Because the three subscales were highly intercorrelated, items were combined for a Exploratory Factor Analysis. Two distinct factors were found that may comprise new subscales assessing dissociative symptomatology and post-traumatic arousal symptomatology. In order to test their predictive validity, analyses compared the foster care sample and a community sample with no known maltreatment history and also compared dissociation across maltreatment categories. Implications for the use of dissociation as an adaptive coping mechanism are discussed

Psychology of Trauma 101, by L. M. Ruglass and K. Kendall-Tackett

This article is a review of the following work: PSYCHOLOGY OF TRAUMA 101. Lesia M. Ruglass and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett. Springer, 2015, 248 pp. Psychology of Trauma 101 is part of the Psych 101 Series that includes Motivation 101, Emotional Intelligence 101, and so forth. The goal, I infer, is to bring the basics of psychology to the public, one topic at a time. Psychology of trauma is not typically presented to students or the public this way. Typically, an introductory psychology class would cover stress, mental health, and related topics, but leave psychology of trauma for an upper-division course. Seeing Psychology of Trauma 101 sitting next to Intelligence 101 was unexpected, but it makes sense. Trauma affects a lot of people, and surely as many would benefit from knowing the basics as they would for the basics of, say, IQ testing

Media exposure predicts children\u27s reactions to crime and terrorism.

Abstract In this study we examined reactions to 3 news events (September 11 terrorist attacks, Summer 2002 kidnappings, and Fall 2002 sniper shootings) in a national, representative sample of children aged 2 to 17. Media exposure was related to increased worry and changes in activities, with September 11 creating the most concern and shootings the least. More signs of stress were apparent among 10- to 13-year-olds, minority children and those of low socioeconomic status, children with prior adversities, and children who lived in close geographical proximity. Girls aged 10 to 17 had more reaction to the kidnappings, suggesting that other features of target similarity may heighten a sense of risk. The results support moderating exposure for both younger and older youth