Use of the booklet category test to assess abstract concept formation in schizophrenic disorders

The relationship of concept formation abilities to the presence or absence of delusions in schizophrenic disorders was investigated. Twenty-six schizophrenic patients and 14 normal individuals were administered a short form of the Booklet Category Test (BCT). Patients were grouped into those with and without delusions. It was hypothesized that the delusional group would perform significantly better on the BCT (obtain lower error scores) than the nondelusional group. Normal and delusional groups obtained significantly lower BCT error scores than the nondelusional group, even when differences in IQ scores were statistically partialled out. The two schizophrenic groups also differed significantly on BCT error scores with the delusional group performing better than the nondelusional group

El Trastorno por Estrés Postraumático (PTSD) de Larga Duración como Resultado de Cirugía Genital en Menores

An estimated 650 million males and 120 million females living today have had part of their genitals amputated during infancy or childhood. Genital surgery performed on unconsenting minors (including both circumcision and sex-reassignment surgery) has been claimed by its adherents to cause few adverse psychological effects. However, mounting evidence now reveals that such genital cutting causes harm physically, sexually, and often psychologically. For example, among 313 men circumcised as infants, 75% reported psychological harm, 60% reported resentment, 54% reported anger, 50% felt violated, 47% felt inferior to intact males, and 43% believed that circumcision impeded sexual relations. Individuals circumcised as children or subjected to sex-change operations have often described their experiences in the language of violation, torture, mutilation, and sexual assault. In view of the possible long-term adverse effects on mental health caused by unnecessary genital surgery on infants and children, it is time to cease all forms of such non-therapeutic genital cutting.Unos 650 millones de hombres y 120 millones de mujeres que viven en la actualidad sufrieron modificaciones genitales. Los partidarios de la cirugía genital han considerado que realizar la circuncisión y el cambio de sexo sin consentimiento en niños y niñas prácticamente no tiene secuelas psicológicas negativas. Sin embargo, la creciente evidencia empírica muestra que mutilación genital causa daño en el ámbito físico, sexual y, a veces, psicológico. Por ejemplo, de 313 hombres circuncidados cuando eran niños, el 75% manifestaban daño psicológico, el 60% indicaban resentimiento, el 54% mostraban cólera, el 50% se sentían violados, el 47% se consideraban inferiores y el 43% creían que la circuncisión perjudicaba sus relaciones sexuales. Las víctimas de la circuncisión, o las sometidas a operaciones de cambio de sexo, cuando eran menores con frecuenciahan descrito sus experiencias en términos de violación, tortura, mutilación yataque sexual. Dados los efectos adversos posibles a largo plazo sobre la salud mental que causa la cirugía genital innecesaria, ha llegado el momento para que, se paren todas las formas de mutilación genital en los menores

The Challenge of Serving a Diverse Church: Being Christ for Others

Rev. Gregory Boyle, S.J., was ordained a priest in 1984 and shortly afterward became the pastor of Dolores Mission parish, serving from 1986-1992. While at Dolores Mission, he developed numerous programs for at-risk youth in the community. In 2001 his various projects assisting youths in gangs were united under one banner: Homeboy Industries. Through Homeboy, Fr. Greg has provided job training and work experience, mental health counseling, tattoo removal, and education, including Opportunities for Learning Charter High School, all in an environment where once-rival gang members are able to work side by side. In his talk to the Catholic Higher Education Collaborative conference (CHEC) attendees at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), Fr. Greg challenged educators to reach out to youth at the margins. Rather than being in service to, he called on his audience to be in solidarity with those who are most at-risk. His story is an example of what can be accomplished through unconditional love for troubled youth. What follows is the text of Fr. Greg’s talk to CHEC at LMU in January 2009