Examination of an emotion-focused therapy intervention to promote self-forgiveness for interpersonal offenses

This study examined the effectiveness of a newly-developed emotion-focused counseling intervention designed to increase self-forgiveness for regretted actions committed against another person. Twenty-six participants who indicated they had unresolved emotions about a past offense enrolled in the study and were randomly assigned to a delayed or immediate treatment condition. Twenty-one participants completed the study. Results demonstrated the intervention had positive effects on both offense-specific emotional responses and on general well-being. After controlling for screening scores, participants who received the treatment had significantly lower self-condemnation and significantly greater state self-forgiveness and self-reported self-forgiveness than did participants who spent time on a waiting list. Again controlling for screening scores, treated participants also had significantly lower psychological distress and significantly greater self-compassion at the end of treatment than did participants who spent time on a waiting list. Satisfaction with life was only marginally impacted by the intervention relative to the waiting list. Results of this study demonstrate the utility of this new intervention for helping clients resolve the negative residual effects of unforgiveness toward the self

Results from Iowa State Female Graduate Student Needs Assessment Survey, July 2012

During the spring 2012 semester, a task force of graduate students, staff, and faculty created a survey to gather information from women graduate students about their experiences at Iowa State University (ISU). The survey was adapted from similar surveys at MIT and University of Maryland. Our survey had four main sections: (1) Campus climate, (2) Professional development and academic services, (3) Student workload and student services, (4) Wellness, family and housing

A Framework for the Specificity of Addictions

Research over the last two decades suggests that a wide range of substance and behavioral addictions may serve similar functions. Yet, co-occurrence of addictions has only been reported among a minority of addicts. “Addiction specificity” pertains to a phenomenon in which one pattern of addictive behaviors may be acquired whereas another is not. This paper presents the PACE model as a framework which might help explain addiction specificity. Pragmatics, attraction, communication, and expectation (PACE) variables are described, which may help give some direction to future research needs in this arena

Examination of an emotion-focused therapy intervention to promote self-forgiveness for interpersonal offenses

This study examined the effectiveness of a newly-developed emotion-focused counseling intervention designed to increase self-forgiveness for regretted actions committed against another person. Twenty-six participants who indicated they had unresolved emotions about a past offense enrolled in the study and were randomly assigned to a delayed or immediate treatment condition. Twenty-one participants completed the study. Results demonstrated the intervention had positive effects on both offense-specific emotional responses and on general well-being. After controlling for screening scores, participants who received the treatment had significantly lower self-condemnation and significantly greater state self-forgiveness and self-reported self-forgiveness than did participants who spent time on a waiting list. Again controlling for screening scores, treated participants also had significantly lower psychological distress and significantly greater self-compassion at the end of treatment than did participants who spent time on a waiting list. Satisfaction with life was only marginally impacted by the intervention relative to the waiting list. Results of this study demonstrate the utility of this new intervention for helping clients resolve the negative residual effects of unforgiveness toward the self.</p

The integration of religion and spirituality in group therapy: Practitioners' perceptions and practices

The current study examined practitioners' perceptions and practices regarding the integration of religion and spirituality in group therapy. Results indicate that therapists' degree of spirituality positively predicts their perceived appropriateness of religious and spiritual interventions. This perceived appropriateness, as well as therapists' spirituality and religious commitment, influenced practitioners' use of the same religious and spiritual interventions. Therapists in the study reported low levels of perceived barriers to addressing spirituality in group therapy, yet largely did not practice religious or spiritual integration. In addition, participants viewed spirituality and religion to be different constructs. Participants reported spiritual interventions to be more appropriate than religious interventions and reported more frequent use of spiritual interventions than they did use of religious interventions. Finally, practitioners in this study reported more openness to addressing spirituality in group therapy than they did openness to addressing religion in group therapy.</p

The Australian Naturalistic Driving Study: from beginnings to launch

The Australian Naturalistic Driving Study (ANDS), a ground-breaking study of Australian driver behaviour and performance, was officially launched on April 21st, 2015 at UNSW. The ANDS project will provide a realistic perspective on the causes of vehicle crashes and near miss crash events, along with the roles speeding, distraction and other factors have on such events. A total of 360 volunteer drivers across NSW and Victoria - 180 in NSW and 180 in Victoria - will be monitored by a Data Acquisition System (DAS) recording continuously for 4 months their driving behaviour using a suite of cameras and sensors. Participants’ driving behaviour (e.g. gaze), the behaviour of their vehicle (e.g. speed, lane position) and the behaviour of other road users with whom they interact in normal and safety-critical situations will be recorded. Planning of the ANDS commenced over two years ago in June 2013 when the Multi-Institutional Agreement for a grant supporting the equipment purchase and assembly phase was signed by parties involved in this large scale $4 million study (5 university accident research centres, 3 government regulators, 2 third party insurers and 2 industry partners). The program’s second development phase commenced a year later in June 2014 after a second grant was awarded. This paper presents an insider's view into that two year process leading up to the launch, and outlines issues that arose in the set-up phase of the study and how these were addressed. This information will be useful to other organisations considering setting up an NDS

Results from Iowa State Female Graduate Student Needs Assessment Survey, July 2012

During the spring 2012 semester, a task force of graduate students, staff, and faculty created a survey to gather information from women graduate students about their experiences at Iowa State University (ISU). The survey was adapted from similar surveys at MIT and University of Maryland. Our survey had four main sections: (1) Campus climate, (2) Professional development and academic services, (3) Student workload and student services, (4) Wellness, family and housing.</p