Hearing voices: coping, resilience and recovery

Introduction: The aim of this study was to explore the experience of people who hear voices and how the support offered to them affects coping, resilience and recovery. Individual factors such as coping, resilience, belief systems and current service provisions are discussed within the developing context of the mental health system and wider society. Method: Seven people who hear voices were recruited from a local hearing voices group and interviewed using a semi-structured interview. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the transcripts. Results: Six key themes emerged from the participants’ accounts. These included: Psychiatry: social control; Psychiatry: a clinical model; Trauma, trauma and re-trauma; Voice awareness; Dancing with voices; and Relationships: lack of understanding. Discussion: The participants highlighted the support provided by the Hearing Voices Group and help provided by family and friends. This was considered in contrast with psychiatry which was viewed unfavourably. The primary difference in the experience of support, perceived as either helpful or unhelpful, was linked to the emphasis on specific factors that the interviewees considered to influence their process of recovery. These included being in a safe and non-judgemental environment, being offered hope and validation of their experiences, as well as having a means to socially connect and empower their position so that they can be more active in their own recovery. The research suggests that more training in the conceptual frameworks and models of recovery, a greater focus on working with the family and wider support, enhanced collaborative working, and more tailored outcome measures would help services to better meet these individuals’ needs during the recovery process

Comparing cultural competence in graduating Master of Social Work and Nursing students

The purpose of this study was to compare cultural competence between graduating Bachelor of Nursing students and Master of Social Work students. The study participants consisted of 107 students who were graduating from either the MSW program or the Bachelor of Nursing program at California State University, San Bernardino. Participants were asked to complete a cultural competence survey and quantitative data analysis was utilized to compare cultural competence among respondents

The effect of co-colonization with community-acquired and hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains on competitive exclusion

We investigate the in-hospital transmission dynamics of two methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strains: hospital-acquired methicillin resistant S. aureus (HA-MRSA) and community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA). Under the assumption that patients can only be colonized with one strain of MRSA at a time, global results show that competitive exclusion occurs between HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA strains; the strain with the larger basic reproduction ratio will become endemic while the other is extinguished due to competition. Because new studies suggest that patients can be concurrently colonized with multiple strains of MRSA, we extend the model to allow patients to be co-colonized with HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA. Using the extended model, we explore the effect of co-colonization on competitive exclusion by determining the invasion reproduction ratios of the boundary equilibria. In contrast to results derived from the assumption that co-colonization does not occur, the extended model rarely exhibits competitive exclusion. More commonly, both strains become endemic in the hospital. When transmission rates are assumed equal and decolonization measures act equally on all strains, competitive exclusion never occurs. Other interesting phenomena are exhibited. For example, solutions can tend toward a co-existence equilibrium, even when the basic reproduction ratio of one of the strains is less than one

Rapid Emergence of Co-colonization with Community-acquired and Hospital-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains in the Hospital Setting

Background: Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CAMRSA), a novel strain of MRSA, has recently emerged and rapidly spread in the community. Invasion into the hospital setting with replacement of the hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) has also been documented. Co-colonization with both CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA would have important clinical implications given differences in antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and the potential for exchange of genetic information. Methods: A deterministic mathematical model was developed to characterize the transmission dynamics of HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA in the hospital setting and to quantify the emergence of co-colonization with both strains Results: The model analysis shows that the state of co-colonization becomes endemic over time and that typically there is no competitive exclusion of either strain. Increasing the length of stay or rate of hospital entry among patients colonized with CA-MRSA leads to a rapid increase in the co-colonized state. Compared to MRSA decolonization strategy, improving hand hygiene compliance has the greatest impact on decreasing the prevalence of HA-MRSA, CA-MRSA and the co-colonized state. Conclusions: The model predicts that with the expanding community reservoir of CA-MRSA, the majority of hospitalized patients will become colonized with both CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA

The Moralizing Effect: self-directed emotions and their impact on culpability attributions

Introduction: A general trend in the psychological literature suggests that guilt contributes to morality more than shame does. Unlike shame-prone individuals, guilt-prone individuals internalize the causality of negative events, attribute responsibility in the first person, and engage in responsible behavior. However, it is not known how guilt- and shame-proneness interact with the attribution of responsibility to others. Methods: In two Web-based experiments, participants reported their attributions of moral culpability (i.e., responsibility, causality, punishment and decision-making) about morally ambiguous acts of killing in different conditions. In Study 1 the vignettes were presented in the 1st person, while in Study 2 in the 3rd person. To test proneness to guilt and shame, we utilized the GASP scale, which differentiates between the affective and behavioral components of each emotion. Statistical analyses were performed in Matlab and R. Results: We found that guilt- and shame-proneness were associated with the severity of attributions in both the first and the third person, but the effect was strong only in the guilt case (both subtypes) and shame-affect case, and not in the shame-behavior case. We call this the Moralizing Effect. Discussion: We wonder whether our finding that guilt-prone people tend to attribute a higher degree of culpability to others is really consistent with the view that guilt motivates people to choose the “moral paths in life”. This echoes views about the harmful aspects of guilt, which have been expressed historically in philosophy, for example, by Friedrich Nietzsche

The Moralizing Effect: self-directed emotions and their impact on culpability attributions

IntroductionA general trend in the psychological literature suggests that guilt contributes to morality more than shame does. Unlike shame-prone individuals, guilt-prone individuals internalize the causality of negative events, attribute responsibility in the first person, and engage in responsible behavior. However, it is not known how guilt- and shame-proneness interact with the attribution of responsibility to others.MethodsIn two Web-based experiments, participants reported their attributions of moral culpability (i.e., responsibility, causality, punishment and decision-making) about morally ambiguous acts of killing in different conditions. In Study 1 the vignettes were presented in the 1st person, while in Study 2 in the 3rd person. To test proneness to guilt and shame, we utilized the GASP scale, which differentiates between the affective and behavioral components of each emotion. Statistical analyses were performed in Matlab and R.ResultsWe found that guilt- and shame-proneness were associated with the severity of attributions in both the first and the third person, but the effect was strong only in the guilt case (both subtypes) and shame-affect case, and not in the shame-behavior case. We call this the Moralizing Effect.DiscussionWe wonder whether our finding that guilt-prone people tend to attribute a higher degree of culpability to others is really consistent with the view that guilt motivates people to choose the “moral paths in life”. This echoes views about the harmful aspects of guilt, which have been expressed historically in philosophy, for example, by Friedrich Nietzsche

Carbon-Oxygen Bond Formation via Organometallic Baeyer-Villiger Transformations: A Computational Study on the Impact of Metal Identity

Article discussing a computational study on the impact of metal identity and carbon-oxygen bond formation via organometallic Baeyer-Villiger transformations

An Orphan CpG Island Drives Expression of a let-7 miRNA Precursor with an Important Role in Mouse Development.

Most human genes are associated with promoters embedded in non-methylated, G + C-rich CpG islands (CGIs). Not all CGIs are found at annotated promoters, however, raising the possibility that many serve as promoters for transcripts that do not code for proteins. To test this hypothesis, we searched for novel transcripts in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) that originate within orphan CGIs. Among several candidates, we detected a transcript that included three members of the let-7 micro-RNA family: Let-7a-1, let-7f-1, and let-7d. Deletion of the CGI prevented expression of the precursor RNA and depleted the included miRNAs. Mice homozygous for this mutation were sub-viable and showed growth and other defects. The results suggest that despite the identity of their seed sequences, members of the let-7 miRNA family exert distinct functions that cannot be complemented by other members

The Grizzly, October 31, 1995

Drug Raid at Graterford Prison • Inauguration Day • Ruby Update • Better Safe Than Sorry • Ursinus Students, Parents to Co-Sponsor Can-a-Thon for Needy • Trick or Treaters Invade Quad • Debate: Censorship • Dr. Nagy Responds • Homophobia is not Closed-Mindedness • It Wasn\u27t About Farrakhan • March for Family Value Restoration • Truth, Justice, and the American Way • Ignorance Breeds Fear • Homosexuality is a Choice • Ursinus Choir and Meistersingers Perform Works by Purcell • An Evening Perspective • The Parable of the Beach • Spotlight: Beatrice May • B.Y.O.! • Soccer Defeats Cabrini, Falls to Muhlenberg • Field Hockey Drops Decisions to St. Joe\u27s and Rutgers • Harries Compete in CC Championship • Season Ends with Losshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1367/thumbnail.jp