The treatment of forgiveness in counselling and therapy.

Situations involving perceived hurts, slights, and other interpersonal maltreatment are at the core of counselling and therapy. Resolution of these situations frequently involves forgiveness of the transgressor. Despite this the concept of forgiveness has received relatively little attention within the counselling and therapy literature. The reasons for this are explored beginning with the association between forgiveness and the Judaeo-Christian tradition. Freud avoided the term forgiveness and psychoanalysts until very recently have followed suit. Ways in which forgiveness are conceptualised are explored. Difficulties related to forgiving associated with our conceptualisations of natural justice are identified. A cautionary note is struck about the dangers of pathologising non forgiveness given the enthusiasm for forgiveness in the current research literature and in Positive Psychology. Distinctions between processes of forgiveness are made which are particularly potent for counselling. A summary of the literature with regard to the health benefits of forgiveness is presented and some client dilemmas in relation to forgiveness are outlined. Most of the emergent research on forgiveness is being undertaken by academic psychologists and the argument is made that counselling psychologists are uniquely equipped to contribute to the growing research literature on forgiveness.</p

Postdisaster Reconstruction of Horizontal Infrastructure Systems: A Review of the Christchurch Rebuild

This paper investigates the decision-making processes guiding postdisaster infrastructure reconstruction— concentrating on wastewater, water supply, stormwater and road networks (“horizontal infrastructure”). It draws on empirical analysis of the postearthquake reconstruction currently underway in Christchurch, New Zealand. Restoring infrastructure services to provide at least a basic level of essential services after a disaster helps wider economic recovery. Subsequently, there is pressure to restore infrastructure services to predisaster levels as quickly as possible. Reconstruction programmes thus commence in highly uncertain decision-making environments and are reactive to perceived, immediate needs. The extent and nature of the work is later clarified and re-evaluated as projects progress. This context of postdisaster response presents unique challenges in terms of design and delivery processes. The focus of this paper is to address the impact of such institutional and organizational arrangements on postdisaster reconstruction decisions. It also discusses changes in decision making that occur over time as needs change. It does this through examining changes in the overall design philosophy and approaches to prioritization and deferment in the Christchurch case study

Development and evaluation of an early detection intervention for mouth cancer using a mass media approach

Scotland has a high incidence of mouth cancer, but public awareness and knowledge are low compared with other cancers. The West of Scotland Cancer Awareness Project sought to increase public awareness and knowledge of mouth cancer and to encourage early detection of symptoms among an at-risk population of people aged over 40 years from lower socio-economic groups using a mass media approach. The media campaign aimed to increase people’s feelings of personal risk, while also enhancing feelings of efficacy and control. To achieve this, a testimonial approach (using real people to tell their own stories) was adopted

Effects of self-management program on healthy lifestyle behaviors among elderly with hypertension

© 2018, Behavioral Science Research Institute. This research aimed to evaluate whether a self-management program promoted healthy lifestyle behaviors (HLBs) and improved health outcomes among Thai elderly with hypertension. Participants were randomly allocated to either an intervention group (n=20), that received an 8-week self-management program that included home visits, or a control group (n = 20). The data were analyzed by a chi-square analysis, a mixed-model repeated measure MANOVA, and MANCOVAs. There were significant differences in the mean scores of healthy lifestyle behaviors at posttest and follow-up between the two groups (p < 0.01). Moreover, the experimental participants showed statistically significant decrease in BMI as compared to the control group participants in posttest and follow-up (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant reduction in blood pressure in the experimental participants, compared with the control participants at follow-up (p < 0.001). Furthermore, healthy lifestyle behaviors increased significantly in the experimental participants compared with the control participants and baseline (p < 0.001). In addition, BMI and blood pressure decreased in the experimental participants compared with the control participants and baseline (p < 0.001). The self-management program resulted in improved healthy lifestyle behaviors, and health outcomes among the elderly with hypertension, and has implications for health promotion

The cessation in pregnancy incentives trial (CPIT): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Seventy percent of women in Scotland have at least one baby, making pregnancy an opportunity to help most young women quit smoking before their own health is irreparably compromised. By quitting during pregnancy their infants will be protected from miscarriage and still birth as well as low birth weight, asthma, attention deficit disorder and adult cardiovascular disease. In the UK, the NICE guidelines: 'How to stop smoking in pregnancy and following childbirth' (June 2010) highlighted that little evidence exists in the literature to confirm the efficacy of financial incentives to help pregnant smokers to quit. Its first research recommendation was to determine: Within a UK context, are incentives an acceptable, effective and cost-effective way to help pregnant women who smoke to quit? &lt;p/&gt;Design and Methods: This study is a phase II exploratory individually randomised controlled trial comparing standard care for pregnant smokers with standard care plus the additional offer of financial voucher incentives to engage with specialist cessation services and/or to quit smoking during pregnancy. Participants (n=600) will be pregnant smokers identified at maternity booking who when contacted by specialist cessation services agree to having their details passed to the NHS Smokefree Pregnancy Study Helpline to discuss the trial. The NHS Smokefree Pregnancy Study Helpline will be responsible for telephone consent and follow-up in late pregnancy. The primary outcome will be self reported smoking in late pregnancy verified by cotinine measurement. An economic evaluation will refine cost data collection and assess potential cost-effectiveness while qualitative research interviews with clients and health professionals will assess the level of acceptance of this form of incentive payment. Research questions What is the likely therapeutic efficacy? Are incentives potentially cost-effective? Is individual randomisation an efficient trial design without introducing outcome bias? Can incentives be introduced in a way that is feasible and acceptable? &lt;p/&gt;Discussion: This phase II trial will establish a workable design to reduce the risks associated with a future definitive phase III multicentre randomised controlled trial and establish a framework to assess the costs and benefits of financial incentives to help pregnant smokers to quit

Major Constituents Analysis for the Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor

Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor (VCAM) can provide a means for monitoring the air within enclosed environments such as the International Space Station, the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), a Lunar habitat, or another vehicle traveling to Mars. The software processes a sum total spectra (counts vs. mass channel) with the intention of computing abundance ratios for N2, O2, CO2, Ar2, and H2O. A brute-force powerset expansion compares a library of expected mass lines with those found within the data. Least squares error is combined with a penalty term for using small peaks

Histogrammatic Method for Determining Relative Abundance of Input Gas Pulse

To satisfy the Major Constituents Analysis (MCA) requirements for the Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor (VCAM), this software analyzes the relative abundance ratios for N2, O2, Ar, and CO2 as a function of time and constructs their best-estimate mean. A histogram is first built of all abundance ratios for each of the species vs time. The abundance peaks corresponding to the intended measurement and any obfuscating background are then separated via standard peak-finding techniques in histogram space. A voting scheme is then used to include/exclude this particular time sample in the final average based on its membership to the intended measurement or the background population. This results in a robust and reasonable estimate of the abundance of trace components such as CO2 and Ar even in the presence of obfuscating backgrounds internal to the VCAM device. VCAM can provide a means for monitoring the air within the enclosed environments, such as the ISS (International Space Station), Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), a Lunar Habitat, or another vehicle traveling to Mars. Its miniature pre-concentrator, gas chromatograph (GC), and mass spectrometer can provide unbiased detection of a large number of organic species as well as MCA analysis. VCAM s software can identify the concentration of trace chemicals and whether the chemicals are on a targeted list of hazardous compounds. This innovation s performance and reliability on orbit, along with the ground team s assessment of its raw data and analysis results, will validate its technology for future use and development

Defining forgiveness: Christian clergy and general population perspectives.

The lack of any consensual definition of forgiveness is a serious weakness in the research literature (McCullough, Pargament &amp; Thoresen, 2000). As forgiveness is at the core of Christianity, this study returns to the Christian source of the concept to explore the meaning of forgiveness for practicing Christian clergy. Comparisons are made with a general population sample and social science definitions of forgiveness to ensure that a shared meaning of forgiveness is articulated. Anglican and Roman Catholic clergy (N = 209) and a general population sample (N = 159) completed a postal questionnaire about forgiveness. There is agreement on the existence of individual differences in forgiveness. Clergy and the general population perceive reconciliation as necessary for forgiveness while there is no consensus within psychology. The clergy suggests that forgiveness is limitless and that repentance is unnecessary while the general population suggests that there are limits and that repentance is necessary. Psychological definitions do not conceptualize repentance as necessary for forgiveness and the question of limits has not been addressed although within therapy the implicit assumption is that forgiveness is limitless.</p