Pseudo-epsilon expansion and the two-dimensional Ising model

Starting from the five-loop renormalization-group expansions for the two-dimensional Euclidean scalar \phi^4 field theory (field-theoretical version of two-dimensional Ising model), pseudo-\epsilon expansions for the Wilson fixed point coordinate g*, critical exponents, and the sextic effective coupling constant g_6 are obtained. Pseudo-\epsilon expansions for g*, inverse susceptibility exponent \gamma, and g_6 are found to possess a remarkable property - higher-order terms in these expansions turn out to be so small that accurate enough numerical estimates can be obtained using simple Pade approximants, i. e. without addressing resummation procedures based upon the Borel transformation.Comment: 4 pages, 4 tables, few misprints avoide

Similarity in cognitive complexity and attraction to friends and lovers: Experimental and correlational studies

Abstract OnlyTwo studies are reported examining whether similarities in cognitive complexity foster different forms of interpersonal attraction. Study 1 provided an experimental test of the hypothesis that perceivers would be more attracted to targets with similar levels of complexity than to targets with dissimilar levels of complexity. Participants read interpersonal impressions reflecting low and high levels of cognitive complexity and completed 3 assessments of attraction (social, task, and intellectual) to the source of the impressions. As predicted, there were significant interactions between perceiver complexity and target complexity such that high-complexity perceivers were more attracted to high-complexity targets than were low-complexity perceivers, whereas low-complexity perceivers were more attracted to low-complexity targets than were high-complexity perceivers. Unexpectedly, however, low-complexity perceivers were more attracted to a high-complexity target than a low-complexity target. Study 2 examined the effects of similarities in cognitive complexity on attraction among 126 pairs of dating partners. Partners having similar levels of cognitive complexity expressed significantly greater intellectual attraction to one another than partners having dissimilar levels of cognitive complexity

The narrative model of therapeutic change: an exploratory study tracking innovative moments and protonarratives using state space grids

Despite the popularity of narrative approaches to the change in psychotherapy, a better understanding of how narrative transformation facilitates therapeutic change is needed. Research on innovative moments (IMs) has explored how IMs in psychotherapy evolve over time. We expand on past studies by exploring how IMs become aggregated in narrative threads, termed protonarratives, which come to constitute an alternative self-narrative at the conclusion of therapy. The results suggest that the good outcome case had a different pattern of IM integration within protonarratives, revealing greater flexibility than the poor outcome case. These results support the heuristic value of the concept of the protonarrative

Bereavement and palliative care: A public health perspective

In recent years there has been an increasing emphasis upon public health perspectives that place palliative care in the context of end-of-life services across whole populations. There is little corresponding public health interest in bereavement. Yet if we have to develop relevant, coherent, and comprehensive end-of-life care policies and practices, public health approaches to palliative care need to be accompanied by public health approaches to bereavement care. We argue here that palliative care services should match their commitment to providing a good death with a commitment to supporting good grief, and that this means investing their efforts principally in developing community capacity for bereavement care rather than seeking to deliver specialized bereavement services to relatives and friends of those who have received palliative care services

Predicting outcome of internet-based treatment for depressive symptoms.

In this study we explored predictors and moderators of response to Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Internet-based problem-solving therapy (PST) for depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 263 participants with moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Of those, 88 were randomized to CBT, 88 to PST and 87 to a waiting list control condition. Outcomes were improvement and clinically significant change in depressive symptoms after 8 weeks. Higher baseline depression and higher education predicted improvement, while higher education, less avoidance behavior and decreased rational problem-solving skills predicted clinically significant change across all groups. No variables were found that differentially predicted outcome between Internet-based CBT and Internet-based PST. More research is needed with sufficient power to investigate predictors and moderators of response to reveal for whom Internet-based therapy is best suited. © 2013 Copyright Society for Psychotherapy Research

Cultural Influences in the Processing of Emotion Schemas Related to Death and Violence: A Pilot Study

Culture is a key element in determining emotions that people experience when facing death. Recent studies revealed a specific emotion schema for the affective response to death (in comparison with unpleasant/violence-related stimulus), influenced by differences in the personalities and learning processes of the individuals, on the one hand, and differences in the cultural and social contexts of the two groups, on the other. The objective of the research was to compare the English participants’ affective response to pictures of death to those of the Spanish participants, who viewed other types of affective pictures (pleasant, unpleasant/violence-related and neutral). A total of 38 young adults took part in an emotional assessment using a set of pictures from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) database. They indicated the values of valence, arousal and dominance for each affective image. The results show that the images related to death were less unpleasant and caused a lower activation in the English population, while there were no differences in the two group’s responses to unpleasant/violent images

Cognitive and behavioral predictors of light therapy use

Objective: Although light therapy is effective in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other mood disorders, only 53-79% of individuals with SAD meet remission criteria after light therapy. Perhaps more importantly, only 12-41% of individuals with SAD continue to use the treatment even after a previous winter of successful treatment. Method: Participants completed surveys regarding (1) social, cognitive, and behavioral variables used to evaluate treatment adherence for other health-related issues, expectations and credibility of light therapy, (2) a depression symptoms scale, and (3) self-reported light therapy use. Results: Individuals age 18 or older responded (n = 40), all reporting having been diagnosed with a mood disorder for which light therapy is indicated. Social support and self-efficacy scores were predictive of light therapy use (p's<.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that testing social support and self-efficacy in a diagnosed patient population may identify factors related to the decision to use light therapy. Treatments that impact social support and self-efficacy may improve treatment response to light therapy in SAD. © 2012 Roecklein et al

The impact of mental health recovery narratives on recipients experiencing mental health problems: Qualitative analysis and change model.

BACKGROUND: Mental health recovery narratives are stories of recovery from mental health problems. Narratives may impact in helpful and harmful ways on those who receive them. The objective of this paper is to develop a change model identifying the range of possible impacts and how they occur. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adults with experience of mental health problems and recovery (n = 77). Participants were asked to share a mental health recovery narrative and to describe the impact of other people's recovery narratives on their own recovery. A change model was generated through iterative thematic analysis of transcripts. RESULTS: Change is initiated when a recipient develops a connection to a narrator or to the events descripted in their narrative. Change is mediated by the recipient recognising experiences shared with the narrator, noticing the achievements or difficulties of the narrator, learning how recovery happens, or experiencing emotional release. Helpful outcomes of receiving recovery narratives are connectedness, validation, hope, empowerment, appreciation, reference shift and stigma reduction. Harmful outcomes are a sense of inadequacy, disconnection, pessimism and burden. Impact is positively moderated by the perceived authenticity of the narrative, and can be reduced if the recipient is experiencing a crisis. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions that incorporate the use of recovery narratives, such as peer support, anti-stigma campaigns and bibliotherapy, can use the change model to maximise benefit and minimise harms from narratives. Interventions should incorporate a diverse range of narratives available through different mediums to enable a range of recipients to connect with and benefit from this material. Service providers using recovery narratives should preserve authenticity so as to maximise impact, for example by avoiding excessive editing