A contextual behavioral approach to the study of (persecutory) delusions

Throughout the past century the topic of delusions has mainly been studied by researchers operating at the mental level of analysis. According to this perspective, delusional beliefs, as well as their emergence and persistence, stem from an interplay between (dysfunctional) mental representations and processes. Our paper aims to provide a starting point for researchers and clinicians interested in examining the topic of delusions from a functional-analytic perspective. We begin with a brief review of the research literature with a particular focus on persecutory delusions. Thereafter we introduce Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS), Relational Frame Theory (RFT) and a behavioral phenomenon known as arbitrarily applicable relational responding (AARR). Drawing upon AARR, and recent empirical developments within CBS, we argue that (persecutory) delusions may be conceptualized, studied and influenced using a functional-analytic approach. We consider future directions for research in this area as well as clinical interventions aimed at influencing delusions and their expression

A study of families' experiences of assisting a member into residential care : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Nursing at Massey University

Traditionally the responsibility of caring for an aging relative has fallen upon the family of that person, usually the spouse or the daughter(s). An increase in the state recognised age of retirement, more women returning to or remaining in the workforce, and the tendency of families to be more mobile than in the past, means that the option of being cared for in the community by family members has diminished for some elderly people. Residential care - an umbrella term for retirement homes, hospitals and secure units - provides an alternative for families unable to care for their aged relative(s). Some research has been done on the phenomenon of relocation into residential care from the client's perspective, yet there is a paucity of information about the experience from the point of view of the families involved in this process. This piece of research sets out to address this issue and to hopefully influence the nursing practice of those who work in this area

The defence industry in Scotland

“The defence industry is vital to Scotland”1 The above quote from the recent House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee report concerns the volume of economic activity that the defence industry supports in Scotland. We examine this issue

Top-down mandates and advocacy will help institutional repositories continue to enhance open access content and delivery

Institutional repositories (IRs) can sometimes be perceived as a low-impact method of open access delivery. Neil Stewart explains how the rapidly changing scholarly communications ecosystem stands to greatly benefit from the continued development of repositories. The future of IRs looks bright, and they and the services built upon them will continue to assist academics, both as producers and consumers of academic literature

Review of The Lamb and the Tiger: From Peacekeepers to Peacewarriors in Canada by Stanley R. Barrett

Review of The Lamb and the Tiger: From Peacekeepers to Peacewarriors in Canada by Stanley R. Barret

The Trump development in Aberdeenshire : what are the issues?

The development company set up by Donald Trump, Trump International Golf Links Scotland (TIGLS), set out plans in 2007 to create a high-quality golf, hotel and housing development at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire

Rivers Ribble and Hodder - habitat improvement

In order to improve the habitat of the Rivers Ribble and Hodder in the north west of England it is necessary to assess existing fish stocks. To assist the Ribble Fisheries Association a test census of stock has been made on the rivers Hodder and Ribble. The fish have been taken by electro fishing techniques. The following fish were collected over six days in September 1965: dace, chub, grayling, eel, salmon and trout. This short report summarises the findings of the survey

Locke, God, and Materialism

This paper investigates Locke’s views about materialism, by looking at the discussion in Essay IV.x. There Locke---after giving a cosmological argument for the existence of God---argues that God could not be material, and that matter alone could never produce thought. In discussing the chapter, I pay particular attention to some comparisons between Locke’s position and those of two other seventeenth-century philosophers, René Descartes and Ralph Cudworth. Making use of those comparisons, I argue for two main claims. The first is that the important argument of Essay IV.x.10 is fundamentally an argument about the causation of perfections. Indeed, Locke gives multiple such arguments in the chapter. My second main claim is that my proposed reading of IV.x is not merely consistent with what Locke says elsewhere about superaddition, but also provides reasons to favor a particular understanding of what superaddition is