Professional Practice Guidelines for Occupationally Mandated Psychological Evaluations

Psychological evaluations are relied on by employers, professional licensing boards, and civil service commissions to make hiring and employment decisions affecting individuals, orga- nizations, and the public. To promote best practices, these professional practice guidelines were developed for use by psychologists who perform clinical evaluations of individuals for occupational purposes, regardless of whether the evaluation is intended to obtain employ- ment, to achieve licensure/certification, or to maintain either. These guidelines were created by the Committee on Professional Practice and Standards (COPPS) to educate and inform the practice of psychologists who conduct occupationally mandated psychological evaluations (OMPEs), as well as to stimulate debate and research in this important area

Emerging issues in traumatic stress studies

No abstract.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/56142/1/20263_ftp.pd

“statcheck”:Automatically detect statistical reporting inconsistencies to increase reproducibility of meta-analyses.

We present the R package and web app statcheck to automatically detect statistical reporting inconsistencies in primary studies and meta‐analyses. Previous research has shown a high prevalence of reported p‐values that are inconsistent ‐ meaning a re‐calculated p‐value, based on the reported test statistic and degrees of freedom, does not match the author‐reported p‐value. Such inconsistencies affect the reproducibility and evidential value of published findings. The tool statcheck can help researchers to identify statistical inconsistencies so that they may correct them. In this paper, we provide an overview of the prevalence and consequences of statistical reporting inconsistencies. We also discuss the tool statcheck in more detail and give an example of how it can be used in a meta‐analysis. We end with some recommendations concerning the use of statcheck in meta‐analyses and make a case for better reporting standards of statistical results

Responses to the publication of the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM 5

The idea and practice of ‘diagnosis’ in psychiatry has always been controversial. Controversy came to a head in the period preceding and immediately after publication of the latest version of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-5. There was widespread international discussion and debate not only in scholarly journals but in mainstream and social media, and to the formation of International DSM Response Committee and an International Summit on Psychiatric Diagnosis. This article documents that process and outlines the issues that provoked, and continue to provoke most controversy, from the (admittedly personal) perspective of those involved. It ends with suggestions of alternatives to diagnosis, which avoid some of these problems and outlines how these are being taken forward. The next ten years are likely to see significant change

First- and second-time parents’ couple relationship: from pregnancy to second year postpartum

First- and second-time parents’ couple relationships were studied from early pregnancy to the second year postpartum. The Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) was administered to Portuguese couples (N = 82), first- or second-time parents, at the first, second and third pregnancy trimester, childbirth, 3 and 18 months postpartum. Adverse changes in positive and negative partner relationship dimensions were reported from early pregnancy to the second year postpartum by all participants; in the same way by mothers and fathers and by first- and second-time parents. Second-time parents reported a worse couple relationship (lower RQ-positive scores) than first-time parents, but only during pregnancy. Results from the present study suggest a decline in partner relationship quality during the transition to parenthood both in mothers and fathers, as well as in first- and second-time parents.This research was supported by FEDER Funds through the Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade – COMPETE and by National Funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the project [PTDC/SAU/ SAP/116738/2010]

Psychosocial factors influencing the experience of sustainability professionals

Purpose The study seeks to gain insight into psychosocial factors influencing sustainability professionals in their work to lead by influencing and improving pro-environmental decision-making in their organisations. Approach Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis as a framework, the study enquires into the lived experience of sustainability professionals and leaders from the UK and Canada. The primary data source is semi- structured interviews, analysed with frame and metaphor analysis. Findings Key psychosocial factors involved in participants’ experience are identified, specifically psychological threat coping strategies, psychological needs, motivation and vitality, finding complex interactions between them. Tensions and trade-offs between competency, relatedness and autonomy needs and coping strategies such as suppression of negative emotion and ‘deep green’ identity are modelled in diagrams to show the dynamics. How these tensions are negotiated has implications for psychological wellbeing and effectiveness, as well as for pro-environmental cognition and behaviour. Implications The concepts and models presented in this paper may be of practical use to sustainability professionals, environmentalists and organisation leaders, for example in identifying interventions to develop inner resources, support authentic and effective action and disrupt maladaptive responses to ecological crisis. Originality/value The paper contributes insight to understanding of underlying processes shaping environmental cognition and behaviour, particularly in relation to psychological threat coping strategies and interacting factors. With a transdisciplinary approach, the methodology enables nuanced interpretation of complex phenomena to be generated, and addresses gaps in psychology and organisation studies sustainability research, with implications for the future study of sustainability leadership

Czech psychology students‘ attitudes toward same-sex parenting

Czech society has been increasingly more liberal toward LGBTI individuals and their parenting rights, although the Czech legislative system still does not treat same-sex couples equally to heterosexual couples. Attitudes of professionals who work with children and families are particularly important, as prejudice might be harmful in these circumstances. The present study aimed to evaluate the attitudes of future psychologists, participants were 164 psychology students from a university in Prague, the Czech Republic. They were presented with a vignette depicting a situation of a couple in a restaurant with their 4-year-old son who gets upset during the meal. The vignette was followed by a set of Likert scale items evaluating the parents’ and the child’s behaviour. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the eight versions of the vignette varying by the way how the couple solved the situation, the sexual orientation of the parents, and the gender of the acting parent. Overall, the couples were rated more favourably in the positive parenting situation than in the negative, and participants evaluated gay and lesbian parents more favourably than heterosexual parents. Results are discussed taking into account specific sample characteristics and the social climate regarding LGBTI rights in the Czech society

Mate preferences in Argentinean transgender people:An evolutionary perspective

Transgender people provide a unique opportunity to examine the effect of biological sex versus gender identity on mating preferences. This study aimed at identifying the mate characteristics that are most and least valued by transgender people and at examining to what extent their biological sex or their gender identity determined their mate preferences. A convenience sample of 134 male-to-female (MTF) and 94 female-to-male (FTM) individuals from Argentina rated Buss's list of 18 mate attributes. Compared to FTM, MTF individuals placed significantly more emphasis on attractiveness and socioeconomic status, whereas FTM, more than MTF individuals, valued partners with a dependable character. Although biological sex differences were present in both groups, providing support to the evolutionary theory, MTF individuals valued the same characteristics as both biological male and female individuals do.Fil: Aristegui, Ines. Universidad de Palermo. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales. Departamento de Psicología. Centro de Investigación y Posgrados; Argentina. University of Groningen; Países BajosFil: Castro Solano, Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Palermo. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales. Departamento de Psicología. Centro de Investigación y Posgrados; ArgentinaFil: Buunk, Abraham P.. Universidad de Palermo. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales. Departamento de Psicología. Centro de Investigación y Posgrados; Argentin