Construing and body dissatisfaction in chronic depression: a study of body psychotherapy.

© 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.The frequent association of depression with somatic symptoms suggests that body psychotherapy may be an appropriate therapeutic intervention for people with chronic depression. Using a subset of twenty-three participants from a randomized controlled trial that had demonstrated the effectiveness of such an intervention in reducing depressive symptoms, the present study investigated whether it may also impact aspects of construing which have been associated with depression. Patients presenting with chronic depression were randomly allocated to a treatment group or a waiting list group, which received body psychotherapy after a period on a waiting list. Correlations between repertory grid, questionnaire, and visual analogue measures indicated that depression and bodily dissatisfaction were associated with features of the content and structure of construing. There were no significant changes while patients were on the waiting list, but during treatment reduction in depression and bodily dissatisfaction, together with increase in self-esteem and quality of life, were accompanied by an increase in the salience of construing of the bodily self.Peer reviewe

Why Not the Best? Results From the National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance, 2011

Assesses the U.S. healthcare system's average performance in 2007-09 as measured by forty-two indicators of health outcomes, quality, access, efficiency, and equity compared with the 2006 and 2008 scorecards and with domestic and international benchmarks

Cross-Scale Observational Signatures of Magnetic Reconnection

Magnetic reconnection is a significant mechanism for energy release across many astrophysical applications. In the solar atmosphere, reconnection is considered a primary contributor of flare evolution and coronal heating. Directly observing reconnection occurring in the solar atmosphere, however, is not trivial considering that the scale size of the diffusion region is magnitudes smaller than the observational capabilities of current instrumentation, and coronal magnetic field measurements are not currently sufficient to capture the process. Meanwhile, reconnection occurring in the Earth's magnetosphere transfers energy from the solar wind through a comparable process, although on vastly different scales. Magnetospheric measurements are made in situ rather than remotely; ergo, comparison of observations between the two regimes allows for potentially significant insight into reconnection as a stochastic and possibly turbulent process. We will present a set of observations from long-duration solar events and compare them to in situ measurements from the magnetosphere

Taking the Presumption Against Extraterritoriality Seriously in Criminal Cases after \u3ci\u3eMorrison\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eKiobel\u3c/i\u3e

In two recent decisions, Morrison v. National Australia Bank, 130 S. Ct. 2869 (2010), and Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, 133 S. Ct. 1659 (2013), the Supreme Court emphatically reaffirmed the longstanding presumption that federal statutes do not apply outside the territorial United States absent a “clear indication” to the contrary. Although Morrison and Kiobel involved civil suits under section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act and the Alien Tort Statute (“ATS”) respectively, this Article contends that the Court’s holdings ought to similarly restrict the extraterritorial application of federal criminal law. That is because Morrison and Kiobel instruct courts on how they should interpret the reach of statutes generally—not just civil ones like section 10(b) and the ATS. Consequently, a host of criminal laws that prosecutors have routinely applied extraterritorially in the past, but whose geographic scope is facially ambiguous, ought to be reinterpreted as reaching domestic conduct only. Such statutes encompass not just securities fraud, but conduct as varied and significant as antitrust violations, racketeering, drug trafficking, mail fraud, and weapons possession

One evidence base; three stories: do opioids relieve chronic breathlessness?

Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/. The efficacy of low-dose systemic opioids for chronic breathlessness was questioned by the recent Cochrane review by Barnes et al We examined the reasons for this conflicting finding and re-evaluated the efficacy of systemic opioids. Compared with previous meta-analyses, Barnes et al reported a smaller effect and lower precision, but did not account for matched data of crossover trials (11/12 included trials) and added a risk-of-bias criterion (sample size). When re-analysed to account for crossover data, opioids decreased breathlessness (standardised mean differences -0.32; -0.18 to -0.47; I2=44.8%) representing a clinically meaningful reduction of 0.8 points (0-10 numerical rating scale), consistent across meta-analyses

The Transformation of Gender in English-Language Fiction

Preprint to appear in a special issue of Cultural Analytics on "Identity." The article explores the paradox that the representation of gender in fiction became more flexible while the sheer balance of attention between fictional men and women was growing more unequal. We measure the rigidity of gendered roles by asking how easy it is to infer grammatical gender from ostensibly ungendered words used in characterization. In the nineteenth century, roles are so predictable that the inference is easy; it becomes harder as we move toward the present. But the diminishing power of stereotypes does not parallel progress toward equality of representation. On the contrary, by the middle of the twentieth century, women have lost almost half the space they occupied in nineteenth-century fiction. The tension between growing flexibility and growing inequality of representation presents literary historians with a striking paradox; a few potential explanations are considered

Outsourcing in the Age of Digital Transformation

Past and current attempts in digital transformation are enduringly changing business, requiring flexible strategic approaches and fast decisions. Companies seem to tend to rely on outsourcing for tackling this challenge. Consequently, companies need IT/IS outsourcing strategies fitting requirements. However, it remains unclear, how decisions on outsourcing contribute to strategic goals and supports successful digital transformation. Hence, in this study we aim at designing a model that enables companies to make their decisions in developing their outsourcing strategy considering digital transformation requirements. By adopting a design science approach, an artifact - the strategic outsourcing contribution (SOC) model - was developed and partially evaluated within one case company. The model provides a structured approach to the development of an outsourcing strategy by integrating transparent decision making. In addition, it provides mechanisms to assess the contribution of the model to strategic goals influenced by digital transformation initiatives and attempts

Monoamine Oxidase in the Regulation of Biopsychological Factors: A Literature Review of the Correlates of Time Perspective, Sensation-Seeking, Boredom Proneness, and Affect

This literature review will explore relationships between several psychological factors, such as affect, time perspective, and boredom, with levels of relevant neurotransmitters, namely dopamine and serotonin. For instance, the neurological processes involved in affect could also influence sensation-seeking through changes in cognition and boredom. Additionally, a more negative mood resulting from decreased dopamine levels could result in short-term shifts in one’s time perspective. Monoamine oxidase plays a role in the regulation of neurotransmitter levels in the brain. Large amounts of this enzyme result in reduced levels of dopamine and serotonin. Understanding such relationships has the potential to propel further research in biopsychology and influence clinical and counseling methods used for people with harmful sensation-seeking addictions and other related disorders

Clay as a Medium in Three-Dimensional Body Mapping

Body mapping is a visual (drawing) tool, technique and methodological process that has been used by practitioners and researchers in a variety of contexts across the world, including in sexual and reproductive health interventions and research. One of the benefits of body mapping is that it can be used with semi-literate and illiterate populations. In this article, we describe the limitations of traditional body mapping methods and the use of clay as a body mapping medium - a three-dimensional body mapping approach as compared to traditional two-dimensional approaches - within a methodology we call the clay embodiment research method (CERM). This methodology intertwines elements of ethnography, clay body mapping and group work. Its three interdependent components are a form of participant observation, a series of seven themed participatory clay body mapping workshops; and a group interview using photography of the clay works. We discuss the participants' experience in a study of reproductive health knowledge among trafficked women in Nepal in which we used CERM, noting the benefits they said they got from the process, such as developing and sharing knowledge, enjoying learning, allaying fears, promoting self-development, building confidence, enabling problem solving and educating others.Body Mapping wird von zahlreichen Praktiker*innen und Wissenschaftler*innen weltweit in unterschiedlichen Kontexten eingesetzt und bezeichnet ein visuelles Zeichenwerkzeug, eine Technik und zugleich einen method(olog)ischen Prozess. Verwendung findet es auch in der Gesundheitsversorgung und -forschung im Themenfeld Sexualität und Reproduktion. Ein Vorteil des Ansatzes ist, dass er unabhängig von sprachlichen Voraussetzungen und Einschränkungen der Forschungsteilnehmer*innen eingesetzt werden kann.In diesem Beitrag behandeln wir die Begrenzungen traditioneller Body-Mapping-Verfahren und beschreiben, in welcher Weise wir Ton als Medium für ein dreidimensionales (statt zweidimensionales) Body Mapping im Rahmen einer Methodologie genutzt haben, die wir als "Clay Embodiment Research Method (CERM) bezeichnen. Teil von CERM sind ethnografische Verfahren, Ton-Body-Mapping und Arbeit in Gruppen. Konkret haben wir teilnehmende Beobachtung, sieben thematische Ton-Body-Mapping-Workshops und ein Gruppeninterview, ausgehend von Fotografien aus den Workshops genutzt. Wir diskutieren die Erfahrungen von nepalesischen Frauen, die Opfer von Menschenhandel geworden waren und berichten über die von ihnen berichteten Vorteile von CERM, insbesondere das Generieren und Teilen von Wissen, lustvolles Lernen, das Lindern von Schmerzen, eine fortschreitende Selbstermächtigung und ein Zugewinn an Selbstvertrauen sowie verbesserte Problemlösungs- und Wissensvermittlungskompetenzen