Getting a life: The emergence of the life story in adolescence.

In the life story, autobiographical remembering and self-understanding are combined to create a coherent account of one's past. A gap is demonstrated between developmental research on the story-organization of autobiographical remembering of events in childhood and of life narratives in adulthood. This gap is bridged by substantiating D. P. McAdams's (1985) claim that the life story develops in adolescence. Two manifestations of the life story, life narratives and autobiographical reasoning, are delineated in terms of 4 types of global coherence (temporal, biographical, causal, and thematic). A review of research shows that the cognitive tools necessary for constructing global coherence in a life story and the social-motivational demands to construct a life story develop during adolescence. The authors delineate the implications of the life story framework for other research areas such as coping, attachment, psychotherapeutic process, and the organization of autobiographical memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

My racial identity development and supervision: A self-reflection.

Using the People of Color Racial Identity model (Helms & Cook, 1999) as a framework, the author reflects on her supervisory experience and professional development as an Asian immigrant psychologist. Through the author’s self-reflection, this article also illustrates how one’s racial identity development and professional experience mutually shape each other. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lesbian and gay male group identity attitudes and self-esteem: Implications for counseling.

96 lesbians and gay men (aged 18–46 yrs) completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and a modified version of J. E. Helms and T. A. Parham's (1985) Racial Identity Attitude Scale (RIAS). Based on W. E. Cross's (1971, 1978) model of African-American identity development, the RIAS assesses 4 distinct psychological stages (preencounter, encounter, immersion-emersion, and internalization), which are thought to correspond to a parallel process in the development of gay male and lesbian group identity attitudes. Consistent with findings among other minority groups, the results indicated a moderate inverse relationship between preencounter attitudes and self-esteem and a positive relationship between internalization attitudes and self-esteem. Encounter and immersion-emersion attitudes were (nonsignificantly) negatively correlated with self-esteem. Implications for counseling gay men and lesbians are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social identity and physical health: Accelerated HIV progression in rejection-sensitive gay men.

Research linking sensitivity to others and their evaluation of the self to alterations in physiologic function led the authors to examine whether HIV infection might progress more rapidly in gay men who are particularly sensitive to social rejection. Analyses of data from a 9-year prospective study of 72 initially healthy HIV-positive gay men indicated that rejection-sensitive individuals experienced a significant acceleration in times to a critically low CD4 T lymphocyte level, times to AIDS diagnosis, and times to HIV-related mortality (despite control for a variety of potential biobehavioral confounders). Accelerated HIV progression was not observed in rejection-sensitive gay men who concealed their homosexual identity, suggesting that concealment may protect such individuals from negative health effects. Data distinguishing rejection sensitivity from other health-relevant psychosocial characteristics are presented, and possible links to HIV pathophysiology are described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interview with an old schizophrenic prisoner. "My nurse, the only one I can trust"

Health care staff often fail to recognise depression and other suicide risk factors in older people. Ageism may play a part in this oversight too. By listening to older people and learning to recognise the warning signs, nurses can identify and treat the underlying problem, perhaps preventing the often fatal consequences.     

"Seating arrangement and leadership emergence": Ettatum.

Reports an error in the original article by L. T. Howells and S. W. Becker (Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1962, 64[2], 148-150). On page 148 of the article, the last sentence of Paragraph 2, Column 1, should read: However, Steinzor did not investigate the present program, namely, the relationship between seating distance and leadership emergence. The original sentence implied that Steinzor had reached conclusions about seating arrangement and leadership, and this implication is incorrect. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1964-02596-001): Based on the proposition that seating position effects the flow of communication which, in turn, effects leadership emergence, 20 groups of 5 Ss performed a problem solving task and then rated the group members on exhibited leadership. The seats were arranged so that 2 Ss were opposite 3 Ss. A greater number of leaders than would be expected by chance emerged from the 2-seat side of the table, thus, lending support to the hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The repudiation of femaleness: Understanding one patient's identity conflict.

Discusses the limitations of classical Freudian formulations of female identity development (FID) and examines the usefulness of more recent formulations in psychotherapeutic work with a 35 yr-old client displaying identity confusion and repudiation of femininity. Classical psychoanalytic formulations of FID have been criticized for failing to adequately account for the development of feminine pride, self confidence, and independence. More recent formulations, including those of I. Fast (1979) and J. S. Kestenberg (1968), illuminate conflict free sources of femininity and highlight processes of female identification which are not solely deficit centered or masculine-based. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A narrative approach to ethnic identity in emerging adulthood: Bringing life to the identity status model.

This study used a narrative approach to understand how emerging adults experience ethnicity in their everyday lives and to link ethnic identity processes with the content of how ethnic identity is experienced. Participants were 191 ethnically diverse emerging adults who completed the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) and provided a written narrative about a time at which they became aware of their ethnicity. Participants' narratives differed significantly by ethnic group and by ethnic identity status membership, as indexed by the MEIM. The results underscore the value of adopting a narrative approach to understanding the content of ethnic identity and the links between content and ethnic identity development processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Deconstructing heterosexuality: life stories from gay New York, 1931-1941

By 1940, the sexual identity of heterosexuality became established in American popular culture. In the late 1930s, a path-breaking study of homosexuality was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of medical and scientific specialists, under the sponsorship of the Committee for the Study of Sex Variants. The "sex variants" study was based on a sample of volunteers from New York's lesbian and male homosexual community. This article focuses on a narrative analysis of the case study texts of the male sample. Using deconstruction as an interpretive strategy, the texts are examined in relation to the culturally dominant sexual ideology of heterosexuality. Implications are drawn about the relevance of life stories to identity politics.     

The great struggles of life: Darwin and the emergence of evolutionary psychology.

Darwin envisioned a scientific revolution for psychology. His theories of natural and sexual selection identified two classes of struggles--the struggle for existence and the struggle for mates. The emergence of evolutionary psychology and related disciplines signals the fulfillment of Darwin's vision. Natural selection theory guides scientists to discover adaptations for survival. Sexual selection theory illuminates the sexual struggle, highlighting mate choice and same-sex competition adaptations. Theoretical developments since publication of On the Origin of Species identify important struggles unknown to Darwin, notably, within-families conflicts and conflict between the sexes. Evolutionary psychology synthesizes modern evolutionary biology and psychology to penetrate some of life's deep mysteries: Why do many struggles center around sex? Why is social conflict pervasive? And what are the mechanisms of mind that define human nature? (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Lesbian and gay male group identity attitudes and self-esteem: Implications for counseling": Erratum.

Reports errors in the original article by K. L. Walters and J. M. Simoni (Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1993[Jan], Vol 40(1), 94–99). Two errors were made in Table 3. First, the reported statistics were not identified. For all but columns C and D, the statistics are standardized beta weights from multiple regression analyses. The statistics in columns C and D are simple correlations. Second, in column D, the respective values for the preencounter and immersion-emersion stages should be –.41* (not –.35*) and –.15 (not –.40). (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1993-13378-001.) 96 lesbians and gay men (aged 18–46 yrs) completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and a modified version of J. E. Helms and T. A. Parham's (1985) Racial Identity Attitude Scale (RIAS). Based on W. E. Cross's (1971, 1978) model of African-American identity development, the RIAS assesses 4 distinct psychological stages (preencounter, encounter, immersion-emersion, and internalization), which are thought to correspond to a parallel process in the development of gay male and lesbian group identity attitudes.… (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rupture of the bowel due to road trauma: the emergence of the "seat belt syndrome"

Seat belts have proved to be life saving for drivers and passengers involved in motor-car collisions. The number of severe head, face and trunk injuries has been significantly reduced. However, the wearing of belts has been responsible for an increased incidence of bowel rupture, in itself a potentially lethal injury if not diagnosed and treated early. There is still much to be done in improving seat belt design.     

Dissolution of fused identity in one therapeutic session: A case study.

Describes the treatment in 1 session of 3 undergraduate women who claimed that their identities had merged. A social-cognitive strategy of therapy was employed, emphasizing the use of dissonant persuasive communications and a therapeutic double bind. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

My life as a mutant: The BRCA1 experience.

Genetic testing is a stressful experience, as is being identified as a carrier of a deleterious mutation. The benefits of testing (e.g., using the information to make proactive decisions to decrease cancer risk) can be more easily realized if anxiety is managed through effective coping strategies. The author reviews relevant literature and presents personal experience with the process, which suggests that key psychosocial supports include interaction with positive coping role models, accurate empathy from family or friends, use of humor, and benefit finding. Specific therapeutic implications for clients who are facing genetic testing or who are in a known high-risk group for serious medical illness, as well as suggestions for therapists who themselves are struggling with health-related fears and worries, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Retrospective recall of sexual orientation identity development among gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults.

Although recent attention has focused on the likelihood that contemporary sexual minority youth (i.e., gay, lesbian, bisexual [GLB]) are “coming out” at younger ages, few studies have examined whether early sexual orientation identity development is also present in older GLB cohorts. We analyzed retrospective data on the timing of sexual orientation milestones in a sample of sexual minorities drawn from the California Quality of Life Surveys. Latent profile analysis of 1,260 GLB adults, ages 18–84 years, identified 3 trajectories of development: early (n = 951; milestones spanning ages 12–20), middle (n = 239; milestones spanning ages 18–31), and late (n = 70; milestones spanning ages 32–43). Motivated by previous research on variability in adolescent developmental trajectories, we identified 2 subgroups in post hoc analyses of the early profile group: child onset (n = 284; milestones spanning ages 8–18) and teen onset (n = 667; milestones spanning ages 14–22). Nearly all patterns of development were identity centered, with average age of self-identification as GLB preceding average age of first same-sex sexual activity. Overall, younger participants and the majority of older participants were classified to the early profile, suggesting that early development is common regardless of age cohort. The additional gender differences observed in the onset and pace of sexual orientation identity development warrant future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

我爷爷周大胡子和回民支队

我的爷爷出生在四川省阆中县的一个官宦人家,祖上世代都是武举出身,为皇帝效力,家中留有清朝皇帝钦赐的皇珠.爷爷的父亲是当地县苏维埃主席.爷爷兄弟六人,他排行老六.兄弟几个全练就一身好武艺.我的父亲至今讲起他小时候看爷爷习武时的感受仍是一脸的崇拜.当年在阆中县,哪里若有人聚众闹事,只需派人到爷爷家通报一声,爷爷哥儿几个大刀一背,到闹事人群中一吆喝,马上就可将事端摆平.