Review of Advances in personal relationships, Vol. 2.

Reviews the book, Advances in personal relationships, Vol. 2 by Warren H. Jones and Daniel Perlman (1991). This is the second volume of an annual series on personal relationships. In the Preface, the editors point to the importance of personal relationships in our lives. They emphasize that a deep understanding of these relationships must go beyond a simple accumulation of empirical findings. Thus, the goal of this Series: "to encourage and contribute to the continued development, integration and cross-fertilization of research and theory on personal relationships" through the presentation of theories of relationships and summaries of ongoing research programs that represent recent developments. With their researcher hat on, the author felt well served by the book and believe that it will indeed be useful to researchers and advanced students. However, the author found little of direct relevance to clinical practice and would not recommend this book as particularly useful (except indirectly) to the practioner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The I.

The reviewer notes that a professor of English and psychoanalyst, Norman Holland brings us illumination in the direction of humanity in an age when the mechanistic theme has become so prevalent in psychology, psychiatiry and psychoanalysis. Holland informs us of individuality, of uniqueness apart from the statistical heavy hand. Acknowledging his debt to Erikson and Lichtenstein, Holland uses the concept of identity to bring into coherence an individual's lifelong behavior. He views identity as a theme or style albeit with variations, that characterizes an individual from inchoation to the very end. Obstructions and interferences with the identity theme constitute frustrations, which in turn lead to crises and to the bevy of aberrations observed in the consultation room, in life, and in literature. In other words, we track the exquisitely fragile "I" and its vicissitudes. Although we are constantly doing new things, our "style" never changes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Management of work and personal life: Problems and opportunities.

Review of Management of work and personal life: Problems and opportunities edited by Mary Dean Lee and Rabindra N. Kanungo (1984). This book is a selected "proceedings" of a conference on the work-non-work relationships hosted by McGill University in 1983. The fundamental objective of the conference (and hence this book) was to provide a critical overvue of the research on the management and co-ordination of the different life spheres of the individual and to stimulate new ideas at the conceptual, methodological, and or practical level. From a practical point of view, even though most of us recognize that we are living in a changing world, we know very little about what to do about it. Most of the chapters do try to address this practical issue but the vast majority of suggestions are speculative. Again the lack of data is an overwhelming barrier. Overall, however, this is a good book which is recommended to anyone wishing to conduct research in the area. It may also serve as a basic text in graduate courses on the management of work and personal lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Between women: Lowering the barrier.

Reviews the book, Between Women: Lowering The Barriers by Paula J. Caplan (1981). Caplan adds to the growing body of works on the psychological and sociological development of women. She presents as myths the pervasive ideas that females are inferior to males, endlessly nurturant, emotionally dependent, instinctively tidy, and physically graceful. She does so in a readable manner and uses her arguments about female socialization to convince the reader that prevention and change of social patterns are possible. Caplan is optimistic and hopeful, and she inspires the reader to investigate what is, in order to create, what could be. With a focus on the daughter, Caplan explores the generic female experience by organizing the body of her work from girlhood through adolescence to adulthood. Thus, she restores to women the whole life cycle. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Personality, identity, and character: Explorations in moral psychology.

Reviews the book, Personality, identity, and character: Explorations in moral psychology edited by Darcia Narvaez and Daniel K. Lapsley (see record 2009-19087-000). The goal of the book is to begin to build an integrative approach to problems of morality. The thematic focus of the book is the examination of morality within the context of personality, identity, and character. The editors wisely do not call for a grand theory of morality, but instead recognise that readers who have thought about morality within the confines of their own approaches would benefit from the opportunity to learn how those with other disciplinary or subdisciplinary perspectives deal with their facets of the problem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Transformative relationships: The control-mastery theory of psychotherapy.

Reviews the book, Transformative relationships: The control-mastery theory of psychotherapy by George Silberschatz (see record 2005-00928-000). This book is an edited text that thoroughly reviews theory, research, and practice on control-mastery theory, a psychodynamic method developed at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute. Overall, this is an impressive research program summarized in this chapter in a very accessible manner. The research program is a good case study of an effort to build an evidence-based treatment close to clinical reality. In addition, the book as a whole is probably the best way to get a summary of all aspects of control-mastery theory as well as a clear and interesting exposition of different aspects of the theory, research, and practice. One important clinical implication of the testing concepts is that the meaning of a therapist's interventions will vary depending on what specific pathogenic beliefs the client is testing. Control-mastery theory is highly case specific; a technique that is helpful to one client may not be appropriate or helpful to another. How effective the therapy is will be determined not by the technique used but by the extent to which the therapist can disconfirm the client's pathogenic beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Gestalt psychotherapy: Concepts and demonstrations in stress, relationships, hypnosis and addiction.

Reviews the book, Gestalt psychotherapy: Concepts and demonstrations in stress, relationships, hypnosis and addiction by Richard E. Hardy (1991). This work provides a basic explanation of the concepts of Gestalt psychotherapy. As an introductory work, the book provides clear explanations of key concepts, but errs in the direction of oversimplifying the complexities of Gestalt thinking. The author acknowledges these complexities without fully capturing them. It is obvious that Richard Hardy really knows Gestalt therapy, but if the reader is not well grounded in Gestalt theory and Gestalt psychotherapy, the depth of the concepts would easily be lost. A strength of Hardy's book is his presentation of ways in which Gestalt therapy can be utilized in areas not normally associated with Gestalt, such as hypnosis, pain management, intimate relationships, and addictions. An important criticism of Hardy's work is that he fails to follow the APA guidelines for the use of nonsexist language. Overall, the limitations of the book outweigh the strengths. Hardy appears to have difficulty choosing his audience. Beginning psychotherapists would need more basic information and case examples. Advanced psychotherapists would seek more depth and new information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Dialogues on difference: Studies of diversity in the therapeutic relationship.

Reviews the book, Studies of diversity in the therapeutic relationship by J. Christopher Muran (see record 2006-11731-000). This book has taken the opportunity to begin with dialogue among clinicians with different theoretical perspectives on issues of diversity, including psychoanalytic, cognitive– behavioral, and humanistic viewpoints. In introducing the book, Muran sets the stage for the dialogues with an open discussion of his own culturally diverse background. He also describes the diversity characterizing his professional training in cognitive– behavioral psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, which in part contributed to his recognition of a need for this dialogue across perspectives. The book is divided into eight dialogues consisting of one psychoanalytically oriented writer or set of writers, followed by comments on this essay by two theorists from different and overlapping theoretical points of view. The final component of each dialogue consists of the author’s reply to the comments. The dialogues address eight separate topics including race, social privilege and multiple identities, homosexuality, intersection of race and gender in psychotherapy with African American men, identity in psychotherapy with Latino clients, role of stereotypes in psychotherapy with Asian Americans, Middle Eastern identity and psychotherapy, and communication and metacommunication in psychotherapy. One of the intriguing features of this book is that the dialogue is in written form, giving the reader the advantage of reading it several times to better engage with each author’s point of view. Because the format resembles that of an oral presentation of a single paper followed by discussions of the paper, I found myself wanting to ask questions of each of the authors. Several of the authors appear to have been enriched through this dialogue,because the very nature of this exchange parallels the concept of mutual influence that lies at the heart of relational psychoanalysis. The quality of dialogue across the different sections of this book is rich and complex and highlights the critical need for ongoing dialogue on cultural difference and similarity in the discipline of psychology, not to mention our broader society. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The saturated self: Dilemmas of identity in contemporary life.

Reviews the book, The saturated self: Dilemmas of identity in contemporary life by Kenneth J. Gergen (see record 1991-97621-000). There is, perhaps, no other concept as seminal for psychology as the self. For this reason alone, Kenneth Gergen's book represents an important contribution to our understanding of this influential concept. However, Gergen's vision is so broad, his arguments so compelling, and the implications so revolutionary, that the work defies confinement exclusively within the walls of academia. In essence, Gergen is articulating his vision of a postmodern world, and he lays an invitation squarely before the reader to come and partake. The conception of the self as private and autonomous is the focus of Gergen's postmodern challenge. In his chapter, "Social Saturation and the Populated Self," Gergen postulates that technological innovation in contemporary society has made possible a rapid proliferation of relationships. This he refers to as the "process of social saturation." Gergen's book constitutes a substantive contribution to psychology's on going understanding of the self. Copious examples are provided throughout, drawing on and extending scholarly debates. Also included are anecdotes and evidences from such far ranging domains as art, film, music, literature, and architecture. These not only clarify and reinforce his arguments, but also illustrate the scope and practicality of the position he espouses. Although readers may not embrace the gestalt of Gergen's vision of a postmodern culture, they are certain to find this book to be a provocative and rewarding read. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of A tired woman's guide to passionate sex: Reclaim your desire and reignite your relationship.

Reviews the book, A tired woman's guide to passionate sex: Reclaim your desire and reignite your relationship by Laurie B. Mintz (2009). Statistics bear it out: The most common sexual complaint that women have is low desire, and the most common reason that women cite is being too tired for sex. A tired woman’s guide is a thorough, research-based, cognitive– behavioral self-help program to help women not only revive their interest in sex but also be more assertive and take more time for self-care, which is sorely absent in the contemporary lives of women. Because the author has taken care to eliminate the crass language that is sometimes found in popular books about sexuality, it is a book that a psychotherapist or health care provider could easily recommend without fear of offending a female client of any age. The book is organized into nine chapters and is written in a professional and friendly manner that will appeal to the lay reader. Although the purpose of the book is to educate and motivate a lay audience, the book would be improved by having specific references to research included so that a psychotherapist unacquainted with the research in the field of female sexual health would be able to do further reading or research on the topic. Even a brief list of references to major studies would be preferable to none at all. Second, the book lays the blame for being “too tired” squarely on the woman’s shoulders. Much is made of the woman’s task of helping her partner understand how she feels and what she wants. Although this is a good ideal, it assumes that the male partner is receptive to feedback or will make the requested changes. Although the author recommends pornography made for women by a woman, it may still be a potential turnoff for some readers. Clinicians need to be prepared for a potential exploration of the topic should they recommend the book. Still, A tired woman’s guide to passionate sex is better than many books on the topic. Perhaps because Mintz is brave enough to admit to her readers that she, herself, was a woman too tired for sex at one time and needed to go on her own journey to recover her lost libido, the book works as an empathic companion to the woman who is puzzled by her own lack of drive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Self and identity in modern psychology and Indian thought.

Reviews the book, Self and identity in modern psychology and Indian thought by Anand C. Paranjpe (see record 1998-08117-000). This book is an exemplary philosophical-psychological achievement, the result of extensive, sophisticated, and enlightened research. Paranjpe analyzes and compares, based on knowledge of the epistemological, ontological, and ethical foundations of psychology in both the West and India, the problem of person, self, and identity. This is a significant book, not only for the field of the history and theory of psychology but also for psychology in general. Paranjpe, who provides a wealth of knowledge unknown to most Western psychologists, demonstrates that the presumption that Western and Indian psychologies are basically incommensurable is wrong. Psychologists who are genuinely concerned with a science that goes beyond the connection of variables, who believe that incorporating a multicultural perspective into psychology will strengthen the discipline, and who talk about globalization but are interested in the generic meaning of this concept, cannot ignore this masterpiece. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Going Sane: Maps of Happiness.

Reviews the book, Going Sane: Maps of Happiness by Adam Phillips (2005). This book is a kind of psychic travelogue exploring the many different kinds of good life--and pitfalls--to be encountered along the way. It will be of interest to any clinician engaged by a thoughtful examination of what is meant by mental health. The book is divided into three parts, the first offering intellectual and historical background and initial attempts at definition. The last assesses the current psychological climate. The middle section bores deeply into an examination of what the implications of sanity are across several everyday arenas, money and sex being perhaps the most provocative. A preface alerts the reader that this is going to be a multidisciplinary analysis of the subject, contextualized within culture. Phillips establishes early on that although madness has captivated both the professional and the lay imagination for centuries, resulting in often definitive, if oddly subjective and impressionistic ideas of what it means and looks like to be out of one's mind, sanity, by comparison, has failed to enthrall. Sanity, more often than not, remains the desirable choice between the two but functions more as an uneasy default position we don't quite understand than as an accomplishment to be proud of. The security of sanity, Phillips illustrates throughout, is predicated on our not being too curious about it and rests on the positive assertion of the negative, "not mad." Going Sane addresses the question of its meaning and of what use, if any, it has for us today. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Gender dysphoria: Development, research, management.

Reviews the book, Gender dysphoria: Development, research, management edited by Betty W. Steiner (1985). The term gender dysphoria is attributed to Fisk (1973) and is described in the introductory chapter as a diagnostic label much broader than transsexualism. It refers to those who, "at one time or another, experience sufficient discomfort with their biological sex to form the wish for sex reassignment". However, when one compares the DSM-III definition of transsexualism as "a persistent sense of discomfort and inappropriateness about one's anatomic sex and a persistent wish to be rid of one's genitals and to live as a member of the other sex", one is left bewildered as to how the concept of gender dysphoria is broader than the diagnostic category of transsexualism. One's bewilderment is more likely to wax than wane when, in subsequent chapters (including two by the editor herself), the term gender dysphoria is rejected in favour of such terms as transsexualism, cross-gender identification, gender disorder, and gender-identity disturbance. Even in the final "personal perspective" chapter, the editor asserts that "This book has been an attempt to bring together in a cohesive whole some of the recent work that has been, and continues to be, done in transsexualism and gender identity". The book, however, is not altogether without merit. There are two noteworthy chapters. One is an intriguing, thought-provoking treatise by Hoenig on the aetiology of transsexualism. The other is Zucker's impressive literature review of crossgender-identified children. Those two chapters, interestingly, are alloted one-fourth of the entire book. The remaining thirteen chapters are left to vie for the remaining pages. The disappointments I encountered with this book reminded me of a Bahamian cruise I was recently fortunate enough to enjoy. At one of the midnight buffets I eagerly chose a pastry that looked somewhat like a cream puff. It was not until I bit into it that I discovered it was void of whipping cream. The shell itself was tasty, but I had expected so much more. Perhaps it is appropriate to compare Steiner's volume to a buffet. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Racial and ethnic identity: Developmental perspectives and research.

Developmental research is reviewed to evaluate how race, ethnicity, racial identity, and ethnic identity are defined and investigated for minority populations. First reviewed is how these terms are used in developmental and counseling research. Early practices limited these terms to their demographic denotations (e.g., heritage), but more recent practices have expanded to include socially constructed connotations. Second, developmental research was used to evaluate key assumptions in theories of racial and ethnic identity development, with an emphasis on recent longitudinal studies. Research supports some, but not all, of these developmental predictions. Longitudinal research supported the progressive nature of ethnic and racial identity development and that exposure to racism appears to stimulate further identity development during adolescence. In contrast, available evidence does not support the claims of a developmental hierarchy for racial ideologies and that identity crises are normative. Adjustment was not predicted by a single racial or ethnic identity ideology, but research suggested that the adolescent's sociocultural identity and socialization should be tailored to the nature of the racial and ethnic context for development. Implications for counseling research and practice are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceptions of and satisfaction with retirement: A comparison of six European Union countries.

The main aim of this study was to assess perceptions of and satisfaction with retirement among 1,686 recently retired people from 6 European Union countries. The authors compared their responses to a set of questions taken from the Retirement Satisfaction Inventory (F. J. Floyd et al., 1992). The first significant result was that Belgian, British, Finnish, French, and Spanish retirees all expressed very similar assessments of life satisfaction, whereas Portuguese retirees expressed a lower level of satisfaction. The 2nd result was that the major determinants of overall satisfaction in the 6 countries were (a) health and resources and (b) anticipated satisfaction. Finally, the data revealed that cultural background only accounted for a limited amount of variance in overall satisfaction with retirement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Victimized daughters: Incest and the development of the female self.

Reviews the book, Victimized daughters: Incest and the development of the female self by Janet Liebman Jacobs (see record 1994-98214-000) that draws on interview data from 50 women to illustrate the impact of childhood incest on female development. The research design uses questionnaire and in-depth interview data that allows for both quantitative and qualitative analyses (Armsworth, 1993). The sample size of 50 is a reasonable number for such content-rich data, and the representation of members of different socioeconomic, ethnic, sexual orientation, and religious groups increases the generalizability and relevance of the findings. Jacobs does not, however, present empirical findings from the interviews, other than preliminary demographics; rather, she uses quotations from the interviews throughout the book to support different generalizations and hypotheses. She thoughtfully addresses the current controversy about delayed memory recall, emphasizing both its political/historical context and its clinical/scientific ramifications. Like Herman (1981, 1992), Jacobs identifies childhood incest as firmly rooted in patriarchy, and her understanding of the psychological and emotional sequelae of childhood incest is organized around the impact of this patriarchal context on feminine identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Language, society and identity.

Reviews the book, Language, society and identity by John R. Edwards (1985). This book attempts to bring together the main lines of thought on ethnic identity, nationalism, language maintenance, and bilingualism. The book is divided into seven chapters which discuss: the definitions of such concepts as ethnic identity, ethnicity, nationalism, language, and dialect; consideration of language and nationalism; language maintenance and shift; issues of "ethnic revival" and the "new ethnicity; education; language attitudes, behaviour, and research and; the separation of language maintenance from ethnic maintenance. Despite what seem to be numerous reservations, I find that this book has many good features. It does take us a lot closer to an interdisciplinary view on language and ethnicity; it reminds us about the variety of social settings in which language contact (and conflict) plays a role; it brings out many controversial points and supplies arguments from different perspectives for such controversies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Where are you really from?: Asian Americans and identity denial.

Five studies investigate identity denial, the situation in which an individual is not recognized as a member of an important in-group. Asian Americans are seen as less American than other Americans (Study 1) and realize this is the case, although they do not report being any less American than White Americans (Studies 2A and 2B). Identity denial is a common occurrence in Asian Americans' daily lives (Study 3). They react to instances of identity denial by presenting American cultural knowledge and claiming greater participation in American practices (Studies 4 & 5). Identity denial furthers the understanding of group dynamics by capturing the experience of less prototypical group members who desire to have their common in-group identity recognized by fellow group members. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Reconcilable differences.

Reviews the book, Reconcilable differences by Andrew Christensen and Neil S. Jacobson (see record 1999-04347-000). Christensen and Jacobson have written a book for couples in conflict. The book is presented as a self-help guide to aid couples in accepting incompatibilities and in developing greater intimacy. The emphasis is upon the development of compassionate acceptance, quite a departure from what one might expect from these authors. The authors maintain that when couples get embroiled in blame, hurt, withdrawal, and continuing argument, intimacy seems out of reach. The natural inclination is to try to change the partner-which often makes the conflict worse. The book's thesis is that acceptance is a way out of this impasse. The book is divided into four parts. Part I, "The Anatomy of Arguments," describes and analyzes many, many (perhaps too many) relationship conflicts. The six chapters are written to help the reader understand the principles of arguments and to apply the principles to his or her own conflicts. Part H, "From Argument to Acceptance," strikes to the heart of the authors' therapy and shows the ways a couple can learn acceptance of each other. Part III, "Deliberate Change through Acceptance," continues with the acceptance theme but illustrates how changes can occur. Part IV contains two outlier chapters, one on violence, infidelity, and emotional abuse where acceptance is not the recommended way to go, and the other on getting professional help. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)