Adapting human lifestyles for the 21st century.

A number of ecological problems (e.g., global warming, ozone depletion, deforestation, acid rain) have been identified, which threaten to reduce the quality of human life in the 21st century. These problems are human produced, resulting primarily from overpopulation and overconsumption. Alterations in people's awareness, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors may stimulate changes in their political and economic systems, which in turn might foster the kind of lifestyle changes that could mitigate these ecological problems. Psychologists can play a role in helping individuals and systems advance toward the goal of becoming a sustainable society: one that satisfies its current needs without jeopardizing the prospects of future generations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prospects for psychoanalysis in the 21st century.

This article is responding to the question: what is it that will enrich and sustain the discipline of psychoanalysis during the remainder of the twenty-first century. I argue that continued vitality requires that analysis demonstrate its value and utility in relation to other psychologically relevant fields of human inquiry. Analysis cannot afford to remain isolated within the private confines of the analytic consulting room, but it must also dare to cast its lot with the uncertainties of ongoing research and understanding arising in other related fields. I begin analysis of these problems by discussing first some organizational issues that might facilitate such collaboration and communication, and then some issues related to interdisciplinary collaborative research. I focus particularly on questions related to the dialogue between psychoanalysis and religious thought and between psychoanalysis and neuroscience. These are only two among a multiplicity of fields in which interdisciplinary opportunities arise, but they exemplify the basic challenges to continued psychoanalytic progress and innovation. I finish with some thoughts about the diversity of analytic theoretical conceptualizations and their implications for facilitating or inhibiting such interdisciplinary efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Snake oil for the 21st century

Evidence-based medicine is the use of the best current evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. Practicing EBM requires recognition that in most encounters with patients, questions arise that should be answered to provide the patient with the best available medical care. Asking well-built clinical questions that contain 4 elements--a patient or problem, an intervention, a comparison intervention (if necessary), and an outcome--is an important step in practicing EMB. Once appropriate questions have been formulated, the best source for finding most types of best evidence is by searching the MEDLINE database by computer. MEDLINE searches have inherent software and operator limitations that make their reliability quite variable. One should be aware of these limitations and improve one's skills in searching. The Cochrane Collaboration Controlled Clinical Trials Registry contains more than 190,000 controlled clinical trials and is the best source of evidence about treatment. The quality (strength) of evidence is based on a hierarchy of evidence: results of systematic reviews of well-designed clinical studies, results of 1 or more well-designed clinical studies, results of large case series, expert opinion, and personal experience. Once the best evidence has been found, the EBM approach involves critically appraising the quality of the evidence, determining its magnitude and precision, and applying it to the specific patient. Guidelines to critically appraise and apply evidence are available. The clinical question, best evidence, and its critical appraisal should be saved in a format that can be easily retrieved for future use.     

Filial therapy into the 21st century.

Discusses filial therapy (FT) which might seem new to many child and family therapists. Yet training parents to play therapeutically using this child-centered approach with their children has a long track record that demonstrates it is an effective way to work with children and their parents together. It is noted that while the method was waiting to gain broader recognition and acceptance by practicing play and family therapists, advocates in academic settings were testing its efficacy. As FT is becoming more known and widely used by practitioners, it has attained the status of an "empirically supported" or "evidence based" or "empirically validated" treatment. All of these terms mean the same thing: a treatment that rests on good research, with results that show its efficacy, one that can be replicated by practitioners who can achieve comparable positive effects using it. Such terms concern anyone familiar with issues related to health care insurance. The slow start of FT, then, has become an advantage for the therapy and its users. Only rarely does a treatment arrive already backed by empirical support of efficacy. The remainder of this article will explain how this desirable state has come about. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and the law: A shared vision for the 21st century.

Traces how the interface between psychology and law has emerged as a unique speciality within psychology, and notes initiatives by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) on regarding legal issues. James Ogloff, president-elect of the CPA, has launched an initiative, "Taking Psychology and Law into the 21st Century," which includes a focus on "Law and Psychology: A Bridge to the Future." This project will review the field, with the goal of determining where areas of research have been, are now, and should head. The APA presidential initiative started with the appointment of a working group that is planning for the first APA miniconference on Psychology and Law at the annual convention in 2000. The conference theme will be "Law and Psychology in the Workplace." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nursing and genetics for the 21st century

This article reviews basic information about the science of genetics and examines the new genetics. It explains the principles of cytogenetics and molecular genetics. Also included is information about genetic abnormalities and the different chromosomal defects that occur. The implications for nursing practice are delineated.     

Preparing for the 21st century. Planning with focus groups

The job market for nursing graduates is changing, and nursing schools must respond to the changes. The author describes the process of using focus groups to facilitate a constructive dialogue between nurse administrators, clinicians, educators, and students. The groups focused on adapting the curriculum to changing market conditions. Recommendations and outcomes are highlighted. Nursing educators are encouraged to critically examine their own programs in preparation for the 21st century.     

The relevance of Sigmund Freud for the 21st century.

This special issue of Psychoanalytic Psychology celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sigmund Freud on May 6, 1856. The 15 papers and one book review in different ways address the question of Freud's continued relevance. The contributors to this special issue approach the topic in multiple ways. Some authors stay close to the question, while other authors write on topics dear to them. All are, nonetheless, distinguished contributors to contemporary psychoanalysis and most need no introduction to the readership of this journal. Individual contributions to the special issue are summarized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Community health collaboration models for the 21st century

The development of partnerships with physicians and other health professionals is a key strategy to improving the community's health. This article reviews the role of nurse leaders as advocates for health care improvement and leading community improvement efforts.     

Family health care delivery for the 21st century

The objective of this study was to investigate whether and how parotid saliva flow and composition correlated with the perception of gustatory and/or trigeminal stimuli in foods. Thirty (15 male and 15 female) subjects tasted seven foods or beverages (lemonade, beer, wine, soup, methyl cellulose, peanut butter, and crackers) with three levels each of a gustatory or trigeminal stimulus and rated the perceived intensity of the corresponding sensation over time using the time-intensity (TI) method while their parotid saliva was being collected. Salivary flow rates of males were significantly higher than those of females for all stimuli (p < 0.001). That did not translate, however, into consistent differences in perception of sensory attributes between males and females. Significant positive correlations were found between saliva flow and (1) TI parameters for adhesiveness of peanut butter and cohesiveness of mass of crackers (p < 0.05 or lower) and (2) time from intake to swallowing of crackers and peanut butter (p < 0.05). No correlations were found between saliva composition (e.g., sodium and total protein) and TI parameters. These results indicate that parotid saliva flow may correlate with the perception of some texture and mouthfeel attributes (presumably through oral work and bolus formation) but not with that of the taste attributes examined in this study (at the concentrations studied).     

Feminism: a perspective for the 21st century

This article details some of the key elements related to feminism in American society. It suggests that the meaning and significance of a feminist perspective need to be reexamined for their importance and utility in this dynamic and rapidly changing society. A discussion of the meaning of feminism provides a framework for the article. Issues related to cultural diversity and the need for competent health care delivery for all people are some major themes. The other emphasis is related to research and women. Numerous challenges are outlined. A feminist perspective is recommended as a conceptual model through which health care reform can be enhanced. If feminism were embraced, the health status of people would be improved.