Thinking about the social influence model: A cautionary note in response to Dorn.

F. J. Dorn (see record 1984-15985-001) claims that acceptance of the social influence model is related to the needs of society and that the medical profession got into trouble because it paid too much attention to professional identity, but he does not substantiate these claims. The present author argues that the most interesting questions regarding the relationship between professional identity and the social influence model have not even been raised by Dorn. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maintaining perceptions of control: Finding perceived control in low-control circumstances.

Three questions about the role of perceived control in coping with a major life stressor were addressed in a sample of 71 cancer patients. As expected, those with greater perceptions of control were less depressed, even when physical functioning, marital satisfaction, and negative affectivity were controlled for. Consistent with a compensatory model of control, it was more important for patients to believe that they could control daily emotional reactions and physical symptoms than the course of the disease. Patients who endorsed irrational beliefs had lower overall perceptions of control. The results indicated that even patients who were physically or psychosocially worse off were better adjusted if they had higher perceptions of control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Battered women: Sex roles and clinical issues.

Examines how sex role biases contribute to the origins of spousal violence, compound its psychological effects, and interfere with effective treatment for battered women. Issues that commonly arise during psychotherapy with battered women and their batterers are discussed, such as self-esteem, denial, manipulation, body integration and sexuality, and familial relationships. Clinical impressions are supported with preliminary results of data collected from 400 battered women. Suggestions are made for implementing effective, nonsexist treatment programs with preventive, secondary, and tertiary strategies. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)