Brief group therapy with low-achieving elementary school children.

The study encompassed 142 low achievers in 2 elementary schools (Grades 2-6) in Israel, all of whom received 4–6 weekly hours' assistance with their academic difficulties in school. After a random division of this sample into experimental and control groups, the former received an additional weekly session of group therapy of an interpersonal nature. The effect of this treatment was examined on 4 dependent variables: academic achievements, self concept, social acceptance, and locus of control. Results indicated significant gains for the experimental group on all these variables—gains that increased over time. Group therapy appears to contribute both to academic progress and to the psychological and social well-being of low-achieving pupils. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapeutic factors and outcomes in group and individual therapy of aggressive boys.

The study compared outcomes and process in group and individual treatment of 102 aggressive boys. Analyses were performed in ordinal and logistic regressions (for change and therapeutic factors, respectively) within a hierarchical linear model. Results indicated reduced aggression for the treatment children compared with the control group, with no effect of treatment format. Most of the boys reached at least the preparation stage of change in both treatments. The process research revealed 1 difference in Emotional Awareness-Insight, presented more in group treatment, and growth in Emotional Awareness-Insight and Problem Identification-Change. The stepwise regression revealed that Other vs Self-Focus and Problem Identification-Change were related to outcomes in group treatment only: The 1st contributed negatively to gains, and the 2nd contributed positively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

True morels (Morchella)—nutritional and phytochemical composition,health benefits and flavor: A review

Morels are edible mushrooms appreciated worldwide for their savory flavor. Morels have been in use in traditional medicine for centuries, due to their health-related benefits, and current research demonstrated their anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory bioactivities, in addition to immunostimulatory and anti-tumor properties. In spite of the high demand for morels and their increasing economic importance, their cultivation is limited, and they are either used as wild harvested or fermented in culture, for consumption as a functional food and for food-flavoring. Morel's health benefits were attributed mainly to polysaccharides as the active compounds, and to various phytochemicals, mainly phenolic compounds, tocopherols, ascorbic acid and vitamin D. Morel's nutritional composition was reported, including sugar, amino acid, fatty and organic acid and mineral profile. Information regarding Morel's flavor is limited, and while some of their taste attributes have been described, including the role of umami taste, details about their volatile aroma profile are scarce, and it was reported to include eight carbon volatiles, the main aroma volatiles typical to most mushrooms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review presenting morels' nutritional and phytochemical composition, health benefits and flavor, and we will review the available information in current literature regarding these aspects in light of morels phenotypic plasticity.     

Taste and aroma of fresh and stored mandarins

During the last decade there has been a continuous rise in consumption of fresh easy‐to‐peel mandarins. However, mandarins are much more perishable than other citrus fruit, mainly due to rapid deterioration in sensory acceptability after harvest. In the current review we discuss the biochemical components involved in forming the unique flavor of mandarins, and how postharvest storage operations influence taste and aroma and consequently consumer sensory acceptability. What we perceive as mandarin flavor is actually the combination of basic taste, aroma and mouth‐feel. The taste of mandarins is principally governed by the levels of sugars and acids in the juice sacs and the relative ratios among them, whereas the aroma of mandarins is derived from a mixture of different aroma volatiles, including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, terpenes/hydrocarbons and esters. During postharvest storage and marketing there is a gradual decrease in mandarin sensory acceptability, which has been attributed to decreases in acidity and typical mandarin flavor, paralleling an accumulation of off‐flavor. Biochemical analysis of volatile and non‐volatile constituents in mandarin juice demonstrated that these changes in sensory acceptability were concomitant with decreases in acidity and content of terpenes and aldehydes, which provide green, piney and citrus aroma on the one hand, and increases in ethanol fermentation metabolism products and esters on the other, which are likely to cause ‘overripe’ and off‐flavors. Overall, we demonstrate the vast importance of the genetic background, maturity stage at harvest, commercial postharvest operation treatments, including curing, degreening and waxing, and storage duration on mandarin sensory quality. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

The effectiveness of counseling groups in reducing stress of parents of children with learning disabilities.

This study investigated the impact of counseling groups as compared with educational groups on attitudes, levels of stress, and sense of control among parents of a child with learning disabilities (LD) and a non-LD sibling. Conducted in one learning center in Israel, the study comprised 49 families in the counseling group and 46 families in the educational group. Results of the hierarchical analyses (mixed models) indicated significantly higher gains in the counseling groups for both mothers (who participated in the intervention) and fathers (who did not), mostly with respect to the child with LD. Children's self-reports supported these gains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Editorial.

Introduces this special issue on Groups in Education. The inspiration for this special issue came from the current President of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy, George Gazda. His commitment and devotion to therapeutic groups and to school system reform has spanned five decades. In his introduction to this special issue, Gazda describes seven serious flaws to the current educational system. Many of the articles in this issue address ways to counter the problems that exist currently in the schools. Gazda's voluminous number of publications addresses such topics as human relations training of teachers, school reform, life-skills training, the development of life-coping skills, developmental education, facilitating interpersonal skills development, and the use of group procedures for the prevention and treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. Gazda is applauded for his tenacity at addressing the need for school change, especially when many schools continue to provide competitive climates, authoritarian management models, and lack an emphasis on interpersonal skills training for students and teachers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does ethnicity explain functioning in group counseling? The case of Arab and Jewish counseling trainees in Israel.

This study compared the functioning in group counseling of two ethnic groups--Arab and Jews in Israel. All participants were counseling trainees in a university program, led by one group leader. Variables included self-disclosure, goals for therapy, client behavior, and therapeutic factors, measured repeatedly (at least twice), either through questionnaires or through analyses of transcribed sessions. Statistical analyses were performed by means of a hierarchical model (mixed), with the individual nested within the small group and the ethnic cohort. In contrast to our expectations, results indicated more similarities than differences between the two cohorts. Moreover, Arab trainees intended to disclose more in group and actually did (based on a questionnaire) compared with their Jewish counterparts. On the Client Behavior Scale (C. E. Hill & K. O'Brien, 1999) there were a few differences revealed: Arab trainees displayed more simple responses, more cognitive exploration, and less resistance, insight, and therapeutic change. Two differences were revealed also on the therapeutic factors. The discussion cautions against unnecessary modifications made in interventions with different cultural groups in counseling. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Arab and Israeli counseling trainees: A comparison of ethnically homogeneous and heterogeneous groups.

The study compared Arab and Jewish trainees in ethnically homogeneous and heterogeneous groups, in 1 counselor training program in Israel. The 60 participants were divided into 4 conditions: Jewish trainees in homogeneous and heterogeneous groups (n=15 in each), and Arab trainees in homogeneous and heterogeneous groups (n=15 in each). Functioning in the group was measured through group climate (engagement, conflict, and avoidance), group intimacy, self-disclosure, and regret of disclosure. Results indicated cultural differences only on self-disclosure, with Arabs scoring lower than Jews on several dimensions. Group composition differences were mainly indicated on the climate measure, with higher scores in the heterogeneous group on conflict and avoidance, and lower scores on regret of feeling exposure. Culture-by-group interactions were found for engagement, self-disclosure, and regret after disclosure about self, with Arabs in heterogeneous groups scoring higher on the first 2 and lower on the third. These results recommend placing Arab trainees in heterogeneous groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cross-cultural personality correlates of intensity and content category of positive experiences.

Investigated the relationship between teenagers' personality traits and 2 aspects of their most positive remembered experiences (MPREs)—intensity and content—across cultures expected to differ on these variables. 192 male and 159 female Israeli Arabs, 166 male and 191 female Israeli Jews, and 195 male and 191 female US Christians (aged 14–15 yrs) completed a high school personality questionnaire (HSPQ) and a positive experience questionnaire (PEQ). MPREs elicited by the PEQ were rated on a 4-point intensity scale and then classified as with external world, with self, or interpersonal. Results indicate that, despite cultural differences in mean intensities and content-category distributions, 9 of the HSPQs' 14 personality factors correlated (beyond the effect of culture) with either intensity, content category, or both. Content categories exhibited sharply differentiated personality factor tendencies. Intensity-linked personality factor tendencies seemed consistent with self-actualizer characteristics described by A. H. Maslow (1971). (46 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)