Although extant research examining predictors of development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have focused primarily on fear and anxiety, recent research suggests that a range of different emotional reactions may occur in response to traumatic events. For example, specific aspects of traumatic exposure frequently include either experiencing or witnessing events that may elicit disgust, including injury, death, or sexual assault (e.g., Dalgleish and Power in Behav Res Ther Spec Issue Festschrift Spec Issue John Teasdale 42(9):1069–1088, 2004); McNally in J Anxiety Disord 16(5):561–566, 2002). However, no published research has specifically examined the role of disgust propensity in the development and maintenance of PTSD. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between disgust propensity and intrusive symptoms. To this end, 30 undergraduates without symptoms of PTSD were recruited to participate in a distressing film paradigm (for a review of this paradigm see Holmes and Bourne in Acta Psychol 127(3):553–566, 2008). Anxiety, depression, and trait disgust scores were entered hierarchically into a regression equation to predict the number of intrusions during a post-film thought monitoring period. Results indicated that disgust propensity predicted intrusions independent of anxiety and depression. Although still preliminary, results suggest that disgust propensity may be one factor that predicts frequency of intrusive memories after witnessing injury or bodily harm.

The present paper investigated whether academic psychologists show a tendency to rate the quality and appropriateness of scientific studies more favorably when results and conclusions are consistent with their own prior beliefs (i.e., confirmation bias). In an online experiment, 711 psychologists completed a questionnaire (e.g., about their belief in astrology) and evaluated research that was presented in form of a short abstract in which 40 different behaviors (e.g., alcohol consumption, willingness to share money) have been tried to be predicted. The research to be evaluated varied on three dimensions which were all manipulated between subjects: (1) the predictors of the 40 behaviors (either Big Five or astrological factors), (2) the methodological quality of the study (low, medium, high), and (3) the results and subsequent conclusion of the study (confirmation or disconfirmation of the hypotheses). Factor-analyzed scores of participants’ ratings on 8 scales, resulting in 2 factors termed quality and appropriateness, served as dependent measures. The main result of the study is a two-way interaction: Psychologists tended to evaluate results qualitatively higher when they conformed to their own prior expectations, as in this case, when astrological hypotheses were disconfirmed.

This phenomenological study aimed at understanding the experiences of women living with intimate partners with substance abuse problems. Findings show that the five participants’ family-of-origin experiences centrally influenced their degree of awareness of their responses to their intimate partners’ addictive behaviors. Experiences leading to dawning of awareness include an escalating toll on self, critical life events, and the catalytic effect of outsiders’ perspective and support. The discovery of self and care for one’s own well-being precipitated changes in spouse and family relationships. Implications of these findings for clinical practice and recovery are suggested.

A new inventory assessing thought-action fusion (TAF) in children is presented. We explore the psychometric properties of this instrument and examine the associations between TAF, ritualistic and compulsive-like behavior (CLB) and anxiety. Three hundred thirteen children ages 7–14 (M = 10.16, SD = 1.92) representing six grades (grouped into three grade levels (grades 2–3, 4–5, and 6–7) completed the Thought-action Fusion Inventory for Children (TAFIC) and the Child Revised Manifest Anxiety Scale. One hundred thirty-five parents or guardians completed the Childhood Routines Inventory. Results revealed high internal consistency in the TAFIC (Cronbach’s α = .92). TAF scores changed with age: Older children reported less TAF than younger children. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that: (1) physiological anxiety predicted CLB in early childhood; (2) TAF predicted CLB in older children. Consistent with structural developmental theories, TAF changes throughout development, but plays a role in the normative regulation of affective states, as well as in the development of ritualistic compulsive like behavior in children.

This article defines ways in which a community can honor older adults as an invaluable resource to community life. A biographical study of a particular community is undertaken in order to extricate its theological convictions and ethical values. This study underscores the pivotal role of older adults in community function. Moreover, this article challenges scholars, caregivers, congregations to develop theories and strategies of care efficacious for healing.