Forms of bullying reported by middle-school students in Latin America and the Caribbean

Nationally representative data from more than 25,000 middle-school students in 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean who participated in the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) between 2004 and 2009 were analyzed. The proportion of students by country who reported being the victim of a bully in the past month ranged from 17% to 39%. None of the countries had statistically significant differences in bullying prevalence by sex. For girls, the most common form of bullying reported in 14 countries was appearance-based (‘made fun of because of how the body or face looks’). For boys, physical aggression (‘being hit, kicked, pushed, shoved around, or locked indoors’) was the most common form in 10 countries and appearance-based bullying was the most common form reported in 4 countries. School-based anti-bullying efforts in this region must address a variety of bullying mechanisms as well as contributing factors such as body dissatisfaction.     

How do art therapists act in relation to people who experience borderline personality disorder? A review of the literature

Abstract

The difficulties described by the term borderline personality disorder represent a significant clinical population. The British Association of Art Therapists has prioritised the use of research to improve the effectiveness of art therapy. Defining therapist action in relation to the condition treated is an important part of theory building for such research, but this preparatory stage has arguably been underestimated in many art therapy outcome studies. The present study therefore used a literature review to ask how art therapists act in relation to borderline personality disorder. An international search between 1980 and 2014 revealed 17 relevant studies. Data relevant to the research question were extracted from each paper, grouped thematically and developed into nine propositions that linked therapist action with the condition-specific difficulty they claimed to address. This identified a practice concerned with the process rather than the content of thought. Avoiding interpretation of unconscious symbolism, art was used to enhance joint attention in a teleologically sympathetic process of thinking together with things. This differentiated it from a number of major art therapy models. While propositions were developed, they were not tested in the present study.     

The plasticity of social emotions

Social emotions such as empathy or compassion greatly facilitate our interactions with others. Despite the importance of social emotions, scientific studies have only recently revealed functional neural plasticity associated with the training of such emotions. Using the framework of two antagonistic neural systems, the threat and social disconnection system on the one hand, and the reward and social connection system on the other, this article describes how training compassion and empathy can change the functioning of these systems in a targeted manner. Whereas excessive empathic sharing of suffering can increase negative feelings and activations in the insula and anterior cingulate cortex (corresponding to the threat and social disconnection system), compassion training can strengthen positive affect and neural activations in the medial orbitofrontal cortex and striatum (corresponding to the reward and social connection system). These neuroimaging findings are complemented by results from behavioral studies showing that compassion is linked to helping and forgiveness behavior, whereas empathic distress not only decreases helping behavior, but is even associated with increased aggressive behavior. Taken together, these data provide encouraging evidence for the plasticity of adaptive social emotions with wide-ranging implications for basic science and applied settings.     

Using Behavioral Approaches to Assess Memory,Imitation and Motor Performance in Children with Angelman Syndrome: Results of a Pilot Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study was designed to assess memory, imitation of motor actions and motor performance by 12 children (age range 40–151 months) with Angelman syndrome (AS), a rare neurogenetic disorder associated with learning and memory impairments. Methods: Children’s functioning was assessed at several time points over a 3-month period. Results: Memory and motor performance tests had acceptable test-retest and inter-rater reliability whereas the motor imitation test did not. Children were able to recall action sequences after a 24-h delay. Memory and motor performance scores were correlated with children’s chronological age and raw scores on subdomains of the Vineland-II. Conclusions: These behavioral tests require further development and evaluation but may show promise to accompany standardized assessments that are currently in use with children with AS.     

The self-healing forest: Between self-regulation and dyadic regulation

Throughout the history of body psychotherapy, self-regulation in general and somatic self-regulation in particular were a central concept. This study examines the development of theoretical, clinical and applicatory aspects of self- and dyadic regulation through academic, clinical and personal accounts. It explores the presuppositions behind self-regulation and proposes that dyadic regulation, which is based on intersubjectivity, has both regressive and generative aspects. Thus, this study links psychoanalytic thinking with systemic theory and contemporary body psychotherapeutic principles. This study is based on a talk given in the 13th EABP conference in Cambridge.     

On body memory and embodied therapy

Whether in clinical or scientific contexts the phenomenon of body memory has become a central topic of interest within embodied and embedded theory approaches. Between 2000 and 2012, Prof. Dr. Thomas Fuchs – professor for philosophical foundations of psychiatry at the University of Heidelberg – has put forth a theory on the phenomenology of body memory (Fuchs, 2012). The professional mission of Prof. Fuchs is to combine a philosophical approach based on phenomenology with psychiatric experience. More specifically, his aim is to describe the structures of subjective experience as an embodied way of being in the world and with others, and to investigate the disturbances that arise in this way of being. Based on an interview with Prof. Fuchs and Prof. Caldwell, who uses body memory in her clinical work, this article introduces the concept of body memory and connects it with applications in embodied psychotherapy.     

Identification and practical management of latex allergy in occupational settings

Allergy to natural rubber latex (NRL) from Hevea brasiliensis is a relevant occupational health hazard. The use of gloves and products manufactured with latex and environmental allergen exposure in the work environment are risks factors for the development of occupational allergy among different job categories. Healthcare workers have been the most commonly affected, but other professions with exposure to latex products such as hairdressers, cleaners, food handlers and those making natural rubber latex (NRL) products are also at risk of developing occupational allergy. Clinical manifestations of IgE-mediated latex allergy can range from troublesome skin disorders to life-threatening systemic reactions. It is very important to identify the occupational allergic diseases in their early stages in order to implement avoidance strategies. For this purpose, the interventions for prevention should emphasize the importance of latex allergy awareness and surveillance among exposed workforces.