Showing papers on "Interpersonal communication published in 2002"

Computer-Mediated Communication Effects on Disclosure, Impressions, and Interpersonal Evaluations: Getting to Know One Another a Bit at a Time

Abstract: This investigation examined how computer-mediated communication (CMC) partners exchange personal information in initial interactions, focusing on the effects of communication channels on self-disclosure, question-asking, and uncertainty reduction Unacquainted individuals (N = 158) met either face-to-face or via CMC Computer-mediated interactants exhibited a greater proportion of more direct and intimate uncertainty reduction behaviors than unmediated participants did, and demonstrated significantly greater gains in attributional confidence over the course of the conversations The use of direct strategies by mediated interactants resulted in judgments of greater conversational effectiveness by partners Results illuminate some microstructures previously asserted but unverified within social information processing theory (Walther, 1992), and extend uncertainty reduction theory (Berger & Calabrese, 1975) to CMC interaction

Physician gender effects in medical communication: A meta-analytic review

Abstract: ContextPhysician gender has been viewed as a possible source of variation in the interpersonal aspects of medical practice, with speculation that female physicians facilitate more open and equal exchange and a different therapeutic milieu from that of male physicians. However, studies in this area are generally based on small samples, with conflicting results.ObjectiveTo systematically review and quantify the effect of physician gender on communication during medical visits.Data SourcesOnline database searches of English-language abstracts for the years 1967 to 2001 (MEDLINE, AIDSLINE, PsycINFO, and Bioethics); a hand search was conducted of reprint files and the reference sections of review articles and other publications.Study SelectionStudies using a communication data source, such as audiotape, videotape, or direct observation, and large national or regional studies in which physician report was used to establish length of visit, were identified through bibliographic and computerized searches. Twenty-three observational studies and 3 large physician-report studies reported in 29 publications met inclusion criteria and were rated.Data ExtractionThe Cohen d was computed based on 2 reviewers' (J.A.H. and Y.A.) independent extraction of quantitative information from the publications. Study heterogeneity was tested using Q statistics and pooled effect sizes were computed using the appropriate effects model. The characteristics of the study populations were also extracted.Data SynthesisFemale physicians engage in significantly more active partnership behaviors, positive talk, psychosocial counseling, psychosocial question asking, and emotionally focused talk. There were no gender differences evident in the amount, quality, or manner of biomedical information giving or social conversation. Medical visits with female physicians are, on average, 2 minutes (10%) longer than those with male physicians. Obstetrics and gynecology may present a different pattern than that of primary care, with male physicians demonstrating higher levels of emotionally focused talk than their female colleagues.ConclusionsFemale primary care physicians engage in more communication that can be considered patient centered and have longer visits than their male colleagues. Limited studies exist outside of primary care, and gender-related practice patterns in some subspecialties may differ from those evident in primary care.

The Relational Self: An Interpersonal Social-Cognitive Theory

Abstract: The authors propose an interpersonal social– cognitive theory of the self and personality, the relational self, in which knowledge about the self is linked with knowledge about significant others, and each linkage embodies a self– other relationship. Mental representations of significant others are activated and used in interpersonal encounters in the social– cognitive phenomenon of transference (S. M. Andersen & N. S. Glassman, 1996), and this evokes the relational self. Variability in relational selves depends on interpersonal contextual cues, whereas stability derives from the chronic accessibility of significant-other representations. Relational selves function in if–then terms (W. Mischel & Y. Shoda, 1995), in which ifs are situations triggering transference, and thens are relational selves. An individual’s repertoire of relational selves is a source of interpersonal patterns involving affect, motivation, self-evaluation, and self-regulation. The nature of the self has long perplexed and intrigued scholars across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines. In psychology alone, well over a century of inquiry has translated into a virtual explosion of theory and research in recent decades, especially in social psychology, all aiming to chart the contours of the self. Sharing this aim, we propose an interpersonal social– cognitive theory of the self that draws on theory and research in social cognition, personality psychology, and clinical psychology. Our central argument is that the self is relational— or even entangled— with significant others and that this has implications for selfdefinition, self-evaluation, self-regulation, and, most broadly, for personality functioning, expressed in relation to others. The theory clearly subscribes to the long-standing view that the self is fundamentally interpersonal (e.g., James, 1890). Indeed, we maintain that an individual’s overall repertoire of relational selves, stemming from all his or her relationships, is a major source of the interpersonal patterns that the individual enacts and experiences in the course of everyday interpersonal life—whether at work, at play, or in therapy. The proposed theory focuses on the ways in which the self is related to specific other individuals—namely, the significant oth

Educating Moral People: A Caring Alternative to Character Education

Abstract: In this collection of essential essays, Nel Noddings examines alternatives to prevailing models of character education - a sympathetic approach based on an ethic of care. Covering both stories in the classroom and controversial issues in education, Noddings describes the similarities and differences between character education and care ethics...examines how moral education might be infused throughout the curriculum...and calls for greater cooperation across fields and more attention to the practical problems of everyday teaching.

Capitalizing on Diversity: Interpersonal Congruence in Small Work Groups:

Abstract: We examine interpersonal congruence, the degree to which group members see others in the group as others see themselves, as a moderator of the relationship between diversity and group effectiveness...

Instant messaging in teen life

Abstract: Instant Messaging (IM) is being widely adopted by teenagers. In a study of 16 teenage IM users, we explore IM as an emerging feature of teen life, focusing our questions on its support of interpersonal communication and its role and salience in everyday life. We qualitatively describe the teens' IM use interpersonally, as well as its place in the domestic ecology. We also identify technology adoption conditions and discuss behaviors around privacy management. In this initial investigation, we found differences in the nature of use between high school and college teens, differences we propose are accounted for by teens' degree of autonomy as a function of domestic and scholastic obligations, the development of independent work practices, Internet connectivity access, and even transportation access. Moreover, while teen IM use is in part characterized as an optimizing choice between multiple communications media, practice is also tied to concerns around peer pressure, peer group membership and creating additional opportunities to socialize.

Telecommuting, professional isolation, and employee development in public and private organizations

Abstract: Summary This study employs a grounded theory methodology to compare the impact telecommuting has on public and private employees’ perceptions of professional isolation. It relied on 93 semi-structured interviews with telecommuters, non-telecommuters, and their respective supervisors in two high technology firms and two city governments. These organizations had active telecommuting programmes and a strong interest in making telecommuting a successful work option, providing an opportunity to investigate the challenges of telecommuting that existed even within friendly environments. The interviews demonstrated that professional isolation of telecommuters is inextricably linked to employee development activities (interpersonal networking, informal learning, and mentoring). The extent to which telecommuters experience professional isolation depends upon the extent to which these activities are valued in the workplace and the degree to which telecommuters miss these opportunities. Public respondents appeared to value these informal developmental activities less than private employees. Therefore, we stipulate that telecommuting is less likely to hinder the professional development of public sector employees than that of employees in the private sector. Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Communication, Conflict, and Commitment: Insights on the Foundations of Relationship Success from a National Survey

Abstract: The key relationship dynamics of communication, conflict, and commitment were investigated using data from a randomly sampled, nationwide phone survey of adults in married, engaged, and cohabiting relationships. Findings on communication and conflict generally replicated those of studies using more indepth or objective measurement strategies. Negative interaction between partners was negatively associated with numerous measures of relationship quality and positively correlated with divorce potential (thinking or talking about divorce). Withdrawal during conflict by either or both partners, though quite common, was associated with more negativity and less positive connection in relationships. The most frequently reported issue that couples argue about in first marriages was money, and in re-marriages it was conflict about children. Overall, how couples argue was more related to divorce potential than was what they argue about, although couples who argue most about money tended to have higher levels of negative communication and conflict than other couples. Further, while the male divorce potential was more strongly linked to levels of negative interaction, the female was more strongly linked to lower positive connection in the relationship. Consistent with the commitment literature, higher reported commitment was associated with less alternative monitoring, less feeling trapped in the relationship, and greater relationship satisfaction.

Discovering Emotion in Classroom Motivation Research

Abstract: This article discusses the serendipitous findings that illustrated the importance of students' and teachers' emotions during instructional interactions. Through revisiting former assumptions and findings, this article concludes that emotion is an essential part of studying motivation in classroom interactions. Emotions are intertwined in teachers' instructional responses and students' beliefs and actions, constituting an integral part of the interpersonal processes that create classroom contexts. This article calls for new theoretical syntheses and research programs that integrate emotion, motivation, and cognition as equal components in the social process of learning.

Toward a Theory of Family Communication

Abstract: Scholars who study the family generally agree that the values, behaviors, and social environments that affect family structures have changed a great deal over the past 2 decades (Fitzpatrick & Vangelisti, 1995). The ability of families to survive these changes suggests that families are flexible and that their flexibility is aided by how family members communicate. Furthermore, although a number of the functions of the family have been delegated to other social agencies, family members are expected to provide caregiving and support and to nurture one another. Whether conceived of as a process of making facts mutually manifest (Sperber & Wilson, 1986) or of developing and sustaining definitions of reality in relationships (Berger & Kellner, 1994), communication plays a central role in the family. Despite this obvious importance of family communication, there are no theories of family communication per se, although there is a growing body of excellent, theoretically driven research on various topics in this arena (Fitzpatrick & Vangelisti, 1995). The purpose of this manuscript is to attempt to fill this lacuna by developing a theory of family communication that builds on the advances made in research involving the schematic representation of relational knowledge in human cognition and that takes the unique family communication environment into consideration. To that end, we first provide some background work, explicating key concepts and terms, and discuss the relevance of intersubjectivity and interactivity for family communication theories. We then explore relational theories that employ relationship schemas and develop a genIn this article, the authors develop a theory of family communication that is based on the schematic representation of relational knowledge. They discuss pertinent issues surrounding family communication and develop a general model of the role of relational schemas for interpersonal communication. Taking the specific environment of family communication into consideration, the authors then develop a theory of family communication based on a family relationship schema and describe the schema’s location in cognition, its content, and its role in family communication.

Formal and Interpersonal Discrimination: A Field Study of Bias Toward Homosexual Applicants

Abstract: The current research studies discrimination from the perspective of people in stigmatized roles in actual employment settings. Confederates, who were portrayed as being homosexual or not, applied for jobs at local stores. Measures of formal bias (e.g., job offers), interpersonal behavior (e.g., length of interactions), and perceptions of bias (e.g., anticipated job offers by applicants) were assessed. Although confederates portrayed as homosexual were not discriminated against in formal ways relative to confederate applicants not presented as gay, they were responded to significantly more negatively in interpersonal ways. Moreover, there was a stronger relationship between interpersonal treatment and anticipated employment actions for confederates than there was between interpersonal responses and actual job offers by employers. These findings reveal the dynamics of the development of different impressions and expectations by stigmatizers and targets. Theoretical and practical implications are considered.

What Do We Know about Proximity and Distance in Work Groups? A Legacy of Research

Abstract: Significant increases in the geographic distribution of work have been touted widely. Yet a large body of evidence suggests that close proximity is beneficial to relationships and group interaction. We examine these benefits through the lens of research on the mere presence of others, face-to-face communication, shared social settings, and frequency of spontaneous communication. Technological and organizational remedies for the absence of these factors in distributed work groups are popular but often problematic. We propose that communication technology is more likely to be effective when groups are cohesive than when they are not, and that structured management (as well as technology) is likely to be needed in groups lacking cohesion. 77 " Collaboration is a body contact sport. " The researcher who said this during an interview believes, as many do, that people's physical proximity has a tremendous impact on their ability to work together. There is considerable support for this belief in the academic community as well. Research harking back fifty years has demonstrated that close proximity between people is associated with numerous emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes that affect the work process for the better. In this chapter, we describe these findings, discuss reasons why proximity has been thought very good for group functioning, and consider how well people adapt to working apart. Our purpose is to stimulate discussion on fundamental problems in the psychology of distributed work and the management of distance. What Is Proximity? Proximity refers to the physical distance between people measured in units such as inches, meters, or miles. In the research literature, however concepts like " proximity, " " physical distance, " " collocation, " and " dispersion " have been operationalized differently over time (Monge & Kirste, 1980; Monge et al., 1985). Four and five decades ago, the dominant model of group dynamics was the small group framework of Kurt Lewin and his students (see Forsyth, 1998, pp. 1-24). Groups studied within this framework typically were collocated. A social psychologist in the 1960s, when speaking of proximity, might be talking about the seating arrangements at a table of diners, a jury, or a committee (Strodtbeck & Hook, 1961; Howells & Becker, 1962). During this same decade, the dominant model of organizations was driven by the production framework (e.g., Thompson, 1967), in which the proximity of workers typically was defined and dictated by work flow, task interdependence, and coordination needs (e.g., Kmetz, 1984). …

The Social Calculus of Voting: Interpersonal, Media, and Organizational Influences on Presidential Choices

Abstract: Voting choices are a product of both personal attitudes and social contexts, of a personal and a social calculus. Research has illuminated the personal calculus of voting, but the social calculus has received little attention since the 1940s. This study expands our understanding of the social influences on individual choice by examining the relationship of partisan biases in media, organizational, and interpersonal intermediaries to the voting choices of Americans. Its results show that the traditional sources of social influence still dominate: Interpersonal discussion outweighs the media in affecting the vote. Media effects appear to be the product of newspaper editorial pages rather than television or newspaper reporting, which contain so little perceptible bias that they often are misperceived as hostile. Parties and secondary organizations also are influential, but only for less interested voters—who are more affected by social contexts in general. Overall, this study demonstrates that democratic citizens are embedded in social contexts that join with personal traits in shaping their voting decisions.

Communication intervention for children with autism: a review of treatment efficacy.

Abstract: Empirical studies evaluating speech and language intervention procedures applied to children with autism are reviewed, and the documented benefits are summarized. In particular, interventions incorporating sign language, discrete-trial training, and milieu teaching procedures have been used successfully to expand the communication repertoires of children with autism. Other important developments in the field stem from interventions designed to replace challenging behaviors and to promote social and scripted interactions. The few studies of the parent and classroom training studies that included language measures also are analyzed. This article seeks to outline the extent to which previous research has helped identify a compendium of effective instructional practices that can guide clinical practice. It also seeks to highlight needs for further research to refine and extend current treatment approaches and to investigate more comprehensive treatment packages.

Testing the Interactivity Principle: Effects of Mediation, Propinquity, and Verbal and Nonverbal Modalities in Interpersonal Interaction

Abstract: Early channel reliance research compared different modes of communication to assess relationships among nonverbal and verbal cues. Emerging communication technologies represent a new venue for gaining insights into the same relationships. In this article, the authors advance a principle of interactivity as a framework for decomposing some of those relationships and report an experiment in which physical proximity—whether actors are in the same place (“co-located”) or interacting at a distance (“distributed”)—and the availability of other nonverbal environmental, auditory, and visual information in distributed modes is varied. Results indicate that both proximity and availability of nonverbal cues affect communication processes, social judgments participants make about each other, and task performance. The authors discuss implications about gains and losses due to presence of nonverbal features.

Affective states and traits in the workplace: Diary and survey data from young workers.

Abstract: This study investigated proposed paths of the affective events theory (AET; H. M. Weiss & R. Cropanzano, 1996), with part-time employees completing surveys at 2 points in time and completing an event-contingent diary over 2 weeks. In support of AET, negative affectivity (Time 1) related to negative emotional reactions at work. Negative emotional reactions were associated with intention to leave the job (Time 2). This relationship was especially strong for the sadness emotions (disappointed, depressed, unhappy). Positive affectivity (Time 1) directly related to job satisfaction (Time 2), but only weakly predicted positive emotional reactions at work (aggregated over 2 weeks). Qualitative data provided information about work affective events and affect-driven behaviors. Interpersonal mistreatment from customers were the most frequent cause of anger and resulted in faking expressions about 50% of the time. Recognition from supervisors for work performance was the main cause of pride.

Parent-adolescent communication about sex and birth control: a conceptual framework.

Abstract: Although the reduction of adolescent pregnancy and STDs has been a major catalyst for the study of parent-adolescent communication about sex and birth control other facets of adolescent sexuality have also motivated research on parent-adolescent communication. As parents guide their children toward independent and healthy adult lives helping the children understand their own sexuality and adopting perspectives that lead to healthy sexual attitudes and orientations later in life are of central importance. Sexual socialization is an important developmental process that also encompasses research on communication between parents and adolescents (Leland and Barth 1993). In this chapter we present a conceptual framework for the analysis of parent-adolescent communication about sex and birth control. We characterize trends in the recent empirical literature with respect to this framework and discuss directions for future research in this important area of inquiry. We do not consider the large literature on family effects in general on adolescent sexual risk behavior. This research has been reviewed eloquently by Miller (1998) and Miller Benson and Galbraith (2001). Rather our focus is specifically on parent-adolescent communication about sex and birth control. We emphasize literature published since 1990 since a review of empirical research prior to this time is available in Jaccard and Dittus (1991). (excerpt)

Examining Differential Gains from Mass Media and their Implications for Participatory Behavior

Abstract: The idea of interpersonal discussions among citizens being the “soul of democracy” has been treatedalmost as a truism in recent research on media, interpersonal communication, and democratic citizenship. Without a doubt, there is strong evidence to support the notion that interpersonal discussion of politics is a key antecedent of political participation. This study proposes that the relationships between hard news media use, interpersonal discussion of politics, and participatory behavior are far more complex than previously assumed. Specifically, it is expected that hard news media use has an overall positive main effect on political participation. This main effect, however, cloaks significantly different effects for people who talk to others about politics rather frequently and those who do not. National survey data support the differential gains model for newspaper andtelevision hardnews use. This article explores explanations for this phenomenon and implications for future research and policy.

Strategic Planning for Public Relations

Abstract: Introduction Relationship Management Strategic Communication Integrated Communication Advertising Strategic Public Relations Effective Creativity Phase One: Formative Research Step 1: Analyzing the Situation Public Relations and Ethics Planning Example 1: Analyzing the Situation Checklist 1: Public Relations Situation Step 2: Analyzing the Organization Internal Environment Public Perception External Environment Planning Example 2: Analyzing the Organization Checklist 2A: Internal Environment Checklist 2B: Public Perception Checklist 2C: External Environment Step 3: Analyzing the Publics Publics Key Publics Strategic Planning Example 3A: Identifying Publics Checklist 3A: Publics Analyzing Key Publics Stereotypes Rethinking Your Publics Benefit Statement Planning Example 3B: Analyzing Key Publics Checklist 3B: Key Publics Phase Two: Strategy Step 4: Establishing Goals and Objectives Organizational Goals Objectives Planning Example 4: Establishing Goals and Objectives Checklist 4: Goals and Objectives Step 5: Formulating Action and Response Strategies Proactive Public Relations Strategies Reactive Public Relations Strategies Planning Example 5: Formulating Action and Response Strategies Checklist 5: Action and Response Strategies Step 6: Designing Effective Communication Communication Process Rhetorical Tradition Planning Example 6A: Selecting Message Sources Checklist 6A: Message Sources Logos: Appealing to Reason Pathos: Appealing to Sentiment Planning Example 6B: Determining Message Appeals Planning Checklist 6B: Message Appeals Verbal Communication Nonverbal Communication Planning Example 6C: Planning Verbal/Nonverbal Communication Checklist 6C: Planning Verbal/Nonverbal Communication Branding the Strategic Message Phase Three: Tactics Step 7: Selecting Communication Tactics Interpersonal Communication Techniques Planning Example 7A: Selecting Interpersonal Communication Tactics Checklist 7A: Interpersonal Communication Tactics Organizational Media Tactics Planning Example 7B: Selecting Organizational Media Tactics Checklist 7B: Organizational Media Tactics News Media Tactics Planning Example 7C: Selecting News Media Tactics Checklist 7C: News Media Tactics Advertising and Promotional Media Tactics Planning Example 7D: Selecting Advertising and Promotional Tactics Checklist 7D: Advertising and Promotional Tactics Packaging Communication Tactics Planning Example 7E: Packaging the Communication Tactics Checklist 7E: Packaging Communication Tactics Step 8: Implementing the Strategic Plan Campaign Plan Campaign Schedule Campaign Budget Planning Example 8: Implementing the Strategic Plan Checklist 8: Implementing the Strategic Plan Phase Four: Evaluation Research Step 9: Evaluating the Strategic Plan What to Evaluate When to Evaluate How to Evaluate Data Analysis and Reports Planning Examples 9: Evaluating the Strategic Plan Checklist 9: Evaluating the Strategic Plan Appendix A: Applied Research Techniques Appendix B: Ethical Standards Appendix C: Sample Campaigns Appendix D: Effective Media Engagement Glossary Citations and Recommended Readings

Leader-Member Exchange and Organizational Communication Satisfaction in Multiple Contexts

Abstract: This study explored the extent to which the quality of leader-member exchange (LMX) affects subordinates' perceptions of communication satisfaction in multiple contexts. Findings indicate that the quality of LMX strongly influences subordinates' communication satisfaction in interpersonal (personal feedback and supervisory communication), group (co-worker communication and organizational integration in the workgroup), and organizational contexts (corporate communication, communication climate, and organizational media quality). Further, subordinates' LMXs with their superiors are tightly coupled with larger group and organizational contexts with respect to communication satisfaction. However, the strength of coupling decreases as the "sphere of influence" becomes more distanced and less direct.

Early Intervention and the Development of Self-Regulation

Abstract: Self-regulation is the key mediator between genetic predisposition, early experience, and adult functioning. This paper argues that all the key mechanisms underpinning the enduring effects of early relationship experiences interface with individuals' capacity to control (a) their reaction to stress, (b) their capacity to maintain focused attention, and (c) their capacity to interpret mental states in themselves and others. These three mechanisms together function to assist the individual to work closely and collaboratively with other minds. The paper proposes a reformulation of attachment theory constructs in terms of the quality of interpersonal interpretive functioning and the interpersonal strategies adopted by individuals to maintain optimal psychological distance between themselves and others, given their particular level of interpretive capacity.

Survivor reactions to reorganization: antecedents and consequences of procedural, interpersonal, and informational justice.

Abstract: This study tested a model of survivor reactions to reorganization, which incorporated multiple predictors and consequences of procedural, interpersonal, and informational justice. The 3 justice types had different correlates: all 4 antecedents (employee input, victim support, implementation, and communication quality) predicted interpersonal fairness, implementation and communication quality were associated with informational fairness, and employee input was the sole predictor of procedural justice. Procedural justice was strongly related to all 4 outcome variables, and interpersonal and informational justice added unique variance to the prediction of trust in management. The reorganization effort was still predictive of employee outcomes, although primarily through procedural justice approximately I year after its completion.

Understanding Family Communication Patterns and Family Functioning: The Roles of Conversation Orientation and Conformity Orientation

Abstract: Family communication behavior and family beliefs about how family members should communicate with one another are closely related and combine to create family communication patterns. Two dimensions that determine family communication patterns are conversation orientation and conformity orientation. In this chapter, we discuss theoretical and practical issues relating to these two dimensions and the family typology that is based on them. First, the dimensions are discussed and a resulting family typology is introduced. Then, we discuss the instrument to measure family communication patterns, the Revised Family Communication Patterns instrument (RFCP), and review research that links conversation orientation and conformity orientation and the resulting family types to different behavioral and psychosocial outcomes of family functioning in the areas of conflict and conflict resolution, speech act production, and the socialization of children. Following this discussion, we address a number of methodological co...

Communication between physicians and cancer patients about complementary and alternative medicine: exploring patients' perspectives.

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to identify barriers to communication between physicians and cancer patients regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by exploring the perspectives of patients. In face of the recent popularity of CAM use among cancer patients, the lack of communication is a serious problem. A number of CAM therapies may interfere with conventional treatments and thus impact patients' well-being and chances of survival. In addition, lack of communication is problematic in the health care context because the development of openness and trust between health care providers and clients is contingent upon effective interpersonal communication. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 143 cancer patients to explore their experiences with CAM use. Using a qualitative research method, we examined interview data from 93 CAM users who provided sufficient information about communication issues. As a result, three themes emerged describing barriers to unsuccessful communication as perceived from the patient's point of view: physicians' indifference or opposition toward CAM use, physicians' emphasis on scientific evidence, and patients' anticipation of a negative response from their physician. Increasing education about CAM and regular assessment of CAM use may help physicians to be more aware of their patients' CAM use. As a result, physicians may provide patients with information on risks and benefits of CAM use and refer patients to other services that may address unmet needs. Given a difference in epistemiologic beliefs about cancer and its treatment, the challenge is to find a common ground for an open discussion in which physicians consider that scientific evidence is not all that counts in the life of an individual facing a serious disease.

Contextualized Behavioral Support in Early Intervention for Children with Autism and Their Families

Abstract: Parent education programs have become an effective mode of treatment delivery for teaching families effective behavioral strategies to manage challenging behavior in young children with autism. Functional assessment and functional communication training (FCT) are empirically validated procedures that have recently been introduced into parent education programming to help resolve challenging behaviors. The success of these procedures, however, is contingent on family members' ability to integrate them into the specific contexts in which challenging behaviors occur. Consequently, the application of these procedures in home settings necessitates consideration of the family context in the assessment and treatment planning process. A study is presented that investigated the use of information on family context (i.e., caregiving demands, family support, patterns of social interaction) to direct the assessment and intervention planning process. More specifically, information on family context was used to individualize behavioral support plans designed to support family use of functional communication training within important family routines. Through parent-investigator collaboration we individualized the manner in which functional communication training procedures were taught and implemented so they were contextually relevant. Utilizing a multiple baseline design, the challenging behaviors and functional communication of three children with autism were monitored across baseline, intervention (i.e., FCT, and contextulized FCT), and follow-up phases. Multiple routines for each participant were selected and monitored across all phases to evaluate changes in the dependent measures within training and generalization routines. A self-report questionnaire was administered intermittently to parents to determine if consideration of family context improved the “goodness of fit” of the functional communication training treatment packages across FCT and contextualized FCT intervention phases. Results from the study indicate that consideration of family context in the assessment and intervention planning process does not jeopardize and may contribute to the stability and durability of reductions in challenging behavior achieved with functional assessment and functional communication training procedures.

Forgiveness in Marriage: Implications for Psychological Aggression and Constructive Communication

Abstract: Two studies examined whether forgiveness in married couples predicted partner reports of psychological aggression and constructive communication. Study 1 found that forgiveness of hypothetical acts of psychological aggression predicted partner reports of psychological aggression. Study 2 examined actual transgressions and found two underlying dimensions of forgiveness (positive and negative). The negative dimension predicted partner reports of psychological aggression, and, for husbands, the positive dimension predicted partner reports of constructive communication. All findings were independent of both spouses’ marital satisfaction. The implications for understanding marital interaction and future research on forgiveness are discussed.

Users divided? Exploring the gender gap in Internet use.

Abstract: Many believe that males and females use and regard computer technology differently. Males are generally assumed to be more comfortable with, more adaptable to, and less anxious with computer technology. The same biases are now being applied specifically to Internet technology. Based on research showing that men prefer to use the Internet for information gathering and entertainment, while women prefer to use the Internet for interpersonal communication, this study examined the effects of Internet use when both males and females engaged in the same activity. Participants engaged in synchronous, dyadic chat sessions, and changes in repeated measures of loneliness, depression, self-esteem, and perceived social support were tracked over time. Although previous studies have concluded not only that males and females differ in their computer cognitions and attitudes, but also that they differ in the types of applications they pursue online, no gender differences were found in the present study.

Evolving general practice consultation in Britain: issues of length and context.

Abstract: In 1999 Shah1 and others said that the Royal College of General Practitioners should advocate longer consultations in general practice as a matter of policy. The college set up a working group chaired by A P Hungin, and a systematic review of literature on consultation length in general practice was commissioned. The working group agreed that the available evidence would be hard to interpret without discussion of the changing context within which consultations now take place. For many years general practitioners and those who have surveyed patients' opinions in the United Kingdom have complained about short consultation time, despite a steady increase in actual mean length. Recently Mechanic pointed out that this is also true in the United States.2 Is there any justification for a further increase in mean time allocated per consultation in general practice? We report on the outcome of extensive debate among a group of general practitioners with an interest in the process of care, with reference to the interim findings of the commissioned systematic review and our personal databases. The review identified 14 relevant papers. #### Summary points Longer consultations are associated with a range of better patient outcomes Modern consultations in general practice deal with patients with more serious and chronic conditions Increasing patient participation means more complex interaction, which demands extra time Difficulties with access and with loss of continuity add to perceived stress and poor performance and lead to further pressure on time Longer consultations should be a professional priority, combined with increased use of technology and more flexible practice management to maximise interpersonal continuity Research on implementation is needed The systematic review consistently showed that doctors with longer consultation times prescribe less and offer more advice on lifestyle and other health promoting activities. Longer consultations have been significantly associated with better recognition and …