Melanie klein's work: An adaptation in practice

Kleinian theory seems both intimidating and alien to many American psychotherapists. This paper offers an entry into Klein's work. The theory is approached by emphasizing three areas especially valuable in clinical practice: mourning and manic defenses, schizoid relationships, and envy and idealization. A detailed presentation of an individual psychotherapy case is offered as an illustration of how her ideas may be integrated into a broader objectrelations treatment perspective.     

Lottery winners: The myth and reality

This paper is based on a study of 576 lottery winners from 12 states. Respondents to a mailed questionnaire included winners of sums ranging from $50,000 to millions. The data indicate that popular myths and stereotypes about winners were inaccurate. Specifically, winners came from various education and employment backgrounds and they were clustered in the higher income categories than the general population indicating that lotteries might not be as regressive as popularly believed. Winners were older than the general population and more often male (60 versus 40%). There was significant association between the amount a person won and his or her work behavior. Individuals with psychologically and financially rewarding jobs continued working regardless of the amount they won, while people who worked in low paying semi-skilled and unskilled jobs were far more likely to quit the labor force. Contrary to popular beliefs, winners did not engage in lavish spending sprees and instead gave large amounts of their winnings to their children and their churches. The most common expenditures were for houses, automobiles and trips. It was found that overall, winners were well-adjusterd, secure and generally happy from the experience.This study was funded by a grant from the Institute for Socioeconomic Studies in White Plains, New York.     

Preparation,support, and satisfaction of adoptive families in agency and independent adoptions

Information gathered from over 1000 adoptions in the fourth year of a prospective study of adoptions finds satisfaction levels to be quite high, with those families adopting through private agencies to feel best prepared and satisfied. Differences by adoption auspice are detailed and discussed.The senior authors are Co-Principal Investigators of the California Long-range Adoption Study. This research was supported by the Child Welfare Research Center, Family Welfare Research Group, University of California at Berkeley, through a grant from the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. The authors wish to thank the families for their participation. Please address correspondence to Mary Berry at the Center for Child Welfare, UTA School of Social Work, P.O. Box 19129, Arlington, Texas 76019.     

UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SYMPTOMS IN FEMALE PARTNERS OF VETERANS WITH PTSD

Studies of post-traumatic stress disorder have focused primarily on veterans, generally ignoring their female partners (wives or girlfriends). recently, clinicians have begun to identify PTSD-like symptoms in these female partners, but the literature describing this phenomenon has been limited. This paper addresses the fact that women in long-term relationships with veterans suffering from PTSD commonly experience PTSD-like psychiatric symptoms themseoves. These wonem's symptoms and issues they face in their relationships with their veteran partners are described. Conceptual explanations of and causal factors for these women's symptoms are presented, followed by discussion of treatment approaches and issues.     

Religionless Christianity: A profile of religion in the Canadian 80s

The state of religion in Canada is examined, based upon the preliminary findings of two recent national surveys which have produced both cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Areas probed include: involvement in organized religion, the viewing of religious TV programs, commitment to traditional Christianity, and interest in the new religions and the paranormal. It is maintained that some three in four Canadians are neither committed nor opposed to old and new religions, but rather are ‘a-religious’, adhering to fragments of the Judaic-Christian tradition yet lacking a religious orientation which can be used to address life and death. This ‘unfocused majority’ is described as Canada's ‘religionless Christians’. The author concludes with an examination of the receptivity of Canadians to religion, and the prospects for variations in the predominant secularization pattern.     

Genetic and environmental influences on cognition during childhood

The basic methodology of behavior genetics is described in the context of the twin and sibling/adoption design. Results of applying this model to cross-sectional data on cognitive development throughout the lifespan are presented. Results from a large longitudinal twin and adoption study of general intelligence are presented to illustrate the use of the basic behavior genetic model in studying the causes of continuity and change in development. A special model is presented for the study of abnormal behavior occurring at the extremes of the distribution and an adaptation of the model is discussed for the study of genetic linkage or the mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL). Results of applying this model to a sample of twins and kindred siblings indicated the presence of a major QTL for dyslexia on chromosome 6. The purpose of the paper is to illustrate the scope of behavior genetic methodology in studying individual differences in behavior in a biosocial context.     

Can good health be just a fad?

A number of studies have identified health education and promotion as important contributors to health improvement. Still, a number of factors, not the least of which is the dominance of the health care system by a disease orientation, have kept the health promotion movement from making even more significant contributions to the nation's health. The knowledge and technology to make health promotion a key part of the health care system are clearly in place. What is needed is greater involvement in the movement by physicians. Physician managers can play a leading role in bringing physicians into the mainstream of health promotion activities.     

Developmental issues in child abuse: Implications for intervention

This paper reviews some of the issues in child abuse such as problems of definition, characteristics of abuser and abused, and etiology. It emphasizes that child abuse can start at any age. A developmental approach is suggested in order to understand the relationship between the child's stage of development and its idiosyncratic potential for stimulating aggression on the part of the parent. This approach offers a broad framework in which phase specific stressors, characteristics of the child, the abuse prone personality of the abuser, as well as the family system and external stress factors, can be considered together and upon which intervention strategies can be planned.Lynn Ohrenstein is Administrative Supervisor at the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, a doctoral candidate at Yeshiva University, and in private practice.This is an expanded version of a paper delivered November 4, 1982 by the author at an interdivisional meeting at the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services devoted to Issues on Domestic Violence.