Clinical Writing of a Therapy in Progress: Ethical Questions and Therapeutic Challenges

Clinical implications and ethical dilemmas of the use of confidential case material in clinical writing are examined, including a review of the discourse among professionals who publish clinical work. This literature is applied to a clinical illustration of psychotherapy with a client who gave consent for publication and read the clinical write-up of her case material. It is suggested that clinical writing may increase client “self-reflection” if there is a “secure base” of attachment between therapist/author and the client. The impact on the client’s treatment process is examined, in addition to a discussion of ethical questions and professional recommendations. ²Dr. Susanne Bennett is an Assistant Professor, National School of Social Service of the Catholic University of America. Dr. Bennett is also a psychotherapist in private practice in Falls Church, VA.     

Ethical Conduct in the Present Age: The Case of Søren Kierkegaard

Søren Kierkegaard is widely read in the disciplinary spheres of philosophy and theology. However, the sociological resonance of some of his work has been overlooked. This paper seeks to introduce aspects of Kierkegaard's account of 'the present age' to a sociological audience. Kierkegaard's concerns are explored in the context of themes and issues raised by Max Weber. The paper has two themes. First, the paper uses the example of Kierkegaard to explore the relationship of the Protestant Ethic (which is identified as a mode of the production of the personality of the individual) with the Spirit of Capitalism (which is identified as a life order). Second, the paper outlines aspects of Kierkegaard's diagnosis of 'the present age' which might be of interest to a sociological audience.     

The cluster that never was: germ warfare experiments and health authority reality in Dorset

In 1997 intense media coverage raised public concerns about germ warfare simulation experiments conducted by the Ministry of Defence during the 1960s, which included the release of bacteria over Dorset. Families in East Lulworth, Dorset, have linked this with allegedly high rates of miscarriages, still-births, congenital malformations, learning and other neurodevelopmental disabilities in their village. The response of the Dorset Health Authority (DHA) included the examination of background information from the Ministry of Defence, national data on congenital malformations in Dorset, health information collected by campaigners and a systematic health survey conducted by the DHA among former and current residents of East Lulworth. The investigation did not confirm the presence of a cluster. It is debatable whether the DHA should have proceeded with their survey when none of the other more immediately available results indicated the presence of a cluster.     

Book Reviews

This article examines some difficulties associated with the Haynes–Stone model and attempts to clarify how the model can be justified as representing the hypothesis that “quantity is demand determined and price is supply determined.” It also argues that the applications of such a model as was done by Haynes and Stone might not have resolved the controversies related to the Phillips curve and the supply function of exports (or imports).     

Comment

We propose a sequential test for predictive ability for recursively assessing whether some economic variables have explanatory content for another variable. In the forecasting literature it is common to assess predictive ability by using “one-shot” tests at each estimation period. We show that this practice leads to size distortions, selects overfitted models and provides spurious evidence of in-sample predictive ability, and may lower the forecast accuracy of the model selected by the test. The usefulness of the proposed test is shown in well-known empirical applications to the real-time predictive content of money for output and the selection between linear and nonlinear models.     

Understanding Canonical Correlation through the General Linear Model and Principal Components

Canonical correlation has been little used and little understood, even by otherwise sophisticated analysts. An alternative approach to canonical correlation, based on a general linear multivariate model, is presented. Properties of principal component analysis are used to help explain the method. Standard computational methods for full rank canonical correlation, techniques for canonical correlation on component scores, and canonical correlation with less than full rank are discussed. They are seen to be essentially equivalent when the model equation for canonical correlation on component scores is presented. The two approaches to less than full rank situations are equivalent in some senses, but quite different in usefulness, depending on the application. An example dataset is analyzed in detail to help demonstrate the conclusions.     

Combining an Internal Pilot with an Interim Analysis for Single Degree of Freedom Tests

An internal pilot with interim analysis (IPIA) design combines interim power analysis (an internal pilot) with interim data analysis (two-stage group sequential). We provide IPIA methods for single df hypotheses within the Gaussian general linear model, including one and two group t tests. The design allows early stopping for efficacy and futility while also re-estimating sample size based on an interim variance estimate. Study planning in small samples requires the exact and computable forms reported here. The formulation gives fast and accurate calculations of power, Type I error rate, and expected sample size.     

The poisson-inverse gaussian disiribuiion as a model for species abundance

An inverse Gaussian mixture of Poisson distributions(the P-IG distribution) is considered as a model for species abundance data,, Minimum chi-square and maximum likelihood methods of estimation for the zero-truncated P-IG distribution are developed, Ihe performance of the P-IG distribution is illustrated and discussed for several well-known sets of insect abundance data.     

Power‐base Research in Marketing Channels: A Narrative Review

This paper provides a contemporary and comprehensive review of work in the marketing channel field that is based on French and Raven's power‐base theory. It traces the development of theoretic, conceptual and methodological orthodoxies from the 1970s. Mirroring the movement towards the relationship marketing paradigm, the paper considers the theory's empirical contribution to knowledge of power, conflict, trust and commitment in marketing channels. Limitations relating to inconsistency of treatment, contradictory findings and the simplification of complex phenomena are identified. Nevertheless, current work extends power‐base theory to other cultures, other styles of research and to the area of supply chains. The review raises questions about the value of contribution made using this theory and notes the surprising absence within the channels literature of the broader, current debate about power. To illustrate, the paper shows how Clegg's (1989. Frameworks of Power. London: Sage) circuits of power framework, if applied to channel contexts, could address forms of power that are invisible, anonymous and not necessarily negative. Applications and methods are discussed, opening a space wherein a broadened understanding of power is integrated within a focus upon cooperative channels.