Presenting features in adult victims of satanist ritual abuse

This paper begins with a brief account of the author's own introduction to the subject of satanist ritual abuse (SRA). This is followed by clinical data concerning five adult victims of SRA, brought up within multi-generational Satanic cults. Clinical features are described, some of which are common to those seen in victims of other forms of child sexual abuse (CSA). Others appear to be more specific to SRA victims. The pattern of disclosure is described briefly but details of the content are not included. Professional scepticism about SRA is discussed and attention drawn to the similarity of these cases with those reported in the US literature. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of considering the possibility of SRA in patients presenting with these symptoms.     

A multidimensional and contextual framework for understanding diverse family members' roles in long-term care facilities

Very few studies have explicitly examined the roles of family members in institutionalized settings and how these roles are developed. The most widely used theoretical framework employed in the studies that do exist is Litwak's structural-functionalist framework—the theory of shared functions and balanced coordination. Although Litwak's theory emphasizes the importance of both formal organizations (e.g., long-term care facilities) and primary groups (e.g., family) to optimal care, the framework provides a limited understanding of the roles of family members in long-term care facilities. The first section of this article describes Litwak's framework and then outlines the limitations of this task-assignment approach. By adopting a symbolic interactionist approach and integrating concepts from an ecological perspective and Hughes' concept of career, an alternative, more dynamic, contextual framework for understanding the roles of family members in long-term care settings is presented.     

Chronic Homelessness Among Working-Age Adults: Personal Problems and Public Assistance

As rapid changes have occurred in the economic and cultural structures of society, some have found themselves more disadvantaged than others. The mismatch between income and the cost of housing means that some of the poor will inevitably become homeless. Given the economics of the situation, prevention of homelessness is a non-issue; more germane is the question of chronic homelessness. This paper takes the position that determining who is most likely to be chronically homeless is related to the cultural ideology of individualism and, more specifically, that the situations likely to create the greatest vulnerability are problems for which individuals are seen as personally responsible. The distress brought about by societal-level changes is manifested in the “personal” problems of individuals. The social welfare system, acting as a substitute for failed social institutions, recreates their failures by relying on a cultural ethos that blames individuals for occupying positions to which the society has relegated them.     

Pheromonal influences on sociosexual behavior in postmenopausal women

To determine whether a putative human sex-attractant pheromone increases specific sociosexual behaviors of postmenopausal women, we tested a chemically synthesized formula derived from research with underarm secretions from heterosexually active, fertile women that was recently tested on young women. Participants (n = 44, mean age = 57 years) were postmenopausal women who volunteered for a double-blind placebo-controlled study designed, to test an odorless pheromone, added to your preferred fragrance, to learn if it might increase the romance in your life. During the experimental 6-week period, a significantly greater proportion of participants using the pheromone formula (40.9%) than placebo (13.6%) recorded an increase over their own weekly average baseline frequency of petting, kissing, and affection (p = .02). More pheromone (68.2%) than placebo (40.9%) users experienced an increase in at least one of the four intimate sociosexual behaviors (p = .04). Sexual motivation frequency, as expressed in masturbation, was not increased in pheromone users. These results suggest that the pheromone formulation worn with perfume for a period of 6 weeks has sex-attractant effects for postmenopausal women.     

Dying patients' thoughts of ending their lives: a pilot study of rural New Mexico

Forty-nine hospice patients in rural New Mexico were directly interviewed concerning their thoughts about ending their lives. Thirty-one patients (63%) did not have thoughts of ending their lives, whereas 18 patients (37%) reported having suicidal thoughts. There were no differences between patients with and without thoughts of suicide related to gender; ethnicity; age; education; disease; religion; importance of religion; location of hospice agency; remaining financial, family, or spiritual issues; satisfaction with hospice care; sum of hospice personnel seen; or sum of medical equipment used. There were significant differences between patients with and without thoughts of suicide related to the number of household members (p = .02); the symptoms of trouble sleeping (p = .04) and nervousness (p =.03); and Medicare insurance coverage for hospice care (p =.01). No other symptom, including pain and hopelessness, was significant. Seven (39%) of the 18 patients who thought of ending their lives told someone about these thoughts. There were no variable differences between patients who did and did not tell someone about these thoughts.     

Private lives,public accountability: A case study

Lend a Hand Children's Services is the most prominent provider of family services in rural south central Ohio. The agency is in the process of enlarging its fundraising goals and becoming even bigger in the community. Staff have brought to the attention of the vice president of the board that the board president and the executive director may be involved intimately as a couple. Inasmuch as the board president must evaluate the executive director, the vice president turns to trusted counsel for advice on how to approach the unique problems raised by the situation.