The Dilemma of "Authentic Self" Ideology in Contemporary Japan

This paper examines dilemmas inherent in the pursuit of the modern ideology of "authentic self", which first emerged in the 1960s and is now widespread in contemporary cultures. The ideology is exemplified, in a religious scene, as "self-transformative" religions wherein seekers seek to transform themselves spiritually in order to realize their authentic, or "sacred" selves. Through an examination of Aum Shinrikyo, which began as a typical "self-transformative" religion but later transformed into a destructive cult, I will explain the intrinsic moral imperatives of the ideology of "authenticity". This study of Aum explores the introverted lifestyle and extreme desocialization, which resulted in obsession with the central guru, being legitimated by the ideology. This search for "authenticity" resulted in the members cutting themselves off from the reality of the world. The final analysis suggests that possible consequences of the endless pursuit of the "authentic self" are a "vacuum" self and a loss of empathy with other people. The ontological conditions created by this bring about potential destructiveness, either internal or external.     

Teenage Black Girls and Violence: Coming of Age in an Urban Environment

Abstract

Exposure to violence and fear of violence in relation to hopefulness and anger were investigated for 30 teenage Black girls 14 to 19 years of age. Information from focus groups was included to provide a context for the empirical data. Results indicated that overall the girls were hopeful, with a mean score of 135 (SD = 18.2) out of a possible score of 168. Correlation and regression procedures revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between hopefulness and exposure to violence. No significant relationship was found between anger and hopefulness. Fear of violence was positively related to exposure to violence but did not appear related to anger or hopefulness. The findings were mixed and did not capture the kind of hopelessness and anger which often appear in the literature describing children growing up in urban environments. Through the use of focus groups the teenage girls provided contextual information which seemed to indicate that many of them shared the values of mainstream society in terms of their future aspirations and assessment of their communities.     

The Prevention of School Violence

Abstract

This paper highlights theproblems of school violenceand delinquency among youth in our society. It presents research involving regression analysis of data available at the county level for the state of Illinois. A cross-sectional design is utilized for the 102 counties of that state. Results indicate that school violence isimpacted by demographics, i.e, the number of African Americans and whites, while controlling for the youth population. However, school violence is primarily affected by the level of domestic violence and the level of hate crimes in the respective counties. Evidence suggests this to be the primary focus of preven-tion.     

Is Domestic Violence a Gender Issue,or a Human Issue?

Abstract

Domestic violence, like all violence, is a human issue. It is not merely a gender issue. Classifying spousal and partner violence as a women's issue, rather than a human issue, is erroneous. In domestic relations, women are as inclined as men to engage in physically abusive acts. Yet most reports appearing in the popular press, and in scholarly journals, have framed the issue as essentially a masculine form of assaultive behavior, thereby imbedding into the national consciousness a false and inaccurate view of the problem. This article presents the results of selected empirical studies that contradict the popular view of domestic violence, briefly focuses on the phenomenon as it relates to race, offers several elucidating case accounts, and suggests that the popular view of domestic violence not only contributes to men's increasing legal and social defenselessness, it also leads to social policies that obstruct efforts to address the problem of domestic violence successfully.     

Woman Abuse and Conjoint Therapy: Therapists' Experiences of Engagement

ABSTRACT

Treatment approaches with couples in which woman abuse is a factor have been the subject of much attention and concern in the therapeutic community. We used focus groups to examine therapists' experiences of what they see as impeding or facilitating their ability to engage therapeutically with heterosexual couples when a man has used violence. Results were coded along four categories: contextual issues, the person of the therapist, client characteristics, and strategies for enhancing engagement. Results point to the difficulties therapist participants experienced engaging with males who have been violent with their partner. Strategies which therapists used to enhance engagement are illuminated. We discuss differences between the experiences of male and female therapists, and implications for clinical work and future research.     

The National Association of Lesbian and Gay Alcoholism Professionals (NALGAP):

In this article, the co-founders of the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Alcoholism Professionals-NALGAP- discuss the reason the association was originally formed, the influence it has had on the larger field of health care of gay and lesbian Americans, and some challenges of the organization for the future     

An Exploration of Family Violence Among the Homeless

Abstract

This research found a high incidence of family violence among homeless people. The most common form of violence was physical; the least common was sexual abuse. The data also reported a high percentage of violence among homeless people confronted with mental illness. The policy and practice implications for these findings are discussed.     

A Study of Battered Women’s Purpose of Life and Resilience in South Korea

The principal objective of this study is to determine whether battered women’s purpose of life (meaning/value) affects resilience (self‐efficacy/communication efficiency/optimism). This purpose is meaningful in that it may help provide battered women with a new perspective of a changeable life, away from the negative perspectives frequently associated with domestic violence sufferers. The subjects of this study were 110 battered women staying at shelters located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The survey was conducted between August 15 and September 20, 2010. The data were collected using questionnaires measuring sociodemographic variables, a purpose‐of‐life scale, and a resilience scale. The collected data were evaluated with frequency, correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, the meaning and value of life positively influenced self‐efficacy. Second, only the meaning had a beneficial effect on communication efficiency. Third, only the value variable positively affected optimism. Therefore, this study implied that resilience is an important area in the context of spousal abuse. Based on these results, a program for enhancing the meaning of life is suggested to help domestic violence survivors to build up resilience.     

A Scoping Review of Challenges in Adult Intimate Relationships After Childhood Sexual Abuse

Childhood sexual abuse is a severe problem worldwide. Childhood sexual abuse can be detrimental to children and their abilities to cope with and communicate in their subsequent adult intimate relationships. The aim of this review was to generate and summarize knowledge about how childhood sexual abuse manifests in adult intimate relationships so healthcare professionals can incorporate this knowledge into treatment and care. A scoping review methodology was selected because it supports examination of the extent, range, and nature of research activity. A content analysis of the studies included in this review led to three thematic categories of challenges in adult intimate relationships after childhood sexual abuse: (a) relationship satisfaction, (b) sexual satisfaction, and (c) communication and trust.     

The social adaptation of multiple sclerosis patients 1

According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (Puzzachera, 2013), there were approximately 1.47 million arrests of juveniles in the United States reported in 2011, including 68,150 serious violent crimes and 190,000 simple assaults. These data demonstrate that violent crimes are a significant national issue. Past studies have indicated that court-involved and delinquent adolescents frequently report a history of trauma symptoms and exposure to violence. The goal of this article is to present a framework for practice with court-involved youth that reflects the intersection of literature on adolescent development, trauma, and court-involved youth. Improving our understanding of the influence that trauma has on court-involved adolescents will support our ability to better understand the needs of this population in terms of treatment and crime prevention. This article presents a trauma-specific context for addressing the needs of court-involved youth from developmental, neurobiological, and trauma informed perspectives. One of the central components of this article is the inclusion of the TARGET model, a research-informed exemplar for the treatment of adjudicated adolescents who have histories of trauma. A review of the literature is followed by the presentation of a case composite vignette that exemplifies the need for a trauma-informed approach to working with court-involved adolescents.