An exploratory study of child molesters' relationship patterns using the core conflictual relationship theme method

This study examined the relationship patterns of N = 20 child molesters (CM) using the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) method. The relationship patterns of the CMs were compared with those of a control group of N = 20 subjects from an out patient counseling service. Results showed that CMs had significantly less wish to be controlled, hurt, and not responsible than the control group. No significant difference was found between both groups for the CCRT response of other component (RO). For the response of self (RS) component, results indicated that CMs reported more relationship episodes in which they felt respected and accepted and self-controlled and self-confident. The authors suggest that these interactions could be indicators of the CMs'attempts to attribute blame to others and present themselves as victims. It is also suggested that CMs may have core issues involving autonomy and control.     

Cathartic effect of suicide attempts not limited to depression: a short-term prospective study after deliberate self-poisoning

The cathartic effect of suicide is traditionally defined as the existence of a rapid, significant, and spontaneous decrease in the depressive symptoms of suicide attempters after the act. This study was designed to investigate short-term variations, following a suicide attempt by self-poisoning, of a number of other variables identified as suicidal risk factors: hopelessness, impulsivity, personality traits, and quality of life. Patients hospitalized less than 24 hours after a deliberate (moderate) overdose were presented with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression and Impulsivity Rating Scales, Hopelessness scale, MMPI and World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire (abbreviated versions). They were also asked to complete the same scales and questionnaires 8 days after discharge. The study involved 39 patients, the average interval between initial and follow-up assessment being 13.5 days. All the scores improved significantly, with the exception of quality of life and three out of the eight personality traits. This finding emphasizes the fact that improvement is not limited to depressive symptoms and enables us to identify the relative importance of each studied variable as a risk factor for attempted suicide. The limitations of the study are discussed as well as in particular the nongeneralizability of the sample and setting.     

Does the ‘Monitorial Citizen’ Exist? An Empirical Investigation into the Occurrence of Postmodern Forms of Citizenship in the Nordic Countries

Various authors have claimed that in contemporary Western societies postmodern concepts of citizenship are becoming more prevalent. A new generation of 'critical citizens' are said to be more critical of the political system and less likely to participate in conventional politics, but they remain strongly interested in politics and social life. Michael Schudson has developed the concept of a 'monitorial citizen', who is interested in politics, has high levels of political efficacy and turns to political action if needed, but stays outside the traditional political organizations. Based on the European Social Survey (2004), this article investigates whether this type of citizenship actually occurs in Scandinavia. While the authors find that this form of citizenship is present in the Nordic countries, the characteristics of this group do not fit the theoretical expectations. In Scandinavia, 'monitorial citizens' do not have exceptionally high education levels and their trust in traditional political institutions remains quite elevated. The authors discuss the reasons why the concept of 'monitorial citizens' does not seem to flourish all that well in the Nordic countries, and what this implies for the theoretical debate about the political consequences of this postmodernization process.     

How important are the cognitive skills of teenagers in predicting subsequent earnings?

How important are teenagers' cognitive skills in predicting subsequent labor market success? Do cognitive skills pay off in the labor market only for students who go to college? Does college benefit only students who enter with strong basic skills? These questions are often parts of current policy debates about how to improve the earnings prospects for young Americans. This paper addresses these questions using two longitudinal data sets with earnings information from the mid‐1980s and early 1990s. It shows that the same evidence can be used to support the claim that cognitive skills are important determinants of subsequent earnings, and that the effect of cognitive skills is modest. It also shows that while some evidence indicates that college pays off more for students who enter with strong cognitive skills than for students who enter with weaker skills, the bulk of the evidence does not support this conclusion. © 2000 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.     

Alleviating rural poverty through agricultural growth

The article examines the role of agricultural GDP growth in alleviating rural poverty in LDCs. Cross‐sectional regression analysis indicates that GDP growth by itself takes a very long time to reduce poverty significantly. It suggests that decreases in land concentration could have a more immediate impact on reducing rural poverty; the budgetary and other costs of implementing such changes are not, however, considered. The preferred approach is a combination of equitable growth and redistributive measures.     

Surviving Information Overload: How Elite Politicians Select Information

Information in politics is overabundant. Especially elite politicians are bombarded with information. Politicians must be selective to stay on top of the information torrent. Aggregate‐level work within the bounded rationality framework showed that information selection is at the core of decision making. Yet, an answer to the question as to how individual elite politicians go about selecting information is lacking. We know that they unavoidably do, but how exactly they perform this selection task remains largely unknown. The article draws on interviews with 14 party leaders and ministers in Belgium about their information processing. We present a typology, and a funnel, of consecutive information selection mechanisms and attitudes. Politicians partially outsource their information selection to procedures and/or staffers, they personally apply rigorous rules of thumb about what to attend to and what not, and they compensate the pressure and constant risk of messing up with a large dose of self‐confidence.     

De la citoyenneté stato-nationale à la citoyenneté européenne: quelques éléments de conceptualisation

Les approches traditionnelles de la citoyenneté européenne soulignent la rupture avec le modèle stato-national de citoyenneté. Les théoriciens de ce paradigme mobilise l'idée d'une citoyenneté postnationale ou supranationale. Ils imaginent le future de la politique européenne avec l'aide de nouveaux concepts. Après une brève revue des théories et des concepts, cet article propose de manière critique une autre analyse de la citoyenneté européenne. Il examine le future de la citoyenneté européenne dans la continuité de la politique stato-nationale en matière d'identité et de citoyenneté. L'objet du présent article revient à situer cette appartenance civique, grâce à une analyse socio-historique de sa genèse, à en cerner la spécificité autour des principaux concepts qui en forment la substance (droits et devoirs, identité politique, pluralisme démocratique, code moral et cohésion sociale).     

COMPETITION IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MARKETS: ARE LATIN NOTARIES DIFFERENT?

Competition in markets for services offered by Latin notariesmay not work properly because of information asymmetries andthe need to guarantee an optimal supply of public goods. InEurope, there have been two test cases allowing for an assessmentof the effects of liberalization: the abolishment of the solicitors’monopoly for conveyancing services in England and Wales andthe deregulation of the Dutch notary profession. Both casesshow that deregulation does not guarantee lower prices. Moreover,the Dutch experience shows that there is a justified concernthat competition may decrease quality and jeopardize the notary'sintegrity. For these reasons, regulation may be justified aslong as effective instruments to control and monitor qualityare not (yet) in place. Since legal certainty has characteristicsof a public good, competition also tends to increase the numberof disputes on the legal validity of documents certifying legaltransactions. A comparison of the tasks of a Latin notary andthose of an American notary public provides reasons to fearthat, after deregulation, protection against legally invalidtransactions may be available only at higher prices. Finally,the Dutch experience shows that fee regulations remain necessaryto guarantee the accessibility of notarial services.