Positive Resolution of Childhood Sexual Abuse Experiences: The Role of Coping,Benefit-Finding and Meaning-Making

Resolution of the trauma of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), and the current adjustment of 60 adult female CSA survivors were explored through qualitative and quantitative analyses of their coping strategies, perceived benefits, and meaning-making attempts. While the majority of the women (87%) perceived at least some benefit resulting from coping with the CSA experience, many (29%) found it impossible to make any meaning of their trauma. Specific benefits that were associated with various aspects of positive adjustment (marital satisfaction, better physical health, less isolation) included improved relationships with others, religious or spiritual growth, and improved parenting skills. Some perceived benefits were actually associated with a negative outcome. Increased knowledge of sexual abuse was associated with more isolation and lower marital satisfaction. When positive meaning could be derived from the coping process, the women reported less isolation. Avoidant coping was strongly associated with more depressive symptoms and poorer resolution of abuse issues. Results highlight the importance of considering coping strategies and cognitive restructuring efforts in designing therapeutic interventions with this population. Portions of this paper were presented at the annual meeting of the Midwest Psychological Association, May 2004, Chicago, IL.     

The hidden cost of some trustees-trustee commissions

There is a widespread variation in trustees’ approachto the taking of commissions for investing trust money and therequirements to disclose these commissions to beneficiaries.The net result is that settlors, beneficiaries and their advisersneed to be aware that a trustee's remuneration may not be clear,even from a set of audited accounts and that there may be arisk of conflict between the trust terms and a duty or regulatoryobligation to disclose.     

Verstoß gegen § 17 TierSchG durch Lebendhälterung von Köderfischen?

Zusammenfassung Mit Urteil vom 29. Oktober 2007 hat das Amtsgericht Hannover einen Angler wegen Versto?es gegen § 17 Nr. 2 b des Tierschutzgesetz (TierSchG) zu einer Geldstrafe in H?he von 15 Tagess?tzen verurteilt. Nach den Feststellungen des Gerichts hatte der Angeklagte am 16.11.2007 sechzig Rotfedern zum Zwecke der Verwendung als K?derfische in einem insgesamt zehn Liter fassenden, jedoch zeitweise lediglich mit sieben Litern Wasser gefüllten ovalf?rmigen Eimer zur weiteren Verwendung zwischengeh?ltert. Im Verlauf der H?lterung schwammen einige der Fische an die Oberfl?che, woraus das Gericht auf einen zwischenzeitlichen Sauerstoffmangel im Beh?ltnis schloss. Nach Auffassung des AG Hannover stellt das Verhalten des Anglers insgesamt einen Versto? gegen § 17 TierSchG in der Modalit?t des Zufügens von l?nger anhaltenden erheblichen Leiden nach Nr. 2 b dar.     

Reactions to flag desecration in American society: Exploring the contours of formal and informal social control

Although flag burnings today rarely draw the amount of attention they received in the late 1980s, efforts to protect the flag have persisted for nearly a decade. Accordingly, the flag protection campaign has captured the interest of intellectuals from various academic backgrounds, including political scientists, egal scholars, and journalists. Conspicuously absent from the literature on flag desecration, however, are sociologists and criminologists. Combining historical evidence with recent cases, this article unveils key sociological aspects of social control, including formal and informal responses to flag desecration.     

Theoretical foundation for a debtor friendly bankruptcy law in favour of creditors

Although many works support creditor friendly bankruptcy laws, an evolution towards debtor friendly systems is at work. This paper proposes a theoretical ground to meet this paradox. It reconsiders the economic role of bankruptcy law by stressing on the courts’ production of information. It reveals that the transmission of a lenient signal by judges makes it possible to reduce the hazard that bad risks seek to avoid going on trial. Thus, it shows that debtor friendly bankruptcy laws are not systematically opposed to creditors’ interests. They reduce the risk of the economy and contribute to the improvement of the global efficiency.      

Alcohol Consumption and Females’ Recognition in Response to Date Rape Risk: The Role of Sex-Related Alcohol Expectancies

This study examined the pharmacological and psychological effects of alcohol on women’s recognition of and response to dating sexual aggression. Female participants completed measures of prior sexual victimization experiences, sex related alcohol expectancies, general alcohol expectancies, and drinking habits. Using a 2 (alcohol) × 2 (expectancy) balanced placebo research design, women were exposed to an audiotape date rape vignette and asked to press a button when the man’s sexual advances had gone to far. Upon pressing the button, the tape was stopped and participants were instructed to imagine themselves in the same situation and generate a response describing what they would say and/or do at that point. Results indicated that although alcohol and expectancy were not related to risk perception, individuals who consumed alcohol displayed significantly less resistant role play refusals. A significant interaction between expectancy set and pre-existing sex-related alcohol expectancies was observed indicating participants believing alcohol affects sexual behavior generated less resistant refusal responses when they expected to receive alcohol. Moreover, for those who expected to receive alcohol, stronger pre-existing sex-related alcohol expectancies predicted less resistant refusal responses over above the effects of blood alcohol level and general alcohol expectancies. The implications of these findings are discussed.