Kathleen M. Ingram

Workplace heterosexism and adjustment among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals: The role of unsupportive social interactions

This study examined the relationships between workplace heterosexism, unsupportive social interactions (negative responses from others concerning ones experience of heterosexism), and adjustment among 97 employed lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Results revealed that heterosexism and unsupportive social interactions were each related to negative psychological health outcomes. After controlling for outness and involvement in the LGB community, responses characterized by blaming were found to moderate the relationship between heterosexism and both depression and distress. Contrary to predictions, results suggested that at low levels of blaming there was a positive relationship between heterosexism and both depression and distress. It may be possible that at low levels of blaming, the salient stressor was heterosexism, whereas at high levels of blaming, the salient stressor was the blaming itself.

Daily Stress, Coping, and Well-Being in Parents of Children With Autism: A Multilevel Modeling Approach

This study used a repeated daily measurement design to examine the direct and moderating effects of coping on daily psychological distress and well-being in parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Twice weekly over a 12-week period, 93 parents provided reports of their daily stress, coping responses, and end-of-day mood. Multilevel modeling analyses identified 5 coping responses (e.g., seeking support, positive reframing) that predicted increased daily positive mood and 4 (e.g., escape, withdrawal) that were associated with decreased positive mood. Similarly, 2 coping responses were associated with decreased daily negative mood and 5 predicted increased negative mood. The moderating effects of gender and the 11 coping responses were also examined. Gender did not moderate the daily coping?mood relationship, however 3 coping responses (emotional regulation, social support, and worrying) were found to moderate the daily stress?mood relationship. Additionally, ASD symptomatology, and time since an ASD diagnosis were not found to predict daily parental mood. This study is perhaps the first to identify coping responses that enhance daily well-being and mitigate daily distress in parents of children with ASD.

Methodological and Content Review of Lesbian-, Gay-, and Bisexual-Related Articles in Counseling Journals: 1990-1999

Despite the reduction of overt heterosexist biases in the psychological literature, questions exist about the content and methodology of articles on lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) issues in the counseling literature. This study provides a content and methodological analysis of 119 LGB-related articles that were published in eight major counseling journals from 1990-1999 and extends past reviews by examining issues related to bisexuality. Increasing integration of LGB issues in the counseling literature was apparent, as were methodological improvements in empirical research. Various limitations also emerged, such as the need for more theory-based research, instrument development, and attention to within-group differences (e.g., bisexual people and LGB people of color). Findings are discussed against the backdrop of the sociopolitical context of American psychology, with an emphasis on implications for future LGB-related research, practice, and training.

Longitudinal analyses of the relationship between unsupportive social interactions and psychological adjustment among women with fertility problems

This study examined the association of unsupportive social interactions and psychological adjustment among 123 women with fertility problems, and tested whether threat appraisals and avoidance coping mediate this association. Cross-sectional analyses suggested that infertility-specific unsupportive responses received from other people were associated positively with adjustment problems. Avoidance coping and threat appraisals mediated this association between unsupportive social interactions and adjustment. Longitudinal analyses with 67 of these women revealed that after controlling for Time 1 adjustment, Time 1 unsupportive social interactions were associated positively with depressive symptoms and overall psychological distress only for women who remained infertile at Time 2, compared with women who were pregnant or had given birth. Associations between Time 1 unsupportive social interactions and self-esteem at Time 2 were similar for both groups of women.

Psychological Distress Among Men Experiencing Physical and Emotional Abuse in Heterosexual Dating Relationships

This study examined mens experiences of both emotional and physical abuse in their heterosexual dating relationships. Seventy male undergraduates responded to questionnaires about their current or most recent relationship. Approximately 90% of the men reported having received at least one form of verbal aggression or other emotional abuse from their partner in the past year, and 40% reported having been the target of at least one act of physical violence from their partner. Men who reported receiving more emotional and physical abuse in their dating relationships also reported greater levels of overall psychological distress and depression. Implications for prevention programs and future research are discussed.

Training in Supervision A Survey of Current Practices

This study examined the current state of affairs of training in the practice of supervision in doctoral programs and predoctoral internship sites accredited by the American Psychological Association. Results indicated that although a majority of programs and sites offered some type of opportunity for training in supervision, there were differences in the methods and extent of the training. In particular, statistically significant differences were found between the training offered in counseling psychology programs when compared to clinical psychology programs, and in university counseling center internship programs when compared to other types of internship sites. The more extensive training in supervision offered among counseling psychology programs and counseling center internship sites is discussed in terms of the identity of counseling psychology and the future of professional psychology in general. Recommendations for enhancing training in the conduct of supervision and directions for further research are also offered.

The Relationship of Victimization Experiences to Psychological Well-Being among Homeless Women and Low-Income Housed Women.

Stressful experiences and their effects on the psychological well-being of 113 homeless women and 116 low-income housed women were investigated. Measures of victimization assessed multiple dimensions of this construct, including criminal victimization, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse. Measures of current daily environmental hassles and quality of family environment while growing up also were included. Additional measures assessed positive and negative interpersonal exchanges, sense of coherence, and overall psychological distress. Regression analyses indicated that victimization experiences were significant predictors of psychological well-being for both samples. Results also highlighted the importance of investigating both the positive and negative dimensions of interpersonal influences as well as internal resources, and suggested that these resources for coping with stress may be differentially perceived and utilized by these groups. These findings also suggest the need for specific preventive and remedial interventions to empower homeless and low-income housed women. Homelessness has been viewed as a problem to which the resources available to psychologists are particularly applicable. The APA Council of Representativ es (1991) stated that the problem of homelessness is in need of attention from psychologists for a number of reasons, including the

Adjustment among People who have Experienced Aids-Related Multiple Loss: The Role of Unsupportive Social Interactions, Social Support, and Coping

This study examined psychosocial factors that might explain individual differences in depression among people who have experienced AIDS-related multiple bereavement. We hypothesized that unsupportive responses received from others about the bereavement experience would be associated with increased depression. In a sample of 90 people who had lost two or more family members, lovers, spouses, or friends to AIDS-related death, bereavement-related unsupportive social interactions accounted for a significant amount of the variance in depression beyond the variance explained by the level of present grief. Moreover, unsupportive social interactions and positive social support made independent contributions to the level of depression, with unsupportive social interactions being significantly associated with increased depression and positive support being significantly related to decreased depression. Results also indicated that the level of bereavement-related unsupportive social interactions was positively associated with the use of avoidant coping, which, in turn, was associated with increased depression.

Will patients want hospice or palliative care if they do not know what it is

Approximately half the patients receiving hospice and palliative care services are those with cancer diagnoses. Both hospice and palliative care are underutilized by African Americans. Awareness of service availability is a prerequisite to accessing services. This study assessed awareness of hospice and palliative care among African American and non-Hispanic white patients at a cancer center. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at an urban, university-affiliated oncology clinic (N = 133). Participants were non-Hispanic white (58%) and African American (42%). Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine demographics and hospice and palliative care awareness. &khgr;2 Tests were used for bivariate comparisons. Knowledge of hospice care was lower among African Americans than whites and among those with limited education. Knowledge of palliative care followed the same pattern, but even fewer people were aware of or could define those services. This lack of awareness may explain the disproportionately low use of hospice and palliative care by African Americans. Improved awareness of hospice and palliative care is a first step toward reducing disparities in utilization of important and useful services for persons with life-limiting illnesses. Lack of awareness may limit access by cancer patients to needed hospice and palliative care.

Disability and assistance dog implicit association test: a novel IAT

OBJECTIVE Individuals with disabilities often face stigma and negative social interactions. Human-animal interaction literature suggests that an individual paired with an animal will be perceived differently than an individual alone. Although people with disabilities report increases in social interactions when with assistance dogs, the reasons for this remain unclear. One possibility is that attitudes toward people with disabilities are altered by the presence of assistance dogs, thus affecting the social behaviors of the perceiver. This study examines whether implicit attitudes toward individuals with disabilities differ in the presence of an assistance dog. METHOD College students (N = 244) completed the Attitudes of Adults to Dogs scale, an item assessing dog ownership, and the Disabilities and Assistance Dog Implicit Association Test (IAT). RESULTS A 1-sample t test demonstrated a significant IAT effect, t(240) = 3.62, p < .001, with a positive implicit bias observed toward an individual with a disability when paired with an assistance dog over the individual alone. White individuals were more likely than Black individuals to hold positive implicit attitudes toward an individual with a disability paired with a dog, F(2, 238) = 3.18, p = .04. There were no significant differences in IAT D scores based on gender or dog ownership. IMPLICATIONS This study extends previous research regarding social interactions for individuals with disabilities who are paired with assistance dogs. Increases in positive implicit attitudes toward an individual with a disability paired with a dog may explain these changes in social interactions. Dogs may serve as a social lubricant, increasing positive social interactions for individuals with disabilities.