Philip A. Marks

Now I lay me down for keeps: A study of adolescent suicide attempts

From a nationwide study of 830 white, emotionally disturbed adolescents, ages 12 to 18, three samples were selected for study. One consisted of all boys (N = 31) and girls (N = 67) referred for treatment after suicide attempts. The second included those boys (N = 7) and girls (N = 22) referred for suicidal thoughts and threats, as well as suicide attempts. The third was comprised of those boys (N = 13) and girls (N = 12) referred for suicidal thoughts and threats, but who had made no known suicide attempts. Both self- and psychotherapist ratings on 1,250 variables were examined by comparing the endorsement rates for boys and girls in each criterion group separately with those of the remaining sample of distrubed adolescents who had not been referred for suicidal behavior. Our results confirm some past findings and introduce a large number of new correlates of adolescent suicidal behavior. They indicate that there is little difference between teenagers who attempt suicide and those who think about it or threaten it. The findings also highlight the necessity of studying the sexes separately.

The prediction of paranoid behavior: Comparative validities of obvious vs. subtle MMPI paranoia (Pa) items

Assessed the relations among the obvious, neutral, and subtle MMPI Paranoia (PA) subscale scores and criteria that consisted of Mehrabians Stimulus Screening Scale, Rotters Interpersonal Trust Scale, a Paranoia Questionnaire, the Einstellung Test, and an unobtrusive measure of personalization. Male college students served as Ss (N = 100). The obvious PA subscale was found to be correlated significantly with Mehrabians Stimulus Screening Scale, Rotters Interpersonal Trust Scale (in a negative direction), and the Paranoia Questionnaire. The neutral PA subscale was related significantly to Mehrabians Stimulus Screening Scale, Rotters Interpersonal Trust Scale (also in a negative direction), and, at a trend level, the Einstellung Test. The subtle subscale correlated with Rotters Interpersonal Trust Scale (in a positive direction) and an unobtrusive measure of personalization. Correlations among the criteria themselves were generally insignificant, but the relationships found supported the use of the paranoia criteria as measures of the intended construct.

Bakan’s Bi-Polar Constructs: Agency and Communion

This paper concerns itself with a presentation of Bakan’s bi-polar constructs—agency and communion—and the Inventory purporting to measure these. Agency is seen as individualism, separation, selfishness, alienation, mastery, denial, masculine and a correlate of dysfunction. Communion is viewed as alterocentric, participation, community, mystery, affirmation of feeling, feminine and the mitigator of agency. Differential response to the Inventory by well-differentiated groups reflects on the credibility of Bakan’s key theoretical assumption that the behavioral correlates of unmitigated agency were worthy of the psychologist’s concern.