Canadian Psychology

Families matter: Psychology of the family and the family of psychology.
Research on the family lies at the interface between basic and applied science. After tracing the scientific and practise roots of research on the family, I highlight that research to date has neglected the perspective of fathers. I propose that as in regular families, the family of Canadian psychology is diverse and constantly evolving. Key findings in psychology of the family include the importance of multiple perspectives, the benefits of quality time, and the toxic effects of conflict. These concepts apply equally to the family of Canadian psychology. I suggest that through involvement in the Canadian Psychological Association, psychologists can be enriched by multiple perspectives, can benefit from communication with one another to work together to advance psychology for all. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
L’importance de la famille: Psychologie de la famille et famille de la psychologie.
Research on the family lies at the interface between basic and applied science. After tracing the scientific and practise roots of research on the family, I highlight that research to date has neglected the perspective of fathers. I propose that as in regular families, the family of Canadian psychology is diverse and constantly evolving. Key findings in psychology of the family include the importance of multiple perspectives, the benefits of quality time, and the toxic effects of conflict. These concepts apply equally to the family of Canadian psychology. I suggest that through involvement in the Canadian Psychological Association, psychologists can be enriched by multiple perspectives, can benefit from communication with one another to work together to advance psychology for all. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Adopting a public health approach to the delivery of evidence-based parenting interventions.
A public health perspective to the delivery of parenting programs has the potential to greatly increase the impact of evidence-based psychological interventions targeting parents and families. However, a population-level benefit is unlikely to be achieved unless sustained programmatic efforts are undertaken to further increase the reach of efficacious interventions. In addition, such programs need to be adapted to local circumstances, be delivered in a culturally relevant manner, and be used in a sustained way by adoptee organisations if the potential benefits of these interventions are to be realised. The multilevel Triple P system of parenting interventions is used as an example to illustrate the benefits and challenges involved in delivering a comprehensive system of parenting interventions, services, and programs. Practical implications for large-scale implementation and possible future directions for research are identified. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Pour une approche de santé publique dans les programmes de soutien parental factuels.
A public health perspective to the delivery of parenting programs has the potential to greatly increase the impact of evidence-based psychological interventions targeting parents and families. However, a population-level benefit is unlikely to be achieved unless sustained programmatic efforts are undertaken to further increase the reach of efficacious interventions. In addition, such programs need to be adapted to local circumstances, be delivered in a culturally relevant manner, and be used in a sustained way by adoptee organisations if the potential benefits of these interventions are to be realised. The multilevel Triple P system of parenting interventions is used as an example to illustrate the benefits and challenges involved in delivering a comprehensive system of parenting interventions, services, and programs. Practical implications for large-scale implementation and possible future directions for research are identified. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Chronic insomnia: Recent advances and innovations in treatment developments and dissemination.
Insomnia is a prevalent public health problem that carries an important psychosocial and economic burden for those affected, their families, employers, and for society at large. Despite its negative impacts, insomnia often remains untreated and, when treatment is initiated, it is predominantly with medication, an option that is not always acceptable to people with insomnia. There is extensive evidence that psychological approaches, primarily cognitive behavioural therapy, are effective, produce durable and generalizable outcomes, and should be the first line therapy for chronic insomnia. Nonetheless, these approaches remain under utilised in clinical (medical) practise. Several innovative and cost-effective treatment delivery models (e.g., telephone consultations, Internet-based treatment) have yielded promising results but despite these advances, there remains a problem of supply. A significant challenge for the future will be to disseminate more efficiently validated therapies and practise guidelines and increase their use in clinical practise. Additional training opportunities are also needed for psychologists to develop expertise in a new emerging behavioural sleep medicine subspecialty. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Mental disorders are brain disorders: You think?
Recent years have seen an explosion of biologically based studies, interventions, and explanations for most mental disorders. Indeed, the mantra that mental disorders are brain disorders is frequently stated and certainly is at least partially true. Yet, the current landslide of information, produced with new extraordinary technologies, has resulted in limited clarity. The area of mental disorders remains laden with deficient, contradictory, and unproven explanations and treatments. One common rationale for this state is the failure to translate new scientific findings into practise. A more defensible and encompassing explanation focuses on the very basic conceptualizations and definitions of these disorders. Patently powerful methodologies can be no better or worse than the clarity of the problems under study. Numerous examples of definitional and diagnostic problems exist that have led to the lack of clarity and application of research findings. Alternative research strategies are discussed with a focus on the high-risk paradigm. A series of studies of a single characteristic of individuals at risk for problems with alcohol is presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Provoking evolution in child and youth mental health in Canada.
Approximately 14–25% of Canadian children and youth have a diagnosable mental disorder. Fewer than 25% of those with such disorders receive specialised services. Even for those receiving services, there is no guarantee that the interventions provided are effective or based on any credible evidence. It is time that child and youth mental health be recognised as the health priority that it truly is. The barriers to meaningful change in child and youth mental health are many and include historical, attitudinal, cultural, financial, and systemic considerations. True change will require creativity, innovation, collaboration, and leadership. Mindsets need to be shifted and the status quo needs to be challenged. Canadian psychologists have skillsets that should be critical in accelerating change in child and youth mental health. We should not shy away from taking on leadership roles to provoke such change. Examples of where this is occurring and opportunities for further action are profiled. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Steps toward an evolutionary personality psychology: Individual differences in the social rank domain.
A comprehensive evolutionary personality psychology can be developed by identifying individual differences within each of the evolved systems that regulate social behaviour. We developed a questionnaire measure of social rank style, defined as individual differences in preferred strategies for pursuing, defending, and, when necessary, relinquishing social rank. The 17-item Rank Style with Peers Questionnaire (RSPQ) comprises three nearly independent scales: dominant leadership, coalition-building, and ruthless self-advancement. A series of studies demonstrated that: (a) the RSPQ’s, factor structure is robust; (b) the three rank style variables are not redundant with the five-factor traits or adult attachment styles; (c) they are related in theoretically expected ways to adjustment outcomes, to agentic and communal interpersonal behaviours, and to social reputations; (d) they predict group and individual performance outcomes relevant to organisational psychology; and (e) they are related in theoretically expected ways to psychopathology, including social anxiety disorder and depressive symptoms. Future directions for research on social rank styles and prospects for an evolutionary personality psychology are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of The Core Program: A cognitive behavioural guide to depression.
Reviews the book, The Core Program: A cognitive behavioural guide to depression by Randy J. Paterson, Lynn E. Alden, and William J. Koch (Narrated by Randy J. Paterson). Depression is one of the most common mental health concerns, and efforts to alleviate its burden are truly commendable. Emerging from the Changeways Clinic in Vancouver, this book is one of such recent efforts. This program, developed by Paterson and his colleagues, is delivered in both audio and text formats, with the audio portion narrated by Paterson. The program guides the reader to listen to the audio segment then read through its complementary section in the manual, but it emphasises the importance of working through the examples and completion of the provided worksheets. Overall, the Core Program is a well-developed manual for the treatment of depression. It uses the knowledge derived from cutting-edge research in the field of cognitive science, as well as sound evidence-based practise methods, to provide a valuable tool in the fight against depression. It is replete with pertinent examples and homework assignments, and clearly reflects the authors’ collective expertise in the field of clinical psychology. This program is recommended for use by depressed and/or anxious clients during the course of formal therapy and under the supervision of a licensed practitioner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of The social psychology of gender: How power and intimacy shape gender relations.
Reviews the book, The social psychology of gender: How power and intimacy shape gender relations by Laurie A. Rudman and Peter Glick (see record 2008-09331-000). In this volume, respected gender experts Rudman and Glick (both former recipients of the Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Award for their respective research in this area) highlight the ways in which male dominance and intimate interdependence work together to shape peoples’ attitudes toward men and women and thusly their interactions with members of both sexes. Although its publication in the Texts series suggests that it is aimed primarily at a student audience, this volume nevertheless has much to offer the interested layperson and the serious academic as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of The Cambridge handbook of situated cognition.
Reviews the book, The Cambridge handbook of situated cognition edited by Philip Robbins and Murat Aydede (see record 2009-00004-000). This Handbook begins with three chapters that orient the reader to some of the key ideas that define the study of situated cognition. The next seven chapters comprise the “Conceptual Foundations” section of the Handbook and have critical implications for psychology and cognitive science, which is one reason that this book is important to read. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of Revitalizng retirement: Reshaping your identity, relationships, and purpose.
Reviews the book, Revitalizng retirement: Reshaping your identity, relationships, and purpose by Nancy K. Schlossberg (2009). Therapists, counsellors, and life coaches working with older middle-age adults will find this handbook to happiness in retirement a useful working tool. The author introduces the book by stating that some content resembles notes she resurrected from a freshman undergraduate lecture on personal development; accordingly, both the format and the issues discussed in this book generalise to life span motivational needs, but the intended focus is on the transition to retirement. As a result, this book would make a useful tool for a support group or workshop on psychosocial transitions in postemployment life, with some limitations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of Understanding peer influence in children and adolescents.
Reviews the book, Understanding peer influence in children and adolescents edited by Mitchell J. Prinstein and Kenneth A. Dodge (see record 2008-08239-000). Peer influence on children and adolescents is the subject of many myths and fears. Many parents and teachers loathe it because they understand it as a force beyond their control and as a force that is likely to undermine their efforts at socializing their children according to their wishes and values. The first two sections of this book constitute beyond any doubt the most articulate and most informative account of extant theoretical models explaining the mechanisms of peer influence. The final section of the book opens with an interesting consideration of the influence of peers at the intimate, dyadic level—the influences of romantic partners. The book closes with a brief chapter on the motives underlying the emulation or tolerance of bullying behaviour by peers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of A history of modern psychology: Third edition.
Reviews the book, A history of modern psychology: Third edition by C. James Goodwin (see record 2008-14615-000). This text is an excellent introduction to the history of Western psychology, in terms of both tracing the discipline’s lineage through milestone events and in demonstrating how historians approach the subject. As the primary goal of the book is to attract the interest of students who perhaps are only taking a course in the history of psychology because it is required of them, the major strength of this text is its readability. The author’s ability to render complicated material comprehensible for introductory level students and laymen, as well as the affable tone used throughout the work makes it suitable for any reader interested in the foundations of the discipline. Its success is in the framework it provides, which graduate or even undergraduate level instructors can flesh out with supplementary readings and in-class discussion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of L’étalonnage et la décision psychométrique: Exemples et tables.
Reviews the book, L’étalonnage et la décision psychométrique: Exemples et tables by Louis Laurencelle (2008). What I.Q. score corresponds to a 90 percentile? How many subjects are required for the 95% confidence interval set around a correlation value of r = .50 to fall within the 0.4-0.6 range? What fraction of a group of persons applying for a job will be selected if, by applying the rule of union and three correlation tests of .3, we use a selection rate of 10%? To read more on this review, please see the full text pdf. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne - Vol 51, Iss 1