Self-mutilators' psychophysiological and subjective responses during an imaged self-mutilative act were examined. Differences in arousal to 3 imaged control events (neutral, accidental injury, and aggression) were examined between 3 self-mutilation groups (prisoner, prisoner control, and nonprison control). Imagery scripts were presented in 4 stages; scene setting, approach, incident, and consequence. Results indicated a decrease in psychophysiological and subjective response during self-mutilation imagery. No such decrease was evident for nonmutilators who were administered standard self-mutilation imagery. A lag between psychophysiological and psychological response to the self-mutilative act was evident. Responses elicited during self-mutilation imagery were different from those of control imagery. Results indicated that self-mutilative behavior is maintained by its reinforcing tension-reducing qualities.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of V.I.K. (Very Important Kids), a school-based, multi-component intervention designed to prevent teasing and unhealthy weight-control behaviors among fourth through sixth grade students. The effectiveness of the V.I.K. intervention was evaluated using a pre-post quasi-experimental design with one school assigned to each condition: intervention and assessment-only control. Data were collected at baseline and at 8-month post-test among 63 students at the intervention school and 57 students at the control school. The V.I.K. intervention included an after-school program, a theater program, school environment components and a family component. Process data suggest that the V.I.K. program can feasibly be implemented within a school setting and can effectively engage students, school staff and parents. Analysis of impact data revealed that the percentage of students reporting being teased decreased significantly in the intervention school relative to the control school, after controlling for baseline levels of teasing, body mass index z score and demographic factors (odds ratio = 0.22; 95% confidence interval = 0.06, 0.88; P = 0.03). These findings provide promising evidence that multi-component, school-based interventions may effectively reduce teasing in elementary schools. Future research of interventions aimed at preventing teasing using a larger sample of schools is warranted.

We have undertaken a prospective clinical and radiological analysis of 124 shoulder arthroplasties (113 patients) carried out for osteoarthritis. The clinical results showed improvement in the absolute Constant score and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score of 22 and 43, respectively. Both were statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the scores after hemiarthroplasty and total arthroplasty in those patients with an intact rotator cuff. When revision was used as the end-point for survival at ten years, survival of 86%, or 90% if glenoid components made of Hylamer sterilised in air were omitted, was obtained in primary osteoarthritis. The most common cause for revision in the hemiarthroplasty group was glenoid pain at a mean of 1.5 years; in the total arthroplasty group it was loosening of the glenoid at a mean of 4.5 years. Analysis of pre-operative factors showed that the risk of gross loosening of the glenoid increased threefold when there was evidence of erosion of the glenoid at operation. Shoulder arthroplasty should not be delayed once symptomatic osteoarthritis has been established and should be undertaken before failure of the cuff or erosion of the glenoid are present.

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Objectives: The aims of the study were to determine targeted parent experiences of parental alienation post-separation from the alienating parent, and to investigate common targeted parent characteristics. Method: A total of 225 targeted parents completed an online survey. Results: Targeted parents reported experiencing high severity of exposure to parental alienation tactics. Targeted parent sex and targeted child age significantly predicted variance in exposure to parental alienation. Targeted mothers experienced significantly higher severity of exposure to parental alienation than targeted fathers. Severity of exposure to parental alienation tactics significantly predicted increases in the appraisal of the parental alienation situation as threatening. Conclusions: The findings offered new insights into targeted parent appraisals of their parental alienation experience. The results signified the seriousness of the impact of exposure to parental alienation for targeted parents, and highlighted a need for empirical research into the effectiveness of interventions and support services to assist targeted parents.