Jan Faust

The present study aimed to determine whether a parent–child gender match would influence child psychological adjustment after divorce. Participants included 69 parents (36 mothers) in active family law litigation to resolve issues related to postdissolution of marriage or time-sharing matters. Participants provided demographic information and completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 1991 Achenbach, T. M. (1991). Manual for the child behavior checklist/4–18 and 1991 profile. Burlington, VT : Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont. [Google Scholar] ) to assess their perceptions of their child’s internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Results demonstrated that internalizing and externalizing behaviors were not affected by whether children spent more time with the same gender parent, opposite gender parent, or split their time equally between both. Comparisons and contradictions between the results in this study and existing research are discussed, as well as practical implications.

The current study examined the differences in presentation of psychopathology following varying types of maltreatment, including the witnessing of intimate partner violence. Families recruited from a community mental health center specializing in child trauma were asked to complete questionnaires related to multiple realms of psychosocial functioning. Results indicated that the presence of sexual abuse significantly impacted the development of depressive and anxiety symptoms in children; however, this was not observed following other types of trauma. Analyses also revealed significant mediative relationships with respect to family variables. Although findings supported the original hypothesis, it was proposed that, rather than desensitization, these children might be may be explained by cognitive dissonance. More research needs to examine these findings.

The purpose of this article was to increase awareness of an alternative presentation of narcissistic personality disorder, offer treatment strategies specifically geared toward such patients, and demonstrate how an understanding of object relations and defense mechanisms can guide interventions and improve diagnostic refinement. A case study was presented to illustrate this approach. This case study draws mainly from James Masterson’s developmental, self, and object relations approach to the treatment of closet narcissism. Additional psychodynamic theories were also incorporated to provide a more comprehensive conceptualization of the client. Treatment consisted of psychodynamic therapy in which therapeutic neutrality, and analysis of the transference were core features.