Comprehensive System (comprehensive + system)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Using the Rorschach for exploring the concept of transitional space within the political context of the Middle East

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOANALYTIC STUDIES, Issue 1 2005
Shira Tibon
Abstract The paper presents an application of a new Rorschach index, the Reality,Fantasy Scale (RFS) for evaluating the extent to which educated Israeli Jews and Arabs manifest a similar adaptive and functional ability in preserving psychic transitional space. The RFS is a psychodynamic oriented diagnostic tool, based on Exner's (1993) Comprehensive System for scoring and interpreting the Rorschach, and designed to operationalize Winnicott's (1971) concept of potential space. The scale is based on a paradigm that conceptualizes the Rorschach task as inviting the subject to enter the intermediate transitional space between inner and outer reality. The RFS ranges from ,5 to +5, and a score of zero indicates adaptive and functional use of potential space. The results point to a basic similarity between two groups of Jewish (n = 41) and Arab (n = 14) non-patients both using adaptively inner space between reality and fantasy. These results are discussed in terms of current psychoanalytic thought of relationality, political psychology research, cross-cultural personality assessment, and the empirical study of psychoanalytic concepts. Copyright © 2005 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source]


Thought disorder in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
Han-Joo Lee
We examined the presence of disordered thinking/perception in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Recently, an obsession model has been proposed, which classifies obsessions into two different subtypes: autogenous obsessions and reactive obsessions (Lee & Kwon, 2003). Based on this model, we hypothesized that OCD patients primarily displaying autogenous obsessions as opposed to reactive obsessions would display more severely disordered thinking/perception. We compared 15 OCD patients primarily displaying autogenous obsessions (AOs), 14 OCD patients primarily displaying reactive obsessions (ROs), 32 patients with schizophrenia (SPRs), and 28 patients with other anxiety disorders (OADs) with respect to thought disorders as assessed by the Comprehensive System of the Rorschach Inkblot Test. Results indicated that both AOs and SPRs displayed more severe thought disorders compared to ROs or OADs. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol. [source]


Problems With the Norms of the Comprehensive System for the Rorschach: Methodological and Conceptual Considerations

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE, Issue 3 2001
James M. Wood
In "The Misperception of Psychopathology: Problems with the Norms of the Comprehensive System for the Rorschach," we reviewed results from 32 studies and concluded that the norms of the Comprehensive System (CS) are inaccurate and tend to make nonpatient Americans appear psychologically disordered. Hunsley and Di Giulio, Widiger, and Aronow all agree that our review uncovered serious problems with the CS norms. However, CS proponents Exner and Meyer disagree. In this reply we address criticisms and express the hope that CS proponents will eventually acknowledge the importance of the research findings and develop more accurate norms. [source]


From Habermas's communicative theory to practice on the internet

INFORMATION SYSTEMS JOURNAL, Issue 4 2003
Michael S. H. Heng
Abstract., Communication plays a crucial role in influencing our social life. However, communication has often been distorted by unequal opportunities to initiate and participate in it. Such conditions have been criticized by Habermas who argues for an ideal speech situation, i.e. a situation of democratic communication with equal opportunities for social actors to communicate in an undistorted manner. This ideal situation is partially being realized by the advent of the internet. The paper describes how an internet-based tool for collaborative authoring was conceptualized, developed and then deployed with Habermas's Critical Social Theory as a guiding principle. The internet-based electronic forum, known by its acronym GRASS (Group Report Authoring Support System), is a web tool supporting the production of concise group reports that give their readers an up-to-date and credible overview of the positions of various stakeholders on a particular issue. Together with people and procedures, it is a comprehensive socio-technical information system that can play a role in resolving societal conflicts. A prototype of GRASS has been used by an environmental group as a new way in which to create a more equal exchange and comparison of ideas among various stakeholders in the debate on genetically modified food. With the widespread use of the internet, such a forum has the potential to become an emergent form of communication for widely dispersed social actors to conduct constructive debate and discussion. The barriers to such a mode of communication still remain , in the form of entrenched power structures, and limitations to human rationality and responsibility. However, we believe that the support provided by the comprehensive system of technological functionality as well as procedural checks and balances provided by GRASS may considerably reduce the impact of these obstacles. In this way, the ideal speech situation may be approximated more closely in reality. [source]


Protecting the Old in a Young Economy: Old Age Insurance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY REVIEW, Issue 3 2000
Markus Loewe
Taking the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a reference point, this paper looks at social protection in developing economies, which are beset by economic stagnation, widespread poverty and unemployment. If the main breadwinner dies, is unable to work or is an older person, these factors are prime causes of absolute poverty. This is hardly surprising, since private and public systems of social security are totally inadequate in this area in particular. Current thinking on social security suggests that what is needed is the rapid introduction of a comprehensive system of retirement provision, comprising a mandatory capital-funded insurance component, with defined contributions, administered on a decentralized basis; and a state-administered pay-as-you-go basic insurance component with lump-sum transfers to safeguard the poorest. A system of this kind works to prevent poverty in old age by redistributing funds from some individuals to others and ensuring an income for life, and it represents a compromise between a fair return on what people have contributed and a fair distribution over society as a whole. It is thus a major force for stability in society. [source]


Personality Profiles and the Prediction of Categorical Personality Disorders

JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 2 2001
Robert R. McCrae
Personality disorders (PDs) are usually construed as psychiatric categories characterized by a unique configuration of traits and behaviors. To generate clinical hypotheses from normal personality trait scores, profile agreement statistics can be calculated using a prototypical personality profile for each PD. Multimethod data from 1,909 psychiatric patients in the People's Republic of China were used to examine the accuracy of such hypotheses in the Interpretive Report of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. Profile agreement indices from both self-reports and spouse ratings were significantly related to PD symptom scores derived from questionnaires and clinical interviews. However, accuracy of diagnostic classification was only modest to moderate, probably because PDs are not discrete categorical entities. Together with other literature, these data suggest that the current categorical system should be replaced by a more comprehensive system of personality traits and personality-related problems. [source]


Regulation of Firearm Dealers in the United States: An Analysis of State Law and Opportunities for Improvement

THE JOURNAL OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS, Issue 4 2006
Jon S. Vernick J.D., M.P.H.
Firearms were associated with 30, 136 deaths in the United States in 2003. Most guns are initially sold to the public through a network of retail dealers. Licensed firearm dealers are an important source of guns for criminals and gun traffickers. Just one percent of licensed dealers were responsible for more than half of all guns traced to crime. Federal law makes it difficult for ATF to inspect and revoke the licenses of problem gun dealers. State licensing systems, however, are a greatly under-explored opportunity for firearm dealer oversight. We identify and categorize these state systems to identify opportunities for interventions to prevent problem dealers from supplying guns to criminals, juveniles, or gun traffickers. Just seventeen states license gun dealers. Twenty-three states permit routine inspections of dealers but only two mandate that those inspections occur on a regular basis. Twenty-six states impose record-keeping requirements for gun sales. Only thirteen states require some form of store security measures to minimize firearm theft. We conclude with recommendations for a comprehensive system of state licensing and oversight of gun dealers. Our findings can be useful for the coalition of more than fifty U.S. mayors that recently announced it would work together to combat illegal gun trafficking. [source]


PHENIX: a comprehensive Python-based system for macromolecular structure solution

ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D, Issue 2 2010
Paul D. Adams
Macromolecular X-ray crystallography is routinely applied to understand biological processes at a molecular level. However, significant time and effort are still required to solve and complete many of these structures because of the need for manual interpretation of complex numerical data using many software packages and the repeated use of interactive three-dimensional graphics. PHENIX has been developed to provide a comprehensive system for macromolecular crystallographic structure solution with an emphasis on the automation of all procedures. This has relied on the development of algorithms that minimize or eliminate subjective input, the development of algorithms that automate procedures that are traditionally performed by hand and, finally, the development of a framework that allows a tight integration between the algorithms. [source]


Using information technology to sustain policy governance

BOARD LEADERSHIP: POLICY GOVERNANCE IN ACTION, Issue 76 2004
Article first published online: 15 MAR 200, Ray Tooley
Can Policy Governance provide a long-term sustainable model for owner-accountable effective governance? The answer is a resounding yes, but there are many challenges boards face in becoming mature and seasoned users of this comprehensive system. This article will examine some of the obstacles to achieving user-friendly Policy Governance sustainability and how information technology can be used to overcome the barriers on the road to success. [source]


Internet use for corporate environmental reporting: current challenges,technical benefits,practical guidance

BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 3 2002
Ralf Isenmann
The huge opportunities of using the internet for corporate reporting are arranged in a comprehensive system of technical benefits. In order to give a tangible example and describe practical use thoroughly, the benefits are focused on environmental reporting but they can be transferred in major parts also to financial, social or sustainability reporting,seen as a currently emerging trend towards integrated financial, environmental and social reporting. In more detail, the system of internet-specific benefits is illustrated by four main categories: benefits concerning the underlying purposes of publishing reports, benefits concerning the entire reporting process, benefits concerning the report contents and benefits concerning the report design. In terms of corporate reporting, professional internet use will enhance the way in which companies give information, communicate and manage their business internally and externally, benefiting all members involved that are reporting companies, addressed key target groups and other stakeholders such as standard setting institutions and benchmarking organizations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment [source]


L'ajustement mutuel dans le fonctionnement organique du système multiorganisationnel d'aide et de services aux sans-abri de Montréal

CANADIAN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION/ADMINISTRATION PUBLIQUE DU CANADA, Issue 1 2009
Alain Dupuis
Sommaire : Notre étude de l'organisation du secteur de l'aide et des services aux sans-abri à Montréal Centre met en lumière un système multiorganisationnel de services de santé et de services sociaux qui n'est pas intégré hiérarchiquement dans son ensemble et qui n'est pas soumis à une « entente de gestion et d'imputabilité» globale propre à une gestion fondée sur la normalisation des résultats. L'étude présente un système d'ensemble de type « organique » plutôt que bureaucratique, largement fondé sur des ajustements mutuels entre les nombreux acteurs publics et « communautaires » de ce secteur. La coordination des services se réalise alors essentiellement dans les interactions entre les intervenants alors qu'ils accomplissent leur travail, et ce avec le soutien des gestionnaires. À l'aide de nombreux extraits d'entrevues, nous étudions le fonctionnement de ce système « organique » sous la forme de trois catégories de processus d'ajustement mutuel qui se superposent et se complètent pour assurer la valeur des services : disjoint unilatéral, conjoint bilatéral et conjoint multilatéral. Selon les sciences de l'organisation, un tel système est potentiellement mieux adaptéà composer avec la complexité des connaissances et des valeurs caractéristiques des services humains, qu'un à système formellement intégré et contrôlé par des règles, des indicateurs et des cibles quantifiables. Abstract: This study of the organization of the sector dedicated to providing aid and services to the homeless in Central Montreal reveals a multiorganizational health and social services system that is neither hierarchically integrated as a whole nor subject to a comprehensive "management and accountability agreement" specific to standardized results-based management. The study details a comprehensive system that is "organic," rather than bureaucratic, and broadly organized based on mutual adjustments among the numerous public and "community" practitioners in this sector. The coordination of services is therefore essentially achieved through the interaction of the workers as they perform their jobs, with the support of management. This study draws on a number of extracts from interviews to examine how this "organic" system operates, in the form of three distinct processes of mutual adjustment that are superimposed and complementary to ensure the value of the services: "unilateral disjoined,""bilateral joined" and "multilateral joined." According to organizational science, this type of system is potentially more likely to address the complexities inherent in the knowledge and values that are characteristic of human services than a formally integrated system that is controlled by rules, indicators and quantifiable targets. [source]


The hidden crisis in mental health and education: The gap between student needs and existing supports

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, Issue 120 2008
Tina Malti
The authors provide a selected review of mental health and educational concerns evident in U.S. middle schools and describes promising and important strategies to ameliorate the high rates of students with mental health and academic difficulties. Despite some promising and important strategies, service systems are fragmented, and comprehensive systems of supports are still in development. Furthermore, there remains a lack of integrated developmental considerations in practice. The RALLY approach systematically introduces development and caring adult relationships into preventive practice and combines mental health, education, and youth development to promote students' resiliency and academic potential. [source]