Beat the Back to School Power Struggle in 30 Days (The Secret? Start Now!)

by James Lehman, MSW

I've worked with many parents and children caught up in power struggles in the home—they argued over bedtime, homework, curfew, video game time—you name it, they fought over it. And the more these parents fought with their children, the better at arguing and manipulating situations their children seemed to get.

Mothers and fathers came to me exhausted, frustrated and desperate to stop the constant tug-of-war going on in their homes. Toward the end of every summer, I could be sure to hear from parents who were worried about getting their children back into the school routine, and many were anxious that any ground they'd gained the year before had been lost over summer break—which I believe is a very valid concern.

Often, the time off that kids have from school in the summer time is a period where they get out of the routine of going to school full time, as well as the habit of taking care of all their other family and social responsibilities. When school starts again—with many parents trying to get kids back into their schedules the week classes begin—it often results in a power struggle...

Arizona & Immigration law: Is Racial Bias impossible for Police to Avoid?

by APA & John Dovidiol, Ph.D.

Arizona recently adopted a new law giving police broad powers to stop and detain anyone suspected of being in the United States illegally. The APA interviewed social psychologist John Dovidio, PhD, of Yale University about the new law. Dr. Dovidio studies issues of social power and social relationships including the influence of explicit and implicit bias.

Q. The new law gives broad powers to police officers yet we know from research that all people including police officers have automatic or implicit bias about some racial or ethnic groups. What is implicit bias

A. Implicit biases are beliefs (stereotypes) and feelings (prejudice) that are activated without intent, control, and often conscious awareness. These are habits of mind that develop through cultural as well as personal associations. Whereas most people no longer consciously endorse stereotypes and prejudice, the majority of people still harbor implicit biases.

Q. Will this new law lead to racial profiling within the state?

A. Stereotyping, prejudice, and biases in how people perceive and react to members of other groups typically occur automatically and with limited conscious control. These automatic processes are even more influential when people feel threatened or are under time pressure – common experiences for police officers – and thus will lead to systematic and racially/ethnically biased profiling.

Risk Management in Mental Health

by Michael J. Orlosky, MD, MMM, CPE

Nearly all mental illnesses carry with them an increased risk of poor health, although proper treatment can dramatically reduce those risks. For those with a mental illness, knowing your risks can help you to anticipate possible problems and improve your overall care. In this article I will highlight some of the steps that you can take to reduce risks, and also how you can add healthy components to your life.

First, to define the terms, here are the risky conditions that I am writing about:

• Intentional self-injury
• Attempted suicide
• Excessive use of alcohol
• Recreational use of narcotics
• Sexual behaviors without protection
• Driving while mentally impaired
• Putting oneself into dangerous situations

Let's make a distinction between risky behaviors that are part of the mental illness versus risky behaviors that are a consequence of the mental illness. Here is the difference.