ABSTRACT. Objective: The current study is based on the hypothesis that alcohol-involved suicide attempts are characterized by lower premeditation and intent, but only when the use of alcohol is not motivated by the desire to facilitate the attempt. Test of this idea was conducted by comparing proximal suicide premeditation and intent of suicide attempts among three groups: individuals who (a) drank to facilitate the attempt (e.g., to "numb fears" about attempting), (b) drank for nonfacilitative motives, and (c) did not use alcohol before the attempt. Method: Participants included 324 (62% female) recent suicide attempters presenting to a Level 1 trauma hospital. The Timeline Followback Interview for Suicide Attempts and a novel Suicide Facilitative Drinking Motives Scale were used to assess facilitative motives for drinking and characteristics of the attempt. Results: One third of participants drank before the attempt, and most (73%) who used alcohol did not do so to facilitate the attempt. As hypothesized, attempts carried out by this group had shorter proximal suicide premeditation and lower suicide intent compared with the other study groups; in contrast, individuals who drank to facilitate the attempt were similar to non-alcohol users on these indices. Conclusions: Alcohol-involved suicide attempts are heterogeneous. Motives for drinking are a key source of heterogeneity insofar as fundamental characteristics of attempts (proximal premeditation, intent) differ as a function of drinking motivation. Clinical implications include that individuals making suicide attempts with facilitative motives for drinking cannot be assumed to be at lowered risk upon a drop in blood alcohol level. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 76, 474-481, 2015)

Examination of individual difference variables have been largely ignored within research on the use of workplace sexual identity management strategies. The current study examined personality traits (extraversion, openness, and neuroticism), facets of sexual identity development (identity confusion, internalized heterosexism), and situational variables (e.g., perceptions of workplace climate and heterosexism) in explaining the use of management strategies, as well as possible interactions between individual and situational factors. Perceptions of the workplace climate toward lesbian and gay individuals significantly related to the use each of the management strategies, and Internalized Heterosexism was found to significantly predict the use of the Explicitly Out strategy. Most interactions between individual difference and situational variables were not supported, with the exception of an interaction between workplace heterosexism and internalized homophobia in explaining the use of the Explicitly Out strategy.

The primary purpose of investigations of suspected child maltreatment should be to arrive at valid conclusions about the “truth” of the matter. Determinations about whether child maltreatment has occurred are often based, at least in part, on the perceived reliability of the statements of the suspected child victim. This has given rise to questions about children's suggestibility and the impact of various child interview practices on the reliability of children's statements. Recent research has attempted to address some of these questions in a more “ecologically valid” fashion than did earlier research. This article summarizes pertinent research relating to children's suggestibility and discusses the implications of this research as it relates to child interview practices. Specific suggestions are offered for minimizing suggestibility effects and maximizing the reliability of children's statements during child interviews.

One does not need to work in the area of child sexual abuse for very long to realize how much tension and contention exist among the various professionals doing this challenging work. Alltoo often,