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Background: The CaR-FA-X model (Williams et al., 2007) is the most prominent and comprehensive model of overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) and provides a framework for OGM. The model comprises of three mechanisms, capture and rumination, functional avoidance, and impaired executive control. These can independently, or in interaction, account for OGM. This systematic review aims to evaluate the existing research on the CaR-FA-X model, and trauma exposure studies specific to child and adolescent populations. Methods: The following databases were searched: 'PsychInfo', 'PsychArticles', ‘PubMed’, ‘Web of Science’, ‘Medline’, ‘SCOPUS’ and ‘Embase’ for English-language, peer-reviewed papers with samples < M = 18 years, published since 1986. To account for the possibility of grey literature, six online journal databases ‘OpenGrey’, ‘ProQuest’, ‘Web of Science Conference Proceedings’, ‘Copac’, ‘The British Library’ ‘Zetoc’ and the ‘Centre for Autobiographical Memory Research Conference proceedings’ were also searched. Results: Support was reported for capture errors and trauma exposure as well as interactive effects between rumination and executive control. Limited support was found for rumination, avoidance and impaired executive control in isolation. Conclusions: Partial support for the CaR-FA-X model was found for child and adolescent populations. Recommendations, refinements to the model, and plausible explanations for the mixed findings are discussed.

This study examined whether mental health professionals would differentiate, in terms of confidentiality and a duty to protect, persons with AIDS (PWAs) who refused to inform their partners from persons with homicidal intent. Six hundred professionals were randomly assigned one of four hypothetical therapy vignettes. In each vignette, the client had either AIDS or homicidal intent. The relationship of the client to the third party was either heterosexual or homosexual. PWAs were rated as being significantly more dangerous than persons with homicidal intent. Persons with homicidal intent were significantly more likely to receive increased intervention and their partners were significantly more likely to be warned. PWAs were rated significantly more negatively on most adjective rating scales.

The authors examine the characteristics of threatening and otherwise inappropriate communications sent to members of the U.S. Congress by a sample of 86 subjects, 20 of whom threatened assassination. We quote excerpts from these letters and provide quantitative data on such variables as the volume, duration, form, and appearance of such communications; the enclosures; the subjects' perceived relationships to the recipients; the thematic content of the communications; and the messages and threats communicated. Comparisons between 43 subjects who pursued encounters with members of Congress and 43 who did not revealed 17 factors associated with such pursuit. In this population, threateners were significantly less likely to pursue an encounter than inappropriate letter writers who did not threaten, regardless of the type of threat or the harm threatened. Inappropriate letters to members of Congress are compared with those directed to Hollywood celebrities. Mentally disordered persons writing to public figures often mention and sometimes threaten public figures other than those to whom the letters are addressed, which raises important issues regarding notification of endangered third parties and the sharing of information among protective agencies.