Use of self-help materials for anxiety and depression in mental health services: A national survey of psychologists in Norway.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 42(3) of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (see record 2011-11548-002). The author's affiliations were listed incorrectly. The correct affiliations are in the correction.] How do psychologists in clinical practice perceive and use self-help materials for clients with anxiety and depression? The use of self-help materials with guidance from a therapist has been suggested as a way of meeting the increasing need for mental health services. The present study investigated factors relevant to the use of self-help materials for the treatment of anxiety and depression among psychologists employed in mental health services. Among 1863 eligible clinical psychologists in Norway, 815 (43.7%) participated in a national survey. A total of 93.5% of the participants had recommended self-help materials to clients, and approximately half (55.1%) had received requests from their clients regarding self-help materials. Self-help materials were recommended as an adjunct and not as an alternative to therapist contact by 73.0% of respondents, by 16.6% for relapse prevention, and by 1.2% to clients on a waiting list. Internet/computer-based programs were recommended by 2.2% of the participants. The practitioner's previous use of self-help materials to enhance his or her therapy skills and knowledge of self-help materials was related to use of self-help materials with clients. Psychologists working in child mental health services recommended self-help less often than those working in adult services. These results have implications for future efforts to disseminate effective self-help materials through increased attention toward self-help interventions in training and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Local Medicare policies: A pathway for providing mental health services to older adults.

Inconsistent local Medicare service coverage policies constitute one of the most prominent barriers encountered by mental health professionals who provide services to older adults. In this study, the authors analyzed the scope and delineation of local Medicare policies for 19 types of psychiatric and psychological services in 2003 and again in 2006. Results indicated policies now exist for all Medicare services in all the states, and many of the local policies provide definitive statements to guide practice. However, some policies lacked delineation and variability persists from one region to the next. While researchers ascertain how local policies can impact service outcomes, providers should form issue networks and resolve current problems such as the inequities surrounding service documentation requirements and the lack of guidance in providing mental health care to older persons with dementia. Given that the Medicare administrative structure will undergo substantive changes in the next five years, there is an exceptional opportunity for providers to address these problems successfully and pave a pathway for providing specialty mental health services to older adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Early withdrawal from mental health treatment: Implications for psychotherapy practice": Correction to Barrett et al (2008).

Reports an error in "Early withdrawal from mental health treatment: Implications for psychotherapy practice" by Marna S. Barrett, Wee-Jhong Chua, Paul Crits-Christoph, Mary Beth Gibbons and Don Thompson (Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 2008[Jun], Vol 45[2], 247-267). The fourth author’s name was mistakenly left out of the author byline and table of contents. The correct author listing for this article is presented in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2008-07317-011.) Despite more than 50 years of research on client attrition from therapy, obstacles to the delivery and success of treatments remain poorly understood, and effective methods to engage and retain clients in therapy are lacking. This article offers a review of the literature on attrition, highlighting the methodological challenges in effectively addressing the complex nature of this problem. Current interventions for reducing attrition are reviewed, and recommendations for implementing these interventions into psychotherapy practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Promoting and protecting mental health as flourishing: A complementary strategy for improving national mental health.

This article summarizes the conception and diagnosis of the mental health continuum, the findings supporting the two continua model of mental health and illness, and the benefits of flourishing to individuals and society. Completely mentally healthy adults--individuals free of a 12-month mental disorder and flourishing--reported the fewest missed days of work, the fewest half-day or greater work cutbacks, the healthiest psychosocial functioning (i.e., low helplessness, clear goals in life, high resilience, and high intimacy), the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease, the lowest number of chronic physical diseases with age, the fewest health limitations of activities of daily living, and lower health care utilization. However, the prevalence of flourishing is barely 20% in the adult population, indicating the need for a national program on mental health promotion to complement ongoing efforts to prevent and treat mental illness. Findings reveal a Black advantage in mental health as flourishing and no gender disparity in flourishing among Whites. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cultural competence and evidence-based practice in mental health services: A complementary perspective.

The need for cultural competence and the need for evidence-based practice in mental health services are major issues in contemporary discourse, especially in the psychological treatment of people of color. Although these 2 paradigms are complementary in nature, there is little cross-fertilization in the psychological literature. The present article illustrates the complementary nature of these 2 paradigms. A main point of convergence is related to the development of culturally adapted interventions in the move from efficacy research to effectiveness studies. The implications of cultural adaptations of empirically supported treatments for mental health services in terms of research and practice with ethnic/racial minority populations are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Recent advances in the treatment of anxiety disorders": Correction to Antony (2011).

Reports an error in "Recent advances in the treatment of anxiety disorders" by Martin M. Antony (Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 2011[Feb], Vol 52[1], 1-9). The heading for the article was incorrectly printed. The corrected heading is provided in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2011-04299-001.) Over the past several decades, evidence-based treatments have emerged for each major anxiety disorder. These include primarily behavioural, cognitive, and pharmacological approaches. In addition, researchers continue to develop new ways of treating anxiety disorders and to improve on existing treatments. This article discusses several new and emerging treatments for anxiety disorders, including attentional training, virtual reality-based treatments, mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies, enhancement of exposure using d-cycloserine, and the application of motivational interviewing strategies in anxiety disorders. For each of these treatments, the current status and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologists' roles and opportunities in rehabilitation and recovery for serious mental illness: A survey of Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) clinical psychology training and doctoral education.

The emergence of psychiatric rehabilitation and the recovery movement generate new and expanded roles for psychologists in services for people with serious mental illness (SMI). However, the proportion of psychologists working in SMI services today is substantially less than previous decades. This article reviews the roles of psychologists in various mental health systems and outlines the contributions that psychologists can make in implementing evidence based approaches for people with SMI. A survey of American Psychology Association (APA)-accredited Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) Clinical Psychology doctoral programs was conducted. The results of the survey indicate an increase, since the early 1990s, in clinical faculty with SMI interests, and suggest that many graduate programs provide opportunities for SMI-relevant research and practicum training. However, the survey also indicates a lack of coursework on topics relevant to SMI and a lack of coursework relevant to assuming administrative and leadership roles in the mental health system. Despite training opportunities in graduate school, production of new PhDs who choose the SMI field is unlikely to meet the demand. According to the present study, the limiting factor is not availability of training, but student career choice. The opportunities and challenges that psychologists face in SMI recovery-oriented service delivery are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirically guided coordination of multiple evidence-based treatments: An illustration of relevance mapping in children's mental health services.

Objective: Despite substantial progress in the development and identification of psychosocial evidence-based treatments (EBTs) in mental health, there is minimal empirical guidance for selecting an optimal set of EBTs maximally applicable and generalizable to a chosen service sample. Relevance mapping is a proposed methodology that addresses this problem through structured comparison of client characteristics in a service sample to participant characteristics from studies of EBTs. Method: The authors demonstrate the feasibility of relevance mapping using data from 1,781 youths in a statewide mental health system and a study data set including 437 randomized clinical trials. Relevance mapping (a) reveals who is “coverable” by any EBT, under different definitions of matches between study participants and clients, and (b) identifies minimum sets of treatments needed to serve maximum numbers of clients, across different levels of analysis for defining treatment operations. Results: In the illustration sample, all problems targeted by the study data set review were fully coverable when matching only required clients to have the same problem as EBT study participants. At the other extreme, when matching also required age, gender, ethnicity, and setting, the percentage of noncoverable youths increased to 86% in this sample. Two minimal sets of only 8 EBTs were identified that, when added to the one EBT already in place in that system, covered 100% of coverable youths when matching required problem, age, and gender. Conclusions: This methodology offers promise for the empirically guided selection and coordination of EBTs, thereby addressing one aspect of the gap between knowledge and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Effect sizes for experimenting psychologists": Correction to Rosnow and Rosenthal (2003).

Reports an error in "Effect sizes for experimenting psychologists" by Ralph L. Rosnow and Robert Rosenthal (Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale, 2003[Sep], Vol 57[3], 221-237). A portion of the note to Table 1 was incorrect. The second sentence of the note should read as follows: Fisher’s ?r is the log transformation of r, that is, ? loge [(1 + r)/(1 - r)]. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2003-08374-009.) [Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 63(1) of Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale (see record 2009-03064-004). Correction for Note in TABLE 1 (on page 222): The second sentence should read as follows: Fisher’s zr is the log transformation of r, that is, 1?2 loge[(1 + r)/(1 ? r)].] This article describes three families of effect size estimators and their use in situations of general and specific interest to experimenting psychologists. The situations discussed include both between- and within-group (repeated measures) designs. Also described is the counternull statistic, which is useful in preventing common errors of interpretation in null hypothesis significance testing. The emphasis is on correlation (r-type) effect size indicators, but a wide variety of difference-type and ratio-type effect size estimators are also described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Opportunities in public policy to support infant and early childhood mental health: The role of psychologists and policymakers.

Infant and early childhood mental health practices can be supported by policies and professional standards of care that foster the healthy development of young children. Policies that support infants and toddlers include those that strengthen their families to provide a family environment that promotes mental wellness. Policy issues for infants, toddlers, and young children have come to the forefront of thinking as children need a “voice” to advocate for their support and care. This article (a) highlights several important policy areas that support the social–emotional development of very young children and (b) gives examples of current policy accomplishments and challenges. The article offers a policy agenda to promote the mental health of infants and young children and suggests ways that psychologists can engage with policymakers to promote policies that foster infant mental health, including contributing to the knowledge base that informs policy decisions, educating the public and policymakers about early childhood development and mental wellness, forming community partnerships to identify and address infant mental health risks, and participating in the development of policy recommendations that improve access to evidence-based practices in infant mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cultural and contextual influences in mental health help seeking: A focus on ethnic minority youth.

In this article, a mental health help-seeking model is offered as a framework for understanding cultural and contextual factors that affect ethnic minority adolescents' pathways into mental health services. The effects of culture and context are profound across the entire help-seeking pathway, from problem identification to choice of treatment providers. The authors argue that an understanding of these help-seeking pathways provides insights into ethnic group differences in mental health care utilization and that further research in this area is needed, (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Religiosity and spirituality among psychologists: A survey of clinician members of the American Psychological Association.

Has the disparity in religiosity between clinicians and the general public decreased in recent years? Clinician members of the American Psychological Association (APA) were surveyed regarding their religion and spirituality. The survey was sent to 489 randomly selected members of APA, of whom 258 (53%) replied. Items were drawn from prior surveys to allow this APA sample to be compared with the general U.S. population and with an earlier survey of psychotherapists by A. E. Bergin and J. P. Jensen (see record 1990-18246-001). Although no less religious than A. E. Bergin and J. P. Jensen's (1990) sample, psychologists remained far less religious than the clients they serve. The vast majority, however, regarded religion as beneficial (82%) rather than harmful (7%) to mental health. Implications for clinical practice and training are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of cognitive therapy for depression in a community mental health center: A benchmarking study.

The current study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of transporting an empirically supported treatment for depression, cognitive therapy (CT), to a community mental health center setting. CT was delivered to 192 adult outpatients with major depression, and a benchmarking strategy compared results with those of 2 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The 3 samples were largely similar in terms of initial severity of depression, and CT was as effective in reducing depressive symptoms in the current sample as in the RCTs. More favorable outcome was associated with less severe initial depression, more therapy sessions, more years of education, and absence of a comorbid personality disorder. This study demonstrates that an empirically supported treatment can be transported effectively to a clinical setting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sharing the wealth: A model for brief mental health volunteer work in developing countries.

Much needed mental health services can be provided to developing countries using a model including brief, repeated consultation trips and the help of a translator. The authors describe their experiences in Central America, which led to the development of this model. Entry into the country, exit, and follow-up are addressed as well as mental health work in the context of language and cultural differences. Clinical methods that were found to be useful in the context of this model are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Racial/ethnic matching of clients and therapists in mental health services: A meta-analytic review of preferences, perceptions, and outcomes.

Across several decades the effects of matching clients with therapists of the same race/ethnicity have been explored using a variety of approaches. We conducted a meta-analysis of 3 variables frequently used in research on racial/ethnic matching: individuals' preferences for a therapist of their own race/ethnicity, clients' perceptions of therapists across racial/ethnic match, and therapeutic outcomes across racial/ethnic match. Across 52 studies of preferences, the average effect size (Cohen's d) was 0.63, indicating a moderately strong preference for a therapist of one's own race/ethnicity. Across 81 studies of individuals' perceptions of therapists, the average effect size was 0.32, indicating a tendency to perceive therapists of one's own race/ethnicity somewhat more positively than other therapists. Across 53 studies of client outcomes in mental health treatment, the average effect size was 0.09, indicating almost no benefit to treatment outcomes from racial/ethnic matching of clients with therapists. These 3 averaged effect sizes were characterized by substantial heterogeneity: The effects of racial/ethnic matching are highly variable. Studies involving African American participants demonstrated the highest effect sizes across all 3 types of evaluations: preferences, perceptions, and outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes toward adoption of evidence-based practices: A comparison of autism early intervention providers and children’s mental health providers.

Across the country, states are reporting increases in the number of children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) served each year in the early intervention system. Research examining factors impacting the successful dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) into service systems for these children is limited. Preliminary information indicates that adoption of EBPs is variable. Provider attitudes toward the adoption of EBPs may be one factor that limits or facilitates implementation of efficacious treatments and these attitudes vary by organizational context and provider individual differences. The current study examines cross-context differences in provider attitudes toward EBPs by comparing the attitudes of 71 education-based early intervention providers working with children with ASD to the attitudes of 238 mental health providers in the public mental health system. This provides the first examination of ASD early intervention provider attitudes toward EBP. Results indicated that early intervention providers reported significantly more favorable attitudes toward adopting EBPs than did mental health providers. Early intervention providers with extended experience in the field perceived less divergence between their current practice and EBPs. Implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Searching for the second generation of American women psychologists": Correction to Johnston and Johnson (2008).

Reports an error in "Searching for the second generation of American women psychologists" by Elizabeth Johnston and Ann Johnson (History of Psychology, 2008[Feb], Vol 11[1], 40-72). The authors would like to indicate that Inez Beverly Prosser's academic degree was incorrectly listed as EdD in the Appendix. Prosser's correct degree is PhD. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2008-04777-003.) As a consequence of the groundbreaking work of E. Scarborough and L. Furumoto (1987), the contributions of the pioneering first generation of American women psychologists are now well recognized within the history of psychology; however, the generation that followed the pioneers is less well known. The lack of recognition that most women psychologists of the interwar era experienced during the majority of their working lives resulted from sexism institutionalized through practices such as anti-nepotism rules that effectively excluded many married women from the academy, informal hiring practices operating in "old-boy network" fashion, and exclusion from certain key graduate training centers. Yet, many women were productive psychologists during this era and contributed to the growth and expansion of the discipline. Examination of published literature generated biographical information for 107 eminent women; C. A. Murchison's (1932b) Psychological Register provided a less detailed but more inclusive inventory to yield data on a total of 320 women. This article recounts our systematic search for this "lost generation" and emphasizes the extent and diversity of their contributions to psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Recurrence in major depression: A conceptual analysis": Correction to Monroe and Harkness (2011).

Reports an error in "Recurrence in major depression: A conceptual analysis" by Scott M. Monroe and Kate L. Harkness (Psychological Review, Advanced Online Publication, Sep 5, 2011, np). An incorrect version of Figure 2 was published, and Figure 3 was published in color instead of Figure 4. Also, in Table 1, the acronym “(FLED)” should not have been included in the Recurrence section, under Confusion to avoid, following “Not to be confused with a first lifetime recurrence.” All versions of this article have been corrected. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2011-20042-001.) Theory and research on major depression have increasingly assumed a recurrent and chronic disease model. Yet not all people who become depressed suffer recurrences, suggesting that depression is also an acute, time-limited condition. However, few if any risk indicators are available to forecast which of the initially depressed will or will not recur. This prognostic impasse may be a result of problems in conceptualizing the nature of recurrence in depression. In the current paper we first provide a conceptual analysis of the assumptions and theoretical systems that presently structure thinking on recurrence. This analysis reveals key concerns that have distorted views about the long-term course of depression. Second, as a consequence of these theoretical problems we suggest that investigative attention has been biased toward recurrent forms of depression and away from acute, time-limited conditions. Third, an analysis of how these theoretical problems have influenced research practices reveals that an essential comparison group has been omitted from research on recurrence: people with a single lifetime episode of depression. We suggest that this startling omission may explain why so few predictors of recurrence have as yet been found. Finally, we examine the reasons for this oversight, document the validity of depression as an acute, time-limited disorder, and provide suggestions for future research with the goal of discovering early risk indicators for recurrent depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The masquerade of mental health reform: Comment on Bagby, Silverman, Ryan, and Dickens (1987).

In a valuable paper, Bagby, Silverman, Ryan, and Dickens (see record 1987-32403-001) analyzed rates of involuntary admissions to Ontario psychiatric facilities for several years before and after Ontario's civil commitment law was changed in November, 1978. Bagby et al.'s paper is timely and important because it is relevant to North America generally, as yet another instance of disparity between change in the semantic formulation of the law and the subsequent behaviour of the psychiatric establishment. It still remains entirely a separate ethical question as to what extent commitment criteria, if the notion is meaningful and enforceable at all, should in fact be as restrictive as Ontario appeared to have intended a decade ago. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)