Research on psychotherapy integration: Recommendations and conclusions from an NIMH workshop.

Although the trend toward psychotherapy integration and eclecticism has gathered momentum, research on eclectic approaches to psychotherapy has lagged behind. To address this gap, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) held a 2-day workshop in March 1986 on psychotherapy integration. Fourteen psychotherapy researchers were invited to consider the key issues associated with psychotherapy integration in order to advise the NIMH on guidelines for launching a program to stimulate relevant empirical research. Recommendations were developed to initiate such a research program that encompassed (a) conceptual clarification, (b) efficacy studies of systematic eclectic therapies, (c) the role of traditional psychotherapy process research, and (d) the training of integrative or eclectic therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Commentary on sexual orientation: Research and social policy implications.

This commentary evaluated the methodology and conclusions reached in the 12 articles of the special issue on sexual orientation and human development as these pertained to 3 questions: Have homosexual persons chosen their sexual orientation, or are they born that way? What psychological risks are unique to the mental health and well-being of lesbian and gay youths? What are the effects, harmful and beneficial, of being raised by homosexual parents? Social policy implications of alternative answers to these questions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attendance behavior: A reevaluation of Latham and Pursell's conclusions.

G. P. Latham and E. D. Pursell (see record 1975-24318-001) suggested that the traditional focus on absenteeism may have been misguided. They argued that absenteeism is not a behavior but rather the absence of behavior; therefore, it would be better to be concerned with attendance rather than absenteeism. They presented data purported to demonstrate that attendance is a more reliable measure than absenteeism as well as more appealing theoretically. It is concluded in the present paper that attendance measures have few theoretical advantages over absenteeism measures and that the differences in reliability are limited. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting the vocational capacity of the chronically mentally ill: Research and policy implications.

Reviews the psychological research conducted over the last several decades concerning the vocational capacity of psychiatrically disabled persons. Findings supported by the review are as follows: (1) Psychiatric symptomatology and diagnostic category are poor predictors of future work performance (FWP). (2) Intelligence, aptitude, and personality tests are also poor predictors of FWP. (3) A person's ability to function in one environment (e.g., a community setting) is not predictive of his/her ability to function in a different type of environment (e.g., a work setting). (4) There is little or no correlation between a person's symptomatology and functional skills. (5) The best clinical predictors of FWP are ratings of person's work adjustment skills made in a workshop setting or sheltered job site. (6) The best demographic predictor of FWP performance is the person's prior employment history. (7) A significant predictor of FWP is a person's ability to function socially with others. (8) The best paper-and-pencil test predictors of FWP are tests that measure a person's ego strength or self-concept in the role of worker. Six suggestions for future research on assessments are included, and implications for Social Security Administration policies and procedures are noted. (55 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Television policy research and the social science community: An industry perspective.

Describes the activities of the Developmental and Social Research Unit at the American Broadcasting Companies. This unit consists of social scientists and other researchers, including psychologists and sociologists. They are responsible for (1) monitoring social trends in society, (2) conducting primary research to assess the impact of TV, (3) evaluating current research on the effects of TV and providing this information to management, and (4) serving as a liaison to the academic community. The author suggests that industry executives often find research results too theoretical for practical application. Suggestions are offered to academic researchers desiring to have their recommendations considered by the TV industry: (1) Emphasize unique research skills and capabilities not available in the industry; (2) develop innovative research techniques and methodologies; (3) use heterogeneous samples; (4) explore the industry's research needs; and (5) disseminate research findings as quickly as possible. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evidence-based therapy relationships: Research conclusions and clinical practices.

In this closing article of the special issue, we present the conclusions and recommendations of the interdivisional task force on evidence-based therapy relationships. The work was based on a series of meta-analyses conducted on the effectiveness of various relationship elements and methods of treatment adaptation. A panel of experts concluded that several relationship elements were demonstrably effective (alliance in individual psychotherapy, alliance in youth psychotherapy, alliance in family therapy, cohesion in group therapy, empathy, collecting client feedback) while others were probably effective (goal consensus, collaboration, positive regard). Three other relationship elements (congruence/genuineness, repairing alliance ruptures, and managing countertransference) were deemed promising but had insufficient evidence to conclude that they were effective. Multiple recommendations for practice, training, research, and policy are advanced. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Langenbucher and Nathan made an error in legal analysis: Unjustified policy conclusions result.

Argues that J. Langenbucher and P. E. Nathan (see record 1984-12497-001) misinterpreted an established legal standard in their study of the reliability of blood-alcohol judgments by hosts, bartenders, and police officers. Their error was in the assumption that dramshop laws and related Alcohol Beverage Control laws assume that any service to a person whose blood-alcohol level is over .10 is prohibited. Implications for social policy and the establishment of standards of intoxication are discussed. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical use of meditation as a self-regulation strategy: Comments on Holmes's conclusions and implications.

Examines differences and factors contributing to them in conclusions reached by D. S. Holmes (see record 1984-25288-001) and the present author (1982) concerning effectiveness of meditation in reducing somatic arousal. It is suggested that Holmes errs in his negative bias in interpreting the data and overstates the negative case for clinical use of meditation. Meditation appears as effective as other clinical self-regulation strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Career compromises: Framings and their implications.

The authors investigated the effects of 3 framings of career compromise (I. Gati, 1993): in terms of alternatives, aspect importance, and within-aspect preferences. Three groups of Israeli young adults (ns?=?95, 108, and 154) and 71 school counselors were presented with hypothetical stories about individuals whose career decision involved a compromise. The results of 4 studies, using both between-subjects and within-subject designs, and both rating scales and forced choices, supported the hypothesis: The alternatives framing was associated with a greater extent of compromise and greater difficulty in making a career decision than were the 2 aspect framings. No differences were found between aspect importance and the within-aspect preference framings. The implications for research and counseling are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

How young children spend their time: Television and other activities.

Time-use diaries were collected over a 3-year period for 2 cohorts of 2- and 4-year-old children. TV viewing declined with age. Time spent in reading and educational activities increased with age on weekdays but declined on weekends. Time-use patterns were sex-stereotyped, and sex differences increased with age. As individuals' time in educational activities, social interaction, and video games increased, their time watching entertainment TV declined, but time spent playing covaried positively with entertainment TV. Educational TV viewing was not related to time spent in non-TV activities. Maternal education and home environment quality predicted frequent viewing of educational TV programs and infrequent viewing of entertainment TV. The results do not support a simple displacement hypothesis; the relations of TV viewing to other activities depend on the program content, the nature of the competing activity, and the environmental context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescent suicide prevention: Current research and social policy implications.

The rate of adolescent suicide has increased dramatically in the past few decades, prompting several interventions to curb the increase. Unfortunately, many of the intervention efforts have not benefited from current research findings because the communication between researchers and those who develop the interventions is inadequate. Of specific concern are the increasingly popular curriculum-based suicide prevention programs, which have not demonstrated effectiveness and may contain potentially deleterious components. This article reviews the current epidemiological research in adolescent suicide and suggests how this knowledge could be used more effectively to reduce the rate of adolescent suicide. Recommendations include support for integrated primary prevention efforts; suicide prevention education for professionals; education and policies on firearm management; education for the media about adolescent suicide; more efficient identification and treatment of at-risk youth, including those exposed to suicidal behavior; crisis intervention; and treatment for suicide attempters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapeutic alliance and clinical outcome in the NIMH Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program: Preliminary findings.

Investigated the effect of the therapeutic alliance on clinical outcome in the 7 most improved and 7 least improved cases in the 4 treatments investigated in a study (I. Elkin et al; see PA, Vols 72:20648 and 77:10249) of treatment of depression. The treatments were interpersonal therapy (IPT), cognitive-behavior therapy, imipramine plus clinical management, and placebo plus clinical management. Clinical observer ratings of alliance, using Vanderbilt Therapeutic Alliance Total Scale scores, were compared across and within treatment groups and were related to clinical status at termination. Despite selective, significant relationships between alliance and outcome across treatments, the alliance–outcome relationship was significant only for IPT within treatments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Admissions policies: Side effects and their implications.

Presents 3 kinds of information showing side effects of current admissions policies which appear to favor (a) students with scientific interests over those with business interests; (b) firstborn children over later-borns; and (c) students with narrow or highly focused interests over those with broader, but probably shallower, interests. These effects are probably due, at least in part, to a faculty's tendency to admit those students whom they find easiest to educate, I.e., those most closely resembling the faculty in skills and attitudes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Abusive mothers: Perceptions of their own and their children's behavior.

Examined the role of parental perceptions, interpretations, and attributions in child abuse within a social-situational model. This model assumes that certain stimuli (e.g., perceptions) elicit and/or maintain abusive interactions in specific social "triggering" contexts. 12 abusive and 12 nonabusive mothers' (mean age 24.4 yrs) perceptions of their own and their children's behavior, particularly perceptions of intent, negative disposition, and childrearing abilities were studied in 3 triggering contexts: breaking an object, disobedience, and continual crying. Ss also completed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. No group differences were found in perceptions of intent and disposition. Abusive Ss offered more positive explanations in situations in which their child broke an object and would not stop crying, and they felt significantly more doubt and anger in the disobedience and crying situations. Abusive Ss also faced significantly more stress than the nonabusive group. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Advances in child behavior therapy: Applications and implications.

Research in child behavior therapy has made important advances in treating a variety of childhood disorders. Treatment applications are highlighted to sample areas where accomplishments have been achieved, including the treatment of fear and avoidance behavior, social behaviors, habit disorders, academic performance, conduct problems and delinquency, autism and childhood schizophrenia, and mental retardation. Also, advances have been made in training parents, teachers, and peers to interact more effectively with children in such a way as to promote prosocial and adaptive behavior. Although marked gains have been made in developing treatment techniques and in training those responsible for the care, education, and training of children, a great deal of research remains to be completed. Nevertheless, a modest technology of behavior change has emerged. On the basis of contemporary findings alone, much more could be done for the welfare of children if the techniques could be disseminated and applied to adult–child interaction more widely than in the context of clinical treatment. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dentinogenesis imperfecta: endodontic implications. Case report

OBJECTIVE: A number of dynamic tests of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis provide evidence for a mild central adrenal insufficiency in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The 1 microgram adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) test has been proposed to be more sensitive than the standard 250 micrograms ACTH test in the detection of subtle pituitary-adrenal hypofunctioning. We aimed to establish whether the 1 microgram ACTH test would support such a dysregulation in CFS, and also, given the relative novelty of this test in clinical practice and the uncertainty with regard to appropriate cut-off values for normality, to compare our healthy volunteer data with those of previous studies. PATIENTS AND DESIGN: Twenty subjects with CFS, diagnosed according to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, were compared with 20 healthy volunteer subjects. All participants underwent a 1 microgram ACTH test beginning at 1400 h. Plasma samples for cortisol estimation were drawn at 0, +30 and +40 min. RESULTS: Baseline cortisol values did not differ between CFS patients and healthy subjects. The delta cortisol (maximum increment from baseline) value was significantly lower in the CFS than the volunteer group (P < 0.05). Comparison of the +30 min cortisol values revealed no significant differences. Using an incremental cortisol of > 250 nmol/l as an arbitrary cutoff point, two (10%) of the healthy subjects and nine (45%) of the CFS subjects failed the test on this basis (chi 2 = 4.3, df = 38, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides further evidence for a subtle pituitary-adrenal insufficiency in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome compared to healthy volunteers. Disparities between our healthy volunteer data and those of other groups using the 1 microgram ACTH test suggest that the test may not be as reliable as previously indicated.     

Interventions into the problem of wife assault: Therapeutic, policy and research implications.

Reviews psychological contributions to the study of the social problem of wife assault in the following areas: assessment of police response to family crisis calls, training of police for family crisis intervention, evaluation of training and policy change, treatment of wife assaulters, and causes of wife assault and its effects on the victim. Causes of wife abuse are discussed in relation to cultural influences, community systems such as occupational or friendship groups, family dynamics, and personality. A "traumatic bonding" process that may occur in cases of wife abuse is described. It is concluded that research on wife abuse constitutes a problem-focused approach that incorporates the study of basic processes such as the cognitive interpretation of affective states, applied issues such as treatment strategies for assaultive males, and policy issues such as the delivery of services. (French abstract) (102 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychologist and hospital policy: A report from the real world.

Discusses the hospital as a "city-state" and how psychologists' skills can be applied there. Decision making by hospital staff is discussed in terms of meta-issues. Psychologists have useful hospital skills apart from the traditional roles of assessment, therapy, and program evaluation. These skills include the knack of conceptualizing complex and dynamic situations and of using their own reactions as an instrument to understand special interests involved, shift the balance of incentives, and improve communication. (1 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Character structure and jury behavior: Conceptual and applied implications.

Using mail questionnaire data from 197 out of 550 randomly selected jurors, a model of character structure, conceptualized in terms of socialization, empathy, and autonomy, was used to analyze Ss' verdict patterns and self-reported perceptions of their role, their performance in that role, and the outcome of the jury process. Mail questionnaires including short forms of the Socialization, Empathy, and Autonomy scales of the California Psychological Inventory were returned from 117 females and 80 males out of a possible 324 female and 226 male juriors who had been selected randomly. Measures of character structure were significantly related to voting behavior, juror effectiveness, and perception of duty, as well as outcome. Sex, race, age, and education are shown to be important modifiers of the personality effects. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)