The role of stereochemistry and chiral pharmacology in psychotropic drug development.

The drug development process often involves the investigation of novel chemical compounds, some of which demonstrate alternative mechanisms of action that are distinct from the presently available agents. Another line of development focuses on exploring how established therapeutic agents can be enhanced or improved to produce a more robust therapeutic effect, a more rapid onset of action, or a more desirable side-effect profile. One strategy is based on advances in synthetic and analytical chemistry that have provided the tools to better characterize the stereochemical molecular arrangements of established drugs. Medicinal chemists and psychopharmacologsts are using these techniques to "purify" currently available drugs by isolating their constituent stereochemical forms and determining whether one of these forms may be predominantly responsible for favorable clinical effects. In this article, the authors review basic principles underlying this technology and discuss several psychotropic drugs that have been developed and recently brought to market using this approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychotropics, Consultation, and Psychology.

The status of psychology in national health insurance is clouded in the minds of some Washington planners because the independent practice of psychology is identified with fee-for-service payment mechanisms, active treatment is identified with drug therapy rather than psychotherapy, and planners are unfamiliar with the nature and the scope of the practice of psychologists. Also, some feel that psychology is not equivalent in practice to psychiatry because psychologists are not integrated into the medical community and because psychologists do not prescribe drugs. These criticisms seem unfounded, since physicians and psychologists have regular consultations and psychologists see many patients who have previously been treated with psychotropic medications. Further, clinical experience indicates frequent therapeutic success by reducing or discontinuing medication rather than placing patients on psychotropics. Accordingly, a questionnaire was sent to the 87 members of the Cleveland Academy of Consulting Psychologists (CACP), requesting information concerning the prescribing of psychotropics and records of interprofessional consultations. The results are provided here. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Division of Philosophical Psychology.

Comment regarding the necessity of establishing a Division of Philosophical Psychology in the APA. There are several clear indications that other disciplines and particular scholars in our own discipline are taking cognizance of this problem. Feigl's (see record 1960-03715-001) article "Philosophical Embarrassments of Psychology" is suggestive of the growing concern. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and society.

A recent sortie into the history of presidential addresses in C.P.A. turned up an interesting sidelight. Two of the first 4 presidents had chosen to discuss directly psychology's responsibilities to society (Line, 1945; Bernhardt, 1947); since 1947, presidential addresses have shown a predominant concern for scientific aspects of psychology with internal organizational matters of the Association receiving lesser but still substantial attention. This struck me as being curious. If it can be assumed that presidents reflect, to some extent at least, the concerns of the Association, it might be expected that there would have been more attention paid to psychology's obligations to society. Very clearly, the founding fathers saw C.P.A., not as an ivory-tower retreat, but as an organization with deep social responsibilities. Is Northway (1968) right in her contention that, following the War, many powerful psychologists retreated to their ivory labs and that the ivory labs have become ivory skyscrapers? Have we consciously changed our objectives since the 1940's, or have I misread the omens? My questions stem from doubts about our contribution to pressing social issues in the world or, in a more restricted way, about Canadian psychology's contribution to pressing Canadian problems. I don't, for a moment, accept the claim, put forward by a colleague, that C.P.A. is still playing tunes on its old Galton whistle. But, it does seem that, as a discipline concerned with the behaviour of individuals and groups, psychology in Canada has been unduly quiet about a number of social issues on which it has something important to contribute. What is more distressing is the number of social issues to which psychology should have more to contribute than it has. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Editorial: Psychology in the Public Forum.

With this issue, I am pleased to announce a new section of the American Psychologist entitled "Psychology in the Public Forum," with Patrick H. DeLeon as the associate editor for this section. Psychology in the Public Forum intends to provide psychologists with perspectives concerning the public arenas in which psychology must exist. Such a forum approach should aid our understanding of those public issues that both affect psychology and provide opportunities for psychologists to bring their expertise to bear as scientists, as practitioners, and as educators. I am very pleased to have two quite distinct articles appearing this month to inaugurate this section. Senator McGovern provides a broad-ranging view from a 20- to 30-year perspective of a number of intertwined issues that have in his view influenced the course of our society, and Mary G. Hager covers science and health in the Washington area for Newsweek magazine. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Theoretical and philosophical issues in industrial/organizational psychology.

In preparing to address the question posed to the various divisions regarding the extent and character of theoretical and philosophical concerns in the various areas of psychology, I informally solicited input from about 20 Division 14 members. Almost without exception I received the same response: the observation that philosophical issues are not central to the daily activities of most I/O psychologists. After a bit more thought, most were able to identify areas or issues within I/O psychology to which philosophical issues are relevant. In the comments which follow, I will make no attempt to be systematic or complete in presenting the philosophical/theoretical issues facing I/O psychology. I will present examples of different types of issues facing the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction: The Future of School Psychology.

Provides an introduction to the current issue of Professional Psychology's School Psychology section. Predicting professional psychology's future is difficult. All of professional psychology will be influenced by immediate external factors, such as national and world economic and social stability, and by rapid social change. However, school psychology is also influenced, perhaps to a greater extent than other professional specialties in psychology, by its own internal conflicts and its particular developmental history. School psychology's current status and problems provide an especially complex set of concerns that must be understood if any reasonable assessment of its future is to be made. To highlight these concerns, I have organized this section around proposals for major changes in school psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The implicit assumptions of modern psychology.

Presents the Presidential Address to the Division of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology (Division 24) of the American Psychological Association, delivered August 25. 1985. The author discusses the key philosophical and theoretical issues facing modern psychology as well as the "perennially problematic" intellectual foundations of psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical Dilemmas in Sport Psychology: Discussion and Recommendations for Practice.

The practice demands required of sport psychologists often complicate the direct and specific fulfillment of several ethical regulations. Many practitioners face specific issues of confidentiality and the appropriate use of informed consent, challenges to practicing within areas of competence, issues regarding termination, and challenges that arise from multiorganizational demands and the formation of multiple relationships. Although ethical guidelines established by the American Psychological Association direct practice in order to protect both the client and the practitioner from difficult and dangerous situations, these guidelines typically pertain directly to traditional practice efforts. Within sport psychology, although ethical practice requires consideration of established guidelines, the specific demands of the population and setting complicate traditional adherence to such parameters. Sport psychologists must be flexible in their practice and carefully consider how the Ethics Code can both benefit athlete-clients and minimize inherent practice difficulties. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)