Assessing the social validity of behavioral interventions: A review of treatment acceptability measures.

Increased attention to the construct of social validity in school psychology research and practice has resulted in a focus on treatment acceptability, the extent to which interventions are considered appropriate, effective, and fair. Questionnaires represent the typical measurement approach to treatment acceptability. This article reviews treatment acceptability measures and practices that have been developed and used to assess the social validity of behavioral interventions. A comparative framework was developed and applied to provide a systematic critique of 9 treatment acceptability measures along such dimensions as content and purpose of the instrument, psychometric properties, scoring procedures and interpretation, and use of the measure in research in practice. No one instrument was selected to be the most comprehensive and it is argued that treatment acceptability assessment practices need to move beyond the traditional questionnaire format. Alternatives to rating scales are presented and directions for future research regarding the measurement of treatment acceptability are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effectiveness of a partnership-centered approach in conjoint behavioral consultation.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the extent to which a partnership orientation in conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) may predict case outcomes and determine the relationship between a partnership orientation and implementation integrity of CBC. CBC is a problem-solving process by which families and teachers work collaboratively with a consultant to address students' academic, behavioral, and social needs. Twenty children, their parents and teachers, and consultants were involved in CBC services. Outcomes included parent and teacher ratings of acceptability, satisfaction, perceptions of effectiveness, and child performance across home and school settings. Partnership orientation scores and process integrity data were collected across interviews for each case. Results suggest that both parents and teachers consistently find CBC to be an acceptable, effective, and satisfactory form of service delivery. Findings reveal that consultants can conduct CBC interview objectives effectively within a partnership orientation. A partnership orientation in CBC was significant in predicting teachers' acceptability and satisfaction with the process; however, parents' acceptability and satisfaction with the CBC process was not predicted by a partnership orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceptions of helpfulness in conjoint behavioral consultation: Congruence and agreement between teachers and parents.

Conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) can be considered a help-giving model, wherein consultants work with parents and teachers in an effort to develop constructive partnerships aimed at addressing needs of students for whom both parties share responsibility. The development of strong relationships among systems in a child's life is related to positive outcomes for children, and congruence among systems is one relationship variable that has received previous research attention. This study examined the degree to which parent and teacher perceptions of the helpfulness of the CBC consultant are congruent, and its relationship with various case outcomes. Correlational analyses suggest that parents' and teachers' perspectives of the helpfulness of the consultant are not necessarily related to each other, and as differences increase, perceptions of outcomes decrease for both parties. Research implications, limitations, and future directions are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

An examination of the efficacy of conjoint behavioral consultation with diverse clients.

This study explored the efficacy of conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) by assessing objective outcomes and social validity with a sample of students with and without diversity. Diversity characteristics that were investigated included ethnicity, socioeconomic status, family composition, maternal education level, and language spoken in the home. Behavioral change, goal attainment, acceptability, satisfaction, and perceptions of efficacy of the CBC model were measured with 125 students representing varying levels of diversity, and 192 target behaviors. Data were collected across 8 years of a federally funded training program across two states. Findings indicated that CBC-mediated interventions yielded generally high effect sizes regardless of the presence of diversity or the number of diverse characteristics exhibited. Social validity measures also yielded very favorable results, suggesting that participants (teachers and family members, including those who experienced some form of diversity) found the procedures positive. Implications for research and practice are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Moving beyond assessment of treatment acceptability: An examination of the factor structure of the Usage Rating Profile—Intervention (URP-I).

The purpose of this study was to develop and provide an initial examination of a self-report measure of intervention usage called the Usage Rating Profile—Intervention (URP–I). From an initial pool of 55 items, results of exploratory factor analysis and reliability estimates supported a measure containing 35 items and four factors as relevant toward understanding intervention usage. Those factors were labeled acceptability, understanding, feasibility, and systems support. Limitations and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The economics of behavioral health services in medical settings: A summary of the evidence.

The health care system in the United States, plagued by spiraling costs, unequal access, and uneven quality, can find its best chance of improving the health of the population through the improvement of behavioral health services. It is in this area that the largest potential payoff in reduction of morbidity and mortality and increased cost-effectiveness of care can be found. A review of the evidence shows that many forms of behavioral health services, particularly when delivered as part of primary medical care, can be central to such an improvement. The evidence supports many but not all behavioral health services when delivered in settings in which people will accept these services under particular administrative and fiscal structures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative meta-analysis of behavioral interventions for insomnia and their efficacy in middle-aged adults and in older adults 55+ years of age.

Meta-analyses support the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for the treatment of insomnia, although few have systematically evaluated the relative efficacy of different treatment modalities or the relation of old age to sleep outcomes. In this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (k = 23), moderate to large effects of behavioral treatments on subjective sleep outcomes were found. Evaluation of the moderating effects of behavioral intervention type (i.e., cognitive-behavioral treatment, relaxation, behavioral only) revealed similar effects for the 3 treatment modalities. Both middle-aged adults and persons older than 55 years of age showed similar robust improvements in sleep quality, sleep latency, and wakening after sleep onset. A research agenda is recommended to examine the mechanisms of action of behavioral treatments on sleep with increased attention to the high prevalence of insomnia in older individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Rural Hawai'i Behavioral Health Program: Increasing access to primary care behavioral health for native Hawaiians in rural settings.

Health care access issues present significant challenges for rural populations and health providers. Psychology can support improved access and quality of rural health services through the development of integrated behavior health programs within primary care settings. This article reviews a clinical training and service delivery program, the Rural Hawai'i Behavioral Health Program, which has evolved in response to the pressing health needs of Native Hawaiians in rural communities. Native Hawaiian cultural factors and components of the primary care model that have supported the development of this program will be reviewed. Program expansion, sustainability, and treatment efficacy research will be discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ain’t necessarily so: Review and critique of recent meta-analyses of behavioral medicine interventions in health psychology.

Objective: We examined four meta-analyses of behavioral interventions for adults (Dixon, Keefe, Scipio, Perri, & Abernethy, 2007; Hoffman, Papas, Chatkoff, & Kerns, 2007; Irwin, Cole, & Nicassio, 2006; and Jacobsen, Donovan, Vadaparampil, & Small, 2007) that have appeared in the Evidence Based Treatment Reviews section of Health Psychology. Design: Narrative review. Main Outcome Measures: We applied the following criteria to each meta-analysis: (1) whether each meta-analysis was described accurately, adequately, and transparently in the article; (2) whether there was an adequate attempt to deal with methodological quality of the original trials; (3) the extent to which the meta-analysis depended on small, underpowered studies; and (4) the extent to which the meta-analysis provided valid and useful evidence-based recommendations. Results: Across the four meta-analyses, we identified substantial problems with the transparency and completeness with which these meta-analyses were reported, as well as a dependence on small, underpowered trials of generally poor quality. Conclusion: Results of our exercise raise questions about the clinical validity and utility of the conclusions of these meta-analyses. Results should serve as a wake up call to prospective authors, reviewers, and end-users of meta-analyses now appearing in the literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies.

Interest in the problem of method biases has a long history in the behavioral sciences. Despite this, a comprehensive summary of the potential sources of method biases and how to control for them does not exist. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine the extent to which method biases influence behavioral research results, identify potential sources of method biases, discuss the cognitive processes through which method biases influence responses to measures, evaluate the many different procedural and statistical techniques that can be used to control method biases, and provide recommendations for how to select appropriate procedural and statistical remedies for different types of research settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Material and social incentives to participation in behavioral interventions: A meta-analysis of gender disparities in enrollment and retention in experimental human immunodeficiency virus prevention interventions.

Objective: A meta-analysis was conducted to test theoretical hypotheses about the predictors of enrollment and completion of condom-use-promotion interventions among men and women. Design: A meta-analysis summarized research reports of the efficacy of experimental interventions on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention. Main Outcome Measures: The outcome measure consisted of (a) a measure of participation, obtained by subtracting the actual number of participants from the number of the invited people, and (b) a measure of retention was obtained by subtracting the number of participants who completed the intervention from the number of commencers. Results: Experimental interventions providing instrumental and financial resources (e.g., payments) increased initiation and retention more among predominantly male samples, whereas experimental interventions using group formats increased initiation and retention more among predominantly female samples. These patterns remained while controlling for past condom use, other HIV-risk behaviors, and demographics associated with gender composition. Conclusion: People seek out HIV-prevention interventions to fulfill gender-specific needs, and these differences must be taken into account in the design of HIV-prevention interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Acceptability and availability of harm-reduction interventions for drug abuse in American substance abuse treatment agencies": Correction to Rosenberg and Phillips (2003).

Reports an error in "Acceptability and availability of harm-reduction interventions for drug abuse in American substance abuse treatment agencies" by Harold Rosenberg and Kristina T. Phillips (Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2003[Sep], Vol 17[3], 203-210). On page 208, the first sentence in the note of Table 4 incorrectly reads as follows: "Numbers in parentheses are ns of respondents who provided an 'other' reason for this specific intervention." The sentence should read as follows: "Numbers in parentheses are ns of respondents whose agencies do not offer this intervention." (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2003-07737-003.) This study assessed acceptability, availability, and reasons for nonavailability of interventions designed to prevent drug use related harm by substituting pharmaceuticals for illicit drugs; facilitating detoxification; and reducing the occurrence of HIV transmission, relapse, and opiate overdose. A survey was mailed to a sample of 500 randomly selected American substance abuse treatment agencies. Of 435 potentially eligible respondents, 222 (51%) returned usable data. A subset of interventions--including harm reduction education, cue exposure therapy, needle exchange, substitute opiate prescribing, various detoxification regimes, and complementary therapies--were rated as somewhat or completely acceptable by 50% or more of the respondents. Regardless of their acceptability, listed interventions were generally not available from responding agencies; respondents typically attributed unavailability to lack of resources and inconsistency of an intervention with agency philosophy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The science game: An introduction to research in the behavioral sciences.

Reviews the book, The science game: An introduction to research in the behavioral sciences by Neil Mck. Agnew and Sandra W. Pyke (see record 2007-07794-000). This book is an attempt to introduce a student or beginning researcher to the concepts and methods associated with doing good research in the behavioural sciences. The book is divided into six major parts, dealing in turn with the nature of science and observation; experimental methods; survey, archival and developmental methods; statistics; report writing and ethics; and theory building. The book is well produced and well organized. Specific exemplars of topics under consideration are included in boxes which give typical case reports, experimental designs, sample findings, and so forth. These boxed materials are good illustrations of and extrapolations from the material which the main body of the chapter tends to deal with. The writing style is clear and generally concise. Occasionally there are sparks of fantasy and humour which help to enliven long methodological passages. Overall, this is a well written and useful text. It is a difficult task to sustain interest and continuity in a book which deals almost completely with methodological and statistical issues. The authors have done a remarkably good job in this regard, and I would probably rate this as one of the better books in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The science game: An introduction to research in the behavioral and social sciences, seventh edition.

Reviews the book, The science game: An introduction to research in the behavioral and social sciences, seventh edition by Neil McKinnon Agnew and Sandra W. Pyke (2007). In 1969, Neil Agnew and Sandra Pyke published the first edition of The Science Game, a 182-page survey of the major components of what they call the game of "sciencing," a game, they claim, that "like all other games of consequence, is a mixture of art, enterprise, and invention held loosely together by man-made rules." Using the same quirky but engaging style as in the original, in the seventh and latest edition, Agnew and Pyke dedicate a full 471 pages to the task, tackling a host of topics bearing on the activities of science, ranging from the strengths and weaknesses of humans' cognitive capacity for problem solving to debates in the philosophy of science regarding the nature of knowledge. Although this most recent edition elaborates on many of the same themes presented in earlier versions, it is much grander in scope and includes a number of new features, including the introduction of a central theme and memory aid throughout the book (i.e., a puzzle-solving theme), the inclusion of statements of chapter goals, and chapter-end summaries and self-test quizzes. The Science Game provides a fairly comprehensive set of "sound bites" pertaining to the techniques, procedures, and conventions adopted by social science researchers and is accessible to either students encountering these topics for the first time or more advanced students in need of a refresher. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Linking care felt to engagement in innovative behaviors in the workplace: The mediating role of psychological conditions.

This study examines the relationships between care felt and engagement in innovative behaviors at work. We posit that when an individual perceives that coworkers care for him or her (i.e., care felt), this cultivates psychological conditions such as safety, meaningfulness, and availability, which result in a higher level of motivation and by implication engagement in innovative behaviors at work. A sample of 218 employees took part in the assessment of the relationship between the psychological conditions linked to care felt (measured at Time 1) and motivation and engagement in innovative behaviors (measured at Time 2). The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) indicate that care felt is positively linked to psychological conditions. The latter is positively related directly and indirectly (through motivation) to engagement in innovative behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological stress in childhood and susceptibility to the chronic diseases of aging: Moving toward a model of behavioral and biological mechanisms.

Among people exposed to major psychological stressors in early life, there are elevated rates of morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases of aging. The most compelling data come from studies of children raised in poverty or maltreated by their parents, who show heightened vulnerability to vascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and premature mortality. These findings raise challenging theoretical questions. How does childhood stress get under the skin, at the molecular level, to affect risk for later diseases? And how does it incubate there, giving rise to diseases several decades later? Here we present a biological embedding model, which attempts to address these questions by synthesizing knowledge across several behavioral and biomedical literatures. This model maintains that childhood stress gets “programmed” into macrophages through epigenetic markings, posttranslational modifications, and tissue remodeling. As a consequence these cells are endowed with proinflammatory tendencies, manifest in exaggerated cytokine responses to challenge and decreased sensitivity to inhibitory hormonal signals. The model goes on to propose that over the life course, these proinflammatory tendencies are exacerbated by behavioral proclivities and hormonal dysregulation, themselves the products of exposure to early stress. Behaviorally, the model posits that childhood stress gives rise to excessive threat vigilance, mistrust of others, poor social relationships, impaired self-regulation, and unhealthy lifestyle choices. Hormonally, early stress confers altered patterns of endocrine and autonomic discharge. This milieu amplifies the proinflammatory environment already instantiated by macrophages. Acting in concert with other exposures and genetic liabilities, the resulting inflammation drives forward pathogenic mechanisms that ultimately foster chronic disease. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)