Beyond recidivism: Measuring community adjustments of conditionally released insanity acquittees.

This study addressed the understudied topic of community functioning among released insanity acquittees. Items from the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Short Form of the Jesness Behavior Checklist, and the US Department of Labor's Current Population Survey were used along with some original items to compose a 78-item behavioral and psychiatric functioning questionnaire. Analysis of clinician ratings of California outpatients (mostly male, White, violent insanity acquittees) produced 12 social, behavioral, and psychiatric scales with acceptable internal and interrater reliabilities. Ratings of clients who subsequently received good discharges were higher on all scales than were ratings of reoffenders and hospital revokees. Clients improved over time on the Employment, Social Supports, and Independence and Compliance scales. The questionnaire provides richer information about community outcomes than do recidivism statistics alone. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"étude des rechutes constatées dans une cohorte de personnes jugées inaptes à subir leur proces ou acquittées pour cause d'aliénation mentale": Erratum á Hodgins.

Reports an error in the original article "étude des rechutes constatées dans une cohorte de personnes jugées inaptes à subir leur proces ou acquittées pour cause d'aliénation mentale" ("Reevaluation of defendants declared unfit to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity"), by Sheilagh Hodgins (Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des Sciences du comportement, 1987[Oct], Vol 19[4], 441-453). The French abstract (but not the English abstract) accompanying the original article was incorrect; the correct abstract (in French) is presented in the erratum. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 2007-09815-001.) We know little about individuals who are declared unfit to stand trial and/or not guilty by reason of insanity. The few existing studies are characterized by methodological weaknesses, notably by short follow-up periods and a lack of external validity. The present investigation, which aims to evaluate and explain readmissions that occurred during a seven- to nine-year period, corrects only some of these weaknesses. Sixty-one per cent of the subjects were rehospitalized during the period of study. It proved difficult to identify the factors associated with readmission. However, males with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and who had committed violent crimes were found the most likely to be readmitted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

étude des rechutes constatés dans une cohorte de personnes jugées inptes à subir leur procés ou acquittées pour cause d'aliénation mentale.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 20(2) of Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science Revue canadienne des Sciences du comportement (see record 2007-09831-001). The abstract accompanying the original article was incorrect; the correct abstract (in French) is presented in the erratum.] We know little about individuals who are declared unfit to stand trial and/or not guilty by reason of insanity. The few existing studies are characterized by methodological weaknesses, notably by short follow-up periods and a lack of external validity. The present investigation, which aims to evaluate and explain readmissions that occurred during a seven- to nine-year period, corrects only some of these weaknesses. Sixty-one per cent of the subjects were rehospitalized during the period of study. It proved difficult to identify the factors associated with readmission. However, males with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and who had committed violent crimes were found the most likely to be readmitted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job stress in the Australian and international health and community services sector: A review of the literature.

We reviewed 25 international and 10 Australian studies published between 1999 and 2004 for evidence of individual and organizational impacts of stress in the health and community services (HCS) sector. Several HCS occupations showed high levels of distress compared to Australian population data. Results were consistent with the Job Demands-Resources model: High demands (e.g., workload, emotional) combined with low resources (e.g., control, rewards, support) were associated with adverse health (e.g., psychological, physical) and organizational impacts (e.g., reduced job satisfaction, sickness absence). Australian-specific issues included rural and remote work and the complex role of Aboriginal Health Workers. Strong associations between modifiable work factors and adverse outcomes provide a rationale for primary preventive policy development by occupational health and safety regulators and workers' compensation authorities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Brief intervention, treatment, and recovery support services for Americans who have substance use disorders: An overview of policy in the Obama administration.

The Obama Administration plans to reinvigorate the U.S. system of care for substance use disorders through new health insurance parity regulations, the historic health care reform law (formally known as “The Affordable Care Act of 2010”), and the President's National Drug Control Strategy. Parity regulations and health care reform will significantly expand the availability of health insurance, and the proportion of health insurance plans that provide adequate benefits for substance use disorder care. The President's National Drug Control Strategy and Fiscal Year 2011 budget request make investments that will build on this foundation, including broad dissemination of screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) techniques, integration of care for substance use disorders into Federally Qualified Health Centers and the Indian Health Service, augmentation of reentry programs and drug courts, creation of a pay for performance treatment quality initiative, and expansion of the Access to Recovery voucher program. Collectively, these policies will improve the quantity and quality of substance use disorder care and thereby promote public health and public safety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measuring perceptions of stigmatization by others for seeking psychological help: Reliability and validity of a new stigma scale with college students.

Fear of being stigmatized is the most cited reason why individuals avoid psychotherapy. Conceptually, this fear should be strongest when individuals consider the reactions of those they interact with. Across 5 samples, the authors developed the Perceptions of Stigmatization by Others for Seeking Help (PSOSH) scale. In Sample 1 (N = 985), the 5 items of the PSOSH were selected (α = .91). In Sample 2 (N = 842), the unidimensional factor structure of the scale was examined across a diverse sample. In Sample 3 (N = 506), concurrent validity was supported through moderate associations with 3 different stigma measures (i.e., public stigma toward counseling, r = .31; public stigma toward mental illness, r = .20; and self-stigma, r = .37). In Sample 4 (N = 144), test–retest reliability across a 3-week period was calculated (.82). Finally, in Sample 5 (N = 130), reliability (α = .78) and validity were explored with a sample experiencing symptoms of psychological distress. Relationships between variables (i.e., public stigma toward counseling, r = .31, and self-stigma, r = .40) were similar to those in previous samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

American Psychological Foundation Awards for 1989: Gold Medal Awards for Life Achievement in Psychological Science; Life Achievement in the Applications of Psychology; Life Contribution by a Psychologist in the Public Interest; and Distinguished Teaching in Psychology Award.

On August 12, 1989, at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association (APA) in New Orleans, Louisiana, the American Psychological Foundation (APF) announced the recipients of the Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in Psychological Science, Donald Benjamin Lindsley; Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Applications of Psychology, PauI Everett Meehl; Gold Medal Award for Life Contribution by a Psychologist in the Public Interest, Norman Garmezy; and the Award for Distinguished Teaching in Psychology, Charles L. Brewer. The citations and biographies of the recipients are presented here. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)