Minors' ability to identify risks and benefits of therapy.

62 10–20 yr olds with learning or behavior problems and with or without prior therapy experience were asked to list potential risks and benefits of entering therapy. The most frequently identified risks were self-disclosure, discomfort with the therapist, violations of confidentiality, and poor therapy effectiveness. The most frequently cited benefits were solving problems, providing someone with whom to talk, and learning new things. A relationship was found between age and experience and the tendency to discuss therapy in more abstract ways. However, even young Ss and those with no therapy experience were able to identify relevant and practical concerns that were appropriate to their situations and their developmental needs. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Married student concerns: Who counsels the married population?

Sampled 1,098 students and spouses on a university campus by a mailed questionnaire. Married Ss reported their greatest concerns were child-rearing problems, personal and vocational concerns, communication and incompatibility problems, and financial concerns. Lesser concerns were in-law conflicts, sexual adjustment, housing, social and recreational activities, and religious or philosophical differences. Wives reported more difficulties and a greater desire to talk to a counselor than their husbands. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A survey of therapists' personal problems and treatment.

642 therapists drawn from mental health centers directories, psychiatric hospital and ward staff rosters, university counseling center staff lists, and telephone directory entries in Iowa were surveyed about their personal problems. 264 of 310 returned questionnaires were used in the analysis. Ss were 25–68 yrs old; their experience was 1–34 yrs; and 195 had master's-level degrees, while 69 were doctoral-level therapists. Results show that half of Ss had experienced relationship difficulties or depression. Master's-level Ss and agency employees were more likely than were other groups to have experienced depression. A substantial proportion of Ss had been in therapy, and female Ss were more likely than males to have sought therapy for depression and relationship concerns. Many Ss, particularly those working in agencies, were reluctant to seek therapy when needed for reasons such as having had prior relationships with nearby therapists and the availability of existing personal support sources. Ss in the group were likely to have been ill during the preceding 6 mo. Agency employees, psychologists, and relatively less experienced Ss missed more work days due to illness than did other groups. (52 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal helping behavior of industrial foremen.

97 25–45 yr old foremen from 7 companies completed a 20-item (many with subparts) questionnaire that inquired about the nature and frequency of their helping contacts with supervisees experiencing personal problems. Ss spent an average of 2.5 hrs/wk discussing moderate-to-serious personal problems raised by their supervisees. Although work-related problems (e.g., job dissatisfactions, difficulties with fellow employees, and concerns about advancement opportunities) came up most often, supervisees also raised more personal concerns (e.g., marital problems, problems with children, and depression). Ss used various handling strategies to engage such problems including offering support and sympathy, asking questions, and trying to get them to consider alternatives. Most Ss felt positively about being cast in the interpersonal helper role and considered that to be an important part of their job. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parent and therapist evaluation of behavior therapy in a child psychological clinic.

Obtained evaluations from the parents of 70 children who were treated by psychological interns being trained in behavior therapy. Therapist ratings of specific problem improvement were obtained at close of therapy. Improvement ratings of the same specific problems were obtained from parents approximately 6 mo later. Classification of an S as improved or unimproved depended on the averages of both the therapist and parent ratings of the presenting problems. This procedure indicated overall improvement in 87 and 90% of the cases, based on therapist and parent averages, respectively. Therapists rated 80% of all specific problems improved at termination, as compared to 77% of problems improved as rated by parents at follow-up. Correlation between the improvement ratings of each problem by parent and therapist was highly significant (r = .51). 96% of the parents liked their therapists, and personal characteristics most frequently noted by the parents were warmth, understanding, and sincere interest in the S. The high improvement rates reported by therapists and parents are discussed in regard to previous therapy outcome studies with children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Supervisor Perspective on the Process and Outcome of Giving Easy, Difficult, or No Feedback to Supervisees.

Fifteen counseling center supervisors were interviewed about 3 instances related to important feedback with an intern supervisee: 1 in which the feedback was given easily, 1 in which it was given reluctantly or with difficulty, and another in which it was not given. Supervisors indicated that easy feedback was most often about clinical problems, was given directly, had positive effects, and was facilitated by supervisee openness. Difficult feedback was most often about clinical, personal, and professional issues, was given indirectly, had mixed impact, and was characterized by a lack of supervisee openness. Feedback not given was typically about personal and professional concerns and was hindered by a lack of supervisee openness. Supervisors indicated that there were negative effects of not having given the feedback and indicated that they would do it differently if they could. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dimensions of therapeutic skills and techniques: Empirical identification, therapist correlates, and predictive utility.

Administered a 99-item questionnaire to 319 practicing psychotherapists (mean age 43.9 yrs) from 3 professional associations to assess their use of therapeutic techniques and skills as related to the variables of orientation, experience, sex, and personal psychotherapy. The predictive utility of reported interventions in classifying psychotherapists according to orientation was also examined. Principal component analyses yielded 13 scales. Reported therapy interventions varied as a function of the therapist's orientation and, to a lesser extent, as a function of experience, sex, and personal therapy. Eclectics had either the highest or 2nd-highest mean scores on each of the 13 scales, indicating a varied therapeutic arsenal. Across therapist variables, relationship-enhancing behaviors were reportedly most frequently used; flooding and frustration procedures least frequently used. On the basis of 11 scale scores, 90% of behavior therapists and 88% of psychodynamic therapists were correctly classified, but fewer than half of the eclectics were correctly classified. (62 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality change during the transition to parenthood: The role of perceived infant temperament.

Examined the effects of 70 parents' (mean age 28.69 yrs) perceptions of infant temperament on their own personality during the transition to parenthood. Two assessments were made about 16 wks apart for 22 primiparous couples (mean time prebirth 6.5 wks and mean time postpartum 10.5 wks) and for 13 childless couples. Ss were administered both global/trait and situation-specific/state measures, including the Eight-State Questionnaire and the Perception of Baby Temperament Instrument, in order to assess efficacy expectations, personal control, anxiety, and depression. New parents rated their infant's temperament along 4 dimensions: activity, rhythmicity, adaptability, and positive mood. The parent group showed greater change than the nonparent group on a number of measures. New parents who perceived their infant as having an easier temperament experienced more positive change, whereas new parents who perceived their infant as more difficult experienced more negative change, especially in personal control. Differential results were found for the 4 temperament dimensions, with adaptability and positive mood most frequently related to personality changes. The findings also indicate that fathers showed personality change in relation to their infant's temperament more often than mothers. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Three-year trials of personal therapy among schizophrenic patients living with or independent of family, I: Description of study and effects on relapse rates

OBJECTIVE: The study of individual psychotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of schizophrenia has yielded equivocal findings, partly because of methodologic problems. Further, the ability of psychosocial treatments to prevent psychotic relapse appears to lessen over time. The authors' goal was to develop and test a demonstrably effective individual therapy for schizophrenia. METHOD: Using a study design that addressed previous methodologic issues, the authors evaluated personal therapy specifically designed to forestall late relapse in patients with schizophrenia. They evaluated the effectiveness of personal therapy over a period of 3 years after hospital discharge among 151 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder diagnosed according to Research Diagnostic Criteria. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either personal therapy or contrasting therapies in one of two concurrent trials. One trial studied patients who were living with family (N = 97); the other studied patients who were living independent of family (N = 54). RESULTS: All of the patients had extensive psychiatric histories, but only 44 (29%) experienced recurrent psychotic episodes over the 3-year study period, and only 27 (18%) prematurely terminated the study; most of those who left the study were in the no-personal-therapy conditions. Among patients living with family, personal therapy was more effective than family and supportive therapies in preventing psychotic and affective relapse as well as noncompliance. However, among patients living independent of family, those who received personal therapy had significantly more psychotic decompensations than did those who received supportive therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Personal therapy had a positive effect on adverse outcomes among patients who lived with family. However, personal therapy increased the rate of psychotic relapse for patients living independent of family. The application of personal therapy might best be delayed until patients have achieved symptom and residential stability.     

Personality of rape survivors as a group and by relation of survivor to perpetrator

Adult survivors of rape were compared to controls on 34 scales of the Apperceptive Personality Test and Draw-A-Person Questionnaire. They also reported on present or past weight problems, alcohol or drug problems, and psychotherapy. They differed on 12 scales and on alcohol, weight problems, and therapy. These survivors more frequently reported problems or therapy and differed on personality scales in the direction of assigning fewer positive or more negative attributes to their characters. Those raped by relatives, dates, or acquaintances were more negative than those raped by strangers on four scales, but did not differ on alcohol or weight problems or participation in psychotherapy.     

What do people want to know about psychotherapy?

Assessed information people want about psychotherapy, and the effect of prior exposure to a written consent form on preferences for information. 108 adults, half of whom had received a written informed consent form, answered an open-ended question about their preferences for information. Ss most frequently asked for information about the therapist, especially personal characteristics. Least frequently cited were items concerning appointments, alternatives, and confidentiality. Ss exposed to the written consent form were more likely to ask about confidentiality and financial arrangements and, if they had not had previous therapy experience, were less likely to ask about personal characteristics of the therapist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical psychology graduate students and personal psychotherapy: Results of an exploratory survey.

Graduate students in American Psychological Association-certified clinical psychology programs (N?=?1,018) were surveyed about the experience of personal therapy. Students who had never been in therapy were surveyed about their views of personal therapy. Of the 50% of those surveyed who responded, 75% indicated that they had been in personal therapy. Given the response rate, the estimated prevalence of therapy among clinical psychology graduate students is between 38% and 75%. Personal growth was the most frequently cited reason for seeking therapy. Students who had not been in therapy reported lack of need and finances as reasons for not seeking treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predoctoral internship training in Canada - I: Internship settings and supervisory issues.

Presents the results of our 1992 survey of internship directors and clinical supervisors in Canadian predoctoral internship training programs belonging to the Canadian Council of Professional Psychology Programs. 25 internship directors and 58 clinical supervisors responded to the survey. On average, individual programs offered 2.28 funded positions, at an average stipend of $20,269 per annum. Within the internship programs, a wide range of training opportunities were offered to interns, but limited opportunities existed for training in geriatric psychology, and in custody, competence, and forensic assessments. Over the 3 yrs surveyed there was a high degree of stability in terms of the number of applicants, number of interns interviewed, and acceptance rates. The majority of the clinical supervisors were well trained clinicians, but had received limited formal training in supervision. The supervisors were flexible in providing supervision in a wide range of training experiences, but with some limitations. Individual sessions were the most frequently employed form of supervision. The majority of supervisors reported no problems in supervision. The most frequently reported problems in supervision were related to interns' personal concerns and stress, and inadequate pre-internship training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The processes and outcomes of psychotherapists' personal treatment experiences.

234 nationally surveyed psychologists, 104 psychiatrists, and 171 clinical social workers reported on the processes and outcomes of their personal psychotherapy experiences. These Ss were 71% of a larger sample and indicated at least 1 episode of personal therapy; insight-oriented and female psychotherapists were more likely to seek treatment. Marital conflict, depression, and anxiety were the most frequent presenting problems. Over 90% indicated improvement in behaviors, cognitions, and emotions as a result of the experience; several covariates of harmful treatment were identified. Lasting lessons from personal therapy commonly concerned the importance of the therapeutic relationship and nurturing interpersonal skills. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential effectiveness of written commuications on students' perceptions of the college counseling service.

A prior study by C. Gelso and J. McKenzie (see record 1974-09969-001) suggested that change in students' attitude toward the appropriateness of personal-social problems for treatment at the counseling center could be effected only by means of in vivo presentations to small groups by the counseling center staff. The current study with 213 undergraduates was based on the assumption that the relevant dimension was the personal nature of the communication. It was suggested that a personal letter could achieve the requisite personal quality while requiring reasonable expenditures of both time and money. Ss who received a personal letter changed their attitude in favor of personal-social counseling concerns significantly more than did Ss receiving traditional written communications. Further, the personal letter was differentially effective over academic classes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of self-focused rumination on negative thinking and interpersonal problem solving.

Hypotheses about the effects of self-focused rumination on interpretations of events and interpersonal problem solving were tested in 3 studies with dysphoric and nondysphoric participants. Study 1 supported the hypothesis that dysphoric participants induced to ruminatively self-focus on their feelings and personal characteristics would endorse more negative, biased interpretations of hypothetical situations than dysphoric participants induced to distract themselves from their mood, or nondysphoric participants. Study 2 showed that dysphoric participants who ruminated were more pessimistic about positive events in their future than the other 3 groups. Study 3 showed that dysphoric ruminating participants generated less effective solutions to interpersonal problems than the other 3 groups. In Studies 1 and 3, dysphoric ruminating participants also offered the most pessimistic explanations for interpersonal problems and hypothetical negative events. In all 3 studies, dysphoric participants who distracted were as optimistic and effective in solving problems as nondysphoric participants. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcoholics anonymous, other 12-step movements and psychotherapy in the US population, 1990

Based on the 1990 US National Alcohol Survey, this note provides the first available comprehensive findings on self-reported utilization of a variety of sources of personal support and counselling for alcohol and other problems. Respondents were queried about lifetime attendance and number of times they went to identified sources of help in the prior year. Twelve-step groups included Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, Adult Children of Alcoholics, and other non-alcohol-oriented groups like Gamblers Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Overeaters Anonymous; additional questions inquired about support or therapy groups and individual counselling for non-alcohol problems. Of the US adult population, 9% have been to an AA meeting at some time, 3.6% in the prior year, only about one-third of these for problems of their own. About half these percentages, mostly women, have attended Al-Anon. Of the same population, 13.3% indicate ever attending a 12-step meeting (including non-alcohol-oriented groups), 5.3% in the last year. During the prior year a further 2.1% used other support/therapy groups and 5.5% sought individual counselling/therapy for personal problems other than alcohol. In contrast to this high reported utilization, only 4.9% (ever) and 2.3% (12-months) reported going to anyone including AA for a problem (of their own) related to drinking.     

Social support and the impact of job loss on older professionals.

Unemployment presents important psychological problems for all age groups, but the impact of job loss may be particularly severe for older workers. Participants in our study were 35 members of a self-help organization for unemployed professionals over the age of 40. Three types of variables were measured, (a) stressors, which were length of unemployment, financial concerns, and six functionally different types of social support; (b) stress symptoms, which were self-esteem, depression, physical health symptoms, psychological symptoms, and locus of control; and (c) job seeking behaviors. Our results indicated that financial concerns and social support stressors significantly predicted a number of the stress symptoms. Specific types of social support exhibited varied patterns of relations to these stress symptoms. The perceived availability of "reassurance of worth" support, provided in other contexts frequently by work colleagues, seemed to be most strongly related to positive self-esteem, internal locus of control, and more job-seeking efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does vocational overshadowing even exist? A test of the robustness of the vocational overshadowing bias.

Vocational overshadowing (P. M. Spengler, D. L. Blustein, & D. C. Strohmer, 1990 ) is a hypothesized underemphasis of clients' career concerns when more interesting, prestigious, or economically rewarding "personal" problems coexist. This study tested the robustness of the vocational overshadowing bias by using an expanded array of case material, by including practicing counseling psychologists (n?=?125) and clinical psychologists (n?=?121), and by assessing the moderating effects of clinician information processing and attitudinal characteristics. Clinical psychologists were more likely than counseling psychologists to underemphasize vocational concerns combined with severe noncareer problems. More complex thinking about career counseling and higher preference for working with career problems were associated with greater attention to clients' career concerns. However, no clear evidence was found for the vocational overshadowing bias by either equal or less severe noncareer problems. Implications of these findings for career counseling and clinical judgment research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)