Abuse of therapists by patients: A national survey.

Surveyed 300 independent psychologists on their experiences with abusive patient behavior. It was found that 81% experienced at least 1 incident of patient physical attack, verbal abuse, or other harassment in private practice, at another job, or both. Verbal abuse was the most frequently reported event. Physical attacks were about twice as common in hospitals and clinics as in independent practice. However, other harassments, such as annoying phone calls and threats to sue, were more common in private work than at other jobs. It is concluded that the frequency of the occurrence of these types of incidents makes it advisable to discuss ways to prevent or deal with them. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assertion for therapists: A professional bill of rights.

To help the unassertive therapist, 9 professional rights are presented for the therapist. Also discussed are the irrational beliefs behind the abnegation of these rights, the negative consequences that accrue when the rights are not exercised, and the stance of the assertive-rational therapist. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-help groups: A referral resource for professional therapists.

Discusses the nature, structure, limitations, and potential of self-help organizations. The effective utilization of self-help organizations requires the referring therapist's awareness of the goals, methods, and services provided by the group and evaluation of the unique needs of potential group members. The value of self-help groups may depend on appropriate referral by psychotherapists. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health correlates of criminal victimization: A random community survey.

Interviewed a representative sample of 2,004 women (aged 18 yrs and older) about victimization experiences and mental health problems. After classification of the women into victimization groups, the occurrence of 3 mental health problems was compared across type of crime. Rates of "nervous breakdowns," suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts were significantly higher for crime victims than for nonvictims. Victims of attempted rape, completed rape, and attempted sexual molestation had problems more frequently than did victims of attempted robbery, completed robbery, aggravated assault, or completed molestation. Problems were not mediated by income and were affected only marginally by age and race. Nearly 1 rape victim in 5 (19.2%) had attempted suicide, whereas only 2.2% of nonvictims had done so. Most sexual assault victims' mental health problems came after their victimization. Findings suggest that crime victims are at risk for the development of major mental health problems, some of which are life threatening in nature. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes of therapists varying in community mental health ideology and democratic values.

Studied the relationship between therapists' scores on the Community Mental Health Ideology Scale and the Democratic Values Scale and their ratings of patient case histories on a number of attitudinal dimensions. 33 therapists (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and nurses, aged 24-35) rated each of 8 case histories of psychiatric outpatients on likability, comfort, interest in treating, interest in friendship, and prognosis. Patients' social class, diagnosis, and insight level were systematically varied within the case histories. Results support the contention that previously reported preferences for middle-class, high-insight, and less disturbed patients are related to therapists' degree of adherence to community mental health ideology and democratic values. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health services to children and adolescents: A national view of public policies.

Summarizes and discusses the implications of a national study conducted by the present author (1982) on public policies affecting the delivery of mental health services to disturbed children and adolescents. Relevant state officials and advocacy organizations were surveyed, state reports and child and adolescent mental health statutes were analyzed, federal programs and policies were reviewed, and responsive program models were identified. Findings suggest that there is more knowledge about how to help children and adolescents in need of mental health services than is reflected in the organization, funding, and delivery of these services. Three encouraging developments, policy recommendations, and implications for psychologists are discussed. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Religiosity of psychotherapists: A national survey.

Explored the religiosity of 425 marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, psychiatrists, and clinical psychologists. Although 80% of the Ss indicated a religious preference, only 41% regularly attended religious services. According to the Religious Orientation Inventory, 230 of 425 Ss were classified as religious. This is consistent with findings of previous studies (e.g., A. E. Bergin; see record 1980-05877-001). The potential for change toward greater empathy for religious clients is underscored by the significant levels of unexpressed religiosity found among mental health professionals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of managed health care on predoctoral internship sites: A national survey.

Little empirical research has identified the impact of managed health care (MHC) on various types of predoctoral internship sites. Thus, the authors examined (a) the extent to which MHC affected such sites, (b) the types of sites most affected by MHC, and (c) internship training directors' (ITDs') perceptions of MHC's influence on specific issues in their sites. Overall, ITDs indicated that MHC had generally little impact on internship agencies to date. However, ongoing monitoring of MHC's effects on internship sites is warranted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexuality training for professional psychologists: A national survey of training directors of doctoral programs and predoctoral internships.

Addressing sexuality issues is an inherent part of being a professional psychologist. A survey of training directors revealed that, although about one half of the doctoral programs covered at least some sexuality topics within courses, 19% to 21% of programs did not offer any training with regard to sexual dysfunction, therapy with gay clients, and HIV-AIDS. Sexuality training was even less likely in predoctoral internships. Sexuality training was unrelated to size of the program but was a function of the number of faculty with relevant expertise. Psychologists with adequate knowledge and comfort regarding sexuality will be better able to serve clients and avoid ethical pitfalls. Suggestions for infusing sexuality training into the already-crowded curricula are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Innovations for child witnesses: A national survey.

Numerous innovative procedural reforms have been proposed concerning child victims involved in legal cases. In this study, 153 district attorney offices nationwide were surveyed about their use of innovations, their perceptions of the innovations' effectiveness, reasons why they opt not to utilize innovations, and defense strategies used with child witnesses. Prosecutors were also asked about the type of cases they encountered in which children testified. Prosecutors reported mainly using inexpensive, easy-to-implement innovations, which were also typically rated as helpful in reducing children's trauma and enhancing guilty outcomes. Prosecutors reported rarely using expert witnesses and innovations that altered how children were interviewed or how they testified. The most common types of cases in which children testified involved sexual abuse. Frequent defense strategies to challenge child credibility concerned suggestibility, inaccurate memory, coaching, and delays in reporting abuse. Results are discussed in relation to the need for increased social science research on procedural reforms for child witnesses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Primary grade writing instruction: A national survey.

A random sample of primary grade teachers (N = 178; 97% female) from across the United States was surveyed about their classroom instructional practices in writing. Most of the participating teachers (72%) took an eclectic approach to writing instruction, combining elements from the 2 most common methods for teaching writing: process writing and skills instruction. Although 90% of the teachers reported using most of the writing instructional practices that were included in the survey, there was considerable variability between teachers in how often they used specific practices. The study provides support for the following 7 recommendations for reforming primary grade writing instruction: (a) increase amount of time students spend writing; (b) increase time spent writing expository text; (c) provide better balance between time spent writing, learning writing strategies, and teaching writing skills; (d) place more emphasis on fostering students' motivation for writing; (e) develop stronger connections for writing between home and school; (f) make computers a more integral part of the writing program; and (g) improve professional development for writing instruction in teacher education programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Utilization of psychologists in positions of responsibility in public mental health programs: A national survey.

Describes a 1969 survey of mental health programs in all 50 states. To document current status and provide precedence data, the survey sought information concerning positions including these at a divisional level within state programs and as program director of community mental health centers. 1/2 the states had psychologists as divisional chiefs, while in 75% of the states, the principle of competence in the appointment of local community mental health program directors was formally recognized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health values and preference for mental health resources of Japanese-American and Caucasian-American students.

The authors investigated Asian-American underuse of mental health resources as a function of attitudes about the nature of mental health (mental health values) and resource preference for assistance with serious personal problems, with 91 Caucasian-American and 90 Japanese-American undergraduates. Results from a mental health values questionnaire (MHVQ) revealed that Japanese Americans more strongly related several MHVQ scales to mental health (good interpersonal relations, trustworthiness, and absence of negative personal traits) than did Caucasian Americans. Nevertheless, they were less likely than Caucasian Americans to rank mental health professionals as first choice for assistance with serious interpersonal/emotional problems and more likely to prefer close friends for assistance. Mental health values and attitudes about appropriate help-seeking behavior are discussed in relation to the Asian-American underuse phenomenon. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Occupational stress in Canadian universities: A national survey.

Stress surveys in U.K. and Australian universities demonstrated high occupational stress levels among faculty. This study investigated whether the same occupational stressors and stress outcomes applied at Canadian universities. Randomly selected staff (n = 1440) from 56 universities completed a Web-based questionnaire. The response rate 27%, was similar to those in the U.K. and Australian studies, as were most of the results. With respect to strain, 13% of the respondents reported high psychological distress and 22% reported elevated physical health symptoms. Less secure employment status and work-life imbalance strongly predicted job dissatisfaction; work-life imbalance strongly predicted increased psychological distress. Overall study participants were satisfied with their jobs and emotionally committed to their institutions. These results warrant consideration of contemporary academic work by both academic staff associations and university administrations with respect to the implementation of changes in policies and procedures that might lead to reductions in work-related stress and strain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differences in values between short-term and long-term therapists.

We empirically examined S. H. Budman and A. S. Gurman's (see record 1984-04498-001) theoretical proposals concerning major differences in the value systems of long- vs. short-term therapists. Ss were 222 randomly selected licensed psychologists who indicated their preferred approach (short-term or long-term). Values were assessed with a scale designed for the study. Overall, results indicate that therapists who prefer a short-term approach are more likely to endorse the proposed values of the short-term therapist than are therapists who prefer a long-term approach. This finding held even after the authors controlled for the significant contributions of theoretical orientation and therapeutic practice variables. Specifically, short-term (vs. long-term) therapists believed more that psychological change could occur outside of therapy and that setting time limits would intensify the therapeutic work. Implications for the practice of brief therapy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An exercise in values exploration for play therapists.

Counselors are ethically required to be aware of their own value systems to avoid imposing their values onto clients. This is as true for clients who are children as it is for clients who are adolescents and adults. Play therapists may tend to view children as being more in need of direction than adults in choosing their values; however, the ethical principle of autonomy applies to children as well as adults. Counselors acting in accordance with this principle allow clients to make their own choices, determine their own values, and set the course of their own lives (Remley & Herlihy, 2007). This article describes an experiential activity that can be used in classes or workshops for play therapy students or licensed play therapists to enhance their awareness in the area of values when working with children. Discussion prompts and suggestions for processing the activity are illustrated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Play therapists on play therapy I.: A report of methods, demographics and professional practices.

Conducted a survey of 1,166 professionals to determine practices, issues, and perceptions of play therapy for children. Data were collected from 4 different sources with representation from a range of professionals practicing play therapy. Survey items dealt with demographic, professional/practice, and clinical issues. Results show that there were more than 3 times as many females as males in the sample. Of all the between-Ss factors, job most often demarcated significant within-sex group differences among play therapists. Most of the Ss checked several specific theories as relevant to their play therapy work. Essentially there was considerable agreement in this sample regarding the everyday conduct of play therapy. Findings also indicate the need for additional graduate-level training in play therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical health psychology: A health care specialty in professional psychology.

Clinical health psychology is a specialty recognized by both the American Board of Professional Psychology and the American Psychological Association. Clinical health psychology focuses on psychological and behavioral components of illness and health and promotes the understanding of psychology as a health profession. In this article the author reviews its definition, provides a brief overview of practice in the specialty, addresses its relevance for practitioners, and notes sample resources for further study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)