Comprehensive provision of psychological services to students on a university campus.

A conceptual framework for a total delivery system of psychological services on a University Campus was proposed. In relation to the implementation of the Kirk Committee Report on "Standards for University Counseling Services," the objectives of intervention by provision of service were described as a) achievement by the student of a developmentally more mature level of homeostatic relationship with his environment or b) returning the student to autonomous functioning. Some of the issues involved in implementing such a system were considered, and the provision of trained staff capable of operating such a system discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multiple functions for psychologists in community consultation.

"Psychologists are assuming a wider range of responsibilities in community program administration and community consultation: in mental health, corrections, education, and anti-poverty." A program for training consultants was developed in New Mexico during a 4-yr demonstration project. Selection criteria include: (1) sound graduate training including the PhD for psychologists, (2) substantial clinical skills in diagnosis and therapy, (3) experience in consultation and administration, and (4) experience in community work. A 2-mo., full-time orientation program was conducted for the consultants hired. The project stimulated development of various new resources in local communities including, among others, a day school for retarded children, a family casework agency, a day center for emotionally disturbed children, a training and consultation service to an orphanage, and an alcoholism treatment and rehabilitation program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reaching underserved HIV-positive individuals by using patient-centered psychological consultation.

HIV disease is spreading most rapidly among populations for which psychotherapy is not routinely utilized, such as individuals from African American, Hispanic, rural, and low socioeconomic backgrounds. To more effectively address barriers to care, the authors propose and implement an innovative model of consultation that allows patients to request and receive a psychological consultation concurrent with their HIV medical care. Psychological consultations from a 2-year period before and after model implementation are compared. Results indicate that this model increases consult utilization and holds much promise for reaching underserved individuals in HIV clinics. Implications for usage in other medical settings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

New directions in behavioral consultation.

The expanding application of behavioral technologies to alleviate the mental health and educational problems of children has increased the scope and social significance of behavior analysis during recent decades. Although behavioral technologies provide an empirical basis for assisting parents, teachers, and children, these procedures rarely include a method for implementation in service delivery. The pioneering work that placed behaviorism into a general case delivery model has led to the wide acceptance of a specific model for behavioral consultation. While Behavioral Consultation (BC) has become widely accepted as a particular process consisting of four interviews and plan implementation, it could be more broadly described as the provision of services and technologies that are based on behavioral research. The purpose of this special series is to examine the provision of behavior therapy and behavior modification in education using the broader conceptualization of behavioral consultation that diverges in some ways from BC. While BC has contributed to the work comprising this special series, each of the authors examines issues in the delivery of behavioral consultation that diverge in some way from BC. One goal in creating the miniseries was to initiate an examination of BC as a method, rather than the method, for providing behavior analysis in schools. The second goal of this special series was to serve as a catalyst for the examination of new methods for implementing behavioral consultation. The contributions of the various authors serve to illustrate the breadth of potential new directions for the conceptualization, investigation, and implementation of the broad class of behaviors belonging to response class of behavioral consultation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Administrative crisis consultation after 9/11: A university's systems response.

This case study involves application of program-centered and consultee-centered administrative consultation as an emergency mental health intervention to enhance the response of an eastern seaboard university to the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. The university had provisions for many forms of emergency in its action plan, but not for the provision of psychological first aid in response to wide spread trauma. Key components of the administrative consultation were the need to rapidly scan the organization, to engage key personnel as consultees, and to support the creation of an effective action plan. Major problems encountered in the consultation included resistance through psychological reactance, and managing differences in expectation and coping needs between students, faculty, and administrators. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using community outreach to promote integrated health care: A pilot project.

Although research has demonstrated the efficacy of psychological services for ameliorating physical conditions, consumers are often uninformed of the advantages of integrated health care. To begin to address this knowledge gap, the authors developed, offered, and assessed a 2-hr community outreach program, which included lectures highlighting the benefits of providing psychological services within general health care, a demonstration of stress-reduction techniques, and first-person accounts of the benefits of psychological health care. The preliminary results of the evaluation were positive. It is recommended that similar programs be disseminated in diverse communities. Suggestions for planning and conducting these types of programs are offered. Furthermore, strategies for improving the goals and content of workshops are offered, with a focus on the distinction between promotion of attitudinal change versus practical activism. Finally, implications for community outreach that is intended to inform the public of the value of psychological health care services are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological consultation and services in a general medical hospital.

When psychologists need to see patients who have been admitted to a general medical hospital or are asked to see a patient in a general medical hospital, they must be aware of, and in compliance with, the rules governing consultation, privileging, and privacy. Psychological treatment for patients is an important part of the treatment of patients with medical conditions that may be exacerbated by psychosocial stressors, preexisting anxiety, or depressive symptoms. The role of the psychologist is to have an integrated role with the medical team and work with the patient in effectively managing these symptoms. Models for promoting psychological services to all patients, especially those who are medically ill, have emerged as one of the few growth areas in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"The dismantling of our health system: Strategies for the survival of psychological practice": A reply to Cummings.

Comments on the original article, The dismantling of our health system: Strategies for the survival of psychological practice by Nicholas A. Cummings (see record 1986-22651-001). In response to this article, the current author says "no, no, no!" He believes that "survival with this degree of compromise amounts to doing anything for a buck." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Revisiting community work from a psychodynamic perspective.

Are psychodynamic perspectives relevant in community intervention? Historically, community psychologists have influenced a shift away from traditional psychology's emphasis on the individual toward a more social justice and population-oriented paradigm. This shift away from the former emphasis on the individual has included a shying away from psychodynamic theories of individual psychological processes. In this article, we demonstrate the utility of psychodynamic perspectives in understanding the interpersonal dynamics inherent in community intervention. Specifically, we examine the roles of motivation, affect, transference, and countertransference in establishing working relationships between community collaborators and community members. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evidence-based treatments and delivery of psychological services: Shifting our emphases to increase impact.

Evidence-based psychological treatments (EBTs) have made enormous gains in the range of techniques that are available and the scope of problems to which they can be applied. Debates about the advances focus on issues related to applicability of the evidence to clinical work, limits of highly controlled studies, and decision making in clinical practice. Less often discussed is arguably the more salient issue, namely, that most people in need of psychological treatment do not receive services, whether evidence based or not. This article discusses EBTs as currently studied in relation to an overarching goal of our interventions, namely, to reduce the burden of mental illness and the full range of social, emotional, and behavioral problems leading to impairment. The diversity of clients, the range of settings in which treatments must be delivered, and the models of delivery ought to receive greater attention in developing evidence-based interventions. In the context of treatment of children and adolescents, this article discusses service needs and how EBTs can better align with these needs to exert broad impact. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

RCT of a psychological intervention for patients with cancer: I. Mechanisms of change.

Little is known about the therapeutic processes contributing to efficacy of psychological interventions for patients with cancer. Data from a randomized clinical trial yielding robust biobehavioral and health effects (B. L. Andersen et al., 2004, 2007) were used to examine associations between process variables, treatment utilization, and outcomes. Novel findings emerged. Patients were highly satisfied with the treatment, but their higher levels of felt support (group cohesion) covaried with lower distress and fewer symptoms. Also, specific treatment strategies were associated with specific outcomes, including lower distress, improved dietary habits, reduced symptomatology, and higher chemotherapy dose intensity. These data provide a comprehensive test of multiple therapeutic processes and mechanisms for biobehavioral change with an intervention including both intensive and maintenance phases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examining the correlates of psychological aggression among a community sample of couples.

In this study, the authors examined the correlates of psychological aggression victimization and perpetration among a community sample of 145 heterosexual couples. For both women and men, psychological aggression victimization was associated with greater psychological distress, anxiety, and physical health symptoms beyond the effects of physical aggression. Psychological aggression victimization was also uniquely associated with higher levels of depression for women. Trait anger and poor relationship adjustment were the strongest correlates of psychological aggression perpetration across genders. Childhood father-to-child and father-to-mother aggressions were associated with psychological aggression perpetration for men only, suggesting possible distinct etiologies across genders. These data highlight the importance of the further development of models for psychological aggression in both women and men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction to the special section on assessment in psychological treatment: A necessary step for effective intervention.

Great changes are taking place in mental health treatment, because health care providers are placing constraints on therapists. Yet psychologists have been slow to react to these demands and have not incorporated personality measurement in treatment planning to address therapeutic effectiveness. Many therapists initiate therapy without obtaining a personality assessment in the early stages of therapy. Psychological assessment can, however, provide an effective means of detecting problems and motivation for therapy and can, if therapist test feedback is provided, serve to bring about desired behavior change more effectively than if assessment is not used. This Special Section is devoted to the potentially fruitful role psychological assessment can play in treatment planning. The contributors who were invited to write articles were chosen for their expertise in using psychological procedures in treatment planning. Their contributions provide important insights into methods for facilitating psychological therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Primary Care Psychology Training on Campus: Collaboration Within a Student Health Center.

Applied psychological services are being implemented into the primary care treatment milieu to improve patient treatment and reduce health care costs. Unfortunately, few psychologists have training specifically oriented to working in this setting. A predoctoral training program wherein psychology graduate students may obtain practicum experience working in a student health center on a university campus is described. The theoretical underpinnings of this training are based on the integrated primary care models of K. Strosahl (1997) and K. Strosahl, N. Baker, M. Braddick, M. Stuart, and M. Handley (1997), which emphasize integration of psychological and medical treatment, brief intervention, consultation, and expedited referral for longer term cases. Though many issues remain, integrated primary care offers promise for improved health care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Taking a position on "appropriate educational services."

Several years ago the Division 16 Executive Council (EC) was invited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) to support a position paper entitled "Advocacy for Appropriate Educational Services for All Children," which had been adopted by NASP and the National Coalition of Advocates for Students (NCAS). The discussion of the position paper by the EC revealed several different points of view, and EC action on it was tabled. The issues raised by the position paper, as well as the actions taken toward implementing its recommendations, have become part of a national debate about how best to serve students. Because of the continuing relevance of the position paper with respect to the delivery of psychological services in the schools, I was encouraged to undertake the development of a mini-series around it for Professional School Psychology, now School Psychology Quarterly. The objective of this mini-series is to assist readers in framing the issues raised by the position paper in relation to the ongoing dialogue about service delivery systems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The shift to community mental health as an organizational phenomenon.

Mental health professionals often fail to recognize organizational phenomena which are significant to delivery of services. A current shift in service delivery is the move away from residential care to prevention programs. Rather than seeing this as the result of "new discoveries", the shift is viewed as an outcome of organizational developments. It is suggested that community mental health programs are produced by an institution having resources in excess of stabilized demands for treatment technology. This process of organizational diversification may have the surprising result of creating greater tendencies toward custodial treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluation of an organizational stress management program in a municipal public works organization.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of employee participation in an organizational stress management program consisting of several interventions aiming to improve psychosocial work environment and well-being. Pre- and postintervention questionnaires were used to measure the outcomes with a 2-year interval. This article describes the background of the program, results of previously published effect studies, and a qualitative evaluation of the program. The authors also tested the effects of level of participation in all interventions among the employees of the service production units by 2 (time) × 3 (group) repeated measures ANOVAs (n = 625). "Active participation" (more than 5.5 days) had a positive effect on feedback from supervisor and flow of information. Work climate remained on a permanent level while it decreased in the categories of moderate and nonparticipation. The level of participation did not improve individual well-being or other aspects of psychosocial work environment as postulated by the work stress models. The qualitative evaluation and practical conclusions drawn by the management of the Organization provided a positive impression of the impact of the program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adopting a public health approach to the delivery of evidence-based parenting interventions.

A public health perspective to the delivery of parenting programs has the potential to greatly increase the impact of evidence-based psychological interventions targeting parents and families. However, a population-level benefit is unlikely to be achieved unless sustained programmatic efforts are undertaken to further increase the reach of efficacious interventions. In addition, such programs need to be adapted to local circumstances, be delivered in a culturally relevant manner, and be used in a sustained way by adoptee organisations if the potential benefits of these interventions are to be realised. The multilevel Triple P system of parenting interventions is used as an example to illustrate the benefits and challenges involved in delivering a comprehensive system of parenting interventions, services, and programs. Practical implications for large-scale implementation and possible future directions for research are identified. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)