Childhood social competence in functionally disordered psychiatric patients and in normals.

Assessed childhood social competence in 71 male and 70 female schizophrenics, personality disordered patients, psychotic depressives, neurotics, and normals. The results indicate that children eventually hospitalized for schizophrenia are characterized by their poor interpersonal skills long before symptom onset; academic competence failed to differentiate the various groups. Not all serious psychiatric disorder is preceded by poor social competence, as indicated by the psychotic depressives whose competence scores were not significantly different from the normals'. Analysis of sex and Sex?×?Diagnosis effects revealed that females were more competent than males regardless of psychiatric status. This may reflect primarily greater conformity to teacher expectations for appropriate school behavior. The absence of significant interaction effects suggests that previously reported sex differences in premorbid social competence are not specific to schizophrenic disorders. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Faking specific disorders and temporal response consistency on the MMPI-2.

The ability of persons faking posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or closed-head injury (CHI) to respond consistently across serial testings on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—2 (MMPI-2; J. Butcher, W. Dahlstrom, J. Graham, A. Tellegen, & B. Kaemmer, 1989) was investigated. Results showed that individuals faking PTSD obtained 2-week test–retest reliability scores comparable to individuals completing the MMPI-2 with standard instructions; individuals faking CHI obtained reliability coefficients significantly lower than individuals faking PTSD. A 3?×?2 (Response Style?×?Time) analysis of variance indicated that individuals faking a disorder obtained significantly elevated scores on validity scales sensitive to overreporting; no main effect for time was found. Results suggest that test-takers faking specific disorders can describe symptoms consistently on repeated testing and that type of disorder may affect temporal response consistency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examining comorbidity and posttraumatic stress disorder in a Vietnam veteran population using the MMPI-2

Examined the discriminant validity of the MMPI-2 in assessing comorbidity in a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Vietnam veteran population. The Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-III-R (SCID) was used to diagnose veterans and to classify them into four groups: PTSD Only, PTSD with mood disorders, PTSD with other anxiety disorders, and PTSD with mood and anxiety disorders. All groups had clinical elevations on scales F, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 0, PK, and PS, with peak elevations on scales 8, 7, and 2. The PTSD Only group's MMPI-2 scores were not significantly lower than other groups' scores. The PTSD+Mood/Anxiety group was significantly more elevated on scales 2 and 7 than the PTSD Only and PTSD+Anxiety group but did not otherwise show significantly higher scale elevations than others groups. No significant differences existed between groups on scales F, L, K, PK, and PS. Implications of these results for PTSD and the current diagnostic system are explored.     

Rey's 15-item visual memory test for the detection of malingering: Normative observations on patients with neurological disorders.

A. Rey (1964) devised a simple 15-item (3 columns?×?5 rows) visual memory test to detect faking or exaggeration of memory complaints. To gather normative observations on patients with genuine memory disorders, the authors administered this test to 100 temporal lobe epilepsy inpatients (TLEs) who showed defective performance on at least 1 of 4 standardized memory tests. To determine whether outpatients with neurological disorders (OPs) would produce a distribution of scores similar to those of TLEs, Rey's 3?×?5 was administered to 56 OPs who had been referred for neuropsychological evaluation. 16 OPs in litigation were excluded from the outpatient sample because motivation for optimal performance could not be assumed. A Rey's 3?×?5 score of 7 was at or below the 5th percentile of both TLE and OP score distributions. Further, OPs in litigation performed significantly worse on the test than did both TLEs and OPs not in litigation, who did not differ from each other. Results suggest that using a cutoff score of 7 on Rey's 3?×?5 memory test may prove useful in alerting the clinician to possible factitious memory complaints. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Compensation seeking, comorbidity, and apparent exaggeration of PTSD symptoms among Vietnam combat veterans.

Evaluated whether veterans who apparently exaggerate their symptoms are more likely to be (a) seeking disability compensation or (b) suffering from more comorbid pathology than nonexaggerating veterans. 54 of 145 (37%) veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder who completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—2 (J. N. Butcher, W. G. Dalhstrom, J. R. Graham, A. Telegen, & B. Kaemmer, 1989) were identified as apparent exaggerators, with F (Frequency)– K (Correction) >13. These participants scored higher than nonexaggerators on self-report measures of various psychological symptoms but were no more likely to be seeking compensation or to have comorbid substance use or other anxiety disorders. Affective disorder was overrepresented among apparent exaggerators, however. Findings support the hypothesis of increased comorbidity among symptom exaggerators as measured by the F–K index but not the commonly held belief that symptom exaggerators are more likely to seek compensation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Opitz C trigonocephaly syndrome and midline brain anomalies

Using the Halstead-Reitan Battery profiles of 796 people, a formula for the detection of malingering was partially cross-validated to assess the false positive rate. Subjects included normals, psychiatric cases, and persons with all major types of brain disorder. The formula incorrectly designated 32% of the sample as fakers (i.e., as false positives). Of the 120 head-trauma cases, 39 (32%) obtained Fake scores, whereas 81 (67%) were correctly assessed as not malingering. The correlation of the results of the formula and the severity of the profile (as measured by the Average Impairment Rating) was 67, p < .0001.     

A qualitative versus quantitative approach to evaluating the Draw-A-Person and Kinetic Family Drawing: A study of mood- and anxiety-disorder children.

Compared 2 methods of scoring the Draw-A-Person (DAP) and the Kinetic Family Drawing (KFD). A quantitative scoring method based on traditional individual indicators was contrasted with a qualitative scoring method based on an integrative approach designed to assess overall psychological functioning. The participants were 52 children with a mean age of 11? yrs. Using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III—Revised (DSM-III—R), they were assigned to the following groups: mood disorder (n?=?12), anxiety disorder (n?=?11), mood/anxiety (n?=?16), and control (n?=?13). Unlike scores from the quantitative approach, scores obtained from the qualitative approach on the DAP differentiated children with mood disorders and mood/anxiety disorders, but not children with only anxiety disorders, from control children. Similarily, and again unlike scores from the quantitative approach, scores from the qualitative approach on the KFD differentiated children with mood disorders (but not mood/anxiety disorders) from control children. In addition, scores from the qualitative DAP and KFD scoring methods were significantly correlated with self-reported self-concept and aspects of family functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Context processing in schizotypal personality disorder: Evidence of specificity of impairment to the schizophrenia spectrum.

Working memory abnormalities, which are particularly pronounced on context processing tasks, appear relatively specific to schizophrenia spectrum illnesses compared with other psychotic disorders. However, the specificity of context processing deficits to schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), a prototype of schizophrenia, has not been studied. The authors administered 3 versions of the modified AX Continuous Performance Test and an N-back working memory test to 63 individuals with SPD and 25 with other personality disorders, as well as 42 healthy controls. For the AX Continuous Performance Test standard and degraded versions, there was a significant Trial Type × Delay × Group interaction, as SPDs made significantly more errors reflecting poor maintenance of context and fewer errors reflecting good maintenance of context. SPDs also demonstrated poor performance on the N-back, especially at the 2-back condition. Context processing errors and N-back accuracy scores were related to disorganization symptoms. These findings, which are quite similar to those previously reported in patients with schizophrenia, suggest that context processing deficits are specific to the schizophrenia spectrum and are not a reflection of overall psychopathology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Induction of metallothionein synthesis by bismuth in cultured vascular endothelial cells

The accuracy and reliability of the TMJ Scale were originally determined in cross-validation studies on large, research-based patient samples. It had been assumed that the demographic characteristics and test responses of these research-based samples would be representative of the clinical population in which the TMJ Scale would ultimately find use. The present study on more than 10,000 patients that were evaluated for temporomandibular disorders in clinical practice demonstrates that the test scores, demographic variables, and the patterns of symptom severity that characterize the original TMJ Scale research sample accurately represent the general temporomandibular disorder patient population in which the TMJ Scale is now being used. The results suggest a high degree of confidence in the clinical efficacy of this assessment tool. The overall symptom severity of temporomandibular disorders was found to be normally distributed in the patient population. Women with temporomandibular disorders report a higher level of severity of all physical and psychological symptoms than men. This may explain the high female-to-male ratio in patients seeking treatment. However, a higher percentage of male temporomandibular disorder patients has clinically significant psychological and stress-related problems than do women. The severity and prevalence of symptoms associated with joint dysfunction and range of motion limitation are lower in older age groups, and the overall symptom severity of temporomandibular disorders is not higher in older age groups. However, the severity and prevalence of symptoms associated with joint dysfunction are greater in groups in which temporomandibular disorders have existed for longer durations, although pain levels do not follow this trend. There is also an association between time duration of the temporomandibular disorder and the severity of psychological problems and chronicity. Patients with chronic problems are symptomatically more impaired than those with acute problems.     

Contrasting cognitive deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder versus reading disability.

Compared 2 common and sometimes comorbid developmental disorders, reading disability (RD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in 2 cognitive domains, phonological processes (PPs) and executive functions (EFs). Ss were 70 boys of early school age, studied by means of a 2 (RD vs no RD)?×?2 (ADHD vs no ADHD)?×?2 (domain type) mixed-model design. The 2 RD groups (RD-only and RD plus ADHD) were significantly impaired compared with both the control and ADHD-only groups on a PP composite score but performed normally on the EF composite score. The ADHD-only group had an opposite profile and was significantly different from both RD groups and from controls on the EF composite score. Thus, there was a double-dissociation between the RD-only and ADHD-only groups. The comorbid group resembled the RD-only group, consistent with the hypothesis that their ADHD symptoms are secondary to RD. These results provide evidence for the separability of PPs from EFs, as well as 1 explanation for the comorbidity between RD and ADHD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychiatric diagnosis and symptomatology.

35 symptom formations were isolated through an analysis of the case histories of 793 psychiatric patients with functional disorders. Percentage of patients in 1 of 4 groups (manic-depressive, schizophrenic, psychoneurotic, character disorder) characterized by each symptom was tabulated. The results indicated that there are no particular symptoms which are specific to 1 of the 4 psychiatric groupings, and that these groupings are not described by any unique clustering of symptoms. A symptom classification system (by Phillips & Rabinovitch, 1958) was seen to have a positive, though small, statistical relationship with psychiatric grouping. From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4HI69Z. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prognostic expectations and treatment outcome.

Studied the relationship between recovery (symptom reduction) from serious psychiatric disorder and patient-held and therapist-held expectations for recovery. Objective measures of prognostic expectations were taken from 150 patients (mean age, 32.6 yrs) upon hospital admission and from 14 staff therapists shortly thereafter. Expectations stated by both groups were factor analyzed, and 2 sets of 6 weighted factor scores were calculated for each patient. Multiple regression analyses were employed to test for association between sets of factor scores and symptom reduction through hospitalization. Changes in MMPI and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores (admission to discharge) were used as measures of symptom reduction. It was found that therapists', but not patients', expectations were reliably associated with symptom reduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of coaching on the utility of response latencies in detecting fakers on a personality measure.

Test-item response latencies on a measure of conscientiousness from 379 undergraduates divided into 2 groups, a coached fake-good group and an ad-lib-fake-good group, were compared to response latencies on the same measure for a group of respondents instructed to answer honestly. In the comparison of honest to ad-lib-fake-good groups, response latencies correctly identified over 60% of individuals as either responding honestly or as faking. In the comparison of honest to coached- fake-good groups, response latencies did not discriminate between honest and faking individuals at greater than chance levels. However, coached fakers did not elevate their scores either on the conscientiousness scale or on an impression management scale in comparison to the group of participants instructed to answer honestly. Results thus suggest that response latencies may not be effective in identifying fakers who are coached on how to beat the response latencies, but, on the other hand, this type of coaching may actually reduce or prevent faking on the measures one is using to make substantive decisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A defensive response set and the relation between cognitive and emotional functioning: a replication

This study was designed to examine the hypothesis that a defensive self-report response set tends to attenuate the strength of the relationship between self-reported emotional functioning and cognitive tests, particularly the functioning of verbal memory. 75 patients with end-stage lung disease were administered the MMPI and a cognitive test battery as part of a psychosocial evaluation for transplantation. Patients were separated into defensive and nondefensive groups using the MMPI F - K Gough Dissimulation index (raw score F minus K < or = -15). Cognitive factor scores were generated and correlated with non-K-corrected raw scores of MMPI Scales 2, 7, and 8. Correlation coefficients were compared across groups. As predicted, increases on Scales 2 and 7 were significantly associated with decreased functioning of verbal memory (r = -.35 and -.34, respectively) among the nondefensive group but were unrelated in the defensive group. It is argued that the attenuation of the relationship between self-reported emotional status and verbal memory functioning is, in part, due to a restricted range of symptom endorsement on the MMPI among the defensive group. These findings replicate those previously reported using a sample of patients with cardiac disease.     

Immunolocalization of BMP-6, a novel TGF-beta-related cytokine, in normal and atherosclerotic smooth muscle cells

OBJECTIVES: The study replicated methods used in an earlier study to determine the prevalence of dissociative disorders among patients with substance use disorders and to examine demographic characteristics and history of childhood abuse among patients with and without dissociative comorbidity. METHODS: A total of 100 inpatients who were completing a substance abuse treatment program at a VA medical center were interviewed using the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, which diagnoses dissociative disorders. Two additional screening measures of dissociative symptoms were used, as well as an instrument to measure IQ. RESULTS: Fifteen percent of the sample were diagnosed as having a dissociative disorder. Compared with patients without a dissociative disorder, the patients with a dissociative disorder had significantly higher median scores on the two screening measures, indicating more dissociative experiences and the presence of five distinct symptom clusters. The two groups did not differ in history of childhood abuse or IQ. CONCLUSIONS: The results support earlier findings suggesting that patients with substance abuse disorder should be routinely screened for dissociative symptoms and disorders.     

Panic attacks in the nonclinical population: An empirical approach to case identification.

Although self-reports of panic attacks are common among student populations, it is not clear that their panic experiences are actually comparable to those of patients with clinical anxiety disorders. An empirical approach was taken to this problem by using a cluster analysis procedure to identify Ss within 2 samples of university students who reported panic attack symptom profiles that resembled those of patients with panic disorder. Such empirically defined "clinical" panic attacks were reported by 7 and 8.1% of the 2 samples. This predominantly female group accounted for most of the increased psychopathology that has been reported in previous studies of nonclinical panic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality and substance use disorders: II. Alcoholism versus drug use disorders.

The relationship between personality and substance use disorders was investigated in a community-based sample of 638 individuals who were alcoholic and/or had a drug use disorder, and 1,530 individuals who did not have a substance use disorder. Personality was assessed by the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire; substance use diagnoses were based on standard criteria as assessed by interview. Data were analyzed using a 3-factor (Gender?×?Alcoholism?×? Drug Use Disorder) multivariate analysis of variance. The significant alcoholism main effect was associated primarily with negative emotionality, whereas the significant drug use disorder main effect was associated primarily with constraint. No significant interactions with gender were observed. These findings suggest that the elevated levels of behavioral disinhibition observed with alcoholic individuals may be attributable to a subset of alcoholic individuals who also abuse drugs other than alcohol. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patterns of student growth in reasoning about correlational problems.

Previous studies of correlational reasoning have focused on the interpretation of 2?×?2 tables. The research in this article examined age trends in responses to problems involving more than 2 continuous variables. Instruments were developed and administered to Ss from Grade 4 through postgraduate (n?=?20 in each grade) to produce multidimensional profiles of student growth. Exp 1 found that correlational reasoning skills increased with age. Exps 2 and 3 found that student performance could be improved through instruction. Evidence of convergent and discriminant validity of the instruments was obtained. Although there were similarities between results obtained with 2?×?2 data problems and results on continuous data problems, the evidence in support of a single correlational schema underlying both was ambiguous. There was no transfer, and correlations between the 2 types of performance were weak. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meta-analysis of the relations of anxiety sensitivity to the depressive and anxiety disorders.

There is a substantial literature relating the personality trait anxiety sensitivity (AS; tendency to fear anxiety-related sensations) and its lower order dimensions to the mood and anxiety (i.e., internalizing) disorders. However, particularly given the disorders’ high comorbidity rates, it remains unclear whether AS is broadly related to these disorders or if it shows a pattern of differential relations. Meta-analyses of the concurrent relations of AS with the internalizing disorders were conducted based on 117 studies and 792 effect sizes. Mean Anxiety Sensitivity Index scores by diagnostic group and AS–symptom correlations both indicated that AS is most strongly related to panic, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). More specific analyses were also conducted on (a) AS correlations with symptom dimensions within individual disorders and (b) correlations between lower order AS components and symptoms. The meta-analytic correlation matrix for higher order AS–disorder relations was submitted to path analysis, modeling latent Distress disorders and Fear disorders that control for much of the shared variance among the disorders. Results of the path analysis indicated that AS is broadly related to these disorders but that agoraphobia, GAD, panic, and PTSD have the strongest associations. In addition, AS was more strongly related to the latent distress disorders than the fear disorders. Because of the contemporaneous assessment of AS and internalizing disorders in these studies, the results should not be taken to mean that AS has a stronger casual association with certain disorders. Implications for concurrent AS–internalizing relations, interpretations of the AS construct, and structural models of personality and psychopathology are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Linking “big” personality traits to anxiety, depressive, and substance use disorders: A meta-analysis.

We performed a quantitative review of associations between the higher order personality traits in the Big Three and Big Five models (i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, disinhibition, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness) and specific depressive, anxiety, and substance use disorders (SUD) in adults. This approach resulted in 66 meta-analyses. The review included 175 studies published from 1980 to 2007, which yielded 851 effect sizes. For a given analysis, the number of studies ranged from three to 63 (total sample size ranged from 1,076 to 75,229). All diagnostic groups were high on neuroticism (mean Cohen's d = 1.65) and low on conscientiousness (mean d = ?1.01). Many disorders also showed low extraversion, with the largest effect sizes for dysthymic disorder (d = ?1.47) and social phobia (d = ?1.31). Disinhibition was linked to only a few conditions, including SUD (d = 0.72). Finally, agreeableness and openness were largely unrelated to the analyzed diagnoses. Two conditions showed particularly distinct profiles: SUD, which was less related to neuroticism but more elevated on disinhibition and disagreeableness, and specific phobia, which displayed weaker links to all traits. Moderator analyses indicated that epidemiologic samples produced smaller effects than patient samples and that Eysenck's inventories showed weaker associations than NEO scales. In sum, we found that common mental disorders are strongly linked to personality and have similar trait profiles. Neuroticism was the strongest correlate across the board, but several other traits showed substantial effects independent of neuroticism. Greater attention to these constructs can significantly benefit psychopathology research and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)