"Psychotherapy outcome research": Reply.

Replies to M. J. Lambert's (1979) criticism of H. J. Eysenck's (1978) critique of a study of psychotherapy outcome by M. L. Smith et al (see record 1978-10341-001), defending Eysenck's estimate of spontaneous remission. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fewer doubts concerning rats' serial position performance: Reply to Gaffan and Gaffan (1992) and Rawlins, Deacon, Chih-Ta, and Aggleton (1992).

It has been suggested by E. A. Gaffan and D. Gaffan (see record 1992-37974-001) that the data on nonspatial memory in rats reported by P. Reed et al (see record 1991-11847-001) displayed less than expected variability. Reanalysis revealed a greater degree of variance than that highlighted by Gaffan and Gaffan. Variance was, however, low at the central positions of the list, and 2 explanations for this effect are considered. The J. N. Rawlins et al (see record 1992-37990-001) explanation, experiment expectation, is rejected. Instead, poor memorial cues for items in the center of the list may have produced a reversion to a win-shift/lose-stay strategy that would account for the low variance. Although it would be prudent to suspend conclusions until adequate replications have been conducted, the present reanalysis of the data shows that the arguments made by Gaffan and Gaffan and Rawlins et al are far from definitive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The empirical claims of maximization theory: A reply to Rachlin and to Kagel, Battalio, and Green.

H. Rachlin (see record 1984-02970-001) and J. H. Kagel et al (see record 1984-02959-001) reported errors in the present author's (see record 1982-22589-001) critique of maximization theory. They presented new evidence that demonstrated that maximization accounts better for equilibrium behavior on schedules of reinforcement than did matching. In this article, Prelec argues that the allegations of mathematical and conceptual errors are without substance and the new data do not differentially favor maximization or matching. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Scanning and form-contingent color aftereffects.

G. K. Humphrey et al (see record 1994-28172-001) and J. Broerse and P. Grimbeek (see record 1994-28160-001) suggested that the form-contingent color aftereffect reported by S. Siegel et al (see record 1992-22207-001) would not be obtained if Ss were instructed to scan the induction and assessment forms. The authors present data from 10 adult Ss who were instructed to scan the forms. These scanning Ss displayed aftereffects that were no different from those described earlier by Siegel et al. Scanning Ss do display spatiotopic contingent color aftereffects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modeling alphabetic retrieval: Rejoinder to Klahr (1994).

In D. Klahr's (see record 1994-24197-001) reply to J. Scharroo et al (see record 1994-24216-001), he ignored the basic critique on the hierarchy in the Klahr et al (see record 1984-05777-001) model of alphabetic retrieval. In this rejoinder, the modeling of alphabetic retrieval and the shape of response time curves with respect to the strong and weak tests and the alphabetic position effect is discussed. From discussion of these 2 points, it should be clear why Klahr did not deal with the main objections raised in Scharroo et al: (1) Klahr et al's (1983) response time curves did not show the predicted sawtooth shape and (2) there was no reason to assume an additional level (Level 1) in modeling alphabetic retrieval. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of age-extended norms for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Recent studies by R. J. Ivnik et al (see record 1993-04116-001), J. F. Malec et al (see record 1993-04120-001), and J. J. Ryan et al (see record 1991-08835-001) have provided age-extended norms for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS—R). The current study compared IQ scores based on these newer age-extended norms in 216 elderly Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Results showed that when the norms from Ryan et al were used, IQ scores were consistently the same as or higher than when WAIS—R manual norms were used. When the norms provided by Ivnik et al and Malec et al were used, IQ scores tended to be lower than WAIS—R manual norms for younger patients with more intellectual impairment. Results illustrate the importance of reporting the normative sample upon which IQ test scores for older adults are based and provide guidelines for selecting which set of age-extended WAIS—R norms to use with cognitively impaired elderly Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Material risks and informed consent to psychotherapy.

The article by R. T. Hare-Mustin et al (see record 1979-26958-001) dealing with client rights and informed consent (IC) and the article by L. Everstine et al (see record 1980-31031-001) dealing with confidentiality and IC in psychotherapy articulate ethical concerns that have not received the amount of attention their importance deserves and requires. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The solution of a dosimetry problem caused by a mercury shutter

Replies to L. E. Beutler et al (see record 1973-31675-001) who presented data in defense of using the number of patients rather than the number of therapists as the unit of analysis for assessing the reliability of process psychotherapy variables. The present paper presents data suggesting that the Beutler et al interpretation of their research findings is not valid. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The locus of orthographic-phonological facilitation: Reply to Roelofs, Meyer, and Levelt (1996).

In their comment, A. Roelofs, A. S. Meyer, and W. J. M. Levelt (see record 1997-06337-001) argued that serial-access language production models predict an interaction between semantic and orthographic-phonological variables in picture–word tasks. In this reply, the authors first show that this position conflicts with Roelofs et al.'s previous work and conclude that the model presented in the comment is a modification of Roelofs' (1992a, 1992b) original model. Next, they present 3 arguments against this new model. First, Roelofs et al. did not provide independent empirical evidence in favor of their modification. Second, contrary to Roelofs et al.'s prediction, the reduction of semantic interference appears to be independent of the percentage of shared orthography. Third, Roelofs et al.'s model predicts early phonological effects of spoken-word distractors, a prediction that is refuted by time-course data reported by H. Schriefers, A. S. Meyer, and W. J. M. Levelt (see record 1990-16319-001). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Haviland, McGuire, and Rothbaum's "A critique of Plomin and Foch's twin study."

Replies to the criticism of J. M. Haviland et al (see record 1984-11539-001) of the present authors' (see record 1981-25190-001) twin study of objectively assessed personality in childhood. No merit is found in the criticisms of Haviland et al concerning conceptual validity and stability of the measures, comparability of populations, the accuracy of the literature review, or the appropriate interpretation of broad heritability. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

""Some misgivings about the Matching Familiar Figures Test as a measure of reflection-impulsivity": Commentary reply.

Attempts to clarify issues raised by J. Block et al (see record 1975-03118-001) regarding the conceptualization, validity, and interpretation of reflection-impulsivity. It is suggested that Block et al selectively emphasized reviews of studies on preschool rather than school-age children and did not distinguish among the various sources of anxiety that mediate performance on tests with response uncertainty. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A creditable beginning.

Replies to comments by E. Hunt, T. Brock et al, and J. Mintz et al (see records 84-04782, 04763, and 04792, respectively) on M. E. P. Seligman's (see record 1996-13324-001) reanalysis of the 1995 Consumer Reports (CR) survey of the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Seligman contends that effectiveness studies that correct for the methodological shortcomings of the CR study will greatly enhance the knowledge of the benefits of psychotherapy and will cement an alliance between science and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

WISC—R and WAIS—R odd- and even-item short forms: Criterion validity in three patient samples.

Examined the validity of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC—R) and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS—R) odd-item and even-item short forms in 123 child and adolescent outpatients (82 males, 41 females), and rescored and reanalyzed data from studies involving 21 male and 23 female adult clinical outpatients (C. Watkins et al; see record 1988-18935-001), and 54 male medical inpatients (C. Watkins et al; see record 1987-20807-001). The method described by J. Edinger et al (see record 1986-18942-001) and two other odd- and even-item methods were not consistently valid for any of the samples; odd- and even-item short-form strategy may not be effective across populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Comparative practice of psychological assessment by clinical psychologists": Reply.

Replies to comments by J. Hunsley (see record 83:28521) on the original article by C. E. Watkins et al (see record 1995-23048-001) on the practice of psychological assessment by clinical psychologists. While Watkins et al feel that Hunsley raises some valid points, they contend that he goes too far in referring to their conclusions as inaccurate, not warranted, and as having effects that could be unfortunate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Time to let go of the illusion that psychotherapy extends the survival of cancer patients: Reply to Kraemer, Kuchler, and Spiegel (2009).

Replies to comments from Kraemer, Kuchler, and Spiegel (see record 2009-02580-001) on the authors original article Psychotherapy and survival in cancer: The conflict between hope and evidence (see record 2007-06095-001). The authors recently reviewed evidence related to the notion that psychotherapy extends survival in cancer patients (J. C. Coyne, M. Stefanek, & S. C. Palmer, 2007). The authors found that no study to date, including several designed and powered to test this hypothesis, can be reasonably interpreted as evidence that cancer patients live longer as a result of receiving psychotherapy. The authors concluded that the evidence against psychotherapy as a life-prolonging intervention in cancer is sufficiently robust to discontinue funding studies in this area. H. C. Kraemer, T. Kuchler, and D. Spiegel (2009) critiqued the authors' review. The authors respond directly to numerous misrepresentations made by Kraemer et al. More importantly, the authors provide readers with an accurate overview of the main issues being debated and the reasons for their conclusions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Client satisfaction, clinical significance, and meaningful change in psychotherapy.

Evaluated the use of the N. S. Jacobson et al (see record 1985-00073-001) criteria for clinical significance in psychotherapy data analysis. The hypothesis that a group of psychotherapy clients showing clinically significant symptom changes would report greater satisfaction and benefit from psychotherapy than would a group of clients who changed moderately or not at all was supported. Statistical and clinical significance are defined, and the concept of when meaningful change has occurred in psychotherapy is discussed in relation to clinical significance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Putnam, Adams, and Schneider, 'One day test-retest reliability of neuropsychological tests in a personal injury case."

In an article in Psychological Assessment, S. H. Putnam et al (see record 1993-04124-001) presented a case study in which retesting by separate examiners over a brief time period yielded consistent results. Although Putnam et al raised a number of points that deserve attention, some of their suggestions about the relevance of their case to legal assessments seem to extend well beyond what their data and methodology justify, and they misrepresented D. Faust and J. Ziskin's (see record 1989-11643-001) views on psychology and law. The author discusses limits of the case study method and clarifies his views on the use of psychological evidence in the courtroom. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Encounter research.

Refers readers interested in the article by D. Hartley et al (see record 1977-01609-001) to 4 articles on encounter research by M. J. Diamond and J. L. Shapiro (see record 1976-05062-001), J. Rowan (see record 1976-02670-001), W. Schutz (see record 1976-02672-001), and P. B. Smith (see record 1976-02673-001). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"University productivity rankings: A psychologist by any other name": Reply.

Responds to the report by J. Levin et al (1978) of inconsistencies between data reported by W. M. Cox and V. Catt (see record 1978-21651-001) and that of J. Levin et al regarding productivity ratings of graduate psychology programs based on publication in American Psychological Association journals. A reexamination of Cox and Catt's tabulations suggests that the inconsistencies are in fact errors of J. Levin et al. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Frequency effects in lexical tasks: Reply to Balota and Chumbley.

In replying to D. A. Balota and J. I. Chumbley's (see record 1990-24407-001) commentary on the article by S. Monsell et al (see record 1989-24836-001), the author addresses four issues. New data show that the effect of frequency on semantic categorization time reported by Monsell et al. was not a disguised typicality effect. An account of the small size of the effect of stress pattern on immediate naming latency observed by Monsell et al. is supplied. Inferences that may and may not be drawn from effects of frequency on delayed naming latency are discussed. The main conclusions and methodological recommendations of Monsell et al. are clarified. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)