Reanalysis: A reply.

In replying to H. Abikoff and P. P. Ramsey's (see record 1980-03741-001) reanalysis of some of the present authors' (see record 1978-32185-001) data from a study of the cognitive-behavioral treatment of impulsive children, it is noted that covariance is likely to increase the differences between groups, but because of a negative relationship between the measures at pretreatment and follow-up, covariance reduced the group differences. A central clinical question—whether cognitive-behavioral interventions can result in treatment generalization—is considered; some recent evidence indicates supportive outcomes. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A critical comment on Kendall and Finch's cognitive-behavioral group comparison study.

Critically evaluates a recent report by P. C. Kendall and A. J. Finch (see record 1978-32185-001) on the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral treatment for decreasing the impulsive classroom behavior of cognitively impulsive children. Their data analysis is shown to be biased in favor of the treatment group. Reanalysis of the data by analysis of covariance did not support the treatment's utility for attaining generalization to the classroom. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some significant differences and more significant similarities.

Continues the interchange between J. Wolpe (see record 1985-26136-001) and A. A. Lazarus (see record 1986-15103-001) on the efficacy of behavior therapy (BT) in the treatment of neurosis. In addition to responding to specific criticisms by Wolpe, Lazarus notes that the overall trajectories and objectives of both BT and multimodal therapy (which has behavioral aspects) are closely allied. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Cognitive-behavioral therapy in geriatric depression": Reply to Riskind, Beck, and Steer.

Responds to the challenge by J. H. Riskind et al (see record 1986-12531-001) to the interpretation by J. L. Steuer et al (see record 1984-21146-001) that changes observed on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in depressed geriatric patients treated with cognitive-behavioral (CB) group psychotherapy did not demonstrate superiority for CB therapy over a psychodynamic approach. Riskind et al proposed that somatic items on the other rating instruments used might not be valid in geriatric patients and thus might render those scales less sensitive. Reanalyses of the psychotherapy data and data from a placebo-controlled study of tricyclic antidepressants by the present 3rd author et al (see record 1983-21474-001) did not support this assertion. Somatic items proved to be sensitive to change in both studies. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Looking weakly in all the worng places? Comment on Shapiro et al (1994).

This invited comment applauds the impressive outcome study conducted by D. A. Shapiro et al (see record 1994-38260-001) in which psychodynamic-interpersonal therapy was compared with cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of depression. Our limited argument with their article is the uncritical support accorded to the equivalent outcomes conclusion and the implicit rejection of differential efficacy among the psychotherapies as a function of patient variables. Two principal objections are that Shapiro et al overestimated the statistical power of their analyses to detect genuine interactions and selected variables that are not particularly relevant or amenable to psychological treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

We agree: A rejoinder from Penk and Robinowitz to Sutker and Allain.

In response to P. B. Sutker and A. N. Allain (see record 1981-21988-001), the present authors (see record 1980-12694-001) assert that the issue of voluntarism in drug treatment programs will not be resolved by rhetoric but by data. Methodological implications are noted. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Looking as strongly as we should in the right places: Reply to Norcross and Rossi (1994).

In response to J. C. Norcross and J. S. Rossi's (see record 1994-38252-001) comment on our article (D. A. Shapiro et al; see record 1994-38260-001), we note that research as reported does not fully represent the processes whereby it was designed and completed. The true statistical power of an investigation reflects all the analyses carried out, not just those that get reported. The power of our analyses was sufficient to address the substantive questions at issue. The importance of these questions does not depend on allegiance to equivalent outcomes of diverse therapies. The outcome phase of the Second Sheffield Psychotherapy Project is but part of its broad strategic approach to advancing our understanding of the mechanisms of change in the psychotherapies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parenting in a broader context: A reply to Emery, Fincham, and Cummings (1992).

In their comment on the authors' (see record 1992-43921-001) discussion of the role of the family in child psychotherapy, R. E. Emery et al (see record 1993-14493-001) took issue with the emphasis on the mediational role of parenting practices and the importance of parenting as a focus of treatment. In response, it is emphasized that the aim was not to offer a comprehensive analysis of etiological factors in child psychopathology but rather to provide some practical research-based guidelines for child therapists. In addition, an attempt is made to clarify some areas of possible confusion, including the meaning of contextual variables, parenting as the appropriate focus of treatment, assumptions about what is meant by parenting, and differences in conceptualizations of intervention in family process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The applicability of treatment utility.

Replies to the comments of J. D. Cone (see record 1990-02005-001) on the article by S. C. Hayes et al (see record 1988-11276-001) on using treatment utility (TU) to evaluate assessment procedures. The present authors argue that TU is a concept that applies to the relevance of assessment in treatment planning and may be based on assessment that need not have this purpose. From this viewpoint, all of the objections to the TU concept stem from the failure to distinguish between the assessment of proximal and ultimate goals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A re-examination of recognition memory in amnesia: Reply to Roediger and McDermott.

In a previously reported study using the process dissociation procedure, we (M. Verfaellie & J. Treadwell, see record 1993-18420-001) demonstrated that amnesic patients were impaired relative to controls in their recognition of words they had solved as anagrams but performed comparably to controls in their recognition of words they had read. H. L. Roediger and K. B. McDermott (see record 1994-30444-001) suggested that the finding of normal performance in the read condition of our study might have been due to differing false-alarm rates between groups, a finding that would complicate application of the process dissociation procedure. In this reply, we argue that the amnesic patients' normal performance in this condition was not due just to differences in guessing rate and is not inconsistent with findings from standard recognition memory tests. In addition, 2 corrections to the process dissociation procedure discussed by Roediger and McDermott are considered as solutions to the problem of differing false-alarm rates. Applied to our amnesic data, these corrections reinforce our original conclusion that under conditions in which the contribution of recollection is minimal, amnesic patients' performance is normal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive-behavioral therapy with and without exposure plus response prevention in treatment of bulimia nervosa: Comment on Agras, Schneider, Arnow, Raeburn, and Telch.

The conclusions reached in the W. S. Agras et al (see record 1989-26754-001) study of cognitive-behavioral and response-prevention treatments for bulimia nervosa are criticized. Procedural differences and contradictory evidence from prior research are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Involvement and persuasion: Types, traditions, and the evidence.

This article is a reply to R. E. Petty and J. T. Cacioppo's (see record 1990-19685-001) critique of our meta-analysis in which we concluded that research has established 3 different types of involvement with distinctly different effects on persuasion (B. T. Johnson and A. H. Eagly; see record 1990-01215-001). We first correct their summary of our review. In response to their claim that outcome-relevant and value-relevant involvement are best reduced to a single construct, we assert that this proposal fails to account for existing research findings and provides only a highly speculative account of the processes that might mediate the impact of involvement on persuasion. We then reaffirm our earlier conclusion that the effects of outcome-relevant involvement are especially unstable when messages contain weak arguments. In fact, this conclusion is underscored by 4 studies that Johnson conducted after completing the meta-analysis. Finally, we explain how the methodological features of our review that Petty and Cacioppo fault are consistent with established principles of meta-analytic reviewing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive-behavioral and response-prevention treatments for bulimia nervosa.

This study was designed to assess the additive effects of major components of cognitive-behavioral treatment for bulimia nervosa. Seventy-seven female patients with bulimia nervosa were allocated at random to one of four conditions: wait-list control, self-monitoring of caloric intake and purging behaviors, cognitive-behavioral treatment, and cognitive-behavioral treatment combined with response prevention of vomiting. In the treatment conditions, participants were seen individually for fourteen 1-hr sessions over a 4-month period. All the treatment groups showed significant improvement, whereas the wait-list control group did not. Cognitive-behavioral treatment was, however, the most successful in reducing purging and in promoting positive psychological changes. Fifty-six percent of participants in this condition ceased binge eating and purging by the end of treatment, and the frequency of purging declined by 77.2% during the same period. Of the three treatment conditions, only cognitive-behavioral treatment was superior to the wait-list control. At the 6-month follow-up, 59% of the cognitive-behavioral group were abstinent, and purging had declined by 80%. Cognitive-behavioral treatment was significantly superior to the other treatment groups at this time. Thus, the addition of response prevention of vomiting did not enhance the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral treatment, and the evidence suggests that it may have had a deleterious effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Flashbulb memories and underlying cognitive mechanisms: Reply to Pillemer.

We recently argued as stated by M. McCloskey et al (see record 1988-28560-001) that the available evidence fails to warrant postulation of a special flashbulb memory mechanism. Although apparently agreeing with our conclusion, D. B. Pillemer (see record 1990-27509-001) criticizes us on a number of grounds. In this reply we address Pillemer's criticisms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On worthwhile icons: Reply to Di Lollo and Haber.

Responds to R. N. Haber's (see record 1986-11000-001) and V. Di Lollo's (see record 1986-10993-001) comments on the study of a procedure to estimate the worth of an icon conducted by the present author et al (see record 1986-00309-001). In response to Haber, the author maintains that icons can be spatiotopic as well as retinotopic, knowledge of icons is necessary for designing video-display systems, and ecological validity should not be a criterion for the scientific investigation of some topics. Responding to Di Lollo, the author argues that this general model does not account for several salient aspects of data by the present author et al. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapeutic flexibility in the case of Gary: Too little, too late.

Responds to T. F. Van Denburg and E. J. Van Denburg's (see record 1994-18427-001) response to M. F. Hoyt's (see record 1994-18395-001) commentary on Van Denburg and Van Denburg's (see record 1993-06526-001) article about a case of premature therapy termination. When a treatment is not working try something different. The issue is not long vs short therapy, but a readiness to respond flexibly. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The case of Gary: In search of post-hoc quixotic flexibility.

Responds to M. F. Hoyt's (see record 1995-22250-001) commentary on T. F. Van Denburg and E. J. Van Denburg's (see record 1994-18427-001) response to Hoyt's (see record 1994-18395-001) commentary on Van Denburg and Van Denburg's (see record 1993-06526-001) article about a case of premature therapy termination. Issues related to limits and flexibility in treatment are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and cancer: A reply to Stachnik.

T. J. Stachnik's (see record 1980-10503-001) call for work in the area of prevention contains a naive assumption that we know what to do to prevent cancer. However, oncologists and epidemiologists involved in cancer research disagree about this very issue. Current research suggests that alterations in the tumor–host relationship, mediated at the biochemical level by endocrine or immune function and influenced by psychological response to the disease state, should not be ignored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Compounding the errors: A reply to Pollak and Gilligan.

Responds to a rebuttal by S. Pollak and C. Gilligan (see record 1984-12283-001) of the present authors' (see record 1984-12235-001) criticisms of Pollak and Gilligan's (see record 1982-23594-001) study of males and females' violent TAT responses. In addition to not addressing the prior criticisms, it is argued that Pollak and Gilligan introduce 3 new sources of errors regarding their misunderstanding of experimental replication, fantasy classification, and statistical inference. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)