On the validity of social skills assessments: An analysis of role-play and ward staff ratings of social behavior in a maximum security setting.

Assessed the social skill of 64 male patients in a maximum security psychiatric hospital. Assertion and conversational role-plays were videotaped and rated on a variety of social skill dimensions. Ward staff rated the S's social behavior on a socialization scale and on the Social Contact and Communication subscales of the MACC Behavioral Adjustment Scale. Social skill and a number of relatively complex social skill dimensions in both assertion and conversation role-plays correlated significantly with the in vivo measures. Results support the external validity of role-played interactions in the assessment of social skill as well as the suggestion that social skills training should emphasize the more complex interpersonal behaviors. (French abstract) (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral training of social skills in shy males.

31 college males who had reported themselves unable to interact with women in specific social situations were asked to record every interaction for 1 wk. Following this, a series of behavioral tests was given. When compared to a group of confident Ss, shy Ss interacted with fewer women, in fewer situations, and for less time outside of the laboratory. In laboratory test situations shy Ss rated themselves and were rated by Os as being more anxious. Pulse rate was monitored during the behavioral testing. Confident Ss had significantly less pulse rate change during the test situations. After pretesting, shy Ss were randomly assigned to either an assessment control group or an analogue treatment group, with treatment consisting of 3 sessions of behavior rehearsal, modeling, and coaching. On posttesting, Ss who had received treatment showed less physiological responsivity to the testing stimuli, reported less anxiety, and were rated as being more skillful in the test situations. Behavioral diaries revealed that following treatment Ss who received training changed more than control Ss on several measures of frequency and duration of interactions with women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of social skills training groups and social skills bibliotherapy with psychiatric patients.

The effectiveness of a systematic social skills group training program was compared to both a bibliotherapy program group and a typical hospital treatment control group (10 18–56 yr old patients per group). Assessment instruments included self-report (Rathus Assertiveness Schedule), observational, and in vivo measures. Results on the observational measure show that the skills training group improved significantly more than the control group, and this difference was maintained at follow-up. The skills group also showed superior improvement on the self-report measure. Results fail to demonstrate the efficacy of bibliotherapy. Findings concerning generalization of social skills group treatment effectiveness were encouraging in that 2 of 3 measures employed to test for generalization showed significant effects. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training psychiatric nursing staff in social approval skills.

18 psychiatric nursing staff members (mean age 32 yrs) participated in an experimental training study to test the effectiveness of a brief microtraining instructional format against a traditional discussion training format. Results indicate that both microtraining and discussion treatments produced improved in-vivo performance of verbal and nonverbal social-approval skills, but microtraining treatment resulted in significantly greater in-vivo use of both verbal and nonverbal social-approval skills at posttreatment and a 5-wk follow-up. No differences in skill comprehension were evident across the 2 training treatments. (French abstract) (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Symptoms and personality characteristics of patients in a maximum security psychiatric unit

Combinations of either brodimoprim or trimethoprim plus either carbenicillin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin or rifampicin showed synergy at sub-inhibitory concentrations against both Enterococcus faecalis NCTC 5957 and 775. Brodimoprim alone and in combination showed greater antibacterial activity against both strains of E. faecalis than trimethoprim. MBCs of brodimoprim and trimethoprim were 14.4 and 25.6 mg/L for E. faecalis NCTC 5957 and 7.2 and 12.8 mg/L for E. faecalis NCTC 775. Combinations of either brodimoprim or trimethoprim plus the other antibacterial agents, except gentamicin and dibromopropamidine isethionate, were bactericidal at achievable plasma concentrations. Viable count determinations of cultures of both test organisms in the presence of 3/4 of the MIC of each of the four antibiotics and the two antifolates alone and combinations of each antibiotic with either brodimoprim or trimethoprim indicated that only the combinations prevented recovery and regrowth of the cultures over 24 h. The ATP released from cultures of both strains of E. faecalis treated with brodimoprim and trimethoprim at the same concentrations was approximately 1.5 times greater with brodimoprim than with trimethoprim. Combinations of 3/4 of the MIC of each of the antibiotics in combination with 3/4 of the MIC of brodimoprim against cultures of both strains of E. faecalis resulted in greater release of ATP than occurred with equivalent trimethoprim combinations. It is postulated that the increased activities observed with the brodimoprim combinations resulted from an effect of brodimoprim on the bacterial cell permeability control. These results indicate that both brodimoprim and trimethoprim offer potential benefits for use with either carbenicillin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin or rifampicin for the treatment of E. faecalis infections.     

Faking good and bad adjustment on the MMPI and overcontrolled-hostility in maximum security psychiatric patients.

25 male patients (mean age 29 yrs) in a maximum security psychiatric hospital were administered the MMPI under each of 3 sets of instructions—honest, fake-good adjustment, and fake-bad adjustment. As in an earlier study with inmates by P. Gendreau et al (see record 1973-30226-001), it was found that Ss were able to fake both good and bad adjustment, but that various faking indices were reasonably accurate in detecting both. Overcontrolled-hostility (OCH) scale scores were related to scores on the faking indices, suggesting that high OCH scores may indicate a desire to appear normal on psychological testing. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fear decrease and identifications in a psychiatric setting.

Explored the generalization of a prior identification-fear correlation and clarification of antecedent-consequent relations with 15 female student nurses on psychiatric assignment. Ss' preexposure identification with their instructor and postexposure identification with staff models were significantly related to fear decrease as predicted. Analyses of control group (N = 16) data and parental identifications in the experimental Ss indicate that the phenomena were specific to models in a fear-arousing setting, independent of initial fear levels, and unlikely to be due to artifact. Results support generalization of previous findings and a theory that identification enhances fear decrease, while fear decrease reinforces identification resulting in a reciprocally reinforcing "snowball" effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Problem-solving skills in suicidal psychiatric patients.

We examined a diathesis-stress-hopelessness model of suicidal behavior, the diathesis in question being a cognitive deficit in problem solving. We further expanded an analysis of the problem-solving skills and deficits of suicidal persons. This we accomplished by comparing a sample of 50 hospitalized patients on suicidal precautions with a control sample of 50 nonsuicidal hospitalized patients. The suicidal group differed from the control group on a number of dependent measures in accordance with the hypothesis that suicidal individuals are deficient in impersonal and interpersonal problem solving, experience more stress, and are more hopeless. Interpersonal problem-solving deficits were confined to tasks requiring subjects to generate alternative solutions to problems, as well as to anticipate negative consequences for proposed solutions. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Temporal stability of alcohol screening measures in a psychiatric setting.

The authors evaluated the test–retest reliability of two common screening instruments administered in a psychiatric setting. The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST; M. L. Selzer, 1971) and the CAGE (D. Mayfield, G. McLeod, & P. Hall, 1974) were administered twice, separated by a 1-week interval, to 71 people receiving outpatient psychiatric services and 64 people in the community with no reported history of psychiatric care. The MAST (r?=?.95) and the CAGE (r?=?.80) demonstrated adequate test–retest reliability and showed little evidence of variation with respect to degree or direction when administered in a psychiatric setting. Compared to a nonclinical sample, reliability estimates obtained in a psychiatric setting were only slightly lower and more variable. In the psychiatric sample, younger men who had a history of alcohol use disorder were found to be the least reliable. Overall, data suggest that people with severe and persistent mental disorders can offer reliable information about their alcohol-related problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neurological implications of WISC verbal-performance discrepancies in a psychiatric setting.

20 children with at least a 25-point difference between the WISC Verbal and Performance IQs (in either direction) were compared with 20 matched control Ss from the same hospital population. The criterion Ss with Verbal IQs at least 25 points higher than Performance IQs had significantly more medical diagnoses of brain damage, more pathological signs on neurological examinations, more abnormal electroencephalograms, and poorer performance on many psychological tests sensitive to brain damage. Those children with Performance IQs that were 25 points or more higher than Verbal IQs were found not to differ from their controls on any of the brain-injury indicators. A 35-variable correlation matrix was computed. The Lincoln-Oseretsky Motor Development Scale raw scores correlated -7.6 with the neurological examination ratings. (25 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social skills training for job maintenance in a psychiatric patient.

Treated a 28-yr-old male psychiatric patient who was having difficulty maintaining his job due to temper outbursts and sensitivity to criticism with social skills training using a multiple-baseline methodology. Targeted behaviors were successfully trained to criteria over a 4-mo period, and independent ratings of work performance by the supervisor indicated significant improvements. Behaviors and ratings of work performance were maintained at a 3-mo follow-up, and S was still performing well on the job 8 mo later, supporting the efficacy of skills training as a clinical strategy for improving vocational adjustment. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivation and employee-supervisor discrepancies in a psychiatric vocational rehabilitation setting.

Examined both employee and supervisor reports of motivational and work adjustment variables, in the context of a psychiatric rehabilitation program, as correlates of program participation and independent ratings of readiness for competitive employment. Ss were 80 employees (aged 21–75 yrs) in a sheltered workshop and transitional employment program affiliated with a state psychiatric hospital. Program participation and work-readiness were associated with both employee and supervisor ratings of motivation after controlling for employee benefit plan, residential status, and social adjustment. Additionally, the degree of supervisor–employee discrepancy in these ratings was negatively correlated with program participation, work-readiness, and estimates of premorbid social competence. The role of motivational factors in vocational rehabilitation and the dynamics of supervisor and employee perceptions of work motivation and adjustment are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of basic social skills.

Proposes a conceptual framework for defining and assessing basic social skills derived from the attempts of social personality psychologists to measure individual differences in nonverbal communication skills. Preliminary testing resulted in the development of a 105-item, pencil-and-paper measure of 7 basic dimensions of social skills, the Social Skills Inventory (SSI). In a series of validation studies using 149 undergraduate students, the SSI demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity in relation to other measures of nonverbal social skill and traditional personality scales (e.g., the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire [16PF], the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale). Scores on the SSI also predicted some social group memberships, typical social behaviors, and the depth of social networks. Evidence suggests that the SSI could prove to be a valuable tool for research in personality and social psychology and for work in applied settings. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contextual considerations in social skills instruction.

Comments on the review of social-skills training programs by G. J. DuPaul and T. L. Eckert (see record 1995-07692-001). It is suggested that a contextual analysis of social behavior has implications for teaching social skills: that students may learn social skills best in the company of people with whom they would typically establish relationships. A need is seen for further development that considers a broader perspective on influential environment and contextual variables related to social-skills acquisition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Screening for posttraumatic stress disorder in a general psychiatric outpatient setting.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may affect survivors of a number of accidents and illnesses, in addition to violence victims and combat veterans. Prior research suggests that PTSD may be underdiagnosed when trauma is not the presenting problem. Thus, a PTSD screening scale might have utility in routine clinical settings. The authors evaluated the screening performance of the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) in a general psychiatric setting. Results indicated that the PDS performed as well in this setting as it did in the original trauma-focused validation studies, independent of PTSD status as a primary, versus secondary, reason for presenting. A simple cutoff score was adequate for case identification. There were no gender effects, and the scale performed equally well among patients with, versus without, a depressive diagnosis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pretesting effects in the evaluation of social skills training.

Evaluated the effects of pretesting in conjunction with a group social skills training program, using a wide variety of outcome measures. Half of the 46 undergraduate Ss were self-referred, while the other half were volunteers from an introductory psychology class. A Solomon 4-groups design was used to evaluate the effects of pretesting, the skills training program, and their interaction. Strong evidence of pretesting effects was found for measures associated with a behavioral forced interaction task. Implications of the results for selection of outcome measures are discussed. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Heterosexual social skills in a population of rapists and child molesters.

Compared the performance of 20 rapists and 20 child molesters (inmates in a federal maximum-security prison) on in vivo, questionnaire, and cognitive assessments of social skill with the performance of 20 non-sex-offender inmates and 20 nonincarcerated high- and low-SES males on the same measures. In behavioral assessments, Ss were asked to engage in a conversation with a female confederate for as long as they felt comfortable doing so. Questionnaires and self-report scales included the Quick Test, Survey of Heterosexual Interactions, and Social Avoidance and Distress Scale. Results indicate that behavioral ratings provided by the S, confederate, and 2 independent judges showed good convergence and portrayed low-SES males as generally less skilled and more anxious than their high-SES counterparts. Within the 2 sex-offender groups, child molesters presented a clearer profile of heterosocial inadequacy than did rapists: These Ss rated themselves as less skilled and more anxious in heterosexual interactions and less assertive in accepting positive feedback from others. Rapists were more similar to low-SES males than were child molesters. It is concluded that the identification of heterosocial inadequacy in a population of sex offenders has etiological implications and points to an area in need of remediation with respect to inmates' postrelease social adjustment. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Detecting back irrelevant responding on the Personality Assessment Inventory in a psychiatric inpatient setting.

The present studies focus on strategies for detecting back irrelevant responding (BIR) on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; L. C. Morey, 1991). Moderate BIR levels can greatly affect the clinical scales of the PAI. Further, the PAI's Inconsistency and Infrequency validity scales are less than optimal for detecting BIR. L. C. Morey and C. J. Hopwood (2004) developed an alternative strategy for detecting BIR that involves comparison of 2 scales from the PAI short-form with the same 2 scales from the PAI full-instrument. The present study examines how different BIR levels affect the clinical, treatment, and interpersonal scales of the PAI in 2 psychiatric inpatient samples. The effectiveness of various strategies for detecting BIR in an inpatient setting is also discussed. Consistent with previous research, moderate rates of BIR impacted several PAI scales in a meaningful way. The Inconsistency and Infrequency validity scales of the PAI were relatively ineffective for detecting low-to-moderate BIR levels. Conversely, the short-form full-instrument comparison strategy was much more sensitive to BIR. Finally, a new BIR detection indicator is presented that improves sensitivity rates for detecting all BIR levels in an acute setting. The implications of these results for detecting BIR in inpatient settings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of the social atmospheres of psychiatric wards.

Describes the development of a Ward Atmosphere Scale, which differentiates between the social atmospheres of psychiatric inpatient wards. An initial form of the scale was given to Ss and staff on 14 wards from Veterans Administration, state, community, private, and university hospitals. The 2nd form of the scale consists of items which significantly differentiate between wards for Ss and/or staff. This form includes 12 subscales, e.g., Spontaneity, Autonomy, Affiliation, Aggression, Variety, and Support, each of which measures the emphasis on 1 dimension of ward atmosphere. Ward profiles which compare average S perceptions of different wards have been constructed. The importance of developing measures of psychological environments and the implications relating to the matching of individual needs and environmental press are discussed. (30 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)