Review of Sensory Deprivation: Fifteen Years of Research.

Reviews the book, Sensory Deprivation: Fifteen Years of Research by John P. Zubek (Editor) (1969). Zubek traces the beginning of sensory deprivation studies to McGill University in the early 1950's and presents a comprehensive and critical review of the field since then. Problems deserving further investigation are identified. The idea for the book grows out of a 1964 APA symposium. There are eight distinguished contributors and 13 chapters in all. The level of the book is rather mature and most suitable for senior research students and established researchers. Extensive bibliographic material is provided (750 cited and 450 supplemental reference). The presentation is on the whole comprehensive and exhaustive in respect to the experimental literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Advances in intrinsic motivation and aesthetics.

Reviews the book, Advances in Intrinsic Motivation and Aesthetics edited by Hy I. Day (1981). This collection of 20 original contributions is a fitting tribute to the late Daniel E. Berlyne. The breadth of topics covered gives one some idea of the scope of Berlyne's impact. This edited volume also guides the reader to retrace the path that bears Berlyne's footprints. It turns out to be an intrinsically motivating and rewarding journey. One is often surprised by unexpected turns, aroused by changing terrains, and curious about what lies ahead, but all the time one senses where Berlyne is heading. The destination is always clearly defined, even if the exploration seems diverse and undirected. The traveller may have the feeling of going through a complex maze of winding paths and conflicting signs, but there is a hidden pattern of simplicity detectable to an inquisitive mind. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Clinical Psychologist.

Reviews the book, The Clinical Psychologist edited by Bernard Lubin and Eugene E. Levitt (1967). In all, there are 51 papers and reports, many of them prepared for the American Psychological Association to present material on the deliberations of Committees, meetings, or conferences. They cover the two decades from the 1947 Shakow Report but, as one might expect, the bulk of papers (37) were written in the sixties. The papers, which deal with a broad range of problems and concerns in clinical psychology, are presented in six sections. As with all "collected" books the style and presentation is uneven from paper to paper since each was prepared for a different purpose and publication. One can also criticize because others weren't included or because there is much emphasis given to those from recent years. However, I wish to leave no doubt in the reader's mind that I think this is an excellent collection not only for students and colleagues from other disciplines who are interested in knowing more about the clinical psychologist, but also as a handy reference to our antecedents, our present concerns and, maybe where we are going. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Dissociation: Clinical and theoretical perspectives.

Reviews the book, Dissociation: Clinical and theoretical perspectives by Steven Jay Lynn and Judith W. Rhue (see record 1994-98908-000). In this book, the editors' stated purpose was to provide "a book that would be at once authoritative and provide virtually comprehensive coverage of important aspects of the topic," and they have largely achieved their goal. Because Dissociation is so comprehensive, there is in essence "something for everyone"; in turn, there may be sections of the book which are of less relevance to many readers. For example, clinicians who are primarily concerned about issues of diagnosis and treatment may find the discussion of the theoretical underpinnings of hypnosis and dissociation less than helpful. The sections on diagnosis and treatment, in turn, are of an overview nature; a clinician who is interested in more detailed discussions of these issues will have to go to the original sources. Nevertheless, this book might well be recommended as required reading for clinicians and researchers alike because of its very broad scope. The various authors address important questions which clinicians and researchers should consider. Dissociation makes clear that the concept of dissociation is one of the most complicated and misunderstood concepts in psychology. The history of the concept itself is reviewed at length in the book. Nevertheless, Lynn and Rhue have provided a resource in which a wide variety of perspectives of both a clinical and research nature are presented in a comprehensive yet accessible manner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Behaviour Therapy in Clinical Psychiatry.

Reviews the book, Behaviour Therapy in Clinical Psychiatry by V. Meyer and Edward S. Chesser (see record 1970-21119-000). This is a Penguin paperback psychology series book of 288 pages. It deals mainly with principles. In some sense, it is an annotated review and represents a thorough search of the recent literature. As such, this book has the fault of being both too telegramatic and a bit pedantic. Its major value would seem to be for students of behavioural sciences, thesis writers, and other academics. The contents of the book involve initially a review of psychiatric disorders and learning theories. A second major section reviews principles of conditioning and learning, followed by specific learning theory formulations of psychiatric disorders. A later section covers the theory and methods of treatment, and finally, onto the efficacy of behaviour therapy, current research studies, clinical applications and a consideration of the present status and prospects for behaviour therapy. The general value of this book for "clinical psychiatry" would, I think, be limited. One can imagine that some editor has imposed the title "Behaviour Therapy in Clinical Psychiatry" with a view more to the marketplace than out of respect for the quite commendable research goals and content of the text. In summary, this is a thorough review of the state of the science (but not of the art) and, I would judge, worth the money. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Introduction to Clinical Psychology: An Evidence-Based Approach.

Reviews the book, Introduction to Clinical Psychology: An Evidence-Based Approach by John Hunsley and Catherine M. Lee (2006). Introduction to Clinical Psychology: An Evidence Based Approach is intended to be a textbook for a senior undergraduate or beginning graduate course in clinical psychology. This goal is easily met and the text is a welcome addition to the choices that are available. The authors are leaders within the field, advocating for the use of empirically supported treatments for children, adolescents, and adult clients. It is well organized, clear, and interesting to read, making it appealing to most students. The first chapter does a good job of emphasizing the impact of mental health issues and the need for the profession of clinical psychology. The breadth of the field is covered in Chapter 2. The next sections cover classification, diagnosis, research methods, and assessment. In Chapter 5 (Assessment Overview), the various purposes of assessment are reviewed. Chapter 6 discusses interviewing and observation. The chapter on intellectual and cognitive measures provides a good review of the concept of intelligence and of all of the Wechsler scales. The chapter on prevention is excellent and the narrowing of focus to children and youth was a good decision. The chapters on intervention are among the strongest in the text. The focus is on approaches that have the most empirical support. A broad range of interventions are included. Throughout the text, several themes appear and are embedded within all of the topics and interwoven in the discussions. These include ethical considerations, empirical findings, and the applications of these findings to clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Social Learning and Clinical Psychology.

Reviews the book "Social learning and clinical psychology," by Julian B. Rotter (see record 2005-06617-000). The stated purpose of this book is to arrive at a systematic theory from which may be drawn specific principles for actual clinical practice, and to illustrate some of the more important applications of the theory to the practice. The first three chapters represent for the most part a clear and incisive introduction to the major purpose of the book, chapters which can be read with profit by all clinical psychologists. The next four chapters, which represent the bulk of the book, contain the aims and concepts of Rotter's social learning position as well as the ways in which it differs from other approaches. Rotter's discussion and evaluation of psychoanalytic theory is amazingly superficial and, to the unwary graduate student, misleading. First, it represents one of the few attempts to formulate and apply a learning theory to clinical phenomena and problems-the more such courageous attempts we have, the better will we be able to evaluate the adequacy of such theories. Second, Rotter's formulations have generated a relatively large number of studies at The Ohio State University-a tribute not only to Rotter's effectiveness as a teacher but a reflection of the fruitfulness of the formulations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modified Prenatal Sensory Stimulation Influences Postnatal Behavioral and Perceptual Responsiveness in Bobwhite Quail Chicks (Colinus virginianus).

Asynchronous bimodal stimulation during prenatal development elicits higher levels of behavioral and physiological arousal in precocial avian embryos than does unimodal sensory stimulation. To investigate whether the increased arousal associated with prenatal bimodal stimulation has enduring effects into postnatal development, bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) embryos received no supplemental stimulation, unimodal auditory stimulation, or bimodal (audiovisual) stimulation prior to hatching. Embryos exposed to concurrent bimodal stimulation demonstrated greater levels of behavioral activity and failed to use maternal visual cues to successfully direct species-specific perceptual preferences following hatching. These results provide initial evidence that asynchronous bimodal sensory stimulation during prenatal development can have enduring effects on early postnatal behavioral arousal and perceptual responsiveness and suggest that developmental limitations on prenatal sensory stimulation play an important role in the emergence of species-typical behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychological Diagnosis In Clinical Practice.

Reviews the book, Psychological Diagnosis In Clinical Practice by Benjamin Pope and Winfield H. Scott (1967). The aim of this book according to the authors, is to demonstrate how the clinical psychologist transforms data obtained from tests into diagnostic formulations. They address the book to a wide audience including student psychologists, teachers, social workers, nurses, counselors, and lawyers. While one might like to see such interest, it is difficult to imagine student nurses ploughing through the intricacies of interpreting Card 4 of the Rorschach. Likewise, while one might feel that law students ought to have a smattering of psychology behind them before being turned loose on the public, it is doubtful if this book provides the best source. While the theoretical portion of this book brings together in a useful fashion some of the more recent findings in the psychometric area, there is very little evidence that the authors have permitted this information to affect their actual practice in the clinical situation. Their approach to diagnostic problems appears virtually unchanged from that which was being advocated a quarter of a century ago. As such they sire unwittingly likely to realize the dual aims of discouraging the "better" more critical student from taking clinical psychology seriously, while at the same time providing further ammunition for those individuals within the discipline who are critical of diagnostic testing in general. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of WISC-IV: Clinical Use and Interpretation: Scientist-Practitioner Perspectives.

Reviews the book, WISC-IV: Clinical Use and Interpretation: Scientist-Practitioner Perspectives by Aurelio Prifitera, Donald Saklofske, and Lawrence Weiss (Eds.) (see record 2004-21518-000). This review describes the book's twofold purpose as presenting an introduction to the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4th Edition (WISC-IV) and describing its use in some common clinical populations. The reviewer asserts that the title, "Scientist-Practitioner Perspectives", leads the reader to believe that there will be an evidenced-based approach taken to the use of the WISC-IV in these special populations. This is a tall order given that the WISC-IV has only been released and there has been little research completed using it. Most of the evidence provided is based instead on the WISC-III. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Experimental Psychology of Sensory Behaviour.

Reviews the book, The Experimental Psychology of Sensory Behaviour by John F. Corso. The evaluation of John Corso's book depends to a great extent upon the use for which it is intended. As a text for an experimental psychology course, this book unfortunately has some serious limitations. This is of considerable value for some types of courses; however, for a course in experimental psychology it would seem desirable to give students a broader range of methodologies than those used in sensory psychology. This is a good, but somewhat limited, experimental psychology text that would need considerable supplementation from other sources in order to be adequate for general experimental courses in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychophysiological disorders: Research and clinical applications.

Reviews the book, Psychophysiological disorders: Research and clinical applications by Robert L. Gatchel and Edward B. Blanchard (see record 1994-97036-000). This text assumes the approach of the selective presentation of diseases and disorders with a high morbidity rate. Headache, irritable bowel syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis are discussed by contributing authors, and the reader is provided with concise overviews of salient literature and access to adequate reference sections for expanding clinical and empirical interest. The reader is immediately impressed not only with the expertise and efforts of editor and contributors but also, inevitably, with critical areas which are not covered in this text. This is a useful resource for any clinician treating medically ill patients, and some would justifiably argue that since the disorders and conditions are endemic to the human organism, no patient can be treated without an awareness of the incidence, prevalence, and presentation of the disease processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Self-esteem: Research, theory, and practice.

Reviews the book, Self-esteem: Research, theory, and practice by Chris Mruk (1995). Historically, attempting to define self-esteem has been a lot like defining love, often tried and ever elusive. When one aspect was grasped, others remain out of reach. Dr. Mruk, in his book Self- Esteem: Research, Theory, and Practice acknowledges that self-esteem is both a popular and elusive construct. It is used as both cause and effect, as explanation and outcome, as a factor and as a goal to be attained. It is a construct currently invoked by educators and politicians, clinicians and sociologists, columnists and critics, the authors of popular self-help books and talk show hosts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of A new psychology of men.

Reviews the book, A new psychology of men edited by Ronald F. Levant and William S. Pollack (see record 1995-97524-000). The intent of this book is to "'describe how men's prescribed roles are neither biological nor social givens but rather psychological and social constructions.'" The Theory section includes four chapters primarily focused on social constructivism and psychoanalytic (or perhaps more accurately object-relations theory) views on masculinity. The second section, Research, provides three chapters by researchers of what seem to be disparate orientations. The third section, Applications, is appropriately more practical and speaks to clinicians. The fourth and final section, The Varieties of Masculinity, samples in three chapters issues of ethnic minority males, homosexual and bisexual males, and a final chapter (by the editors) looking to the future and summarizing conclusions from the preceding chapters. The reviewer finds several flaws in this book including interventions that are not applicable and an imbalance in the authors' orientations. However, the reviewer believes that researchers may find the volume helpful in generating hypotheses and new research directions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Madhouse and The Lobotomist.

Reviews the books, Madhouse: A Tragic Tale of Megalomania and Modern Medicine by Andrew Scull (see record 2005-06776-000); and The Lobotomist: A Maverick Medical Genius and His Tragic Quest to Rid the World of Mental Illness by Jack El-Hai (see record 2005-02343-000). In both books, the history of experimental clinical psychiatry is laid bare with devastating accounts of the efforts to conquer mental illness by any means necessary. Both books are fascinating reading and may illuminate our current context in which the biological avenues for treating mental disorders continue to traffic in hopes of a one-size-fits-all cure, while psychoanalysis ambivalently struggles with how to conduct rigorous research to demonstrate the efficacy of our treatment. Andrew Scull's book Madhouse offers a well-documented historical account of a bizarre episode in American psychiatric history. The centerpiece of Scull's investigative work is Henry Cotton, MD, the superintendent of the Trenton State Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey, from 1907-1930. Once Cotton arrived at Trenton, he was appalled by the conditions he found and instituted reforms such as eliminating the culture of violence by attendants, removing over 700 pieces of restraining equipment from the hospital, and introducing occupational therapy. Jack El-Hai gives us the next segment of psychiatric surgery in his book The Lobotomist, a biography of the neurologist, turned surgical outlaw, Walter Freeman, MD. Walter Freeman was a neurologist fascinated with science and experimentation. Settling into work at St. Elizabeth's hospital in Washington, DC, in 1924, Freeman eventually joined the faculty of George Washington University where he remained until 1954. At that time neurosyphilis was the scourge of mental hospitals producing thousands of victims who were totally disabled by the neurological sequellae of tertiary illness. Thus lobotomy became an efficient outpatient procedure that could be applied to a larger patient population. Both of these books are important reading. Of all the great medical advances of the last century, surely the one that stands out as perhaps the greatest is the Nuremberg Code of 1947, which requires a competent patient giving informed consent to treatment and to research efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Confidentiality: Ethical perspectives and clinical dilemmas.

Reviews the book Confidentiality: Ethical Perspectives and Clinical Dilemmas (2003), edited by Levin, Furlong, and O'Neill. This book consists of 20 chapters arranged into 4 sections addressing first a broad overview of confidentiality concerns and then training and research problems, clinical issues, and a concluding section on ethics and law. The reviewer believes that the only regrettable aspect of this fascinating text is its seemingly rather narrow origins, which concern psychoanalysis and (presumably) most psychoanalytically derived or informed psychotherapy. Its editors emphasize treatment methods that rely on transference-countertransference phenomena. In turn, these treatment methods emphasize a clear-cut recognition of irrational sources of patient behavior, including the giving (or not giving) of "consent" to therapist disclosures. However, this book deserves to reach all therapists, not just those committed to a single school of thought. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of New Space for Women.

Reviews the book, New Space for Women edited by Gerada R. Wekerle, Rebecca Peterson, and David Morley (1981). New Space for Women is the author's depiction of the need to formally establish a multidisciplinary field of women and the environment. The book is a collection of 17 original review articles selected from diverse areas, including urban design and planning, social services and academic research, organized under this common theme. The papers are grouped into four general themes: the domestic workplace, effects of urban design on women, women as environmental decision makers, and women as environmental activitist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Panic: Psychological perspectives.

Reviews the book, Panic: Psychological perspectives edited by S. Rachman and Jack D. Maser (see record 1988-97293-000). This volume's forerunner (1985) was the excellent compilation Anxiety and the Anxiety Disorders, edited by Tuma and Maser, which contained facts and theories from all standpoints. The current volume exemplifies the workings of history's pendulum. Although the 1985 volume enabled "psychological and cognitive investigators to present their points of view in many areas of anxiety research, the topic of panic was still dominated by biological studies." The editors have done much the rational reader would look forward to: develop an area at the cutting edge of science, demand thoughtful reviews, expose the reviews to the hurly burly of a meeting, and finally publish the revised papers. Rachman and Maser have produced a useful volume that exceeds most multiauthored edited publications. However, it could have been even better if it had included more directly critical reviews from those who consider the data analyses and theories presented often weak or tendentious and sometimes just beside the point. The advice to the reader interested in this area is to read this book, but recognize its partiality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of La psychologie environnementale.

Reviews the book, La psychologie environnementale by Jean Morval (2007). This book was written in order to fill a important gap in psychology. The fact is that environmental problems and their influence on the daily lives of individuals have relatively few interests to psychologists. This book provided a place for these environmental issues. The contribution of Jean Morval is contains original and relevant issues. The text consists of three chapters as well as an introduction and a conclusion. Chapter 1 provides a revision of basic notions of environmental psychology, personal space, regulation of privacy, 'territoriality', and environmental competence or ecological responsibility. Chapter 2 deals with the effects of four environmental stressors specifically behaviour: noise, heat, pollution and density. Chapter 3 deals with the advances and research. The future on a concept of crucial environmental psychology, the appropriation of space are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Neuropsychological Interventions: Clinical Research and Practice.

Reviews the book, Neuropsychological Interventions: Clinical Research and Practice by Paul J. Eslinger (Ed.) (2005). The pessimistic assumption that the mature human brain lacks any physiological mechanism to support recovery of function beyond that attending the dissipation of diathesis is now thankfully relegated to the (recent) past. Advances in neuroimaging have provided striking evidence of the brain's capacity for functional reorganization, and fueled interest in rehabilitation treatments that may facilitate this process. This book addresses an important facet of this rapidly evolving field, the link between clinical research and practice. The basic science underpinning our emerging appreciation of the brain's plasticity is avowedly not the focus of this volume but is tied with varying degrees of success to the treatment strategies covered. The book contains 14 chapters organized into three parts covering Foundations of Neuropsychological Impairments, Models of Interventions for (specific) Neuropsychological Impairments, and Future Directions, respectively. The reviewer suggests that this is a book that should occupy the most accessible part of the bookshelf of those who work with or have an interest in patients with neuropsychological deficits. It is a concise, thoughtful, well researched, and authoritative resource that can be strongly recommended as a core text for graduate-level rehabilitation psychology courses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)