Supporting and treating families with children on the autistic spectrum: The unique role of the generalist psychologist.

Research findings indicate that intensive behavior therapy (e.g., applied behavioral analysis, or ABA) represents an effective treatment for autistic spectrum disorders. Unfortunately, children with autism represent an underserved patient population. Parents often make treatment decisions with insufficient information and report problems in establishing and maintaining treatment programs. This practice review asserts that psychologists, including those without professional certification or coursework in ABA, are in a unique position to assist affected children and their families. Psychologists can provide critical information about evidence-based treatment; offer assistance in overcoming barriers to intensive treatment, including personnel selection; and provide ongoing support to family members. Case examples also illustrate how psychologists can help families address specific barriers to intensive treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Working with the masculine mystique: Male gender role conflict, counseling self-efficacy, and the training of male psychologists.

Psychologists must be prepared to serve increasingly diverse clients. However, research suggests that specific consequences of a traditional male socialization, collectively known as gender role conflict (GRC), interfere with trainees' developing appropriate therapeutic skills with certain populations. In an effort to address this, and to inform those involved in the training and supervision of male therapists, this article discusses (a) the theory of male GRC, (b) its relationship to the clinical performance of male psychologists, (c) links between that relationship and sense of self-efficacy as a therapist, and (d) specific suggestions for addressing GRC during the course of clinical training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The industrial psychologist: Education and employment.

This study is based upon the 708 (out of 716) Division 14 members and fellows for whom complete biographical entries are contained in the 1959 APA Directory. This constitutes about 4% of the total APA membership. Major sections are: Sample, Education, Employment (Changes in initial employment, Turnover, Status and present employment). "Over half of the members of Division 14 received their highest degree in 1949 or later." (4 tables) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The alcoholic psychologist: Issues, problems, and implications for the profession.

Alcoholism, a major health problem currently being addressed by other professions, has unique features, manifestations, and ramifications for psychologists. Salient aspects of alcoholism in psychology include etiological and motivational factors, characteristic behaviors, and specific risk factors in the work environment of psychologists. Alcoholism, conceptualized as a deeply embedded permanent addiction not resolvable by conscious, planned effort, constitutes a special dilemma for psychologists who hold a strong belief in the powers of the mind and in the capacity to comprehend and alter behavior. Current efforts to effectively and humanely deal with alcoholism within the professions, modeled on self-help principles of Alcoholics Anonymous in combination with professional treatment, are examined, including the present efforts in psychology to deal with distressed psychologists. An advocacy role for the American Psychological Association to assist in the development of a peer-collaborative network for psychologists in recovery is suggested. (58 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Curiosity, compassion, and doubt: The dilemma of the psychologist.

Persons "tend to gravitate to those occupations which fit in with their preferred ways of seeking gratification and minimizing anxiety." Certain elements are common to all psychologists: curiosity, compassion, and doubt. Psychology training programs "should have maximum flexibility so as to facilitate each student's following the program which represents his optimal mix of research and application… . The research psychologist must be more accepting of the practicing psychologist's more direct expression of compassion, perhaps by being less conflicted about his own need to doubt; and, similarly, the practicing psychologist must relinquish the attitude that doubting represents being unfeeling, or even pathological." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethics and the invisible psychologist.

Psychologists have historically conducted research, taught, and provided human services directly with and for people who could readily identify the providers as psychologists. Increasingly, psychologists find themselves engaged in supplying consulting services that affect the lives of many people but take place without public scrutiny or identification. In these situations, the client may be a nonprofit agency, corporation, or government entity, but the effects of the psychologist’s work may have rippling consequences that affect many individuals’ lives profoundly. The ethical responsibility of such invisible psychologists may extend to members of the public not typically considered clients of the psychologist and raise particular concerns when the net result has adverse consequences for individuals or society. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's understanding of adoption: Developmental and clinical implications.

Because adopted children are overrepresented in mental health settings, their parents often consult psychologists to help them understand and manage some of the unique developmental and childrearing challenges they commonly face. One of the most frequent issues raised by these parents is talking with their children about adoption. This article provides a developmental framework for helping psychologists understand the way children comprehend adoption and the implications of their adoption knowledge for psychological adjustment. It also provides psychologists with useful guidelines for supporting parents to meet the challenges of discussing adoption with their children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Disability and rehabilitation research: Opportunities for participation, collaboration, and extramural funding for psychologists.

The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) funds research and related activities that promote new knowledge that helps individuals with disabilities to perform regular activities in the community and increases the capacity of society to provide full opportunities and supports for individuals with disabilities. NIDRR achieves this goal by promoting interdisciplinary research and related activities. Psychologists play a key role in many of these activities and assist with improving understanding of disability and rehabilitation by participating in peer review of research proposals or by reviewing NIDRR's proposed research priorities. Psychologists also contribute by taking advantage of training and the many other opportunities for support outlined in this article. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A survey of clinical psychology training in Canadian federal corrections: Implications for psychologist recruitment and retention.

Although survey results seem to indicate an abundant interest among Canadian psychology graduate students in pursuing training in criminal justice psychology, the recruitment and retention of psychologists in the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has been of some concern. The present study is a 2008 survey of sites within CSC that provide opportunities for clinical psychology training with offender clientele. Survey findings demonstrated that a broad range of clinical psychology training opportunities were available across 16 sites. The most frequently cited barrier to providing training was lack of time by prospective trainers, and sites reported retaining relatively few of their trainees for subsequent psychologist positions. Information was also obtained regarding vacant psychologist positions across CSC regions. In light of survey findings, substantive discussion is devoted toward the issues of psychologist recruitment and retention in Canadian federal corrections, including a discussion of both potential and existing training initiatives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Resilience to loss and chronic grief: A prospective study from preloss to 18-months postloss.

The vast majority of bereavement research is conducted after a loss has occurred. Thus, knowledge of the divergent trajectories of grieving or their antecedent predictors is lacking. This study gathered prospective data on 205 individuals several years prior to the death of their spouse and at 6- and 18-mo postloss. Five core bereavement patterns were identified: common grief, chronic grief, chronic depression, improvement during bereavement, and resilience. Common grief was relatively infrequent, and the resilient pattern most frequent. The authors tested key hypotheses in the literature pertaining to chronic grief and resilience by identifying the preloss predictors of each pattern. Chronic grief was associated with preloss dependency and resilience with preloss acceptance of death and belief in a just world. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Let's be realistic: When grief counseling is effective and when it's not.

Comments on the article by D. Larson and W. Hoyt (see record 2007-11559-003) which argued that bereavement researchers have erroneously and unscientifically advocated the pessimistic conclusion that grief counseling is ineffective and perhaps even harmful. They proclaimed that the news is actually good: Grief counseling is not harmful but is as effective as other forms of psychotherapy. Therefore, they concluded, most or all bereaved people should be considered candidates for treatment. This kind of unwarranted optimism is as dangerous, if not more so, than an overly cautious pessimism. The current authors contend that the debate should be focused on (a) fine tuning assessment instruments so that they can best identify those bereaved people in serious clinical need and (b) further developing effective treatments that can more judiciously intervene when intervention is called for. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stemming the TIDE: A correction of Fortner (1999) and a clarification of Larson and Hoyt (2007).

In this article, the author corrects an error in his 1999 dissertation (see record 2000-95004-391), which was summarized in detail shortly after its approval and was intensely examined more recently by D. G. Larson and W. T. Hoyt (see record #200711559-003). An error in the text of the dissertation transposed the variables of the denominator of the treatment-induced deterioration statistic (TIDE). The error was limited to the text of the document, and all calculations and results reported in the dissertation are correct. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologists' Attitudes and Therapeutic Approaches Toward Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues Continue To Improve: An Update.

Psychologists' attitudes and approaches toward the gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) lifestyle continue to change, on the basis of results from 437 responding members of the American Psychological Association. Psychologists are more likely to view an active GLB lifestyle-identity as acceptable and non-pathological, more likely to support and provide gay-affirmative therapy, and much less likely to support changing sexual orientation through psychotherapy. Female psychologists are significantly more likely to view a GLB lifestyle as accepting and to provide gay-affirmative therapy to GLB clients compared with their male counterparts. Finally, training opportunities for psychologists involving GLB issues appear to be increasing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Convergence: A phenomenon in counseling and in psychotherapy.

"As originally used… 'convergence' referred to a lessening of discrepancy in judgments made by pairs (or larger groups) of subjects." It is anticipated that "in the therapeutic interaction itself a dependent event of convergence analogous to that of convergence in judgment-making… shifts in degree toward norms and standards made available to him by the therapist" will be found on the part of the client. "Indeed, in examining others' systematic discussions of the therapeutic process and their supporting evidence, we are struck more by the relevance and potential utility of the convergence postulate than by its spanking newness." The convergence postulate "affords meaningfulness and focus to the making of a social-structural analysis of the therapeutic process." Research "on therapeutic convergence may help make clear in what ways therapy, as a social event, may differ from other diadic relationships in everyday life." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Roles for Psychologists in End-of-Life Care: Emerging Models of Practice.

Professional psychologists are increasingly likely to encounter opportunities to work with patients and families facing end-of-life issues. Psychologists can provide psychological assessment, intervention for patients and families, consultation with and support of health care team members, grief therapy, and program development and evaluation. Psychological services are useful for healthy individuals who wish to make thoughtful plans about their own future care, patients with life-limiting illnesses, families stressed by providing end-of-life care, bereaved individuals, and health care providers who face issues of burnout and strain. Several challenges for psychologists working in end-of-life care are noted, including training, development of clear roles, and reimbursement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A realistic approach to drawing conclusions from the scientific literature: Response to Bonanno and Lilienfeld (2008).

Replies to comments made by G. A. Bonanno and S. O. Lilienfeld (see record 2008-07318-017), which commented on the original article by D. Larson and W. Hoyt (see record #200711559-003) for what Bonanno and Lilienfeld believe are inaccurate conclusions regarding the empirical literature on grief counseling. In the brief space allotted for this response, the authors correct several mischaracterizations of our conclusions and note points of agreement between their actual conclusions, including those partially quoted by Bonanno and Lilienfeld, and their own stated views about grief counseling. The authors elaborate on their earlier discussion about how researchers and practitioners can draw valid conclusions from the empirical literature and what factors add to their confidence about these conclusions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Her energy, joy and her loss: Nancy Kathleen Norvell.

It is with great sorrow and regret that this journal announces the death and loss of Nancy Norvell. Nancy was one of the very first consulting psychologists to offer her services to this editor and this journal when it was the Consulting Psychology Bulletin. An article written for Inside USF, by Alissa Algarin, following the death of Nancy Norvell is included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Polarities of experience: Relatedness and self-definition in personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process and Relatedness, self-definition and mental representation: Essays in honor of Sidney J. Blatt.

Reviews the books, Polarities of experience: Relatedness and self-definition in personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process by Sidney J. Blatt (see record 2008-01813-000) and Relatedness, self-definition and mental representation: Essays in honor of Sidney J. Blatt edited by John S. Auerbach, Kenneth N. Levy, and Carrie E. Schaffer (2005). These two volumes present a most impressive and fitting capstone to Sidney Blatt’s very productive lifetime of almost unmatched threefold integration of (a) clinical experience, beginning with his astute observation of the strikingly different thematic preoccupations of two otherwise very similarly depressed patients whom Blatt was analyzing during his psychoanalytic training; (b) the theoretic conceptualization stemming from these clinical observations, which became the basic fabric of his lifetime major addition to our psychological explanatory universe; and (c) the painstaking systematic empirical data gathering, together with the creation of necessary—and truly appropriate—measures and instruments that, in ensemble, provide such strong data-based support for Blatt’s clinically inspired theoretic harvesting. In the book Polarities of experience: Relatedness and self-definition in personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process, Blatt draws upon a vast literature review of his own work with his collaborating authors—as well as a seemingly exhaustive list of contributors in all the linked and related areas. Blatt has organized his volume sequentially (after defining and describing his fundamental polarity of experience) into three logically following sections on personality development, personality organization and psychopathology, and lastly, the therapeutic process. Relatedness, self-definition and mental representation: Essays in honor of Sidney J. Blatt is put together by three of Blatt’s former students, and now collaborating partners, although published 3 years earlier (2005), is best read as a supplement to, and a complement of, Blatt’s own account. There are 18 chapters, about half of them by Blatt’s former students who became working colleagues, and they are all well represented in Blatt’s own volume as well as having ample references to papers by, and with, Blatt in their own chapters here (anywhere from a dozen references to their work together, and on up, per chapter). The other half are by eminent colleagues, at Yale University and elsewhere, contemporaries of Blatt, with shared or related interests, and some of their chapters are based on that shared interest, though usually approached from a differing perspective, and some are expositions of their own work, with only tangentially shared themes. This half is a set of most distinguished psychological colleagues, all joined in paying tribute to their admired colleague. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychologist and hospital policy: A report from the real world.

Discusses the hospital as a "city-state" and how psychologists' skills can be applied there. Decision making by hospital staff is discussed in terms of meta-issues. Psychologists have useful hospital skills apart from the traditional roles of assessment, therapy, and program evaluation. These skills include the knack of conceptualizing complex and dynamic situations and of using their own reactions as an instrument to understand special interests involved, shift the balance of incentives, and improve communication. (1 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Description and psychometric evaluation of the Youth Counseling Impact Scale.

The present article describes and evaluates the Youth Counseling Impact Scale (YCIS; L. Bickman et al., 2007), a recently developed therapeutic process measure that assesses youths' perceptions of the impact individual mental health counseling sessions have on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This measure is intended for frequent use in the mental health treatment of youths aged 11–18. It provides a general Impact score as well as two subscale scores: Insight and Change. Five hundred youths receiving mental health services participated in this investigation. Classical test theory, item response theory, confirmatory factor nalysis, and analyses of the relationship of the YCIS with other scales were used to evaluate the research questions. The results suggest that, overall, the YCIS is a well-functioning scale with good psychometric properties. The proposed model for 1 primary general factor of impact and 2 secondary factors (Insight and Change) fit the data well. Specific weaknesses of the scale are discussed, and possible improvements are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)