Review of Understanding biological psychiatry.

Reviews the book, Understanding biological psychiatry by Robert J. Hedaya (see record 1996-97828-000). This book is designed to bridge the gap between most psychotherapists and the topic of psychotropic medication. The clearly stated intention of Hedaya's book is to provide non-physician mental health practitioners with an adequate understanding of biologic mechanisms in the major mental disorders, sufficient for them to make informed decisions about whom to refer, when to refer, and how to evaluate outcomes. On the whole, the reviewer thinks Hedaya's book succeeds mightily. His contact with the basic literature surrounding the various disorders, including OCD, the impulse disorders, substance use difficulties, and attentional problems, all mark this as a sophisticated text that is broadly applicable for psychotherapists. This is true virtually regardless of the domain of human difficulties with which readers regularly work. (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 Animal models for psychiatry.

Reviews the book, Animal models for psychiatry by J. D. Keehn (1986). The topic of this book is timely, for the use of nonhuman laboratory animals in behavioural research has become a controversial issue. As an expert on ethical issues in psychological research, Keehn is an appropriate person to examine and summarize the role of nonhuman species in the study of abnormal behaviour. In the first section of the book, Keehn attempts to evaluate the ethics of behavioural experimentation with nonhuman subjects and to summarize several principles of humane experimental procedures. In the second part of the book he catalogues various clinical syndromes in nonhumans and describes various experimental paradigms that he believes are appropriate for the study of "psychiatric" disorders. As a defence of animal research and a summary of animal syndromes, the book is successful. As a summary of animal models and a guide for the researcher, both novice and experienced, I found the book disappointing on two scores. First, the book is not held together by any theoretical glue but rather seems more of a catalogue of examples of psychopathology in nonhumans. My second disappointment comes from the author's uneven emphasis on different disorders. Overall, I enjoyed the book and feel it is a useful volume. It provides an extensive summary of examples of psychopathology in nonhumans and illustrates the usefulness of behavioural studies as models of neurotic conditions in particular. Further, it argues forcefully for the importance of behavioural research in the study of mental disorders and could serve as a good place for undergraduates to read about the issues involved in animal research. The book falls short, however, as a "must have" volume for those active researchers or clinicians. Unfortunately, it offers us little insight into the nature of psychopathologic behaviour in either human or nonhuman subjects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Philosophy of psychology.

Reviews the book, Philosophy of psychology by Daniel N. Robinson (see record 1985-97596-000). In this book, Robinson offers what might be considered to be four essays in the philosophy of mind. In these essays he has set out to clarify some rather fundamental concepts operative within the mainstream of psychology, and he brings to bear on these the conceptual machinery of philosophical psychology proper. That is, he asks foundational, or meta-psychological, questions about the reigning assumptions in the field. These questions fall into four general areas, or sub-themes, within psychology as a whole, each topic being taken in a separate chapter. These topics will be explored briefly. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychological and behavioral aspects of physical disability—A manual for health practitioners.

Reviews the book, Psychological and behavioral aspects of physical disability—A manual for health practitioners by James E. Lindemann (1981). According to the authors indication in the preface, this book is a guide for professionals who work with people with serious physically disabling conditions. It aims to provide information and "how-to" suggestions for evaluation and treatment of physical disabilities. The book focuses on helping people make decisions, acquire skills, and seek experiences that permit them most fully to enjoy the competency and satisfaction of human existence. It is based on the emerging development in behavioral medicine and health psychology. (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 Psychological Thought from Pythagoras to Freud: An Informal Introduction.

Reviews the book, Psychological Thought from Pythagoras to Freud: An Informal Introduction by Gardner Murphy (1968). Those individuals who look on Gardner Murphy as one of the (alas) few really literate psychologists of the twentieth century will have their admiration of him reinforced by this volume of essays. They were originally presented as a series of lectures at the Menninger School of Psychiatry in 1966-67. One of them, on "The Mathematical View of Life and Mind: Pythagoras", has already been published in the American Psychologist while another, "Evolution: Charles Darwin", has appeared in the Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic. Whether the topic is the place (and misplace) of quantification in psychology, materialist and functionalist views of psychology, the role of divine grace in the evolution of the concept of the will, nationalistic differences in the handling of common psychological problems, psychology's post evolutionary theory concerns, the stream of William James' thought, Gestalt psychology or Freudian psychoanalysis, Murphy remains erudite, informative and, occasionally, provocative. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychological testing.

Reviews "Psychological testing," by Anne Anastasi (see record 1954-15003-000). Anastasi's book is scholarly, thoughtful, and thorough. Its coverage is broad, yet there has necessarily been selection. The selection has been generally good and the emphases well placed. As an example of textbook organization and writing, this volume may well serve as a model. In spite of good writing, however, the reading will not be found easy except by the better students. The author seems to be right at home when discussing such disparate subjects as factor analysis and projective techniques; measures of artistic aptitude and situational tests; infant tests and measures of deterioration. The author brings into high relief the great amount of floundering that has occurred in connection with attempts to measure deterioration, with projective techniques, and with situational tests. Like most authors who write about tests, she thinks of them entirely as measures of individual differences. It is time that we broaden this conception and recognize that "occasional differences" are also measured by means of tests and that the experimental psychologist is perpetually using tests for this purpose. In only one important place does the author seem uncritical: when she accepts the "projective line" that projective tests take the "global approach." A debatable point, which Anastasi recognizes, is the false dichotomy that has persisted between aptitude tests and personality tests. Surely an individual's abilities are a part of his personality. Overall, it is difficult to find flaws in this book, technical or otherwise. (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 Human developmental neuropsychology.

Reviews the book, Human developmental neuropsychology by Otfried Spreen, David Tupper, Anthony Risser, Holly Tuokko, and Dorothy Edgell (1984). The authors accepted a formidable challenge when they undertook this volume. The goals were first to review developmental psychology, pediatric neurology, and developmental neurobiology and, second, to integrate the information from these fields, attempting to make it understandable for the nonspecialist. They succeeded at the first and failed at the second. As a survey and catalogue of information, the book is truly impressive. It summarizes some 1600 references from very diverse fields and includes many goldmines of little-known material for the specialist. The volume is worth the price for this alone and I expect to use it often as a reference source. Finally, the book will serve as a good companion to Gaddes' book, Learning Disabilities and Brain Function. What is most important about this combination is that both books are from the psychology department at the University of Victoria and serve to underscore the fact that this department is developing into an important center for neuropsychological study in Canada. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Tests and assessment.

Reviews the book Tests and Assessment (1985) by Jacqueline Schakel. From its broad title, this book might be classified as a general textbook on assessment for anyone who is learning about testing procedures. Indeed, in the preface, the authors present their book as a text for undergraduate courses on testing in general psychology, and for graduate courses in counseling, vocational, educational, and industrial psychology as well as for "students in counselor education, guidance and counseling, educational administration and other disciplines." Although the book does have some useful general sections on tests and assessment, it is clear that the real audience for this book is less extensive than the authors state. The examples used, tests reviewed, and issues discussed are chiefly for students in personnel and guidance or vocational psychology. If you are such a student or teach assessment courses to students in these programs, read on. Parts of this book may interest you. If you are a school psychologist or teacher of school psychology, you will find this text limited. The overall organization of the book could have been improved by reviewing the theories of person-environment interaction (upon which the authors claim to base their treatment of assessment) before their discussion of specific assessment tools and integrating a discussion of this theoretical basis throughout the book. In summary, this book does not offer the broad treatment of assessment issues and the focus on the kinds of assessment required in schools which are necessary to school psychologists. It provides some useful reviews of tests for guidance and vocational decision making, some concise explanations of assessment concepts, and a well-written section on some specific testing controversies that may be useful to students in the counseling field. (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 Law and mental health: International perspectives, Volume 2.

Reviews the book, Law and mental health: International perspectives, Volume 2 edited by David N. Weisstub. Following the 1984 publication of Volume 1, reviewed in CJBS (1986), David Weisstub recently edited a second volume in this series. The publication follows the multidisciplinary lead established in the first volume. It consists of five papers, of which three are legal essays and two are empirical social science literature reviews. The two social science articles would be of interest to more psychologists, but particularly those in forensic and correctional psychology. Unlike the first volume, however, the legally oriented papers do not address the classical "forensic" issues. Instead, they deal more generally with legal aspects of mental health. In preparing a multidisciplinary edition, a reasonable objective given the topic, the editor has convened a collection of articles from various disciplines (law, medicine, psychiatry, psychology, criminology, and sociology) instead of articles that, in themselves, represent an integration of disciplines. Once again, one is left wondering if ever the twain shall meet between law and social science. Nonetheless, the editor, as promised, has put together papers on five current issues that are of international importance to law and to mental health. they deal more generally with legal aspects of mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Jubilee of the Psychological Review: Fifty volumes of the Psychological Review..

Presents a historical overview of the Psychological Review, and discusses the environment in which it was founded in 1894 and its subsequent evolution. The roles of J. M. Cattell and J. M. Baldwin in founding the Psychological Review are discussed. Key early contributors and their papers are also briefly reviewed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychological stress and psychopathology.

Presents a review of Psychological Stress and Psychopathology, edited by Richard W. J. Neufeld (1982). This volume presents a collection of 12 chapters on different aspects of the association between stress and psychological disorder. Each contribution is made by acknowledged experts in their fields, and the total collection represents an excellent and authoritative overview of the present state of our knowledge of the influence of stressors on mental health. The book falls into four main sections, the first two of which deal with the role of stress factors in precipitating or enhancing vulnerability to schizophrenia and depression. The third part encompasses more theoretical considerations on broader issues raised by stress research. The book closes with a fourth section on the efficacy of various treatment interventions for stress-related maladaptive behaviours. This text reminds us of the need to improve our ways of attempting to control the myriad factors which interact within the global construct of stress and provides us with a number of imaginative methodological approaches. For all those concerned with the examination of stress and its contribution to disturbed behaviour, Neufeld's book is a goldmine of information and advice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Intelligence and learning.

Reviews the book, Intelligence and Learning edited by Morton P. Friedman, J. P. Das and Neil O'Connor (1981). This volume (624 pages) consists of 57 papers presented at the NATO conference on intelligence and learning held at York University, England in 1979. It brings together concepts of intelligence from traditional psychometric approaches, the developmental and qualitative views of the Piagetians, biological theories and information processing models. The emphasis is upon intelligence within the context of learning and experience, with a balanced treatment of theory, research and the applications of both. In their introductory remarks the editors rather unassumingly refer to the book as "a sample of research and thinking relating intelligence to major psychological processes." It is a sample which provides a comprehensive and in-depth account of a complex field of inquiry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Depression.

Reviews the book, Depression edited by Paul H. Hoch and Joseph Zubin (see record 2006-09526-000). Perhaps the main value of this book is that it brings together a wide assortment of material related to depressions and allied conditions. It consists of 16 independent papers originally presented at the 1952 meeting of the American Psychopathological Society (APS). Represented in the symposium are theories and findings from the fields of clinical psychiatry, psychodynamics, anthropology, endocrinology, biochemistry, biometrics, and hospital administration. Attention is given to depressive reactions in children, the aged, cancer patients, and soldiers exposed to isolated Arctic conditions. Most of the articles are reviews of previously published work. Much still remains to be learned about depressions but in focusing attention on and in providing a wide-range view of the problem the APS has performed a useful service. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Beyond Piaget: A philosophical psychology.

Reviews the book, Beyond Piaget: A philosophical psychology by Jean-Claude Brief (1983). Dr. Brief's book is a serious attempt by a philosopher to draw epistemological and general psychological implications from Piaget's life work. In substance the book offers Dr. Brief's own neo-Piagetian model of cognitive development and genetic epistemology. Dr. Brief's is a purely theoretical reformulation of Piaget's enterprise. Its interest for psychologists lies in the fact that this is a philosophically more explicit reformulation, quite similar to other currently popular neo-Piagetian views. The book is well written, but psychologists may find, particularly in the second half, that the notions and considerations discussed are not explicit enough, or familiar enough, to add clarity to their understanding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gestalt therapy and the Psychological Abstracts..

Reviewed Psychological Abstracts (PA) from 1940 to 1977 for gestalt therapy (GT) references. It was not until 1973 that PA recognized GT as a separate entity and no longer incorrectly subsumed it under the heading of gestalt psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)