Within- and between-language priming differ: Evidence from repetition of pictures in Spanish-English bilinguals.

In the current study, the authors used an immediate repetition paradigm with pictures to observe whether repetition enhances word production in bilinguals. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to name pictures that were named previously in the same language (Spanish-Spanish or English-English) or in the opposite language (Spanish-English or English-Spanish). Results revealed a repetition effect both within languages and between languages. Furthermore, there was an asymmetry within language, with repetition priming being larger in Spanish than in English. Experiments 2 and 3 revealed that lag interacted with language for both within- and between-language priming. However, lag resulted in a decrease in the asymmetry for within- but not between-language priming. The results are consistent with the view that within- and between-language repetition priming are mediated by different mechanisms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lexical selection in bilingual speech production does not involve language suppression.

The "hard problem" in bilingual lexical access arises when translation-equivalent lexical representations are activated to roughly equal levels and, thus, compete equally for lexical selection. The language suppression hypothesis (D. W. Green, 1998) solves this hard problem through the suppression of lexical representations in the nontarget language. Following from this proposal is the prediction that lexical selection should take longer on a language switch trial because the to-be-selected representation was just suppressed on the previous trial. Inconsistent with this prediction, participants took no longer to name pictures in their dominant language on language switch trials than they did on nonswitch trials. These findings indicate that nontarget lexical representations are not suppressed. The authors suggest that these results undermine the viability of the language suppression hypothesis as a possible solution to the hard problem in bilingual lexical access. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Semantic and letter fluency in Spanish-English bilinguals.

Spanish-English bilinguals and English monolinguals completed 12 semantic, 10 letter, and 2 proper name fluency categories. Bilinguals produced fewer exemplars than monolinguals on all category types, but the difference between groups was larger (and more consistent) on semantic categories. Bilinguals and monolinguals produced the same number of errors across all category types. The authors discuss 2 accounts of the similarities and differences between groups and the interaction with category type, including (a) cross-language interference and (b) relatively weak connections in the bilingual lexical system because of reduced use of words specific to each language. Surprisingly, bilinguals' fluency scores did not improve when they used words in both languages. This result suggests that voluntary language switching incurs a processing cost. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perspectives on bilingual education in canada.

Bilingual education is considered in the context of education as a whole and of communication between people of different languages. It is argued that bilingualism cannot be legislated and that the importance of language in the Canadian French-English question has been overestimated. The schools, teachers, and students are considered in relation to an educational programme for bilingualism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of positive emotion in the therapeutic process of family therapy.

Historically, the role of positive emotions has been somewhat obscured in family therapy by focus on relational processes, behavioral sequences, and interactional patterns. Despite increasing interest in the role of positive emotions in the field of psychology, little attention has been given to these issues in family therapy. As a result, the specific role of positive emotions is neither theoretically nor clinically well understood. The authors analyze the role of positive emotions in Functional Family Therapy, a model in which positive emotions serve as a key element in the proximal and distal outcomes of the phase-based systematic change process. The authors suggest that the important question is not if but how positive emotions are important. It is apparent that positive emotions play a vital role in family therapy. However, the authors are only beginning to uncover the abundant complexities tied to the therapeutic role of positive emotions within the relational patterns of families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of client feedback on couple psychotherapy outcomes.

Using outcome data to monitor the progress of treatment and the therapeutic alliance, also known as “client feedback” or “patient-focused research,” has yielded impressive results in individual psychotherapy. Client feedback has demonstrated reductions in premature terminations and improved psychotherapy outcomes. However, little research has been conducted using this paradigm with couples receiving therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the effectiveness of client feedback would extend to couple therapy. Results from a randomized couple clinical trial conducted in a naturalistic setting indicated that couples in a client feedback condition demonstrated statistically significantly more improvement compared with couples receiving treatment as usual and that improvement occurred more rapidly. Also, 4 times as many couples in the feedback condition reported clinically significant change by the end of treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parallel recovery in a bilingual aphasic: A neurolinguistic and fMRI study.

In bilingual aphasics, the neural correlates of rehabilitation benefits and their generalization across languages are still scarcely understood. The authors present the case of a highly proficient bilingual woman (Flemish, L1/Italian, L2) with chronic aphasia who, in the presence of the same pattern of impairment in both languages, showed parallel recovery in both languages after long-term rehabilitation therapy in L2. The authors postulated that this recovery was due to the engagement of the same neural substrates. To confirm this the authors used an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm to explore cortical activation during an overt picture naming task, performed in both Flemish and Italian once before and once after 2 weeks of training in L2. Behaviorally, the patient showed complete recovery of both languages. The fMRI results indicated that the same cerebral regions were recruited for both languages before and after training. Increasing activations were observed perilesionally and in homologous contralesional areas. Our data, in agreement with previous results of fMRI studies in healthy bilinguals, indicate a promising direction for future research on the neural mechanisms associated with recovery in bilingual aphasics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adapting best practices in CBT for deaf and hearing persons with language and learning challenges.

This article presents the work of a specialty psychiatric unit for deaf people in adapting best practices in cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) for deaf and hearing mental health clients who have severe language and learning challenges. Research cited shows that large numbers of deaf people referred to psychiatric hospitals have severe language impairments (in their best language, usually American Sign Language; ASL), related mainly to inadequate exposure to ASL as a child. These language impairments accompany other kinds of language and cognitive problems found also in hearing persons. Clinicians on the unit adapted the constructivist narrative CBT of Meichenbaum so that it could inform the treatment of these clients. Specifically, the treatment is oriented around the acquisition and development of psychosocial skills. These skills are understood developmentally; that is, early and simple skills develop into more complex coping and conflict resolution skills. All the skills are presented and taught using hundreds of specially developed pictures. Emphasis is placed on interventions that work at a sensorimotor and concrete operational level. A case study is presented along side of a theoretical discussion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The structure of client language and drinking outcomes in project match.

Client language during Motivational Interviewing interventions is an important predictor of drinking outcomes, but there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding what aspects of client language are most predictive. We characterized the structure of client language by factor analyzing frequency counts of several categories of client speech. The results provide limited support for a model proposed by Miller et al. (2006) and Amrhein et al. (2003) but with some important differences. While Amrhein et al. (2003) found that only increasing strength in client commitment language predicted behavior change, the current study revealed that client language preparatory to commitment predicted drinking outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of the reluctant client.

"This paper proposes to consider some theoretical and practical considerations concerning persons who do not enter psychotherapy willingly." A tentative behavioral continuum at the onset of treatment is proposed. This proceeds from "active hostility" at one extreme to "negativism" to "passive resistance" to "neutrality" to "admission of a problem" to "recognition of personal problem and desire for help in working it out." Pretherapy designates any work with reluctant clients with the object of raising them up the continuum to full therapy-client status. Ethical considerations, the role of anxiety, and treatment possibilities are discussed. Brief vignettes of reluctant clients are provided. "They are human beings who are not getting nearly enough peace and happiness out of life—and they are making others miserable in the process. They need help; but many are not getting it. Graduate schools do not offer courses on the treatment of the reluctant client, probably because little study has gone into the problem." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of language in training psychologists to work with Hispanic clients.

The increasing number of Spanish and English bilingual and Spanish-dominant clients requesting psychological services creates challenges for practitioners and agencies. Literature regarding the importance of the Spanish language in providing service to Hispanic clients is reviewed. It is argued that services to Spanish-speaking clients are frequently inadequate because of the lack of training in the use of Spanish in professional settings. A model for training psychologists to provide psychological services in Spanish is presented along with recommendations for practitioners who are struggling with the dilemma of providing services in a language other than that of their professional training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The language of motivational interviewing and feedback: Counselor language, client language, and client drinking outcomes.

Previous research has suggested that motivational interviewing (MI) may affect client language, which in turn predicts client drinking outcome. In this study, we examined the relationship between counselor language and client language, personalized feedback and client language, and client language and client drinking outcome, in a sample of heavy-drinking college students. MI was delivered in a single session with or without a personalized feedback report (MI with feedback [MIF]; MI only). Sessions were coded using the Motivational Interviewing Skill Code 2.1. A composite drinking outcome score was used, consisting of drinks per week, peak blood alcohol concentration, and protective drinking strategies. We found three main results. First, in the MIF group, MI consistent counselor language was positively associated with client change talk. Second, after receiving feedback, MIF clients showed lower levels of sustain talk, relative to MI only clients. Finally, in the MIF group, clients with greater change talk showed improved drinking outcomes at 3 months, while clients with greater sustain talk showed poorer drinking outcomes. These results highlight the relationship between counselor MI skill and client change talk, and suggest an important role for feedback in the change process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of language in the development of the self I: Language acquisition.

The present essay discusses the aspects of the process of language acquisition in relation to the development of the self. Methodological issues are discussed; particularly the integration of maturational and environmental factors in the development of language. Theories of the development of transformational generative grammars point toward maturational aspects, but must be complemented by and integrated with the experience of evolving communication between child and caregivers. Progressive steps in the acquisition of language are discussed with specific reference to the influence of such developments on the concept of the self. Rudiments of a functional self are extant even from within the womb, and develop a conceptual and communicative capacity well before the onset of language. The functional and developmental gains acquired through the emergence of language are indicated in expanding and elaborating the scope and depth of preexistent capacities, and adding new and powerful dimensions to the experiential and expressive capacity of the self, especially in relation to self-awareness and a sense of identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of writing therapy in comparison to EMD/R on traumatic stress: The relationship between hypnotizability and client expectancy to outcome.

Many psychologists encourage clients to engage in journal writing to supplement individual psychotherapy. Empirical evidence supports the use of writing when targeted at traumatic memories. The most thoroughly researched writing strategy, developed by J. Pennebaker (1989), suggests that writing is most effective when it targets a specific memory along with the emotional components of that memory. Effective writing therapy is thus procedurally similar to effective exposure therapy for fear and traumatic memories. This investigation examined structured writing as a self-contained treatment by comparing it to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and it was found to be effective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of language in the development of the self III: The significance of pronouns.

The present essay traces the development of personal pronouns, especially the first person pronouns, as an important aspect of the acquisition of language (discussed in Part I) and its implication for the understanding of the nature and functioning of the self. The use of pronouns is analyzed as a special case of the complex relationship of thought and word. The antecedent preverbal development of the capacity for thinking in relation to the acquisition of the capacity to express thoughts in suitable words (in Part II) comes into play with specific reference to the self in the use of first person pronouns. Thus the thought content of the self concept precedes the emergence of the pronoun that specifies, concretizes, and names the subjective self. This perspective opposes concepts of thought-word connection that admit the existence of the self only in the process of naming or as a byproduct of interlocutary exchange. The self is able not only to name itself as an autonomous and independent entity, but can synonymously identify itself as participant in dialogue with other I's who are named you. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Response to cognitive therapy in depression: The role of maladaptive beliefs and personality disorders.

This study examined whether personality disorder status and beliefs that characterize personality disorders affect response to cognitive therapy. In a naturalistic study, 162 depressed outpatients with and without a personality disorder were followed over the course of cognitive therapy. As would be hypothesized by cognitive theory (A. T. Beck & A. Freeman, 1990), it was not personality disorder status but rather maladaptive avoidant and paranoid beliefs that predicted variance in outcome. However, pre- to posttherapy comparisons suggested that although patients with or without comorbidity respond comparably to "real-world" cognitive therapy, they report more severe depressive symptomatology at intake and more residual symptoms at termination. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Emotional arousal, client perceptual processing, and the working alliance in experiential psychotherapy for depression.

Early-, middle-, and late-phase client emotional arousal, perceptual processing strategies, and working alliance were examined in relation to treatment outcome on 4 measures in 32 clients who previously underwent experiential therapy for depression. Hierarchical regression analyses relating these variables to outcome indicated that results varied depending on the therapeutic process, phase of treatment, and outcome measure involved in the analyses. Mid-therapy arousal predicted improvements in self-esteem, whereas mid- and late treatment perceptual processing predicted reductions in client interpersonal dysfunction. Emotional arousal in conjunction with perceptual processing during mid-therapy predicted reductions in depressive and psychopathological symptomatology better than either of these variables alone. The implications of these findings for psychotherapy research and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of sign language interpreter and therapist moods on deaf recipient mood.

This study questions how the mood and affective reactions of the interpreter and the therapist affect the therapeutic process. Professional sign language interpreters are trained to be impartial conduits who neither add nor subtract from the primary dyadic relationship. This study revealed that despondent interpreter mood caused significant negative mood changes in the deaf participant even when the therapist mood was neutral/cheerful. Practicing psychologists need to consider the susceptibility of deaf clients to the nonverbal mood presentation of sign language interpreters and its implications on the therapeutic alliance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)