"Graduate training...in Canada": Comment.

Comments on the original article by Dr. Park O. Davidson (see record 2007-02137-003) on "Graduate training and research funding for clinical psychology in Canada." Davidson has made some excellent recommendations regarding the nature of graduate training and research funding in psychology, and then has negated the effectiveness of such recommendations for social relevancy in community services by ignoring the spectrum of psychological services required and by restricting himself to a rather sterile Eysenckian model. Dr. Davidson's general recommendations regarding graduate training in clinical psychology are sensible and long overdue--less extreme specialization in Ph.D. programs, greater knowledge of problems of applied settings for research, more interdisciplinary training, broader methodology, more effective internship and practicum training, a community psychology program, and more effective bridging research. However when the needed spectrum of services for people is considered, there is an obvious need for psychologists who can share in the assessment and treatment of problems in human functioning beyond the technician level. Manpower needs will never be adequately met until service personnel and University personnel can share in the what, why and how of professional training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Letter to the Editor.

This letter is a comment on Dr. P. O. Davidson's report to the Science Council of Canada on "Graduate training and research funding for clinical psychology in Canada" (see record 2007-02137-003). The comments are extracted from a letter that was written to the President of the CPA raising some questions for consideration by the Board of Directors. With regard to the Davidson report, it must be realized that anything a reputable psychologist says as a result of a survey conducted at the request of the Science Council is likely to be taken seriously by the Council and to affect its attitudes and policies materially. On the other hand, the recognition that the CPA should speak for psychology on matters of research funding means that what it says on the same topic will also be taken seriously. More than that, it means that a great responsibility devolves on the Association, since failure to speak up on any matter when it has what amounts to a permanent invitation to do so can only be construed as assent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Review of Cross-Cultural Studies of Behavior": Reply.

Responds to commentary by F. H. Farley (see record 2007-02141-042). We thank Dr. Farley for calling attention to the signature error on the Al-Issa and Dennis book Cross-Cultural Studies of Behavior (see record 2007-02140-011). The editor apologizes to Drs. Al-Issa and Dennis for any embarrassment caused them. At the same time, Dr. Farley's suggestion that authors reviews might provide a new dimension of scholarship in psychology is intriguing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Letter to The Editor: Canadian Psychologist": Reply to Dr. Zubek.

Responds to commentary by Zubek (see record 2007-02141-039) on the review of A. W. Pressey & J. P. Zubek's book (see record 2007-02140-023). The purpose of the review was to evaluate a unique and difficult undertaking: a collection of general psychology reprints in a Canadian context. A second but equally important intent was to invite reader reflection on some of the broader issues incidentally exposed by the nature of the task. The reviewer concluded that the book was not well enough balanced to be unreservedly recommended. And so they were not! Dr. Zubek's nine points of complaint must be evaluated by the individual reader who will take the time to scan the original review. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Clinical psychology in other lands": Correction and Thanks.

Reports two inaccuracies in the paper by Henry P. David, Clinical psychology in other lands. In D. Brower & L. E. Abt (Eds.), Progress in clinical psychology. Vol. III. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1958; (see record 1959-08255-000), which mentions the article by R. Zajonc (see record 1959-02442-001) concerning psychology in Poland. In this correction, Choynowski affirms that he is head, not of the Psychology Section of the Polish Academy of Sciences (which does not exist), but of the Psychometrical Laboratory of this academy to which belong many research institutes. Secondly, he states that the academy also does not envisage a subsection on clinical psychology. He notes that he is afraid that David got these facts from him, but then it is another example of unfortunate semantical misunderstanding in international communication. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A new vision of personality...and of personality theory: Reply.

Replies to comments by Maddi (see record 2006-05893-007) on "A Tale of Two Visions: Can a New View of Personality Help Integrate Psychology?" (see record 2005-05480-001). In the original article, the current author proposed a new fieldwide framework for the discipline of personality psychology; in essence, it is a new outline to organize contemporary theory and research in the field. Maddi raised two interrelated objections to that proposed framework. First, he believes that there is a better way to organize the discipline of personality psychology than the one the current author proposed. His method involves comparing and analyzing the grand theories of personality and using the results of his analyses to guide research in the discipline. Maddi's (1968) meta-theory usefully organizes the statements of the grand theories of the early-to-mid-20th century, but the current author is not sure it is sufficient to organize the field. Second, he was concerned that the current author wants to de-emphasize the grand theories of the field. Maddi (2006) believes that disagreements among the grand theories are a fruitful source of research ideas. Although that may be true, there is more to personality psychology than the grand theories alone. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reply to Dr. Rotgers' Letter.

Replies to the letter by Rotgers (see record 2005-09346-005) on the current author's original article (see record 1981-11085-001). Dr. Rotgers' letter is valuable, since it provides an excellent example of the fact that practice does not always conform to the "black letter" of the law. The current author is pleased to learn that New Jersey legislated their custom, for to rely on custom alone for the recognition of professional psychology is dangerous indeed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Editor's note.

The editor thanks Dr. Spreen for the correction detailed in his letter (see record 2007-02141-045). Dr. Arthur notes in reply that there was some communication breakdown concerning the 40 staff as "staff, other department" under the rubric psychology staff. Dr. Arthur also requests that the survey acknowledge with thanks the contribution to the analysis of Bonnie Hazell and Margaret Lines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reply to commentaries: Raising a new vision of higher education: Psychology and social issues.

Replies to the numerous comments (see cases 2007-09070-001, 2007-09071-001, 2007-09072-001, 2007-09073-001, and 2007-09074-001) made on the current author's original article (see record 2007-09069-001). The crisis in higher education is far more about psychology than it is about education, and appropriately so. "Crisis" is, after all, a term from personality and clinical psychology. Our interventions must be more akin to the cognitive restructuring of psychotherapy than to the experimental or scientific analysis of a substantive issue. We already understand well enough the education part. We have not yet acknowledged the psychological part and unleased the power of action-research that allows us to combine living and knowing in way which does not make them a mutually exclusive choice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clarification and elaboration on evidence-based practice in psychology.

Responds to comments by D. C. Wendt and B. D. Slife (see record 2007-13085-019), P. H. Hunsberger (see record 2007-13085-020), and R. B. Stuart and S. O. Lilienfeld (see record 2007-13085-021) regarding the report by the APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice (see record 2006-05893-001) entitled Evidence-based practice in psychology. The goal of the task force was to create a scheme that would suggest how evidence should be used to design and offer services that will benefit patients and to assure the public and the health care system that psychologists are providing evidence-based services. There were and will continue to be many scientific and philosophical issues inherent in any such enterprise, and agreement by all psychologists with every aspect of EBPP may not be possible. Nevertheless, the APA's EBPP policy and the report that accompanied it are remarkably inclusive of various perspectives while remaining unambiguous about the need to use evidence in a way that leads to effective services. What is needed at this point are clinically relevant evidence and investigations of how such evidence can be used to best benefit those served by psychological interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Missing mechanism information.

The first recommendation Kazdin (see record 2008-03389-001) made for advancing the psychotherapy research knowledge base, improving patient care, and reducing the gulf between research and practice was to study the mechanisms of therapeutic change. He noted, “The study of mechanisms of change has received the least attention even though understanding mechanisms may well be the best long-term investment for improving clinical practice and patient care” (p. 151). He clarified what he meant by mechanism by stipulating what it was and what it was not, and he provided examples. The point of this comment is to note that Kazdin (2008) omitted mention of an extensive and rapidly expanding literature on parallel distributed processing– connectionist neural network (PDP-CNN) models of cognition, affect, and behavior that provides psychologically relevant information on causal mechanisms. Kazdin’s (2008) conclusion that learning more about causal mechanisms may best provide long term benefits to the science and practice of clinical psychology, including substantially mending the research–practice schism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"How anti-gay bias compromised a treatment: A commentary on Meissner (2006)": Reply.

Responds to the comments made by Michael C. Singer (see record 2008-00996-012) on the current author's original article, "Time on my hands: The dilemma of the chronically late patient" (see record 2006-20697-003). The current author states "I am grateful to Dr. Singer for his interest and stringent criticism. However, in reading his commentary I had the odd feeling that I was being caustically attacked for views expressed in an article I did not write. However, perhaps the deficiency is mine in that my expression failed to achieve an adequate level of clarity and precision." The author regrets that he could not write an article to suit Dr. Singer's tastes, and that in the article he did write there were unavoidable gaps and deficiencies in the material because of the time constraints and distortions in the analysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The evolving profession of psychology: Comment on Lowe Hays-Thomas's (2000) "The silent conversation."

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 31(4) of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (see record 2007-17397-001). On page 346 in the author note, Louisiana Southern University was given as the university where Tommy T. Stigall received his PhD. The correct university is Louisiana State University.] The authors comment on R. Lowe Hays-Thomas (2000; see record 2000-03894-016). The article begins with a few comments about the master's-degree issue and then examines the evolution of professional psychology in relationship to the master's issue over the past 50 years and into the future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"International Psychology": Answer to Robert J. Smith.

Replies to a comment by R. J. Smith (see record 1983-29210-001) on the author's article on international psychology (see record 1982-29234-001). The author clarifies points surrounding Marxist psychology, Kritische Psychologie, radical psychology, and similar approaches. He reminds Dr. Smith that these approaches are very popular in Latin America. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teaching about animal research in psychology.

Responds to P. F. Cunningham's (see record 199604968-008) and S. D. Gosling's (see record 199604968-009) comments on M. Domjan and J. E. Purdy's (see record 1995-45383-001) study of the acknowledgment of contributions of animal experimentation in leading introductory psychology textbooks. The authors agree with Gosling that the primary goal of the general psychology course is to facilitate the students' understanding of psychology and that animal research is not presented in an educationally effective fashion in general psychology textbooks. However, it is argued that students need to know not only the conclusions of research but also something about how the research was conducted. In response to Cunningham's contention that psychology instructors will have to address why research animals are kept under stressful laboratory conditions, the authors note that psychology experiments typically do not involve deadly diseases or experimental pathologies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reviewer's response.

The present author replies to Therese Spitzer's rejoinder (see record 2007-04031-001) to the present author's review (see record 2007-04428-001) of Spitzer's book Psychobattery. The preesent author maintains that Spitzer's central premise remains the stereotyped matching of psychology with epithets like "unproved treatments by unqualified personnel". May such anachronistic divisiveness between psychology and psychiatry be a last nostalgic twitch in the moribund combat of their mutually checkered past. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

1981 CPA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology as a Profession.

Presents a citation for the 1981 CPA Award for Distinguished Contribution to Psychology as a Profession recipient, Park Olof Davidson. While Dr. Davidson's contributions to academic clinical and community psychology were significant, it was the leadership, wise counsel and guidance he provided for professional psychology and psychologists across the nation that set him apart from his confreres. For example, in Alberta and British Columbia, he was President and Member of the Board of Directors of the respective provincial associations. Nationally, Dr. Davidson served CPA as President, ACPAP as Chairman, and both initiated and acted as the Coordinator of the Canadian Counsel of Clinical Program Directors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Academic reform as community intervention.

Comments on the article by Renner (see record 2007-09069-001), in which he suggests that the academic environment is becoming frozen. Renner's recommendation that universities make available a cafeteria of career options for professors expresses these ideals of community psychology. Its effect would be to make the environment more flexible, open and responsive. Having flexibility to hire and promote new faculty would bring the university an infusion of new ideas, new teaching methods and new research strategies in every discipline. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)