Review of Cognitive therapy with schizophrenic patients.

Reviews the book, Cognitive therapy with schizophrenic patients by Carlo Perris (see record 1989-97536-000). The author wrote this book with the purpose of presenting cognitive psychotherapy as a part of a successful holistic, cognitive behavioral program implemented at small community-based treatment centers, and as individual therapy with relatively young patients suffering from a schizophrenic disorder. The program de-emphasizes the medical model and introduces a 24-hour psychosocial milieu treatment model conducted over at least 9 full months, in which the patient is responsible for goal-setting, interpersonal problem solving, and medication schedule, with little family intervention. Throughout the text, the author writes about cognitive psychotherapy. The words "cognitive psychotherapy" not "cognitive therapy" would seem to be most appropriate for the tide of the book. For some therapists and researchers, specific information on cognitive therapy includes more details on tasks and measures of performance ranging from arousal, attention, and concentration through recognition, recall, immediate, delayed, long-term, and short term and executive functions, that is, the information processing approach. One of the attractions of the book is that readers first learning about cognitive psychotherapy are offered an opportunity to explore the future use of cognitive psychotherapy with schizophrenic patients and other patient groups. For psychotherapists, mental health workers, graduate, and undergraduate students, Cognitive Therapy with Schizophrenic Patients, is a thorough introduction to a new treatment strategy for schizophrenia. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Cognitive psychology.

Reviews the book, Cognitive Psychology by Guy Claxton (1980). This is a bold attempt to provide a well-integrated review of the problems and prospects of modern cognitive psychology. In general, the book succeeds although one may disagree with the directions that are foreseen. The book consists of nine papers by eight authors. Six chapters plus an overview cover traditional topics within cognition while two excellent chapters extend the discussion to motor control and cross-cultural perspectives. Together the chapters are '... meant to be a guidebook to organizing one's thoughts, and a life-raft to cling on to when in danger of drowning in the sea of detail'. This is an excellent overview for graduate students or scientists in related fields; it will prove difficult for all but the brighter undergraduates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of clinical behavior therapy with children.

Reviews the book, Handbook of clinical behavior therapy with children edited by Phillip H. Bornstein and Alan E. Kazdin. Bornstein & Kazdin have made a major contribution to clinical psychology by attempting to integrate the latest of behavioral therapies with psychiatric diagnoses. Their stated purposes in producing the edited work are to 1) comprehensively present the current behavioral approaches to treatment with children; 2) critically survey the relevant research; and 3) cover a very wide range of clinical problems. The end product is a work which will be extremely valuable for advanced students of psychology and related disciplines, but it may be of limited use for therapists looking for practical solutions. It reads like a textbook; and, as such, is comprehensive. Nevertheless, for the naive or new professional, there are implicit assumptions about psychiatric diagnoses which could be misleading. In general, the scope of the work is comprehensive and the text is well organized. It should be required reading for clinical students. Yet for those who will actually practice, it should serve as only a starting point, from which the practitioner will have to 1) use creativity in applying results of current research to practical problems; 2) supplement reading with samples of the original research cited as well as more applied works; and 3) be aware of the many conceptual and practical pitfalls of buying into a set of discrete categories with which to view complex individuals and situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents.

Reviews the book, Cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents by T.C. R. Wilkes, Gayle Belsher, A. John Rush, and Ellen Frank (see record 1994-98433-000). This book offers chapters on adaption of cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents, ten key principles of adolescent cognitive therapy, diagnosis and assessment, developmental considerations, the therapeutic relationship, family involvement, the initial phase, the middle phase, the final phase, three comorbidity chapters (substance abuse, sexual victimization, suicidal adolescents), hospitalized adolescents, psychopharmacological treatment, and treatment failures. The sequence of chapters makes perfect sense, and despite four senior authors and five co-authors, it is as if one master hand prevails. The writing never wavers—crisp, flowing, and superbly readable. Whenever possible, adolescent and adult therapy of depression are contrasted, and at times, techniques effective or ineffective for early and late adolescents are cited. One might say the current work is a downward extension of the 1979 Beck book, with developmental considerations and family therapy included. This manual motivates me to reread Beck, Burns, Piaget, Bowlby, and the Socratic method series of papers in this Journal (Overholser). Manuals such as this should result in improved supervision. Finally, Drs. Wilkes, Belsher, Rush, Frank, and their associates (Drs. David A. Brent, Graham J. Emslie, Miriam S. Lerner, Anthony Nowels, Warren A. Weinberg) provide this reviewer with one more humility and awe inducing experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents.

Reviews the book, Cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents by T. C. R. Wilkes, Gayle Belsher, A. John Rush, and Ellen Frank (see record 1994-98433-000). This book offers chapters on adaption of cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents, ten key principles of adolescent cognitive therapy, diagnosis and assessment, developmental considerations, the therapeutic relationship, family involvement, the initial phase, the middle phase, the final phase, three comorbidity chapters (substance abuse, sexual victimization, suicidal adolescents), hospitalized adolescents, psychopharmacological treatment, and treatment failures. The sequence of chapters makes perfect sense, and despite four senior authors and five co-authors, it is as if one master hand prevails. The writing never wavers—crisp, flowing, and superbly readable. Whenever possible, adolescent and adult therapy of depression are contrasted, and at times, techniques effective or ineffective for early and late adolescents are cited. One might say the current work is a downward extension of the 1979 Beck book, with developmental considerations and family therapy included. This manual motivates me to reread Beck, Burns, Piaget, Bowlby, and the Socratic method series of papers in this Journal (Overholser). Manuals such as this should result in improved supervision. Finally, Drs. Wilkes, Belsher, Rush, Frank, and their associates (Drs. David A. Brent, Graham J. Emslie, Miriam S. Lerner, Anthony Nowels, Warren A. Weinberg) provide this reviewer with one more humility and awe inducing experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Cognitive therapy of anxiety disorders: Science and practice.

Reviews the book, Cognitive therapy of anxiety disorders: Science and practice edited by David A. Clark and Aaron T. Beck (2009). Drs. Clark and Beck’s book Cognitive therapy of anxiety disorders: Science and practise is a comprehensive review of cognitive therapy for anxiety from its empirical theoretical foundation to its clinical application to disorders. Although the focus of the text is ultimately on the cognitive treatment of anxiety, the rich theoretical background that is interwoven throughout makes this book of interest to academics and graduate students as well as clinicians. The book is divided into three parts, each with several chapters: 1) cognitive theory and research on anxiety; 2) assessment and intervention techniques used in cognitive therapy for anxiety; and 3) the application of cognitive therapy to specific anxiety disorders (e.g., panic disorder, obsessive– compulsive disorder [OCD]). Overall, this book is an excellent resource for researchers and clinicians working in the field of anxiety disorders. The reference section alone makes it a valuable addition to one’s bookshelf, and the authors have done an excellent job of organising a vast, and at time disparate, body of research into a cohesive review of cognitive theory as it applies to anxiety. Although the treatment chapters may be a bit overly ambitious in attempting to review both the research and the application of the cognitive model to the treatment of specific disorders, the book in its entirety is clearly an essential text for those interested in obtaining a comprehensive understanding of cognitive therapy and anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of cognitive behavioural therapies.

Reviews the book, Handbook of cognitive behavioural therapies edited by Keith S. Dobson (1989). This book is not what I would normally consider a handbook, lacking the breadth I expect in such a book. It is, rather, an edited text with a number of interesting articles that would be most useful for covering approaches in a course on psychotherapy and behaviour change. These include a good chapter on cognitive assessment by Segal and Shaw, comprehensive chapters on five different types of cognitive therapy by leading proponents of the approach, plus a chapter on methods with children, and finally a theoretical chapter by Mahoney. There are also helpful introductory and concluding chapters by Dobson. In his concluding chapter on the present and future of the approach, Dobson provides an interesting summary of issues, covering theory growth and revision, cognitive assessment, therapy expansion and evaluation, and the exploration of developmental bases of adult disturbance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Cognitive development in atypical children: Progress in cognitive development research.

Reviews the book, Cognitive development in atypical children: Progress in cognitive development research edited by Linda S. Siegel and Frederick J. Morrison (1985). A great deal of psychological research in the past decade has focused on the topic of cognitive development. Accordingly, there are now whole volumes devoted to this subject, such as the Springer Series in Cognitive Development, of which this book, edited by Siegel and Morrison, is one. The term "Progress" in the titles of some of the volumes in the Springer Series denotes that these volumes are "strongly thematic, in that [they are] limited to some well-defined domain of cognitive development research." The theme for this particular book is that of atypical cognitive development, with the term encompassing disorders such as reading disability, autism, and hyperactivity. The book contains seven chapters: three on reading disability, two on autism, one on temperament and attention, and one on atypical infant development. Although the individual chapters in this book are interesting and informative, as is often the case with an edited volume, this book is less cohesive than one might hope. The book is part of a series that is intended to be "strongly thematic." In my view, it does not quite succeed in this regard. Presumably the unifying theme of this book is one of cognitive development in special populations; however, the populations chosen are quite diverse so that the reader often loses sight of the theme. Although this volume could presumably serve as a text for a course in atypical cognitive development, my general feeling is that the material presented varies awkwardly from an introductory to an advanced level, a range that makes it not quite appropriate for either an introductory or an advanced course in the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Cognitive vulnerability to depression.

Reviews the book, Cognitive vulnerability to depression by Rick E. Ingram, Jeanne Miranda, and Zindel V. Segal (see record 1998-07219-000). This book addresses conceptual issues related to the idea that the way in which individuals think makes them vulnerable to either the onset or maintenance of depression. Methodological considerations for testing cognitive models of depression are also extensively discussed. According to the reviewer, this book achieves its goals well. The literature is meaningfully reviewed, with clear ideas about what may be areas for fruitful future work, and areas that are likely not to be as productive. The reviewer does point out several flaws in the text, including some unevenness due to multiple authors. Despite these flaws, the book is highly recommended to students and researchers working in the area as required reading. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Challenges in clinical practice.

Reviews the book, Challenges in clinical practice edited by Pollack, Otto, and Rosenbau (see record 1996-97898-000). This textbook addresses the interface of pharmacological and psychological approaches to treating human behavior. It seems to strike the difficult balance between providing sufficient scientific and clinical underpinnings in a "reader friendly" format, without speaking down to the audience. In general, this book is sufficiently comprehensive and written in a clear style. It may be helpful for psychiatrists as well as psychologists, though general practitioners might have some difficulty keeping up. However, an attempt to further dilute it would probably have detracted from its strengths. This was an ambitious effort by the authors. One hopes that such work will enhance future efforts to bridge the gap between two fields that are in need of a new training model that will help in the development of a much more powerful model for the comprehensive delivery of mental health services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Teaching children with learning and behavior problems.

Reviews the book, Teaching children with learning and behavior problems by Donald D. Hammill, Nettie R. Bartel, and Gary Owen Bunch (1984). This book was published in 1975 and re-edited in 1978 and 1982 as a practical reference book for classroom teachers. The 1984 "Canadian Edition" by Hammill, Bartel, and Bunch essentially consists of the 1982 text with an introductory chapter by Bunch and with additions and deletions aimed at providing a Canadian orientation. The authors seem deliberately to have kept the book's Canadian features separate from the basic text. Not only are there two prefaces and two introductory chapters: all textual additions are referenced in a separate bibliography and separate subject and author indexes. This referencing system is especially irritating because it is not always possible to guess from context whether a citation will appear in the "standard" or the Canadian listing. Finally, a useful list is given of Canadian sources for tests and materials. The overall effect of this format is to emphasize the book's discontinuities and to remind the reader that the preexisting text has not undergone a major revision or re-integration. This text begins with a general statement on special education needs and continues with chapters on reading, spelling, handwriting, composition, mathematics, language, behaviour problems, and perceptual-motor training. The traditional subject-area chapters are its strongest feature and include excellent scope-and-sequence charts, useful information on identification, and practical remedial suggestions. this ill-assorted book offers a stimulating Canadian-focused introduction to a worthwhile but rather time-worn text that does not cover Canadian issues in any meaningful way. A better book might have resulted from an updating for the international market rather than from this attempt at Canadianization. Our need for material that addresses the specifically Canadian aspects of special education is as great as ever. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Addressing religious and spiritual issues in trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy for children and adolescents.

Psychologists have become increasingly concerned with the role of religion and spirituality in resolving childhood physical and sexual abuse, particularly religion-related abuse. In treating victims of child abuse, trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy has emerged as a leading treatment for recovery. In this article, we discuss the relevance of religious and spiritual issues in trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy for children and teens. Using three case studies, we then present a model for assessing and treating religion and spirituality in trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy. This model focuses on the client’s pre-existing religious and spiritual functioning as well as changes in religion/spirituality after abuse. We suggest that this approach will assist clients from various religious and spiritual affiliations to process childhood abuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Cognitive aging: A primer.

Reviews the book, Cognitive aging: A primer edited by Denise C. Park and Norbert Schwarz (see record 2000-07430-000). The objective of this edited book is to present a comprehensive overview of what is known about normal cognitive functioning in older adults. The book's 14 short chapters, all written by well-known experts in cognitive aging, are divided into four sections on basic mechanisms, attention and memory, language and speech, and applications. This book was intended as a textbook for teaching advanced undergraduate and beginning undergraduate students. Overall, this objective is reached by most contributions. While creatively updating knowledge in cognitive aging, it does a great job of identifying limitations and theoretical challenges and of pinpointing many exciting research questions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Parent-child interaction therapy.

Reviews the book, Parent-child interaction therapy by Tom L. Hembree-Kigin and Cheryl Bodiford McNeil (see record 1995-98294-000). This book outlines an important, relatively new behavior therapy method with children called Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). PCIT is a technique that explicitly aims at developing mutual parent and child skills in an affectionate relationship, while retaining the traditional emphasis upon positive social behaviors and (mostly) noncoercive disciplinary efforts. According to the reviewer, the authors have done a very sound job of producing a helpful manual that points in advance to the resolution of common problems in dealing with behaviorally disturbed children and their parents. Although there are some caveats, this book important contribution to the child treatment literature will be beneficial to psychotherapists of all persuasions. (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 Cognitive psychodynamics: From conflict to character.

Reviews the book, Cognitive psychodynamics: From conflict to character by Mardi J. Horowitz (see record 1998-07469-000). It has been said that in forging a common ground between psychoanalysis and cognitive science, Mardi Horowitz has gone where others fear to tread. A masterful integration of all of his previous theoretical work, Cognitive psychodynamics represents his most ambitious attempt to map this prohibited terrain in which these two often-opposing domains of inquiry are joined. His goal is to build an integrated, cognitive-dynamic model of personal identity, interpersonal relationships, and individual character. His means of accomplishing this integration is to interweave three basic theoretical concepts: (a) states of mind that mark the experience of heightened emotional conflict; (b) unconscious defensive control processes that mediate shifts between states of mind; and, most important, (c) person schemas, which for Horowitz are his role relationship models (RRMs), which organize the states of mind as interactive, self-other configurations. The strength of this book is its clear and coherent presentation of each of these three theoretical concepts. These concepts are brought to life by brief, illustrative clinical examples, and the chapters move back and forth between conceptual exposition and clinical illustration in a manner that is mutually informing. The major criticism to be made of the book is that it fails to consider and speak to matters of fundamental theoretical contention between the psychodynamic and cognitive models of the mind at the moments they arise in the construction of this integrated model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Social psychology.

Reviews the book, Social psychology by Daniel Perlman and P. Chris Cozby (1983). In agreeing to co-edit a text sponsored by The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, Daniel Perlman and P. Chris Cozby accepted the challenge of producing a non-traditional text aimed at a very traditional market. Their self-described "most salient goal" was "to focus attention on social issues and problems." They recognized, however, that that goal could only be achieved by meeting "the needs of students." The co-editors additionally accepted the implicit task of counterbalancing social psychology's tradition of presenting the discipline as being almost exclusively laboratory-based. As a result, Social Psychology--in its accuracy and completeness of the literature surveyed--represents on of the better books in the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Human behavior in industry.

Reviews the book Human behavior in industry by W. W. Finlay, A. Q. Sartain and W. M. Tate (see record 1955-03154-000). This book was written to assist executives, supervisors, and foremen in human relations problems. It covers a conglomeration of subjects including motivation, attitudes, public relations, wages, communication, labor relations, American ideology, and industrial organization. The greatest asset of the book is the authors' skill in phrasing concepts in such a way as to be acceptable to industrial readers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)