An approach to training sex-fair mental health workers.

Describes a human-relationship training course designed to foster the adoption of less sex-typed self-perceptions and perceptions of others and increased skills in core counselor competencies. An informal evaluation of the course in the form of (a) observations of 55 undergraduates' reactions and (b) Ss' self-reported changes in the area of psychological masculinity and femininity (Bem Sex-Role Inventory) is presented. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluation of modeling–role-playing and lecture-discussion training techniques for college student mental health professionals.

Investigated the efficacy of experiential modeling–role-playing and lecture–discussion training techniques for 45 college student mental health paraprofessionals. The sample was predominantly (82%) female, between 18 and 24 yrs of age (89%), and without previous counseling training (66%) or experience (84%). The Lister's Helper Response Preference Inventory and ratings of empathy and global counseling skills based on the interpersonal interactions of the Group Assessment of Interpersonal Traits show significantly better counseling skills for the students trained with the modeling–role-playing program than for the untrained controls. Findings support the use of modeling and role-playing training techniques for enhancing paraprofessionals' counseling skills. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cost effectiveness of clinical training in a community mental health center.

The future of professional psychology may well rest on psychology training programs successfully defending their existence in purely monetary terms. This article examines the effectiveness of the training program of an urban mental health center that includes an American Psychological Association-accredited psychology internship. The training program was found to produce net revenues for the facility and to meet the training needs of its participants. Variables related to producing a cost effective psychology training program are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Primary healthcare workers: training needs in mental health

Particular attention is currently being given to the role of primary healthcare workers in supporting people with mental health problems in primary care (McFadyen et al, 1996). The aim of this study was to survey the views of primary healthcare workers regarding their previous mental health training and to identify their current perceived mental health training needs. A sample of 200 primary healthcare workers within Trent Health Region were interviewed using a short semi-structured interview schedule. Forty-six completed questionnaires were also received. An additional 22 respondents participated in exploratory in-depth interviews. Respondents included GPs, health visitors, practice nurses, district nurses, midwives and community psychiatric nurses. The need for further training in communication skills, particularly basic counselling skills, was highlighted. Respondents also perceived a need for additional training in coping with their own personal stress, the assessment and treatment of depression and stress/anxiety management in clients. Several themes which developed from the research were explored, including communication skills training, problems with collaborative working, coping with personal stress, the prevention of burnout and depression training. The reason why some respondents had no mental health training needs whatsoever was also addressed.     

Contribution of therapist experience and personal characteristics to the working alliance.

The authors hypothesized that level of experience and selected personal characteristics of therapists would predict clients' perceptions of the working alliance early in treatment. 73 22–64-yr-old therapists in university settings completed measures that assessed level of self-directed hostility, perceived social supports, and degree of comfort with attachment, and their clients completed a measure that estimated the working alliance between the 3rd and 5th sessions of therapy. As predicted, level of self-directed hostility, perceived social support, and degree of comfort with closeness in interpersonal relationships were significantly predictive of the bond component of the working alliance. Contrary to predictions, experience level was not uniquely predictive of clients' alliance ratings on the goal and task components of the alliance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physical fitness training and mental health.

Reviews theory and research that have attempted to relate fitness training to improvements on psychological variables among normals as well as selected clinical populations. Theoretical speculations in this area are critiqued, and research designs are evaluated as either experimental or quasi-experimental and therefore interpretable, or preexperimental and therefore largely uninterpretable. The research suggests that physical fitness training leads to improved mood, self-concept, and work behavior; the evidence is less clear as to its effects on cognitive functioning, although it does appear to bolster cognitive performance during and after physical stress. Except for self-concept, personality traits are not affected by improvements in physical fitness. Mentally retarded children demonstrate psychological improvement following physical fitness training, but no conclusion can be reached regarding the effects of physical fitness training with other clinical syndromes. (2? p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Low-inference classroom teaching behaviors and student ratings of college teaching effectiveness.

Six to 8 trained observers visited classes (3 classes/lecturer) taught by 54 university lecturers receiving either low, medium, or high student ratings. The observers, using the Teacher Behaviors Inventory, estimated the frequency of occurrence of 60 specific, low-inference teaching behaviors. Significant differences among low-, medium-, and high-rated Ss were found for 26 individual behaviors divided among 7 categories of teaching. Group differences were largest for attention-getting behaviors such as speaking expressively, moving about while lecturing, using humor, and showing enthusiasm for the subject. Factor analysis of individual teaching behaviors yielded 9 interpretable factors, of which three (Clarity, Enthusiasm, and Rapport) differed significantly across groups, and all but one showed correlations with various teacher and course characteristics. Results are discussed with reference to the pivotal role of attention-getting behavior in classroom teaching, the validity of student instructional ratings, and the design of teaching improvement programs in higher education. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The admissions process in clinical training: The role of the personal interview.

Examined the relative contributions of admissions interview ratings and various objective measures, such as GPA and test scores, in discriminating among 60 applicants to a clinical psychology program either accepted for admission, placed on an alternate list, or denied admission. Results show that interview ratings, particularly ratings of the applicant's clinical potential, contributed incrementally to group separation when first taking into account the contributions of the objective measures. The need to validate interview evaluations as a basis for selection decisions and to examine utilization of admissions criteria is discussed. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assertion training for mental health paraprofessionals.

Provided 10 wks of assertion training to 8 mental hospital paraprofessionals who, in turn, served as either counselor or counselee in a microcounseling session with 8 paraprofessionals untrained in assertion training. The data were analyzed by a 2 * 2 completely randomized multivariate analysis of variance. Trained counselors were superior to untrained counselors on a set of counselor-effectiveness measures. Trained counselees differed from untrained counselees on a set of client behaviors. This effect was mediated by the training of the counselor. The problems of conducting scientifically valid research within an institution are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personal characteristics of college volunteers in mental hospitals.

41 male and 110 female undergraduates volunteering for summer work in mental hospitals were compared to 142 control students on personality, occupational-interest, and life-history variables. Striking personality characteristics of mental health volunteers were maturity and control, drive for independent achievement, and sensitivity to people and human problems. Vocational interests and life-history data on volunteers were consistent with these personality characteristics. In vocational interests, volunteers were similar to men and women in the independent professions and in professions emphasizing social service or the exercise of language and artistic skills. Life-history data indicated that volunteers were more service-oriented and committed to mental health work than other college Ss. The role of test-taking attitudes in producing these differences was discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job involvement and satisfaction as related to mental health and personal time devoted to work.

A week-long daily record and self-report measures of job involvement, satisfaction, and mental health were completed by 54 female elementary school teachers. Results show that devoting personal time to work-related activities was positively associated with job involvement, but unrelated to job satisfaction. Mental health was positively related to job satisfaction, but did not correlate significantly with involvement. These differential relationships support the view that satisfaction and involvement should be thought of as separate and distinct job attitudes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Master's-level training and employment in community mental health.

The training and employment of master's-level psychologists have long been controversial issues. We describe a master's-level program for training community mental health practitioners, and we present information on the placement of program graduates. The information suggests that there continues to be a demand for well-trained, master's-level practitioners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maximizing the effectiveness of psychology in public mental health services.

Rather than a preoccupation with diagnosis and pathology, psychologists should direct their attention to the capacity of individuals for adaptation and adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Decisions about confidentiality in medical student mental health settings.

Investigated orientations toward confidentiality of 59 mental health practitioners in US medical schools who were requested to respond to 10 case vignettes representing a range of students' problems by indicating the action they would take. Results suggest that Ss were generally unwilling to break confidentiality in response to cluster of presenting problems that involved suicidal tendencies, sexual coercion/seduction, nonviolent social transgressions, and falsifying data. This was most pronounced when risk of suicide was evident. Only a bomb threat scenario clearly elicited responses suggesting a likely breach of confidence. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors influencing college student health: Development of the Psychological Distress Inventory.

Describes the 3-phase development of the Psychological Distress Inventory (PDI), and instrument designed primarily to measure life stress in college students. In Phase 1, the responses of 198 students were studied to select items empirically and to construct the clinical scales. Phases 2 involved cross-validating the measure with an independent sample of 242 students. Phase 3 consisted of a criterion-related validity study. Standard psychometric information is presented, including reliability, validity, and some effects of response set on the measure. In addition to measuring life stress, the PDI allows users to separately assess degree of depression, anxiety, and somatic discomfort. It is suggested that in college populations, this instrument has broad utility as a research and clinical tool. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived teacher support of student questioning in the college classroom: Its relation to student characteristics and role in the classroom questioning process.

Examined college students' perceptions of their teachers' support of student questioning (SQ). Perceived teacher support had significant and consistent relationships with students' motivational tendencies and strategy use typical of self-regulated learners. Perceived teacher support affected the likelihood of SQ by influencing whether students had a question to ask and their level of inhibition. Students perceived high levels of support, which does not account for the low incidence of SQ in college classrooms. Agreement between student perceptions and teacher self-reports suggested that creating opportunities for questions and providing high quality answers are important dimensions of teacher support. The possible self-fulfilling consequences of perceived teacher support are discussed. Teacher support for SQ may influence the likelihood that students formulate questions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the role of mental health workers in the criminal justice system.

Comments on D. E. Silber's (see record 1974-28477-001) proposed guidelines for the role of mental health workers in the criminal justice system, questioning several inconsistencies in Silber's argument and making some new recommendations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)