A typology of alcohol abusers: Correlates and implications.

Used data from 725 individuals (mean age 38.1 yrs) seeking help for alcohol-related problems who had been administered the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test; the Social Readjustment Rating Scale; the Personality Research Form; Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale; the Standard Progressive Matrices; the Vocabulary and Digit Symbol subscales of the WAIS; and measures of alcohol use, lifetime drinking history, basic personality, SES variables, and response styles to cluster analyze for types of drinkers. Analysis yielded 3 types: Type 1 Ss (early-stage problem drinkers) represented a fairly heterogeneous group, Type 2 Ss (affiliative, moderately dependent drinkers) were more socially oriented and drank on a daily basis, and Type 3 Ss (schizoid, severely dependent drinkers) were socially isolative, tended to drink in binges, and reported the most severe symptoms of alcoholism. A speculative model is proposed that consists of the 3 types superimposed on an underlying continuum of alcohol dependence; it is suggested that the model has heuristic value for stimulating further research on the etiology and differential treatment of alcohol abuse. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential patterns of wife abuse: A data-based typology.

Despite the growing awareness of wife abuse as a serious social problem of epidemic proportions, to date no systematic research has been conducted to delineate on an empirical basis distinct patterns of abuse within this heterogeneous population. The present study has as its goal the identification of differential patterns of wife abuse, each having a unique etiological profile with attendant implications for intervention. Toward this end a multivariate quantitative taxonomic procedure was employed to delineate 5 homogeneous subgroups of women (N?=?119; 17–58 yrs) abused by their partners. Subsequent analyses revealed these 5 subtypes to differ significantly in frequency and severity of abuse, usual precipitants, typical responses of the woman and her assailant, history of violence in the family of origin, and disposition following brief residence at a shelter for battered women. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The genetics and biology of true love: Prosocial biological affects and the left hemisphere.

J. R. Gray (2002) questioned the conceptual basis and empirical support for prosocial biological affects and was skeptical whether the distinction between selfish versus prosocial biological affects can contribute to the discussion regarding hemispheric differences. In reply, hemispheric differences in emotional experience and expression are considered, with the suggestion that the individualist-prosocial distinction may indeed provide a useful addition to traditional higher-level cognitive approaches. Recent empirical evidence relating to prosocial biological affects and emotions is reviewed, and the conceptual basis for prosocial biological affects and emotions is expanded on, with particular reference to answering "selfish gene" conceptualizations. Related genes can exist in different individual organisms, forming the basis for an essential and authentic prosociality: genuine altruism or "true love." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Territorial cognition: Assessing Altman's typology.

The empirical validity of I. Altman's (1975) typology of human territories was assessed using a modified Role Construct Repertory Grid. Urban and suburban Ss, matched on several variables, were interviewed in their homes. It was expected that suburban Ss, as compared to urban Ss, would perceive more control over secondary and public territories. Results confirm the validity of Altman's typology and the importance of the dimensions of centrality and temporal duration. The expected urban vs suburban differences were obtained. Results also indicate that primary and secondary territories, by providing the setting for interaction at varying levels of formality and exclusion, possessed role-structuring properties. Future research on human territoriality should take a multimethod approach and explore the covariation of territorial cognitions and behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A typology of university student living groups.

Subjected 100 university living groups measured on 10 dimensions of their social environments to cluster analysis to develop an empirically based taxonomy of university living groups. 5 distinctive clusters of living groups were identified: competition oriented, supportive achievement oriented, independence oriented, relationship oriented, and traditionally socially oriented. Clusters showed systematic differences in sex composition (i.e., male, female, and coed), size, and institutional affiliation. Some evidence that different clusters of living groups had different impacts on Ss was presented. It is concluded that an empirically derived taxonomy of the social environments of university living groups is a necessary step in understanding which types of living group programs produce optimal outcomes for various types of students. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual differences in situation–behavior profiles: A triple typology model.

A model is proposed to represent individual differences in situation–behavior profiles. The model consists of 3 components: (a) Typologies of person, situation, and behavior classes; (b) hierarchical relations between the classes of each typology; and (c) a characterization of the person types in terms of different sets of if (situation class) then (behavior class) rules by which the 3 typologies are linked to one another. A data analysis technique (INDCLAS) is available to induce a triple typology model from empirical data. To reveal the psychological mechanisms behind such a model, the classes of the model can be related to situation, behavior, and person features. As a result, person types can be interpreted in terms of systems of cognitive–affective variables that mediate between active situation features and behavioral manifestations. This is illustrated with a study on self-reported hostile behavior in frustrating situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Secondary traumatization among wives of posttraumatic combat veterans: A family typology.

Examined the relationship between family environment and the psychosocial adjustment of 127 wives of Israeli combat stress reaction (CSR) and 85 non-CSR veterans of the 1982 Lebanon War. Wives from conflict-oriented families were found to display the highest levels of psychological and behavioral problems, followed by wives from rigid-moral and midrange families. The healthiest wives in this sample came from expressive families. Results indicate that family environment has a similar effect on all wives, irrespective of whether or not the husband had suffered a wartime stress reaction. Findings show, however, that wives of traumatized veterans have to contend far more often than other wives with conflict and rigidity in family functioning, whereas wives of nontraumatized veterans tend to benefit from an expressive family environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A typology of incestuous families based on cluster analysis.

Data on abuse characteristics and family variables from 81 female adult incest survivors were subject to cluster analysis. Three clusters emerged: (1) women with the least severe abuse (as measured by type, duration, onset age, coercion, and number of perpetrators), with no severe physical family violence and the least family pathology with respect to cohesion, control, and conflict; (2) women with moderate abuse severity, more serious family problems, and families characterized by father dominance; and (3) a small group of women with severe and traumatic abuse, conflicted and controlling families, and extremely violent parents. Self-reported family variables and adjustment measures (dissociation and personality disorders) external to the cluster analysis differentiated the clusters and provided evidence of their validity. Implications for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A typology of critical incidents in intergroup dialogue groups.

Latent semantic analysis (Landauer & Dumais, 1997) was used to derive pairwise similarity ratings based on the content of 102 critical incidents (CIs) identified by participants in four intergroup dialogues. The resulting similarity matrix was then analyzed with cluster analysis to identify the content themes of these CIs. The cluster analysis identified three superordinate clusters and nine content themes in the CIs. The three superordinate clusters were labeled: Cognitive, Affective, and Consciousness Raising change processes. The three Cognitive change processes were labeled: (1) Talking At, (2) Talking With, and (3) Facilitating the Conversation. The three Affective change processes were labeled: (1) Working Toward Acceptance, (2) Learning from Others’ Feelings and Experiences, and (3) Reflection on Felt Differences. The three Consciousness Raising change processes were labeled: (1) Having Eyes Opened, (2) Realizations about People, and (3) Personal Engagement. Similarities and differences between these change processes and change processes described in the group counseling literature are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correction for range restriction: An expanded typology.

A common research problem is the estimation of the population correlation between x and y from an observed correlation rxy obtained from a sample that has been restricted because of some sample selection process. Methods of correcting sample correlations for range restriction in a limited set of conditions are well-known. An expanded classification scheme for range-restriction scenarios is developed that conceptualizes range-restriction scenarios from various combinations of the following facets: (a) the variable(s) on which selection occurs (x, y and/or a 3rd variable z), (b) whether unrestricted variances for the relevant variables are known, and (c) whether a 3rd variable, if involved, is measured or unmeasured. On the basis of these facets, the authors describe potential solutions for 11 different range-restriction scenarios and summarize research to date on these techniques. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A typology of teacher-rated child behavior: Revisiting subgroups over 10 years later.

The purpose of this article was to examine a typology of child behavior using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Teacher Rating Scale (BASC TRS-C, 2nd edition; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004). The typology was compared with the solution identified from the 1992 BASC TRS-C norm dataset. Using cluster analysis, a seven-cluster solution was identified and replicated using internal and external validation procedures. Five of the seven clusters were similar to the original solution; however, two new maladaptive behavior clusters emerged. Results also showed that the percentages of students exhibiting problematic behavior increased over time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A self-report typology of behavioral adjustment for young children.

A large, national U.S. sample of children rated their own behavior and emotions using the Self-Report of Personality--Child version (SRP-C) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (C. R. Reynolds & R. W. Kamphaus, 1992). Cluster analysis was used to group 4,981 self-reports (SRP-C) of children between the ages of 8 and 11 years. Theoretical and empirical considerations were used to identify a 10-cluster solution. Internal validation procedures revealed that the 10-cluster solution was well replicated by independently classifying 2 large subsamples of participants. External validation evidence revealed that only 2 of the 10 clusters could be differentiated by parent and teacher ratings of behavior problems. Peer ratings of social status and behavior, however, proved far better than adult ratings at differentiating the clusters. These findings suggest that the realm of intraindividual adjustment is not well understood by parents and teachers of these same children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patterns of working alliance development: A typology of client's working alliance ratings.

Patterns of working alliance development were detected by clustering working alliance ratings across 4 sessions of counseling. Results from an initial sample of recruited participants working with novice counselors (N?=?38) revealed 3 patterns of alliance development labeled stable alliance, linear alliance growth, and quadratic alliance growth. Results from a replication sample (N?=?41) of recruited participants also working with novice counselors, revealed 3 identical patterns of alliance development, which offered strong support for the validity of these growth patterns. As predicted by Gelso and Carter (1994), a pattern of quadratic alliance development was associated with greater improvement on measures of counseling benefit when compared to other patterns of alliance development. The discussion underscores the importance of examining both the strength (level) and pattern of development when examining the effects of the working alliance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital conflict typology and children's appraisals: The moderating role of family cohesion.

Intense and frequent marital conflict is associated with greater appraisals of threat and self-blame in children, but little else is known about contextual factors that might affect appraisals. Systemic family theories propose that to understand child adaptation, it is necessary to understand the interconnected nature of family subsystem relationships. In a sample of 257 families with 8- to 12-year-old children, this study examined whether a four-level typology of marital conflict management was related to children's perceptions of marital conflict and their appraisals of perceived threat and self-blame. In addition, family cohesion was tested as a moderator of the relationship between marital conflict style and children's appraisals. Observational coding was used to group couples into Harmonious, Disengaged, Conflictual-Expressive, and Conflictual-Hostile groups. Children's report of the intensity, frequency, and degree of resolution of interparental discord corresponded well with observers' ratings. The relationship between marital conflict style and appraisals of threat and self-blame was moderated by family cohesiveness. At high levels of family cohesiveness, no group differences were found for either perceived threat or self-blame, whereas when family cohesiveness was low, threat was higher for the Harmonious and Conflictual-Hostile groups, as compared to the Conflictual-Expressive group, and self-blame was higher for both conflict groups (expressive and hostile), as compared to the Disengaged group. The results provide further evidence of interconnected nature of family subsystem relationships and the importance of distinguishing among different approaches to marital conflict management for understanding the complex and perhaps subtle but meaningful effects different family system factors have on child adaptation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Testing a typology of batterers.

A. Holtzworth-Munroe and G. L. Stuart (1994) proposed a tripartite typology of men who batter their female partners based on the severity of violence, extent of violence, and personality disorder characteristics. The current study attempts to empirically validate this typology using data from 75 domestically violent (DV) men and their partners, and 32 maritally distressed, nonviolent (DNV) comparison couples. Mixture analysis results generally supported the model, although 2 types were not distinguishable on personality disorder characteristics as predicted. Generally violent batterers were significantly more violent within and outside the relationship. The pathological group was moderately violent within and outside the relationship and endorsed numerous psychological symptoms. Family-only batterers endorsed fewer symptoms and were less violent. Violence in the family of origin, attachment, and communication skills also differentiated the 3 types and DNV men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A dental fears typology of oral surgery patients: Matching patients to anxiety interventions.

Two studies are described in which dental patients were administered the Dental Fear Survey (DFS) and then received 1 of 5 anxiety reduction interventions to prepare them for extraction of 3rd-molar teeth. Interventions included standard clinic treatment, oral premedications, and several relaxation-based procedures. Dependent variables were self-reported and observer-rated distress. In the 1st study (N?=?231), cluster analyses of the DFS subscales revealed that patients could be subtyped as low-fear, high-fear, or cue-anxious patients who admitted fear only in response to specific stimuli. Dental fear subtypes were distinguishable by situational cognitions reported, and fear subtype interacted with anxiety intervention to predict distress. These results were replicated in the 2nd study (N?=?150). The results are seen as supportive of a multidimensional view of dental anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A PIC profile typology of children and adolescents: I. Empirically derived alternative to traditional diagnosis.

Investigated the utility of a multidimensional instrument, the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC), to serve as the database for an empirically derived typology of child and adolescent psychopathology. A cluster-analytic technique was applied to T-score ranges of the 12 PIC full-length substantive profile scales for 2 independent samples of emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children and adolescents that included 6 criterion marker samples (hyperactive, psychotic, retarded, cerebral dysfunction, somatic, delinquent), for a total of 1,782 Ss. 11 profile clusters replicated across samples and classified 82% of these profiles. Further analyses indicated that these replicated clusters differed in age, sex, and criterion marker sample composition, as well as on 18 of the 19 ratings of pathology dimensions obtained from parents, teachers, and clinicians. Results support the conclusion that the PIC may be valuable in the development of an empirically based classification system. (58 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Broadening the typology of false confessions.

Comments that S. M. Kassin's (see record 1997-07781-003) attempt to provide a theoretical framework for conceptualizing the various types of false confessions is of value to the clinician who is called on in applied settings to evaluate issues pertaining to the voluntariness of confession or related issues. An attempt is made to broaden this conceptual framework to include other coercive factors that may impact on a particular case, in order that research might begin to focus on additional variables so that the framework will have even broader practical utility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)