Perception of normality in families: Four samples.

Explored the extent to which normative values on family assessment measures reflected perceptions of what constituted a "normal" family. Ss from 4 samples in the US and Canada were identified. 20 Canadian Ss, 65% of whom were female with a child 6 yrs and under; 172 undergraduates, approximately 60% of whom were female; 24 grandmothers (aged 51–79 yrs); and 21 therapists (aged 27–61 yrs). Ss completed the Family Environment Scale and 2 self-report measures based on family systems models. Results point out differences among Ss' ratings of normal families, perceptions of their own families, and instrument norms. Group differences highlighted the need to incorporate family developmental concerns in all family assessment, therapy, and research and raised questions about differences in perceptions between family members and therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gay and lesbian clients' selection of therapists and utilization of therapy.

Examined gay and lesbian clients' therapy utilization and therapist selection. Specifically the study examined whether clients' sexual orientation and gender relate to the total number of therapists seen and to the average duration of therapy, what the demographic characteristics of the therapists chosen by gay and lesbian clients are, the likelihood that gay men and lesbians prescreened potential therapists for gay-affirmative attitudes, the methods used to prescreen, and if the prescreening related to client satisfaction. 172 gay men and 220 lesbians (aged 22–71 yrs) who had seen at least 1 therapist participated in the study. A comparison group of 81 heterosexual individuals matched for demographic characteristics also participated in the study. Results show that 41% of the therapists gay and lesbian Ss saw in the 1990s were gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Of the therapists seen, 63% had been screened for gay-affirmative attitudes by respondents before being selected. Prescreening was associated with higher therapist ratings. Several methods for therapist screening were reported including seeking a referral. Results also show that gay and lesbian Ss reported seeing more therapists and seeing therapists for longer durations than heterosexual Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Biased reporting of therapist–patient sexual intimacy.

To investigate bias in reports of therapist–patient sexual intimacy, information about 559 patients who were sexually intimate with their previous therapists was collected via questionnaire from 318 psychologists who subsequently saw these patients in therapy. Psychologists, the experimental Ss in the present study, were predominantly aged 40–49 yrs, and 64% were male. It was found that Ss who reported that no harm occurred to patients as a result of therapist–patient sexual intimacy (SI) admitted twice the prevalence of SI between patients and themselves than did Ss in general. Those Ss who had experienced SI with patients were less likely to report adverse effects of SI either for patients or for therapy. Fewer Ss with a history of SI than those without reported anger toward offending therapists, and fewer recommended punishment. A higher percentage of female than male Ss reported anger toward offenders and recommended punishment, yet women did not rate the effects of SI as more harmful than did men. In general, anger toward offending therapists and recommendations for punishment were associated with the degree to which patients were thought to have been harmed. Ss who had been consultants to a greater number of other therapists about sexual contact with patients reported relatively more cases in which therapy ended soon after SI began than did Ss who were consulted by fewer therapists. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

L'effet du niveau d'experiencing du client et de l'aidant sur l'abandon d'un processus thérapeutique.

Studied the effect of client and therapist level of experiencing, beginning with the initial stage of psychological counseling, on early termination of therapy. Human subjects: 32 male and female Canadian adults (mean age 30–32 yrs) (personality disorders, neuroses, or interpersonal problems) (clients of therapists). 19 normal male and female Canadian adults (mean age 31 yrs) (graduate students) (therapists). Clients were subdivided into 2 groups: those who had terminated therapy (early or late), and those who had not terminated therapy. Ss were interviewed. Levels of experiencing were compared for the 2 groups of clients and for therapists who had counseled these clients. Tests used: The Global Assessment Scale, Psychiatric Symptom Index (F. Ilfeld, 1976), and Experiencing Scale (P. Mathieu-Coughlan and M. Klein, 1984). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social comparison information and judgments about depression and seeking counseling.

Examined the effects of social comparison information, and the interaction of this information with symptom severity and sex, on 40 male and 40 female undergraduates' evaluations of depression symptoms and their willingness to seek counseling. Ss were administered the Depression Adjective Checklist—Form E (DACL—E) and the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Help Scale, as well as ratings of willingness to seek counseling and manipulation checks. A significant main effect was found on DACL—E scores for social comparison information. Ss who received serious social comparison information reported the highest depression scores. In addition, a significant interaction was found between social comparison information and sex of S in DACL—E scores. A significant main effect was also found on Ss' ratings of willingness to seek counseling for social comparison information and sex of S. Ss were more willing to seek counseling help when the social comparison information was serious. Also, female Ss were more willing to seek counseling than were male Ss. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Client–therapist value similarity and psychotherapy outcome: A microscopic analysis.

Examined the association between patient–therapist pretreatment value similarity and subsequent improvement in 45 nonpsychotic psychiatric outpatients (aged 19–54 yrs) who were randomly assigned to 22 therapists. Pre-assignment assessment of similarity in 36 value dimensions on the Rokeach Value Survey was investigated to determine how the dimensions influenced symptomatic and global changes in the therapy process. Treatment outcome was assessed both by patient and therapist reports, and the SCL-90 was used to evaluate pre- to posttreatment symptom change on 9 symptom dimensions. In addition, therapists were asked to complete a subjective rating of improvement at the end of treatment. The results indicate that a complex pattern of similarity and differences in specific values promoted maximal improvement. Moreover, specific improvement measures were influenced differently by various patient–therapist value patterns. Generally, therapist ratings of outcome were enhanced by pretreatment dissimilarities in value placed on social ascendance and achievement and similar value emphasis being placed on humanistic and philosophical concerns. Patient ratings of outcome were also enhanced if patient and therapist shared philosophical and humanistic concerns, but were further facilitated if values relating to social attachment and independence were ranked differently for patient and therapist. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapist and client: Two views of the process and outcome of psychotherapy.

At termination of their therapeutic relationships, 8 male and 7 female therapists (aged 26–59 yrs) along with their 38 male and 37 female clients (aged 19–40 yrs) each independently and anonymously completed a questionnaire concerning the process and efficacy of therapy. Unlike previous findings, the clients rated therapeutic outcome more favorably than did their therapists. In addition, each group attributed the change to different aspects of the therapeutic relationship. Both the aspects cited and the ratings differed as a function of the sex of both therapist and client. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parameters in the prediction of police officer performance.

Examined the relationship between police officer's performance on psychological assessment instruments and on-the-job performance. 65 prospective police officers (mean age slightly over 27 yrs) who were eventually selected for work in either an inner-city police department, a major university police department, or a community college police department were evaluated initially using a battery of psychological tests (the MMPI, the Eysenck Personality Inventory, the FIRO-B, the Shipley-Institute of Living Scale for Measuring Intellectual Impairment, the SCL-90, and the Bender-Gestalt). Ss were seen for reevaluation every 2 yrs. Performance criteria were derived from a 22-item supervisor's rating scale, measures of technical ability, and 7 performance criteria. Information from personnel records was also obtained. Analysis showed that community-college-based Ss earned higher ratings for both interpersonal and technical ability, and differences as a function of personality patterns emerged that cut across departments. The 5 female Ss had lower supervisory ratings of interpersonal ability. Positive attributes were influenced by Ss' departmental assignment, with inner-city Ss seeking more schooling and receiving more commendations than Ss in the other groups. Ss' in-service behavior was associated with patterns and elevation of their MMPI profiles and interpersonal needs. Overall results show a high amount of association between psychological variables and criterion behaviors. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exploring minors' reluctance and dissatisfaction with psychotherapy.

Among 42 10–19 yr olds with learning and associated behavioral or emotional problems who had been referred for counseling, 79% manifested some form of reluctance or dissatisfaction, as demonstrated by refusal to participate, expressions of ambivalence, avoidance, or premature termination. The most frequent reasons for negative attitudes toward psychotherapy were perceived negative attributes of therapy, Ss' feeling that they did not need therapy, and lack of choice in the decision. Ss' mothers and therapists tended to attribute their resistance to therapy to defensiveness, rebellion, or other negative attributes of the Ss. Ss who were reluctant to enter therapy rated it as less important and were rated by their therapists as less committed than Ss who were not reluctant to begin therapy. A 1-yr follow-up of 25 Ss showed a high degree of consistency in Ss' attitudes toward and decisions regarding psychotherapy. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of cotherapists versus single therapists and immediate versus delayed treatment in behavioral marital therapy.

Evaluated the overall effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) in aiding distressed couples, and explored the relative effectiveness of (a) cotherapists vs single therapists and (b) immediate treatment vs delayed treatment, which resulted from placing couples on a waiting list. 30 maritally distressed couples (aged 19–59 yrs) were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 treatment conditions, with 5 couples per condition: (a) immediate treatment by Therapist A; (b) immediate treatment by Therapist B; (c) immediate treatment by Therapists A and B as a cotherapy team; (d) delayed treatment by Therapist A; (e) delayed treatment by Therapist B; or (f) delayed treatment by Therapists A and B as a cotherapy team. Ss were administered a battery of tests that included the Marital Adjustment Test and Areas-of-Change Questionnaire. Results indicate that BMT was more effective than no treatment on both self-report measures and 1 of 2 behavioral measures, thus affirming the overall effectiveness of the treatment. A cotherapy team and single therapists were equally effective in producing treatment changes. In addition, overall there were no significant differences between couples receiving therapy immediately and couples treated after a 10-wk waiting period. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of a client pretherapy orientation videotape.

Examined the effects of a videotaped psychotherapy orientation on clients' response to therapy, knowledge about therapy, utilization of services, and satisfaction with services and on therapist ratings of client attractiveness. 62 psychotherapy clients (mean age 29 yrs) at an urban community mental health center were randomly assigned to an oriented group, which viewed a pretherapy orientation videotape at admission, or to a control group. 14 therapists participated. The 11-min videotape described the relationship between client and therapist, encouraged clients to attend appointments, and stated that, although progress is rarely immediate, most clients find that therapy can lead to a reduction in anxiety and depression. Clients and therapists completed questionnaire and rating scales at intake and at 1-mo follow-up. It was found that oriented clients were able to understand and recall the information in the videotape, and the oriented group showed a greater decrease in self-reported symptoms than the control group after 1 mo. Client feedback regarding the videotape was favorable. In general, the 2 groups did not differ in their satisfaction with services, service utilization, or therapist ratings of client symptoms and functioning. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teachers' assumptions regarding the severity, causes, and outcomes of behavioral problems in preschoolers: Implications for referral.

91 female and 9 male preschool teachers (average age 34 yrs) rated severity, need for referral, long-term outcome, stability, and importance of constitutional and environmental determinants for case vignettes describing 3 syndromes in children: aggression, hyperactivity, and withdrawal. Sex and age (3? and 5? yrs) of the described child were systematically varied across Ss. Results indicate little evidence of sex bias in Ss' evaluations of the behavior problems and show that Ss viewed behavior problems as more transient in younger children. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of belief systems on subjects' perceptions of empathy, warmth, and genuineness.

Investigated the relationship between 174 female and 96 male undergraduates' (aged 14–45 yrs) belief systems, gender, and perceptions of a Rogerian counseling session. Belief systems were assessed using a belief system test, after which Ss watched, by means of a sound video recording, a 30-min counseling intervention by C. R. Rogers. Ss rated the counselor using the Relationship Inventory, a client satisfaction scale, and 5 questions composed by the authors. Ss' beliefs influenced their perceptions of therapeutic variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual Experiences Survey: Reliability and validity.

Explored the veracity of self-reported sexual experiences as relayed by university students (242 females and 144 males) on a sexual experience survey that was completed once privately and a 2nd time in the presence of an interviewer. The Ss were selected from a group of 4,000 students to represent all degrees of exposure to sexual aggression and sexual victimization. Of the female Ss (mean age 21.3 yrs), 86% were single, 92% were White, and 25% were in each year of college study. Of the male Ss (mean age 21.7 yrs), 89% were single, 87% were White, and 25% were in each year of college study. Female Ss were classified as nonvictimized, sexually coerced, sexually abused, or sexually assaulted. Male Ss were classified as nonsexually aggressive, sexually aggressive, sexually abusive, or sexually assaultive. The Pearson correlation between female Ss' level of victimization (LOV) based on self-report and her LOV based on responses as related to the interviewer was .73. Among the 62 females whose self-reports suggested that they were rape victims, only 2 changed their responses. The LOV correlation between male Ss' responses was .61. Results reveal a tendency for males to deny behaviors during interviews that had been revealed on self-reports. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender bias in therapy? An analysis of patient and therapist causal explanations.

Examined the causal explanations (CEs) of 58 female and 53 male depressed or nondepressed patients (aged 20–53 yrs) and 19 female and 20 male therapists to see whether S and stimulus biases related to gender would appear in therapy. Gender differences in CEs for patient experience were not brought into therapy by the male and female patients themselves. No significant therapist biases could be discerned in providing CEs for patient-presenting problems early in therapy. However, when therapists were asked to explain difficulties that might occur in the therapy relationship, significant effects of gender as both S variable and stimulus variable appeared. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A preliminary study of an attraction-barrier model of patients' commitment and responses to dissatisfaction in psychotherapy.

In a cross-sectional study, 168 psychotherapy patients (mean age 24.57 yrs) reported on how they dealt with problems pertaining to the therapist or the therapy process. Ss were asked to think about a session in therapy when they experienced a problem or dissatisfying event pertaining to the therapist or the therapy process. It was found that commitment to therapy mediated the effect of level of Ss' disclosure in therapy in endorsing constructive accommodation (voice and loyalty as opposed to exit and neglect) to deal with the dissatisfying events. Severity of the dissatisfying event with the therapist had direct effects on increasing the use of voice and exit and decreasing loyalty; it also had indirect effects on accommodation via the mediating variable of commitment. The results are explained jointly in terms of G. Levinger's (1999) attraction-barrier model of commitment and C. E. Rusbult et al.'s (1991) model of accommodation processes. It is concluded that the proposed conceptual framework, derived from theory and research on the social psychology of personal relationships, may be useful in understanding when interpersonal problems between patients and therapists encourage patients to withdraw or drop out of therapy before it is therapeutically appropriate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-concept and self-esteem as moderators of client transference.

Operationalized transference as (a) the similarity of clients' perceptions of their therapist and their perceptions of their parents and (b) therapists' ratings on a transference scale, Therapy Session Check Sheet (TSCS; H. Graff and L. Luborsky, 1977), and examined the moderating role of self-esteem and ego development on client transference. Ss were 62 clients (aged 19–63 yrs) who were already involved in therapy, and 29 therapists (aged 25–61 yrs). The Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (G. T. Barrett Lennard, 1962, 1973) measured the facilitative conditions (regard, empathy, and unconditionality) and therapist–parent similarity and the TSCS measured the therapists' perceptions of transference. Additional measures were the Ego Identity Scale (A. L. Tan, et al, 1977) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (M. Rosenberg, 1979). Results support the idea that self-esteem and ego development impact a client's view of the therapist and parental figures and are associated with therapists' views of transference. Persons with low ego identity and low self-esteem tended to see their therapists and parental figures more dissimilarly; and the more transference that a therapist perceived, the greater the tendency for the client to have low ego identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)