Review of Handbook of psychological assessment.

Reviews the Handbook of Psychological Assessment (1984) by G. Goldstein and M. Hersen. The editors have put together and edited a compendium on psychological assessment that is well-balanced, up-to-date, and extremely informative. This book provides very broad coverage of psychological assessment and is a noteworthy contribution to the field of assessment. One must give the editors due credit for bringing together some excellent people in their respective fields and especially for their attention to the breadth of domains subsumed by psychological assessment and for incorporating these diverse fields into a meaningful whole. The Handbook consists of 21 chapters grouped into nine sections: introduction; psychometric foundations; assessment of intelligence; achievement, aptitude, and interest; neuropsychological assessment; interviewing; personality assessment; behavioral assessment; and assessment and intervention. By chapters, there is an equal balance of content specific to children as well as adults. This book is an excellent text for a graduate course in psychological assessment and is equally valuable and informative for psychologists, both academic and in practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Professional psychology in transition.

Reviews the book, Professional psychology in transition by Herbert D?rkin and Associates (see record 1986-97926-000). This edited volume is a must for at least two groups of psychologists in Canada: (1) those interested in expanding and strengthening their share of the psychological services market; and (2) those interested in the development of psychology as a profession. The book contains three sections. The first, entitled "Trends in the Profession," documents the nature, scope, and influence of psychology's 45,000 licensed psychologists in the US. Sections 2 and 3 move us closer to the Canadian experience. Section 2 focuses on training and practice issues, and should be read by all those who train professional psychologists. Section 3 deals with economics and competition and presents us with some intriguing glimpses of our future. The book is highly recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of La psychologie environnementale.

Reviews the book, La psychologie environnementale by Jean Morval (2007). This book was written in order to fill a important gap in psychology. The fact is that environmental problems and their influence on the daily lives of individuals have relatively few interests to psychologists. This book provided a place for these environmental issues. The contribution of Jean Morval is contains original and relevant issues. The text consists of three chapters as well as an introduction and a conclusion. Chapter 1 provides a revision of basic notions of environmental psychology, personal space, regulation of privacy, 'territoriality', and environmental competence or ecological responsibility. Chapter 2 deals with the effects of four environmental stressors specifically behaviour: noise, heat, pollution and density. Chapter 3 deals with the advances and research. The future on a concept of crucial environmental psychology, the appropriation of space are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Behavioral approaches to cardiovascular disease.

Reviews the book, Behavioral approaches to cardiovascular disease by Richard S. Surwit, Redford B. Williams Jr., and David Shapiro (1982). The authors' stated purpose in this book is to provide a complete and critical review of the state of knowledge in cardiovascular behavioral medicine (as of 1982). The organization of this volume includes four introductory chapters on the conceptual bases of behavioral medicine, summaries of cardiovascular regulation and psychophysiology, and principles of conditioning as they pertain to modifying cardiovascular functions. The core of the book consists of the next four chapters on specific disorders: coronary heart disease, hypertension, Raynaud's phenomenon, and migraine/vascular headache. A final chapter deals with selected clinical issues in the application of behavioral medicine technology. This book is generally clear and well-written, with a consistent style maintained throughout. The authors' message is presented in a manner that is likely to be accepted by physicians as well as psychologists. Unfortunately, the text occasionally presupposes a degree of knowledge of physiology and anatomy that some psychologists may lack (e.g., "attenuation of the baroreceptor-mediated inhibition of sympathetic outflow" —p. 27). This volume is likely to prove most useful to cardiovascular researchers and practitioners in cardiovascular rehabilitation programs or general medical hospitals who employ biofeedback, relaxation techniques, and life style modification procedures. Although it is no longer the "timely review" it was when first published, this book will remain a valuable reference work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescents and their families: Coping with ADHD.

Reviews the book, ADHD in adolescents: Diagnosis and treatment by A. L. Robin (see record 1998-06642-000). This is an extremely well-written text that applies research to practice. The book consists of 14 chapters divided into three sections. Section I consists of two chapters that present definitions and diagnostic criteria of ADHD and review the theories and research related to this disorder. Section II focuses on evaluation and diagnosis with four chapters covering various assessment methods and suggestions for integrating data. Section III consists of eight chapters on treatment. This wonderfully crafted text illustrates the variety of difficulties that adolescents with ADHD encounter through the presentation of case studies and personal accounts of experiences by the only ones who truly know what it's like to live with this disorder--the adolescents themselves. Although Robin makes a point of stating that this book is intentionally written for the clinician, this text is an excellent resource for school psychology practitioners and trainers, school counselors, and others who work with this population of students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Neuropsychological assessment and the school-aged child: Issues and procedures.

Reviews the book, Neuropsychological assessment and the school-aged child: Issues and procedures edited by G. W. Hynd and J. E. Obrzut (1981). The editors of this book have attempted to examine the issues related to the assessment of children with possible neuropyschological disorders. Each chapter is presented with the assumption that a neuropsychological perspective is germane to our understanding of children's cognitive functions. The compilation of knowledge and skills are presented in a clear and comprehensible language for individuals with very little familiarity with the subject. Each of the four major sections of the book addresses a particular topic. Section I presents a neuropsychological perspective of children's learning problems. Section II contains three chapters that examine general issues in child neuropsychology. Section III of the book focuses on neuropsychological assessment approaches useful in developing remediational strategies for children's learning disorders. The final section of this book addresses the neuropsychological implications within the educational setting. The editors have done a commendable job in integrating the diverse nature of human cognitive functioning and in focusing in on the neuropsychological aspects of school age children's learning. Their choice of contributors and the topics covered will certainly make this book a valued asset in the school psychologist's library. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Preschool screening: Identifying young children with developmental and educational problems.

Reviews the book, Preschool screening: Identifying young children with developmental and educational problems by R. Lichtenstein and H. Ireton (1984). With the appearance of this book, school psychologists and other professionals now have access to an up-to-date and practical discussion of the issues, research, and instrumentation in the preschool assessment process. This book represents a scholarly collection of six chapters that address matters of philosophy and policy to matters of practice. The book introduces questions about the effectiveness of preschool screening programs as they are characteristically implemented while offering constructive guidelines for improvement to the conscientious professional. Appropriate for use in upper level graduate courses and by professionals working in school and agency settings, this book makes a valuable contribution to the preparation and continuing education of school psychologists and educators who serve preschool-age children and their families. This well-focused and comprehensive volume is recommended highly to university trainers and practitioners in the fields of school and clinical child psychology, as well as early childhood education, special education, and pediatrics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of measurement and evaluation in rehabilitation (second edition).

Reviews the book, Handbook of measurement and evaluation in rehabilitation (second edition) by Brian Bolton (1987). This book is an excellent introduction to assessment issues and techniques for rehabilitation professionals. An impressive roster of experts in the fields of psychometrics and rehabilitation contributed to this second edition. There are three main sections to the book: a brief introduction to principles of measurement (scores and norms, reliability and validity), discussions of five major types of instruments used with rehabilitation populations (such as intelligence testing and personality testing), and an extended review of assessment applications, ranging from process areas such as career development to specific populations such as mentally retarded individuals. A main strength of the book is its consideration of measurement issues in broad terms; a number of chapters could be lifted and used almost unchanged in other fields in which intelligence testing or career development is relevant. Also, the volume is well referenced and does not shrink from dealing straightforwardly with complex issues. There are also some significant omissions in the volume. Perhaps the most serious of these is the scant attention given to the rise of the computer in rehabilitation assessment. On balance, the handbook seems an evident front-runner for use in training rehabilitation professionals about the basics of assessment. Bolton's book provides a sturdy foundation for learning about assessment, filled as it is with important concepts and a sense of the field's history. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Single session therapy: Maximizing the effect of the first (and often only) therapeutic encounter.

Reviews the book, Single session therapy: Maximizing the effect of the first (and often only) therapeutic encounter by Moshe Talmon (1990). One of the rationales for the book is the claim that in the reality of the practical world, patients frequently attend only one session of therapy. According to the author, there is considerable evidence in more than thirty years of literature to indicate that the single session psychotherapeutic encounter is the most common length of treatment. The majority of the book (chapters 2 to 7) deals with specific issues in the application of planned single session therapy (SST). There are chapters on guidelines for effective SST, empowering your patient, learning from failures, attitudes that facilitate SST, and a detailed case example. These chapters, like the rest of the book, are clearly written, practical, and free of jargon. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Outcomes assessment in clinical practice.

Reviews the book, Outcomes assessment in clinical practice edited by Lloyd I. Sederer and Barbara Dickey. This book is a timely publication dealing with the urgent and imperative situation in health care delivery, especially in the area of mental health services. There are four Sections in the book. Section I is titled Integrating Outcomes Assessment into Clinical Practice. This section conveys in a rational and reasonable sequence the definition, impetus, history, scope, process, and current crisis-like status of mental health care, in terms of its financing, its validity, and its effectiveness. Section II is called Instruments of Outcomes Assessment and contains sixteen chapters, each describing a different instrument of assessment. Section III optimistically proclaimed a future improvement of health care delivery and access. These five chapters were exciting, but require a most open and direct acknowledgement of the need for protection of patients and therapists in this field. Complementing Section II is Section IV which contains the Appendices. According to the reviewer, this book has the potential to advance the practice of psychotherapy. But presenting it as a means to satisfy so many volatile and uncontrolled social, political, economic, and other forces can lead to its corruption. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The handbook of neuropsychological assessment.

Reviews the book, The handbook of neuropsychological assessment by A. Gilandas, S. Touyz, P. J. Beumont, and H. P. Greenberg (1984). This book was written as a clinical/actuarial guide for developing a neuropsychological examination that assesses a broad band of abilities yet is efficient and effective. According to the authors, this 10-chapter handbook was designed for practitioners and students of clinical neuropsychology and is applicable to fields such as school psychology, rehabilitation, psychiatry, and neurology. The authors consider issues central to the practice of clinical neuropsychology, including an overview of theoretical implications, client populations, and issues in neuropsychological assessment. The authors cite delirium, dementia, epilepsy, and organic delusion as some of the major manifestations of brain damage. This volume appropriately details the symptoms, etiology, duration, and treatment of these disorders. It is obvious that school psychologists beginning study in neuropsychology will find a great deal of this volume worthwhile. Of particular interest to school psychologists is the section concerning theoretical implications, which stresses the impact that clinical neuropsychology could have on other applied psychological specialties. Although the majority of the book deals with adults, it seems time to broaden school psychology to such a lifelong focus. So too, after considering the fact that almost 10% of the positions in applied psychology call for neuropsychology-related skills, it appears that such a neuropsychology text could be seen as a necessity when training applied psychologists. Indeed, this book may be an appropriate addition to advanced school psychology assessment courses. Perhaps most impressive are the strategies for revising established neuropsychological test batteries to become comprehensive yet effective tools for understanding brain-behavior relations. However, only time and data will indicate if the revised instruments will prove successful in diagnosing and intervening with cerebrally impaired patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Treatment and prevention of alcohol problems: A resource manual.

Reviews the book, Treatment and prevention of alcohol problems: A resource manual edited by W. Miles Cox (see record 1987-97300-000). A resource manual on alcohol problems that captures the state of the art in therapeutic and preventive techniques and in their underlying theoretical bases and empirical foundations is an extremely ambitious but much needed effort. This is precisely what Miles Cox has set out to do in the present volume. The volume consists of four sections: initiating treatment with chapters on beginning treatment, assessment, and medical aspects; specific treatment techniques, with chapters on behavioral treatment, building self-control, imagery and logotherapy, self-help groups, and craving for alcohol; associated problems and special populations with chapters on marital and family therapy, sexual problems, and culture-specific treatment; and early intervention and prevention including chapters on cognitive approaches to secondary prevention and prevention of alcohol problems. On the whole, the book lives up to its intentions. Although there are some gaps which prevent this book from being truly comprehensive, this volume will serve as a useful text in graduate courses for social workers, counselors, and psychologists. What is commendable about this book is that Cox has made a largely successful attempt, by pulling together many diverse literatures, to bridge the gulf that exists between service providers and research communities on the proper ways of helping people who are troubled by, or threaten to be troubled by, alcohol. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Person-centred counselling: An experiential approach.

Reviews the book, Person-centered counselling: An experiential approach by David Rennie (1998). In this book, David Rennie gives priority to the working alliance between counsellor and client, and he outlines various ways in which that alliance can be enhanced. This work began as a training guide, which was eventually expanded to include reflections on the way others have approached central issues in the counselling experience. Rennie draws on a range of theorists such as Carl Rogers and Eugene Gendlen, and makes clear his agreements and disagreements with their positions. In some preliminary chapters, Rennie addresses general issues in counselling before embarking on ideas about counselling itself. He emphasizes, in the Rogerian tradition, the importance of empathy for what clients are feeling as they enter the somewhat unusual context of counselling. The remaining chapters are devoted to the therapeutic craft, including such topics as how to listen to clients, the counsellor's reactions to the client's account of his or her experience, openness and transparency in the relationship with the client, identifying process issues, metacommunication, and the working alliance. This book is a refreshing alternative for practitioners and for students students learning the art of therapeutic intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Children's social behavior: Development, assessment, and modification.

Reviews the book, Children's social behavior: Development, assessment, and modification, edited by Phillip S. Strain, Michael M. Guralnick, and Hill M. Walker (1986). This book is an edited collection of 10 well-crafted chapters that review important research in the development, assessment, and modification of children's social behavior. Not only is the topic highly relevant to school psychology, but practitioners will appreciate the fact that the book is comprehensive, current, thoughtfully organized, and concisely written. The volume is organized into three areas of children's social behavior: development, assessment, and modification. Chapters in the first two sections tend to be written from the researcher's perspective, and readers should draw their own implications for practice in the schools. Potential applications are many though, and a careful study of these chapters will lead to a more productive and empirically defensible assessment of social skills in schools. Chapters in the modification section also review research studies but are more pragmatic and reflect the authors' clinical experiences. They provide excellent preparation for any practitioner intending to intervene in children's social development. The issues, resources, and procedures discussed in Children's social behavior can serve as a comprehensive reference for school psychologists whose practice includes the management of social behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of cognitive–behavioral therapies, third edition.

Reviews the book, Handbook of cognitive–behavioral therapies, third edition edited by Keith S. Dobson (see record 2010-10108-000). Dobson’s revision of this classic volume provides a solid resource for psychologists and students of psychology. Many of us find that we become highly focused on our specific clinical work, teaching, and research, and it is easy to feel out of touch with the broader developments in the field. It is very helpful to pick up a resource such as this one to remind ourselves of the bigger picture in this important and influential treatment approach. Dobson has chosen authors for each topic who are key figures in the development of the approaches covered in their chapters. This choice of authors shows in the quality of the presentations and the familiarity with the key issues in each area. The book is divided into four parts: foundations, assessment, the therapies, and application to specific populations. This edited volume will be very useful in graduate courses on cognitive–behavioral therapies (CBTs) and in settings where clinical students are supervised. Practitioners and students with an interest in CBT will find it very helpful as a guide to the broad range of approaches and issues in CBT. In each area, the book provides up-to-date overviews of the research that guides our practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Detecting malingering and deception: Forensic distortion analysis.

Reviews the book, Detecting malingering and deception: Forensic distortion analysis by Harold V. Hall and Joseph G. Poirer (see record 2001-18575-000). Therapists who often see clients presenting with posttraumatic stress disorder, memory difficulties, substance abuse questions, and "potential-for-harm" (to self or others) problems can benefit from this text. It is interesting, given their orientation to the field of malingering and deception, that the authors do not dwell specifically on the issues of treatment as such. Instead, they address the concerns of therapists genetically at first, remarking on the assumptions often made about clients by clinicians, and then more specifically, in the context of various forensic topics. Hall and Poirier unfold their approach without rancor toward other clinicians or toward clients, and they do much to rectify the stuffy, over litigious image of forensic psychology in their humane and sensible stance. They do a marked service by reassuring therapists generally that forensic science need not mean decimation of the patient or the therapeutic relationship; in the process of seeking the truth, forensic specialists do not have to abandon decency. The reviewer recommends this carefully written and thorough text to all therapists who may themselves be drawn, or see clients who may be drawn, into the forensic arena. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Competitive employment issues and strategies.

Reviews the book, Competitive employment issues and strategies, edited by Frank R. Rusch (1986). Consistent with its title, the book makes clear that its thrust is competitive employment and that supported work is a means to that end. Several chapters were written by the editor himself; in addition, 38 contributors (many of whom are nationally known in their fields) wrote 24 up-to-date chapters. The result is a comprehensive review, in three sections, of competitive employment programs, competitive employment methods and strategies, and a variety of policy and conceptual issues. This text should prove useful to those for whom it was written: "...advanced undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, service providers, and others interested in...enhancing quality of life for persons with handicaps." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Canadian Children's Law: Cases, Notes and Materials.

Reviews the book, Canadian Children's Law: Cases, Notes and Materials by Nicholas Bala, Heino Lilies, and George Thomson (1982). This book contains a collection of articles, legal decisions, and comments on significant issues in relation to children. The authors divide the table of contents into two major groupings: Part I deals with child welfare and Part II deals with juvenile offenders. This book does not attempt to be exhaustive. For example, it does not cover legislation in other provinces, and the excerpts of articles are often too short to give an in-depth discussion of the issues. However, its greatest value is in raising questions that all mental health professionals should discuss within their own profession and with the legal profession and the judiciary so that a better working relationship can be achieved. I would recommend this book to all psychologists who arc involved in child welfare or delinquency matters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)