Sexual revictimization prevention: An outcome evaluation.

This investigation tested a program to reduce women's risk for sexual revictimization. Participants were 66 women with histories of sexual victimization as adolescents or adults who were randomly assigned to a preventive intervention group or a no-treatment control group. They completed initial measures assessing history of sexual assault, self-efficacy, and psychological functioning, returning approximately 2 months later for follow-up assessment using the same measures. Results suggest that the prevention program may be effective in reducing the incidence of sexual assault revictimization in this population. In addition, participants in the intervention group displayed significant improvement in psychological adjustment and self-reported self-efficacy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Process and outcome considerations in juror evaluation of eyewitness testimony.

Responds to comments by G. L. Wells (see record 1985-20040-001) on the present authors' (see record 1984-06612-001) argument that current empirical findings on perception and memory do not justify a role for psychologists in evaluating eyewitness testimony. The present authors argue that Wells's statements on process and outcome confuse the outcome of an individual trial and trials in the aggregate. The question of whether jurors tend to overbelieve eyewitness testimony is discussed. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multiple outcome evaluation of a life-career development course.

Examined the multiple effects of a life-career development course on 74 university students. The treatment was based on a comprehensive counseling model of "change agent career decision making." A modification of D. T. Campbell and J. C. Stanley's (1963) institutional cycle design and MANOVA was used for evaluating Ss' performance on 8 career inventories. The Ss were significantly more rational and less intuitive and dependent in their decision-making styles, more certain of their major and career choices, and more crystallized in their vocational self-concept. They also collected more career information and had fewer vocational identity problems as a result of the course. Inconsistent results were found with regard to the external locus of control and overcoming career barriers measures. The treatment did not seem to have an immediate impact on internal locus of control. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Process and outcome in the evaluation of telephone counseling referrals.

Attempted to replicate an earlier finding that 2 process variables ("concreteness" of volunteers' verbal expressions and "motivation" of callers for receiving help) would predict whether callers to a suicide and crisis service would show for appointments for face-to-face counseling. The sample included all callers to a suicide prevention and crisis service during 1 mo (N = 1,302). An attempt was also made to operationalize R. R. Carkuff's (1969) concreteness construct by use of a new coding system for specificity focus of volunteer talk. In addition, a follow-up questionnaire was administered to shows, no shows, and cancels. It was found that caller motivation (referral responsiveness) predicted referral outcome but that volunteer concreteness did not, and that the specificity-focus coding system did not correlate with concreteness. Callers' responses on the follow-up questionnaire challenged the assumption that not showing for an appointment is a sign of "failure" in telephone counseling. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The evaluation of process and outcome in individual child psychotherapy.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the use of an objective method for the evaluation of therapy process and outcome in cases of individual child psychotherapy. Fourteen children ranging in age from 4 to 6 years were videotaped during the first and eighth sessions in interaction with their therapists. Approximately half the children received psychodynamic play therapy whereas the other half received client-centered play therapy. Using the Play Therapy Observational Instrument (PTOI) of Howe & Silvern (1981), videotapes were scored on 19 items. Data was reduced to 3 clusters: emotional discomfort, quality of interaction with the therapist, and beneficial fantasy play. No significant differences were obtained between therapeutic approaches. However, the PTOI was found to be sensitive to mean behavioral and verbal changes in the children from session one to session eight. Hence it appears that the PTOI scales offer clinicians a method of reviewing, tracking and assessing the process and outcome of their therapy work with children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental evaluation of mental health programs.

The purpose of this paper was twofold: to illustrate the application of classical research methodology to an examination of problems in a social environment, specifically the mental health field; and, to point to some of the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. A quasi-experimental design and its application to the study of effects resulting from an introduction of a comprehensive psychiatric center into a region of Saskatchewan not previously so served was presented. The definition of relevant criterion variables and appropriate controls in this context was discussed. Preliminary results of the study were considered, with attention given to such parameters as change in incidence of psychiatric case-load and changes in admission rate. Positive features of this type of design in terms of its utility for specifying variables in specific problem areas, and limitations in terms of the need for some additional more broadly based research strategy, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meta-analysis and the evaluation of psychotherapy outcome: Limitations and liabilities.

Criticizes the practice of assigning equal importance to good and bad studies and illustrates the consequences of arbitrary, inconsistent, and illogical lumping together of different types of therapies. Existing meta-analyses have spawned conflicting and contradictory findings, thereby questioning the alleged superiority of this approach over traditional reviews. A failure to recognize the problems with meta-analysis threatens to perpetuate the impression that statistical techniques can make acceptable poor-quality data that distort therapeutic process and outcome. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some further comments on evaluation of outcome in psychotherapy.

Replies briefly to comments by R. M. Leve (see PA, Vol 52:Issue 4) on a previous article concerning the evaluation of outcome in psychotherapy. While acknowledging that the matter of agreement and disagreement among Os is of some significance, the importance of using a variety of different criteria in assessing outcome in psychotherapy is particularly emphasized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental evaluation of binary pure-tone auditory displays.

The frequency, intensity, duration, and interaural difference (direction) dimensions of pure tone were evaluated singly and in combination at 3 comparable levels of discriminability in order to determine their relative effectiveness as binary curing stimuli for an instrument monitoring task. The use of such signals decreased search time and reduced (Ss') tendencies to be differentially attentive to the various sectors of the information display. No further reduction in search time occurred with 3- and 4-dimensional displays than with 2-dimensional displays. Frequency proved to be the most effective dimension for purposes of cuing. Intensity was least effective. Direction and Duration were of moderate effectiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of assessment methods on self-efficacy and outcome expectancy ratings of assertive behavior.

The study evaluated whether alternate assessment methods contribute to variability in self-efficacy and outcome expectancy ratings for refusal of unreasonable requests. Subject assertiveness plus two methods of scene presentation (i.e., printed vs videotape) and two methods of response generation (i.e., experimenter-prepared vs. subject thought-listed) were compared in a repeated measures design. All subjects were exposed to eight request situations that were matched for legitimacy level and target person. Each situation reflected one of four combinations of assessment methods and served to elicit either an efficacy or outcome expectancy rating. For self-efficacy ratings, there was a significant interaction that indicated that the printed scene plus experimenter-prepared response condition yielded significantly higher ratings than all of the other conditions. For outcome expectancy ratings, there was a main effect for response-generation method indicating that the thought-listing method led to lower expectancy of positive outcomes. Also, consistent with past research, assertive subjects reported more positive than negative outcome expectancies. These plus other findings are discussed relative to the cognitive assessment and self-efficacy literatures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Subjective and objective evaluation of the outcome of rhinoplasty. A retrospective study

Between 1983 and 1988, 206 patients underwent a septorhinoplasty in the ENT Department of the University Hospital Benjamin Franklin in Berlin. The results of the operation were analysed by an "objective" evaluation form including measurements of cephalometric angles and a "subjective" questionnaire reflecting the patient's view. Ninety-nine patients responded to our questionnaire. About one third of our patients were foreigners (mostly Turks). Seventy-five percent of the results were good in objective as well as subjective terms. Comparison of results between the two sexes did not show a significant difference. A relevant discrepancy between the objective and the subjective results was seen in the foreign patients. The low average age and therefore unrealistically high expectations are a possible explanation for this phenomenon. Patients with small preoperative deformities also turned out to be less satisfied with the outcome even though the objective result was better. While obtaining the objective results, we also realized that the nasofrontal angle seems to be of minor importance for the facial profile. The nasofacial and the nasolabial angle actually seem to be more important for the rhinoplasty and reflect the aesthetic correction of the nose better than the nasofrontal angle. It was much more often possible to correct the nasofacial and the nasolabial angle, while the nasofrontal angle remained uncorrected in many cases. Our retrospective study was able to answer the question whether the aesthetic outcome after rhinoplasty can be rated objectively.     

A critical evaluation of the state-of-the-art in psychotherapy outcome research.

Results from recent large-scale psychotherapy outcome studies have prompted efforts to manualize clinical practice. To many, the use of empirically validated manualized treatments for clients with specific Diagnostic and Statistical Manual disorders represents the current state of the art in the field. Despite these efforts, it is argued that attempts to manualize clinical practice are premature. The current state of the art is reviewed, and the manualization movement is critiqued with a consideration of current clinical practices and recent findings from the field of psychotherapy process research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental evaluation of binary codes for console display.

"Three binary code schemas were evaluated experimentally in terms of operator coding performance. One of the three code schemas was to be selected for use on a data processing system console display. The criterion for the code evaluation was the operator efficiency measured in terms of speed and accuracy of coding console problems. An independent group of subjects was assigned to each of the three code conditions. One of the three code schemas facilitated a significant time saving of 20-25% as compared to the remaining two code schemas. There were no differences in rate of error between the three code conditions." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-control of study behavior: Identification and evaluation of natural methods.

Attempted to identify and evaluate naturally occurring (i.e., self-initiated) methods for self-controlling poor study behavior. This was done in 3 steps: (a) 12 successful and 12 unsuccessful undergraduates were interviewed about the methods they used; (b) 6 of these Ss were observed as they studied in their natural environment; and (c) the successful methods identified in the previous steps were evaluated in a controlled treatment study with 45 new Ss. The self-control techniques identified in the earlier steps received some further support in the last step. Several methodological, empirical, and logical concerns argue for caution when interpreting these results. Nevertheless, the methodology applied here shows promise for identifying useful self-control techniques, and the techniques evaluated here show promise for improving study behavior. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dating violence prevention with at-risk youth: A controlled outcome evaluation.

This study evaluated a community-based intervention to help at-risk teens develop healthy, nonabusive relationships with dating partners. Participants were 158 14-16-year-olds with histories of child maltreatment who were randomly assigned to a preventive intervention group or a no-treatment control group. They completed measures of abuse and victimization with dating partners, emotional distress, and healthy relationship skills at bimonthly intervals when dating someone. Intervention consisted of education about healthy and abusive relationships, conflict resolution and communication skills, and social action activities. Growth curve analyses showed that intervention was effective in reducing incidents of physical and emotional abuse and symptoms of emotional distress over time. Findings support involvement of youths in reducing the cycle of violence as they initiate dating in midadolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rehabilitation and outcome of right-hemisphere stroke patients: Challenges to traditional diagnostic and treatment methods.

Examined 3 case studies involving right-hemisphere brain injury in terms of vocational, behavioral, and social outcomes following the rehabilitation process. Results indicate that standard neuropsychological tests and other measures of cognitive and speech and language function tend to underestimate the impact of right-hemisphere syndrome on a patient's judgment and social skills, relationship to the family system, ability to perform functional living activities, and ultimate ability to return to productive work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Student/faculty practice and research in occupational health. Health promotion and outcome evaluation

Unrelated donor bone marrow transplants have been associated with relatively high rates of acute graft-vs.-host disease and treatment-related mortality. These complications reflect histo-incompatibility between donor and recipient. Molecular technology has recently been applied to HLA typing to identify alleles not distinguishable with serologic typing techniques. We report results in 92 unrelated marrow transplant recipients who were HLA seroidentical with donor HLA-A, -B, and -DR antigens and assess the effect of DR beta 1 and DQ beta compatibility using sequence specific oligonucleotide primers. Forty-eight patients received T-cell depleted marrow grafts, and 44 received unmodified grafts. Among recipients of unmodified marrow grafts, matching for both DR beta 1 and DQ beta reduced the rate of grade 3-4 acute graft-vs.-host disease to 38 +/- 20% vs. 73 +/- 20% among recipients mismatched for either allele (p = 0.02). This difference was not observed in recipients of T-cell depleted marrow grafts. Multivariate analysis confirmed matching for both DR beta 1 and DQ beta loci (p = 0.015), and receiving a T-cell depleted graft (p = 0.008) independently predicted for reduced risk of grade 3-4 acute graft-vs.-host disease. In conclusion, both DR beta 1 and DQ beta appear biologically important for development of acute graft-vs.-host disease in patients receiving unmanipulated marrow grafts for unrelated donor transplant.     

Attraction to odors in hamsters: An evaluation of methods.

In Exp I with 72 male hamsters, Ss were presented with 6 attraction tasks. In 5 of the 6 tasks, one stimulus (vaginal secretion) was sniffed longer than any other stimulus. However, the degree of difference between this stimulus and the others and the relative attractiveness or aversiveness of the other stimuli varied greatly across methods. When 50 female hamsters were presented with 5 preference tasks in Exp II, Ss demonstrated a significant preference for the odors of intact males over those of castrated males in 4 of the 5 methods. It is suggested that preference tasks were more sensitive and less variable due to details of the method employed than were attraction tasks. Procedures that used S's own home cage as the testing environment tended to emphasize effects due to novelty rather than the inherent attractiveness of the odorants. Thus, use of novel objects as sources for test odors and use of airstreams for delivery of odors reduced the salience of test odorants. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)