Review of Handbook of pain assessment, second edition.

Reviews the book, Handbook of pain assessment, second edition edited by Dennis C. Turk and Ronald Melzack (see record 2001-05101-000). This book is a comprehensive review of the state of the art of pain assessment. The book consists of 36 chapters organized in six major sections, an introduction and a conclusion. The sections are: measurement of pain, assessment of behavioural expressions of pain, medical and physical evaluations, psychological evaluation, specified pain states, and methodological issues. The Handbook of pain assessment should be in every university and health centre library. All health professionals and students who see patients who have pain (and that is probably all of them) should have this text readily available. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of measurements for marriage & family therapy.

Reviews the book, Handbook of measurements for marriage & family therapy by N. Fredman and R. Sherman (1987). This book has provided a service for the field by collecting in one source the measurement instruments published since 1975. However, a major drawback is that the method for selecting measurements for inclusion in the handbook is not stated. While the handbook is intended as a source for practitioners, researchers, and trainees, it is most useful to researchers, graduate students, and others interested in surveying the current state of the science. Clearly, the study of marriage and family therapy remains in its infancy. Collectively, the measures presented possess serious sampling, reliability, and/or validity limitations. Systematic research building on the base of the strongest instruments, rather than increasing the proliferation of new instruments with sampling, reliability, and validity limitations, is an important direction for the field to pursue. The handbook, despite its own limitations, does provide a valuable first step for the serious student and researcher. It is a recommended addition to the library of every graduate program offering training in marriage and family therapy and would be a particularly useful reading in introductory marital and family therapy courses. As for clinicians, the handbook offers nothing to replace a good clinical interview. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

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 The diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism (second edition).

Reviews the book, The diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism (second edition) edited by Jack H. Mendelson and Nancy K. Mello (1985). This text is designed to be an authoritative handbook for practitioners in the field of alcohol abuse or a comprehensive textbook for graduate students. The target audience is physicians, nurses, psychologists, alcoholism counselors, social workers, and others involved in assessing and treating alcohol abuse. One way in which this text differs from many on the market is in its reliance on methodologically sound research as the basis for the recommendations and conclusions in most of the chapters, including objective discussions of controversial issues where the research data challenge commonly accepted assumptions in the alcohol field. The second edition of this volume provides valuable updating and expansion of the information presented in the widely used first edition. Overall, the second edition of this volume remains a leader in the field and will be valuable as a handbook for the clinician or textbook for the graduate seminar. The strengths of this volume are in the chapters that rely on a thorough knowledge of methodologically sound research, presented in a way that will be acceptable to clinical practitioners. Paraprofessionals may find this hard to read but advanced professionals will find the text useful. This edition remains superior to any other single resource which I can think of in the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Behavioral assessment and rehabilitation of the traumatically brain-damaged.

Reviews the book, Behavioral assessment and rehabilitation of the traumatically brain-damaged by Barry A. Edelstein and Eugene T. Couture (1984). Over the last decade or so, advances in assessment and management within clinical neuropsychology have had a profound impact on rehabilitation psychology. Barry Edelstein and Eugene Couture have edited this book out of a "long-standing interest in the retraining of traumatically brain-damaged adults and the management of their behavior by family members." The editors want to provide a reference that moves from standard neuropsychological assessment to issues of retraining of skill deficits. They hope that this volume will be useful to clinical psychologists, clinical neuropsychologists, rehabilitation medicine specialists, physical therapists, speech pathologists, and other rehabilitation disciplines involved in the treatment and rehabilitation of the traumatically brain-damaged. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Educational psychology: Reflection for action (Canadian edition).

Reviews the book, Educational psychology: Reflection for action (Canadian edition) (2008). Targeted toward aspiring teachers, this book provides an overview of the content knowledge germane to school-age education in Canada and attempts to foster the types of procedural skills and dispositions necessary to gather and evaluate evidence about one’s own classroom practises and about the diverse array of Canadian students in those classrooms. The book is well written, in language that is clear and accessible to preservice teachers at the undergraduate level. For a more advanced audience, the book also provides an excellent model of how to integrate goals of content, procedural, and disposition acquisition. To these ends, each chapter includes pedagogical features that help readers activate and connect their prior knowledge, skills, and attitudes with those of more expert teachers operating in real classrooms (e.g., samples of classroom life to ground understanding in experience, models of expert analyses following knowledge acquisition, well-timed invitations to engage in reflection during learning). Particular attention is paid to the ecologically valid activity of reasoning about what students know on the basis of what they say and do. In addition to lists of key concepts, end-of-chapter exercises, and a glossary, a number of supplements and additional resources for instructors and students also are mentioned. A parallel e-version of the text, complete with interactive features, is available online at no extra cost. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychology and life (Canadian edition).

Reviews the book, Psychology and life (Canadian edition) (2009), by Richard J. Gerrig, Philip Zimbardo, Serge Desmarais, and Tammy Ivanco. As part of an effective strategy to deal with the many emerging challenges of teaching large introductory psychology classes, a modern textbook geared toward introductory psychology must keep up with these changes and offer useful features that address the needs of the student. To this end, Psychology and Life (Canadian Edition) presents an impressive update of the classic textbook by Gerrig and Zimbardo. The text continues to hit on the key principle of psychology as a science with a thorough and updated research-based presentation. The textbook is well organised into 17 chapters covering the range of typical introductory psychology topics. The chapters are written in a midlevel text that will be accessible to the broad range of students enrolled in most introductory psychology courses. While maintaining a high level of readability and interest, the work is solidly grounded in research as it highlights psychology as a science. As the title of the textbook suggests, the authors make a conscious effort to demonstrate that the research and curriculum presented in each chapter have an immediate impact on daily life. This is a well-written, organised, and appealing text that students will find engaging and instructors will find suitable for providing a solid grounding in the science of contemporary psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Reviews the book, Handbook of psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa and bulimia edited by David M. Garner and Paul E. Garfinkel (1985). In the Introduction, the editors indicate that the text, intended for an audience of practising and academically oriented clinicians, has two major purposes: (1) to delineate the various types of therapy advocated for the treatment of anorexia and bulimia, and (2) to identify the factors that predispose or precipitate these eating disorders. The book is immensely successful in fulfilling the first intent. However, the ability of the various chapter authors to isolate the risk factors for anorexia and bulimia is less satisfying. In fairness, however, this does not represent a shortcoming on the part of the authors but rather provides an accurate reflection of the degree of our current understanding of these eating disorders. Several features of the book make it an invaluable reference text on anorexia and bulimia--a large range of treatment options is presented ranging from feminist psychoanalytic approaches to behavioural management techniques; the authors attempt to articulate the theoretical bases that underlie or justify the particular treatment they advocate; and the inclusion of case studies, sample therapist-patient dialogue, and the overall detailed manner with which the therapies are described provide the reader with a clear flavour of the treatment modality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Vocational rehabilitation and supported employment.

Reviews the book, Vocational rehabilitation and supported employment edited by Paul Wehman and Sherril Moon (1988). As the preface to this sourcebook notes, this collection of 23 articles from 39 contributors "represents only a beginning" to the formulation and critical assessment of supported employment (SE). Rehabilitation professionals should become familiar with this monograph because of the pivotal role of the contributors in the SE movement. Organizationally, this text is well conceived, consisting of five wide-ranging sections. The topic selection demonstrates a sensitivity to the kinds of questions rehabilitation workers are asking about SE. The first section provides the philosophical underpinnings of SE, a recent history of vocational rehabilitation, and a cost-benefit analysis. The three middle sections address a range of implementation issues. Topics include community consensus building, curricula for training rehabilitation staff, job development, and performance indicators. The fifth section consists of applications to specific populations: mental retardation, autism, traumatic brain injury, chronic mental illness, and physical disabilities. This book is an intelligent, up-to-date introduction that will find a wide audience among state planners, program administrators, employment specialists, and researchers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Textbook of psychology (fourth edition).

Reviews the book, Textbook of psychology (fourth edition) by Donald O. Hebb and Don Donderi (see record 1987-97530-000). Before his death in August 1985, Hebb presided over a new revision of his classic introductory psychology text. The third edition of Hebb's book was published by W. B. Saunders in 1972, and more than one attempt had since been made to get a fourth edition published. With the help of D. C. Donderi, this new edition is now in print. This edition is largely an expansion and updating of the 1972 edition. The same topics are treated in the same order as before, but with frequent editing and with more recent material now included. For readers unfamiliar with Hebb's textbooks, they define psychology as the study of behaviour, and behaviour is seen as the product of brain activity. Brain activity in turn is understood by reference to Hebb's concept of the cell assembly. This Hebb and Donderi text is one of the few introductory psychology textbooks that employs a personal perspective on Psychology, and unifies the teaching of that topic by continued reference to one major theoretical concept. There is nowhere in their text any discussion of existing data or theory which might be thought to be incompatible with cell assembly theory. Nor is there any discussion of possible limits to the generalization or the operationalization of the cell assembly idea. Their text does tell students that theories do not last, and that enduring truths are not to be expected in science. Yet students are left with the strong impression that it is very unlikely the basic premises of cell assembly thinking will ever in the future be changed more than slightly. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Social psychology (5th edition).

Reviews the book, Social psychology (5th edition) by David O. Sears, Jonathan L. Freedman, and Letitia Anne Peplau (1985). This is the fifth edition of one of the field's most respected introductory texts, originally published in 1970. It continues to offer a scholarly, research-based overview of most areas of social psychology and strikes a reasonably good balance between classic and current contributions to the discipline. Moreover, the book is well-written, engaging, and likely to appeal both to the serious psychology major and to the casual student interested in what social psychology has to say about human affairs. The text is particularly strong in its treatment of research methodology, attitudes, and interpersonal relations. Social Psychology will undoubtedly continue to be one of the more successful texts in the field, and deservedly so. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychology and the Internet (Second edition).

Reviews the book, Psychology and the Internet (second edition) by Jayne Gackenbach (see record 2006-13395-000). This book provides the reader with 13 informationladen chapters dealing with topics ranging from Evelyn Ellerman's first chapter, which places the Internet in the context of its development in the 1960s in response to the strategic problem of how the United States government could maintain communications if conventional means were destroyed in a nuclear war, to Jayne Gackenbach's and Jim Karpen's final chapter concerned with the Internet and higher states of consciousness and lucid dreaming. The authors have taken readers on a real journey down an information-laden highway that leads to a fascinating, limitless world of virtual reality. Especially appreciated throughout the book is the attempt by the authors to support their viewpoints by making reference to empirical findings. Lastly, in keeping with this evidence-based approach, all chapters are referenced very adequately. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of psychopathy.

Reviews the book, Handbook of psychopathy edited by Christopher J. Patrick (2007). This book aims to address these new developments. The book includes 31 chapters from leading researchers in the field. Chapters are organised into six sections, although the final one consists solely of a summary commentary by Patrick. Overall, this book provides a comprehensive review of the divergent research areas that have surfaced in the decades following the advent of the PCL-R and, as such, it promises to be an important reference for years to come. Some chapters are well suited for graduate courses in psychology (e.g., those reviewing theoretical perspectives and applied topics), criminology (e.g., Farrington's chapter), psychiatry (e.g., Minzenberg and Siever's chapter), and neuroscience (i.e., those reviewing neurobiological findings), and some will undoubtedly serve as important starting points for future research (e.g., chapters on etiological mechanisms), both in terms of delineating potentially fruitful lines of enquiry and important methodological limitations to overcome. However, this text is primarily of academic interest, with chapters mainly authored by researchers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of play therapy, volume 2: Advances and innovations.

Reviews the book, Handbook of play therapy, volume 2: Advances and innovations by Kevin J. O'Connor and Charles E. Schaefer (1994). This book offers a collection of chapters written by leading experts which addresses the developments in play therapy since 1983. In completing the volume, Editors Kevin J. O'Connor and Charles E. Schaefer sought to offer a multi-disciplinary approach to play therapy. Additionally, the editors stated in their preface that they worked to make this new volume "informative, thought provoking, and clinically useful." Indeed, the editors have succeeded admirably in achieving their stated objectives. The book's organization and emphasis on clinical relevance make it a fit companion to their earlier classic (Schaefer & O'Connor, 1983). The Handbook is very well-organized with an excellent selection of chapter topics. The chapters follow essentially the same format and are integrated well within the book. The editors deserve credit for synthesizing diverse theoretical approaches and techniques into a coherent whole. The individual chapters are clearly written and quite readable. The figures and tables are readily understandable and augment the chapters' content. Clinicians and researchers interested in play therapy and child psychotherapy will enjoy this volume. Although the majority of chapters discuss play therapy with children, two chapters discuss play therapy applications with adults. Accordingly, therapists interested in these approaches will profit from this work. The volume certainly appeals to multi-disciplinary audiences such as psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, pastoral counselors, and educators. The text is extremely appropriate for a graduate course in play therapy. Finally, the book can be read from beginning to end or the reader can select particular chapters in the handbook and sample various clinical approaches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of psychotherapy supervision.

Reviews the book, Handbook of psychotherapy supervision by C. Edward Watkins Jr. (see record 1997-08923-000). This book offers a forum for some of the most influential thinkers of our time to discuss what is probably the most critical aspect of learning how to become a therapist: clinical supervision. The book is well organized, comprehensive, and informative. In it, the elusive nature of teaching how to conduct psychotherapy is explored and clarified from a variety of perspectives and across myriad contexts. Overall, the book provides a wealth of information in an organized and readable fashion. Nonetheless, the topics explored include some areas that were not covered adequately. For example, the book would have been further enhanced had the subject of supervisory failures been given more attention, as we know that learning from past errors often provides the most valuable teaching opportunities. Despite a few minor criticisms, the book serves as a wonderful reference for practitioners, students, and teachers of psychotherapy. While extremely useful for the beginning supervisor, the book is also a valuable resource for seasoned supervisors who wish to expand or challenge their ways of thinking about supervision. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of experiential psychotherapy.

Reviews the book, Handbook of experiential psychotherapy edited by Leslie S. Greenberg, Jeanne C. Watson, and Germain Lietaer (1998). The editors note in their introductory comment that the "influence of the humanistic approaches to psychotherapy has waned since their prominence in the sixties and seventies" (p. ix). What this book makes eminently clear, however, is that experientially oriented therapies have not disappeared in the shadow of more recent developments in theory and practice. This book is well written, well organized, and rich in content. Furthermore, it fills an important gap in the literature. In a climate dominated by the search for "scientifically validated treatments," for-profit mental service providers, and praxis dominated by issues of efficacy, concern for the fundamental underlying process responsible for positive human change tends to be relegated to the background. This volume not only highlights the contributions experiential/third-force psychotherapy has made and continues to make to our appreciation of these fundamental processes, but also manages to combine and balance interesting theoretical discussion with clinically useful practical material. While this volume is no "cookbook of experiential therapy," the authors respect the practical demands facing practitioners and provide useful examples of applying some of the basic tenets of the "third force" to a range of specific issues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)