A note on relaxation treatment groups in studies of systematic desensitizaton.

Reviewed recent criticisms by G. C. Davison (see 43:6) and C. H. Folkins, et al. (see 43:6) of each others' relaxation training condition in the investigation of systematic desensitization. It is concluded that a "pure" relaxation treatment condition void of their criticisms does not represent a real treatment or treatment analogue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Issues in implosive therapy: Reply to Levis.

Asserts that D. J. Levis's 1974 critique of K. P. Morganstern's (see record 1973-31818-001) review on implosion and flooding, although containing a few points of agreement, consisted mainly of unsupported or contradictory challenges. More importantly, Levis's arguments did not alter Morganstern's major conclusions that (a) there exists, at present, no convincing evidence of the efficacy of implosive therapy or flooding or the superiority of either of these techniques to systematic desensitization, and (b) there are serious ethical questions concerning the clinical application of the implosive therapy procedure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Civil liberties and aversive conditioning for children.

Comments on G. C. Davison and R. B. Stuart's (see record 1975-30208-001) discussion of behavior therapy as a civil libertarian concern. Focus is on Davison and Stuart's endorsement of aversive conditioning procedures and their preoccupation with specific behaviors to the exclusion of the child as a whole person with multiple needs, abilities, and sensitivities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Processes of fear reduction in systematic desensitization: An addendum to Wilson and Davison (1971).

Discusses recent studies in the context of G. Wilson and G. Davidson's (see record 1972-03144-001) review of fear reduction techniques. Studies pairing positive ICS with circumstances eliciting avoidance demonstrate the possibility of counterconditioning and provide an experimental basis for certain procedures of systematic desensitization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral control pollution.

Argues against G. C. Davison and R. B. Stuart's (see record 1975-30208-001) support for contingency management in institutional and individual therapeutic situations. In focusing on the consent-giving process, Davison and Stuart ignore the effect of "behavioral control pollution." Artificial management of social contingencies could upset the naturally evolved balance on control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Heterogeneous referents, indiscriminate language, and complementary research purposes.

Refers to 3 articles constituting an interchange: W. Wilkins (see record 1980-01498-001); A. E. Kazdin (see record 1980-01445-001); and R. R. Bootzin and J. R. Lick (see record 1980-01393-001). Wilkins states here that within each of the 3 articles, similar terms are indiscriminately used to refer to different events across different research purposes. Apparent differences concerning the effects of systematic desensitization vis-à-vis nonspecific and expectancy factors represent complementary rather than incompatible positions. Wilkins argues that although Kazdin and Bootzin and Lick present cogent directions for future research, neither commentary presents a position discrepant with his main conclusions. Apparent disagreements and misrepresentations are attributable to a cumbersome conceptual and linguistic system. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On "Behavior therapy and civil liberties."

Responds to G. C. Davison and R. B. Stuart's (see record 1975-30208-001) article on constitutional rights as they relate to the practice of behavior therapy. Issues such as nonconsensual treatment in behavior-related projects are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of two short-term desensitization methods in the treatment of test anxiety.

2 short-term desensitization methods, accelerated massed desensitization and anxiety management training, were compared with standard systematic desensitization in terms of reducing self-reported test anxiety in 44 high test-anxious undergraduates. Posttreatment scores on the Suinn Test Anxiety Behavior Scale indicate that all 3 treatment procedures significantly reduced test anxiety as compared with a waiting-list control group. However, self-reported anxiety following treatment for the anxiety management training group was higher than for the standard desensitization and accelerated massed desensitization groups, and the standard desensitization procedure was significantly more effective than anxiety management training. Anxiety management training, a general or nonspecific program for anxiety control, reduced test anxiety with just 1 hr of direct training in counteracting anxiety. It did not, however, reduce other salient fears as measured by scores on a fear survey schedule. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A marriage of opposites: Self-help and the health care system.

Comments on the K. P. Davison et al article (see record 2000-13816-001) which discusses the social psychology of illness support groups. While the current authors agree with the Davison et al thesis, they contend that the empirical "head counts" of support groups for illnesses cited for 4 cities are underestimated. The current authors also take issue with Davison et al's study of participation as a measure of effectiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Values: An issue in psychotherapy: Comments on a case study.

Discusses the treatment of a case of homosexual pedophilia by R. J. Kohlenberg (see PA, Vol 52:Issue 5), and the commentaries by G. C. Davison and G. T. Wilson and by H. H. Strupp (see PA, Vol 52:Issue 5), with special reference to the issue of values in psychotherapy. While the question of values is clearly involved in such matters as the acceptance of the client's goals, there appear to be differences in how these values are viewed or evaluated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Compensation of "patient workers."

Comments on G. C. Davison and R. B. Stuart's (see record 1975-30208-001) speculation that some institutional directors may replace patient workers with workers from the outside because of the Wyatt v. Stickney case outlawing institutional peonage. Right to treatment standards set by this case required that patient workers be compensated according to the minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Whither subliminal psychodynamic activation? A reply to Silverman.

The authors reply to comments by L. H. Silverman (see record 1982-21579-001) on their earlier criticisms (see record 1980-26153-001) of subliminal symbiotic stimulation as a clinical adjunct to systematic desensitization. The authors contend that Silverman credits them with an overly nebulous "challenge" that was not made, and cites new data that purportedly contradict this overgeneralized conclusion. None of this "contradictory" evidence deals with desensitization or any other treatment for phobic anxiety. The alternative explanations he derives from these new data are based on an arbitrary and simplistic method of data aggregation that lacks consistency across investigations. The resulting selective bias severely reduces the explanatory power of these alternative possibilities and does not negate the authors' contention that stimulation of unconscious merging fantasies is superfluous in desensitization. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Inducing assertive behavior in chronic schizophrenics: A comparison of socioenvironmental, desensitization, and relaxation therapies.

Assigned 63 20-67 yr. old male schizophrenics to 3 treatment conditions: socioenvironmental treatment, systematic desensitization, or relaxation training. It was predicted that socioenvironmental treatment would be more effective with older male schizophrenics (over 45 yr. of age) and systematic desensitization and relaxation training with younger male schizophrenics in generating assertive behavior. It was further anticipated that systematic desensitization and relaxation training would be generally superior in reducing anxiety. Results confirm the expectancy for older patients with respect to socioenvironmental treatment and assertive behavior. There were no other differential treatment effects, although all conditions did generate a decrease in anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implosive therapy: A critical analysis of Morganstern's review.

Presents a critique of K. P. Morganstern's (see record 1973-31818-001) review of implosive therapy and "flooding" literature. It is concluded that (a) the majority of negative results published by investigators using implosive therapy with analog Ss occurred with taped therapy presentations which violate the implosive therapy procedure in 2 important ways, (b) at the analog level only 1 study provided negative results with an actual therapist, (c) all patient therapy studies cited reported that an implosive therapy or flooding procedure was effective, (d) only 1 study using a live therapist reported that a systematic desensitization procedure was more effective than implosive therapy, and (e) whether it was the implosive therapy technique per se that produced the positive findings is still unclear. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluating comparative studies of paraprofessional and professional helpers: A reply to Nietzel and Fisher.

Discusses the major disagreements between M. T. Nietzel and S. G. Fisher (see record 1981-22035-001) and the present author (see record 1979-31736-001) regarding the methodology to apply in evaluating comparative studies of paraprofessional and professional helpers' effectiveness. There is substantial agreement in both reviews on the conclusions that current data support. Research has failed to demonstrate significant differences in the outcomes obtained by paraprofessionals and professionals. Professional training, education, and experience do not appear to explain much of the variance in clinical outcome. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive therapy versus systematic desensitization: Is one treatment superior?

Reviews psychotherapy outcome research and reassesses the findings of D. A. Shapiro and D. Shapiro (see record 1983-06160-001) who reported evidence in their review that cognitive therapy was considerably more effective than systematic desensitization. A substantially larger sample of studies is examined that have compared these 2 forms of treatment. Analyses indicated that (a) cognitive and desensitization treatments are roughly equal in efficacy, and (b) Shapiro and Shapiro's earlier finding may have occurred only because most of the studies they examined were conducted by investigators with an allegiance to cognitive therapy. Present results reveal that therapies combining both cognitive and desensitization treatments are no more effective than one of the treatments alone. The comparable level of improvement observed for cognitive, desensitization, and combined treatments has important implications for psychotherapy theory and research. A listing of the 25 studies included in the present review are appended. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reply to Silverman.

Replies to comments by L. H. Silverman (see record 1982-21579-001) on the author's (see record 1980-32531-001) earlier criticism of and failure to replicate Silverman's subliminal symbiotic stimulation as an adjunct to systematic desensitization. The role of individual differences and the implications for a failure to replicate effects of subliminal psychodynamic activation in light of other supportive evidence are discussed. Silverman contends that the results of a particular kind of study using subliminal psychodynamic activation cannot properly be generalized to all studies using this method; the author proposes an alternative view. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical psychology programs in the universities.

Questions G. W. Albee's (see record 1971-08263-001) conclusions concerning the desirability of training clinical psychologists in arts and sciences graduate schools; the psychiatric setting as inappropriate for apprenticeships; and the incompatibility of scientist-professional models. Rather, the proper meld of scientist-professional characteristics may offer the greatest hope for clinical psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Accelerating language development through picture book reading: Replication and extension to a videotape training format.

G. J. Whitehurst et al (see record 1989-02401-001) taught mothers specific interactive techniques to use when reading picture books with their preschool-age children. This intervention program, called dialogic reading, produced substantial effects on preschool children's language development. However, the costs of one-on-one training limit the widespread use of dialogic reading techniques. In this study the authors aimed to replicate and extend the results of the original study of dialogic reading by developing and evaluating an inexpensive videotape training package for teaching dialogic reading techniques. Mothers were randomly assigned to receive no training, traditional direct training, or videotape training. Results supported the conclusions of Whitehurst et al: Dialogic reading had powerful effects on children's language skills and indicated that videotape training provided a cost-effective, standardized means of implementing the program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Compared to what? A frank discussion of the Boulder Model.

Criticizes an article by G. Frank (see record 1984-27011-001) in which the scientist–practitioner model (SPM) for training clinical psychologists is challenged. It is suggested that Frank's focus on attributes of research vs those of clinical psychologists is not optimally targeted and that a comparison of greater interest would be between low- and high-research productive clinicians trained in the SPM. The present authors conclude that the question of relationship between personality and research productivity is a legitimate one, but the conclusions reached by Frank are not warranted by the data reviewed. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)