Is life stress more likely to provoke depressive episodes in women than in men?

One of the most consistent findings in psychiatric research is that rates of major depression are at least twofold higher among women than among men. Although there is considerable agreement in the literature that life events play a role in producing, triggering, or maintaining episodes of depression, less is known about the relationship among gender, life events, and depression. In the present study, we compared the rates, focus ("interpersonal" vs. "non-interpersonal"), and timing of stressful life experiences reported in rigorous interviews of male and female patients with unipolar recurrent depression and nondepressed contrast subjects. Consistent with hypotheses, female patients were more likely to experience stressful life experiences than their male counterparts; rates of stressful life experiences did not differ between female and male controls. Unexpectedly, rates of interpersonal stress did not differ among males and females regardless of patient or control status. We also found no significant differences in the timing of pre-onset events: stressful events were generally concentrated in the period immediately preceding onset for both men and women. Thus, although these data suggest that life stress may play a larger role in the provocation of recurrent episodes of depression for women than for men, there do not seem to be sex differences in the extent to which interpersonal vs. noninterpersonal events and difficulties are associated with depression onset or in the temporal distribution of events. Implications of these results are discussed in the context of research on other putative factors contributing to gender differences in rates of depression.     

Reading comprehension and working memory in learning-disabled readers: Is the phonological loop more important than the executive system?

This investigation explores the contribution of two working memory systems (the articulatory loop and the central executive) to the performance differences between learning-disabled (LD) and skilled readers. Performances of LD, chronological age (CA) matched, and reading level-matched children were compared on measures of phonological processing accuracy and speed (articulatory system), long-term memory (LTM) accuracy and speed, and executive processing. The results indicated that (a) LD readers were inferior on measures of articulatory, LTM, and executive processing; (b) LD readers were superior to RL readers on measures of executive processing, but were comparable to RL readers on measures of the articulatory and LTM system; (c) executive processing differences remained significant between LD and CA-matched children when measures of reading comprehension, articulatory processes, and LTM processes were partialed from the analysis; and (d) executive processing contributed significant variance to reading comprehension when measures of the articulatory and LTM systems were entered into a hierarchical regression model. In summary, LD readers experience constraints in the articulatory and LTM system, but constraints mediate only some of the influence of executive processing on reading comprehension. Further, LD readers suffer executive processing problems nonspecific to their reading comprehension problems.     

Is the gap more than gender? A longitudinal analysis of gender, gender role orientation, and earnings.

This study investigated the relationships among gender, gender role orientation (i.e., attitudes toward the gendered separation of roles at work and at home), and earnings. A multilevel model was conceptualized in which gender role orientation and earnings were within-individual variables that fluctuate over time (although predictors of between-individual differences in gender role orientation were also considered). Results indicated that whereas traditional gender role orientation was positively related to earnings, gender significantly predicted the slope of this relationship: Traditional gender role orientation was strongly positively associated with earnings for men; it was slightly negatively associated with earnings for women. Occupational segregation partly explained these gender differences. Overall, the results suggest that although gender role attitudes are becoming less traditional for men and for women, traditional gender role orientation continues to exacerbate the gender wage gap. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is Clinical Psychology a Science?

Comments on an article by Carton Berenda titled Is Clinical Psychology a Science? (see record 1959-03759-001). Few people would contest the thesis proposed by Berenda; clinical psychology is indeed a science. But perhaps the question concerns the maturity of science, rather than the matter of whether an empirical discipline qualifies for a franchise in the domain of "Science." By maturity in science, I mean logical rigor in the expression of laws and theories--a matter of stringent but elegant quantifications, if you will. In this context, most of psychology and practically all of clinical psychology is a child. Failure to keep maturity distinctions in mind has led to some rather unsupportable analogies between psychology and physics. In the writer's opinion, it could only be unfortunate if we were to attempt to establish the kinship of our science to physics on the grounds proposed by Berenda: that, since science has given up the ontological quest, all science is permitted artistic license. One senses that the weakness of Berenda's analogy between physics and psychology lies in the fact that hardly anywhere in psychology do we find it possible to apply those principles by which reflective physicists have resolved what appear to be the logical difficulties of entertaining alternative theories. In answer to Berenda, then, the writer would propose that, until there is more logical order in our theories, more mathematical models, it may be that we are premature in trumpeting our emancipation from the ontological search. True, we are not looking for the real, but we are seeking representations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is clinical psychology a science?

"Science is a matter of degree of systematic logical organization of phenomena; clinical psychology is a science to a degree that will rise in proportion to such systematization," but its development depends upon creative thinking and a vital matrix of pervasive, sympathetic, and qualitative experiences. A "science of personal human behavior seems more feasible in the domain of deviant (neurotic, psychic) behavior than in mentally healthy behavior. One may predict and logically systematize compulsive (neurotic) behavior, whereas the mentally healthy man is more spontaneous, free, and creative in his personal behavior—hence, in detail, less predictable or logically organizable. A science of clinical psychology seems more realizable (as to detailed prediction) than a science of general healthy personalityp" (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting patients' responses to psychotherapy: Are some more predictable than others?

Patient profiling predicts improvement across psychotherapy sessions on the basis of intake clinical characteristics. Patients completed questionnaires before their 1st session and at other points during treatment. After using hierarchical linear modeling to calculate expected courses of improvement, 1/2 of the sample was divided into 1 of 2 groups: those whose treatment responses across sessions matched or exceeded their expected courses (75% of the sample) and those whose responses failed to match expectations. A discriminant function analysis indicated that the groups could be differentiated on the basis of intake characteristics; that is, patients with higher discriminant scores were more likely than those with low discriminant scores to have responded to psychotherapy as predicted. Successful cross-validation of the predictor weights was performed with the other 1/2 of the sample. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is psychotherapy more effective when therapists disclose information about themselves?

Theorists have long debated the wisdom of therapists disclosing personal information during psychotherapy. Some observers have argued that such therapist self-disclosure impedes treatment, whereas others have suggested that it enhances the effectiveness of therapy. To test these competing positions, therapists at a university counseling center were instructed to increase the number of self-disclosures they made during treatment of one client and refrain from making self-disclosures during treatment of another client. Analyses revealed that clients receiving psychotherapy under conditions of heightened therapist disclosure not only reported lower levels of symptom distress but also liked their therapist more. Such findings suggest that self-disclosure by the therapist may improve both the quality of the therapeutic relationship and the outcome of treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is there a Gulf War syndrome?

BACKGROUND: UK veterans of the Gulf War report more ill health than servicemen who were not deployed to the Gulf War. We investigated whether the pattern of symptom reporting by veterans of the Gulf War differed from that in active servicemen who had not fought in the Gulf War or who had fought in other conflicts. METHODS: We used a population-based cross-sectional design. We sent a standardised survey that asked about 50 physical symptoms to three UK military cohorts; men who had served in the Gulf War, those who had served in the Bosnia conflict, and men who had been in active service but not deployed to the Gulf War (Era cohort). We used exploratory factor analysis to identify underlying factors and describe the factor structure of the symptoms reported in the Gulf War cohort. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the fit of this factor structure in the Bosnia and Era cohorts. FINDINGS: Three factors in the Gulf War cohort together accounted for about 20% of the common variance. We labelled the factors mood, respiratory system, and peripheral nervous system, according to the symptoms that loaded on to them. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the factor structure identified in the Gulf War cohort fitted reasonably well in the Bosnia and Era cohorts. INTERPRETATION: Although results from complex modelling procedures need to be interpreted with caution, our findings do not support a unique Gulf War syndrome. The mechanisms behind increased self-reporting of symptoms need further investigation.     

Is Einstellung rigidity a general trait?

"The purpose of this research was to study the relation between the Einstellung type of rigidity and certain personality traits. The hypothesis that this kind of rigidity is an aspect of a generalized tendency to respond rigidly that would be reflected in other phases of personality structure was a basis for this study… It was concluded that the results obtained in the present study did not support the hypothesis of a generalized rigidity factor." 21 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is the first course a monster?

Author comments on his increasing concern regarding introductory undergraduate psychology courses as reflections upon the discipline. He suggests that the discipline needs a thorough, nationwide, and representative-sample survey of the relationship of the first course to the undergraduate student. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is Matric Suction a Stress Variable?

The writer attempts to clarify and address two fundamental questions regarding the appropriate use of matric suction in unsaturated soil mechanics: Is matric suction a stress variable? and Is matric suction a stress state variable? These questions are examined by employing the universally accepted mechanical equilibrium principle, the concept of representative elementary volume (REV) for air-water-solid multiphase porous media, and physical and logical reasoning. It is clarified that matric suction is not a stress variable at a typical air-water-solid REV level, and it can be considered as a stress state variable. However, when it is considered as a stress state variable, there is an interdependency or coupling between matric suction and the net normal stress if both of them are concurrently used to describe the state of stress in unsaturated soils. It is illustrated that the answers to these questions bear important implications for the conceptualization, theorization, and application of unsaturated soil mechanics.     

Is gatekeeping better than traditional care? A survey of physicians' attitudes

CONTEXT: Nearly all managed care plans rely on a physician "gatekeeper" to control use of specialty, hospital, and other expensive services. Gatekeeping is intended to reduce costs while maintaining or improving quality of care by increasing coordination and prevention and reducing duplicative or inappropriate care. Whether gatekeeping achieves these goals remains largely unproven. OBJECTIVE: To assess physicians' attitudes about the effects of gatekeeping compared with traditional care on administrative work, quality of patient care, appropriateness of resource use, and cost. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of primary care physicians SETTING: Outpatient facilities in metropolitan Boston, Mass. PARTICIPANTS: All physicians who served as both primary care gatekeepers and traditional Blue Cross/Blue Shield providers for the employees of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. Of the 330 physicians surveyed, 202 (61%) responded. OUTCOMES MEASURES: Physician ratings of the effects of gatekeeping on 21 aspects of care, including administrative work, physician-patient interactions, decision making, appropriateness of resource use, cost, and quality of care. RESULTS: Physicians reported that gatekeeping (compared with traditional care) had a positive effect on control of costs, frequency, and appropriateness of preventive services and knowledge of a patient's overall care (P<.001). They also felt that gatekeeping increased paperwork and telephone calls and negatively affected the overall quality of care, access to specialists, ability to order expensive tests and procedures, freedom in clinical decisions, time spent with patients, physician-patient relationships, and appropriate use of hospitalizations and laboratory tests (P<.001). Overall, 32% of physicians rated gatekeeping as better than traditional care, 40% the same, 21% gatekeeping as worse, and 7% were of mixed opinion. Positive ratings of gatekeeping were associated with fewer years in clinical practice, generalist training, and experience with gatekeeping and health maintenance organization plans. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians identified both positive and negative effects of gate-keeping. Overall, 72% of physicians thought gatekeeping was better than or comparable to traditional care arrangements.     

Is there a discipline of community medicine?

Community Medicine is a distinct and definable discipline. Through Community Medicine Departments of medical schools and hospitals, patient care, teaching and research programs are conducted in an integrated fashion, concerned with a broad definition of health which is beyond the range of other clinical departments. Because Community Medicine is a developing field, and Departments of Community Medicine are not rigidly tied to traditional approaches, there exist unusual opportunities for new design and fresh insight. Community Medicine is in the fore of Medicine's ability to evolve with the society around us. Community Medicine both identifies the need for change, and acts as an agent for the change. There are obstacles. The most difficult challenges we face are obtaining curriculum time for a new discipline which, to those caught in "the vice-like irrational grip of tradition" (18), may not appear worthy; and ridding ourselves of the sterotype that the hospital can be the single unified source of health care for all community people. These problems are being resolved, however, and the inherent value of community medicine as a new body of theory and practice becomes increasingly clear.     

Children's imitations of intonation contours: are rising tones more difficult than falling tones?

Perceptual evidence suggests that young children do not imitate adult-modeled intonation patterns with a rising pitch contour (rising tones) as well as those with a falling pitch contour (falling tones). To investigate the acoustic basis of this uneven imitation pattern, 10 4-year-old children were asked to imitate short sentences with falling and rising tones in 4 sentence contexts called "intonation groups." The results indicated that the children used more falling tones than adults in most intonation groups. When the children matched the adult-modeled contour direction (falling or rising), the children's speed of pitch change was comparable to that of adults in the falling tones of final intonation groups and in the rising tones of nonfinal groups, but was slower than that of adults in the complementary environments. In a manner consistent with previously reported perceptual data, the instrumental findings indicate that rising tones may be more difficult for 4-year-old children to produce than falling tones. The results additionally suggest that children's intonation is sensitive not only to the direction of tonal contours but also to their position in sentence-final versus nonfinal intonation groups.     

Do agonistic motives matter more than anger? Three studies of cardiovascular risk in adolescents.

Objectives: Three motivational profiles have been associated with recurring psychological stress in low-income youth and young adults: Striving to control others (agonistic striving), striving to control the self (transcendence striving), and not asserting control (dissipated striving). Agonistic striving has been associated with elevated ambulatory blood pressure during daily activities. Three studies tested the hypotheses that: (1) agonistic striving is associated with poor anger regulation, and (2) agonistic striving and poor anger regulation interactively elevate blood pressure. Design: Motivational profiles, anger regulation, and ambulatory blood pressure were assessed in a multiethnic sample of 264 urban youth. Main Outcome Measures: (1) anger regulation/recovery during laboratory challenge; (2) anger/blood pressure during daily activities (48 hours). Results and Conclusion: Replication of the profiles in distant cities showed they occur with similar frequency across differences of region, race, and gender. Analyses controlling for body size, race, and gender revealed that individuals with the agonistic striving profile had higher ambulatory pressure, especially during social encounters. They became more openly angry and aggressive when challenged but did not exhibit difficulty regulating anger in the laboratory, nor did they feel angrier during monitoring. However, individuals with the agonistic striving profile who did display poor anger regulation in the lab had the highest blood pressure; deficient self-regulatory capability amplified the positive association between agonistic striving and cardiovascular risk in both genders and all ethnic groups. Although anger is thought to increase cardiovascular risk, present findings suggest that anger and elevated blood pressure are coeffects of agonistic struggles to control others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is satisfaction with self a measure of adjustment?

Two hypotheses tested in this experiment are "(a) degree of self-satisfaction is curvilinearly related to the social dimension of adjustment and (b) degree of self-satisfaction is ordinarily related to the conceptual dimension of ego-control." Both hypotheses are supported when tested on a sample of 56 college students by comparing their MMPI scores with their ratings of self relevance on a list of 80 adjectives. Implications are drawn with regard to an index of effectiveness of psychotherapy proposed by Rogers. The concept of metastability of adjustment is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)