Battered women, psychology, and public policy.

Reviews the role that psychologists have played in affecting changes in public policy regarding domestic violence over the past decade. Testimony by expert witnesses has rebutted myths that prevented battered women who killed their abusers from receiving fair trials. Three case vignettes are presented to illustrate how psychological knowledge has helped the judicial system to develop public policy. Because organized psychology has submitted amicus curiae briefs in this area, appellate court cases now usually support the admissibility of a psychologist's testimony as to the battered woman's perception of danger and the reasonableness of her perception of the need for self-defense. The public impact of high-visibility battered women cases is discussed. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Violence in the lives of women having abortions: Implications for practice and public policy.

What do professional psychologists need to know to treat women who once had an abortion? Analyses of responses from 2,525 women revealed that women who reported an abortion were more likely than others to report symptoms of depression and lower life satisfaction. However, they were also more likely to experience rape, childhood physical and sexual abuse, and a violent partner. When history of abuse, partner characteristics, and background variables were controlled, abortion was not related to poorer mental health. This underscores the need to explore the effects of violence in women's lives to avoid misattributing psychological distress to abortion experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and public policy.

Discusses ways to increase the involvement, awareness, knowledge, and education of psychologists in the public policy process. Psychologists have functioned effectively in a variety of roles that are relevant to the policy sector. For example, they are increasingly called upon as expert witnesses. There is a great need for people who can translate the findings of psychology and the behavioral sciences into language and recommendations easily comprehended by the public. Probably the most common role for a psychologist in public policy is that of researcher or evaluator, which uses the psychologist's methodological skill to help policymakers determine whether a program, intervention, or treatment was effective. Psychologists have also increasingly taken positions as administrators in education, health, mental health, welfare, correctional, and human service organizations, where they are directly responsible for the formation and implementation of social policies. Psychologists can also function as activist-collaborators by advocating solutions to social problems. It is concluded that greater involvement of psychology in the public policy process will facilitate the growth of psychological knowledge and the application of that knowledge to the world of which psychology becomes continually a larger part. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental Hospital Deinstitutionalization: Reservations.

Comments that the research by Charles Kiesler (see record 1982-31029-001) on deinstitutionalization is an important guide to the present trend. Kiesler is, however, advisedly aware of the uncertain, possibly even negative, implications of this trend that need to be investigated. The present author contends that this trend toward deinstitutionalization, particularly as regards psychosis and mental retardation, is presently far too influenced by economic considerations rather than by intrinsic ones affecting the welfare of patients, their families, and the community at large. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hospices: Perspectives on the public policy debate.

The public policy debate on hospice care centers on the appropriate mix of medical and supportive services for terminal cancer patients and how such services should be paid for within existing insurance programs. Past decisions to change health care reimbursement that are applicable to the hospice debate are reviewed, the benefits and costs of hospice care are examined, and the role of research in the formulation of social policy is discussed. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescent development and public policy.

Emphasis by psychologists on the importance of early experience led policy makers in the 1960's and 1970's to concentrate public resources on compensatory educational programs for young, disadvantaged children. Research on the reversibility of early cognitive deficits and on the remediation of poor school achievement suggests that an expanded national investment in developing the cognitive competence of adolescents and young adults is warranted. Public policy should encourage schools, youth-serving agencies, business and industry, and the military to provide educational programs that stress general problem-solving abilities and basic academic skills alone. Demographic observations underscore the importance of such a policy for the strength of the nation. (3 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personnel testing and public policy.

Summarizes the major features of the Supreme Court ruling in Griggs vs Duke Power Company, the guidelines of the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance, and the revised Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972. The convergence of thinking present in the 4 documents is interpreted as the formulation of public policies that are increasingly explicit about the use of psychological tests in personnel work. Although the form and content of public policy has been shaped by forces and issues outside professional psychology, the implications for the latter are direct and immediate. Numerous professional and technical issues, as well as larger social and cultural issues, are yet to be resolved. The complexities of the latter pose serious difficulties for the psychologist in resolving the former. (37 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological assessment and public policy.

Reviews the nature and purposes of psychological assessment and the training and qualifications necessary to administer such services. Problems requiring careful attention in assessment include: (a) the protection of the individual from unwarranted inferences, (b) unfavorable evaluations based on obsolete information, and (c) unnecessary invasion of privacy. Standards to determine adequacy of assessment should be compatible with research requirements. Special problems of personality testing are discussed, including the more indirect nature of the behavior sampled and special considerations of privacy requirements. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

AIDS and public policy: A legislative view.

Discusses public policy concerning acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) research, prevention, patient care, and treatment. Government research has been understaffed and underfunded, and improvements are needed in equipment, instrumentation, and oversight of federal agencies. Prevention efforts have been hindered by restrictions on explicitness about sexual behaviors and drug use. Priority should be given to changing public attitudes, counseling and testing of high-risk groups, and community-based programs with access to such groups. Treatment efforts should focus on services for those in the early stages of infection, psychosocial and specialized programs, and financing of AIDS-related health care. (0 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology, public affairs, and public policy: A strategy and review.

Discusses psychology and public image problems in relation to public policy and public affairs. The American Psychological Association's (APA) strategy, past and present efforts, effectiveness, and suggestions for future directions are reviewed. Public policy issues for the APA involve the appropriate corporate role in commitment to a process of establishing, maintaining, and expanding a credible public presence regarding the field. Members of the field cannot expect to play a constructive role in policy development if people are misinformed about psychology and psychologists. Suggestions for future APA strategies include surveying members' opinions on a routine basis; focused, topic-specific projects with radio and TV; more frequent task reports on specific issues; increased efforts to educate writers and members of the media; and the establishment of liaison committees or joint task forces with other professional groups. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alternative images of the citizen: Implications for public policy.

Argues that in attempting to understand socially significant political issues and problems, political scientists and other policy makers have made heavy use of psychological models of the citizen. It is argued that instead of drawing such models from psychology, their efforts have utilized the psychological models of the citizen suggested by economic theory. As a result, the potential effects of citizens' concerns with distributive and procedural fairness—factors typically excluded from economic theories—have been ignored in studying citizens' political evaluations and behaviors. Evidence is given to show (1) that political evaluations and behaviors are influenced by justice-based concerns and (2) the need to broaden the image of the psychology of the citizen to include the influence of citizens' concerns about fairness. (93 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health psychology and public policy: The political process.

During the past 20 years, psychologists have successfully modified federal statutes, resulting in recognition of the profession's clinical and research expertise. Despite these successes, professional psychology's training institutions have largely failed to address basic issues in health policy and the implications of national health policy for psychology. The importance of public health programs under Title VII of the Public Health Act and the significance of full inclusion of psychology in all federal health programs, including Titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid), are poorly understood by most health psychologists. Federal health policy decisions, including management of excessive federal health spending, will dictate the growth and opportunities for health psychologists. Understanding federal health spending and recent federal initiatives such as Resource Based Relative Value Scale, Diagnostic Related Groups, and practice guidelines will be of benefit to health psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and inferences about public policy.

The research literature of psychology may be brought to bear on public policy issues in three ways. First, psychology may be useful in establishing procedures for determining public policy. Second, psychology may be useful in formulating the structure for policy and its implementation. Third, the literature of psychology may be reflected in the actual content of public policy. There are many issues involved in making inferences about public policy from the psychological literature. Among these issues are the generalizability of findings from basic science and problems of overadvocacy on the part of policy consultants. Researchers expect that inferences from the psychological literature would lead to innovations in the policy, but the innovations themselves must be evaluated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Public policy and public service: Our professional duty.

Psychology is a steadily maturing profession, and we psychologists are finally beginning to accept our societal responsibility to be involved in the public policy and political process. Although psychologists have shown increased involvement in the recent past, there are still many areas in which psychologists could become markedly more involved—especially in the area of programs that affect the quality of life of our nation's elderly, disabled, and poor citizens. As our profession seeks to become more active in the overall health care arena, we will, of necessity, begin to define the parameters of "quality of care" for other professions. In doing so, we must closely explore the "outer limits" of our own practice. We must ensure that all state and federal legislative (and administrative) policies do not impose arbitrary limitations on the scope of practice. To accomplish this objective, we must seek to influence our subset of our nation's health policy priorities and policies that we have traditionally shunned—the subset that affects "the public good." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children and public policy: A role for psychologists.

Discusses the 1970 Joint Commission on Mental Health of Children report. The issues raised by the report are considered, and recommendations are presented for the response of the American Psychological Association (APA). The limitations of the APA in the area of its official position on public policy or programs, the establishment of priority statements after analyses of program costs, and the utilization of lobbyists are discussed. It is suggested that psychologists establish rank order priorities for the problems of prevention of psychopathologies in children. The advantages of the child advocacy system and of universally available preschool programs, especially for the disadvantaged, are discussed. Research is proposed which would cover 3 areas: nationwide epidemiological studies, assessment and evaluation of action-oriented social programs, and multidisciplinary research into causative factors. A general model for delivering services to children and families is outlined which would utilize the local schools as the 1st level for assessment and treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescent abortion: Psychological perspectives on public policy.

The Supreme Court has relied on psychological assumptions in adolescent abortion cases, but it has failed to consider relevant empirical research. The work of the Interdivisional Committee on Adolescent Abortion to fill in this gap provides a model for organized psychology's integration, dissemination, and application of psychological knowledge to promote the public interest. Such efforts should be replicated by state associations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA and public policy: A survey of member views.

Describes a questionnaire published in the american psychologist, concerned with the posture of activism or passivity of the american psychological association (apa) with respect to various political and social policy matters, (the support of professional roles for psychologists, the unified or divided formal organization of apa, and the association's tax status). Only 5% of the total membership returned the questionnaire, nearly 1/3 of whom wrote in comments. A bare majority (52.5%) of the respondents felt that apa should be more active in furthering public policy and/or professional legislation; however, these respondents were divided on the issues to which they believed activity should be addressed. On the basis of the expression of distinctly divergent views and the limited number of respondents, the association policy and planning board concluded that there exists no clear mandate for change among the membership. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescent health care: A public policy perspective.

Focuses on the importance of psychosocial and behavioral components of health care in the area of adolescent health care. The authors contend that it will ultimately be as a direct result of psychology's tangible (and visual) successes in areas such as adolescent health that will lead to psychological services becoming fully accepted within the overall health care system. The underlying policy notion is that if psychology addresses society's perceived needs, society (i.e., the nation's public policy/political leadership) will strive to meet the mental health profession's needs. The majority of problems adolescents face, regardless of apparent physical symptomatology, are essentially behavioral (psychosocial) in nature. The symptom distress model provides for a school-based integration of psychological knowledge with clinical and educational expertise. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Women, psychology, and public policy: Selected issues.

Asserts that the dramatic changes in women's work and family roles in recent decades have profound implications for employment and family policy. It is argued that the market forces used by economists to adjust salary levels do not counteract the forces that devalue women's contributions to the economy. Depressed wages and a benefit structure based on earnings increases the likelihood of poverty of women. Many employment issues, such as the assumption that workers and family members are physically and mentally able-bodied, disabled women's employment status, and the relationships among women's physical and mental health status and work and family roles, require psychological research. The slowness of public policies to reflect women's changing roles is discussed, and tools for meeting the challenges of change, including science and technology and educational equity, are presented. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologists, Congress, and public policy.

As professional psychologists become increasingly involved in shaping health care policy in our nation, it is imperative that they understand the various forces that influence congressional members to enact legislation. This article examines two major issues: (a) Congress's cautious and restrained approach to health care policy and (b) preemption and the relationship between Congress and the states. Understanding these issues will enable psychologists to become more effective representatives of both the professional and societal interests of professional psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)